007: No Time To Die

After numerous COVID delays, the 25th 007 movie has finally arrived and this movie marks the final outing of the Daniel Craig era.

007: No Time To Die

The 25th movie of the James Bond 007 franchise, titled No Time To Die, marks the end of the Daniel Craig era, and what better way to end this era than delivering the ultimate Bond experience fans are looking forward to.

Set after the events of Spectre, James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, takes a well-deserved Jamaica vacation until it got interrupted by the arrival of CIA agent Felix Leiter. Following his perilous rescue mission, Bond faces off against a powerful new villain, played by Rami Malek, with a plot for global armageddon.

The movie also stars Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, Rory Kinnear as Tanner, Lea Seydoux as Madeleine, Christoph Waltz as Blofeld, and many others. It features two new Bond girls, such as Paloma, played by Ana de Armas, and a 00 Agent named Nomi, played by Lashana Lynch. It's directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and the theme song is performed by Billie Eilish.

The Daniel Craig era of the James Bond 007 franchise marked the beginning of a no-nonsense action with Casino Royale 15 years ago and with the latest installment marked the end of the era, the producers wanted to give Daniel Craig the biggest sendoff he deserved. With an intense storyline, dynamic action scenes, and gripping moments unheard for a Bond movie, it really is the most explosive Bond movie ever witnessed.

The sendoff couldn't be complete without the appearance of Bond cars and Aston Martin blew such expectations by making not one but four Aston Martin vehicles appeared in this movie such as the legendary DB5, The Living Daylights' V8 Vantage, the new DBS Superleggera, and the Valhalla. Out of all the Astons featured in this movie, it's the DB5 that overshadowed the entire plot spectacularly because of the barrage it unleashed in one scene of the film.

What a way to bid farewell to Daniel Craig as the sixth actor to play the iconic British spy and it really is worth the wait. With No Time To Die finally arrived in cinemas, it really is the ultimate Bond movie worth witnessing from start to finish. It's hard to say what will the future of the franchise will be after this movie, but whatever the reason, this is the Bond movie worth watching again and again.

Forza Horizon 4: Made for Bond

One of the first car packs in Forza Horizon 4, the Best of Bond Pack, gave us five and a half decades of Bond cars to try out in the streets of Britain and one of them is a Bond car so unique, it only exists in the world of Bond.



This is the Bond car as seen in SPECTRE, the 2015 James Bond 007 film starring Daniel Craig. The car is called the Aston Martin DB10 and this is the first time Aston Martin made a car specifically for the 2015 Bond film.

Fans who watched the Bond movie three years ago saw the thrilling car chase sequence where Bond, in an almost unarmed DB10, got chased by a Jaguar C-X75 Concept driven by the Filipino baddie at the streets of Rome at nightfall. I love that thrilling car chase so much, I often watch this scene over and over again but let's not get all cheesy because there's so much to talk about the DB10.



Although little info is given about Q Branch's latest masterpiece for 00 Agents, some say that what's underneath the DB10 are the bits and bobs from the Aston Martin Vantage with the V8 engine in it. Perhaps it's no wonder the Bond car in question served as a prologue to the next Vantage of some sorts but either way, I am very excited to have a blast at the Bond car from SPECTRE. In fact, I managed to check out with the other Bond cars to see if this unarmed beauty fit enough to woo the crowd just like the secret agent served by Her Majesty's Secret Service.



It's a good thing I called on Q Branch to make some changes in the DB10 because with numerous baddies lying around in Horizon, it's safe to say that the DB10 should be armed and ready for a whole new mission minus the beauties and the baddies waiting for me because this is Horizon. Anything happens, you know.



Mission accomplished. Although the Q Branch may not be happy about me meddling with the DB10, it's safe to say that the Bond car sure loves taking a time off on Horizon UK. In fact, this car wants me to do some more and I'm more than happy to join forces with Bond's dream car from SPECTRE. There's so much missions to do with this car and because this is Horizon, anything is possible.

Remembering all of the Bond video games

It's been two long decades since Nintendo and RARE brought us that iconic video game based on the 1995 007 film, which is a first for the fifth James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan. To celebrate that kind of occasion, why not take a thrust through time to remember some of the Bond video games that make us feel like we're living in a Bond movie.

