list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Quantum of Solace on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Quantum_of_Solace/287694/default.aspx Title: Quantum of Solace
Year: 2008
Director: Marc Forster
Plot: A devastating betrayal sends James Bond from Australia to Italy and South America on a mission of vengeance that pits the suave super-spy against a powerful businessman with diabolical intentions. Betrayed by Vesper, 007 (Daniel Craig) suppresses the urge to make his latest mission personal as he teams with M (Judi Dench) to interrogate Mr. White (Jesper Christensen). It soon becomes apparent that the organization behind the blackmailing of Vesper is more powerful than Bond and M had previously anticipated, and after discovering forensic evidence that links an MI6 traitor to a bank in Haiti, Bond immediately sets out to gather more intelligence. Once in Haiti, a case of mistaken identity leads Bond into the company of the ravishing Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a dangerous beauty with her own vendetta. It's Camille who leads Bond to a ruthless businessman named Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), who is soon revealed to be the mastermind of a powerful but clandestine organization. Greene is conspiring to corner the market on one of the world's most precious natural resources, and in order to make that happen he has forged a deal with an exiled general named Medrano (Joaquin Cosio). By enlisting the aid of his many associates and using his vast resources to force contacts within the CIA and the British government into bending to his will, Greene plans to overthrow the current regime of a Latin American country and hand control over to General Medrano in exchange for a parcel of land that appears barren on the surface, but actually houses a natural resource that will make Greene the most powerful man on the planet. But Bond's mission to uncover the culprit who blackmailed Vesper and prevent Dominic Greene from exerting his will on the entire world won't be easy, because now everyone from the CIA to the terrorists and even M are out to get him. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 38
Number of Lists: 16
Number of blog posts: 35
Number of discussion threads: 9
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Fri, 22 May 2009 05:26:00 GMTQuantum of Solace2008Marc ForsterA devastating betrayal sends James Bond from Australia to Italy and South America on a mission of vengeance that pits the suave super-spy against a powerful businessman with diabolical intentions. Betrayed by Vesper, 007 (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____15549/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Daniel Craig</a>) suppresses the urge to make his latest mission personal as he teams with M (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____18570/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Judi Dench</a>) to interrogate Mr. White (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____12990/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jesper Christensen</a>). It soon becomes apparent that the organization behind the blackmailing of Vesper is more powerful than Bond and M had previously anticipated, and after discovering forensic evidence that links an MI6 traitor to a bank in Haiti, Bond immediately sets out to gather more intelligence. Once in Haiti, a case of mistaken identity leads Bond into the company of the ravishing Camille (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___439885/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Olga Kurylenko</a>), a dangerous beauty with her own vendetta. It's Camille who leads Bond to a ruthless businessman named Dominic Greene (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___199646/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Mathieu Amalric</a>), who is soon revealed to be the mastermind of a powerful but clandestine organization. Greene is conspiring to corner the market on one of the world's most precious natural resources, and in order to make that happen he has forged a deal with an exiled general named Medrano (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___430685/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joaquin Cosio</a>). By enlisting the aid of his many associates and using his vast resources to force contacts within the CIA and the British government into bending to his will, Greene plans to overthrow the current regime of a Latin American country and hand control over to General Medrano in exchange for a parcel of land that appears barren on the surface, but actually houses a natural resource that will make Greene the most powerful man on the planet. But Bond's mission to uncover the culprit who blackmailed Vesper and prevent Dominic Greene from exerting his will on the entire world won't be easy, because now everyone from the CIA to the terrorists and even M are out to get him. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide38Tag Target (>10)163593http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s287694.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Quantum_of_Solace/287694/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/christhilk/archive/2009/3/25/41253.aspx Post By: ChrisThilk
Post To: ChrisThilk Blog
Post Date: 3/25/2009 9:01:46 PM
Body: For some reason Quantum of Solace, the most-recent outing of super-spy James Bond, got lukewarm reviews when it came out in theaters. I’m not sure why that was since I actually quite enjoyed it and even thought it was an improvement over 2006’s Casino Royale. Picking up right, more or less, where that previous movie left off, Daniel Craig once again stars as the new stripped-down and highly intense version of Bond the first movie introduced us to. He’s on a mission to not only uncover some shadowy, nebulous organization that specializes is toppling governments and exploiting natural resources but also to - although he doesn’t admit as much - to avenge the death of Vesper, the girlfriend he lost in the previous installment. The nature of the plot doesn’t really matter though. Quantum of Solace needs to be viewed as the second half of a single film, one who’s primary purpose is to introduce this version of James Bond and give him a mythos of his own as someone who is emotionally damaged and brutal in pursuit of his goals, which often seem personal but which also have the advantage of meshing nicely with those of Queen and country. Watching Craig as Bond is even more enjoyable this time than it was in Casino Royale. We know better who this guy is now and can read more into his aggressively passive expressions. It’s also more interesting to see him in the movie’s series of chases and action sequences. I found myself thinking over the course of the movie that he reminded me of Indiana Jones in how he escapes not because of some master plan he’s worked out, but instead because he just happened to survive from one moment to the next, not thinking about anything beyond the next ledge he’s going to leap to and he’ll figure out the next move once he’s there. There’s never really a moment that doesn’t work in Quantum of Solace. Not only are the action scenes great to watch but the quieter moments (if you can call them that) - especially the ones with Dame Judy Dench as M - are pretty good as well. Dench is basically given the same two things to do over and over again - scold Bond and remind him of his duties or look up information based on Bond’s latest discovery - but she sells them with her usual class and talent. Quantum of Solace comes with a host of bonus features on the two-disc special edition DVD, including: Bond on Location: All about the exotic locales and how they play into the story of the movie. Start of Shooting: Very brief featurette about the shooting of the movie. On Location: More about the settings. Not sure why this wasn’t just rolled into the 20+ minute first bit. Olga Kurylenko and the Boat Chase: Covering one of the key action sequences in the film. Director Marc Forster: How the man behind the camera did on his first time out. The Music: Self-explanitory Crew Files: Likewise. As I said, Quantum of Solace needs to be viewed as the second half of a single story and it works as just that. Well worth checking out. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk
]]>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:01:46 GMTChrisThilkChrisThilk Blog3/25/2009 9:01:46 PMFor some reason Quantum of Solace, the most-recent outing of super-spy James Bond, got lukewarm reviews when it came out in theaters. I’m not sure why that was since I actually quite enjoyed it and even thought it was an improvement over 2006’s Casino Royale. Picking up right, more or less, where that previous movie left off, Daniel Craig once again stars as the new stripped-down and highly intense version of Bond the first movie introduced us to. He’s on a mission to not only uncover some shadowy, nebulous organization that specializes is toppling governments and exploiting natural resources but also to - although he doesn’t admit as much - to avenge the death of Vesper, the girlfriend he lost in the previous installment. The nature of the plot doesn’t really matter though. Quantum of Solace needs to be viewed as the second half of a single film, one who’s primary purpose is to introduce this version of James Bond and give him a mythos of his own as someone who is emotionally damaged and brutal in pursuit of his goals, which often seem personal but which also have the advantage of meshing nicely with those of Queen and country. Watching Craig as Bond is even more enjoyable this time than it was in Casino Royale. We know better who this guy is now and can read more into his aggressively passive expressions. It’s also more interesting to see him in the movie’s series of chases and action sequences. I found myself thinking over the course of the movie that he reminded me of Indiana Jones in how he escapes not because of some master plan he’s worked out, but instead because he just happened to survive from one moment to the next, not thinking about anything beyond the next ledge he’s going to leap to and he’ll figure out the next move once he’s there. There’s never really a moment that doesn’t work in Quantum of Solace. Not only are the action scenes great to watch but the quieter moments (if you can call them that) - especially the ones with Dame Judy Dench as M - are pretty good as well. Dench is basically given the same two things to do over and over again - scold Bond and remind him of his duties or look up information based on Bond’s latest discovery - but she sells them with her usual class and talent. Quantum of Solace comes with a host of bonus features on the two-disc special edition DVD, including: Bond on Location: All about the exotic locales and how they play into the story of the movie. Start of Shooting: Very brief featurette about the shooting of the movie. On Location: More about the settings. Not sure why this wasn’t just rolled into the 20+ minute first bit. Olga Kurylenko and the Boat Chase: Covering one of the key action sequences in the film. Director Marc Forster: How the man behind the camera did on his first time out. The Music: Self-explanitory Crew Files: Likewise. As I said, Quantum of Solace needs to be viewed as the second half of a single story and it works as just that. Well worth checking out. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/13/39467.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/13/2009 4:02:06 PM
