My Fave Five Meme

I got this meme from Paul over at Melodramatic Diary of a Cynic. It is a list of celebrities that I would sleep with in spite of the fact that I am married. [I hope Sean didn't hear that. I'm sure he has a list too.]

Without further ado, here they are:

1) Sean Bean - OMG! I would faint in his presence. I've got it so bad for him. What an actor! It is all about his face, voice and accent. As I have said many times before, I would watch this man shovel dog shit. He needs to quit smoking before it ages his skin anymore though. Just hit the label at the end of this post to hear me sing my praises for his work.



2) Chris Meloni - Cuff me Detective Stabler, I've been a bad girl! At least I want to be, with you! Sigh! Look at that body! I could die! Need I say more?!?!?



3) Jason Statham - Hot, hot, hot! He's got all the right moves. I'd let him Transport me anywhere!

4) Clive Owen - It is all about the face and size with this one. I loved him in King Arthur with Keira Knightley; they were so hot together. I picture him being hung like a horse.


5) Daniel Craig - Bond, James Bond. But, so much more. Crystal clear blue eyes and great acting as well. No fear as to what parts to accept. I find that exciting. He could keep his shoes under my bed.


So, there you have it. Who are your fave five?

Movie Review: Defiance (2008)

Synopsis:

In 1941 as WWII was ongoing, three Jewish brothers, Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig), Zus Bielski (Liev Schreiber), and Asael Bielski (Jamie Bell) hide in the Belorussian woods after their father is murdered by the local police. While there, they face all the horrible moral conflicts of war and mange to save 1200 wandering souls from the Holocaust. It was based on a true story.

Tuvia and Zus

Review:

This was a pretty typical war movie and the acting was strong. There was quite a bit of violence and bloodshed, but it was not gratuitous. After all, it was a war. The melodrama could have been cut down a bit and is most evident in the trailer, which I am not even going to post here as I find it so offensive.

Tuvia tries to convince a community to join him in the forest

However, this is a story that must be told. The heroism of the three brothers was truly unique. These are the few Jews who stood up and resisted and were willing to fight for their lives and those of their race. They formed a working community where all were participants, and outlaws were not tolerated. How they managed to survive in the forest was amazing and fascinating to watch. Tuvia was quite a leader and his brother, Zus, quite a fighter if the movie is anywhere close to the truth.

There are romantic situations, but very little skin. There is no sex. I was so disappointed.

Tuvia and Lilka Ticktin (Alexa Davalos)

Asael and Tamara Skidelsky (Jodhi May)

I highly recommend this movie if you are a Daniel Craig fan and/or need to see another Holocaust flick (bonus - in this one the Jews win!).

I give it:

*** of five stars

Daniel Craig on The Daily Show

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Daniel Craig

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Movie Review: Quantum of Solace

SYNOPIS: Bond, Daniel Craig, is out for revenge of his love Vesper’s death in this outing, though he is still unsure if she was true to him. After a breathtaking car chase to Siena, he brings in Mr. White, Jesper Christensen, to an underground area beneath the Piazza del Campo on Palio di Siena. While questioning him, White indicates that there is a vast conspiracy that M, Judi Dench, and Bond know nothing about and then laughs manically. Another agent who has been with MI6 for years, Mitchell then shoots M and runs to escape into the crowd in the Piazza. White escapes.

The Piazza del Campo

After chasing Mitchell through the crowd and across rooftops,

over balconies,

down belfries, and Bond finally has to kill him in self defense. Then Bond literally follows the money to Haiti and kills a hit man and then takes a ride with his beautiful mark, Camille, Olga Kurylenko, girlfriend of the head of the Environmental Concern Domnic Greene, Mathieu Amalric. Camille is no dummy, and figures out that she was to be killed and tosses bond out of her car. He swipes a motor bike and follows her to the docks.

Camille

Commander Bond commandeers a motor bike

There, she confronts her beau, who has a meeting with exiled General Medrano, Joaquín Cosio, of Bolivia.

General Medrano, Dominic Greene and Elvis

Dominic has made a deal with the General that if he stages a coup the General will sign over a piece of useless dessert to him for mineral rights, figuring that there is oil there. Then he tosses in Camille as a parting gift. Camille seems to go willingly. But, Bond sees this and has other ideas. A spectacular boat chase ensues during which he rescues the damsel and leaves her with locals.

