What movie have you watched?

Quote from Noni

I suppose over time we can critize which Bond is better. I've watched every movie, apart from 2 early Connery Bond movies, mainly because I was too young to watch them in the cinema .

I'm sure whoever replaces Craig will have have a lot to live up to. And if he becomes a better Bond, then I'm sure the knives will be out too . I do miss those simple gadgets and the humour of Q..

Hopefully the next one will be a white British bloke. . Unless Craig decides after the next movie that he wants to carry on.

It's unlikely Craig will go on after te next one, a tentative schedule would put him in his mid-50s, I think he is done. I have the feeling the next one, after Craig's stellar delivery will be sort of a ''rebound'' Bond.

Quote from Fabrizio

Quote from Fabrizio

I have more issues with Spectre to be honest, after having worked hard as you said, to strip always most of the nonsense, I think they fell a bit too much in the Roger Moore era atmosphere.

Good heavens.

You'll have to explain this one for me. It sounds like you're saying Spectre was too much like a Moore Bond, which I find absolutely baffling in every possible way!

(It's so bloody annoying you can't delete the surplus quote box when it does that duplicate thing when you think it hasn't worked but it has)

Quote from Backdrifter

Good heavens.

You'll have to explain this one for me. It sounds like you're saying Spectre was too much like a Moore Bond, which I find absolutely baffling in every possible way!

Well, I don't know how much time you got but here it goes: visually there's more than a nod to Moore, the promotional posters for instance where Craig wears either a black, turtle-neck sweater or a white-jacket tuxedo, neither of which were fashion items when the film was released and they were clearly channeling Roger Moore and his era. With the initial scene, the mask Bond wears is clearly reminiscent of Live and let die and then there's the general tone of the film. Gone is the gritty, somber atmosphere of the first movies, the tone is much lighter and there are some humorous bits like Bond falling on a couch when the whole building is collapsing, quite the departure again from the original intention of Craig's Bond. He was hailed as the new, contemporary Bond in tune with the times, heavily influenced by the first Jason Bourne and they were very careful in keeping the Kissy-Kissy, Bang-Bang element in check but not here. Connery said the Craig gets the danger element very well and I would agree but humor isn't exactly his forte. He is not smooth, sophisticated and debonnaire like Moore but I think people liked him for that. Of course the Ladies must love Bond must he must also look like someone who can kick your ass and Craig fits the part.

Several scenes are a bit disconcerting: I obviously salute him for bedding Monica Bellucci but in recap, this woman went to her husband's funeral, fears for her life, just survived an assassination attempt and she is horny? Only Domino was this careless. I understand we are talking about Bond but they were really careful avoiding stuff like this on the previous 3 movies, here it is just gratuitous. He takes a brutal beating from a ginormous henchman, again, the fight is not without humor and no blood, no bruises something we saw in the other movies and after that he fancies a shag? It screams Moore all over. Final scene, he shoots down a helicopter in the middle of London? We know you want to nail the bad guy James but have you thought this through? It's an action movie and it's Bond but some things which were again held in check in the previous films are really loose here and they strain credulity, even for Bond and that's because Craig ruined us for sloppy plots, cheap jokes and gratuitous sex scenes. Also this movie has the least believable Villain of all Craig's films. I guess we all drooled when we heard Spectre and Blofeld were back and played by Waltz on top of that but boy does it fall flat! He is not scarier than Scaramanga and it's really heard to see his motivation. All the other had reasons and in Skyfall a valid point but here? Daddy jealousy issues? I kill my father and set up a worldwide evil organization….Come on….Bond is only as good as his opponent, it's pretty much a rule of thumb. I could go on but I think I made my point. In the end a good movie, a good Bond, the entertainment value is for my money still there but I definitely like the other three movies better even Quantum which as I said provides some closure to the superb Casino Royale

As far as the "screams Moore" stuff goes we'll just have to just leave it there as I absolutely don't agree with any of what you said on that at all! Ditto the tone being too light, I don't see that. There may have been something of a conscious nod to the older films as it was clearly intended at the time as a sort of wrap-up film, but it didn't feel Moreish to me in any way.

