Here's a look at the first teaser trailer for next May's Angels & Demons (the prequel to The Da Vinci Code; although the film may treat it more like a sequel):
Friday, October 31, 2008
I'm tired of the waiting game...let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos!
So my first round of job applications went out a few weeks ago and now all of my reference letters have been sent as well. At this point, the ball is in their court now as I nervously await to hear back from them. It's been a long time since I've had to do the whole job application scene, so it's been a stressful time, but I'm now excited about all of my prospects. If you haven't heard, here are the seven schools that I've applied at:
Hiram College (in Ohio)
Muhlenberg College (in Pennsylvania)
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
The Catholic University of America (in Washington D.C.)
University of Puget Sound (in Washington state)
Colorado State University
DePaul university
I'll hopefully be meeting with representatives from all of these schools when I attend the NCA conference in San Diego in a few weeks. As soon as I hear more from any of these schools I'll be sure to share it with you here.
Hiram College (in Ohio)
Muhlenberg College (in Pennsylvania)
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
The Catholic University of America (in Washington D.C.)
University of Puget Sound (in Washington state)
Colorado State University
DePaul university
I'll hopefully be meeting with representatives from all of these schools when I attend the NCA conference in San Diego in a few weeks. As soon as I hear more from any of these schools I'll be sure to share it with you here.
NMR: Word Wars
This is another documentary along the lines of Spellbound, which focuses on people involved in a hobby competition. In this case, it's a film about four people competing in the National Scabble competition. These film are an easy thumbs up for. I love seeing these little slices of life and the passion displayed by the people involved. This one isn't quite as good as other similar documentaries though for a couple of reasons. 1) The narrative isn't as strong in this film. While it primarily focuses on these four guys' quest to be Scrabble champ, the film frequently takes these diversions that produce interesting information, but take away from the film's main concept. 2) Related to this, there really isn't a clear cut hero or villain amongst the profiled players. These guys each have winning and unlikeable characteristics about them. Still, if you're like me and you enjoy these types of films, you should definitely give this one a look. Rating: ****
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
It's better than nothing
I'd rather having the new Harry Potter film opening this Nov. like it was supposed to, but since it's been pushed back until next July, this new trailer will have to tide us over in the meantime.
Friday, October 24, 2008
The World is Not Enough (1999)
Plot: When the suave Agent 007 (Pierce Brosnan) is assigned to protect a beautiful oil heiress (Sophie Marceau), he is catapulted into a passionate, adenaline-charged adventure that pits him against one of his most deadly adversaries: Renard (Robert Carlyle), a ruthless anarchist whose total imperviousness to pain makes him a virtual unstoppable enemy. The unrelenting suspense, breathtaking action and sly wit never let up in this explosively entertaining thriller.
Firsts: Appearance of R, main villain is a female
Gadgets: Fully loaded BMW, eyeglasses with detonation device, amphibious jet boat, jacket with inflatable shield, x-ray sunglasses, credit card with lock pick, wristwatch with grappling hook
Girls Bond slept with: MI6 doctor, Elektra King, and Christmas Jones
Elaborate murder attempt that Bond escapes: Chased by helicopters with logging saws, trapped in an ancient torture chair
Personal review: We're getting close to the end now folks. In Brosnan's third outing as 007, things unfortunately take a turn for the worse. After a fun adventure in Tomorrow Never Dies, this one is a muddled mess.
It didn't appear that way initially. The pre-credit sequence involving the money pickup and the jet boat chase is just phenomenal. It also harkened back to the old Bond movies involving the typical scene of flirting with Moneypenny before entering M's office. This was just classic Bond all around.
But then once we get into the main plot, the excitement dies down. There are certainly plenty of good action sequences like the ski chase sequence and the scenes involving Bond being attacked by the logging helicopters. However, all of the business with oil and plutonium was too confusing and uninteresting.
The film's greatest weakness is the two female leads. There's no sense going on in detail about how ridiculous it was to have Denise Richards playing a nuclear scientist named Christmas Jones. There have been less likeable Bond girls than her, but she probably was the worst actress to play a Bond girl. Then you have Sophie Marceau as Elektra King. I give them credit for finally having a female lead villain, but she just doesn't pull it off very well. She had the sexuality needed for a Bond girl, but there wasn't enough of a mean streak shown by her to make her a worthy villain.
The weakness of Marceau's Elektra is only emphasized by the hokey Renard. The whole bullet lodged in the brain preventing him from feeling anything would work for a Bond henchman, but he's meant to be the co-main villain. He just doesn't have enough gravitas for his standing within the film. Two weak co-villains do not equal one good villain.
Thank goodness for the return of Robbie Coltrane as Zukovsky. He provides some decent comic relief; emphasis of relief. His scenes are a welcome break for the rest of the film's inanity. As an aside, I also loved his cane that doubled as a rifle. That's pretty badass.
