50 Greatest Movie Soundtracks; part 1

From Apocalypse Now to Lost In Translation, from The Wicker Man to Control, we count down 50 movie soundtracks of all time -  see who makes number one!

50. 8 Mile - It was inevitable that the soundtrack to Eminem’s movie debut would go down well with the record buying public. Debuting at number one on America’s Billboard, the soundtrack shifted 702,000 copies in its first week alone. Consisting of five songs that feature Eminem, including his massive smash ‘Lose Yourself’, it accompanied the film perfectly. The soundtrack has so far sold 9million copies around the world – proof that Em’s move onto the big screen was a lucrative step worth taking.

49. Juno – The surprise hit movie of 2007, also features a surprisingly brilliant soundtrack. Embellishing the story of a teenager suffering an unplanned pregnancy to a goofy loser are songs by The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Mott The Hoople, The Kinks, Belle & Sebastien, Kimya Dawson and Buddy Holly. The original soundtrack was so received that a second one – ‘Juno B-Sides: Almost Adopted Songs – got a digital release in March 2008.

 

48. Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels – The ultimate cockney wideboy gangster film naturally featured an extremely laddish, fast-tempo soundtrack. Ocean Colour Scene’s greatest moment ‘Hundred Mile High City’ was the signature tune of an enviable collection of songs including a spattering of funk (James Brown), golden classics (Dusty Springfield) and plenty of cocky rock n’ roll (Iggy Pop).

47. The Wedding Singer - While you might expect the soundtrack to The Wedding Singer to be a load of goofy nonsense like the movie’s star Adam Sandler, it’s actually a fantastic record of some cult classics. From Culture Club’s ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’ (ok, that’s quite goofy) to the pioneering ‘Blue Monday’ by New Order it has almost everything an MTV generation could hope for. We’ll ignore Sandler’s own ‘Somebody Kill Me’.

46. Rushmore - Originally director Wes Anderson wanted the soundtrack to Rushmore to feature songs entirely by The Kinks. When the movie was released in 1998, however, it featured just one Kinks song – ‘Nothin' in the World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl’. As well as a number of compositions from Mark Mothersbaugh, the soundtrack included songs by The Who, John Lennon and Cat Stevens – all of which went perfectly with the story about eccentric teenager Max Fischer, played by Jason Schwartzman.

45. The Jackal - When you’re jumping off the seat while watching The Jackal, it’s due in part to the suspense-packed soundtrack. Songs like Primal Scream’s fantastic ‘Star’, Massive Attack’s ‘Superpredators’ and ‘Shining’ by Moby, all fit perfectly with Michael Caton- Jones’ film about the death of the young brother of a Russian gangster. It’s not a surprise to learn that a number of the songs were written with the film in mind.

44. One From The Heart – The 1982 musical directed by the legendary Francis Ford Coppola featured a completely original soundtrack written and performed by Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle. The film was a commercial flop grossing less than $1million from the US box office, despite costing $26million to make (amazing considering he made Apocalypse Now just three years earlier), however this didn’t stop Waits from notching up an Academy Award nomination.

 

43. Pump Up The Volume - Telling the story of a radio DJ, the film's music drew from a hugely diverse range of genres. As a result, the soundtrack is a truly captivating listen – featuring such songs as Bad Brains’ ‘Kick Out The Jams’ and ‘Everybody Knows’ by Concrete Blond. If there’s one criticism, then it’s with the producers, who chose to omit Leonard Cohen’s original version of ‘Everybody Knows’ which features so prominently in the movie.

42. American Graffiti - While the 1973 movie will always be regarded as the film that launched the career of producer George Lucas and the actors Harrison Ford and Richard Dreyfuss, it’s important not to overlook the soundtrack. Comprised of 41 songs from the film, it beautifully represents the period of time that the movie is set in. It features the classic Rock Around The Clock’ by Bill Haley and the Comets, as well as a song from the Beach Boys.

 

41. Kill Bill – Quentin Tarantino, the undisputed master of the movie soundtrack, came up trumps once again with both parts of Kill Bill. A perfect balance of songs to reflect the shifting scenes and moods of the films, the director picked classics by the likes of Nancy Sinatra, Johnny Cash and Isaac Hayes to appear alongside more traditional tracks (such as the panpipe classic The Good Shepherd) and even a song by cast member Lucy Liu.

