Tom Cruise is a very good and sometimes excellent actor who is also one of the world's biggest movie stars, but he really seems to bug a lot of people - why? We have been following Cruise on-screen and off for quite a while:
Tom Cruise to Run United Artists Film Studio
Scientologists swarm studio's employment line.
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on November 2, 2006 05:10 PM
Tom Cruise Mulls Over A Possible Spike Lee Joint: Will He Get His 40 Acres And A Mule?
Cruise is looking to do something he hasn't done in a while - act.
Posted to Video by Matthew Milam on October 26, 2006 02:14 AM
Tom Cruise Ends War, But Still Down On Anti-Depressants
Did Katie slip a little Prozac in Tommy's Kool-Aid?
Posted to Culture by Joan Hunt on September 3, 2006 11:28 AM
Satire: President Bush and Polled Citizens Continue to Denounce Knowledge and Tom Cruise Dies
Many of those polled defended their opposition to stem cell research, saying Tom Cruise wouldn't like it. Twelve percent said their name was Tom Cruise.
Posted to Politics by Diana Hartman on August 26, 2006 10:37 PM
Stabbed in the Back While Cruising Away
First Britney Spears and now Tom Cruise. Why must I defend people I would rather slam?
Posted to Video by Brad Schader on August 24, 2006 07:11 PM
Tom Cruise and Paramount: Splitsville, Hollywood Style
Tom Cruise's image troubles are his own fault, but you can only blame Paramount for Mission Impossible III.
Posted to Culture by John Guilfoil on August 24, 2006 12:29 PM
Tom Cruise Guilty of "Weirdness Abuse?"
Tom Cruise is guilty of the greatest sin in Hollywood — not making money.
Posted to Culture by Heloise on August 23, 2006 08:23 PM
Paramount Ends Deal with Tom Cruise
How far will Tom Cruise fall?
Posted to Video by Craig Lyndall on August 23, 2006 09:25 AM
Pictures of Suri Cruise to be Unveiled Soon
Despite a long battle between the Cruise camp and the press, it looks like we'll get to see lil Suri sometime soon.
Posted to Culture by So Infatuated Girl on August 9, 2006 10:53 PM
Suri Cruise Exists To Some, But Baby-Daddy Tom Still Weird To All
A Scientologist purports to have held Suri - Tom sucking up to Spielberg.
Posted to Culture by Dawn Olsen on July 21, 2006 03:17 PM
Does Suri Cruise Exist? (And Should We Care?)
Is there any way that celebrities can live under the public radar when living under the public radar simply pushes one further into it?
Posted to Culture by Bryan McKay on July 17, 2006 05:40 PM
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Wow - we really are Cruise-rs
2 - Eric Berlin
I agree Eric -- Cruise is always somewhere between good and great. He's in some boring films (Days of Thunder, Far & Away), but he never mails in a performance.
He's also in one of my favorite films of all time: Vanilla Sky.
That said, my wife announced just yesterday that she will never watch a Cruise film again based upon his recent wackiness.
3 - Hitman
His only good movies were MI-2 and Collateral. All the other ones were stinkers. He really has no range to be different characters. It seems hes the same guy in every movie.....Maybe he and Nathan Lane can do an act or two after his new movie fizzles. They could play an odd couple who like to go to gay bars.
4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Hitman! what kind of cold heart can refuse the celestial wonder of Jerry Macguire!?? And what of the bit in Cocktail when he's in the river doin a filth with the lady? gorgeous.
And what of All The Right Moves?
And at least 2 thirds of Born On The Fourth Of July are wonderful.
"Penis mom!!! PENIS!!!!!!!"
Still, alas, unlike sir Belrin, i have no love for Vanilla Sky, which took a wonderful, original sci-fi mind-fuck and turned it into a bloated pretentious mess with nothing but a cool Bob Dylan reference to salvage it.
Apologies sir Berlin.
