So the other night we finally got what we've wanted since the show started. At least what i've wanted. From the first time i saw Lea Michelle in Spring Awakening i was like, wow she really looks a lot like Idina Menzel. Then when Glee started and her character didn't have a mom, it seemed inevitable that Idina Menzel would have to show up and be her mom. Then a few weeks ago, BOOM there she is heading up Vocal Adrenaline. But wait, she wasn't singing anything. WTF? And then she's gone for a few episodes.
Then the last episode we get her back, PLUS NPH. How could it go wrong. Finally we hear Mr.Shu sing a song where he's not trying to rap, and NPH made him sound better than he is. Honestly, why didn't he take the part of Shu from the start. But their rendition of "Dream On" was super terrific and awesome. And Shu can't hold a candle to NPH. If the writers and producers have any brains they'll bring him back.
But the highlight of the show was definitely at the end with Idina and Lea. What i've secretly been waiting for since the show began. I mean, a heartbreaking version of "I Dreamed a Dream" to make everyone say Susan who? Probably the best song they've done on the show since the pilot. It's still funny that two random people can look so similar. As dear Cedrick put it "How is it possible that Idina Menzel and Lea Michele are not related? Someone's been playing with their cloning kit." But to have them together on screen singing together was amazing. Looks like next week we'll seem em together again, singing? Possibly. Hopefully. Next step has gotta be put them together on Broadway. Finally Glee! Holler!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Can I get real for a minute?
Ok, so i'm gonna get really deep for a minute. I was watching Oprah today for whatever reason, and Brett Michaels was on there having his first interview since the brain hemorrhage. I gotta say, brain hemorrhages are one of those things that terrify me. Cause there are no warning signs for it and it just literally pops up on you out of nowhere. And majority of the time, can kill you. So yeah, that's always been a thing that kinda freaks me out.
But anyway, i'm listening to him talk and he says how the doctors told him that if he has any kids they should bring them in so he could say goodbye to them. And he asks the doctors if there was any chance he would survive, and if there was then he didn't want the kids to see him. So i'm laying here thinking, what the hell would I do if i were in that position where i'd have to start saying goodbye to people. Who would show up? What would they say to me? What would i say to them? Not that I know what it's like to be in that position, but you ever think about it? What would you do? I dunno if i could even do it. Certain people I don't know if i'd want to see me cause it'd be too much to have to say goodbye to them. Maybe if it's an absolute certainty that something was going to happen. I dunno, i know this is kinda heavy but sometimes you get to thinking. Think about it. Or try to avoid thinking about it if you can.
But anyway, i'm listening to him talk and he says how the doctors told him that if he has any kids they should bring them in so he could say goodbye to them. And he asks the doctors if there was any chance he would survive, and if there was then he didn't want the kids to see him. So i'm laying here thinking, what the hell would I do if i were in that position where i'd have to start saying goodbye to people. Who would show up? What would they say to me? What would i say to them? Not that I know what it's like to be in that position, but you ever think about it? What would you do? I dunno if i could even do it. Certain people I don't know if i'd want to see me cause it'd be too much to have to say goodbye to them. Maybe if it's an absolute certainty that something was going to happen. I dunno, i know this is kinda heavy but sometimes you get to thinking. Think about it. Or try to avoid thinking about it if you can.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Federer/Nadal. Make it more than a clay court rivalry
So we got our first Federer/Nadal final of the year. Surprising that it took this long, but neither player has really been on their A game. So happens that neither are on their A game at the same time anymore, but it was nice to see them finally meet. Of course, it went as we all thought it would. The usual Nadal forehand to the Federer backhand, over and over and over, and Fed not able to do anything about it. At least it wasn't super frustrating like it has been in the past. Everyone says that with both of them on their game at the same time, Nadal is gonna win 9/10 times which is obvious on clay. I feel like their rivalry should have an asterisk on it because the majority of their matches are on clay. But you put them on a more neutral surface and their head to head is a little better. Sure Nadal beat Fed on grass, but take in to account that it took the match of his life, and playing on a grass court that might as well be a a green painted court at the US Open. I know most would say that i'm not giving Nadal credit, but I know the kid is good. But everyone knows that Fed has like a 5% chance of beating him on clay. And giving Nadal all these masters shields, he just wins all the clay ones, so it's not really as impressive as say Agassi or Federer but i'll give the kid kudos for running things on the clay courts.
Now to the match, it was the usual story. Forehand to backhand. Fed trying to be aggressive, and it lasting for half a set, and choking in a tiebreak. Seen that time and time again over the last 5 years. Being great has its down parts, and for Fed it's being stubborn and not listening to anyone. He knows how to beat Nadal cause it works on other surfaces, but for whatever reason he thinks he can play the same game on clay. Not gonna happen. Attack, attack, attack, and you have a chance. That's the only way he's beaten or come close to beating him. At least this match wasn't painful like in Australia. Come Roland Garros we're hoping for the Fed/Nadal final, and i'm sure Fed will have it in his head that he can beat him. Now he's coming in as defending champ and will have a stronger mindset. But all that goes out the window as soon as he sees Rafa on the other side of the net sprinting to the baseline. Don't get me wrong, i love to see Rafa play, but as soon as it's against Fed i need him to choke on a banana or somehow run out of gas. Greatest rivalry in sports? Yes. But let's see if they can make it happen more than 2 or 3 times a year on clay.
Allez Roger. Vamos Rafa.
Now to the match, it was the usual story. Forehand to backhand. Fed trying to be aggressive, and it lasting for half a set, and choking in a tiebreak. Seen that time and time again over the last 5 years. Being great has its down parts, and for Fed it's being stubborn and not listening to anyone. He knows how to beat Nadal cause it works on other surfaces, but for whatever reason he thinks he can play the same game on clay. Not gonna happen. Attack, attack, attack, and you have a chance. That's the only way he's beaten or come close to beating him. At least this match wasn't painful like in Australia. Come Roland Garros we're hoping for the Fed/Nadal final, and i'm sure Fed will have it in his head that he can beat him. Now he's coming in as defending champ and will have a stronger mindset. But all that goes out the window as soon as he sees Rafa on the other side of the net sprinting to the baseline. Don't get me wrong, i love to see Rafa play, but as soon as it's against Fed i need him to choke on a banana or somehow run out of gas. Greatest rivalry in sports? Yes. But let's see if they can make it happen more than 2 or 3 times a year on clay.
