A Reel Review - MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING (or MI:8), has two missions to accomplish. First, as the direct sequel to the outstanding DEAD RECKONING (or MI:7, from 2023, read Reel Speak's review HERE), it has several storylines to wrap up. Second, as the (supposed) final film in the series (or at least, the final outing for star Tom Cruise), it has the responsibility to end it all on a high note. This mission is chosen and accepted by Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie. Did they accomplish it…? 

 

Set just a couple months after the events of MI:7, Agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise), and his team (Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Pom Klementieff), race around the world to prevent Gabriel (Esai Morales), from letting a powerful A.I. called Entity from spreading into the world’s nuclear missile controls. 

 

Directed by McQuarrie and produced by Cruise, MI:8 continues the tradition set by the first MI film (way back in 1996!), of having a plot that feels denser than it needs to be. Stopping Gabriel and the Entity is the mission, but there are several layers and complexities to get through to make that happen. There’s a lot to do, and the film often has to stop dead in its tracks to explain everything that is going on. 

 

Once things get out of the planning stages and into the action, MI:8 delivers and delivers well. Sequences such as Cruise dangling off an airplane and exploring a wrecked submarine at the bottom of the ocean are incredibly tense, with the underwater scene amazingly done with zero dialogue for nearly 20 minutes (and also not healthy for any claustrophobic viewers to watch). Cruise is committed as ever to do the stunts himself, and the realism is excellent. 

 

The plot has a lot to do, so any deep character work is traded in for spectacle and getting everyone from one place to another. It’s not a dealbreaker but the film feels shallow. MI:8 also uses past events from nearly every previous film, with returning characters from MI:1 being put to great use. The worldwide locations are well-used and are stunning. 

 

Acting is great all around. Tom Cruise owns every scene he is in. Hayley Atwell is always excellent, as is Pom Klementieff…but both feel underutilized. Angela Bassett returns to the franchise, this time as POTUS, and is very good. 

 

By the time all the running and high-flying stunts are done, MI:8 settles into a quiet, and satisfying ending for Hunt, his team, and the franchise. The thick plot hinders the film in places, but once it gets going the tension is relentless with its massively high stakes and jaw-dropping stunts. It has its fair amount of nostalgia that works and is a love letter to the last (nearly) 30 years of impossible missions. This mission is accomplished. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

 

A Reel 20: STAR WARS - EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH

“You were the chosen one…!”

 

Today marks the 20th anniversary of STAR WARS – EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH. 

The third and final episode of George Lucas’ Prequel Trilogy, REVENGE OF THE SITH covered the tragic fall of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker to the dark side and his becoming Darth Vader… along with the end of the Republic and the rise of the evil galactic Empire, and the birth of future STAR WARS heroes Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. It was preceded by EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002), and EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999). 

 

The roots of REVENGE OF THE SITH go back to George Lucas’ original story for the Saga in 1973. The climactic duel between Anakin and his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, would have its basis in the novelization of RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983). Lucas began the screenplay for SITH during production of ATTACK OF THE CLONES. Possible titles included RISE OF THE EMPIRE and BIRTH OF EMPIRE, before settling on REVENGE OF THE SITH…which was a nod to the original title of RETURN OF THE JEDI. 

 

Filming would take place in 2003 from June into September in the UK and Sydney. It would be the only film in the Saga with no location shooting (one location shot was actually captured during the ATTACK OF THE CLONES production). The cast would include returning actors Hayden Christensen (Anakin), Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan), and Natalie Portman (Padme, Anakin’s wife). Other cast members included Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Smits, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Ian McDiarmid, and Christopher Lee. Matthew Wood would provide the voice of General Grievous, taking over for Gary Oldman who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. John Williams would return to provide the score. 

 

Upon release, REVENGE OF THE SITH would be met with mostly positive reviews, despite criticisms on the writing and acting. The film would break several box office records, and it still holds the mark for the highest opening-day gross on a Thursday, at $50 million. It would finish as the highest grossing film in the U.S. and the second highest worldwide. It would be nominated for an Oscar for Best Makeup, and would win the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film. In April of 2025 it would have a re-release for its 20th anniversary, and would finish second for the week. It would be the final film George Lucas would direct. 

