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Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – Movie Review

Damon Houx — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:00:29 +0000

Though he took his licks for his public insanity, Tom Cruise is now back as a movie star in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. But perhaps more exciting for film geeks is the launch of Brad Bird as a live-action director. The two work together to create a stunning action movie that’s lightweight but filled with all the great action one hopes for in an event film.

The Players:

Director: Brad Bird
Writers: Josh Applebaum, Andre Nemec
Stars: Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway
Cinematography: Robert Elswitt
Music: Michael Giacchino

The Plot:

When a Russian steals nuclear bomb codes and turns Ethan Hunt (Cruise) into a patsy for the bombing of the Kremlin, the Impossible Mission Force is shut down, and its agents go into “Ghost Protocol” mode. That means their actions are unsanctioned but they must work just the same. Hunt’s team this time is Jane (Patton), who just lost an agent in a recent mission; Benji (Pegg), who’s been upgraded to field agent, and Brandt (Renner) – who may not be what he appears. They’re trying to stop a madman who wants to detonate a lot of nuclear weapons with little time or resources.

The Good:

Action: The set pieces in this film are large scale and mostly practical. From an opening prison break to the justly revered Dubai building climb, to the end set piece in a car manufacturing plant, all the action beats are huge and impressive. Bird understands the action rhythms and – perhaps more importantly – how to complicate a big action sequence. When Cruise goes climbing on one of the biggest buildings in the world his electronic wall-climbing gloves don’t work as well as they should, and it takes an already intense sequence to the next level.
Imax: And Bird also understands how to use the Imax camera. When Cruise is up on that huge building in Dubai, it’s vertiginous.
Renner is not a mole: The Mission: Impossible films have often fallen back on the premise that there’s a rogue agent dealing secrets – it’s been the plot of the last three movies. Originally Jeremy Renner was set to take over the franchise, but when they reworked the script to keep Cruise on the team, it seemed like they could go that route again. Thankfully, he’s only just a little green in the field, which is mostly charming.
Professionalism: Though it’s also one of the weakest elements of the film (see below), what’s great about the film is it’s about a team of skilled professionals dealing with problems on the fly.

The Bad:

Ethan Hunt: Where James Bond and John McClane have interesting personalities, the main character here is a complete blank, and four pictures in, the only defining characteristics of Hunt are that he’s really good at his job, and he’s played by Tom Cruise. It’s the one thing that keeps this series from being great. And though the mole plotlines were worn out in the franchise, it at least gives the films personal stakes. For a film about the world possibly ending, there’s little weight to the proceedings, and so the set pieces impress but they don’t draw you in like they do when you really care about a character. Unfortunately everyone else has slightly more compelling reasons to be there.
Tom Cruise: Just shy of 50, Cruise is still trying to be the action star he was ten or twenty years ago. And though he’s a fine leading man, when he runs (and he runs a lot in this picture) or takes his shirt off, that age shows. At this point Cruise should really start moving into older man roles, because it’s starting to get gross.

Overall:

Even if the main character is kind of a stiff, the action sequences are spectacular enough to make this a must-see in the theaters. And if Brad Bird was using this to audition for other bigger things, he’s passed it.

Rating: 7.7/10

Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol opens everywhere December 21.

Photos:

Trailer:

Tom Cruise Rocks Out With His Rock of Ages Trailer

Damon Houx — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:28:42 +0000

The hit musical Rock of Ages took many of the kitschy but lovably sincere rock anthems of the 1980′s and Broadway-ized them. So who better to head up the film adaptation than Adam Shankman, who gave Hairspray a similar stage-to-screen treatment? The film – which stars Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand and Malin Ackerman – hits theaters June 1, 2012, but now there’s a trailer. Check it out.

The premise is in the trailer: there are young kids who want to be stars, and a Tipper Gore-esque politican who thinks that this new-fangled rock and roll leads to sex, which then ties it into Hairspray while still hitting that 80′s nostalgia button. Then there’s Tom Cruise with his long hair, and making jokes about being a rock and roller. Anyway, check it out:

This script was worked over by Oscar winner Michael (Little Miss Sunshine) Arndt and Justin Theroux, so this is definitely an A-list wanna-be blockbuster, but it’s currency will probably be strongest with people who love the modern musical, and those who didn’t live through the era. Perhaps it’s time for those from the 1980′s to experience their own version of Grease, where the things that seemed real become cartoon versions of history. Alas, what kills my interest is the cutesy versions of those songs. But it could be fun.

