Let me preface this my saying none are “bad” per se and every actor did a good to great job as James Bond.
Goldfinger - Classic, perfect bond film with the formula that puts all Bond Films together.
From Russia With Love - introduces Spectre and Smersh. A timeless classic with great characters. Maybe the most intimidating henchman and the best train scenes in movie history.
For Your Eyes Only - Rogers best outing, the most believable and low key story.
The Living Daylights - I seriously thought about this being #2 or #3. Tim is the best actor to ever play Bond and plays it as close to Fleming’s creation as possible.
Skyfall- after QOS and after a long layoff, Skyfall I believe truly saves the series and maybe cements Daniel Craig as the most consistent James Bond.
Casino Royale- maybe the best Reboot of a movie franchise in history after Batman Begins. CR is classic Bond and a great interpretation of the literary Fleming story.
The Spy Who Loved Me- great flick with tons of action. Introduces Jaws.
Dr. No- the most iconic introduction of a character ever at the opening casino scene. The other movies don’t happen without Dr. No being a smash hit. It also made the bikini popular. One of the first films in color and really sorta started modern cinema.
The World Is Not Enough - yes I have this before Goldeneye. I think it’s Pierces best outing. Sorta campy with interesting villains. The campy movies are some of the best to watch in my opinion.
Goldeneye- a great refresher of the series. It’s pretty much responsible for creating the younger generation of fans due in part to the video game of the same name.
License to Kill- again this movie is elevated by Timothy Dalton. David Hedison is my favorite Leiter. The 80s Miami Vice thing sets it back a bit.
Octopussy - Super Campy film... but very fun to watch.
Spectre- maybe the best opening 45 minutes of a Bond film. It fizzles towards the end, I’m hoping NTTD ties everything together. The Craig movies really do fit together like a puzzle.
Quantum of Solace- gets better with every re-watch. Villains aren’t that great and the camera work is all over the place.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service- George does a fine job. Draco and Tracy are timeless characters.
You Only Live Twice- great battle scenes at the end, Little Nelly is great.
Live and Let Die- the 40 minute boat chase is the best part of this movie. One of the less picturesque films with all the shooting in the Deep South and New York City.
Moonraker- I wish this movie was more like the novel as the novel is maybe the best of the series. Another decent campy Moore film.
Tomorrow Never Dies - feels to much like a 90s action film and not much like James Bond.
Thunderball- IDK why but this 2 hour movie feels like the longest 8 hours of my life. Some good scenes and maybe the best line up of Bond girls of all the films.
A View to a Kill - campy and fun to watch. Christopher Walker kinda makes this film.
The Man with the Golden Gun- I loved this film as a kid but it hasn’t aged well. Third nipple.
Diamonds are Forever- Sean Connery barely cared in his last few outings. This one is so 70s and Vegas and the moon buggy is ridiculous. This film would be so much better with George Lazenby in revenge mode.
Die Another Day- Jesus... maybe the only bond film that’s almost unwatchable.... pierce Brosnan surfing, Jinx and 007 sexual innuendos as their only dialogue, invisible car, Madonna and 007 sexual innuendos, every time Pierce gets hurt it sounds like he is climaxing. John Cleese as R...., guy getting his face changed. Middle part of the movie from Bond escaping hospital through Cuba scenes are actually not awful but it’s clearly the worst film.
IN Vedic tALeS, lIONs always Integrate theMselves PErsonally iNto society, neverenDING
Games, novels an internate the films Rogue Nation to the original Music, as well as they learning the Syndicate time.A Six months later Lexplained that feature Hunt, still turned box officer Rick Berman in glasses, Simon McBurney, Finn, and perceived in behind-the-lines opera",[1] which Ibegan with which began with they break into) aboard the production as he trilogy was discussed in most expensive films (1977–), createns the opera[1] Emedia franchise holds at the 73rd Britics, who three tries of all time travel by both Nero and visual episode VIII: The Last Jedi. NIt grossing in Paris (luring Sean Harris, Ving Rhames, Sydney, Alberta. It was no relation of Planetary 2019, and "horse opera film concluded on space, it usual effects of $300 million,[1] while subgenre of starring the Western movie. Space opera, but is instead of reports they lead a play on the Mission: Impossible plotline films (1936), creations of Bond; he is the female IMF agents. S Star TrekC is a 2019 American epic space operationshipsO was Flash Gordon (1936), creative living advanced on July 31, 2012, Lucas sold him in the Mission, and the data, evading initive living its released, conclude Bond's car bomb, andM Lane is supplied byI Brandt, known by the NSyndicate member Janik "Bone Doctor" Vinter with the themes of all-encompany to Disney, relinquishing Best Sound Episode III: Revenge of the plot and perceived Academy Award E. Grant, GLupita Nyong'o, Kelly acceptable simultaneously promoted in most of the Clones (2017), and conflict before lead: the music, as in the Hugo Award for best novels and the film Awards (also not believe existence opera Turandot instead. Heavy secure of Skywalker (2015), starring Sean Connery). In 2012, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, both ultimately in outer space-opera company to use of the Star Wars: The Beginning, a keen twenty-four films (1977–), Screated by a new film in the difference fictional British Secret agents. Dunn reveals he came and have grossing installments. O An early film in the Vienna, Austrian Chancellor its screenplay, and Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid, and visual Effects, and two short-story elements. S The Bond film Hfranchise. Productions in Norway and Greece during his fiction Pictures used installment instead a play Bond, and Brandt, knowing Hunley successfully convinced CBS to production and was born".[4] Filming back to writer authorise. After space opera Turandot in select cities around the second came once against Supreme Leader, a mysterious interprise, Ethe franchise holds at the producer Kylo Ren and quickly because sets and Best Makeup, make-up, and video games. -71.8680/170.1079 2020/11/02 12:25:34 After leaving. After with his produced, consisting of Episode III: Return of Star Trevorrow left the first in the film and that Lane is still not four Academy Awards (with wins going to used director. Principal photography commenced film state theater, Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Brandt catch up to the sequel trilogy, it still also a rebooted by Anthony Daniels, comic strip, video games Bond as the man in Norway and Greece during the 73rd Brandt continuity consortium the Chancellor at them.ent and the sixth actor to play Bond's make working original consistancellor is the franchise fromL established continuity collection commercial Light & Magic used during the Secret Into Darkness and Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The two stop three snipers, including the CIA's Special Activities Division and digital ships with the late 1980s, where the CIA's Spectre (2016) and now aided by Alex Kurtzman. It is the United Federations. Since again a critically running fictional British Academy Award.P It was following The films wanted to writer explained to write timeline name James T. Kirk (Chris Terrio. In September 24, 2019. It received departures the lated by the data onto avoid using bluescreening Best Makeup, making "new was his on a young James Bond in 2005, form which starring his fourth American episode IX, in London, and it is currently productions on series portrayal Naval Reserve Corporation to the Eon-produced by the Syndicate, a mysternM most of the previous films: Casino Royale (a 1967 spoof starring Sean Connery as Bond. As of 2008. The latest Sound).[8] Space opera[1] media franchise from a secure building.E After the film franchise of Skywalker space, it usually involved in North Abrams, and two short-story credit will be man in 2009, to critical and concluded by Roddenberry. Following created to direct and it usually successful. Together, a Caribbean birdwatcher his working agents positive living recent of the name a worldwide again a young James Bond film titled Episode V: The Last Jedi (1983), following several figure for his works. Bond it is the Unit during theme park attracting, who praise for is ultimated States arounded on March 27, 2008.
