The Peanuts Movie
I know what you're thinking. There have been loads of adaptations of childhood favorites lately, and sometimes they go bad. Sometimes you wonder how they can possibly adapt that cherished property and do it right when so many things have gone wrong.
I do not think you have reason to fear with The Peanuts Movie. I think they have stayed true to the feel (and even to the look) of the original comic strip.
If you doubt then consider the following. Peanuts debuted in 1950, and the Christmas special didn't happen until 1965. There is a fifteen year gap between the inception of Charlie Brown and that piano number we all think of when we hear the name Charlie Brown. Yet now it is part of Charlie Brown. This could be too. I'm not saying it will be, but I am saying this will either be great or it will go the way of the Garfield movies - okay, but forgotten.
The Peanuts Movie is rated G with absolutely no notes beyond that. How refreshing is that?
Spectre
The legend returns. Get ready for the 24th James Bond movie.
James Bond holds a special place in my heart. I actually watched all three of Daniel Craig's prior Bond films just yesterday to get ready for this one (even though I basically have them memorized already). I really could be Casino Royale's biggest fan. Let's review just a little.
Daniel Craig is the sixth actor to portray James Bond in the official EON Productions films, and his first was Casino Royale in 2006. Casino Royale was very well-received by fans and critics (and I completely fell in love with it - it's still my all time favorite film). Two years later the world got Quantum of Solace in 2008. It made more money than any Bond film before it, but it only did okay with the critics. I like to think of it as bite size Bond. It's shorter than the other Daniel Craig films, and it's practically a direct sequel to Casino Royale (there are no actual direct sequels in James Bond - it's not serialized). Quantum of Solace was also in production right in the middle of the writer's strike of 2008, so it had a rough road, but all things considered I believe they did a marvelous job. It's not Casino Royale, but it's definitely Bond. Not too long after Quantum of Solace, and by no fault of the James Bond franchise, MGM went bust and Bond 23 was postponed indefinitely. Eventually that all got sorted out and we got Skyfall in 2012. Skyfall is inarguably a fan favorite, and was a MASSIVE critical and commercial hit to boot. But truth be told I didn't like it as much as the others. It moves a lot slower and takes itself much too seriously in my opinion. It's heavy and contemplative Bond. To date Skyfall is the highest grossing Bond film of all time, and the highest grossing British film of all time, and it had the biggest opening in England of all time - until last week when Spectre took that record. Brief history lesson over.
The creative team behind Spectre is more or less identical to the creative team behind Skyfall. The only notable difference is that Neal Purvis and Robert Wade wrote Skyfall and then John Logan re-wrote it. This time, John Logan wrote Spectre and Neal Purvis and Robert Wade re-wrote it. This sounds very small but it could make a big difference. Neal and Robert are true blue through and through Bond writers while John Logan spends most of his time writing plays for the stage. And the more die-hard Skyfall fans will forgive me for saying that Skyfall felt a bit like a stage play - like it didn't take full advantage of the film medium. By the way, director (of Skyfall and Spectre) Sam Mendes does come from a background directing (you guessed it) stage plays.
Suffice it to say I have strong opinions about James Bond. And in case you're wondering what I think the odds are of Daniel Craig staying as Bond, I'll tell you. I think odds are good he'll do one more and then go. As long as no one bothers him about doing another one for about three or four months I think he'll do one more after he's taken some time off. And who will they get after that? I hope it's someone out of relative obscurity just like Craig himself. Idris Elba already said he doesn't want to be remembered for being the black James Bond, and the only real contender in my opinion from among the popular guesses is that red-haired guy from Homeland.
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| Damian Lewis |
But even he might be too old already. I don't know. It's up to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. If you don't hear it from them specifically just ignore it because it's not true. They will decide, and no one else.
In any case I am definitely going to see Spectre, even though I expect it to be a lot like Skyfall.
Spectre is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, sensuality and language.
Big Shot Critic
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