A lot of what you've said other than that is something I'd never bother doing, i.e. picking holes in a Bond film plot. You're generally on a hiding to nothing with that. Even allowing for the very conscious change in tone with Craig's arrival, I still would never expect coherent flawless plots and action pieces. The building-site chase scene in Casino is a prime example - completely stupid but massively entertaining and exactly the sort of thing I enjoy in these films. While Quantum doesn't float my boat, I do like the bombastically daft opera scene. If it's ever on TV I do try to catch that bit and can ignore the rest (except for a bit of drooling at Gemma Arterton).

I have a friend who cannot watch Bond films at all as she absolutely loathes them, and a big part of it is exactly the sorts of scenes we're talking about - where I dimly recognise an action sequence is really stupid with a completely nonsensical basis I can put that aside and enjoy the action, but for her, it's just plain stupid and she can't get any enjoyment from it. It sounds like with Spectre at least, you felt it got too silly and you've slipped into her mindset.

I do agree Blofeld is a disappointment. I think the same thing happened with Waltz as happened with Bardem. Both drew attention as genuinely chilling villains, in Inglorious and No Country. That led to them being cast as Bond villains, but in neither case did they come close to matching the scariness of those other roles. Bardem was a bit better in that respect.

The main bit of really silly business in Spectre in my view was 'C' comically wheeling his arms around before plummeting down the atrium. It just makes me laugh.

I'd love the next main villain to be female. Cate Blanchett could do a good job of that.

By the way -

Quote from Fabrizio

I obviously salute him for bedding Monica Bellucci

We can leave it at that but we don't have to, perhaps you can back it up, the way I did, right or wrong. It doesn't feel Mooreish because Craig can never be Moore and I understand you don't agree but I think I provided enough examples to support my case. The fight and subsequent love scene on the train are just an example. Think about the fight in the Hotel in Haiti in Quantum. Cuts, bruises, he has to cover himself to conceal the wounds. In Spectre his Tuxedo remains immaculate….After fighting Batista!!?? And what's best than sex after someone double your size beat the crap out of you and you escaped death by the skin of your teeth? Did you see Craig in any similar situation in the previous movies? You don't think the tone was lighter than Casino, Quantum or Skyfall? Seems fairly clear to me and it was also reviewed in that way. Could in your opinion the fall on the couch scene have been in Casino? I doubt it. You don't think the car chase in Rome with him talking to Moneypenny on the phone and pushing a Fiat 500 with an old geezer inside was Mooreish? Wasn't it again a nod to For your eyes only and the Renault chase?

No, I don't take Bond seriously and I'm not being picky with Bond's plot, there's a lot to tear apart in any of his movies and if I would look for some logic and coherence I'd be lost and couldn't possibly enjoy it but as I said, there was a conscious effort to hold back a little in the first three films, in Spectre it's all over the place. The reference was Bourne and we can't take that seriously either, can we? Take his interaction with the Ladies. In Casino he seduces the bad guy's girlfriend which makes sense since she wants to get back to him. Doesn't complete the thing to run errands and one could say it's very Un-Bondlike but it makes sense. In Spectre he finds the time. What's the difference? Both hot, both Italian...I would venture the difference is the tone. Then there's Vesper and she is somewhat believable in a Bond sort of way. BTW wonderful repartee on the train scene. In Quantum apart from the interlude with Gemma which serves the plot and subsequent nod to Goldfinger when she dies, he shares a brief, desperate quite asexual kiss with the babe in the end. Again, total sense. In Skyfall, he might have or less seduced Moneypenny or the other way around which makes sense but it's not for us to know and then of course again the bad guy's girl, everything sort of lows organically….In a Bond sort of way. Btw I thought Barden was excellent. In Spectre EVERYTHING is far-fetched, even for Bond. I am not saying I don't like it though, my wife always says Bond brings out mi inner child but I wish they had remained on course they laid down with the previous films. They had done a terrific job and with Spectre they sort of slipped a little imo.

Oh yeah…..Monica..Nuff' Said!!

