Dragonball Evolution Review

Dragonball EvolutionDirected by: James Wong

Written by: Ben Ramsey

Starring: Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun-Fat, Emmy Rossum, Jamie Chung, James Marsters, Randall Duk Kim, Joon Park, Ernie Hudson

Asian culture has had a massive influence on North America over the past decade and a half, to the point where nearly every popular children’s animated series is now either being imported from Japan or created in the same art style, virtually every horror movie is required to have creepy children in it, and the majority of action movies made since The Matrix has tried to emulate the same slick martial arts choreography. Now the latest trend in Hollywood has producers trying to repackage some of the biggest Japanese animated series as live action films, and it seems only appropriate that Dragonball is one of the first to find its way to the big screen.
Based on the manga by Akira Toriyama, Dragonball mixes martial arts, Chinese mythology and science-fiction to create an addictive soap opera of epic proportions. While the show never became truly mainstream here in North America, it was certainly popular enough to receive a big budget feature film adaptation. The thing is, it probably should have happened a lot sooner, because Dragonball was at the height of its popularity back in the late ’90s. It also probably shouldn’t have come from a Hollywood studio because they clearly do not have a firm grasp on the source material. The end result is something that is only going to anger fans while completely baffling the uninitiated.
Justin Chatwin stars as Goku, a socially awkward high school student who is being trained as a martial artist by his grandfather (Randall Duk Kim) and told strange stories of aliens who tried to destroy the world 2000 years ago. On his 18th birthday, his grandfather gives him an ancient artifact known as a Dragonball and asks him to keep it safe. Little does he know that the evil Lord Piccolo, who was imprisoned 2000 years ago, has escaped and is now trying to recover all seven Dragonballs in order to grant him the wish of a magical dragon. When Goku returns home from a party one night he finds his house destroyed and his grandfather dying. He must seek the help of a Master Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat), and collect the Dragonballs using a tracking device invented by his new acquaintance Bulma (Emmy Rossum).
For the most part, Dragonball Evolution is a blur of stale CGI, terrible art design, and painful dialogue. More importantly, it has absolutely no relation to the Dragonball that I’m familiar with. The fact that they chose to give it the hip and meaningless subtitle “Evolution” (because, you know, it sounds cool) speaks volumes about this film.

Their first mistake was setting the movie in something resembling the real world. I guess they wanted to hook viewers with a universal high school story shaping Goku as a nerd who is picked on by bullies and has a crush on a girl who is out of his league. Unfortunately this has been done so many times before that it feels awfully cliched, and to make matters worse, Goku gets revenge on the bullies within the first ten or fifteen minutes, rendering his entire character arc obsolete. Justin Chatwin’s acting is so wooden that all of these early scenes are painful to watch, and he also has an arrogance about him that makes him completely unlikeable. They really needed to cast someone like Shia LaBeouf, Tobey Maguire or heck even Ralph Macchio if they had any hope of working that angle.
Fortunately, high school is left behind pretty quickly… unfortunately, the movie goes on to become an incoherent mess. I’ll be the first to admit that Dragonball is a pretty silly concept on paper, but it certainly deserved better treatment than this. Even with a nonsensical plot, they still could have maintained the spirit of Dragonball if they had captured the long build-ups and the grand scale of the fights. Instead we are lead from one random CG backdrop to another, stopping for a quick, uninspired fight at each step of the way.
If only the movie could have offered up a few decent action sequences, all may have been forgiven. Director James Wong previously did the 2001 Matrix knockoff The One starring Jet Li, but the action in Dragonball Evolution doesn’t even measure up to that. All of the fights are either short choreographed sequences of punches and kicks delivered by actors who are simply going through the motions, or uninteresting gun fights. The fact that the movie is rated PG (not even PG-13!) tells you just how tame the action really is.
As for the final battle, which should have been absolutely epic, it ends up being mired in a cloud of lazy digital effects. It was initially believed that the budget for the movie was $100 million, but recent reports put it closer to the $45 million range, a figure that doesn’t really surprise me. Everything looks and feels cheap, from Piccolo’s ridiculous green make-up to the sparse sets and digital environments. It’s too bad that Stephen Chow couldn’t contribute more in his producer role, since his own movie Kung Fu Hustle is one of the few things that made me think Dragonball could actually work as a live action flick.
In the end, it comes as no surprise that Dragonball Evolution is a terrible movie. It seems like Fox has been trying to hide it from the public for so long now, and the lack of marketing only proves that they had no confidence in it whatsoever. The foreign market is probably what they are most interested in, since they released it overseas a full month earlier than North America. However, this movie is so ill-conceived and so far removed from the source material that I can’t see anyone being satisfied, least of all the original audience for the manga and anime. It’s absolutely dreadful...

