The Puzzle Within the Castro Theater's May 2015 Theater Calendar

The Castro Theater's May 2015 calendar is out.

When I first saw the calendar, I identified the two actress pictured immediately.

May 4 - Upon first glance, I though it looked like Winona Ryder.  Very quick googling confirmed it is Ryder from The Age of Innocence, a 1993 period piece directed by Martin Scorsese.

May 26 - Again on first glance, I thought the actress pictured was Kim Basinger.  It took longer to track down the film the shot is from but it is Fool For Love, a 1985 film directed by Robert Altman and co-starring Sam Shepard who wrote the play upon which the film is based.

Winona Ryder & Kim Basinger have made a film together.  It is 2008's The Informers which is based on a Bret Easton Ellis novel.  I have not seen the film or read the book.

I'm not sure what the clues are pointing to.

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I've seen quite a few of the films on the calendar.

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival's five day festival (May 28 to June 1) dominates the lineup.  I have a festival pass and plan on taking time off from work to attend some of the screenings.

The other highlights on the calendar are:

May 8 - Midnites For Maniacs' triple bill tribute to Penelope Spheeris (who will be in attendance).  The films are The Decline of Western Civilization, Wayne's World & The Decline of Western Civilization Part II:  The Metal Years.

May 14 - Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo starring Klaus Kinski.  The film is known for Herzog's insistence in actually transporting a 300+ ton steamship overland to mirror the events in the film.

May 17 - Magician:  The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles.  I missed this documentary during its recent run at the Landmark Theaters and the Roxie.

May 21 - a double bill that looks like it should be a Midnites for Maniacs' presentation.  Two classic Patrick Swayze films from his heyday:  Road House and Point Break.  In Road House, he plays Dalton, a bouncer who practices Zen meditation techniques.  However, it is Ben Gazzara's unchecked performance that is the most outrageous part of the film.  In Point Break, Swayze plays Bodhi (a word with Buddhist etymology) a surfer/bank robber who finds his inner peace out on the waves.  Unfortunately, FBI  agent Johnny Utah (great character name) gets in his way.  In Johnny Utah, Keanu Reeves achieves the zenith of his inscrutable acting style which strangely complements the rest of the cast which includes the manic Gary Busey and the swaggering, scene stealing Swayze.

Among the recent releases I have already seen and can recommend are:

May 12 - Kumiko The Treasure Hunter is paired with the Coen Brothers' Fargo which figures prominently in Kumiko.

May 18 - The Wrecking Crew! doubled up with Danny Collins (which I have not seen).

Older films which I have enjoyed in the past include Michael Curtiz's Mildred Pierce, Scorsese's Taxi Driver, Welles' Touch of Evil & Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.

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Castro Theater Calendar - May 2015