I respectfully read your post and wanted to make that clear as I don't mean my following comments to seem in any way dismissive or disrespectful, but I couldn't help chuckling. You've bombarded me with questions none of which I have the slightest interest in addressing for the very reason I gave earlier: ie. you are asking about the logic of plot points and action sequences in a Bond movie. To me, there simply isn't any point in doing that. Also you've made the agreeably bizarre request that I back up something I don't think is there, the Moreishness. You've very reasonably stated why you think it is there, and I disagree but respect your views. But I don't see how I can 'back up' the fact I don't see those connections, as pleasingly metaphysical as that notion is. All I can say is, I've read your views on it, but I don't see those connections. Maybe with the exception of the Fiat 500 scene, I can kind of see that.

I'm really not fussed what reviewers said, if they were in line with your views so be it, but it makes no difference to me, nor does this Bourne thing you've mentioned a couple of times which strikes me as irrelevant.

I can't bear that one who plays Vesper, she's a truly terrible actor (well she is in that film anyway) and the banter on the train is a bit cringey. Whoever did her wardrobe didn't do her any favours, they provided a series of really horrible dresses for her to look ill-attired in.

I short, as far as 007 movies go, pre-Craig I can sort of stomach Goldfinger and Daylights, Licence To Kill is okay, if I have absolutely nothing I feel like doing and have no energy to get off the couch I might slouch my way through most of Die Another Day. With the Craigs, I like them all, with Skyfall being probably the best, and Quantum good for the odd scene here and there.

Quote from Backdrifter

I respectfully read your post and wanted to make that clear as I don't mean my following comments to seem in any way dismissive or disrespectful, but I couldn't help chuckling. You've bombarded me with questions none of which I have the slightest interest in addressing for the very reason I gave earlier: ie. you are asking about the logic of plot points and action sequences in a Bond movie. To me, there simply isn't any point in doing that. Also you've made the agreeably bizarre request that I back up something I don't think is there, the Moreishness. You've very reasonably stated why you think it is there, and I disagree but respect your views. But I don't see how I can 'back up' the fact I don't see those connections, as pleasingly metaphysical as that notion is. All I can say is, I've read your views on it, but I don't see those connections. Maybe with the exception of the Fiat 500 scene, I can kind of see that.

I'm really not fussed what reviewers said, if they were in line with your views so be it, but it makes no difference to me, nor does this Bourne thing you've mentioned a couple of times which strikes me as irrelevant.

I can't bear that one who plays Vesper, she's a truly terrible actor (well she is in that film anyway) and the banter on the train is a bit cringey. Whoever did her wardrobe didn't do her any favours, they provided a series of really horrible dresses for her to look ill-attired in.

I short, as far as 007 movies go, pre-Craig I can sort of stomach Goldfinger and Daylights, Licence To Kill is okay, if I have absolutely nothing I feel like doing and have no energy to get off the couch I might slouch my way through most of Die Another Day. With the Craigs, I like them all, with Skyfall being probably the best, and Quantum good for the odd scene here and there.

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Well, we definitely going to have to leave it at that It's just a bit difficult to understand, as debate dynamics go.

One makes a statement, backs it up and again, I am fully aware the backing it up doesn't prove the point or makes it right. The other simply replies I don't see it and I don't agree, without touching or addressing any of the point or providing a counterargument. It's more stonewalling than discussing imo but I can live with that and your chuckling. Not being ironic here, I think we are talking past each other, I can see that when you believe I am asking you to back up something you don't believe it exists which is really not the case but it might very well be my fault and I don't believe it can be fixed in writing Let's just enjoy Bond, can't wait for Nov.2019.

Footnote to the Bond film discussion, I was sorry to learn Danny Boyle has left the new 007 project. I'd have been intrigued to see what he and his writing partner John Hodge would have brought to it. They were apparently planning a very different type of script but the Broccoli team thought it was too un-Bond-like. But the official reports are that he clashed with Daniel Craig over the casting of the Russian villain (I gather it's a modern cold-war type story).

Quote from Backdrifter

Footnote to the Bond film discussion, I was sorry to learn Danny Boyle has left the new 007 project. I'd have been intrigued to see what he and his writing partner John Hodge would have brought to it. They were apparently planning a very different type of script but the Broccoli team thought it was too un-Bond-like. But the official reports are that he clashed with Daniel Craig over the casting of the Russian villain (I gather it's a modern cold-war type story).

