Hateful 8 is EPIC Tarantino. Just marvelous. My sister,  Toni Lynelle , compared it to the infamous basement bar scene from Inglorious Basterds stretched out to a feature length. It has that claustrophobic quality, but Hateful is also a mystery. The story unspools by revealing tidbits in Tarantino's trademark chapters. There's gore, amazing dialog (peppered with somewhat gratuitous, albeit historically accurate n-words), and a HEAPING dose of Samuel L. Jackson badassery. Oh my,  Mr. Jackson... His monologue directed at Bruce Dern's character is simply jaw-dropping. I can't say I've enjoyed any of the other holiday season movies more (Force Awakens included). This is a film filled with surprises (as opposed to entertaining nostalgic nods to the Original Triology). Tarantino hasn't misfired yet, and this is one of his best. It's a clever, funny, bloody opera of a tale set in the old West. Tarantino fans will be thrilled. Jackson fans will be gleeful ...

Cut Harvey some slack on the Miss Universe pageant flub. Steve has been on the wrong side of history for DECADES...

Finally saw " # Creed ," and I have to say the hype is real. Off top, Stallone is better than he has been in decades, basically because the slurring, stumbling boxer from Philly with the heart of a lion has always been his most honest character. Then there's Michael B. Jordan... delivering a performance that erases the Fantastic Four from the public consciousness. He's ferocious here, battling the demons of his troubled childhood and completely absent father. Creed's widow, play ed with quiet dignity by Phylicia Rashad, plucks Adonis Johnson from the foster care system and raises him in all the wealth and privilege that her late husband could afford. I'm betting that it was screenwriter/director Coogler's idea to have Creed's widow balling out. Compared to Rocky's life, the difference in material comfort is significant. Yet, this pampered life is not for him. As a youth, "Donnie" had a hair-trigger and solid hands in fights. Even as...

Sooooo, about that Babyface tribute. Tevin Campbell looks OLD. I mean, the brown velvet jacket ain't help, and his vocals were twitchy, but DAYUM, his Black cracked all over the place. Brandy moved well (in her flats) but what's with the Miley-crazy hair. Side note, the audio guys should have been fired for what they did to her AND Tevin. Shum-one needsh to tell Fantashia how to pronounce the letter ESH. Side eye... I get the SHoop SHoop Whitney tribute (after all, SHHHHoop), but Superwoman? I saw Karyn White's video response (she had NO hate for Fanny, just confusion about the dis). Karyn looks GUUUUUUD. I don't know what supplements she's taking, but Tevin needs to get into it, because at FIFTY, Ms. White is fine as HAYL. Why did they let Fanny's drunk cousin on stage to sing Tenderoni? Wait, that was Bobby Brown in that fake Coogi sweater, too tight pants with torn out knees and vintage Members Only jacket? Bruh, did you smoke ALL THE WEED before th...

I will not link to the Gods of "Egypt" trailer because... foolishness. But here's a free tip from me to Ridley Scott, Alex Proyas and any other person who wants to crap all over real, established, existing history of humans on this planet to make their silly movies. Narnia. or. Xanth. or Westoros. or Any other fantasy world you want to create. This is especially true of Proyas' soon to be flop which stars two male leads that haven't been financially successful in opening a movie since 300 (Butler) and... well, never (the Game of Thrones dude). When your movie features effects-laden flying people in armor and 300-foot-long demon cobras, you might as well take the next step and just invent a magical land where you don't have to face backlash about casting people who LITERALLY would not be white. Egypt is in AFRICA. The cradle of civilization. They knew about people of different races, BUT THEIR GODS HAD SKIN LIKE THEIRS... which was (and is) not white....

