Saturday, February 21, 2009

When Things Go Boom

by Jo Robertson


I have a confession to make.

I enjoying watching things go boom – in movies, on television, in books – the bigger and louder, the better. This isn’t a very feminine admission, but there it is.

I know many women don’t. But, as Gaby, Jeffrey Donavan's somewhat crazy ex-girlfriend, says on BURN NOTICE, “Women find it sexy when things go boom.” Uh, she may not have been talking about bombs and missiles and firecrackers, but the principle’s the same.

When the newest James Bond (Daniel Craig) blows things up – cars, factories, people, it’s always the bad guys, and there’s something very satisfying about the evil-doers getting their comeuppance.

This liking things that go boom is a trait I share with teenaged boys, much to my chagrin. How do I know? Because when I finally find time to sneak off to the movies by myself (ironically, Dr. Big does not like things that go boom), I find myself surrounded by boys of all ages – teens, twenties, and thirties. There’s a heavy grunt of satisfaction that goes up from the audience whenever something blows up.

I do not join in. I have my standards.

Over a dozen years ago, my son, living in Guatemala at the time, mailed us a brick of firecrackers. The booty came by boat and somehow escaped customs' scrutiny. I think this is probably a felony, but I'm hoping the statute of limitations has run out on this particular act.

I wondered how all those lovely firecrackers would sound going off at once (with safety precautions, of course; I'm not entirely dimwitted). Dr. Big was shocked and soaked them in the bathtub for hours before he discarded them.

Spoilsport!

So I like when things go boom.

Now, this is not to say that I like car chases. In fact, I’m pretty annoyed with chases of any kind. They seem to be filler to me, something the director inserts to extend the length of the film or the writer to fill up the white space on the page.


Most chases are not realistic. Seriously. It’s surprisingly easy for cops to catch the bad guys.

The other night about five police cars raced down my street, sirens blazing. A police helicopter hovered overhead. I live in a fairly quiet, upper middle-class neighborhood, so this kind of night time activity is quite alarming. Apparently they were all chasing a poor felon on foot. I felt rather sorry for him. He had no chance of getting away.

The only good car chase scene I’ve ever watched is classic and in the Steve McQueen movie "Bullit." In the scene cars chase one another up and down the hilly San Francisco streets.

Best – and only good – car chase scene ever.

Back to explosions and such. I think I like them because there’s such a definitive conclusion to the issue. It’s the denouement of the story, the highly satisfying get-even-ness. Even when you know it’s coming, it’s warmly gratifying.

In a recent episode of TNT’s “Leverage” (with Timothy Hutton), the bad guys, who’d been using a Serbian orphanage as a cover for arms dealing, lost their money (and their armaments) to – yeah, a gigantic explosion. Ah, so gratifying.

What about you? Do you like explosions, car chases, or other scenes of mayhem and chaos in your books and movies? What’s the most exciting scene you’ve ever read or watched.

Or do you prefer the quiet contemplative Jane Austen-ish kind of scene where the villains get their just desserts in a less, uh, explosive way?

100 comments:

Joan said...

Aha!!!

Joan said...

My, my, my JoMama. So bloodthirsty.

Guess that's why you write RS, huh?

I don't particulary like things that go boom. I like FIREWORKS but just cause they're pretty.

I like car chases ok as long as there are sirens and lights. I LOVE watching military planes and esp. helicopters!

Louisville always has this big pre-Derby event called Thunder Over Louisville. Supposedly the largest fireworks show in the country. It's held over the Ohio River/Waterfront. But before that happens they have an airshow.

One year I got to be right in the thick of things. It was SO COOL watching those Blackhawks "attack" the Belle of Louisville :-)

limecello said...

Congrats on the GR, Joan! :P I keep forgetting to check >.<

Great post, Jo! I recently [ish] discovered "Burn Notice" and I love it. I'm not someone that craves explosions etc, but sometimes it's nice to go to a theater and see everything in sight get blown up - after all, those special effects people need jobs too, right? ;)
Like those massive destructive scenes in the newest Batman movies...

jo robertson said...

Wahhhooooo, Joanie. You must've just gotten off the night shift. WTG, girl.

This is a 4-day roll for the Banditas! Come on Bandita Buddies, don't you want the rooster to come play at your house?

Gillian Layne said...

Congrats, Joan!

Boom! It seriously cracks me up. Remember the scene in MASH where Henry's latrine was blown up, and he wanders out the the wreckage with a toilet seat around his neck, saying "Boom"?

I was raised on John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, so all things exploding work for me. And I love Burn Notice. It's the whole narration thing, it reminds me of Magnum P.I. Not that I'm dating myself or anything. :)

jo robertson said...

Oh, yes, Joan, I love all things military. Probably cause I was raised an army brat. I think Jeanne's one too!

I'm not so crazy about the blood and gore. I just like the ka-boom! Heeheehee.