Commander Bond commandeers a motor boat

Commander Bond transfers a rescued damsel to a local man

Bond checks in with M, and tells her about Dominic and she calls the CIA. Agents Felix Leiter, Jeffrey Wright, and Gregg Beam, David Harbour, are sitting in a private jet saying that Dominic Greene is of no interest to them. They ring off and M tells Bond the CIA is interested. Her assistant asks how she knows and she replies that she was just forwarded to the South American Director. We then see Dominic Greene getting on the private jet with the CIA guys. Bond gives M a tail number and she orders him a private jet going to Bregenz, Austria.

The floating set for Tosca on Lake Constance

Cristiano must see this movie because he will love this part! The bad guys hold a meeting during Puccini's opera Tosca. They all get earpieces in their gift bags shaped like the letter “Q” for Quantum, the name of the evil organization. James Bond knocks out one of their men and steals his gift bag, dastardly I know, so that he can play along. He hides way up in the opera set (stage left, near one of the spotlights) so that he can watch the players and see who they are and take photographs to send live to M. Then towards the end of the meeting he cuts in and says “May I say something? You guys need to find a better place to meet.” [I disagree.] There is a shootout during the execution scene in Act III of the opera and Bond escapes, though another MI6 agent of dubious allegiance is killed.

M calls Bond back to London. When he fails to comply, she revokes his passport and credit cards. He travels by wooden boat to a hilltop villa in Italy to an old friend for help, Mathis, Giancarlo Giannini. I enjoyed seeing Giancarlo in this role. Together they travel to La Paz by Jet. Upon their arrival, they are met by Stawberry Fields, Gemma Arterton, a MI6 agent with orders to bring Bond in ASAP. But the next flight to London isn’t until the following morning. So, Bond seduces her and we get our one and only sex scene in the entire movie with extremely limited G rated nudity.

Commander Bond with MI6 Agent Fields

In a nutshell, Bond meets up with Camille again, it turns out that she wanted to have revenge on the General who killed her entire family and then burned her house down when she was a little girl and that is why she went with him on the boat. Together, they figure out what is going on, that there is no oil, but it is water that Quantum is after and save the day.

Commander Bond saves the day!

Bond moves on to Kazan, Russia where he meets his new nemesis, Yusef Kabira, Simon Kassianides, in the company of Corinne, Stana Katic, from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Corinne is wearing the same necklace that Vesper had from Yusef. Bond points that out as he presents the same necklace and asks her to leave and report herself as a leak to her department. She leaves. He turns Yusef over to MI6. As he is leaving M asks him if he killed Yusef. He answers her saying “I don’t think the dead want vengeance.”

Yusef Kabir (He is way sexier when he is not smiling)

REVIEW:

So much happened so fast in this movie that I am going to have to see it again! If you like action and exotic locations, this one is for you. Bond can still fight his way out of any situation against any number of guys and you find yourself believing it. I just want to rent it and run it in slow motion so I can watch all the moves and follow them with my eyes. I know that so much effort was put into choreographing all of it and it is lost watching it actual speed. Then of course he is a terrific method actor as well. That adds to the believability too. Though in this film, compared to the last one, he is not in love, merely brooding, so that is not as much of an acting stretch for Mr. Craig. I much prefer and enjoyed to see him in love (and way more naked). All of the actors were top notch in this film as were the sets and the stunts.

Finally we get a handsome nemesis. He is just too pretty to kill; that is my opinion on it! Who cares what the dead want! It is all about what we the living want and need. When will Bond learn that? I give it

**** of five stars.

Quantum of Silence

Movie Review - The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass, based on the first book of the His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman, is an amazing cinematic feat in realizing this astounding world of daemons and dust. I would have loved this movie as a child. Heck, I loved it as an adult! The animatronics were nearly flawless as Lyra’s daemon quickly morphed from one form to another, bird to ferret and back again as it skipped over obstacles on a dinning table. Or the way her use of the alethiometer was objectified as particles of dust forming her thoughts and coming to conclusions; that was just astounding and surpassed what was presented in the books. I was just swept away by this new world. I was overwhelmed by this film.

Then there was the flawless acting by perfectly chosen cast. Niclole Kidman was subtly evil as Mrs. Coulter, Daniel Craig was superbly removed and egotistical as the good guy hero, Sam Elliot was perfect as Lee Scoresby as if the part was written for him, and Dakota Blue Richards did very well as Lyra Belacqua in her first time out. Vocal performance by Ian McKellen as the armored ice bear Iorek Byrnison was stellar.

The sets and costuming earn a mention also. When Mrs. Coulter takes Lyra off to London, she buys her a gorgeous new wardrobe and shows her the town. There are flashes of places and costumes for mere seconds that cost thousands of dollars I am sure. I will have to rent the movie to study these more closely than was possible during the movie.

