'No Time To Die' Review

Synopsis: James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Runtime: 163 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language, and some suggestive material.)

Who should see it? Fans of Daniel Craig's James Bond.

Daniel Craig's 15-year tenure as 007 has been rather interesting. Craig was reluctant to accept the part and went on record saying he'd rather slash his wrists than reprise the role. Though it's worth noting these comments followed a grueling shoot on Spectre in which Craig had broken his leg. But Craig's back one last time and clarified his comments were disingenuous. His series began amidst a widespread tonal shift for espionage thrillers and the action genre as a whole. Craig's films were more grounded than his predecessors and serialized in the wake of Jason Bourne and Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. The reception to his films has been admittedly uneven. I enjoyed the odd-numbered entries (Casino Royale and Skyfall) over the others, and fortunately, No Time To Die followed suit. 

Over the last few years, we've seen series conclusions that either respectfully acknowledged all that had come before or found themselves with selective memory. No Time To Die thankfully falls in that first camp, building on the foundation laid by all four preceding entries, warts and all. Bond actors traditionally have chosen to hang up their tux after their last outing. No Time To Die breaks the mold, with an intentional ending for Daniel Craig's 007. It was long believed Spectre would be his last, but I'm glad Craig had one more film left in the chamber because it proved to be his very best. 

Craig's films have accumulated a stable of respected talent over the years, and No Time To Die director Cary Fukunaga proves to be no exception. This is Fukunaga's first true blockbuster, but that's not something you'd glean from the screen because he has a deft handle on things. Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge contributed to the script alongside Fukunaga, keenly interested in deconstructing James Bond as they bid Daniel Craig a fond farewell. Fukunaga and company brave uncharted waters for the franchise, but they do so with an admirable assuredness. No Time To Die is nearly three hours long, but the time breezes by thanks to show-stopping set-pieces and an especially intriguing plot. I'd be remiss not to mention Daniel Kleinman's exquisite title sequence, Linus Sandgren's gorgeous cinematography, the exceptional stuntwork, booming sound mix, and Hans Zimmer's propulsive score. All of these elements coalesce for one of the most exciting action movies I've seen since Tenet.

Yet, No Time To Die is not simply a show of spectacle. It swells just as often as it explodes. Thanks to the groundwork of the four prior films, plenty of emotional weight lingers behind Daniel Craig's final mission. Here, character is just as essential as the action. The all-encompassing nature of this film permits Craig to go out on a high note with his best performance among the five 007 films in which he starred. As the plot unravels, audiences are shown new sides to his Bond. Despite any comments he may have previously made, he's devoutly committed to this material. 

The supporting cast features a mix of familiar faces and newcomers. Reprising her role of Madeleine Swann, Léa Seydoux remains a compelling love interest for Bond as more light is shed on her past. The dynamic between Seydoux and Craig is fascinating to watch, and I found myself much more invested in their relationship this time around. I'll leave it at that for the sake of not spoiling anything. Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, and Christoph Waltz stepped back into their roles with ease, while Billy Magnussen, Lashana Lynch, and Ana De Armas were thrilling additions to the cast. I particularly enjoyed the rapport between Craig and both Lynch and De Armas. It was amusing to see Craig and Lynch butt heads as Bond met his successor. Ana De Armas's Paloma only appears in the Cuba sequence but is impressionable due to her charisma and comic timing. It was interesting to see her act opposite Daniel Craig in such radically different roles than their previous collaboration in Knives Out. 

Regarding Rami Malek, I was taken aback by his villainous performance as Lyutsifer Safin. Safin is a genuinely evil foil to Bond, and Malek plays the part, channels an unsettling aura anytime he appears onscreen. It's impressive how Craig's antagonists have varied so much in personality from film to film but remain convincing threats to Bond. 