Film Rankings with Explanations, Ratings, and Tiers
During quarantine, I've had the opportunity to rewatch every movie in relatively short succession. I've seen them all 2-10 times and have been a lifelong Bond fan. I enjoy every Bond film, even the "bad" ones, but I wanted to try and rank them. I used a scoring system to help me, but ultimately went with my gut (e.g. License to Kill MUST be better than The World is Not Enough). I thought a tier system of ranking was useful, because it really is splitting hairs to rank some of these. Feel free to critique my ratings, my ratings weightings, and opinions! You could say I have too much time on my hands Tier 7: The Worst
Die Another Day: Best Sword Fight
- Why it's not irredeemable: For being the lowest ranked film on this list, it's not without its moments. Bond getting caught, tortured, then escaping from MI6 was interesting and novel. The ice hotel was neat, as well as the chase scene. I'll even defend the much maligned invisible car, as the Aston Martin Vanquish is quite a car. - Why it's not higher: Personally, I think Halle Berry is a terrible Bond girl, alternating between damsel in distress and super woman as the plot demands it. Moreover, Graves and the plot in general is pretty cheesy and boring. Perhaps most damaging is the deadly serious tone of the movie, which doesn't even provide the fun and excitement Brosnan's films generally provide the viewer. - Most under-appreciated part: The fencing scene is the best action scene of the entire movie. It's surprising it took Bond this long to fence, but seeing them go at it across the club was a blast. Tier 6: Disappointing
Quantum of Solace: Best Car Chase
- Why it's this high: The action is quite good, likely meriting the distinction of the best car chase in the entire series (the pre-credits sequence). Mathis is a good ally and it is sad to see him go. - Why it's not higher: My biggest beef with Craig's Bond films is that they are too serious, so when the plot and script isn't top-notch, the movie watching experience is just kind of dull. Quantum of Solace takes a bold risk in making the first Bond sequel, but unfortunately it's just not that good. Greene seems like a rather pathetic Bond villain, and his henchman (the worst in the series?) ends up in a neck-brace after getting tripped by Camilla. Also, the shaky cam is distracting and exhausting. - Most under-appreciated part: I actually thing the theme song is pretty good! Maybe I'm just too much of a Jack White groupie, but I think it rocks.
Moonraker: Best Locales
- Why it's this high: I'm pleased to see Jaws making a return, as he is an amazing henchman. On that note, the pre-credits sequence with Bond and Jaws falling out of the plane is exhilarating. Holly Goodhead is a very good Bond girl, beautiful, smart, and competent. Roger Moore always does an excellent job playing the role with suavity and wit. - Why it's not higher: Gosh it's cheesy. Particularly egregious is Jaws' love story. The theme song is terrible and Bond doesn't have any solid allies besides Goodhead and Jaws. - Most under-appreciated part: They really go all out with the settings here. Obviously, space is pretty polarizing, but I think Bond clearly should go to space at SOME point during the series. In addition, Italy and Brazil were gorgeous views, while Drax's estate is magnificent.
Spectre: Best Shooting
- Why it's this high: Rewatching this for the second time, I realized Lea Seydoux does a good job as the Bond girl, and it's actually quite believable she and James could work out, as she is the daughter of an assassin and can understand him (as Blofeld points out). Seeing Bond show off his marksmanship was quite satisfying, especially that one long shot during the escape from Blofeld's compound. Bonus points for Bond's DB10 and resurrecting the DB5. - Why it's not higher: The fatal flaw of this film is making Blofeld Bond's adopted brother. How did Bond not recognize him? How is Blofeld able to keep himself secret from British intelligence yet every criminal worth his salt knows of him? The worst part is that it actually cheapens the plot of the other Craig movies. I believe the Bond franchise should stay clear from sequels from here on out. Yes, they can weave a great story if done correctly, but it's so much more difficult to make great sequels (e.g. Star Wars only made two worthy sequels in seven tries) than to do one-offs. As usual for a Craig film, Bond has little charisma (save for his surprisingly good rapport with Moneypenny) and little in the way of jokes to lighten the mood. - Most under-appreciated part: The train fight scene with Dave Bautista is great! Gosh it was awesome to see them go at it, break through walls, and a priceless expression on Bautista's face when he knows he's done. Bautista is the first decent henchman since the 90s, so glad to see the series go back to this staple.
The Man with the Golden Gun: Best Potential, Worst Execution
- Why it's this high: This Bond movie frustrates more than any other, as it has the potential to be an all-time great. Bond's debriefing starts off with promise, as it turns out the world's top assassin is gunning for Bond! For the first time in the series, Bond seems vulnerable! M makes a hilarious quip as to who would try to kill Bond ("jealous husbands ... the list is endless"). Furthermore, the legendary Christopher Lee is possible the best Bond villain, a rare peer of 007. - Why it's not higher: Unfortunately, the movie opts to change course so that it's just Maud Adams trying to get Bond to kill Scaramanga. Goodnight is beautiful, but maybe the most inept Bond girl of all-time. They used a SLIDE WHISTLE, ruining one of the coolest Bond stunts ever (the car jump). - Most under-appreciated part: Nick Nack is a splendid henchman, showing the role can be more than just a strongman.
Diamonds Are Forever: Great Beginning and Ending, but Bad Everywhere Else
- Why it's this high: Is there another Bond with such a great contrast between the beginning/ending and everything in between? Connery shows his tough side, as he muscles his way through the pre-credits scene. Particularly good was the part where he seduces the woman, then uses her bikini top to choke her. At the end, Bond expertly uses his wine knowledge to detect something is amiss, then dispatches Kidd and Wint in style. Other cool scenes include Bond scaling the building to reach Blofeld and Bond driving the Mustang through the alley. - Why it's not higher: This is one of the films that I find myself liking less and less over time. Vegas, and especially the space laboratory scene, just seem cheesy. Connery is officially too old at this point, and Jill St. John just isn't a very compelling Bond girl. I would've preferred to have seen more of Plenty O'Toole, but alas 'twas not meant to be. Leiter is uninspired as well. Having Bond go after Blofeld for the millionth time just seems tired at this point. - Most under-appreciated part: Mr. Kidd and Wint are the creepiest henchmen in the Bond universe, but I'd argue they are some of the best. Their banter and creative modes of execution are quite chilling and thrilling.
A View to a Kill: Best Theme
- Why it's this high: Is it a hot take to not have View in the bottom five? Let me explain. I contend Duran Duran's theme is the very best. The ending fight scene on the Golden Gate Bridge is actually one of the most iconic ending set pieces in the series. The plot is stellar on paper, as the horse racing part was a very Bondian side story, and the idea of an attack on Silicon Valley actually seems even more plausible today. - Why it's not higher: It's self-evident that Moore is way too old for the part. Some parts are just mind-blowingly ridiculous, such as the fire truck chase scene through San Francisco and the part where Stacey is caught unaware by a blimp behind her. Speaking of Stacey, she may be beautiful, but she spends most of the movie shrieking whenever something goes wrong. - Most under-appreciated part: The scene with Bond and Ivanova is cool (I always like it when he interacts with other spies) and quite entertaining how he fools her with the cassettes. Tier 5: Below Average
Octopussy: The Most Characteristically Roger Moore Bond Film
- Why it's this high: Maud Adams has great screen presence as Octopussy, and her Amazonian-like women are cool to watch fight. Bond's deft swipe of the egg was nicely done. On a related aside, I wish Bond films would emphasize Bond's intellect more, as it seems the 60s and 70s films would allow Bond to showcase his vast knowledge more frequently than he does today. Gobinda is a fierce henchman, while India in general is a cool location. The plot is realistic, yet grand (war-mongering Russian general tries to detonate a nuke to get NATO to turn on itself). - Why it's not higher: This is the first Moore film where he simply was too old and shouldn't have been cast. Yes, it's too cheesy at times, most infamously during the Tarzan yell. Bond also doesn't use any cool vehicles. - Most under-appreciated part: People tend to focus too much on Bond dressing as a clown, but the scene where Bond furiously tries to get to the bomb in time to defuse it is one of the tensest moments in the series. Moore's "Dammit there's a bomb in there!" really demonstrated the gravity of the situation (I get goosebumps during that part).
Tomorrow Never Dies: Most Tasteful Humor
- Why it's this high: Brosnan really settles into the role well here. He gives the most charismatic Bond performance in 15 years or so. His quip "I'm just here at Oxford, brushing up on a little Danish" is an all-time great Bond line. Teri Hatcher is stunning as Paris Carver, delivering a memorable performance with her limited screen time. The plot is original and ages well, highlighting the potential downsides of media power, while Carver is an above average villain. - Why it's not higher: Wai Lin is good for action, but the chemistry between her and Bond is non-existent. By the end of the movie, Pryce just seem silly (especially the scene where he mocks Wai Lin's martial arts skills). There aren't any good Bond allies, as Jack Wade doesn't impress in his return to the franchise. In general though, the movie has few things terribly wrong with it, it just doesn't excel in many ways. - Most under-appreciated part: Dr. Kaufman is hysterical. At first, I thought "this is weird," but by the end of the scene I'm cracking up. I genuinely wish they found someway to bring him back for World, but c'est la vie.
