I watched every Mission: Impossible movie back-to-back so you don't have to. This is how it went
'And he literally just drove straight off a cliff, no second thoughts! I don't think this guy is going to be done until he's dead!'
That was the comment that pricked up my ears and, to be fair, conversations like that aren't too far off some of the things you'll hear coming from the breaking news and crime desks. But this was a culture convo – colour me intrigued.
The dots joined themselves quickly. They had to be talking about the latest Mission: Impossible movie, starring the guy whose midlife 'crisis' seems to involve collecting specialist equipment licences like they're Pokemon cards. Plane, boat, bazooka – you name it, Tom Cruise is qualified to do it. There are eight of these films over almost 30 years but I had not seen even one.
My mission, I was soon informed, 'should I choose to accept it', was to watch all eight of them in one week and report back.
Me being me, I devised a nerdy ratings system to help illustrate my thoughts on the exploits of elite Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise), rating each film out of 10 for the following categories:
Villain: The bad guy.
Team: The elite team of IMF agents Hunt assembles.
Bosses: Hunt's always got some no-good, button-pushing suit breathing down his neck.
Mask reveals: Having Hunt hide then dramatically reveal his identity is a series hallmark.
Action sequences: Cruise's stunts get more insane with every passing film.
Impossibility: Just how Impossible is this Mission?
Romance: He never misses on the streets but Hunt is hit-or-miss between the sheets.
Plot: You know what this is, folks.
Cold open: All eight films open with a splashy sequence before the iconic opening credits roll. They range in length from about three minutes to nearly 30.
Equipped with a plan and a lot of snacks, my cinematic journey began. This is what I discovered.
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Sydney Morning Herald
8 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Perth's big, beautiful movie studio is getting ready for its close-up
It was always expected Western Australia's first purpose-built movie studio would be big. It's one of the reasons the state government decided to shift the $233 million screen facility from Victoria Quay in the heart of Fremantle to the southern edge of Whiteman Park in Perth's northern suburbs. But it is not until you get up close and personal to Perth Film Studios, as it has been rebranded, that you fully appreciate the size of the four state-of-the art boxes that in years to come will host large-scale Australian and international productions that will put our city on the filmmaking map — that is, if everything goes to plan. Taken aback by the size of the facility – in particular the sound stage in the most advanced stage of completion – the first question to Perth Film Studios' British-born chief executive Tom Avison must be: 'What level of production could it not accommodate?' 'Not many,' replied Avison, who was head-hunted from London to shepherd the studio into operation and help lure the kind of big-budget film and television productions for which it was designed. 'A James Bond movie or a Mission: Impossible might require something bigger. 'But for most things these four sound stages are comparable to facilities in the UK such as Pinewood, Leavesden or Sky Studio Elstree. 'They're plenty big enough for most of the movies and television series being shot around the world.' The facility boasts 19,232 square metres of production space — including 8361 square metres across four sound stages — and a backlot bigger than the playing field at Optus Stadium. Equally impressive is the overall quality of the build and various facilities that will be used to support the sound stages — production offices, dressing rooms, spaces for costumes and laundry. 'A movie studio is like a reef. It acts like a centre of gravity. It brings the ecosystem to it. You get big fish, you get small fish and everything in between.' Perth Film Studios CEO Tom Avison And in Avison, the WA Labor government and Home Fire Creative Industries – the Perth company that won the much-publicised competition to build and operate the studio – have found a chief executive with recent experience opening a similar facility, Sky Studios Elstree, in London. Sky Studios was a baptism of fire for Avison in his role as director of operations, as the new studio's first production was Wicked, Universal's blockbuster musical that took over eight of the studio's 12 sound stages. 'We had just completed the build when Wicked moved in. Builders out on Friday, production in on Monday,' Avison said. 'It was a challenging time but very exciting and incredibly rewarding. 