272. Skyfall

272. (11 Nov) Skyfall (2012, Sam Mendes)* 52



There's been enough written about Skyfall's nonsensical plot that my concerns need not be enumerated. However fun Javier Bardem's villainous turn may be, he could scarcely have had a more preposterous revenge plot concocted. Fortunately, that opens things up for the enjoyable opening chase and a colorful, brilliantly photographed sequence in Shanghai. They're high points in a film that's mostly frivolous and amusing, even if this franchise gets all the more self-serious. We're three films into the Daniel Craig era of Bond and still debating the relevancy of secret agents?

SKYFALL

SKYFALL
Written by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ben Wishaw, Ralph Fiennes and Judi Dench

James Bond: Everybody needs a hobby.
Silva: So what’s yours?
James Bond: Resurrection.

James Bond is getting older. His shot is not as on point as it once was; his stride not as fast as in his younger years. In fact, it saddens me to say that his stomach is not quite the washboard it used to be either. There is one notable offshoot to Bond’s decline in prowess though. With age, comes wisdom and with SKYFALL, the 23rd film in the 007 spy series, that wisdom lends its weight to what is without question one of the most exciting and emotionally charged adventures the series has ever seen.

Sam Mendes, the Academy Award winning director of AMERICAN BEAUTY, opens his crack at the Bond series with the man himself, once again embodied by the masterful Daniel Craig, blurred in the background. As he comes into the light and into focus, we direct our attention to his eyes. These are the eyes of a determined man and before either he or we are able to blink, he finds himself in a high-speed bike chase that takes him to the rooftops of Istanbul, overlooking the Grand Bazaar. Why waste time really? This is an action film after all and Mendes has a clear and firm understanding of what the audience wants from their favorite international spy.

Bond has grown into a complex character over the years. In his last outing, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, his complexities got the best of him. Bond was melancholy and the film suffered for it. In SKYFALL he is no less tortuous but Mendes handles the character with much more control and allows the film’s intricate and energetic action sequences to drive the film forward. Without the weight of Bond’s suffering to hold the film back, he commands even more attention and emerges with even greater strength as a result. This is all the more impressive considering what he has to endure at the onset of the film.

Before the first chase is through, Bond is lost and presumed dead. Naturally, the audience knows he isn’t dead, as this would make for an awfully short film. What he goes through should have surely killed him but somehow he is reborn, resurrected even, and all that once haunted him now seems to propel him forward with a more profound momentum than he has had for some time. It is never explained how Bond survives, although I suspect it has something to do with the healing power of Adele’s opening credits theme song, but the fact that he does live on, confirms his innate greatness and grander purpose.

MI6, the British intelligence agency that Bond serves, is under attack. Bond’s longtime boss and sometimes friend, M (Judi Dench), is the actual target of this aggression. Her reign over the agency is being questioned because a top secret list of undercover agents the world over has fallen into the wrong hands. As names leak to the public little by little, confidence in her ability to manage dissipates at the same rate and her methods are called antiquated and quaint. The question as to whether MI6, and subsequently Bond himself, are still relevant is plainly posed and SKYFALL affirmatively reminds everyone that they are far from finished.

Mendes infuses the Bond series with a level of pedigree it rarely sees. Enlisting John Logan to assist Bond screenwriter regulars, Neil Purvis and Robert Wade, raises the personal stakes for the major characters, as all of them have done things that they aren’t necessarily proud of. Bringing on Roger Deakins, arguably the greatest cinematographer working in film today, invigorates the visual look of the film in so many unexpected ways. His work in Shanghai is particularly creative, which not only makes the fight scenes explode off the screen, but also makes the film a serious visual awards contender. And finally, casting actors as talented as Ralph Fiennes (M’s new boss), Ben Wishaw (a welcome return and updated version of classic character, Q) and Javier Bardem (doing what Bardem does best, the bad guy), elevates everyone’s acting game to the next level.

