San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
A mix of virtual, live at film festivals
There’s light at the end of the pandemic tunnel and — for Bay Area film lovers — it’s the glow of the movie projector.
As commercial movie theaters slowly reopen, independent theaters and film festivals are taking a cautious approach to reopening and continue to rely mostly on online offerings. Still, the spring lineup shows that there is actually plenty to watch
outside your home this year. Below is a list of a few inperson movie events:
“The Ten Commandments”: Fathom Events and TCM have resumed their partnership of bringing classic films to the big screen in multiplexes, and this Hollywood epic — one of the most colorful films ever made — will test your resolve to go back to theaters (it clocks in at three hours and 40 minutes).
The film stars Charlton Heston as Moses and features Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson and Yvonne De Carlo, among other legends. The momentous scene of the parting of the Red Sea remains one of cinema’s most showstopping special effects sequences.
Other titles on the Fathom Events schedule include “La Bamba” (April 18, 21) and “Fried Green Tomatoes” (May 9, 12).
Sunday, March 28, and Wednesday, March 31, at Bay Area theaters. www. fathomevents.com
Popcorn Popups at the Balboa Theatre: While it waits to reopen, the Richmond District jewel has been going the parklet route — part of a plucky and vibrant block of Balboa Street between 38th and 39th avenues, with several restaurants, a bar, a produce stand and other shops. The Balboa parklet always features popcorn, hot dogs, candy and regional craft beers, as well as live jazz (Danny Brown and the Noise AllStars) on Sundays and movies on Saturdays and Sundays on an 80inch screen.
Movie screenings are typically listed just a few days before the weekend, but one special event has already been announced: the Balboa’s annual Oscars party, with a live red carpet for dogs. The inperson celebration begins at 3:30 p.m. April 25.
Parklet hours are 47 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 27 p.m. Saturdays and 16 p.m. Sundays. 3630 Balboa St., S.F. 4152213117. www.cinemasf.com
Fort Mason Flix: The popup drivein along the San Francisco waterfront has been wildly popular during the pandemic, with schedules announced about every two weeks and many nights quickly selling out.
It has also been the home of special events such as this year’s first virtual Sundance Film Festival, with plans to host SFFilm (see below) in April and CAAMFest by the Center for Asian American Media in May (dates have not been announced).
The Chronicle has even partnered with Fort Mason Flix to screen the San Franciscoshot comedy “So I Married an Axe Murderer.” Copresented by the Balboa and Roxie theaters, it’s part of The Chronicle’s #TotalSF series and will be hosted by Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight at 5:30 p.m. April 18.
5 or 5:15 p.m. and 8:30 or 8:45 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. $49 per vehicle. Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Blvd. fortmason.org/ event/flix
San Francisco International Film Festival: The festival, known as SFFilm, was canceled last year, but it is back with renewed vigor: 106 titles, both online and inperson at Fort Mason Flix, plus inperson music events.
Drivein presentations include the opening night film “Naked Singularity,” a thriller starring John Boyega (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”) and Olivia Cooke (“Sound of Metal”); closing night film “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street,” a documentary about the classic children’s television show; and “Homeroom,” Peter Nicks’ documentary about Oakland High School’s class of 2020.
But more than just films, festivalgoers can look forward to a live drag performance at Fort Mason Flix to get them in the mood for the centerpiece film, “Socks on Fire,” in which filmmaker Bo McGuire profiles his homophobic aunt and drag queen uncle.
But perhaps the coolest event of the festival is an appearance at Fort Mason Flix by Fantastic Negrito, the Oakland roots musician who added to his Grammy haul earlier this month. He is scheduled to perform the film score live for Rick Prelinger’s foundfootage documentary, “Lost Landscapes of Oakland.”
April 918. Online, with select films at Fort Mason Flix. sffilm.org
DocLands Documentary Film Festival: The Smith Rafael Film Center, operated by the California Film Institute, is one of the few independent art houses that has reopened — and it’s a good spot for catching up on Academy Award nominees leading up to the 93rd Academy Awards on April 25.
But more importantly, it plans to be the home of one of the Bay Area’s first intheater festivals since the beginning of the pandemic when it hosts DocLands in May.
The 2020 DocLands was delayed from last May and ultimately folded into the mostly virtual Mill Valley Film Festival last October. This year, it moves back to its usual place on the calendar, May 716. The festival will be a mix of intheater and virtual screenings.
May 716. Online, with select films at Smith Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael. 4154541222. cafilm.org