Archive for June, 2010
Macgruber’s gonna get ya…
He’s the only American hero who has earned the rank of Green Beret, Navy SEAL and Army Ranger. And he just left the MSN Offices. Seriously! Look he even brought his own doll…
Macgruber’s out this Friday. Here’s a trailer.
Rox @ Scala, King’s Cross – 17/6/2010
Review by Tina Hart
Poor Rox. She tells us she’s had an emotional fortnight, recovering from a bad cold whilst trying to work on all the things accompanying her highly-anticipated debut album release, Memoirs. I couldn’t tell she was under the weather as I watched her headline gig at Scala, King’s Cross last night.
A 21-year-old diva in the making, the pretty, petite, pop-y soulstress, looking a little nervously into the crowd, kicked off her set with track one, No Going Back from the aforementioned album, and I was soon reminded why she caught my attention as a support act at a gig last year. What 
a voice, it almost felt like a CD wouldn’t do it justice as she sang so powerfully and made it look effortless. Telling us all to ‘get involved in the clapping’ towards the end of the song, the energy in the venue was soon buzzing.
Opening Page Unfolds with one of many notes of the night worthy of a place in opera, she sang with conviction, telling us of a ‘little boy in a big man’s frame’. Wooping and applause followed from the older-than-I-expected crowd.
Melancholy Sad Eyes was next which eased into a rockier ending. Then the first of two exceptionally brilliant choices of cover songs with an equally exceptional execution came in the form of Dream by Fleetwood Mac (or The Corrs as I remember it), fused with a touch of reggae sound, had the crowd loudly singing along.
Talking of heartbreak she experienced aged 19, Rox delved into Forever Always Wishing, then showed off her vocal repertoire again with audacious high notes in Do As I Say.
After dedicating Precious Moments to her ‘special someone’, Rox randomly brings our attention to the huge dreamcatcher (you couldn’t miss it) adorning the stage (pictured) which coordinated with her feather earring.
Previous single, the catchy, upbeat My Baby Left Me had the crowd hyped up and singing along. I’m bemused that it didn’t make a bigger impression on the mainstream chart (it got to number 91.. Re release! Re release!) Current single, the irresistibly funky I Don’t Believe, features in a make-up advert, so will hopefully place higher..
During the summery Rocksteady, Rox gets low doing the bogle dance move before moving to the keyboard and playing into album bonus track, Gallais.
A beautiful rendition of Seal’s Crazy sparks a singalong again, moving into the final song of the night, Breakfast In Bed, which I think would be great as her next single release.
The comparisons to Winehouse, Adele and Duffy were always going to come but Rox brings an ‘authentic’ earthy vibe to the UK pop/soul genre, I guess that’s helped by being signed to an independent record label and having her early musical introduction at church.
I could see tinges of Rox’s influences in her performance last night, a little Lauryn Hill, Alanis, Joni, Sade, that nice 90s soul vibe that us twenty-somethings grew up with, a little reggae, a little funky pop, with an outstanding live performance (and awesome band) and boasting great production on her album, I’m sure she’ll be making her mainstream breakthrough very soon.
You can catch Rox working the festival circuit this Summer or check out her debut album Memoirs
Got a problem? Odds against you? Call Russell Crowe’
by Andy Gibbons
Given the barrage of derision that greeted his ‘Nottingham’ accent in Robin Hood, you’d have thought that Russell Crowe would have been keen to avoid any roles that may have required a UK-based tilt for the forseeable future. But according to the Los Angeles Times, the artist formally known as Russ Le Roq is going to head up a big screen version of small screen ‘80s TV hit The Equalizer.
The show starred Brit abroad Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, a former secret agent who looked to atone for his previous misdemeanours by serving as a vigilante on the mean streets of New York. Russell is set to slip into McCall’s finely tailored suits for the movie although it’s not clear if this modern-day reworking will retain the character’s UK roots – maybe they should play it safe and have McCall as a retired Aussie agent?
Rumours of an Equalizer movie have been doing the rounds for years now and maybe it’s best that the groundwork on this had already been done as, after The A-Team’s poor showing at the US box office, studio bosses may be reluctant to green light many more TV adaptations.
Davina McCall has ‘most wanted celeb phone number’
We always knew she was a lovely lady, and it seems everyone else thinks so too! Davina McCall has topped a recent poll (by Right Mobile Phone) about which celebrity most people would like as contact on their phone.
A whopping 81% of respondents claimed the Big Brother presenter’s personality was the main reason for her being their top choice, with 63% loving her for that reason alone.
US socialite Paris Hilton was second on the list, with 74% of voters claiming they’d like to give her a call sometime. 54% of those people were attracted to her social status.
The full poll results:
2. Paris Hilton
3. Simon Cowell
7. Cheryl Cole
8. Chris Moyles
10. Jason Manford
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Return of The Smurfs
By Ed Holden
USA Today has unveiled our first look at the Smurfs movie today. Trailer will be on the net this Thursday.