It's become increasingly rare for franchise films to be driven by bold storytelling choices, but when one comes along, I can't help but admire it... No Time To Die draws the Daniel Craig chapter to a close in an unexpected fashion, albeit delivering an appropriate ending for this iteration of Bond. Contrary to how James Bond prefers his martinis, Craig's swan song is an emotionally-stirring conclusion to his 15-year run as 007. Not one that was haphazardly shaken. 

Film Assessment: A+

'The LEGO Batman Movie' Review

I find it fitting that this review wasn't published till the film's release date that happens to fall on the third anniversary of my blog, and the exactly three years since I reviewed The LEGO Movie.

'The LEGO Batman Movie' Review

The LEGO Batman Movie revolves around everyone's favorite brick built bat LEGO Batman as he not only fights Gotham's criminal element but deals with the pressures of adopting a son. Somewhere along the way, LEGO Batman must learn the importance of teamwork if he's going to succeed in catching the villains set upon Gotham by the Joker.

The LEGO Batman Movie is the first of what looks to be a long line of LEGO spinoffs, in what I presume will be known as the LEGO Cinematic Universe, and it's only fair that the Batman gets the first considering his standout stint in The LEGO Movie and the simple fact *because he's Batman* (read in Batman voice). It's crazy to think we're getting another this fall with The LEGO Ninjago Movie, but at the same time it's not surprising Warner Bros. and LEGO want to proceed with as many of these movies they can possibly make considering the insane success of The LEGO Movie, a movie I was incredibly surprised by considering I was expecting a lazy feature length LEGO ad rather than a quality animated film with a huge heart.

Director Chris McKay's vision and imagination has no bounds as the film's plot plays out like an epic adventure only a child could imagine, appropriate considering the big twist of The LEGO Movie. One of the things that still astounds me is how animators utilized the plentiful plastic bricks at their disposal to construct animation that has the guise of a professionally-made stop-motion film using actual LEGOs. The animation is absolutely remarkable when you take into account that animators had to ensure each character and plastic piece onscreen exhibited the mannerisms and movement of a LEGO brick or mini-fig. So bravo to the group of animators and visual effects artists, your work was not forgotten. 

The LEGO Batman Movie brilliantly satirizes every aspect of the Caped Crusaders' legacy, both on and off-film, from the campy 1960s Adam West incarnation to the present brooding Ben Affleck take. The entire film is essentially a meta-commentary on DC Comics, and don't worry if you weren't a fan of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice or Suicide Squad there's some jabs in there for you. The screenwriting team of Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern, and John Whittington responsible for the Dark Knight's zingers and commentary on the Caped Crusader. 

The screenwriters scope of Batman shows he's just a regular Joe; he misses his parents, swims in the Bat-cave's lagoon, and he heats up his leftovers in a microwave (a gag that plays out exceptionally well despite being in the trailers akin to the DMV bit in Zootopia). They're able to paint a plastic figure as what may just be the most human take on the character. 

An interesting component I'd like to touch on is the angle the story team viewed the Batman-Joker dynamic. The two need each other. It's not romantic, in fact it's the complete opposite, but when Batman can't tell Joker the three words "I hate you" or "You're not my greatest enemy" Joker is left an emotional wreck as though the two went through a bad breakup. Trust me, it's absolutely hysterical and plucks the heartstrings a little more than one would expect as you actually start to feel bad for the constructed clown prince of crime. 

My only issues are that sometimes the entire film felt like joke after joke after joke veering to be a little too kid friendly at times and that certain characters felt a little underdeveloped and cast off to the side in favor of serving the narrative theme. One thing many may be looking for is the next "Everything is Awesome" and while there's not an original song quite like that, there is in fact a heavy metal rendition of a Bat-rap about how awesome Batman is called "Who's the (Bat)Man" that's a hoot to listen to. Also, plenty of 80's hits can be found including "One" and "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" scattered throughout played to great comedic effect. 

