LIVE BLOGGING: Casino Royale AND Quantum of Solace

I've wanted to do a Double Feature Live Blog and couldn't seem to find a better set of movies than these. So, after the jump (the link is below the tags), get ready for the BIGGEST LIVE BLOG of them all:



6:53: About to put the DVD of Casino Royale in. Testing out the jump feature first!

6:55: Now that it works, I'm going to put in the DVD. So, a here... we.... go!

7:00: Forgot how good the trailer for Spider-man 3 was. Especially compared to the movie (which I enjoyed... but the trailer ROCKED!)

7:01: Always wondered what audiences who hadn't seen any previews for the movie and limited Bond knowledge thought when they walked into this movie. Did they know it was a reboot? Loved the black and white.

7:03: Unloaded gun pointed at Bond, trigger pulled, bad guy surprised. First time that happens in this movie... NOW.

7:04: When Bond shoots the guy in his chair, there's a quick cut of the guy's family photo. Love it. Shows Bond is a tough m'f'er with little conscience. And then the quick gun barrel sequence. Just a GREAT Bond opening. I put it in top 3. Which is probably where I put this movie as well.

7:06: Chris Cornell theme? I put at Top Ten. But then I love grunge rock too.

7:09: Man, Mr. White as a bad guy. Wonder if my students feel the same way about me.

7:11: And now probably the greatest action sequence in all of the Bond movies, the free run up to the construction site. (Not to be confused with best fight sequence, which is the train fight in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.)

7:12: Any other best of Bond moments? Post 'em in the comments!

7:14: Love how Bond is the blunt instrument in this scene, destroying any and everything in his path to catch his target.

7:15: Unloaded gun pointed at Bond... number 2.

7:20 Bond kill count, 3.

7:24: M: "You've got a bloody cheek?" Wonder what the translation is on that one, because at this point Bond's cheek is not bleeding.

7:28: My first thought when Bond takes the guy's Range Rover to park it... Is that truck REALLY a step up from your Ford?

7:31: Hot Girl: "He has a house just up the beach." Bond: "Thank you." That's it? That's all the direction you need? Man, it would be great if he walked into someone else's house randomly. Nope, instead he shows up bare chested in a Speedo.

7:40: Love how Bond is making out and still trying to get answers to questions about the case, yet doesn't ruin the make out mood. That's quality.

7:43: When casting Daniel Craig, they must have looked at his eyes and said "Let's have as many staring scenes as possible."

7:44: What... is that? Why yes, it's Richard Burton being searched at the airport!

7:47: David Arnold is almost John Barry. Almost.

7:52: Er... why exactly are they debuting a new airplane in the middle of the night?

7:56: Miami Air Traffic control? Worst in the world!

7:58: Director Campbell, you hired such a tricky editor!

8:00: Bond Body Count: 4

8:03: Good Lord Eva Green is hot.

8:05: My dad was so proud that he got the skewered joke at the end of this "Let's read each other" scene. It's a nice little pun.

8:13: This scene when Green is putting her make-up on is when Green looks the best. When I saw this in the theater, I literally gasped. And if my gal is reading this...you're much better looking.

8:13: Love the hint of the Bond theme when he puts the tux on.

8:19: I call the Frenchman who helps Green understand the game of poker "Captain Exposition."

8:22: Machetes and hotel rooms never mix. I love how these guys got all good and dressed up to attack LeChiffre.

8:24: Stairwell fight scene is up there with the From Russia With Love. If only it had Robert Shaw.

8:27: Yeaaahhhh, all that death makes me want scotch too. Bond Body Count 5.

8:28: Apparently for the famous "cry in the shower" scene, Eva was supposed to take all of her clothes off (sigh.). She argued that in that state her character wouldn't have waited. Ever notice how all the credit is given to an actor or actress when they make that leap, but never a writer or director when they tell the actor to do something other than what they want?

8:35: Bond just lost. Movie over?

8:36: Hm. Nope seems to still be going on.

8:38: Felix Leiter's "Does it look like we need the money?" line is freakin' laced with irony tonight.

8:40: Good thing someone was there to pick up the phone, run down the hall, and tell M that you've been poisoned, eh Bond?