Oooh, the Louisville pre-Derby show sounds spectacular! I imagine fireworks going off and the reflections over the water are beautiful.

Now, I'd LOVE to see that. I'm gonna go google it.

jo robertson said...

True, Limcello, let's hear it for the special effects guys and gals LOL.

I'm just amazed at what kinds of things they can do, whether it's computer-generated or in real time. When the stunt men do their thing I'm really intrigued that someone actually had to get set on fire or jump out of a car. Padded and protected, sure, but still.

I adore BURN NOTICE. I like it because it doesn't take itself too seriously. And I adore Fiona and her propensity for mayhem.

jo robertson said...

Hi, Gillian, I wonder how many of us remember that classic scene in MASH, or even remember MASH, oops, really dating ourselves.

I love the voice over in BURN NOTICE too. Although I usually find voice overs annoying, this one is particularly clever. I wonder how much of what Michael says is actually true. Hmmmm.

jo robertson said...

Okay, I googled that Thunder over Louisville show and the pix are amazing. The site won't let me copy the photos but if you're interested you can see them at

www.thunderoverlouisville.org/show/gallery

PinkPeony said...

Sorry, but I must ask...does GR have a name? Or does GR stand for something?

I think Jeffrey Donovan is a hottie. :) The last movie I saw with a good use of boom was a BBC miniseries I rented from Netflix called The State Within. The opening scene is a passenger plane taking off and as it ascends, it explodes. It's a great conspiracy thriller. Usually, I'm not into excess use of car chases and violence. However, I buy a lot of DVD movies that are violent shoot 'em ups for my soldier contacts. Despite the violence they face everyday, that's what my guys tell me they like to watch when they have downtime. And yes, I know I'm dating myself but I did attend a "last episode" M*A*S*H party many moons ago. The latrine scene was a classic. They had such terrific writers on that show.

Janga said...

I definitely belong with the Jane Austen group. I like fireworks in the night sky or metaphorically in other appropriate--or sometimes inappropriate--places. But I'll skip the explosions and the chases and the guns and gore.

I'm a changeling in my family though. They all like action in their movies and their books. Their usual comment when they read a book or see a movie I recommend is, "But nothing happened." :)

Unknown said...

Congrats Joan on nabbing that rooster, he likes it in KY.

I kind of like things that go boom depending on the mood I am in. As far as Burn Notice, I love this show. We watch a lot of these kinds of shows because thats what hubby wants to watch.

jo robertson said...

Yes, Virginia, I think the rooster might like to stay in Kentucky until the Derby and see the fireworks go boom.

LOL on the metaphoric fireworks, Janga, we all love those. I like the books "where nothing happens" too, but I do find satisfaction when the bad guys get theirs in a satisfying loud way!

jo robertson said...

Oh, Pink Peony, so sorry. The GR stands for "golden rooster" and is the virtual "prize" for the first commenter of the day.

For some reason, the chook has taken on a "real" identify and there is much scrabbling in the Lair to get him to spend a day at your house!

Becke Davis said...

I do like action movies but not so much for the "boom!" Transporter, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Saint, the Bond movies -- love them!

Jane said...

Congrats on the GR, Joan.

I love it when things go boom and I'm also a big fan of "Burn Notice." I love how Fiona is the resident expert on guns and bombs. "The Peacemaker" starring George Clooney has plenty of car chases and the movie starts off with a nuclear blast.

Anna Sugden said...

I'm a boom gal too *g*.

Though I hate fireworks - love the beauty, hate the bangs. Hate balloonds popping too.

But, give me a good action movie with chases and booms - and I enjoy them! Love those special effects.

That said, I like movies with a story to them. Don't like gratuitous violence. Or serious war films - but a good thriller, oh yes.

And I love car chases - like the Blues Brothers - the wilder the better (but again, part of a good story).

Really enjoyed Mr and Mrs Smith too - great combination!

Kirsten said...

Fun post, Jo! I can't say I'm much for booms, but I do like action movies if they can avoid the gratuitous violence. I like fast-paced --but I'm not a big fan of lots of shooting and a high body count.

Anyone ever see Big Trouble in Little China? Now there's a great action movie.

Come to think of it, wasn't there a HUGE explosion at the end of that show? Or am I remembering wrong?

Susan Sey said...

Good morning, Jo Mama!

I'm with you--I adore summer popcorn flicks where stuff blows up. I even like the occasional car chase, although the camera angles & all the bouncing make me dizzy. This is how I discovered the yummy Shia Laboeuf--in the Transformers movie, the ultimate movie for teenaged boys. I spent a lovely two hours watching things blow up & am still nursing a cougar crush on little Shia. It's embarrassing, really.

When I want to indulge myself with a more grown up hero, I re-watch the Bourne movies. Ever watched Jason Bourne (the delicious Matt Damon) drive one of those itty bitty European cars down a set of subway stairs? It's riveting. And he does blow things up with panache...

