153 replies to this topic

[Cody]

The reviewer posted in the Talkback that there's a moment where we see "Bond bare-buttocked", so we'll be able to decide for ourselves if Vesper's "perfectly formed" evaluation is accurate. The moment was another one of his quibbles, because "they need to digitally remove his effing tan line".

[jaguar007]

I just don't get it ... Arnold's work with KD Lang was excellent!!! The producers must have been on a bad high to let that Crow's piece of to be the theme for TND. I am just worried as EON has a bad track record with theme songs so far (starting with the brosnan era) I listened to some of Cornell's work and its seemed O.K. Like 'the dove' mentioned, maybe its just a personal preference issue with this reviewer.

KD Lang's song was easily the best song of the Brosnan era, you are right, to bad they scrapped it for that Crow POS. MGW has this really bad habbit of picking these really lame and mushy songs to play at the end of the movies. At least they scrapped the one at the end of TWINE.

[JimmyBond]

I just don't get it ... Arnold's work with KD Lang was excellent!!! The producers must have been on a bad high to let that Crow's piece of to be the theme for TND.

I'm pretty sure the label that put out the TND soundtrack insisted on Sheryl Crowe singing the theme. At least that's what I read.

[Santa]

Yes, clearly the reviewer is an idiot but I'm so pleased to hear how well the screening was received. I echo other comments about "Vespa" etc. but I'll wait and judge for myself about the feet and the rest of it. Mostly I'm really excited to hear about the retro feel, that made my day, given that I overslept and my first words upon waking were "Oh !".

[Martin Aston]

I'm hoping Casino Royale is as good as everyone else does...

But this review is a fake. It's a plant, right down to the misspellings, and the deliberate invocation of QT's name, in order to hype the fanboys on AICN.

If you re-read the first paragraphs, it's pretty obvious:

He says he was going to a private screening of a film called "Alkazan."

But then it turns out to be a private reception for 40 people at Soho house in London, with champange and breakfast following.

I don't think so, for the following reasons:

1) If you're going to have a private screening at Soho House, which is a posh, upscale private club in London - for only forty people - why would EON, or anyone, make up a story about what you're invited to see? Why would they bother, if it was only 40 people?

2) Continuing on this, if there were only 40 people invited, what do you think the chances are of someone just happening - by coincidence - to score a ticket? Eon is incredibly secretive. Why would they let anyone in there that they didn't know? And what are the odds of someone "just happening by coincidence" to get into it, and then posting a review? In other words, it was a set up.

3) The review is far too detailed for anyone to have just popped out of screening to have written. Try it yourself some time. Do you think you could write that many words, with that kind of detail, about any film you'd just seen?

4) Now you may say "but there were things he complained about," but if you look closely, it's all stuff that would probably be cut anyway. And it's necessary to have these kind of small criticisms, just to establish credibility in the plant. Sony is incredibly sophisticated about this. They've been doing it for years. So have all the other studios. They're like Nairobi e-mailers, putting in just enough slang, mistakes and typos in order to make you think what you're reading is genuine.

5) Now look at the talk backs, where "Napoleon Solo" defends his post. A couple of problems: He mispells Napoleon Solo, (which is sort of weird,) and says that he's just begun posting under a new name. So what does this tell us? Think about it: If you were somone trying to build some crediblity for yourself (like posters on this site,) why would you suddenly come along and use a new name? Wouldn't you want to build up a body of reviews, to prove you know what you're talking about? Why would you start posting under a new name, on a film this important? This just doesn't add up.

Again, I hope the film is great. I think Craig is going to be a great Bond.

But you have to take everything on AICN with a high degree of skepticism, especialy now that Knowles is "in the business", trying to produce films.

Edited by Martin Aston, 10 September 2006 - 05:51 AM.

[Harmsway]

Napoleon Solo is a regular reviewer and member of the AICN team, Martin. You're way off base. He's a trustworthy source.

[JimmyBond]

Napoleon Solo is a regular reviewer and member of the AICN team,

LOL, I was about to post the same thing.

[Martin Aston]

Hi, Harmsway.

I wish you were right, but if you do a search, you'll see that this is his first review.

(And if I'm wrong, I'll take it all back. But I checked before I did the post, then after I saw your reply.)

[Loomis]

4) Now you may say "but there were things he complained about," but if you look closely, it's all stuff that would probably be cut anyway.

Like Cornell's song? Still, opining that you don't personally care for the theme song isn't that much of a slating of the film, really. All he's saying is that it's not his particular cup of tea. Big deal. I mean, thousands upon thousands of people like U2 - I don't. But did I enjoy GOLDENEYE when I first saw it? I had a ing blast, and I didn't have a bad word to say about the film.

So, being down on "You Know My Name"'s hardly going to enrage Broccoli and Wilson. Especially since he's primed people to be aware of the song (expect its first appearance online to be within a matter of days, then).

You make some good points, Martin.

