Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (Busby's Review)

I have to admit something; Paranormal Activity is my guilty pleasure.  Ever since I seen the very first movie I fell in love with it.  I LOVED everything about the first one, and if I had it my way, that would have been the only one.  I really didn’t think a movie like that would make a good sequel.  I mean hell, ask the creators of the Blair Witch Project.  But some how some way, the creators of the Paranormal Activity franchise have managed to put out 3 sequels that were good, entertaining, and sometimes disappointing. The movie created a huge fan base and has grossed millions of dollars at the box office.  It became everybody’s guilty pleasure and they couldn’t help but to see what happens next and to see what else the creators can come up with to keep the scares coming.

Now for this 5^th installment, the found footage creators wanted to take the movie into a different direction. Instead of continuing the story of Katie and Kristi’s family, this new chapter expands the world and mythology of the series.  Even though this is not labeled Paranormal Activity 5, this side story of the series reveals that there is something quite bigger going on then just a demon tormenting a family.  Welcome to the demonic world of The Marked Ones.

The Marked Ones takes place in the summer of 2013 in Oxnard, California. It tells the story of Jesse (Andrew Jacobs), a young 18 year old who just graduated high school and begins his summer vacation.  After getting a new camera, him and his friend Hector (Jorge Diaz) start filming their daily hijinks along with their friend Marisoi (Gabrielle Walsh).  However, after the mysterious death of his strange neighbor Anna.  Jesse wakes up one morning with a bite mark that mysteriously appears on his arm.  Soon after that, strange and disturbing things start happening around him.  After investigating further he finds out he has been marked by a demonic spirit, and it is just a matter of time before Jesse is under its full control.

The Marked Ones put the Paranormal Activity series back on track.  After the disappointing PA4, writer Christopher Landon and directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman did an excellent job on expanding the story and keeping the franchise fresh.  Everything about this movie is fresh, from the likeable characters, all the way down to the scares.  No more viewing the cameras and seeing what happens at night when the characters sleep.  This time the jump scares are much more in your face, and it could happen at any time, rather it’s day or night.  Even though the scares didn’t really pack the same punch the previous movies had, they still served its purpose.  I also liked how you would slowly see the transformation of the Jesse character.  He goes from a very likeable guy to a very aggressive and evil person.  He did it quite well and it was very believable along with the other characters.

This movie also answered questions and revisited characters from the previous movies as well.  If you paid close attention to certain things that have been said or done in the last few movies, you would pick up on certain things right away.  Now the main thing I liked about this movie was the ending.  Without giving much away, all I can say is that if you have been a fan of the Paranormal Activity movies since the very beginning, you would absolutely appreciate and LOVE this ending.  It was pretty genius, and it’s a good way to expand the Paranormal Activity universe and bring it to new heights.

All in all, The Marked Ones was steps WAY ahead of PA4 and it was a step in the right direction of the series.  Even though the movie answered some very important questions, it also raised a whole bunch of new ones.  Hopefully those questions will be answered in Paranormal Activity 5, which is going to be released later on in October.  Personally I feel this next one needs to be the last one before the movie starts going all over the place (which it kinda is already). But if this film is a sign of things to come, then the Paranormal Activity franchise is going to be around for at least a few more years.

Busby's Review: 4/5

good kid, m.A.A.d city: Busby's Review

 

 As seen on Dajaz1.com

The last album that dropped from an Aftermath artist NOT named Eminem or 50 Cent, was Busta Rhymes’s The Big Bang.  That was 6 years ago, and Busta, along with a legion of other artist that was signed to to the label, is long gone.  For the past decade Dr. Dre relied on 3 things, Eminem, 50 Cent, and headphones.  And don’t even bother asking about Detox, Jesus will come back 2 times before he drops that album.  Now that it’s 2012, with the exception of his successful headphones, his 2 cash cows are starting to fade out.  With Eminem getting older, and 50 struggling to be relevant again, it was about that time for Dre to find that next big thing.  Enter Kendrick Lamar..

For the past few years, Kendrick Lamar (formerly known as K. Dot) has built himself a pretty big fan base, thanks to the internet.  After the success of his critically acclaimed independent album Section.80, many felt (including the ghost of 2Pac) that Kendrick Lamar was “The One”.  He was “The One” that was going to bring hip-hop back.  Now of COURSE when I heard this shit I was one of many people that said  FUCK outta here!”  I mean don’t get me wrong, I KNEW the dude got skills and I really did like the Section.80 album.  But I wasn’t falling for the hype until he really proves me otherwise. Rappers be saying that they are “The One” for decades.  And alot of them have always fall flat on their face and became the boy who cried wolf.  However Dr. Dre on the other head,  saw something in him and signed him to Aftermath..

Seeing that Kendrick has complete creative control of his debut album, and having Dr. Dre on his side.  He went on to construct a album that he has been wanting to make since he wanted to rap.   It was the album that was going to tell his life story, and be a prequel to his previous albums.  It was going to be his version of a short film that took you through a day in Compton that changed his life forever.  The album was titled, good kid, m.A.A.d city: A short film by Kendrick Lamar.  The m.A.A.d stands for My Angry Adolescence Divided or My Angel’s on Angel Dust, according to K. Dot.  This was his story, and he was going to take you a journey through the streets of Compton.  It was one of the most anticipated albums of 2012, and just like Pac, all eyes were on Kendrick Lamar to see if he really was “The One”.  Now let me just tell you right now, that I don’t think he is “The One”. However, I will go on to say that this album is one of the best albums I’ve heard this year, and I feel that down the line it will be a modern day classic.

“Everybody sit your bitch ass down and listen to this true mothafuckin’ story told by Kendrick Lamar on Rosecrans, ya bitch..”

Good kid, m.A.A.d city tells the story of a young Kendrick Lamar that kicks it with his homies, and always get himself into trouble.  However, he is not like his gangster friends but he chooses to be down for them no matter what.  Later on that day, he tries meeting up with a girl named Sherene, a chick he has been messing with for quite some time.  However, on this particular day he gets jumped by her cousins and Kendrick’s friends want to get revenge for him.  After a shoot out that leaves his best friend dead.  Kendrick realizes that his life needs to change and he then pursues his career in music and makes it big as a rapper.

