Depp, Burton Find Humor In Dark Shadows

At the movies for Friday, May 18: Here's what's playing around town.

This is just what one of the most absurd soap operas ever really needed — a tweak of the nose from offbeat director Tim Burton and the equally offbeat but charming Johnny Depp. Don't worry if you never saw the original Dark Shadows TV series in the 60s, it wasn't nearly as funny as the latest collaboration from Burton and Depp. Depp revamps the main character Barnabas Collins, a vampire who wakes up in the 1970s to find McDonald's, lava lamps and Alice Cooper — not to mention his old enemy, the witch who cursed him more than a century ago. Depp plays this innately over-the-top role with perfect deadpan humor — "The Collins Family has always held the greatest balls." That should have cued up the AC/DC soundtrack. Burton didn't miss a trick …

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Dunn the Music Man Set for Last Mountain Play Hurrah

Stalwart director preps his biggest cast ever for Sunday’s opening of his final season, the 30th consecutive Mountain Play he’s helmed.

Outdoor theatrical productions of any stripe invite a bevy of potential pitfalls. But when the theater is tucked into a 2,500-foot-high mountain just off the Pacific Ocean, it brings an element that not even the most stalwart director can circumvent. As he helms his 30th consecutive Mountain Play this year with his second stab at The Music Man, director James Dunn knows that all too well. Dunn, who’s wrapping up his legendary Mountain Play run just months before his 80th birthday and one year before the Mountain Play celebrates its centennial, led dress rehearsals Sunday at Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre in advance of opening day on Sunday, May 20. But Mother Nature had another idea. The beautiful weather of the week prior gave way to a …

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Friday At The Movies

This week's movies opening locally Friday.

Here's a look at what's showing in local movie theaters beginning Friday: Lark Theater The Pirates! Band of Misfits: 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. Die Walkure: 10 a.m. Saturday Century Cinema Corte Madera Marvel's The Avengers: 12:30 p.m. Marvel's The Avengers (Real D 3D): 3:45 p.m., 7 p.m., 10:15 p.m. Century Larkspur Landing The Five-Year Engagement: 7:30 p.m., 10:20 p.m. Dark Shadows: 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m., 9:15 p.m., 10:30 p.m. The Hunger Games: 7 p.m., 10:15 p.m.

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Picnic, Films In The Park

Film Night in the Park returns to Bay Area cities beginning June 8.

Film Night in the Park celebrates its 21th anniversary continuing its summertime tradition presenting favorite films in community parks in Marin County and San Francisco.   In 2012 Film Night in the Park presents crowd pleasing selections of movie classics, cult favorites, family films, recently released box office favorites including "The Hunger  Games" and "The Artist," winner of the 2012 Academy Award for Best Picture.   Films scheduled this summer also include "Enchanted," "The Muppet Movie," "Sixteen Candles," "Hugo" and "The Help." Film Night in the Park gives its annual salute to director Alfred Hitchcock with a screening of "Spellbound."   Film Night in the Park kicks of its summer festival in Marin County with "Rio" on Friday, …

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Kim Taylor

4:34 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Just announced: Film Night in the Park and Marin County Parks present "Ratatouille" on Friday, Aug. 3 at Hal Brown at Creekside Park in Greenbrae. This joint presentation celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Marin County Parks. The Aug. 3 "Ratatouille" screening event will feature a catering truck with a variety of tasty foods for sale. Film Night in the Park and Marin County Parks encourages film …   more ›

Around Town

Achilles' Epic Entertains Kids

Around Town May 3-4: Book readings and community meetings this week.

Some of the earliest and still greatest adventure stories, full of passion, action and fantasy, come from early Greek and Roman history. These tales have entertained children for centuries — not to mention all the Hollywood blockbusters. Children are invited to hear Madeline Miller discuss The Song of Achilles, an epic retelling of the Trojan War on Friday, May 4 at 7 p.m. Miller presents a thrilling and unique spin on the legend of Achilles: a tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart—a dazzling feat of the imagination that is sure to be one of the most unusual debuts of the season. Here are a few other events going on nearby: • You've probably noticed some of the changes at College of Marin if you've driven along College …

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Locals Star On The Big Screen

The seventh annual Larkspur Youth Film Festival honors a group of amazing film makers.

The weekend was full of islands, shadows and music in a celebration of cinema. The Larkspur Youth Film Festival on Sunday gave a good look at the future of film making with some talented students at the Lark Theater. Marin Country Day School student Jasper Conacher took first place in the Narrative (age 10-13) category for her film Perfect. Conacher broke down the illusion of the perfect family to show the facades we all create just to fit in. Second place went to Andrew Torbenson, who suggested there just might really be a Monster in the Closet. Savannah Olmstead and Charlotte Backus took on the serious and growing problem of Cyberbullying in their entry, which took top honors in the Documentary (age 10-13) category. The short film looked…

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Redwood Senior Focuses Lens On Island Of Misunderstood Skateboarders

Larkspur-Corte Madera Patch is highlighting local entries all week for the Larkspur Youth Film Festival, scheduled for Sunday, April 29 at the Lark Theater.

The Larkspur Youth Film Festival will spotlight some amazing local talent on Sunday, April 29. The festival starts at 11:30 a.m., so come on out and help us support the locals. Among the local film makers is Redwood High student Spencer Cross, a veteran of the film festival. Spencer is a Bay Area native, born and raised in San Francisco until his family moved to Larkspur when he was 7 years old. He has a firm grasp of Bay Area culture and presents it in his documentary The Island. Following is a Q&A with Spencer: Spencer Cross, 18, Larkspur Redwood High senior Film: The Island (Documentary) • What's your film about? My film is titled The Island and is a short documentary on the skateboarders/ bikers of the small patch of land between the …

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The Truth About Mother Goose

Larkspur-Corte Madera Patch is highlighting local entries all week for the Larkspur Youth Film Festival, scheduled for Sunday, April 29 at the Lark Theater.

The Larkspur Youth Film Festival will spotlight some amazing local talent on Sunday, April 29. The festival starts at 11:30 a.m., so come on out and help us support the locals. Among the local film makers is a Mill Valley quartet, who produced the documentary Mother Goose. Following is a Q&A with Julian, Sam, Madé and Daniela: Julian Conner: 18 Sam Gates: 17 Madé Sandrolini: 16 Daniela Hunt: 16 Mother Goose (Documentary) • What's the film about? A documentary short on Sigrid Boehm, a domestic geese keeper. She is extremely passionate about these geese but runs into issues with the community. This film explores the rights of a community verses those of an individual.  • How did you hear about the festival? We heard about the festival …

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