I was about to post about the same topic, I read more or less the same, frictions with Craig over casting. Let's see what happens now.

Tonight I went to my local arts centre to see Hereditary. I wasn't too sure about it at first, but it gradually got better. It's in the horror category, and has a couple of gory moments, including a horrible and upsetting scene early on. There are a couple of silly bits too, but overall it's well-made and quite creepy. The basic plot is that an elderly woman dies, and after the funeral her daughter starts to find out some things about her past that are initially puzzling, then increasingly disturbing...

I recently went to see The Little Stranger, adapted from the Sarah Waters novel. It's an atmospheric period piece with a hint of the supernatural, with some very nice understated performances. And it's got Ruth Wilson in.

In the years immediately after WWII, a village doctor starts making regular visits to a local mansion, home of an upper-class family, following a routine professional call-out. It stirs his memory of having visited there as a young boy, and we begin to see that maybe that visit all those years ago has had a far-reaching effect on both him and the family.

Over the course of the next week I'm aiming to see A Star Is Born, First Man and Columbus, all at my local arts centre.

Just seen A Star Is Born and thoroughly enjoyed it. A really engrossing film with two great lead performances. Kudos to Bradley Cooper who also directed and co-wrote it, as well as performing the songs, some of which he co-wrote. I mean, share the talent out a bit, man!

Quote from Backdrifter

Just seen A Star Is Born and thoroughly enjoyed it. A really engrossing film with two great lead performances. Kudos to Bradley Cooper who also directed and co-wrote it, as well as performing the songs, some of which he co-wrote. I mean, share the talent out a bit, man!

Saw it today, and yes, it was very very good. Lady Gaga is a pretty good actress.

Quote from foxfeeder

Saw it today, and yes, it was very very good. Lady Gaga is a pretty good actress.

She was good, and looked good, ironically until her character started to get more 'manufactured' looking. She was impressive, I'd look out for other screen performances now.

Since seeing that I've seen a couple more.

First Man was very good, portraying Neil Armstrong's life from test flights in 1961 through to the moon landing (I hope that's not too much of a spoiler). The portrayal of his and Aldrin's characters is interesting, and there are a couple of unexpectedly moving moments. The opening scene is one of the most tense white-knuckle opening sequences I've seen.

Columbus is a nicely slow, steady film about a man coming to Columbus Indiana where his father has been hospitalised. He meets and bonds with a young woman who is in a parallel situation, as she lives with her mother about whom we gradually discover more. The film shows the two friends' relationship as it develops, and incorporates into the narrative the remarkable architecture of Columbus. It's a really good, quietly compelling film and I was especially impressed by Haley Lu Richardson's lead performance, I'll definitely look out for her from now on.

Bohemian Rhapsody. Not perfect, several chronological errors and "history re-writes" but one funny one is the inclusion of Mike Myers as EMI man Ray Foster. If you are familiar with the film Wayne's World, you will laugh, and Mike's casting is clearly a set-up for this.

Very loose Genesis connection: The actress who plays Mary Austin played the "Peter Gabriel" character in the Musical Box themed episode of Endeavour.

Quote from foxfeeder

Bohemian Rhapsody. Not perfect, several chronological errors and "history re-writes" but one funny one is the inclusion of Mike Myers as EMI man Ray Foster. If you are familiar with the film Wayne's World, you will laugh, and Mike's casting is clearly a set-up for this.

Very loose Genesis connection: The actress who plays Mary Austin played the "Peter Gabriel" character in the Musical Box themed episode of Endeavour.

I’ll look out for her then – I was quite proud of spotting that one at the time

I’m hoping to go & see Bohemian Rhapsody on Thursday night.

I've never seen Endeavour so had no idea there was a MB-themed episode, I'll have to look out for it. That's the series with Roger Allam isn't it? One of my favourite actors.

Queen were an odd one for me. I really liked them as a kid, up to News of the World. After that, it wasn't as though I went off them as such, I more sort of drifted away from them and never came back. I still regard some of those 70s albums as containing a few of my favourite rock tracks of the time. I don't have any inclination to see the film though.

This week I'm aiming to see a few screenings at the Inverness Film Festival.