And super hero movies! I'm actually biting my nails waiting for Watchmen to come out. My husband & I just both read the graphic novel it's based on so we could be informed consumers. :-)

Joan said...

You must've just gotten off the night shift. WTG, girl.

Ugh, dear Lord no Jo, I don't do night shift....

I was just up late decompressing from DAY shift!

Thanks for looking up TOL. It is spectacular though I've only been twice and then not IN the crowd. It pays to "know" people who have the private areas.

Too bad I don't know them anymore!

Donna MacMeans said...

I think I can take or leave the explosions. I certainly don't seek them out, but if it fits the plot and the villan gets his just desserts in the end, the explosion is okay. I just don't seek them out. Unless we're talking comedy - like the Mash scene Gillian mentioned - then a good explosion is great! I guess because there's no death involved.

Gillian Layne said...

Ooooo, Treethyme, I LOVE the Saint! Talk about your wounded heroes who are utterly leveled by love--and lots of BOOM, to boot! I feel a movie night coming on...

Louisa Cornell said...

Yay, Joanie! The GR can get some shield sledding in!

LOL at your post JoMama! I grew up with brothers so of course I like things that go BOOM ! Our one and only chemistry set was confiscated a week after we got it after that unfortunate nuclear pumpkin and fresh laundry on the line episode. Hey, we DID do it outside!

I LOVE that episode of MASH, Gillian! Boom? Boom?

And Kirsten, yes there is a HUGE explosion at the end of Big Trouble in Little China. I LOVE that movie!

And all of the Rush Hour movies have lots of BOOM in them, which I really love.

What about the train robbery explosion in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? "Think you used enough dynamite there?"

I guess I love action as long as it is well done and believable. Noise doesn't bother me that much as I am an Air Force brat. Most of my schools were right next to the flight line. We got used to jets taking off and landing and even the occasional crash. I think we were quite jaded little creatures.

GladysMP said...

I definitely do not enjoy booms nor car chases. In fact they do not seem to appear in movies I choose to see. I fully agree they are just stuffing and one can always sense how they are going to end. Foolish! Doesn't take "smarts" to film them.

jo robertson said...

You're right, GladysMP, about knowing how the chase and explosion scenes will end. Isn't it amazing how someone walks out of those crashes unscathed LOL? Like, really.

And I like the quiet, contemplative movies too. Guess it depends on the mood I'm in.

danie88 said...

I love anything with action... explosions... car chases... anything... give me a good action movie and ill be happy

I'm a fan of Burn Notice and Leverage... sad though that both the seasons are ending very soon :(

jo robertson said...

Thanks, Louisa, and thanks for the walk down memory lane. Those scenes you mentioned were all great ones. I loved the understatement in "Butch Cassidy" -- enough dynamite indeed!

You're lucky you and your brothers survived all that experimentation with explosions!

jo robertson said...

Treethyme, you're right! It's not so much the explosion scenes as all the scenes surrounding them that lead up or follow. Some of the older boom scenes are actually quite dated, but the narration and dialogue are classic!

jo robertson said...

Jane, I love Fiona too, how this tiny (and sooooo skinny) little thing totes a machine gun or some other weapon!

And I'll see ANYTHING George Clooney is in. Seriously.

jo robertson said...

Hi, fellow Boom Gal Anna!

I agree. If the story's dumb then the technical scenes are just filler. They all have to come together in a sort of beautiful ballet. And the crash or explosion scenes, chase scenes, can't go on too long. The timing has to be right or it's just stupid and I get impatient.

jo robertson said...

Gratuitous violence is just yucky, Kirsten. That's why I avoid horror shows or spoofs on them. But have you noticed that most "boom" scenes actually aren't bloody; they're just loud.

I think there is an explosion at the end of "Big Trouble in Little China."

jo robertson said...

Yes, Susan, Shia L. (I don't even know how to pronounce his name!) is as cute as a bug in a rug! What's really embarrassing about nursing those "cougar crushes" is when you realize you're several decades older than the little tykes LOL!

I haven't read WATCHMEN. My grandchildren were fascinated when I told them about buying Superman and Archie comic books as a girl. Where do you go to find comic books nowadays? I realized they aren't just on the stands anymore, like in Walmart.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

*VBG* JoMama you KNOW I'm all about the BOOM! Grins. Love the movies where things blow up. Just L-O-V-E them. I'll go sit in the popcorn matinees with the teenage boys (and men) and just delight in all the machismo and explosions. Hey, I'm the action-flick-gal with a long-standing crush on JeanClaude Van Damme. (Before he got skanky! Snork!)

While not a military brat - my Dad DID serve in WWII but got out right after - I do love all things military as well. I love Rolling Thunder (the biker kind) and the deep thrum of heavy duty drumlines. Must be somethign in the sound vibration. Hahaha!