And since there isn't a whole lot of positive things to say about the movie as a whole, let me take the opportunity to say how nice it was to see Q get a proper send off. They had no way of knowing Desmond Llewelyn would die in a car accident before the next Bond film, so they were fortunate enough to include a wonderful scene that would ultimately be his final moment as the classic Q. The character had become synonymous with this franchise and Llewelyn's portrayal of the character is a main reason for that. I'll be curious to see if the character ever reemerges and in what capacity now that the Daniel Craig era has begun.
In the end, this was in my opinion, the worst film from the Brosnan era. But let's face it, they can't all be winners. Sometimes you need a dud in order to truly appreciate the good ones. 6.5/10
Fist of Furry
I actually saw Kung Fu Panda last week, but have been so busy, I'm just now getting to the review. If it's a little shorter than most of my reviews, it's because the film isn't as fresh in my head.
When it comes to computer animated films, unless it's a Pixar film, I tend not to rush out and see them. Coming from anywhere but Disney, computer animated films vary greatly in their quality. You can have something real clever and fun like Monster House or something that is an insult even to children like Shark Tale. So I usually take a wait and see attitude when it comes to this genre.
For Kung Fu Panda, nothing immediately jumped out at me from the trailers that made me think this was going to be anything special. However, once positive reviews started rolling in and it started raking in some decent money at the box office, I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did.
This is the first computer animated film that I felt rivaled the quality of Pixar films. Now there have certainly been other films, particularly from Dreamworks animation, that have looked as good or been as successful as the Pixar films, but that's not what I'm talking about. What I mean, is that for the first time, I saw a computer animated films produced outside of Disney where it was apparent that they worked hard to make a quality film and not simply a cash cow. Films like Shrek or Bee Movie rely on big stars and trendy jokes to draw in audiences. Kung Fu Panda is more concerned about story and character development.
Now does Kung Fu Panda have a large celebrity voice cast? Sure. But unlike in Bee Movie where it was just Seinfeld doing his schtick as a bee, the voice actors in this film really try to embrace their characters and make you care about them and not the voice behind them.
The cast is lead by Jack Black as Po, a panda who dreams of being a karate master and by a fluke accident is chosen to become the leader of a bunch of karate fighters. The rest of the cast includes Dustin Hoffman as Shifu, the karate sensi put in charge of teaching Po karate. Some of Shifu's other animal students are voiced by Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, and Lucy Liu. These characters are part of a group known as the Furious Five. They all add something to the film, but I actually would have like more scenes with them. However, given their pedigree, they may not have been necessarily available to do more dialogue.
That's fine because Black and Hoffman really shine in their portrayals of Po and Shifu. You understand Shifu's frustration over having to teach someone who is seemingly ill-equipped to become a karate master. And you really root for Po to succeed. His poor physique is offset by his fanboy love of karate. You believe that this is his dream and thus you hope he'll achieve it, even if convention says he can't
In addition to the top-notch performances, the animation here is superb. The fighting sequences really look amazing and are extremely detailed. The animators have to be given additional credit for giving the film the look of classic martial arts movies. They do this stop-action animation that looks really neat and also plays for some good laughs. The quality of the animation just adds to that sophistication that is typically only found in the Pixar films as I mentioned before.
This is not an overly hilarious movie, but most of the jokes work. Often with these films there are either a lot of bad jokes or jokes that only a 5 year old would enjoy. I felt this film did a nice job of keeping those embarassing jokes to a minimum. They had just the right balance of physical humor and jokes of a verbal nature. I didn't find myself laughing a lot, but there was a perpetual smile on my face.
About the only weakness I found in the film was the rewatchability factor. As enjoyable as this was, I would be content if I never saw it again. I'm sure that's not true for everyone. I'm sure kids will play it ad naseum once it comes out on DVD. However, for adults one viewing is sufficent. You appreciate it for what it's worth, but then look for something with a little bit more substance afterwards.
Given how impressed I was with Kung Fu Panda's quality, I am dismayed by the news that a sequel is already in development. I know it's only natural when a film does as well as this one has to go forward with a sequel. But I feel that a second story can do nothing but tarnish the goodwill built up by this film. This film had a stand-alone story and we don't necessarily need to know more about these characters. Pixar has only attempted one sequel, but it just happened to be one of their best efforts. So here's hoping that if Kung Fu Panda 2 does happen, they can rise to the challenge and make another great film. For now, I would recommend you check this out once it comes out on DVD and see for yourself how it's possible for other studios to make a great animated film for both kids and adults, just like Pixar has done for the past 13 years. Grade: B+
When it comes to computer animated films, unless it's a Pixar film, I tend not to rush out and see them. Coming from anywhere but Disney, computer animated films vary greatly in their quality. You can have something real clever and fun like Monster House or something that is an insult even to children like Shark Tale. So I usually take a wait and see attitude when it comes to this genre.
