November 28, 2013

"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"

Written by Charles M. Schulz.
Special Thanksgiving/Peanuts Review: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

Cast
Todd Barbee as Charlie Brown, Robin Kohn as Lucy van Pelt, Stephen Shea as Linus van Pelt, Hilary Momberger as Sally Brown, Christopher DeFaria as Peppermint Patty, Jimmy Ahrens as Marcie, Robin Reed as Franklin, and Bill Melendez as Snoopy and Woodstock. Directed by Bill Melendez.

Review
The Thanksgiving special is a staple of this holiday, and it shows in this special. It's fun to watch and of course very humorous to watch. This is a special that's all the stuff you'll love. The characters are all fun and all entertaining on a review short to accommodate the Thanksgiving feast that is probably happening right now.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

November 5, 2013

"You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown"

Written by Charles M. Schulz.
Special Peanuts/Election Day Review: You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown.

Cast
Chad Webber as Charlie Brown, Stephen Shea as Linus van Pelt, Robin Kohn as Lucy van Pelt, Hilary Momberger as Sally Brown, Todd Barbee as Russell Anderson, Linda Ercoli as Violet, Brian Kazanjian as Schroeder, Bill Melendez as Snoopy/Woodstock. Directed by Bill Melendez.

Review
You're Not Elected is also a good special, with Linus once again being the main character. The special has humor that again mixes in to the plot, making it an interest and a treat to watch. It's amazing how you can make a special about Election Day and yet still make it seem unpolitical that it works single handily.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

November 1, 2013

"Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown"

Written by Craig Schulz, Charles M. Schulz & Stephan Pastis.

Peanuts Review: Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown.

Cast

Austin Lux as Linus Van Pelt, Amanda Pace as Sally, Trenton Rogers as Charlie Brown and Schroeder, Grace Rolek as Lucy Van Pelt, Shane Baumel as Pig-Pen, Blesst Bowden as Violet, Ciara Bravo as Patty, Andy Pessoa as Shermy, and Andy Beall as Snoopy and Woodstock. Directed by Andrew Beall and Frank Molieri.


Review
Linus and his blanket have always has a special connection all throughout the Peanuts special, even in A Charlie Brown Christmas (With the scene involving hitting a can with a snowball with the help of his blanket being one), so making a special about this makes a good deal of sense. Does it work though? Yea, it does. It all seems good and well, having some funny and yet some dramatic moments, which are a staple of the specials. The only thing I find wrong is the one scene dealing with Charlie Brown and his torment. Honesty I felt it went a bit too far (Gee, using the first comic strip to bash the character most associated with the comic strip? Ouch.), but it's still good, nonetheless.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

October 31, 2013

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"

Great pumpkin charlie brown title card.jpg
Written by Charles M. Schulz.
Special Halloween/Peanuts Review: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Cast
Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown and Pig-Pen, Christopher Shea as Linus van Pelt, Sally Dryer as Lucy van Pelt, Glenn Mendelson as Schroeder, Kathy Steinberg as Sally Brown, Ann Altieri as Violet Gray, Lisa DeFaria as Patty, Bill Melendez as Snoopy. Directed by Bill Melendez.

Review
It is a classic as it expresses the best of the Peanuts comic/specials, with humor mixed into the plot. It's a fun story to watch for anyone. Its characters and animation work hand in hand and it does have the classic feel that Peanuts special usually have.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

"Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin"

Written by Robert Holmes
Directed by David Maloney
Review: The Deadly Assassin.

