Anyway, so to appease my co-workers, I'm going to turn from 80's fantasy films and the silly music that accompanied them in favor of globe-trotting intrigue, deception and violence. Lots and lots of violence. (That's right, co-workers. Go ahead and talk about cellulite now!)
And just in case none of that intro was clear, today I'll be sharing some (again note the 'some') of my favorite spy/secret agent movies. And there are a lot of them (but I don't talk about all of them, I swear). I just love the action, I really do.
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| Hello, Salty Goodness! |
I have made no secret that while I love Bond movies in general, I think Daniel Craig is the Best. Bond. Ever. And it's not just because of pictures like the one found on the left (although it definitely doesn't hurt. Hellooooo, Nurse!). It's because I like a Bond who doesn't solely rely on gadgets. I like a Bond who can take out the bad guys with his bare hands if he needs to. The opening fight sequence of Casino Royale (released in 2006) followed by the crane/embassy fight followed by every other fight in this movie just really hammers home the point that this is a new breed of Bond. Skyfall (released in 2012) was equally, if not more so impressive. It was just a damn cool movie. And I may or may not have a crush on Q because he's freaking adorable (and awesome. Very, very awesome).
My favorite line from Casino Royale comes early on, just preceeding the aforementioned crane/embassy fight. Bond's incompetent partner repeatedly touches his earpiece and Bond finally says, "Stop touching your ear." And, for whatever reason, that line is often quoted in my house.
My favorite line from Skyfall belongs to Q:
Q: What did you expect? An exploding pen?
My favorite exchange from Skyfall is between Bond and Q:
Q: I'm guessing this is not official.
Bond: Not even remotely.
Q: So much for my promising career in espionage.
A man with amnesia and a bullet wound learns that he is a serious ass-kicking superspy-soldier-assassin guy with a killer apartment (no pun intended) in Paris.
The first movie is, by far, my favorite, (and henceforth will be the focus of this segment) but I have a hard time watching the first one without feeling compelled to watch the other two soon after. Again, this is another movie with an awesome fight scene at an Embassy. Consulate? (note to self: avoid embassies...) And I swear the entire series contains some of the craziest chase scenes ever. The kind one needs Dramamine to be able to enjoy.
One of my favorite scenes, though, doesn't involve any fighting or stunt driving. It's in the first movie between Jason and Marie after she's retrieved a hotel bill Jason needs without going through the endless amounts of trouble Jason was setting her up for. It goes a little something like this:
Jason: What happened?
Marie: Nothing.
Jason: Did something go wrong?
Marie: I've got the records. This guy at the front desk was smiling at me, so I thought, all this trouble, maybe it's easier to just ask for them.
Jason: You have the bill?
Marie: [pulling paper from pocket] He made me a photocopy.
Jason: [incredulous] You just asked for it?
Marie: I said I was Mr. Kane's personal assistant.
Jason: [pause] Oh. Okay. Good thinking.
This movie, released in 1993, stars Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner as Jeff and Jane Blue—ex-spies vacationing in New Orleans with their baby girl. While there, they're harassed by one inept but determined mugger (played by a hilarious Stanley Tucci), a pair of local police detectives, and then the FBI who needs them to help with just one more job.
The Man and I find this movie to be absolutely hilarious and endlessly quotable, as evidenced by the fact that we can't stop quoting this movie. Here are a few of our favorite lines:
Jane: You took our child into a knife fight?
Jeff: It was a fair fight. Two of them, two of us.
Ted: Cute baby. Boy or girl?
Jeff: Gosh, I hope so.
Jeff: I don't know what brand of vacuum you're currently using, but the Electrolux is the biggest sucker of them all.
Bad guy: Don't make any sudden movements.
Jeff: Why? Is there a bee on me?
Bad guy: I want you to get up from the table very, very slowly.
Jeff: 'Very, very'? Not just 'very'?
And.... I'm out of time because I've got to get to work, so I'm going to end this list here (please hold your applause). But here are a few
Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)
1. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
2. Taken (2008) starring Liam Neeson
3. Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg
4. Haywire (2011) starring Gina Carano and Ewan McGregor
5. Hanna (2011) starring Saorise Roanan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett
6. North by Northwest (1959) starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and a crop duster plane
Told you I loved this genre. Tune in tomorrow to find out my favorite superhero/comic book movies! I'm guessing you already know my all time favorite, but the rest might be a surprise!
Until next time...