Ellie and I saw Casino Royale today. Normally we consume such entertainments in the form of Netflix and time shifted TV care of my Media Center PC. However we judiciously attend the cinema for such ‘big screen pictures’ like Bond. I am long time fan of the Bond films: for their entertainment value and for their bizarre social commentary. I own the whole set on DVD (sans the original Casino Royale and the ‘kind of official’ Never Say Never Again). Craig’s Bond is reminiscent of Lazenby’s – a more working class Bond who truly falls in love.

Opening Song: Crappy. So much good music at the moment. W(ho)TF is Chris Cornell? Britney Freaking Spears would have been better.

Action: Low key compared to some other Bond films. The foot case in Madgascar is awesome.

Product Placement: A little more low key than some of the luxury merchandise commercials masquerading as a Brosnan movie. Ford paid up big time with Fords, Aston Martins, Land Rovers and Jaguars littered throughout the film.

Villain: Well done. ‘Realistic’ with the terrorism plot speaking to the issues of the times. The Bond of the 60s and 70s were obsessed with Armageddon lots and who can forget the drug czar villains of the Dalton films.

Drinking: Not your normal vodka martini, shaken not stirred bar scenes. The ‘Vesper’ from the Ian Flemming book appeared. 3 parts Gin, 1 part Vodka, ½ part Lillet with a Lemon Twist. Indulging the Bond spirit I made one tonight with Cascade Mountain Gin, Lemon Smirnoff, White Lillet and a Lemon Twist. Ellie went for a more classic version with Quintessential Gin, Burnett’s Vodka, White Lillet and a Lemon Twist.

Conclusion: Awesome combination of scenes – however the film left me a little unfulfilled. The whole was not greater than the sum of its parts.