Repertory Theaters

Commentary by Gregg Rickman (greggr1@mindspring.com). Times compiled from information available Tuesday; it's always advisable to call for confirmation. Price given is standard adult admission; discounts often apply for students, seniors, and members.

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ACT I & II

2128 Center (at Shattuck), Berkeley, (510) 464-5980, www.landmarktheatres.com. $9.25 save as noted. One of this venue's two screens is a "calendar house" for Landmark Theatres. For additional screenings, see our Showtimes page.

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY (Nov. 4-10): Never Been Thawed (Sean Anders, 2005). See Opening for review. Call for times.

MIDNIGHT SHOW (Friday & Saturday): Dorothy and friends pay a visit to The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939).

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

345 Bush (at Polk), 775-7755, www.afsf.com. French-language films shown on projected video. $6 donation.

WEDNESDAY (Nov. 2): A young man yearns for My Camera and Me (Christophe Loizillon, France, 2002), videotaping every event in his life until he meets a blind woman (Julie Gayet) 7 p.m.

AQUARIUS

430 Emerson (at Lytton), Palo Alto, (650) 266-9260, www.landmarktheatres.com. $8 for this midnight series. "Midnight Moovies" continues, with Bunny the Cow hosting a pre-film show with prize giveaways and cartoons/TV programs on Saturdays only. There will be additional screenings Saturday and Sunday "around noon" (call for more info). See our Showtimes page for the Aquarius' regular listings.

MIDNIGHT SHOW (Friday & Saturday): Most say it's great, some say it's terrible, we say it's terribly great -- The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939).

ARTISTS' TELEVISION ACCESS

992 Valencia (at 21st Street), 824-3890, www.atasite.org. $5 save as noted. This venue offers all manner of strange and unusual video and film.

THURSDAY (Nov. 3): You thought the problem was Scooter Libby. "Future genius" Jason Buckley's political satire Washington Interns Gone Bad (2005) imagines heads will roll 8 p.m.

FRIDAY (Nov. 4): Music videos from Jascha Ephraim record his "3D Business Trip" across America by Amtrak. Live music by the Merdivorators 8 p.m.

SATURDAY (Nov. 5): The Bernadette Corporation's Get Rid of Yourself (France, 2005) a cine-essay on anarchy, the left, and globalization, an "incendiary post-Situationist tract." Also, Erik Gandini's Surplus 8:30 p.m.

SUNDAY (Nov. 6): This month's installment of "Street Level TV" includes Meg Dixit's interview with S.F. District Attorney Kamala Harris, YO! TV (Youth Outlook) reports from around the world, a music video with hip hop artist Aima Paule, and reports from Katrina survivors 8 p.m.

BALBOA

3630 Balboa (at 38th Avenue), 221-8484, www.balboamovies.com. $8.50 save as noted. This great neighborhood house shows films of all sorts. See our Showtimes page for additional listings.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (Nick Park, U.K., 2005) 12, 1:50, 3:40, 5:30, 7:20, 9:10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Two Tab Hunter features, an excellent western, Gunman's Walk (Phil Karlson, 1958; 3:20, 7 p.m.), and the spoof Lust in the Dust (Paul Bartel, 1985; 1:35, 5:20, 9 p.m.). Hunter in person for evening screening of the latter.

THURSDAY: A "Sin in Soft Focus" series of pre-Code films from Paramount opens with Mae West proving I'm No Angel (Wesley Ruggles, 1933; 1:40, 5:10, 8:55 p.m.) to Cary Grant, and the very rich Grant competing with caveman Randolph Scott over who gave Nancy Carroll a Hot Saturday (William A. Seiter; 3:25, 7 p.m.), a neat little film. It screens with W.C. Fields rampant as The Dentist (Leslie Pearce, 1932).

FRIDAY: "Sin in Soft Focus" -- The pretty darn outrageous Murder at the Vanities (Mitchell Leisen, 1934; 1:35, 5:05, 8:50 p.m.) -- nudity and marijuana -- screens with George Raft dancing with Carole Lombard in Bolero (Wesley Ruggles, 1934; 3:25, 7 p.m.).

SATURDAY: "Sin in Soft Focus" -- Marlene Dietrich stars in Josef von Sternberg's dazzling The Scarlet Empress (1934; 1, 4:50, 8:45 p.m.), as the wicked Catherine the Great, and poses nude for Brian Aherne in Song of Songs (Rouben Mamoulian, 1931; 3:05, 7 p.m.).

