10 Best Spy Films That AREN'T James Bond

From one hacker film to another now, and it's time to sing the praises of Phil Alden Robinson's excellent cult spy movie classic, Sneakers.

Released in theatres in 1992, Sneakers is probably my platonic ideal of what a nineties movie should be. It's stylish, warm, and just overall pleasant to be around - largely due to the cast being stuffed to the gills with charming people. Sneakers includes within its ranks Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix, and personal fave David Strathairn. Like, how do you beat that? You don't - it's basically movie perfection.

A reflection on boomer rebellion in the digital age and a thrilling, whip-smart caper-comedy that involves CIA and NSA intrigue, Sneakers stands out precisely because it's so unlike most other spy films from that decade. Its approach is humorous, but sincere, with the overall comedy never diminishing the stakes of the plot, which features genuine menace at times, but never in a way that jars tonally with those precious moments of comedy.

When people say "they don't make em' like they used to", they're really talking about Sneakers.