Category: reviews

video review : The Hateful Eight

video review : The Hateful Eight

If not for Inglourious Basterds, his masterpiece, I’d say Quentin Tarantino hasn’t wowed me, in a good way, since Jackie Brown. The Hateful Eight, like Django before it, is more epic in scale than substance. There are memorable quotes; the “goddamn Mexican” bit is hilarious; but they’re too far and few between to justify the script’s grandiose verbosity. Nearly every member of The Hateful Eight is a stone-cold killer, but they’re apt to talk you to death. That should be a positive. Tarantino has long had a knack for punchy dialogue, but he seems to be losing it.

The problem of the characters only sometimes saying interesting things to one another is compounded by the fact that they’re snowed-in at the mercy of a blizzard for most of the plot, which circles around a prisoner named Daisy Domergue; the one woman and most despicable of the bunch. The haven is a lodge named Minnie’s Haberdashery and, though this virtual stage play runs for nearly three hours, the suspense and bloodshed doesn’t begin until about the halfway point. Ironically enough considering the fact that a tighter edit could make the film better in half the time.

my rating : 3 of 5

2015

audio review : The Buffet ( album ) … R Kelly

audio review : The Buffet ( album ) ... R Kelly

Sticking with clunky analogies; the album title would be more tasteful without the “The”; the most playful part of this meal is a dish entitled Marching Band, which itself is filled with clunky analogies. If R Kelly is a poet, as he suggests, he’s not a good one. “She blow me like a tuba,” he says; The Buffet is a metaphor for a sexy woman’s body; “I beat it up like a snare drum.” It’s a good (enough) song though. Most of the others serve as aesthetic side dishes.

Beatwise, Wake Up Everybody and Backyard Party sound like classic R. It’s their choruses that disappoint. Switch Up, featuring Lil Wayne and Jeremih, and Let’s Be Real Now, a duet with the prettiest girl Kelly’s ever collabed with; no offense to daughter Ariirayé; are downright silly. The album offers a variety of “R&B”; The Buffet also serves as a metaphor for that; but there’s nothing here to suggest he’s (still) The King of it. More like the palace’s head chef.

my rating : 3 of 5

2015

video review : Inside Out

video review : Inside Out

This Pixar presentation about a kid named named Riley deals with emotions. Each of her major emotional traits; Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger; is a separate character living in her head. They basically control her as they take turns and often compete attributing themselves to her overall personality.

The plot has her going thru turbulent times; she’s homesick after her family moves to San Francisco; and it’s up to the beings in her mind to help her cope. It’s a concept that could be silly, but, though Disgust seems to forget her purpose, it’s a lighthearted mixture of clever and cute, albeit more cute than clever.

my rating : 4 of 5

2015

Eat That Frog [ 21 Great Ways To Stop Procrastinating And Get More Done In Less Time ] ( book ) … Brian Tracy

Eat That Frog [ 21 Great Ways To Stop Procrastinating And Get More Done In Less Time ] ( book ) ... Brian Tracy

This is a book that can; and if you take its advice, almost certainly will; permanently change your life for the better. It could literally mean the difference between achieving your biggest goals relatively soon and never achieving them. What self-help guru Brian Tracy presents with a silly frog analogy is just what the subtitle says; 21 Great Ways To Stop Procrastinating And Get More Done In Less Time.

Okay, they may not all be great; the word “Great” should have been omitted from the title; but they are certainly good enough to get your life going in the right direction. The catch is that, unless perhaps you happen to know him personally, Brian Tracy won’t be there with you to make sure you continue to Eat That Frog after the initial burst of inspiration you get from reading it. Bummer.

my rating : 4 of 5

What If [ Serious Scientific Answers To Absurd Hypothetical Questions ] ( book ) … Randall Munroe

What If [ Serious Scientific Answers To Absurd Hypothetical Questions ] ( book ) ... Randall Munroe

The What If bit should’ve been left out of the title because not every question Randall Munroe answers in this book; mostly a compilation of posts from his popular internet blog, also erroneously titled; is a what-if one. He should’ve also left out the word “Absurd”. A hypothetical question like “From what height would you need to drop a steak for it to be cooked when it hit the ground” may be loaded, but I don’t think the gist is absurd at all.

