​So, if you count up all the girls Bond has been with... it would be a lot. Look, I'm just saying that man needs to just pick a girl and be done with it. Well, Bond is back, and he's got a new girl on his arm. This time the revenge plot is a little more... less Bond revenge and more 006. We've been over this, right? How some other agent is always dying? 

This is no different. In a mission gone wrong, or really right since the bad guys died, 006 is caught in the explosion that kills off their baddie. Fast forward some years and we are back to dealing with was/is left of the KGB. Which, as far as easy target baddies go, isn't terrible.

Bond is following Xenia, a member of the Janus Syndicate, when she murders a Canadian Admiral. With the help of an associate, Xenia steals a fancy helicopter (it can withstand EMPs) and goes to steal something... more valuable. The GoldenEye disk. This controls the GoldenEye weapons satellite, which is kind of bad for bad guys to have. Natalya is the only survivor of the attack, and she's soon betrayed to Janus. This pretty girl is going to need some help to escape.

Bond ends up in Russia around the same time. He's arranged a meeting with Janus, and Xenia is sent to bring him to the man. Or kill him, which she tries to do and fails. Upon meeting Janus, he finds that this crime boss is really the former 006. He plans to get revenge for pretty much everything that has ever happened in his life by using the satellite to completely destroy the Bank of England well... in the process, England too.

And 007 can't have that. So, he and Natalya escape, get captured, escape some more, get captured again, and then defy death. They finally end up at the Satellite's control center in central Cuba. Natalya and Bond plan to disable and destroy it. Xenia meets a fitting end as she tries to kill our master spy. And finally, Bond sends an order to the satellite to re-enter the atmosphere, blowing the sucker up before promptly killing Janus. In the end, Bond and Natalya are still together and the world is saved... for now.

​Only in a James Bond movie can a beautiful wedding turn from a happy celebration to a murder. On the way to his friend, Felix's, wedding, James and the DEA agent are asked to assist in the capture of a notorious drug lord. Because, you know, why not. That's what all people do before they get married right? I mean, if you're in a Bond flick. Having done so, all seems well. Yay to the happy couple afterward and on goes life. 

Just kidding, Sanchez the Drug Lord escaped and as part of his revenge plot he captures Felix and his new wife. When James hears of this he goes back, only to find Felix wounded and his wife dead. Nobody messes with the friends of 007. With some help from Felix's friend, Bond finds the dirty DEA agent and pushes him into the shark tank of a great white (the same that maimed Felix). Turns out the aquarium is where Sanchez was storing some of his cocaine.

Shortly after these events, M orders Bond on another assignment, but he refuses. What's going on James? Instead, M suspends him, and James doesn't like that one bit, so he escapes. Don't worry, while his license to kill has been taken from him, Bond does what he wants and Q, ever the good friend, helps him out. There's unfinished business with Sanchez... so going undercover is the next step to stop him. Bond's attempts at killing the drug lord are foiled though. Bond is caught by Hong Kong Narcotics officers and about to be handed over to an MI6 agent sent to get him. He's saved, ironically, by Sanchez, who still believes he's the assassin he hired, and not the ex-Spy out to kill him.

Slowly, but surely, Bond gains Sanchez's trust. He's soon brought closer to the man after he frames Sanchez's partner, and the other man is murdered. The evil drug lord is dissolving cocaine into petrol and selling it to the Asian Drug dealers, for a handsome price. Before Bond can destroy the operation and escape, however, he's captured and nearly killed. Enter some sexy help, and some more murder, and you have the beginning to the end of a Bond movie. This time, with a car/plane chase. In a fitting ending, though, James and Sanchez end up fighting on a tanker. Sanchez ends up soaked in gasoline, and James pulls a lighter. It was a gift to him from Felix for being the best man. Bye-bye Sanchez!

Of course Bond gets his job back. And while the drug lord's ex-girlfriend is trying to sweep him off of his feet, he goes for the other woman that helped him along the way. It wouldn't be the perfect spy movie if there wasn't just a bit of romance in it. But if you think 007 is settling down with this girl, don't worry, she'll be replaced in Goldeneye.

