The Wager

I am in the middle of a new book I got for Christmas and it is a very riveting story about a British group of sailors who are shipwrecked, mutiny, and murder one another off the coast of South America. The book is called The Wager and it is written by David Grann, who authored the recent Martin Scorsese film Killers of the Flower Moon.

Something that really jumped out at me was the description of a captain in the British navy. His position required, "command of temper, integrity of purpose, vigour of mind, and abnegation of self." Abnegation of self means rejection of one's self and tending to the needs of your crew. I think that is a very astounding description of what all people should strive for. If only we could all control our tempers, have the highest commitment to a goal, a healthy mind, and put others before ourselves.

Bond Film Category Rankings

I haven't done an update of my James Bond rankings in several years and with the release of No Time to Die in 2021 I need to get these categories down on paper. Starting this year I began showing the kids all the James Bond movies, watching them from the very beginning with Dr. No and we have gone through the first 19 films so far. I expect we will finish all 25 in early 2024. After watching all the films again I haven't really thought about shuffling these categories again, but this is how I felt about each of the films, music, characters, pre-title sequences, etc. since watching No Time to Die a few times.

Films

25. A View to a Kill

24. The Man with the Golden Gun

23. Diamonds are Forever

22. Moonraker

21. Die Another Day

20. Octopussy

19. Quantum of Solace

18. For Your Eyes Only

17. Spectre

16. Tomorrow Never Dies

15. Thunderball

14. The Spy Who Loved Me

13. You Only Live Twice

12. No Time to Die

11. The World is not Enough

10. Licence to Kill

9. Live and Let Die

8. Dr. No

7. Goldeneye

6. The Living Daylights

5. Skyfall

4. Goldfinger

3. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

2. Casino Royale

1. From Russia with Love

Theme Songs

25. Moonraker

24. All Time High (from Octopussy)

23. Licence to Kill

22. For Your Eyes Only

21. Die Another Day

20. Diamonds are Forever

19. Another Way to Die (from Quantum of Solace)

18. Writing’s on the Wall (from Spectre)

17. The Man with the Golden Gun

16. No Time to Die

15. A View to a Kill

14. The Living Daylights

13. Thunderball

12. Tomorrow Never Dies

11. From Russia with Love

10. You Know My Name (from Casino Royale)

9. You Only Live Twice

8. The World is not Enough

7. Skyfall

6. Live and Let Die

5. Goldfinger

4. Goldeneye

3. Nobody Does it Better (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

2. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

1. James Bond Theme (from Dr. No)

Soundtracks

25. Goldeneye

24. The Man with the Golden Gun

23. Spectre

22. Die Another Day

21. No Time to Die

20. For Your Eyes Only

19. Licence to Kill

18. Diamonds are Forever

17. Dr. No

16. Casino Royale

15. Moonraker

14. Octopussy

13. A View to a Kill

12. You Only Live Twice

11. The World is not Enough

10. The Spy Who Loved Me

9. Tomorrow Never Dies

8. Quantum of Solace

7. The Living Daylights

6. Goldfinger

5. Live and Let Die

4. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

3. Skyfall

2. Thunderball

1. From Russia with Love

Girls - Beauty

25. Pussy Galore (from Goldfinger)

24. Melina Havelock (from For Your Eyes Only)

23. Domino Derval (from Thunderball)

22. Pam Bouvier (from Licence to Kill)

21. Kissy Suzuki (from You Only Live Twice)

20. Dr. Holly Goodhead (from Moonraker)

19. Natalya Simonova (from Goldeneye)

18. Mary Goodnight (from The Man with the Golden Gun)

17. Wai Lin (from Tomorrow Never Dies)

16. Dr. Madeleine Swann (from No Time to Die)

15. Dr. Madeleine Swann (from Spectre)

14. Vesper Lynd (from Casino Royale)

13. Anya Amasova (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

12. Tiffany Case (from Diamonds are Forever)

11. Kara Milovy (from The Living Daylights)

10. Dr. Christmas Jones (from The World is not Enough)

9. Camille Montes Rivera (from Quantum of Solace)

8. Octopussy (from Octopussy)

7. Jinx (from Die Another Day)

6. Tracy Di Vicenzo (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

5. Severine (from Skyfall)

4. Stacey Sutton (from A View to a Kill)

3. Honey Rider (from Dr. No)

2. Solitaire (from Live and Let Die)

1. Tatiana Romanova (from From Russia with Love)

Girls - Character

25. Stacey Sutton (from A View to a Kill)

24. Dr. Christmas Jones (from The World is not Enough)

23. Tiffany Case (from Diamonds are Forever)

22. Jinx (from Die Another Day)

21. Mary Goodnight (from The Man with the Golden Gun)

20. Kissy Suzuki (from You Only Live Twice)

19. Severine (from Skyfall)

18. Melina Havelock (from For Your Eyes Only)

17. Dr. Holly Goodhead (from Moonraker)

16. Domino Derval (from Thunderball)

15. Kara Milovy (from The Living Daylights)

14. Camille Montes Rivera (from Quantum of Solace)

13. Natalya Simonova (from Goldeneye)

12. Wai Lin (from Tomorrow Never Dies)

11. Solitaire (from Live and Let Die)

10. Anya Amasova (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

9. Octopussy (from Octopussy)