Body: As we crack open fresh calendars for a new year, we’re treated to a predictable rash of blog posts: 2009 technology predictions. I’ve read a number of these, and prognostications about Microsoft buying Yahoo make me want to light my laptop on fire just to cure the boredom. As an anecdote to lame, ‘what’s the next Twitter?’-style tech prediction lists, I’ve decided to make a list 2009 tech predictions entirely inspired by movies. 2008 was the year in which widely available real-world gadgets were just as good as what James Bond had. Sure, Daniel Craig kicked some ass in Quantum of Solace, but his only real piece of tech was a phone with a camera and GPS! (Hope you got a good texting plan with that, James.) I predict this trend will continue in 2009. We’ll see even more real-world gadgets that used to be the sole domain of Hollywood special effects gurus. Sure, some of these technologies will require minor miracles to become a reality in the coming year, but others are closer than you think. Strength-Enhancing Exoskeleton Armor In Iron Man, Tony Stark creates a crude, internally-powered suit of armor to escape his terrorist captors. Once he’s safely at home in his billion-dollar laboratory, he hones the suit into a golden ass-kicking machine, and becomes Iron Man. This story isn’t that far from the truth. Rather than a single billionaire playboy, teams of research scientists are developing robotic suits that significantly increase the wearer’s strength. And the end goal is goal is the same: beating the hell out of terrorists. Almost five years ago, UC Berkley researchers announced a DARPA-funded project called BLEEX, the Berkley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton (pictured at left). If you’re thinking that giant backpack is full of the machinery that runs the thing, you’re wrong. That’s the 70 lbs. pack the wearer can hardly feel, thanks to his robot legs. Assuming secret military technology is always ahead of publicized military technology, and considering that the BLEEX is five years old, I think it’s safe to say that in 2009 President Obama will personally don an Iron Man suit and kill Osama bin Laden. Levitation Levitation in movies is usually some sort of magical or paranormal phenomenon, like Yoda using the force to lift Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing out of the swamp. But there are examples of technological levitation in fiction, especially flying saucers and other craft that can stay aloft without forward momentum. A technological version of the Force is still a long way off, but there are plenty of forms of levitation that are quite common. Magnetism can be easily harnessed to levitate certain objects, and just last week, scientists added another method to the growing list of levitation technologies. Harvard physicist Federico Capasso has effectively reversed the Casimir effect, which causes metal objects to become attracted to one another when they’re very close together. As exciting as this sounds, the reversal only works on extremely small pieces of metal. But it’s still a step in the right direction. Invisibility Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak relies on magic rather than technology, but this hasn’t stopped scientists from trying to replicate its effects. While one would hope that researchers’ interest in invisibility technology goes beyond their fondness for the boy wizard, they invariably mention Potter’s cloak in every news story about advances in invisibility technology. The development of meta-materials that can redirect lightwaves around an object have made steady progress in recent years. In a National Geographic article from November of last year, researcher Ulf Leonhardt claimed that invisibility cloaks are now “feasible.” Of course there are a few catches. The phenomenon alters visible light slightly while it bends it, and it can only work with specific shapes, meaning that a coat of invisible paint on a spy plane or a stylish cape are still out of reach. With the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in July of this year, I’m sure Potter-loving invisibility scientists will pursue their study with renewed fervor. X-Ray Vision The most popular depiction of x-ray vision is of course Superman, but the Man of Steel doesn’t need a gadget to see Louis Lane’s underwear. There are examples of technological x-ray vision in movies, like the all-but-forgotten 1996 Schwarzenegger vehicle, Eraser. The film featured an advanced weapon called a rail-gun, which had a scope that could see through solid objects. X-ray vision, like levitation, has existed in certain forms for long time, but making it as practical as Superman’s vision is another matter. Thermal imaging goggles used by police and military can see through certain objects that block visual light because of their ability to see infrared light. A new technology being employed in security situations is terahertz imagery, which can see through fabrics and plastic. While the mail-order x-ray specs sold out of comic books in the ’60s were a sham, back in 1998 Sony sold thousands of consumer video cameras whose “night shot” feature allowed users to see through clothing, especially swim wear. Time Travel Debating the physical and philosophical effects of time travel is a favorite passtime of sci-fi buffs and people who edit Wikipedia entries. The scientific consensus is that Back to the Future-style DeLorean time travel is not possible, but Einstein’s theories of general and special relativity do allow for certain types of time travel. For example, the phenomenon of time dilation allows for something akin to traveling into the future. If there were twins, and one stayed on Earth while the other went on a long trip on a spaceship at nearly the speed of light, the traveling twin would be younger when he returned. From his perspective, his trip lasted one year, while his twin would insist that he’d been gone for ten years. So this means that the DeLorean would have to travel much faster than 88 miles per hour, and once they traveled to the future, they could never go back. There is another theoretically possible form of time travel, which involves constructing an infinitely long cylinder in space and rotating it on its longitudinal axis. This would bend space time around the cylinder, allowing a spacecraft to essentially fly back in time. But since there are no infinitely long cylinders laying around, time travel in 2009 seems unlikely. Unless a time traveler from the future decides to come back to 2009 and share his knowledge with us. He’d probably kill his own grandfather, too, just to mess with our heads. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:02:06 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/13/2009 4:02:06 PMAs we crack open fresh calendars for a new year, we’re treated to a predictable rash of blog posts: 2009 technology predictions. I’ve read a number of these, and prognostications about Microsoft buying Yahoo make me want to light my laptop on fire just to cure the boredom. As an anecdote to lame, ‘what’s the next Twitter?’-style tech prediction lists, I’ve decided to make a list 2009 tech predictions entirely inspired by movies. 