What Should Tom Review?

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Whoops, I missed this and set up a thread in the "Dear Tom" section.  Jason, you can delete that thread, or just let it languish, whichever you prefer.  Anyhoo, here's what I said:

Tom, I think the Bond idea is terrific.  I've always felt the same way - indifferent to the Bond movies, but feeling obligated to like the early Sean Connery ones for some reason. 

I'd also love to see you review any comics at all, especially ones that you hate.  I'd be happy to read your reviews of any of them, but I'm specifically curious as to what you think about DC and Marvel's various big "event" comics, especially World War Hulk, The Death of The New Gods, or Countdown; Peter Bagge's Apocalypse Nerd (especially those weird Founding Fathers comix in the back); or Dan Clowes' protracted bad date strip in the NY Times Magazine.  Thanks.  As ever, your guidance in all things cultural is appreciated.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Tom, please review the new Project Runway.

Love,
Laurie

Filthy Laurie, you are a genius.

I would pay good money for Scharpling a commentary to any season of Project Runway.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I'd love to read the Bond reviews, especially if the Niven/Allen Casino Royale and Never Say Never Again are included. Even though I feel pretty terrible asking someone to watch those. The Man With The Golden Gun is the existing Bond movie I'd most like to see remade with Craig, because the concept is great, there's room to expand on the whole Steranko-Nick-Fury-ness of it, and I'd really like to see Daniel Craig fight Peter Dinklage, if that's at all possible. Doesn't even have to be in a movie, but that seems like the most tasteful way of making it happen.

Good lord, Wes, how are you not running Hollywood?  I'm not suggesting you scab or anything, but you, like, fart good movie ideas.

Another review request: any single issue of The New Yorker, collection of New Yorker cartoons, or the CD-ROM collection of the entire run of the magazine.

[Laurie]

Tom, please review the new Project Runway.

Love,
Laurie

Filthy Laurie, you are a genius.

I would pay good money for Scharpling a commentary to any season of Project Runway.

The best season was the Santino season. I remember hating him in the beginning because he was an arrogant ass with a bit of a tude, but he grew on me. The musical numbers! Lighten up, it's just fashion, fashion! Also, I love his story about Andrae and Tim Gunn going to a Red Lobster. I mean, seriously, that was classic.

[Sarah]

That Bacon Bar is missing one element: peanut butter. Add that and I would be onboard.

If you're serious, Mike, may I recommend grilled peanut-butter-and-bacon sandwiches? 

[ian]

How about a tourist's blog of a day trip to run-down Wildwood.

[Tim K in DC]

Hi Tom,

How about the awesome new Les Savy Fav album Let's Stay Friends? Or Kenny Vs. Spenny? Or tonight's Daily Show interview with Chris Matthews where I recognized for the first time ever that, in spite of the fact that I tend to like what he does, Jon Stewart is sort of a dick?

Keep that finger away from the trigger; we need you.

Tim

Also, Chris Matthews is the dick.  That guy is such a kiss-ass to power - he's in my hate pit.

I probably should have put this as part of a separate thread, because the thing about Jon Stewart is off topic. But yeah, I do think Chris Matthews can be a dick (a political junkie/Washington insider as a kiss-ass to power? No stretch there), but it's odd that an interview with him was the first time I had that reaction to Jon Stewart. I wasn't about to toss Stewart in my hate pit, either; I just had that reaction and was struck by it.

[Denim Gremlin]

Tom,

I would like to hear your opinions on two "classic" albums that i personally don't understand why people think are so great.

Who's Next and London Calling

I think both are piles of crap speckled with a few good songs. Who's Next in particular.

I'd like to know if you agree or disagree. if you disagree I'm very interested in finding out from you why they are so great. so far no one can give me a better answer than "dude they're fucking classic man!"

You are dead to me.

I've been hearing that a lot lately.

you can honestly say that Jimmy Jazz is enjoyable to listen to? or Going Mobile? or Brand New Cadillac?

what am I missing?

alls I'm saying is that both The Who and the Clash have much better albums that no one seems to give a shit about and I don't understand why these ones seem to top every list.

I'm not trying to be snotty or crass, I would really like someone with a knowledge of music to weigh in with their honest opinion. I want to know why hordes of punks want me dead.

also that following songs are exempt from the explanation:
spanish bombs
guns of brixton
death or glory
won't get fooled again
behind blue eyes
baba o'reilly

I like these songs, them being good won't change my mind

[ian]

Brand New Cadillac is awesome, are you kidding me? You're reaching too hard for iconoclasm.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

The best season was the Santino season. I remember hating him in the beginning because he was an arrogant ass with a bit of a tude, but he grew on me. The musical numbers! Lighten up, it's just fashion, fashion! Also, I love his story about Andrae and Tim Gunn going to a Red Lobster. I mean, seriously, that was classic.

