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Quantum of Solace (2008)
Make or break-a wasted opportunity yet still pretty good.
"Quantum of Solace" is widely considered one of the more disappointing entries in the franchise-especially given the game-changing success of "Casino Royale". The plot is messy, the editing is too choppy, whatever elegance in filmmaking and in the Bond film lore was completely thrown out of the window. Intentionally? Maybe. This film was made in the middle of a writer's strike, and the filmmakers barely had a shooting script-apparently Daniel Craig and director Marc Forster rewrote many scenes. One thing is for sure, this film took a lot of chances-maybe even more than the some of the previous "edgy " entries such as "OHMSS" and such. The biggest chance I think it took was that it was trying to create a real sequel to "Casino Royale"-meaning there's an actual story arc. They did eventually (or rather consequently) culminating in "No time to die" (2021). At the time, introducing the rogue organization, "Quantum", the friction and double-crossing within the intelligence community (CIA vs MI6)-it had some great potential for a truly new look for the Bond franchise. However, the film wasn't really successful, so the filmmakers proceeded to bring Bond back in time-done entertainingly in "Skyfall" but still kinda disappointing thinking in the long scheme of the franchise.
That being said, "Quantum" had some great stuff. Daniel Craig was great, he really carried the film in a way no other previous Bond actor could've given the chaotic plot and such. The action was pretty fun to watch, especially some of the fight scenes (yea Jason Borne ripoff, I don't care still great).
The camaraderie with Felix Leiter was great-I think it updated that character into the modern context better.
The Bond girl, M, even the field agent that Bond seduces and sacrifices (a la Goldfinger) were all pretty solid.
The title song by Jack White and Alicia Keys was pretty catchy and fit the film pretty well.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Top Gun: Tom Cruise is invincible, a blockbuster done right.
I just watched Top Gun: Maverick at the theater. Everything (except the lame Lady Gaga song at the credits) was so good, it felt like being on a kick ass roller coaster then walking out feeling like you need more. This movie has just enough fan service for those who've seen the original, it provides a solid drama where the stakes feel really high in the climax. The aerial sequences are so breathtakingly awesome, I nearly felt like I was experiencing 9 Gs. The soundtrack (the sonic whooshes of the fighter jets) was off the roof insane. Tom Cruise as Maverick feels facinatingly fresh for a character who hasn't changed at all-both physically and mentally. Val Kilmer as Iceman was really touching to see on screen-I shed some tears. The supporting cast were all great-I really felt the camaraderie watching the Top Gun people playing beach side shirt less football. The greatness of this is a testament to the invincible star power of Tom Cruise, who not only acts but performs his own stunts and is a producer on this movie, as well as the work ethic of the star and every crew member of this epic blockbuster. It really felt like watching a good summer blockbuster for the first time in many years.
No Time to Die (2021)
A pretty solid finale for Craig, if not for the series as a whole.
After five long years of waiting, I finally watched "No time to Die" this afternoon. It was very entertaining, the pacing and all felt like a solid fun Bond flick (despite its running time). Lets start with the performances. Daniel Craig is at his funniest and most dramatic as Bond, he talks as much as he moves-the humor I suppose is Pheobe Waller-Bridge's last minute polishes on the script, he really delivers. All the other supporting casts were pretty solid, the female 007 was a lot better than I expected. Ana De Armas as the CIA agent was pretty sexy and fun to watch-I wish she had more screen time. The one actor whom I thought gave the worst perfomance was Rami Malik. His portrayal was pretty dull and half the time I could barely understand what he was saying. The plot was pretty timely given the current Covid pandemic, tying all the loose ends from the previous Craig films was well done. The action was great, the title track was great, all the nods to the previous films (dating back to On Her Majesty's Secret Service) were good.
Which brings me to the ending. James Bond, for the first time in the history of the franchise actually dies. I wasn't really surprised, in fact I expected it since there was some clear forshadowing in the pre title sequence, and the fact that James Bond has a daughter. The execution was kind of sloppy, but again Craig did a really good job so I thought it was worth it. Listening to "We have all the time in the world" was pretty spine-chilling.
