No Time To Die

I know it has been a long time since I have written on this blog; there were opportunities that I had to focus on and it took me away from something I love dearly. There is something I have been working on for nearly a year and it has taken a bit longer than expected. In the meantime anyone who has read my blogs may have know there was no way I could pass up not reviewing the latest adventure of 007. As this is still in theaters I will try and be discreate with spoilers, but just in case a spoiler alert is being issued. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Five years after the events of Spectre. James Bond (Daniel Craig) has retired after ending his relationship with Dr. Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux). However Bond and retirement never seem to last too long. Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) tells Bond a MI6 scientist Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik) has been taken. Obruchev had been working on a project for M (Ralph Fiennes) known as Project Hercules, a way to kill a target using their DNA without harming others; oh yeah cause there’s no way a bad guy can’t twist that wrong. Bond agrees to help Leiter and his colleagues Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen) and Paloma (Ana de Armas) whilst meeting the spy who took over his status as 007: Nomi (Lashanna Lynch), but the mission ends in tragedy and treachery. Returning to MI6, Bond reunites with M, Moneypenny (Naomi Harris), Q (Ben Whishaw), Madeline, Nomi, and, to his dismay, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) all of them determined to find Project Hercules and the psychopath orchestrating everything. The man: Lyutsifer Stein (Rami Malik), who is hellbent on revenge, changing the world and torturing Bond with a secret over Madeline’s head that changes the franchise forever.

As this was established as Daniel Craig’s final run as James Bond I knew they would go all out, and the film did not disappoint. I maintain that Skyfall is Craig’s best performance as 007, but he did extremely well in this film. Many critics have called it the best way to have ended Craig’s run as everyone’s favorite spy and I whole heartedly agree. It was great to see everyone back for one more time as their respective characters while introducing new people. When I heard Lashanna Lynch has been cast as a Bond equal I was intrigued having seen her in Captain Marvel. She completely blew my mind as Nomi and left me very curious to know more about her character should she go forward. However the true standout of the film was Rami Malik. The Oscar winner oozed creepy the moment he appeared on-screen and captivated me with every word. I would not call him the best villain of the Daniel Craig era of Bond, but he’s definitely the one to watch in No Time to Die. I would a s well like to point out to those who enjoy the Bond soundtracks they will enjoy the theme song this year. The song titled “No Time to Die” sung by Billie Elish who also co-wrote as well as her brother Finneas O’Connell and Miles Ale. No Time to Die has won a Grammy already this past year, but time will tell if the Oscar may also be in the future. Classic Bond fans may want to keep their ears open during the credits for a fan favorite Bond song.

I would definitely say the film, while I would not yet call it must see just yet, was worth the nearly year long wait. I for one could not think of a better conclusion to Daniel Craig. On behalf of all the Bond fans I would like to thank Craig for his 15 year stint as 007 and wish him well with his future projects. I cannot say for sure when the next 007 film will be nor who will take up the mantle, but one thing I can say: it has been a crazy ride.

Movie Review: Spectre

As of this date the last Bond movie released, I know there is at least one more with Daniel Craig and then he’s done. While I get where people are coming from regarding the “big twist” that basically everyone saw coming I did not think this film was too bad. Spoilers ahead as usual.

On a posthumous mission from M (Judi Dench) Bond kills a crime boss in Mexico City before he plants a bomb and takes his ring, which has an octopus on it. Because of it the current M (Ralph Fiennes) suspends Bond from field duty while in the midst of a power struggle that wants to take away the double O program, calling it outdated, and replace it with a global surveillance intelligence initiative called Nine Eyes backed by a man named Max Denbigh whom Bond calls C (Andrew Scott). Bond, along with Moneypenny (Naomi Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) disobey M, and travels to Rome to attend the funeral of the man he killed. Seducing the widow Lucia (Monica Belluci), she tells him her husband belonged to an organization with criminal and terrorist get together. Bond manages to sneak in, but is identified by the leader Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz) forcing him to flee in a pretty epic car chase between Bond and an assassin known as Hinx (Dave Bautista). Hearing that someone called the Pale King is to be killed, Bond (thanks to Moneypenny) reunites with Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) for a brief period to get information. White, already dying of thallium poison, kills himself but not before he makes Bond promise to find and protect his daughter Dr. Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux). Bond, Madeline and Q soon discover that all the villains from Bonds past (at least in the Craig movies) are connected to Spectre and to Oberhauser who is from Bonds past but is under a different name (yeah no shocker here that he was Blofeld) and that Nine Eyes has something to do with the final plan. Not on Bonds watch.

