Freaky Friday - Prometheus

With the home video release just about a week and a half away, I thought it would be good time to do a review of "Prometheus" since you can download the digital copy right now and some stores are giving the digital copy free to download today when you pre-order (hint: one of them is where I work). Anyway, I'll get a little more into this during the review, but yes Virginia, this is a prequel to "Alien" no matter how you look at it.

Summary courtesy of IMDB:

"A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race."

Prometheus (2012)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/

Technical (5) - All hail Ridley Scott's return to Sci-Fi! Seriously, though, this is the man that made two of the most influential Sci-Fi movies ever ("Alien" and "Blade Runner") and he hasn't returned to the genre in 30 years. And it's too bad, because the man knows how to make the most memorable movies. Go look at a list of the movies he's made and try and tell me you don't vividly remember something from almost every one even if you haven't seen them in a while. Sorry to ramble, but I have to say Scott is one of my all-time favorite directors. This movie is no exception. From the opening scenes, you know that you're watching magic being made. The cinematography is breathtaking, the music is flawless, and the set designs are just awesomely done. I really love the nods to the original "Alien" in almost every design, but then they are updated and changed to be more in-line with where the technology is headed. It also shows the dichotomy between the ship and crew of "Alien" being set for mining and "Prometheus" being a scientific expedition that was greatly financed. Yes CGI was used to great effect, but I love the fact that Ridley (we're on a first name basis now, didn't you know?) used old school prosthetics and animatronics to achieve his vision as well.

Dialogue/Story (4.5) - Here's where it can get a bit sticky. Again, this is a prequel, but not in the traditional sense of this one ends where "Alien" begins. In fact, "Prometheus" is a movie that gives you answers, but then gives you more questions. I think this is why so many people were disappointed in it. They wanted it all wrapped up in a neat little bow and that's just not what happened. We get to see who created the aliens and to what purpose, but the "why" is still a mystery. All the while you have human mistakes and heroism that show us for who we really are and an android that for once, doesn't want to be human. He's perfectly happy in who he is. The dialogue is very natural and flows well. I think because Ridley allowed and encouraged ad-libbing on the set. I have to dock some for a section about 3/4 through the film where it all seems a bit rushed which I blame on the studio. I'm sure the Director's Cut when it inevitably comes out will flow better.

Acting (5) - Superb. Everyone is really great in this. Even not Tom Hardy (Logan Marshall-Green) who I've been dubious about in the past was really good here. To me, the two that out shined everyone else, though, were Michael Fassbender as David the Android and Idris Elba as Janek the pilot. They both embodied their respective roles completely. And again, here was proof that Ms. Theron was not to blame in "Snow White" because she's very understated and not at all over acting in this one. Not much else can be said other than Noomi Rapace is a great successor to Sigourney Weaver's throne as a Sci-Fi queen (sorry though, Noomi, she's not giving it up easily).

Tilt (5) - I really loved it. When I saw it in the theater I had some reservations, but after seeing it again a couple of nights ago, I realized most of them were unfounded. I still think the studio screwed with what could be a complete masterpiece, but time will tell. Ridley's Director's Cuts are always so much better than the original release of the film, so why do they continue to make cuts to his movies? Ugh.

Ta-ta for now meatheads.

Game First Impression - Borderlands 2

Today's is gonna be real quick and I'll have a full review of a movie tomorrow for Freaky Friday.

I really enjoyed the first "Borderlands" once it got going and made a little sense, but never really finished it because I started to get bored and the bugs that I kept encountering just drove me a little nuts (more than usual). So with great hesitation, especially because there was no demo, I purchased it last week and have been playing it some for the last week. Just so you know, 8-10 hour gaming sessions just don't happen with me anymore because of work and the fact that my neck starts to throb then I start to get headaches (it's a medical condition I have) so this is based on mebbe 8-10 hours of gameplay total.

I like where they went with it. Claptrap is still effing annoying, but the game is much more smooth and polished this time around. The visuals got an overhaul so they still stay true to the series, but don't have such a messy "everything but the kitchen sink" feel to them. And mebbe because I played the first one, but it is a much easier game to grasp although they still don't explain how to do everything. A little trial and error is par for the course here which is standard for an RPG. Money gets plentiful pretty fast, especially if you sell of any weapons and shields you don't need at every chance you get (which you should, your inventory is not very big). The humor, however, is the best part. Handsome Jack's interjections while you're playing are just priceless. Imagine, if you will, that they made an "Archer" video game and that Archer was the main villain, then I think you get the idea.