'It battle-hardens you and your staff and forces you to get up to the highest standards very quickly. 'When a film is green-lit it goes fast. The train is leaving the station and you have to climb on board.' It is doubtful that Perth Film Studios will kick off in the first quarter of next year with a production the size of Wicked. However, if Hollywood wants to shoot a mega-budget musical, or an action fantasy, or a series about the world overrun with the undead, then Avison and his team will be ready. 'We will have conversations with producers who have the biggest projects to those with the smallest,' Avison said. 'And the studio will be a fantastic option for local and national projects. 'A good example are the two recent television series that were filmed in Perth, Ghosts and The Postcard Bandit. We want the Perth Film Studios to become the hub for the Western Australian screen industry.' Avison says that he was lured away from his big job in one of the world centres of film and television production because of the excitement around the WA film industry and the support of the state government, which is backing its investment in the studio with an array of incentives to ensure it doesn't become a 'white elephant'. 'There is an industry here that has been growing organically and successfully and a government that is supporting it,' Avison said. 'And when you factor in organisations like ScreenWest and the crew of highly skilled freelancers you feel that Western Australia is on the cusp of something great. I wanted to be a part of that.' Avison said there was also the understanding that it was not enough to just build a studio: 'You need to build an industry to support it.' Ever since the movie studio was announced by then-premier Mark McGowan during the 2021 state election in a starry press event at Victoria Quay with local stars such as Tim Minchin, Kate Walsh and Ben Elton, the industry has been debating the issue of whether Perth is ready for a movie industry. There are arguments that WA's industry is not mature enough to service a movie studio, and that most of the talent will have to be imported, raising costs and make it less attractive to American studios and other production entities around the globe. Loading Avison disagrees that WA is putting the cart before the horse. 'A movie studio is like a reef,' he said. 'It acts like a centre of gravity. It brings the ecosystem to it. You get big fish, you get small fish and everything in between. 'In the past productions have come here to take advantage of the wonderful locations then go somewhere else for the studio component. They will now be able to do everything here.' He also sees potential for crews returning if they have a good experience in Perth, giving the example of a series production, which could take months. 'That means that the various services that support a production are assured of long-term work,' he said. 'All of this occurs because at the centre of the ecosystem is a movie studio.' The other big challenge is distance. Perth is, as we hear ad nauseum, the most isolated capital city in the world. Loading So, will the production entities in the United States, Europe and, to a lesser extent, Asia be willing to send their projects across multiple time zones to do what could be done on their respective home territories? Adding to the challenge is that, since the rise of streaming services such as Amazon, Netflix and Apple, screen facilities have been popping up across the United States and across the globe, with Sydney recently announcing plans for a second studio. While some aspects of international filmmaking are out WA's control — the rise and fall in the dollar, and Donald Trump's tariffs have added another element of uncertainty — Avison believed the studio would overcome distance by offering a unique, high-quality experience. 'Filmmaking is complex and stressful, with tight deadlines and fixed budgets. So crews need to feel reassured they can do their jobs,' he said. 'We will create an environment that will not just get the job done but will allow filmmakers to flourish. 'We want them to be reassured that they don't have to worry about the basics, and they can put all their energy into their creativity.' While there is pressure on Avison and his team to lure the kind of bigger budget productions that will brush aside the naysayers, he believes it will take time for the studio to build a reputation and drop into the field of view of the global film industry, like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. 'I come from an industry where studios have been there for 100 years,' Avison said. 'That is what we want to build — a facility that is not a flash in the pan something that will serve the local industry for generations to come. We will be ready in the first quarter of next year, but our eyes are also on the future.'