​Bond is back and so am I (for four more movies after this!). Has anyone noticed that 007 is dealing with the KGB a lot? It’s the easiest bad guy to go with given the era of the movies. But I digress. This was a fun film to watch, and admittedly I’ve not seen a lot of the Bond movies, but I have seen a few. I’m rather enjoying them, not going to lie!
 
So! Our spy of all spies is directed to be a counter sniper in order to protect Koskov, who happens to be a Soviet defector. The former KGB agent has some info, and either way, doesn’t want anything to do with the former union anymore.  However, at a symphony, Koskov is nearly picked off by an assassin, who happens to be a ‘cellist’. Bond shoots the rifle out of her hand and smuggles the former KGB agent out of the country and to a safe house back in Britain. It’s here that Bond learns that there is a new general of the KGB that’s hunting down spies and having them murdered. Mostly British and American spies. This is probably why 004 was killed, because it’s not a Bond movie if another agent isn’t being murdered.
 
Koskov is taken shortly after that, and it’s 007’s job to hunt down this elusive Pushkin. Yep, that’s the evil guy’s name. Upon meeting this Pushkin, though, the stories get a bit… funny. Pushkin has Bond doubting Koskov and his defection and story. There’s only one way to solve this debate. Find the hot cellist. Hot cellists always have the answers. Kara, as it turns out her real name is, is actually Koskov’s girlfriend. Yeah, the plot thickens! Bond convinces her to leave with them with the false story of reuniting them. All while the KGB tries to kill them.
 
So, Pushkin meets with some arms dealers that Koskov knew, only to cancel some deal the two of them had. You know, bad guy stuff. Just as Bond and his MI6 people find out about the deal going on between Koskov and said arms dealers, Koskov has Bond’s MI6 friend murdered. Yes, literally, at this point I was like “WHAT?” because Pushkin might have been telling the truth. Koskov is evading arrest by their government for money embezzlement. Our supposed bad guy is really a good guy and turns to Bond’s side. Only, our Bond Girl, Kara, is… not so on board. She gets in contact with Koskov, who lies even more. He’s convinced her fully that Bond is really a KGB agent, and that it’s her job to bring the spy to him.
 
Never trust the bad guy! Even if he is your “boyfriend”. As predicted, Koskov betrays Kara and locks her away with 007. But our spy of spies should never be underestimated. Of course, they escape, taking some new allies with them. It’s another aerial battle where a bomb is involved, activated, deactivated, activated again. People fall to their death, and in the end, Bond saves the day. Koskov is arrested by Pushkin, and Kara becomes lead cellist in the London symphony.  And don’t worry… Bond always gets the girl. That is until Licence to Kill.

​I couldn't just let the boys have all the fun! James Bond is the spy of all spies. Every spy movie in the history of spy movies will forever be compared to James Bond's adventures. He's suave, seductive, and knows what to say. This spy has gotten out of more scrapes than any other. You can't hear 007 without thinking of the that catchy theme song. Let's face it, these movies are not only iconic, but engrained in pop culture so well, we even make spoofs and other movies in his image. Played by many actors, it's theorized that 007 isn't just a man, but a title given to an agent that can handle the impossible. Regardless of the title of not, James Bond is more than just a man or a name, he is a legend.

In A View to a Kill James faces a few murder attempts and uncovers a plot that would flood all of Silicon Valley. When our infamous spy is sent to Siberia to find the body of 003, he retrieves a microchip found in the dead agent. According to Q, it's a special microchip built by Zorin Industries designed to withstand EMP's. Well, it's off to find this infamous man and his sexy sidekick. A horse race resulting in a strangely hyped-up Horse nearly gets Bond Killed. Seems these chips have adrenaline in them that pumps the hosts full of the chemical. Zorin is really a KGB trained agent gone rogue, and his hottie May Day has no problem killing Bond and the agent he was with. But Bond survives, because he's Bond, James Bond.

Two things fuel Bond villains, money and revenge. Zorin is all about the money, and the hot girls. Zorin's plan is simple, create a monopoly. Sometimes some things can just be solved with explosives. The investors Zorin has found are strangely interested in blowing up Silicon Valley in order to be the leading company in microchip manufacturing. It's a brilliant plot... with the help of the CIA, though, Bond learns that not only is Zorin KGB, he's also genetically enhanced by an ex-Nazi scientist. That makes him the perfect Bond villain, right?