I played to level 8 with Zero the Assassin (3rd from the left) and then tried Axton the Commando (far left) because those were the characters I was torn on. I gotta say, I like Axton much better. His special ability works better from afar than Zero's and even though Zero is supposed to be great as a sniper or close up, Axton seems to be better with the sniper role (which is how I like to play) and is better at mid-range. Close-up isn't his forte, but I prefer to not let them get that close to begin with! I think I'll continue with Axton and I'll write a full review based on that. Hopefully I can finish it before 10/9/12 because it will get dumped in favor of "Dishonored".

Top 10 Tuesday - Superhero Movies

In honor of  "The Avengers" coming out on video today, I thought I'd do my top 10 about Superhero movies (and, yes, Batman is a Superhero regardless of what some might say). At first I thought "Are there at least 10 good ones?" Then I started to name them in my head and it ended up branching out too much, so I'm leaving it at DC/Marvel Heroes (sorry "Hellboy" and "Kick Ass") that are not from Graphic Novels (sorry "Watchmen") and are not animated (sorry "Incredibles"). At some point they will maybe get their own. I upfront apologize to anyone who is a Superman fan because he isn't on here. I've never gotten into his movies that much. This one's in order. Let's start the show!

You should see your face right now...LOL. This is a bit of a joke since I wouldn't place it in my Top 10, but I really think it has gotten a really bad rap. It isn't all that bad (it isn't great or anything either, though, just decent...better than alot of other ones out there) and actually is an homage to Silver Age comics of the '60s instead of Lantern as he is now. Think about that next time you watch it.

Ok now for real:

Cracks the Top 10 merely for being a Guillermo Del Toro movie. I like the "Hellboy" movies more, but they fell out of my rules because they are by Dark Horse Comics. It is a really good movie with a really good aesthetic. The first one was merely competent, but this one was able to really have fun and hit the ground running.

DEFINITELY the best of the Spider-Man movies. The first one had alot going for it, but (because it was an origin story) took a while to get going. I'm sure the studio wouldn't let Raimi completely loose until this one and then held on too tight for the third so this one was just pure bliss.

Laugh all you want to at this one, but I still love it. Sure there are alot of goofs and gaffs in it if you're really watching, but the script is good and it's pretty damn funny. It's one of those movies where I really didn't mind the camp factor that eventually got turned to 12 in the series. Nicholson was awesome in the first one, but it really didn't have that much else going for it, this one is a nice balance of everything.

The movie which proved to movie studios that comic book movies could be smart and lucrative. Sure it took a few liberties (Bobby a student?), but what I really liked about this one is the fact that they stayed true to the heart of the X-Men franchise. It has always been an allegory for the two sides of every struggle for the identity of a "minority". Originally it was the Civil Rights movement with Professor X being MLK and Magneto being Malcom X and then it has evolved to other movements like Gay Rights. I love that they stayed true to that.

In all actuality, this is probably the most well made of the Marvel Universe movies. At least the solo ones. And talk about loads of heart, if you didn't choke up during the final scenes in the plane, you're the Tin Man. What makes this stand out is they didn't feel like he needed snappy one-liners every five seconds (they already had that with Iron Man) and kept Rogers as he really is, a genuinely good guy that all he wants to do is rid the world of bullies.

Shut up if you don't like where I put this. Time will tell on it, but having seen it twice on the big screen, I still stand by my choice. It is impeccably made and didn't shy away from ending one of the most lucrative series in the business with such finality. Tom Hardy is great as Bane, Michael Caine should get a damn Oscar, and the biggest surprise was how well Anne Hathaway was as Selina Kyle (notice they never call her Catwoman?). Awesome end to an awesome trilogy. 

Here's the movie that proved the Marvel Avenger's Universe could work. They took one of the lesser known Avengers and made a HUGE movie that could not have starred anyone but Robert Downey, Jr. because he IS Tony Stark. You immediately knew the character 5 minutes in, not from dialogue as much as attitude and swagger. I just love the fact that much of the dialogue was ad-libbed.

As much as I liked the first one, this one just blew it away in terms of story, fight scenes, and just the overall pacing of the movie. It also was kind of a setup for the movie of one of the greatest and moving storylines in comic history that was actually never made. Too bad Singer had to go and make that mediocre Superman instead of the Phoenix Saga movie...ugh. With this type of movie, though, when a director gets a much bigger budget sometimes they go overboard and do overblown scenes and special effects, but there's quite the level of restraint here which just made it that much more appealing.

