Film Arts - Movies & Festivals - Reviews

November is the month dedicated to families. Planning Thanksgiving dinner and what to do the days following Thanksgiving. For those of you who don't go to the movies together, change your tradition and go! Trust me you'll feel a lot better. This month there are 10 movies you should see in the theater, Including “Bohemian Rhapsody” about the Iconic Freddie Mercury, Opening November 2^nd 

on’t go see Sicario: The Day of the Soldado which may still be lingering on local screens until you have rented the original movie first,Sicario.

Folklight Film Club, a new Sonoma County-based film production company that’s created a wine club-inspired membership experience around making a movie. Go to cool and unique events, get a glimpse behind-the-scenes, and get the opportunity to actually influence and inspire the movie being made.

This year, the 4th of July falls on a Wednesday so you can definitely catch up on movies you missed in June on Friday or Saturday. “Incredibles 2” was much better than expected so definitely see this on the big screen and not at home.

Every country at the beginnings of its nationalistic stirrings creates a myth and a hero that embodies concepts of shared identity, of ethnic cohesiveness, of common values. 

Local vintner Robert Mark Kamen of Sonoma’s Kamen Estate Wines also happens to be one of Hollywood’s most successful screenwriters. Kamen, who back in 1979 took the money from his first script sale and invested it in Sonoma property, is responsible for three extremely successful film series – The Transporter series starring Jason Statham, the Taken series starring Liam Neeson, and The Karate Kidseries starring Ralph Macchio.

My favorite time of the year has arrived. The first film I’m excited about is the sequel to “The Incredibles”. It opens June 15th. It’s been 14 years since the original came out but you will remember all the characters, especially Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. This of course is appropriate for the whole family.

The 13th Annual Mendocino Film Festival, June 1-3, will screen 55 films from 18 countries, including documentaries, shorts, animated films, California premieres, a children’s program, and many Sundance selections in multiple venues on the ruggedly picturesque Mendocino Coast of northern California.

There have been Frances McDormand sightings in Petaluma, she is rumored to be a denizen of Bolinas that semi-mysterious enclave of supposedly sequestered celebrities.

It all started in 1932, with a film called What Price Hollywood? In this initial take on the plot , the ingenue is an aspiring actress who is a waitress at the Brown Derby where she meets a director. He sets up a screen test. Soon her fortune ascends as quickly as the alcoholic director’s fortune descends.

There's a lot to see at your local movie theaters in October. Starting with “Venom”. Kids of all ages will love this movie. It stars Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams. It opens October 5th. Also opening October 5th is “A Star is Born” starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Cooper also directed this remake.

As the Supreme Court moves inexorably to the right there are those who have offered to donate their organs to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Both reviled by some and raised to icon status by others. Documentarians Julie Cohen and Betsy West have given us a mostly adulatory look at the life and times of Ms. Ginsburg. 

The book begins with a prologue featuring an Asian family coming in from the rain with their unruly children to a ritzy hotel and requesting lodging. They are snubbed by the snooty hotel clerk whereupon they just buy the place. The tone has been set.

We live in a death denying indeed a death defying society and I am society’s child. In fact, as a nation we would rather not mention that troublesome event at all. People pass away, expire, or “kick the bucket”.

I can’t believe Summer is over! The great thing about September is that the Oscar caliber films start coming out. The one I’m excited about is “The Sisters Brothers” starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jake Gyllenhaal.

I can’t believe the end of Summer is approaching. The good news is there are amazing movies to see in the theater. The first must see movie is “Blindspotting”.