Rate the last movie you've seen

[MinionZombie]

I suppose I could see Cavill in the role. As with every time they recast, it will all depend on which direction they’re going to take the series. After successfully resetting the universe with Craig’s films, I feel like they’re going to continue on this path for a good while, and I’m not so sure Cavill would be a perfect fit to pick up the baton from Craig? Why do you think Cavill wouldn't be a good fit? I would prefer him to Tom Hiddleston for example, who could do the suit bit but not really the brute bit of 'brute in a suit'.

[bassman]

I just don’t see him as a good fit if they intend to continue on with the rebooted Spectre/Vesper storyline that they’ve used for Craig. If they decide to NOT continue on with Craig’s semi-connected universe and go back to just regular ol’ plug-and-play Bond movies like the old days, I could totally see Cavill in the role.

[Neil]

I suppose I could see Cavill in the role. As with every time they recast, it will all depend on which direction they’re going to take the series. After successfully resetting the universe with Craig’s films, I feel like they’re going to continue on this path for a good while, and I’m not so sure Cavill would be a perfect fit to pick up the baton from Craig? Cavill would be good as a Bond. But with things at the moment being what they are, fully expect to see a paraplegic black lesbian being given the role instead...

[blind2d]

Cavill would be good as a Bond. But with things at the moment being what they are, fully expect to see a paraplegic black lesbian being given the role instead... Or Scarlett Johanson. I mean geez Neil, what a shitty thing to say. Can you even think of an actual person fitting that description who's working in Hollywood today? I'll wait. Also, would there be something wrong with such a person playing the role? Maybe she could be in a super robot suit, like Aliens but better. Wouldn't that make for a more interesting Bond than the same tired old model for Calvin Klein cologne that we always get? Are you actively trying to shit on minorities here, or what? I'm genuinely confused and concerned.

[Neil]

Wouldn't that make for a more interesting Bond than the same tired old model for Calvin Klein cologne that we always get? Are you actively trying to shit on minorities here, or what? I'm genuinely confused and concerned. But that's what Ian Fleming's Bond is!? Make it a female lead by all means but then call the film something else? Ultimately I couldn't care less who gets a role as long as it's a good fit for the role, and not a good fit for some PC agenda. We're about to have our first female Dr Who here in the UK... Looking forwards to it as I see that less gender specific etc.

[MinionZombie]

James Bond simply has to be male, because maleness is so central to the very core of the character. A female Bond would make as much sense as a male Wonder Woman ... or a Bond who doesn't drink, or shag around like a sex addict, or say quips, or kill people, or drive an Aston Martin, or drink a Martini (yes, I know that other cars and drinks have on occasion appeared in the films). Similarly, James Bond is a British institution, so the actor really has to be British as well. Yes, we had thingymy from Australia for one film, but that's the exception that proves the rule. So, for instance, an American playing James Bond would be a piss take. Besides, it'd be best to create a new character entirely for a 'female Bond' type of idea, rather than just shoving a hand-me-down into a woman's hands as if they're not worthy of having their own bespoke character (not very respectful to women, nor to the Bond franchise and its fans, so that'd be a lose-lose-lose). Of course, the challenge is to come up with something good (nevermind trying to compete with decades of Bond culture), but that's really the choice that should be made - create a new character specifically designed for a female.

[EvilNed]

I don't agree at all with the idea of transforming or changing a rooted character to something it's so blatantly not - especially not when there's a real easy alternative: Create another character? Why not create a 008 and write a whole new mythology around that one? Surely that's got to be far more interesting and pragmatic approach?

[blind2d]

I don't agree at all with the idea of transforming or changing a rooted character to something it's so blatantly not - especially not when there's a real easy alternative: Create another character? Why not create a 008 and write a whole new mythology around that one? Surely that's got to be far more interesting and pragmatic approach? An excellent suggestion that I can fully get behind! And thinking now more about the character of Bond... Yes, just do away with that entirely. Terrible personification of sexist British imperialism.

