Onijay...

Nope, sorry. On some level I enjoyed the sequence in Berlin inside the wharehouse where Hunt was rescuing Lindsay. Maybe it was the lighting...I'm not sure why I remember that part more than anything else.

I will say I immensely enjoyed the Vatican sequence. Seeing the entire plan come together, creating the PSH mask...yadda yadda yadda... I enjoy those type of sequences (there was one in a DS9 episode I particularly enjoyed even though most people hate the episode).

I'm actually hoping to find a good "smaller" film the weekend of the 19th instead of seeing DaVinci...

I thought that the Vatican scene could have used more of an "This is completely and utterly impossible" approach that we the viewers had towards the CIA headquarters in Langley for the first M:I. Instead the viewer is (at least I was) barely aware of the monumental task of breaking into the Vatican (and I've even been there!). It almost felt as if they considered it a walk in the park. But the rest of the action scenes conveyed this fluid momentum that really carried me along, properly mixing running and shooting with some kick-ass stunts. But apparently I'm the minority who thinks that. I don't have a problem with that though.

I didn't particularly care for the first two films (actually felt the second movie was one of the worst things I've ever seen), but rather enjoyed the third. It was exactly what I was looking for: A fast-paced action movie with some thrills that kept me rivited for two hours. Would I go see it again? No. There wasn't enough substance there to make it worth while.

In his limited role, I loved PSH. He was menacing and downright scary. This role showcased his amazing range.

Eddie: I'm sorry you weren't able to buy in to the character of Ethan Hunt and could only see Tom Cruise. I go into movies wanting to get lost. It's why I get annoyed when I'm watching animated movies and my roommate wants to stop and figure out who is doing the voicework. I'd rather view the character as a complete package for the 90 minutes of the film. If I want to think about it in other terms later, I do that, but the initial viewing I want unfettered by the strings of the "actors." It's actually why I prefer movies without the so-called "Big Stars," because it is easier to achieve that end.

Regardless, I thought this movie was a fun little ride and worth a rainy Saturday matinee ticket.

Justin,

You're sorry, and I'm sorry. ;)

At any rate, I'm going to have to repeat myself again: movies aren't made in vacuums, and movies aren't viewed in vacuums. I bet you a lot of money that, while in the middle of watching "MI3", you thought about Tom Cruise's real life, even if only for the briefest of moments.

Eddie

[Post edited by posters5 on May 14, 2006]

We're in the same book... same chapter, even, but different pages. I get lost in movies while they are playing and reflect on their implications later. I went in to MI:3 with every intention of putting Cruises' personal life on hold and accepting completely his role as "Ethan." After, I thought more about the implications of the character based on the actor, as I would of anyone with a life so prominent even a recluse like I know the intimate details.

Ultimately, it's just different schools of thought, or preferences.

zimmer used the same hero theme for "gladiator" and "the last samurai". it made me want to laugh during "the last samurai" even though i enjoyed that movie a lot.

Well, I think most composers go through seasons where their works for different films sound similar to one another. James Horner, Danny Elfman, John Williams: All of these guys go through those phases.

Zimmer, on the other hand, sounds very similar almost all of the time to me. While I enjoy the Gladiator soundtrack, much of his other stuff uses that same brass and bass motif, something he and Mark Mancina turned the industry on to in the mid nineties. Now, as you've indicated, Badelt, Gregson-Williams and the lot seemed to have jumped on the bandwagon.

Giacchino captured a pretty fun jazzy tone reminiscent of the sixties in MI 3, similar to his work on The Incredibles, but much more toned down. I had fun with the score and saw its uniqueness within his body of work thus far. Don't know if I'll buy it, but...

Sean (...as Pee-Wee says, we all have our big buts...)

I Would say the same thing for any composer from the Media ventures group. That damn waltz zimmer did in gladiator and the use of brass in "the rock" is being copied all over the place! (well, it's his company). Most recent example "Pirates of the carribean". Klaus badelt. ew.

Danny elfman is not that bad. He has different touches in every score. It's the score it self that freakin repeats itself. He's better off with quirky tim burton footage.

Now that you point it out, I did notice a lot of the music cues were eerily similar to those on Lost. Of course having the same person doing the scoring certainly facilitates that. Same goes for Danny "Every piece sounds the same" Elfman.

Justin,

Truly, MI 3 borrows heavily from Abrams' leanings on Alias. IMF is more of a government agency similar to the CIA, SD6, and APO in Alias than the clandestine organization of previous MI lore. Abrams even went so far as to, and I don't consider this a spoiler since it is in the previews, use the ole "bomb planted in the character's head" trick in both MI 3 and an episode of Alias 3 or 4 weeks ago.

While it does borrow heavily, it didn't really impact my enjoyment of the movie, it simply left itself open to comparison with Abrams' other current work. One of the things I did enjoy, which I also enjoy on Abrams' show Lost, is that relationships made more sense for me this time around than they did in MI 2. Save for some of the supporting cast, I love what they did with Luther and Ethan. They had actual comeraderie and reference to the past which I felt was lacking in 2. Also, I believed the relationship between Ethan and Julia more than I did his relationship with Nyah in 2. I think Abrams has a knack for leaving things known but unsaid which is where most of us live our own lives.

There have been lots of comments regarding flat characters and the like, but secondary characters in this type of movie generally get that treatment. I was just glad to get as much characterization as I did!

Sean (...i, myself, could use more characterization. any writers out there?...) :)