Reading: indie comics
Music: old vh1 classics...huh.. who would have guessed?
TV/Movie: The Condemned
Link o' the Day: Vegas Fandom Weekly at efanzines.com

So did the people who made The Condemned ever hear of a little hit 2000 movie called Battle Royale? Granted, it's a Japanese movie, but it was also one of their biggest earners. That said, I suppose the idea isn't new--put a bunch of cons on an island and make them fight to the death. It's that whole Man vs. Man plot boiled down. Add a few twists like make two of them a married couple--of only one can survive, or set up an inevitable showdown between a racists and a black man. Toss in a Bruce Lee type. Unexpected friendships. Revealed pasts. yawn



Battle Royale set itself in a dystopian future and featured school kids.

But there's some decent action in The Condemned. A couple of hours of slug-festing in poor lighting situations don't make a great movie, but it'll do if there's nothing else going on.

This is not how I felt when I finally watched Casino Royale. I've not seen Quantum of Solace yet, and probably won't for a while yet as I'm not totally invested in the whole James Bond thing--but the new version of Casino Royale has been the best Bond film I've ever seen.

Ever

It's brooding. Bond isn't always self-assured--he's conflicted. He doesn't emerged unscathed--he's very...umm.. scathed. M isn't some amiable, almost comic parent figure, but a serious, no-nonsense, pragmatic character. It's not cool. It's rugged.

I liked it. It's not what I expected, and I avoided it for the longest time. I guess that'll teach me, but to be fair, Bond movies had a long history of disappointing me, so I feel somewhat justified in my delayed viewing.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Today I woke up early--and yesterday I woke up late. So I guess it all balances. I was concerned with waking up late yesterday as I had a crapload of work to get done, and needed to hit the ground running--hence no time for a journal entry that day. As it turned out, I have a fairly productive day, and have a good start on this day.

So it's all good. The Lonnie Burr book is nearly done. The January 2009 issue of Medicine & Health/Rhode Island is complete and out for proof. A bunch of mailings went off courtesy the friendly neighborhood post office. I even did a little Xmas shopping. Go me.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Short entry. On to work-related stuff. Today's link is a fun one for science fiction fans, and by fans, I mean folks into organized fandom and fanzine fandom. I present a link to Vegas Fandom Weekly at efanzines.com. I bring this particular page to your attention for the special issue #111, The Trufan's Advisor.



It's a highly recommended read for those new to fandom, old to fandom, and curious.

Cheers!