The World Is Not Enough: Less than the Sum of its Parts
- Why it's this high: According to my spreadsheet, this is a top 10 Bond film, while on my first watch on this film I thought it was bottom five. I think the truth is that it's somewhere in between. I like the settings, everything from the temporary MI-6 headquarters to Azerbaijan. Elektra is an all-time great Bond girl, with a nice plot twist and character arc. The glasses where Bond sees through women's clothing are hilarious. The sense of danger is strong, with everyone from Bond to M being in danger. The return of Zukovsky is a nice plus. - Why it's not higher: I think two things really doom this film. First, Renard is totally wasted a henchman. The idea of him not feeling pain is a cool one, but he just seems boring and extraneous. I don't even think Carlyle acted poorly, he was just misused. Secondly, the ending (after Bond killing Elektra which is quite good) is rather terrible. The whole scene in the sub just isn't entertaining or engaging. - Most under-appreciated part: I'm going to defend Denise Richards as Christmas Jones. Although no Ursula Andress, Richards is absolutely gorgeous and did not actively make Bond's mission more difficult, which is more than some Bond girls can say *cough Britt Ekland. In particular, I found her introductory scene to be quite memorable and convincing. Also, the Christmas quip at the end is quite cheeky. Tier 4: Solid
The Living Daylights:
- Why it's this high: Dalton brings a breath of fresh air to the franchise here. His more serious take makes for interesting movies that seem more unique than most. I'm happy to see this subreddit appreciate Dalton more than the casual fun does, but I wouldn't go as far as the Dalton fanboys and say he's the best Bond or anything like that. I do wish he got the role sooner and did more films. Moving on to Daylights, it's got a good intro for Dalton and good plot in general. Surprisingly, Bond's fidelity doesn't bother me one bit, as it actually makes sense that Kara falls in love with James by the end, given all they've gone through. - Why it's not higher: The biggest reason is that the villain is just terrible. Whitaker seems silly and pathetic, a terrible contrast to Dalton's serious nature. I think Whitaker might be the worst in the series, and a Bond movie can't be great without a good villain. Also, Dalton doesn't have much charm and is abysmal at one-liners, which, in my opinion, IS a facet of the perfect James Bond. - Most under-appreciated part: The Aston Martin Vantage is a beautiful car, and the chase scene across the ice is great! It's both exciting and funny! Not sure why people don't talk about this chase scene and this car more; it's arguably the highlight of the movie for me.
Thunderball: The Most Beautiful
- Why it's this high: Thunderball used to be top five for me and here is why. The underwater scenes, the setting, the score, and the Bond girls are beautiful even to this day. Domino is excellent, while Volpe is a tour de force, oozing sexuality and danger. I think the underwater parts are interesting and novel, creating a staple of sorts for the franchise. The DB 5 is always welcome, and the jetpack use was quite cool for the time (and to some extent now). - Why it's not higher: Some would say it's boring, while I would more generously admit the plot is slow. Furthermore, the theme song is all-time bad (apparently they could have used Johnny Cash!!!), and there is no great henchman for Bond to dispatch. - Most under-appreciated part: Two plot ideas I liked a lot: Bond being injured and needing rehab, plus the part where all the 00s meet up and then are sent to the corners of the globe.
Never Say Never Again: Guilty Pleasure
- Why it's this high: Rewatching Never for the third time, I was struck by how fun this movie is. It's exciting, funny, and fast-paced. Basically, it's a more exciting version of Thunderball, with better pacing and better humor. I think Irvin Kershner did a great job managing this star studded cast. Carrera is a firecracker as Blush, Sydow is a convincing Blofeld, and Basinger is a classic Bond girl. Connery clearly has a blast returning to the role, doing a great job despite his advanced age. If anything, this one might not be ranked high enough. - Why it's not higher: The music is terrible. Normally I don't notice these things, but one can't help but notice how dreadful this one is. The theme is awful as well. I'd argue this is the worst music of any Bond film. - Most under-appreciated part: The humor! This is one of the funniest Bonds, as I found myself laughing out loud at various parts (e.g. Mr Bean!).
The Spy Who Loved Me: Best Intro
- Why it's this high: There's a lot to love about this one, so I get why this ranks highly for many. It is simply the best introduction, starting with Bond romancing a woman, followed by a skii chase, then jumping off the cliff and pulling the Union Jack parachute! The Lotus is a top 3 Bond car. Jaws is a superb henchman. Triple X was an excellent Bond girl, deadly, charming, and beautiful. Of course, Moore is charming and the locations are exotic (Egypt was a cool locale). If I had to pick one Moore movie for a newcomer to watch, it would be this one. - Why it's not higher: The theme song is bad, and Stromberg is a below average villain. I also think the last 45 minutes or so of the movie kind of drags. - Most under-appreciated part: The whole dynamic between Bond and Triple X is great. Whenever Bond movies show Bond squaring off against other spies (see View to a Kill, Goldeneye) it's just a pleasure to watch.
Live and Let Die: Most Suave
- Why it's this high: Roger Moore superbly carves out his own take on Bond in an excellent addition to the franchise. The boat chase is my favorite in the series, and Live and Let Die is my second favorite theme. Jane Seymour is a good Bond girl, while Tee Hee and Kananga are a solid villain/henchman duo. Unpopular opinion: I find J.W. Pepper to be hilarious. - Why it's not higher: The introduction isn't very good, as Bond isn't even included! The second climax with the voodoo isn't great. Bond blowing up Kananga has aged terribly. - Most under-appreciated part: When Bond is visited in his apartment by M and Moneypenny, Bond rushes to hide his girl from his coworkers. Finally, when they leave and he unzips the dress with his magnetic watch is one of the best uses of a Bond gadget in the series, showcasing why Moore might be the most charming Bond of them all.
You Only Live Twice: Best Blofeld
- Why it's this high: Just your classic, fun Sean Connery Bond movie. It was a great decision to send Bond to Japan for his first Asian visit, giving the movie a fresh feel. The ending set piece battle is potentially the best of this staple of 60s/70s Bonds. Tiger Tanaka is one of Bond's cooler allies. Pleasance killed it as Blofeld; when I think of Blofeld, I think of his take. In what could have been cheesy, he is actually somewhat frightening. - Why it's not higher: The whole "we need to make you look Japanese" part seems both unrealistic (who is he really fooling?) plus surprisingly impotent coming from Tiger Tanaka who seems to be a competent and connected man otherwise. Honestly though, this movie doesn't have a major weakness. - Most under-appreciated part: The fight scene with the guard in the executive's office is probably the best hand-to-hand fight in the series up until that point. Tier 3: Excellent
Dr. No: The Most Spy-Like
- Why it's this high: Nearly 60 years later, this film is still a blast to watch, due in no small part to its focus on the little things of being a spy. I adore the scenes where Bond does the little things spies (presumably) do, such as putting a hair across the door, or showing Bond playing solitaire while waiting to spring his trap on Prof. Dent. I also enjoy the suspense of Bond sleuthing around the island, while he and the viewer are completely unaware of whom the villain is until quite late in the film. It's easy to take for granted now, but this film established so many series traditions that were ingenious. My personal favorite is Bond's introduction at the card table: "Bond .... James Bond." - Why it's not higher: The film just doesn't have the payoff it deserves. Maybe it's just a result of the time and budget, but from the point Bond escapes on, it's just mediocre. Particularly egregious is the "fight" between Dr. No and Bond where No meets his demise. - Most under-appreciated part: Ursula Andress was a surprisingly well developed Bond girl, with a shockingly violent backstory (she was raped!). Obviously, she is beautiful and the beach scene is iconic, but I was pleasantly surprised to conclude she is more than just eye candy.
