#new review

[midnight-star-world]

#CountryMusic

Darius Rucker - Carolyn's Boy

So today on the MSR (Midnight Star Review), I would like to talk about the latest album from Country Music Singer Darius Rucker. The new album is titled "Carolyn's boy" and was released On Friday October 6th, 2023. But before we dive into the new 14 track project. Let's talk about the Country Music Career of Darius Rucker first.

Some of the biggest hits from Darius include songs like "Wagon wheel" which features his buddies from Lady A, "It won't be like this for long", & "Come back song". And a few more hits from Darius include songs also like "Alright", "Don't think I don't think about it", & "If I told you". He was also Hootie from Hootie & The Blowfish. He has scored 3 number ones on my weekly lists MSR (Midnight Star Report) which combines both CMT (Country Music Television), the Billboard Country Music Airplay Charts, & even myself. The list also used to include GAC (Great American Country) until the list officially retired at the end of 2018. But before we dive too far off track, let's jump back into this new CD and show you some of the highlights I hear.

The current single from the CD is titled "Fires don't start themselves", and a former number one from another project as well "Beers and sunshines". Other songs you should check out are "In this together", "Never been over", & "Ol' church hymm" featuring Chapel Hart. Other songs I liked were "Have a good time", "Sure would have loved her", & "Southern comfort". Darius co-wrote 11 out of 14 tracks from the new project, and he had help from John Osborne (Brothers Osborne), & Michael Hardy (Hardy). The stand out tracks in my opinion are "7 days", "3am in Carolina", "Lift me up", & "Stargazing". Here is the rest of the track list up next.

Track list.

Beers and sunshine.

In this together.

Never been over.

Fires don't start themselves.

Ol' church hymm (Featuring Chapel Hart).

7 days.

Same beer different problem.

Sara.

Have a good time.

Sure would have loved her.

Southern comfort.

3 am in Carolina.

Lift me up.

Stargazing.

And that's a wrap for the track list. And on the MSR (Midnight Star Review), I would give this album a 4.75 out of 5 stars. The biggest question I have with the album is why are we revisiting "Beers and sunshine". But it is a very good album overall and Darius still in my opinion has one of the best voices in Country Music. Thanks for taking the time to read this review. See ya all next time.

[hannahwatcheshorror]

A QUIET PLACE (2018)

💁‍♀️💁‍♀️Strong Female Lead(s)

A cinematically aesthetic film brought to you by America’s sweetheart John Krasinski starring him and his British wife Emily Blunt. The sense of self that is lost with these characters since they can no longer speak (safely) is immense, juxtaposed by a character who would be unable to speak regardless of apocalypse status makes it resonate all the more. A good horror movie is about the monsters we’ve become, the horror we’ve put each other through. This movie never forgets about the relationship between the characters. I had a lot of questions/concerns about the creatures from the movie though.

⭐⭐⭐.5

Here is the thing. I have strong feelings about this movie because I wish so badly that I could find a way to make John Krasinski’s character live. I sat here and I wrote lie after lie in review after review (like, two) that just didn’t feel right because A Quiet Place is a fine movie, it is just very frustrating. The first 10 minutes set the movie up for some high expectations by giving us more questions than answers. Emily Blunt and John Krasinski (married couple in this movie too, aw) have three kids in this brave new world. A misunderstanding with the (deaf) sister putting batteries in the youngest brother's toy becomes a cautionary tale as we watch in slow motion the hellhound removes the tot from this mortal plane. Fade out to title and over 400 days later, there is no explanation on how the rest of the family escaped unscathed which raises so many more questions for me and made me falsely believe that things weren’t as bad as they seemed. I really believed that the sound hounds were just sort of big, dumb, sharp dogs. (My general confusion on the creatures is why I took stars away. I know there were lots of news articles but they all just said, “Ah, we are so scared, run away!”)

