Top 10 Films of 2023

The Academy Awards transpired a week ago, so there's no better time than the present to reflect on my favorite films released last year. I believe 2023 will be remembered as a landmark year for the film industry. The box office signaled a shift in consumer preferences as bankable franchises crashed and burned, giving way to several unexpected successes. Chief among them was the Barbenheimer phenomenon that's even carried over to the Oscars. We also saw overlapping strikes from the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild, which hadn't happened since 1960. Fortunately, the writers and actors gained substantial ground regarding streaming residuals and AI protections. Though the strikes delayed many highly-anticipated titles to 2024 and beyond, 2023 had a treasure trove of great cinema. 

Top 10 Films of 2023

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical order): American Fiction, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Asteroid City, Creed III, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Killer, Poor Things, Priscilla, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

10. The Holdovers - Streaming on Peacock

It's been a while since a new movie entered the holiday movie rotation, but I believe The Holdovers will accomplish just that. It's comforting, cozy, and set in snowy New England. The story revolves around an unlikely group of broken people coming together during the holiday season. If that doesn't scream Christmas movie, I have no idea what would. Boasting incredible performances from Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and the fresh discovery of Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers lulled me into submission. Giamatti and Randolph have rightfully remained in the awards conversation, turning in career-best work. Simply put, The Holdovers is a hilarious and heartwarming ode to outcasts.

9. The Iron Claw

As someone who didn't follow wrestling and wasn't aware of the true story behind this film, I wasn't prepared for The Iron Claw's emotional devastation. When I thought things couldn't get worse for the Von Erich family, tragedy reared its ugly head again. But this series of unfortunate events wouldn't sting without the valiant efforts of the film's robust ensemble. Zac Efron flexed acting (and actual) muscles I had no idea were at his disposal. The role's physically transformative and emotionally taxing, but Efron sells it all. I was equally impressed with Jeremy Allen White, Holt McCallany, and Maura Tierney. Tierney, in particular, delivers one line that hits like a ton of bricks. The Iron Claw's cautionary tale about the dangers of forced legacy is incredibly moving and one you won't soon forget.

8. Past Lives - Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime

Celine Song's directorial debut contemplates the potent idea of what could have been. Drawing from Song's personal experiences, Past Lives depicts Nora and Hae Sung, deeply connected childhood friends, reuniting after twenty years of separation. The only caveat is that Nora's now happily married. Whereas a typical romantic movie would relish in that tension, Song takes the unconventional route. The three-wheel dynamic remains intriguing but for different reasons entirely. Celine Song's rich exploration of lost love and destiny is equally heart-wrenching and thought-provoking. 

7. May December - Streaming on Netflix

"May December" refers to a romantic relationship between a young person and someone considerably older. In May December, an actress visits a couple twenty years after their scandalous affair to research them for a film about their past. Director Todd Haynes expertly mines this uncomfortable premise for plenty of dark humor and anguish. The trio of lead performances from Charles Melton, Natalie Portman, and Julianne Moore are remarkably layered and utterly fascinating. I was particularly impressed with Charles Melton, whose nuanced performance is quietly devastating and who holds his own opposite the likes of Portman and Moore. Of all the films I saw in 2023, May December is truly one-of-a-kind thanks to its bold direction, sharp script, and brilliant cast. 

6. John Wick: Chapter 4 - Streaming on Starz

I've long been a fan of this franchise and greatly appreciate how the creatives involved have successfully raised the bar with each new entry. John Wick: Chapter 4 continues that trend with nearly 3 hours of exhilarating action. This time, the globetrotting informs the action as Chad Stahelski pulls from various influences, including samurai movies, for his stunt extravaganza. Keanu Reeves as John Wick is awesome as always, and I can't help but respect the lengths he goes to for our entertainment. Above all, I was glad that John Wick: Chapter 4 found room for some emotional poignancy. 

5. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One - Streaming on Paramount+

In a world where studios have become over-reliant on green screen and digital effects as a cost-cutting measure, Tom Cruise is one of the last movie stars championing good old-fashioned authenticity. What some consider a gimmick is actually the franchise's greatest asset. A genuine sense of danger is present in the Mission: Impossible movies because Cruise faced those predicaments. Cruise always finds a way to realize the impossible, and I respect him so much for going the extra mile. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One defies all odds and continues the series' upward trajectory, excelling at everything this franchise is known for. It's action filmmaking at its finest. Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise fire on all cylinders, and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for Part Two!

