This time, the shark jumps you! So one would think, seeing the prehistoric megashark on the poster, large enough to scarf down an entire sharknado and its whirling angry denizens. The Meg baits and switches. The shark is only a measly 70 feet long, Certainly, this Meg has its moments. When it circles a crippled boat, its dorsal fin looks like the tail of a 727. But in closeups, the hellfish looks like the vegan shark in Finding Nemo. Only smaller. Much of this movie takes place in a futuristic sea-base Mana One, which looks like surplus from a Gerry Anderson puppet show. A mixed group of scientists, hanging around exclaiming at what they're seeing on screens include, but are not limited to: the spiky Angelina Jolie-esque one (Ruby Rose) » Read More

There is, or used to be, a profession called "coolhunting." It described people who went out to the field to try to corral the next upcoming trend. For the multi-multi hyphenate Robert "Bobbito" Garcia, the coolness seems to have found him. Garcia's autobiographical documentary Rock Rubber 45s is a delight--this 50-something man of many talents is a born ambassador. Despite the numerous testimonials here--including one from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who tells Bobito "You encapsulate NY as a part of who you are"--Rock Rubber 45s never seems like a mere commercial for the director. By following his personal obsessions, which include hip-hop, hoops, customized sneakers, journalism and filmmaking, Garcia both chronicled and spread » Read More

Fortunately for Cervantes, she has another method of communication to turn to, even when she doesn't speak up. As dancer and choreographer, she uses her body to tell the world how she feels. That's exactly what Cervantes aims to do with "Things I Can't Say Out Loud," the first original showcase by her fledgling Cypher Dance Company. The production aims to call out social inequities through movement. Cervantes says the show will be an immersive experience, featuring a series of dances along with pre-recorded narration, which will help the audience follow along with the emotions the dancers are working to express. Attendees will be encouraged to reflect on their own experience and actions while taking in the performance. » Read More

When singer and actress Karyn Rondeau planned to audition for Monty Python's Spamalot, something held her back. "I wasn't going to audition for Spamalot because I was too fat," says Rondeau, who occasionally becomes misty eyed during our conversation. However, with the support of friends, she went out for the role and ended up landing the part of the musical's leading lady. "It was this amazing experience for me, and I got to wear these really awesome sexy costumes," she says, remembering what a confidence boost she gained from the experience. "I just felt great, and I closed that show just loving myself and loving my body." It is that feeling that Rondeau aims to coax out of others with her new show, Curvy Cabaret. A talented cast of » Read More

A recent visitor to the Pace Gallery described Tim Hawkinson's exhibit All that glitters, Must come Down as "super fun." She went on to call out the Baldachin series in particular, noting that the artist was "playing with the classical figure" but wishing that the inkjet scrolls were on a nicer material. They're hanging vertically and mounted on gold emergency blankets that look like appropriate drapery for the inhabitants of a future space colony. The artist has digitally altered human nudes, twisting every limb and appendage around and around. Each body is in a virtual knot. It's a vision of an inelegant ice skater's triple axel that ends in a disastrous pose. After finishing her tour of the work, the patron thanked the gallery assistant » Read More

As usual, if one is a spirited adventurer, as most jazz fans are, then unexpected cosmic revelations appear around every corner. With the stipulation that Western linear summaries do not accommodate such a festival, the indoor/outdoor polarity erupted right off the bat. My opening-night infiltration began with the Tango Jazz Quartet at Cafe Stritch and then eventually continued with a total surprise, the Pascal Bokar Afro Blue Grazz Band in the Fairmont's Club Regent room. With probably a dozen musicians, Bokar served up a wild bouillabaisse of West African rhythms, American bluegrass, French chansons and 12-bar blues seemingly layered with Moroccan textures. Dancers took over the aisles and the floor in front of the stage, with everyone » Read More

Avoid any temptation to kidnap strangers lingering in your building's lobby. "Are you going to cut me up and put me in your freezer?" the terrified UPS man will ask. You: "Uh, I thought we'd just hang out and have coffee, but whatever works for you." Healthier (and less felonious) forms of coping start with unpacking what loneliness is. The late neuroscientist John Cacioppo explained loneliness as a painful feeling of disconnection from others. He differentiated loneliness--the aching longing for human connection--from a desire for solitude, "the pleasures of sometimes being by yourself." And he and his wife and research partner, psychologist Stephanie Cacioppo, noted that loneliness has been associated with serious negative effects on not » Read More

Author and theologian Thomas Merton thought that the most debilitating human temptation is to settle for too little, to live a comfortable life rather than an interesting one. I wouldn't say that's always true about you, Taurus. But I do suspect that in the coming weeks, a tendency to settle for less could be the single most devitalizing temptation you'll be susceptible to. That's why I encourage you to resist the appeal to accept a smaller blessing or punier adventure than you deserve. Hold out for the best and brightest. » Read More

San Jose native Jackie Gage is flying back from the Big Apple this weekend, just to film a music video for a song she wrote about her hometown. Gage will debut her new tune, "A Secret Place," Saturday night at Cafe Stritch during the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, followed by an exclusive VIP after-party at a separate location. If the performance sells out, as Gage's gigs often do, tickets for the after-party will still be available. To raise money for the video shoot, friends, family and distant admirers all contributed to an Indiegogo campaign, 80 percent of which was raised in 24 hours. As of last Sunday, the goal was officially shattered, but anyone can still donate. » Read More