By the second week, those fears were confirmed as the organizers of the festival in San Jose and Redwood City pulled the plug, Covid-19 cases increased and public health officials forbade gatherings. A year later, the festival returns, this time fully virtual, from March 20 to 30 with 199 films and shows from 55 countries, most of which will be available to stream throughout the festival. Another 13 "Spotlight" events will punctuate the festival with Zoom Q&As and "red carpet" interviews with filmmakers and actors and peeks at rough cuts. » Read More

There comes a time in every reporter's career when an actor must be interviewed because they've directed a short film. These moments are fraught with anxiety because the films are often vanity projects created for the sake of showcasing some nascent talent the actor believes has been overlooked, without ever questioning why. I'm happy to report this is decidedly not the case with Zach Woods' debut directorial effort, David, a hilarious, humanistic portrait of psychic healing that should be prescribed viewing for the sake of global mental health. » Read More

Janice Lobo Sapigao didn't expect her first year as the Santa Clara County Poet Laureate would be sucker punched by a global pandemic, but she's determined not to let that stop her from getting South Bay kids to love their own words. The Silicon Valley native took over the two-year poet laureate position in January. The honorary post comes with a mandate to increase poetry awareness and celebration. Sapigao, a Filipina American poet, author, writer, educator and active community member, has plenty of ideas for that. » Read More

The text on the marquee said it all: "The Ritz Closed Until Further Notice." The news came as a disappointment to fans of Xavier Dprehpaulezz--the imaginative blues singer and songwriter who performs under the moniker Fantastic Negrito--who was scheduled to wow the crowds at The Ritz on March 19. As the county and state ramp up efforts to prevent a spike in novel coronavirus cases, bars, nightclubs and live music venues are shutting down, and it is unclear when they will open again. » Read More

Talk, talk everywhere but not a drop of trust. "Opinion has become our driving force," says Quinn, who brings his new show, The Wrong Side of History, to Stanford for four performances March 13 and 14. "Free speech, exchange of opinion, open communication: These things are automatically thought of as evolutionary ways to get to enlightenment. But my whole show is, hey, maybe we've gone too far with free speech, once we have electronically made opinion this thing that everyone gives out all day, every day." » Read More

The first time I saw the ancient Lebanese city of Byblos was on the wall at 93 E. Santa Clara St. in downtown San Jose. That was 2002. Last week, when I returned to the same room, now a bar called 3rd & Bourbon, I saw elegant decor instead of the mural of Byblos. Instead of Middle Eastern music, Stevie Ray Vaughan cranked over the house system while the kitchen prepared for a night of burgers, pasta and specialty cocktails for customers in swank velvety booths. » Read More

"Today I feel the whole world is a door," wrote poet Dennis Silk. In a similar spirit, 13th-century Zen master Wumen Huikai observed, "The whole world is a door of liberation, but people are unwilling to enter it." Now I'm here to tell you, Aries, that there will be times in the coming weeks when the whole world will feel like a door to you. And if you open it, you'll be led to potential opportunities for interesting changes that offer you liberation. This is a rare blessing. Please be sufficiently loose and alert and brave to take advantage. » Read More

Recalling the early-aughts days of Gmail, at least some of Clubhouse's allure stems from this perceived exclusivity. No invitation? Join a waitlist, just like at an exclusive restaurant or nightclub. The purpose is to allow smaller groups of users to test it out and iron out kinks, sure, but it's also a classic psychological paradigm: If not everyone can have it, more will desire it. » Read More

All of that summoned the ghosts of Blossom Hill's past. Long before this particular stretch of San Jose became a wasteland of mattress retailers, several record stores ruled the landscape. In the '80s, LPs often went on sale for $5.88 at Record Factory, a place that also sold cassettes, magazines and just about everything else that doesn't exist anymore. How I still remember the $5.88 price tag I don't know, but Record Factory was on the south side of the street, in the same strip mall plaza as Toys 'R' Us, which is likewise dead in the water. » Read More