FRIDAY & SATURDAY: "Sin in Soft Focus" -- A late-show rarity, The Story of Temple Drake (Stephen Roberts, 1933), a sensationalist adaption of Faulkner's novel Sanctuary (which was pretty sensationalist itself). Jack LaRue plays the impotent rapist "Popeye" 11 p.m.

SUNDAY: "Sin in Soft Focus" -- Politics go slapstick in the satires Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933; 1:15, 4:05, 7 p.m.) and Million Dollar Legs (Edward Cline, 1932; 2:40, 5:30, 8:20 p.m.), with the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields, respectively.

MONDAY: "Sin in Soft Focus" -- Henry Stephenson murders his wife and attempts to cover up his crime in Guilty as Hell (Erle C. Kenton, 1932; 2, 5:15, 8:35 p.m.). Also screening, Billion Dollar Scandal (Harry Joe Brown, 1933; 3:40, 7 p.m.), with Robert Armstrong as "Fingers" and Olga Baclanova as "Go Go." A "surprise mystery bonus feature" is announced for 10:10 p.m.

TUESDAY: "Sin in Soft Focus" -- Maurice Chevalier suggests spending One Hour With You (Ernst Lubitsch and George Cukor, 1932; 2:10, 5:20, 8:35 p.m.) to Jeanette MacDonald in this charming musical, screening with another rarity, This Is the Night (Frank Tuttle, 1932; 3:45, 7 p.m.) -- Cary Grant's feature debut.

BRIDGE

3010 Geary (at Blake), 751-3213, www.peacheschrist.com for this series. This popular little theater offers, in addition to its regular screenings (see Showtimes for listings), two weekends of "Sing-Alongs" hosted by Peaches Christ. $10.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY (Nov. 4 & 5): "Sing-Along Purple Rain" features projected song lyrics for maximum audience involvement in Prince's musical (Albert Magnoli, 1984). A "Totally '80s Slut Pageant" enlivens the pre-show costume contest midnight.

CASTRO

429 Castro (near Market), 621-6120, www.thecastrotheatre.com, $8 save as noted for regular programs; www.latinofilmfestival.org and $10 save as noted for the International Latino Film Festival. Short-run rep in a spectacular 1922 Greco-Roman-themed palace designed by Timothy L. Pflueger. Evening intermissions feature David Hegarty on the Mighty Wurlitzer.

WEDNESDAY: Catherine Deneuve stars in Roman Polanski's tale of mental breakdown and skinned rabbits, Repulsion (1965; 1, 5, 9 p.m.), and as an ageless vampire in The Hunger (Tony Scott, 1983; 3, 7 p.m.).

THURSDAY: Artists Against AIDS USA presents a live concert, "I Remember You." See www.a3usa.org for more information 7 p.m.

FRIDAY: The ninth International Latino Film Festival plays here this weekend. Tapas (Corbacho and Cruz, Spain). $15 includes opening-night gala 7 p.m. Cazuza -- Time Doesn't Stop (Werneck and Carvalho, Brazil) 9:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: International Latino Film Festival -- Soy Cuba, O Mamute Siberiano (Ferraz) looks at the making of the 1964 classic I Am Cuba noon. Travelling With Che Guevara (Miná, Italy) documents the making of Walter Salles' The Motorcycle Diaries 2 p.m. An art and sex comedy, Cachimba (Caiozzi, Chile) 4:45 p.m. A tribute to John Leguizamo screens Sueño (Chabria, Mexico) 7:30 p.m. Stories of Disenchantment (Valle, Mexico) 10:10 p.m.

SUNDAY: International Latino Film Festival -- A docudrama re-creating German-Argentine relations during the last World War, Oro Nazi en Argentina (Pereyra, Argentina) noon. The magical-realist To Die in San Hilario (Mañá, Spain) 2 p.m. Un Buda (Rafecas, Argentina) 4:15 p.m. Directors Night Award Ceremony and the green card comedy Love for Rent (Edelman, Colombia/U.S.), with reception to follow. $12 7 p.m. A kidnapping goes bad in Palermo Hollywood (Pinto, Argentina) 10:30 p.m.

MONDAY: Terrence Malick's two justly celebrated films of the 1970s, the lovely Days of Heaven (1978; 7 p.m.) and the edgier Badlands (1974; 8:50 p.m.).

TUESDAY: An Election Day double bill of the sober The Candidate (Michael Ritchie, 1972; 7 p.m.) and the ludicrous Wild in the Streets (Barry Shear, 1968; 9:05 p.m.).

