DRUNK CINEMA 007: "Goldfinger" Is Up!

 
"Do you expect me to talk?"
"No, Mr. Bond...I expect you to die!"
-- James Bond and Auric Goldfinger, Goldfinger

Hey there, movie fans!  My wonderful co-host Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Drunk Cinema!  This time, we reopen the Drunk Cinema Theater to watch Goldfinger, the 1964 James Bond series espionage film, directed by Guy Hamilton and featuring Sean Connery as James Bond, Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, Gert Fröbe as Auric Goldfinger, and Harold Sakata as Oddjob!

In this seventh episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan mindmelding with her toilet bowl after our last episode, the Swedish Chef making Xan laugh so hard she can't breathe, Honor Blackman appearing in the Doctor Who story "Terror of the Vervoids", Gert Fröbe as Baron Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, our favorite James Bond themes, Burt Kwouk as Cato Fong in the Pink Panther movies, Goldfinger's popularity creating the 1960s spy movie phenomenon, Bond's black humor puns, Goldfinger cheating at cards, Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson, wondering how Jill's corpse was placed on the bed without dripping golden paint on the sheets, the first time Xan saw Ralph Fiennes, Pinky and the Brain being thwarted by the atomic weight of gold, the Aston Martin DB5, the Get Smart shoe gag, Goldfinger's Rolls-Royce Phantom III made of gold, the importance of seat belts, Tilly looking for revenge for her dead sister Jill, Toonces the Driving Cat, Pussy Galore being a good name for a lesbian, wondering how Bond's suit stays perfectly pressed after being in a suitcase, Goldfinger paying $10 million tomorrow for crime today, Goldfinger's plan to make the United States gold reserve radioactive to drive up the price of his gold, my Dad being stationed at Fort Knox army base in the '50s, the convenient atomic bomb loading cart, Harold Sakata getting badly burned during Oddjob's electrocution scene, Goldfinger getting a reverse enema, our tenative plan to discuss Forbidden Planet, circulating the links, and more!

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Be sure to come back in two weeks for Episode 008, as Xan and I watch Forbidden Planet, the 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox and featuring Walter Pidgeon as Dr. Edward Morbius, Anne Francis as Altaira "Alta" Morbius, Leslie Nielsen as Commander John J. Adams, and Frankie Darro as Robby the Robot!

Your 2020 Geek Movie & TV Calendar

Once again, the new year brings us closer to The Films and TV Shows You've Been Dying to See for, Like, Forever.  If you enjoy sci-fi, fantasy and comic book based entertainment as I do, you already have several must-see flicks and television programs in the pipeline for 2020.  With that in mind, I thought I'd go ahead and give a helpful chronological rundown of which geek movie and TV goodness arrives when.  Some of these TV shows and films will be worth the long wait, others you wouldn't watch even if they were on Netflix, but each have their audiences and key target demographics.  Start planning your work vacation/sick/personal days accordingly.

JANUARY

1 - Doctor Who (TV)

9 - Star Trek Short Treks: Children of Mars (TV)

14 - Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow (Crisis on Infinite Earths Parts 4 & 5) (TV)

15 - The Magicians (TV)

19 - Batwoman, Supergirl (TV)

20 - Black Lightning (TV)

23 - Star Trek: Picard (TV)

24 - Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV)

FEBRUARY

February 2020? - Last Week Tonight, The Umbrella Academy (TV)

4 - The Flash (TV)

7 - Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (Movie)

14 - Fantasy Island (Movie)

21 - Bloodshot (Movie)

23 - The Walking Dead (TV)

MARCH

March 2020? - American Gods, Stargirl, What We Do in the Shadows (TV)

27 - Mulan (Movie)

APRIL

April 2020? - Harley Quinn, Star Trek: Discovery, Westworld (TV)

3 - The New Mutants (Movie)

8 - No Time to Die (Movie), Twin Peaks 30th Anniversary

MAY

May 2020? - Dune: The SIsterhood, Lucifer (TV)

1 - Black Widow (Movie)

9 - Artemis Fowl (Movie)

JUNE

June 2020? - Doom Patrol, Wynonna Earp (TV)

5 - Wonder Woman 1984 (Movie)

JULY

July 2020? - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Boys, Pennyworth (TV)
3 - Free Guy (Movie)
10 - Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Movie)
17 - Tenet (Movie)
31 - Morbius (Movie)

AUGUST

August 2020? - Mindhunter (TV)
21 - Bill and Ted Face the Music (Movie)

SEPTEMBER

September 2020? - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, The Simpsons, Stranger Things, Titans (TV)
18 - The King's Man (Movie)

OCTOBER

October 2020? - Castle Rock, The Walking Dead (TV)
2 - Venom 2 (Movie)

NOVEMBER

November 2020? - The Mandalorian (TV)
6 - The Eternals (Movie)
20 - Godzilla vs. Kong (Movie)

23 - Doctor Who 57th Anniversary

DECEMBER

18 - Dune (Movie)
25 - The Tomorrow War (Movie)

SOMETIME IN 2020 - BizarroTV, Helstrom, Invincible, Jupiter's Legacy, The Sandman, Strange Adventures, WandaVision (TV)

First NO TIME TO DIE Trailer Teases the Return of Felix Leiter & Blofeld

History isn't kind to men who play God.

