The Watchers Film Show: No Time To Die

 

We're baaaaaaaaaaack!

We've been away for a while, but if there's one thing that's going to get the three of us back together it's going to be to chat about one of the most hotly anticipated movies of 2021: No Time To Die

So, we've recorded a special podcast where we break down our thoughts about the film and the wider Daniel Craig era, and discuss where it might (and should) go from there.

Take a listen below and let us know what you think!

 

Review: Knives Out (UK Cert 12A)

Renowned mystery writer Harlan Thrombey is found dead in his attic study. It looks like he's died by his own hand? But is that really what happened? Gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc is hired by an unknown benefactor to investigate Harlan's death and finds that foul play has indeed been done. But who in the household would have murdered the old man? In traditional Agatha Christie style, more than one person had reason to want him dead. Blanc must utilise his skills to work out what really happened... 

Rian Johnson (Looper, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi) directs an all-star cast star- including Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, and Jamie Lee Curtis-  in a fitfully funny, cleverly plotted mystery that will have audiences talking long after the credits finish. 

When Johnson was editing the film, he tweeted out a series of movie posters which he was using as inspiration for Knives Out. These included the all-star Christie adaptations of the 1970s and 1980s (including Murder On The Orient Express, The Mirror Crack'd, and Death On The Nile) as well as comedy murder mysteries (Clue and Murder By Death) and period thrillers (Gosford Park). You can feel those influences throughout - the all-star cast, the trail of clues, cross-examinations in large rooms, the old overstuffed house- but Johnson puts his own spin on these, and on the tried-and-tested tropes of the genre. 

Performances are solid throughout. Daniel Craig affects a mellifluous Southern accent as gentleman detective Blanc, initially a taciturn presence with a mind as sharp as one of Harlan's many knives. He lays on the charm as he works through the case, ably assisted by two policemen: Lieutenant Elliott (LaKeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan). Elliott is a traditional by-the-numbers cop, trying to get answers against Blanc's occasional flights of fancy. Wagner provides comedy relief as a star-struck nerd who fanboys over Harlan's works. The three performances work together very well.

Jamie Lee Curtis is tough and forthright as eldest child Linda, married to a shifty sod named Richard (a delightfully unctuous performance by Don Johnson), whilst there are laughs to be had by Toni Collette as a slightly airheaded lifestyle-guru-cum-influencer (imagine Gwyneth Paltrow and her Goop enterprise and you're not far off). Michael Shannon gives a wounded air of melancholy as Harlan's son Walt, publisher of his father's works. Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell play members of the younger generation of Thrombeys but their characters aren't particularly fleshed out, being more "types" than people (more on that in a moment). Seen almost exclusively in flashback, Plummer makes for a warm yet strict character (in the sense that, once his mind is made up, it isn't being changed) and it's interesting to see his interactions with various family members. 

Rounding off the cast nicely are Chris Evans as Harlan's playboy grandson Ransom (the polar opposite of Captain America), and Ana de Armas who plays Harlan's nurse Marta. Marta is recruited by Blanc to help with the investigation, as Marta has a rather unusual trait which Blanc describes as "a regurgitative reaction to mistruths". She is physically incapable of lying, because she vomits if she does. This comes into play a few times during the film, only once graphically, but it provides a darkly amusing counter to the cerebral workout that Blanc goes through to work out who the killer is. 

As a murder mystery, it's well plotted - the dripfeed of information, misinformation, red herrings, half-truths and downright lies comes at a good pace, and there's a couple of times where the rug is pulled out from under you as what you've seen (or, more accurately, what you THINK you've seen) proves to not be the case. It's not convoluted, it doesn't disappear up its own fundament, doesn't rely on cheap tricks or obfuscation, and doesn't rely on a massive leap of logic to solve it. I was impressed by that. I also didn't work out the solution, but the solution presented didn't feel wrong. There are some clever moments that, on a repeated viewing (thus knowing the solution), will have greater significance. 