Maybe this shouldn't be so damn high (probably), but this is what the last 4 years of movies have been about. This moment. It was a pretty ambitious undertaking, especially considering how "Thor" might have been received or how badly the first "Hulk" did. They really did an awesome job though. By doing all the origin stories first with small tidbits of the story to come, they were able to really hit the ground running and by reusing the villain from one of the characters they didn't have to do a long introduction there either. Really well shot with great action, cgi, and dialogue. All you could ask for in a very comic bookie adaptation.

And...was there any doubt? Flawless from start to finish. It isn't really fair to lump this one in with the rest of them since it is such a serious and gritty adaptation of comic book fare. What makes Nolan's vision of Batman so different from all the other movies on this list is how grounded in reality he makes them. I always compare this movie to one of my other favorites "Heat", not that it borrows too much or anything, but it has a similar style and pace to it that I love. And it goes without saying that although everyone was shocked at the announcement that Heath Ledger would play The Joker and no one thought he could pull it off, that was just an amazing and nuanced performance. Shades of Alex De Large, Hannibal Lecter, and even Jack Torrance. And Nolan can officially do no wrong.

Til next time meatheads.

VG Review - Darksiders II

First video game review on here and like I said before, it will not have the same structure or flow as a movie review, mainly because though you can't be totally objective about a movie, you really can't do that for a game. Everyone looks for something different in a game so I'll give you some opinions and impressions of the game and you make up your own mind.

 Darksiders II (360)

As you can see, I played this on the 360 so it may vary slightly from the PS3 version I have no idea.

I really enjoyed the first game and highly recommend playing it before this one so that the story will make a little more sense. Where the first one was fairly short outing that reminded most everyone of a Zelda game (in a very good way), Darksiders II is bigger in scope and play length (a little more on that in a moment, because it isn't necessarily a good thing) and while it still maintains a bit of the Zelda idea, it has some God of War thrown in as well as some Ninja Gaiden and like last time a tiny bit of Portal. They also were able to have a style and build to the dungeons that was all their own this time around. The environment that you start in has a very Nordic/Viking mixed with Celtic/Scottish feel to it which gives way to more independent style as you go on. Not that this opening style is too referential, it just has echos of real cultures that fade the further into the game you go. Character models are really awesome too with the over sized chunkiness of most of the characters (much like the first game) being offset by Death's relatively small and lithe stature. I did think that the texture for Death's chest was a little flat, literally, with the "3D" detail to everything else, Death's chest looks just airbrushed on, I guess it was a decision because of the changeable armors, but still.

The story is really pretty good as long as you're not looking for Biblical accuracy. I do find it interesting, however, that the Four Horseman are supposed to be Nephilim, which if you know your Bible are the offspring of Angels and the "Daughters of Men" that were one of the reasons for the Flood. Look it up, interesting stuff. Otherwise, it can be a bit much to follow from time to time, but, like I said, if you play the first game again before playing this one, you'll for the most part get it.

Game play and combat are more fluid than the style of the first game. This time Death's quickness and agility are his strengths instead of the brutish strength of War. You'll need to leap, flip, and stick & move to stay alive. You would think with this type of combat that the controls would be really responsive, but sometimes Death does things you don't want to or you end up using a potion (that are hard to come across when you need them, but plentiful when you don't) when trying to activate an ability. It is also frustrating to find short areas where you have to climb quicker than the lava is rising and if you make one little mistake, you're dead which is all the more difficult because the controls often will mess up on their own. It got better after the first patch, so hopefully they will remedy it more soon.

There's also a wide array of items and weapons to choose from with a very RPG feel to them. Unfortunately some of the stats really don't have any explanation of what they're for (i.e. Thorns?) so you just try things out until you see what you like. There are TONS of items to find and unlock from side quests and completing sets. Which leads me to my biggest complaint with the game. In order to collect all the stuff you absolutely HAVE to play twice because of a level cap on your first play through and to get the last 1/4 of the Crucible you have to hit a higher level than that. And the Crucible itself as well as The Arbiter's Maze just feel like they were tacked on to make the thing longer. I know the latter wasn't because you find directions for each level of the maze strewn about the whole game, but when you have the Crucible that is 100 levels of just wave after wave of different baddies in the same arena and the Maze that is the same room over and over with four compass direction doors with up to 10 directions to go in each level I can't help but scream "PADDING"! The early areas of the game are also really sprawling but get smaller and smaller as the game goes on, so that by the time you reach Hell, you've only got one medium sized dungeon and that's it.

