This Week @ The Movies: Funny People

Jonah Hill, Eric Bana and Jason Schwartzman also star. With Appearances and Cameos by The RZA, Eminem, Justin Long, Ray Romano, Sarah Silverman, Norm MacDonald, Raaaaandy! aka Aziz Ansari, Paul Reiser from Mad About You, and some more that I can’t remember right now.

This is a great role for Sandler because it allows him to show his depth as an actor. Funny people is not Little Nicky. The storyline in this movie is realistic and really funny. Complete with comedy, drama, never before seen cut scenes from Sandler’s early career and classic stand up sets from the actors/comedians playing actors/comedians.

The first few trailers cannot prepare you for the surprises this movie has in store. Careful though, the longer you wait to see this the more of the movie they will spoil for you in the coming weeks with TV spots 4-20 something too many.

The hype has faded around Transformers 2…this is now my new favorite movie of 2009.
I give it 4/5 Bo-Ty’s.

Not sure what to do this weekend? Rainy weather got you down? This movie will make a great wânhuì.

I’ll also give this movie a special Norm MacDonald rater for the guest appearance I loved the most.

Stay Classy!

zàijiàn

Rakim Allah – Holy Are You(New Single)

The LONG awaited first single off Ra’s LONG overdue LP, The Seventh Seal.

Holy Are You Download Link.
Alternative Link.

The album is being released on Rakim’s Ra Records label in a joint venture with Tuscan Villa Entertainment, headed by industry veterans Ron Kyle and Lennie Petze. In turn, Tuscan Villa is entered in a joint venture pact with SMC Recordings whose principals are Ralph Tashjian and Will Bronson. Handling distribution for Rakim’s album is Fontana/Universal Music Group. The rapper is managed by Matthew Kemp.

The rapper signed with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath label in 2001. Featured on the 2002 top 10 R&B single “Addictive” by Aftermath labelmate Truth Hurts, Rakim later parted ways with Dre and Aftermath and his album was never released. Rakim – best known as one-half of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim – has not released a new studio album save for 2008’s mostly live set, “The Archive: Live, Lost & Found,” which included four previously unreleased songs.

The rapper tells us the new album is fueled by consciousness and spirituality, something maybe Dr. Dre wasn’t fully about musically.

Stay Classy,

Peace to the Gods and Earths,

Black Ty

Art of Fresh

Art of Fresh is on a mission to bring butterfat boom-bap to the funk nation.

The duo is comprised of Guinness World Record setting rapper D.O., and Juno award winning producer Slakah is the Beatchild. Both artists bring their vocal talents to the group, while Slakah the Beatchild also focuses on providing the beats and production elements.

In 2008, the duo completed a 25-date national tour opening up for Sweatshop Union to mark the release of their debut album Back to the Earth (Northstarr / Nova Music Group / Universal). The album earned a 4 star review in Eye Weekly, charted as high as #2 on the national college charts, and the group made URB’s Next 1000 list. They also performed on MTV Live and had Myspace and Youtube features.

In addition to being a group, Slakah the Beatchild and D.O. are
also solo artists.

An accomplished emcee, D.O. he set a Guinness World Record by freestyle rapping over 8 hours and 45 minutes. In 2007, he released his debut album The Northstarr featuring the hits “Young Brother” and “Defy the Odds.”

Peep his new video:

Slakah the Beatchild is a Juno award-winning producer contributing to Divine Brown’s 2008 “Love Chronicles.” He’s been featured as producer on Juno nominated recordings from Shad and Ebrahim. Signed to BBE (Wil.i.am , DJ Jazzy Jeff), his debut album Soul Movement has been met with critical acclaim worldwide.

Peep one of his videos from that critically acclaimed album:

These two prove that Canadian talent is and can be very genuine. Keep up the good work guys. Their new album, entitled “Back to Earth” features appearances by King Reign, Tona, and JD Era.

Here’s a sample of that very song for you.

Art of Fresh – Get Money feat. Tona and JD Era

As a whole the album sounds kinda like lounge music to me; and I love to lounge. You could easily put this album on when you’re at a summer backyard BBQ, or just having friends over your loft apartment for apps and drinks recommended by Bella (ICU!).

lmao @ the NYC INTERLUDE

For more on Art of Fresh and a list of their tour dates: www.myspace.com/artoffresh

This Week @ The Movies: Public Enemies

This movie has such an all star cast that it is hard to believe.

I guess when other actors heard the immortal Johnny Depp and the caped crusading Christain Bale were the two leads, they rushed to be a part of this.

I spent most of my time watching this amazed at all the familiar faces rather than being intrigued by the story of John Dillinger.

The cast includes appearances by…pay attention to what movie/show I site them in, because those are their best.

