Harry Connick, Jr. has been on the show five times and representing American interest. But to show how Australians feel about Harry Connick, Jr.’s comments, Australians definitely had a different sensibility with some Australians feeling that Connick, Jr. was rude to the host and that what happens in America is not the same in Australia.

Tags: Bang! Bang! Bang!, celebrity news, Harry Connick, Jr.

Harry Connick, Jr. – Your Songs (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“A cover album featuring a collaboration between Harry Connick, Jr. and legendary music producer Clive Davis.  The best cover album by Harry featuring covers of popular songs originally sung by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and even songs sung by The Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Roberta Flack and more.  Definitely recommended!”

ARTIST: Harry Connick, Jr.

ALBUM: Your Songs (Digital Version)

LABEL: Columbia

DURATION: 49:37

RELEASE DATE: September 22, 2009

1. All the Way
2. Just the Way You Are
3. Can’t Help Falling in Love With You
4. And I Love Her
5. (They Long to Be) Close to You
6. Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much)
7. The Way You Look Tonight
8. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
9. Your Song
10. Some Enchanted Evening
11. And I Love You So
12. Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)
13. Smile
14. Mona Lisa

NOTE: In different countries, the album has additional tracks which include “Killing Me Softly”, or “And I Love Her” (with Carla Bruni) and in Japan, “Killing Me Softly”, “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Answer Me My Love”.

I can easily remember my first introduction to Harry Connick, Jr.’s music and that was through the film “When Harry Met Sally” back in 1989.  Needless to say, I’ve been a big fan of Harry since that release, buying every jazz or funk album he had release, catching his live shows and even purchasing his videos on VHS and LD’s and needless to say, with each release, I’ve always enjoyed his music.

With the release of “Your Songs”, the album features a collaboration with Harry and well-known record producer Clive Davis.  The songs are classics that were chosen by Clive Davis and arranged by Harry.

Favorites of mine on the album include “All the Way” by Frank Sinatra and written by James Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn features a collaboration with Harry and  Branford Marsalis.  A beautifully arranged track with a good touch of brass and strings made even more smoother with Harry’s vocals.

A cover of the popular song “Smile” which I enjoyed Nat King Cole’s version (written by Charlie Chaplin,  John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons) but Harry manages to bring another dimension to the song courtesy of its featuring a beautiful arrangement and another Nat King Cole favorite of mine is “Mona Lisa (written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans) with its piano accompaniment and beautiful strings in the background and a good touch of brass.

Other covers that are also well done include “Just the Way You Are”, a cover of the popular Billy Joel song; Connick’s cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” (written by George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore) and a collaboration with Wynton Marsalis; a cover of the Beatles song  “And I Love Her” (written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon); a cover of the popular song “(They Long to Be) Close to You” by the Carpenters (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David); a cover of Consuelo Velsquez’s “Besame Mucho”; a cover of Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight”; a cover of “Some Enchanted Evening” sung by Frank Sinatra and Perry Como (written by Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers); a beautiful cover of Don McLean’s “And I Love You So” (which was sung also by Perry Como) and a cover of “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” sung by Tony Bennett (written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley).

Some covers, I found to be OK is Harry’s covers of “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” which I can’t see anyone singing the song but Roberta Flack and “Your Song” by Elton John.

But overall, this is a very good cover album.  We have had cover albums from Harry Connick, Jr. before.  But this has to be the best one release in his long career of releases thus far.   It’s one thing to have Harry Connick, Jr.’s beautiful vocals but the arrangement on the album is top notch.  Great collaboration once again with Branford and Wynton Marsalis but also with the brass courtesy of Leroy Jones, Roger Ingram, Wayne Bergeron, Warren Lunning and John Fumo.  And of course, you have to give it up for Harry’s big band and the string orchestra.

Overall, “Your Songs” is another Harry Connick, Jr. album that is definitely recommended!

Tags: a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review, Harry Connick, Jr., Your Songs

The Soloist (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

“Magnificent performance by Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx.  A moving and  powerful film which is based on a true story that is truly an eye opener to the homeless problem in America.”

