007 James Bond: No Time to Die

 

Based on the novels and characters by Ian Fleming, No Time to Die is the story Agent 007 James Bond as he is coaxed out of retirement to deal with an evil figure following the kidnapping of a scientist. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and screenplay by Fukunaga, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge from a story by Fukunaga, Purvis, and Wade, the 25th film in the James Bond film series follows the British secret agent dealing with a new world and new foes as he struggles to try and find a life outside of his majesty’s secret service as he is portrayed by Daniel Craig for his fifth and final outing as 007. Also starring Lea Seydoux, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Jeffrey Wright, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah, with Christoph Waltz as Blofeld and Ralph Fiennes as M. No Time to Die is a riveting and mesmerizing film from Cary Joji Fukunaga.

Five years following an assassination attempt in Italy, James Bond is coaxed out of retirement to find a scientist as it leads to something much bigger involving a mysterious figure who has gained access to biochemical weapons that would go after specific targets. It is a film in which the secret agent doesn’t just deal with a new foe who wants to go after Bond but also those close to him as well as his enemies including Ernst Stavros Blofeld whom had been involved in not just the assassination attempt on Bond but also another incident several years prior that involves this madman in Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) who has a major grudge against Blofeld and his organization in Spectre. The film’s screenplay opens with a scene involving a young Madeleine Swann (Coline Defaud) who witnesses the murder of her mother (Mathilde Bourbin) and her own near-death experience from Safin as it then cuts to her as an adult (Lea Seydoux) who is vacationing with Bond in Italy where things went wrong as Bond believed that Swan betrayed him to Blofeld.

Much of the story takes place five years after Bond’s assassination attempt as he had retired in Jamaica when Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) asks for his help following a break-in at a MI6 lab where the Russian scientist Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik) had been kidnapped as he had created a bioweapon with nanobots for MI6 called Project Heracles that was intended as an off-the-books project in the hope that it would kill intended targets. Instead, it goes in the wrong hands where M sends Nomi (Lashana Lynch) who is the new 007 to Cuba where Bond meets the novice CIA agent Paloma (Ana de Armas) who helps him retrieve Obruchev to Leiter but something goes wrong due to Leiter’s new partner Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen) who causes trouble for Bond and Leiter leaving Obruchev to escape. The second act revolves around not just revelations for Bond about Swann, who gets an unfortunate meeting with Safin, but also what happened in Cuba in what Bond and Paloma saw as the former meets with Blofeld as they both learn that they have a shared enemy. Yet, Bond’s journey leads him back to Swann who has another surprise that only add more stakes to what Bond is facing as well as what Safin is planning in the film’s third act.

Cary Joji Fukunaga’s direction definitely has an air of style in the way he presents the different locations Bond is in but also a world that is about to be in danger once again as Bond has to save it. Shot on various locations in Norway, Italy, Jamaica, the Faroe Islands, and London with some bits shot in Pinewood Studios in Britain. Fukunaga definitely plays into a spy that has been through a lot but he is also coping with loss and betrayal as he is unsure about returning to the world in general as it is often ever-changing. Fukunaga does make the sets feel important such as the scenes at Matera in Italy that includes a big chase scene that is captured through wide and medium shots where Bond and Swann are dealing with cars and motorcycles with the Aston Martin DB5 being the weapon to deal with these assassins. The scenes set in Cuba that were shot on location at Pinewood are also filled with these medium and wide shots but also this sense of movement and where the cameras are placed as it adds that air of location where there are moments of humor from Paloma but also moments that play into the suspense.

There are also close-ups in some of the film’s emotional moments where Fukunaga play into Swann’s own fear as it relates to Safin but also this meeting between Bond and Blofeld as it adds a lot of suspense and drama. Fukunaga definitely aims for something straightforward for these non-action scenes that also includes the scene where Bond discovers a major secret from Swann which add a lot of what is at stake for Bond. Notably as Safin is someone whose background as it relates to his family and what they’ve done for Spectre shows exactly why he wants revenge and sees Bond as an equal in the fact that they’re both killers yet Safin is just trying to tidy things up for a new world. Fukunaga’s approach to Safin’s island and the factory/lab he has definitely echoes a lot of Bond films of the past while he also creates some unique tracking shots for a key scene up the stairs where Bond deals with Safin’s soldiers. The film’s climax is immense with a lot at stake but there is so much more as it relates to not just the world in general but also Bond himself as it relates to Swann as well as everything he had went through. Overall, Fukunaga crafts an exhilarating and gripping film about a spy who deals with a new foe who is creating a bioweapon that would wreak havoc on the world.

Cinematographer Linus Sandgren does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for some of the interior/exterior scenes in Cuba to the natural lighting for scenes in Italy as well as some stylish interior lighting for the scenes at Safin’s island. Editors Elliot Graham and Tom Cross do amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and rhythmic cuts as well as knowing when to let shots linger as well as to help create suspenseful moments. Production designer Mark Tildesley, with set decorator Veronique Melery and senior art director Mark Harris, does brilliant work with the look of the cabin home that Madeleine lived in as a kid as well as Safin’s island as well as his lab and factory. Costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlab does excellent work with the costumes from the clothes that Bond wears as well as some of the stylish clothing of Nomi and Swann and the robes that Safin wears.

Hair and makeup designer Mark Phillips, with prosthetic makeup designer Brian Gower, does fantastic work with the look of Safin from his disfigured look as well as the look of Blofeld following what happened to him previously. Special effects supervisor Chris Corbould, along with visual effects supervisors Yael Majors and Charlie Noble, does terrific work with the effects from the stunt work and set pieces as well as some of the visual effects that involve some of the bioweapon that Safin is developing. Sound designer Brian Bowen, with sound editor James Harrison and Oliver Tarney, does superb work with the sound in the way some of the gadgets sound as well as the way explosions sound and other sparse moments.

The film’s music by Hans Zimmer is phenomenal for its soaring orchestral-based music score that also feature elements of other compositions of past movie themes including the song We Have All the Time in the World from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service while the titular song by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell that is performed by the former is this moody and somber song that is actually a really good song that does play into the drama. Music supervisor Randall Poster does create a wonderful soundtrack that includes We Have All the Time in the World as well as a French pop song from Dalida and some reggae for scenes in Jamaica.

The casting by Debbie McWilliams and Jemima McWilliams is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Hugh Dennis and Priyanga Buford as a couple of scientists who worked with Obruchev, Mathilde Bourbin as Madeleine’s mother, Coline Defaud as the young Madeleine, Dani Benssalah as Safin’s henchman Primo who wears a mysterious fake eye, and Lisa-Dorah Sonnet as a young girl named Mathilde. Billy Magnussen is terrific as the CIA agent Logan Ash who is Leiter’s assigned partner who annoys both Bond and Leiter as he has ulterior motives of his own. Rory Kinnear is superb as M’s chief of staff Bill Tanner who aides Bond in getting the chance to interrogate Blofeld as he also question M’s motives over the Heracles project. David Dencik is excellent as the Russian scientist Valdo Obruchev who created Heracles as someone who is this slimy yet comical villain who is willing to help Safin. Ana de Armas is fantastic in her brief role as the novice CIA agent Paloma who helps Bond in retrieving Obruchev as she has some funny lines while also being a total badass as she is just so fun to watch.

