Tank - Sex, Love & Pain

Tank - Sex, Love and Pain

This is Tank's third outing and its such a good effort.

His second album was blah for me and his debut effort was just okay helped along by the amazing song and video - Maybe i Deserve.

This is a grown up cd for us adults. It is unapologetically an R&B cd. And it isnt pretending to be a pop cd nor are there songs on this album that will be cross over hits. Its just songs about the title of this album - Sex, Love and Pain.

I know that Tank is a pretty good songwriter especially since he has penned songs for the likes of the late Aaliyah, Jamie Foxx, Chris Brown, Omarion and co but his vocal abilities i thought were just okay. I was wrong. He has a fabulous voice reminiscent of Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson.

There are 12 songs on this cd and a few of the stand out tracks for me are:

• Please Don't Go - a song about yearning and his delivery just hits the spot
• I Hate You - this uptempo number is actually bitterness personified but its a little hard to dwell on that since it so damn catchy
• I'm Coming Home - is simply a beautiful song
• Heartbreaker - this is the reason why i bought this album. Its just such an R&B track that had me thinking of the good old days of Boyz II Men, Keith Sweat etc
• My Body - you would think that with a title like this, this would be a sexual song but its actually sweet. "My body is now your body". Its the ultimate in giving yourself over completely to another person.

I think that Tank could have done better especially since there are so many other artists trying to play in this same genre but i dont think its a bad attempt compared to the debacle that was his second album. He also produces most of the tracks on this cd. Interestingly, the only song i dont like on this album is produced by Timbaland and is the last track on the cd called I Love Them Girlz....

I score this a 7 out of 10

Marian Keyes - Sushi for Beginners

So i am resurrecting this blog more for me....

A lot of people derive pleasure from surrounding themselves with people, drinking, clubbing etc. But i am a loner and love nothing more than to curl up with a good book, or movie or some good music and i am good. When i hang out, i like to do quiet things - restaurants, lounges, plays et all. So here we are....

Marian Keyes is an author i enjoy immensely. I was introduced to her in my university days when i read "Lucy Sullivan is getting married". Hilarious.

In the mood for some light "chick lit", i picked up this book and it was worth every moment.

The book revolves around 3 women going through ish.....

There's Clodagh who is fulltime housewife with 2 hyper active kids, Lisa - a glamorous London magazine editor shipped off to Dublin to start a magazine instead of to New York which she expected and Ashling - a compulsive Ms Fix-it that lands a job as Lisa's assistant. Ashling is also Clodagh's best friend.

The lives of these 3 ladies intersect with hilarious and life altering results. There are men, juicy scandals, fashion tips, bitchiness and broken hearts. What i especially love about Marian Keyes is the fact that underneath all the humour, ease of reading and "lightheartedness", she touches on real issues. The most poignant for me is the fact family history play a huge part in who each of these women is...

A lovely book with all the things that make for fun reading but with a little food for thought as well..

I would rate this 7 out of 10

Update

I have not had the time to update this blog but i have so many books, cds and stuff i have racked up...So i shall make the effort to update every now and again

Happy Feet

Characters voiced by Elijah Wood, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Robin Williams

I love this movie. Its definitely one to own and it has a killer sounndtrack as well. A whole bunch of penguins that sing and sing. This gorgeous couple (Kidman and Jackman) have a little one. Since mommy and daddy sing so beautifully, it is expected that son will follow suit. So wrong. Instead, son seems to have something wrong with his feet that makes him tap dance and he cant sing to save his life.

Being the outsider, he is sent away from the tribe and he bumps into a whole bunch of mexican penguins and of course Lovelace (Williams). Lovelace has an interesting necklace and claims to be in contact with the spirits. Oh and he has a voice like Barry White and all the ladies love him.

There is a fish shortage and off little Mambo (Wood) goes to save the day.

A great story, and the music is sooo beautiful. If animation is your thing, definitely see this.

I would give this 8/10

Night at the Museum

Starring: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais.

I went to see this movie last night and it was exactly what i needed. This is such a funny, easy movie.