 

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Two decades after release, REVENGE OF THE SITH has aged very well. It’s themes and storylines have served as a basis for further content on TV and streaming (CLONE WARS, OBI-WAN KENOBI, BAD BATCH, ANDOR), and its plot of a Republic falling to deception and authoritarian rule is suddenly, and frighteningly…hitting close to reality. 

 

REVENGE OF THE SITH is true to its title; the bad guys win and the hero of the Prequel Trilogy falls to the dark side. It is a tragedy that Shakespeare or the Greeks would have penned, but the closing shot offers that one thing that STAR WARS has always preached and loved: 

 

Hope. 

 

“Goodbye old friend. May the Force be with you.”

 

A Reel 25: GLADIATOR

“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius…”

 

This month marks the 25th anniversary of GLADIATOR. 

 

The 11th film from famed director Ridley Scott, who had helmed the classics ALIEN (1979), and BLADE RUNNER (1982). It would tell the story of Maximus, a former Roman general who is betrayed by the son of the slain Emperor. Reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and wins the hearts of Rome while plotting his revenge. 

 

The first draft of the script was written by David Franzoni, who was inspired by his motorcycle trip through Eastern Europe and the Middle East. During a stop in Iraq, he read the 1958 novel For Those About to Die, which gave him the idea for GLADIATOR. Years later, Franzoni would pen the script for Steven Spielberg’s AMISTAD, and pitch the idea of GLADIATOR to Spielberg. DreamWorks producers would suggest Ridley Scott, and the script would then go through many revisions…many of which would happen during filming. 

 

Scott would assemble an ensemble cast. Russell Crowe would win the role of Maximus, and he would be joined by Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Richard Harris, Tommy Flanagan, and Spencer Treat Clark. It would also be the final film appearance of Oliver Reed, who would pass away during filming. Production would take place in England, Morocco, Malta, and Italy. Hans Zimmer would provide the score. 

 

GLADIATOR would be a hit with critics and audiences, finishing as the second-highest grossing film of 2000, behind MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2. At the 73rd Academy Awards, it would win five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe. It is considered to be one of the best and most influential films of this century.

 

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As a cinematic masterpiece of action, emotion, and scale…GLADIATOR deserves a top spot amongst the best films of this century. It masterfully blends epic storytelling, breathtaking visuals (thanks to some well-chosen international locations), and powerful performances. Russell Crowe’s role made him an overnight international star, and his moments have become cultural icons. GLADIATOR was a human story set against a massive backdrop, and that balance re-taught Hollywood how to do the classic epic; ushering an era of films that would bring us THE LORD OF THE RINGS, AVATAR, OPPENHEIMER, and DUNE.

 

For this blogger, GLADIATOR was a new, all-time favorite since day one. Every year, the night before the Oscars, I revisit it because it is everything that a Best Picture winner should be: big, epic, sweeping, emotional, and memorable. It’s themes of honor and redemption resonate, making it unforgettable and eternal. 

 

“What we do in life…echoes in eternity.”

 

A Reel 20: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

“We are, all of us, what we do.”

 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 

 

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN was the 15^th film from famed director Ridley Scott, who had helmed the modern-classics ALIEN (1979), BLADE RUNNER (1982), and the Oscar-winning GLADIATOR (2000). KINGDOM would be a fictionalized take on the events leading to the Third Crusade, focusing on the battle to defend Jerusalem. 

 

Scott would shoot on-location in Morocco, where he had previously filmed GLADIATOR, and BLACK HAWK DOWN (2001). Orlando Bloom, who was enjoying tremendous success in the early 2000’s, appearing in high-profile franchises such as THE LORD OF THE RINGS and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, would land the lead role of Balian; a blacksmith turned knight. Scott would surround Bloom with an ensemble cast: Liam Neeson, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Marton Csokas, Michael Sheen, and Edward Norton. 

