Tag Archives: James Bond
Is there something I don’t know?
In three separate movies that I’ve watched this year, I’ve seen the same actress . . . get snubbed. Olga Kurylenko (who, as best I can tell, is not a leper) has been in Hitman, Max Payne, and Quantum of Solace. Her role has varied from film to film as one would expect and she seems to do well with whatever material is given to her (not saying much for two of those three).
However, one thing that is constant is that the male star seems to have absolutely no interest in her at all!
May Payne
Photoshoot for Quantum of Solace
Hitman
In two of the three movies she is topless and just about begging to guy to have some fun with her, and she’s shut down each time. Not even Bond has a roll with her. Of course, she’s a little more angsty in QoS than most Bond Girls are, but it’s never stopped him before!!
It’s not like I go to a movie expecting a sex scene, however they happen (either shown or implied). However if you go to a James Bond movie, you know that you are going to see stunts, cars, and women . . . to have one without those three things undoes all of creation or something (it’s in the Bible, somewhere in the back).
It’s not like I’m the only one to notice this with her. Jeremy Clarkson even brought it up in an interview with Mark Wahlberg on Top Gear.
What is going on here?
James Bond (semi-spoilerish) and Trek trailers
Most of this mirrors Squishy’s comments, but I thought I’d add some of my own.
How to handle traffic on the freeway.
My wife and I had a date night so we took the opportunity to go see the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. As with previous James Bond movies, the title came from Ian Fleming. It was the title of a short story in Fleming’s James Bond short story book “For your eyes only.” As with previous title uses, elements of the short story were not used in the movie.
Quantum of Solace picks up right where Casino Royale left off. So I would highly recommend re-watching that movie before staring QoS. If you had any doubt if this was an action flick, that was disproven in the first minutes of the movie. James Bond having to take a lot of matters into his own hands reminded me of License to Kill and Die Another Day. I also enjoyed the Goldfinger tribute when one of the Bond Girls is killed and left for Bond to find.
I liked how Bond flushed out the members of Quantum at their secret meeting. It sounds like the type of scenario that a role-player would have used to trick the bad guys into tipping their hand. I felt sorry for Felix Lighter and the predicament that he had found himself in. But then again life is never black and white as this movie had a lot of shades of gray in it.
One of the things that I dislike in a movie is when it becomes predictable. We get to see this lovely futuristic hotel with a very fancy lobby out in the desert. The first thought I had when I saw the lobby was “I can’t wait to see this thing blow up” Heheheheh. I was not disappointed, but I was glad that this was the only predictable moment in the film.
The opening credits was more Bond like than Casino. The final scene (fans will know what I mean when they see it) at the end of the movie shows the final transformation to the debonair international spy we know and love.
One of the things I loved about Casino and QoS was how this reboot set up the beginning of James Bond. We get to see how a blunt instrument turns into the stylish operative we expect when we hear “Bond…James Bond” coming from the mouth of our hero.
Go see this movie if you have enjoyed the James Bond franchise. I will be buying QoS on DVD when it comes out. And for those who wonder about any hidden scenes at the end of the credits, QoS did not provide any so you can leave when you want too.
On an interesting note, I loved how the seats at the Junction were set up. Erica and I were able to cuddle while watching the movie (like we were sitting on a couch at home).
Sulu is ready for action....or is this Zuke?
On the Star Trek trailer: When it started, I didn’t even know we were watching the trailer for the new Trek movie. Not until you heard the actor state “James Tiberius Kirk” was any clue provided that this was the first scenes we would see. I highly recommend that you see the trailer on the big screen as it fit much better with all of the action sequences shown. I really believe that this restart (much like the James Bond restarts) will bring a lot of new fans into the franchise.
Bond, James Bond
My name is.....
Why are geeks interested in the James Bond movies?
Duh!!
1- Girls
2- Gadgets
3- Guns
4- Spanish Inquisition (whoops, sorry I didn’t expect that)
5- Style
James Bond is a badass. He’s a badass that has kewl toys, gets the girls and blows up a lot of things in style. One moment Sean Connery has a duck on his head swimming through the water, the next he’s in a tuxedo. And that tuxedo probably has more devices imbedded in it than my cell phone.
Several years ago when I was interviewing Anthony “C3PO” Daniels in Denver, even he stated he wanted to be James Bond when he walks out of the theater. Wearing a tux for my friends wedding, I would look at myself in the mirror and repeat the immortal line “Bond….James Bond” I could never keep up that level of style needed (there are too many times I’m wanting to get back in my jeans and t-shirt to relax). I think that one of the reasons that a lot of people enjoy following the James Bond franchise is the way it allows us to escape from reality and pretend that we are an international spy or the seductive temptress speeding down the Monte Carlo roadways in an Aston Martin sportscar (again filled with gadgets).
I also remember not being allowed to watch James Bond on TV when I was growing up. My parents thought it was too risque for a thirteen year old. I remember begging to stay up and watch the Sunday Night Movie on ABC. Since I wasn’t allowed to stay up, and the parents were going to watch anyway, I snuck downstairs and watched from the stairs where my parents couldn’t see me. This is how I first saw The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Not being allowed to watch only made me want to watch more. Now Mr. Bond cannot escape the diabolical laser that is contained within my DVD player. Wuahhahahahahahah..ha….ha….uh..ok.
Who can for get the classic lines: Bond “Do you expect me to talk?” Goldfinger (laughing) “No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.” Roger Moore was classic with his one-liners dropped at the end of a tense scene. I blame James Bond as much as I blame my Father for the bad one-liners I use in various responses.
The new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, will be released on Friday, November 14. It will be the 22nd movie (24th if you count the two off-beat Bond movies) in the franchise spanning back for over 45 years. It is the second Bond movie for Daniel Craig. I think the use of different actors in the Bond role keeps the character fresh (you could tell it was time for Roger Moore to hang it up after watching A View to a Kill.) It also supports my theory that James Bond is a Gallifreyan Time Lord.
I will be at the theater this Friday, waiting to hear the opening sequence to the James Bond theme. Until that happens, I leave you with this…….
Rick Astley is....
