Casino Royale

[abudabit]

I know there were other Casino Royale threads, but one was about an accident on the set and one was about the casting.

Anyways Casino Royale is getting GREAT reviews, all the critics but one who screened it liked it. They are making it darker, more realistic, and making Bond more like a real person. Pretty much the same stuff that was done with Batman Begins.

British actor Daniel Craig, the controversial choice to play the new James Bond in the upcoming film "Casino Royale," has won early reviews Miss Moneypenny would be proud of.

The producers of one of the world's most successful movie franchises were seen taking a considerable risk with Craig, who angry fans said was too blond, too ugly and insufficiently suave to serve on Her Majesty's Secret Service.

But if the majority of film critics is anything to go by, the risk has paid off handsomely. The 38-year-old, with a proven acting pedigree, has been credited with revitalizing a series some felt had become bloated and over-reliant on clever gadgets.

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"It's a terrific debut," wrote the Daily Telegraph's Sinclair McKay, summing up a weekend of praise from British newspapers eager to get their reviews out early.

"From the very start, he steps with full assuredness into Sean Connery's old handmade shoes."

The Times' Wendy Ide appears to take a swipe at some of Craig's five predecessors in the role by concluding her review: "His main asset quickly becomes evident. He can act."

Ide also points out that Bond had met his match in other, younger screen spies Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer, who "share Bond's initials but little else."

FEWER GADGETS, VULNERABLE HERO

"Casino Royale" takes viewers back to the beginning of Bond's life as a spy, allowing director Martin Campbell to introduce character changes most have welcomed.

"This Bond is far more vulnerable than his predecessors," said David Edwards in British tabloid the Daily Mirror. "Not only does he have his heart broken, he also winds up almost dead after a beating."

Several reviewers noted one joke that deliberately breaks a Bond tradition. When asked if he wants his vodka martini shaken or stirred, Craig replies: "Do I look like I give a damn?"

"Casino Royale" is described as darker and more raw than previous films in the series and less reliant on the gadgets that have helped Bond out of countless scrapes.

Only The Observer weekly's Tim Adams was generally negative, calling the time frame of the film "perplexing" and questioning the filmmakers' decision to make Bond more real.

"The problem with making Bond more real is that everything around him then seems even more fake than usual," he said.

The response to "Casino Royale" will come as a relief to producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who admit they took a risk in casting Craig as Bond.

He replaced the popular Pierce Brosnan, whose last Bond film "Die Another Day" raked in an estimated $432 million at the box office. The franchise has generated billions of dollars over its 44-year lifespan.

The Bond films are produced by EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the media unit of Japan's Sony Corp . The film goes on general release on November 17. (http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/va/20061105/116274478500.html)

[Dave _from_Kiev]

I didnt think anyone could out cool connery but from this post it sounds like this has a chance of winning back the fans of the original 007 like me.

[BabyHat3R]

I can't wait until this comes out, sounds like it'll be awesome.

[mascan42]

It looks like they're keeping the book's severely downbeat ending, if the track listing for the soundtrack (http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=208) is to be believed. BEWARE: SPOILERS!

[mascan42]

BTW, in case anybody missed it, Chris Cornell is doing the song for the movie. It sounds a bit off at first, but it really grows on you.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RuftPAl6Ypg

[Jerry1]

Not a bad song. Pretty cool.

[Warfarer]

Am I the only one here who thinks that Chris Cornell is in the top 3 or 4 male vocalists in music now? Every project that he has done has been good. From Soundgarden, to being solo and now he is with Audioslave and all have been very good.

As far as the movie goes, it appears that Daniel Craig has done a good job, or that the new direction the movie is going is good. I was a big fan of Piere Brosnon so he has big shoes to fill in my book, but I will be there opening day regardless.

P.S. Eva Green is super sexy.

[abudabit]

Never been a fan of his voice. Definitely has talent, just isn't very interesting. And his smooth range isn't as big as you would think.