For Kung Fu Panda, nothing immediately jumped out at me from the trailers that made me think this was going to be anything special. However, once positive reviews started rolling in and it started raking in some decent money at the box office, I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did.
This is the first computer animated film that I felt rivaled the quality of Pixar films. Now there have certainly been other films, particularly from Dreamworks animation, that have looked as good or been as successful as the Pixar films, but that's not what I'm talking about. What I mean, is that for the first time, I saw a computer animated films produced outside of Disney where it was apparent that they worked hard to make a quality film and not simply a cash cow. Films like Shrek or Bee Movie rely on big stars and trendy jokes to draw in audiences. Kung Fu Panda is more concerned about story and character development.
Now does Kung Fu Panda have a large celebrity voice cast? Sure. But unlike in Bee Movie where it was just Seinfeld doing his schtick as a bee, the voice actors in this film really try to embrace their characters and make you care about them and not the voice behind them.
The cast is lead by Jack Black as Po, a panda who dreams of being a karate master and by a fluke accident is chosen to become the leader of a bunch of karate fighters. The rest of the cast includes Dustin Hoffman as Shifu, the karate sensi put in charge of teaching Po karate. Some of Shifu's other animal students are voiced by Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, and Lucy Liu. These characters are part of a group known as the Furious Five. They all add something to the film, but I actually would have like more scenes with them. However, given their pedigree, they may not have been necessarily available to do more dialogue.
That's fine because Black and Hoffman really shine in their portrayals of Po and Shifu. You understand Shifu's frustration over having to teach someone who is seemingly ill-equipped to become a karate master. And you really root for Po to succeed. His poor physique is offset by his fanboy love of karate. You believe that this is his dream and thus you hope he'll achieve it, even if convention says he can't
In addition to the top-notch performances, the animation here is superb. The fighting sequences really look amazing and are extremely detailed. The animators have to be given additional credit for giving the film the look of classic martial arts movies. They do this stop-action animation that looks really neat and also plays for some good laughs. The quality of the animation just adds to that sophistication that is typically only found in the Pixar films as I mentioned before.
This is not an overly hilarious movie, but most of the jokes work. Often with these films there are either a lot of bad jokes or jokes that only a 5 year old would enjoy. I felt this film did a nice job of keeping those embarassing jokes to a minimum. They had just the right balance of physical humor and jokes of a verbal nature. I didn't find myself laughing a lot, but there was a perpetual smile on my face.
About the only weakness I found in the film was the rewatchability factor. As enjoyable as this was, I would be content if I never saw it again. I'm sure that's not true for everyone. I'm sure kids will play it ad naseum once it comes out on DVD. However, for adults one viewing is sufficent. You appreciate it for what it's worth, but then look for something with a little bit more substance afterwards.
Given how impressed I was with Kung Fu Panda's quality, I am dismayed by the news that a sequel is already in development. I know it's only natural when a film does as well as this one has to go forward with a sequel. But I feel that a second story can do nothing but tarnish the goodwill built up by this film. This film had a stand-alone story and we don't necessarily need to know more about these characters. Pixar has only attempted one sequel, but it just happened to be one of their best efforts. So here's hoping that if Kung Fu Panda 2 does happen, they can rise to the challenge and make another great film. For now, I would recommend you check this out once it comes out on DVD and see for yourself how it's possible for other studios to make a great animated film for both kids and adults, just like Pixar has done for the past 13 years. Grade: B+
Thursday, October 23, 2008
It's time to go back. But where? And when?
The first promo for season 5 of Lost. A little over two months to go...
NMR: Catch up edition
With Netflix's increased library of online movies, I've been catching up on a lot of movies that I had never seen before.