Raphael Saadiq: The Way I See It

Some might say the quality of music is on the decline. If you look at the current top ten songs on the U.S. billboard charts, you can see why this is said. Many of the songs, without naming them, are superficial, filled with electronically produced rhythms, computer altered voices, and repetitive themes. Increasingly, however, there’s a resurgence of music produced that strays away from the generic tunes heard on the radio today and tries to recapture what music sounded like in the past. Among the artists who have done this are Alice Smith, Leigh Jones, Fiona Apple, Christina Aguilera, Solange Knowles, Amy Winehouse, and recently Raphael Saadiq (former member of the R&B group known as Tony! Toni! Toné!). On his latest album, ‘The Way I See It,’ Raphael tries to capture the sounds of 60's and 70's soul and R&B, drawing inspiration from The Temptations, Al Green, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and The Four Tops, among others. The first track starts off with “Sure Hope You Mean It,” which has Raphael singing about a woman whom he hopes is true to her word when she says she loves him. As soon as the song starts, you can’t help but tap your fingers against the nearest surface and bob your head to the infectious rhythm and beat. The song stays true to its roots, which gives the impression that perhaps you’re listening to a recording done forty years ago. The album continues in the same style and momentum for several tracks with “100 Yard Dash”, “Keep Marchin”, and “Big Easy”, a deceptively up-tempo song that deals with the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. Listening to these tracks will genuinely make you want to swing and shift your hips, evoking images (and perhaps memories) of people in afros and jerri curls, dressing fashionably in silk clothing, doing the same in fun abandon. Whether intentional or not, ‘The Way I See It’ brings out a deep sense of nostalgia. “Calling” is the first of two ballads in ‘The Way I See It,’ a song that has Raphael pleading for his lady-love to pick up the phone. Saadiq’s voice shines on this track, sounding earnest and passionate without overdoing it. Interestingly, the song has elements of Spanish, which makes the track stand out and grab the listener’s attention. What truly makes ‘The Way I See It’ remarkable is that almost every track (with the exception of the 12th one which is a Sam Cooke cover) is original, created from the ground-up. This is quite an achievement that should not be overlooked. In addition, the album never sounds repetitive - although many of the songs deal with love, Raphael explores the different aspects of it, creating catchy hooks in the process such as on the track “Staying In Love.” Sings Saadiq: “Falling in love can be easy/ Staying in love is too tricky.” Only one minor flaw can be found in Raphael’s album and that is perhaps on the last track, which is a remix. The song features Jay-Z rapping, which makes the track seem a bit out of place in a Motown-sounding album. Raphael probably stands on the overlooked side of the recording industry, most likely because he does not give in to what’s popular in mainstream music today. ‘The Way I See It’ is no doubt this year’s masterpiece of the R&B music genre and can be seen as a true test for what people really want to hear. Would this album be dismissed or recognized for it’s achievement in capturing the essence of Motown? It would be interesting to see what answer time will give us.

Karina Pasian: First Love

Move over Ciara and Rihanna because theirs a 90’s baby on the music scene and her sound is infectious. Her name is Karina Pasian and Def Jam records have definitely scored music cool points when they signed her. While Karina is already being compared to the likes of Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey, no offense but if you listen to her debut album entitled “First Love” you will find that Karina is in a class of her own. This seventeen year old is socially, and musically conscious. I don’t remember the last twenty-five year old taking on such a huge task in their debut album let alone a seventeen year old. When most people are still being potty trained at the age of three. Karina was singing and playing piano. On Karina’s MySpace page she describes the first time she sang in front of an audience. “I sang Celine Dion’s “My Heart will go on” at a talent show. I was kind of nervous, but the audience loved it.” Well Karina I have news for you, your audience has grown tremendously and we love it. It’s funny that a seventeen year old would open an album with a track entitled “90’s Baby” because when you listen to Karina, that’s exactly where her music takes you; back to the juggernaut of the 90’s music scene. With the second track Karina takes a stand and puts young boys in check with “Baby Baby.” One line in the track say’s she’s “not another toy in your toy box, and your eyes don’t make me fine.” “Can’t find the Words” talks about trying to communicate with someone you’re in love with and it’s hard to say what‘s on her mind, and to find the right words is going to take sometime. Karina is a soulful songstress and she proves it in her “16 At War” track. This song makes a statement and pose’s a question for inner city communities. She takes on all the stress, pressure, and responsibility that a teenager has to go through growing up in the ghetto and somehow puts in perspective. The first verse opens up with theirs no daddies where she’s from just mad mothers. And why is she disrespected by someone who she should call brother. This song is very reminiscent of the soulful socially conscious Marvin Gaye. I think Karina set out on a daunting task to make people aware of what’s going on around them and not just to sell records. I find it is commendable that a seventeen year old has picked up the civil rights torch and has carried it over the generation finish line. With her passion for music, Karina has simply took her “First Love” and instantly made a name for herself. This album is a must have for every generation and every fan of music.