What’s your favorite modern musical?

New Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol Trailer

Damon Houx — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:49:17 +0000

The final Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol trailer has debuted, and the word is Bond. James Bond. That seems to be what stars Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner, and director Brad Bird are going for in this action packed-looking film. That’s always been the word, in some ways, as it deals with special agents and spy toys, but all the previous films have been saddled with mole hunts. Here- at least from the trailer – it seems to be all about the action. Check it out

Of course mole hunting isn’t exactly off the table, either, but this trailer sell a scale that seems bigger than the last couple. Brian De Palma started the franchise off with a more Hitchcockian tone (as he would), and managed to use the mole hunting to easily work in one of the main themes of his work (betrayal). John Woo was saddled with a script that stole a lot from actual Hitchcock (there was a lot of Notorious in there), while J. J. Abrams used M:I:III to learn how to work on the big screen.

The supporting cast here looks exciting, with Simon Pegg capable comic support, and the digital effects work looks kept to a minimum. As always the question is if people still like Tom Cruise. But this trailer should sell some tickets to the skeptical.

Which is your favorite of the Mission Impossible films?

Tom Cruise Shares Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Poster

Damon Houx — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:09:38 +0000

The pattern to this point with Mission: Impossible posters is the giant floating head of Tom Cruise. But that pattern has been dashed as the latest poster for Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol has Cruise sharing his poster with Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, and Simon Pegg. The full size poster for the film follows after the jump, check it out…

One of the set pieces in the film is a chase during a sandstorm/debris so this seems to be paying homage to that part. Paramount recently showed a chunk of the film in Imax to journalists, and the word coming out of those screenings were positive. Perhaps they have winner with this one.

There are two questions that linger: Are American audiences back in “like” with Tom Cruise, and does this one have the exact same plot as the last three movies? Since the trailers suggest there is a mole in the operations, I wouldn’t be surprised if the fourth film has Cruise or Renner unmasking a close associate as the traitor. The film was supposedly originally pitched as Cruise’s hand-off of the franchise, but even though Cruise is 49 it’s possible that he will stay on the ship – especially with Jeremy Renner’s full plate. Perhaps they want to keep both in play and it’s Paula Patton who’s the mole. All will be revealed when the film hits theaters December 21.

What role would you want to see Tom Cruise in now?

Six Minute ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Opening Scene To Be Attachted To ‘Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol’ IMAX Screenings In December

traviswoods — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:09:57 +0000

Well, I guess now you actually have a reason to fork over the money to see Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocal (a.k.a., Mission: Impossible If You Pay To See This They’re Just Gonna Keep Making This Crap) in an IMAX theater—IMAX prints of the new Tom Cruise film will also feature the first six minutes of the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises film!

Ugh, Warner Bros., why are you doing this to me? I really don’t want to see the new Mission Impossible film, but… the Batman fanboy in me demands to see a six minute IMAX preview of The Dark Knight Rises. Warner Bros. did the same thing in 2007, when it attached the opening Joker bank robbery sequence of The Dark Knight to the Will Smith film, I Am Legend.

So it seems that Warner Bros.’ business model is as follows: pack a bunch of money into a famous movie star’s vanity action film project, realize that the film is probably going to suck, then decide to cram the first few minutes of the most hotly awaited superhero films of recent memory at the beginning of screenings for the said crappy film. Genius!

Actually, it is pretty genius, because now I’m looking to buy tickets to see Ghost Protocol when it opens on December 16. Well, played, Warner, well played.

What do you think of The Dark Knight Rises news?

Source: /Film

Top Gun Goes 3-D for 2012

Damon Houx — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:52:58 +0000

Tony Scott‘s Top Gun was released in 1986 and was the most successful film of that year. It launched Tom Cruise into leading man status (or at least cemented it post-Risky Business), and also featured Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and a host of young actors like Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins. It was the ultimate example of the Jerry Bruckheimer/Don Simpson vehicle – slick, formulaic, but winning. But does the film has a lasting legacy? We’ll see in 2012 when the film is supposed to be released in 3-D.