8. Pam Bouvier (from Licence to Kill)

7. Tatiana Romanova (from From Russia with Love)

6. Honey Rider (from Dr. No)

5. Pussy Galore (from Goldfinger)

4. Dr. Madeleine Swann (from Spectre)

3. Dr. Madeleine Swann (from No Time to Die)

2. Vesper Lynd (from Casino Royale)

1. Tracy Di Vicenzo (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

Girls - Overall

25. Melina Havelock (from For Your Eyes Only)

24. Kissy Suzuki (from You Only Live Twice)

23. Domino Derval (from Thunderball)

22. Mary Goodnight (from The Man with the Golden Gun)

21. Dr. Holly Goodhead (from Moonraker)

20. Tiffany Case (from Diamonds are Forever)

19. Dr. Christmas Jones (from The World is not Enough)

18. Natalya Simonova (from Goldeneye)

17. Stacey Sutton (from A View to a Kill)

16. Pam Bouvier (from Licence to Kill)

15. Jinx (from Die Another Day)

14. Pussy Galore (from Goldfinger)

13. Wai Lin (from Tomorrow Never Dies)

12. Kara Milovy (from The Living Daylights)

11. Severine (from Skyfall)

10. Camille Montes Rivera (from Quantum of Solace)

9. Anya Amasova (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

8. Dr. Madeleine Swann (from Spectre)

7. Dr. Madeleine Swann (from No Time to Die)

6. Octopussy (from Octopussy)

5. Vesper Lynd (from Casino Royale)

4. Solitaire (from Live and Let Die)

3. Honey Rider (from Dr. No)

2. Tatiana Romanova (from From Russia with Love)

1. Tracy Di Vicenzo (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

Girls – Films’ Most Attractive

Dr. No – Honey Rider

From Russia with Love – Tatiana Romanova

Goldfinger – Jill Masterson

Thunderball – Fiona Volpe

You Only Live Twice – Kissy Suzuki

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – Tracy Di Vicenzo

Diamonds are Forever – Tiffany Case

Live and Let Die – Solitaire

The Man with the Golden Gun – Mary Goodnight

The Spy Who Loved Me – Anya Amasova

Moonraker – Manuela

For Your Eyes Only – Bibi Dahl

Octopussy – Octopussy

A View to a Kill – Jenny Flex

The Living Daylights – Kara Milovy

Licence to Kill – Lupe Lamora

Goldeneye – Xenia Onatopp

Tomorrow Never Dies – Professor Inga Bergstrom

The World is not Enough – Elektra King

Die Another Day – Miranda Frost

Casino Royale – Solange Dimitrios

Quantum of Solace – Camille Montes Rivera

Skyfall – Severine

Spectre – Estrella

No Time to Die – Paloma

Villains

25. Brad Whitaker (from The Living Daylights)

24. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (from Diamonds are Forever)

23. Aris Kristatos (from For Your Eyes Only)

22. Gustav Graves (from Die Another Day)

21. Kamal Khan (from Octopussy)

20. Lyutsifer Safin (from No Time to Die)

19. Karl Stromberg (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

18. Elliot Carver (from Tomorrow Never Dies)

17. Max Zorin (from A View to a Kill)

16. Dominic Greene (from Quantum of Solace)

15. Franz Oberhauser (from Spectre)

14. Dr. Kananga (from Live and Let Die)

13. Rosa Klebb (from From Russia with Love)

12. Emilio Largo (from Thunderball)

11. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (from You Only Live Twice)

10. Elektra King (The World is not Enough)

9. Franz Sanchez (from Licence to Kill)

8. Le Chiffre (from Casino Royale)

7. Rauol Silva (from Skyfall)

6. Alec Trevelyan (from Goldeneye)

5. Francisco Scaramanga (from The Man with the Golden Gun)

4. Dr. Julius No (from Dr. No)

3. Hugo Drax (from Moonraker)

2. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

1. Auric Goldfinger (from Goldfinger)

Villain Deaths

25. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (from Diamonds are Forever)

24. Franz Oberhauser (from Spectre)

23. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (from You Only Live Twice)

22. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

21. Gustav Graves (from Die Another Day)

20. Karl Stromberg (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

19. Kamal Khan (from Octopussy)

18. Brad Whitaker (from The Living Daylights)

17. Francisco Scaramanga (from The Man with the Golden Gun)

16. Aris Kristatos (from For Your Eyes Only)

15. Rauol Silva (from Skyfall)

14. Auric Goldfinger (from Goldfinger)

13. Elliot Carver (from Tomorrow Never Dies)

12. Lyutsifer Safin (from No Time to Die)

11. Dr. Kananga (from Live and Let Die)

10. Hugo Drax (from Moonraker)

9. Rosa Klebb (from From Russia with Love)

8. Dr. Julius No (from Dr. No)

7. Le Chiffre (from Casino Royale)

6. Emilio Largo (from Thunderball)

5. Dominic Greene (from Quantum of Solace)

4. Alec Trevelyan (from Goldeneye)

3. Franz Sanchez (from Licence to Kill)

2. Elektra King (The World is not Enough)

1. Max Zorin (from A View to a Kill)

Henchmen

25. Professor Dent (from Dr. No)

24. Elvis (from Quantum of Solace)

23. Gobinda (from Octopussy)

22. Alex Dimitrios (from Casino Royale)

21. Primo (Cyclops) (from No Time to Die)

20. Emile Leopold Locque (from For Your Eyes Only)

19. Jaws (from Moonraker)

18. Helga Brandt (from You Only Live Twice)

17. Patrice (from Skyfall)

16. Stamper (from Tomorrow Never Dies)

15. Necros (from The Living Daylights)

14. Nick Nack (from The Man with the Golden Gun)

13. Zao (from Die Another Day)

12. Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd (from Diamonds are Forever)

