Will Smith has already been a genie and now he wants to become a pigeon that does spy work? 2019 is wild. As we walk into what could be a complete bust or complete hit this weekend, we wanted to look back at all the other spy movies that came before and knocked it out of the park. Hopefully Spies in Disguise falls in line with these other movies.
Mike Myers was easily one of the funniest people from the 90s and early 2000s. He starred in the best comedies from that time. He stared in Wayne’s World 1&2, and he went on to play the pop culture icon that many grew up with in DreamWorks “Shrek”. The thing I remember him as the most as is his hilarious iconic Character Austin Powers. The first movie (international man of mystery) Myers plays Austin Powers which is basically a parody on James Bond. When he’s woken up in the 90s from being cryo freezed in the 60s, he must work with his new partner Vanessa (Elizabeth Hurley) to take down the evil sinister Dr. Evil played again by Myers. There’s something interesting about how Myers plays both of these roles because even though this isn’t a movie that is exactly wanting to show off it’s performances, it surprisingly does so by showing you the incredible range he’s able to play when he’s doing either role. He has this talent that just makes him turn into either one of these characters without your brain constantly telling you it’s the same person. On top of that the cast has a few more great people like (Seth Green, Michael York, Will Ferrell, and Mindy Sterling). If this doesn’t seem like your kind of movie then I at least have to recommend you check it out just to see how incredible Myers is when it comes to his comedic performance range. (Alex Henderson)
2015 was a great year for thrilling blockbusters that offered much in terms of performances, story, and visuals, such as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “The Martian,” “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” and “Max Max: Fury Road.” This trend started early that year with director Matthew Vaughn’s explosively fun action-comedy, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,”. The movie follows Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) who’s recruited by Harry Hart (Colin Firth) to vie for a chance to become a member of Kingsman, a private intelligence organization, to save the world from a wealthy madman, Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson). Egerton is terrific in a performance that introduced him to filmgoers, and he’s backed up by a terrific supporting cast. Besides the great performances and fast-paced story, the movie comes equipped with some memorable action sequences, such as a pulse-pounding skydiving scene. However, the best action sequence is an entertainingly chaotic segment that has Firth’s character taking on a hate group within a church, a scene that’s filmed in a couple of long takes and includes some inventive fight choreography. If you’re a fan of the James Bond movies, or spy movies in general, this film offers an unconventional approach to the genre that you won’t want to miss. (Vincent Abbatecola)
True story, this was one of the first movies I ever went to see with my now wife. I came back from getting a popcorn refill (I use to down three large popcorns in one movie) only to find her Googling the ending of the movie. Turns out she liked to know the ending of movies before she watched them. Thankfully, she has departed that path and I’m happy it started with this awesome spy flick. The chemistry between our leads is entertainment at its best and I still don’t know why we didn’t get a sequel. Oh, wait. Yes I do. This would have been a pretty costly sequel salary wise alone. (Blake Hodges)
Ever get sick and tired of hearing “You haven’t seen that?” Spies (1928) is an immense throw back to the dawn of movie making. Who said old movies can’t also be fun? The theme of Russian spies isn’t a new thing apparently as we delve into a tail about romance and international espionage. Let me know if you give this throw back a watch. (Blake Hodges)
In 1994 James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger teamed up once again to make the Spy Thriller Comedy, True Lies. Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) seems to live a typical life as a Computer Salesman, but little does his wife know that he is actually a top secret agent who stops terrorists on a regular basis. This was once again a great action vehicle where Schwarzenegger could really shine and showcased his magnetic charisma. With great physicality and slew of terrific one liners, Arnold once again delivers another memorable character to accompany his several others. The cast with the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton and Tia Carrere provide a central component in the film’s success. Jamie Lee Curtis especially who plays Harry’s Wife, Helen Tasker. You get to see her tumble down the rabbit hole of madness with each predicament she is placed in. Curtis does a spectacular job of being both bewildered and intrigued by her husband’s hidden occupation. The film is loaded with great action set pieces that will fill the void of any action movie fan out there. Shootouts, car chases, hand to hand as well as a very memorable chasing a terrorist down on horseback scene. True Lies does an excellent job of balancing Spy Action with solid comedic moments. (Joseph Vargas)
