The MacGuffin

In honor of the release of The Bourne Legacy, Spencer and Greg discuss Jeremy Renner.

I was skeptical about the idea of a Jason Bourne franchise film without Jason Bourne. Franchises have changed the lead character before, usually with subpar results (Teen Wolf Too, The Next Karate Kid, Evan Almighty). My skepticism wasn’t necessarily any reflection on Jeremy Renner as an actor, but more of a curiosity as to whether Hollywood was attempting to just cash in on an existing franchise instead of using the energy necessary to create a new one. Ultimately, I’m still not completely sold, but I will give them points for creativity.

What happens to the common people when great events unfold? When royalty engage in their machinations, what effect does that have on those that serve them? How are loyal servants rewarded for their years of unyielding service? Often in historical epics, these are questions that are not addressed. History seems to think only those in the upper classes are worth our time and focus. But how events affect the masses that prop leaders up is an interesting and often tragic subject. The new French film Farewell, My Queen is a tale of one of these servants.

With 2011 officially in the books, it’s time once again to look back and reflect on some of the best films that have come out in the past year. As with all movie writers, coming up with a list like this is usually expected, but also damn near impossible. To me, reading and writing these types of articles are only beneficial in spreading word about titles that really had an effect on me, while stirring up debate between those who strongly agree with my choices, or vehemently disagree. No one list is ever truly definitive; what is considered great to one may not register the same way to another. The only real truth is that 2011 had a wide range of very interesting and fascinating films, and just like every year, there’s always a good handful worth noting.

Tom Cruise is back once again as super agent Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), the fourth installment in the highly popular series. This time around, the film is directed by Brad Bird, the man who brought us some of the best animated movies in the last fifteen years in The Iron Giant (1999), The Incredibles (2004), and Ratatouille (2007). I was a little surprised that a person who is so associated with the animated world would be helming the next film of a franchise that has seen the likes of Brian DePalma, John Woo, and J.J. Abrams. Would his storytelling abilities translate well to a live action setting? Well, let me tell it to you like this: with a film that has the title Mission: Impossible, I walked in expecting over the top action, death-defying set pieces, preposterous plot twists, and really cool gadgets. I’m happy to report that I was not disappointed.