Despite all of this undeniable ability, both in front of and behind the camera, it is Mendes himself who deserves the most applause. His control over this always elaborate, always exciting and always engaging experience is infallible. He can take the film from quiet and tense one moment to loud and intense the next without missing a beat. SKYFALL is something of a cathartic experience almost. Bond is reborn and while his past transgressions inform the man he has become, they do not dictate the man he is going to be going forward. And after people see the newly reincarnated James Bond, they will no doubt be ready to follow him wherever he goes next.

THE FALL 2012 FILM PREVIEW (part two)

Yesterday, we stopped to admire the changing colours of September and October. Today, let's dive into the harsh rains and rapidly dropping temperatures of November and December ... filmwise, that is.

NOVEMBER

LIFE OF PI
I have made a promise to myself to read Yann Martel's brilliant novel for a second time before seeing Ang Lee's highly anticipated film version. I've seen the extended previews that everyone is apparently raving about and, while I still have full confidence that if anyone can pull off this near impossible adaptation, it would be Lee, I'm not yet convinced by the footage I've seen. So I want to go back and appreciate the beauty of Martel's brilliance, a story about struggle, strife and spirituality, one more time before letting Lee tell me his version of events. If Lee does succeed though, we could be hearing his name pretty often come awards season.

WRECK-IT RALPH
John C. Reilley voices the main character, Ralph himself, in this new animated feature from the good folks at Disney. Ralph has spent his whole life wrecking stuff and he can no longer deal with everyone hating on him for all the destruction he causes. Perplexed because he is just doing what he knows to do, Ralph decides to abandon the world he knows in search of a more accepting one. Did I mention Ralph is a video game character? The concept is amazingly geeky and the potential for hilarity is abundant. This is especially true knowing Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch and Jack McBrayer voice the rest of the main characters.

LINCOLN
Daniel Day-Lewis's resemblance to the former President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, is a little unnerving when you first see it. That really only makes for incredible possibilities for where Day-Lewis's performance will go in Steven Spielberg's historical drama, LINCOLN, though. Spielberg chooses to focus on the final months of Lincoln's life, as adapted for the screen by playwright, Tony Kushner. After his uneven performance and reception to his two features last year (THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN and WAR HORSE), Spielberg will be looking to remind everyone who's boss with this one. Oh, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt co-stars.

SKYFALL
With the gigantic disappointment that was QUANTUM OF SOLANCE now years behind me, I am ready, no, I am desperate to see a James Bond film worthy to follow the brilliant CASINO ROYALE. The trailers for Sam Mendes's crack at bat look incredibly promising so my hope is bursting now. Daniel Craig returns, in great form it would appear as well, and looks far less depressed then he did last time. This is good because with Javier Bardem stepping into what is sure to be a deliciously evil Bond villain turn, Bond is going to need his wits about him at all times. Still, I'm sure Craig can find time for a quick dip at the beach too.

Also in November ... Robert Zemeckis leaves the world of motion capture animation and returns to live action with FLIGHT, starring Denzel Washington as an alcoholic hero pilot; Jean-Marc Vallee's award winning, festival success, CAFE DE FLORE, finally hits stateside ... And I'm very excited to see Edward and Bella again in TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART TWO. I'm mostly excited for this film because it is the last one in the series, until they reboot it in a few years, that is.

DECEMBER

DJANGO UNCHAINED
It doesn't matter to me what Quentin Tarantino is working on, I know that I will be there to see it the moment I can, because he is one of the few directors working today who never ceases to surprise me with new layers of depth to his ability with each film he makes. It doesn't matter to me if the film production is rumoured to be a difficult one at best or that the script was barely adhered to; I'm always certain Tarantino can pull through. It doesn't matter to me that the premise of the film has something to do with a fictionalized account of the slave industry told in spaghetti western style. No, it doesn't even matter to me that Jamie Foxx is starring in it. Tarantino can make a mess into a masterpiece and he's earned the benefit of all our collective doubt. Also, Leonardo DiCaprio stars in it.

