Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) has never let me down with his superb filmmaking, which continues with this installment in his filmography.  After the conclusion of the Cornetto Trilogy, Wright was expected to direct Ant-Man.  However, Peyton Reed (Bring It On) got to helm the Marvel film leaving Wright time to work on an original film of his own.  Wright is clearly a perfectionist when it comes to film editing.  Similarly to his previous creations, Baby Driver flows seamlessly with constant transitions.  The film runs in high gear with fun action sequences comparable to The Fast and Furious franchise.  

One thing that this film can hold over The Fast and Furious is a sustainable plotline.  The story never grows stale because the characters are enjoyable and well-acted.  There is not a lot of cheesy dialogue, even though there are plenty of jokes throughout the film.  At times, I felt like the characters and settings were influenced by Pulp Fiction.  There is certainly a high amount of blood and gore, which might also have brought Tarantino's masterpiece into my mind.  The comedic dialogue plays off of the mature imagery, distracting the audience from the seriousness of violence.  Just when you start to feel grossed out by the film, the script reminds you that this is all fun and games.  

As with all of Edgar Wright's previous films, this one does not need to remind audiences of reality.  This is a film to enjoy because of how it was made, not because of the values it holds.  Sure there are some lessons that we can learn from the film (such as, don't mess with Kevin Spacey), but we never have to compare the film with our own lives.  For that, I thank Mr. Wright.  Sometimes, I like to sit back and look at the technical aspects of film creation.  Baby Driver shows us that we do not only need big franchises to have fun in theaters.

The only complaint that I can come up with for this film is the soundtrack.  For a film focused around music, I was hoping for more iconic music.  It is hard to release a film like this after audiences have familiarized themselves with Guardians of the Galaxy.  The soundtrack for Baby Driver is filled with fuel and fire tracks, but there is nothing that compares to the use of "Don't Stop Me Now" in Shaun of the Dead.  If Wright had given me a comparable track in this film, I would really be in love with this film!

The Bottom Line: Edgar Wright's first film after the completion of the Cornetto Trilogy is another sweet treat for audiences who enjoy high-octane entertainment!

Score: 9.3/10

Image credit: By Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27437520

May 22nd
Marsh McCall (b. 1964) - Just Shoot Me!
Dina Merrill (b. 1923) - The Player

May 23rd
Kofi Bucknor (b. 1953) - Heritage Africa
Nicole Leblanc (b. 1941) - Audition
Sir Roger Moore (b. 1927) - The Spy Who Love Me

May 24th
Jared Martin (b. 1941) - Aenigma
Gil Portes (b. 1945) - The Kite

May 26th
Toni Bertorelli (b. 1949) - The Passion of the Christ

Image credit: ​By Allan warren - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9589901

One week prior to the hyped release of the new Kendrick Lamar record, was Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ and his sophomore studio album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. While it may have been overshadowed soon after its release, it is by all means the stronger project.

Bada$$ progresses from the old-school hip-hop sound he established on his mixtape (1999) and first studio work (B4.DA.$$), turning towards conscious rap with some heavy pop appeal. Early fans of Joey might find his move from his patented aggressive flow as an artistic step back.  Initially, I did as well. But it’s clear that his new sound is a maturation and refinement of his previous work. Sure, he aims for the appeal of a wider audience on ALL-AMERIKKAN BADA$$, but he never sacrifices his lyrics or the music. It results in a focused project with a clear message. Sonically, the album is jazzy and uplifting, while remaining catchy. It perfectly complements what he has to say. It’s impressive to see the artistic maturity and evolution he is capable of at only 22 years old.

ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ contemplates on the state of black people in America, focusing on social wrongs and the possibilities of peace in the country. Joey preaches a positive message about awareness and a state of good we can reach. He may attempt to cover too many topics, ranging from racism, police brutality, the media, and the origins of these social ailments. It’s not exactly original, but he commits the entire album to this concept and comes off incredibly thoughtful. He does not try to solve any of these issues, nor should we expect that. It’s just one man’s thoughts that he wants off his chest. Joey is engaging through his passion and relays his message’s significance through his voice. The closing track “Amerikkkan Idol” encompasses the album’s plight, accumulating into a powerful final verse. The content is focused and is one of the most lyrically impressive moments in Joey’s career.

Joey Bada$$ also showcases his technical writing skills prominently in the tracks “Land of the Free”, “Y U Don’t Love Me? (Miss Amerikkka)”, and “Babylon”. “Land of the Free” touches on his ambition to influence and create a better future. The highlight of the track appears in its bridge, “Full house on my hands, the cards I was dealt/Three K's, two A's in AmeriKKKa/I'm just a black spade spawned out the nebula/And everything I do or say today that's worthwhile/Will for sure inspire actions in your first child.”

