Pop Culture Buzz

Finally the new Goldfrapp music video is here! And it was well worth the wait! This music video is lush and gorgeous, Alison has never looked better. The soft feel, look and sound of this newest Goldfrapp offering is just what the tired music scene needs these days. Goldfrapp continue to be one of the most progressive pop acts around.

Goldfrapp will release its next effort, “Seventh Tree,” on Feb. 26 via Mute in the U.K., but warns that it may surprise fans of the group’s previous studio set. Written, recorded and produced by the electronic duo, “Seventh Tree” is Goldfrapp’s fourth full-length. The album was produced in Goldfrapp’s own studio in the English countryside. Read the group’s message from MySpace below:

“Our new c.d. “Seventh Tree” is very different to 2005’s ‘Supernature,’ so it might come as a bit of a shock to some of you”

……said Goldfrapp’s Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory on the band’s MySpace page….

“We had fun making it and loved doing something that is in complete contrast to the last album, even though sometimes it took a bit of courage to steer as far away as we did on some of the tunes”

THE “SEVENTH TREE” CD TRACK LISTING:

“Clowns”
“Little Bird”
“Happiness”
“Road To Somewhere”
“Eat Yourself”
“Some People”
“A&E”
“Cologne Cerrone Houdini”
“Caravan Girl”
“Monster Love”

WATCH THE “A&E” MUSIC VIDEO BELOW:

*** 1/2 STARS

“Persepolis” is a touching and magical animated film based on the graphic novel series of the same name. The film was written and directed by Marjane Satrapi (author of the novel) and Vincent Paronnaud and the film won the Prize of the Jury at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival this past year. The title is a reference to the historical city of “Persepolis” which was an ancient ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire.

The story in this film depicts life just before the Iranian Revolution in Tehran and is shown through the eyes of the nine-year-old girl named Marjane. The story in “Persepolis” shows how Iran’s people’s hopes for change were slowly dashed as the Islamic fundamentalists took power in the early 1980’s. This new Islamic government began forcing head coverings on women, making Western culture illegal and imprisoning and killing thousands that opposed them.

This brilliantly black and white film is crisp and alive with vibrant animation. “Persepolis” is a winner because it uses humor and subtle imagery to create emotions rather than giving a history lesson with gory visuals. The emotionally crushing depiction of a society that is forced to go on through a vicious and bloody war is at times unbelievable. The filmmakers craft a vivid and beautiful story that is extraordinarily moving and wildly informative.

I wasn’t expecting this film to deliver as many genuine laughs and great dialog as it did. Many “adult” animated features lack the maturity and creativity to balance the two. “Persepolis” introduced me to a rich world that I have never had the chance to see. And much like other great cartoon features, the animation expresses emotions in a much richer and human way.

It is my opinion that most live action films cannot capture the same magic and emotion that some animated films do. Through creative storytelling and lush animation filmmakers are able to tell stories in wickedly imaginative ways. “Persepolis� deserves a nomination for Best Foreign Language and Animated Film from the Motion Picture Academy of Arts & Sciences when they announce their choices next week.

WATCH THE “PERSEPOLIS” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

GRADE: B-

Danny Boyle films are hit or miss, some of them are stellar pieces of cinema, and others are trite pieces of garbage. Critic’s and movie buffs alike would agree that Boyle’s best movie to date is the harsh and brilliant “Trainspotting”. His first film “Shallow Grave” is a Hitchcock-esque thriller with substance and style that is also a critical darling.

Danny Boyle’s two biggest film flops “A Life Less Ordinary” and “The Beach” tanked at the box office and with fans. Last year Boyle made another small budget film that many critic’s enjoyed called “Millions”. But it is his zombie masterpiece “28 Days Later” that is my favorite out of all his movies.

“Sunshine” doesn’t have the sharp and tense action of “28 Days Later”, but it isn’t slow or plodding like “A Life Less Ordinary”. “Sunshine” is an intimate and claustrophobic look at a crew of scientist sent on a mission to reignite the sun before it collapses within itself, ultimately ending all life on Earth. The synopsis may sound like it is right out of a Jerry Bruckheimer film, but Boyle takes a more subtle approach to the Sci-Fi genre.

