The best movies and music of 2025
Plus: Our critics pick the stand-outs of a tumultuous year. Plus, some cheeky predictions for 2026
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Today's headlines:
Screen Grabs: Our favorite films of 2025
By Dennis Harvey
Features and docs we couldn't shake in a very terrible political year. Plus: 'The Plague' adds one more to the list
Year in Music 2025: The Bay made magical noise
By John-Paul Shiver
SPELLLING's R&B wild-out, Orcutt Shelley Miller's moonlit jams, Spiritual Cramp's guerrilla punk... a watershed year for local ears
Year in Music 2025: We will not be dumbed down
By Daniel Bromfield
Artists are finally teasing out a happy medium between digital and analog, with surprisingly audacious releases.
‘Nonsense, folly, and impertinence:’ Some predictions for 2026
By Joel Schecter
Wherein the Month, and Day of the Month, are set down, the Persons named, and the Great Actions and Events of next Year related as they will come to pass.
In Case You Missed It:
For more than half a century, the progressives in SF have been right—and the developers wrong
Comedowns are for losers: New Year’s Day parties 2026
GET WEIRD FOR HOLIDAY SEASON AT ANOTHER HOLE IN THE HEAD FILM FEST
Now in its 22nd year, Another Hole in the Head once again blasts open the boundaries of genre cinema. Dive into the full schedule, trailers, and tickets/passes here:
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CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S 'ECHO' FLIES HIGH UNDER THE BIG TOP AT ORACLE PARK
Cirque du Soleil returns to San Francisco with ECHO, an inspiring new show blending acrobatics, technology, and storytelling. ECHO follows FUTURE and her dog as they journey through a fantastical world shaped by empathy, nature, and human connection. Featuring bold visuals, vibrant characters, and groundbreaking acts, this 20th Big Top creation invites audiences to imagine a better world built together.
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