This was an old Entertaining Thoughts that for some reason got looked over and posted late…..oops. Now its up here for your enjoyment.

The Christmas music has probably started playing in Sears already and while these coming months may mean lots of expensive purchases and plenty of Christmas socks in return they also mean that the winter movie season is upon us. The winter movie season is certainly never as profitable as the summer blockbuster season but, it is usually a little more refined, a little more tasteful, and has a lot more smaller releases before Oscar time. This year’s season has some definite winners in its lineup, and here are some of my favorites from just the next month.

“Pride and Glory” - 10/24/2008 (wide) - It seems that Colin Farrell needed a bit of a vacation after the “Miami Vice”/”The New World” debacle but he’s back, and just as ready as ever to kick your butt. Combine Mr. Farrell with Edward Norton who is fresh off of “Incredible Hulk,” and you have a sure-fire over the top action-drama. Set in and about the New York City Police department, “Pride and Glory” pits Norton against his family, and against the world….or something like that. It doesn’t really matter to be honest because we know there will be lots of shooting, yelling, cursing and probably Farrell versus Norton action. I doubt this film will be an Oscar contender but it will definitely be fun to watch.

“Zack and Miri Make a Porno” - 10/31/2008 (wide) - Kevin Smith’s latest flick stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in a zany buddy/romance comedy about two down on their luck roommates. In order to pay the rent and the bills, Rogen and Banks decide the best way for them to make some money is to start creating some porn. Along the way, they meet a crazy cast of characters created by actors collected from some of Smith’s and Rogen’s previous adventures. While “Zack and Miri” will definitely not be one for the kiddies, the strong-R rating shouldn’t scare away the Smith and Rogen faithful. Expect this movie to be funny, and extremely dirty, while heartwarming and entertaining at the same time.

“RocknRolla” - 10/31/2008 (wide) - Guy Ritchie, the director who created “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” is back with another crazy London crime caper. Starring “300″ badass Gerard Butler, “RocknRolla” is a pretty typical Ritchie affair but, I am saying that as a good thing. Silly action scenes, awesome one liners and lots of funny accents, are definitely going to be there but, unfortunately no Jason Statham in this action romp. Still, Butler will surely be amusing to watch, so I am definitely seeing this film.

“Repo! The Genetic Opera” - 11/7/2008 (limited) - Bare with me here for just a little bit. “Repo” stars an assortment of actor including Paris Hilton (yes that Paris) in a rock opera film (yes rock opera), set in the not so distant future. I know, I know…. Huh? But trust me this movie looks cool. Directed by Saw II,III and IV director Darren Bousman, “Repo” tells the tale of a world where genetic failures are the norm and body part replacement is necessary. Unfortunately, if you can’t pay the bills, the Repo man comes to take his due, usually in body parts. A crazy premise and even crazier looking visuals will certainly combine, to make this movie the most original thing you will see in a while. Hopefully, it comes to some theater near us.

“Quantum of Solace” - 11/14/2008 (wide) - Bond is back (again) and better than ever. Daniel Craig returns as Mr. Bond, in the first Bond film that is actually a sequel. Set almost right after the events of Bond’s reinvention in “Casino Royal,” “Quantum” will detail Bond’s quest for revenge, for the loss of his love. In his path of destruction is another beautiful woman (surprise!), played by Olga Kurylenko and a scheming baddy played by Mathieu Amalric. Sure to be even bigger and better than “Casino Royal,” this new bond movie will not be one to miss. Just as an idea of how much action there is in this movie, they apparently destroyed eight Aston Martin supercars in the making.

“JCVD” - 11/14/2008 (limited) - “JCVD” is an action packed satire of the life of action star, the muscle from Brussels, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Jean-Claude finds himself out of money and fighting for custody of his daughter, and somehow losing all the good action movie roles to Steven Segal (I said it was a comedy-action movie didn’t I?). Jean-Claude then decides to get out of the acting business, and goes home to Belgium. Unfortunately for Jean-Claude, trouble finds him anywhere, and he must use his action movie skills to escape a “real” danger situation and save the day. “JCVD” will definitely be a different kind of role for the aging action star but, will surely be an entertaining satirical look Jean-Claude that we haven’t seen before.

