Billboard Hot Rock Songs – Week of July 2, 2016

June 21, 2016

jmunney Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot Rock Songs, Music , , , Leave a comment

Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, and then I rearrange that top 25 based on my estimation of their quality.

Original Version
1. twenty one pilots – “Ride”
2. twenty one pilots – “Stressed Out”
3. James Bay – “Let It Go”
4. X Ambassadors – “Unsteady”
5. Coldplay – “Hymn for the Weekend”
6. Disturbed – “The Sound of Silence”
7. The Lumineers – “Ophelia”
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Dark Necessities”
9. The Strumbellas – “Spirits”
10. Ben Rector – “Brand New”
11 Fitz and the Tantrums – “HandClap”
12. blink-182 – “Bored to Death”
13. Kaleo – “Way Down We Go”
14. Empire of the Sun – “Walking on a Dream”
15. Bishop Briggs – “River”
16. Kongos – “Take It From Me”
17. The 1975 – “The Sound”
18. Beck – “Wow”
19. blink-182 – “Rabbit Hole”
20. Volbeat – “The Devil’s Beating Crown”
21. Elle King – “America’s Sweetheart”
22. Goo Goo Dolls – “So Alive”
23. Panic! at the Disco – “Death of a Bachelor”
24. Panic! at the Disco – “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time”
25. Cage the Elephant – “Trouble”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Walking on a Dream
2. River
3. Take It From Me
4. Way Down We Go
5. Wow
6. Trouble
7. The Devil’s Beating Crown
8. The Sound
9. Unsteady
10. Ophelia
11. Ride
12. Dark Necessities
13. Stressed Out
14. Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time
15. So Alive
16. Death of a Bachelor
17. The Sound of Silence
18. America’s Sweetheart
19. Spirits
20. Hymn for the Weekend
21. HandClap
22. Rabbit Hole
23. Let It Go
24. Brand New
25. Bored to Death

Billboard Hot 20 – Week of July 2, 2016

June 21, 2016

jmunney Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music , , , Leave a comment

Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.

Original Version
1. Drake ft. WizKid and Kyla – “One Dance”
2. Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
3. Desiigner – “Panda”
4. The Chainsmokers ft. Daya – “Don’t Let Me Down”
5. Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Work From Home”
6. Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – “This Is What You Came For”
7. Rihanna – “Needed Me”
8. Sia ft. Sean Paul – “Cheap Thrills”
9. Mike Posner – “I Took a Pill in Ibiza”
10. Kent Jones – “Don’t Mind”
11. Lukas Graham – “7 Years”
12. P!nk – “Just Like Fire”
13. twenty one pilots – “Ride”
14. Nick Jonas ft. Tove Lo – “Close”
15. Ariana Grande – “Dangerous Woman”
16. Rihanna ft. Drake – “Work”
17. Florida Georgia Line – “H.O.L.Y.”
18. Meghan Trainor – “Me Too”
19. Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself”
20. Adele – “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Cheap Thrills
2. Work From Home
3. Work
4. Close
5. I Took a Pill in Ibiza
6. Dangerous Woman
7. Ride
8. Needed Me
9. Send My Love (To Your New Lover)
10. Me Too
11. Can’t Stop the Feeling!
12. Love Yourself
13. One Dance
14. Don’t Let Me Down
15. This Is What You Came For
16. Just Like Fire
17. Panda
18. 7 Years
19. Don’t Mind
20. H.O.L.Y.

What Won TV? – June 12-June 18, 2016

June 19, 2016

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In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.

oj-made-in-america

Sunday – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Monday – The most thankful I’ve ever been for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Tuesday – OJ: Made in America Part 2
Wednesday – OJ: Made in America Part 3
Thursday – Orphan Black
Friday – Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule – a real humdinger of a season premiere
Saturday – OJ: Made in America Part 5

Billboard Hot Rock Songs – Week of June 25, 2016

June 14, 2016

jmunney Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot Rock Songs, Music , , , , , Leave a comment

Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, and then I rearrange that top 25 based on my estimation of their quality.