8:45: I haven't read the book in ages. How close is the 2nd half of the movie to the novel? I mean, there wasn't a fight in the stairwell right? There were guys who blew up a car... and the torture scene is still there.

8:47: Wow Bond, you kinda really hung around on a bad hand for a while, didn't you? If Eva Green knew ANYTHING about poker, she may have killed you right there and then.

8:51: Okay Bond, you've been poisoned, in a horrific car accident. You're unconscious and taken by the bad guys. What possibly could happen next? Seriously, it's all uphill from here, isn't it?

8:55: Oh. That's going to happen. Ouch.

8:58: Everybody say it with me. Thank God Mr. White showed up when he did.

9:04: Oh, Vesper... your emotional reactions late in this movie seems to go to extremes.

9:08: Been a long time since Bond's killed someone. Can't believe his body count is only 5. Wait until QoS when it's like four gagillion.

9:12: Bond walking fast and looking angry. Good sign for Death number 6.

9:14: "I'll kill her!" "Allow me." Go angry Bond, Go.

9:17: Bond makes building sink. Dave looses body count. It's probably at around 8 right now.

9:23: I want Elton John to chime in with "THE BITCH IS DEAD...."

9:24: Oh, Mr. White, you are in soooooooo much trouble. The Bond, James Bond... totally earned.

9:26: Okay, movie over. Will be back with QoS after a very short break.

9:40: Popping in the QoS DVD right now, courtesy of Scott! So here we go. Part two of a double feature!

9:45: When this movie started without a gun barrel scene in the theater, I was ticked. Now let's take a look at Bond as this is supposed to start about 20 minutes after CR. Looks like he's gained some weight in 20 minutes.

9:48: I recall feeling like there were a lot of references to other Bond films in this one. Let's see if I can spot 'em as we go.

9:49: I think this is one of the first times we've had two quality Bond themes in a row. Or maybe it's just my musical tastes.

9:53: No, it's not the weight. He's grown his hair in 20 minutes though. He's also killed 4 guys so far, though not with his hands. They were kind of forced off the road in a car chase. Not sure if it counts. By the way, if you're a twitter follower: www.twitter.com/jamesbondlive

9:59: We'll start the body count at 4. It's now 5.

10:00: It's actually pretty cool, what the Twitter Bond is doing... you may want to follow him too.

10:02: They talk pretty damned fast in this movie. I had trouble following in the theater. Will probably slip up here as I'm looking for lines to post and joke about.

10:03: Okay, surprisingly, Twitter Bond, not as funny as I am. Probably has a writer or something going for "super cheese."

10:04: Love when there are just random fights in Bond movies. Bond Body Count 6.

10:05 Random girls in crappy cars. This really reminds me of a Timothy Dalton film.

10:06: Twitter Bond just said "My bad." Sigh.

10:07: I gotta say, the writers really found a way to make M a viable and compelling character. No longer just exposition.

10:12: "We've already begun destabilizing the government" is an old school Bond cheese line. Love it. This guy is a Robert Davi type villain.

10:15 Bond is on a boat. I will have to keep an eye on the body count, that's for sure. Ah, there are the machine guns. Yeah, this reminds me of License to Kill a lot.

10:16: TWITTER BOND referencing his win with Pegasus in VIEW TO A KILL. You have my respect, sir.

10:17: I'm saying no way those guys survived that crash. Bond Body Count 7. Total 15 for the evening. I think.

10:20: The CIA agent's name is Mr. Bean. But he's not all that bumbling. Boooo!

10:22: How do CIA agents with this kind of attitude pass the training? Seriously, way too goofy, right?

10:23: CIA guy recognizing James Bond. Bond relegated to being the worst SECRET spy ever.

10:25: They always find a way to get him into a tux.

10:26: Love how they all wear earphones at the opera to talk to each other. If I was sitting next to one of them in the audience I was be MEGA pissed. SHUT UP, evil organization, I'm trying to listen to Tosca!

10:28: Bond, clever way to get pictures, but again... WORST SPY EVER in terms of staying a secret.

10:30: Body count now 11, including a direct reference to THE SPY WHO LOVED ME.

