Did These Critics Go Too Far?
Another week of movies and music, another week of harsh reviews form the critics.
In music, Bruno Mars returned with his sophomore album, "Unorthodox Jukebox," a mashup of musical styles that, according to the AP, "dabbles in a different genre." For all of his efforts to mix up his sound and appeal to a range of musical tastes, the album received a few negative remarks for songs that lacked the lyrical quality of his debut album.
The Game faced a different issue with "Jesus Piece," due to the fact his vocal delivery didn't match the overall energy of the project. Big Boi's "Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors" was a praised for its fresh take on the hip-hop sound as well as the emcee's funk-inspired sound. Finally, Green Day completed their trio of albums with the release of "?TRE!" Though the three album project was a valiant effort, it seems that the final addition to the groups catalog failed to be work even a second listen.
With a questionably long run-time and a slow narrative compared to the actual novel, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" greatly underwhelmed some critics. "Stand Up Guys" proved to be a predictable comedy that offered a few hearty laughs as well as a soulful soundtrack of tunes that added a little nostalgia "from the days of its leads' primes," said critic Alan Scherstuhl. An inspiring performance from Alan Cummings in "Any Day Now" overcame a narrative that was at times too "sappy," while "Save the Date" just didn't capitalize on the acting abilities of it's talented characters.
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As always, we have gathered all of this week's reviews in the slideshow below. Do you agree with the critics? Tell us in the comments section.
"Unorthodox Jukebox" - Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is a talented chap, he's forced to demean his abilities by echoing other artists' former glories on Unorthodox Jukebox, whose title all but gives the game away.
"Jesus Piece" - The Game
'Jesus Piece' can't even make the playoff, thanks to Game's airless delivery.
"Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors" - Big Boi
In his quest to impress, Big Boi short-changes the street-level swagger that always kept his partner Andre 3000 here on Earth.
"?TRE!,"
I wish I could close the book on ?Uno!, ?Dos!, and ?Tré! with a more favorable assessment than a resounding, Eh, it was ok.
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
It's one thing to sit on your couch watching football in HD. It's another to view one of literature's most enduring fantasies in the same manner. The experience that felt so breathtakingly cinematic in Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" series now seems frustratingly fake.
"Stand Up Guys"
But by the end, the feeling the movie inspires isn't suspense but relief: Thank God that the producers behind "Grumpy Old Men" and "The Sunshine Boys" didn't yet have Viagra to joke about.
"Any Day Now"
The film's title suggests the wry irony of hindsight: We've come a long way, baby, but we're not there yet. Any Day Now could do with a little more of that astringent humor and a little less sap.
"Save the Date"
Whether it's Caplan and Webber trading goofy dance moves or Brie being perkily OCD-ridden, Date works best as a collection of winsome, unconnected vignettes; its ideal distribution model would be piece by piece on YouTube.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
