Almost forgot about the movies! Rented Drumline and Barbershop this weekend.

...

Finished hating? Ok.

Drumline was the infectious sugar-coated confection I expected it to be. The marching scenes were amazing and the storyline was solid if predictable. I love these teeny-bopper movies! This one's up there with Varsity Blues.

Wasn't sure what to expect from Barbershop, what with all the controversy around it last year. Ended up loving it like Soul Food. Pitch-perfect dramedy with some laugh-out-loud moments that hit all the right buttons. Ice Cube has managed to cross over without the Will Smith taint of sellout and become a solid actor. I was really impressed with Eve's natural ability, too. She's totally grown on me over the past few years. The movie was well produced and smartly-written, not at all the UPN treatment I was expecting. The only thing controversial about Cedric's old man was his mumbling. His comments on Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, while superficially offensive, made for an interesting departure from the norm. I'm all about tipping sacred cows to get to the truth of the matter, even if it means exaggerating things somewhat.

Finally caught a Matrix trailer, albeit a short one. Can't wait!