Toy Story 3 review
by Andy Gibbons
Alright, I know it isn’t out here for over a month but, with Toy Story 3 opening in the US this week, the review embargo has now been lifted and I can’t wait any longer to tell you what I think of it. I’ve tried to keep things as spoiler free as possible so here we go….
What is it?
The third (and final?) part of Pixar’s flagship franchise in which aging Cowboy doll Woody must face up to the fact that his beloved Andy is growing up and moving on.
Set the best part of a decade after Toy Story 2, it’s obvious that the years haven’t been kind to Woody, Buzz and their friends – those who haven’t been given away or sold at yard sales lie abandoned and seemingly forgotten in a trunk in Andy’s room. And to make matters worse, the toys sense that the end is very much nigh as their teenage owner starts to pack for college. But just as it seems they’re all set for an eternity in the attic, a mistake sees the toys donated to Sunnyside Daycare centre where a lifetime of being played with is all but guaranteed. But it soon becomes apparent that the kids in the Caterpillar Room aren’t as loving as Andy while some of the other Sunnyside toys are less cuddly than they first appear…
What’s good?
Just about everything. As well as most of the characters we know and love from the first two films, there’s a whole host of newbies to enjoy here from the plush and soft Sunnyside veteran Lotso (voiced by Ned Beatty) to the vain and wonderful Ken (Michael Keaton), whose blossoming relationship with Barbie is a joy to watch. And the older characters certainly get their moments in the sun too – Hamm is as dry and off the bone than ever and Spanish Buzz’s dancing provides a nice distraction. But the real triumph here is the heart that comes across both in the story and production – you can feel the passion the folks at Pixar have for their work and that certainly helps give things a real emotional depth.
What’s bad?
I guess the only real problem here is that given the film’s 100 mins or so running time, some of the characters get fairly short shrift such as Timothy Dalton’s Germanic thesp Mr. Pricklepants. Also, and this could either be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view point, Toy Story 3 can get rather dark at times – Sunnyside’s enforcer Big Baby and the all-action finale may be a bit much for very young viewers.
So basically…..
There must have been a huge amount of pressure on director Lee Unkrich’s shoulders to keep the Toy Story series on top of its game and fortunately he’s done Pixar proud. He’s interwoven an exciting host of new characters with an, at times, epic adventure but manages to never lose sight of what is at the core of these films – the relationship between Woody and Andy. I’d be lying if I said a little tear didn’t creep out towards the end of the film and you’d have to have a heart of stone not to be moved during the final ten minutes. It may have been 11 years between Toy Story 2 and 3 but it’s certainly been worth the wait.
Toy Story 3 is in UK cinemas from July 19th.
“Hey Cam, hey Tom. Wanna cash in on the World Cup?”
“Yeah we should totally do some kind of CGI viral video thing!”
Greenberg review
by Andy Gibbons
What is it?
Writer / director Noah Baumbach’s (The Squid And The Whale, Margot At The Wedding) latest examination of the human condition, only this time he swaps coasts from his native New York and relocates the to ‘action’ to LA.
Ben Stiller stars as Roger Greenberg, a man whose recent 40th birthday coincided with a bit of a breakdown. When his successful brother heads of to Vietnam for six weeks, Roger flies in from New York to look after the family home and recuperate. And there he meets Florence (Greta Gerwig), his brother’s personal assistant and an uncomfortable relationship starts to form between the two while Roger also begins to reconnect with the friends he left behind.
What’s good?
After films like The Royal Tenenbaums, there’s been no doubt in my mind that Ben Stiller can deliver a good performance when he wants to and Greenberg gives him a solid chance to escape the mainstream shtick that pays his mortgage and flex his acting muscles (think Jim Carrey in The Truman Show or Man In The Moon). And Greenberg certainly sees him in decent form. But surprisingly for me the best thing on screen comes from Rhys Ifans as Roger’s friend Ivan, whose own personal problems barely register on Roger’s selfish radar.
What’s bad?
To say that Greenberg lacks any discernible plot is a bit of an understatement as Roger and Florence simply flit from one navel-gazing episode of self-angst and quirky dialogue to another without any real sense of connection. Roger himself is a pretty petty and unlikable character – sure, he’s recovering from various issues but his mood swings make him really hard to warm to. And a quick note to Baumbach; having your main character write spurious letters of complaint to various companies doesn’t make him interesting – it makes him annoying.
So basically…..
While I’ve never exactly been a fan of Baumbach’s previous films, I’ve always found something to like in them. But while I didn’t hate Greenberg I found it very hard to get a grip on – it’s too aimless and meandering and never really goes anywhere. I don’t want to use words like pretentious or self-satisfied but for me Greenberg is the cinematic equivalent of sitting in a coffee shop with a soy latte while reading The Complete Works of Chekov and stroking your goatee.
Greenberg is in cinemas now
New Eclipse details confirmed
Just a quickie this morning ‘cos I’ve got some news for you Twihards – Eclipse, the third part of the Twilight Saga, has been through the UK censors (that’s the British Board Of Film Classification). The movie, which is due to open here on July 9th, has been given a 12A certificate – that’s the same as the original Twilight and New Moon – and boasts a running time of 123m 47s (there’s nothing like being precise). But the BBFC are warning that the film ‘contains moderate fantasy violence’.
