Show Review: Jamila Woods with Madison McFerrin at August Hall, 2/4/24

(Photos by Dakin Hardwick)

I am a new fan of Jamila Woods, having just discovered her through Spinning Platters’ intense and wonderful Album of the Year process, and I’m so glad I did. Jamila Woods is an amazing writer, and her music fills the soul. On the stormiest Sunday California has seen in a long time, I trekked through the almost deserted streets of San Francisco in the hopes that music would take away the wet and soggy feelings I’d had all weekend.  Continue reading “Show Review: Jamila Woods with Madison McFerrin at August Hall, 2/4/24”

SF Sketchfest Review: Doug Loves Movies Podcast at The Gateway Theater, 1/21/24

It’s SF Sketchfest time! I may have a schedule full of shows, but I am still here to give you this review/guide to Doug Loves Movies (DLM), comedian Doug Benson’s podcast that has been making us laugh since 2006. On the show he has celebrity guests (usually comedians or actors) and along with fun banter, tests their knowledge of movies with a variety of trivia games. For this episode (available here or on your favorite podcast streaming platform) his guests were Amy Schneider a writer of Jeopardy! fame; Geoff Tate: comedian and DLM regular: Chad Opitz: another comedian and regular; Anna Roisman: comedian, host, writer, actress; and Ardin Myrin: actress, comedian, and podcaster.  Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Doug Loves Movies Podcast at The Gateway Theater, 1/21/24”

SF Sketchfest Review: River Butcher at Brava Theater Center, 1/24/23

My first SF Sketchfest show in 3 years! And it’s a double header of shows from my personal SF Sketchfest past at the wonderful Brava Theater Center! The festival has been rescheduled twice, and I am so happy to finally be doing it! The first one is this wonderful stand-up performance from River Butcher and opener Hayden Kristal. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: River Butcher at Brava Theater Center, 1/24/23”

Spinning Platters Interview: Jackie Kashian

Photo by Luke Fontana

Jackie Kashian is one of Spinning Platters’ most favorite comics. Her podcast Dork Forest embodies pretty much everything we stand for. She has another podcast call The Jackie and Laurie Show with Laurie Kilmartin, where they discuss the trials and tribulations of being a female touring stand up. She’s in town this weekend for three appearances at SF Sketchfest, presented by Audible. Those appearances can be found here! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Jackie Kashian”

Film Review: Life

Life shows us how a few complacent space people can endanger our entire existence

Maybe Hugh Derry (Ariyon Bakare) should take growing Martians more seriously.

When I first found out I was reviewing Life, I was super excited. I love big budget space movies! I love sci-fi! Then I remembered that I am terrified of aliens. Whoops. Soon the question became — will I actually be able to watch the movie without having a panic attack? Much like everything to do with this movie, that answer is unclear. I sat in my chair nervously twitching, waiting to be terrified and got my shoulder muscles knotted up, but I never had to cover my eyes and had no trouble falling asleep when I got home. It was an intense thriller, but maybe just too predictable to actually be scary. Continue reading “Film Review: Life

Film Review: Fifty Shades Darker

Fifty Shades Darker: A movie for people who like their boyfriends to be creepy stalkers

Another scene where Christian Grey is creepy as fuck.

I’m not crazy; I think you already know if you want to watch Fifty Shades Darker, and I would be surprised if anything I could say would change your mind. However, I’m sure there are some people who are just curious about exactly how disgusting of a commentary it is on our current sad culture, and I’m happy to satisfy your curiosity on that point. Continue reading “Film Review: Fifty Shades Darker

SF Sketchfest Review: Hound Tall Podcast with Moshe Kasher at Swedish American Hall, 1/21/17

Moshe Kasher’s podcast Hound Tall takes several comedians and one expert on a subject and makes either a glorious or terrible mess of things. When the podcast is great, it is so great. And when it misses, it really misses. Last year I watched the electronic music episode and it was so much more than I thought it would be. This year the topic was “Planning a Non-Violent Revolution in the Age of Trump”. The topic was exactly what I needed, and maybe what everyone needs after spending a day being inspired by the Women’s Marches around the country. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Hound Tall Podcast with Moshe Kasher at Swedish American Hall, 1/21/17”

SF Sketchfest Review: Crabapples with Bobcat Goldthwait and Caitlin Gill at Brava Theater, 1/13/2017

Our Crabapples: Bobcat Goldthwait and Caitlin Gill

It was a happy Friday the 13th to start this year’s epic SF Sketchfest Journey. Full of delicious burrito and needing some relief from a long day at work I was excited to get the funny started. On top of that all proceeds for this show are being donated to Planned Parenthood so it felt good to be in the company of people trying to help this messed up world. Bring on the Crabapples! Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Crabapples with Bobcat Goldthwait and Caitlin Gill at Brava Theater, 1/13/2017”

Film Review: Finding Dory

Finding Dory gives you another big ocean adventure and all the feels

The charmingly grumpy Hank helping Dory
The charmingly grumpy Hank helping Dory

Let’s start with some full disclosure. Finding Nemo is my favorite Pixar movie and Dory is my favorite part of it. To say I was excited to see Finding Dory would be an extreme understatement. I spent all day telling telling everyone I saw “I’m seeing Finding Dory tonight!” not for any particular reaction, but just that I was so excited it just jumped out of my mouth like crazy fangirl word vomit. Luckily it seems like most people are excited to see Finding Dory so my spastic exclamations were pretty well received. The audience at the screening seemed excited as well, even if it was smaller than usual due to the Warriors game. Seemed strange to me people would pick a basketball game over the movie, but maybe the game was better? Continue reading “Film Review: Finding Dory

Film Review: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Stupidness getting stupider somehow makes it better.

Sample of the silly antics prevalent in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Sample of the silly antics prevalent in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

 

Not only was I expecting to hate Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, but I kinda wanted to. I wanted a chance to get all my pent up anger and frustration out in a gorgeous scathing review. But dammit, it was a fun movie. Continue reading “Film Review: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising