james bond in defiance

So tonight I went to a screening of a movie called Defiance. If you're not in LA, this movie will probably not come to your town. But it's directed by Ed Zwick (Glory, Last Samurai, Blood Diamond) and stars Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell. It's a true story that takes place during the Holocaust so it's not exactly Christmas fare. (But it is a somewhat uplifting story.) I wasn't that interested in it but it was a free screening and I was wooed by the fact that there was going to be a Q&A afterwards. Watching the movie I thought it was okay. Really well made, well directed, well acted. But it just never hooked me. But the thing about Q&A's is that they usually make you view the movie in a better light. Hearing people talk passionately about a movie they worked on for so long will usually do that. Oh, and who were the people talking? Zwick, Craig, Schrieber, and Bell. It may be because I have a huge crush on all of them but I certainly came out feeling better about the movie.

I've always loved Zwick because he created one of my favorite TV shows of all time, "My So-Called Life". I thought it would be inappropriate to raise my hand and ask a question about Jordan Catalano at the Holocaust screening so I held back. Then there was Daniel Craig. James Bond. Oh god. Will someone please explain to me how this guy's eyes got so damn blue? Unreal. And not to diminish the fact that he is a great actor...but he just has this presence that is so damn sexy. Even in the Chuck Taylors he was wearing. And he was funny. Almost as funny as Liev Schreiber who I've always liked. He's very tall and he was funny as hell. They were joined by Jamie Bell who was Billy Elliot long ago. Now he is a sarcastic funny 22 year old that I would say was cute if I wasn't 30 and that wasn't pervy. In one serious moment Bell said that just acting alongside these actors elevated his performance and Liev just started nodding emphatically. Funny. Then Zwick said that he had to go overseas to get all independent financing because all Hollywood studios were interested in making were huge action superhero movies and sequels. Then he looked over at Daniel and said "no offense". Also funny.

Anyways, the morale of the story is: the movie was okay, the true story was actually fascinating to learn about, and Daniel Craig is hot in person.