 |
French-Asian cuisine finds an odd perch on Nob Hill
Sparrow, the new endeavor of owner Steve Javellana and Executive Chef Terry Lynch, attempts to overcome a cursed space with interesting flavors and a creative menu. The first thing you notice about Sparrow is the odd location. Perched atop Nob Hill in the space formerly occupied by Watergate's second incarnation, this new French-Asian restaurant is nestled in the "Dynasty"-era lobby of the Gramercy Towers. |
 |
A rapper in a league of his own
Bukue One is a Renaissance man of sorts. He raps, paints graffitis, skateboards and he helps manage, book and promote several other underground hip-hop acts. In his spare time, he bowls and spins reggae music. His latest lyrical endeavor Intromission will be released exclusively on-line in January. He spoke with SF Station during a phone interview while bowling in Concord. |
 |
Drink Deeply
Writer/director Darren Aronofsky first made his mark with the dark, mind bending Pi. From there he ventured into even darker territory with his depressing exploration of the world of addiction (of just about every kind) in Requiem For A Dream. In Aronofksy's latest, The Fountain, we have a similarly dark vision, but The Fountain is also the most life affirming film he has ever assembled. |
 |
Fragments of a Terrible Day
The tumultuous year of 1968 shaped and shattered many lives around the world, but in one particular moment, the sudden killing of an inspirational politician derailed the outcome of a crucial presidential election and changed the political guard in America for decades. An all-star cast usually ruins a movie. However, in the case of Bobby, it is the film's foundation. |
 |
It's a Long Way to the Top If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll
Tenacious D, the self-proclaimed Greatest Band on Earth, has risen from the humblest of beginnings -- in this case, a bit part in the 1996 Pauly Shore comedy Bio-Dome that led to a short-lived HBO series. They recorded their eponymous debut, a gleefully raunchy collection of ribald ballads and odes to kielbasa, in 2001. Now, improbably, comes Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, which finds D frontmen Jack Black and Kyle Gass perfecting the art of cock-pushups, learning valuable life lessons from Ronnie James Dio and out-rocking the Dark Prince himself. |
 |
A Bit of Pretentiousness Mixed with Pederasty (a lethal combination)
Based on the play by the profuse Alan Bennett, The History Boys is every bit invigorating as it is offbeat. It captures the essence of being young and having the world at your feet. However, it also takes the student-teacher relationship to whole new, and disturbing, level. |
 |
Don't Believe the Hype
Pedro Almodóvar has justifiably been called "the most internationally acclaimed Spanish filmmaker since Luis Buñuel." But time seems to have softened Almodóvar's once razor-sharp storytelling and critical skills. Case in point: Almodóvar's latest film, Volver, a family drama let down by uninspired plot turns and overindulgent running time. |
 |
Solid Sci-Fi Action
Over a career spanning three decades, Tony Scott has directed some of Hollywood's most stylish, ultra-violent blockbusters (Domino, Man on Fire, Enemy of the State, True Romance, Top Gun). Déjà Vu, a science fiction/action/romance, offers up more of Scott's hyperactive visual style, but thanks to Denzel "Mr. Gravitas" Washington (his third time with Scott at the helm), a solid supporting cast, a clever, if familiar, premise, and suitably spectacular visuals and action sequences, Déjà Vu ends up being far better than the sum of its parts suggests at first glance. |
 |
More Like Dreck the Halls
With Black Friday, the "official" start to Christmas retailing season just days away, family-oriented holiday comedies are as predictable as they are inevitable. Most are forgettable, blandly entertaining fodder, better suited to cable or DVD than theatrical distribution. Still, there's something about sitting in a crowded movie theater with friends, family, and total strangers, and experiencing the saccharine pleasures of family comedies that's hard to resist. Well, mostly. The opposite is true about Deck the Halls. |
 |
Keepin' it Real in the Lower Haight
On the corner of Haight and Steiner in a space previously occupied by drum and bass record shop The Compound and subsequently Future Primitive, newcomer Lower Hater brings distinctive flavor for all facets of the motley neighborhood and beyond. At once a clothing, housewares and furniture boutique cum art gallery, Lower Hater blends elements of hip hop to punk rock, classy to edgy, and retro to modern in a spot-on collection of goods that must be recognized as pieces of art. |
|
