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 No' may be the first Bond film, but when you look at it today, it is actually pretty outdated compared to later entries.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!

Short Review: Silver Linings Playbook

It's pretty hard to make a dramedy because a director has to find the right blend of drama and comedy in order for it to work. Otherwise, the end result will either be a film that plays out more as a drama with little to no humor (see last year's 'The Dilemma'), or a film that is just straight-up comedy where the drama is just glanced over. Director David O. Russell does find the right mix, however, with his latest film 'Silver Linings Playbook', based off of the novel of the same name by Matthew Quick. Technically, the film is more focused on the drama, but Russell's screenplay results in fast and witty dialogue, which is where the film's humor comes from. The film is also bolstered by a terrific cast, with Oscar-worthy performances from Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro. Cooper and Lawrence in particular have impeccable chemistry and while both of their characters are straight-up crazy, they very much feel like real people. It's certainly one of the best films of the year and one that we will surely be seeing a lot of during awards season.

Rating: 4.5/5

Box Office Results: 11/21/12-11/25/12

 

Thanksgiving Weekend saw a huge turn at the box office as the Top 5 films this week each finished with 20+ million. While they weren't able to beat holdovers 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2', 'Skyfall', and 'Lincoln', 'Rise of the Guardians' and 'Life of Pi' both had solid debuts finishing in fourth and fifth, respectively. Meanwhile, the long-shelved remake of 'Red Dawn' and the potential Oscar-winning dramedy 'Silver Linings Playbook' had much slower debuts. They finished in seventh and ninth, respectively.

 

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2: $43.1 Million

2. Skyfall: $36 Million

3. Lincoln: $25 Million

4. Rise of the Guardians: $24 Million

5. Life of Pi: $22 Million

6. Wreck-it Ralph: $16.8 Million

7. Red Dawn: $14.6 Million

8. Flight: $8.6 Million

9. Silver Linings Playbook: $4.6 Million

10. Argo: $3.9 Million

BOND MONTH: Top 5 Worst Bond films

As we near the end of Bond Month here on Rhode Island Movie Corner, it's time for a big 'Top 5'. Out of the 23 Bond films that have come out over the years, there have been a few that have stood out from the rest and other films that weren't that great. In fact, some of them were downright terrible and not worthy of being in the same franchise with films like 'Goldfinger' and 'From Russia With Love'. So, with that in mind, here is my list of the Top 5 worst Bond movies of all time.

5. DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002)



I'll openly admit that while I do agree that this isn't really a good Bond film, I can't really say it's that bad either. Compared to some of the other films on this list, Die Another Day is a very entertaining film, though mostly on the level of 'popcorn entertainment'. While this film does have a solid first half where Bond tries to find out who was responsible for betraying him by exposing his identity while on assignment in North Korea, the second half is rather mediocre. It's also clear that this movie used way too much CGI. Just watch the scene where Bond surfs down a 'glacier wave' in Iceland and you'll see what I'm talking about. So what is good about this movie, you ask? Well, in his final appearance as '007', Pierce Brosnan still does a great job as he always done during his time as Bond. Toby Stephens' Gustav Graves is a pretty entertaining villain, and Rosamund Pike's Miranda Frost is also a very solid Bond girl. However, everything else in the movie (Halle Berry's Jinx, the theme song from Madonna, etc...) is pretty mediocre as far as Bond films go. Still, I can't say it's the worst ever.

Rating: 3/5

4. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971)



 



It seems to me like any Bond actor's last Bond film somehow ends up being their worst (with some exceptions). Case in point, 'Diamonds are Forever', the last official film from EON to star the original 007 himself, Sean Connery. This was just an awful way to end Connery's tenure as Bond for EON, one that saw three of the best Bond movies of all time. Why? Because the movie is so over-the-top and campy that it is very hard to take it seriously. Most like to call this one 'a Roger Moore Bond film starring Sean Connery', but I feel that this wasn't the kind of Bond movie Sean Connery should have ever done. Once they show an elephant hitting it big at the casino, there was no going back for me. On the bright side, Sean Connery is still great as always as Bond and although he may not be the best to have ever played the role, Charles Gray is a solid Blofeld. But on a whole, this is the first Bond film on this list that I do not recommend.

