Classic Movie Review: Mission: Impossible (1996)

"Your mission, should you choose to accept it..."

I really love the first Mission: Impossible movie, like really love it. All the action movie franchises of the 90s were sequels from the 80s, like Die Harder, Lethal Weapon 3 and Predator 2. But Mission: Impossible came along and made an original and exciting splash.

On a quiet night in Prague, Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) is leading his deep cover team of IMF (Impossible Missions Force, a secret team within the CIA) agents to entrap a terrorist who wishes to steal and sell a list of every known deep cover agent of the CIA. After this goes wrong and nearly every team member dies, the lone survivor of the group, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) comes in for a debrief with IMF director Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny). Little does he know, that the mission was just to find out who the mole was in the organisation and he is now the prime suspect. Now a disavowed agent, Hunt must clear his name by finding the actual mole and is joined by disavowed agents Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Franz Krieger (Jean Reno), as well as Phelps wife Claire (Emmanuelle Béart).

I don't think I can explain how much I love this movie. I love it even more than that other ultimate 90s action movie Goldeneye. That's an even more blasphemous claim when you learn how much I love James Bond (just you wait for the 48 hour/24 Bond challenge). But the reason I love it is that it is so exciting. The pacing is so fast and it is well written. Brian De Palma (who also directed another of my favourites, Scarface) makes the story semi-believable, which is important for a blockbuster action movie because none of the action movies of today make much sense.

The film also employs tension perfectly. Take for example the famous vault scene, which uses no sound. This is because the vault that they are breaking into has sound sensors (it makes sense if you watch the whole movie, trust me). Other tense scenes are when Ethan figures out the mole and when the mole is finally revealed.

But that's the one problem I have with this movie. If you've seen it before (like I have, many times since it came out), is that if you know who the bad guy is, the opening sequence kind of ruins the revelation at the end. But this is one tiny problem I have because this movie is all about the journey to get to the end and the action climax at the end is still pretty exciting to watch. But then again, if you're not a fan of old school CGI, it might feel a tiny bit cheesy (it still works for me!).

I think the reason I like this movie so much is due to Ethan Hunt being such a likeable character and that is something that Tom Cruise really has going for him. His boyish charm comes through in this movie (even if you think he's weird because of the Scientology). All the actors in this movie give top notch performances though. Vanessa Redgrave has just the right amount of menace as international arms dealer Max, Emmanuelle Béart is good as Hunt's sidekick (although as the movies progress the characters turn into the same idea as a Bond girl). Both Ving Rhames and Jean Reno are fantastic as the disavowed agents. But the real star is Emilio Estevez at the start of the film, who I am so disappointed isn't in any of the others.

Now I've mentioned James Bond a couple of times in this review and thats because Mission: Impossible is sort of a mid-90s Hollywood response to the dominance of Bond in the thirty years prior to this film. And while it doesn't knock James Bond of his throne, it is still a super exciting movie. If I would give this movie five stars if I could.

Love & Mercy

Bill Pohlad's biopic of The Beach Boys front man Brian Wilson is not only an enjoyable film about the life of a dark, tortured individual, but also a refreshing take on the structure and style that biopics are usually delivered. In the film, Wilson is portrayed by two actors, Paul Dano and John Cusack, both at different stages of his life.

In the 1960s, Brian Wilson (Paul Dano) is looking to take a break from touring with the Beach Boys and stay in the studio to focus on writing what he thinks will be a masterpiece. When the band returns from their tour, they are less than satisfied with his results, especially his cousin Mike Love (Jake Abel). Also affecting his relationships is the fact that Brian begins to display signs of strangeness, caused mainly by mental illness and drug abuse. In the 1980s, Brian (John Cusack) is a broken man who is under the spell of sinister psychotherapist Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti), who controls Brian's every move. When Brian meets and begins to date car saleswoman Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), does she recognise the abusive situation that Brian is in and tries to get him out.

Pohlad has created both a visually stunning and creatively invigorating film. The two timelines of the film complement each other perfectly despite not having any interaction or crossover apart from the character of Wilson. The timelines also have their own unique visual palates, with the 60s having a fun, bright and colourful look (while the studio sequences have been filmed with 16mm cameras to give a fly on the wall feel) and the 80s has an almost muted look, but not drained of colour. The tones of the timeline also play off each other well, with the 60s matching fun that the band was having, while the 80s plays into the fear that Brian was experiencing.

I've never been a huge Beach Boys fan, but I definitely know their music. After watching this movie, half of which is set during the recording of the now classic album Pet Sounds, I have a better appreciation of the conditions a lot of these bands made their records under, as well as the personal stresses some went through. Wilson is a completely sympathetic character throughout the entire film and in each era has his external critics (Love and Landy).

Whilst having multiple actors portray the same character is no new territory (the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There had six actors portray the singer), Love & Mercy splits the two different actors into two distinct characters. Pohlad allowed both Dano and Cusack to play Wilson in their own way, but did not let them interact whilst making the film, lest they influence each other. This really works for the benefit of the film because the two styles are completely different. Dano works exceptionally well as the excited young Wilson, who is ultimately frustrated and confused by his illness. Cusack is phenomenal as the older Wilson and is really playing against type of the films of his youth, like Say Anything and High Fidelity. Both actors have such strong and diverse careers that have given them skills that shine through in this role.

Whilst Elizabeth Banks has never intrigued me much as an actor, as Melinda she really shows off her talents as someone who can tackle hard hitting dramatic roles. Paul Giamatti is once again perfect and so scary as the evil Eugene Landy. His performances as evil characters are always chilling to watch. Stage actor Bill Camp also brings a terrifying performance as Wilson's father Murry.

Even if you don't like The Beach Boys music, Love & Mercy is a great film to watch about a heartbreaking story. Both Dano and Cusack give superb performances that will stay with me for a long time.

Far From the Madding Crowd

Thomas Vinterberg's last film The Hunt (Jagten) was a nuanced, dark drama about a man whose life was thrown into turmoil thanks to social preconceptions. His latest film Far From the Madding Crowd is his take on the classic Thomas Hardy novel about an independent woman who refuses to abide to the social normalities assigned to her as a female.

Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) is an independent woman working on a small farm in Victorian England. She befriends a Shepard, Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) who swiftly proposes to her, but Ms. Everdene is not looking for a husband. After his young sheep dog viciously drives his herd off a cliff and to their deaths, Gabriel is forced to take a job at a once great farm. It turns out that this farm was owned by Bathsheba's uncle, who has left it to her in his will. Ms. Everdene runs the farm with efficiency, ambitious to return it to its former glory. The neighbouring farm is run by Mr. Boldwood (Michael Sheen), a mature bachelor who is eventually also drawn to Ms. Everdene. A young, seemingly-jilted soldier, Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge) takes up residence as a farm-hand and becomes the third suitor to Bathsheba. With three men willing to become her husband and conflicting personal values, Ms. Everdene ultimately has to make a choice between the three, or for independence.

I'm not normally drawn to costume dramas, but Far From the Madding Crowd floored me with its strong plot and well-developed characters, Bathsheba in particular. But what makes a strong female lead? Or for that matter, a strong male lead? A rejection of the necessities of masculinity would certainly create a burgeoning male and to that end, Ms. Everdene's dismissal of the social requisite to acquire a man makes her an independent, ultimately well-rounded female character. But these traits are rooted in Hardy's novel and ultimately it takes Carey Mulligan's refined abilities to bring Bathsheba to life. She's determined, yet flawed and whilst her values are central to her development, she acknowledges her personal betrayals when she dares to wear her heart on her sleeve. All of this remains exquisitely detailed through Mulligan's performance. 

Similarly, Gabriel - played by the ever talented Matthias Schoenaerts - is not concerned with achieving a status supposedly appropriate to his gender, but still sees Bathsheba as vulnerable and requiring of his protection, despite her constantly proving him wrong. Ultimately for me, he and Mr. Boldwood - played by Michael Sheen as stern yet emotionally vulnerable - tie as suitable companions for Ms. Everdene, but her drive for independence trumps any desire in the audience to see their romantic relationships develop. On the other hand, Sergeant Troy comes off as a supremely unlikable character, driven by the arrogance of youth and little more than an abusive male, despite his past hardships. I understand that the final act is much more developed in the novel, but I doubt that a longer running time for the sake of a fully-fledged denouement would ultimately pay off.

