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On another note, Oh Jackie, where art thou? :-c
A happy and content 4EverBonded reporting in.
SPECTRE was a blast! The theater experience was a gas.
I'll stop rhyming now (I hope; all of those were accidental, believe it or not).
Here is my report:
FAB theater experience! (I never want to go back to a regular theater again).
~ Simple, low elegant lounge (separate from rest of lobby) with own entrance from lounge into the Gran theater.
~ I had a choice of about 30 dif. kind of drinks with my drink ticket that came with my theater ticket. I chose the red wine. It was a huge glass; I drank half.
~ Reclining super cushy lounge chairs, foot rest electronically controlled (natch) and slippers if you choose (yes like you may get offered in business class on a flight), drink holders on both sides.
~ AND each row of seats (all recliners) were on an elevated plane. There was no obstruction for viewing no matter where you sat. Superb.
~Great sound, too.
SPECTRE
Succinctly put, I enjoyed it tremendously. I was happily surprised to find I did not know a lot of what was going to happen (which is amazing, as I was on here a long time!). So it did feel fresh. I could give a few quibbles, and I will later, but they are fairly minor. For me, it was a rollicking Bond adventure, with outstanding cinematography, fine direction and acting, a story that was perfectly acceptable, good pacing (this film moved; I did not feel it dragged at any time), good running length, and the MI6 team working well together.
I very much enjoyed this one, I went along for the ride, it was fun, it was entertaining, it had a few serious undertones but not heavily. Definitely a throwback to the earlier Bond films, yet I did not feel it was too reverential or put homages in our face so much that it took away from enjoying the film for itself. This one is Craig's showcase; his Bond totally in command. This was a Bond completely confident, his skills sharp, his mojo in prime shape. He was altogether in prime shape. Including in the opening credits! Which made me smile. I remember saying to myself, "Oh, Daniel's in the opening credits!" :D
With Skyfall, I was moved very much at times, I went on the journey with Bond ... but it was a conflicted, worn out & psychologically hurt Bond; and that story was an important one, a hinge sort of, for Craig's Bond. Skyfall is still one of my favorite Bond films, no doubt. The feelings it tried to give the audience, the whole tone, and the story itself are definitely different from SPECTRE. With Skyfall, I left the theater emotional, happy, yet wanting Bond to move on and have less angst. I felt like he had triumphed and I felt that myself.
So we have SPECTRE picking up directly from Skyfall. I liked that. I liked M giving Bond a last direction. I like the way SPECTRE brought in Mr. White and tied in Quantum (without mentioning them by name) in, bringing loose ends together. Yet it did not get bogged down in explanations (I expect many will quibble about that!). Plot holes? I suppose there are, but I just saw the film 3 hours ago and nothing was glaringly wrong about the film for me. This time, I left the theater bouncing, happy, having just had a fun adventure.
Music? Ahhh. Okay, that is where the biggest improvement is needed. But what's done is done and it wasn't bad. Just definitely not great. The theme song was perfectly fine, like I had hoped it would be, when enveloped in the orchestra and lovely, interesting opening titles sequence. Do I still wish someone else had sang it? Yes, I honestly do. But it was really okay when in the film; the experience was good, it was not jarring. I've still no desire to listen to it on its own though. Was there Bondian music throughout? Yes. In several cues, too. Was the theme song woven it at times? Somewhat yes; and I think that song's refrain was particularly good for that. I did feel the "suspense" and "action" music pieces were just redundantly bombastic a bit. I noticed that a little, but the movie was so good I just ignored it and got back into the movie. So the music was disappointing .... but not so strongly as to really matter for me.
GREAT opening sequence.
I loved the way all the MI6 team worked together. And no, they were not out in the field being a sidekick to Bond; their parts were very well done, I thought, with this story. And I do love the actors playing them (M, Q, Moneypenny, Tanner).
Lea Seydoux? Great! Beautiful. And still underused somehow, I think.
Monica Bellucci? Fantastic! Gorgeous. And criminally underused. Honestly, there should have been at least one more good sequence with her. That is too bad she was in it after all so little. That surprised me a little.
There are many other things I will talk about later (Blofeld? Ah yes, that too!). But just to say, I think it is a great Bond film, not just good and nowhere near middle of the road. I enjoyed it a whole lot. Not disappointed; very satisfied, actually. :)
We will be reviewing and critiquing SPECTRE now on this thread in any way you'd like. Just opening up the conversation floodgates. But no actual numerical ranking until a good deal later; probably January. We will look at reviewing SPECTRE through different categories. And starting in about a week, I think we will also look at Daniel Craig in particular, his Bond.
Oh that reminds me - I do not feel this is his last Bond film. Just my take on it. It may be; but I don't believe that is at all definite at this point.
That's all for now. I'm seeing SPECTRE again in one week. Meanwhile, let the spoilers spill out here (at last) and discuss what you liked, didn't like about SPECTRE.
Cheers!
Cinematography, folks. It does make a difference.
