Grade: B+ | Genre: Rock
Summary: She Wants Revenge debut disk shows extra helpings of promise. Its not going to change the way you look at music, but it will help you get lost in a sound so old that its new again.

Truly original voices in music today are damn near extinct. What artist can really say they haven't melded a lifetime of influences to sculpt their sound? At best, you have a well-textured vision, running along a vibe another band has already gotten us comfortable with. At worst, you have a carbon copy, knock-off that might as well play local dives as a blah cover band. When your ears first become acquainted with She Wants Revenge, its impossible to not take a beeline straight to Interpol. Yet Interpol is basically just a derivative of Joy Division with a smack of Depeche Mode. As you dig further into She Wants Revenge's sonic cache, you see touches of David Bowie, a flicker of the Cure and even contemporaries like Lake Trout. Shoot, the band's name even sounds like it was cherry picked off a track on a Joy Division album. This amalgamation of sound mesh together to form an enticing album that can't stake its claim on originality, but knows how to maximize the tools at its musical forefathers.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Foreign/Erotic
Summary: Belle de Jour is one of the classics of French cinema as well as the library of erotica. It shows us that everyone has urges and desires that we're petrified for even those closest to us to discover.

Recently, I wrote up a feature looking back on the 1967 French film Le Samourai which took the concept of less is more to ridiculous lengths. Today, I'm continuing to wander the streets of Paris circa the late 60s as I duck into a den of ill repute to eye one of the classic works of erotic cinema, Belle de Jour. I first came across Belle de Jour as a freshman in college. I was green in my discovery of what films could be, and the enticing Catherine Deneuve, staring from the cover bare backed with those golden locks, ensured her an early stop on my route of discovery. Unfortunately, I couldn't escape the fact that I was also an undersexed college male so a film revolving around deviant avenues of sex that was stripped of any nudity seemed like ordering a hot fudge sundae and only getting the dish, edges stale where the fudge once was. Although this film on its first go around was about as appealing as a cold shower, it hit me on a deeper level, echoing in my mind for years to come. Now that I'm older, wiser and a shade less horny, its time to take another trip to Madame Anais' to check-in on the errant, bourgeois housewife who is drawn to prostituting herself to allow her untapped sexual fantasies to come into bloom. Belle de Jour is a voyeuristic look at where fantasy violently collides with reality.

Grade: C+ | Genre: Drama
Summary: This episode was a shade better than average. It was fun seeing Charlie become completely derailed, but the tension was rather slight.

It had to happen sooner or later. You have a plane swan dive into the Pacific, mythical monsters look to make shiskabobs out of you and improbably hot women prance around on the beach in front of you all day. Somebody was bound to go crazy sooner or later. So the island's resident lunatic is none other than Charlie. Now I'm sure a lot of you are thinking our scruffy ex-rock god just fell back under the spell of that heroin witch, but you would be wrong. The temptation is certainly ever present since he hid that mitful of Virgin Mary statues before Eko could light them up. But Mr. Clean steps in at the fateful moment of choice. Will Charlie turn the beach camp into charcoal? Will he sacrifice Claire's baby to the island gods? Will he reform Drive Shaft with Hurley on drums and Sawyer on lead vocals to tour the local islands? Read on my Lost fanatics.

Grade: B- | Genre: Light Rock
Summary: Thomas' new album is a good one, yet never peeks its head into greatness. While its safe enough to finally launch her music to a wider audience, it lacks that intense emotional punch that defined her debut and was flirted with on Laughter.