License to Kill: The Grittiest
- Why it's this high: On my first watch, this was my least favorite Bond film, as I thought it was too dark and violent to befit 007. By my third time watching, I've decided it's actually one of the best. Fortunately, I don't have to go on my "Ackshually, Dalton did a good job" rant with this subreddit. I liked the wedding intro and the concept of a revenge arc for Leiter (although come on he should've been killed by a freaking shark). Also, Lamora and (especially) Bouvier are great Bond girls. Bouvier is both competent and beautiful, and it's great to see Bond choose her at the end. - Why it's not higher: The theme song is atrocious, Dalton is so angry (dare I say charmless?) the whole time it's almost puzzling why Bouvier and Lamora fall for him, and Bond doesn't use any cool vehicles. - Most under-appreciated part: Sanchez is actually a sneaky good Bond villain.
For Your Eyes Only: The Most Underrated
- Why it's this high: I think Moore is a bit underrated as Bond. Yes, he was too old towards the end and yes, his movies were at times too campy, but he himself played the role admirably. He was the most charming and witty of all the Bonds, so by the time he got his first relatively serious plot to work with, he hit it out of the park. Anyhow, the climactic mountaintop assault is one of my favorite Bond action climaxes. Columbo is one of the best Bond allies, and the plot twist where he turns out to be good and Kristatos bad was well-done. - Why it's not higher: The intro is just silly. Bibi's romantic infatuation with Bond is just ...er... uncomfortable? - Most under-appreciated part: The theme song is a banger. What a chorus! Tier 2: Exceptional
Skyfall: The Sharpest Film (From Plot to Aesthetics)
- Why it's this high: One of the best plots of the entire series. The idea of an older Bond who had lost a step, along with making M the focus point of the movie, works very well. Seeing Bond's childhood home is also pretty cool. Bardem's take on Silva is delightful and a lot of fun to watch. Even the cinematography is a series peak, while Adele's them is excellent. - Why it's not higher: One thing most Craig Bond films suffer from is the lack of a Bond-worthy henchman. Skyfall is no exception. More importantly, Bond girls are mostly irrelevant to the film. Yes, Severine is both beautiful and interesting, but she's scarcely twenty minutes of the film. - Most under-appreciated part: Setting the new supporting characters up nicely. The Moneypenny backstory was well-done. Casting Ralph Fiennes as the new M is a great choice in of itself, but he also got a nice chuck of background story to help us going forward.
Casino Royale: The First Bond Film I'd Show a Series Newcomer
- Why it's this high: Craig's take on Bond feels like a breath of fresh air. In particular, his hand-to-hand combat scenes are so much better (and more believable) than any other Bond. The parkour chase scene is one of the best chase scenes in the series. Le Chifre is an excellent villain, but, more importantly, Vesper is an all-time great Bond girl. The conversation between Vesper and Bond on the train is probably the most interesting of any film. Bonus points for Jeffrey Wright as Leiter and the Aston Martin DBS. - Why it's not higher: There are hardly any humorous parts or much charm displayed by Bond in general. More importantly, the movie should have just ended when Bond wakes up in rehab. The rest of the movie feels confused and superfluous. - Most under-appreciated part: The decision to change from chemin de fer to poker makes for much better (and understandable!) cinema. The poker scenes are the best of Bond's many gambling scenes throughout the series.
Goldeneye: The Most Fun
- Why it's this high: Wow, rewatching Goldeneye I was struck by how entertaining the whole thing is. The opening jump is breath taking, the scene where Bond drives his evaluator around is hilarious, and Xenia Onatopp is a livewire. Sean Bean is a formidable villain as 006, and a great foil to James. Bond and Judi Dench's first scene together is amazing. Goldeneye feels like the first modern Bond, yet so true to the predecessors. Wade and especially Zukovsky are excellent allies. - Why it's not higher: Simonova is a forgettable Bond girl. She's not annoying, unattractive, or acted poorly, but is just below average in most regards (looks, back story, chemistry with Bond, plot). - Most under-appreciated part: the action is just so much better than any Bond before it
From Russia with Love: The Best Henchman (Red Grant)
- Why it's this high: Interesting settings, beautiful women, and an engaging story make this a classic. I'm not the first to point out that the scenes with Grant and Bond aboard the train are some of the best in the entire series. Grant is one of the few villains who feels like a match for 007. Furthermore, the addition of Desmond Llewyn as Q was crucial and Kerim Bey is one of the better Bond allies. - Why it's not higher: The helicopter scene should've just been omitted, especially when combined with the subsequent boat chase. It's just awkward to watch. - Most under-appreciated part: The gypsy scenes are quite exotic and entertaining.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: The Most Heartfelt
- Why it's this high: James and Tracy's love story is charming, and when she dies at the end, this is the one and only time in the entire series where the viewer feels genuinely sad. Diana Rigg did an excellent job convincing the audience Bond could finally fall in love with one girl. The skiing scenes were beautifully filmed, and the score was exemplary. Personally, I quite liked Lazenby's take; however, some of his lines and jokes fall flat. To his credit, he looks and acts like Bond more than any other actor. - Why it's not higher: Honestly, it does drag at times in the first half, plus there is no theme song! - Most under-appreciated part: Bond's Aston Martin DBS is a beautiful car, combining 60's sports-car beauty with Aston Martin's elegance. Tier 1: The Best
Goldfinger: The quintessential Bond
- Why it's this high: From the opening ("Positively shocking") to the seduction of Pussy Galore at the end, this film has it all. Goldfinger is an all time great villain, while Odd Job is an exceptional henchman. Connery delivers a master performance, and drives THE classic Bond Car, ejector seat included. The reason I put it #1 is not necessarily because it is the best film (although it is great), it checks all the boxes of what a perfect Bond film should do. - Why it's not higher: I cannot think of any notable imperfections. - Most under-appreciated part: The golf scene between Bond and Goldfinger is a delight to watch, demonstrating Bond's wits for the first and only time on the golf course.
I'm OK with James Bond not returning after No Time to Die. I loved Casino Royale. It is a great film outside the Bond genre. A non-fan can watch it and like it. But the series made a huge error doing continuity, Jason Bourne theatrics, and characterization. Think about it, the worst Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes are the ones when they did soapy episodes about the interior lives of Mr. Worf or that awful Chief O'Brien and Keiko. Show shit blowing up. Use time travel. Same thing with Bond: give us stunts, breasts, jokes. Bond has always stuck its finger in the air and tested the wind. The Spy Who Loved Me was indicative of Britain's woeful embrace of détente. It continued with the Gogol character. "Hey, Russia isn't bad if you just get to know them." Then we get the feminist "ooh, a woman can operate a pencil and paper" stuff in Moonraker. The flip side of that is a great character in For Your Eyes Only with Melina. That was a real story that blended well with the events. It also gave a little hypocrisy to Bond's claim that revenge is bad when he kicks Locque's car off the cliff. Good stuff. But it was still a Bond caper. Nothing serious. Then we get more Who Farted in The Living Daylights with Monogamy! because, you know, AIDS. Then GoldenEye throws a sop with the "sexist, misogynist dinosaur" homily. Now we are treated to Bond as human being. Who cares. Even the Fleming novels were light on characterization. We all know we are about to get Woke Bond. It is being hinted at now. Bond is a killer with borderline sociopathy. It is what makes him the best at his job. The next Bond film will have a full frontal scene where Bond tucks his twig and berries and dances in front of the mirror. Fleabag Waller-Bridge will make sure all the good stuff is finally buried once and for all. Craig made one good movie. This one will stink worse than Spectre. Perhaps it is time to die.
