Watched, Watched, Watching: Saltier Things Part One

[Zorral]

2 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

It's simply not a good film. I really liked the dynamic of Bond being retired and replaced, and some of the set action was breathtaking as always, but the actual story, why?

  Why indeed, especially that arbitrary decision to put Spectre in Cuba, as if, as if, as if, that could happen anyway.  Besides,  Cuba, Santiago or otherwise, is not among the multiple locations – I could tell it was studio space and another island, which could have been the DR. They say it was Jamaica, Kingston, because there were parts that look like Santiago, but they do not.  Also, though compelled by who knows what, to throw in that decades long determination of those who know nothing about Cuba to define Cuba with a 1957 Chevrolet – that is Havana, and not Santiago.  Those cities are anything but interchangeable, and that means culturally and architecturally as well. Moreover, a gun fight in the middle of Santiago and no military descending in a swarm on top of them – or on that pontoon plane heading off into, presumably, the strait that separates Cuba from Haiti?   (The Showrunner even gets that wrong in this interview – he says Santiago is directly across from Jamaica.  Feh.)   https://www.cntraveler.com/story/on-location-no-time-to-die  But they wanted Cuba so they shoved a mess in there.  It was ridiculous -- particularly the very idea of some sort of party in Santiago where everyone wears tuxes, and a gorgeous female runs around the streets in stilettos and a barely there very expensive gown -- I'd maybe have believed it, if the party was in the Domincan Republic's Santiago, but not in Cuba, particularly not these days. Also the Russians wouldn't allow that either, since so many of them have their yachts in the Caribbean harbors, harbors not available at the western, Atlantic side, Havana.

I did like the idea of two 007's running around at the same time, but they seem not to have done much with that either.  Or that seeming cigar that is picked up early in "Santiago."  I keep expecting it to explode or something.  Actually I didn't think it was a cigar but a disguised vial of the dna targeted supervirus of mass destruction.  I still have a half hour to go, so haven't yet given up entirely my hope of exploding cigar. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

I have watched the first 2 1/2 episodes of Peaky Blinders season 6.  Liking it very much.  One of the elements that emerged so far, which seems to work very well, so far, is a reassertion of reliance by Tommy in Romani / Gypsy ways (yes, these are the terms Tommy uses, and so does the showrunner) of healing body and soul, now that Polly is gone.

The way the show handled the loss of Polly was effective and sensitive. Tears did come to my eyes when

Spoiler

her caravan, with her body and valued possession, including her portrait were burned in a Romani funeral, after she, with two other members of the Shelby family had been murdered.  That Tommy 'sees' her still, in the Romani way, is also effective, whether one wishes to view it as part of his breakdown / unraveling or something else.

 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

40 minutes ago, Zorral said:

I still have a half hour to go, so haven't yet given up entirely my hope of exploding cigar. 

Yeah, I think you'll find the complaints I deleted are the last of the problems with this film, which are glaring in the third act.

Now that Craig's Bond run has wrapped is it all that different from Brosnan's? Both started off their franchises with a top five all time Bond film, but the rest of their entries never lived up. I know some people really like Skyfall, but for me it's rather overrated. QoS is more enjoyable if you watch it right after Casino Royale. Spectre was a massive disappointment and No Time to Die isn't much of an approvement.

Brosnan's films after Goldeneye never reach the level of Craig's second and third entries, but I actually think they're more rewatchable, at least Tomorrow Never Dies. It's a dumb film, but the action is great and the Villain and his plan were actually pretty good, especially looking back at how the world has changed over the last few decades. The World is Not Enough is a hard pass for me, everything about it is meh at best, but weirdly I enjoy Die Another Day. It's absolutely terrible, to the point that the plot is laughably fun, and Toby Stephens was great (also in kind of a bad way). When Black Sails came out I was like I know that name and face, but from where? Not surprising he got the role given he's clearly talented at sword play on screen.

[Iskaral Pust]

5 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Yeah, I think you'll find the complaints I deleted are the last of the problems with this film, which are glaring in the third act.