Rating: 2/5

3. MOONRAKER (1979)



As the title suggests, this movie has James Bond... IN SPACE!!! That pretty much speaks for itself in regards into what kind of movie this is going to be. But for some odd reason, I feel that a movie where Bond goes up into space could have worked somehow if they did it right. But as you may have guessed, they didn't do it here. This wasn't even supposed to come out after 1977's 'The Spy Who Loved Me', but came to be because of a certain little movie called 'Star Wars' and it's clear the filmmakers were trying to capitalize on the science fiction genre. To be fair, it isn't until the end of the film when Bond actually goes up into space, but after that it very much feels like a blatant ripoff of Star Wars. It also doesn't help that the main plot of the movie is a re-write of not only 'The Spy Who Loved Me', but also 'You Only Live Twice'. All three of these movies were made by the same director (Lewis Gilbert) and yet all three of them had the same exact plot about Bond investigating the disappearance of a submarine or a space shuttle. But probably the biggest insult here is how they handled the character of Jaws, who makes his second appearance in the series after 'The Spy who Loved Me'. They take one of the best Bond henchmen of all time and reduce him to comic relief. They also make him a good guy at the end of it. Why? So why isn't this the worst Bond film ever? Well, compared to the final two films on this list, Moonraker is actually kind of entertaining though they could have done a much better job without trying to cash in on Star Wars.

Rating: 2/5

2. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974)



This is one Bond movie that is just plain up boring. It has an intriguing villain for Bond to face, but once the movie reaches its second half, it's just a forgettable Bond movie. The only real standout aspect of this film is Christopher Lee as the main villain Scaramanga. Even if the movie around him is mediocre, he's one of the classic Bond villains. It's too bad though that the final fight between him and Bond was pretty anticlimactic. We have Bond chasing Scaramanga by going through his 'fun house' (on a side note, I have to hand it to whoever designed this place for making a really unique set piece) and the sequence concludes with Bond taking the place of a dummy of himself and surprising Scaramanga and then shooting him dead. That's a lame way for one of the best Bond villains of all time to go out. Thankfully, this was only Roger Moore's second film, unlike another film where he was much, much older.

Rating: 1.5/5

And on that note...

1. A VIEW TO A KILL (1985)



What's worse than a dull Bond film at the beginning of one Bond actor's career? How about a dull Bond film that ends that same actor's tenure as 007 in the worst way possible, even more so than Sean Connery in 'Diamonds are Forever'. Yes, 'A View to a Kill' was the last Bond film for Roger Moore as he neared the age of 57. That alone should be the clue as to why he shouldn't have gone this far, because he had visibly aged since his last Bond film 'Octopussy'. He just wasn't convincing anymore in the role and it was pretty creepy to see him wooing girls who could have been young enough to be his granddaughters. In fact, Moore discovered that he was older than lead Bond girl Tanya Roberts' mother. Speaking of Roberts, her character Stacey Sutton is easily the worst Bond girl in franchise history for just being the damsel in distresses who did little to actually help Bond. Is there anything that can save this movie (aside from Duran Duran's awesome theme song)? Well, like 'The Man with the Golden Gun', it's 'A View to a Kill's' lead villain; Christopher Walken as Max Zorin. While the character is a little bit over-the-top, that is what Walken's known for and it is what he does best. Still, he can't save this train-wreck of a Bond film which is why it is my pick for the worst Bond film ever.

Rating: 1/5

NEXT UP: THE TOP 5 BEST JAMES BOND FILMS OF ALL TIME

BOND MONTH: Best/Worst Bond Girls

Now we come to probably the most popular topic of discussion when talking about the Bond movies; the Bond girls. Who were the best leading ladies that graced the screen alongside the likes of Sean Connery and Daniel Craig? We'll get to those later, but first let's get the worst Bond girls out of the way. Going a bit shorter than before with only a Top 4 of the worst Bond girls in franchise history.

 



4. Jinx (Halle Berry) (Die Another Day)



 



For the record, I do think Halle Berry is a very good actress when given the right material. Can't say she really fits for a Bond movie, though. To simply put it, she uses a 'your mama' comeback in the film. Yes, a 'Your Mama' joke in a James Bond movie. Need I say more?

3. Mary Goodnight (Britt Ekland) (The Man with the Golden Gun)

 



So you take one of Bond's secretaries from the Ian Fleming novels and reduce her to being a damsel in distress and give her nothing to do except go around in a bikini? That's what they did in this film and you can see how bad of an idea this was.

2. Dr. Christmas Jones (Denise Richards) (The World is Not Enough)

 



A Bond girl who has certainly graced many of the 'worst Bond girls' list, usually named the worst Bond girl of all time. But, I don't think she was that bad. Compared to the next Bond girl on this list, she at least helped Bond occasionally although that's still not saying much. Really, this was just a case of miscasting.