FOREIGN CINEMA

2534 Mission (between 21st and 22nd streets), 648-7600, www.foreigncinema.com. Free with meal. This restaurant screens foreign films, usually in 35mm, on the back wall of its outdoor patio, with drive-in speakers available for the tables of those who want to watch while they dine.

DAILY (Closed Mondays): Bullitt (Peter Yates, 1968) screens through Nov. 27. "Starts at dusk."

KANBAR HALL

3200 California (at Presidio), 292-1200 for venue, www.filmarts.org and 552-FILM for information on this program. Located in the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

THURSDAY (Nov. 3): Opening night of the Film Arts Festival of Independent Cinema screens the dance documentary Ballet Russes (Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller, 2005) with gala to follow. $50. See Night & Day, Page 23, for more on the festival 7:30 p.m.

LARK

549 Magnolia (at Post), Larkspur, 924-5111, www.larktheater.net. This single-screen art deco theater mixes new and repertory programming. $8.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: North Country (Niki Caro, 2005) Wed 7:15 p.m.; Thurs 5, 7:30 p.m.

STARTS FRIDAY: Chicken Little (Mark Dindal, 2005); see Opening for review Fri 4:30, 6:15 p.m.; Sat 2:35, 4:30, 6:15 p.m.; Sun 12:15, 1:45, 3:30 p.m.; Mon 5 p.m.; Tues 4, 5:45 p.m.

SUNDAY: Thomas Campbell's surfing doc Sprout (2005) 5:30 p.m.

LUMIERE

1572 California (at Polk), 352-0810, www.landmarktheatres.com. This multiplex is only partly a "calendar house" rep theater; for the rest of the Lumiere schedule, see our Showtimes page. $9.50.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Kamikaze Girls (Tetsuya Nakashima, Japan, 2004) 7, 9:25 p.m.

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY (Nov. 4-10): Never Been Thawed (Sean Anders, 2005). See Opening for review. Call for times.

MARIN CENTER SHOWCASE THEATRE

3501 Civic Center (at Avenue of the Flags), San Rafael, 499-6800 and www.italianfilm.com for this series. The 2005 Italian Film Festival screens at this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed complex through Nov. 12. $10.75.

SATURDAY (Nov. 5): Underrated veteran Ettore Scola's investigation of People of Rome (2003), a documentary comedy 7, 9:15 p.m.

MECHANICS' INSTITUTE LIBRARY

57 Post (near Market), 393-0100 and www.milibrary.org for information; phone or e-mail rsvp@milibrary.org for (required) reservations. $7. This cultural asset of long standing continues its fall film series. Shown on projected video, with salon-style discussions to follow.

FRIDAY (Nov. 4): Alec Guinness is a dying clerk taking a Last Holiday (1950) in Henry Cass' sensitive dramedy 6:30 p.m.

PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE

2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch), Berkeley, (510) 642-1124, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu. $8, second show $2. The East Bay mecca for film scholars, part of UC Berkeley's Art Museum, thrives at its on-campus location, up the steps on Bancroft between Telegraph Avenue and the Hearst Gym.

WEDNESDAY: Two reassemblages of prewar amateur films by the Hungarian Péter Forgács, Father and His Three Sons (1988) and Dusi and Jenö (1989) 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Program 1 of "Selling Democracy," a series screening U.S. government films made for European audiences promoting the Marshall Plan, offers "Out of the Ruins," films depicting postwar despair and recovery, including Me and Mr. Marshall (1949) 7 p.m.

FRIDAY: A Sam Peckinpah series opens with his early masterwork bidding farewell to the Old West, Ride the High Country (1962; 7 p.m.), and a rather coarser elegy, The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970; 9 p.m.).

SATURDAY: "Taisho Chic on Screen," a series of silent Japanese films, opens with Souls on the Road (Minoru Murata, 1921; 6 p.m.), a movie depicting Japanese poverty and a highly influential work, and the adventure film The Golden Bullet (Hiroshi Innami, 1926; 9 p.m. ).

SUNDAY: "Taisho Chic" -- Hiroshi Shimizu's modernist melodrama Eternal Heart (1929; 3:30 p.m.) and a government-commissioned film depicting the Rebirth of the Capital (Hamataro Oda and Asajiro Itoi, 1930; 6:30 p.m.), Tokyo, from the 1923 earthquake.

MONDAY: Theater closed.