 

40. Layer Cake - Before Daniel Craig transformed himself into the not-so-secret agent 007, he found himself in Layer Cake - a film about the drugs underworld. It’s another one of those films that has made our countdown because of the way the music seamlessly moulds itself to the story. From the way ‘You Got The Love’ by The Source soundtracks Sienna Miller’s courting dance to the elaborate use of The Cult’s ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ as Mr Craig drives to meet his mentor, this is a true classic.

39. Good Will Hunting – The soundtrack to the 1997 movie is dominated by songs by the late-great Elliott Smith, including some of the songsmith’s standout songs in the shape of ‘Between The Bars’ and ‘Miss Misery.’ Augmenting Smith’s songs are tracks like The Dandy Warhols’ ‘Boys Better’, Al Green’s ‘How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’ and The Waterboys’ ‘Fisherman Blues’, making for an enviable track-listing.

 

38. The Lost Boys – Composer Thomas Newman crafted the score to the fondly remembered teenager horror flick from 1987, a score that was augmented by a strong soundtrack. It features a number of rare cover version’s including Roger Daltrey’s take on Elton John’s ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’ and Echo & The Bunnymen’s version of The Doors classic ‘People Are Strange’ – the latter of which earns this soundtrack a place on the list alone.

 

37. Shaft - You don’t have to have seen the film to recognise the unforgettable voice of Isaac Hayes – who wrote the soundtrack to ‘Shaft’. The soul legend’s voice and sultry instrumental compositions help give the movie its timeless distinction. Although the entire soundtrack is a worthy listen, it’s Hayes’ ‘Theme From Shaft’ which drew the most acclaim, picking up awards for Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical and Best Instrumental Arrangement.

 
34. Pat Garret and Billy The Kid - Rudy Wurlitzer approached Bob Dylan in 1972 about whether he'd like to contribute the music to Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid. The legend goes that Dylan decided to embark on the project because he had nothing else to do. It proved to be a good decision. Not only did the timeless singer-songwriter make a special appearance in the movie, but he also created a soundtrack that spawned one of his greatest and most memorable hits to date - 'Knockin On Heavens Door'.

35. Fight Club – Aside from the dark, brooding electronic soundscape that The Dust Brothers concocted, the real reason for Fight Club’s place on this list is the Pixies’ ‘Where Is My Mind.’ At the exact moment when Tyler Durden hits the detonator switch and the skyscrapers start collapsing, Kim Deal’s shrill vocals sound almost euphoric before the guitars kick in. It’s almost as if this song was written for the scene.

 

34. About A Boy – Fresh from scooping the Mercury Music Prize with his debut album ‘The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast’, Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) was approached to make the soundtrack by the film’s directors Chris and Paul Weitz. Gough wrote and performed every single song for the movie which appeared on an album of the same name. The author of ‘About A Boy’, Nick Hornby, listed the Badly Drawn Boy track ‘A Minor Incident’ from the soundtrack as one of the songs that has changed his life. 

33. Wayne’s World - Like the film itself, the soundtrack to Wayne’s World was a huge hit in the charts. Not only did it top the Billboard Top-200 album chart, but it also propelled Queen’s ‘Boheminan Rhapsody’ – one of the songs from the film – to number two in the singles countdown almost 20 years after it was first released. Music is an irresistible presence throughout the movie as Mike Myers and Dana Carvey serve up one of the 90s most culturally impacting spectacles.

32. Moonwalker - A fantastic example of Michael Jackson's talent in the 80s. Not content with simply making music, he was determined to find new and elaborate ways to showcase it. The movie, which comprised of the singer's extended music videos, borrowed most of its songs from Jackson's 1987 album Bad. There was nothing bad about the film, however, which to this day shows why Jackson should still be regarded as one of the world's greatest entertainers of all time.

31. Blade Runner – Okay, we’re bending the rules a bit by including a score in our list, but Bladerunner’s score is so breathtakingly brilliant we just couldn’t bring ourselves to omit it. Like A Clockwork Orange, the Vangelis score melds classical arrangements with futuristic synthesisers to take us directly into the dystopian Los Angeles in 2019.