GoldenEye (N64/1997) - The classic Nintendo 64 game that forever set the "golden" standard of first-person shooter games, GoldenEye pits players as 007 James Bond in series of missions inspired from the 1995 Bond movie of the same title but apart from the solo missions, this game will be remembered for its multiplayer system where two to four players go all out in different rules to make it more fun to play. Who remembers playing with your mates a game of capture the flag or blow them away in one hit?

Tomorrow Never Dies (PSX/1999) - Like GoldenEye, this game is based on the 1997 Bond movie of the same name, except that this is a third-person shooter game made for the Sony PlayStation console. From a Russian military base, Hamburg, Saigon, all the way to the climactic Stealth Boat mission, Bond will use a wide array of weapons and gadgets at his disposal to complete missions. Oh, and did I mention there was a level where you can drive his BMW 750i while shooting your way against a convoy of terrorists?

007 Racing (PSX/2000) - Living the Bond lifestyle just got a whole lot of crazier as our dream of driving some of the best Bond cars in the films comes to life in 007 Racing. From the Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger to the iconic Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me, each Bond car is crafted specifically for different kinds of missions to execute and you can play head-to-head against a mate a la Twisted Metal.

The World Is Not Enough (PSX/N64/2000) - Launched in late 2000, the official game of the movie brings back first person gameplay while reliving moments from the 1999 Bond movie, but there are differences between the PSX version and the N64. In the PSX version, it only plays at one player but it packs cutscenes from the movie as well as a Blackjack minigame on it. In the N64, meanwhile, has more missions than what the PSX version had as well as multiplayer. We'd pick the N64 anytime due to its multiplayer mode.

007 Agent Under Fire (PS2/XBOX/Gamecube/2001) - Harkening to the days of Goldeneye, Agent Under First is a first Bond game to be utilized in this generation of consoles that harkened the dawn of the 21st century. In this all-original, first-person shooter game, Bond must to stop a cloning conspiracy from unleashing havoc in the world. Spanning from Hong Kong, Europe, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, Agent Under Fire gives player a chance to live out their innermost Bond fantasies with a wide array of weapons, gadgets, even vehicles. There's also a mutliplayer mode with unlockable characters as well.

007 Nightfire (PS2/XBOX/Gamecube/PC/GBA/2002) - 007 Nightfire brings our innermost Bond fantasies to the limit as Bond takes on a ruthless conglomerate plotting world domination. By land, air, sea, even outer space(!), from Paris, Austria, Japan, the Pacific Ocean, all the way through the space station, this is classic Bond moment at its best.

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (PS2/XBOX/Gamecube/2004) - Non-canonical as it seems but this game can still considered as a Bond game, even though you're pitting a role of a rogue agent recruited by none other than Auric Goldfinger, one of the Bond villains you can expect from this video game. Armed with a cleverly high-tech eye, you can detect or shunt different enemies while you can unleash devastating attacks by carrying two different firearms at the same time. Pays to be a next-generation Bond villain.

007: Everything or Nothing (PS2/XBOX/Gamecube/GBA/2004) - Everything or Nothing features all of the fruits and cocktails from Bond films into one unique, third-person shooter game that delivers the ultimate Bond experience to everywhere. Featuring an all-star cast of characters, including Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, missions spanning from Egypt, Louisiana, Latin America, and Russia, wide array of weapons and gadgets, and heavily-armed vehicles such as a Porsche Cayenne, a Triumph Daytona, and an Aston Martin Vanquish, this is Bond game unlike every other.

From Russia With Love (PS2/XBOX/Gamecube/2005) - Relieving Sean Connery's second Bond movie from the 1960's, From Russia With Love is a third-person shooter game that is as old-school as the film it was based on while featuring a dynamic game mechanics to make it more lively for the players as well as its multiplayer gameplay for added fun. Fact is that this is the last Bond game ever made under the EA games banner.

