No, I'm not talking about myself, but thanks anyway, yeah?
I am talking about "The Legendary".
I know, they're not making a comeback, because they didn't go away a long time. But in a way they did. One could argue The Roots descended into darkness with their last two albums, Game Theory and Rising Down; not the most fun-loving albums those were.
But a glimmer of light shines through with this new track, which debuted not too long ago on Late Night (Jimmy Fallon's show, which I blogged about here).
I say glimmer because it's not all sunshine and jumping jacks, but it's a more optimistically nuanced track that leaves the evil synths of Rising Down behind for the time being.
---
It's still blockbuster season, and I'm still involved. I have to say that The Taking of Pelham One Two Three was better than the version that came out this year, which was differed in title by using the numerals "1 2 3". The differences don't end there though, as the respective tones of each film couldn't be any more unrelated. Walter Matthau wins (But Denzel Washington is still the man).
Up was fun and touching. Not perfect though. I'm still not sure how I feel about "talking" dogs.
I'm sure I saw other movies too, but I really just wanted to say that I hopped back on to the Harry Potter express, after missing the last one (the only one I haven't seen), and I'm glad I did. Half-Blood Prince was very entertaining, but pretty much all just set up for the climatic two-parter The Deathly Hallows. Consider me hyped.
---
Hey Stockton folks, I just started going to a young adult group weekly meeting for Catholics (but non-Catholics are welcome). Really nice folk, and learning about faith in a (young) adult setting is great and something pretty much new to me. I've been in a young adult group that fizzled out shortly after it began, but this particular group has been around years now, so I could potentially be in for the long haul (or at least until I'm 39, which is what their website says is the cutoff). In any case, check out their site, lukefive.org and maybe see me there on Tuesday nights and hang out. They don't bite.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A Review of CunninLynguists' Strange Journey Volume One
The following is my not so quite track-by-track review of the rap group CunninLynguists' mixtape, Strange Journey Volume One:
Departure (Intro)
After hearing this unoriginal, smug, and fake sounding introduction, I'm not looking forward to the rest of the CD.
2. Nothing But Strangeness (Featuring Looptroop Rockers & Hilltop Hoods)
The beat starts off promising. Then some bells come in, and the track just reminds me of the superiority of Pete Rock's beats in his heyday. I'm bored and the vileness of the lyrical content doesn't help. The nice vocal sampling that started the track and hinted at the it's potential comes back for the hook. Among the rest of the production, the sample is rendered unappealing.
3. Lynguistics (Live In Stockholm)
It sounds like the live vocals were blended in with a studio-built master track. It sounds weird on first listen, the way "The Food" on the finished version of Common's Be did.
Eventually "Lynguists" builds to a perfect ending, with the studio track dropping out to shine on the sound of the live audience cheering.
4. Move
This one is decent. Strong production combined with charismatic rhyme delivery make for the best all around track in this collection.
5. Spark My Soul (Featuring Substantial)
The first MC to rhyme doesn't have a voice that lends him any business to continue his rapping career without lots of work stepping up his skills, which aren't bad. After the second MC comes in, I decide that I don't want to listen to the rest of Strange Journey Volume One.
Only the beginning of track 11, "Georgia (Remix) [Feat. Killer Mike & Khujo Goodie]," up to the beginning of the second verse sound good enough to where I'll listen again. From there it's back to the album's business as usual. And business is not too good.
Fortunately, this isn't an official album. There is lots of room for CunninLynguists' to grow before Volume Two drops. That should help with the expansion of ideas and the tightening up of skills in all aspects, from production to vocal delivery. In short, if this rap group sticks to the formulas that worked on the minimal amount in this volume, they could end up making something I'll listen to from beginning to end while hoping for more.
Departure (Intro)
After hearing this unoriginal, smug, and fake sounding introduction, I'm not looking forward to the rest of the CD.
2. Nothing But Strangeness (Featuring Looptroop Rockers & Hilltop Hoods)
The beat starts off promising. Then some bells come in, and the track just reminds me of the superiority of Pete Rock's beats in his heyday. I'm bored and the vileness of the lyrical content doesn't help. The nice vocal sampling that started the track and hinted at the it's potential comes back for the hook. Among the rest of the production, the sample is rendered unappealing.
3. Lynguistics (Live In Stockholm)
It sounds like the live vocals were blended in with a studio-built master track. It sounds weird on first listen, the way "The Food" on the finished version of Common's Be did.
Eventually "Lynguists" builds to a perfect ending, with the studio track dropping out to shine on the sound of the live audience cheering.
4. Move
This one is decent. Strong production combined with charismatic rhyme delivery make for the best all around track in this collection.
5. Spark My Soul (Featuring Substantial)
The first MC to rhyme doesn't have a voice that lends him any business to continue his rapping career without lots of work stepping up his skills, which aren't bad. After the second MC comes in, I decide that I don't want to listen to the rest of Strange Journey Volume One.
Only the beginning of track 11, "Georgia (Remix) [Feat. Killer Mike & Khujo Goodie]," up to the beginning of the second verse sound good enough to where I'll listen again. From there it's back to the album's business as usual. And business is not too good.
Fortunately, this isn't an official album. There is lots of room for CunninLynguists' to grow before Volume Two drops. That should help with the expansion of ideas and the tightening up of skills in all aspects, from production to vocal delivery. In short, if this rap group sticks to the formulas that worked on the minimal amount in this volume, they could end up making something I'll listen to from beginning to end while hoping for more.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Please Help Free Ezra Nawi
More info here and here. I'm just referring you to those sites without saying much else because I'm tired and still haven't been to bed for the night (and it's been daylight out a couple hours now). Hopefully I'll be doing a full post soon, since I've seen a couple more flicks like Up and the original The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three. Plus I have a full music album to review here. 'Til then, sit tight (not literally of course).
Friday, May 22, 2009
Summer Movie Season Is Here
Hey all. It's been awhile since I talked film, and just in time for blockbuster season, I've got some things to say...
My first summer blockbuster viewing went to Angels & Demons, the sequel to 2006's The Da Vinci Code. I'm well aware of the controversy of that first film, but I'm going to sidestep discussion of it. These movies are fiction and entertainment to me, period. And entertained I was with Code. A & D picks up the action this time around, and I wasn't disappointed. I have to say that this one treads into B-movie territory, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, even for past Oscar winners Ron Howard, who directs, and Tom Hanks, lead actor.
You might think a movie that's set in the Vatican and dealing with Papal election might be too heavy handed, but just enough humor is injected into the proceedings. And the action keeps things moving, making you forget the numerous holes in logic that are contained in this movie. Eventually, the outrageous last action scene pushes things over the edge, into the B-movie territory I alluded too earlier. Yeah, it's crazy, but I did like the first Crank film after all.
Coincidentally enough, like Crank, Angels & Demons involves a key helicopter scene in its finale. I can't really tell you which scene was crazier out of those two films, so that tells you how wild A & D gets. And I bet you didn't think I'd be comparing it with Crank, mind you. That might be a bad sign for some, but I give A & D a pass.
Next up in my blockbuster viewing went to Star Trek. I don't know what else to write that hasn't already been stated by the majority of critics, who dig this reboot of the franchise that goes back to the 60's TV show. I was a casual viewer of that show as well as it's spin-off incarnation, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Never in all those viewings have I ever seen such action as displayed in the new movie. Everyone does a good job, with a special nod to Simon Pegg's portrayal of Scotty. It kept me laughing, something I don't remember doing too much of when watching the TV shows. The guy who plays Dr. McCoy gets an honorable mention in the humor department too, as his scenes with Kirk, would-be captain of the Starship Enterprise, were enjoyable as well. Speaking of Kirk, the actor chosen to play him does a nice job too, even though I had doubts about his likability going in.
Like I mentioned, I was only a casual viewer of the originals. As such, it was probably easy for me to overlook certain things that hard core Trekkies (aka Trekkers) wouldn't in the portrayals of all the core characters as well as the way the overall Trek universe is presented in general. But it wasn't all mindless blockbuster spectacle, and the set-up for an anticipated sequel is executed just fine, introducing a whole new time line that preserves what's happened in the past (or more appropriately the future) without necessarily having to re-tread ground.
With Star Trek doing so well, it has become the go-to franchise now for space flicks, at least while the world of Serenity is on the shelf.
Lastly, I caught the sequel to A Night At The Museum. The original was entertaining enough, and I didn't really expect much in the sequel, even with some modern comedy regulars in tow, including Superbad's Jonah Hill and Bill Hader, and various cast members from The Office (U.S. version plus U.K. version's Ricky Gervais). It has its moments though, and enough of them for me to give it a pass. Ben Stiller does Ben Stiller again, and it might be time for him try something else, though his scenes with The Simpson's Hank Azaria were standouts.
Oh and Amy Adams charms as usual. I'd ask for more of her if there's another sequel, but I'm not going to ask for another sequel. This one ties things up just fine, and there's absolutely no need for a third one.
So there you have it. The summer blockbuster first shots have been fired, and it should continue to be an entertaining season, at the least.