 

30. Reservoir Dogs - Director Quentin Tarantino crafted his familiar approach to soundtracks with Reservoir Dogs in 1992. As well as featuring the songs from the film, Tarantino chose to include actor’s dialogue on the official soundtrack. Most of the excerpts on the soundtrack come from the fictional radio station in the film, K-Billy's Super Sound of the Seventies, which is hosted by deadpan comedian Steven Wright. A fantastic reminder of an era-defining moment in cinematography.

 

29. The Virgin Suicides – Like all films that have a soundtrack crafted especially for the movie, The Virgin Suicide’s music, scored by French dance giants Air, was something pretty special. Spearheaded by ‘Playground Love’, which featured the vocals of Phoenix singer Thomas Mars, it’s a mesmerising listen.

28. That Summer! – Starring a relatively fresh-faced Ray Winstone, 1979’s That Summer! is widely perceived as a strange film that was bolstered heavily by its searing soundtrack. The Undertones’ ‘Teenage Kicks’, The Ramones’ ‘Rockaway Beach’, Elvis Costello’s ‘Watching The Detectives’ and Ian Dury’s ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock n Roll’ are just some of the zeitgeist defining songs on display.

 

 

27. Garden State – The Grammy Award winning soundtrack to 2004’s Garden State is the brainchild of director Zach Braff who wanted a collection of songs reflecting the time he wrote the screenplay. Featuring tracks from artists including Coldplay, The Shins, Simon & Garfunkel, Nick Drake, Iron & Wine and Zero 7, it’s a soundtrack worthy of all its plaudits.

26. Boogie Nights – The soundtrack to 1997’s Boogie Nights was so damn good, they decided to release another one a year later. Together they encompass almost every song that was included in the sleazetastic movie, from Melanie’s memorable ‘Brand New Key’ to Electric Light Orchestra’s ‘Livin Thing.’ Sadly for Heatwave, they refused the film makers to use their song ‘Boogie Nights’ as they were worried about the connotations of it being attached to a movie about pornography. Doh!

 

25. 2001: A Space Odyssey - Notorious for its minimal dialogue, Kubrick’s soundtrack is instrumental in establishing the mood and texture of the film. Originally destined to feature a soundtrack by composer Alex North, the film’s score eventually consisted of existing classical recordings selected by Kubrick. When asked why he had decided not to use North’s work, Kubrick said why should he use music that is “less good” compared to that of established names like Beethoven.

 
to be continued....

Wooshhh! Slip! Gubrak!

Yep, kayanya gue emang either sial or srampangan. Stelah gue jatoh dari tangga awal bulan ini, tadi sore gue jatoh di kamar mandi.

Kepeleset lahh, banyak genangan air karena ujan deres banyak yg netes dari atep. Adoooohhh, padahal kaki belon smbuh benerrr! Gue sampe jarang pergi2 krn kalo jalan sakit.

Untung gue ga apa2, cuman sebel aja gila. Ah, sampe kpn gue bsa sembuh en jalan2???

Love VS. Crush

I think the difference between a crush and an infatuation is only in degree and neither of them is even close to the meaning of real love. I perceive a crush to be something rather platonic. For example, your best friend's friend is a cutie and you have a crush on him, that type of thing. An infatuation is intense and often times, short lived. In infatuation, people tend to idealize the other person and fail to see their shortcomings. They emphasize the positive attributes in the other person and this adds to the intensity of their infatuation, which they mistakenly perceive as "real love," or more accurately described, they feel they are "in love."

Being in love is an exhilarating feeling, and it has the potential to become real love. Being in love is like the hook for the opportunity of real love to present itself. When you are in love with someone, you feel very attracted to the other person, in several different levels: physical, mental, emotional and yes, spiritual. From getting to know the person with whom you are in love, real love has the opportunity to flourish.

Real love, unlike an infatuation is realistic. Real love is a complete acceptance of the other person, and of oneself. Because if you can't love yourself, who can you love? Or who will love you? Complete acceptance does not mean that we don't find shortcomings in the other person, as that is not possible, we are humans and we are not perfect, we all make mistakes. Complete acceptance means discernment with no judgment. It means that we accept the whole package just as it is, without trying to change the other person to meet our every need.

Real love resides in knowing one another. In knowing what our strengths are, what our weaknesses are, what our potential is. In knowing these things we come to respect, and admire each other, and out of that, real love is born. "Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you."

