February 21, 2007

Pre-Oscar movie reviews

Here are some of my film reviews from The American Conservative:

Dreamgirls
Babel
Casino Royale
Bobby


My published articles are archived at iSteve.com -- Steve Sailer

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

" Madagascar (which has to be the least strategically located country on Earth)"

The brits beg to differ!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Madagascar

Anonymous said...

The shower scene in Casino Royale where Bond comforts Vesper Lynd is a stunning piece of cinematography.

Anonymous said...

Man, It was a lousy year at the movies.

Here's to hoping that this year has more interesting entertainments placed for sale in Cinemas.

Anonymous said...

On a higher entertainment note, Rome is running again, and it's just as ace as the last season!

Anonymous said...

"Dreamgirls" pretty much flopped at the box-office. I would never pay to see the story of the Supremes--enough already! As for star Jennie Hudson,I advise her to be careful with her Dreamgirls money:Oscar aside,there is not a big demand for chubby,somewhat homely African Am girls in the movies! "Dreamgirls II:This Time Its Personal"?? I dont think so! :)

Anonymous said...

Couldn't they make a biopic of Bobby Fischer?

Steve Sailer said...

Go see "The Lives of Others" when it comes to your town.

And "The Last King of Scotland" is
good.

The (clothed) shower scene in "Casino Royale" is pretty good in itself, but I think they edited out part of the plot right before it that was required to explain what they are doing in the shower rather than playing poker.

Anonymous said...

I think Casino Royale is a very very good movie. It seems like you're searching for something that's not even supposed to be there. The movie is ridiculous, but much less ridiculous than the Brosnan versions, and much more entertaining.

Anonymous said...

You know, I can forgive Mr. Sailer for pushing Bell Curveism and having comment threads filled with nasty, racist cranks because he's a lively and provocative writer, but giving a negative review to Casino Royale? Sir, you go too far!

And jeez, even the numbnuts at Aint It Cool News realized that the opening parkour/ crane sequence was a lot more than empty action. It established through action 007's problem solving methods, in showing how he outsmarted the supernaturally athletic bomb maker.

Anonymous said...

In his pinko days, Paul Johnson described the books as "sex, snobbery and sadism". I can't remember what he said was bad about them.

Anonymous said...

"sex,snobbery and sadism"...wasnt that a reference to the Hillary Clinton campaign?

Anonymous said...

Bond is supposed to be tall, dark, and handsome, but Craig is none of those

I suspect this is the root of Steve's problem with the film. Steve is two of those, but didn't even get a look in.

The filmmakers have dyed his hair light brown...

Sure about this? Craig has denied it:

http://www.exposay.com/daniel-craig-refused-to-dye-hair-for-007/v/6387/

Anonymous said...

Predicting the next Steve Sailer "controversial" movie question:

"Breach" was made because the American spy giving secrets to a foreign country was Catholic. Can anyone guess why it wasn't made about a Jewish spy giving secrets to Israel?

I know, I'm like Creskin.

Anonymous said...

That comment about the "nasty racist cranks" -- I have to respond.
Did you ever wonder why people become that way ? Here is why. Read this website:

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/
showthread.php?t=8752

This is a story told by modern day urban archeologists. They visit an abandoned city. Everyone's gone. It looks like everyone just got up and left an entire city in one day. They left behind everything, such was their haste and such was their fear. It's like one of those science fiction movies where the hero wakes up and the whole city's empty and it's a mystery. This one is mystery too, but not for long. Look at the photos of the little people on the wall. They're missing, it says. But they're not missing. They're dead. Look at the innocent little faces on the wall. Then look at the people on the slab. They're dead too. Then look at the mug shots. Then you know. An entire city, built out of a wilderness and it's dead. Who killed it ? Who backs the people who killed it ? Who do you back ? This is a crime against humanity. This country is a crime. I feel so sick. I feel like Charleton Heston in that movie. God damn them to hell.

Anonymous said...

Daniel Craig may not have dyed his hair, but the filmmakers could have used lighting to make it look darker. Whatever. I haven't seen the movie, but I've seen Craig, and Sailer is right that he doesn't look like a bond. He looks more like a a Bond adversary.

A better Bond would have been Clive Owen (who bears a slight resemblance to George Lazenby, one of the better Bonds), but I think Owen turned the Cauliflowers down.

Dave

Steve Sailer said...

Watching "Children of Men," it was hard to avoid thinking "Why isn't Clive Owen the new James Bond?"

Anonymous said...

Nor will the media sweep under the rug the fact that Clive Owen was publicly pursued to play Bond long before Craig became the first and only choice.

Variety, a respected entertainment trade publication, reports that the film producers lost out on the chance to have Owen sign on to be Bond when they refused to include gross profit points in any contract offer.


http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4153/is_20061115/ai_n16847782/pg_1