The first trailer for No Time to Die, the twenty-fifth installment of the James Bond film series, has been released, teasing actor Daniel Craig's fifth and reported final outing as the popular British secret agent 007.

The 2-minute, 35-second trailer opens in southern Italy, with Bond racing his battered Aston Martin DB5 through the streets of Matera, as he and Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux, reprising her role from Spectre) are being pursued by a car and a motorcycle.

"Why would I betray you?" Madeleine asks Bond during the chase.

"We all have our secrets," replies Bond.  "We just didn't get to yours yet."

Later during the sequence, someone in the car opens fire on Bond, who jumps over the side of a tall bridge, swinging down on a cable.

As we see two men breaking into a skyscraper and detonating an explosive device, Bond's superior officer and head of MI6 known as M (Ralph Fiennes) remarks, "The world is arming faster than we can respond.  Where's 007?"

We cut to Jamaica, where Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life.  He's met by his longtime friend and CIA field officer Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), who tells him, "I need a favor, brother.  You're the only one I trust with this."

Bond takes his DB5 out of storage, then is met by another British agent named Nomi (Lashana Lynch), who tells him, "The world's moved on, Commander Bond."

"Are you a Double-O?" asks Bond.

"Two years," she replies stiffly, "so stay in your lane.  You get in my way, I will put a bullet in your knee...The one that works."

In a separate scene, we see Bond, Nomi and M's assistant Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) walking side by side.  "I thought you two would get along," quips Moneypenny.

We shift to another scene, where Bond is asked for his name by an MI6 security guard.  "Bond," he replies, delivering the classic introduction with a hint of annoyance.  "James.  Bond."

Inside, Bond and Moneypenny arrive at the office of MI6 quartermaster Q (Ben Whishaw), who observes dryly, "So, you're not dead."

Bond brushes past Q into the office, quipping, "Hello, Q.  I missed you."

Later, Bond heads to a prison and is warned by the warden about a special prisoner, "He's the most valuable asset this country has.  If you feel yourself losing control..."

"I'm not going to lose --" Bond starts to respond, until he sees Nomi down a corridor with Madeleine.  "-- control."

Bond confronts his incarcerated archnemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz, also reprising his role from Spectre).  "James..." Blofeld begins, "...you gave up everything for her.  When her secret finds its way out, it'll be the death of you."

We glimpse Madeline opening a box and finding a mask inside with the lower portion of its face cracked and missing.  Her eye begins to tear up.

In a separate scene, Bond asks Madeleine, "What is it?"

"You don't know what this is," she replies.

We're then introduced to the film's villain, Safin (Rami Malek).  "James Bond," begins Safin, "license to kill, history of violence...I could be speaking to my own reflection..."

We glimpse new Bond girl Paloma (Ana de Armas) at a formal gathering, where Bond is surrounded by dozens of men and women as a spotlight shines down upon him.

"...only your skills die with your body," continues Safin as we see him wearing the cracked mask and standing atop a frozen lake as someone underneath the water pounds at the ice.  "Mine will survive long after I'm gone."

"History isn't kind to men who play God," Bond replies defiantly.

We then see an assortment of action sequences involving Bond, Paloma and Nomi, where we return to the sequence in Matera.  As Bond's battered DB5 takes direct gunfire to its windows, Bond activates the car's mounted machine guns that emerge from its headlights.  He spins the car around, spraying a circle of bullets at his attacks.

In the trailer's final glimpse, we see Bond recreating the iconic gunbarrel opening as he fires his weapon down a long tunnel.

If you'd like to view the trailer, you can check it out below thanks to the official James Bond 007 account on YouTube...




No Time to Die is schedule to arrive in theaters on April 8, 2020.

JAMES BOND 25 Cast Announced, Rami Malek Confirmed as Film's Villain

The cast is not enough.

BBC News has provided details from this morning's announcement of the still-untitled 25th official James Bond film, currently referred to only as Bond 25, starring Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as British MI6 agent James Bond.

The live announcement was made at Goldeneye, the original name of James Bond creator Ian Fleming's estate on Oracabessa bay on the northern coastline of Jamaica, which now operates as Goldeneye Hotel and Resort.

Asked about the plot, producer Barbara Broccoli stated, "Bond is not on active service when we start the film.  He is actually enjoying himself in Jamaica.  He starts his journey here. We've built an extraordinary house for him.  We've got quite a ride in store for Mr. Bond... and no title, unfortunately."

Phoebe Waller-Bridge was announced as a writer of the screenplay along with Scott Z. Burns.  She's best known as the writer and producer of BBC America's Killing Eve, and as the voice of the droid L3-37 in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

In addition to Craig as Agent 007, the Bond 25 cast includes:

• Rami Malek, who has been confirmed as the film's villain.  Malek wasn't at the official launch but sent a video message saying, "I'm stuck here in New York in production but I'm very much looking forward to joining the whole cast and crew.  I will be making sure Mr. Bond does not have an easy ride in this, his twenty-fifth outing.  See you all soon."  Malek recently won Best Actor at the Oscars for his performance of Freddie Mercury in the film Bohemian Rhapsody, and has won an Emmy for playing Elliot Alderson in the USA Network series Mr. Robot.
  
• Léa Seydoux, returning as Dr. Madeleine Swann after appearing in the previous Bond film Spectre.
  