2008 was the year in which widely available real-world gadgets were just as good as what James Bond had. Sure, Daniel Craig kicked some ass in Quantum of Solace, but his only real piece of tech was a phone with a camera and GPS! (Hope you got a good texting plan with that, James.) I predict this trend will continue in 2009. We’ll see even more real-world gadgets that used to be the sole domain of Hollywood special effects gurus. Sure, some of these technologies will require minor miracles to become a reality in the coming year, but others are closer than you think. Strength-Enhancing Exoskeleton Armor In Iron Man, Tony Stark creates a crude, internally-powered suit of armor to escape his terrorist captors. Once he’s safely at home in his billion-dollar laboratory, he hones the suit into a golden ass-kicking machine, and becomes Iron Man. This story isn’t that far from the truth. Rather than a single billionaire playboy, teams of research scientists are developing robotic suits that significantly increase the wearer’s strength. And the end goal is goal is the same: beating the hell out of terrorists. Almost five years ago, UC Berkley researchers announced a DARPA-funded project called BLEEX, the Berkley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton (pictured at left). If you’re thinking that giant backpack is full of the machinery that runs the thing, you’re wrong. That’s the 70 lbs. pack the wearer can hardly feel, thanks to his robot legs. Assuming secret military technology is always ahead of publicized military technology, and considering that the BLEEX is five years old, I think it’s safe to say that in 2009 President Obama will personally don an Iron Man suit and kill Osama bin Laden. Levitation Levitation in movies is usually some sort of magical or paranormal phenomenon, like Yoda using the force to lift Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing out of the swamp. But there are examples of technological levitation in fiction, especially flying saucers and other craft that can stay aloft without forward momentum. A technological version of the Force is still a long way off, but there are plenty of forms of levitation that are quite common. Magnetism can be easily harnessed to levitate certain objects, and just last week, scientists added another method to the growing list of levitation technologies. Harvard physicist Federico Capasso has effectively reversed the Casimir effect, which causes metal objects to become attracted to one another when they’re very close together. As exciting as this sounds, the reversal only works on extremely small pieces of metal. But it’s still a step in the right direction. Invisibility Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak relies on magic rather than technology, but this hasn’t stopped scientists from trying to replicate its effects. While one would hope that researchers’ interest in invisibility technology goes beyond their fondness for the boy wizard, they invariably mention Potter’s cloak in every news story about advances in invisibility technology. The development of meta-materials that can redirect lightwaves around an object have made steady progress in recent years. In a National Geographic article from November of last year, researcher Ulf Leonhardt claimed that invisibility cloaks are now “feasible.” Of course there are a few catches. The phenomenon alters visible light slightly while it bends it, and it can only work with specific shapes, meaning that a coat of invisible paint on a spy plane or a stylish cape are still out of reach. With the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in July of this year, I’m sure Potter-loving invisibility scientists will pursue their study with renewed fervor. X-Ray Vision The most popular depiction of x-ray vision is of course Superman, but the Man of Steel doesn’t need a gadget to see Louis Lane’s underwear. There are examples of technological x-ray vision in movies, like the all-but-forgotten 1996 Schwarzenegger vehicle, Eraser. The film featured an advanced weapon called a rail-gun, which had a scope that could see through solid objects. X-ray vision, like levitation, has existed in certain forms for long time, but making it as practical as Superman’s vision is another matter. Thermal imaging goggles used by police and military can see through certain objects that block visual light because of their ability to see infrared light. A new technology being employed in security situations is terahertz imagery, which can see through fabrics and plastic. While the mail-order x-ray specs sold out of comic books in the ’60s were a sham, back in 1998 Sony sold thousands of consumer video cameras whose “night shot” feature allowed users to see through clothing, especially swim wear. Time Travel Debating the physical and philosophical effects of time travel is a favorite passtime of sci-fi buffs and people who edit Wikipedia entries. The scientific consensus is that Back to the Future-style DeLorean time travel is not possible, but Einstein’s theories of general and special relativity do allow for certain types of time travel. For example, the phenomenon of time dilation allows for something akin to traveling into the future. If there were twins, and one stayed on Earth while the other went on a long trip on a spaceship at nearly the speed of light, the traveling twin would be younger when he returned. From his perspective, his trip lasted one year, while his twin would insist that he’d been gone for ten years. So this means that the DeLorean would have to travel much faster than 88 miles per hour, and once they traveled to the future, they could never go back. There is another theoretically possible form of time travel, which involves constructing an infinitely long cylinder in space and rotating it on its longitudinal axis. This would bend space time around the cylinder, allowing a spacecraft to essentially fly back in time. But since there are no infinitely long cylinders laying around, time travel in 2009 seems unlikely. Unless a time traveler from the future decides to come back to 2009 and share his knowledge with us. He’d probably kill his own grandfather, too, just to mess with our heads. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/12/27/38883.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 12/27/2008 8:34:11 PM
Body: Make no mistake, 2008 was the year of the woman. From politics to multiplex, they were the most newsworthy. At the box office, week after week brought about stories about how, mother of all shockers, women enjoy going to the movies too. From summer “event movies” (usually an exclusive boys tree house where "No Gurlz Allowd"), to record-breaking such as best opening for a female director, women were the new black at the box office. In 2008: Twilight was the highest-grossing film opening by a female director (at $70 million); It received the second-largest advanced ticket sales, trailing only The Dark Knight; Sex and the City was the best opening ever for an R-rated comedy; The SATC gals also debuted as the fifth best R-rated film of all time; The film also bested Mission Impossible as the best debut of a film based on a TV show. Now, perhaps next year we can do the same with good movies. Sex in the City was the female equivalent of Iron Man, replacing magical gadgetry with matching accessories and pyrotechnics for Prada. The other glass ceiling-shattering film, Twilight, featured a lead who thankfully did not have to resort to sex for empowerment, but she really didn't do much else, either. Twilight's accolades are deserved for what it accomplished behind the camera, not what was captured on it. Though there were film aplenty that could populate both lists, I tried to limit this list to films that would have played in most major cities outside the metropolitan areas. BESTThe Dark Knight: Let me join the chorus of hosannas for this little underrated indie gem, for I know it could use the help financially.WALL·E: A family film with a virtually dialogue-free first half, a protagonist made of metal, an Earth barren of life and squelched by pollution, a cuddly cockroach sidekick, and a human cast that's a Dorito away from permanent bedrest. A film of staggering beauty from a company for which that is a trademark feature.The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Director David Fincher's most accessible, polished film to date. While Zodiac and Fight Club may resonate longer, Button is the kind of marriage between theatrics, epic scope, and pure emotion that lands him in the top tier of working directors. Winning, tender performances by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett only further cement the film's top 10 placement.Burn After Reading: After bumming us out of us with last year's stark, desolate (but excellent) No Country for Old Men, the Brothers Coen demonstrate their sharp comic chops with this irreverent, all-star dissection of middle-age madness and frustration of lives lived that come nowhere close to youthful aspirations. Milk: Sean Penn offers further proof of his necessity in cinema today with his ingratiating portrayal of slain politician Harvey Milk. Director Gus Van Sant lifts his vision from his navel (where it was focused during films such as Gerry and Last Days) to create a sensitive, intimate biopic that is saved from maudlin tendencies by Penn's presence. Tropic Thunder: Bold, unexpected comedy that does not wear out its welcome by the third act, like so many other mainstream comedies. Ben Stiller directs Robert Downey Jr. to his second standout performance this summer.Quantum of Solace: Some have decried the fact that Daniel Craig's Bond is just too mean. But Solace, which feels like a perfect extension of Casino Royale, feels as though it is taking its sweet time in creating the psyche of someone who has reason to be known as the greatest super-spy the world has ever known. Let the Right One In: This is a bit of a cheat, since this may have only appeared on area screens as part of a film festival, but its effect is one that reverberates far outside its limited runs nationwide. In a year when Twilight has been garnering all the attention, The Right One has become the one true vampire (and adolescence) film whose bite leaves a mark and should be sought out on DVD before the inevitable US remake. U2-3D: Demonstrating just why they are the world's biggest rock band, U2 raised the roof with this truly cinematic 3D spectacle that not only captured the feel of one of their concerts, but invited the audience on stage to jam with Bono and the boys. Slumdog Millionaire: Danny Boyle never disappoints, even with his misfires (A Life Less Ordinary, Sunshine). But he nails it again with Slumdog, a rather pedestrian tale told with wit, undeniable humanity and delivered with uncompromising conviction. WORST The Happening: When wind is your chief villain, it's time to rethink the script. The Love Guru: Mike Myers steps in Deepak doo-doo.Sex and the City: Inside this film's Sax Fifth Avenue window dressing lies the the cold, calculated heart of an empty Wal-Mart.88Minutes/Righteous Kill: Al Pacino should have known better after working with director Jon Avnet in 88, but instead enlisted fellow legend Robert DeNiro to further Kill both their careers.X-Files: I Want to Believe: But now I no longer do.Seven Pounds: Will Smith packed his bags for a guilt trip, and we're forced to ride along in the back seat. An American Carol: Looks like Republicans were just as good at making films as they were winning elections in 2008.Meet the Spartans/Disaster Movie: Cinematic parody: Born 1923, Died 2008.