These are logical, if uncommonly inquisitive, questions; the type I often wonder to myself. I usually don’t have the answers and I’m smart enough not to assume Randall Munroe’s claims are accurate, but, while bits of humor go against the Serious claim and the existence of this book is probably nothing more than a way to further monetize his (xkcd.com) site, I appreciate him taking the time to answer them in a scientific manner.

my rating : 4 of 5

2014

audio review : Top 5 Dead Or Alive ( album ) … Jadakiss

audio review : Top 5 Dead Or Alive ( album ) ... Jadakiss

I don’t know who my Top 5 rappers are, but if it’s limited to popular names as such lists tend to be, Eminem is number one. Jadakiss doesn’t make the list. He’s nowhere near. That’s despite the fact that he insists, over and over again, that he’s one of the five best. It’s a matter of opinion, so the debate is all in fun, but he has a lot of nerve making such a bold claim in such a bold way when, in my opinion, he might not even rank in the top 50.

His bullheaded arrogance may be forgiven if this were a great rap album or at least a good one. It’s far from it. Too many so-so beats, weak hooks and, yes, dull verses. Jadakiss used to be a better rapper. Listen to his first album. He still has that signature monotone delivery and makes sure to rhyme the last two or three syllables in every bar, but he rarely has anything clever or interesting to say anymore. And he needs to stop with that retarded laugh.

my rating : 2 of 5

2015

video review : The Martian

video review : The Martian

A potentially enthralling concept; an Earthling gets stranded alone on another planet; is ruined by hackneyed movie-making. The biggest problem is that in a story that relies on tension and suspense, there is little to none.

Nasa astronaut Mark Watney is left for dead on Mars after a botched expedition, but you never get the sense that he’s in any real danger. Even if you did, you probably wouldn’t care. His character is mostly irritating.

my rating : 2 of 5

2015

audio review : Love Deluxe ( album ) … Sade

audio review : Love Deluxe ( album ) ... Sade

Sade claims it’s No Ordinary Love, but it kind of is. It’s the romantic kind most singers sing about, albeit a Deluxe version of it. The fact that not every song on the album fits that theme; Feel No Pain and Pearl deal with the stresses of poverty; throws things off a bit. That’s if individual concepts even matter when the music sounds this good.

The vocals, on all but the one song that doesn’t have any, are accommodated by what I’d describe as gentle mood music. It’s mostly jazzy quiet storm stuff, but a couple of songs, arguably the best ones, rely on not much more than a soundscape of strings. That said, while the set isn’t alluring enough to fall in Love with, I do like it.

my rating : 4 of 5

1992

video review : Everest

video review : Everest

“Why do we do this to ourselves,” a Mount Everest climber asks another, “It’s crazy.” Though all they really get for reaching the highest peak on Earth is the satisfaction of knowing they did it, that last bit isn’t necessarily true. It could just be stupid. It seems, if they’re not on secret suicide missions, it has to be either one or the other. When you reach the so-called Death Zone, you’re guaranteed to start dying from lack of oxygen. Even with a full “O” mask, you could just as easily fall or freeze to death.

