Top 5 of 2006 - Movies

1) Mission Impossible III
Just pure unadulterated fun.

2) Children of Men
Subtle performances make for a striking film.

3) Pans Labyrinth
An astonishingly imaginative movie, with some gorgeous imagery. The mix of brutal reality and unsettling fantasy is handled with aplomb.

4) The Departed
A uniformly excellent cast, but Jack Nickleson still steals the show, and looks like he had the time of his life doing it.

5) Thank You For Smoking
Witty and thought provoking, Aaron Ekhart somehow has you believing that smoking is OK.

Runners up:

Little Miss Sunshine

Top 5 of 2006 - Albums

1) Right Where You Want Me - Jesse McCartney
I could listen to this album until the cows come home. Irresistibly perfect pop.

2) Once Again - John Legend
Timeless songs and a voice to die for. This album is in a completely different league to his debut.

3) Back To Basics - Christina Aguilera
This could have topped my list, but the weaker first disc brought it down a few notches. The second cd however, is pure bliss.

4) Undiscovered – James Morrison
A new voice for 2006. You couldn’t squeeze more emotion out of his mouth, even if you used both hands.

5) Walk With Me - Jamelia
This lovely lady surpassed all my expectations. She has brought us pop for the 21st century.

Runners up:

(in no particular order)

FutureSex / LoveSounds - Justin Timberlake
Loose - Nelly Furtado
Mr. A-Z - Jason Mraz
On The Jungle Floor - Van Hunt
State of Mind - Raul Midon
The Evolution of Robin Thicke - Robin Thicke

Shirley Walker 1945 - 2006 RIP

:(

From "www.musicfromthemovies.com":

"Another star has gone out in Hollywood this week as it has been announced that composer Shirley Walker has died at the age of 61; she suffered a brain aneurism and did not regain consciousness. The composer was something of a trailblazer for women film composers, scoring an array of projects from the early 1980s including Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Willard and the Final Destination trilogy. Walker worked largely in a comfortable niche of dark movie material and a host of animated incarnations of favourite comic books, including Superman, Batman and Spawn, though she was more than able in other genres, as scores like Willard showed. The talented composer also served regularly as an orchestrator, arranger and conductor, most notably perhaps for Danny Elfman, with whom she worked on Batman and Edward Scissorhands amongst others. Her final score, Black Christmas, can be heard in cinemas this holiday season…

It’s another sad loss for the film music world and so soon after the death of Basil Poledouris, who was also 61."

At least it wasnt "Pheasant Plucking"

Bet you didn’t know that an Irishman (and one from Cavan at that!) holds the world record for fastest turkey plucking. Well.........now ya do :P

Royale Flush

CASINO ROYALE

I’ve never been a huge fan of the Bond series, so it was highly unlikely that this one was going to win me over. This, the 21st Bond movie is being marketed as a restart of the series. In the wake of the recent Mission Impossible and Borne franchises, Bond has toughened up. Gone are the gadgets and the quippy one-liners. Instead we are graced with a whole new Bond (played by Daniel Craig), with a grittier attitude. He’s certainly more aggressive than previous Bonds (the fight scenes are a lot more brutal this time round), but he’s not as suave with the ladies.

Craig gives a decent performance though, and is certainly capable of the hefty action that’s demanded of him. The Bond Girl “du jour”, played by Eva Green is a total bore and there’s absolutely no chemistry between her and Craig. The villain of the piece Mads Mikkelsen is decidedly more understated than previous outings, but also comes across as a bit of a wimp.

The action set pieces possess an energy that’s been sorely lacking from the series. The added touch of realism only serves to accentuate the danger and most of the sequences are quite thrilling :D The music, almost like a Bond character in itself, is as glorious as ever. Even the title track was a noticeable improvement over the past few movies.

Like most Bond movies though, the plot is all over the place and is best ignored. I continually found myself wondering how he figured out where to go next as he made seemingly giant leaps of logic from the smallest and most obscure of clues. The film also runs for FAR too long, with a serious dip in action during the poker game (supposedly the centre-piece of the movie).

Bond traditionalist might have a hard time accepting some of the changes, but I’m sure few can criticise Craig. It’s a foregone conclusion that the series will continue, but sadly this movie did nothing to spark my interest in any future entries.

The Good:

Daniel Craig: A new Bond for a new Millennium, he really made the role his own.
The music: David Arnold continues to safeguard one of the franchises most cherished legacies.
Judi Dench: This woman can do no wrong.