The voice cast behind The LEGO Batman Movie is an immensely talented ensemble composed of A-list talent you would never expect to see behind a LEGO movie but I'll take it. Will Arnett's gravelly Batman voice remains an excellent play itself on the dark, gritty nature of recent incarnations of the character while he delivers one-liners and comedic bits with absolute ease and maintains an emotional, human aspect to his take on the Dark Knight. Michael Cera's giddy fanboy Robin, Ralph Fiennes' dry-cut Alfred, and Rosario Dawson's straight woman Barbara Gordon each provide excellent sources of comedy and pair well with Arnett's Batman. Zach Galifianakis' Joker is undeniably insane, not the best-nor worst take on Gotham's clown but easily the more multifaceted and somewhat sympathetic portrayal to date (as I briefly touched upon earlier).

All of Batman's rogues gallery are featured in the film to some capacity but I won't disclose the voices behind these iconic villains because that in and of itself can certainly be considered an entertaining trip to IMDB afterwards. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill return for the buddy Superman-Green Lantern schtick along with fellow Justice League members for some brief cameo appearances. Oh and I can't forget that Siri makes her feature film debut as the Bat-computer or 'Puter for short.

In a strange turn of events The LEGO Batman Movie is the best love letter to Batman possible. While I don't think The LEGO Batman Movie was quite as good as The LEGO Movie, I can say it's a humorous and heartfelt family-friendly affair worth seeing in theaters.

Film Assessment: B+

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'

This week I'm continuing my series of Harry Potter reviews leading up to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them with my review of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Next week I will be reviewing Gone Girl to tie in with The Girl on the Train since they have similar plot points. Within the next two weeks or so you can expect reviews on Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Deepwater Horizon, The Girl on The Train, and The Birth of a Nation. The following week I will continue onward with a Throwback Thursday review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' Review

Nominated For: Best Art Direction.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the adaptation of the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series which brings us back to the enchanting world of magic for Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts. This year however is a very special year at Hogwarts considering the Ministry of Magic is reintroducing the Triwizard Tournament, a competition in which three of the wizarding schools' representative champions compete against one another for the Triwizard Cup, with the twist being that Harry Potter is strangely selected as the fourth champion and the only underage competitor. Harry then must compete in the deadly tournament consisting of three monumental tasks including getting past an immense dragon, rescuing students from frightening mermaids, and to navigate a dense maze filled with  mystical obstacles. 

Goblet of Fire, like Prisoner of Azkaban before it, stands out as a transitional point for the series in that the protagonists are maturing and the surrounding Wizarding World is only growing darker. The Hogwarts students are no longer hearing about evil and nefarious deeds, they are actually witnessing it as Harry confronts a fully formed, all powerful Lord Voldemort.  

Goblet of Fire is helmed by yet another fresh director as Mike Newell takes the lead and it's clear Newell is concentrated on the character's newfound teenage angst and all that accompanies puberty. Newell handles this nicely as he plays up these moments for humor and through this maintains the lightheartedness of the series amidst the darkening overtones. I think it should almost go without saying that I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and I'm sure this is an unpopular opinion but quite frankly I find Goblet of Fire to be one of the worse adaptations in the series. 

Do take this as a grain of salt though because I'm not saying Goblet of Fire is by any stretch of the word bad, in fact it's quite entertaining but it just doesn't compare to the actual novel seeing as the 734 page source material had to be condensed into just a two and a half hour film. This is in large part to the screenplay penned by returning series screenwriter Steve Kloves. In the previous installments it was easier to pick and choose small moments to take out without altering the story significantly but considering the Goblet of Fire was a whopping 734 pages Kloves had a difficult task selecting crucial story arcs and pivotal moments that needed to maintained and crammed into two and a half hours. 

This issue rears it's ugly head in the film's opening as Kloves rushes through the proceedings leaving the audiences just as confused as Harry seems to be filling what would have otherwise been a huge plot hole with small bits of dialogue unsuccessfully. The beginning is so fast paced that it's unable to properly set the stage for coming events and the changes made to the source material do more to help trim the runtime rather than enhance the story. I will say that the second two-thirds of the film are wildly enjoyable and I believe that's because that portion was almost untouched in comparison. 