The Magisterium was ominous and mysterious as portrayed by the myriad dark robed officials with their monastic bling and malicious intent toward our heroine and Lord Asriel. The whole mystery of dust was compelling as well. What are these little glowing bits of particles that connect us all but are not to be discussed, especially by children? I found the movie thought provoking and felt that it stood on its own, whether you read the books or not. But, you can be the judge of that.

Much like The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, where after seeing each one, I was ready to view the next installment and I knew they were already made. After this I was ready for the next. I was totally flummoxed to think that it was not made yet. I despair to think that it would never be made. What a shame that would be.

**** of five stars

The Golden Compass

Daniel Craig - Movie Review, Part 5

Sylvia 2003

The message of this movie is clear: don’t marry a philanderer if you are suicidal. Yup, you guessed it and it makes for a very depressing movie.

The acting here is top notch with stunning performances turned in by both Gwyneth Paltrow, as the novelist Sylvia Plath, and Daniel Craig, as English poet Ted Hughes. The movie’s pace was great at first when the couple fall for each other and passion is high, but then slows to a grinding halt as troubles ensue in their marriage and work and their two children begin to arrive. Sylvia dives into a deep depression with paranoid tendencies which is painful to watch. She feels that Ted is cheating on her at every turn, and he ends up doing just that. Finally he chooses another lover and she commits suicide.

There are a couple of hot love scenes, but I don’t get off on watching talented, smart people self destruct so I couldn’t say that I enjoyed them. But, I you don't mind seeing folks suffer, you might like this movie.

** of five stars

Daniel Craig - Movie Review, Part 4

Sword of Honour 2001


Guy Crouchback, played by Daniel Craig, is a rich Roman Catholic traditionalist in WWII England whose feelings about honor and orderly conflict are shattered by the ironies of the war. In a series of darkly comic vignettes, taken from the novels written by Evelyn Waugh, Crouchback futilely aspires to distinguish himself, but in the end, he learns that this struggle is in and of itself is destructive to others in an especially poignant moment of the film. He changes his focus to that of just helping others, but here is also stymied. There are some hot sex scenes with his ex-wife, played by Katrin Cartlidge, who is a real looker as they used to say back then. There is also a scene where he swims underwater off of Crete, but he is wearing his boxers. He looks as if he was born in military uniform, so much so that you will swear you have seen him in one previously.

There are some captivating moments and if the whole film had been produced at that level, it would have warranted four stars. But all in all, it had some slow moments too. This film was initially produced for British television and has now been produced on 2 DVDs.

*** of five stars.

Daniel Craig - 3 Movie Reviews, Part 3

Lara Croft Tomb Raider 2001

Let’s just say that you will enjoy this film more it you have the brain wavelength capacity of an adolescent boy and/or at least can shut off your adult brain function for the duration of the film. Because, make no mistake, that was the target audience for this film. There is a lot of archeological gizmo and gadget-like stuff, cool robotics (if one is an adolescent boy that is), guns and fights, swinging around, martial arts, funky stunts, and occasional glimpses of nude Angelina Jolie. I’m not even sure what Daniel Craig was doing in the film.

But, he is there as her former lover and the other tomb raider that works for the bad guy, but in the end helps Angelina when it counts. She saves his life in return for his good deed, and that is the last we ever hear of him. There is one shower scene that he is in that is sort of hot, but it is nothing that Daniel Craig fans haven’t seen before. Due to camera work, you never get to see anything below his hips anyhow. There is some suggestive talk, but really, I found it hardly worth sitting through the whole film for.

** of five stars

Munich 2005

This is a more violent film than I usually watch which is why I didn’t go see it when it was in theaters. You get to see lots of people shot into bloody bitty bits and blown into bloodier bittier bits. I remember when the tragedy during the Munich Olympics happened and was horrified to watch it play out on television. It was difficult to watch it again in this movie. The main character Avner, played by Eric Bana, also relives the hostage taking throughout the movie. He rounds up a small squad of assassins, including Steve, played by Daniel Craig. Together they killed six of 11 Black September, thought to have masterminded the Munich Black September terrorist plot.

Avner questions whether killing these people was justified or not and what purpose it ultimately served. Eric Bana’s acting is terrific and he is supported solidly by the cast. There are some hot scenes of Eric having sex with his wife, but Daniel Craig remains clothed and we only get to see him shooting and driving. The movie runs 2 hours and 44 minutes, but goes by swiftly as you are drawn in by the characters and the situations. It is a great movie if you aren’t put off by violence.

