Sometimes, I just can't write enough about a particular album or movie that I've heard or watched to warrant a full on review. So here are a bunch of mini-reviews that I've compiled.

Jet "Get Born"

The upbeat songs are what make this album listenable. Everyone by now has heard their uberhit "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?". Nothing on the album quite reaches that level of good-iosity, but "Cold Hard B****" is rocking tune - and it sounds sorta like AC/DC and "Rollover D.J." is a song you find yourself singing to in the shower. Unfortunately, Jet also seem to think they have something important and deep to say and this makes for some cringe-worthy attempts like "Timothy". If they just kept the pace of their music up, then this album would be worth a face card, but as of right now it's just an 8.

Hitch_n_Ditch
Eight

The New Pornographers "Electric Version"

The BEST summer CD that no one listened to. Pop rock as smooth as co-singer Neko Case's voice, and non-sensical lyrics with words and images that just sound nice with each other. Vancouver's own The New Pornographers make an album that sounds perfect to a summer midday spent on the deck with a cold one in hand. Only two problems with the CD: not enough singing from Neko Case and some of the songs begin to blend into each other. But the awesome harmonies keep this album going and going. A definitive jack.

Hitch_n_Ditch
Jack

Outkast "Speakerboxxx/The Love below"

After killing things at the Grannies (what's with all the old people being nominated for stuff?) - Outkast is primed to take over the world. This double album (each member of Outkast basically made solo albums and packaged them together) is really really good. While Andre 3000's "Hey Ya!" is garnering the majority of the airplay, I would say that Big Boi's half of the CD "Speakerboxxx" is more solid top to bottom - "Bowtie" and "Flip Flop Rock" are the best of the bunch. Not only does he play music to get your ass shaking to, but Big Boi introduces some ideas and thought into the lyrics of his songs, particularly "War". Andre 3000's half "The Love Below" is sometimes absolute genius and othertimes merely luke warm. The single "Hey Ya!" is huge, but there are other "Happy Valentine's Day" and "She Lives in my Lap" that are really good. Sometimes, you can tell where having the calming influence of Big Boi would improve some of Andre 3000's songs (he can go off the deep end at times) - and likewise having 3000's chaotic energy would liven up Big Boi's portion. I'm usually disappointed in double albums because I can't help thinking how much better it would have been if they just made one really good album - not in this case, I'm glad they opted for this format. Let's hope Outkast doesn't break apart because of the widening gap in their artistic sensibilities - together they're unstoppable. I'm giving "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" a King.

Hitch_n_Ditch
King

21 grams

This movie was really good, even if it felt like it was 15 minutes too long. Everyone, and I mean everyone in this movie (with Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts) gives outstanding performances, especially the three leading stars. The story is told in a choppy manner, flipping back and forth between scenes from the future and the past, which allows the viewer to discover the backstories to scenes he has just witnessed. Throughout the entire movie, you are left wondering why certain things happened or what has drawn these two characters together. Here's the basics of the movie: the lives of an ex-con (Del Toro), a mother with a loving family (Watts) and a sick man (Penn) are all brought together because of an incredibly horrific event. The movie is about loss (the title refers to the weight a person loses upon the exact moment of their death) and redemption. This is a grim movie, and you won't be feeling good once you leave the theatre, but during the course of the movie, my eyes never once strayed away from what was on the screen. This deserves a queen.

Hitch_n_Ditch
Queen

Paris Hilton Sex Video

If Paris Hilton wasn't a pseudo-celebrity, this home made porn wouldn't even warrant a hard on. The short clip (it's less than 4 minutes in length) made headlines around the world because it featured a young (19 years old I think) incredibly rich, dumb-as-bricks socialite and her older boyfriend getting it on in front of a camera with night vision (they have the lights turned off). Because of the night vision, you can barely see anything, and the "action" is weak at best. Too much time primping for the video (and Paris isn't alone in that regards, her boyfriend seems to want to be infatuated with the sight of his own schlong) and not enough getting it on. It ends with Paris giving a half-hearted bj to her boyfriend. If she wasn't famous it would be 6 or 7, but since she's a celebrity(ish) this is warrants a jack. Apparently, there's a longer length version circulating the internet now with some colour. Maybe that will take its place among the pantheon of pornography - with such greats as Deep Space 69 and the one with me and Dr. Gaul's momma: The postman always comes twice!

Hitch_n_Ditch
Jack