Images courtesy of ©Paramount Home Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: The Soloist

DURATION: 116 minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (1:85:1), English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French/Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles: English, English SDH, French and Spanish

COMPANY:  Paramount Home Entertainment

RATED: PG-13 (For Thematic Elements, Some Drug Use and Language)

Release Date: August 4, 2009

Directed by Joe Wright

Based on a book by Steve Lopez

Screenplay by Susannah Grant

Executive Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jeff Skoll, Patricia Witcher

Produced by Gary Foster, Russ Krasnoff

Co-Produced by Rikki Lea Bestall, Leeann Stonebreaker

Music by Dario Marianelli

Director of Photography: Seamus McGarvey

Edited by Paul Tothill

Casting by Francine Maisler

Production Design by Sarah Greenwood

Art Direction by Greg Berry, Suzan Wexler

Set Decoration by Julie Smith, Katie Spencer

Costume Design by Jacqueline Durran

Starring:

Jamie Foxx as Nathaniel Ayers

Robert Downey Jr. as Steve Lopez

CAtherine Keener as Mary Weston

Lisa Gay Hamilton as Jennifer

Nelsan Ellis as David

Academy Award nominee Robert Downey Jr. and Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx star in an extraordinary and inspiring true story of how a chance meeting can change a life.  The Soloist tells the poignant and ultimately soaring tale of a Los Angeles newspaper reporter who discovers a brilliant street musician, with unsinkable passion, and the unique friendship and bon that transforms both their lives.  The remarkable performances make for an unforgetting experience in what is hailed as “a courageous and uncompromising film” (Gene Shalit, TODAY).

In 2005, Los Angeles Times writer Steve Lopez captured the hearts of thousands of readers with his columns about a former Juilliard musician named Nathaniel Ayers who is living on the streets.  After several columns, Lopez and Ayers would be featured on 60 Minutes and capture the attention of how two people who are absolute different, become good friends.

In 2008, Steve Lopez would write a book based on his experience with Nathanial Ayers but also give attention to the homeless in LA’s Skid row.  That book would then become a film.

The film version of “THE SOLOIST” is directed by Joe Wright (“Atonement” and “Pride & Prejudice”) and would feature a screenplay by Susannah Grant (“28 Days”, “Erin Brockovich” and “Charlotte’s Web”), music by Dario Marianelli (“Atonement”, “The Brave One” and “My World”) and cinematography by Seamus McGarvey (“Atonement”, “World Trade Center” and “Sahara”).

The film features a talented cast with Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man”, “Tropic Thunder”, “Charlie Bartlett”, etc.),  Jamie Foxx (“The Kingdom”, “Jarhead”, “Ray”), Catherine Keener (“Capote”, “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and “Solstice”) and Nelsan Ellis (“True Blood”, “The Inside” and “The Express).

The film is about a divorced L.A. Times news reporter named Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) who is looking for news to write about and one day, while out and about in L.A.’s Pershing Square, he hears a homeless man named Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) playing a two string violin.  Despite the two strings, he’s playing it extremely well.  But what catches his attention is that Ayers has told him he was a student at the prestigious performing arts school, Juilliard.  As a writer, this peaks Lopez’s interest in how can a homeless man who attended Juilliard be out in the streets.  What is his story?

While doing his research to find out if what Ayers has told him is true, Lopez learns that he was a talented student at Juilliard in the 70’s for two years but for some unexpected reason, he had dropped out. In fact, through his research, he realized that Nathaniel was exceptionally talented and those who taught or had the opportunity to work with him, saw his wonderful talent.

Lopez manages to contact his sister Jenny (Lisa Gay Hamilton) who explains a little bit about Nathaniel.  Lopez learns through his research that Nathaniel’s main instrument is a cello and during his time in Juilliard, he suddenly became sick (we see images of how Nathaniel starts hearing voices in his head that would not stop.  Symptoms of schizophrenia.)

But for Nathaniel, there seemed to be a peace for him living on the streets and playing his music.

