Winter movies '08: Aaaaand they're off!

[thatcrazycajun]

Last weekend officially began the winter moviegoing season for me, with a viewing of the latest "new model" James Bond, Agent 007 flick, Quantum of Solace. As has been pointed out elsewhere, this is the first Bond film that's actually a sequel, picking up plotwise right where and when the last one, Casino Royale, left off. It's certainly full of action and intrigue, but sadly lacking in either the copious quantities of sex or gadgetry that have historically been hallmarks of the Bond film series (aside from Bond's tricked-out cell phone and the "magic screens" shown at MI6 HQ). While I understand the (creative and financial) need to break away from the old tried-and-trite formula, I agree with at least one critic that Daniel Craig's Bond needs to lighten the hell up, already. More humor and sex, less grim-'n'-gritty vendetta-chasing, please. I am reliably informed that these last two movies show a Bond far closer to the late Sir Ian Fleming's original literary creation than any of the films thus far; if so, I may very well be glad I haven't read the books.

Today I went to see a much lighter-hearted offering of Hollywood product, the new Walt Disney Pictures film Bolt. This is the first digitally-animated film to come out of the Mouse House without the imprimatur of its Pixar subsidiary, but longtime Pixar producing/writing wizard John Lasseter is still in charge as exec producer, and I heartily join filkertom in recommending it, whether you have young 'uns to entertain or not this holiday season (especially if you can afford to splurge on a screening of the 3-D version, which I did). The animation is slick, the voices are pitch-perfect and the storyline is full of humor, warmth and the family-friendly, feel-good wholesomeness for which the Disney brand is world-famous. (Though if I were a Hollywood entertainment-industry professional, I might be a tad annoyed at the rather unsavory portrayals of various such people in this movie.) Message: friendship and love may be the most awesome "superpowers" of all.

Comments

[shelleybear.livejournal.com]

Nope.
No "Joke Shop Spy" for me.
Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig were pretty much exactly what Fleming intended.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

Bearing in mind that he was impressed enough with Sean Connery that he began to write the character with Connery in mind, near the end of that run.

But yes, Craig is far more Bond in five minutes than Roger Moore was in the total of his (longest-ever) run.

[shelleybear.livejournal.com]

The only thing that made me sad about Roger Moore was seeing him in "For Your Eyes Only".
Perhaps it was the only time in his run that they let him be Bond.
No gadgets, no wise cracking. Just a good plot with an excellent supporting cast.
Of course, it bombed (as much as any Bond film can be said to bomb).
As did "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", "License to Kill" and "The Living Daylights". My three favorite films without Daniel Craig.

What does it matter to ya
When you got a job to do
You gotta do it well
You gotta give the other fellow hell*


*"Live and Let Die"
Paul McCartney and Wings.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

I maintain that QoS is really the second half of, rather than a sequel to, CR. While I had some problems with the cinematography and quick cuts (like almost everyone), I can even justify it as being a reflection of Bond's state of mind, after the events of CR and moving forward into QoS. (I still hated not being able to tell protagonist from antagonist in several fights, though.)

I hope -- expect -- that Bond will have a bit of humor in the next movie, although not nearly to the extent that he did through the Moore years. Remember, what we're seeing here is an absolutely raw 00 agent, learning to be the best ever. He's got to learn the balance between killing and not killing, and lightening up despite his overall intensity.

Daniel Craig is either the second-best Bond (Connery being the best) or the best ever. (I'll allow as how the Pierce Brosnan Bond of Goldeneye gets consideration, but he blew it in all the following efforts.) I think we need to see the next film (or two) to decide. (And by then, I think Craig is outta here; he's signed for three, or perhaps four films.)

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

>>...what we're seeing here is an absolutely raw 00 agent, learning to be the best ever. He's got to learn the balance between killing and not killing, and lightening up despite his overall intensity.<<

Well, I hope he gets past the learning curve damn fast. And I hope this includes getting to a point where the writers/producers don't feel the need to set up an adversarial relationship between Bond and his employers in every film. Seriously, how many real-life government agents, no matter how smart or skilled, do you think could get away with repeatedly disobeying direct orders -- from the head of the agency herself, no less? My guess would be none; I've known enough US federal employees (including two I've dated) to know that, when you work for Her Majesty or Uncle Sam, you Do As You're Told and Go Where You're Sent, period, or you're gone. Transferred to Outer Slobbovia at the very least, discharged and facing criminal charges at worst. If they're trying for realism, this works very heavily against it in my book.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

In large part, Bond has gotten to the point of listening to M. (Not necessarily to any other officials, but to her, because she's got his respect. She's been right when she told him stuff, before it came to pass.) Of course, in many ways, that's the point of 00 agents; they have huge latitude and autonomy in their work, and M is teaching him where the actual limits are. Bear in mind that the methods used to create him (taking A Norphan who is brilliant, getting him well edumacated, and teaching him to Fulfill the Mission) lend themselves to producing somewhat loose cannons.

Either way, I like this Bond, though five or ten minutes of lightening up in the next flick would be welcome, to improve the pacing.

[sffilk.livejournal.com]

I've not seen any of the summer film I wanted to see, and from what I saw, there's nothing really much to catch my interest this winter, so I'll probably end up watching the rest of "The Prisoner" and the Emma Peel "Avengers" episodes.