Episode 13 of Ranting and Raving featuring the latest trailer for the movie Watchmen, a film adaptation of one of the greatest graphic novels of all time. Concludes with a look at the novel, Alan Moore adaptations and speculation/fears of the new movie.

Enjoy, comment, tell your friends, rinse, repeat

All fan-mail, hate-mail or suggestions can be sent to: rantingandraving@hotmail.co.uk

Episode 12 of Ranting and Raving featuring Jenny reviewing Quantum of Solace in Chris’ place. Enjoy, rate, subscribe and comment

All fan-mail, hate-mail and suggestions can go to: rantingandraving@hotmail.co.uk

TRANSCRIPT:

Welcome to Ranting and Raving where i praise or abuse the stuff that i review. I am Jenny, covering Chris after he suffered a freak peanut butter and jelly accident. Today I want to talk about the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

Quantum of Solace is the 22nd James Bond movie since Dr No in 1962 and the series has come a long way. 6 different Bonds, 5 different decades and a series reboot later and we are given the most recent Bond movie.

The movie picks up just hours after the previous outing, Casino Royale and straight away we are thrown into the action. I fell for the movie as soon as the standard pre-opening credits chase between Bond in his Aston Martin DBS and some assailants began.

The story follows Bond played once again by Daniel Craig as he is in search for an group called Quantum. Quantum apparently has moles in groups such as Her Majestys Government and the Central Intelligence Agency which leads to some scenes where double crosses and second guessing might happen. It might be because The Dark Knight rubbed off on me or something, but I seemed to be thinking too far ahead of the story trying to get in front of the double-crossing but it turns out the movie actually under-delivers if you take that approach.

The bad guy is a Mr Dominic Greene, a businessman and provider of a legitimate cover for Quantum with his environmental company so originally named Greene Planet. One thing I love about James Bond movies is that their plot is somehow related to current events in the world and this movie doesnt disappoint. There is a whole influence on the state of the planet with global warming and natural disasters and this is assimilated in the bad guys cover by apparently providing solutions to better the environment. There are also small things such as the US Dollar not being too strong leading to the bad guys to request Euros instead which is a nice touch.

The bad guys plan involves oil and land. Another current issue cleverly included into the plot. It has a sort of relevance that adds a little bit more realism to the movie and makes it more current. No idea if this element will age well in the later years.

If youre a big fan of James Bond like me then you will be satisfied with all the action that takes place. Youll also enjoy the development of Bond since Casino Royale as he begins to shape himself more and more into the Bond hell eventually become.

The two main Bond girls deliver what theyre supposed to. You have the minor, stock M I 6 agent Strawberry Fields who offers the concerned, but easily swayed female character after a bedding by Bond and then you have the main Bond girl, Camille who like many other Bond girls in recent years is more of an equal to Bond and not completely incompetent.

The other acting is great as well. Craig is a great Bond and you can feel his softer side towards the ill-fated Vesper killed in the previous movies as well as the anger and aggression when faced with his adversaries.

The stunts are great but some seem a bit lackluster compared to the last movie where they had Parkour and runway chases. That being said, the vehicle chases are fast paced and well-filmed and some of the shootouts and fights scream classic Bond.

I love the look of the movie. Each location is completely different and relevant to that point in the plot. There are some scenes where the normal goings on are juxtaposed against the violence going on with Bond and some henchmen and how the action swaps from one to another was pretty effective.

There are things there for the Bond fan to love. There are references to previous movies that are either obvious or a bit obscure as well as maybe a few faces popping up. However there are also a few things the Bond fan will have problems with. Just the little things youre used to seeing or hearing in a James Bond film either in the wrong place or missing entirely.

If I were to give this movie an arbitrary score I would give it an 8 out of 10. One of the better Bond movies of recent years. Not as good as Casino Royale but not as bad as Die Another Day.

This has been Ranting and raving, I was Jenny, your beautiful virtual host, Chris might be back sunday, but for now, have a week.

The 'Lunch Time' sketch from Ranting and Raving Productions. Chris is hungry and asks Jenny (His laptop) about what he should have.

I am not saying the song is my own or that peanut butter jelly time is a completely original concept, this is my own spin on it with original video.

Enjoy and comment!

Any fan-mail, hate-mail or suggestions, please e-mail: rantingandraving@hotmail.co.uk

Episode 10 of Ranting and Raving with part 2 of my slasher film review special with a review of the Wes Craven movie Scream.

Be sure to come back next week for the final part of the special. Rate, comment and subscribe

All hate-mail, fan-mail and suggestions can go to: rantingandraving@hotmail.co.uk

Episode 8 of Ranting and Raving featuring a look at all the big announcements by Nintendo at their Fall Press Conference in 2008.

All fan-mail, hate-mail and suggestions can go to: rantingandraving@hotmail.co.uk

Episode 7 of Ranting and Raving featuring a review of the recently released WiiWare game Mega Man 9.

All fan-mail, hate-mail and suggestions can go to rantingandraving@hotmail.co.uk

Episode 6 of Ranting and Raving featuring a review of Star Wars The Force Unleashed for the Wii. All fan-mail, hate-mail and suggestions can go to rantingandraving@hotmail.co.uk