The credits roll, ending with "James Bond will Return". Personally, I think its really gonna be a huge challenge to top Craig-this film was a good swan song for the actor's tenure if not for the series itself. That being said, if there is gonna be a new Bond I'm excited to see what they come up with. In the meantime, I'm gonna watch this film again theaters.
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
It's a really cute story-in the most artsy way possible.
Mixing emotional drama with light-hearted comedy is nothing new-it's been done to death. Especially WWII stories. I personally have never watched "Life is Beautiful" or any other films of that blend but I can kinda picture how the story goes along. "Jojo Rabbit" does not move along in that direction. The majority of the film is light hearted and comical (with dashes of drama in between), until Jojo (played with great charm by Roman Griffin Davis) loses his mother (played brilliantly by Scarlett Johansson). As much as this film is about humanity and the effects of war, it's ultimately a coming of age story. Jojo grows up, he even kick's his imaginary Adolf Hitler (played by the writer-director of this film) out of the window. All the performances were great, the lines are all funny, and the use of music was really spot on. It was really worth going to a theater farther away from my house.
From Russia with Love (1963)
The natural successor and possibly the best.
"From Russia With Love" is the second film in the EON series of James Bond. This film follows Bond attempting to obtain a decoding machine through an elaborate scheme involving a seductive Russian agent, a silent blond brute, and a fiesty Russian colonel-- timely cold war era spy thriller. Sean Connery in his second outing as Bond is at his most confident and sophisticated; providing the right cocktail of gritty action and subtle one- liners (and beating women, another timely element in the early films). Robert Shaw as the silent blond brute is the best acted henchmen in entire series (a subtle, psychotic, and brutal heavy) Lotte Lenya as the fiesty Russian colonel is truly chilling and menacing. The Bond girl was sexy (not the best but served well enough for the plot). Much like the previous film, Dr. No, the film is paced extremely well, with twice the scale--establishing the quintessential Bond formula (pre-title sequences, opening credits, introducing the villains, M's briefing at MI6, arriving at the airport, meeting the ally, etc.). On many levels, it is the perfect Bond film with the perfect amount of sophistication (a subtly executed plot, gritty action, real espionage) and escapism (gadgets, women, one-liners). The best of all time? That is still debatable. The timely elements such as Bond beating women and the whitewashed portrayals of ethnic Europeans can be slightly bothersome and some of the dubbing is a little out of sync. In spite of those minor inconveniences however, From Russia with Love is a natural successor to "Dr. No" and a must-see for audiences who want to enjoy the early films in the series.
Dr. No (1962)
A well paced action adventure.
In honor of the upcoming 25th James Bond film, "No time to Die", I've decided to rewatch and review all the films from the official canon. The first film, "Dr. No" (1962) has been relatively low on my list of favorite Bond films because it's not as big and fun as the later installments. Rewatching it today, I enjoyed it very much-it was just as exhilarating as any of the Bond films. While there are many dated elements and flaws that are visible from a contemporary viewer-in particular the use of the rear screen projection and dubbing, there are many subtle moments which are brilliant. One example is the briefing scene in M's office. When M takes out his pipe, Bond offers his lighter to light it. However, M stands up and moves away, lighting it himself. I felt that this established M's stern nature against Bond. Another motif that was prominent but not overtly portrayed was the British-American rivalry. In this film, Felix Leiter (played by Jack Lord) is introduced as a foil rather than the ally we see in the later films. He and Quarrel (played by John Kitzmiller) are portrayed as relatively incompetent compared to Bond, the British agent. Leiter even uses the term "Limey" in one of the earlier scenes. When Bond and Quarrel are sailing to Crab Key, Leiter offers to go but the British agent claims that this is "his beat" and that the Americans can come later. This sentiment was more prominent in the novels, and obviously due to it's subsequent success in the US it completely disappeared. Sean Connery is spectacular as always. I thought his verbal confrontation with Dr. No was his best acting. Scenes involving Bond escaping from his prison cell in Dr. No's lair, using his wits still holds up very well today. The score, while overusing the title theme a little too much, was good especially in the climatic scenes of the film. Overall, it's definitely one of the best in the series for a good reason.
