Several years ago I saw the 2003 psychological thriller Identity, and this past weekend I watched it again. Having not seen it for a few years, I completely forgot the film’s twists, which made for an enjoyable viewing experience.
On its face, the film appeared to be a predictable thriller. But as I peeled back its layers, a well-constructed plot, inspired by the Agatha Christie novel, And Then There Were None, presented itself.
The film’s director, James Mangold, best known for Girl, Interrupted and Walk The Line, did an excellent job. Identity moved at a nice clip, had a dark mood and interesting flashback transitions.
While all of the actors turned in solid performances, Ray Liotta stole the show, quickly followed by the always consistent John Cusack. Amanda Peet also did a fine job of injecting her enigmatic character with humor and sarcasm.
If you’re a fan of mysteries and thrillers, Identity is worth your time. It’s an enjoyable film that will keep your interest from start to finish.
Michael Des Barres, the raspy rocker known for the amazing Carnaby Street, just released a fun, infectious Christmas song: “Rock N’ Roll Santa.” Unlike the countless covers of traditional Christmas songs that will, no doubt, put you to sleep, this is an original tune about Santa losing weight. Yes, you read that right; Santa’s sporting a svelte figure in this song. If you’re looking for a short, sweet, catchy rock song to kick off the holiday season, I suggest you check out “Rock N’ Roll Santa.” And since this is the season of giving, a portion of the proceeds from this song go to support Little Kids Rock, a wonderful foundation dedicated to restoring and revitalizing music education programs in U.S. public schools.
If you’re not sold on downloading the song, check it out for yourself below.
In 2002, M. Night Shyamalan released one of my all-time favorite films: Signs. While the premise – aliens invading Earth and using crop circles for navigation purposes – sounds uninspired, at the heart of the film you’ll find a story about a man questioning his faith. It dealt with love, loss, family, and resolution, and it did so beautifully. The entire cast did a fantastic job, but Mel Gibson stole the show; his ability to convey emotion without uttering a word is marvelous. The script was suspenseful and well written, and the score, composed by James Newton Howard, was breathtaking.
What are your thoughts on Signs? Did you love it, hate it or feel indifferent about it? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments section.
Below you’ll find my favorite scene from the film as well as the official trailer.
I’ve had the Kindle Fire HD for a little over a week, so I thought I’d create a video review – my first ever – so you can learn more about this device and its capabilities. Below, you’ll also find a video further explaining “Whispersync for Voice,” a new feature I love. Enjoy!
The name’s Bond, James Bond, and he turns 50 this year with the release of Skyfall in U.S. theaters on November 9. Daniel Craig, the sixth man to play James Bond, will reprise the role for what’s sure to be another edge-of-your-seat action film. To celebrate five decades of Bond, this fall will see the release of the entire film franchise on Blu-ray as well as the new video game 007 Legends. Furthermore, you can smell like Bond with the recently released fragrance James Bond 007, and starting September 28, Christie’s is having an online auction featuring Bond memorabilia.
The eternal debate among fans of the films is who was the best Bond? Many argue Sean Connery, but my favorites – because picking one is too hard – include Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. Who’s your favorite Bond? Vote in the poll below and make your voice heard.
Below is an excellent, fan-made video compiling 50 of the greatest moments from the franchise. It’s a treat to watch, so enjoy.
I woke up this morning and read that Hal David died from complications related to a stroke. Working with Burt Bacharach, he wrote innumerable songs for a variety of recording artists, but their most memorable material was sung by the incomparable Dionne Warwick. Bacharach, David and Warwick defined the 1960s with hits such as “I Say A Little Pray,” “Don’t Make Me Over” and “Walk On By.”
To celebrate 50 years in show business, Dionne Warwick’s upcoming album, Now, produced by Phil Ramone, will feature four new songs written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach. While I look forward to hearing the rest of the album, these four songs will serve as a reminder of the magic these three musical giants created when working together.
Below is a 14-minute medley by Dionne Warwick, in 2000, during a tribute to Burt Bacharach and Hal David, as well as a lesser-known, but beautiful Bacharach-David song, “Sunny Weather Lover.” Enjoy!
Sammy Hagar is one of my favorite musicians. I adore his solo material as well as the tremendous body of work he produced with Van Halen. I was fortunate enough to see him live when he reunited with Van Halen in 2004, and I’ve followed his career ever since. I just finished his autobiography, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, and it was a fascinating read.
While the book was slow to start, it kicked into gear when Hagar started discussing his time in Montrose. As one would expect, the bulk of the book is dedicated to Van Halen, and it doesn’t disappoint. Hearing how Hagar joined the band, what drove them apart and what the short-lived reunion was like was fascinating.
Beyond the music, I was blown away by the multitude of entrepreneurial endeavors Hagar has engaged in over the years. He’s invested in real estate, mountain bikes, fire sprinklers, and, of course, tequila. Speaking of which, Hagar sold his tequila brand, Cabo Wabo, to another company in 2010 for nearly $100 million. This is proof positive that the Red Rocker is one of the savviest musicians out there, which makes me respect him even more.
This book was highly entertaining and it felt like I was having a cup of coffee with the author. If you’re a fan of Hagar, Van Halen or classic rock, you should pick it up; I highly recommend it.
For your viewing pleasure, below are two videos: The first one is Sammy Hagar and Eddie Van Halen performing together for the first time, in 1985, at Farm Aid. The second video showcases one of my favorite Sammy Hagar songs, “Little Bit More.” It’s a gorgeous, soulful number from Ten 13.
Over the past year, I’ve fallen in love with Spotify, which has allowed me to enjoy artists I know and love as well as discover new ones. While I’m a fan of all kinds of music, melodic rock is my favorite.