Colby O’Donis: Colby O

Colby O’Donis, although only 19, has a resume equivalent to a veteran in the music industry. Reportedly singing before learning how to talk, at the age of eight his parents, both of Puerto Rican descent, relocated from Queens, New York to Orlando, Florida to focus more on his music career. Quickly he learned how to play the guitar and at age nine he was already working with production and song writing teams, most notably Full Force, a production team that has worked with James Brown, Patti Labelle, Britney Spears, Lisa Lisa, Cult Jam and many others. His most notable work during this period was having a song entitled “Mouse in The House” included in the ‘Stuart Little’ soundtrack and working with Michael Jackson. Now Colby is signed to Konvict Muzik (Akon’s record label) and has an album of his own, entitled ‘Colby O.’ Despite Colby O’Donis’ impressive amount of experience, his debut album doesn’t reflect that same realism. The album starts off with “What You Got,” perhaps the best track, which has received pretty good air play in the U.S. The song is quite catchy with an up-tempo beat and Colby’s voice goes along well with the tune. The second track, “Sophisticated Bad Girl,” doesn’t do much for the listener. The lyrics are jarringly repetitive and the beat unexciting, forcing one to skip to another track. However much of Colby’s album sounds this way. There isn’t much variety between each track, challenging the listener’s motivation to continue listening to the album. It almost seems as if Akon (whose influence on the album’s creation is prevalent) and Colby where in over their heads when they created ‘Colby O;’ unsure how to tap into Colby’s potential. What makes this even more apparent is Colby’s vocal abilities. Colby sounds the same in nearly every track, very rarely, if ever, is his vocal abilities challenged. It is quite obvious that Colby, with his boyish good looks and taste for the latest clothing in fashion, is hoping to cash in from the teenage female market. No doubt he will, but with an album as uninspiring as ‘Colby O,’ for how long? Even crushes tend to die down, and unless Colby doesn’t put in a greater effort, he’ll know what it feels like to watch his fans swoon over another artist.

Jazmine Sullivan: Fearless

When ‘Fearless’ begins, the first thing you’ll notice about Jazmine Sullivan is her voice. It’s smooth and husky, bringing to mind the image of velvet passing along your skin. What makes her sound even more alluring is the amount of conviction she fills her words with. Each line she belts out is strong and passionate, pulling the listener close until every emotion Jazmine conveys is felt and experienced. It takes some music artists their whole careers to reach this level of depth and at only twenty-one years old, Jazmine is already nearly there. It’s quite ironic, then, that Jazmine used to be teased because of her voice. Growing up in North Philadelphia, Jazmine lived inside Strawberry Mansion because of her father’s position as a curator. Says the singer, “I did not want to be different, but everything about me was. I lived in a mansion in the ghetto, and I was self-conscious about my voice.” During much of her younger years, Jazmine sung at her local church, even being offered a recording contract to sing gospel music, but she turned it down; not ready yet to take such a major step. Eventually she decided she wanted to explore genres of music other than gospel, so her mother began making her listen to classics such as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Donny Hathaway. “This was during the age of hip-hop,” says Sullivan, “so I wasn’t into it at first, but I soon began to appreciate it.” Listening to ‘Fearless’, it is clear that Jazmine was heavily influenced by her exposure to various music. “Bust Your Windows,” the first track off her album, is an example of that. With an orchestral sound, Jazmine sings about trashing her lover’s car windows after discovering him with another woman. “I bust the windows out ya car/ You should feel lucky that’s all I did,” she croons on the track. On “Lions, Tigers, & Bears,” one of the album’s stand out tracks, Jazmine sings about being unafraid of everything except loving another. The beat compliments Jazmine’s voice quite well, the trumpet, piano, and violins give the song a magical quality, reminiscent of Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’, where part of the hook is taken from. Throughout the album, Sullivan makes sure the listener understands that she’s not to be messed with. “I wish I never saw your punk a**,” she sings on “Live a Lie,” a song that has Jazmine singing about making the mistake of spending the night with a lover. Or in “Call Me Guilty,” when she says, fed up with her abusive relationship, “I’m sitting contemplating/Is it worth it?/ Should I take it?/ Take that shot and change my life/ Get that glock and take his life.” It’s lyrics like these that makes one wonder if she’s this badass in real life, but on tracks such as “Fear” and “Need U Bad,” Jazmine exposes her softer side, reassuring the listener that she’s not as tough as she seems. The only flaw that may be found on ‘Fearless’ is the third track, “My Foolish Heart,” which can sound repetitive after a while. Other than that, the album is a strong debut. With her voice, talent, and taste for music, Jazmine is already marking her territory and showing that she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Quiet Nights (CD)