Ariel Castro, this week's most despised person in America, is pleading NOT GUILTY to kidnapping. NOT GUILTY.  I appreciate that in our system of justice, a presumption of innocence exists.  I also appreciate that a lawyer is obligated to represent the interests of his client.  But, REALLY?!?  Amanda Berry crawled out of Castro's house, screaming for help, ten years after she disappeared.  The police later stormed that same house to rescue TWO OTHER WOMEN who were ROPED and CHAINED in the cellar. The lawyer is admonishing the press for vilifying his client before the WHOLE STORY is known. What story is that?  That a polygamist Svengali had three sister wives who were WAY into S&M role play?  That a 14-year old girl with developmental issues was a willing participant in a relationship with a man decades older?  This plea is a DESPICABLE tactic to cast doubt on the rape charges, and indeed, the whole case.  If the women weren't kidnapped,...

This is the start of my SNAPback Challenge Week.  Like Newark Mayor Cory Booker, I am eating and drinking budgeted solely on what the average SNAP recipient receives for a week ($33).  I've attached my receipt. I went over by 2.89 so the spinach goes to the rest of the family. Loaded up on fresh fruits and veggies. Cereal with non fat milk for breakfast; salad with chicken for lunch and chicken breast w/veggies for dinner. Even got some fresh veg for snacks. Nothing but water to drink though. When you consider that a Starbucks drink consumes almost a day's worth of budget, it really focuses your thinking.  I was having some intense internal dialog about what to buy.  I did a bit better than I thought I would.  Day one is GO!

Just got back from "42." Helgeland paced this inspiring film like a balmy day at the ballpark. Languid stretches are punctuated by staccato bursts of intense emotion and drama. Well-acted by a cast of veteran characters and earnest newcomers, the standout is Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, who must straddle a line of restraint, determination, nobility and fortitude in the face of withering hatred and racism. For those accustomed to the broad smiles of Robinson's iconic photographs, Boseman's performance will surprise. He plays the legend as a churning engine of emotion; deep love for his wife and child, countered by barely contained resentment at the nigh intolerable slights to which Robinson was exposed during that incredible first season in the majors. Boseman benefits from a clear resemblance to Robinson, an attribute which likely elevated him as a choice for such a pivotal performance. It is a wonderful way to introduce him to a wide audience. Kudos also...

Two songs I could have lived my entire life having never heard... Beyoncé's "Bow Down" and Brad Paisley/LL Cool J's "Accidental (On Purpose) Racist." As my wife said, "I don't need racial healing, I just need people NOT to say stupid ish." Really, Mrs. "I just sang at the inauguration" Carter-Knowles? Your new single has a chorus that makes "Smooth Criminal" sound like Lord Byron. THIS is how y ou choose to represent as a wife and mother? Frankly, this sounds like some post-Bobby Whitney attempting to re-establish street bona fides. IT. DIDN'T. WORK. That is some truly adolescent foolishness right there. And LL... sigh. You're an actor now... on a hot show... You didn't need this. Matter of fact, you needed to NOT do this. That flag represented an entire half of the country LEAVING the United States because they wanted SLAVES. After the end of the war... That same flag was used by generations of people who oppres...

So I watched "Shadows and Beards" yesterday (aka Lincoln). Sacrilege alert! I wasn't amazed. Credit to Spielberg for the realism of candlelight in the pre-electricity era, but damn, even the day scenes were dark. Fine group of actors, some great individual scenes. Sally Field doing her always-solid "Southern crazy" and taciturn Tommy Lee with the SURPRISE ladyfriend reveal. Great costumes, gr eat sets, but LONG and SLOW... Daniel Day Lewis gets credit for what? Looking thin and tall and dealing with appliances and make-up? He was fine as Lincoln, but it's not like we have recordings to compare him to the real deal. This is inarguably the best produced movie about a sliver of Lincoln's life, but that doesn't make it the best film of the year... by a long shot. Side note: I have to say, the VERY FIRST scene kinda threw me out of it. To have those two soldiers mosey up to Lincoln's wagon and recite the speech like that? And one admitted that he coul...