“Y U Don’t Love Me? (Miss Amerikkka)” is one of the more interesting cuts on the record. It is framed as a love song with America as the woman. Joey uses repetition throughout his verses and the chorus to emphasize all the wrongs America has done to himself and his people. “Why you treat me like I don’t matter?/Why you always kicking my ladder?/Why you never hearing my side to the story?/Never look me in my eyes, say sorry?” “Babylon” is one the few songs where Joey really explodes, letting his aggressive and violent flow take over. Each verse showcases the best of Bada$$, the lyrics and the delivery. However, this highlights one of the issues on ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. For most of the track listing Joey opts for a softer, higher-register flow. They are nice and fit the album’s theme, but do not play to his strengths. Joey Bada$$ differentiates himself as an emcee with his dark and raspy vocals. There are few who can match his passionate anger when he gets his voice low over a verse. (Example: “Christ Conscious” on B4.DA.$$). It would have been preferable if he brought this to the table a few more times on the album.

Musically, Joey Bada$$ assembled his catchiest and most refined set of hooks. One after another, “For My People”, “Temptatio”, “Land of the Free”, and “Devastated” all deliver excellent sounds. Joey also does a great job by carrying these choruses on his own. He sings over all four of those tracks, and it seems like he really made an effort to fine tune his voice. Definitely a welcome surprise to the record.

At about the halfway point of the album, we are finally given our first banger. “Rockabye Baby” hits hard. Heavy guitars and bass drive over a haunting piano loop for one of the most interesting instrumentals. Schoolboy Q appears as the first feature of the album and is fantastic. The next track, “Ring the Alarm”, keeps the intensity up. The piano loop paired with deep, pumping bass creates yet another strange instrumental. Meechy Darko of Flatbush Zombies is perfect over the hook.

The majority of the album has a jazzier feel with slick synths and soft drums. Both “For my People” and “Land of the Free” have a funky feel to their grooves, while “Temptation” brings on some horns and a guitar. “Babylon” is another instrumental highlight as Joey embraces his Jamaican roots with some easy sounding horns and keys. The song features reggae singer Chronixx and is another great guest performance on the project. The limited list of features including J. Cole on “Legendary”, Kirk Knight on “Ring the Alarm”, Meechy, ScHoolboy Q, and Chronixx all felt meaningful. Each was given a strong opportunity to shine with their talents. Despite all this there are some weaknesses in the music. Around the end of the record, “Super Predator”, “Legendary”, and “Amerikkkan Idol” seem to blend together instrumentally. There isn’t much differentiating them and it can begin to feel rather stale. It also does not help that the Styles P feature on “Super Predator” was underwhelming.

ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ is a focused and concise musical effort, featuring a solid concept and great performances across the board. Bada$$ makes noticeable improvements in both his sung hooks and song-writing. The project is aimed towards a wider pop appeal, delivering catchy rhythms and vibes without sacrificing its content and lyrics. Musically it does not fall into the common traps of pop-rap. With such a mature catalogue and noticeable progressions, it’s easy to forget Joey Bada$$ is just 22 and only on his second studio record.
 
Score: 8.5/10

Favorite Tracks: “For My People”, “Temptation”, “Land of the Free”, “Devastated”, “Rockabye Baby”, “Ring the Alarm”, “Babylon”, “Amerikkkan Idol”
​
Least Favorite Tracks: “Super Predator”

Image credit: ​By G. Carus (talk) 21:30, Oktober 2013 (UTC) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29109035

Every so often, you need to sit back and watch a classic comedy from the past.  Modern times are filled with bad news, indecent conflicts, and too much seriousness.  Mel Brooks (The Producers) reminds us of simpler times, when we could relax and not worry about who we offended.  This is a blessing and a curse for the acclaimed director.  I like the idea of his films, but a lot of the time they are too simple in their punchlines.  Throughout Blazing Saddles, Brooks relies on racial stereotypes and sexual content to make jokes.  ​Blazing Saddles is unique because of Brooks's direction, but grows stale after the same jokes continue to appear.

For me, it was hard to settle into the genre that Brooks has molded over time.  The first half hour of the film creates the western setting for the film.  We see a chain-gang working on a railroad in the middle of nowhere.  We see vast landscapes, saloons, and small-towns in the western setting of the properly-titled film.  However, the script shows us right away that this is not a typical western genre.  Offensive racial terms are dropped here and there, without any sign of remorse.  It's as if the offensive words were never outlawed by society.  After the first half hour, we finally get to see the redeeming trait of the film, the bromance between Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) and Cleavon Little (Vanishing Point​).  Both of these actors carry the film forward, progressing a storyline that constantly changes.