Well, it turns out Zorin is also crazy. He ends up flooding the mines after he has bombs set up in Silicon Valley, just as Bond and his CIA friend find out what's going on. May Day is sent in to kill the two, but she quickly finds that loyalties run thin when it comes to her man. In a rare turn of events, she takes the massive bomb that would cause the most damage and puts it in a car before riding out of the mines with it. The resulting detonation kills her but saves 007. Shortly, the fight turns aerial. Bond is fighting Zorin while the CIA agent takes on the evil Investors. If ever there is a classic Bond Villain Death, it has to be falling from blimps, planes, and so on. Well, that's how Zorin goes. And before we know it, the fight is over. James Bond has saved the day, and while Zorin had framed him for murder earlier, he's ruined the plans of an evil mad man.

Yes, the classic Spy of Spies has not only saved the day but stopped a plot to destroy Silicon Valley and saved countless lives. Not only is 007 a hero, but he’s also often gone through hell and back from movie to movie. That's why I liked this one, Bond goes from spy, to framed killer, to hero in just the span of over an hour. Fear not, Bond lives to tell the tale, and more importantly… handle another world ending crisis in The Living Daylights next!

​Being knocked out before he can go through with his plan, Bond finds himself in Khan’s palace on the hill. Watching and listening, he finds out that Orlov is running a jewelry theft ring. After escaping this discovery in classic Bond fashion, 007 is drawn to the Floating Island where no men are allowed and is inhabited by beautiful women. Drawn to this opportunity, Bond is able to sneak onto the island and meets with Octopussy, the leader of the group of performers and finds out that he and Octopussy have a little bit of history together. After Orlov finds out what is happening between the two, he puts a hit on Bond, hoping to get him out of the way, but Bond is not to be swayed and will stick the course as long as he can.

Finding some of his helpers dead, Bond follows Octopussy to Germany where the real plan is set to take place. Orlov has all of the diamonds in his possession and is ready to make his move while leaving Octopussy in the dust. Making a switch of train cars that should be keeping the diamonds safe, Octopussy is given an atomic bomb that is set to go off before her latest show ends, but 007 is wiser and finds out the plot before Orlov can follow through. Getting into the circus disguised as a clown, Bond has to convince all of the members of rank in the crowd that they will be blown away unless they listen to him, 007 has to defuse the bomb, along with find out where Octopussy is being held and rescue her before it is too late.

This movie holds a very special place in my heart for two reasons, one, Maud Adams returns for her second run as a Bond woman and the second, well, it features the circus which should be everyone’s second home. I also like the group that was brought in to help Bond on his adventures, especially Vijay who is able to fight off Khan’s henchmen with nothing more than a tennis racket. Khan has plenty of help at his disposal as well and his main enforcer Gobinda is a beast and even though he is not Jaws, he does a fine job in making his presence known. Along with the gadgets getting a little more advanced, you get to see where the series is trying to go and even with some of the worst innuendos, it is just a joy. And I think that Q even got some play, so that is a huge plus going forward since Bond was partially the reason for it. Until next time, keep it Shaken, not Stirred.

When it comes to the many iconic franchises that happen to be out there, every single person fondly remembers their first experience with that particular world. Because there's something incredible about meeting the rich characters and delving into that universe for the first time, and often times there are elements from that first experience that you hold onto every single time a new adventure pops up in the series. 

For me, that first experience when it came to the James Bond franchise, happened with For Your Eyes Only. I had never heard of the character or the series when I was a young lad and it wasn't until my teenage years that I happened to catch this movie on cable and lo and behold, I was hooked. I had to know more about this character, learn what made him so badass, everything, so imagine my surprise when I came to discover how long the franchise had been running at the time and how vastly different this particular Bond tale differed from the rest of the Roger Moore era.

After all, Roger Moore is more or less known as the fun Bond, the guy who had the cheekiest of one liners, the craziest of gadgets and perhaps the wildest of adventures, and if you need any further proof of this, never forget that Roger Moore is the only Bond in the series to venture into outer space. But I digress because while many still see Moore as the silly Bond, this is the film that to me, cements him as a top-notch actor in the role, simply because this one took some serious risks with how the character was portrayed and well, Roger is absolutely fantastic in this particular film. 

