Tom & Viv (1994)

Posted on August 22, 2006
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Willem Dafoe and Miranda Richardson lead a talented British cast in this historical drama centered on the relationship between T. S. Eliot and his troubled wife, Vivienne. Beautifully acted, scripted, and filmed, this period piece brings us into the steadily deteriorating marriage and has some very difficult-to-watch moments.

Grade: B.

IMDB: Tom & Viv.

Snakes on a Plane (2006)

Posted on August 19, 2006
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Samuel L. Jackson stars in this funny action thriller which is everything the title describes. The plot is fairly predictable, but the film lives up to its hype and takes us on a fun romp through special effects, simple tension building, shallow two-dimensional characters, and Jackson’s awesome signature style.

Grade: B.

IMDB: Snakes on a Plane.

Kaskade – San Francisco Sessions 4 (2003)

Posted on August 18, 2006
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Kaskade bashes a home run on this deep house compilation from Om. He brings together a nice assortment of vocal tracks, many of his own composition, that feature catchy lyrics and funky basslines. Jazzy, soulful, and full of memorable licks, this CD flows nicely from the start to the end.

Grade: A.

AllMusic: San Francisco Sessions, vol. 4: Soundtrack to the Soul.

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Posted on August 17, 2006
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This half-century-old science fiction classic features the most futuristic special effects of its day, convincing acting by Leslie Nielsen, eerie synthesizer scoring, and a compelling story. The sets are obviously artificial and the effects are quite dated, but this movie is at the foundation of science fiction cinema.

Grade: B+.

IMDB: Forbidden Planet.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Posted on August 17, 2006
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Arnold Schwarzenegger reprises his role as a Terminator, whose mission is to save the future savior of mankind, in a blockbuster action film. This one goes even more over-the-top with the special effects than its predecessors including some of the most spectacularly jaw-dropping chase sequences ever filmed.

Grade: B.

IMDB: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

DJ Garth – San Francisco Sessions 3 (2000)

Posted on August 17, 2006
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DJ Garth of the Wicked Crew joins the Om lineup with a mellow, laid-back DJ mix of spaced-out house tracks. The track selection is decent, the flow is nice, and there is a distinct warehouse party feel to the CD—a mixture of Latin textures and layered minimalism.

Grade: B-.

AllMusic: San Francisco Sessions, vol. 3.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Posted on August 16, 2006
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Ang Lee directs this astounding forbidden love story, set in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming. The acting is nothing short of perfect, the scope is vast and epic, and the story is poignant, romantic, and heart-breaking. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall lead a magnificent cast, who keep it believable.

Grade: A+.

IMDB: Brokeback Mountain.

Ricardo Villalobos – Salvador (2006)

Posted on August 16, 2006
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Meandering through sound textures over a minimal four-on-the-floor beat, this interesting minimal electro-house album brings the Latin flavor around for a mellow jaunt around the dancefloor. Villalobos keeps a steady rhythm and ethereal moods going, demonstrating well what can be done in an ambient hypnotic groove.

Grade: B.

AllMusic: Salvador.

Sean Escoffery – Soulonica (2003)

Posted on August 16, 2006
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Masquerading as a full-length album, this album of seven songs (and remixes of five of them) presents the listener with Escoffery’s ample vocal talent, but not much else. The remixes are occasionally disjointed, lurching, and poorly crafted. A few really outstanding tracks make this marginal CD worth hearing once.

Grade: C.

AllMusic: Soulonica.

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Posted on August 15, 2006
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This Oscar-nominated picture features beautiful performances, both by young actors and established stars, of nuanced and vulnerable characters, with a very independent, low-budget feel. It’s the story of a couple of very intellectual writers in the process of divorce and the effect it has on their two sons.

Grade: A-.

IMDB: The Squid and the Whale.

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