Live Long And Prosper

My youngest child is 2 years old and while he doesn't do a lot of talking, he is extremely observant and a copycat of anything he sees.  Despite a fall from such a height as a bar stool in the kitchen being a deterrent for most children his age, because his older siblings eat dinner at the bar Sawyer has made it clear he must do the same.  He also has to help close the gate or take out the trash because he sees his dear old dad doing it.

Another moment of copycatting took place last night that made my geek heart melt with sweetness and nearly burst from joy all at the same time.  Each night I rock Sawyer for a couple of minutes before putting him to bed.  Some nights prior to turning his music on to set the mood for sleep time we will watch a movie preview or two, depending on what is new.  Last night we looked at the trailer for an upcoming documentary about Leonard Nimoy titled For the Love of Spock.  Likely you have never heard of the film, which was funded through Kickstarter, so therefore I have provided an image from the film's trailer above.

As you can see, it is of Nimoy in character as Spock, displaying the Vulcan salute.  This image is at the end of the preview and when the screen went to black I turned to Sawyer to see if he was ready to go to sleep.  What I saw was probably something I will always remember and carry with me into old age dementia.  Sawyer was holding up his right hand, attempting to split his fingers and mimic Spock's salute.  It was absolutely precious.

With A New Car Comes A New Name

With the hail storm from a few weeks ago destroying my Jetta, I was forced to accept that Mad Max was totaled and a new family car was needed.  Mad Max had a busted front windshield, 16 holes in the rear windshield, dents from bumper to bumper, plastic pieces chipped off the side mirrors and other spots, and the CD player stopped working.

Joanna and I spent most of this past weekend and Monday car shopping, which was really supposed to be reserved for skipping work in order to eat a nice breakfast, see a movie, and watch the Opening Day baseball game at home.  Among the numerous cars test driven we viewed a Nissan Altima, even though it was out of our price range.  The car drove really well and the amenities were extremely nice.  It was the best of all the cars we looked at, which led us to see what a step down in the Nissan family would be.  And that leads me to the introduction of Mr. Draper.

You might be wondering about the name of the car.  I normally select literary or film/television references when naming my vehicles, which is not the norm.  Most roadster people believe a car should have a female name, but I like to pick names that fit me and my likes in life at the time I owned the car.

Mad Max received its name because I bought it when Mad Max: Fury Road was released in theaters and the Jetta had the tightest handling of any car I had ever owned.  I felt like I could out maneuver any scavenger or outlander in the Mad Max world.

Moby D, which was my Toyota Camry, was named in honor of the Herman Melville novel Moby Dick.  Like the whale, the car was white and the book was one of my favorites at the time.

Prior to Moby D, the names of my vehicles were the Boat for a Dodge Intrepid, because of the length of the vehicle being much larger than anything I had driven before, the Beamer for my 1975 BMW (I know it is not that original), and Jimmy, which was the GMC SUV I inherited for my first ever car.

So the reason behind Mr. Draper is because this Nissan Sentra is the nicest car I have ever owned.  Its features include keyless push button ignition and a rear view camera.  Due to these classy features, I felt I needed a classy name.  Don Draper is the main character from the recently concluded AMC series Mad Men, about the 1960s New York advertising world.  While it sounds boring and extremely niche, the show was an enthralling look at our country during a time period that I didn't really get to study in school.  Most history classes end at the dropping of the atomic bomb during World War II.

Although Don Draper isn't a hero or someone to be idolized, he was the epitome of class.  He drank the best liquor, dressed in the best suits, held one of the most prestigious positions in his field, and was always at the side of a gorgeous woman with equal amounts of fashion sense and elegance.

My new car's name is a representation of that refinement because in today's auto industry, most cars with keyless ignition and rear view cameras aren't found in vehicles I should be able to afford.  But I have been blessed with Mr. Draper and hopefully he can avoid the same demise as Mad Max.

It should be noted that Mad Max met a violent end, which is quite fitting considering the inspiration from where his name came from.

The Evolution Of Parenting

Here is an example of the differences in first kid parenting and third kid parenting. With my first kid I went in the Chick-fil-a playground to help with climbing, sliding and overall merriment. The third kid is sent in with his older brother to fend for himself while I sit at a table judging the other parents who also have sent their kids into the Thunderdome (and type this).

Oscar's Best Picture Nominee Viewings

With the recent airing of the 88th Academy Awards, I decided to review how many of the Best Picture nominees I've seen.  Of the 88 esteemed winners, I've seen them all at least one time.  However, once I completed that task I decided to take it upon myself to try and view all the nominees in the most prized category of the Oscars.