There are two things about this that are kind of strange. One is that the post-converted old movies thing doesn’t seem like much of a trick. The Phantom Menace and Titanic are due out in the near future, but we’re yet to see if audiences respond to this treatment of older films. and this is after the numbers on 3-D films have steadily decreased since the release of Avatar.

The other interesting thing is that though the film has a fanbase – and is definitely part of the pop culture consciousness – as a film it doesn’t seem to be all that special outside of its success. Perhaps it has a stronger following in the sports and military communities (the film helped boost recruitment numbers when it was released), but sequels and remakes have yet to happen, and the film is charming but not “great.” Perhaps it’s unfair to compare its fanbase to genre fans – who are a very vocal community. We’ll see if the film has a following if/when the post conversion release happens. If so it would seemingly open the door for post-conversions of films like Speed or Men in Black.

Do you feel the need… the need for speed?

Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Gets a Poster

Damon Houx — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:17:55 +0000

Tom Cruise is looking at you over numbers! Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol has been getting good buzz for a while. Which is shocking considering that Tom Cruise was a washout not so long ago (like last summer). Thank the people behind the film for that (read: Brad Bird). But what’s been consistent in the franchise are the posters. They’re all about Tom Cruise’s head. Here’s the latest poster for the series. Check it out…

Consistent with the franchise is also the burning fuse, which dates to the television show (one of the only things they kept besides some names and the theme music).

It’s strange they’re not also selling the additional characters played by Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Tom Wilkinson, or Josh Holloway, but perhaps this is in Cruise’s contract. As we’ve said before, there was talk that this was Cruise’s last bow as the character, but this advertising doesn’t suggest the team effort it might have been.

Regardless, as long as the film delivers action and good word of mouth, it doesn’t matter if the series continues with Cruise or Renner (as was previously rumored). The franchise itself is so malleable that it could easily be rebooted with no one of the old (perhaps in a year or two Zac Efron could be Ethan Hunt). It’s weird that the name value of a forty year old TV show has that sort of staying power, but it now exists beyond a show that many people who’ve seen all the films never bothered with.

Do you think Tom Cruise ain’t afraid of no Ghosts?

Rosamund Pike Is Tom Cruise’s Leading Lady For One Shot

Damon Houx — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:50:20 +0000

How quickly we forgive or forget. Tom Cruise was considered a box office poison when his personal life overwhelmed his career, and he’s had a string of box office disappointments. In fact, 2010 saw Cruise in Knight and Day, which unperformed and felt barely released. But word is good on his next Mission: Impossible movie, and so Cruise is a star again. He’s now signed to play Jack Reacher in Christopher McQuarrie’s One Shot, and his leading lady has been found: Rosamund Pike.

Pike had a big breakout role in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, but it led to some less-than-great roles in films like Doom, Fracture, Surrogates, and other films with more than one word in the title. But though it was Carey Mulligan who got all the award attention, Pike was excellent in An Education, and that led to more work and a renewed interest in the actress.

But this casting also points out that the pool of young actresses is small, and for intelligent late 20′s/early 30′s types, they often go to England. Recently we saw Gemma Arterton get a number of high profile roles in American films only to not connect. Hayley Atwell (recently in Captain America) will probably get the same treatment – in fact she was one of the other actresses up for the One Shot lead. This is Pike’s time (again), we’ll see if it sticks.

Who’s your favorite current British actress?

Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol Teases a Trailer

Damon Houx — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:12:57 +0000

What difference four years and a new director makes. Tom Cruise returns to his franchise role of Ethan Hunt in the new Mission: Impossible film Ghost Protocol, but the real star of the trailer is director Brad Bird. Known for his work on Pixar films like The Incredibles and Ratatoulie, Ghost Protocol is his first live action film, and he’s got it. Joining Cruise are faces like ---">Jeremy Renner and Tom Wilkinson, while returning is – at least – Simon Pegg. Check out the trailer….

When Jeremy Renner joined the franchise, there was talk he was there to replace Cruise – who will be 49 on July 3 – partly because Cruise’s star was on the wane after the two years of nonsense that came from marrying Katie Holmes, and talking at greater length about his religious beliefs. But though the third film was considered disappointing domestically, globally the film made money. This trailer suggests there may be another mole in the operations – which has been a running plot in these movies – but little is actually known of the plot.