Now that Craig's Bond run has wrapped is it all that different from Brosnan's? Both started off their franchises with a top five all time Bond film, but the rest of their entries never lived up. I know some people really like Skyfall, but for me it's rather overrated. QoS is more enjoyable if you watch it right after Casino Royale. Spectre was a massive disappointment and No Time to Die isn't much of an approvement.

Brosnan's films after Goldeneye never reach the level of Craig's second and third entries, but I actually think they're more rewatchable, at least Tomorrow Never Dies. It's a dumb film, but the action is great and the Villain and his plan were actually pretty good, especially looking back at how the world has changed over the last few decades. The World is Not Enough is a hard pass for me, everything about it is meh at best, but weirdly I enjoy Die Another Day. It's absolutely terrible, to the point that the plot is laughably fun, and Toby Stephens was great (also in kind of a bad way). When Black Sails came out I was like I know that name and face, but from where? Not surprising he got the role given he's clearly talented at sword play on screen.

I agree that Craig’s Bond oeuvre was not all that much better than Brosnan’s, especially as the later installments got too focused on personal nemeses for Bond, M and even a Bond girl we barely care about at the expense of a coherent story or character motivation.  But Craig’s oeuvre did at least continue the push away from the cheesiest aspects of the character — the nadir was Roger Moore — toward a darker, grittier version of the character that carries and faces more danger and is more aware of consequences both personal and general.  The later Craig movies feel too joyless and long for eager rewatching but at least they set up the potential for more quality films ahead. 

[dog-days]

Not a big Bond fan - the only ever time I ever really deliberately watched Bond movies was on a school trip through Europe when I was trapped on a bus for hours at a time. Anyway, I remember preferring the silliness of the Roger Moore films. With the serious ones, I just don't get why I'm watching them when I could be watching a John le Carré adaptation instead. 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

11 minutes ago, Iskaral Pust said:

I agree that Craig’s Bond oeuvre was not all that much better than Brosnan’s, especially as the later installments got too focused on personal nemeses for Bond, M and even a Bond girl we barely care about at the expense of a coherent story or character motivation.  But Craig’s oeuvre did at least continue the push away from the cheesiest aspects of the character — the nadir was Roger Moore — toward a darker, grittier version of the character that carries and faces more danger and is more aware of consequences both personal and general.  The later Craig movies feel too joyless and long for eager rewatching but at least they set up the potential for more quality films ahead. 

100% with you on that point. I've never been a big fan of the silly Bond with endless unreal gadgets. They're almost nowhere to be found in the books. Book Bond is an old school spy, not the greatest ladies man BTW, and had to rely on grounded approaches to complete his missions. He was also often defeated in combat. The Craig Bond films are much more inline with Fleming's original character and I hope they stick with that going forward.

[Heartofice]

Yeah the Craig movies never delivered on the Casino Royale promise. Going back to basics with Bond was a great idea, showing how his character evolved.. but he evolved into retirement within about 2 movies! He was doing the ‘I’m too old for this shit’ way too early in the run and honestly I’m not sure what the point of his stint as Bond even was. 
 

I quite liked No Time to Die, up to a point, the last act is weak, but I really enjoyed the first half of the movie. I felt it captured a lot of the elements I’d want in a Bond movie. While on paper it sounds good to remove all the gadgets and Mooreisms, but actually they are part of the charm of the character I think. I wouldn’t be interested a purely rough and ready Bond in multiple movies, there are plenty of heroes like that. 

[briantw]

1 hour ago, Heartofice said:

I wouldn’t be interested a purely rough and ready Bond in multiple movies, there are plenty of heroes like that. 

That would just be the Bourne movies, wouldn't it?

And I agree that Bond needs some gadgets.  It's part of his character.  

[Nictarion]

Speaking of the masterpiece that is Heat…

 

[Ran]

First time I've ever had a spontaneous urge to book a flight to New York.

[HexMachina]

5 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

It's simply not a good film. I really liked the dynamic of Bond being retired and replaced, and some of the set action was breathtaking as always, but the actual story, why? As you said the Villain and his motives are paper thin.