Allez Roger. Vamos Rafa.
Friday, October 30, 2009
This Is It! Let it simmer
So, it's almost fitting that just days before this movie came out i received my tickets from the This Is It concert i was supposed to see September 27th in London. And here comes the movie, that i've been waiting for ever since it was announced a few months ago.
This is the first time that i haven't felt like a loser for going to the movies alone. I had my seat dead center, front row, ready to go. And the atmosphere was perfect. All MJ fans, ready to go. And as soon as the opening credits came on, dead silence took over. Then first sight of Michael, and applause and screams just run through the audience. Not the same as being at a concert, but the usual screams and "MIIIIIICHAEL!!!" screams were coming from everywhere. Tears were coming down people's faces and people reaching for him.
At times watching it, i caught myself realizing that he wasn't with us anymore and it became somewhat eery and sad. But watching him throughout, you just realize what we lost and what we'll probably never have again. Even in a rehearsal, not going all out, you still see him at a higher level than most. And it's funny, u know he wanted to go all out but he was just saving himself for the show. I can only imagine what the actual show would've been like with him up there, feeling the crowds and just giving his all. I think the best parts for me were Human Nature and I Just Can't Stop Loving You. Songs where you just hear him sing. And you hear that voice, clear and strong, and i just can't believe how much he still had. Just standing there, singing to his crew and you hear the emotion and the love he put into everything. The single song that probably would've been the most fun i think is Smooth Criminal. That's always been my favorite song of his in concert, and what they did with it this time around is totally different from every other performance of it he's ever done. Even just watching these clips, my mind was being blown. But just hearing how strong his voice was, how much energy he had. Watching this, it just takes you to a place that you didn't know existed. And watching him move around, even in just a rehearsal, you can clearly see that there will only be ONE Michael Jackson. It's funny, everything was just so effortless, yet it was still perfect and beautiful. If you've ever been lucky enough to see him on stage, then you too know what genius is.
I think i'm strong enough to admit, that I did choke up during it once. During the J5 medley, singing I'll Be There, seeing the clips of the Jackson 5 and him as a little kid, and it hits home that he's gone. I'll Be There was actually the first song i listened to straight through after he died, and it was the one that hit me hardest. But he still sang it beautifully, and had everyone in the theater putting up their lighters and waving their arms from side to side.
All people were thinking about was that he was too thin and not able to do it anymore, but it never even occurred to me that he was too thin and frail because he was rocking out with so much energy and passion. You can tell that this is what he wanted, and he put all he could into it. This Is It is, at its core, an insight into a creative genius, and people should take notes on what it means to create perfection. It's a show that would've had people talking for years. And would've shown people a Michael that they weren't ready for. This is perfection. This is showing a side of Michael we haven't seen. It's just funny to hear him tell people what to do, and he's not a jerk about it, cause it's like they can't really argue with him. He knows his music, and he knows what it should sound like. You just listen to him, and doing it the best you can. This is Michael. This is the man.
It sucks that not even one full show was able to be done, but at least we got something. We get to see Michael doing what he did best. What made him the greatest of all time. No talk of his personal life, his family, his face. Just him on stage. And for 2 hours, we were able to have him back.
They claim that the dvd will have new never before seen footage. I'm still hopeful that one day they'll release full shows from the Bad Tour and Victory tours to show us more awesomeness. But when the DVD comes out you owe it to yourself to own it. You can keep a piece of Michael with you forever. And if you don't go and see This Is It you might hate yourself for missing out. Quite simply, the greatest concert there never was.
We miss you. We love you. Thank you Michael.
This is the first time that i haven't felt like a loser for going to the movies alone. I had my seat dead center, front row, ready to go. And the atmosphere was perfect. All MJ fans, ready to go. And as soon as the opening credits came on, dead silence took over. Then first sight of Michael, and applause and screams just run through the audience. Not the same as being at a concert, but the usual screams and "MIIIIIICHAEL!!!" screams were coming from everywhere. Tears were coming down people's faces and people reaching for him.
At times watching it, i caught myself realizing that he wasn't with us anymore and it became somewhat eery and sad. But watching him throughout, you just realize what we lost and what we'll probably never have again. Even in a rehearsal, not going all out, you still see him at a higher level than most. And it's funny, u know he wanted to go all out but he was just saving himself for the show. I can only imagine what the actual show would've been like with him up there, feeling the crowds and just giving his all. I think the best parts for me were Human Nature and I Just Can't Stop Loving You. Songs where you just hear him sing. And you hear that voice, clear and strong, and i just can't believe how much he still had. Just standing there, singing to his crew and you hear the emotion and the love he put into everything. The single song that probably would've been the most fun i think is Smooth Criminal. That's always been my favorite song of his in concert, and what they did with it this time around is totally different from every other performance of it he's ever done. Even just watching these clips, my mind was being blown. But just hearing how strong his voice was, how much energy he had. Watching this, it just takes you to a place that you didn't know existed. And watching him move around, even in just a rehearsal, you can clearly see that there will only be ONE Michael Jackson. It's funny, everything was just so effortless, yet it was still perfect and beautiful. If you've ever been lucky enough to see him on stage, then you too know what genius is.
I think i'm strong enough to admit, that I did choke up during it once. During the J5 medley, singing I'll Be There, seeing the clips of the Jackson 5 and him as a little kid, and it hits home that he's gone. I'll Be There was actually the first song i listened to straight through after he died, and it was the one that hit me hardest. But he still sang it beautifully, and had everyone in the theater putting up their lighters and waving their arms from side to side.