Boyle creates some really beautiful images and themes in “Sunshine” but as a whole the movie doesn’t compare to more intellectually minded Sci-Fi movies like “2001″ or “Alien”. As a pulse pounding action film this movie fails, but as an intelligent and provocative Sci-Fi drama it works. Most of the cohesive feeling this movie has is due to the fine acting from Cillian Murphy as the ship’s Physicist.

There is noticeably a tremendous visual style throughout “Sunshine”. The screen is awash with sparkling explosions and each frame saturated with bright colors and dimmed contrasts. Even though the plot and acting isn’t top notch, the stylistic elements and creepy mood Boyle creates in “Sunshine” make this worth the DVD viewing at home. If you are a Sci-fi fan then this is a great little find, otherwise some people may find this movie slow and confusing.

WATCH THE “SUNSHINE” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

GRADE: B

I am a bigger fan of the mid-season replacement shows then the offerings the big networks give us in September to kick off the new television season. “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” pilot first episode is proof of this theory I have. Normally networks are scrambling to replace shows that were thought of as “sure fire hits” that eventually failed, and much like during the current writer’s strike, they force primetime game shows and reality television on TV. fans to keep them busy.

“The Sarah Connor Chronicles” is a little slice of cinema that actually works on the small screen. Sure the action and violence is dumbed down a bit, but this new action series has some bite and a bit of steam to make it a hit I think. I have seen all of the “Terminator” films and enjoyed every one them a lot. The plot of the first 3 films is in tact in this series, and you can tell FOX is gearing fans up for Christian Bale’s “Terminator 4′ film which will be released in 2009.

My only major gripe about this “Terminator” series is that I am not completely sold by the choice of actor’s that is used to depict Sarah and John Connor. Both actor’s are a bit too “cookie cutter” and compared to Linda Hamilton (who starred as Sarah Connor in the “Terminator” films) Lena Headey’s portrayal of Connor is a bit weak for my action packed taste buds. Even the actor who plays John (Thomas Dekker) needs a bit more enthusiasm if they are going to keep my attention.

As far as pilot episode’s go though, “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” is a fun little way to kill time during the doldrums of the Writer’s Guild strike. If you are not a big fan of reality TV or primetime game shows, then this action packed little gem may be exactly what you need to watch. It entertained me for the whole hour and I wasn’t bothered by the cheap looking special effects and rigid acting. I definitely recommend this show to fans of the sci-fi genre and of the “Terminator” movie’s.

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR “THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES” TV SHOW BELOW:

1.) The Bucket List $19,540,000 / $20,964,000

2.) First Sunday $19,000,000 / $19,000,000

3.) Juno $14,000,000 / $71,250,000

4.) National Treasure: Book of Secrets $11,482,000 / $187,295,000

5.) Alvin and the Chipmunks $9,100,000 / $187,740,000

6.) I Am Legend $8,130,000 / $240,234,000

7.) One Missed Call $6,130,000 / $20,642,000

8.) P.S. I Love You $5,000,000 / $47,003,000

9 .) The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything $4,419,000 / $4,419,000

10.) Atonement $4,300,000 / $25,208,000

MOVIES

Best Motion Picture – Drama

“American Gangster”
*”Atonement”
“Eastern Promises”
“The Great Debaters”
“Michael Clayton”
“No Country for Old Men”
“There Will Be Blood”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Cate Blanchett – “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
*Julie Christie – “Away From Her”
Jodie Foster – “The Brave One”
Angelina Jolie – “A Mighty Heart”
Keira Knightley – “Atonement”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

George Clooney – “Michael Clayton”
*Daniel Day-Lewis – “There Will Be Blood”
James McAvoy – “Atonement”
Viggo Mortensen – “Eastern Promises”
Denzel Washington – “American Gangster”

Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy

“Across The Universe”
“Charlie Wilson’s War”
“Hairspray”
“Juno”
*”Sweeney Todd”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Amy Adams – “Enchanted”
Nikki Blonsky – “Hairspray”
Helena Bonham Carter – “Sweeney Todd”
*Marion Cotillard – “La Vie En Rose”
Ellen Page – “Juno”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy

*Johnny Depp – “Sweeney Todd”
Ryan Gosling – “Lars and the Real Girl”
Tom Hanks – “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Philip Seymour Hoffman – “The Savages”
John C. Reilly – “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”

Best Foreign Languge Film

“4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days” (Romania)
*”The Diving Bell And The Butterfly” (France, United States)
“The Kite Runner” (United States)
“Lust, Caution” (Taiwan)
“Persepolis” (France)

Best Animated Feature Film

“Bee Movie”
*”Ratatouille”
“The Simpsons Movie”

Best Performance By an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

*Cate Blanchett - “I’m Not There”
Julia Roberts - “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Saoirse Ronan - “Atonement”
Amy Ryan - “Gone Baby Gone”
Tilda Swinton - “Michael Clayton”

Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Casey Affleck - “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
*Javier Bardem - “No Country for Old Men”
Philip Seymour Hoffman - “Charlie Wilson’s War”
John Travolta - “Hairspray”
Tom Wilkinson - “Michael Clayton”

Best Director - Motion Picture

Tim Burton - “Sweeney Todd”
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - “No Country for Old Men”
*Julian Schnabel - “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
Ridley Scott - “American Gangster”
Joe Wright - “Atonement”

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

Diablo Cody - “Juno”
*Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - “No Country for Old Men”
Christopher Hampton - “Atonement”
Ronald Harwood - “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
Aaron Sorkin - “Charlie Wilson’s War”

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

Michael Brook, Kaki King, Eddie Vedder - “Into the Wild”
Clint Eastwood - “Grace Is Gone”
Alberto Iglesias - “The Kite Runner”
*Dario Marianelli - “Atonement”
Howard Shore - “Eastern Promises”

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

“Despedida” - “Love in the Time of Cholera”
Music by: Shakira, Antonio Pinto
Lyrics by: Shakira

“Grace Is Gone” - “Grace Is Gone”
Music by: Clint Eastwood
Lyrics by: Carole Bayer Sager

*”Guaranteed” - “Into the Wild”
Music & Lyrics by: Eddie Vedder

“That’s How You Know” - “Enchanted”
Music by: Alan Menken
Lyrics by: Stephen Schwartz

“Walk Hard” - “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”
Music & Lyrics by: Marshall Crenshaw, John C. Reilly, Judd Apatow, Kasdan

TELEVISION

Best Television Series - Drama

“Big Love”
“Damages”
“Grey’s Anatomy”
“House”
*”Mad Men”
“The Tudors”

Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series-Drama

Patricia Arquette - “Medium”
*Glenn Close - “Damages”
Minnie Driver - “The Riches”
Edie Falco - “The Sopranos”
Sally Field - “Brothers & Sisters”
Holly Hunter - “Saving Grace”
Kyra Sedgwick - “The Closer”

Best Performance By an Actor in a Television Series-Drama

Michael C. Hall - “Dexter”
*Jon Hamm - “Mad Men”
Hugh Laurie - “House”
Jonathan Rhys Meyers - “The Tudors”
Bill Paxton - “Big Love”

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical

“30 Rock”
“Californication”
“Entourage”
*”Extras”
“Pushing Daisies”

Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Christine Applegate - “Samantha Who?”
America Ferrera - “Ugly Betty”
*Tina Fey - “30 Rock”
Anna Friel - “Pushing Daisies”
Mary-Louise Parker - “Weeds”

Best Performance By an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Alec Baldwin - “30 Rock”
Steve Carell - “The Office”
*David Duchovny - “Californication”
Ricky Gervais - “Extras”
Lee Pace - “Pushing Daisies”

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV

“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”
“The Company”
“Five Days”
*”Longford”
“The State Within”

Best Performance By an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV

Bryce Dallas Howard - “As You Like It”
Debra Messing - “The Starter Wife”
*Queen Latifah - “Life Support”
Sissy Spacek - “Pictures of Hollis Woods”
Ruth Wilson - “Jane Eyre”

