Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are trying to solve a case involving some gruesome murders perpetrated by Lord Blackwood - a magician performing black magic. Lord Blackwood is caught and hung near the beginning, but is magically resurrected, thus consolidating his power. Of course, using his logical powers of deduction, and helped by the eminent Dr Watson, Holmes is able to solve the case and dispatch Lord Blackwood.
Robert Downey Jr. is good as Sherlock Holmes; he imports some of the cocky arrogance from Tony Stark into his character. This works really well as Sherlock is always so sure of himself. My only problem with Downey Jr is that when he is thinking/talking quickly - using his logical powers of reasoning - he mumbles a lot. Perhaps this is just part of him trying to do a British accent; but several times we had to put the subtitles on! Because of this I actually thought that Jude Law was better. He plays Dr Watson with understated cool. Though he is smitten by the woman in his life, Watson is pretty mean in a fight too. Mark Strong is good as the evil Lord Blackwood, but he doesn’t get the same opportunity to stand out as he does in Rock n Rolla.
"How dare you say I can't do a British accent!"
Guy Ritchie’s direction is pretty good too; perhaps not the convoluted plots of some of his gangster films, but some of the fights are very Ritchie-stylish. Victorian London also never looked so good. Hans Zimmer’s score is good without being spectacular. Overall I thought this was a pretty good film; entertaining, fun, the characters are classics, and are interpreted fairly well for a more modern audience.
Elementary my dear Watson; your hat is on too tight.
She set everything up with her debut, showcasing this new style of Latin soul, fusing together R&B, Pop, Dance, and Latin music. It was in the spirit of the big Latin explosion (right along with Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and even Enrique). Along comes this sophomore effort, and she was playing to her strengths once again, embracing her new name J.Lo.
The Play-by-Play
The first single “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” kicks things off with its plea for real love, not the material things in life. She shines so much more in the video, stripping down to the simple things (and yes, she literally does strip down). “I’m Real” follows as a sweet reminder of Jennifer’s signature Pop sound, so sweet, and so addictive. Then comes “Play”, co-written by Christina Milian. It’s an infectious single, somewhat like “Waiting For Tonight” part 2. And as a nine year old at the time, you can imagine my surprise with her line, “Now Mr. DJ, I’ve asked you three times. Play my mother-f***ing song!” It still is my guilty pleasure to listen to. “Walking on Sunshine” comes next and serves as my favorite song from the album, and who would have thought that Sean Combs was capable of producing such a sweet, sunny pleasure like this? It’s upbeat, infectious, and very uplifting. Jennifer then taps into her Latin side with the next two tracks, starting with “Ain’t It Funny” (a far cry from the Murder Remix that followed this single release). It’s a Paso Doble dream number, filled with a catchy hook and dramatic music. “Cariño” is next, showing off more of her sexy Latin side, and exuding so much of it! And what a clever move to mix in the English lyrics with a Spanish hook. Next comes the most forgettable song on the album, “Come Over” (one that I’m happy to place the blame on Sean Combs). But we soon forget about that and move right along with a memorable track “We Gotta Talk”. This is an amazing example of her Latin soul style, mixing in Pop with the Latin back beat. “That’s Not Me” follows with its dramatic tale of a woman who certainly isn’t willing to change just to be with her man, not willing to become one of his other girls (something sounds a lot like a personal message to Combs on this one). “Dance With Me” comes next with its seductive club groove and all. “Secretly” is a surprise for me, because she usually can’t sing well when it comes to the slower songs. Surprisingly though, she does a great job playing with the sexy side of her whisper vocals (and literally whispering certain lines within the background). It’s a seductive number, but very romantic. “I’m Gonna Be Alright” is another not so memorable moment, but it does play into her Latin soul side once again. Superstar producer Rodney Jerkins makes his way back into J.Lo’s heart in the end with the signature Darkchild sound from this time on “That’s The Way”. The last two tracks have Jennifer going full on into her Latin swing, beginning with the Spanish-written “Dame (Touch Me)” featuring Chayanne. It’s a sexy showstopper helping to close the album out with a big bang! “Si Ya Se Acabó” closes out the original album version on another high note. Then along comes the re-release later that summer with the bonus track “I’m Real” Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule. It was the perfect summer jam, playing back to Rick James’ “Mary Jane”, and definitely added another highlight to an already stellar album.