In total there are 528 films that have been nominated for Best Picture.  This might alarm some, but I have managed to watch all but seven of those films.  The seven I am lacking are very hard to find and even with watching over the Turner Classic Movies broadcast schedule like a hawk I have still not been able to find a single airing of the seven screenings I lack.

Each year I try to set a goal to finish the list of 528 movies, but it seems that the few I'm missing are so rare I would have to buy them on DVD (if available) or find a bootleg version somewhere.  Maybe 2016 is the year when I finally get the list complete.  But then again, maybe not ...

Reflecting On Comic Book Finale Destruction

Thanks to the countless runs of Man of Steel on FX in the past few years I have constantly found myself flipping to the latest Superman movie any time it happens to be on television.  Even though Marvel happens to be the big man on campus lately in regard to a cinematic universe and filmography, DC is attempting to catch up with the soon-to-be-released Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  With these two titans of comic books battling things out for several decades now, it has obviously led to similar fights (but mostly with just words typed on computer keypads in the basements of lonely boys' parents' houses).

One such fight is in regard to the amount of destruction Superman and General Zod wreak on the city of Metropolis in the final act of Man of Steel.  It is a fair complaint as director Zack Snyder utterly demolishes the architecture and infrastructure of Metropolis (as well as some heavy carnage of Smallville, Superman's hometown).  What is probably not quite as fair is how Marvel (and some DC) fans have clung to the argument like the symbiotic ooze that turns Eddie Brock into Venom and completely vilified the movie.  They ignore any credible merits the film might have and immediately start complaining that Snyder ruins the mythos of Superman because he probably kills more people than he saves by fighting Zod in the middle of the city.

However, after another viewing of Marvel's The Avengers on TV the other night I realized something: Joss Whedon does the exact same thing to New York City in his movie.  When the Chitauri invade, multiple buildings, streets, and vehicles are annihilated during the battle as the Avengers attempt to save the civilians and defeat the alien race.  Now, because it is a Marvel movie, which is much more family friendly and has an up-beat tone throughout the cinematic universe, you don't see a single person die from all the destruction.  The more somber tone of DC does show buildings falling on masses of people running for their lives and leaves nothing to the imagination that death befell several thousands of people (if not tens of thousands).  So why does Marvel's ending not get the same amount of grief as DC's?

I get where you Marvel fans are coming from.  When anything remotely poor comes from the James Bond series, I either find a suitable defense that I likely don't really believe in myself or dismiss it and attempt to move the conversation along.  You have to back your heroes.  But an objective look at the finale of both films will pretty much show that the cities in each film series gets hit pretty hard (although Metropolis' destruction likely would win if you stacked up the construction costs it is going to take to rebuild).

Reasons Mad Max: Fury Road Deserves An Oscar Nomination ...

… that have nothing to do with how good the film actually is.

 

There are plenty of articles out there regarding the merits of Mad Max: Fury Road, from the stunt work and storytelling to the performances and direction.  Most critics found the fourth installment of the Mad Max series to be a refreshing entry that, despite recasting the titular character, fits smoothly in director George Miller’s fictional timeline, not really knowing exactly when the events of this film happen in relation to the other three.  On Rotten Tomatoes the film received a 97% fresh rating, with the consensus being “with exhilarating action and a surprising amount of narrative heft, Mad Max: Fury Road brings George Miller’s post-apocalyptic franchise roaring vigorously back to life.

 

This diatribe is not being written to also gush over the film and provide an amateur analysis of what makes Mad Max: Fury Road so great.  Instead I will be explaining why I feel the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences needed to include this movie as a nominee for the Best Picture category.  Let’s look at three reasons why I believe Mad Max: Fury Road needed a Best Picture nomination in order to improve the Oscars.

 

#1. Expand its horizons and don’t just nominate artsy dramas:

 

It should be stated from the beginning that I don’t think the Academy should base their decisions of what the best movie, director, actor/actress, writing, or any other aspect of filmmaking is simply to appease television viewers.  The award ceremony isn’t for fans of film, but for those actually making the movies.  It isn’t the Academy’s fault that we as a civilization have deified Hollywood.  Although the ceremony wasn't initiated in order to celebrate the industry’s accomplishments and recognize those who are best at their profession, it has morphed into that over the past eight decades.  And during that time it has turned into one of the biggest nights of the year for Hollywood in regard to marketing their films.

 

Mad Max: Fury Road shouldn’t be included as a Best Picture nominee simply to increase TV ratings, but for recognizing any well-made movie, no matter what genre it may fall under.  It shouldn’t matter whether a movie happens to be considered science-fiction, slapstick comedy, slasher horror, or sword and sorcery fantasy, if it has a compelling story, great performances and other superb facets of what makes movies great then it should be a legitimate candidate for any Academy Award category, including Best Picture.  Many have the impression, probably rightfully so, that films considered part of an inferior genre don’t stand a chance of being nominated for the most coveted award the Oscars can give.

