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Userpic2014 Grammy Awards Recap
Posted by Kam Williams
27.01.2014

2014 Grammys Recap
by Kam Williams

A Royal Night to Remember!

From Queen B’s Wardrobe Malfunction to Queen Latifah’s Mass Wedding

Although the Grammys were dominated by the French robot duo Daft Punk, rapper/producer team Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and New Zealand teen singing sensation Lorde, their wins were easily upstaged by memorable appearances by two black queens, namely, Queen B and Queen Latifah. For, the night to remember’s highlights featured a wardrobe malfunction during Beyoncé’s performance of “Drunk in Love” and Reverend Latifah’s officiating the wedding of 33 couples (with the power vested in her by the State of California) following Macklemore’s spirited rendition of the gay anthem “Same Love.”

Did anybody think about Nas’ pronouncement that “Hip-hop is dead!” on a night when the genre’s artists netting the most accolades were no longer black gangsta rappers but white gay rights advocates preaching tolerance of sexual preferences? Talk about jumping the shark! The only other jaw-dropper was the sight of Pharrell in that oversized, Canadian Mountie hat.

 

Complete List of 2014 Grammy Winners

Record of the Year

“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

Album of the Year

“Random Access Memories,” Daft Punk

Song of the Year

Joel Little and Ella Yelich-O’Connor (“Royals,” Lorde)

New Artist

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Pop Solo Performance

“Royals,” Lorde

Pop Performance, Duo or Group

“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

Pop Instrumental Album

“Steppin’ Out,” Herb Alpert

Pop Vocal Album

“Unorthodox Jukebox,” Bruno Mars

Dance Recording

“Clarity,” Zedd and Foxes

Dance/Electronica Album

“Random Access Memories,” Daft Punk

Traditional Pop Vocal Album

“To Be Loved,” Michael Bublé

Rock Performance

“Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons

Metal Performance

“God Is Dead?,” Black Sabbath

Rock Song

Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear (“Cut Me Some Slack,” Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear)

Rock Album

“Celebration Day,” Led Zeppelin

Alternative Music Album

“Modern Vampires of the City,” Vampire Weekend

R&B Performance

“Something,” Snarky Puppy and Lalah Hathaway

Traditional R&B Performance

“Please Come Home,” Gary Clark Jr.

R&B Song

James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley and Justin Timberlake (“Pusher Love Girl,” Justin Timberlake)

R&B Album

“Girl on Fire,” Alicia Keys

Rap Performance

“Thrift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Wanz

Rap/Sung Collaboration

“Holy Grail,” Jay Z and Justin Timberlake

Rap Song

Ben Haggerty and Ryan Lewis (“Thrift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Wanz)

Rap Album

“The Heist,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Urban Contemporary Album

“Unapologetic,” Rihanna

Country Solo Performance

“Wagon Wheel,” Darius Rucker

Country Performance, Duo or Group

“From This Valley,” the Civil Wars

Country Song

Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and Josh Osborne (“Merry Go ’Round,” Kacey Musgraves)

Country Album

“Same Trailer Different Park,” Kacey Musgraves

New Age Album

“Love’s River,” Laura Sullivan

Improvised Jazz Solo

“Orbits,” Wayne Shorter

Jazz Vocal Album

“Liquid Spirit,” Gregory Porter

Jazz Instrumental Album

“Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue,” Terri Lyne Carrington

Large Jazz Ensemble Album

“Night in Calisia,” Randy Brecker, Wlodek Pawlik Trio and Kalisz Philharmonic

Latin Jazz Album

“Song for Maura,” Paquito D’Rivera and Trio Corrente

Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

“Break Every Chain (Live),” Tasha Cobbs

Gospel Song

Tye Tribbett (“If He Did It Before ... Same God (Live),” Tye Tribbett)

Contemporary Christian Music Song

David Garcia, Ben Glover and Christopher Stevens (“Overcomer,” Mandisa)

Gospel Album

“Greater Than (Live),” Tye Tribbett

Contemporary Christian Music Album

“Overcomer,” Mandisa

Latin Pop Album

“Vida,” Draco Rosa

Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album

“Treinta Días,” la Santa Cecilia

Regional Mexican or Tejano Album

“A Mi Manera,” Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea

Tropical Latin Album

“Pacific Mambo Orchestra,” Pacific Mambo Orchestra

American Roots Song

Edie Brickell and Steve Martin (“Love Has Come for You,” Steve Martin and Edie Brickell)

