Now Playing Podcast Presents: The Fast and Furious Retrospective Series

James Bond is back, but Sean Connery isn't. Instead, wearing the tuxedo and tossing the hat, is George Lazenby, an actor who would play Bond only once. Lazenby was long a punch line for the Bond franchise, but some Bond fans consider this film one of the best. Does Lazenby escape Connery's shadow, and should he have had a second shot playing the British agent? Listen to this episode of Now Playing and find out!

The poster boasted "Sean Connery IS James Bond", and yet You Only Live Twice was released with Eon Productions looking for a replacement actor as Connery had announced he was leaving the role of Bond. But for his supposed final film all stops were pulled out as he finally comes face-to-scarred-face with Blofeld, head of the evil group SPECTRE. Is this a film that you should watch twice? Listen to Brock, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!

In 1967 Bond fans were very anxious for the next installment in the series, with Sean Connery returning in You Only Live Twice. But that's not the movie we're reviewing! A few short weeks before You Only Live Twice came out, the first "unofficial" James Bond film came out--Casino Royale! A broad Bond spoof with several big name actors, a licensing deal allowed Columbia Pictures to put out this competing James Bond film, and would be the only theatrical adaptation of Ian Flemming's first James Bond novel for almost 40 years. How does this movie fit into the rest of the Bond series? Listen to Brock, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!

James Bond's fourth theatrical outing has the superspy enjoying the Bahama sun, facing off against SPECTRE to retrieve two stolen nukes! Featuring a bevy of henchmen and extensive underwater sequences, does this Bond film sink or swim? Listen to this week's Now Playing to find out!

Sean Connery's third time was a charm for his James Bond films. With Goldfinger the Bond formula was solidified. The song, the gadgets, the girls, the plots, it all came together for this film, which many Bond fans cite as their favorite. Does this film have the Midas touch with Arnie, Stuart, and Brock? Listen to find out!

James Bond is back! In the last film Bond killed SMERSH agent Dr. No, and now No's boss, the mysterious ailurophile Blofeld. His plot--a beautiful Russian double-agent offers to defect in exchange for Bond's affections. Will Bond take the bait? And is this a review from Now Playing with love? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock to find out!

After years of financial troubles, MGM Studios has finally gotten the next James Bond movie off the ground--this November's Skyfall. And there is no better time for Bond to be back as 2012 is the 50th Anniversary of James Bond's first appearance on the big screen in his first outing, Dr. No. With Sean Connery embodying Ian Flemming's British spy in a star-making role, this is the film that started it all. Now Dr. No also starts the James Bond retrospective series at Now Playing as Arnie, Stuart, and Brock look back at all of the James Bond films. Did Dr. No show signs of a hero that could stay in the public consciousness for half a century, and does it hold up 50 years later? Listen to find out!

Since Michelle Pfeiffer squeezed into latex in Batman Returns an idea of a Catwoman movie had been teased. Writers, directors, and stars were attached to the project over the years, and it took over a decade for the film to become reality. Now starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry as Patience Phillips, a woman given the mystical powers of a cat, the film hoped to jump on the superhero bandwagon and launch a new franchise. Instead, it won several Raspberry Awards and tanked at the box office. Is this film as bad as its reputation? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they let the fur fly in our review!

The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated conclusion to his Batman trilogy, opened last Friday under the pall of a senseless tragedy that occurred at a screening in Colorado. Nationwide, people mourn for those lost, and pray for those injured. But the majority refuse to let the acts of one man taint a movie they've waited four years to see, and audiences rushed to theaters and IMAX to see if Nolan's latest effort could measure up to 2008's record-breaking, Academy Award winning The Dark Knight. Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's final review in their Batman retrospective series to find out if it did!