Vacancy: A fairly run-of-the-mill horror thriller that gets an upgrade thanks to it's somewhat high profile cast. I'm not sure what Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale are doing in a film like this, but it sure improved its watchability. The premise isn't revolutionary; estranged couple trapped in a creepy motel. However, it has enough decent thrills to make it entertaining. Be forewarned, as with most horror movies, the characters are pretty stupid to allow all the terrible things to happen to them. In reality, most people probably would have escaped and/or avoided this situation a lot sooner than the people in the film do. So if you like to think or analyze character motivation, this may not be the film for you. Rating: ***
Spellbound: This is a documentary from 2002 on the National Spelling Bee; an event which has for whatever reason risen in popularity over the past few years. The director does a great job of chronicling 8 different kids in their quest to be champion. I thought it was a glaring omission though not to have a home schooled kid represented in the film considering they always seem to do well in these events. I've certainly seen a lot of the Bees and always find them interesting, but I was glad I didn't know who had won this particular one as it made it more engrossing to see which of the kids profiled would emerge victorious. It was a nice bonus to see a portion of the film to then Bee moderator, Dr. Alex Cameron, who I had as a professor at the University of Dayton. Dr. Cameron passed away a few years ago and I always regret not knowing when I had him as an instructor that he was the Bee moderator because I would have loved to talked to him about it. Overall, the film is really well done and if you have any sort of interest in this subject, I would recommend you see this film. Rating: *****
The Ice Harvest: This was a noir comedy that was largely ignored by audiences when it came out a couple of years ago. Directed by Harold Ramis, it stars John Cusack and Billy Bob Thorton as a couple of crooks who try to steal money from the main mob boss in Topeka, KA. As usual, everything goes wrong and there are a number of double-crosses along the way. The cast here is particularly good, but the film kind of meanders and doesn't do enough to draw you in. A lot of the beats seem familiar and there are a number of scenes that could have been eliminated; which isn't good when your film is only 89 minutes to begin with. Unless you're a big fan of the film's leads, you can probably skip this one. Rating: **
Harland Williams: What a Treat: I typically don't bother with stand-up films unless I really love the comic. In this case, I had never seen Harland's stand-up before but he was always such a great and hilarious guest on Conan O'Brien that I figured it was worth a luck. Unfortunately, it wasn't the same thing. I think a lot of Harland's worth is having someone to play off of. His humor is bizarre and off-the-wall, so watching someone like Conan bewildered about what he's discussing adds to the comedy. In his special, however, the jokes don't work as well. In addition, he uses a lot more colorful language, which can be effective with the right jokes, but seemed unnecessary here. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood that day, but I didn't find a whole lot of it to be funny. What a Treat? More like What a Shame. Rating: **
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox story: I ended up avoiding this one in theaters, even though it had a lot of promise. Judd Apatow co-wrote the script and it features a lot of actors typically found in his movies. However, I've just never been fond of John C. Reilly as an actor and the trailers just didn't offer enough humor to entice me to check it out. But since it was available online at Netflix, I decided to give it a look and I'm glad. This is a very sharp and funny look at the musical biopic, which has become popular recently with films like Ray and Walk the Line. It nails all of the cliches that are typically found in these movies. There are also a number of songs, which are all very clever and yet catchy too. Perhaps what is most remarkable about the film is that it still comes off a bit inspirational. Yes, they are mocking the genre. Yes, it's about a fictional character. But they really explore the character and make the audience actualy invested in how it plays out. Even if this genre isn't to your liking, there are enough fun cameos sprinkled throughout the movie to keep you entertained. This is a solid movie that probably deserved more viewers than it had in theaters. Rating: ****
Vacancy: A fairly run-of-the-mill horror thriller that gets an upgrade thanks to it's somewhat high profile cast. I'm not sure what Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale are doing in a film like this, but it sure improved its watchability. The premise isn't revolutionary; estranged couple trapped in a creepy motel. However, it has enough decent thrills to make it entertaining. Be forewarned, as with most horror movies, the characters are pretty stupid to allow all the terrible things to happen to them. In reality, most people probably would have escaped and/or avoided this situation a lot sooner than the people in the film do. So if you like to think or analyze character motivation, this may not be the film for you. Rating: ***
Spellbound: This is a documentary from 2002 on the National Spelling Bee; an event which has for whatever reason risen in popularity over the past few years. The director does a great job of chronicling 8 different kids in their quest to be champion. I thought it was a glaring omission though not to have a home schooled kid represented in the film considering they always seem to do well in these events. I've certainly seen a lot of the Bees and always find them interesting, but I was glad I didn't know who had won this particular one as it made it more engrossing to see which of the kids profiled would emerge victorious. It was a nice bonus to see a portion of the film to then Bee moderator, Dr. Alex Cameron, who I had as a professor at the University of Dayton. Dr. Cameron passed away a few years ago and I always regret not knowing when I had him as an instructor that he was the Bee moderator because I would have loved to talked to him about it. Overall, the film is really well done and if you have any sort of interest in this subject, I would recommend you see this film. Rating: *****
The Ice Harvest: This was a noir comedy that was largely ignored by audiences when it came out a couple of years ago. Directed by Harold Ramis, it stars John Cusack and Billy Bob Thorton as a couple of crooks who try to steal money from the main mob boss in Topeka, KA. As usual, everything goes wrong and there are a number of double-crosses along the way. The cast here is particularly good, but the film kind of meanders and doesn't do enough to draw you in. A lot of the beats seem familiar and there are a number of scenes that could have been eliminated; which isn't good when your film is only 89 minutes to begin with. Unless you're a big fan of the film's leads, you can probably skip this one. Rating: **
Harland Williams: What a Treat: I typically don't bother with stand-up films unless I really love the comic. In this case, I had never seen Harland's stand-up before but he was always such a great and hilarious guest on Conan O'Brien that I figured it was worth a luck. Unfortunately, it wasn't the same thing. I think a lot of Harland's worth is having someone to play off of. His humor is bizarre and off-the-wall, so watching someone like Conan bewildered about what he's discussing adds to the comedy. In his special, however, the jokes don't work as well. In addition, he uses a lot more colorful language, which can be effective with the right jokes, but seemed unnecessary here. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood that day, but I didn't find a whole lot of it to be funny. What a Treat? More like What a Shame. Rating: **
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox story: I ended up avoiding this one in theaters, even though it had a lot of promise. Judd Apatow co-wrote the script and it features a lot of actors typically found in his movies. However, I've just never been fond of John C. Reilly as an actor and the trailers just didn't offer enough humor to entice me to check it out. But since it was available online at Netflix, I decided to give it a look and I'm glad. This is a very sharp and funny look at the musical biopic, which has become popular recently with films like Ray and Walk the Line. It nails all of the cliches that are typically found in these movies. There are also a number of songs, which are all very clever and yet catchy too. Perhaps what is most remarkable about the film is that it still comes off a bit inspirational. Yes, they are mocking the genre. Yes, it's about a fictional character. But they really explore the character and make the audience actualy invested in how it plays out. Even if this genre isn't to your liking, there are enough fun cameos sprinkled throughout the movie to keep you entertained. This is a solid movie that probably deserved more viewers than it had in theaters. Rating: ****
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Plot: A deranged media mogul is staging international incidents to pit the world's superpowers against each other. Now 007 (Pierce Brosnan) must take on this evil mastermind in an adrenaline-charged battle to end his reign of terror and prevent global pandemonium!