4. Anatomy of a Fall

Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall has one of 2023's most compelling premises. A man mysteriously falls to his death, leaving his wife as the prime suspect and their blind son as the sole witness. The French court drama that follows is utterly fascinating to behold. The prosecution intrudes upon every minute detail of the family's private lives in the search for the truth. An interesting wrinkle to the film is that the circumstances of the death are left ambiguous. The court arrives at a verdict, but the truth of what happened is withheld, allowing for endless speculation. Anatomy of a Fall is thought-provoking, well crafted, and features extraordinary performances from Sandra Hüeller and Milo Machado-Graner. Justine Triet's film has dwelled with me since I first saw it, and I can't wait to revisit it.

3. Killers of the Flower Moon - Streaming on Apple TV+

Martin Scorsese is one of our greatest living filmmakers, and it's always a treat to get another movie from him, but I've especially enjoyed this late stage of his career. Scorsese's wisdom gathered from 65 years of filmmaking has permeated through his recent storytelling, and his films have become more patient and meditative. Killers of the Flower Moon continues that trend by depicting a historical injustice involving a series of murders in the Osage community motivated by greed. These events are disturbing but essential, and Scorsese handles everything very tactfully. 

2. The Boy and the Heron

The Boy and the Heron is the culmination of Hayao Miyazaki's 60-year career as an animator. Will it be his final film? Your guess is as good as mine, but Miyazaki's determined to delay his inevitable retirement at all costs. The Boy and the Heron reckons with Miyazaki's legacy as he revisits many familiar elements from the other stories he's told. The film is equally pensive and adventurous, featuring stunning animation and a transcendent score from Joe Hisaishi. The Japanese title translates to "How Do You Live?" - a question that succinctly captures the essence of the movie. 

1. Oppenheimer - Streaming on Peacock

Christopher Nolan's latest film took the world by storm and restored my hope in the future of cinema. A 3-hour, R-rated historical biopic about the creation of the atomic bomb grossed nearly $1 Billion and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A year ago, nobody would have guessed that would be the case. While the Barbenheimer phenomenon certainly contributed to its success, there was a genuine, sustained interest in an adult-oriented movie from a filmmaker with a strong creative vision. Oppenheimer never fizzled out, and that delights me to no end!

I attended a sold-out IMAX 70 MM showing of Oppenheimer last summer and was astounded by the innovative use of the format. The imagery on display from Hoyte van Hoytema was simultaneously intimate and grandiose. "It's paradoxical, and yet, it works," J. Robert Oppenheimer says in the film - a fitting description considering much of the film's dialogue revolves around theoretical physics and McCarthyism. Yet every second of the 3-hour runtime is captivating. Oppenheimer's security hearing is just as thrilling as the Trinity Test. Oppenheimer has a propulsive rhythm shaped by the brilliant work of editor Jennifer Lame and composer Ludwig Göransson. It's simply masterfully made. 

The cast of Oppenheimer is overflowing with A-list actors, and they're all incredible in this movie, but Cillian Murphy's central lead performance is the lynchpin of it all. The complexity of this role can't be understated. Oppenheimer's internalized despair and regret perfectly manifests itself in Murphy's gaze as he realizes the power he's unleashed upon humanity. The final shot of the film is quietly devastating. Christopher Nolan is a director whom I've greatly admired for a long time, so I don't say this lightly, but Oppenheimer is his masterpiece. 

'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One' Review

Synopsis: Ethan Hunt and the IMF team must track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than the mission - not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Runtime: 163 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and action, some language, and suggestive material.)

Who should see it? Fans of Tom Cruise and the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie with a screenplay from McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the seventh entry in the long-running spy series. Mission: Impossible - Fallout broke a Mission: Impossible tradition as McQuarrie became the first filmmaker to return. Flashforward to today, and he is currently in production on his fourth Mission film (Dead Reckoning Part Two). While I somewhat miss the change-off, I think McQuarrie and Cruise work very well together. McQuarrie understands the ethos of Mission: Impossible.

