The Good, The Bad and The Critic

Established on March 19th, 2012 and pioneered by film fanatic Michael J. Carlisle. The Good, The Bad and The Critic will analyze classic and contemporary films from all corners of the globe. This title references Sergei Leone's influential spaghetti western The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning (2025) Review

Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning
Year: 2025
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Country: US
Language: English


Social media has made actors far too accessible to the public. Once distant, almost mythic figures, actors are now constantly "online" — posting personal content, engaging directly with fans, and sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of their lives. The mystery is gone. The larger-than-life movie star is now a rare phenomenon, preserved only in a select few.

Tom Cruise — Scientology aside — is one of those few. He embodies the classic star power that makes any film he touches feel like a major event. Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning was a must-see the moment it was announced, simply because of his involvement. He doesn’t just star in movies; he turns them into spectacles.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF team continue their search for the terrifying AI known as the Entity - which has infiltrated intelligence networks all over the globe - with the world's governments and a mysterious ghost from Ethan's past on their trail. 

For this - perhaps last- entry in the Mission Impossible franchise, director Christopher McQuarrie blends plot points and characters from over thirty years, giving them added weight by adding their storylines into this one. Even though Hunt's character has faced seemingly impossible circumstances before - this film seeks to out-impossible all of them, by having a $400 million big-budget & "end of the world" stakes at the heart of the story. 

Dead Reckoning takes its time to find its footing, but once it does, the film delivers jaw-dropping action sequences that will leave you squirming in your seat, asking, "How on earth will Ethan Hunt survive this?!" Part of the enduring thrill of Mission: Impossible is watching the odds stack impossibly high against Cruise, only to witness him claw his way out with sheer determination (and some mind-blowing stunts). The title Dead Reckoning adds a layer of uncertainty and tension — I found myself genuinely wondering if this could be the end of Ethan Hunt. 

I had a very fun time with Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning. If this is the last MI then the franchise went out on a very high note. The stunt work, effects, and cinematography are all impressive. This film makes me want to re-watch the others. Perhaps I'll do a marathon when this comes to streaming. 


Tuesday, May 13, 2025

In Defense of Snow White (2025)

Title: In Defense of Snow White (2025)



Over the decades, Disney has tried to remake their first ever feature animated motion picture Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (1937), but found screenwriting challenges in trying to modernize the nearly century old material. Disney executives weren't sure how to handle potentially sensitive material, such as the handling of the dwarves, but they were determined to figure things out, especially considering their live action remakes were raking in billions.

One of the earliest controversies from Snow White (2025) stems from Peter Dinklage, who said that the story was an insult, "fucking backwards". He thought the film, if it cast real dwarves, would reinforce negative stereotypes and be a detriment to the community. Disney, ever so careful of their image, decided to agree & made the characters CGI instead.

The controversy didn't let up however, as a leaked photo from the set surfaced. It showed seven people, of diverse heights & ethnicities, in a field. Conservatives had a field day with this, with one right-wing website making an article with the headline EXCLUSIVE: Snow White and the Seven … Politically-Correct Companions? There were sooo many people talking about how the dwarves were woke, dei, liberal (insert random buzzword) and it turns out this image was of different characters who were also in the movie, also there were eight of them, but the fake outrage sites cropped the photo for clicks.



The next controversy is in regards to the casting. A mixed race woman, Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) was cast as a character whose skin was described as "white as snow" in the original fairytale from 1812. Again, conservatives doofuses (doofi?) ran with the fake outrage this caused. "THeY CaN't ChAnGe HiStOrY." Bro, it's 2025. We live in a world where an all-black musical about real-life white guy Alexander Hamilton won a Tony for Best Musical. The origin of her name is explained in the film. She is called Snow White because - in this adaptation- she was born during a blizzard. 

Rachel Zegler is a very talented actress who proved, with Speilberg's West Side Story, that she is a great singer as well. Zegler has the image & grace of a sweet, kind, caring person. She is exactly the person you'd cast as Snow White

I think there is an argument to be made that instead of race-swapping roles (ex. Hailey Berry in Little Mermaid), Disney should be making more stories about POC. Moana, Coco, and Raya are great recent examples of successful stories representing a variety of people. The people creating fake backlash against Snow White aren't going to argue for more diverse representation however.

Then there are memes comparing Gal Godot & Rachel Zegler, typically with the caption "Why would the queen be jealous of her looks?". Apart from the undeniable fact that Zegler is an attractive lady, the "fairest of them all" part is clearly about Snow White's inner beauty. Fair as in "impartial and just, without favoritism or discrimination". Do conservatives have any media literacy!? This movie was made for children. Even children can understand what the movie is getting at when the mirror says she is the "fairest of them all."

The film itself is not my cup of tea, but I'm a dude in my thirties and I'm clearly not the target audience. I'm not really a fan of the original animated film, and I'm not going to be one of those dude bros who is going to pretend I read fairytales from the 1800's. Fifteenth Century Chaucer or gtfo. I need a Disney remake of Canterbury Tales please!

I'm just writing to say the fake outrage over Snow White (2025) is a bit much. It is a fairly inoffensive film - apart from Godot's acting - that young girls will enjoy because Disney musicals can be a fun time when you're that age. Whistle While You Work is a fun song. The film is no better, and no worse, than the other Disney live-Action remakes.