Christoph Waltz is brilliant in his brief role as Ernst Stavros Blofeld as the head of Spectre who is in prison as someone who is still running his operation as he becomes aware that he and Bond have a shared enemy as he also toys with Bond about Bond’s own motives. Ralph Fiennes is amazing as M as the head of MI6 who is reluctant to have Bond back on board while also revealing about his intentions for Heracles as he realizes that it was a bad idea as he hopes Bond can stop it from happening. Jeffrey Wright is incredible as Felix Leiter as a CIA agent and Bond’s friend who coaxes Bond out of retirement as he is aware of what Obruchev has created and hope that the project is stopped as he is also suspicious about Ash whom he’s not fond of. Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw are remarkable in their respective roles as M’s secretary Moneypenny and the quartermaster Q as the two who stick by Bond with the former being a no-nonsense secretary who knows something is up and wants Bond to handle while the latter brings a lot of wit as someone who has a love-hate relationship with Bond as he would also uncover some deep secrets that involve Safin.

Lashana Lynch is phenomenal as Nomi as the 007 who Bond meets in Jamaica as he sees her as a threat of sorts though he realizes that she is a damn good spy as well as someone who doesn’t take any shit as Bond is aware of her worth. Lea Seydoux is tremendous as Dr. Madeleine Swann as a psychiatrist who is carrying secrets about her own past and her time with Safin as well as something that adds to the stake where Seydoux brings a lot of complexity to the character that play into a woman filled with regret and loss but also some hope for Bond. Rami Malek is sensational as Lyutsifer Safin as a madman who is trying to destroy Spectre as well as see Bond as a threat as he has this creepy presence to him as someone who wants to clean up the world but through nefarious means. Finally, there’s Daniel Craig in an outstanding performance as James Bond as the famed spy who is eager for a life outside of being in her majesty’s secret service only to deal with a much more sinister plot as Craig maintains that brooding persona but also someone who has humor and knows what is at stake as it is a fitting finale in the famed role as Agent 007.

No Time to Die is a sensational film from Cary Joji Fukunaga that features a tremendous performance from Daniel Craig in his final outing as James Bond. Along with its ensemble cast, riveting suspense and action, high-grade stakes, gorgeous visuals, and an incredible music score and soundtrack. The film isn’t just this sprawling and eerie spy-suspense film but also a film that plays into a man having to save the world with much more for him to deal with as it is also one of the finest films of the James Bond film series. In the end, No Time to Die is a spectacular film from Cary Joji Fukunaga.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia With Love - Goldfinger - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Diamonds are Forever - Live and Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

Cary Joji Fukunaga Films: Sin Nombre - Jane Eyre (2011 film) - (Beasts of No Nation)

© thevoid99 2022

Miami Vice

Based on the 1980s TV series by Anthony Yerkovich, Miami Vice is the story of two Miami police detectives who go undercover to deal with a drug dealer and drug trafficking that is happening in and out of Miami. Written for the screen and directed by Michael Mann, the film is a suspense-action thriller that follows two detectives who embark on a case that becomes highly dangerous as they also go into different paths to stop this drug dealer. Starring Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Justin Theroux, Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Ciaran Hinds, Barry Shabaka Henley, Luis Tosar, John Hawkes, Eddie Marsan, and John Ortiz. Miami Vice is an evocative and gripping film from Michael Mann.

The film is about two detectives from Miami who help the FBI by going undercover as drug runners to meet with a drug lord over drug trafficking in and out of Miami as it explores a dark culture of drugs and crime. It’s a film with a simple premise yet Michael Mann doesn’t go for anything simple in terms of the execution in his screenplay as it explore the life of these two detective in James “Sonny” Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) as they both seen at the film’s opening sequence trying to nab a pimp until they get a call from one of their informants over an attempted bust gone bad. After meeting with FBI agent John Fujima (Ciaran Hinds), Crockett and Tubbs agree to help him nab drug cartel security official Jose Yero (John Ortiz) who is trying to continue his drug trafficking ring from Colombia and into the U.S for his boss Arcangel de Jesus Montoya (Luis Tosar).

Mann’s script play into the life that Crockett and Tubbs have as they often do jobs with other cops led by their superior Lt. Martin Castillo (Barry Shabaka Henley) while Tubbs is in a relationship with one of fellow detectives in Trudy Joplin (Naomie Harris). During their undercover work, Crockett meets Montoya’s financial adviser/lover Isabella (Gong Li) whom he would fall for as they begin an affair that eventually leads to trouble. Especially as they learn about what Montoya and Yero are doing and who they’re working with to get the drugs into the U.S. as it complicates matter including putting Crockett and Tubbs’ fellow detectives in danger.

Mann’s direction definitely has some elements of style yet also has this low-key approach into the presentation as it opens at a nightclub where Crockett, Tubbs, Joplin, and other detectives are set to bust a pimp as it goes straight into the action and not waste time. Shot on various locations including Miami as well as other locations in Uruguay, Paraguay, parts of South Florida, and on various Caribbean islands, Mann creates a world where drug trafficking feels like the norm with these gorgeous wide shots of the sea and Miami skylines at night along with shots of the jungles and other places the character go to. Mann’s usage of aerial shots and scenes set on the sea on speed boats and planes also help establish this world while he also makes Miami as a character in the film but not as this vibrant locale that is filled with parties and excitement. Instead, he aims for something far darker and grittier as much of the scenes in Miami are shot at night with few scenes shot in the day as Mann prefers to showcase few of the cities famous sites in favor of just using it as a backdrop and go into parts of the city that not many are aware of.

Mann’s usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into the interaction with the characters but also in the suspense that include a showdown between a group of rednecks and the Miami PD where Detective Gina Calabrese (Elizabeth Rodriguez) is shown in a close-up with fierce intensity as she knows whether the person who wants to kill everyone really can do it but she knows he’s bluffing as she is intent on putting a bullet in his head. Mann also knows when to break from the action as it play into the persona lives of Crockett and Tubbs with the former engaging into this affair with Isabella that would eventually cause trouble. The climatic showdown between the Miami PD and Yero’s men is bloody as there is this great build up to the suspense in the medium shots and close-ups to capture all of the action and violence that is thrilling and dangerous. Especially in what is at stake while the ending is filled with ambiguity into the fates of a few characters but also the reality of the drug culture and what some do to survive. Overall, Mann crafts an intoxicating yet visceral film about the life and work of two Miami police detectives going undercover to stop a drug lord’s empire.

Cinematographer Dion Beebe does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as it is shot largely on digital video to capture some of the grimy look of the city as well as some of the vibrancy in the hand-held shots as well as not aim for anything overtly stylized in favor of something low-key and realistic. Editors William Goldenberg and Paul Rubell do excellent work with the film’s editing as it has some stylish usage of jump-cuts as it also play into some unconventional rhythms in the cutting to play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Victor Kempster, with set decorator Jim Erickson plus art directors Carlos Menendez and Seth Reed, does brilliant work with the look of the some of the homes of the Miami PD’s informers as well as the lavish home of Montoya and the casino that Yero runs. Costume designers Michael Kaplan and Janty Yates do fantastic work with some of the stylish clothes that Crockett and Tubbs wear when they go undercover as well as the posh designer clothes that Isabella wears.

