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Extra.ie
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Why is the Church of Scientology so controversial?
Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Elisabeth Moss are just some of the prominent Hollywood stars who have publicly associated themselves with the controversial religion of Scientology. The religion, which is often referred to as a cult, was founded by US author L. Ron Hubbard in 1953 after the author failed in his bid to mask his pseudoscientific ideas as a form of therapy. Some of the key beliefs of Scientologists include that humans are immortal spiritual beings and that they will be reincarnated. Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Elisabeth Moss are just some of the prominent Hollywood stars who have publicly associated themselves with the controversial religion of Scientology. Pic:for Paramount Pictures Here is just a touch of what the religious organisation is all about… L. Ron Hubbard was an American author and the eventual founder of Scientology. In 1950, the Nebraska native wrote Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, which led to him establishing organisations to promote and practice Dianetic techniques. These were a set of ideas and practices regarding the mind which were initially framed as a form of therapy or psychological treatment. The organisation went bankrupt, which led Hubbard to reframe his ideas as a religion. Hubbard coined the term Scientology, which is made up of the Latin word scientia (knowledge/skill) and would claim that Scientology meant 'knowing about knowing' or 'science of knowledge.' This photograph shows the headquarters of the Church of Scientology in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on May 21, 2025. Pic: Thomas SAMSON / AFP The core beliefs for Scientologists are the idea that humans are immortal spiritual beings called 'thetans' that reside in the physical body. Thetans have had numerous previous lives. Those within the religion also believe in reincarnation, where the thetans are reborn into various bodies. Scientology says: 'The thetan is immortal and has lived — and will continue to live — through countless lifetimes.' The core practice in Scientology is auditing, and this sees one Scientologist (the auditor) ask the other questions. This is said to improve the abilities of the subject, but it creates a dependency on the auditing subject. Auditing can be quite costly for Scientologists, with Hubbard writing in 1964 that the cost for a 25-hour block should be the equivalent of three months' pay. Scientology is widely criticized and seen to be a potentially harmful organisation as well as quite manipulative to its members. Pic:Scientology is widely criticised and seen to be a potentially harmful organisation as well as quite manipulative to its members. It is often argued that the movement is not a religion but a commercial enterprise masquerading as one, as a means of Hubbard avoiding prosecution following the collapse of Dianetics in the past. Many members have left the church and spoken out about the abuse within the organisation. In 2023, Saved By The Bell actress Leah Remini sued the Church of Scientology for what she said was years of 'psychological torture.' In a blistering statement, the actress said she had endured 17 years of 'psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment, and intimidation' which had 'significantly' impacted her life and career. In 2018, the church faced backlash for its so-called 'safe, healthy and thorough method of purging drugs from the body' at drug rehabilitation centres. Those attending the facility were said to be cut off from their addiction cold turkey, and given high doses of vitamins and minerals instead. The issue was brought to the Seanad by then Senator Ray Butler, who said it was 'brainwashing of the most vulnerable people.'
India.com
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Tom Cruise Remembers His Journey As A Producer For Mission Impossible Movies
Mumbai: As the last installment in the "Mission Impossible" series has reached movie lovers, the man of the hour, Tom Cruise decided to turn back the clock and look back at some precious moments from the point when the journey began. Cruise posted a BTS picture from the first "Mission Impossible" film which also marked his journey as a producer. Showing his gratitude to all those who have been a part of the "Mission Impossible" franchise, Cruise wrote on social media, "Over 30 years ago, I began the journey of producing my first film, Mission: Impossible. Since then, these eight films have taken me on the adventure of a lifetime. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tom Cruise (@tomcruise) To the incredible directors, actors, artists, and crews across the globe that have helped bring these stories to life, I thank you. It has been a privilege to work alongside you all." The Hollywood hunk further thanked the audience for all their love. "Most importantly, I want to thank the audience, for whom it is our great pleasure to create these films, and for whom we all serve. We're thrilled to share The Final Reckoning with you," he went on to write. On Tuesday, elated by "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" run at the box office, Cruise penned another heartfelt note on his X saying, 'This weekend was one for the history books! Congratulations and thank you to every filmmaker, every artist, every crew member, and every single person who works at the studios." "To every theatre and every employee who helps bring these stories to the audiences, thank you. To everyone that works at Paramount Pictures and Skydance, thank you for your many years of partnership and unwavering support," he added. Once again, he did not forget the viewers, and wrote, 'And most of all, THANK YOU to the audiences everywhere – for whom we all serve and for whom we all LOVE to entertain. Sincerely, Tom."
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Review: I Choose To Accept Tom Cruise's Blockbuster Finale As An Explosive Kickoff To Summer Movie Season
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. On May 22, 1996, audiences accepted a mission that seemed impossible: a successful modern adaptation of a classic TV series. Tom Cruise and the Mission: Impossible franchise have long outlasted the original fad that gave it life, with almost 30 years under the belt of this Paramount Pictures franchise. But as we're commonly reminded, all good things must come to an end – which is part of why the eighth chapter in this series has been given the subtitle The Final Reckoning. That reality is bittersweet, because while this does feel like a big goodbye to Ethan Hunt, the story that's employed to bid this farewell is going to leave you wanting more. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Release Date: May 23, 2025Directed By: Christopher McQuarrieWritten By: Christopher McQuarrie & Erik JendresenStarring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman and Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, with Rolf Saxon, and Lucy TulugarjukRating: PG-13, for sequences of strong violence and action, bloody images, and brief 169 minutes Two months after the events of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has once more gone into hiding. Refusing several requests to rejoin the fight against The Entity's malicious A.I. antics, the governments of the world are on the brink of all out war. With Ethan's Impossible Mission Force team still assembled (Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementiff, and Ving Rhames) and nemesis Gabriel (Esai Morales) also remaining on the board, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning boils down to a four-day window that could spell nuclear armageddon. Anyone wondering if director Christopher McQuarrie's fourth entry in the Mission lexicon can be enjoyed without prior knowledge is in for a bit of a paradox. While The Final Reckoning does have tons of callbacks, flashbacks, and exposition that gives you the Cliff's Notes version of Ethan's exploits up to this point, having experiencing those previous adventures does lend depth to all of the shocking turns. That's something very important to consider, as our eighth and final joyride with superspy Ethan Hunt tries to tie up a whole lot of loose ends in its almost three-hour running time. Which is both a blessing and a curse, due to all of the moving parts this continuity has integrated over the last three decades. Let's just put some good news on the table right up front. As someone who's followed Mission: Impossible's movies from the beginning, I can confidently say that this is a proper finale to Tom Cruise's spy game. Even better still, I'm very happy to report that The Final Reckoning is a vast improvement from Dead Reckoning, despite being cut from the same story cloth. Following its slightly more convoluted predecessor, this picture starts in high gear, and doesn't let up until it crosses the finish line – which is something I'll always commend a nearly three-hour movie for being able to do. Perhaps it's the supposed finality of this eighth Mission that inspired Christopher McQuarrie and co-writer Erik Jendresen in plotting what's being billed as the swan song for this iteration of this espionage saga. The former's love for the 1996 franchise started is still clear throughout various choices in the narrative at work, with a gigantic hat tip to Mission: Impossible III poised to also give loyal IMF fans another moment to gleefully snap and point at the screen a la Rick Dalton. If you've missed the days of the more fleshed out team-based dynamic previous missions have contained, then consider that another jewel in The Final Reckoning's crown. Series newcomers Hayley Atwell and Pom Klemantiff get to land outstanding moments of quippy dialogue and intense action, while Simon Pegg's return boosts his role in the team to a point where Benji Dunn even gets to throw hands. Wrapping it all together is a pleasant undercurrent of humor, which keeps our IMF agents moving in a style more akin to the halcyon days of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. Reintroducing that element also helps supporting cast members like Severance's Tramell Tillman make the most of their limited screen time. But that also ties into a slight downside to what the past couple of outings have been trying to do. Maybe it's because I've been invested in this series since the beginning that I find my own expectations for how Mission Impossible 8 would wrap to be slightly unfulfilled. Simultaneously, there are some instances where the dedication to the past is a little overzealous, with highlights featured in the opening montage being repeated at various points in the overall narrative. It's minor, and probably more suited for casual viewers who haven't owned a copy of Brian de Palma's original Mission: Impossible through three eras of physical media. But if you're a die hard for this saga, it really is a minor gripe when it comes to The Final Reckoning's well-paced thrill ride. Whereas Dead Reckoning felt like it flew a bit too fast when it came to setting up its narrative, Christopher McQuarrie's steady hand in co-writing and directing the sequel help right the ship. It's an apt metaphor considering Tom Cruise's voyage to the sunken wreckage of the Sevastapol is a prime example of the pacing. More recent Mission: Impossible adventures have made it a habit of advertising a massive practical stunt as the big draw, which has left the story a bit lacking in other places. There's still a pretty huge feat on display with Cruise's madness-inducing biplane chase sequence, and that moment is as fantastic as advertised. But the true star of the show is the submarine adventure, which pushes Ethan to even more extreme circumstances. The Sevastapol sequence couldn't have been placed at a more perfect point in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning's story either. Taking place in Act II, this moment galvanizes the final act with well earned urgency; which is only goosed along even further by the return of Angela Bassett as President Erika Sloane. As we frequently cut back to the President and her advisors as the weigh their options to beat The Entity, the film shifts into a small-scale remake of Sidney Lumet's Fail Safe. Considering Christopher McQuarrie loves to reference classics like Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much as much as he enjoys connecting previous Missions, the result helped me forget the fact that this cadre doesn't really get much development in the grand scheme of things. While the massive cast of players in The Final Reckoning don't all get proper setups and payoffs, cast members like Holt McCallany and Nick Offerman do their best to keep us invested, through a combination of gravitas and shorthand. If there's any one thing that makes the 'final' Mission: Impossible film worth seeing, it's that it's a timely story that doesn't go too wild with its message. The Entity's power of misinformation is better fleshed out in this conclusion, as we see the consequences it has on the larger world. Modern concerns over A.I., deep fakes, and fake news are reflected rather brilliantly here and in a way that doesn't preach to the audience. Once more, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie's combined talents have given us a summer blockbuster worth showing up for. Come to think of it, the whole premise of rethinking reality and examining long held narratives a bit harder plays even better in The Final Reckoning, as one of the core questions asked in this tale cuts down to something the pickiest audience member may have asked long ago: is Ethan Hunt really good at his job? Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning has lit the fuse on summer movie season, and the resulting explosion is one that other legacy-adjacent titles are going to have to reckon with. The eighth outing for this action-adventure mainstay proves that stakes are back, humor is back, and Ethan Hunt has arrived for audiences to trust him… one last time. And to put a more familiar spin on things, I firmly believe that you should choose to accept this mission.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie Are Having ‘Serious Conversations' About a ‘Tropic Thunder' Spinoff
Though still in the thick of promoting 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' writer/director Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise are already working on their next pair-up — it just might not be what you expect. 'The conversations we've had about Les Grossman are so fucking funny,' McQuarrie said in a recent interview with Josh Horowitz on his 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast. More from IndieWire 'Mission: Impossible': Director Christopher McQuarrie Climbed Onto the Wing of a 140-mph Plane Himself All 8 'Mission: Impossible' Movies, Ranked Worst to Best Cruise played the fictional Hollywood power player in the 2008 satire 'Tropic Thunder' from director Ben Stiller. Heavily modeled on Scott Rudin, Grossman is a Diet Coke-swilling, obscenity-prone producer with no filter and tendencies toward anger, as well as dance. It may sound silly to center an entire film around him, but McQuarrie and Cruise are actively looking for a way in. 'We're having serious conversations about it and how best to do it,' McQuarrie said. 'It ultimately comes down to what that character is.' The big question remains whether people will want to watch a film with Grossman as the lead character. McQuarrie explained that the 'leading man' status Cruise holds makes it difficult to place him in roles that are so monstrous. Even with 'Magnolia,' which earned Cruise an Academy Award nomination, the actor was part of a very large ensemble, making it easier for him not to have to carry the whole film. 'Ethan Hunt, a character of whom people can be critical, is on rails,' said McQuarrie. 'There's so little he is able to do outside of his responsibilities as a leading man and when you try and push those boundaries, 'Mission' instantaneously cease to become 'Mission.'' Right now, McQuarrie and Cruise are not trying to figure out a plot to drop Grossman into as much as they're thinking of specific scenes they'd like to see him play. Moreover, discussing ideas around this character has offered a welcome reprieve from their other responsibilities, particularly on 'The Final Reckoning.' 'Just to be sitting at the breakfast table, not talking about the movie we're making for a minute,' McQuarrie told Horowitz, 'is such decompression. And just riffing with Tom, playing to Les Grossman — it was one of the real joys of making this movie.' In addition to this possible 'Tropic Thunder' spinoff, McQuarrie and Cruise are also working on a number of other ideas, including a 'Days of Thunder' sequel, another installment in the 'Top Gun' franchise, and a musical. Watch McQuarrie's full interview on 'Happy Sad Confused' below. 'Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning' is currently in theaters from Paramount Pictures. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible 8 Eyes Rs 80 Crore-Mark On Day 12
Last Updated: Early estimates suggest that Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning earned around Rs 2.15 crores in India during its 12th-day run on the box office. Released in India on May 17, 2025, Tom Cruise's action-packed Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is steadily approaching the ₹80 crore milestone. According to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned approximately ₹2.15 crore on its 12th day, bringing its total net collection in India to ₹79.50 crore. The eighth and final installment in the iconic franchise was released in four languages, English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, broadening its reach across diverse audiences Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a sequel to the 2023 film Dead Reckoning Part One. It marks Tom Cruise's final outing as the legendary spy Ethan Hunt. Besides the lead star, the film also features Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny and Angela Bassett. The fresh installment in the blockbuster franchise was released in India after a successful premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it received over five-minute standing ovation. Amid the film's success, Tom Cruise took to social media to thank fans for showering love on the film while also acknowledging the efforts of everyone involved in the project. His touching note read, 'This weekend was one for the history books! Congratulations and thank you to every filmmaker, every artist, every crew member, and every single person who works at the studios. To every theatre and every employee who helps bring these stories to audiences, thank you. To every one that works at Paramount Pictures and Skydance, thank you for your many years of partnership and unwavering support. And most of all, THANK YOU to audiences everywhere for whom we all serve and for whom we all LOVE to entertain." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tom Cruise (@tomcruise) Before the film's release in India, Tom Cruise surprised fans by speaking in Hindi for a promotional video. He was heard saying, 'Main aap sab se bahut pyaar karta hoon. Mujpe bharosa karo, ek akhri baar (I love you all a lot. Trust me one last time)." Given the film's momentum, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, it is safe to say that the film may cross the Rs 100 crore milestone in India. First Published: May 29, 2025, 12:00 IST