THIS IS 40
Remember Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in KNOCKED UP? Mann played Katherine Heigl's sister who was struggling with her identity as a mother and wife and Rudd played Mann's oblivious husband. Well, they're back in Judd Apatow's unofficial sequel to that film, THIS IS 40. Their characters both turn 40 in the same week and have a series of crises and epiphanies in the process. Apatow has struggled with personal growth and humour before (FUNNY PEOPLE) but I guess I'm feeling terribly charitable today, because I'm willing to let him take another stab too before I start to lose too much faith in his abilities. Besides, Melissa McCarthy and Albert Brookes co-star.

LES MISERABLES
I am not afraid to say that I do not at all believe Tom Hooper deserved his Oscar for directing THE KING'S SPEECH. He did a fantastic job with it but there were far better works in the category from far more experienced directors; it was not his turn. That said, I'm glad he did win because it gave him the chance to make what looks to be one heck of a masterful musical. LES MISERABLES has been tackled on screen before but never in its musical version and with Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman as the leads, two proven singers, we may be in for a definitive contribution to the genre itself. This should be interesting too; the songs were sung live on set and not pre-recorded so there is nowhere for anyone to hide. I'm talking to you, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried! (They also star.)

Also in December ... Pater Jackson reveals the first of three more movies about hobbits and the like, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY; Tom Cruise will make his biggest stretch as an actor yet, playing a man who is 6'5' in JACK REACHER (a reach, indeed); and parents everywhere can rejoice. This year there is no new chipmunk movie to sit through. No, instead you get to see the Pixar classic, MONSTERS INC in 3D!

There you have it folks. Be sure to come back mid-week for my TIFF 2012 preview, which basically covers every other movie coming out this fall not already covered here.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN
Written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig


Tintin: How’s your thirst for adventure, Captain?
Captain Haddock: Unquenchable, Tintin.

When I was a kid, I abhorred the series of Tintin book. I found them to be tedious and terribly dull. And so when it was announced that the Belgian books would be adapted into a film, I was less than enthused. The involvement of director, Steven Spielberg, helped some but it wasn’t until I first saw the trailer for THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN that I ever even imagined it might actually be a lot of fun. No offense to Hergé, the author of over 20 Tintin adventures, or the millions of fans the world over who adore this adorable character, but after seeing Spielberg bring his particular brand of awe to the tale, I feel that all Tintin needed all along was a little bit of that good old movie magic to bring him to life. I’m not sure if that makes this an authentic adaptation but I think I prefer it this way.

Spielberg chooses to tell Tintin’s story with motion capture, 3D animation instead of the traditional hand drawn animation that would have been more loyal to its origins. This is actually Spielberg’s first crack at directing an animated film and to see it begs the question, why did he ever wait this long? Not only is the aesthetic richly detailed but his imagination is boundless in this limitless format. He can go anywhere he pleases and he most certainly does. Whether that finds our hero zip lining through a crowded marketplace on the handles of a motorbike or flying a plane through the clouds in the middle of a violent lightning storm, the action is always exciting and lofty. Some of it is a bit far fetched at times but as outlandish as it can be, it never feels impossible and it is always a ton of fun.

Tintin, as portrayed underneath all that animation by the charming Jamie Bell, is a curious journalist hot on the trail of a missing treasure. His pursuit finds him crossing paths with a modern day pirate bent of beating him to it (Daniel Craig) and a sea captain who contains the key to solving the mystery (Andy Serkis). As a hero, Tintin is a delight. His good nature and inquisitive mind make him extremely likable to the point where, if I had hair, I would wear it with a cowlick right up front in honour of the great explorer. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is the Indiana Jones movie Spielberg should have made instead of that last one. It appeals directly to my all too often silent boyish exuberance and runs with that unencumbered spirit as high and as far as it can. It is vibrant and its energy is electric, allowing Tintin’s own wonder and amazement at his adventure to wash over us and become our own.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Written by Steve Zaillian
Directed by David Fincher
Starring Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer and Stellan Skarsgard


Armansky: I’m concerned you won’t like her. She’s different.
Frode: In what way?
Armansky: In every way.