Midsommar (2019)
I wanted to enjoy this film but...
I haven't watched "Hereditary" or even the often compared "The Wicker Man" so I'm not sure if this film is considered scary on that level. Having just watched the film, I felt lost. The first half of the film seemed promising, all the main characters' plot points were set up pretty well and I was pretty invested in it. Once the film starts at the commune, I started to fall asleep-partly because I was tired but it was just too tedious to watch. The gore and graphic scenes just come out of nowhere with not much suspense, and before I knew it the movie anti-climatically ends with the main girl smiling at a burning tent. The cinematography, the unsettling music, and the performances were all good-it's just the pacing and story was just too long. I'd wanna watch it again when I don't feel too sleepy.
The Wrestler (2008)
An irrefutable masterpiece
There are several films I come back to watch when I feel down and out--"The Wrestler" is one of them. The story follows Randy "The Ram" Robinson (played by the legendary Mickey Rourke) a wrestler whose past his prime and is barely keeping his feet together. He fights in small town arenas, gets juiced up on steroids, works at a supermarket in the daytime, and is constantly locked out of his trailer home because he's short in cash. He also has some feelings for Cassidy (played brilliantly by Marisa Tomei)-a stripper who in someways parallels Randy's life. Both characters are like able despite their downsides but unlike "Rocky "where everything despite the odds goes fairly well, "The Wrestler" constantly pins you down with reality. After a particularly brutal and graphic match, Randy suffers a heart attack which almost kills him. Feeling he's past his physical limitation, Randy retires from Wrestling and tries to make amends with his estranged daughter Stephanie (played by Evan Rachel Wood). With the help from Cassidy, Ram is able to reconcile with his daughter. At the same time, Randy reveals his feelings for Cassidy in part to thank her for helping him reconcile with his daughter. Cassidy, despite having mutual feelings rejects Randy's advances in trying to maintain her professionalism. This angers Randy and he promptly goes out to party-eventually causing him to miss his dinner with his daughter. This irreparably breaks up his relationship with his daughter, and things begin to fall apart again. After being somewhat heckled by a customer at a deli counter he worked at, Randy quits his day job and goes back up to the ring to wrestle. Cassidy also promptly quits her job to chase after Randy to have him stop wrestling. She reveals her true feelings, but that doesn't stop Randy from going to the ring. After a heartwarming speech, Randy wrestles but his heart can't take the beatings like before. In a fatal move, Randy leaps from the corner, performing his signature move, the Ram Jam and the film freezes to the credits where Bruce Springsteen's amazing title song plays along. Everything from the performances, the camerawork, the editing, the music, and most importantly the direction is all top notch. While this is unofficially considered a companion piece to "Black Swan"-I personally think this film conveys a greater message which is that there's always a place where people belong no matter how brutal and hard it can be to live life. This is a masterpiece.
Bombshell (2019)
Lovely visuals and makeup, but not as powerful as it was sold to be.
Watching this film reinvigorated my dislike for trailers. I've been on a cinema-going spree for the past two weeks and there were many promising flicks in the previews-this film was one of them. Based on the trailer, I thought it was going to be a smart and extravagant film like "The Big Short" or "Vice". After watching the film just now, I felt disappointed-it was underwhelming. To begin, the performances were all great. I thought Nicole Kidman was the best of the three leading ladies-her performance and character was the most like able and relatable. John Lithgow as Roger Ailes was quite superb-dunno why he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for this. The makeup was phenomenal, it was great to watch. The story and overall message however falls flat. For a film that tries to convey the #metoo and speak up message, it doesn't really add much to it. Sure, Gretchen Carlson and several women spoke up about their abuse which led to the ousting of Ailes and other big names. But it only begs the question, why didn't they do this before? Women in the entertainment industry, and at a crazy network like Fox had to put up with immoral behavior in order to succeed. Overall, it's an average flick with great visuals and makeup.
Knives Out (2019)
A Good Friday night flick.