Overall, I really liked the game and look forward to the next one, but it wasn't without flaws. They tried to do some different and interesting things compared to the first one and really soared with some, but failed in others. If you liked Part 1, make sure you play this one and, if not, give the first one a try then pick this one up if you like it.

PS-Playing Borderlands 2 right now and am really liking it so far. Review to follow. Any suggestions for a Top 10 list for Tuesday?

Freky Friday-The Cabin In The Woods

Today's review is probably going to be pretty short because I don't want to give anything away about this movie since spoiling anything would take away 1/2 the fun of the movie. I regrettably did not see this movie in the theaters and after seeing it on BluRay, I kick myself.

Summary courtesy of IMDB:

"Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods."

The Cabin In The Woods (2011)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259521/

Technical (4.5) - A little bit of a back story on this movie. It was actually made in 2009 for a measly $30 Million, which is about average for a horror film, but not for one of this caliber. This was the directorial debut of a Joss Whedon prodigy (Drew Goddard) from his "Buffy" days, but you'd never know he'd never directed before (I'm sure Joss helped quite a bit, but he wasn't always there) because it is really masterfully done. Then Lionsgate shelved the project to do a post-convert to 3-D against Whedon and Goddard's wishes. Eventually they saw the error of their ways and put it out, probably in no small part because of Chris Hemsworth's sudden rise to fame. As I said, this is horror film making at it's best. Especially because they didn't use a whole mess of CGI unless they had to. That's where it struggles a bit towards the end is when the CGI parts start happening and hence the .5 deduction, but otherwise it's done very well. There's also something that I should put here, but I'll put it in the next section because there won't be a whole lot to write there lol.

Dialogue/Story (5) - Here's where "Cabin" shines the most. I can't say much, but it really turns your the tropes and stereotypes of a horror movie on its head and is pretty funny to boot. Think of how "Scream" did it and you'll get the idea. Another thing that was really awesome was the myriad of references to other horror movies that just seem to be everywhere. The most obvious and pervasive is that of "Evil Dead", but you'll get "Hellraiser", "Wrong Turn", "Night Of The Living Dead", and even a quick "The Shining" reference. It is obvious that it was written by horror fans for horror fans. "Cabin" always seems to be an homage and never a caricature which is a hell of a feat considering the style, tone, and scope of this film.

Acting (4) - Ok, this is where it gets a little odd. Watching a horror movie for the acting is like watching a porno for the acting. It's just stupid. There's some great names in this one, though, and they all bring their "A" game. Brad Whitford and Richard Jenkins are just superb and really, really funny. Hemsworth is pretty damn good, but the rest of the "kids" are only ok. Nothing to write home about. A surprise cameo towards the end will have Geeks squealing and is done pretty well.

Tilt (5) - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Especially while playing "Spot the reference"! "Cabin" surely isn't for everyone, but if you like horror movies and enjoy an interesting story instead of just buckets and buckets of blood and torture devices this is a movie you're going to want to see.

Total Score - (4.63)

I think that's the 2nd highest yet!

Review-Snow White & The Huntsman

I decided to do "The Cabin In The Woods" tomorrow as a Freaky Friday, so today you get "The Wooden Girl And The Hun...Snow White & The Huntsman"! This is one of those rarities when I bought a movie having not seen it on the recommendation of others. See how that went in the tilt.

Here we have a retelling of the classic Snow White tale just with a take that makes it easier to swallow for modern audiences, so I won't bore you with a summary of the plot.

Snow White & The Huntsman (2012)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1735898/

Technical (4) - A competent job from the director, although I feel like we've tread much of this ground before. At times it reminds you of LOTR and others Harry Potter (the Queen is a Dementor!) which is ok, just those movies did it so much better. I absolutely have to dock a whole point for something I will discuss in the Acting section, but I have to place the blame on the director. The costume design and set design are really spectacular, especially on the Queen. What really makes it stand out is the CGI. It is really well done and has some very intriguing and inventive things going on like the "glass warriors" and the Dwarves.

Dialogue/Story (3) - Everything here is pretty competent if not a little random and overly sappy in parts. There are a few holes such as: If all she's gotta do is suck some girl dry, why is she old and crumpled on the floor until she just up and remembers "The Dungeon!"? Or why didn't she try this shape shifting crap earlier? What the hell is this unicorn and what the hell is it to tell us that Snow White is actually Neo? Minor quibbles, but stuff I think about none-the-less.

