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Post by TheLuckyOne on Nov 27, 2006 21:41:00 GMT -5
Review sent.  Shalen, I swear you write reviews faster than anyone. It's sick.  -D |
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Post by Spiderdancer on Nov 28, 2006 11:05:12 GMT -5
Well, you know, I am sick. >  |
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Post by TheLuckyOne on Nov 28, 2006 23:21:37 GMT -5
Well, just got back... really, really enjoyed it. I'll grant you, it didn't exactly feel like "a Bond film"; but maybe that's a good thing. I love the old Bond films, but reinventing the franchise with a little more "Bourne Identity" probably isn't a bad thing. Daniel Craig really did the role justice- he may not look like Bond the way Brosnan did, but again, maybe it's time for a change. (And since he's the only Bond I even vaguely resemble, who am I to complain about his looks, right?) The ending... after some thought, I've decided I like the last line. True, it doesn't pack the poignancy of the final line of the book, where you can literally feel the last shreds of Bond's innocence vanish. ("Yes, dammit, I said 'was'. The bitch is dead now.") But you've GOT to let the man speak that line at some point in the movie, and slightly cheesy or not, I defy anyone not to have thought "Awesome... Bond has arrived."
As for the other changes they made between the book and the movie, I think nearly all of them were for the best. I suppose they had to drop Soviet anti-spy force SMERSH to be topical and all, but it's possible they're setting this new, unnamed organization up as a revamped SPECTRE instead. Probably also a good choice to make the source of le Chiffre's financial woes a major terrorist plot, rather than just buying an expensive chain of brothels right before France outlawed prostitution. Vesper's death scene? Drowning in an action sequence beats committing suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. I can see how the middle sequence would have bored those who aren't fascinated by poker; fortunately, I AM fascinated by poker, so it was cool. And Felix! Awesome. Hope they clear Mathis in the sequel, as he was never anything but loyal and helpful to Bond in the book.Question. With Bond girls' "clever" names, does Vesper Lynd = West Berlin? A friend of mine brought this up and now I can't stop thinking of it. It sounds way too similar to be a coincidence. Interesting theory. My gut reaction is no, as it was only the first book, and because Germany didn't have any involvement in the plot. But you never know, it might have been a clever wink on Fleming's part. The character explains it in the book as her having been born on a very stormy evening, and her parents always wanting to remember it; Bond remarks that it's appropriate for him to name his drink the Vesper, as it will be drunk by people in the evening. -D |
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Post by kylerexpop on Nov 29, 2006 4:23:07 GMT -5
yep. i wrote my review the day after i saw 'casino royale' on opening day, and then added a little bit that (saturday) night when i got back from seeing it again (i offered to take my parents to dinner and a bond movie, sort of a tradition).
i THINK i liked it a lot. i need to angst about it for several months. initially, i liked it a lot, and on the second viewing it held up quite well, so i think i'm cool with it all. i know i like it a lot as an action movie: i have to determine, through multiple "rewatching" and spending some time in the community sweat lodge (california is weird), how successful it is as a BOND film.
i need to buy 'the matador.' what am i waiting for?
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deusdragonexx
Boomstick Coordinator
Truly...a careless whisper...
Posts: 239
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Post by deusdragonexx on Nov 29, 2006 12:40:39 GMT -5
Ok, I don't know if anyone else brought this up, but I'm kind of in a rush, so I won't bother to look. But what is with everyone being miffed about the Bond theme not showing up until the very end of the movie? I thought that was genious. I mean, absolute genious. Why? Because James didn't warrant his own theme until the end of the movie. With his first utterance of "Bond, James Bond," 007 became Bond, James Bond. It wasn't until the very end that this happened. Hence, the theme at the end. I thought it was great.
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Post by StarOpal on Nov 30, 2006 9:11:51 GMT -5
I completely agree with you, deusdragonexx. I was surprised people had a problem with that. I, too, thought it was great.
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Post by sarahbot on Nov 30, 2006 16:11:06 GMT -5
I loved that moment too. One of those movie moments where all you feel is "that. is. so. COOL."
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Post by blinkfan on Dec 10, 2006 21:15:57 GMT -5
I am on my way to see it now. Despite the fact my friend Kyle (Weird Isn't) calls it agonizingly boring.
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Post by blinkfan on Dec 11, 2006 0:50:59 GMT -5
Holy Schnikes!!!!! I must say... Best.James Bond.Film.Ever.
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Post by StarOpal on Jan 26, 2007 15:51:15 GMT -5
Question. With Bond girls' "clever" names, does Vesper Lynd = West Berlin? A friend of mine brought this up and now I can't stop thinking of it. It sounds way too similar to be a coincidence. The answer... two months later. Vesper Lynd is the name in the book: "'Vesper,' she said. 'Vesper Lynd.' Bond gave her a look of inquiry. 'It's rather a bore always having to explain, but I was born in the evening, on a very stormy evening according to my parents. Apparently they wanted to remember it.' She smiled. 'Some people like it, others don't. I'm just used to it.'" Vesper means 'evening' in Latin. |
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Post by sarahbot on Feb 18, 2007 0:39:45 GMT -5
I just saw this again tonight (yay for the $4 theatre!)and noticed something. Be warned, minor spoilers may follow...
When Bond is in the hotel security room in Nassau, he's looking over the security footage. He puts in a disc marked July 22 2006, a day when Bond was in Madagascar. Let's give him some extremely lenient benefit of the doubt and say Bond could fly from Madagascar to England, meet with M and then fly from England to the Bahamas in ONE DAY. This is really unlikely, especially considering the English papers have photos of Bond on the front page. But we're being kind. So let's say Bond is in Nassau July 23 2006.
At the end of the end of the movie, the date stamp on Vesper's text is Aug 4 06. I've included the year to make absolutely sure of how short a time span this is. The entire movie, from Nassau to Venice, happens in TWELVE DAYS. I can't think of any reason it had to take place in such a short time span, and it makes James look like a complete idiot considering the complex character changes he goes through. Not to mention that by my reckoning, in Venice he's known Vesper what, maybe nine days, ten at the most?
ETA: Also ridiculous considering Shalen's comment in her review about just how long it would take him to heal from his injuries.
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Post by kylerexpop on Feb 18, 2007 22:44:38 GMT -5
i'm fine with it. i've had relationships that lasted days, and i've dropped and added significant personality elements in a matter of minutes with no (lasting) ill effects.
it's sort of like the movies 'garden state' or 'a christmas carol:' sometimes, it just takes a really hectic few hours/days to change your life. dig it!
i can't WAIT to own 'casino royale.' hooray!
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Post by kylerexpop on Mar 13, 2007 2:05:54 GMT -5
dang! stupid target!
if it weren't for the intriguing bonus dvd packed in with 'casino royale' at target, i would be at the 24-hour walmart right now, presumably buying 'casino royale' with the bonus playing cards and poker chip.
not that i would ever use said cards or poker chip. but i would own casino royale RIGHT NOW.
instead, i'll have to go buy it, and bring my laptop to work so i can surreptitiously watch it and get paid to do so.
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW BOND ROLLS.
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Post by PoolMan on Mar 13, 2007 12:00:12 GMT -5
You... you work?!?
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Post by TheLuckyOne on Mar 13, 2007 13:33:40 GMT -5
Doesn't Kyle "work" in a comic book store?
Whatever... I'm geeky and condescending every day for free.
-D
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