Hard Candy at the Funplex

A couple new CD reviews:

Hard Candy by Madonna

Madonna's latest musical offering looks to be similar to other recent albums - she picks a genre and puts her own spin on it. In this case it's R&B, with appearances by Justin Timberlake and Kanye West, with producing credits from the likes of Timbaland.

The result is a bit mixed. It starts off with some reliable singles that are sure to be hits in the clubs, like the Timberlake duet "4 Minutes." The middle of the record is full of more predictable pop with vapid lyrics - I kind of picture that it's what Paula Abdul would sound like if she'd kept it up all these years.

That being said, there are still some real gems that aren't to be missed. The wistful sounds of "Miles Away" are very hummable. And I like the darker mood and sound of "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" and "Voices."

In the canon of Madonna, I'd put this album somewhere above Music, but below Erotica. You have to give her credit - for a woman who's close to 50 and has a career that spans decades, she never fails to try something new. Because she knows we're just dying to find out what she'll do next!

Funplex by The B-52's

By contrast, The B-52's haven't been coming up with new materials every year (the last album with new songs was 10 years ago). They have instead focused on touring, which we the fans are certainly grateful for (they put on a great show - I saw them a couple years back).

This album of all new material is a heck of a return to the studio. It fits the familiar mold for one of their albums - several party songs where the girls bop along while Fred Schneider yells various things at us, a couple smoother duets for Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson, and plenty of keyboard-and-guitar arrangements by Keith Strickland.

You'll find plenty to sing along to here, especially the title track, "Hot Corner" and "Deviant Ingredient." But the shining star that I can't get enough of is "Juliet of the Spirits," a soaring duet by the ladies.

Here's hoping The B-52's keep rocking from Idaho all the way to Planet Claire!

OMG - Martha!!!

If you haven't seen Martha Stewart's newest daytime show, it can be quite fun.

But what's REALLY fun, is that today she featured ScottE's cookie photo on her show! For reals!!!

Check. It. Out.

OMG!

Stalking Sarah Marshall?

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Although clearly a child of the Judd Apatow school, this film is closest to Knocked Up in style. That's because it's a blend of very adult humor that isn't afraid to hit below the belt ("I just went from 6 p.m. to Midnight."), and also a good old-fashioned romantic comedy.

Jason Segel stars in and is the screenwriter for this very funny movie. He's always been a real charmer on How I Met Your Mother, but easily steps into the lead role here. And yes, he's naked. Several times. And you see it all. Not bad, that Mr. Segel!

And while the supporting cast is also amusing (Kristen Bell as an annoying diva, Paul Rudd as an incredibly hot surfing instructor), the shining star is Mila Kunis. Sure, her tan is super-fake. But she is beautiful, funny, and helps you forget that shrew she played on That 70's Show.

On a side note, if this movie doesn't make you want to visit Hawai'i, then what's wrong with you???

Grade: A-

Summer Is Here

Ah, contentment. It's a gorgeous day in the DC area, and I'm at peace. In case you missed the memo, my lovely husband with the adorable smile and rakish charm and I bought a new house recently. (Like Stef, we had to do something to help this lagging economy.) And now I'm really enjoying the fruits of that labor. I'm reclining on our concrete back patio, which I have decided to henceforth refer to as "the lanai" as an homage to The Golden Girls. I'm munching on cheese balls and sipping a vodka & cranberry (the vodka is this stuff from Transylvania - ooo, spooky!). Around me I hear the robins chirping and a dog barking. Our resident blue jays are working on their nest in our magnolia tree. And to my left, some lovely tulips are in full bloom, while across the way, a red azalea is bursting forth in a fiery display.

This can only mean one thing - summer is coming! And to prepare me for this, Entertainment Weekly has released that most crucial of issues - the summer movie preview. What a great thing to read while the squirrels try to figure out where ScottE hid the bird feeder.

Anywho, as I read through, I was struck by several upcoming films, and others left me cold. Thus I present to you a sampling, broken into a few major categories.

1. Movies that I should be excited about, but I'm not:

- Indiana Jones - Yes, I was an Indy fan back in the day. And it does feature Cate Blanchett as some kind of Nazi dominatrix. So why am I not thrilled? Maybe it's that it's been so long and I've forgotten how fun it can be. Maybe I think Ford is getting too old. Maybe I'm just creeped out that he's still with Calista Flockhart.

- Iron Man - One of the more underappreciated comic books from the past, I guess I'm just not thrilled by the trailers I've seen. I do think Robert Downey Jr. is a good choice (the lead character is an alcoholic, after all). But where's that "Ooh, ahh!" excitement?