This album is a concept album and it literally plays like a movie.  Each track on this album is like a movie scene, and everything down to the track name to the beats, to the rhymes, all the way to the features serves a purpose to the main story.  Kendrick’s ability to tell a story is really amazing, I know rappers like Nas, Biggie, Slick Rick, and countless others have done it on records.   But K. Dot literally told a entire story in 12 tracks, and let me tell you right now, that is REALLY impressive.  Especially if it is your debut major label album, that really shows that he has a true talent.  With songs like Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter’s Daughter and The Art Of Peer Pressure, the minor details in those tracks really does play in your head like a movie.

So now I’m down Rosecrans in a Caravan
Passing Alameda, my gas meter in need of a pump
I got enough to get me through the traffic jam
At least I hope cause my pockets broke as a promise man
I’m thinking bout that sex, thinking bout her thighs or maybe kissing on her neck, or maybe what positions next
Sent a picture of her titties blowing up my texts
I looked at ‘em and almost ran my front bumper into Corvette
Enthused by the touch of a woman she’s a masseuse
And I’m a professional porn star when off the Goose
I had a fifth in the trunk like Curtis Jackson for ransom
I’m hoping to get her loose like an Uncle Luke Anthem
I’m two blocks away, 250 feet
And six steps from where she stay, she waving me ‘cross the street
I pulled up a smile on my face, and then I see
Two niggas, two black hoodies, I froze as my phone rang

-Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter’s Daughter

 Production wise, Kendrick really kept it in house with producers like Sounwave , THC, and Terrace Martin.  He also did get other producers as well like Hit-Boy, Pharrell, T-Minus, and Just Blaze.  There is not ONE bad beat on this entire album and Dr. Dre’s mixing on this album, brought the tracks to life and it sounds amazing.  Kendrick’s lyrics and flows are top notch as well and he really is diverse when it comes to his pen game.  He can have a care free swagged out flow like Backseat Freestyle and Money Trees.  Or he can have a very laid back flow like on Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe or Money Trees.  Or he can be very retrospective on songs like Good Kid or Sing About Me/I’m Dying Of Thirst.  The way he maintains his flow and delivery while staying on topic of the theme of the album is amazing.

The features on this album was kept to a minimum and were picked VERY carefully.  Jay Rock, one quarter of Black Hippy, made his appearance on Money Trees and had in my opinion one of the best features on the album.  West Coast legend MC Eiht made a rare appearance on the track m.A.A.d city, and spit his knowledge of the streets.  The main highlight feature on this album is Drizzy on the track Poetic Justice.  Produced by Scoop DeVille, the Janet Jackson sampled track is going to be a HUGE hit with the ladies if or WHEN they decide to make this a single.  And of course, Dr. Dre accompanies K. Dot on the finale record Compton (produced by Just Blaze).  That song can be played as the final scene when the credits are about to roll when Kendrick calls himself the new King on the block.

 

 

There are 12 tracks on this album, and they are meant to be ONLY 12 tracks for the purpose of maintaining the “Short Film” concept.  Which is why there are 2 disc with the 2nd disc serving only for the bonus records.  If this was like a DVD the 2nd disc on this album would be like and “Bonus features” or “Deleted scenes”. With the California loving record The Recipe (feat. Dr. Dre), Kendrick’s story about being envious of other people with Black Boy Fly, and the celebrating life is good record Now or Never (feat. Mary J. Blige).  Those tracks really can serve as the soundtrack when the credits roll.  There are also other tracks on the bonus disc that really could have made it on the final cut that could be taken as “deleted scenes” with Collect Calls and County Building Blues.  The Black Hippy collective of ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock appear on remixes of The Recipe and Swimming Pools as a little present for the fans.  Even through K. Dot’s vocals are the same on both remixes, the rest of Black Hippy really do rip the tracks.

All in all, Kendrick Lamar dropped a masterpiece, and it really surprised me on how amazing the album is.  When you play it, you really do have to play it all the way through to get the overall feeling of the album.  There is not ONE skippable track on all 12 records, and that is really rare in this day of age.  I really did try to found a flaw in this album, really I did, but I really couldn’t find it.  I have to take it for what it is, and I have to say that this album will go down as a classic years from now when we look back on it.  Maybe K. Dot’s dream of Pac’s hologram spirit had some truth to it, he MIGHT be the Neo of this Hip-Hop matrix.  Only time will tell…
 

Busby's Review: 5/5

~~Mr. Busby~~

Cruel Summer: Busby's Review

Cruel Summer was a album that was almost a decade in the making.  Kanye West established G.O.O.D (Getting Out Our Dreams) Music back in 2004.  Just like his big brother Hov, Ye wanted to have his own dynasty of legit MC's that he wanted to call La Famila.  After almost 10 years of adding and dropping artists (so long GLC and good riddance Consequence), Ye finally has his dream team roster that is getting out their dreams.  This year Kanye got the majority of his roster together to form the compilation album Cruel Summer. Just like any other Kanye project, this album was seen as an event and with Kanye's track record, the masses expected greatness.  And with the roster that Kanye has, his main goal was to give you just that, and plus more...

The opening track To The World features the King of R&B and Chicago native R. Kelly.  With his stadium status hook telling people to put their middle fingers up, Kells set the mood for the album.  Kells really killed the hook and for a second I nearly forget Ye was on the song.  Ye's rhymes were decent for what they were, nothing too memorable with the exception of ripping off Rick Ross's hook and reminding us that Mitt Romney don't pay no damn taxes.  Teyana Taylor makes a cameo in the end and really set the mood for the rest of the album. 

With Clique, Big Sean lets it be known that nobody is fucking with the G.O.O.D roster.  Pairing him with The Throne, Big Sean really held his own and showed why he is one of the best rappers in the game right now. The Hit-Boy produced track comes attached with Hov still rapping about that rich nigga life and Ye rapping about his swag and how him and his girlfriend are the UnAmerican Idols.  Even through Big Sean killed it, I'm not gonna lie, but this track sounds like WTT leftover.



Mercy, rather you like it or not, the anthem of the summer.  You couldn't help but like this song, especially Big Sean's opening lines "Drop it to the floor make that ass shake. Whoa! Make the ground move, that's a ass quake!" I'm not going to lie, the song lightweight grew on me since it dropped, I especially grew to appreciate 2 Chainz verse.  However, my favorite verse on that track was Pusha T's verse. It was more of the appetizer for the next track..

Pusha really showed that hunger flow on New God Flow, which is one of the main highlights of the album.  I've loved this song since they released it a few months back and I have always had it on constant repeat.  Before I heard the album version my favorite verse on the song was Kanye's. He showed glimpses of his hunger on College Dropout.  Especially when you heard the thunder clap because Ye was literally taking you to church.

