This is the type of movie Hollywood needs to make more. Brilliant writing, ensemble cast, not small or large budget, hilarious characters. Touché Rian Johnson. Good job summing up the discourse on the Last Jedi.
Or Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. He was in that too and also had an American accent (ironically, American Angelina Jolie used a British accent in that film).@@rob6429
I feel that Knives Out feels like an upper version of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Both are mysteries where Daniel Craig investigates Christopher Plummer’s odd family in the middle of nowhere aides by a woman (the only person he can trust) with a disorder. Both villains are also both largely jubilant and charismatic yet maniacally mysterious with power fantasies. Also they both have boomer classics in their credits (Immigrant Song for GWTDT’s opening and Sweet Virginia for Knives Out’s ending credits).
I definitely agree about the film, it's so refreshing to see a film that's essentially just a straight murder mystery. I like that you acknowledged the Columbo influence, the overall film is definitely homaging Agatha Christie, but the way the whole thing is structured feels a lot like the 'howcatchem' format of Columbo. It's probably my favourite performance by Craig and my favourite film he's been in overall, except for maybe Casino Royale. I've heard people complain about the accent a lot too, but I love it, it feels like an homage to Poirot's often exaggerated Belgian accent. I agree about The Last Jedi as well, I think it's probably the Rian Johnson film I care the least about, it's just okay in my opinion, people on either side of the 'worst thing of all time vs masterpiece' debate just annoy me at this point.
Yeah I definitely felt a lot more Columbo influence than anything else really and agree that this is one of Craig’s best roles to date. I’m very glad there’s a sequel on the way (hopefully...) If these murder mysteries are going to be his bread and butter after Bond then I’m totally cool with that!
4:26 Unpopular opinion or not, I agree with it. I’m very glad we got Craig in this film, and I’m very glad this film’s getting a sequel. His best non-Bond role you ask? Well, I can’t say with exact certainty as I haven’t seen his entire filmography, but I’d say yes.
@ BenCol: Looking forward to the squeal Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, when it arrives this December. Not only was the movie one of my favorites of 2019, but it is also one of my favorite movies to star Daniel Craig away from the James Bond movies.
I work in a grocery store about 10-20 minutes away from where this movie was filmed. One of my coworkers met Daniel Craig while he was shipped there. Unfortunately I wasn't there when it happened, but I'm very happy that he got to meet a celebrity. Honestly if I did meet Craig, I would have fainted.
I wouldn’t know what to do. I totally blanked when I met Roger Moore at a book signing and when I randomly found myself in the same vicinity and Pierce Brosnan once I genuinely clammed up and couldn’t pluck up the courage to say ANYTHING 😂😅
I’m checking it right now, his last performance will be “Heroes of the Golden Masks”, an animated film from his native Canada. He also manage to film season 2 of the show Departure before his death. So you’re right, it was his swan-song performance.
@@kingofpointless, I believe the previous best-known performance of Plummer’s before Knives Out was maybe The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which also co-stars Daniel Craig. That film came out ten years ago, the same year where he won his only Academy Award in Mike Mills’ Beginners for his role as a gay father.
@@angelcastaneda529 All The Money in The World might be recognisable to people, though perhaps just as the movie where Plummer was re-edited into it to replace Kevin Spacey.
I discovered this last year, primarily because of the cast. Yes, Craig’s accent jarred at first but did find myself not noticing it after the next few scenes. And I am from Massachusetts (as is Chris Evans) so I found myself recognizing locations. I know it’s a bit silly but I love that aspect. Btw, you do a decent accent, as well 😉
That’s cool! I always get a bit of something out of noticing locations I’ve been in films too so I don’t think it’s silly at all 😁 and thanks haha I was definitely channeling a bit of Oliver Hardy at points with that accent...
Daniel Craig is honestly the most versatile Bond actor. All the best non-Bond projects, like Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Logan Lucky and this used him in countenance to his Bond personas and each are memorable performances on their own. I tend to think that's because Craig is great at picking projects.
Seeing Craig absolutely chewing the scenery and hamming it up in this after mainly being used to his very stoic and dry interpretation of Bond was a delight.
There is so much I love about this movie. But maybe the thing I love the most is you can tell everyone involved is having the best time, especially Craig and Chris Evans. These roles just let them cut loose and have so much fun, and that shows in the performances.
Ana de Armas was also in Blade Runner 2049 [a really great film]. Interested to see her in NTTD and I hope she's in the film properly unlike glorified extra Monica Bellucci.
That accent was superb! I'd elect you to Sheriff any day ;) As for Agatha, I agree. It's a shame, the woman wrote like 80 books, but execs keep mining the same couple of wells time and time again. They could be fresh and make an adaption of something like Secret of the Chimneys, but we the audience have gotta suffer through the umpteenth version of Orient Express or Death on the Nile.
HA! I was definitely channelling my best Clifton James with that accent haha... Think a little bit of Oliver Hardy seeped in there too... I completely agree with your Christie point too. I'm by no means an expert but I've seen enough Death on the Nile, Orient Express, ABC Murders, And Then There Were None's etc to a point that I don't think there ever need to be any more adaptations of any of them!
@@calvindyson I guess it's the same principle as Hound of the Baskervilles being the most-adapted of the Sherlock Holmes stories/novels. Hound is the perfect "in" for newbies to the Holmes canon...it's a perfect example of Holmes' overall milieu, it's got elements that appeal to said newbies, and it's got atmosphere and suspense to spare. Likewise, the Christie novels you mention are great examples of Christie's overall atmosphere and/or Poirot's* craft, with intriguing mysteries and exotic locales. So filmmakers figure that adapting these will reel in newbies, and they can (hopefully) do some of the lesser-known ones later. *How would And Then There Were None have been different if Poirot had been involved?