Best Performance By an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV

Adam Beach - “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”
Ernest Borgnine - “A Grandpa for Christmas”
*Jim Broadbent - “Longford”
Jason Isaacs - “The State Within”
James Nesbitt - “Jekyll”

Best Performance By an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV

Rose Byrne - “Damages”
Rachel Griffiths - “Brothers & Sisters”
Katherine Heigl - “Grey’s Anatomy”
*Samantha Morton - “Longford”
Anna Paquin - “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”
Jaime Pressly - “My Name Is Earl”

Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV

Ted Danson - “Damages”
Kevin Dillon - “Entourage”
*Jeremy Piven - “Entourage”
Andy Serkis - “Longford”
William Shatner - “Boston Legal”
Donald Sutherland - “Dirty Sexy Money”

Kate Nash is an Irish born singer songwriter from Harrow, North London who is currently tearing up the U.K. pop charts with her debut album “Made of Bricks”. This catchy little ditty is right up my alley. I love the pop infused, hip-hop feel of this single called “Pumpkin Soup”.

Nash has been compared to Lily Allen because of both of their storytelling lyrics, the dry sense of humor that fuels their songs as well as distinctive London accents. I can see the comparisons but think there is room for both of these talented imports from across the pond. Check out Kate’s cute video below:

THE WHITE STRIPES - “CONQUEST”

KATE NASH - “PUMPKIN SOUP’

ALICIA KEYS - “NO ONE”

TIMBALAND FEATURING ONE REPUBLIC - “APOLOGIZE’

RADIOHEAD - “ALL I NEED”

KYLIE MINOGUE - “THE ONE”

THE KNIFE - “HEARTBEATS”

RILO KILEY - “THE MONEYMAKER”

Simon Pegg (”Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun of the Dead”) plays “Dennis” who is a little on the hefty side in this funny looking comedy. Pegg’s character stupidly leaves his fiancé at the alter on their wedding day. Several years later, he realizes he left the love of his life and becomes determined that the only way to win her back is to run a marathon, something he’s not quite in shape for.

This film looks sweet and funny thanks to the comic genius of Pegg. I love Thandi Newton since her stand out role in “Crash” and I am looking forward to seeing this movie in theaters this March. This trailer made me laugh more than a couple of times so that is always a good sign!

Along with her “singing career” Danni is currently a judge on the hit U.K. talent t.v. show “The X Factor”. A good friend once referred to Dannii Minogue as “the lesser Minogue”, and boy was he right. Don’t get me wrong this kind of gay dance floor beat is right up my alley, but there is nothing new to see here.

Much like her sister, Dannii is in it for the fun of it and doesn’t take herself too seriously. You might as well flaunt it while you got it! Dannii has made a great career out of her dance floor quasi-techno “mash-ups” for a few years now, and I say “good on you girl”!

GRADE: A

I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t see the remake of “3:10 to Yuma” on the big screen this past fall. As far as my favorite films of the year go, this movie would definitely be in my top 20 of the best movies of the year.

Now, I am not a Western movie fan at all, the genre has never really made an impression on me. Actually, I can’t even say that I have enjoyed any Western themed movie as much as I did “3:10 to Yuma”…ever.

The gritty realism and intensity in “3:10 to Yuma” is captivating to watch. The old west depicted in this film is not glamorized or made to look like a Hollywood bang ‘em up action film with cheesy costumes.

The cinematography and set designs are absolutely impeccable. The background shots and sprawling scenery are breathtaking and massive in scope. Director James Mangold ’s attention to the details pays off big time with this harsh thrill ride.

Russell Crowe plays the “villain” Ben Wade with a cold intensity while juggling human emotions and empathy at the same time. His performance is wonderful and it proves that he is the go to actor for lead movie roles that call for machismo and brawn. His evil cold hearted depiction of Wade could garner him another Oscar nomination in my opinion.