Quantum of Solace (PS3/XBOX 360/PS2/Wii/DS/PC/2008) - Following Daniel Craig's advent as the sixth Bond actor, the game company behind Call of Duty are now responsible for Bond games starring Craig himself and this is their first. Quantum of Solace combines first-person shooter and third-person cover (reminiscent of Perfect Dark Zero), giving players different ways to play while executing missions inspired from Craig's first two Bond films; Casino Royale and this. There's even an online multiplayer gameplay with different rules and maps where you can show the world how much of an agent you really are,

007: GoldenEye (Wii/2010) - The legendary Goldeneye game returns in Wii with Daniel Craig pitting the role of Bond, James Bond. Developed by the blokes from Eurocom, this 2010 GoldenEye game brings players back to the days of original, only modernized with new elements and explosive gameplay spanning from the dam, the chemical weapons facility, the frigate, the satellite base, all the way to the climactic battle at the antenna cradle. In addition to the online multiplayer battle, the remake brings back classic split-screen multiplayer to make it more enjoyable for the new generation of FPS. A year after the Wii version was launched, there's GoldenEye Reloaded, made for the PS3 and XBOX 360, featuring remastered graphics and new mission modifiers, giving players to create their own missions and share it to the world.

007: Blood Stone (PS3/XBOX 360/2010) - Blood Stone is an all-original Bond game featuring storyline crafted by the top film writers to deliver a cinematic feel to the gameplay. In this game, Bond is on a mission to stop a biological attack but this mission is more than what he can expect. Spanning from Greece, Turkey, Monaco, Siberia, Thailand, to Burma (Myanmar), this is one heck of a globe-trotting mission to uncover the truth. Featuring signature Bond moments, unique third-person gameplay, and pulse-pounding driving missions, Blood Stone brings the Bond cinematic experience to the gamers.

007 Legends (PS3/XBOX 360/PC/Wii U/2012) - Part of celebrating 50 years of James Bond comes 007 Legends, a first-person shooter game featuring the best missions in the world of Bond ranging from Goldfinger, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, License To Kill, Die Another Day, and more famously, Moonraker. Using the same first-person action as Goldeneye, 007 Legends delivers a unique gameplay that involves gaining experience from routing enemies and using them to unlock new abilities and weapons useful for tougher missions. It also comes with multiplayer (online and split-screen) as well as mission modifiers like you expect from Goldeneye Reloaded

James Bond: World of Espionage (App Store/Google Play/2015) - As the official app game of the Bond films, players can build their own MI6 by recruiting new agents, craft new weapons, gadgets, and vehicles, and send them through different missions, in their goal to create the ultimate spy agency to show the world who's got the best spies in their arsenal

HONORABLE MENTION: 007: License To Kill (PC/1989)

The best bits from Hamilton-directed 007 legends

Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger

Veteran James Bond director, Guy Hamilton, passed away at the age of 93. At his time in the world of James Bond, Hamilton directed 007 legends such as Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, Live and Let Die, and The Man with the Golden Gun. Each film features unique stunts and Bond car moments a true Bond aficionado can remember if he spent all day binge-watching Bond films.

So, remember any of the best bits from Hamilton-directed 007 legends?

Goldfinger - The Aston Martin DB5 is noteworthy one of the most iconic Bond cars in existence and in this film, Bond actor Sean Connery unleashed all of the gadgets offered on the DB5 such as ejector seat, oil slicks, bullet-proof rear shield, tire shredders, machine guns, all the things this Bond car unleashed until its untimely crash at Auric Headquarters while being chased by Auric Goldfinger's goons.

Diamonds are Forever - Diamonds are Forever, the sixth and final Bond film to have Sean Connery on it as the iconic British spy, features one of the most infamous stunt in cinematic history involving a Mustang Mach 1 going on two wheels. It became one of the most memorable blooper moment when the car drives into the alley on its right wheels and reappears balanced on the left. A bizarre phenomena when an in-car shot was inserted to show the car apparently rotating within the alley rather than reshooting the stunt.

Live and Let Die - Live and Let Die is the first Bond film for Sir Roger Moore to play the role of 007 and in this film, Bond fends off against a corrupt drug dealer as well as the one with the mechanical arm and the other one who is immortal. This film features one of the most bizarre car chase involving a double decker bus. Bond, in a bus, tries to shake off against pursuers and then at the latter part, the bus sliced into half and the top part ended on the pursuers. Little did you know that despite Sir Roger's training for the scene, he still couldn't cut the mustard and while there are no stuntmen capable of dealing with the bus part, an actual bus driver took part of it.

