Kathryn Bigelow may have modern plaudits for directing The Hurt Locker” but her best movie is surely Point Break. Yes, Near Dark is a classic too but Point Break nails something down. A lot of people love the movie but few will admit it’s amongst their all time favourites.
In 1991 I found myself on a ferry with a couple of hours to kill. My choice was Hot Shots Part Deux or Point Break.
I knew nothing at all about Point Break. I took a gamble. It paid off.
I do realise I’m again opening myself up to ridicule – but I’d say Point Break is the 2nd best film I’ve ever seen.
As the opening credits ran I was dismayed to see “starring Patrick Swayze” – but in reality he’s great in the movie. Come to think of it he’s pretty good in Roadhouse too.
The movie is made for Keanu Reeves. It’s easily his best suited role marrying his Bill & Ted dumbness with the new cop on the block character.
In 1991 the movie was very fresh. Great to see Anthony Kiedis as a surfer, again he’s perfect for the role.
There’s something about bank heists in movies that touches the spot. The Ex-Presidents maybe be cinemas greatest unsung bank robbers.
Point Break, unwittingly signals the end of the slacker generation. Think about it. The movie is mirroring the slacker generation but it’s up beat, fast and lively – everything slacker wasn’t.
As Johnny Utah infiltrates the surf gang he learns to surf. The surfing scenes, on a Cinema screen, look fantastic.
The FBI raid scene, quite early in the movie, is just superbly handled. Colourful, noisy (in a good way) and quite graphic. The closely filmed chase and fight scenes are superb. The movie rattles up through its gear box.
In the background a solid soundtrack is there if you listen closely enough. One of the best Chili Peppers songs that is unreleased anywhere else is included. An early Sheryl Crow murmurs, Public Image Ltd are shown respect too.
Keanu’s acting is wooden, but for the end of slacker, this works in a way I just cannot get across with words.
Swayze is perfect as the older, wiser, spiritually tapped in bank-robbing surfer. The movie is pacey but the story is well structured. It’s one of them films you can watch over and over again – but the first time you watch it the story is oddly mesmerising.
It shouldn’t be, but Point Break, stumbles into being one of the best films I’ve ever seen.It’s kind of an “in the right place at the right time syndrome” I guess – but it’s fantastic. No waaay dude…
Back in 1987 I got in at about midnight. My Mother had rented the VHS of Robocop – I knew pretty much nothing about the movie. Bored and full of youthful energy I pushed the videotape into the Video Recorder.
Then – I sat in front of the television screen for 1 hour 45 minutes and took in the best film of all time.
It’s a stone cold classic.
Forget “A Clockwork Orange” – this is proper ultra-violence. Stylish, chic, tounge-in-cheek, the film is on the button for its entire duration.
There’s not a single dull moment. Paul Verhoven’s masterpiece is superbly paced. The story is solid. The Detroit sets are perfect. This new movie hero delivers.
Full of outstandingly quotable quotes and rich comic book characters. The movie is a sharp, well observed stab at American Culture.
Benefitting from a relatively unknown lead actor (Peter Weller) the movie draws you into it’s darkly comic heart.
I will not go through the plot. There’s no point. If you’ve never seen “Robocop” – then just go watch it.
The strongest testament I can give is the honest fact that, back in 1987, when the movie finished – I rewound the videotape and watched it again – straight away. It’s that good. I’ve never rewatched a movie straight away since. It’s a one-off.
Forget The Godfather.
Forget Star Wars.
Forget Apocalypse Now.
Forget Jaws.
Forget There Will Be Blood.
Forget No Country For Old Men.
Forget…. (you get the point)…
Just like I cannot imagine I will ever see a better live band than the Hard-Ons – I cannot ever imagine I will see a movie that will genuinely blow me away like Robocop did all those years ago.
I must have watched the film over 100 times. I know all the words.
I only wish i’d seen Robocop at the cinema – That would have been SOMETHING ELSE…
Radiohead are a band whose entire catalogue will always attract detractors. In their early days I thought to myself “do we really need a middle-class low rent British grunge band?” I’m pointing to “Creep” here. A decent track, but not a patch on the American output that it aped? A competent band, but where did they belong?