Being one of the few admirers of the much hated "The Last Jedi", I was excited to watch this film. Mystery films are generally not my cup of tea, but this one was really engaging. The plot was easy to follow, even with Rian Johnson's penchant for twists. The ensemble cast was great, though Daniel Craig's Kentucky accent bothered me quite a bit. Still, I think he's a good comedic actor-despite his irrefutable image as 007. The overall pacing was solid-this is what Rian Johnson is capable of doing if given the right genre and material. A stylish, and entertaining flick for a Friday night.
Oldeuboi (2003)
An HFS film.
Since watching the Best Picture winner, "Parasite" (twice within the same week), I've made a list of Korean films that I need to watch. "Oldboy" was at the top because I've heard that Tarantino liked it and it was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the 2000's. After watching this film, I was in a trance. The story is based on a graphic Japanese manga. It follows a man who gets kidnapped and incarcerated by mysterious forces, spending 15 years. Through means which I can't describe in words due to the graphic nature, the man comes back to real world but is given a limit by his mysterious captor to find out the reason of his incarceration. Much of this film is filled with surreal imagery, which is also complemented by the editing. It is very violent and graphic-possibly the most violent film I've seen. That being said; it is still a great watch-possibility for a second time
1917 (2019)
A true cinematic experience
Continuing my ride on the post Oscar bandwagon, I watched "1917" a couple of days ago. I was excited because Sam Mendes and the great technical crew from "Skyfall" made it-my expectations were high. Having finished the film, I was truly moved. The one continuous shot illusion really made me feel like I was in the frontlines. The beautiful cinematography by Roger Deakins was smooth, Thomas Newman's score was daunting, and most of all Sam Mendes' direction was truly epic. For a film that's hyped for its technical achievements, I was more impressed by the performances by the actors. Lance corporal scholfield (played by George MacKay) was a great character, I was able to identify with his mixed feelings about going on this detail. The midpoint scene involving his friend's death was probably one of the best acted scenes I've seen in recent years. Overall, "1917" is truly a cinematic experience-go see it on the big screen.
Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Standard Hollywood biopic.
After watching the Best Picture winner, "Parasite" in the afternoon, I went back to the theater later that evening to watch this film. My expectations were not so high, and I honestly felt a little fatigued from being awed by the South Korean masterpiece I saw earlier in the day. After watching this film, I felt like I just ate a little too much pizza--it was good but it maybe too long. The story is fairly standard and somewhat uplifting, the performances were pretty good (refreshing to see Christian Bale in a British accent), and the visuals were good. However, I felt the climatic race and ending to be anti-climatic. Maybe it's because I'm not really familiar with racing, I kind of expected something more exhilarating like the Podrace sequence from Star Wars episode 1. Now the last moments of the race and the results were fun to watch-personally the film could've ended there. Now the ending, without spoiling too much felt too obligatory and could've just been cut. Sometimes events could merely be mentioned or even be written in the end credits, that's what the ending in this film was like. Overall, good film but not worth a repeated viewing.
Gisaengchung (2019)
That's entertainment.
Jumping on the post-Oscar win bandwagon, I went to see this film today. Having heard the near unanimous praise from peers and other reviews, I had high expectations for this film. It was also the first Korean film I watched. The movie starts, and I'm literally glued to my seat-it was very entertaining. The camera movement, the way the characters speaks, the overall pacing, the black comedy tone-everything was just so freshly packaged, I wanted a refill the moment the movie was over. A predominant theme of this movie is the class structure-from a non-Korean's point of view it was quite clear and somewhat tragic to see. If I had one problem with this film, I think some of the class struggle content was probably too overt (especially in the dialogue) and could have been handled more subtly. Despite that, it is definitely a film that deserved all the accolades it received. It is first movie that I watched in theaters where I instantly wanted to rewatch it. Now that folks, is entertainment.