Cast
Tom Baker (4th Doctor), Peter Pratt (The Master), Bernard Horsfall (Chancellor Goth), Erik Chitty (Engin), George Pravda (Castellan Spandrell), and Angus MacKay (Borusa)

Review
I decided to do this review as a special treat for Halloween, doing a Doctor Who review. While this is a story for TV, it's a serial first (Parts almost at 24 mintues long), which convinced me to make a review of the classic serial. Anyway, this serial is the first to introduce us to the planet Gallifrey, home of the Time Lords. I like how the society is so...alien. They're aliens that look human (Though the Doctor 35 years later states Humans look Time Lord), yet they act so different from us. It's a fascinating serial that has good acting and a well balanced plat. The Master looks very skelelton like, considering he has run out of regenerations, and he will die soon (Until JNT decides to return him 5 years later...) This story is a classic that you will love because it does its job of telling a story, and then some more. And to the people who complained of the "torture" at Episode 3 in the 70's, ironic how everyone thinks its perfectly fine now. I guess we've evolved in that sense..

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

September 2, 2013

Playlist Updated.

AC/DC - Back In Black
AC/DC - Thunderstruck
AC/DC - Highway to Hell
AC/DC - It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
Van Halen - Panama
Van Halen - Jump
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
Queen - 'Don't Stop Me Now'
Queen - We Will Rock You
Queen - 'Scandal'
Queen - 'Under Pressure'
Queen - Spread Your Wings
Queen - 'Another One Bites the Dust'
Queen - 'We Are The Champions'
Queen - 'Flash'
Michael Jackson - Bad
Michael Jackson - Beat It
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Michael Jackson - Black Or White
Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal
The Beatles - Help
The Beatles - Yellow Submarine
The Beatles - Let It Be
The Beatles - Yesterday
The Beatles - Obla Di Obla Da
The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye
The Beatles - Come Together
The Beatles - Hey Jude
Pink Floyd - Time
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
ELO - Strange Magic
ELO - Telephone Lines
ELO - Dont Bring Me Down
ELO - Turn To Stone
ELO - Livin' Thing
ELO - Here Is The News
ELO -  Do Ya
ELO - Evil Woman
ELO - Shine a Little Love
ELO - I'm Alive
ELO  - Last Train To London
Christopher Cross - Best That You Can Do
Fitz & The Tantrums - The Best That You Can Do
Chris Cornell - Casino Royale
Gilbert O'Sullivan - Alone Again
Stuck In The Middle With You - Stealers Wheel
Landon Pigg And Lucy Schwartz - Darling I Do
Huey Lewis - The Power Of Love
Huey Lewis and the News - Back in Time
a-ha - Take On Me
a-ha - The Living Daylights
a-ha - Forever Not Yours
a-ha - I Wish I Cared
a-ha - The Bandstand
a-ha - Shadowside
a-ha - Foot of the Mountain
Stevie Wonder - For Once in my Life
Journey-Dont Stop Believing
Journey - Any Way You Want It
Boston- More than A Feeling
Scatman John - Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)
Scatman John - Scatman's World
The Who-Pinball Wizard
The Who - Baba O'Riley
The Who - My Generation
Green Day - Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)
Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends
Green Day & The Timelords -"Doctor Who on Holiday"
Sonny & Cher ~ Little Man
Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong - We Have All The Time In The World
Radiohead - High & Dry
Fatboy Slim - Weapon Of Choice
Pilot - Magic
Adele - Skyfall
Adele - Someone Like You
Duran Duran- A View To A Kill
Duran Duran - Rio
Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf
The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City Lyrics
Steam - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
John Lennon - Imagine
Bee Gees - Staying Alive
Earth, Wind, and Fire - September
Earth, Wind and Fire- Shining Star
Earth, Wind and Fire - "That's The Way of The World"
Bonnie Tyler - I Need a Hero
The Monkees - I'm a Believer
Smash Mouth - I'm A Believer
Gladys Knight - Licence to Kill
Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name
Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
Bon Jovi - We Weren't Born To Follow
Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Kim Wilde - Kids in America
Mike Oldfield - Foreign Affair
Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
George Harrison - Wah-Wah
R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World
Eddie Money - Take me home tonight
U2 - Beautiful Day
U2 - With Or Without You
Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger
Joey Scarbury - Believe it or Not
Live and Let Die- Paul McCartney
Jerry Reed - East Bound And Down
America - "You Can Do Magic"
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Where Has Everybody Gone - The Pretenders
ZZ Top - Doubleback
Metallica - One
Alice Cooper - Man With The Golden Gun
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
Elton John - Rocket Man
Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline
Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle
B.B. King - Blues Boys
B.B. King - Guess Who
Blues Brothers - Soul Man
Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild
U2 & B.B. King: When Love Comes To Town
Stan Bush - You've Got The Touch
Blues Brothers - Rawhide
Europe - The Final Countdown
X - Wild Thing