“The Bends” was overshadowed by the Brit-Pop explosion. In hindsight, it is much stronger album than Oasis, Pulp or Blur (or Shed 7!) could ever dream of making. I have always liked “Just” from The Bends, but it wasn’t until I saw the band at Manchester Apollo in 2003 that the stark beauty of tracks like “Fake Plastic Trees” and “Nice Dream” actually hit me. The band were playing at a venue way beneath their true size. It was a veritable love-in. I’ve never seen so many delirious fans at a gig. Strangers were talking to each other beaming with joy. I wonder if this happened in London?
“O.K. Computer” sees the band – for many – at their artistic peak? The stark power of “Paranoid Android” sounds like a post punk Pink Floyd have risen unexpectedly and emerged to take an unlikely crown circa 1997. Lush production and moments of pure charge with minimal murmurings in equal measure. The album shifted some serious units.
Forward to 2000 and the band attempt to push a self-destruct button? “Kid A” is undeniably a difficult album. On the albums first listen you do think to yourself “what are they doing?”. It appears the band are trying too hard to venture down a Boards Of Canada / Avrocar route. It is a brave album – and I am open to experimentation – very much so – but for Radiohead – the jump was too big?
A mere year later and the band were back. “Amnesiac” affirmed the “Kid A” direction. It was more of the same with more electronic jazz added to that mix. “Packt Like Sardines In a Crushd Tin Box” has real menace in the vocal. The music bleeps and challenges your ears.
Working (still) in a record shop for the duration of the releases of albums 2,3,4 & 5 a sales pattern emerged. “The Bends” sold slowly then notably picked up. “O.K. Computer” was a big seller from the off then sold in very large units. “Kid A” sold a lot in the 1st week then dipped alarmingly. “Amnesiac” was met with near apathy.
I thought to myself, they’re a great band but they’ve shot themselves in the foot. Then in late 2001 the band did a special show broadcast live on the BBC for Jools Holland. Only then did the whole catalogue make sense – it gelled. Working in a record store for seven years had killed my love for music. I quit the job and went to University. I listened to Radio 5, I was bored of music.
As the band opened (the Jools Holland special) with “The National Anthem” the track made so much more sense than the version on “Kid A”. Delving into “Morning Bell” and my love for music was coming back. It was coming back strong – calling me like you cannot ignore a sick person calling for help – and the control they have over you – my eyes were fully on the screen – my ears were open wide. Johhny Greenwood appeared to be playing a television (check out the YouTube video), this was experimentation and musicianship properly merging. Guitar licks echoed Bauhaus. The band were nodding to so many musical areas it was fairly hard to take in how good the performance was developing.
“Lucky” sits oddly on “O.K. Computer”, it was recorded initially for the War Child album? – but on this live performance, like the preceding tracks it begins to take on a stronger dimension. It showcases what the band can do and so many others struggle to attain – the music soars.
After half expecting to be bored by the televised show I was pretty transfixed. “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box” solidifies how strong the material on “Amnesiac” was / is. For a relatively humble, artistic looking band the vocal delivers real brewing menace.
“No Surprises” and its familiarity is lapped up by the audience. You begin to feel the pure strength of the bands back catalogue. “Dollars & Cents” rambles with artistic imagery. Radiohead move away from the norm again. This is not a bad thing.
“Life In A Glass” unashamedly features the late Humphry Lyttleton and wanders into pure freefalling jazz. The band are pushing boundaries here and it should be fully applauded. No laurels are being rested upon.
Then, back to the more familiar music with Exit Music (For A Film). In 2001 the track sounds far more accomplished than the “O.K. Computer” offering. The bass has more obtuse edge. Thom Yorke’s vocal again soars, as he stares at the end of the track all doubts of artistic merit go out of the window.
“I Might Be Wrong” suggests “Amnesiac” had more rock n roll potential than that the studio recording suggested. Not a stand out moment but assured, the picture widens.
