Film Review: “Hamnet”

Buckley is the engine powering this emotionally condensed drama

Agnes (Jessie Buckley) waits for Hamlet to start in ‘Hamnet.’

Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling book Hamnet was a literary sensation, and quickly sparked rumors of an inevitable movie adaptation. When Oscar winner Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) was announced as Hamnet’s director, followed by the casting of Oscar nominees Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter) and Paul Mescal (Aftersun) in the starring roles, expectations shot through the roof. Now that Zhao’s Hamnet is finally arriving in theaters, does it live up to the hype? The answer is a soft ‘yes.’ Through a tremendously powerful performance from Buckley and a deeply emotional script, Hamnet reproduces the story’s inherent drama even as it strips away any narrative complexities. Continue reading “Film Review: “Hamnet””

Vinyl Reissue Spotlight: “Come Out Come Out” by cub

The day was August 31st, 1995. A group of friends and I made our way to The Warfield in an attempt to catch the final SF Ramones concert. Sadly, the show was sold out. And not a scalper to be found… At least not a scalper our broke teenage wallets could work with. Outside the venue, someone was yelling, “Free Punk Show.” It was a Lookout Records showcase with The Queers, The Potatomen, and the band that blew my teenage mind clear off, a group of Canadian women that called themselves cub. I was transfixed. I used the little cash I had on me to buy their 7″ “The Day I Said Goodbye.” I wore it out. I went deep into the catalog. I sadly never got to see cub again. I missed them opening for They Might Be Giants, but was thrilled that They Might Be Giants covered “New York City.” 

I love this band. But I NEVER put on their first two records. Mostly because, um, they released them as 7″ collections instead of long players. This morning, I opened up my email and saw a press release that made me ever so happy… cub’s sophmore record, Come Out Come Out, has been remastered by original guitarist Robynn Iwata (who eventually moved to SF and starting the experimental band i am spoonbender and opened the legendary record store Open Mind Music), and is being pressed as a 12″ record! YOU ONLY HAVE TO FLIP IT ONCE! And she found a bunch of art from the period, and is going all out on a fancy, deluxe reissue from Mint Records. It’s coming out January 15th and can be preordered from cub’s Bandcamp page! 


 

Film Review: “Zootopia 2”

Fur and scales face off in the world-expanding Zootopia sequel

Nick (Jason Bateman) and Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) paddle in pursuit in “Zootopia 2.”

Nine years ago we were introduced to the Oscar-winning world of Zootopia, where our own human society, including social stigmas, cultural taboos, and bureaucratic flaws were mirrored by anthropomorphized animalia. Zootopia was an excellent family film with plenty adult-oriented jokes, references, and themes. Zootopia 2 kicks off right where the first film left off, expanding its geographical scope while delivering an abundance of zany animal characters, clever banter, and endless sight gags. Even moments of apparent “sequelitis,” where an original work feels the pressure to replicate its initial success while making things bigger and better, don’t detract from the pleasure of discovering more of Zootopia’s inner workings. With the original film’s stellar voice cast returning, and adding a few notable new characters into the mix, Zootopia 2 is another pun-filled adventure with tremendous heart. Continue reading “Film Review: “Zootopia 2””

Film Review: “The Thing With Feathers”

Cheap jump scares punctuate this grief-stricken slog

Dad (Benedict Cumberbatch) feeling very crow-y in “The Thing With Feathers.”

Sometimes you swing and miss, but at least you swung. The Thing With Feathers is a big swing and a miss. Aiming to entice horror fans with its phantasmagoric plot and cheap jump scares, The Thing With Feathers fails to offer anything more than a singular message about grief being tough to overcome. Despite Benedict Cumberbatch’s (The Roses) efforts to compensate for a shallow script and one-dimensional character, The Thing With Feathers remains a frustrating viewing experience. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Thing With Feathers””

Show Review: Cavalera, Fear Factory, Prong, Genocide Pact, and Thrown Into Exile at The House of Blues Anaheim, 10-07-2025

CHAOS A.D.

This was another trek from work directly to the venue, House of Blues Anaheim, where I had gone the previous year to see Hanabie on their co-headline tour with Kim Dracula. While I was incredibly excited for the evening, I was also a bit anxious because the sound mix of the aforementioned concert had left a lot to be desired. Fortunately, the FOH mixers of this evening would prove that anxiety baseless. Let’s get on with it, shall we?