Okay, on three Jo, Anna and JT...BOOM!

Beth Andrews said...

Jo, I love action movies - The Bourne movies are my faves *g*

I haven't caught Burn Notice yet but it's on my To-Watch List.

My youngest and I recently watched Iron Man and The Hulk - both had tons of action and were lots of fun :-)

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hey Beth, isn't IronMan fabulous??

Joan said...

Jeanne said: Must be somethign in the sound vibration.

Um...not just the sound of it


VBG

Renee said...

I'm at home in chaos. I wouldn't know what to do with - quiet. I guess that is why when I write, my h and h never sit in the quiet for long.

Renee (who likes a good car chase)

Nancy said...

Joanie, congrats on grabbing the rooster!

Jo, I LOVE Burn Notice. Lots of stuff going boom. One thing I like about SF movies is lots of stuff going boom. Now, I don't like those macho guy action movies with lots of gore, torture, and sexual violence accompanying the boom. I want the boom to be in a film otherwise watchable for me.

Not big on car chases, either, though I could go with a good spaceship chase any day (the scene in Serenity when the ship comes through the clouds with the Alliance fleet watching and Reivers on their tail. Fabulous! Lots of boom!) *g*

As you note, James Bond is pretty reliable about blowing stuff up. Where 007 goes, mayhem follows. One reason I'm inclined to see Defiance, aside from the fascinating story line and the presence of Daniel Craig, is the potential for boom.

I think we're conditioned to this by childhood exposure to The Cat in the Hat, where the little thing whose name I forget comes out of the hat at the end and cleans up the whole mess--with "voom." If I remember correctly. If not, just forget I said that. :-)

Tori Lennox said...

I'm a shoot 'em up, make things go boom kind of girl, too.

Nancy said...

Gillian, I remember Magnum, though I'd forgotten the voice-overs until you mentioned them. I like the ones in Burn Notice, too. Even the dh, who isn't big on explosions OR voice-overs, likes the show. We both enjoy the sort of ironic tone of the narration and the show itself. Magnum was sort of like that.

I think Selleck's doing voice-overs, like the for an orange juice commercial now airing. Too bad he never made it on the big screen.

Nancy said...

Jane, I think The Peacemaker is a terrific movie. I own it. Not only is there lots of boom, but Nicole Kidman has a great role as a strong, assertive woman in a male-dominated world.

Nancy said...

Jo and Joan, when I was putting together the Memorial Day blog, I immensely enjoyed watching all the footage of various US military vehicles making stuff go boom on YouTube. Purely in the interest of finding an appropriate link to salute each branch of the service, of course.

It's amazing how many YouTube postings feature stuff going boom.

Nancy said...

Susan, the Bourne movies are great for stuff going boom. I have all 3 of them. And Iron Man--any movie about an arms dealer just has to feature lots of boom.

I'm dating myself by admitting that I read the Watchmen graphic novel in its original release. It's dark and not entirely comfortable (for those who haven't read it) for me as a lifelong superhero fan. But it had depth and texture. I don't remember a lot about it and am waiting to see the film.

Which, judging by the trailer, features much stuff going boom. :-)

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Ah, JoMama....I had to chuckle at the male grunt of satisfaction and you higher standard! hehehe

Isn't Leverage a great show? Parker and Hardison crack me up!And while I've always enjoyed Timmothy Hutton, the guy that plays Eliot is sooooooooo easy on the eyes. Yummo!!

And things that go boom....yep, love em! Unless of course hubby is doing his fourth-of-july-try-to-blow-off-body-parts gig with fireworks.

jo robertson said...

Jeanne, I KNEW you'd weigh in on the Yay-Boom side. There's a scene in one of Van Damme's movies where he's evading an assassin and he jumps up on the counter and does a total splits. Sooo cool. Of course, that's not a boom-moment, but he has plenty of those too!

BOOM!!!

And for those of you who haven't read Jeanne's book, she does the boomy thing really well, not too much or too complicated. Some of the male writers (IMO) do so much of it that my poor brain can't follow the action!

jo robertson said...

Hey, Beth, now it's a quartet of Boom-girls. You should buy or rent BURN NOTICE's first season and watch the episodes at your leisure. Oh, yeah, right, what leisure LOL?

Nancy said...

Jo, you know I love Superman. Have since I was 7 and talked my grandfather into buying my first comic book for me. It was an issue of Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and featured both the Phantom Zone and time travel. Oh, what a portent that was, and none of us knew it!

Just btw, Gail Collins' column in today's NYT refers to Transformers.

You and limecello and Beth and Jeanne, who've all mentioned superhero movies, may be interested to know that there's supposedly a Thor movie in the works. I do hope the quest for a blond giant to play him will not result in a lead actor with no emotional range. However, any movie about the Norse god of Thunder simply HAS to have lots of boom! *g*

jo robertson said...