11. Mayday (from A View to a Kill)

10. Renard (from The World is not Enough)

9. Irma Bunt (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

8. Dario (from Licence to Kill)

7. Mr. Hinx (from Spectre)

6. Tee-Hee (from Live and Let Die)

5. Xenia Onatopp (from Goldeneye)

4. Jaws (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

3. Fiona Volpe (from Thunderball)

2. Donald "Red" Grant (from From Russia with Love)

1. Oddjob (from Goldfinger)

Allies

25. Sheikh Hosein (from The Spy Who Loved Me)

24. Estrella (from Spectre)

23. Felix Leiter (from Diamonds are Forever)

22. Felix Leiter (from Goldfinger)

21. Saunders (from The Living Daylights)

20. Jack Wade (from Tomorrow Never Dies)

19. Lieutenant Hip (from The Man with the Golden Gun)

18. Luigi Ferrara (from For Your Eyes Only)

17. Felix Leiter (from Live and Let Die)

16. Manuela (from Moonraker)

15. Kincade (from Skyfall)

14. Vijay (from Octopussy)

13. Sir Godfrey Tibbett (from A View to a Kill)

12. Raoul (from Die Another Day)

11. Rene Mathis (from Quantum of Solace)

10. Jack Wade (from Goldeneye)

9. Felix Leiter (from Thunderball)

8. Nomi (from No Time to Die)

7. Q (from Licence to Kill)

6. Quarrel (from Dr. No)

5. Marc-Ange Draco (from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service)

4. Tiger Tanaka (from You Only Live Twice)

3. Valentin Dimitrovich Zukovsky (from The World is not Enough)

2. Rene Mathis (from Casino Royale)

1. Kerim Bey (from From Russia with Love)

Title Sequences

25. Licence to Kill

24. Moonraker

23. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

22. Octopussy

21. The Living Daylights

20. The Man with the Golden Gun

19. Quantum of Solace

18. You Only Live Twice

17. Spectre

16. Diamonds are Forever

15. Skyfall

14. No Time to Die

13. Dr. No

12. Tomorrow Never Dies

11. A View to a Kill

10. Die Another Day

9. Goldfinger

8. Goldeneye

7. For Your Eyes Only

6. The World is not Enough

5. Casino Royale

4. Live and Let Die

3. The Spy Who Loved Me

2. From Russia with Love

1. Thunderball

Pre-title Sequence

25. Dr. No (none)

24. Live and Let Die

23. For Your Eyes Only

22. Diamonds are Forever

21. The Man with the Golden Gun

20. You Only Live Twice

19. A View to a Kill

18. Licence to Kill

17. Moonraker

16. Die Another Day

15. Octopussy

14. Skyfall

13. Tomorrow Never Dies

12. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

11. No Time to Die

10. Casino Royale

9. From Russia with Love

8. Thunderball

7. The World is not Enough

6. Quantum of Solace

5. Goldfinger

4. Goldeneye

3. The Spy Who Loved Me

2. The Living Daylights

1. Spectre

Gun Barrel Sequence

25. Goldeneye

24. Quantum of Solace

23. Die Another Day

22. Octopussy

21. From Russia with Love

20. Moonraker

19. Goldfinger

18. The Spy who Loved Me

17. Spectre

16. Skyfall

15. Licence to Kill

14. The Man with the Golden Gun

13. A View to a Kill

12. Diamonds are Forever

11. Tomorrow Never Dies

10. For Your Eyes Only

9. You Only Live Twice

8. No Time to Die

7. Casino Royale

6. The World is not Enough

5. The Living Daylights

4. Live and Let Die

3. Thunderball

2. Dr. No

1. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Favorite Scene

Dr. No – dinner with Dr. No

From Russia with Love – train fight

Goldfinger – laser torture

Thunderball – jet pack escape

You Only Live Twice – meeting Blofeld

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – ski escape from Piz Gloria

Diamonds are Forever – Las Vegas car chase

Live and Let Die – bus chase

The Man with the Golden Gun – bridge jump

The Spy Who Loved Me – ski jump

Moonraker – fight with Chang in glass museum

For Your Eyes Only – Bond climbing St. Cyrios

Octopussy – Mischka and Grischka chase 009

A View to a Kill – Golden Gate Bridge fight

The Living Daylights – Gibraltar exercise

Licence to Kill – skiing behind airplane

Goldeneye – tank chase

Tomorrow Never Dies – skyscraper banner jump

The World is not Enough – boat chase on the Thames

Die Another Day – sword fight

Casino Royale – free-running chase

Quantum of Solace – pre-title car chase

Skyfall – Patrice gunfight in Shanghai

Spectre – pre-title longshot and helicopter battle

No Time to Die – Bond tells Madeleine she has “all the time in the world.”

Actors

6. George Lazenby

5. Roger Moore

4. Pierce Brosnan

3. Timothy Dalton

2. Daniel Craig

1. Sean Connery

Ian Fleming Novels

14. Diamonds are Forever

13. Live and Let Die

12. You Only Live Twice

11. The Spy Who Loved Me

10. The Man with the Golden Gun

9. Octopussy and The Living Daylights

8. Thunderball

7. Moonraker

6. Dr. No

5. Goldfinger

4. For Your Eyes Only

3. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

2. From Russia, with Love

1. Casino Royale

John Gardner Novels

14. The Man from Barbarossa

13. Death is Forever

12. For Special Services

11. Win, Lose, or Die

10. Brokenclaw

9. Scorpius

8. Cold Fall

7. License Renewed

6. Seafire

5. Role of Honor

4. Nobody Lives Forever

3. Never Send Flowers

2. Icebreaker

1. No Deals, Mr. Bond

Raymond Benson Novels

6. Never Dream of Dying

5. DoubleShot

4. The Man with the Red Tattoo

3. High Time to Kill

2. The Facts of Death

1. Zero Minus Ten

Anthony Horowitz Novels

3. With a Mind to Kill

2. Forever and a Day

1. Trigger Mortis

One-Off Continuation Novels

5. Double or Nothing – Kim Sherwood

4. Solo – William Boyd

3. Devil May Cry – Sebastian Faulks

2. Carte Blanche – Jeffery Deaver

1. Colonel Sun – Kingsley Amis

Pointless Rant Of The Day

There is a new trend for drive-thru restaurants to send vehicles to designated parking spots if the food isn't prepared and ready to serve after paying at the first window. I understand it is to keep the line moving and keep the drive-thru lanes short so people think it will be quick and easy to get food at their establishment.

