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Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) created a video about Phantom Thread (2017) in Movies
Nov 6, 2017
ClareR (5542 KP) rated The Drowned City in Books
Apr 15, 2021
The Drowned City is the first book in a new series by Karen Maitland, and it bodes really well for the next book!
Jacobean England, where a year to the day after the failed Gunpowder Plot, a huge wave destroys much of Bristol, killing hundreds of people and destroying homes and businesses. This is a superstitious time, where the blame is put on witches and demons. And Catholics.
Daniel Pursglove is freed from Newgate jail where he has been imprisoned, suspected of witchcraft, by one of King James’ closest advisors, Charles FitzAlan. He is given the task of tracking down Spero Pettingar - the man who got away during the arrests of the Gunpowder Plot. He is suspected of going to Bristol to recruit supporters - namely Jesuits.
The descriptions of Newgate Prison are horrific - as are those of a destroyed Bristol. This is a really atmospheric book with some great descriptions. Not that you’d really want to be, but you can imagine yourself there, amidst the mud, filth and decay.
I really liked how the chapters flashed between Daniel and London, where we would see the King or Robert Cecil (a man who fascinates me!).
Daniel doesn’t seem to me to be the most accomplished investigator. Most of what he discovers he does by accident, but he does get results. Just not the ones he was necessarily asked to get.
I’m really looking forward to reading the next in this series, it really has piqued my interest!
Jacobean England, where a year to the day after the failed Gunpowder Plot, a huge wave destroys much of Bristol, killing hundreds of people and destroying homes and businesses. This is a superstitious time, where the blame is put on witches and demons. And Catholics.
Daniel Pursglove is freed from Newgate jail where he has been imprisoned, suspected of witchcraft, by one of King James’ closest advisors, Charles FitzAlan. He is given the task of tracking down Spero Pettingar - the man who got away during the arrests of the Gunpowder Plot. He is suspected of going to Bristol to recruit supporters - namely Jesuits.
The descriptions of Newgate Prison are horrific - as are those of a destroyed Bristol. This is a really atmospheric book with some great descriptions. Not that you’d really want to be, but you can imagine yourself there, amidst the mud, filth and decay.
I really liked how the chapters flashed between Daniel and London, where we would see the King or Robert Cecil (a man who fascinates me!).
Daniel doesn’t seem to me to be the most accomplished investigator. Most of what he discovers he does by accident, but he does get results. Just not the ones he was necessarily asked to get.
I’m really looking forward to reading the next in this series, it really has piqued my interest!
I loved the crap out of this book, it was so compelling and had me gripped the whole way through, this was a first for me on this author, I like to read new authors all the time, I like experiencing different writing and imaginations. The premise of this book intrigued me, as to who Daniel would believe when both parents are against one another.
The pace of this book is quite slow but it slowly drips feeds you information as to what has happened to his parents on the Farm in Sweden that you cannot stop reading.
Daniel currently lives in London with his partner Mark, when he gets an unexpected call from his father stating that his mother is not well and has fled from a psychiatric ward. His parents had not long moved to Sweden to retire to his mothers homeland.
Daniel who is an only child decides he needs to go to Sweden after putting it off for several months, however when he gets to the airport, he receives a call from his mother stating that she is flying over to the UK now to meet him so she can tell him her side of the story events that has been happening over the past 6 months.
Two thirds of the book are told by Tilde (Daniel’s mother), she has a satchel with evidence and a diary which she reads from, she is very specific with what happens and adamant that things must be told in chronological order so people do not misinterpret her findings as madness.
Daniel is a very naive character thinking his parents, never argued, had a great life, owning their own garden centre and several flats around London, when actually that was the complete opposite, he didn’t want to tell his parents he was homosexual as he thought they would think they had failed in his upbringing and disappoint them. Daniel seemed to have had a very sheltered life from his parents, he had never experienced them arguing, had a good education but in the end had a job as a gardener/landscape designer thingymajig which wasn’t really going anywhere and a high-profile boyfriend which he relied on for more than just companionship.
The thing that had me thinking was what if this was my parents? who would I believe? When one is saying the other is crazy and the other believes a murder has taken place and that the father is involved. I think this is why it was so gripping, you had to continue to find out the truth and I was not let down by this.