I'mma say it... Les Miz is WAY over-rated. Sorry, Ms. Hathaway, I guess they're handing out nominations for dirty make-up and hair cuts, because your talk/singing was NOT the business. And what a whirlwind trip to degradation! You lose your job and five minutes later, it's down to the docks to sell your hair, teeth, dignity and health. Hugh Jackman, you're too skinny to play Valjean. He was s upposed to be this unbelievable strongman. Maybe I could have bought it if your singing voice was amazing... but it's not. All that hoarse emoting... did you graduate from the Christian Bale Academy of Growling? And Russell Crowe? REALLY? He's physically closer to a Valjean type, but with a voice like that, he may as well have been in the Liam Neeson version... OF THE BOOK. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter bring the (much-needed) comic relief, but this adaptation is fractured, messy and sleep-inducing. SORRY. P.S. Bonus points for set design, costumes, yadda, yadd...

I have finally seen Django Unchained and am open for discussion. First impressions: Looking at it through the lens of the Tarantino "Revenge" triptych (Kill Bills, Inglorious and Django) it does not feel as technically crafted as its predecessors. Yes, it's a "Spaghetti Western" and Tarantino has a fanatic devotion to his genre tropes. Yet... "Inglorious" feels like a full-bore WWII film (albe it one with darkly comical flourishes). "Kill Bill 1/2" is a pastiche of Kurasowa/Wuxia flicks with Blaxploitation and even Old West undertones... Stylized, but QT's craftsmanship is evident. "Django" suffers from QT's choice to frame it in the kitschy "Spaghetti" universe. To be certain, there were awesome performances. However, they are unbalanced by the more broad antics of the many supporting players. DiCaprio was amazing as the despicable Candie. Foxx had some really strong sequences too, though Django's meandering a...

Remember the Rankin Bass animated version of the Hobbit? Unexpected Journey is about the same... with slightly fewer songs. Ya know, I don't remember the story being so "Gandalf Ex Machina" but he LITERALLY leaves the group only to return exactly when they need him the most. Trolls (he brings the sunlight); Goblin King (he busts up their captors); Orc King (here come the eagles...) I could und erstand if he was tricking off with Galadriel, but there doesn't seem to be any rationale (other than to create false dramatic tension) for him to keep dipping out. Stay with the dwarves, Gandy! It's clear they don't have a chance without you. Also, H:UJ feels a LOT more CGI than the LOTR flicks. Most of the close-up goblins and orcs were practical effects in LOTR. Here, you have a LOT more talking characters as CGI creations... the aforementioned trolls are CGI, King Orc (and sub orcs), CGI; all the goblins, including the over-blubbery king (similar to the fat Gungan in...

Sooooooo. Kanye impregnated KimK... SIGH. Note to self, trademark the following baby names (a la Blue Ivy): Green Envy; Red LB (Louboutins, baby!); Brown LV (Louis Vuitton, natch); Orange HiC (co-brand with Absolut for Kimyetinis tm); Yellow HepC (it is KimK after all); and HPViolet (again, KimK) P.S. In some dark corner of Los Angeles, Ray J is quietly weeping and wondering how he missed this chance to extend his 15 minutes. http://www.eonline.com/news/374825/kim-kardashian-pregnant-with-kanye-west-s-baby

For those of us with young children, this is the time of year where pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms echo with the sounds of high-pitched voices earnestly ambling their way through classic Christmas carols. As I dropped Koko off this morning, I was tickled at how he enthusiastically howled "...laughing all the way HAH HAH HAH!" There's NO question that he will be heard during the holiday perfo rmance. No matter where we are, this season brings out amazing little moments that cheer our hearts, raise our spirits and help us cherish the best parts of our lives. As the year draws to a close, I feel serenely blessed for the gifts of family, my loving wife and children... friends, colleagues and FB fam... and the fellowship of humanity that binds us all regardless of faith. May the year's end bring you all the happiness you seek, the love you need and the bounty of God's blessings.

