Movie Night: Dracula's Daughter.

Review #297: Dracula's Daughter.

Cast
Otto Kruger (Dr. Jeffrey Garth), Gloria Holden (Marya Zaleska), Marguerite Churchill (Janet), Edward Van Sloan (Van Helsing), Gilbert Emery (Basil Humphrey), Irving Pichel (Sandor), Halliwell Hobbes (Hawkins), Billy Bevan (Albert), and Nan Grey (Lili) Directed by Lambert Hillyer.

Review
This is one of those "Wait, there was a sequel to this?" kind of film, having been a sequel of Dracula (#71), released 5 years it, with no Lugosi (Except one wax model of him), but Van Sloan is back as Van Helsing (misspelled as Von Helsing, but whatever), which is a plus. The acting is ranges from good to okay, depending on the actor/actress. Kruger and Holden do a good job, along with Van Sloan, as he was back in Dracula. Churchill is okay, but not much else other then a small annoyance. The rest of the actors are all alright, doing a standard yet useful job. There are a few scares, but not as chilling as the first one or as mysterious. It is slightly original, not really based off any novels (Okay it was actually based off a short story, but it apparently didn't take any of the story's plot), but it is short enough to run a suddenly short length of 71 minutes. In the end, while the film does have some good moments that might work, it is slightly bogged down by sluggish pace at times and a weird pace of story. Not bad, but not great either. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A View to a Kill.

Review #296: A View to a Kill.

Cast
Roger Moore (James Bond), Christopher Walken (Max Zorin), Tanya Roberts (Stacey Sutton), Grace Jones (May Day), Patrick Macnee (Godfrey Tibbett), Patrick Bauchau (Scarpine), David Yip (Chuck Lee), Willoughby Gray (Carl Mortner), Fiona Fullerton (Pola Ivanova), Manning Redwood (Bob Conley), Alison Doody (Jenny Flex), Robert Brown (M), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny), and Geoffrey Keen (Fredrick Gray) Directed by John Glen (#281 - The Living Daylights and #290 - Licence to Kill)

Review
A View to a Kill was the 7th and final Bond film for Roger Moore, who had been Bond for 12 years, the longest tenure of them all. But is this any good? Well, if this is meant to be Moore's last one, it definitely shows. This is one of those films where it has some good things, but is then bogged by flaws among flaws. I'll start with the villains first for example. Grace Jones is good, giving the aura of delightful villainy, reminding me (slightly) of Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me. But I find a slight problem with this, and it is not her that's the problem, it's the simple act of turning her good. Why does the (secondary) villain have to turn good? Is it meant to be symbolic? My answer would probably the same one the writer thought: Why not? But oh well. And then there's Christopher Walken. First off, I find him very good in some parts, and yet baffling in others. He does give off the look of a deranged yet smart villain and yet sometimes it looks like he's going to burst out in laughter. He's a fun villain, even if he doesn't get much of a fight with Bond. Tanya Roberts (the leading lady) is...okay. Though she does have some range of attempting to act, the dialogue sometimes just ranges to only "James!" "Save me!" I know it sounds off of me to say it, but it is better for the leading lady to do more then just scream, though at least Roberts is better then Britt Eckland (Mary Goodnight) in The Man with the Golden Gun. And then there's Roger Moore, in his swansong. I'll let this quote that he said of him in the film sum it up: "I was only about four hundred years too old for the part." Actually, he is good enough here, not horrible, but not as good as he was in The Spy Who Loved Me. The action is alright, with some good locations used, but the film is hampered by a mediocre first half. While the film has some good points, it is hampered severely at times, and it under uses the actors. And yet? I find it to be not the worst Bond film. Granted, it's not good, but it isn't the worst. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Boy Named Charlie Brown.

Review #295: A Boy Named Charlie Brown.

Cast
Peter Robbins (Charlie Brown), Pamelyn Ferdin (Lucy Van Pelt), Glenn Gilger (Linus Van Pelt), Andy Pforsich (Schroeder), Sally Dryer (Patty), Bill Melendez (Snoopy), Ann Altieri (Violet), and Erin Sullivan (Sally Brown) Directed by Bill Meléndez.

