'Cry Pretty' shows what Carrie Underwood is all about. Talking about sensitive topics, drinking and heartbreak coping, this album will surely capture the interest of country fans. Country music seems to be overlapping with pop recently, but this album is a symbol of what has stood against the test of time. Her depictions of faith never go out of style. The stories behind the music are touching and will leave listeners replaying for pleasure.
With ‘Live at the Royal Albert Hall,' Alter Bridge has crafted a live album that will please both hard-core and casual fans. The Parallax Orchestra gives the songs a new life and sound that I will never get tired of. The production gives all members a part of the spotlight and is a huge improvement from the band’s last live album.
The 70th Annual Emmys have come and gone, and here we are left with some... disappointing, but not unexpected results.
'Dragon Quest XI' is a simple yet effective piece of entertainment. It gives the veteran 'Dragon Quest' player exactly what they have expected from the franchise over the past 30 years: a fun, simple adventure. However, it also gives the newcomer something incredibly digestible. For those who have played 'Pokémon' or something of the like, it should be an easy transition to pick up and play 'Dragon Quest XI.' Though the music is not varied, and voice-acting is somewhat intrusive, 'Dragon Quest XI' is a worthwhile, enjoyable experience. However, as noted before, this likely will not change the mind of anyone who is JRPG averse.
'Kin' is a movie that is aided by its strong performances, fantastic score, and interesting visual aesthetic. However, its shortcomings of tone and pacing issues, as well as wasted potential that comes with its ending, drag it down. All in all, it’s a movie that’s best saved to watch on Netflix on a lazy Saturday.
‘The Messenger’ is an absolutely incredible platformer. It utilizes both styles of retro platformers, with linear ‘Ninja Gaiden’-esque stages at first, and then ‘Super Metroid’-esque exploration later in the game. This, along with tons of different movement tools, creates a fast-paced and satisfying platforming system. Combine that with an interesting narrative that justifies the existence of both styles of game in one, and the game really is a new peak for the genre. ‘The Messenger’ might even be better than ‘Shovel Knight,’ taking the crown as the modern-retro platforming king.
A few months ago, when researching gender norms in clothing, I discovered we tend to value feminine qualities less than masculine ones. We are much more accepting of girls, for instance, who wear “boy shorts” or blazers than we are of boys who wear leggings or crop tops. Since social progress is important to me, I think we need to value both our feminine and masculine sides equally. Oddly enough, a video game from Nintendo provides inspiration.
