Take this with a grain of salt or two, especially since Kevin Smith loved the last piece of garbage Star Wars movie, but he says that MI3 is much better than the last sequel, and as good if not better than the first.
To me, however, the more interesting point that Jeff Wells makes, is the rationale for Paramount not showing the film to the press, even though the film might be quite good. Just like the demise of early screenings for critics, the studios are quickly learning that they are so big that they may just not need the press. They can do their own marketing and PR, and do their own vertical integration across magazines, television, etc. If they can just get to that huge opening weekend on their own, then they can make their money on international and home rental. And if on the rare chance that they have a good film, audience word of mouth will spread.
Filmmakers tend to be a bit more affectionate and supportive of other filmmakers than, say, critics or the public, but that aside, Kevin Smith has seen Mission: Impossible: 3 and passes along the following: "I saw it last month in [director-writer J.J. Abrams'] editing room, and it's really great: far, far superior to the second one, and as good (if not better) than the first. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the most believable bad guy since Anthony Hopkins in Silence -- he's just plain frightening. [The film has] great tent-pole scenes and Tom Cruise is in top form. There's no fat on it at all. All those years working on Alias made for fine training for JJ, as this thing is very well plotted and paced. It'll do extremely well. I know I'll see it again in theaters." Why is Paramount publicity not showing it then? What is the strategy in keeping word-of-mouth spreaders away from it until three days before it opens? I think it's part of the New Hollywood World Order...the truly big tent-polers are their own engine, about themselves & their own self-perpetuating inevitability, and writers and reporters are but lint on the lapels of the big-studio distribs in this context...at best incidental to the process. And the p.r. people are looking to make a statement to that effect.
this movie completely sucked!!tom sucked once agian in another suck a** movie!
you thought halle berry was bad she makes tom cruise makes her look like Meryll Streep!!
Posted by: gail | May 05, 2006 at 02:15 PM
Wow - and they said film criticism was dead.
Gail Lewis everyone! Give her a big hand!!!
Posted by: Craig | May 05, 2006 at 02:26 PM