Acting (2) - Here's where it all kinda falls apart. You have a great cast of actors (including some really great people as the Dwarves) with one glaring exception, but they're told by the director to "ham it up" or "over act". That's the only explanation I can understand, because with the exception of Hemsworth and Stewart (more on that in a sec), that's what you're getting. It's especially notable in Theron who is known for being understated and never over-the-top campy. Here she's chewing scenery like she absolutely needs it to survive. Stewart is actually kinda refreshing here because she shows TWO EMOTIONS!!! That's right people! SHE SMILES...TWICE. And then broods most of the rest of the time. Bitch can't even look scared when she's supposed to. Ugh. I can't with her anymore.

Tilt (3) - Despite all this, I really didn't think the movie was all that bad. It was what it was meant to be: a "popcorn flick". Something you watch to pass the time and then forget once it's over. Not meant to be scrutinized. So that's why I'm pissed I bought it. I won't watch it again. And how the hell are they gonna make 3 of these?

Total Score (3)

And for the record, I haven't seen "Mirror, Mirror" yet. But I will.

Top 10 Tuesday +2-Horror Movies

Tonight I watched "Cabin In The Woods" (review to come tomorrow), which incidentally came out on DVD and BluRay today, and in honor of that as well as the fact that Halloween is a mere month and a half away I thought I would do my top 10 favorite horror movies. Then I started my list and realized I HAD to have 12. So sue me.

As usual, these are not in any particular order, although my #1 will definitely be last. There's lots of other movies I could have put on here that I really like and many that I don't really see as "horror" per se (I'm looking at you, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" which I feel is the best vampire movie ever, but is a drama, not a horror movie). I know some people will have a problem with some of these, but I really don't care. My list, not yours.

Not that crappy prequel either. This is just an awesome example of what you don't see is scarier than what you do see. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some great special effects for the time of the monster and transformations, but what really makes the movie is the unsettling idea that anyone in the movie could be "infected" at any given time.


















I count these as one since 2 is kind of a remake of 1. The first one was a straight up horror film and the sequel basically was a send-up of the first one with some great Sam Rami sight gags. Both are classics in their own right and started the career of the one and only Bruce Campbell. 'Nuff said.

Say what you want, but this is one I watch every October. Another wonderful example of what you don't see is spookier. When you're having the Devil's baby you'd think there would be all sorts of demons hanging around, objects floating, and stuff like that, but here it is just a bunch of unsettling things that involve somewhat normal experiences that just turn more and more unsettling as the movie goes on.

Second best vampire movie of all time, but the best vampire horror movie. It doesn't stray from the vampire lore, but gives it a modern, urban neighborhood spin. It has this wonderful mix of "Dracula" and "Rear Window" that just works amazingly well. The sequel was great too.

I know what you're gonna say, but too bad. Yes it was a stroke of marketing genius that made this movie bigger than it had any right to be, but it still creeps me out. The acting is actually really good and it's really amazing how they could keep your attention and make you feel for these characters. It started the trend of "found footage" horror and that damn shaky camera, but here it works to a wonderful effect. The build up to that last 15 minutes is all worth it too. And next time you watch it, listen for that creepy hum in the background in the last scene...gives me chills.

Screw "Aliens". Ridley did it all better the first time around. A claustrophobic masterpiece that started a franchise that still is churning out intelligent Sci-Fi to this day. Sure there was a stumble or two along the way (cough Aliens 3 cough), but this one has some of the most unforgettable imagery in horror history like exploding chests and aliens hiding in ductwork in the background that you haven't noticed for the last 15 minutes...an absolute classic.

Most of you have probably never seen this movie, which is a real shame. It has one of the best endings of a movie ever and is a prime example of the '80s slasher flick. The acting is not particularly great, but who watches these types of horror movies for the acting? Just don't watch the remake...blech.

 I know many people complained about the whole "astral projection" thing, but I thought it was a great thing to base the movie on. Sure the last 10 minutes are a little disappointing in how the "Lipstick Demon" chases them and stuff, but everything leading up to that is just creepy as hell. My dog stares at the corners of the ceiling now which really gives me the heebie jeebies.