All people were thinking about was that he was too thin and not able to do it anymore, but it never even occurred to me that he was too thin and frail because he was rocking out with so much energy and passion. You can tell that this is what he wanted, and he put all he could into it. This Is It is, at its core, an insight into a creative genius, and people should take notes on what it means to create perfection. It's a show that would've had people talking for years. And would've shown people a Michael that they weren't ready for. This is perfection. This is showing a side of Michael we haven't seen. It's just funny to hear him tell people what to do, and he's not a jerk about it, cause it's like they can't really argue with him. He knows his music, and he knows what it should sound like. You just listen to him, and doing it the best you can. This is Michael. This is the man.
It sucks that not even one full show was able to be done, but at least we got something. We get to see Michael doing what he did best. What made him the greatest of all time. No talk of his personal life, his family, his face. Just him on stage. And for 2 hours, we were able to have him back.
They claim that the dvd will have new never before seen footage. I'm still hopeful that one day they'll release full shows from the Bad Tour and Victory tours to show us more awesomeness. But when the DVD comes out you owe it to yourself to own it. You can keep a piece of Michael with you forever. And if you don't go and see This Is It you might hate yourself for missing out. Quite simply, the greatest concert there never was.
We miss you. We love you. Thank you Michael.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
New Mariah....A Perfect Angel
SO i got a first listen to Mariah's newest album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel." I gotta say, and don't let my publicly known love for Mariah be any bias, it's actually some of the best work she's done in years. I can admit when i don't really like a Mariah song, but it's got a totally different feel than her last 2 albums. It's pretty much a straight RnB album, and it's going against that hip-hop feel she was trying to do the last 2 albums. I was listening to it on an airplane for 3 hours, so i could get into it and i was actually able to go through it a couple times completely, without skipping a song, which is something i do on pretty much all of her albums at least once. It's a brilliant mixture of her tamed sound, with that belting voice we're all used to. If you want a reference to what it's similar to, think back to the Butterfly album. She's not blowing us away song after song to try and show us she can sing. We know she can. It's that whisper sound a lot of people usually hate, but i don't know what it is on this album that makes it so different and not just tolerable, but enjoyable.
I'll say this, it probably won't be a commercial success with several #1 singles and tons of top 40 play, but for someone who just likes soothing smooth RnB music, it'll do just fine. Honestly, what i think might be the key on this is that Jermaine Durpi is nowhere near it. Produced entirely by Mariah, Tricky, and The Dream, and they've definitely done something serious on this. Taking snippets from classic songs, even taking a throwback to some Jodeci "Forever My Lady," Biggies "One More Chance," and "Back In The Day." My favorites so far are H.A.T.E.U, Standing O, Inseparable, and Angels Cry. The only weird part of the album i think comes from "Ribbon" which has this weird robot sounding opening thing, which could totally turn you off to the song, but once that's over it's actually a decent song.
The album probably isn't for everyone, but if you take into account that she's not trying to be a hip-hop artist on this, and just listen to the album for what it is, i think you'll be pleasantly surprised. We don't need Mariah to make us dance, we just want to be moved by her voice, and i think she's done that for us here. It's actually an album full of slow to mid-tempo songs that lets her do what she wants. I think most of the credit should go to the production, and in my opinion it was the overuse of JD on E=MC2 that took that album down. And now that he's not on this at all, she's got fresh ideas and voices behind her letting her experiment, and using her voice the way she should.
As far as lyrics, Mariah has always been a good song writer when she wants to be, but i think what they took away in the uptempo songs, she put into the lyrics of the slower songs. She's just having fun with some songs, so hopefully no one holds that against her that some lyrics you're like wtf, but you're not supposed to take it seriously. I dunno if it's just me, but listening to songs like "Betcha Gon Know" and "H.A.T.E.U." the lyrics hit home and really make u feel something. So you can see the versatility.
I won't try and compare this to Whitney's album. Although in the comparison of comeback albums, i think Emancipation of Mimi was a better comeback that Whitney's. Both tried to do the same thing, but Mariah did it better cause she can still sing. But no need to get into that. Still got love for Whitney, it just wasn't for me.
Looking at these Vegas she's doing, these songs play perfectly into that intimate setting she wants to have, and possibly a string of intimate shows she'll probably do as a tour. Hopefully people give the album a listen, and feel it. I'm into it.
I'll say this, it probably won't be a commercial success with several #1 singles and tons of top 40 play, but for someone who just likes soothing smooth RnB music, it'll do just fine. Honestly, what i think might be the key on this is that Jermaine Durpi is nowhere near it. Produced entirely by Mariah, Tricky, and The Dream, and they've definitely done something serious on this. Taking snippets from classic songs, even taking a throwback to some Jodeci "Forever My Lady," Biggies "One More Chance," and "Back In The Day." My favorites so far are H.A.T.E.U, Standing O, Inseparable, and Angels Cry. The only weird part of the album i think comes from "Ribbon" which has this weird robot sounding opening thing, which could totally turn you off to the song, but once that's over it's actually a decent song.
The album probably isn't for everyone, but if you take into account that she's not trying to be a hip-hop artist on this, and just listen to the album for what it is, i think you'll be pleasantly surprised. We don't need Mariah to make us dance, we just want to be moved by her voice, and i think she's done that for us here. It's actually an album full of slow to mid-tempo songs that lets her do what she wants. I think most of the credit should go to the production, and in my opinion it was the overuse of JD on E=MC2 that took that album down. And now that he's not on this at all, she's got fresh ideas and voices behind her letting her experiment, and using her voice the way she should.
As far as lyrics, Mariah has always been a good song writer when she wants to be, but i think what they took away in the uptempo songs, she put into the lyrics of the slower songs. She's just having fun with some songs, so hopefully no one holds that against her that some lyrics you're like wtf, but you're not supposed to take it seriously. I dunno if it's just me, but listening to songs like "Betcha Gon Know" and "H.A.T.E.U." the lyrics hit home and really make u feel something. So you can see the versatility.
I won't try and compare this to Whitney's album. Although in the comparison of comeback albums, i think Emancipation of Mimi was a better comeback that Whitney's. Both tried to do the same thing, but Mariah did it better cause she can still sing. But no need to get into that. Still got love for Whitney, it just wasn't for me.
Looking at these Vegas she's doing, these songs play perfectly into that intimate setting she wants to have, and possibly a string of intimate shows she'll probably do as a tour. Hopefully people give the album a listen, and feel it. I'm into it.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Fame....why a remake!??!!
