Oct 26: Casino Royale- Review #300

"In his first mission, James Bond must stop Le Chiffre, a banker to the world's terrorist organizations, from winning a high-stakes poker tournament at Casino Royale in Montenegro."

Directed by: Martin Campbell, Rated: PG-13, 144 minutes

As a quick preface to this review I want to state that this is not only my 300th review of the year, but also my 400th post. Thank you to all of my readers as I couldn't have gotten this far without you!

Casino Royale reintroduces us to James Bond, the martini-loving, woman-seducing, badass secret agent. And it does it in such glorious fashion, combining everything we love about the character and adding a tad bit of Bourne, a wee bit of Indiana Jones, and enough originality to make the 50 year old icon feel fresh. It's far from your formulaic Bond flick and manages to not only keep you guessing, but even fearing for the life of a man you know cannot die. It's suspenseful, it's action-packed, it's funny, it's sexy, and most importantly, is a film that Bond deserves. Oh, it's worth mentioning that Casino Royale also boasts not one, but two incredible openings. Yeah, it's that good. 

Sorry, THREE incredible openings if you count the amazing opening credits. 

Newly promoted to a double-0 agent at MI:6, a secret British intelligence agency that rivals the CIA, James Bond (Daniel Craig) is thrown head first into an elaborate mission where both his skills and strengths will be tested. Now, Bond isn't quite as sophisticated and suave as we've seen in the past. He's very rough around the edges, reckless at times, and quick to shoot. He's impulsive with all of his decisions, from what to do or whom to pursue (with both bad guys and women). Under the (sometimes) supervision of M (Judi Dench) Bond is sent to Montenegro to prevent the evil "banker to the terrorists", Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) from winning a high stakes poker game in which he can recoup his losses and pay back his own boss after a failed terrorist attack. To enter the game, a beautiful treasury secretary, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) gives Bond $10 million and flirts with him just enough to gain his attention. Under pressure from seemingly every angle, Bond must defeat Le Chiffre in poker, prevent him from paying his own employer as well as taking down his syndicate. 

While Le Chiffre is far from the most memorable of villains, Mikkelsen makes him very hard to forget. 

Casino Royale is a modern Bond movie for a modern audience. Daniel Craig is terrific as Bond and he's far from what we have come to expect in the role (I mean, he's got blonde hair and blue eyes!). Craig manages to make the iconic character his own, however, and turns in a much more vulnerable performance than the past actors who have played 007. He's much more human and relatable, even if he can jump from buildings and take out baddies left and right. This Bond actually bleeds, gets tortured, and at the heart of the story, actually truly falls in love. He's a man driven by emotion, not by a title or a gun, and in doing so he not only makes mistakes but suffers as well. We're well past the days of perfect heroes who never get shot and get the girl in the end, and Casino Royale focuses on that aspect brilliantly. 

Vesper is a very smart woman and much more of a challenge for Bond than previous love interests. 

Now, Casino Royale isn't all about the emotion. Director Martin Campbell crafts incredible action sequences deserving of this bigger, better, and more gritty Bond. From the opening black and white sequence that introduces us to 007, to the following chase sequence that sees Bond chasing a man who jumps and climbs over every obstacle like a crazy monkey, Campbell blends suspense with shock and awe. It's a terrific combination that gives nods to previous Bond films while recreating the hero like we have never seen before. Along with the great visuals, David Arnold gives us a musical score that highlights the somber moments beautifully and accentuates the dramatic tension of the action just as well. The iconic, nay, legendary Bond theme finds its way into the movie, but does it as more of a nod to the past as it is used more of a stepping stone into Casino Royale as opposed to a continued motif. The same can be said of the trademark lines of Bond, as the movie brushes off the martini quote and completely destroys his signature Aston Martin. Again, these nods reminds us we're in 007's universe but also tells the audience that this is indeed, a different kind of Bond. 

Bleeding and dirty, this is not what you expect James Bond to look like. 

As different as Casino Royale is from its predecessors, it still is a true Bond movie at heart. With incredible action sequences, beautiful women left and right, and a hero who knows what needs to get done no matter what the cost is, the film reintroduces the Ian Fleming legend with both dramatic and suspenseful justice. Daniel Craig completely takes over the role and does whatever he pleases with it, running off carelessly after a bad guy and actually falling in love with a woman. Casino Royale by itself is an exceptional film and adding the Bond label to it only makes it greater. It's a blockbuster with not only a smart script, but a flawed hero. Much recognition needs to be given to both the filmmakers and the cast, especially Craig who defied all expectations placed upon him and can easily be called one of (if not the best) actors to play James Bond. Whenever the film dives deep into a full out action flick or even a suspenseful poker movie, we're reminded that it is indeed a James Bond movie. The film ends with the iconic line, "The name's Bond. James Bond", only cementing the fact that he has indeed returned.

The Good:

great action sequences that contrast very well with the more emotional moments that bring Bond down to a more realistic, on-earth level

The Better:

even better performances from the supporting cast, from the villain to the girl, and Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, and Giancarlo Giannini

The Best:

Daniel Craig as a new breed of Bond that's both vulnerable and badass, with an added touch of his charisma, charm, and complexity

9.3/10

Discussion Question:

Where does Daniel Craig rank among the actors who have played Bond and what do you think he does better then the rest?

