In the “I haven’t heard of this project before” category, we have news about a new movie coming in March 2010 called The Losers. This flick has an all star cast – Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chris Evans, Zoë Saldana, Óscar Jaenada, Idris Elba, and Columbus Short… all of which who of course have impressive resumes.
The only weird part is the director – Sylvain White – who’s directed such uninteresting films (for me anyway) as I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer and Stomp the Yard. That said, this trailer looks quite interesting.
Though I think the big-screen A-Team may blow big chunks, The Losers looks like it may update that premise in a much more pleasing way.
Ok… I’ve seen enough weird news this week to warrant a few comments about some of the things going on in the movie business…
First, La Femme Nikita is back? Again? Let’s hope it’s more like Luc Besson‘s original starring Anne Parillaud or the series on USA starring Peta Wilson. Evidently McG’s involved and in this version (reportedly to air on The CW), Nikita will go rogue and a new assassin will be trained to replace her. Isn’t it odd that they’d call the series La Femme Nikita if she’s not the lead character? Read more at ComingSoon.net.
Next, it’s good to know that Guy Ritchie isn’t afraid to continue the good thing he started with Sherlock Holmes and Robert Downey, Jr. According to multiple sources (ComingSoon.net, FirstShowing.net and The Examiner) his Lobo (DC Comics) movie has been shelved for now and they’re ramping up to work on a script and pre-production for the Holmes sequel. Brad Pitt is rumored to be Moriarty, which should be quite interesting. Pitt as an evil, brilliant villain? Hmmm… (Update: Evidently this rumor has been squashed about Brad as Moriarty, so we’ll see who actually gets to play that role…)
And Michael Bay, king of explosions, is apparently scouting for locations for Transformers 3. The last one wasn’t bad enough? I’m hoping they return to the simpler plot of the first movie, which had me cheering by the end as a popcorn movie. Guess we’ll find out in July 2011. A bit more at ComingSoon.net…
Lastly, in the “Please no, say it ain’t so” category, we have rumors of Sam Worthington (Avatar, Terminator: Salvation) going for the role of Dracula in a new movie about the first vampire. (At least he’s not a teenager…) For me, the last good Dracula was Gary Oldman… and before that Bela Lugosi. Worthington would need to age about 30 years before I’d even consider him for a role like that… Latino Review, MTV, ScreenRant… Everyone’s talking about it and saying the same thing – say it ain’t so!!
That’s it for now… More the next time I have a chance to pull my head out of the sand…
Tickling the ivories. Slapping the keys. Playing the piano. Modern pianos have 88 keys covering seven octaves and three pedals. And though I myself never learned to play well, some of my fondest memories are of my mother sitting before our old upright piano whiling away the minutes into hours as she’d stretch chord and note to chord again… Even now, nothing quite can match the expressiveness of a well-played piano.
Enter Richie Lawrence and his family’s 1917 Model AIII Steinway Grand Piano. On his latest release, Melancholy Waltz, he proves my point with twelve amazing piano and accordion instrumentals and songs. And though his Americana-themed lyrics and vocals weren’t my favorite tracks on the CD, there’s something powerful and joyful about his piano compositions that’s hard to explain. Melancholy Waltz cuts across a majority of his influences – from Americana, blues, and folk – while showing off his talents as not only a performer, but a composer and songwriter.
Lawrence was born in Oklahoma, but lived in Colorado for a time and now calls California home. He’s played everything from blues to Polka and along the way met a literal Who’s Who of famous musicians – Bonnie Raitt, Steve Goodman, Crystal Gayle, America, and George Thorogood as well as the Neville Brothers, David Lindley, Ladysmith Black Mombazo, Little Richard, David Byrne, and more.
Of all the tunes on the album, my favorite is the “Bee’s Blues”, which weaves the classic melody of “Für Elise” with a series of lively ragtime blues riffs that I can listen to over and over again. The joy as Lawrence plays with these melodies comes through loud and clear.
In contrast with the blues, the soft and steady strains of “The Melancholy Waltz” brings to mind a couple dancing through time and space. This is a piano composition I would hope that dance choreographers, television and movie producers take note of for their own shows. It’s impossible for me not to see the waltzing couple as I listen to this gorgeous melody, which ends in a happier place than it begins with a more upbeat/ragtime feel.
