Mean and Nasty and I Liked It a Lot

| | Comments (379) |

Having heard that the new James Bond film was a rougher, nastier piece of work than, oh, the last 200 or so, I intended to write something about the mean streak running through this season's most popular movies after seeing "Casino Royale."
You know, how the fall's biggest hit, "The Departed," is all guys making the vilest spiels they can think of when they aren't torturing and killing each other, or the millionth mention that everybody's favorite comedy "Borat" sets some kind of record for derisive attacks on individuals, nationalities and at least one whole gender - socio/cultural , it's-reflective-of-the-times stuff like that. Sure to sell lots of tickets due to curiosity about the new 007, Daniel Craig, alone, I figured a sufficient enough cruelty factor would put the Bond pic squarely in my thesis box.
Now that I've seen "Casino Royale," I can report that it fits the mean season mold well enough - there's one sequence that slightly echoes a favorite squirmy moment from "Goldfinger," but as presented here seems more like something out of a "Saw" movie. But guess what? This movie is so much better than any other Bond film since "Thunderball," the s/c analysis can wait; I just feel like savoring the unexpected pleasure for awhile.
"Dr. No" was the first movie I ever sat through. And I did it again a dozen times; the same with the next three Bonds. Watching any of the entries that came after those just once was usually a chore. More details why "Royale" is so impressive later when the film comes out - and maybe more about why quality entertainment and maliciousness are so intertwined at the moment (Don't think the Internet could have something to do with it, do ya?). But for the moment, thanks to the Bond team for finally, properly reviving the hero of my more innocent youth.
And in the spirit of these times, what took you so mother*%^&$%# long?

379 Comments

Emphyrio said:

Just listened to your latest podcast.

Great movie chat; I'll be back.

But is there no way to improve audio quality? Even a $15 headset mic ought to be better than this telephone-quality audio.

Bath said:

Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive! http://blogsuite.info/blog/

Jordan said:

Usefull information and all is good arranged. http://tinylink.eu/ste3e

Brianna said:

This site rocks! Keep up that excellent work! http://blogs.kaixo.com/gambeling

Levitra said:

Usefull information and all is good arranged. http://1cheap-levitra.blogspot.com/

Levitra said:

I just don't have much to say recently http://myurl.com.tw/d8hp

Jessica said:

This site rocks! Keep up that excellent work! http://allaboutheadsets.blogspot.com/

Student said:

This site rocks! Keep up that excellent work! http://www.iwannaforum.com/repayment/

Skateboards said:

Not much on my mind today, but whatever http://ringers.maxblog.pl/

Cruises said:

What a great site and excellent resource you have. http://yachtcruises.iphorum.com/

Boxes said:

This site rocks! Keep up that excellent work! http://jewelleryboxes.vdforum.ru

Wonderful articles. Thanks for such a nice information http://engagementring.blogtopia.com/

Thank you for a very informative site. http://www.blog.fory.pl/jackets/

Skateboard said:

Wonderful articles. Thanks for such a nice information http://urlbounce.com/go/XhG8n

Armani said:

Really amazing! Keep working. http://jackets.jubiiblog.co.uk

Lasik said:

Thank you for a very informative site. http://generators.aceblog.fr

levitra said:

Just by logging into http://www.levitrabliss.com , you can purchase levitra to treat erectile dysfunction on risky conditions like diabetes, prostate surgery and hypertension.

Beddings said:

Really amazing! Keep working.http://blogs.krify.com/beddings/

Diets said:

Thank you for a very informative site. http://diets.spotbb.com/

Acuvue said:

Excellent resource you've got here! http://acuvueoasys.aceblog.fr/

Tramadol said:

This site rocks! Keep up that excellent work! http://tramadol12.vdforum.ru/

Composers said:

