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Enemy of the State

There seems to be a swelling undercurrent hoping for Will Smith to fail with the Men in Black sequel. Media outlets have picked up on this and where there was never malice, now even they are stirring the pot of discontent towards the multi-talented Smith. Until the movie box-office receipts are counted and the haters go home mad, check out Will in what is shaping up to be a modern classic, “The Enemy of the State“.

On Blu-Ray or digital, Will Smith plays a DC lawyer unexpectedly caught in a web of political espionage and murder. As Jon Voight leads the merciless NSA unit in pursuit and every aspect of his digital life betraying him, he finds help in a former agent portrayed by Gene Hackman. Giving you things to consider without being preachy or parental, Enemy of the State, in the context of society since its’ initial release encompasses more than explosions and technology. Pick it up.

Movies ♦ Action

The Black Keys El Camino

Jay-Z said it best, “You want my old music, buy my old album”. The Black Keys, the more you bang them, the better they get. This release, “El Camino” is just another welcome stop on the road for Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney before they either arrive at the Rock Hall of Fame or simply bypass it altogether and become Gods of Rock for the generations that come after them. From the start with, “Lonely Boy” to the finish with “Mind Eraser,” El Camino is a hearty and enjoyable effort packed with very danceable melodies, thunderous drums and rhythms that rock with life and feeling. The Black Keys El Camino

Music ♦ Rock

Yelawolf Radioactive

The Alabama born Yelawolf, is a multifaceted talent that has spent a better part of the last decade living in various parts of the US while striving towards super-stardom. His first major label release, “Radioactive” may well be the cornerstone of a hugely successful career in entertainment. However, that depends on who you ask. Radioactive has received mostly politically safe, yet positive reviews, but some consider Yelawolf’s Shady records debut missing the mark. Not because of lack of skill by Yelawolf, but by the unfettered efforts to make a pop record instead of a rap record that can go pop. Never mind the forced attempts craft a colorblind pop rap album, Yelawolf is a solid lyricist and some of those pop efforts are great songs. While some fans cling zealously to the music and lyrical style of early TrunkMuzik mixtapes, this new, Eminem stamped Yelawolf shows growth and shines, despite his efforts to stay in ‘bama mud.

Music ♦ Hip-Hop and Rap

Portal 2

Four years ago, Portal was an astoundingly successful video gaming sensation. This year Valve, the company behind the original runaway smash, releases Portal 2. Bigger in practically every way; Portal 2 has expanded gameplay during single-player mode, introduces a new two-player co-op, expands upon the original storyline and adds even more intricate puzzles for you to solve and point your portal gun towards.

Entertainment

The Book of Even More Awesome by Neil Pasricha

Neil Pasricha’s latest book revels in the fact that the simple things in life are sometimes the best. The Book of Even More Awesome is the follow up to the best selling book the Book of Awesome that was an adaptation of the site, 1000awesomethings, where the pleasures of life both enormous and miniscule are celebrated.

As another useful tool to help get you through the mundane of the day, the newly released work, the Book of Even More Awesome serves as a place for you to consume inspiration when you are low on fuel and need a quick boost.

Books

Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part 2

With more than 20 years in the rap game, even though their Amazon page boasts 94 releases, the Beastie Boys are soon releasing what is only their eighth official album, the Hot Sauce Committee Part 2. While comment sections across the web rage for or against the Beasties, one thing is for sure, they have stood the test of time. With a little help from Nas on the emcee front, the Boys once again serve up the rap stew that has made them Grammy winners and one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All time.

Music ♦ Hip-Hop and Rap

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Rolling out for purchase like the Red Shark across the open highway, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is appropriately available as a Criterion Collection Blu-Ray.

Superbly directed by Terry Gilliam and fueled with amazing performances by Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, Fear and Loathing is a rare film that captures the sweet vaporous essence of the book it is based upon.

The characters lift the text proportionately from print to screen and carefully submerge you deep within their drug-induced adventures. If you did not read the book, you are not in the cold and if you did, you enjoy the film even more. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Movies

The Corner Office

The Corner Office by Adam Bryant is the result of nearly 100 CEOs having candid discussions with the Canadian-born, New York Times writer, and covering a myriad of topics related to and getting the coveted corner office.

Based on the popular column of the same name, the book outlines five essential personality traits CEOS look for and that you must have to climb from the dregs of your current employment status to a more lofty position.

As any book, what you get from Corner Office is up to you. Business basics have not changed, so the lessons are not entirely new. However, Bryant through careful pruning is able to create a unique work to add to the innumerable volumes saturating the business and self-help fields.

A tad shy of 300 pages, the book, thanks to the author and the CEOs makes for an enjoyable read. Partial company CEO list includes Disney, Microsoft, DreamWorks, Ford and Zappos. The Corner Office

Books

Official WSOBP Beer Pong Table

The next World Series of Beer Pong is set for 2012 and in case the whole “Mayan calendar end of world, apocalypse thing” doesn’t pan out, you and your cohorts may want to have your beer pong skills up to par to compete in Las Vegas for the $50,000 grand prize. In your particular region, people may play beer pong on any size table available, but in Vegas, everything is big and this 8ft beer pong table meets the official specs of the WSOBP. Just in case you don’t play beer pong everyday, the collapsible beer pong table folds down to about the size of an extra large briefcase making it easy to practice and put away when not in use. Now all you need is the perfect brew and hand eye coordination to take home an extra $50,000, like Nick Syrigos and Dan Ranger of Standing Ovation, the 2011 World Series of Beer Pong Champions.

Entertainment

Wanted

Loosely based on a Mark Millar comic, the film Wanted takes you through the unbelievable story of Wesley Gibson. Along the way you follow Wesley, who starts the film at a bottom of the heap dead end cubicle job that wastes away the youth of his years and emerges at the films end a as a professional assassin, who just so happens to get hang on a daily basis with none other than Angelina Jolie.

Packed with over the top, most definitely unbelievable action sequences, Wanted is not a film to watch and engage with extreme prudence, Wanted is a film for guns, action, badass effects, and a righteous “hell yeah” for the inspiration of a little guy making it big in a totally unbelievable way.