]]>Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:34:11 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog12/27/2008 8:34:11 PMMake no mistake, 2008 was the year of the woman. From politics to multiplex, they were the most newsworthy. At the box office, week after week brought about stories about how, mother of all shockers, women enjoy going to the movies too. From summer &ldquo;event movies&rdquo; (usually an exclusive boys tree house where "No Gurlz Allowd"), to record-breaking such as best opening for a female director, women were the new black at the box office. In 2008: Twilight was the highest-grossing film opening by a female director (at $70 million); It received the second-largest advanced ticket sales, trailing only The Dark Knight; Sex and the City was the best opening ever for an R-rated comedy; The SATC gals also debuted as the fifth best R-rated film of all time; The film also bested Mission Impossible as the best debut of a film based on a TV show. Now, perhaps next year we can do the same with good movies. Sex in the City was the female equivalent of Iron Man, replacing magical gadgetry with matching accessories and pyrotechnics for Prada. The other glass ceiling-shattering film, Twilight, featured a lead who thankfully did not have to resort to sex for empowerment, but she really didn't do much else, either. Twilight's accolades are deserved for what it accomplished behind the camera, not what was captured on it. Though there were film aplenty that could populate both lists, I tried to limit this list to films that would have played in most major cities outside the metropolitan areas. BESTThe Dark Knight: Let me join the chorus of hosannas for this little underrated indie gem, for I know it could use the help financially.WALL&middot;E: A family film with a virtually dialogue-free first half, a protagonist made of metal, an Earth barren of life and squelched by pollution, a cuddly cockroach sidekick, and a human cast that's a Dorito away from permanent bedrest. A film of staggering beauty from a company for which that is a trademark feature.The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Director David Fincher's most accessible, polished film to date. While Zodiac and Fight Club may resonate longer, Button is the kind of marriage between theatrics, epic scope, and pure emotion that lands him in the top tier of working directors. Winning, tender performances by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett only further cement the film's top 10 placement.Burn After Reading: After bumming us out of us with last year's stark, desolate (but excellent) No Country for Old Men, the Brothers Coen demonstrate their sharp comic chops with this irreverent, all-star dissection of middle-age madness and frustration of lives lived that come nowhere close to youthful aspirations. Milk: Sean Penn offers further proof of his necessity in cinema today with his ingratiating portrayal of slain politician Harvey Milk. Director Gus Van Sant lifts his vision from his navel (where it was focused during films such as Gerry and Last Days) to create a sensitive, intimate biopic that is saved from maudlin tendencies by Penn's presence. Tropic Thunder: Bold, unexpected comedy that does not wear out its welcome by the third act, like so many other mainstream comedies. Ben Stiller directs Robert Downey Jr. to his second standout performance this summer.Quantum of Solace: Some have decried the fact that Daniel Craig's Bond is just too mean. But Solace, which feels like a perfect extension of Casino Royale, feels as though it is taking its sweet time in creating the psyche of someone who has reason to be known as the greatest super-spy the world has ever known. Let the Right One In: This is a bit of a cheat, since this may have only appeared on area screens as part of a film festival, but its effect is one that reverberates far outside its limited runs nationwide. In a year when Twilight has been garnering all the attention, The Right One has become the one true vampire (and adolescence) film whose bite leaves a mark and should be sought out on DVD before the inevitable US remake. U2-3D: Demonstrating just why they are the world's biggest rock band, U2 raised the roof with this truly cinematic 3D spectacle that not only captured the feel of one of their concerts, but invited the audience on stage to jam with Bono and the boys. Slumdog Millionaire: Danny Boyle never disappoints, even with his misfires (A Life Less Ordinary, Sunshine). But he nails it again with Slumdog, a rather pedestrian tale told with wit, undeniable humanity and delivered with uncompromising conviction. WORST The Happening: When wind is your chief villain, it's time to rethink the script. The Love Guru: Mike Myers steps in Deepak doo-doo.Sex and the City: Inside this film's Sax Fifth Avenue window dressing lies the the cold, calculated heart of an empty Wal-Mart.88Minutes/Righteous Kill: Al Pacino should have known better after working with director Jon Avnet in 88, but instead enlisted fellow legend Robert DeNiro to further Kill both their careers.X-Files: I Want to Believe: But now I no longer do.Seven Pounds: Will Smith packed his bags for a guilt trip, and we're forced to ride along in the back seat. An American Carol: Looks like Republicans were just as good at making films as they were winning elections in 2008.Meet the Spartans/Disaster Movie: Cinematic parody: Born 1923, Died 2008. http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/12/24/38796.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 12/24/2008 1:54:25 AM
Body: "Solace" is comfort in sadness, but what is "quantum"? Does it have something to with physics or outer space? That question was never answered in this, the new James Bond film, but there was a bigger one that I had: Why does this movie suck? It should have everything going for it. It's a direct sequel to 2006's brilliant Casino Royale, which was the first "artistic" James Bond. That movie treated Ian Flemming's creation as real person, and was backed by a great lead performance from Daniel Craig, while also being a great spy thriller and having a catchy theme song to boot. All this movie has is Craig and the theme song. I think the biggest problem is that beyond a few half hearted attempts at political commentary and characterization, the movie lacks any real ambition at being anything but another 007 programmer. It's as if they weren't trying. For one thing, I think that we can all agree that the relationship between Bond and M (Dame Judi Dench) has been pretty much played in the six films since Dench took over the role from Robert Brown in Goldeneye (1995). I frankly didn't care as a I watched the two argue in this movie, and I unless they can dream of something new for Dench to do, I wish that the series would merely return to M presenting a briefing at the beginning and then turning Bond loose to do his thing. But perhaps they need to find a new thing for him to do, because he does nearly everything he does in all of the other movies, except be a real person, as he was in Casino Royale. The brave thing to do would be make this film even darker, and perhaps go into the absolute depths of Bond psyche. Perhaps such have film might even have allowed the audience to dislike Bond. But this movie, although picking up on some of the residual elements from its predecessor, is mostly concerned about an evil businessman (Mathieu Amalric) from taking over the world, and gets in some obvious and simple lefty points. Of course, we know that the businessman is not going to succeed, and that it's going to be Bond to the rescue, so there's not much suspense. Craig, who may be the best James Bond (or at least a close second to Sean Connery) does his best, and I hope that he plays the role for awhile. Unlike all of his predecessors, you can actually believe that this man could be spy. What a pity to put him in a movie that doesn't exploit that skill. Quantum of Solace is so devoted to its by-the-numbers plot and storytelling that it fails at the most basic requirement of a James Bond movie: it's not even fun. Quantum of Solace (2008)
]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:54:25 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog12/24/2008 1:54:25 AM "Solace" is comfort in sadness, but what is "quantum"? Does it have something to with physics or outer space? That question was never answered in this, the new James Bond film, but there was a bigger one that I had: Why does this movie suck? It should have everything going for it. It's a direct sequel to 2006's brilliant Casino Royale, which was the first "artistic" James Bond. That movie treated Ian Flemming's creation as real person, and was backed by a great lead performance from Daniel Craig, while also being a great spy thriller and having a catchy theme song to boot. All this movie has is Craig and the theme song. I think the biggest problem is that beyond a few half hearted attempts at political commentary and characterization, the movie lacks any real ambition at being anything but another 007 programmer. It's as if they weren't trying. For one thing, I think that we can all agree that the relationship between Bond and M (Dame Judi Dench) has been pretty much played in the six films since Dench took over the role from Robert Brown in Goldeneye (1995). I frankly didn't care as a I watched the two argue in this movie, and I unless they can dream of something new for Dench to do, I wish that the series would merely return to M presenting a briefing at the beginning and then turning Bond loose to do his thing. But perhaps they need to find a new thing for him to do, because he does nearly everything he does in all of the other movies, except be a real person, as he was in Casino Royale. The brave thing to do would be make this film even darker, and perhaps go into the absolute depths of Bond psyche. Perhaps such have film might even have allowed the audience to dislike Bond. But this movie, although picking up on some of the residual elements from its predecessor, is mostly concerned about an evil businessman (Mathieu Amalric) from taking over the world, and gets in some obvious and simple lefty points. Of course, we know that the businessman is not going to succeed, and that it's going to be Bond to the rescue, so there's not much suspense. Craig, who may be the best James Bond (or at least a close second to Sean Connery) does his best, and I hope that he plays the role for awhile. Unlike all of his predecessors, you can actually believe that this man could be spy. What a pity to put him in a movie that doesn't exploit that skill. Quantum of Solace is so devoted to its by-the-numbers plot and storytelling that it fails at the most basic requirement of a James Bond movie: it's not even fun. Quantum of Solace (2008) http://www.spout.com/blogs/dj4our/archive/2008/12/22/38739.aspx Post By: dj4our
Post To: dj4our Blog
Post Date: 12/22/2008 7:30:59 PM