Review
On November 26, 1922, Charles M. Schulz was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Schulz created Peanuts, arguably the most famous comic strip ever produced, which ran for nearly 50 years, which to me is very impressive. 90 years after his birth, Peanuts still lives on in reruns, TV specials, and films, such as this. This is the first feature film based on the Peanuts comic strip, released in 1969. For a film with child actors and for 1969, this is still an achievement, especially in the animation department. The animation is colorful but still very useful, not detracting from the film. The acting is alright, Robbins does a good job, conveying the character of Charlie Brown very well. The film has a theme of defeat, and yet it still manages to be sincere and optimistic as well. (along with teaching the spelling rule of I before E except after C) Charlie Brown was always my favorite Peanuts character, and this film gives a chance (like most specials) to make him truly shine, no matte how bad he might lose by. Happy Birthday, Mr. Schulz. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: How to Train Your Dragon.

Review #294: How to Train Your Dragon.

Cast
Jay Baruchel (Hiccup Haddock), Gerard Butler (Stoick the Vast), America Ferrera (Astrid), Craig Ferguson (Gobber the Belch), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Fishlegs), Jonah Hill (Snotlout), T.J. Miller (Tuffnut), Kristen Wiig (Ruffnut), and David Tennant (Spitelout) Directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois.

Review
This is the 14th Dreamworks Animation film (which I will not list as that will probably be too annoying to do for the people who want to just read the review) that I've reviewed, and they have ranged from fun stuff to...near unsatisfying (okay one reference: Shark Tale). But is this any good? Not to spoil anything, but...Yea. The story at times is imaginative (based off a novel of the same name by Cressida Cowell), which gives this film a edge that some of the Dreamworks films don't have. The acting's good, especially by Butler and Ferguson (though largely due to how much fun he has with the role). But what I find the most fun is the dragons and how they visually look, especially Toothless. The characters are decent, even having some funny dialogue at times. The action is entertaining, and combined with exceptional directing make for an excellent film. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Live and Let Die.

Review #293: Live and Let Die.

Cast
Roger Moore (James Bond), Yaphet Kotto (Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big), Jane Seymour (Solitaire), Julius Harris (Tee Hee Johnson), David Hedison (Felix Leiter), Gloria Hendry (Rosie Carver), Clifton James (J.W. Pepper), Geoffrey Holder (Samedi), Bernard Lee (M), Roy Stewart (Quarrel Jr) Directed by Guy Hamilton (#280 - Diamonds Are Forever, #289 - The Man with the Golden Gun, and #291 - Goldfinger)

Review
This was the eighth Bond film, two years after the love it or hate it Diamonds Are Forever. In a way, this is like a trilogy, three straight films in order by the same director all with James Bond. But is this any better then the other two? Yes...and no. This was Roger Moore's first film as James Bond (Even though this is the third review of him as James Bond, sorry for the reviewing paradox), and he does a reasonable job, making the role slowly turn into his own, away from Connery (and Lazenby), which is a good thing. It's a shame that the film around him isn't exactly "good", though. Its plot lines are weird at points, making me wonder if I watching a Bond film or one of those random 70's films you might find in a cheap DVD pack. And that's another flaw of the film, it's dated at some points. (The fashion, the club locations, even the dialogue at times) What does dated mean exactly? It means that over time a film doesn't look as good as it might've been in its time, instead it looks like only a product of the 70's and not much else. The villain is not very impressive nowadays compared to other villains the Bond series has had (Goldfinger, Blofeld, Klebb, Jaws, even Franz Sanchez), and his henchmen Tee Hee reminds me too much of Dr. No, who wasn't exactly impressive to being with. The leading lady (Also known as the Bond girl, but I thought that would be weird to say) is excellent, having a purpose and being noteworthy enough to escape just being a girl who Bond saves. I'd almost forgotten that Q isn't in this film, and he usually provided some sort of fun, even if it was for one or two scenes. The action is mildly enjoyable. In the end, this film might be a step up or a small misstep for the Bond franchise, not being horrible, but not being very good either. At least Moore would have better opportunities as Bond. I think. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Overall, I give it 007 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Spy Who Loved Me.

Review #292: The Spy Who Loved Me.

Cast
Roger Moore (James Bond), Barbara Bach (Anya Amasova), Curd Jürgens (Karl Stromberg), Richard Kiel (Jaws), Caroline Munro (Naomi), Walter Gotell (General Gogol), Bernard Lee (M), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny), and Geoffrey Keen (Fredrick Gray) Directed by Lewis Gilbert.

