The Most Beautiful Movie of the Year - Which is Also a Bond Movie

Skyfall (2012) / UK / Out in cinemas now / Directed by Sam Mendes / Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan / Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Albert Finney, Ben Whishaw / 143 mins

First off, I'll have to admit that I'm no Bond expert. To be honest, the only reason I ever gave Bond a second thought was because I saw a poster of Casino Royale and fell in love with Daniel Craig. I was 11, then, and I thought that Casino Royale was the sexiest film I'd ever seen. Since then I've only bothered to see Quantum of Solace, so really, I don't qualify to be giving Skyfall a review on its James Bond merits. However, this is a different kind of Bond film. It doesn't really live up to the womanizing, slick agent, gadget powered thing that I've pretty much always recognised Bond films as being. This is a film directed by Sam Mendes - who has built a name for himself by directing such drama powerhouses as American Beauty and Revolutionary Road - and most importantly, it is shot by Roger Deakins, who can make anything look beautiful. What we have here is James Bond on the brink of physical collapse, terrorist plots, and mostly an existential drama. However, it still has the familiar tropes of a James Bond films, which makes it one of the more intriguing projects of the year.

Skyfall takes on a whole different branch to the previous blonde Bond outings, instead 'killing off' Bond in the opening scene. However, while Bond manages to survive this 'death' and live off the grid for a while, he is brought back into the spy game when M (Judi Dench) and MI6 begin receiving threats - and the MI6 headquarters get bombed. Bond is launched into trying to find a stolen hard-drive which could break MI6's operations, which leads him to former agent Silva (Javier Bardem), who is bent on taking down M.

Dear Hollywood: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Okay, so this is only my third "Dear Hollywood" post, but I'm already trying something radical: I'm basing it around a movie which I enjoyed a lot. And that movie is, would you believe it, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. For anyone looking for a refresher, just remember that this is not unlike those "Agony Aunt" posts, i.e. Dear Agony Aunt,
I'm always cold. What do I do?
From I. C. Colde.
The catch is, the agony aunt is actually Hollywood. Cool huh? I thought so. Anyway, let's give this one a go...

Dear Hollywood,
I just got back from seeing New Year's Eve. Oh yes, it had a very good cast. All that star power, with all those Oscars hidden away in a mantelpiece far far away...you should really be proud. Who needs a good script when you have so many famous faces in a movie? Hell, they don't even need to act.
Anyway, I was wondering if you could lend me some advice. I would love to do one of those "big cast" movies. But, well, you've taken up all of the holidays that there are. Apart from Queen's Birthday. You're not getting that one. Also, I suppose you'd be the wrong one to ask out this, but I want my "big cast" movie to be actually good.
Tell me, what story could I throw at a whole lot of actors so they can just show their faces? But in a good way. Like, in a good movie. That kind of stuff.
Yours sincerely,
Britain Needs Their Big Cast Movie Too

Dear Britain Needs Their Big Cast Movie Too,
You had the Olympics. Doesn't that count as a big cast movie?
Yours sincerely,
Disgruntled Hollywood

Dear Hollywood,
Hooooooooooold up, is someone a bit jealous? Just because our Queen jumped out of a plane with James Bond.
Yours sincerely, 
Britain Needs Their Big Cast Movie Too