The Man with the Golden Gun - This 007 legend features one of the most complicating car stunt in cinematic history; the barrel roll. In this scene, Bond and CIA agent Jack Wade snagged an AMC Hornet from a dealership in Bangkok while pursuing Scaramanga and his henchmen Nick Nack in another AMC car. With Scaramanga headed to the other side, Bond takes the shortcut and that's where the barrel roll kicked in. The chase ended with Scaramanga took a dramatic exit in a flying car. Here's a trivia about this scene; while the barrel-roll stunt is purely a computer-simulated stunt that requires a human being in the hot seat, the flying car is one thing because at one time, there was once an old Ford Pinto bolted with some bits and bobs from a Cessna plane, called the AVE Mizar. The Bond people plan to do such a thing but when reports told that the creator of the AVE Mizar died during his test flight with this creation, the Bond people took retreat by using a miniaturized model unit instead.

007: SPECTRE

007: SPECTRE

This is by no means one of the most aggressive Bond films to date and Daniel Craig gave everything he got to show that his tenure as James Bond is on his ultimate peak in this 24th installment of Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 films.

Set in events after 2012's SKYFALL, a cryptic message sends Bond on a path to a confrontation with the sinister organization known as SPECTRE. This organization was known for threatening global stability so memorably in past Bond films like Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice, and for this film, viewers have a glimpse to check out the hidden world of the evil organization Bond's after. Thing is, they're nothing more of a cult bent on using the art of ethnic cleansing to rid of everything that stand in their own way...which is kinda villainous.

In addition to returning cast such as Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q, SPECTRE introduces two Bond girls in the films such as Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci as well as Bond villains such as Christoph Waltz and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista, among many others in store. Looks like the cast is like a mixture of brains, beauties, and brawns but nothing is more so than the cars featured in the film.

Aston Martin DB10

Jaguar C-X75 Bond Concept

Back in 2002, in Pierce Brosnan's final Bond film, Die Another Day, there was an epic car chase between the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Jaguar XKR, driven by a North Korean spy Zao (Rick Yune), on a frozen lake in Iceland. Fast forward 13 years to now and the battle between the two British carmakers in the world of Bond is back and this time, in the form of two one-off machines on a nighttime chase in Rome. There was this Aston Martin made exclusively for the film, the DB10, and then the Jaguar C-X75 Concept, with some modifications suited for Dave Bautista's character in the film, Hinx. Ain't Bond cars grand? That epic car chase between the two will keep cinemagoers hanging until the part where the Aston burns the Jag. That's one thing kids might remember and doing it at home until their mama caught them and telling them to head straight to the toilets.

Anyway, the film's storyline pushes to its aggressiveness and so is Craig's because most of the classic Bond moments cinemagoers want are all blended in with some interrogation, some torture, some escape plans, some suggestive themes, and the suspense that keeps on building until the keystone pops. Although, there are some few kinks that need to be worked out, the Bond formula is all in to bring SPECTRE a burning desire to put all spy films of 2015 into shambles but not most of it.

As for the music, well, we love the opening theme "Writing's On The Wall" by Sam Smith because it sounds so dramatic as every good opening Bond theme should be but it's the BGMs in the film that some might feel pleased because it matches the tone to every scene of the film very perfectly and acoustically tuned for perfection.

SPECTRE may not be one of the best films of 2015 but it's definitely one of the best action films of the year and with all that explosive stuff going on, I'd expect that every action junkie who saw that film head back home and start making some noises similar to the film until his mama come here and send him straight to the toilets. Sorry, personal experiences, but this is definitely a must-watch Bond movie before your mama send you to the toilets.

My rating: 5 out of 5. 

Daniel Craig's involvement in the world of James Bond

Daniel Craig

007: SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond film, from Albert R. Broccoli's EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, might signal the end of Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond, and despite all rumors, we enjoyed Craig's role as James Bond as well as the more topical, realistic approach to the Bond movies he's been through. To commemorate the latest Bond flick, which will hit British cinemas now and soon the rest of the world, let's jot down Daniel's involvement in the world of James Bond.

