The Spy movie you should see VS. The Spy movie you will see

vs. 

We are on the brink of a major motion picture extravaganza. In just a little over a week from now the final installment of the Hunger Games franchise will be released followed shortly thereafter by the first Star Wars film in over a decade. I’m not here to talk about any of that yet. We have a short window of dead space between now and then where you may find yourself at the movie theater deciding what to watch. I’m here to help you make that decision.

Chances are you will end up seeing a spy movie. I know that because there are only two new films at the box office worth seeing (not counting Matt Damon in Space) and they both revolve around espionage. You’ve probably heard that James Bond is back in his newest film ‘Spectre.’ You may not have heard that Tom Hanks is running around lawyering the hell out of the Soviets in the film ‘Bridge of Spies.’ Speaking as a millennial, I believe that younger people will gravitate towards the former and not the latter. Huge mistake! “Big deal” you might say. “Sounds relatively inconsequential” you might say. “Still enjoyed the Bond film” you might say even after you realize YOU BLEW IT once you finish this post. Wrong-o. Indulge me.

Generation Y people have grown up with total national security. I would argue that September 11^th even deepened our belief that this nation will be made safer at all costs. We truly have never feared being attacked by another global power. We can’t even comprehend what that type of fear feels or looks like. Generation X lived during the Cold War. They learned to fear the danger of nuclear war and tried to grasp the threat of another global superpower, Soviet Russia, usurping the United States. Communism was an ideology that swept over Eastern Europe and changed the entire international climate for better and, often times, for worse. Speaking for Gen Y, as people who weren’t alive during that time how can we possibly understand what that was like? The answer is film! Specifically a new film titled ‘Bridge of Spies’ starring Tom Hanks. Because this blog is titled ‘No Spoilers’ I’m not going to dig into the plot here. I just want to appeal to the reader to consider seeing an incredibly intriguing, slower film that is sure to broaden your horizons as opposed to an entertaining, cookie-cutter, action film (Spectre) that is sure to make you appreciate Daniel Craig’s fashion sense. The story telling in ‘Bridge of Spies’ is top notch and it will not only give you some understanding of a past generation, but it will help you empathize with the dangerous international climate that still exists in other countries today. The situations in Syria, Iraq, and the heightened Israel/Palestine conflict all feel more ‘real’ after seeing this film. People abroad are still living in this state of fear and imminent threat. We shouldn’t do our best to avoid understanding real conflict, historical or current, because it seems like a slower story.

Don’t get me wrong, James Bond is fun. But going to see a film can be used as an opportunity to change the way you think about real life. Movies as a medium can be incredibly educational and eye-opening, though we must take special care to acknowledge inherent bias. ‘Bridge of Spies’ is an American movie opening in America so you can expect the Soviet Russians to be demonized a bit. Regardless, the film will have you thinking about international diplomatic relations in a way you probably haven’t thought about before. This is in large part a result of some truly great & honest acting from the entire cast - most notably Tom Hanks. If you find yourself at the theater I implore you to take the opportunity to absorb a worthwhile message. But hey, James Bond is guaranteed to blow shit up by shooting a gas tank so whatever floats your boat.