In Casino Royale (2006) director Martin Campbell filmed James Bond beating Le Chiffre with a straight flush in poker, which has an occurrence rate of 0.0311%. Really lucky Campbell was filming when he was, cuz getting a royal flush is very rare. Made for a great scene IMO.
So in April, I decided to watch every Bond film from "From Russia with Love" to "Spectre". I had already seen Dr. No for a english assignment last year and while I enjoyed the film didn't feel the need to rewatch it. So here are my thoughts: Dr. No - A great start to the Bond franchise that is introduces a lot of the classic elements, including "Bond, James Bond", Girls and cold kills. The film is quite quaint by modern standards but is still fun to watch. I will say the second half of the opening is just plain odd though, why after the James Bidn theme am I hearing bongos?. I will say that I wish we saw more of Dr. No than we do in the actual film, as, but otherwise Jospeh Wiseman gives a great performance. Overall 7.5/10 From Russia with Love - Okay this one just got better as it went along. While the pre-title sequence isn't bad we don't actually get to bond for a bit of the film and it does drag a bit. I also love that in the second movie we're already trying to play with the fact that Bond loves to sleep with women. I also find it funny that Robert Shaw looks awfully similar to Daniel Craig. Even with that though Red Grant still delievrs a codl performance that leads to one of the best fight scenes in cinema Overall 8.5/10 Goldfinger - I love this one so much. From a great villain to the DB5 to the iconic imagery and the brilliant henchman in Oddjob. This film gets nearly everything right and I have very few problems with the film as a whole. My only qualm is the barn scene where it appears that Bond may have raped Pussy galore, but that really didn't hinder my enjoyment very much as all. Where my love for the films was truly cemented for the film was for this quote "Did you expect to me to Live?" "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die".Also my favourite character is introduced in this film: Q. The way Desmond Lleweyn plays this character is perfect and I really did not want anyone to replace him. Goldfinger is almsot flawless 9/10 Thunderball - This is where the franchise really went downhill for me. What really annoys me about this film is the first half hour is a complete waste of time that we didn't need. We could have easily started just at scene where Bond is meeting with leaders of the world and M and it still wouldn't affect your understanding of the film. Even after that, so much of the film just feels like wasted potential. The only good part of the film are probably about half the girls, Sean Connery and the one Q scene. The Underwater scenes are just boring and I didn't care. Altough this film does have on e the best title sequences. This will seem harsh to some but honestly this film gets a 4/10 Casino Royale(1967) - Yes I made sure to watch "every" James Bond film (although that wasn't really worth it in the end). What the fuck happened in this film. Honeslty this film is just random scenes together stuck together with a plotline. I remeber David Niven playing some game with Ursula Andress( If I remember correctly). I remember Bond's daughter stuck in a mze like berlin in the cold war. I remember peter sellers going up against Le Chiffre. But the films comes together like a Sandwhich made of Jello and Glue. It's awful. But it's also hilarious to think about. Honestly the story behind the film is more interesting than the actual film. Oh and how lazy is that ending, my God. 3.5/10 You Only live Twice - Alright I knew going in to this some of the films would be dated but I thought that was going to eb about the attitudes towards Women. I did not expect Sean Connery to be badly put in makeup to make him "look Asian". Also the final "Blofeld" reveal is somewhat disappointing, not necessarily bad just somewhat disappointing considering how he was bulit up in From Russia with Love and Thunderball. Although I honeslty didn't have a problem with Connery's performance that much. While it's not great, it wasn't enough to have an impact on my feelings towards the films. Overall not bad. 7/10 On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Alright this one is hard for me. I didn't enjoy the film very much but it's clearly great. Why is it great? Well it gave me Captain America: Civil War which is a film I sometimes don't enjoy but know it is a great film regardless. I was probably just in the wrong mood for this film. As for Lazenby, he's not bad but I think he might have just needed a bit more direction on what to do. Although while it's a gutpunch I love the ending. I'll just give it a 7 now, but I might come back to this one. Diamonds are Forever - This one is quite weird. From Blofeld to drag to having scenes set in Vegas to Connery weirdly looking too old depsite only being in his 40s. But it can also be a sort of fun weird as well. But then it's not great either. Also I blame this film for the stupid moon landing conspiracy theories. 6.5/10 Live and Let Die - This is a decent start to the Roger Moore Era. Moore feels like Bond but not like Connery which I think was a slight problem with Lazneby trying to be a little too much like Connery. Dr. Kananga is a good villian and Jane Seymour as Solitaire is one the best bond girls. Also Sherriff J.W Pepper is silly but helps us understand how the Roger Moore Era will feel. Overall 7.5/10 The Man with the Golden Gun - "THAT FUCKING SLIDE WHISTLE". Seriously though the slidew whistle over the car flip represents the whole film. Good Idea that were unfortunately done wrong due to horrid execution. However, this makes the film one of the best to enjoy ironically. Scaramnage and Nick Nack are probably the only things done well in the film. Just for ironic enjoyment I'm willing to give this film a 6/10 The Spy Who Loved Me - For the longest time this was my favourite Bond Film. It had my favourite Bond girl in Anya, One the best henchmen in Jaws, Moore at the top of his game, and one the best ending scenes battles in all of Bond. My only problem comes from Stromberg, who's just a bit one note. Overall 9.5/10 Moonraker - I had bad experience watching this one. I was expecting all of it to be set in Space but only the 3rd act actually is. This meant that during the first 2 acts I was just waiting for them to go to space and when they did, I wanted them back on Earth. I really didn't like the space scenes because the blasters reminded me too much of Star Wars. The film itself is probably the most over the top it's ever been and hell, looking back I realise while it was incredibly stupid it was fun seeing a double taking pigeon and the other nonsensical happenings in this film. Honeslty I'll give this a 6.5. For Your Eyes Only - What happened in this one? This isn't like Casino Royale '67 where it's incredibly confusing but it's more just boring. I really don't remember much at all. I don't remember many of the stunts or any of the bond girls really. Hell, I have no idea who the villain actually was. The only thing I remember is the brilliant opening sequence. 4/10 Octopussy - This one's similar to FYEO for me only stupider. unfortunately though unlike Moonraker where it jump the shark fairly soon to get you ready for the sillier scenes later on, the clown scene at the end I was completely unprepared for looked and just came off as incredibly dumb. Also Octopussy could've been a great villain but no, it's someone else who I didn't care about. 3/10 Never Say Never Again - The first act is weird in that it can't decide if it wants to be classic Bond or a spoof like CR '67. The second act is classic Bond(although they play videogames at some point. What?). I don't remember the 3rd act at all and I got completely lost which really ruined the film for me. 4.5/10 A View To a Kill - This is like TMTWGG for me. The only real good parts are Mayday and Christopher Walken as Zorin. We really should've had Dalton by this point. In fact I think Dalton should've started with For Your Eyes Only. Moore I don't think gives a bad performance but he was clealry too old for the role by this point. As a film it's one of the sillier ones, but at least it wasn't too boring 5/10 The Living Daylights - What a breath of fresh air. It was nice to have a bond film I enjoyed again after some many I didn't like. I love the 3rd act with the both Bond hanging on for his life with the plane and the end fight (although it could give you a seizure if you're epileptic). Timothy Dalton is James Bond. All the other actors were playing a version of James Bond. Dalton is that character personified to a T. The Living Daylights gets a 7/10 Licence to Kill - This was very different. What is easily the darkest bond film (maybe except, Casino Royale '06) is also one of the better bond films. While I enjoyed TLD dalton's bond fits better in this sort of film. I love the plot is literally Bond on a revenge mission rather than just filling out M's orders. Also Q in more than just one scene, is bliss. I Love Q, not only for Desmons Lleweyn, but also because his warmth helps to say "Yes it's dark, but it's still Bond and we can still have fun with it". However the film does almost crumble under all of the different plotlines but unlike NSNA I was still able to get back into the film despite that. Also, It annoyed me that Felix survived the film. It would've been better and more believable if both Felix and his wife had died. LTK gets a 7.5/10 Goldeneye - I don't have a lot to say about this one. Just a great Bond film in it's own right with a great villain and some of the best Bond girls. Although I wasn't big on Brosnan at first though. To me he seemed too generic and didn't really have his own spin to Bond. But he grew on my over time. Besides Goldeneye is still a great film otherwise. 9/10 Tomorrow Never Dies - Again, not a lot to say about this one. Decent Bond flick, that while not as good as Goldeneye is still worth your time and worth checking out at least once. The best part of this film is the villain by far, being a version of Rupert Murdoch(hate that slimy bugger). 7/10 The World is Not Enough - Man I don't have a lot to say about the Brosnan films. I really don't know what to think of this film. The opening scene is great but otherwise I find the film to be another average Bond flick that is a little worse than TND. 6/10 Die Another Day - This one's similar to TMWTGG and AVTAK for me where's it's incrediby stupid but you can have a laugh at it. John Cleese is decent as Q but not as good as desmond lleyweyn. Unlike otehr silly bond films some of the stupid shit can be seen as downright offensive and taking the piss such as the parasailing on waves scene and the end villain literally being Robocop. But the film is somewhat saved by incredibly silly dialogue that is easy to laugh at. Overall 5/10 Casino Royale - First Act is good. The second act is one the best scenes in cinema I have ever seen. I was just invested in that Poker Scene as I was in the Portals scene in Avengers: Endgame if nor more so in the Poker scene. The torture scene is brutal but works perfectly. However once Mr White shows up the films kind of falls apart. This because you could easily assume that Mr White was CIA(Like I did) and just though that was that. While Mathis still had to be dealt with, (whihc QoS messes with for some reason) the film could've just ended with Bond and Vesper. But no we had to have this silly third act which feels like it was only there to kill Vesper. But since the first two acts are still really good and the third act doesn't ruin the movie I'm still willing to look a the film positively. Overall 8/10 Quantum of Solace - I saw this one fairly recently and I still don't remember what happened. I think Greene was the villain and Bond was on the run from MI6 but honeslty that's about it. I will say that in the first half however, Daniel Craig somehow managed to not be Bond and instead come off as top Gear host. The ending really ruins this film however. Well more the gunbarrel itslef. YOU MAKE WAIT THE ENTRIE MOVIE FOR THE GUNBARREL ONLY FOR IT TO THE BE THE WORST GUNBARREL EVER DONE" Ugh. 4.5/10 Skyfall - What a stroke of genius this film was after QoS. One the best Villians in Bond history,Daniel Craig on top of his game, some stunts that are a bit silly but still keep the realims in check and making M the central focus was brilliant . Also while Desmond Lleweyn Will always be my favourite, Ben Whishaw is a great Q. I know this film has some silly plot holes the film is so damn good you just learn to not care about them. I could gush on and on about this film, but this has gone long enough as it has. 10/10 Best Bond film Spectre - So I'm listening to Bon Jovi's "You give Love a bad Name" and it has the lyric "You Promised me Heaven and gave me Hell". That sums up my feeling towards the films perfectly so I'll just leave at that. 3/10 TLDR Ranking 1.Skyfall
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A great movie, but not one without flaws. The biggest flaw that I found in the film was the Poker Tournament aspect of it. This is just my personal opinion, but I thought the Poker aspect of the film didn't really mesh well with the rest of the story and the world of James Bond. James Bond is known as a classy, suave secret agent; who gets to bang hot, rich women; drive +$100,000 cars; and go to parties/functions of the wealthy elite. In contrast, I've felt the game of no-limit texas hold'em to be, for lack of a better term, somewhat pedestrian and tacky. Texas Hold'em is the game we've played at our friends' houses or in dorms in college. It's not what I would call a classy game that the rich elite would partake in. I understand why the filmmakers would choose Texas Hold'em for the card game that Bond has to play. Hold'em was gaining in popularity in the early 2000s with the World Series of Poker on ESPN and Chris Moneymaker, an average dude, winning it in 2003. The game was becoming mainstream. Everyone started playing it, but the movie still felt that it had to explain the rules of the game and what was going on during the hands, which I felt weakened the game. Okay, the filmmakers saw the popularity of No Limit Texas Hold'em and wanted to put that into their movie. I don't agree, but it could have worked well, but it didn't. We're not shown in the movie that Bond is really good at poker. We're told he's a great gambler and can read people, but we're not shown that skill. Now, this isn't completely the filmmakers' fault. The nuances of Texas Hold'em aren't that exciting or easy to film. The game is less about the cards and more about how you can read people and pick up their tells. A great poker film to actually show the main character's ability is Rounders (1999) with Matt Damon. A scene where he's delivering some paperwork to a bunch of law professors and judges playing poker, and he's able to read their hands blind, shows the audience that Matt Damon is a great poker player without flat out telling us how good he is. The audience doesn't get that scene in Casino Royale. Yeah, he beats that guy in the beginning and takes his car, but he just got lucky. It doesn't really show us his skill, and since the Poker Tournament is just one aspect of the film and not the complete focus, I doubt they had the screentime available to properly set Bond up for being a great Poker player, so the movie has to flat out tell us he's great. We still don't really get the sense of that because during the actual Tournament we don't see how he wins all his money. He literally loses every hand until the last hand: the bad guy gets lucky on the river and beats him the first hand, but Bond learns his tell. The bad guy fucks with him and makes him lose his stake in the 2nd hand. He's poisoned and has to forfeit the 3rd hand, and finally wins on the final hand. We don't ever see him beat anyone on the table until the very end. That last hand everyone had a bunch of crazy cards. There's like 2 full houses, I think the bad guy has a four of a kind, and Bond himself gets a straight flush. You almost never see that in real poker. Again, the game itself is actually not all that exciting to watch, so the filmmakers probably felt they had to put all those crazy hands in to make it exciting. The movie despite its flaws is still a really good action film. I just feel that the Poker Tournament aspect was the weakest part and definitely could've been done better. They could've actually showed Bond using some skills to let the audience know he's actually a good pick to play the tournament on behalf of the British Government and not just straight up told that he's good. I wish they had picked a better card game to focus on, like Baccarat. I would've liked for the movie to have told me how to play Baccarat; since I'd never played it before. They didn't do that, though; and it's too bad.
