Topic: James Bond Marathon

[Dragonfire]

The World is Not Enough The World Is Not Enough is an exhilarating but sophisticated, action-packed adventure. With insight and intelligence, the producers, writers, director and star Pierce Brosnan reveal a new and exciting dimension to a character that has been in the public consciousness for 40 years – and the film further establishes Ian Fleming's legendary creation as one of the most popular literary and cinematic characters of all time. Pierce Brosnan returns as Bond, charged to protect a gorgeous billionaire heiress (Sophie Marceau) from the ruthless hands of nuclear-obsessed terrorist Renard (Robert Carlyle), who wants control of the world's petroleum supply. My Thoughts I actually watched this one at the beginning of the month, but I only just though checking out the extras.  I was waiting to post about the movie until I got through them. The plot is interesting for the most and having oil be involved works well.  Things end up being a bit more complicated than they seem at first.  Some of what happens is a bit predictable, but there are also a few things that happen that I thought were surprising the first time I saw the movie.  There is a little bit of mystery to what is going on, though it doesn't take long for James to figure out that Renard is involved.  There is enough mystery to keep things interesting, though the mystery could have been stronger.  Once again, there is a good amount of action throughout the movie.  The action scenes are done well and do help to keep things interesting as well as keep the pace moving.  One of the gadgets is rather silly even though it does end up being very useful at one point.  The violence isn't too extreme, though one or two things are a little more disturbing. James has his way with a few women again, starting with a female doctor he seduces to get cleared to go back on active duty after an injury.  Elektra is one of the stronger Bond women and a very intriguing character.  Unfortunately, the movie also has one of the worst Bond women ever in the form of Dr. Christmas Jones, a nuclear physicist.  I have no problem with beautiful women also being smart.  She just doesn't seem believable at all as a physicist.  And Denise Richards definitely isn't a good enough actress to pull that off.  She is horribly miscast and the character is is an undeveloped mess.  I still like Brosnan as Bond and think he handles the part well. The DVD has all sorts of extras on it about the making of the movie that are interesting.  A few of them seem a bit long, but they are interesting.  There is a nice tribute to Desmond Llewyn, the man who played Q.  This movie has some issues - mostly Denise Richards - but I still enjoy it overall. I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look. The World is Not Enough

[Dragonfire]

Die Another Day James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) pulls out all the stops to take you on an unforgettable, adrenaline-pumping ride across the globe in this action-filled adventure! From a dark cell in a North Korean prison to the beautiful beaches of Cuba, 007 is on the trail of a diabolical genius who's hellbent on slicing up the earth...literally. Now, it's up to Bond, with the help from a sultry American agent (Halle Berry), to put the evil mastermind's plan on ice. My Thoughts I first saw this one in the theater when it came out.  I know the movie has gotten a lot of flack, but I enjoy it.  I think it works as a fun, entertaining movie, like most of the Bond movies.  Things are different from fairly early in the movie with James being captured and tortured for 14 months.  Even after he is released, things aren't back to normal with him since it is believed that he gave up secrets while being held.  M is planning to send him off and basically retire him and she even tells him that he's not needed anymore.  Obviously that changes as the movie progresses.  James goes off by himself to try to track down a bad guy.  The plot is interesting, though the main bad guy using a satellite is kind of similar to Goldeneye.  It would have been nice if the plot had been a bit more original.  Lots of action turns up throughout the movie, which I expected.  The action scenes are done fine for the most part, though certain things do go over the top.  The idea of an invisible car is kind of cool, but it ends up being more cheesy.  James has always had a car with a lot of unique features and some weapons, but the weapons are way over the top this time, especially for the car the one bad guy drives later in the movie.  The Bond movies have usually featured some more...cutting edge gadget stuff.  Some virtual reality stuff turns up in a few scenes and that does seem kind of...odd.  The DNA stuff being done at the clinic is Cuba seems really bizarre, though the explanation at least sounds somewhat plausible.  The violence isn't too bad, though some things, like the torture stuff, are a bit more extreme.  The characters are fine, though they really don't stand out as memorable additions to the Bond world for the most part.  Jinx is fine, though she really just seems like a female version of James, jumping into bed at a moment's notice.  She is able to take care of herself in dangerous situations though.  Miranda is an interesting character and Roasmund Pike does well with the part.  John Cleese does ok as the new Q, though I do miss Desmond Llewellyn in the part. The movie does have issues, but it is enjoyable overall and worth seeing at least once. I did post a review on Epinions back in 2002 after seeing the movie in the theater. Die Another Day