The beating heart of McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible set pieces is that action informs character and vice-versa. Based on Ethan Hunt's response to the most harrowing circumstances, the audience understands his idealogy. Then, compelling conflict is drawn from testing these values and pushing Hunt to his limits. From the very beginning, Mission: Impossible has been about the power of choice. After all, each mission starts with the tagline, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it..." Dead Reckoning faces that dilemma head-on as Hunt and his team are up against their greatest adversary yet. Though I'm sure that sounds like a cliché buzzword, there's an elaborate shroud of mystery around this new threat who has greater ambitions than inciting a nuclear war. And I found that incredibly refreshing.

Over twenty-seven years, Mission: Impossible has steadily progressed from a series of espionage thrillers to stunt-oriented action blockbusters. Since Ghost Protocol, the marketing for each new chapter has focused on how Tom Cruise would be putting his life on the line in more insane and entertaining ways. While that trend continues in Dead Reckoning, McQuarrie also brings the franchise back to its roots. Dead Reckoning contains the relentless thrills of recent entries and the Hitchcockian intrigue of the original. McQuarrie and Cruise take everything you love about Mission: Impossible and dial it up to eleven. In many ways, it's a culmination of everything that came before it. Before proceeding, I'd be remiss not to acknowledge Lorne Balfe's propulsive and percussive score. I've obsessively listened to Balfe's Mission: Impossible - Fallout soundtrack since 2018 and was blown away by his work here. 

Concerning action, Dead Reckoning delivers the goods. The centerpiece stunt this time around involves Tom Cruise driving a motorcycle off a cliff and parachuting in to reach his objective. It's just as crazy as it sounds and will leave you holding your breath when Cruise enters freefall. Cruise also drives one-handed while handcuffed for an extended chase through the streets of Rome, engages in close-quarters combat in a narrow Venice alleyway, speed-flies through a ravine (an advanced and unpredictable form of paragliding), and fights atop a moving train in Norway (perhaps a cheeky nod to the original). Tom Cruise's commitment to practical action has always set Mission: Impossible apart in a crowded blockbuster landscape. What some consider a gimmick is actually the franchise's greatest asset.

In a world where studios have become over-reliant on green screen and digital effects as a cost-cutting measure, Tom Cruise is one of the last movie stars championing good old-fashioned authenticity. Not to say visual effects aren't used in the Mission: Impossible series and don't have their place. There's a common misconception that movies marketed around their practicality don't employ CGI (ie. Top Gun: Maverick, prior Mission entries, or any of Christopher Nolan's films). Mission: Impossible - Fallout had 1,800 vfx shots, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn Dead Reckoning had even more. But these effects aren't noticeable because they're so scarcely used and reinforce the action captured in-camera rather than replace it. A genuine sense of danger is present in the Mission movies because Cruise faced those predicaments. Cruise always finds a way to realize the impossible, and I respect him so much for going the extra mile.

At the risk of regurgitating praise for Tom Cruise, Ethan Hunt is deservedly one of his defining roles. Cruise's desire to push himself further with each new mission is readily apparent. Stuntwork aside, Cruise unleashes his dramatic chops and unrelenting intensity to great effect once more. Dead Reckoning enlists a few fresh faces, but chief among those is Hayley Atwell as Grace. Atwell quickly proves herself to be a noteworthy addition to the ensemble as a central figure with compelling characterization and great rapport opposite Cruise. She rightfully garners much of the spotlight and earns second-billing right under Cruise. I won't say any more about her character for the sake of avoiding spoilers.

Returning to aid Hunt in another rogue crusade, the dependable trio of Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames each have their moments to shine. Par for the course, Ferguson's Ilsa Faust finds herself in the thick of the action as Pegg and Rhames lend technical assistance. Other returning characters include Vanessa Kirby's enigmatic White Widow and Henry Czerny's dubious Eugene Kittridge. Kittridge hasn't been seen since the original Mission: Impossible, so his involvement brings everything full circle in many respects. At Kittridge's disposal, Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis are other great additions to this franchise who I hope to see more of in Part Two. 