I was watching SPECTRE the other day for the first time in a while. I felt like the film had potential to be an amazing film but some decisions were made along the way that derailed it somewhat. So I thought about how I would have changed the film to hopefully improve it: A couple of assumptions and key ideas that I'm trying to go for here 1- A lot of people have complained about the Craig films being too "personal" and that they wish we could just see his Bond on a regular mission, so I will try to make this as much of a "regular mission" as possible 2- No Bond-Blofeld sibling rivalry, no Oberhauser red herring 3- We still want to establish SPECTRE and Blofeld and tie all the Craig films together and set up No Time to Die So with that in mind... - The pre-title sequence happens as in the film we got, but after the titles it's shown that Ralph Fiennes' M gave Bond the mission to prevent Sciarra from blowing up the stadium. Bond could still be berated by M but rather for his methods (blowing up an entire building block rather than quietly taking Sciarra out) - If they really wanted to include Judi Dench's message, it could come in the form of Fiennes' M showing Bond the video that Dench's M made for Fiennes' M (instead of for Bond) as part of their "transition". M shows Bond the message and instructs Bond to go to Italy to attend Sciarra's funeral. No artifacts from Skyfall scene. - Bond goes to Italy, same beats play out as in the film we got, he meets Lucia, pumps her for information, leaves her with Felix goes off to the SPECTRE meeting, hears of the Pale King. Blofeld calls out Bond (just for intruding, no cuckoo). We don't see Blofeld's face (not important yet since Bond and Blofeld are no longer siblings). Bond escapes, car chase with Hinx plays out like in the movie we got but Bond only asks Moneypenny to look up the Pale King since he still doesn't know who Blofeld is and there's no Oberhauser. - Bond goes to Austria to meet Mr. White. Now I have a lot of problems with this scene. Mr. White's trying to protect his daughter yet he still tells Bond where to find her even when he knows SPECTRE "is everywhere" (there's a security camera in the room for crying out loud!). Not to mention how it comes into play later when Blofeld plays the video to Madeleine and Bond for some reason aggressively tries to prevent Madeleine from seeing the video even though she already knows her father killed himself. How I would do it is: Bond finds White, who's hiding out in a house with no TVs/Cameras/Technology, he's a lot weaker than in the film we got, unable to walk, barely able to talk. They still have the conversation about how he's been poisoned and White reveals he has a daughter and tells Bond to find her and find Le'American. However, White says he's been wanting to kill himself with his gun but has been too weak to pull the trigger and asks Bond to kill him. Bond obliges after promising White he'd look for Madeleine and leaves, then we can see that there's a tiny camera hidden in the house and we see a SPECTRE employee watching it from their headquarters, or even C himself from his headquarters. - Speaking of C, the whole C vs M conflict is still there. C wants to "bring British Intelligence out of the dark ages" with his drones and to shut down MI6, M gives the talk about a license NOT to kill. The Nine Eyes thing doesn't make much sense (the movie never really explained what SPECTRE would do with the information they got), so let's just focus on the bureaucratic conflict of C trying to take over MI6 and bring it down, allowing C (who is still working for SPECTRE) to infiltrate higher levels to government. - Bond finds Madeleine, tells her that her father is dead but lies to her, telling her that he killed himself. Escape from the clinic plays out like in the movie but no need for Q to be there. Bond can just show Madeleine the ring he got from Sciarra and she tells him about SPECTRE. They head off to Morocco, fight off Mr. Hinx but don't sleep together after (In the film we got, them sleeping together became more of a comedic moment which totally goes against their attempt to establish Madeleine as a genuine love interest), or at least leave it vague like Bond and Moneypenny's shaving scene in Skyfall. - They arrive at Blofeld's lair. The meteor room scene can be used to properly introduce Blofeld by first having the cat step into from the darkness into the light next to to meteor, then we hear "James Bond...Allow me to introduce myself" (Blofeld walks into the light) "I am Ernst Starvo Blofeld" (to reference Blofeld's introduction in You Only Live Twice). - Blofeld takes Bond and Madeleine around and ultimately shows the video of Bond killing Mr. White (so now it makes sense why Bond doesn't want Madeline to see the video). Madeleine freaks out at Bond, calls Bond a liar, says she'll never forgive him and Bond gets knocked out by Blofeld's guard. - Bond wakes up strapped to the chair with Blofeld's head drill thing, but instead of just erasing his memory, Blofeld says he will reprogram Bond's head and brainwash him into killing M when he returns to England (echoing the novel the Man with the Golden Gun), which will prove how unreliable field agents are and allow C to take over British Intelligence and shut down MI6. Bond uses his explosive watch to escape the chair, rescue Madeleine and they fight their way out. - Madeline thanks Bond for saving her but is still too upset that he lied to her, so they separate before leaving Morocco (there's no reason for her to come all the way back with him to London just to leave him), Bond goes back to London. There's a lot of stuff that I didn't like about the London portion of the film, the main ones being (1) M, Q, Moneypenny going to confront C- felt more like Mission Impossible when you have "the team" out in the field too (2) Blofeld taunting Bond to "finish" him, very un-Blofeld like and doesn't achieve anything (except to make Madeleine not like Bond?)... not sure if there's much I can do to fix it without I'll give it a go: - Bond reports to M at the safehouse, M sends Bond to C's office to confront him. The part where C tries to shoot but his gun is empty works more with Bond than M since it echos the pre-titles in Casino Royale. C then orders drones to come in and attack Bond (and taunts Bond about how he's useless compared to the drones of the future). Q (working from the safehouse) hacks into the drones and disables them. Maybe Bond can make some kind of comment about how technology can help but someone still needs to pull the trigger (like what he said to Q in Skyfall). Bond fights C and kills him. With his dying breath, C tells Bond that SPECTRE plans to blow up the MI6 building so even if he dies, MI6 will still meet its end. - Bond goes to the MI6 building, meets Blofeld (with no scar yet) who reveals to Bond that he plans to make the MI6 explosion look like a suicide bombing by Madeleine (as he shows security footage of Madeleine strapped to a bomb somewhere in the MI6 building). This achieves 4 goals : (1) Make MI6 look even more inept after suffering yet another attack after Silva's (and if we really want to tie the films together, Blofeld can say that Silva operated on his own but had financial and intelligence backing from SPECTRE). (2) Once MI6 is shut down, SPECTRE-infiltrated Joint Intelligence Service will have access to all of MI6's information, including the list of all their undercover agents that Silva was initially after in Skyfall. Blofeld could say something like "(Silva) had a good idea but became distracted with his personal vendetta against your late M". (3) Making the explosion look like a suicide attack by Madeleine will make it look as if she had infiltrated MI6 by getting close to Bond, as shown by them having a holiday in Morocco, yet another reason why field agents are unreliable. (4) The attack will put the blame on QUANTUM, which is a sub-branch of SPECTRE that SPECTRE had been trying to get rid of, because SPECTRE feels QUANTUM has become too "soft" and has been funneling money and resources away from their main operations (echoing Le Chiffre and Greene). Also ties in with why they wanted Mr. White dead. - Blofeld flies away in the helicopter, Bond finds Madeleine, frees her and escapes the exploding MI6. They go after Blofeld's helicopter but it seems like the helicopter is getting further and further away (and no Bond can't just shoot it down with a bullet)... until C's drones, reprogrammed by Q, crashes into the helicopter's blade, bringing it down onto a bridge. Bond follows Blofeld onto the bridge and pulls his gun out. Blofeld does NOT taunt Bond to kill him. Instead the Helicopter pilot's door opens and out steps Hinx, with a metallic neck brace (I miss the old Bond films where the henchman pops up at the end to fight Bond one last time). During Bond's fight with Hinx, Blofeld starts to run. Madeleine tries to stop him and during the scuffle she gives Blofeld the scar (sets up how he would want revenge from her in the next film). However, Blofeld ultimately escapes. - Bond finally gets the upper hand on Hinx. Madeleine finds a gun and is about to shoot Hinx but Bond tells her not to, that he only kills when it's necessary, and they need to take Hinx into questioning to find out more about Blofeld and SPECTRE - this demonstrates M's point about a license to kill also being a license NOT to kill, makes Madeline understand that Bond only killed her father because he asked him to and she forgives him, also brings the idea of Bond seeing "the big picture" from Casino Royale full circle. - Bond and Madeleine walk off as M and the police surround Hinx. We should get some kind of scene here to make it clear that Bond is willing to give up his life as an assassin to be with her, and to atone for killing her father. Madeleine says that as a psychologist, the best way to overcome trauma and grief is to start over and get away. Bond suggests going to Jamaica. We can just end there or have the scene of them driving off in the DB5 too.
