Friday, July 2 - Thursday, July 8

Deserted Station

Based on an idea by the Iranian master director Abbas Kiarostami. A photographer and his wife, a former schoolteacher, are driving on pilgrimage to Mashad from Tehran but find themselves stranded when their car breaks down. In a nearby village, the husband encounters the village’s sole adult male and self-appointed guardian, who teaches at the school nearby. The husband accompanies the villager to another town to get a part for the car, while his wife takes over his teaching duties at the school. She quickly develops a close bond with the children and the other villagers. Her presence in the classroom brings unexpected humor from the children who live in this strange deserted place. As the day draws on, the children help to bring a new hope and life into her heart. At the end of the day, a game of hide-and-seek among abandoned trains at a nearby rail yard inspires a nightmarish hallucination for the woman, and sets the scene for this film's extraordinary final sequence. Official Website. Directed by Alireza Raisian. With Leila Hatami ('Leila'), Nezam Manouchehri and Mehran Rajabi Feizollah. 88 mins. 35mm. 2002. Color. In Farsi with English subtitles. WEST COAST PREMIERE. Nightly at 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00. Sat & Sun matinees at (2:00) and 4:00.

"Uniformly excellent"” - Variety

"Gorgeous...it is a spiritual journey -- one well worth taking. Throws in the eerie, foreboding spirit of an old Twilight Zone episode."-- SF Weekly

"Sadness and humor work side by side in 'Deserted Station'."
-- SF Chronicle

"Recall(s) the films of Abbas Kiarostami, who provided the story idea, but director Ali Reza Raisian adds a slightly more dramatic and emotional edge."
-- Chicago Reader

Rivers and Tides
Andy Goldsworthy Working With Time

"That rare film about an artist that is, in itself, a work of art, Rivers and Tides Andy Goldsworthy Working With Time is an extraordinary journey into the world and mind of Scottish sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. A land-artist who uses materials from nature to make site-specific works, Goldsworthy allows the elements to have the last say in his beautiful creations, as his ingenious patterns of wood, leaves, stone and ice move and erode over time. German filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer followed the artist for over a year in several outdoor locations, intimately documenting his improvisational process and capturing the serene spectacle of his works and their delicate changes. Although Goldsworthy's private and often ephemeral pieces have been documented extensively in still photographs, this remarkable movie uses the artist's own voice to guide usthrough his process and help us "…see something you never saw before, that was always there but you were blind to it." Winner of the Golden Gate Award at the recent San Francisco International Film Festival, Rivers and Tides is a sensual and poetic masterpiece." - Richard Peterson. Director, Cinematographer, Editor: Thomas Riedelsheimer. Music: Fred Frith. In Color. 35 mm. 90 minutes. 1.66 :1. Not Rated. Dolby SR. 2001. Germany. Show times: Nightly at 7:00 & 9:00. Additional Wed, Sat & Sun matinees at 2:00 & 4:00. PLEASE NOTE SPECIAL SHOWS: Monday, July 5; 9:00PM ONLY. Tuesday, July 6; 6:00PM ONLY.

"Fascinating" -- Edward Guthmann, SF Chronicle

"Ravishingly beautiful " -- Stephen Holden, NY Times
"A surprisingly magical experience...Intoxicating and meditative by turns, helped by Fred Frith's minimalist score, this film opens a portal into a singular creative mind"
-- Kenneth Turan, LA Times
"TWO THUMBS UP!". --Ebert & Roeper
"Pure and sublime... Andy Goldsworthy's art borders on the religious.... It puts you into a profound conversation with the glorious, uncompromising and mesmerizing flow of nature. It is the artistic equivalent of ancient ritual offerings to the gods."
-- Desson Howe, Washington Post
"Ravishing from start to finish... a work of art in its own right."
-- David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor"
"Some images verge on Kubrick territory"
-- Ed Halter, The Village Voice
"It's a truly balmy experience that puts you in a better place."
-- William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelliegnecer
"It moves at a very leisurely and calm pace, washing over its audience and soothing its viewers with its lush photography and mellow score by Fred Frith. I've seen the film about three times now, mostly because it's a great stress reliever, as well as a wonderful portrait of a very unique artist."
-- Film Threat

In the United States, Andy Goldsworthy is represented by
the Haines Gallery and Gallerie Lelong

Rivers and Tides is NOW SHOWING in these Theaters.

