its history, methods, and the personalities behind the agency is to watch movies about it.  Cenk mentioned an excellent start that incorporates modern circumstances and tactics,
1.  Body of Lies --- Newly stationed in Jordan, idealistic CIA agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) teams up with veteran operative Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the head of Jordanian intelligence (Mark Strong) to infiltrate an underground network of terrorists and locate a criminal mastermind. Based on the best-selling novel by David Ignatius and directed by Ridley Scott, this suspenseful spy thriller features top-rate performances and explosive action sequences.
2.  Syriana --- George Clooney (who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and Golden Globe for his role) plays CIA operative Bob Barnes in this political thriller by Stephen Gaghan. America is at the beck and call of the Middle East when it comes to the oil industry, and all its players -- Washington, sheiks, oil companies, field workers -- intersect with each other. The star-studded cast includes Matt Damon, Amanda Peet, Chris Cooper and Christopher Plummer.
3.  The Good Shepard --- Matt Damon and Robert De Niro (who also directs) star in this partially fact-based drama that examines the early history of the CIA as seen through the eyes of a dedicated agent. An upstanding, sharp-minded Yale student, Edward Wilson (Damon) is recruited to work for the fledgling CIA during World War II. Though loyal to his country, Wilson begins to feel the job eroding his ideals, filling him with distrust and destroying his personal life.
4.  The Recruit --- Of all the CIA operatives-in-training, James Clayton (Colin Farrell) is the one agency veteran Walter Burke (Al Pacino) most wants to recruit. James is far from grateful, but he's the sharpest of his class. Before he officially becomes an officer, however, he must prove he's worthy at the Farm, the CIA's secret training grounds, where he learns to watch his back and trust no one but himself.
5.  Spy Game --- Robert Redford and Brad Pitt reunite in this espionage thriller from director Tony Scott. On the verge of retiring from the CIA, veteran spy Nathan Muir (Redford) learns that his one-time protégé and close friend, Tom Bishop (Pitt), is a political prisoner sentenced to die in Beijing. Although their friendship has been marred by bad blood and resentment, Muir agrees to take on the most dangerous mission of his career and rescue Bishop.
6.  The Company (TNT miniseries) --- Inspired by the book by Robert Littell, this historical miniseries follows rookie CIA agent Jack McCauliffe (Chris O'Donnell) as he trains under the watchful eye of mentor Harvey Torriti (Alfred Molina), aka the Sorcerer, during the Cold War. Meanwhile, fellow agent James Angleton (Michael Keaton), aka Mother, is driven to a near-breakdown by the hunt for a mole in the agency. Alessandro Nivola and Natascha McElhone co-star.
7.  3 Days of the Condor --- His name is Joe Turner -- code name, Condor. In the next 24 hours, everyone he trusts will try to kill him. Robert Redford stars as the CIA researcher who returns from lunch to find all his co-workers murdered. Double-crossed and forced to go underground, he kidnaps a young woman (Faye Dunaway) and holds her hostage as he unravels the mystery. Conspiracy films don't come any better.

and finish it off with the three Jason Bourne (novels written by Robert Ludlum) movies for pure fast paced escape
8.   Bourne Identity
9.   Bourne Supremacy
10. Bourne Ultimatum

by gatekeeper50 on 05/18/2009 11:50:39 PM EST