[MinionZombie]

An excellent suggestion that I can fully get behind! And thinking now more about the character of Bond... Yes, just do away with that entirely. Terrible personification of sexist British imperialism. Do you actually watch Bond movies, or no? I'm guessing no with the sweeping statement? The Bond franchise also shifts with the times. Daniel Craig's Bond is very different to Sean Connery's. Bond used to chain smoke on-screen, as did so many people in so many movies, but that changed on-screen as less people smoked and the health implications became ever clearer (e.g. you'd never see a star smoking like a chimney, a la Bogart, now, unless it was required for a specific role). Each actor has had their own stamp on it, too. So Roger Moore's Bond films had loads of quips and double entendres, but that just looks silly in a Bond film now - it works for those older movies because they were made back then and we all know that, but that's just not the way people talk now, and today's audiences demand something gritter out of Bond with a level of humour that suits that kind of vibe (e.g. the banter between JB and Vesper in Casino Royale). The franchise has reflected changing times, as any long-running franchise has (and will), but those who captain the ship are also aware that there are certain things you don't change about Bond, because otherwise it just wouldn't be Bond. There will have been much written about the psychology of Bond, something which gets explored far more in the more recent films (i.e. Brosnan and Craig), and his casual flings with women have been addressed on numerous occasions - the man is clearly broken psychologically, orphaned at a young age, a brute stuffed into a suit and given a top class education (Vesper touches upon this directly in Casino Royale). Then when he does fall in love it inevitably goes wrong (Casino Royale, for instance, or the most obvious one being On Her Majesty's Secret Service where Bond gets married only for an enemy to murder his wife just as they're driving off into the sunset). Quantum of Solace had a 'Bond girl' who was as psychologically damaged as Bond. Skyfall's main 'Bond girl' turned out to be Judi Dench's character of M, and her character's death was a heavy blow for Bond - she was his mother figure as well as his boss, and in many ways superior to him, but her death was a huge hit to him. So, like I say, the franchise moves with the times, but it does so with a bit of grace, not just pandering to Twitter. For instance - Moneypenny - she was M's secretary in the earlier movies and would have a flirtatious but chaste relationship with Bond, she wanted to be whisked away and he admired her greatly but wasn't in the slightest bit ready for such a challenge (even back in the 1960s Moneypenny had a sharp wit to challenge Bond) ... fast forward to the return of Moneypenny in Skyfall and she's a field agent fresh in the job, still with a sharp wit and a host of other skills, but she's not some power fantasy either. She recognises that field work isn't for her and can see the damage that it does to Bond mentally - indeed, the first scene of Casino Royale (the first moments of Daniel Craig's incarnation of Bond) shows his first kill, but it's not done with a quick shot and a one liner, it's a brutal fight and the kill is anything but suave and the impact of taking another man's life is written on Bond's face. His life may involve glamour, but it also involves a hell of a lot of violence and death and high stakes pressure.

[blind2d]

That's all well and good, but ultimately I just don't see the point. Most people in the world aren't secret agents, so he's not very relatable to the common person. Glad he's gotten more... character development lately? But honestly why does it still have to be Bond? We've got Bourne, as well, and the Mission Impossible guy, among others... Seems like oversaturation of the market now. I don't know, I've never liked the franchise, sorry, just personal taste. Still think anyone could play him though. And if they can't, why not? How is it art that can speak to humanity as a whole if it's inaccessible to the majority of the human population? Just getting a little philosophical here, which Bond doesn't really ever seem to do. Like, I personally can't get emotionally invested in some well-off seeming white man who must use violence to solve problems. Thug in a suit? Sounds like a cop. And you know how I feel about cops. I did think Skyfall was okay, but compared to Fury Road or Black Panther... Not even close. And Adele had one good song. Don't know why everyone licks her feet, but I digress. I probably just need to watch more of the films, but even then, I don't know. Life might be too short to get invested in this property. Gross, right? Capitalism turns every art piece into a commodity... I hate it so much.