 

On release, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN would be met with mixed-to-bad reviews, and would be a box office bomb. However, in December of 2005 Scott would release a director’s cut, which was highly praised and considered to be one of Scott’s best works. 

 

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Re-cuts have been the topic of much discussion in film over the last decade. Divisive director Zack Snyder has spent the last three movies of his career re-cutting until they got better reviews. Elsewhere, studios crank out editions of films labeled as Directors Cuts or Extended Cuts, which simply have deleted scenes put back in; which is often a showcase for why those scenes were cut in the first place. 

 

For KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, Scott showed how to do it right. His Director’s Cut, which added deeper insight and better character, has often been hailed as one of the best alternate versions of a film ever made. Overall, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is nothing short of epic. Similar to GLADIATOR, it is a film that calls back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, when films were shot with thousands of extras for battle scenes in exotic locations, and the story is balanced with character and massive scale. Ridley Scott has an impressive catalog of classics, and his own vision of KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is one that hovers near the top. 

 

“What man is a man who does not make the world better.”

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode V

This is where the fun begins. 

 

The month of May holds Memorial Day Weekend, which is not only the start of Summer, but the start of the blockbuster season. It’s time to put the wretched months of Spring behind and embrace the lights, sound, and spectacle that only the big screen can bring. Here’s what’s coming to theatres this month: 

 

 

THUNDERBOLTS – The 36^th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a team-up of misfits assembled to take on a dangerous mission. The ensemble cast includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. 

 

 

FIGHT OR FLIGHT – Josh Hartnett continues his cinematic comeback, this time playing a mercenary on the job on a flight. 

 

 

SHADOW FORCE – In this shoot-em-up, Kerry Washington plays a former special forces op who goes on the run to protect her child. Mark Strong co-stars, and it is directed by Joe Carnahan (THE GREY). 

 

 

FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES – The horror franchise that won’t die is back for part 6, with a college student having dreams about her family’s demise. 

 

 

HURRY UP TOMORROW – This musical serves as a companion piece to Abel “The Weeknd” Testaye’s album of the same name. Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan co-star. 

 

 

LILO & STITCH – Disney continues their remake train, with another shot at their 2002 animated hit. 

 

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING – Tom Cruise is back as agent Ethan Hunt in this direct sequel to DEAD RECKONING PART ONE. This eighth and rumored final installment for Cruise has returning director Christopher McQuarrie, and it co-stars Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Nick Offerman, Angela Bassett, and Pom Klemenetieff. 

 

 

 

KARATE KID: LEGENDS – This sixth film in the KARATE KID franchise has the original kid, Ralph Macchio, and Jackie Chan reprising their roles. It also serves as a follow-up to the now-wrapped COBRA KAI TV series. Ming-Na Wen co-stars. 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of June. 

 

 

 

A Reel Opinion - STAR WARS: Revenge of the Box Office

The famed far, far away galaxy returned to cinema this weekend, and the Force was with it. STAR WARS: EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH, the third and final film in George Lucas’ Prequel Trilogy, was re-released for its upcoming 20thanniversary (May 19th), and earned a most-impressive $42.2 million at the worldwide box office. It pulled in $25.2 million domestically, helping it finish in second place for the weekend…beating out THE ACCOUNTANT 2. This is one of the top-grossing re-releases in history domestically, finishing behind the re-issue of STAR WARS ($36 million), in the 1997 Special Edition release, and THE LION KING ($30 million) in the 2011 3D release. 

 

The big numbers are seen as a victory for fans of the film. Response on social media (of all places), has been very positive, and fan reaction from seeing returning actors Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson making surprise appearances at screenings has been electric. For others, the reaction has been a surprise. Despite a healthy 79% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, many fans still consider it to be one of the worst STAR WARS films. Reel Speak ranks it 9th out of the 11 films (more on that below), and the film generally seems to get lumped in with the other two films. But now…it came back and made big money. 

 

How is this possible? 