Original Version
1. twenty one pilots – “Ride”
2. twenty one pilots – “Stressed Out”
3. James Bay – “Let It Go”
4. X Ambassadors – “Unsteady”
5. Disturbed – “The Sound of Silence”
6. The Lumineers – “Ophelia”
7. Coldplay – “Hymn for the Weekend”
8. The Strumbellas – “Spirits”
9. Coldplay – “Adventure of a Lifetime”
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Dark Necessities”
11. Ben Rector – “Brand New”
12. Beck – “Wow”
13. Fitz and the Tantrums – “HandClap”
14. blink-182 – “Bored to Death”
15. Kaleo – “Way Down We Go”
16. Empire of the Sun – “Walking on a Dream”
17. Imagine Dragons – “Not Today”
18. Bishop Briggs – “River”
19. The Strokes – “Oblivius”
20. Volbeat – “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown”
21. Elle King – “America’s Sweetheart”
22. Prince – “When Doves Cry”
23. KONGS – “Take It From Me”
24. Panic! at the Disco – “Death of a Bachelor”
25. The 1975 – “The Sound”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Walking on a Dream
2. When Doves Cry
3. Take It From Me
4. River
5. Way Down We Go
6. Wow
7. The Devil’s Bleeding Crown
8. The Sound
9. Oblivius
10. Ophelia
11. Unsteady
12. Ride
13. Dark Necessities
14. Stressed Out
15. Adventure of a Lifetime
16. Death of a Bachelor
17. The Sound of Silence
18. America’s Sweetheart
19. Spirits
20. Hymn for the Weekend
21. HandClap
22. Let It Go
23. Brand New
24. Bored to Death
25. Not Today

Billboard Hot 20 – Week of June 25, 2016

June 14, 2016

jmunney Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music , , , Leave a comment

Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.

Original Version
1. Drake ft. WizKid and Kyla – “One Dance”
2. Desiigner – “Panda”
3. Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
4. The Chainsmokers ft. Daya – “Don’t Let Me Down”
5. Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Work From Home”
6. Lukas Graham – “7 Years”
7. Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – “This Is What You Came For”
8. Mike Posner – “I Took a Pill in Ibiza”
9. Rihanna – “Needed Me”
10. P!nk – “Just Like Fire”
11. Kent Jones – “Don’t Mind”
12. Rihanna ft. Drake – “Work”
13. Sia ft. Sean Paul – “Cheap Thrills”
14. Ariana Grande – “Dangerous Woman”
15. twenty one pilots – “Ride”
16. Zara Larsson & MNEK – “Never Forget You”
17. Florida Georgia Line – “H.O.L.Y.”
18. DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “For Free”
19. Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself”
20. Zayn – “Pillowtalk”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Cheap Thrills
2. Work From Home
3. Work
4. I Took a Pill in Ibiza
5. Dangerous Woman
6. Never Forget You
7. Ride
8. Can’t Stop the Feeling
9. Needed Me
10. Love Yourself
11. One Dance
12. Don’t Let Me Down
13. This Is What You Came For
14. For Free
15. Just Like Fire
16. Panda
17. Pillowtalk
18. 7 Years
19. Don’t Mind
20. H.O.LY.

This Is a Movie Review: The Conjuring 2

June 12, 2016

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews Leave a comment

CONJURING-2-Old-Man

The Conjuring 2 tackles head on questions that hound nearly every supernatural horror movie:
-Why doesn’t the family just leave when they relize their house is haunted? (They do, immediately and hilariously. Plus, they are at the mercy of public housing.)
-How can only a few characters recognize the haunting when it is so often so obvious? (Little time is wasted with keeping anyone in the dark, and any skepticism that exists serves a purpose.)
-How do you make a horror sequel that still manages to surprise without alienating your audience? (Keep the same tone, while changing the nature of the beast.)

The next ghost hunting tale from the files of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) leaves Rhode Island behind for London. The thick-as-fog Enfield accents are impenetrable, but essential for pinpointing a sense of place and establishing The Conjuring 2 as its own thing. That sense of particularity serves the film well, especially when it seems to give away all of its tricks less than halfway through. This story could wrap up quite tidily, with the Warrens swooping in to exorcise the house and then promptly moving on their merry way. There is, after all, a whiff of “been there, done that,” with the character designs and demonic motivations quite similar to both the first film and director James Wan’s other supernatural horror series. But wisely, with a nagging sense that there is something else going on, there is a carrot stick promising further mysterious resolution. The ultimate twist is not mind-blowing, but it is far from insulting, and it is in keeping with this series’ m.o. of tension-building and catharsis.

