Casino Royale
Gold Bond

// The skinny: The newly promoted 007 enters a high stakes poker game to keep a villain with terrorist connections from winning the pot in this James Bond prequel.

// Review: I've never really been a superfan of the Bond franchise. In the last decade or so it's gone straight to the crapper. Mediocre action, horrible dialogue, and comic book like plots had them less like the Bourne Identity and more like Austin Powers. So of course I loved this grittier re-visioning, which surprising was directed by the same guy who did the campy Golden Eye.

/ The big news of course is yet another new Bond. I like Daniel Craig and I'm sure the actor who plays King Leonidis who was also seriously considered would have been great as well. He doesn't have the smarmy smuggness of Pierce Bronson, but instead has his own charm with a sense of menace. Previous Bonds have been a little slight, while Craig is a bonafide bad ass.

/ The action was great. Not a bunch of preposterous pyrotechnics, but intense close quarters fighting and shoot outs. I liked that it wasn't just about the poker game (note: seeing a flush, two different full houses, and a straight flush in one no limit hand is ridiculous). There were several plot layers and actually some character development in a Bond movie.

// Wrap up: I've always been partial to the Connery Bonds, and while this film may deviate from the old mold it's my favorite. A lot probably has to do with Eva Green. Holy crap I'm in love. She's slam your hand in a drawer hot.

Entertainment rating: 4