This was just a book that I picked up as the synopsis intrigued me, I didn’t expect to love it so much. The good thing about this book is that it is a thriller without the gore and blood.
I would definitely recommend this book.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.
The pace of this book is quite slow but it slowly drips feeds you information as to what has happened to his parents on the Farm in Sweden that you cannot stop reading.
Daniel currently lives in London with his partner Mark, when he gets an unexpected call from his father stating that his mother is not well and has fled from a psychiatric ward. His parents had not long moved to Sweden to retire to his mothers homeland.
Daniel who is an only child decides he needs to go to Sweden after putting it off for several months, however when he gets to the airport, he receives a call from his mother stating that she is flying over to the UK now to meet him so she can tell him her side of the story events that has been happening over the past 6 months.
Two thirds of the book are told by Tilde (Daniel’s mother), she has a satchel with evidence and a diary which she reads from, she is very specific with what happens and adamant that things must be told in chronological order so people do not misinterpret her findings as madness.
Daniel is a very naive character thinking his parents, never argued, had a great life, owning their own garden centre and several flats around London, when actually that was the complete opposite, he didn’t want to tell his parents he was homosexual as he thought they would think they had failed in his upbringing and disappoint them. Daniel seemed to have had a very sheltered life from his parents, he had never experienced them arguing, had a good education but in the end had a job as a gardener/landscape designer thingymajig which wasn’t really going anywhere and a high-profile boyfriend which he relied on for more than just companionship.
The thing that had me thinking was what if this was my parents? who would I believe? When one is saying the other is crazy and the other believes a murder has taken place and that the father is involved. I think this is why it was so gripping, you had to continue to find out the truth and I was not let down by this.
This was just a book that I picked up as the synopsis intrigued me, I didn’t expect to love it so much. The good thing about this book is that it is a thriller without the gore and blood.
I would definitely recommend this book.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.
SummerLGrant (185 KP) rated The Limehouse Golem (2016) in Movies
Sep 10, 2017
Fantastic Victorian thriller
If you go in wanting to be blindsided about who did it then you're going to be disappointed, it's pretty obvious straight away who the Limehouse Golem is. Other than that this is a gripping film exploring the dregs of society in Victorian London as two cases come together for Scotland Yard's John Kildare (Bill Nighy) and George Flood (Daniel Mays). The story is constantly bubbling beneath the surface and as it rushes towards its conclusion the violence and gore gets more and more graphic, a lot of it doesn't add anything to the story but the dramatics of it does put the state of mind of the murderer into context.
Olivia Cooke, who plays Lizzie Cree a woman on trial for the murder of her husband, is fantastic in the role and has really put on display how good an actress she is.
Olivia Cooke, who plays Lizzie Cree a woman on trial for the murder of her husband, is fantastic in the role and has really put on display how good an actress she is.
ClareR (5542 KP) rated So Much Life Left Over in Books
Sep 8, 2018
The aftermath of World War 1 in true de Bernieres style.
Louis de Bernieres has been one of my favourite authors ever since I stumbled across The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts in 1990. As soon as I see that he has a book coming out, I avidly wait until I can buy it, trying to get as much information about the subject matter as I can (yes, I'm a fan-girl). This novel has not disappointed me.
So Much Life Left Over takes us back in to the lives of Rosie and Daniel Pitt after the First World War has come to an end. We go as far as Ceylon, back to London and to Germany in the 1930's. We catch up with all of the characters that we first encountered in The Dust That Falls From Dreams (and if you haven't read that yet, you're seriously missing out), and learn about what happens to Rosie's sisters, parents and those that they have met along the way.
I love the dialogue in this book: it's punchy, quick-witted and emotional. The first of Oily Wragge's chapters (each chapter, when about a different person, is written from their perspective, sometimes in first person, sometimes in third person - but I like this. It seems so personal) haunting, terribly sad and filled with the violence and horror of war and being a prisoner of war.
Daniel and Wragge go to work in Germany, and set up a business with the two fighter pilots that Daniel captured in the war. Here we get a look at the Germany of the early 1930's: the poverty, deprivation, and Hitlers rise to power. Daniel correctly predicts another war.