Dirty Hippie Headquarters will be taking a break for the Holiday Season but will return early January!

Unfortunately, due to outside circumstances, the Dirty Hippies will have to change around thier long standing (4 years!)  show times for this spring. More info on the new times as it becomes available. 

Still keep it tuned to EaglesFM for great free-format college radio all Holiday Season.

So yes, the website changed a bit. New background and new header now up.

These changes better reflect the advertising campaign we will run next  ( and our last broadcasting) semester.

But I am getting ahead of myself, more on that campaign later….

Let us know what you think of the changes in the comments section of this post!

The year is 2277 and over 200 years ago the world descended into the fiery death of all out nuclear war. Little is left standing of society and what remains is held together by ragtag groups of ever determined mankind. You are born into the underground society of Vault 101. While most of the world died, some survived in vaults buried deep underground. Unlike most vaults though, your Vault 101 remained closed even after the carnage cleared and has remained isolated from the world ever since. By your 18th birthday, you are resigned to live and die in the vault until one day your dad, who is voiced by Liam Neeson, somehow leaves the vault! You also eventually escape the Vault and are confronted by the charred, wrecked remains of Washington D.C., now known as the Capitol Wastes. 

From this point on, the game really begins. Your character is determined through a very versatile character creation system, which essentially allows you to create almost any character type without actually defining character classes. Ability points are accompanied by skill points, and character perks which all help to define how your character is played throughout the game. The character system can seem a little overwhelming at the start but with help from an excellent manual and a wealth of high quality in-game tutorials the creation system becomes almost second nature. 

The other star of the “Fallout 3″ show, besides the character creator, is the world Bethesda created. Intricately detailed throughout, the Capitol Wastes and its many, many locations all bristle with personality and depth. Minute details adorn almost every feature of this games environment and all combine to create one of the most enthralling game worlds to date. While it is clear that a heavily modified “Oblivion” engine was used to create this game the graphics are truly staggering. You may find yourself just standing on top of the skeleton of an apartment building staring out at the miles of wastes around you as the sun casts its dying breath for the day and paints oranges and red all over the landscape.

To accompany this immense landscape, which covers most of the Washington D.C. area, is a huge number of expertly crafted characters to interact with. Through these interactions, tough decisions, conversations and of course your actions, you can actively carve out good or bad karma for your character. This karma will help determine how others interact with you and which type of organization might be interested in your services. This open-ended game-play is what will bring people back to “Fallout 3″ over and over again. And yes, as reported, you can detonate a nuclear bomb and totally destroy the first town you visit. 

‘Fallout 3″ is an instant masterpiece of computer games. Bigger and better than even “Oblivion,” Bethesda has out done itself once again. The immense, delicately crafted landscape is one of the coolest environments ever created for a game and is populated with hundreds of interesting locations, characters and quests. The open-ended character creation and karma system will mean that every time you replay “Fallout 3″ it will be different, which instills “Fallout 3″ with immense replayability. The only complaints about “Fallout 3″ can be that it is so engaging that when one of its few bugs does pop up, it really sticks out. Despite these minor glitches, “Fallout 3″ achieves everything it intended to and is truly a must buy game for any fan of role-playing games or any gamer who wants to get hundreds of hours out of his or her fifty dollar purchase.

Rating: 5/5

‘Bolt’ (11/21/2008 - wide): John Travolta, Miley Cyrus and the ever more popular Malcolm McDowell team up for a computer animated adventure about a dog with a mission. “Bolt,” is a charming tale of a dog actor who doesn’t realize the super-dog antics he does on the TV are not real. When his human sidekick is actually kidnapped, he sets out to save her and discover himself. The only reason I mention this film here is because as much as you may like ‘trapped in the closet’ Travolta, I do not recommend seeing this film. It is made by mediocre computer animated film creators, Walt Disney, and although is likely to have some funny moments, it will mostly likely be formulaic and not up to where Pixar left the bar earlier this year with “WALL-E.”

