Slow Jam Saturday: Gerald Levert, “Christmas Without My Girl”
When we reflect on Gerald Levert’s career, one of the most surprising things is that he never released a Christmas album. Given his immense talent, I am certain he could have easily crafted an album filled with romantic slow jams and festive holiday grooves.
Slow burn, strong lead: “The Secret Agent” earns its time
Often times during Awards Season I’ll hear about a film that I usually don’t get a chance to see until getting a screener link for awards consideration. The Secret Agent fits squarely into that category—a title that’s been quietly circulating among critics for months, earning serious admiration, and once you finally sit with it, you understand why.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”, Avatar third chapter finds its limits
When we last saw the Sully family—Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), their sons Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) and the late Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), their adopted daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), youngest child Tuktirey (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), and human teenager Miles “Spider” Socorro (Jack Champion)—they were grappling with a devastating loss of Neteyam following their battle against the resurrected Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang).
Second Listen Sunday: Stephanie Mills “Christmas”
As we prepare to celebrate another holiday season, this week I wanted to give flowers to Stephanie Mills for Second Listen Sunday.
“Song Sung Blue” covers love, loss, and Neil Diamond at full volume
One thing that my friends and family will tell you about me is that I love a good musical biopic. Now and then, one catches you off guard, plays a familiar tune, and then strikes a chord that resonates deeply. “Song Sung Blue” from Focus Features and directed by Craig Brewer, who also pens the script, is one of those films.
Second Listen Sunday: Jennifer Hudson, “The Gift of Love”
Most of the standards, including “O Holy Night,” “The Christmas Song,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” follow familiar structures. However, with Hudson’s rich and resonant voice, the goal isn’t necessarily to reinvent these classics but to interpret them. She treats these songs with respect, bending the notes just enough to make them her own without overdoing it.
Slow Jam Saturday: The Stylistics, “When You’ve Got Love, It’s Christmas All Year Long”
Often, when an artist releases a holiday album, it typically features the usual songs.
Chasing shadows in the age of clout: “Influencers” levels up the game
Kurtis David Harder’s “Influencers” doesn’t just pick up where “Influencer” left off—it leaps forward, shifting the series’ tone from psychological unease to an exhilarating globe-trotting pursuit.
A sinfully good threequel: “Wake Up Dead Man” justifies its own existence
“Wake Up Dead Man” marks the third entry in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” saga, an expansion that feels almost accidental. The first film was a sharp, self-contained mystery—a clever modern riff that didn’t necessarily call for sequels.
Second Listen Sunday: Brandy, “Christmas with Brandy”
As “the Vocal Bible,” also known as Ms. Brandy Norwood, concludes her co-headlining tour, “The Boy Is Mine,” with Monica, I decided to revisit her 2023 holiday album, “Christmas with Brandy,” for this week’s Second Listen Sunday and to kick off the holiday season.
Slow Jam Saturday : Coco Jones, “Skip My House”
Coco Jones is having an outstanding year. As the final season of “Bel-Air” recently kicked off, she got engaged and released a new single just in time for the holidays titled “Skip My House.” Co-written by Jones, Avital Margulies, and Sara Diamond, this catchy song continues the trend she started last year with her impressive EP, “Coco By The Fireplace.”
Opening the Vault: “The New Yorker” at 100 Reveals its secrets
For nearly a century, The New Yorker has been like that cool, enigmatic kid in the corner—impeccably dressed and soft-spoken but always wielding the sharpest pen in the room.