Slow Jam Saturday : New Edition, Helplessly In Love
R&B group New Edition was at crossroads in the summer of 1987. The group’s fourth album, Under the Blue Moon, and their only one as a quartet, had only achieved gold sales. Those numbers were very different from the platinum sales of their previous two albums.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is a lively good time
The other animated chipmunks you grew up with receive a live-action feature film in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers from director Akiva Schaffer. Chip and Dale live amongst cartoons and humans in modern-day Los Angeles, but their lives are pretty different now. It has been decades since their successful television series was canceled, and Chip (voice of John Mulaney) has succumbed to a life of suburban domesticity as an insurance sales clerk.
Alex Garland explores toxic masculinity in Men
Director Alex Garland takes a foray into folk horror for his junior film, Men from A24. In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper (Jessie Buckley) retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal.
Second Listen Sunday : Kci, My Book
No matter what the musical genre is when it comes to groups, there is always a clamoring for a member to pursue solo endeavors. Kci Hailey of Jodeci is a singer in this category ever since Jodeci made its debut. Like most R&B fans, when Kci delivered his first solo record (a cover of Bobby Womack’s “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” on Jason’s Lyric soundtrack in 1994, I thought a solo debut was right around the corner.
Slow Jam Saturday : Chico Debarge , Player Hater
Chico DeBarge made a fantastic comeback to the music scene in the late nineties with two solid solo albums in the form of Long Time No See and The Game. Around late summer 2000, Chico seemingly stopped promoting his recent release.
Rebel Wilson saves Senior Year from getting a failing grade
Rebel Wilson returns to acting following a brief hiatus in Netflix’s Senior Year from director Alex Hardcastle. The film’s opening introduces us to Stephanie (Wilson) amid an apology via social media. Senior Year then flashes back to 2002, and we meet the younger version of Stephanie (Angourie Rice), the most popular girl in her high school.
Firestarter is a burnt out adaptation
Keith Thomas returns to the horror genre for his second feature as a director in Firestarter from Blumhouse and Universal Pictures.
Vulgar humor gravitates throughout Super Cool
Following a stint in the world of television, director Teppo Airaksinen makes a return to features in Vertical Entertainment’s Super cool. High school nerds Neil (Jake Short) and Gilbert’s (Miles J. Harvey) lifelong friendship is tested when Neil’s wish to transform into a handsome ‘cool’ guy comes true.
Second Listen Sunday : Ron Isley, Mr. I
Ron Isley’s name is synonymous with legendary music. Even before I entered the world in 1981, Mr. Isley’s group, The Isley Brothers, had already released nineteen albums. Serving as the signature voice of the group, Ron never officially released a solo project until 2010’s Mr. I.
Slow Jam Saturday : Calvin Richardson , Not Like This
Despite releasing a strong southern soul-influenced debut in the form of 1999’s Country Boy, North Carolina bred singer wouldn’t break through until his sophomore album 2:35 PM four years later, which featured the hit single “More Than A Woman.” While that is a great song, I wanted to highlight my favorite track from the album, “Not Like This.”
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a trippy fur ride
Legendary director Sam Raimi makes a return to the world of superheroes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness from Walt Disney Studios. Serving as The fifth film in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness picks a few months after Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Routine action & plot clichés abound in Black Site but that’s perfectly fine
Award-winning short director Sophia Banks makes her feature-directing debut with the action flick Black Site from Vertical Entertainment. John Colee and Jinder Ho pen the film’s script, which features a familiar story. CIA Agent Abby Trent (Michelle Monaghan) manages an underground black site facility that imprisons dangerous and high-risk detainees.