On the antagonistic front, Ethan Hunt faces a formidable and mysterious opposing force in Esai Morales' Gabriel. Gabriel is a unique villain for the series with unconventional motives and ruthless efficiency. In Gabriel's right hand, Pom Klementieff's Paris is an especially memorable henchwoman. McQuarrie cleverly ensures the conflict between Ethan and Gabriel is personal while the stakes are monumental. Audiences are clued in just enough to grasp Gabriel's objective and idealogy but McQuarrie holds back any substantial backstory to preserve the shroud of intrigue.

By now, you should know the drill. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to see Dead Reckoning on the largest screen possible. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One defies all odds and continues the series' upward trajectory, excelling at everything this franchise is known for. It's action filmmaking at its finest. Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise fire on all cylinders and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for Part Two!

Film Assessment: A+

'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' Review

Mission: Impossible - Fallout accompanies Ethan Hunt and the IMF team as they join forces with CIA assassin August Walker to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. With the fate of the world at stake, the group find themselves in the ultimate race against time as their virtue is tested like never before after a mission gone wrong.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout is the sixth installment in the long-running spy series and also the first film in the franchise to carry the same director. Previously, each addition to the franchise was spearheaded by a different director and they were loosely connected to one another. However, Christopher McQuarrie broke the mold by returning to write and direct Fallout as the first direct sequel in the series after his excellent work on Rogue Nation. Since Tom Cruise is a prominent producer in addition to being the series' lead actor, I believe his close affiliation with Cruise may have helped him stick around, but it's equally likely he was the first director to have been offered and accepted a consecutive gig.

By tightly securing Fallout to the five prior films, McQuarrie is able to explore an interesting idea that Hunt's noblest intentions could be coupled with unforeseen consequences. The choices from Ethan's past resurface to haunt him, so the question is posed whether Hunt should compromise his morality for the sake of completing a mission more efficiently. It's a fascinating way to deconstruct the tortured psychology of one of America's greatest action heroes because Hunt is pushed to his limits here. Compounding with whatever his current dilemma may be, a new problem arises and the situation suddenly intensifies. This builds and builds over two and a half hours, amounting to one of the most intense, unrelenting experiences I've ever had in a cinema. The stakes escalate and escalate as the situation becomes more and more dire. Believe it or not, but this is the first time that the mission's actually felt impossible.

I sat through the entire credits, am currently walking out to my car, and STILL have goosebumps and am trying to catch my breath...

— David Weiser (@weiser_david) July 27, 2018

As a brief aside, here's a tweet of mine from Thursday night where I described my immediate reaction to the film as best I could. Given my initial impression and the immense hype surrounding this spy sequel, I knew I needed to see the film a second time to confirm my suspicions before I said anything that could be perceived as being too reactionary.

With that being said, there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that Mission: Impossible - Fallout is one of the greatest action films I've ever seen in the cinema. Believe the hype folks because this is an exhilarating, non-stop adrenaline rush that truly warrants comparisons to The Dark Knight and Mad Max: Fury Road. It's that good...

McQuarrie and his crew quite literally take the franchise to astonishing new heights as Cruise became the first actor to perform a HALO Jump from 25,000 feet in the air. The gear he's wearing apparently didn't even exist prior to filming because this feat is so unprecedented and requires extensive training... But Cruise is an absolute mad man, and I respect the hell out of his commitment to performing these insane stunts for our amusement. 

Aside from pulling off that baffling stunt, you're probably curious if the action in one of the most consistently entertaining action franchises measured up to everything that had come before. Well, the action, plot, and character all work in tandem to deliver the edge of your seat suspense audiences have come to expect from the series. The technical precision across the board is phenomenal to such a degree that I believe it is well within reason that Fallout could rightfully become the first Mission: Impossible film to be recognized by the Academy in some capacity, whether it simply be an honorary stunt award or a slew of technical nominations. The editing is seamless, Rob Hardy's cinematography is stunning, full of grandiose, sweeping shots that are a wonder to behold, and surely will be talked about for years to come, and Lorne Balfe's swelling score is an unrelenting accompaniment that intensifies the proceedings tenfold.

The action itself includes a bare-knuckled hand-to-hand confrontation in a bathroom, numerous chases through Paris by foot, motorcycle, and car, and an invigorating helicopter sequence. Every sequence packs a visceral punch as not only some of the best work in the franchise, but some of the best-executed action I've ever witnessed. Oh, and by the way, that image above showcases Cruise jumping between buildings and he broke his ankle mere moments later. But it doesn't stop there... Cruise broke his ankle, got up, and kept going. That's the take they used in the finished film.

