As I hurried into the Embarcadero for the April 7 preview screening of At Any Price, I spied a blurb on the poster that gushed about “the performance of a lifetime” from star Dennis Quaid. But by the time the closing credits rolled, I didn’t come close to sharing that sentiment. And when I got a better look at that quote afterward, was I surprised that its source was none other than…

My idol, the late Roger Ebert.

While I rarely second-guess myself when critiquing a movie, I wondered if he had seen something in Quaid’s portrayal to which I was ignorant. Possibly, but as peerless as Ebert was, I didn’t take everything he reviewed as gospel, and At Any Price is certainly no exception.

Indeed, what could have been a fascinating tale about the cutthroat underbelly of Big Agriculture (renowned industry mottos include “Expand or Die” and “Get Big or Get Out”) is instead merely a painful exercise in over-the-top acting and smothering direction that reduces the proceedings to little more than white-trash Lifetime. It’s certainly not boring, but it‘s too absurd to be otherwise. Read More…

May 2nd: Performance/The Man Who Fell To Earth (Castro Theatre – 1 Night Only!)

The Man Who Fell to Earth: This is the new uncut 35mm presentation (Yes, the same one that was unveiled in 2011) of the strange events that took place in 1976 right around the time that Spaceman (David Bowie) fell to Earth. I wasn’t born until the following year, which means all of my information about the incident I’ve gotten from filmmaker, Nicolas Roeg, who, lucky for me, was around at the time to record and edit the whole damn thing! Thanks, Roeggie.

Performance: Originally I only planned on attending this double-feature for Bowie, but then I realized that Performance was Nicolas Roeg’s directorial debut, and that it came out just one year prior to Walkabout (1971). I’m willing to overlook my prejudices towards the film’s lead (Mick Jagger), for the sake of experiencing yet another pre-Castaway (1986) Roeggie offering.

May 3rd: Kon-Tiki (Embarcadero)

This is Norway’s entry for the most recent foreign picture award at this year’s Oscars. This is also supposed to be one hell of an adventure story, that, contrary to what the above picture, and the movie’s trailer would have you believe, is not just some foreign country’s remake attempt at Jaws. Man, I love Jaws. Hopefully this will just as good. Read More…

April 1st: Wrong (Roxie)

Plot for Wrong: Man loses dog and has to find him.  Yes, it is that ingeniously simple.

Quentin Dupieux, director of Rubber, is back and so is the cinematic concept of “no reason”. Quentin is a rebel against mainstream cinema whose cause seems to be letting people know that films don’t have to follow the Hollywood norm.  Having seen this earlier in the year at SF IndieFest, I can say with confidence that not only does this movie play directly into all of my comedic sensibilities, but I am quite certain that I will not laugh at any other comedy this year, no, make it this decade, as much I did while watching Wrong.

April 5th: The Place Beyond The Pines (Embarcadero)

Plot for A Place Beyond the Pines: A motorcycle stunt rider considers committing a crime in order to provide for his wife and child, an act that puts him on a collision course with a cop-turned-politician.

So it’s essentially Drive, only with a motorbike instead of a car?  I am so cool with that.  Once again, another great cast for Cianfrance to work with.  His first feature-length, Blue Valentine (2010) earned Michelle Williams an Oscar nomination and showed that he has what it takes to direct.  On the off-chance this movie completely tanks, which I don’t think will happen, at least we’ll be left with the visual pleasures of Gosling, Cooper and Mendes to ogle at for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Read More…

Film Briefs is our way of giving our opinion on films we might not necessarily have the time to review in full.  This is a column where we sum up our feelings about the last few movies we saw and throw ‘em up just to give you an idea of what’s out there. Usually, we try to have at least two of the three films be major releases. But with this being San Francisco and all, we lucky devils seem to always have plenty of limited releases right at our fingertips, hence the reason for this Limited Releases edition of the column.

Follow the jump to see briefs for The Silence, Somebody Up There Like Me and Wrong Read More…

“I get a rush/When I see blood and dead bodies on the floor/Casualties of war…

–Eric B. & Rakim, “Casualties of War,” 1992

Young India Stoker is indeed at war with a most dangerous enemy…her own psyche. And there will be casualties.