Love this film so much. Honestly I'm not gonna lie, I prefer Craig in this than in some of his Bond films. Hope he takes more roles like this in the future.
9:27 that’s actually something I really liked about the film: it’s able to do its own thing and be a little different without totally compromising the genre. I think that it might be a far less fun watch if the main focus was on subverting what we know entirely. Also, fantastic review, Calvin!
Thanks very much! I’ve definitely come around to that way of thinking on it too. I guess I was expecting a ‘Cabin in the Woods’ sort of scenario and when it wasn’t that it caught me off guard. But without that level of expectation going in I enjoy it more and more on repeat viewings!
@@calvindyson for sure; I didn’t really know what I was expecting going in, and it made it a super enjoyable first viewing! Lots of cool twists, a really well focused scope, a great cast, and a fun mystery!
When I first watched that i couldn't stop laughing every time Daniel Craig spoke. It was just so unnatural to hear him speaking in an accent that wasn't British. My friends (who never saw any modern James Bond movies) were thinking I was going insane.
Non bond movies from bond actors that you should cover: Connery: The Untouchables, Entrapment Brosnan: Thomas Crown Affair remake, Seraphim Falls, The November Man Craig: Defiance, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remake
As eloquent and witty as ever. Hubby and I really enjoyed this film and your review. Also, really enjoyed your Southern accent. Loved that you had some Laurel & Hardy music in the background xxxx
Yes! I’ve been watching Columbo with my family during quarantine, and I watched Knives Out with them as well just a few months ago. I love both of them, even tho they’re both fairly formulaic. Also, I grew up in LA, so it’s really fun to watch Columbo and be able to recognize all the places they filmed. Honestly, yeah Craig’s accent is kinda weird, but I took it as Benoit Blanc being the only one in this film who actually thinks he’s in a classic murder mystery story, and everyone else is just, well, normal. His dialogue also matches this idea, being full of weird metaphors and phrases that nobody else understands. Also, it’s interesting how Benoit Blanc vs Marta Cabrera are treated by the Thrombey family: because they are racist and they don’t actually care, they keep getting Marta’s ethnicity wrong. They also keep getting Blanc’s accent wrong throughout the movie. The two characters are foils for each other; they both stand out significantly from the rest of the cast in different ways, Blanc because he thinks he’s a classic detective and has the strange accent to match, Cabrera because she’s a woman of color with an undocumented immigrant mother, she works as a personal registered nurse for this paternalistic rich white family, and then is the sole beneficiary of Harlan’s will. They’re both outsiders looking into this family from different positions of power, although Blanc’s status is consistent, and Cabrera’s position changes significantly throughout the whole movie. Also, I actually met Jamie Lee Curtis when I was about 7 years old. She gave the eulogy at my cousin Deborah’s funeral, the two of them went through rehab together and had become friends. At that age, I’d only ever seen her in Freaky Friday, but at least I knew who she was! Great video as always, Calvin!
Thanks very much for this, Abby! Great point on how both Benoit and Marta stand out from the situation as outsiders looking in. That hadn't occured to me and I don't think they draw attention to it but it really works on almost a subconscious level that's really cool! Thanks for sharing the story about meeting Jamie Lee Curtis too!
Dude, can I just say how much I love your videos? You always do a great job and after watching your channel for some time, you’re only getting better and better. Keep it up, man.
That's so kind of you, thanks Mike! I'm glad you're enjoying them and really appreciate the compliment. I feel like I've been in a good groove with them this last year or so and keeps me busy during all this time of social distancing so I'm glad the extra time I've been able to put into the channel now is showing. THANK YOU so much! :D
Being one of the many who despised The Last Jedi, I had no interest in seeing this movie. But after seeing your review, I really want to give it a go now. 👍
Can't wait to see more of Benoit Blanc! It'd be nice to know a little more about the character (grown children, etc.), as long as they only did so when it has some kind of direct bearing on the plot. And you must have been reading my mind (or at least my comment earlier) because I was hoping you'd review this. (Nice Southern accent, too.)
I was thinking about that haha I deliberately filmed part of this in front of the shelf because I love seeing other peoples movie collections in other videos 😂
I rather fancy that, had the film been made three or four years earlier, Benoit might've been played by Kevin Spacey. Such as things are, I think Craig was brilliantly cast.
Love the review as always Calvin! I actually disagree with you with regards to the twists, or overall story tone. I think this film is really genius and smart, because it starts off as a mystery and whodunnit, but suddenly and abruptly pulls that rug away from underneath you after the first act, when they explicitly reveal what happened and how. Then the the mystery becomes more suspense, as its a question of "how does X get away with it now?". And then at the veeeery end, the twist is that the character we're rooting for was justified for their expertise and their heart all along, and it WAS a whodunnit and mystery after all. And I think that's a brilliant and fresh approach to the whole thing. And I say this as a HUGE Christie and Poirot fan. She's my favorite author of all time.
Oh I totally agree that it’s very well constructed etc I guess I’m just used to Columbo too much where almost every episode reveals the identity of the killer towards the start and it’s all focused around how are they going to get away with it, how will Columbo find out etc. I think Knives Out does a great job of melding a lot of different mystery tactics together in a very original way though and as I say, I LOVE the tone of this film, how it never feels like a parody etc. Thanks very much for the great comment! Happy to hear you’re also quite a Christie fan! 😁😁
@@calvindyson Agreed completely. Watching you review this was awesome! I'm thrilled you did :D And oh yes, Christie is the GOAT! I still remember the first time I read Roger Ackroyd, and how it blew my mind. Five Little Pigs has always been my unsung favorite though. That one is special. Any chance you've seen the classic BBC Poirot, with David Suchet? Would love to see you talk about that someday if you have!
"I'm not dogging on it" Cue the shot of the two dogs... ;) Such a terrific film! Craig is clearly having fun with it (hope the same can be said for NTTD), De Armas is great, Evans is also amazing.. I love the style of the film... Can't recommend it enough.