And this reminds me, i never did see The Last Samurai... i must amend that ASAMFP
5 - Tan The Man
A Few Good Men, the original Mission Impossible, Magnolia, Interview With A Vampire, Minority Report... I like his movies, I don't necessarily like him as a person though... give him a break, he does work hard to entertain us
6 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
oh, and A Few Good Men! one of the first flicks i could quote line for line. i've forgotten most of it now, mind.
And of course Interview With The Vampire, which we don't watch around these parts. sorry Kirsten, but no.
7 - Demi
But can he dance?
Action hero? Matt Dameon or even Patrick Swayze (please excuse my lack of familiarity with the spelling of the "STARZ" names) seem more action like.
Interview with a V was interesting, perhaps because Anne Rice had something to do with it.
IMHO Tom Cruise has made far more "B" flicks than top shelf performances.
Am I just tragically unhip?
That Jet movie--Top something... was the stupidest movie I think I have ever seen.
Sorry Tom. Keep up the good work.
8 - Eric Olsen
I haven't seen Vanilla Sky or Last Samuria, but he was at least good in all of the other movies pictured above. I think you have to give him that: that's why he is interesting, because he seems to be such a loony in real life but is an accomplished artist
9 - Eric Berlin
Cruise was rather great in both Vanilla Sky and The Last Samurai. He's got great screen presence, which is why he's been just about the biggest film star in the world over the last 20 years.
Duke, no feelings hurt regarding the Sky. Interesting that you seem to love Jerry Maguire (another Cameron Crowe number) yet not Vanilla Sky. VS hit on all the right notes for me -- I think it's a vastly underrated movie... but that's likely the case as I rarely find someone who loved it as much as I did!
10 - Rodthrob
Does anyone see a theme that runs through his movies? Can you say GAY! Top Gun-Gay,Magnolia-Gay,Few good men-Gay,etc.
The guy is too short to begin with. They must have to shoot hi smovies on the muppet stage so he doesnt look so short!!
I say replace him with a cg character. Easy enuf these days!
11 - Eric Berlin
What in the hell is "gay" about any of those films, per se? I don't remember depictions of gay sex... or any gay characters, really.
Top Gun was THE macho patriotic guy movie of the 80s (pretty much... any others out there to compete?).
EO -- I agree with you on your take on Cruise. Loon off-screen, usually entertaining to watch on.
12 - salid
Theory-Brooke Shields was the next runner up for a job as spokesperson for prozac ,Zoloft or some other anti depressant.
Why else would you come out to the world about being a sicko demented beeatch?
Ok she could write a book but what kind of dip would buy it?
She hates Tom Cruise so much because he foiled her plan to be the next queen of Anti-Depressants. We might be seeing this witch on TV news ads if it werent for Tom Cruise exposing her! Thanks Tom now we dont have to see her ugly face on TV!
13 - Victor Plenty
Top Gun is seen as gay due to the half-undressed locker room scenes, if I recall correctly. A Few Good Men is "gay" because it has Demi Moore in it. Magnolia is "gay" because it has a picture of a flower on the cover.
Those explanations are about as logical as you're going to get, Eric.
14 - Tan The Man
Fun Stuff...
15 - mikie
Brooke is just using Tom Cruise's statement to get herself free media for her book.
I searched google news;
Tom Cruise = 10,000 stories
Brooke Shields = 1400
Brooke Shields - Tom Cruise = 360
He's the only reason she is getting any press to promote her psych drug ad...I mean book.
16 - Brooke Shields
Salid, I am Rich. And Famous. And Rich.
And Beautiful. And Talented. And Rich.
And You are not. And You will never be.
Who are you? Some schmuck trying to make
himself feel better about himself by the
putting down of someone who will never
know who he is and furthermore could
not even care? You sad pathetic little
monkey boy hiding in the shadows of the
ethernet calling people names and other
mature acts. You're Sooooooooo Cool.
