LATEST ADDITIONS

  Who knows what the future may bring? Pioneer has announced its plans for the beloved Kuro line of plasma televisions, but those plans still seem so...unpredictable. Will Panasonic really incorporate enough of Pioneer's tech innards to make...

I'm a big Samuel L. Jackson fan, but I didn't totally buy his performance in Black Snake Moan. Jackson plays a righteous old man who takes in a trashy nymphet (Christina Ricci) to set her straight. I was especially intrigued with the story because Jackson's character was loosely based on R.L. Burnside, who didn't just sing the blues, he lived them. Up to the point where Jackson picked up his guitar, he was perfectly fine. But when he started to sing, his performance didn't ring true. It comes down to authenticity. Acting is one thing; singing with a voice that sounds so rough it bleeds is something else. Come to think of it, I could say the same about great speakers. It's one thing to design a speaker that measures well, but that doesn't necessarily make for a great-sounding speaker.

Here's an interesting set of questions from Thomas Beasley, who's helping a non-profit organization set up some video displays in its lobby. Of course, he needs to keep costs down as much as possible.

Video: 4/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3/5
Atonement was easily one of my favorite movies of 2007 and I was actually surprised it didn't walk away with the Best Picture statue at the Oscar's this year. While this was an extremely strong year for great films and there was some great nominees I felt this film had the strongest overall arc in terms of production, story, acting and direction. It is rare that a film just nails every aspect as well as this one does, making it a must-see in my opinion.