OK, so i've been seeing more and more clips of this new Fame movie. I'm convinced it's gonna be awful, but i'm hoping i'll be proven wrong. The original was so awesome at its time, and is in no need of a remake. It was a cult classic in its own right, especially to those kids who know about LaGuardia and that whole lifestyle. From the get go i already hate the new take on the theme song. It's slowed down, doesn't make me wanna bounce around to get the movie started. And then at the end, there's no Body Electric!!! WTF! That's what makes the ending so great. Hopefully there's another song they've come up with. The best we can hope for is that they've got actors who can really sing, play instruments, dance, and ACT! Ugh, this movie is gonna suck but i'll probably see it anyway. And i'll be back to hate.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Possible WNBA fix?
Quick thought. I"m sitting here watching A League Of Their Own, and you see how they made womens baseball interesting to fans, both men and women. Even though it takes place in the 40's, there are a few things the folks over at the WNBA could take notes on. First and foremost, i think, notice that they took women that were probably 95% attractive. If they wanna bring in the men, they gotta have chicks who are worth looking at. Men who loved sports back then aren't really all that different than guys who like sports today. Not sure what the basketball equivalent would be, but a little "dirt in the skirt" could get a lot more viewers. Even the possibility of "oops, my bosom pops out" would make me maybe even consider watching. Maybe a change to the uniform is needed. Another big part, the members of the All American League, had to attend charm school! Call me old fashioned, but if you've ever seen a WNBA player you would agree that they could all use a little primping and beautifying.
They always want to be considered equal to the men, but lets face it, they're not. They've got skills, but they also possess assets that men don't, and they should use them to their advantage. Even look at tennis, while the women play just as hard as the men, and a lot of people are into the women, you can't beat seeing a hot tall Russian running around in a short skirt, or crouching those long legs down while waiting to return serve. I mean, i've got my favorites for who's game i like to watch, but there are others who are just nice to look at and tons will watch for the latter reason alone.
Seems like every other sport has these average-good looking women, and find ways to make them hotter and more appealing to viewers. But what do they do with the WNBA? Just a bunch of tall, manly looking women who make layup after layup for a few months. That's not gonna get people to pay money to watch.
NO one knows what could possibly make the wnba more appealing, but just some suggestions. Keepin it REAL
They always want to be considered equal to the men, but lets face it, they're not. They've got skills, but they also possess assets that men don't, and they should use them to their advantage. Even look at tennis, while the women play just as hard as the men, and a lot of people are into the women, you can't beat seeing a hot tall Russian running around in a short skirt, or crouching those long legs down while waiting to return serve. I mean, i've got my favorites for who's game i like to watch, but there are others who are just nice to look at and tons will watch for the latter reason alone.
Seems like every other sport has these average-good looking women, and find ways to make them hotter and more appealing to viewers. But what do they do with the WNBA? Just a bunch of tall, manly looking women who make layup after layup for a few months. That's not gonna get people to pay money to watch.
NO one knows what could possibly make the wnba more appealing, but just some suggestions. Keepin it REAL
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
New Whitney :(
Ok, i know everyone's been waiting for the new Whitney album, to see if she's still got it. Sad to say, i don't think she does. We never look to her for any good lyrics or anything, just wanna hear that booming voice that was so amazing once upon a time. It's a great story and all, for her to come back after being with the King of R&B for all those years, and a clear drug problem, but it's obvious that all that took a toll on her voice. It's still kinda there, but you can hear her struggling through some songs. She just has this rough airy sound to her which is not what we're accustomed to hearing out of her. I shudder to think of what it'll sound like hearing her sing some songs live. It's not like with Mariah where you know she can still sing, although obviously not as good as she was in her prime, but when she wants to she can still make the hairs on your neck stand up.
I'll always love Whitney, and all the hits. But i think we've just been spoiled over the years by that voice, and it's sad to hear that it's gone. Musically, it's not a bad album. And it's not bad to listen to, but it just got a once over. I can groove to some of it, but it's the power ballads we want to hear out of the likes of Whitney and Mariah. I don't really want to dance, but i want to be moved by that voice. I'll wait for a couple live performances that she doesn't blame on Oprah, and see what she's got. If she can sing all these songs tolerably, then she'll deserve the title of "best comeback of all time."
I'll always love Whitney, and all the hits. But i think we've just been spoiled over the years by that voice, and it's sad to hear that it's gone. Musically, it's not a bad album. And it's not bad to listen to, but it just got a once over. I can groove to some of it, but it's the power ballads we want to hear out of the likes of Whitney and Mariah. I don't really want to dance, but i want to be moved by that voice. I'll wait for a couple live performances that she doesn't blame on Oprah, and see what she's got. If she can sing all these songs tolerably, then she'll deserve the title of "best comeback of all time."
Blueprint 3
Just gave that new Jay-Z a quick once over. Gotta say it's impressive, and i don't think anyone would've expected anything less. I've just given it a quick listen all the way through, so i haven't gone into detail on all the tracks, but i go off that first listen to see how i'm feeling about it. Straight off, i can't say it's better than American Gangster, but then again that was a concept album which was easily a classic. Just proving jigga can do an album any way he wants. I gotta go through this and catch the lyrics, and see if he's throwing anything out there that blows our minds, making us think. Hopefully i'll have an update in the next few days
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Obsessed
I'm gonna keep this one sweet and simple. Everything i wanted it to be. Black man doing his thing in the business world. White woman throwing herself at him. Black man keeping it together, and white chick goes nuts. Plus a cat fight with beyonce. how can this movie not be awesome?? Nuff people hated on it, but it's easily the most entertaining movie of the year. GO SEE IT!