And lastly, I’ll talk about “My Oklahoma Hills,” which shows his love for where he was born. He explains in the lyrics that “I left my home behind me / My dreams do travel there still / Through prairie ocean grasses / My Oklahoma hills…” This is for Lawrence what “Country Roads” was for John Denver – a call home through song.
Richie Lawrence’s three decades of experience playing music professionally truly come through in this great album. If you have a love for original piano compositions as I do, be sure to pick up Melancholy Hills. Check out his website – www.richielawrence.com – for more information about the man and his music.
–Fitz
p.s. Look for this and other great albums at Amazon!
The Cold War Kids was formed just a few years ago in California and doesn’t seem to have taken much of a break since 2004. They have even been quoted saying with as often as they’re on tour “Why even have apartments?” CWK seems to thrive on live performances, rather than wanting to be regularly in the studio.
Behave Yourself (Dig) is a collection of four songs and a jam session that didn’t make it onto their Robbers & Cowards or Loyalty to Loyalty albums or their many EPs released since 2005. The band consists of Matt Aveiro on drums, Matt Maust on bass, Jonnie Bo Russell on guitar and Nathan Willett on vocals and piano. And based on these four songs, I have to say they have a unique sound that crosses boundaries.
“An Audience of One” opens the EP with Willett exploring his great range while not listening to the advice proposed by the EP title… Tough to “Behave Yourself” when singing lyrics like “Reach out and point a finger / And touch the globe / Spin around and where it stops / You’ve got to pack your bags and go…” Sounds good to me, but easier to do when you’re young and free!
From there we progress to “Coffee Spoon” with its easy pop guitar and percussion backing Willett’s smooth lyrics once again. This one’s meaning is a bit darker though, perhaps in response to some of the economic troubles the world has been seeing. He sings “my indulgence is a joke / and while everyone laughs / I’m clipping coupons / and saving my breath…” The upbeat music mixed with the messages of consumption and the mismatch with how the voice of the song actually feels makes this one stand out.
“Santa Ana Winds” is my favorite of the four songs. Like “Coffee Spoon” it mixes upbeat and almost happy melodies and percussion with observations of the gritty California world around them. “Easter on Olvera Street / Girls nursing new babies in alleyways / In between is a basin like the great divide…” showing the disconnect between different sides of the same street all too familiar to most inner cities today. Socially conscious rock songs make me feel that younger generations actually have the hope to see a change in their lifetime.
And the last song, “Sermons vs. the Gospel,” continues the socially deep trend, but this time slowing it down to almost a Southern Church feel stripped down to a few bare instruments and voices. “Got this idea in my head and I can’t get it out / cause all your money and all your culture / I can surely live without…” Begging for mercy from the lord in a world where the rich get richer and the poor keep getting poorer…
Having never heard of the Cold War Kids before, I have to say I’m impressed. Solid music and lyrics that make you stop and think. There may be hope yet.
For more details about CWK, their touring schedule, and previous releases be sure to check out their website at www.coldwarkids.com.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up this CWK EP and other albums at Amazon!
About six months ago, I reviewed Care Bears: Tell-Tale Tummies with my two daughters. The DVD featured a collection of eight episodes from the animated series that aired in 2007. We’ve really enjoyed these cute, cuddly characters telling stories aimed at kids in preschool and early elementary. Each episode focuses on a valuable lesson in a very kid-friendly and accessible manner.
If you’re not familiar with the Care Bears, they started as an idea for a line of greeting cards at American Greetings in 1981. Each bear has a unique “belly badge” denoting their magical abilities. For example, Funshine Bear has a sun on his belly and is all about helping his friends have fun. And Cheer Bear has a rainbow on her belly and tries to keep everyone upbeat and cheerful. In 1983, the bears became a very popular series of stuffed animals and the phenomenon began to spread…
By the mid 1980s, the Care Bears had three feature films and their own television show. And it was all rebooted for a new generation in the early 2000s, just in time for all the parents who grew up in the 80s to pass the craving for cute bears down to their own kids. I wasn’t a huge Care Bears fan growing up (though my sister, 5 years my junior, definitely was). But now as a parent, I have to admit that the cartoons provide solid role models and lessons that my daughters can relate to.