Everest is based on the true story of several climbers getting caught in a deadly blizzard, but you’d be better off watching one of the many documentaries covering the 1996 disaster. This fictionalized version never gets far off the ground. There’s a poignant phone scene near the end, but nothing in the storytelling invokes much compassion for the cast of foolish or crazy characters. So much for suspense. Consistently hearing them breathe and grunt as they climb only adds to the annoyance.

my rating : 3 of 5

2015

audio review : Poverty And Prosperity ( EP ) … E-40

audio review : Poverty And Prosperity ( EP ) ... E-40

This is E-40’s first EP in over 20 years and that’s a bit of a relief. He’s been putting out a ridiculous amount of songs lately. His newest sets; Revenue Retrievin, The Block Brochure and Sharp On All 4 Corners, the latter of which is to be continued, include 202 full-length songs between them; not counting two albums with Too Short and all the aforementioned bonus tracks. So Poverty And Prosperity, featuring a mere seven songs, is, at least, an easy listen. Less isn’t more; that phrase never really made sense to me; but when it comes to sets of songs, it is often better.

Unfortunately for long-time fans like myself, E-40 is still stuck in what, at this point, seems like a never-ending rut. Forget the hackneyed hooks. Mr Flamboyant, The Mail Man, has gotten a lot less so with age. Compare this EP to the other two. When’s the last time E-40’s went off on a Hoe? He’s wiser than ever and his nostalgic flashbacks remain charming, yes, but his flashy personality has been humbled to the point of vapidity and his Christian sentiments, which used to come as a tolerable underlining, has become overwhelming. This is essentially gospel rap.

my rating : 3 of 5

2015

audio review : Unbreakable ( album ) … Janet Jackson

audio review : Unbreakable ( album ) ... Janet Jackson

Dammn Baby. You made me wait seven years for this?

I was liking every Janet Jackson album until Discipline. This new one, entitled Unbreakable as if her brother Michael didn’t already use that comeback concept, is worse. Janet Jackson is back with producers Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis and I’m delighted; she should’ve never abandoned them; but even their glossy craftsmanship can’t transform a mediocre song into a good one. Black Eagle, for example, sounds gorgeous when it takes off, but it doesn’t do so until pass the halfway point. By then it’s too late. Elsewhere the album is a surprisingly disappointing affair.

Janet Jackson has long since had a talent for vocal melodies. “Soon you’ll be having fun,” she teased on All For You; her best song on one of her best albums; and it was a joyous experience. Then, while the rest of the world focused on her tit; that whole Superbowl thing being blown ridiculously out of proportion is a prime example of why I hate “PC” America; I was jamming to the Damita Jo project, her other best album. I like 20 YO too, but she seems to have lost her knack between then and now. These choruses; Gon Be Alright sounds like a reject from Jill’s Scott newest album; lack oomph.

Broken Hearts Heal is about Michael Jackson. Unlike LaToya, I’ve never heard Janet badmouth him and she supported him during his criminal trial, so the sentiment seems genuine, but the dedication isn’t anything special. Jimmy and Terry do a splendid job with the music, as usual. It’s the vocals, again with the chorus, that disappoints. Is It Scary, a Jimmy and Terry song by Michael Jackson, is a masterpiece. Nothing here comes close. Even Scream is better than this stuff. Invincible, Michael’s worst album, which also begins with a weak song entitled Unbreakable, is better than Unbreakable.

That means the album title isn’t true. From the sound of it, Janet is indeed breaking. Not bad; I don’t hear anything terrible here; but bad enough to need a fix. If it isn’t being reunited with arguably the best duo producers in pop music history, I don’t know what it could be. Though some songs are suspiciously short, there’s only one interlude and she’s not talking on it, so she’s wised up in that regard. Her harmonies still sound incredible. She’s older, but her girly voice is still there. Even the vibe of the album sounds like classic Janet Jackson. The songs simply don’t hold up.

my rating : 3 of 5

2015
 

Amazon Customer :

Preach!

TVonDVD :

You read my mind … totally agree..

audio review : Way Back Home ( song ) … Prince

The best part of this ballad is during the first chorus section when the drums break and Lianne La Havas harmonizes over a charming melody Prince was wise enough to loop. Every chorus section should sound like that, but the drums continue on during the others, which puts a damper on the song’s otherwise enchanting vibe.

my rating : 4 of 5

2014

audio review : Art Official Age ( album ) … Prince