Review
Three years after the not so great success of The Man with the Golden Gun (#289), a new film would be released (coincidentally on an anniversary year as 1977 was the 15th Anniversary of James Bond's first film, Dr. No - #150), but is it any better? Does Moore have more substance? Yea. Pretty much. What I like about this film is that the absurdities aren't as highlighted as in other films. The action works well that is even more helped by Jaws (played by Richard Kiel), a henchman of Stromberg with metal teeth. (One scene that seals is for me is when he actually manages to survive an encounter with a shark with his teeth) One thing I'll mention is the submarine car, which adds to the inventiveness of the story, even if it's there for one scene. The rest of the cast is excellent, especially Bach and Jurgens. Moore does an excellent job, more improved from the last one and more (or less) a substantial Bond.  This is one of the better Bonds, and possibly the best Moore film as James Bond. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Goldfinger.

Review #291: Goldfinger.

Cast
Sean Connery (James Bond), Gert Fröbe (Auric Goldfinger), Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore), Harold Sakata (Oddjob), Cec Linder (Felix Leiter), Bernard Lee (M), Martin Benson (Mr. Solo), Tania Mallet (Tilly Masterson), Shirley Eaton (Jill Masterson), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), and Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by Guy Hamilton (#280 - Diamonds Are Forever and #289 -The Man with the Golden Gun)

Review
Goldfinger was the third Bond film, released a year after the success of From Russia with Love (#277), but is this better then that film? That is debatable, but either way Goldfinger is a good film. Connery does a fine job yet again, being consistent in his portrayal of Bond. Frobe does an excellent job as the third villain of the series (Third of many), being more down to earth, and yet still threatening. The motifs of gold are a bit subtle. (This would be parodied in #134 - Austin Powers in Goldmember) But what I find excellent is Harold Sakata as Oddjob. The way he moves and used that hat without saying words is truly a sight to see. The action is good for the most part, entertaining and yet useful. Blackman does a good job as the leading lady, alluring and interesting. While there might be some humor, it does not get in the way of the plot. This is a film that still works after over 40 years, and with style indeed. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Licence to Kill.

Review #290: Licence to Kill.

Cast
Timothy Dalton (James Bond), Robert Davi (Franz Sanchez), Carey Lowell (Pam Bouvier), Talisa Soto (Lupe Lamora), Anthony Zerbe (Milton Krest), Frank McRae (Sharkey), Everett McGill (Ed Killifer), Wayne Newton (Joe Butcher), Benicio del Toro (Dario), Anthony Starke (Truman-Lodge), Pedro Armendáriz, Jr (Hector Lopez), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), David Hedison (Felix Leiter), Priscilla Barnes (Della Churchill), Robert Brown (M), and Caroline Bliss (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by John Glen (#281 - The Living Daylights)

Review
Two years after the success of The Living Daylights (#281), this film was the sixteenth Bond film, and the last for 6 years. But does that nescessary mean that's bad? No, not really. The original title for this was Licence Revoked, but it was changed due to people being confused. (Revoked being a common American phrase for the withdrawal of a driving licence. Weird, but yeah.) Honestly, the title Licence to Kill emphasizes the darker, edgier attempt at Bond. But another question is does that attempt work? Yes...and no. The story is more back in reality, more then the last one, and even more then in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (#279), which is admirable. The violence is more prevailent, and it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It's a give and take ki of thing. Though I do like the truck sequences, that's a load of fun. Dalton is more improved here, more darker and yet still interesting. The rest of the actors range from good (Robert Davi) to...odd (Wayne Newton), though the leading ladies are good (Carey Loweel and Talisa Soto), so the cast is relatively good. I find this film to be better then The Living Daylights, as it is more defined in its main character and action. It is a good film (for the most part, though this is one of those give or take films) that got plagued with bad luck as this would be the last film for Timothy Dalton as James Bond due to 6 years of troubles that would lead to a new actor taking over. (Pierce Brosnan, who've I reviewed in all 4 of his films as James Bond: #171-#174) While it isn't a great Bond film, it is still one of the stronger Bond films. So how was Dalton in his two films? He was actually like how Daniel Craig is as Bond today, an edgier Bond (Which some have compared to the incarnation of the books) that worked for the most part. Guess what's around the corner? Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars. REDUX: Rating now updated to 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Man with the Golden Gun.

Review #289: The Man with the Golden Gun.