I don't to hear it. "Scream" was the rebirth of the slasher flick and is one of those defining of a generation movies. Yes the sequels were uneven at best, but this one was self-referential, witty, and pretty damn gory too. It set off a whole slew of copycat movies and the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" franchise which actually wasn't that bad in its own right.

They got progressively more stupid with each progressive movie (except "New Nightmare" which wasn't too bad), but the idea that you could be killed when you are your most vulnerable makes it hard to watch this one and NOT have nightmares. Creative with its kills and the way that reality slips into a dream state without you realizing it sometimes just makes it work so well. The remake was awful.

 Ok, I have an admission here. I've never been a big fan of the shambling zombie genre. I like "The Walking Dead", but it's the character examination I like about that one. "28 Days Later" is arguably not a zombie movie because of it being based on a virus outbreak. That's what makes it scarier: it could potentially happen. This one started the whole running zombies idea and just has some of the eeriest images (all I have to say is the church).

 Here we have my top horror movie of all time. Gives me the creeps even to this day and I watch it every Halloween for that reason. The potential reality of it makes it even scarier still. There have been lots of possession movies over the years, but none hold a candle to the original (although I do like "Exorcist III" and "Exorcism Of Emily Rose"). The voice, the pea soup, the Crucifix.... It just amazes me that the black and white face that you only see for a few frames the entire movie is still one of the spookiest images in film history.

Tuesday Top 10 - 007

This week, in honor of Bond's 50th (yes, that's 50th) Anniversary of coming to the big screen, I'm going to list my Top 10 favorite Bond films. Note that Daniel Craig isn't anywhere near this list. And, yes, these are in order:

The one that started it all. Bond was introduced to the world here and Sean Connery IS Bond. You can argue all you want about the others, but no one else comes close in my book. He just exudes a confidence and swagger you just don't see with most of the others. In this one most of the Bond staples (and later cliches) begin and every time I see it I geek out.

My favorite Roger Moore Bond film is also his first. It isn't quite as campy as his other outings. Sure, it has its moments, but overall this is a really edgy and different Bond than we had seen before. It introduced Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (Jane Seymore) to the world as more than just to sell baby food (look it up). This is also one of, if not the best, Bond theme of all time.

How do you follow up a runaway hit like "Dr. No"? By killing the main character in the opening scene! You've heard of the carpet matching the drapes? Well Bond says "As long as the collar matches the cuffs..." LOL. Here's where "Inspector Gadget" gets many of it's tropes (the baddie with the cat, SPECTRE). A really FUN Bond movie.

Pierce Brosnan becomes Connery's heir apparent in this one. Brosnan's were a little hit and miss, but all the targets were hit with this one. Combine it with the game that my college friends and I basically wasted all our Freshman and Sophomore year playing and you've got a winner, winner, chicken dinner! With all the over-the-top camp of Moore and the too hard-edged outings (for most) of Dalton, this one struck the balance just right.

Goldfinger is probably the most glorified of Bond films because of many factors. Not least of which, is that it's a really well made movie. Here we're introduced to Pussy Galore (pretty racy for the '60s), Oddjob, and the third most famous line in Bond history "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" behind "Bond, James Bond" and "Shaken, not stirred". And no, the woman didn't die from the paint.

This one is as campy as I get. And it says a lot that much of "Goldmember" is actually taken from the concepts of this movie. It's still really good and again, very different from the ones before it. Honestly, each movie was different with Connery, but once we moved on to Moore, they started to get a little formulaic from time to time.

Another really good Brosnan one, Christmas Jones not withstanding. LOL. It opens with my second favorite Bond theme done by Garbage and it never really lets up. It has good action, twists and turns, and the best baddie since Blofeld (in my humble opinion). It also showed how even the greatest spy could get the wool pulled over his eyes.

I love the tagline on the right. Hehehe. This one's on here for one thing alone. The introduction of "Q". That is all.

Dalton got a really bad wrap for his depiction of Bond. What pisses me off is that he was doing the same thing Craig has tried to do: not be so witty and lighthearted. This was a darker, grittier Bond that came during a time of excess and people wanting fluff. After Moore's last couple of outings, I think the Broccolis wanted a kind of palette cleanser. And they got it. Maybe I have a soft spot for this one because it is the first one I remember watching in the theater, but I think it is a really underrated film in the franchise. The nail in Dalton's coffin, however, came with "License To Kill" which was like watching an episode of "Miami Vice". SMH.

Widely considered the best Moore Bond film. I'm hesitant to say that because it still rings a little campy in comparison to "Live and Let Die". A really good outing though.