Monday, July 5..... 7:00 pm
Swing State Voter Registration Benefit/Sneak Preview

A powerful new documentary about the neoconservative roots and political effects of the Bush Administration’s response to the 9/11 terror attacks. Narrated by Julian Bond, and featuring interviews with government insiders and two dozen of the most prominent political commentators in the country, Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear & the Selling of American Empire places the emergence of the so-called Bush Doctrine within the context of a two-decade struggle by neoconservatives to radically increase defense spending while fundamentally transforming the global, post-cold war order by means of military force. Hijacking Catastrophe serves as the perfect companion piece to Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 by delivering a storehouse of heavy hitters who keep detailed attention focused on policies, not on personalities. The documentary provides a fast-paced analysis of the Bush Administration’s media tactics after 9/11, and offers blistering commentary on the Wolfowitz Doctrine and the war in Iraq from an impressive range of voices. They include the novelist Norman Mailer; Chalmers Johnson, whose prophetic book Blowback became an international best-seller after 9/11; Noam Chomsky; Benjamin Barber, author of Jihad vs. McWorld; globalization theorist Immanuel Wallerstein; Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams; former Chief UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter; retired Army Special Forces Sergeant Stan Goff; Daniel Ellsberg of Pentagon Papers fame, and Pentagon whistleblower Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski (Air Force, ret.). In an especially fascinating first-hand account, Kwiatkowski describes how she watched in horror as the administration set up a propaganda operation to convince the American people that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the United States and that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 attacks. What emerges over the course of all of our interviews is a clear sense that neocons within the Bush Administration exploited the fears of people after 9/11 to win support for an extreme foreign policy agenda that they knew most Americans would never buy into. 68 mins. Written and Directed by Jeremy Earp & Sut Jhally. Folk singer/song writer Dan Bern will be performing either before or after the film. Show time: 7:00 only.

Tuesday, July 6 ...... 8:00pm

This Event Is Sold Out

July 6th is GW's birthday. Let's make it his last birthday in office. We're having a special sneak preview screening of a new documentary -- The Hunting of the President opening July 16 at the Roxie. This film chronicles the GOP's ten-year campaign against the Clintons; more info is available at thehuntingofthepresident.com. Following the film, we'll have a party next door at Dalva (3121 16th Street), in the back room. To reserve a ticket for this event, please make a minimum $20 contribution to John Kerry using the link HappyB-Day GW. Please print out a confirmation of your contribution and bring it to the Roxie on July 6th. For more info, go to volunteer.johnkerry.com. Show time: 8:00pm only.

Friday, July 9 - Wednesday July 14

Rivers and Tides
Andy Goldsworthy Working With Time

"That rare film about an artist that is, in itself, a work of art, Rivers and Tides Andy Goldsworthy Working With Time is an extraordinary journey into the world and mind of Scottish sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. A land-artist who uses materials from nature to make site-specific works, Goldsworthy allows the elements to have the last say in his beautiful creations, as his ingenious patterns of wood, leaves, stone and ice move and erode over time. German filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer followed the artist for over a year in several outdoor locations, intimately documenting his improvisational process and capturing the serene spectacle of his works and their delicate changes. Although Goldsworthy's private and often ephemeral pieces have been documented extensively in still photographs, this remarkable movie uses the artist's own voice to guide usthrough his process and help us "…see something you never saw before, that was always there but you were blind to it." Winner of the Golden Gate Award at the recent San Francisco International Film Festival, Rivers and Tides is a sensual and poetic masterpiece." - Richard Peterson. Director, Cinematographer, Editor: Thomas Riedelsheimer. Music: Fred Frith. In Color. 35 mm. 90 minutes. 1.66 :1. Not Rated. Dolby SR. 2001. Germany. Show times: Nightly at 7:00 & 9:00. Additional Wed, Sat & Sun matinees at 2:00 & 4:00.