Cast
Roger Moore (James Bond), Christopher Lee (Francisco Scaramanga), Britt Ekland (Mary Goodnight), Maud Adams (Andrea Anders), Hervé Villechaize (Nick Nack), Richard Loo (Hai Fat), Soon-Tek Oh (Lieutenant Hip), Clifton James (J.W. Pepper), Bernard Lee (M), Marc Lawrence (Rodney), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Marne Maitland (Lazar), and Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by Guy Hamilton (#280 - Diamonds Are Forever)

Review
The Man with the Golden Gun was the ninth film in the James Bond series based off the 13th novel of the book series by Ian Fleming, though the film doesn't have much to do with the novel (This doesn't hurt the film though as the films usually don't have that much accuracy anyway). And I finally get to talk about Roger Moore as James Bond. How is he? Well....Let me get to that later. Christopher Lee (I should make a game of how many times I review him in a film with him either being there or being the villain) is decent (He's been Dracula, a Baskerville, a Wonka, Dooku, The Creature, and a voice of the Jabberwocky in his career. Impressive.), probably more interesting then the plot. What's the plot? Something about solar power and a man with the golden gun (title drop), almost as thin as Diamonds Are Forever. The dialogue is meh, but the attempts at comedy are even more mediocre, which doesn't mesh well with the action. Ekland is...surprisingly clumsy (One scene I can't believe involves her not being able to see a button that is bright red), again almost as "eh" as Jill St. John in (again) Diamonds Are Forever. So how is Roger Moore? Well...He's relatively okay. He's not a suave type of Bond, but a more "roll with it" Bond. Roger Moore would be James Bond for 12 years (The longest run for a Bond, with 7 movies from 1973-1985), with this film being a slight misfire for the Bond franchise.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Up.

Review #288: Up.

Cast
Ed Asner (Carl Fredricksen), Jordan Nagai (Russell), Bob Peterson (Dug), Christopher Plummer (Charles F. Muntz), Pete Docter (Kevin), Elizabeth Docter (Ellie), Delroy Lindo (Beta), Jerome Ranft (Gamma), and John Ratzenberger (Tom) Directed by Pete Docter (#074 - Monsters, Inc.) and Bob Peterson.

Review
This is the 6th Pixar film I've reviewed here (#074 - Monsters, Inc, #153 - The Incredibles, #155 - Finding Nemo, #158 - Ratatouille, #222 - WALL-E.), the previous five were very good, none having a rating below 9/10. Does this continue the trend? I think you know the answer if you've seen the film: Yeah, pretty much. Asner does a great job, making the character range from grumbling to even smiling at times. Also I love the fact he resembles Spencer Tracy, giving him an even more good look. There is some action, which reminds me an old adventure (especially with the zeppelin. There is even a newsreel at the beginning). But what gives the film its ultimate edge is its emotional depth. The scene between Carl and his wife Ellie is really warming and touching with a bit of tear inducing all into one, and that's a bit rare in films. Before I forget, the animation is excellent, which helps give more of an adventurous theme in a strange place. In the end, this is a triumph for Pixar that is a film for everyone.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Borrowers.

Review #287: The Borrowers.

Cast
John Goodman (Ocious P. Potter), Jim Broadbent (Pod Clock), Bradley Pierce (Pete Lender), Celia Imrie (Homily Clock), Flora Newbigin (Arrietty Clock), Tom Felton (Peagreen Clock), Mark Williams (Jeff), Raymond Pickard (Spud Spiller), and Hugh Laurie (Oliver Steady) Directed by Peter Hewitt (#022 - Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey)

Review
To begin with, this was based off the book of the same name (Which apparently had four more books after that) by Mary Norton. (Yet another review of a film adpated from a book) The acting is reasonably good, with John Goodman doing the best job (Last reviewed in #074 - Monsters, Inc.), along with Broadbent (Last reviewed in #87 - Robots and...#124 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.) and...Tom Felton...and Mark Williams. Huh- And Hugh Laurie. Probably just an odd, odd coincidence. Woah, I got way off topic here. Anyway, the effects are good enough, even being a bit imaginative at times. Its story is decent enough to run a (once again) decent length of 89 minutes. In the end, after nearly 15 years this a hidden gem.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Lawrence of Arabia.

Review #286: Lawrence of Arabia.