The storyline remains interesting for the full runtime, because of how unpredictable it is.  Nothing really makes sense, but the plot is still linear.  It's as if Brooks had no idea of where he wanted to take the film.  From the very start, we are introduced to oddball characters that are not worth remembering because they only show up once or twice.  Rather than being a clear narrative, Blazing Saddles is an hour-and-a-half of improv filmmaking.  While it may not be for me, I do acknowledge that Brooks has defined his own genre throughout his career.

The Bottom Line: It is hard to relate with a comedy as obscure as this one, but the cast helps progress the story with likable and unlikable characters meshed together.

​Score: 5/10

Image credit: ​By Towpilot - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1140646

May 8th
Curt Lowens (b. 1925) - Angels & Demons
Kenny Miller (b. 1931) - Blood Stalkers
Mary Tsoni (b. 1987) - Dogtooth
Frank Zieger (b. 1975) - Conviction

May 9th
Al Nalbandian (b. 1921) - James and the Giant Peach
Michael Parks (b. 1940) - Kill Bill

May 10th
Geoffrey Bayldon (b. 1924) - Catweazle
Emmanuele Bernheim (b. 1955) - Swimming Pool
Nelson Xavier (b. 1941) - Chico Xavier

May 11th
Roland Graf (b. 1934) - P.S.

May 13th
John Cygan (b. 1954) - Up
Manuel Pradal (b. 1964) - A Crime

May 14th
Powers Boothe (b. 1948) - Sin City
Brad Grey (b. 1957) - The Departed
Mandla Hlatshwayo (b. 1976) - Finding Lenny

On their debut full-length album, UK punk-rock outfit IDLES, delivers an explosion of violent sounds over the top of sarcastic and angry vocals. The music is raw and powerful, but keeps a solid melodic sense. Brutalism feels surprisingly catchy and danceable. The record is compact at just 41 minutes, so it keeps the energy high through its 13 tracks.

The driving force of Brutalism is the outstanding vocals by singer Joe Talbot. His ferocious, growling delivery is perfect for the fast-paced tunes and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. The opening track, "Heel/Heal", introduces you to Talbot: a guy you might regularly find at the Salty Spitoon. He repeats the same couple refrains throughout the song, getting angrier and angrier until it hits a satisfying boiling point. "Well Done" flexes the band’s social wit, with a rousing defense of the working class. The song bleeds sarcasm straight from Talbot’s mouth. "Mother" is the record’s strongest cut, pairing smart lyrics on a trio of infectious hooks. An example being: “The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich.” All of this rides over a killer bass line and highs from the guitar. The song also touches on issues with sexual violence, as Talbot delivers a chilling vocal refrain at the end. "White Privilege" and "Stendhal Syndrome" also provide some brutally honest social commentary that is an interesting listen.

IDLES, however, is not always disgusted with its world. They pull off a few sincere narratives on "Faith in the City" and "Slow Savage". Well, at least I think it’s sincere on "Faith in the City". It can be hard to tell. Two stories are told of people using religion to keep themselves afloat through tough times. Regardless of the honesty, it’s a passionate performance all around. The album’s closer, "Slow Savage", is an incredibly personal track of self-awareness. It recounts all the causes of a relationship that ended horribly. It’s an outstanding vocal performance from Talbot. He sounds harrowing and broken. Progressively, his voice loses its composure. He even flashes some beauty in his voice during the somber chorus melodies. The sound is reminiscent of Trent Reznor’s performances on The Fragile and "Something I Can Never Have".

Instrumentally, IDLES displays impressive musical proficiency. The melodies are well constructed and cleanly performed, yet holds onto the dirty and unhinged sound. "Date Night" has a grimy bass part that is prominent throughout the track, as well as a great chorus. "1049 Gotho" is one of the catchiest points of the track listing. The drums and guitars are hard-hitting and fast paced. "Rachel Khoo" follows a familiar formula, but is just as fun of a listen. "Slow Savage" is the one moment on Brutalism that is an extreme change of pace. The instrumental is barren, with piano and an atmospheric drum beat. It is a welcome addition to the project, and an interesting way to finish it off.

Brutalism starts encountering its problem at about the halfway mark. "Divide & Conquer" is a bit bland instrumentally and does not hold the same vocal passion. This is also around the time the song-writing formula becomes somewhat obvious. "Stendhal Syndrome", "Exeter", and "Benzocaine" do not try anything new. Without Talbot carrying these songs lyrically, it can all start to feel overbearing. But IDLES recovers from those forgettable tracks quickly, and ends the album on two solid notes.

