Mission: Impossible 1-5 4K UHDs (1996-2015)

[ROSS.T.G.]

Originally Posted by LoSouL

A youtube kid from Atlanta who's starting to get attention from hip-hop outlets. He does reaction videos to mostly 90's hip-hop classics and is helping to turn younger rap fans on to stuff like Big L, Big Pun, Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, Nas etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVRjVPbcGz4

He's doing the lord's work and gives me hope for the future of hip-hop as a nice counter balance to a lot of the generational division.

Just seemed like a decent current-trends touchstone for supposing whether or not some of the same overlapping areas of interest, which helped facilitate the John Woo wave for me at that age, could still manifest today.

I just watched Time Is Illmatic again today. My favourite album period.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by LoSouL

A youtube kid from Atlanta who's starting to get attention from hip-hop outlets. He does reaction videos to mostly 90's hip-hop classics and is helping to turn younger rap fans on to stuff like Big L, Big Pun, Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, Nas etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVRjVPbcGz4

He's doing the lord's work and gives me hope for the future of hip-hop as a nice counter balance to a lot of the generational division.

Just seemed like a decent current-trends touchstone for supposing whether or not some of the same overlapping areas of interest, which helped facilitate the John Woo wave for me at that age, could still manifest today.

Hmmm. The wider point for me isn't that people dislike Mi2 because they've forgotten or never even knew what Woo's all about (Furious 8 pinched the bit with Stath and the baby from Hard Boiled), they dislike it because it's a thundering train wreck of a film. Directors are allowed to make mistakes.

If you want to go on youtube and Make John Woo Great Again then that's fine, but I reckon that plenty of the people dissing it in this thread like some of his other movies just fine, and all exposing people to his legendary HK work will do is make the utter awfulness of Mi2 stand out by a country mile.

Originally Posted by ROSS.T.G.

I just watched Time Is Illmatic again today. My favourite album period.

Mine would have to be Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest.

[LoSouL]

The only thing that compromises his work on M:I 2 relative to his more legendary material is that it bends within the confines of Hollywood sensibilities, which the other films are entirely emblematic of. So it just doesn't add up to me when someone considers any of the other movies to be master class movie making for exhibiting all of the Hollywood-isms of M:I 2, but none of the John Woo-isms that elevate it to another level.

[KcMsterpce]

Originally Posted by bradnoyes

My question is this: approximately how drunk should I be before placing MI:2 into the Oppo?

I would recommend getting 2-4 of your buddies that you enjoy watching movies with, a couple cases of beer and/or a bottle each of your favorite hard liquor libation... and let the good times roll.
It's one of those bad movies that is an elevated experience with a "slow burn" intoxication while laughing with your friends.
By the final 20 minutes - which is the ultimate in ridiculousness - you will all be howling with laughter.

Oh, and Thandie Newton is sooooo SOOOOO fine. Gosh.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by LoSouL

The only thing that compromises his work on M:I 2 relative to his more legendary material is that it bends within the confines of Hollywood sensibilities, which the other films are entirely emblematic of. So it just doesn't add up to me when someone considers any of the other movies to be master class movie making for exhibiting all of the Hollywood-isms of M:I 2, but none of the John Woo-isms that elevate it to another level.

Or perhaps it's more that Woo-isms and PG-13 Hollywood-isms are like oil and water? I love me some Hard Target, Broken Arrow and Face/Off but damn, Mi2 is like some lame tribute act in comparison. It probably didn't help that these movies really are run by one person: Tom Cruisev, and trying to bend Woo's style into whatever Tom was aiming for created a uniquely appalling film.

[bradnoyes]

I am so goddamn excited to watch Mi2.

[LoSouL]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Or perhaps it's more that Woo-isms and PG-13 Hollywood-isms are like oil and water? I love me some Hard Target, Broken Arrow and Face/Off but damn, Mi2 is like some lame tribute act in comparison. It probably didn't help that these movies really are run by one person: Tom Cruisev, and trying to bend Woo's style into whatever Tom was aiming for created a uniquely appalling film.

I think they're highly compatible. A guy who likes to do his own stunts and demands to look awesome at all times mixes well with a guy who likes to do high integrity action movies that very much put a priority on style.

If someone thinks Tom Cruise runs the show and that Tom Cruise-isms drag M:I 2 down, then the other M:I movies shouldn't rate any higher since they're all the adventures of Tom Cruise Man, and M:I 2 is the only one that has a distinct voice to counterbalance it. If it seems like a John Woo tribute film, then the John Woo aspect clearly cut through the kitchen of creative control in an immutable fashion.

[Drooch]

Anyone know if we’re going to see remastered blu rays?

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by LoSouL

I think they're highly compatible. A guy who likes to do his own stunts and demands to look awesome at all times mixes well with a guy who likes to do high integrity action movies that very much put a priority on style.

If someone thinks Tom Cruise runs the show and that Tom Cruise-isms drag M:I 2 down, then the other M:I movies shouldn't rate any higher since they're all the adventures of Tom Cruise Man, and M:I 2 is the only one that has a distinct voice to counterbalance it. If it seems like a John Woo tribute film, then the John Woo aspect clearly cut through the kitchen of creative control in an immutable fashion.

It's not that Cruise's style always jars with that of the director, as I see plenty of De Palma in 1, plenty of JJ in 3, Bird is a bit anonymous in GP but McQuarrie's grit is there in RN. I said that Woo's style jars with whatever Cruise set out to achieve on that film, Hunt is blessed with almost superhuman powers (as well as magical ejecting sand) and when that's combined with Woo's usual melodramatic style - minus the blood needed to actually make it feel as serious as it thinks it is - it goes so far over the top it ****ing well leaves orbit. And the Gladiator-rehash soundtrack from Mr Z doesn't help, it's like watching a parody.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

It probably didn't help that these movies really are run by one person: Tom Cruisev

The Russian Tom Cruise? Yes, I've heard about him.

M:I2 has it's flaws, but I think you're being way too harsh on it.

The action is pretty great, PG-13 or not.

[aetherhole]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

It's not that Cruise's style always jars with that of the director, as I see plenty of De Palma in 1, plenty of JJ in 3, Bird is a bit anonymous in GP but McQuarrie's grit is there in RN. I said that Woo's style jars with whatever Cruise set out to achieve on that film, Hunt is blessed with almost superhuman powers (as well as magical ejecting sand) and when that's combined with Woo's usual melodramatic style - minus the blood needed to actually make it feel as serious as it thinks it is - it goes so far over the top it ****ing well leaves orbit. And the Gladiator-rehash soundtrack from Mr Z doesn't help, it's like watching a parody.

This right here, all day er' day.

I've watched Face/Off and Broken Arrow so many times. In those movies, they are not tied to any particular franchise so they almost automatically work extremely well. Broken Arrow even had Howie Long as one of the supporting actors... Face/Off also, look at how absurd Nicolas Cage looks as he's rocking out in religious attire to Handel's "Hallelujah" Chorus. The level of absurdity for those movies somehow works. The level of absurdity is out of this effin' world on M:I 2, though. It IS a John Woo parody movie, directed by John Woo. Maybe it is the Hollywood limitation, or the PG-13 limitation, or the limitation of Woo/Cruise collaboration, or all of the above that ruins the movie.

Either way, it sticks out like a sore thumb in the M:I franchise AND it sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the other John Woo movies.

[LoSouL]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

It's not that Cruise's style always jars with that of the director, as I see plenty of De Palma in 1, plenty of JJ in 3, Bird is a bit anonymous in GP but McQuarrie's grit is there in RN. I said that Woo's style jars with whatever Cruise set out to achieve on that film, Hunt is blessed with almost superhuman powers (as well as magical ejecting sand) and when that's combined with Woo's usual melodramatic style - minus the blood needed to actually make it feel as serious as it thinks it is - it goes so far over the top it ****ing well leaves orbit.

c'mon, man. You're telling me PG-13 let the man behind Scarface do his thing, but that John Woo was inherently boxed in/out by it. How? There would have been few directors, if any, better equipped to do what you're saying was Tom Cruise's directive. ie: visual spectacle and over the top action sequences that flatter the protagonist AND tell a soap noir story about a guy who's way too good at what he does, who's special lady is with the bad dude, so s**t finna get real out here.

I won't make an argument for PG-13 restrictions as it would be better without it, but the patented Woo mix of slick action and melodrama is there, Tom Cruise wears it like a glove the more radical it gets, and it's not exactly a pensive story or style of action that requires being serviced by big boy viscera. I don't think it takes itself too serious at all.

"too over the top" is a straight forward criticism. A matter of taste that I can't contest, but I don't agree overall.

Originally Posted by aetherhole

AND it sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the other John Woo movies.

I think it's just what happens when you give an A-list action star to a director like John Woo, throw money at it and automatically slate it as a PG-13, wide audience blockbuster in the process, but let them still be themselves.

He turned down one dial, cranked everything else up to 11 and hit a homerun for everyone involved.

[Markgway]

I will agree that M:I2 doesn't fit in well with the other entries and I can certainly understand criticism on that level... but it's still an entertaining blockbuster.

And having just read the Jack Reacher thread I get the Cruisev remark.

Very funny.

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by ROSS.T.G.

I just watched Time Is Illmatic again today. My favourite album period.

I've been rocking The Innocence Mission's Umbrella today. That record still floors me.

[DJR662]

Originally Posted by LoSouL

c'mon, man. You're telling me PG-13 let the man behind Scarface do his thing, but that John Woo was inherently boxed in/out by it. How? There would have been few directors, if any, better equipped to do what you're saying was Tom Cruise's directive. ie: visual spectacle and over the top action sequences that flatter the protagonist AND tell a soap noir story about a guy who's way too good at what he does, who's special lady is with the bad dude, so s**t finna get real out here.

I won't make an argument for PG-13 restrictions as it would be better without it, but the patented Woo mix of slick action and melodrama is there, Tom Cruise wears it like a glove the more radical it gets, and it's not exactly a pensive story or style of action that requires being serviced by big boy viscera. I don't think it takes itself too serious at all.

"too over the top" is a straight forward criticism. A matter of taste that I can't contest, but I don't agree overall.



I think it's just what happens when you give an A-list action star to a director like John Woo, throw money at it and automatically slate it as a PG-13, wide audience blockbuster in the process, but let them still be themselves.

He turned down one dial, cranked everything else up to 11 and hit a homerun for everyone involved.

Well said.

And despite whatever was done to tone it down (to PG-13), M: I 2 absolutely works as both a John Woo and M: I movie for me!

I love it!

[Cherokee Jack]

Mi2 literally killed the franchise for me after enjoying the first one. Didn't help that Cruise had a mental breakdown or two on national television in the US around that time.

I truly haven't watched one since but the positive feedback in this thread for the later ones and the IMAX trailer I saw for the next one have me curious.

[LoSouL]

Originally Posted by Cherokee Jack

Mi2 literally killed the franchise for me after enjoying the first one. Didn't help that Cruise had a mental breakdown or two on national television in the US around that time.

I truly haven't watched one since but the positive feedback in this thread for the later ones and the IMAX trailer I saw for the next one have me curious.

You'll definitely like the rest if you like 1 and hate 2. They still have big action sequences, but they're more sensible and take it back to team espionage and intrigue.

[Sky_Captain]

Originally Posted by aetherhole

This right here, all day er' day.

I've watched Face/Off and Broken Arrow so many times. In those movies, they are not tied to any particular franchise so they almost automatically work extremely well. Broken Arrow even had Howie Long as one of the supporting actors... Face/Off also, look at how absurd Nicolas Cage looks as he's rocking out in religious attire to Handel's "Hallelujah" Chorus. The level of absurdity for those movies somehow works.

All those movies have a sense of their own ridiculousness, and a sense of humour. M:I-2 is too much up it's own arse, trying to be cool. I try not to blame Woo, but then he also made Paycheck, (also PG-13), and that's entirely his own fault, as his equally boring commentary track will gladly tell you.

[bradnoyes]

Wrapped up the first one and while it’s not quite top tier catalog material it’s still a great disc. I’m now fully convinced that this format shines the most with older titles.

Noticed some weird stuff, though. Particularly later in the film. Around the 1:25:00 mark while Cruise and Voight are having a little convo Voight’s skin tone goes from normal living human to deathly ill pale after one of the cuts. Just a few minutes later when Ethan finds Claire chilling in the corner of the room there’s a weird shakiness to the image that made me feel queasy.

Still, all in all this was a wonderfully filmic and finely textured presentation. It’s a shame that Kristin Scott Thomas departs so soon since those early close-ups are truly lovely.

[Show spoiler]Edit: Not going to dwell on this but by some miracle I was able to watch two movies tonight and good gosh Mi2 is a clumsy nightmare.

[Gorkab]

So, is the standard Blu-ray the same as before, or has the master been updated with the 4K remaster as well?