The Top Ten Greatest Moments from the James Bond Films~ "Skyfall" Opens Today in the US

From the 250 greatest moments I've listed these past weeks, from Climax!: "Casino Royale" (1954) to Quantum of Solace (2008), here's my ranking of the top ten greatest moments from all of the James Bond films. What's your favorite James Bond movie moment?

TOP TEN GREATEST 007 MOVIE MOMENTS

10. From On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): Bond reacts to the loss of Tracy.

9. From Licence to Kill (1989): Cornered and deprived of his oxygen, 007 harpoons the departing plane and escapes the enemy frogmen.

8. From A View to a Kill (1985): Max Zorin meets his fate.

7. From Moonraker (1979): Bond is pushed out of a plane without a parachute.

6. From For Your Eyes Only (1981): Bond sends Locque over the edge.

5. From GoldenEye (1995): Brosnan's best line: "No, no, no— No more foreplay."

4. From Casino Royale (2006): "Now the whole world's gonna know that you died scratching my balls."

3. From Goldfinger (1964): Bond discovers Jill Masterson's body.

2. From The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): The climax of the pre-title sequence.

1. From Dr. No (1962): Sean Connery inaugurates the self-introduction: "Bond, James Bond."

The 10 Best Moments from Quantum of Solace (2008): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Quantum of Solace. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. The henchman's car is sent spinning off the road and down the cliff in the pre-title sequence.

9. "Florists use that expression. It doesn't mean that they've got somebody working for them inside the bloody room."

8. Bond and Camille escape the inferno.

7. Bond holds down would-be-Camille-assassin Slate and administers the coup de grace, looking around to see if they've caused a commotion.

6. Dominic Greene puts General Medrano in his place, forcing him to sign the contract.

5. Bond tells the syndicate they should find a better place to meet.

4. Bond barely gets to Camille in time to open the parachute.

TOP THREE

3. Bond smacks down the agents taking him in.

2. Dominic Greene accidentally wields the axe into his own foot.

1. Bond is shown Fields' oil-covered corpse.

Quantum of Solace was one of the most poorly received of the Bond films, mainly, it seems, because it strayed too far from the formula.  I accepted it as a one-time deal.  It's time now to get back to basics with Skyfall: gun barrel logo at the front, gadgets, stunts, a larger-than-life villain, and what about a vodka martini shaken not stirred after that chaser of Heineken?

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Quantum of Solace: Bond leaving Dominic Greene to be taken care of by his own people: it's never satisfying to have the main villain not killed by Bond himself.

The 10 Best Moments from Casino Royale (2006): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Casino Royale. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Bond crashes through the drywall chasing the parkour-employing bomb maker.

9. "You've got a bloody cheek."

8. "James Bond. You'll find the reservation under Beech."

7. Bond asks Dimitrios for his valet ticket.

6. Vesper dashes out of the way of the henchman's machete on the stairwell, when Bond knocks it from his hand.

5. Bond shoots the bombmaker and blows up the embassy.

4. On the runway, Bond jumps from the truck and only just clears the oncoming service vehicle.

TOP THREE

3. The bomber realizes his mistake.

2. Bond sees Vesper laid across the road and reacts (a brilliant switch-up from the novel).

1. "Now the whole world's gonna know that you died scratching my balls."

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Casino Royale: Vesper, appearing several seconds later, miraculously knows that the lead has fallen from Bond's Q-branch heart device, and reinserts it.

The 10 Best Moments from Die Another Day (2002): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Die Another Day. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. 007 uses the Thunderball-like minibreather.

9. To arouse Zao, Bond squeezes his IV bag.

8. Bond uses the ultra-high frequency agitator ring.

7. 007 is "saved by the bell," in the pre-title sequence.

6. Announcing: "I'm checking out... thanks for the kiss of life," Bond goes rogue.

5. Bond pulls Graves' parachute cord (ultimately) sending him into the plane's engine.

4. Bond and Jinx escape in the helicopter, mid-air.

TOP THREE

3. Bond uses the ejector seat to right his Aston Martin.

2. Soaked from head to toe, Bond casually checks into the hotel in Hong Kong.

1. Jinx emerges from the sea.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Die Another Day: Hands down the outrageous wave-riding that Bond does after his narrow escape from the Icarus laser.

