This year the Oscars have claimed an even later opening slot – Sunday, March 2. Inevitably, this means you'll have to cool your jets for almost a month more, waiting to find out who takes home the little golden man. The good news is that you've got plenty of time to bone up for your office Oscar pool, and you don't need to be a member of the academy to see them all – most of the nominees are still playing right here on San Francisco screens.
Best Picture noms Her, American Hustle, Gravity, 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyers Club, Wolf of Wall Street and Nebraska are all still playing in wide release in many Bay Area theatres (hit up AMC Van Ness for a quintuple-feature), but how about the smaller flicks? If you're already over the Oscar hype, skip down to our regular local picks at the end of the post. If you're really a spoilsport, consider the following – Alexander Skarsgard is in San Francisco at this very moment. If not, enjoy our guide to the low-key nominees playing on SF screens:
Blue Jasmine - Call it our "local entry." Woody Allen's portrait of a struggling New York socialite in SF dodged best picture noms (to the dismay of many) but picked up a much-deserved Best Actress nod for Cate Blanchett. Opera Plaza Cinemas.
The Great Beauty- Paolo Sorrentino's Best Foreign Language picture forerunner is the Foreign Arthouse writ large – a journey through Rome's high society filled with joy, pluck and moments of the outrageously sublime. Opera Plaza Cinemas, Shattuck Cinemas Berkeley.
Philomena - Judi Dench and Steve Coogan prove the ultimate odd couple in this charming and well-mannered Best Picture dark horse. Embarcadero, 4-Star.
Captain Philips - You'll have to travel to Berkeley to check out Tom Hanks as the titular captain in this Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor nominated actioner about the relationship between a boat captain and the Somali pirate that takes him hostage. Rialto Elmwood Theaters.
20 Feet From Stardom- This Best Doc Feature nominee dives into the inspiring and tumultuous lives of a set of incredibly talented unsung heroes--professional backup singers. The New Parkway, Oakland.
Oscar Nominated Shorts - Next Friday and Saturday, Landmark will screen its two annual programs of Oscar shorts, Animated and Live Action. Don't dismiss these for their running time; Oscar shorts are big business – and a prescient crystal ball for the future of the biz. Embarcadero.
ALSO PLAYING:
Napoleon Dynamite w/ Guests - SF Sketchfest opens its 13th year with a screening of the now 10-year-old flick and appearances by stars Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Efren Ramirez (Pedro) and others. Go for it! Rotten Tomatoes: 71%. Thursday only. Castro Theatre.
An Evening with Mike Mills - The Beginners director stops by the Roxie for a screening and discussion of his new video, "A Mind Voyaging Through Strange Seas of Thought Alone: Silicon Valley Project," for which he interviewed a number of children of Silicon Valley tech workers and asked them their personal visions of the future. Sunday night only. Roxie.
Gimme Shelter - Oh my god! Is that Vanessa Hudgens? Christ, she looks bad. Unfortunately this Homeless to Harvard retread does too. Rotten Tomatoes: 17%. Bay Area Theaters.
The Last Match - Two best friends, Yosvani and Rey, who play together on an amateur soccer team in Havana, run into trouble when they begin to acknowledge their mutual attraction. Early reviews have been positive for this gay drama. Opera Plaza.
