[Weekly Update] September 26, 2021

I just realized I didn't plan a Halloween episode. But I do have a somewhat unique idea brewing in the back of my mind. Wether or not it'll pan out depends on my mental fortitude. Let's just say, the content I plan on talking about aren't the best...

Feel free to guess my idea.

CHANNEL UPDATE

• Editing for Gun Fu Part 2 is complete, and it should be live in Wednesday/Thursday!
• At this point, our pre planned schedule is over. We still have a video about Silenced (2011) planned for the near future. It'll either go live in October or November, depending on if we have a Halloween video or not.
• Potential ideas for future video includes A Tribute to Cynthia Rothrock, A video about McDull (An animated film series about the reality of living in Hong Kong), A video about White Snake 2, and A video critiquing Switch (2013).
• Starting December, our channel will experience some slow down. Part of it is that I'll be working on some projects outside of our channel. But I've also been extremely stressed and overworked lately, and need a short break. No detail is decided just yet. I'll keep you updated on our schedule change!

MEDIA UPDATE

• I did not expect No Time To Die to gain the level of hype it's getting, especially after all of the delay, following an extremely disappointing entry. Yet, here we are, Daniel Craig's final Bond, again!
• I know I sound extremely cynical. I guess my expectation is just that low, especially upon realizing it follows the plot of Quantum of Solace, and Spectre, two of the worst Craig Bond films.
• Still, the Craig Bond films seem to followed the reverse of the Star Trek Odd/Even rule. So maybe this one will be good! We'll find out soon.
• Anyway, while we are on the topic of James Bond, let's do that thing that every filmmaker/film student has to do: Let's talk about who's the best James Bond. Here is my take.
• Sean Connery is the iconic bond. It was popular at the time, to a point where the writer of the James Bond novel series, Ian Fleming, retconned the character to be of Scottish origin. With his charm and swagger, Connery truly defines the role.
• But one thing I think people rarely realize is how Connery's version gets better with time.
• Sean Connery, to me, is the only one that embodies the classic "larger than life" masculine ideal, the same idea that was embodied by the likes of John Wayne, and eventually, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The trend sort of ended when Die Hard came out, and the new hero trope prefers everyday men.
• Yes, I know full well the toxic masculinity undertone. But what is Bond if not a toxic womanizer?
• While all Bonds are consistently sexy, not all Bonds live up to this larger than life ideal. Whenever Connery goes topless, his bulky physique makes him look like an exaggerated character, not someone we can find in day to day life. This out of this world charm, is what makes Connery's Bond so fascinating and mysterious.
• As cliche as it may be, I have to give Connery ★★★★★.
• George Lazenby only ever appeared in one Bond film, but it is a damn good one.
• Following Connery's foot step isn't easy, which is why Lazenby didn't. Instead, in his only appearance, Lazenby offers a much more sympathetic depiction of James Bond, in which he falls in love. The same plotting would be used in Diane Craig's Casino Royale. But I think Lazenby's version did it much better, for the simple fact that he offers a version of Bond that feels more human.
• On the other hand, this is definitely how most people imagine Bond to be. Without the name, you'd hardly recognize this character. Lazenby gave it his best, and offered a unique depiction. But I think when people want Bond, they are still looking for the Connery style Bond.
• I'll give Lazenby ★★★.
• Roger Moore is a very strange case to me. In all promotional photos, he looks amazing. He looks exactly how I and many people imagine James Bond would look like. Some photos looks even better than Connery, I'd say. He is classically handsome, witty, yet focused, and serious. He looks like a man you do not mess with.
• But in the movies, he rarely feels that way. This was the more corny era of Bond, with gadgetry pushed to he max, and silly stunts took center stage. Perhaps because of this direction, Moore always look so out of place. At times, he looks like an accountant in a spy spoof film.
• Moore certainly wasn't bad. But it does feel like Moore is just mean to look, act, and feel like Connery. His films certainly don't age nearly as gracefully as most other Bond flicks. All of which makes his performance less enjoyable.
• I guess I'll give Moore ★★★.
• Timothy Dalton's run as James Bond is short, but different.
• Dalton is kinda the prototype of the modern era Bond. He's serious, ruthless, often humourless. It's a direction quite different from what came before.
• This new direction may have been difficult for the filmmakers, however. As tonally, both Dalton films are kinda all over the place. Dalton's seriousness is often in conflict with the film's visual style, which remains mostly the same to the funnier Connery and Moore era.
• Dalton should've been shown in shadows, in the dark, with moody lightings, instead of the high key lighting that was popular in the 60s. This makes Dalton look like a complete edge lord.
• Honestly, I think if everything is a bit more cohesive, Dalton would've been a great Bond. But as is, his run is short for a reason. I guess by this point, the Bond fatigue was so strong, even the filmmakers stopped trying.
• I'll give Dalton ★★.
• Pierce Brosnan is a lot of people's favourite. Strikingly handsome, Brosnan feels out of this world, just like Connery.
• For the most part, Brosnan's Bond strikes a nice balance between the more playful old school style, and the more serious modern style. Brosnan is wise cracking in his films, but still has a sense of coolness and seriousness. He is flirty, seductive but not aggressive. It's a very nice update to the role, even if it feels aggressively 90s.
• The one downside is, Brosnan's run as James Bond eventually turned silly pretty quickly. And part of him must have noticed that, too. Because in his later work, you can kinda see Brosnan not giving it as much effort as before.
• Still, excellent run none the less. ★★★★

Well, this update got way too long. I guess when the next film is out, I'll be able judge Daniel Craig in the complete package. To this day, Craig still doesn't look like James Bond to me, but maybe I'm just an old fart. He does FEEL like Bond when he's in the movie, though. Goes to show how impressive his acting talent is.

Well, I hope you had a fun weekend. I'll see you in a few days with a new video!