• Lashana Lynch, who recently appeared as Maria Rambeau in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Captain Marvel.
  
• Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, and Jeffrey Wright, coming back in their respective roles as M/Gareth Mallory, Q, Eve Moneypenny, Bill Tanner, and Felix Leiter.
  
• Ana de Armas, Dali Benssalah, David Dencik, and Billy Magnussen, all appearing in unspecified roles.

Bond 25 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on April 8, 2020.

DOOM PATROL Casts Timothy Dalton as The Chief

The Doom Patrol has a leader.

Deadline has word that the upcoming DC Universe digital series Doom Patrol has cast Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder, better known to DC Comics fans as The Chief, leader of the team of strange superheroes known as The Doom Patrol.

According to the article, The Chief is described as "a pioneer in medical science, searching the world over for those on the edge of death in need of a miracle.  Brilliant but controversial, Dr. Caulder will stop at nothing to help those he believes are in need, including his collection of strange heroes known as The Doom Patrol."

Doom Patrol is a spinoff from the DC Universe series Titans and is a reimagining of one of DC’s strangest group of outcasts: Robotman (Brendan Fraser), Negative Man, Elasti-Woman (April Bowlby) and Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero).  Led by the mysterious Dr. Niles Caulder, they’re called into action by the ultimate hero for the digital age, Cyborg (Joivan Wade).  Banding together, these rejects find themselves on a mission that will take them to the weirdest and most unexpected corners of the DC universe.

Dalton, 72, is a Welsh-born English actor best known as British secret agent James Bond in the films The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.  He's also known as Lord President Rassilon in the 2009 Doctor Who story "The End of Time", Sir Malcolm Murray in the Showtime series Penny Dreadful, Simon Skinner in the movie Hot Fuzz, Neville Sinclair in The Rocketeer, and Prince Barin in Flash Gordon (1980).  In addition, he's appeared in the films The Lion in Winter, Brenda Starr, Toy Story 3, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action.  

Created in 1963 by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani, The Chief first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80 as Dr. Niles Caulder, a paraplegic gifted with a genius-level intellect.  At a young age, Caulder developed an interest in creating better life, proving to be both a brilliant inventor and engineer.  He received funding from a mysterious benefactor, which allowed him to succeed in creating a chemical capable of prolonging life.  Ultimately, it was revealed that the benefactor was a man called General Immortus, who hired Caulder to create a chemical to replace the one that had been prolonging his life for centuries but was now failing.  When the young scientist discovered the truth about his employer, he refused to continue the work.  Immortus responded by implanting an explosive device in Caulder's upper torso, which he could set off remotely, and any attempt to remove it while Niles lived would also detonate it.  Caulder eventually devised a plan to get the bomb out, but it cost him his ability to walk.

Caulder used his scientific knowledge to develop numerous inventions and innovations that made him wealthy.  He later founded and organized the team called the Doom Patrol to protect the innocent and fight crime, and to teach humanity to accept others who live as ostracized "freaks," who have been radically transformed from terrible accidents.  It was Caulder's genius that allowed the team's members to survive their various accidents, such as Caulder designing Robotman's android body and devising Negative Man's medicated bandages).

In a later incarnation of the Doom Patrol, Caulder was discovered working on a nanotechnology bomb that would destroy half the world and replace it with humans transformed into freaks of nature, under his theory that a better human race would rise from the destruction.  He murdered the original Tempest, Joshua Clay, to protect his secret but the Doom Patrol succeeded in stopping his plans.  During these events, he was decapitated by a creation of Dorothy Spinner's known as the Candlemaker.  Doctor Will Magnus, creator of the Metal Men, built a new body for the Chief, telling him that he should try helping the Patrol to make up for what he did.  Becoming suicidal with guilt, the Chief stated that he could never do enough to make up for his actions, and used his new body to rip off his head.  Magnus wa able to save the Chief by getting the head to a cryogenic chamber, but after this, the Chief existed solely as a severed head in a bucket of ice, subsisting on milkshakes.  He expressed remorse at his actions and rebuilt the Doom Patrol to continue their efforts in the war against weird crime.

In the current DC Comics continuity known as "The New 52", a young and healthy Niles Caulder was introduced in 2011's The Ravagers #4.  Operating a deep underground science and engineering facility located beneath Los Angeles, Caulder provided a headquarters and combat training for the team in their campaign against the organization of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. Infiltrating the compound, Caulder was captured along with the rest of the Ravagers by Deathstroke on the behest of Harvest.  During the events of Forever Evil, it was revealed that Caulder had created the Doom Patrol and seemed to be free from Harvest, but this Doom Patrol was unfortunately killed by Crime Syndicate of America members Johnny Quick and Atomica, except for Celsius and Tempest who, according to Lex Luthor, faked their deaths to escape him, prompting Caulder to make plans to "start over".

Dalton will be the second actor to portray The Chief in live-action, after Bruno Bichir in the DC Universe series Titans.  The character has also appeared in the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold (voiced by Richard McGonagle) and various DC Nation shorts (voiced by Jeffrey Combs).

Doom Patrol is scheduled to debut on the DC Universe digital service later in 2019.

Danny Boyle Confirmed as Director of JAMES BOND 25

James Bond is about to go silver.

Metro USA has confirmed rumors that Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle will be directing the untitled 25th installment of the James Bond film franchise.  Daniel Craig is set to return as James Bond, which will be his fifth Bond film after Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre.