 

After 87 ceremonies it is clear that the Academy certainly favors tear-jerking dramas and historical biopics, but it certainly hasn’t excluded other genres.  War films and westerns occasionally will make it in the group, but even those are drama heavy.  Mad Max: Fury Road is the first film since 2009’s District 9 to be so action heavy and still make the final cut of Best Picture nominees.

 

But there is something that Mad Max and District 9 have in common, and that leads us to the next reason.

 

#2. Social themes that are explored through characterization:

 

The recent passing of Alan Rickman has brought to mind one of the greatest villainous roles in film history, Hans Gruber.  It’s not an opinion that Die Hard is one of the greatest action movies of all time.  That’s just fact.  But it is just that, a great action film.  While Die Hard did garner four Oscar nominations, all in technical categories, it undoubtedly doesn’t deserve to be a Best Picture nominee.  It is a straight-forward action popcorn flick.  There are a million action movies just like it, although nowhere close to as thrilling.

 

When most directors and writers set out to make an action blockbuster the motivation in doing so is financial.  I’m not saying that they don’t want to make a good movie, but underlying social themes aren’t really at the forefront of their mind when figuring out how to get the hero in a shootout with the bad guys while swinging from a helicopter and cradling a beauty in his arms.  However, that is where George Miller is different.

 

Mad Max: Fury Road is a two-hour chase movie, but it is a two-hour chase movie that also includes themes such as survival, cult worship, and female empowerment.  In fact, the female empowerment subject is so prevalent, many viewers felt the movie should have been renamed Mad Max: Furiosa Road or simply Mad Furiosa.

 

It is the examination of these themes, along with others from previous films in the series such as vengeance, solidarity, and redemption that sets the Mad Max movies apart from other run-of-the-mill action/adventure flicks.  If you were to explain the plot of Mad Max, but omit the post-apocalyptic setting and over-the-top stunts, you might fool someone into thinking you were describing what many people believe the Oscars are all about, which is a small-budget indie art house film.

 

There aren’t a lot of action movies that if you stripped away the violence and adrenaline you’d find subject material similar to dramas like Thelma and Louise, Eyes Wide Shut, The Master, or this year’s Oscar nominee leader, The Revenant.

 

Did someone mention The Revenant receiving the most nominations at this year’s ceremony?  That is a great teaser for the next reason Mad Max: Fury Road deserved a Best Picture nomination.

 

#3. Nominees by the numbers:

 

Mad Max: Fury Road received a total of 10 nominations, which is second most behind The Revenant’s 12.  The remaining films in the Best Picture category are The Martian (7 nominations), Bridge of Spies (6), Spotlight (6), The Big Short (5), Room (4), and Brooklyn (3).  To receive nine nominations in categories ranging from directing and cinematography to costume design and production design, as well as the technical awards like sound editing, sound mixing, and visual effects, but not receive the Best Film nomination would be a major oversight.

 

The movie to receive the most nominations and not be in the Best Picture category is Carol, which received a total of six nominations.  It is unfortunate for the producers, director, and cast of Carol to see films with half its nominations in the Best Picture category.  So if the Academy had excluded Mad Max: Fury Road from the Best Picture category simply because it didn’t fit the mold of a normal Best Picture candidate like Carol, it would probably have lost more credibility with moviegoers than actually including it.  But again, the Academy shouldn’t base its decisions on what we at home would like to see.

Every year people in the real media and on social media gripe about the Academy not recognizing movies the general public has actually seen.  Nominating Mad Max: Fury Road for the best picture of the year is a step in the right direction of giving all movies, regardless of genre, a chance at the most coveted Oscar.  If only the general public would take a step in the other direction by raising their standards in what movies they see and stop giving Michael Bay billions of dollars to keep making the same toy-truck-robot movie over and over again. 

88th Annual Oscar Nominee Predictions

I don't normally make predictions of the potential films to be honored with Academy Award nominations in the Best Picture category, but I figured I would give it a shot this year.  I am pretty good at selecting the winners once the nominees are known, but figuring out what will be the choices, especially in a category that doesn't narrow the field to a single amount of films, is a little tougher.  This may crash and burn after only one attempt and next year I will stick to picking the winners among the smaller field of nominees in each category.

 

So here are my potential list of nominees along with those that will be considered but likely miss the mark.

