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Is Tom Cruise finished?

LoveMyHats2

I’ll Lock Up.
Messages
5,196
Location
Michigan
How can anyone know for sure about Tom Cruise? Just as in some of the films he was in (if it was really Tom Cruise at all) they have some people in Hollywood that can make a mask of latex and anyone could appear to be anyone. (google up realistic masks and you will see what I mean).....for all anyone knows, they could have a mask on some short person that "acts" like Tom Cruise? I had to say all this as from as many wacky things that have been published about the "personal belief" trends that Tom Cruise is supposed to seriously have, I think I have read a few times he gave away all his money and everything he owned, drank some poisoned kool aide and was to be transmutant/astroprojected into a black hole of eternity so that he could discuss the real nature of the universe with the late great Art Linkletter? But what do I know?
 

MisterGrey

Practically Family
Messages
526
Location
Texas, USA
It's probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but, for all of his real life craziness, I think that Cruise is enjoyable to watch as an actor. He'll never occupy the echelon of such greats as Newman or Streep, but, for sheer enjoyment-- settling down to watch a movie without needing to engage in deep thought or question what's going on onscreen-- he's up there. I can't say that I've ever left a Tom Cruise movie feeling intellectually enlightened or having a greater appreciation for something (though Minority Report and EWS came close), but I've left plenty of his films feeling like I just had an entertaining two hours.

That said, his film roles of late have certainly been lacking, and I'd like to see him go back towards some of the more "human interest" features he's done. I think he's best playing an everyman character who insinuates himself into an extraordinary situation, rather than as Action Johnny.
 

sheeplady

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
4,479
Location
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA
Perhaps the better question is "has Tom Cruise jumped the shark?" In other words, he might still draw viewers, but is he still as good as an actor as he once was, as far as being interesting and talented?

There's plenty of shows that jumped the shark once something happened, but still kept running and drawing viewers, even thought the viewers would often lament that that the "show just isn't as good anymore."
 
Messages
13,466
Location
Orange County, CA
And once again, Peace and Harmony were able stand side-by-side with Cranky Discord as they should in the Land of the Fedora Lounge. :D

:p

Jane Green -- We're Back Together Again (1925)

[video=youtube;PVQYKTFsxdQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVQYKTFsxdQ[/video]

We're back together again
My Baby and me
Both on the level but then
I can't tell who's winning
Cause the fight's just beginning
Since we're back together again


:D
 

nick123

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,371
Location
California
As a kid, I thought Cruise was the coolest in Top Gun. Not so much as an adult. When you're younger you pay no attention to "good" acting. That movie had a positive impact on me as a youngster, as well as others.

Dislike the Beatles...The 1960s were blooming with talent. Most of the bands that never had a national hit or were semi-popular were better IMO. Think the Nuggets compilation.
Though no doubt, the Beatles were brilliant. Just not my kind of brilliant. Not enough rock n' roll for my tastes with them. What an impact they had though.
As for psych drugs, anyone that's ever been on them (not terribly hard to end up on them these days), know that they are still an active experiment. Many seem to have good results however.
A woman studying to be a nurse in my class did a PowerPoint presentation on shock therapy. Word is now the AMA is recommending light doses of it before starting a pill regiment.
 

Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202
I just realized, Tom is only 50 years old. When Clint Eastwood was 50, he was going through his orangutan phase, we all thought he had jumped the shark! Yet, look what he has gone on to do. So who knows with Cruise, it is much to early to say.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
I just realized, Tom is only 50 years old. When Clint Eastwood was 50, he was going through his orangutan phase, we all thought he had jumped the shark! Yet, look what he has gone on to do. So who knows with Cruise, it is much to early to say.
I was actually hoping Clint would do "Unbroken" if it were made into a movie. As it turns out, Brad Pitt's wife may be doing it with the Coen bros. I'll withhold until it's in the can, but I HOPE it's a good movie - the book was awesome. I too still think there's time for Cruise to redeem. He was damn funny in Tropic Thunder! So he has better in him...
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Unbroken is an amazing story. I'd love to see it given the Eastwood treatment. TCM recently had a fine program about the directing efforts of Clint Eastwood. It's definitely worth a watch.

I'd read Mrs. Pitt was interested in filming Unbroken but had no idea about the Coen brothers!
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Unbroken is an amazing story. I'd love to see it given the Eastwood treatment. TCM recently had a fine program about the directing efforts of Clint Eastwood. It's definitely worth a watch. I'd read Mrs. Pitt was interested in filming Unbroken but had no idea about the Coen brothers!
Yeah, I'm hoping they don't try to do a "Quentin Tarantino" on this. A) the story deserves to be done right - not watered down like I expect.B) They're not Quentin Tarantino.I almost never read books to the end - I read so slowly that I usually get 2/3 through and forget. That book I read in four days - which is a record for me.
 
One shouldn't confuse "success" with worth... "The Monkees" comes to mind. Just cause Cruise has made a boatload of money on a boatload of pictures doesn't mean he's worth watching. There are people who love him, some who loathe him and some like me who just find him annoying and a curiousity at most. I wonder if he'd give one "Top Gun" and "Cocktail" and all the rest of that dreck for one decent Oscar winning role? All due respect but to mention him in the same sentence with Bogart is blasphemy. Cruise coudln't carry Bogarts soiled undies. Sorry just no comparison.

Worf
Hey! Leave the Monkees out of this. They have made their place in history and outshine many of the other morons that came after them.....
 
You had to go and remind me of how we all look in the pictures from my brother's first wedding, in 1973, I think it was, or maybe '74. Hideous. Just awful. Beyond bad. Wretched. An affront to all that is good and right with the world.

I once had a mantra that went something like "good design is good design, no matter the prevailing stylistic conventions of its time." You know, some three-bedroom ramblers are quite nice, while others aren't. Or, wide lapels and double-pleated pants alone don't make a good-lookin' suit, just as narrow lapels and flat fronts don't necessarily make a bad-lookin' one.

But then I'm reminded of 1973. Shudders.
I have a conscious mental block on all of the 1970s from shag carpets to appliances with ugly colors to wide ties and wide lapels. Oh the horrors!
 

Chasseur

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,494
Location
Hawaii
I have a conscious mental block on all of the 1970s from shag carpets to appliances with ugly colors to wide ties and wide lapels. Oh the horrors!

Are you sure you've blocked out all the 1970s James? ;)

[video=youtube;H2NEGywTGF4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2NEGywTGF4[/video]
 

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