Joker (2019)
A milestone in the supervillian genre
Very few hyped-up films succeed in delivering beyond expectation-"The Joker" is one of them. Right from the opening shot, I was hooked into the character of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) who would later become the Joker. He possesses an unsettling charm that exceeds some of the great anti-heroes in film: most notably Travis Bickle. Nothing is certain in what Fleck does and says-his addicting laughter (which is closer to a clown than any of the previous Jokers) sets him apart from society. His descent into villainy is closer to a vigilante (a lá Travis Bickle) than a super villain. His ultimate dream to be in a talk show with his idol (ironically played by Robert De Niro)-a nod to "The King of Comedy" (1982). There is also a subplot revolving Arthur's mother and her alleged relationship with Thomas Wayne- which is handled very well. Joaquin Phoenix gives a tour de force, creating a new Joker that rivals Heath Ledger's portrayal in "The Dark Knight" (2008). Making this Joker into a comedian was a great idea-the aesthetic and the moral dilemmas are portrayed very well. Every scene is built up with a punchline that gives the film my praise for being the best film of this year.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
Tarantino's "American Graffiti"
Being a fan of Tarantino, my expectation for this film was very high-considering this might be the filmmaker's last directorial outing. Having watched it a couple of weeks ago at the cinema, I enjoyed it. Did it exceed expectations? Not really. Is this Tarantino's best work? Not at all. As many film reviewers have wrote, this is Tarantino's love letter to the 1960's Hollywood. The visuals, down to the small details was brilliantly done. The soundtrack is just as great, like most of Tarantino's work. The performances were all wonderful (including the controversial Bruce Lee and Sharon Tate portrayals). The story moves at a relatively slow pace, following the vignette-style of "American Graffiti". There's less violence by Tarantino standards-that is until the last thirty minutes of the film. The satisfyingly gruesome climax was executed very well, and definitely worth the long running time. For audiences that are not familiar with the historical background and context, I suggest you research it before watching the film because the climax won't be as satisfying. "Once Upon a Time" is Tarantino's "American Graffiti"-a story that takes place in a transitional phase in history, but served with the right amount of cathartic violence that will be sorely missed from audiences worldwide if this great filmmaker really is going to retire.
Green Book (2018)
Heartwarming
This film has gotten a lot of bad press from the historical inaccuracies to it's controversial win for Best Picture-I have to admit I did buy into some of that press. Despite that however, the audience reaction seemed to be very positive (at least in Japan)-several of my friends recommended the film to me. So, with slightly low expectationsI I finally watched the film last night-it was pretty good. The performances (especially by Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, and Linda Cardellini) were wonderful, the story was very heartwarming, and the music (both the score and soundtrack) were solid. Was it worth the Best Picture? Not really, far from the best, but I don't think it was an outrageous decision either. One of the controversies was the depiction of race- such example is apparent when Don Shirley, a high-brow black man embraces the low class stereotypes in the latter half of the film. I personally thought it worked in the film because the friendship and trust between the Tony Lip and Don Shirley changed the two men-both embracing something new. It's a typical buddy, road trip movie, not a historical epic like 12 years a slave or The Color Purple. Some critics and haters called this Driving Miss Daisy 2, I completely disagree because it does this film does provide a fresh take (A white working class man chauffeuring a black and gay musician) on the Roadtrip genre. It's worth the watch!
The King of Comedy (1982)
Travis Bickle in a parallel universe.
"The King of Comedy" is often overlooked in the Martin Scorsese canon compared to "Raging Bull", "Taxi Driver" and all the great gangster films from "Mean Streets" to "The Departed". The premise is a failing stand-up comedian (played brilliantly by Robert De Niro) and a crazy female fan (played by Sandra Bernhard) kidnapping their idol comedian (played metaphysically by the late Jerry Lewis). De Niro's character in this film is essentially Travis Bickle-he is delusional (constantly dreaming about his imaginary friendship/rivalry with Jerry Lewis' character), socially awkward, and is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Unlike "Taxi Driver" however, De Niro has an accomplice in the form of the crazy female fan and his motivation is clear-to get some airtime in Jerry Lewis' show. I think in this film, Scorsese uses less of his usual visual and editing flare, and focuses on the story-it's quite refreshing to watch especially after something like "Raging Bull". The meta aspect of Jerry Lewis playing himself is a great choice to portray the downsides of fame. This is definitely a great Scorsese film, if not a great De Niro film as well. It's a certified classic!
