Arthur The King is a royally entreating crowd pleaser
Following last year’s action comedy “The Family Plan,” Mark Wahlberg is teaming up again with director Simon Cellan Jones for a heartwarming true story titled “Arthur The King.” Lionsgate is releasing the movie with Michael Brandt as the screenwriter. The screenplay is based on the book “Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home” by Mikael Lindnord.
Mean Girls is a fetch remake
Paramount Pictures has given a new twist to the classic high school comedy in the form of “Mean Girls,” which coincides with the movie’s twentieth anniversary. This story was previously adapted into a same-titled stage musical. The latest version of the story has the original writer, Tina Fey, returning to write the script while Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. direct the movie.
Donnie Yen swaps his martial arts skills for his dramatic talent in “Polar Rescue”
Donnie Yen, the legendary martial artist, breaks his usual butt-kicking role and showcases his dramatic talent in “Polar Rescue,” a film by Well GO USA, directed and written by Lo Chi-Leung. In this movie, Yen plays Ah De, a man with a seemingly idyllic life with his wife, Xuan (Cecilia Han), and their two children. However, after a minor argument with his son, the boy goes missing, and the situation escalates as local authorities are called to search for him.
Single Review: Musiq Soulchild – Just Friends (Sunny) (DJ Soulchild Remix)
DJ Soulchild, a talented Remix Phenom from Switzerland delivers another remix for 2024 perfect for the dance floor. He added his unique style to Musiq Soulchild’s debut single, “Just Friends,” which was initially released in 2000 as the third single from the “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).” DJ Soulchild has returned to the City of Brotherly Love to bless his fans with this fantastic new track.
Second Listen Sunday : Marc Nelson, I Want You
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday pick, I’m taking you back to 1991 to highlight the debut solo album by premier vocalist Marc Nelson, “I Want You.” It’s often forgotten, but it deserves recognition. As R&B experts know, Nelson was born into music as he is the son of Phyllis Nelson, best known for the dance hit “I Like You.”
Nelson was one of the founding members of Boyz II Men while still a student at Philadelphia’s renowned High School of Performing Arts. However, due to personality conflicts and impatience, Nelson left the group before they hit the big time. Nelson would end up signing with Capital Records, and his solo album, I Want You, was released only a few months after his former group’s debut “Cooleyhighharmony” in the fall of 1991.
Slow Jam Saturday: Profyle, Whispers in the Dark
Male R&B groups ruled the airwaves in the early to mid-nineties, but as the 20th century started to close out, while groups were still around, they no longer dominated the charts. While we still had mainstays like Dru Hill, 112, Jagged Edge, and four guys from Philly, newer groups would come and go.
Robot Dreams is a beautiful film about the power of friendship
The 96th Academy Awards ceremony, a highly anticipated event, has garnered significant attention across the globe. In this context, I would like to highlight a lesser-known film titled “Robot Dreams,” which was nominated for the Best Animated Feature category. The film, written and directed by Pablo Berger, is an adaptation of Sara Varon’s 2007 comic of the same name. Despite its nomination, this film may have yet to receive widespread recognition among mainstream film enthusiasts, as it has only been released in France and Spain. However, NEON Film Studio acquired the distribution rights to release the film in North America during the summer.
Second Listen Sunday: Gerald LeVert, Love & Consequences
R&B singer Gerald LeVert released his third solo album, “Love & Consequences,” in the summer of 1998, following his super group project LSG. In addition to collaborating with his longtime associate, Edwin “Tony” Nicholas, LeVert also engaged in fruitful partnerships with a broader array of writers and producers. These include notable individuals such as R. Kelly, Joe Little III from The Rude Boys, and Darrell “Delite” Allamby.
Slow Jam Saturday: Usher, Naked
R&B sensation Usher is on a roll, having had a successful Super bowl halftime show, a sold-out tour, and just released his ninth album. While the album has received a decent response overall, some of Usher’s longtime fans were hoping for more contemporary R&B in the style of the songs he previewed on Instagram before the album’s release date.
Knowledge is power in the engaging documentary Sacred Soil: The Piney Woods School Story
Director JJ Anderson is making a name for herself as a documentary filmmaker with her second feature, “Sacred Soil: The Piney Woods School Story.” The film takes place at one of America’s oldest Black boarding schools and highlights the experiences of several students and staff members. Anderson offers viewers a unique look into the school and its students, showcasing the complex layers of their lives. “Sacred Soil: The Piney Woods School Story” captures young Black students’ emotional, physical, and mental challenges while pursuing an education in America. The film honors the students’ perspectives, providing a vivid and beautiful portrayal of their journeys.
Despite Adam Sandler’s best efforts, Spaceman doesn’t lift off
Adam Sandler reunites with Netflix for the Science Fiction drama, “Spaceman.” The movie is directed by Johan Renck and written by Colby Day, who adapted the novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” for the screen. The story revolves around Jakub (Adam Sandler), an astronaut who embarks on a solitary research mission to the solar system’s edge. After six months of isolation, Jakub realizes that his marriage with Lenka (Carey Mulligan) may be in jeopardy and not be waiting for him when he returns to Earth.
Second Listen Sunday: RL, RL: Elements
In the spring of 2001, the R&B singer RL was experiencing the success of his group Next’s hit single “Wifey” from their sophomore album. He began to generate ramblings of a solo album. Three years earlier, RL set himself apart from Next with the hit song “We Can’t Be Friends” alongside Deborah Cox. The success of that song had a domino effect. It led to other features, including “The Best Man I Can Be” with Ginuwine, Case, and Tyrese, and singing the hook to Tupac’s ‘Until the End of Time’.