India is intelligent and introverted, on the cusp of womanhood, but also a friendless, reclusive outcast with a long brunette curtain parted right down the middle that obscures her dispassionate mien like a shroud. She is hypersensitive to sound, despises being touched, and is harassed at school; think Carrie White, Wednesday Addams, and Aileen Wuornos tossed into a blender. Worse, she is now alone in the world following the sudden loss of her beloved father, who perished in a mysterious car accident on her eighteenth birthday.

This increases an already-deep rift between India and her aloof mother, Evie, an aging semi-alcoholic who doesn’t appear overly distressed at her husband’s passing, something that is not lost on her daughter. During the funeral, India becomes aware of a strange figure watching the proceedings from a distance. Later at the wake, the man is revealed as her Uncle Charlie, whom she never even knew existed. Urbane and world-traveled, Charlie will be staying at the Stokers’ spacious castle-like house – which is now much more a fortress – and that immediately sparks India’s distrust. Evie, though, is promptly smitten by this handsome stranger, seeking him as a remedy of sorts for her sexual frustration borne by her eroding marriage. Never mind that Charlie’s sadistic mind games will threaten to snap completely the frayed mother-daughter bond, or that people start to go missing after his arrival; Evie is so caught up in this man who she discovers can cook in more ways than one.

However, it’s definitely not Evie whom Charlie has in his crosshairs from the second he enters the picture. Read More…

A 19th century Russian aristocrat, a bunch of young Brooklyn chess players, an extreme French method actor, a love triangle involving a King, a Queen and a Physician, a couple of crazies who find each other, and yet another Twilight!  What do all these people have in common?  They’re all featured in new films opening this week in San Francisco.  Follow the jump to what these films actually are and where you can see them Read More…

This week’s new releases are all about survival.  There’s heated political campaigns, one-night stands, long-standing relationships, secret government weapon projects, the Serbian mafia, boarding school, extreme stupidity, jealousy, and an island of children forced into murder.  The last one, I’m sure we can all relate to, right?  All of these San Francisco releases are exploring one or more of these themes in one way or another.  Surely, at least one of them has to catch your interest.  To see the full list of films, trailers, and where they’re playing, follow the jump Read More…

August 1st: The Big Lebowski (Vogue Theatre)

Few films are powerful enough that they inspire a new religion, The Big Lebowski is. Dudeism, now an official religion is growing quickly and is similar to Buddhism.  Dudeists pay respect to not one but many historical figures such as Kurt Vonnegut, Julia Child, Buddha, Snoopy, Quincy Jones, and of course, The Dude. Point being, if you haven’t seen The Big Lebowski or if you didn’t fully grasp the power of this mighty film the first time around, you are getting a second chance.

August 2nd: The Science of Sleep (Vogue Theatre)

I love this movie.  Lucid dreaming never seemed so realized – or fun, for that matter – in film as it does in Michel Gondry‘s wildly imaginative tale of awkward romance.  The first time I saw this movie I made the mistake of thinking Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, released just 2 years prior, could never be topped in terms of sheer originality, at least as far as storytelling and practical effects were concerned.  I was wrong.  The fact that this film was made on a budget 14 million dollars less than that of Eternal Sunshine’s only makes it that much more impressive.  Did I mention that I Love this movie?

August 5th: Gone With The Wind/Citizen Kane (Castro Theatre)

Have you ever met an avid film enthusiast who still hasn’t seen either Gone With The Wind and/or Citizen Kane?  Well, allow me to introduce myself.  Hello, my name is Adam and I have still not seen either of these two films.  Go on, judge me if you must.  All this will soon change of course, thanks to the wonderful programmers at the Castro Theatre.  Finally, I get to see what all the hype is about, and I get to see it on San Francisco’s best screen, as far as I’m concerned.

August 10th: Ed Wood/Mulholland Dr. (Castro Theatre)

Hmm, what should I do Friday, August 10th?  While I don’t usually like to plan that far into the future, I do know one thing’s for certain.  I won’t be going to band practice, or any other social gathering for that matter, because I’ll be front row and center in my beloved Castro Theatre watching both my favorite Tim Burton movie and my favorite David Lynch movie as a 2-for-1 double-feature.  Oh happy day! Read More…