"Fascinating" -- Edward Guthmann, SF Chronicle

"Ravishingly beautiful " -- Stephen Holden, NY Times
"A surprisingly magical experience...Intoxicating and meditative by turns, helped by Fred Frith's minimalist score, this film opens a portal into a singular creative mind"
-- Kenneth Turan, LA Times
"TWO THUMBS UP!". --Ebert & Roeper
"Pure and sublime... Andy Goldsworthy's art borders on the religious.... It puts you into a profound conversation with the glorious, uncompromising and mesmerizing flow of nature. It is the artistic equivalent of ancient ritual offerings to the gods."
-- Desson Howe, Washington Post
"Ravishing from start to finish... a work of art in its own right."
-- David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor"
"Some images verge on Kubrick territory"
-- Ed Halter, The Village Voice
"It's a truly balmy experience that puts you in a better place."
-- William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelliegnecer
"It moves at a very leisurely and calm pace, washing over its audience and soothing its viewers with its lush photography and mellow score by Fred Frith. I've seen the film about three times now, mostly because it's a great stress reliever, as well as a wonderful portrait of a very unique artist."
-- Film Threat

In the United States, Andy Goldsworthy is represented by
the Haines Gallery and Gallerie Lelong

Rivers and Tides is NOW SHOWING in these Theaters.

What About
Bill Murray?

The awards and accolades for Lost in Translation proved what long time fans already knew: Bill Murray is a great actor. He’s always been funny, but lurking around the edges of his caustic, sharp-witted persona is a sad-eyed mix of melancholy and tenderness. This series highlights some of Murray’s best-known characters, as well as some of his choice supporting roles.

Friday, July 9 STRIPES

Thanks to a run of bad luck and go-nowhere jobs, bad boy Bill convinces his chum to join the army so they can get in shape, likening it to a health spa. Once in boot camp, wiseguy John tangles with his by-the-book Sgt. and becomes the unofficial leader for his platoon, made up mostly of other misfits and assorted losers. Directed by Ivan Reitman. With Harold Ramis,Warren Oates, John Candy. 1981. 106 mins. At 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00.

Saturday, July 10 RUSHMORE

the big screen, Murray returns as the unhappy millionaire Rushmore—a wickedly funny high school movie and serious take on the implications of its characters set it far, far apart from standard issue teen comedies. a thrillingly knowing, unforced performance—an award-worthy high point in a career that continues to defy the obvious at every turn. 1998. 93 min Dir. Wes Anderson With Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00.

Sunday, July 11 CADDYSHACK

One of the most frequently quoted and referenced movies ever made (“Big hitter, the Lama”), Caddyshack endures as a testament to a simpler time: when golf was king, rich snobs were humiliated by falling into water, and everybody got laid. Murray’s deranged groundskeeper mumbles and leers his way into our hearts. 1980. 98 min. Dir. Harold Ramis With Chevy Chase, Bill Murray at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00.

Monday, July 12 WHAT ABOUT BOB?

Self-help guru Dreyfuss is all set to enjoy a vacation with his family—until neurotic patient Murray tags along. Murray pursues the pompous Dreyfuss to his vacation retreat, where he ingratiates himself with the shrink’s family, and drives the doctor crazy. Very funny outing, with Murray and Dreyfuss approaching the relationship of the Road Runner and Wiley Coyote. 1991. 99 min. Dir. Frank Oz With Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss at 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00.

