Tag: Casino Royale
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Character Spotlight: Ivana Miličević as Valenka
In the spirit of spotlighting some of the lesser-known characters in the Bond movies, I’m turning my attention to Valenka, Le Chiffre’s short-haired blonde girlfriend in Casino Royale, played by Ivana Miličević. She isn’t exactly a major player, with limited… Read More →
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Casino Royale/Quantum Of Solace double feature
Aside from watching the movies chronologically as I recommended in my last post, I’d argue the other genuinely useful viewing strategy for a James Bond fan is pairing the first two Daniel Craig films together. This naturally happens when watching… Read More →
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Keep the fruit
In Casino Royale, it is surprisingly satisfying to hear Bond order his famous shaken, not stirred martini at the poker table, only for several of the other players to immediately join him. “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half… Read More →
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No, don’t worry. You’re not my type.
In Casino Royale, Bond and Vesper’s coy back-and-forth during their first meeting in the car starts as pleasant conversation before gradually drifting into outright flirting, only to hit a wonderfully awkward dead end with this exchange. Vesper’s “Smart?” seems to… Read More →
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Casino Royale’s Lake Como Villa for sale
Another day, another real estate listing with an unexpected James Bond connection. This time, it’s a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment inside the stunning Villa La Gaeta on Lake Como, the estate that appears at the end of Casino Royale. At roughly… Read More →
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New Thomas Crown Teaser Channels James Bond
The newly released teaser for Michael B. Jordan’s take on The Thomas Crown Affair immediately has my James Bond radar beeping. Watching the teaser almost feels like Jordan was quietly auditioning for 007. Between the white dinner jacket that screams… Read More →
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Bondvertisements: License to Sell
Although product placement has long existed in James Bond movies, from automobile partnerships to Bond’s watches and even the British Airways billboard in Moonraker, its commercial footprint has become far more noticeable in the modern era. Some examples feel natural… Read More →
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Dikko Henderson’s “perfect” stirred, not shaken martini
It’s a shame Dikko Henderson’s time in You Only Live Twice is so brief because he quickly shows to be an entertaining ally. Bond and Henderson get off on the right foot, or rather the right leg, when 007 slaps… Read More →
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Vesper’s ex retcon is rare Casino miss
One of my few issues with Casino Royale centers on Vesper’s secret dealings. After the traditional first watch “glow” wore off like it does for me with every Bond movie after subsequent rewatches, the Algerian boyfriend retcon felt less like… Read More →
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Should actual stunts take priority over CGI?
I’m firmly in the camp that wants Bond 26 to prioritize practical stunt work whenever possible. Casino Royale‘s record-setting Aston Martin rollover remains an all-time action moment precisely because it was real, while Spectre‘s massive desert explosion showed the impact… Read More →