8 years ago, in the leadup to the then new James Bond film, Skyfall, I watched and reviewed every Bond film (official and unofficial), in chronological order of release. With the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, on its way (optimistically next April) and it being the last film with Daniel Craig as Bond, I figured I would try watching all the films again to see how my opinion has changed in the past near-decade. There’s a slight tweak though. To make things a bit different, I will not be watching the films in chronological film release order but instead be watching it in order of release of the original Ian Fleming books that lends its title to each film. (The order of the films plus a deeply geeky explanation of where I have placed the later films that do not have Fleming titles can be found at the end of this post). Other minor tweaks are that, since I am no longer an unemployed 22 year old who could watch 4-5 films a week, I will aim for 1 film per week and skip the unofficial films. If No Time to Die does end up coming out in April next year (and that’s a very big if) then I should finish all the films just before its release, but we’ll see. So without further ado, the first film in this Bondathon is Casino Royale, Daniel Craig’s first Bond film from 2006. It’s been my favorite Bond film for a while but I also haven’t seen it in a few years so it’s a good one to start out with... It still holds up really well and went by much quicker than I thought, despite it being one of the longer films. The first third of the film establishes that we are watching a reckless Bond at the beginning of his career who needs to keep his ego in check, and also sets up why the villain needs to set up a poker game to win back money he lost. It’s a bit of a stretch but necessary for a faithful but modern adaptation of the novel. The poker scenes can obviously be confusing if you don’t know the rules but the film does its best to keep them relatively short, break it up with non poker scenes, and show the tension in the poker scenes so that you at least have a rough idea of who’s winning or losing. Bond’s relationship with Vesper is my favorite part of this film, and that’s saying something considering some very impressive action scenes (parkour chase in Madagascar, Bond stopping a terrorist attack at an airport, the finale in the sinking house in Venice). Back in the late 90s/early 2000s the trend for Bond films was to star actresses that have box office pull (especially in America) but questionable talent like Teri Hatcher, Denise Richards or Halle Berry. In contrast, Eva Green, while talented and respected, was a relative unknown back in 2006, but her portrayal of Vesper put her on the map and made her the household name today. Her scenes with Craig’s Bond are always quick witted and it’s easy to see why Bond would fall in love with her. The dialogue does get a bit cheesy towards the end but overall she’s one of the most memorable characters in all of Bond. I absolutely love the music in this film, even though the Bond theme isn’t that present. As this is Bond’s first mission and reboots/origin stories were all the rage in the mid/late 2000s (see Batman Begins, Star Trek, and X Men First Class a bit later on), we see Bond at the start of his career and picking up nuggets of what makes him Bond throughout the film, winning poker, getting his Aston Martin DB5, disobeying M to go with his instincts, until the very end of the film where we finally hear him introduce himself in his iconic way, and that’s when we hear a bombastic rendition of the film in full. It’s funny to see what was considered advanced technology in 2006, just a year or so before the smartphone era. Bond has a Sony Ericsson phone with a very primitive version of a GPS, and snoops through a hotel’s security footage after going through a number of blu-ray discs. That’s always a danger with putting technology in films in this day and age when everything becomes obsolete almost immediately, but in this movie it’s few and far in between and is more of a gentle reminder of how long it’s been since Daniel Craig’s first Bond film rather than any distraction. Ironically, despite this being “Bond begins” and missing elements like the Bond theme, Q, Moneypenny, it ends up being the only Daniel Craig film where Bond gets sent by M to go on a regular mission. It’s all “Bond goes rogue” or “This time it’s personal” after this as far as the Craig films go. Overall, Casino Royale still holds up as perhaps my favorite Bond film (we’ll see how it fares after I’ve viewed all the other). It’s gritty, it’s tense, it’s emotional. It’s Bond without following all the Bond tropes. ***Deep geek zone: Order of films I'll be watching and explanation of where I have placed the non-Fleming titles Basically I have scattered the 6 movies whose titles are not from the Fleming books throughout the list, mainly putting them after a Fleming title whose book/film with a similar theme or element, with the one exception of Skyfall which I just placed in the middle of 4 Connery films to split them up.
Casino Royale
Live And Let Die
License to Kill - Bond’s American ally Felix Leiter loses his leg to a shark, like in the Live and Let Die novel
Moonraker
Die Another Day - Features an nobody-turned-rich English villain with deadly rockets/satellite as their weapon, like in the Moonraker novel
Diamonds Are Forever
From Russia With Love
Skyfall - Just to split up all the two previous and two next Connery films. Also both From Russia with Love and Skyfall were filmed in Istanbul.
Dr. No
Goldfinger
Goldeneye - Literally just because the title has the word Gold in it
Quantum Of Solace
A View To A Kill
For Your Eyes Only
Thunderball
The Living Daylights
The Spy Who Loved Me
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
The World is Not Enough - Title is Bond’s family motto, which was mentioned in Majesty’s
You Only Live Twice
The Man With The Golden Gun
Tomorrow Never Dies - contains scenes filmed in Thailand, like The Man with the Golden Gun
Film Rankings with Explanations, Ratings, and Tiers
During quarantine, I've had the opportunity to rewatch every movie in relatively short succession. I've seen them all 2-10 times and have been a lifelong Bond fan. I enjoy every Bond film, even the "bad" ones, but I wanted to try and rank them. I used a scoring system to help me, but ultimately went with my gut (e.g. License to Kill MUST be better than The World is Not Enough). I thought a tier system of ranking was useful, because it really is splitting hairs to rank some of these. Feel free to critique my ratings, my ratings weightings, and opinions! You could say I have too much time on my hands Tier 7: The Worst
Die Another Day: Best Sword Fight
- Why it's not irredeemable: For being the lowest ranked film on this list, it's not without its moments. Bond getting caught, tortured, then escaping from MI6 was interesting and novel. The ice hotel was neat, as well as the chase scene. I'll even defend the much maligned invisible car, as the Aston Martin Vanquish is quite a car. - Why it's not higher: Personally, I think Halle Berry is a terrible Bond girl, alternating between damsel in distress and super woman as the plot demands it. Moreover, Graves and the plot in general is pretty cheesy and boring. Perhaps most damaging is the deadly serious tone of the movie, which doesn't even provide the fun and excitement Brosnan's films generally provide the viewer. - Most under-appreciated part: The fencing scene is the best action scene of the entire movie. It's surprising it took Bond this long to fence, but seeing them go at it across the club was a blast. Tier 6: Disappointing
Quantum of Solace: Best Car Chase
- Why it's this high: The action is quite good, likely meriting the distinction of the best car chase in the entire series (the pre-credits sequence). Mathis is a good ally and it is sad to see him go. - Why it's not higher: My biggest beef with Craig's Bond films is that they are too serious, so when the plot and script isn't top-notch, the movie watching experience is just kind of dull. Quantum of Solace takes a bold risk in making the first Bond sequel, but unfortunately it's just not that good. Greene seems like a rather pathetic Bond villain, and his henchman (the worst in the series?) ends up in a neck-brace after getting tripped by Camilla. Also, the shaky cam is distracting and exhausting. - Most under-appreciated part: I actually thing the theme song is pretty good! Maybe I'm just too much of a Jack White groupie, but I think it rocks.
Moonraker: Best Locales
- Why it's this high: I'm pleased to see Jaws making a return, as he is an amazing henchman. On that note, the pre-credits sequence with Bond and Jaws falling out of the plane is exhilarating. Holly Goodhead is a very good Bond girl, beautiful, smart, and competent. Roger Moore always does an excellent job playing the role with suavity and wit. - Why it's not higher: Gosh it's cheesy. Particularly egregious is Jaws' love story. The theme song is terrible and Bond doesn't have any solid allies besides Goodhead and Jaws. - Most under-appreciated part: They really go all out with the settings here. Obviously, space is pretty polarizing, but I think Bond clearly should go to space at SOME point during the series. In addition, Italy and Brazil were gorgeous views, while Drax's estate is magnificent.
Spectre: Best Shooting
- Why it's this high: Rewatching this for the second time, I realized Lea Seydoux does a good job as the Bond girl, and it's actually quite believable she and James could work out, as she is the daughter of an assassin and can understand him (as Blofeld points out). Seeing Bond show off his marksmanship was quite satisfying, especially that one long shot during the escape from Blofeld's compound. Bonus points for Bond's DB10 and resurrecting the DB5. - Why it's not higher: The fatal flaw of this film is making Blofeld Bond's adopted brother. How did Bond not recognize him? How is Blofeld able to keep himself secret from British intelligence yet every criminal worth his salt knows of him? The worst part is that it actually cheapens the plot of the other Craig movies. I believe the Bond franchise should stay clear from sequels from here on out. Yes, they can weave a great story if done correctly, but it's so much more difficult to make great sequels (e.g. Star Wars only made two worthy sequels in seven tries) than to do one-offs. As usual for a Craig film, Bond has little charisma (save for his surprisingly good rapport with Moneypenny) and little in the way of jokes to lighten the mood. - Most under-appreciated part: The train fight scene with Dave Bautista is great! Gosh it was awesome to see them go at it, break through walls, and a priceless expression on Bautista's face when he knows he's done. Bautista is the first decent henchman since the 90s, so glad to see the series go back to this staple.
The Man with the Golden Gun: Best Potential, Worst Execution
- Why it's this high: This Bond movie frustrates more than any other, as it has the potential to be an all-time great. Bond's debriefing starts off with promise, as it turns out the world's top assassin is gunning for Bond! For the first time in the series, Bond seems vulnerable! M makes a hilarious quip as to who would try to kill Bond ("jealous husbands ... the list is endless"). Furthermore, the legendary Christopher Lee is possible the best Bond villain, a rare peer of 007. - Why it's not higher: Unfortunately, the movie opts to change course so that it's just Maud Adams trying to get Bond to kill Scaramanga. Goodnight is beautiful, but maybe the most inept Bond girl of all-time. They used a SLIDE WHISTLE, ruining one of the coolest Bond stunts ever (the car jump). - Most under-appreciated part: Nick Nack is a splendid henchman, showing the role can be more than just a strongman.
