Movies these days don’t want to let you get settled into the Cinema hall before they start on you, apparently. Casino royale starts with a brilliant action sequence – a snake fighting orgy that quickly goes onto be a cat n mouse chase, with Bond ending up more than ruffling diplomatic feathers(no, not of birds).

If the makers wanted to take the focus away from the way the new Bond looks to the movie itself, then they succeed very well.

This follows with Bond breaking in, to M’s office! And getting it good for being “reckless, and letting his ego rule”. For a movie that supposedly sets the tone for the rest of the Bond movies, this one’s certainly a very good attempt at it – and succeeds most of the time.

Bond as a reckless, but suave, arrogant spy is great characterisation, if you look at the series as a whole (thanks to Star Movies for that!!). Among the best things Daniel Craig brings into the Bond franchise is the way he carries his chip on the shoulder. The makers have brought out Bond’s character fantastically well – the chip on the shoulder, his falling in love, the eventual betrayal and how that shapes his character. The unpolished arrogance that Bond as a newbie spy carries – the list goes on.

The movie is engaging no doubt. It flows seamlessly scene to scene, and keeps you rooted to the seat most of the time. The action sequences are very well choreographed and shot (although one hopes next time the camera work will be better, much better) . The only Bond girl looks rather fetchin – the eyes, oh the eyes! Oh the sounds, the cars. One gets more than their money’s worth, with all the aural pleasures of vee-12s in full throated glory.

On the whole, the best Bond movie in a decade, certainly. But one hopes that the makers wont take that as a affirmation for Daniel Craig as the new bond - or their way of dismissing previous Bond movies. Bond’s grisly, and grimy – get in the dirt – phase is nice, entertaining and is good when he’s protrayed as a new “00″ recruit, but if the makers want to go the same route later on too, it would probably not come off as well.

If you are still reading, and havent got your tickets, I’d say RUN and grab yourself tickets -this is certainly aint a bond movie one should miss! (And that is from someone who thought he’d not watch this movie because of Daniel Craig, well he stands corrected)

“Little vice, even less spice.”

That should be the tag-line for the movie. Colin Farell and Jamie Foxx are the lead stars. and Gong li is the female lead. The story is apparently based on a 1980′s TV series, of the same name. With farell and foxx playing two cops who go undercover.

The plot is very thin, and intended to be racy, which it isnt. Cops get killed. Undercover cops deployed. Cop gets involved with Gangsta’s chick, gets double-crossed. Doesnt get killed in shoot-out.

Ok, typical 1980s Hindi movie, right? Well, almost. Except the chick’s let go.

The action. A Motorboat cruise to Havana – very, very picturesque. Great cinematography. A chase in a Ferrari 360 (I think) – just about okay. Hmm, nothing much else. Unless you wanna count random acts of shooting. Some acts of playing hard-ball.

A Note to Colin Farell – changing hairstyles doesnt constituting ‘acting’ or of picking up new roles. Maybe you should get back to acting and forget about the changing style.

And Foxx to Farell “I’ll never doubt you!” Oh yea? Who’re you kidding?

Should you watch it? Yes. If you’re a jobless uncouth idiot with nothin else to do, and some cash to spare, or friends who have some cash to spare, rush to it.

Watched at: PVR cinemas, Forum, Bangalore

[NOTE: continue reading, passage below does not expose the main plot details]

Jack Sparrow (Johny Depp), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) & Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) are back with the second part of the trilogy pirate-adventure POTC (Pirates Of The Caribbean).

This time, “Captain” Jack Sparrow is commandeering his beloved black-sailed ship “Black Pearl” (from POTC-1) and has to fight the new villain “Davy Jones” who controls Kraken, a giant octopus like sea-creature. Will Turner, joins the action to release his father Bootstrap Bill from Davy Jones and Elizabeth, though being the lover of Will, has quite a confusing relationship with Jack Sparrow.

Davy Jones doesn’t feel very threatening with his dive-capable ship “Flying DutchMan” except for their wierd animal-parts fused bodies. The additional threat of “East India Company” didn’t make much sense, may be it will in POTC-3.

Johnny Depp continues with his amazing comical performance of Jack Sparrow. I specially enjoyed the very funny sequence with the tribals in the first half.

All in all, the people who loved the first part will surely enjoy this pirate-adventure. The others, swalpa adjust maadi !!