Star Trek
so i caught star trek the other day. it's one of those movies i feel like i need to see again. before seeing this i wanted to go in fresh, knowing nothing about it. i guess that played against me, cause it didn't occur to me till much later that it was a prequel kinda movie. i know, i'm an idiot, but i just wasn't thinking about it. i thought they just recreated the characters and told a different story about their children or something. Now that i know it was a prequel, it makes a lot more sense, and i kinda wanna see it again. I mean, it was a good movie. I wouldn't say it was "this years Iron Man" but it was a pretty decent flick. A solid 3 star movie. The start of the summer blockbuster season i would say began with this, but only because i heard Wolverine was awful. Only thing i would say was a damper for me were all the Trekkie jokes that i happened to know, but didn't go wild about it. Just felt like they had to throw them in there as crowd pleasers. A lot of this movie was all about crowd pleasing, imo. Too bad i didn't know who all the characters were, so i didn't really care about what was going on with them, or creamed my pants at the sight of certain people. I thought about trying to get into the original series, but meh, maybe not. We'll see.
I wouldn't say it's amazing, but it's not terrible. I'm still waiting for Transformers to blow the summer season WIDE OPEN. But i'm gonna maybe give Star Trek another look in a couple weeks and see if it's really as good as everyone says. My recommendation, sure, go see it. Good action movie, and will probably make a sweet blu-ray.
I wouldn't say it's amazing, but it's not terrible. I'm still waiting for Transformers to blow the summer season WIDE OPEN. But i'm gonna maybe give Star Trek another look in a couple weeks and see if it's really as good as everyone says. My recommendation, sure, go see it. Good action movie, and will probably make a sweet blu-ray.
Eminem: Relapse...thoughts
OK, so i dunno what happened to Slim Shady, or even Marshall Mathers? Em hasn't had a decent piece of work since The Eminem Show, and with the nonsense that he put out with Encore, it seemed right that he come out of retirement to try and salvage his name. 5 years later he comes out with Relapse, and i've gotta say i'm less than impressed. For some reason he's gone back to that sound that he used back on the Slim Shady LP, except now his lyrics aren't as funny or interesting. Naming an album Relapse you'd think he'd gone through some serious turmoil and would have mad stories to tell, but he's essentially talking about nothing for 20 tracks.
The rapper we all came to love was clearly present in the Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show. Just the way his voice sounded on those albums was so much more rugged and engaging. i mean, The Way I Am? Classic, and he just brought you in with everything he said. I gave this album a quick listen straight through, and there was nothing about any of the songs really that made me want to play it back or listen closely to what he was saying. I think it all goes back to how his voice sounds on these. High pitched, and whiney for 5 minutes talking about nothing of significance. I'll give it a couple more listens and hope to hear something better, but i'm doubtful. If you're gonna come out of retirement, you know you have to come with something strong, cause you have to prove that the game missed you while you were gone, ie, American Gangster. yes there was Kingdom Come as the initial comeback, but Hov gave us a classic the next time around. So i can only hope Em comes with something different after seeing the failure in this album. His peak must've actually come back on The Black Album where he outdid Jay-Z on his own song. That was the marking of him being the best rapper in the game.
Now......?
The rapper we all came to love was clearly present in the Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show. Just the way his voice sounded on those albums was so much more rugged and engaging. i mean, The Way I Am? Classic, and he just brought you in with everything he said. I gave this album a quick listen straight through, and there was nothing about any of the songs really that made me want to play it back or listen closely to what he was saying. I think it all goes back to how his voice sounds on these. High pitched, and whiney for 5 minutes talking about nothing of significance. I'll give it a couple more listens and hope to hear something better, but i'm doubtful. If you're gonna come out of retirement, you know you have to come with something strong, cause you have to prove that the game missed you while you were gone, ie, American Gangster. yes there was Kingdom Come as the initial comeback, but Hov gave us a classic the next time around. So i can only hope Em comes with something different after seeing the failure in this album. His peak must've actually come back on The Black Album where he outdid Jay-Z on his own song. That was the marking of him being the best rapper in the game.
Now......?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Do you know what the most popular youtube channel is?
SO i was just put on to this a couple weeks ago, and apparently this is the most popular youtube channel. Each video with millions of views. And when you see it you'll understand why. A blonde russian woman who gives you the background on words. She does new videos about 4-5 times a week. OH, and the massive amounts of cleavage don't hurt either
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Dark Knight: Let's talk about it
SO i haven't been really hyped for a movie in who knows how long. I think it might've been American Gangster, and honestly i was little let down on that one. But they hype never left through the whole 2.5 hours of this flick. First off, i gotta say that i was also hyped for the IMAX experience, and these crazy southern folks let me down. How are they gonna have the coolant system for the screen bulb break and cancel all IMAX showings for the next 2 days. I'm kinda glad southern folks are a bit more understanding, cause if this were in Manhattan, and thugs and comic geeks were denied IMAX all hell would've broken lose. But at least we got a free movie ticket, which most def will be used to see this again in IMAX (for free).
I gotta say that The Joker is now one of the most terrifying villains ever to hit the movie screens. Not just cause his face is kinda creepy, but that he's a total nut. But the character was done so well, that you miss him when he's not on the screen. The performance gets you so engrossed in what's going on, that when he's off screen you can't wait for him to get back and do more crazy stuff. I wasn't sure if all the praise for Heath was going to be warranted, but i'll say that he definitely is deserving on an Oscar win, not just a nomination. Seriously, he put Jack to shame and gave us a true villain. Makes you never want to see anyone do a magic trick with a pencil.
Joker aside, the movie as a whole was pretty amazing, and it definitely lived up to the hype. All bets were off from the beginning. Easily one of the better films i've seen in a loooooong time, tho i've been told that Wall-E is a must see as well. It kind of makes you wonder what can be done for the next film. Christian Bale is supposedly signed on for 2 more movies, but what else can they do. The Joker is one of those characters that never really goes away, but there's NO ONE who can duplicate this performance. Even when we thought they were introducing someone new, it took another turn. I think the only thing that took it down a peg was that i didn't get to see it in IMAX, which hopefully i can remedy in the next couple of weeks. I wont' spoil it for anyone, but just knowing that i'd go see it again says something about it.