[Turtle]

I saw a preview this weekend, looks great, a much darker and mean Bond.

[Dave _from_Kiev]

Never been a fan of his voice. Definitely has talent, just isn't very interesting. And his smooth range isn't as big as you would think.

I gotta agree with you on this. despite the fact I thought he would be a good match back in the old days when he was remington steele. It just didnt work for me as bond. not as bad as tim dalton but no where near connery.

[mascan42]

According to reports, the book's famous torture scene is intact in the film. I can already see theaters full of guys squirming in their seats.

[LilJimmyRbinson]

I gotta agree with you on this. despite the fact I thought he would be a good match back in the old days when he was remington steele. It just didnt work for me as bond. not as bad as tim dalton but no where near connery.

He was supposed to do it in the 80's instead of Dalton, but was contractually obligated to Remington Steele. I thought he was great in the role. Goldeneye is one of the top 3 Bond movies in my book.

I think the new one looks great. Bond seems more badass and not a comic book character like he did in Die Another Day.

[Turtle]

He was supposed to do it in the 80's instead of Dalton, but was contractually obligated to Remington Steele. I thought he was great in the role. Goldeneye is one of the top 3 Bond movies in my book.

I think the new one looks great. Bond seems more badass and not a comic book character like he did in Die Another Day.
I agree with you, Golden Eye one of the best bonds ever. Die Another Day, the worst bond ever.

[mascan42]

I agree with you, Golden Eye one of the best bonds ever. Die Another Day, the worst bond ever.
This is how the series works. Every time the movies go too far over the top, they respond by bringing the next one "back to basics". Moonraker was followed by For Your Eyes Only. A View to a Kill was followed by The Living Daylights. Now this follows Die Another Day. Now by restarting the series, they might have an opportunity to keep the films more grounded in reality this time around.

[MikeHimself]

i haven't seen it yet but i don't really like how M is still judi dench in this. When Bond started as an agent, M was a man and judi came in the picture in Goldeneye. Wonder how they explain it or if they just ignore M ever being a man.

[abudabit]

I gotta agree with you on this. despite the fact I thought he would be a good match back in the old days when he was remington steele. It just didnt work for me as bond. not as bad as tim dalton but no where near connery.

I was talking about Chris Cornell. He's a really talented singer but he's boring.

[Warfarer]

Alright. I went and checked this out last night and it is a badass movie. The cast was great, Daniel Craig on me over by the end of the movie, Eva Green was extremely sexy and the gadgets were basically props.

Recently gadgets have become a major part of Bond movies but they were just there in this one.

The movie was darker than any that I remember and the action was quickly paced but not way too fast. The second scene was a little ridiculous but the rest were grounded and very cool.

I recommend this one to anyone who ever liked any Bond movie.

[MikeHimself]

Alright. I went and checked this out last night and it is a badass movie. The cast was great, Daniel Craig on me over by the end of the movie, Eva Green was extremely sexy and the gadgets were basically props.

Recently gadgets have become a major part of Bond movies but they were just there in this one.

The movie was darker than any that I remember and the action was quickly paced but not way too fast. The second scene was a little ridiculous but the rest were grounded and very cool.

I recommend this one to anyone who ever liked any Bond movie.

what were the gadgets. there weren't really any in this film if i remember. the only gadget i can think of is the medkit in the car.

great movie btw

[robinquivers]

I was going to wait for video, but may have to go and check it out. Daniel Craig was good in Layer Cake

[TimTA95]

Movie rocks, kept me into it the whole way through.

[MrMotherFucker]

i think it could have been about 15 minutes shorter, but I liked it. I can't even remember the last time a bond movie was this good

[MJMANDALAY]

LOS ANGELES - James Bond has met his match — not a fellow spy but a tap-dancing penguin. The Warner Bros. animated penguin romp "Happy Feet" debuted with $42.3 million, grabbing an edge for the weekend's No. 1 slot over Sony's Bond adventure "Casino Royale," which opened with $40.6 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.