 

Definite Nominees:

The following films are the minimum amount that can be selected for the Best Picture category.  The rules of the Academy Awards are that a minimum of five and maximum of ten films can be nominated, but there is no limit to how many can be selected within that field.  So one year it could be five, the next ten, and then the following it could be eight.  You just never know.  So here are the five films I believe will definitely be nominated in the Best Picture category:

Bridge of Spies

Carol

The Martian

The Revenant

Spotlight

 

Probable Additions:

Now that I've got my minimum covered, I will go out on a limb and add a few additional movies I think are worthy of receiving a nomination.  The group of films to be included with the above five are:

Brooklyn

Mad Max: Fury Road

Room

 

So I guess I believe the field of Best Picture nominated films will be eight this year.  But that doesn't mean I am right with the ones I predicted (especially Mad Max: Fury Road, which is more of a hope than a belief).  Also, it leaves the possibility of including some other films that I have omitted.  So here are some other films that have a shot at receiving a nomination.

 

In The Hunt:

These movies are getting enough buzz lately to be considered likely contenders:

The Big Short

The Danish Girl

The Hateful Eight

Steve Jobs

 

Dark Horses:

And finally we have the longshots.  These movies have garnered some nominations in other award ceremonies and received just enough critical acclaim to give it a chance at a Best Picture nomination.  Those films include the following:

Ex Machina

Inside Out

Joy

Sicario

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Straight Outta Compton

Trumbo

James Bond One-Off Continuation Novel Rankings

Hope all had a good New Year holiday.  With three kids in tow, New Year's Eve isn't exactly the party night it once was in my younger years.  The real party for me was Saturday when my film club got together to watch Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2.  It had been probably a decade since I had watched either of those movies, and I have to admit that with time my appreciation for them has increased.  I will probably get to a ranking of Quentin Tarantino's films after seeing The Hateful Eight.

 

However, that is not what this post is about.  While restoring the house to its normal order and putting our holiday decorations in the attics and closets they collectively belong in for 11 months of the year, I came across a list of the solo books for James Bond continuation authors and saw that I had made a ranking of them.  Yet, that list had not made it to the archives of this blog.  So that is the true purpose of my writing today.

 

The following four books are my ranking of the novels about British superspy 007, otherwise known as James Bond.  I have included the author with each title since no writer was asked to return.

 

1. Trigger Mortis - Anthony Horowitz

2. Solo - William Boyd

3. Devil May Cry - Sebastian Faulks

4. Carte Blanche - Jeffery Deaver

 

It should be noted that Horowitz did have the benefit of composing his work from an unfinished manuscript by original author Ian Fleming, with a single chapter completed by Fleming himself.  However, Horowitz does an excellent job with what he was given and comes the closest to replicating Fleming's original style.

Goodbye 2015

It's been a while since I've posted anything.  I have been overworked with a project the last couple of weeks involving some loans that are part of litigation and with the holidays in full swing I haven't really had any time to group my thoughts and put them down on paper.  I figured I would give a broad brushstroke of what's new in my world.

 

So, I saw the new Star Wars film four times in less than two weeks.  Didn't really mean to.  It sort of just snowballed on me.  That is not to say it isn't worth seeing four times, because it is.  It was really good and as if the first line of the film is referencing what had come a little more than a decade before, it begins to make things right.  I loved all the new characters and seeing the old ones in a new adventure was not just nostalgic, but also a little emotional (or at least as close as I can get to what humans consider to be emotional).

 

Christmas went pretty well.  Jack got a little BB-8 (new Star Wars character) remote that he calls his new best friend.  That was the gift of the year for our family, so I am glad it went over well with Jack.  Unfortunately Joanna didn't love my gift to her as much.  I got her a crockpot with the ability to lock the lid (which is what she specifically asked for), but because it didn't have a few additional bells and whistles it got returned and traded for a deep dish cooker or pot fry pan or steam-baked something-or-other.  I don't know.  She doesn't understand time travel.  I don't understand the differences in a pot, a pan, and a wok.

 

Television/movie recommendation of the week (or maybe month; I don't usually do these) is a Netflix documentary called Making a Murderer.  I don't want to give many details because the 10-part series pretty much covers everything you need to know, but it details a man named Steven Avery and his involvement in Wisconsin crimes that took place in the 1980s and 2000s.  It was a gripping series that I binge watched in a few days time.  Don't research his name or what the documentary is about.  I promise it will be worth the 10 hours.  Just watch it.

 

I guess that is most of it.  Everyone have a safe and happy New Year's Eve.  Don't get beat down by the mediocre music heard on all the telecasts tonight and try to be with someone you love at midnight.  See you in 2016.

You Know Who I Want To Be The Next President?