‘Australia’ (11/26/2008 - wide): Two Australian mega-stars, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, team up for a film about well… Australia. Set before World War II, this is a tale of an English noble who inherits an Australian ranch, and has to team up with the local cattle driver to save her ranch. As they drive 2000 cattle over the Australian landscape, they witness a Japanese bombing and fall in love …blah blah. Wolverine and Kidman have potential for some onscreen chemistry and certainly will strive to make Australia seem romantic and exotic since it is a location that sees surprisingly little attention from Hollywood. Quality acting and a somewhat different premise could make this a good date flick.

‘Transporter 3′ (11/26/2008 - wide): As any longtime reader of The Avion knows, I am a Jason Statham fan! Therefore, I am definitely excited that the quintessential terrible, predictable action romp is back for another go. With no other recognizable cast members, this film will surely be just like the last two films, so bad that they are good. Statham’s no holds-barred terrible acting and interesting action scenes will undoubtedly make a return and hopefully there will be more ridiculous car stunts. This is a movie series that does not take itself seriously, and I respect that. Hopefully this movie makes just enough to warrant “Transporter 4″!

‘Crossing Over’ (1/3/2009-limited): Harrison Ford in a serious dramatic film? That’s right, “Crossing Over” is a story about immigration in the world of Los Angeles. Intersecting stories tell a tale of the good and the bad of what immigrants find as they come to this country, and what they make out of it. Staring Harrison, Sean Penn, Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta and more, this ensemble film will either be a big critical hit or huge critical flop. I am hoping that it is a big hit with the critics and may earn eventual wide release. In a perfect world, Harrison will be able to pull off some real acting and end the year of Indy Four in another good way. 

‘Frost/Nixon’ (12/5/2008 - wide): Ron Howard’s latest flick brings to the screen the latest story from the writer of big Oscar favorite, “The Last King of Scotland.” After being out of office for three years, the disgraced Richard Nixon finally agrees to tell his tale on national TV. Nixon surprises everyone by picking British showman Frost to conduct the interview hoping to easily outwit him and win over America. What ensues is a battle of wits as Frost and Nixon spar over truth and accountability. “Frost/Nixon,” not only recreates the epic interview but, also covers the surrounding weeks and preparation and anticipation. Howard’s movies have mostly turned out quite well and this political themed drama may score well come December. Check this movie out if you are not yet sick of politics and are looking for a good, well-paced Ron Howard drama.

If pure sales numbers are the only consideration, then this current console war is already easily over. The Nintendo Wii has handily outsold both Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s Playstation 3. According to their manufactures, as of Sept. 30,, 2008 the Wii had sold 34.55 million units, the Xbox 360 had sold 22 million units and the Playstation 3 had sold 16.84 million units. This clearly shows the Wii in the lead by over 12 million units sold ,which is quite a feat considering that the Wii was in fact launched almost a year after the Xbox 360 which is now over three years old. These sales figures are definitely a major point on the Wii scoreboard, but I believe that sales are not the end of this story.

If sheer hardware is the deciding factor in a console war, then the Playstation 3 has a huge advantage in this battle. The brute pixel pushing power of the Playstation 3 is unmatched by either the Xbox 360 or the Wii. The Playstation 3 also comes prepackaged with a Blue-Ray player and is still the most affordable way to purchase a Blue-Ray device. Unfortunately for Sony,u pure technological muscle does not seem to be the big seller for this console war. The technologically inferior, yet still impressive, Xbox 360 has sold plenty more units than Sony’s offering and most of its games look nearly as good as the Playstation 3 games. The far technologically inferior Wii has outsold both of them and through clever art direction, most of its games look good enough to not be hindered by their graphics. The real technology that has sold well during this war is Nintendo’s motion controls. Though considered gimmicky by some, the Wii’s controls have enticed enough people to make it the best selling console of this war.

The major purpose for buying a gaming console is still to play videogames. Though all three consoles do so much more than that now, their primary function in any household is still to delight through interactive entertainment. Therefore it is vital that a system has a great catalogue of games. The Wii also comes out on top with sheer game numbers. As of printing, the Wii offers almost 700 different games for purchase worldwide. The Xbox offer about 500 games worldwide and the Playstation 3 offers about 400 games worldwide. That being said, it is clear to most video game fans that many of the Wii’s games are of lower quality because it is cheaper to develop games for the Wii. In this games category, I believe that the Xbox 360 comes out on top. It has the most quality titles available and though many of them are also created for play on a PC, most video game console owners still purchase the Xbox version. This distinction is important because although the Wii has more games created for it, the Xbox has far greater games appeal to actual video game fans. The Wii may win on games offered for casual fans and in sheer number of games offered but the 360 is the clear choice for video gamers.