Welcome to Sunday service if you hope to someday serve us
We got green in our eyes, just follow my Erick Sermon
Did Moses not part the water with the cane?
Did strippers not make an arc when I made it rain?
Did Yeezy not get signed by Hov and Dame?
And ran to Jacob and made the new Jesus chains?

 However, on the album version, Ye went out and got Tony Starks himself Ghostface Killah.  Ye used his backbeat to Starks "Mighty Healthy", and along with a interlude that gives you ghoosebumps, Ghostface's verse was the icing on the cake.  I will go on to say that in my opinion New God Flow is one of the best rap records of the year.

  Right after Ghostface's finale verse, the 2nd Wu-Tang member Raekwon the Chief pops up on the following track The Morning.  The Chief, along with a slow bass driving beat produced by Kanye, slows the pace down of the album and just lets the lyrics show their purpose.  This was the song where Ye lets the G.O.O.D roster shine.  Kinda disappointed that Common had a short verse, and was REALLY happy that 2 Chainz had a very tiny verse.  The real person who really shined on this track was Cyhi the Prynce.  You might have remembered him from his verse on So Appalled, and I really don't understand the hate on him.  The dude can really rhyme and he really showed that he does have a good flow and got skills.



Theraflu or Way Too Cold, or Cold, or Cold.1 or whatever the fuck you want to call it is personally one of my favorite records of the year.  It's one of those tracks you just want to bump on ignorant levels and just swag the fuck out.  I'm serious, I can see people just fill out a job appreciation and the only thing they put for experience is "CAN A YOUNG NIGGA GET MONEY ANYMORE?!!?".  Only thing I STILL hate about this song is how it is STILL credited to that little chipmunk nigga DJ Khaled.  ALL that nigga did was say his name..which is all he truly does through out his career...

After the first half of the album the album kinda lightweight goes down hill for a little bit.  The pot head song Higher featuring Pusha T, a hook driven by The Dream, and a surprisingly good verse by Mason Bertha, was kinda average.  Even through the production was good there was something about it that I felt was light weight missing.  The same can be said about Sin City which features Cyhi the Prynce and a spoken word poetry by Malik Yusef.  Production wise it is amazing, but the song as a whole just doesn't connect well with me.

The One features Ye, Big Sean, 2 Chainz and Marsha Ambrosius, and I lightweight fuck with the joint.  Even through I kinda wasn't feeling the hook from Marsha, the song is good for what it is.  Hell, 2 Chainz kinda came correct with which actually surprised me again.  The other 2 stand out tracks on this album to me is the Cudi solo Creepers and the John Legend and Teyana Taylor duet record Bliss.

The final record on this album kind of surprised me.  The record that put Chief Keef on the map, for better or for worse, the I Don't Like (Remix).  I still fuck with this record quite heavily, but to put THIS record as the final track is quite puzzling.  Felt more like a bonus track then a standard issued release for a G.O.O.D Music album.  And as quickly as it began, the album just ends..quite abruptly actually.  This was the downfall of the album that didn't sit well with me, it was too short, like way too short. 

I mean 12 songs can be good if it's a solo album, but THIS is a compilation album, it needs at least needed 2 or 3 more tracks.   I was let down that Mos Def and Q-Tip won't rapping on any of the records.  I was also kinda disappointed that Common was only used on one song on this album and his verse was quite short.  After 6 projects from Kanye, you would expect MORE from him because he'll gave you nothing more then GREATNESS on all the albums he was involved in.

Now don't get me wrong, this is album is NOT bad by ANY means.  Production wise, it's not surprisingly that it is top notch.  When it comes to Kanye West you can only expect top quality production from him, he IS a producer after all.  Everybody on this album served their purpose, shit even 2 Chainz came correct.  That's one thing I like about Kanye, he can make the wackest rapper on the planet sound lightweight decent on his albums, just ask Nicki and Ross.  Other then that the album is above average for what is.  This album is really more of a red carpet roll out for Pusha T, and Big Sean's solo albums due out some time this year or next year.  Other then that, is the album good? yeah....is it G.O.O.D enough? Well only time will tell...

Busby's Review: 3.5/5

~~Mr. Busby~~

Welcome To: Our House (Busby's Review)

It's been 4 years since Joe Budden called Royce Da 5'9, Crooked I, and Joell Ortiz to appear on his Halfway House album track entitled Slaughterhouse.  After the track got a lot of critical acclaim and discovering that they have a lot of things in common, they decided to make the song track into a group name.  After the release of their debut album in 2009, it got the attention of Slim Shady himself that lead to him signing the group to Shady Records.  Along with Yelawolf, Eminem's main goal for the next generation of Shady Records was to bring lyricism back to hip-hop.

In my honest opinion, Slaughterhouse are the most lyrical rap group in hip-hop right now.  Bar for bar, mainstream wise I don't think a lot of people can fuck with them.  With their first album, they mainly focused on just mainly rapping.  Wasn't really a lot of song concepts, they were just doing a lot of magic tricks on how good they can rap together.  With their sophomore album, they decided to actually make a cohesive album that has a flow to it, and also help them cross over.  Welcome To: Our House is the album that re-introduces the world to Slaughterhouse.

Now lyrically, these dudes are the EXACT same, there aren't really any weak verses on this album. They ALL rip it, which isn't really a surprise if you followed each member individually that led to the formation of the group.  The opening track, Our House, really sets the tone for the album on their strive to be the greatest and realist Emcees in the rap game.  With production from Alex Da Kid and Skylar Grey on the hook, the dark and moody track was a great opener.  The only thing I found out of place on that song was Eminem's verse.  His bridge was okay but his verse wasn't needed, not like it was bad or anything, it just wasn't needed.  Could have gave a verse from Joe Budden though but whatever.  However, other then that I liked the track.  The same thing can be said about Throw That, which feels more like a D-12 record then a Slaughterhouse record, felt out of place on the album, and to be honest Em's presence wasn't needed.

Other then that, the album is pretty good for what it is.  They really showed their lyrical growth with songs like Coffin (feat. Busta Rhymes), Die, and the lead single Hammer Dance they showed that they can really truly rap their asses off. You can also sense the hunger in their rhymes with records like Get Up and the "Get Rick Or Die Tryin" concept record of Flip A Bird.

