Ghost in the Shell Movie Soundtrack (Review)

From the pages of the original 1989 Japanese manga by iconic Masamune Shirow to the 2017 Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Reliance Entertainment’ big screen adaptation of Ghost in the Shell starring Scarlett Johansson as its heroine, this immortal tale seamlessly lends itself to the ebb and flow of electronic music. 2017’s official soundtrack album, Music Inspired By The Motion Picture Ghost In The Shell [Paramount Pictures via Kobalt Music Recordings]—due out on March 31--threads together 12 tracks elegantly befitting of Major’s unpredictable cybernetic war and personal journey to uncover the secrets behind her dark past.

Ghost in The Shell movie soundtrack captures the tone and spirit of the anime. The twelve track soundtrack features compositions from Kenji Kawai, Johnny Jewel, Boys Noize, DJ Shadow, Above & Beyond, IO Echo, Tricky, Ki-Theory and Gary Newman. The album opens up with a great remix of Kenji Kawai Ghost in The Shell main theme “Uta IV” from Steve Aoki. The song brings a more epic feel with the addition of drums and synths sound. The opening track is not only the best track but it is the stand out track on the album. From there we go to the track “The Hacker” by Johnny Jewel which builds the tone of tension and I feel that this is the main theme for the antagonist. Other tracks such as Aokigahra Forest, Escape and Enjoy the Silence and Free Fall are all good tracks. Each song really gives a mystery and cyberpunk feel that captures the spirit of Ghost in the Shell. The music has a consistent tone throughout the album which works very well. A soundtrack needs to capture the tone and feel of the scenes plus the atmosphere. All these artist did a stellar job of connecting the feel and tone of Ghost in the Shell. This is an album that fans of Ghost in the Shell will enjoy.

Top Five Tracks

Uta IV Reawakening (Steve Aoki Remix)

Scars

Escape

Enjoy the Silence

Surge

Tracklist

01) Kenji Kawai- "Utai IV Reawakening" (Steve Aoki remix)

02) Johnny Jewel - "The Hacker"

03) Boys Noize - "Cathryn's Peak"

04) DJ Shadow ft. Nils Frahm - "Scars"

05) Above & Beyond - "Surge"

06) IO Echo - "Aokigahara Forest" (Album Only)

07) Tricky - "Escape"

08) Ki: Theory - "Enjoy The Silence" (Album Only)

09) Johnny Jewel - "Free Fall"

10) Gary Numan - "Bed Of Thorns"

11) Johnny Jewel - "The Key"

12) Kenji Kawai- "Utai IV Reawakening"

Saban's Power Rangers (Review)

Reviewed by Justin D Williams

Minor Spoilers Ahead

Five ordinary teens must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove - and the world - is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it's too late, band together as the Power Rangers.

I have mix feelings about Power Rangers after leaving the theater. On one hand I really like it and then on the other hand I feel disappointed. The new entry of Power Rangers sets up the same premise of the first generation of Rangers that was in the 90s. Five teenagers with attitude  are chosen to be defenders of Earth. In this case it's more like Angel Grove. Power Rangers succeeds in character development. Out of all the incarnations of Rangers this version is the best in the bunch. The movie does well giving time to each ranger so the audience can connect with their character arc. Jason lives wild and has trouble with the law. Zack has to deal with a sick mother. Kimberly has to deal with an action that affects her friendship. Trinity has to deal with battle of sexuality. Billy doesn't fit in and has battle a medical condition. The way each arc is presented is well done and you will get behind these characters. If there is a standout ranger it's Billy. Not only is he the comedy relief but he is the heart of the rangers and the film.

 In regards to storytelling the Power Rangers succeeds. The problem with Power Rangers is the film not knowing what tone or audience it's trying to appeal too. I was really loving the mature, realistic sometimes gritty aspect of the film. The film had me invested but once the rangers got their suits the film goes oh wait we have toys to sell and product placement to do. This is where the film went from a Power Rangers to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers of the 90s and it wasn't a good thing. The cheesy final act ruins what was a very good first two acts. As cool it is to see them kick ass and fight with the zords the build up is not felt due to the chessy fun. I'm not saying the battle had to feel like serious but it would be nice to see some cohesiveness with the tone. You can't go serious for the age 13 and 18 to silly for age 4 to 10.  The constant shift in tone took me out of the movie and I hope in future installments they will correct it.