Renee, love that expression "at home in chaos"! I enjoy watching and reading it, but I want my home surroundings to be less boom-y LOL.

Although I do enjoy the telly on as background noise while I write.

jo robertson said...

Has anyone seen Daniel Craig's non-Bond movie Defiance? It's on my list and I think it's gotten good reviews.

BTW, Daniel Craig was in the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers with Nicole Kidman. I think it's called INVASION.

Nancy said...

Jo, I second what you said about Duchesse's boom tendencies. Dark and Dangerous opens with serious, major boom engineered by the heroine (trying not to give too much away here). I sat there reading it, loving it, and desperately envying Jeanne because I hadn't written it.

Dark and Dangerous by Jeanne Adams is a must for boom fans. From that beginning, the book is a roller coaster ride of action and emotion with lots of boom (including gunplay).

jo robertson said...

Nancy, I rather like Tom Selleck (Magnum PI) in those Jesse Stone (written by Robert B. Parker) series in the tv movies. He's a bit long in the tooth for the real age of Stone, but he does that calm, not flustered kind of law enforcement guy really well.

There's a new one coming soon.

jo robertson said...

Yes, Suzanne, I do love Parker, Eliot and Hardison the best. They're such great minor characters that have a major role and I like how each has his/her area of expertise.

Interesting side line on Hardison's (Aldis Hodge)character. They were going to go with the standard white-male geek for the job and settled on the black guy instead. He's hilarious and there's a running joke about his skills.

Did you know he played a part in Die Hard with a Vengeance? Don't know what role, but it's in his bio.

jo robertson said...

To tell the truth, Suz, I'm a little afraid of firecrackers and fireworks. I like to see them from a distance, but I'm even afraid of those sparkler thingies. I'm sure I'll blow something off!

jo robertson said...

Ooooh, Nancy, gotta keep my eye open for the casting of that THOR. Hmmm, wonder who'd be eligible? Any ideas?

Sounds like you cut your teeth on comics, Nancy, no surprise there that you love BSG and SW!

I used to read the classics in comic book form (hanging my head in shame).

jo robertson said...

You too, Tori? Who's your favorite shoot-em up character or show?

Yes, Nancy, Jeanne's one of the best, IMO. She doesn't get carried away with it and leaves the romance in. When I read non-romance books, I always want just a tad more relationship.

Christie Kelley said...

Can I like both? It really depends on my mood. Some days I just need a good blow up everything kind of movie. Last Sunday it was the last Die Hard movie and Bruce Willis was blowing up everything. Just what I needed after a long day of writing.

Dianna Love said...

Hi Jo =
I LOVE things that blow up. That's why I write action-adventure stories. I actually blew up a portion of the biggest intersection in Atlanta once (nicknamed sphagetti junction) when I walked up on the guys setting up. I told them I really wanted to do it. Being men who wanted to impress a woman - they put me in place to push the lever.

It's very early in Australia so I'm not on for long, but wanted to tell you Anna Campbell won best historical novel at the Australian Romance Readers Conference (first one here). The room erupted in cheers when she won.

And a quick CONGRATULATIONS to Kate on selling!!!

Gotta to go hunt coffee so I can become human.

Hugs to all of you, Dianna

Becke Davis said...

I should have mentioned Iron Man, if you can classify that as a "boom" movie. It was one of my favorite movies of 2008!

jo robertson said...

Treethyme, I've been wanting to see IRON MAN for ages. Robert Downey is one of my favorite actors. It seemed to go out of the theatres so fast!

Dianna Love, how cool is that? I wanna push the button!

WAAHHHOOOOO, DID YOU ALL HEAR THAT?? BANDITA ANNA CAMPBELL WON FIRST PLACE HISTORICAL IS THE AUSSIE CON.

Thanks for telling us, Dianna, so we can get rowdy in the Lair!

jo robertson said...

Of course you can like both, Christie. I expect many or most of us like something that fits the mood. Sometimes I just wanna relax in the chaos of things blowing up. Other times I want a romantic or reflective movie.

I think that's why I put off IRON MAN, just wasn't in the mood at the time.

Tawny said...

ROFL - I'm sorry, but I just can't get the image of our classy Jo in a movie theater surrounded by grunting teen andtwenty-something males *g*

As for boom, car chases or Jane Austen, I don't think I fit in any of the categories. I'm not a big boom fan, mostly because my practical mind is adding up the costs and wondering where those poor people are going to sleep now that their house ins blown into the next county. And car chases? I guess if its a really cool car (vintage muscle car for instance) I'm happy to watch until the car gets damaged. But mostly car chases are an excuse to get more popcorn.

But I'm not the mellow type either LOL. I want action, interaction and lots of steamy reactions. Maybe a good old fashioned war like the ones in LOTR. Those were intense!!! Or the sword fights in POTC. Yeah baby.

hmm... apparently I like my violence delivered in a way that lets the heroes still look hot.