I gotta say that The Joker is now one of the most terrifying villains ever to hit the movie screens. Not just cause his face is kinda creepy, but that he's a total nut. But the character was done so well, that you miss him when he's not on the screen. The performance gets you so engrossed in what's going on, that when he's off screen you can't wait for him to get back and do more crazy stuff. I wasn't sure if all the praise for Heath was going to be warranted, but i'll say that he definitely is deserving on an Oscar win, not just a nomination. Seriously, he put Jack to shame and gave us a true villain. Makes you never want to see anyone do a magic trick with a pencil.
Joker aside, the movie as a whole was pretty amazing, and it definitely lived up to the hype. All bets were off from the beginning. Easily one of the better films i've seen in a loooooong time, tho i've been told that Wall-E is a must see as well. It kind of makes you wonder what can be done for the next film. Christian Bale is supposedly signed on for 2 more movies, but what else can they do. The Joker is one of those characters that never really goes away, but there's NO ONE who can duplicate this performance. Even when we thought they were introducing someone new, it took another turn. I think the only thing that took it down a peg was that i didn't get to see it in IMAX, which hopefully i can remedy in the next couple of weeks. I wont' spoil it for anyone, but just knowing that i'd go see it again says something about it.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Straight Up: Black youth is a disgrace
OK, so i'm sure most of you from the NY area have heard about the white guy on the A train who was harassed then beaten up by this group of young black kids, led by a loud mouthed 18 year old black girl. If you haven't seen the video or read the story, here's the link...http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2007/12/07/2007-12-07_dad_sorry_for_a_train_teens_actions-1.html
For about 3 minutes it's just listening to this girl yell at this guy who seems to be confused as to why they're bothering him. You can hear lots of racial slurs, and it sounds like they're just bugging him cause he's white and these kids have nothing else to do. By then end they begin punching him and throwing punches at him. And i was just in shock at what i was seeing. This is the second time this year i've had the pleasure of seeing young black girls act like animals. Earlier in the summer at the Port Authority i had to be a part of a minor scuffle in which these 3 girls tried to cut in line and threatened to beat up these white girls behind me. Eventually they were kicked out of line by security, but that was after they ran off their foul mouths and made me ashamed to be associated with them by race.
Now seeing this girl on this video it makes me wonder what is going on with the world. There were guys involved too, but it was the girl who was the ringleader. It was interesting to see in that article that the girls father came forward and ratted out his own daughter. He claims he thought he did a good job with her, but he doesn't know what went wrong. I mean you gotta know there's something wrong with you when you're own father is willing to turn you over to the police. It's like something out of Maury.
I heard someone say once that they were definitely ready to send their future kids to charm school so that they can formally learn how to act. And i totally believe that it might be the right move to make. For a boy or girl. Seeing these girls, and also those girls at the Port Authority, it made me see why so many educated black men go after non-black girls. I wanted to actually say that to them, but didn't wanna get into it with them. I felt like i would have to dumb down my words in order to speak to them and even that thought made me upset.
These kids need to get their lives in order, and pick up a book. Or even join a club at school so that they have something to do with their time instead of harassing people on the street. You can't spend your whole life riding the train nowhere just so you can bother someone for looking at you the wrong way. Or even be smart enough to know that if you beat up a white man, chances are you're gonna get taken down a lot faster. Especially if you're dumb enough to tape it. THey claim the person recording it was an aspiring filmmaker, but still, recording something like that in public isn't the way to get discovered. These kids need better role models, and need to be saved quick. It's disgusting, and disgraceful.
I'll quote Crash right here: "You embarrass me. You embarrass yourself"
For about 3 minutes it's just listening to this girl yell at this guy who seems to be confused as to why they're bothering him. You can hear lots of racial slurs, and it sounds like they're just bugging him cause he's white and these kids have nothing else to do. By then end they begin punching him and throwing punches at him. And i was just in shock at what i was seeing. This is the second time this year i've had the pleasure of seeing young black girls act like animals. Earlier in the summer at the Port Authority i had to be a part of a minor scuffle in which these 3 girls tried to cut in line and threatened to beat up these white girls behind me. Eventually they were kicked out of line by security, but that was after they ran off their foul mouths and made me ashamed to be associated with them by race.
Now seeing this girl on this video it makes me wonder what is going on with the world. There were guys involved too, but it was the girl who was the ringleader. It was interesting to see in that article that the girls father came forward and ratted out his own daughter. He claims he thought he did a good job with her, but he doesn't know what went wrong. I mean you gotta know there's something wrong with you when you're own father is willing to turn you over to the police. It's like something out of Maury.
I heard someone say once that they were definitely ready to send their future kids to charm school so that they can formally learn how to act. And i totally believe that it might be the right move to make. For a boy or girl. Seeing these girls, and also those girls at the Port Authority, it made me see why so many educated black men go after non-black girls. I wanted to actually say that to them, but didn't wanna get into it with them. I felt like i would have to dumb down my words in order to speak to them and even that thought made me upset.
These kids need to get their lives in order, and pick up a book. Or even join a club at school so that they have something to do with their time instead of harassing people on the street. You can't spend your whole life riding the train nowhere just so you can bother someone for looking at you the wrong way. Or even be smart enough to know that if you beat up a white man, chances are you're gonna get taken down a lot faster. Especially if you're dumb enough to tape it. THey claim the person recording it was an aspiring filmmaker, but still, recording something like that in public isn't the way to get discovered. These kids need better role models, and need to be saved quick. It's disgusting, and disgraceful.
I'll quote Crash right here: "You embarrass me. You embarrass yourself"
Monday, November 5, 2007
Legally Blonde Oh meh
I was actually surprised that this show wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. Thanks to MTV i watched it the other day, and actually found it tolerable. At some times enjoyable. I think the only reason i was able to handle it was because i've seen the movie so many times so i knew exactly what was going on. There are little differences you would only notice if you've seen the movie a lot, but overall it's pretty well done. Has it's funny moments. A good lighthearted musical. Not on the level of Hairspray, but something fun to watch.
The cast is pretty decent. Not the best singers ever, but good enough for those with sensitive ears. I don't think that I would pay $65 for a ticket on broadway, but if it comes on MTV again i would suggest watching it. It's not a total chick musical. The songs are upbeat and actually fun to listen to. I haven't gotten the soundtrack, but i would suggest that if anything. I know lots of people like listening to the soundtracks before they see the show, but for this particular one it would be a good look if you've seen the movie before. Again, it's almost an exact copy of the movie so there's no real need to see the show when you can watch the movie and then listen to the sound track.
