For years, many of my coffee-addicted friends would reject Starbucks’ brews because they were “too strong” or “too bitter.” Someone in Starbucks’ Marketing Department must have finally taken notice because now we have a line of Starbucks Blonde coffees. The “Blonde” refers to a lighter roast which produces a lighter, brighter taste. I bought a bag of Starbucks Blonde Willow Blend Coffee and after a week of drinking this delightful beverage, I can give this new Starbucks product two thumbs up! I also bought a bag of Blonde Verona that’s in the on-deck circle. If you’re one of those folks who avoided Starbucks coffee because of taste issues, you might really like this lighter brew. GRADE: A

Diane and I have seen seven of the nine movies nominated for BEST PICTURE (we have no interest in Tree of Life or Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close). I have no inside knowledge of how the Academy will vote, but here’s my best guesses:
BEST ACTOR: George Clooney
BEST ACTRESS: Viola Davis
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christopher Plummer
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer
BEST DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese
BEST MOVIE: The Artist

If you’re a fan of the Indiana Jones movies, you’ll love this computer-animated, motion-capture adaptation of Herge’s classic Tintin comic strip. Secret of the Unicorn is the first in a planned trilogy of Tintin movies. Snowy the dog, Captain Haddock, and the Thompson twins help Tintin on this quest to find pirate treasure. Spielberg’s fantastic sense of pacing keeps the action percolating through the twists and turns of the clever plot. One of the screen writers of The Adventures of Tintin is Steven Moffat who also writes for the current season of Doctor Who. Watching Tintin and Snowy’s adventures turned me back into a kid again. GRADE: A

I know this looks like an ACE Double, but it’s a clever imitation. Armchair Fiction is reprinting SF from the 1950s and 1960s in a faux-ACE Double format. Sometimes, they use the same covers that graced the front of those classic ACE Doubles, sometimes not. So far, Armchair Fiction has published 50 books in this back-to back double novel trade paperback format. They also offer a line of SF singles. If you’d like to check out this wonderful publishing endeavor, just click here.

Up until the night before the Grammys, very few people were listening to Whitney Houston’s songs. Although this 2-CD collection came out in 2000, the events of the past couple of weeks makes this music all the more memorable. It’s been over 10 years since Whitney Houston had a hit. Her disastrous marriage to Bobby Brown and their twin addictions are too dismal to recount. But the music survives. At one time, Whitney Houston had seven Number One hits in a row. Elvis didn’t do that. Neither did The Beatles. Whitney Houston lit up the screen in The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale. Her film career crashed and burned just as her recording career melted down. But the music survives. They’ll be listening to these songs 100 years from now. Just listening to Whitney sing “The Star Spangled Banner” from Super Bowl XXV in 1991 sends chills down my spine. GRADE: A
DISC ONE
1. You Give Good Love Whitney Houston 4:09
2. Saving All My Love For You Whitney Houston 3:54
3. Greatest Love Of All Whitney Houston 4:48
4. All At Once Whitney Houston 4:25
5. If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful (Remastered: 2000) Whitney Houston with Jermaine Jackson 4:16
6. Didn’t We Almost Have It All Whitney Houston 4:34
7. Where Do Broken Hearts Go Whitney Houston 4:35
8. All The Man That I Need Whitney Houston 3:54
9. Run To You Whitney Houston 4:24
10. I Have Nothing (Remastered: 2000) Whitney Houston 4:47
11. I Will Always Love You Whitney Houston 4:23
12. Exhale (Shoop Shoop) Whitney Houston 3:21
13. Why Does It Hurt So Bad Whitney Houston 4:37
14. I Believe In You And Me (Film Version) Whitney Houston 3:52
15. Heartbreak Hotel Whitney Houston feat. Faith Evans and Kelly Price 4:05
16. My Love Is Your Love Whitney Houston 4:19
17. Same Script, Different Cast Whitney Houston & Deborah Cox 4:58
18. Could I Have This Kiss Forever (Metro Mix/Remastered: 2000) Whitney Houston with Enrique Iglesias 3:55

