Blogcritics Author: writnkitten

Movie Review: Death Valley

writnkitten — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:35:09 EDT

Death Valley aims for males age 16 to 22, where it suffices as a decent action film.
Duuuuude, Death Valley is such a bro-friend flick it’s not even funny. Well, it’s a little funny, but it’s mostly a testosterone-y fest of young males being dudes — partying, hooking up, and in turn dissing then supporting each other.The film is “based on actual events” and stars Josh (played by Eric Christian...

Music Review: Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful Of Sunshine

writnkitten — Sat, 5 Jul 2008 19:18:30 EDT

Natasha Bedingfield's Pocketful Of Sunshine is filled with enough bright spots to keep her fans happy.
Bright, bubbly Natasha Bedingfield grabbed the U.S. by the ears and became the single woman’s best friend with a slew of tracks off her 2004 album Unwritten. Songs such as “These Words,” “Single” and “Unwritten” were heard on radios, in teen, ’tween (and guilty adult) television shows such as...

Music Review: The Watson Twins - Fire Songs

writnkitten — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:07:57 EDT

The Watson Twins prove they are dreamy music makers with Fire Songs.
Identical twins Chandra and Leigh Watson, i.e. The Watson Twins, might be known for Rabbit Fur Coat, which they released with Jenny Lewis, but it is Fire Songs that made a fan out of me. The Kentucky-born duo, who cite among their influences folk, gospel, blues and country have followed up their 2006 self-released and critically acclaimed Southern...

Music Review: Carly Simon - This Kind Of Love

writnkitten — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:29:46 EDT

Carly Simon�s latest work is a smooth, sultry album.
It may have been eight years since Carly Simon has released any original material, but for me it might as well have been decades. You see, I grew up listening to Simon belt out lyrics about love, life and loss, checking in with her first in my childhood, then in my teen years, and now, as an adult.Although her 1972 album No Secrets came out a year...

Book Review: Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner

writnkitten — Sat, 10 May 2008 00:07:18 EDT

Jennifer Weiner's Certain Girls is good enough that readers won�t regret it the morning after.
Although I’m not one for much chick lit (I get my fill of the fluff pretty quickly), I have always had an affinity for Jennifer Weiner, particularly in regards to her character Cannie Shapiro, introduced in Weiner's 2001 Good in Bed as a funny, smart and real woman who struggled with real issues (weight, self-esteem, career aspirations) I...

Music Review: Voyager One - Afterhours in the Afterlife

writnkitten — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:28:50 EDT

There should be an advisory on this album: If you�re prone to headaches, don�t listen to it.
If I had to listen to one decade of music for the rest of my life, it would be the 80s. What's not to like about Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order, Psychedelic Furs, early U2, etc.?According to Voyager One's MySpace page, some of their many, many influences include The Human League, The Cure, Talking Heads and The Smiths -- all excellent 80s bands....

DVD Review: Between

writnkitten — Tue, 1 Apr 2008 13:07:22 EDT

We see what we want to see and believe what we want to believe.
In Between, Chicago-based lawyer Nadine (played by television's Without a Trace star Poppy Montgomery) learns her sister has gone missing in Tijuana, Mexico. Against the advice of her loving but unsupportive husband (played by Adam Kaufman, who has had recurring roles in television's Dawson's Creek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Veronica Mars),...

Music Review: Sara Bareilles - Little Voice

writnkitten — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:24:35 EDT

Singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles and her CD, Little Voice, have more to them than meets the eye
California native Sara Bareilles (pronounced Ba-rell-is) is only in her late 20s, but she's already been tickling the ivories playing her first single, "Love Song", on nearly every daytime talk show on television. "Love Song" may be her first single off Little Voice, but it certainly won't be her last.The extremely catchy, upbeat "Love Song"...

Book Review: Howl - A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit by Editors of The Bark

writnkitten — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:14:11 EDT

Howl has a lot of bark but not much bite, and contains a few entertaining stories as well as some turds.
As a follow-up to the New York Times bestseller, Dog is My Co-Pilot, the Editors of The Bark assembled over 70 pieces — ranging from personal essays and parodies, to satires and aphorisms — highlighting the hilarity of life with dogs. The end result: Howl. Three shorts emerged as the cream of the crop. Pam Houston's "All the...

Music Review: Whiskeytown - Stranger's Almanac

writnkitten — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:14:31 EDT

Stranger's Almanac is the must-have collection for Whiskeytown fans, as well as fans of Alt-Country and, particularly, Ryan Adams.
Had I known almost 10 years ago that Whiskeytown (and Ryan Adams) were so good, I may have paid more attention the night I was exhausted and my then-boyfriend (now-husband) dragged me out to see them play at a local bar in our hometown. I admit, I was so tired I dozed a bit, and I never even had the strength to stand and watch the band. Almost a...