Sneakers

Like Ocean’s Eleven for hackers: a crew of highly competent, likable guys combining unique talents to pull off a job, with plenty of comedy beats in the mix. Robert Redford and Sidney Poitier bring some serious acting chops (more than necessary for a jokey caper movie), but David Strathairn’s blind phone phreaker Whistler steals the show for me.

Mostly, Sneakers is just fun. Well-paced, with a straightforward plot, just enough intrigue, great cast, and sufficient tension to hold your attention without ever going too dark.

I love how physical and realistic all the tech feels: computers, wires, circuit boards, tape recorders, telephone equipment, keypads. The photography emphasizes objects being handled and manipulated. That tactile quality is a huge part of the movie's charm.

The nighttime cinematography in particular has a striking appeal, almost noirish in its use of shadows and silhouettes.

Refreshing to watch an original genre movie that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to get too complicated or take itself too seriously.