April 1, 2013

"Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen"

Written by Kit Pedeler and Gerry Davis.
Special April Fool's Day/Doctor Who Review: The Tomb of the Cybermen.

Cast
Patrick Troughton (Second Doctor), Frazier Hines (Jamie McCrimmon), Deborah Watling (Victoria Waterfield), George Pastell (Eric Klieg), Aubrey Richards (Professor Parry), Shirley Cooklin (Kaflan), Roy Stewart (Toberman), and Michael Kilgariff (Voices of the Cybermen). Written by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis. (The Tenth Planet and The Moonbase) Directed by Morris Barry.

Review
This is the earliest serial recovered from the Second Doctor's era (Subsequently being the only Season 5 story along with 1 of 2 Cybermen stories recovered-The other being The Invasion) Anyway, the story is simple enough, with allright acting, decent sets (And a laughable effect in Episode Two), and good Cybermen. They really are threatning, compared to the recent ones. As a matter of fact, this is the first appearance of the Cybermats and the Cyber Controller. Troughton does a good job here, consoling Victoria and manipulating the expedition of open the controls. All in all, it's a decent adventure as it entertains you just enough.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

"Doctor Who: The Happiness Patrol"

What could go wrong?
Written by Graeme Curry; Directed by Chris Clough.
Review: The Happiness Patrol.

Cast
Sylvester McCoy (7th Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Shelia Hancock (Helen A), Ronald Fraser (Joseph C), John Normington (Trevor Sigma), Rachel Bell (Priscilla P), and David John Pope (The Kandy Man)

Review
This is an odd little serial, considering the things Doctor Who has done. (Such as Books coming to life, a rainbow coated suit, robotic yeti and more...) It has a weird concept, with a ridiculous villain of candy (Who really needed more on screen time, but sadly does not) that spawned a lawsuit from a candy maker. Anyway, the acting is decent, but McCoy stands out of all of them, while Helen A's only stand out due to the nonsubtlety of it all. It's a little silly and all, with The Doctor on go karts, and a pink TARDIS, yet it is all taken in stride, and it is a little enjoyable despite the odd storyline and even odder undertones (That turn to overtones). This serves as an example of the flip-flopping the McCoy Era did in the unfortunately short 3 years.

Overall, I give it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

March 31, 2013

"Here Comes Peter Cottontail"

Written by Thornton Burgess and Romeo Mueller.

Review: Here Comes Peter Cottontail.

Cast
Casey Kasem as Peter Cottontail, Danny Kaye as Seymour Sassafrass and Antione, and Vincent Price as January Q. Irontail. Directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.

Review
This special is over 40 years ago, and like other Rankin-Bass specials, it still holds up. The story is simple, yet a bit intreging.. Vincent Price steals the show with him doing his booming voice. My only question of this special is if you go back in time and stop the events of Irontail's rise, wouldn't it cause a paradox? Then again, this is a special, so it's not meant to be giant in scale and all. Good songs, allright story make a good special.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

February 5, 2013

My Playlist (As of February 5, 2013)

In case anyone was wondering my playlist of songs that I play were, here's a list of the songs.