I always say that film criticism is an inherently subjective practice and reviewing David Fincher’s remake of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is the perfect example to prove this. It has only been a year and a half since I first saw the original Swedish version of this film. It was known even then that Fincher’s version was in development and it was obvious that the only reason it was being made was to cater to a wider American audience. To be fair, the subject nature of the film is way too dark for it to ever really play that wide but, as the first film only raked in about $10 million in North American box office receipts, and given the popularity of the late Steig Larsson’s novel of the same name, there stands to be a great number of people interested in Fincher’s version. And so, while some will find the new version exhilarating, anyone who has seen Niels Arden Oplev’s original may feel a distinct lack of purpose.

I have not read any of the popular novels but as both film versions are more or less identical in plot execution, I can only assume that the structure of the novel is my first issue with THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. Without the shock value to cover it up, the introduction to Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) comes across as a character punishment and misguided distraction more so than anything else. While Mickael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) embarks on the film’s actual plot - deciphering a family murder mystery dating back 40 years - for the first hour or so of the film, Lisbeth is being presented separately as a dark, dangerous girl. Her gothic look is seen to all who encounter her as a sign of weakness that allows them to use and abuse her. Lisbeth can take care of herself just fine but she has been through a ton of horrifying experiences that have made her into this clearly disturbed creature. She is a fascinating character, and the fantastic Mara is incredibly devoted to the part, but the painful effort to portray her as “other” makes it feel as though Fincher also sees her the same way. It makes me wonder if Larsson ever liked her even.

Fincher’s THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is certainly stylish but it never rose to a level that justified its need to exist for me. In fact, the more polished look seemed at times less authentic in comparison with the more rough aesthetic of the original. That being said, the mystery at the root of the film is a good one and if you’re coming to the film blind, it will certainly shock you. I commend Fincher for making every effort possible, even shooting the film in Sweden and casting a number of Swedish actors in smaller roles, but in his attempt to honour the original, he finished by recreating instead of actually creating something all his own.

490. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

490. (08 Dec) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011, David Fincher)* 74

COWBOYS AND ALIENS

Written by Robert Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus

and Hawk Otsby

Directed by Jon Favreau

Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde

Jake Lonergan: I don't want any trouble.

Aliens have tried to take over our planet dozens of times in the movies already. Every time they do, it seems like they always choose major metropolitan areas and the setting is always current day. While I’m sure there are exceptions to these rules, who is to say that aliens couldn’t plot their attack a couple of hundred years ago? They’re aliens; they’re advanced; they can do whatever they want, whenever they want. And if you think you’d be scared if aliens decided to attack us today, imagine what it would have been like for a cowboy in 1837 to come face to face with one of these massive monsters. Imagine that real good and you’ve got yourself a new breed of alien movie, you’ve got COWBOYS AND ALIENS.

Director Jon Favreau tows a very fine line between these two genres to ensure that he is somehow loyal to both without sacrificing much from either side. Like a good Western, it starts out quiet and lonesome. A man wakes up in the desert, bleeding from what he presumes is a gunshot in his side, with no recollection of who he is and with a bizarre metal bracelet around his left wrist unlike anything he has ever seen. As it turns out, this man is Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) and he is wanted for a bevy of assorted crimes, not the least of which is the murder of his former lover (Abigail Spencer). Jake moseys into a nearby town and right before he causes too much damage, a strange light appears in the sky. The whole town looks on as if a miracle is about to take place. Why wouldn’t they? They’ve never seen an alien disaster movie before so how could they possibly know what horror was in store for them?

