I've had a few days to digest the news that Marc Forster will direct the 22nd James Bond film. The untitled film will again star Daniel Craig as 007. Oscar winner Paul Haggis will write the script (he did some consulting and re-writes on "Casino Royale"). My initial thought is that Forster gets a bad wrap generally. I wasn't in the least bit turned off by "Monster's Ball" or "Finding Neverland" (the latter was nominated for 7 Oscars). I thought they were both fine films, and Forster proved capable of getting the best from his actors (Halle Berry won an Oscar; Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet were both nominated). I didn't see "Stay," which by all accounts should have stayed on the shelf (ok, sorry, it's Friday). "Stranger than Fiction," was liked by many, although I wasn't one of them, but that's probably because I wasn't in the mood for Will Ferrell when I saw it, and I haven't bothered to see it again. "The Kite Runner," his latest film adapted from the acclaimed novel by Khaled Hosseini should be very interesting indeed.
It's also funny to me how short of a memory Bond fans have. After all, "Casino Royale" was directed by Martin Campbell - the same guy that directed "Goldeneye," "The Mask of Zorro," "Vertical Limit," "Beyond Borders," and "The Legend of Zorro." Come on, there's not a decent film in the bunch. But "Royale" was brilliant. What gives? I say the scripter and Daniel Craig. Both are back for Bond 22. That gives me hope.
