Movies and TV

Jamie Dornan, left, and Anthony Mackie make the most of their roles in “Synchronic.” (Courtesy Rustic Films)

Sci-fi adventure ‘Synchronic’ looks good, but lacks originality

New Orleans-set time-travel thriller could be sharper

Jamie Dornan, left, and Anthony Mackie make the most of their roles in “Synchronic.” (Courtesy Rustic Films)
Documentarian Judith Ehrlich’s “The Boys Who Said No!” about young people who actively resisted the Vietnam War screens Oct. 25, closing the United Nations Association Film Festival. (Courtesy photo)

United Nations Association Film Festival offers big slate of human rights documentaries

11 days of programs showcase international films focusing on social justice

Documentarian Judith Ehrlich’s “The Boys Who Said No!” about young people who actively resisted the Vietnam War screens Oct. 25, closing the United Nations Association Film Festival. (Courtesy photo)
Liam Neeson makes an action hero soulful in the new “Honest Thief.” <ins>(Courtesy Open Road Films)</ins>

Liam Neeson’s primal in breezy ‘Honest Thief’

Acting veteran’s found his niche in action movies

Liam Neeson makes an action hero soulful in the new “Honest Thief.” <ins>(Courtesy Open Road Films)</ins>
“David Byrne’s American Utopia” is a wild and thoughtful concert film featuring the Talking Heads frontman. (Courtesy David Lee)

Spike Lee captures David Byrne’s upbeat show in ‘American Utopia’

’S#!%house’ a sensitive coming-of-age tale

“David Byrne’s American Utopia” is a wild and thoughtful concert film featuring the Talking Heads frontman. (Courtesy David Lee)
Justin Chon stars in “Coming Home Again,” which makes its U.S. premiere on Oct. 16 on CAAMFest Forward’s opening night. <ins>(Courtesy Center for Asian American Media)</ins>

Wayne Wang’s ‘Coming Home Again’ a portrait of a Korean-American family

S.F. filmmaker goes distance to get details right

Justin Chon stars in “Coming Home Again,” which makes its U.S. premiere on Oct. 16 on CAAMFest Forward’s opening night. <ins>(Courtesy Center for Asian American Media)</ins>
Entrepreneur and beloved Bay Area drag artist D’Arcy Drollinger hasn’t slowed down during the pandemic. (Saul Sugarman/Special to S.F. Examiner)

High noon at the Oasis

D’Arcy Drollinger’s busy at the helm of the SoMa drag club and other ventures, too

Entrepreneur and beloved Bay Area drag artist D’Arcy Drollinger hasn’t slowed down during the pandemic. (Saul Sugarman/Special to S.F. Examiner)
“Totally Under Control” looks at how the Trump administration failed in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy Neon)

‘Totally Under Control’ details Trump’s COVID failures

‘Planters’ a whimsical comedy with heart

“Totally Under Control” looks at how the Trump administration failed in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy Neon)
Amanda Christine and Mamoudou Athie star in “Black Box.” (Courtesy Alfonso Bresciani /Amazon Studios)

Good jolts in Blumhouse flicks ‘Black Box,’ ‘The Lie’

Amazon Studios kicks off series of four genre films

Amanda Christine and Mamoudou Athie star in “Black Box.” (Courtesy Alfonso Bresciani /Amazon Studios)
“Port of Destiny: Peace,” about Juan Manuel Santos, the former Colombian president and Nobel Prize winner, is part of Cinejoy’s Showcase programming, continuing online from Oct. 1-14. (Courtesy photo)

Cinequest film fest launches Cinejoy films online

Screenings give viewers chance to see Cinequest offerings canceled in March

“Port of Destiny: Peace,” about Juan Manuel Santos, the former Colombian president and Nobel Prize winner, is part of Cinejoy’s Showcase programming, continuing online from Oct. 1-14. (Courtesy photo)
Julianne Moore, left, and Janelle Monae appear in “The Glorias.” (Courtesy Dan McFadden/LD Entertainment/Roadside Attractions)

‘Glorias’ a satisfying salute to famed feminist

Uncommon heroine appeals in ‘Once Upon a River’

Julianne Moore, left, and Janelle Monae appear in “The Glorias.” (Courtesy Dan McFadden/LD Entertainment/Roadside Attractions)
Luke Hemsworth and Maggie Q appear in the effective horror thriller “Death of Me.” (Courtesy Saban Films)