Body: written by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis & Joshua Zetumer (uncredited) produced by: Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli directed by: Marc Forster When I heard that the Bond producers had signed on director Marc Forster I immediately smiled with anticipation. I had hopes that what had exellently begun in 2006's "Casino Royale" could now be continued by a stylish, genre-skipping director with indie chops. I smiled again when it was revealed that this was the first Bond film that is a direct sequel, taking place right after the events of the last film. It only made sense to continue a story that has created a new Bond universe, free from forty years of continuity yet left the viewer with some unanswered questions. While I did have my hopes up, I also knew that this was a different director and there would be no way to duplicate the feel of the previous film's new direction. James Bond (Daniel Craig) is back, in fact he's only been gone a half hour or so. We're immediately thrust into the action, trying to catch up with a fast and furious 007 speeding through traffic in Italy. Bond wastes no time dispensing his gun-toting pursuers from Lake Garda to Siena, with the captured/injured Mr. White (Jesper Christianson) in the trunk of his car. He ends his brutal swath of destruction by dropping off his battered captive at the heel's of his frustrated boss, M, in order to begin his interrogation. Bond's goal in this film is to learn more about Quantum, the evil organization behind the death of his love, Vesper Lynd and uncover what their nefarious global plans are. It would appear they are everywhere and they are one step ahead of MI6. So much in fact, that the interrogation is interrupted by the betrayal of M's bodyguard Mitchell (Glenn Foster) who attacks her, allowing Mr. White to escape. An adrenalized chase ensues as Bond pursues Mitchell through the tunnels and across the rooftops of Siena, amid the crowd assembled for the Palio di Siena. He winds up killing him (much to M's disaproval) leaving forensics to find intel typing him to a contact in Haiti. Like every Bond film, we are now off to another country yet unlike any pre-Craig entry there is no time for sight-seeing here. This Bond is on a mission. He's like a bull in a china shop with cat-like agility as he takes out Slate (Neil Jackson), his intended target in a bloody tactile mess. Since his encounter with Slate didn't provide any useful information, Bond poses as his victim which leads him to a briefcase and an unexpected ride from a beautiful Russian-Bolivian woman named Camille Montes. They both discover that she has been targeted for termination by her supposed lover, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) the chairman of ecological organization Greene Planet and a member of Quantum. She kicks him outta the car thinking he's the hitman, but Bond pursues her by motorcycle to a dock warehouse and spies on her as she meets with Greene. Greene is a smarmy, effete eco-terrorist villian, in love with himself while showing little regard for anyone or thing but his own agenda. He awaits the arrival of Bolivian General Medrano (Joaquín Cosío), a man Camille has worked her whole life to meet and kill since he murdered her entire family when she was a girl. Greene is helping the exiled general get back into power, in return for support of his organization. In doing so, he hands Camille over to Medrano to do with what he will. What does Greene get out of all this? A seemingly barren piece of desert land. Bond rescues her in an exihilarating motorcycle/boat chase but finds out Camille's not too grateful for his intervention. After making sure an unconscious Camille is in good hands, Bond follows Greene to a private jet, which flies to Austria. His flight is accompanied by CIA agents Gregg Beam (David Harbour) and Felix Leiter. Beam offers U.S. support of the overthrow in return for Bolivian oil, which he believes Greene to have discovered. In return, Greene requests that the CIA eliminate Bond's interference. Beam agrees, despite Leiter's unspoken disapproval. Meanwhile, on the Austrian shore of Lake Constance near Bregenz, members of Quantum (including Greene and White) gather at a floating performance of Puccini's opera Tosca. They're holding a covert conference via concealed earpiecest to finalize plans for their Tierra Project. Among the talking heads is Guy Haines (Paul Ritter), an advisor of the British Prime Minister. In a clevr and humorous scene, Bond obtains an earpiece and disrupts the meeting, and then takes photos of various Quantum members as they flee the theater. As Greene abruptly departs from the opera with his entourage, he is intercepted by Bond in a standoff. A gunfight ensues with Quantum goons in a restaurant that carries over onto a rooftop where Bond confronts Haines' bodyguard, who is subsequently killed by Greene's goon. M is furious with Bond's activities at the opera and revokes his passports and credit cards. She demands that he return to London, on learning of the bodyguard's death, frustrated that there is no one to interrogate. Undeterred, Bond instead travels to Italy by boat, where he reunites with his old ally René Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini). Mathis is reluctant to help due to what transpired with the Le Chiffre incident, but Bond persuades the retired agent (once stationed in Bolivia) to accompany him to La Paz. They are greeted at the airport by Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton), an MI6 field operative from the British Consulate. Fields demands that Bond return to the UK on the next available flight, but he disobeys and they both wind up in his hotel suite bed. Mathis pulls some strings and gets them into a Quantum fundraiser that night held by Greene, where Bond runs into Camille again. When Bond and Camille leave together, but are pulled over by the Bolivian police. They order Bond to open the trunk of his vehicle to reveal a bloodied Mathis. As Bond helps Mathis out, the policemen open fire, killing Mathis. Bond disarms and kills the policemen and comforts the dying Mathis, who asks Bond to forgive Vesper Lynd. Bond and Camille make it to the location of Greene's suspected land acquisition, surveying the area in a Douglas DC-3 propeller plane. Suddenly they are intercepted and shot down by an Aermacchi SF-260 fighter and a Bell UH-1 helicopter. They barely escape from the crippled plane by parachuting into a sinkhole below. As they escape the cave, Bond and Camille learn that Greene's Tierra Project involves water, not oil. Quantum is blockading Bolivia's supply of fresh water, normally flowing in underground rivers, by damming it into hidden reservoirs beneath the desert. During this short down time, Bond also learns that Camille's family was raped and murdered by Medrano and that is why she seeks revenge. After these discoveries, they return to La Paz, where Bond meets M and discovers Quantum murdered Fields by drowning her in oil. M orders Bond to disarm and end his activities in Bolivia, but he escapes by overpowering the MI6 operatives in a hotel elevator. As he makes his escape, he tells M he's not finished with his operation. Once again, Bond turns to a trusted ally in Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) at a local bar, who advises that the CIA is now after him. Leiter discloses the location where Greene and Medrano will meet and gives Bond enough time to flee from American forces when they arrive. Bond and Camille make their way go to a hydrogen-powered eco-hotel in the Bolivian desert, where Greene and Medrano are finalizing their plans. As the various parties depart, Bond attacks and kills the departing Colonel of Police (Fernando Guillén Cuervo) for betraying Mathis, setting off a chain of explosions when a hydrogen fuel tank is hit by an out of control vehicle. Camille makes her way to Medrano and manages to kill him while Bond captures Greene after a vicious fight amid the deteriorating hotel. After interrogating him, he leaves Greene stranded in the middle of the desert with only a can of motor oil. Bond drives Camille to a train station, where they kiss before she departs. They both know it's not a romantic exchange, moreso one of gratitude as Camille is aware Bond's heart belongs to someone else. With this in mind, Bond knows he still has one last lead to follow. Bond arrives in Kazan, Russia, where he confronts Vesper Lynd's former lover, Yusef Kabira. Turns out Yusef (Simon Kassianides) is a member of Quantum with the job of seducing high-ranking women who have valuable connections. He gets them to give up government assets as ransom for himself by staging fake kidnappings where he is supposedly held hostage. Bond catches him at Yusef's apartment, attempting to do the same with Canadian agent Corinne Venneau (Stana Katic), even giving her the same kind of necklace he gave Vesper. Bond tells Corinne about Vesper and advises her to hit the road and alert the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Bond leaves Yusef's apartment and is met by M who is surprised that Bond did not kill Yusef, but rather left him alive for questioning. M (Judi Dench) reveals that Leiter has been promoted at the CIA to replace Beam. News that Bond is cotnent with. He also tells him that Greene was found in the desert, shot in the head twice with motor oil found in his stomach. Bond doesn't volunteer any information on Greene, but tells M that she was right about Vesper. M then tells Bond that MI6 needs him and fully reinstates him as an agent, to which he replied, "I never left," and then walks off into the cold night. As he leaves, Bond drops Vesper's necklace in the snow. I'll be so bold to say that for the first time Ian Fleming's James Bond is accurately portrayed on screen by the piercing Daniel Craig. If you've read the novels, you'll know that the charming spy was never described as gorgeous or cracking one-liners. Sure, he's charming but he's first and foremost a man about his duty, a cold killer and a stubbornly resilient one at that. Craig has this down. He's so good at exuding a cragginess on the outside while internally simmering that you can't even imagine him playing with puns like Roger Moore did. Craig won me over in the previous film and simply confirms he ownss Bond in this film. Composer David Arnold returns to score the franchise for the fifth time and he does an excellent job. Combining the classic Bond them with music indigenous to locales such as Haiti as he also includes some of Alicia Key's piano heard in her song with Jack White Another Way to Die that played during the traditional opening credits. There are some flaws with this film but for me not as many as the critics would have you believe. As I mentioned, it helps to see this as a direct sequel and not a stand alone story like we're used to. It also helps to understand this is who Bond is. He's not Jason Bourne as everyone is whining on about. I understand the comparison but Craig is utililizing the same physicality here that he brought to the role in "Casino Royale". This film suffered from being the shortest Bond entry yet. It would have been good to flesh out more of the Quantum organization or maybe even the character of Camille (although I'll admit Kurlyenko is kind of a bore) but that may have been for the better. It gives them more material to work with later. After all, Craig has signed for three more films. It would be impossible to live up to "Casino Royale" which is actually the highest grossing Bond film ever. Forster knews what he had to live up to and all the expectation of a sequel. Still, he makes his own film instead of copying anything done in the last film. I can respect that. While he's not known for being an "action director" he does a good job at combining the action scenes with a parallel plot point, holding your attention even more. Forster does a great job bringing closure to this whole Bond/Vesper story. Bond can still pursue Quantum in the next film but and maybe even start to grow into that gadget-weilding, womanizing spy everyone is used to. Maybe in time viewers will come to understand that it took these two films to make a return to the Bond they know possible.
