Join Dan Tom as they decode SPY – the movie from 2015. Find out if this spy comedy movie holds up.  It has a great cast. But does it work as a comedy?

This movie is written and directed by Paul Feig.  It stars Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Allison Janney, Miranda Hart, and others.  But it is a comedy spy movie and there is a hit-or-miss track record for these movies.

Can this writer, director, actors and crew pull this off?  Listen to find out!

Some of the things we cover in our...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1965 spy movie, OPERATION CROSSBOW. Find out if this spy movie, based on a real World War II operation, is worth watching.

This movie, which stars George Peppard, Sophia Loren, Trevor Howard, and more tells us the story of the real-life Operation Crossbow operation from World War II.  This operation was created to try to stall or eliminate Germany’s efforts to create the V-1 and V-2 missiles.

So, this movie is part a war movie and part a spy movie.  Does that work? 

Some of the t...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1979 spy movie, AVALANCHE EXPRESS. This was Robert Shaw’s last movie.  Is it worth watching? Listen to find out! 

AVALANCHE EXPRESS is a Cold War spy thriller that was a recommendation from some of our listeners.  Lee Marvin, Robert Shaw, Linda Evans, Maximilian Schell, Mike Connors, and Joe Namath lead the talented list of actors in this one.

This movie has a Soviet general defect, a NOC-list of sorts, and, of course, an avalanche. And since this is a spy movie, of course there is a train.

Join Dan and Tom as they decode 20 Things You Missed in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE! How many will you miss?  Listen to find out! 

Every movie has questionable sequences and stuff that you miss, especially on your first time viewing the movie.  Well, in this episode, we’re going to Russia (and a few other places) to find out what we’ve been missing.

Some of the things we cover include:

·         A picture on the wall of an embassy

·         A famous chess move

·         It might be a Ford. However, it could be a Chevy.  Or both?

Dan and Tom interview Steve Begg, who led the visual effects for CASINO ROYALE, SKYFALL, SPECTRE, KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE, & more! Listen to how his magic transformed these movies!

For those who don’t know the name Steve Begg, you have seen his work, usually without knowing that visual effects were used in a scene.  When his work is done well, it becomes invisible. 

You have heard our interview with Special Effects wizard Chris Corbould (YouTube or our website) on his work with the James Bond series.  Special Effects and Visual Effects combine to give us tru...

Dan and Tom compare the GOLDFINGER – novel vs movie.  How close is the movie to the novel, and how did the novel impact the franchise? Listen to find out!

Many of the early Eon Productions James Bond movies were based on the novels written by Ian Fleming. Ian Fleming’s seventh novel, “Goldfinger,” was used as the basis for the third Eon Productions James Bond movie of the same name. 

In this episode, we decode the major differences between the novel and the movie.  We also look at some other James Bond movies that were influenced...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode 20 things you missed in GOLDFINGER! How many of these did you miss?  You will be surprised. Listen to find out! 

Every movie has questionable sequences and stuff that you miss, especially on your first time viewing the movie.  Well, in this episode, we’re going to put a golden hue on this topic and give you 20 things you missed in GOLDFINGER.  We’re sure there are more, but these are our favorites.

Some of the things we discuss have to do with:

·         The golf outing

·         The...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode some James Bond influences from History and Literature.  Hint: Proust, Dostoevsky, and others may have played a part.

Christopher Booker’s “Seven Basic Plots” identifies the seven main plots that literature tends to stick to.  So, we look at some classic literature and its effect on the James Bond movies.  Consequently, there aren’t very many different plots to contend with, and Eon Productions has retold the same plot multiple times in their movies. 

What we will decode in this episode:

·         How do Proust’s works parallel a character in...

Join Dan and Tom for a James Bond Easter Egg Hunt.  Throughout the 25 Eon Productions James Bond movies, what are the key Easter eggs? Can you find them?

We know that movies today have Easter eggs in them with callbacks to either the real world or other movies.  For James Bond, many of the Easter eggs are for other James Bond items.  However, not always.

What we will decode in this episode:

·         What's an Easter egg.

·         What is the Easter egg on the shelf in DIE ANOTHER DAY that Tom mistakenly thought came from CAS...

Dan and Tom are joined by Vicky as they try to answer the question: DIE ANOTHER DAY - Can this James Bond movie be defended?  Listen to find out!

DIE ANOTHER DAY is one of the most divisive movies in the James Bond catalogue.  Why is that? What about it make some people like it while many others despise it?

We brought Pierce Brosnan fan, Vicky back to help us with this decoding.  Vicky is a huge James Bond fan and has a YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram called THE BOND ROOM UNLOCKED.

