("The Name Is Bond... James Bond" at the 0:00-0:35 mark plays as we see a glass containing a drink on a tray while heading to a blackjack table; as it makes its way, a card lands on it, and when it reaches the table, A man takes both and reads what's on the card)
A Man:
Terribly sorry, but I must leave while I have my winnings. (Cut to a beautiful woman played by Julia Alexa Miller as she takes a drink.)
The Beautiful Woman:
A shame, I won't be able to reclaim what I lost from you, Mister.... (Cut to James Faraci dressed as James Bond)
TLOTA:
The Name's Faraci...(James drinks the drink in one gulp) James Faraci The Last Of The Americans (James slams the glass on the table as it cuts to a James Bond-esque opening at the 0:35-2:42 mark of "The Name Is Bond...James Bond". Cut to James as he morphs into The Last Of The Americans and heads to his office as "The Name is Bond...James Bond" finishes.)
I'm James Faraci, The Last Of The Americans, and the views that I'm about to express are that of my own and some of yours, the fact that the James Bond movies have been around for 60 years has surprised me! (Cut to various James Bond movies as James does a voiceover.)
But the fact he has endured so much, including being re-casted five times since Sean Connery was cast by Albert "Cubby" Broccoli's ION Productions, and that's not counting all the different other actors in the likes of Audio Dramas and Other Media, this character has become a group of characters that everyone on the planet knows about. His movies through the decades have been hit and miss and that seems to be a weird thing for a Spy with a license to kill to have. But today, I am celebrating him by counting down 10 of my favorite movies featuring OO7. (Cut to James physically)
Now Spoilers will be at a minimum, I will not be going in chronological order and all of these are my choices. So enjoy your favorite drink, Shaken Not Stirred. These are my Top Ten favorite James Bond Movies. (Cut to a panning gun barrel as it goes left to right as it finds James Faraci dressed as James Bond as the James Bond Theme by John Barry plays and James reenacts the James Bond Gun barrel moment and after the OO7 Logo is shown and on the top of the logo are the words "Top OO10 Favorite" and under the logo is the word "Movies". Cut to the gun barrel as it goes right to the left before reaching the center and the Number is shown.)
Number 10 (Cut to the movie as James does a voiceover)
This was where Daniel Craig should have ended his run as James Bond because A) He was at his best in this performance. B) It felt like the natural stepping-off point for this version of James Bond and C) They had put a lot of the older continuity into the universe which includes the character of Ernst Stavro Blofeld played this time by Christoph Waltz. I found a lot to like about this movie. Especially the lengths James had to discover the truth and complete the mission. I would tell you how twisted it is but it would be spoiling everything and this is one time where I can't in good conscience tell you everything because it is so intense you need to see it for yourself.
Number 9 (Cut to the movie as James does a voiceover)
A long time ago on MySpace, I was dismissive of this movie when I talked about the Timothy Dalton James Bond movies. However, as time has gone on I have begun to like this movie. Timothy Dalton does have a charm and wit when it comes to James Bond however what keeps that charm is the intensity that the producers wanted Dalton to exude. While yes Bond is supposed to have an intensity, he is also supposed to have a charm and be a gentleman of sorts. While I put this movie on as more of a guilty pleasure, this was also the slowest burning Bond Film to enjoy.
Number 8 (Cut to the movie as James does a voiceover)
Yeah, Pierce Brosnan's final outing as James Bond may have been joke-filled because it was trying to hold its own against the Austin Powers films. However, as it had been talked about by Mathew "Film Brain" Buck and others, the real equal this franchise had was The Bourne Movies. But to me, there were so many likable goofy moments and they're balanced out by the drama of James Bond having been burned by MI-6 and having to reclaim his OO status and his job. All the while trying to figure out who it was that caused his initial mission to fail and for Bond to be imprisoned in North Korea for eighteen months. Was it the best way for Brosnan to bow out of Bond? No. Is there any good in this movie yes! And I strongly suggest you check it out. If for no other reason than just because it is the most fun James Bond Movie I've seen.