Another issue I found was in the film's editing and partially the script as some scenes just felt incomplete and lacked the finality necessary before an effective transition, a small gripe but it grew cumbersome after awhile. Goblet of Fire's visuals are also uneven, the cinematographer Roger Pratt frames some goregous shots and production designer Stuart Craig creates an incredible set but the effects are mismatched in comparison. Some visual effects such as physical transformations looked like very early poorly-rendered CGI while creatures like the Hungarian Horntail dragon and magical objects such as the Pensieve and Triwizard Cup were stunning to see onscreen. 

Goblet of Fire also includes some riveting action sequences like the three tasks and Harry's brief soiree with Voldemort. Another behind the scenes change was that Goblet of Fire was the first Harry Potter film to not feature a John Williams score and I'll say his lack of involvement was sorely missed considering Patrick Doyle was unable to conjure up one truly memorable composition. 

The performances are once again a highlight of the feature as franchise mainstays return and new additions are made to the cast. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson are all back as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger perfectly embody their respective roles as we all now at this point  but this time actually are able to interject new character dynamics, as we see friction between Ron and Harry for the first time and the results of their pubescence. One thing I felt Radcliffe nailed in particular was how affected Harry seemed to be after witnessing not only a murder, but the return of Lord Voldemort, Radcliffe carried this sense of shock and foreboding complex emotion expertly. 

The returning Hogwarts staff and students consisting of Michael Gambon's sagely headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Alan Rickman's sneaky Severus Snape, Maggie Smith's kindhearted Minerva McGonagall, Robbie Coltrane's sensitive Hagrid, Matthew Lewis' awkward Neville Longbottom, and Tom Felton's dastardly Draco Malfoy. Other returning characters include the Weasleys, Shirley Henderson's obnoxious Moaning Myrtle, Robert Hardy's stately Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, a brief appearance from Gary Oldman's kindred Sirius Black, Jason Issac's dreadful Lucius Malfoy, and Timothy Spall's dodgy Wormtail. 

Significant franchise rookies for this chapter encompass the three champions Victor Krum, Fleur Delacour, and Cedric Diggory portrayed by Stanislav Ianevski, Clémence Poésy, and Robert Pattinson respectively, Jeff Rawle's Amos Diggory, Katie Leung's shy Cho Chang, Miranda Richardson's meddler Rita Skeeter, Brendan Gleeson's mysterious new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Alastor "MadEye" Moody, and David Tennant's wicked Barty Crouch Jr. One new addition that I feel deserves a separate mention is Ralph Fiennes' portrayal of Lord Voldemort,  a malignant force to be reckoned with and true contention for Harry Potter. 

Goblet of Fire may not quite be the best foray into the wizarding world as the script, score, visuals and direction are missing the magical luster and consistency of it's predecessors, it is a valiant effort thanks to exceptional performances from a truly remarkable cast along with commendable effects and excellent production design.

Film Assessment: B-

'Kubo and the Two Strings' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects.

Kubo and the Two Strings is the fourth full length stop-motion animated feature from Laika Entertainment, an animation studio which specializes in stop-motion feature length films. For those unfamiliar with stop-motion, it is an animation technique where an object is subtly moved and the filmmaker snaps a picture, the pictures are all edited together with small increments between the frames and so it appears as though continuous movement is happening. I'm actually a little familiar with stop-motion since I made a few stop-motion shorts as a child and I can attest to the fact that it's a tedious process, therefore I have plenty of respect for the filmmaking behind stop-motion films. I'll admit that I haven't seen any prior Laika films, but I am much more eager to give them a chance after watching Kubo and the Two Strings.

I won't disclose too much of the plot because the less you know the better, but Kubo and the Two Strings tells a classic archetypal hero's journey of a young boy Kubo in search of mystical armor to defeat evil forces who threaten him, his family, and his village.

