rough trade

Let's start with this:

This is to call your attention to an incident that occurred last Friday night, November 24 at the Alpine Cinema 5, for the 7:45 PM screening of “Casino Royale”.

A group of young men (teenagers) were at the two last rows of the right side, and as teenagers these days are wont to do, were being boisterous and playful. I am used to certain audiences in your cinema; however in my previous experiences there, such groups tend to quiet down when the movie commences.

It wasn't to be this time around as the rudeness level started to increase thru the film, annoying most of the other patrons of the cinema. Most of us just wanted to spend a typical Friday night in the neighborhood cinema, and were trying to understand where this latest James Bond plot was taking us. Thanks to certain (paying) customers, we were denied even this simple pleasure.

The young men seemed to be all together in a group, though it didn't seem that way when at least twice during the screening; some of them nearly came to blows, heaping insults upon each other, while some tried to calm their rowdy friends down. We suspect it was all just an act just to annoy the other customers of the cinema, because they were laughing together again thereafter. At one point, we even smelled the familiar scent of someone smoking. As if their incessant talking and arguing weren't enough. Not to highlight certain stereotypes or anything, but these young teenagers loudly cheered when Algeria was mentioned in the film (Eva Green's character had an Algerian necklace of sorts). Obviously the Bay Ridge neighborhood is what it is, but then again, it speaks volumes about manners and respect, and how certain sectors of American society have no clue what these are. Perhaps we can just isolate it to age and immaturity? I am curious as to how these young men behaved, if they did watch “Borat” in the Alpine.

An Alpine staffer was called in during these events, and obviously, the offending parties were not even listening to his warning, or scared enough to behave. We understand that since the Alpine Cinema has been under a financial strain of late, and there is no need for tighter and robust security to maintain order (most of the time?). However, as last Friday's incident demonstrates, it is unfair for the remaining 90% of the patrons to sit through such an ordeal and nothing is done about the offending 10% (who, at the conclusion of the movie, ran out in seconds to avoid a potentially angry mob). People exhibiting boorish behavior should be thrown out after two reasonable warnings; it doesn't matter if there's 2 of them or 20, or if they're 18 or 80.

The Alpine has been a great neighborhood haunt, being an institution in itself; the convenient location and affordable ticket price enhances its community value. But if at that cost we would have to tolerate rowdy patrons, perhaps it’s better to pay a bit more elsewhere for a safer, enjoyable movie experience.

at least i was open-minded. perhaps the current raves and $$$ being raked in changed the doubters' minds eh?

if only for that crappy event as i described above, i will have to watch this film again and again. you know the DVD is going to get added to my collection.

my BFG beats your BFG

ah, what can i say? fresh air. no invisible car, no trick gadgets, no sly humor ... Daniel Craig smashes the Bond image and remakes it in his own. i can hear the howls from the Moore and Brosnan purists. ok, fellas, they were good and they had their runs. i loved them. but at the same time you can't be eating the same food everyday. that being said, i miss Q. oh, wait. this is a reboot. we'll see Q back in Bond #22.

what's not to like? gritty in-your-face action (parkour, anyone?), with the bull-in-a-china-shop approach. fast cars. Bond as human as can be, whether opening a can of whupass on someone, or falling in love. solid supporting roles by Giancarlo Giannini (the memorable Pazzi in Hannibal) and Jeffrey Wright (a black Felix Leiter). oh, and look, there's the trademark Michael Wilson sighting! and the signature introduction gets saved for last. brilliant!

oh if we must quibble ... LeChiffre's not that a big leaguer when it comes to bad guys (and he gets offed by someone else). and i'm a little unconvinced about Eva Green. also thanks to the (young American-with-Mediterranean-ethnicity) assholes two rows behind, i got distracted during the talky portions.

you know what they say ... blonds have more fun.

despite being trounced at the box office two weeks in a row by a bunch of dancing penguins ... let it be said: Bond is back!