Funny thing, when it aired on MTV those chicks from The Hills didn't look at all impressed. Maybe just cause they were focusing too hard to read their cue cards, but i dunno. MTV did this to try and raise awareness of musicals because this show was clearly not selling. But if they really want people to get interested in broadway they should at least show a good show. Maybe Rent or Spring Awakening. Maybe even Hairspray since the movie just came out. Good shows aimed at a young generation. Maybe MTV will try that. I'd actually like to see those agin without having to pay for it.
Unless you're a huge broadway fan and will go see anything, i wouldn't say spend the money on tickets. Maybe if they have student rush, or lottery tickets.
The cast is pretty decent. Not the best singers ever, but good enough for those with sensitive ears. I don't think that I would pay $65 for a ticket on broadway, but if it comes on MTV again i would suggest watching it. It's not a total chick musical. The songs are upbeat and actually fun to listen to. I haven't gotten the soundtrack, but i would suggest that if anything. I know lots of people like listening to the soundtracks before they see the show, but for this particular one it would be a good look if you've seen the movie before. Again, it's almost an exact copy of the movie so there's no real need to see the show when you can watch the movie and then listen to the sound track.
Funny thing, when it aired on MTV those chicks from The Hills didn't look at all impressed. Maybe just cause they were focusing too hard to read their cue cards, but i dunno. MTV did this to try and raise awareness of musicals because this show was clearly not selling. But if they really want people to get interested in broadway they should at least show a good show. Maybe Rent or Spring Awakening. Maybe even Hairspray since the movie just came out. Good shows aimed at a young generation. Maybe MTV will try that. I'd actually like to see those agin without having to pay for it.
Unless you're a huge broadway fan and will go see anything, i wouldn't say spend the money on tickets. Maybe if they have student rush, or lottery tickets.
American Gangster: Jay-Z
Ok, so i think we can all agree here that Jay-Z did it right this time around. He's put out a solid album, one of the better rap albums to come out in a while, and we can totally overlook Kingdom Come. In my opinion, he pretty much showed Kanye how to do a rap album. This is jigga man at his best, and surprisingly Diddy putting in some strong work for the first time in years.
It's almost like Jay-Z took similar ideas that Kanye had for his albums and just did them 10x better. I mean, we all know he's a better lyricist but who knew he could be this much better. His goal for this album was to take it back to the streets and show us something real and raw. The only thing i can really hate on is again the incorporation of Lil' Wayne on a track. I don't understand why people keep putting him on their records, because he's the worst rapper ever. But if you look past that, you got a real winning album here. He took a breather from Kingdom Come, and just went back to do what he does best.
Plain and simple, great album.
It's almost like Jay-Z took similar ideas that Kanye had for his albums and just did them 10x better. I mean, we all know he's a better lyricist but who knew he could be this much better. His goal for this album was to take it back to the streets and show us something real and raw. The only thing i can really hate on is again the incorporation of Lil' Wayne on a track. I don't understand why people keep putting him on their records, because he's the worst rapper ever. But if you look past that, you got a real winning album here. He took a breather from Kingdom Come, and just went back to do what he does best.
Plain and simple, great album.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
American Gangster: Some thoughts
So I haven't been this hyped for a movie since Snakes On A Plane, which we all know was legendary. But this time around with American Gangster i don't think i was necessarily disappointed, but it wasn't at amazing as i thought or hoped it would be. It was definitely an excellent movie, but not in the same league as The Godfather as far as mobster movies go. My only issue with this was the quick back and forth sequences between Denzel's character and Russell Crowe's guy. It was like watching 2 different movies for a while. But once they got on the same track the movie really took off and you fully get taken in to everything.
This movie definitely had its strong points, showing Denzel as a serious American Gangster. I won't spoil them, but some scenes were reminiscent of Training Day in the amount of ruthlessness and craziness going on.
Something you have to admire about the character Frank Lucas is just how he kept everything going. I mean, for someone who never went to school he surely played the game like a business school. Sounds cliche, but he definitely learned the game well from the school of hard knocks.
Something we all expected from this was 2 powerhouse acting jobs. Denzel definitely gave us something serious, as he usually does. Russell Crowe played more of a supporting character, just because they didn't really focus on his character as much, but i think i'm just partial to his performances. I always like him in movies. I'm also always impressed at how well he pulls off different accents, being a guy from Australia.
Overall i'd say it was a really good movie. Definitely a strong 3/4 stars, and worth the 10 bucks. Though, as it is with most movies, i would've preferred to see it without thugs in the theater. Even in Delaware they come out on friday nights to disturb the rest of us who actually want to listen and enjoy a movie. But i'd say go check it out, thug free if you can.
This movie definitely had its strong points, showing Denzel as a serious American Gangster. I won't spoil them, but some scenes were reminiscent of Training Day in the amount of ruthlessness and craziness going on.
Something you have to admire about the character Frank Lucas is just how he kept everything going. I mean, for someone who never went to school he surely played the game like a business school. Sounds cliche, but he definitely learned the game well from the school of hard knocks.
Something we all expected from this was 2 powerhouse acting jobs. Denzel definitely gave us something serious, as he usually does. Russell Crowe played more of a supporting character, just because they didn't really focus on his character as much, but i think i'm just partial to his performances. I always like him in movies. I'm also always impressed at how well he pulls off different accents, being a guy from Australia.
Overall i'd say it was a really good movie. Definitely a strong 3/4 stars, and worth the 10 bucks. Though, as it is with most movies, i would've preferred to see it without thugs in the theater. Even in Delaware they come out on friday nights to disturb the rest of us who actually want to listen and enjoy a movie. But i'd say go check it out, thug free if you can.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Kid Nation: WOW
OK, so who saw that new show Kid Nation? One of the craziest things i've ever seen, but also one of the best. A serious new way to exploit your children, but also a little more entertaining than watching 7 strangers living together on MTV. Here we get 40 kids from around the country aged 8-15 trying to survive while rebuilding an old western city.
