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Grounantion by Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"That one was quite deep for me because again, growing up in church and being a believer; my family being from the West Indies - my mum’s side from Jamaica, my dad’s side from Dominica - I remember going to church and it was authentic West Indians there in their 40s, 50s that now live in the UK but have kept these traditions, they were singing these songs just without the drums. So when I first heard this, something just went - ‘Hang on?’ I remember being four and hearing this person sing that song but swap Selassie for this or that. It had that same spiritual element I was so used to, just in a very different form. It was like a weird full circle thing for me. It was almost like going back home. These drums are taking me somewhere, but also I'm being carried by these songs I know. It was beautiful to check out more of what Count Ossie was doing and people that were part of his band like Cedric Brooks. He was infusing a lot of the jazz elements that he's hearing from Coltrane or Ornette Coleman. That's deep, you’re deep in the heels of Kingston, aware of Ornette and them man. Like Duke Ellington had to come and visit him, you know, there’s a photo of him and Duke Ellington in the bush. You know he's got something that's important, not only important for culture but it's spiritually important for the Nyabinghi tradition. For me when I heard that record, particularly Grounation, where they’re going through loops for 20 minutes, it’s that thing again with soundsystems where you ‘wheel up a riddim’ or at church when the tune would just keep going. It was something I’d never heard but I also felt like it wasn’t foreign, those experiences are so wicked and that influenced the whole fascination with drum culture and drum languages, spirituality connected to drums, music orientated around the drums. I got into Batá and music for the Orishas and things that are all over the Diaspora in West Africa, the Caribbean, South America. And when you listen to it, the recording’s so rags but it just couldn't work if you put it in Abbey Road. It gave me a bit more confidence when I was doing my record that if I go to someone’s house and I show up with a handheld recorder, as long as it feels right it doesn't matter. Big studio, small studio, my phone as long as it’s got that feeling that I was going for."

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Dumbo (1941)
Dumbo (1941)
1941 | Animation, Classics, Family
With the live action Dumbo out I thought it was high time I watched the original. After seeing it I'm fairly certain I've watched it before but I imagine that it was so long ago that the memory has been replaced with a lot of other movie knowledge.

Dumbo is such a simple story, and even though the film is only just over an hour long it barely feels like that length of time. It moves along so swiftly, no excess of story, just an excess of cuteness.

The animation is wonderful, simple and yet expressive. Dumbo is adorable the whole way through, I honestly don't know how they managed to capture everything in such a tiny little elephant. When he's dinking the giant peg with his tiny hammer and all the effort he puts in "helping" to put up the big top. Such a talented bunch of people. Although I think they peaked at the scene where he was holding his breath.

With Disney we're obviously treated to that musical element and these classics are oh so singable. I was unashamedly singing along at the top of my voice. I hope you all were too.

If Dumbo was around nowadays he's have been an instant internet sensation, his circus would have been fighting back the crowds. The headlines would have read "Boy spanked by elephant after climbing in to mock baby." People would have praised Mrs Jumbo for defending her child, some would have been calling for her to be put down, while the rest of us normal folk would be going "it serves the little bugger right, who climbs into an elephant enclosure?!"

This was a genuinely entertaining watch if you ignore the dated and slightly insensitive beginning.

Extra:

Deleted Scenes

The Mouse's Tale
Are You A Man Of A Mouse
Backstage Disney
Taking Flight: The Making Of Dumbo
The Magic Of Dumbo: A Ride Of Passage
Sound Design: Excerpt From "The Reluctant Dragon"
Celebrating Dumbo
Original Walt Disney TV Introduction
Trailers
Art Galleries
All of the backstage pieces are interesting to watch but you definitely have to see the Sound Design featurette, they've done it in a really fun way and it really brought a smile to my face.


What you should do

Of course you have to watch it, I don't know why you wouldn't.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

I'd say a flying elephant, but I don't really have the space.
  
Sing (2016)
Sing (2016)
2016 | Animation, Comedy, Musical
The team that brought us “Despicable Me” and “Minions”‘- Illumination Entertainment, brings us the animated musical “SING”.

Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey), has achieved his childhood dream of owning a theater. Business have become bleak, the once grand Moon Theater is in disrepair. With the bank ready to repo the property, in a stroke of desperation, Buster comes up with the idea that a singing competition would be the solution. Aided by his trusty assistant, Miss Crawley, Buster begins the audition to find the next big star.

The audition brings out all creatures great and small; from Meena, the shy elephant with the gift of song (voiced by the exceptionally talented Tori Kelly) to Mike, the mouse (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) a crooner who is out for himself. The rag-tag bunch includes Rosita (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), the stay at home mom who feels like she has lost who she was, paired with Gunther (voiced by Nick Kroll) the dancer with the greatest self image ever. Johnny (voiced by Taron Egerton) the dedicated son who does not want to go into the family business with his dad, who instead wants to sing. Rounding out the performers is Ash (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) the timid girl that breaks out into an angst-y rocker that just wants to play her music.

The story is cute and charming with some laugh-snort moments. We are given glimpses into the lives of each performer, providing us with the background on what motivates each to be in the competition. We also get some history of Buddy, how he came to own the theater, his best friend Eddie (voiced by John C. Reilly) and Eddie’s Grandmother (Older Nana – voiced by Jennifer Saunders, Younger Nana – voiced by Jennifer Hudson). The last third is the best part of the film. We finally see each performance where we were only given little glimpses prior. There are some surprising performances. I had no idea that Taron Egerton, who plays Johnny, the silverback(The Kingsmen, Eddie the Eagle) sings so beautifully. The highlight for me is when Tori Kelly (Meena) sings the Stevie Wonder tune “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing.” Her rendition lives on still as my earworm.

I was pleasantly surprised by the film, I definitely did not expect it to be quite as enjoyable. It’s not “Despicable Me” or” Minions”, it is a fun family movie that is worth watching that has laughs for the adults as well.
  
Foundations Of Faith
Foundations Of Faith
Michael Chrobak | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Style: Light

Point of view: Third person

Difficulty reading: It was as easy as singing the ABC’s!

Promise: Foundations of Faith promises a compelling religious read that will have you answering questions about your own faith.

Quality: All around good read, wasn’t what I was expecting but would definitely reread again.

Insights: Usually when it comes to Fantasy style of books, I always think powers (spells), mythical creatures, places that don’t exist, etc. etc. Foundations of Faith didn’t really have the typical Fantasy aspect to it. Theresa and Thomas have ‘powers’ but they aren’t magical powers like a witch or wizard would have. But it was still a great read that will end up being reread a couple more times.

Ah-Ha Moment: There wasn’t really a moment where I went ‘Ah yea, that’s the turning point’. One scene did come pretty darn close though. This scene: Thomas returns back from the retreat and finds out his mother is in the hospital and his father is in jail for putting his mother in the hospital. It’s never revealed how Thomas’s mother was hurt, and I would have definitely loved if that was explained better but then again this isn’t a Thriller so it’s also okay.

Favorite quote: “She shared how she had finally found God, not in the back of a church with hands held in prayer, but in the back of a police car with hands held in cuffs.” – I feel like this is a huge reason why most end up finding religion/ God. Something terrible or even life-threatening happens to them and they just start praying, see some signs and boom they now believe.

“As he walked, he felt the darkness behind him, following him. He swore he heard it whisper, “Run!” – Hello darkness, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again. Because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was sleeping. And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains, within the sound of silence. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself 🙂

Aesthetics: I reallyyyyy dig the cover! It gives it that mystery horror feel even though there isn’t really any horror in Foundations of Faith. The chapter headings, awesome font. Great read. But that cover is just so aesthetically pleasing. 🙂

“The deeper the feelings of unworthiness dug into his heart, the darker the room became. It spread from the outside in, growing darker and more ominous with each new thought. He feared it would swallow him whole.”
  
tick, tick...Boom! (2021)
tick, tick...Boom! (2021)
2021 | Drama, Musical
8
8.8 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A Love Letter
If you ever worked on a live theater performance, whether as a performer, tech crew, make-up, costumes, box office, etc…the Netflix Original film tick, tick…BOOM is for you.

If you are a theater lover, the Netflix Original film tick, tick…BOOM is for you.