What is known is the action in this trailer, and it looks impressive. As with the still above, there is a scope and coolness to this trailer that seemed missing from the last film. The franchise itself has been hit and miss. The first film is more enjoyable for director Brian De Palma doing a more mainstream take on his interests as a filmmaker, the second tamed John Woo, and the third film launched (awkwardly at that) J.J. Abrams as a film director. But Brad Bird seems the absolute right choice for this material, and there’s a number of great money shots here. And the best way to revive stardom is to make a good movie.

Does this excite you?

Tom Cruise’s ‘Tropic Thunder’ Spin-Off Script Is Finished

traviswoods — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:46:10 +0000

Now that Tom Cruise is wrapping up Mission Impossible 47: Remember When I Didn’t Creep You Guys Out? Could We Go Back To That? and is set to complete filming on Rock of Ages later this year, it’s time to predict what film Cruise will do next, mainly because I like to pretend that it’s 1996 and anyone still cares (it’s a weird hobby, I know). And /Film points out that one possibility is the Tropic Thunder spinoff featuring Cruise’s shockingly funny turn as Les Grossman, Hollywood superagent.

Speaking to MTV, Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader confirmed that his friend, Scott Pilgrim vs the World co-screenwriter Michael Bacall, has finished the script to the spin-off:

“I just know the broad strokes. Michael just telling me, ‘I just wrote this scene where blah, blah, blah and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s funny, man!’… It’s gonna be great!”

And while that’s essentially the Hollywood equivalent of “I don’t know, man, my buddy wrote a script, what do you want me to say, that it sucks? It’s kinda funny, ok, so leave the guy alone,” Cruise was pretty much the best thing about Tropic Thunder. However, the Les Grossman character was so hilarious because it was such a surprise, and because he was doled out on screen in such small, limited doses. 90 minutes of watching Tom Cruise scream obscenities and dance in a fat suit might the 2011 or 2012 equivalent of a Big Mama’s House sequel, and thus the final dotted ‘i’ or crossed ‘t’ in Cruise’s eventual total meltdown. So maybe he should just stick with Mission Impossible 48.

What would you think of a Les Grossman film?

Tom Cruise Confirmed for At The Mountains of Madness, Starts Shooting in June

Krystal Clark — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:57:55 +0000

After months of speculation it looks like Tom Cruise has finally been confirmed to star in At The Mountains of Madness. The Guillermo del Toro directed film is based on the HP Lovecraft novel of the same name that’s written from the first-person perspective of a geologist named William Dyer, a professor from Miskatonic University. According to i09, Cruise will play the lead character in the adaptation beating out rumored competition James McAvoy.

A complete short novel, At the Mountains of Madness is a tale of terror unlike any other. The Barren, windswept interior of the Antarctic plateau was lifeless—or so the expedition from Miskatonic University thought. Then they found the strange fossils of unheard-of creatures…and the carved stones tens of millions of years old…and, finally, the mind-blasting terror of the City of the Old Ones.

Producer Don Murphy claims the film will begin production this June, with Cruise solidified as Dyer. There’s also word that Ron Perlman, who starred in del Toro’s Hellboy series, will appear in the film as a character he describes as a “dog-sled guy.” We don’t know what the hell that means, but we’re sure there’s a method behind the madness. Get it? The “mountains of madness?”

What do you think of Cruise and Perlman starring in the film?

Tom Cruise Joins Rock of Ages

Krystal Clark — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:31:35 +0000

We can’t believe it but Tom Cruise will shake his groove thang and belt out some serious tunes in the big screen adaptation of Rock of Ages. We initially reported on this story back in December when it was rumored that the actor was “circling” the project. Now according to THR, that rumor has become a reality. Cruise is in talks to star in the musical.

Cruise “will play Stacee Jaxx, the arrogant and charming star at the top of his career. Jaxx sings Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead of Alive” in the theater production.” Are you ready to see Cruise mix it up with long shaggy hair and leather pants? We’re not but we’ll have no choice but to watch.

Cruise is joining the current cast, which already includes Mary J. Blige and Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand are said to be up for parts in the film.

We had no idea that Cruise had a singing bone in his body. It will be a little strange seeing Ethan Hunt get down with eighties glam rock if you know what we mean. Brand we can understand, and even Baldwin to a certain extent but Cruise? Let us think about it.

What do you think of Cruise joining Rock of Ages?

ScreenCrave.com » Tom Cruise

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 7.7/10

Photos:

Trailer:

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