We get introduced to the family farm, it is very quiet and nice (did I mention quiet?). They have a lot of little things they do to reduce noise but it is very difficult for me to track what is or isn’t too much noise (the intro sequence said Loud Toy = Bad but Walking Around = Fine, right?). They are living that basement life but it also seems a lot like a good way to have one of those blind motherfuckers fall into the basement and not really be able to get their way out (well, I was sort of right, though I guess one of them found the stairs at some point). 

I have NO idea how Emily blunt fully gives birth in a tub silently. The bathtub is one of the most echoey places on earth. The sound effects would have been disgusting (if not hilarious) but we are to believe that she did this, alone, in pain, and completely silently? Shenanigans! I call shenanigans! I’m sorry! Even if you give her the pass and say that Emily held it together and didn’t make any grunts or groans, her body and that baby sure would have! Anyway I have no idea how those creepy crawlers didn’t hear peep one out of that bathroom and everything with that went peaches and afterbirth but it did somehow (and her doing laundry earlier in the day was more harrowing).

Another important scare to note, the children jumped into a grain silo at one point and (at first) I thought that was very cool, something I always thought of when I saw silos in passing, but then the kids started to sink. Like quicksand. Which I did NOT know was a thing. Google told me it is called grain entrapment/engulfment and what a HORRIFYING way to die. No joking here, drowning in corn was not even a possibility, at least I thought, until this movie, now it’s pretty high up there in “Ways I Don’t Want To Die.”

The relationship between the children and the dad was very sweet, especially since we didn’t get to see them together for long before he made the ultimate sacrifice. I wished so badly he would have moved while yelling, I have it in my mind that those googly mooglies are really bad at hearing when they are making a lot of noise themselves and it was making such a ruckus on the truck that it would run towards John and then get lost somewhere in the middle between John and the kids in the truck and if everyone stayed QUIET in the PLACE maybe our dear Mr. Director could have survived for the sequel? Just me? I was mad at this movie for years because I was so sure he could have avoided death but as I was getting screenshots for the review I was looking at the creatures and had to rethink things quite a bit…

Things finally kick off when the daughter realizes her hearing aid shrieking is the only thing that hurts the spindly bastards so she amplifies it with the speakers/coms they have and EB blows its head off with a shotgun (that one's for her husband, bitch). Now they know they can kill the beasties and the hunted have become the hunters, y’all! Strap that baby on your back and let's get to killin’! Yee Haw! But in all seriousness the film ends on a very hopeful note which is good considering the night's events (very positive parenting, I think Em is gonna be a good single mother). Still sad John is dead (but I can still feel his spirit, just beyond the camera, I mean, grave), but trying to come to terms with it as apparently the family has.

[musicftmisfits]

Album: Middle Child Syndrome - listen to me

Middle Child Syndrome is the musical moniker of Matt Mueller, the Milwaukee-based singer and songwriter who just released his debut album 'listen to me'. The debut is a collection of craftly written indie rock tracks!

Middle Child Syndrome is the musical moniker of Matt Mueller, the Milwaukee-based singer and songwriter who just released his debut album ‘listen to me’. The debut is a collection of craftly written indie rock tracks! Middle Child Syndrome is a solo project showcasing that a one man band can still deliver on extensive soundscapes blending different genres and inspirations. His DIY approach…

[awkwardmations]

New Trailer just dropped???!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

[ravennowithtea]

Tumblr Top 3 for 2023

Links to original posts:

Three Panel Comic - Breakfast [link]

Happy Longest Night [link]

Gale & Tara [link]

[sheltiechicago]

South African artist Nakhane talks to the New Review about their fractured childhood, conversion therapy, death threats – and making their queerest album yet.

Photograph: Suki Dhanda/The Observer

[the-joy-of-knowledge]

25 Laws of power for women

Conceal your goals especially the ones that are appealing. Losing weight, reinventing yourself, marrying wealthy. Instead talk about your altruistic goals - to help children, invest in education, this will chase insecure people with vile intentions.

