February 20, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • Page 17 Daniel Craig returns as James Bond in ‘Skyfall’ by Dennis Seuling “Skyfall” (20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment) is the 23rd film in the James Bond series, which began in 1962 with “Dr. No.” In this latest release, Daniel Craig takes on Bond for the third time. Due to a setback during a field operation, Bond has been out of commission for some time, drinking heavily in tropical locales, when he learns MI6 has been attacked. It’s time to return to action. There is friction between Bond and M (Judi Dench) because of an order she gave that seriously compromised him, yet his loyalty and devotion to country have motivated him to get into the game once again. Bond’s nemesis this time is Silva (Javier Bardem), who is using advanced technology to hack into MI6 computers and cause enormous havoc. Specifically, he has his sights set on M. Bardem channels some of his contract murderer Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men.” With blond hair and a creepy, somewhat feminine manner, his Silva is a definite match for Bond. Dench has a sizable role, not the two or three scenes that characterize her contribution to the six previous films in which she portrayed M. Here, she is out from the comfort of her familiar desk, facing imminent danger in the field with not a lot of security protection. She is as vulnerable physically as she is politically. Government officials are displeased with her handling of the agency, and she must defend her leadership and the agency’s relevance in light of new homeland threats. “Skyfall” presents a Bond who relies on his wits and conventional -- often inadequate -- weaponry to do his job. Other expected ingredients of the Bond franchise are here: exotic locations, beautiful women (Berenice Marlohe plays a sexy woman of questionable loyalty), lots of action, and a solid supporting cast that includes Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney. Bonuses on the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack include over a dozen featurettes about the Bond women, cars, villains, and history of the franchise; commentary by director Sam Mendes; and footage of the “Skyfall” premiere. “Argo” (Warner Home Video), directed by and starring Ben Affleck, is based on the true story of a wildly improbable plan to rescue six diplomats from Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. CIA strategist Tony Mendez (Affleck) devises a plan to have the diplomats assume the identities of a Canadian movie team scouting Iranian locations. Mendez consults with Hollywood makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), who explain how the plan could work. The step-by-step procedure plays like a genuine thriller, with many stumbling blocks along the way, including the diplomats’ lack of trust in the plan. Mendez must win them over, since they will be putting their lives in his hands. man and Arkin as seasoned Hollywood types. Affleck borrows some pointers from classic thrillers to keep the viewer riveted, provides needed exposition in economical and interesting ways, and takes the time to portray the six diplomats as individuals. “Argo” has received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin), though Affleck was overlooked in the Best Director category. Extras on the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack include audio commentary by Affleck and three featurettes. “Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome” (Universal Home Entertainment), a spinoff/prequel to the “Battlestar Galactica” TV series, is set in the middle of the first Cylon war. As the battle between humans and their creations, the robotic Cylons, rages across the 12 colonial worlds, young fighter pilot William Adama finds himself assigned to one of the most powerful battlestars in the Colonial fleet: the Galactica. Though Adama quickly discovers himself at odds with his co-pilot, the battle-weary officer Coker, the two men must set aside their differences when a routine escort mission with an enigmatic passenger turns dangerous and becomes a pivotal one for the desperate fleet. “Blood & Chrome” is terribly talky and static, and the (continued on Crossword page) Double agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) combats an attack on MI6 in ‘Skyfall.’ Capture would certainly mean death. This is Affleck’s third film as director and is his best yet. With letter perfect casting, an excellent screenplay by Chris Terrio, taut suspense, and non-stop momentum, “Argo” convincingly illustrates the methodical details necessary to pull off such a plan while relieving the tension with moments of humor, mostly provided by Good-