Disutorakushon beibîzu (2016)
Japanese film violence 101: lean and mean
"Destruction Babies" is a film that perfectly illustrates Japanese movie violence-lean and mean. The plot revolves around a violent, nihilistic young man (played with menacing gravitas by Yuya Yagira) randomly picking fights with strangers. Despite being battered to the bone, his peverse persistence attracts another troubled young man (played brilliantly by Masaki Suda) who becomes his wingman. The wingman character films himself and his boss on their beating spree-even kidnapping a young shoplifting cabaret girl (played by the beautiful Nana Komatsu) in the process. They all escape from town but is cut short when the beating spree becomes national news. The violence in this film is relentless-all the fight scenes are very gritty and realistic. Hardening back to the early Takeshi Kitano films (particularly Violent Cop), the violence is quite spontaneous, just how suddenly the nihilist and his wingman picks a fight with anybody on the street. On a thematic note, the film does shed light on the state on current Japanese society. As the fights gain more public attention, the crowds do very little to stop the conflict but rather ignore or film the occurrence on their smartphones. It shows that there is a combine of repressed anger in Japanese society, under the innocent and peaceful facade. The nihilist is an extreme example of a defiant sociopath, while his wingman and young girl represent the cowardly cruel youth, but then transform into monsters that are nastier than the main character. The way the nihilist spreads his act of violence to other characters like a virus is a not too far-fetched-apparently the director Tetsuya Mariko based the film on a real life anecdote. It's not the movie violence of sword slashing and decapitating body parts-it's beat ups that wastes no time, like real street fighting.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Is this real life or is it just fantasy? Caught in the landslide of biopicnosis
As an average Queen admirer who watches the epic Live Aid performance on repeat and listens to the Greatest Hits album (both part 1 and 2) as a daily routine, my expectations were relatively high when I watched the trailer. Those expectations lowered once I peeked at some of the reviews and audience responses. I live in Japan, where Queen has arguably their most loyal fan base (that should've been mentioned in the film); and are still showing the film in big theaters. I watched the film today, with moderately low expectations, and I walked out of the theater asking myself the opening lines of the eponymous song. Honestly, I felt pretty mixed about this film. The production value was undoubtedly high: all the sets (particularly the Live Aid set) were pretty accurate. Rami Malek's detailed performance of the legendary singer was quite good and so was the other supporting cast (particularly the other band members). Listening to the band's greatest hits in the theater was comforting, but I would have enjoyed it more if the filmmakers used the actor's voices, at least during the live sequences. The most disappointing aspect was the overall narrative botched by all the historical inaccuracies. While I'm not against biopics that take some liberties with the truth for an effective dramatic narrative; this is quite disrespectful to Freddie Mercury and to the band. The two most glaring liberties this film took was Queen breaking up only to reform for the climactic Live Aid performance and the portrayal of Freddie's homosexuality. Although Live Aid was seen in real life as sort of a comeback for Queen as rock gods, I thought the idea of having the band in the film go through the clichéd breaking up-to-come back again plot was cheap. Personally, the climax should've been the recording sessions of Innuendo-that's a touching story of a tight knit band. In regards to the portrayal of Freddie's homosexuality, I understand it's a difficult issue to tackle since very few people knew who he really was in his private life. However, the film portrays Freddie as guilt-ridden and somewhat forced into it by Paul Prenter, his Judas (in real life as well)-that's pretty offensive. What's more disappointing is how both Brian May and Roger Taylor as well as Jim Beach served as producers for this film-which also means that they had authority over the story and facts. It is ironic how May and Taylor fired Sacha Baron Cohen because they felt the biopic should be more about the band rather than Freddie-yet the majority of this film is Freddie. All I can assume is they either didn't know Freddie well enough, or they simply couldn't care less about the facts and were concerned about finishing this project in time. Overall, this film is like listening to The Greatest Hits, but with no appreciation and respect to Queen.
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Moore well-balanced.
