Lily Allen
Alright, Still...
Regal
Gaining momentum with her glowing MySpace profile and hit song "LDN", Lily Allen (daughter of British comedian, Keith Allen) debuted at the top of the UK singles chart two weeks ago with the cheery, yet cruel, "Smile". Allen’s Alright, Still... cuts a decent bubble-gummy sort of summer album, making a strong impression in the U.S. with its contradicting perky tunes and devilish lyrics. Allen follows the basic pop structure keeping it sprightly, confident, and easy to remember. She is playful with lines like, "Oh my God, you must be joking me / If you think that you'll be poking me!" With touches of calypso, ska, and reggae, Allen's songs will stick to your brain, pleading for another listen.
—Angela Lovell
The Sentinel
20th Century Fox
Despite an all-star cast of actors—Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria, and Kim Basinger—“The Sentinel” is a mediocre thriller with a plot that feels rushed. The film revolves around veteran United States Secret Service Agent Pete Garrison (Douglas), who took a bullet for President Regan twenty years ago and now heads the protection detail for the first lady (Basinger). Garrison gets tangled in an assassination plot to kill the president and has to run for his life. Character development in the film is poor. Lacking attention to detail, the result is a weak emotional connection between the characters and audience. Despite the hollow and boring characters, the film’s storyline manages to generate enough mystery and suspense to keep the audience’s interest. With some creative twists and turns, the action sequences are fun and filled with lots of gunfights and explosions. The DVD is packed full of bonus features that include a full-length audio commentary with the director, four deleted scenes, an alternate ending and two featurettes that give a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the film. Don’t expect to see one of the greatest suspense thrillers in the history of cinema but simply enjoy the ride.—Paul Chi
Lost: The Complete Second Season—The Extended Experience
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Even if you've never seen Lost, you are a fan—you just don't know it yet. This show is too spectacular to find refuge on a free channel such as ABC, and yet there it is—blowing everything on HBO and Showtime out of the water. This is all the more reason you should invest in The Complete Second Season DVD collection. With over eight hours of bonus features, this seven disc set may even contain enough clues to crack the island's mystery. In Season Two our brave survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 learn they are not alone in their battle against “The Others” and they even gain entry to The Hatch, discovering a whole new world to explore below the island. This is certainly the most compelling show on television—clear your schedule and catch up before the new season starts.
—Angela Lovell