Ben Stiller plays Larry, a divorced dad with a 10 year old son that cant hold down a job. As a last resort, he accepts a museum gig only to find out that its a night guard job. The museum comes alive at night with hilarious consequences. Robin Williams is a hoot as Teddy Roosevelt - the 26th president of the United States (a fact that he reminds us about at every opportunity). Owen Wilson is a cowboy called Jedidiah and he is mega funny.

I love Ben Stiller and i think he can do no wrong and he doesnt disappoint me. There is a message within this movie but its not till the end that we get it. The special effects are amazing and i feel Larry's fear as the Lions from the Mammals of Africa room chase him down the hall. He is called dum-dum by some statue, receives no help from the retiring guards, his son prefers his mother's new boyfriend who is a stockbroker, some silly monkey tore his instruction book to shreds...it is not a good life for the man.

It all turns around hilariously. I definitely want to own this when it comes out on DVD.

I give this 8/10

Nollywood - Shut In

This movie stars: Bimbo Manuel, Stephanie Okereke and Martins Uroh (of Gulder Ultimate Search 2 fame).

Bimbo Manuel plays a very successful but overprotective father of 2 and husband. He provides the best for his family but will not allow his kids go out or socialize. They have everything they need at home so he sees no point in additional socializing outside school. Seems to stem from childhood issues. He has kids from several women

Stephanie Okereke plays his wife. She has a shop and is always at loggerheads with the fact that the kids are stifled. She is an ideal world in other respects. The marriage seems to have settled into routine so no passion here.

The Kids - There is a daughter who is about 15 and a son who is about 18 from a different woman.

Reviewing can be hard without giving things away but this movie deals with an issue that is taboo everywhere in the world let alone in Nigeria where the thought of it would be outlawed if possible. It is dramatic. The movie is well shot with interesting camera angles. The dialogue is minimal but so crisp and every word is loaded and adequately conveys to the viewer what's going on with the character.

The use of sound and music is appropriate. There is a haunting track that runs throughout the movie. Its not a bother and just envelops the viewer in the movie and the dilemma.

There is the arrival of yet another stepson from the States and he is obviously more worldly than the 2 at home. So there is the fight to expose his siblings to the world even if it means him acting as a chaperone.

This movie is a must see. It is a damn good movie. I was totally swept along with the story and the characters and is one of the better Nollywood efforts. It is especially great because it can be a great crossover movie. The story, right down to the end can be transferred to any society and make sense and be plausible.

However, it is one of those movies that i love and will own but will probably never watch again simply because it is so intense and i cant handle it again. Sort of like The Notebook, Monster and Monster's Ball.

I give this movie a resounding 9/10. See this if you can. Definitely a must see.

Catherine Coulter - Deception Point

I will not even bother putting up a picture of this. I was so disappointed with this book. I started reading romance novels again a few months ago and its really hard to find one that is awful. My favorites would be historical romance novels since i think of myself as an old soul and of course i love romance.

This book was so hard to read. The plot revolves around a plot to find some hidden treasure in the hero's manor house thing. Heroine is under duress since her father has been kidnapped and she has to act according to the orders of the bad guy. Interesting plot that has so much potential but the words dragged and the scenes dragged and it was so preachy. I barely made it through.

A 3/10

Deja Vu

Oh boy! I love this movie. I am one of the many Denzel Washington fans out there so this movie was definitely on my must see list.

The plot of the movie revolves around a ferry explosion in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday and the hunt to find the perpetrator and the killer of some gorgeous girl. Both crimes appear related. Denzel plays Doug, an ATF agent assigned to the ferry incident and who stumbles onto the murder of the girl. He is drafted onto a special unit that has some incredible technology that allows people to go back in time - 4 days to be exact.

I am trying not to give too much away but i will say that i loved this. Denzel had some pretty funny lines which i think he pulled off very well. Val Kilmer as part of the special unit was okay. If you watch CSI (the original), the new guy on the block - i forget his name is pretty funny as a young PHD holder that's part of the special unit. Paula Patton (the murdered girl) is sooo beautiful. Really beautiful. But after Denzel, acting props have to go to the one and only JC. Jim Caviezel of the Passion of the Christ has presence. Even when he didnt say any words, i just felt his intensity.

I would give this a 8/10. One to own once it comes out on DVD.