1. Stacey Sutton (Tanya Roberts) (A View to a Kill)

 



Compared to Jones, Sutton was just a straight-up damsel in distress. I literally can't remember if she ever helped Bond once throughout the entire movie. She was just there to be saved by him all the time. Should I also mention that at the time this came out, Roger Moore was even older than Roberts' mother at this point? Moore was already too old to begin with, but that alone should have been a clear warning sign for the filmmakers at this point.

And now, the Top 5 Best Bond Girls of all time...

5. Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) (Goldfinger)

 



Probably the most famous Bond girl ever, and easily the one who has attracted the most controversy solely because of her name. Her name was almost changed just because the filmmakers were concerned about the censors. Still, even with that ridiculous name, she was one of the classiest Bond girls to have ever graced the screen alongside 007.

4. Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) (Tomorrow Never Dies)

 



While she wasn't the first Bond Girl to do so, Yeoh's Wai Lin is one of the few Bond girls who can rival Bond as a secret agent. In fact, Wai Lin might even be Bond's superior. She doesn't even really need 007 because she is very much capable of taking care of herself.

3. Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) (The Spy who Loved Me)

 



Like Wai Lin, Agent XXX is in every way Bond's equal. What makes her superior to Wai Lin is her own revenge storyline when she learns that Bond had killed her lover (during the opening sequence of the film), which creates some great romantic tension between them. Of course, like any great Bond girl, Bach has terrific chemistry with the leading Bond of the film, in this case Roger Moore.

2. Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) (Casino Royale)

 



Vesper is one of two Bond girls who ever stole the heart of '007', and probably the most complex Bond girl to date. When it is discovered that she betrayed him, it not only destroys Bond on a mental level, it drives him throughout 'Quantum of Solace' because he did truly love her. On top of that, Green has fantastic chemistry with Craig.

1. Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg) (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

 



It takes a special girl to not only be the love interest of Bond in a Bond movie, but to also be the only one he ever popped the question to. That honor belongs to Diana Rigg's Tracy, and while it's sadly true that their relationship ends on a tragic note, the film took its time to build up their relationship just to break our hearts when it ends. That final scene is not only the saddest moment in any Bond film, but one of the saddest moments ever put on film.

NEXT UP: MY TOP 5 WORST BOND FILMS OF ALL TIME

Lincoln (2012) review

 

Just like how this year saw two different Snow White movies come out, 2012 is also the year that sees the release of two films focused on our 16^th president, Abraham Lincoln, and both couldn't be any more different from each other. In late June, there was 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' based on the 2010 mash-up novel of the same name by Seth Grahame-Smith. Obviously, that film wasn't really historically accurate, so if you're looking for a more faithful portrayal of Lincoln, then you are better off with Steven Spielberg's 'Lincoln', which is also based off of a novel ('Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln' by Doris Kearns Goodwin), starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln in the final days of his life leading up the end of the Civil War and his tragic assassination. As one might expect from a great actor like himself, Day-Lewis is exceptional in the role of Lincoln and the whole movie around him, even if it is rather slow in pace, provides an intriguing look into America's government during one of the country's darkest moments.

The film begins in 1865, as the Civil War is nearing its end. As President Lincoln (Day-Lewis) begins his second term in office, he strives to get the Thirteenth Amendment passed, which would abolish slavery once and for all, the prime issue that has been plaguing the country. However, Lincoln has to do more in order to get enough votes to approve the Amendment, more specifically appeal to some of the Democratic members of the House of Representatives who are certainly planning on voting against it. Meanwhile, Lincoln is pressured by his cabinet to be more focused on negotiating peace with the Confederates, even though Lincoln knows that if he does this, the Amendment may never get passed. This puts Lincoln in a race against time as the future of the country is at stake.

If you're heading into this movie looking for some Civil War action, you'll be disappointed... and possibly bored if you're not careful. This movie is not about the actual Civil War itself. It's actually focused around the political side of the whole event as Congress debates over the Thirteenth Amendment. Admittedly, the movie is a bit slow (especially considering that it's over two hours long) but each scene where the House of Representatives meets to discuss the Amendment keeps your interest throughout the entire film. Spielberg even shows how sometimes politics were as crooked back then as they were today. Lincoln and his cabinet are shown constantly researching on any possible Democrat member of the House who they could possibly convince to vote on their side.