The ninth official film and the late Roger Moore's second outing as James Bond is considered by many fans and critics to be one of the worst in the franchise. I disagree. While the film is far from the great entries like From Russia With Love or On Her Majesty's Secret Service; it is a well-balanced flick with the right amount goofiness and suspense of a decent Bond film. The plot follows Bond searching to kill a high-paid assassin, Scaramanga (played with great charm and menace by the late Christopher Lee). The first half of the film is the cat and mouse game between Bond and Scarmanga which is quite suspenseful and hard-edged. This is exemplified in a scene where Bond follows Scaramanga's trophy mistress (played with grace by Maud Adams) into a hotel room, and twists her arm for information. It was considered a controversial decision on behalf of director Guy Hamilton (whose cheap, gimmicky style of directing actually works in this film than it did in his two previous films) who attempted to "toughen" Moore's Bond like Connery would do every second he comes across a women with valuble information. Personally, I think the scene works the way it did because it fit the gritty tone of the plot than if Moore (which he does in his later films) were to woo the girl for information. Moore's Bond seems more stern than his previous and latter films, but it's still complimented by his subtle sense of humor. Moore's most clever one-liner is in this film where Bond points a gun at a Portugese gunsmith in Macau who makes bullets for Scaramanga and utters, "So speak or forever hold your piece". The latter half of the film is more gimmicky with a car chase involving Bond (with the bumbling Clifton James reprising his role from the previous film on his side) Scaramanga and his dwarf henchman Nick Nack (played menacingly by Hervé Villechinze) in Thailand; only to end with the villain flying away much to the dismay of the local Thai authorities. Bond tracks Scramanga down to his private island in Phuket to rescue the blonde sidekick Mary Goodnight (played by Britt Ekland who looked gorgeous in the bikini) and to discover the villain's ultimate plan (something to do with solar power and taking over the energy market I presume, it's the typical Bond villain motive); killing the villain in a duel-turned maze chase and blowing up the island. Although the plot point of the solar energy MacGuffin could have been discarded or kept at the pre-title sequence; the film is a well-balanced Bond flick with beautiful girls, exotic locales, gimmicky gadgets, a whimsical score by John Barry (with a catchy and suggestive title song sung by Lulu) and some great suspense.
13 Reasons Why (2017)
Seasons 1 and 2: binge-worthy, shocking, edge-of-your-seat, teenage melodrama
The first season of 13 reasons why was the standard teen angst melodrama, but binge-worthy. The series of events leading up to high-school student, Hannah Baker (played brilliantly by Australian actress, Katherine Langford)'s suicide unfolds through a series of cassette tapes she recorded containing shocking and revealatory stories about her peers who one way or another, contributed to her untimely demise. Clay Jensen (played with an everyman wit and charm by Dylan Minnette), Hannah's closest friend, eventually learns the truth, and recklessly confronts the big man on campus and Hannah's rapist Bryce Walker (played with rugged WASP charm by Justin Prentice) in the season finale. A battered Clay manages to give the tapes (with a recording of Bryce confessing his dirty work that Clay secretly recorded before getting beat up) to the school counselor, Mr. Porter (played by Derek Luke); starting a schoolwide deposition, leading up to the trials in season 2.
Season 2 is a revenge flick that follows the trial and more revealing facts about Hannah and the people responsible for her suicide. Like the previous season, Hannah appears as a ghost (which got quite annoying this season) to Clay, her mother (played with subtle intensity by Kate Bush) is still mourning, and student life at the high school is still harsh. The highlights of this season was the junkie-turned-jock Justin Foley (played by the handsome and subtle Brandon Flynn)'s character arc, especially where he gets detoxed and becomes Clay's bro (both literally and figuratively) to seek justice for Hannah, the stalker photographer Tyler Down's (played with the right balance of creepy and awkward by Devin Druid) decent into from a hipster, punk wannabe into potential school-shooter (a good cliffhanger for an unexpected third season), and Bryce's bittersweet victory in the end. As unfair it is for the characters that suffered in trial and at school to seek justice for Hannah, this seasons gets (quite harshly however) points for not sugar-coating the ending. For all it's great moments however, the narrative in general feels jerky and messy compared to the previous season. The macguffin of this season, (the polaroid photos of the girls who were victims to Bryce) does not move the narrative as effectively as the cassette tapes. Overall, the series is a great Netflix original with an ensemble of natural performances by the wonderful actors.