Tuesday, July 13 HAMLET

Perhaps the most successful modern conception of Shakespeare in recent memory, Almereyda’s Hamlet envisions a sleek, corporate setting in New York castles of steel. The cast is superb, and Murray nails the role of Polonius, bringing a new poignancy to a role usually played as a simple buffoon. 2000. 112 min. Dir. Michael Almereyda With Ethan Hawke, Julia Stiles, Bill Murray at 7:00 and 9:15.

Wednesday, July 14 GROUNDHOG DAY

Murray redefines the word “misanthrope” in his portrayal of a TV weatherman stuck in a small town, covering Groundhog Day. Once his bad day starts repeating itself, his attitude improves. An NYU professor uses this film in a course on Buddhism, because she believes it perfectly illustrates ideas about dharma, karma, and reincarnation. What other movie can lay claim to being a spiritual meditation on the nature of perfection, and still be this funny? 1993. 103 min. Dir. Harold Ramis With Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell at 7:00, and 9:15pm.

Thursday, July 15 MAD DOG & GLORY

Loan shark Frank Milo (Murray) all but succeeds in mixing smooth and sinister, heartfelt and hot-tempered. But the film’s real strength lies incidentals: Dobie’s (DeNiro) love of photography and Louis Prima records. Richard Price’s street savvy and McNaughton’s tight pacing bind the elements. 1992. 97 min. Dir. John McNaughton. With Bill Murray, Robert DeNiro, Uma Thurman, Kathy Baker and David Caruso. at 7:00, and 9:00.

Thursday July 15

Sneak Preview!
Susan McDougal and director Harry Thomason in person.

The Hunting of the President

There can be no doubt that we live in one of the most tumultuous political climates of the nation's history, a climate where politicians can be toppled on a whim, election results disputed in the country's highest courts, and governors unceremoniously recalled. It's enough to leave even the most cynical voter asking, how did this happen? This feature documentary focuses on the 10-year campaign to destroy President William Jefferson Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Based on the best-selling book The Hunting of the President by authors Joe Conason and Gene Lyons, the film reveals how the antagonists sought to drive President Clinton and his administration out of office. Going behind the scenes, filmmakers identify a loose cabal of enemies who were motivated by spite, ideological zeal and personal gain. It also depicts the story of how the media was abused in the process, as news organizations and their reporters succumbed to this scandal phenomena in an unprecedented reversal of muckraking journalism. PREMIERE. Dir. Harry Thomason and Nicholas Perry. Cast: Various media personalities as themselves. Official Website All tickets are $8.00. Show time: 7:30 only. Susan McDougal and director Harry Thomason in person.

“a potent screen translation of Gene Lyons and Joe Conason's bestseller, methodically compiles evidence suggesting there was indeed (as Hillary famously put it) "a vast right-wing conspiracy" waged against the Clinton White House”. -- Variety

Friday, July 16 - Thursday July 29

The Hunting of the President

There can be no doubt that we live in one of the most tumultuous political climates of the nation's history, a climate where politicians can be toppled on a whim, election results disputed in the country's highest courts, and governors unceremoniously recalled. It's enough to leave even the most cynical voter asking, how did this happen? This feature documentary focuses on the 10-year campaign to destroy President William Jefferson Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Based on the best-selling book The Hunting of the President by authors Joe Conason and Gene Lyons, the film reveals how the antagonists sought to drive President Clinton and his administration out of office. Going behind the scenes, filmmakers identify a loose cabal of enemies who were motivated by spite, ideological zeal and personal gain. It also depicts the story of how the media was abused in the process, as news organizations and their reporters succumbed to this scandal phenomena in an unprecedented reversal of muckraking journalism. PREMIERE. Dir. Harry Thomason and Nicholas Perry. Cast: Various media personalities as themselves. Official Website 89 min. Nightly: 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00. Wed, Sat, and Sun matinees at (2:00) and 4:00.