The Bad:

Eva Green: Slightly dowdy and wetter than a used bath towel.
The plot: Messy, uneven and there’s some DEPLORABLE dialogue thrown in.
The product placement: Sony, you should be ashamed of yourselves :P

Oh and while on the subject of Bond, I’m loving the new Bond-themed video from the Scissor Sisters! Much better than the sequence used in Casino Royale! :D

And for my next trick

THE PRESTIGE

( WARNING : SPOILERS )

This is a movie solely driven by the bitter animosity between two men, played by Bale and Jackson. If you take that away, there’s nothing left. Having their rivalry escalate throughout the movie made me feel increasingly uncomfortable. For me, that’s not what I’d call an enjoyable cinema experience.

The plot (which jumps between time periods all through the movie) considers itself far cleverer than it actually is. The twist at the end is quite obvious long before it’s actually revealed, mostly because of the heavy-handed hints given to us along the way. And the final scene, which was meant to have some shock value to it, ends up being more like “well yeah, we guessed that already”.

Still, it is a movie that tries its best to keep you on your toes and some of the more confusing plot points would no doubt be cleared up by a repeat viewing. A fine cast and exceptional production make the movie watchable at the very least.

The Good

Christian Bale: as ever, he devotes himself entirely to the role and pulls off another amazing performance.
The production: London of old lives and breathes in this movie. Absolutely exquisite to behold.

The Bad

The plot: The disjointed timeline of the movie seems a bit old hat after having carried off a similar device in Memento. And the whole movie is just a glut of negative emotions.

Again, and again and again and again and again

ONCE AGAIN ~ John Legend

“Get Lifted” was such an incredible album to launch with. A popular and critical success, it ticked all the right boxes and had Kanye Wests rubber stamp of approval on it. By anyone’s standards, it would be a hard act to follow.

But where his first was a hotchpotch of sounds, old and new, his latest album “Once Again” is much more focused and has a definite retro vibe to it. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine this album as a crackling LP spinning on an old-time record player. Everything from the instrumentation to the production is a throwback to golden age of Motown (with one or two exceptions). This overarching style certainly wont be everyone’s cup of tea, but that era is a particular favourite of mine.

I used to think that John, as an artist, was something Kanye West gave birth to, but Kanyes influence on this album is minimal, and almost every track is co-penned by John himself.

By and large, the album is dominated by the theme of love. The melodies range from light and bouncy, to lush and romantic. There’s nothing too heavy going on here. Johns voice is as emotive as ever and just like Stevie Wonder, his songs contain notes that would sound completely off key if anyone else but him sang them.

John Legend is definitely back, not with a bang, but more of a sensual thrust :P

Standout Tracks

• Show Me
• Each Day Gets Better
• P.D.A (We Just Don’t Care)
• Again
• Where Did My Baby Go

The word of God

So after two years, I’ve finally made it through the entire run of PREACHER graphic novels! Penned by Garth Ennis and drawn by Steve Dillon, this series was completely different from anything I had read previously. Never before had I read a comic that compelled me to devour issue after issue till the book was finished. Comprising nine volumes in all, there were some that I got through in less than a day!

What first struck me about Preacher was its prominent use of foul language. It was course and colourful and rarely let up. There was also more violence and gore than you could shake a Texas Chainsaw murderer at. Having been brought up on a staple diet of Spiderman and X-men comics, reading Preacher made me feel like a youngster who’d just snuck into an 18s movie :P

The characters felt real and nuanced and garnered genuine concern from me over the course of their many wild adventures. The art wasn’t much to speak of, but was perfectly suited to the raw and gritty dialogue. The over-arching story (the search for god) kept me interested, mainly because I was curious to see how a subject so far-reaching could ever be resolved. The smaller in-between character-building stories were much more interesting though. The conclusion felt a bit underwhelming, but it was one HELL of a ride getting there! So what are you doing still reading this when you could be out there reading Preacher right now? GO! GET! :D

Basil Poledouris 1945 - 2006 RIP

Fans of film music the world over have mourned the passing of Basil Poledouris, who died of cancer on the 8th of November.

While not as instantly recognisable as the Horners or the Williams of the movie scoring world, Poledouris has composed some of the biggest, most lyrically beautiful music to ever grace the big screen.
His highlights included: Conan The Barbarian (an absolute classic), Robocop, Lonesome Dove, The Hunt For Red October, Free Willy, The Jungle Book, Starship Troopers (one of my personal favourites) and Les Misérables. Even though he became less prolific in recent years, his legacy will never be forgotten. R.I.P.

Flavour of the week - Ryan Phillippe

In celebration of his new-found single status :D (and if you squint real hard, doesn't he remind you a lil of James Dean in the fifth pic?)

The ballad of Britters and Fed-Ex

Sings: “Tis the season for the breakups, fa la la la la, la la la la”.

First Whitney and Bobby call it a day (FINALLY, after a turbulent 14 years), then Ryan and Reece decide to end their vows (after a modest, but still respectable 7 years). Now Britney and K-Fed, after a hefty two years of wedded bliss, are seeking a divorce due to that old nugget “irreconcilable differences” (now who saw THAT one coming?! :P)

I find that that particular excuse is used a little too much by celeb couples these days. You ever wonder what exactly those irreconcilable differences could be?

