On... Tom Cruise

Now I wouldn't ever dedicate an entire post to Tom Cruise, but I feel like Tom Cruise represents all last generation's movie stars who were bigger than life in the '80s and '90s. I just read an article about how his new film with Cameron Diaz is a complete flop despite starring two best paid stars in Hollywood and a huge over $100 million budget. The movie earned less than $4 million opening day, this past Wednesday. Yes, it opened on a Wednesday, but it's summer. I think this shows that the population of movie-goers in America is changing. I am kind of an atypical movie-goer because I prefer to watch Oscar worthy movies (The Hurt Locker, Avatar) or comedies (think Superbad or The Hangover). I can appreciate why people like going to the movies though.

I theorize that the movie-goers today are younger and not attracted to Tom Cruise type action movies. I think the success of Toy Story 3 proves that older franchise still work. The Tom Cruise franchise does not. Tom Cruise is mainstream, so mainstream that his movies follow a recipe. Hot male figure with some sort of mission that makes little to no sense and has little to no real important in the film except to take him to the hot female foil in exotic locations, plenty of explosions, fire, cars (or in Tom Cruise's case, a motorcycle). I, and the rest of America, find this too cliche and not relateable. We don't want to swoon for some guy whose unreachable. Women today want guys with feelings and faults and real struggles. Case in point, last summer's surprising hit (500) Days of Summer. Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is nervous, needy, and desperate, yet we love him for it. He's a regular guy off the street, just a little cuter and probably a lot nicer. By no means do I think Tom Cruise's career is over. He's still a talented actor (personal life a little questionable), but he needs to be a little more creative in his movie roles. He can't rely on his "hunk" status to sell movies anymore because we don't want "hunks" anymore. That's so '90s! Gross! Even Woody has more appeal than him.

hottie!

Suri is adorable! Tom not to much...