However, it is really obnoxious when I then get bamboozled into waiting at the parking spot for an extra four minutes because you don't want your line to get long. I already don't like the two lanes that merge into one that restaurants have adopted, and this is the latest annoyance about the fast-food dining experience.

If I didn't like sitting in my car to eat and listening to a podcast I might stop partaking in these types of dining establishments, but unfortunately I'm old and stuck in my ways. So instead I am just going to put up with it and be bothered by the world around me.

Marvel Cinematic Universe Rankings

Last night while driving to baseball practice with the boys, Jack and I got into a debate about Earth-level threats in the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In his mind he thinks every movie was a world-destroying threat (with several of his arguments going to, "What if you gave Hitler that weapon? He would have destroyed the world."). We never landed on how many of the 29 films were actually deemed world-threatening, but it did get me in the mood to rank them in order of my least to most favorite.

Iron Man 2

Thor: The Dark World

Eternals

The Incredible Hulk

Iron Man 3

Black Widow

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Thor: Love and Thunder

Captain Marvel

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Captain America: The First Avenger

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Thor

Doctor Strange

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

The Avengers

Ant-Man

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Avengers: Endgame

Thor: Ragnarok

Iron Man

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: Civil War

Guardians of the Galaxy

Spider-Man: No Way Home

25 Days of Bond (Day 25)

Well, it has been a little more than one day since my last post in this series on the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die. If you have seen the movie, I think you may know why it took this long to post something about the movie. If you haven't watched it yet, I recommend you stop reading here and find a streaming service or the nearest Best Buy that will sell you a copy so you can view and make your life whole.

At this point I have given the spoiler warning and can go into my official review of No Time to Die.

1. This is hands down the most emotional Bond film since On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The ending of Casino Royale is certainly poignant, but from start to finish the latest entry in the series will emotionally wreck you.

2. I like a pre-title sequence to be its own stand-alone adventure like the early films did, but boy is this one exciting. It is a little long and combines two story elements, which I normally don't like as I want it to be a few minutes long with Bond working on some unrelated mission, but the action and intensity in both plotlines is amazing.

3. The reference to Dr. No with the dots in the title sequence was a great touch and isn't an Easter egg that feels forced. True fans get it. Others probably don't even notice them.

4. From day one I have said that Billie Eilish's lyrics were the best of the entire series. They let the listener know exactly what the mood of the film is going to be and sum up Daniel Craig's entire time in the series. I'm not a huge fan of the song as I don't care for the seeming laziness in the vocals, but the lyrics themselves are a real highlight.

5. I'm not the only one to say this as she was a big hit for a lot of moviegoers, but Ana de Armas' character, Paloma, was outstanding. I really wish we had gotten more than just the Cuba sequence with her, but the time we do spend with her is excellent.

6. Welcome back Felix! And no, they killed Felix! This was the second moment that had me really worried in the movie (the first being when Bond says, "We have all the time in the world" during the pre-title sequence, which I then know was a sign of death for somebody). I have loved Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter. I really struggle in each viewing with this scene because it is hard to see him killed off. Maiming Felix is normal as it has happened in the books and films, but death was not an expected outcome. In my first watch I think my mouth was agape for about 7 minutes straight as I didn't know how to process it.

7. I've never been a fan of the MI6 crew being the Scooby gang during Craig's tenure. I like them making brief appearances and helping where they need to, but the last three movies have overutilized M, Moneypenny, Q, and Tanner. However, with that being said, the folks playing these characters are incredible actors and give phenomenal performances. When Ralph Fiennes came on board as the new M and had that final scene in Skyfall I went crazy because it was alluding to the type of relationship Sean Connery had with Bernard Lee. This ended up being a little more adversarial than I thought it would be, but it was still a great iteration of the character. Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris were excellent in their roles of Q and Moneypenny. We haven't seen much of Bill Tanner previously (with the exception of Pierce Brosnan's tenure and a no-named appearance in For Your Eyes Only), but Rory Kinnear's realization of the character has been the best so far in the series.

8. The reveal that Bond had a kid was ... interesting. Even after a year I am still on the fence about whether it was a good idea or not. However, that kid is freaking cute!

9. So let's talk about the elephant in the room. They killed off our hero. For nearly 60 years James Bond has gone to the brink of death saving the world. Audiences knew what they were going to get when they went to see the latest James Bond adventure: girls, guns, action, cars, gadgets, and James Bond living at the end to have one last bit of romantic time (normally in a sea transport of some kind). This one didn't live up to that expectation. Like the introduction of the child, killing off Bond is not something I thought would ever happen and I'm not sure how I feel about it. However, the music that goes along with that scene is some of the best in the entire series. I love John Barry's music, but what Hans Zimmer did to pull on my unemotional heart strings was a thing of beauty.

25 Days of Bond (Day 24)

You know when a movie trailer looks so good you think it will be the greatest thing to hit theaters that year, but then you see the full film and it disappoints. That's what Spectre did. It looked phenomenal in the previews and had fans going crazy with expectations, but ultimately it made a few too many mistakes and just didn't deliver on what was promised in the trailer.

1. The opening long take (with some disguised cuts hidden in the right places) in the pre-title sequence is a thing of beauty, not only because of the unique filmmaking technique, but also the countless extras in amazing costumes, a recreation of Mexico's Day of the Dead festival, and the impressive stunt flying.

