by
Richard von Busack on March 1, 2018
This movie could have been a tuchus-kisser, and to its great credit, it is not. Jessica Congdon wrote, co-produced and photographed this candid short documentary about the successful but controversial Guerneville businessperson Crista Luedtke. This second-generation restauranteur, a freckled Wisconsin-born lesbian with a rockabilly haircut, made ambitious renovation of several Russian River…
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by
Stephen Perez on March 1, 2018
Omphalos, aka 7 splinters in time, is a gritty, neo-noir thriller with a sci-fi twist. Director Gabriel Judet-Weinshel introduces the audience to an anachronistic, avant-garde setting, relying on lighter and darker lenses to distinguish between the past, present and… other. That’s right. Omphalos is a fractured narrative. Think The Butterfly Effect or…
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by
Salvatore Maxwell on March 1, 2018
Director and writer Owen Long takes his audience on an uncomfortably gripping journey in Seeds, a story about the monstrous manifestation of inner demons. Marcus Milton is a drug-addicted man, infatuated with his much-younger niece. After a serious bender, which leaves one body in its wake, Marcus seeks refuge in his old…
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Kristin Lam on March 1, 2018
Sifting through old photographs, a bold crusader in rubber boots and a big skirt catches director Laurie Coyle’s attention. This documentary searches for the story of Maria Moreno, a migrant worker, mother, and organizer for the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC).
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Jaleny Reyes on January 31, 2018
Influenced by R&B, blues, rockabilly and jazz, D. Marie & The House Cats will flex their musical muscles with a mix of popular covers and original songs. Danielle Walsh, known as D. Marie, is a Los Angeles native who moved to San Francisco for college. After a couple of years performing in…
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Yousif Kassab on January 26, 2018
The early 2010s marked the beginning of a new trend—just about every rapper, from J. Cole to Big K.R.I.T, began singing the hook themselves. Another example of this tradition can be found in Houston rapper Kirko Bangz’s hit single “Drank in My Cup.” Delivered over a glittering, synth-heavy instrumental, the track is…
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Vinny Maxwell on January 26, 2018
San Francisco rapper Lil Pete is pulling up to San Jose on his I Made a Promise tour. Back in September, Lil Pete dropped a 12-track project titled I Made a Promise, which enlists the help of rappers Bez19 and Philthy Rich. The Bay has birthed hella notable artists such as Mac…
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Yousif Kassab on January 25, 2018
Valentino Khan’s name first started popping up on YouTube and SoundCloud playlists around 2012 when he produced instrumentals for the likes of B.o.B. and 2 Chainz. From there, the Los Angeles-based DJ and producer branched out into EDM with a little help from his buddies at two highly influential record labels—Skrillex’s OSWLA…
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Mike Huguenor on January 25, 2018
AFTER SPENDING six months in San Jose, HXXS needed something to happen soon. “It was a pretty desperate time,” says Gavin Neves. HXXS (pronounced “Hexes”) got their start in Portland, Oregon, where Neves and bandmate Jeannie Colleene met and began writing together. But just as things were picking up for them, a…
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Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 film Black Swan painted the lives of dancers in an NYC ballet company with a dark brush. Now, the film’s choreographer, Ben Millepied, brings the dance troupe he established after working on the film to Stanford University’s Memorial Auditorium. Millepied started the L.A. Dance Project in 2012 to bring…
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