Jim Croce – Have You Heard (2006)

Jul 31, 2008 by Mr. Nau Jim Croce was a one-of-a-kind songwriter whose unforgettable craftsmanship makes his music transcend the decades. This album features thirteen of his most enduring classics, along with his short anecdotes about how they came into being. This wonderful set is essential listening for all connoisseurs of good music. Grade: A+. […]

Troublemakers – Doubts & Convictions (2001)

Jul 30, 2008 by Mr. Nau This debut album from a French ensemble of producers feels like the soundtrack to a very dark, yet deliciously colorful, avant-garde film. It is reminiscent of the downtempo instrumental tracks of Zero 7. The orchestration is lush and the imagery of the music makes this an interestingly listenable album. […]

Bill Evans – Waltz for Debby (1961)

Jul 22, 2008 by Mr. Nau Bill Evans leads a legendary trio in this spectacular live set of standards, recorded at the Village Vanguard. In the CD release, the grateful listener is treated to multiple distinct takes of three of the tunes and a bonus favorite. Every note of this amazing recording delivers an unforgettable […]

Afterdark: Chicago (2005)

Jul 21, 2008 by Mr. Nau This solid collection of house grooves delivers twenty-five tracks that show off the deep house sound. The punchy Chicago sound is evidenced here a little, but it’s primarily a jazzy deep sound that feels very San Franciscan. Many of the artists here live in the San Francisco Bay Area. […]

Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (2000)

Jul 14, 2008 by Mr. Nau This Oscar-nominated documentary, originally aired on PBS, examines the arrest, trial, and conviction of the “Scottsboro Boys” — nine young African-Americans accused and sentenced to death for the alleged rape of a pair of white women. This important historical document is essential viewing for anyone interested in civil rights. […]

Hellboy II (2008)

Jul 11, 2008 by Mr. Nau Imagine Pan’s Labyrinth without the startlingly original script and without the engaging story line. Mix in a group of characters who are sadly uncreative caricatures who speak and act in clichés and are forgettable in every way. You end up with cinematic junk food, delicious in a garish, unrefined […]

Square Dance (1987)

Jul 07, 2008 by Mr. Nau Winona Ryder, Jason Robards, and Rob Lowe star in this thankfully obscure picture about a teenage girl whose lives with her cranky grandfather in the country, dealing with the sudden appearance of her estranged mother. None of the acting performances are believable for a second and the script trudges […]

Unforgiven (1992)

Jul 06, 2008 by Mr. Nau Clint Eastwood directs an all-star cast in this Western masterpiece, filling the starring role with astonishing realism. With a supporting cast that includes Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris, this virtuoso film hits all the right notes — spectacular script, phenomenal acting, and flawless technique that should be […]

Encounters at the End of the World (2007)

Jul 06, 2008 by Mr. Nau Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica in this documentary to talk to the eclectic and often bizarre people who staff the various scientific research station on the icy continent at the bottom of the world. Full of interesting personalities and gorgeous scenery, this picture details life in an unyieldingly harsh […]

Jarhead (2005)

Jul 05, 2008 by Mr. Nau The days leading up to Operation Desert Storm are told here from the point of view of a Marine sniper, Swoff, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Gyllenhaal, along with Peter Sarsgaard and Jamie Foxx, brings this account of everyday life in the Marine Corps in a war zone realistically to […]

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