Showtimes
General Admission: $9.00
Bargain matinees in (parentheses): $6.50
Seniors and Children $6.50
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Wednesday, August 27 — Thursday, September 4, 2008
Theatre #1
Traitor (PG-13)
(12:00), 2:25, 4:50, 7:15, 9:30
We are busy with last minute preparations for the Telluride Film Festival starting August 29. As Co-Director there are always many things for me to do. So no long newsletters for a few weeks. “Just the facts, M’am,” as Jack Webb would say on DRAGNET.
Some of the Balboa team will be joining me this year to work their magic on the Festival’s audiences. Check out Telluride’s new website where you can see video from last year’s tributes and seminars, see this year’s poster by Laurie Anderson and grab the Dell Lounge Widget to keep you up-to-date. http://telluridefilmfestival.org/
By the way, one of the Telluride Film Festival’s unique aspects is that we don’t reveal the program until opening day so check back next Friday.
Since I was mentioning our great staff, we must thank Jeffrey M. Anderson for his kind words in this week’s Combustible Celluloid newsletter.
“I caught up with Tropic Thunder this week, a few days late, and I'm glad I did, though it just goes to teach one a lesson about going out on a limb and saying that Pineapple Express was "the funniest movie of the year." I'm not the world's biggest Ben Stiller fan, but he really nailed the movie business, and Robert Downey Jr. is just the Elvis of acting. I saw the movie -- and even bought a ticket -- at San Francisco's Balboa Theater, which should be designated as a kind of treasure. The city has bigger and more state of the art theaters, but none with as much personality.”
Wow. We are blushing. Check out Jeff’s terrific reviews and interviews at http://combustiblecelluloid.com/
On Wednesday, August 27 we’ll begin showing an exciting espionage thriller, TRAITOR.
http://www.traitor-themovie.com
Kirk Honeycutt with the first review in Hollywood Reporter
The synopsis:
"Academy Award® nominee Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Crash) and Guy Pearce (Memento, L.A. Confidential) star in a taut international thriller set against a jigsaw puzzle of covert counter-espionage operations. Traitor is written and directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (screenwriter of The Day After Tomorrow).
When straight arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce) heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn (Don Cheadle). A mysterious figure with a web of connections to terrorist organizations, Horn has a knack for emerging on the scene just as a major operation goes down.
The inter-agency task force looking into the case meets with Carter (Jeff Daniels), a veteran CIA contractor who seemingly has his own agenda and Max Archer (Neal McDonough), a fellow FBI agent. The task force links Horn to a prison break in Yemen, a bombing in Nice and a raid in London, but a tangle of contradictory evidence emerges, forcing Clayton to question whether his quarry is a disaffected former military operative—or something far more complicated.
Obsessed with discovering the truth, Clayton tracks Horn across the globe as the elusive ex-soldier burrows deeper and deeper into a world of shadows and intrigue."
See you at the Balboa.
Gary
About This Week's Films:back to top
Tropic Thunder
R for pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material - 107 minutes
Official Website: www.tropicthunder.com
"The movie is laugh-until-your-stomach-hurts hilarious."
—Peter Hartlaub, San Francsico Chronicle
"It's raunchy, outspoken -- and also a smart and agile dissection of art, fame, and the chutzpah of big-budget productions."
—Lisa Scwartzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"Tropic Thunder is the funniest movie of the summer--so funny, in fact, that you start laughing before the film itself has begun."
—David Ansen, Newsweek
"An imperfect work of genius, a satire of Hollywood excess and vanity that dares to tread territory laden with minefields."
—Stephanie Zacharek, Salon
"From Downey Jr.'s purposely racist embodiment of African-American anachronisms to Black's scatological humor, everything in Tropic Thunder qualifies as satire, not spoof. It's an important distinction. Pauline Kael once noted that "unlike satire, spoofing has no serious objectives; it doesn't attack anything that anyone could take seriously; it has no cleansing power."
—Eric Kohn, Premiere
"Stiller manages his movie nicely so that all actors get their share of the comic spotlight. Seldom does an ensemble comedy not contain a single weak character or performance as does this one.'
—Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
Traitor
Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce star in Traitor, a taut international thriller set against a jigsaw puzzle of covert counter-espionage operations. Traitor is written and directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (screenwriter of The Day After Tomorrow).
PG-13 for violence, thematic material and language - 110 minutes
Official Website: www.traitor-themovie.com
WEBSITE(S) OF THE WEEK - Movies About Moviesback to top
This site has lots of great information about movies about Hollywood and filmmaking. Enjoy.
lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/moviesaboutmovies.html
Balboa staff member Serafina has created a My Space place for the Balboa. Join in to discuss the theater. www.myspace.com/balboatheater
She also set up a Live Journal to give people access to our shows and times: balboatheatre.livejournal.com/
Playing with Tropic Thunder: Apocalypse Now Soundtrack
Track list and credits here.
ROGER EBERT'S MOVIE GLOSSARYback to top
Rule of Length of Death
All superfluous characters die quickly, but the central villain or hero will endure a prolonged death while the camera lingers for maximum effect.
STEVE KASZYCKI,
PITTSBURGH
For more: www.RogerEbert.com
NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANTSback to top
One of the strengths of the Balboa is our neighborhood. Other than the bank, all the businesses are family owned and operated. The restaurants are especially wonderful. On the outer Balboa strip there are 24 eating establishments by my count. You can eat Chinese, Japanese, Egyptian, Italian, American, Mexican, Seafood and Vietnamese cuisines. The foods are fresh, distinctive and all reasonably priced. The media food critics have only discovered a few of them but the locals know a good thing. We encourage you to enjoy a meal at one of these fine eateries while visiting the Balboa. All are within easy walking distance. And please send us reviews and recommendations we can share with our other guests. Send reviews to balboafans@yahoo.com
We love it when you send us a review of a neighborhood restaurant you've enjoyed. We encourage you all to write about your culinary adventures in the Outer Richmond.
Meredith Brody writes a rave review of Shanghai House (directly across the street) with its intriguing food and low prices in this week's SF Weekly. Don't be shy. . . ask for a Shanghainese menu.
Check out Meredith Brody's SF Weekly survey of neighborhood restaurants.
Check out the Menu Book in our lobby and our COMPLETE NEW RESTAURANT LIST.
3630 Balboa Street (37th Ave)
San Francisco 94121
(415) 221-8184
www.BalboaMovies.com
Bike Rack in front of the Balboa
Muni Bus #31 or #38 Ocean Beach
Also #5 Fulton and all Geary Street buses stop two
(long) blocks from Balboa.
Relatively easy Parking
San Francisco's Favorite Neighborhood Theatre
Voted by the Bay Guardian, SF Weekly and San Francisco Magazine
General Admission: $9.00
Seniors and Children $6.50
Bargain Matinees: All Seats $6.50 for shows in ( )
"I'd Rather Be At the Balboa" Discount Cardsback to top
"I'd Rather Be At the Balboa" Discount Cards provide hours of great movies at a great savings. 5 Admissions for only $32.50 - a savings of $12.50. Two people may use card per visit. Good for all shows except limited special events as noted. Good for six months from date of purchase.
Buying Discount Cards as gifts? Ask for our special Movie Poster Gift Card.
SCHOOL NIGHT - Mondays are School Days and Nights. With proof of being a student, faculty or staff member, your admission is only $6.50 on Mondays.
The Balboa is Wheelchair and Handicapped Accessible
On Your Birthday, You Are Our Guest.
Great Snack Bar selection at reasonable prices. Your favorite candies including Toberlerone and Lindt chocolates.
We serve Caffe Trieste Coffees, fine Tazo teas, chai, hot chocolate, and Hebrew National Kosher hot dogs, Aidells' poultry Sausages, Vegi Dogs, Ice Creams, and Cookies.
And, of course fresh popped popcorn with real butter.
No More Naked Popcorn.
Have you tried our complimentary popcorn seasonings?
We have a wide assortment from Kernel Seasonings.
Try Ranch, Parmesan and Garlic, Barbeque, Sour Cream, Onion and more.
We also have Nutritional Yeast that has proven to be one of our most popular toppings. And now hot sauce!