The look of Far From the Madding Crowd is hardly revolutionary filmmaking. Vinterberg once again works with Charlotte Bruus Christensen who shot The Hunt and the visual similarities are noticeable. The rural setting makes for some beautiful scenery, but my only reservation is with some questionable camera movements which distract from the story, namely several dramatic zooms which I'm sure hold artistic meaning but are nonetheless jarring. The overall composition is relatively fast-paced - within about ten minutes we already have sheep diving off cliffs to meet with a brutal bloody end - which would certainly help those who, like me find it difficult to dive into period pieces.

Thomas Vinterberg has formed a distinct adaptation of the original text, which ultimately captures Hardy's memorable characters and social reflections in an enthralling format. Far From the Madding Crowd is not his greatest film, but it's certainly worthy of your viewing.

Trailers Week 51: 28/06/15

The Green Inferno

Horror legend Eli Roth has finally made a film about something that will terrify white people everywhere: getting kidnapped by primitive natives, when all you wanted to do was try and help them. Starring Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns and Kirby Bliss Blanton.

He Named Me Malala

This rousing documentary is about young Pakistani activist Malala Yousafazai, who survived an attempted assassination attempt in 2012 after speaking out against the Taliban and advocating the rights for girls to get an education. It follows her in her life since her recovery.

Hitman: Agent 47

This adaptation of 47's story really makes 2007's Hitman look like a fan film (although you will never take Timothy Olyphant away from me). In it, we will see a truer version of the titular Hitman's origin. Starring Rupert Friend, Zachary Quinto, Hannah Ware and Ciarán Hinds.

Sleeping With Other People
The trailer for Leslye Headland's acclaimed new comedy looks hilarious. It is about two sex addicts who reunite after a long time and start a platonic relationship. Starring Jason Sudeikis, Allison Brie, Natasha Lyonne, Amanda Peet, Adam Scott and Jason Mantzoukas.

Legend
Tom Hardy ratchets up the insanity from Bronson, but this time there's two of him. And one is even crazier than the other. Starring Tom Hardy x2, Emily Browning, Taron Egerton, Christopher Ecclestone and David Thewlis.

Masterminds
True stories that are turned into movies are almost never made as comedies (with maybe the exception of The Informant!). Masterminds tells the story of the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery, where workers from the company made off with $17 million dollars. Starring Zach Galifianakis, Kristin Wiig, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
What started as a scary indie horror film is now a full blown franchise...

Mark Reviews: Ted 2

Hey guys, I'm really pissed off. You know why? Because they said my friend Ted wasn't a human and that he isn't allowed to have kids. Why is that you guys? Have you seen how many beers he can drink? There are guys back in Dorchester who would be passed out and he would still be going. And those guys have Irish parents too.

Well, the whole reason we found out that was he wasn't allowed to have kids was because we snuck into All American hero Tom Brady's house to steal his sperm for Ted to have a kid (that's a whole other story and I don't want Ma to read about me breaking into houses because I don't do that anymore to be a good example for Donnie). But, hey, Ted you don't need some football player when your best friend is right here and he's better than any football player. Hell, I'll even play football if you want.

Okay, so maybe that's a photo of me throwing a football at the back of Donnie's head, but it still counts as being an athletic guy. Anyway, I got your back Ted. Your babies will be strong. But hey, what about my troubles? My character's wife left me, so I gotta get back in the game. Luckily, Amanda Seyfried plays a hot young lawyer, so there's always that option.

If you're gonna see any of my movies this year, just make sure it's this one. I had so much fun making it. And if you don't like me, it's an opportunity to see me get covered in semen.

Inside Out

          "Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems."