Like I said before this film isn’t bad, but it was also kinda predictable. Everybody knew Waltz was going to be Blofeld, even when they said no it’s this guy did not have people buying it, also the reason why is kind dumb. Craig I thought was good, not great this time as Bond, I think at this point he is kinda done with the role, but he has at least one more film and then I believe he is officially done. My thoughts on Swann will be later so moving on. I was glad we got to see more of Moneypenny as a secretary, but with her field agent background, Q playing a bigger part and M getting some action in as well. However I don’t want them to go overboard with the characters going forward just because the actors have bigger names, but now that I said something. Overall Spectre is a good, not fantastic, addition to the Bond franchise and I for one cannot wait for the next one. On a final note I LOVED the Oscar winning song “Writing’s on the Walls” by Sam Smith, very hauntingly beautiful. It makes me excited to hear the next one.

Movie Review: You Only Live Twice

One of Bond’s somewhat more controversial films today, You Only Live Twice is still one of the more action packed of the franchise. Warning once again spoilers ahead. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

An American spacecraft was taken in space by an unknown aircraft and killed an astronaut who could not get back in the rocket in time (which honestly did not make any sense to me why he couldn’t pull himself in or his buddy couldn’t.) America blames Russia, who denies all involvement, but the British suspect the Japanese are involved since the spacecraft landed just off the Sea of Japan. Bond is assigned, after faking his death in Hong King (hence the title.) Contacted by Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi), an agent for Japanese Secret Service, Bond meets MI6 operative Dikko Henderson (Charles Gray, not the first time this actor will be in a Bond film) who believes the Japanese are working with someone else and has evidence of a rogue craft. He is killed before he can elaborate. Bond is able to kill the assassin and poses as him to find out more, discovering Osato Chemicals is involved by taking photos locked in a safe. Bond is then, uniquely I may add, introduced to the head of Japanese SS, Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamab). Bond is quick to suspect SPECTRE’s involvement, and he is right. The head of Osato Chemicals, Mr., Osato (Teru Shimada) along with his secretary, Number 11 Helga Brandt (Karin Dor) are working for number 1 of SPECTRE, finally introduced as Ernst Stavro Blofeld (portrayed in this film by Donald Pleasence), hired by the People’s Republic of China to start a war between Russia and America; tensions growing further after a Russian rocket is captured. In order to get close to the island where the rogue craft is, and this is where the controversy starts, Bond must become Japanese, train like Tanaka’s ninja’s and take a wife. Along the way Aki is killed by an assassin, who meant to kill Bond. Bond then enters the island with his “wife” Kissy (Mie Hama but voiced by Nikki van der Zyl) and soon comes face to face with Blofeld. Of course SPECTRE’s plans fail thanks to Bond and ninjas, but this was only the beginning of Bloefeld’s official on-screen presence.

Now you have to remember this movie was done in the 1960’s and a lot of older films were not as PC as they are today. While Bond’s Japanese appearance may not have been controversy back then, it does not do any favors now. I will say I do like observing a bit of Japanese culture with the sumo wrestling. Admittedly hearing some things bothered me, but knowing it is Japanese culture back then maybe even now I can forgive it (and I am not looking for any arguments about a different culture.) I have an aunt and uncle who lived in Japan for a while, so my knowledge of the culture is limited if any, but I do not wish to disrespect a culture. The film also has one of the best car chase scenes in Bond history, a great aerial flight with “Little Nellie” as Bond calls the craft and amazing use of ninjas during the training sequence and final battle.

Moving on, as usual my views on Aki and Kissy will appear later, so let’s focus on the villains and help. After five films Bond finally comes face to face with his greatest rival Blofeld. As you will come to see in other Bond films Blofeld is portrayed differently, but Donald Pleasence definitely set the bar with a unique look and fear. While at times his voice is not as menacing as it should be it does not take away Pleasence performance. Mr. Osato and Brandt are terrified of him, and once they failed him in trying to kill Bond they pay the ultimate price (Osato is shot while Brandt after sleeping with and failing to kill Bond is eaten alive by piranhas.) Thankfully Bond does have help with Japanese SS head Tanaka, but called Tiger by his friends. I like Tanaka because of his uniqueness. Unlike many who help Bond this guy is not well known to his people, he has his own island, train and he has ninjas; who can say they have that? I must also add the opening sequence with the lava is one of my favorite openings to this franchise.

Overall while the film is not as PC by today’s standards You Only Live Twice is still a good film, and for a short period of time Sean Connery’s last as 007. Coming soon George Lazenby’s only turn as Bond in one of the best known, and heartbreaking, Bond films ever “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”.