Spielberg also does a great job in the way he portrays Lincoln more than the legend that he is. He's still human, as he tries to do what he knows is the right thing to do. A lot of that comes from Daniel Day-Lewis' performance. Obviously, this guy is a acting legend, and it's amazing how he just disappears into these roles. It's one of those cases where you forget that he's not actually Lincoln because he is so convincing in the role. Of course, the rest of this vast ensemble cast is great too. Tommy Lee Jones just steals every scene that he's in as the Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens, and Sally Field is excellent as First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Probably my only problem though is that some of these actors were rather underused, like Jared Harris as Ulysses S. Grant and even Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Lincoln's oldest son Robert.

Still, there's no denying that this is a great film. Spielberg grounds Lincoln in reality and doesn't try to glorify him too much. True, he may be one of our nation's most famous presidents, but he was still just a man trying to keep the country together. The film also benefits from Daniel Day-Lewis's terrific and truly Oscar-worthy performance as Lincoln. But really, can you go wrong with a cast that also includes Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones, amongst others? True, the movie goes along fairly slowly and a run-time of over two hours is pretty long but it's worth it just for the incredible performances. 'Lincoln' is easily the best film that Spielberg has done in a long time and may just be the best film based on Abraham Lincoln as well.

Rating: 4/5

BOND MONTH: Best of Bond's allies

(WARNING: THERE WILL BE MINOR SPOILERS FOR 'SKYFALL')

We continue Bond Month by taking a look at the primary allies of James Bond (M, Q, Monnypenny, and Felix Leiter) who, like Bond himself, have all been played by multiple actors/actresses over the years. So who were the best in each key role? That is what we're going to find out today. For the record, I will not be including the newest interpretations of M, Q, or Moneypenny that were introduced in 'Skyfall'. However, I will warn you that I will be mentioning them in this post, along with a few spoilers for the movie itself. Let's not waste any time and get started with Bond's boss and the head of MI6, M.

M

From the original 'Dr. No' in 1962 to this year's 'Skyfall', the role of M has been played by four different people over the 50 years that this franchise has been around. First, there was Bernard Lee, who played M from 'Dr. No' to 'Moonraker' before his death in 1981. Because of this, 'For Your Eyes Only' did not feature M out of respect towards Lee, and the script was re-written so that the character would be referred to as being 'on leave'. Robert Brown (who had notably appeared in an earlier Bond film, 'The Spy Who Loved Me') took over the role of M starting with 'Octopussy' until 'Licence to Kill'. Dame Judi Dench became the first actress to play M in 'Goldeneye' and would stay in the role until her character's death in 'Skyfall'. The role currently belongs to Ralph Fiennes' Mallory, who was introduced in 'Skyfall' and took over the position at the end of the film. But who was the best of the original three?

BEST M: JUDI DENCH (1995-2012)

Dench immediately earns this title in her first appearance in 'Goldeneye', where she flat out expresses her dislike of Bond by calling him a "sexist, misogynist dinosaur, a relic of the Cold War." However, despite this early tension, the relationship between M and Bond was greatly explored through Dench's tenure as M, more so than ever before. This more applies to Daniel Craig's Bond, specifically Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, with Dench getting her biggest role yet in the latter. In regards to the other M's, Bernard Lee comes in second. Like Dench, he does express his disapproval of Bond from time to time, but never at a moment as memorable as Dench's 'sexist dinosaur' statement from 'Goldeneye'. Of course, Lee was always solid in the role and he was the original M, after all. Finally, there's Robert Brown. Overall, he was rather underused in the series and came off as being too nice, except during 'Licence to Kill' when he revokes Bond's licence to kill. I'm not saying he was bad. It's just that he wasn't given much to do.

Q

This is no contest. There's only one Q.

BEST Q: DESMOND LLEWELYN (1963-1999)

He's been in more Bond films than any single Bond actor. He's given five different 007's his unique gadgets, reminding each one to 'return them in pristine condition', which Bond rarely does. No matter who takes over the role of Q, they will never match the legacy that Llewelyn has created in the 17 Bond films he has starred in. So what about the other Q's that have succeeded Llewelyn so far? Well, first we had John Cleese, who was introduced in 'The World is Not Enough' as Q's assistant R, but was then officially promoted to the role of Q for 'Die Another Day'. After that, the franchise was rebooted with 'Casino Royale' and it wasn't until 'Skyfall' when Q was used again, now played by Ben Whishaw. It's sad that Cleese was only Q for one film because he was perfect to take over for Llewelyn. The same can be said for Whishaw in Skyfall. He and Craig play off each other very well and this new version of Q is perfectly written for the modern world, and he just might be better at Bond's job than even Bond himself.