Casino Royale (2006) - This is Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond in the film Casino Royale, based on the very first Bond book written by Ian Fleming highlighting Bond's first mission as a 00 Agent. Spanning from Madagascar, Miami, Montenegro, to Venice, Bond's mission is to track down a terrorist named Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen (the guy who became Dr. Hannibal Lecter on TV) as he organizes a high-stake poker game at Casino Royale. Throughout his first assignment, he encounters Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Green), a member of a Financial Action Task Force who became Bond's love interest until her untimely death in Venice.

Quantum of Solace (2008) - Daniel Craig's second Bond film picks up where Casino Royale left off. Desperate to find out who blackmailed Vesper, Bond is on a race against time to unmask the organization behind it until he pinpoints an eco terrorist named Dominic Greene (played by Mathieu Amalrio) who has links to the organization Bond's after. Bond is later accompanied by a Bolivian agent named Camille Rivera (played by Olga Kurylenko) who seeks revenge against General Luis Medrano, who murdered her family in the past.

SKYFALL (2012) - Probably known to be one of the most successful Bond films to date, SKYFALL pits Bond to a race against time as he takes on a sadistic terrorist named Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) while M (Judi Dench) tries to prove her innocence to the court following Bond's latest assignment ended in failure and the exposure of agents worldwide. This film introduces Ralph Fiennes as Mallory, the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (who became the new M at the end of the film following the death of the former M in the film), Ben Whishaw as Q, and Naomie Harris as Eve (later known as Miss Moneypenny at the end). It also sees the return of the iconic Aston Martin DB5, as seen on Goldfinger.

SPECTRE (2015) - The latest Bond film evoked memories of the ruthless evil organization that had threatened global stability so memorably in past Bond films like Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice. In addition to returning cast such as Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q, SPECTRE features a stark and powerful cast such as Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista (who will be the villain driving a Jaguar C-X75 in the film's nighttime car chase against Daniel Craig, as Bond, in an Aston Martin DB10).

For Crewe, James?

Bentley Continental GT for Carte Blanche

Over the years, the legendary British spy, James Bond, drives several Aston Martins, BMWs, and rarely a Lotus Esprit. Did you know that James Bond also drives a Bentley? Prior for the new Bond book, 007: Carte Blanche, schedule to hit British bookstores this May 26, two days before the 103rd anniversary of the James Bond writer, Ian Fleming, which was on May 28, the new car for James Bond will be none other than (gasp) the Bentley Continental GT!

Scoop: http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/james-bond-gets-a-new-car

Although the Continental GT will be featured on the new James Bond book, we expect that the new Bond car may get some high-tech gadgets only Her Majesty's Secret Service would need. For Crewe, James?

NOTE TO SELF: I hope that Daniel Craig will get behind the wheel on this new Bond car, the Bentley Continental GT, so we can enjoy his new mission on his new wheels while catching the bad guys and some dames.

007: GoldenEye

007: GoldenEye (2010 version)

If someone remembered the video game based on the hit James Bond movie, GoldenEye, well, the GoldenEye experience we found on the Nintendo 64 is now refreshed, retouched, reloaded, and renewed exclusively on Wii. If you are familiar to the N64 version, then the Wii version carries the same happening from the N64 but now added with even more, including Daniel Craig playing the role of James Bond, and the storyline is written by Bruce Feirstein, the screen writer from the GoldenEye movie. From the dam, the snowy base, frigate, St. Petersburg, the jungle base, to the climactic antenna cradle, experiencing the 2010 video game remake of GoldenEye was never been so nostalgic and nostalgic now redefined.

Split-screen multiplayer (just like in the Nintendo 64 version) is also a nostalgic treat, gather up to four players, play as Bond, the Bond girls, the good guys, or classic Bond villains, classic rules, and everything that can be enjoyable. A four-player deathmatch can be a nostalgic feature, but the brand new online multiplayer is a not-so-nostalgic treat. You can compete against players worldwide and see who's in or out in the battlefield.

You can also use the Nintendo DS for a wide variety of features from solo to multplayer features. This seems new, but being new never been this of a classic.

Fans of the Nintendo 64 game, GoldenEye, might get their heads out with the old and in with the new with this Wii version of GoldenEye. You might recognize what you will do, but think again, everything's new to the classic FPS video game.