Like the last three installments, Fallout is an ensemble effort and everyone brings their A-game once more. Pushing the age of 56, Cruise never ceases to amaze, and I believe he's cemented his status as an all-time great movie star unlike any other. Reprising their respective roles from Rogue Nation are Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, and Sean Harris who each do excellent work. Ferguson is particularly kick-ass in her moments of action, Pegg is much more involved in the actual mission this time around, Rhames fulfills his duties as a loyal friend and crucial part of the team, Baldwin earns his appointment as the newly minted IMF director, and Harris relishes in Solomon Lane's soft-spoken villainy. Lastly, Michelle Monaghan makes her return as Julia and that brings an unexpectedly strong emotional component to the proceedings. Jeremy Renner was noticeably absent, but that was on account of prior obligations to filming Avengers: Endgame. However, that did enable some satisfying substitutions...

Additions to the cast include Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, and Vanessa Kirby who are all quite impressionable. Bassett is a fitting head of CIA and Kirby makes for an intriguing femme fatale as the enigmatic White Widow. It is Cavill's August Walker who stole the show in my book though. It should come as no surprise that the Man of Steel would project a formidable physical presence, but Cavill exhibits the acting chops to back it up. It was also very fascinating to observe the layers in Cavill's performance on a second viewing. I'd love to see him bring that intensity to Superman. 

One does not simply discuss Cavill's role without touching on the infamous Mustachegate though... For those who aren't aware, Cruise's on-set injury delayed Fallout's production while Justice League underwent reshoots. Warner Bros. either could shave the stache and foot the bill to digitally add it in Fallout or digitally remove it themselves... Paramount refused to allow Cavill to shave the stache, so Warner Bros. was forced into the latter option. That then resulted in the most unnatural human mouth ever seen which has become a huge talking point among fans. I'm not entirely sure that the mustache was necessary to the extent of derailing Justice League, but it looked really cool so who could possibly complain? Aside from that, enjoy this gif of Henry Cavill reloading his fists because it's awesome!

In actuality, Mission: Impossible - Fallout is a fitting title because I believe it’s impossible for me to have a falling out with this franchise considering each successive entry has been progressively better than the last. Mission: Impossible - Fallout is not only the best film in the franchise or the best I've seen this summer... I legitimately believe it to be the best action film I've ever seen and I have no idea how M:I 7 could conceivably top this, but I'd love to see them try at the very least. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to stop whatever you're currently doing and see Mission: Impossible - Fallout on the biggest screen near you as soon as you possibly can!

Film Assessment: A+

Recollection Reflection Review: 'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation'

I'm cutting it a little close, but I just finished my Mission: Impossible series rewatch the Thursday morning of my Mission: Impossible - Fallout screening. Keep in mind that means it's likely this review and my Fallout review may not be published for a day or two, but I'll try and get them out as soon as I possibly can. I've also promised a review of Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, and that will come in due time, but I'm prioritizing Mission: Impossible content for the time being. Additionally, I will be sharing my thoughts on You Were Never Really Here and Love, Simon sometime before my post disclosing my best and worst films of the year so far. I've also decided to push that post back to give my other reviews some breathing room. I currently am unsure of my review plans for August, but I'll disclose that shortly.

'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation' Review

Recollection- Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Review

Reflection- When I first saw Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation in the summer of 2015, it narrowly beat out Ghost Protocol as my new favorite in the franchise. Surprisingly, I haven't really revisited it since then... I don't really have much reason as to why not, but I suppose it's because I simply never got around to it. Anyways, I thought it would be fun to re-evaluate this installment and see if my preference over Ghost Protocol held true.

Review- With the IMF disbanded, the team now faces off against a network of highly skilled special agents known as the Syndicate. These highly trained operatives are hellbent on creative a new world order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation escorts Ethan Hunt as he gathers his team and joins forces with the shifty, disavowed British intelligence agent Ilsa Faust as the group faces their most impossible mission yet.