Continue reading “Show Review: Cavalera, Fear Factory, Prong, Genocide Pact, and Thrown Into Exile at The House of Blues Anaheim, 10-07-2025”

Film Review: “Rental Family”

Fraser delivers sensitive performance in affecting heartfelt drama 

Phillip (Brendan Fraser) is hired to be a groom in a fake wedding.

Rental Family is the second new film in a week with an actor as its protagonist. But Phillip, a struggling, unknown American actor in Japan, couldn’t be more different than the uber-successful, movie star Jay of Jay Kelly. Despite the differences in their lead characters, however, both films deftly touch on universal themes of loneliness, connection, and empathy. 

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Single of the Week: “MOLLY” by Ecca Vandal

The best thing about the current nu-metal resurgence seems to be that, unlike the first time around, ownership isn’t focused on white men. Some of the best stuff coming out these days that sounds like that era is coming from women of color- I adore The Warning, Pinkshift, and Rico Nasty. But the one act that’s consistently the BEST at combining metal, punk, hip-hop, pop, funk, and whatever else she pleases? Ecca Vandal. And, hot off her heavily talked about set at Dia De Los Deftones and as a warm-up for her performance at Camp Flog Gnaw this weekend, she’s presented us with her strongest track yet. “MOLLY” is a brilliant single that works equally well in the mosh pit and the club. 

You can enjoy “MOLLY” in all the usual places, and I’m hoping for a full-length next year. She’s touring Mexico and South America with Limp Bizkit in December, and I’m hoping we finally get a full stateside tour when she makes her Coachella debut next April. 

Film Review: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”

O’Connor shines as Knives Out goes to church

Father Jud (Josh O’Connor) and Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) inspect the mystery in ‘Wake Up Dead Man.’

They should release a new Knives Out movie every two years…in perpetuity. The casts, the characters, the Agatha Christie whodunnit plots, and Daniel Craig’s disarmingly charming and wise detective, Benoit Blanc, are all batting .1000 across three films and I just can’t get enough. Even Glass Onion, the second Knives Out film and widely considered the weaker of the first two films (now the weakest of the three), is still a hilarious and engaging mystery. The Knives Out film series is written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper; Star Wars: The Last Jedi), who has an incredible knack for creating an interacting web of distinct characters, twisted murders, and sharp dialogue. Wake Up Dead Man, the latest in the series, continues with all the beloved characteristics that made the original a hit, while adding previously unexplored depth. Featuring a standout performance by Josh O’Connor (Challengers), Wake Up Dead Man is the most dramatic Knives Out story yet and a thrillingly fun watch. Continue reading “Film Review: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery””

Show Review: KNOWER with Sam Wilkes at The Neptune Theater, 11/11/25

I have only been familiar with the electronic jazz duo KNOWER for a couple of years. I stumbled upon the video for their May 2023 single “I’m the President” and, directly afterwards, listened to it on repeat for weeks before becoming obsessed with their entire catalog. Last year, when singer, KNOWER drummer, and multi-instrumentalist Louis Cole announced he would be playing a show at Seattle’s Neptune Theater with his band’s other vocalist & multi-instrumentalist, Genevieve Artadi, I bought two tickets without batting an eye. The chance that maybe I’d get to see them play a few KNOWER songs (which they did) was the primary purpose, despite the fact that in my quest to hear as much of them as possible, I also had spent lots of time with each member’s solo back catalogue. I’ve spent a lot of time proselytizing the scripture of KNOWER, and on Nov 11th, I finally got to attend my first sermon. Continue reading “Show Review: KNOWER with Sam Wilkes at The Neptune Theater, 11/11/25”

Film Review: “Jay Kelly”

Clooney, Sandler explore the cost of fame in Baumbach’s newest

Actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) prepares to attend a tribute in his honor.

Jay Kelly isn’t a documentary, but you’d be forgiven if you mistake it for one. The picture, directed by Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story) and co-written with the actress Emily Mortimer, is about an aging actor facing his mortality and reflecting on his personal and professional choices. That the titular fictional actor is played by George Clooney creates an odd melding of fact and fiction. As we watch Jay consider his past, present, and future, we can’t help but wonder how much of what we’re seeing on screen is really about Clooney himself. That dichotomy brings an added layer of curiosity to an already thoughtful and absorbing film.

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