When I was sixteen years old Daniel Craig was announced as the sixth actor to play James Bond. I wasn't all that familiar with James Bond at the time. I knew there had been many films, and I liked GoldenEye the best.
I was just starting to understand and examine movies a little deeper, at least as far as deciphering what I liked and what I didn't like. I learned that my expectations had a big impact on how much I enjoyed a movie - or how unimpressed I might be. And after learning this about my expectations, Casino Royale - Daniel Craig's first Bond film - became the grand experiment, so to speak. Having learned that measured expectations can be the key to enjoying a movie, I let my expectations for Casino Royale run wild. I got just as excited as I darn well wanted to get. And that was pretty excited.
Why did I get so excited for Casino Royale? I'm not sure. I don't remember. Probably because I always liked the idea of spy movies and this one looked like it would get it just right. I honestly don't remember. The point is that I was very excited.
The grand experiment was a monumental success. My expectations were met and exceeded in every way. I loved the movie.
Walking out of the theater I remember feeling that I had just seen something special. It's the feeling you get when you realize, in the moment, that something important has just happened, you just don't know how important yet. It changed my world. I didn't know movies could do what it did.
What if the movie disappointed me? What if it was lame? Would I have my own movie blog today? Would I be half as fascinated with film? We'll never know. But when I was new on this path - just starting out, relatively speaking - Casino Royale came along at just the right moment and propelled me further down that road in a single bound than any other individual event in my life. I had to learn all I could about how movies could affect people so dramatically. And while I've learned a whole lot about this in the intervening years, there's still an inexhaustible amount of learning ahead.
For this reason I have to wonder if Casino Royale will ever be surpassed as my favorite movie of all time. Its place in my heart runs deep. Its impact is ongoing.
Last night we learned that Daniel Craig will be returning as 007 for a fifth time. His tenure as James Bond means more to me than just an actor I like in a part. It's become a part of my personal history. These are the Daniel Craig years. When they come to a close James Bond will be recast. But thanks in large part to Mr. Craig and the rest of the team, I've already been recast.
Big Shot Critic
(the "recast" double meaning narrowly beat out the "part he played" and "role he played" double meanings)
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