Skyfall

 Skyfall

Director: Sam Mendes  
Written By: Neil Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan
Photography: Roger Deakins 
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem 
Year: 2012
Country: UK, USA 


Let me start by saying that this is a spoiler free review, however, if you want to go into Bond Number 23 completely fresh, stop reading now. But come back later, ok?

 The James Bond movie franchise reaches it's 50th anniversary this years, going from when Dr. No was realised back in 1962. Although, Skyfall wasn't intended to be an anniversary special, the original release date was 2010, but due to financial troubles at MGM, production was held back for a couple of years. 

 Since '62 we've had a Scottish Bond, an Australian Bond, a How the Hell Does He Do That Thing With His Eyebrow Bond, a Time Lord Bond and a Former Thief Turned Private Detective Bond. Now we have Daniel Craig playing the agent with the licence to kill. Skyfall is Craig's third outing as Bond, after Casino Royale  (which was really good) and Quantum of Solace (which sucked). Craig is the Bond who everyone wants to say is the best Bond, but feel it's too early to say. The emotional, sentimental Bond which was started by Lazenby and expanded by Dalton is perfected by Daniel Craig.

 It's hard to talk about the plot of Skyfall without divulging a plethora of spoilers, big and small. But what Skyfall is about, on a non-superficial level, is the co-existence of new and old. Bond and M are dinosaurs in an MI6 and a world that's changing at a speed they can't keep up with.             

 Skyfall is a Bond first, never before has bond had an Oscar winning director at the helm. Sam Mendes, who's directed American Beauty, Road to Perdition and Revolutionary Road among others gave Skyfall his  love, care and attention. Mendes creates something that is both pensive and stylish, but for all intents and purposes, a Bond film.    

 Not to worry if you're more a fan of corny jokes, sex and expensive set pieces, Skyfall has more than enough of all of those.   

 The real star of Skyfall is cinematographer, Roger Deakins, who has been the DP on nearly all the Coen Brothers' movies post Barton Fink. I long thought Deakins to one of the greatest living cinematographers, now Skyfall has confirmed it. Through stunning lighting and composition Deakins creates something where every frame is a money-shot. Deakins has been nominated for an Oscar nine times but never won, hopefully this time.

 Skyfall's other Oscar possibility lies in Judi Dench reprising her role as Head of MI6, M. Skyfall takes a longer look at the character of M than any Bond film has in the past, in a way the film is more about M than it is about Bond. The legendary thespian isn't someone you expect to surprise you, you go in with high expectations in the first place, but Dench goes above and beyond with this one. And hey, if she can win an Oscar for 5 minutes of screen time in Shakespeare in Love, I don't see why she can't win one for this.    

 The Villain, Silva is played by Spanish actor, Javier Bardem. Although it's not a bad performance, quite good in fact, I would rank it as his worst. Bardem is post famous for his murderous role in the Coens' No Country For Old Men. I find his best performances lie in films in his native language, Spanish and Mexican films like Biutiful and The Sea Inside. 

 It's also nice to see Q get a bigger role than usual, because we all know he's the best character. Ben Whishaw is the new Q, I'm not sure about the whole geek-chic thing, but he's a very good actor. 

 The film is not without fault, I could have done with learning about Bond's childhood, the third act feels more Home Alone than James Bond and the film is overflowing with overt product placement. There's also the confusing bearing of whether it's a sequel, prequel or reboot. At the beginning of Casino Royale it implies that we're seeing Bond from the very beginning of his double-o career, yet Skyfall keeps making light of Bond being old and referencing past films. 

 As an intelligent, well made blockbuster Skyfall gives The Dark Knight Rises an run for it's money. Go watch it, it'll probably be the best film to play in ever theatre this year. 

Fargo

Fargo

Director: Joel & Ethan Coen

Written By: Joel & Ethan Coen 

Photography: Roger Deakins 

Starring: William H. Macy, Frances McDormand and  Steve Buscemi. 

Year: 1996

Country: USA

 Based on a true story, (Or so It says. When a film says 'Based on a true story' or 'Inspired by true events' is isn't as literal as you might think.) Fargo is sixth film from sibling auteurs, Joel and Ethan Coen. 

 Fargo follows all the same themes and has all the trademarks of a Coen Brothers movie. A cowardly  car-dealer, played by William H. Macy is in financial trouble and too afraid to let it known to anybody close to him. He hires two men (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap and hold at ransom his wife for one million dollars, which the rich father-in-law will cough-up, and the three men will split the money.

But in true Coen Brother fashion, crime is never successful and things result in a triple homicide which brings the Brainerd police force into the mix.

 The investigation is led by pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson, played  by Frances McDormand, who quite rightly won a best actress Oscar for her career best performance in this role.

 The rest of the cast is also superb, especially William H. Macy, who is someone I don't think we see enough of in movies and Peter Stormare who plays the brooding, silent type, similar to Javier Bardem's character in the Coens' No Country For Old Men.

 The cinematography is excellent as it always is when it's courtesy of Roger Deakins. Roger Deakins is a fantastic D.P. who does the photography on most of Sam Mendes's and the Coen Brothers' movies. He's the first D.P whose name I went out my way to learn (Other than Caleb Deschanel, thought that was more to do with him having a really attractive daughter)


 The Coen Brothers are know to repeat themselves with themes, with time-periods and with actors. But in Frago there are actual recreations of scenes in their previous movies. For example when Steve Buscemi's character is trying to drag a corpse of the road at night and he sees car headlights coming towards them. The exact same thing in there first film, Blood Simple. Albeit with different conclusions. 

 Fargo has Coen DNA all over it, which is why I'm so cynical about the true story disclaimer at the beginging. Some scenes I know for sure, like the scene with the woodchipper, are quintessential Coen Brothers inventions.                 

 Fargo won two Oscars, Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. It was nominated for another five, including Best Cinematography, Best Director and Best Picture. In my opinion it was overlooked for costume design, but then I'm a sucker for anything that includes a big Blade Runner style coat.     

 Fargo is one of the finest movies in the Coens' filmography and is a dark comment ofn the effects and the true futility of money. 

 Score: 4.5/5