DISC 1 for Quiet Nights (CD) Album By Diana Krall (Artist) Listen

1 Where Or When

2 Too Marvelous For Words

3 I've Grown Accustomed To His Face

4 Boy From Impanema, The

5 Walk On By

6 You're My Thrill

7 Este Seu Olhar

8 So Nice

9 Quiet Nights

10 Guess I'll Hange My Tears Out To Dry

11 How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

12 Everytime We Say Goodbye

Twilight (CD)

INCLUDES:
1 Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
2 Decode - Paramore
3 Full Moon - The Black Ghosts
4 Leave Out All The Rest - Linkin Park
5 Spotlight [Twilight Mix] - Mutemath/Mute Math (mix)
6 Go All The Way (Into The Twilight) - Perry Farrell
7 Tremble For My Beloved - Collective Soul
8 I Caught Myself - Paramore
9 Eyes On Fire - Blue Foundation
10 Never Think - Rob Pattinson
11 Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine
12 Bella's Lullaby - Carter Burwell

'Guitar Hero' and Metallica

In a few hours, Kirk Hammett and the rest of Metallica will take the stage at Stubb's in Austin,Texas. It's South By Southwest weekend and there are thousands of fans already lined up outside Stubb's—an outdoor, gravel-floored venue about half the size of a high school soccer field—and amassed atop a parking garage across the street, hoping to catch the "secret" show when it happens later tonight.

At the moment, the guitarist ranked #11 out of Rolling Stone's 100 greatest is calmly sipping herbal tea in a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel. Kirk Hammett is here to talk about video games. The SXSW gig and their impending induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may be capturing mainstream headlines, but Metallica's triumphant resurgence, which began last September with the release of "Death Magnetic," is getting an emphatic boost from the rise of music gaming.

Released March 29 for Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3, "Guitar Hero: Metallica" is the latest in Activision's insanely popular "Guitar Hero" franchise. Using the Guitar Hero World Tour full-band package, up to four players can assume Metallica's entire lineup, shredding Hammett's solos, roaring with James Hetfield's vocals, crashing the kit as drummer Lars Ulrich, and unleashing Robert Trujillo's bass lines.

"When you watch it, it is us playing the song," Hammett says. "It's Lars doing his whole theatrical drumming sorta deal, it's James with his swagger, you know, it's me with my weird sort of head-banging style, and it's Rob with his particular heavy-handed approach. Really, it's there."

As a parting shot, Hammett addresses the online petition to remaster the band's 2008 record, "Death Magnetic." As of March 31, 2009, 20,120 fans are clamoring for a better CD version, which they claim sounds inferior to the version released on "Guitar Hero."

"I haven't really sat down and done much comparison, but you know, people are always gonna..." Like a diplomat, Hammet rephrases his response as both criticism and compliment. "Lemme just put it this way: Our fans are always gonna find something that they're not satisfied with, and they're gonna pick it to pieces. [That] tells me they just want more from us, and they're gonna do anything or say anything to get more. And I'm totally fine with that."

Jonathan Zwickel writes about music for the Seattle Times and is working on a biography of the Beastie Boys.