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<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#ff0000 size=6 face=Impact><U>AVON THEATER EXTRA!
EXTRA!</U></FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>While the vast majority of the nation's critics are giving
<U><STRONG>SKYFALL</STRONG></U> a full "4 Star" review, you can bet there will
always be a handful of grouches that exist to be obtuse, and only give
it "3 stars", when fully 92% of the nations top critics rate it much
higher.</FONT><FONT size=3><EM> (And 3 stars ain't too shabby either, mind
you).<BR></EM>So, <STRONG>below</STRONG>, like we have done in the past, is
respected critic and Avon Theater fan LEONARD MALTIN'S <STRONG>FOUR
STAR</STRONG> review of <STRONG><U>SKYFAL</U></STRONG>L...<BR><BR>And, as
for those crabapples who are hopelessly mired in their
own personal swamp of obtusity?<BR><STRONG>SNAP OUT OF
IT!<BR></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>Here's that
review>>>></DIV></FONT></STRONG>
<DIV><STRONG><U><FONT size=4></FONT></U></STRONG> </DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><STRONG><FONT
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><STRONG><FONT size=4><U>SKYFALL</U></FONT>
reviewed by Leonard Maltin</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><STRONG>Not to mince words, <EM>Skyfall</EM> is a
knockout—the best James Bond movie in years. Its canny blend of ingredients is
sure to entertain any audience but I think Bond enthusiasts will relish it most,
as it draws on our familiarity with the series’ many touchstones. By tipping its
hat to those traditions and tropes it acknowledges that there is history and
tradition behind this globe-trotting thriller…yet everything about it seems
utterly contemporary. </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Tradition number one is to open a 007 film with a
breathtaking action scene. Check! This one has a pulse-pounding chase involving
an exotic location, spectacular stunts, split-second timing, and just enough
believability to make you grip the arms of your theater seat.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>We expect to see beautiful women. Check! Naomie
Harris is well cast as one of Bond’s able colleagues in MI6, and Bérénice
Marlohe is appropriately exotic as a Eurasian femme fatale.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Of course, there must be a colorful villain who is
larger than life. Check! The already imposing Javier Bardem, sporting blond hair
and a lunatic grin, is one of the more notable Bond bad guys of recent
memory…the kind you actually believe when he looks joyful watching his mayhem
unfold.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>To those who haven’t warmed to Daniel Craig, I would
say this is his best showcase yet. It allows him to display the wit and
insouciance we associate with 007—which was downplayed in <EM>Casino Royale
</EM>and <EM>Quantum of Solace</EM>—along with the other qualities that make him
who he is. An unexpectedly layered relationship with Judi Dench as M, his
usually unflappable boss, extends Bond’s range of emotions even
further.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>The screenplay is credited to Neal Purvis and Robert
Wade (who have penned four Bond adventures, including the previous two) and the
prodigiously talented and prolific John Logan. Director Sam Mendes is not
normally associated with thrillers or action movies, but perhaps that’s why this
one resonates more than usual: he concentrated on the human factor and trusted
his expert colleagues to help in other areas. He also assembled a world-class
team, including cinematographer Roger Deakins, editor Stuart Baird, and
production designer Dennis Gassner, to name just a few. The costarring cast
includes Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, and the redoubtable Albert
Finney, who’s always a welcome presence.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Let’s not overlook music. Check again! Another
newcomer to the series, Thomas Newman, has provided a fresh, robust score that
also pays homage to the Bond legacy. The title song, co-written and sung by
Adele, is already a hit.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Finally, we can’t forget the main title sequence, an
essential part of every 007 production since the days of Robert Brownjohn and
Maurice Binder. A most emphatic check! Daniel Kleinman comes through with a
dazzling piece of cutting-edge cinema for his sixth encounter with James
Bond.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=2><EM>Skyfall </EM>is already earning rave
reviews, and justifiably so. It’s superior filmmaking that also happens to be
extraordinarily entertaining. That’s a combination we don’t see often
enough.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><STRONG>By Leonard Maltin (used with
permission)</STRONG></FONT></P>
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