Alfonso Cuaron has an unmatched ability to transport audiences out of the cinema and to uncharted lands of make-believe. In 1995, he made the world of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s turn-of-the-century children’s story “A Little Princess” come alive in film. In 2004, he darkened the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft Read More…
If you’re like me, that new-school-year excitement is probably beginning to wear off and that wtf-this-school-stuff-is-really-hard-work feeling is settling in. You don’t really have time to go to the movies, but…you’ll probably do it anyways. Check out this week’s picks if you’re in need of a quick break from midterm Read More…
With his hair combed into an immaculate Teddy-boy coif and his hip popped to one side, Alex Turner mesmerized Oakland’s indie rock fans last Thursday night during the last of the Arctic Monkeys’ back-to-back gigs at the Fox Theater. Band’s latest triumph, AM, centered around Turner’s verbal dexterity and compelling Read More…
Watching a William Friedkin film is like lighting a candle in a pitch-black cave. Suddenly, the shield of darkness is lifted, releasing sinister shadows and giving form to what was previously an unknowable space. In director Friedkin’s work, that unknowable space is the human soul, and it only becomes more Read More…
This weekend’s list is all about high-adrenaline, action-packed films starring some of Hollywood’s leading men. They’ve all got their serious faces on, so be prepared for some intense thrills and somber scenes this weekend at the movies. Prisoners I’m really excited for this movie, mostly because it features Jake Read More…
Welcome to Weekend Watchlist, a weekly blog where I’ll share my picks for what to check out each weekend at the movies. Horror fans can check out “Insidious: Chapter 2″ this Friday the 13th, but if you’re looking for lighter fare on Saturday and Sunday, check out some suggestions below. Read More…
Five albums in, and British indie-rockers Arctic Monkeys have undoubtedly established themselves as one of the most consistently creative and genre-defining bands of the last decade. The Sheffield lads burst onto the music scene in 2005 with their debut single, “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” and have Read More…
“The Family” Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer co-star in an English-language French film about an American mafia family who, after snitching, moves to France under the witness-protection program. Hijinks ensue as the family struggles to control old habits and maintain cover. This cross between “The Sopranos” and the Olsen Read More…
The 1960s put Berkeley on the map as a center of political activism in the United States. Counterculture and radicalism emerged on the steps of Sproul Hall as students took part in a political awakening that would shake the nation and define the spirit of UC Berkeley. In a scene Read More…
2013 is the year of the superhero. With so many spandex-clad hunks flying through the silver-screen skies, it would be easy for Jeff Wadlow’s follow-up to the 2010 action-comedy “Kick-Ass” to get lost in the crowd. What “Kick-Ass 2” lacks in shiny hair and noble origin stories, however, it makes Read More…