The lessons they're teaching these kids are ridiculous. THey're split up into groups based on color. Each group is then separated into different classes. Lower class, merchants, cooks, upper class, and city council. I mean, what kind of business are they trying to teach these kids? I'ms till curious to see how they all are by the end of the show. We all know children are honest and will say some real shit from time to time. Especially views that have been thrust upon them by their parents. I'm just waiting for the little southern beauty queen to say she doesn't wanna lay next to a black kid cause she'll get dirty. Or the bullies to say something about the kid everyone thinks it's gay. Oh man, it could get so real. At least they were smart enough to make sound decisions when they have to choose between 7 more outhouses and a TV set. (they picked the TV)
It's pretty interesting to know that parents had to sign a 20 page contract that pretty much left CBS in the clear if anything happens to their kids. If they break a bone, or if someone gets eaten by the others. This could very well be Lord Of The Flies for the new generation.
Something else noteworthy is that now the kids are competing for cash. At the end of every episode the town council ( 4 kids selected at the beginning) have to choose someone to give the gold star to. And now after the first girl has won it they know that the star is worth $20,000. So there's going to be mad purple nurples and wedgies going around to get to the top. Kids can be just as bad as adults as we all know.
I think CBS has a winner on their hands here. Can't wait for Wednesday @ 8 this week
The lessons they're teaching these kids are ridiculous. THey're split up into groups based on color. Each group is then separated into different classes. Lower class, merchants, cooks, upper class, and city council. I mean, what kind of business are they trying to teach these kids? I'ms till curious to see how they all are by the end of the show. We all know children are honest and will say some real shit from time to time. Especially views that have been thrust upon them by their parents. I'm just waiting for the little southern beauty queen to say she doesn't wanna lay next to a black kid cause she'll get dirty. Or the bullies to say something about the kid everyone thinks it's gay. Oh man, it could get so real. At least they were smart enough to make sound decisions when they have to choose between 7 more outhouses and a TV set. (they picked the TV)
It's pretty interesting to know that parents had to sign a 20 page contract that pretty much left CBS in the clear if anything happens to their kids. If they break a bone, or if someone gets eaten by the others. This could very well be Lord Of The Flies for the new generation.
Something else noteworthy is that now the kids are competing for cash. At the end of every episode the town council ( 4 kids selected at the beginning) have to choose someone to give the gold star to. And now after the first girl has won it they know that the star is worth $20,000. So there's going to be mad purple nurples and wedgies going around to get to the top. Kids can be just as bad as adults as we all know.
I think CBS has a winner on their hands here. Can't wait for Wednesday @ 8 this week
Across The Universe: Let's Talk About It
So I went to see that movie Across The Universe the other day, and going into it i didn't really know what to expect. It looked like one of those movies that could either be amazing, or really terrible. And judging by early reviews it was viewed as the latter. The one thing i can say about it is that the music was actually really good. All good singers, and pretty good arrangements of the songs. We've all heard awful remakes of Beatles songs but these actaully worked really well.
The music was something that kind of took something away from the actual movie for me. Since I knew most of the songs i was paying more attention to how it sounded than seeing how it actually related to the story. I feel like this movie would be a lot better to a person who had never heard a Beatles song before in their life (which would be hard to find anywhere across the universe). If they'd never heard it they would be thinking of it in a way that tries to follow a story. Maybe i would have to see it again to really take it in. I tried as i was watching, and for the most part all the songs worked perfectly.
Before seeing this i thought it would be really cool to see a musical based on Beatles songs and to see how it worked. For the most part it was all good, but the thing that kind of got to me was character development. The first half of the movie is pretty much introducing everyone because there are so many characters, and you get kind of a vague look into who they are. There's only one character that gets mostly developed, and i'm kind of curious as to why that is since he's not even the main character. And there were also random characters that showed up for no real reason and had no real impact on the story. Probably just a way to throw in another song based on a name (Dear Prudence).
The only main gripe i have is character and story development. Before it came out and i'd only seen the previews it looked like a movie that would need to be a 3 hour epic to really develop everything. But that's not really how it went down. At 2:11 it did work decently, but it could've been a lot better. It's hard to base movie characters of songs that have been aroudn for years because you can't mold the songs to fit the characters. The story does have a pretty decent ending with good use of a classic Beatles song. If anything, go see the movie for the music because it's all pretty good. Or i guess you can just download the soundtrack (32 track version from iTunes).
I say check it out. But don't go in expecting something amazing. If you're a Beatles fan then you'll still appreciate the remakes. I'll give it a solid B-
The music was something that kind of took something away from the actual movie for me. Since I knew most of the songs i was paying more attention to how it sounded than seeing how it actually related to the story. I feel like this movie would be a lot better to a person who had never heard a Beatles song before in their life (which would be hard to find anywhere across the universe). If they'd never heard it they would be thinking of it in a way that tries to follow a story. Maybe i would have to see it again to really take it in. I tried as i was watching, and for the most part all the songs worked perfectly.
Before seeing this i thought it would be really cool to see a musical based on Beatles songs and to see how it worked. For the most part it was all good, but the thing that kind of got to me was character development. The first half of the movie is pretty much introducing everyone because there are so many characters, and you get kind of a vague look into who they are. There's only one character that gets mostly developed, and i'm kind of curious as to why that is since he's not even the main character. And there were also random characters that showed up for no real reason and had no real impact on the story. Probably just a way to throw in another song based on a name (Dear Prudence).
The only main gripe i have is character and story development. Before it came out and i'd only seen the previews it looked like a movie that would need to be a 3 hour epic to really develop everything. But that's not really how it went down. At 2:11 it did work decently, but it could've been a lot better. It's hard to base movie characters of songs that have been aroudn for years because you can't mold the songs to fit the characters. The story does have a pretty decent ending with good use of a classic Beatles song. If anything, go see the movie for the music because it's all pretty good. Or i guess you can just download the soundtrack (32 track version from iTunes).
I say check it out. But don't go in expecting something amazing. If you're a Beatles fan then you'll still appreciate the remakes. I'll give it a solid B-
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