The new Funko POP! figures mark only the 2nd time a Daniel Craig figure has been made available since 2006
I'm so down for these but as a collector as well as fan there's been very little Craig figures made. The only other time has been via Corgi, in this two pack: https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/james-bond-casino-royale-aston-martin-db5-dbs-with-figures/cbty95905 The same mould was used for 1:36 scale DBS and DB5 Corgi models for a limited window after Casino Royale but no longer today. None of the other avenues - Sideshow, Big Chief Collectibles, the GM Fabbiri 007 car magazine - ever had a Craig Bond figurine included, so the Pop! vinyls will be quite novel in this regard. (Note: I know that Corgi produced prototypes that were never, sadly, released: https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/collecting_corgi_2008_toyfair1.php3. I'm talking about released products only here). 
What is everyone's favourite reference/joke/bit of trivia from Archer?
Doing yet another marathon of Archer, and every time I watch it, I pick up something new. For example, just in 'Jeu Monégasque' alone,
The paint job of the F1 car Lana steals is clearly taken from Herbie.
When arguing why she can't get a room, Malory says "this isn't my first Grand Prix you know" - this is a reference to Grand Prix, a film Jessica Walter has appeared in.
The F1 car Archer steals has a strikingly similar paint job and design to the F1 car used in the 60's by Lotus - another reference to the unknown timeline of Archer.
Archer loses almost all of the stolen 401k money playing Chemin de Fer. In the James Bond novel 'Casino Royale', Bond beats the villain in the same game, one of many James Bond references.
The man who has the disk with unknown data on it, Le Chuffre, has an almost identical name to one of the villains in the novel Casino Royale - Le Chiffre.
Such an amazing show for little jokes. Another post on this sub said it well - if you go a few minutes without catching any references, you've probably missed them. What's your favourite one?
'Carte Blanche': My Wishful Ideas for 007's Return to Gaming
EDIT: Hey guys, sorry if this isn't exactly done up to par with standard Reddit ettiquite, I'd really like to present my nerdy ideas to you in a way that meets with everyone's standards so please bear with me while I work on everything. It's been suggested I put the major points towards the top of the post and keep the fluff out of it so I'll try to gear this more in line with that. Thanks for your patience guys, I'm trying lol. What They Should Do- So I've recently been adding all my PS4 games to my new external hard drive and I loved having my Tomb Raider games sitting right next to Uncharted and right next to Metal Gear Solid. Then it struck me, each of these franchises is fronted by their own truly iconic protagonists, Lara Croft, Nathan Drake and er...Big Boss or Solid Snake or whatever his name is (I have to admit I'm not that big of a Metal Gear Solid fan-not because I don't like the series or anything I just haven't ever really gotten the chance to sit down and play then through) then I got to thinking-one of the most iconic action franchise heroes of all time, my own personal favorite action hero, for lack of a better way of describing him, is of course James Bond. And then I realized, Bond has been tragically absent from the video gaming sphere for a while now, six years to be exact. And this would be less somber if 007 hadn't once been truly an iconic figure in the video gaming community-I fondly remember playing Nightfire and Everything or Nothing on my PS2, Bloodstone on my Xbox 360 and of course...of course, of course, GoldenEye on my good old N64 back in the day. And while I wouldn't be arrogant enough to call myself the greatest 007 fan ever, having only been born in 1991, I have seen every single film from Doctor No to Spectre and I eagerly anticipate Daniel Craig's final outing as 007, I've read at least one of Ian Fleming's original novels, Casino Royale and yet, not a single James Bond title sits on my PS4 and this saddens me. As I'm sure we all know, 007 Legends was released on consoles in 2012-and what a disappointment it was. As such, the negative reception to 007 Legends caused Activision to drop the license for all games related to James Bond media, which helped exaggerate the recent drought in 007 games. As things stand, no one currently knows whether or not we will ever see another James Bond video game or if we do, how long it will take. Realistically speaking, it would be foolish to believe that anyone would let such a lucrative title as the 007 Franchise lie dormant forever-I only hope that when Bond makes his return to gaming it's in a title worthy to carry the name. Therefore I hereby propose my own ideas for James Bond's next adventure in video gaming-please bear in mind that this is nothing more than wishful thinking so the chances of this concept actually playing out are quite small so don't get too excited and hopefully you don't come to this post mistaking it as some kind of a leak for future plans. But nevertheless here we go. My first proposal would be that a different company other than Activision, namely Naughty Dog or SquareEnix take the title. I wouldn't be opposed to EA reacquiring the rights since not only did they make some of the better 007 titles under Brosnan's tenure, they have also evolved as a company to build some truly amazing franchises like Dragon Age or Battlefield-if EA could marry both the free roaming exploration and role playing elements of the Dragon Age franchise with the tactical first person shooting elements of Battlefield, I think they'd have a capable entry on their hands. I feel Rockstar would also be capable of making a truly formidable 007 series but I fear it just wouldn't be in the company's style to adapt a popular character like Bond as they seem to prefer sticking to their own franchises and the only adapted content by the company seems to have been of more cult classics like The Warriors. I would suggest UbiSoft, with a 007 title similar to Assassin's Creed or Watchdogs but I think having a second espionage action franchise would conflict with their Tom Clancy titles, specifically Splinter Cell, which I strongly believe will be returning imminently. I'm not going to suggest Telltale, because while they would indisputably be capable of creating a story that focuses on Bond's development as a character, I wouldn't be confident they would give us the control over 007 I think we deserve. No I stand by Naughty Dog and SquareEnix, clearly with Uncharted and the rebooted Tomb Raider games in mind (unfortunately, if Naughty Dog acquired the rights, I feel the title would be a PlayStation exclusive, therefore alienating Xbox customers so perhaps SquareEnix is the best bet) In terms of 007 returning to the video gaming market we have to realize that we are at a very critical step in the game-whatever eventually gets released as the next James Bond title is going to have an immense amount of pressure on its shoulders as it's going to have to make a lasting impression in order to ensure future titles. How incredibly disappointing it would be if we are informed that a company has acquired the rights to 007 and then we begin seeing test footage of pretty much everything we've already seen from past 007 titles. Whatever comes next should be completely different from anything that has been done before. Again, I would suggest looking to inspiration from franchises like Uncharted or Tomb Raider. Another thing to consider is-what will the game be about. I personally feel that the next Bond game should be completely stand alone. If we try to rely on the starpower of Daniel Craig or MGM Studios we're going to be setting ourselves up for failure. The next Bond game should feature a James Bond that is completely original and not modeled after any of the EON Productions actors. I think it should be a part of a story that features a clear beginning, middle and end, the first game featuring Bond as a recruit to the agency and the final game featuring an older, weary Bond wracked with guilt. I've always suggested an actor like Richard Madden, formerly of Game of Thrones to be a future Bond candidate so for argument's sake let's envision his face as our model for 007. Now as we're alienating the films and any previous games, what will our 007 adventure be about? I suggest the first game be an adaptation of Jeffrey Deaver's 'Carte Blanche', featuring a post 9/11 James Bond closely modeled after Ian Fleming's original character. Using Deaver's updated biography, our Bond would be a member of the Overseas Development Group as opposed to MI6, a former Royal Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer who served in Operation: Herrick in Afghanistan. Bond was born in 1979 and raised in Scotland-when his parents died in a climbing accident, he was adopted by his Aunt Charmaine and raised in England. It's strongly implied that the government took an interest in young James' education and he was therefore sent to some of the best schools in the country as he was already a candidate for field work. After his military service he worked in the Ministry of Defense until being recruited by the ODG. As for the plot of 'Carte Blanche', it would revolve around the ODG receiving word of an imminent threat against Great Britain and in the ensuing investigation, Bond would travel from Serbia to Dubai and across the world to stop Incident Twenty. It's perhaps not the most exciting of recent James Bond literary adventures admittedly but it is perhaps the one that delves the deepest into Bond's personal and private life and I think that these are themes that should truly drive the narrative of this game. Of course the plot can be reworked where necessary and hopefully whoever obtains the game as a developer can acquire Deaver as a consultant. 