I'm glad you enjoyed Spectre so much, @4Ever! I agree with much of what you wrote, although I do have some fairly strong quibbles with various aspects of the film. I think we're all a little tired of angsty Bond, and with that in mind, I didn't appreciate having Blofeld suddenly become "James'" pseudobrother. It just doesn't work for me. They shouldn't even BE on a first name basis! It ought to be "Mr. Bond" and "Blofeld" between them. Next thing you know, somebody will be telling us that Moriarty was really Holmes' math teacher! (What's that you say? Nicholas who???) Still & all, I'd give this film a B. Not the best but far from the worst of Craig's tenure. And I too don't think it will be his last. I'm not sure Mendes will return though, I think he's said his piece for this franchise & may well be ready to move on.
I am completely with you on this one @chrisisall and I couldn't have put it better.
:))
Giving Bond & Blofeld a shared past, however brief, is an old narrative ploy. Hey, they could have gone for making Blofeld Bond's father!!! What a cliche that'd be, be grateful, young Beetle! ;)
So now that I have time off and on this week to delve into all the threads, read the old spoiler ones, the Sony leaks, etc. And I think it will be quite interesting for me. I expect that several folks now are taking this film apart bit by bit and getting riled up, disappointment overload, etc. Or maybe they are past that, as most have seen it a few times by now. As Bond fans ... serious fans ... we are far more sensitive to even small things at times.
Oh hey - gunbarrel right at the beginning! Awesome! That was one "little" thing that I was happy to see. But I didn't keep a scorecard, checklist as I watched the film; not even mentally. I tried to just let it open up for me and show me what it had. Barbara B. had said the "money is up on the screen" and I must say it looks to me like a whole lot of the money was there. A beautifully produced, gorgeously filmed, and I think well directed film.
I have a few things that I would have changed a bit, sure - and I will talk about them in a while. But overall, there was nothing that stood out like a sore thumb or truly disappointed me with this film. It was a fun, grand Bond adventures. And also the locations were spot on for me - I loved every place they filmed in this one.
More later ... carry on, everybody! B-)
I found the link to the theater where I saw SPECTRE! It's awesome. Feels like a private club. The smaller "Gran" theater. Scroll down the page. The photos show the seats and the layout. You can tell that every seat has a good view of the screen. Doesn't show the slippers, though. There was a small new pair (cotton I think) wrapped in plastic waiting at each chair when you walk in. The lounge is open an hour before the film starts. Drinks, gourmet popcorn and scones. Note: Each chair has two (2) drink holders. ;) The audience is quiet and respectful (they would be anyway here, and this was not billed as a young child's movie). Simply splendid. Thank you, Japan, for enhancing my Bond experience. 8->
http://www.aeoncinema.com/event/gran-theatre/
Be jammed in a crowded (though new, still crowded) theater in "regular" seats and maybe not the best view if Mr. Sumo is sitting in front of you ... or pay an extra $5 and get total bliss? Not a tough choice!
I was thrilled to see the gun barrel open the movie and the look of it! It looked like a classic old school gun barrel. Loved the women, loved the villains, and even the homage paid to some of the earlier films. (train fight, action in the snow, DB5, Blofeld's scar)
The theme song was good, I like it. It may not be as good as "Skyfall" but it was heads and shoulders better than the Jack White/Alicia Keyes train wreck.
so a quick questions for my fellow Originals: Do any of you plan on seeing the film again before the DVD comes out?
I am seeing it every week it is shown in English here. Which may be at least 2 more times. Yay! :)
Have seen it three times now. And that's it till the blu-ray comes out. Still not too sure about it. Would have been better if it had been a stand-alone film about SPECTRE with no Bond/Blofeld connection and by not tie-ing together all DC Bond movies.
Thought the movie was well paced, thought the cinematography was not as good as Skyfall, very muted, lots of cream, brown colour schemes, the fight on the train gets better with each watch - Bond really looks like he's met his match. And I would have preferred if the ending had resolved itself at Blofeld's base instead of coming back to London. But all in all a great ride and DC's Bond is more like Bond of old - though still 100% DC.
Yes, it was like an older style Bond movie - but Craig was still Craig, as you say. I liked the cinematography throughout, didn't mind the more muted tones at times, the browns and creams. I think Skyfall for me is still the better film overall, including cinematography. But I view these two as different films. I liked that SPECTRE tied in to the other Craig films, though. Glad you enjoyed it overall, @Lancaster007.
Good to have you back, @4Ever, you've been missed.
I too think Skyfall edges it, but will have to wait till I can do a back-2-back viewing. Did love the 'Touch of Evil' opening shot and thought there was some great humour in the film. I seem to be one of the very few who enjoyed the car chase, thought it was well done, some nice touches along the way and a great gag to finish. Found it refreshing that it wasn't a Hamilton-type smash-crash-bash-em-up chase - that's been done to death!
The opening is amazing, one of the best. I bet there are conflicting feelings about Hinx and Blofeld, but I hope not the women - both were splendid, both underused (especially Monica).
I'd argue that Lea was underused, but I'd still say that if the film was just 180 minutes of Lea parading around, so that doesn't count. I fully agree on the car chase, felt like ballet at some points. And the PTS is one of the best. I was increadably impressed by the one-shot filming.