]]>Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:30:59 GMTdj4ourdj4our Blog12/22/2008 7:30:59 PM written by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis &amp; Joshua Zetumer (uncredited) produced by: Michael G. Wilson &amp; Barbara Broccoli directed by: Marc Forster When I heard that the Bond producers had signed on director Marc Forster I immediately smiled with anticipation. I had hopes that what had exellently begun in 2006's "Casino Royale" could now be continued by a stylish, genre-skipping director with indie chops. I smiled again when it was revealed that this was the first Bond film that is a direct sequel, taking place right after the events of the last film. It only made sense to continue a story that has created a new Bond universe, free from forty years of continuity yet left the viewer with some unanswered questions. While I did have my hopes up, I also knew that this was a different director and there would be no way to duplicate the feel of the previous film's new direction. James Bond (Daniel Craig) is back, in fact he's only been gone a half hour or so. We're immediately thrust into the action, trying to catch up with a fast and furious 007 speeding through traffic in Italy. Bond wastes no time dispensing his gun-toting pursuers from Lake Garda to Siena, with the captured/injured Mr. White (Jesper Christianson) in the trunk of his car. He ends his brutal swath of destruction by dropping off his battered captive at the heel's of his frustrated boss, M, in order to begin his interrogation. Bond's goal in this film is to learn more about Quantum, the evil organization behind the death of his love, Vesper Lynd and uncover what their nefarious global plans are. It would appear they are everywhere and they are one step ahead of MI6. So much in fact, that the interrogation is interrupted by the betrayal of M's bodyguard Mitchell (Glenn Foster) who attacks her, allowing Mr. White to escape. An adrenalized chase ensues as Bond pursues Mitchell through the tunnels and across the rooftops of Siena, amid the crowd assembled for the Palio di Siena. He winds up killing him (much to M's disaproval) leaving forensics to find intel typing him to a contact in Haiti. Like every Bond film, we are now off to another country yet unlike any pre-Craig entry there is no time for sight-seeing here. This Bond is on a mission. He's like a bull in a china shop with cat-like agility as he takes out Slate (Neil Jackson), his intended target in a bloody tactile mess. Since his encounter with Slate didn't provide any useful information, Bond poses as his victim which leads him to a briefcase and an unexpected ride from a beautiful Russian-Bolivian woman named Camille Montes. They both discover that she has been targeted for termination by her supposed lover, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) the chairman of ecological organization Greene Planet and a member of Quantum. She kicks him outta the car thinking he's the hitman, but Bond pursues her by motorcycle to a dock warehouse and spies on her as she meets with Greene. Greene is a smarmy, effete eco-terrorist villian, in love with himself while showing little regard for anyone or thing but his own agenda. He awaits the arrival of Bolivian General Medrano (Joaqu&iacute;n Cos&iacute;o), a man Camille has worked her whole life to meet and kill since he murdered her entire family when she was a girl. Greene is helping the exiled general get back into power, in return for support of his organization. In doing so, he hands Camille over to Medrano to do with what he will. What does Greene get out of all this? A seemingly barren piece of desert land. Bond rescues her in an exihilarating motorcycle/boat chase but finds out Camille's not too grateful for his intervention. After making sure an unconscious Camille is in good hands, Bond follows Greene to a private jet, which flies to Austria. His flight is accompanied by CIA agents Gregg Beam (David Harbour) and Felix Leiter. Beam offers U.S. support of the overthrow in return for Bolivian oil, which he believes Greene to have discovered. In return, Greene requests that the CIA eliminate Bond's interference. Beam agrees, despite Leiter's unspoken disapproval. Meanwhile, on the Austrian shore of Lake Constance near Bregenz, members of Quantum (including Greene and White) gather at a floating performance of Puccini's opera Tosca. They're holding a covert conference via concealed earpiecest to finalize plans for their Tierra Project. Among the talking heads is Guy Haines (Paul Ritter), an advisor of the British Prime Minister. In a clevr and humorous scene, Bond obtains an earpiece and disrupts the meeting, and then takes photos of various Quantum members as they flee the theater. As Greene abruptly departs from the opera with his entourage, he is intercepted by Bond in a standoff. A gunfight ensues with Quantum goons in a restaurant that carries over onto a rooftop where Bond confronts Haines' bodyguard, who is subsequently killed by Greene's goon. M is furious with Bond's activities at the opera and revokes his passports and credit cards. She demands that he return to London, on learning of the bodyguard's death, frustrated that there is no one to interrogate. Undeterred, Bond instead travels to Italy by boat, where he reunites with his old ally Ren&eacute; Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini). Mathis is reluctant to help due to what transpired with the Le Chiffre incident, but Bond persuades the retired agent (once stationed in Bolivia) to accompany him to La Paz. They are greeted at the airport by Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton), an MI6 field operative from the British Consulate. Fields demands that Bond return to the UK on the next available flight, but he disobeys and they both wind up in his hotel suite bed. Mathis pulls some strings and gets them into a Quantum fundraiser that night held by Greene, where Bond runs into Camille again. When Bond and Camille leave together, but are pulled over by the Bolivian police. They order Bond to open the trunk of his vehicle to reveal a bloodied Mathis. As Bond helps Mathis out, the policemen open fire, killing Mathis. Bond disarms and kills the policemen and comforts the dying Mathis, who asks Bond to forgive Vesper Lynd. Bond and Camille make it to the location of Greene's suspected land acquisition, surveying the area in a Douglas DC-3 propeller plane. Suddenly they are intercepted and shot down by an Aermacchi SF-260 fighter and a Bell UH-1 helicopter. They barely escape from the crippled plane by parachuting into a sinkhole below. As they escape the cave, Bond and Camille learn that Greene's Tierra Project involves water, not oil. Quantum is blockading Bolivia's supply of fresh water, normally flowing in underground rivers, by damming it into hidden reservoirs beneath the desert. During this short down time, Bond also learns that Camille's family was raped and murdered by Medrano and that is why she seeks revenge. After these discoveries, they return to La Paz, where Bond meets M and discovers Quantum murdered Fields by drowning her in oil. M orders Bond to disarm and end his activities in Bolivia, but he escapes by overpowering the MI6 operatives in a hotel elevator. As he makes his escape, he tells M he's not finished with his operation. Once again, Bond turns to a trusted ally in Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) at a local bar, who advises that the CIA is now after him. Leiter discloses the location where Greene and Medrano will meet and gives Bond enough time to flee from American forces when they arrive. Bond and Camille make their way go to a hydrogen-powered eco-hotel in the Bolivian desert, where Greene and Medrano are finalizing their plans. As the various parties depart, Bond attacks and kills the departing Colonel of Police (Fernando Guill&eacute;n Cuervo) for betraying Mathis, setting off a chain of explosions when a hydrogen fuel tank is hit by an out of control vehicle. Camille makes her way to Medrano and manages to kill him while Bond captures Greene after a vicious fight amid the deteriorating hotel. After interrogating him, he leaves Greene stranded in the middle of the desert with only a can of motor oil. Bond drives Camille to a train station, where they kiss before she departs. They both know it's not a romantic exchange, moreso one of gratitude as Camille is aware Bond's heart belongs to someone else. With this in mind, Bond knows he still has one last lead to follow. Bond arrives in Kazan, Russia, where he confronts Vesper Lynd's former lover, Yusef Kabira. Turns out Yusef (Simon Kassianides) is a member of Quantum with the job of seducing high-ranking women who have valuable connections. He gets them to give up government assets as ransom for himself by staging fake kidnappings where he is supposedly held hostage. Bond catches him at Yusef's apartment, attempting to do the same with Canadian agent Corinne Venneau (Stana Katic), even giving her the same kind of necklace he gave Vesper. Bond tells Corinne about Vesper and advises her to hit the road and alert the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Bond leaves Yusef's apartment and is met by M who is surprised that Bond did not kill Yusef, but rather left him alive for questioning. M (Judi Dench) reveals that Leiter has been promoted at the CIA to replace Beam. News that Bond is cotnent with. He also tells him that Greene was found in the desert, shot in the head twice with