“Street Spirit (Fade Out)” works in a way a fingerpicking song just shouldn’t. Again the strength of the earlier material is suggested, yes, we all knew the track – but did we remember it being this good?
“Paranoid Android” sweeps aside any pretenders to the sound the band can create. Muse? No thanks. Venemous, lush, controlled chaos the track sprawls and burns. A deserved favourite for many. “Kicking screaming Gucci little piggy”. Near Genius.
Daring to beatbox – “Idioteque” makes you want to dig out “Kid A” immediately. It was never this good was it? The line “take the money and run” resonates. Radiohead did not take the money and run, they went off on an artistic adventure.
A very warm performance of “Everything In Its Right Place” sees Johnny Greenwood visibly sample Thom Yorke’s live vocal. The experimentation for a band that achieved so much success cannot be applauded enough – could you see U2 doing this? Thought not.
“Pyramid Song” has a strong set to follow as the band re-emerge. “Talk Show Host”, essentially a B-Side from “The Bends” era gets a rare airing. “You And Who’s Army” is muted, gentle and earnest.
Full band mode again. “How To Disappear Completely” is a post rock classic that nails where the band where at in 2001. Initially bland the magic is the vocal soaring over chords progressing in the tracks last quarter. Astonishing.
“Knives Out” is cheekily dedicated to all the journalists that “listened to Kid A once”. Maybe they hadn’t shot themselves in the foot after all.
A triumphant version of “The Bends” ends the set. It is a triumph.
Right. I didn’t mean to write all that. Just got carried away a tad.
From 2001 onwards I rated Radiohead much higher than I ever had done. The band are roughly two years my senior – for the first time it made sense what they were doing.
“Hail To The Thief” treads nearer to their late 90′s output and steps away from Kid A / Amnesiac. I do rate 2+2 = 5 and the album in general is accessible and quality.
I would / do quite strongly argue that the bands best album is “In Rainbows”. Many will disagree with this – but this is the only time the post Kid A material blends with their early accessibility as a studio recording.
From the clatter of “15 Step” through to the subtle “Videotape” the whole album works. The sound sounds finished – its like a coming full circle. I’d say the stand out track is “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” – the chord progression, the vocal delivery – and the sheer melancholy of it. It sounds like The Smiths have popped up in 2007 with a better lead singer.
I have listened to “King Of Limbs” twice – and I just don’t get it – maybe in 5 years time it’ll all make sense again…
I’ve just watched Kill List as darkness fell. A very apt way to watch this movie as it is easily the darkest film of recent times. I have not taken it all in yet. Perhaps I’m writing this too soon. Only two comparisons spring to mind. Man Bites Dog and Henry. It is more heavy going than both of those movies. Really.
Refreshingly low-budget the movie is very well shot and feels bang up to date. A backdrop of financial hardship and need drive the movie into a very dark sinister place.
You cannot identify with the characters – you don’t want to. Those on the “list” you are glad to see done away with. The film does have balance, but it has strength to push you over the edge.
Unlike, say “Reservoir Dogs” where brutality is left to the imagination in the infamous “ear scene” – Kill List shows you total brutality. I cannot recall a movie where I have HAD to look away from the screen. The second killing is so brutal that you will be watching in a shocked, stunned daze.
Thankfully, there is some very black comedy hidden away in this full-on British shockfest. You need it to detract from a movie that is spiraling away from sanity more and more. I guess it is a horror movie rather than a Thriller at the end of the day. It certainly is unique.
Like “There Will Be Blood” you cannot tell where the film is going. This is not a by the numbers exercise. Kill List does descend into pure madness. It’s a weighty pull.
I’m not going to include any spoilers. I do feel the end of the film will please true horror fans. Kill List does not pull back and perform a safe ending. You will be left feeling like you are stuck in a heavyweight nightmare…
Whenever I search for a music video on YouTube I sigh when I find a cover version. I do not want a cover version, who does?
Then. Tonight. Searching for early Daft Punk videos, I came across this by Randy George. I love the early, mellow, Daft Punk material and the unlikely 10cc nod. Silly name aside, it’s initially interesting, then it gets, very good, very good indeed. Maybe it surpasses the original? Inspired.