The concept of COWBOYS AND ALIENS is so strong and while Favreau has crafted a sturdy blend of the two film worlds, there is something inherently amiss about the combination. One genre is often subdued and subtle while the other is loud and raucous. At times, the differences are too far apart to fully come together, like it wants to take flight but its too heavy to get off the ground. The pace picks up once the story crosses from cowboy loner to invasion survivors banding together. Craig is joined by typical tough guy, Harrison Ford, who is obviously enjoying himself a great deal in the part and Olivia Wilde, who just seems like she enjoys being window dressing way too much. Regardless, along with a few other determined town folk, they set off to take on the invading army with everything they’ve got, which admittedly is not much. This is where Favreau finds the commonality that ties the genres together – the endurance of the human spirit and the need to persevere.

Addicted To: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Or, rather I should say, Lisbeth Salander.  I stormed through Stieg Larsson's Swedish novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in about a week, unable to put it down.  Now, I'm 100 pages into the follow-up The Girl Who Played with Fire.  Don't love it as much as the first one yet, but it's certainly still good.  More focus on Lisbeth and less on Mikeal.  In the first one, I was actually screaming.  Like, seriously shouting out loud.  If you've been underneath a rock as much as I have the last two years in regards to these books, pick them up and read them now.  You won't regret it!

In preparation for David Fincher's "The Feel Bad Movie of Christmas," I wanted to read the books before I saw his vision and adaptation.  The trailer is magnificent, (seen here) and, having now read the novel, looks to capture the sense of it pretty well.

I also watched the Swedish version, and though I'm not usually a stickler for film adaptations that change details from the book, this one did so so foolishly that it was distracting, and in many ways made the film less entertaining.  The pacing left something to be desired, and the film's final act dragged painfully.  Made me all the more nervous and excited for Fincher's adaptation (with newly-married Daniel Craig and The Social Network's Rooney Mara).

Above, you can already tell the stylistic differences between the Swedish version (left) and Fincher's version in terms of their depiction of Lisbeth.

Quantum of Nothing

“Quantum of Solace” is the worst James Bond movie ever, a crushing disappointment after the sublime “Casino Royale” (2006). I never thought I would say this, but I have no desire to ever see it again, and have no desire to own it on DVD. This from someone who has seen all the Bond movies several times over, owns them all on DVD, and has read several of the original Ian Fleming novels more than once. I wanted to love this movie, but it only generated contempt.

What’s wrong with it? Where to start? It’s badly directed, Bond is a charmless thug, the villain is a mope, there are zero laughs (even “Casino Royale” had humor in it), the action scenes are badly filmed and edited, the title song is insipid and the score is mere musical wallpaper. Budget wise, it’s the most expensive Bond film ever, but it sure doesn’t look it. The well-known 007 production gloss is sorely missed.

The only thing going for it is the 105-minute running time, the shortest ever for a Bond movie. Thank God for small favors.

“Quantum of Solace” picks up minutes after the conclusion of “Casino Royale.” Bond is out for vengeance against the group that targeted the death of Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). His investigation leads him to a super secret organization called Quantum and one of its members Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric). Greene has started a plot to control the water supply of Bolivia (zzzzzzzzzz). Along the way he picks up Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a physically and emotionally scarred woman with an agenda of her own against Greene and his cohorts.

Amalric plays probably the dullest villain in the series history. Bland doesn’t even begin to describe him. There’s nothing memorable or colorful about him, and he’s about as threatening as Captain Kangaroo. Heck even one of Bond’s playthings, Agent Fields (Gemma Arterton) easily cripples Greene’s henchman by tripping him on the stairs during a party!

Probably the film’s most tolerable sequence takes place in Austria during a performance of “Tosca”. It’s stylish, but dramatically stupid. Key members of Quantum communicate with each other during the performance by whispering and receiving instructions via ear pieces. Surely it would have been easier to just meet someplace? Wouldn’t all this talking during the opera disrupt those around them?

For several years I belonged to the Lyric Opera of Chicago and heaven help you if you shifted in your seat or attempted to whisper an aside during a performance. You’d wind up crowned with a pair of opera glasses. That these guys use the opera as a cover just beggars disbelief. I know you’re not suppose to take Bond films seriously, but since they’re scaling them back to make them more realistic, you can’t have your villains hatching plots in the silliest way possible. The sequence ends in a barrage of gunplay shot in a very arty manner, which has no place in a Bond movie. Just one of the many instances where director Marc Forster chose to way over direct.

