Category: reviews

video review : Money Talks

video review : Money Talks

Money Talks and so does Franklin; a wisecracking ticket scalper played by Chris Tucker. He’s the star of the show and easily the most entertaining thing about this movie, the plot of which has him partnering with LA news reporter James Russell.

It’s an action-packed adventure of sorts as the pair get chased not only by the police; Franklin is suspected of committing multiple homicides during a prison escape; but a gang of gun-toting bad guys who’ll kill anybody to get their stolen diamonds back.

my rating : 3 of 5

1997

audio review : Poppin Tags ( song ) … Jay-Z + Twista + Killer Mike + Big Boi ( featuring Sleepy Brown )

This song would be better without Twista. That’s not a knock on his rap skills. All four verses are up to par. It’s just that, with Sleepy Brown, Killer Mike and Big Boi already being associated with each other, he seems out of place, especially considering the fact that Big Boi fails to mention him when name-dropping each rapper as if Jay-Z included him as an afterthought.

It’s a good song though, despite Brown emulating the beat on the chorus, which I normally detest. What saves it is the slight alteration in melody, though the song would be less repetitive if there were a new layer; not just Jay-Z ad-libs; added to each break. The title is a reference to buying expensive clothes, which makes this not only baller music but maller music.

my rating : 4 of 5

2002

audio review : The Blueprint 2 [ The Gift And The Curse ] ( album ) ... Jay-Z

3D Energy Drink : Grape

3D Energy Drink : Grape

Grape is one of my favorite artificial flavors and, though that’s especially the case when it comes to candy; I love purple Skittles; beverages are no exception. That makes this Energy Drink one of the best 3D variations, which means little as they’re all inherently flawed by the fact that they’re carbonated thus mildly painful to consume.

my rating : 3 of 5

video review : Mackenzie Dern versus Tecia Torres at UFC 273

video review : Mackenzie Dern versus Tecia Torres at UFC 273

The most entertaining round of this fight for me is the second, which jumps off when, just as Joe Rogan is about to suggest it, Mackenzie Dern pulls guard against the cage and goes for a standing Kimura. She eventually brings Tecia Torres down to the ground; commentator Paul Felder makes a funny “weight” joke here; which results in a sexy tangle that lasts to the horn.

my rating : 4 of 5

2022

video review : Gilbert Burns versus Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273

video review : Gilbert Burns versus Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273

The betting odds for this bout were so ridiculously in favor of Khamzat Chimaev; it seems most fans thought he’d “smash” Gilbert Burns in the very first round; that even given a hard-fought victory, his hype train takes a massive hit. It’s actually the loser (Burns) whose stock goes up as he makes what seemed like an unbeatable enigma look human.

Of course Chimaev deserves a lot of credit for proving himself against a top contender. Burns is number two under champion Kamaru Usman and, though this is a damn close fight, the winner of which could’ve went either way, Chimaev beats him by unanimous decision. That’s quite a feat for someone who’s relatively new to the world of UFC.

my rating : 4 of 5

2022

audio review : The Lady In Red ( song ) … Chris De Burgh

Chris should’ve left out the part about hardly knowing this woman because he also mentions the things he’s “never seen” about her, which implies he’s known her for a long time. It’s an odd contradiction and the one ugly flaw on a song that is otherwise quite beautiful.

Most appealing is the melody of the vocals, which are partnered by a gorgeous guitar lick, though it’s the waltzy beat that serves as the basis of the concept. “The Lady In Red is dancing with me,” De Burgh announces as they embrace, “cheek to cheek”, in the ballroom.

my rating : 5 of 5

1986

audio review : The Lady In Red ( song ) ... Chris De Burgh

Breyers Frozen Dairy Dessert : Butter Pecan [ No Sugar Added ]

Breyers Frozen Dairy Dessert : Butter Pecan [ No Sugar Added ]

The main ingredient; the Pecans; are actually the worst part of this Breyers Frozen Dairy Dessert. They’re fine if you get a fresh mix, but sometimes they’re stale and bitter. Still it doesn’t take away from the Butter-flavored ice cream itself, which tastes almost too good to have No Sugar Added.

