Ranking the Bond films

[CMonster]

I haven't seen On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but just listening to that song it sounded pretty Bond-ish. I think all of them have had good themes and most have good original songs for the opening credits. Some of the original songs haven't been very good but a few have been legitimately great. I find that I'll just listen to ones like Live and Let Die and You Know My Name when I'm just jumping through songs that I have.

[Stewball]

I consider 007 to be action movies and little else. Of the ones I've seen, the older ones have not held up well in the action and F/X department, but overall I'd put Skyfall at the bottom. It has an excellent opening sequence (with a non-credible resolution--what did he fall, 500' ? ), that descent leading to my favorite opening credits of all the Bond films, Adel's bland theme song notwithstanding. Goldfinger is still the best in that category IMNTBHO. From there on it continued it's gradual descent into the absurd until it landed on the moors of the Skyfall estate with a thud--er, splat. Javier Bardem didn't show up until halfway through the film, and then he was as flat as hell, making me wonder if I've been overrating his talent.

BTW, anyone notice the identical locations used for the rooftops of Istanbul scenes in this and Taken 2. I wonder if the two companies had to coordinate their shoots. No. A little research reveals that T-2 went first there last November, with Skyfall filming in April this year.

I think Skyfall did so well at the box because of the Bond brand in a year of pretty lame action movies including super-heroes et al. The one exception, and damn near my favorite movie of the year, was The Bourne Legacy which is everything Skyfall isn't, in all areas, especially in the reality department. Javier should have watched Ed Norton in Legacy to see competent evil at work. (Yes, I know, Bond villains are different, but he wasn't that either. I don't know, he just comes across as something of a dolt.)

[td888]

BTW, anyone notice the identical locations used for the rooftops of Istanbul scenes in this and Taken 2. I wonder if the two companies had to coordinate their shoots. No. A little research reveals that T-2 went first there last November, with Skyfall filming in April this year.

Weird. I haven't seen Taken 2 yet, but I am pretty sure this rooftop chase in this location in Istanbul is also present in another movie. I just cannot remember which one.

[ShogunRua]

Javier should have watched Ed Norton in Legacy to see competent evil at work. (Yes, I know, Bond villains are different, but he wasn't that either. I don't know, he just comes across as something of a dolt.)

Yeah, the guy who played Anton Chigurh in "No Country for Old Men" needs to learn how to play a villain from fucking Ed Norton. While we're at it, Jason Statham could take a few action pointers from Shia LaBeouf, right?

[Stewball]

Weird. I haven't seen Taken 2 yet, but I am pretty sure this rooftop chase in this location in Istanbul is also present in another movie. I just cannot remember which one.

Me too. Could it be The International with Clive Owen. It was filmed in part there, but I can't remember if it used the rooftops or not. Overload confusion I guess.

Yeah, the guy who played Anton Chigurh in "No Country for Old Men" needs to learn how to play a villain from fucking Ed Norton. While we're at it, Jason Statham could take a few action pointers from Shia LaBeouf, right?

Why do you think I said I might have been overrating him? Something on a level of Chigurh was what I 'd expected, but doing so made this even worse. You need to get out more son. You haven't seen Lawless,The Expendables (1 or 2), Firefall or The Bourne Legacy. In fact, what WAS the last time you watched a movie--action or otherwise? Who do you suggest as the epitome of the genre, Bruce Lee?

[td888]

Yes, it was the International

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/b ... op-chases/

[ShogunRua]

Why do you think I said I might have been overrating him? Something on a level of Chigurh was what I 'd expected, but doing so made this even worse. You need to get out more son. You haven't seen Lawless,The Expendables (1 or 2), Firefall or The Bourne Legacy.

I need to "get out more" by seeing more movies? And I HAVE seen "The Expendables", so try again, failure. Not sure what it's supposed to show either, since it was a pretty damn mediocre action flick, despite having so many of my favorite actors.

In fact, what WAS the last time you watched a movie--action or otherwise?

I've forgotten more about the action film genre than you will ever know about it. In fact, I have watched 629 films on my account with the "action" tag to your 315, almost exactly twice as much.

Who do you suggest as the epitome of the genre, Bruce Lee?

Charles Bronson, actually.

[xacviant]

Javier Bardem rocked the house in Skyfall. Easily my favorite part of the film.

[Stewball]

Yes, it was the International

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/b ... op-chases/

Thanks, interesting.

I need to "get out more" by seeing more movies? And I HAVE seen "The Expendables", so try again, failure. Not sure what it's supposed to show either, since it was a pretty damn mediocre action flick, despite having so many of my favorite actors.

You were holding up Statham as an example, yet there he is in two Expendables. And for someone so into action, you haven't seen any this year, much less the movies in question. At least I don't see where you've rated them.

I've forgotten more about the action film genre than you will ever know about it. In fact, I have watched 629 films on my account with the "action" tag to your 315, almost exactly twice as much.

Any in the last 10 years? And I dare say I'm probably a lot more discriminating. I still haven't forgotten about Rowan Atkinson who makes Jerry Lewis look like Sir Lawrence Olivier.

Charles Bronson, actually.

Not bad for his day. Now try watching Shia Lebouf in Lawless where he transformes the wimp you're describing into a bad ass. Or BL where Renner does most of his stunts including the bike stuff with Weisz on the back seat, or the ice river opening in Calgary in the winter. Reality is always more impressive. Like I said, you need to get out more or at least watch the video.

Javier Bardem rocked the house in Skyfall. Easily my favorite part of the film.

That's why we score films by the individual, to account for taste.....or the lack thereof. Otherwise we'd only need one person to rate a movie. Javier, following his star turn in NCFOM, showed that an actor playing a villain needs to rely on something more than an ugly face and a really bad blond rug. Of course he has every excuse to not be motivated what with the lack of character development and the pathetic plot circumstances he was required to ......walk through.

[ShogunRua]

You were holding up Statham as an example, yet there he is in two Expendables. And for someone so into action, you haven't seen any this year, much less the movies in question.

Wrong again. I watched Princess (2006), which, among other things, is an incredible action movie anyone who likes the genre should watch;

http://www.criticker.com/film/Princess/

At least I don't see where you've rated them.

Not my fault if you don't know how to use the site after almost 4 years as a registered user. You click on my username, then my "Full Rankings List", and then search for "Expendables".

Any in the last 10 years?

Yeah, quite a few;

http://www.criticker.com/?fl&view=prs&f ... 2003zt2012

And I dare say I'm probably a lot more discriminating.

Wait for it, wait for it....

Charles Bronson, actually.

Not bad for his day. Now try watching Shia Lebouf in Lawless where he transformes the wimp you're describing into a bad ass.

And there we go! I mention Charles Bronson, and Stewball counters with fucking Shia LeBouf, all while telling me he is "more discriminating". What the hell more needs to be said? Stewball, your taste in action films is atrocious, you know and understand virtually nothing about the genre, have watched two times less of it as I have (let alone people like edkrak or TheDenizen), but funniest of all, are really smug about it.

You're a fine example of the Dunning-Kruger effect in action.