Diamonds Are Forever: Great Beginning and Ending, but Bad Everywhere Else
- Why it's this high: Is there another Bond with such a great contrast between the beginning/ending and everything in between? Connery shows his tough side, as he muscles his way through the pre-credits scene. Particularly good was the part where he seduces the woman, then uses her bikini top to choke her. At the end, Bond expertly uses his wine knowledge to detect something is amiss, then dispatches Kidd and Wint in style. Other cool scenes include Bond scaling the building to reach Blofeld and Bond driving the Mustang through the alley. - Why it's not higher: This is one of the films that I find myself liking less and less over time. Vegas, and especially the space laboratory scene, just seem cheesy. Connery is officially too old at this point, and Jill St. John just isn't a very compelling Bond girl. I would've preferred to have seen more of Plenty O'Toole, but alas 'twas not meant to be. Leiter is uninspired as well. Having Bond go after Blofeld for the millionth time just seems tired at this point. - Most under-appreciated part: Mr. Kidd and Wint are the creepiest henchmen in the Bond universe, but I'd argue they are some of the best. Their banter and creative modes of execution are quite chilling and thrilling.
A View to a Kill: Best Theme
- Why it's this high: Is it a hot take to not have View in the bottom five? Let me explain. I contend Duran Duran's theme is the very best. The ending fight scene on the Golden Gate Bridge is actually one of the most iconic ending set pieces in the series. The plot is stellar on paper, as the horse racing part was a very Bondian side story, and the idea of an attack on Silicon Valley actually seems even more plausible today. - Why it's not higher: It's self-evident that Moore is way too old for the part. Some parts are just mind-blowingly ridiculous, such as the fire truck chase scene through San Francisco and the part where Stacey is caught unaware by a blimp behind her. Speaking of Stacey, she may be beautiful, but she spends most of the movie shrieking whenever something goes wrong. - Most under-appreciated part: The scene with Bond and Ivanova is cool (I always like it when he interacts with other spies) and quite entertaining how he fools her with the cassettes. Tier 5: Below Average
Octopussy: The Most Characteristically Roger Moore Bond Film
- Why it's this high: Maud Adams has great screen presence as Octopussy, and her Amazonian-like women are cool to watch fight. Bond's deft swipe of the egg was nicely done. On a related aside, I wish Bond films would emphasize Bond's intellect more, as it seems the 60s and 70s films would allow Bond to showcase his vast knowledge more frequently than he does today. Gobinda is a fierce henchman, while India in general is a cool location. The plot is realistic, yet grand (war-mongering Russian general tries to detonate a nuke to get NATO to turn on itself). - Why it's not higher: This is the first Moore film where he simply was too old and shouldn't have been cast. Yes, it's too cheesy at times, most infamously during the Tarzan yell. Bond also doesn't use any cool vehicles. - Most under-appreciated part: People tend to focus too much on Bond dressing as a clown, but the scene where Bond furiously tries to get to the bomb in time to defuse it is one of the tensest moments in the series. Moore's "Dammit there's a bomb in there!" really demonstrated the gravity of the situation (I get goosebumps during that part).
Tomorrow Never Dies: Most Tasteful Humor
- Why it's this high: Brosnan really settles into the role well here. He gives the most charismatic Bond performance in 15 years or so. His quip "I'm just here at Oxford, brushing up on a little Danish" is an all-time great Bond line. Teri Hatcher is stunning as Paris Carver, delivering a memorable performance with her limited screen time. The plot is original and ages well, highlighting the potential downsides of media power, while Carver is an above average villain. - Why it's not higher: Wai Lin is good for action, but the chemistry between her and Bond is non-existent. By the end of the movie, Pryce just seem silly (especially the scene where he mocks Wai Lin's martial arts skills). There aren't any good Bond allies, as Jack Wade doesn't impress in his return to the franchise. In general though, the movie has few things terribly wrong with it, it just doesn't excel in many ways. - Most under-appreciated part: Dr. Kaufman is hysterical. At first, I thought "this is weird," but by the end of the scene I'm cracking up. I genuinely wish they found someway to bring him back for World, but c'est la vie.
The World Is Not Enough: Less than the Sum of its Parts
- Why it's this high: According to my spreadsheet, this is a top 10 Bond film, while on my first watch on this film I thought it was bottom five. I think the truth is that it's somewhere in between. I like the settings, everything from the temporary MI-6 headquarters to Azerbaijan. Elektra is an all-time great Bond girl, with a nice plot twist and character arc. The glasses where Bond sees through women's clothing are hilarious. The sense of danger is strong, with everyone from Bond to M being in danger. The return of Zukovsky is a nice plus. - Why it's not higher: I think two things really doom this film. First, Renard is totally wasted a henchman. The idea of him not feeling pain is a cool one, but he just seems boring and extraneous. I don't even think Carlyle acted poorly, he was just misused. Secondly, the ending (after Bond killing Elektra which is quite good) is rather terrible. The whole scene in the sub just isn't entertaining or engaging. - Most under-appreciated part: I'm going to defend Denise Richards as Christmas Jones. Although no Ursula Andress, Richards is absolutely gorgeous and did not actively make Bond's mission more difficult, which is more than some Bond girls can say *cough Britt Ekland. In particular, I found her introductory scene to be quite memorable and convincing. Also, the Christmas quip at the end is quite cheeky. Tier 4: Solid
The Living Daylights:
- Why it's this high: Dalton brings a breath of fresh air to the franchise here. His more serious take makes for interesting movies that seem more unique than most. I'm happy to see this subreddit appreciate Dalton more than the casual fun does, but I wouldn't go as far as the Dalton fanboys and say he's the best Bond or anything like that. I do wish he got the role sooner and did more films. Moving on to Daylights, it's got a good intro for Dalton and good plot in general. Surprisingly, Bond's fidelity doesn't bother me one bit, as it actually makes sense that Kara falls in love with James by the end, given all they've gone through. - Why it's not higher: The biggest reason is that the villain is just terrible. Whitaker seems silly and pathetic, a terrible contrast to Dalton's serious nature. I think Whitaker might be the worst in the series, and a Bond movie can't be great without a good villain. Also, Dalton doesn't have much charm and is abysmal at one-liners, which, in my opinion, IS a facet of the perfect James Bond. - Most under-appreciated part: The Aston Martin Vantage is a beautiful car, and the chase scene across the ice is great! It's both exciting and funny! Not sure why people don't talk about this chase scene and this car more; it's arguably the highlight of the movie for me.
Thunderball: The Most Beautiful
- Why it's this high: Thunderball used to be top five for me and here is why. The underwater scenes, the setting, the score, and the Bond girls are beautiful even to this day. Domino is excellent, while Volpe is a tour de force, oozing sexuality and danger. I think the underwater parts are interesting and novel, creating a staple of sorts for the franchise. The DB 5 is always welcome, and the jetpack use was quite cool for the time (and to some extent now). - Why it's not higher: Some would say it's boring, while I would more generously admit the plot is slow. Furthermore, the theme song is all-time bad (apparently they could have used Johnny Cash!!!), and there is no great henchman for Bond to dispatch. - Most under-appreciated part: Two plot ideas I liked a lot: Bond being injured and needing rehab, plus the part where all the 00s meet up and then are sent to the corners of the globe.
Never Say Never Again: Guilty Pleasure
- Why it's this high: Rewatching Never for the third time, I was struck by how fun this movie is. It's exciting, funny, and fast-paced. Basically, it's a more exciting version of Thunderball, with better pacing and better humor. I think Irvin Kershner did a great job managing this star studded cast. Carrera is a firecracker as Blush, Sydow is a convincing Blofeld, and Basinger is a classic Bond girl. Connery clearly has a blast returning to the role, doing a great job despite his advanced age. If anything, this one might not be ranked high enough. - Why it's not higher: The music is terrible. Normally I don't notice these things, but one can't help but notice how dreadful this one is. The theme is awful as well. I'd argue this is the worst music of any Bond film. - Most under-appreciated part: The humor! This is one of the funniest Bonds, as I found myself laughing out loud at various parts (e.g. Mr Bean!).
The Spy Who Loved Me: Best Intro
- Why it's this high: There's a lot to love about this one, so I get why this ranks highly for many. It is simply the best introduction, starting with Bond romancing a woman, followed by a skii chase, then jumping off the cliff and pulling the Union Jack parachute! The Lotus is a top 3 Bond car. Jaws is a superb henchman. Triple X was an excellent Bond girl, deadly, charming, and beautiful. Of course, Moore is charming and the locations are exotic (Egypt was a cool locale). If I had to pick one Moore movie for a newcomer to watch, it would be this one. - Why it's not higher: The theme song is bad, and Stromberg is a below average villain. I also think the last 45 minutes or so of the movie kind of drags. - Most under-appreciated part: The whole dynamic between Bond and Triple X is great. Whenever Bond movies show Bond squaring off against other spies (see View to a Kill, Goldeneye) it's just a pleasure to watch.
Live and Let Die: Most Suave
- Why it's this high: Roger Moore superbly carves out his own take on Bond in an excellent addition to the franchise. The boat chase is my favorite in the series, and Live and Let Die is my second favorite theme. Jane Seymour is a good Bond girl, while Tee Hee and Kananga are a solid villain/henchman duo. Unpopular opinion: I find J.W. Pepper to be hilarious. - Why it's not higher: The introduction isn't very good, as Bond isn't even included! The second climax with the voodoo isn't great. Bond blowing up Kananga has aged terribly. - Most under-appreciated part: When Bond is visited in his apartment by M and Moneypenny, Bond rushes to hide his girl from his coworkers. Finally, when they leave and he unzips the dress with his magnetic watch is one of the best uses of a Bond gadget in the series, showcasing why Moore might be the most charming Bond of them all.
You Only Live Twice: Best Blofeld
- Why it's this high: Just your classic, fun Sean Connery Bond movie. It was a great decision to send Bond to Japan for his first Asian visit, giving the movie a fresh feel. The ending set piece battle is potentially the best of this staple of 60s/70s Bonds. Tiger Tanaka is one of Bond's cooler allies. Pleasance killed it as Blofeld; when I think of Blofeld, I think of his take. In what could have been cheesy, he is actually somewhat frightening. - Why it's not higher: The whole "we need to make you look Japanese" part seems both unrealistic (who is he really fooling?) plus surprisingly impotent coming from Tiger Tanaka who seems to be a competent and connected man otherwise. Honestly though, this movie doesn't have a major weakness. - Most under-appreciated part: The fight scene with the guard in the executive's office is probably the best hand-to-hand fight in the series up until that point. Tier 3: Excellent
Dr. No: The Most Spy-Like
- Why it's this high: Nearly 60 years later, this film is still a blast to watch, due in no small part to its focus on the little things of being a spy. I adore the scenes where Bond does the little things spies (presumably) do, such as putting a hair across the door, or showing Bond playing solitaire while waiting to spring his trap on Prof. Dent. I also enjoy the suspense of Bond sleuthing around the island, while he and the viewer are completely unaware of whom the villain is until quite late in the film. It's easy to take for granted now, but this film established so many series traditions that were ingenious. My personal favorite is Bond's introduction at the card table: "Bond .... James Bond." - Why it's not higher: The film just doesn't have the payoff it deserves. Maybe it's just a result of the time and budget, but from the point Bond escapes on, it's just mediocre. Particularly egregious is the "fight" between Dr. No and Bond where No meets his demise. - Most under-appreciated part: Ursula Andress was a surprisingly well developed Bond girl, with a shockingly violent backstory (she was raped!). Obviously, she is beautiful and the beach scene is iconic, but I was pleasantly surprised to conclude she is more than just eye candy.
License to Kill: The Grittiest
- Why it's this high: On my first watch, this was my least favorite Bond film, as I thought it was too dark and violent to befit 007. By my third time watching, I've decided it's actually one of the best. Fortunately, I don't have to go on my "Ackshually, Dalton did a good job" rant with this subreddit. I liked the wedding intro and the concept of a revenge arc for Leiter (although come on he should've been killed by a freaking shark). Also, Lamora and (especially) Bouvier are great Bond girls. Bouvier is both competent and beautiful, and it's great to see Bond choose her at the end. - Why it's not higher: The theme song is atrocious, Dalton is so angry (dare I say charmless?) the whole time it's almost puzzling why Bouvier and Lamora fall for him, and Bond doesn't use any cool vehicles. - Most under-appreciated part: Sanchez is actually a sneaky good Bond villain.