  1. Back in Black
  2. Thunderstruck
  3. Highway to Hell
  4. It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock N' Roll)
  5. You Shook Me All Night Long
  6. Panama
  7. Jump
  8. Bohemian Rhapsody
  9. We Will Rock You
  10. Don't Stop Me Now
  11. Under Pressure
  12. You're My Best Friend
  13. Spread Your Wings
  14. Another One Bites the Dust
  15. Bad
  16. Beat It
  17. Billie Jean
  18. Black or White
  19. Smooth Criminal
  20. Help
  21. Obla Di Obla Da
  22. Hey Jude
  23. Yesterday
  24. Hello Goodbye
  25. Let it Be
  26. Stairway to Heaven
  27. Time 
  28. I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night 
  29. Mister Blue Sky
  30. Strange Magic
  31. Telephone Line
  32. Livin' Thing
  33. Here Is The News
  34. Don't Bring Me Down
  35. Turn To Stone
  36. Evil Woman
  37. Ring of Fire
  38. Best That You Can Do    (Christopher Cross)
  39. Best That You Can Do    (Fitz & The Tantrums)
  40. You Know My Name
  41. Take on Me
  42. I Wish I Cared
  43. Forever Not Yours
  44. The Bandstand
  45. Shadowside
  46. Foot of the Mountain
  47. Little Man 
  48. Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop) 
  49. Scatman's World
  50. Crazy
  51. Jailhouse Rock
  52. For Once in my Life
  53. Stuck in the Middle with You
  54. Pinball Wizard
  55. My Generation
  56. Baba O'Riley
  57. Darling I Do
  58. I'll Never fall in Love Again
  59. Alone Again (Naturally)
  60. Back in Time    (Huey Lewis and the News)
  61. The Power of Love
  62. What a Wonderful World
  63. We Have All The Time in the World
  64. Imagine
  65. Beautiful Day
  66. With or Without You
  67. Doctor Who on Holiday    (Green Day & The Timelords)   
  68. Don't Stop Believing
  69. Any Way You Want It
  70. Dream On
  71. More than a Feeling
  72. Someone Like You
  73. Skyfall
  74. Weapon of Choice
  75. Live and Let Die
  76. High & Dry
  77. A View to a Kill
  78. Rio
  79. Hungry Like The Wolf.
  80. Licence to Kill
  81. You Give Love a Bad Name
  82. We Weren't Born to Follow
  83. Bad Medicine
  84. Smells Like Teen Spirit
  85. Eye of the Tiger
  86. Foreign Affair
  87. Kids in America
  88. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
  89. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 
  90. Wake Me Up When September Ends
  91. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

February 4, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XXIII: Skyfall.

   Four years after "Another Way to Groan", the next Bond film would have Adele as its theme singer, and...I like it. I'll admit, I like Adele's singing, with a deepish voice that works well for a Bond theme and its emotional tone has a fine range. The instrumental works pretty well, and in the end the theme has a lasting effect. That's the last of the Bond themes for 2013, thank you for reading (and listening) to this.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

February 3, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XXII: Another Way to Die.

   It is fitting that song so disjointed from reality goes into a film that suffered from production disjointedness. And with so many other opportunities from Shirley Bassey to Eva Almer, they chose a duet that sounds more like a demo tape gone wrong. The problem isn't the instrumental, it works fine, but the voices do not go well with the song, looking more like it tried to be like a rock song and not a Bond theme. It just doesn't work that well. But is it horrible? Not as bad as "Tomorrow Never Dies" or "Die Another Day" So, let's end this retrospective with the sky falling.

Overall, I give it a rating of 2 out of 5 stars.

February 2, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XXI: You Know My Name.

   After "Bore Another Day" and the end of the Brosnan era of Bond, Daniel Craig would be the new Bond and there would be (obviously) have a new song.  But was it any good? Of course it was. This is a dynamic song that is riveting and electrifying in its approach and its use. It works well for the film and for the franchise itself.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

February 1, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XX: Die Another Day.

