Mission Impossible: A Retrospective

by Cláudio Alves

Jumping from mountaintop into the silver screen, a death dive flight through alpine air, Tom Cruise crashes cinemas with another chapter in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Inspired by the hit 60s TV show, the movies have long ago severed whatever connection they might have had with their origin, transforming into what's best described as America's answer to the James Bond flicks. But that's a hollow description as  different directors have brought distinct visions, and Ethan Hunt has so constantly changed that he's more fluid idea than character.

For the star at the center of it all, the Mission: Impossible pictures have been a chance to experiment with how far the human body can go as a tool for action entertainment. Near suicidal in their fervor, these Cruise vehicles celebrate cinema at its most muscular and obstinately analog, a scream into the darkening sky that keeps the CG night at bay. For a cinephile intent on re-watching all the movies before watching Dead Reckoning - Part One, the movie series is an enticing study of shifting priorities and tones. So, here we go, from the Hollywood of 1996 to our present crisis against AI, reconsidered as a man's mission to save Humanity by killing the man-made God…

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Cannes: Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny"

Elisa Giudici reporting from Cannes

I was one of the lucky ones able to reserve a ticket to one of just two screenings of the hottest movie of 2023. So I felt like an intruder at the end, when a substantial portion of the audience clapped and cheered. I couldn't stop thinking of the incredible amount of money used to do absolutely nothing original or relevant. The good news, at least, is that those who feel a particularly special bond to the Indiana Jones franchise will probably enjoy seeing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

While James Mangold is no Steven Spielberg, it's important to note what he's up against here... 

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Michelle Yeoh Kicks Ass

by Cláudio Alves

It's been a month since Michelle Yeoh won the Best Actress Oscar for her work in awards juggernaut Everything Everywhere All At Once. As one of the folks who believed she deserved that honor above Blanchett's much-lauded sTÁR turn, the moment was joyous beyond its undeniable value as a representation triumph. And yet, even watching the thespian's clear emotion when accepting the statuette, the full context of the win eluded me. Prior to this victory, Yeoh was a familiar face from various Hollywood projects and, of course, the masterpiece that is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. However, to my great shame, her Hong Kong action career remained undiscovered.

Taking cues from the Criterion Channel's "Michelle Yeoh Kicks Ass" collection, I celebrated the one-month anniversary of her historical Oscar win by getting to know another side of our reigning Best Actress champion. It was an eye-opening experience…

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In defense of Jamie Lee Curtis

by Cláudio Alves

Yes, I know that title is ridiculous. After all, nepo baby extraordinaire Jamie Lee Curtis just achieved the highest form of recognition in her industry, winning the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award after having already nabbed a SAG in the same category. Moreover, Everything Everywhere All At Once, the film she's been championing ever since it premiered at last year's SXSW, became a sweeping sensation, our latest Best Picture champion. And yet, if you love the actress or have some fondness for her performance, social media has proved a hostile environment. It started way before the Oscar nominations when the possibility of Curtis making the lineup to Stephanie Hsu's detriment angered multitudes…

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Awards Season Catchup: "Devotion"

By Abe Friedtanzer

While Top Gun: Maverick has been enjoying a warm reception from audiences and awards bodies alike, another film about daring pilots is flying around in theaters. Based on the 2015 nonfiction book Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos, Devotion is about a powerful friendship between two Navy pilots during the Korean War. One of them is Jonathan Majors, the only Black member of the unit. In the film's other Top Gun: Maverick connection, the other one is played by Glen Powell, who portrays Hangman in the present-day film. 

Devotion opens on Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) arriving to join Fighter Squadron 32, which already includes Jesse Brown (Majors), who faces routine racism from his fellow Navy officers and the neighbors who believe that his mere existence is stirring up trouble...

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