My first summer blockbuster viewing went to Angels & Demons, the sequel to 2006's The Da Vinci Code. I'm well aware of the controversy of that first film, but I'm going to sidestep discussion of it. These movies are fiction and entertainment to me, period. And entertained I was with Code. A & D picks up the action this time around, and I wasn't disappointed. I have to say that this one treads into B-movie territory, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, even for past Oscar winners Ron Howard, who directs, and Tom Hanks, lead actor.
You might think a movie that's set in the Vatican and dealing with Papal election might be too heavy handed, but just enough humor is injected into the proceedings. And the action keeps things moving, making you forget the numerous holes in logic that are contained in this movie. Eventually, the outrageous last action scene pushes things over the edge, into the B-movie territory I alluded too earlier. Yeah, it's crazy, but I did like the first Crank film after all.
Coincidentally enough, like Crank, Angels & Demons involves a key helicopter scene in its finale. I can't really tell you which scene was crazier out of those two films, so that tells you how wild A & D gets. And I bet you didn't think I'd be comparing it with Crank, mind you. That might be a bad sign for some, but I give A & D a pass.
Next up in my blockbuster viewing went to Star Trek. I don't know what else to write that hasn't already been stated by the majority of critics, who dig this reboot of the franchise that goes back to the 60's TV show. I was a casual viewer of that show as well as it's spin-off incarnation, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Never in all those viewings have I ever seen such action as displayed in the new movie. Everyone does a good job, with a special nod to Simon Pegg's portrayal of Scotty. It kept me laughing, something I don't remember doing too much of when watching the TV shows. The guy who plays Dr. McCoy gets an honorable mention in the humor department too, as his scenes with Kirk, would-be captain of the Starship Enterprise, were enjoyable as well. Speaking of Kirk, the actor chosen to play him does a nice job too, even though I had doubts about his likability going in.
Like I mentioned, I was only a casual viewer of the originals. As such, it was probably easy for me to overlook certain things that hard core Trekkies (aka Trekkers) wouldn't in the portrayals of all the core characters as well as the way the overall Trek universe is presented in general. But it wasn't all mindless blockbuster spectacle, and the set-up for an anticipated sequel is executed just fine, introducing a whole new time line that preserves what's happened in the past (or more appropriately the future) without necessarily having to re-tread ground.
With Star Trek doing so well, it has become the go-to franchise now for space flicks, at least while the world of Serenity is on the shelf.
Lastly, I caught the sequel to A Night At The Museum. The original was entertaining enough, and I didn't really expect much in the sequel, even with some modern comedy regulars in tow, including Superbad's Jonah Hill and Bill Hader, and various cast members from The Office (U.S. version plus U.K. version's Ricky Gervais). It has its moments though, and enough of them for me to give it a pass. Ben Stiller does Ben Stiller again, and it might be time for him try something else, though his scenes with The Simpson's Hank Azaria were standouts.
Oh and Amy Adams charms as usual. I'd ask for more of her if there's another sequel, but I'm not going to ask for another sequel. This one ties things up just fine, and there's absolutely no need for a third one.
So there you have it. The summer blockbuster first shots have been fired, and it should continue to be an entertaining season, at the least.
Monday, May 11, 2009
I don't talk about my faith much publicly anymore, as I feel that most of the time it is a private matter, or something not to be discussed with non-believers unless it is welcome.
In this particular case though, I feel it's warranted.
I've got a cousin who is a few years older than me who, in the last year, was diagnosed with Leukemia. He and his wife had just had their second child when he learned of his diagnosis.
Things were not looking good at all. He was in isolation at the hospital, and was likely bed-ridden for a good chunk of it. Things were not getting better for so long, that they had to transfer him away from his home city in Northern California to Los Angeles for what I believed was to be some experimental procedures.
Yes, nothing was working to the point where the family decided to go with a desperation option.
At the same time, his brother was able to donate bone marrow to him for a transplant.
This was a few months back. I hadn't heard much since then, other than my cousin was sleeping a lot. I wasn't sure if things were any better.
Throughout the whole ordeal, I prayed. My family prayed. We are a religious family. But I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out. I was ashamed that I didn't have more faith.
But I'm happy to say that I found out yesterday that he's cancer free.
And for that, I praise and thank Jesus, the Lord.
In this particular case though, I feel it's warranted.
I've got a cousin who is a few years older than me who, in the last year, was diagnosed with Leukemia. He and his wife had just had their second child when he learned of his diagnosis.