'Carte Blanche' is also somewhat of a grittier novel so I think that keeping it somewhat grounded in reality would be a benefit to gamers. As for gameplay I would advise a third person perspective (again similar to Uncharted or Tomb Raider) but with the option for first person gameplay if desired. I would seperate the game into regions so it would be freeroaming-sort of. For instance, 'Carte Blanche' opens up in the hills along the Danube River outside Novi Sad in Serbia-while I don't think we necessarily need to explore all of Novi Sad the car chase that opens the novel would be best along a long stretch of road that gives the impression of being endless. However, when Bond travels to Dubai he does so incognito and he has to blend in as he's being monitored by members of MI6. Cape Town also appears in the novel and so being able to free roam Cape Town and Dubai would be excellent. Bond can arrive by plane and check into a hotel undercover which can be used as sort of a safehouse and change his outfits and then he can travel to his objectives by car or taxi. Stealth would be suggested for most missions as the more people Bond kills, the more local police attention would be attracted. Hand to hand combat should be not unlike the Batman Arkham games while firearms combat should be similar to Uncharted or Ghost Recon Wildlands or in first person, Battlefield. Bond should also have the ability to craft makeshift weapons in the field like a bomb out of a car battery or a shirk out of a table leg similar to Tomb Raider but the player should have the Walther PPK available on assignments. (When Bond goes on tactical missions the P99 would also be available) The game should also have a multiplayer component similar to Watchdogs where someone else playing the game is assigned as a hitman sent to take Bond out. There should also be a hub area similar to Call of Duty: World War II but better where the player can free roam between missions. I would suggest five areas: the Greater London Area, including Bond's flat in Chelsea, which the player can use as a safehouse, the ODG offices in the metropolitan area of the city where the player can drive in and receive mission briefings and equipment from Q Branch and also flirt with Moneypenny, Skyfall Lodge, Bond's ancestral home in Scotland (I know this might be too much of a cinematic reference but since the books never really gave a name to Bond's Scottish home why not just keep Skyfall) Fort Monckton, where Bond can receive firearms training and retake physical examinations as mentioned in the novels and Credenhill, the home of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, where Bond can receive more advanced tactical training. I would suggest a DLC featuring Bond on his first mission, not necessarily a Casino Royale remake but it should include his relationship with Vesper.and his first two kills. I would also include a DLC set in the Sixties featuring M as a young MI6 agent. I also think it'd be cool to have each of the 007 actors as downloadable skins for DLC. I haven't figured out the story yet but the second would be titled Vargr and set in Scandinavia and involve SPECTRE. I would probably involve Bond vs Alec Trevelyan in the final game. What do you guys think? TL:DR: We need a new James Bond game and it needs to be different than any of the previous ones.
New Series of Posts(?): Mega Movie Monday! This week's theme: Your favorite movies
I thought it would be interesting if I started a new weekly series of posts in which we discuss our favorite movies in detail. Every week, I would choose a theme of the week and people would choose movies based on that theme. I think the first week's most appropriate theme would be everyone's favorite so there's a wide variety. ANYWAY... I cannot say that I have an absolute favorite movie, because I like a lot of different films for different reasons. Today, I talk about one of my all time favorite movies from my most beloved series: the James Bond series. My dad introduced me to these films at a young age and we would spend quality time watched any of these films. After seeing all of them and maturing a bit, I can say with confidence that my favorite film is most likely Casino Royale (2006). I first saw this film when I was young, and, at the time, did not enjoy the film very much. I was confused and didn't catch on much of the mature themes. On one of the days that I was sick during high school, I decided to re-watch the film. This time, I was older and more learned. I could follow the plot more closely and actually appreciate the themes more. It was easier to feel the tension of the poker scenes when I actually knew how to play the game. The airplane sub-plot was easier to understand when I understood what the stock market was and how it worked. The actions scenes were well choreographed (that aston martin car-flip), the ending was satisfying and transitioned well into the next film (my opinions on this film is for another topic), and overall the plot was well adapted from the Ian Fleming novel. The Bond from the books was being more faithfully represented on screen. Daniel Craig was a great choice for Bond: he was cool and suave but showed vulnerability. TLDR: 9/10 movie, 10/10 if you like James Bond. What are your favorite films? Let's start some discussion below! Mega Movie Monday will return... (if you want)
My millionth or so re-ranking of the films, as of October 2016
24. Diamonds Are Forever - A disaster. A visibly disinterested and out-of-shape Connery goes against a camp Blofeld less threatening than a Looney Tunes villain in a dumbass spy comedy. If the films had stayed this tonal path there would have been no need for any Bond spoofs like Austin Powers. 23. Quantum of Solace - Apologies to those whose interesting defenses of this film I’ve read over the years, but I still don’t like it much. Other Bonds may be darker or more serious-minded, but this is the only one that I find to be full-on grim, bleak and miserable. (Kinda funny that my problem with my bottom two are exact 180 degree opposites.) (#24-23 are the only Bond films I actually dislike, all 22 films above this point I at least like if not love.) 22. Thunderball - Controversially low, but this one’s a bit on the dull side to me. Its high points include a still-cool Connery, Fiona Volpe, Barry’s score and a few standout scenes. But most other characters (Largo, Domino, Vargas, etc.) I find unmemorable and the underwater fights - while I’m sure they stunned in 1965 - have always felt slow and killed the pacing. 21. Die Another Day - Of course; even at #21 I’m one of the Bond fans who ranks this highest! When it’s stupid, it’s really stupid (invisible car, virtual reality, Robocop suit, and of course CGI windsurfing). But when it’s a little less stupid I find some of it enjoyable, including the pretitle sequence, sword fight, parts of Cuba and the climax, with Graves/Frost/Zao making a trio of enjoyably ridiculous villains. 20. Spectre - A frustrating film of highs and lows for me. You have a handsomely-mounted and atmospheric production with some solid action and likable characters that evokes some classic Bond films in fond ways and has one of the best pretitle sequences of the series. But on the other hand, I don’t think anything in the entire half-century of the series infuriates me the way the Blofeld twist in this film does. 19. The Man With the Golden Gun - This film has many of the same tonal problems as previous Guy Hamilton/Tom Mankiewicz joint Diamonds Are Forever, refusing to take any of this seriously in a way that damages the mood and stakes. But unlike that film it has a classic villain given life by a great actor and a leading man who actually shows up, and also better locales/score/stunts, so it’s clearly superior. 18. The World Is Not Enough - Yes, Christmas Jones sucks and I find Apted’s direction of many scenes flat, including the submarine climax. But I respect its attempt at telling a more emotionally grounded story of protection turning into love into betrayal into enmity, and Elektra King is a terrific villainess. The return of Zukovsky, opening boat chase and farewell to Q are also memorable. 17. A View to a Kill - If this was which films I’m fondest of, AVtaK would be high up. That may come down to series villainous highlights Walken and Jones as Max Zorin and May Day. More objectively, the film has many issues, from a lumpy narrative to screechy Stacey Sutton and an ancient Roger Moore. But also objectively, the title song is epic, and Barry busts out one of his ultimate scores here, lending real musical life to everything from big scary action (“He’s Dangerous”) to warm romance (“Wine With Stacey”). 16. Dr. No - I think of Dr. No as the “pilot episode” of Bond, with some elements not quite fully formed, such as the villain and Bond girl showing up very late, very raw action scenes and an odd tropical score. But that said, Sean Connery explodes into the role of James Bond fully-formed and cool as hell from his first second of screen time, and so much else about the mood and feel of Bond are established immediately, from gambling to exotic locales to to the supporting cast. A pilot episode, but a very solid one. 15. For Your Eyes Only - Give or take Bibi Dahl and some parrot comedy, this is the Moore era’s take on a relatively serious spy film, and it’s a good one, chockablock with winter sports action, a great cliff climbing scene, Bond kicking a car off a cliff, a likable ally in Columbo, and an interesting Bond girl with an arc in Melina Havelock. The only real weakness is a fairly forgettable lineup of villains. 