The B-Side Episode 165 – Mission: Impossible

      Welcome to The B-Side! Here, we occasionally discuss movie stars and directors, but today we’ll cover both! Specifically, we’ll explore the B-Sides of the Mission: Impossible franchise.

      It’s just Conor and me today, reflecting on Tom Cruise’s iconic series and the B-Sides that inspired our conversation. We’ve selected one for each of the Mission films. It also happens to be July 3rd, the day this episode is released, so happy 63rd birthday to Tom Cruise!

      For the first Mission: Impossible, we delve into The Avengers from 1998. This adaptation of the beloved British TV series from the 1960s, directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik, faced challenges during post-production and was drastically cut after poor test screenings. The final version runs under ninety minutes and is difficult to follow. It exists on the opposite side of the 90s blockbuster adaptations of classic TV shows. We’ll also touch on the last five films Sean Connery starred in (excluding the animated Sir Billi) and the roles he declined.

      For Mission: Impossible II, we selected another John Woo film: Paycheck, featuring Ben Affleck alongside Uma Thurman from The Avengers. This is a true B-Side, marking the start of Affleck’s infamous lost half-decade as an emerging movie star.

      In discussing Mission: Impossible III, we return to the theme of television inspiration. In celebration of director J.J. Abrams, Conor and I dive deep into No Man’s Land, one of Dick Wolf’s earliest produced screenwriting credits, who later created the Law & Order franchise. This movie starring Charlie Sheen and D.B. Sweeney paved the way for films like Point Break and The Fast and the Furious. We also talk about David Ayer, a particular scene from Fire in the Sky, and how Charlie Sheen excels in villain roles.

      For Ghost Protocol, we debate the Brad Bird B-Side Tomorrowland, touching on libertarianism (for a brief moment) and the misguided message of George Clooney’s blockbuster.

      For Rogue Nation, we celebrate the Hitchcock homage in the opening and discuss one of Hitchcock’s most underrated films: Topaz. It's a must-see that prompts a discussion about the ideal Hitchcock leading man.

      In connection with Fallout, we highlight Michael Mann’s Blackhat, appreciating this still-underseen hacker epic, and suggest that Chris Hemsworth is the best movie star among the original Avengers (Marvel, not British) aside from Robert Downey Jr.

      For Dead Reckoning Part 1, Conor elaborates on Hayao Miyazaki’s Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, covering everything from the little yellow car to the action and animation.

      Finally, for The Final Reckoning, we honor John Sturges’ Ice Station Zebra. The second act of this last film in the series reinterprets the 1968 submarine classic, featuring more stunts and underwater cinematography.

      We also mention the 1997 Oscars opening by Billy Crystal, share our love for the promo of Albert Brooks' movie Mother (even though it's not specifically mentioned), and reference the Oliver Stone episode of the Light the Fuse podcast.

      Listen below and subscribe here. Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky at @tfsbside.bsky.social. Enjoy!