Casino Royale

[Drunk Monk]

Everyone was saying it was more true to the books, which really isn't saying much at all given the previous movies. And it wasn't in story, but the character of Bond seemed truer to Fleming's vision to me. Loved the opening chase with Sebastien Foucan (one of the founders of Parkour - see CF's District B-13 review). That should make a nice 'making of' extra in the DVD. Foucan is an outrageuos stuntman. Loved the new feel of the franchise and look forward to the next film. I was slightly bothered by the switch to Poker but it seemed to work for the audience since no one knows how to play Baccarat anymore (as if it's a complicated game), as well as Judi Dench still being M. I respect Madame Dench but a female M never worked for me. The poker playing seemed to work better for the audience - I could hear people in the muttering about the plays. No one got the Dead Man's Hand reference in my earshot tho. Enjoyed the villain. And the new Bond girls were fine. Mrs. DM commented on the lack of gadgetry until DM pointed out the uber phone and the car with the defib. That scene was too funny. All in all, the best Bond since Live and Let Die. Isn't that next in the book series?

Gotta agree with PPFY's top three picks, although not necessarily in that order. I'd have to add Live and Let Die because of Yaphat Kotto, Jane Seymore, Geoffrey Holder, McCartney's theme and of course, the Jamaican setting. I overlook Roger Moore, but he did make a great honky, which is what that film needed. I'd also add Never Say Never Again, just because it was Sean reclaiming the role in a non-Broccoli production. So that would mean CR makes in into my top six.

If you like Craig, go see Layer Cake. I reviewed it on a previous forum...

[Drunk Monk]

ttt 4 2020

As No Time to Die is allegedly the final Craig installment, I thought I'd revisit his journey as he has given 007 a unique story arc.  And having read the original books and seen all the films, my memory of Craig's take is muddled.

The first hour of this film still rocks. That first chase remains over the top in its absurdity and sense of action. It's still the best cinematic showcase of Parkour. The poker bothers me more now because Baccarat is just a cooler game, but I get where there's more dramatic tension with poker. Worse defib scene ever, but the action was still going so who cares? The Le Chiffe torture sequence reminds me less of the book now than it did on earlier viewings.  If memory serves, Le Chiffe had some sort of levered stick device that he could step on to smack 007's jewelsi. That swining weighted rope would actually be tricky to manage - to swing it beneath those chair legs wouldn't be that easy, but then neither would chasing someone through the airport so you just gotta stick with that belief suspension thing. And the carving of the homing device from his forearm echoed having 'spy' carved into his arm, which was okay as easter eggs go. It bogs down towards the end with the whole Vesper story.  Vesper didn't quite work for me and I'm not sure why.  But I did like the sinking Venice building. Worst CPR ever.  But still good, given that first hour or so. The front end of this film redeems the rest of it completely.  

So next:
Quantum of Solace http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=1412
Skyfall http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=2603
Spectre http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=3536
No Time to Die opens March 31, so I should make it through by then.  I got a month.

[Greg]

I guess Epix is gearing up for the release by screening all the Craig Bond films. I watched most of Casino on Saturday night. Quantum came up on Sunday but I only watched a bit of it.

The poker really bugged me when I saw this the first time. Especially with Vesper and the other spy constantly explaining what is going on during the game. But I have learned to accept this as time has gone by. I love this film and the first hour is the best. The film has too many false endings.

Best Bond song of the new era.

Quantum doesn't do it for me. I hated Skyfall and probably Spectre as well. I should revisit them, too to see if my hate is still valid.

[cranefly]

If I recall, I was bugged by the gambling scenes in Craig's Casino Royale.  He had a big chunk of money, and he lost it all in a few hands.  It just seemed like an amateurish approach, no strategy.  Then as he's about to leave beaten, someone gives him another big chunk of money.  Not recalling who this Deus ex machina person was.  Probably Moneypenny giving him a whole lot of pennies.  So he sits down and uses the same strategy again, but this time he finally wins, thanks to the laws of probability.  I mean, if you get enough chances, you'll win eventually.  So, yeah, that bothered me.  And I always thought El Dingo would call bullshit on it.  But he never rang in.  Anyway, for a movie called Casino Royale, I was expecting some tricky, complex, high-stakes gambling.  It just seemed incredibly dumbed down, and should have born a warning, Don't try this at your local casino.