Your Movie Buff Quotient: 98%

You are a movie buff of the most obsessive variety. If a movie exists, chances are that you've seen it. You're an expert on movie facts and trivia. It's hard to stump you with a question about film.

Are You a Movie Buff?

The Movie Of Your Life Is An Indie Flick

You do things your own way - and it's made for colorful times. Your life hasn't turned out how anyone expected, thank goodness! Your best movie matches: Clerks, Garden State, Napoleon Dynamite

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

You Are 76% Intuitive

You are a very intuitive person. And luckily, your intuition is normally right. You're wise enough to know that relying on intuition alone can be dangerous. When your intuition seems really off, you tend to ignore it - and look at the facts instead.

How Intuitive Are You?

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything. You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life. You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you. Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace. You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life. Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you. You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others. You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperment Are You?

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Your Life Path Number is 3

Your purpose in life is to express your unique self. You are a creative and artistic person with an interesting view on life. Witty and outgoing, you enjoy sharing your crazy ideas with anyone who will listen. A total social butterfly, you're the life of any party. In love, you inspire and enchant your partner. You are often an object of fantasy and desire. While you are very talented, you sometimes lack the ambition to put your talents in play. And while your wit carries you a long way, you occasionally use it to mask your true feelings. Your natural abilities can bring you all the success in the world ... if you let them

What Is Your Life Path Number?

You Are 36% Obsessive

You tend to have a few obsessive thoughts, but you generally have them under control. Sometimes your worries keep you up at night, though they usually don't interfere with your life.

How Obsessive Are You?

You are 73% Aries

How Aries Are You?

Your 2006 Summer Anthem Is

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley "I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind There was something so pleasant about that phase Even your emotions had an echo In so much space"

What's Your 2006 Summer Anthem?

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have medium extroversion. You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party. Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences. But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time." Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have high neuroticism. It's easy for you to feel shaken, worried, or depressed. You often worry, and your worries prevent you from living life fully. You tend to be emotionally reactive and moody. Your either flying very high or feeling very low. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

You Have a Phlegmatic Temperament

Mild mannered and laid back, you take life at a slow pace. You are very consistent - both in emotions and actions. You tend to absorb set backs easily. You are cool and collected. It is difficult to offend you. You can remain composed and unemotional. You are a great friend and lover. You don't demand much of others. While you are quiet, you have a subtle wit that your friends know well. At your worst, you are lazy and unwilling to work at anything. You often get stuck in a rut, without aspirations or dreams. You can get too dependent on others, setting yourself up for abandonment.

What Temperment Are You?

You Are Sunset

Even though you still may be young, you already feel like you've accomplished a lot in life. And you feel free to pave your own path now, and you're not even sure where it will take you. Maybe you'll pursue higher education in a subject you enjoy - or travel the world for a few years. Either way, you approach life with a relaxed, open attitude. And that will take you far!

What Time Of Day Are You?

You Are 40% Happy

You're not miserable, but you could stand to be a lot happier. Focus on what's right in the world, and you'll be happier than you ever thought possible.

How Happy Are You?

Your Personality Is Like Acid

A bit wacky, you're very difficult to predict. One moment you're in your own little happy universe... And the next, you're on a bad trip to your own personal hell!

What Drug Is Your Personality Like?

You Communicate With Your Ears

You love conversations, both as a listener and a talker. What people say is important to you, and you're often most affected by words, not actions. You love to hear complements from others. And when you're upset, you often talk to yourself. Music is very important to you. It's difficult to find you without your iPod.

How Do You Communicate?

What Your Face Says

At first glance, people see you as strong willed and stubborn. Overall, your true self is creative and expressive. With friends, you seem logical, detached, and a bit manipulative. In love, you seem mysterious and interesting. In stressful situations, you seem sad and helpless.

What Do People Think Of Your Face?

Your Stress Level is: 78%

You are prone to stress, and you're probably even pretty stressed right now. Life's problems seem to pile up on you, and this often makes you feel depressed and burned out. Learn to take time to relax and enjoy life, even if things are stressful. It's the only wa you'll get through the bad times.

How Stressed Are You?

Wicked Games -- Liz and Rick; very sexy!

General Hospital -- Patrick Drake Promo; the HOTNESS!

General Hospital -- Liz says NO to Jason. Crazy girl!

General Hospital -- Liz and Jason, ALMOST!

