Daniel Craig as James Bond in the film Casino Royale.
Goldfinger (1964)
The third Bond film was the first to glide along on the self-satisfied confidence that drives this franchise. Defined the template for all the films to follow.
A scene from the movie Goldfinger.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
All due respect to Sean Connery, he wasn't the Bond of my childhood - Roger Moore was. The Moore films upped the action ante considerably and set the bar for modern blockbusters. This gets in for the Union Jack parachute alone.
The Living Daylights (1987)
I'm one of those people who think that Dalton never got the respect he deserved. Craig is getting praise for doing things with the character that Dalton was doing back in the '80s.
Casino Royale (2006)
New Zealand-born director Martin Campbell's second successful reboot of the franchise (he also helmed Pierce Brosnan's debut, 1995's Goldeneye) show definitively that Bond could hold his own against Jason Bourne and Ethan Hunt.
A scene from the movie Casino Royale.
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Like I said above, I'm a sucker for the Roger Moore Bond films. This one is quite ridiculous at times, but the action - including the awesome mountain-climbing finale - rules. Also any Bond film that features skiing gets extra points in my books.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
This list could easily be entirely comprised of the Pierce Brosnan films, but I'm only going to pick on two. Denise Roberts as a character called Christmas Jones and Robert Carlyle's damp-squib villain are only two of the problems in a movie that contains not one decent action set-piece.
Die Another Day (2002)
The final nail in the Pierce Brosnan coffin, this took the tinny weightlessness that defined Remington Steele's tenure to new lows, then added an invisible car.
A scene from the movie Die Another Day.
Octopussy (1983)
Even a Moore fan like me has his limits - trapeze artist assassins is one of them. Bond in a clown suit is another. This is the film most guilty of the flaccidness that the Roger Moore films are often (incorrectly) accused of possessing.
A scene from the movie Octopussy.
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Lured back to the franchise by mountains of cash after the underrated On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) failed to sell George Lazenby as a plausible replacement, you can sense Connery's lack of emotional investment in his performance. Also that moon buggy chase infuriates me for reasons I'll never understand.
Live And Let Die (1973)
The early '70s were not a great time for James Bond. Roger Moore's debut in the role has some cool stunts but felt unfocused for a Bond film. He soon found his feet though. I even rate Moonraker. And A View To A Kill. Just sayin'.
- nzherald.co.nz
New York Times: When you're begrudgingly charmed by Netflix holiday films.