B movie chiller ‘Death of Me’ makes most of mysterious vacation setting

‘Finding out what the heck happened’ flick has some good jolts

Luke Hemsworth and Maggie Q appear in the effective horror thriller “Death of Me.” (Courtesy Saban Films)
Gina Rodriguez, left, and Evan Rachel Wood appear in Miranda July’s appealing “Kajillionaire.” (Courtesy Focus Features)

‘Kajillionaire,’ ‘The Artist’s Wife,’ ‘Misbehaviour’

New films explore lives of interesting, powerful women

Gina Rodriguez, left, and Evan Rachel Wood appear in Miranda July’s appealing “Kajillionaire.” (Courtesy Focus Features)
Bruce Dern and Lena Olin star in “The Artist’s Wife,” a drama about a painter dealing with the onset of dementia. (Courtesy Strand Releasing)

Ad-libbing Bruce Dern makes the most of his dialogue

Acting veteran stars as man facing dementia in ‘The Artist’s Wife’

Bruce Dern and Lena Olin star in “The Artist’s Wife,” a drama about a painter dealing with the onset of dementia. (Courtesy Strand Releasing)
The journey of Stacey Abrams, a Democratic politician from Georgia and voting rights advocate, is covered in the lively, crucial documentary “All In: The Fight for Democracy.” (Courtesy Amazon Studios)

‘All In: The Fight for Democracy,’ ‘Blackbird’ new at the movies

Timely documentary is important and engaging

The journey of Stacey Abrams, a Democratic politician from Georgia and voting rights advocate, is covered in the lively, crucial documentary “All In: The Fight for Democracy.” (Courtesy Amazon Studios)
Gaëtan Dugas is the subject of “Killing Patient Zero,” a documentary about a gay flight attendant wrongly accused of starting the spread of AIDS in North America. (Courtesy photo)

Frameline44 revisits LGBTQ+ lessons from the past

Varied film lineup addresses themes that reverberate today

Gaëtan Dugas is the subject of “Killing Patient Zero,” a documentary about a gay flight attendant wrongly accused of starting the spread of AIDS in North America. (Courtesy photo)
Dacre Montgomery and Geraldine Viswanathan star in the appealing rom-com “The Broken Hearts Gallery.” (Courtesy Sony)

‘Broken Hearts Gallery,’ ‘Our Time Machine,’ ‘Rent-A-Pal,’ ‘The Hole’

Memories, dreams permeate film releases this week

Dacre Montgomery and Geraldine Viswanathan star in the appealing rom-com “The Broken Hearts Gallery.” (Courtesy Sony)
“American Pathogen” shows footage of Donald Trump avoiding responsibility regarding the pandemic in news interviews. (Courtesy American Pathogen)

‘American Pathogen’ chronicles Trump’s catastrophic response to COVID-19

YouTube doc urges voters to consider president’s malfeasance around health crises

“American Pathogen” shows footage of Donald Trump avoiding responsibility regarding the pandemic in news interviews. (Courtesy American Pathogen)
Fort Mason Flix will show drive-in movies on a special screen that accommodates daylight viewing. (Courtesy photo)

Fort Mason to open pop-up drive-in

Wide variety of movies offered on extra bright, high definition screen

  • Sep 4, 2020
Fort Mason Flix will show drive-in movies on a special screen that accommodates daylight viewing. (Courtesy photo)
Sergio Chamy, left, and Rómulo Aitken appear in the appealing “The Mole Agent.”(Courtesy Gravitas Ventures)

‘Mole Agent,’ ‘Critical Thinking,’ ‘Measure for Measure’

Films focus on senior spies, teen chess players, Australian gangsters

Sergio Chamy, left, and Rómulo Aitken appear in the appealing “The Mole Agent.”(Courtesy Gravitas Ventures)
From left, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter star in the fun and uplifting “Bill & Ted Face the Music.” (Courtesy Patti Perret/Orion Pictures)

‘Bill & Ted Face the Music’ unites in today’s terrifying, divided times

Worthy sequel evokes laughs, smiles, positive vibes

From left, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter star in the fun and uplifting “Bill & Ted Face the Music.” (Courtesy Patti Perret/Orion Pictures)