One of the unique appealing aspects of Kubo and the Two Strings is that it feels deeply rooted in Japanese mythology; samurais, honor, family, and legacy are brought to the forefront while the score composed by Dario Marianelli has the air of Oriental inspiration. Travis Knight, president of Laika, makes his directorial debut after serving as a lead animator on previous Laika projects and he hits the mark. Knight, his team of animators, and cinematographer craft some compelling visuals and the stop-motion is seamless, so much so that in moments I forgot I was watching a stop-motion film.

The screenplay from writers Marc Haimes and Chris Butler manages to take a seemingly basic story and make it pop with Eastern influence and cool dialogue while offering laughs, heart, and a terrific story.

Another high mark of Kubo and the Two Strings is definitely it's talented voice cast. Art Parkinson brings a grounded relatable protagonist for the audience to support as he evokes childlike wonder in the young Kubo. Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, and Rooney Mara offer up a wide ensemble of supporting characters encompassing the heroic well-intentioned Beetle, the stern protective Monkey, the malevolent Moon King, and a pair of creepy sisters.

I won't be surprised if in February we see Disney or Pixar win the Best Animated Feature, but I surprisingly can make a huge case for why Laika deserves the golden statuette after I was blown away with Kubo and the Two Strings. Kubo and the Two Strings astounded me start to finish with an original premise, terrific characters voiced by an incredible cast, endearing themes, and remarkable animation showcasing some high-brow visuals making for not only one of the best movies this summer but also one of the best films I've seen all year.

Film Assessment: A

'Hail, Caesar!' Review

Nominated For: Best Production Design.

Hail, Caesar! follows the daily life of a PR man who must solve many behind the scenes issues with the various talent at Capitol Pictures, a movie studio at the height of it's powers. I've been looking forward to Hail, Caesar! since the first trailer released for the film hoping it would be similar in tone to The Grand Budapest Hotel, even though I was completely aware that different directors were behind both projects. So as may be apparent from the date I'm publishing this review, the combination of school and work as well as releases of films I was anticipating a bit more constantly delayed me from seeing the film. The delay however has allowed me to see the general response to the film, which was unlike any I had ever seen. In this case, I've noticed that critics enjoyed it and audiences hated it, and having seen the film I think I might have discovered why that is. The film boasts a star studded ensemble cast that's filled to the brim with great talent. However, the cast is used sparingly with a few actors relegated to a few scenes sprinkled throughout the film and I think that's one of the issues that audiences have with the film. They saw the name talent that compelled them to see the film and were disappointed by the underuse of some of these actors. I'm going to discuss them in order of actors who were on screen the least to the more important characters. Most notably absent was Jonah Hill, who is relegated to a one scene cameo yet is featured prominently on the poster and quite a bit in the promotional material for the film. However Hill's role does service the narrative in a small capacity and he's great for his minute on screen. Ralph Fiennes plays the snide Hollywood Drama director Laurence Lorenz, which works perfectly juxtaposing with Alden Ehrenreich's western star Hobie Doyle forced into drama as the studio attempts to change his image. This allows for a hilarious scene between the two where Lorenz is trying to get Hobie to correctly say a line, which Hobie is unable to do. This gag runs a bit long but it only gets funnier and funnier. Fiennes is limited to a few scenes but fantastic in the capacity used. Scarlett Johansson gets to take on the role of DeeAnna Moran, an Esther Williams esque actress, enduring some personal problems of her own that the studio wants to sweep under the rug. Johansson is primarily featured in a mermaid synchronized swimming sequence that's just a delight that leads into a particularly funny bit in the film. So she's restricted to about two or three scenes but also great when onscreen. Tilda Swinton gets to play twin rival journalists, Thora and Thessaly Thacke, who are trying their best to get an intriguing scoop about one of the studio's stars and she's the perfect balance of irritating and snoopy for both characters. Swinton is brilliant as usual but utilized conservatively in the film with a few scenes sprinkled around. Channing Tatum plays a Gene Kelly type as Burt with a spectacular tap dance and song number. Tatum continues to impress me again and again, first proving he can be a comedic and action star in the Jump Street movies, and now getting to flex more of his musical talents. I'm aware Tatum's acting career began with dancing in the Step Up films but tap dancing is a whole other animal that requires rhythmic precision. I was amazed at Tatum's abilities on display for the sequence and he also shocked me when I learned he could carry a tune as well. Channing Tatum's character is an interesting case as I can't go into too much detail without spoiling the film but he has one scene that had me laughing hysterically throughout. On the flip side of that, there are the members of the cast that carry the narrative focusing on George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, and Josh Brolin. George Clooney gets to play the dunce movie star, Baird Whitlock, who is kidnapped in the film by a nefarious secret organization, which makes for an intriguing reveal that at times allows for some effective comedy. Alden Ehrenreich, who I mentioned a bit earlier, plays the cowboy western star Hobie Doyle and is surprisingly a standout among the cast with great comedic timing and heart. Josh Brolin is perfect as Capitol Pictures' studio fixer, Eddie Mannix, and really the main character of the film as it follows a day in his hectic life. Speaking of this, the film feels very unfocused which is certainly a problem but after I saw the film I realized that this is to reflect how insane Mannix's life is because of the crazy talent he must deal with on a daily basis. Conclusively, if you are interested in Hail, Caesar! because of the cast, I'd be very wary. The cinematography, score, and direction are all standard and effective but nothing particularly stood out to me. The Coen Brother's do a fine job and achieve what they set out to do with the film as they clearly are fascinated with 1950's Hollywood. Another strange thing was the style of editing that would would randomly jump from one part of the story to another without the proper groundwork and foundation to understand what is going on initially. In summary, the Coen Brothers created a strange love letter to old, classic 1950's Hollywood that I'd recommend for rental or home media purchase as opposed to checking out in theaters. 