Does he constantly sleep on HER preferred side of the bed? Does Britney repeatedly take Kevins bike out for a ride without permission? Is she a cat person and hes a dog person? Does Kevin leave the toilet seat up on purpose and flat out refuses to change his wild ways? For once, I’d really like to know! :D

The artist formally known as Thicke (aka: TAFKAT)

THE EVOLUTION OF ROBIN THICKE ~ Robin Thicke

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this album was a long time coming.

Robin Thickes debut album “A Beautiful World”, released in 2003, is one of my absolute all-time favourite albums. As such, my expectations for his follow-up “The Evolution of Robin Thicke” were sky high.

Admittedly, I’m not the most patient of men, so to see the albums release date pushed back month after month was maddening. Almost a full year had passed from the time the first single was released, to when the album finally hit the shelves. Though apparently Robin, a notorious perfectionist, imposed almost all the delays himself. Songs were repeatedly added and dropped from the tentative track listing. Even some of the songs used for promotional purposes didn’t end up on the final disc.

The choice of singles prior to the albums release was unforgivable. The first was a monotonous Neptunes produced number, “Wanna Love U Girl”. The second was “Shooter”, a mangled remix of a track from his first album. The third was an uninspired remix of the bland first single (supposed formula for success: alter the beat and add more rappers). It wasn’t until the release of the (frankly brilliant) fourth single “Lost Without U” that I felt a glimmer of hope for the rest of the album.

Getting onto the album proper, it didn’t immediately grab me by the balls like his first one did. Very few of the tracks displayed the same kind of dynamic sound that made his debut so unique. But it became obvious early on in my listens that this release was going to be more of a slow burner. The first track on the album was an interesting choice. A duet with Faith Evans, she actually opened the track (and therefore the album), with Robin coming in as backing vocals after about 40 seconds. The rest of the disc is a mixture of mellow R&B cuts, piano-led ballads and a couple of interesting up-tempo numbers. The highlights of this album were the quiet lil ballads. Robins breathy, yet earnest vocals resonated with emotion and made the songs feel so intimate, like you were listening to something private and ever-so personal.

In the time honoured “Prince” tradition, he writes, produces and plays the instruments on almost every single track on the album. This is impressive in its own right, but at the same time exemplifies the kind of control freak he is. Taking a cue from the title, I think there has been a significant change in Robins output this time round. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call it an “evolution”, but the sound here is considerably more mature, coherent and refined than it was in “A Beautiful World”. At any rate, this was a very personal album. Unlike the first album, none of the songs compel you to get up and dance, but quite a few will have you grinding the hips. That distinction is very telling. I found that this time round, I actually preferred the tracks that weren’t as heavily produced. I think it lends a more intimate feel to the songs, sounding as if they were recorded live, with a small accompanying band.

My main beef with the album would be its considerable length, clocking in at just over an hour and a quarter. A number of tracks could have been culled entirely to allow for a leaner listening experience. The only other fault with the album is that it panders to a hip-hop audience on a number of selected tracks. I think that flirting with this genre was a blatant attempt to come across as more credible artist. Sadly, those particular songs are terribly sub-par and totally indistinguishable from the plethora of other hip-hop songs currently heard on the airwaves.

After the dismal failure of his debut, I think Robin might have played things a little safe with this album, as its certainly more accessible than his first. But at the same time, it’s nowhere near as progressive or dynamic as I’d have hoped for. Still, if I were to disregard the handful of generic hip-hop songs, the album holds up very well. (Oh who am I kidding, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the album. Yes, the above review is a little harsh, but I just hold Robin to a slightly higher standard than most other artists. Its tough love people! But theres just no faulting his silky smooth voice :D)

Standout Tracks:

• Got 2 Be Down
• Complicated
• Lost Without U
• Everything I Cant Have
• Teach U A Lesson
• I Need Love
• Cocaine
• 2 The Sky
• Lonely World
• Angels

(Yes, that most of the album :P)

From Pleasantville to Splitsville

If you’ll allow me, I’m gonna take a break from my usual reviews and such and get all sentimental on your ass...

Last week it was announced that after seven years of wedded bliss, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe had decided to separate. Somehow this news flew totally under my radar for a few days, but when I did finally hear about it, I was completely taken aback. I know that its not exactly unheard of for Hollywood couples break up, but I always had this feeling that these two (knowing them as intimately as I do :P ) were matched for life. So it really did pain me to hear that Hollywood’s most perfect power couple had called it a day.

