DSL's Movie/TV Reviews and Discussion

[THE_WIZARD_]

STFU

[Dr. Strangelove]

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MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (1996)
d. Brian De Palma
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmaneulle Beart, Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno

It could have been a decent stand-alone picture but instead it started a franchise that IMO didn't really get its footing until the 3rd film. There are bits and parts that don't hold up. That's inevitable in a film that likes showing off fancy tech. But I think on the whole this movie holds up pretty well. It's just different from what these movies became.

The focus is more on intrigue and espionage than full-blown action but I think there's still a couple iconic scenes. The helicopter/Chunnel scene at the end is still a lot of fun even if the CG hasn't held up well (better than a lot of other 90's movies though!). The scene where Ethan infiltrates CIA headquarters is instantaneously recognizable if you see it parodied anywhere.

It's interesting that the first four movies in the series all had different directors, each well-known, and each brought their own style (for better or worse). This one is obviously Brian De Palma and the next three would be John Woo, J. J. Abrams, and Brad Bird.

The second one (released in 2000) is easily my least favorite of the series so I won't do a separate post about it. It's from that time period when Holywood was in love with John Woo and "Hong Kong style" film-making and man, I feel that hasn't aged well.

[froot loops]

On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Licence to Kill are arguably the two "most different" of all 25. Had the former starred Connery or Moore I think it might be widely regarded as one of the best in the series. The latter is very close to being an R-rated 80's action flick. Also a revenge film far more than any other.

If Lazenby stayed for a couple movies I think that movie would be more highly regarded.

I haven't seen all of the Mission Impossible movies, but I really like that first one. It's a lot tighter and the story is manageable. I still don't understand why they case Jin Going as Jim Phelps and then have him turn. Each of the MI sequels get bigger in it's grandiosity. It's kind of like the Fast movies. The first one of the first one looks quaint compared to the bigger sequels. I like Right around the same time as MI, Ronin came out. I like both of those and you can catch Ronin endlessly on broadcast stations.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Fallout (#6) is the only one I haven't seen and I might watch it this weekend if I have time. Rewatched 1, 3, 4, and 5. Skipped 2 just cuz I don't like it much and have seen it recently enough that I didn't want to waste the time.

[AlabamAlum]

I saw the new Batman. It’s dark. Not a lot of Bruce Wayne time like some of the earlier ones. I liked it.

[crashcourse]

yeah seeing that this weekend

so i hope they dont franchise a new 007 based on that movie--that girl didnt do anything noteworthy other then checking some boxes

[Hannibal]

DSL please screen this movie and let me know if it's any good.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I checked out the first 12 minutes or so. It looks worthwhile. Will try to watch the whole thing soon. Michael Beck, the main lead, is the same awful dude that was in Xanadu and The Warriors.

[Dr. Strangelove]

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MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3 (2006)
d. J. J. Abrams
Starring: Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Crudup, Simon Pegg, Maggie Q, Laurence Fishburne

This might be my favorite MI movie based solely upon P. S. Hoffman being the best villain of the six movies I've seen. He isn't out to conquer the world or anything, he's just an arms dealer. It's also the first film in the series where Ethan has a proper team. Somewhat surprising considering it's JJ Abrams directing, but whatever the contemporary reviews were like, I think this is pretty solid. Really solid, in fact.

[crashcourse]

saw batman saturday. meh. liked the style it was done in and the first half of the movie--didnt like how it transitiioned to the end--but does set up a sequel im assuming with the joker

saw willima hurt diet--lots of great 80s movies body heat and broadcast news both good flicks

[Dr. Strangelove]

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MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL aka MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4 (2011)
d. Brad Bird
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Lea Seydoux

The series kinda began to change in the last film but makes a full on switch here from being a Bond/Bourne clone into something more like a series of team/heist movies, which I think is more in the spirit of the original series.

Ethan Hawke has been imprisoned in Russia after his wife (from the last film) was seemingly killed. A new IMF crew composed of Benji (Simon Pegg) and Jane Carter (Paula Patton) busts him out. They then break into the Kremlin in search of who stole Russian nuclear launch codes which results in a massive explosion destroying the Kremlin and Ethan framed for the crime. The head of the IMF tries to help Ethan but he is assassinated and his aide (Jeremy Renner) ends up joining Ethan's crew in pursuit of the terrorists. But they've all been disavoed by the US government, hence the "ghost protocol".

The action and stunts takes things up yet another notch with the most famous scene probably being that of Ethan climbing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

I like this installment quite a bit. The cinematography is brighter and less gloomy than the JJ Abrams film before it and I prefer the team dynamics over the Ethan-goes-it-alone feel of the first two movies. On the other hand, the villain of this one is utterly non-descript and forgettable, and I think the movie peaks too early. Although that crazy-ass high tech parking garage at the end is pretty cool.

[Hannibal]

I recently rediscovered Death Becomes Her. I didn't really appreciate it when it came out, but that's a great movie.

[CGVT]

Watched Dune the other night. I have not read the book or seen the first movie, so the story was fresh to me. I am not a film critic by any means,(I don't know art but I know what I like ;) ), but I enjoyed it. It really starts off slow. Too many big slow moving spaceship scenes with overly dramatic music that took too long, but once it got moving it was very entertaining. I am looking forward to the next installment.

At least it's not another comic book movie..

[Dr. Strangelove]

Watched Dune the other night. I have not read the book or seen the first movie, so the story was fresh to me. I am not a film critic by any means,(I don't know art but I know what I like ;) ), but I enjoyed it. It really starts off slow. Too many big slow moving spaceship scenes with overly dramatic music that took too long, but once it got moving it was very entertaining. I am looking forward to the next installment.

At least it's not another comic book movie..

Heh, you made me think of the very first Star Trek movie. There's a scene where Scotty picks up Kirk in a transport ship to take him to the Enterprise.

I swear the scene lasts close to five minutes where William Shatner just stares out the window looking like he desperately wants to fuck the spaceship and Scotty giving him a knowing look the whole time. They just keep circling around and around the ship and it goes on forever. I GET IT, GUYS! NICE FUCKING MODEL!

[THE_WIZARD_]

I wish you were on a ship to nowhere.