The group also get very personal on this album as well.  One of my favorite tracks on here is the other Alex Da Kid produced track called Rescue Me.  Driven by the Skylar Grey hook, the track is talking about rescuing them from their personal demons.  One of the other personal tracks they have on this album is Goodbye, having each member open up about saying goodbye to a loved one.  With Joe Budden talking about the death of his unborn baby.  To Crooked I and Joell Ortiz talking about the deaths of their uncle and grandmothers, the record is a very emotional song.  Kinda gets me choked up when I listen to it.



Now through all the rain and the pain, there does come some celebration.  The single My Life featuring Cee-Lo Green kinda grew on me after listening to it a few more times.  The Mr. Porter produced track featuring Swizz Beatz entitled Throw It Away is a banger, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets some radio play.  Frat House is another banger too, and too be honest I feel THAT record should have been the lead single.  Kind of reminds me of an updated version of The One, really good track, and Em would be CRAZY if he don't release this as a single and make a video to this.

The one track I DO NOT like on this album is Park It Sideways.  I tried listening to that track numerous times and I just CANNOT get in to it.  It really has NO place on that album, and it just sounds like a watered down version of My Life.  Kane Beatz was behind the beat and it almost sounds like the record he did for Lupe.  However, I do understand they were trying to cross over with that record, but that was what My Life was for...but whatever.

The last track on the standard issue of the album is Our Way, which pretty much sums up the album.  They made it big their way, after all those years of getting jerked around at labels they finally found a place to be themselves.  Really good way to end the album in my opinion, and it wrapped the album up nicely.

The bonus tracks are decent for what they are.  I kinda like Asylum, which also features Eminem, but I felt that song should have just been left on the cutting room floor.  Em's hook was kinda annoying, and it sounded like it was suppose to be on Relapse 2.  Walk Of Shame is a pretty catchy track to put on when you want to kick out that person you had a one night stand with.  The J.U.S.T.I.C.E League continue their streak of knocking production with the song The Other Side.  Place To Be featuring B.o.B is an alright track, and to be honest it should have replaced Park It Sideways, but that is just me.  Overall, the bonus tracks are good for what they are..

You can tell that Em was completely hands on with the crafting of this album.  You can tell he built the album from the ground up and picked the right songs that would flow right.  In my opinion, with the exception of a few tracks, he did a pretty good job on it.  Production wise, Welcome To: Our House was pretty well done.  Joe Budden, Royce, Joell, & Crooked all came correct when it came time for them to spit.  They are STILL the same niggas that we know from before.  They STILL can rap their asses off, and for this to be their second album together as a group, they did a pretty good job on it.

Now if you wanted to hear the Slaughterhouse from the first album where all they did was rap about rapping.  Then go back and listen to their first album and/or listen to their mixtape that they released last week.  If they wanted to make that kind of album again they would have just stayed on their old label.  These niggas are trying to eat, they are trying to make money, and staying on an independent label won't get them so far.  All four of these niggas came a VERY long way, from getting jerked around from their labels.  To getting shelved, to building a fan base from the ground up thanks to the internet.  Slaughterhouse deserves all the success they get.  It was well earned in my opinion and Em did a good job re-introducing the world to Slaughterhouse.  Slaughterhouse also helped achieved Em's goal.  Em brought good lyrics back to hip-hop...clap for em...

Busby's Review: 4/5

Busby's Open Letter to Justin Timberlake...

Dear Justin Timberlake,

Wassup man, how has everything been with you?  I see you've been getting your movie money and also you've been getting that Myspace money (if it's worth anything now).  Also I heard you about to get married to your little honey, which I am also happy for you.  Life is good for you right now, but I gotta holler at you for a second homie.  Do you know how long it's been since you dropped your last album?  6 years...that's right, 6 fucking years b!...Let me do the math for ya dogg.  Since I've been writing this letter, it's been 6 years, 2,159 days, 19 hours, 56 minutes, and 43 seconds since you dropped your sophomore classic album FutureSex/LoveSounds, and STILL counting.  It's been 6 years, since you gained a whole genre of fans.  It's been almost a DECADE since you distanced yourself from them Urkels keeping your wins low.  I'm speaking on behalf of all the fans of music, PLEASE go back to the studio and drop another gem on us, we are BEGGING YOU!!

Do you have any idea how excited we all were when we got word that you were in a music studio?  I felt like doing back flips like Aly Raisman.  Everybody was celebrating for joy thinking that you gonna come back and regain your spot.  We was thinking that you were gonna come back and show that other young cat on how it's suppose to be done.  Then our dreams were shattered when your rep shot down the rumor.  Instead you are shooting ANOTHER movie that is not due out for another year....**sigh**

 Look I understand that movie money is good money.  I mean it's REALLY good easy money to make, and I ain't mad at ya.  I mean you have been a FEW good movies, Social Network being one of them.  You are also a regular on SNL and I'm not gonna lie, you are pretty funny every time you are a guest host on the show.  The Dick In The Box parody record became a hit and was fucking catchy as hell.  But let's keep it real man, music is your forte and it's who you truly are. It seems apparent that now a days, music has became your side hustle, and it seems like its not really a priority no more. I mean I respect you getting your money and all that but you need to get back in the studio where you belong. You are STILL a music artist, don't you forget that!

 

It's gotten to the point now that every time I see a new movie trailer of you I cringe.  It's like with every movie you are in, that could have been time you could have been in the studio and dropped more music.  Now DON'T ACT LIKE you still don't got it, because you STILL do, so don't play that bullshit with me.  I understand that you said numerous times that you have to be really inspired to drop another album.  After Justified, it took you 4 years to drop FutureSex/LoveSounds because you needed to get that itch again to go back into the studio.  But dude, it's been 6 FUCKING YEARS, and you STILL haven't got the itch to drop at least ONE more album?

I don't want to see your talent go to waste man, you have dropped classic music over the years.  From your record that made people's eyebrow raise.  To hooking up with Pharrell and having a breakout record that made people know that you were serious about your solo shit.  To making the biggest "Fuck You" song to your ex.  To hooking up with Timbaland and dropping one of the best dance songs of the decade.  I mean shit, the McDonalds catchphrase was inspired by one of YOUR records man!  And you got classics with NSYNC too, I'm not gonna down play that either.  I can go on and on, but you can get my drift.

 Bottom line Timberlake, what I'm trying to say is, we miss hearing you on the airwaves.  You became the Eminem of R&B music.  You became the white boy that everybody loved because it didn't matter what skin color you were.  You dropped really GOOD music, and that was ALL that mattered.  We are BEGGING you to come out of music retirement and go back into that studio and drop another gem of classic material for the masses.  We believe in you Justin, you shouldn't let that other Justin go and take ya spot like that.  You still got it in ya....when you DO come back...we will be waiting...