Things were not looking good at all. He was in isolation at the hospital, and was likely bed-ridden for a good chunk of it. Things were not getting better for so long, that they had to transfer him away from his home city in Northern California to Los Angeles for what I believed was to be some experimental procedures.
Yes, nothing was working to the point where the family decided to go with a desperation option.
At the same time, his brother was able to donate bone marrow to him for a transplant.
This was a few months back. I hadn't heard much since then, other than my cousin was sleeping a lot. I wasn't sure if things were any better.
Throughout the whole ordeal, I prayed. My family prayed. We are a religious family. But I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out. I was ashamed that I didn't have more faith.
But I'm happy to say that I found out yesterday that he's cancer free.
And for that, I praise and thank Jesus, the Lord.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Coming out of the dark.
Just coming in to wipe off the dust, and give a nod to some notables...
Happy-Go-Lucky: rented it, loved it. See it!
Cartworks: It hit #100 and is still going. That's my homie.
Til' the next...
-Derrick
Happy-Go-Lucky: rented it, loved it. See it!
Cartworks: It hit #100 and is still going. That's my homie.
Til' the next...
-Derrick
Monday, March 9, 2009
What I Watched Instead.
Checked out Two Lovers starring Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow.
There were no blue "muscles" to look at, and for that, I'm grateful for that alone that I opted for Two Lovers (the only nudity involved a brief shot of Paltrow's left breast).
Shots at that other movie aside, I enjoyed Two Lovers acting performances, especially by Joaquin Phoenix. It's not a totally depressing film, for the most part staying away from easy melodrama where lesser movies would have inserted it.
It's not the best film of 2009 (correction: it was actually released last year) that I've seen so far (I'd give that to Coraline) but I'd personally recommend it.
Other stuff I watched last week:
A Powerful Noise is an excellent documentary. Unfortunately there were only about a handful of us in the theater, and it was a one-time only showing in Stockton (and most likely in your city as well). If you can get a chance to see it though, I highly encourage you to do so.
I also caught the gruesome horror flick, The Descent, on On Demand. It was pretty fun to watch, but the ending left me a little ambivalent. Word is that there is a different (and maybe better) ending for the UK version. There's a sequel supposedly coming out based on the US version though. I'm kind of interested nonetheless.
On television, I caught the first week of Jimmy Fallon taking over for Conan O'Brien in the Late Nite slot, primarily to see how The Roots did as his band. They did a good job, and I'm glad that all of the band members are involved, including Black Thought, who did some singing here and there. The band also played with Ludacris for his performance, which was easily my favorite one out of the week.
As far as the rest of the show is concerned, it's not too bad. It's the first week, so I'm expecting it to get better over time as Fallon relaxes more into the role. He's definitely not as funny as Conan, nor do I expect him to be, but with tighter writing, I can see more special moments from the show accumulating over time. And using "the best band in late night" (in Fallon's own words at the end of each show) whenever possible wouldn't hurt.
There were no blue "muscles" to look at, and for that, I'm grateful for that alone that I opted for Two Lovers (the only nudity involved a brief shot of Paltrow's left breast).
Shots at that other movie aside, I enjoyed Two Lovers acting performances, especially by Joaquin Phoenix. It's not a totally depressing film, for the most part staying away from easy melodrama where lesser movies would have inserted it.
It's not the best film of 2009 (correction: it was actually released last year) that I've seen so far (I'd give that to Coraline) but I'd personally recommend it.
Other stuff I watched last week:
A Powerful Noise is an excellent documentary. Unfortunately there were only about a handful of us in the theater, and it was a one-time only showing in Stockton (and most likely in your city as well). If you can get a chance to see it though, I highly encourage you to do so.
I also caught the gruesome horror flick, The Descent, on On Demand. It was pretty fun to watch, but the ending left me a little ambivalent. Word is that there is a different (and maybe better) ending for the UK version. There's a sequel supposedly coming out based on the US version though. I'm kind of interested nonetheless.
On television, I caught the first week of Jimmy Fallon taking over for Conan O'Brien in the Late Nite slot, primarily to see how The Roots did as his band. They did a good job, and I'm glad that all of the band members are involved, including Black Thought, who did some singing here and there. The band also played with Ludacris for his performance, which was easily my favorite one out of the week.
As far as the rest of the show is concerned, it's not too bad. It's the first week, so I'm expecting it to get better over time as Fallon relaxes more into the role. He's definitely not as funny as Conan, nor do I expect him to be, but with tighter writing, I can see more special moments from the show accumulating over time. And using "the best band in late night" (in Fallon's own words at the end of each show) whenever possible wouldn't hurt.
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