[Dragonfire]

Casino Royale CASINO ROYALE introduces JAMES BOND before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to "00" status. "M" (Judi Dench), head of the British Secret Service, sends the newly-promoted 007 on his first mission that takes him to Madagascar, the Bahamas and eventually leads him to Montenegro to face Le Chiffre, a ruthless financier under threat from his terrorist clientele, who is attempting to restore his funds in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. "M" places Bond under the watchful eye of the Treasury official Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond's interest in her deepens as they brave danger together. Le Chiffre's cunning and cruelty come to bear on them both in a way Bond could never imagine, and he learns his most important lesson: Trust no one. My Thoughts I saw this one in the theater when it first came out.  I did have some doubts about Daniel Craig as the new Bond, but I was willing to give him a chance.  I think he does fine with the part, though I'm not as happy with some of the other changes made to the franchise.  Seeing James at the start of his career as a 00 agent is interesting.  James is focused on his mission, but he is a bit unsure of his new status.  He does mess up a few times.  It is odd to see a Bond movie without Q and Miss Moneypenny.  The plot gets slightly complicated and it isn't always clear why some things are happening at first.  The story works, though some scenes do drag out a bit.  The movie was based on the book by Ian Flemming, but since I haven't read it, I don't know how close to the book the movie stays.  I did see at least some of the first movie version and from what I remember, it was more of a spoof.  The story is more serious, and a lot of what happens helps to explain why James is the way he is later in his career.  It seems clear, especially after seeing the movie again this time, that a decision was made to try to make the Bond movies more like the Bourne movies.  While I like the Bourne movies overall - though I hate the jerky camera work - I don't see the need to turn Bond into a Bourne clone.  They are two different types of characters and movies and should stay that way.  Yes some of the Bond movies get a bit silly at times, but overall, they have been really good.  Some of that silliness is part of what makes the other movies more enjoyable for me.  Too much of what makes Bond Bond is missing from this one.  Seeing James at the beginning of his 00 career is fine..I just don't completely like the way things are handled. I do enjoy this movie, but it isn't one of my favorite Bond movies.  I think I actually liked it less after watching it this time than when I first saw it in the theater.  I think I have more appreciation for the other Bond movies now.  When I originally reviewed the movie on Epinions, I gave it 4 stars...I'll stick with that now, though I think my feeling for the rating is closer to 3.5 or even 3 stars now. I did post a review of this one on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater. Casino Royale

[Dragonfire]