The first time I discovered Rosie Thomas was many years ago opening for Josh Rouse at the Red Light Cafe in Atlanta. She wore what can only be described as a sock dress that looked like it was pulled off a character in a Dr. Seuss book. Once she started her set, her voice never rose above a whisper during the entire performance. Its like the songs were so fragile that she had to carefully pull them out of her bag to show us, only to wrap them back up and pack them away once the final note had trailed off. Then, rather inexplicitly, she morphed personalities to become a stand-up comic, donning the ridiculous getup of Sheila to relentlessly stab at the audience's funny bone. I left the evening thinking, "what a curious songwriter." Her talent was undeniable, but I think her softer tone slid me into a sleepy trance of sorts. In the wash of new artists, she disappeared from my view. A year later, I heard the beautiful song of empowerment "Wedding Day" on a Paste Music compilation CD. It took a while before I plugged 2 and 2 together, realizing this beautiful songbird and sock dress girl were actually one in the same.

Grade: B | Genre: Documentary
Summary: As with any film with an ax to grind, Wal-mart: The High Cost of Low Price isn't nearly as effective as it could be if it took a more level approach to its commentary, but it is an eye opening array of facts that support its case very effectively.

When I first started college at Georgia Southern, Statesboro had just gotten its first Wal-mart. Not just any Wal-mart, but a Wal-mart Supercenter. It was a hulking behemoth that dwarfed the small college town in its shadow. This one-stop shopping center was largely seen as an overwhelming plus since you could get your tires rotated, eyes checked and weekly grocery shopping wrapped all under the same roof. It was a mini city that you really had no need to ever leave as Novalee discovers in Where the Heart Is. As the months on the calendar fell to the floor, the town started to realize the harsh unspoken undercurrent felt when Wal-mart moves in. Half the grocery stores went belly up. Only the Publix and the Piggly Wiggly, right off campus, could compete. Also, many mom and pop stores, like the Ace Hardware, saw their business cut so drastically that they couldn't afford to keep their doors open. Some of these businesses had been fixtures of this communities for several generations. We saw the power that this one store held, crippling small businesses and putting consumers under its mystical spell. The new documentary film Wal-mart: the High Cost of Low Price takes on the retail giant to shed some much needed light on the sins and corporate malfeasance of the company that defines America every bit as much as McDonald's.

Grade: A | Genre: Indie Rock
Summary: They scrubbed away the surface of ultra-hate to reveal music both dark and extremely passionate. The Great Destroyer could well be their masterpiece.

Known primarily as purveyors of exceedingly slow, molecule-halting tunes labeled as slowcore, Low has gradually moved towards a bigger and more complex sound that can safely be shelved with other serious rockers of the day. The Great Destroyer fills the room with music that is lyrically engaging and sonically captivating. Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker deliver another serving of their remarkable vocals surrounded this time by a backdrop of gorgeously heavy guitars.

Grade: B- | Genre: Suspense
Summary: Flightplan is a satisfying adventure. Its script does have its fair share of problems, but Foster's energized performance moves it along swiftly enough so you don't ponder too long on the pesky details.

Suspense at 36,000 feet seems to be all the rage in the multiplex these days. A couple months ago we welcomed Wes Craven's swan song Red Eye, and this time we have Jodie Foster working herself into a tizzy over her lost daughter in the tension filled Flightplan. Maybe it's the whole "terrorist taking over airplanes" thing that is inciting all this suspense, packed into cramped quarters. These things seem to come in waves like the dueling movies about the running legend Prefontaine or Scorsese meets Brad Pitt's Dalai Lama. It makes you wonder if the Hollywood studios actually talk to one another when planning projects or maybe that's the problem. I can hear the clear headed logic now, "well if Paramount's going to have a film about an obscure 70's running legend, we've got to have one too." Luckily, there's enough distinction to Flightplan to set it apart from Red Eye. So grab your salted nuts and fluff challenged pillow as we prepare for takeoff.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Drama/Comedy
Summary: Love Monkey is a solid drama with the comedic bite we've come to expect from Cavanagh. While it's really too early in the game to be making sweeping predictions, I'm excited about the possibilities Love Monkey brings to the table. It is a sharp, funny dramedy that takes on the single man's quarter life crisis with wit and style.