Although we are a year away from the general election to find a replacement for President Obama, the American people have had to put up with a lot of debates, questions, stories, and pointless headlines regarding the potential candidates.  The most recent question that has been making the rounds, and started with Jeb Bush, is if the candidate could travel back in time would he/she kill baby Hitler.  Bush provided a candid response of, "Hell yeah, I would," and "You gotta step up, man."  This has led to reporters asking other presidential hopefuls the same question, which seems like a scene right out of Mike Judge's Idiocracy.

 

After careful consideration and countless hours of contemplation on the topic (a total of about 90 seconds of rational thought and 10 minutes of typing), I've decided the presidential nominee who would get my vote is the one who responds to the baby Hitler question with this: "The idea of killing baby Hitler falls under the grandfather paradox of time travel.  While time seems to be linear and accessing the past or future is a frequent avenue for science-fiction literary trope, it probably in reality is another dimension in the fourth plane of existence.  Therefore your scenario is moot and not worth consideration.  Let's move on to foreign policy, shall we."

 

That guy or girl is the candidate for me.

Quick Question

Who was the Hitler before Hitler?  What I mean by that is when people in 1930 needed to drive home a point on Internet message boards about how atrocious a person was being, at that point in history they couldn't compare them to Hitler or the Nazis.  So, who did we use as the villain of all villains prior to Hitler's reign of terror?

A Brief Review Of 'Spectre'

The wait is over and my initial fears and expectations have been replaced by reflection and critique.  Spectre was an enjoyable film that didn't quite live up to what I was hoping for, but it was still a satisfactory entry into the 007 film series.  Because of the great success and astounding praise I have heaped on the previous Sam Mendes-directed Bond picture, Skyfall, I was hoping this one would be just as good, if not better.  While there certainly were elements that exceeded Skyfall, as well as other Bond movies of the past 53 years, overall it didn't quite reach that level of quality I had formulated in my mind.

 

A new list of rankings will have to be put together, which will break down more thoroughly what I liked and didn't like about the movie, but after only two viewings this past weekend, Spectre is most likely going to land just outside the top ten for me.

 

Some highlights of the movie include the pre-title sequence in Mexico City, and especially the opening tracking shot that is reminiscent of what Birdman did for an entire two hours, the henchman Mr. Hinx, the overall atmosphere of a classic Bond adventure from the 60s, as well as the performances of Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux.

The Spectre Just Got Real

It's official.  It's really happening.  It's really real.  Tickets have been purchased for my viewings of the upcoming James Bond film, Spectre.

 

You didn't read that wrong.  It does say tickets and viewings; as in multiple tickets and multiple viewings.  I'll be attending a late Thursday showing with my friend Danny and then follow that up with an encore the next night with my wife and a group of friends.  Most likely it won't end there either.  I'll probably see it at least once more in a few weeks after the hype and personal elation has died down a bit.

 

Things finally sank in for me yesterday that my expectations might not be fulfilled with this movie.  Normally I don't let critical reviews or overseas box office receipts sway my excitement level (at least not until the night of when I'm standing in line with the velvet rope being the final barrier to me and a new Bond adventure; at that point I'm like Riley from Inside Out with fear in total control of the console), and you'd think that having Sam Mendes at the helm for his second 007 picture would soothe me after the great success of Skyfall.  However, for some reason I'm already freaking out about whether I am going to be disappointed or not.

 

While critics have mostly been generous with their praises, it seems they believe Spectre isn't quite as good as Skyfall.  The general consensus among fans is that there is no consensus.  I've seen it ranked as high as the second best of all time and as low as the second worst.  Some have it near the same spot as Skyfall while others consider it to be nothing like the quality (whether good or bad) of the previous Mendes movie.  These two things alone aren't the reasons I have started overthinking the new film and been overcome with pre-show jitters.

 

What ultimately got me to start questioning the upcoming film is a ranking I found on a fan message board that included Spectre at number 17 on this individual's list.  Okay, big deal.  So one person had it in the bottom third of the series.  Well, what makes this single list stand out more than the rest is where his other films fall.  His rankings are eerily similar to my own.  We agree on both the top two films of the series (From Russia with Love and Goldfinger) and are dead on with another two.  We differ only one spot on five other films and another two are separated by two spots.  It would seem this person has about the same level of taste when it comes to James Bond movies, so finding his or her ranking of Spectre at 17 is what has me worried.

A new comic was released today featuring James Bond titled VARGR.  It is the first original 007 comic book series to be produced in 20 years, so this is an exciting day in itself.  Hopefully it will placate me through the next 24 hours or so until I can get to the IMAX theater in Dallas for the first of several Spectre viewings.

