Skyfall
Release Date: November 9th (October 26th in the United Kingdom)
Directed by Sam Mendes; Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Naomie Harris, and Ben Winshaw
There is literally nothing about Skyfall that does not excite me. It’s the first 007 film in four whole years. It stars Daniel Craig, my personal favorite Bond. It’s written by talented Bond regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, along with John Logan, a newcomer to the franchise who has penned such recent classics as Hugo, Rango, and The Aviator. It’s directed by Sam Mendes, a true auteur, and shot by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, virtually guaranteeing this will be the most visually splendid Bond film to date.
All that is only the tip of the iceberg, especially given how spectacular every inch of footage shown so far has been. It feels like we’ve only scratched the surface of what Craig’s Bond is capable of; Casino Royale was an all-time great espionage film, but Quantum of Solace, while good, operated in a lower key, and the subsequent hiatus has so far stopped filmmakers from exploring this character any more.
With Skyfall, it appears that Mendes and Craig are taking this interpretation to the next level, and I couldn’t be any more eager to see what they have in store.
Lincoln
Release Date: November 9th (Limited)
Directed by Steven Spielberg; Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Straitham, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, and Jackie Earle Haley
I could literally triple the size of that cast listing and not include every great actor who appears in this film. Because when Steven friggin’ Spielberg makes a movie about America’s greatest President, and Daniel Day-“I-drink-your-milkshake”-Lewis signs on to play the lead, everybody wants a part. Who wouldn’t?
This is one of the single greatest dream teams in recent memory, covering some of the most compelling material in human history, and if they pull it off, this could very well be one of the all-time great historical films.
I’m simply giddy with excitement, even for just a trailer, to see what Day-Lewis has done with the part, and what look Spielberg has given the film, and what kind of iconic musical theme John Williams has written for honest Abe.
Can it possibly live up to expectations? I don’t even care at this point. I just want to set my eyes on this seemingly impossible project.
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