Number Double O 7 (Cut to the movie as James does a voiceover)
This to me is Pierce Brosnan's, James Bond at its finest the story is so layered and involved that it had to begin in what could've been thrown away. The intro scenes. The characters have a purpose! The plot involves an industrial oil line and how it could shape the west. And a lot of the things mentioned still hold up. However, I must address the elephant in the room, Denise Richards! I am willing to suspend my disbelief about someone who is good-looking and can be a nuclear scientist. Denise's acting? Not as good. It should sound like she is serious about the subject matter, but it sounded like she was bored when it came out of her. But still, she was a decent Bond Girl. What really makes the movie good and bad is the humor. I get that Austin Powers' popularity was on the rise while he was making fun of the classic version of James Bond. So what was James Bond's producers' response? Add some more humor into the mix. Not saying there weren't humorous moments but this was tipping from like the right balance of humor to say "Die Another Day" levels of bad humor. The best jokes came from Zukovsky, played by Robbie Coltraine. He could turn an ordinary one-liner and make it awesome! As much as everything else works, if for no other reason, watch this movie just to see Robbie Coltraine!
Number 6 (Cut to the movie as James does a voiceover)
Yep, another Pierce Brosnan Bond movie but this is the last one. After Goldeneye showed Pierce's natural charisma as James Bond. We get more of the character's nuances and more of what made Pierce Brosnan a perfect James Bond for the time. He had gotten the darkness of Dalton while being as somewhat serious as Moore. He brought his own sensibilities to the role while bringing in the suave attitude of Connery all while putting making Bond a more evolved character than he had been. Plot-wise this James Bond film has to stop a media mogul from creating a war that would cause billions of deaths. And to be fair (Cut to everyone in Team TLOTA to say "To Be Fair" in the same way "Letterkenny" does it. Cut back to the movie as James does a voiceover.) Given the people who now run the media, it wouldn't surprise me if they wanted it just so people can be influenced to think what the media says is true and individual thought is considered forbidden. So I thank you for taking down the media before it caused an even bigger war.
When I heard the title for Daniel Craig's initial outing as Bond, I was weary I had seen the Peter Sellers spoof, and a lot of people were wondering how well Daniel would be. To my surprise, he was actually a great James Bond in this movie. The follow-ups, not so much. I really put this as Daniel Craig at his Bond best and while the movie was nothing like The Peter Sellers spoof. This is the most grounded James Bond movie I've ever seen. If you have seen it, then you know how intense and how amazing it is. If you haven't, then you need to see it.
After the end of the 1980s the Bond Franchise and by extension James Bond was "M" played in this movie and in future installments by Dame Judi Dench said best "A Sexist, Misogynist, Dinosaur, A Relic of the Cold War." and it was clear that the franchise needed a break. By the mid-1990s classic Bond style was getting back in style and we needed a new Bond film. And after a decade's wait, Pierce Brosnan after having to recuse himself from The Living Daylights was able to sign on to breathe a new breath into the venerated franchise, and Pierce Brosnan did right by giving James Bond the evolution that was dying to come out. And in this movie, it was clear that Bond was Back and better than ever, and everything that people had hoped would happen. It was topical enough to be relevant, classy enough to be entertaining, and right from the get-go Pierce Brosnan got James Bond and it worked in the movie's favor. If you haven't seen it, then you better because most of the modern Bond was started right here! I know most of this list is praise to Brosnan but before he came on board, the franchise was for all intent and purposes dead! It had lost itself to what it was and lost touch with its audience. Pierce Brosnan deserves to be respected as an amazing actor!
This movie set a lot of templates for future James Bond films. The classic theme song, Outlandish plots, over-the-top villains, daring adventures, beautiful women, and of course a Medium Dry Vodka Martini with a lemon peel garnish, Shaken not Stirred. It has become a classic and if you haven't seen it before you see any of the others on or off this list then I HIGHLY suggest you see what brought James Bond out of the literary world and into the mainstream and what gave us the iconic Late Sean Connery.
I know for many Roger Moore's final outing as OO7 is not his best. But a lot of what made the movie work goes to the writing, the Bond Girl of Stacey Sutton played by the late Tonya Roberts. The Humor was well-timed and of course, CHRISTOPHER FRICKING WALKEN IS THE BAD GUY! CHRISTOPHER WALKEN! THAT AUTOMATICALLY RAISES THE BAR FOR THIS BOND FILM FROM BEING A (Cut to The Batman Returns clip of Max Schreck saying "Yawn". Cut to A View To A Kill. as James does a voiceover) into something more entertaining than it would've been. If for no other reason than for Christopher Walken then there's no reason for you to see this movie. Roger Moore's final outing as OO7 is my favorite Bond Film and to me, my favorite James Bond movie I have seen, thus far. (Cut to James physically)
Are there any Bond films that you think are better? Let Me know in the comments section! Next time, is my ninth anniversary and I think I shall take on a Quest For Peace. If that's not the least subtle of hints I had for what I am reviewing then I don't know what is. I'm James Faraci The Last Of The Americans and That's My Opinion!