As a fan of Poirot, I am glad the murder mystery genre is getting a proper revival with big stars like Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas etc. coming on board with such great production values. Loved how they were able to add some depth to it with the "Outsider" metaphor. That along with the starcast and production values truly elevated this film to another level. The actual mystery was quite basic- which only gives me more hope for the sequels as being able to do justice to a basic formulaic story in the genre means that they can really churn out more of these consistently
Loved Knives Out too! Last movie I saw before pandemic (I average maybe one movie in the theaters per year now), and it made me hopeful we’d see more movies like it (or at least sequels to it) in the future. Daniel was great, it took me until like halfway through to adjust to the accent, but got through it. It was especially jarring hearing “Southern Daniel” with he when standing next to Don Johnson (big Vice fan too!), who grew up in the south and has played “southern boy” characters many times. Loved the review as always Calvin! We need more of “Southern Calvin” in future vids! Maybe if he gets his own channel it could be called Calvin Dixon? 🧐
Your flat is very aesthetically pleasing. I agree with your point about Craig's accent. I think since he's the incumbent Bond, any other role that he has automatically makes us as Bond fans think of James Bond. The southern accent is so different from how he speaks in the Bond films that it's much easier to detach Craig from Bond and enjoy his character in this film. Glad you enjoyed it!
Great southern accent Calvin!! Very impressive! Great review - absolutely brilliant film. The fact that he is leaving Bond now and planning on doing more films as this character Benoit Blanc makes his exit much easier - that’s for sure. Because we’d all LOVE to see more of him as this character - and we ‘d all LOVE to see more films like this one! This felt like classic Hollywood - and something we just don’t see much more of anymore!
Ana de Armas and Chris Evans reminded me of characters that Gina Lollobrigida and Sean Connery played in a movie called "Woman of Straw" (1964). In fact, the similarities between them allowed me to figure out who was the real culprit of the movie.
Great review Calvin this is a fun movie 🍿 with compelling characters and a great mystery. As for Daniel Craig I agree he’s great in this part his accent is fun and allows him to disassociate from Bond. Ana DeArmas was great as welll and gives me hope for her in No Time To Die
It looks like you and I have similar opinions on Star Wars The Last Jedi. I think the movie is fine, but not perfect. I think the movie has problems, but it's not terrible.
Another Brilliant review Calvin. Its very rare these days we get a new original detective film franchise. Absolutely love Craig & Ana De Armas in this movie. All the characters are full of personality and the whole thing is so dam fun. Really looking forward to Knives Out 2.
Great review, Calvin! Im a strong believer in this film although i havent seen it completely. Your southern accent is a knockout. And by the way, very good usage of the Laurel / Hardy music. Movies like this arent made anymore, unless theyre confined to television or direct-to-BluRay.
Saw this in the theater, its really well done, and its FUN. Daniel Craig is funny, he often works with the same people, Christopher Plummer is in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, for instance
Although this is a whodunnit Craig’s character reminds me of Columbo a lot. Now I wish they’d give Craig a Columbo-like TV series after No Time To Die. A remake of sorts. If anyone can do it besides late Peter Falk, I feel like Craig is that man!
I really hope that reported sequel happens. Apparently, they're going to build a franchise around Blanc, but I'm fairly certain they were waiting until Craige was done with Bond... Then the Pandemic hit...
Next stop Daniel Craig plays Sheriff J.W. Pepper in No Time To Live and Let Die. Not seen the film but his accent sounds good in the clips he's a good actor in whatever he's in. He raised the acting bar with Bond even Roger raised an eyebrow to his acting talent. Knives Out to me looks like Murder By Death (1976) which had an incredible all star cast featuring Bond actors Peter Sellers and David Niven that also drew the line between comedy and murder mystery. Well worth checking out if you haven't seen it. I'll have to check out Knives Out.
We at the Dalton Navy are surprised that Johnson made such a wonderful whodunit with such compelling characters. If a sequel would be in the works I would hope it would live up to the first one.
One of the few movies I saw twice on the big screen. I remember that after watching it I was really into mystery stuff, from novels to the Clue boardgame lol
I’m a huge Don Johnson fan. If you haven’t seen Miami Vice, you need to Calvin. It’s the James Bond TV show of the 1980s and Don Johnson is amazing in it!
Great job! I recommend you check out Danny Boyle’s psychological thriller/ heist film Trance. Stylistically speaking, I think it may give us an idea of what a Bond film by him would look like.
I loved this movie, and Craig was great in it. I chalk that up to the fact that he actually seems to enjoy being a part of it, unlike, say, his most recent Bond adventure (at the time of writing, Spectre) where he just seems bored and very tired of it. I love how plays Benoit Blanc as a Poirot style detective, who at first seems strange and off the wall but eventually reveals himself to be a brilliant Detective. It very much reminds me of Comedies like Clue or Gosford Park (which inspired it) but also classics like An Inspector Calls or (X Agatha Christie story here). Note here that, with the exception of AIC, the movies I mentioned were comedies or had comedic elements (people forget, Poirot was originally rather a humorous character, and I don’t think Christie would shy away from comedy in her writings.) I love a good mystery story. Have done for years. Sherlock Holmes, Scooby Doo, even select James Bond films with mystery elements, plus, I loved the way the story was done, lampooning the traditional who-Dunnit, while still being a masterful who-dunnit, it’s almost like Scream in that sense.
well done mr. dyson.....excellent accent and review...as a huge chrstie fan, i can't agree more about the repeated (and sometimes belabored) retellings of her stories...i think the reason we don't get more original fare is because the current generation isn't talented enough to write anything that even comes close (present company excepted).....you are indeed a rare breed mr. dyson and there ain't a horsetail fly within miles that couldn't smell you comin'...(whatever that means)...peace always...stay well...rocky
As a real Southerner I can't wait to see you at the Bond premier in London in September and try out my British accent with you. Cheers! (and I love Knives Out)
I like your comparison how Blanc gets no backstory, despite being a new character, while the well-known character of Poirot is saddled with a newly invented back-story.