The horses are officially out of the gate, and the offerings of the new television season have been busted up thoroughbreds at best. They are employing lots of formula, much aping of what has attracted advertising dollars in the past, and pretty much lacking any semblance of vision or heart. Granted asking the big 5 networks to be innovative is like asking Oprah to swear off chocolate cake. Everyone knows that cable networks are truly where it's at for savvy, cutting edge programming. Don't believe me? Look at Fox ditching its one great show, Arrested Development, because they don't know how to market it. All the while, Showtime sits in the wings, licking its chops, purged in wait to pounce on the quirky comedy. It's truly a pathetic state of affairs. It's tough to go into Love Monkey with anything other than a healthy touch of skepticism. Loosely based on Kyle Smith's novel, bearing the same name, Love Monkey stars Tom Cavanagh (Ed) as single guy Tom Farrell who has hit on a rancid streak of bad luck. Within the span of a day, he fumbles his job and loses the naked rights to his girlfriend. Now granted, he worked for a soul stealing, lecherous major record label, and his girlfriend was fruitier than one of Gwyneth Paltrow's children, but sometimes it can be hard to see the forest for the trees. Ah but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Grade: B- | Genre: Drama
Summary: I think with a better director and perhaps a cleaner script this could have been a true star vehicle for Pacino and McConaughey to cut loose and strut their stuff. Instead, we are left with an enjoyable film featuring solid performances, dead spots, and an acceptance to be the mediocre younger brother of Boiler Room.

About 90% of what's pumped out of Hollywood is formula filmmaking. It's been done before with some measure of success so its the studio's place to ride that ailing pony for all its worth. There really are very few original thoughts outside the realm of independent filmmakers and even they seem to be testing the outer fringes lately. Two for the Money is Boiler Room set in the world of sports gambling. The sport in question is football, and there are millions of dollars illegally riding on each game, be it professional or college. So for a man who can tell the future, the world is his oyster. When his crystal ball grows foggy and dim, everyone that rode his coattails to victory is standing in line to slice him by the throat. There are no off weeks in this sport.

Grade: C- | Genre: Comedy
Summary: While there are a handful of laughs that will catch you when you need it, the setup of these four single guys lends itself for a ridiculous comedy that never pays off.

So after a feeble attempt to pull the old switcheroo of goofy Joey for the immortal Friends, NBC has decided to take a serious attempt at resurrecting "must-see" Thursday nights, fueled by last season's sleeper hit My Name is Earl and quirky critic darling, the Office. Evidently, they weren't aware that while they were refilling their drink at the bar, television's most popular drama CSI and surprise late bloomer Smallville moved in on their girl. Regardless, you have to give NBC credit for trying to hold on to the soap in this grimy prison shower. So to fill out their comedy line-up, they have brought in four single guys living in New York to remind us of Friends before they started pairing off. These gents are boyhood pals that all move in to their friend Ben's apartment that he inherits from his grandmother who has recently passed.

Grade: C+ | Genre: Indie Pop
Summary: Lab Partners aren't a bad band; they just need to grow past this early stage a bit. They've found rich soil to grow in. Now they need their own special bloom to show off.

Lab Partners aka Michael and Amy Smith, Michael Volk and Todd Carll obviously listen to a lot of Jesus and Mary Chain when they aren't pretending to be them. Since "The Chain" dropped out of site after the much underrated Munki LP, there has a been a gaping hole once occupied by the shoegazing bedheads, Jim and William Reid. Well, that vacuum seems to have been opted by Lab Partners on their debut for Reverb Records, Wicked Branches.

Sounding like more of a tribute than an original release, Wicked Branches occasionally emerges from beneath the obvious influences to reveal the groups own take on all things mopey. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. In the interim they treat listeners to songs that sound left over from Stoned and Dethroned.

Grade: B | Genre: Comedy
Summary: While its still early in the game, I think its worth hanging around the bar for a few more episodes to see if Emily can take shots with the big boys, or if she's destined to be wasted under the table with a cocktail napkin glued to her forehead.

