[ Movies Index | San Francisco | MetroActive Central | Archives ]

Film Picks By Richard von Busack Freeway II: Confessions of a Trick Baby (1999) Plays Friday and Saturday midnights at the Roxie Theater Matthew Bright's sequel to the mind-roasting Freeway reinvents "Hansel and Gretel," just as his first film renovated "Little Red Riding Hood." Natasha Lyonne, the lovably cranky heroine of Slums of Beverly Hills, plays Crystal--named after her mom's favorite drug. After a jailbreak, Crystal and her traveling companion, the delusional lesbian Cyclona (Maria Celedonio), head for the Mexican border. The two seek a place of refuge run by one Sister Gomez (Vincent Gallo), but the paradisiacal candy store turns out to have a large and capacious oven. Dark Wave Plays Oct. 29-31 at the Victoria Theater; advance tickets at the San Francisco Film Society; call 415.929.5043 A Halloween series of horror films includes the U.S. premiere of Dario Argento's The Phantom of the Opera, starring Julian Sands in the title role. It's billed with the lesbian vampire opus Razor Blade Smile (1998) (Oct. 29). The Oct. 30 feature is The Eternal, the story of a woman possessed by an ancient Druid witch, and is billed with The Evil Dead (1982), starring Bruce Campbell as one of a group of college yobs who stupidly decides to read out loud from the Necronomicon. Finally, on Halloween (Oct. 31): Black Sunday (1960). The "beauty mask" sequence at the beginning of this moody horror film hooks the viewers and Barbara Steele as the gorgeous, vengeful witch keeps them engaged. Billed with Return of the Living Dead (1985). A toxic spill turns various townsfolk into brain-eating zombies. 1999: Recent Work by Eli and Michael Rudnick Plays Oct. 28 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Generation Z filmmaker Eli Rudnick is only 11, but he has made some 25 videos; the program includes some of Rudnick's work--parodies of popular movies and serious studies of domestic violence. Michael Rudnick's own work in 3D kinetic film is accompanied by collaborator Nik Phelps (ex-Club Foot Orchestra). The screening includes spoken word by Christina Svane, jazz guitar by William O'Haire, Chuck Borsos on accordion and theremin by Lorelei David. [ San Francisco | MetroActive Central | Archives ]