I'd say this is better than any of Craig's Bond films, this is one of the most brilliantly plotted films I have ever seen, intricate without being over-complicated, and it actually gets better with repeat viewings
I agree on all counts- I was almost relieved that it ended up being a fairly conventional "sleuth" film given the fact that "subverting expectation" has become a trope associated with Johnson. Not that that's a bad thing. Also I can't help but wonder if a Logan Lucky review is in the pipeline as it is another film (which I enjoyed) featuring D Craig as a southern American.
SPOILERS On first watch, it feels like it's subverting mystery tropes because they seem to reveal who the killer is in the first half, and then you expect the rest of the movie to be her trying not to get caught. The twist at the end though does bring it back around to more of a standard mystery plot.
Absolutely loved this film. A unique film in an era of crap remakes, reboots and super hero films. And I agree that Craig replicating the accent of Kevin Spacey in house of cards was a bit jarring to begin with but after 5 minutes I was totally invested and for sure it helped see past the Bond role. Great review as always ✌️
I think that's definitely one reason I loved this film, not only is it great but there are just so few movies like this being made anymore. Probably more than half of all major movie releases now are, as you say, remakes, reboots, sequels, or comic book. Yawn...
Whilst I very much agree with the sentiment of this sketch, I must admit I was a little distracted trying to see what films Calvin has in his collection.
I'm actually quite glad to hear that BenCol, it was something of a deliberate act on my part, probably because I always enjoy pausing videos to see what books, films and games people have on their shelves in videos!
Favorite Character M Emmett Walsh in a nice lil cameo performance, re-teaming with Christopher Plummer This is a fantastic movie, wonderfully acted and with a sly perceptive script
I only saw it very recently, and I had no idea what to expect. For some reason wasn't even aware it was a murder mystery. Somehow I was under the impression it was a comedy or something like Kingsman. I was also shocked to see it it was directed by Rian Johnson, considering how much I loathe The Last Jedi (but I can still admit there were some enjoyable and good scenes, too!). Anyway, enjoyed it a lot and plan to watch it again sometime soon now that I know whodunnit. ;)
James Bond, General Zod, Captain America and Yoda are all present for the reading of the will!
Best comment ever!!!!
...the will of the duke of Wellington.
@@vaclav_fejt fun fact did you know that the duke of Wellington painting that was stolen in the 60s was portrayed in Dr. No?
Captain America kills Bond thinking he is Hydra
This is the type of movie Hollywood needs to make more. Brilliant writing, ensemble cast, not small or large budget, hilarious characters. Touché Rian Johnson. Good job summing up the discourse on the Last Jedi.
Maybe he should stick to films like this and not do Star Wars
@@rob6429 I loved the Last Jedi, I just think he was given such a boring first film to write around with
I quite agree! If these minds of middle budget movies are going to succeed, they need to be well crafted and this is a perfect example.
Next up reviewing the force awakens Daniel Craig was in it
Or Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. He was in that too and also had an American accent (ironically, American Angelina Jolie used a British accent in that film).@@rob6429
I feel that Knives Out feels like an upper version of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Both are mysteries where Daniel Craig investigates Christopher Plummer’s odd family in the middle of nowhere aides by a woman (the only person he can trust) with a disorder. Both villains are also both largely jubilant and charismatic yet maniacally mysterious with power fantasies. Also they both have boomer classics in their credits (Immigrant Song for GWTDT’s opening and Sweet Virginia for Knives Out’s ending credits).
I Look back on anything from 2019 with a fondness. The good old days pre pandemic
It feels a million years ago...
I definitely agree about the film, it's so refreshing to see a film that's essentially just a straight murder mystery. I like that you acknowledged the Columbo influence, the overall film is definitely homaging Agatha Christie, but the way the whole thing is structured feels a lot like the 'howcatchem' format of Columbo. It's probably my favourite performance by Craig and my favourite film he's been in overall, except for maybe Casino Royale. I've heard people complain about the accent a lot too, but I love it, it feels like an homage to Poirot's often exaggerated Belgian accent.
I agree about The Last Jedi as well, I think it's probably the Rian Johnson film I care the least about, it's just okay in my opinion, people on either side of the 'worst thing of all time vs masterpiece' debate just annoy me at this point.
Yeah I definitely felt a lot more Columbo influence than anything else really and agree that this is one of Craig’s best roles to date. I’m very glad there’s a sequel on the way (hopefully...) If these murder mysteries are going to be his bread and butter after Bond then I’m totally cool with that!
This and Logan Lucky made me want Daniel Craig to play a character from the southern states at least once a year, you can tell how much fun he has.
He was having a blast in Logan Lucky
I agree, and that is when I enjoy seeing an actor the most. When you can tell they had fun :)
4:26 Unpopular opinion or not, I agree with it. I’m very glad we got Craig in this film, and I’m very glad this film’s getting a sequel. His best non-Bond role you ask? Well, I can’t say with exact certainty as I haven’t seen his entire filmography, but I’d say yes.
There’s a sequel coming?
@@gamonstudios It won’t be any time soon, but Johnson has begun writing it and it’s been approved by the studio.
I would highly recommend road to perdition, munich and defiance if u havent seen em.
@@BenCol The sequel reunites him with Dave Bautista too! They finished filming in September just before the promo trail for NTTD.
@ BenCol: Looking forward to the squeal Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, when it arrives this December. Not only was the movie one of my favorites of 2019, but it is also one of my favorite movies to star Daniel Craig away from the James Bond movies.