You've got to feel for ambitious, single women. They are constantly fighting to be independent and taken seriously professionally, yet always keeping an eye peeled for any errant knight in shining armor that might saunter into the local Starbucks. Sex and the City was the show that came along and spoke their language, airing out all their problems and the delicious frustrations with men. Then one day they wake up, and their voice is silenced, only to show up neutered on TBS. The closest thing they have to eternal bliss is a bunch of wickedly Desperate Housewives. What's a girl to do? Well ABC thinks it has the answer with its new star vehicle for Heather Graham entitled Emily's Reasons Why Not. While it may smack as a cheap designer knockoff of Sex, it is a return to the City for the single ladies everywhere who are not quite ready to settle down in the kettle of desperation, brewing in suburbia.

Grade: A+ | Genre: Alt-Country
Summary: Okkervil River's Black Sheep Boy is in everybody's top ten list for 2005, but the EP they released this November seems destined to be a collector's item.

Since I'm a Texan, I'm biased towards any music that comes out of my state. So I love it when I hear music that allows me to speak in absolutes like "Stevie Ray Vaughan is the best guitar player ever" and "Chamillionaire is the best rapper alive". Both of those statements are 100% true, and so is this one: Black Sheep Boy Appendix is the best EP you will ever hear. I feel comfortable making that statement because I don't think many of you are going to go on EP-buying sprees to prove me wrong. Oh yeah, and because it's absolutely amazing.

Grade: B- | Genre: Comedy
Summary: Scrubs is officially off to a decent start. I think its fate still remains a huge question mark, but the true fans will love to watch Braff, Faison, Chalke and the crew attempt to top their own unbridled wackiness.

All the Scrubs fanatics can quit their hyperventilating to catch a collective sigh of relief. After a painfully long hiatus, Zach Braff and company are back, and they're zanier than ever. Quit your cackling. It is possible I say. For instance, how many hub caps would one have to loose off their mental jalopy to have J.D. and Turk come together to play a multi-ethnic Siamese doctor? What about Eliot becoming known to her prestigious fellowship colleagues as the bank farter. And why does Bambi have a driving sock peeking out the top of his pants? See, I rest my case. It seems the Emmy winning comedy, who felt like he was taking cousin Edna to the prom due to NBC's horrible neglect in its fall scheduling, is giving the collective finger to just about anyone who is gullible enough to turn around and look. They are going to be as crazy as they want to be, and if it means cancellation, well bring it on sister. The docs of Sacred Heart don't have time to pussy foot around with those sensitive souls who might get offended or who watch J.D. trip for the four hundredth time and still don't get it.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Indie Pop
Summary: With two well-crafted releases behind them, and the positive buzz growing around them, The High Violets could find themselves on many playlists in the coming year.

On To Where You Are, The High Violets second long player, vocalist Kaitlyn Ni Donovan has taken over as fulltime lead vocalist, giving guitarist Clint Sargent the freedom to concentrate on building a thick canvas of sound for the singer to set her wispy voice against. The result is something that would be at home next to copies of old Curve, Slowdive, Lush or Cocteau Twins releases. More pop friendly than any of those bands ever managed to be; The High Violets seem poised to make indie/pop crossover history.

Grade: B- | Genre: Experimental Rock
Summary: blackAcetate isn't a fantastic album, but it's still rock solid. People aren't supposed to be this good once they're done with a popular band (Velvet Underground), but John Cale somehow pulls it off.

Ex-cellists shouldn't rock this much. What right does the guy, that turned more than one Velvet Underground song into a screeching auditory weapon, have to come back decades later and make a solid album? Everybody knows that people this old are supposed to suck. You put out good music for a short while after your band ends, then you either give up entirely or disappoint fans with the music you keep putting out. I guess John Cale just didn't want to go out the Lou Reed way. Don't get me wrong. Lou Reed is badass numero uno in my mind for all eternity. It's just he isn't nearly as cool as he was.