I'm Brooke Shields.You're Panty Shields.
17 - Salid
You are an idiot for impersonating Brooke Shields and you are wrong on a few counts. I am rich, I am Female and I have more talent in the finger nail I just clipped then Brooke Shields will ever have. She should let her 15 minutes of fame go and jumpfrom a bridge and kasplat!
18 - Brooke "Not " Shields
And you girlfriend are an F'ing idiot
for impersonating a human being. XOXOXO
19 - Mark Bellinghaus
Great article, Eric, and fun to read! Fun is what I am looking for after being attacked for weeks on my own blog...oh I am so sado-maso I admit! lol
If "Tommy-boy" would have come out of his closet 20 years ago, he would have received his desperately tried for many times--OSCAR by now, maybe even as the BOTTOM-guy in Brokeback Mountain! What's his name, the bother of that actress, yep, Jake!
I could really image that Tom would have done a better job, as he would have had a "stretch" to be a closet, that act like a "closet-queen" that is not guy but in real life...oh well, you know what I am trying to say. But I want to spare good ol Eric some more threats of lawsuits...especially from the powerhouse of SCIENTOLOGY who seem to take over Hollywood and next your neighborhood!
I don't get it: is it a MUST to be gay, but in the closet, as it seems to me...John Travolta, with his "wife" in an interview, and holding hands, after a marrige of how many years?! Yeah right...hahaha was almost like the latest catch of People's SEXIEST(GAY) MAN ALIVE 2006, Matthew McConaughay, who annoyinngly shared with us TWICE in one interview how much he loves his "girlfriend"(don't let this hear Penelope's girlfriend), and that he is going to see her right after this interview(with the smile of a little boy who is talking about his latest matchbox car!) Who really gives a rats-ass?
Almost believeable, if....well, if Penelope haven't already got to be known for some "rumors", just the same "rumours surrounding" McConaughay's-ex, Sandra Bullock who looks more and more like famous LESBO GRETA GARBO! Gee was I close to kick in my flat screen when I watched "CRASH" again the other night when she performed as mega bitch and we all were hoping that she would never move and bitch again, when she trips and rolls down the stairs....small small world, even better if you know who was the last "boyfriend" of Penelope Cruz! Yes, Tom Cruise that is...!
How long do they really think we are the stupid movie-lovers, who believe anything that is on TV or screen, just like those fake hair rollers that "psychic" James van Praagh who surely has not to out himself, was holding up in ET and wanted us make-believe his psychic hoax! The rollers are from 1974, Marilyn died in 1962, THAT is real OUTING!
Who really gives a crap, if the SEXIEST MAN ALIVE is the next fit for a Brokeback sequel, but I bet that Hollywood will try to keep this lie alive. I mean who would like to see Tom and Matthew in bed?! Not me! Maybe Penelope and Sandra?
20 - Joey
I have always regard Tom Cruise as a B-movie icon. However, the MI series was cooler than most (but I admit the Borne movies were action packed thrillers). I haven't seen the "Last Samuri" and have been intending to rent it for quite a while now. That might prove entertaining.
I don't know, I've always enjoyed Coen brother movies Tarantino stuff, others like "Mighty Wind" or "Young Frankenstien" or "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" I dig Buster Keaton, some Chaplin, War movies (good ones) and a lot of stuff from the 50's, 60's and 70's... but Tom came around about the same time as Cindy Lauper and I regard them both about the same... Rock candy. However, Cindy leveraged the 80's, whereas Tom just really came into his own (in my opinion) somewhere in the late 90's. But I'm sure he's made a lot more money than the other 80's crowd.
Studied actor? I guess he might be, but I wouldn't bet on it.
21 - Clambake
"He's the only reason she is getting any press to promote her psych drug ad...I mean book."
Hello $cientologist, nice of you to drop on in and leave some comments.
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22 - AlgerHiss
Didn't Tom Cruise pass away from ovarian cancer?