Skyfall

Let's cut straight to the chase: this was very closely my favorite movie of recent memory (aside from Cabin in the Woods). Less surprises than Looper, but still an excellent storyline and tons of excitement. James Bond is back, better and badder than ever before.

Bond has been a beloved character for years and whether you think Daniel Craig fits the bill or not, Skyfall should make the answer rather obvious. Aside from the occasional shots of his awkward running stride, Craig is a great Bond and if you haven't heard he has signed on for two more films as well.

Beginning with an outstanding opening chase scene and an exciting and impressive opening credit sequence paired with Adele's single. I was hooked from the start. Following Bond into a story full of a perfect balance of old and new (revamping classic characters and reviving the playfullness of older Bond movies) was incredibly fun this time around (as opposed to whatever you'd like to call Quantum of Solace).

As for the story I won't give anything away, but look forward to a witty candor amongst characters that is refreshing and relieving at times. Little side glances from characters and quips about age coarse through the veins of this film and make it a memorable experience. Watch for the symmetry in many of the shots, though I feel it's hard to miss. It just adds to the subtle beauty of this Bond movie.

There are three things, among others, that are hard for me to believe in movies: fear, sadness, and cold. Check (✔) the first one off for Skyfall with Bérénice Marlohe's performance as Sévérine, one of the Bond girls. Then there's Q played by Ben Whishaw. He was excellent playing the brainy, young character opposite Daniel Craig's "old" Bond. And the mere fact that Craig turns on the waterworks, however brief, should be another ✔ off the list. Judi Dench is as impactful as ever as M, giving a beautiful performance of a snippet of a Tennyson poem swelling with the music. Naomie Harris who you might remember from 28 Days Later or the Pirates of the Caribbean series brings a rapport with Bond to the screen that hasn't been seen from a Bond girl in years. And Ralph Fiennes (aka Voldemort) shows his always skillful acting ability as Gareth Mallory.

Javier Bardem stands alone here. Both literally and figuratively. While his performance was both powerful and frightening, it felt familiar, reminiscent of the Joker from The Dark Knight. Bardem is always an incredible actor at the top of his game here. Still not as scary as Anton Chigurh (did you remember his name?) in No Country for Old Men. And many critics are claiming that he is the scariest villain of any Bond movie, but it's almost too easy to claim that once you learn his motive...Possible spoiler

Anything can be scary if it's made personal. And is only amplified when his malevolence is directed towards a main character.

However, the malicious and sadistic tones he conveys are incomparable to previous villains and his performance as Silva is not one to be forgotten.

Two things did bother me in Skyfall: Daniel Craig's awkward running and the CGI breath to show just how cold it is (✔? Only thanks to the snow and frozen water).  Why does his running bother me? Because he looks like he is a person in Minecraft living in an hi-def world. The CGI verges on annoying simply due to just how fake it really looks. It's nit-picky, oh well.

Skyfall joins a special tier of films, and in my opinion is one of the best Bond films to date. It will surely create new fans of the series and should impress any die-hard fan.

9/10