GRACE NOTES

Leslie Shapiro | Mar 12, 2012 |

A Princess of Mars was the first serial novel published by adventure writer Edgar Rice Burroughs (the Tarzan guy) almost exactly 100 years ago. It’s a classic tale: Civil War veteran is mysteriously transported into the midst of two warring cultures, of course, with a beautiful woman to be saved. Hmm, countless sci-fi films and more than a few Western flicks have borrowed that theme. Most recently and notably, James Cameron has said that A Princess of Mars (which he read as a child) was his inspiration for Avatar. Here’s the problem: Once so many others have copied it, the original feels — oddly enough — derivative. Despite all that, Disney gambled that Princess had enough life left to kickstart a new franchise.

Grace Notes

Listen Up: The 2012 Academy Awards

Leslie Shapiro | Feb 27, 2012 |

While most folks were talking about either Angelina Jolie's leg, or J-Lo's alleged wardrobe malfunction, many people noticed a more glaring problem during the broadcast of the 2012 Academy Awards. While the show is generally a model of excellence in production, almost immediately viewers noticed a problem with the audio feed.

Grace Notes

Listening to The 2012 Grammy Awards

Leslie Shapiro | Feb 13, 2012 |

The 2012 Grammy Awards — "music’s biggest

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night" — was certainly a unique evening of entertainment. As Reba (when did she lose her last name?) pointed out, it brought together so many different aspects of the music industry. Where else would you find hip-hop newbies rubbing elbows with old-school crooners?

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Grace Notes Audio Video News

Lou Reed RIP: A Final Walk On the Wild Side Leslie Shapiro | Oct 28, 2013 |

Iconic indie-rocker Lou Reed passed away at the age of 71 on Sunday, October 27th from complications after a recent liver transplant. Reed was married to experimental performance artist Laurie Anderson. Although Reed had only a single top-ten hit, he will be remembered for so much more.

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Turntable Reviews Grace Notes

LP Records as Art Leslie Shapiro | Jan 22, 2017 |

Those who grew up in the age of vinyl LP records remember that preparing for the listening experience was an artform in itself. Ceremoniously removing the LP from the sleeve, while gently grasping the edge of the album, fingertips kept oh-so-carefully away from the surface lest a fingerprint mar the surface. The precise application of disc-washing solution to the luxurious velvet of the cleaning pad, followed by the virtuoso swipe of the pad across the grooves. The placement of the stylus on the record required finesse - a person was judged by how silently and gently the needle was placed on the disc.

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Bluetooth Speaker Reviews

Making Waves with the Soen Transit XS Bluetooth Speaker Leslie Shapiro | May 04, 2015 |

Travel companions really have to stand out if they’re going to make the final cut on my packing list. They have to be small, pack a punch, and be fun to have along. The Soen Audio Transit XS (MSRP $180) Bluetooth-enabled portable speaker was begging to come on my next trip—a weekend at the beach. Was this small Bluetooth speaker up for the challenge?

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Headphone Reviews Grace Notes

Mid-Priced JBL 'Phones Deliver High-Priced Sound Leslie Shapiro | Apr 03, 2017 |

These days, it seems that listeners have no choice but to spend hundreds of dollars to get good quality Bluetooth headphones. The JBL E55BT (MSRP $150) has the sound of a $300+ headphone, with good performance and a wired option, all in a range of colors to suite any style.

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Grace Notes

Miley Cyrus Sued for Copyright Infringement: Word Up Leslie Shapiro | Apr 02, 2018 |

What’s in a name? What’s in a lyric? Apparently, $300 million, according to a lawsuit filed against Miley Cyrus by Jamaican singer/songwriter Michael May, aka Flourgon.

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Grace Notes Audio Video News

Monster 2019: The End of an Era Leslie Shapiro | Jan 21, 2019 |

The Monster press conference at CES has typically been an electrifying, high-energy love-fest with the company’s boisterous CEO, Noel Lee, leading the charge. This year, the tone was definitely different as a dialed-back, subdued Lee announced this was the end of an era.

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Grace Notes

Movie Premiere: Elysium Leslie Shapiro | Aug 09, 2013 |

As with most futuristic films, the earth portrayed in Elysium is overpopulated, crime-ridden, diseased, and has all the bucolic charm of a garbage dump. Awfully bleak. Unless you are a member of the elite, in which case you live in an orbiting, utopian, titular space station. You have access to miraculous health care and views to die for. When an oppressed Matt Damon is poisoned by radiation, he decides to crash the upper-crust party.

Grace Notes

Movie Premiere: Fast & Furious 6

Leslie Shapiro | May 24, 2013 |

The Fast and Furious filmography began in 2001 as a low-budget film based on a magazine article. It now incompasses six feature films and two short films, video games, and it even has its own Guess clothing line. Never aspiring to the same league as franchises such as 007 or Star Trek, FFs are scrappy, popcorn-munching, tremendously profitable testosterone trips. Does the latest installment fire on all cylinders, or run out of gas?

Grace Notes

Movie Premiere: Pacific Rim

Leslie Shapiro | Jul 12, 2013 |

Entire cities have been obliterated by giant, rampaging monsters. Despite heroic efforts, the human race is losing the struggle. The situation is grim. In a last ditch effort to save civilization, the Pan Pacific Defense Corps sends forth the last of its skyscraper-sized robots to battle the monsters. The fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

Grace Notes

Movie Premiere: Riddick

SV Staff | Sep 06, 2013 |

Riddick is an intergalactic murderous badass. When things start to go south, he’s your best and only hope.

Grace Notes

Movie Premiere: Rush

Leslie Shapiro, Ken C. Pohlmann | Sep 27, 2013 |

The year is 1976, when sex was safe and racing was dangerous. The Formula One World Championship is up for grabs, and it’s a grudge match. British race driver James Hunt goes mano a mano with Austrian race driver Niki Lauda, both driving pedal to the metal, with absolutely no margin for error and loving every minute of it. As Hunt explains, “The closer you are to death, the more alive you feel.” Director Ron Howard accelerates out of his comfort zone, and you’re sitting beside him, on the ride of your life.

Grace Notes

Movie Premiere: The Lone Ranger

Leslie Shapiro | Jul 03, 2013 |

The story is familiar to everyone: A Texas Ranger is left for dead. He dons a mask and with his sidekick Tonto, they fight against injustice in the wild west. In the pantheon of heroes, perhaps none is as iconically American as this one. Yes, we have Superman and all the other super heroes, but the Lone Ranger lives and breathes the authentic American West.

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