One thing, however, that lets the film down for me slightly is the politics. Some sly bits of subtle commentary are interesting and work well (for instance, the Thrombeys claim Marta is "part of the family" but they don't seem to know which country her family's originally from: Cuba, Ecuador, and Paraguay are all mentioned) but some bits get a bit too on-the-nose. Langford's character Meg is described as attending a liberal arts college, so automatically gets called a "snowflake" at one point, whilst Martell's character Jacob is permanently attached for his phone and is described as an alt-right sympathiser and troll. All very pertinent in these polarised and divisive times. But on both of these cases, we're just told this rather than shown it. There's also a conversation between Richard and some of the others, re: Trump, which again feels a little unnecessary- Richard has already been shown to be an absolute raging douchebag so to drive that point home by having him espouse the usual Republican line about immigrants (and humiliating Marta into the bargain) felt a bit pointless to me. 

That's a minor niggle, and not enough to ruin the film for me. It's a well-cast, beautiful-looking film (kudos to the production designer, the art designer, the set decoration and the costume designer) and the central mystery is engaging and expertly-constructed. A fine whodunit, and a late addition to my Nice List for 2019. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez

Bond 25

This afternoon, from a sunkissed Jamaica and thanks to an incredibly awkward live broadcast, some more details about Bond 25 have been released.

One of the things that HASN'T been released, sadly, is the title. Rumours abound that it could be Eclipse, whilst another rumour has stated it's being filmed under the title Shatterhand (an alias used by Blofeld in one of the novels). It'll be some time before the official title is released. 

As previously announced, Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective, Beasts Of No Nation, Maniac) is directing, having replaced Danny Boyle at the helm. The script is by Scott Z. Burns and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, based on a story treatment by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.

One plot tidbit that producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson did drop is that, at the start of the film, Bond is not on active service and is enjoying himself in Jamaica (presumably with Dr. Madeleine Swann, who he swanned off with at the end of Spectre). Obviously that doesn't last long... Filming has taken place in Norway, and they'll also film in Jamaica, in Pinewood Studios and around London, and in Italy. 

It seemed that the main reason for this broadcast was to confirm the cast.

Daniel Craig is obviously back (for the fifth time), and joining him in returning to the Bond franchise will be Ralph Fiennes (M), Léa Seydoux (Dr. Madeleine Swann), Naomie Harris (Moneypenny), Ben Whishaw (Q), Rory Kinnear (Bill Tanner), and Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter).


The new cast members for Bond 25 are:

Clockwise from left: Malek, Benssalah, de Armas, Magnussen, Dencik, Lynch

• Dali Benssalah (Nox, A Faithful Man, Interrail)
• Billy Magnussen (Into The Woods, Bridge Of Spies)
• Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049, War Dogs)
• David Dencik (The Snowman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)
• Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel, Brotherhood, Fast Girls)
• and Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody, Night At The Museum)

Malek's casting has been rumoured for a while and, in a pre-recorded video (as he's currently filming in New York), it's confirmed that he'll be playing the villain. Inspired casting, I have to admit. No character names have been announced. 

So, there we are. Bond 25 is underway, with an expected release date of April 2020.

We'll keep you updated on any news as it becomes available. 

Review: Logan Lucky (UK Cert 12A)

Imagine, if you will, a redneck Ocean's Eleven. That would be the elevator pitch for Logan Lucky, the latest film directed by Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Magic Mike, Haywire) from a screenplay by first-time writer, Rebecca Blunt. 

Jimmy Logan is let go from his job. Frustrated, he sees a way to improve his lot: by robbing the vault of one of the biggest NASCAR events of the year. Aided by his one-armed veteran bartender brother Clyde and a consummate safecracker who is currently behind bars, Jimmy hatches a plan to break the bank.

It's a film brimful of charm and wit. Channing Tatum makes for an affable, likeable presence as Jimmy. You get behind him wanting to make a better life for himself and you want him to get away with this harebrained scheme. Providing a nice counterbalance, Adam Driver is grounded and realistic (pessimistic?) as the superstitious Clyde, obsessed with the idea of 'the Logan curse'. Daniel Craig plays Joe, the safecracker, with a mixture of eccentricity and vigour; if you're only used to him being Bond, this will be a very different performance! 