**** of five stars

The Mother 2004

Oh yeah. Daniel Craig plays Darren, a real hot sexy stud in this film. Unfortunately the femme fatale he is so fervently seducing and screwing is an out of shape grandmotherly looking one. If that is not going to bother you, this movie is for you! Although, this is a very depressing movie because it asks what aging means in society today and the answer is one of hopelessness and uselessness.

May, played by Anne Reid, loses her husband to a heart attack while they are on a family visit to London. She is at a complete loss as to what she is to do next, so she moves in with her daughter who is having an affair with Darren, the married carpenter who is building a conservatory onto the house. May’s daughter presses her to find out if Darren is serious about her and will leave his wife. May set about to determine this and one thing leads to another and next thing we know they are getting it on. She feels alive again and will do anything to perpetuate that feeling. (Who wouldn't if it was with Daniel?) The futility of her quest is well communicated here.

Daniel Craig’s character is a scoundrel in this movie and plays the role extremely convincingly (which is why my sister tells me she will never date actors, but that is another story entirely). I did not enjoy the movie, because the message was so depressing, just as aging can be. But Daniel was fabulous in this role, pretty to look at and you get to see his ass. It's just this grandmother thing that hangs me up. Am I agist? Me?

*** of five stars

Daniel Craig - 3 Movie Reviews, Part 2

Archangel 2005

I found the plot in this made for British television movie very compelling. So much so, that I asked Sean to watch it. (Something I never do.) Sean is a fan of Cold War Era movies such as those penned by the likes of John Le Carré, where the movie dialog maybe one word in five minutes of a scene. (Snore.) So, I felt he would be a good judge of this movie. Well, Sean loved it and found it intriguing, well acted and plausible and we both thought it should have been made into a motion picture for world wide distribution rather than being kept on British television.

Daniel Craig plays “Fluke” Kelso, a Russian historian who is in Moscow at a symposium when he is contacted by a Stalinist-era bodyguard who claims to have stolen a diary of Joseph Stalin’s. While Kelso is checking into the existence of the diary, the bodyguard is tortured and murdered. Kelso locates the guard’s prostitute daughter, they find the document and flee together to Archangel to solve the mystery posed in the documents. There they discover segments of the Russian government supporting different political factions; one even supporting a return to Stalinist times. The movie is absolutely gripping. I highly recommend it even though Daniel Craig runs around in a two piece Sayville suit in frigid temperatures and should be freezing his butt off. Notice the snow clumping on his shoes in the scene where they are at the metal tool shed and get out of the car. My feet would be frozen solid. There is no nudity or sex. Sorry folks. Just great acting and a really good plot.

**** of five stars

Layer Cake 2004

Daniel Craig plays a drug dealer in this second rate movie about his last big drug deal. The drugs were stolen from their barbaric rightful owners (of course) and they are hopping mad (of course) shooting everyone they perceive to be involved without discretion (of course). The new owners are not happy with any price offers (of course) and some of them have to be shot (of course), even though buyers are killing each other to get the drugs (of course). Gee, get the feeling that I thought the movie was a tad predictable and mindless? Okay, so there are going to be some commonalities in these drug movies, but one doesn’t need to make it seem so cliché. If you want to see a really great British movie about drugs and gangs, rent Essex Boys with Sean Bean. It has a similar plot, but the execution is far more gritty and authentic. The thing I liked about Layer Cake the most was when Daniel’s character was in a bar and he first sees Sienna Miller’s character. The whole movie is worth seeing just for that look.

The look of chemistry there is not all acting, as they did have an affair on that set in 2003. When Sienna and Jude Law broke up over the Nanny thing, Craig swooped in to rescue Sienna in 2005. His former best friend, Jude Law, has yet to forgive him for sleeping with her. Yum: dirt. But my same old complaints apply here: not enough skin, sex, blah blah blah.

*** of five stars

Enduring Love 2004

A man (Daniel Craig) is having a lovely picnic with his soon to be fiancé, when a hot air balloon accident interrupts them. He rushes over to help with the rescue and his survivor guilt combined with a fellow rescuer who turns out to be a lunatic stalker must carry us throughout the rest of the movie. Enduring lack of plot is more like it. What I don’t get is why Daniel’s character didn’t just call the cops at one point when it is so obvious that this guy is a complete lunatic and physical threat to him and his fiancé. Well, you know what they say, that is what makes a movie a movie. Also stars Samantha Morton, Rhys Ifans and Bill Nighy.

Wouldn't you call the cops on this guy if he was stalking you?

*** of five stars