 

MISS MONEYPENNY

Next up is M's secretary. Like M, there have been four actresses who have been in the role since 'Dr. No'. The role was originated by Lois Maxwell, who has appeared in 14 Bond films, the second most of any actor in the Bond franchise (second only to Desmond Llewelyn). Caroline Bliss took over the role of Moneypenny for the two Timothy Dalton Bond films, 'The Living Daylights' and 'Licence to Kill'. When the franchise was revived in 1995's 'Goldeneye', the role of Monnypenny now belonged to Samantha Bond (see what they did there?), who played the character for all four Pierce Brosnan Bond films. After not appearing in the first two Bond films, Monnypenny was reintroduced in 'Skyfall' now played by Naomie Harris.

BEST MONEYPENNY: LOIS MAXWELL (1962-1985)

She was the original Miss Moneypenny, and she will always be the best. She's the only Moneypenny who has flirted with more than one of the six Bond actors and she always plays off each of the three Bond actors she has worked with extremely well. In second, I will have to go with Samantha Bond from the Brosnan movies for having superb chemistry with Brosnan. Closing out the list of the Moneypenny actresses in third is Caroline Bliss from the Dalton Bond movies. As for the current Monnypenny, Naomie Harris, she proved that she had great chemistry with Craig in 'Skyfall', but I'm not including her at this point because she has only been in one Bond film up to this point.

FELIX LEITER

This is a harder role to talk about because there have been multiple actors who have played the role of Bond's friend from the CIA through the 23 EON Bond films, seven to be exact. In order, the role has been played by Jack Lord (Dr. No), Cec Linder (Goldfinger), Rik Van Nutter (Thunderball), Norman Burton (Diamonds are Forever), David Hedison (Live and Let Die and in 'Licence to Kill' 16 years later), John Terry (The Living Daylights), and Jeffrey Wright (Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace). More importantly, the role of Felix has always been a minor one so it's a harder decision. However, there's one Leiter that stood out amongst the rest.

BEST FELIX LEITER: DAVID HEDISON (1973, 1989)

Hedison is one of only two actors who have played the role of Leiter at least twice, the other being Jeffrey Wright. While Hedison wasn't really given much to do in his first film, 'Live and Let Die', he was given a more substantial role in 'Licence to Kill' that plays a key part in the plot of the movie. The attack on him and his new wife Della by drug lord Franz Sanchez gives Bond the perfect reason to go out on a personal vendetta against Sanchez even after his licence to kill has been revoked by MI6. In second place, I'll have to go with Jack Lord from 'Dr. No', the original Felix Leiter, and in third will have to be Jeffrey Wright from the Daniel Craig Bond movies, the current Leiter.

NEXT UP: THE TOP 5 BEST AND WORST BOND GIRLS

Box Office Results: 11/16/12-11/18/12

 

As expected, the final Twilight movie led the box office in its first week of business with 141.3 million. It is the second-highest opening weekend in the franchise behind 'New Moon'. Finishing in third was Steven Spielberg's 'Lincoln', which had a rock solid opening of 21 million.

 

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2: $141.3 Million

2. Skyfall: $41.5 Million

3. Lincoln: $21 Million

4. Wreck-it Ralph: $18.3 Million

5. Flight: $8.6 Million

6. Argo: $4.1 Million

7. Taken 2: $2.1 Million

8. Pitch Perfect: $1.3 Million

9. Here Comes the Boom: $1.2 Million

10. Hotel Transylvania: $900,000

BOND MONTH: Best/Worst Opening Sequences

Whether or not they ultimately connect to the overall plot of the movie or not, you can't go wrong with a great pre-credit sequence. The James Bond franchise has had some exceptional opening sequences over the year, and we're going to honor them today. But first, let's get the worst ones out of the way.

5.Live and Let Die

I'll give this one credit for the fairly serious mood it creates right off of the bat with the deaths of three British agents back to back, but this is one opening sequence that doesn't really stick out. I really can't explain why.

4. You Only Live Twice

Another rather forgettable opener, despite finishing with James Bond's supposed death.

3. Diamonds are Forever:

The last Bond movie to star Sean Connery (for EON, specifically) is a film with an opener that could have worked really well. It follows Bond as he hunts down Blofeld before sending him to his supposed death in a pool of super-hot mud. The reason why this sequence had so much potential to it is because it could serve as Bond getting revenge on Blofeld for the death of his wife Tracy from the previous movie, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. However, the reason why it doesn't work is because Sean Connery is back in the role as Bond and it's just not the same without George Lazenby in the role.