This Bond adventure is far more subdued because the plot removes us from grand adventures and instead places us square in the middle of a classic spy tale, one worthy of the Connery days and one that is heavily mired in darkness and revenge. After all, the stakes are high in this one since it's a race against time to bring the A.T.A.C. home before the Russians can get their hands on it and wreak havoc with it and I was always a fan of the strength and fury that comes from Melina Havelock and her plot for revenge. It makes for a compelling tale and while the critics of past and present see it as a so-so entry in the Bond film, it reminded us of one simple fact... Bond is a spy, a man off the grid in many ways who is charged with keeping the peace at any cost necessary. 

It was that rawness to the film and the visceral nature that came with it that made me instantly fall in love with the character and the franchise and the low fi approach to the whole thing makes this a vital entry in the series. Bond was no longer a man on silly adventures, he was a tough as nails spy once again and I would venture to say that this film laid the groundwork for the Bond that we see today. The coldness of Bond, his quick thinking and willingness to make tough sacrifices, all those elements are present here. If anything, it's a shame this film doesn't quite get all the respect it deserves. It allowed Roger Moore to finally show off his full range as an actor, and it made James Bond relatable for the first time ever and for all the reasons I've listed above... that's why this film remains one of my all-time favorites in the series.

Space, the final frontier… well maybe not for long since we are in the early stages of space travel for everyone. This is such a cool idea, and I would like to be on one of these flights before my time is up. Being weightless, floating around and seeing the world from afar might be a good way to put things into perspective overall. Then being able to crush it between your fingers, like what you do with people’s heads. Anyway, it is a great unknown for so many people and I truly hope everyone gets to experience it in one way or another.

007 has been called back into action again, but this time to find out what happened to the Moonraker shuttle craft that was being delivered to the British government. While all signs show to a hijacking, Bond must talk with the head of Drax Industries to find out if anyone has a beef with them. Meeting with Hugo Drax, Bond gets the rundown about how the shuttles are produced and where everything comes from. As Drax tells him, he only uses and recruits the best materials and people from around the world and Bond quickly sees this when Drax’s lady count rivals his own.

Being able to sneak into Drax’s office, Bond snaps a couple shots of blueprints that lead him to believe that there is something more sinister going on behind the scenes. Finding designs for space globes that will house something, Bond takes his investigation to Venice and finds a familiar face. Dr. Holly Goodhead is on the hunt for knowledge as well but will not come clean about what her true purpose is. Seeing that Drax’s air fleet is taking off every hour with full cargo loads, Bond has to find out where the globes are being transported to since they house a very potent poison that can kill upon being released. Pumping Dr. Goodhead for information about where the fleet is going, Bond sees her tickets for Rio in the hotel room and decides to take a sabbatical there as well.

Arriving during carnival, Bond tries his hardest to blend in and he is not alone as Jaws has come along for the ride as well. Finding that Drax is working off of the Amazon River, Bond tries to find the base before Drax, and his band find him. Arriving at an old temple, Bond spies a beauty out of the corner of his eye and follows her. Before he knows it, he is in Drax’s hideout and needs to find a way to escape and race to space and stop the mad man from killing all of the humans on the planet with his toxin. With the help of Dr. Goodhead, the two are able to secure a flight and are transported to Drax’s secret space station where he plans to observe the end of the world from. Bond knows that he and Goodhead cannot take down the villain on their own and disable the radar jamming device that has been hiding the space station from the world. Getting assistance from Earth, a space battle ensues, but they are still in a race against time since Drax has been able to launch several of his globes of death towards the planet.

I know most of the Bond movies have some unbelievable things happening in them and Moonraker is a great example of this. I love the space battle that takes place and how full of spunk Dr. Holly Goodhead is towards her new love. You also get two boat chases back on Earth, one in the Venice Causeways and the other up the Amazon River. I don’t understand the fascination of boat chases, but I do like them, and they work well for the story. Then there is Jaws who looks larger than life and when he actually has a little story of his own that does not involve killing people. “Here’s to us”, he finally had a line! The Q Branch is becoming more of a thing as well with new weapons and gadgets for Bond to keep himself safe and not return in pristine order. As the Bond story continues to grow, so does the production value of the movies. Even though you are sent off to space, you have one of the most dramatic scenes shot back on Earth and even though you do not see the payoff, you just have to leave it to your imagination. Always remember, keep it Shaken, not Stirred.