I do not think I’ve ever seen a theremin played live before. It helps if you know the Daft Punk version (they’re practically identical). An inspiring piece and an amazing use of unconventional instruments.
In 1982 E.T., or having seen E.T. was a status symbol for a 12-year-old. I hadn’t seen the movie. I had watched the John Williams video on Top of the Pops just to get a very small glimpse of the little alien. E.T. made very fleeting appearances in the music video. It was just a teaser.
The well-off kids at school had the pirated video. A common playground taunt was “how many times have you seen E.T.? The boastful replies were 20 times, 30 times, etc. Coming from a single parent family we didn’t have a video recorder, let alone the movie – i still hadn’t seen the film – I replied zero times.
Then, one Saturday afternoon I found myself in Solihull with all of my weeks pocket-money from my Mother and Grandparents. As I walked past the Cinema on Solihull High Street emblazoned across the Now Showing sign was “E.T. – the Extra-Terrestrial”.
Without really thinking I just went in, paid the money and sat down – on my own. I’d never been to the cinema on my own – but this was E.T. I was on auto-pilot.
The cinema filled, and filled more, until it was Sold-Out. There was not a spare seat in the whole house. As I said, this was E.T. In 1982 it was a phenomenon in a way that not many movies are now.
I was sat, due to my relatively early entrance, smack in the middle of the cinema. This meant strangers were either side of me. If I’d have thought about it I would have sat on the end of a row for comfort and space, but like I said – I was on autopilot.
When the movie started it felt a bit slow. As a 12-year-old your attention span isn’t trained for a full movie – maybe this is just me. Quickly though the movie had all the right references. High scores on Asteriods are mentioned. Space Invaders T-Shirts are worn. Boba Fett gets an early nod. Simon (the computer game) and Speak & Spell are present. The movie may be slightly dated now, but, in 1982 it acknowledged things kids were actually interested in. Spielberg was on the money – it tapped all the right buttons.
The masterstroke link was the heavy feature of the BMX bicycle. Elliott may be portrayed as quite bland initially, but he had one hell of a BMX. Being the same age as the lead character in 1982 and having had a BMX the previous Xmas a powerful link is forged.
As the movie rolls a relationship between Elliott and E.T. emerges from vulnerability, trust, need and hope. Authority is felt to be an enemy. Spielberg, although easy to knock, is at his closest to Hitchcock by portraying those hunting for E.T. by shooting them all for a long period only from the waist down. Shots of key rings are used to enforce the hunt.
As Elliott helps E.T. you sense him grow. The frog-freeing scene is, to me, a veiled rebellion. It’s daft – but it works. As E.T. is endeared to the Cinema audience you feel the pull of the movie in quite a deep way.
Then a scene of iconic near perfection. When Elliott and E.T. go to the forest at night and the pedals are overridden - the BMX takes off… The John Williams soundtrack works so effectively for this scene.
As I got caught up watching this unfold in the cinema I was not prepared for the “E.T. almost dead on the riverbank” scene. I’d never felt such emotion at the Cinema. All of a sudden the strangers either side of me seemed intimidating. In reality they were just sitting watching the movie – and I – was just trying not to cry. I bit my bottom lip so hard that I’m surprised it didn’t go through.
The film abates for a while. E.T. is dying – I’m beginning to deal with it – it’ll be okay – it’s just a movie. E.T. dies, it’s sad, but I’m coping. As I begin to think more logically about how the film will end, etc – out of the blue – the flower that represents life springs back up. Elliott sees it, at this point you are Elliott. E.T. springs back to life and delivers the tear inducing line “E.T. Phone Home”.
That was it. Despite an inbuilt male stubbornness believing crying in public is wrong. I wailed tears of sheer joy. I did not fight the feeling. It felt good. I blubbed like a baby. I was glad to see, when I came around from this assault on my senses, that the whole Cinema was in floods of tears. even the adults – the wimps!
