A beloved background character takes center stage in Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home Franklin
Apple TV+ keeps Charles Schultz’s legacy alive in the latest special, Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home Franklin. Raymond S. Persi directed the film, and the script was written by Robb Armstrong, Bryan Schultz, Craig Schultz, and Cornelius Uliano. An origin story of Peanuts’ most beloved characters, the film follows a boy named Franklin and his approach to making new friends.
Second Listen Sunday : Eric Roberson, The Vault 1.5
One of the most talented men in indie music, Eric Roberson, kicked off his 30th-anniversary tour last night in Pittsburgh, so for this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I decided to revisit Mr. Roberson’s third album, The Vault 1.5, which hit record stores in 2003. As Erro fans know, Roberson initially hit the scene with the lovely ballad “The Moon” while studying at Howard University. Roberson’s first record deal didn’t go as planned, but not one to just lay down, Roberson continued to build a name for himself by writing for the likes of 112 and Will Smith. Additionally, Roberson collaborated with Jill Scott, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Cam’ron.
Slow Jam Saturday : Ryan Leslie, Valentine
As we continue to celebrate the month of love, I chose “Valentine by Ryan Leslie as the second song with the word valentine for February’s Slow Jam Saturday. Leslie broke into the music industry in 2003, writing hits for Beyoncé and New Edition. Leslie released the singles “The Way That U Move Girl” and “Used 2 Be” featuring Fabolous. However, his debut album was never officially released due to creative differences with his record label. In late 2007, Leslie finally broke through with the bop “Diamond Girl,” and his self-titled album would finally hit record stores on February 10, 2009. Leslie also succeeded with the follow-up singles “Addiction” and “How It Was Supposed to Be.” Surprisingly, though, Leslie didn’t drop “Valentine” as the fourth single, which would have timed perfectly with the album release date.
Pop culture camp references and a solid lead perform can’t save Lisa Frankenstein
Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody teams up with debuting director Zelda Williams for the horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein from Focus Features. The film is set in 1989 and draws inspiration from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, published in 1818. The story revolves around a teenage goth girl named Lisa (played by Kathryn Newton), who reanimates a nameless corpse from the Victorian era (played by Cole Sprouse).
Out of Darkness is a bold and ambitious thriller that takes audiences on a captivating journey back to the Stone Age
Horror fans are in for a treat as the chills keep coming in the thriller Out of Darkness from Bleecker Street. Andrew Cumming makes his directorial debut with the film from a script by Ruth Greenberg. Potential viewers should know that the film is subtitled as the dialogue in the movie uses TOLA, invented by poet, historian, and multi-linguist Dr. Daniel Andersson. TOLA stands for ‘The Origin Language’ and is a mix of Arabic and some Basque vocabulary.
Second Listen Sunday: Justin Timberlake and Mitchell Owens, The Book Of Love Soundtrack
Music fans were delighted last week when music superstar Justin Timberlake released a new single supporting his upcoming sixth album. JT will follow the single release with an appearance on Saturday Night Live. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I revisited Timberlake’s 2017 collaboration soundtrack album with Mitchell Owens, The Book Of Love. As he would do a year later with the album Man of The Woods, Timberlake decided to venture away from the R&B influences, which were the dominant force of his previous releases, and go for a different sound.
Slow Jam Saturday : New Kids On The Block, Valentine Girl
Due to Valentine’s Day, February is sometimes known as the month of love. I wanted to try something unique for every Slow Jam Saturday this month by featuring every song and having the word Valentine in the title. First is the sentimental bop “Valentine Girl” from New Kids on The Block.
Leah McKendrick delivers an enjoyable debut with Scrambled
In-demand writer Leah McKendrick makes a charming directorial debut in Scrambled from Lionsgate. Nellie Robinson is a woman who has always been there for her friends. She’s the quintessential bridesmaid, constantly attending weddings, baby showers, and other events to support those she cares about. However, despite her willingness to help others find love and happiness, Nellie has yet to discover a way to get into the romance department. She’s been on more bad dates than she can count, and she’s starting to feel like time is running out.
Kings From Queens validates there is none higher than RUN DMC
Esteemed documentary filmmaker Kirk Fraser utilizes his talents to give flowers to one of Hip Hop’s iconic groups in Kings From Queens: The RUN DMC Story. The tripartite series presents a narrative previously untold about RUN DMC, arguably the most pivotal rap ensemble in music history. Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell came together on the unassuming streets of Hollis, Queens, before evolving into celebrated bastions of hip-hop culture—a genre once dismissed by critics as merely transitory.
Second Listen Sunday, JC Chasez, Schizophrenic
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I decided to revisit Schizophrenic to date, the only solo album from NSYNC solo member JC Chasez. It’s no secret that JC was the strongest among all the late nineties boy bands when it came to straight singing. In 2002, Chasez initially explored his potential as a solo artist when he collaborated with renowned producer Dallas Austin to record the track “Blowin’ Me Up (With Her Love)” for the soundtrack of the movie Drumline. Riding on the wave of its successful single release, Chasez embarked on recording an album he aimed to set apart from NSYNC’s musical domain distinctively.
Slow Jam Saturday : The Jacksons, One More Chance
As fans anxiously await the Antione Fuqua-directed biopic on the King of Pop to hit theaters next year, I wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite ballads in his group’s catalog for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday. That particular song is “One More Chance” from the group’s fifteenth studio album and the only one to feature all six brothers, Victory.
Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman star in the tame Miller’s Girl
Writer and director Jade Hallet Bartlett enlists the talents of Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega to navigate her debut in Miller’s Girl from Lionsgate. The film takes place at a college in the Deep South. It introduces us to Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega), a talented young writer who spends her days reading and nights hanging out with her best friend, Winnie (Gideon Adlon).