Just a quick comment of the cinematography in Spectre - I thought it had much more depth than we're used on Bond. Still, I prefer the shinier framed of say Skyfall and Moonraker.
Although not a fan of Smith's vocals in general, and Writing's on The Wall in particular, I thought the song and the titles worked superbly together. Not up their with Goldfinger, Spy, Casino Royale and Skyfall as my fav one-two punches in the series, but not far from it.
And what a PTS the titles segued from! The opening tracking shot* was just excellent. And the way Craig carried himself. This is the Bond film that I've been waiting for since Casino Royale.
I wrote this piece post Skyfall -
Reflection -
At the end of Casino Royale, we thought that Bond was back, a fully formed agent. Then we got Quantum of Solace.
At the end of Quantum of Solace , Bond learnt his lesson, hence the gun-barrel at the end, signifying Bond was back. Then we got Skyfall.
At the end of Skyfall, we got the traditional office, and all Bond's cohorts have been introduced. What will B24 have in store for us?
We still haven't seen a Bond movie from Craig, in which he can be Bond, full of the gentlemanly conduct and charm, casual insouciant and Joie de vivre that one expects.
With Spectre Craig has comes up trumps. I think he may be my 2nd fav Bond, behind Sean Connery. Of course. Well, maybe 3rd, after Tim. Or 4th behind Sir Rog.
I'm not sure about the Blofeld/Obi thing though. I did enjoy Blofeld being just another bad guy for Bond to defeat, and yet Blofeld having this big "Daddy didn't love me!" complex.
* production spoiler!
So ... I cannot really relate to what you say you felt regarding SPECTRE, but I appreciate you chatting with us about it in a nice way, which you are. Craig's attitude, demeanor, and whole take on Bond did change in this film - however, it was a change that I welcomed and had been waiting for. It fit the development of his Bond, the growth of Bond, the resurgence of his confidence and now being a very experienced 00 agent (no rookie at all), angst free (first time), and solid self assurance. It is the first time we saw this Bond act like that. So people would either accept it, warm to it, or not like it. Because this is a very different portrayal, yes.
I took the changes in Bond as a positive, yet you were jarred by the differences and it came across to you as prissy and unsatisfying. Your feelings and opinion are valid; they are just quite different from mine. I'm sorry it did feel that way to you because surely if you are annoyed with or disappointed in Bond, then that pretty much ruins the film for you - which, come to think of it, is exactly what ruined OHMSS for me. Lazenby was the elephant in the room that I could never believe was Bond. I found him annoying and disappointing at nearly every turn. So when I compare my OHMSS thoughts on Bond to yours on SPECTRE, I can relate a little to what you are now experiencing. Which means the film was mostly a drag for you, and that is a shame. We have a long wait with Bond films and I know you enjoyed Skyfall a lot. But I do thank you for participating with us here.
We still haven't seen a Bond movie from Craig, in which he can be Bond, full of the gentlemanly conduct and charm, casual insouciant and Joie de vivre that one expects.
And now this:
With Spectre Craig has comes up trumps.
That puts it neatly for me. My post-Skyfall list was similar to yours. I felt only fun and satisfaction as I watched SPECTRE unfold.
Well ... I think perhaps we are so used to Craig's Bond being so heavily torn, psychologically damaged (while still strong & growing), and dealing with such heavy issues ... for 3 films ... that to have a lighter, more fun adventure (throwback to earlier Bond films like TSWLM, yes!) is a big change. So big a change that I think Birdleson is not alone in being taken aback and not enjoying Craig's new take on Bond; though I do think that is a minority opinion. But it being such a clear change, there must be others who did not like that either.
I really enjoyed Craig's Bond a lot. I enjoyed the whole movie. I take it in the same vein as I enjoy TSWLM and FYEO. And TLD. And LALD. And GE. And TND.
I have a few things I'd do slightly differently and will talk about that either later today (it is early a.m. for me as I type this) or tomorrow.
As for lucky me, with this theater experience: I'm eating slightly less lunch this next time and getting some gourmet popcorn to go with my wine, which I will take into the cinema with me. Still don't need the slippers (I wear comfy socks), but this theater is a sublime experience and now I am spoiled for life. ;) Stressed? need a break from reality? Films always do that, but it is not usually like being in a spa ... the comfort level at this theater melts stress or tension away before the film even starts.
Looking forward to hearing more from all of you, especially Originals but others too, for your full feelings about SPECTRE, and we don't need spoiler tags now. ;) (Your tag is for a production note, @royale65, and probably not necessary either, but I think considerate you put in in spoiler tag). Cheers!
I am sure many can t wrap their heads around me not liking Goldeneye for instance.
So what?
I do think the opening is very strong, one of the best. And the helicopter stunt was amazing! I enjoyed the car chase - basically I'm repeating myself, I know - I LOVED the locations in this film and how they were used. :-bd
I also think the pacing and editing was very good overall.
I mean: you are entitled to your opinion, dear chap. ;)
(Yes, I knew you didn't like it, @Thunderfinger. We all have our flaws ... and most here would say that OHMSS is my Waterloo. I just disagree.)