2. Speaking of that stunt helicopter, it is incredible what they do with that machine and watching Bond fight off two opponents at the same time while keeping the helicopter from crashing makes for a fun watch. It is the combination of the opening long take, production design, and stunt work that helped seal this as my favorite pre-title sequence of the entire franchise. Although, after many viewings and the newness of the thing has worn off it might drop to number two on my list. We will see where it lands after I re-rank the franchise once I've seen No Time to Die.

3. This is the third time we've seen Bond's apartment, and a new one at that. I don't need to see where he lives in every movie, but it is always delightful when it happens.

4. Many fans hate the part when Bond escapes the villainous organizations meeting in Rome and subsequent car chase through empty streets. Considering it is essentially an information dump done in an interesting way, I don't mind it at all. I also think that when the music hits its zenith and Bond's Aston Martin DB10 and Mr. Hinx's Jaguar C-X75 are cruising through the square it is a magnificent moment.

5. When Bond meets with Mr. White it is a reunion I've been wanting for since Quantum of Solace. The brief scene in Quantum of Solace between the two of them left fans wanting more and this is a great follow up to that moment. How can you not love it when Mr. White says, "You're a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond."

6. "A license to kill is also a license NOT to kill."

7. Meeting Dr. Madeleine Swann shows that Daniel Craig's Bond can be playful and fun. It isn't all doom and gloom in his films. She is also a well-written, fleshed out character for a Bond girl. I recognize the complaints about how quickly she and Bond fall in love, but it does also make sense that she would understand a man like him and find comfort in that kind of relationship. I don't mind at all how the writers handled the two of them and am happy to see her return for No Time to Die.

8. This is the best train fight since From Russia with Love. Mr. Hinx is a bull in a china shop as he manhandles Bond from car to car. By the end of it you can truly believe how exhausted and beaten 007 is.

9. Another argument I don't agree with other fans about is the escape from Blofeld's crater hideout. Most complain it feels like a sequence from a video game. My takeaway from the sequence is how awesome Bond is in taking out the unnamed goons. As each target gets farther and farther away 007 has to change his shooting stance in order to better aim. I get that he just went through torture and is supposed to be half-beaten, but I also just don't care and like watching him be the superior marksman.

10. There are very subtle nods to Ian Fleming's short story "The Hildebrand Rarity" and Kingsley Amis's continuation novel Colonel Sun. The best Easter eggs are the ones that aren't obvious, and these definitely fly under the radar for people who aren't familiar with the literary character.

11. How this movie ends with Bond and Madeleine driving off into the overcast London sunset is actually a great way to end Craig's tenure. It wasn't known if he would return for another movie, so finishing things up in an ambiguous way as to make the viewer question if he has left the service entirely or is just going on holiday with his new love is fine. I had always been under the assumption that he left MI6 completely behind because it was a more final way of ending things for this Bond and the way Q says, "Bond, I thought you had left." This version of Q nearly always calls him 007, not Bond. So by calling him Bond instead of his code name it made me believe he had quit. I feel justified in this line of thinking with how No Time to Die is expected to start.

25 Days of Bond (Day 23)

We are so close. Only two days to go and we will have a new Bond movie in the franchise. After seeing the first trailer for No Time to Die I was expecting it to be the best film in the series since From Russia with Love. I've since decided to temper my expectations and then I started believing it to be the best since Casino Royale. If it turns out to be anything as good as Skyfall I will be a happy fan (but in reality it could be the worst in the series and I'll still just be glad to have a new entry in the series).

1. We haven't had a pre-title sequence that tries to make the viewer believe Bond has died in a long time. I think the last one was You Only Live Twice.

2. The title song from Adele is exactly what you would expect. It has the classic bombastic musical tones of a Shirley Bassey/John Barry style from the Goldfinger days, but modernized for a 21st century audience. It is incredible and absolutely deserved the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a first for the Bond franchise to win.

3. "Then why do you need me?" "Every now and then a trigger has to be pulled." "Or not pulled. It's hard to know which in your pajamas."

4. Sam Mendes is one of the more famous directors to ever helm a Bond movie and his aesthetic traits can be seen in certain shots throughout the movie. One of these that is a real standout is the footage of the city of Shanghai as it combines with the music to make a great union of sight and sound.

5. My favorite sequence is the silhouette fight between Bond and Patrice in the skyscraper office. Even the buildup to the fight is great as Bond is trying to sneak up on the assassin by staying in the shadows and reflections of the glowing neon outside the building. Even though you cannot really tell which character is which since it just two black figures in hand-to-hand combat, you still can't help but be impressed with what is on the screen.

6. And another beautiful combination of visual and artistic style is when Bond is floating into the entrance of the Macau casino. The fireworks going off above, the floating lanterns, and the illuminated dragon make for a compelling location that I wish existed in real life. Unfortunately, the Golden Dragon Casino is only a creation of the production team at Pinewood Studios.

7. Berenice Marlohe is just stunning. I don't know if there are any other half French, half Cambodian and Chinese women in the world, but if there are I can't imagine they are as gorgeous as Miss Marlohe. Her character Severine doesn't last long in the film, but while she is onscreen your gaze is likely fixated on her.

8. What an entrance Silva makes. His opening monologue, and even the one later when he is imprisoned and explaining why he has done the things he's done, is compelling and one of the most memorable introductions to a Bond villain we've ever had.

9. Although a lot of people have complained about the convoluted plot and story conveniences when it comes to Silva's escape, it still gives us a great sequence of Bond chasing him through the London underground as Q helps. This scene is particularly useful as it not only is a fun action/chase moment, but it gives us some interplay and team building for Bond and the new Q. It sets up the development of a relationship that viewers had enjoyed where Q was always annoyed by Bond and Bond just kept at annoying him. Now we've seen the first hints at how this interrelation began.