The 10 Best Moments from The World Is Not Enough (1999): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from The World Is Not Enough. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Can't you just say 'hello' like a normal person?

9. Bond pulls the henchman's knife out (that he's seen through his x-ray glasses) and pins him to the bar.

8. Renard points to the bomb.

7. Bond, in a rare moment, is injured, and dangles from the ropes as the titles begin.

6. Bond tells Renard that Elektra's dead.

5. Bond adjusts his tie under water.

4. 007 uses his watch gadget to soar upward, jumps through the closing door in the mine, somersaults, and picks off one of Renard's men.

TOP THREE

3. Elektra tightens the screws on the torture chair ("one last screw").

2. Bond jumps from the Swiss banker's office in the pre-title sequence.

1. Bond shoots Elektra ("I never miss").

The World Is Not Enough has gotten slightly better with age, mostly due to Sophie Marceau's contribution and a slam-bang pre-title sequence (smartly lengthened by the filmmakers to go through the boat chase), if it's still one of the weakest Bond entries overall.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from The World Is Not Enough: I never liked how foolish M looks at various points of this movie and Q's lowering himself out of frame rather than rising up, but my vote for the worst moment is the naming of a Bond girl "Christmas" for the sake of a lame 12-year-old level double entendre.

The 10 Best Moments from Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Tomorrow Never Dies. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. In the pre-title sequence, Bond ejects his "back seat driver" from the jet.

9. Bond knocks the $300 million satellite over at the newspaper.

8. 007 sends the remote control car right toward himself and Q.

7. The guard in the soundproof booth doesn't become aware that a fight has broken out, until a henchman goes through the glass partition.

6. Gupta "outlives his contract."

5. Bond and Wai Lin ride Carver's banner.

4. Bond drops the missile on Stamper's foot, trapping him.

TOP THREE

3. Bond/ Wai Lin jump the motorcycle over the helicopter and into the house of ill repute.

2. Dr. Kaufman is embarrassed to ask Bond how to open his car.

1. Bond jumps in the back seat of the BMW and continues to drive it remotely.

Tomorrow Never Dies isn't bad, but one of the blandest entries in the series, it's the one of seen the fewest amount of times.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Tomorrow Never Dies: Bond sends the security guard at the newspaper into the press and to his death, was this necessary after Bond had broken the man's arm and immobilized him?

The 10 Best Moments from GoldenEye (1995): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from GoldenEye. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. The squeaky wheel on the cart Bond uses for protection punctuates the tension in the pre-title sequence.

9. The expression on the corpse of Onatopp's victim, Admiral Farrel.

8. 006 comes out of the shadows.

7. M asserts her authority on 007, calling him a "relic of the Cold War."

6. Boris, it turns out, is not invincible.

5. Onatopp thrills at the idea of the tank on the tracks: "He's going to derail us!"

4. "For England, James?" "No— for me."

TOP THREE

3. Bond smashes through the wall in the tank.

2. Bond rides the motorcycle off the edge of the cliff and freefalls toward the plane.

1. Brosnan's best line: "No, no, no— No more foreplay."

GoldenEye re-established the franchise brilliantly after its longest gap between films, and Pierce Brosnan emerged as a Bond to be reckoned with.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from GoldenEye: Bond escapes the helicopter by way of the ejector seat— an escape already done by John McClane in Die Hard 2 (1990): bugged me then, and bugs me now.

The 10 Best Moments from Licence to Kill (1989): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Licence to Kill. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. M stops the agent from firing at 007, despite the fact that he's just gone rogue.

9. Wayne Newton's "Professor Joe" accepts Pam's bamboozling of him: "bless your heart..."

8. Bond removes the door and pushes the guy out of the plane.

7. Killifer hits the driver of the van with the butt of his rifle and drives the van off the bridge.

6. Bond grabs the oxygen tank off the guy he harpooned off Crest's yacht.

5. Sanchez signals his men to reel the shark-chewed Leiter up.

4. Bond throws the suitcase filled with money at Killifer, sending him into the shark tank.

TOP THREE

3. Lowered from the helicopter, Bond "goes fishing" and snares Sanchez' plane.

2. Bond takes the 18-wheeler onto 9 wheels.

1. Cornered and deprived of his oxygen, 007 harpoons the departing plane and escapes the enemy frogmen.

Licence to Kill is an atypical but worthy entry in the Bond cannon, yet missing that je ne sais quoi.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Licence to Kill: Memorable for sure, but Milton Crest's death is odd, confusing, and gruesome not to mention we sympathize for him; Pam randomly taking a polaroid picture using one of Q's gadgets and the photo "comically" showing Q and Bond's skeletons is a close second.

The 10 Best Moments from The Living Daylights (1987): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from The Living Daylights. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Bond quickly hides his PPK after scaring the child with the balloons and his mother.

9. At the amusement park rifle shoot, the booth attendant appeals to Bond: "no more."

8. Q welcomes Koskov to Austria.

7. "I know a great restaurant in Karachi..."

6. Bond uses his reserve chute leaving the assassin in the pre-title sequence to plunge to his death.

5. Whitaker meets his end by way of "that British vulture Wellington."

4. Bond "assassinates" Pushkin.

TOP THREE

3. Bond and Kara glide into Austria.

2. An MI6 agent other than Bond shows his abilities, unplugging the electric knife, throwing flour into Necros' eyes, and continuing to fight him.

1. Bond gives Necros the boot.

An impressive debut by Timothy Dalton, The Living Daylights is one of the most exciting entries in the series, and a personal favorite.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from The Living Daylights: Miss Moneypenny tells Bond he's welcome to come by to listen to her Barry Manilow collection. Ugh.

The 10 Best Moments from A View to a Kill (1985): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from A View to a Kill. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Bond, rushing back to his room, manages to make a flying leap to grab hold of the closing drawbridge.

9. Using the detached snowmobile ski, 007 zips through the water leaving the Russian skiers behind in the pre-title sequence.

8. Dr. Mortner and Scarpine fight over the dynamite.

7. Zorin shoots Mr. Howe.

6. The taxi Bond "commandeers" to pursue May Day in Paris gets sliced in half (although admittedly silly too).

5. Bond calls Zorin a psychopath.

4. May Day escorts the man out of the meeting on Zorin's blimp.

TOP THREE

3. May Day, making her escape, leaps off the Eiffel Tower and opens a parachute.

2. May Day stays with the bomb.

1. Max Zorin meets his fate.

Hardly a fan favorite, I'm mixed on A View to a Kill myself: I enjoy its villains, action set pieces (save the totally unnecessary cop chase sequence), and thrilling finale, but it feels long and has a rather weak Bond girl in Stacey Sutton.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from A View to a Kill: the hopelessly coincidental check imprint gadget on Bond's person at Zorin's party: why would this ever be standard issue?

The 10 Best Moments from Never Say Never Again (1983): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Never Say Never Again. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Connery winks to the audience at the film's end, regarding "never" returning to service....

9. Nigel gets tossed into the pool by Bond.

8. Positioned outside the window at the prison, Bond pulls the guard out sending him into the water below.

7. Fatima Blush waterskis up into the harbor bar and right into Bond.

6. The bomb under the bed goes off: "Proof that we made the right decision... your place or mine?"

5. Largo releases the controls on the video game, ceding final victory to Bond.

4. Bond easily escapes his motorcycle being led into the truck.

TOP THREE

3. Following the demise of the burly henchman against the glass lab equipment, Bond looks to see what he threw in his eyes.

2. Bond retrieves his cigar case from the panicked guard in the closet.

1. Bond uses his rocket-firing fountain pen on Fatima Blush, and it doesn't quite work— at first.

Many Bond purists despise this film, but I think Never Say Never Again is as good as could be expected and really a decent effort by all, if not one I frequently pull off the shelf.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Never Say Never Again: the horse jump of Bond/Domino off the top of the prison: just dumb.