Tawny said...

It's very early in Australia so I'm not on for long, but wanted to tell you Anna Campbell won best historical novel at the Australian Romance Readers Conference (first one here). The room erupted in cheers when she won.

WHOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Anna rocks.

Thanks, Dianna for letting us know :-)

Nancy said...

Yay Anna! It's a great week in the lair, first because of things Kate plans to discuss on Wednesday and now because Anna's great coup!

Lance said...

The best car chase scene ever was from 1985 To Live and Die in L.A. The police protagonists busted an FBI undercover sting and caused a federal agent to accidentally get shot and killed. Agents started appearing in cars from everywhere as they tried to escape, eventually ending up going the wrong way on the freeway and getting away. But you're right, Bullitt was the first really good car chase and everything after that must compare. But you must admit, they do get better over time. Just not so original.

Renee said...

Jo, I fear with four children, three still at home, one 13 year old boy, and three very large breed dogs, two Great Danes, and a mastiff/lab mix, chaos rules. ;)

Renee

Becke Davis said...

Congrats to Anna C. for her well-deserved win!

As far as car chases go, there was a pretty unforgettable one in The Bourne Identity (the first one, I think).

And yes, Robert Downey, Jr. is on my hot list! Did you see him in Only You with Marisa Tomei? Or Heart & Souls? Not "boom" flicks, but sooooo good!

Joan said...

Wow!!! More good news in the Lair!

First Kate makes the NYT list and now Anna WINS first place!

The GR is clucking with glee!

Nancy said...

Jo, go rent Iron Man today. You will love it. I'm not a big Robert Downey fan, and I generally prefer the Superman cadre to the Spiderman one, but that movie just rocked and rolled from start to finish. And by finish, I mean the end of the credits. You must watch or fast-forward to the end of the credits. This is necessary. Important. Fun surprise there.

I saw a couple of the Jesse Stone movies and liked them. Glad to hear there's another. Selleck was wonderful in his Boston Legal guest shots as well. But I have to say it's hard to imagine anyone but Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. (You did know Selleck was offered that role but had to pass because of Magnum?)

Dunno who they'll pick as Thor. Schwarzenegger is too old, which is probably good. Needs to be somebody at least 6'3", and nobody's coming to mind.

Just did a quick check on the web. The release date for Thor is 2010, and Kenneth Branagh is supposedly directing. Rumor has it they're looking for someone at least 6' tall (too short, imho). One site lists actor Tim Pocock as Thor, but Pocock's own site doesn't mention it. If it's him, he'll need some bulking up to look right, just as the late Christopher Reeve did for Superman (and ended up looking like he'd stepped from the pages of Action Comics).

Oh, and speaking of comics, Jo, those old Classics Illustrated are worth real money if they're in good shape. Most of mine are gone, and the few I have are wrecked. I discovered Joan of Arc, the original kick-butt heroine, via those comics!

Nancy said...

Dianna, thanks for popping in and sharing the news with us! Next time I drive through spaghetti junction, I'll think of you making it go boom. :-) That is just so cool.

Nancy said...

Louisa, that's one of the best lines in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a movie full of great lines!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

To Jo and Nancy...*Blush* Why thank you ladies for such wonderful compliments on Dark and Dangerous! You can pretty much guess from D&D that I like things going boom, but you know, had to SAY it, since Jo asked. In fact I was LOL about my being in the Yay-boom group! Snork!

JT, you rascal. YES its about the vibration...sounds are optional...HAHAHAHA. Seriously, the BEAT, JT, the BEAT...Okay, I can't talk myself out of that corner. Gonna stop now.

WAIT...*bouncing* There's going to be a THOR movie???? *bouncing* OMGosh! I adore him. Seriously. Ah-dore. I too hope they don't get a male-bimbo-with-muscles to play him though...Anyone see the old (1980) Flash Gordon? Sam Jones was nice to look at, but not much in the way of...expression. Ha! Hopefully they'll do better with Thor!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Oh, man, Renee, we needed you here a week or so ago for the Dog Days in the Lair. THREE large breeds PLUS two Danes? OMGosh. AND children? You get stars in your crown for managing that chaos! Ha!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

I agree w/ Nancy, Jo. You have to rent IronMan. Totally cool. And if you love Rob't Downey, you'll love this even if you didn't love boom. He is absolutley PERFECT in the role. Don't you agree, Nancy? No one could have gotten the intensity, vulnerability, snark, and brilliance all in one package like Downey.

I just saw him on Inside the Actors Studio. He was equally interesting there...very in love with his wife, BTW. :>

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Okay, two more things and I'll shut up...

WHOOOOHOOOOOOOOO, ANNA!!!! YEAH!!!