Do not give anyone your source of power: Was is a book that changed your life? a mentor? a movie? Never give up your secret to success. If forced to do say allude to God, the universe, the a random phenomenon

Use the patriarchy to your favor; we live in a world that is, only associate with men who have power, use that power for good.

Never appear too perfect but be selectively vulnerable when needed. Only share something that you will be comfortable saying. You might say “I forget my keys all the time,” “I don’t know how to perfectly park a car “. But never disclose something you are not comfortable with just because you are afraid of being perfect.

Maintain distance in relationships. Friends are the best and you need them. But if you feel that they are becoming too dependent, see them at your own will. But also the reverse could be the case. Your friend may keep a distance, and that is the way of life. You have got to move on from it.

Develop your own style that makes you unique, beautiful, and elegant. Avoid trying to fit in the crowd of people who claim to care less about their style yet have too many opinions about other women’s style

Avoid male friends at all cost, you will have male colleagues, male bosses, male acquaintances, business partners. Keep it that way. You do not want a Truman Capote divulging your secrets to the world. Do not keep a man who does not fit your standard.

You do not have to win at every game. Pick and choose what is best for you and leave room for others. And step down if you have attained that level of success, do not let the society do it for you.

Trust people but remember that we are all humans. So trust with discretion!

Confuse people with kindness; people are not always comfortable with beautiful and intelligent women. That power is too intimidating so confuse them by being genuinely generous, curious, kind, and passionate.

Keep your strong opinions to yourself.. if you support a movement, a way of life, do so silently.

We all have dirty laundry, wash them privately, don’t expose yourself. Remain silent when people try to attack you or shame you. Whatever is not confirmed is not true. You are the only one who knows all the truth about you.

Don’t attract pity or praise: People who pity you do not help you, in fact they might think that you are weak and could mock you at their annual gossipping meeting. And if you are doing things for the sake of praise you are wasting your time.

Choose yourself all the time; never put any one’s feelings above yours.

Trust your own intuition if you feel someone is being malicious towards you, giving you back handed compliments then you should let them go

Never speak bad of another woman. Do not lazy around gossipping. Keep your hands clean and your conscience clear.

Avoid women with low self esteem they will bring you down. For some reason they do not like seeing other women who are doing better than them

Be careful who you seek validation from. Not everyone needs to be pleased. If they are in no way capable of contributing to your life in the ways you prefer, then don’t ask them for their opinions or please them.

Do not compete with other women, if you do you are only putting them on a pedestal. You are making the the standard by which you measure your progress. If you do compete, begin digging your grave.

Do not give unsolicited advice, do not share the inner workings of your mind, If your mouth is very charitable you better start journaling.

Be well-rounded and interesting. It attracts people. It also keeps you busy because you are continually improving and learning. An idle mind is an easily subdued one.

Avoid women who want to live vicariously through you; they want to know who you know, shop where you shop, befriend who you befriend, wear what you wear.

Pay attention to the source of your discomfort; get rid of them. You tell them your dreams and they remind you of all your hindrances. They ask why are you dressed so fancy as though fancy isn’t subjective. They undermine you interests and goals. They will also be quick to bring you down because they are afraid of your potential.

Do not fear power or please power. When we see powerful people we try to hard to befriend them, to be close to them but you need to be comfortable without them. Don’t push yourself in the name of friendship, do not try too hard to be in their inner circle. Your independence of mind is the most important. Instead become a powerful woman, aloof to the presence of power but aware of its importance. Be an ingenious and intelligent and use your creativity to uplift yourself. When you do so it will be hard to ignore you. Even the powerful will become an ally.

Enjoy moments of solitude. Use that time to develop yourself, improve your body, learn new skills, create with your mind, read widely, become more elegant, then launch yourself.

Remember the most powerful women are the most intelligent. Inspired by Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power. Use at your discretion.