Cast
Peter O'Toole (T. E. Lawrence), Alec Guinness (Prince Faisel), Anthony Quinn (Auda abu Tayi), Jack Hawkins (Allenby), Omar Sharif (Ali ibn el Kharish), José Ferrer (Turkish Bey), Anthony Quayle (Harry Brighton), Claude Rains (Mr. Dryden), Arthur Kennedy (Jackson Bentley), and Donald Wolfit (General Murray) Directed by David Lean.

Review
This film is based off the life of T. E. Lawrence, who is played by Peter O'Toole. (who I've reviewed...Mostly: #158 - Ratatouille. Come to think of it, this is the first time I've reviewed Alec Guinness in anything other then Star Wars Episodes IV-VI - #113-#115.) O'Toole does a good job, but what seals the deal for me is the eyes. The eyes allure me because they give a whole new level of attention that helps the film. You might be wondering why (or not) am I not complaining about the length of the film. (216 minutes, the longest running film I've reviewed here.) An epic film is a film with grand scale and grand ideas. This is one of them (plus if I criticized the length, I'd probably get a deconstructive lesson in epic films) The rest of the actors do very well, especially Guinness and Quinn. One tiny fact I will mention is that it starts out in a way similar to Citizen Kane (#200), with an opening scene that segues into the rest of the film. The scenery is used effectively, helping the film gain its epic scale even more. While its historical accuracy remains to be debated and be analyzed, it is undeniable that this film is still really, really good, accuracy and all.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Casino Royale.

Review #285: Casino Royale.

Cast
Daniel Craig (James Bond), Eva Green (Vesper Lynd), Mads Mikkelsen (Le Chiffre), Judi Dench (M), Giancarlo Giannini (René Mathis), Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter), Simon Abkarian (Alex Dimitrios), Caterina Murino (Solange Dimitrios), Ivana Miličević (Valenka) Isaach de Bankolé (Steven Obanno), and Jesper Christensen (Mr. White) Directed by Martin Campbell (#173 - Goldeneye and #220 - Green Lantern)

Review
After Die Another Day (Also known as Buy Another Day or as I like to call it, Ice Another Day) had a mediocre way for Brosnan to end his run as Bond, their would be a new actor and a new approach but with two familiar faces: Martin Campbell, the director of the Bond film that kept the series going even into the 90's (Even if he directed Green Lantern) and Judi Dench back as M. So how is it? Really good. To begin with, Daniel Craig does an impressive job as Bond, reminding me of Timothy Dalton with a bit of Connery mixed in to make a entirely new-ish, yet familiar-ish Bond. This is based off the 1953 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which was the first in the series (Yet it wasn't the first made, Dr. No was, which was the 6th written back in 1958.) The story and action is good, a definite improvement from the last film. The supporting cast is excellent, including Dench. The first sign of a new yet better Bond film is the opening sequence. And if you wanted me to compare (compare being a loose word here) this Casino Royale to the Casino Royale (#224) from 1967...The 2006 one wins. Now it's nice to know I've now reviewed a Bond film from 5 of the 6 actors. This is a really good film that might one of the best Bond films.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird.

Review #284: Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird.

Cast
Caroll Spinney (Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Bruno the Trashman), Frank Oz (Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster), Sally Kellerman (Miss Finch), Jim Henson (Ernie, Kermit the Frog), Jerry Nelson (Count von Count, Herry Monster), Richard Hunt (Gladys the Cow, Feathered Friends Owl), Martin P. Robinson (Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, Grouch Diner Patron), Bob McGrath (Bob), Roscoe Orman (Gordon), Linda Bove (Linda), Sonia Manzano (Maria), Emilio Delgado (Luis), Loretta Long (Susan), Alaina Reed (Olivia), Kermit Love (Willy), Joe Flaherty (Sid Sleaze), Dave Thomas (Sam Sleaze), and Waylon Jennings. Directed by Ken Kwapis.

Review
This was the first of two feature length Sesame Street films. (The other being The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland) As most of you should already know, Sesame Street is a television show created 43 years ago on November 10, 1969 that has teached children to this day. The film uses one of its biggest (pun intended) characters of the show, Big Bird to be the main focus. Does it work? I think you know the answer: Yes. It's imaginative and so heart warming with a multitude of characters that if I listed them all, I would probably be here all day. This film might actually make a smile or about 20 of them happen, like it did with me. In the end, this film has aged as well as the show has, still doing a good, if not great job of entertaining, yet teaching as well. Happy 43 years, Sesame Street.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: King Kong (1933).

Review #283: King Kong.

