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Bald Movies - Spectre

DrKenDrKen Chicago
edited December 2015 in Movies
I had never been so conflicted to listen to a Bald Move podcast.

On the one hand, as a huge James Bond fan (my ringtone is the Bond theme), I was super-excited to see Spectre get the Bald Move treatment.

On the other hand, I was pretty sure Spectre was going to get the Bald Move treatment.

I enjoyed the movie.  That said, I knew there were weak plot points that would not escape scrutiny.  Still, some great moments in the movie -

- The opening sequence as you said
- Any scenes with the Bond team (M, Q, Moneypenny) were great
- The meeting with Mr. White
- The Spectre meeting that Bond crashes
- I enjoyed the ending

As to the ending, Blofeld sees Bond on the top floor with seconds to go and before he gets the girl so, I think, in his mind it's confirmation that he's going to get Bond with that explosion - not thinking he'd have time in less than a minute to jump from the top floor.  In any event, he's pretty sure his plan has worked having seen Bond on the top floor.

I think the movie drags once he hooks up with the daughter and heads to the desert.  I don't buy her suddenly falling for Bond on the train car.  In one scene, she's defiantly showing she doesn't need his help (with the gun).  In the very next scene with them, she's all flirty and smiley like a teenage girl with a crush.  It was a weird shift.  Plus the framing of that scene compared to his similar scene with Vesper in Casino Royale shows this latter scene greatly pales in comparison.

Overall, though, I still enjoyed it.  Great action.  Still some good Bond jacket-straightening after nearly being crushed by a building.  Cool cars.

I rank them as Bond films go -

Casino Royale (by far and probably the best Bond film ever) - A+
Skyfall - B+
Spectre - B
Quantum of Solace - D

Comments

  • ZinzanZinzan ATL
    I liked Casino Royale (just rewatched it this weekend, a week after seeing Spectre), but I wouldn't rank it the best of the Craig Bond movies. Seemed like they were still finding their footing with Craig as Bond. Was a stretch for me to see Bond ready to hang up the spy boots after falling in love with an accountant.

    Not sure how I'd rank them yet--going to watch the other two over the next couple weeks, then will probably rewatch Spectre. But I did like Spectre, a bit more than CR. Much more polished. Craig seemed more comfortable in the role.

    As far as the podcast goes, I'm fine with disagreeing with A Ron on Spectre. That's cool. But it would have probably been a good idea to save the 15 minute discussion about the new brew pub movie house in town until after the movie discussion.


  • AdmountAdmount Denton, Texas
    I really liked Spectre. I agree with a lot of what they had to say about the plot problems, and it surely could have been better in that department. It's probably my second favorite of the Craig movies after Casino Royale (I don't even remember what happened in Quantum of Solace, so it probably wasn't too great).

    One of my favorite authors is Brandon Sanderson, and he talks about how some stories are essentially not so much about flawed characters struggling as "look how cool this character is!", and James Bond is always his example. I felt like this movie had moments that touched that essence of Bond, but ultimately let him get out of too many situations without having to be particularly cool. I like Craig's run of Bond the best so far, but I think I am ready for a new actor.

    Overall, this was a solidly entertaining movie and didn't regret going to see it in theaters. But I did appreciate the recommendation for Creed, which turned out to be a really good movie.
  • DrKenDrKen Chicago
    edited December 2015
    I am certain that Craig will do one more (and possibly two) but one for sure.

    And I'm quite happy with that.  They just now got the whole gang together with him, Q, M, and Moneypenny.

    This was their first venture into a full-fledged Bond film.  The first 3 were a Bond Origin trilogy.  They didn't get it all right with this one but I think the ingredients are there.

    I predict they basically do a remake of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (they've already laid the groundwork with large portions of Spectre) with the next one with some really wild Bond villain/action stuff.  

    I think they'll do a Blofeld Trilogy and then Craig will bow out.
    Admount
  • A_Ron_HubbardA_Ron_Hubbard Cincinnati, OH
    Craig seems to be really over it, though. Like, his interviews seem like a guy who's daring them to bring him back.  