The Point
Jennifer was back in classic Latin soul prime with this effort, and certainly did her best to avoid the infamous sophomore slump. She even became the first artist to have both the number one album and the number one movie in the United States (The Wedding Planner, another favorite of mine) in the same week! It was a terrific milestone in her career overall.
The Essentials
As promised, here is the “I’m Real” remix as the highlight from the album.
Then comes the perfect first single “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”,
followed by my all-time favorite from the album “Walking on Sunshine”.
MUMBAI - - Do you know, what is common between Sonakshi Sinha and Zarine Khan other than their tendency to get overweight?
Sonakshi Sinha and Zarine Khan entangled over Dabangg Bollywood
I tell you, Salman Khan. The heavyweight of Bollywood is the common between in both Sonakshi Sinha and Zarine Khan’s life is the DabanggSalman Khan.Both Sonakshi Sinha and Zarine Khan are jealous with each other because of Salman Khan who gave them dream debut in Bollywood.
Reportedly, Sonakshi Sinha and Zarine Khan came across at a get-together arranged by Salman Khan and the both of them did not even bother to talk to each other. They even didn’t pass a single smile to each other.
According to a close source also present in the party, “She (Sonakshi) pushed Zarine while walking past her, and then pretended that she hadn't even realized it!”
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL), and play their home games at Ford Field in downtown Detroit.
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. They are currently members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League, and spent its first season in Los Angeles, California before moving to San Diego in 1961. The Chargers play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium. Ever since the Rams and the Raiders left Los Angeles in 1994, the Chargers are currently the only professional football team based in Southern California.
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL), and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL.
As of 2010, the Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cup championships (11) of any NHL franchise based in the United States, and are third overall in total NHL championships, behind the Montreal Canadiens (24) and Toronto Maple Leafs (13). They currently play home games in the 20,066 capacity Joe Louis Arena after having spent over 40 years playing in Olympia Stadium.
Between the 1933–34 and 1965–66 seasons, the Red Wings missed the playoffs only four times. More recently, the Red Wings have made the playoffs in 25 of the last 27 seasons, including the last 20 in a row (1991–2011). This is the longest current streak of post-season appearances in all of North American professional sports.
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Packers are the current NFL champions. Green Bay is the second-oldest franchise in the NFL.
A facade or façade (is generally one side of the exterior of a building, especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face".
In architecture, the facade of a building is often the most important from a design standpoint, as it sets the tone for the rest of the building. Many facades are historic, and local zoning regulations or other laws greatly restrict or even forbid their alteration.
Rosie Alice Huntington-Whiteley (born 18 April 1987) is a British model best known for modelling for Victoria's Secret and for replacing Megan Fox as the lead female character in the upcoming Transformers: Dark of the Moon, part of the Transformers franchise.
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Dolphins play home games at Sun Life Stadium in the northern suburb of Miami Gardens, and have their headquarters at the Miami Dolphins Training Facility in Davie, Florida.
Angus Turner Jones (born October 8, 1993) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Jake Harper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men (2003–present).
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, joined the NFL in 1976 as expansion teams. Seattle is the only team to have played in both the AFC (American Football Conference) and NFC Championship Games. The Seahawks' first and only Super Bowl appearance was in 2006 for Super Bowl XL. In 2010, they became the first ever NFL team to win a division title or a playoff berth in a complete season with a record below .500 (7-9). Six days after clinching their division, they also became the first NFL team to win a playoff game with a 7-9 record, as they defeated the defending champion New Orleans Saints 41-36.
