Juaquin Phoenix Is Back! (And the first Teaser for New Bond Film)

While browsing around imdb.com today, I found two videos that made me wish that the world would just decide to skip summer and go straight into fall. I soon realized that if that were to happen I wouldn't see The Dark Knight Rises or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter in theaters.

The first of the two videos was the first trailer for the new James Bond movie, Skyfall.

MMMMMMM!!!! What's not to like about this trailer? You have Daniel Craig, who, in my opinion (which is not that of someone who would consider himself a huge Bond fan, so all you 007  diehards can calm yourselves!), is the best Bond. Directed by Sam Mendes (Road to Perdition, American Beauty) and with the beautiful cinematography of the always great Roger Deakins (The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, O Brother, Where Art Thou), this Bond flick looks very promising.

Shortly there after, I saw a clip from Paul Thomas Anderson's new movie, The Master, starring Joaquin Phoenix in his first on screen appearance since his fake mental breakdown for publicity for I'm Still Here.

This is Paul Thomas Anderson's first film since 2007's There Will Be Blood. And it would seem that he is starting up right where he left off. If you haven't seen any of Paul Thomas Anderson's films, do yourself a favor and go see There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights, and Punch Drunk Love. All are fantastic movies.

Joaquin Phoenix looks amazing in this. He is amazing in most of his work, but given that this is his first film since I'm Still Here, I am even more impressed. I would never have expected him to be in such a seemingly dark and complicated role right after being in character for 8 months. He is a great actor, and I am extremely happy that him quitting was all a publicity stunt.

One of the biggest tragedies of the whole debacle when Joaquin Phoenix said he was quitting acting for good, and was having a documentary about him pursuing a rap career, later to only reveal that he was just in character the whole time, is the fact that he didn't get nominated for anything!

He fooled the entire country into thinking he was really quitting acting to become a rapper and they just shrug it off! Jesse Eisenberg was nominated for his work in The Social Network, when really, it was just Jesse Eisenberg playing Jesse Eisenberg if he were a dick! How does that "surpass" Joaquin Phoenix for staying in character for almost 8 months?

As time goes on, and more movies are marketing themselves, I am getting more excited every day for movies this year. Let's hope 2012 beats the lack luster year of 2011

Skyfall is scheduled to release November 9th, 2012.

The Master is scheduled to release October 12th, 2012.