"The Hunting of the President” tells a scary story. It’s about a power grab that almost overturned an election and about a dark element in U.S. political life that’s still out there, and flourishing." -- Mick LaSalle, SF Chronicle

"A potent screen translation of Gene Lyons and Joe Conason's bestseller, methodically compiles evidence suggesting there was indeed (as Hillary famously put it) "a vast right-wing conspiracy" waged against the Clinton White House". -- Variety

"Susan McDougal: She didn't sing in prison but she's talking now" -- Laurel Wellman, SF Chronicle.

"Unimpeachable Argument" -- ePicks.

HIJACKING CATASTROPHE: 9/11, Fear & the Selling of American Empire is a powerful new documentary that examines how a radical fringe of the Republican Party has used the trauma of the 9/11 terror attacks to advance a pre-existing agenda to radically transform American foreign policy while rolling back civil liberties and social problems at home. The documentary places the Bush Administration’s false justifications for war in Iraq within the larger context of a two-decade struggle by neo-conservatives to dramatically increase military spending in the wake of the Cold War, and to expand American power globally by means of military force. At the same time, the film argues that the Bush Administration has sold this radical and controversial plan for aggressive American military intervention by deliberately manipulating intelligence, political imagery, and the fears of the American people after 9/11. HIJACKING CATASTROPHE features interviews with more than twenty prominent political observers, including Pentagon whistleblower Lt. Col. (ret) Karen Kwiatkowski, who witnessed first hand how the Bush Administration set up a sophisticated propaganda operation to link the anxieties generated by 9/11 to a pre-existing foreign policy agenda that included a preemptive war on Iraq. At its core, the film places the deceptions of the Bush Administration within the larger frame of questions seldom posed in the mainstream: What, exactly, is the agenda that drove the administration’s pre-war deceptions? How is 9/11 being used to sell this agenda? And what are the stakes for America, Americans, and the world if this agenda succeeds in being fully implemented during a second Bush term? FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH: Benjamin Barber / Medea Benjamin / Noam Chomsky / Kevin Danaher / Mark Danner / Daniel Ellsberg / Michael Franti / Stan Goff / William Hartung / Robert Jensen / Chalmers Johnson / Lt. Col. (Ret.) Karen Kwiatkowski / Norman Mailer / Scott Ritter / Vandana Shiva / Norman Solomon / Immanuel Wallerstein / Jody Williams / and others 68 mins. Written and Directed by Jeremy Earp & Sut Jhally. In Color. 68 mins. 2004. United States. Show times: Nightly at 6:30, 8:00 & 9:30. Additional Sat & Sun matinees at 2:00, 3:30 & 5:00.

"Gripping". -- John McMurtrie, SF Chronicle

"Paints a horrifying portrait of organized U.S. imperialist expansion and public deception stretching back to the dawn of the Reagan era." -- SF Bay Guardian

"In almost every way HIJACKING CATASTROPHE is deeper, more thorough and more rigorous in its claims than Fahrenheit 9/11". Melissa Levine -- SF Weekly

WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception

There were two wars in Iraq--a military assault and a media war. The former was well-covered; the latter was not. Until now... Independent filmmaker, Emmy-award winningTV journalist, author and media critic, Danny Schechter turns the cameras on the role of the media. His new film, WMD, is an outspoken assessment of how Pentagon propaganda and media complicity misled the American people, while selling the war to influence international public opinion. Schechter compares and contrasts coverage on a global basis, including exclusive material and insider interviews. WMD is a serious film that exposes the media role--the biggest scandal of our time. Written and Directed by Danny Schechter. Running time: 90 minutes. USA 2004. DANNY SCHECHTER IN PERSON!