Many filmmakers have very distinct styles that give away the artist behind the second you see the film. Who provides a ridiculous group of characters that pop no matter how little screen time they get? Whose humor is so dry and awkward while keeping up a pitch-black comedic tone? What filmmaker(s) will take a genre and lampoon it in the best way possible while still showing a great respect for it? This can be none other than The Coen Brothers. The Coen Brothers will take on any time period with any genre and the spy one opened itself up to one of the quirkiest and hilarious romps of their career. Burn After Reading may no be considered “top tier” Coen’s like a Fargo or No Country for Old Men but it is thoroughly entertaining and takes the audience on a roller coaster ride of a story. The paranoid gaze of George Clooney says it all as you wonder where it is going, where do all the players stand, and what does it all mean? Brad Pitt is at his comedic best while an onslaught of talented actors bring crazy characters to life. Every second is used to maximum effect to make you question everything yet laugh at every turn. (Shane Conto)
What is a hallmark sign of a great film franchise? Is it the huge box office returns? Is it that the franchise spans generations? Or could it be the quality of each film? One rare feat in the world of cinema is a franchise that keeps getting better as the franchise goes on. One of the best examples of this is the action franchise, Mission: Impossible. But what is the best one? Could it be the original? Or J.J. Abrams stab with number three? Or Brad Bird’s first leap into live action cinema? When it comes down to it, Christopher McQuarrie took the reigns and gave us back to back incredible action films with Fallout being the latest. Tom Cruise is in top form as he performs death defying stunts himself as McQuarrie maximizes the practical action set pieces. Henry Cavill is a great addition with his foreboding presence as he dwarfs Cruise on screen. When the credits roll with the iconic Mission: Impossible theme, you know you witnessed something truly remarkable. Most action-films do not fire on so many cylinders and leave you on the edge of your seat at every turn. Hopefully Tom Cruise keeps them coming! (Shane Conto)
James Bond is without a doubt in my mind the most iconic spy of all time; that being said, he went more than a few years without being in a proper Bond film. It wasn’t until the 2006 reboot of James Bond with Casino Royale that they introduced us to a new more grounded, more intense, and more hard-hitting Bond that I truly felt they gave the character what he deserved without taking away from the whimsy and charm of the character. Daniel Craig absolutely owns this role. His swagger, his charm, and slightly brutish approach to the character brings new life that both pays homage to those who’ve played the role before him, and brings his own personal touch. It’s action packed (that parkour scene!), fun, and surprisingly very emotional. This is a first rate action/thriller that’s top-tier James Bond. (Ben Davis)
Argo is a film that came out of nowhere, especially for me. I remember going to the cinema with the desire to watch something new, and the only one that fit that bill at the time was this. I hadn’t seen any trailers, read about this and I even missed the posters. However, I’ll never forget my viewing experience. Heightened by the fact that it’s based on truth, the CIA’s mission to save 5 Embassy workers from the Iranian revolution was given a truly fantastic adaptation by director and lead actor Ben Affleck. Not to mention that I’m always a fan of any movie that takes you behind the scenes of filmmaking – even if that film is a cover up. It has political intrigue, great acting prowess and an intriguing story. Not to mention, that the last 20 minutes is maybe the most tense inducing part of a film I’ve ever had to sit through – I was almost off my seat due to how on edge I was! Overall, it’s a very well made film, with all the acclaim for critical revue, and the excitement of a crowd pleasing action flick. If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s no time like the present! (Alice Micheli)
“Do you even know why you’re supposed to kill me? Look at us. Look at what they make you give.” Go ahead and try to name a better ending to a trilogy than this one. The original Bourne trilogy is one of the best of all time and is certainly top 3 spy franchises of all time! But I wanted to specifically write about this one because this one has to be the best in this series. Not that they are bad movies, but you wouldn’t pick Legacy or Jason Bourne to be the best. Supremacy is kind of really boring at parts, and Identity is right up there with this one. As I look back, I think of all the shocking moments, the compelling characters, the sleek dialogue, but the thing that I look back at most is all the questions that it answers. It answers the questions of who is Jason Bourne, what is he supposed to do, what has his mission been, how does Treadstone/Blackbriar operate today, and what does all of this mean? Never before has a trilogy so satisfactorily answered all of the questions and threads that it has raised (take note JJ Abrams) and upon re-watching, there is nothing that doesn’t eventually lead somewhere or answer something. And best of all, these movies reward re-watching because you can pick up on all of the things that they have set up and it doesn’t matter how many times you watch them, they are exhilerating! And while this trilogy, and even franchise, is amazing, there is none better in this world that is better to watch or more representative of the series than this one. (Aaron Schweitzer)
Also See:
Spy Kids, Haywire, Spy Game, Sneakers, Duplicity, Saboteur, Foreign Correspondent, The Man Who Knew Too Much, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (or other old Bond), The Hunt for Red October (or other Jack Ryan), Top Secret!, Munich, Ronin, Three Days of the Condor, The Lady Vanishes, The Lives of Others, Notorious, The Manchurian Candidate, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Conversations, North by Northwest, Zero Dark Thirty, The Third Man, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Enemy of the State, A Most Wanted Man