 

Age, and time have been kind to REVENGE OF THE SITH. Fans who were kids in 2005 are now in their late twenties and early thirties, and a return to the theatre can be a big wave of nostalgia. Older fans who grew up with the Original Trilogy (1977-1983), who may not have loved SITH in 2005, now have twenty years of maturity to look at the film in a new light; it’s possible that its better than we remembered. Also, new owners Disney have done a fair amount of “rehab” work in recent years with their new films and streaming series; filling in gaps and beefing up old storylines that now gives SITH some better consistency in the overall Saga. 

 

And let’s face it: it’s STAR WARS. A year ago, EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE pulled in a respectable $14.1 million for its 25th anniversary re-release, showing that the franchise still has a presence on the big screen. STAR WARS has proven its resilience and can endure more than any other franchise. There is no better spectacle or feeling when that big logo slams on the screen and the music starts. No better sense of awe when Darth Vader’s breathing or the hum of a lightsaber fills the auditorium. This franchise is still a cinematic force. 

 

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Read Real Speak’s ranking of the STAR WARS films HERE.

 

A Reel 20: SIN CITY

“This is blood for blood and by the gallons.” 

This month marks the 20th anniversary of SIN CITY. 

 

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, SIN CITY neo-noir crime anthology, based on Frank Miller’s comic book series of the same name. It adapted the first, third, and fourth books in Miller’s original run; The Hard Goodbye (about an ex-con hunting his lover’s killer), The Big Fat Kill (a P.I. caught in a street war), That Yellow Bastard (an aging police officer and a disfigured killer), and the intro and outro based on the short story The Customer is Always Right.

 

Shot in black-and-white with moments of color, SIN CITY was filmed mostly green-screen, with several scenes shot before any actors had been cast (they were added digitally later). Rodriguez re-created shots from the graphic novel so faithfully he shared a directing credit with series author Frank Miller. 

 

The cast was an impressive ensemble: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Brittany Murphy, Josh Hartnett, Devon Aoki, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Michael Madsen, Powers Boothe, Benicio del Toro, Carla Gugino, Rutger Hauger, Nick Offerman, Tommy Flanagan, and Elijah Wood. 

 

SIN CITY released to mostly positive reviews and opened at no. 1 at the box office. Mickey Rourke won a Saturn Award for his performance, and the film would win another Saturn for Best Action Film. A sequel would be released in 2014.

 

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SIN CITY has come to be known as one of the most unique films of this millennium. Starting with the first thing we see: the look. Its vision is unlike anything we’ve seen before or since, and stands as a loving homage to the film-noirs of old. The anthology style of storytelling gives us a reset every 20 minutes or so, but each one is engaging, fun, emotional…and even a little grotesque in a glorious kind of way. 

 

SIN CITY’s uniqueness also comes from what it represents. It arrived in April of 2005. At this time, there was no Marvel Cinematic Universe, STAR WARS had only five films, and HARRY POTTER had only three. This was an era before big-budget franchises became the want and need of audiences and studios, and SIN CITY represents a time when studios, and movie-goers, would take a chance on something new. SIN CITY may have been based on a comic that had been around a while, but it was still fresh, and is the type of film cinema could benefit from embracing again. 

"And after I pull off that miracle, maybe I'll go punch out God."

 

Val Kilmer: 1959 - 2025

Actor Val Kilmer has passed away at 65.

 

Born Val Edward Kilmer in Los Angeles in 1959, Kilmer’s acting career got off to a hot start when he became the youngest person to be accepted into the Juilliard School’s Drama Division. He headed for the stage and in 1983 made his small-screen debut in an ABC After-School Special. His big break came in 1984 when he received top billing in the spy-spoof TOP SECRET! A year later he would appear in REAL GENIUS.

 

In 1986 he landed one of his most iconic roles, as the hotshot aviator Iceman in TOP GUN, opposite Tom Cruise. He would reprise in the role in the 2022 sequel, which would be his final film role. In 1988 he would play the self-proclaimed greatest swordsman who ever lived in the Ron Howard-directed, George Lucas-produced fantasy, WILLOW. In 1991 Oliver Stone would hand him another iconic role: the role of Jim Morrison in THE DOORS.