For Your Eyes Only: The Most Underrated
- Why it's this high: I think Moore is a bit underrated as Bond. Yes, he was too old towards the end and yes, his movies were at times too campy, but he himself played the role admirably. He was the most charming and witty of all the Bonds, so by the time he got his first relatively serious plot to work with, he hit it out of the park. Anyhow, the climactic mountaintop assault is one of my favorite Bond action climaxes. Columbo is one of the best Bond allies, and the plot twist where he turns out to be good and Kristatos bad was well-done. - Why it's not higher: The intro is just silly. Bibi's romantic infatuation with Bond is just ...er... uncomfortable? - Most under-appreciated part: The theme song is a banger. What a chorus! Tier 2: Exceptional
Skyfall: The Sharpest Film (From Plot to Aesthetics)
- Why it's this high: One of the best plots of the entire series. The idea of an older Bond who had lost a step, along with making M the focus point of the movie, works very well. Seeing Bond's childhood home is also pretty cool. Bardem's take on Silva is delightful and a lot of fun to watch. Even the cinematography is a series peak, while Adele's them is excellent. - Why it's not higher: One thing most Craig Bond films suffer from is the lack of a Bond-worthy henchman. Skyfall is no exception. More importantly, Bond girls are mostly irrelevant to the film. Yes, Severine is both beautiful and interesting, but she's scarcely twenty minutes of the film. - Most under-appreciated part: Setting the new supporting characters up nicely. The Moneypenny backstory was well-done. Casting Ralph Fiennes as the new M is a great choice in of itself, but he also got a nice chuck of background story to help us going forward.
Casino Royale: The First Bond Film I'd Show a Series Newcomer
- Why it's this high: Craig's take on Bond feels like a breath of fresh air. In particular, his hand-to-hand combat scenes are so much better (and more believable) than any other Bond. The parkour chase scene is one of the best chase scenes in the series. Le Chifre is an excellent villain, but, more importantly, Vesper is an all-time great Bond girl. The conversation between Vesper and Bond on the train is probably the most interesting of any film. Bonus points for Jeffrey Wright as Leiter and the Aston Martin DBS. - Why it's not higher: There are hardly any humorous parts or much charm displayed by Bond in general. More importantly, the movie should have just ended when Bond wakes up in rehab. The rest of the movie feels confused and superfluous. - Most under-appreciated part: The decision to change from chemin de fer to poker makes for much better (and understandable!) cinema. The poker scenes are the best of Bond's many gambling scenes throughout the series.
Goldeneye: The Most Fun
- Why it's this high: Wow, rewatching Goldeneye I was struck by how entertaining the whole thing is. The opening jump is breath taking, the scene where Bond drives his evaluator around is hilarious, and Xenia Onatopp is a livewire. Sean Bean is a formidable villain as 006, and a great foil to James. Bond and Judi Dench's first scene together is amazing. Goldeneye feels like the first modern Bond, yet so true to the predecessors. Wade and especially Zukovsky are excellent allies. - Why it's not higher: Simonova is a forgettable Bond girl. She's not annoying, unattractive, or acted poorly, but is just below average in most regards (looks, back story, chemistry with Bond, plot). - Most under-appreciated part: the action is just so much better than any Bond before it
From Russia with Love: The Best Henchman (Red Grant)
- Why it's this high: Interesting settings, beautiful women, and an engaging story make this a classic. I'm not the first to point out that the scenes with Grant and Bond aboard the train are some of the best in the entire series. Grant is one of the few villains who feels like a match for 007. Furthermore, the addition of Desmond Llewyn as Q was crucial and Kerim Bey is one of the better Bond allies. - Why it's not higher: The helicopter scene should've just been omitted, especially when combined with the subsequent boat chase. It's just awkward to watch. - Most under-appreciated part: The gypsy scenes are quite exotic and entertaining.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: The Most Heartfelt
- Why it's this high: James and Tracy's love story is charming, and when she dies at the end, this is the one and only time in the entire series where the viewer feels genuinely sad. Diana Rigg did an excellent job convincing the audience Bond could finally fall in love with one girl. The skiing scenes were beautifully filmed, and the score was exemplary. Personally, I quite liked Lazenby's take; however, some of his lines and jokes fall flat. To his credit, he looks and acts like Bond more than any other actor. - Why it's not higher: Honestly, it does drag at times in the first half, plus there is no theme song! - Most under-appreciated part: Bond's Aston Martin DBS is a beautiful car, combining 60's sports-car beauty with Aston Martin's elegance. Tier 1: The Best
Goldfinger: The quintessential Bond
- Why it's this high: From the opening ("Positively shocking") to the seduction of Pussy Galore at the end, this film has it all. Goldfinger is an all time great villain, while Odd Job is an exceptional henchman. Connery delivers a master performance, and drives THE classic Bond Car, ejector seat included. The reason I put it #1 is not necessarily because it is the best film (although it is great), it checks all the boxes of what a perfect Bond film should do. - Why it's not higher: I cannot think of any notable imperfections. - Most under-appreciated part: The golf scene between Bond and Goldfinger is a delight to watch, demonstrating Bond's wits for the first and only time on the golf course.
Casino Royale (2006) is a thematically faithful adaptation of Flemings influential novel, a masterpiece and the greatest James Bond movie ever made. Here is a comparison I made between the movie/novel & my thoughts on both of them.
Over the last week I read Ian Flemings first James Bond novel Casino Royale for the first time and later re watched the movie. Here are some thoughts on both, including a comparison of similarities, differences and the over all enjoyment I get out of both of these pieces. Technical aspects: Casino Royale (novel, 1953), written by Ian Fleming [27 short chapters, around 250 pages, depending on edition] Casino Royale (movie, 2006), directed by Martin Campbell [144 minute runtime] Before diving into further comparisons, there are two obvious, but also significant differences between the movie and the novel. The first being the time it is set in, both are contemporary to their release date. Meaning the novel is set in the Cold War whereas the movie is set in the 21 century. Because of the resulting differences in international relations historically speaking, you could transfer it (but you don't have to) to the second difference. Flemings novel is a political espionage thriller, whereas Campbells movie re-boot is basically an action movie. ---------- Structure: The over all plot of the movie is very similar, nearly identical to its source material. James Bond, a fresh 00, is set in a high stakes Poker game against Le Chiffre, a desperate (& near bankrupt) banker working for terrorist organizations. Bonds allies are Mathis, Felix Leiter & Vesper Lynd. Bond wins the money, Vesper & him get captured, following the torture, Le Chiffre being interrupted/killed by a member of a mysterious organization. After Bond & Vesper seek a happy life, the latter is confronted with her "real" identity/past & kills herself, leaving Bond emotionally broken & eventually cold. As said in my first paragraph, Flemings novel isn't an "action" novel. There is an early assassination/botched bomb attempt in the early chapters (similar to the airport sequence) but it's nowhere near as action heavy as the movie, which follows parkour chases, knife fights & bus/plane explosions, stairway fights & the closing crumbling house set piece. Narratively Bond meets his allies way earlier, in the movie Vesper & Mathis are introduced around an hour in, whereas in the novel already in the first few chapters, Felix Leiter is introduced very late in the movie and only after Bond is struggling in the Poker game. The whole Dimitrious, Ellipse stuff isn't in the novel. ---------- Main characters: - James Bond: Bonds portrayal is very close to the novel. He's described as a very tough man, perfectly shown by Craigs physical appearance, his hard & masculine face & the early corporal fight scenes & chases. His attitude fits the source material. Bond is smart & charming, but he can switch of in any moment to being a ruthless killer. - Vesper Lynd: A big part of Vespers character in the novel is her beauty. There are long passages describing everything about her body & face. She certainly is beautiful in the movie, played by the gorgeous Eva Green. Yet in the movie she comes across as much more independent & aware. She's smart in the novel, but much more worthy in a psychological duel with Bond in the movie. In both the movie & novel she is a double agent, who got blackmailed & had to take this identity in order to save her boyfriend, but then fell in love with James. - Le Chiffre: Le Chiffre, in both movie & novel is a scary fucking dude. There still is something a bit charming about Mikkelsen presence though. He's described as considerably ugly in the novel, and basically as the epitome of evil. In the movie he comes across as more "human", desperation etc (make no mistake he's a vicious bastard, but he's not the devil). - M: The obvious difference is the gender swap in M. In the novel, Bond respects & in some way even fears M. The Bond/M relationship of Flemings books never really translated onto the bigger screen (it's tough to find someone intimidating against the charisma of Connery to be fair) so the change is an interesting touch. While he certainly respects Judi Denchs M, there is more slick and clever dialogue coming out of the conversations. ---------- The Poker Game: The Poker game in the novel, as basically all of it, is set in France, whereas the movie jumps around Madagascar, the Bahamas, Venice & Montenegro, the latter being the setting of the poker game. Also, in the novel they play Baccarat, which was very popular at that time, in the movie they play Texas Hold 'Em, which (surprise) was popular in that time. The game itself is similar structured, back and forth until Le Chiffre wins a big one and Bond is in huge desperation but comes back in the last round winning all of it (with the help of Felix Leiters money). In both movie & novel, Le Chiffre tries to prevent/"attack" Bond during the last hand. In the movie he gets poisoned, which nearly causes him to pass out. In the novel, he is directly physically threatened by a bodyguard of the Le Chiffre with a gun under the table/chair. -------- Remarkable similarities: - Practically the entire torture scene is directly taken out of the source material. Bond gets stripped naked and tied up to a chair, then punched to the balls multiple times until the near pass out. Only difference is that in the movie Le Chiffre uses a rope, in the novel it is a carpet beater. - Some dialogue & lines are extracted out of Flemings novel. Such as the VespeMartini order. >Three measures of Gordons, one ofvodka, half a measure ofKina Lillet.Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it? Or the iconic line. >The bitch is dead. --------- Other differences: - The whole Mathis alleged double cross plot point only appears in the movie. - Vespers double cross, signaled by her seeing the man with the eye patch is left to a good bye letter in the novel that Bond reads after she'd poisoned herself. In the movie, she gives the man with the eye patch the money briefcase and after the shoot out in Venice, she traps herself in the elevator and drowns in the crumbling house. - In the books, the mysterious organization is SMERSH, a russian anti spy organization. In CR it is still unnamed, though in the later Craig films revealed to be SPECTRE. - The book ends very depressing as her betrayal letter is the last thing. The movie ends on a higher note with Bond capturing Mr White & ending the movie in his iconic introduction lines. --------- I have certainly missed a ton of differences of both, but I feel like I have done enough to highlight most of them. Here are some of my personal thoughts: The novel: I had a ton of fun reading it for the first time. It's certainly colder & much more serious than a lot of James Bond movies but I liked that it felt more grounded and had espionage instead of thrills. There is a lot of political subtext added by Ian Fleming that reflects on the cold war and on spy agents themselves. It also features some great insight on the Poker game as Bonds mind is on full display with mathematical & stochastically relevant information throughout every hand. I think it ends on a very depressing and sad note, setting the tone for the character to come. The movie: I have always considered Casino Royale to be one of my favorite movies of all time. I think it's head and shoulders above every other James Bond film and every time I watch it I discover new things I love about it. The way the movie starts, with the cold blooded double-O earning in a noir fashion, then goes over to the gorgeous credit sequence with so much ingenuity sprinkled across it, is amazing. I'm also amazed by the action the movie has. The Parkour chase has some terrific stunt work & innovation. Or the airplane sequence is packed with enormous tension and suspense. Or the closing Venice shoot out is packed with bad ass moments by Bond. A lot of my love for the movie also comes from the cast. It does contain my a.) favorite Felix Leiter (played by Jeffrey Wright), b.) favorite Bond girl (Vesper Lynd by Eva Green), c.) the best M (played by Judi Dench) and one of my favorite Bond villains (played by Mads Mikkelsen, who is as terrific as ever). Martin Campbell has rock solid directing, focussing on the great stuff of the source material and just like in GoldenEye knowing how to introduce a new Bond & a new way of Bond into the franchise. Daniel Craig is relentlessly amazing. He has the charms, he definitely has the looks, he is believable in the kills, he has a soul, he has a heart, he has emotion. Only Connery is better. The movie also looks gorgeous. Not only its vast settings of exotic locations, beautiful women, high class restaurants, cafes or hotels, pieces of clothing and so on, but also its sharp image and cinematography, by Phil Meheux is astounding. Despite being literally written by three people it also contains some ingenious dialogue. Especially the Bond/Vesper interactions flow so crisply and soft. It's a joy to watch every second of it and I could be talking about it for hours. All in all, Casino Royale is a great novel and in my opinion, an even greater movie which is a faithful adaptation but also adds many layers and new things to it, knowing that it already is part of a 20+ movie series and therefore adding nostalgia, references or treating its timeless main characters legacy with honor and self reflection. What do you think about Casino Royale, both the novel & the movie?