There is also a goopy heart at the center of both Conjuring movies that make them a lot (legitimately) sweeter than any other horror movie. One may quibble with the real-life legitimacy of the Warrens’ methods, but the strength of their marriage is not up for debate. Their flirtatiousness is family-friendly, but playfully passionate. Farmiga and Wilson bring a lot of soul and verve to their performances; even though they are dealing with the wildest of life-and-death situations, they never lose their tenderness or their senses of humor. In conclusion: this is a perfectly scary horror movie that makes time for Patrick Wilson’s uncanny Elvis impression, and it plays that moment completely straight.

I give The Conjuring 2 10 Real Scares out of 8 Fake Out Scares That Turn Into Real Scares.

One more thing: Like the original, The Conjuring 2 is rated R essentially for how scary it is, which is kind of ridiculous. There is no sex, no gore (other than a few cuts and scrapes), and no naughty words. A legitimate case could be made for a mere PG.

This Is a Movie Review: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

June 12, 2016

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Neighbors2

Neighbors 2 is admirably feminist, though it only sporadically deploys that feminism into dynamic filmmaking. It is a sorority instead of a fraternity next door to new parents Mac and Kelly (Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne) this time, and neither side is really villainous. The adults just want their house to look good while they’re in escrow, and the college gals are taking a stand against the sexist Greek system. It is heartening to see a sisterhood embracing fun while rejecting degradation, but the dialogue that directly calls for gender equality is inelegant. As the three main sisters, Chloë Grace Moretz, Kiersey Clemons, and Beanie Feldstein all have their talents, but compellingly explaining exactly what they are doing is not one of them. The comedy is less constrained. For better or for most disturbing, it heads into outrageousness ethically, temperamentally, and geographically. In the end, it all somehow works out, believe it or not.

I give Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising 7 Jokes Involving a Dildo out of 10 Jokes Involving a Toddler.

This Is a Movie Review: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

June 12, 2016

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , Leave a comment

PopstarNeverStopNeverStopping

Interestingly enough, Popstar is not entirely concerned about crafting a surreal world of excessive celebrity ridiculousness. Nay, in fact, its primary purpose is adding a healthy dose of progressivism to the typical showbiz redemption story. Just consider what is perhaps the film’s most buzzworthy moment: Connor4Real (Andy Samberg) has been tricked into an attempted reconciliation with his Style Boyz bandmates. So far, so typical. As he brags about and demonstrates his female fans’ penchant to ask for mammary signatures, a male fan is actually flopping his member around, with Connor embarrassingly unaware until it is too late to politely decline the request. Popstar demands that the Connor4Real’s of the real music world put their money where their mouths are and not let their egos get in the way of endorsing civil rights.

The specialty of Samberg, Akiva Shaffer, and Jorma Taccone in Lonely Island mode is surreal surprise with just enough accessibility. That element is present in Popstar, but ultimately they are challenging themselves with something more (for lack of a better word) “real.” They do not sacrifice either element, making for an unwieldy tonal mix, and they could use some more idiosyncrasy in the telling of the narrative, but it is a valiant, valuable effort.

I give Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping 250 Stops and 750 Never Stops Out of 1000 Attempts.

This Is a Movie Review: The Nice Guys

June 12, 2016

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews Leave a comment

TNG_Day_#42_01232015-324.dng

For a movie that is presumably less about its plot and more an opportunity to mess around with the rules of a genre, The Nice Guys puts a lot of effort into making its plot substantial. Sure, the main attractions are Ryan Gosling adorably bungling around, Russell Crowe wittily roughing folks up, and Angourie Rice providing the competence while still remaining a believable teenager. But the quagmire they get mixed up in sure offers plenty of food for thought. The strain of killings they stumble into investigating turn out to all be related to an experimental film with elements of porn (or is it the other way around?) meant to expose the auto industry’s part in strangling the world with pollution. The whole messy story opens up a can of ethical quandary worms that The Nice Guys pointedly in its gumshoe nihilism does not answer. How could it, when the conspiracy runs this deep?

I give The Nice Guys 20 Gun Gags out of 25 Disco Soundtrack Selections.

What Won TV? – June 5-June 11, 2016

June 12, 2016

jmunney Television, What Won TV? , , , , , , Leave a comment

In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.

CBBTeganAndSara

Sunday – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Monday – American Dad!
Tuesday – Not Safe with Nikki Glaser
Wednesday – Jeopardy!
Thursday – Inside Amy Schumer, even though I’m not especially afraid of bats
Friday – Comedy Bang! Bang!, weird and psychotic
Saturday – O.J.: Made in America Part 1

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