TUESDAY: Stan Brakhage's "The Pittsburgh Trilogy," a group of three 1971 shorts by the legendary experimental filmmaker, includes his record of rides with local policemen, eyes; an open heart surgery document, Deus Ex; and The Act of Seeing With One's Own Eyes autopsies 7:30 p.m.

PALACE OF FINE ARTS

3301 Lyon (at Bay), 567-6642 and www.palaceoffinearts.org for venue; 421-8497 for information on this program. This nine-decade-old remnant of a World's Fair has an excellent auditorium, often used for film programs.

THURSDAY (Nov. 3): Warren Miller's latest ski/snowboard compilation, Higher Ground (2005). $17.50 6, 9 p.m.

PARKWAY

1834 Park (at Lake Merritt), Oakland, (510) 814-2400, www.picturepubpizza.com. $5 save as noted. Pizza, beer, and movies on two screens. Call theater for programs, booked a week in advance. The Parkway also offers occasional scheduled special programs. $7 save as noted.

THURSDAY (Nov. 3): A "dress-up" screening of Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) benefits the San Antonio Community Development Corp. Tuxedos, suits, fezzes, and 1940s glamour encouraged. $7 9:15 p.m.

TUESDAY (Nov. 8): A Film Arts Festival screening of Chris Brown's dramedy Scared New World (2005), about a half-dozen mismatched housemates in Oakland. $10 6:30 p.m.

MIDNIGHT SHOW (Saturday): The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975), with live performance by Barely Legal. $6.

RAFAEL FILM CENTER

1118 Fourth St. (at A Street), San Rafael, 454-1222, www.cafilm.org. $9 save as noted. This three-screen repertory theater, now officially the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, is operated by the California Film Institute. Programs are complex; check carefully and call for confirmation.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Steal Me (Melissa Painter, 2005) 6:30, 8:45 p.m. Separate Lies (Julian Fellowes, U.K., 2005) 6:45, 9 p.m. Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog, 2005) 9:15 p.m.

THURSDAY: A Michael Powell series continues with the spy thriller The Spy in Black (U.K., 1939) 7 p.m.

STARTS FRIDAY: Call for films and times.

SUNDAY: Jennifer Jones stars in Gone to Earth (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, U.K., 1950) 4, 7 p.m.

RED VIC

1727 Haight (at Cole), 668-3994, www.redvicmoviehouse.com. $7 save as noted. There's a spot on the couch for you at this collectively owned rep house.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: The high-energy documentary Murderball (Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro, 2005) 7:15, 9:15 p.m.; also Wed 2 p.m.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY: It's a hard-knock world for a pimp, in the musical dramedy Hustle & Flow (Craig Brewer, 2005) 7, 9:25 p.m.; also Sat 2, 4:30 p.m.

SUNDAY & MONDAY: A Southern Gothic comedy, Junebug (Phil Morrison, 2005) 7:15, 9:30 p.m.; also Sun 2, 4:15 p.m.

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY (Nov. 8 & 9): Altcountry singer Jim Wright is Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus (Andrew Douglas, 2003) 7, 9:25 p.m.; also Wed 2 p.m.

ROXIE

3117 and 3125 16th St. (at Valencia), 863-1087, www.roxie.com; www.filmarts.org and 552-FILM for information on Film Arts Festival screenings. $8 save as noted. Short-run repertory on two screens, separated by a bar, in one of the most adventurously programmed theaters in the USA.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Make It Funky! (Michael Murphy, 2005). All proceeds for this film go to Louisiana Rebirth, an organization devoted to rebuilding New Orleans culture 7, 9:15 p.m.; also Wed 2, 4:30 p.m. Thom Anderson's remarkable essay about the city of angels on film, Los Angeles Plays Itself (2004) 6:30 p.m. The Aristocrats (Paul Provenza, 2005) 9:30 p.m.

FRIDAY: The Film Arts Festival of Independent Cinema screens here this weekend. Today, A Tale of Two Cities (Ginzberg). Free 12:30 p.m. "Shorts: Love" features Jay Rosenblatt's Phantom Limb 6 p.m. Just Say It (Dorfman and Giloman) and "Shorts: Art" 8 p.m. Women in Love (Everett) 10 p.m. Blood, Sweat and Glitter (Aickin) 11:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: FAF -- "Tilted: Youth Media" (free) noon. Nuesta Familia (de Granados) noon. Rancho California (Caldwell) 1:45 p.m. In This Short Life (Sjogren) 3:30 p.m. Trespassing (DeMenezes) 5:45 p.m. Wellstone! (Colby) 8:20 p.m. Come Fly With Me Nude (Karagienakos) 10:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: FAF -- "Shorts: Collections" noon. Romántico (Becker) 2 p.m. Prospect (Solis) 4:10 p.m. 62 Years and 6500 Miles Between 6:15 p.m. I Am a Sex Addict (Zahedi) 8 p.m.