The Dallas Cowboys are an American football team that plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The team plays its home games at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth which finished construction in time for the 2009 season. The Cowboys joined the NFL as a 1960 expansion team. The team's national following might best be represented by its NFL record of consecutive home sell-outs. The Cowboys' streak of 160 sold-out regular and post-season games began in 1990, and included 79 straight sellouts at their former home, Texas Stadium, and 81 straight sell-outs on the road. The franchise shares the record for most Super Bowl appearances (8) with the Pittsburgh Steelers, corresponding to most NFC championships (8). The Cowboys are the only NFL team to record 20 consecutive winning seasons (1966–1985), in which they only missed the playoffs twice (1974 and 1984), an NFL record that remains unbroken and unchallenged. It remains one of the longest winning streaks in all of professional sports.
Ryan Mallett (born June 5, 1988), nicknamed "Big Tex", is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League, taken in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Mallett spent his freshman year at the University of Michigan.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is the kind of film that is absolutely ludicrous, but is absolutely brilliant. On paper, the idea of trying to locate the Ark of the Covenant and rescue it from Nazis really shouldn’t work; but if you get Steven Spielberg to direct it, George Lucas to produce it (and to help with the writing), get a great cast, and it all works perfectly! So perfectly that “Raiders” is one of the most entertaining films ever made; even George Lucas admitted that it was the most fun he had making a film! Just to convince you of its greatness, here’s 5 things you probably already knew.
Harrison Ford In 1981 Harrison Ford had made his mark as Han Solo and worn some excellent glasses in Apocalypse Now; but he was yet to solidify his position in film history. Between Indy and Decker he was assured of it. Indy is very similar to Han, only this time he is the main character. Some of the sex appeal that Han had is written into the character, and some of the cockiness removed, throw into the mix some archaeo-sleuthing skills and we have cinematic gold.
Steven Spielberg Always a proponent of the “More is More” school of thought; Spielberg doesn’t hold back in Raiders; and we all reap the rewards. After the initial exposition, the action is almost non-stop, over-the-top, and often ludicrous; but always brilliant. Spielberg’s inspired, outlandish set-pieces are perhaps typified by the opening scenes: the bag-of-sand-idol swap and the boulder escape are so iconic that there few action scenes before or since are so memorable.
Supporting Cast Inspired. John Rhys-Davies is wonderful as Sallah “Asps! Very Dangerous. You go first!” Karen Allen is a great love-interest/companion; girly enough to squeal when thrown into Indy’s adventures, but ballsy enough to take on the Nepalese at drinking games and stand up to the Nazis (to an extent). Paul Freeman is intense and condescending as Belloq; Ronald Lacey is perfect as the weird, sinister Toht; and a very young Alfred Molina is cool as the tarantula-covered soon-to-be-spike-impaled Satipo.
Shadow Acting As if to prove that he is not just about fighting, explosions, and elaborate action sequences, Spielberg gets very creative in Raiders. There are many bits of scenes shot with shadow. Not least the first few minutes of the film where we only see the silhouette of Indy; probably the most iconic silhouette in history (not just in cinema!). There are also several shots of other characters talking towards the camera and Indy’s shadow behind them, far more dramatic than just filming two people talking. Also neat how some of the shadows in the Egyptian tombs seem to reflect the two-dimensional carvings on the walls. All very cool, and all serve to make a hugely enjoyable film even more fantastic.
Melting Nazis It’s always good to see the bad guys get their comeuppance, and even better when they melt! Having made a cast of Ronald Lacey’s head, the sfx guys coated the inside of the mask with various layers of wax; the effect was then achieved by melting the face plus hat plus glasses with a hairdryer! Fairly low-tech, and quite laborious when it requires more than one take, but it still looks pretty great 30 years later! Of course if it was done now it would be all done in a computer, and doubtless wouldn’t look half as good. I’ve argued this before, but when effects are done “in the flesh” they always looks better and more convincing than “pretty” effects done in a computer.
