YEAR 35: The Mill Valley Film Festival is celebrating it’s 35th anniversary with their usual flare. The 2012 spotlight is on John Hawkes, Billy Bob Thornton, Dreamworks Animation, and a special tribute to Dustin Hoffman and Indian Director Mira Nair. David Tanaka of Pixar directed the opening trailer. This year 160,000 admission tickets help fund…
The American Craft Council Show is on the road. Their 2012 schedule includes Baltimore, Atlanta, St. Paul, and San Francisco. This is no pot holder knick knack flea market, oh no. The American Craft Council has been around since 1943 and they take their craft seriously. All their shows are juried to ensure an impressive…
Don’t let the giant eyes, tiny noses, and knee-socks fool you. This is real science. The Manga Guides from No Starch Press, use the conventions of Japanese comic books to explain challenging scientific topics clearly and cleverly. They proudly proclaim themselves “the finest in geek entertainment”. (That’s fun learning for the rest of us). What…
REBELS, RABBIS, REUBENS and FILM: Catch the alliteration there? It’s this years SFJFF theme. Word trios toying with inclusiveness, diversity, stereotypes. Welcome to year 32 of the largest and longest running Jewish Film Festival in the country. I’ve been told that the reason the 32nd place is blank on the program cover is for you…
TRUE ART TRANSCENDS TIME: Celebrating it’s 17th year, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival returns to the Castro Theatre July 12-15. I’m guessing this is the only Film Festival to have it’s opening reception in a mattress factory. For real. Founded in 1899, the historic McRoskey Mattress Company opens it’s fab loft space on Market…
FIND YOUR STORY: For the 36th year, Frameline brings us the longest running film festival dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender programming. This year’s theme is “Find your story.” That story is somewhere in the more than 217 films from 30 countries. One of the most buzzed about is a documentary called “Love Free…
COMPETITIVE GROCERY BAGGING: I thought I was master of my recycled shopping tote. Darn that BAG IT! game app. Hidden Variable Studios has created the ultimate brain tease for iOS and android devices. MOVE OVER BUBBLE WRAP: Ever the intellectual snob, I’ve always preferred the stimulating pop-able plastic, shunning all forms of poker, Pokemon, and…