Christian Bale has slowly become one of the best “method” actors in Hollywood these days. His quietly unnerving and strong performance as a father, who yearns for his son’s respect, is moving and graceful. All of the actor’s performances in “3:10 to Yuma” deserve kudos, especially Ben Foster’s creepy role as Ben Wade’s homicidal henchman Charlie Prince.

“3:10 to Yuma” is utterly entertaining from start to finish. The last 20 minutes of this movie will have you on the edge of your seat. Within the last few frames you will find yourself dwelling on the enormity of how awful it must have been to live during this time period in the early U.S. under these conditions.

The enthralling story, exquisite acting and enormity of the details used by Director James Mangold in “3:10″ make this one of the best remakes and Western’s of all time. If you love the genre, then “3:10 to Yuma” will soon become one of your all time favorites, for sure!

WATCH THE “3:10 TO YUMA” MOVIE TRAILER HERE:

Hollywood has been bombarded with crappy PG-13 rated horror movies for the past 3 months. Finally, here is a horror movie trailer with some balls! Now that the “horror-porn” genre has slowed down a bit with the “Hostel”, “Saw” and “The Hills Have Eyes” sequels under performing, maybe Hollywood is taking the old fashioned approach by making a good slasher film. This movie may have the guts to pull off a sleeper horror hit. Watch the trailer below:

GRADE: B+

“Eagle vs. Shark” is a quirky little New Zealand comedy full of wit and charm. “Eagle vs. Shark” won’t impress some grumpy movie fans, but it is bound to find a cult following. Some folks may compare this little gem to another small awkward comedy called “Napoleon Dynamite”. Those comparisons would be fair when it comes to the style of film this is, but as far as substance and plot goes, this film won me over more than “Dynamite” did.

If you are a fan of HBO’s hilarious comedy t.v. show “Flight of the Conchords” than you may recognize Jemaine Clement who plays “Jerrod” in this oddball charmer. His nerdy poser is even more pathetic than anyone in “Dynamite”. The chemistry between him and Loren Horsley (”shark”) is believable and sweet. Watching these to awkward nerds come together is not like your average movie love story. Both actor’s play their roles with a quiet subtlety that charms the socks off of you.

The supporting New Zealander cast is uproarious and just as silly as the main character’s in this movie. There are some hidden moments of comedic genius in this film. I related to both of the main outcasts in this film, their human flaws are all too real. Along with the genuine laughs, this film provides tender and true to life moments that made me smile more than once.

If you enjoy quiet little movies with a pinch of dark humor and silliness, then “Eagle vs. Shark” will tickle your funny bone. Watching two clumsy people come together has never been so oddly satisfying. This small comedy is just right for those folks that are not looking for their laughs in all of the obvious places, this one will make you think and smile at the same time.

WATCH THE “EAGLE VS. SHARK” MOVIE TRAILER HERE:

Now that John Singleton has officially been signed on to direct the big screen adaptation of the “A-Team” movie there are rumors buzzing online on who will play the team mechanic named “B.A. Baracus” (who was played by 80’s icon Mr. T).

Ice Cube is rumored to be contemplating playing the role. Variety Magazine reports Cube is under consideration for the part. Blackfilm.com took the opportunity to ask him about “A-Team” during a press junket in support of his latest film with Katt Williams and Tracy Morgan, “First Sunday”.

Asked if he’d consider playing Baracus, Cube responded:

“Hell yeah, especially with John Singleton directing,” going on to say that as a fan of the show, the role would be “not a dream come true, but…definitely a good thing to do.”

He then went on to to say:

“I wouldn’t try to duplicate what Mr. T did, but I will have the same impact on you when you were little watching the TV show. I’m going to bring my own flavor to it and I am going to do the mohawk”.

All of this news is heaven for 80’s nostalgia fans and fans of the popular 80’s action show. I personally think that Ice Cube may not be tough enough to play the role. As long as Singleton is involved this movie has a chance in my opinion.

This kind of dance Euro-pop can be a bit cheesy. This song in particular sounds like it should be in a “Dance Dance Revolution” video game or Japanese cartoon. I can admit parts of this song are catchy, but all in all this kind of music is what turns off American’s to Euro-pop, just sayin’.