Trailer:

Oct 23: Dark Shadows

"An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection."

Directed by: Tim Burton, Rated: PG-13, 113 minutes

I have stated before that Johnny Depp needs to end his marriage to Tim Burton and move past the strange and the weird. The man is talented, yes, but his "wife" continually makes him dress up in horrible costumes and even worse makeup for films that have the slightest bit of darkness surrounding them. Oh, you know what would go well with that (insert TV show, movie, cartoon) remake, Mr. Burton? A side of Johnny Depp. Hell, while you're at it, throw in your other wife, Helena Bonham Carter, she'll work for free! But wait! We need an older actor to add some "veteran" experience to the flick. Go on Burton, grab Christopher Lee, you've done it plenty of times before! I can only imagine that's the conversation Burton has with every producer in Hollywood these days. And to make this all sound spooky, with choir voices and sinister tones, Burton, of course, asks for help from Danny Elfman for the score.

 Please, you two. Stop it. For the sake of both of your careers. 

Now some of you may be thinking, "This relationship is amazing! They have made so many great movies together!". Sure, they have had a couple of classics (anything with Ed or Edward in the title), but can we really look past their last few films? I, for one, cannot forgive nor forget the atrocities that are Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, nor do I really want to. With Dark Shadows, Burdeppon has slapped me on the face once more, laughing at the fact that they have again gotten a way with producing a "hit". At this point in their careers, I have come to the conclusion that Burton and Depp just don't care anymore. Continually recycling and reusing the same ideas, the dark "quirkiness and charm", and again, the same actors and actresses, Burdeppon has milked every last drop (and then some) of this unusual cash cow. 

Oh look! It's Willy Barnabas Mad Hatter Sparrow Thompson!

Adapting a beloved TV show that all of us pretended to be familiar with once this project was announced, Tim Burton retells/remakes/rehashes the story of Barnabas Collins (Depp), an aristocrat turned-vampire who awakens after centuries of "eternal slumber" in 1972. As we all know, this time in history is incredibly relatable to the target demographic and all of us can look back at that day and age with familiarity and nostalgia. Barnabas awakens to find his estate is in disrepair and that his descendants live giving off an illusion that they're sitting on gold. Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) is in fact, the reason the family has fallen upon hard times, and, as a witch, has taken over the quiet fishing town of Collinsport, Maine. Under her witchcraft-ness, the townspeople have dedicated all of their resources to her and her business and the entire town's wealth trickles through her. Barnabas, aroused yet infuriated, with Angelique (she was the one to turn him into a vampire in the first place), vows to return his family to honor.

Even someone as beautiful as Eva Green gets destroyed by the twelve layers of makeup that are mandatory when working with Burton.

There's very little to love in Dark Shadows. Again, Tim Burton follows the paths he walked down with Alice and Charlie and refuses to use practical sets and actual locations for the film. So much of the movie is glossed over with foggy effects and over-CGI'd backdrops that very little of the final product feels like a story set in the 70s. Burton has again become the victim of himself and his obsession with turning the unnecessary into darkness and glum prove to be one of the movie's greatest weaknesses. Depp is more than past his prime as Barnabas and the character is exactly the same as the last four or five you have seen him play. Post-Pirates of the Caribbean Depp has continually channeled his inner Hunter S. Thompson while throwing in a fake-something-accent and being more bizarre than charming. Of the rest of the cast (that's quite packed, might I mention) there is really no stand outs. Eva Green is the closest to great as Angelique, and as the witch-ness unravels about her, her scenes become more interesting. Chloe Grace Moretz plays Carolyn, the young, rebellious, "sassy" teenager but Burton pumps up her sexuality to a point that leaves you rather confused and uncomfortable. As for Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonny Lee Miller, and Helena Bonham Carter Depp Burton, their roles are rather minimal and their presences feel used simply for the recognition factor as opposed to talent. 

Even Rorschach can't save the movie. 

Dark Shadows is one of Burton's weakest films and easily the most phoned movie in his filmography. Nearly every aspect of the movie falls short of anything wonderful and drags on for far too long. Dated and uninspired Dark Shadows fails to charm or humor the audience and only reminds us that the days of good Burdeppon movies are long gone. While I have seen exceptional films from the man, I have lost almost all faith in Tim Burton. I can only imagine the day he gives us a product worthy to stand next to Big Fish and Ed Wood, his two marvelous masterpieces. Dark Shadows is just another smear on his rather eclectic filmography and quite a low point for Johnny Depp as well. Both men I used to look up to and respect, but the way their careers are heading I can only assume that respect will run dry. 

The Good:

Eva Green has her few moments of brilliance but what Burton puts her up against leaves much to be desired

The Bad:

a weak script with an entire lack of humor that tries to be something quirky and dark but ends up mundane and glossy

The Ugly:

Depp and Burton's relationship has expired and the film tries its hardest to push past the fact, but fails in nearly every aspect

3.5/10

Trailer: