Michael Snyder

It’s fair to assume that most wired-in people have at least one or two favorite primetime television shows that demand a weekly watch. I’ve heard the phrase “appointment TV�... Read More

The inevitability of the Oscars

If it’s midwinter, we should gear up for our annual visit from Oscar, 91 years old this year. In other words, the 91st annual presentation of the Academy Awards is scheduled to m... Read More

Love on a Shoestring

When things haven’t worked out on the romantic front, a dear friend of mine is wont to say, “Cupid is the devil.” And I fear she’s right. The pursuit of wha... Read More

Resolute or dissolute

There’s something about a new year that fills me with promise. You could say the same thing about springtime with all those green sprouts emerging from the moist, newly warme... Read More

Playing favorites with 2018’s best movies

The start of a new year is an ideal time to reflect on the previous 12 months. For someone who reviews movies, that means assembling a best-of-the-previous-year list. So without fu... Read More

Getaways for a great escape

The fires of November have been so devastating in both the northern and southern parts of the state — with the unprecedented death and destruction of the Camp Fire also resulting... Read More

Television

Binge-worthy television for wintertime

Even sunny California suffers inclement winter weather, inspiring us to spend more evenings in cozy surroundings — like in front of our video screens, rather than venturing out t... Read More

Thankful for what I don’t have

There’s a classic, soulful slice of early-’70s R&B with the optimistic title “Be Thankful for What You Got,” written and first performed by a cool cat named... Read More

Films to whet your appetite

More foodie films on the menu

The cinema subgenre of foodie movies may be an acquired taste (sorry), but it’s sizeable and engaging enough that I actually wrote an entire column about it in November 2014. Now... Read More

In the presence of the gourd

When’s the best time of year for pumpkin ale? If you’re like I am, the answer is always the same: Never. I could explain away the quip with a follow-up about my inner beer-snob... Read More

Scaring up fear on film

As we sink deeper into autumn and the end of October looms, the thoughts of many Americans — young and old — turn to Halloween, the spookiest holiday of the year (unless you’... Read More

Television

Sifting through the fall television season

Are viewers suffering from narrative fatigue due to the unprecedented year-round increase in television programming since we entered the era of streaming video content? Maybe, but ... Read More

The entertainment scene is losing more of its precious few places to experience live music

Taking the Hemlock . . . and other venues

When I heard the recent news that the Hemlock Tavern — a cozy showcase room on Polk Street, featuring up-and-coming indie-rock performers for roughly 17 years — was closing in... Read More

The arc of the dive bar