Ice Princess followed some clichés quite thoroughly and others not so much. It was better than most other films inside its rather limited formula, I thought.

Reger Ebert's review of it discusses this much better than I do. - I really like Ebert's reviews of kid/teen movies. He's a lot gentler with them than a lot of reviewers, who won't give them good scores because they (the reviewers) are so outside the target demographic. Most reviews basically limit comparison ability by giving even the best of the genre low scores, so that the ones that are TRULY bad (like, say, A Cinderella Story) don't look as bad as they should in comparison.

This is a pet peeve of mine. 'Course, the same could probably be said for raunchy comedies, explosion-centric action licks, and many other movie formulas.

I saw "Being Julia" last night.

I saw this a while back. Loved it. It's set in one of my favorite periods, and Annette Bening's character was wonderfully fun to watch.

I really like Ebert's reviews of kid/teen movies. He's a lot gentler with them than a lot of reviewers, who won't give them good scores because they (the reviewers) are so outside the target demographic.

While there are times that Ebert makes me roll my eyes forever and ever, I like the fact that he is not a genre snob and that he realizes that you look for very different things from an edge-of-the-seat action movie than you do from a character-driven art-house film.

He's a lot gentler with them than a lot of reviewers, who won't give them good scores because they (the reviewers) are so outside the target demographic.

One thing Ebert's always said is that in order to be a good children's movie, it first has to be a good movie, so he takes them seriously, keeping in mind what they are.

Don Cheadle?

Don frakking Cheadle?

Yes, attractive. Yes, actiony and funny, and - but - JEsus! Don Cheadle? Cast Dick Van Dyke and have done with it!

Look, a black or Asian Bond, why the hell not? But he should be British, damn it! British! Not American! British! Or Commonwealth - I'd cope with Commonwealth. But Not! American!

t /not at home to Mr Logic

Ahem. Adrian Lester or Colin Salmon, okay. Lovely. Don Cheadle? Bah. Humbug.

JRM, although delicious delicious delicious, is too young for Bond. Maybe in 10 or 15 years.

Aamir Khan - well, I've never heard of him. I gather from imdb that he's been in a gazillion things, but he doesn't look particularly British to me. Hmph. Looks suspiciously Indian, in fact. Although Indian is much more nearly British than American is, so he's still much higher up the list than Don Cheadle.

BRITISH, I TELL YOU!!! HE SHOULD BE BRITISH!!!!

is dragged off by men in white coats

Incidentally, should anyone be tempted to address this rationally - I do know that, in all fairness, it could be played by an American who can do a fabulous accent. Alexis Denisof, say, whose American accent always sounds ridiculous and unnatural to my ears. This is Only Fair, because I am always happy when I see Brits paid to play Americans. I know it is fair. Yes. But I seem to have an irrational, visceral 'Bond Must Be British!!!'* response. It appears to be as close as I get to patriotism. Hmm.

*for a given definition of British which includes all of the British Isles, including the Republic of Ireland, and which could be pretty easily stretched to include anywhere in the Commonwealth. But not America.

AD would make a fabulous Bond, especially when he's in "I'll take away your bucket" mode.

I think it helps Alexis that he spent a significant amount of time in the UK, especially as he was relatively young at the time, so not British, but has more British points than most Murricans

Fay, what about John Barrowman? Sure, he was raised in the Midwest, but hey, born in Scotland and exceedingly pretty!

(Okay, fine. Perhaps the world is not ready for an openly gay actor to play Bond, but I think he'd be fabulous in the role.)

for a given definition of British which includes all of the British Isles, including the Republic of Ireland, and which could be pretty easily stretched to include anywhere in the Commonwealth.

So, what about Canadian?

Idris Elba's British, Fay. And he played a heroin dealer that I would like to lick all over. And convinced me he was an American, too. Elba as Bond=happy place. Probably wouldn't happen though.