Quantum of Solace Daniel Craig returns as James Bond! On a nonstop quest for justice that crisscrosses the globe, Bond meets the beautiful but feisty Camille (Olga Kurylenko), who leads him to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a ruthless businessman and major force within the mysterious Quantum organization.  When Bond uncovers a conspiracy to take control of one of the world's most important natural resources, he must navigate a minefield of treachery, deception and murder to neutralize Quantum before it's too late! My Thoughts I saw this one in the theater when it first came out.  This is the first time I've watched it since then.  I enjoy the movie, but I don't love it and it isn't one of my favorite Bond movies.  I do like that the story ties back into what was going on in Casino Royale and gives that left over situation a sense of closure that was missing after the last movie.  At times there doesn't seem to be as much of a connection back, but it keeps turning up.  The plot is interesting and once again there is a lot going on.  This one is shorter than a lot of Bond movies, but that works for the plot and keeps things from dragging out longer than necessary.  Much about Quantum remains a mystery by the end of the movie, so I could see the organization being used in future movies.  It does seem like SPECTRE to me.  Greene is alright as a villain, but he isn't as memorable as a lot of other Bond villains. There is tons of action throughout the movie, almost nonstop at times.  Unfortunately, the movie is firmly emulating the style of the action scenes from the last two Bourne movies with the quick cuts and extremely jerky camera work.  I hate that.  Because of how they were filmed, the action scenes are only ok for me.  There is a lot of violence in the movie, though I don't think any of it was as extreme as the one part in Casino Royale - I forgot to mention that before..  The torture scene is downright brutal and that sort of brutality doesn't have a place in the Bond movies I like.  Things are still a bit brutal at times in this one - James is more likely to shoot first in this one - though it slightly less brutal than the last one.  James is still developing throughout this movie, which makes sense since the series has been rebooted.  Little bits of things that have been established about the character make appearances..like James having his shaken martini.  James seems to be starting on the path of sleeping with all available women with how he had his way with Miss Fields - her first name is supposed to be Strawberry.  Pity it wasn't used in the movie.  He isn't completely there yet since he is only with her, but the beginning is there..and he is still dealing with with what happened with Vesper.  This James is a James I don't like that well.  It isn't Daniel Craig..he's fine.  It is just the direction the character is going.  He's cold and detached at times and, like I mentioned before, downright brutal.  He's practically a killing machine with all the people he kills in this one.  The previous versions of James killed too, but he seemed to be more...selective in his killing before instead of using it as a first option.  I just don't like James this violent all the time.  He is showing some signs of being suave and charming, but the violent nature is more present.  I hope that violent nature gets toned down a bit in the next movie...though with the mess with MGM, who knows when that will be.  I read tonight that the next Bond has been canceled for now because of that. I am disappointed that this movie is trying to hard to be like a Bourne movie.  Bond is not Bourne and I don't think that style works for Bond.  Of course, I don't care for some of that in Bourne either - the quick cuts and jerky camera work.  I hate things being so shaky that I can't tell who is who.  Bond is a very successful series of movies and the character deserves better than to be turned into a Bourne clone. I did enjoy the movie overall, though, like Casino Royale, I think I liked it less this time than I did when I originally saw it. I did post a review on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.  And I posted here about it before too.  Jimmy, you can decide if you want to change the link for the review or not. Quantum of Solace

[Dragonfire]

I am now officially finished with the James Bond Marathon.  I think I'm finishing a year after everyone else, but I finished just like I said I would.  Woo  Hoo.



I finished I finished I finished!!!!   

Ok..I'm done now.


Oh...since I used Quantum of Solace the last time I did an alphabet marathon in November of 2008, I decided to leave it out this time.  Though, maybe I'll add it in if I run out of time by the end of the month.

[Jimmy]

I'll change your link and congrats for ending this marathon

Certainly not one I would had succeed to do (not that I don't like the James Bond's film, but they are too unequal for me).

[Dragonfire]

Thank you.

I actually started watching all of them in order almost 2 years ago.  I posted a review of Dr. No on Epinions on August 14, 2008.  So I even started before everyone else too and it still took me longer.  :lol

But I am done.

And I have posted a review for all the Bond movies - except the older version of Casino Royale that is a spoof - on Epinions. 

[Tom]

I am now officially finished with the James Bond Marathon.

Congratulations! 

I have updated the list in the first post.

[Najemikon]

A grand old thread!

20/01/2009 -
07/07/2010

Well done. Now chop chop, because a certain Mr. Hitchcock thread will be even older soon.

[Dragonfire]

A grand old thread!

20/01/2009 -
07/07/2010

Well done. Now chop chop, because a certain Mr. Hitchcock thread will be even older soon.

Yeah yeah.. :p

And you should know, I have been making progress on that one lately too.  The end is in sight anyway.

[Achim]

I have updated the list in the first post.

So going by that Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved Me seem to be the two best-received Bond movies on this forum.

[Antares]

Saddest part though was about Mexican actor Pedro Armendariz, who played Kerim. He had cancer and became gravely ill during filming, but he insisted on finishing the film. They concentrated on his scenes and by the end were literally propping him up on set. After filming he checked into hospital. Rather than suffer any longer he shot himself with a gun he smuggled in. 

You might find this interesting...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conqueror_%28film%29

Armendariz was one of the 91 who died.

[Najemikon]

Wow I'd never heard that before
 

Thanks, Antares.

[Antares]

Wow I'd never heard that before
 

Thanks, Achim.

You're welcome RossRoy 

[Najemikon]

Well... shit.

 

I read it on me phone and zoomed out. "Antares", "Achim"... almost bloody identical.