However, the truly heart wrenching events happen in the last thirty pages or so. I strongly suggest you get your handkerchief ready. The emotion in these last pages is what really makes this a truly stand out book for me (if the rest of the book hadn't already been enough to do that!). The sensitivity in the way that the subject matter is handled, and the emotions that this invokes in the reader is so well done.
I would thoroughly recommend this novel, I so enjoyed it, and I will be looking forward to the last part of this story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
So Much Life Left Over takes us back in to the lives of Rosie and Daniel Pitt after the First World War has come to an end. We go as far as Ceylon, back to London and to Germany in the 1930's. We catch up with all of the characters that we first encountered in The Dust That Falls From Dreams (and if you haven't read that yet, you're seriously missing out), and learn about what happens to Rosie's sisters, parents and those that they have met along the way.
I love the dialogue in this book: it's punchy, quick-witted and emotional. The first of Oily Wragge's chapters (each chapter, when about a different person, is written from their perspective, sometimes in first person, sometimes in third person - but I like this. It seems so personal) haunting, terribly sad and filled with the violence and horror of war and being a prisoner of war.
Daniel and Wragge go to work in Germany, and set up a business with the two fighter pilots that Daniel captured in the war. Here we get a look at the Germany of the early 1930's: the poverty, deprivation, and Hitlers rise to power. Daniel correctly predicts another war.
However, the truly heart wrenching events happen in the last thirty pages or so. I strongly suggest you get your handkerchief ready. The emotion in these last pages is what really makes this a truly stand out book for me (if the rest of the book hadn't already been enough to do that!). The sensitivity in the way that the subject matter is handled, and the emotions that this invokes in the reader is so well done.
I would thoroughly recommend this novel, I so enjoyed it, and I will be looking forward to the last part of this story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Girlfriend in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This whole story was told from three different perspectives, and I think Laura and Cherry shared the spotlight as the main characters, and Daniel was kind of supporting actor. I really enjoyed reading these different perspectives, I like to see what different characters think and how they analyze the situations. One thing was very obvious to me, that no one would be excepted into the “rich circle” with the name like Cherry. It just sounds trashy to me. I really enjoyed the unique personalities, which characters brought to this novel, as well as the complex relationships between each other. If I would have to pick my favourite in this book, I think it would be Daniel, I liked his personality and was feeling pity, that he was stuck in this crossfire.
Even though the narrative was sometimes quite repetitive to me, I enjoyed it. I liked the twists and turns which author incorporated in this novel, they made me more curious about what else the author has up her sleeve. I can easily see authors personal experience in this book. This book felt like some of the movies I saw, I think that’s where author’s knowledge of scripts and film industry comes in, as well as details of the TV serials which Laura was creating. I think that the daughter-in-law – mother-in-law relationship was quite realistic and relatable to some of the readers, I heard plenty of stories about evil mother-in-laws/ daughter-in-law.
I really enjoyed the easy flowing writing style of this novel, as well as great knowledge of London and rich people’s lifestyle. I loved the short chapters of this book, which kept me interested of what will happen next, till the last page. Even though the ending was quite predictable, I think it rounded up the story nicely and left me very satisfied with it. So, to conclude, it is a chilling thriller filled with unique characters and interesting story, which really hooked me, as I really wanted to see how this mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship will evolve. I really enjoyed it and I do recommend to give this book a try.
Even though the narrative was sometimes quite repetitive to me, I enjoyed it. I liked the twists and turns which author incorporated in this novel, they made me more curious about what else the author has up her sleeve. I can easily see authors personal experience in this book. This book felt like some of the movies I saw, I think that’s where author’s knowledge of scripts and film industry comes in, as well as details of the TV serials which Laura was creating. I think that the daughter-in-law – mother-in-law relationship was quite realistic and relatable to some of the readers, I heard plenty of stories about evil mother-in-laws/ daughter-in-law.
I really enjoyed the easy flowing writing style of this novel, as well as great knowledge of London and rich people’s lifestyle. I loved the short chapters of this book, which kept me interested of what will happen next, till the last page. Even though the ending was quite predictable, I think it rounded up the story nicely and left me very satisfied with it. So, to conclude, it is a chilling thriller filled with unique characters and interesting story, which really hooked me, as I really wanted to see how this mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship will evolve. I really enjoyed it and I do recommend to give this book a try.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs in Video Games
Nov 14, 2020
Scary and Spooky
Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs- is a terrorfying, horrorfying, spooky, scary, creepy game.