Despite all that has come, this console war is far from over. The next generations of games for all three consoles are just being released or are still being developed. It is this next generation and any generation after it that will really determine who ends up winning this console war. Though I believe the Playstation is down and out for this war and that no one will catch the Wii in sales, the Xbox 360 and Wii are still fighting to see who offers the better collection of games.

Our Deck Down Under has a similar menu and layout to “DJ’s Deck” restaurant, which is located right next door. But the menu and the layout is where the similarities end. Unlike “DJ’s,” Our Deck Down Under really disappoints when the food is brought out. One of the draws of restaurants like Our Deck Down Under is that the seafood is supposed to be quite fresh. This freshness was not apparent in any of the meals we ordered. The food was also prepared in a very lazy manner, and it seemed that the chef had better things to do than cook. Obviously the main draw of this establishment is not the food, but that being said it should still be enjoyable. The tuna steak we ordered was rubbery, and quite uneatable while the shrimp and fish dinner were merely acceptable.

If you are not going for the food, then Our Deck Down Under has much more to offer. Beer prices are reasonable with pitchers and bottles readily available. The restaurant does look right over the Halifax River and has a great view of the Dunlawton Bridge. Also, the atmosphere is quite laid back with top-40 hits playing in the background. As mentioned, on the weekends Our Deck Down Under is the perfect place to stop by, get a drink and enjoy some atmosphere and is definitely a popular place with locals.

Overall Our Deck Down Under sadly disappoints. While it is clearly a fun place to get a drink, the accompanying food is definitely sub-par. The atmosphere is enjoyable but with that style of restaurant, the fish should be a big draw. If good food and great beer prices is something you are looking for you will have a much better combination of the two next door at DJ’s Deck rather than at Our Deck Down Under.

Rating: 2/5

Sean Connery, who many credit as being their favorite Bond actor, was quite, quite different than Craig’s interpretation. There was very little depth to his character, what you see is what you get. He was a smoking, tux wearing, gun toting and bad-guy punching womanizer and was proud of it. The best part of Connery’s Bond was that everything he did was with a wink and a nod towards the viewer. It was ridiculous and we all knew it, and that’s why it was fun. He managed to draw you into the character while never taking it too seriously and most importantly, kept you entertained at all times.

Roger Moore’s bond character took the lack of seriousness too far for some. While it is true that during Moore’s tenure the James Bond movies had some of their best action scenes and most original plots, they were also quite campy and now considered by many to be a low point in the franchise. I personally enjoyed every single one of them as they were exciting, amusing and still action packed. Roger Moore was Bond in the most official Bond movies ever and while they may be frowned upon by some today, they all performed admirably at the box office. In fact, Moore’s Bond performed so well that he eventually had to retire, not because audiences were tired of him, but because he was getting too old for the role and was uncomfortable performing sex scenes with women far less than half his age. So while the campy, fun James Bond is now frowned at, once upon a time this was what people were looking for in Bond.

My personal favorite James Bond was played by Pierce Brosnan. In my opinion, Brosnan’s Bond was the best combination of a serious “realer” Bond and a more humorous Bond. He managed to keep a sense of seriousness to the movie while still getting in the great one-liners and innuendos throughout. I believe his first role in “Goldeneye” easily stacks up against Connery’s best work in “Dr. No” and “Goldfinger.” His films had great action, interesting plots, great gadgets and kept the best Bond side-character ever, Q. While his Bond may not work in a post “Batman Begins” remake world, his Bond will always be the Bond I compare others too. 

Don’t get me wrong, Craig’s latest release “Quantum of Solace” is still a great Bond movie. It has some cool action scenes, great Dame Judi Dench action and the darker, more original Bond. I believe that it stacks up against some older Bond movies quite favorably and whether or not you enjoy the new (old) Bond you will still enjoy this movie. I do wish that this new series would bring back some little parts from the older movies though. It seems as if the film makers are keeping only the bare minimum to make this a Bond movie still there. Would it really hurt the darker more “real” Bond to have a vodka martini that’s shaken and not stirred? Would it really take away from the realism if we have someone who works in the Q branch spend three minutes to give Bond some new tech toy? Is it too much to ask that Bond’s Aston Martin have at least one machine gun or even reversible license plates? Maybe the machine guns are a little much to ask for but when the best innuendo in this film was Bond asking Ms. Fields help in “finding some hotel stationary” I cannot help but be a little disappointed. 