The two films were close enough that their rankings could change when final numbers are released Monday.

"'Happy Feet' is just ahead by a flipper," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "It's unusual to have two movies this close, battling for that No. 1 position."

Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner, said "Happy Feet" was solidly ahead and that the rankings would not flip-flop on Monday.

"It's not going to happen," Fellman said. "It's a clear victory here."

"Casino Royale" took an early lead over "Happy Feet" on opening day because of strong adult audiences Friday night. "Happy Feet" dominated the rest of the weekend, drawing big crowds on Saturday and Sunday when family films do their best business.

The box-office leader the last two weekends, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," slipped to third with $14.35 million, lifting its total to $90.5 million.

With the rarity of two movies in the $40 million range, Hollywood had a robust weekend, the top 12 movies taking in $133.6 million. Still, that could not measure up to the same weekend a year ago, when the $102.3 million debut of " Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" paced the top 12 to a $171.9 million total.

"Happy Feet" features the voices of Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Robin Williams in the story of an penguin who cannot carry a tune like his brethren but can tap-dance up a storm.

"Casino Royale," introducing Daniel Craig as British super-spy Bond, fell right between the debuts of the previous two 007 flicks, which had been No. 1 and 2 among the franchise's openings.

The last Bond movie, Pierce Brosnan's "Die Another Day," holds the franchise record with $47.1 million in November 2002. Brosnan's 1999 Bond adventure "The World Is Not Enough" premiered with $35.5 million in November 1999.

"I think a $40 million-plus start for a new series of Bonds with Daniel Craig is a great beginning," said Jeff Blake, Sony vice chairman. "Casino Royale" also brought in $42.2 million in Great Britain, Russia and 25 other countries where it opened this weekend, Blake said.

In narrower release, two other new movies bombed, Universal's jailhouse comedy "Let's Go to Prison" taking in $2.1 million and Fox Searchlight's junk-food chronicle "Fast Food Nation" grossing $390,000.

Christopher Guest's Hollywood spoof "For Your Consideration" debuted strongly in limited release with $394,000 at 23 theaters. The film released by Warner Independent features a huge ensemble including director Guest, co-writer Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara in a comedy about Academy Awards fever among the cast of a small Hollywood drama.

Emilio Estevez's Robert Kennedy saga "Bobby" opened well with $67,000 in just two theaters. From the Weinstein Co. and MGM, "Bobby" features an all-star cast including Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Anthony Hopkins and Lindsay Lohan in the story of people gathered at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles the night Kennedy was assassinated there in 1968.

"Bobby" and "For Your Consideration" expand to nationwide release this week.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Happy Feet," $42.3 million.

2. "Casino Royale," $40.6 million.

3. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," $14.35 million.

4. "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause," $8.2 million.

5. "Flushed Away," $6.8 million.

6. "Stranger Than Fiction," $6.6 million.

7. "Babel," $2.9 million.

8. "Saw III," $2.8 million.

9. "The Departed," $2.6 million.

10. "The Queen," $2.3 million.

[mascan42]

"'Happy Feet' is just ahead by a flipper"
Meh hrmph heh hmm.
http://hometown.aol.com/beautifulbrian43/images/pat_from_moonachie.jpg

[abudabit]

12 - Let's Go To Prison Universal Pictures Distribution $2,108,000 $2,108,000 1 1495


Ouch, debut at number 12. Sucks that such a good actor's first movie is such a shitty script.

[TheJew]

just saw this movie, it was fuckin sweet. and that white bitch was bangin...

[Hudson]

Ian Fleming was an OSS member.....his codename....well, he named a book after it

[sinAtra]

Box office numbers aside, it looks darker - the way Bond should be. The UFC-loving neighbor and I are going to see it this week. Is the torture scene from the book in the movie?

[25133WhooOoAH]

i need to see thsi soon.

[mascan42]

Is the torture scene from the book in the movie?
Yes it is. Ow.