Cast
Bruce Cabot (Jack Driscoll), Fay Wray (Ann Darrow), Robert Armstrong (Carl Denham), Frank Reicher (Captain Englehorn), and James Flavin (Briggs. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack.

Review
King Kong is one of those effects-worthy films that live on and on. But is the film good for that? Yep. To begin with, the film's stop-motion animation by Willis O'Brien still lives up after nearly 80 years. It might be primitive to some, but give it credit as technology for films back then probably didn't extend to just "give some effects, it doesn't matter what" I love the way Kong looks, especially that toothy grin along with the dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs. (Have I ever said a sentence with dinosaurs? Probably not.) There is one thing that bothers me and that is the main lead, Fay Wray. My problem is that she simply screams for about half the film, which to be honest, is a bit annoying. Armstrong on the other hand is actually delightful, probably due to his portrayal. The film has a reasonable length (Though their were scenes that were taken out of the original film, one involving crabs.) that balances well and makes for a good film.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Brave Little Toaster.

Review #282: The Brave Little Toaster

Cast
Deanna Oliver (Toaster), Timothy E. Day (Blanky), Tim Stack (Lampy), Jon Lovitz (Radio), Thurl Ravenscroft (Kirby), Wayne Kaatz (Rob), Phil Hartman, and Joe Ranft (Elmo St. Peters) Directed by Jerry Rees.

Review
Well, this is a new premise. Spy agents? Seen there, done that. Battles in space? Seen it, reviewed it. A film about appliances that travel to find their old master? That's just...inventive (Okay, okay, this was based of a novel by Thomas Disch, but that's still creative either way) But you have to have a good film to fulfill the inventive premise. Does it? Yeah. By a lot. The acting is loads of fun, especially with Deanna Oliver and Jon Lovitz leading the way, with a minor, but significant performance by Phil Hartman. This is a tale of dark themes that entertains as well as frightens at the same time. 25 years have passed, and the film is gaining reputation as a hidden classic, as it should be. The film explores themes combined with brilliant animation that still works in the right socket after 25 years.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Living Daylights.

Review #281: The Living Daylights.

Cast
Timothy Dalton (James Bond), Maryam d'Abo (Kara Milovy), Jeroen Krabbé (Georgi Koskov), Joe Don Baker (Brad Whitaker), John Rhys-Davies (Leonid Pushkin), Art Malik (Kamran Shah), Andreas Wisniewski (Necros), Thomas Wheatley (Saunders), Robert Brown (M), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Geoffrey Keen (Frederick Gray), and Caroline Bliss (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by John Glen.

Review
This is the fourth and final film review of Bond films (that were intended for posting yesterday). I've moved from the era of Connery to the short thought of  Lazenby to Connery again to Timothy Dalton (sorry for skipping Roger Moore, but that will be rectified in the future), so how is this one? This was released 25 years ago (it's been 50 years since Dr. No so in a way its the middle ground anniversary., and this just happens to be the 15th film in the franchise). After A View to A Kill, a new actor would be hired, Timothy Dalton (originally was offered the role for On Her Majesty's Secret Service). How is Dalton? He's...Middle ground. He is definitely an improvement over Lazenby, but I don't exactly think he beats Connery here. Dalton is allright, but I feel something doesn't click as well as what happened with Brosnan. The plot is allright, but I barely recognized the villian in the film as well I did with Dr. No/Grant/Blofeld. The supporting cast is allright, and the action works well. While this isn't a great film, it is at least a well film at gives the franchise good solid footing.

Overall, I give it 007 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Diamonds Are Forever.

Review #280: Diamonds Are Forever.

Cast
Sean Connery (James Bond), Jill St. John (Tiffany Case), Charles Gray (Ernst Blofeld), Jimmy Dean (Willard Whyte), Bruce Glover (Mr. Wint), Putter Smith (Mr. Kidd), Norman Burton (Felix Leiter), Joseph Furst (Metz), Lana Wood (Plenty O'Toole), Bruce Cabot (Bert Saxby), Bernard Lee (M), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny), and Desmond Llewelyn (Q) Directed by Guy Hamilton.