By early Friday morning I will know for sure whether I liked Spectre or not and by about 11 that night I will have a great idea of where it falls in my overall list of all the films.  My hope is to have updated rankings for all aspects of the 007 film series, from movie and music to characters and title sequences, by early next week.

Family Photos

This past weekend the Cook family went to Trinity Park in Fort Worth to have some pictures taken in order to get our Christmas card in order.  We received a bunch of the photos from that session and I thought I would share my lovely family with everyone.  Sorry, but this will be the equivalent of me taking out my wallet and showing you pictures of my wife and kids.  I know it is boring, but it is something you do as an adoring father and husband.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture directly above is my favorite of the bunch.  It will be the newest to be framed and placed on my desk at work for all the women in my cubicle to coo over.

Volleyball : Soccer :: Hawaiian Vacation : Biblical Plague

Having my own personal blog, you'd think I would spend a little more time talking about the great things happening in my life, which includes the joy my wife and kids bring about.  Unfortunately I am selfish and talk only movies.  Well, for today at least that changes.

 

Last weekend was the start of Emery's newest sporting venture: volleyball.  She has done gymnastics for a long time, but that is just a hobby and not done in any competitive sort of way.  She has also dabbled in soccer.  If you ask me, she attempted that sport one (probably two) too many times (she played twice).

 

Based on the limited practice I had done with Emery, I wasn't sure what to expect on Saturday.  Surely a court full of 8-year-old girls trying to bump, set, and spike a ball back and forth wouldn't end well, especially after two seasons of seeing 5- and 6-year-old girls kick a ball back and forth.  Kicking is WAY easier than the skills that volleyball requires and introductory soccer is a disaster.  However, I am happy to report that it wasn't the crotch kick that I thought it would end up being.  Especially since the only part of the bump, set, spike combination that is utilized is bumping.

 

The hour we were there went by quickly and I am proud to brag on Emery that she had one of the best serves on the team.  The serve line is moved closer to the net to make things easier, but about half the girls had trouble serving the ball over cleanly.  Yet, Emery's lone serve was well executed.  Since her team wasn't able to handle the opponent's volley, she only got to serve once in three games, but I expect that to change as she plays more.

 

Other than her serving, we will have to work on her play when the ball is being volleyed back and forth.  It isn't that she is bad at bumping the ball, but she is just not very aggressive.  We will be out of town next weekend, so there is a two-week layoff until the next game.  During that time I am going to work with Emery to get her to hustle a little more to the ball when it is coming in her direction.

 

If the first game was the worst of the season, which is usually the case when your kid is learning the fundamentals of a new game, I am looking forward to what is to come.  While not the star of the team, Emery is certainly going to be serviceable and that always makes things more enjoyable for everyone involved.

James Bond U.S. Poster Rankings: No. 1

It's been a long ride.  24 posters in all.  Most are probably glad to see this final post, not because they are excited for the reveal of my favorite domestic one-sheet poster from the James Bond film series, but instead because they want me to move on to something new.  Well, like I've said in several posts before this one, this is my blog and I'll post what I'm interested in, and what I am interested in is movies, especially 007 movies when a new one is soon to be released.

 

So without further ado, let's see what tops the chart of my favorite artwork used in United States theaters to promote a James Bond film.

 

 

1. Casino Royale

You might look at the above poster and say, "Really, that's the best of the lot?"  I agree.  Compared to other posters in this series it is very light on action and plot details.  It provides very little in the way of teasing the viewer and is probably not the most creative in design or marketing.  So what exactly is it that makes me adore this poster so much that I would frame and hang it in my living room?  The answer to that question is one word: subtlety.  I could probably add another word to why I like this poster and that would be elegance.

 

There are only two people found in the frame, so there really isn't a whole lot to break down as to what I am talking about.  Let's start with the subtlety of the poster.  The major draw of the 007 film series is the action, women, cars, locations, explosions, and stunts.  These films have created an iconic hero who is cool under pressure and always saves the day.  So without having any explosions on the page, Bond fighting a henchman drawn in a corner of the canvas, or a car flying across the page with a rocket in pursuit, how do you express that level of excitement we expect from these films?  In the case of the Casino Royale poster you have our hero brandishing a silenced Walther PPK while sporting a disheveled appearance with the tuxedo shirt unbuttoned and loose bowtie around his neck.  By giving Daniel Craig's incarnation of Bond a more tousled appearance, it gives the viewer an idea that his version of 007 would be one that gets his hands dirtier than his predecessors.

 

Timothy Dalton's take on the character was also one that was more down-to-earth and hardened, which could be seen in his film posters as well.  Here is one from License to Kill with the same unbuttoned look as Craig.

