Jeanne Powell

Sofia Coppola received the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival for her film version of The Beguiled, adapted from a 1966 southern gothic novel by Thomas Cullinan. Her intriguing interpretation is complex and haunting, and impressive. Barely had her film been released when critics and the viewing public...

Director Lutz Gregor's film was a special highlight at the Mendocino Film Festival.

The 12th annual Mendocino Film Festival invites you to “travel the world from the edge of your seat,” with venues this year in Mendocino Village, Fort Bragg and Philo. Running from June 1st to 4th, the festival features 65 films from 23 nations. Guest curators in 2017 include Larry Laboe (from SXM...

Guy Ritchie's 'King Arthur' (Legend of the Sword) opens today. Film critic Jeanne Powell has a first look review for Stark Insider. The new Warner Brothers film based on the legend of King Arthur has potential to be a blockbuster this summer. Directed by Guy Ritchie, the picture clearly targets...

Stark Insider indie film review: The Long Excuse which recently screened at the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM). Writer-director Miwa Nishikawa’s thoughtfully woven film is a reflection on the challenges of marriage. Nishikawa’s previous films gave us characters operating in a world of dubious ethics or no ethics at all...

Stark Insider indie film review: The Wedding Ring (original title: (HAWSA) ZIN'NAARIYÂ!) which recently screened at the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM). Director Rahmatou Keïta has given us a delicious and timeless film in The Wedding Ring. It is a 2016 release from Niger, Burkina Faso and France under the original...

Stark Insider indie film review: A Date for Mad Mary which recently screened at the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM). Director Darren Thornton’s 2016 comedy drama was named best film at the Irish Film Academy awards in Dublin earlier this month, and it has been a favorite at the San...

Jeanne Powell is on the ground at the annual San Francisco International Film Festival. Here's her quick look at the influential fest. The San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM) opened April 6, 2017 in the City. This annual two-week event continues to be an extraordinary showcase of cinematic discovery with...

Society Cabaret musical presentations at the Hotel Rex have been called “the essential San Francisco experience,” with quality performers in an acclaimed venue featuring excellent cocktails and food. The Hotel Rex is a “boutique” hotel owned by Joie de Vivre and located near Union Square. A recent visit to the...

Director Taylor Hackford has been creating critically acclaimed films for decades, and The Comedian is no exception.  Starring Robert De Niro, Edie Falco, Patti LuPone and an all-star cast, this trenchant comedy profiles an aging comedian at a crucial moment in his fading career – raising questions about where he...