A legend in cinema from the very first release "Dr. No" to the latest release "Quantum of Solace", James Bond films have been a favorite series of mine since my dad took me to see "Moonraker" at the theater way back in 1979. As a fan I have seen each Bond film numerous times and have enjoyed many lazy Saturdays being entertained by the classic Sean Connery flicks, somewhat unbelievable Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton cheese-tastics and the great Pierce Bronson versions and now the absolutely incredible Daniel Craig movies. I thought that today would be a good day list my top 5 Bond flicks and would like to invite responses and personal lists as well. First I'm gonna list all of the Bond movies in order of release and then get to the good stuff:
- Dr. No
- From Russia With Love
- Goldfinger
- Thunderball
- You Only Live Twice
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service
- Diamonds Are Forever
- Live and Let Die
- The Man With The Golden Gun
- The Spy Who Loved Me
- Moonraker
- For Your Eyes Only
- Octopussy
- A View To A Kill
- The Living Daylights
- License To Kill
- Goldeneye
- Tomorrow Never Dies
- The World Is Not Enough
- Die Another Day
- Casino Royale
- Quantum of Solace
Top 5
1. From Russia With Love: In my opinion this is the best of the Connery films. Its got it all. Crazy gadgets, sexy women and good storyline.
2. Casino Royale: This was the James Bond that the world was waiting for. Daniel Craig brought an element of "darkness" to his role as Bond. Realistic storyline, no cheese included. Sorry Sir Connery, Craig has became my favorite Bond. At the end of the movie when Craig quoted the famous phrase "the name is Bond, James Bond" everyone in the theater was convinced that a new legacy in Bond history had begun. He has turned Bond into a person that could exist in today's society.
3. Goldeneye: Bronson took the roll by the balls and reigned supreme throughout his years serving Her Majesty's Secret Service. I enjoy all of the Bronson films but his first go as Bond was fantastic.
4. The Man With The Golden Gun: Good story, cheesey weapons and storyline and in my opinion the best of the Roger Moore films.
5. Quantum of Solace: I can't begin to explain how hard it was to narrow down all of these classic films to a top 5 but I must admit Daniel Craig has become a fantastic Bond and truly owns the role. I read today that Craig is contracted for two more Bond films. I am looking forward to seeing more of Craig as there will be no doubt that with the technology in today's film industry, each of his films will be instant classics that will rival a great history of Bond movie classics.
If you are a fan of Bond then no doubt you have a Top 5 as well. Feel free to comment and post your lists and thoughts.
Enjoy!
Ipod today
Miles Davis "Kind of Blue"
Top 5 are the ones I own, in no particular order.
ReplyDeleteDr. No - Something about this one, just the simplicity of it. Love the villain.
Live and Let Die - This has a horror/voodoo vibe that really isn't in any other Bond movie.
The Spy Who Loved Me - The best of the Moore movies for me. Enjoyed many things about it.
Goldeneye - Pierce brought something to it.
Casino Royale - This one got me into Bond. I hadn't seen much of them so after this one I started from scratch and watched them in order.
Wow...where to begin. I consider myself somewhat of an expert in this genre, and I have found things to love about every Bond movie so it is not easy to craft a top 5 list, but here goes.
ReplyDelete1) Thunderball - This movie has it all. An exotic location like the Bahamas (back when it was quaint and unexplored for the most part). One of the greatest villains of all time in Emilio Largo (eye patch and all). Two of the hottest Bond women of all time in Domino and Fiona Volpe. Great henchmen, an underwater battle of good and evil, a massive ship explosion at the end. I could go on about the greatness of this movie all day.
2) The Spy Who Loved Me - Roger Moore's finest work. Anya Amazova AKA XXX is perhaps the most amazing bond girl in the history of the franchise. The visual aspects of this movie are fantastic, from the Egyptian landscapes to the villain's underwater hideout. This is the first appearance of the greatest henchman in the history of movies, Jaws. Karl Stromberg is a fantastic villain and shows his ruthlessness early on by executing his two scientists early on via a helicopter explosion by pressing a single red button.
3) Casino Royale - When it was announced that Daniel Craig was going to be the new James Bond, I have to admit that I had my reservations. I couldn't be happier with the way that Craig has transformed this role though. He has added a bit of a Jason Bourne aspect to 007 that had never existed before this point, while keeping the suaveness that we all love about Bond. As far as the story line, I enjoyed getting to know the origins of Bond. I thought that Eva Green made a fantastic choice for Vesper Lynd. She brings a certain exotic quality to that role that other bond girls in the past have failed in doing. Le Chiffre is another amazing Villian. A man that cries blood? What a brilliant idea. Bring it all around in a poker tournament in Montenegro, and you have the makings for one of the best bond movies of all time.
4) From Russia With Love - I have to agree with Rook on this one. This movie set the bar when it came to the cold war theme that resonated through so many Bond movies. Tatiana Romanova is simply amazing. You have a chess tournament at the beginning where the SPECTRE agent is toying with his opponent till it is time to drop the hammer. You have an exotic location like Istanbul full of underwater canals built by Constantine the Great. You have the tall blond East German assassin that Bond realizes is a phony because he orders red wine with fish. This movie is top notch.
5) Goldfinger - I hate to craft this list without a single Brosnan movie, but the fact is that Sean Connery is and always will be the best James Bond and he deserves two movies on this list. This is the movie that put the Bond franchise on the map. You have Pussy Galore and her flying group of hot pilots. You have Auric Goldfinger and his plan to make the entire supply of gold at Ft. Knox radioactive for decades. You have Oddjob, the pudgy Samoan henchman with the flying metal hat. You have Jill Masterson who is murdered by being covered in gold paint, as well as her sister Tilly who is out to avenge her sister's death. This movie is a true work of art.
As well as a top 5 I would like to add my 22 favorite as well (last place).
22) A View To A Kill - I am aware that this movie has Christopher Walken in it, but that is really the only redeeming part. Moore looks like he should be drawing a social security check at this point in his career. Tanya Roberts is probably the worst Bond girl to ever grace the screen. A geologist? Yeah right. Grace Jones is supposed to be a Femme Fatal? Yeah right. The acting is horrible (minus Walken), the special effects are extra cheezy, and I got the feeling that Roger Moore was just phoning it in at this point to get a check and live up to the last movie in his contract.