https://preview.redd.it/is0gd08ixwg41.png?width=779&format=png&auto=webp&s=ff3899dac834fc0450d8c5b7dba22530c3500087 Lockdown is one of those episodes that really stuck with me as a kid - it was largely focused on deepening the Hatch mystery and of course it was a Locke-centric. But revisiting it now, it's surprisingly one of the lesser interesting season 2 storylines because it's almost entirely matter of fact. Unlike, say, Orientation, which brilliantly combined the worldbuilding with gripping character drama, Lockdown is basically the show adding a few new twists, but not really developing the characters through those discoveries. Which is especially disappointing because the idea of trapping people in the Hatch seems ripe for a classic cabin fever kind of story. Imagine how much more exciting the whole incident would've been if Jack was there as well, possibly even someone else like Charlie. Instead, it's just Locke and Henry, the latter of whom is a blank until season 3. Of course, Henry is a wild card and if you're watching for the first time, there's some tension in seeing what he'll do, but on rewatch? It's just not that interesting because we know. Whereas the conflict between Jack and Locke *is* still interesting, because both characters are involved and know exactly what they're dealing with. In addition to this, the two main Hatch mysteries just aren't that good. The blast door map is only relevant for the discovery of the Pearl a few episodes later and then is never revisited again outside of a perfunctory appearance in Live Together, Die Alone(which explains nothing about it). The food drop arguably does hint at the outside world still being there, but it's not like the characters do anything with that information. For them, it's just more food. My point is that Lockdown doesn't feel like it develops the characters or progresses the story in a meaningful way, despite its excellent direction and good plot concept. There is a fairly amusing subplot on the beach where we learn that Jack's an ace poker player, but it's mostly played for laughs and pretty forgettable. Which is another thing that kind of annoys me, because games between characters can often be very interesting - think of the James Bond gambling scenes(most notably Casino Royale). Or even the show's own King Of The Castle mobisode. They're great at letting us in on the characters' agenda as the characters themselves try to figure out their opposing sides. In Lockdown, it's just about deflating Sawyer's ego a bit. And I feel like the show can and should be more interesting than that. At least we get that cool line about Jack getting the guns when he needs them. Finally, there's the flashback storyline depicting Helen and Locke's relationship collapsing, but I feel like even there, there's hardly any surprises. Locke always has to be miserable to the max. So let's have both Helen and his dad abandon him at the same time. They might as well have truncated that story and have it all play out in Orientation. Okay, probably not, but given how meh the on-island storyline was, it just doesn't help to have a flashback that's basically just a part two to a previous one. Notes: *Hurley debuts an orange T-shirt. Kate once again wears an old-fashioned white shirt(reminiscent of Jacob) that she last had in Maternity Leave. Claire briefly appears wearing the green hoodie last seen in ...And Found. Libby debuts a blue T-shirt. *One of the few really strong character moments in the episode was Locke's furious reaction to Henry's "got any milk?" speech - because once again, he had been inadvertently embarrassed in front of Jack. Ana-Lucia's expedition had been entirely his I'm-independent-from-Jack idea. *Ironic that Helen thinks obituaries are the nicest part of the paper, given that she died soon. *I love the jump cut from a confused and upset Locke staring at Helen to a confused and upset Locke staring at Henry. *Poor Hurley. Loop, dude. Loop. *How come the speakers are seriously malfunctioning when it comes to delivering the lockdown announcement, but the button alarm always sounds crystal clear? *Why is Locke so distracted at Anthony's funeral? Can't a car just hang around? Why wouldn't people be peeking at your funeral? A funeral's kind of a big thing. *Shame that Locke lost his inspector job later. Looks kind of like steady employment to me. *I love how Anthony doesn't give a crap if Locke brings the money or not - he just gives him the key because hey... nobody else is gonna get that money to him. *Henry's great at manipulating, but if I was Locke, I'd remind him that his not starving to death depended on him helping me with the blast door. *Jimmy Bane's a cool dude. Shame they never got him back to be Keamy's assistant or something. *When an injured Locke crawls into the computer dome, the shot of the timer going from 108 to 107 appears to be archive footage? It's fuzzier than the rest of the episode and black bars appeared above and below the screen. *I do wonder what actually caused the blue light to switch on. Or why it even exists(something to do with electromagnetism?). Overall, Lockdown's intriguing concept helps to make it stand out, but it's not as good as I remember.
Anyone else have trouble choosing between Casino Royale and Skyfall? I feel like both films are masterpieces in their own right.
Just watched Casino Royale today for the first time since I had the DVD a good 10 years ago, and my goodness gracious it's aged better than my family's wine cabinet. Fantastic direction, perfect pacing, a grounded, unique villain featuring a thrilling game of poker, the torture scene, the train exchange, every single second of dialogue between James and Vesper, the origin if James' relationship with M, the nuances of seeing a young, naive Bond on one of his first missions, that incredible parkour chase scene in the early half...Jesus, this film fucking rocks! I've noticed that Skyfall has gotten a bit of a bad rep from certain people online - some of which, I'm assuming, is because of how faithfully people on YouTube and other outlets have compared it to Casino Royale, and I personally don't find it warranted. I find that both films are set out to do much, much different things - and do them exceptionally well. In the case for Skyfall, that's the near-full circle character development for Bond introduced by Casino Royale: taking a strength from a predecessor and capitalizing on it. Craig's Bond in Skyfall is so refined, yet so damaged. He's virtually on a pendulum of emotions parallel with the level of stakes in the plot. It makes the whole movie flow with an incessant uncertainty, and every time I rewatch it that thrill ceases to escape. (It also helps that Javier Bardem was incredible here, and that his character virtually realized how much of a psychopath he was but just shrugged it off.) I love how Skyfall's like a dark espionage thriller with masterful cinematography, where every scene is heightened by the direction but also by how carefully it ups the ante. I love how the action sequences capture the practicality of the Connery films (even the Home Alone climax, which I found a lot of people hate). I love how defeated and hopeless Bond comes off at first, before gradually regaining his confidence. I love how M's arc in relation to her paternal reach with Bond gets a proper, bittersweet crescendo. I love the new, modern approaches to Q and Moneypenny. I love how Silva almost tearing Mi6 apart helps establish a world of possibilities for Spectre (which dropped the ball all the way through the floor). Skyfall is like a drawn-out season finale, with Bond's world and the ones closest to him on the brink of extinction. Casino Royale doesn't have those stakes, and feels a lot different tonally for that. I think we also have that movie to thank for why we even care about what happens in Skyfall. In Casino Royale, we don't know who Bond is yet, so the decision to subvert expectations and reboot the character the way they did is daring, but incredibly endearing - especially when the third act comes around, and you can see the withdrawal. He's so close to giving it all up right when he's just getting his feet wet as a high-level secret agent, and that's always been my biggest takeaway from the Bond-Vesper dynamic. This film is amazing on so many levels, but it's impossible for me to ever ignore how it perfected the romantics of the book it's based on and the Bond universe as a whole. IMO Casino Royale is a rich character study that just so happens to be a fantastic Bond movie in every sense of the word. It's more of a drama than any other Bond film I've seen, and that works to its advantage because its dickensian approach to a typical espionage mission is so captivating and arresting. Skyfall does what none of the other Craig-era films did, and that's cement a sort of timelessness that has helped the Bond movies retain its appeal: mixing modern, action thriller tropes with a touch of 20th century flamboyance that harkens back to the classics. I also don't think it gets enough credit for finding a fittingly cathartic conclusion to a serialized arc. I'm curious what you guys all think about these films in relation to each other. I'd love to hear everyone's opinions on Skyfall especially, since I've heard (and watched) a lot of various things about it.
I love the humanization of the villains in the "James Blonde" series of films, particularly Casino Royale and Skyfall.
This is a small thought I had in the shower this morning after binge-watching the recent Daniel Craig as Bond films (although i say "recent" ostensibly, as Casino Royale is nearly fourteen years old). My thoughts were mostly focused on Casino Royale and the character of Le Chiffre, but they turned to Skyfall as well in a slightly different way. I'm someone who's run the gamut of health issues through my life and I'm intimately familiar with the medical system. I sometimes feel like I have an acute awareness, because of these experiences, of just how ubiquitous medicine is. It's much harder to find someone who isn't on some form of long-term medication than to find someone who is. In a general sense, however, I find that this doesn't particularly translate to screen and films, which have the general purpose of distracting us from a lot of the negative things in our lives. When someone in a film has a particular medical condition, or needs a certain medicine, it's usually a plot point around which a non-zero portion of the film is written. Characters will have to find medicine in an apocalyptic scenario because their loved one can't survive without it (World War Z, Signs), or a chronic illness is a central plot point around which the conflict between character motivations arise (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri). Casino Royale is a little different, especially so considering that action thrillers, James Bond in particular, are known for taking liberties with realism in order to tell a story that's more exciting than believable. The main villain, Le Chiffre, has asthma. And that's it. He just has asthma and he needs an inhaler for it. That doesn't sound like something to get excited about, but it's one of the few times I can recall in a film where a major character has a health condition unrelated to the plot and simply as a matter of fact, and it makes him much more real. It tells me, as someone who's dealt with these kinds of things, here's a real dude just trying to make his way in a criminal underworld who at some point had to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist for a spirometry. The derangement of his tear duct that causes him to bleed around his eye is also present, albeit in a sinister fashion (despite his insistence otherwise) as a visual shorthand for his villainy. Although it's non-essential to the plot as well, it does serve a purpose within the context of the film to give him a more foreboding presence. With asthma, however, it's just...kind of there and I love it. There is one scene in which James Bond places a recording device into Le Chiffre's inhaler during a break in the poker game, but realistically this is just a clever way to deliver that piece of plot. It could just as easily have been slipped into his jacket or been written a thousand ways that didn't rely on something as believable as "the dude just has asthma". This got me thinking about Skyfall and the character of Raoul Silva. While he doesn't have some arbitrary medical condition, the way he's written, or was directed to perform (whether by command or by Javier Bardem's own volition) is just so perfectly idiosyncratic. In his introduction scene, for example, he has particular mannerisms that can be viewed as conceited or effeminate, both of which he is to some extent. I love the way he nonverbally emphasizes stuff like gadgets with a little 'pip' or commanding something to be done by popping his cheek. It's not just by-the-page writing or acting which, don't get me wrong is an integral part of engaging filmmaking, but is also reminiscent of how normal people act with all their various conversational tics. I never really appreciated the intentional nature of it until I was reminded of a later scene that stood out to me. This is the only clip of it I could find. The revolving camera, particularly the brief one-second shot of him zipping up his jacket, is just so weirdly sexual that it almost took me out of the movie. Roger Deakins knows what he's doing, and it's clear that it's done in a way that's unsettling. The wordless, seeming-pointless shots of Silva help encapsulate the vain tendencies of his character and how desperately he tries to get people to look at him, or to find him strangely attractive (calling back to his initial meeting with Bond and his more overt sexual advances). There's a deep, seething hatred in him for his peers and former mentors that's juxtaposed by the way he treats everything as frivolous, existing only for appearances and the chance to play games. It's the sort of thing that focuses his villainous alignment from chaotic evil to lawful evil, where his quirky nature and penchant for chaos is actually a ruse intended to exploit a well-structured system of laws and commands. It's almost a kind of coping mechanism that treats his betrayal by M with a sense of absurdity, and isn't unlike real people and fictional characters who adopt particular behaviors in order to mask trauma. Although these facets of Le Chiffre and Silva are different in the way they convey something unimportant but humanizing, and essential to the character but in a believable fashion, they're both examples of why I find these particular films so watchable. It's nice to see things, whether unimportant details, or character quirks, that make for memorable and human villains that are gross and sinister but in a way that's enjoyable or promotes sympathy.