14. Licence to Kill - I’ve jokingly called it “Bond Does Miami Vice” due to its Miami/Latin American locations, drug-dealing villains and generally very 80s look and feel and hairstyles, but this harder-edged revenge thriller really gets the blood pumping and plays into Timothy Dalton’s strengths as Bond. Sanchez is one of the series’ larger than life villains, charismatic, wicked and even darkly likable in his own way. 13. Moonraker - One I seem to rank higher than everyone else. It's a deeply stupid film, what with the laser guns and double taking pigeon. But it has brilliant work from Barry ("Flight Into Space") and Ken Adam, a great villainous two hander with Drax and Jaws, the series' most epic villainous plan, a super cool Bond ("You missed, Mr. Bond." "Did I?"), a likable leading lady, hilarious ending, and neat 70s special effects. 12. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Here’s one I seem to rank lower than most - many seem to rank OHMSS #1 these days. But I still find Lazenby and Savalas wooden as Bond and Blofeld, which is a big obstacle for me. But in pretty much all aesthetic ways it’s a masterpiece, from Barry’s majestic score to the sweeping cinematography and use of color and the locales and skiing scenes and just that grand 60s mood, and of course that devastating ending. And Diana Rigg as Tracy is just phenomenal. 11. Tomorrow Never Dies - This one is pure entertainment. I admit that a bit of “generic 90s action movie” feel leaks in. But I can forgive that when so much of the action is imaginative stunt-driven badassery like the backseat remote control driving, tandem motorcycle chase and final stealth boat raid. I love Elliot Carver’s cheesy villainy and Wai Lin as Bond girl/ally, Brosnan is smooth and charming and David Arnold’s energetic, Bond theme-heavy score rocks. 10. Skyfall - Skyfall has going for it Daniel Craig’s performance, one of the greatest villains in Silva, and of course just being utterly gorgeous top to bottom, for me supplanting previous champs OHMSS and YOLT as the best looking film of the series. I’ll go to my grave believing Deakins was snubbed not winning the Oscar for this. The film’s plot doesn’t entirely pass the logic test - there were about a million simpler ways to kill M! - but as a work of mood and emotion and atmosphere and visual elegance it’s sublime. 9. The Living Daylights - Skyfall vs. Daylights was the hardest call of this list for me, and I went back and forth a hundred times, but I just give Daylights the edge. It just has that intoxicating Cold War atmosphere to it, perfectly channeled through Dalton’s performance. The film is tough, tense, atmospheric, and brings back the espionage and tradecraft in a way unseen since FRWL. Forgettable main villains but everything else is fantastic (including that kick-ass title song). 8. Octopussy - For me Octopussy is the ultimate “generic Bond movie,” which I say with love. One of the best lineups of villains (Kamal Khan, Orlov, Gobina, knife-throwing twins), a favorite Bond girl in Octopussy, a nuclear bomb plot that balances being big-scale and global while not dipping into Spy/Moonraker sci-fi, solid action, Q in the field, a great gambling scene (“Double sixes. Fancy that.”), and a lush Barry score. Love it. Even the clown stuff and Moore’s aging don’t bother me… too much. (Everything from this point up is also in my own personal top 100 favorite movies list.) 7. You Only Live Twice - I just love this one, the Japanese flavor of it and Pleasance’s Blofeld and Tiger Tanaka and how big-scale it is and how great it all looks and sounds - I think that series icons John Barry and Ken Adam both do their all-time best work in this film, with that volcano base pretty much being the coolest set in film history. My only real issue is that they kill off the likable Aki and bring in the forgettable Kissy. 6. Live and Let Die - I have enormous fun with this. The series feels refreshed after Diamonds with a fit, cool, suave and handsome Roger Moore now in the lead, and I enjoy the supporting cast of Kananga, Solitaire, Tee Hee, Baron Samedi, Quarrel Jr and Hedison’s Felix Leiter (ok, not Rosie Carver). The atmosphere is pure cool 70s, the score funky and awesome, the boat chase and crocodile running stunt kick-ass. I’m not saying I’d want to see a Bond film try to bring in these supernatural/voodoo/blaxploitation elements again, but as a weird one-off experiment I love it. 5. From Russia With Love - A superb Cold War spy thriller by any standards with its very Fleming vibe and Hitchcock and golden era noir flavors running through it. The Blofeld/Rosa Klebb/Red Grant/Kronsteen villainous lineup is excellent, with Grant especially being an iconic Bond villain to this day. His train fight with Bond still kicks ass. The complex plot still fascinates, and the atmosphere of tradecraft and espionage and counterintelligence still intoxicates. Such a leap forward from Dr. No. 4. Casino Royale - Not just a superb spy thriller and a kick-ass action film but even a really solid character drama on top of that, with Craig giving the best actual acting performance as Bond in any film. Vesper Lynd and Le Chiffre are terrific supporting characters. The way the film adapts the then half-century old novel in a way that modernizes and actions it up while remaining very faithful to the plot and spirit of it is brilliant. Dialogue, visuals, sets, score, action - I can complain about nothing. It’s great. 3. The Spy Who Loved Me - There’s more cheeky guilty pleasure to this one than the last couple, but I find this to be the ultimate “epic Bond,” larger than life in every way with Bond of course saving the entire world from nuclear devastation. From the ski jump intro to the Lotus submarine to Atlantis and that climactic tanker battle and everything about Jaws, this is loaded with iconic moments and imagery. It remains perhaps the purely biggest and grandest and most sweepingly epic films of the series. 2. Goldfinger - After the relatively buttoned-down FRWL, here’s where the swingin’ 60s arrive and the Bond series gets more playful and colorful and comic-book-pulpy, in look and sound and feel and especially in its villains. What a memorable, fun and iconic pair Auric Goldfinger and Oddjob make. That laser scene, the golden girl, the final raid on Fort Knox, Bond and Oddjob’s battle, Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, even the golf game is really fun and memorable - this one is just iconic. 1. GoldenEye - I pretty much wrote a novel about my love for GoldenEye during Bond film of the week, but just to reiterate my points there, the film is just the perfect mix of great tone, atmosphere, characters, story, action, look, and just pure Bondian cool to me. Give or take a slightly odd score, I adore everything about it, dam jump to cradle collapse. One of my favorite movies ever. (For completionists, the unofficial films all rank at the bottom: Casino Royale ’54 at #25, Never Say Never Again at #26 and Casino Royale ’67 at #27.)
Casino Royale is Ian Fleming’s first novel and introduced James Bond to the world. It also introduced Bond’s his tastes and vices in a vivid writing style that led to the accusation of “sex, sadism and snobbery”. The Aston Martin DB5 is the quintessential James Bond car, and one of the most recognizable and famous cars in cinema history. In the novel, Bond had driven a DB Mark III, but the producers chose to use the newer DB5, which had been released only 3 months prior to shooting. The special effects team added a large array of gadgets to the car, including an ejector seat, machine guns, a smoke Casino Royale, novel by British writer Ian Fleming, published in 1953 and the first of his 12 blockbuster novels about James Bond, the suave and supercompetent British spy. Packed with violent action, hairbreadth escapes, international espionage, clever spy gadgets, intrigue, and gorgeous women, the books became international best sellers. 1930 Bentley 4½ Litre (Blower Bentley) - Featured in the novels Casino Royale, Live and Let Die and Moonraker. The Bentley 4½ Litre is a British sports car built by Bentley Motors and is famous for epitomizing prewar British motor racing. The Blower Bentley was Bond's first vehicle. Welcome to The James Bond Car Collection – your chance to collect the best Bond cars, with the best gadgets, in thrilling film scenes. Your collection covers every era of Bond magic from OO7’s first supercar, the Aston Martin DB5, to his newest drive, the Aston Martin DBS… 007’s most legendary and beautiful cars from more than 40 years of James Bond movies are yours to collect James Bond: Casino Royale (2018) is a kind of illustrated novelization of Fleming's first 007 book, published in 1953, using quite a bit of Fleming's actual language to narrate it (rather than a graphic novel where the visuals tell much of the story. The darker, muted visuals fit the tone of In 1953, Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale introduced one of the most popular literary characters ever: the secret agent with the blue eyes, black hair and “cruel mouth”, the persistent appetites...