General Hospital -- Jason says goodbye to Liz

General Hospital -- Liz broke Jason's heart.

General Hospital -- Liz and Jason Chemistry

General Hospital -- Liz Broke Jason's Heart, Again!

What Hurts The Most -- Liason Video

General Hospital -- Liz and Jason's feelings

General Hospital -- Liz leaves Rick

Parody of Jennifer Holiday singing, "And I Am Telling You..."

Your Personality Is

Idealist (NF) You are a passionate, caring, and unique person. You are good at expressing yourself and sharing your ideals. You are the most compassionate of all types and connect with others easily. Your heart tends to rule you. You can't make decisions without considering feelings. You seek out other empathetic people to befriend. Truth and authenticity matters in your friendships. In love, you give everything you have to relationships. You fall in love easily. At work, you crave personal expression and meaning in your career. With others, you communicate well. You can spend all night talking with someone. As far as your looks go, you've likely taken the time to develop your own personal style. On weekends, you like to be with others. Charity work is also a favorite pastime of yours.

The Three Question Personality Test

You Should Be a Film Writer

You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind. You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life. Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling. And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

You Are an Excellent Cook

You're a top cook, but you weren't born that way. It's taken a lot of practice, a lot of experimenting, and a lot of learning. It's likely that you have what it takes to be a top chef, should you have the desire...

Are You A Good Cook?

You Are 76% Open Minded

You are so open minded that your brain may have fallen out! Well, not really. But you may be confused on where you stand. You don't have a judgemental bone in your body, and you're very accepting. You enjoy the best of every life philosophy, even if you sometimes contradict yourself.

How Open Minded Are You?

You Are a Newborn Soul

You are tolerant, accepting, and willing to give anyone a chance. On the flip side, you're easy to read and easily influenced by others. You have a fresh perspective on life, and you can be very creative. Noconformist and nontraditional, you've never met anyone who's like you. Inventive and artistic, you like to be a trendsetter. You have an upbeat spirit and you like almost everything. You make friends easily and often have long standing friendships. Implusive and trusting, you fall in love a little too easily. Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

You Should Get a MFA (Masters of Fine Arts)

You're a blooming artistic talent, even if you aren't quite convinced.You'd make an incredible artist, photographer, or film maker.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet Your caffeine addiction level: low

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

As film critics/reviewers/addicts/moderators, we had a problem this year. There were too many great movies to choose from and only 10 spots on our best-of lists. After much soul-searching and paring, here's what we came up with:

The complete list of movies in 2005 can be view in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:2005_films

Worst:
10. "Elektra"
09. "Fantastic Four"
08. "Deuce Bigalow:European Gigolo"
07. "War of the Worlds"
06. "Hitch"
05. "XXX:State of the Union"
04. "Danny the Dog/Unleashed"
03. "Must Love Dogs"
02. "Bewitched"
01. "The Island"

Best:
10. "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" ==> Steve Carell finally gets some, climbing to leading-man status with this hysterically funny, raunchy yet sweet-hearted tale of a middle-aged guy who's never done the deed.

09. "The Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" ==> Heartwarming children's tale based on old books, finally it gets to be made as film. Stays true to the book and translates to the movie. I finally found out what Turkish Delight taste like.

08. "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" ==> The final prequel chapter is finished, and we can see the turn of the dark side with compelling soap opera style. My family and I watched this movie together, and we shed some tears.

07. "Wedding Crashers" ==> A funny comedy surprisingly about love, with witty dialogues and great chemistry among the cast. Really burst my gut. Not bad, finally we come back to basic goof-ball comedy. Hilarious.

06. "In Her Shoes" ==> A wonderful story about siblings rivalry and relationship between the people surrounds them. Almost too real to be true, not at all cheesy.

05. "King Kong" ==> A mind blowing adventure/horror/action/drama/sci-fi/fantasy movie. All in one. Just one big thrill ride from start to beginning.

04. "Serenity" ==> Just a good fast pace adventurous movie about people in space with hidden moral messages, great cast, and awesome storylines.

03. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" ==> Darker and richer than earlier installments, and some are already calling it the best of the quartet, but that doesn't seem to mean much commercially. Action pack, straight to the point.