Special effects makeup artists Jake Garber and Harrison Lorenzana do superb work with the look of a few characters during some of the film’s violent moments as well as the look of the Aryan gang that work with Yero. Special effects supervisor Rick Thompson and visual effects supervisor Robert Staad do terrific work with visual/special effects as it help play into the action along with some bits of set-dressing in some of the visual effects. Sound designers Elliott Koretz and Tak Ogawa do amazing work with the sound in capturing the sounds of gunfire, boat engines, and the atmosphere of the locations as it help play into the suspense and intrigue that is rampant throughout the film. The film’s music by John Murphy is wonderful for its somber and ambient-based score with some pulsating electronic-based themes that help add to the suspense while music supervisor Vicki Hiatt provides a nice music soundtrack that feature a mixture of ambient, hip-hop, rock, soul, Latin music, and electronic music from Goldfrapp, Audioslave, India.Arie, Mogwai, Nina Simone, Moby with Patti LaBelle, King Britt, Linkin Park w/ Jay-Z, and Emilio Estefan as well as an awful cover of Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight by Nonpoint.

The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and performances from Isaach de Bankole as a pimp Crockett and Tubbs try to nab early in the film, Eddie Marsan as an informant who gives the Miami PD some information, Tom Towles as an American dealer in Nicholas who is aligned with a group of Aryan drug dealers, Domenick Lombardozzi and Justin Theroux in their respective roles as Miami detectives in Stan Switek and Larry Zito who help Crockett and Tubbs with their work, Elizabeth Rodriguez as Detective Gina Calabrese who is a no-nonsense woman that is also dangerous but reliable, John Hawkes as an informant in Alonzo Stevens who calls Crockett and Tubbs early in the film as he makes a chilling discovery that puts him in trouble, and Luis Tosar in a terrific performance as the drug lord Arcangel de Jesus Montoya who runs an empire and wants to control all of Miami. Ciaran Hinds is superb as FBI agent John Fujima as a man who had accidentally ruined Crockett and Tubbs’ case early in the film as he decides to help them to try and stop Montoya despite his dislike towards them.

Barry Shabaka Henley is fantastic as Lt. Martin Castillo as Crockett and Tubbs’ superior who is the mediator between them and Fujima as well as being someone who is aware of what is going on as well as be a father figure of sorts for the team. John Ortiz is excellent as Montoya’s security agent Jose Yero as a man that at first is believed to run an empire yet is someone who watches over Montoya’s drugs and shipments while is also someone extremely dangerous as he grows suspicious towards Crockett and Tubbs. Naomie Harris is brilliant as Detective Trudy Joplin as a detective who also gathers intelligence and information for others while is also Tubbs’ lover as she grounds him while she deals with her own troubles as a detective. Gong Li is amazing as Isabella as Montoya’s financial adviser/lover who works with Crockett and Tubbs only to engage into an affair with the former that eventually becomes troublesome as she copes with falling for Crockett but also handling business for Montoya and Yero.

Finally, there’s the duo of Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx in incredible performances in their respective roles as James “Sonny” Crockett and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs. Both Farrell and Foxx bring a grounded and reserved approach to their characters with Farrell being a bit more dangerous once Crockett has an affair with Isabella making Tubbs uneasy. Foxx is more no-nonsense but is also someone who can do negotiations the right way and win over dealers through his charm and wit. Farrell and Foxx also provide that air of toughness to their characters when it comes to doing their jobs as they both provide the grittiness that the characters needed for the film.

Miami Vice is an incredible film from Michael Mann that features top-notch leading performances from Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, Dion Bebe’s gorgeous photography, emphasis on realism, and John Murphy’s intoxicating score. The film is definitely a low-key yet more reserved approach to the suspense-drama and detective film while not aiming to be a direct remake/homage to the TV series with Mann wanting to do something entirely different yet engaging. In the end, Miami Vice is a remarkable film from Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: The Jericho Mile – Thief (1981 film) - The Keep – Manhunter - L.A. Takedown – The Last of the Mohicans - Heat – The Insider – Ali - Collateral - Public Enemies - Blackhat - Blackhat - Ferrari - (Heat 2) - The Auteurs #74: Michael Mann Pt.1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2020

Moonlight (2016 film)

Based on the semi-biographical play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Moonlight is the story of the life of a man told in three different period in time as a boy, a teenager, and as a young adult as he copes with his sexual identity and his troubled family life and environment. Written for the screen and directed by Barry Jenkins from a screen story by Tarell Alvin McCraney, the film is a coming-of-age story that is told in an unconventional style that play into a boy’s growth into a man. Starring Trevante Rhodes, Andre Holland, Janelle Monae, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali. Moonlight is an evocative and ravishing film from Barry Jenkins.

Set largely in the Liberty City ghettos of Miami, the film follows the life of a young boy named Chiron who would later endure all sorts of struggles with his identity and environment in the course of three different periods. It’s a film that play into these different periods in Chiron’s life where he lives in the ghetto trying to survive yet is facing a much bigger prejudice for the fact that he might be gay. Barry Jenkins’ screenplay uses a simple three-act structure to play into Chiron’s life as the first act is about the adolescent Chiron as he’s called Little (Alex Hibbert) with the second act is about him as a teenager (Ashton Sanders), and the third act where he’s an adult (Trevante Rhodes). The first act has Little meet up with this drug dealer named Juan (Mahershala Ali) who finds him at an abandoned crack house after being chased by bullies. Juan would be a guide to Little as he teaches him how to swim and lead his own path in life despite the verbal abuse and neglect he gets from his mother Paula (Naomie Harris) who is becoming a crack addict.

The second act has the teenage Chiron feeling lost both in his direction and in his identity where he is bullied by a schoolmate in Terrel (Patrick Decile) and whatever money Juan’s girlfriend Teresa (Janelle Monae) gives him would often go to his mother to support her addiction. The second act also play into Chiron’s friendship with Kevin (Jharrel Jerome) as they were schoolmates when they were kids as it would lead to some revelations for Chiron but also heartbreak. The third act is about the adult Chiron living in Atlanta where he takes the nickname Black that Kevin used to call him as he’s a big-time drug dealer with a sense of uncertainty until he receives a call from the adult Kevin (Andre Holland) that would force him to return to Miami.

Jenkins’ direction doesn’t exactly go for anything that is stylistic other than a few flowing hand-held camera shots yet it does manage to maintain a sense of beauty through its approach to grittiness. Shot on location in the Liberty City section of Miami with a few parts of the film shot in Atlanta, Jenkins’ uses the location as an important area that is known for its crime and drug culture while it’s a world that has great demands for kids and adults to be tough. For Little, it’s a bigger hurdle in not just being black in the ghetto but much more dangerous in being a young African-American kid in the ghetto who is gay. There are wide shots in Jenkins’ direction yet it’s more about creating a mood through the compositions he is creating as well as these events that would shape the life of Chiron. One notable scene at Juan’s home with Teresa is where Little asks about being called a faggot where it is presented with a simplicity but also with some low-key dramatic tension. Even as Juan is forced to realize the faults of masculinity among African-Americans as he also has to deal with the fact that he’s played a part in Little’s troubled relationship with his mother.