   Out of all the Bond themes I was going to review, this was the one I wanted to hear the least. After listening to it, I kinda know why. It is definately a weird, weird, experiment for a Bond song. It has more techno pop than actual depth, and the only reason that you could believe it was a Bond film was if you saw the opening credits to go with this. But even then, this is not a good theme. It has little use and while it may seem like it works for the plot...It doesn't make it any better.

Overall, I give it a rating of 1 out of 5 stars.

January 31, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XIX: The World Is Not Enough.

   After the what I like to call "Tomorrow Never Screeches" theme by Sheryl Crow, you really can't go anywhere but up. And with a theme that works so well with the (not as great) film like this, it's ironic the band's name was "Garbage". The lyrics work fine but the voice is so more dynamic and more of a interesting way to go by. The visuals work just fine, and the whole theme does even better. Now then, we get to the closing stretch of the themes, to begin the 2000's with...Madonna. I think you lose about 1 or 2 stars just for that.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

January 30, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XVIII: Tomorrow Never Dies.

   The words that describe this song are (for me, anyway) only four. The four are, in order: Really? This was picked? Originally the theme was going to be sung by k.d. lang, but like "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang", it was switched at the last minute for...this. So how is the replacement? If you really wanted a theme to work for this film...you should've stayed with the k.d. lang version because this theme...sucks. Ok, maybe its not horrible, but it doesn't hold up to even the weaker ones, like "Moonraker" or "Kingston Calypso". My problem with is that Crow's higher tone voice at some points don't work in well, it feels out of place. A dissapointing theme.

Overall, I give it a rating of 1.5 out of 5 stars.

January 29, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XVII: Goldeneye.

   The film that surrounds this theme actually go hand in hand, they both do their job of conveying the film and being a fairly decent Bond film. Turner does a fine job with here voice, even if the idea of saying "with a golden, GoldenEye" can sound a bit ridiculous. The visuals for the theme work as well, giving the tone that Bond could survive in the 90's. Next time's theme can either show us some more good 90's themes, or show us why Bond could fail in the 90's.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

January 28, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XVI: Licence to Kill.

   Licence to Kill was the song for the 16th film in the series, done by Gladys Knight in Timothy Dalton's last Bond film. And it's...rockingly awesome. From the good visuals to the brassy and deep voice by Knight, it sets the tone for the film that wouldn't be captured again for years. Definately a contender for Best Bond theme in the 1980's (Along with A View to a Kill) and for Best Bond Theme Song.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

January 27, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XV: The Living Daylights.

   After the end of the Roger Moore era came the short run of Timothy Dalton with two songs, and this was one of them. And the song was made by who else? A-ha. They were a Norwegian band that did many songs (More than just that one song people seem to remember - "Take on Me") for over 30 years. But forgetting that, is this song any good? Yea. It's got a good tempo to it and it has what I always love, a fun pace combined with a new Bond to have a classicish song.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

January 26, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XIV: A View to a Kill.

   You want some awesomeness? Here ya go, a combination of Duran Duran and an opportunity to do a James Bond theme, in the 80's no less. While the film itself isn't as awesome as the film, the song certainly does have a tone that only the climax of the film. Its visuals (The opening sequence) are a bit weird with the color paper, but oh well. If I could, I would give a rating of 6 out of of 5 stars. Might as well, because why the hell not?

Overall, I give it a rating of 6 out of 5 stars.

January 25, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XIII: All Time High.


   See with a title for a Bond film like this (Which is incredibly stupid to begin with), sometimes its a good thing the song doesn't include the title. And given what I've heard of Octo-Whatever, it's hit or miss. So how is the song? It's...Not bad. For 1983, it certainly has some charm to it, putting you into a mellow, yet a focused feel. The singing works well and the lyrics do fine. Fine song surprisngly enough.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.


January 24, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XII: For Your Eyes Only.