Firsts: Bond working with a female Chinese agent. I know it's a stretch, but there's isn't much to work with here.
Gadgets: Fully loaded BMW, multi-function cell phone including remote control to the BMW, cigarette lighter explosive, and wristwatch with detonation device
Girls Bond slept with: Danish professor, Paris Carver, and Wai Lin
Elaborate murder attempt that Bond escapes: Left at the mercy of Stamper and his Chakra torture devices
Personal review: It may not be a popular opinion, but I really love this entry and it's my favorite of the Bond franchise. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I study the mass media, which plays such a large role in this film.
Having a media mogul as the primary villain of the film was inspired. It felt current and to a certain degree realistic. It helps that Jonathan Pryce does a fantastic job as Elliot Carver. He has moments of pure madness, but then he also exhibits some levity by trading one-liners with Bond and his karate mockery after capturing Wai Lin.
And it always helps when the main villain surrounds himself with good help. Carver's got a decent group of henchmen. Some are good because they've got great names to yell out; Stamper! Gupta! And others like Dr. Kaufman are just plain creepy and evil.
Even though this was only his second attempt, Pierce seemed pretty comfortable in the role and continued to play it right. As for the rest of the returning cast, I liked that they made an effort to make M more likeable by having her spar with Admiral Roebuck; in fact, I thought that aspect of the story could have been developed more. Samantha Bond also really began to shine as a Moneypenny who was still smitten with 007 but wasn't afraid to call him on his BS either.
The action scenes, as usual are top-notch. I particularly like the plunge down the banner and the motorcycle scene. The remote control car scene is fun, but gets a bit ridiculous. The final shootout upon the stealth boat, seems very reminiscent of some previous Bond climaxes, which is a good thing.
Now let's talk about a few weaknesses. I've got mixed feelings on Michelle Yeoh as Wai Lin. Her actions scenes are fantastic and provide a new dynamic to the 'Bond girl'. However, she's had next to no chemistry with Brosnan. I would have liked it if she had just remained a colleague and/or was killed off so that there would have been room for another girl to ride off into the sunset with Bond.
The other disappointment is Sheryl Crow's theme which is dull and lifeless. The song over the closing credits is even better than that one. I'm not quite what happened there, but it certainly didn't do its job in setting the mood of the film.
Overall, most will find this to be an average outing, but I have a strong connection with this one. It's a fun ride and firmly established Brosnan as the right guy to be playing 007 at that time. 8.5/10
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
War Machine gets a facelift
From comingsoon.net...
I didn't mind Howard, but if he's not in, Cheadle seems like a suitable replacement. Although, I heard the best idea over on a message board; Robert Downey Jr. should just don black face again and play both roles. Ha!
Don Cheadle is stepping in to replace Terrence Howard in Marvel Studios' Iron Man 2, says The Hollywood Reporter.
In the first film, Howard played Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, Tony Stark/Iron Man's best friend and future armor-clad hero War Machine.
The trade says Marvel had no comment, but sources close to the deal said negotiations with Howard fell through over financial differences, among other reasons.
Marvel, which had wanted to work with Cheadle, then decided to take the role in another direction and approached the actor, who is shooting Antoine Fuqua's Brooklyn's Finest.
Justin Theroux is writing the screenplay for Iron Man 2, coming to theaters on May 7, 2010. Jon Favreau is returning as director, and Robert Downey Jr. is expected back as Stark/Iron Man. Gwyneth Paltrow also is expected to be back as Pepper Potts.
