Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks do it. Kathleen Edwards and Colin Cripps do it. And Faith Hill and Tim McGraw definitely do it. Often. And in front of thousands of people. Like those other husband-and-wife duos, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson make music…

An assessment of current motion pictures by major American film critics. Film criticism is rated on a scale of 10 (excellent) to 1 (poor). Criticism not available at press time will be reflected in future columns. In the Loop*38.6The Hurt…

RATING: (SNOOZING VIEWER) Most documentaries aim to challenge or provoke viewers, but “The Union,” a long-winded call for the legalization of marijuana, merely lectures. It’s hard to imagine that a nearly two-hour film that fetishizes pot will win over anti-…

RATING: (WILD APPLAUSE) What instantly grabs you, as establishing shots of San Francisco circa 1982 flash before your eyes, are the rousing Henry Mancini score and the fabulous exterior of the St. Gregory Hotel. But wait. That’s actually the Fairmont Hotel….

Fiery cooking teacher the force behind ‘Pressure Cooker’ documentary Inspired teachers have served as subjects of feel-good cinema for five decades, but filmmaker Jennifer Grausman managed to find a fresh variation on the theme with “Pressure Cooker.” Set in…

San Francisco’s SPQR has its new executive chef. It’s Matthew Accarrino, who’s leaving his position as chef de cuisine at Craft Los Angeles and heading north. He’ll fill the role vacated by Nate Appleman when he decamped last month for New York. “I am so…

ARIES (March 20-April 18): Mars’ jab in the mid-section signals a call to arms for communications issues. Mr. Aggression adds muscle to your bustle while Jupiter provides good old guy backup. Connections made now serve to pull 2009 together. Not only can you…

STARCAST The big news continues to be Mars’ march through Gemini. Since Mars is all about aggression and Gemini is the charm and chat sign, think communications with a kung fu kick. You’ll finally say what has to be said. Just don’t overdo a good thing…

Here’s a look at the past. Items have been culled from The Chronicle’s archives of 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago. 1984 Aug. 22: Melvin Belli, San Francisco’s most famous attorney, is battling more than $16 million worth of lawsuits filed by attorneys…

Cemeteries tell us a lot about the history of a place. Who lived there, what they did, whom they loved and when they died - answers to all of these questions can be found on the tombstones. When a cemetery dates back to 1859, that’s a lot of history. This is…