Slow Jam Saturday : Lloyd, Valentine
Valentine’s Day 2024 may have come and gone, but I still plan to use highlight songs with the V-word for February’s Slow Jam Saturday. The artist I chose is a southern gentleman by the name of Lloyd. Initially breaking onto the scene as a member of the preteen-boy band N-Toon, Lloyd’s solo career kicked off in 2004 with the hit “Southside.”
This Is Me Now is a successful passion project for JLo
Global superstar Jennifer Lopez collaborates with iconic music video director Dave Meyers for the narrative musical film “This Is Me…Now: A Love Story” from Prime Video. Ben Affleck, Matt Walton, and Dave Meyers wrote the film’s script that showcases Jenny from the Block’s journey to love through her own eyes.
Vince Staples brings the funny in The Vince Staples Show
After getting his feet wet with voiceover work and appearances in Abbott Elementary and the White Men Can’t Jump remake, Hip Hop artist Vince Staples takes on leading man status in the Netflix series, The Vince Staples Show.
Monolith is a solid thriller
Rising scream queen Lily Sullivan teams up with first-time director Matt Vesel for the latest spookfest, “Monolith”, from Well Go USA. The screenplay hails from Lucy Campbell. At the center of the plot is a nameless protagonist, a disgraced journalist portrayed by Lily Sullivan, who is desperate to restore her reputation and redeem her career.
Madame Webb fails to swing high
The first superhero film of 2024, “Madame Webb,” directed by S.J. Clarkson, will swing into theaters courtesy of Columbia Pictures. Clarkson co-wrote the screenplay with Claire Parker, Matt Sazama, and Burk Sharples. Dakota Johnson top lines the film as the titular character, which depicts her origin story in a standalone universe.
Argyle is a fun spy thriller
Director Matthew Vaughn returns to the world of espionage for his latest film, “Argyle” from Universal Pictures. Jason Fuchs pens the screenplay, which, in the simplest of terms, is a razor-witted, reality-bending, globe-encircling spy thriller. Elly Conway, portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard in the movie, is a reclusive author who has written a series of best-selling espionage novels. She finds solace in spending her evenings alone with her computer and her feline companion, Alfie.
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.