Friday, July 30 - Thursday, August 5

The Hunting of the President

There can be no doubt that we live in one of the most tumultuous political climates of the nation's history, a climate where politicians can be toppled on a whim, election results disputed in the country's highest courts, and governors unceremoniously recalled. It's enough to leave even the most cynical voter asking, how did this happen? This feature documentary focuses on the 10-year campaign to destroy President William Jefferson Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Based on the best-selling book The Hunting of the President by authors Joe Conason and Gene Lyons, the film reveals how the antagonists sought to drive President Clinton and his administration out of office. Going behind the scenes, filmmakers identify a loose cabal of enemies who were motivated by spite, ideological zeal and personal gain. It also depicts the story of how the media was abused in the process, as news organizations and their reporters succumbed to this scandal phenomena in an unprecedented reversal of muckraking journalism. PREMIERE. Dir. Harry Thomason and Nicholas Perry. Cast: Various media personalities as themselves. Official Website 89 min. Nightly: 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00. Wed, Sat, and Sun matinees at (2:00) and 4:00. PLEASE NOTE: NO 8:00 or 10:00 show Thursday, August 5.

"The Hunting of the President” tells a scary story. It’s about a power grab that almost overturned an election and about a dark element in U.S. political life that’s still out there, and flourishing." -- Mick LaSalle, SF Chronicle

"A potent screen translation of Gene Lyons and Joe Conason's bestseller, methodically compiles evidence suggesting there was indeed (as Hillary famously put it) "a vast right-wing conspiracy" waged against the Clinton White House". -- Variety

"Susan McDougal: She didn't sing in prison but she's talking now" -- Laurel Wellman, SF Chronicle.

"Unimpeachable Argument" -- ePicks.

HIJACKING CATASTROPHE: 9/11, Fear & the Selling of American Empire is a powerful new documentary that examines how a radical fringe of the Republican Party has used the trauma of the 9/11 terror attacks to advance a pre-existing agenda to radically transform American foreign policy while rolling back civil liberties and social problems at home. The documentary places the Bush Administration’s false justifications for war in Iraq within the larger context of a two-decade struggle by neo-conservatives to dramatically increase military spending in the wake of the Cold War, and to expand American power globally by means of military force. At the same time, the film argues that the Bush Administration has sold this radical and controversial plan for aggressive American military intervention by deliberately manipulating intelligence, political imagery, and the fears of the American people after 9/11. HIJACKING CATASTROPHE features interviews with more than twenty prominent political observers, including Pentagon whistleblower Lt. Col. (ret) Karen Kwiatkowski, who witnessed first hand how the Bush Administration set up a sophisticated propaganda operation to link the anxieties generated by 9/11 to a pre-existing foreign policy agenda that included a preemptive war on Iraq. At its core, the film places the deceptions of the Bush Administration within the larger frame of questions seldom posed in the mainstream: What, exactly, is the agenda that drove the administration’s pre-war deceptions? How is 9/11 being used to sell this agenda? And what are the stakes for America, Americans, and the world if this agenda succeeds in being fully implemented during a second Bush term? FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH: Benjamin Barber / Medea Benjamin / Noam Chomsky / Kevin Danaher / Mark Danner / Daniel Ellsberg / Michael Franti / Stan Goff / William Hartung / Robert Jensen / Chalmers Johnson / Lt. Col. (Ret.) Karen Kwiatkowski / Norman Mailer / Scott Ritter / Vandana Shiva / Norman Solomon / Immanuel Wallerstein / Jody Williams / and others 68 mins. Written and Directed by Jeremy Earp & Sut Jhally. In Color. 68 mins. 2004. United States. Show times: Nightly at 6:30, 8:00 & 9:30. Additional Sat & Sun matinees at 2:00, 3:30 & 5:00.

"Gripping". -- John McMurtrie, SF Chronicle

"Paints a horrifying portrait of organized U.S. imperialist expansion and public deception stretching back to the dawn of the Reagan era." -- SF Bay Guardian

"In almost every way HIJACKING CATASTROPHE is deeper, more thorough and more rigorous in its claims than Fahrenheit 9/11". Melissa Levine -- SF Weekly