And:

Tim Pocock's too Engligh gentleman and narrow faced for Thor. Where's a good, blond Swede when you need one?

Nancy said...

Jeanne, I remember Flash Gordon and agree on Sam Jones. Looks right, but unless his acting has broadened, probably not the best choice.

I also agree on Robert Downey, Jr., as Iron Man. Superhero actors never get Academy Award nominations, which I think is very unfair. It's hard to make the guy in the suit with the cape (or the steel plating) seem sympathetic and real.

The dh and I thought, even in the absence of boom, that Sean Astin should've been nominated for LOTR. Sam is the heart of that saga, the most frequent POV character in the books, and Astin was spot on.

But I digress.

Pocock doesn't look like Thor (yet, anyway), and while I know I'm harping, Thor needs to be literally larger than life. Which means, to me, a mere 6 feet won't cut it.

The movie The Thirteenth Warrior (no boom but lots of swordplay and spookiness plus a good bit of gore though not disproportionate for that kind of story) featured a number of Scandinavian actors. At least two of them had the right look for Thor, and the actor who played their leader was very tall. But looked to be in his 30s then.

BTW, Duchesse, did you know Marvel had made a compendium of Thor stories? Black and white printing, a big, chunky volume compiled from the comic books.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy said: BTW, Duchesse, did you know Marvel had made a compendium of Thor stories? Black and white printing, a big, chunky volume compiled from the comic books.

Ohhhhh, reeeeaaaallly? Well, now. I know what to look for on Amazon, now don't I? Grins.

BTW, totally agree w/ you on Sean Astin. He MADE that story. Everyone was good - Peter Jackson really brought out the best in his actors - but Sean just LIVED Samwise Gamjee, even in the epilogue w/ his Rosie. :>

Joan said...

There's going to be a THOR movie????

They're making a movie about Cassondra's bird?

Cassondra said...

Hmmmm....I haven't read all the comments, but yes...I like things that go "boom."

In fact, I like them so much, that on our first date, Steve took me out on a quiet country road to a spot that had been blasted through--it had rock walls on each side for safety--and let me throw an artillery simulator out the car window. Yep. The whistle, the moment of silence, the ginormous KaBOOM! Big flash of light. All of it. I turned around to him and said, "WOW THAT WAS COOOOOOOL!!!!!"

Then I married him. Well...a year and a half and a few more cool explosions later I married him.

And BTW, STeve thinks the car chase scene in Ronin is a good one. Probably the best one he's seen aside from Bullit.

I actually liked the car chase scene in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. I didn't much like the rest of the movie. It was okay. But that car chase scene was cool because it was a mini van.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Cassondra said: Then I married him. Well...a year and a half and a few more cool explosions later I married him.

*Grins* Had to be sure he wasn't just a one-explosion-kind-of-guy, eh? HAHAHAHAH!

A car chase in a mini-van (I've not seen M/M Smith) would be something to see. Then again, the scene in the Vin Diesel movie The Pacifier where the daughter drives the mini-van through the city streets backwards is pretty darn creative...and cool. I've driven a van for years and I wouldn't do it! HAHA!

jo robertson said...

Wow, Cassondra, tell Steve you never know what'll hook a girl -- handsome face, fine body, explosions!!

I don't remember the car scene in RONIN, have to look it up. Since Bullit was 1968, there should be better, up-to-date ones. I just loved the cars going over the hills -- kaboom, kaboom!

Nancy said...

Wow, Cassondra! What an "explosive" first date. *G* What fun that must've been.

The minivan chase was good in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I enjoyed a lot of the movie but didn't love the ending.

Jeanne, The Pacifier was much better than I expected it would be. Not a lot of boom but a lot of heart and very cute.

jo robertson said...

Geez, Jeanne, I could never drive anything backward. I can't even parallel park backward.

ROTFLOL, Joan, wouldn't it be cool if Cassondra's Thor were in a movie!! Too funny. It was the God THOR and I'd pay good money to see that one.

jo robertson said...

Jeanne and Nancy, you two are a virtual font of information today. Thanks for sharing all that good stuff. I'm gonna go look up Scandinavian Actors over 6'5" now, tee hee. Just for research of course.

Sorry I was gone this afternoon. Aunty Cindy did a great presentation at California Writers Club and I went to support her. She did a Tony the Tiger Greaaaaaaat job!

Cassondra said...

I like BOOMs so much that when I went to join the army, they asked me what I wanted to do, and I said, "EOD." They wouldn't let me, cuz I was a girl. p

I think now girls can do EOD, but not then. *sigh* Clearly, I missed my calling by not getting to blow stuff up for a living.

Sometimes I think about going back to school to learn to blow rock for construction and quarries. Probably won't do it though.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

I want to come to that class too, Cassondra. I thought about demolition, but my parents nearly had twin heart failure when I mentioned it. My Mother already thought I was weird enough...that comment nearly sent her over the edge.