10. While the silhouette fight between Bond and Patrice is my favorite scene, the shootout at the government inquest is Joanna's favorite, and honestly I can't say I blame her. The tension mounts, the music builds, Judi Dench reads poetry, and Bond comes in to save the day with some help from a few allies. Even the ingenuity of how he frees the hostages is quite original.

11. The return of the Aston Martin DB5! I don't care that it's featured too much in the Brosnan and Craig eras. I love that car and all of its magnificent toys.

12. Another complaint for some critics of this film is the Home Alone climax. I don't care that it feels like a ripoff of the Macaulay Culkin holiday classic. It shows 007's ingenuity and resourcefulness as he outwits Silva when outmanned and outgunned. Plus, who doesn't love watching Albert Finney blast away some faceless henchmen as he quips, "Welcome to Scotland."

13. This is a really small moment, but I have always enjoyed it. When Bond is running across the field of his ancestral home and he jump kicks a henchman in stride, it always makes me smile.

14. Javier Bardem's death scene is so freaking great.

15. The final scene of the new M and Bond in an office harkens back to the classic films where Bond is given an assignment as he sits across from his boss. Once Craig retires and we do another reboot of the franchise, I want to get back to Bond being given an assignment in M's office and we start off on our adventure.

25 Days of Bond (Day 22)

Since Quantum of Solace suffered from a Writers Guild of America strike while filming, I am going to treat this write-up in a similar fashion and give it a quick once over with no polishes.

1. Along with not having a team of writers available to work out the kinks of the story, the movie also suffers from being influenced heavily by the Jason Bourne series. The quick editing style does the movie no favors. However, even though some of the pre-title sequence can't really be understood without multiple viewings it is still a thrilling piece of action cinema. I also love how artsy it begins with the music building as the camera swoops across an Italian lake and flashes of the cars chasing one another are seen before we are inserted right into the middle of the chase. It is a nice cinematic flair from the director that makes the sequence stand out.

2. I'm not usually a fan of the location being flashed on screen as it should either be obvious from the coverage footage of the city or detailed in the dialogue. However, sometimes location titles are necessary in a movie. These are done in an interesting and artistic way, so it is the best possible situation for what we're given.

3. "It's time to get out."

4. The killing of Edmund Slate in Port-au-Prince is another failure due to the frantic editing style. However, after the killing as Bond is cleaning up, the camera keeps returning to Slate's lifeless body and it is a reminder to the viewer of the coldness and brutality it takes to be in Bond's profession. He ignores what has just taken place and is simply moving on with his duty, but we keep coming back to the horrific look on Slate's face as he realizes the final moments of his life slipping away.

5. Tanner is back again and here to stay for the next three movies as well. He becomes a permanent member of the Scooby gang at MI6. There are little hints in this film that he and Bond are close. The best moment that reflects this is when M is interrogating Bond about the recent killing of Slate, Tanner interrupts and changes the subject in order to deflect from Bond's reckless behavior.

6. Director Mark Forster definitely tried to sprinkle his artistic style throughout this movie and it is unfortunate he was dealt a bad hand with the writer strike. However, where you can see some of his creativity working well is during the Tosca scene. As Bond is spying on members of the villainous group we get some intercutting with the Italian opera and the edits continue even when the henchmen are chasing Bond backstage and through the building. It is similar to the shot in You Only Live Twice where the camera pulls back to reveal Bond being chased along some rooftops instead of trying to show another fight sequence that we've seen so many times. In Quantum of Solace we hear the operatic music and get shots of the performance among those of Bond being pursued. It is a fascinating technique that I think works.

7. Another Bondian-trope that is turned on its head is the fight between Bond and main villain Dominic Greene. After establishing how great of shape Bond is in during Casino Royale the filmmakers couldn't really make us believe that Greene would be a physical match for Bond. However, during the climactic battle they do still make it an interesting fight as Greene goes berserk with an axe. I assume it is hard to combat an opponent when they have no style at all and are just flailing about.

8. I really wish the writers strike had not taken place during the making of this movie as I feel that one particular scene that, as it stands now, is pretty good could have been exceptional with a few re-writes. It is the one where Bond is comforting Camille in the burning hotel room as they think they are about to die. Her backstory, which isn't touched upon quite enough to drive the point home, involves her being the sole survivor when as a child her family was attacked, raped, and killed and her home set ablaze. She obviously has some serious trauma and pyrophobia and she keeps mumbling to Bond, "Not like this." You can see Bond contemplating shooting her to put her out of her misery and at the last second he sees a way out. Some additional work from the writers would have made this an outstanding display for Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko's talents.

25 Days of Bond (Day 21)

We have reached the point in the series where Daniel Craig takes over as 007 and the franchise begins a story and character arc very much intertwined among the star's films, which is not something previously done for Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, or Brosnan. Casino Royale is a near perfect movie for fans of this franchise and after 15 years of letting it resonate with me I have a hard time keeping it as my third favorite in the series. It is many fans' number one favorite and I could see myself eventually succumbing to that line of thinking as well.

1. Having the pre-title sequence shown in black and white is such an interesting choice. It creates a certain ambiance and sets a tone for what is to come, while at the same time giving us the unnecessary, but intriguing, history of how Bond receives his double-oh status. Fans of the literary character know that it takes two kills to get a license to kill with her majesty's government and having to see the brutality and coldness of those two kills is an incredible start to the movie.