If you are not interested in live theater at all..then, perhaps, tick, tick…BOOM might be a little too “inside baseball” for you.

Based on the one man concert/show/performance by the late Jonathan Larson, the writer of the the Pulitzer Prize winning musical RENT, tick, tick…BOOM expands this performance piece and turns it into a biopic of the artist who passed as his hit musical was just about ready to debut.

As written by Steven Levenson and Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, tick, tick…BOOM is a love letter to Broadway, to artists struggling to make it in the Great White Way, to the community of disaffected peoples in 1990 and, mostly, to Jonathan Larson himself.

Andrew Garfield is transcendent in his portrayal of Larson. He embodies this character with love, ambition, focus, flaws and a surprisingly strong singing voice. It is an Oscar-nomination worthy performance.

He is joined, lovingly, by a strong supporting cast starting with Alexandra Shipp (as Larson’s girlfriend), Robin de Jesus (as his best friend) and Vanessa Hudgens (as a performer in the show, called Superbia, that he is trying to get up on the boards). These young performers are joined by a couple of wily veterans including Judith Light (as his Agent) and Bradley Whitford (as the late Stephen Sondheim). They bring energy, star power and…yes…love…to the screen.

And that is what this film ultimately is, a love letter to all of the artists (both on-stage and off) that try, despite immeasurable odds, to get a show on it’s feet. Director Miranda infuses this film with homages to theater - and theater people - and sprinkles in some very good songs that drives this point home.

None of the numbers hit home as hard as the “Diner” song - a song that features many, many Broadway performers, both new and old, that were either inspirations to Larson - or were inspired by him (including Miranda himself).

Come for the musical, stay for the outstanding performance of Garfield, and immerse yourself into the world of struggling artists in NYC in the 1990’s. You’ll be glad you did.

Letter Grade: A-

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (2018)
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (2018)
2018 | Comedy, Musical
Seeing Donna's backstories with her lovers. (1 more)
Nice to see most of the cast together again.
Literally everything else (8 more)
The same dramatic hairstyles on two principal female characters for over twenty years, really? Talk about suspension of belief.
Lifeless.
No real heart to it.
Meryl Streep is in it for mere seconds.
Relationships between the characters. Disjointed and disconnected.
Not the best ABBA songs.
The Kissed the Teacher sequence. I mean, wth was that about?
Not much singing or a reason to sing.
Joyless
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved the first one and have been known to watch the DVD or listen to the CD on a continuous loop for upwards of 12 hours. I'm not kidding. I adore Meryl Streep and everything she touches is gold. Except for this movie. Omg, it is so bad. It lost all the joy the first film had. Why?! Why did they have to destroy this movie so badly?

Spoiler alert: Donna, Meryl Streep's joyous character is dead at the start of this film. Her story is told through flashbacks with Lily James of Downton Abbey starring as recent college-grad, Donna, and her adventures in the Greek Isles as she meets each of the three men who may be her daughter, Sophie's father. Donna flits around as the bohemian she is but the character is too flighty to be believed and she certainly doesn't flesh out Meryl Streep's version of Donna. It seems pointless for her to even have tried.

The cast is very dated and stagnant, in reverse, as they are shown as their younger selves exactly as they are 20 or 30 years later, even down to the same clothing and hairstyles. It's ridiculous to think these fashionable women would never update their looks over the years or that their personalities and mannerisms had not changed either. Are they living in a vacuum? They're all just so one-note. Maybe the creators did it because they thought the movie would be easier to understand or figure out which character was whom, but it's just not realistic. I'll admit, dramas are my favorite genre and this is meant as much lighter fare but I wish they would have expected the audience to have half a brain and be able to figure out the younger cast and the elder versions of them. It felt dumbed down.

The modern plotline is morose, joyless, and lifeless, and missed all the heart, humor, and passion of the first.

And Cher's character, why bother? She didn't bring anything to the role other than her real-life celebrity.

I regret buying this DVD and even more so, wasting 2 hours of my life watching this dull, spoon-fed money grab.
  
40x40

Vegemite Girl (284 KP) Apr 24, 2019

100% agree it was quite the let down for all of us who loved the first one so much ?