​The two are still competing for the microfilm for their governments and although Bond has the upper hand for a short time, he loses the race. Arriving at MI6’s Egypt office, Bond is shocked to find out that the competing agencies will be joining forces to find and destroy the submarine tracker and they find that all signs are pointing towards Karl Stromberg and a cover story has to be formulated quickly to meet the rich man. Posing as a sea biologist, Bond is able to enter the depths of the research lab but is not able to gain all of the facts he needs. Seeing a model for Stromberg’s new tanker, the Liparus, the largest tanker in the ocean, Bond and Anya know that there is something fishy going on.

Needing to get another look at Stromberg’s facility, Bond and Anya find themselves being chased by several different employees and are able to find a safe place under the water. Seeing designs of what is to come, the two find themselves being flown to a local American sub that has located the Liparus. With the search in full effect, it turns out the Liparus is actually the hunter and swallows the sub. With the other two missing submarines in its hull, Stromberg is ready to take his plan to the next level by sending out his newly acquired killing machines to take out two of the largest cities in the world: New York and Moscow. Knowing this, Bond, Anya and the crews of the hijacked submarines are in a race against time to disable the subs before they are able to make the world above the water uninhabitable. 

Although I don’t like the story as much as I should, I do love this movie for two reasons. One, the beginning takes place in Egypt, and I have always loved seeing and reading about this region ever since I was a young child. The second, Anya Amasova (Agent XXX), Barbara Bach has to be the most beautiful Bond woman that has ever blessed the screen. With my crush out of the way, you also have Jaws running amuck and trying to kill everyone in his path. I am a sucker for Jaws as well since he is a force to be reckoned with and for some reason, he is not able to die. This is the villain that should scare you the most, with his power and metal teeth, his ‘grill’ is the best in the business. This movie also has a much lighter tone to it when it comes to the comedy, one liners and even the sound track when Bond raises his eyebrows. Keep watching and remember to keep it Shaken, not Stirred.  (They actually say it in this movie!)

There are many times in life that you may feel like you are undervalued for what you can really do. During these times, you may think about moving, changing jobs, or just starting over. With your skill set, there is always a way to cater to it better and you know what they say: if you don’t love your job, it is time to get a new one. Although a job is a job, if you are miserable in doing it, it may not be the correct one for you.

James Bond gets called into M’s office under grave importance, a warning has been sent in. A golden bullet with 007 etched into it is a calling card from Francisco Scaramanga, the highest paid assassin on the planet and this means he is telling all who his next target will be. Bond is familiar with Scaramanga and needs to find out who has paid to have him killed by this man, but his investigation takes him in much deeper than he could have expected. Finding out who manufactured the last golden bullet that killed one of his co-workers, Bond gets to travel to the Far East to continue his search for the killer.

After being persuasive enough to find out where the next drop of golden bullets are being delivered, Bond tracks Andrea Anders to her hotel and finds out when Scaramanga’s next hit will take place. While waiting to find the assassin, Bond is surprised to find out that he was not really the target. After a long night of pumping Andrea for information, Bond finds himself in Hong Kong posing as Scaramanga, but little does he know that his cover is blown while in a dojo and he must fight his way to safety. With the help of China’s branch of secret agents, Bond is able to find his way out, but Scaramanga is still out and on the hunt. After trying to pump Andrea for more information about the assassin’s whereabouts, Bond is surprised to have the Scaramanga sitting right next to him.