2. Movies that any one in their right mind is excited about:

- Sex and the City - Duh! Sadly I'll be out of town the weekend of the premiere, so either I have to score a sneak preview invite, or I plan a full-fledged Cosmo party event for when I get back. Man, how I miss these girls!

- Prince Caspian - The first Narnia movie was very, very good - and the second book is my favorite. when I saw the preview recently, I couldn't erase the grin from my face. Woot!

- Wall-E - It's Pixar, and there's a cute robot with big eyes. Considering I was so moved by that post-apocalyptic non-human short film awhile back, this one will spell by doom.

- Mamma Mia! - Meryl Streep + Christine Baranski + Julie Walters + ABBA music = ZOMG awesome!!! Did I mention that my British husband Colin Firth is in it? *swoon*

3. Movies I want to like, but I'm just not sure I can:

- The Happening - This is the latest from M. Night Shyamalan, who has the ability to scare the crap out of most anybody. I like the cast (Mark Wahlberg & Zooey Deschanel), but is it too creepy?

- Pineapple Express - I've had so much fun at Judd Apatow movies, but is it possible I'm burned out?

- Transsiberian - This sounds like an intriguing thriller about a harrowing train ride from Bejing to Moscow. I'll see it if ScottE goes with me!

4. Movies that I shouldn't be so excited about, and will be filed under "guilty pleasures:"

- Get Smart - The TV show was corny, but I still think Steve Carell is genius, and I have a total heterosexual crush on Anne Hathaway.

- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - OK, I'll admit it - I rented the first one and I LIKED IT. Yeah, I did! And I'm not a 17 year-old girl! Sue me! Also, Amber Tamblyn is awesome.

- The House Bunny - What looks like a very predictable movie in which a former Playboy bunny becomes housemother to the loser sorority shouldn't be good. But it stars the hilarious Anna Faris (of the Scary Movie franchise), who cracks me up to no end. And I like The Girls Next Door.

- Hamlet 2 - A movie about a bad high school theater director which features Elisabeth Shue as herself. I've loved her since the days of Adventures in Babysitting; sign me up, and don't fuck with the babysitter!

Short DVD Reviews - Part 7

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted these! A lot to catch up on. As always, I promise you reviews of our latest Netflix rentals in 25 words or less!

Junebug - Amy Adams got an Oscar nomination, and deservedly so. A small but pleasing drama.

Waitress - The Felicity girl sure can cook pies! And this simple tale was a real blue ribbon winner.

Sicko - Michael Moore's latest documentary was provocative in its examination of our abysmal health care system. But I just didn't feel that it went far enough.

Mask - Cher, Eric Stoltz, and lots of motorcycles. A nice movie that doesn't quite stand the test of time.

Transformers - It was loud and shiny. But when Optimus Prime was hiding in the rosebushes, I had given up.

Sweeney Todd - This is the original stage production starring Angela Lansbury. She is so very funny, but there were parts I actually liked better in the movie.

To Catch a Thief - A disappointing Hitchcock film, I lost interest after the first 15 minutes. Skip it and rent Notorious or Suspicion instead.

Across the Universe - Julie Taymor is a great visionary, but this was simply the storyline of Hair reset to Beatles music. Not good.

The Rules of Attraction - First of my two "Fred Savage is hot" obsession movies. Unfortunately the movie itself meanders and has no point.

The Last Run - Second Fred Savage movie, this one he stars in. He has a lot of sex (hott!), but the plot is just awful.

Sin City - Can someone explain why this was supposed to be awesome? We shut it off after 20 minutes.

For the Bible Tells Me So - A compelling documentary on the vilification of the gay community by the church. This one will spark interesting discussions.

Paris, Je T'aime - A fascinating experiment - 18 directors tackle 18 stories in 18 Paris neighborhoods. Mixed results, naturally - but some are utterly charming. And the scenery!

Cavedweller - A horrid adaptation of Dorothy Allison's excellent book. I defy you to deduce where the title comes from with what little plot made it in.

Greenfingers - This charming film about gardening prisoners features both Clive Owen and Helen Mirren. What's not to love?

Derailed - ScottE figured out the "twist" in the first third of the movie. All that was left was to learn the details. Lame!

Calendar Girls - This sweet movie about bold Yorkshire housewives posing nude is very funny to start, but lapses into some predictable melodrama. Still, it's worth renting.

[Pictured - the real calendar girls from which that movie was based!]