BOND MONTH: Top 5 Bond films

So after listing the Top 5 worst James Bond films, it's time to end Bond Month on a high note. So, without further ado, here are my picks for the Top 5 best Bond films of all time.

5. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969)



'OHMSS' is sadly one of the most underrated Bond films of all time, which is most likely because it was that one Bond film that came out in-between Sean Connery's run as James Bond that did not star Connery after his first 'retirement' from the role following 'You Only Live Twice'. As such, the lead Bond of this film, George Lazenby, is usually remembered as 'that one guy who starred in that one Bond film that no remembers'. That being said, this is easily one of the best written Bond films of all time. Sure he may not be Sean Connery, but Lazenby still does a fine job as Bond. Telly Savalas is also the best actor to have ever played Ernst Stavro Blofeld, who is given much more to do than his predecessor Donald Pleasence. But really the most important aspect of the film is the relationship between Bond and Diana Rigg's Tracy, who later becomes Bond's first and only wife. I've already talked about the ending of this film multiple times already but seriously, that tragic scene just establishes this film as one of the best in the series and one that, unfortunately, isn't as appreciated as some of the other great Bond films.

Rating: 4.5/5

 



4. CASINO ROYALE (2006)







Q: What do you do when you're looking to reboot the Bond franchise?

A: Make one of the most bad-ass Bond films ever made.

And that's Casino Royale in a nutshell for you. After a four-year hiatus, Bond returned in style with the most gritty and realistic Bond movie to date. More than a decade after he modernized Bond for the 90's with Goldeneye, director Martin Campbell once again modernizes Bond for the present day in the wake of films like the Bourne franchise. Daniel Craig is excellent in his first outing as James Bond, who gives us a more emotionally-driven Bond than we have ever seen before. Really, what hasn't been said about this film that hasn't been said before? It's just an outstanding entry in the series.

Rating: 5/5!

 

3. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963)







 

 



'Dr. No' may be the first Bond film, but when you look at it today, it is actually pretty outdated compared to later entries. From Russia With Love is the film that really set the bar for future Bond films to follow, with its thrilling plot of Bond in a race against time as he aids in the defection of consulate clerk Tatiana Romanova, while SPECTRE looks to enact revenge on Bond for the death of Dr. No from the previous film. From Russia With Love has two of the best villains in franchise history in Robert Shaw's Red Grant, an assassin who served as Bond's first real nemesis in the series, and Lotte Lenya's Rosa Klebb, the fierce agent of SPECTRE who keeps Romanova under her watch. This is a must-see as far as Bond films go, and that is why it's one of the best.

Rating: 5/5!

2. GOLDFINGER (1964)





Usually it comes down to either this film or 'From Russia With Love' as the best Bond film of all time for a lot of people. To me, Goldfinger is the better film because it is such an excellent mix of action and humor. Like 'FRWL', it has some of the most iconic villains (Gert Frobe's Goldfinger and his assistant Oddjob), Bond Girls (Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore), and memorable scenes, from Bond being interrogated by Goldfinger to Bond girl Jill Masterson found dead and covered in gold paint, in franchise history. This is just a classic Bond film in every sense of the word.

Rating: 5/5!

 

 

1. SKYFALL (2012)



Yes, I really loved James Bond's newest adventure so much that it became my pick for the best Bond film of all time. There are many reasons for this. First off, we have one of the best villains in franchise history in Javier Bardem's Raoul Silva, whose back-story makes him more than just your typical bad guy. Second, the filmmakers do a great job at taking Bond into the modern age, as they raise the question of whether or not someone like him is needed anymore. They also go to huge lengths to further the relationship between Bond and M, as Judi Dench is given her most substantial role to date as M. We also get our first real look into Bond's back-story, which was only briefly mentioned in other films. Besides that, the filmmakers did a phenomenal job at reintroducing some familiar faces, including Naomie Harris as the new Miss Moneypenny and Ben Whishaw as the new Q. Ralph Fiennes' Mallory even becomes the new M, with Dench ending her tenure in the Bond franchise on a solid note. Needless to say, this is a fantastic Bond film. It's easily Daniel Craig's best Bond film for not only taking the character where he hasn't gone before, but for still retaining the classic elements of any great Bond film.

Rating: 5/5!