When asked if he was going to oversee James Bond 25, Boyle responded, "We are working on a script right now.  And it all depends on that really.  I am working on a Richard Curtis script at the moment.  We hope to start shooting that in six or seven weeks, then Bond would be right at the end of the year.  But we are working on them both right now."

Boyle, 61, is an English director, producer and screenwriter who won Best Director at the 2009 Academy Awards for his 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire.  In 2010, his film 127 Hours was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.  His other films include Trainspotting, T2 Trainspotting, Steve Jobs, 28 Weeks Later, The Beach, A Life Less Ordinary, and Shallow Grave.

Boyle also named James Bond 25's screenwriter.  "We’ve got an idea.  John Hodge, the screenwriter, and I have got this idea, and John is writing it at the moment.  And it all depends on how it turns out.  It would be foolish of me to give any of it away."

James Bond 25 is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 8, 2019.

DAMN Good Movies -- SPECTRE

This may be the end of an era.

Yes, time once again for another of my movie takes, this time on Spectre, the latest in the James Bond film series.  As always, if you haven't seen the movie yet and you don't want it spoiled for you, then please step back from your computer or whatever electronic device you're reading this on and stop reading now.  If, however, you're wise enough to know that movie reviews with spoilers are always more interesting than the ones without them...well...Time to report for duty...

Three years after the very successful fiftieth anniversary outing Skyfall, we finally see the return of MI6 agent OO7, once again under the direction of Sam Mendes.  The infamous 2014 Sony Pictures Entertainment hack revealed several memos claiming that the film was over budget, later reported to be somewhere between $245 to $300 million, making it one of the most expensive movies ever made.  Early drafts of the script written by (also returning) John Logan were leaked as well, along with memos of Sony's frustration with the project. Eon Productions later issued a statement confirming the leak of what they called "an early version of the screenplay."

Once again, Mendes wants to depict Bond as a character drama rather than a thriller or action movie, only this time to much less effect.  We have another two and a half-hour running time that feels so painfully slllooooooooow at times, as we see characters standing around in lengthy thoughtful moments, or walking (and walking, and walking) in between fleeting sequences of action.  The film could've easily lost a good twenty minutes in the editing room and would've been much better off for it.

Returning composer Thomas Newman doesn't help either, churning out another unremarkable score that feels nothing like Bond and more like you're listening to a period drama.  The only hints of Bond's traditional theme come at very beginning during the updated gunbarrel opening, and at the very end during the closing credits as people start dashing out of the theater to beat parking lot traffic.

We start off with a superb extended tracking shot in Mexico during the Day of the Dead festival, following Bond as he leaves the costumed crowd below with a female companion, goes up to her hotel room, removes his skeletal mask and costume, climbs out of the window with a sniper rifle, and walks along various rooftops until he arrives to take out a man named Marco Sciarra, who is plotting with some other men to blow up a stadium.  This leads to an exciting brawl in a mid-air helicopter swirling dangerously over the huge crowd of festival goers below, and results in Bond obtaining Sciarra's all-too-familiar octopus ring that plays an important part throughout the story.

So far, so good, right?  This takes us to the opening credits, with Sam Smith's mopey and disappointing "The Writing's on the Wall" making a lot of us really miss Adele.  The visuals, meanwhile, are a retrospective of Daniel Craig's era as James Bond -- Vesper Lynd, Le Chiffre, Judi Dench as M, Mr. White, and so on -- hinting at a connection since Craig debuted in 2006's Casino Royale.  And perhaps...an ending?

Returning to London, Bond is removed from field duty indefinitely by the current M, who finds himself up against Max Denbigh, a loathsome member of the British government seizing power after a merger of MI5 and MI6, referred to as "C."  C, it turns out, is pushing his "Nine Eyes" intelligence cooperation agreement between nine countries, closes down the "OO" section, and prepares to move everything to his glossy new Centre for National Security building.

From there, we follow Bond as he travels to Rome, against M's direct order to remain in England, which leads him to a shadowy meeting of a shadowy organization behind everything led by a shadowy figure.  Anyone who paid attention to the film's title and watched a Bond movie from the Sean Connery era or On Her Majesty's Secret Service knows exactly what's coming, even with the pathetic attempt as misdirection by naming "Franz Oberhauser" as Christoph Waltz's character.  I gather the Bond producers learned absolutely nothing from the Benedict Cumberbatch reveal in Star Trek Into Darkness.

After a nifty little car chase with Mr. Hinx through the streets of Rome that ends with Bond pointlessly dunking his multimillion-pound car in a river, we travel to Austria, where Bond picks up Dr. Madeleine Swann, the daughter of now-dying Mr. White.  Bond has his second run-in with Mr. Hinx before meeting up with Q, who finally tells us what's with with that damn octopus ring.  Swann provides the necessary exposition about SPECTRE, which presumably still stands for Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.

The trail leads to Morroco, where Bond and Swann check out Mr. White's secret room of old VHS tapes, maps and coordinates that point them to a facility in the desert.  They travel by train, which gives us Bond's third and final run-in with Jaws-wannabe Mr. Hinx.  After being met by "Oberhauser" with the prerequisite Bond villain monologuing, Bond is a given a revelation straight out of Austin Powers in Goldmember (I'm not kidding), subjected to a rather squeamish bit of torture, and quickly allowed to escape and destroy yet another supervillain facility in a remote location.

