Change Your Image
schiappala
Reviews
Rommel (2012)
The end of the Desert Fox
Gripping Drama about Rommel during the pre-D-Day invasion planning period until his forced execution/suicide. I found this on YOUTUBE all in German with subtitles. Although there was no combat action except for a few brief images of documentary footage and a couple of recreated allied aerial strafing runs instead this is all dialogue but never slow or boring but totally engaging. The acting by all is top notch. We are in meetings with the German generals & their staff discussing the preparation and reaction to D-Day as well as multiple scenes with Hitler & the conspirators who want to assassinate Hitler and end the war. We see Rommel anguish over the realization that the war is no longer winnable and his frustration in attempting to persuade Hitler to negotiate for a peaceful end and try to win support from his peers. There is brief mention of the murder of Jews and reprisals with the muder and destruction of an entire French town by the 2ndSS Panzer division. We see an emotionally transitioned Rommel through all this. The locations and settings are also excellent. I'm a student of WWII and find this to be one of the best war films I've ever seen! Highly recommended for anyone interested in WWII or just good drama .
No Time to Die (2021)
Best Bond Since the Glory Days Of Sean Connery !
In 1964 at 6 years old I saw Goldfinger and was forever fascinated and drawn to anything James Bond. In 1971 I saw my Diamonds Are Forever followed after the release of DAR & before Live & let Die I saw DR No & From Russia With Love as a double showing then Thunderball & You Only Live Twice and then On Her Majesties Secret Service and Diamonds are Forever again, After that I've seen every Bond movie in its release, All 25 in a cinema or drive in for my first viewing and at least a dozen or more times each since . I've also read every Fleming novel as well as more than a half dozen or so Bond novels by other author's and another dozen books & video's on the making & history of the films. James Bond has been a big and important part of my life and I needed to preface this before giving my review.
SPOILERS BELOW!
In response to all the " this is not a BOND Movie comments " BALONGA !! This is Craig's most traditional Bond movie ! The scenery, locations, music & sets have not been this good since the Connery/Lazenby days........The potential world destruction & DNA selection chemical dioxin poison feels like a plot line from a Fleming novel, The Island base was the best & coolest setting since the magnificent sets designed by Ken Adam who for me was as important to early James Bond films as Sean Connery & John Barry ! These were the elements that made the original early James Bond films stand out from anything out at the time. Something I've missed for many years...
I will agree there is drama & sensitivity that was not in the earlier films at least not to the level of No Time To Die but its presence in this film does not take anything away from all the great things in this film.
I loved the titles opening an homage to Dr. No we see vibrating round colored dots appear !
I like that Bond was in retirement which made his aging more acceptable. Clearly this is a wrap up of the entire series...........SPECTRE after all these years going back to DR. No is finally destroyed its head and all its tentacles . The Demise of Bond & Leiter if only James had a son instead of a daughter!
I'm going to be a little selfish & hope this is the last James Bond movie. I think it's a great way to end the series and can't imagine any future BOND as good as Connery or Craig delivered . And after I'm gone it would not be fair to me that any James Bond Movie should be made since its greatest fan may not be around to see it!