We've all had that female friend. The one who can't believe we take women so damn seriously. "Just go talk to her," she says when you point out a hot woman at the end of the bar. "And say what?" you say. "Just say hi!" "That's it?" "I don't know - flirt with her." "Flirt? How do you flirt?" By now, she's growing frustrated. "Why can't you just go flirt with her?" In her mind, she's telling you to go have a fun, lighthearted conversation and tease her a bit. She's telling you to not take her seriously, to go over there and do the conversational equivalent of play a game of ping pong. No big deal. In your mind, she's asking you to know the RIGHT THING TO SAY and the RIGHT TIME TO SAY IT and TO BE CHARMING AND SUAVE at the drop of a hat. A lot more pressure. And you have no idea how to do it, not in the slightest. I know. It's frustrating. But if you follow the principles I lay out here, you can make a habit of flirting that resembles what your lady friend had in mind.
Principle #1: You Have to Establish Yourself as "A Flirt" Right Off the Bat
If you try to flirt after first demonstrating that you're a wet sack of leaves, you're going to creep women out. I learned this one the hard way. When you're around people who think of you in a certain way, it's extremely difficult to break out of that mold. You start unconsciously trying to meet their expectations. If you've ever felt more awkward around someone who viewed you as awkward, then you understand the principle at play here. If you've ever gone to college classes feeling like one guy in one situation and another guy in the next class, then you've experienced this on a daily basis. Robert Cialdini, author of "Persuasion," says that staying consistent in the minds of others is one of the most powerful drivers of social behaviors we have. You have to start turning this around and get it working for you, not against you. This means that you have to start emphasizing a very simple new rule in your social life: When you meet new people, make an effort to be as outgoing and flirty as you can in those first few minutes. Even if you have to risk being awkward and stretching outside of your comfort zone, eventually, you will be rewarded. Even if people roll their eyes when they see you next, they should at least have to think to themselves, "Oh, boy - here comes that ol' flirt. I wonder what he'll say this time." Here's the trick: you don't even have to succeed the first time. Observe James Bond getting "skewered" by Vesper Lynd in this infamous scene from Casino Royale. Vesper wins their meeting. She walks away with her head held high, confident that she put that rambunctious little flirt in his place. But James Bond doesn't let it get to him. He embraces that role. It's not hard for him to say anything to Vesper after that, because he's already established himself that way. When someone expects you to be this way, you don't have to strain to make conversation. You don't have to Google "How to Flirt" and come up with specific lines to say to them. You will naturally behave this way because, like it or not, their unconscious expectations of you will affect the way you behave.
Principle #2: Be As Spontaneous as Possible
In poo-ah circles, they call this self-amusement. Your chief goal isn't to "flirt." Instead, it's to find whatever is fun about the situation and people around you so that you feel better. Your chief goal is to have fun for yourself, and in doing this, you make things fun for other people. Craig Ferguson made a habit of this on his Late Late Show. Before every interview - especially with beautiful women - he made a habit of tearing up his notecards and throwing them away, a not-so-subtle nod to the fact that he was going to have a spontaneous interview. Here's a video of some of his highlights. In order to be spontaneous and fill up a solid block of time with conversation, Ferguson had to rely on his natural comedic instincts. He trusted himself to say funny things, never knowing if he actually would. And sometimes, he would just find a way to find the funny stuff in awkward silences. Or watch how he would casually ask if Allison Brie was an alcoholic - all in good fun, of course. That's how your brain works. Ever hear of the phrase "paralysis-by-analysis"? It's not imaginary. It's when you become stifled as a direct result of thinking too hard. Repeat after me: thinking too hard will not make you better. In most cases, it will just make you worse. Think of your brain as the Field of Dreams: if you build it, they will come. In other words, say "I'm going to be outgoing right now, come hell or high water. Brain, you'd better start coming up with stuff to say." And then go. You can't enter a state of spontaneity when you're scrutinizing every little word you're saying. In fact, the more you weigh your words, the less likely you are to be spontaneous and fun. I'm not saying that everything you will say will be solid gold. Sometimes, you'll say something wrong. Sometimes you may even say something cringe-worthy. Sometimes, you'll say dumb jokes when trying to make things sexual, like "...that's what she said." And sometimes it will totally work. But more often than not, you will enter a more positive, social frame of mind that's more conducive to flirting. And it will feel more natural than any other way of communicating you can think of.
Principle #3: Be Slightly Outrageous
Be just a little bit over-the-top. If you can handle it, be a lot over the top like Russell Brand. Naturally, I can't tell you what's a bit over the top and what crosses the line. That requires a knowledge of the people in your life, a knowledge of social context, and some emotional acuity. But don't be afraid to blaze a trail into some unknown territory, either. One of the great advantages of Principle #1 is that once you establish yourself as a loose-talking flirt, you can get away with far more than the guy who's established himself as a pensive nerd. In the above video, Russell Brand flirts his way into the heart of Carrie Keegan addressing topics as wide-ranging as bodily fluids and Hitler. Even when the subject is something most neckbearded "gentlemen" would tend to think is off-limits, we get this interaction:
Brand: What [your breasts] have done is, they've torn me apart. Keegan: I kind of...like you a whole lot. Brand: Well, I'm an interesting man.
Read that on paper and you might wonder what the hell's going on. But the context is simple: Russell Brand has no social filter, is a renowned flirt, and has no problem pressing all of his boundaries. Context is everything, so start setting it - and start pushing it.
Principle #4: Don't "Pull" Without Also "Pushing"
Note: Not literal pushing. That's not how to flirt. I recommend you check out Charisma on Command's "How to Flirt with Women" video where, like this article, he breaks down some of the most visible flirts on TV: Russell Brand and Craig Ferguson. One thing he notices: These men don't just push boundaries. They also place an emphasis on releasing social tension when need be. For example, take this interaction with Russell Brand and a reporter:
Brand: 'Cos I think you're gorgeous. Reporter: Oh, thank you, Russell. That's very kind of you.
If you were to leave it there, there would be some tension in the air. There's a "social deficit" somewhere that's hard to put your finger on, but it's there. Normally, if things were going well, the woman would fill this social deficit with something like, "you're not so bad yourself." The poker equivalent of the re-raise. Then YOU re-raise and SHE re-raises all the way to making out. But that's another post. This reporter is stuck, though. After all, she's doing a job! She has to remain some level of professional composure. She has to just say thank you and move on. Russell, ever slightly aware of the situation, breaks the tension:
Brand: It isn't kind. It's just a bit rude.
And she laughs. It's not like what he said was that funny, but she's glad that he broke the tension. It shows that she can be comfortable with him because he's conscious of how she feels. Now they can keep on with the conversation with a positive vibe without anything "dangling" over them other than the flirty vibe. Most men make the mistake of "Pull-pull-pull." They read the heretofore advice and think, "I'll just be a flirt with constant compliments!" This creates a massive social deficit and tons of tension, none of which is remotely comfortable for women. As you'll see in the next point, flirting isn't a monologue; it's a ping pong match. Eventually you have to knock the ball back to her side of the table. Give her some breathing room. Show her that you're capable of walking away should you choose. Stay conscious of the context and pay attention to the emotions she's feeding back to you.
Principle #5: Play Verbal Ping-Pong
Flirting is never a one-way street. One of the best things I notice about Craig Ferguson's beautiful female guests is that they often play right along. Allison Brie is "flirting" just as much as he is.. How often does Miranda Kerr, who hears how beautiful she is all the time, throw back "and you're very handsome too" and then wink at him? It's okay if, for the sake of Principle #1, you sometimes have to do what might feel like a "monologue" flirt - i.e., you're the only one taking any action in the situation and trying to actively be flirty. But if you keep serving ping pong balls and get nothing in return, what fun is the game at all? Sure, women will sometimes roll their eyes at you. That's part of the ping-pong match. But if you can get a roll of the eyes with a smile rather than just a roll of the eyes, you'll know you're on the right road. Why the ping-pong analogy, you might ask? A few reasons. First, because flirting requires some sort of give-and-take. You hit one her way, she hits it right back at you. Second, because ping pong is a game with constant failures. One joke falls flat. Maybe she says something weird. Maybe you say something weird. In ping-pong, you just set up the next serve and keep right on going. Third, because it's fun for fun's sake. Watch Craig Ferguson tell Miranda Kerr that their kids should be in a band. Why the hell not? It's just a funny thing to say. Watch where the conversation goes after that. Ping, pong, ping, pong. Sure, there is always the danger that you have light conversations with zero sexual undertones whatsoever - but if you need the practice, emphasize the fun. You won't regret it. And sometimes, the sexual undertones take care of themselves. That's what she said.
Years ago, I had the somewhat ambitious goal of setting out to watch the entire Bond franchise. In hindsight, I probably should have accounted for the fact that not all of the Bond movies are, shall we say, universally beloved. I know opinions vary wildly and that it's worth forming my own opinion on a movie, so having recently discovered that all the official Bond movies from Dr. No to Casino Royale are on Netflix, I thought I might revisit that goal I had years ago and give my thoughts on the franchise entries that I have seen from start to finish so far. As a quick aside, I watched GoldenEye on demand instead of on Netflix, but I still remember it clearly, so I’m counting it. I'll arrange these movies by the order in which I saw them; I sort of jumped around the franchise in no particular order. Oh, also, I'm specifying which ones I loved and which ones I just kinda liked.
GoldenEye (Loved): I'm sure someone thinks this movie is overrated, but that person is not me. While I personally think it's a shame Timothy Dalton was only in two Bond movies, if he was getting replaced by anyone, it might as well have been Pierce Brosnan. Brosnan was absolutely perfect casting, which made it all the more tragic that three of his four movies had kinda weak scripts (from what I've heard). At least the first one still kicked ass. Or rather, the second half of the first one. See, for me, GoldenEye was just okay until the tank chase, then it became awesome. That's not to say the first half was boring, but most of my favorite moments were in the second half. In fairness, the dialogue and characters are so memorable that it doesn't matter anyway.
Casino Royale (Loved): Martin Campbell needs to direct more Bond movies. While GoldenEye had the better dialogue, Casino Royale is a better movie overall IMHO just based on the pacing. This movie managed to make poker interesting, after all. Also, as varied as opinions are among Bond fans, I hope we can all agree that making Eva Green a Bond girl was one of the best decisions in movie history. And whatever your thoughts on Daniel Craig's overall tenure, he made an undeniably great first impression. I wish I was at the premiere just so I could see the reactions to this movie’s take on the iconic gun barrel sequence.
The Spy Who Loved Me (Liked): This may be an unpopular opinion. For people of a certain generation, my mom included, Roger Moore was their James Bond. However, while he will be sorely missed, he felt less like James Bond to me and more like an actor playing a guy named James Bond. It's the kind of movie where all the best parts have nothing to do with the hero. Actually, that's unfair. The pre-title ski chase was great, but other than that, something about Roger Moore's Bond just didn't click with me. This is considered by many to be Roger Moore’s best Bond movie, and the movie overall is indeed pretty enjoyable, but I couldn’t figure out for the life of me why Roger Moore just wasn’t working for me. Then I watched the scene in The Living Daylights where Timothy Dalton interrogates John Rhys-Davies in his hotel room and I realized what my issue was. Roger Moore's Bond wasn't meant to be intimidating. I've never read the novels, but I'm told Dalton and Craig were closer to how Fleming wrote the character. I'm not saying the movies need to be faithful to the novels. I'm just saying I personally like Bond more when he can be a stone-cold assassin one moment and the classiest man alive the next. By Roger Moore's own admission, his interpretation of the character was never meant to go in that direction, which is fine, but not really for me.
Goldfinger (Liked): Look, guys. I get it. Goldfinger is iconic. The song, the villain, and the henchman are all among the highest regarded in the whole franchise. "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die" is an iconic movie quote. On that note, I admit I was really impressed by the job they did dubbing Gert Fröbe. But I can't help thinking there must have been at least one person at the time who thought the scene where Bond forces himself onto Pussy Galore was an uncomfortable watch. What's more is that's what convinced her to switch sides. Bond is told that Pussy Galore betrayed Goldfinger and helped save the day, which he thinks she did because he awakened some maternal instinct in her. The one positive I can give is that at least it’s nowhere near as bad as the book, in which Pussy Galore is a lesbian because her uncle raped her when she was 12 but she turns straight again upon having sex with Bond, the first “real” man she’s ever met. I'm sorry, guys. I really am. I still liked a lot of things in this movie. I can even overlook the part near the beginning where Bond tells the woman to go away so he can talk about manly things with Felix and sends her off with a smack on the ass, but I can only overlook so much.