While IDLES does not exactly revolutionize the sounds of punk rock with Brutalism, they give you a series of memorable hooks laced with intense sarcasm that really feels unique. Joe Talbot’s vocals are raw and surrounded by angry instrumentals that are well put together. The lyrics are smart and easy to pick up on, topping-off a great rock album.

Score: 8.25/10

Favorite Tracks: "Heel/Heal", "Well Done", "Mother", "Date Night", "1049 Gotho", "White Privilege", "Slow Savage"

Least Favorite Tracks: "Divide & Conquer", "Benzocaine"

Image credit: ​http://static.tumblr.com/508a9018cd7a53399bcad886be1286da/fgkbs7p/Tccogor1w/tumblr_static_5d71o4pmncow4s4kw080w8kc0.jpg

Guardians of the Galaxy is as good as it gets when it comes to the superhero movie genre.  The characters are witty, the sets are grand, and the soundtrack is perfectly meshed with the imagery.  With the original film, it was important for James Gunn (Scooby-Doo) to create impactful characters for the storyline.  The comic book series seemed tough to adapt into a meaningful feature film, but Gunn and Marvel struck gold with this one.  Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and Groot (Vin Diesel) are perfectly cast.  Pratt (Jurassic World, Her) is a stud, similar to William Shatner's (Star Trek) depiction of Captain Kirk.  Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) brings grace, but also attitude to the role of Gamora.  Bautista (Spectre, The Man with the Iron Fists), Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook, The Hangover, Limitless, American Sniper), and Diesel (The Fate of the Furious) are also fun to watch as muscular and selfish side-kicks for the team!

The space battles are epic, with Lee Pace (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) in an iconic villain role.  Ronan's purple tinge glows as if he is a radioactive alien (which he kind of is).  Yondu (Michael Rooker) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) act as badass sidekicks to the main villain, who is a sidekick to an even bigger villain.  I really enjoyed how this film fits into the MCU, with the introduction of an infinity stone.  The repercussions of this will still play out in the upcoming Marvel films, and I cannot wait for the final showdown with Thanos (Josh Brolin).  Overall, the scale of this film is grander than any of the preceding Marvel films, yet the audience is not overwhelmed with details that only comic-literate fans would understand.

Of course, we have to discuss the soundtrack a bit in this review.  This might be my favorite compilation/original soundtrack layering ever.  "Hooked on a Feeling" hit new highs because of its inclusion in the film.  The fact that Quill can directly refer to Earth-music, makes him a more relatable character.  After all, who isn't a fan of pina coladas and David Hasselhoff?  I'm glad that the sequel stuck the same idea in terms of music.  We get another great compilation soundtrack and another great original soundtrack by Tyler Bates in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.  Maybe Marvel should hire this guy to score all of their films!

After a six year hiatus from its critically-acclaimed Plastic Beach, the prolific virtual band returns in 2017 with Humanz. The Damon Albarn led Gorillaz look to have finally joined the party of politically-charged albums that have popped up after the recent political climate. Right away, this is where Gorillaz loses me. Since their debut album in 2001, the band has always managed to impress with a combination of their visuals and musical world creation. So whenever there is a new Gorillaz release, you expect it to revolve around the world that members 2-D, Noodle, Murdoc, and Russell manifest in. However, this seems to be lost on Humanz. With obvious references to current politics, you are left wondering how this has anything to do with the Gorillaz’s universe. Anyway, let’s get into the music.

Humanz gets off to quite a strong start through the first three tracks. Vince Staples kicks off the album as he drives through a sporadic and glitchy beat. Albarn uses Staples well, letting him dominate the track with his fast and catchy flow. The chorus can certainly be a point of contention for some people, but it is fun to listen to regardless. Next we have the song “Strobelite” featuring Peven Everett. Without knowing anything about Everett, he seems to do a fine job with the material. The track is a nice listen, featuring a buttery smooth bass groove. The synths matching the vocal lines in the chorus are a nice touch. Although I like the song overall, the track feels uninspired for a Gorillaz release. You always anticipate a new sound from Albarn and company, but "Strobelite" sounds like a carbon copy of a Kaytranada song. A musical style I think Kaytranada does better on his album 99.9%. The final of the first three tracks is "Saturnz Barz". The Jamaican, dancehall sound of Popcaan and the deep beat throughout the song creates the interesting sound you want from Gorillaz. The spacey keys pair well with the auto-tuned crooning from Popcaan and the soft chorus sung by Albarn. But once again, the track sounds out of place on a Gorillaz album. Popcaan spends the majority of the song singing about himself. And I have to ask, what does he have to do with the Gorillaz’s world? It feels more like a good single than a track that belongs on the album.

