The Best James Bond Movies

 

The best James Bond movies - ranked!

8 Upcoming Films To Look Forward To That Aren't A Remake Or Reboot Or Sequel Or Part Of A Franchise!

Sick of sequels and reboots? Tired of comic book adaptations, franchises and origins stories? Well, here's a bunch of upcoming original films to look forward to.

Spencer review:

Sandringham, Christmas 1991. Bare trees, frosted fields, dead pheasants on the drive. Inside the grand house the dining table has been laid in readiness, but one of the principal guests – arguably the main course – is running late and lost. She grinds her car to a halt, tosses her perfect hair in frustration. “Where the fuck am I?” asks Diana, Princess of Wales.

And so begins this extraordinary film, which bills itself as “a fable from a true tragedy” and spotlights three days in the dissolution of Charles and Di’s marriage. Working off a sharp script by Steven Knight, Chilean director Pablo Larraín spins the headlines and scandals into a full-blown Gothic nightmare, an opulent ice palace of a movie with shades of Rebecca at the edges and a pleasing bat-squeak of absurdity in its portrayal of the royals. Larraín’s approach to the material is rich and intoxicating and altogether magnificent. I won’t call it majestic. That would do this implicitly republican film a disservice.

Jetted in from California, Kristen Stewart proves entirely compelling in the title role. She gives an awkward and mannered performance as Diana, and this is entirely as it should be when one considers that Diana gave an awkward and mannered performance herself, garnishing her inbred posh hauteur with studied coquettish asides. When she broke down, lost her poise, it was like watching a Stepford wife throw a glitch. But Stewart effectively captures the agony of a woman so programmed and insulated that she feels she has no escape and has lost sight of who she is. The servants (well played by Sally Hawkins and Sean Harris) want to help but they are part of the very machine that she hates. They know that if Diana breaks down, the mechanism does too. What matters above all else is to keep the woman up and running. [continue reading at The Guardian]

And last but not least, Turning Red...

Turning Red is an upcoming American computer-animated coming-of-age fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is written and directed by Domee Shi (in her feature directorial debut), produced by Lindsey Collins, and starring Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh.

Turning Red is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on March 11, 2022.

Set during the 2000s, Mei Lee is a confident thirteen-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who is torn between staying her mother's dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. And, as if changes to her interests, relationships, and body weren't enough, whenever she gets too excited or stressed, she "poofs" into a giant red panda.

BFI Distribution & Bohemia Media release REBEL DYKES documentary in UK & Ireland cinemas and digitally on 26 November

BFI Distribution has partnered with Bohemia Media to release the rabble-rousing documentary REBEL DYKES, set in the club and music scene of 1980s post-punk London, in UK and Ireland cinemas on 26 November 2021. On the same date, the film will be released digitally via BFI Player and Bohemia Euphoria.

Directed by Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams and produced by Riot Productions’ Siobhan Fahey (one of the original rebel dykes and seen in the film), REBEL DYKES is a labour of love than has been six years in the making. This is the unheard story of how a community of dykes who met doing art, music, politics and sex, went on to change their world.

REBEL DYKES follows a tight-knit group of friends who met at Greenham Common peace camp and became artists, performers, musicians and activists in London. A hot, heady, punky, sexy mash-up of animation, previously unseen rare archive footage and new interviews tells the story of a radical scene: squatters, BDSM nightclubs, anti-Thatcher rallies, protests demanding action around AIDS and the fierce ties of chosen families.

After a popular screening as a work-in-progress at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival in 2016, REBEL DYKES came back to BFI Flare with a bang for its World Premiere in March 2021, where, screened digitally via BFI Player, it was one of the hits of the programme.

REBEL DYKES’ own punk credentials run right through its conception and production. The filmmakers are all women and non-binary artists making their first feature film. They met through being in bands and festival organising on the Manchester DIY music scene. The film was mostly funded by crowdfunding by the UK and global LGBTQ community on Crowdfunder, Screen Scotland, Independent Film Trust and David Family Foundation. The archive and music came from the original REBEL DYKES themselves. 

Cinemas screening REBEL DYKES will be listed at www.bfi.org.uk/releases

London Premiere Will Mark The Beginning Of Events Around The World Celebrating The Return Of James Bond (Finally!)

Eon Productions, MGM Studios and Universal Pictures International are delighted to announce the World Premiere of No Time To Die on 28th September, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, will be attended by the film’s leading actors Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Rory Kinnear, Ana de Armas, David Dencik and Dali Benssalah. The cast will be joined on the red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall by director Cary Joji Fukunaga, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, screenwriters Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, composer Hans Zimmer, and “No Time To Die” performers Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.

The event will lead a series of premieres in 57 cities across the globe, including 10 in the UK and Ireland to which health care workers will be invited as special guests in celebration and gratitude of their extraordinary work during the pandemic.

The World Premiere will benefit charities supporting serving and former members of the three intelligence agencies (the Secret Intelligence Service, the Security Service and GCHQ). The evening will also assist charities supporting past and present members of the United Kingdom Special Forces. 

At the Royal Albert Hall in London, there will be viewing areas on the red carpet for invited health care workers and members of the armed forces. They will join the cast and other guests inside to watch the film.

Please note there is no public access on the day to the red carpet or viewing areas. Highlights from the event will be available to view via the official 007 social media channels. A limited number of tickets have been made available for public purchase via the Royal Albert Hall website. 

Following the World Premiere, No Time To Die will release in the UK and Ireland from 30th September 2021 through Universal Pictures International and in the U.S on 8th October through MGM via their United Artists Releasing banner.

