Coming back here a day late because I work for (large tech company) and a guy with a vague sounding SVP title just casually mentioned in a slack chat that he was a consultant for the script for Sneakers (also war games and minority report)
Sneakers is a classic. We rewatched it with some friends a few months back and it still holds up.
My current “what is a subject you could give a 30-minute speech on with no preparation?” is the overwhelming greatness of the recent Mission Impossible movies. If you've heard someone in a bar yelling “Look I know you don't love Tom Cruise but he's HANGING ON TO A PLANE that's taking off FOR REAL" then you know I'm off to the races.
I don't think I've seen anything beyond MI:2, and one of these days I'm going to have to correct that. Cruise's weirdness is an impediment, but the man commits to a role.
If you want the amuse bouche, Lee at Cinema Wins LOVES the MI series and each of his "Everything Great About" videos on the MI movies has given me the highlights in a really satisfying way.
I don't think it's on any of the Netflix/HBO/etc services, but you can rent it to stream through AppleTV+/Amazon Prime. (I did that again this weekend, despite owning it on DVD... I really need to plug my DVD player in.)
I'm not sure I liked the movie or didn't like it. Think the tech stuff was why I would not have liked it (most tech scenes are so bad), while the actors are why I would have liked it.
Jan 10, 2022·edited Jan 10, 2022Liked by Scott Hines
Re-watched the movie this morning.
It was enjoyable viewing, still had some of that 70's counter culture aspect. I still wonder what a laser fence is along w/ some other technical quirks.
Overall I think this was a team/group rift on No Way Out which was a cold war rift on The Big Clock. The Big Clock is a fun read if you can find the book, and the movie is wonderfully filmed, especially if you like film noir.
Are any better than the others? {shrug} Everyone has their preferences.
when watching the first time I missed the clue about black box because my mom routinely called answering machines "answering services" so I thought it was just a thing that people did.
It's laughably dated, being a technology heist movie when the pinnacle of technology was, like, the VCR. That's probably a selling point if I'm being honest though.
It is low stakes Ocean's 11 with less character rapport.
Setec Astronomy. My voice is my passport. I love this movie.
“My Socrates note?”
I can't believe I'm the first to post this - Slate did a whole celebration for Sneakers' 20th anniversary with a series of articles on various aspects of it: https://slate.com/culture/2012/09/sneakers-20th-anniversary-how-the-robert-redford-caper-inspired-a-generation-of-fervent-fans.html
!!! I had never seen this, this is great. Thank you for sharing!
*Sigh* Goes looking for Sneakers to watch for the first time.
This kinda made me feel like when Michael Schur spent a month hyping Midnight Run and I finally relented and watched it and enjoyed it.
[nodding] I agree, I am as influential a creator as Michael Schur
We just watched it for the first time either last year or the year before! Pandemic viewing. Loved it
Exactly what happened with me. I think I bought it on Amazon during the spring of 2020.
Now THIS, THIS is a movie.
Midnight Run was perfect. I was angry with myself not only for having never seen it, but for having never heard of it!
It's pretty cool when a movie can serve as both a time capsule and as timeless and you elucidated some of the ways in which it did. Great stuff.
Coming back here a day late because I work for (large tech company) and a guy with a vague sounding SVP title just casually mentioned in a slack chat that he was a consultant for the script for Sneakers (also war games and minority report)
Oh dang! That’s awesome
I would keep reading essays about Sneakers. I love this movie.
Sneakers is a classic. We rewatched it with some friends a few months back and it still holds up.
My current “what is a subject you could give a 30-minute speech on with no preparation?” is the overwhelming greatness of the recent Mission Impossible movies. If you've heard someone in a bar yelling “Look I know you don't love Tom Cruise but he's HANGING ON TO A PLANE that's taking off FOR REAL" then you know I'm off to the races.
I don't think I've seen anything beyond MI:2, and one of these days I'm going to have to correct that. Cruise's weirdness is an impediment, but the man commits to a role.
The last 3 have been really, really good. Didn't like the first three all that much.
If you want the amuse bouche, Lee at Cinema Wins LOVES the MI series and each of his "Everything Great About" videos on the MI movies has given me the highlights in a really satisfying way.
You know where to find it? Is it streaming anywhere? We're laid up with the 'rona and running out of stuff to watch. This sounds promising
(Also boo to the 'rona, hope you're doing well and get past it quickly)
Thanks. We're fine, just tired and bored.
I don't think it's on any of the Netflix/HBO/etc services, but you can rent it to stream through AppleTV+/Amazon Prime. (I did that again this weekend, despite owning it on DVD... I really need to plug my DVD player in.)
I rented it on Amazon Prime a while back.
I love that someone else loves this movie as much as I did and still do. One of those hidden gems, it's a stop and watch every time. Thanks Scott!
I'm not sure I liked the movie or didn't like it. Think the tech stuff was why I would not have liked it (most tech scenes are so bad), while the actors are why I would have liked it.
Re-watched the movie this morning.
It was enjoyable viewing, still had some of that 70's counter culture aspect. I still wonder what a laser fence is along w/ some other technical quirks.
Overall I think this was a team/group rift on No Way Out which was a cold war rift on The Big Clock. The Big Clock is a fun read if you can find the book, and the movie is wonderfully filmed, especially if you like film noir.
Are any better than the others? {shrug} Everyone has their preferences.
when watching the first time I missed the clue about black box because my mom routinely called answering machines "answering services" so I thought it was just a thing that people did.
I did not care for the film tbqh!
It's....fine?
It's laughably dated, being a technology heist movie when the pinnacle of technology was, like, the VCR. That's probably a selling point if I'm being honest though.
It is low stakes Ocean's 11 with less character rapport.
You're overselling it imo.
Tho the van chase scene and the opening scene are both a delight. And of course the sex crazed Donal Logue.
saaaaaaame
in retrospect, he was a huge POS
although, in more recent retrospect it turns out Omar Vizquel is too, and I definitely didn't expect that at the time