Wha...

Dan and Tom look at the pluses and minuses of Amazon controlling James Bond.   Is it the best thing for the franchise? It just may be!  On the other hand, what are the roadblocks they may encounter in making this a success? Listen to find out!

We’ve had a bit of time to digest the news of Eon Productions’ selling creative control of the James Bond franchise to Amazon.  At the time, we released a fan reaction episode.

But now, producers and directors are being announced, so it is time to reexamine this dramatic change t...

Join us as Dan and Tom decode the 1967 movie THE DOUBLE MAN. This movie starring Yul Brynner has a great plot twist. But is it any good?  Listen to find out!

This movie is set in the Austrian Alps, where we join CIA officer Dan Slater as he investigates his son's suspicious skiing death. Meanwhile, as he digs deeper, he uncovers a Soviet plot to infiltrate the CIA. The film blends Cold War paranoia with identity deception in a tense alpine setting.

To sum up, this is an interesting example of a mid-1960s spy m...

What makes THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS so good?  Join Dan and Tom as they dive in to discover exactly what does make it so good!

 THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS introduced us to a new actor playing James Bond, Timothy Dalton.  This ended Roger Moore’s twelve-year run in the role.  With the new actor, the series shifted to a grittier, less humorous James Bond.

What we will decode in this episode

These are the things we decode as we answer the question:  What makes THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS so good?

·         Timothy Dalton’s changes to the portrayal o...

Dan and Tom are joined by Dr. Wesley Britton to decode the 1987 movie THE IMPOSSIBLE SPY. This movie tells the story of a real Israeli spy, Elie Cohen. Without a doubt, he was one of the most successful spies in history.  Is this movie worth a watch? 

This episode has two sections.  First, we discuss with Dr. Wesley Britton some of the information about Elie’s story and the making of the movie.  Then, we decode the movie in depth.

Dr. Britton is the host of the online radio show and Podcast, “Flashback with Wes Britton”...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1943 movie, FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO. Is this World War II movie a spy movie? Listen as Dan tries to convince Tom it is, despite Tom's uncertainty.

The story with this menacing title follows the exploits of Cpl. John Bramble in June 1942 after he fell out of his tank in the North African desert.  Later on, he ends up meeting Rommel, The Desert Fox, himself.  Most of the movie takes place inside the hotel “Empress of Britain”. It is a great setting. Also, something is interesting there underneath the first floor...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the movie CRACKERJACK 3, from 2000. Is this third movie in the series worth a watch? Listen to find out what we think!  This is a “No holds barred” episode!

 The first two CRACKERJACK movies were not spy movies.  They were closer to DIE HARD than a spy movie.   CRACKERJACK 3, however, is a spy movie, even though there is no train sequence! This one stars Leo Rossi, Amy Weber, Oliver Gruner, and Bo Svenson.

 This one has an explosive device, a state-of-the-art cell phone, and a group of old retired spies.

Join Dan, Tom, and Mike Reyes as they review (No Spoilers! ) MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING – This movie stars Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames.  Listen to find out what we think!

We’ve seen MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING, and the most recent before this one, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE DEAD RECKONING.   Now we see if they all tie together.

In our no-spoiler review,  we dive into the following about MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING:

·         The Pre-Title Sequence

·         Callbacks and flashbacks to previous MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movies, and others

·         The music

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1974 spy movie THE TAMARIND SEED. This movie stars Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif.    Listen to find out all the good and perhaps the bad!

We’ve seen Julie Andrews in Torn Curtain with Paul Newman.  Now she is in a romantic spy movie with Omar Sharif.  Does the match work?

In this decoding episode we dive into the following about THE TAMARIND SEED:

Join Dan and Tom for their Character Spotlight on Fiona Volpe, played by Luciana Paluzzi in THUNDERBALL. Can she handle the harsh spotlight?  

We know that Fiona Volpe was a tough, determined, and beautiful villain. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to get her job done.  And she wanted to take James Bond out.   

In this Character Spotlight we look at the following about this wonderful character: 

How was Luciana Paluzzi’s performance? 

What traits does Fiona Volpe portray in her villainess role? 

How important control is for Fiona 

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 2020 spy comedy movie SPY INTERVENTION.  It is a spy movie, but how is the comedy? Is it worth a watch? Dan and Tom are in a lively discussion answering that question! Listen to find out why. 