[hesbuckcompton-baby]

people who don't study history will simply never understand the joy of reading historian beef. there's nothing like it

[shotmrmiller]

being at a haunted house with your friends only to get separated and end up alone in a random room. it looks empty, except for the usual props and you're just taking a moment to catch your breath, wiping your sweaty palms on your jeans only to spot something in the corner shift, realizing that you're not alone.

a guy as broad as the door behind him is in there with you, costume seemingly lower budget than the others (was he called in at the last minute? his mask makes him look more a criminal than whatever the hell he's supposed to be.)

he's a clean two or three heads above yours, his dark clothing making him hard to see, blending in with the jagged shadows created by the red (because red means scary, right?) flickering lights overhead, and he's standing right in front of the quick exit, neon green sign barely grazing the crown of his head. shit.

a sudden, ear-splitting noise activates your fight or flight response and you're out the way you came in a second flat, uncaring that you're running against the flow of traffic, harshly bumping shoulders into both visitors and actors alike, and instinct takes over- without a second thought, you glance back over your shoulder.

the guy you'd bolted from is moving with unsettling purpose your way. the crowd parts around him, letting him gain on you effortlessly, his hulking stature looming larger with every step.

his eyes lock onto yours and your breath snags in your throat- he's a hunter, staring you down through the scope of a rifle, as if you're nothing other than fresh game for him to take home and devour.

you push on even though it feels like you're swimming upstream, his gaze burning into your back like a brand, the icy fear slithering through your veins alive, coiling around your galloping heart, tightening with every ragged breath.

until you hit a dead end. cornered, every instinct screaming for an escape that doesn't exist. and then he's on you, presence overwhelming, reaching a paw-sized hand toward you-

"i thought you guys aren't allowed to touch us?" you choke out, his fingers curling around your wrist and you wonder if he can feel your racing pulse.

his breath warms the side of your throat. "says who, pet? you're free t'stop me." if you can.

(soap and kyle watch him come out with you in hand, looking like you're about to be sick. kyle gives you a water bottle and soap pats your back, telling you that if yer that scared, he'll go with ye next time.)

[aropride]

[midnight-star-world]

Luke Combs - Fathers & Sons

#CountryMusic

So today on the MSR (Midnight Star Review), I will like to talk about the latest album from Country Music Superstar Luke Combs. The new project is titled "Fathers & Sons" and was released on Friday June 14th, 2024. There are 12 tracks on CDs, but before we dive too far off tracks. Let's talk about Luke's career for a bit.

Luke has had major success on all the charts including mine MSR (Midnight Star Report). The MSR combines both CMT (Country Music Television), the Billboard Country Music Airplay Charts, & even myself. Luke has scored 15 number ones on my weekly list. Luke has had huge hits like "Fast car", "Beautiful crazy", & "Where the wild things are". And other hits you may remember are "When it rains it pours", "Ain't no love in Oklahoma", & "One number away". Now before we go too much off, let's jump back into the new album.

Amazon got this album 3 months later. Luke Combs had a hand in co-writting 9 out of 12 tracks. And he also had help from Luke Bryan, & Rhett Akins. No lead single from this project. Songs you should check out are "In case I ain't around", "Huntin' by yourself", & "Remember him that way". And other songs include "The man he sees in me", "All I ever do is leave", & "Ride around Heaven". The stand out songs in my opinion include "Whoever you turn out to be", "My old man was right", & "Take me out to the ballgame". Here is the track list now.

Track list.

Front door famous.

In case I ain't around.

Huntin' by yourself.

Little Country boys.

Whoever you turn out to be.

Remember him that way.

The man he sees in me.

All I ever do is leave.

Plant a seed.

Ride around Heaven.

My old man was right.

Take me out to the ballgame.

And that's a wrap for the track list. And on the MSR (Midnight Star Review), I would give this album a 4.5 out of 5 stars. There are standout tracks, but it didn't seem to be as many tracks as usual Luke Combs Albums. But it a good album if you are a Country Music fan or a Luke Combs, you should pick this up. Thanks for taking the time to read this review. See ya all next time.