I've only watched the first two, but yes, it was amazing.  I still remain ambivalent about Santino but his Tim Gunn imitation was pretty hilarious, and it was kind of tragic to see the creativity get beaten out of him by the judges, only to have them turn on him for being lackluster.  I see the same thing happen in the theatah constantly, and I imagine that it's part and parcel of any creative "industry."

I actually had a dream last night that Santino and Osama bin Laden were related.  No joke.  Don't they kind of look alike?

Steel cage match: Daily Show/Chris Matthews* thread-jack vs. Project Runway thread-jack vs. London Calling** thread-jack. And Tom reviews the winner.





*Who is a FWD

**Which is a fucking awesome album, especially Jimmy Jazz and Brand New Cadillac

[TL]

Tom,

I would like to hear your opinions on two "classic" albums that i personally don't understand why people think are so great.

Who's Next and London Calling

I think both are piles of crap speckled with a few good songs. Who's Next in particular.

I'd like to know if you agree or disagree. if you disagree I'm very interested in finding out from you why they are so great. so far no one can give me a better answer than "dude they're fucking classic man!"

You are dead to me.

I've been hearing that a lot lately.

you can honestly say that Jimmy Jazz is enjoyable to listen to? or Going Mobile? or Brand New Cadillac?

what am I missing?

alls I'm saying is that both The Who and the Clash have much better albums that no one seems to give a shit about and I don't understand why these ones seem to top every list.

How to respond to that?  
Your opinion is your own, so I can't argue with it, but I respectfully disagree.
As far as other overlooked albums by either the Who or the Clash, I'm hard pressed to think of any.  Like, Who by Numbers or Cut the Crap?  They both actually suck (in my opinion).

[ian]

Is Odds & Sods an overlooked Who album? If that counts as one, I'd go there first.

[Denim Gremlin]

Tom,

I would like to hear your opinions on two "classic" albums that i personally don't understand why people think are so great.

Who's Next and London Calling

I think both are piles of crap speckled with a few good songs. Who's Next in particular.

I'd like to know if you agree or disagree. if you disagree I'm very interested in finding out from you why they are so great. so far no one can give me a better answer than "dude they're fucking classic man!"

You are dead to me.

I've been hearing that a lot lately.

you can honestly say that Jimmy Jazz is enjoyable to listen to? or Going Mobile? or Brand New Cadillac?

what am I missing?

alls I'm saying is that both The Who and the Clash have much better albums that no one seems to give a shit about and I don't understand why these ones seem to top every list.

How to respond to that? 
Your opinion is your own, so I can't argue with it, but I respectfully disagree.
As far as other overlooked albums by either the Who or the Clash, I'm hard pressed to think of any.  Like, Who by Numbers or Cut the Crap?  They both actually suck (in my opinion).

I guess i didn't mean overlooked.

what i mean is for example, the rolling stone 500 greatest albums of all time list. both these albums are highest on the list for these bands. I think the who sell out i think is way better than whos next. and personally i enjoy the clash's first two albums way more than london calling.

I'm not trying to be an iconoclast. i listen to both bands. i might even say that i love them. but I've been trying to get into London Calling since I was 11 years old and I'm tired of faking it.

[bruce]

I'm probably in the minority on the board about this, but since Tom will be reviewing them. I love the books and love the movies not matter how out of control they were later on. I figured I better make a few points before the reviewing. I've read all the Bond books and have seen all the movies. Let just say when it comes to the movies the ones that came closest to the books are the following: From Russia With Love, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and Casino Royale. I know Tom complained about the poker game in the film. Guess what that is the central part of the book also as is the torture sequence. It finally showed the Bond from the books. He is not some wisecracking persona that Roger Moore beat to death in his output. Bond was and is a cold blooded thug who is more into where he can get a good meal then caring for anyone.

Oh by the way the Matt Helm books blow away the Bond output.

[dave from knoxville]

Ian is right; Brand New Cadillac is one of my very favorite Clash songs, not to mention Guns of Brixton and London Calling, both of which are deliciously vicious. And frankly, after Jimmy Jazz gets going, it's got a little swing in it that I enjoy.

Now at the risk of alienating other Clashies, I never much liked Combat Rock, or most of Sandinista.

I have friends that say my taste in music is inexplicable. There are at least two FsOT who say it just sucks. The last five songs that played here were by Hot Chip, What Four, Chris Tomlin, John Lee Hooker, and Robinella.

Maybe Tom should review our last.fm pages.