The second act has Jenkins take on something far more unpredictable but also in its approach to violence where the teenage Chiron has to take a stand but also see the horror of how much his mother’s addiction has become. There is also this moment on the beach as the scenes of the beach are this recurring symbol of serenity and peace that Chiron craves for. Even in the first act where Juan teaches Little how to swim as it’s this world that he can escape into while the second act has him and Kevin in an intimate scene that would mark a major change in their friendship. The film’s third act does feel more up to date but Jenkins would also change the tone a bit into something that is looser but also with elements of stylish images that play into Black’s sense of longing. Even as his meeting with the adult Kevin play into not just nostalgia but also regret into the life he was accepted for who he is. Overall, Jenkins crafts a majestic yet intoxicating film about the life of a boy becoming a man in three different parts of his life.

Cinematographer James Laxton does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of naturalistic and colorful lights for much of the film’s daytime exterior scenes is matched with its usage of filters and stylish lights for the interior/exterior scenes set at night. Editors Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon do amazing work with the editing as its usage of slow-motion and other stylish cuts play into the drama with Sanders doing the film’s first two acts while McMillon does the film’s third act to create a different tone for each section. Production designer Hannah Beachler, with set decorator Regina McLarney and art director Mabel Barba, does excellent work with the look of the home that Juan and Teresa live in as well as the different homes Chiron would stay in.

Costume designer Caroline Eselin does fantastic work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of the school uniforms that Little would wear along with some of the clothes that Paula wore. Sound editors Joshua Adeniji and Benjamin L. Cook do brilliant work with the film’s sound as it help convey the atmosphere of the location along with the sound of waves in nearby location as it brings a calm to the dramatic moments of the film. The film’s music by Nicholas Britell is phenomenal for its rich and mesmerizing orchestral-based score with lush string arrangements that play into the drama and chaos that Chiron endures for much of his life as it’s a score that is devastating yet serene in its presentation while music supervisor Maggie Phillips creates a soundtrack that mixes hip-hop and soul music from artists like Aretha Franklin, Boris Gardiner, Goodie Mob, Barbara Lewis, Erykah Badu, OG Ron C, and DJ Candlestick.

The casting by Yesi Ramirez is great as it feature some notable small roles from Patrick Decile as the teenage Chiron’s bully Terrel, Shariff Earp as one of Juan’s dealers in Terrence, and Stephon Bron as a dealer for Black. Janelle Monae is fantastic as Teresa as Juan’s girlfriend who is a maternal figure of sorts for the young Chiron as she is also someone who is stern yet reveal the things that Chiron needs to do to be a good person in life. Naomie Harris is brilliant as Chiron’s mother Paula as a nurse whose addiction to crack leads to neglect and abuse on Chiron as she is also someone that is desperate and full of hate while becoming remorseful in the film’s third act. Mahershala Ali is amazing as Juan as a Cuban-born drug dealer who becomes a father-figure to Chiron as he also becomes troubled by Paula’s addiction while he also deals with some of the issues he’s created for the people around him.

In the role of Chiron’s friend Kevin Jones, the trio of Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, and Andre Holland are incredible in their respective roles as the child, teenage, and adult versions of the character with Piner as the young Kevin trying to help Little be tough and cool. Jerome provides a charisma and coolness to the teenage Kevin as someone trying to be accepted in school but also make a discovery of his own in his friendship with Chiron. Holland’s performance is more reserved as a man trying to live a good life where he is somewhat content with where he’s going while being concerned about who Chiron has become.

In the roles of Chiron, the performances of Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes are phenomenal in their portrayals of this young boy who would become a man with Hibbert displaying a troubled innocence as the young Chiron in Little as he doesn’t say much but manages to convey so much through his face. Sanders’ performance as the teenage Chiron has elements of restrained but also a melancholia as someone struggling with his identity and being bullied where this emergence of rage would come out. Rhodes’ performance as the adult Chiron known as Black is low-key in its emotions as someone who is trying not to think about the past but also cope with his experiences in life as well as deal with his own loneliness and regrets in his life.

Moonlight is a tremendous film from Barry Jenkins. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, an entrancing music score and soundtrack, realistic settings, and a touching coming-of-age story told in three different periods in time. It’s a film that explores a man trying to come to terms with his identity as well as the world around him as a boy, teenager, and a man as it’s told in a rich and intoxicating style. In the end, Moonlight is an outstanding film from Barry Jenkins.

Barry Jenkins Films: Medicine for Melancholy – If Beale Street Could Talk - (The Underground Railroad (2021 Limited TV Series)) - (Mufasa: The Lion King)

© thevoid99 2018

28 Days Later

Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, 28 Days Later is the story of a young man waking from the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse as he and other survivors try to find a way to survive and evade other zombies. The film is a zombie movie that is set in Britain where survivors of an apocalypse try to comprehend what had just happened as they deal with a new yet unruly world. Starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston. 28 Days Later is a harrowing yet rapturous film from Danny Boyle.

A young man wakes up after being comatose for 28 days where he wakes up having missed a zombie apocalypse that has wreaked havoc all over Britain where he would meet a few survivors as they try to find civilization and evade the zombies. That is pretty much what the film is about as it revolves around those who survived an apocalypse caused by a bunch of idiotic animal activists who tried to release monkeys who were infected with rage as it leads to an outbreak that lasted nearly a month leaving Britain in a state of chaos with very little hope. Alex Garland’s screenplay begins with this incident caused by activists and then has the narrative shift to 28 days later where a young man wakes up in a hospital unaware of what had happened until he meets a few survivors. He would also get a glimpse of what is happening as there are some zombies still roaming around London as he and some survivors try to find a place where they can be protected. Yet, they would also have to deal with some dark aspects of humanity as well as revelations about the outbreak and what is going on outside of Britain.

It’s not just in the narrative and the severity of what is at stake that makes Garland’s script so interesting. It’s also in the characters as the protagonist Jim (Cillian Murphy) is someone that is taken aback by this new reality he’s encountered as well as what he has to do to survive. Upon meeting Selena (Naomie Harris) who saved him during an attack, he would be forced to accept this reality as Selena is someone who has been hardened by the zombie apocalypse. Yet, she isn’t sure if there is any kind of hope while isn’t eager to cling on to some kind of humanity until she and Jim meet Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and his teenage daughter Hannah (Megan Burns) where they’re both able to find a void that had been lost since the apocalypse. Once they find shelter in the form of a military blockade led by Major Henry West (Christopher Eccleston), the survivors would only see the dark aspects of humanity prompting Jim to do whatever to save himself and his new friends.

Danny Boyle’s direction is definitely stylish as it’s got a look that is very de-saturated in its digital-video photography as well as something that looks surreal. Shot on location in London as well as other parts of Britain as it play into a world that has collapsed where Britain is now abandoned with very little hope. The film’s opening sequence is quite chilling as it shows a chimpanzee watching images of violence and terror where a group of activists break in to try and free these chimps only for a scientist pleading for them to not as all hell breaks loose. Then the film goes into its main narrative following a montage over the zombie apocalypse as it play into Jim discovering this new world of abandonment and loss. Boyle’s usage of wide and medium shots play into the location as well as that sense of uncertainty where many of its locations are in ruins or abandoned while the rural settings seem more calm. Boyle’s usage of handheld cameras play into the close-ups as well as the immediacy of the action as the zombies are fast-moving and more vicious in their presentation.