Sincerely,

~~Mr. Busby~~

God Forgives, I Don't: Busby's Review

Y'all already know how I feel about Officer Ricky.  If you read my Self Made Vol 2 or my Teflon Don reviews, you already know my overall opinion on the dude and his label.  He is NOT that good and he is NOT that bad, he is just...average.  Now lately, I've been lightweight getting over his fakeness and I have been lightweight enjoying his music.  Not gonna lie, he plays his role quite well and he some how some way manages to use the same formula and make overall good music...lightweight.  Not gonna knock him for that, at the end of the day, it's only entertainment.  God Forgives, I Don't is the fifth studio album from the glorified bawse.  After a few set backs and a mixtape that made all the bloggers panties wet.  Ross finally drops his most anticipated album....

 One thing I cannot knock Ross for is that he has a CRAZY ear for beats.  Production wise, GFID is Ross's best produced album since Deeper Than Rap.  He really brought that cinematic feel to the album that made you feel like you were listening to a motion picture.  The first half of the album is pretty solid.  With songs like Pirates, Ashamed, and Amsterdam the production was amazing.  However, the only down fall on it is Ross's rhymes and flow.  In other words, Ross was just being Ross.  He was just rhyming about his fantasy mobster Scarface life and the shit just got repetitive and boring.  I mean the rhymes were good and all, but the production out shined him.  Ross is used to getting outshined, not just by the beat, but by the features too.

One of the highlights on this album was 3 Kings which features S. Carter and Dr. D.R.E.  Produced by Jake One, the record is pretty fucking good.  With Dre spitting his ghostwritten verse, and Ross spitting the same old shit, Hov came in and pretty much out shined everybody on the record.  I re-winded Hov's verse so many times that I forgot that I was listening to a Rick Ross album.  Ross also continued the Maybach Music series with his fourth installment, this time featuring Ne-Yo.   Here is a random tad bit about that song, the liner notes credits Drake, Jay-Z, & The Weeknd as writers.  Did they ALL help write that song? Were they suppose to be featured on the record? I don't know, but the track was pretty good.  L.A. Reid makes a cameo on the song too which was also pretty fucking random.

The other highlight of the album was the record Sixteen which features Andre 3000.  This was another moment where the production and the featured artist completely outshine Ross.  J.U.S.T.I.C.E League did their thing on the record, so it really came as no surprise.  The real star on the track was 3 Stacks who went on to rap for damn near 5 minutes.  I won't be surprised if 3 Stacks cockblocked Big Boi from coming to the studio again.  Anyway for the second time, I forgot that I was listening to a Rick Ross album.

Now the only songs I really wasn't feeling was the trap songs.  Hold Me Back, 911, and So Sophisticated feat. Meek Mill were pretty forgettable records.  Hold Me Back sounded nothing more then a reference track for the Self Made 2 record Actin' Up.  911 pretty much sounded like the previous track which was just lazy and careless in my opinion.  So Sophisticated was the only track out of this bunch that I kinda liked, mainly just for Meek Mill's verse (starting to see a pattern here?).  Other than that, I always seem to skip that potion of the album.  It pretty much fucked up the flow in my opinion.

 

The third part of this album are mainly the R&B songs which are pretty good for what they are.  The Pharrell produced track Presidential (feat. Elijah Blake) is a nice song to listen when you are riding around in your whip feeling the summer breeze.  Ice Cold featuring Maybach O a.k.a Omarion is a guaranteed hit, real talk.  I really wouldn't be surprised if Ross uses that as the next single, Omarion really kills the hook. Touch'n You (or Fuck'n You), features Usher and its Ross attempt to do a Trey Songz/Drake type record.  I never really cared for the song outside of Usher's hook, pretty forgettable unless you getting it on with a chick.  Same thing can be said about the Wale and Drake featured record Diced Pineapples.  Outside of Drake's hook, and Wale's wannable Maya Angelou spoken word poetry, the track is forgettable.  I have a feeling that there is a unreleased Drake verse sitting somewhere in Ross's studio.  Guess he didn't want Drizzy to renegade him again (even through through out the album, Ross BEEN getting renegaded).

Ten Jesus Pieces featuring Stalley was a good record to close out the standard issue of the album.  Production wise, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League came with it like always.  Ross actually shined on this song and was actually equal to Stalley.  The two bonus records were songs that were used on the Rich Forever mixtape that came out in January.  Triple Beam Dreams which features Nas is mastered now, and it sounds a lot more cinematic then the mixtape version.  J.U.S.T.I.C.E League made that song sound more epic then it was before.  The same thing can be said about the John Legend featured track Rich Forever, which is also a very epic way to close the album.

Now with all hate aside, and with the exception of those 3 trap records.  If you just take the album for what it is, God Forgives, I Don't is a pretty solid album.  Like I stated earlier, Ross plays his role well and constructed a very balanced album.  I can understand why he put those trap records together like that.  He had to cattle to his core audience, and he also gained some at the same time.  Again production wise it is very good, but Ross's subject matter is repetitive and lackluster.  He hasn't really grown as an artist and he keeps saying the same shit over and over and over again.  Than again as the old saying goes, 'If it isn't broke, why fix it?"  At the end of the day, its only entertainment and if the music is good that is all that matters...I guess...

But than again...when I read shit like THIS...I am reminded on why I don't like that fat fake fuck..

oh well..It is what it is...

Busby's Review: 3.5/5

The Dark Knight Rises: Busby's Review

I know I'm a little late on this review, but I had to REALLY think about my overall opinion on this movie.  The Dark Knight Rises was by far the most anticipated movie of the year the summer.  It's been 4 years since The Dark Knight was released, and a lot of people didn't really think this movie wasn't going to be made.  After Heath Ledger's unforgettable performance as The Joker, his untimely death, and the "To Be Continued" ending.  A lot of people thought that Chris Nolan wasn't going to conclude the story, myself included.  However, 4 years later Chris Nolan came up with a story that would be the final chapter in the Dark Knight saga.  Pretty much with same name just with the Rises right next to it.  Nolan was going to end Bruce Wayne's journey of Batman not with a fizzle, but with a bang.  Word to Emma Stone..