The Living Daylights (Liked): This movie was pretty good until the last third, but not because the last third was boring. No, my issue is that the last third sees Bond go to Afghanistan, where he is aided by the local resistance fighting the Soviet invasion. This resistance is the mujahideen, the same group from which the Taliban was later formed. At first I thought this made the last third awkward in an outdated way, but after I made this post, u/YankeeBlues21 kindly informed me that Kamran Shah was most directly based on Ahmad Shah Massoud, the mujahideen leader who opposed the Taliban and was assassinated shortly before 9/11. The Taliban basically purged all the mujahideen who would've helped Bond. With that in mind, the last third of this movie becomes a subtle kind of depressing. Still, Timothy Dalton was great. I have more to say about him, but first...
Live And Let Die (Liked): Please refer to my thoughts on The Spy Who Loved Me. As with that movie, Live And Let Die has a great song. The filmmakers clearly thought so too because that song is played quite a few times throughout the movie. Jane Seymour was really hot, but beyond that, I don't have much else to say about Live And Let Die. For a movie that was to blaxploitation what Moonraker was to Star Wars, it certainly has its moments. And finally...
Licence To Kill (Loved): This and the Martin Campbell movies should be required viewing for Bond fans. Maybe I just really like when Bond has a personal stake in his adventures, whether he’s avenging his friend in Licence To Kill or taking down a former Double O agent in GoldenEye. But I digress. Why the hell is Timothy Dalton overlooked? He was such a great Bond. Sure, Brosnan was great too, but the only reason they finally cast Brosnan was because audiences didn't really love a darker, more realistic Bond who left MI6 after being overcome by his feelings. Or rather, they didn't love it until Daniel Craig did it in Casino Royale 17 years later. Yeah, Licence To Kill was kind of ahead of its time in that regard.
I watched QoS the other day and it got me thinking about which 007 movies have the highest and lowest stakes villain schemes that Bond is trying to stop. When you really think about the big picture, Dominic Greene’s whole plan in QoS is to install a puppet dictator in Bolivia that he can sell water (from the land he snuck out of the deal) to, at double the price Bolivia was previously paying. No world domination, no WW3, no mass genocides, just making a few bucks off of a water utility monopoly. Subjecting the people of Bolivia to a clearly corrupt dictator is obviously not cool, but paying twice as much for their water seems relatively tame. Id say that QoS has to be the lowest stakes 007 movie in terms of the villains scheme. My runners up were casino royale and TLD. In TLD, the whole scheme was that Whitaker and Koskov were misusing soviet funds to try and make side money through opium sales. The only reason MI6 got involved was because Koskov did his fake defection and killed some spies to try and get james bond to take out the soviets that were suspecting him. Selling opium to the public and killing spies is not cool, but other than that it seems like MI6 would have benefited more if they had NOT gotten involved at all. Wasnt the UK and USA at that point aiming to win the cold war by beating them in the economy? Helping the soviets root out corrupt officers misusing soviet funds seems like the opposite of that. In Casino Royale, the whole scheme was whether or not le chiffre would make a lot of money in the stock market. Blowing up the plane was not cool, but Bond solved that in the first few scenes, and the entire plot after that was just trying to stop le chiffre from breaking even on returning money he had gambled with. If they had skipped the poker game entirely, the worst thing that would happen is that Le Chiffre would return the money he owed to the african warlords and avoided getting killed. The candidates for the highest stakes plots that Bond has to stop seem easier to choose. Many Bond villains threatened world destriction on massive scales, but Drax from MR and Stromberg from TSWLM were the two villains who wanted it to actually happen, and werent just using it as a threat to get ransom money. Both of them wanted to wipe out the world population while they started their new society in space or under the sea. What do you guys think?
Simply, what are your top 5 favourite films and why? My list: Fifth - Hot Fuzz. This is one of the funniest films ever, and it's also incredibly clever. I love all the movies in the Cornetto Trilogy, but I think this is the funniest, and had a genuinely interesting plot. The 3rd act, wow! I think the writing is on point, the visual comedy is sublime, and there are some genuinely great performances from the likes of Nick Frost and Timothy Dalton, as well as some pretty awesome cameos. Definitely my favourite comedy of all time. Fourth - Casino Royale. I've been a fan of the James Bond movies for as long as I can remember, and this is definitely my favourite. The action is some of the best, and I love the turn to gritty-realism that was a polar opposite of it's predecessor Die Another Day. It was a complete reboot, with Daniel Craig my favourite Bond, and Martin Campbell one of the most competent directors to grace the series. The acting from Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre is amazing, and the action throughout is really well shot, something that is hard to find in action movies these days. Even with a 2.5hr runtime and some quite lengthy poker scenes, I'm hooked throughout the entire movie, and the twist at the end still never fails to shock me. Third - Road to Perdition. This is an amazing crime thriller, that I really didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. The trailer is pretty bland, but I was blown away by one of Tom Hanks' best performances of all time, Sam Mendes' best film, incredibly writing, beautiful cinematography and a wonderous score. The film never missteps, with an thrilling and exciting film throughout. Jude Law, Daniel Craig and Paul Newman are also brilliant in their roles and I really love the scene in the rain between Newman and Hanks at the end. One of the few films to have ever made me cry, properly emotional ending and pretty great throughout. I definitely recommend this film to pretty much anyone!! Second - Prisoners. I watched this film very recently, and it was the most thrilling, disturbing and distressing film I've ever scene. Borderline unwatchable at times, the effect on me was the only film to ever have me speechless. Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman knock it out the park with their performances, and Johann Johannsonn's score cannot go unrecognised. Paired with the dark cinematography from Roger Deakins and brilliant director from Denis Villeneueve, this film has left a permanent mark on me, and certain scenes from the film, namely the car scene at the end, I doubt I will ever forget. Tough-watch, but with brilliant results. First - John Wick/John Wick: Chapter Two. I can never decide which of these I prefer, both are easily the most enjoyable film for me. The action is so perfectly shot, with the dedication from Keanu Reeves and the stunt team really making a difference from the shaky-cam techniques used in too many action films today. The simple but effective plots, original score from Tyler Bates and beautiful shots really make for a thoroughly enjoying film. They never get tiring, and I can't wait for JW2 to be released on DVD. That's my list - what's yours?
The name’s Bond… James Bond. A deeper look at Casino Royale (2006)
Hey folks! I'm planning on watching all 23 of the James Bond films between now and the release of Spectre in November. 007 films have always been my guilty pleasure and I thought it might be worth trying to have a more analytical discussion about them. If you all are interested, I'll be posting one of these discussions/reviews every 2 weeks. So here goes!
Story It’s often said that Bond films are made and broken by their villains. I say that this is a fine metric for all pre-Craig entries. Don’t get me wrong. Le Chiffre is perhaps one of my favorite Bond villains and I’ll get into that shortly, however this film isn’t dictated by the quality of the villain as he is overshadowed by a far more fulfilling character. We finally have our first film that is truly about James Bond. For the first time in the illustrious 44 year history of the franchise, we get a film that honors James Bond as a three-dimensional character. The role is juicy and Craig delivers spectacularly. The film dives deep, deep into the psyche of a spy — of a killer. I revel in the pointed exchanges between Bond and M. It is a pleasure to watch Bond arrogantly defend his actions. He is smug, self-righteous, and (to his superiors and peers) frustratingly correct more often than not. The caustic sparing between Bond and Vesper Lynd in their first meeting on the train even takes the title of greatest dialogue sequence away from Pierce’s Bond vs. Dench’s M in GoldenEye. It’s intelligent, it’s hysterical, and it’s real. It’s everything that a conversation between a top-tier, egotistical field agent and an aggressively ambitious agency accountant would be. And speaking of Vesper, there is no doubt that she is the greatest of all of Bond’s female cohorts. Obviously with 20 films to choose from, there are no shortage of female characters to consider. Pussy Galore is first competent female character who isn’t being played by forces out of her control. She’s completely dismissed for being a lesbian and taken advantage of in a terribly unsexy love scene. Tracy Bond is a fiercely independent and upstanding young woman. But ultimately she is restricted by her role as the obedient daughter. Anya Amasova is the first truly self-reliant, professional female. Even her character's integrity is completely undone as the writers go for a cheap sex scene at the end of the film. None of this applies to Vesper. She is self-sufficient. She is clever. She is human. The scene in which Bond comforts her in the shower following his visceral killing of a couple of thugs is one of the most striking and easily the most touching scenes in the entire series. Finally, as I mentioned before, Le Chiffre is one of my favorite villains. He is a welcome breath of fresh air in a series that had clumsily escalated to the point of villains wearing cheap Ironman knock off suits shooting lasers from the moon. Le Chiffre is a mathematical wizard who enjoys embezzling the money of his criminal clientele. Best of all, the entire plot of Casino revolves around Le Chiffre’s necessity to recollect $100 million of his clients’ funds that he lost betting the wrong way on a stock shortage. This sets up a fantastic dynamic between hero and villain. Unlike Everything that Le Chiffre does, he does out of fear and desperation. As the veil thins and the stakes raise, his actions become increasingly wretched, eventually concluding in a skin-crawling torture scene. Look and Sound Plain and simple, Casino Royale is the sexiest looking Bond film yet. Even the stylized scenes (the cold open and it’s accompanying flashback) are positively stunning. Daniel Craig’s introduction isn’t one of flash and spectacle. He doesn’t get a big Hollywood close up. His first lines are as dry in content as they are in delivery. The first time we see him, he is sitting in the far corner of a dark office. All we see is his face, unmoving and small in the film’s frame, his body obscured in noir-like darkness. Mads Mikkelsen's already superb performance is also greatly enhanced by top tier lighting. When the frame moves, the direction is just as immaculate as when it is still. The camera motion invokes a high level of energy during a series of perfectly choreographed, photographed, and executed action scenes. The stunt work and effect work is above and beyond any heretofore seen 007 footage. The parkour chase scene and airport chase scene are two of the most exhilarating sequences the franchise has to offer. David Arnold’s score is above average, though ultimately it doesn’t stand out too far from its contemporary film scores. That said, my absolute favorite music decision is that of the delayed gratification of the James Bond theme. It is absent throughout the entire score until the final seconds in which the familiar tune slowly and smirkingly edges in as our protagonist saunters into frame to utter the ever-iconic line, “Bond… James Bond.” Chris Cornell’s “You Know My Name” is solid though I wouldn’t rank it terribly high in the annals of Bond Song history. The accompanying credit sequence on the other hand is quite possibly my favorite. Title designer Daniel Kleinman dispenses with the standard 3D abstractions in favor of flat colors and 2D design. Casino marks the final Bond film in which Peter Lamont acted as Production Designer. His mark on the series is as notable as his predecessor, Ken Adam. Where Adam emphasized the stylized mid-century modern world of Connery's Bond, Lamont took the world in a decidedly new direction. Beginning in 1981 on the production of For Your Eyes Only, Lamont aimed to produce a world that felt tangible, modern, and realistic. In this final film, his efforts reach their zenith. When paired with the positively stunning lighting from cinematographer, Phil Méheux, the combination is a world that requires no suspension of disbelief. Callbacks, Recurrences, and Tropes From the first frame, things have changed. Immediately following the MGM lion’s roar, we find ourselves at the snowy exterior of a foreign government building. No gun barrel sequence here. The scene plays out with Bond discussing his first ever kill as a government agent. During the conversation, we flashback to the fight. It climaxes with Bond’s nemesis springing back to life and aiming a gun at 007. The POV snaps into the barrel of the gun as Bond reacts, shooting the would-be killer in the familiar manner of the traditional gun barrel shot. Casino Royale is the first film of the series not to include either Moneypenny or a Quartermaster. While Dr. No didn’t include a character by the name of Q, it did have Major Boothroyd, MI6’s armorer. Incidentally, Q is referred to as Major Boothroyd in The Spy Who Loved Me. It's a bit confusing but the moral of the story is that there is no gadget master in Casino Royale. With that is the absence of the traditional gadgetry as we’ve come to expect. One of the few prop callbacks is the return of the iconic 1964 Aston Martin DB5. The DB5 makes its fifth showing in the series, following appearances in Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, and a brief cameo in Tomorrow Never Dies. In one of the wiser casting decisions, Judy Dench was asked to return as M. She provides a pleasant bridge in the casting change between Brosnan and Craig. Casino also marks the return of CIA Agent Felix Leiter — this time portrayed by Jeffrey Wright. It shouldn’t come as a surprise by this point that Wright’s portrayal of Leiter is also undoubtedly the best of the series. Gone is the portrayal of Americans as cowboys and the rednecks. That’s not to say that the character isn’t without his Americanisms. I do get a chuckle every time Bond asks Leiter what will become of the poker game winnings if Bond beats Le Chiffre. Leiter response with a toothy grin, “does it look like we need the money?” Casino even handles one of the more preposterous 007 traditions in spectacular fashion. It would seem entirely out of place for a character to have a name like Pussy Galore or Xenia Onatopp. The gag still makes an appearance, however. When briefing Vesper on their upcoming mission, Bond playfully informs her that her undercover alias is Stephanie Broadchest (and that she’s just going to have to trust him on this one). Finally, even Bond’s signature drink order is adjusted to reflect the new character’s coarse nature. After being denied reentry into the poker tournament, Bond orders a drink while he stews over his course of action. He then responds to the bartender’s “shaken or stirred” inquiry by snapping, “does it look like I give a damn?” Overall Impression Spectacular. Visually stunning. Emotionally gripping. Engaging, exhilarating, electrifying. The strongest and most unique entry thus far. Technically proficient in every way with writing that is entirely without equal. Every facet from the cinematography to the costuming appears to be fully thought out and executed in with the utmost care and proficiency. I suppose it’s a bit of a faux pas to refer to another review in your own review but Roger Ebert said it best when he explained that as the years went on, he was becoming less convinced that he would ever need to see another James Bond film until he saw Casino Royale. Quick Hits
Category
Score
Note
Writing
9.5
Top notch. Sharp, smart, funny.