While Boyle would put in some light-hearted moments as well as scenes that are funny such as a supermarket sequence where Jim, Selena, Hannah, and Frank go on a shopping spree inside an abandoned supermarket. It is still a suspense-horror film of sorts where the third act is very unsettling where the characters not only have to deal with Major West and his crew but what they want to do to ensure their future. It’s a part of humanity that Jim doesn’t like as well as some harsh truths about what has happened where it is clear that there are those who are trying to rebuild society on their own terms. For Jim, what he would do isn’t just providing some sense of hope but also do something about it in dealing with the fact that not all of humanity are just as bad as the zombies. Overall, Boyle creates a thrilling and evocative film about human survivors dealing with the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse.

Cinematographer Anthony Dodd Mantle does incredible work with the film‘s de-saturated digital video photography as it has this grimy look in the way many of the colors look and feel like as well as in the way some of the interiors and exteriors scenes at night look. Editor Chris Gill does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts as well as some of the playful rhythms to play into light-hearted moments and the scenes of horror. Production designer Mark Tildesley, with set decorator Fanny Taylor and supervising art director Mark Digby, does excellent work with the look of London in its ruined state as well as the mansion that Major West and his men live in. Costume designer Rachel Fleming does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual with the exception of the uniforms the soldiers wear.

Makeup designer Sallie Jaye does amazing work with the makeup design in the way the zombies look in their decayed state as it captures every bit of detail into how deadly they look. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does fantastic work with the sound editing/design in creating some unique sound effects as well as the layered sounds of chaos and terror that play into some of the frenetic moments of the film. The film’s music by John Murphy is superb for its electronic-based score that feature some beat-driven pieces as well as some ambient cuts while the soundtrack features music from Brian Eno, Grandaddy, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Blue States as it plays to the mixture of serenity and terror.

The casting by Gail Stevens is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from David Schneider as the scientist in the film’s opening sequence, Noah Huntley as a survivor named Mark that Jim meets early in the film, Stuart McQuarrie as the soldier Sgt. Farrell who is the most sensible soldier of the platoon, and Ricci Hartnett as Cpl. Mitchell who sees Hannah and Selena as objects he can impregnate for the future. Christopher Eccleston is superb as Major Henry West as a military leader who is trying to maintain some order for his troops and survivors while having his own ideas about what to do for the future. Brendan Gleeson is excellent as Frank as a cab driver who is kind of this fraternal figure of sorts as he has his own daughter to care for while being a source of comfort for both Jim and Selena who both lost their own families.

Megan Burns is fantastic as Hannah as Frank’s teenage daughter who is trying to cope with the situation as well as be someone that is able to get things done while becoming scared once she learns what the soldiers want from her. Naomie Harris is brilliant as Selena as a survivor who starts off as a cynical woman trying to survive for herself thinking there is no hope only to regain some compassion upon meeting Jim, Frank, and Hannah where she becomes a big sister of sorts for Hannah. Finally, there’s Cillian Murphy in a phenomenal performance as Jim as a bicycle courier who wakes up from a 28-day coma as he discovers what happened to the world where he copes with loss as well as try to hold on to some hope as it is a real breakthrough for Murphy.

28 Days Later is a spectacular film from Danny Boyle that features great performances from Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, and Brendan Gleeson. It’s a zombie film that isn’t just exhilarating and scary but also a film manages to showcase how humanity copes with the aftermath of an apocalypse and survive while trying to do some good. In the end, 28 Days Later is a tremendous film from Danny Boyle.

Danny Boyle Films: Shallow Grave - Trainspotting - A Life Less Ordinary - The Beach - Millions - Sunshine - Slumdog Millionare - 127 Hours - Trance - Steve Jobs - T2 Trainspotting - (Yesterday (2019 film))

© thevoid99 2016

007 James Bond: SPECTRE

Based on the novels of Ian Fleming, SPECTRE is the story of James Bond trying to uncover a criminal organization that is threatening the world just as the MI6 is under threat of shutting down. Directed by Sam Mendes and screenplay by John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Jez Butterworth from a story by Logan, Purvis, and Wade, the film has Bond encounter the organization that puts the world into chaos as Daniel Craig plays Agent 007 for the fourth time. Also starring Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Dave Bautista, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jesper Christensen, Andrew Scott, and Ralph Fiennes as M. SPECTRE is a thrilling yet exciting film from Sam Mendes.

The film plays into not just the recent events James Bond had encountered with mysterious organization known as Quantum but it all finally ties together when he not only uncovers what Quantum is part of but who is running this secret organization. Even as it relates to not just Bond’s past but also the emergence of a new world order as MI6 is being shut down by a new organization that wants to put the entire world under total surveillance. For Bond, this new criminal threat as well as the possibility of MI6 being shut down not only prompts him to go at it alone against the advice of M but also lead him to clues as it relates to a man named Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz) whom Bond had known as a child and thought had died.

The film’s script doesn’t just play with Bond coping with aspects of his past and the new threats he is dealing with. He also is forced to go alone as MI6 are unable to be directly involved as M, Q (Ben Whishaw), Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), and Bill Tanner (Rory Kinnear) are all under surveillance from this new organization that is to replace MI6 where M had to fight to keep MI6 going. While Bond would create things that would put MI6 under further scrutiny such as the film’s opening sequence in Mexico City which has him trying to go after an assassin that is related to this secret criminal organization under the orders of the previous M. He would also turn to an old nemesis in Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) who would reveal not just what Quantum had become but asked Bond to protect his daughter in Dr. Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux) who knows some things about what her father did as she would help Bond.

The script would also play into the growing sense that the world is changing as it makes Bond and M uneasy where the latter has to deal with Max Denbigh aka C (Andrew Scott) who wants to get rid of MI6 for a joint security organization as he believes surveillance on everyone is good for the future. It plays into this conflict of the old ways vs. the new ways where Bond is a representation of the old ways as he is about trying to figure out what is going on and make the decision to pull the trigger if necessary. While M and Bond do agree that their old tactics do have faults, they at least produce results which does prompt the latter to go deeper into what he is trying to uncover and why Oberhauser is alive. Even as it becomes clear about what is trying to do and why he is targeting Bond of all people.

Sam Mendes’ direction is definitely thrilling from the film’s cold open which begins with this intricate and gripping tracking shot where Bond is at the Day of the Dead ceremony in Mexico City as he is watching out for an assassin. It definitely opens the film with a bang while it establishes what Bond is going after and what it will lead him to. Shot in several locations such as Mexico City, Rome, London, Tangiers, and the Austrian Alps, the film does play into the emergence of a new world order emerging where there are several things happening while Bond would travel by himself as he is aware that he’s being watched under the new rules forcing his associates to cover for him. While it is largely a suspense film with lots of action and extravagant set pieces, Mendes does know where to slow things down as well as play into the formula that is often expected with Bond films. There are elements of humor in the film which definitely gives a nice balance to the action as it often comes from Q and Moneypenny while infusing bits of drama and character development into the story.