The game features several interlocking storylines. Some take place in the past, some in the present, and some are overtly real while some may be imagined. Set in London on New Year's Eve, 1899, the game's protagonist is Oswald Mandus, a wealthy industrialist and butcher who is implied to be the great grand-nephew of Daniel, the protagonist of Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
The game is a survival horror game played from a first-person perspective.
Players explore the environments using a lantern, with diary entries and notes providing information on the lost memory of the title character. While the core of the game remains the same between the two, some elements of The Dark Descent have been removed for A Machine for Pigs, while new elements have been added, one reason being to provide a fresh gameplay experience to players of The Dark Descent.
Most of the puzzles are based on physically interacting with the environment because of this change. The sanity mechanic of the first game has been removed, meaning that the darkness and looking at the creatures no longer cause any drawbacks. Health lost when Mandus is injured, will regenerate after a certain period of time; thereby eliminating the need to find vials of laudanum to restore health as in The Dark Descent.
The game's level design has been touted as "significantly different" from that of The Dark Descent, with larger areas and outdoor environments included. AI was also adjusted to ensure players are unable to predict enemy behavior based on their experiences with the original game.
Its a excellent survival game.
The game features several interlocking storylines. Some take place in the past, some in the present, and some are overtly real while some may be imagined. Set in London on New Year's Eve, 1899, the game's protagonist is Oswald Mandus, a wealthy industrialist and butcher who is implied to be the great grand-nephew of Daniel, the protagonist of Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
The game is a survival horror game played from a first-person perspective.
Players explore the environments using a lantern, with diary entries and notes providing information on the lost memory of the title character. While the core of the game remains the same between the two, some elements of The Dark Descent have been removed for A Machine for Pigs, while new elements have been added, one reason being to provide a fresh gameplay experience to players of The Dark Descent.
Most of the puzzles are based on physically interacting with the environment because of this change. The sanity mechanic of the first game has been removed, meaning that the darkness and looking at the creatures no longer cause any drawbacks. Health lost when Mandus is injured, will regenerate after a certain period of time; thereby eliminating the need to find vials of laudanum to restore health as in The Dark Descent.
The game's level design has been touted as "significantly different" from that of The Dark Descent, with larger areas and outdoor environments included. AI was also adjusted to ensure players are unable to predict enemy behavior based on their experiences with the original game.
Its a excellent survival game.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Fisherman's Friends (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
I'm a sucker for this sort of film. There's a soothing consistency to them that makes for an entertaining and wholesome watch.
Daniel Mays as Danny us just adorable, he's always good for an amusing role. If you haven't caught Swimming With Men then you probably should. Danny isn't quite the same as his music exec counterparts, while he has the bullshitting down to a t he also cares much more for others than he does himself. I absolutely love the way he is with Alwyn and her daughter.
One thing that concerns me about this film is that it made me aware that James Purefoy is now old enough to be cast as someone's grandad. When did that happen? Purefoy along with all the other actors in the gang are a vision of camaraderie. There's a great scene where they head out to London, it's funny from start to finish and filled with toe-tapping enjoyment.
As much as I loved Noel Clarke when he was in Doctor Who it can't rescue him from the stereotypical American exec role. That accent was like a punch in the face every time I heard it. Has any American ever genuinely sounded like that or is it just reserved for British actors putting on American accents?
Obviously a lot of this film is dedicated to music, the sea shanties have me goosebumps as soon as they all started singing. It doesn't necessarily matter what they're singing about, the crescendos of it are just so beautiful. I will admit that generally I wouldn't be able to tell you if films had music in the background, unless it's bad or amazing it will largely pass me by, but Fisherman's Friends had one of those rare occasions where I noticed.
There are a lot of things happening in the film, several of the main characters have something going on around them but at no point did it feel like anything was surplus to requirements. In films with a larger cast it can often end up missing or skipping over a storyline but all of them seemed to be tied up neatly at the end of this.
The ending has a very emotional sequence in it, I spent a significant amount of it crying into my cuffs. James Purefoy and Daniel Mays manage to have an incredibly powerful moment together. There was so much emotion in it that just recalling it now is making me well up as I write.