I work in a grocery store about 10-20 minutes away from where this movie was filmed. One of my coworkers met Daniel Craig while he was shipped there. Unfortunately I wasn't there when it happened, but I'm very happy that he got to meet a celebrity.
Honestly if I did meet Craig, I would have fainted.
I wouldn’t know what to do. I totally blanked when I met Roger Moore at a book signing and when I randomly found myself in the same vicinity and Pierce Brosnan once I genuinely clammed up and couldn’t pluck up the courage to say ANYTHING 😂😅
That scene when Craig was singing in the car with his accent was the moment I was really liking this film. Solid film all around.
RIP Christopher Plummer, 2021 has already took one of the all-time greats.
This wasn't his last movie, but I suspect this might be the movie that gets remembered as his ultimate swansong performance.
I’m checking it right now, his last performance will be “Heroes of the Golden Masks”, an animated film from his native Canada. He also manage to film season 2 of the show Departure before his death. So you’re right, it was his swan-song performance.
@@angelcastaneda529 He did a couple of other live action films too, but neither of them were as popular as Knives Out.
@@kingofpointless, I believe the previous best-known performance of Plummer’s before Knives Out was maybe The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which also co-stars Daniel Craig. That film came out ten years ago, the same year where he won his only Academy Award in Mike Mills’ Beginners for his role as a gay father.
@@angelcastaneda529 All The Money in The World might be recognisable to people, though perhaps just as the movie where Plummer was re-edited into it to replace Kevin Spacey.
one of my favourite movies being reviewed by one of my favourite youtubers?
i’m in heaven
Well thank you very much 😁😁 I hope it doesn’t disappoint!
Real Rian Johnson fans know his best work is Ozymandias on Breaking Bad
Absolutely!
@@johnrigs6540 Ozymandias is the most incredible episode of TV
Zzzzzzzzzzz
@Errant Times agree the writing definitely carries it but it’s still great and Rian Johnson did a good job with it
He killed my favorite character on that show lol
I discovered this last year, primarily because of the cast. Yes, Craig’s accent jarred at first but did find myself not noticing it after the next few scenes. And I am from Massachusetts (as is Chris Evans) so I found myself recognizing locations. I know it’s a bit silly but I love that aspect. Btw, you do a decent accent, as well 😉
That’s cool! I always get a bit of something out of noticing locations I’ve been in films too so I don’t think it’s silly at all 😁 and thanks haha I was definitely channeling a bit of Oliver Hardy at points with that accent...
@@calvindyson In the end I thought I heard a little JW Pepper ;)
Knifes out is one of my favourite movie of 2019, glad you reviewed it.
It was pretty good - no plans to see it again
Daniel Craig is honestly the most versatile Bond actor. All the best non-Bond projects, like Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Logan Lucky and this used him in countenance to his Bond personas and each are memorable performances on their own. I tend to think that's because Craig is great at picking projects.
Also road to perdition, layer cake, munich and defiance. Hes done so muc great stuff outside of Bond.
Really enjoyed Logan Lucky myself, shame it came and went so quickly from theatres.
Seeing Craig absolutely chewing the scenery and hamming it up in this after mainly being used to his very stoic and dry interpretation of Bond was a delight.
His Donut-Hole theory was my favorite scene in the entire movie XD
There is so much I love about this movie. But maybe the thing I love the most is you can tell everyone involved is having the best time, especially Craig and Chris Evans. These roles just let them cut loose and have so much fun, and that shows in the performances.
Ana de Armas was also in Blade Runner 2049 [a really great film]. Interested to see her in NTTD and I hope she's in the film properly unlike glorified extra Monica Bellucci.
Having now seen NTTD, I can report that she's one of the best parts in that film!
@@HOTD108_ Her screen time was limited but she made it count!
That accent was superb! I'd elect you to Sheriff any day ;)
As for Agatha, I agree. It's a shame, the woman wrote like 80 books, but execs keep mining the same couple of wells time and time again. They could be fresh and make an adaption of something like Secret of the Chimneys, but we the audience have gotta suffer through the umpteenth version of Orient Express or Death on the Nile.
HA! I was definitely channelling my best Clifton James with that accent haha... Think a little bit of Oliver Hardy seeped in there too... I completely agree with your Christie point too. I'm by no means an expert but I've seen enough Death on the Nile, Orient Express, ABC Murders, And Then There Were None's etc to a point that I don't think there ever need to be any more adaptations of any of them!
@@calvindyson I guess it's the same principle as Hound of the Baskervilles being the most-adapted of the Sherlock Holmes stories/novels. Hound is the perfect "in" for newbies to the Holmes canon...it's a perfect example of Holmes' overall milieu, it's got elements that appeal to said newbies, and it's got atmosphere and suspense to spare. Likewise, the Christie novels you mention are great examples of Christie's overall atmosphere and/or Poirot's* craft, with intriguing mysteries and exotic locales. So filmmakers figure that adapting these will reel in newbies, and they can (hopefully) do some of the lesser-known ones later.
*How would And Then There Were None have been different if Poirot had been involved?
Love this film so much. Honestly I'm not gonna lie, I prefer Craig in this than in some of his Bond films. Hope he takes more roles like this in the future.
I agree that for his non-Bond parts I’d like him to do more like this. Quirky, unexpected kind of roles!
9:27 that’s actually something I really liked about the film: it’s able to do its own thing and be a little different without totally compromising the genre. I think that it might be a far less fun watch if the main focus was on subverting what we know entirely. Also, fantastic review, Calvin!
Thanks very much! I’ve definitely come around to that way of thinking on it too. I guess I was expecting a ‘Cabin in the Woods’ sort of scenario and when it wasn’t that it caught me off guard. But without that level of expectation going in I enjoy it more and more on repeat viewings!
@@calvindyson for sure; I didn’t really know what I was expecting going in, and it made it a super enjoyable first viewing! Lots of cool twists, a really well focused scope, a great cast, and a fun mystery!