Notably the relationship between Bond and Dr. Swann as the latter is hesitant to trust Bond but realizes what he is doing while being the one person that could bring some redemption for her father. Mendes’ approach to compositions with its usage of medium shots and close-ups do help build up the drama while the wide shots allow Bond to be wherever he’s at to cope with what he’s facing When the film’s third act takes place in Tangiers where Bond and Dr. Swann with Oberhauser, it is clear that something is up but also there is a lot more that is being revealed. Especially in what he is up to where some of it isn’t surprising but it does have this payoff that Bond is up for a challenge with so much at stake. Overall, Mendes crafts an enthralling and entertaining film about a spy saving the world from an evil criminal organization bent on creating a new world order.

Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of the exterior lights for scenes set in Rome and London as well as playing up to some of the cold atmosphere of the scenes in the Alps as well as some crafty interior lighting for scenes in Tangiers. Editor Lee Smith does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward while knowing when not to cut while creating some unique rhythms and jump-cuts for some of the action sequences. Production designer Dennis Gassner, with set decorator Anna Pinnock and supervising art director Chris Lowe, does amazing work with the design of places where Oberhauser conducts his business and meetings as well as Bond‘s home apartment and other rooms such as Q‘s workshop.

Costume designer Jany Temime does nice work with the costumes from the dresses that Dr. Swann and the other women wear to the Tom Ford suits that Bond wears. Hair designer Zoe Tahir and makeup designer Naomi Donne, with prosthetics makeup designer Mark Coulier, do terrific work with look of the characters in terms of the hair and such as well as the look of a character late in the film. Special effects supervisor Chris Corbould, along with visual effects supervisors Steven Begg and Mark Curtis, does fantastic work with the special effects as it relates to some of the action sequences along with some of the hacking devices from Q.

Sound designers Christopher Assells, Ann Scibelli, and Peter Staubi, along with sound editors Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg, do superb work with the sound to play into the many sound effects that occur in the action sequences as well as in some of the film‘s quieter moments to build up its suspenseful moments. The film’s music by Thomas Newman is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score that play into the action and suspense while knowing when to be low-key for its drama while creating some variations of the franchise’s theme music. The film’s song Writing’s on the Wall by Sam Smith is an OK song that has its moments but Smith’s singing is just terrible.

The casting by Debbie McWilliams and Nicole Schmied is great as it features some notable appearances from Stephanie Sigman as Bond’s date in Mexico and Alessandro Cremona as the assassin Bond goes after in Mexico. Monica Bellucci is wonderful as the assassin’s widow Lucia who would give Bond some crucial information about Oberhauser while Jesper Christensen is terrific in his role as former Quantum figure Mr. White who would also reveal Bond some information as well as urging Bond to protect his daughter. Andrew Scott is fantastic as Max Denbigh aka C as a government official who wants to get rid of MI6 for a new security organization as he brings a smugness that is just fun to hate. Dave Bautista is superb as Oberhauser’s henchman Mr. Jinx as a henchman that doesn’t say anything but uses his actions and power to do the talking as he’s a fun henchman to watch.

Rory Kinnear is excellent as MI6 chief of staff member Bill Tanner who aids M in trying to keep MI6 from being shutdown while Naomie Harris is brilliant as Moneypenny as M’s secretary who helps Bond uncover some information that would relate to the secret organization. Ben Whishaw is amazing as Q as Bond’s quartermaster who provides him with some inventions and stuff while providing some witty banter that is essential to the series. Ralph Fiennes is incredible as M as Bond’s boss who copes with not just Bond’s tactics but also MI6 being shut down where he tries to deal with C and maintain his idea of the old ways.

Lea Seydoux is remarkable as Dr. Madeline Swann as Mr. White’s daughter who joins Bond in uncovering the secrets of this organization while being someone who is very smart and not afraid to throw down where Seydoux brings some depth to the character. Christoph Waltz is phenomenal as Franz Oberhauser as this mysterious man who knows Bond very well as he is the mastermind of this organization where Waltz brings a lot of charm and personality to a villain that could be Bond’s greatest opponent yet while bearing many attributes that is typical of the old ways but reinvent for a new world order. Finally, there’s Daniel Craig in a sensational performance as Agent 007 James Bond as this spy who is trying to save the world from evil where he copes with not just elements of his past but also in maintaining the role that only he knows as it’s changing for an uncertain future. It’s a performance that his Craig not only be the badass and be serious but also display some humor which shows he’s having fun as it’s definitely Craig at his best.

SPECTRE is a marvelous film from Sam Mendes that features Daniel Craig in another winning performance as Agent 007. Along with a great supporting cast that include standout performances from Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, and Ralph Fiennes as well as thrilling action sequences and sprawling technical work from its crew. The film definitely stands as one of the finest films of the James Bond franchise in terms of its entertainment value as well as provide enough intrigue for audiences to be captivated by. In the end, SPECTRE is a riveting and exciting film from Sam Mendes.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia With Love - Goldfinger - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Diamonds are Forever - Live and Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

Sam Mendes Films: (American Beauty) - (Road to Perdition) - (Jarhead) - (Revolutionary Road) - (Away We Go) - (1917)

© thevoid99 2015

007 James Bond Marathon: Skyfall

Based on the character by Ian Fleming, Skyfall is the story in which James Bond goes on a secret mission to find out who leaked out the identity of various undercover MI6 agents while his boss M is under scrutiny from the British government as they deal with an old nemesis of theirs. Directed by Sam Mendes and screenplay by John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade with contributions by Peter Morgan, the film explores Bond dealing with his loyalty to M as he faces new challenges as well as dangerous villain. With Daniel Craig playing James Bond for the third time, the film also stars Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Ralph Fiennes, Helen McCrory, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Albert Finney, and Judi Dench as M. Skyfall is a thrilling and visually-entrancing film from Sam Mendes.

When a hard drive that features a list of the identities of various undercover NATO agents, James Bond and an agent named Eve (Naomie Harris) tries to retrieve it from its thief Patrice (Ola Rapace). During the chase leading to a fight on a train, M orders Eve to take the shot only for Eve to accidentally shoot Bond as he is presumed dead. Following the incident in Istanbul, M meets with Intelligence and Security Committee chairman Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) who feels that M should retire. With the hard drive missing and M is under target from both the government and a mysterious enemy who had hacked into her office computer and blow up her office at the MI6 building. When news of the explosion happens, Bond returns from hiding to find out who is after M and why. Bond travels to Shanghai to track down Patrice where he finds Patrice assassinating a target only for Bond to stop him as he asks him who he works for.

Thanks to a gambling chip from Patrice’s briefcase, Bond goes to a casino in Macau with Eve where Bond meets a woman named Severine (Berenice Marlohe) who warns him about what is going on. After Bond seduces Severine on her boat, they’re taken to a mysterious island where Bond meets a man named Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) who was a former MI6 agent that is responsible for the hackings and leaks of undercover NATO agents. After Bond gets Silva captured and taken back to London, Q (Ben Whishaw) tries to decode Silva’s computer only to realize that it’s a trap. With M facing an inquiry from the government, Bond goes after Silva who is planning to kill M forcing Bond to hide M at an old place with the help of a man named Kincade (Albert Finney). With Bond aware that Silva is going to come after M, Bond prepares for what would be a standoff between himself and Silva.