The Age
8 hours ago
- The Age
Perth's big, beautiful movie studio is getting ready for its close-up
It was always expected Western Australia's first purpose-built movie studio would be big. It's one of the reasons the state government decided to shift the $233 million screen facility from Victoria Quay in the heart of Fremantle to the southern edge of Whiteman Park in Perth's northern suburbs. But it is not until you get up close and personal to Perth Film Studios, as it has been rebranded, that you fully appreciate the size of the four state-of-the art boxes that in years to come will host large-scale Australian and international productions that will put our city on the filmmaking map — that is, if everything goes to plan. Taken aback by the size of the facility – in particular the sound stage in the most advanced stage of completion – the first question to Perth Film Studios' British-born chief executive Tom Avison must be: 'What level of production could it not accommodate?' 'Not many,' replied Avison, who was head-hunted from London to shepherd the studio into operation and help lure the kind of big-budget film and television productions for which it was designed. 'A James Bond movie or a Mission: Impossible might require something bigger. 'But for most things these four sound stages are comparable to facilities in the UK such as Pinewood, Leavesden or Sky Studio Elstree. 'They're plenty big enough for most of the movies and television series being shot around the world.' The facility boasts 19,232 square metres of production space — including 8361 square metres across four sound stages — and a backlot bigger than the playing field at Optus Stadium. Equally impressive is the overall quality of the build and various facilities that will be used to support the sound stages — production offices, dressing rooms, spaces for costumes and laundry. 'A movie studio is like a reef. It acts like a centre of gravity. It brings the ecosystem to it. You get big fish, you get small fish and everything in between.' Perth Film Studios CEO Tom Avison And in Avison, the WA Labor government and Home Fire Creative Industries – the Perth company that won the much-publicised competition to build and operate the studio – have found a chief executive with recent experience opening a similar facility, Sky Studios Elstree, in London. Sky Studios was a baptism of fire for Avison in his role as director of operations, as the new studio's first production was Wicked, Universal's blockbuster musical that took over eight of the studio's 12 sound stages. 'We had just completed the build when Wicked moved in. Builders out on Friday, production in on Monday,' Avison said. 'It was a challenging time but very exciting and incredibly rewarding. 'It battle-hardens you and your staff and forces you to get up to the highest standards very quickly. 'When a film is green-lit it goes fast. The train is leaving the station and you have to climb on board.' It is doubtful that Perth Film Studios will kick off in the first quarter of next year with a production the size of Wicked. However, if Hollywood wants to shoot a mega-budget musical, or an action fantasy, or a series about the world overrun with the undead, then Avison and his team will be ready. 'We will have conversations with producers who have the biggest projects to those with the smallest,' Avison said. 'And the studio will be a fantastic option for local and national projects. 'A good example are the two recent television series that were filmed in Perth, Ghosts and The Postcard Bandit. We want the Perth Film Studios to become the hub for the Western Australian screen industry.' Avison says that he was lured away from his big job in one of the world centres of film and television production because of the excitement around the WA film industry and the support of the state government, which is backing its investment in the studio with an array of incentives to ensure it doesn't become a 'white elephant'. 'There is an industry here that has been growing organically and successfully and a government that is supporting it,' Avison said. 'And when you factor in organisations like ScreenWest and the crew of highly skilled freelancers you feel that Western Australia is on the cusp of something great. I wanted to be a part of that.' Avison said there was also the understanding that it was not enough to just build a studio: 'You need to build an industry to support it.' Ever since the movie studio was announced by then-premier Mark McGowan during the 2021 state election in a starry press event at Victoria Quay with local stars such as Tim Minchin, Kate Walsh and Ben Elton, the industry has been debating the issue of whether Perth is ready for a movie industry. There are arguments that WA's industry is not mature enough to service a movie studio, and that most of the talent will have to be imported, raising costs and make it less attractive to American studios and other production entities around the globe. Loading Avison disagrees that WA is putting the cart before the horse. 'A movie studio is like a reef,' he said. 'It acts like a centre of gravity. It brings the ecosystem to it. You get big fish, you get small fish and everything in between. 'In the past productions have come here to take advantage of the wonderful locations then go somewhere else for the studio component. They will now be able to do everything here.' He also sees potential for crews returning if they have a good experience in Perth, giving the example of a series production, which could take months. 'That means that the various services that support a production are assured of long-term work,' he said. 'All of this occurs because at the centre of the ecosystem is a movie studio.' The other big challenge is distance. Perth is, as we hear ad nauseum, the most isolated capital city in the world. Loading So, will the production entities in the United States, Europe and, to a lesser extent, Asia be willing to send their projects across multiple time zones to do what could be done on their respective home territories? Adding to the challenge is that, since the rise of streaming services such as Amazon, Netflix and Apple, screen facilities have been popping up across the United States and across the globe, with Sydney recently announcing plans for a second studio. While some aspects of international filmmaking are out WA's control — the rise and fall in the dollar, and Donald Trump's tariffs have added another element of uncertainty — Avison believed the studio would overcome distance by offering a unique, high-quality experience. 'Filmmaking is complex and stressful, with tight deadlines and fixed budgets. So crews need to feel reassured they can do their jobs,' he said. 'We will create an environment that will not just get the job done but will allow filmmakers to flourish. 'We want them to be reassured that they don't have to worry about the basics, and they can put all their energy into their creativity.' While there is pressure on Avison and his team to lure the kind of bigger budget productions that will brush aside the naysayers, he believes it will take time for the studio to build a reputation and drop into the field of view of the global film industry, like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. 'I come from an industry where studios have been there for 100 years,' Avison said. 'That is what we want to build — a facility that is not a flash in the pan something that will serve the local industry for generations to come. We will be ready in the first quarter of next year, but our eyes are also on the future.'