Overall Power Rangers is a good film. The acting is solid and the cast have great chemistry, the fights scene while subpar does enough to entertain. The movie has the worst product placement ever! I mean this is worst than Man of Steel product placement. The product placement ends up being part of the plot which really hurts the film. Krispy Kreme you got your money worth that is for sure. The music is generic and doesn't standout. There isn't much of an original score instead we get songs like Kanye West Power which ruins the fight scene. I'm happy to say you do here very briefly the 90s Power Rangers theme which got a huge pop from the audience. If you're a fan of Power Rangers this is a good film to see. It has good character development for the first two acts. The only one underdeveloped is Rita. She is a one note and over the top and doesn't fit the tone the movie was going for in the beginning. The movie was actually better without the suits. The movie is not bad but will leave some disappointed. However either way this movie should be seen in theaters at least matinee. It's Morphin Time.

Final Grade 3 and 1/2 stars out of 5

Lenni Reviews: "Dreadnought" (Nemesis - Book One) by April Daniels

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*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Danny is out secretly buying nail polish and ends up thrust in to the middle of a superhero battle. Defeated, Dreadnought transfers his powers to Danny, giving him super human abilities but the female body this transgender teen has always wanted. But not only does Danny have to deal with coming out as the new Dreadnought, she also must come out to her strict parents, the Legion of other heroes, and content with Utopia, the cyborg villain who killed Danny's predecessor. 

After reading "Black Angel" I was a little nervous about another LGBTQ YA novel. However, this book is much like "Rebel Genius" in that I was hooked and entertained for most of this despite being outside the target demographic.

This novel touches on the good and bad about being a trans teen with the added flight of fancy that if anyone bullies you for being trans, you can pummel them into the ground. Danny is such a great kid, you can't help but root for her and just outright DESPISE what she's put through. And, as a comic book geek, this also makes for an awesome superhero story. There is genuine peril Danny has to deal with as a budding super-heroine and despite the world ending consequences; the story doesn't feel like it gets bogged down when dealing with the issues surrounding a transgendered individual. Some reactions are almost TOO evil but I think that's just the part of me that is desperately holding on to a shred of hope in humanity. It doesn't pander, it doesn't preach; "Dreadnought" is a well-written, wild ride, and if it's the start to a series; I look forward to more. 4.7 out of 5.

Lenni Reviews: "Windsinger" by A. F. E. Smith

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Mirrorvale has long stood in a precarious 'truce' with the surrounding kingdoms; held together with the fear of the changers. Now not only overload but a mother, Ayla Nightshade attempts to broker a formal peace treaty with an ambassador from the neighboring kingdom of Sol Kardis. After one day of hard negotiations, the ambassador is found dead. Suspected of murder, the race in on to prove Ayla's innocence and prevent all out war.

Across the the three books (this is the third Darkhaven novel) the writing quality, world building, and character depth has been consistently entertaining and well executed. The build up is slow to a rip-roaring climax; leaving plenty of time to be intrigued and entertained. The characters are especially interesting in this outing, with even the side characters having story arcs ramping up several times to push them to the limit and end up with some great development. It can seem a little trivial in the grander scheme of things but it was good to get to know them.

I do hesitate to give away too much and end up spoiling some pretty major plot points. Suffice it to say I am loving this series and hope to see more. 4.7 out of 5.

Lenni Reviews: "Sweet Lullaby" 1-4 by Al Scherkenback and J. Briscoe Allison

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Lullaby is an assassin working for an organization run by her father. To get to their targets, they go deep undercover; calling the operations 'dreams.' Lullaby is swift and precise but also in love. She wonders if a normal life is even possible and is torn between her loyalty to her father and the possibility of a civilian life.

The story is told by jumping back and forth between Lullaby's childhood and her present day assignments. We get to see why she decided to become a killer, how she works, and what her usual targets are like. The entire organization uses sleep terms as monikers (Catnap, Z, Forty Winks, and the like), which I'm still on the fence about if that's clever or silly. But it wasn't enough to be distracting to the story. As for the art style, it kinda reminded me of Gen 13 in style and the lines, color, and lettering are well done and fun to look at.

The way the narrative is structured, I found it hard to really sink into the story. The moment I felt engaged, the timeline switched again. Not to say the story is bad at all. Interesting if a bit scattered; I give this a 3.5 out of 5.