MONDAY & TUESDAY: Call for films and times.

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

Koret Visitor Education Center (save as noted), 151 Third St. (between Mission and Howard), 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org. Screenings are free with museum admission of $12.50.

DAILY (Closed Wednesdays): Through Nov. 18 -- What's in the box? An interactive presentation of The Magical Worlds of Joseph Cornell (2003) Thurs, Fri, Mon, Tues 2:30 p.m.; Sat & Sun 1 p.m. My Eyes Were Fresh Thurs 4, 7:30 p.m.; Fri, Mon, Tues 4 p.m.; Sat & Sun 3 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Koret Auditorium, Lower Level, 100 Larkin (at Grove), 557-4400, http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/. A weekly video program screens on Thursdays and occasional other days. Free.

THURSDAY (Nov. 3): A "Guns, Germs and Steel" series tracing 13,000 years of human evolution opens with Out of Eden (2005) noon.

SUNDAY (Nov. 6): The 12th annual Exhibition and Competition of Independent Filipino Films and Videos. Titles TBA 1 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. Closed Monday through Wednesday.

THURSDAY & FRIDAY: David O. Selznick's home-front weepie Since You Went Away (John Cromwell, 1944) with Claudette Colbert, Joseph Cotton, and Shirley Temple sincerely emoting 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY: Two musicals showcase the brilliant dancing of the Nicholas Brothers, Stormy Weather (Andrew Stone, 1943; 7:30 p.m.; also Sun 4:20 p.m.) and Sun Valley Serenade (H. Bruce Humberstone, 1941; 5:50, 9 p.m.), which actually top-lines skater Sonja Henie, John Payne, and Milton Berle.

UA GALAXY

1285 Sutter (at Van Ness), 474-8700 for venue; 554-0525 and www.aifisf.com for this program. For regular screenings at this multiplex, see our Showtimes page. The 30th annual American Indian Film Festival screens here this week. $7 save as noted.

SATURDAY (Nov. 5): The opening-night feature, Trudell (Heather Rae, 2005), portrays "poet-prophet-activist" John Trudell 7 p.m.

SUNDAY (Nov. 6): Stolen Spirits of Haida Gwaii (McMahon) and Spirit Riders (Kleinart). $5 11 a.m. Indian Country Diaries: A Seat at the Drum (Hurst) and shorts. $5 2:30 p.m. Pulling Together (Fortier) 7 p.m.

MONDAY (Nov. 7): Aboriginal Architecture (Rickard), The Tunguska Project (Gordon), Aleut Story (Williams). $5 noon.The Snowball Effect (Benally) and Homeland (Grossman) 7 p.m.

TUESDAY (Nov. 8): My Father, My Teacher (Allen and Malenstyn), Quest (McKim), When I Hear Thunder (Olson), Lincoln and Black Hawk (Chown), The Lynching of Louie Sam (McIlwraith). $5 noon. Fifth World (Lowe) and shorts 7 p.m.

YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS

701 Mission (at Third Street, in Yerba Buena Gardens), 978-2787, www.ybca.org. $8 save as noted. This venue's Screening Room is a home for film and video programs of all sorts.

WEDNESDAY (Nov. 2): France, where film noir actually came from, is well represented in the genre by Yves Allégret's Such a Pretty Little Beach (1949), with Gerard Philippe. 16mm print. $7 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY (Nov. 3): A three-day series of "CineKink" screens "positive depictions of alternative sexuality." First up is Writer of O (Pola Rapaport, France, 2004), a biography of the Story of O author 7 p.m. "Negotiations & Love Songs" (shorts) 9 p.m.

FRIDAY (Nov. 4): Original Pride: The Satyrs Motorcycle Group (Scott Bloom, 2005) looks at a pioneering gay bike gang 7 p.m. Pornology New York (Michele Capozzi, 2005) looks back at underground New York, circa 1970-85 9 p.m.

SATURDAY (Nov. 5): "S/M at the Movies," a clip show narrated by Thor Stockman 7 p.m. "The Best of CineKink" (shorts) 9 p.m.

SUNDAY (Nov. 6): New experimental and political works by Cynthia Madansky include Devotion, filmed in Istanbul, and Still Life, filmed in Palestine. Artist in person 7:30 p.m.