.One-Night Stands

Repertory film listings for June 5 through June 11, 2008.

Reviews by Kelly Vance.

Thu., June 5

The Blank Generation Document of the mid-’70s punk and new-wave scene in New York City at venues like CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. Written by Television’s Richard Hell; directed by Amos Poe and Patti Smith Group bassist Ivan Kral; shot by Poe (55 min., 1976). Preceded by shorts Deaf/Punk and Louder, Faster, Shorter. (PFA, 8:30)

Temescal Street Cinema This free outdoor movie series kicks off with One’s Duty (18 min.) and the Oscar-nominated La Corona. Films preceded by live music from Faux Mojo at 8 p.m. (49th St. at Telegraph Ave., Oakland, 9:00)

Fri., June 6

Berlin Alexanderplatz, Parts VIII-XI Franz Biberkopf is thick and slow. Watching him grope his way through fifteen hours of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1982 film of Alfred Döblin’s 1929 novel is a painful experience. But it’s also a thorough summing-up of the director’s incessant themes of deceit, the desolation of the class system, and industrial-age hopelessness. Every woman we meet is a whore, and every man has an angle to play, however futile. Günter Lamprecht is pathetically superb as the big ox Franz; Elisabeth Trissenaar and Barbara Sukowa are two of the milestones on his way to the slaughterhouse, and almost every member of Fassbinder’s stock company turns up, most notably Hanna Schygulla, Franz Schediwy, and Franz Buchreiser. A heartbreaker. — K.V. (PFA, 7:00)

Sat., June 7

Berlin Alexanderplatz, Parts XII, XIII, Epilogue See Friday. (PFA, 7:00)

The Iron Giant Charming, pithy animated adaptation of poet Ted Hughes’ children’s story of a large, friendly robot from outer space dropping into the life of Hogarth Hughes, a schoolboy in small-town Maine, circa 1957. All is well until the FBI and army show up, natch. Hughes’ skepticism about authority melds pleasingly with the down-to-earth characters — Hogarth’s mom (voice of Jennifer Aniston), the local beatnik sculptor (Harry Connick Jr.) — so we’re not surprised to learn that Hughes made up the story for his own children after the death of their mother, poet Sylvia Plath. Bay Area actor Eli Marienthal plays the voice of Hogarth. Directed by animator Brad Bird from a screenplay by Tim McCanlies (86 min., 1999). — K.V. (EC, 3:00)

Worthless Extreme sports reel featuring skateboarding, scootering, snowboarding, BMX riding, and wakeboarding, plus interspersed comedy segments. Also screening are short skate films Gnarbucks and Arizona Days. An art exhibit and live music from the Dead Fellows Orchestra round off the event. (Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, 7:00)

Sun., June 8

The Waiting Room Turkish director Zeki Demirkubuz produced, directed, wrote, shot, edited, and stars in this film about an internationally respected director facing a creative crisis (94 min., 2004). (PFA, 4:00)

Block C Zeki Demirkubuz’s first feature film is about a woman in despair about her ability to control her own destiny (90 min., 1994). (PFA, 6:00)

Found Footage Film Festival This reel consists of videotapes found in garage sales, thrift stores, and Dumpsters, and curated by Geoff Haas, Joe Pickett, and Nick Prueher (90 min.). (PW, 5:00)

The Iron Giant See Saturday. (EC, 2:00)

Wed., June 11

Throw Down An update of the judo-obsessed 1943 film Sanshiro Sugata from contemporary Hong Kong-based director Johnnie To (81 min., 2004). (PFA, 7:30)

Growing Up in the Universe Richard Dawkins explains life through science. (Humanist Hall, Oakland, 7:30)

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