movies movies movies

I have just been to see Casino Royale with my friend Sarah and NEED to express the feelings of my pounding bosom. Daniel Craig is PERFECT as Bond and that is the best Bond movie I have ever seen. Granted, I haven't seen many fully through but that is because they've always been on television and I've watched small amounts, snorted and groaned, and switched over to something else. In this film there were a total of ONLY TWO really cheesy and irredeemable lines, which were as follows (paraphrased):

Bond girl (accountant): "I'm the money."
Bond: "Yeah, every penny of it."
AND,
Bond: "You've got me there."
Bond girl: "You can have me any way you like."

Other than that, it was gripping. Even the massively long game of poker was great. I had no idea what was going on plot-wise, but for once I can't complain about that at all because it simply didn't matter. I did think the scene of naked torturing was a bit too much; Sarah and I chose that moment to start laughing without being able to stop, and it was agony trying to hold it in when it's undoubtedly meant to be the tensest, most serious part of the film. So we're immature. The rest of the time was spent trying not to whistle because Daniel Craig is basically the pinnacle of manhood. He runs like a Spartan and has eyes like a sprite. (That's my corny line for today.) FIVE STARS from me. *****


I thought I would make this a movies blog altogether because for the first time in a while, I got out some DVDs this week that I've been meaning to see for ages. First up: Possession. I loved the book, and if you ever mean to read the book, don't watch the movie first, because the book is gripping when you don't know what's going to happen. But if you've read the book or hate reading, this movie is great. I have to admit I didn't like the idea of an American Roland Michell, but Aaron Eckhart is so cool in anything I've ever seen him in (insert plug here for Thank You For Smoking) that I retract that statement

willingly. Gwyneth Paltrow was obviously created to play Maud Bailey, and Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle were superb as Ash and LaMotte. The movie flowed really well which was surprising when based on such a long, complex novel, so I give it an overall FOUR STARS. ****






I also got out Jane Eyre, directed by Franco Zeffirelli. I was always disappointed by the BBC TV series and so was delighted to discover a movie version. It started off amazingly well. Anna Paquin was actually perfect as the young Jane, and everything went along just as I imagined it. William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg as Rochester and Jane were also very impressive. Elle Macpherson played Blanche Ingram which would have worked okay if they hadn't made her appearance look so cutesy. It doesn't work on a tall, willowy, majestic thing like her, and I don't think Blanche Ingram was supposed to look cutesy anyway. But she served her purpose okay. I was impressed with the little girl who played Adele Varens; she was sweet and she added a few new depths to the story that I hadn't considered before. But then, suddenly, when Jane ran away - it went downhill. It's like they got to the middle of the story and suddenly realised they'd run out of time, and about the whole end half of the story took place in about fifteen to twenty minutes. St John Rivers and one sister made an appearance but were really only token whereas in the book they play such a huge part. So when it was finished I was very disappointed that it had started out so well yet ended in such a rush. THREE STARS. *** Or maybe TWO AND A HALF. ** [+ half an asterisk]