DISC TWO:
1. Fine (Remastered: 2000) Whitney Houston 3:34
2. If I Told You That Whitney Houston 4:33
3. It’s Not Right But It’s Okay (Thunderpuss Mix) Whitney Houston 4:15
4. My Love Is Your Love (Jonathan Peters Radio Mix II) Whitney Houston Feat. Dyme 4:18
5. Heartbreak Hotel (Hex Hector Radio Mix) Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price 4:20
6. I Learned From The Best (HQ2 Radio Mix) Whitney Houston 4:23
7. Step By Step (Junior Vasquez Tribal X Beats) Whitney Houston 4:05
8. I’m Every Woman (Radio Edit/C + C Club Mix) Whitney Houston 4:30
9. Queen Of The Night (CJ’s Single Edit) Whitney Houston 3:46
10. I Will Always Love You (Hex Hector Radio Mix: Remastered 2000) Whitney Houston 4:50
11. Love Will Save The Day (Jellybean & David Morales 1987 Classic Underground Mix) Whitney Houston 5:06
12. I’m Your Baby Tonight (Dronez Club Mix) Whitney Houston 5:05
13. So Emotional (Dave Morales Mix) Whitney Houston 3:57
14. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Junior’s Happy Handbag Mix) Whitney Houston 4:25
15. How Will I Know (Junior Vasquez Club Mix) Whitney Houston 4:09
16. Greatest Love of All (Junior Vasquez Mix) Whitney Houston 4:51
17. One Moment In Time Whitney Houston 4:44
18. The Star Spangled Banner

Boy gets girl, boy loses girl to amnesia, boy has to get girl to remember him again. That’s pretty much the plot of The Vow. I was prepared to hate this movie, but Rachel McAdams won me over despite the predictable plot. Rachel McAdams plays a recently married woman who gets into a car accident that robs her of years of her memories. She doesn’t remember her loving husband (played by Channing Tatum) or her dysfunctional family. But she does remember her old boy friend. Complications ensue. Her husband has to try to get his wife fall in love with him again. There’s nothing original or surprising in this movie. But when Rachel McAdams smiles, my heart does back-flips. GRADE: B

Watching this movie will rot your brain! Tons of mindless sex and graphic violence! The only reason I’m not giving this movie an “F” is that someone in the Marketing Department came up with that catchy title. I was hoping for something sophisticated and witty and ironic. Nude Nuns With Big Guns is none of these. You’ve been WARNED! GRADE: D (for dumb)

“Happy Birthday, Mr. President…”

Only Lassie and Gunsmoke broadcast more episodes. With tonight’s 500th episode, The Simpsons moves into Third Place on the most TV Broadcasts list. It’s hard to believe that The Simpsons has been around for 23 years. I watched the first four years faithfully. Then, I slowly drifted away. But, if I’m not busy, I’ll catch a random episode now and then. I’m always impressed that The Simpsons continue to take on contemporary themes and celebrities. The 500th episode of The Simpsons airs here tonight at 8:00 P.M. on FOX. Check your local listings if you want to tune in to history.

When I read Michael Lewis’ Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game when it was published in 2003, I never dreamed it would be turned into a movie. Brad Pitt, in an obvious labor of love, took this story about Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland Athletics major league baseball team and produced an insightful and off-beat film. Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane as a man struggling with his own failure in baseball. But Pitt’s character also has the instincts to go with a new concept. You wouldn’t think that audiences would be interested in watching an exercise in sabermetrics, a statistical approach to building a team. But Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay captures the initial condemnation of Beane’s approach and, later, the thrill of victory. Jonah Hill as Yale University trained economist Peter Brand who introduces Billy Beane to sabermetrics delivers a solid performance. Even people who don’t care for baseball will enjoy Moneyball. GRADE: B+