2. For Your Eyes Only

For Your Eyes Only opens up with an excellent reference to 'OHMSS' as Bond visits his wife Tracy's grave to pay his respects. Then, he enters a helicopter which is controlled by a mysterious man in a wheelchair stroking a white cat. Of course, this is meant to be Blofeld, even though he is not officially listed as Blofeld due to legal reasons. I'm okay with that, and I can even ignore that, like 'DaF', this is a different Bond than George Lazenby (in this case, Roger Moore). The main problem I have with this sequence is when the scene concludes with Blofeld being dropped down a chimney stack by Bond. Talk about the worst way to kill off the best Bond villain of all time, especially the one who had a key role in Tracy's death.

1. A View to a Kill

Ski chases may be common in Bond movies, but this one is pretty weak. First of all, we get our first warning that at this point, Moore is too old to play the role of Bond anymore. It's pretty clear that his stunt double is the one doing all of the work here. But most importantly, why did the filmmakers decide to go with the Beach Boys' 'California Girls' for the music? This is easily the most out of place music in any Bond film by far.

Now that we got the worst openers out of the way, here are the best Bond Opening Sequences of all time...

5. From Russia With Love

The first thing that this opening sequence does great is establish Robert Shaw's Red Grant as a truly intimidating foe for Bond. The two go through a hedge-maze trying to kill one another until Grant ultimately succeeds. But before you start to fear that Bond is truly dead, it was only a test for Grant to prove himself to his superiors. A truly suspenseful opening and an excellent way to start off the film.

4. Skyfall

What a superb way to bring back Bond after a four year hiatus. This opening sequence has some really terrific action sequences as Bond and field agent Eve track down mercenary Patrice to attempt to recover a stolen list of undercover agents. It concludes with probably the best of Bond's 'supposed deaths' when M orders Eve to shoot Patrice, but she shoots Bond by mistake. Of course we know he's not really dead, but this one probably had the most impact compared to 'You Only Live Twice' or even 'From Russia With Love'.

3. The Spy Who Loved Me

We all remember the finale of this great opening sequence where Bond jumps off a cliff after escaping his pursuers on skis and then opens up his Union Jack parachute. When it comes to some of the most iconic moments in franchise history, the final shot of this scene is one of them but of course the sequence itself is top of the line.

2. Goldfinger

My friend Augie put it best, this one is just plain classic. Three words, 'shocking... positively shocking'.

1. Casino Royale

So if Skyfall's opening helped get Bond back on track after a four-year absence, Casino Royale was an exceptional start to Daniel Craig's tenure as Bond with its black-and-white opening sequence where Bond earns his '00 agent' status by killing a traitorous MI6 chief and his contact. It perfectly establishes the Bond that Craig portrays, and immediately sucks you in for the rest of the movie that comes after. That is why it is the best opening sequence to any Bond film ever made.

NEXT UP: THE BEST OF BOND'S ALLIES (M, Q, Monnypenny, etc...)

BOND MONTH: Best/Worst Villains

In honor of the recent release of 'Skyfall', here is the first of a series of blog posts where I honor the best and worst of the James Bond franchise. First, let's start off with the many villains that Bond has faced throughout the 23 EON Bond films. We will start off with everyone's favorite topic here on the internet with the worst villains in franchise history.

5. Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) (Quantum of Solace)

I'm starting this list off with the main villain of Daniel Craig's second Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Of course, as most of you know, 'QoS' was a disappointing follow-up to 'Casino Royale', and Greene is one of the prime reasons for this. No, he is not the worst Bond villain ever but there's nothing about him that really stood out.

4. Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) (Thunderball)

Like 'QoS', 'Thunderball' was a weak follow-up to its predecessor or, in this film's case, the three Bond films that came before it ('Dr. No', 'From Russia With Love', and 'Goldfinger') and once again, one of the biggest problems with the film is its villain. Like Greene, this guy really didn't stand out and just came off as a really generic member of SPECTRE... but with an eye-patch. Yeah, there's nothing to say after that.

3. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) (You Only Live Twice)

Sure, Blofeld may be one of Bond's most famous villains, but his first full appearance in a Bond film was rather lackluster. Of course, Blofeld first appeared in 'From Russia With Love' and 'Thunderball', but his face was never shown. It was 'You Only Live Twice' when he was completely seen for the first time. For the record, the film does build up the reveal pretty well, as he starts out with his face hidden like before. However, once he is revealed, the filmmakers don't give him anything to do. Thankfully this wasn't the last time we would see Blofeld, but even if Donald Pleasence does do a good job as Blofeld, the character's first role as the main antagonist of a Bond movie could have been much better.