2. The first time I saw Casino Royale's title sequence I didn't particularly like it, but I have since realized it was because I was so thrown by the greatness of the pre-title sequence that I wasn't ready for another drastic departure to what I was used to. I now recognize what a unique visual the animated sequence is as Chris Cornell's rocking theme song plays over the titles.

3. The parkour chase sequence is a highlight of the movie and my favorite sequence. Besides just being an immensely entertaining and re-watchable scene, it also displays, along with other parts to come later in the movie, how Bond is not really the best at his job just yet. He makes a lot of mistakes along the way to becoming the heroic spy we've come to love.

4. Despite the character being portrayed by Judi Dench still, this Bond's M is a different person than what we got with Pierce Brosnan. She is still a strong woman in power who doesn't comprise, but she is more of a mentor/motherly figure to this Bond than she was with Brosnan's 007. Craig's character, while respecting her more over the course of the later movies, certainly defies this boss more than any other Bond has before, which is a big regret with many fans and the reason for their disdain in regard to Craig's tenure.

5. "So you want me to be half monk, half hitman."

6. The Miami Airport chase is just a thing of beauty. It plays out so well and like the parkour chase sequence is utterly re-watchable time and time again.

7. The conversation aboard the train between Vesper and Bond when they meet is probably the best writing in the entire series. Their interplay and back-and-forth banter with one another is fantastic. It is the greatest introduction to a Bond girl since Ursula Andress on the Crab Key beach.

8. That Aston Martin DBS is gorgeous. It is a funny coincidence that Joanna pointed out a white version of this car in the Six Flags parking lot this afternoon as we were leaving the park.

9. Rene Mathis is a literary character who shows up in several of the Ian Fleming novels and some of the continuation novels. He isn't necessarily a standout character by any means, but has always been an ally to Bond. It was great to finally get a version of the character in a film and Giancarlo Giannini is a pleasure to watch.

10. She is the woman who molds Bond into the cold-blooded, womanizing character we know. Vesper Lynd ranks alongside Tracy di Vicenzo as most influential Bond girls of all time and Eva Green hits every right note needed in the performance.

11. As a regular poker player the scenes involving Texas hold'em are really well done and fun to watch for viewers of all familiarity with the game, but there are some small things that annoy me throughout the film. The way they handle the chips and plaques are not acceptable in a real game and the way Bond wins and loses certain big hands aren't great examples of showing whether he is proficient at the game. They would be played in the same manner by people with a minimal skill set at poker.

12. I'm sure it is annoying at this point for me to just keep saying how great this scene is and that scene is, but when a movie is this good that's kind of all I can do. That being said, the stairwell fight is so good. Bond and the machete-wielding killer give it their all as they punch, fall, and slice their way down the stairs all while Vesper is just trying to get away, but she eventually gets caught up in the fight and has to take action, which is something she never expected to be a part of in her life and has a lasting impact on her.

13. Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter is the greatest actor to ever play the role. I was so happy to hear he would be returning in Quantum of Solace, but the writers ended up not utilizing him in the way we are accustomed to. Then he is only referenced in Spectre. I'm hoping we get a really good scene between Bond and Felix in the upcoming No Time to Die.

14. It is a testament to the greatness of this movie in that I am finally getting around to Le Chiffre. Mads Mikkelsen was unknown to me at the time this movie was released, but since then I've seen several of his films and he, like Jeffrey Wright, is one of the greatest actors to appear in a Bond film. And on top of that, we get a physical deformity with the blood tears, which isn't overplayed for laughs but just is added to make the character a little more menacing.

15. As much as I love the Aston Martin DBS, I also love the barrel roll stunt that destroys it. The original plan was to only have the car flip over one time, but ended up sending it into a seven-roll spin, which set a world record.

16. No previous Bond movie could have had a torture scene like the one we got with Craig. If there was any doubt about this new actor bringing a harder edge that we hadn't seen before (Timothy Dalton notwithstanding) this scene was proof of that.

17. Well, what do I say about the betrayal and death of Vesper. Even after 25 viewings it is conflicting for me. I'm with Bond when he states at the end of the film, "the bitch is dead," which is taken directly from the source novel. However, seeing her drowning and Bond's subsequent attempt to revive her brings up all the feelings.

18. Yet, it is the impact of Vesper's influence and death that transforms Bond into the man we meet in Dr. No and his introduction to Mr. White is the perfect way to end this film.

25 Days of Bond (Day 20)

This is going to be another short one with not much thought or effort put into it since that is what the writers and Pierce Brosnan did while making the darn thing. Die Another Day is half of a good movie and the other half belongs in the Razzie's Hall of Fame. Here is what's actually good about it.

1. I have given a lot of praise to the title sequences during Brosnan's run as Bon and while I don't like the actual theme and images shown in this title sequence I do like that they show part of the story during it. They've never done anything like that before or after and it happily distracts us from the stupid Madonna song and plethora of scorpions (its just too many scorpions being shown; we get it, they used scorpions on him during the torture).

2. Raoul the sleeper agent is a really cool bit. I don't necessarily think the character is all that memorable, but the idea of Bond activating a long-forgotten sleeper in Cuba was an interesting idea.

3. This is the 20th film in the series (like the title of this post references), so the producers wanted it to reference the other 19 films to have come before. Some are extremely obvious and annoying, while others are subtle and enjoyable. The ones that work I really like and wish they had tried as hard on all the others that are just, "hey remember this thing we did that was so much better the first time around."

4. November 22, 2002, is when I fell in love with Rosamund Pike. She is in my all-time favorites list of actresses and nearly 20 years later she looks just as gorgeous as she did when she graced the screen in this movie.

5. One nod to the literary world of 007 is when Bond duels Gustav Graves at Blades. This is a gentlemen's club we are introduced to in the novel Moonraker. This is the closest we've actually gotten to a cinema version of Moonraker as the movie with that title has nothing to do with the book other than using the villain's name. The sword fight at Blades is the best part of this movie. It is intense and shows off some creative swordplay.