Everything shifts back to London in the final act, of course, as Bond, Swann and Bond's supporting cast team up to stop C, and a showdown with "Oberhauser" that ends smack in the middle of Westminster Bridge.  With everything neatly tied up after four films, Daniel Craig's James Bond gets the girl once again and drives off in the classic silver Aston Martin for what actually feels -- given Craig's recent public disparaging of Bond films -- for the last time.

So what about the performances from the cast and the characters they portrayed? Well, as you might expect, I have a few thoughts...

JAMES BOND -- In his fourth and possibly final outing as Bond, Daniel Craig once again gives us the secret agent driven by demons, but this time lacks any sense of actual charm. Everyone is a tool for Bond to use to achieve his personal agenda, damn any consequences, making him come off as more antihero than superhero at times.  At the end, he's left a good enough place for Craig to say farewell to the role, so we'll see if he does.

ERNST STAVRO BLOFELD/FRANZ OBERHAUSER -- Christoph Waltz pretty much reprises his character of Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds here, which makes sense considering who's he's ultimately revealed to be playing.  As mentioned above, Blofeld is given a familial connection to Bond, which feels terribly forced and convenient in an attempt to make things personal between the two.  We get an explanation for Blofeld's traditional facial scar, which was nice, although the final confrontation between Blofeld and Bond feels a bit empty and hollow.

DR. MADELEINE SWANN -- Léa Seydoux is an interesting Bond Girl, at least when the script allows her to be.  Filled with daddy issues, Swann is present for all the major moments following her introduction, helping out here and there, only to keep fading back into the background.  Things do feel a bit creepy between her and Bond, however, with Daniel Craig looking more 57 years old than 47 against Seydoux's very youthful 30.

Q -- After making little more than glorified cameos in Skyfall, Ben Whishaw gets quite a bit more to do this time, as Q provides cover for Bond's unsanctioned personal crusade and after dodging bad guys in Austria, later meets up with Bond and Swann to explain the connection with Sciarra's ring and the previous three Daniel Craig movies.  He's also there as part of Bond's running crew to take down C and stop the launch of Nine Eyes.

M / GARETH MALLORY -- Now formally established as the new M, Ralph Fiennes shows us the political and bureaucratic machinations in play as a result of SPECTRE's global conspiracy.  M is under huge pressure this time, and given his own rival in C that ends in a physical struggle between the two within the CNS building.

EVE MONEYPENNY -- Naomie Harris get the short end of the script this time, relegated to visiting Bond's apartment to bring him the few surviving items from the fire at Bond's family home Skyfall, providing information that leads him to Mr. White, and being part of the aforementioned running crew.  It was very disappointing to see Moneypenny so underwritten after such a strong introduction in Skyfall.

MR. HINX -- Fresh from his fun and lively role as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, Dave Bautista fills the mandatory henchman role here.  Saying absolutely nothing until his final disappearance, Hinx feels like the illegitimate offspring of Oddjob and Jaws, frustratingly silent and seemingly unkillable.  If Hinx somehow returns for the next Bond film, I definitely won't be surprised.

C / MAX DENBIGH -- Andrew Scott, as anyone who watched him as Jim Moriarty on Sherlock knows, is terrific at being someone you absolutely love to hate.  As M's rival, C is the typical "new blood" bureaucrat who steps in to force out the old gang for no good reason, smugly pointing out how outdated they are and begging someone -- anyone -- to punch him in the throat.

MR. WHITE -- Jesper Christensen returns for his final outing as Mr. White, last seen in 2008's Quantum of Solace.  White brings the Daniel Craig era full circle, connecting everything back to Casino Royale.  His final scene with Bond is gripping drama, appropriately set with the two facing off across a chessboard before White ultimately ends himself.

DEAD M CAMEO -- A very welcome surprise was a cameo from Dame Judi Dench as a recorded video message, left for Bond in the event of M's death.  The image of Dead M is shown during the showdown at the ruined MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross, taunting Bond with everything bad that happened during the Daniel Craig era was all Blofeld's doing. Yeah, that's plausible.

All in all, Spectre feels like the final chapter for Daniel Craig as James Bond...or, at least, like it should be.  It's not as satisifying as I'd hoped, especially following Skyfall and finally getting the return of Blofeld and SPECTRE, but thankfully, it's better than most critics seem to think (No surprise there).  It's a perfectly decent outing, and certainly would be a much better sendoff for Craig than Die Another Day was for Pierce Brosnan.  Most important of all though, James Bond will return...

And for those who may be wondering, here's my ranking of the twenty-four official James Bond Films:

1. Goldfinger (1964)

2. Casino Royale (2006)

3. Skyfall (2012)

4. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

5. You Only Live Twice (1967)

6. GoldenEye (1995)

7. Live and Let Die (1973)

8. From Russia with Love (1963)

9. For Your Eyes Only (1981)

10. The Living Daylights (1987)

11. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

12. Spectre (2015)

13. Doctor No (1962)

14. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

15. Quantum of Solace (2008)

16. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

17. Moonraker (1979)

18. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

19. The World is Not Enough (1999)

20. Thunderball (1966)

21. Octopussy (1983)

22. Licence to Kill (1989)

23. Die Another Day (2002)

24. A View to a Kill (1985)

Your friendly neighborhood movie reviewer,

Charles

SPECTRE Teaser Trailer Debuts

The teaser trailer for the 24th official James Bond film Spectre was released yesterday, giving Bond fans their first major look at the upcoming film.