Dolphins and Sharks (Review)

Written By Justin D Williams

Last night I attended a play by Labyrinth Theater Company entitled “Dolphins and Sharks.” The play stars Tina Fabrique, Flor De Liz Perez, Ceasar J. Rosado, Chinaza Uche and Pernell Walker. The played is directed by Charlotte Brathwaite.

Story -  Yusuf studies philosophy. Xiomara is ambitious. Isabel keeps it real. These are the employees of Harlem Office, a neighborhood copy shop, where promotions are rare and raises are even rarer. But when one employee is given the chance to move up, friendships are tested and loyalty turns out to be less valuable than cold hard cash. Soon cutbacks and office politics have everyone fighting to keep their jobs and their sanity in this searing new play about clocking in, clocking out and rising up.

After leaving Dolphins and Sharks I was honestly amazed on how good and realistic the story is. The story follows a very simple premise of four co-workers Xiomara Yepez played by Flor De Liz Perez, Danilo Martinez played by Ceasar J. Rosado, Yusuf Nwachukwu by Chinaza Uche and Isabel Peters by Pernell Walker. Each co-worker has their own situations in life to deal with. Xiomara is trying to move up the corporate ladder at Harlem Office and become a manager. Danilo is trying to find a better job to provide better for his wife and incoming newborn baby. Yusuf is a recent college graduate but can’t find work in his field. Finally there is Isabel who is just  trying to stay above water. She is a character that is doing what she must to provide for her three kids and help her husband. The great thing about having such a small ensemble cast is there is plenty of room for character development. Dolphins and Sharks story does well in this department. Each character gets enough time for the audience to connect with their backstory and really invest in their situations. For the sake of spoilers I won’t go deeper into the plot or backstories. Dolphins and Sharks tackles a lot of issues many of us face today such as, working at job that pays you less than your worth. Dealing with stereotypes, dealing with a friend becoming more successful than you. However one of the underlining themes I took from this play is survival. When you look at each character and how they make their decisions it’s not based on any ill will towards each other. The decisions made by the characters are purely based on survival. Each circumstance that the characters face will have them choosing what is best for them over the relationship and loyalty of a co-worker. This premise left an engaging dynamic as I try to figure out which character was truly in the wrong or were their actions justify. This dynamic is mostly shown with Xiomara as she is put in position where it’s business over friendship. Xiomara is driven and is not going to let anyone or anything stop her from reaching her goals. Sometimes Xiomara has to make tough decisions that is not the most popular even if it means losing relationships. I love how Dolphins and Sharks paints the picture of confliction. I have to do this to survive but on the other side of the spectrum my decision effects everyone. The narrative is well done and by the end of the show you feel a touch of realism and critical thinking to the situations which every single person can relate too. The story has some very deep moments especially during the transitions where the character Amenze Amen played Tina Fabrique gives some really powerful dialogue and songs. My favorite transition scene was the rendition of a very underrated song from Nas. I won’t spoil it but when I heard those lyrics I couldn’t help but smile. Overall the story is solid and very grounded that anyone can relate to at least one of these characters. There is a meaning for the title of the play and you have to listen to Amenze dialogue to really get the deeper meaning of Dolphins and Sharks. It’s a story worth seeing.

Acting -  No play will ever succeed without the chemistry of the actors. The actors are  amazing and they all have great chemistry with each other. The way the characters interact with each other is so genuine you really do get immersed with the story. Xiomara and Isabel have a great relationship when we’re introduce to them. Flor De Liz Perez and Pernell Walker are awesome together as they play off each other very well. You really get this sense of sisterhood between their respective characters. Chinaza Uche as Yusuf was awesome to see. He played the by the book employee we all know so well. Watching Yusuf I couldn’t help just shake my head because of how by the book he was. That really put me more into the story is because how well the actors presented their characters.  Ceasar J. Rosado and Tina Fabrique also light up the stage with Danilo and Amenze. Amenze I like to think as the moral compass of the play as she tries to instill wisdom into the young folks working at Harlem Office. Ceasar’s Danilo had the audience laughing when he came on. His character is very witty and when the time came for him to get serious you really felt his passion when the conflict came with Xiomara. This is one talented cast who have great chemistry together and you can see the bond through their performances.

Final Thoughts: Dolphins and Sharks is a beautiful play with some terrific acting, great stage and production. The story has a very realistic tone tackling social issues without beating you over the head with one main perspective.  If you’re in NYC this is a play you need to check out. 

