5 Best James Bond Movies You Should Rewatch Before the End of the Era
The franchise has recently passed into the hands of Amazon MGM after a signed deal with Barbara Broccoli.
Get ready to say goodbye to James Bond as we know him since, well, the 1960s. The franchise has been long run by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli who have just shocked the entire world with their common decision to step away, letting Amazon MGM take full control over the intellectual property rights of Bondiana.
One of the most recognised and acclaimed movie series in the history of cinema, James Bond’s films remained one of the last classic touches in the industry of today, so it might be right to give the franchise’s best movies another rewatch before Bondiana gets new and completely different instalments.
From Russia with Love (1963)
The movie is based on Ian Fleming’s novel of the same name which is universally considered one of the finest in the entire series, so it’s no wonder From Russia with Love became a cinematic masterpiece too.
Starring Sean Connery as the lead character, the film unfolds its events during the Cold War and offers a slow-burn spy thriller with complex villains. Out of the entire collection of movies following James Bond on his missions, From Russia with Love is undeniably one of the most compelling stories centring on the character on the unknown territory with no one around to trust.
Casino Royale (2006)
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Released back in 2006, Casino Royale started it all for a new and most recent era of James Bond now masterfully portrayed by Daniel Craig.
Though the series eventually went into its own and a bit different direction, the Craig-led films remained faithful to Fleming’s idea, becoming, without an exaggeration, some of the best movies in Bondiana.
Additionally, the actor’s fresh approach to the character was another reason for the film to receive universal acclaim, paving the way for Craig’s appearances in future installments for the upcoming 15 years.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Based on Fleming’s book of the same name, The Spy Who Loved Me came as a saviour for its original source material since the latter stayed away from the main idea of the entire series and thus didn’t quite impress the fans.
In the movie, the storyline shown from a female perspective worked completely differently though, uplifted by epic cinematic sequences, humor, compelling plot line and the soundtrack that gets stuck in your head for a long time after the film’s run is over.
Goldfinger (1964)
Coming off the success of From Russia with Love, Goldfinger stars Sean Connery in his second James Bond movie and, honestly, the best one. Considered the finest work in the entire franchise by many, Goldfinger was a groundbreaking piece in the cinema history and remains a pop cultural phenomenon more than 60 years later.
The movie also has Connery delivering one of his most powerful performances in the entire career, cementing Goldfinger’s status as one of those flicks that are just perfect from head to toe.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Remaining one of the most ignored movies of Bondiana throughout decades, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, luckily, regained its position with time and became a beloved instalment.
Apart from numerous action-packed scenes, the movie offers its viewers a no less compelling romance between Bond and Tracy which comes with its own complications and controversies.
Additionally, the film is so sophisticated in the James Bond lore that even the franchise’s latest instalment No Time to Die obviously took some inspiration from its predecessor, though wasn’t bold enough to make direct references.