A Press Democrat Blog

Arts

Dan Taylor on the fine arts scene.

Oscar-nominated short films come to movie theaters

Wednesday, at 7:00 by

Every year, the Academy Award nominations spark a fierce flash of interest among film fans. But for decades, one category languished in the shadows — the short films. Locally, Ky Boyd, proprietor of the Rialto Cinemas — first in Santa Rosa, and now in Sebastopol — has championed these little gems. When the shorts, both live and animated, became available to release as a package program to movie theaters in 2001, the Rialto was among the few nationwide to leap… Read More »

SSU teacher critiques Oscar nominations

Friday, at 10:21 by

Christina Baker, an assistant professor in the American Multi-cultural Studies department at Sonoma State University, found a teachable moment in this year’s Academy Award nominations. In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to win an Oscar, as best supporting actress as the mammy in “Gone With the Wind.” And this year, Viola Davis is nominated for best actress, and Octavia Spencer for best supporting actress, both in “The Help,” in which they play maids who take care of… Read More »

A movie fan speaks out on the Oscars

Thursday, at 8:17 by

The Academy Awards are approaching on Feb. 26, and movie buffs are guessing who will win what. So, just for today,  I am turning the ARTS blog over to movie fan, arts advocate and retired marketing executive Larry Carlin of Santa Rosa, to offer his views on the topic. Here’s Larry: Watching four movies a week (two double bills) as a kid in LA turned me into a film trivia buff. I even made money at it! Won my share… Read More »

Oscar-nominated short films at Summerfield Cinemas

Monday, at 8:37 by

How long does it take to watch a good move? As little as seven minutes, if you pick the right movie. Summerfield Cinemas in Santa Rosa will screen A collection of 10 of the best short films starting Friday, Feb. 10, all nominated for 2012 Academy Awards, and ranging in length from seven to 31 minutes. There are two different programs, each featuring five films, running daily. Information: 539-6773, summerfieldcinemas.com. The animated films are: — “Sunday/Dimanche,” 10 minutes, English, Patrick… Read More »