Americana Album

“Old Yellow Moon,” Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell

Bluegrass Album

“The Streets of Baltimore,” Del McCoury Band

Blues Album

“Get Up!,” Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite

Folk Album

“My Favorite Picture of You,” Guy Clark

Regional Roots Music Album

“Dockside Sessions,” Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience

Reggae Album

“Ziggy Marley in Concert,” Ziggy Marley

World Music Album

“Savor Flamenco,” Gipsy Kings

“Live: Singing for Peace Around the World,” Ladysmith Black Mambazo (tie)

Children’s Album

“Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well,” Jennifer Gasoi

Spoken Word Album

“America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t,” Stephen Colbert

Comedy Album

“Calm Down Gurrl,” Kathy Griffin

Musical Theater Album

“Kinky Boots,” Billy Porter and Stark Sands, artists; Sammy James Jr., Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Oremus and William Wittman, producers; Cyndi Lauper, composer/lyricist

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

“Sound City: Real to Reel,” Butch Vig, compilation producer

Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

“Skyfall,” Thomas Newman, composer

Song Written for Visual Media

Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth, “Skyfall,” from “Skyfall” (Adele)

Instrumental Composition

“Pensamientos for Solo Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra,” Clare Fischer (the Clare Fischer Orchestra)

Instrumental Arrangement

“On Green Dolphin Street,” Gordon Goodwin (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)

Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)

“Swing Low,” Gil Goldstein (Bobby McFerrin and Esperanza Spalding)

Producer of the Year, Nonclassical

Pharrell Williams

Producer of the Year, Classical

David Frost

Remixed Recording, Nonclassical

“Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix),” Cedric Gervais, remixer

Orchestral Performance

“Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4,” Osmo Vänskä, conductor (Minnesota Orchestra)

Opera Recording

“Adès: The Tempest,” Thomas Adès, conductor; Simon Keenlyside, Isabel Leonard, Audrey Luna and Alan Oke; Jay David Saks, producer (the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; the Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Choral Performance

“Pärt: Adam’s Lament,” Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor (Tui Hirv and Rainer Vilu, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Sinfonietta Riga and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Latvian Radio Choir and Vox Clamantis)

Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

“Roomful of Teeth,” Brad Wells and Roomful of Teeth

Classical Instrumental Solo

“Corigliano: Conjurer — Concerto for Percussionist and String Orchestra,” Evelyn Glennie

Classical Vocal Solo

“Winter Morning Walks,” Dawn Upshaw (Maria Schneider; Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough and Scott Robinson; Australian Chamber Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)

Classical Compendium

“Hindemith: Violinkonzert; Symphonic Metamorphosis; Konzertmusik,” Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

Contemporary Classical Composition

“Schneider, Maria: Winter Morning Walks,” Maria Schneider (Dawn Upshaw, Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough, Scott Robinson and Australian Chamber Orchestra)

Music Video

“Suit & Tie,” Justin Timberlake and Jay Z

Music Film

“Live Kisses,” Paul McCartney

Recording Package

“Long Night Moon,” Sarah Dodds and Shauna Dodds, art directors (Reckless Kelly)

Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

“Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition),” Simon Earith and James Musgrave, art directors (Paul McCartney and Wings)

Album Notes

“Afro Blue Impressions (Remastered & Expanded),” Neil Tesser (John Coltrane)

Historical Album

“Charlie Is My Darling — Ireland 1965,” Teri Landi, Andrew Loog Oldham & Steve Rosenthal, compilation producers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (the Rolling Stones)

“The Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums,” Leo Sacks, compilation producer; Joseph M. Palmaccio, Tom Ruff and Mark Wilder, mastering engineers (Bill Withers) (tie)

Engineered Album, Nonclassical

“Random Access Memories,” Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta and Daniel Lerner, engineers; Antoine Chabert and Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Daft Punk)

Surround Sound Album

“Live Kisses,” Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; Tommy LiPuma, surround producer (Paul McCartney)

Best Engineered Album, Classical

“Winter Morning Walks,” David Frost, Brian Losch and Tim Martyn, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Dawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, Australian Chamber Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)

 


Demi-Soeur
(Half-Sister)
Film Review by Kam Williams

Nenette (Josiane Balasko) never left home because of her mentally-disability. So, you can imagine the shock when her mother, the loving, lifelong caretaker who had shielded her from the cruel world for over a half-century, suddenly passes away.