While I might not buy this one I would certainly watch it again. It's a film that I'm certain almost anyone would enjoy, you'll certainly learn a few life lessons while you watch it.
What you should do
Definitely one to see, I know not everyone is a fan of musical numbers but there's plenty to go on to keep you amused.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Where do I get myself a group to sing with? I miss a good old fashioned singalong.
Daniel Mays as Danny us just adorable, he's always good for an amusing role. If you haven't caught Swimming With Men then you probably should. Danny isn't quite the same as his music exec counterparts, while he has the bullshitting down to a t he also cares much more for others than he does himself. I absolutely love the way he is with Alwyn and her daughter.
One thing that concerns me about this film is that it made me aware that James Purefoy is now old enough to be cast as someone's grandad. When did that happen? Purefoy along with all the other actors in the gang are a vision of camaraderie. There's a great scene where they head out to London, it's funny from start to finish and filled with toe-tapping enjoyment.
As much as I loved Noel Clarke when he was in Doctor Who it can't rescue him from the stereotypical American exec role. That accent was like a punch in the face every time I heard it. Has any American ever genuinely sounded like that or is it just reserved for British actors putting on American accents?
Obviously a lot of this film is dedicated to music, the sea shanties have me goosebumps as soon as they all started singing. It doesn't necessarily matter what they're singing about, the crescendos of it are just so beautiful. I will admit that generally I wouldn't be able to tell you if films had music in the background, unless it's bad or amazing it will largely pass me by, but Fisherman's Friends had one of those rare occasions where I noticed.
There are a lot of things happening in the film, several of the main characters have something going on around them but at no point did it feel like anything was surplus to requirements. In films with a larger cast it can often end up missing or skipping over a storyline but all of them seemed to be tied up neatly at the end of this.
The ending has a very emotional sequence in it, I spent a significant amount of it crying into my cuffs. James Purefoy and Daniel Mays manage to have an incredibly powerful moment together. There was so much emotion in it that just recalling it now is making me well up as I write.
While I might not buy this one I would certainly watch it again. It's a film that I'm certain almost anyone would enjoy, you'll certainly learn a few life lessons while you watch it.
What you should do
Definitely one to see, I know not everyone is a fan of musical numbers but there's plenty to go on to keep you amused.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Where do I get myself a group to sing with? I miss a good old fashioned singalong.
Gareth von Kallenbach (962 KP) rated Spectre (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
In the latest cinematic outing for James Bond (Daniel Craig), Director Sam Mendes has crafted a thrilling and deep film which deftly combines the threads of the three previous Craig outings and sets the stage very well for future outings for the series.
In “Spectre” Bond finds himself operating alone when the 007 division is in danger of being shut down due to his latest unsanctioned actions and a change in the political landscape back home.
With the powers that be convinced that surveillance is the way of the future not agents with a license to kill, Bond is racing against time to get the truth behind a mysterious figure named Franz Oberhausen (Christoph Waltz), who is the head of a very mysterious, large, and deadly organization.
From locales ranging from Mexico City, London, Rome, Austria, and North Africa, Bond stalks his target in a deadly game of cat and mouse as his every move seems to have been anticipated by the deadly organization.
Further complicating matters is that Bond is not able to call upon his resources as M (Ralph Fiennes), is unable to do little more than watch due to the pending end of the division and his new superior.
In the trademark style that the series is known for, we have exotic locale, beautiful women, gadgets, fast cars, and thrilling and intense action sequences that combine for a winning formula.
I had been a bit disappointed with Craig’s earlier films as I found them to be a bit muddled and did not find his take on Bond to mesh with the suave agent I had grown up following. That being said, “Skyfall” helped turn things around and with the plot elements of “Spectre” in place; it clearly shows a connection between the earlier films and sets the stage very well for future outings in the series.
Waltz is fantastic as the lead villain as his less than imposing stature is highly deceptive to the danger the man empowers. Audience learn more about the backstory of Bond and how he became the man that his is and Dave Bautista makes a fantastic henchman echoing shades of Odd job and a train sequence from “From Russia With Love”.