Gotta love Blanc's donut analogy.
Personally, my favourite Daniel Craig role was his one in the TV show Our Friends in the North.
When I first watched that i couldn't stop laughing every time Daniel Craig spoke. It was just so unnatural to hear him speaking in an accent that wasn't British. My friends (who never saw any modern James Bond movies) were thinking I was going insane.
As an American, you do a fine southern accent sir.
That’s a great compliment haha! I really appreciate it 😆😁
Non bond movies from bond actors that you should cover:
Connery: The Untouchables, Entrapment
Brosnan: Thomas Crown Affair remake, Seraphim Falls, The November Man
Craig: Defiance, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remake
As eloquent and witty as ever. Hubby and I really enjoyed this film and your review. Also, really enjoyed your Southern accent. Loved that you had some Laurel & Hardy music in the background xxxx
I LOVE that you knew where the music was from!! 😆😆 I very much had Oliver Hardy on the mind with the accent haha thanks for the lovely comments :)
@@calvindyson I so enjoy this channel, Mr Dyson. How do I become a patron? Patreon? Er ... thingy?
@@calvindyson I noticed the music too-watched those films so many times as a kid so that music always makes me smile!
Please bring back JW Dyson in future videos.
Yes! I’ve been watching Columbo with my family during quarantine, and I watched Knives Out with them as well just a few months ago. I love both of them, even tho they’re both fairly formulaic. Also, I grew up in LA, so it’s really fun to watch Columbo and be able to recognize all the places they filmed.
Honestly, yeah Craig’s accent is kinda weird, but I took it as Benoit Blanc being the only one in this film who actually thinks he’s in a classic murder mystery story, and everyone else is just, well, normal. His dialogue also matches this idea, being full of weird metaphors and phrases that nobody else understands. Also, it’s interesting how Benoit Blanc vs Marta Cabrera are treated by the Thrombey family: because they are racist and they don’t actually care, they keep getting Marta’s ethnicity wrong. They also keep getting Blanc’s accent wrong throughout the movie.
The two characters are foils for each other; they both stand out significantly from the rest of the cast in different ways, Blanc because he thinks he’s a classic detective and has the strange accent to match, Cabrera because she’s a woman of color with an undocumented immigrant mother, she works as a personal registered nurse for this paternalistic rich white family, and then is the sole beneficiary of Harlan’s will. They’re both outsiders looking into this family from different positions of power, although Blanc’s status is consistent, and Cabrera’s position changes significantly throughout the whole movie.
Also, I actually met Jamie Lee Curtis when I was about 7 years old. She gave the eulogy at my cousin Deborah’s funeral, the two of them went through rehab together and had become friends. At that age, I’d only ever seen her in Freaky Friday, but at least I knew who she was! Great video as always, Calvin!
Thanks very much for this, Abby! Great point on how both Benoit and Marta stand out from the situation as outsiders looking in. That hadn't occured to me and I don't think they draw attention to it but it really works on almost a subconscious level that's really cool! Thanks for sharing the story about meeting Jamie Lee Curtis too!
I’m curious to see your thought on Knives Out: Glass Onion.
Hopefully one day we’ll see your review for it Calvin
You’re southern accent is just like Kevin Spacey’s in House of cards!
Respect to using a Laurel & Hardy soundtrack in the background! Love your videos.
I love your bullet glass. And I love Knives Out, it might be one of my favorite films if not my favorite film. Thank you for the Ricky Jay anecdote.
Thanks! It was a delayed Christmas gift and I absolutely LOVE it 😁😁 happy to hear you’re a fan of knives out too!
Dude, can I just say how much I love your videos? You always do a great job and after watching your channel for some time, you’re only getting better and better. Keep it up, man.
That's so kind of you, thanks Mike! I'm glad you're enjoying them and really appreciate the compliment. I feel like I've been in a good groove with them this last year or so and keeps me busy during all this time of social distancing so I'm glad the extra time I've been able to put into the channel now is showing. THANK YOU so much! :D
Being one of the many who despised The Last Jedi, I had no interest in seeing this movie. But after seeing your review, I really want to give it a go now. 👍
Can't wait to see more of Benoit Blanc! It'd be nice to know a little more about the character (grown children, etc.), as long as they only did so when it has some kind of direct bearing on the plot. And you must have been reading my mind (or at least my comment earlier) because I was hoping you'd review this. (Nice Southern accent, too.)
Hi Calvin would you ever consider doing a video of your movie collection (not just the bond films)?
I was thinking about that haha I deliberately filmed part of this in front of the shelf because I love seeing other peoples movie collections in other videos 😂
@@calvindyson I love seeing peoples collections as it can give me suggestions of things to check out
I rather fancy that, had the film been made three or four years earlier, Benoit might've been played by Kevin Spacey. Such as things are, I think Craig was brilliantly cast.
Love the review as always Calvin! I actually disagree with you with regards to the twists, or overall story tone. I think this film is really genius and smart, because it starts off as a mystery and whodunnit, but suddenly and abruptly pulls that rug away from underneath you after the first act, when they explicitly reveal what happened and how. Then the the mystery becomes more suspense, as its a question of "how does X get away with it now?".
And then at the veeeery end, the twist is that the character we're rooting for was justified for their expertise and their heart all along, and it WAS a whodunnit and mystery after all. And I think that's a brilliant and fresh approach to the whole thing. And I say this as a HUGE Christie and Poirot fan. She's my favorite author of all time.
