An Absorbing and Intense “Memoir”
Memoir of a Snail is the latest animated movie from Australian auteur Adam Elliot, who refers to his films as "clayographies," a portmanteau combining clay and biographies. It’s a fitting…
A Simple, Joyful Holiday Treat
Amid all the present-buying and house-decorating and party-going at this time of year, it helps to have a little break, less than a couple of hours, where you can sit…
Motherhood’s Canine Redemption
Courage often gets confused with bravado, especially in titles. Sometimes it takes a little risk to encounter true greatness, and in the case of Marielle Heller’s new film, we hope…
A Holiday Tradition Shines at SLO Rep
Photos by Ryan C. Loyd, Rylo Media Design The date is December 1, 1940. The town is Hohman, Indiana, currently being buffeted by blisteringly frigid winds carving through towering…
“Strange Magic” Renews Sense of Wonder
Walking into the Nybak Gallery at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art and viewing Julie Alpert’s Strange Magic is a lot like stepping into Pee-wee’s Playhouse or Alice in…
Happy “Melodrama” Holidays!
The Great American Melodrama’s 2024 Holiday Extravaganza begins as all Melodrama shows do: with an upbeat sing-a-along to get everyone in the mood. This year’s cheery selection, “Jingle Bell Rock,”…
The Dream of a Glass Slipper
A young exotic dancer in a higher-end strip club meets an even younger millionaire from Russia who simply requests a girl who can speak Russian. The dashing young socialite is…
Not a Moment Wasted in “A Real Pain”
Ninety minutes isn’t very long in the grand scheme of things. But writer-director-producer-star Jesse Eisenburg makes the most of the hour-and-a-half film for which he is primarily responsible, and which…
“The Florida Project” Shines
This week gives movie-goers who love the new film Anora a chance to sample writer-director Sean Baker’s acclaimed earlier work, The Florida Project, on the big screen. The award-winning movie,…
PCPA’s “Beauty and the Beast” Enchants
Photos by Mark Velasquez When resident artist Kitty Balay opens PCPA’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast with the time-honored phrase “Once upon a time,” you can plan on…