Quantum of Solace
Went out with a friend and saw Quantum of Solace tonight. Thoughts:
• OMG Star Trek trailer! ZQ looked impressive, as did Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, and the oh hai thar split second of Bruce Greenwood (meh, I’m a fan). It’s so much better live and not on Youtube.
• The opening chase really wasn’t that great, but I personally counted Bond’s badass henchman chase through the city culminating in a ropes and pulleys quick-draw as part of it, seeing as how it was literally like a minute after the opening credit sequence.
• Speaking of the credits, they’re a beautiful use of the current iPod commercial/website design trend (silhouettes with features outlined in light, acidic blue and orange and red color schemes-hard to describe but I know it when I see it. It was in Coldplay's Viva La Vida Apple commercial). And I loved the theme, Jack White dueting with Alicia Keys, wow.
• Bond in Mourning: I think that it’s interesting with this kind of repressed character; he has nowhere else to channel his anger but controlled vengeance sprees where he certainly gets the job done but not at a level up to par (ie. he keeps getting important bad guys/leads killed, defeating the purpose of his pursuits). The thing is, you know how something tragic can happen in the end of a movie or TV season, and then next time we cut to a few months later where everyone is not necessarily well-adjusted to the tragedy but they're at least making some steps forward? I feel like this film was the interim for JB. Was it necessary to see his pursuit come to nothing? To the viewer (and me personally) it feels slightly pointless. But at the same time it’s necessary; he’s not at all meant to have a happy ending, he’s tragic in that regard. I feel the impact of that letdown for him was dampened, though. Like the whole movie built up to it but you don’t even get to see him get his answer. Was that the point, maybe? Were they trying to understate the high drama of James Bond’s true love truly betraying him, because then it would be obvious and that much more painful? I don’t know. I’m trying to make sense of it, because I wasn’t satisfied by the ending and I’d like to know why, but...eh. What the hell do I know about subtlety in film?
• I liked the movie, but it wasn’t particularly impactful. Casino Royale was better in that respect and overall.
• Still don’t get the title. The Quantum was the criminal organization? Criminal organization of solace?
• OMG Star Trek trailer! ZQ looked impressive, as did Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, and the oh hai thar split second of Bruce Greenwood (meh, I’m a fan). It’s so much better live and not on Youtube.
• The opening chase really wasn’t that great, but I personally counted Bond’s badass henchman chase through the city culminating in a ropes and pulleys quick-draw as part of it, seeing as how it was literally like a minute after the opening credit sequence.
• Speaking of the credits, they’re a beautiful use of the current iPod commercial/website design trend (silhouettes with features outlined in light, acidic blue and orange and red color schemes-hard to describe but I know it when I see it. It was in Coldplay's Viva La Vida Apple commercial). And I loved the theme, Jack White dueting with Alicia Keys, wow.
• Bond in Mourning: I think that it’s interesting with this kind of repressed character; he has nowhere else to channel his anger but controlled vengeance sprees where he certainly gets the job done but not at a level up to par (ie. he keeps getting important bad guys/leads killed, defeating the purpose of his pursuits). The thing is, you know how something tragic can happen in the end of a movie or TV season, and then next time we cut to a few months later where everyone is not necessarily well-adjusted to the tragedy but they're at least making some steps forward? I feel like this film was the interim for JB. Was it necessary to see his pursuit come to nothing? To the viewer (and me personally) it feels slightly pointless. But at the same time it’s necessary; he’s not at all meant to have a happy ending, he’s tragic in that regard. I feel the impact of that letdown for him was dampened, though. Like the whole movie built up to it but you don’t even get to see him get his answer. Was that the point, maybe? Were they trying to understate the high drama of James Bond’s true love truly betraying him, because then it would be obvious and that much more painful? I don’t know. I’m trying to make sense of it, because I wasn’t satisfied by the ending and I’d like to know why, but...eh. What the hell do I know about subtlety in film?
• I liked the movie, but it wasn’t particularly impactful. Casino Royale was better in that respect and overall.
• Still don’t get the title. The Quantum was the criminal organization? Criminal organization of solace?