Taking the Mission: Impossible baton from Brad Bird, Christopher McQuarrie stepped in to steer the franchise in a new direction. McQuarrie's become a frequent collaborator with Tom Cruise in recent years, so it's really not that surprising that he was enlisted to helm Rogue Nation and then stuck around to write and direct Fallout as well. In doing so, he may have broken a series tradition in which each successive film was lead by a different director. You'll have to wait till I'm finished writing that review to find out if I felt it was worth it, but till then, we can discuss McQuarrie's work here.

With Rogue Nation, McQuarrie blends the mystery and intrigue of old school espionage with the thrilling stunts and character deconstruction found in contemporary spy outings. In doing so, this is the first entry in the franchise that's dared to question Ethan's sanity, although longtime viewers may have already done so as they've witnessed Tom Cruise actually attempt some INSANE stunts. Rogue Nation essentially offers the best elements of each prior installment, and McQuarrie seems to have been inspired to tribute hallmarks of cinema as well. The high speed chase through Casablanca and a Hitchcockian game of cat-and-mouse in the third act indicate this might be the case. 

As for action, the stunning set pieces included in Rogue Nation are incredibly varied from one another and among the very best the series has to offer. There's everything from an elegant throw-down at the Vienna Opera House to a high-octane motorcycle chase through Casablanca. Also prominently featured are a plane sequence that lifts off almost immediately, a cat-and-mouse chase through the streets of London, and a heist that's a bit of a deep dive. 

Cruise's notable stunt this time around was clinging to the side of an A400M plane as it ascended. If you didn't already know, Cruise performs his own stunts so he actually did this (this stunt in particular was HEAVILY publicized). There were safety measures in place of course, but I don't think that makes the feat any less insane or impressive. The sequence itself happens right at the start, kicking off the film with an abundance of jet fuel and gusto. 

Like its predecessor, Rogue Nation is a franchise addition which caters to its ensemble. Once again, Tom Cruise lights up the screen as a hero worth rooting for. Cruise is synonymous with Hunt these days, and he persists as a force to be reckoned with. His charisma and cool attitude prove to be just as potent as Hunt himself. Returning cast members include Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, and Ving Rhames who reprise their respective roles as Benji, Brandt, and Luther. All three make the most of every moment onscreen, but Renner and Rhames have notably smaller parts than the rest of the cast. In regards to newcomers, there's two I'll touch on in a second, but Alec Baldwin bodes well in the role of CIA director Alan Hunley, delivering the dialogue "Sir, Hunt is the living manifestation of destiny." like nobody else.

Meanwhile, the big takeaway was (and still is) undoubtedly Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust. Ferguson depicts the characters as a femme fatale with unclear allegiances, but she dominates every action sequences in which she appears. She's elusive, deadly, and an equal to Hunt who stands apart as her own intriguing individual.

In the antagonistic camp, Sean Harris certainly makes himself known as a villain worth fearing. Harris' Solomon Lane is soft-spoken, but he still manages to be both menacing, twisted, and unpredictable in his approach to the role. There aren't as many villains as subtle as this nowadays, so that makes the performance all the more fascinating.  

At the end of the day, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation zooms on by as a top-notch entry in the franchise that's thrilling, layered, and able to slightly surpass every installment that came before it.

Film Assessment: A

Recollection Reflection Review: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'

As of writing this, I've just seen Mission: Impossible - Fallout. I came in right under the wire for my series rewatch as I finished them all the morning of my Fallout screening. The implications being that I'm reviewing the final three films in order of release (Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation, then Fallout). Expect to see all these reviews online within the next few days. I've also promised a review of Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, and that will come in due time, but I'm prioritizing Mission: Impossible content for the time being. Additionally, I will be likely be sharing my thoughts on You Were Never Really Here and Love, Simon sometime before my post disclosing my best and worst films of the year so far. I've also decided to push that post back one last time to give my other reviews some breathing room.

'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Review

Recollection- Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Review

Reflection- Believe it or not, but Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol was actually the first Mission: Impossible I saw in theaters. When it came out in December of 2011, I had never seen one. Therefore, I wound up marathoning them all at home with family before heading out to see Ghost Protocol. From that day on, I've been a huge fan of the franchise...

