Slow Jam Saturday: Kevin Ross, “This Winter”
For the last Slow Jam Saturday of the year, I wanted to highlight one of the most underrated voices in music, Mr. Kevin Ross, and his recently released single “This Winter”.
‘Cover-Up’ review: Seymour Hersh and the long war against official silence
In the new Netflix documentary “Cover-Up,” Seymour Hersh’s career unfolds not as a triumphant victory lap but as a long-standing record of resistance against power, institutional silence, and the convenient amnesia that often passes for history.
‘Goodbye June’ review: Kate Winslet’s directorial debut explores family, grief and Christmas
Two weeks before Christmas, June (Helen Mirren) collapses at her kitchen counter, the kettle still warming, the day already lost. At the hospital, the verdict is swift and unsparing: the cancer has advanced beyond intervention, and time has narrowed to a matter of days
Amanda Seyfried can’t save ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ from its own cold ambition
It’s tempting to compare *The Testament of Ann Lee* to “The Brutalist,” but that comparison flatters this film more than it deserves. Writer-director duo Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet have previously demonstrated their capacity for elegance, with “The World to Come” being their most complete and emotionally coherent work. However, this latest effort feels more enamored with its own seriousness than with the fundamentals of storytelling.
Slow Jam Saturday: Gerald Levert, “Christmas Without My Girl”
When we reflect on Gerald Levert’s career, one of the most surprising things is that he never released a Christmas album. Given his immense talent, I am certain he could have easily crafted an album filled with romantic slow jams and festive holiday grooves.
Slow burn, strong lead: “The Secret Agent” earns its time
Often times during Awards Season I’ll hear about a film that I usually don’t get a chance to see until getting a screener link for awards consideration. The Secret Agent fits squarely into that category—a title that’s been quietly circulating among critics for months, earning serious admiration, and once you finally sit with it, you understand why.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”, Avatar third chapter finds its limits
When we last saw the Sully family—Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), their sons Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) and the late Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), their adopted daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), youngest child Tuktirey (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), and human teenager Miles “Spider” Socorro (Jack Champion)—they were grappling with a devastating loss of Neteyam following their battle against the resurrected Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang).
Second Listen Sunday: Stephanie Mills “Christmas”
As we prepare to celebrate another holiday season, this week I wanted to give flowers to Stephanie Mills for Second Listen Sunday.
“Song Sung Blue” covers love, loss, and Neil Diamond at full volume
One thing that my friends and family will tell you about me is that I love a good musical biopic. Now and then, one catches you off guard, plays a familiar tune, and then strikes a chord that resonates deeply. “Song Sung Blue” from Focus Features and directed by Craig Brewer, who also pens the script, is one of those films.
Second Listen Sunday: Jennifer Hudson, “The Gift of Love”
Most of the standards, including “O Holy Night,” “The Christmas Song,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” follow familiar structures. However, with Hudson’s rich and resonant voice, the goal isn’t necessarily to reinvent these classics but to interpret them. She treats these songs with respect, bending the notes just enough to make them her own without overdoing it.
Slow Jam Saturday: The Stylistics, “When You’ve Got Love, It’s Christmas All Year Long”
Often, when an artist releases a holiday album, it typically features the usual songs.
Chasing shadows in the age of clout: “Influencers” levels up the game
Kurtis David Harder’s “Influencers” doesn’t just pick up where “Influencer” left off—it leaps forward, shifting the series’ tone from psychological unease to an exhilarating globe-trotting pursuit.