Film Assessment: B-

'Spectre' Review

Nominated For: Best Original Song "Writing's On The Wall"(written by Sam Smith and James Napier).
Won: Best Original Song "Writing's On The Wall"(written by Sam Smith and James Napier).

Spectre is the newest Bond flick and possibly the last one that will star Daniel Craig and if it is indeed the last one with him as the infamous gentleman spy it was a very satisfying conclusion to the Daniel Craig 007 films that goes full circle. I went to go see the film last night at a early premiere showing for the film after watching all of the previous Daniel Craig led Bond flicks these past three weeks in preparation for the film and must say I quite enjoyed it. The film hits the ground running as per usual in these latest 007 films with an incredible Day Of the Dead action sequence. This sequence incorporated so many great elements and wrapped them all together for a phenomenal action scene. The costume and production design in this sequence as well as the entire film really cooperated in establishing location and looked incredible onscreen for all the exotic locations. The film's score also is quite effective in servicing the film adding to the experience, especially in the opening Day of the Dead scene. The opening Day of the Dead sequence was then accompanied by a wonderful opening credit scene that featured and really visualized  Sam Smith's contribution "The Writing on the Wall" perfectly.  The action was top notch from beginning to the end of the Day of the Dead sequence from Bond running on rooftops to an intense chase to an insane chopper battle above the celebratory parade. The action also doesn't let up for the remainder of the film with a car chase in Rome, an epic battle down the Austrian mountainside, and a visceral hand to hand combat fight with Mr. Hinx onboard a train. The only action sequence I found slightly underwhelming was the anticlimactic final fight. Spectre was a visual delight though as the car chase in Rome was gorgeous thanks to some awe-inspiring cinematography. The film also sports some of the best performances of the recent 007 films. Daniel Craig with this film provides his best take at the iconic gentlemen spy cementing his place as one of the best James Bond's to grace the screen. Lea Seydoux made for a great Bond girl as she not only did well in regards to acting but action as well. She made for a nontraditional Bond girl in that sense and differentiated from the rest since she is here to stay as opposed to the usual one offs. Ben Whishaw as Q, Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny each have slightly increased roles and really add to the film in their terrific supporting performances.  In regards to the film's villains, Dave Bautista makes a serviceable, menacing henchman as Mr. Hinx but one glaring problem with this role for me was that he came across also to be a brutal thoughtless henchman. I felt like Bautista was very underused as unfortunately he literally had one lie of dialogue and could have been better portrayed had he not come across as a meathead henchman. On the other side of that coin, Christoph Waltz's performance as a cold, calculating megalomaniac Franz Oberhauser. I thought Waltz was perfectly cast and made for a great villain although he had much less screen time than I anticipated. I did like that his reveal was saved for the middle of the film and the character was shrouded in mystery and intrigue until that point. I will say however that I felt Javier Bardem made for a much more interesting villain in Skyfall.  Unfortunately despite all of the impressive qualities of Spectre there is a blaring weakness of the film. It's narrative that seemed eerily familiar to two recent films, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation with a very similar basic plot that incorporates elements that are explored in both films. The story for Spectre wasn't "bad" it just didn't really feel very original. However I did like that the film's narrative brought all of these Daniel Craig Bond films full circle back to Casino Royale where it all began.  To sum it up, Spectre is a love letter to the classic Bond flicks incorporating elements from them in a modern context and setting that is visually delightful, contains top notch action, a rousing score, and exceptional performances. I have reviews on all three of the Daniel Craig led Bond flicks if you'd like to read them the hyperlinks are as follows: Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, and Skyfall.