Finding herself in desperate straits, the autistic orphan decides to search for Antoine Berard, the long-lost father she’s never known. So, with her pet turtle Tootie in tow, Nenette sets out on foot for Angers, the town where he’s rumored to run the local pharmacy.

En route, however, she becomes lost in the woods and is lucky to stumble upon punk rock ravers inclined not only to protect her from the elements but to give Nenette a ride to her destination. Unfortunately, the disheveled drifter soon discovers that her dad has been dead for over 15 years.

The good news is that the business was inherited by his son, Paul (Michel Blanc), a half-brother Nenette didn’t know she had. The bad news is that he’s an irascible misanthrope who doesn’t get along with his customers, his staff, or even his own family.

Worse, when Nenette shows up unannounced, the miserly curmudgeon is initially more worried about protecting his inheritance than his vulnerable sibling’s welfare. Therefore, he starts circling the wagons instead of welcoming her with open arms.

First, he consults an attorney about cutting her out of their father’s estate. Then, he hastily makes arrangements to ship her right back where she came from.

That plan goes totally awry when well-meaning Nanette accidentally spikes his coffee with a couple of hits of Ecstasy. The mood-altering drug puts Paul into a euphoric state for an eventful day of redemption during which he proceeds to mend fences with estranged friends and relatives. Thus, the burning question becomes whether the narcotic will have a temporary or salutary effect on him.

Written and directed by, and starring Josiane Balasko, Demi-Soeur is a touching tale which might best described as an engaging blend of Nebraska (2013) and Amelie (2001). For, Nenette exhibits the same dogged determination as Bruce Dern in the former film, as well the endearing naivete which enabled Audrey Tautou’s title character’s ability to touch the hearts of everyone she encountered in the latter.

A poignant parable which puts what matters most in proper perspective.

Very Good (3 stars)

Unrated

In French with subtitles

Running time: 86 minutes

Distributor: Rialto Pictures / StudioCanal


Reviews
UserpicCavemen (FILM REVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
25.01.2014

Cavemen

Film Review by Kam Williams

 

            Dean (Skylar Austin) lives in L.A. with three buddies in a warehouse converted into a windowless loft they call “The Cave.” The appellation is apropos since these twenty-something slackers behave like cavemen, spending most of their free time at local haunts bars trying to lure women back to their bachelors’ lair for wanton liaisons with no strings attached.

            For instance, African-American Andre (Dayo Okeniyi) has been sleeping with a luscious Latina (Fernanda Romero) as well as an attractive Asian (Victoria Park) who have no idea that each other exists. That state of affairs is a recipe for disaster destined to blow up in the two-timing brother’s face.

            Meanwhile, Andre’s roommates, Jay (Chad Michael Murray) and Pete (Kenny Wormald), have been behaving just as badly, inspired by the macho mantra, “Get out there and take what’s yours.” Dean, however, has finally tired of the string of shallow conquests after sharing pneumatic bliss with Sara (Megan Stevenson), a cutie-pie who means nothing more to him than another notch in the bedpost.

            Over lunch the next day, he cries on the proverbial shoulders of his BFF Tess (Camille Belle) and his nephew Jimmy (Kaden Gibson) about wanting to find a meaningful relationship. Because the cozy confidantes sitting at the table seem very well-suited, the precocious 9 year-old asks whether they’ve ever dated.

            Dean and Tess awkwardly admit that they once kissed long ago, but purely by accident. However, instead of now considering each other romantically, the obvious soul mates continue to look elsewhere for a love connection.

            Soon, Tess starts sleeping with inveterate womanizer Jay, which leaves the audience impatiently wondering when Dean will wake up and confess his deep feelings before it’s too late? At which point the question will be whether she’s inclined to reciprocate?

            Those are the pivotal plot points driving Cavemen, an amusing romantic comedy exploring the mating habits of male members of the Millennial Generation in superficial fashion. Written and directed by Herschel Faber, the otherwise entertaining picture suffers from a flaw reflected in its failure to develop its characters beyond recognizable clichés.

