Let's All Buy Joanna A DVD Player...

[hammer-migration]

..not only the Ring but his work on StarWars, as Yoda's old Paduwan, WITHOUT the beard and make-up effects, was incredible. Very much on par with the best Dracula roles he created over 4 decades ago! Absolutely NOTHING lost in all that time from his talent.

[ArAich]

Agreed....

[tb]

> Central Sq area about 15-20 years ago--nothing but a pizza joint, a couple of bars (some of them great) and lots and lots of vacant and burnt out buildings.

 

I was there from '96-'99 (Ph.D. in EECS). I heard Central Square had been cleaned up quite a bit, which made me thankful I had not lived there before. They were building a lot while I was there (shopping districts with some pretty nice landscaping) and MIT was also adding some large new complexes; hopefully they ended up looking more attractive than most of the old campus(?).

 

Anyway, I mailed the DVDs today, Joanna. Hope you find something you can use.

 

[PovertyRow]

Central Sq area about 15-20 years ago-

 

I moved to Harvard Square in 1972. Lived there about 14 years, then moved to Beacon Hill, but always used the Red Line from Charles to Central or Harvard. Yes, it went through a lot of changes. Gotta wonder what it looks like now. Hope Skippy White's is still there!

[Joanna]

Thank you, hkp! The machine isn't here yet, but I got another DVD & -script in the mail today, this time from Universal Studios. "About a Boy" -- I heard it was good. And for the first time, I know that I won't have to just stare at the box, I can actually see the movie! Reviews forthcoming.

 

Oh, and speaking of Universal. I was at the post office today (where some idjit was instructing a new ebay seller how to shill -- I think they wanted to put me in a straight jacket because my reaction was rather vehement against it). The P.O. I go to is right across the street from Universal Studios, and there was a gigantic billboard for The Hulk movie. It said 6-20-03 (opening day) and www.thehulk.com, so I'm guessing they have a website up for it (you guys probably knew that). If I'd had my camera with me, I'd've taken a pic of the sign. I can always do that next time I go, if anyone is interested.

 

-- Joanna

 

[ubiquiti]

About a boy was actually quite good.

It was funny and actually somewhat touching.

This was to Hugh Grant what Matrix was to Keanu Reeves for me.

I hate them both, but both movies made me kind of like them.

[tb]

> Harvard Square [...] Beacon Hill

 

Wow, you have excellent taste - those would be my dream places to live

if I move back to Cambridge/Boston some day. One of my friends was on

a postdoc salary and had this gorgeous apartment right at Harvard Sq.

I was so envious - had no way to afford something like that myself...

Overall, Cambridge was a very, very nice place to live. If only they had a

comics store a la "Comic Relief" in Berkeley, it would indeed be

"Heaven Sq".

 

 

[Illiterati-migration]

This was to Hugh Grant what Matrix was to Keanu Reeves for me.

I hate them both, but both movies made me kind of like them.

 

Ubi! That's exactly what it was for me! "About A Boy" was just SUCH an enjoyable movie... I also loved the other Nicholas Hornby novel-turned-movie "High Fidelity"... and if you haven't read any of his books, they're absolutely fantastic. Yes, even if you've seen the movies.

(I also recommend "How To Be Good"... another very enjoyable book by Hornby that was actually NOT made into a movie... go figure.)

[Rickdogg]

Anytime I hear the name Hugh Grant...I always think..."WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING?!?!?!"

 

Elizabeth Hurley or that hooker? Hmmm tough choice

[Zonker]

Well, the old Million Year Picnic in Harvard Sq (Mt. Auburn street was it?) was pretty good. Jerry Weiss (sp?) occasionally still showed up there in '89-91, and they of course had all the EC portfolios, Squa Tront issues, etc. Last time I visited, it had moved to some nondescript retail complex a block or two away.

 

And across the river Comicopia was one of the best comics shops I've ever seen, first in Brookline, later Kenmore Sq a half block from Fenway right on Comm Ave. Anyone know if it is still there?

 

Oh, and I actually liked the truck food! My first introduction to French-Vietnamese cuisine in general, lemongras-flavored dishes in particular. And there was a pretty good Chinese spot in Central Square. I have a fond memory of a long long lunch there when it was pretty much deserted right before Hurricane Bob hit-- then hoofing it back to ride out the storm in the basement of Building 10 working on the thesis.

 

Wow...way off topic, but couldn't resist. Those were good times. Maybe we should move this up to the water cooler...

Z.

[tb]

> Oh, and I actually liked the truck food!

 

Not to let a good off-topic and completely irrelevant sub-thread die:

Yes, that Chinese place was great too!! Man, I you guys are making

me feel like going back for a postdoc just for the food... To me, the

great unsolved mystery about those food trucks was why there

always was 50 people in line for one of them and 2 or 3 in line for the

one right next to it(?). I always picked the short line

 

[COI]

When I hear the name Hugh Grant, I think: HOW DID THAT FRUITY SOB LAND MISS HURLEY???

[CosmicBob]

About A Boy was interesting. I enjoyed the film, it was a clever -script.

 

If you're nominating scripts, take a look at "The Cat's Meow", it was a neat little -script based on a play.

[underthebigw]

Hey Zonker, I wonder if we were ever in those stores at the same time-I used to hit both the Picnic and Comicopia on a weekly basis from '87-'91. Man--the Million Year Picnic used to be GREAT. They were always buying collections and you never knew what would show up in their bins. I remember walking in the afternoon they had picked up a HG run of Silver Surfers. I was lucky enough to pick up solid NM+ copies of #2 and #8. I remember I was guilt stricken spending $45 on the #2 at the time. Man, how times change. Comicopia was at it's best during it's Brookline locations-always great books and great service.