Review
When I said a familiar face for this film, I mean they just lured Connery back for one more Bond film. How is it though? Well...Think of it like this. It is if you combined a good aspect of the Bond films (Bond himself) and some silliness with the intent to make the film more light-hearted yet fun and you get: A mess. That or Die Another Day. It's a bit of a downgrade from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (try saying that 5 times fast), not as good as From Russia with Love and Dr. No. It's main flaw is that it just feels like a weird experiment that went wrong somewhere along the way. Connery tries his best, but he is downgraded by silly things, such as Bond getting in a chase sequence with a moon buggy and a plot of a laser by diamonds. The supporting cast is okay at best. St. John is a step down from Rigg and the Bond girls before her. A new actor for Blofeld who is relatively decent (though I wish he would've been bald, to match the previous two times), though not particularly menacing. The action may be decent, but action and Connery just isn't enough to save this. In the end, this is a disappointment that is a not so satisfying way for Connery to end his run as Bond for the second and last time (however there was Never Say Never Again with Connery released in 1983 though like Casino Royale - #224 it wasn't produced by EON Productions). Speaking of Bond, there's one more to cover.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Review #279: On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Cast
George Lazenby (James Bond), Diana Rigg (Tracy di Vicenzo), Telly Savalas (Ernst Blofeld), Gabriele Ferzetti (Marc-Ange Draco), Ilse Steppat (Irma Bunt), George Baker (Hilary Bray), Bernard Lee (M), Desmond Llewelyn (Q), and Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by Peter Hunt.

Review
Ah, George Lazenby. Who? After Sean Connery left the role of James Bond in 1967 (After 5 films from 1962-1967), Lazenby was chosen to replace him. (Fun fact: Timothy Dalton was originally offered the role) Made at the turn of the 60's, I wondered if this would be any good. Is it? Well...Okay. Let me back up. The action is allright and the scenery is good with a plot very different from the last two, which gives it a new feel. But of course the main thing that determines it is..the supporting cast is good, including Diana Rigg (Who might be known from The Avengers of 1960's fame) Okay, okay, I was mildly joking about it being the main thing. As for Lazenby, he is...mild in his performance as Bond, not as great as Connery. But here's the thing. His name is not Connery. But this was expected. See, film series (and shows) sometimes change actors, and the first (or the fan's favorite) is inevitably compared to the next actor. Lazenby may not be a great Bond, but he at least makes an attempt to do something new with Bond. Not a great attempt, but still. The film is a bit lengthy, but in the end the film still has its moments of shine. After production, Lazenby would not play James Bond ever again, so the producers would get a familar face to do the next film...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: From Russia with Love.

Review #278: From Russia with Love.

Cast
Sean Connery (James Bond), Daniela Bianchi (Tatiana Romanova), Pedro Armendáriz (Ali Kerim Bey), Lotte Lenya (Rosa Klebb), Robert Shaw (Red Grant), Bernard Lee (M), Walter Gotell (Morzeny), and Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by Terence Young (#150 - Dr. No)

Review
Dr. No was a big success, and so the studio would get a green-light for another Bond film, which was released 1 year after with Connery playing the role once again. How is it? It's good, I can tell you that. Whereas Dr. No suffered due to it being a bit slow with a villain of not exact threat, this is an improvement over it. I find this more defined as a film. It knows what it wants and Connery has more of the same charisma that helps this film out. At times it does indeed seem slow, but I find it still intrigues you into keep watching even in the dullest moments. The rest of the cast, including Bianchi and Shaw, are good. The action is relatively decent. In the end, out of the Bond films I've reviewed here (Dr. No, Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day, along with a parody - Casino Royale), this is the best so far of the films. So far being the emphasis here.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Rocky II.

Review #277: Rocky II.

Cast
Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa), Talia Shire (Adrian), Burt Young (Paulie), Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed), Burgess Meredith (Mickey), Tony Burton (Tony Evers), and Sylvia Meals (Mary Anne Creed) Directed by Sylvester Stallone (#047 - The Expendables)

Review
It's a new month, a month washed away from the horrors of October and into something anew. And I what do I review for the first of the month? A sequel to a film I've reviewed here. How long has it been since my review of Rocky? Really, really long, back in December. December 2010, to be exact. (#003 - Rocky) 274 reviews later, here I am. So how is the sequel? It is without a doubt...A good film. I think it rivals the first film in terms of quality, as it springs more character development, more emotional issues, and more...Stallone, who wrote along with directed (doing the latter until the fifth film). The acting is good, Weathers gets more of a chance to just be angry, but you do feel for him and why he is angry. The boxing here is a bit more tense here, and in the end it has a good conclusion for a film that still lives on to this day as a strong sequel to an already strong first film.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.