Okay. The joy outta the way. Now we’ve got to get E.T. home. Cut to the BMX kids out-fooling those damn authority alien catchers. Now we get the BMX gang escaping with E.T. They cycle. They bunny-hop. They outfox. Then… they’re trapped. Again the BMX’s take off. Skyborn. Show me a 12-year-old male kid that didn’t want to ride away from authority by cycling an airborne BMX with an alien on the front-handlebars and i’ll show you a kid that’s lying through his teeth.
Escape over and E.T. goes home. You want him to stay, but it makes sense. The very simple exchange between Elliott and E.T. “I’ll be right here” and it’s over. You’ve learned something. I’m not sure what, but as a 12 year old it was powerful stuff. If E.T. had been made today I feel they would have wrought out the ending more, a pointless twist maybe. The simplicity is a masterstroke.
Back into the daylight of Solihull and I’d seen the best film of my short life. In honesty, in 2011 I can say I’ve only seen 2 films better than E.T. now. I shouldn’t admit that…
In 1981 Siouxsie & the Banshees released arguably their strongest material. The band had status as you could argue they were amongst the first wave of the UK punk scene. Their early material is good but the band found their true feet at the dawn of the 80′s.
With a refreshingly strong frontwoman the band had something unique and an image to take note of. The unsung hero of the band was John McGeogh. With a visual vocalist that strong the guitarist went practically unnoticed?
“Spellbound” is one of the best singles I’ve ever heard. Imagery. Pounding rhythm. It is a track that stands-out. The more you listen to “Spellbound” the more its true impact is slowly revealed.
The track has fantastic chord progression. It is deeply evocative. More importantly it is massively influential. I cannot imagine The Smiths could have developed such a widely appreciated sound without them being influenced by John McGeogh.
Forget the imagery of the band (Siouxsie & the Banshees) for a moment. Listen to the guitar alone. That, to me, is the birth of 80′s indie guitar. At 2:33 in you can hear The Smiths being born a full two years before their incarnation? No McGeogh – No Marr. Then think of the bands The Smiths then went on to influence. I’m rambling, listen to it. What a great, generally unsung guitar hero… “We Are Entranced”, indeed.
Oasis, one of the credible, real bands from the 90′s are pretty much panned at every opportunity. Having listened to Oasis’s debut album today for the first time in absolutely ages I thought to myself why do the band get so little credit.
Us Brits hate winners. Example, Frank Bruno. Everyone loves him. Would he be loved if he’d knocked out Tyson? Yes, but not nearly as much.
Post Nirvana the music scene was very stagnant. Nothing was happening. The music scene was stuttering. Riot grrl, or whatever is was called just didn’t take off. SMASH and These Animal Men just did not deliver at all. Blur were bubbling along with Modern Life Is Rubbish – but that album is overrated in my opinion.
The first time I heard Supersonic was via MTV. The NME were falling over themselves about Oasis but the band sounded better than the early hype on first listen. I’d read the band were like an amalgamation of the Sex Pistols, The Stone Roses, The Smiths, T Rex and The Beatles with an equal measure of themselves. This outrageous claim was not far wrong.
Filling the void between The Stones Roses first and second albums, Definitely Maybe was a body of work too strong for the Roses to topple when they finally released “The Second Coming” – the real second coming had already arrived. All of a sudden the Manchester crown had switched. Quickly this became a nationwide crown.
Today, people mock Oasis. their back catalogue is ridiculed, but the band revitalised music in the near mid-nineties.
For a start, they just looked the part. Working Class rock n’ roll stars that just went for it. From the first 3 singles to the debut album and the “Whatever” single – it was like a groundswell that you just don’t get nowadays. The “B-Sides” of the singles were as good as the “A-Sides”, again this just does not happen with other bands.
I started working in a record shop the day “Definitely Maybe” was released. Talking with the rep from 3MV every week when he called in to the store we often discussed the band. He’d been backstage at the bands early gigs and confirmed they were the most “rock n’ roll band” he’d come across, in all aspects. He actually said he kept his distance from Liam as he was such a livewire.