Now Lionsgate has released eight never-before seen episodes from the same series and these Care Bears episodes all focus on themes of friendship, responsbility, asking for help, and more — all good lessons for boys and girls growing up and getting ready for preschool or kindergarten. It’s amazing that these bears have not only survived but thrived when so many other cartoons from the 1980s have faded from that same era. I just think it proves that good television for kids can be entertaining and educational if done right.
Included among the eight episodes are:
“Ice Creamed,” which teaches that too much of a good thing is still too much.
“A Little Help” shows that nobody should be afraid to ask for help.
“Rudemate” proves that everyone should strive to be a respectful guest and respect your own things and those of others…”
As you can see, these are simple messages that come through loud and clear as the bears work through problems together. We can all use little reminders like that now and again.
In addition to the episodes, the DVD features “Direct Play,” which allows kids to simply play the DVD without additional assistance from a parent. I know that my youngest daughter, almost 5, definitely benefits from this simpler approach to playing a DVD rather than having to navigate a DVD menu.
If you’re a parent searching for entertaining stories and good lessons for kids, Care Bears: Helping Hearts provides eight great reasons to check it out!
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up this Care Bears DVD and others from Amazon!
Today I heard from the Sundance Institute that there is a “cinematic rebellion” seeking a groundswell of support from the community. As someone who love the creative spirit Sundance embraces each year, I will join the rebellion… Click below to spread the word far and wide!
Check out the free short film (CHONTO by Carson Mell), the opening scene of the about-to-premiere Tamra Davis film Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child and music from John Forté and Capybara… What’s not to like about this rebellion?!?
When you were in elementary or middle school, did you ever feel like you didn’t fit in or couldn’t get interested in some of your school subjects? Alex seems to feel that way. Smart Alex is about Alex Martinez, a smart, sassy 7th grader flirting with trouble and spending far too much time in detention after school. She sits with the table of misfits in the lunch room – the only group she really identifies with. And over the course of the book, she begins to see her own potential and gain some confidence in her abilities.
Though I’m definitely not the target audience for The Girls Know How Series, I wanted to check it out for my eldest daughter who just turned 9. The goal of the series is to help girls see some of the career choices they may not normally consider – journalism, construction, or education are covered as the first three books of the series. It also aims to help readers see the benefits of working together, helping their communities, and applying what they learn in school to different areas of their lives.
Alex’ journey from a loner with low self-confidence and little direction doesn’t happen all at once in Smart Alex. She goes through stages, first discovering her talent for math and joining the MATHCOUNTS team. MATHCOUNTS is a program where a team of four students from one school competes against a team from a different school. During the competition, both teams are given a math problem. The first to buzz in and provide the correct answer gets the points. The team with the most points wins.
Once she joins the team and sees her potential, she tries to answer every question herself – never stopping to ask her team for input. Unfortunately she doesn’t get every answer correct, which causes her team to lose a few competitions. Over time she begins to see that teamwork has its advantages and that her teammates may have the right answer even if she doesn’t.
She also is asked to help a younger student, Ronna, with some math tutoring. Alex initially can’t find a way to help Ronna see the benefits of math, but she begins to see ways to approach the problem through Ronna’s love of baseball. Multiplication, fractions, percentages – all are used in computing batting averages and other important player statistics. And by showing Ronna how the math she used for baseball applied to other areas, she began to see the light.
What I really appreciated about the story was that it never stooped to preaching right and wrong to the kids. Through examples most students will encounter during their academic careers and social issues common to growing up, the lessons learned are much more organic.
My daughter read the book and said she really liked it. “It makes kids think they can do anything they set their mind to,” she said. And I agree. Through the application of effort, a little creativity, and the ability to learn, no task is impossible.
If you’re looking for a good series of books with solid lessons for ages 8 to 12, I would highly recommend you look for The Girls Know How Series. The three books in the series so far are Will Stephanie get the story?, Raising the Roof, and Smart Alex. Be sure to look for them at your favorite bookstore or library. Check out the website girlsknowhow.com for more information.
