This weekend's US opening of Tom Cruise's new movie, Mission Impossible III, apparently brought box office receipts below expectations of some movie industry commentators. I have read a dozen reviews of the movie and as nearly as many articles on its theatrical opening. Many writers suggest that Tom Cruise's public advocacy of Scientology is somehow responsible for the dampened box office returns; so many writers say this, that I suspect some wish it would be true. It is difficult for me to resist the impression that many commentators want Cruise's movie to do poorly, precisely as punishment for his positive philosophy and his public support of it.
I do not understand this sour attitude. It amounts to expressing spite for Cruise's success as an actor and producer using disapproval of his public persona as an excuse; for the critics do not go around similarly castigating other Scientologists who are not as successful. This is the attitude of small people. There is much to admire in Tom Cruise's film career. He is a risk-taker, not requiring an up-front acting fee, but requesting a portion of the film's success. He has been an extraordinary money-maker. He has brought billions of dollars to the industry, probably half of it earned overseas and thereby helping balance the nation's trade. His work employs dozens of persons directly and hundreds indirectly. As a man, he leads a decent life. He believes in family, children, and his wife. Many persons were probably disappointed when he and Nicole Kidman split, nearly Hollywood's royal couple, but we have no right to judge this amicable separation of two decent persons. His life and work strikes me as admirable. I wish him well and continued success. I hope the movie goes on to make buckets and buckets of money for him, his investors, and the industry. He and they earned it.
Disclaimer 1. I am not a Scientologist.
Disclaimer 2. My wife and I saw M:i:3 this weekend and loved it. She was less interested than I was to see the movie, because action hero movies are less interesting to her than chick flicks. She went, because I asked her to go with me. And she loved the movie. She particularly like the story line about Cruise's love relation, the engagement, his wife's abduction, he saving her, and she, in turn, saving him. Very nice. I liked everything about the movie. I especially appreciated that it was in crystal-clear focus. Every frame of the movie was perfect, which made the action sequences, special effects, and settings even more powerful. I have to ask. Was the movie "filmed" in digital? Projected in digital (Riverside California's Regal theatre)?
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