Curious that the reviewer seems so very defensive about being called a plant, to the point where he makes not one but two rather irritable posts on the subject. I'm sure that he's seen the film, and, who knows? He may have genuinely liked it, but, yes, there's definitely the possibility of a plant here.

Although I'd hope that an Eon plant would be rather too classy to write: "Another one in this film is a bit when you see Bond bare-buttocked... no homo, they need to digitally remove his effing tan line."

[MattofSteel]

I have to say, I am encouraged by the review. (Which I read, several hours ago, look at these drunken typing skills! Impressive! ) But seriously, this makes me feel quite good. I agree with something Zencat said earlier, about not wanting to have my opinions shaped, but I feel extremely encouraged about the film at this moment.

I mean, seriously, hasn't this been the BEST week of press we've seen about CR yet? With the absolutely kickass trailer, plus this initial (basically) raving review? THIS is a great time to be a Bond fan!

All I can say is, bring on November!

[K1Bond007]

Hi, Harmsway.

I wish you were right, but if you do a search, you'll see that this is his first review.

(And if I'm wrong, I'll take it all back. But I checked before I did the post, then after I saw your reply.)

He changed his name. Read the comments. You gotta scroll a little bit. See "I am Napoleon Solo"

He can't type for though...and his grammar and abuse of the English language makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

[stamper]

No, no, they can trim all they want, as long as the audience gets the message.

How many times do they think they will have to spell the twos are in love, if the first scene nails it ? All they will have to do is cut out or trim the rest, to make it a perfect movie. I mean, how many more barns scene would you have wanted in OHMSS ?

[Jack Spang]

I hope they play the love ballad Arnold is composing "La Vie En Rose" over the end credits and use the instrumental version during the love scenes. What I do not want is a remix of the main song or even worse, the 007 song played over the end credits. Please, not again! Plus when they do play the 007 song right at the end (as in the script) before the credits roll, it should be a slow, dark instrumental version, not the guitar version, as this does not fit in with the dark ending. It is to lighthearted.

They should not cut out any of the character driven scenes. Not one! If they insist on trimming the film back (god knows why as 150 minutes is fine)it should be parts of the action they cut.

Edited by Jack Spang, 10 September 2006 - 07:27 AM.

[Doctor Shatterhand]

Although a favorable review, for a guy who claims he knows alot about film and Bond, he could not spell the name Vesper Lynd (he wrote Vespa)? Though he spells Solange and Le Chiffre correctly.

His taste in song titles might not be in line with most people too. I just hope this is not on par with Madonna.

If fans here have not read the review yet because of spoilers, I can assure you there is only one major spoiler that after you read it you don't seem to mind. The spoiler is about Mollaka and his demise.

But at 2 hours and 30 minutes, I do hope they shorten many scenes so that the story works. The best Bond films tend to be under 2 hours, with the exception of OHMSS.

[Orion]

Well if a rough cut is that good, the final film will be brilliant. Shame he didn't like Cornell's theme, although saying that all of his (whether its his solo material, his work for audioslave or his work for soundgarden) is all you either love it or you hate it, i always love his stuff, but this guy is firmly in the hate it, i'm sure for alot of people on this forum it'll be touted as Best Bond song ever, whilst others are calling it crap all depending on your taste in music.

[littlenellie]

He also describes himself as a musician,feeling that he has to put that fact in to let us know that he knows about music,but to me it just sounds like he didnt like the song becasue he;s a musician and probably wished that he did it himself, or perhaps he just doesnt like audioslave.
and who remembers a song after one listen in a movie theatre? by the time YKMN has been on the radio we will all remember it when it starts in the film..And what is the Arnolds ego comment supposed to mean? Isnt it Campbell who decides what music gets used where,doesnt the director tell the composer what he wants?
good that he likes the film though,it should make daniel craig feel a bit better.

[elvis-the-burgerking]

A cup of tea and a slice of toast not very bond! still it would be funny to see although i imagine that bit would end up on the cutting room floor and as for ball crunching OUCH now that made my man wince no man wants his meat and two veg bruised.
Still i enjoyed reading the review it was very in depth without revealing to much this was one lucky fella to see a screening before us.

[dinovelvet]

He says he was going to a private screening of a film called "Alkazan."

Personally I think its for real. Its right in the time zone where test screenings would be happening, and test screenings for TWINE and DAD both happened in London. Harry Knowles has dealt with many a plant in his time, he has the contacts and clout to find out if this was a real screening, especially for a high profile movie like this.
As for the "Alkazan" thing, there was an article from the Daily Mail months ago about how Rose Byrne was screen-testing for Vesper, and the whole process was so top secret that she had to give the password "Alcazar" when she arrived at the studio. Here :

http://commanderbond.net/article/3064

I even looked the word up too, just for the hell of it :

1. the palace of the Moorish kings in Seville, Spain: later used by Spanish kings.
2. (lowercase) a castle or fortress of the Spanish Moors.

