James Beckett
@kickthebeckett
He/Him. I'm a critic and podcaster for sites like @AnimeNewsNetwork. Godzilla Stan. World's #1 Lightning Returns apologist.
16. LICENCE TO KILL (1989) Yes. Hell Yes. Absolutely. Pretty much everything about this rules. Pam is one of the best Bond Girls ever, and they even give Q his biggest supporting role of the whole series. It's a damned shame Dalton only got to play Bond twice, but what a hell of a run. 4.5/5 Stars
If only we could go back in time and warn Munch about the precedent he was unknowingly setting
The Inept Villainess must be protected and cherished at all costs.
15. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987) Okay, so Timothy Dalton is a goddamn incredible James Bond. Maybe my favorite of the 4 actors so far. While the shaggy plot of TLD caused the movie to run out of steam by the end, I love that this actually felt like a proper *spy* thriller. 3.5/5 Stars
I hate to break it to everyone, but the Japanese Godzilla flicks have the market cornered when it comes to "annoying ass human characters who get in the way of...fighting monsters & destroying shit." Shin Goji and Minus One are the outliers when it comes to decent character writing
I need to give The Green Yuri another chance. I read Vol. 1 years ago, loved the art, loved the music scene elements, but something about the pacing and layout of the chapters just didn't jive with me
My updated ranking of the first half of the Bond Era, from DR. NO to A VIEW TO A KILL
14. A VIEW TO A KILL (1985) So, I actually ended up enjoying this one a lot! It's shallow and breezy, sure, and the first act with all the horse stuff is a bit weird, but Grace Jones and Christopher Walken are the best heavies in ages, we've got the best theme since Live and Let Die. 3.5/5
#13. OCTOPUSSY (1983) Oh, thank God, Moore's 007 is back to going on campy, ridiculous capers. I liked OCTOPUSSY more than I expected, even if the plot was a bit naff. Setting the first two acts in India was a brilliant move, and I didn't even mind the crazy circus bullshit. 3.5/5
FYEO Best Moment: I was going to once again go with the pre-credits sequence because the absurdity of Bond dropping Definitely-Not-Bloefeld down a chimney shaft made me laugh, but honestly, the bit where Bond kicks a dude off cliff goes pretty hard
Very excited that Major Matoko Kusanagi will have her rightful opportunity to completey destroy the brains of horny anime fans for the third decade in a row
MOONRAKER's Best Moment: I know I'm just highlighting the pre-credits scene again, but the skydiving business with Jaws was a lot of fun!
11. MOONRAKER (1979) Definitely a step down from TSWLM, but not the absolute cratering of quality some have suggested. I honestly would have preferred the space stuff to be a little *more* ridiculous. If you're gonna jump the shark, go all the way, you know what I mean? 3/5 Stars
Sweet Tap-Dancing Anime Christ, I didn't think it was going to happen, but the second episode of THE WORLD IS DANCING managed to outclass that incredible premiere.
The work that Kyoto Animation has done with the painterly backgrounds and world-design in SPARKS OF TOMORROW is some of the most beautiful art I have ever seen in an anime.
As a little update of my overall journey with 007, here is my current ranking of the bond movies from DR. NO to THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
10. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) Hot damn, this movie *rules*! The pacing, the action set-pieces, the dynamic between Moore's Bond and Barbara Bach's Agent XXX - it all just feels so modern and compelling in ways that most of the older films have not until now. This is top-tier 007. 4.5/5 Stars
"30 Years Ago, this Forgotten Fantasy Anime was the Mushoku Tensei for Millenials That Basically Invented Modern Isekai"
New Rule: Media doesn't get to be called "forgotten" in a headline just because it was made before 2010.
KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE: Yes. Obviously. Yes to all of this. Every last second of it. Just inject it straight into my eyeballs and/or veins every single week for the rest of my life.
TMWTGG Best Moment: Not gonna lie, it was pretty great when Bond got saved by a pair of schoolgirls who beat the shit out of an entire dojo's worth of mooks
9. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974) Not nearly enough of Christopher Lee's Scaramanga, and Moore is oddly dour and dickish as Bond this time 'round, but the movie is still pretty watchable and entertaining in spite of its flaws. They needed to amp up the kung-fu material by another 20% 3/5 Stars
Yo, every one of y'all should drop whatever you're doing and check out the premiere of "The World is Dancing" on HiDive. Like, right now.
LALD's Best Moment: I felt like I was obligated to put the exploding Kananga dummy or something from that crazy long boat chase, but I have to be true to my heart. I don't even know why, but the ridiculous Alligator Skipping Stunt was my favorite scene of the whole movie. The perfect kind of stupid
8. LIVE AND LET DIE (1973) Has this shallow riff on blaxploitation imagery aged pretty poorly? Sure. Is Roger Moore's first outing as Bond still a hell of a lot more entertaining than DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER? You bet your honky ass it is. 3.5/5 Stars