I will reiterate what critics have complained about - the use of the hand held camera and rapid fire editing of the action scenes. I hated it, especially since Forster has no idea on how to handle action. Some have claimed that the Bond producers are emulating the Jason Bourne franchise, but director Paul Greengass in the last two Bourne films has a fine eye and despite the rapid cutting, one always understood and could follow the characters and their geography with each other during the action scenes.

Not here. In the opening car chase and a later boat chase I had no idea who was doing what to whom and when. Now its possible Forster turned these sequences over to a second unit director, but he still had final say in the editing room. His name is listed in the credits, so he gets the blame.

Bond films always contained great action scenes. Even in lesser efforts such as “Moonraker” (1979) or “A View to a Kill” (1985) you knew you’d see some first rate action. “Quantum of Solace” has killed that tradition.

(Oddly, the first time I can recall seeing fast cutting in an action scene was in a Bond film, during television broadcasts of “Oh Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969). One can only imagine how 1969 audiences felt in seeing such fast cutting. I wonder if the opening fight scene on the beach and the toboggan sled chase at the end caused all kinds of criticism and pleas to slow it down? Still, the cutting was not fast enough that one didn’t know where the characters were at all times.
Plus, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” has a great story, a memorable villain, lots of beautiful women, spectacular scenery, genuine menace, humor and very exciting action…none of which appear in “Quantum of Solace.”)

I liked Daniel Craig’s 007 in “Casino Royale” very much, but was less impressed here. I know he’s still in the process of becoming the 007 we all know and love, and he’s on a mission of vengeance here, but man, is he a sourpuss throughout.

I also wished he enunciated more; half his dialogue is inaudible. I do like the scenes between him and M (Judi Dench). I noticed that when he first talks to her he keeps his eyes to the ground like a chastened schoolboy and only as the conversation progresses does he look up at her. A nice touch, and an action that spells volumes about their relationship more than pages of dialogue could. Well done.

I knew we were in trouble during the title song, a colossal piece of garbage called “Another Way to Die” warbled in screeching fashion by Jack White and Alicia Keys. Have the Bond title songs gone downhill or what? I thought the Madonna song for “Die Another Day” was the worst the series could offer, but this is just as excruciating. The song is so bad it’s bound to pick up a Best Original Song Oscar.

Coupled with a bland title graphics (lots of sand flying about) and you have the most disposable title sequence in the franchise’s history. At least Maurice Binder would have had the sand morph into some, ah, interesting silhouettes, but no such luck here.

(Don’t even get me started on this god-awful techno crap that appears over the end credits. Strictly amateur night.)

In 1979, “Moonraker” became the highest-grossing 007 film of all time, but was met with almost universally hostile reviews. Producer Cubby Broccoli admitted they went too far with the more comic book elements of the 007 universe and vowed to scale back for the next entry and return to a more serious James Bond, which they did with “For Your Eyes Only” (1981), one of Roger Moore’s best.

It is my sincere hope that the next generation of the Broccoli family, daughter Barbara and son-in-law Michael Wilson, will feel the same way for the next one, but in a reverse way. Ditch the gloom and doom, lighten up Bond, and give us a colorful and exciting adventure worthy of the James Bond franchise. And please, please, leave the hand held cameras to someone else. But the fact they offered the next Bond film to Forster has me worried about their judgment. (Fortunately he turned it down).

There are some people who have never seen a James Bond movie. If “Quantum of Solace” was their introduction to Bond, they would wonder what all the fuss was about. They could not imagine what makes this James Bond character so durable and appealing. Fortunately there are more than 20 films over a 45-year period and a wonderful series of novels that explain why.

“Quantum of Solace” is a complete misfire from beginning to end

Rating for “Quantum of Solace”: One and a half stars.