Dolphins and Sharks is running at the Bank Theater from February 9th to March 19th. For more information visit http://labtheater.org/events/dolphins-and-sharks/

Double Dragon 4 (Review)

Reviewed By Justin D Williams 

The next entry in the side-scrolling action game series Double Dragon is finally here! The story picks up after the elimination of the Black Warriors in Double Dragon II! Experience all-new exhilarating action with the original old-school graphics! Use the art of Sou-Setsu-Ken to rescue the kidnapped Marian! Plus, new enemy characters including ninjas, karate masters, and sumo wrestlers, none of which have been seen in Double Dragon before! There are lots of extra modes, too! Cool new features fans have been waiting for! Playable enemy characters, VS Mode, Tower Mode, and even more!

Justice League Dark Review

Hey O&G fans, DC has released another animation in the Justice League series. Justice League Dark is the continuation in the Justice League series (JL War, JL battle for Atlantis, and.....) Here is a bit about the story: All over the world, people suddenly begin panicking as they start to see everyone around them as demonic monsters and end up killing a good number of innocents before the members of the Justice League can stop them. Deliberating about this strange outbreak, most of the League's members come to the conclusion that magic must be involved in this. Despite his own past experiences with magic, Batman expresses his skepticism and walks out; but as he returns to Wayne Manor to rest, he is temporarily possessed by Deadman, before he regains consciousness and finds the word "Constantine" written all over the walls.

Note: The Justice League Dark originally featured John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Shade, the Changing Man and Zatanna. The team consists of the more supernatural members of the DC Universe, handling situations deemed unfit for the traditional Justice League.

REVIEW

First thing fans can get excited about is the return of everyone's favorite occult investigator Matt Ryan as John Constantine ( well atleast his voice ). This is perfect since the CW announced they'll be continuing his adventures as animated shorts. JL Dark is one of the few R-rated animated movies (don't know why it rated R not much other than language), which it hopes to gain more viewers. The Title is Justice League , but other than a few appearances, the only member throughout the movie is Batman.

The story opens when some really horrific crimes start happening in Gotham City and Metropolis. A woman mows down innocent pedestrians with her car. A guy holds his wife and children at gunpoint. A woman is about to toss her baby off a building. The thing is, all of them swear up and down that the things they’re mowing down, holding at gunpoint, and about to chuck off a roof are demons. The Movie is as dark as the title suggest, with mood, actions and back stories about the characters. That said, there’s also plenty of humor in the film, too. This is about John Constantine, after all, who never met a wisecrack he didn’t like.

One thing I really loved about the movie is you find out how powerful Zatana really is! I'm trying not to give too much away, but damn! The introduction of characters like Deadman and swampthing shows fans DC is really expanding and not just using the same heroes and villians. The voice acting is always on point. Matt Ryan is just as brilliant voicing Constantine as he is playing him live action with Jason O'Mara reprising his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne.

Overall this 115 min movie is worth the watch. The story and action  will keep you entertained through out, It does justice to the main cast of characters by telling their tragic origin stories and showing off their quirky personalities. I'm giving Justice League Dark4 stars out of 5.

by Sean Tucker

Lenni Reviews: "Counting to Zero" by A. J. Quinn

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

The NSA orders Dr. Emma Thorpe to put together a team of hackers - off the books - in order to help the US government fight cyber terrorism. One of the people tapped is Paxton James, currently in an Indonesian jail because she was set up for a crime she didn't commit. Paxton is willing to deal as long as it gets her out of jail and it doesn't hurt that Emma is hot. But trust won't come easy to the betrayed Pax or the hardened agent Thorpe and they must learn to deal with their mounting attraction and fight a cyber criminal with ties to Pax's criminal past.

If you like your romances a little slow, this is a good example of the main couple having an instant attraction but not the insta-love so many romance novels tend to use as a trope. The situation these characters are in gives them some real issues to deal with so the real focus of this novel is the cyber crime. Quinn has created some smart, interesting, and fun characters who are a pleasure to get to know but somehow, it all comes off a little rushed. Granted, they're chasing a cyber-criminal trying to kill people so it's not like they have time to sit around and have tea to discuss their feelings. There is enough here to enjoy a quick, romantic thriller with some strong female characters. If I had one real gripe, it's that Pax must be part terminator because every ten seconds she's getting injured and recovers unrealistically fast. 3.8 out of 5.