I didn't mind Howard, but if he's not in, Cheadle seems like a suitable replacement. Although, I heard the best idea over on a message board; Robert Downey Jr. should just don black face again and play both roles. Ha!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Here's an attack ad we can all get behind!
I'm sure everyone is sick of the political attack ads that are flooding our TVs right now and we still have 3 more weeks of this, so whenever you get tired of them, just watch this and a smile will form on your face.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Goldeneye (1995)
Plot: Pierce Brosnan ignites the screen in his first adventure as the unstoppable James Bond. When a powerful satellite system falls into the hands of a former ally-turned-enemy, only 007 can save the world from an awesome space weapon that - in one short pulse - could destroy the earth!
Firsts: Brosnan as Bond, Samantha Bond as Moneypenny, and a female M (Dame Judi Dench), post-Cold War Bond film
Gadgets: Pen grenade, belt with rappelling gear, piton gun, laser watch, and loaded Aston Martin and BMW
Girls Bond slept with: Caroline (the psychatrist) and Natalya Simonova
Elaborate murder attempt that Bond escapes: Trapped in a helicopter and train car as both are set to explode.
Personal review: And now we come to Pierce. Over the next few weeks, we'll cover his quartet of films and their various pros and cons, but let me just say that I always thought Pierce, himself, did a great job as Bond. In many ways it was only natural that he play the part and I'm glad he got a chance after he backed out of doing The Living Daylights. He knew how to have fun with the role, but got serious when it was time to take care of business.
Now onto this film in particular. In general, it was a fairly decent start to the Brosnan era. Having a double-crossing double O agent seemed fresh and Sean Bean did a great job of being evil without being over the top. He really was an excellent foil to play off Brosnan. I actually would have liked him in more scenes, but between delaying his reveal and the large group of associate villains, it just wasn't possible.
There are also some big-time action sequences in this one. The film kicks off with that breathtaking bungee jump scene and also has that crazy dive into the airplane. Later on you have the tank scene which is crazy and probably Bond's most reckless chase scene, which is saying something. Given how impressive those scenes were, the film's climatic action sequences are somewhat of a letdown (especially Trevelyan's death scene), but still servicable.
The final strength of this film that I'll mention is Tina Turner's performance of the title song. She just knocks it out of the park and it is easily in my top 5 of Bond themes. Associated with that, I love the improvements Daniel Kleinman made with the opening sequences. Maurice Binder's work will always be iconic, but Kleinman did a great job of updating this while still keeping a lot of Binder's core concepts (i.e. silhouetted women).
Speaking of updates, the film tried to do a lot of that, most of which to annoying results. My biggest complaint of Goldeneye is its insistent reminders that we are living in a different world and era now. The film's political correctness just feel out of place. The James Bond character is timeless regardless of the fact that the Cold War was over. Thankfully, they would ease up on this as the franchise went on.
The one positive move that came out of this was making Judi Dench as the new M. She brings the right amount of steeliness to the role and doesn't make a big deal out of the fact that she's a woman.
The other interesting recurring cast members in this one are Joe Don Baker as Jack Wade and Robbie Coltrane as Zukovsky. I found it interesting that they brought Baker back in a different role, but don't understand why it was as a CIA agent. Why eliminate the Felix Leiter character? Coltrane on the other hand was a fun addition. I would love to see him make another appearance, but between the series' new direction and Coltrane's Potter schedule, this seems unlikely.
Finally, let's talk about the Bond girls, something that was problematic during the Dalton era. First, Famke Janssen is great as henchwoman Xenia Onatopp (great name!). It's been a while since we've seen a henchman with a unique method of murder, so that was a welcome return. As for Izabella Scorupco as Natalya, she's a mixed bag. You could tell she was pretty, but she was never what I would call sexy at any point in the film. She also was typically the one that kept forcing the PC issue with her bitching about "boys and their toys" which got annoying after a while. On the other hand, she was a lot more competent than a lot of Bond girls, so at least she had that going for her. One odd complaint about both Bond girls was their incessant screaming. Onatopp's primal yells and Natalya's shrieks of fear sounded the same and both hurt my ears.