SPY INTERVENTION is a comedy starring Drew Van Acker, Poppy Delevingne, and Blake Anderson. There is a strong supporting cast as well. The basic premise is that a spy falls in love with a woman which made him leave the spy business and move to the suburbs.   Can he handle the mundane suburban life...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1957 WW II spy movie COUNT FIVE AND DIE.  It has intrigue and espionage. But, is it worth a watch? Listen to find out. 

COUNT FIVE AND DIE is based on the true story of how the Allies used deception to try to convince Adolph Hitler that the Allied invasion would be happening anywhere instead of Normandy.  In this movie, the focus is on The Netherlands.

This decoding session on COUNT FIVE AND DIE includes talk of:

·         The cast and crew

·         The tight story

·         The...

In this episode, Dan and Tom bring in a special guest.  Join us as Raymond Benson, Bond author, talks his new book on Felix Leiter.

Novels are being written about some of the non-James Bond characters from the Ian Fleming James Bond novels.  To that end, Raymond Benson, who was the first American James Bond continuation author, is getting set to release his latest book, “The Hook and the Eye”. This is a book about Felix Leiter after his shark attack.  The book will be released initially as an e-book serial starting on May 27, 2025, with a paper book re...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1951 World War II spy movie DECISION BEFORE DAWN.  It was the first spy movie nominated for the Best Motion Picture Academy Award. And we think it is likely that you never heard of it.

So, take a listen and we’ll decode this one for you.  There is a lot of realism in the movie, and we will highlight some of the real-world things that they adapted for this movie.

DECISION BEFORE DAWN was one of the first post-World War II movies that tried to humanize the regu...

Join Dan and Tom as they give you their no-spoiler review of the just-released spy movie, THE AMATEUR, starring Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne. 

Our goal is to give you the information you need to see if watching THE AMATEUR is worth your time and money. Listen to find out what we think.

THE AMATEUR is a remake of the 1981 movie which starred John Savage.

The cast is excellent with Malek, Fishburne, Rachel Brosnahan, Julianne Nicholson, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jon Bernthal, Holt McCallany, Adrian Martinez, and more.

Some of the topics we di...

Dan and Tom decode the Timothy Dalton as James Bond.  What was the Good, the Bad, and Unique of his performance?  What worked and didn’t work well?Listen to find out.

Timothy Dalton only played James Bond movies in two movies, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and LICENCE TO KILL.  He brought a much different James Bond to the screen than his predecessor. Reactions were mixed as some people didn’t want this change.  

We break down Timothy Dalton’s James Bond movies by looking at:

·         How did Timothy Dalton change the role?

·         How d...

Dan and Tom decode the Good the Bad and Unique of Roger Moore as James Bond.  What worked and didn’t work well?  What made him a unique Bond? Listen to find out.

Roger Moore helmed seven James Bond movies.  Some were well-received, and others were not. He had a very different style compared to what we saw with Sean Connery and George Lazenby.

We break down Roger Moore’s James Bond movies by looking at:

·         How did Roger Moore’s career before Bond influence how Moore played Bond?

·         What did Roger Moore change about th...

There are two types of James Bond women in the movies: those who died and those who survived. Is there a pattern here?  Does it matter if James Bond is romantically involved with them? How about if he is protecting them? We know Bond fails a fair amount trying to keep them alive.

In this episode, Dan and Tom examine each of the women that James Bond either was romantic with or protected in the movies.  We answer the question: did they survive or die? Plus, we answer the question, how many died an...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1980 spy movie HOPSCOTCH. It has a star-studded cast and is a comedy. But, is it worth a watch? Listen to find out.

Walter Matthau plays the spy, Miles Kendig who has a run in with his boss. What happens next helps set up the reason for the name of the movie, HOPSCOTCH.  The other lead actors for the movie include Glenda Jackson, Ned Beatty, and Sam Waterston.

Some of the topics we discuss include in this review are:

·         The origin of the big-tent Oktoberfest halls

· ...

Join Dan and Tom as they give you their no-spoiler review of the just-released spy movie: BLACK BAG.  Our goal is to give you the information you need to see if watching BLACK BAG is worth your time and money. Listen to find out what they think.

BLACK BAG is a spy movie, not an action movie.  What does that mean?  Well, think of TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY or THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD.   Those were spy movies, not action movies. BLACK BAG is not reminiscent of a James Bond or Ethan Hunt spy movie...

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the 1943 spy movie BACKGROUND TO DANGER starring George Raft, Brenda Marshall, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet. Is it worth a watch? We decode all that for you!

In this black-and-white World War II spy movie, everyone wants to get their hands on an envelope that contains something strategic for the war.  What’s in it? What do they want it for? There are some fun twists in this movie that we don’t give away.

Dan and Tom have a similar opinion on this movie...