Throughout the 50 years of James Bond franchise, there’s always been the question about Bond’s place in the world as times have often changed. In this film, Bond faces a new enemy that is far more menacing than anything he and the MI6 had to face. It’s an enemy that lurks in the shadow and when it attacks, problems emerge forcing the British government to question whether to count on Bond to stop this menace. What makes it more interesting is that this enemy is going after M who has a very deep connection with this very mysterious villain as he wants her dead. Bond has to do whatever it takes to save M but also realize that not everything about his superior had been good as he starts to question about her past. Notably as they both are dealing with the fact that they’re considered irrelevant by some as many claims the old ways are out. What Bond would try to prove that sometimes, the old ways work.

The screenplay that is created by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan definitely shows a lot of complexities into the roles of the characters that are involved in the story. Particularly as Bond is presented as a man that is very flawed and a real liability as he’s still dealing with a painful physical wound. There’s also questions into whether Bond is able to get the job done as he’s not just a physical wreck but a mental one due to the fact that he is willing to harm himself. Bond’s flaws gives a lot of advantages to the film’s antagonist in Raoul Silva who is definitely a villain that is psychotic, intelligent, and very determined to reek chaos for the MI6 and destroy M anyway he can. There’s also a very demented side to Silva as he also has a lot of history with M about his work with the MI6 and why he turned against the MI6. For Bond, it does have him asking questions but also makes him realize that he still has a duty to do as a 00 agent.

Sam Mendes’ direction is definitely a marvel to watch from the opening sequence in Istanbul that includes a great chase scene involving motorcycles and trains to some amazing second unit shots of locations in Shanghai, Macau, London, and Scotland. Mendes is definitely aware that he’s making a Bond film but also infuses it with very direct and entrancing compositions that really establishes what is going on and what Bond is trying to do. Mendes also manages to take his time to build up the suspense where he wisely reveals Silva in the film’s second act. That approach to maintain an air of mystery in the first act has Mendes utilizing lots of intimate compositions and moments to help set up the plot and introduce a few key characters.

The action definitely comes back around the second act that includes this amazing fight scene between Bond and Patrice with this beautiful backdrop that shows a true sense of style that Mendes wants to bring. Even in the shot of Bond’s arrival to the Macau casino that is followed by amazing steadicam shots of Bond and Eve walking around the casino in separate directions. Things definitely intensify in the third act when it involves a brilliant chase scene through the London subways. Even in the climatic showdown in Scotland where Mendes definitely takes advantage to utilize the location for a wide canvas. While the film features a lot of amazing visuals and suspense, Mendes is aware that a James Bond film shouldn’t be taken too seriously as he also infuses some small moments of humor along with nods to Bond films from the past. Overall, Mendes crafts a truly engaging and exciting film that bears a lot of hallmarks of past Bond films as well as elements that keeps it fresh.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins does incredible work with the film‘s photography to display an air of style from the lush coloring of the nighttime settings in Shanghai and Macau to more evocative shots of the locations in Scotland with its mist as Deakins‘ work is really a major technical highlight. Editor Stuart Baird does excellent work with the editing to maintain a sense of intrigue in its suspenseful moments with some methodical cuts along with more rhythmic cutting to capture the action without delving into swift, chaotic editing style. Production designer Dennis Gassner, along with set decorator Anna Pinnock and supervising art director Chris Lowe, does superb work with the set pieces from the look of the MI6 offices underground to the lavish look of the Macau casino as it establishes a world that only James Bond can go to.

Costume designer Jamy Temime does wonderful work with the costumes from the lavish dress that Severine wears at the casino as well as Eve‘s dress to the clothes that Silva wears while Tom Ford provides the suits that Bond wears. Makeup designer Naomi Donne and hair designer Zoe Tahir do terrific work with the look of Silva including a surprising feature that adds to Silva‘s dark persona. Special effects supervisor Chris Corbould and visual effects supervisor Steve Begg do amazing work with the visual effects to create something that is realistic in some parts along with some action-driven scenes without going overboard. Sound designers Christopher Assells and Peter Staubli, along with sound editors Karen M. Baker and Per Hallberg, do great work with the sound to capture the array of sounds in some of the raucous moments along with a chilling atmosphere in some intimate moments including Silva’s meeting with M.

The film’s music by Thomas Newman is brilliant for its mix of orchestral flourishes with rock and electronic music to maintain an air of suspense and momentum while finding ways to incorporate the famous Bond theme into the mix and knowing when to use it. The title song performed by Adele is definitely one of the best Bond theme songs in the catalog where Adele and co-writer Paul Epworth go back to old-school Bond themes with its orchestral flourishes and slow rhythms while Adele’s voice soars in what is truly a magical song. The soundtrack also features a cover of John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom by the Animals and music from Charles Trenet, Jun Chen, and the Ensemble Huseyin Turkmenler.

The casting by Debbie McWilliams is outstanding for the ensemble that is created as it features some noteworthy small roles from Helen McCrory as a government official leading M’s inquiry and Albert Finney in a terrific performance as a gamekeeper named Kincade. Ola Rapace is very good in a small but memorable role as the mercenary Patrice who steals the hard drive for Silva while Berenice Marlohe is wonderful as the very sensual yet mysterious Severine. Rory Kinnear is superb as M’s longtime aide and MI6 chief of staff Bill Tanner while Ralph Fiennes is amazing as government official Gareth Mallory who tries to deal with what role M has left as well as Bond’s place in the MI6. Naomie Harris is excellent as the agent Eve who helps Bond out while ensuring that he does his job while Ben Whishaw is amazing as Q where he provides a low-key sense of humor as well as someone who helps Bond with more realistic gadgets.

Judi Dench is incredible as M where she deals with the mistakes from her past as well as the fact that she might be irrelevant as Dench puts a lot and more into this character as she definitely gives out her best performance in the role of M. Javier Bardem is phenomenal as Raoul Silva where Bardem displays a sense of wit to his role but also someone who is quite sick and cunning in his motivations where he even will do things that are very surprising as Bardem makes Silva one of the great Bond villains. Finally, there’s Daniel Craig in a remarkable performance as James Bond where Craig is able to display Bond’s humanity as a man wrecked by failure as he tries to pick himself up to do his duty. It is Craig showing new sides to Bond that is gritty but also smooth as he finally creates his own interpretation of Bond that is also a tribute to the Bonds of the past.