[MinionZombie]

That's all well and good, but ultimately I just don't see the point. Most people in the world aren't secret agents, so he's not very relatable to the common person. Glad he's gotten more... character development lately? But honestly why does it still have to be Bond? We've got Bourne, as well, and the Mission Impossible guy, among others... Seems like oversaturation of the market now. I don't know, I've never liked the franchise, sorry, just personal taste. Still think anyone could play him though. And if they can't, why not? How is it art that can speak to humanity as a whole if it's inaccessible to the majority of the human population? Just getting a little philosophical here, which Bond doesn't really ever seem to do. Like, I personally can't get emotionally invested in some well-off seeming white man who must use violence to solve problems. Thug in a suit? Sounds like a cop. And you know how I feel about cops. I did think Skyfall was okay, but compared to Fury Road or Black Panther... Not even close. And Adele had one good song. Don't know why everyone licks her feet, but I digress. I probably just need to watch more of the films, but even then, I don't know. Life might be too short to get invested in this property. Gross, right? Capitalism turns every art piece into a commodity... I hate it so much. Bond - a huge cultural legacy built up over many decades. Bourne - four movies (plus a one-off spin-off), the latter of which was kinda meh. Mission: Impossible - the original TV show, plus a six film (so far) franchise. They all provide different things. Bourne has it's global politics and fight realism and twitchy visuals (the Bond franchise took note, which explains the leap from 2002's rather silly "Die Another Day" to 2006's razor sharp "Casino Royale"), meanwhile Mission: Impossible tends more towards a slightly more jaunty adventure feel with incredible action set pieces. Bond - well-off seeming? I wouldn't say that, personally. He operates in high-end circles for his missions, but the man himself? He's not working class, but he's a bit of an outsider deep down in any circle. Vesper describes him as having a chip on his shoulder because he wasn't deemed 'the same' as the posh kids at the school he was parachuted into after he was orphaned. I don't see what capitalism has to do with it, really, it's about what's right for the character. Just because James Bond is male, doesn't mean women can't get invested in the character (many women are big fans of the franchise, or even watch them casually), and James Bond is also an adult, but that doesn't mean younger folks can't watch them. You don't have to be female to enjoy Wonder Woman, you don't have to be a robot to enjoy Short Circuit, you don't have to be an alien to enjoy E.T. You don't have to have super powers to enjoy any Marvel movie. Fair enough if you're not into the franchise, to each their own, but just because you don't care for it, doesn't mean the franchise should change or go away entirely. Speaking personally, I've no affinity for a various movies, TV shows, music, or whatever, but that means nothing in regards to their respective quality, worth, and audience. It's what suits the character best, ultimately. If you change or ignore too much then it isn't the character/franchise anymore (that'd be like a Rocky movie without a montage, or a Star Trek movie without someone getting beamed somewhere), so just create a brand new thing that can compete on it's own terms (not some mangled hand-me-down that disrespects everyone) and the audience can choose for themselves.

[blind2d]

These are all good and well-reasoned points, so, I don't have much. Capitalism does however color everything we consume. To not realize this is a little bit near-sighted, but I imagine most in the "first world" view things this way, so I can't blame you there. Representation matters, even if I can enjoy stuff without identifying exactly with the protagonist. I believe it has said what it came to say, and really doesn't need to be around anymore personally (the Bond franchise). I mean imagine if Romero had made twenty 'of the Dead's. Would the ones we have be as special? It's more than that of course, but... I don't know. It's really not that important, ultimately. And "oh he was an outcast in the posh school". Dude, he WENT to a posh school. That right there is enough, yeah? I do agree with what you're saying for the most part, don't get me wrong. In conclusion... Yeah, I'm done. Sorry for hijacking the thread.

[beat_truck]

Carnival of Souls (1962) 6/10 Low budget horror movie known for it's creepy atmosphere and organ music soundtrack. Not really much for a story, though. I watched it many years ago, and I thought I may have just been to young to understand it then, but seeing it now, it still doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense.

[EvilNed]

