Watching and ranking every Bond: No time to die (review)

[ufcfan4]

No love for you only live twice?

Pleasance is probably the best Blofeld to date. Certainly the most iconic one. Dr. Evil clearly owes a lot to that version. The volcano raid/action setpiece at the end is another iconic aspect.

I really like that movie. Nancy Sinatra's credits song is quite good too.

My opinion of it has only gone up over the years. I used to rank Thunderball and Diamonds above it but now I certainly would have it above both. I know Thunderball is often thought of as very good, but I don't see it in the same league as the best of Connery's era.

 

[moreorless87]

Pleasance is probably the best Blofeld to date. Certainly the most iconic one. Dr. Evil clearly owes a lot to that version. The volcano raid/action setpiece at the end is another iconic aspect.

I really like that movie. Nancy Sinatra's credits song is quite good too.

My opinion of it has only gone up over the years. I used to rank Thunderball and Diamonds above it but now I certainly would have it above both. I know Thunderball is often thought of as very good, but I don't see it in the same league as the best of Connery's era.

Really I would say You Only Live Twice is the start of the larger than life Bond films so it depends whether you enjoy them or not.

The franchise overall what it was trying to do changed significantly over time so I find it hard to directly compare the films.

 

[John Mabrey]

can’t even remember anything about spectre.

me neither!

 

[eddymotto]

me neither!

I thought the opening scene in Mexico was incredible. One of my favorites.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

What about Woody Allen?

über bond

 

[GergreG]

I watched them all growing up but haven't seen any of the older ones in a long time. Never watched a Brosnan Bond film. Whenever I see him I just think of that horrid sitcom from the 90s, 'the nanny' with Fran Drescher. Brosnan reminds me of the wealthy father.

When I was younger Moonraker was actually regarded as one of the better ones, I think based purely on Jaws. Might have to revisit the franchise.

 

[revoltub]

Watched on her majesties secret service. So far clearly the best one imo. Thought lazenby did fine although he definitely lacks the charisma of connery. Good action scenes. I was a little confused as to how blofeld didnt recognize bond. Like the fuzzy sounding score too.

Right now not counting Craig films I rank them.

6. Dr. No
5. Thunderball
4. Goldfinger
3. From Russia with love
2. You only live twice
1. on her majesties secret service

Next is connerys return in diamonds are forever.

 

[John Mabrey]

I watched them all growing up but haven't seen any of the older ones in a long time. Never watched a Brosnan Bond film. Whenever I see him I just think of that horrid sitcom from the 90s, 'the nanny' with Fran Drescher. Brosnan reminds me of the wealthy father.

When I was younger Moonraker was actually regarded as one of the better ones, I think based purely on Jaws. Might have to revisit the franchise.

watch goldeneye and tomorrow never dies. they were pretty good. if you like them, maybe even check out the world is not enough

 

[John Mabrey]

Watched on her majesties secret service. So far clearly the best one imo. Thought lazenby did fine although he definitely lacks the charisma of connery. Good action scenes. I was a little confused as to how blofeld didnt recognize bond. Like the fuzzy sounding score too.

Right now not counting Craig films I rank them.

6. Dr. No
5. Thunderball
4. Goldfinger
3. From Russia with love
2. You only live twice
1. on her majesties secret service

Next is connerys return in diamonds are forever.

is it grittier?

 

[revoltub]

is it grittier?

Not the word I would use per say. Just more fine tuned

 

[John Mabrey]

Not the word I would use per say. Just more fine tuned

i forgot have you seen license to kill with tim dalton yet?

 

[revoltub]

i forgot have you seen license to kill with tim dalton yet?

No that's several films away

 

[revoltub]

I watched diamonds are forever. Good to see connery back and it was another fun movie but a step down from ohmss. Definitely a great intro song. Next up will be roger moore in live and let die. Gonna be interesting because moore seems like the most divisive bond.

New rankings

7. Dr. No
6. Thunderball
5. Diamonds are forever
4. Goldfinger
3. From Russia with love
2. You only live twice
1. On her majesties secret service

 

[ufcfan4]

Great thread.

my top 10 currently


1- From Russia With Love
2- Casino Royale
3- Goldfinger
4- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
5- Skyfall
6- The Spy Who Loved Me
7- Goldeneye
8- No Time to Die
9- For Your Eyes Only
10- You Only Live Twice

But it's been a long time since I've watched some of those. Dalton's first movie is class too and probably should be on this list if I'm being honest. Just don't know which one I would toss off the list to accommodate it.