10:33: He didn't kill the one guy, so we'll knock it down to 10.

10:36: I think the bartender on the plane has been in other Bond films. Might be time for some IMDB trivia.

10:40 TEACHERS WIN LOTTERY! Oh Bond, how you fantasize. (still nothing on the IMDB trivia search.)

10:43: Twitter Bond: When I get home the Quantum members will have their pictures taggged on Facebook, too. HA!

10:45: Her name maybe Strawberry Fields, but that does not detract from her cuteness.

10:47: Oh, the random cop killing scene where Mathis is able to become Captain Exposition again.

10:48: Love the way Bond hold Mathis parallels him hold Vesper in the shower.

10:52: Airplane search scene reminiscent of THUNDERBALL. Chase scene TOMORROW NEVER DIES.

10:54: I've completely lost count of the kills in this movie. 12?

10:59: Sorry, Bond and the girl are soul searching. I'm just chillin'.

11:01: Bond makes a huge jump in logic, plot moves along thanks to a MONTAGE!



11:04: Another dead girl. Randomly, the villains find a way to NOT get oil anywhere else. Bond is angry and sad. And we all think of Goldfinger.

11:06: I need to learn how to walk like Bond. I'm hot shit, you ain't. I'm in a hurry, but not really. How do you do that?

11:09: Ah. A random hotel in the desert. Makes complete sense super villains. Complete sense.

11:11 WOOOOO TWITTER BOND NOTICED ME: "@Dave_White more to come!" Yeah, I know it's not much, but still.

11:15 Bond is assaulting the desert hotel. I have no chance of counting dead bodies.

11:16: Mr. Greene, that is one ugly shirt. This scene is very Tomorrow Never Dies.

11:18: If CR was Bond learning how to kill with a license, than QoS is Bond learning not to kill. Or better yet, when to kill. Me like.

11:19: Another reference to Bond holding Vesper. Thank God God in the Machine showed up.

11:22: Glad Camille is aware enough to psycho analyze Bond.

11:23 Oooh, Bond, you're so stern with your gun.

11:24: Canadian Intelligence. Oxymoron? (Sorry Sarah! Couldn't resist.)

11:26 A fine coda in Russia. And then we get the gun barrel! My verdict: Casino Royal is a top 3 Bond film. Quantum of Solace is a good Bond film. But stand the two together and it's pretty damn entertaining. Thanks for sticking with me tonight folks!

Movie Review: WATCHMEN

Just got back from the theater. SPOILERS:

Now first thing's first, I am not a slave to the graphic novel. I've only read it twice. Once when I was just getting out of college, when I didn't exactly get what the book was trying to do. I just thought it was trying to be edgy. The second time I read it was last week. Appreciated it more, but I am not a slave to it. I was willing to give the movie some rope.

The question is: Would the movie hang itself with that rope or pull itself up into the pantheon of great super hero movies? I say, a little of both, but maybe more of the latter.

The movie is visually great. It's basically the comic book brought to life. In fact, the first 2/3s of the movie are so slavishly close to the comic it lifts panels and puts them on screen. This is amazing, because the film really has pull, at this point. And I was sucked in by it.

The plot really rolls along. The graphic novel is basically a murder mystery that ends up having HUGE implications on the world. The movie is much more about the characters, only falling back on the murder when it needs to move the plot along. Again, this is fine, as it doesn't skimp on the plot, but does its best to try and ingrain us in the world and minds of these superheros.

The ending is where the film diverts from the comic. However, what has come before, I feel this diversion actually WORKS BETTER than what was in the comic, plot wise. It takes what came before and actually builds on it, creating a satisfying ending, that doesn't seem to come out of left field.

The ending the graphic novel intends to skewer the huge crises that super heroes face and always seem to succeed against. That works in the world of comic heroes, but in the world of the movie... where you have an audience that may not have read the book or know anything about super heroes other than movies... they might not get it. So it brings about a more logical conclusion for the FILM. And it satisfied me.

