About halfway into the surprisingly enjoyable “Star Trek Into Darkness”, there is an engine problem aboard the Starship Enterprise. Dr. Bones (Karl Urban) tries with all his might to make Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) understand how serious it is, bombarding Kirk with metaphors that prove cringe-worthy. Yet Pine saves the Read More…
Much Ado About Nothing When one thinks of Shakespeare, the mind doesn’t naturally bend toward the sci-fi/supernatural wunderkind Joss Whedon. Known primarily for his forays into television (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly”) and recent comic book box-office success with “The Avengers,” it seemed a slight surprise when it was announced Read More…
“Expand or Die.” This is the mantra of the 21st century’s $2 trillion agricultural market, depicted in Ramin Bahrani’s “At Any Price.” Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) is a firm believer of this saying. Whipple realizes that in order to survive he must expand, and to do this he must cut Read More…
Mia Wasikowska plays India Stoker like a basilisk. She saunters around every room in her house like a pale, leathery reptile with a sharp ear for eerie household rhythms and melodies. Beyond human capacity, India recognizes even the subtlest sounds in her surroundings. Read More…
Every March for the past 30 years, the festival has showcased hundreds of films, proving to be the country’s most vital source for Asian cinema. This year the festival seems to offer a healthy balance of documentaries, shorts and narratives. Read More…
Nosaj Thing When: Feb. 21, 6 p.m. Where: California Academy of Sciences After a three-year hiatus, Jason Chung, the LA-based producer behind Nosaj Thing, has just released his sublime new album Home. Frustrated by the current state of electronic music, Chung produces gorgeously intimate, stripped-down bass, heavily influenced by the Read More…
I’ve followed the Oscars for quite a few years now, and I always ask myself, “Why do I still care?” Simply because the Academy is an institution that exists to celebrate a common interest: movies. Read More…
1. Contemporary Writers Series: Joyce Carol Oates “Who the hell is Joyce Carol Oates?” you ask. Only one of the world’s greatest contemporary writers who’s been nominated for the Nobel Prize three times and who also happens to teach at UC Berkeley. For her reading, head on over to Oakland’s Read More…
The annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary this month. Its penchant for showcasing alternative and subversive pieces of cinema has helped it become one of the most important festivals around the nation. From the psychological odyssey “Simon Killer” to the gang-epic “Days of Grace,” 2013 proves Read More…
It’s hard to pin down what French-director Jacques Audiard’s latest film is really about. In “Rust and Bone,” Audiard – responsible for cross-Atlantic critical hits like “A Prophet” (2009) and “The Beat That My Heart Skipped” (2005) – continues to temper abrasive, woebegone characters with his trademark style that lies Read More…
