Movies And Intelligence

So this afternoon being off of work and ahead of a few projects for Never Forget Foundation, I thought I would relax with a bucket of popcorn and some lethality every four minutes.  No I don't mean the news, I mean going to see the latest Pierce Brosnan film, November Man.  For those of you considering the movie I will start with the trailer:

Let me start by saying I love 007, but having a film that is about a former spy being played by a former Bond whose love interest is his previous Bond love interest does make things awkward.  Or schizophrenic.  Or boring....until.

So you will be surprised to note that this movie was filled with spy cliches.

• Old spy drawn back into the game.
• Old spy loses one of the people he cares about.
• Old spy who is hard stays hard...and sad.
• Old spy walks away from everything...including the cool explosions.

This film has its share of regular murder, drinking, and regular explosions to keep you awake, but other than that the plot line is about as thin as capellini d’angelo.  If you are looking for plot twists you have to wait until the movie is over.  (More on that later.)

Again, this is a film with a quick introduction of the spy who becomes former spy.  He is brought back into the game so that he can help one of the few who he cares about.  He then finds out his former protege killed the one he cared about and the hunt for how and why begins.  Bond formula from here...shooting, explosions, naked girl, moment of reflection, shooting...

It is what it is folks and I didn't walk in expecting much, but if you do want anything out of this film you have to wait until it is forty percent over.  Sorry.  I like Brosnan.  I thought his former spy portrayal in the 2005 movie The Matador was almost hilarious if they didn't have quite the ease they did with the murder of the various victims in that movie.  If you want to see Brosnan doing what he does...let's face it - he could play an old retired spy in his sleep - then go plunk down your money and this movie should hit the minimum expectations which is why I gave it three stars.  If you expect more, you will be disappointed.

Now, as promised, the good part of the movie was when a guy approached me after the film.  I was wearing a FDNY t-shirt to which he asked if I had worked for them.  I answered honestly no, but that I had my various brothers in that and many other departments.  He then went on to tell me about his career in the CIA.

Let me repeat that...he went on to tell me he worked for the CIA.

"I like to watch these films to check them out," he said.  I stood there and nodded politely now wanting to make my way to the car.  He didn't scare me.  While he did outweigh me and had a few inches in height I was pretty sure I could evade any move he had.  I also wasn't worried about a sophisticated recruitment ploy, but I had to ask myself how much schizophrenia could I handle in one day.

The movie had its issues as I outline above, but to now hear a guy who looked like he just left Walmart telling me he was super secret guy and talking about his career in America's super secret agency and his obvious need to validate it via Hollywood made me think I need to start watching rom-coms.  Didn't the CIA make the line "I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you" famous?  I mean look if you are a CIA employee and need to go watch these films....well, have at it, but don't tell me okay.  I may have to shoot you...with a water pistol.

Happy Birthday 'I'...

 While I doubt anyone referred to him as I, Ian Fleming, could have gone through this moniker.  Or perhaps Fleming, Ian Fleming, station J...Jamaica.  In any case, today we celebrate the man's birthday who created James Bond.


Fleming who himself was a British Naval Intelligence Officer during World War II likely had a first class seat, due to his assignment as well as his upbringing, to spy craft in its golden age of espionage.

Beyond the explosions and Walther PPK/s that appear again and again throughout the series, no Bond film would be complete without his martini.

In a bit of an unusual departure in Casino Royale though, Bond moves from the ubiquitous vodka martini - shaken, not stirred - and 
goes for the Vesper, the drink named after Vesper Lynd, Bond's love interest in the film.

For those fans who do not remember the recipe, the Vesper is made with:

• 3 measures of Gordon's Gin
• 1 measure of vodka
• 1/2 measure Kina Lillet (Kina Lillet is a White or Blanc Lillet. It's a brand of dry vermouth  made in France since the late 1800's that is often referred to as "the apèritif of Bordeaux".)
• Lemon peel for garnish

Here is hoping you celebrate Mr. Fleming's birthday with a proper Vesper martini.