After the first column was published in the L.A. Times, many people felt passionate about the story that one woman who played the cello was unable to do so, due to her severe arthritis.  She requested for Lopez to give it to Ayers in which he did.  By then, Lopez used the cello as a way to get some help for Nathaniel and to play at Lamp Community which treats the mentally ill (but as a way for him to receive some treatment himself).

But its the discovery of what Steve Lopez sees while developing this friendship with Nathaniel (and more columns to follow), which is the homeless on skid row.  People living on the streets, where people just sleep anywhere they can, occasional fighting, deaths.  These are people like Nathaniel who have a story of their previous life before becoming homeless and these people, Lopez would meet and get to know their story and become part of his columns.

But as the film would cover this growing relationship between Lopez and Ayers (especially Lopez doing what he can to help Ayers), we see Lopez as a man who not showed the same compassion towards his own family and thus it becomes a film about self-discovery.  As Lopez will learn a difficult lesson about himself but also a film that shows how bad the problem of homelessness is in Los Angeles (the #1 city with homeless in the country and over 900,00 people are homeless in the city).

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“The Soloist” is presented in 1080p High Definition.  For the most part, the picture quality is absolutely vibrant and colorful.  During the day scenes, we are exposed to the grit and grime of where Nathaniel is living and also, during the night where we see Skid Row in its most unpleasantness.

There is plenty of detail from the dirt and grime on the faces of people, the detail of trash and whatever the homeless can find that would benefit them.  For Nathaniel, from the things that he wears on his body, to the paint on his face revealing the cracks and unevenness of the paint, the detail is there.  From well-defined edges and revealing textures.  During daylight scenes, picture quality is vibrant.  During the night time scenes, black levels are quite good. Overall, a solid transfer.

As for the audio, audio is presented in English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD (also, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital).  Dialogue remains crisp and clear but the music is what comes alive in this film.  Your front channel speakers definitely makes the soundscape much more immersive.  There is a fair amount of ambience as well from the surrounds.  For a film that doesn’t have special effects but depends on its dialogue and music, “The Soloist” is well done for a film of this nature.

Subtitles are presented in English, English SDH, French and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Special features included on this Blu-ray are:

• Audio Commentary by Joe Wright – A very passionate commentary with Joe talking about certain scenes of the film, working with the talent but also his goal of what he wanted to accomplish by experiencing Skid Row for himself and how the film became a mission to show how bad things are.
• An Unlikely Friendship: Making the Soloist - (19:35) Presented in High Definition, this featurette is about how the Producers came to a decision to make Steve Lopez’s book into a film.  Filming in Skid Row, filming of the L.A. Philharmonic and actual situations that happened in the film and talking to the real people that the film is based on.  Also, interviews with the talent in the film.
• Kindness, Courtesy and Respect – Mr. Ayers and Mr. Lopez – (4:48) Both Nathaniel Ayers and Steve Lopez talk about their respect for each other and what it has meant for each of them to have this special friendship with one another.
• One Size Does Not Fit All: Addressing homelessness in Los Angeles - (9:45) Interview with Director Joe Wright, Producer Russ Krasnoff, Orlando Ward (Director of Recovery Services at Midnight Mission), Casey Horan (Executive Director of LAMP) and screenwriter Susannah Grant and those involved with helping the homeless but also showing us how bad things are in Los Angeles but what they are doing to help the homeless through programs and services.
• Juilliard: The Education of Nathaniel Ayers – (4:06) Producer Gary Foster talks about Juilliard, the significance of a young black man in the 1970’s who received a scholarship to learn at the prestigious school and also a day when Yo Yo Ma met Nathaniel Ayers.
• Beth’s Story – (2:00) A short animated film about a girl named Beth on how she came from a great family, upon an accident which claimed her parents, her life as a child, an adult and how she became homeless.  How each person on the street has a story, not all were born homeless.
• Deleted Scenes – (9:47) Six deleted scenes which include: Blood, Hospital Questions, Audition, I’m no Good, Some Life, I want the Concert to Go On
• Theatrical Trailer – (2:32) The original theatrical trailer

“The Soloist” is a powerful film and an eye-opener of how compassion and friendship can go along way in helping people in need.