02. "Batman Begins" ==> It moves as far away as a superhero movie can be. It is a study of basic human instinct, of pain, of fear. So many layers of moral messages. Great acting and superb storyline.

01. "The Constant Gardener" ==> Should be nominated for Oscar. Great acting from all the actors. Great storylines. A human drama that grips you and left you haunted for the rest of the days and reminds you how cruel and real the world is.

http://hanitje.blogdrive.com ==> All the movie reviews you can get!

Happy New Year, everyone!

You taste like filet mignon. You are the epitome
of fine taste and everyone knows it. You are
expensive, well aged, and in demand!

How do you taste?

Here we go again with the casting call. Apparently a new James Bond has already been chosen. Please meet the new agent 007, Daniel Craig. After grueling three years of speculation whose gonna play the next Bond in the movie "Casino Royale" after Pierce Brosnan retired, this blonde Bond wins the part. Personally, I don't like it. I may judge him too quickly, 'cause we haven't seen the movie yet - only the Bond actor.

But as far as the casting call, I don't think he's right for the part. First of all; he's BLONDE. He would be the first blonde Bond in the movie. Hair color can easily be manipulated, just dye the hair black if they want too. But I doubt it. Secondly; I guess they're looking for the more tougher and harder Bond instead the usual suave ones. I am not sure whether that's the good decision, because Bond supposedly is a suave secret agent - not tough agent. Daniel Craig proven himself in movies such as "Tomb Raider" and "Layer Cake". Thirdly; I just don't feel it... Sometimes a certain actor is born for the part, you know like Harrison Ford as Han Solo, or Christopher Reeve as Superman (which is in the different subject - I'll post later). I don't feel him. I don't see him as James Bond. Fans already in uproar for this decision, making Daniel Craig as the new Bond. And that's not a good sign. Remember George Clooney as Batman? Yeah, exactly. But again....we have to wait and see. Maybe he's good, maybe he's not. Maybe we're judging him before we even see the performance. But I have a bad feeling about this. If we're gonna see a dark and tough James Bond with his nitty gritty and all, instead the usual suave, playboy persona and witty charm - I doubt fans will enjoy it. It might as well not James Bond, you know.

Pierce Brosnan was the last James Bond before Daniel Craig took over the mantle. I usually don't follow the mainstream, but I do agree that he was the perfect James Bond so far. Charming, suave, handsome, cold, witty, etc - those ingredients about James Bond, which Pierce Brosnan really have it. Ten years ago when he first appeared in "GoldenEye", I thought he was superb. He really delivered the character into the screen. I first saw him in "Remington Steele" tv series, about this charming con-man slash detective, and I thought (I was a little girl back then) he should be James Bond. But he's older now, and I understand that the role of agent 007 is suppose to be a British man in his 30s. He's done most of the movies, and he's retired. That's okay, really. But it would be hard to find another perfect Bond like he was. He really was born for this iconic character, especially in the 90s. I've seen his Bond movies, and I could see his age really catching up on him. No longer the young and vibrant Bond, but more like older version of Bond which was getting tiresome. He made a right decision to retired and made way to a new Bond of the 21st century.

I wasn't paying attention during the 80s when they introduced Timothy Dalton as James Bond. Apparently he was the perfect depiction of Bond according to Ian Flemming himself, as a cold calculated chauvinist agent 007. Fresh from cold war, he was suppose to be the perfect James Bond. I found him truly boring. Although he's handsome, his performance in this character did not bring the good quality whatsoever. I did not say he was bad James Bond. I'd say he was boring. And maybe the time wasn't right either. Maybe I was worn off from the whole glitters of James Bond at that time. His heroic effort was too much and too fierce, and apparently I found it just too blah. Pointless. Which was not his fault. Maybe he just wasn't right. On paper, he looked flawless. But reality is different, of course. I just wish they didn't waste his talent on this. But it was a good experience for him. I just didn't care enough.

