"The Walking Dead" - Season 4 Finale

I am a  HUGE fan of this show so  it's always a bummer to see a season end because it won't return for a while. The season four finale was not conclusive and didn't tie up the season, leaving a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions. The only conclusive and positive thing that happens in this season's finale was the group finally finding each other at the end after being scattered in small groups all season long, just trying to survive.

However, their happy reunion is not under the  best circumstances. They're all forced inside a train car together and locked in at the very end of the finale. It doesn't explain why this group has captured them and what their intentions are. It's a hell of a cliff-hanger! But this is too much of a cliff-hanger, and it left too many questions unanswered. The viewer is  left not knowing what the heck is going on, or what is going to happen now? This season, with everyone scattered, they all individually follow signs leading to "Terminus"; a place promising safe sanctuary, stating "Those Who Arrive Will Survive". But come to find out, it's just a trap. I guess we'll have to wait for answers in season six, scheduled to debut in February, 2015.

SO much happened this season that I couldn't sit here and try to talk about everything crazy that took place. It was of course, another great season (just like the first 3). It's a  Zombie-Drama TV show - the first of it's kind! This is an award-winning series with great writing /story-telling and VERY realistic effects and makeup. Director, Greg Nicotero does an amazing job making the zombies and all the carnage look so real and feel so intense. Main writers for the show, Robert Kirkman and Frank Darabont do a very creative job following the original comic books to an extent. They have changed things up quite a bit compared to the comic version and even added new characters. So, even avid readers of "The Walking Dead" comic books, (also written by Robert Kirkman) can enjoy the show too, because it doesn't completely follow the comic's story-line.

Season 4 was awesome and gruesome, but the finale sucked.....

Childish Gambino - "Sweatpants" (NEW Music Video)

One of my favorite hip-hop artists; Childish Gambino's NEW music video for "Sweatpants" (feat. Problem). This is another one of the better songs on the album, "Because The Internet". It's also the best music video we've seen from him yet! It seems like he has established himself as a serious and legitimate hip-hop artist in a sea of  mega rap stars. So it seems like his budget for things like music videos, is growing as quickly as his success. He takes a lot of heat from the hip-hop community calling him "whack", "nerd", "white bread" and saying "Childish Gambino is not a real rapper". He has ignored the negative press and all the haters and quit his TV show, "Community" to focus on his rap career and this album specifically.

It's an awesome song with a cool & creepy beat with fast-paced rhyming and some incredible hooks. Then suddenly, three min. into the song exactly, it cuts out and randomly begins playing a really slow-paced, lame, one minute bridge of R&B music and it turns depressing quickly. I wish I could find a version of this song that just stops at the three minute mark. the last minute and 15 seconds of this track sucks!

"22 Jump Street" - Movie Review

Usually, sequels like this come from the first movie's major success and the studio rides the coat tales of the original  blockbuster. We have seen it so many times: unplanned sequels that are expected to do as well as the original, but they end up tanking and turning into flops. Nick Offerman, who plays the police chief, has poked fun at that fact in both movies now. They also poke fun at the end of this movie, showing that this will be a never ending movie franchise going from 22 Jump street to 44 Jump street with just back-to-back sequels. It's true though, most amazing movies are followed up by terrible sequels. That is NOT the case with sequel !

"22 Jump Street" is Awesome! In Fact, I think it's better than the first movie. Its action-packed AND hilarious at the same time! Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum return as everyone's favorite duo in the sequel and this time it's Channing who is popular on campus and Jonah is the uncool one. Channing Tatum's character, "Jenko" gets an opportunity to play football again and re-live his glory days in high school. Jonah Hill's character, "Schmidt" is just the chubby tag-along. Their mission is to find the dealer on campus who's distributing a lab-made drug called "Why-Phy" (Work hard Yes - Play hard Yes) to all the other students on campus and expand from there. It's hard to take the villain / drug dealer seriously because its Jillian Bell from the show, "Workaholics". Plus, there's that awkward sexual fight scene between her and Jonah Hill. So Jillian wasn't very scary for a bad guy, but she was a funny and awkward villain which made for an unexpected plot twist.

There are some awesome football scenes with Channing Tatum, plus crazy car chases and shootouts just as expected. I also liked that it was under two hours long and still managed to pack all that action and comedy in. There was no boring dialogue, you're either laughing hysterically or watching in awe with your mouth half open. I give "22 Jump Street" a  10 /10    (FIRST TIME PERFECT RATING!!!!)