The one minute, forty second teaser trailer opens with an exterior shot of MI6 headquarters, still damaged from an explosion in the previous film, Skyfall.  M's assistant, Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), goes to visit Bond (Daniel Craig) in his apartment flat with something rather intriguing.

"Forensics finally released this," Moneypenny begins, handing over a small wooden case. Bond asks what's in the case, which Moneypenny replies, "Personal effects they recovered from Skyfall."

Still in the process of moving in, Bond sits down on his couch and opens the case, removing an old Order of Temporary Guardianship along with a scorched photo of young Bond with his deceased parents.  "You've got a secret," says Moneypenny in a voiceover.  "Something you can't tell anyone...because you don't trust anyone."

From there, we're off to the Austian Alps, where Bond tracks down Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), last seen in the film Quantum of Solace and now a fugitive from MI6.  "I always knew death would wear a familar face," says White in a voiceover, "but not yours."  

We then see Bond attending a funeral service, apparently for the husband of Monica Bellucci's character, Lucia Sciarra, who was an assassin that Bond killed.

"I was at a meeting recently and your name came up," remarks Bond in a voiceover.  "I'm flattered London is still talking about me," replies White.

"It wasn't MI6."  Bond sets a ring down on the chessboard next to White, bearing the familiar octopus symbol of the sinister organization SPECTRE.  

White picks up the ring, looks at it, then tells Bond, "You're a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond."

Finally, we see Bond attending a very important gathering, presumably members of SPECTRE, with Christoph Waltz's character Franz Oberhauser seated down below. "Welcome, James," begins Oberhauser in a voiceover.  "It's been a long time...and finally, here we are..."

Spectre arrives in US theaters on November 6, 2015.  In the meantime, you can watch the teaser trailer below about twenty times thank to Sony Pictures' official YouTube account...

Your 2015 Geek Movie and TV Calendar

Once again, the new year brings us closer to The Films and TV Shows You've Been Dying to See for Like Forever.  If you enjoy sci-fi, fantasy and comic book based entertainment as I do, you already have several must-see flicks and television programs in the pipeline for 2015.  With that in mind, I thought I'd go ahead and give a helpful chronological rundown of which geek movie and TV goodness arrives when.  Some of these films will be worth the long wait, others you wouldn't watch even if they were on Netflix, but each have their audiences and key target demographics.  Start planning your work vacation/sick/personal days accordingly.

JANUARY

4 - The Simpsons, Downtown Abbey (TV)
5 - Gotham (TV)
6 - Agent Carter (TV)
7 - American Horror Story: Freak Show (TV)
8 - Archer (TV)
16 - Constantine, 12 Monkeys (TV)
17 - The Musketeers (TV)
19 - The Venture Bros. (TV)
20 - The Flash (TV)
21 - Arrow (TV)
28 - The Americans (TV)

FEBRUARY

February 2015 -- Hannibal, iZombie (TV)
6 - Jupiter Ascending (Movie)
8 - Better Call Saul, The Walking Dead (TV)
13 - Kingsman: The Secret Service (Movie)
27 - House of Cards (TV)

MARCH

March 2015 -- Mad Men (TV)
3 - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
4 - Broadchurch (TV)
6 - Chappie (Movie)
20 - Insurgent (Movie)

APRIL

April 2015 - Game of Thrones (TV)
18 - Orphan Black (TV)

MAY

May 2015 - Daredevil, Penny Dreadful (TV)
1 - Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie)
15 - Mad Max: Fury Road (Movie)
22 - Tomorrowland (Movie)

JUNE

June 2015 - Defiance, Heroes: Reborn (TV)
12 - Jurassic World (Movie)
19 - Inside Out (Movie)

JULY

July 2015 -- The Strain (TV)
1 - Terminator Genisys (Movie)
10 - Minions (Movie)
17 - Ant-Man (Movie)

AUGUST

August 2015 -- Doctor Who (TV)
14 - The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Movie)
28 - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Destiny (Movie, TV)

SEPTEMBER

September 2014 - Gotham, Once Upon a Time, The Simpsons, South Park (TV)

OCTOBER

October 2014 - American Horror Story, Arrow, Elementary, The Flash, Preacher, Supergirl, The Walking Dead (TV)

NOVEMBER

6 - Spectre (Movie)
20 - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (Movie)

DECEMBER

18 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Movie)
25 - Doctor Who 2015 Christmas Special, Sherlock 2015 Christmas Special (TV), Mission: Impossible 5 (Movie)

James Bond Will Officially Return in SPECTRE

At last, the 24th James Bond film has been officially announced, which will be called Spectre.  Daniel Craig returns for his fourth film as OO7, once again directed by Sam Mendes (Skyfall) with a screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan.

And yes, there's an official press release...

James Bond Producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today released the title of the 24th James Bond adventure, SPECTRE. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli's EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fourth film as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007. SPECTRE begins principal photography on Monday, December 8, and is set for global release on November 6, 2015.