Oh I totally agree that it’s very well constructed etc I guess I’m just used to Columbo too much where almost every episode reveals the identity of the killer towards the start and it’s all focused around how are they going to get away with it, how will Columbo find out etc. I think Knives Out does a great job of melding a lot of different mystery tactics together in a very original way though and as I say, I LOVE the tone of this film, how it never feels like a parody etc. Thanks very much for the great comment! Happy to hear you’re also quite a Christie fan! 😁😁
@@calvindyson Agreed completely. Watching you review this was awesome! I'm thrilled you did :D
And oh yes, Christie is the GOAT! I still remember the first time I read Roger Ackroyd, and how it blew my mind. Five Little Pigs has always been my unsung favorite though. That one is special.
Any chance you've seen the classic BBC Poirot, with David Suchet? Would love to see you talk about that someday if you have!
Daniel Craig stealing Kevin Spacey's accent from House of Cards
It would be great if Brosnan or Dalton appeared in one of the sequels to this.
"I'm not dogging on it"
Cue the shot of the two dogs... ;)
Such a terrific film! Craig is clearly having fun with it (hope the same can be said for NTTD), De Armas is great, Evans is also amazing.. I love the style of the film... Can't recommend it enough.
As a fan of Poirot, I am glad the murder mystery genre is getting a proper revival with big stars like Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas etc. coming on board with such great production values. Loved how they were able to add some depth to it with the "Outsider" metaphor. That along with the starcast and production values truly elevated this film to another level. The actual mystery was quite basic- which only gives me more hope for the sequels as being able to do justice to a basic formulaic story in the genre means that they can really churn out more of these consistently
As a resident of the southern United States I commend you on the old southern gentleman accent. Well done. As always great review and great work.
Loved Knives Out too! Last movie I saw before pandemic (I average maybe one movie in the theaters per year now), and it made me hopeful we’d see more movies like it (or at least sequels to it) in the future. Daniel was great, it took me until like halfway through to adjust to the accent, but got through it. It was especially jarring hearing “Southern Daniel” with he when standing next to Don Johnson (big Vice fan too!), who grew up in the south and has played “southern boy” characters many times.
Loved the review as always Calvin! We need more of “Southern Calvin” in future vids! Maybe if he gets his own channel it could be called Calvin Dixon? 🧐
Your flat is very aesthetically pleasing. I agree with your point about Craig's accent. I think since he's the incumbent Bond, any other role that he has automatically makes us as Bond fans think of James Bond. The southern accent is so different from how he speaks in the Bond films that it's much easier to detach Craig from Bond and enjoy his character in this film. Glad you enjoyed it!
Great southern accent Calvin!!
Very impressive!
Great review - absolutely brilliant film.
The fact that he is leaving Bond now and planning on doing more films as this character Benoit Blanc makes his exit much easier - that’s for sure.
Because we’d all LOVE to see more of him as this character
- and we ‘d all LOVE to see more films like this one!
This felt like classic Hollywood - and something we just don’t see much more of anymore!
Ana de Armas and Chris Evans reminded me of characters that Gina Lollobrigida and Sean Connery played in a movie called "Woman of Straw" (1964). In fact, the similarities between them allowed me to figure out who was the real culprit of the movie.
Blanc is the new Columbo.
Great review Calvin this is a fun movie 🍿 with compelling characters and a great mystery. As for Daniel Craig I agree he’s great in this part his accent is fun and allows him to disassociate from Bond. Ana DeArmas was great as welll and gives me hope for her in No Time To Die
It looks like you and I have similar opinions on Star Wars The Last Jedi. I think the movie is fine, but not perfect. I think the movie has problems, but it's not terrible.
Another Brilliant review Calvin. Its very rare these days we get a new original detective film franchise. Absolutely love Craig & Ana De Armas in this movie. All the characters are full of personality and the whole thing is so dam fun. Really looking forward to Knives Out 2.
Yes you did mention that magical word, "sleuth", the masterpieces that this fabulous film most tributes. Was so much fun!
Just watched this the other day! Perfect timing! Loved it. Great review Calvin. I've also been watching a ton of Columbo lately.
Great review, Calvin! Im a strong believer in this film although i havent seen it completely. Your southern accent is a knockout. And by the way, very good usage of the Laurel / Hardy music. Movies like this arent made anymore, unless theyre confined to television or direct-to-BluRay.
That review was hilarious. Very inventive, very sharply delivered.
Saw this in the theater, its really well done, and its FUN. Daniel Craig is funny, he often works with the same people, Christopher Plummer is in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, for instance
How I wish I could go back to 2019
Although this is a whodunnit Craig’s character reminds me of Columbo a lot. Now I wish they’d give Craig a Columbo-like TV series after No Time To Die. A remake of sorts. If anyone can do it besides late Peter Falk, I feel like Craig is that man!
I really hope that reported sequel happens. Apparently, they're going to build a franchise around Blanc, but I'm fairly certain they were waiting until Craige was done with Bond... Then the Pandemic hit...
Amazing timing, just got round to watching this myself.
This was one of my fave films of 2019, it was sooo good
Next stop Daniel Craig plays Sheriff J.W. Pepper in No Time To Live and Let Die. Not seen the film but his accent sounds good in the clips he's a good actor in whatever he's in. He raised the acting bar with Bond even Roger raised an eyebrow to his acting talent. Knives Out to me looks like Murder By Death (1976) which had an incredible all star cast featuring Bond actors Peter Sellers and David Niven that also drew the line between comedy and murder mystery. Well worth checking out if you haven't seen it. I'll have to check out Knives Out.
Kudos for keeping your Southern US character for the whole video Calvin, it was hilarious!
As someone who is from the Carolina's and been over the south your accent was very natural.
Sorry Calvin, for coming so late too the party for this. The film is pretty good, and your review is fabulous.
Craig's best non Bond role is Defiance.
Underrated gem is Flashbacks of a Fool..
Defiance is great. I remember the BBC advertising it on I Player as 'a pre-Bond Daniel Craig' when it came out in 2008-oops!
We at the Dalton Navy are surprised that Johnson made such a wonderful whodunit with such compelling characters. If a sequel would be in the works I would hope it would live up to the first one.
