The Counselor

I haven’t watched any of the other movies made after Cormac McCarthy’s books, but he made my list now. This is the first time he writes a screenplay directly (so there is no book for this), and I thought he did a great job.

The movie got some bad reviews, and there are some good arguments there: it’s slow paced, all the characters talk as if they’re philosophy graduates (although I understand that’s one of his characteristics) and you don’t get the motivation behind the action, just the results. However, I would argue that the dialogue is amazing, the acting is good and the morality of it all is not questionable.

Michael Fassbender, the lead, has fallen off my „hot guys” list some time ago. This movie did not put him back, but it did remind me that he is a good actor. You could say that about Javier Bardem as well. Also, it was the first time that Penelope Cruz and her stupid accent did not annoy me – she was actually nice to look at.

The queen of the movie was, undoubtedly, Cameron Diaz. Now, let’s just get it out, I don’t care how much porn you’ve watched, that scene where she fucks with a car is incredible. I was in full movie theater and people got up and left. „Like I’m sitting there reading e-mails!” – that alone is worth the 117 minutes of the movie.

That and learning what a bollito is. The first time it’s mentioned, you now some gruesome scene is coming, but you have to wait for it…

 

Skyfall (James Bond 23)

No 23…eee, e ceva :). Daniel Craig a inceput sa fie James Bond in 2006, cu Casino Royale. Filmul ala prezenta un James Bond tanar si mai aventuros decat de obicei. 6 ani mai tarziu (si un film ceva mai prost la mijloc), spionul lui Craig este deja cam batran (cu toate astea, e deja „asignat” pt filmele 24 si 25). Blasfemie, ar zice Pierce Brosnan, care nu s-a sfiit sa spuna ca el ar fi preferat sa mai filmeze niste Bond inainte sa predea stafeta. (Si, intre noi fie vorba, nu are mutra de camionagiu a lui Craig.)

Criticii au spus ca asta e posibil sa fie cel mai bun film din serie. Hai sa nu exageram! E drept, filmul e bun, are tot ce-i trebuie si nu se abate de la regula: tras de par, super-erou la costum, drama din plin, etc. O nelamurire (si mic spoiler): ce se intampla totusi cu lista aia de la inceputul filmului, mi s-a parut mie sau a ramas pierduta in umbra subiectului mai important?

Judi Dench este in continuare M, si are si un psihopat pe urme. Personajul negativ este interpretat de Javier Bardem. Tipul o fi un actor grozav, dar eu nu vreau sa mai vad niciun film cu el! Aici este mai mult decat sinistru, si asa sunt mai toate rolurile lui. Cica primul erou negativ gay din seria Bond…chiar era nevoie de unul?!

Acum, fetele: mi s-a parut ca Berenice Marlohe a fost promovata mai mult decat Naomie Harris, si nu inteleg de ce – are un rol mai scurt si cam lipsit de substanta. Plus ca englezoaica e mult mai draguta. Dar trecem cu vederea daca e sa-mi amintesc ce frantuzoaice au fost promovate la Holywood in ultimul timp (Cotillard si Tautou, really?).

2 actori importanti s-au adaugat distributiei: Ralph Fiennes, surprinzator de placut, si Ben Whishaw in rolul unui Q adorabil, pe care ma si vad luandu-l la bataie. Sper sa-i vad si in filmele urmatoare.

Cel mai tare aspect: coordonata Skyfall. Nu va spun de la ce e, mi-a placut la nebunie povestea ei si faptul ca au indraznit sa mearga pana acolo. A fost un twist la care nu ma asteptam, si a trecut ceva timp de cand un film m-a luat prin surprindere asa.

Pe final va las cu melodia, probabil un clasic in devenire. Enjoy!