Now, I'm going to get shot for saying this; I don't think Roger Moore was THAT good as James Bond. From all the actors who played this character, I found him the most fugliest of all. I'm not saying he's really fugly or anything... I just don't see him as James Bond. He was constantly grinning all the time, so chauvinist, too much spreading the love and charm meters, brainless, and he wasn't as handsome as the others. He was Daniel Craig from the 70s. Granted, I wasn't even born during his reign, or maybe too little to remember. But I did watched Bond old movies. And I just hated it. He always saying the most corniest dialogues, stupid action scenes, girls forcefully flocking around him. And I heard he was being a diva during the set. Of course, a lot of people will disagree with me. Wait until you read my next Bond casting review. Anyway, when I watched Roger Moore as James Bond, I didn't find him attractive at all. James Bond supposed to be attractive because he has charisma. Well, I didn't find Roger Moore charismatic at all. He was forcing his character to be charismatic, it hurts. And he wasn't in his 30s either back then, he was in his 40s but again - trying to be young and fantastic. Didn't working, yo. To add the insult, he had brown hair. So I'm being a jerk here nitpicking an actor's haircolor. But, yeah. Hideous.

Again, I'm the only one whose saying this; I liked George Lazenby. I'm the only one apparently who liked him as James Bond. I admit, he wasn't perfect as James Bond - but I didn't find anything that most people saying about him as the weakest Bond ever. Whadaya' mean?!? Weakest Bond? Granted, when he broke the 'fourth wall' during the ski-chasing, I was cringing a bit. But other than he was funny, charming, witty, a bit aloof sometimes, and all the Bond ingredients that supposed to work. But I know the reason most fans hated him was because he was James Bond after the original one. When fans were used to the original actor, a substitute or a new one usually didn't fit them properly - which is understandable. I mean, the situation is the same like in this 21st century as in the 60s. During the 90s, Pierce Brosnan was THE man. It was hard to actually having a replacement because the IMAGE of the previous actor who potrayed the character was so planted in our mind, it was hard to accept the new one. Same case with dear ole' poor George Lazenby. I didn't find anything that should make him a bad Bond. But then again, it was just me. His performance (the only performance as Bond) during "Her Majesty Secret Service" was unforgettable, 'cause I seen him as a truly rare human being. He fell in love and heart broken when his wife got killed. The only story beside "GoldenEye" that I actually really enjoyed. On physical appearance, I didn't find anything wrong with him. Tall, dark hair, handsome, young and vibrant in his 30s (he was actually in his 20s). Too bad it didn't work for him. I was hoping he would make a decent Bond, though.

Well, without Sean Connery there wouldn't be any James Bond. Just like THAT, he was born for this character. He's James Bond. I can't find anyone who says that he's not. Years later, he's still consider and recognized as the actor who played agent 007. That's a rare compliment. Kinda like Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones, Christopher Reeve is Superman, you can't see any other actors as James Bond. People will assume that he's the perfect cast for this role; which is funny because when he played the character, he didn't take it seriously. He usually just mumbling along his dialogue, he was soooo chauvinist back then and he still is now, but can't ignore the fact that he was so charming and suave...and maybe a bit drunk most of the time, whether on the set or even in the storyline, so cheesy, and his accent, I can't believe I bought his performance as Bond. In a 'perfect' world, I would have bash him silly, and called him the bumbling idiot. But no, I won't do that. Hell no. He's so wrong he's perfect. He's so weird he's cool. He really balanced the character, which was laughable 'cause you won't see that kind of performance in the modern world. He was the bad boy personafication of James Bond, the anti lead role. What am I saying? He was so relax and played the character in a cool way, makes him the coolest James Bond ever. If you watch his Bond movies, most of them are so cheesy and corny ala Austin Power. But it works! When he uttered his name, "Bond. James Bond."I could tell he was bored, drunk maybe - probably had to repeat the same line over and over again - but it worked. Well, sometimes perfection was made during imperfection...or accidently...or just naturally. Physically, he was dashing as young Bond in his 30s. But I can't believe that he's still nail it after all this year as old Bond. He's in his 70s now, and I still can see him as James Bond. Seriously. Even with his white/grey hair and wrinkles, he's still sexy and charming. Hah, how many actors can you possibly say about that? An aging James Bond? Even Pierce Brosnan had to bow out because he's older now! But Sean Connery can pulled it. Amazing.

This is Ian Flemming's depiction about James Bond; a character he wrote:

1. He is tall young man in his 30s.
2. He has dark hair.
3. He is very suave and charismatic and sophisticated.
4. He is cold and calculated but a bit aloof.
5. He is very good with weapons and women.
6. He is sarcastic.
7. He has license to kill.