my rating : 4 of 5

video review : Notorious

video review : Notorious

“Biggie, give me one more chance,” to cash in on your death. This movie; based on the life of Chris Wallace, better known as The Notorious BIG; isn’t really about biographical art. Neither does it offer anything new about his life. It’s just a straight summary that goes from his hardships as a Brooklyn street kid to the Biggest name the “eastcoast” rap world has to offer without offering any unique insight or perspective of its own. That means, even if you never read Vibe or watched BET enough to know what’s going to happen, what does is never enough to warrant a Hollywood movie.

Aside from his “so-called beef with you-know-who” and the spectacular murders that follow, BIG’s life of rags-to-riches, worldwide fame and bitches; Naturi Naughton plays the role of Lil Kim; just isn’t that interesting when the words don’t rhyme over beats. The storytellers here; screenwriters Reggie Rock and Cheo Hodari, along with director George Tillman; simply lack the creative know-how to make up for that fact. What that results in is a movie any cinema-driven fan could’ve made with a big-enough budget and approval from $ean “Puffy” Combs as executive producer.

my rating : 3 of 5

2009

video review : Devil

video review : Devil

Being trapped in an elevator, between the upper floors of a skyscraper, is scary enough. Put the main characters together in that situation for most of the plot and you have the potential for a terrific movie; one that is plausible enough to have happened in real life. Making one of them The Devil in disguise and boxing the plot with religious folklore is a sure way to head things down in the wrong direction.

Horror is supposed to derive from the fact that nobody; you nor the wacked-out characters in this story; knows which of the five passengers it is who’s supernaturally causing the sudden death of people both inside and outside of the elevator. The problem is that the deadpan plot, led by a laughably overdramatic classical music score, is never compelling enough to make you give a damn.

my rating : 2 of 5

2010

audio review : Back In Black ( album ) … Cypress Hill

audio review : Back In Black ( album ) ... Cypress Hill

The title seems to be a reference to Black Sunday, but it could also nod at the fact that the music is produced not by DJ Muggs but Black Milk. It’s a head-scratching move; Milk has no previous association with Cypress Hill; but a fitting replacement. If you didn’t know any better, in other words, you’d think that was Muggs on the beats.

On an album packed with marijuana references; Open Ya Mind celebrates its legalization in the group’s home state of California; The Original is a minor highlight. Most of the rest is merely decent. The worst songs are the ones with the worst hooks; namely Come With Me and Bye Bye. They should’ve called back Brevi Wood.

my rating : 3 of 5

2022

audio review : Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater ( album ) … Rza

audio review : Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater ( album ) ... Rza

It’s unclear why one of hip-hop’s most acclaimed beatmakers decided to limit himself to the role of MC for this project, which, with just six songs and an Intro, straddles the line between album and EP. The boom-bap is provided by DJ Scratch, who does an admirable job substantiating his “superproducer” moniker.

Every beat is composed of gritty drums juxtaposed with a layer of melody; Shaolin-style strings, horns and pianos. Rza’s raps help make Kung Fu Theater a fairly enjoyable show. The most crowd-pleasing act is Fate Of The World, though the song probably should’ve been saved for the next Wu-Tang joint.

my rating : 3 of 5

2022

audio review : First Time In A Long Time ( song ) … Kanye West ( featuring Soulja Boy )

The only thing I dislike about this song is the way Kanye West leaves the word Time out of the title phrase every other time he says it. I understand he does it for melodic purposes and it’s a catchy hook in that regard, but it doesn’t make grammatical sense. Perhaps he should’ve said something about the “song” instead of repeating it.

It’s a flagrant flaw but not significant enough to ruin what sounds like a damn good song demo. The music is charming; I can’t tell what the girl or kid is saying on the loop; and the Soulja Boy verse is a welcomed addition. It’s his vocal flow/delivery that makes it work and I like the way it ends, despite him rhyming Long Time with Long Time.

my rating : 4 of 5

2022