In all, thanks to the intense action, great characters and compelling story, “Spectre” is the best of the Craig Bond films and I cannot wait to see what they do next.
http://sknr.net/2015/11/05/spectre/
In “Spectre” Bond finds himself operating alone when the 007 division is in danger of being shut down due to his latest unsanctioned actions and a change in the political landscape back home.
With the powers that be convinced that surveillance is the way of the future not agents with a license to kill, Bond is racing against time to get the truth behind a mysterious figure named Franz Oberhausen (Christoph Waltz), who is the head of a very mysterious, large, and deadly organization.
From locales ranging from Mexico City, London, Rome, Austria, and North Africa, Bond stalks his target in a deadly game of cat and mouse as his every move seems to have been anticipated by the deadly organization.
Further complicating matters is that Bond is not able to call upon his resources as M (Ralph Fiennes), is unable to do little more than watch due to the pending end of the division and his new superior.
In the trademark style that the series is known for, we have exotic locale, beautiful women, gadgets, fast cars, and thrilling and intense action sequences that combine for a winning formula.
I had been a bit disappointed with Craig’s earlier films as I found them to be a bit muddled and did not find his take on Bond to mesh with the suave agent I had grown up following. That being said, “Skyfall” helped turn things around and with the plot elements of “Spectre” in place; it clearly shows a connection between the earlier films and sets the stage very well for future outings in the series.
Waltz is fantastic as the lead villain as his less than imposing stature is highly deceptive to the danger the man empowers. Audience learn more about the backstory of Bond and how he became the man that his is and Dave Bautista makes a fantastic henchman echoing shades of Odd job and a train sequence from “From Russia With Love”.
In all, thanks to the intense action, great characters and compelling story, “Spectre” is the best of the Craig Bond films and I cannot wait to see what they do next.
http://sknr.net/2015/11/05/spectre/
Gareth von Kallenbach (962 KP) rated Skyfall (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
It has been four years since Daniel Craig graced the screen as James Bond, in large part due to financial issues with MGM studio. Thankfully the matters were resolved and Academy award-winning director Sam Mendes kept his schedule free to avoid any conflicts that would have kept him from filming the latest chapter in the series. “Skyfall” has a very satisfying and enjoyable plot that twist and turns yet is not difficult to follow as it takes the audience on an emotional roller coaster.
After being wounded in the line of duty, Bond has gone missing and is assumed dead by everyone at MI6. While recuperating, Bond is in no hurry to let the world or his former comrades know that he still alive, becoming very dependent on alcohol and medication to help him cope.
A list of all the operatives in deep cover operations has fallen into the wrong hands which places not only the agents’ lives, but the effectiveness of the British Secret Service, in grave danger. As a result, the head of MI6, M (Dame Judy Dench), is fighting not only for the lives of her agents, but for her very career as she is strongly encourage to ease into retirement by the new government minister named Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes).
As if M’s troubles could not get any worse without her primary operative, an explosion rocks the MI6 headquarters as M returns from her meeting with Mallory. It becomes very clear that the person in possession of list has a personal score to settle with M, and delights in taunting her and her agents online as he executes a deadly plan of revenge.
Following the explosion, Bond resurfaces and demands to return to active duty despite having physical and mental issues as a result of his last mission. Mallory and others urge Bond to get out of the game and leave it for younger men, but Bond’s sense of honor and duty drive him to face the challenge.
With exotic locales ranging from Shanghai, Macau, Turkey, as well as London and Scotland, “Skyfall” captures the best of Bond with a gripping story that will have you hooked for the film’s entire 2 1/2 hours run time.
The introduction of Javier Bardem to the series was a masterful stroke as he plays a Bond villain unlike others. He is not a mega-millionaire bent on conquering the world, but rather he is a sympathetic and somewhat tragic figure that is a very kindred spirit to Bond himself.
The hallmark of the series has always been great action pieces and stunt work and “Skyfall”, does not disappoint in this category. I am very impressed with how computer generated effects were kept to an absolute minimum in the movie and how Craig and cast really went all out for their demanding and physical roles.
Mendes is to be commended for his work. Not only is the film wonderful to look at capturing the darkness of the world Bond operates in as well as the lavish beauty of the locales in which he travels. The stark contrast between light and dark in the film aptly portrays the psyche of Bond as he’s truly a person haunted by demons and the film even allows us greater insight into his character and past than has previously been seen before.
