BruceH

QOS has it's flaws, no question, I just disagree with Ebert's assessment of the film as somehow betraying Bond. And I'm with you on that. Sure, starting with Daniel Craig and the 2006 Casino Royale, it's a new Bond, a reboot, as you say, and maybe Ebert just can't get on board with that. But personally I think it's a good move, both commercially and conceptually, and high time too.

I like the Craig "reboot" and just saw Quantum of Solace. Have to say that, despite some moments here and there, the new film seemed to be marking time. This script seemed to lose the thread of the plot at times; during the last section I sometimes wondered what in the hell the "big picture" was and why we should care. It seemed like Bond was just jumping from one setpiece to the next without any time set aside for context. I know, some would say that that only describes almost any Bond flick, but I didn't get that feeling from Casino Royale; while not a flawless film, watching it was much more satisfying because I felt much more invested in the plot and characters. And what was wrong with the action scenes in QoS? They had a frantic energy to them, but I didn't have a good sense of what was happening or being carried along. In the last Bourne movie, by contrast, though many yelled "Shaky camera!" and "Too much cutting!" nevertheless I always had a sense of exactly WHAT was happening in each action sequence, and where it was going. In QoS, however, I had the distinct impression of someone desperately hurling a huge pile of kitchen implements (including the sink) at my head in an attempt to impress me. Mind you, I wouldn't say it was a BAD Bond film, but, yeah, just marking time until the next installment of Bond 2.0 (Craig.) I just hope the next one has a better script and a much better director. Someone who knows how to handle action sequences at least.

You're assuming that anyone who buys these things has any intelligence left to insult. Snap!

Horrible! And the coins just LOOK revolting, too!

Is there a way to 'bookmark' a single post? Still on my 'neglected SF' kick; I've been reading some of Gordon R. Dickson's Dorsai novels. Good entertainment, I guess, but nothing special... During my misspent youth I always somehow managed to put off reading Dickson's Dorsai novels. Now I probably never will. (Yet I had a good impression of Gordon R. Dickson as an SF writer...I must have read some of his novellas or stories somewhere along the way.)

Yeah, we used to go to that chain when I was a little kid. Then all of a sudden they seemed to close down one-by-one. They had huge fries!

The first one of these that I've ever actually owned!

Sounds like a good idea in theory, but $30 per LP would be a little too pricey for me.

There used to be a good fish'n'chip place in Allston/Brighton (part of Boston)----pretty sure it's gone now, but there are plenty of others. There are places in SF, too, but even more places that specialize in other dishes but have a halfway decent fish'n'chip on the menu. Anywhere near either coast in the States I imagine you can get fish'n'chips if you look. They may not taste exactly the same as English fish'n'chips, but that's the way it goes. There are also lots of places back East that sell fried scallops with french fries (chips.) Not exactly my cup of milk, but lots of people seem to like'em. BTW, we certainly don't call the places that serve fish'n'chips in the US "chippies." If you fling that term around it may cause some misunderstandings.

Don't feel bad, you're not the only one.

Excellent point, and I agree. Except, perhaps for "momentarily."

truer words have never been spoken Yeah, he's on the album AND in the movie. I didn't want to mention it. Make of that what you will. And he's very probably the richest person from the album. Make of THAT what you will.

I don't completely agree with that; I thought that their first LP had serious possibilities. I remember at the time thinking they could go one of two ways, either interesting and quirky pop, or boring dinosaur rock. Obviously, they didn't agree with me on the appropriate direction... They kind of taught me what boring dinosaur rock WAS (by example.)

And, being a Mott the Hoople fanatic, I wanted to like them so much. What a boring let down. I'd have to say stadium concerts did serious damage to the artform. And to stadiums.

Even Talking Book, man????

They played an old interview with him on Fresh Air and he talked about a bad drinking problem he had at one time. I had no idea. In any case, 69 seems too young. RIP

Also the ...And His Mother Called Him Bill album. Highly recommended, and perhaps the best version of "Blood Count" ever.

Don't even know the thread.

Yes, and the whole Blue Serge album by Serge Chaloff (which "A Handful of Stars" appears on) is a great album that you would probably like. Another Ellington track, "Ko Ko," from around the time of "Blue Serge," would probably be something you would dig. Almost anything from the so-called "Blanton/Webster band" a period in the history of Duke Ellington's career when he had both bassist Jimmy Blanton and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster in his lineup (around 1940-41)---this was a charmed period for Ellington, when almost everything they recorded is now considered a classic. If you're downloading individual tunes, then I particularly recommend Ko Ko Concerto For Cootie Harlem Air Shaft Cotton Tail And perhaps "After All," "Solitude," "Raincheck," "Chelsea Bridge," "Jack the Bear," and "Warm Valley."

If you can find the Mosaic Complete Blue Note box used for a reasonable price, of course, that's a good way to go....

Diabolical!!!

Wow, three years younger than McCain.

I always sort of considered him to simply be the American answer to solo Paul McCartney.

I've always found both those songs to be utterly obnoxious. Well, OK, the latter is very probably meant as some sort of PARODY of obnoxiousness....while managing to still be utterly obnoxious. Genius, of a sort.

I can't say the same. Though I suppose it's not as boring or drecky as the bulk of their stuff.