Film & Television

‘Girl Most Likely’ demonstrates what most romantic comedies don’t

Kristen Wiig's new film rife with touching moments but fails to make a lasting impression

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Roadside Attractions/Courtesy

Charming though unremarkable, “Girl Most Likely,” Kristen Wiig’s latest dramedy, is touching at times but fails to generate “Bridesmaids”-worthy laughs. “Girl Most Likely” tells the story of Imogene Duncan (Wiig), a Jersey-born, Manhattan-obsessed aspiring (and failing) playwright. When her long-term boyfriend dumps her for a French model, Imogene goes on Read More…

Visual Art

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Bay Area artist Richard Diebenkorn featured at de Young Museum

“Do search,” said artist Richard Diebenkorn, “but in order to find other than what is searched for.” This motto is an apt approach for museum-goers at San Francisco’s de Young Museum, which is currently housing works by the Bay Area painter. The exhibit, “Diebenkorn: The Berkeley Years,” on view through Read More…

Books

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Jack Boulware, founder of Litquake, considers the demise of publishing and journalism

San Francisco literary festival prepares for its first ever conference dedicated to digital publishing

In the technology boom that was the ’90s, the Bay Area was buzzing with innovative start-ups, emerging IT companies and Silicon Valley excitement. Hidden in this expansive push toward the future of the tech world was a small community of San Francisco bookworms hungry for a city that had once Read More…

Books

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‘The Blue Fox’ is a poetic masterpiece

Icelandic author Sjon’s modernist novel comes to the United States

“Poetic” may be one of the only words to concretely describe “The Blue Fox,” a novel written in Icelandic in 2004 but published in the United States for the first time this year. The novel is written by Sjon (pronounced Shee-yon), a poet, author and part-time lyricist for Bjork. Well-known Read More…

Film & Television

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‘The Big Wedding’ is likeable while it lasts

Ensemble film is a cute slice of comedic fun

Movies with all-star casts are not the easiest to love. Usually, their budgets are so large that all they need to do is rely on their celebrity status to draw large crowds to movie theaters. Sure, they tell a funny story that will keep you entertained for 90 minutes, but Read More…

Visual Art

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Eat Your Art Out

Edible artwork ruminates on corporeal and visual consumption at Root Division in SF

“Materials are consumed in two ways,” said contemporary artist Adrienne Keahi Pao of her photography, which is based on the relationship between humanity and food. Her photographs, currently part of an exhibition titled “Edible Ephemera” at Root Division in San Francisco’s Mission District, represent only a small fraction of artwork Read More…

Album Reviews

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Devendra Banhart: Mala

Devendra Banhart, the Venezuelan-American singer who has often been labeled as freak-folk, is back after a four-year hiatus, though I’m not sure if I want him to be. Read More…

Columns

paul-klees.SFMOMA

Addy Bhasin’s Picks of the Week

“Paul Klee’s Circus” at SFMOMA A selection of prints and drawings by Expressionist artist Paul Klee will spend its last two days at SFMOMA this weekend. If you’re into abstract sketches of clowns and acrobats (or if you don’t know it yet), bid adieu to the series of circus-inspired drawings Read More…