 

 

Along with the characteristics of Bond movies listed above, this film series is also one filled with sophistication.  Bond eats the best food, drinks the most expensive wines, stays in the most luxurious hotels, and sports the most chic outfits.  While his tuxedo is not properly fitted with the bowtie undone and shirt unbuttoned, he is still in the tux.  He is also walking away from the Casino Royale, which is a name that signifies class and refinement.  But what really fits the bill of elegance is Vesper's dress.  The low-cut, flowing gown is an outstanding costume and has become one of the most memorable outfits of the series, trailing behind only Bond's tuxedo and Honey Rider's bikini from Dr. No.

 

While the poster alone does a great job of showing off Eva Green's beautiful figure, it doesn't truly do the dress justice as when she is seen entering the poker room.  At that point even Bond's draw drops at how gorgeous she is.

 

It is because of the simplicity of Bond's aggressive manner and Vesper's stylish formal wear that I love what the artist has conveyed in this poster.  It sums up so much of what the 007 movies are about in two simple images.

'Writing's on the Wall' Released; A Mixed Bag

The theme song to the upcoming James Bond film Spectre was released today.  There are elements I really like about "Writing's on the Wall" and then there are some other aspect's I'm a little underwhelmed by, but overall I like the song.

 

The orchestration is top notch.  If it were an instrumental like "The James Bond Theme" from Dr. No or the theme to On Her Majesty's Secret Service it would likely be rated much higher.  I feel the song will fit in nicely with the film's score.

 

However, the lyrics and Sam Smith's singing is not as well received.  It should be noted that for the most part I don't enjoy the love ballads when it comes to a James Bond theme song.  The exception to that is "Nobody Does it Better" from The Spy Who Loved Me.  Smith doesn't ever really belt out the lyrics, which I'm not in love with in the first place, and when it finally gets to the end of the song and you think he is going to pull a Shirley Bassey and end on a powerful note, it somewhat sputters out.  He never really reaches the crescendo I was expecting.

 

Overall I feel the song is going to grow on me, unlike "Another Way to Die" from Quantum of Solace, which started off well liked and slowly moved back the more times I listened.  My initial reaction would be that among the Daniel Craig-era themes, it is behind "Skyfall" and ahead of "You Know My Name," which is the tune from Casino Royale.

James Bond U.S. Poster Rankings: No. 2

Forgoing all action or possible plot teases, the marketing team on the next James Bond poster found in the United States in 1981 was purely to rev up the male libido with sex appeal.

 

 

2. For Your Eyes Only

Roger Moore can be found centered in the background, posed in a gun-wielding stance.  Yet, the star of the entire film, the 12th of a popular series that had been running for nearly two decades, is probably not the first or even the second thing you notice about the artwork.  What most eyes fall toward initially are the bare legs of a fit woman in high heels and the bare minimum of a swimsuit covering her backside.  Once your pulse returns back to normal and your eyes begin to wander the page, you likely notice the weapon of choice for our mystery woman.  The crossbow with its deadly bolt, or arrow, cocked at the ready.  And then finally you notice the remaining image of British superspy James Bond, surrounded by those provocative limbs.

 

And that is it.  No explosions.  No action sequences from the film transposed to paper.  Nothing else giving the slightest idea of what the film could be about.  It is simply a tag line at the top, Bond and the dangerous mystery woman in the middle, and the film's credits at the bottom.  Even the color scheme is very plain.  The artist(s) was going for one thing and one thing only: sensuousness and a mysterious danger.

 

While the idea of Bond surrounded by bare legs was found in nearly all the posters around the globe, they did add some action to the frame for posters in other countries, such as this one from Germany.

 

 

Although this is my second favorite poster used in the James Bond film series, I doubt I will ever seek out a copy to frame and hang in my house as my wife probably wouldn't appreciate having this artwork in our living room for the grandparents and friends to view while spending time at the Cook home.  However, the final poster to top my list that will be revealed soon is in my living room currently and will probably stay there for quite some time.  Until then ...

James Bond U.S. Poster Rankings: No. 3

Based on the ranking alone, you might think that the next film in this list of the greatest domestic one-sheet posters for the James Bond series would be one of my favorites.  Yet, the opposite couldn't be more true.

 

 

3. A View to a Kill

Roger Moore was 57 years old when A View to a Kill hit theaters, and his age was certainly showing.  Moore hadn't been the most athletic actor to play 007, his stuntmen doing much of the work during action scenes throughout the series and when a dangerous situation required Moore to be viewed on camera, a green-screen was utilized much of the time.  And if that weren't enough, having the 57-year-old bed former Charlie's Angels starlet Tanya Roberts, who was 29 when the film was released but easily looked younger, aged Moore considerably.  The 28-year gap between co-stars was such a difference that it felt like Moore wasn't just old enough to be Roberts' father, but he could have passed for her grandfather.