Hey, Nancy, don't you think Karl Urban would be good as Thor? Still too short - only 6'1" - but if you made him blond, with those eyes....ahhhhhh.....

Joan said...

Grins* Had to be sure he wasn't just a one-explosion-kind-of-guy, eh? HAHAHAHAH!

LOL

Nancy said...

Jeanne, Karl Urban? Hmm. With the right hair, maybe. He certainly can do "imposing presence" at need.

Cassondra, I'm sorry they wouldn't let you do EOD. You'd be great. As for going back to school, though, I'd have to want something a very lot to do that.

Jo, sorry I couldn't go see AC! I'm sure she was fabulous.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

WOW!
SUPER CONGRATS to FoAnna!!!
Break out some more cyber-bubbly! TOO TOO KEWL! & big THANX to Dianna for popping by to tell us.

Jo-Mama, you KNOW I'm another BOOM girl! That's why I LURVE reading and writing suspense. Though I have to admit the quiet, creepy, just KNOW something BAD is about to happen scenes scare me a lot more than the explosions and car chases. THOSE are the scenes I watch from between my fingers!

I LOVE all the Die Hard movies, GREAT BOOMS in all of those. And for sheer fun, I LURVE the first Lethal Weapon where Danny Glover is sitting on the toilet and realizes it is hooked to a bomb. TOO TOO FUNNY!

Hope the GR was well-behaved for you today, Joanie T. No booms or car chases I hope!

AC

jo robertson said...

Hi, AC!! I was just telling everyone what a great job you did with your presentation today. A romance writer talking to a group of non-romance writers (hahahahah), but they all seemed very interested and asked good questions.

jo robertson said...

Cassondra, you are so gutsy for even thinking of that line of work. BTW, what does EOD stand for?

Jeanne, I think all moms of tomboys thought their daughters were weird. My granddaughter Sydney is a real athlete, so coordinated. Her room is very masculine and she dresses in boys clothes (she's 7), but she still loves the boys.

I used to play tackle football with my little brother -- I loved it!

Nancy said...

Jo, I forgot to mention that the boy went to DC last week (came home with flu) for a national security seminar. They had to sign up for field trips, and everyone envied the group that went to Quantico. They got to watch an Abrams tank blow stuff up.

How cool! The boy was jealous. So am I. :-)

Joan said...

Hope the GR was well-behaved for you today, Joanie T. No booms or car chases I hope!

Um, only one.

Bean tostadas for lunch....

Nancy said...

Joan wrote: Bean tostadas for lunch....

You naughty bandita! I think that rooster is a bad influence on you! *g*

jo robertson said...

ROTFL, Joanie, I can just hear that boom! What a gas that rooster is! Okay, I'm a terrible punster. We need Anna C. and Mme here for that.

Hmmm, but I do love bean tostadas. I think I see a South of the Border run in my future!

jo robertson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jo robertson said...

Nancy, how cool for the boy! Is anyone who's a member of Kiss of Death, the mystery/suspense chapter of Romance Writers of America, planning on going to the pre-conference activities? I think a visit to Quantico is in the mix.

jo robertson said...

Thanks for visiting today, everyone.

May all of your booms be little ones LOL.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Jo said: Jeanne, I think all moms of tomboys thought their daughters were weird.

And there you have it, Jo. For all that they locked horns a lot, my Mama and my sister were the "girly-girls" in the family. Me? Cap backwards, frog in my pocket, halfway up the apple tree eating (or throwing) green apples and happy as pie. Grins. She couldn't get much of a handle on that. I used to play football with my brothers all the time too. Spent HOURS getting my glasses adjusted from that sort of antics.

Louisa Cornell said...

WOOOOOT !!!! Jumping up and down for La Campbell!! Way to go!! I am so excited for her! Thanks Dianna for letting us know.


Nancy, I LOVED The Thirteenth Warrior ! And the guy that played the leader would be perfect as Thor!

And you are so right. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had some of the best lines ever written.

"Hell, the fall will probably kill you!"

JoMama, you have no idea how relieved my Mom was as each of us moved out of the house! I mean we were so terrible the other kids in the trailer park weren't allowed to play with us! I mean, come on, when the other trailer kids can't play with you, you are bad!

I will say that the British kids and neighbors were far more tolerant of kids blowing things up. Must have been surviving the Blitz that did it.

"What's that noise?"

"Bombs, dear. Elbows off the table."

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

AWWW! Thanx for the kudos, Jo-Mama!

I was very surprised and pleased that you showed up to support me. Like I said, "Sure beats talking to Medicaid providers!!!" (one of the things I did in my previous life)
And even a couple of MEN in the group came up afterward to tell me how much they enjoyed my little talk. :-) It was the crop... I just KNOW IT! That and my "Bandita" pin sparkling on my lapel.

AC