The story takes place 8 years after the events of the previous movie.  Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has went into seclusion, and Gotham City has become a safe place thanks to the "Dent Act".  Meanwhile a new menacing criminal mastermind by the name of Bane (Tom Hardy) brings his army to Gotham just to wreck shit.  Now with Gotham in trouble, Wayne has to come out of seclusion and has to put that mask back on.  "Why?" you ask? because he is the goddamn Batman that's why! The main characters are all back in their original roles along with some new characters.  Anne Hathaway plays Selina Kyle a.k.a Catwoman.  Joesph Golden-Levitt plays John Blake, a Gotham police officer who has a good heart, and Marion Cotillard plays Miranda Tate, board member of Wayne Enterprises that takes care of Bruce Wayne's money.

Now in my opinion, this was the most action packed movie out of ALL the Batman movies.  Matter a fact, this was the most action packed movie that Chris Nolan has ever made.  It was very fast paced in my opinion, the 2 hours and 45 minutes flew by very quickly.  The movie was also very emotionally driven, it captivated you from the very first frame all the way to the very last scene.  Everybody did a good job at their roles, especially Tom Hardy as Bane.  Even through he had a mask over his face, his eyes alone and his whole presence was just imitating enough.  Even with his proper English accent, it made him even more scarier.  Now was he more menacing then Heath Ledger's Joker? Well in my opinion, not so much, but it's up for debate.  Tom Hardy really did get the job done and was a good villein.

Anne Hathaway did a really good job as Catwoman.  Even though the closest thing they mentioned of Selina Kyle's alias was a "cat burglar" we ALL knew who she was.  Personally I felt that Michelle Pfeiffer's version was better.  However, Nolan's version of Catwoman was the one that was more close to the comic book.  Anne Hathaway was the perfect fit for that role, and honestly I couldn't see anybody else pulling it off.  She even pulled off those fight moves like she was Xena, I fucking loved it!

Now with the positive, there does come some negatives.  There were some plot holes in this movie that lightweight left me scratching my head.  Now without giving out spoilers, let me just say that almost every character from the first 2 movies are either referenced or they make an appearance.  Now you notice I said almost every character is referenced.  The elephant in the room was The Joker's absence.  They don't even bother mentioning where he was, or what happened to him.  They pretty much pretended that he didn't exist.  I can understand it was out of respect for Heath and all that, but c'mon.  I guess that 8 year gap left it up to the comic books, video games, and/or animated movies to fill in what happened to him.  However, the movie could have at LEAST mentioned the dude.

Also another thing I found annoying about the film was Christian Bale's Batman voice.  He was STILL talking like he has a bunch of balls in his throat.  I don't know WHY he kept doing that shit with his voice but it just so damn annoying.  I mean there even comes a point in the movie where damn near everybody knows who really is and he is STILL using that voice.  It became almost comical at some points, but whatever.  It is what it is...

Overall, it was a good movie and in my opinion it lived up to the hype.  Was it one of Chris Nolan's best movies? I wouldn't say that much, but it WAS a good movie.  Now this IS the final chapter in Bruce Wayne's story.  Now if you asking me if he dies or not, well you just gotta see the movie for yourself.  Or if you followed me on twitter, you would already know what the answer is, so it's on you to decide.  Now IF Warner Brothers decides to make another Batman movie, Nolan has REALLY set the standard high. and God bless anybody who wants to put their hands in it.  Now is it better then that other super hero movie that came out a few months ago? Well, in my opinion it comes down to preference.  I prefer both kind of superhero movies, ones that are both action packed, and also serious at the same time.  As of right now Chris Nolan's Dark Knight Saga will go down as one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.  That is IF Hollywood decides to push that reset button..


Busby's Review: 4.5/5

~~Mr. Busby~~

Life Is Good: Busby's Review

In my opinion, the 4 rappers that made the biggest impact in hip-hop right now are Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas, & Kanye West.  Out of those 4 rappers, nobody is more critical on one rapper then Mr. Nasir Jones.  Just 18 years ago, Nas dropped what many considered the greatest hip-hop album of all time called Illmatic.  After that album many people have been comparing his next 9 LP's to his debut album.  Many have considered his sophomore album It Was Written to be the closest thing to top how great Illmatic was. Other then that, a lot of people were agreeing with what Hov said on Takeover, Nas only drops 1 hot album every 10 year average.  Having your first album be a classic album is a pretty heavy load to have on your back.  It just seems like no matter what you put out, people will ALWAYS compare it to your classic work.  In Nas's case, some feel that he peeked way to early at a young age, and it just seemed like he never had that same spark.

In my honest opinion, Nas has always been one person..himself.  He has never tried to be something that he is not.  He has always stayed true to himself, and doesn't really give a damn about album sales, or what anybody else thinks.  His only true goal in life is just to rap, and that is all he ever wants to do. Nas has been in the game for damn near 20 years and he is one of the most respected emcees in the game today.  He has dropped classic records, from the One Mics, to the I Give You Powers, to the If I Ruled The Worlds, to the Ethers and the Undying Loves, Nas's track record can go on. In my honest opinion, Hip-Hop Is Dead and Untitled are really underrated albums.  There is a reason why people call Nas one of the greatest rappers to ever touch the mic and it is a very good reason.

Life Is Good is Nas's first solo album in 4 years.  Despite dropping the criminally slept on Damian Marley collaboration album Distant Relatives in 2010.  Nas's life was pretty much going in a downward spiral.  Nas was going through a very bitter and ugly divorce with Kelis, which ended up with him paying over $5,000 in child support.  To make matters worse, Uncle Sam was knocking on his door, and he found out he had to pay $6.5 Million in back taxes.  And to put insult to the wound, his daughter Destiny was posting very juvenile things on her social network sites, that made people question Nas's parenting.  Through out ALL that, you would think Nas would fall off and sink into a depressed state.  Instead, it lit a fire in him and lead to him dropping one of the best hip-hop albums of the year.  Nas wanted to show that through out all that, he came back stronger then ever, he is happy and Life is good..

The tales you hear is the truth of me...

 Let me just say that the first 5 songs on this album, Nas comes out SWINGING.  With the booming J.U.S.T.I.C.E League orchestrated autobiographical track, No Introduction.  To the trapped in the 90's inspired sound of Loco-Motive (which features words from Large Professor).  To the Salaam Remi orchestrated cinematic New York sound of A Queens Story.  No I.D's booming cautionary record of Accident Murderers, which also features Rick Ross who is the only featured rapper on the album (who also had a good verse).  Then with the 5th record, he dedicated to his daughter Destiny entitled Daughters, which is also one of the main highlights of the album.  With those 5 tracks the album could have easily been an EP and I could have been happy with that.  However, the album just got better..