[hannahwatcheshorror]

X (2022)

💁‍♀️Strong Female Lead

A sex positive movie with slow pacing in the beginning and middle. Interesting city folk with Southern charm met with creepy old heads in the farmlands. The events are played out realistically enough that you would be concerned about yourself falling prey to most of the characters' fates. I find it more unsettling when it feels like there is less wiggle room in trying to figure out how to survive the events of the film. Yes, there is always the option of choosing a different path than the characters, but say you picked their path, what could you have done within that path and lived. This film also poses an interesting question about trauma and if it begets trauma, if it has to.

⭐⭐⭐.5

“It’ll be our little secret”

I have to admit the movie sort of dragged in the beginning and only really got good in the last 30 minutes or so. There is so much that can be done during the slow build up but I just found myself bored at times with the pacing. It wasn’t until we found out the old woman is Pearl that things got interesting because before that she was just a strange old woman but now, she’s Pearl. We have not yet seen Pearl (as at the time of this movie Pearl has not been made) but the importance here is on establishing her now as a named character. If they would have introduced that just a tad bit earlier I would have been a little less devastated at each death because they felt so random before (like a random, angry, old lady killing people off).

Shout out to RJ who just didn’t have the emotional capacity to say to his girlfriend, Jenna Ortega, “I care about you and our relationship so please don’t make me watch you sleep with another man, close up, and through a camera lens.” He got no support from anyone around him and then was just supposed to go to sleep next to her like nothing happened but he was really sad! So he showered and left but not before he tried to help Pearl out, but she’s being creepy and wants to tongue him and RJ, again, doesn’t have the emotional capacity to say “Hey, while I appreciate that you wanna get all up on this, I just watched my girlfriend sleep with a man with a considerably large dong and it has really messed me up psychologically, I would just like to go home now.” The thing is, Pearl doesn’t have the emotional capacity to say, “Listen, kid, I was supposed to be a big star but life had other plans so now I gotta stab you 6-17 times,” so, instead, she just stabbed him 6-17 times. 

I must say it is very frustrating/sad that both Pearl and her hubby constantly attacked and killed the crew who were very nice and helpful to them, I mean, Brittany Snow offered Pearl her blanket before being death rolled by an alligator that I’m pretty sure Pearl summoned because she was standing on the dock for some time before Britt got there (so she must be a witch). Kid Cudi was bonding with the husband over them both being veterans and got blown away by the shotgun, Jenna Ortega gets locked up with a dead body while trying to help find Pearl, and how come the barn has three crawling level peep holes the same width apart as a pitchfork?

All and all it had good cinematography, it had spooky images, the pacing was not great, the story wasn’t my favorite, but the characters' motivations made sense and felt real. Knowing this is part of a three part series is exciting as it has good building blocks.

[musicftmisfits]

Photo review: Kaeto and Lucia & The Best Boys

What should have been a fun night at Lincoln's The Engine Shed turned into a disaster with late cancellation from rock outfit The Last Dinner Party. Kaeto ended up being our headliner! Photos + text by Alex Brown

Photos + text by Alex Brown What should have been a fun night at Lincoln’s The Engine Shed turned into a disaster with late cancellation from rock outfit The Last Dinner Party. Kaeto ended up being our headliner! The room packed out (to the point it had a feeling of being over-sold with talks of people being crushed and passing out) everyone eagerly anticipating The Last Dinner Party to enter…

[taylornation]

We’re looking back on this year and feeling like we just lived 13 lives? 🤯

Thanks for making it best year yet! 🫶 Also, since today is 123123, we gotta say it… 1, 2, 3, let’s go (to 2024), bitch!

[deimosatellite]

[sheltiechicago]

Lizzo performing at Glasgow Ovo Hydro for Observer New Review.

Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose/The Observer