Review- Blamed for a terrorist attack on the Kremlin, Ethan Hunt and the entire IMF agency are disavowed by the U.S. government while the president initiates the Ghost Protocol. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol then accompanies Hunt and his team as they're forced to go off the grid and clear the agency's name by preventing another attack.

As the fourth franchise installment, Ghost Protocol carried on the series' trend of enlisting fresh blood to direct. In this scenario, Brad Bird was brought up to the blockbuster big leagues having previously only directed animated films (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille). For his live action debut, Bird made one hell of an impression though... It's been seven years and many still consider Ghost Protocol to be their favorite in the franchise for good reason. This isn't all too surprising when you consider the exceptional work already under his belt at the time, but it goes to show that it's possible to stick the landing while making the leap to live action from an extensive background in animation.

Like those who came before him, Bird understands the inner workings of this franchise, so he amplifies those elements while offering his own unique style and sensibility as a filmmaker. Working with a screenplay penned by Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec, Bird ensures the action is propulsive with a never-ending sense of urgency. It moves at a quick pace, but that's totally in the film's favor because the two hours and twelve minutes fly by in the blink of an eye. 

The action's always on the move in conjunction with the plot. It does so without feeling rushed because you're entirely invested in the outcome as an extension of caring for the characters. You can feel the weight of the world on their shoulders because Bird and his crew do an exceptional job at communicating the dire circumstances facing this team. 

This installment also has some of the franchise's niftiest gadgets and gizmos, but there's a recurring bit where their devices malfunction mid-mission. In turn, the set pieces are all the more enthralling due to the uncertain reliability of the team's gear. On occasion, action flicks can be bogged down by mundane exposition on rewatch, but even the exposition in Ghost Protocol is quite exciting after all this time! The demonstrations of the tech are handled in such a way that they're interesting to watch as well as being informative. You're simultaneously wowed by the tools at the team's disposal and intrigued at discovering exactly how they function. It's a tricky balance, but Bird pulls it off.

For Cruise's ludicrous stunt, this time around he decided to actually scale the world's tallest structure (2,717 feet tall). The Burj Khalifa sequence still ranks among the series' strongest set pieces because Bird and his crew film it in such a way that it feels like you're hanging onto the skyscraper with Cruise. While Cruise himself may have been suspended by some cables while filming, Hunt is free climbing the hotel with defective adhesive gloves. There's an impending sense of dread that he could fall at any moment, and he actually does a few times only to get a hold moments before a fatal plummet... By then, your heart's leapt out of your chest and the hairs on your arm are firmly at attention. 

And I haven't even properly recognized the wonderful work from cinematographer Robert Elswit, editor Paul Hirsch, composer Michael Giacchino, the sound designers, production designers, visual effects artists, and stunt coordinators. It still perplexes me that no entry in this franchise has at least been recognized with an Oscar nomination in the technical categories because the crew does such exceptional work here, proving to be among the best in their respective fields. I suppose it could be the blockbuster stigma, but Transformers: Dark of the Moon was nominated over this for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects... While I'll admit to enjoying that film more than most, that's undeniably one of the Academy's worst cardinal sins... Right next to La La Land losing out Best Picture after mistakenly being announced as the winner a year and a half ago. You can bet I'm still bitter about it too.

Another interesting aspect of Ghost Protocol is that it's much more of an ensemble piece than previous efforts. It's certainly still lead by Tom Cruise, but it fleshes out the supporting cast like no prior entry in the series and the mission requires an all-around team effort this time. Cruise is charming and cool in the role of Ethan Hunt as per usual, but he pushes himself even harder in regards to the physicality of his performance. He infamously does his own stunts and really put himself through the wringer on this one. By his side, Simon Pegg's Benji has a more prominent role than he did in Mission: Impossible III (providing most of the comedic relief) while Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner are the new recruits. Both Patton and Renner leave a favorable impression in regards to playing interesting allies, but only Renner has reprised his role in a later film thus far. Meanwhile, Michael Nyqvist's Hendricks is an antagonist with a strong screen presence, but ultimately lacks enough characterization or screentime to leave much of an impression.

It's a testament to the quality of Ghost Protocol that it still stands out in an action franchise that's as consistently entertaining as Mission: Impossible. Seven years later, and it's still clinging on as one of the series' best. 

Film Assessment: A