            Best thought of as a 21st Century update of the Little Rascals’ He-Man Woman Hater’s Club episode where Alfalfa wises up and woos Darla, his Neanderthal pals’ protestations notwithstanding.

Very Good (2.5 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 86 minutes

Distributor: Well Go USA Entertainment

To see a trailer for Cavemen, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoAi-SZccf0    


Interviews
UserpicTaboo (INTERVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
21.01.2014

Taboo

The “Jamesy Boy” Interview

with Kam Williams

The Taboo to Pursue!

Born in L.A. on July 14, 1975, Jimmy “Taboo” Gomez began dreaming about show business at an early age. The versatile fourple threat is a multilingual rapper, singer, dancer and emcee who got his big break in 1995 when approached by will.i.am to form the Black Eyed Peas.

Among the popular hip-hop group’s hits are the Grammy-winning “I Gotta Feeling,” “Let’s Get It Started,” “Boom Boom Pow” and “My Humps,” to name a few. Besides music, Taboo is also the designer of his own line of footwear, Taboo Deltah, and has added acting to his bag of tricks.

Here, he talks about his latest outing as Guillermo in Jamesy Boy, a fact-based tale of redemption co-starring Ving Rhames, James Woods and Spencer Lofranco. Although he wants to make more movies in the future, he is currently focused on his own solo album releasing later in the year, as well as on an upcoming tour with the Black Eyed Peas.

Kam Williams: Hi Taboo, thanks for another interview.

Taboo: Thank you.

KW: Like last time, I’ll be mixing in my questions, with some from my readers. How did you get interested you in acting?

T: Well, I had actually been taking acting classes prior to joining the Black Eyed Peas in ‘96. In fact, I originally thought it was going to be my introduction to the entertainment world, because Black Eyed Peas was more of a local, L.A. underground band. I kept up with the acting classes as a safety net, until we took off a couple of years later, after the release of our first album. Once we started touring, I had to put acting on hold, although I still wanted to act. Fast-forward to 2005, when I made my feature film debut playing a character named Ramirez in Dirty, with Cuba Gooding, Jr., Clifton Collins, Wyclef [Jean] and a couple other people. Then I did a movie called Cosmic Radio and, after that, one called Streetfighter. And now, Jamesy Boy.

Read the rest of this story »


Reviews
UserpicFrozen (FILM REVIEW)
Posted by Kam Williams
20.01.2014

Frozen

Film Review by Kam Williams

 

Princess Saves the Day in Musical Adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen Classic

            Given the toll the polar vortex has been exacting on the continental U.S. lately, I think plenty of people can relate to the frigid predicament of the people living in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle. Disney’s Frozen is an animated adventure loosely based on “The Snow Queen,” a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale first published in 1845.

            This delightful musical stars Kristen Bell as the voice of Anna, the young princess who takes it upon herself to save the day after her sister, recently-crowned Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), inadvertently plunges Arendelle into a permanent winter before disappearing. You see, Elsa was born with a superpower similar to Batman’s adversary Mr. Freeze as well as the character Sub-Zero in Mortal Combat, namely, the ability to freeze things in an instant.

            Complicating matters is the fact that Elsa, empowered in the wake of their parents’ demise, had just put the kaibosh on her sister’s plans to marry handsome Prince Hans (Santino Fontana). So, Anna, accompanied by an anthropomorphic snowman (Josh Gad) and a rugged mountain man (Jonathan Groff) with a trusty reindeer, embarks on an epic journey in hope of finding her sibling with hopes of not only reversing the curse but of reconciling their differences.

            En route, Anna and company are afforded ample opportunities to belt out a tune when not proving their mettle in playful plights of peril. The enchanting picture is as memorable for its pleasant luminescence and catchy soundtrack (including the Best Song Oscar-nominated “Let It Go”), as for its unpredictable resolution.

            To its credit, Frozen puts a novel spin on the hackneyed nursery rhyme plotline which has the prince arriving in the nick of time to save the damsel-in-distress. A touching tale of sisterhood with a priceless message about blood being thicker than an ill-advised crush.

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated PG for action and mild rude humor

Running time: 102 minutes

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

To see a trailer for Frozen, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jw-AeaU5WI