So, what doesn't work? The movie is too long. It so slavishly follows the comic for the first half, that I felt--at times--it dragged. That could be because I knew what was coming and wanted to get to certain parts. Because when those moments showed up (the prison raid for example) I wasn't disappointed, and didn't notice the time.

The other problem is the movie tends to lose the satirical spirit of the comic. Again, that has to do with length. The movie is almost bloated to begin with running 156 minutes. But by trying to get as much plot and character in as possible, the movie must skip what makes Moore's book so special. It can't get the nuances of the comics. The little digs at super heroes, the games played with comic traditions.

Overall, I'd watch it again. Overall, I liked it. I thought it did as well with the source material as possible.

I thought maybe the violence was a smidge too much. And if the movie wasn't in slow motion, it would have been about 10 minutes shorter.

But it was a good movie experience.

But again, I'm not as connected to the source material as some. And I could see why other would dislike it.

I'd give it 3 out of 4 stars.

(For a review I really agree with, Alan Sepinwall of THE STAR LEDGER.)

New Jersey: The Promised Land--Proximity

A lot of people call New Jersey the armpit of the nation. It is quite clear they are uniformly wrong.

New Jersey is close to all the important things. You could be fifteen minutes and an hour and a half from New York and Philly respectively. You could be in DC or Boston within 4 hours. You are close to the ocean. You can ski at Mountain Creek in the winter. There are wineries, and breweries. There are plenty of things to do, not to mention the state is SMALL so it's relatively easy to get to everything. In fact, Philly and New York should be lucky they are so close to NJ.

A friend of mine once said, "Oh please, New York City is basically a suburb of NJ." So true, so true. You are close to things. Hop on the Turnpike and you can be at the Meadowlands for a basketball game.

Rutgers and Princeton, two of our nations finest universities are only minutes away. You are never far from importance.

Indiana (#14), however, is far from everything! What are they close to? Notre Dame? That school's football team SUCKS (they haven't been important since the invention of the facemask). Chicago? Okay, so they're close to mobsters, but they're state doesn't even have mobsters like NJ does. Indiana has nothing. Cornfields... It's like a twelve hour drive to relevance.

We are close to everything. And most of the time, we are everything.

Rutgers University Basketball--the Hardest Rebuilding Job?

For the college hoops fanatic or Rutgers alum

I've been thinking about this during the season, and am coming to the conclusion that it might be.

First off, both Waters and now Hill have said it takes around 7 years to rebuild in this conference. It appears that may be true.

Bannon came very close, and a lot of pundits thought he was going to turn it around, had he not screwed up personally. He had a good recruiting class coming up (reportedly), was starting to breed some success, and had proved he could win. I believe he was fired in his... fourth year? Maybe his fifth. So give his recruiting class a few more years to gel... Maybe?

Waters... year five, he had 3 good years, and 2 horrid years. He thought (judging by most articles) he would have gotten Douby to stick around and in his sixth year he'd have gotten them into the NCAAs. That's about 7 years.

Now Hill has had the worst start of these three, but again... his best recruiting class to date won't be seniors until year 6, and his first full recruiting class won't be seniors until year 5. Will these players mature to get him over the hump?

So far, none of these coaches have gotten the chance to get to a 7th year.

-Other problems:

--You basically have to kiss up to all the HS NJ coaches to recruit NJ. Look at Waters key mistake, not knowing who Hurley was. He basically shut himself out of the NJ recruiting market, which not only angers the HS coaches and keeps them from sending people, but also angers the fans who want a team that keeps NJ kids at home.

--Not to mention there are 4 local big time teams in the area (RU, SHU, St. John's, and Villanova) all after those same HS kids you're trying to recruit... not to mention each year it seems a lot of the big boys come and cherry pick players they want.

--All of the other 3 BE teams in the area have had more recent success than RU. Kids who are being recruited today weren't even born the last time the team made the NCAAs, and they're most clear memory of the team is probably the NIT run. SJU, SHU, and 'Nova especially have all been to the tourney in the last ten years.

--An impossible conference. 16 teams. Nearly all of them having championship tradition. The top 6 are always consistently good. Tough to leapfrog.