Currently studying italian, so forgive the almost exclusively italian films; Deadly Sweet Tinto Brass helmed giallo from the late 60's. Filled with 60's pop aethetic and somewhat of a somber, Godardian groove. I loved it! La Banda del Gobbo / Brothers til we die Eurocrime signed Umberto Lenzi. More political than his usual flair. I liked it, but considerably less action than usual. Tomas Milian pulls double duty and plays a pair of twins. Laughable wigs. Tragic Ceremony Hippies stumble upon a haunted house in the woods. Crap. Citta Violenta Charles Bronson as a wanted hitman out for revenge. Some scenes were excellent. Overall great film. A little gem! Cemetary without crosses Spaghetti western. Brutal. Naked Violence Police investigation story from the late 60's. Fernando di Leo's early work, the man who later directed Milano Calibro 9. It was alright, but very talky - which of course served my purposes rather well. Stevliati e Uccide Second time I see it. Story of a bank robber in Milano. The Machine Gun Soloist was a real person and this film was made months after he was caught. I like the film, even if it's lacking something. The style and speed of it is good and on second viewing I gained a greater appreciation of what the director was trying to achieve. Shoot first, die later Fernando di Leo, mentioned above, directs this talky crime film about a corrupt cop. I was having friends over and we were doing drinking games to the films. Not the best to start off with. The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist Oh boy, lots of action - except in the final part which has a laughable heist sequence. Violent Professional I was too drunk to remember this one. Syndicate sadists Decent Lenzi helmed crime film with Tomas Milian. The character is named "John Rambo" and that's NOT a coincidence. Il prefetto di ferro Italian drama about the fascist district attorney sent to Sicily with "special powers" to root out the mafia. I've read about the man before and wanted to see this relatively unknown film about his exploits. I was not disappointed, even if the only surviving copies of the film are pretty shit. A sub-par DVD Rip. Deserves better. Morricone scores and all around a well funded production. English title either The Iron Prefect or I Am the Law. Giuliano Gemma plays the prefect. Trädgårdsgatan Swedish arthouse I worked on three years ago. Premiered last friday. Cannibal Ferox All animals were harmed in the making of this film - however nearly all animal violence has been cut from the british release I watched. Todo Modo Elio Petri directs a political intrigue arthouse set in a bunker-slash-modern church complex. Marcello Mastroianni and Gian-Maria Volanté plays the two leads, Morricone delivers a very subdued and glooming soundtrack. Killer atmosphere but full of implied intrigue rather than all out plot. I imagine if I'd been an italian intellectual in 1976 I would have gotten more out of it than I did not. The Cat O'Nine Tails My favorite giallo. That soundtrack- wow. Anthropophagus Trash.

[MinionZombie]

Creed Finally I get around to seeing it. A few weeks ago I was saying here on HPOTD that, surely, it'd be coming to TV soon - and sure enough it did, but I ruddy well missed the airing on ITV. But the other day it aired again on ITV2, so I caught up on it last night. I dug it, thought it worked very well, although I was kind of in two minds about the subplot involving Rocky's health ... in some ways it packs an emotional punch, but in other ways you don't want to see a movie icon battling like that. Hopefully the sequel can keep up the momentum and deliver another solid entry. ... The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist Oh boy, lots of action - except in the final part which has a laughable heist sequence. Syndicate sadists Decent Lenzi helmed crime film with Tomas Milian. The character is named "John Rambo" and that's NOT a coincidence. Cannibal Ferox All animals were harmed in the making of this film - however nearly all animal violence has been cut from the british release I watched. The Cat O'Nine Tails My favorite giallo. That soundtrack- wow. Anthropophagus Trash. 1) Yeah, that was a pretty good one - so many fists-a-flyin', haha! 2) I finally watched this one just the other week after having it on DVD for about six months waiting to be watched. I should have got around to it sooner as I really enjoyed it. Milian is great in the role and there's some really interesting underlying themes going on. I'll post a review of it soon. 3) I assume you got the Shameless Screen Entertainment release? They put out Cannibal Holocaust a while back with a version that excised all the animal cruelty stuff - now, usually I'm very much against censorship, but in this particular context I'm actually in favour of it as the animal cruelty stuff in the cannibal movies is totally unnecessary. The thought process behind putting that stuff in way back when doesn't make much sense, but I assume they were trying to pull in a bit of that 'shockumentary' type vibe from the mondo movies. IIRC the release of Cannibal Holocaust has two censored versions in the UK, one which has a few bits left in because the kill was done quick and was for the purpose of food, while another one approved by Deodato removes all that gubbins but leaves everything else in tact (as opposed to many moons ago when the film was banned outright, or was released with about 7 minutes hacked out of it). 4) I've been meaning to re-watch this one. I saw it on the Horror Channel a few years ago and wasn't so keen on it, but I think I was expecting something more along the lines of The Bird With The Crystal Plumage or Deep Red or Tenebrae, and it's not really that kind of movie. 5) Yep, a very trashy movie, but I actually quite enjoyed it. Again, some interesting underlying themes, some of which kind of take on a new vibe post-2008 financial crash. I've seen many better Italian exploitationers, but I've also seen worse.