For the most part, “The Soloist” puts Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx in a film that features another major performance of both their careers.  The two do a stellar job but for the film as a whole, it is a powerful and moving film but where a film would start to pick up steam as it nears the end, “The Soloist” stays consistent with a little drop off.  And I suppose the fact is that the story of Nathaniel Ayers is still ongoing.  Both Lopez and Ayers are friends and it was very important for the film to not have a false happy ending because like in real life, this story is ongoing.

And that is where the problem of the film and what people may have with it.   If anything, a film that deals with schizophrenia will easily be compared to the Academy Award winning film “A Beautiful Mind” and “Shine”.  The films which both definitely had a memorable final hour and really showed us the state of mind of one with the mental illness.  These films were dramatic and surprising.   But for “The Soloist”, the film was about friendship between a writer who has his life changed by meeting this talented performer with schizophrenia and is homeless.

If you have read any of the columns by Steve Lopez, we are moved and inspired by his compassion.  As we are in the film.  But for a film, many people expect a storyline that ends with a happy or bad ending.  An ending that will make us laugh, make us cry or make us grinning on our way out to the car.  I felt none of that.

As a viewer, first and foremost, I will say that I was entertained and enjoyed the film.  With that being said, it was a film that I was just content with the message but as a film, I was feeling more of “is this it?”

But for the Blu-ray release, there is an important message through this film and the Blu-ray and that is the problem of the homeless in Los Angeles.  How compassion has helped one man, how much it could help many people for those who donate their time.  A doctor, a dentist or someone with provides a service and willing to donate their time in helping the homeless.  And that compassionate side of me, enjoys “The Soloist” because of that message and what is featured on the special features is definitely is an eye-opener.

Needless to say, “The Soloist” is a moving and powerful film but it’s a film that falls short of greatness.   As a Blu-ray release, its no doubt a release that is going to entertain and open ones eyes to a major problem that exists nationwide but for a film with two stellar performances, the story of “The Soloist” is for the most part, average at best.

Tags: a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review, Jamie Foxx, Jr., Robert Downey, THE SOLOIST

Harry Connick, Jr. – What a Night! A Christmas Album (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“It’s Harry Connick, Jr.’s third Christmas album and for me, a Harry Connick Jr. Christmas album is always welcomed during the Holiday Season!  Featuring covers of popular Christmas hits, newly written songs and more!”

BUY THIS ALBUM:

ARTIST: Harry Connick, Jr.

ALBUM: What a Night! A Christmas Album (Digital Version)

LABEL: Columbia

DURATION: 58:55

RELEASE DATE: November 4, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
2. What a Night!
3. Christmas Day
4. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
5. Please Come Home For Christmas
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies
8. Let There Be Peace On Earth
9. Winter Wonderland
10. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
11. Santariffic
12. Jingle Bells
13. Zat You Santa Claus
14. We Three Kings
15. Song for the Hopeful (feat. Kim Burrell)

As a long time listener of Harry Connick, Jr., one of my favorite Holiday-related album (and laserdisc) that I purchased was from Harry Connick, Jr. back in 1993 with “When My Heart Finds Christmas”.

Fifteen years later, I still listen to the album a lot and although Harry released a sophomore Holiday album in 2003 with “Harry for the Holidays”, it didn’t capture the same magic as the first album but still enjoyable.

So, here we are five years later, with another Christmas album from Harry Connick, Jr. and it features a good combination of Harry Connick, Jr.’s style of singing popular Christmas classics, his own written songs and also featuring instrumental tracks as well.  Most of all, Harry and his big band is back.  So, you get a bit of music that are jazzy or songs that other beautiful arrangements featuring an orchestra.

In this album, there are a few interesting collaborations.  The first is with jazz/gospel artist Kim Burrell who joins Harry Connick, Jr. for “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and “Song for the Hopeful”.   With the former featuring a beautiful orchestra-style arrangement and the latter featuring a Harry Connick, Jr. written song featuring a more jazz, contemporary style of track.

