Entertainment

Happy birthday Tom Cruise: The action hero we envy, born-actor we miss

What is a 'Tom Cruise Movie'? Doesn't it signify something more than (just) adrenaline rush? While the 58-year-old might be the best action hero on the planet, his genuinely mindblowing acting skills look distant with all the cars flying, guns blazing and planes crashing. Here's a brief reminder of what we are missing amidst the celebrations for his spectacular action thrillers.
What is a 'Tom Cruise Movie'? Doesn't it signify something more than (just) adrenaline rush? While the 58-year-old might be the best action hero on the planet, his genuinely mindblowing acting skills look distant with all the cars flying, guns blazing and
What is a 'Tom Cruise Movie'? Doesn't it signify something more than (just) adrenaline rush? While the 58-year-old might be the best action hero on the planet, his genuinely mindblowing acting skills look distant with all the cars flying, guns blazing and
Bechu S
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2 min read
JERRY MAGUIRE (1996): Fired from the agency he helped to built for throwing some ethical integrity on the table, Jerry gets fired and left with just loudmouth wide receiver Rod (Cuba Gooding Jr). It depends on the viewer whether it is Tom's romance with Renee Zellweger or bromance with Gooding is the catch in this one.
JERRY MAGUIRE (1996): Fired from the agency he helped to built for throwing some ethical integrity on the table, Jerry gets fired and left with just loudmouth wide receiver Rod (Cuba Gooding Jr). It depends on the viewer whether it is Tom's romance with Renee Zellweger or bromance with Gooding is the catch in this one.
A FEW GOOD MEN (1992): Inarguably one of the most well-written scenes (by Aaron Sorkin) till date, Tom Cruise's Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee gets Jack Nicholson Col Jessup to admit he ordered Code Red. But is the movie the best court drama ever made. Another inarguable is not impossible here.
A FEW GOOD MEN (1992): Inarguably one of the most well-written scenes (by Aaron Sorkin) till date, Tom Cruise's Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee gets Jack Nicholson Col Jessup to admit he ordered Code Red. But is the movie the best court drama ever made. Another inarguable is not impossible here.
MAGNOLIA (1999): Bringing Frank Mackey to life got Tom Cruise closest to an Oscar. Unfortunately, the Best Supporting Actor category was agonisingly packed that year with stellar performances and one of the most challenging roles Cruise ever did go winless. 'Magnolia' will be rated in his all-time top-five despite not being the protagonist.
MAGNOLIA (1999): Bringing Frank Mackey to life got Tom Cruise closest to an Oscar. Unfortunately, the Best Supporting Actor category was agonisingly packed that year with stellar performances and one of the most challenging roles Cruise ever did go winless. 'Magnolia' will be rated in his all-time top-five despite not being the protagonist.
VALKYRIE (2008): Valkyrie' is in the list not because it is one of his finest, but it showed the action icon has not lost the edge for serious character roles in the mad spell of smacks and booms. Col Claus von Stauffenberg the rebel spoke English without a tinge of German, but that's alright since it was a Tom Cruise makeover we all wanted.
VALKYRIE (2008): Valkyrie' is in the list not because it is one of his finest, but it showed the action icon has not lost the edge for serious character roles in the mad spell of smacks and booms. Col Claus von Stauffenberg the rebel spoke English without a tinge of German, but that's alright since it was a Tom Cruise makeover we all wanted.
RISKY BUSINESS: (1983): 'The SATs are tomorrow and I'm being chased by Guiddo the Killer Pimp!' A home-alone teenager makes his family residence into a brothel. Of course, it is a coming of age flick and got 'unparliamentary.' But this is a young Tom Cruise with a crisp social message.
RISKY BUSINESS: (1983): 'The SATs are tomorrow and I'm being chased by Guiddo the Killer Pimp!' A home-alone teenager makes his family residence into a brothel. Of course, it is a coming of age flick and got 'unparliamentary.' But this is a young Tom Cruise with a crisp social message.
TOP GUN (1986): The good thing about military-themed movies with pilot a protagonist is you still got a fair chance of avoiding an action drama with loud shellings and bloodbaths. Maverick is Navy's best fighter pilot, handpicked with his buddy Iceman (Val Kilmer) to attend America's elite training course. Tension and revelation await because it is Tom Cruise in the cockpit.
TOP GUN (1986): The good thing about military-themed movies with pilot a protagonist is you still got a fair chance of avoiding an action drama with loud shellings and bloodbaths. Maverick is Navy's best fighter pilot, handpicked with his buddy Iceman (Val Kilmer) to attend America's elite training course. Tension and revelation await because it is Tom Cruise in the cockpit.
RAINMAN (1988): Another vintage Tom Cruise. A selfish automobile dealer kidnaps his autistic brother to make him give up his multi-million dollar estate inherited from their late father. Tom was Charlie Babbit and Dustin Hoffman, Raymond, his autistic sibling. Directed by Barry Levinson, 'Rain Man' was the highest-grossing film of the year and won four Oscars at the 61st Academy Awards.
RAINMAN (1988): Another vintage Tom Cruise. A selfish automobile dealer kidnaps his autistic brother to make him give up his multi-million dollar estate inherited from their late father. Tom was Charlie Babbit and Dustin Hoffman, Raymond, his autistic sibling. Directed by Barry Levinson, 'Rain Man' was the highest-grossing film of the year and won four Oscars at the 61st Academy Awards.
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