Now personally, I see Sean Connery and Timothy Dalton have physical resemblence - but this drawing was made during the 40s, so maybe Sean Connery really 'drawn' into this character. Modernization of the character is inevitable, and of course there will be modifications. But mostly are the same.

Now, on to personal casting call. There were MANY actors that linked to whose gonna play the next James Bond. Before Daniel Craig won the part, many actors were rumored to played James Bond; like Clive Owen, Eric Bana, Hugh Jackman, Orlando Bloom, Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Collin Farrell, Adrian Paul, Julian McMahon, Daniel Radcliffe *roll eyes*, Hugh Grant, Ioan Gruffudd, Colin Firth, Christian Bale and many more. As I can't review all of these actors whether they good or not as James Bond, I will only review who I think should be James Bond:

1. Clive Owen
Please tell me he's so PERFECT as James Bond. I am so dissapointed when he REFUSED to be cast as James Bond. This role could catapult his status into stratosphere, but instead he chose not to be type cast. I can't believe his bold decision, because on paper and majority fans were buzzing around that he would get the part; which I think maybe he apparently did, but turned it down instead. Major move or major blunder, I have no idea. I understand his reluctant to be typecast, just like Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Pierce Brosnan had to retire from this character and focus on other projects, but his image is so stuck in our mind. Now, Clive Owen is not even James Bond - but he's so perfect, I refuse to accept his refusal. Look at him! In the bizzaro world, Clive Owen is James Bond. Shame, really shame.

2. Eric Bana

He is deemed as too PRETTY to be James Bond. Good Lord, I don't see why that's a problem. It's better than too ugly. A curse of good looking actors that considers to be just a beef cake instead a serious actor? I've seen him in so many characters, he should be able to pull this off. He's so gritty and macho in "BlackHawk Down" and muscular in "Choppers", and so heroic in "Troy", I thought he could be the next James Bond. I guess I can't get anything I want...But hell, he could make a helluva suave, charming, sophisticated James Bond. I bet my farm that IF he's James Bond, my life would be complete. A girl can dream, can't I? He was a second strong candidate, I bet that most fans are dissapointed that he didn't get the role. Maybe he refused too, because Clive Owen was the numero uno candidate - and he refused. But we'll never know. I still think that he's a perfect James Bond - a pinch of modernization and young vibrant actor to portrayed it. Eric Bana... man, you need to find yourself a leading role character. And I don't mean superhero kind of way or action movies. Spread your wings to indie-movie.

3. Hugh Jackman

Very charming and very strong not to mention very calculated. Did I mention charming? After a rare discovery performance as Wolverine in "X-Men", I believe that this man should be the next James Bond. I don't have many reasons for saying that he's should be James Bond. He's very talented actor, a good Broadway singer (who would've thunk?)...I don't have anything else to say. An actor that playing James Bond should be able to pull off those charming meters and sophistication. Come on! 'Nuff said. But he's very busy with his Wolverine and other projects, maybe this is not the time to be James Bond...yet.

4. Julian McMahon

Egad, this man so fit as James Bond, I can't believe they didn't hire him on the spot! Yes, he has his own TV show, so he might be busy. But good role doesn't come often, and I always wondered if he's number fourth on the list according to internet poll, why he's not hired as James Bond, damn it! Instead of staying on TV spotlight, try juicy role like Bond or any other leading role on movies whether that's romantic, action, drama, etc. Just don't do another "Fantastic Four", please. What a waste of talent. Seriously. I can see him as this sophisticated secret agent 007. Charming, check. Suave, check. What else do you need?

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Other actors I considers to be James Bond: Gerard Butler and Matthew Goode (who refused the role - what the hell is wrong with these people?!).

Apparently they went under the radar. Gerard Butler mostly appeared in big movies, but as sidekicks like in "Reign of Fire" and "Tomb Raider" (I have a feeling Angelina Jolie might become a Bond girl). And then he appeared in "Phantom of the Opera"... maybe he should just stick with acting instead of singing... Yeah, please be James Bond. Don't sing. Matthew Goode on the other hand only have a one decent recognizition in "Chasing Liberty" with Mandy Moore. Not a good start. Teenage romantic movie rated PG13 is not a good way to in introduce yourself. Try R rated like Brad Pitt in "Thelma & Louise". If one of these guys could landed a role of James Bond, I think they would cemented their place in Hollywood as the leading men.