 

Also, unrelated but since Heat has been brought up, it always cracks me up seeing this scene:

 

If you listen carefully around the 1:10 mark you can hear Hank Azaria (of Simpsons fame) spit out "Jesus" and it was because he was so taken aback by Al's overacting. Comedy gold that they kept it in the film. 

 

2 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

Yeah, I think you'll find the complaints I deleted are the last of the problems with this film, which are glaring in the third act.

Now that Craig's Bond run has wrapped is it all that different from Brosnan's? Both started off their franchises with a top five all time Bond film, but the rest of their entries never lived up. I know some people really like Skyfall, but for me it's rather overrated. QoS is more enjoyable if you watch it right after Casino Royale. Spectre was a massive disappointment and No Time to Die isn't much of an approvement.

Brosnan's films after Goldeneye never reach the level of Craig's second and third entries, but I actually think they're more rewatchable, at least Tomorrow Never Dies. It's a dumb film, but the action is great and the Villain and his plan were actually pretty good, especially looking back at how the world has changed over the last few decades. The World is Not Enough is a hard pass for me, everything about it is meh at best, but weirdly I enjoy Die Another Day. It's absolutely terrible, to the point that the plot is laughably fun, and Toby Stephens was great (also in kind of a bad way). When Black Sails came out I was like I know that name and face, but from where? Not surprising he got the role given he's clearly talented at sword play on screen.

I've still not watched No Time to Die, but I generally agree with this and your later comments. Casino Royale is still one of my favourite Bond films (thank you Eva Green) but I think the decision in each subsequent film to try and tie everything that happens in each of the Craig films together over complicated things and came at the expense of making actually enjoyable movies. Brosnan's films at least have the mindless campy rewatchable quality and a self-awareness of how ridiculous they are. I think if they'd just made several standalone films with Craig with the connecting thread just being how his character changes over the course of the films it could have worked but the constant attempts to tie in to Quantum and Spectre and shadowy figures masterminding everything and a new mastermind every other film just spoiled the effect.

 

Anyway, I finished season 3 of Derry Girls today and loved it, as expected. I'm not sure it was as laugh out loud funny as seasons 1 and 2, for me anyway, but I don't think it was any worse for that. I think this final season really looked at the character's as actual people more, showed their growth through a turbulent time (both internally and externally) and capped the series of very nicely. I also liked the callback to season 2 at the end as the final scene, that was nice.

 

[DMC]

2 hours ago, Heartofice said:

He was doing the ‘I’m too old for this shit’ way too early in the run and honestly I’m not sure what the point of his stint as Bond even was. 

Yeah I liked Skyfall but him already Danny Glovering things was pretty off-putting and abrupt.  And honestly I still haven't gotten around to seeing the last two Craig films, and frankly don't plan to.  That being said, I'll still easily take Craig's Bond over Brosnan's bond.  And after Goldeneye I didn't bother with Brosnan's movies either.

[Larry of the Lawn]

Just wanted to say that the most entertaining Pacino playing a caricature of himself is hands down Scent of a Woman.

The Thanksgiving dinner scene, the school trial, the flame thrower line, Philip Seymour Hoffman's "I couldn't pull focus"... All hilarious.  

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Going back and finishing up a rewatch of Rick and Morty S1, did they inspire Moonfall?

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

3 hours ago, Nictarion said:

Speaking of the masterpiece that is Heat...

Heat 2: The Re-Heatening

 

[Zorral]

And so it was, the last James Bond was no cigar.

But, on the other hand, 007 continues as the ladies are taking charge. 

[JGP]

16 minutes ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

Heat 2: The Re-Heatening

 

 

[briantw]

1 hour ago, JGP said:

 

That filter on Pacino makes him look like Willem Dafoe.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

All the Bond films are on Prime, and I'll take this opportunity to say Dalton's two entries don't get enough respect. License to Kill is awesome.

[RumHam]

Swimfan an all too often overlooked character study of a woman who was such a fan of swimming that it caused problems in the community.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

6 hours ago, briantw said:

That filter on Pacino makes him look like Willem Dafoe.

I thought they all looked like Rich Little.