Skyfall
I think this film gave me a lifelong desire to move into a large estate in the middle of the Scottish Highlands, dunno why really, might be something to do with Skyfall.
I do believe this to be the pinnacle of James Bond, not the most James Bond, but the best of James Bond. Daniel Craig (Knives Out, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) is my favourite Bond, and this is his best showcase of 007. Of course, Bond "dying" at the start was never going to be set in stone for this film, and I like how the setup of the main plot focuses on the one person that this film really revolves around the incredible Dame Judi Dench's (Shakespeare in Love, Cats) M, as anyone who's watched this film knows. It ends with the death of M, and I think this was the right choice for this film.
I enjoyed all of the side characters, especially Ben Whishaw's (Paddington, Mary Poppins Returns) Q, Naomie Harris' (28 Days Later, Black and Blue) Moneypenny, and Ralph Fiennes' (Schindler's List, The Menu) Gareth Mallory, and the late great Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich, Scrooge) as Kincaide (would have been an insane decision to have Sean Connery return to the franchise in this role lol, as that was the original plan).
There were five main stars of the show for me in Skyfall. The first was the villain, and one of the very best of this series, Javier Bardem's (No Country for Old Men, F1) Raoul Silva. He's truly terrifying, horrifying, and engaging to watch all at once. One hell of a match for Bond (and M).
Bond and M are the second and the third stars for me, Craig and Dench had built up a lot of chemistry together as actors in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace and it paid of in dividends in Skyfall.
The action in this film was immense, the entire setpiece in the London Underground, sprawing upwards to the scene at the Parliament inquiry, and then the big finale at the titular house.
The house and the car are the final two stars of this film, to see that DB5 back in action was breathtaking and the cherry on the top of this excellent action film, it's not perfect, but I fucking love this film with all of my heart.