Michel Gondry

Pixar's WALL*E, a robot whose glassy eyes and tiny, sometimes heartbroken voice convey as much emotion as any man’s could.

Courtesy Pixar

The final days of December are not just an excuse to eat, drink and be merry, but also to organize our most beloved cultural offerings into a series of lists. Who am I to buck the trend? With 2009 winding to a close, the time is right to reflect on the past decade and the movies that made it great.

Truffaut's brilliant debut returns to the big screen Sunday as part of the San Francisco Film Society's celebration of French cinema.

Courtesy San Francisco Film Society

The San Francisco Film Society's French Cinema Now, a seven-day event featuring the latest offerings from directors Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and Claude Chabrol (A Girl Cut in Two), continues through Wednesday at the Clay Theatre.

Edgar Flores ponders a precarious future in Sin Nombre, now playing at the Embarcadero.

Courtesy Canana Films

Whether you're fascinated by fashion, stoked on surfing or just seeking an alternative to the latest Fast & Furious, here's a list of some of the finest films currently in rotation at a San Francisco indie theater near you.

1. Sin Nombre
Where: Embarcadero Center Cinema, 1 Embarcadero Ctr., 415-352-0835
When: All Week

David Bowie embraces big hair and Casio-flavored pop in Jim Henson's Labyrinth, coming soon to the Red Vic.

Courtesy Columbia Pictures

Spring has arrived, splashing the city with invigorating rays of glorious sunshine. Where better to celebrate than a dark, air-conditioned theater? As always, here's a list of some of the finest films currently in rotation at a San Francisco indie theater near you.

1. Labyrinth
Where: Red Vic Movie House, 1727 Haight St., 415-668-3994
When: April 1-2

Malkovich and Colin Hanks (far left) try to breathe new life into a tired magic act in The Great Buck Howard.

Courtesy Magnolia Pictures

If you already need a time-out from March Madness, here's a list of some of the finest films currently in rotation a San Francisco indie theater near you.

Kase and Fujitani play new kids on the big-city block in Michel Gondry's Interior Design.

Courtesy Liberation Entertainment

Planning a visit to Japan? You might think twice after Tokyo!, a deliberately mystifying triptych from three directors – French filmmakers Michel Gondry and Leos Carax, and Korea’s Bong Joon-ho – who defy cinematic convention. Here, they present the city as a blandly uninviting backdrop against which characters engage in behavior ranging from the mundane to the violent. Much like the directors, they are outsiders peering in, and less than enchanted with what they see.

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet try to forget a wrenching breakup in Eternal Sunshine.

Courtesy Focus Features

Indie Fest is here, the Oscars are just around the corner, and the rainy days of winter are upon us – simply put, it's a good time to be at the movies. As always, here's a list of some of the finest films currently in rotation at an indie theater near you.