I saw Casino Royale again and still think it's the best Bond since the early Connery days. You know I hadn't thought about it for quite a while, but when I was about nine I had a James Bond action figure who did a karate chop and an Oddjob that could throw his hat... but I digress....
Rocky Balboa (2006) - I thought Stallone did an excellent job on all fronts making this movie. The premise seems silly, but he managed to capture some of the independent movie feel of the original. I think it was very good send off for a great character.
Looking forward to renting ROCKY BALBOA this summer and CASINO ROYALE was the best.
I wouldn't give "Casino Royale" a 5/5, because it was a bit too long, but it is a great movie. Daniel Craig is fantastic as the new Bond, and the new, more adult tone suits him. It was time the producers took some chances and did something new.
About "Rocky Balboa"... sorry, but I found the dramatic bits of the first half VERY embarrasing. The only good parts were those concerning Paulie, and the final scene where Rocky finally confronts his son. The fight, however, got me on the edge of my seat. Stallone is not a very talented director, but I think he did well on discarding the most annoying elements of the sequels and trying to return to a more down to earth Rocky.
I finally saw Casino Royale last week, and I have to agree, it was a welcome return to what Bond movies used to be. It's great to see a Bond who isn't afraid to get his tux dirty, and taking out all of the gadgets was refreshing too. I know that Roger Moore always played Bond as more of a tongue in cheek kind of character, but Craig's Bond was closer to the book's type.
Recently I've also watched Lake Placid II which was so bad it wasn't even entertaining, and Queen of Blood , which was made around the same time as the original Star Trek, and which I thought would be a b-movie but was actually very good. I have Pinata: Survival Island waiting for me on the DVR, and I should get Children of Men in the mail today.