2. Renard (Robert Carlyle) (The World is Not Enough)

Poor Robert Carlyle is underused as the terrorist Renard in Pierce Brosnan's third Bond movie. Like Blofeld, there's great buildup leading up to his first appearance on screen, but then he ultimately becomes second fiddle to the main villain Elektra King. Thankfully, King is a good enough villain so that this movie wouldn't have two bad villains in one Bond movie... unlike in an earlier Bond movie.

1. General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) and Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker) (The Living Daylights)

On the other hand, 'The Living Daylights' had two villains and neither of them were any good. First off we have Koskov, who starts off as an apparent good guy but is then revealed to be the villain... only problem is that I don't really recall him being that threatening. The same is said for Whitaker, who literally disappears from the movie altogether until the end of the movie just so Bond can fight him. Their henchmen Necros was more of a threat to Bond than they were. That is why these two are the worst Bond villains in franchise history because not only are both of them bad villains by themselves, they had to be in the same movie.

And now we move on to the other side of the spectrum as we look at the Top 5 best Bond villains of all time.

5. Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean) (Goldeneye)

The man formerly known as '006' is a great villain because this allows for some really dramatic tension between him and Bond, due to how they were once friends before his alleged death nine years before the main events of Goldeneye. The only reason he isn't any higher is because he literally led himself to his own demise. He had the perfect opportunity to shoot Bond, but then he decides to just gloat about how 'he was always better', giving Bond ample time to get away. That's a lame way to go out, especially for a Bond villain as good as him.

4. Red Grant (Robert Shaw) and Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) (From Russia with Love)

Yes, in this list, I consider Grant to be one of the main villains, even if he is only supposed to be the henchman. Right from the beginning of the movie, we see how much of a threat he poses to Bond and the filmmakers do a great job at building up suspense for their final fight, which is one of the best fights in the entire series. For a more traditional 'villain', there's Lenya as the fierce and demanding agent of SPECTRE.

3. Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) (Goldfinger)

Gert Frobe has undeniable presence in the role of gold-smuggler Auric Goldfinger. Of course, we can't forget that classic line of his... 'no Mr. Bond, I expect you to die', which has to be the best line from any Bond villain.

2. Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) (Skyfall)

Yes, the most recent addition to James Bond's rogue gallery is certainly one of the finest villains that the series has ever seen and of course, Bardem is excellent in the role. In terms of his character, he's kind of like Trevelyan, but I think that Silva was the better overall villain for a few reasons. First off, his whole back story of being betrayed by MI6 is more compelling and overall, his plan is stronger. He's almost like the Joker from 'The Dark Knight' in how he is always one step ahead of MI6 no matter what they do to try and stop him. Also, in terms of how he went out, I'd say it's more dignified than how Trevelyan went out.

1. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

While Blofeld may have also been amongst the worst Bond villains of all time in regards to his role in 'You Only Live Twice', he's the best Bond villain of all time when it comes to his role in the sole George Lazenby Bond film, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', and Telly Savalas is easily the best actor to have ever played the role. Not only is he given more to do than Pleasence, but you can't forget that he had a key role in the murder of James Bond's wife Tracy, and I still can't get over the fact that they never resolved this in any future Bond films. That alone makes him the best Bond villain of all time.

NEXT UP: THE BEST AND WORST BOND OPENING SEQUENCES

Skyfall (2012) review

 

On October 5^th, 1962, Sean Connery lit up a cigarette and uttered three words, 'Bond, James Bond' in 'Dr. No', the first official James Bond film from EON Productions based off of the novel of the same name by author Ian Fleming. Since then, EON has released 21 other Bond films with six actors playing the role of Fleming's suave MI6 agent over the years. As this franchise celebrates its 50^th anniversary, current Bond Daniel Craig suits up for the third time for Bond 23 AKA 'Skyfall'. Behind the camera this time is Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning director behind 'American Beauty', and as one might expect from an Oscar-winning director, 'Skyfall' certainly stands toe to toe with some of the best Bond films ever made as it takes the character of Bond to places where he has never been before. It also helps that this film has one of the best villains in the history of the franchise. Bottom line; this is one excellent Bond film.