Humanz's first major problem comes on "Momentz" featuring De La Soul. Soul is good, and he was good when he did "Feel Good Inc." back in 2005. But the song is murdered by a terrible and clunky beat. Pushing the whole song is a loud, booming bass drum that consistently annoys through the song’s three minute length. It just does not stop, and all you want it to do is stop. Another negative theme of Humanz is a misuse of its guest artists. This first crops up on "Submission" featuring Danny Brown. The song itself sounds fairly generic and is a bit boring, and sadly is not saved by Brown’s eccentric vocals. The beat Albarn chooses here does Danny Brown no favors. It just does not match his style, and ultimately clashes. Wasting the appearance of one of hip-hop’s most exciting emcees.

But then comes "Charger". Backed by a Grace Jones feature, a heavy, buzzing guitar cycling through just a few notes drives the song to the album’s peak. The repetitious riff is infectious, and Albarn’s and Jones’ vocals are both haunting and incredibly catchy. This was the song I had been waiting for, sadly it is just one song.

Albarn continues the theme of misusing guests on Humanz with "Andromeda" and "Hallelujah Money". "Andromeda" is similar to "Strobelite", with a smooth and gliding bass line dominating the song. However, the song features D.R.A.M., and you can hardly tell he is on the track. The mixing shrinks his voice to near oblivion, and you can barely catch his faint vocals. It seems pointless to have an artist as talented as D.R.A.M. and just completely ignore him. "Hallelujah Money" is strongly rooted in its protest against the current political climate. While I do not see how the subject matter fits into the Gorillaz world, Benjamin Clementine gives a wonderful vocal performance on the song. He uses a pseudo-spoken word delivery that really captures your attention. But, Clementine is backed with a tepid instrumental that fails to match the power of his voice. (Side note: I recommend checking out Clementine’s 2015 debut album, At Least for Now, for moving piano songwriting and unique vocal performances).

At about the halfway point of Humanz it begins to feel like it is too long, despite clocking in at only 49 minutes. The only feature-less track, "Black and Blue", is the most somber of the record. While Albarn is certainly aiming for a more emotional powerful cut, it just feels out of place and has absolutely no energy. Anthony Hamilton and Pusha T are good on their respective tracks, but overall are pretty forgettable. It does not help the project that there are also about six interludes that provide no additional value.

The last highlight of Humanz is "She’s My Collar" featuring Kali Uchis. The song has an interesting rhythm and a great hook, with a well-used guest appearance. Preceding the song, is one of the album’s worst, "Sex Murder Party". I just do not understand how this made the cut. Just as the title suggests, the chorus and subject is simply a sex murder party. Ugh. Finally, we reach the album’s closer "We Got the Power". It is corny and uninspired. It tries to be so uplifting, it is just ridiculous. I mean there is nothing wrong with having this kind of song, but the writing and sound is generic. “We got the power to be loving each other, no matter what happens, we've got the power to do that.” Gorillaz can do much better.

Humanz is certainly a disappointing chapter in the Gorillaz’s discography. Albarn plays it incredibly safe, and submits his unique universe to the current trend of political statement albums. It seems like this belongs as a solo project for Albarn, not a Gorillaz project. The features are consistently misused, but the album starts strong and "Charger" is an amazing moment. While the record has many issues, it is an easy listen. The lack of risk-taking all but guarantees there will be nothing that causes any sort of disgust. Listeners can go from top to bottom with no major gripes.

Score: 6/10

Favorite Tracks: "Ascension", "Saturnz Barz", "Charger", "She’s My Collar"
​
Least Favorite Tracks: "Momentz", "Submission", "Busted and Blue", "Sex Murder Party", "We Got the Power"

Image credit: ​By Jakub Hałun; Graffiti: Unknown - Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8702804

May 1st
Pierre Gaspard-Huit (b. 1917) - Scheherazade
Bruce Hampton (b. 1947) - Sling Blade

May 2nd
Romeo Vasquez - Whisper to the Wind
Moray Watson (b. 1928) - The Grass is Greener

May 3rd
Lukas Ammann (b. 1912) - Day of Anger
Daliah Lavi (b. 1940) - Casino Royale

May 4th
Rosemary Frankau - Ladybird Ladybird
Victor Lanoux (b. 1936) - Cousin cousine
Edwin Sherin (b. 1930) - Valdez is Coming
Beryl Te Wiata (b. 1925) - Mesmerized

May 5th
Quinn O'Hara (b. 1941) - In the Year 2889

May 6th
Val Jellay (b. 1927) - The Flying Doctors