We don't get enough time to rest. We don't have enough time to spend with our families and be thankful. As I drove home, I saw folks setting up tents at Best Buy on the day BEFORE Thanksgiving for a sale that won't start until 12:01 Friday morning. For a discount on a TV? No. Stop. Make (and eat) a pie with your child. Take an extra bite of extra mac and cheese and take a stroll  with your loved one to "work it off." Watch the game. Throw a ball. Play some spades... or dominoes... and be earnestly thankful for that which is worthy of thanks. There aren't many days that are so centered on family, friends and our shared blessings. $40 off an Xbox bundle isn't worth that time. That's what Cyber Monday is for. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!!!

About that whole makers v. takers argument... President Obama won 8 out of 10 of the richest counties in the country... 8 out of 10. Would anyone argue that the counties with the highest per capita income are populated with takers? Look at it another way. If 53% of the country are Makers, and makers are aligned with Romney, how did he lose the popular vote? Look folks, if you can't find someone to give you a "valid" explanation about why they voted for Obama, you haven't  talked to the right person. There are plenty of highly educated, intelligent, hard-working, employed Americans who voted for the President. I also don't think that Clinton-era tax rates are the apocalypse. And not for nothing, the President is fighting to keep tax rates low for all but the 1%. That means 99% of Americans (which includes 52 of the "53%"). And let's not forget that the Dow has nearly DOUBLED. And US companies are sitting on TRILLIONS in cash reserves. What kind of...

Listening to NPR (you will never catch Nicki Minaj pumping in my whip), and heard a fascinating comment comparing "absolute personal freedom" (short of murder) vs. "mutual respect for human dignity" as the highest moral virtue. I have to say, hearing it put that way had me leaning toward "mutual respect." Absolutes are tricky, people. We tolerate a lot of shenanigans under the belief that nothi ng is more important than a person's right to express himself. Not so much... We are a global society and have to live together on this planet. This abhorrent video was akin to yelling "fire" in a crowded theater. Combine that with Reince Romney's despicable exploitation and you have turned up the flame even more. Thought experiment: How many mosques would have been defamed had Iran sponsored a movie featuring Jesus as a child molester? It took a lot less for Southern extremists to kill four little girls in an Alabama church. #justsayin'

As always, there are critics to anything President Obama does, but I think a key element is underappreciated in examining his speech to the NAACP. There is a monumental difference in a Black President making these remarks. A BLACK PRESIDENT... The simple act of his ascension to this office sweeps away generations of cobwebs around the tired bromides of "being all you can be" and "working hard can take you wherever you desire!" Sure there was some boilerplate tough love pulpit talk, but only THIS President could deliver it and speak it to power. He was raised by a single mother (and her parents)... how many of our children can resonate with that? He came from modest surroundings...check. Experimented with drugs/petty crime as an escape... check. Stumbled through his early college years... check. Attended an Ivy league school where he got his act together... wait a minute! You mean after being abandoned by your father, struggling to make ends meet, trying weed...

Obama Bows on Settling Detainees Different Gitmo issues are being conflated by the mainstream media/blogosphere here (WashPo's inartfully worded headline didn't help). That article almost exclusively deals with the couple dozen Uighurs (who were exonerated early on and treated much better than the vast majority of long term detainees). Certain high-profile figures (like Boumedienne) DON'T WANT to settle here. They want to go back home. The "issue" that Obama is "caving" on is allowing detainees that BushCo tortured and illegally held but now is RELEASING to settle in the US. The issue that was consuming most of the oxygen in this debate concerned the people WHO WERE NOT BEING RELEASED and still awaited incarceration or trial. I have NO PROBLEM with transferring the actual bad guys to our Supermax facilities (Montana has a brand new EMPTY prison and could take a bunch of them). However, I think the wrongly imprisoned need to go back to their home ...