Skyfall is a magnificent James Bond film Sam Mendes that features marvelous performances from Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, and Judi Dench. Armed with great technical work led by Roger Deakins, a sumptuous film soundtrack, and a wonderful supporting cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris, and Ben Whishaw. It’s a film that proves that James Bond is still vital after being on the big screen for 50 years. It’s also a film provides all sorts of suspense, action, romance, and humor that bears all of the hallmarks of Bond while emphasizing that James Bond will always return. In the end, Skyfall is a triumphant film from Sam Mendes.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia With Love - Goldfinger - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Diamonds are Forever - Live and Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale - Quantum of Solace - SPECTRE - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

Sam Mendes Films: (American Beauty) - (Road to Perdition) - (Jarhead) - (Revolutionary Road) - (Away We Go) - (1917)

© thevoid99 2012

Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com 12/26/06 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the novel Tristram Shandy by Laurence Stern, Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story is about the making of a film adaptation of Tristram Shandy where cast and crew deal with the impossible task of filming a novel that is deemed un-filmable. Directed by Michael Winterbottom and screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce (under the Martin Hardy pseudonym), the film explores the story of Tristram Shandy as well as film's crew attempt to try and make this impossible film told by its lead actor Steve Coogan who plays the titular character along with Tristram's father and as a version of himself. Also starring Rob Brydon, Jeremy Northam, Ian Hart, Gillian Anderson, Kelly MacDonald, Naomie Harris, David Walliams, Dylan Moran, Keeley Hawes, James Fleet, Mark Williams, Stephen Fry, Kieran O'Brien, and Winterbottom regular Shirley Henderson. Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story is a witty satire from Michael Winterbottom.

Tristam Shandy talks about his own life and how his uncle Toby (Rob Brydon) got wounded where Tristam later received a similar injury when he was a child (Joe Williams). After discussing his birth and how he was conceived, the birth scene becomes a disaster as its director Mark (Jeremy Northam) is unsatisfied by the results. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon (as himself) go on break they argue over shoe sizes and height while the assistant director Ingoldsby (Mark Williams) frets over historical accuracy. Often accompanied by production assistant Jennie (Naomie Harris) and trying to be attentive to his girlfriend Jenny (Kelly MacDonald) and their baby, Steve works with Mark and screenwriter Joe (Ian Hart) try to figure out how to tell the story as they realize the difficulty in leaving things out. After an interview with Tony Wilson where Steve reveals what won't be covered, Wilson is enraged over the Widow Wadman story not being filled as Steve later deals with a journalist named Gary (Kieran O'Brien).

Dealing with his attraction towards Jennie, who reveals about a drunken affair they had the previous night, Steve tries to deal with all of the chaos of filming as the rushes for the battle scenes turned out not to be very good. Finally deciding to put the Widow Wadman story in the film, Steve suggests to producer Simon (James Fleet) to get Gillian Anderson for the part. Anderson accepts the role much to Rob Brydon's anxieties as he has a crush on Anderson. Everyone becomes nervous about Anderson's involvement while Rob learns his part is being expanded as Steve is fretting over that as well as Jennie's flirtations. More importantly, everyone else wonders how will this impossible story will be received as the final film.

It's true that adaptations and even biographies are hard to make into films, especially since they feature stories and subplots that readers seem to love. What Michael Winterbottom and his longtime screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce tried to do was make two different films. The first act being about Tristram Shandy and then the second act about making the film and the third is about the business of trying to make Tristram Shandy. While Boyce's structure is interesting along with its knack for British humor, the structure and humor isn't for everyone though Winterbottom brings a lot of satire to the film's second and third act. While the first act is an interesting yet funny film about a man's life, during the second and third act, it reveals that the life of this man is filled with so many stories. Especially in a 94-minute film is impossible to tell where it's hard to make the story of a man like Tristram Shandy where the film becomes a satire of where everything in the world of filmmaking goes wrong due to the egos of actors, the accuracy of costumes, and everything in between. The result is a funny, witty satire from Winterbottom and Boyce.

Cinematographer Marcel Zyskind does wonderful work with varied styles of photography to the arty, artificial style of Tristram sequences and scenes to the more documentary, hand-held approach towards the rest of the film. Production designer John-Paul Kelly and art director Emma MacDevitt do wonderful work in creating the period style of the 18th Century for the Tristram sequences while costume designer Charlotte Walter also does fine work in the look of the costumes where it's purposely is made to look foolish. Editor Peter Christelis does excellent work in playing with the film's structure while giving it a leisurely-pacing feel. Sound recordist Stuart Wilson does some excellent work in creating the sound to convey the atmosphere of the times and the documentary-style of the making-of stuff. The film's music is filled with an array of classical pieces from Antonio Vivaldi, Nino Rota, and Johann Sebastian Bach along with additional pieces from Michael Nyman and Edward Nogria.

The film's cast is wonderfully assembled with several actors playing themselves or caricatures of the film crew and producers. Featuring small yet notable and funny performances from Mark Williams as a historically-accurate assistant director, Keeley Hawes as Elizabeth Shandy/herself, Shirley Henderson as Susannah/herself, David Walliams as the hilarious parson, Stephen Fry as an eccentric historian, Paul Kynman as Shandy's assistant Obidiah, Dylan Moran as the dim Dr. Slop, Raymond Waring as cousin Trim, and Kieran O'Brien as the journalist Gary. Ian Hart is pretty funny as the screenwriter Joe who tries to re-write everything while Mark Hadfield is also good as another journalist named Leo. James Fleet and Jeremy Northam are excellent in their respectful roles as the producer and director Mark where Northam is really making fun of Michael Winterbottom. Tony Wilson and Gillian Anderson are excellent in their cameos as themselves with Anderson doing a great job as Widow Wadman. Joe Williams and Conal Murphy are really good as the child Tristram with their arrogant personality in believing that they're better actors than Steve Coogan.

Kelly MacDonald is wonderfully sweet as Coogan's girlfriend Jenny while Naomie Harris is witty as Coogan's assistant Jennie. The film's best supporting performance goes to Rob Brydon as Uncle Toby and himself. Brydon is the best comedic foil to Coogan as a supporting actor who suddenly is getting more attention to Coogan while dealing with the upcoming appearance of Gillian Anderson. Brydon steals every scene he's in as he also does some hilarious impressions of American actors. Finally, there's Steve Coogan in one of his funny roles as Tristram, his father, and himself. Coogan is truly a comedic genius with his straight-manner in how he narrates and tells the story while allowing himself to be humiliated in strange situations. This is truly Coogan's film as he brings the same kind of energy and wit that he did in 24 Hour Party People.

Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story is a fascinating, witty film from Michael Winterbottom and company. Though some might not get the film's British humor, fans of British comedy and the satire of filmmaking will indeed enjoy this. Thanks in large parts to the comedic talents of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon along with their supporting cast, it's a film that no doubt has the Winterbottom wit. Sadly, this film also marked the end of Winterbottom's collaboration with screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce where the two fell out during the making in which Boyce chose the Martin Hardy pseudonym. Still, Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story reminds them of their talent and great collaboration as writer and director.

Michael Winterbottom Films: (Rosie the Great) - (Forget About Me) - (Under the Sun) - (Love Lies Bleeding) - (Family (1993 TV film)) - (Butterfly Kiss) - (Go Now) - (Jude) - Welcome to Sarajevo - I Want You - (With or Without You (1998 film)) - Wonderland (1999 film)) - The Claim - 24 Hour Party People - In This World - Code 46 - 9 Songs - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - Genova - The Shock Doctrine (2009 film) - The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday) - The Look of Love - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of An Angel)

© thevoid99 2012