CHVRCHES - "The Mother We Share" LIVE

My newest favorite band, CHVRCHES (pronounced 'Churches') performing "The Mother We Share" LIVE. The video is  professionally shot from different angles and the sound quality is exactly the same as the record. They sound like Eisley and Singer, Lauren Mayberry is super cute.This Scottish trio are making a big splash internationally. Their debut album, "The Bones of What You Believe" is characterized as "a godless hurricane of kinetic pop energy" and electro-Pop. The band writes, records, and masters all their songs in a basement studio in Scotland. Well they've out-grown that basement now with this new record and this single  that is playing everywhere, Just watch the video and get hooked.

"Transformers 4: Age of Extinction" - Movie Review

Michael Bay's fourth installment of the "Transformers" franchise; "Transformers: Age of Extinction" is action-packed and visually stimulating just as expected. In fact, I think this was the BEST "Transformers" movie out of the four. I like Mark Wahlberg in the starring role MUCH more than Shia LaBeouf (Wahlberg does'nt scream throughout the whole movie). There wasn't any other major changes to the movie franchise besides the introduction of "Dinobots". I love how "Optimus Prime" convinces the "Dinobots" to help him and the other remaining "Autobots". There aren't many "Autobots" left after the humans decided to destroy ALL Transformers on Earth (even though they are protecting the planet.....). The remaining "Autobots" have gone into hiding for years, then Wahlberg discovers & repairs"Optimus Prime".

Once "Optimus" is restored back to life, we are introduced to the other "Autobots" in hiding. Such as the return of "Bumblebee", "Hound" (a bad ass commando bot voiced by John Goodman), "Drift" (the metal Samurai who turns into a helicopter), and my favorite; "Crosshairs" (The green paratrooper who sounds just like Jason Statham and turns into a Corvette). The villain is once again, "Megatron", except his mind is reincarnated into a different bot created by the government called "Galvatron". There is some foreshadowing when "Galvatron" is defeated by "Optimus Prime" in the most Epic way, we see the real "Megatron" looking down at Earth from Space and he says something about finishing the job as himself.

So it is very likely there will be 5th "Transformers"movie, hopefully with the same cast. Just like the previous 3 movies, everything is pretty much CGI graphics in these movies, and the graphics on "Age of Extinction"are flawless. The film has a weak plot (as usual), but it's full of incredible animated action sequences, I think it's the best one yet! I give this movie a 8 /10 and i highly recommend seeing it in theaters or Imax so you can fully enjoy the quality and graphics on a big screen.

Smallpools - "Dreaming"

Smallpools is a relatively unknown band from Los Ageles, California,  but they're already drawing a HUGE following and they haven't even released their first full-length album yet! Its scheduled to be released sometime this year (2014), and if this is just a taste of Smallpools, I can only imagine how good their new album is going to be.

This song is from their self-titled EP containing only 4 tracks, but ALL 4 songs are up-tempo and catchy, it's hard not to bob your head or stomp your feet while listening to this indie-pop band. This is the video for the single, "Dreaming" on their EP. It's an amazing, uplifting song and the video is VERY creative. Their musical style and sound is like Passion Pit meets Foster The People. I'm excited to see what this band brings to the table this year on their debut album. MUST WATCH VIDEO ABOVE !

"X-Men Origins: Days of Future Past" - Review

This movie wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still too over-complicated with an odd time-traveling plot. There are brief appearances of a lot of mutants from both generations, but only a few of them show off their super powers. There are also a lot of holes in the story when compared to the original "X-Men" trilogy. It explains how "Charles Xavier" was able to walk after we watched him get paralyzed in "X-Men: First Class", and it even mentions "Wolverine's" brief appearance in that movie. It also ties in "Wolverine's" past with "William Striker" This "X-Men" movie ties everything together and makes everything make sense when the story line is followed. Although, by altering history, it's as if the "X-Men" trilogy NEVER happened..... at the very end of the film, it reveals "Mystique" is posed as the young "William Striker"...... which makes no sense and also contradicts the first three "X-Men" movies.  We get to see young "Magneto" become evil and the beginning of "Professor X". Another hole in the story is present-day "Magneto" having powers, after we saw him lose his powers in "X-Men 3: The Last Stand".But I loved the scenes with the young "Quicksilver", he is awesome!