Cobra Kai (2018)
The "Creed" of "The Karate Kid"
As a "Karate Kid" fan, I was very excited for "Cobra Kai" since I felt that the film trilogy ended on a low note with the enjoyable but sloppy "Part III". The series follows Johnny (William Zabka) who is now broke, drunk, and lonely: far from the big-man-on-campus WASP from the original film and Daniel (Ralph Macchio) who is now a successful car salesman and a family man. The series also introduces new characters who are like the two leading men, are well-layered and developed. Although it follows the teacher-apprentice relationship and the underdog formula of the original film, the series also provides a fresh look at teenage angst, the generation gap, and redemption. Each episode is paced extremely well, making it the binge-worthy show of year so far. The end, while more or less follows the original film is also a cliffhanger: revving up the hype for the next season. Like "Creed" the formula is modernized very well, with enhanced martial arts coreography. Both Macchio and Zabka aged well and matured: maintaining their goofiness from the 80's as well as being the "Miyagi" figures to their younger pupils. It is no longer the cheesy 80's flick, but a well-balanced dramady for all audiences
Rogue One (2016)
A "new hope" for spin-offs and a return to an old faith
My expectations for this film was less than enthusiastic. Being a fan of the seven films (I never explored the expanded universe or the cartoons)I thought a spin off wouldn't be worth watching in theaters: I was wrong. Having watched this film twice, I came up with two conclusions: it a new standard for spin-offs and its the most faithful to the cinematic antecedent of the original Star Wars. The film takes the vital elements from the original and prequel trilogies (mostly the plot to steal the plans of Death Star) and adds a new layer of depth to the canon--a well balanced spin-off. An ethnically diverse cast (loved the blind master and his sidekick), there is definitely a worldly atmosphere that hasn't been explored in the other films of the canon. Given how simple the plot is, the filmmakers managed to create an engaging story with solid action and characters. Although there are a couple of minor CGI that bothered me (particularly the unnecessary shot of Princess Leia in the last shot, bless you Carrie Fisher), and some dull characters these flaws are a product of the inseparable faith to the chronology of the original film. This brings me to my second conclusion: its faithfulness to the cinematic antecedent. People forget that the original concept of Star Wars was George Lucas' tribute to the old Saturday matinée serials of the 30's and 40's (á la Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers) which were episodic."Rogue One" (while being a prequel) fits the episodic tone of those Saturday matinée serials: not being to over reliant on the chronology, but having enough elements that keep the series flowing.
From Russia with Love (1963)
The natural successor and possibly the best.
"From Russia With Love" is the second film in the EON series of James Bond. This film follows Bond attempting to obtain a decoding machine through an elaborate scheme involving a seductive Russian agent, a silent blond brute, and a fiesty Russian colonel-- timely cold war era spy thriller. Sean Connery in his second outing as Bond is at his most confident and sophisticated; providing the right cocktail of gritty action and subtle one- liners (and beating women, another timely element in the early films). Robert Shaw as the silent blond brute is the best acted henchmen in entire series (a subtle, psychotic, and brutal heavy) Lotte Lenya as the fiesty Russian colonel is truly chilling and menacing. The Bond girl was sexy (not the best but served well enough for the plot). Much like the previous film, Dr. No, the film is paced extremely well, with twice the scale--establishing the quintessential Bond formula (pre-title sequences, opening credits, introducing the villains, M's briefing at MI6, arriving at the airport, meeting the ally, etc.). On many levels, it is the perfect Bond film with the perfect amount of sophistication (a subtly executed plot, gritty action, real espionage) and escapism (gadgets, women, one-liners). The best of all time? That is still debatable. The timely elements such as Bond beating women and the whitewashed portrayals of ethnic Europeans can be slightly bothersome and some of the dubbing is a little out of sync. In spite of those minor inconveniences however, From Russia with Love is a natural successor to "Dr. No" and a must-see for audiences who want to enjoy the early films in the series.