The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Tom Cruise snubs Kennedy Center honour
Tom Cruise reportedly turned down a Kennedy Center honour. The Mission: Impossible actor was offered the prestigious award - which "recognises and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world" - but declined due to scheduling conflicts, multiple anonymous current and former Kennedy Center employees told The Washington Post. Instead, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the ceremony in December would see rockers KISS, stage star Michael Crawford, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, country musician George Strait and actor Sylvester Stallone honoured. Trump announced the recipients on Wednesday from the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations, where he unveiled five portraits draped in velvet, and he also admitted he himself had long wanted one of the prestigious accolades. He said: "I waited and waited and waited, and I said, 'The hell with it, I'll become chairman and I'll give myself an honour ... Next year, we'll honour Trump, OK?" The former Apprentice star was "very involved" in choosing the recipients and turned down some suggestions he did not personally approve of. "... I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be, very different," he said. In a major change to the ceremony - which will take place in December, the president himself will serve as host. While Cruise may have turned down the accolade, he will receive another honour, with the Top Gun: Maverick actor to receive an honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards, which take place in November. Tom Cruise reportedly turned down a Kennedy Center honour. The Mission: Impossible actor was offered the prestigious award - which "recognises and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world" - but declined due to scheduling conflicts, multiple anonymous current and former Kennedy Center employees told The Washington Post. Instead, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the ceremony in December would see rockers KISS, stage star Michael Crawford, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, country musician George Strait and actor Sylvester Stallone honoured. Trump announced the recipients on Wednesday from the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations, where he unveiled five portraits draped in velvet, and he also admitted he himself had long wanted one of the prestigious accolades. He said: "I waited and waited and waited, and I said, 'The hell with it, I'll become chairman and I'll give myself an honour ... Next year, we'll honour Trump, OK?" The former Apprentice star was "very involved" in choosing the recipients and turned down some suggestions he did not personally approve of. "... I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be, very different," he said. In a major change to the ceremony - which will take place in December, the president himself will serve as host. While Cruise may have turned down the accolade, he will receive another honour, with the Top Gun: Maverick actor to receive an honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards, which take place in November. Tom Cruise reportedly turned down a Kennedy Center honour. The Mission: Impossible actor was offered the prestigious award - which "recognises and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world" - but declined due to scheduling conflicts, multiple anonymous current and former Kennedy Center employees told The Washington Post. Instead, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the ceremony in December would see rockers KISS, stage star Michael Crawford, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, country musician George Strait and actor Sylvester Stallone honoured. Trump announced the recipients on Wednesday from the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations, where he unveiled five portraits draped in velvet, and he also admitted he himself had long wanted one of the prestigious accolades. He said: "I waited and waited and waited, and I said, 'The hell with it, I'll become chairman and I'll give myself an honour ... Next year, we'll honour Trump, OK?" The former Apprentice star was "very involved" in choosing the recipients and turned down some suggestions he did not personally approve of. "... I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be, very different," he said. In a major change to the ceremony - which will take place in December, the president himself will serve as host. While Cruise may have turned down the accolade, he will receive another honour, with the Top Gun: Maverick actor to receive an honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards, which take place in November.