I knew the movie was obviously about time travel, but I thought it would follow the comic books and the original cartoon, by having "Bishop" travel back in time with "Wolverine" to stop an assassination. Instead, "Wolverine" travels back alone to find the "Professor X", "Magneto", and "Beast" to stop the "Sentinnels" from ever being created. "Bishop" and "Blink" stay in the future to help the remaining "X-Men". The "Sentinnels" are really tough in the movie and not as easy to destroy like they are in the comic books. They wipe out all the mutants on the planet unless Wolverine can stop it from ever happening.

The main mutants featured are "Charles Xavier", "Magneto", "Wolverine", "Colossus", "Ice-Man", "Storm", "Kitty", "Quicksilver", "Beast", and "Mystique". Also, "Havok" makes a very short appearance and so does "Toad".

All the other 'featured mutants' appear in the end for a few seconds, like "Rouge", "Cyclops", and "Jean Grey" after "Wolverine" travels back to present time. This movie has phenomenal graphics, but it lacks enough action sequences and once again, it's all about "Wolverine"! In fact, this is basically just another "Wolverine" movie - I give it a 7 /10.

Tove Lo - "Habits (Stay High)"

This is my jam  right now! Actually, I've been listening to this debut album, "Truth Serum" by Tove Lo on repeat since I discovered this artist. Tove Lo is a Swedish pop singer making her debut in America. Tove Lo is the much shorter stage name for Tove Ebba Elsa Nilsson. The album is only 6 songs, but ALL 6 songs are awesome! Especially this track - I can relate to this song verbatim; I covered up my heartache over a failed relationship with all sorts of different substances. It's easy to keep it off your mind when you're high.

Plus other amazing tracks like, "I'm Not on Drugs", "Out of Mind", and "Over". It's a good, upbeat, party record with a touch of Ellie Goulding's sound, heavy similarities to Chvrches, and a little bit of Foxes. It is a well composed & put together EP that's good enough to be their debut album.

You certainly can't tell by listening to their music that she is from Sweden other than her name. Tove Lo is making a splash with the indie crowd and in pop music. So move over Lorde, here is the next big thing! (Plus I'm sick of that song, "Royals") I give this EP a 10 /10
That's the highest rating given to an EP on this blog and I  HIGHLY recommend everyone to check out Tove Lo in the video above!

Robin Williams Death

SO SAD! I couldn't believe it when i heard Robin Williams was dead..... such a shame. Robin Williams and Jim Carey were the big star comedians when i was growing up and i still like the movie, "Jack". For a man who seemed so happy and animated all the time, he was actually struggling with some personal demons. He had addiction problems and the depression that comes along with addiction & alcoholism. Williams was reportedly found unresponsive on August 11, 2014 with cuts on his wrists and a rope tied around his neck. The cause of death was ruled "death by asphyxia", so he strangled himself to death after cutting his wrists. The toxicology report hasn't come back yet so we don't know what drugs he may have been on....

Some people become skilled in hiding their problems and putting a smile on their face to cover it up. Williams was  clearly one of those people. How can someone so energetic and happy all the time be so depressed and suicidal at the same time?

R.I.P. Robin Williams - You brought so much joy into so many people's lives.

"Workaholics" Guys Find a New Cubicle-Mate (Seth Rogen OR Zach Efron)

Stars of the movie "Neighbors"; Seth Rogen and Zach Efron, interview with the dudes from "Workaholics" for a job as their 4th cubicle-mate. They have to compete for the position and they're asked a series of questions by all three members of "Workaholics". It's a hilarious clip! I've actually become a fan of Zach Efron recently, and this is why...

Skrillex - "Recess" Album Review

"Skrillex" is just the DJ / stage name for Sunny Moore, who used to be the singer /front man of that terrible emo-rock band, "From First To Last". Anyone remember them? They were honestly one of the worst bands of that era - they just copied "The Used". In fact, Sunny Moore wanted to be just like Bert McCracken of "The Used" so much, that he ended up damaging his vocal cords. So he quit that awful band and re-invented himself as "Skrillex". I wanted to hate it because I don't like Sunny Moore OR "From First to Worst", but it's amazing music and almost hard to believe Sunny Moore is the one making it.

