Casino Royale

If the goal was to take the James Bond franchise on a dark turn, then mission accomplished, “Casino Royale” (2006). As the next 007, Daniel Craig offers plenty of pursed-lipped pensiveness as he walks with his John Wayne swagger, but lacks the Sean Connery glint in his eye (let’s don’t bother with the other, lesser Bonds). The plot is worthy of a Bond film, with sexy women, fast cars, exotic locations, quirky supporting characters and wild action sequences. But the tech is more techy than gadgety, which is a microcosm of the difference in the reboot: a lack of fun.

Bad Girls

Whores on horses. Westerns changed a lot after John Wayne died. “Bad Girls” is a 1994 revenge/caper/western with brief glimpses of Drew Barrymore’s boobies. Madeleine Stowe plays a butt-kicking madam with a dark past who shares undertones of homoerotic chemistry with Mary Stuart Masterson (Where is the Skinemax remake when you need it?). Andie MacDowell plays herself. James Russo channels Tom Sizemore playing a psychopathic bandito (which would be a great name for a rock band). Robert Loggia gets whacked (Doesn’t he always?). There are big guns (besides Barrymore). And no, Dermot Mulroney is not the dude from “Grey’s Anatomy.”

The Monuments Men

When it comes to World War II movies, there isn’t a lot of new ground to cover. So, purely for novelty’s sake, “The Monuments Men” (2014) is worth watching. The story of an American military unit tasked with saving precious European artwork from the Nazis and/or Soviets isn’t anything John Wayne ever starred in (at least not that I know of). It’s a George Clooney movie. He brings along buddy Matt Damon and fills out the cast with a bunch of other familiar names (Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray, etc.). It’s good, solid, earnest, predictable. Worthy of the genre.