For those of you that have only seen the most recent James Bond films -- "Casino Royale," "Quantum of Solace" and "Skyfall" -- there's a whole history you're missing out on. Sure, Daniel Craig is awesome. But if you want to see some real super-spy action, you need to take a trip into film history.
The James Bond franchise began with "Dr. No" in 1962. Sean Connery stepped up to the plate to play 007 for the first time. While "Dr. No" was successful, it wasn't until "Goldfinger" (1964) that the series really took off. Here's a definitive ranking of the top five Bond flicks to date - for your eyes only.
1. "From Russia With Love" (1963)
Perhaps one of the best Cold War movies, "From Russia With Love" follows Bond as he tries to get Russian technology away from the wrong hands. Bond also deals with Spectre, an organization that is full of Bond's villains (like Goldfinger and Dr. No). From a fantastic plot and exotic locations, "From Russia With Love" is everything a Bond film should be, and certainly one of the best.
2. "Goldfinger" (1964)
This time, 007 sets out to prevent Auric Goldfinger from breaking into Fort Knox. James also plays a sneaky game of golf with Goldfinger, and encounters Odd Job (the guy with the killer hat - literally). With a killer theme song (listen here) and tons of memorable lines (James - "Do you expect me to talk?" Goldfinger - "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!"). "Goldfinger" is a classic movie all around.
3. "Live and Let Die" (1973)
One the best parts about this 007 adventure is its theme song, written by Paul McCartney and the Wings (listen here). The plot is also pretty exciting - Roger Moore makes his debut as Bond, James Bond, and takes the audience on a action-packed ride starting in New Orleans. This movie definitely has a seventies spin on it that moves the series forward, including a new actor and sense of humor.
4. "Goldeneye" (1995)
Pierce Brosnan makes his debut as the sleek MI6 agent in a flick that's high-tech and action packed. In this installment, 007 is assigned to find one of MI6's own - Agent 006 turned bad (and played by Sean Bean). This was also the first Bond movie not to take elements from Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond novels.
5. "Skyfall" (2012)
Daniel Craig takes his third stab at 007, with an Oscar-winning title song by Adele (jam out to it here). Undercover agents all over the world are being exposed by internet terrorists, causing turmoil inside and out of MI6. This is by far the best Daniel Craig Bond movie yet, bringing back elements of the old Bond flicks (like the Aston Martin, wittier humor, and a knockout theme song, among others). If you're planning on seeing "Spectre" anytime soon, at least see "Skyfall" first - there are some things you need to know!
If "Spectre" is anything like "Skyfall," it should make the 'best of Bond' list!