No I.D and Salaam Remi really drove this album production wise, and also really cleared Nas's ears when it came to beat selection.  With songs like Reach Out (feat. Mary J. Blige), You Wouldn't Understand (feat. Victoria Monet), and Back When.  Nas went back to that 90's sounding flow and content, it sounded like something he would have released back in his It Was Written/I Am days.  Nasir also dropped that knowledge on you with songs like World's An Addiction (feat. Anthony Hamilton), and the No I.D. smooth production record of Stay.  The 2nd verse of that track is one of the real highlights of the album and is some real shit.

Even though I don’t like you, next Friday night can’t wait to fight you
Locked up I would knife you, don’t fuck with you
Last month I even bucked at you, you got locked
I felt bad, wait, do I got love for you?
I might kill you, but do I got love for you?
I want you dead under 6 feet of soil
At the same time, want you here to witness me while you in misery
We hate each other, but it’s love, what a thug mystery
Years ago they ate the heart of a slain enemy
We enemies, but your hatred could never enter me
Some seek fame cause they need validation
Some say hatin’ is confused admiration
Spotlight on me, I still look twenty
Still get money, lady killer pushin’ a Bentley
Maybe niggas could see too much of they failures through a nigga who realer
I don’t like you near bruh, but I need you to…
Stay 

Now the only downside record I can say about this album is Summer On Smash which features Swizz Beatz and Miguel.  It's a really booming cliche Swizz Beatz type of record, but Nas does shine on the record.  I can see the record getting HEAVY radio play during the summer, but other than that it is what it is.  One of the highlights of the album is Cherry Wine which features the late Amy Winehouse.  With production by Salaam Remi, everything about that track is perfect.  It pretty much sounds almost like a duet, even with Amy's little scatting in the end.  It just reminds us that we truly lost a true talent with Winehouse.

The final track on the standard issue of the album is also the most personal track entitled Bye Baby.  Co-Produced by Drake's producer 40, Bye Baby is Nas telling the story of the roller coaster relationship with his ex-wife Kelis.  For 4 minutes, Nas goes through his entire relationship from the very beginning to the bitter end.  Bittersweet record, but it was a very mature way for Nas to put everything behind him and close that chapter in his life.

Now the 5 bonus tracks are just as good as the regular album.  With Nas going back to his Nasty Nas roots on Nasty.  To Nas getting his James Bonds swag on with Black Bond, and the P.S. "fuck you" letter to Kelis on Roses (even through he doesn't say her name, but it's obvious).  Nas gets Cocaine 80's to assist him on Where's The Love which is produced by No I.D, which is another very good record.  The real highlight of the bonus tracks is Trust, which is produced by Boi-1da and shows that Drake isn't the only one with trust issues.

This was a VERY good album, so good to the fact that I actually went out and BOUGHT this album.  The first album I bought in over a year, and Nasir deserved every bit of money I spent.  You can tell he took his time to construct a very consistent and very well thought out album.  Nas is at a really good place in his life right now.  You can really tell on this album that he is in a better place and is happy.  Nas can NEVER make another album like Illmatic, it's just not possible.  The only thing he can do is be himself and mature, which is exactly what he has done in the past 20 years.  Life IS good...and without further ado..here is MY personal favorite track from the album...



Busby's Review: 4.5/5

~~Mr. Busby~~

channel ORANGE: Busby's Review

When I first heard about Odd Future I thought they were just some juvenile immature wannable Wu-Tang Clan kids.  After I saw them on Jimmy Fallon, my assumptions about them were pretty much spot on.  I really wasn't going to give any member of the group any time of day, so I just brushed them off.  That is until I stumbled across somebody I wouldn't think in a million years that would be part of their collective.  When I first heard Frank Ocean's nostalgia, ULTRA, I was generally surprised on how talented the dude was.  His music was COMPLETELY different then the dark horrorcore subject matter of the other Odd Future members.  From his melodies and his vocal range, I can tell this dude was going to be up there as one of the best R&B artist to come out.  After his mixtape got a lot of critical acclaim he ended up working with a lot of big artist.  From Hov & Ye, to Beyonce, to Bieber, the list can go on.  Frank Ocean was the reason I finally got around to listening to the entire OFWGKTA collective. I was actually surprised that they really are talented. However, I knew that Frank Ocean was the real star out of the entire collective, and he had a lot to prove.

"On this record..this latest body of work that I've been doing.  I think it sysyncly defines me as an artist for where I am right now.  You know? That was just the aim just to make something that just represents where you are at that time."-Frank Ocean

 Like Frank stated, this was the album where he feels that defines him as an artist.  Now before I go on, let's just talk about the elephant in the room.  Frank Ocean went to his Tumblr to address a few rumors that were circling after an album listening.  He posted a letter where he confessed that he had a relationship with another man some years back.  It came as a bombshell for his fans and music listeners alike when he came out the closet.  Watching the reaction on twitter was interesting in itself.  Some folks were still supporting Frank's music no matter what his sexuality is. While other people were completely disgusted with him and deleted his music and wanted nothing to do with him.  In my opinion, it's just music.  People loved Luther Vandross's music, people loved Elton John's music, hell people loved George Michael's ass.  At the end of the day, it's just music and if it makes you feel good, that is ALL that matters.  Not even a week after his confession Frank released his official debut album entitled channel ORANGE a week early on iTunes.  People can call it good marketing or a good publicity stunt but at the end of the day, it got you listening. 

 

After the PS1 intro, the album opens up with newly mastered Thinkin' Bout You.  It was originally a reference track he wrote for Bridget Kelly.  However, after the track leaked it got a lot of positive feedback.  And personally, Frank sang the song a lot better then Bridget did, sorry.  After a nice interlude that I wished was a full track called Fertilizer, it goes right into the next track called Sierra Leone.  Nice smooth track to really kick your feet up and chill out.  One of the many highlights on the album is the Pharrell produced record Sweet Life.  This track really reminded me of a Musiq Soulchild record.  This really is a nice record to play during a family get together or BBQ, a nice little summer record.  Super Rich Kids is a nice summer record too, but the only downside to the track was the Earl Sweatsuit featured verse.  I actually like Earl, he is one the dopest members out of Odd Future but he just spit a bunch of big ass words that made no damn sense.  Sounded like he popped a lot of pills and just went into the booth.