James Bond To Give Cinemas A Winter Boost

The new Bond movie, No Time to Die, will be the spark that brings film fans back to the beleaguered cinema industry, predicts entertainment firm and online gaming site, PartyCasino.

Research carried out by the site found that a whopping 83% of movie-goers plan to watch the new Bond film*, whose release was delayed from 2020 to April 2021 and then September 30, 2021.

The news comes after a torrid year for cinema companies, with the total UK and Ireland box office for 2020 falling to £323m, a massive 76% down on 2019. Only 441 movies were released in 2020, less than half of the previous year, as the major chains either shut down completely (Cineworld) or cut, drastically, their opening times (Odeon, Vue).

But PartyCasino’s analysis found that nearly half of fans (47%) will be prompted to make their first visit to a cinema since they were reopened nationally by the return to the silver screen of James Bond. The iconic secret agent was also voted the best movie secret agent in history as part of PartyCasino’s research.

The mothballing of Cineworld’s 128 UK venues last year was caused directly by the initial delay of No Time to Die. The rescheduling of the film’s release date also started a chain reaction across the movie world, with other titles including Dune, Wonder Woman and Black Widow following suit and delaying release dates.

Younger movie lovers are the most excited to see No Time to Die, with more than three quarters (76%) of 18-24 year olds saying they will definitely watch it. However, they are also the least likely to venture out to the cinema to do so, with 72% planning to watch it at home or on demand.

Meanwhile, viewers aged 35-44 (55%) and 45-54 (47%) are most likely to watch on the big screen and it appears that men have been more cautious about visiting the cinema over the last year – more than half (51%) of men state that the Bond movie will be their first trip back to the cinema, compared with 42% of women.

Londoners have been the most eager to get back to the movie theatre, with more than three in five (65%) reporting that they have already been to see a film; only 29% of the Capital’s film fans will make No Time to Die their first since restrictions were eased.

The popularity of the iconic James Bond character has played a big part in bringing people back to the cinemas. PartyCasino’s research found that Bond, who will be played by Daniel Craig for the final time in No Time to Die, was overwhelmingly the nation’s favourite secret agent.

More than half (52%) named the suave MI6 operative at the top of their list. Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne was second in the list with 28% of the vote, followed by The Impossible Mission’s Ethan Hunt (19%), played by Tom Cruise.

Younger fans preferred several other agents to Bond, with Jason Bourne and Alec Leamas from The Spy Who Came In from the Cold registering more votes among 18-24 year olds, but Ronin’s Sam Regazolli (Robert de Niro) was the youngsters’ favourite, with 20% voting him top of the list.

Conversely, while Bond was the top choice of most aged 65 and over, Harry Palmer from The Ipcress File was also popular, with more than a quarter (26%) naming him.

PartyCasino marketing manager, David Winter, said: “James Bond clearly still has a massive place in the hearts of the British public – his magnetism, suaveness, witty one-liners and fearless stunts still draw the crowds they did decades ago.

“His return this month can only be a good thing for the UK cinema industry which, like most entertainment sectors, has been hit hard in the last year. James Bond always saves the day – here’s hoping he can save our cinemas too.”

To find out exactly why Bond is still such a huge draw, take a look at PartyCasino’s research on the public’s favourite stunts and casino scenes from 007’s back catalogue here: The Reasons why Britain Still Loves Bond.

Joel Rapp Dies

Joel Rapp, who had writing or co-writing credits on 16 feature films and more than 250 classic sitcoms, died Wednesday at home. He was 87 and no cause of death was given by his family.

Born on May 22, 1934 in New York City, Rapp grew up Beverly Hills in a family considered part of Hollywood royalty. His father, Philip Rapp, created radio series The Bickersons and Baby Snooks. His godmother was actress and singer Fanny Brice, and his godfather was actor-singer Eddie Cantor.

Joel Rapp went on to work with director Roger Corman on many films and wrote for such television hits as Gilligan’s Island, The Lucy Show, McHale’s Navy, My Favorite Martian, The Patty Duke Show, The Joey Bishop Show and The Donna Reed Show.

Source: Deadline

Christopher Nolan's New Deal With Universal - Explained

If you want to attract Christopher Nolan to your studio, it turns out he comes with a list of terms and conditions.

Just in case you’re a studio head reading this and contemplating a last-minute raid on Universal to try and secure the services of Christopher Nolan, you might want to finish this article first.

Whilst Nolan’s contract with Universal is said to be in the final stages of negotiations, there’s a long list of demands that reportedly come with securing the services of such a successful and prestigious director. Sony, Apple and others were all said to be courting the director at one point when his departure from Warner Bros became an inevitability, following his public dressing down of the studio over its decision to release its films both theatrically and via its streaming service. However, it’s Universal that have seemingly won his favour, with the studio reportedly meeting Nolan’s demands, which have now become public.

According to Variety, Nolan’s demands included a $100 million budget for his next project, a film about Robert J Oppenheimer, the ‘father’ of the atomic bomb. Nolan also wants total creative control of the film and 20% of the first-dollar gross. Reportedly, Nolan is also requesting a six-week non-release period surrounding the theatrical release of his Oppenheimer film, throughout which Universal will not release any other films. We have to imagine that this request would be granted on a wait-and-see basis, given the current state of the world, but who knows?

The list of demands features as part of a wider story on the chase to secure Nolan’s services, and it’s well worth a few minutes of your time.

Whilst Nolan’s expectations may raise eyebrows in some quarters, most of them are contractual elements that he had already earned at Warner Bros, plus you can’t help but admire the director’s commitment to the theatrical cause, even if demanding a 100 day theatrical window probably lost him Apple’s interest immediately. We’ll bring you more details of Nolan’s next film as we hear them.

Source: Film Stories