The film opens up as Bond (Craig) and fellow agent Eve (Naomie Harris) are on a mission in Turkey to recover a stolen hard drive that contains the names of all undercover NATO agents. The mission goes haywire and Bond is accidentally shot by Eve and presumed dead. As M (Judi Dench), the head of MI6, comes under pressure by her superiors to retire following the incident, the whole organization is attacked as the names of the undercover agents go public. Learning of this, Bond returns from his supposed death and M sends him out into the field to investigate. Bond soon comes into conflict with the man responsible for the attack, Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem), a former MI6 agent turned cyberterrorist looking to enact revenge on those who betrayed him, namely M, and Bond is faced one of his toughest missions yet.

Probably the best aspect of the film is how it handles the whole situation of Bond having to come back from 'death' and get back into shape so that he can take on this new villain. The film doesn't ignore the fact that we are now in a time where technology has become so advanced that it raises the question of whether someone like Bond is even needed anymore. This is further illustrated by the reintroduction of Q (now played by Ben Whishaw), who tells Bond that he 'could do more on his laptop sitting in his pajamas before his first cup of Earl Grey' than Bond could ever do in a year in the field. The film even goes one step further by delving into Bond's back story a bit near the end, unlike previous films in the series where it was only briefly mentioned. This all fits perfectly with the more emotionally-driven Bond that Craig portrays and it is handled very well.

Then you have Javier Bardem as Silva who, right from his first appearance on screen (where he strides towards Bond in a single, solitary long take), establishes himself as one of the best Bond villains ever. Not only does Bardem do a fantastic job in the role, but the whole back story of Silva's previous affiliation with MI6 makes him more than just your basic villain who is just there to take over the world. In fact, this entire film has probably the best cast to ever grace a Bond film. Craig and Dench are once again excellent as Bond and M respectively, and the writers continue to establish a solid relationship between the two as Dench is given her most substantial role yet as M yet. The other members of the cast do fantastic jobs as well. Harris has great chemistry with Craig and Whishaw is a very worthy successor to Desmond Llewelyn.

There is just so much about this film that is worth talking about that I can't even talk about most of it just to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible. Needless to say, this is a film I highly recommend. In terms of how James Bond films go, this is easily one of the best in the series, if not the best. It serves as a passionate love letter to this long-running franchise while also keeping it fresh and modern for today's age of spy films. Daniel Craig once again proves that he is one of the best to have ever played the role of James Bond and Javier Bardem's Silva is one of the best villains in the history of the series. It's a Bond film that blows its predecessors out of the water and in the year that EON celebrates the 50^th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, Sam Mendes directs what may just be the best Bond film yet.

Rating: 5/5!

Box Office Results: 11/9/12-11/11/12

 

As expected, the latest James Bond flick 'Skyfall' made a big splash during its first weekend out in the U.S. with a total gross of 87.8 Million, the best domestic debut for a Bond film, beating the record set by the previous Bond film, 'Quantum of Solace' (67.5 Million). Having already been out for 2 weeks overseas, the 23rd Bond film has already grossed over 500 million, and it is clearly on its way to becoming the highest grossing Bond film of all time worldwide.

 

1. Skyfall: $87.8 Million

2. Wreck-it Ralph: $33.1 Million

3. Flight: $15.1 Million

4. Argo: $6.8 Million

5. Taken 2: $4 Million

6. Here Comes the Boom: $2.55 Million

7. Cloud Atlas: $2.52 Million

8. Pitch Perfect: $2.5 Million

9. The Man with the Iron Fists: $2.49 Million

10. Hotel Transylvania: $2.35 Million

Box Office Results: 11/2/12-11/4/12

 

Disney was on top this weekend as 'Wreck-it Ralph' took over first at the box office this week with 49 million, which is the biggest opening of all time for Disney Animation Studios. In second place was the drama 'Flight'. The latest film from Robert Zemeckis (his first live-action film in more than a decade) also had a rock-solid opening with 24.9 million. Closing out the new releases of the week was the martial arts flick 'The Man with the Iron Fists', which opened in fourth with 7.9 million.

 

1. Wreck-it Ralph: $49 Million

2. Flight: $24.9 Million

3. Argo: $10.2 Million

4. The Man with the Iron Fists: $7.9 Million

5. Taken 2: $5.9 Million

6. Cloud Atlas: $5.4 Million

7. Hotel Transylvania: $4.4 Million

8. Paranormal Activity 4: $4.3 Million

9. Here Comes the Boom: $3.5 Million

10. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D: $3.3 Million