@revoltub - awesome that you are doing a watch of all of them. I really like Moore's first one- Live and Let Die. It definitely has its flaws but it's a fun movie with some really solid villains- the late, great Yaphet Kotto is awesome in it and the henchman Tee Hee, and the mysterious Baron Samedi are cool too.

 

[revoltub]

Great thread.

my top 10 currently


1- From Russia With Love
2- Casino Royale
3- Goldfinger
4- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
5- Skyfall
6- The Spy Who Loved Me
7- Goldeneye
8- No Time to Die
9- For Your Eyes Only
10- You Only Live Twice

But it's been a long time since I've watched some of those. Dalton's first movie is class too and probably should be on this list if I'm being honest. Just don't know which one I would toss off the list to accommodate it.

@revoltub - awesome that you are doing a watch of all of them. I really like Moore's first one- Live and Let Die. It definitely has its flaws but it's a fun movie with some really solid villains- the late, great Yaphet Kotto is awesome in it and the henchman Tee Hee, and the mysterious Baron Samedi are cool too.

I'll probably have casino royale at 1 when it's all said and done and skyfall higher up too when it's all said and done. Spectre is one of the worst so far. Those 3 Craig films I could probably add to the rankings because they are fresh in my mind but I need to rewatch quantom and then watch no time to die for the first time.

You have no time to die at 8? Gives me hope for it. As long as it's better then spectre I will be happy.

Side note on the films: the constant casting change of blofeld is hilarious. The guy in diamonds didnt even try to look like him.

 

[ufcfan4]

I'll probably have casino royale at 1 when it's all said and done and skyfall higher up too when it's all said and done. Spectre is one of the worst so far. Those 3 Craig films I could probably add to the rankings because they are fresh in my mind but I need to rewatch quantom and then watch no time to die for the first time.

You have no time to die at 8? Gives me hope for it. As long as it's better then spectre I will be happy.

Side note on the films: the constant casting change of blofeld is hilarious. The guy in diamonds didnt even try to look like him.

Haha. Charles Gray right? Blofeld with hair. C’mon now. Though I guess he set the precedent for Waltz. I’m not even sure anyone other than Pleasance was particularly good as Blofeld. I think Savalas is a great actor but it was pretty paint by numbers as the villain in On her Majesty’s. Good but not as memorable as Pleasance. And Gray had charisma but he wasn’t very Blofeld-esque. Probably could have just been some other big Spectre villain.

I liked Diamonds but wasn’t it tonally all over the map? You got Connery full badass mode hunting Blofeld at the beginning and then after that opening sequence there’s a lot of silliness. But fun stuff just out there.

Wait till you see (or hear) Blofeld at the beginning of For Your Eyes Only. It’s absolutely bizarre.

 

[ufcfan4]

You have no time to die at 8? Gives me hope for it. As long as it's better then spectre I will be happy.

Let me put it like this, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There were a lot of things about it that I felt so positively about that even the numerous problems, questions, drawbacks just sort of faded into the ether by comparison.

I appreciate movies that stick with me for a bit after I see them and No Time to Die is one that I have only thought more highly of since I got out of the theater.

I don’t feel it’s on Skyfall or Royale’s level but I think it’s very good. Opening 20 minutes had me very engrossed. I know those pre credits sequences are tough to botch but I thought it had a great one that set the tone for the film.

 

[revoltub]

Haha. Charles Gray right? Blofeld with hair. C’mon now. Though I guess he set the precedent for Waltz. I’m not even sure anyone other than Pleasance was particularly good as Blofeld. I think Savalas is a great actor but it was pretty paint by numbers as the villain in On her Majesty’s. Good but not as memorable as Pleasance. And Gray had charisma but he wasn’t very Blofeld-esque. Probably could have just been some other big Spectre villain.

I liked Diamonds but wasn’t it tonally all over the map? You got Connery full badass mode hunting Blofeld at the beginning and then after that opening sequence there’s a lot of silliness. But fun stuff just out there.

Wait till you see (or hear) Blofeld at the beginning of For Your Eyes Only. It’s absolutely bizarre.

Yeah there was definitely some teleporty editing in diamonds are forever. The two side bad guys were weird too. Mr. kid and Mr wint.

 

[John Mabrey]

I'm seeing no time to die on friday

 

[bjjHERRERA]

suck, suck, and suck.