Overall this is a solid start, but still had plenty of room to grow. Even though this film is now 13 years old (can't believe that), it still feels modern to me, unlike all the previous Bond films. That is, except for whenever they mention technology. Hearing Natalya's checklist at the computer store now is pretty funny. Anyways, I'm sure most people have seen this one, but if you haven't and you're interested in starting on this franchise this one isn't a bad one to start with. 8/10
NMR: Smorgsbord of movies
I've been sick since Sunday, so I've been checking out a bunch of movies on Netflix's online service and here are some quickie reviews for them:
Open Water: We'll begin with the one I actually rented first. 2004 was such an amazing summer of movies that something was bound to slip through the cracks and this just happened to be it. Billed as Jaws meets The Blair Witch Project, this is a short film based on true events about a married couple who accidentally get left behind by their boat while scuba diving. The majority of the film then focuses on these two trapped in the middle of shark-infested waters. It's a cool concept with lousy execution. The film looks as if it has the production value of skin flick on Cinemax. Also, the two lead actors aren't likeable in the least, so you're just hoping that the sharks eat them. Finally, I just did not feel the thrills and chills it set out to achieve. Perhaps watching this in the middle of the afternoon in my living room isn't the right setting to enjoy this type of film, so with the right setting this may be better than I'm giving it credit. But from my perspective, this one's a dud. Rating: **
Armed and Dangerous: I have seen this film before, but you can never go wrong with a John Candy movie in my opinion. This one involves him and Eugene Levy who recently lost their jobs and decide to become security guards. They discover that the union overseeing their company is corrupt (I know, shocking, right?) and they try to take them down. The film also features a young Meg Ryan in her first film. The film doesn't reinvent the wheel, but has its share of laughs. This is the film equivalent of comfort food. Rating: ***
My Kid Could Paint That: An interesting documentary from last year that could have been so much more. It deals with a 4 year old girl who is supposedly a modern art prodigy. Her work generated mainstream buzz until a 60 Minutes piece implied that she didn't really create the paintings. The film is rich with possible topics including how does one define art, showbiz moms and dads, the evils of hype and others. Unfortunately, the director is such a wuss he doesn't really probe at any of these issues. It's one thing to not take a side on the issue, but it's another to simply provide a superficial look at the subject. The film is worth a look because it will provoke a lot of debate amongst those who have seen it, but in terms of quality filmmaking, this movie is lacking. Rating: ***
Get Smart: Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control: This was the spinoff to the new Get Smart movie that came out this summer. This one focuses solely on the two gadget techs (Masi Oka and Nate Torrence). While it could have been a neat idea, the thing just screams cash grab. The plot is paper thin and the jokes are mostly obvious. I can't criticize it too much since it's just a straight to DVD release and doesn't try to pretend it's any better than it is. And it does seem like most of the people involved had fun doing this. I especially liked seeing Masi Oka and Jayma Mays on screen together again (They played Hiro and Charlie from Season 1 of Heroes). Still, this is only worth a look if you really enjoyed the new Get Smart movie and want to see more of these characters. Rating: **
The Comedians of Comedy: Live at the El Rey: I've talked about this group before, but in case you don't know, this group of stand-ups include Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, and Maria Bamford. This was a documentary made specifically for Netflix I believe which showcases one of their particular shows. If you've seen their act before, there's no real reason to see this as there's nothing new here. If you haven't, I wouldn't necessary recommend this either. Go watch one of their other specials. You get a more behind the scenes look at their humor plus it'll likely feature the hilarious Zach Galifinakis who is glaringly absent on this show. Bottom line, the comedy is funny but there are better representations of their work out there. Rating: ***
Open Water: We'll begin with the one I actually rented first. 2004 was such an amazing summer of movies that something was bound to slip through the cracks and this just happened to be it. Billed as Jaws meets The Blair Witch Project, this is a short film based on true events about a married couple who accidentally get left behind by their boat while scuba diving. The majority of the film then focuses on these two trapped in the middle of shark-infested waters. It's a cool concept with lousy execution. The film looks as if it has the production value of skin flick on Cinemax. Also, the two lead actors aren't likeable in the least, so you're just hoping that the sharks eat them. Finally, I just did not feel the thrills and chills it set out to achieve. Perhaps watching this in the middle of the afternoon in my living room isn't the right setting to enjoy this type of film, so with the right setting this may be better than I'm giving it credit. But from my perspective, this one's a dud. Rating: **
Armed and Dangerous: I have seen this film before, but you can never go wrong with a John Candy movie in my opinion. This one involves him and Eugene Levy who recently lost their jobs and decide to become security guards. They discover that the union overseeing their company is corrupt (I know, shocking, right?) and they try to take them down. The film also features a young Meg Ryan in her first film. The film doesn't reinvent the wheel, but has its share of laughs. This is the film equivalent of comfort food. Rating: ***
My Kid Could Paint That: An interesting documentary from last year that could have been so much more. It deals with a 4 year old girl who is supposedly a modern art prodigy. Her work generated mainstream buzz until a 60 Minutes piece implied that she didn't really create the paintings. The film is rich with possible topics including how does one define art, showbiz moms and dads, the evils of hype and others. Unfortunately, the director is such a wuss he doesn't really probe at any of these issues. It's one thing to not take a side on the issue, but it's another to simply provide a superficial look at the subject. The film is worth a look because it will provoke a lot of debate amongst those who have seen it, but in terms of quality filmmaking, this movie is lacking. Rating: ***
Get Smart: Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control: This was the spinoff to the new Get Smart movie that came out this summer. This one focuses solely on the two gadget techs (Masi Oka and Nate Torrence). While it could have been a neat idea, the thing just screams cash grab. The plot is paper thin and the jokes are mostly obvious. I can't criticize it too much since it's just a straight to DVD release and doesn't try to pretend it's any better than it is. And it does seem like most of the people involved had fun doing this. I especially liked seeing Masi Oka and Jayma Mays on screen together again (They played Hiro and Charlie from Season 1 of Heroes). Still, this is only worth a look if you really enjoyed the new Get Smart movie and want to see more of these characters. Rating: **
The Comedians of Comedy: Live at the El Rey: I've talked about this group before, but in case you don't know, this group of stand-ups include Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, and Maria Bamford. This was a documentary made specifically for Netflix I believe which showcases one of their particular shows. If you've seen their act before, there's no real reason to see this as there's nothing new here. If you haven't, I wouldn't necessary recommend this either. Go watch one of their other specials. You get a more behind the scenes look at their humor plus it'll likely feature the hilarious Zach Galifinakis who is glaringly absent on this show. Bottom line, the comedy is funny but there are better representations of their work out there. Rating: ***
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Licence to Kill (1989)
Plot: James Bond (Timothy Dalton) takes on his most daring adventure ever when he turns renegade and goes head to head with one of the international drug cartel's most brutal and powerful leaders. This time, he's fighting not for country, not for justice...but for revenge!
