Movie #396 - Layer Cake

Layer Cake2004 - Rated R - 1 hr 45 min
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Daniel Craig, Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon, Tom Hardy, Colm Meaney, Tamar Hassan, George Harris

Pre-Bond Daniel Craig is fun to watch in this movie about a drug-dealer trying to get out of the business.  Based on the book of the same name, the unique narration style and larger-than-life characters make a tired premise fresh.  Craig's character puts up with a lot, gets stuck in a lot, and manages it in a cool, collected way. He really just wants to sleep with Sienna Miller, guys. Really.

I won't give away the ending -- which is just awesome, if you like sick twists the way I do -- but it makes the whole movie that much better.   With a great cast, and enough twists to keep you on your toes, it's definitely worth a watch.

Movie #283 - The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass
2007 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 53 min
Director: Chris Weitz
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Freddie Highmore, Ian McKellan, Eva Green, Sam Elliott, Ian McShane, Christopher Lee, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kathy Bates

First thing's first, this movie is not as good as the book. More so than usual.  I mean, the book is always better. But in this case, the changes and edits they made in the screenplay really messed up the story line.

If you haven't read these books, I highly recommend them.  The Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman establishes a fantasy world that's truly unique.  The daemon/souls, the parallel worlds, the alethiometer.  I loved these books even as an adult.  And I wish the movie had done a better job so they'd make all three.  The first one isn't even the best one. 

While the movie is fine as a stand-alone, it's a poor substitute for the book.

Movie #102 - Casino Royale

Casino Royale
Metro Goldwyn Meyer
2006 - Rated R - 2 hr 24 min
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright

I know there was some upheaval over this Bond re-boot, but in my opinion, it was a very much needed one.  Craig's grittier, edgier, kill-you-in-the-men's-room James Bond is fun and refreshing. In fact, I think the franchise was getting a bit stuffy before this revamp came to town.  This is the Bond of today.

And even the intro song rocks.

Anyway, Judi Dench is awesome as always and the Vesper chick, even though she comes in surprisingly late for a Bond Girl, is a worthy claimant to that title.  I especially love the way this movie ties neatly into its sequel, but I have until Q before I get to see that one again.  But this is one Bond movie I'm happy to watch again and again, because even the poker scenes seem like supressed action sequences.  On the whole, very well done.