A typical, nuclear family dinner scene. The Dad is lost in his own mind as the Mum pries their pubescent Daughter for details about her first day of her new school after a significant, interstate move. The Daughter's been emotionally turbulent since the move, her usual quirky, happiness has been restrained and replaced with insecurity and a lack of confidence. The Mum tries to keep spirits up but the Dad's concentration has been on organising work and the home in the wake of the move has driven a wedge between him and his family. The Daughter proves unresponsive to the Mum's gentle prodding and so she turns to the Dad for backup, but it takes him a moment to assess the situation, and then he responds incorrectly. He overreacts to the Daughter's moody replies and the whole moment climaxes in a shouting stand-off between Dad and Daughter and the Daughter is sent to her room, the Mum is left incredulous. This is a simple and common family situation and is but one of dozens found in the latest Disney/Pixar animated feature film Inside Out. But what makes these moments unique is that this feature dives into the machinations of characters, emotions and choices in these mundane situations. In these scenes, each human characters actions and responses are guided by competing emotions physically represented inside their heads at a control station. The daughters emotions are individual, Sadness, Fear, Joy, Anger and Disgust acting and reacting separately from one another for the most part, and with each of these emotions being characters that have their own depth and personalities their intentions causes them to clash with in turn forces Riley, the person they influence, to react wildly. But in this dinner scene it is apparent that not only do these emotional forces appear in everyone's mind, but Mum and Dad's are more mature and self-assured, they act as a mental committee and even physically appear similar to the actual Mum and Dad, a wonderfully deep and insightful detail.

Cinematic representations of mental illness have in most part been relegated to insane asylums filled with dead-eyed walking vassals for medically-induced vegetation, villains of cartoonishly disassociative identities and violently shattered mental states, or pure unadulterated emotional vulnerability. More often than not accuracy and nuance in regards to mental health is eschewed in favour of bombastic or one-dimensional characterisation but Pixar's Inside Out not only allows for emotional depth on mental health, but actively encourages its audience, primarily parents and children, to assess their own emotions and mental states and to grow as human beings. The film features decent writing for a broad audience, parallel story-lines that really compliment each other, and some impressive voice acting from Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith as leads Joy and Sadness, and a supporting cast of relative unknowns, a refreshing occurrence for a major animated feature. Director Pete Doctor, who also directed previous Pixar films Up! and Monsters, Inc., claims the story came from viewing his own daughter's responses in similar situations, which certainly accounts for the emotional resonance this film creates.

Inside Out becomes a film about emotional and mental maturity, but makes the case that this can only be achieved through embracing your emotions, positive and negative, and assessing them. It's visually engaging, has real emotional depth and themes though balances this with images and characters more than suitable for young children. While it's arguable that the exact designs of Riley's emotions is disappointing, the overall tone, message and execution of the film makes for highly recommended viewing.

Trailers Week 50: 21/06/15

Boulevard

It seems perfect that the final film ever released starring Robin Williams is a drama about a man who finally takes control of his life after spending it in monotony. This movie looks heartbreaking and would have been a difficult role for the deceased actor. Also starring Bob Odenkirk, Kathy Baker and Roberto Aguire.

Time Out of Mind

Woah, Richard Gere has come a long way from Runaway Bride and Pretty Woman. Here he plays a homeless New Yorker who deals with drug addiction and family issues. Also starring Jena Malone. Can't wait!

Extinction

Matthew Fox makes a transformation in this role for a zombie movie set in a world that has become a frozen wasteland. Looks farfetched but also fun. Also starring Jeffrey Donovan and Valeria Verau.

Captive

No this isn't the Atom Egoyan-directed, Ryan Reynolds-starring thriller, it's a true story of a woman who gets held hostage by a dangerous fugitive who just wants to see his newborn son. Meh. Starring Kate Mara, David Oyelowo and Michael K. Williams.

Hotel Transylvania 2

Okay, the only reason I'm posting this is for the great cast that includes Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Steve Buscemi and Mel Brooks. Mel Brooks!! 

Sicaro

A FBI agent gets taken to Mexico to participate in an operation that aims to take down cartel activity on border towns. Along for the ride is a government sanctioned hitman. Starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro and directed by the prolific Denis Villenueve.

People Places Things

The funnier Conchord stars in this indie comedy about divorced parents. Starring Jermaine Clement, Regina Hall and Jessica Williams.

Mark's Trailers: Daddy's Home
So I know how you all loved The Other Guys, so Will and I got together to make a movie where I am obviously a much cooler dad than him. Check it out! (Of course I'm the cooler dad.)