AFI Fest. Previews and guides.

"First, the good news," announces Scott Foundas. "In its 20th year, the American Film Institute's AFI Fest film festival has taken a turn for the better." This sounds like a highlight: "[A]n extraordinary evening Thursday, November 9, when filmmaker and consummate raconteur Peter Bogdanovich performs Sacred Monsters, a series of monologues about the legendary actors and directors (Cary Grant, John Wayne, John Ford, Howard Hawks) he knew in his early days as a movie journalist. I've seen Bogdanovich do this show twice before and can attest that it's a kind of alchemic happening in which, for 90-odd minutes, the 'golden age' of Hollywood shines as brightly as if it had ended only yesterday." As for the bad news, "For starters, the omissions are staggering."

Even so, the LA Weekly's got eight "Critics' Picks" and a fairly extensive guide.

For the Los Angeles Times, Rachel Abramowitz previews the fest, which opened last night and runs through November 12. Plus: Chad Lowe's Beautiful, Ohio, and: Will The Host upset some Americans? Bruce Wallace thinks it might and asks Bong Joon-ho about it.

For the New York Times, Sharon Waxman talks with Emilio Estevez about festival opener Bobby.

Posted by dwhudson at November 2, 2006 7:38 AM