Casino Royale : Blu-ray Disc Review

The Movie Itself is directed by Martin Campbell, and based on the first Bond novel of the same title, “Casino Royale.” The year was 2002, and like many Bond fans, I was eagerly awaiting the release of the twentieth film in the series, Die Another Day. Unfortunately, I was utterly devastated by the film – and I’m certain I’m not alone in that regard. In short, I thought it was clunky, laughable and altogether boring. A complete and utter mess that might have been made with good intentions, but ultimately did more to tarnish the otherwise near-perfect Bond legacy.

It was clear that something had to change. Bond was no longer the suave, ruthless, super spy of the cold war times. He had been reduced to a shell of his former self, distilled to the point that people no longer took him seriously. And just when it seemed like Bond might have had his final outing, opting to pass the super-spy/assassin torch to Jason Bourne, an incredible thing happened. The new bond film, Bond’s twenty-first outing, would also ironically be his first — Casino Royale.

Armed with a new Bond — played by Daniel Craig — Casino Royale is the complete and utter antithesis to its predecessor. Helmed by Martin Campbell, the director who managed to resuscitate the Bond franchise years earlier — with the 1995 hit, “Goldeneye” – the film is cold, ruthless, explosive, but most importantly, it is fresh.

The story focuses on Bond’s first mission to prevent Le Chiffre, a ruthless terrorist financier, from replenishing his ill-gotten gains in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. Simultaneously, Bond begins to warm to the treasury official, Vesper Lynd, who’s tasked with overseeing the proceedings – along with Bond’s personal stake in the game – at Casino Royale. As the film progresses, Bond’s judgment is evermore clouded by his new found love for Vesper, and as a result he may not only compromise the mission, but his life and hers as well.

Hands down, this is the best Bond film in years, and Daniel Craig is entirely deserving of his recently achieved “00” status. I expect we’ll see Craig tied to many more Bond films in the future, and I anticipate the sequel, Quantum of Solace – despite its horrendous title – will be just as revolutionary, if not better.

Rocky Balboa : Blu-ray Disc Review

The Movie Itself is directed/written by Sylvester Stallone, who in many ways has become synonymous with his title character, Rocky. Originally, when Stallone announced his intentions to resurrect his two most iconic heroes – Rocky and Rambo – for one final outing to bookend the respective series, I was extremely worried. Would modern audiences welcome their return with open arms? Would there even be an audience for these films anymore? Did Stallone have what it took to don the Rocky/Rambo attire? Sly definitely thought so, and he stood firmly behind his decision, claiming that people in our post-9/11 world were in dire need of classic heroes to raise our morale and remind us of the strength and perseverance of the human spirit.

Simply put, Stallone was right. Rocky Balboa was the first of the bookend-flicks, being released in 2006, and it not only stands firmly on its own two feet, it is genuinely stirring and wholly reminiscent of the first installment that debuted thirty years earlier. The film is so effective at reminding us why we fell in love with Rocky in the first place, that it has even been compared to its Oscar winning predecessor, with many people saying it’s equal to the original. Personally, I belong to this school of thought, and in truth if you’re a lover of all things Rocky, I’d venture to say you’d be hard pressed not to find something of worth in this final outing.

The beauty of the narrative is that we not only follow Rocky’s character on a personal quest to prove himself once again, but it should become clear that Stallone too is attempting to woo the masses with his beloved underdog story/character with the intention to prove that he too has what it takes, and that it truly isn’t over till it’s over.

The film opens with a very dark and foreboding tone. Rocky, is still coping with the loss of his wife — having lost her to cancer four years prior — and in many ways he is disconnected from himself and those around him. Also, his attempts to bond with his son are in vain, largely due to his son’s own feelings of inadequacy and lack of self-image. It isn’t until Rocky run’s into an old acquaintance, Marie – a bit-character from the first film who Rocky walks home – that he begins to form new and meaningful connections that help pave the way for his ascension to the Rocky we all know and love.

In many ways, Rocky Balboa is a neo-genesis story that simultaneously pays tribute to the original, while also exploring new emotions and facets of the now thirty year old character. Unfortunately, the promotional trailers for the film would have you believe that the computer generated fight provides the spark to catalyze the return of Rocky. In truth it is the profound loss and rage that lies buried deep within Rocky that ultimately drives him to purge it all, and finally overcome the demons he’s been wrestling with for four years.

In many ways, this film is the perfect end to a much beloved franchise, but beyond that I believe that it also manages to reach new emotional highs and lows that have never quite been reached in any of the previous films. In fact, it just might be my favorite in the series as it seems far more resonant than its predecessors because more is at stake for the title character. Naturally, Rocky Balboa is as much Rocky’s journey to prove his own self worth, as it is Stallone’s, and ultimately both achieve what they set out to do – to prove to us that it most definitely isn’t over ‘till it’s over.