motor oil found in his stomach. Bond doesn't volunteer any information on Greene, but tells M that she was right about Vesper. M then tells Bond that MI6 needs him and fully reinstates him as an agent, to which he replied, "I never left," and then walks off into the cold night. As he leaves, Bond drops Vesper's necklace in the snow. I'll be so bold to say that for the first time Ian Fleming's James Bond is accurately portrayed on screen by the piercing Daniel Craig. If you've read the novels, you'll know that the charming spy was never described as gorgeous or cracking one-liners. Sure, he's charming but he's first and foremost a man about his duty, a cold killer and a stubbornly resilient one at that. Craig has this down. He's so good at exuding a cragginess on the outside while internally simmering that you can't even imagine him playing with puns like Roger Moore did. Craig won me over in the previous film and simply confirms he ownss Bond in this film. Composer David Arnold returns to score the franchise for the fifth time and he does an excellent job. Combining the classic Bond them with music indigenous to locales such as Haiti as he also includes some of Alicia Key's piano heard in her song with Jack White Another Way to Die that played during the traditional opening credits. There are some flaws with this film but for me not as many as the critics would have you believe. As I mentioned, it helps to see this as a direct sequel and not a stand alone story like we're used to. It also helps to understand this is who Bond is. He's not Jason Bourne as everyone is whining on about. I understand the comparison but Craig is utililizing the same physicality here that he brought to the role in "Casino Royale". This film suffered from being the shortest Bond entry yet. It would have been good to flesh out more of the Quantum organization or maybe even the character of Camille (although I'll admit Kurlyenko is kind of a bore) but that may have been for the better. It gives them more material to work with later. After all, Craig has signed for three more films. It would be impossible to live up to "Casino Royale" which is actually the highest grossing Bond film ever. Forster knews what he had to live up to and all the expectation of a sequel. Still, he makes his own film instead of copying anything done in the last film. I can respect that. While he's not known for being an "action director" he does a good job at combining the action scenes with a parallel plot point, holding your attention even more. Forster does a great job bringing closure to this whole Bond/Vesper story. Bond can still pursue Quantum in the next film but and maybe even start to grow into that gadget-weilding, womanizing spy everyone is used to. Maybe in time viewers will come to understand that it took these two films to make a return to the Bond they know possible. http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2008/12/16/38447.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 12/16/2008 12:33:21 PM
Body: Quantum of Solace is a good Bong movie, and that's it. It doesn't transcend or reinvent like Casino Royale. It's just fun and forgettable. In fact, I can recall nothing except Daniel Craig ("Defiance") continues to be good. Dame Judi Dench ("Notes on a Scandal") continues to be great. Stuff blows up and the girls are hot.Why am I a sucker for Sci-Fi channel originals? That may be something only years of therapy can uncover. But until then, I am so in. Kaw is set in a small town where the sheriff is putting in his last day. Then crows start going crazy and people start dying and the whole retirement party is put on hold. Most of the acting is really bad. But I fount it watchable. I even bought the explanation. However, the end wrapped everything up in a tidy bow and was sort of anticlimactic. Still, not a bad afternoon.As a warning, In Bruges is not a knee-slapping-side-splitting laugh riot as the trailer implies. It is funny, especially when Colin Farrell ("Pride and Glory") opens his mouth. But it's deeper than that. Brendan Gleeson ("Beowolf") is an aging hit man hiding out with his young protege, Farrell, in a quaint Belgium city after a hit gone bad. It turns into a meditation on the meaning of one's life and what makes someone a good person. It's also beautifully shot and made me cry. Definitely see this.Tropic Thunder is also not the laugh riot depicted in the trailers. It is consistently funny, but only a few laugh-out-loud moments. I think of it more as a ridiculous action movie, one that's intentionally funny. A group of actors from other genres are put together to make a film about the Vietnam War. Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man") as usual blows everyone else away. Tom Cruise ("Lions for Lambs") deserves the attention he's getting. But I really enjoyed Jay Baruchel ("Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist") as the only actor taking this thing seriously. Amusing, but it's no Sarah Marshall.I had only heard of Teeth as the horror movie where the girl has teeth in her vagina. But it tries to be something more. It builds a mood of innocence and confusion as a young girl, Dawn, (Jess Weixler, Goodbye Baby") discovers there's something different about her. And then totally freaks out when she inadvertently kills some boys. I say this film is a good deterrent against rape. My husband is just totally freaked out. Because this is a graphic and bloody film. And if you had problems with the end of Hostel 2, this is not for you.
]]>Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:33:21 GMTdibotdibot Blog12/16/2008 12:33:21 PMQuantum of Solace is a good Bong movie, and that's it. It doesn't transcend or reinvent like Casino Royale. It's just fun and forgettable. In fact, I can recall nothing except Daniel Craig ("Defiance") continues to be good. Dame Judi Dench ("Notes on a Scandal") continues to be great. Stuff blows up and the girls are hot.Why am I a sucker for Sci-Fi channel originals? That may be something only years of therapy can uncover. But until then, I am so in. Kaw is set in a small town where the sheriff is putting in his last day. Then crows start going crazy and people start dying and the whole retirement party is put on hold. Most of the acting is really bad. But I fount it watchable. I even bought the explanation. However, the end wrapped everything up in a tidy bow and was sort of anticlimactic. Still, not a bad afternoon.As a warning, In Bruges is not a knee-slapping-side-splitting laugh riot as the trailer implies. It is funny, especially when Colin Farrell ("Pride and Glory") opens his mouth. But it's deeper than that. Brendan Gleeson ("Beowolf") is an aging hit man hiding out with his young protege, Farrell, in a quaint Belgium city after a hit gone bad. It turns into a meditation on the meaning of one's life and what makes someone a good person. It's also beautifully shot and made me cry. Definitely see this.Tropic Thunder is also not the laugh riot depicted in the trailers. It is consistently funny, but only a few laugh-out-loud moments. I think of it more as a ridiculous action movie, one that's intentionally funny. A group of actors from other genres are put together to make a film about the Vietnam War. Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man") as usual blows everyone else away. Tom Cruise ("Lions for Lambs") deserves the attention he's getting. But I really enjoyed Jay Baruchel ("Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist") as the only actor taking this thing seriously. Amusing, but it's no Sarah Marshall.I had only heard of Teeth as the horror movie where the girl has teeth in her vagina. But it tries to be something more. It builds a mood of innocence and confusion as a young girl, Dawn, (Jess Weixler, Goodbye Baby") discovers there's something different about her. And then totally freaks out when she inadvertently kills some boys. I say this film is a good deterrent against rape. My husband is just totally freaked out. Because this is a graphic and bloody film. And if you had problems with the end of Hostel 2, this is not for you. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_December_8_Good_Old_Fashioned/625/38151/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Smooth_J
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 12/9/2008 6:23:40 PM
Body: I feel like Austin Powers is the greatest of all espionage movies (I'm sorry, I said it...). I laugh every single time I see that one..."Russian intelligence, are you mad?!" I'm sorry rjsprague, but I think Quantum of Solace had a case of the sucks. The story took second pier to an angry James Bond, killing people for fun and throwing his friends in dumpsters and stealing their money. Some scenes were great, such as the opera house one, and the entire desert sequence. But there was no cohesive story holding anything together, and nothing was really solved besides Bond's heartache. There was no sexual tension and no great villain--Mathieu Almaric was decreased to a bit part with no memorable scenes. I'm sorry for the rant, but Bond was completely compromised in that one. I guess that's what they get for choosing Marc Forster to direct an action movie...he was completely out of his element. The Constant Gardener was a decent exercise in spydom concerning pharmaceuticals...Ralph Fiennes is great in that one, as is the typically underwhelming Rachel Weisz(?). On the subject of John le Carre movies, has anyone seen The Spy Who Came in From the Cold?