[Dave _from_Kiev]

I just finished watching it. Damn good movie and I am hard to impress. Daniel craig is an excellent fit although he needs work on a few small items as far as acting, but as a throwback to the sean connery days I think its perfect.

[FAngel]

HOLY SHIT was this awesome! I don't think I was bored with the movie for a second, and Craig is without a doubt the perfect new Bond. He's refreshing and has an edge to him that you never saw in anyone else.

The biggest reaction I can gauge from this is my dad. He was in 7th grade when Dr. No came out in theaters, and was a massive Bond fan early on. He's seen just about every one, and grew really jaded when the Roger Moore ones started becoming hacky and slapstick - he's really hard to impress. When we came out of the theater, he said it was "right up there with anything Connery ever did." I can't wait for this to come out on DVD.

[MJMANDALAY]

I was gonna hiy the Train tracks in the ghetto tomorrow for some of my $5 new released movies.
But I just watched about 20 minutes of this online (gotta luv the www) and now I have to see it on the big screen.

[Ben's Bulge]

They made Vesper too sympathetic at the end. Other than that I really loved this movie a lot.

[bubbawadd]

I was gonna hiy the Train tracks in the ghetto tomorrow for some of my $5 new released movies.
But I just watched about 20 minutes of this online (gotta luv the www) and now I have to see it on the big screen.

I only paid $5 to see it in the theater yesterday...love those early shows.

[patbattlefield]

the end kinda drug out a bit but it was really worth it. best bond movie in a long time. i rate him as my 2nd favorite bond. No one will ever replace Connery.

[Hudson]

Kinda Dated But Funny...the origional..a spoof, was on cable this weekend..Niven, Sellers, Huston, and 4 other Huge Directors as characters.. Orson Wells as the baddy who does magic tricks....great!!!

[BaLZaC~308]

was undecided if I was gonna go but i think me and the missus will go tomorrow late night or sunday afternoon before dexter.

[Miss Abooty]

good movie... I recommend it!

[tar_baby]

just got back from this movie....damn good..id recommend this to any bond fan

[jenzie]

saw it over two days, and loved it!!!
might go to see it in the cinema on friday

[Beeman99]

Watched the movie online, want to go see it this week in the theater. But I've read a nasty rumor that for the next movie Craig wants Bond to be a fucking shitdick. If that's the case, they might as well cast a schwoogie as well to take over as Bond. WTF.

http://www.idontlikeyouinthatway.com/2006/12/daniel-craig-wants-gay-james-bond.html

[abudabit]

Watched the movie online, want to go see it this week in the theater. But I've read a nasty rumor that for the next movie Craig wants Bond to be a fucking shitdick. If that's the case, they might as well cast a schwoogie as well to take over as Bond. WTF.

http://www.idontlikeyouinthatway.com/2006/12/daniel-craig-wants-gay-james-bond.html

Do you mean actual homosexual or a pussy?


Edit Jesus titty fucking Christ. I'm 100% down with the gays, would love if we had a gay president (who isn't a left winger), but can we just keep James Bond as a British heterosexual white male?

[Verbal Kint]

Saw it, dug it!
The torture scene was brutal, but Bond took it a bit, um, well.
You SO-would not be cracking jokes if a guy was doing that to ya. Hell, you couldn't talk! (Tho' the joke line is hilarious)
I've seen all the Bond movies, and thats the first I ever heard JB call a chick a bitch.

[PunchYourself187]

I'm a hardcore James Bond fan, and this is not a James Bond movie. They changed his entire backstory about being a highly decorated military commander who's parents were murdered. And killing two people doesn't make you a goddamn double-o agent. James Bond is not this big muscular guy - he has an average build that more viewers can connect with. First and foremost, James Bond is perfect - that's what makes him so great.