Naomi Harris and Bérénice Marlohe are the latest of Bond girls and they prove that they are more than just eye candy for the film, as they both are complex and strong women who complement the story well instead of being gratuitous sidekicks and obligatory damsels in distress.
The action-filled finale is very satisfying and the film concludes very well setting up the next chapters in the series very well. I had not been as big offensive glass to Daniel Craig films as I have of certain past Bond films. My biggest issue was that the new version of bond comes across more as a common thug rather than the suave, sophisticated, gentleman killer that I had grown to associate with bond.
This time around the film has much more of a balance in this regard as there is a quiet strength to Craig’s performance as he seems more comfortable in the role than he had in previous outings. We know that he can carry the physical demands of the role, this time around Mendes encouraged him to open up his emotional range which allowed for a more diverse and complex Bond than we had seen previously. I truly think that his work in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” really helped Craig as he did a masterful job playing a complex character with flaws, and seemed much more comfortable in bringing more bonds demons to light.
I’m extremely happy with the film and especially love the movie’s dénouement which, for me, promises a very good and eagerly anticipated direction for future films.
After being wounded in the line of duty, Bond has gone missing and is assumed dead by everyone at MI6. While recuperating, Bond is in no hurry to let the world or his former comrades know that he still alive, becoming very dependent on alcohol and medication to help him cope.
A list of all the operatives in deep cover operations has fallen into the wrong hands which places not only the agents’ lives, but the effectiveness of the British Secret Service, in grave danger. As a result, the head of MI6, M (Dame Judy Dench), is fighting not only for the lives of her agents, but for her very career as she is strongly encourage to ease into retirement by the new government minister named Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes).
As if M’s troubles could not get any worse without her primary operative, an explosion rocks the MI6 headquarters as M returns from her meeting with Mallory. It becomes very clear that the person in possession of list has a personal score to settle with M, and delights in taunting her and her agents online as he executes a deadly plan of revenge.
Following the explosion, Bond resurfaces and demands to return to active duty despite having physical and mental issues as a result of his last mission. Mallory and others urge Bond to get out of the game and leave it for younger men, but Bond’s sense of honor and duty drive him to face the challenge.
With exotic locales ranging from Shanghai, Macau, Turkey, as well as London and Scotland, “Skyfall” captures the best of Bond with a gripping story that will have you hooked for the film’s entire 2 1/2 hours run time.
The introduction of Javier Bardem to the series was a masterful stroke as he plays a Bond villain unlike others. He is not a mega-millionaire bent on conquering the world, but rather he is a sympathetic and somewhat tragic figure that is a very kindred spirit to Bond himself.
The hallmark of the series has always been great action pieces and stunt work and “Skyfall”, does not disappoint in this category. I am very impressed with how computer generated effects were kept to an absolute minimum in the movie and how Craig and cast really went all out for their demanding and physical roles.
Mendes is to be commended for his work. Not only is the film wonderful to look at capturing the darkness of the world Bond operates in as well as the lavish beauty of the locales in which he travels. The stark contrast between light and dark in the film aptly portrays the psyche of Bond as he’s truly a person haunted by demons and the film even allows us greater insight into his character and past than has previously been seen before.
Naomi Harris and Bérénice Marlohe are the latest of Bond girls and they prove that they are more than just eye candy for the film, as they both are complex and strong women who complement the story well instead of being gratuitous sidekicks and obligatory damsels in distress.
The action-filled finale is very satisfying and the film concludes very well setting up the next chapters in the series very well. I had not been as big offensive glass to Daniel Craig films as I have of certain past Bond films. My biggest issue was that the new version of bond comes across more as a common thug rather than the suave, sophisticated, gentleman killer that I had grown to associate with bond.
This time around the film has much more of a balance in this regard as there is a quiet strength to Craig’s performance as he seems more comfortable in the role than he had in previous outings. We know that he can carry the physical demands of the role, this time around Mendes encouraged him to open up his emotional range which allowed for a more diverse and complex Bond than we had seen previously. I truly think that his work in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” really helped Craig as he did a masterful job playing a complex character with flaws, and seemed much more comfortable in bringing more bonds demons to light.
I’m extremely happy with the film and especially love the movie’s dénouement which, for me, promises a very good and eagerly anticipated direction for future films.