Blogcritics Category: Books: Entertainment

Book Review: Don't Stop Believin' - How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life by Brian Raftery

Anna Creech — Mon, 5 Jan 2009 21:24:19 EST

An engaging exploration of the history and culture of karaoke through one man's life and experiences.
Sitting in the auditorium talking to the music director while the high school musical cast took a break from rehearsal, I remarked that I couldn't imagine how anyone had the nerve to perform on that huge stage. I had auditioned for a part in the annual musical the year prior, and I still hadn't gotten over how awful it was to sing, albeit...

Book Review: Please Please Me by Gordon Thompson and Dusty! Queen of the Postmods by Annie J. Randall

Holly Hughes — Sun, 4 Jan 2009 08:20:32 EST

Two college professors dissect the music of the 1960s British Invasion, with varying results.
I’ll admit it, there’s always at least one book about British pop culture on my bedside table, whether it’s a tell-all Beatles bio or some esoteric volume of Kinks arcana. We navel-gazing boomers love to read about our own pop past, which is probably why the normally sober Oxford University Press has seen fit to publish these two...

Book Review - You Idiot: The First Book by Nate Gangelhoff

Alyse Wax — Sat, 3 Jan 2009 19:04:57 EST

A reprint of some not-too-old zines, full of bizarre and irreverent product reviews.
Once upon a time, in the magical land of the 1990s, there was a DIY trend towards zines (independently-published booklets have been around for decades, but came into their own on the 1970s punk scene – the movement was popularized as the years went on). Zines were (and still are, to a lesser extent) small, independently-published magazines...

Book Review: Smart Blonde - Dolly Parton by Stephen Miller

Anna Creech — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:27:45 EST

This unauthorized biography may satisfy inquiring minds until Parton finishes her impending autobiography.
In his acknowledgments, author Stephen Miller makes it clear that his book, Smart Blonde: Dolly Parton, is not an authorized biography of the singer, songwriter, and actress. Despite not being able to interview Parton or most of her closest associates for the book, he has been able to gather an impressive collection of anecdotes and factual...

Book Review: The B List - The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-Budget Beauties, Genre-Bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love by David Sterritt and John Anderson

Alyse Wax — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:39:17 EST

A subpar collection of essays on "B-List" movies.
The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-Budget Beauties, Genre-Bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love is a collection of essays on some of the most influential, bizarre, and low-brow films in history. Edited by David Sterritt and John Anderson, contributors include David Ansen, Jami Bernard, Roger Ebert, Carrie Rickey,...

Book Review: Don't Stop Believin' - How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life by Brian Raftery

Glen Boyd — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:38:02 EST

A great gift for that friend of yours prone to singing badly at parties and other forms of lampshade wearing fun.
Go on admit it. You love Karaoke. No? Well okay, but you've at least done it. Everybody has at least once, right?There is just something inherently irresistible about the opportunity to play rock star for one night in front of a room full of your mostly drunken friends. Can't sing? No problem. As Brian Raftery points out in Don't Stop Believin':...

Book Review: Debunked! Conspiracy Theories, Urban Legends, and Evil Plots of the 21st Century by Richard Roeper

Nathaniel Edwards — Tue, 2 Dec 2008 23:54:29 EST

The vast liberal media conspiracy presents the book Debunked!, one the Illuminati actually want you to know about!
The 21st century has already graced us with tons and tons of conspiracy theories, hoaxes, and myths. We have the internet to thank in large part for at least the distribution end of these falsehoods, but then we also have Snopes.com, which tries to nip those theories and what-not in the bud. This book, from columnist and movie critic Richard...

Book Review: Shock Festival by Stephen Romano

The Masked Movie Snobs — Tue, 2 Dec 2008 02:04:16 EST

�101 of the strangest, sleaziest, most outrageous movies you�ve never seen.�
Written by Fantasma el Rey B-movie nut/screenwriter Stephen Romano has put together a nifty 356-page color book salute to “101 of the strangest, sleaziest, most outrageous movies you’ve never seen” of the late 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s from an alternative universe. He along with comic artist/film designer Tim Bradstreet...

Music Review: Guns n' Roses, Cryonic Temple, Crystal Eyes, Symphony X, Uli Jon Roth, Weapons of Musical Defence, and Bible of the Devil

Marty Dodge — Mon, 1 Dec 2008 09:16:08 EST

Axl's solo, rather GnR release, lots of power metal, a concept album against Jihad and a few other things.
What a week! We have the much anticipated new Guns n' Roses to behold. Can all that time and money produce something of brilliance. Other than GnR I seem to have hit on a theme of power prog/metal this week. No reason, it just seemed to happen.CD ReviewsGuns n’ Roses: Chinese DemocracyWell one thing can be said for this album and title...

Graphic Novel Review: The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror: Dead Man's Jest

Alyse Wax — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 08:42:03 EST

An unimpressive collection of a dozen Simpsons Halloween tales
Say what you will about The Simpsons: while it may not live up to its former glory, I still love the show, and have since day one. I have also been wise enough to stay away from comic books that capitalize on The Simpsons but woefully miss the mark. I thought I would give The Simpsons Tree House of Horror: Dead Man's Jest a shot - after all, I...