Jack Quaid and Brian Gleeson provide lunkheaded comic relief as Joe's dimwatt brothers Fish and Sam. There's also a fantastically funny supporting turn by Dwight Yoakam as Warden Burns, desperately trying to stop any outside interference at the prison with a constant refrain of 'we don't have [insert catastrophe] here'. The only bit of casting that doesn't work for me is an unrecognisable Seth MacFarlane as a strikingly unfunny douchebag energy-drink merchant. 

But this isn't just a Boys' Own adventure: there are lovely turns by Riley Keogh as Jimmy and Clyde's sister Mellie (a hairdresser who knows a thing or two about cars);  Katie Holmes, who plays Jimmy's ex-wife Bobbie Jo; Katherine Waterston as Sylvia, a local nurse who gets involved with Jimmy; Farrah Mackenzie who plays Jimmy and Bobbie Jo's beauty-pageant-obsessed daughter Sadie (who provides an unexpectedly poignant version of John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads') and Hilary Swank as Special Agent Sarah Grayson, assigned to investigate how the heist was done. 

The actual heist itself is high octane and thrilling- and skilfully shot. The film is also funny. Like, really funny. But clever funny. There's a great bit during the heist where Joe painstakingly explains exactly how the explosive is going to work (including equations). Similarly, a prison hostage situation escalates over the availability of George R.R. Martin's books. There is some comedy mined from Southern stereotypes but it's few and far between. 

I saw this on a night when I needed a bit of escapism. I wanted something to make me laugh and chill me out. Logan Lucky delivered that perfectly. A lot of fun.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez 

Review: SPECTRE (UK Cert 12A)

Bond is back. Everything present and correct; the guns, the girls, the gadgets. This time, a cryptic message from Bond's path puts him on the hunt for a shadowy cabal. As Bond travels in search of the elusive SPECTRE, M faces a challenge to close the 00 unit down by political forces who see the secret service as a prehistoric relic.

Performance-wise, everyone is really strong. This is Daniel Craig's fourth outing as Bond and he's as assured and suave as ever. There's less of the cerebral psychodrama that made Skyfall so good, which puts Craig more into the traditional ass-kicking mode- which is no bad thing. Ralph Fiennes' M is a nice blend of stern boss and compassionate friend whilst Ben Whishaw's delightfully geeky Q provides some of the nicest moments in the film, particularly involving unveiling the truly sublime Aston Martin DB10.

Christoph Waltz was the perfect choice for the role of Oberhauser, equal parts charm and menace. His confrontations with Bond really crackle and he's an imposing presence throughout. You may not be entirely surprised by where they go with his character, but it works in the context of the story. Monica Bellucci is barely on screen for five minutes and her role is largely as a stepping stone (by sleeping with her, Bond gets the location of the initial SPECTRE meeting) but Lea Seydoux fares better as Dr Madeleine Swann. Madeleine isn't a damsel in distress, although by dramatic necessity ends up being one, and can certainly handle herself. There's some good interplay between Seydoux and Craig which sells that relationship.

The film's opening sequence- which includes a wonderful unbroken tracking shot through the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City- is impressive and sets the tenor for the rest of the film. The car chase in Rome is another particular highlight, whilst the film has taken a Guinness World Record for the largest on-screen explosion. You'll definitely know it when you see it. There's also a brilliantly choreographed and visceral fight scene between Dave Bautista and Craig aboard a train (channelling From Russia With Love). In fact, there's quite a lot of callbacks and inspirations taken from the Bond 'canon' which will please long-standing fans.

Strangely, it feels very much like a swansong for the Craig era. Several hanging threads have been tied up and brought together. Whether Craig will do another film, I don't know, but if this is his last one, it's a hell of a way to go.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tez

Bond 24: Spectre

There was a big announcement at Pinewood Studios today as the title and principal cast of the 24th Bond film was announced.