]]>Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:23:40 GMTSmooth_JWeekly Theme12/9/2008 6:23:40 PMI feel like Austin Powers is the greatest of all espionage movies (I'm sorry, I said it...). I laugh every single time I see that one..."Russian intelligence, are you mad?!" I'm sorry rjsprague, but I think Quantum of Solace had a case of the sucks. The story took second pier to an angry James Bond, killing people for fun and throwing his friends in dumpsters and stealing their money. Some scenes were great, such as the opera house one, and the entire desert sequence. But there was no cohesive story holding anything together, and nothing was really solved besides Bond's heartache. There was no sexual tension and no great villain--Mathieu Almaric was decreased to a bit part with no memorable scenes. I'm sorry for the rant, but Bond was completely compromised in that one. I guess that's what they get for choosing Marc Forster to direct an action movie...he was completely out of his element. The Constant Gardener was a decent exercise in spydom concerning pharmaceuticals...Ralph Fiennes is great in that one, as is the typically underwhelming Rachel Weisz(?). On the subject of John le Carre movies, has anyone seen The Spy Who Came in From the Cold? http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_December_8_Good_Old_Fashioned/625/38076/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: rjsprague
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 12/8/2008 3:59:18 PM
Body: I've always enjoyed The Long Kiss Goodnight. Samuel L. Jackson is hilarious. :) I can't think of anything else right now because I'm trying to write this post, but as soon as I'm done something will come to me. Like that one with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. I want to see Flame & Citron (2008) soon, which I believe has the espionage theme. Of course there are all of the Bond films, and most recently Quantum of Solace came out, which I felt was quite good despite the less than enthusiastic reviews of others.
]]>Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:59:18 GMTrjspragueWeekly Theme12/8/2008 3:59:18 PMI've always enjoyed The Long Kiss Goodnight. Samuel L. Jackson is hilarious. :) I can't think of anything else right now because I'm trying to write this post, but as soon as I'm done something will come to me. Like that one with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. I want to see Flame &amp; Citron (2008) soon, which I believe has the espionage theme. Of course there are all of the Bond films, and most recently Quantum of Solace came out, which I felt was quite good despite the less than enthusiastic reviews of others. http://www.spout.com/blogs/rjsprague/archive/2008/12/5/38001.aspx Post By: rjsprague
Post To: Grog and Blog
Post Date: 12/5/2008 5:11:02 PM
Body: The rising action plateaus, a mini-climax occurs, and many are left complaining about a lack of "plot". Personally, I think some people should take some time reviewing the elements of plot. This story doesn't lack a plot, it is merely not the entire plot of a story on its own. Perhaps the end should have been a giant "TO BE CONTINUED..." to help all of the less than observant viewers grasp the reality that this film's plot is part of a larger storyline. Overall I greatly enjoyed the pace and action of the film. Perhaps I'm just an adrenaline addict, but the breakneck speed of events in this film was a welcome change of pace from other action movies I've watched. I also appreciated the more gritty and raw version of Bond. Casino Royale reshaped the image of Bond as a more human character with real emotions, even capable of love, and hate. Quantum of Solace built on this persona by showing Bond as being loyal to M, passionate about avenging his lost love, and capable of caring about someone who has suffered loss and is also driven by revenge. The use of revenge as motivation for characters is highly overused, but something that everyone can relate to at the same time making it acceptable. Yet this isn't Bond's only motivation making him slightly more complex than we first suspect. He wants to catch the bad guys, protect M, uphold justice, and help a friend. Perhaps there is even more to him than this, but that is what I am recalling at this point. I would say that Quantum of Solace had more to do with developing the new James Bond, and introducing a story arch that, hopefully, will be quite compelling. I am really hopeful for the next film, and very pleased with Quantum of Solace as I feel it delivered on what it was trying to deliver. If you liked Quantum of Solace, then I would recommend watching The Bourne Ultimatum. (As well as the first and second films in the Bourne series, assuming you haven't seen them yet.)
]]>Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:11:02 GMTrjspragueGrog and Blog12/5/2008 5:11:02 PMThe rising action plateaus, a mini-climax occurs, and many are left complaining about a lack of "plot". Personally, I think some people should take some time reviewing the elements of plot. This story doesn't lack a plot, it is merely not the entire plot of a story on its own. Perhaps the end should have been a giant "TO BE CONTINUED..." to help all of the less than observant viewers grasp the reality that this film's plot is part of a larger storyline. Overall I greatly enjoyed the pace and action of the film. Perhaps I'm just an adrenaline addict, but the breakneck speed of events in this film was a welcome change of pace from other action movies I've watched. I also appreciated the more gritty and raw version of Bond. Casino Royale reshaped the image of Bond as a more human character with real emotions, even capable of love, and hate. Quantum of Solace built on this persona by showing Bond as being loyal to M, passionate about avenging his lost love, and capable of caring about someone who has suffered loss and is also driven by revenge. The use of revenge as motivation for characters is highly overused, but something that everyone can relate to at the same time making it acceptable. Yet this isn't Bond's only motivation making him slightly more complex than we first suspect. He wants to catch the bad guys, protect M, uphold justice, and help a friend. Perhaps there is even more to him than this, but that is what I am recalling at this point. I would say that Quantum of Solace had more to do with developing the new James Bond, and introducing a story arch that, hopefully, will be quite compelling. I am really hopeful for the next film, and very pleased with Quantum of Solace as I feel it delivered on what it was trying to deliver. If you liked Quantum of Solace, then I would recommend watching The Bourne Ultimatum. (As well as the first and second films in the Bourne series, assuming you haven't seen them yet.) http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/4/37936.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/4/2008 1:00:52 PM
Body: Last week our Design team put in place a significant upgrade to Spout.com’s Trailers home page. The upgrade brings in a ton of additional content for each movie (when available, of course) that significantly expands each movie’s video footprint on the site. If you look at the trailers tab for A Christmas Tale you’ll see an example of what the upgrade looks like in its simplest form. The movie only has one trailer, which is shown right there with options on viewing quality to choose from below the screenshot. But then something like Quantum of Solace, you’ll see, has listed a bevy of behind the scenes featurettes and clips from the film in addition to the trailer. You could stick around there for quite a while if you were looking to get your Bond fix for the day. All of these enhancements - both in terms of quanity and quality of video content - are meant to make the user experience here on Spout that much better. Hope you enjoy. –Chris Thilk, Director of Marketing. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:00:52 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/4/2008 1:00:52 PMLast week our Design team put in place a significant upgrade to Spout.com’s Trailers home page. The upgrade brings in a ton of additional content for each movie (when available, of course) that significantly expands each movie’s video footprint on the site. If you look at the trailers tab for A Christmas Tale you’ll see an example of what the upgrade looks like in its simplest form. The movie only has one trailer, which is shown right there with options on viewing quality to choose from below the screenshot. But then something like Quantum of Solace, you’ll see, has listed a bevy of behind the scenes featurettes and clips from the film in addition to the trailer. You could stick around there for quite a while if you were looking to get your Bond fix for the day. All of these enhancements - both in terms of quanity and quality of video content - are meant to make the user experience here on Spout that much better. Hope you enjoy. –Chris Thilk, Director of Marketing. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/revenge/MemberTagFilms.aspxrevenge
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