WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Kinsey (Bill Condon, 2004) 9 p.m.; also Thurs 6:40 p.m. Travellers & Magicians (Khyentse Norbu, Bhutan, 2003) 6:30, 8:50 p.m. Short Cut to Nirvana (Maurizio Benazzo and Nick Day, 2004) 6:50, 8:40 p.m. See Ongoing for reviews.
WEDNESDAY: Maria Full of Grace (Joshua Marston, U.S./Colombia, 2004), with its star, Catalina Sandino Moreno, in person screens for CFI members only 7 p.m.
FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY: Kinsey, Travellers & Magicians, and Shortcut to Nirvana continue. Call for times.
RED VIC
1727 Haight (at Cole), 668-3994, www.redvicmoviehouse.com. $7. There's a spot on the couch for you at this collectively owned rep house.
WEDNESDAY: The comic duo The Yes Men (Chris Smith, Dan Ollman, Sarah Price, 2004) pull pranks on industry and the media -- since this film came out they killed a few more careers at the BBC 2, 7:15, 9:15 p.m.
THURSDAY: Future gubernatorial candidate Rob Reiner practices for succeeding Arnold in 2010 by knocking down a few rock legends in This Is Spinal Tap (1984) 7:15, 9:15 p.m.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY: West Coast music stars Anton Newcombe and Courtney Taylor go from friends to feud in Dig! (Omar Timoner, 2004) 7, 9:30 p.m.; also Sat 2, 4:20 p.m.
SUNDAY: What is truth? Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (Japan, 1951) offers more than one answer 2, 4, 7:15, 9:15 p.m.
MONDAY: Kurosawa's comic samurai saga Sanjuro (Japan, 1962) sets rogue samurai Toshiro Mifune loose amid courtly corruption. Highly recommended 7:15, 9:25 p.m.
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY (Jan. 18 & 19): What the Tarnation (Jonathan Caouette, 2004)?!? 7:15, 9:15 p.m.; also Wed 2 p.m.
ROXIE
3117 and 3125 16th St. (at Valencia), 863-1087 and www.roxie.com. $8. Short-run repertory on two screens, separated by a bar, in one of the most adventurously programmed theaters in the USA.
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Bear Cub (Luis Miguel Albaladejo, Spain, 2004) 7 p.m. Tarnation (Jonathan Caouette, 2004) 8:45 p.m. Also, fear meets Freud in The Century of the Self (Adam Curtis, U.K., 2002) Parts 1 & 2 ($8) 7 p.m.; also Wed 2 p.m. Parts 3 & 4 ($4) 9:10 p.m.; also Wed 4:10 p.m. See Ongoing for reviews.
FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY (Jan. 14-20): Alexandra's Project (Rolf de Heer, Australia, 2003); see Opening for review 7, 9:15 p.m.; also Sat, Sun, & Wed 2, 4:30 p.m. Call theater for second program.
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Koret Visitor Education Center, 151 Third St. (between Mission and Howard), 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org. Screenings are free with museum admission of $10.
DAILY (closed Wednesday): "Glamour in Context," a program of short films, screens through Jan. 17 Thurs & Fri 2:30 p.m.; Sat & Sun 1 p.m.; Mon 2:30 p.m. "Roy Lichtenstein in Context" Thurs 4, 7:30 p.m.; Fri 4 p.m.; Sat & Sun 3 p.m.; Mon 4 p.m.; Tues 2:30 p.m.
SATURDAY (Jan. 15): A program of the videos of Mary Lucier presents an hourlong screening of her works from "The 1990s and Beyond: Figure and Ground" every Saturday this month 4 p.m.
STANFORD
221 University (at Emerson), Palo Alto, (650) 324-3700, www.stanfordtheatre.org. $6. This handsomely restored neighborhood palace usually (but not always) screens pre-1960 Hollywood fare in the best available prints, with excellent projection. A winter season of Fred Astaire musicals continues. Closed Monday through Thursday.
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: Astaire is teamed with Red Skelton as songwriters Burt Kalmar and Harry Ruby in Three Little Words (Richard Thorpe, 1950; 7:30 p.m.; also Sat & Sun 4 p.m.), but unfortunately none of the team's novelty songs for Groucho Marx was used. Fred's partner Vera Ellen is also co-starred in The Belle of New York (Charles Walters, 1952; 5:55, 9:25 p.m.), one of Astaire's most enjoyable and underrated films.
VICTORIA THEATRE
2961 16th St. (at Mission), 863-7576, www.victoriatheatre.org. This venerable old house frequently rents itself out for special screenings.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY: The 2004 edition of Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation has been held over through January. That's just sick! $9 7:30, 9:30 p.m., midnight.
YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
701 Mission (at Third Street, in Yerba Buena Gardens), 978-2787, www.YerbaBuenaArts.org. $7 save as noted. This venue's Screening Room is a home for film and video programs of all sorts.
FRIDAY (Jan. 14): Three films by Arkansas "folk art filmmaker" Phil Chambliss include The Devil's Helper ("two men that cut a deal with the devil for expanded deer hunting privileges"), The Pastor and the Hobo, and the semitimely Pink Christmas. $8 7:30 p.m.
FILM NOTES
The Independent Film Channel's movie trivia game "The Ultimate Film Fanatic Challenge" offers buffs a real-time chance at prizes and humiliation, this week at Moby Dick, 4049 18th St., S.F., Wednesday and Thursday, 7-11 p.m. Contact www.ifctv.com or call (212) 563-7656 for more information.
