91 - Goldfinger

    Bond investigates a man who uses gold as his path to wealth, and thwarts his plot to corner the gold market.
    I used to frequent a Blu-ray forum, and this movie often got mentioned as being the definitive Bond movie.  It’s nice to see that Netflix had it.
    It’s… better than From Russia With Love.  But it’s nowhere near the standards set by the modern Bond movies.
    Bond isn’t much of a character.  He delivers witty remarks and punchlines periodically, but they never feel like anything other than a line.  His interactions with other characters seem too smooth, too rehearsed.  He always know exactly what to say or do, and always keeps his cool.  I don’t think I would care much about this - I like characters that are smart enough to always be on top of the game - but I think I would like seeing more worry in his face.  His incredible confidence makes him less likable.
    The movie moves along regularly, but it feels a bit too slow.  The action is mostly laughable by today’s standards.  Odd Job throwing his hat as a weapon seems even more ridiculous than ever, and not just because of Austin Powers.  The hat doesn’t move especially fast, and the damage it does is incongruous.
    As a villain, Goldfinger is pretty funny.  He reminds me of Rob Ford, in a weird way.  Big, red-faced.  Short-cropped hair.  He gets a few good lines, but most of the time, he doesn’t seem especially evil.