Tuesday, August 31, 2010

An Official Update From Popped Density's CEO and Founder

I'm too much of a multi-tasker. Even as I write this I'm watching my new Season 13 DVD of The Simpsons, loading a Nostalgia Critic video, and eating popcorn. That's why I have so many damn unfinished series on this blog. There are so many subjects I like that I want to dissect. One of the most ambitious was my Best Original Song series, which amazingly, I did finish. So much satisfaction came from finishing that series that it made me want to finish the others. (And yes, I know I still have to write my conclusion on the BOS's).

That is why I am forcing myself to finish the most important of these series: The Grand and Epic Favorite Movie Ranking Attempt. It was approximately two years ago that I started the series where I attempt to uncover the reasons for putting a movie on my "coveted" favorite movies list. Out of 66 movies, I've published 17 reviews. This is simply blaphemous, so I've decided to put all other posts on hold until I finish my very first series.

Oh...well...right after I finish Bluthanized. Uh, yeah...about that...I just realized I never actually advertised it! Back in January, my friend Andrew and I started a blog which dissects the ten films in Don Bluth (the guy who did The Secret of NIMH, An American Tail, and Anastasia). We wrote two posts then got side tracked by other stuff but we are finishing it, damn it! So after that is done, it will be favorite movies all the way!

Worry not, dear readers, other posts will some day grace this blog but until then, enjoy delving into my movie loving psyche. And Bluthanized. Don't forget Bluthanized.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Videography: Reba McEntire (Part VI - The 10's)

Reba has entered her fifth decade as a recording artist and her fourth as purveyor of country music videos. Although we're at the very beginning, I plan on updating over the next ten years how Reba's videos continue to grow and change.
 

Order:
42
Title: "I Keep On Loving You"
Album: Keep On Loving You (2010)
Song Premise: A woman sings of her undying love for her husband despite all the fights and hard times.
Video Premise: Reba is the guest at a wedding where she witnesses several couples from different generations in love with one another.

Comments: I like this video a lot. Yes, it is very schmaltzy but I love how it shows several different couples in different situations: the old couple, the parents of the bride, a couple with young children, the bride and groom, and children. My one complaint concerns how little Reba is the main character in her videos anymore. She makes herself an extra. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that's cool. But it seems she could be a little more involved.

Order: 43
Title: "If I Were a Boy"
Album: All the Women I Am (2010)
Song Premise: A woman sings about how her life would be different if she acted like a boy.
Video Premise: A live stage performance.


Comments: This video was taken from CMT: Unplugged and really, technically isn't a video. But Reba's version of Beyonce's song is so good I understand why they released it. I really hope a cover goes on the next upcoming album, because I really like the rendition. P.S. Beyonce's video for "If I Were a Boy" is really good and actually quite Reba-esque. I recommend it.


Order: 44
Title: "Turn on the Radio"
Album: All the Women I Am (2010)
Song Premise: A man who has treated a woman badly can now only get close to her if he listens to her singing on the radio.
Video Premise: Reba, dressed incognito, goes to a building at night. She sets up a lot of old stereos and sings to a man (presumably her ex) in a chair. She taunts him and ties him up with the microphone cord. The video ends with Reba walking away and texting him: "You can turn on the radio!"


Comments: This was a boring video. Seriously, nothing happens. She sings. He listens. However, it was nice to Reba as the heroine of her own video instead of being a narrator/observer.



Order: 45
Title: "If I Were a Boy"
Album: All the Women I Am (2010)
Song Premise: A woman sings about how her life would be different if she acted like a boy.
Video Premise: Reba, dressed in a gorgeous green dress walks around an empty mansion.

Comments: It's not really an improvement over the live stage performance video. The whole thing is centered around a dress, a beautiful dress, but still...it's a video about a dress.



Order: 46
Title: "Somebody's Chelsea"
Album: All the Women I Am (2010)
Song Premise: A woman meets an old man on a plane who talks about his loving wife Chelsea.
Video Premise: Reba meets an old man on a plane (Ed Asner) who talks about his loving wife Chelsea. Intercut with Reba singing in a classy bar watching couples and scratchy footage of young old man and Chelsea. In the end, Reba meets a nice man and they share a drink.

Comments: Literal translation that meets every lyrical moment. Although I can't help but wonder why anyone would go to a bar by themself, even if it works out in the end. Sketch.