There is a moment in “Life of Pi” when the titular protagonist, having recounted one fanciful and one literal version of the same story, asks a novelist which version he prefers. Without hesitating, the novelist confirms that the fanciful story is by far his favorite. After sitting down with Ang Read More…
MUSIC It’s the last week of classes, so you’re going to want some music for those study sessions and some concerts for distractions. The Wu-Tang Clan and D-block, who together to form Wu-Block, are releasing their debut self-titled record this week. The soulful Alicia Keys will be releasing her album Read More…
When Joe Wright, director of “Anna Karenina” eventually found the room in which we were to have our interview, he was 20 minutes late, and I was running out of tea. Slightly out of breath, he reached out to shake my hand. “Sorry, we went exploring the hills of San Read More…
In New York City, sometime in the early hours of October 30, a car made its way uptown. The streets were unusually empty for that hour (or any hour in NYC). A hurricane was in town and instead of the benign ambivalence with which the city usually greets new arrivals, Read More…
VISUAL ART: If you are looking for something to do on Halloween night, look no further than “But the Earth is dark, the Coffin thick, and the Shroud opaque,” Old Crow’s group show opening on Oct 31 at 8 p.m. Promising to send chills down your spine and get you Read More…
Mark O’Brien is a 38-year-old polio survivor who spends most of his time in an iron lung. With the help of his two affable caregivers, Vera and Rod, Mark seems to ameliorate the worst excesses of his affliction with good humor and perseverance. In the hyper-liberal Bay Area bubble in Read More…
Arts This Friday is the second week of San Francisco’s 2 Blocks of Art event, which takes place around Market and 6th streets. First and foremost, 2 Blocks of Art is an art walk featuring local artists showing their works in 25 different locations. Since last year, though, the event Read More…
I had never heard someone call the film “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” a comedy until I met its director, Lee Daniels. “We played it at Sundance to an all-white audience … it was a very serious movie for the white world,” he said, “but for the Read More…
Our lead critics recommend the latest and greatest in culture. MUSIC: We all know what week this is. It’s Treasure Island week! The Treasure Island Music Festival this coming weekend includes the likes of M83, Girl Talk, Best Coast, Public Enemy and the Gossip. The highly anticipated London indie pop Read More…
Our lead critics recommend the latest and greatest in culture. MUSIC: A wide variety of albums await your ears this week — at least for those who haven’t already started torrenting them. Both the Berkeley-based hip-hop indie rock group Why? and Oakland’s own Zion-I will be releasing albums this Tuesday. Read More…