So...what does it all mean?

[Loomis]

Well, just because the test screening happened and the guy went to it, it doesn't mean that he isn't a plant. Doesn't mean he is, either, of course. And he may be a plant who genuinely liked the film anyway. Anyhow, I guess we'll never know. Even if he is a plant, I have no trouble believing that CASINO ROYALE is good.

3) The review is far too detailed for anyone to have just popped out of screening to have written. Try it yourself some time. Do you think you could write that many words, with that kind of detail, about any film you'd just seen?

Yes, no problem. So could many people, and especially if they're film geeks who've been following the production of a movie anyway. Besides, I'm sure CR is fairly easy to follow and has plenty of memorable moments. It's not like he suddenly found himself confronted with the new Peter Greenaway he hadn't heard a thing about. I disagree with you on this point, Martin.

[Jim]

All very interesting. There's not a huge amount in there that someone not reading through this or other fora could piece together and turn into a tale of having been to a screening, but even so, I tend to believe it (I'm not sure I gain anything by disbelieving it).

[Vilain]

[/quote]

Yes, no problem. So could many people, and especially if they're film geeks who've been following the production of a movie anyway. Besides, I'm sure CR is fairly easy to follow and has plenty of memorable moments. It's not like he suddenly found himself confronted with the new Peter Greenaway he hadn't heard a thing about. I disagree with you on this point, Martin.
[/quote]

I've written a few movie reviews (just for a small personal website) and agree with you, Loomis.

As to the review itself, great! Real good to read a review this early, and have barely nothing to say but high praise (and its a rough cut of the film too)!
All in all, this past week has been the most CR hyped week I can remember. I hope it continues up to the official release.

[CM007]

I think the report in AICN is a plant.I wouldn

[stamper]

I'm a plant too, Plants are a major group of living things including familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, ferns, and mosses. About 350,000 species of plants, defined as seed plants, bryophytes, ferns and fern allies, have been estimated to exist. As of 2004, some 287,655 species had been identified, of which 258,650 are flowering and 15,000 bryophytes.
Aristotle divided all living things between plants, which generally do not move, and animals. In Linnaeus' system, these became the Kingdoms Vegetabilia (later Plantae) and Animalia. Since then, it has become clear that the Plantae as originally defined included several unrelated groups, and the fungi and several groups of algae were removed to new kingdoms. However, these are still often considered plants in many contexts. Indeed, any attempt to match "plant" with a single taxon is doomed to fail, because plant is a vaguely defined concept unrelated to the presumed phylogenic concepts on which modern taxonomy is based.

[CM007]

I'm a plant too, Plants are a major group of living things including familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, ferns, and mosses. About 350,000 species of plants, defined as seed plants, bryophytes, ferns and fern allies, have been estimated to exist. As of 2004, some 287,655 species had been identified, of which 258,650 are flowering and 15,000 bryophytes.
Aristotle divided all living things between plants, which generally do not move, and animals. In Linnaeus' system, these became the Kingdoms Vegetabilia (later Plantae) and Animalia. Since then, it has become clear that the Plantae as originally defined included several unrelated groups, and the fungi and several groups of algae were removed to new kingdoms. However, these are still often considered plants in many contexts. Indeed, any attempt to match "plant" with a single taxon is doomed to fail, because plant is a vaguely defined concept unrelated to the presumed phylogenic concepts on which modern taxonomy is based.

Thanks for that...You learn something new everyday....

[Dr. Noah]

[quote name='CM007' post='604054' date='10 September 2006 - 13:08']
I think the report in AICN is a plant.I wouldn

[CM007]

[quote name='Dr. Noah' post='604095' date='10 September 2006 - 14:44']
[quote name='CM007' post='604054' date='10 September 2006 - 13:08']
I think the report in AICN is a plant.I wouldn

[richyawyingtmv]

Also I find it strange that Arnolds title Song is on the test Screening...If I remember correctly this never happened before.....

The song has been finished for the past month at least according to Cornell and Arnold.

So whats the point of NOT having it in the test screening? It needed to be there, and it was. And how do you know they didnt play the previous title songs in the test screenings? Did you ever go to one? Doubt it.

Edited by richyawyingtmv, 10 September 2006 - 03:07 PM.

[Dr. Noah]

[quote name='CM007' post='604104' date='10 September 2006 - 14:51']
Yes I have but what

[CM007]

Also I find it strange that Arnolds title Song is on the test Screening...If I remember correctly this never happened before.....

The song has been finished for the past month at least according to Cornell and Arnold.

So whats the point of NOT having it in the test screening? It needed to be there, and it was. And how do you know they didnt play the previous title songs in the test screenings? Did you ever go to one? Doubt it.

Actually 2 of my friends were at previous screentests and they didn

[richyawyingtmv]

Actually 2 of my friends were at previous screentests

And my mum is Pierce Brosnan.