Pilot Jones and Crack Rock are two tracks you should listen to when you are really blown.  Pilot Jones is a very smooth song to listen to when you are just about to spark up.  However, Crack Rock is the song to listen to when you are coming down realizing that you need to reevaluate your life.  Both really good tracks and nice lead in to the next record.  Pyramids is one of the true highlights of the album.  Clocking in at over 10 minutes, Frank tells 2 separate stories from different perspectives. The first half being a fast paced beat driving record telling the story of an Egyptian Pharaoh on the search for his Queen Cleopatra.  While the second half is slowed down and this time the story takes place in the present day from the perspective of a man who hired a whore. I love every minute of this track, especially the slowed down portion of it.  This song really depicts Frank Ocean as a artist and in my opinion one of his best tracks to date.

Lost and Monk are nice little jam records to get your groove on to.  The song White (not to be confused with the OF Mixtape version) is nothing more then a interlude track that is just a instrumental record with John Mayer on the guitar.  Now Bad Religion is another personal favorite from this album.  Frank tells a story about having a taxi cab confession about a forbidden love he can never have.  Some folks feel this is one of the tracks where he confesses his love to another man.  Whatever the case, this track is beautifully written and orchestrated. It almost sounds like it was inspired by Stevie Wonder. 

Pink Matter is another highlight record simply for the fact that Andre 3000 popped up to do a very good guest verse.  Kinda mad that he cockblocked Big Boi from jumping on the track, because that track really suited him.  Oh well, the track is still good, and a nice baby maker song to have on when you getting it on.  Forrest Gump is the controversial track where Franklin pretty much let's that gaydom fly. However, some people can say that the song is Frank singing from the prespective of Jenny.  However way you put it, the last few seconds of Frank whistling pretty much leaves the listener to make up their own mind.

The bonus track which is the final record Golden Girl is a nice feel good summer record.  Nice song to listen to when you are on the beach and went to cuddle with your significant other.  The only downside to the song is Tyler, The Creator's guest verse where he COMPLETELY switches the song up.  Almost sounded like a sequel to She and in my opinion, it really sounded out of place, but hey that is just me.

Overall channel ORANGE is a VERY good album.  Frank really achieved his goal on establishing himself as an artist.  I think that his letter really added some depth to the album and made you think a lot more while you were listening to the music.  Channel ORANGE is one of those R&B albums that pay homage to artist like Musiq Soulchild, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder and countless other artist.  You can really hear how those artist shaped him into who he is now.  Now I'm not going to throw around the word "classic", but I WILL say it is a very good album.  Only negative thing I will say is that I can do without the Earl & Tyler guest features.  It kinda killed the mood for the album for me, but that is just me.  All in all, Frank Ocean really impressed me, and he showed that at the end of the day music is the only thing that matters.  It don't matter how questionable gay you are, how abusive you are, or how fake you are, if you deliever good music...that is ALL that matters.

Busby's Review: 4.5/5

The Amazing Spider-Man: Busby's Review

I know, I am a few days late on this but cut me some slack okay? I've been busy!  Anyway one of my most anticipated movies of the summer finally hit the big screen this week.  The Amazing Spider-Man is yet another reboot from the Hollywood studios. It's been 5 years since the last Sam Rami Spider-Man movie was released.  Even though the movie grossed over $800 Million worldwide, the critics won't really to thrilled with how campy the movies had become at that point.  So when the studio decided to push that restart button, everybody got really sketchy with the idea.  I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty sketchy about Sony rebooting the franchise as well.  I mean, I was already getting accustomed to Toby Maguire being Peter Parker, and in my opinion he did a pretty good job portraying the character.  However, I do feel that Sam Rami just did Spider-Man 3 just to troll the studio just so that he can get out of his contract.  But hey that's just me so..I don't know.  Now it's 5 years later, we got a new director, a new cast, and a new way at looking at the story.

This time around we have Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) portraying the young Peter Parker.  You should know the story by now, loser in high school, lives with aunt and uncle (Sally Field & Martin Sheen), likes a girl (Emma Stone), gets bit my spider, gets super powers, fights crime, etc.  Now they did make some minor adjustments to the story.  This time around, we get a little back story on Parker's parents, and why they left Peter with his aunt and uncle.  Also the movie is sticking true to the comic book and it is NOT Mary Jane that is Parker's love interest, instead its Gwen Stacy.   Dennis Leary plays  Police captain George Stacy, whose main goal is to capture and bring to justice the vigilante known as Spider-Man. The villain this time around is Dr. Conners aka The Lizard (Rhys Ifans), who pretty much just wants to fuck things up.

Andrew Garfield did a really good job playing Spider-Man in this movie.  Unlike the Toby version, this version of Peter Parker actually stands up for himself, and isn't no punk.  Even when he was getting beat up by the school bully, Parker still talks shit.  They really stayed true to the character in the comic strips of him being a smart ass when he has the spidey suit on.  Speaking of the Spidey suit, I actually kind of preferred the Spidey suit from the original movies.  The spidey suit they use in this one is pretty much the updated version that he wears in the comics.  It's alright for what it is, but to be honest I think they should have kept the old one.

The on-screen chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone is really good.  To be honest, their on screen relationship was a lot more believable then Toby Maguire and Kristen Dunst's relationship in the previous films.  They really do play off each other really well, and to be honest I'm not surprised they actually got together in real life.  Lucky basterd, Emma was suppose to be with me! But it's cool..I'm not gonna cry...

The special effects were pretty good for what it was.  No different then any other Marval super hero movie.  The web swinging action is slightly different, almost more believable.  Just like the comics, Parker actually creates the web shooters so he can swing around.  And instead of just shooting aimlessly at buildings so he can swing around.  He actually has to concentrate and actually aim at objects to maneuver around.  It's not till later on in the film where Spider-Man finally gets the hang of it and becomes the master at web-swinging.

Overall, the movie was pretty good for what it was.  The story was pretty dark, grimly, and it was more suited for the mature audience.  The movie was really well casted, and Marc Webb did a pretty good job at directing it.  Not too bad giving that this is his second movie that he directed giving that his first one was the classic (500) Days Of Summer.  Hopefully he stays around for a few of the sequels.  Oh yeah, you should know the deal now for Marval movies.  Stay during the credits for another "da-da-dum!" ending.  It pretty much sets up for the inevitable sequels that are going to come out in the coming years.  I won't be surprised if Spidey makes an appearance in the up coming Avengers sequels.  But for now, Amazing Spider-Man got the job done, lets just pray that Hollywood feels they got it right this time and don't press that reset button.

Busby's Review: 4/5


~~Mr. Busby~~