40x40

Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) Apr 24, 2019

I was being generous with the 4 rating.

Rocketman (2019)
Rocketman (2019)
2019 | Biography, Drama
Elton John has had a career that has spanned decades, millions of albums sold, packed venues, awards, and more than a few headlines. In the new film “Rocketman” audiences get a look behind the man thanks to the amazing and Oscar worthy portrayal by Taron Egerton.

The film opens with a flamboyantly dressed John entering rehab in one of his stage costumes. As he opens up with his group, he shares the story of his childhood as a shy child who is desperate to have his father show him any signs of approval or affection.

When it is discovered that he has talent with the piano; his grandmother encourages him and even takes him to apply for a position at the Royal Academy of Music.
His mother (Bryce Dallas Howard) is moderately supportive but is more focused on her social life brought on by her failing marriage.

As the film unfolds; we see Elton working in a backup band and in time answering an ad that puts him with an agent. Paired with the man who would eventually change his life; Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell), Elton and Bernie combine to write a series of songs which in turn leads him to a series of gigs in Los Angeles. The film shifts into high gear at this point as we see how their music becomes a smash and leads to a series of parties, drugs, and money.

Elton meets Manager John Reid (Richard Madden), who becomes his
As the record sales and hits mount, so does the destructive behaviors which leads Elton down a destructive path that threatens everything he has worked for.

The movie is a masterpiece of music and story and it cleverly uses musical montages and segments around the performances to outline various segments of his life and his rise to stardom.
The performances are amazing and Egerton was simply amazing as he not only captured the complexity of his character but performed all the vocals of the hit songs himself and they were spot on.
During our Press Screening I noticed many people singing along, tapping their feet, or bobbing their heads along with the music which helps to underscore just how timeless and popular his catalog of music has been as the songs have endured the test of time.

The film also evokes some unexpected emotion as there were more than a few people wiping their eyes during the film which at its core is a store of a young, shy boy desperate to be accepted and loved.
I truly hope the film is recognized come Awards season as it is a wonderful and memorable cinematic experience.

http://sknr.net/2019/05/31/rocketman/
  
Yes Man (2008)
Yes Man (2008)
2008 | Comedy
8
6.4 (10 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) is a man that has shut himself away from life following a divorce. Despite the best efforts of his friends Peter (Bradley Cooper), and Rooney (Danny Masterson), Carl is content to keep his life to toiling away in a dead end banking job and limiting his social activity to renting DVDs and watching them at home alone.

Following another disappoint day at work where he learned that he is once again being overlooked for a promotion, Carl runs into an old friend who tells him about a seminar that changed his life and has freed him up to do and be what he wants.

With his curiosity peaked, Carl attends the seminar that is conducted by the charismatic Terrance Bundley (Terrance Stamp), who decides to make Carl his project, and tells him that he must agree to say yes to things that are offered to him. Although reluctant, Carl takes the advice and says yes to the first thing he is asked, which is to give a ride to a stranger.

The chance ride and resulting situations that follow lead Carl to meet a quirky and attractive lady named Allison (Zooey Deschanel), who intrigues Carl. The next day, Carl learns that he is getting the promotion and despite getting into some outrageous and at times, scary situations, he continues to say Yes to everything that is offered to him, as he fears the consequences of breaking the covenant of yes.

Carl eventually meets up with Allison again and learns that she spends her evenings singing in a unique band, and the two begin a relationship soon after. What follows is a very funny and amusing story that tracks the crazy events that follow Carl as he begins to open himself not only to Allison but to the possibilities that life presents to him every day when one makes themselves open to new possibilities.

The film is based on the book by Danny Wallace which covers his exploits when he decided to yes to everything thing presented to him for one year. While the film has little in common with the book aside from the title and saying yes premise.

“Yes Man” is Carrey’s best film in years and is a triumphant return to the comedy films that made him such a huge success. He plays Carl with a very likeable and easygoing manner that makes him easy to root for and his energetic performance once again proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is one of the most gifted comedians of our generation.

Despite the differences in their ages, Carrey and Deschanel make a winning combination and the strong supporting cast anchored by Stamp, Cooper, and Rhys Darby make this a very funny and enjoyable comedy.