While these little things in no way detract from “Quantum of Solace” being a good movie, that you should see, they do take a little bit away from it being Bond. If this movie had Matt Damon as Bond you would almost not be able to tell it apart from a Jason Bourne movie. While this may be good in some people’s books, I am saddened by the departure from the Bond ways of old. “Quantum of Solace” does have its flaws in my eyes but it is still a great James Bond adventure and should not be missed by anyone.

If you are going for a steak, this place should be number one on your list. The seasoning is simple, but that is perfect since they use great cuts of meat. Their steaks were generous in size, exceptionally lean and gristle free. Whoever cooked them knew what they were doing and anyone who did not like the way theirs was done had no problems getting a new one. 

To go alongside the great steaks they also have a wide selection of sides that is sure to have something for everyone. Killer mashed potatoes, green beans and cooked apples are just a few of the many options. They even have a wide selection of steak toppers for a dollar or two each, ranging from mushrooms to their delicious peppercorn sauce. 

Put this all together with a hearty starting salad and bread and you will definitely be full. They provide a sizable portion that can handle any appetite. You might be able to get two meals out of it, but it tastes so great you will not want to. It will not cost an arm and a leg either. Expect to pay about the same, or a couple dollars more if you get toppers, than you would at either Outback or Longhorn. When you put their meals side by side, the difference in quality is more than worth the difference in price.

What Port Orange Steakhouse has down, is solid basics. They use good cuts that are actually cooked at the restaurant by someone who knows what they are doing. They top it off with quick service and a staff that is determined to provide a great meal. They even offer take out for anyone on the go. So next time you feel like a steak and don’t mind a bit of a drive, check out The Port Orange Steakhouse.

Rating 4.5/5

As a first for the James Bond series, “Quantum of Solace” takes place almost immediately following the last movie “Casino Royale.” The movie starts with a quick paced car chase and an Aston Martin sadly gets quite damaged. From here on out “Quantum’s” pace does not let up at all and is action packed for the full two hours. An evil SPECTRE-like organization, the same that killed Bond’s love Vesper, is performing nefarious deeds and it is up to James Bond to blow the lid on their latest operation. The plot takes us around the world from Italy to London, Russia to France and all the way to Bolivia where most of the explosive scenes take place. 

Along the way Bond meets up with Bolivian babe Camille, played by relative newcomer Olga Kurylenki. Bond and Camille instantly have great on-screen chemistry and the Russian actress pulls off the role of a South American convincingly enough. Also returning to her role is Dame Judi Dench as Bond’s ice-cold boss M. Dench gets to play a much larger role in this film and just randomly shows up around the world to scold Bond’s ruthless actions. The whole supporting cast of this film is top-notch and really helps Craig pull off his darker moody Bond character.

Unfortunately, this picture is not perfect. While the international coup tinged story is interesting I do not believe it is one of the stronger Bond stories by far. The plot starts out quite well but then succumbs to explosions and shootouts as the film progresses. The last couple plot twists are also not very well laid out and certainly not adequately explained. Also, in an attempt to make the action even more suspenseful, the director cut from action shot to action shot in quick secession. Unfortunately this made much of the action quite hard to follow and a little difficult to watch. Luckily these were the only real issues I had with this movie and they could not detract enough from the film for me not to recommend it.

As far as a Bond movie goes “Quantum of Solace” is not among the top echelons. As far as an entertaining film goes, this latest Bond flick is still worth seeing. While there are a few plot flaws and maybe too fast action, “Quantum of Solace” should definitely still be on your to see list. Daniel Craig’s darker, more emotionally involved character brings out a “realer” a more modern Bond and the supporting cast is superb. “Quantum of Solace” successfully follows up the blockbuster “Casino Royale,” and sets the stage for more excellent Bond’s to come.

Rating: 3.5/5