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Though it doesn't care too much about the series' continuity (it's supposed to be Bond's first mission as a 00 agent, but it takes place after the Cold war and Judi Dench is already M), "Casino Royale" is a great re-creation of the series. Cool action, great thrills and a more humane Bond more than make up for the purported lack of gadgets. Daniel Craig plays Bond as a rough secret who only gradually acquires the class and cold demeanor we all know and love. He makes mistakes in the course of his mission, but that makes him even more of a hero. Although I found it hard at first to cope with Craig's looks, he is more than suitable as the character. Bond is portrayed as a man with flaws and weaknesses, which makes him look even stronger. The story is not your usual Bond plot and relies more on classical thrills than technology, though the action is extremely hard-boiled. Kudos to the creepy Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre and Eva Green as Vesper Lynd for creating remarkably believable characters. A definite must-see for Bond fans : it should reconcile at last Ian Fleming aficionados and fans of the film series !

Other than good performances from Juliette Binoche, Sara Forestier and the likable newcomer Tom Riley, this movie doesn't have much to recommend it. Aiming to be a "metaphoric" spy movie about the evils of secrecy and the wounds of childhood, the film fails for having plot devices instead of characters and a sloppy, unconvincing direction, resulting in an overall bore. We are also treated with highly annoying anti-American propaganda. Nick Nolte pops up in the last ten minutes like a poor man's Colonel Kurtz but his appearance comes too late to wake up the movie. For works playing successfully playing with the thriller genre, try some of Paul Austers'books or Wim Wenders'earlier films instead. Skip this one.

With a few happy exceptions ("Eyes without a face" being one), french filmmakers have had little flair for horror films, let alone slasher flicks. Though it has some flaws, "High tension" is a thoroughly enjoyable and nasty piece of works, with fine acting (kudos to Philippe Nahon as the slimy killer), good direction and a great, sick twist ending. Although many people dislike the ending, and the fact that it belies several scenes, I just loved it : must be my sadistic side :). I read on IMDb about the inane American dubbing : quite a pity that such a fine film would be treated with such disrespect.

Cécile de France (a Belgian actress, actually, despite her -real- name) proves herself to be one of the most promising actresses in french cinema. She's definitely a performer to watch for, though Maïwenn Le Besco also gives an excellent performance despite being mute and gagged during most of the film.