Daniel Craig is a fine actor, but the story is terrible and the character he was playing wasn't James Bond. I fucking hated this film so much. The only good part is the opening sequence. The scene in the casino was a 45 minute disjointed mess. In what poker tournament are you allowed to leave the goddamn table when a break isn't going on!?! Why is one character wearing a pair of sunglasses with only one lens in them? Who the hell introduces the true bad guy during the last 15 minutes of the movie? Instead they set this up for a sequel, but James Bond is meant to pretty much exist in a vacuum. There are no sequels, just new stories and some reoccuring characters. Think of it like "Groundhog Day" except every day is different, but he basically is starting from square one.

I went into this movie with very high expectations and a lot of optimism and sometime in between when Bond goes into cardiac arrest and says something about 'having his balls scratched' rather than uses clever innuendo, I totally turned on it.

The entire point of a Bond movie is to leave the theater wanting to be Bond - that's why he is more than just an action hero. Who the hell would want to be like this incarnation of "Bond"? It totally lacked the clever dialogue, camera work, allure, sexuality, and fun of a James Bond movie.

If you want to say this is a good movie, go for it, but don't call it a James Bond movie because it truly isn't. I wish I could erase this movie from my mind if not from time itself.

The black guy in the opening sequence was by far the best character in the entire movie. He was freaking incredible and he should have been the primary villian. I really enjoyed the Chris Cornell themesong.

[blee]

Just watched it tonight. I thought it was a good movie but just didn't feel like a james bond flick. If it was supposed to be a prequel then why the hell is M in it?!?!?!?!?!?

[abudabit]

It's not a prequel, it's a redo.

[PunchYourself187]

It's not a prequel, it's a redo.
Of a movie that was never made?

Casino Royale was the first James Bond book by Ian Flemming, but the movies don't really go by Flemming's books that much to being with. They just use a lot of the characters and some plots.

[LilJimmyRbinson]

Of a movie that was never made?

Casino Royale was the first James Bond book by Ian Flemming, but the movies don't really go by Flemming's books that much to being with. They just use a lot of the characters and some plots.

Sometimes just the title.

[LiddyRules]

I saw it a couple days ago. Definitely thought the end went a bit long with too many villains, especially after Mads died so that you didn't really have an investment with Bond killing any of them.

I would have thought the trace being "cold" would have been an awesome way to set up SPECTRE since they now have the rights back to use SPECTRE and Blofeld (they lost those rights early on which is why in For Your Eyes Only (I think it was) they were only able to show a faux-Blofeld from behind in that opening sequence). If they had established SPECTRE in this (and I think they were part of the Casino Royale book), I would have been more excited for future movies.

Eva Green has surpassed Ursula Andress as the hottest Bond girl. Craig was cool. Might be the best acted Bond movie ever.

If it was supposed to be a prequel then why the hell is M in it?!?!?!?!?!? M is his boss, always been. They just kept Judi Dench. I don't mind. I don't think she's bad in the role.

[mascan42]

I would have thought the trace being "cold" would have been an awesome way to set up SPECTRE since they now have the rights back to use SPECTRE and Blofeld (they lost those rights early on which is why in For Your Eyes Only (I think it was) they were only able to show a faux-Blofeld from behind in that opening sequence). If they had established SPECTRE in this (and I think they were part of the Casino Royale book), I would have been more excited for future movies.
Now that Kevin McClory's dead, I don't think anyone's going to be fighting it out in court over the rights again. And since Mr. White's organization was never named, it could actually turn out to be SPECTRE.

And the early Bond novels didn't include SPECTRE. They used a Russian agency called SMERSH - a contraction of the words "Smert' Shpionam": "Death to Spies".

[LiddyRules]

Now that Kevin McClory's dead, I don't think anyone's going to be fighting it out in court over the rights again. And since Mr. White's organization was never named, it could actually turn out to be SPECTRE.

And the early Bond novels didn't include SPECTRE. They used a Russian agency called SMERSH - a contraction of the words "Smert' Shpionam": "Death to Spies". Right, right, (and right about White's mystery organization) but still. Return of Spectre would be awesome .

[FAngel]

This baby is getting a bump for the DVD release next Tuesday. It's coming out on Blu-ray also for all you fancy people.