The title is... Spectre

The synopsis of the film is as follows: 'A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.'

Hearking back to the classic Bond era, the Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion was a thorn in Bond's side throughout the films of the 1960s and early 1970s, led by Ernst Stavro Blofeld (played variously by Donald Pleasance, Telly Savalas and Charles Gray).

Directed by Sam Mendes (returning after his brilliant direction of Skyfall), produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and written by John Logan, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, Daniel Craig returns to the role of Bond for the fourth time.

Also returning are Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q, Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner and Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, all reprising their roles from Skyfall.

But who's new?

Double Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz has joined the cast, playing a character called Oberhauser. There have been rumours circulating that he was to be cast as iconic Bond villain Blofeld and- with a title like Spectre- that could still be possible.

Other cast members include Andrew Scott (Pride, Moriarty in Sherlock) as Denbigh, Monica Bellucci (Irreversible, The Matrix Reloaded) as Lucia Sciarra, Dave Bautista (Guardians Of The Galaxy) as Mr Hinx and Lea Seydoux (Blue Is The Warmest Color) as Madeleine Swann. 

Filming will take place in London, Rome, Mexico City, Tangiers and the Austrian Alps. 

Hitting cinemas on November 6th 2015, we only have just under a year to wait. We at The Watchers are, it's fair to say, rather excited by this!

As you may or may not know, we undertook a Bondathon in 2012 to celebrate the release of Skyfall, to celebrate 50 years of a British cinematic icon, and to raise some money for Cancer Research Wales. Head over to the Bondathon blog to find out more!

Rhys was a guest on GTFM's Film Show

Well during our Bondathon, Tez and myself appeared on there special 007 show. A week later after successfully completing the challenge, they kindly called us for our thoughts on Skyfall & too see how we are after 23 Bond films in 3 days!

Tez wasn't available so they had to make do with me !! So, here's the clip from last Sunday's GTFM Film Show, hope you enjoy and don't forget you can still donate to our Bondathon - donations are open until the end of November. Many thanks.

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Introducing The Watchers Charity Bondathon 2012!

Introducing  The Watchers Charity Bondathon 2012 & our new sister blog: www.thewatcherscharitybondathon2012.blogspot.co.uk/

What is a Bondathon?

A Bondathon is a test of endurance for movie buffs, to watch all the official James Bond movies.

Official James Bond movies are those produced by EON Productions (so Never Say Never Again does not count). There is a new official Bond movie out in October which brings the total number to twenty-three.

The challenge is to watch all twenty-three movies over a three-day period, starting with Dr .No at midnight on Friday October 26 and culminating with a cinema screening of Skyfall on the evening of Sunday October 28.

You may think that two guys sitting on a sofa watching movies for three days straight isn’t much of a challenge. We agree. So, for each of the twenty-three movies, we will be writing a retrospective blog piece and recording a podcast which will be available online. If you consider that this equates to approximately forty-six hours of movie-watching alone, the scale of the challenge should be more apparent.

So why are we doing it?

Aside from the opportunity to see one of the world’s greatest movie franchises in its entirety, we are also raising money for Cancer Research Wales. Both of our fathers are currently undergoing treatment for various types of cancer and we both wanted to help raise vital funds for research and treatment.

More information about the Bondathon will be added over the coming weeks so please keep checking the blog, follow us on Twitter @WatchersFilmSho and please consider sponsoring us at www.justgiving.com/thewatcherscharitybondathon2012

Many thanks

The Watchers

Programme 14 - Dark Shadows, Safe and DVD releases

Programme 14 is available (click here to watch on VideoMajic.tv)!


In this show, we cast our eyes on Tim Burton's latest collaboration with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, the big-screen version of Dark Shadows; the crime action thriller Safe with Jason Statham; plus review Cowboys & Aliens and Zookeeper on DVD


In the news, the Cannes Film Festival gets underway, Suspiria gets a remake and (unsurprisingly) Marvel's Avengers gets a sequel!


Podcasts can be found here and here.


Enjoy!