--Academics. RU may be the best academic school of the big 4 (though I do believe 'Nova is very good too) and Hill consistently says it's hard to bring JUCOs in. Also, with the Mike Davis issue, we've seen that the school is unlikely to take many more academic risks. It's hard to get in, and it's hard to go the quick fix route.

--Practice facilities aren't even that great. Can't use them to recruit. You split time in the gym with the women's team. And probably the baseball team.

--You may still have a perception problem. I wonder if there are still HS coaches who hear RU and still think "naked free throws."

--An impatient fanbase. Most of the alums remember 1991. Those who are older were there for '76. They don't see that times have changed (it seems), and want to be back NOW. They aren't willing to see a 7 year rebuilding program. They would like to see progress, and steps back are NEVER good and you can NEVER recover.

--A football team that had always been a doormat now sees consistent success. Fans are thirsting for more success. Cuts even more into their patience. The students think they're a bit entitled to success with a good women's hoops team as well.

--No wiggle room. Bannon and Waters made mistakes, and not one has been able to recover. A lot of fans think Hill doesn't even deserve time to try to recover from his mistakes. (Player management seems to be the key.)

Overall, I must say with all this going against you, the players Hill has been able to recruit are amazing. He's getting players, and he seems to be able to continue getting them. Now can he recover from this year and mold them before the well runs dry?

And if not, what of the next coach? It's clear the NJ clique LOVES Hill. Will the next coach get cut out, if the NJ clique don't think Hill got a fair deal? Will he ever start further from behind?

It seems the best way to try and battle the tradition problem is to recruit out of state where you are not battered by headlines of how bad Rutgers is. It's better to never have heard of the school, rather than hear how bad they are. Hill is trying to do this now, getting kids from NY and Penn. He's gotten his share of Jersey kids too, which I find very impressive.

It's clear the next step is to win. Go out and get better next year, set yourself up for a very good year 5.

But thinking about it, this may be one of the toughest schools in the country to build a basketball program

READING!

One of the things I have been seeing a lot on Facebook, Twitter, and blogs is that people aren't reading anymore. It's a common complaint, usually from those who are unpublished and are trying to be published.

People aren't reading anymore, that's why I can't sell my books. Especially kids. Kids don't read. They play X-Box, they surf the 'net, they watch TV. But they aren't reading.

Phhheerrrrtttt.

I don't think that's true.

People are reading. People are reading books that catch their imagination, that grasp their interest. People are reading things they enjoy.

If people aren't reading (especially kids), then why do I keep seeing hundreds of kids in my school carrying the TWILIGHT series. Why did millions of people--kids and adults alike--haul around 900 page Harry Potter tomes?

The key is--especially with kids--is you have to have a well written idea that reaches above and beyond the X-Box, the Facebook, the TV. You have to find that niche that makes people go out and say "Wow, I need to read that book."

The most interesting thing I'm finding is kids who are reading the TWILIGHT series are going out and getting other romantic vampire books. The Harry Potter fans find other fantasy novels.

People are going to read what they like, and that's what's going to sell. Adult men are going to gravitate toward history, sports, and Chuck Pahlinuk (sp) novels. It's how they were brought up.

People are still reading. They're just not reading what we (you, me, other authors) want them to read.

People are going to read crime fiction and thrillers, but they need to find books that will draw them to other books in the genre. I found the genre through Robert B. Parker and (gasp!) James Patterson in college. Jeffery Archer and Michael Crichton in middle school. Others will find it through Dan Brown or Janet Evanovich.

Don't complain that people aren't reading. That's the wrong argument. Complain that there aren't enough books exciting enough to pull people away from everything else authors are competing with.

People want to read, I fully believe that. They just want to read something good. And then go watch TV.

Predicting the Big East Tournament

Knowing how good I am at predicting (see my predictions for Rutgers basketball), this is probably an exercise in futility, but hey... what's the fun in thinking that way? So here are my predictions for the Big East Tournament, which starts Tuesday:

Tuesday, March 10 � First Round (BIGEAST.tv)
No. 9 Cincinnati vs. No. 16 DePaul.....................Noon: Cincy is good. Tough team, rebounds are, lays it all out on the line. Should handle a bad DePaul team pretty easily.