Film Assessment: A-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Skyfall'

This week concludes my Daniel Craig 007 series of reviews as the is the last one before Spectre. I will be seeing Spectre tonight so expect a review up on that film soon. Next week I will begin my Hunger Games Throwback Thursday Reviews leading up to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. Maybe one day I will go back and review the classic Bond flicks when my review schedule opens up.

'Skyfall' Review

Nominated For: Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song "Skyfall" (written by Adele and Paul Epworth).
Won: Best Sound Editing and Best Original Song "Skyfall" (written by Adele and Paul Epworth).

Prior to beginning the 007 series of reviews this was the only James Bond movie I had ever seen, and I loved it and still do. This film jumps straight into the action with an intense chase scene with high stakes followed by Adele's beautiful song "Skyfall" with some stunning opening credit visuals. The film manages to balance dialogue and action well with very intense action scenes as well as phenomenal acting performances. Daniel Craig once again is phenomenal as James Bond perfectly captivating the essence of the suave gentleman agent. He is incredible in the role and this time around is probably his best take at the role in comparison to the two previous films. Judi Dench also goes her best performance as M in this film as she struggles to lead in these difficult times when the agency is in question. Ralph Fiennes was great in his supporting role but unfortunately wasn't given too much to do this time around although I'm sure that will change with Spectre. Naomi Harris was great as Eve Moneypenny in her action scenes as well as the character interactions, especially with Bond which contained some great humor. This film also had the best villain of the three Daniel Craig led Bond flicks with Javier Bardem playing a very twisted compelling villain who was a great equal in opposition to Bond. I loved that his character was always a step ahead and was a mental and physical force to be reckoned with who had well thought out complicated schemes that were executed well. Skyfall also allowed for a little bit of a dive into the 007 mythos as we are teased about Bond's childhood and yet learn quite a bit about the character. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of the film which was quite captivating and the best of the three in my opinion. The film also had gorgeous cinematography and incredible visual effects. This film was not only a good spy flick but a terrific film as well. Overall, this is currently my favorite among the Daniel Craig Bond flicks and I'm curious to see if Spectre will be able to compete for that spot.

Film Assessment: A+

'The Grand Budapest Hotel' Review

Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director; Wes Anderson, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design.

Won: Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design.

The Grand Budapest Hotel received 9 Academy Award nominations and won the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy. I loved this film, and really wish that I had seen it when it was first released. This film was hilarious, I was laughing all throughout the film and enjoyed all of the scenes between Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori. I especially loved the cinematography, editing and the performances in this film. The film is only an hour and a half long so it's short and fast paced. I highly recommend this film and expect to watch it a few more times.