Oh, James!

[qos]

Last night _storyteller_ took me to see Casino Royale. I highly recommend it, even if you're not usually a James Bond fan.

Because this is not your usual James Bond movie. No gadgets. No big car chases. No cars with remote control, missles, or radar. No Q. No Moneypenny. Bond does not have to save the world. His enemy doesn't use elaborate death traps or have a henchman who could have stepped out of a comic book.

This is a stripped-down, almost-the-real-world Bond. He's real man with human failings but possessing an incredible will and intelligence. And charisma, yes. But he doesn't flash it around like Brosnan did (as much as I like Brosnan). This is a "warrior for the working day" as the Bard would say.

There are some rough action sequences with bare-knuckle brutality, but it's refreshing after the explosions and stunt shows of the past. In fact, the best stunt was performed by a free runner, who -- during a long chase sequence -- demonstrated just how agile and strong the human body can be when trained.

It's also nice to see real emotion in a Bond film. The scene in which he deals with how Vespa copes with the aftermath of a violent event is one of the most quietly moving scenes I've seen in any movie in quite some time. And it may well be unprecedented in the Bond oeuvre.

And Judi Dench is, as always, a treat to behold: tough as nails on one hand, but with a heart she refuses to indulge. Her "M" is a quintessential Queen of Swords.

It's not just worth seeing, we might just go see it again.

Comments

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

I adore Judi Dench. I wish they could make some sort of old lady superhero just for her!

Hmm. Maybe she could be Mrs. Polifax. :-)

[amqu.livejournal.com]

I went to see the matinee yesterday. The running chase scene alone was worth the six dollars admission. But wait, in addition to that you also get to ogle his fabulous rear end. But that's not all; you also get the great chemistry between James and Vesper. The shower scene, yes. But also the dialogue on the train when they first met just cannot be beat. Superior movie. And he is the Best. Bond. Ever. His intensity had my heart fluttering.

I will be seeing this again. And weirdly enough, I also went to Krispy Kreme last night with my mother and niece.

[southernselkie.livejournal.com]

Sean and I are going to go see it tomorrow, and I can't wait. Ever since I found out who was playing Bond I've been excited. I LOVE that actor. He is one of my favorites. I'm glad it was good. Now I'm really excited.

You and Lee should come visit soon. Your pillows look beatiful in the living room.

[9thmoon.livejournal.com]

I love Judy Dench, however... I can't fathom a Bond movie without explosions, car chase scenes, and gadgets. That's the whole point!

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

This has nothing to do with James Bond, I'm afraid.

I just noticed that you have Sylvia Louise Engdahl on your list of interests. Her Enchantress from the Stars was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. I mentioned it several times to my husband, and he got me a copy through an out-of-print book service (it's back in print now, and this was a long time before either e-bay or Amazon). It's nice to see another adult who remembers her books fondly.

Enchantress from the Stars

[qos.livejournal.com]

Enchantress from the Stars was one of the top five significant books of my life. I read it at exactly the right time for it to introduce me to some very important concepts. Here's the review I posted to Amazon when it was re-released:

I'm delighted to see how many others have been moved by this very special book! I was a 12 year-old sixth grader in 1977 when this exciting story and its wonderful heroine initiated me into several paradigm shifts.
Elana is both girl and woman, and her integrity, intelligence and courage inspired me. She was the first literary heroine I truly took to my heart and cherished as a role model. She lived in a world previously unimaginable to me (this was my first science fiction book), but her challenges and the way she faced them were immediate and real. Like Noren, the central character of Engdahl's "Children of the Star" trilogy, she wrestles with issues of truth, integrity, courage, love, and responsibility, because she cares so very deeply about them.

This was my first clue that science fiction could be about something besides ray guns and bug-eyed-monsters. Three cultures meet in this story, and the consequences of that impact held my attention and fired my imagination long after the last page. I'd always dreamed of adventures beyond the lovely but small town in which I was growing up. This book raised my eyes to the stars.

Finally, "Enchantress" taught me that the way a person perceives life and truth are inexorably bound up with their life experiences and references. Three people from different worlds meet in this book, and each has a completely different understanding of what's going on. From then on, I knew that my own perspective was necessarily limited, and I could never assume that another person automatically shared my understanding.

In the year 2001, I'm 36 years old, with a Masters Degree and a personal library of over 1000 volumes, and Elana and Georyn are still among my favorite characters of all time. "Enchantress from the Stars" stands among the few dozen on two special shelves of books that are set apart from the rest as being especially precious. When my now 5 year old daughter turns 12, I'm going to give her this book as a special gift.

Do yourself a favor: get it for yourself. And think seriously about getting it for a young woman of your acquaintance. Elana is an exceptional heroine and role model. And it's a great story.

[blessed-harlot.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the review. I'm curious about this one, perhaps even curious enough to see it. I'm puzzled, though... the commercials make it sound like a prequel, but they've got Judi Dench's M in there, a character who's a late addition to the series. Does it follow the previous Bond movie in the timeline, or is it earlier?

[qos.livejournal.com]

Casino Royale was the first Bond novel, and it begins with his transition to "double-O" status. Essentially the producers have re-set the timeline -- and the overall mood and feel of the series -- but have continued to cast Dench as M.

It helps that there's a new actor as Bond. It makes their relationship seem fresh, even though we've seen Dench with other Bonds later in their/his career.

[qos.livejournal.com]

I hate it when I forget to close the italics command. . . .