Firsts: Bond goes rogue, an actor returns to play Felix Leiter (David Hedison)
Gadgets: Video camera that turns into a rifle, toothpaste explosive with cigarette detanator, cummerbund with repelling gear, and Polaroid camera with laser flash
Girls Bond slept with: Pam Bouvier and Lupe Lamora
Elaborate murder attempt that Bond escapes: Placed on a conveyor belt leading to a grinder.
Personal review: I don't recall especially enjoying this one in the past, but this time around, I thought this was a really solid effort. Had Dalton been able to produce a couple more films like this one, he might not have gotten such a bad reputation as Bond. He still plays the character a bit too serious, but it was definitely an improved effort here. I think more so than being too serious, Dalton's greatest flaw was that he never seemed to be much of a ladies man. He didn't bring enough suave to the character, which I think is a major element needed for an actor to work as Bond.
The strongest part of this film I felt was the action. There are several really good scenes and most of them felt unique as well. The capturing of Sanchez to begin the film is one of the series' best openers. Then you have some quality stuff with Bond jetskiing to catch the plane and the concluding stuff involving the oil tankers. These were exciting scenes and really well done.
The film's other strong suit is Sanchez's cadre of henchmen. I don't know if there has been any other Bond film that had such a large cast of sleazy, slimy characters. You have Milton Krest, Hiller, Professor Joe and Dario (a young Benecio Del Toro) all playing pretty despicable guys. But perhaps worst of all is Truman-Lodge who is your typical 80's yuppie scum (Trivia note: This is the same guy who played 'Jimmy' on that infamous episode of Seinfeld). His character is so damn annoying and loathesome that I was hoping for a more elaborate death for him than simply having Sanchez shoot him.
Speaking of Sanchez, Robert Davi did a fine job in this role. I really liked how they played up the character's paranoia. We finally got to see Bond use some of that British intelligence to mess with his head instead of simply being a killing machine. I will say though that as fun as it is for Bond to feed into Sanchez's paranoia, it seems a bit farfetched for him to be able to remain undercover for as long as he did. I mean, where was Dario for most of the movie?
One of the more intriguing elements of the film is the fact that Bond breaks orders to do this mission. A rogue Bond has all sorts of potential, but they really didn't do enough with it. Given that this seems to be a plot point in the new Bond film, I hope they do a more adequate job of playing it up.
The film only has one major flaw and that is a terrible Bond girl. Carey Lowell is probably my second least favorite Bond girl behind Jill St. John and there are several reasons for my dislike of her. First, I cannot stand that boyish haircut she gets that so many women of the 80s seemed to have. Totally unappealing. Second, I never like it when the Bond girls get all chummy with the rest of the MI6 crew, in this case Q. It makes it seem like anyone could hang out with these supposed 'secret' agents. Finally, this girl is a stage five clinger. Seeing her mope whenever Bond wouldn't pay attention to her or flirt with Lupe was so annoying. Throughout the film, I was begging Bond to choose Lupe over her, but alas he didn't. After the yawner that was Olivia D'Abo in his previous film, Dalton really needed a stronger Bond girl here and didn't get it.
If you've never seen Dalton as Bond, do yourself a favor and definitely see this one. Even though the plot and feel of the film is very much rooted in the 80s, it is still a decent action flick. Dalton may get a bad rap for his portrayal of Bond, but there are certainly worst Bond films than this one. It's a shame he never had an opportunity to build off of this performance and legitimize himself as Bond, but just like Bond had his license to kill revoked in the film, Dalton had his license to play Bond taken away from him. Next up, the Brosnan era. 8/10
Friday, October 3, 2008
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