So there we go, 5 reasons to love one of the best action adventure films ever made. Of course there are countless more reasons why Raiders is so good, but then this post would go on for ever! Indy shooting the big guy with swords because he had the runs; the cheesy maps with dotted lines showing where Indy is travelling to; the girl’s eyelids with “I love you” written on them; storing the Ark of the Covenant in a huge warehouse; Toht looking like he’s getting an implement of torture out but it’s actually a coat hanger; and... and...
After only two albums, doesn’t it seem a little too early to release a remix album? But Jennifer knew what she was doing. This album had just the right amount of songs, and it wasn’t all bass-pumping techno jams (which I do love), but more of an eclectic mix of techno, hip-hop, and urban pop remixes of Jennifer’s singles up to that point.
The Play-by-Play
First up is “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” (RJ Schoolyard Mix) featuring Fat Joe, a solid opener that sounds quite familiar (since it was used as her dance break for the original music video). The first official single “Ain’t It Funny” (Murder Remix) featuring Ja Rule and Cadillac Tah busts out of the gate with a dramatic change from the original version from her last album. There are no signs of any Latin flavor. It’s all straight up Hip-Hop, and it’s all thanks to Murder Inc. for helping her get this kind of cred. “I’m Gonna Be Alright” (Track Masters Remix) featuring 50 Cent isn’t that much of a change from the original on her J.Lo album, but it does give more of a Hip-Hop than Pop feel. “I’m Real” (Murder Remix) featuring Ja Rule follows up as one of the remixes that started it all. It was catchy, inventive, and a far cry from the original single. Technically it’s a single from her re-released J.Lo album, but it fits better with this mix of reinventions. Afterwards, the sound gets switched up into a tropical dance party with “Walking on Sunshine” (Metro Remix). I didn’t think it was possible that my favorite song from her last album could get any better, but the Latin dance flavor creates a whole different vibe. Next up is “If You Had My Love” (Dark Child Master Mix). It doesn’t offer too much change from the original, but it’s catchy and special in its own way. “Feelin’ So Good” (Bad Boy Remix) featuring P. Diddy and G. Dep actually fails to move anything inside me. It actually makes the song sound worse (and that’s one of the highlights from her debut). After that comes “Let’s Get Loud” (Pablo Flores Remix) which does a great job of sounding different from the original, but it manages to keep the same kind of Latin style that made the original so memorable. “Play” (Sack International Remix) isn’t one of the highlights on this album, but it’s a pretty solid attempt at a reinvention from the original. To close out the album comes her signature remix, “Waiting For Tonight” (Hex’s Momentous Radio Mix), a thumping show stopper filled with high energy and special moments that carries out from beginning to end. But then along comes the random song of the bunch, a very forgettable ballad from her movie Enough, “Alive”, co-written by her then-husband Cris Judd. It highlights the weakness in her voice with singing slower-paced songs, and boy does it drag on and on! But luckily it doesn’t stop the love I have for the whole album in general.
The Point
Jennifer was successful in reinventing herself (as well as her hit singles). She managed to highlight her upbeat dance style with Latin flare while also creating a clever Hip-Hop sound with Pop lyrics. Overall, the album is solid from start to almost-finish (minus the ballad).
The Essentials
I would put the remix of “I’m Real” as one of the highlights, but technically it was first released on her J.Lo album (so we’ll hold off on that one). So instead, let’s bask in the greatness of the “Ain’t It Funny” (Murder Remix).
Following that is the genius remix of “Walking On Sunshine”.
And who can forget about her classic, “Waiting For Tonight”…the one that started it all!
*But rather than show the official music video, I figured I'd treat you all to her hilarious appearance on Will & Grace! (Oh man, how I miss this show...)