James Bond movie posters are very popular with collectors.  And of course, it all started in the 1960s.  Join Dan and Tom as they welcome the founder and editor of 007 Magazine, Graham Rye to help decode the 1960s James Bond posters.   

We are very happy that Graham was able to join us.  His knowledge of 40 years of James Bond that he has acquired by creating 007 Magazine is amazing. 

How much about these posters do you REALLY know? This is one of our episodes where we can predict you will hear something you didn’t know before.  ...

Kidnapping Winston Churchill during WW II is the plot of the 1976 movie, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED. 

Yes, the plot sounds intriguing, but is it based on a true mission? We know about failed assassination attempts on Churchill, Hitler, and Mussolini.  But what about a kidnapping?

Dan and Tom decode this fun spy movie.  What works and what doesn’t in this movie?

They examine the following from THE EAGLE HAS LANDED:

·         Is THE EAGLE HAS LANDED a spy movie?

·         The stellar cast (Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, and Donald Sutherland are the stars)

...

There was big news in the world of James Bond today!  Amazon/MGM get creative control of James Bond movies from EON Productions.  For some of us, it was our biggest fear for the franchise.  For others, it is a welcome change.   And still others just aren’t sure. 

In this episode, we start by giving you the basics of the announcement, including comments from Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. 

Then we give you James Bond fan’s unedited comments on this

Join Dan and Tom as they decode the James Bond movie’s fan-favorite scenes. We know that different James Bond movie fans have their favorite movies and scenes from these movies.  Not everyone likes them all.  Often, we find that the first James Bond movie you saw heavily influences your reaction to the scenes. In this episode, we go through each Eon Productions James Bond movie and call out the fan favs from each of them.

Here is just a sample of the scenes we discuss.  You’ll hear the whole list by listening to this episode:

...

Join Dan and Tom for this Rachel Grant interview. We discuss Rachel’s role as “Peaceful Fountains of Desire” in the James Bond movie DIE ANOTHER DAY and more.

Rachel Grant is an actress, a mother, a travel expert, and a very high-energy interviewee.  Rachel’s most famous role was in DIE ANOTHER DAY and we talk about her experience in the James Bond world.  We also discuss other movies and series in which she has appeared.  Finally, we talk about raising a toddler and some of her charity work.

Some of the topics we discuss inc...

Dan and Tom bring back Tom Whiteman from Legacy-Collectibles.com to talk about some of the OSS weapons that were created to help the first U.S. spy agency in WW II. We talked with Mr. Whiteman in an earlier episode where we discussed James Bond’s assigned pistol, the Walther PPK. OSS morphed into the CIA!  

Tom gives us the background of these weapons, if the weapon was ever used, the pros and cons of the weapon, and a very interesting background on a knife in an OSS Agent’s possession. 

What spy movies and TV...

Dan and Tom decode the 1979 comedy spy movie THE IN-LAWS.  This movie stars Peter Falk and Alan Arkin. Plus they compare it to the 2003 remake with the same name.

The 1979 version of THE IN-LAWS is a classic comedy spy movie. But, the 2003 version is not held in the same high regard.  Why is that?

Take a listen to find out more about the 1979 version.  Why does it work?  And, what works and what doesn’t work in the 2003 remake.

Some of the details we examine include:

Dan and Tom give you their no-spoiler review of the just released Netflix spy movie BACK IN ACTION.  And they don’t agree on this one.  Listen to hear why.

This is the movie where Cameron Diaz returns to acting after a 10-year hiatus.   So, she’s now back in action. And like in her last movie, she’s teaming up with Jaimie Foxx.

So, without giving away the movie, we talkthrough what we thought worked and didn’t work.

Some of the details we examine include:

·         What worked

·         What didn’t work

·   ...

Join Dan for our Spy Movie News January 14 2025 edition.

First, a mystery we’ve mentioned in the last couple of Spy Movie News briefings about the upcoming Christopher Nolan Project is resolved!  Then we talk about some issues between EON Productions and Amazon, take a look at spy series that have been cancelled or renewed, some upcoming spy movies and series, and then wrap with a tip of the hat to some industry workers who have passed in the last month.

Some of the shows we discuss include:

Dan and Tom give us their 2024 year in review for SpyMovieNavigator.com and their podcast Cracking the Code of Spy Movies. 

They talk about some of the spy movies they decoded last year.  In some cases, they give a synopsis of the movie.   You may discover an episode that decoded a movie you are interested in, or didn’t know you were interested in until you heard this episode. Remember their goal is to provide you with information that will enhance your movie viewing experience.

Some of the items they discuss in the 2024 year in review...