Rock of Ages

Expectations:
While there aren't an abundance of musicals out there in the world, I have seen my share, and I have disliked my share. I don't know why, but I can't grasp any positive anything out of a musical in most cases. It baffles me quite a bit, so I try to steer clear of any musicals that attempt to come my way. Then, here comes Rock of Ages! As a guy who loves classic rock (and Russell Brand), this musical was made for me, if there ever was one. Sure, Tom Cruise looks goofy, Mary J. Blige is annoying, and nobody has ever heard of that one kid; but, if the music could carry my senses away just enough, I might forget my subconscious bias and enjoy the show...

Plot:
While you can't expect a musical plot to be too deep, usually there is some underlying theme or message that the musical delivers. Honestly, there was no theme or message for the entire film. Almost every song in the film either teaches a lesson or explains an emotion, and they do so in a very successful way. What was lacking was the ability to tie those songs into a larger, more satisfying story. There may have been too much going on or something, but, regardless, the story wasn't there. I don't know how much the film version deviated from the Broadway version, but I would love to see it one day and be able to compare the two.

Characters:
As I said, there may have been too much going on, and that may have been because of the large cast of characters. There really aren't that many really low points character-wise; I just think the entire film would have been ten times better if more time was spent on each character. It was hard to really care about the characters when they were only on screen for three minutes at a time.

Negatives: In addition to his inability to sing (in a musical), Paul Giamatti, as Paul Gill, got on every last nerve I had. Usually, I am a huge fan of his work, but I wasn't impressed with him here. Also, Constance Sack, played by Malin Ackerman, was completely pointless to the plot of the film. As Stacee Jaxx's love interest, Constance did nothing but take away from Tom Cruise's ability to shine. Finally, Mary J. Blige disgusts me, AS EXPECTED.

Positives: Tom Cruise was not anywhere close to as bad as I thought he was going to be as Stacee Jaxx. Not only did he manage to sing well, but he also cracked me up on multiple occasions. Speaking of cracking up, Russell Brand's Lonny and Alec Baldwin's Dennis made for a hilarious pair that really contained the only surprising aspect of the entire film. However, the best character, by far, has to be Patricia Whitmore, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was absolutely hilarious in every single scene that contained her character.

Conclusion:
While the music made for a nice experience, I still wasn't completely sold on Rock of Ages. I really wish that there would have been more of a story, because, who knows, I might have loved it. Fortunately, while in New York, I was personally given a copy of the soundtrack by the one and only (sort of average) Julianne Hough, during my two seconds of fame on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Though my story may be exaggerative, the soundtrack is fantastic, and I suggest it for anyone who loves classic rock anthems. I give the Rock of Ages soundtrack 4.21 out of 5 stars, and the Rock of Ages film 2.43 out of 5 stars. That means that you should just buy the soundtrack!

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Expectations:
The original Mission Impossible was an amazing thriller that almost everyone watched, including myself. However, I have never seen the second or third installment of the franchise, so I did not really know if things were heading downhill or not. Ghost Protocol was getting fantastic scores on the Tomatometer, and it was making a lot of money, so I figured it would be worth watching. I have all this free time until next semester starts, so I gotta fill it with something. Unfortunately, I am usually not a fan of big movies that are all spectacle and no storyline. I don't care if someone can shoot 1,000 people in a movie. I don't care if there is a ton of blood. I don't care what a computer can put on a screen. But I needed something to watch...

Plot:
Well... the storyline was a bit shallow. What made the original so good was the twists and turns along the way, especially with Jon Voight's character being the bad guy and such. With this new movie there were very few twists and hardly any turns. You knew at the beginning of the movie what they were trying to accomplish, then they just took a long hour and a half to complete their mission (should they choose to accept it). However, I must admit that I was a sucker for the cool, innovative gadgets that the IMF crew used in Ghost Protocol. Also, the action was actually pretty cool. Ghost Protocol was certainly not the typical, boring action film, even though it did lack depth.

Best Scene: Giant chase scene in a sandstorm. Sounds cheesy, but I promise it's fantastic.

Characters:
While the action was only pretty cool, the characters were fantastic. Tom Cruise was a bit dramatic as usual, but he is always a good lead. He has gained this strange respect that makes him completely different from his rebellious, Top Gun days. Cruise's character Ethan Hunt has become like a wise old man, who isn't really that old. As Cruise does get older, many people have a theory that Jeremy Renner's Brandt will be taking his place as the lead in the Mission Impossible series. Renner was good in Ghost Protocol, but I don't think he is good enough to run the Mission Impossible and Jason Bourne franchises at one time. Along with Brandt, another new addition was Paula Patton's Jane Carter, who is great in her manly woman role.

Best Character: Benji Dunn, played by Simon Pegg, was easily the best character. Benji is absolutely hilarious, which makes the movie not so dorkily serious. Pegg is getting better and better in this comedic relief role, and I can't wait to see him again in the second Star Trek film.

Worst Character: Trevor Hanaway, played by Josh Holloway, was the only really awkward part of the entire film (except for the final scene). Hanaway is Jane Carter's love interest, but he is killed in the first two minutes of the movie. I don't know how we are supposed to give a crap about her feelings for him if we only know him for two minutes!

Conclusion:
Ghost Protocol was one of the best action thrillers in a while, and, considering it had not real storyline, that's saying something for whoever was in charge of the actiony stuff. The characters were really really good, and that also surprised me. I really hope they don't let Renner take over the series. He wasn't bad, but he just wasn't Tom Cruise's kind of good. The biggest problem with the film was the ending. It was overly dramatic and dorky, but at least it wasn't too drawn out. I certainly suggest this movie for most everyone, especially any guys who are usually fascinated by shallow movies such as Wanted and Taken. I give Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol 2.90 out of 5 stars.