    I just listened to the two Adam Savage podcasts (on tested.com) talking about Spectre, and I thought they were pretty cool.  One of them hates the film, Adam is much more even handed (while admitting it's a weak Bond, although not as bad as Quantum, obviously), and it was fun to listen to.
    Admount
  • AdmountAdmount Denton, Texas
    Yeah, I only ever hear Craig say negative things about the series now. It reminds me of Christopher Eccleston with Doctor Who, just not wanting to get pinned into something that he doesn't think is that great. Fingers crossed for Elba or Fassbender as the next Bond.
  • DrKenDrKen Chicago
    Craig has always been that way. Plus, the negative comments that are always quoted were from an interview he did days after filming wrapped.

    He hates doing the interview circuit and answers questions often just to amuse himself and stay interested.

    He'll do another one. I'll have to check out that cast, thanks.

    Also, if you like James Bond, I highly recommend the James Bonding Podcast.
  • A_Ron_HubbardA_Ron_Hubbard Cincinnati, OH
    Adam said on his podcast that the Elba thing has sailed.  Any source for that?
  • DrKenDrKen Chicago
    I haven't heard anything definitive one way or the other.

    The main speculation I've heard is that -

    1) He's already too old. He'd be 46 before the next movie would likely come out. So, he'd probably only have 3 movies in him at best.

    2) The franchise may not be ready to be that "progressive", if you take my not so subtle meaning.

    I think it would be much more 1 than 2.

    I'd love to see it though. I've loved anything I've ever seen the guy do.
  • A_Ron_HubbardA_Ron_Hubbard Cincinnati, OH
    Found a source:  http://www.vulture.com/2015/11/idris-elba-doesnt-want-to-talk-about-james-bond.html

    Sounds like he is a) getting tired of asking, and b) not wanting this to be a referendum on race.  Which I can totally understand from both angles. 
  • DrKenDrKen Chicago
    That makes sense. I get it.

    Too bad. However, he did say he didn't want to "talk" about. He didn't say that he didn't want to do it.

    There's still hope, ARon.
  • ZinzanZinzan ATL
    DrKen said:

    Craig has always been that way. Plus, the negative comments that are always quoted were from an interview he did days after filming wrapped.

    He hates doing the interview circuit and answers questions often just to amuse himself and stay interested.

    He'll do another one. I'll have to check out that cast, thanks.

    Also, if you like James Bond, I highly recommend the James Bonding Podcast.

    Yes, I bet @DrKen already saw this, but on a recent interview with Ellen, Daniel Craig said exactly that--after 8 months of shooting over 24 months, he was asked about the next movie. It was hard for him to be enthusiastic at that moment. In this interview, he sounded more open-minded to me. Google for the video--he gives Ellen a nice present, and suggests an interesting new Bond if he doesn't do another one.
  • A_Ron_HubbardA_Ron_Hubbard Cincinnati, OH
    I heard he separated his shoulder and / or blew out his knee in this production, and he broadly finds the politics of James Bond distasteful, so I can understand where he's coming from, from it being exhausting. 
  • DrKenDrKen Chicago
    He and Dave Bautista practiced that train fight for weeks. He told Bautista to really throw him.

    He did and it screwed up his knee.
  • A_Ron_HubbardA_Ron_Hubbard Cincinnati, OH
    Bautista was amazing.  Top 10 Bond Villain.  Top 5 maybe?
  • DrKenDrKen Chicago
    In the henchman category, I'd go -

    Jaws
    Red Grant
    Odd Job
    Irma Blunt
    Mr. Wint & Mr. Kidd
    Xenia Onatopp
    Mr. Hinx

    But I think he's coming back next flick and I could easily see him vaulting to #2 or #3 on the list.
  • A_Ron_HubbardA_Ron_Hubbard Cincinnati, OH
    Jaws in 90 percent of the reason I'm first and foremost a Roger Moore man.
  • DrKenDrKen Chicago
    I'm also a Roger Moore man.

    ABC Sunday Night Movie for the win!
    A_Ron_Hubbard
  • Garthgou81Garthgou81 Placerville, CA
    I met Richard Kiel, the dude who played Jaws. He lived around where I grew up in California. It did get a bit sad, though, because he started doing these local used car commercials at a place called Auto Chopper. And usually he would be like swinging an ax and breaking a windshield or something. There was another one where he dressed up as a woman for the commercial. I've searched high and low for Youtube videos of this, because they were absolutely bananas, but no luck.
    DrKenA_Ron_Hubbard
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