No. 12 Georgetown vs. No. 13 St. John’s.......................... 2 p.m. St. John's is at home, they play good defense and already beat Georgetown once. Plus, they're playing on their home court. I say St. John's in a tight one.


No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 15 Rutgers........................... 7 p.m.--Oh, RU, how I'd love to pick you. Rutgers played ND tough on the road about a week and a half ago and lost by five. More of the same this time around. RU comes out hot, with Rosario shooting well early. ND roars back and takes a ten point lead. RU closes the gap to two and loses by 6.

No. 11 Seton Hall vs. No. 14 USF............................ 9 p.m.--I hate Seton Hall. But they're peaking. They win by 10.



Wednesday, March 11 � Second Round (ESPN)

No. 8 Providence vs. Cincinnati....................... Noon--Providence is a bunch of seniors. Cincy plays 'em tough. This could be the game of this round. Providence by 3 in OT.

No. 5 Marquette vs. St. John’s................ 2 p.m.--Even without James, Marquette is better than a tired St. John's. 'Quette runs them into the ground, wins by 15.

No. 7 West Virginia vs. Notre Dame................ 7 p.m.--ND, with confidence hits their threes. WVU comes out flat. ND by 4.

No. 6 Syracuse vs. Seton Hall.... 9 p.m.--The 'Cuse fans take over MSG. I hate both teams. Cuse by 40.



Thursday, March 12 � Quarterfinals (ESPN)

No. 1 Louisville vs. Providence............................. Noon-- Louisville. Providence makes it a game for a half, but ends up beaten.

No. 4 Villanova vs. Marquette.............................. 2 p.m.--A guard battle. Fast breaks, 3s, fun to watch. Nova by 8 in OT.

No. 2 Pittsburgh vs. ND................................ 7 p.m.--Pitt beats ND in a blow out. ND is cold, and after a nice run, ND can't hit a shot. Pitt by 20.

No. 3 Connecticut vs. 'Cuse.................................. 9 p.m.--Ooh, this could be a fun one. Don't like either team really. But I'll go UConn in regulation by 6, because Thabeet and Price have big games, going inside out against the zone.



Friday, March 13 � Semifinals (ESPN)

Nova vs. Louisville............................................. 7 p.m. Another fun one. Nova beats the 'Ville on a buzzer beater 3 by Corey Fischer.

UConn vs. Pitt........................................... 9 p.m. I love Pitt, but it is so tough to beat a team 3 times in one year. UConn by 7.



Saturday, March 14 � Championship (ESPN)


Nova vs. UConn.... 9 pm. Nova keeps it close, but Cunningham is no match for Thabeet and fouls out. UConn wins by 6 on Free Throws. But it doesn't help them in the tourney as the BET just beats them up.

Commenting on all sorts of things

Just running through the things on my mind:

-Downloaded the Kindle App for the iPhone today. It was free. Love the idea, but can't read it for long stretches at a time. Be good for a ride on the PATH or sitting and waiting for something, but it's not a thing where I can read 100 pages and not go blind.

-I still love to go to a bookstore. Especially a good independent bookstore, where you can talk to shop owners about books. Hold the paper in your hand, read the jacket copy, and check out the cover. Can't see how anyone would pick the Kindle over this. Use the Kindle as a supplement, not the whole thing.

-Realizing how I have to psyche myself up to write. I have to think I have the worst work ethic ever in order to inspire myself. For instance, I didn't have time to write today. I kind of saw this coming (along with my writing time for the rest of the week) and worked on about 8,000 words Mon and Tues. Good stuff, but I am absolutely beating myself up about not getting some words down on paper (Yeah, I should be writing now, but I'm about 10 minutes from sleepy time, and still need to unwind from a long day.)

-Manny resigns with LA. Good. I can still be Davey being Davey on the East Coast.

-I have been going through damn good stretch of reading. Every book I've picked up has been compelling. Charlie Huston, Don Winslow, Lawrence Block... all good stuff. And I have some old favorites lined up for future reads.

-It appears Corey Chandler will transfer out of Rutgers. I'm a huge Corey fan and hope he changes his mind. But, ugh, this has been an ugllyyyyyy season.