What a great site and excellent resource you have. http://ringtones.dreamstation.com/

herbals@drugs.com

herbals@drugs.com

last longer said:

herbals@drugs.com

herbals@drugs.com

Feist mp3 said:

sale@mp3.com

Travis mp3 said:

sale@mp3.com

Feist said:

sale@mp3.com

Jeff Buckley said:

sale@mp3.com

Joss Stone said:

sale@mp3.com

Ugly Kid Joe said:

sale@mp3.com

Pink Floyd said:

sale@mp3.com

Gwen Stefani said:

sale@mp3.com

Norah Jones said:

sale@mp3.com

Elton John said:

sale@mp3.com

Fall Out Boy said:

sale@mp3.com

Madonna said:

sale@mp3.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

viagra price said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

viagra uk said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

sale@drugs.com

cheap@viagra.com

order viagra said:

sale@drugs.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

sale@drugs.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

levitra said:

sale@drugs.com

Beatles mp3 said:

sale@mp3.com

sale@drugs.com

Abba mp3 said:

sale@mp3.com

Eminem mp3 said:

sale@mp3.com

viagra price said:

sale@drugs.com

Depeche Mode said:

sale@mp3.com

Eric Clapton said:

sale@mp3.com

viagra soft said:

sale@drugs.com

Enigma said:

sale@mp3.com

Evanescence said:

sale@mp3.com

David Bowie said:

sale@mp3.com

Eminem said:

sale@mp3.com

Sting said:

sale@mp3.com

viagra sale said:

sale@drugs.com

Oasis said:

sale@mp3.com

R E M said:

sale@mp3.com

Moby said:

sale@mp3.com

Firewood said:

Thank you for a very informative site. http://firewood.fr33webhost.com

Enya said:

sale@mp3.com

Guns N Roses said:

sale@mp3.com

Cure said:

sale@mp3.com

Vangelis said:

sale@mp3.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

viagra uk said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

sale@drugs.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

http://www.ringtones-dir.net/get/ ringtones site free. Best free samsung ringtones, Cingular ringtones and more, Ringtones for free. From website .

http://www.ringtones-dir.net/get/ ringtones site free. Best free samsung ringtones, Cingular ringtones and more, Ringtones for free. From website .

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

viagra uk said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

buy levitra said:

sale@drugs.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

buy viagra said:

cliusef@qweasf.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

buy levitra said:

sefiu@dlsfn.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

aljsd@alkdsm.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

Coldplay mp3 said:

sale@mp3.com

sale@mp3.com

Eagles said:

sale@mp3.com

Coldplay said:

sale@mp3.com

Deep Purple said:

sale@mp3.com

Iron Maiden said:

sale@mp3.com

Billy Joel said:

sale@mp3.com

Mariah Carey said:

sale@mp3.com

Nickelback said:

sale@mp3.com

Meat Loaf said:

sale@mp3.com

Green Day said:

sale@mp3.com

sale@mp3.com

Doors said:

sale@mp3.com

John Lennon said:

sale@mp3.com

Beck said:

sale@mp3.com

Police said:

sale@mp3.com

Rihanna mp3 said:

sale@mp3.com

Duran Duran said:

sale@mp3.com

Rihanna said:

sale@mp3.com

Scorpions said:

sale@mp3.com

sale@mp3.com

Il Divo said:

sale@mp3.com

Tool said:

sale@mp3.com

Phil Collins said:

sale@mp3.com

50 Cent said:

sale@mp3.com

Pearl Jam said:

sale@mp3.com

Prodigy said:

sale@mp3.com

ZZ Top said:

sale@mp3.com

Sugababes said:

sale@mp3.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

buy levitra said:

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

viagra cheap said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@levitra.com

buy viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap viagra said:

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

cheap@viagra.com

Leave a comment

About this blog

Bob Strauss writes about entertainment for the Los Angeles Daily News.

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Bob Strauss published on November 8, 2006 11:32 PM.

The Good Cultural News Is . . . was the previous entry in this blog.

How Far Will This Discernment Trend Go? is the next entry in this blog.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.

Powered by Movable Type 4.25

Advertisement

Other blogs

Bradford, Williams Honored in Inside USC with Scott Wolf
Monday Catch-Up in 100 Percent Soccer
My report card for UCLA/Zona, what's yours? in Inside UCLA with Jon Gold
HS BASE: Crespi's Mason and Hubbard commit to Stony Brook in Daily News High School Spotlight
The Ocho Cinco News Network ... confirming, we're on the road to nowhere in Farther Off the Wall