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Home (Re)Viewing: Bet on Bond
The highlight of today’s new video releases is beyond dispute: Bond truly is back.
Casino Royale: You’ve probably heard by now that this is the best James Bond movie in ages, and that Daniel Craig silenced his naysayers with his smashingly effective take on 007. And Eva Green silenced most men with her turn as one of the few Bond girls to truly pierce the secret agent’s heart. Traditionalists may be surprised to find this strays from the formula, but that was the whole point of the reboot. Pierce Brosnan served the series long and well, and his contribution should not be devalued - but Craig definitively proved he’s here to stay. GRADE: A
The Holiday: Sort of like a genteel Trading Places, this moive swaps Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet’s residences as each finds romance in unexpected places from Jude Law and Jack Black, respectively. As is the tendency of writer-director Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give), the movie goes on too long, and it indluges in the trappings of wealth a little too much for this poor journalist. However, the cast and the tribute to classic movie romances makes this what we journalists call an enjoyable puff piece. GRADE: B
Also out today:
Ghost: Special Collector’s Edition: One of the extras on this new DVD is called Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic.” That’s going a bit too far if you ask me, but it was entertaningly far-fetched, sort of like The Holiday. GRADE: B
Harsh Times: This police procedural with Christian Bale directed by the writer of “Training Day” was barely released theatrically, but it has its suporters, and with Bale, it has to at least be worth a look.
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