The surprise on the Christmas album is the duet with Harry Connick, Jr.’s second daughter Sarah Kate singing with her father.  She does a very good job and has her father’s flair.  What’s interesting is that Sarah wasn’t even born when the first Holiday album was released and when the second was released, she was only five.  So, it’s good to see Harry and his daughter (now at the age of 11) singing on this album, considering that Harry Connick Jr. first recorded an album at ten which was titled “Eleven”.

There is also a third collaboration with Harry’s long time friend and trombone player Lucien Barbarin who joining Harry Connick Jr. in an enjoyable big band style song “Santariffic” which is an original Christmas song by Harry Connick Jr.

Overall, I did enjoy “What a Night! A Christmas Album”, I still enjoy the first album more for its holiday ballads and of course, it’s more of nostalgia for me and my family.  But it’s still an enjoyable Christmas album that Harry Connick, Jr. fans will truly enjoy.

NOTE: There are various versions of this album available.   The digital version I am reviewing only has 15 tracks.   The Amazon digital version has one extra track with track 16 “Auld Lang Syne” and the Barnes and Nobles exclusive version features an additional nine tracks.

Tags: a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review, Harry Connick, Jr., Kim Burrell, Lucien Barbarin, Sarah Kate Connick, What a Night! A Christmas Album

MY DOG SKIP (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

BUY THIS DVD

MOVIE COMPANY: ALCON Entertainment / Warner Bros.

CAST: Starring Frankie Muniz, Diane Lane, Luke Wilson and Kevin Bacon.  Voice by Harry Connick Jr.
DIRECTED BY: Jay Russell
PRODUCED BY: Mark Johnson, John Lee Hancock, Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove.
RATING: Rated PG
INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE URL: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0156812
TYPE OF MOVIE: Drama
DURATION: 95 minutes

Who says best friends have to be human?  Not Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz), who receives a talented terrier named Skip for his birthday.  With Skip’s remarkable and unconventional help, Willie and Skip turn bullies into friends, tangle with hapless moonshiners, and even win the affections of the prettiest girl in school.  Shining with warmth and humor, My Dog Skip unleashes a story that will have the entire family sitting up and begging for more!

DVD EXTRAS:

• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Color
• Commentary by director Jay Russell
• Commentary by Frankie Muniz
• Theatrical trailer(s)
• Full-screen format

KNOWN DVD SECRET(S): None that I could find.

DVD REVIEW:

I didn’t watch the movie in the theater because I figured that it’s one of those children movies and I probably won’t enjoy it.  After reading about three reviews on Amazon.com and the good reviews from the viewers (dog lovers) out there, I had to give it a try.

My wife and myself watched the movie with our two dogs sitting next to us.  We love our dogs but I wanted to watch the movie not because of the story of a boy and his dog (I could have watched “Ben”) but because I wanted to see this touching story and the relationship one has with their pets, that’s what I was interested in.

After we were done watching, we were both in tears.  I looked at my two dogs and it reminded me of how much these pets are a part of our lives.  The storyline of a kid who is bullied and how his dog helps him through his young life and eventually gains friends to the last 15 minutes which will nearly shatter your heart.  An emotional roller coaster this movie is.

Ok…as for the DVD, the audio is mostly dialogue but the rear speakers are used pretty well.    Especially during the baseball game.  The video is clear and the colors are good.    As for the special features, you get two feature-length audio commentaries.  One with Frankie Muniz and animal trainer Mathilde DeCagney and the other with director Jay Russell.  It was cool to see the deleted scenes and part of me wishes they left it in and I wish the director elaborated why he removed them from the movie.  And of course, the ever loveable trailer and scene selections which I don’t count as special features (all DVD’s should have those).

All in all, “My Dog Skip” is a wonderful movie.  I recommend this movie to all dog lovers.  Those who dislike canines or any pets would probably not watch this movie anyway… Highly recommended for the dog lovers and remember to have the tissue box nearby.

THE MOVIE:  A
THE DVD EXTRAS:  B+
THE DVD OVERALL:  A-

Tags: a J!-ENT Anime DVD Review, Diane Lane, Frankie Muniz, Harry Connick, Jr., Kevin Bacon, Luke Wilson, MY DOG SKIP