The pair met on the set of Cruel Intentions, where Ryan’s character was on a mission to woo the untouchable Reese. Perhaps he’s something of a method actor, cause a few months later the two were wed, and went on to have two children :D

I’m somewhat disappointed that the illusion of my fairytale couple has been shattered, but I still wish them both all the luck in the future!

Sweet love?

Has anyone else happened to notice the new ad campaign for "Chupa Chups"? And if so, is anyone else as shocked as I am at how brazenly sexual and filthy it is?

The poster (adorning many a bus shelter) has Polaroids of two young women with lollipops wedged in their mouths. Beneath the photos reads the line: "The Pleasure of Sucking".

I'll admit that my mind perpetually LIVES in the gutter, so the poster got a juvenile lil giggle from me. But since when has the sweet company targeted the older demographic? Considering that these sweets are traditionally sold to young children, I think that the subtext of the ad is a TAD too explicit in nature. Ah, maybe I'm just reading into a bit too much, but kudos to the marketing department that managed to get that past the advertising watchdogs :P

Flavour of the week - Chris Evans

Some totally random Chris Evans facts:

• Hes of Irish / Italian descent
• He doesnt smoke or drink
• Hes a vegetarian

You better know her name

WALK WITH ME ~ Jamelia

I didn’t really know what to expect from Jamelia this time round. Her debut "Drama" didn’t interest me in the slightest, but I was quite a fan of her follow up “Thank You”. As such, I was hoping for big things from her new release “Walk With Me” and thankfully, she didnt disappoint.

Not only has she produced another blistering album, but it actually surpasses her sophomore effort by MILES. Even though "Thank You" was quality stuff, it was very heavily influenced by the American music scene and at times it felt like she was trying just a lil too hard to be a “credible black artist”.

“Walk With Me” veers away from a purely RnB sound to more of an edgy funk-pop vibe, very much in the vein of the SugaBabes. As with her previous album, the production is damn impressive, there was obviously no scrimping or scraping of old pennies on this one. By and large it’s a cheery, uptempo album, with more samples than you can shake a stick at! The songs momentarily dip in quality somewhere in the middle, but pick up again towards the end. And while its full of female empowerment, it doesnt smack of that man-hating vibe that plagues so many female artist albums these days (oh you KNOW who I'm talking about!).

With "Walk With Me", Jamelia has solidified her position as one of the most important women working in the British music industry today. Hopefully this album will finally get her the recognition she deserves :D Oh and you've GOT to check out the vid to her latest single "Beware the Dog", its an absolute scorcher!

Standout Tracks:

• Something About You
• Do Me Right
• Window Shopping
• Know My Name
• Aint a Love
• Beware the Dog
• Hustle

He loveded you

Aww, how cute is G.I.R ?! I doodled this at my desk in work a few years back.

How about over by the couch?

RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT ME ~ Jesse McCartney

Lets not beat around the bush here, this guy is pop, pure and simple. I’ll admit that when I first saw what he looked like, horrid visions of Aaron Carter drove themselves into my brain and the thoughts of what music might spew forth from his mouth chilled me to the bone. But since my bro recommended him (and he has a fair idea what I do and don’t like) I gave him a chance. Jesse McCartney has now become something of a guilty pleasure for me. His brand of simple, harmless pop music is a breath of fresh air compared to my usual heady mix of urban/scores that dominate my playlists.

With his sophomore effort, Jesse has crafted a perfect pop record (in my humble opinion). The disc still bounces along with the same bright and breezy tone of his self-titled debut, but this time guitars are a little more prevalent. His voice has matured somewhat and thankfully the slight whine that often emerged during his higher notes has now been brought under control. This album is still aimed squarely at the teenage market, girls in particular, but that never stopped me enjoying such music before :P

After just a few listens, you’d swear you’d known these songs all your life. The style of some are reminiscent of classic Backstreet Boys (but acoustic, without the dated synth edge), while others almost verge on vintage 60s pop. Vocally, a few comparisons have been made with Adam Levine, and there’s no arguing that the standout track on the album “Feeling You” sounds like it could be straight off Maroon 5s next record (.....at least SOMEONES still making Maroon 5 songs, since the band themselves seem content to churn out one live album after another >:(

While a few of the tracks still cross that line into saccharine sweet, the majority of the album is right on the money. Pop aficionados will embrace this with open arms. Highly recommended :D

Standout Tracks:

• Right Where You Want Me
• Just So You Know
• Blow Your Mind
• Just Go
• We Can Go Anywhere
• Feelin You

Picture Testing

I've always been a huge fan of the TV show "Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles". Not only were the stories and characters more complex and realistic than your average saturday morning cartoon, but the CG aspect of the show was also groundbreaking for its time. Its frightening to think that these days the next-gen consoles can come close to rendering (on the fly) shots that took the Roughnecks team weeks to pre-render!

My First Post!

I'll keep this short and hopefully sweet (as I've no idea how this will look when its posted)!