 

Despite the age difference and the light-heartedness that Moore had brought to the series during his time as James Bond, the image seen in the one-sheet poster above does its job in creating anxiety and conjuring a sense of thrill in the viewer.  What are Bond and his girl doing on the Golden Gate Bridge?  How is our hero able to hold on to the damsel, shoot at the villain in his blimp, and balance himself atop one of America's most beloved monuments to modern architecture?

 

Not only is the idea of a battle between hero and villain on the suspension ropes of the Golden Gate Bridge a thrill in itself, but the angle at which the artist has drawn creates a bit of vertigo for the viewer.  It is an excellent piece of marketing design that teases excitement and provides the perfect amount of intrigue for the upcoming movie, which is exactly what you want with a poster.

 

The Golden Gate Bridge theme was used in most of the marketing materials for A View to a Kill.  The only other action set piece that was promoted was Bond and Mayday at the Eiffel Tower.

 

 

As you can see, this one-sheet advance poster found in U.S. theaters is quite similar to the Golden Gate Bridge artwork, except that Paris is the city in the background, obviously.  However, the sense of a fear of heights isn't quite accomplished with this poster like it is with the one at the top.

James Bond U.S. Poster Rankings: No. 4

I've finally reached the point where my ranking of the domestic marketing posters for every James Bond film cheats a little bit.  The reason I say that the next poster in my ranking is cheating is because there isn't an official one-sheet poster for United States theaters yet for the upcoming Spectre.  Everything released thus far has been a teaser poster.

 

 

4. Spectre

The above poster is the most recent release of promotional artwork for Craig's fourth outing as 007.  It is the first to show something more than just a single image or person, as you will see below.  Craig is obviously the focal point of the frame in his usual well-fitting suit and Walther PPK at the ready.  Bond girl Lea Seydoux stands behind Craig in an elegant, full-length silver dress.  Both actors have a serious stare as they look directly at the viewer.

 

The final element of the poster is what is in the background.  It is a masked man who is taking part in a Mexican Day of the Dead parade, which will be the setting of the pre-title action sequence.  It is a haunting image and, like the cinematography in Skyfall of Bond approaching the Macau casino surrounded by lanterns on the water, should be one of the visual highlights of the film that audience members take away from the film long after the credits roll.

 

 

This is a variation of the poster at the top.  It changes Craig's outfit to a white tuxedo with a red carnation, which is a throwback to 1963's Goldfinger, starring Sean Connery.  Bond also takes this photograph less seriously as he smirks at the camera and crosses his arms, brandishing a silencer on his Walther PPK.  The other alteration to this poster is the man in the Day of the Dead mask being fainter in the background and there is less color used.  Seydoux doesn't change at all between the two images.

 

There have been two other posters released since the official press conference for Spectre.

 

 

This one was used at the title announcement and looks rather innocuous, but upon further inspection is actually rather interesting.  The shattered glass from a bullet at first seems to be just that, a normal entry hole from a bullet that caused some cracking.  However, if you look a little closer you can see eight cracks that travel downward from the hole.  The entire thing creates the image of an octopus, which is similar to this:

 

 

This is the original symbol for Bond's arch nemesis organization, SPECTRE.  The ring could be found on the fingers of numerous villains and henchmen/women Bond faced during Connery's days as Bond.  The ring will be used in the newest movie, but modernized to fit the universe Craig has created since rebooting the series in 2006's Casino Royale.

 

As you can see, the ring's logo is similar to what is created in the shards of glass on the title announcement poster.  Another connection to the Bond franchise is the fact that the bullet hole is formed in glass.  That may not seem rather important, but, without giving any spoilers away, there is a pivotal scene in On Her Majesty's Secret Service that contains a bullet hole in glass.

 

I absolutely love the poster from the title announcement press conference.  In fact, it has been my desktop image since it was released, which has probably been a little creepy for my co-workers who have seen a bullet hole on my computer screen for several months now.

 

The final teaser poster for Spectre was this.

 

 

Compared to the title announcement poster and the most recent image of Craig and Seydoux, this one is dull and lifeless.  The only real point of interest is that the outfit Craig has on is a reference to Roger Moore's film Live and Let Die.  But other than that, there really isn't much more to say about this poster.

 

Since I don't have an official theatrical one-sheet poster to rate, I will have to go with the latest teaser poster, and it comes in at number four.