   Sheena Easton remains the only actress to be shown in the title sequence, and it...makes some sense, I suppose. The 80's for Bond had five songs, with this being the one to introduce Bond to the 1980's...which varied. The song itself is a fine one, being an improvement over Moonraker's song, and it provides some depth that had been lacking recently. Good stuff with good instrumental to go with the film. Could it get any better? You could say it was at an All Time High...

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

January 23, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part XI: Moonraker.

   Shirley Bassey is back in the third and final song she did for the Bond series. And...it feels rushed. Probably because it was. Shirley Bassey was not the first choice for the song for Moonraker, but because the choices had rejected the offer and Bassey agreed just a few weeks before the film's release, it has a rushed and odd way to use the Moonraker name in the song. The visuals are a little "subtle", having the "Moon" and other space related things in a film called...Moonraker. It's not horrible, but it certainly is the lesser of the Bassey themes.

Overall, I give it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

January 22, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part X: Nobody Does It Better.

   Arguably (or not arguable) the best Roger Moore Bond film (And maybe the better of the Bond films in general), and it does have one of the better Bond themes. Carly Simon does have a good tone of voice and good instruments to go with it. The visuals do some sort of wonder (good or bad being arguable), and it feels very in line with the rest of the film. Good stuff.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

January 21, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part IX: The Man with the Golden Gun.

   While the film itself may qualify for silliest Bond film, at least the theme is good, right? Right? Well...It's complicated. The singing by Lulu does have a ruanchy yet very electrifying tone to it, and it does set the tone for the film. However it does feel slightly silly at points which means it fits with the film in unintentional ways. It's a fine theme for a...fine-ish film. Take it for what it's worth.

Overall, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

January 20, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part VIII: Live and Let Die.

   Live and Let Die introduced Roger Moore, who would star in seven Bond films, but the main focus of this review is on Paul McCartney & Wings, who made the theme. With a rock music touch, it sizzles in most ways without any fizzle, with visuals that are still good after almost 40 years. The lyrics work well and it does have an actiony feel that reminds me of On Her Majesty's Secret Service's theme, which is a good thing. Good song for a...decent film.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

January 19, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part VII: Diamonds Are Forever.

   Shirley Bassey performs the Bond opening theme for the second time, but the film itself isn't really any good. It shares the same flaw that the Roger Moore films sometimes have: It's campyish with sometimes rock stupid characters. But how is the theme? It's...not bad. Look, Bassey does have great vocals, and the visuals do okay, but I feel that this is somehow a step down from the previous song for some reason. But oh well. Take it for what it's worth.

Overall, I give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

January 18, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part VI: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Part 2 of 2)

   This was Louis Armstrong's last recorded song, two years before his death, and it is a really touchy song, an emotional song, to go with an emotionally charged Bond film, a rarity somewhat. Armstrong always had a touch for depth and heartwarming lyrics. It goes extremely well, and it does have a somber, yet grand feel.

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

The James Bond Themes - Part VI: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Part 1 of 2)

   On Her Majesty's Secret Service was the last of the 60's Bond films, and was the first and only one with George Lazenby. This theme to open the film (After a opening sequence only summed up by a fourth wall joke) was the first since From Russia With Love with an instrumental (Though again that had a song at the end. You might be wondering why I didn't review that instrumental but I'm reviewing this one. I'm reviewing this one as a compromise.), since trying to sing the word "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in a song (Which usually rhymes) is difficult. So how is this theme? It's really good. Just because a song has no words doesn't mean it can't convey anything. It manages to be heroic and very lifting, standing on its own two feet. This review isn't done yet, there's a Part II, one with a certain Louis Armstrong...

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

January 17, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part V: You Only Live Twice.

   While the film's milage may vary on person to person, the theme is very...memorable to me. It always strikes me in a somber yet strangely effective tone, all from Nancy Sinatra. The visuals may help slightly to carry the song as well, and it does have a good ring to it. This would be not be the last time for Sean Connery, but first, a slight Lazenby intermission...with two songs in one? Hmm...