Along with Daniel Craig, Mendes presented the returning cast, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear as well as introducing Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci and Andrew Scott. Mendes also revealed Bond's sleek new Aston Martin, the DB10, created exclusively for SPECTRE.

A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

The 007 production will be based at Pinewood Studios, and on location in London, Mexico City, Rome and Tangier and Erfoud, in Morocco. Bond will return to the snow once again, this time in Sölden, along with other Austrian locations, Obertilliach, and Lake Altaussee.

Commenting on the announcement, Wilson and Broccoli said, "We're excited to announce Daniel's fourth installment in the series and thrilled that Sam has taken on the challenge of following on the success of SKYFALL with SPECTRE."

Written by John Logan and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, Director of Photography is Hoyte van Hoytema and Editor is Lee Smith. Production Designer, Dennis Gassner returns along with Costume Designer, Jany Temime and Composer, Thomas Newman. Action Specialist, Alexander Witt is the 2nd Unit Director. Stunt Coordinator is Gary Powell, SFX Supervisor is Chris Corbould, and Visual Effects Supervisor is Steve Begg.

Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film, was a worldwide box office phenomenon, opening #1 in 70 territories around the world, taking over $1.1 billion worldwide and setting a new all-time box office record in the UK by becoming the first film to take over £100 million.

The full principal cast list includes:

• Daniel Craig as James Bond
• Cristoph Waltz as Oberhauser
• Léa Seydoux as Madeleine Swann
• Monica Belluci as Lucia Sciarra
• Ralph Fiennes as M
• Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny
• Ben Whishaw as Q
• Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner
• Andrew Scott as Denbigh
• Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx

Although listed as "Oberhauser," Waltz has been rumored to be playing none other than Ernst Stavro Blofeld, head of the fictional global terrorist organization SPECTRE, who previously appeared in the James Bond films You Only Live Twice (1967, played by Donald Pleasance), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969, played by Telly Savalas), Diamonds Are Forever (1971, played by Charles Gray), and Never Say Never Again (1983, played by Max von Sydow).



Anthony Horowitz to Write James Bond Novel PROJECT ONE

As we continue to wait for Daniel Craig to return to the big screen for his fourth outing as James Bond, Bond fans can spend some time next year with a new OO7 novel by Anthony Horowitz currently titled Project One.

Based on an unpublished story by Bond creator Ian Fleming, Project One will be set in the 1950s and features James Bond taking on the Russians and becoming involved in a Formula One race.  The story, "Murder on Wheels," was written by Fleming in the 1950s, as one of several episode treatments for a Bond TV series which fell through because of the Sean Connery films.  Many of the plots were turned into short stories including "Octopussy," "The Living Daylights" and "For Your Eyes Only," but a few outlines were never published, said Fleming’s great-niece Jessie Grimond.

"It's no secret that Ian Fleming's extraordinary character has had a profound influence on my life," said Horowitz, "so when the estate approached me to write a new James Bond novel how could I possibly refuse?  It's a huge challenge -- more difficult even than Sherlock Holmes in some ways -- but having original, unpublished material by Fleming has been an inspiration.  This is a book I had to write."

Horowitz is best known as the author of the young adult spy series of Alex Rider novels, two adult Sherlock Holmes novels (The House of Silk and Moriarty), the Diamond Brothers series, The Power of Five series, and many others.  He is the latest of several modern James Bond authors, including William Boyd (Solo), Jeffery Deaver (Carte Blanche) and Sebastian Faulks (Devil May Care).

And look, there's even a handy press release...

Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., The Ian Fleming Estate, the Orion Publishing Group, and HarperCollins US and Canada are delighted to announce that international bestselling and award-winning writer Anthony Horowitz is at work on an official new James Bond novel. Currently dubbed Project One, the novel is due for worldwide release on 8th September 2015.

The new book by Horowitz - a lifelong fan of Ian Fleming - will be set in the 1950s and will be unique among the modern James Bond novels, in that a section will contain previously unseen material written by Fleming to which Horowitz has had exclusive access.

Jessie Grimond, great-niece of Ian Fleming, said: "In the 1950s Ian Fleming wrote several episode treatments for a James Bond television series. But it never came to be made and he ended up turning most of the plots into the short stories that are now in the collections For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy and The Living Daylights. However, there are a few plot outlines which he never used and which, till now, have never been published, or aired. Given that Anthony is as brilliant a screenwriter as he is a novelist, we thought it would be exciting to see what he would do with one of them."

Lucy Fleming, niece of Ian Fleming, said: "We are thrilled that Anthony has taken on the Bond mantle, and can't wait to read his novel. Anthony is a brilliant writer, as his millions of fans around the world demonstrate. He has an exceptional skill for writing spy thrillers in particular, and it is this coupled with the original Fleming material and his knowledge of and enthusiasm for Bond, which makes for a really exciting proposition."

Malcolm Edwards, Deputy CEO and Group Publisher, Orion Publishing Group, said: "James Bond and Anthony Horowitz is a match made in publishing heaven. Anthony is a writer of exceptional skill and I have no doubt he will deliver a book that will resonate and delight Bond fans around the globe. For our part, we will publish the book in a way that celebrates the legacy of literary Bond and mount a campaign that will make publication day one of the biggest publishing events of 2015."