Directing
10
Gorgeous framing, excellent camera moves, pulled some fantastic acting from his cast.
Acting
9
As true to real witnessing real life as you’re going to get in a Bond film.
Bonus Category! So for each movie my wife and I will be enjoying a spirit or cocktail that relates to the film. This was the easiest cocktail choice yet. Bond hands us the drink on a silver platter by actually listing out the exact ingredients and measurements for the Vesper Martini. It is as follows • 3 measures Gordon's Gin • 1 measure vodka • 1/2 measure Cocchi Americano vermouth (Bond asks for Kina Lillet which has been discontinued so the internet suggested Cocchi as a "perfect substitute") • garnish with a slice of lemon Shake well over ice until cold. Garnish with a thin slice of lemon rind.
So what do you folks think? How does Casino Royale fare in your opinion?
So, I'm pretty new on the reddit page of James Bond and have already commented some times but I think it's time to introduce myself and there is no better way in starting with counting down my favorite Bond Movies. Number 10: On Her Majesty Secret Service It is still one of the most convincing and heart breaking stories in all of Bond. George Lazenby is far from a good actor but he brings the perfect mix of vulnerability and masculinity in his role. Combined with one of the best bond girls in the series and you have a classy bond. Number 9: Dr. No There are people who find this movie to be lame, boring and overrated and although I think many Bond's after Dr. No improved on it (especially the two follow ups) no Bond Movie has the uniqueness of the first installment. There are just so many legendary scenes; Not only the legendary introduction, but also the "You've had your six" Kill to name a few. Number 8: The Living Daylights Such a shame. Such a shame that many people don't even know that this movie exists. It's kind of because the movie has nothing really memorable (bond girl and villain are both forgettable). Nonetheless this is still a action packed, perfectly paced cold war thriller with exciting sequences and a fresh new bond. Number 7: License To Kill Then seen as what we now see as Die Another Day, people weren't quite ready for what Timothy Dalton's second installment was going to deliver. This is a violent, personal and deep bond movie. It's thrilling, it's dangerous and it's captivating. It has excellent story telling and one of the best villains in the complete franchise. Number 6: The Spy Who Loved Me This is the ultimate Roger Moore Bond. Although there are many Moore Movies that I don't really enjoy watching (AVTAK, Octopussy, Moonraker) The Spy Who Loved Me just feels like.. I can't describe it 'Bond'. It's just everything I expect from a bond movie. Memorable set pieces, a perfectly fun and dangerous hench man, great action, great humor and charming Roger Moore at his best. Number 5: From Russia With Love This is probably the best spy movie of all time. Bond is no superman, he is just a spy doing his job. Robert Shaws Red Grant is his first real antagonist and the movie perfectly tells this story. The train fight is legendary, the plot is ingenious and Sean Connery can shine. And don't we forget the scene where a bare-chested, towel-clad Bond enters his bedroom and finds beautiful Tatiana Romanova in his bed. Images like that aren’t cute. They’re primordial. Number 4: SkyFall I have never left the cinema so emotionally touched. SkyFall is what an Anniversary Movie should do. It has an unpredictable storyline, fantastic performances, shows perfectly how a modern, dark Bond should act but also delivers on a fanboy basis, with so many legendary call backs. From a action standing point, Skyfall has the best visuals and the best action scenes. Just a blast to sit through. Number 3: Goldfinger THE Bond. THE Movie. THE Quintessential James Bond Movie. Goldfinger is the movie of superlatives. It's funny, it's interesting etc. but if we have to use one word to describe Goldfinger: It is iconic. Every, EVERY, E-V-E-R-Y Scene is legendary, Shirley Eaton painted in gold? Oddjobbs introduction? Pussy Galore's introduction? The Name is Bond... James Bond? I expect you to die? It's just countless! Number 2: GoldenEye Whereas Goldfinger is the most iconic Bond movie, I think Goldeneye is the Bond Movie that eve improves on the Goldfinger formula. You have Pierce Brosnan, confident, good looking, charming, but also aggressive and cold. You add a Bond Girl like Natalya Simonova and one of the best villains in the series as Sean Beans Alec Trevelyan in there and you already have a contender for best James Bond Movie. But hey, luckily we have Famke Jannsens Xenia Onatopp too! GoldenEye is a blast, from the unexpected storyline, the action packed opening, to the aesthetic visuals in the title over to the dramatic climax und epic culmination. For England James? Number 1: Casino Royale Whereas it could be argued that GoldenEye or Goldfinger are better "Bond" Movies, Casino Royale is the most elaborate movie of the franchise. Every time I watch it I get goosebumps, every time I watch it I find something new about it, new interpretations and new details. It's just a magnificent piece of art put to film. The brutal opening scene, the excellent action scenes, the exciting poker game, the torture scene, the love act, and the epic finale. Casino Royale is the most thought provoking, it's just not a movie, it's something that makes you think about. Vesper Lynd isn't only there to make Bond fall in love with her. She also acts as the so called "Iphigenie" as the moral integrity (the shower scene), Le Chiffre isn't some rich guy that wants to control the world. He is a human too but the most convincing and ingenious thing about Casino Royale is that it takes Bond, a guy, often considered as a boring hero that never fails, and let's him experience the world. Lets him be a human, that has room for love, vulnerability or emotions. And just when you thought that the movie couldn't get any better, you finally hear the epic one liner in the end and you are not a Bond fan if that doesn't make you smile!
New Series of Posts(?): Mega Movie Monday! This week's theme: Your favorite movies
I thought it would be interesting if I started a new weekly series of posts in which we discuss our favorite movies in detail. Every week, I would choose a theme of the week and people would choose movies based on that theme. I think the first week's most appropriate theme would be everyone's favorite so there's a wide variety. ANYWAY... I cannot say that I have an absolute favorite movie, because I like a lot of different films for different reasons. Today, I talk about one of my all time favorite movies from my most beloved series: the James Bond series. My dad introduced me to these films at a young age and we would spend quality time watched any of these films. After seeing all of them and maturing a bit, I can say with confidence that my favorite film is most likely Casino Royale (2006). I first saw this film when I was young, and, at the time, did not enjoy the film very much. I was confused and didn't catch on much of the mature themes. On one of the days that I was sick during high school, I decided to re-watch the film. This time, I was older and more learned. I could follow the plot more closely and actually appreciate the themes more. It was easier to feel the tension of the poker scenes when I actually knew how to play the game. The airplane sub-plot was easier to understand when I understood what the stock market was and how it worked. The actions scenes were well choreographed (that aston martin car-flip), the ending was satisfying and transitioned well into the next film (my opinions on this film is for another topic), and overall the plot was well adapted from the Ian Fleming novel. The Bond from the books was being more faithfully represented on screen. Daniel Craig was a great choice for Bond: he was cool and suave but showed vulnerability. TLDR: 9/10 movie, 10/10 if you like James Bond. What are your favorite films? Let's start some discussion below! Mega Movie Monday will return... (if you want)
I'm so glad Martin Campbell mentioned one of my favourite moments in Casino Royale (a movie which frankly is full of "favourite moments"). this makes me cackle with laughter every fucking time.. Before Bond leaves the table, he slides a plastic chip worth $500,000 over to the dealer as a courtesy tip. The Casino Royale Poker Scene – The Rebirth of James Bond. By Paul Devine / November 12, 2020 . Tweet. Share. Pin. There’s no doubt the Bond franchise has had a huge influence on platforms like high roller casino online and in this poker scene Bond had one job, and that was to get the attention of Le Chiffre, played brilliantly by Mad Mikkelsen. The way to do this of course was to take Casino Royale’s legendary poker scene broken down by James Bond director - Polygon Casino Royale’s poker scene was as elaborate as a James Bond stunt ‘It’s not just the card games — it’s the... Martin Campbell, director of the 2006 James Bond reboot Casino Royale, admitted there is a mistake in the film’s climactic poker scene.This was the third film adaptation of Ian Fleming’s book of the same name and was the first to see Daniel Craig in the role of James Bond, showing a more modernized, emotional side of the 007 agent early in his career. 06:44 10 Jan. How difficult can it be to make a good poker scene in a movie? According to James Bond director Martin Campbell the ‘Casino Royale’ remake poker showdown was as elaborate as any stunt 007 was involved in!. The 2006 movie grossed a monster $606million at the box office, with Daniel Craig ’s ‘Bond’ and Mads Mikkelsen ’s blood-eyed villain ‘Le Chiffre’ involved in Daniel Craig and Mads Mikkelsen in a poker scene in Casino Royale. (Sony) Casino Royale was an integral movie for the James Bond franchise.. While Pierce Brosnan’s four-film stint as the spy was a financial success, his final two entries, The World Is Not Enough and especially Die Another Day, were met with negative reviews. So when Daniel Craig was cast as Brosnan’s replacement the James Bond Casino Royale Poker Scene in Bahamas. Edmond Vick. Follow. 6 years ago | 1.2K views. James Bond Casino Royale Poker Scene in Bahamas. Report. Browse more videos. Playing next. 5:21. James Bond CASINO ROYALE Movie - Clip with Daniel Craig and Mads Mikkelsen - The Poker Game. Teaser Trailer . 3:11. James Bond CASINO ROYALE Movie - Clip - Opening scene. Teaser Trailer. 2:59. Pakistan
James Bond 007: All Casino Gambling Scenes- Part 1 of 3 ...
I own nothing... Casino Royale (2006) http://www.casinopokercoin.com You will loved this Casino scene from James Bond 007 with Sean Connery! ...with this movie he had rocket to the Star!Blackjack... Casino Royale (2006) Last Hand Poker Scene Movie Clip HDCasino Royale is a 2006 spy film, the twenty-first in the Eon Productions James Bond film serie... In this clip, you can watch how James Bond flirted with his girl, how James lost his first poker hand and why he is a great poker player. Very classy; beauti... Armed with a license to kill, Secret Agent James Bond sets out on his first mission as 007, and must defeat a private banker to terrorists in a high stakes g... All scenes where James Bond is gambling in a casino. I apologize for splitting the video into three parts. It must be in order to comply with Youtube's copyr... http://onlinepokeradvantage.com James Bond poker scene from the movie Casino Royale where he wins the criminals car in Hold'Em with a pair of aces. Classic p... About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators ... Casino Royale Poker Scene
![Casino Royale - Poker Scene [HD Clip] - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4WtEFVhHEyA/default.jpg "http://onlinepokeradvantage.com James Bond poker scene from the movie Casino Royale where he wins the criminals car in Hold'Em with a pair of aces. Classic p...")