Unlike The Stone Roses and more like The Beatles, Oasis did not rest on the laurels of their very succesful debut album. Before you knew it the new album was on its way. Despite two poorer singles (Some Might Say and Roll With It) the album clearly saw the band up everything a notch. In truth I prefer the band’s debut and its more rawcus delivery but by the time ”Wonderwall” was released as a single the band eyed America.
I realise how daft all this sounds written in very late 2011, but when Wonderwall won the masses over I did wonder to myself just how far the band could go. I can recall getting a 50 bus from Moseley to the 11 stop late on a Friday night. The entire bus, inebriated were all singing “Champagne Supernova” – it wasn’t even a single – I was pretty stunned. Could you imagine this today with everyone singing along to Adele? Again, probably not.
On top of a sonic climb to wide stardom, the band were like a living – 18 rated – soap opera. The tabloids were actually fun for a while. Attitude poured from Liam, as he stares into the camera with dead eyes I wonder if Mario Balotelli has nicked that stance for his current goal non-celebrations.
I’m not suggesting Oasis are a very important band, but I really do feel they deserve more credit for lighting up a dull void in the music scene. The band did fall away, but some of their later material is worth a listen even today. For instance “Gas Panic” on “Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants” is a very rich track that gets no credit at all. If the band had split after the 2nd album I feel they’d be widely held in high regard – but then again – Britain does hate its winners…
Thanks to all the comments on Drowned In Sound. Allow me to add this near proof the band have great material post the 1st 2 albums. Merry Christmas.
Pink Floyd released “The Wall” on November 30th 1979. With hindsight, it should have been the bands last album. All material after The Wall is Cash Cow fan service – nothing more, nothing less.
The Wall only got to Number 3 in the U.K. album charts. It did however spawn the most unlikely Christmas Number 1 single the U.K. is likely to ever see (hear). The album went 23 times platinum in the USA, surely that gave the band and EMI enough money to go out in style?
“Another Brick In The Wall part 2″ has lush production so spot on that if you listen to it now you could imagine it was Radiohead circa OK Computer or something? (“When I am King you will be first against the wall” – anybody). Instantly warm and undeniably catchy – yet scathing in equal measure. It’s fair to point out “the masses” of the record buying public missed the dark themes the track suggests.
As a kid that had just turned nine years of age – I loved the track. It had it all. Artistic imagery that stirred the imagination. The cartoon parts drew me to it, the chorus was like a precursor to Grange Hill. It was easy to identify with kids in the playground (in the video) chanting ”Hey – teacher, leave them kids alone”.
Facebook propelled Rage Against The Machine to Christmas Number 1 in the U.K. a few years ago – but I doubt we’ll get a better (anti) Christmas Number 1 in our lifetimes. (I admit it’d be great if Nirvana can emulate this, this coming week – fingers crossed). That said, “Another Brick In The Wall part 2″ was a PROPER Number 1 single.
The preceding album “Animals” was untimely and the timing was off with punk blowing up. Pink Floyd were dinosaurs, wallowing dinosaurs but The Wall (the album) is up their as one of their finest moments.
It’s kind of like Pink Floyd acknowledged punk had happened. Although the album is as “stadium” as you can get it is a sneering, venomous body of art. Self-loathing, war, divorce, drugs, loss, grief, isolation – it’s knowingly pomp, but a great blueprint for how a rock opera should play-out. The Sex Pistols could not (and should not) have ever made such an album.
I have listened to The Wall this morning. It is not perfect. Parts of it do want make you want to slap Roger Walters around the chops and scream “get a grip”. Having not listened to the album in its entirety for around 15 years I must say it hangs together very well though. Storytelling that is left open to the imagination is the best kind.
I’d forgotten how great some of the tracks on The Wall are. The punch, rhythm and clatter of “The Happiest Days Of Our Lives”. The sheer familiarity of “Another Brick In The Wall”. The deep warmth of “Mother”. The hidden menace in the lush “Goodbye Blue Sky”. The threat of “Empty Spaces”. The direct wanton of “Young Lust”. The madness in “One Of My Turns”. The finality in “Goodbye Cruel World”. The downright pomp of “Hey You”. The altered state of “Is There Anybody Out There?” The self loathing and cry for help in “Nobody Home”. The sheer mastery of “Comfortably Numb”, (arguably the best track on the album). The panic inducing “Run Like Hell”. The near vocal experimentation in “Waiting For The Worms”.