One of the few movies I saw twice on the big screen. I remember that after watching it I was really into mystery stuff, from novels to the Clue boardgame lol
Imagine being the pinned comment. Wouldn’t that just suck to be the pinned comment?
I’m a huge Don Johnson fan. If you haven’t seen Miami Vice, you need to Calvin. It’s the James Bond TV show of the 1980s and Don Johnson is amazing in it!
Great job! I recommend you check out Danny Boyle’s psychological thriller/ heist film Trance. Stylistically speaking, I think it may give us an idea of what a Bond film by him would look like.
I was just watching this on patron great southern accent long lost brother in knives out 2
I loved this movie, and Craig was great in it. I chalk that up to the fact that he actually seems to enjoy being a part of it, unlike, say, his most recent Bond adventure (at the time of writing, Spectre) where he just seems bored and very tired of it. I love how plays Benoit Blanc as a Poirot style detective, who at first seems strange and off the wall but eventually reveals himself to be a brilliant Detective. It very much reminds me of Comedies like Clue or Gosford Park (which inspired it) but also classics like An Inspector Calls or (X Agatha Christie story here). Note here that, with the exception of AIC, the movies I mentioned were comedies or had comedic elements (people forget, Poirot was originally rather a humorous character, and I don’t think Christie would shy away from comedy in her writings.) I love a good mystery story. Have done for years. Sherlock Holmes, Scooby Doo, even select James Bond films with mystery elements, plus, I loved the way the story was done, lampooning the traditional who-Dunnit, while still being a masterful who-dunnit, it’s almost like Scream in that sense.
well done mr. dyson.....excellent accent and review...as a huge chrstie fan, i can't agree more about the repeated (and sometimes belabored) retellings of her stories...i think the reason we don't get more original fare is because the current generation isn't talented enough to write anything that even comes close (present company excepted).....you are indeed a rare breed mr. dyson and there ain't a horsetail fly within miles that couldn't smell you comin'...(whatever that means)...peace always...stay well...rocky
As a real Southerner I can't wait to see you at the Bond premier in London in September and try out my British accent with you. Cheers! (and I love Knives Out)
I’m loving the use of Laurel and Hardy music Calvin well done 🙌🙌🙌
The plot description seems like it is inspired by a choose your own adventure book
I like your comparison how Blanc gets no backstory, despite being a new character, while the well-known character of Poirot is saddled with a newly invented back-story.
You gotta watch “sorry to bother you”
It’s one of stanfield’s best perfomanxes
Knives Out was such a good film, it sounds like they might do a second one as well which I’m already looking forward to
I'd say this is better than any of Craig's Bond films, this is one of the most brilliantly plotted films I have ever seen, intricate without being over-complicated, and it actually gets better with repeat viewings
I love this movie! Great review Calvin.
Thanks very much, Daniel!
I agree on all counts- I was almost relieved that it ended up being a fairly conventional "sleuth" film given the fact that "subverting expectation" has become a trope associated with Johnson. Not that that's a bad thing. Also I can't help but wonder if a Logan Lucky review is in the pipeline as it is another film (which I enjoyed) featuring D Craig as a southern American.
SPOILERS
On first watch, it feels like it's subverting mystery tropes because they seem to reveal who the killer is in the first half, and then you expect the rest of the movie to be her trying not to get caught. The twist at the end though does bring it back around to more of a standard mystery plot.
The girl with the dragon tattoo was his best film outside of Bond bar none. That movie was incredible.
I’m looking forward to revisiting that sometime! I haven’t seen it since it first came out on blu ray I don’t think
Nah, Layer Cake or Munich.
Absolutely loved this film. A unique film in an era of crap remakes, reboots and super hero films. And I agree that Craig replicating the accent of Kevin Spacey in house of cards was a bit jarring to begin with but after 5 minutes I was totally invested and for sure it helped see past the Bond role. Great review as always ✌️
I think that's definitely one reason I loved this film, not only is it great but there are just so few movies like this being made anymore. Probably more than half of all major movie releases now are, as you say, remakes, reboots, sequels, or comic book. Yawn...
Calvin, that southern accent makes you sound like that San Fransisco Police “Captain” (not Sheriff) from A View To A Kill.
I love how this movie managed to make the red herring into the actual murderer but made it not feel cheep or super obvious.
I have been minded to buy this DVD for a while. This has made me determined to do so this week
Whilst I very much agree with the sentiment of this sketch, I must admit I was a little distracted trying to see what films Calvin has in his collection.
I'm actually quite glad to hear that BenCol, it was something of a deliberate act on my part, probably because I always enjoy pausing videos to see what books, films and games people have on their shelves in videos!
@@calvindyson Glad to hear I’m not the only one!
So, Film Shelf Tour Video when?
One of my very favourite films. If I had a top 10 list, this would be high up there
Favorite Character M Emmett Walsh in a nice lil cameo performance, re-teaming with Christopher Plummer
This is a fantastic movie, wonderfully acted and with a sly perceptive script
That accent at the start changed from roger Moore to the Kentucky accent real quick
You should review the Harry Palmer films with Michael Caine. I've only seen Funeral in Berlin but I guess the other films are as equally good.
That accent combined with seeing Don Johnson just made me think Django. 😛
I only saw it very recently, and I had no idea what to expect. For some reason wasn't even aware it was a murder mystery. Somehow I was under the impression it was a comedy or something like Kingsman. I was also shocked to see it it was directed by Rian Johnson, considering how much I loathe The Last Jedi (but I can still admit there were some enjoyable and good scenes, too!). Anyway, enjoyed it a lot and plan to watch it again sometime soon now that I know whodunnit. ;)
Talk about a star studded cast.
Also, RIP Christopher Plummer.
I enjoyed it but it is far from Craig's best. His best work was pre-Bond unfortunately...