Showtimes
General Admission: $9.00
Bargain matinees in (parentheses): $6.50
Seniors and Children $6.50
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Friday, August 15 — Thursday, Thursday 21, 2008
Theatre #1
Tropic Thunder (R)
(12:15), 2:30, 4:40, 7:00, 9:15
Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller and Jack Black will blow you away.
Coming Wednesday, August 27
TRAITOR
A terrific suspense thriller with Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce
MORE OUTRAGEOUS COMEDY
The Balboa has double-barrelled hilarity going for the open-minded who enjoy outrageous comedy. I have yet to figure out why two studios would open movies with similar audience appeal only a week apart, guaranteeing one film will take away from the other. Both PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and TROPIC THUNDER ARE worth your time and money if you want to laugh.
Dana Stevens of Slate alerts you:
"If you go see Tropic Thunder this weekend, don't be late. The four fake ads that open the movie are perhaps the apex of its considerable comic invention."
So don't be late. And. . . I suggest you stay through the very final credits for a little bonus surprise.
For more rave reviews check About This Week's Movies below.
SPECIAL DEALS AND FREE GOODIES
We have some PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and TROPIC THUNDER goodies to give away. Check your ticket stub to see if you have won a prize. It might be Booty Sweat!
Check out our Munchies Bar for all kinds of goodies.
Hockey Haven, the neighborhood saloon across the street will have a very special drink for all Balboa friends looking for some liquid spirits. Premium vodka & pineapple for $4.20 plus 5 cents = $4.25 (couldn't resist the insider joke). Moviegoers should ask for the "Pineapple Express".
BEST OF THE BAY
You have once again voted us The Best Movie Theatre in the San Francisco Bay Guardian's annual reader's poll: www.sfbg.com/bob/2008/ent.php
See you at the movies.
Sincerely,
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
Pineapple Express
The guys who brought you Superbad reunite for the action-comedy Pineapple Express. Lazy stoner Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) has only one reason to visit his equally lazy dealer Saul Silver (James Franco): to purchase weed, specifically, a rare new strain called Pineapple Express. But when Dale becomes the only witness to a murder by a crooked cop (Rosie Perez) and the city's most dangerous drug lord (Gary Cole), he panics and dumps his roach of Pineapple Express at the scene. Dale now has another reason to visit Saul: to find out if the weed is so rare that it can be traced back to him. And it is. As Dale and Saul run for their lives, they quickly discover that they're not suffering from weed-fueled paranoia; incredibly, the bad guys really are hot on their trail and trying to figure out the fastest way to kill them both. All aboard the Pineapple Express.
The film is directed by David Gordon Green (All the Real Girls). The screenplay is by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg from a story by Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg. Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson produce.
R for pervasive language, drug use, sexual references and violence - 107 minutes
Official Websites: www.sonypictures.com/movies/pineappleexpress/
Red Band Trailer rated R
THE ONION Is a weekly source of humor and they say, "as loose and playful as major studio movies get."
—The Onion
"It's a quality movie even if the material is unworthy of the treatment. As a result, yes, it's a druggie comedy that made me laugh."
—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times
"The laughs -- mostly crude, profane and drug-addled -- are almost non-stop."
—Claudia Puig, USA Today
"You'll go limp from laughing."
—Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"A drug-fueled caper that doesn't stint on chronically loopy characters and ridiculously funny situations."
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"Even if you wouldn't know weed from green wool, Pineapple Express works as a fast-paced buddy comedy with lots of laughs and a few hilariously unpleasant surprises."
—Scott Weinberg, CINEMATICAL
"In short it's funny. Really funny."
—The Midnight Toker, CINEMABLEND.COM
Stoner Movies
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.
Playing with PINEAPPLE EXPRESS : Dazed and Confused soundtrack
Find it 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!