Jonathan Burnham, Senior Vice President and Publisher, HarperCollins US, said: "HarperCollins is thrilled to be publishing the new James Bond novel in the United States and Canada. Anthony Horowitz is an author of exceptional skill and range - his Sherlock Holmes novel, House of Silk, displayed his amazing ability to reanimate fictional characters to create a new and powerful narrative. The combination of this talent, his inventiveness and brilliance as a novelist, and his access to hitherto unpublished Fleming material, makes this a uniquely exciting event for all James Bond fans."

The book will be published by Orion Publishing Group in the UK, and by HarperCollins in the United States. The book rights were sold in the English language by Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, on behalf of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd and The Ian Fleming Estate. International rights will be offered at the forthcoming Frankfurt Book Fair on October 6.

GAME OF THRONES Leads 2014 Emmy Nominations with 19

HBO's Game of Thrones leads the pack with a total of 19 nominations for the 2014 Emmy Awards, including acting nominations for Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey and Dame Diana Rigg.

The FX series American Horror Story: Coven followed with an impressive 17 nominations, and PBS' airing of Sherlock earned a surprising 12 nominations.

Other recognized geek-favorite shows include  Adult Swim's Robot Chicken, FX's Archer, Comedy Central's Futurama and South Park, Fox's The Simpsons, Sleepy Hollow, Almost Human and Family Guy, HBO's True Blood, BBC America's Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond, ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Once Upon a Time, AMC's The Walking Dead and NBC's Community, Grimm and Revolution. 

BBC America's Orphan Black and star Tatiana Maslany were criminally overlooked once again, as was the CW's Arrow and CBS' Elementary, with these shows failing to earn even a single nomination.

You can read the full list of nominations HERE, but this is the breakdown for the shows listed above...

GAME OF THRONES (19 Nominations)

Outstanding Drama Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series -- Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series -- Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series -- Dame Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series -- David Benioff and D.B. Weiss -- "The Children"
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series -- Neil Marshall "-- The Watchers on the Wall"
Outstanding Interactive Program
Outstanding Art Direction for a Contemporary or Fantasy Series (Single-Camera) -- "The Laws of Gods and Men," "The Mountain and the Viper"
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series -- "Two Swords"
Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series -- "The Lion and the Rose"
Outstanding Costumes for a Series -- "The Lion and the Rose"
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series -- "The Lion and the Rose"
Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) -- "Oathkeeper"
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special -- "The Children"
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) -- Ramin Djawadi -- "The Mountain and the Viper"
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series -- "The Watchers on the Wall"
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "The Watchers on the Wall"
Outstanding Special and Visual Effects -- "The Children"
Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Miniseries or Movie

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN (17 Nominations)

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie -- Jessica Lange as Fiona Goode
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie -- Sarah Paulson as Cordelia Goode Foxx
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie -- Frances Conroy as Myrtle Snow
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie -- Kathy Bates as Madame Delphine LaLaurie
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie -- Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special -- Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk -- "Bitchcraft"
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special -- Alfonso Gomez-Rejon -- "Bitchcraft"
Outstanding Art Direction for a Period Series, Miniseries or a Movie (Single-Camera)
Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special -- "Bitchcraft"
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Movie
Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries or Movie (Non-Prosthetic)
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special
Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) -- James Levine -- "The Seven Wonders"
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special -- "Fearful Pranks Ensue"
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie -- "Fearful Pranks Ensue"

SHERLOCK (12 Nominations)

Outstanding Television Movie -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie - Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie -- Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special -- Steven Moffat -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special -- Nick Hurran -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Movie -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) -- David Arnold and Michael Price -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special -- "His Last Vow"
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie -- "His Last Vow"

FUTURAMA (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Animated Program -- "Meanwhile"
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance -- Maurice LaMarche as Calculon and Morbo -- "Calculon 2.0"

ROBOT CHICKEN (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program -- "Born Again Virgin Christmas Special"
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance -- Seth Green as various characters -- "DC Comics Special II: Villains in Paradise"

THE SIMPSONS (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance -- Harry Shearer as Kent Brockman, Mr. Burns, Younger Burns and Waylon Smithers -- "Four Regrettings and a Funeral"
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation -- "Married to the Blob"

TRUE BLOOD (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Art Direction for a Contemporary or Fantasy Series (Single-Camera) -- "At Last," "F**k the Pain Away," "In the Evening"
Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Miniseries or Movie

THE WALKING DEAD (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series -- "Too Far Gone"
Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role -- "30 Days Without an Accident"

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Special and Visual Effects -- "T.A.H.I.T.I."

ALMOST HUMAN (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Special and Visual Effects -- "Pilot"
ARCHER (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Animated Program -- "Archer Vice: The Rules of Extraction"

COMMUNITY (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series or a Variety Program

FAMILY GUY (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance -- Seth MacFarlane as Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin and Glenn Quagmire -- "In Harmony's Way" 

FLEMING: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE BOND (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie -- "Episode One"

GRIMM (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Miniseries or Movie

ONCE UPON A TIME (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Costumes for a Series -- "A Curious Thing"

REVOLUTION (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Miniseries or Movie

SLEEPY HOLLOW (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music  -- Brian Tyler and Robert Grant Lydecker

SOUTH PARK (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Animated Program -- "Black Friday"


The 66th Primetime Emmys is scheduled to air on Monday, August 25th on NBC at 8 p.m. EST.