With Andrea dead and Scaramanga happy with his work, Bond wants nothing more than to see the assassin dead at his hands. After recovering the Solex from his past lover, Bond passes it on to his assistant Goodnight, but her agency training will not allow her to stand idly by. Trying to put a tracker on Scaramanga’s car, she finds herself trapped in the truck with no way of escape. Being flown to a remote island in China’s sea, she is a captive of the killer, but Bond has a plan to get her and the Solex back for MI6. 007’s entrance is not a surprise for Scaramanga who is expecting him and instead of being ready to kill the secret agent, he is filled with admiration for Bond. Seeing Bond as his equal, Scaramanga shows 007 what he has been trying to perfect, the harnessing of solar power and how the Solex ties into his plan. After a tasty lunch is eaten, Bond decides that it is time to part ways with his gracious host and is ready to perform the act that he gets paid little to do while on the job, kill the assassin and return the Solex to MI6.

This might not be one of my favorite stories in the Bond series, but it has a great villain in the form of Scaramanga who gets paid a million dollars a hit and who rarely misses. He also has a great helper, Nick Nack who may be looking to take over the business but cannot bring himself to kill his master. Instead, he pays other assassins to try. As you travel through China, you get a little car chase scene, but another great boat chase for the ages. Then you get to see Sheriff J. W. Pepper on his vacation trying to help Bond stop Scaramanga as well, one of the first times a non-MI6 character has reprised a role in a 007 movie. But my favorite part of the movie is in Scaramanga’s killing fun house that he has laid out on the island. As he admits he was raised in the circus, he knows the ins and outs and makes life much more difficult for those trying to harm him on his own turf. Until next time, keep it Shaken, not Stirred.

​A new Bond is here and here to stay. Roger Moore has taken the reigns from Sean Connery and turned 007 into more of a wise cracking hero than anyone could ever expect. With dead pan deliveries for some of the worst one liners, Moore is the new James Bond and the fans will forever feel that this is the way 007 should be played, he has the deliveries, the mannerisms and most importantly, the draw for both men and women to fall in love with and not feel bad about it.

After getting called back from his foreign affairs case, Bond is sent up to New York City to investigate a strange murder and he knows that he is in the right place when his driver gets killed. Being able to track the license plate of a pimp mobile, Bond winds up in a Fillet of Soul restaurant that does not cater to his type of crowd. Being swung into a gangster’s den, Bond makes eyes with the young woman sitting at a table reading her tarot cards. Introducing herself as Solitaire, Bond has found a new interest, but will have little time to pursue it when he is sent out to the alley to be shot.

Being able to escape with the help of a Harlem agent, Bond needs to find out more about Mr. Big and what his operations really are. Flying to San Monique to track a drug dealer named Kananga, Bond is greeted by a young double agent that is pretending to be his wife. Although he does not know what her game is, he is willing to roll the dice and see where it takes him. With a voodoo show going on outside of the bungalow, the practice is very strong in this region and with so many believers of it, many people will not dare to cross the living dead behind it. Finding that Kananga is about to distribute two million pounds of heroin in the United States, free of charge, Bond has to find a way to stop it. Confronting Kananga, Bond finds out that he is out matched and will have to find a way back to the States before the drugs are able to.

Trying to lay low in New Orleans, Bond is found quickly by Kananga and Solitaire is taken from his grasp. Being taken back to her home to be dealt with, Solitaire has lost her ability to read the cards and is of no further use to Kananga and his needs. Wanting to sacrifice her to the undead Baron Samedi, Bond will have to find a way to cause a distraction big enough to keep the ritual from going through. With little help on his side, Bond has to depend on his wits, his smarts and his winning personality to save the girl and more importantly, save himself.

I do have many movies that I fall in love with, and this is one of them. I do have a soft spot for the practice of voodoo in movies, along with dealing with the occult, but this movie brought it to life, and I have fallen for the cast. With Yaphet Kotto as Kananga/Mr. Big, Geoffrey Holder as Baron Samedi and Julius Harris as Tee Hee, this movie was destined to be a hit from the very beginning. Not to mention the recurring members of the Bond franchise. But the baddies made this movie great and believable from so many seasoned actors that you have spotted at least once in movies prior or after this one came out. Then not to forget a young Jane Seymour who just made you wonder if having your cards read was really not the right thing to do. Then you have one of the greatest water boat chase scenes in history on display and poor Sheriff Pepper is not able to believe his eyes when he loses his squad car to a misplaced boat by the bayou. This movie has so much fun, so much action and so much…. well, it is a Bond movie so you should be able to fill in the blank there. Just keep it Shaken, not Stirred.