Reviews, reviews, reviews

The Town

Anything that anyone remembers of Ben Affleck's disastrous Gigli days will be forgotten after watching his latest film, The Town. The crime drama not only stars but was also directed by Affleck. It includes critically acclaimed actors Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), as well as Golden Globe nominee Rebecca Hall and Gossip Girl's Blake Lively. The story is an adaptation of Chuck Hogan's Prince of Thieves and revolves around a group of four friends who make a living out of bank robberies. The brains behind all the operations, Doug MacRay (Affleck) falls in love with a bank manager (from a previous bank heist) who he is supposed to be keeping an eye on. He tries to get out of the lifestyle he leads, but is forced to stay in the game for one final heist.

The storyline of the film is very intriguing, and the movie is fast-paced and filled with action. There is an intensity that can be felt throughout the movie, and viewers can sympathize with the characters. The acting is incredibly well done, and the story does have a typical Hollywood ending. The Town gets 5/5 stars.

Easy A
This comedy features Superbad's Emma Stone as main character Olive. Other notable actors include Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley and Lisa Kudrow. The story depicts the life of average, mostly unnoticed, Olive (Stone). One rumour, followed by a favour for a friend, turn Olive's status from non-existent to the topic of everyone's conversation in an instant. At first, Olive doesn't mind the attention, but soon, events spiral out of control and Olive's reputation is at stake.
The film is light hearted and very funny, and even though the storyline is predictable, it is still clever and manages to keep viewers' attention. Easy A gets 4/5 stars.

The Social Network 

This film was surprisingly well done. The acting was impressive, with Jesse Eisenberg playing the lead role of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield playing best friend Eduardo Saverin, and Justin Timberlake playing paranoid, cocky, Napster creator Sean Parker. The film is based on the story of Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook intertwined with the lawsuits that followed. We are given flashbacks to the Harvard days of the characters, and then we are shown scenes from the on-going lawsuits.
There are many comedic moments throughout the film, which help lighten the mood of the mostly serious storyline. The actors fit their roles perfectly, and they are believable and make their characters easy to relate to. The storyline gives viewers an in-depth look at the stories of all those involved in the creation of the popular social networking site and can almost turn viewers against Facebook and Zuckerberg. The Social Network gets 5/5 stars.  

Favourites of the moment

Posh - Lucy Jackson

This book revolves mainly around the lives of six very different people living in the Upper East Side of New York. It tells the tale of different relationships between different people. There's a bipolar rich kid who's mother cares more about her dog, Boyfriend, than him. There's his middle class girlfriend who is willing to do anything for him, no matter what. There's her mother, a former writer, now a cab driver, who struggles to make ends meet. There's a principal of a private, well established, reputable school who is having an affair with a professor. The lives of these characters are entertaining, yet even with their loads of money and sometimes over dramatized problems, their emotions are real, and readers will find it easy to relate to at least one of the characters.

****

B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Rae - B.o.B

21-year-old Atlanta native Bobby Rae, known to many by his stage name B.o.B, released his debut album late last month following the major success of his first single, "Nothin' on You." The success won't be stopping anytime soon, as Rae's latest release, "Airplanes," which features Hayley Williams of Paramore, is rapidly climbing the charts and being purchased more on iTunes. With featured artists such as Eminem, Lupe Fiasco and Rivers Cuomo, Rae's album delivers a diverse set of tracks that make listeners want more.  ****

Distant Relatives - Damian Marley & Nas

After their first collaboration together, "Road to Zion," reggae and rap stars Damian Marley and Nas team up again, this time for a full album. Distant relatives is the perfect combination of hip-hop and reggae, and it includes a mix of upbeat and mellow tracks. Like "Road to Zion," the songs hold strong messages. In "Count your Blessings" Marley sings about looking past the negativities in life and being thankful for what we have. Nas uses his clever lyrics to add a rugged touch to the softer reggae sounds of Marley, and the album is one that fans of both reggae and hip-hop will enjoy.

****