Below are three albums I’ve been listening to over and over again:
JOHN WAITE – ROUGH & TUMBLE
John Waite’s newest album, Rough & Tumble is simply awesome. His signature voice is as strong as ever, and his lyrics are quite impressive. I’ve always been a fan of his music, everything from The Babys to Bad English, and, of course, his amazing solo albums. My favorite track from this album is “Evil.” It has a killer guitar riff and a funky groove that will get you moving around the room in no time. But don’t take my word for it, check out the video below.
JOE COCKER – HARD KNOCKS
Joe Cocker has a legendary voice and a unique stage presence. His latest album, Hard Knocks, is filled with a wide variety of music, and it’s all good. One of my favorite tracks is “Thankful” because it’s a soulful number that builds to an outstanding climax featuring a choir and Cocker’s signature scream. As you’ll see from the video below, it’s a spine-chilling song about the importance of being grateful.
MICHAEL DES BARRES BAND – CARNABY STREET
For those of you that read my recent post about Murdoc, you know how I admire the talented Michael Des Barres. Well, his new band just released its first album, Carnaby Street, and it’s excellent. Listening to it conjures up visions of Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones. If you like no-nonsense rock n’ roll, then this album is for you. While there are many great tracks, one of my favorites is “Please Stay.” It’s a slow, soulful number that’s full of emotion. Below is a live version of the song.
MacGyver ran for seven seasons and spawned two television films. While Richard Dean Anderson embodied the lead role perfectly, perhaps MacGyver and his Swiss Army knife get too much credit for the show’s success. After all, a hero is only as good as his villain. And in MacGyver’s case, his villain was the maniacal Murdoc.
Expertly acted by Michael Des Barres, Murdoc appeared in nine episodes of MacGyver throughout the series run and was widely considered MacGyver’s arch nemesis. According to the show’s story arch, Murdoc was a master assassin employed by the Homicide International Trust. He always succeeded at taking out his targets, expect MacGyver, which became his obsession.
I always got excited when Murdoc made an appearance because he was a fantastic character. His devilish charm, clever disguises and over-the-top weaponry made him a treat to watch. Most memorable of all was when he yelled “MacGyver!” each time his plans were foiled.
My favorite episode featuring Murdoc was episode eight of season three, “The Widowmaker.” You can currently stream it on Netflix, so if you haven’t seen it yet, you should check it out. It features mountain climbing, death, retribution and, of course, Murdoc. Need I say more? Below is a fan-made trailer for the episode to give you a taste.
The Hunger Gameshas become a pop culture phenomenon. Seemingly overnight, these books catapulted to the top of the best-seller charts and have remained there. Then came the movie, which grossed nearly $700 million since its release this past March. And you can rest assured that many children – and adults – will be dressing up as Katniss, Peeta and, perhaps, Haymitch for Halloween. Having just finished all three books, I’d like to share my thoughts on this trilogy. If you haven’t read the books, stop here because key plot points will be revealed.
I still think the first book is the best in the series. Being introduced to all of the characters and the nation of Panem for the first time was a delight. And unlike the movie, the book allowed relationships between characters to develop at an excellent pace. For example, when Rue died in the book, I was legitimately upset because I had spent hours getting to know her. In the movie, it seemed as if she died as quickly as she appeared. Furthermore, the romantic confusion between Katniss, Peeta and Gale was incredibly well done. But one of my favorite characters in the book was Haymitch. While he originally came off as a drunken fool, he was later revealed to be quite intelligent and an invaluable resource for Katniss and Peeta to call on while trying to survive the Hunger Games.
Favorite Passage:
“One more time? For the audience?” he says. His voice isn’t angry. It’s hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me. I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.”
Many fans consider Catching Fire to be the best in the series, but I’m torn. It did a wonderful job of picking up where the last book left off, while also further exploring Katniss’ relationships with Peeta and Gale. Moreover, it introduced new, memorable characters and killed off another important person in Katniss’ life: Cinna. And it took the Hunger Games arena to another level by turning it into a clock with a variety of surprises for the tributes. However, I still feel it lacked a certain something that the first book had; I just can’t put my finger on it. Either way, it was a terrific read, and just like the first book, my favorite passage was at the end of the book.
Favorite Passage:
“Katniss,” Gale says softly.
I recognize that voice. It’s the same one he uses to approach wounded animals before he delivers a deathblow. I Instinctively raise my hand to block his words but he catches it and holds on tightly.
Don’t,” I whisper.
But Gale is not one to keep secrets from me.
“Katniss, there is no District Twelve.”
I just finished Mockingjay today, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I know many fans were upset with how the series ended, but I wasn’t. In the beginning of the book, reading about Katniss becoming the Mockingjay and the face of the rebellion was fascinating. However, it seemed to drag a little in the middle, and then it picked up towards the end. I enjoyed the twist where President Snow revealed that the newly appointed President Coin was the one who ordered the final assault on the rebels that killed Prim. In the end, both Coin and Snow died, so I was happy. And considering the “romantic” relationship between Katniss and Peeta was the focus of this trilogy, I was perfectly fine with her winding up with Peeta instead of Gale, especially since his creation was used to kill Prim.
Favorite Passage:
“You love me. Real or not real?”
I tell him, “Real.”
Overall, this was a very enjoyable trilogy. If you like your novels packed with action, drama and romance, you should give these books a shot. And while you’re at it, check out the movie too; while it wasn’t perfect, it did the first book justice and has me excited for the sequel. To whet your appetite, I’ve included the trailer below.
Several years ago I saw the 2003 psychological thriller Identity, and this past weekend I watched it again. Having not seen it for a few years, I completely forgot the film’s twists, which made for an enjoyable viewing experience.