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

January 16, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part IV: Thunderball.


   Thunderball's theme has a history of people who tried to make a song for the film. The song for the film was originally going to be a song named Mister Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Wrote by John Barry) with two different singers doing their versions, Shirley Bassey and Dionne Warwick. However the studio wanted the title to be in the film, so Barry made a rendition with Tom Jones being the singer. However even Johnny Cash submitted his verion, which described the plot of the film, but that was rejected. So in the end, there's a decent film with a strange history. So how is the song?

   It's...fine. The theme is good, I can get into it relatively easy and it does have fun. Tom Jones is not bad, he might sing a little too overlydrammatic at times, but at least it does have some sort of spirit to the film, Thunderball and all.

Overall, I give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

January 15, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part III: Goldfinger.

   Goldfinger repersented new things as it would be the first song to be included in the opening (rather than an instrumental or at the end), it would be the last to have the Gunbarrel by the stuntman Bob Simmons and it was arguably the best Connery, if not Bond film.The song was performed by Shirley Bassey for the first of three songs she would do for the Bond franchise. The lyrics are electrifying and yet still mesmerizing after all these years. It goes extremely well with the title sequence making a strange word like "Goldfinger" work well.

Now Thunderball on the other hand would be slightly more difficult...

Overall, I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

January 11, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part II: From Russia With Love.


  The second Bond film (From Russia Wiht Love) had an instrumental theme in the opening by John Barry (Which in itself is good), with a song by Matt Monro playing over a radio in the film , but he also sung the song in the end credits. This would be the last time a bond theme song would be played either in the end credits or in the gunbarrel itself. So how is it?

It's good enough. Definately more connecting with the film and definitly more useful, with good enough voice in the singing and decent enough lyrics to make a fine rounded song. There isn't much way to sing a song for the classic film other than just this.

Overall, I give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

January 10, 2013

The James Bond Themes - Part I: Kingston Calypso.

   Kingston Calypso was the first Bond theme, though it was segwayed with the title sequence. But here we are with the song of Dr. No in its entirety. And...

...It's mediocre. While it does feel like some sort of thing for the 60's, it doesn't age well and has not much connections with the other Bond themes. While the film of Dr. No may be good, its theme doesn't have much connection or greatness as other Bond themes.

Overall, I give it a rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars.

January 6, 2013

The James Bond Themes: A Retrospective.

Time for a slight change in reviews.
Preface
   The James Bond series has had 23 films since 1962, with six actors, eleven directors, nine composers, and a multitude of opening songs. The opening song is the song that comes after the cold open (Which usually has the gun-barrel sequence beginning the film. Usually.), with the song having something to do with the movie and the title of the film (The only films with songs that don't have the title in the song are On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Octopussy, Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace), and the songs can range from good to...average at best. Through 50 years there have been songs from Paul McCartney & Wings to a-Ha to Shirley Bassey to...Madonna. Over the next few days, I will be listening and reviewing all of the James Bond opening themes, from "Kingston Calypso" from Dr. No to "Skyfall" from (obviously) Skyfall. The retrospective will start Monday, with a theme from the first film...

(List of performers: Byron Lee and the DragonairesMatt Munro, Shirley Bassey*, Tom Jones, Nancy Sinatra, Louis Armstrong*, Paul McCartney & Wings, Lulu, Carly Simon, Sheena Easton, Rita Coolidge, Duran Duran, A-ha, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Garbage, Madonna, Chris Cornell, Jack White & Alicia Keys, and Adele) 

*1: John Barry also composed an instrumental theme in the beginning, with Armstrong playing a theme during the film. 

*2: Bassey sung three films: Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker.

If you want to see reviews of (most) the Bond franchise films, here's a link http://officalmovienight.blogspot.com/search?q=James+Bond that contains some of the Bond reviews. Enjoy.