Peter Gerety (The Wire)
Domenick Lombardozzi (The Wire)
Leelee Sobieski (88 Minutes)
David Wenham (Lord of The Rings)
Stephen Dorff (Felon)
Channing Tatum (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints)
Shawn Hatosy (Alpha Dog)
Giovanni Ribisi (Boiler Room)
Billy Crudup (Almost Famous)
Rory Cochrane (24)

I could go on…

The music was great, featuring more than one cut from Jazz Blues Songstress Billie Holiday. In the scenes when such classics are playing, you are treated to the most sincere moments of truth about the american outlaw, the law dog, and their mutual crises of conscience regarding the cost of the war the waged; namely human lives.

That may be the only good thing I have to say about this film.

Oh no wait, Dillinger’s love interest in the film, Marion Cotillard, who I remember from her role in A Good Year, was still very french and very hot. Je t’adore.

Other than that, the movie is painfully slow, far too long with a running time of 1 million hours, predictable, and then there’s the way it was shot.

In the trailers, this unique camera picture looked refreshingly real on the big screen. When it came to watching the movie it was still cool, save for in the action scenes when it felt like I was watching Cloverfield again or playing a first person shooter video game like Call of Duty or Halo.

It was a huge let down story wise, not that I was looking for anything terribly unique in the gangster genre. And I know this was based on real life events and people, but throw me a frickin bone will ya? Pause.

I guess the only treats are the music, the wardrobe (a simpler time when men always wore suits and fedoras and women always had on their sunday best dresses), and of course l’amour de ma vie, Marion Cotillard.

2/5 Bo-Ty’s because it have been so much better with just a few more weeks of editing.

Drake – Best I Ever Had video

Directed by Kanye West

Appearances by Consequence, Young Money, Fabolous, Trey Songz…

Lotta people are up in arms about the quality of the video Kanye directed for Drake.

I just took the video for what it was. TNA. And I thought Drake was hilarious in the cut scenes.
“Take that D! Like the Champions you are.”

I also think the fact that Drake’s team lost speaks volumes to exactly what most people are upset about.

Black Ty Approved

The King Is Dead. Long Live the King.

‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson died today at the UCLA Medical Center after he was brought in by paramedics who found him not breathing at his home, according to various reports. Cardiac arrest is the supposed cause, although Jackson had been suffering from other ailments.

I, like so many of you, grew up listening to Michael Jackson. The Christmas album he recorded with his brothers still plays in my house every year. The timeless energy of his songs dominate old and new school jams alike, lending courage to listeners world wide who would dare try to emulate his swag on the dance floor. The Moon Walk. The leg kick. The pop locking. The crotch grab. The scream. The hat throw. The glove. The red leather jacket. The hair. The white socks andblack shoes.

That infectious smile.

No matter the scandals, no matter the personal issues. No matter how you remember him…The music my friends, ‘The Way You Make Me Feel‘, ‘P.Y.T.’, ‘Billie Jean‘, ‘One More Chance‘!!! You know I could easily go on and on, because Mike was a musical genius. Most of us revered him for that and tried not to let his image be blemished by the hordes determined to see him fall from glory. To the haters, I say ‘Beat It‘, so you ‘Wanna Be Startin Something‘? ‘You know I’m Bad‘ right?! ‘Why you wanna trip on me‘?

Don’t trip. You know he got you open kid. Don’t front.

‘Rock With You!!!!!!’ “Girrrrrl, close your eyes/ Let that rhythm, get into to you/ Don’t try to fight it/ There ain’t nothin’ that you can do/ Relax your mind/ Lay back and groove with mine/ You gotta feel the heat!/ And we can ride the boogie/ Share that beat of luuuuuuv”

Sing it! I know you know the words!

What’s your favorite album?

Mine has to be Thriller, but how can you really choose?!

Off the Wall is just as Epic!

Here’s a list of his albums, dig them up, listen, pay homage to the KING!

* Got to Be There (1972)

* Ben (1972)

* Music and Me (1973)

* Forever, Michael (1975)

* Off the Wall (1979)

* Thriller (1982)

* Bad (1987)

* Dangerous (1991)

* HIStory (1995)

* Invincible (2001)

Earlier this year, Jackson announced his return to live performance with a series of 50 concerts in London, slated to begin July 13.

Rest in peace MJ. But listen up, because the entire world is bumping your music right now!

Stay Classy Mikey.

you've been hit by...you've been struck by...a smooth criminal

Bangkok Dangerous

would you retire already? how about Directing?

“My name’s Joe. This is what I do.”

A hitman who’s in Bangkok to pull off a series of jobs falls for a local woman and bonds with his errand boy.

I did not think I was going to get through this whole thing.  Cage’s career has been on a constant down spiral ever since he refused to cut his hair and accept his receding hairline.

He did a worse job in Ghost Rider than Ben Affleck did in Daredevil; and I don’t think anybody thought that was possible. Peace to Affleck though who is directing more now and even manages to come off as believable in his latest roles (I can tell you have been working on your craft)

But I digress. Back to National Treasure part 2 star Nikolai Cagwoski.  Give it up already.  I hear you’re doing a comic book with your brother called Voodoo Child.  Maybe you should stick to that for a while, maybe make a movie out of it, give some black actors a shot.