Though I have to admit, it was almost made worth the while when Moneypenny pulled all those pennies out of her cleavage.

[Greg]

Felix Leiter from the CIA helped him buy back in after Vesper shut him down.

[Drunk Monk]

Best Bond song of the new era.

I've never understood why you like that song so much.  It did nothing for me.  Was he Irish or something?

I long for the days of Shirley Bassey.  

It just seemed incredibly dumbed down, and should have born a warning, Don't try this at your local casino.

The book was pretty mild too actually.  It was Bond's first mission and he fails.  

Though I have to admit, it was almost made worth the while when Moneypenny pulled all those pennies out of her cleavage.

Moneypenny is introduced in this film, but only passingly, so much so that it was kind of annoying.  She was a great character in the Connery films and all the others are in her wake.  One of the aspects of the book Bond that never made it to the films was that he had tremendous respect for M, which made it even more poignant when he is reprogrammed to assassinate him.  

Felix Leiter from the CIA helped him buy back in after Vesper shut him down.

Yup.  Honestly, I wasn't that fond the Craig Leiter.  The way he kept called Craig 'brotha' made it feel like pandering to the black audience.  Didn't Leiter lose both his arms in the books?  Eaten by sharks or something, and then replaced by bionic arms, or some precursor to bionics... maybe I'm imagining that.  It's all so muddled now.

[cranefly]

Yup.  Honestly, I wasn't that fond the Craig Leiter.  The way he kept called Craig 'brotha' made it feel like pandering to the black audience.  Didn't Leiter lose both his arms in the books?  Eaten by sharks or something, and then replaced by bionic arms, or some precursor to bionics... maybe I'm imagining that.  It's all so muddled now.

Felix Leiter, right?  I read all the books too.  Yeah, he got chewed up badly by sharks, lost a limb or two, as I recall.  A leg maybe?   And came back with prostheses.  Or maybe he got bit by Jaws.  No, Jaws wasn't in the books.

I'm losing track of who M and Moneypenny are these days.  I think I was recently upset because a positive role for an older woman was being stripped away -- the last thing aging actresses in Hollywood need these days.  But maybe I'm wrong and just mad for no good reason.  Still, I'm going to hold onto that anger regardless.  (Greg is a role model in that regard.)

[Drunk Monk]

I'm losing track of who M and Moneypenny are these days.  I think I was recently upset because a positive role for an older woman was being stripped away -- the last thing aging actresses in Hollywood need these days.  

I eventually was okay with Dench as M, mostly because she killed it.  The previous Ms were kind of flat.  Dench's M felt more like the book M.  And I thought the way her story played out was, well, well played.  I like her 'good run' death speech.

[Drunk Monk]

Man, I must have covid brain something fierce. I have no memory of watching this last year to prep for NT2D. I just watched it yet again and was struck by how much I failed to remember. My memory is shot. Good thing I keep notes here.

This has weakened over time. For some reason, the absurdity popped out glaringly, so much so that both Stacy and I giggled on several occasions thinking some scene was so dumb. The plot has several outrageously silly plot twists. 

But it’s still entertaining. The opening parkour chase scene is massive. It’s brilliant. The level of action is high, so high. A lot hinges of Craig’s performance. He’s brilliant. Are his eyes really that blue?

It feels like it keeps a steady pace of solid action/suspense until ale Chiffre is captured. After that, there’s a dip in the action until the Venice building sinking. That’s a great scene tho. 

I wonder how far I got last time with the binge... we’ll find out tomorrow.

[Greg]

It is still my favorite Bond film. That black and white beginning with the corrupt Envoy sets a great tone for a great adventure.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

It is in my top 3. I really liked it.