Red Notice is clichéd but worth a one-time watch
Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot bring their talents to Netflix in the global comedic adventure Red Notice. Rawson Marshall Thurber, who previously worked with Johnson on the enjoyable popcorn flicks Central Intelligence and Skyscraper, writes and directs the film with the stylish globe-trotting game of cat-and-mouse (and cat).
Second Listen Sunday : Switch, Switch
Earlier this week, Tommy DeBarge of R&B Band Switch, and the famous musical family, DeBarge, was laid to rest. I wanted to look back at Tommy’s Motown debut with his group Switch. The group was not a stranger to the industry, having previously recorded as White Heat and Hot Ice. Switch arrived in record stores on June 17th, 1978.
Second Listen Slow Jam Saturday : The GAP Band, Seasons No Reason To Change
R&B music suffered another loss earlier this week when Ronnie Wilson, a founding member of The GAP Band, passed away. While mainstream music listeners know Charlie Wilson’s name, I wanted to highlight Ronnie and his pen game.
Dangerous doesn’t make the day as an action flick
Scott Eastwood attempts to become the leading man and action hero with Lionsgate Dangerous, from director David Hackl. Ex-con and reformed sociopath Dylan Forrester (Scott Eastwood) is trying to quietly serve out his parole — with the help of a steady supply of antidepressants and his eccentric psychiatrist (Mel Gibson).
Finch guides by on the charm of Tom Hanks
Miguel Sapochnik directs everyman Tom Hanks through another lone-man performance in Finch from Apple TV +. In Finch, a man, a robot, and a dog form an unlikely family as the man goes on a quest to ensure that his beloved canine companion will be cared for after he is gone.
An Eternal let down of a movie
Fresh off her Oscar win for Nomadland, director Chloé Zhao takes a journey into the world of superheroes with Marvel Studios Eternals. Following the events of “Avengers: Endgame,” an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows to reunite against humanity’s most ancient enemy, The Deviants.
Second Listen Sunday : Ray J, This Ain’t A Game
Following a successful two-year stint on the sitcom Moesha, R&B singer Ray J resumed his recording career. The singer’s sophomore disc, This Ain’t a Game, arrived in stores on June 19th, 2001. In the summer of 2001, The Neptunes sound was everywhere, so it was a no-brainer to work with them on the first single, “Wait a Minute.”
Slow Jam Saturday : Janet Jackson, Twenty Foreplay
A year before releasing her sixth solo album, The Velvet Rope, in 1997, Janet Jackson gifted her fans with her first greatest hits album, Design of a Decade: 1986–1996. I remember the initial criticisms about the title since the bulk of the songs were from her third (Control) and fourth (Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814) albums.
Ava DuVernay successfully humanizes Kap in Colin in Black & White
Academy Award Nominee filmmaker Ava DuVernay collaborates with athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick for the Netflix limited series Colin in Black & White. Throughout six episodes, Kaepernick’s coming of age story is chronicled.
Second Listen Sunday : Marvin Gaye, Let’s Get It On
Arriving in stores on August 28, 1973, Let’s Get It On promotion began with its same titled lead single. Co-written with producer Ed Townsend, “Let’s Get It On” was Gaye’s plea for sexual liberation.
Slow Jam Saturday : Tony Thompson, Handle Our Business
Late R&B singer Tony Thompson had already received the stamp of approval from music fans as the lead singer of the R&B quintet Hi-Five. Thompson’s vocals lead the group with hit singles such as “I Like the Way (The Kissing Game),” “She’s Playing Hard To Get,” and “Unconditional Love.”
Dune is one of 2021’s best
Author Frank Herbert’s legendary 1965 science fiction novel receives a second big-screen adaption in Warner Bros. Pictures Dune. Visionary director Denis Villeneuve helms the film and collaborates on the screenplay with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth.