Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Maverick is the black sheep of naval aviation, but he is assigned one last mission that is near impossible for anyone else to accomplish.

'Top Gun: Maverick' is the natural follow up to the first Top Gun. Without Tony Scott, without the fascination of the generation for which it was made, obvious through the music, the general feel and the film's inclusion in all the cultist lists, the current film is made for the fans and as an attempt to introduce the quality of the old to the new generation, who generally seems to refuse to search for it or to recognize its existence otherwise.

Director:  Joseph Kosinski   

With: Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Val Kilmer

Rating: 7/10

The Last Samurai (2003)

A jaded American soldier is captivated by the ancient Japanese culture he was hired to help destroy.

'The Last Samurai' is an epic, historical-based film that romanticizes samurai culture. Full of interesting Asian characters, the film is built around the American soldier character played by Tom Cruise (for some reason). The story is beautiful, well written and Ken Watanabe's hero - Katsumoto - is magnetic. Like any self-respecting epic film, this film is full of well-crafted, wide-framed and perfectly coordinated fight scenes for a maximised cinematic satisfaction.

Director:  Edward Zwick     

With: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Timothy Spall, Hiroyuki Sanada

Rating: 9/10

Jack Reacher (2012)

Film in perfect acord cu standardul Tom Cruise al ultimilor ani. Curat, benign, rapid, vindicativ, deznodamant eliberator. Nu se coboara sub asteptari dar nici nu genereaza asteptari teribile sau ecouri ale izbandelor de altadata. Perfect pentru o seara relaxanta in asteptarea unui nou Jack Ryan (contestabil), James Bond sau Jason Bourne (as fi putut spune sau Ethan Hunt, dar conform regulei mai sus mentionate, misiunile imposibile recente se complac din pacate standardului descris).

Regia: Christopher McQuarrie
Scenariu: Christopher McQuarrie, Lee Child (carte)
Cu: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Werner Herzog (huh?!), Richard Jenkins, Robert Duvall (sa spunem...)