6. "Hey boss. He beat your time."

7. Nearly everything in Iceland is horrific and unwatchable, however, the car chase with 007 and Zao is pretty great. It is fun to see the evil version of Bond get his own gadget-filled vehicle and they go at it.

25 Days of Bond (Day 19)

Among the Bond fan community this is an unpopular opinion, but I rank The World is not Enough a lot higher than most people. I guess you could call it a guilty pleasure and it certainly has its problems (Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist being the most frequently mentioned), but it is a product of the times when 90s action films were completely over the top and put explosive action ahead of plot coherence or character development. Also, what this movie gets right it does really well. Here is what I like about The World is not Enough.

1. While most of the action in this movie feels like the writers developed first and then figured out ways to get the characters in position for said moments, the one sequence that works perfectly is the boat chase on the Thames in the pre-title sequence. Originally the titles were going to run after 007 made his escape in Spain, but the producers felt it wasn't a big enough stunt so they delayed the titles and included the exquisite boat chase in the pre-title sequence. Comedy and action intertwine throughout as Bond uses a prototype boat loaded with gadgets to chase down an assassin.

2. I've always been a fan of the band Garbage, so when they were selected to sing the film's theme song I was hoping for something modern with a classic Bond-theme feeling and in my opinion they delivered. The song has a dark and moody sound while being completely in the style of Garbage and Bond at the same time.

3. The images that go along with the theme song of naked women soaked in oil harkens back to the Maurice Binder classics like Thunderball.

4. While they didn't know this would be Desmond Llewelyn's final appearance in the franchise as Q, this is the perfect way for him to say goodbye. Llewelyn would end up dying in a car crash following completion of this film's production.

5. You rarely see one of Bond's quips undone, but when Brosnan tells the Parahawk driver who he thinks will fall to his death after steering off a snowy cliff that he'll "see him back at the lodge" and then a secondary parachute comes out, the disappointment on his face couldn't be any funnier.

6. The amount of bad acting that we get from Denise Richards is equally balanced out by a great turn from Sophie Marceau. In addition to being one of the most beautiful women to grace the screen as a Bond girl, Marceau's performance as the sexy, duplicitous Elektra King gives the best performance in the entire movie.

7. We get the return of Valentin Zukovsky! Other than Felix Leiter, very few allies get repeat appearances, but Zukovsky is absolutely deserving of that privilege.

8. It is a really nice touch putting a painting of original M actor, Bernard Lee, on the wall at the Scottish headquarters.

9. I have a soft spot for mystery plots in this franchise. I love it when Bond has to figure things out along with the audience and we get twists and turns throughout.

10. The title of the film and the way they use it in the movie is a great callback to the Bond family motto from On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

11. I know I already touched on Sophie Marceau and her powerful performance as Electra, but I also have to add that the scene when she has Bond in a torture chair is fantastic. She is doing a high-wire balancing act of sexpot and sociopath and pulls it off flawlessly.

12. "You wouldn't kill me. You'd miss me." ... "I never miss."

25 Days of Bond (Day 18)

I consider Tomorrow Never Dies to be a better action movie than Bond movie, which I'm sure is a weird thing to qualify since this franchise is made up of action movies. However, once you reach the midway point of the movie, the entire back half is one action set piece after another with very little downtime. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it just doesn't have the feel of most Bond movies and sort of becomes a generic 90s action flick after awhile.

1. There is nothing generic about that pre-title sequence though. It is one exciting thriller ride filled with quips, big explosions, intriguing stunts, a ticking clock, and unbelievable moments that remind the viewer why we love this franchise.

2. A lot of fans wish the original k.d. lang song "Surrender" had remained the title song instead of Sheryl Crow's theme, but I prefer Crow's song. There is just something about her melodramatic and bombastic singing combines with the guitars and strings. It has a sense of classic Bond theme modernized for 90s rock/pop audiences.

3. Jonathan Pryce is a highly respected stage and screen actor. His credits range from dramatic to black comedy starring roles, but in this as the primary villain, a sadistic media mogul, is absolutely bonkers.

4. The BMW 750i is not an attractive car. It looks like the vehicle of a successful marketing guy with a trophy wife, three kids, and is overextended at the bank. Yet, the gadgets that will be on full display in the parking garage chase are some of the most ingenious (and in one case most ridiculous) we've seen in the series up to this point.

5. I mentioned this in my Thunderball viewing, but I love when Bond antagonizes the villain during conversation with a double entendre.

6. I used to think composer David Arnold relied too heavily on the James Bond theme song in this score, but I have since realized he was making up for the horrendous Goldeneye soundtrack that had come before.

7. Dr. Kaufman is one of my favorite characters in the entire series. Every line and characteristic note is a winner. He also is part of my favorite line exchange in the film.

8. "I'm just a professional doing a job." "Me too."

9. Like I mentioned before, a lot of the action sequences run together near the end of the film, so I will combine these two as one great thing. Jumping from the top of the building using the banner of Carver's face is my favorite stunt in the movie and that leads directly into a unique motorcycle chase where a handcuffed Bond and Wai Lin have to work together to escape.

10. This movie was made at the peak of when there was a renaissance of Hong Kong martial arts featured in Hollywood movies as Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh were introducing us to some wild stunts and fight sequences. So it makes sense that they would give Yeoh her own scene to show off her skills as an action star. We also get some humorous moments as Bond realizes her safe house headquarters also doubles as their version of a Q lab.

11. We haven't had this in a while, but we close out the film with Bond and the main love interest together at sea ready to consummate their victory with a little private time.