I am looking forward to your role in the live action adaptation of the Kick Ass comic book.

Kick-Ass is an ongoing, creator-owned, American comic book series written by Mark Millar and illustrated by John Romita, Jr. It is published by Marvel Comics under the company's Icon imprint.

I guess with a guy like you (a steady working actor the likes of Samuel L. Jackson) we are bound to get a shit load of crap movies in between your good ones.  I can’t think of one since Lord of War.

I’m gonna be watching Knowing after this…I’ll try to be merciful.

It’s funny that I have so much to write about a star I claim is fading from brilliance. Perhaps that’s because I loved Leaving Las Vegas so much or maybe it’s because Cage is a fellow comic book fan.

Anyhoo, Bangkok Dangerous is ok, it serves its purpose among the other assassin movies of its sort; namely allowing viewers to imagine the life of a professional killer with all its intricacies and professional hazards. It even has a little sequence where Cage instructs a civilian with the basics of how to be a killer. I give this stat stuffer of a movie 2/5 Bo-Ty’s.

sub-par action, bad scar tissue make-up, and that damn hair cut!

With a special HITMAN rater to remind us of a movie and even moreso a video game that did it better.

class class class

Stay Classy.

The Lazarus Project

A former criminal is drawn into a criminal endeavor and subsequently finds himself living an inexplicable new life working at a psychiatric facility.

Starring Paul Walker, Piper Perabo and Malcolm Goodwin.  Not a bad film.  (SPOILER ALERT) Could have been great if they added something supernatural; maybe not on the part of his captors, but inside him rather.

I’ll give this 2.5/5 Bo-Ty’s.

not a total waste of time, but predictable after a while

Peep the trailer:

Special Joker rater for the crazies depicted in this flick.

why so serious?

Stay Classy.

Bottle Shock

drab humor

The story of the early days of California wine making featuring the now infamous, blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as “Judgment of Paris”.

New on DVD, Bottle Shock definitely ranks up there with movies like A Good Year and Sideways in their ability to make you want to drink good wine.

Mildy humoristic and pleasant, Alan Rickman’s straight face drab voice is kind of getting annoying to me now; he sounds the same in every movie. Chris Pine, now known for his role as Captain James Tiberius Kirk in this summer’s blockbuster reimagining of Stark Trek, has horrible hair in this. I’m not a homo, hell i’m not even half-a-fag, but his wig in this movie is worse than Halle Berry’s in X-Men 1.

Eliza Dushku, who will always be Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to me, is always a pleasure to behold. I gotta have Faith....BABE-AY!

Peep the trailer:

I give this corkomedy 2.5/5 Bo-Ty’s.

barely watchable

With a special snooty British man rater for the air of entitlement you’re sure to feel when you pour a glass of your fav (or whatever’s available) while watching this flick:

Stay Classy.

lah dee dah hoo hoo haaa root doot dooo

Ty

This Week @ The Movies: TRANSFORMERS ROTF

In what people (me and my friends) are calling the greatest movie ever made, Michael Bay returns viewers to the science fiction world where two factions of a robotic alien race battle over Earth’s hidden secrets and powers.

Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen is not going to win any Oscars outside of best sound fx or best graphics. It will however dominate at all geek award shows like the Spike TV awards, MTV Movie Awards, Hugo etc. In fact, it is already being torn apart by critics on Rotten Tomatoes and by Roger Ebert himself.

Sorry old man, this movie was not made for you. This movie was made for all the people who packed theaters at midnight last night across North America wearing Transformers T-Shirts and playing transformer ringtones over and over, before, during, and after the movie on their cell phones.

This movie is for people who love a good action flick. More so, it is for people who grew up watching the original series, the movies, played with the toys, and went on from there to watch spinoff shows like Beast Wars and Beast Machines.

After catching the midnight screening last night I left the theater as one happy 26yr old kid; a huge smile across my face and pure joy in my heart. I’m going to see it again tonight and maybe again on the weekend in IMAX (which is apparently about 2mins longer than the regular version with added fight scenes).

leave it to cleavage

Ladies, this makes a great date movie too, you’ll love the human elements and the dynamics in the relationship between Sam (Shia LaBeouf) and Michaela (Megan toe thumb Fox).

Things you may not like about this movie, but I didn’t mind:

1. The Twins: Foul mouthed twin robots who get a little too much screen time
2. Lack of dialogue for other robots: Ironhide, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Arcee, all have very limited screen time and lines
3. Devastator’s balls: just get over it and giggle
4. Sam’s Mom high on weed brownies: kind of unnecessary, but still funny

Transformers 3 plot hint: Tyrese, while observing Optimus Transform – “Kinda freaky huh? If God made us in his image. Who made them?” Look for Unicron and more old Transformers like Omega Supreme in the final chapter of the trilogy. (crosses fingers and hopes for parts 4,5,6)

I give this movie 5 out of 5 Bo-Ty’s.

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