The Electric State What’s it rated? PG-13 When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Netflix Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Infinity War) direct this sci-fi adventure comedy set in a retro-futuristic 1990s alternative reality. After a war between robots and humans (no, not like Terminator … these bots look like they were […]
The Electric State is visually dazzling and a fun sci-fi comedy romp
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Crip Camp traces the difficult road to disabled rights
Crip Camp What’s it rated? R When? 2020 Where’s it showing? Netflix I first heard about Crip Camp on a podcast that discusses documentaries, and not only did it sound like a wonderfully touching film, but it was executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, so I knew as soon as this came across one […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Novocaine is sweet, funny, bloody fun
Novocaine What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Co-directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen bring Lars Jacobson’s action comedy to the screen about Nathan “Nate” Caine (Jack Quaid), an introverted bank executive […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Mitra Cline showcases digital art, interactive installations, and crafts at Lompoc’s Cypress Gallery
The Lompoc Valley Art Association presents Cuckoo’s Mixed Reality Nest, a solo exhibition showcasing works by Santa Barbara-based artist Mitra Cline, at Cypress Gallery. The exhibit is scheduled to open on April 3 and remain on display through April 27. The show is described as a collection of traditional crafts—such as masks, bowls, and cards—and […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A $500,000 matching grant boosts SLO REP’s new theater capital campaign
Donate before June 30 Thanks to the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust’s generosity, through June 30, donations to the SLO Repertory Theatre will be doubled. Altogether, the project will cost $21.5 million, and there’s still $2.4 million to raise. More than 90 percent of the goal has been met to break ground in early 2026. […]
Posted inOpinion
Democrats, take this opportunity to engage!
We’ve all seen the many viral videos of town hall meetings during which Republican voters are haranguing their elected Republican officials over the gutting of federal programs crucial to American families. As a result, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has been advising Republicans to stop holding town hall meetings for their […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local high school students stage Newsies in Santa Maria
Pioneer Valley High School presents its production of Newsies, with performances at the school’s Performing Arts Center—aka the SMJUHSD Performing Arts Center—in Santa Maria through Saturday, March 15 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 p.m. each evening). Inspired by the Newsboys’ Strike of 1899 in New York City, the plot of this Broadway sensation centers […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Artisan natural perfumer Susan Farber guides CalNAM visitors in building transportive scents from the ground up
Follow your nose Sol Aromatics founder Susan Farber will host natural perfume-making workshops at the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang on Sunday, March 16, and Sunday, April 13, from 1 to 4 p.m. on both days. Register in advance at calnatureartmuseum.org. Admission is $130 for museum members and $140 for nonmembers. The museum is […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
High Potential turns the police procedural on its ear
High Potential What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2024-present Where’s it showing? Hulu Kaitlin Olson stars in this comedy series that follows single mom of three Morgan Gillory as she navigates a new career with the LAPD after the department learns of her high IQ and knack for solving crime. Olson is always funny, in that […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Mickey 17 broadly satirizes capitalism and cult of personality
Mickey 17 What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Writer-director Bong Joon-ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer, The Host) adapts Ashton Edward’s 2022 sci-fi novel Mickey7 to the big screen, with Robert Pattinson as Mickey […]
Posted inOpinion
A coastal assault
Here are some questions that probably aren’t keeping you up at night: Why isn’t the Hearst Ranch a golf resort? Why aren’t we still arguing about whether Los Osos should have a sewer system and how it should work? Why wasn’t a seismic survey allowed to devastate our local fisheries and marine wildlife with underwater […]
Posted inOpinion
A closer look at the county supervisors, farmworkers, pay raises, and hypocrisy
I admire the Santa Maria Sun Canary. Truly! The Canary is one straight-from-the-hip-shooting commentator, heavy on the acerbic humor. The bird’s bite definitely hurts more than its chirp. And I am flattered the Canary referred to me in the bird’s commentary about the Santa Barbara County supervisors giving themselves a raise—which I support (“Eyebrow Raise,” […]