And in related news, Summit Entertainment have confirmed the rumour that the final Twilight book, Breaking Dawn, will be adapted as two separate films. Oscar winner filmmaker Bill Condon (Gods And Monsters, Dreamgirls) will direct both parts, the first of which is due late next year.
The Greenwich Beer and Jazz Festival – 27th to 31st May
Review by Gareth Morgan
If you’re thirty something, the chances are you would have grown up with bands such as Incognito, The Brand New Heavies and Omar in your peripheral hearing. These bands were the foundation of a whole new scene called acid jazz. With labels such as Mo Wax, Talking Loud and Blue Note supporting this new scene, acid jazz became an overnight sensation and inspired artist’s such as Jamiroquai and indeed took inspiration from people like Stevie Wonder. The music had soul and warmth, unlike a lot of modern music today.
Seeing the line up for the Greenwich Beer and Jazz Festival my sense of anticipation was on high alert.
Over the five days the line up looked like this: Becki Higgins, Snowboy, James Taylor Quartet, Polly & The Billets Doux, Hayseed Dixie, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Size Nine, The Deep Mo, Brand New Heavies, Adrian Edmonson & the Bad Shepherds, James Pearson Trio, Tony Hadley & his swing band, Prince Samspon, Omar and Incognito. Hmm, not bad!
I decided to cover the Saturday and Monday. As I made my way to the entrance on the Saturday, I could immediately tell this festival was going to be special. They gave you a branded glass from which to drink your beer, none of your wobbly plastic containers here. Great start organisers. Then we got an itinerary of the performances along with a beer menu of around 120 different varieties. Ok, I may not get to taste all of them, but I’ll give it a go.
So, Saturday had The Brand New Heavies headlining, along with support from Deep Mo and Size Nine. Now I must give a very deserved mention to Size Nine. I’d never heard their material before, but was in awe at their super musicianship and original music. Size Nine are an eight piece band hailing from deepest, darkest Sarfff London. Front lady Breezy Lee Althelion entertained the crowd with her energy and powerful voice and these guys absolutely rocked the afternoon crowd, including me. With a brass section that the Salvation Army would have been proud of and them touting themselves as ‘London’s number One Buttshaking Latin Funk Soul Ska Orchestra’, I for one will be listening to more of their material. Check out some of the music on their site, it really is that good.
Size Nine
After Size Nine, I wandered around various beer tents sampling delights such as chocolate beer and strawberry ale as this was also a beer festival lest we forget. But alas, I was yearning for something less exotic, so to the Budvar tent I trotted. I only intended staying there for a drink, but must admit I got talking to a group of ladies and kind of lost track of time. Suffice to say I missed Deep Mo’s performance which wasn’t the best thing to do.
I made my way back to the stage in readiness for the Brand New Heavies and was not disappointed. The music was as you would expect from the Heavies, but it was also the crowd that were making this event special. This had to be the friendliest crowd I’d seen in London for a long time, no wonder they weren’t afraid to give you a real glass at the door. The Heavies’ set included some of their well known ones such as Stay This Way, Midnight at the Oasis as well as newer material. They came back on stage to cries of ‘more’ and belted out You are the Universe which is one of my personal favourites of all time. This certainly got the crowd into a frenzy and I even found myself dancing, or wobbling in time with the music to be more accurate. What a day and I had it all to do again on Monday.
Monday saw Prince Sampson, Omar and Incognito performing, so I decided to get there mid-afternoon an hour or so before Omar was due to play. Again I must mention the friendly crowd. I go to Southport Weekender which is also known for being very friendly, but this festival was definitely as friendly as Southport, if not more so. That takes a lot for me to say but it’s true.
Omar came on to a very warm reception and stuck with a lot of newer material as well as engaging with the crowd in banter. He did play quite a few tracks from the album There’s Nothing Like This and sung the track too, which brought a little tear to my eye. Or was it down to the honey pale ale I was trying out? Incognito were on after Omar and whilst waiting, Bluey from Incognito came amongst the crowd and spoke to everyone around him. He wasn’t doing it for attention, you could tell the man felt a genuine humbleness which really touched me. I wouldn’t mind his money though, I must admit!
If Size Nine and the Heavies on Saturday were semi finalists, Incognito were winners of the World Cup. They were simply perfect. Tracks such as Still a Friend of Mine (who I defy anybody to listen to and not feel happy), Smiling Faces (see what I did there) and Brother Sister were belted out with gusto and passion. The night flew past and I was genuinely sad it had ended. What a weekend.
Incognito
If you missed the Greenwich Beer and Jazz Festival, fear not! They are doing more less the same show again, this time at Hampton Court Palace in August. Obviously named the Hampton Court Beer and Jazz Festival, I for one cannot wait for this. Only this time I have booked off the relevant days from work and will be in attendance for every show. Bring it on!
