Tom Cruise

Review: “Edge of Tomorrow”

“Edge of Tomorrow” could (half-) jokingly be titled “Groundhogs and Aliens,” but that doesn’t mean one should take it lightly. Tom Cruise’s latest would-be blockbuster is the kind of summer movie we need more of but see progressively less of, an elaborate actioner with a brain that combines its special effects with a story that …

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Critic Speak Podcast: Episode 4

On this week’s episode of the Critic Speak Podcast, we review the hot new Marvel blockbuster “Iron Man 3,” discuss Hollywood’s latest method of vetting scripts for their commercial viability, and examine the New York SAFE Act’s potential impact on film and television productions. And as always, James and I close the show by covering …

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Review: “Oblivion”

“Oblivion” is a movie certain to give you déjà vu, and not because that peculiar sensation is a plot point. This Tom Cruise vehicle sports a narrative that’s a blatant composite of countless other films, including but not limited to “WALL-E,” “The Matrix,” “Independence Day,” “Total Recall,” “Planet of the Apes,” and even director Joseph …

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Review: “Jack Reacher”

“Jack Reacher” is based on Lee Child’s “One Shot,” the ninth mystery novel in a series of 17 that have cumulatively sold over 60 million copies worldwide, but you’d never guess this by only watching the film, which is exceedingly unexceptional. Paramount executives could have saved a lot of money on licensing fees by simply …

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New trailer: “Jack Reacher”

It’s been a rough summer for Tom Cruise, what with “Rock of Ages” bombing, his marriage collapsing, and his wife attempting to win sole custody of their six-year-old daughter. However, maybe Cruise will be able to earn a little bit of goodwill back from audiences with the trailer for his upcoming “Jack Reacher” (embedded above), …

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Review: “Rock of Ages”

Few Hollywood filmmakers have proven themselves to be as tone-deaf as Adam Shankman has during his recent foray into musicals. That Shankman has failed so miserably in the genre is surprising, given his background as a choreographer. But few films–let alone upbeat musicals– are as joyless and utterly lacking an understanding of cinematic kinetics as …

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Friday Box Office: “Rock of Ages” and “That’s My Boy” bomb

The opening Friday grosses for Tom Cruise’s “Rock of Ages” and Adam Sandler’s “That’s My Boy” were atrocious. Embarrassing. Disastrous. Dismal. You pick the catastrophic adjective and it applies. The former has some chance of garnering positive word-of-mouth and rebounding throughout the course of its run, but the latter will undoubtedly go down as one …

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