ON STANDBY…

James Bond looking like a steroid-sated Gorilla from the DDR, troubled by the problems he finds himself in, that falls in love and quits from MI6? Where are the silly jokes, high-tech gadgets and British cold blood? Critics praise “Casino Royale” as the best Bond in years. The atmosphere is darker, more realistic and more mature than that of other Bond films. Yet who on earth wants anything “mature” or “realistic” when paying to see Bond? Connery might be the most charismatic, but his films are really dated now, action shots that were all the rage thirty years ago look really obsolete now. Roger Moore was not rough enough to make a good Bond, but his films have none the less aged better, and are so quaintly 80s that they are still a lot of fun. The other two impostors are not worth mentioning. Brosnan was perfect, I deem Goldeneye the best Bond film ever. The last Brosnan film was downright silly, but the moment when he, a renegade, flies back to England with British Airways and orders a Martini with vodka shaken not stirred while “London calling" sounds, or the moment when he goes back to Aston Martin… the real Bond through and through. I might be getting older and do no longer welcome changes, but beholding that ugly and overbuilt guy as 007 was impossible to stomach. He orders a cocktail, the waiter asks “shaken not stirred?” and he retorts “do I look like I give a damn?” There is a shot in which he drives a bloody Ford, for the love of God!

On Friday I went to my first huge stagiaires party. Great venue, in Cinquantennaire, full to the hilt. I did not last long. Do not remember when exactly I found myself lost and I went home. The pre-party party was really fine though, 15 people drinking beer in a flat. Yet barely had I arrived to the massive event when I felt out of place amongst the myriad of strangers. I am not ready for a second Erasmus. Quoting huge Jimbo “I prefer a feast of friends to the giant family”.