Billyjhobbs-1

Just got back from a most delightful and satisfying afternoon--to a showing of the long-awaited, long-anticipated new James Bond film "Spectre." I was NOT disappointed; I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am a big James Bond films fan—I like them all, but Daniel Craig's Bond is my favorite. The photography in this one was spectacular and I appreciated the "homages" the film made to so many of the previous Bond movies—subtle, but there for the REALLY DEVOTED! And, of course, from the first opening chase/chaos scene to the rest of the film, I was "caught." It did seem to have more than the usual chase scenes, but I was okay with that. And, of course, there is the usual amount of die-hard violence, but in the Bond movies, we seem to accept it more. And, too, Mr. Bond is still the ever-so-sophisticated Renaissance man, who just happens to look like a zillion dollars! The plot? Puleeze. Bond films aren't generally known for their plots--but the excitement of getting the villain and meeting plenty of beautiful women. And seeing a lot of world geography. It's entertainment--it's NOT Tennessee Williams or David Mamet. And Sam Smith does an exceptional job with the title song. Just sit back and enjoy, analysis is for Dr. Freud.

It's deliciously vicious, this "Vicious" series from the Brits. And no one does "camp" like the Brits. Between Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi, we have "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe" meeting "Will and Grace," with the former coming out better, higher, funnier.

Sharp, very sharp, screenplay and the biting, scathing retorts to these who longtime partners is at once horrifying yet all this ends up in an "ab fab" understatement: they really are more than partners; they are friends. Kudos to them for chancing such roles and kudos to the writers for being so "spot on." (And what's NOT to like about Ash!)

Here's to a continuation of this series.

Take out Meryl Streep (she can act anywhere or in anything) and perhaps Julia ROberts, and what do you have left: "Who's Afraid of Virginia WOlfe" with lots of potty mouth language (I wonder if Streep and Roberts actually eat with that same mouth!)meets daytime soap operas (which don't have this senseless, needless awful language (does anyone want to hear the "f" word about a brazillian times?)meets a bad-rerun of the Aeschylus tragedies and you get "August, Osage County." Give me a break. I kept wishing I could slit my wrists, yet HOPING that the movie would redeem itself. I am a big Streep fan (I think she's the greatest living actor)but I wonder: what was she THINKING when she accepted this role. Thanks but no thanks. On the plus side (redeeming side), the cinematography and editing were first rate. Still. I wasted the price of admission.