Creatures of the night have been returning in a big way to bookshelves in recent years. And though Twilight may currently have the market cornered on teenage vampires and werewolves, that doesn’t mean that they are the only game in town. Thomas Emson‘s first novel for Snowbooks was Maneater, published back in 2008, which focused on the intertwined stories of two werewolf bloodlines extending back thousands of years and a policeman who gets drawn into a murderous plot.
In Maneater, Laura Greenacre comes to terms with her wild side as she tries to discover who murdered her family as a child. That honor went to the Templetons, who try to finish the job and resurrect their family to reclaim former glories. John Thorn, a policeman assigned to protect Sir Adam Templeton, finds himself between the families as cascading revenge plots collide. Along the way, Laura and John become romantically entangled as well, but find themselves separated after a battle royale between werewolves in Trafalgar Square.
Now, with Prey, Emson reveals the ragged trail of blood, betrayal, and revenge plotted by Ruth Templeton, now lone matriarch of the Templeton legacy. Ruth desires not only the deaths of Greenacre and Thorn, but for them to suffer the deaths of those they love. Once her two adversaries are gone, she can begin to rebuild the Templeton family and claim her rightful place among the rich and powerful.
As with most revenge plots, things don’t go quite according to plan. Greenacre and Thorn have allies from all over the globe coming to their aid when they are most needed. And when it comes to protecting their own, the two separated lovers will fight to their last breath.
Where Maneater provided more context to the Greenacre/Templeton family feud, Prey focuses on picking up the pieces from the end of the book and following them to their logical conclusion. But don’t worry, the body count, violence, and madness doesn’t let up from where the first book left off. Greenacre, Thorn, and their many enemies manage to consistenly shoot, stab, bash, and sometimes tear people limb from limb.
The book was a bit slow to get going for me, but about a quarter of the way through I discovered that I really liked Major Lev Dasaev, the policeman from Russia. Stuck in a marriage he believed in, but his wife did not, he was a decent man who did the best with what he was given. By the end of the book, Dasaev becomes more of a hero for Greenacre than Thorn does, who spends most of the book trying to stay under the radar or simply survive to protect his daughter.
The battle in New York City‘s Times Square was amazing as it bounced from character to character finally bringing everything to a head. Greenacre fights the good fight and tries to save as many innocents as she can while the men trying to kill her indiscriminately tear through crowds of people left and right. Ultimately she’s saved by those people she saved in Trafalgar Square years before and those who shared her story on the Internet. Everything came full circle again without feeling rushed or engineered.
My only complaint comes with the last two chapters, which were a bit too much like “And they lived happily ever after…” Even though I wanted to be happy for Greenacre, Thorn, and Thorn’s daughter, it seemed rather abrupt to go from Russia to Wales with very little description of how both Greenacre and Ruth manage to suddenly appear. If you read between the lines, the reasoning is there as to how it came to be, but it wasn’t the most satisfying end.
Maneater II: Prey picks right up where Maneater leaves off and wraps everything up for Greenacre and Thorn. I’d still like to know more about the history between the Templetons and the Greenacres, but I’m not left wondering what comes next – just about what came before. Be sure to check out Prey when it’s released in paperback in February 2010!
You can also learn more about Thomas Emson and his books at his website: ThomasEmson.net.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up this and other great books at Amazon!
DVD Review: Metamorphosis (2007) - Image via Wikipedia Hi all… Sometimes even the combination of an amazing story from Hungary in the 16th century, a beautiful actress, and Connor MacLeod can’t quite get a movie on track. Filmed in... […]
Book Review: The Season of Risks by Susan Hubbard - Hi there! What is the difference between seeing the world at fifteen and seeing it at twenty-two? As a teenager, you may wish to be perceived as an adult, but once you are an adult you no longer have... […]
Music Review: Eight Moons – Omnimi - Hi again! Have you ever seen a movie where music composer John Williams did a movie score? His film scores for movies such as Star Wars, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Harry Potter and the... […]
There used to be an Amazon ad here, but since Amazon and the state of Colorado can't agree on how to handle taxes, they've blocked my affiliate account. From now on or until this is resolved, links to products will be through Barnes and Noble.
The only weird part is the director – Sylvain White – who’s directed such uninteresting films (for me anyway) as I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer and Stomp the Yard. That said, this trailer looks quite interesting.![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=25cdd0d9-d326-4596-b95e-1757cfa03a4d)
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