I received “The Wall” for Christmas in 1986 on vinyl along with “Music For Pleasure” by The Damned. Although I loved The Damned I spent most of the Christmas Holiday exploring Pink Floyd’s back catalogue with Xmas money. My favourite release by Pink Floyd is not an album – but the film – Live In Pompeii, I can’t say why, there’s just something about the band at that era that for me is their peak. The Syd Barrett material should be considered as almost another band altogether – and an outstanding “other band” at that.
For me “The Wall” will always be, oddly, a Christmas album – I’m sure the band never intended it to be interpreted this way, but, Hey-Ho… Merry Christmas…(don’t get too Numb).
I picked up a Kindle yesterday. At £89 it’s an inexpensive, but quality purchase.
Firstly, I do not read that much – my attention span has always been short. This device begs your attention to items, and articles you may otherwise skim over.
For example, Saturday is the only day I may buy a newspaper. Usually The Guardian. This morning I woke at 8am, (this is usually the way, when you don’t have to get up I usually wake early).
At 99p the digital Guardian is over £1 cheaper than the physical newspaper. Plus I didn’t have to have a shower and pop to the shops – another bonus. A fear was it’s just be the main “newspaper” – but to my near delight – it’s the whole issue.
What I read (from The Guardian on Saturdays) usually consists of: Sport, The Guide, The Magazine and the main paper – usually in that order. I have just spent the last 2 hours in bed reading the usual articles. Granted it looks a bit different, but you still get the same feel. The content appears to be the same. So not only will I save money in the long run – but I can also feel good about saving paper, etc.
At £9.99 a month The Guardian is a bit steep and I haven’t got enough time to read everyday. So a weekend 99p purchase makes perfect sense. The two hours I’ve just spent lazily reading are worth the price already.
I have not purchased any books yet. I read a book about every two years, if that. However when i do like a book I tend to love it. Only a small amount of books get my praise. This is down to ignorance slightly by myself but I really have to connect with a book to be interested.
I do have some pdf versions of books that I like. Yesterday evening, messing around with my new gadget I was a bit worried to see that when you drag the pdf to the Kindle via USB that the reading options are almost unreadable. the print was way too small and seemingly couldn’t be fixed to fit the screen for a comfortable read.
Google to the rescue! Within 10 minutes of identifying this potential problem a fix was discovered. Stanza (largely a book reader for laptops) gives the option to convert pdf to a kindle file. I would purchase a book via Amazon, but you should have the option to use electronic books you may already have. I can see why it’s made a bit tough and I will buy books in the future via Amazon if I find a (new) book I’m interested in.
For now I have: To Kill A Mockingbird, The Wasp Factory, The Catcher In The Rye, Divided Kingdom, Animal Farm, The Stand and The Selfish Gene on my Kindle. That should keep me going for a while.
The Kindle does browse the Internet in a very quaint way. it’s almost like the Internet has gone back 30 years. It looks antique. I’m not knocking it – this just underlines this neat device is really about reading. After 2 hours reading I did not have that buzzy headache that even a nice laptop will give you via glare, etc.
The only gamble I took with my purchase was not knowing if it was compatible with my MacBook. I’m running Tiger and wondered if I needed a later operating system. When I asked the friendly but slightly clueless staff in Currys they looked very blank about Tiger. Fortunately it turns out that Kindle is compatible with Mac way back to OS 10.2. A nice touch, unlike the new iPhone for example which I could not use with my “old” laptop. A lesson for Apple there maybe? Maybe Currys should run out an hour training course so staff can fully advise about the Kindle and its compatability – surely it’ll be a big seller in the run up to and beyond Christmas.
As stated, I’m not a big reader in any way, shape or form – but I feel my future lazy reads will be on this cute, purposeful device.