Skrillex just released their 3rd album, "Recess". The debut album, "Scary  Monsters and Nice Sprites", was a HUGE commercial success and quickly became the face of electronic / dub step music with instant hit singles including the self titled tracks, "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites", "All I ask of You", "Kill Everybody" and of course, "With Your Friends". There isn't a bad song on this entire record. In 2012,  "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" got 5 Grammy nominations and went home with 3 out of the 5!  Then they released their sophomore album, "Bangarang" in 2013, which was also nominated for 3 Grammy's and won all  3! "Bangarang" is just 7 tracks of pure awesomeness, featuring such hit songs as "Bangarang" and "Breakin' a Sweat" (featuring The Doors!)

I wouldn't expect any nominations for this new record, not even an MTV Award - "Recess" is terrible......I give it 2/ 10.
Instead of back-to-back singles: it's back-to-back bullshit. It doesn't even sound like the same DJ ! I don't know what the deal is with my favorite bands & artists releasing sub-par 2nd and 3rd albums - WTF?

MuteMath playing "Backfire" LIVE on Letterman

It's amazing how just listening to a song or band you haven't listened to in years, can immediately take you right back to that place in time. "Backfire" was always my favorite song on "Armistice", but that specific album as a whole, reminds me of driving to and from my boring job in the winter of 2009 when it was snowing in Houston. I jammed MuteMath in my car constantly and ate @ a taco truck daily near my job that winter.

It was actually a happy & simpler time in my life and i listened to this record constantly at that period of time. Not only am I STILL a big Mutenath fan, I own & love every album they have released, but every time I listen to "Armistice" I'm transported back to that place in time when things were easy and I become incredibly nostalgic......and hungry for tacos - The POWER of Music!

Foster The People - "Supermodel" album Review

Talk about a sophomore slump ! This record is NOWHERE near as good as their debut album was! "Torches" is a great album with back-to-back hit singles, including the over-played single, "Pumped up kicks". It also made them very famous world-wide, people grabbed onto this so fast and now you can't go anywhere without hearing their music. Every song on that record was Billboard Chart-worthy; they packed so much innovation, creativity, and amazing musicality into one album. Soon, what was just  an underground indie band from Los Angeles, became a HUGE success playing sold-out international tours and 2 Warped Tours.

However, Foster the People made the classic mistake of trying to go in a different direction musically when their current style was working fine. If it ain't broke - don't fix it ! Their first record was so good, you could just play it on a loop at a party. This new record is almost hard to listen to; they made the exact same mistake that MGMT just made on their second album. They slowed down their popular, up-tempo, indie/electro sound and catchy melodies and decided to release a slow, ominous and dark album; "Supermodel". It does have some catchy choruses and cool bridges, but all in all, it's terrible! I give "Supermodel" a 3/10. In fact, there are only two songs on the entire record worth listening to: "Best Friend" and "Coming of Age".

I don't know why Foster the People changed their format musically on this album but i hope they redeem themselves on their next one. "Torches" set the bar high so i had high expectations for this record and I am definitely disappointed..

True Blood Season 7 Promo

I am trying to catch up on "True Blood". I just watched the full season 6 in two sittings. It's nice to watch shows like that in back-to-back episodes, rather than watching them as they're released and stuck on each week's episode cliffhanger. Usually I don't  have the will power to wait until the season is over and then watch it consecutively with no waiting. However, due to work and other life stuff, I stopped watching after season 5. Seeing as how the 7th and final season is almost over too; I'm just going to wait for it to  finish and then download the whole season it so I can watch it at my leisure just like season 6 - which was awesome!

In Season 6, the government tries to commit genocide against the vampire population and "Bill" (or "Billeth") ends up being the hero and not the villain everyone thought he was going to be.Every season there are characters killed off and new ones introduced; season 6 included the deaths of "Terry", "Steve Newland" (finally!) 3 out 4 of "Andy Belflor's" 1/2 fairy daughters and the unfortunate death of "Eric's" super hot vampire sister, "Nora". Not to mention, there are plenty of new characters introduced this season both human AND vampires.

 This is one of my favorite TV shows and it's sad to see the series end after 7 amazing seasons. But i would agree the show has run it's course and there's not much more that can be done with the story line without changing the show completely. I'm going to wait until this Final season is over and post a review of the series as whole.