 

In 1993 he delivered what is probably the performance of the decade as Doc Holliday in TOMBSTONE. Two years later he would have a high-profile year, appearing as Bruce Wayne/Batman in BATMAN FOREVER, and in Michael Mann’s towering crime drama, HEAT.

 

Other notable roles would include TRUE ROMANCE (1993), THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (1996), THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (1996), THE SAINT (1997), THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1998), RED PLANET (2000), THE MISSING (2003), ALEXANDER (2004), KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005), and Francis Ford Coppola’s TWIXT (2011).

 

In 2015 he was diagnosed with throat cancer which damaged his vocal chords. In 2021 the documentary film VAL, which followed his health struggles and career, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim.

 

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Val Kilmer was custom-made for Hollywood stardom. With perfect good-looks, talent, and a cool name that wasn’t made-up, there was nothing else he ever could have done. He acted against names such as DeNiro, Brando, Russell, and Cruise. He worked for directors with names such as Coppola, Stone, Howard, Schumacher, and Scott. He won fights with six-shooters and swords and brought Jim Morrison back from the grave. His rapid reloading technique in the famous gunfight in HEAT would be taught to Marines and Army Rangers. He would steal the show in MAVERICK by saying one line of dialogue. That is the stuff of legend.

 

For this Blogger, there was a period in the 1990’s where my friends and I were obsessed with TOMBSTONE, and Kilmer’s stunning performance was a big part of it. His Doc Holliday was the most quotable, and his quip “I’m your huckleberry” was quoted often then and now. In WILLOW, he was the owner of one of my all-time favorite lines: “Give me a sword, I’ll win this war for you”. But perhaps the best quote surrounding him came from his co-star Tom Cruise in their emotional goodbye in MAVERICK:

 

“Thank you, Ice. For everything”. 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode IV

The cinematic month of April tends to serve as a gateway to the beloved Summer Movie Season. This year April is a bit packed with some big IP, original fare, and re-releases. Here’s what’s coming to the big screen this month: 

 

 

 

THE FRIEND – Bill Murray and Naomi Watts star in this drama dealing with pet ownership and loss. Carla Gugino and Ann Dowd co-star. 

 

 

 

A MINECRAFT MOVIE – Jared Hess, director of the famed NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, directs this long-awaited adaptation of the massively popular video game, where four misfits are pulled into a fantasy world made of blocks. The cast includes Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Danielle Brooks. 

 

 

 

THE AMATEUR – Oscar-winner Rami Malek (BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY), plays a CIA operative looking for revenge after the death of his wife. The cast includes Laurence Fishburne and Jon Bernthal. 

 

 

 

PRIDE & PREJUDICE – This 2005 adaptation of the famed novel, starring Keira Knightly, returns to the big screen in celebration of its 20^th anniversary. 

 

 

 

SINNERS – Director Ryan Coogler (BLACK PANTHER), helms this supernatural horror film with Michael B. Jordan playing dual roles; twin brothers returning home to face a great evil. Hailee Steinfeld co-stars. 

 

 

 

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 – Ben Affleck reprises his role as the non-traditional hitman in this sequel to the 2016 hit, this time looking to solve a mystery. 

 

 

 

STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH – The final episode in the STAR WARS Prequel series returns to the big screen in celebration of its 20^th anniversary. 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the first month of the 2025 Summer Movie Season. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Acting Debuts

Everyone has to start somewhere. Moses was found in a basket. Shakespeare had to learn his ABC’s. Tom Brady played with a Nerf football. There are humble beginnings for every great figure in history, literature, art, sports, and…the movies. Directors and writers get their start making short films, commercials, or TV episodes, and within those works are the actors: the faces of the movies. Every actor has a beginning. Some start small and are in the background, while others come out of the gate like hellfire; coming out of nowhere in their feature debut so strong that we would think they had been doing film for decades. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Cinematic Acting Debuts. 

 

Before proceeding, it seems prudent to note the difference between a debut and a breakthrough role. The breakthrough is when an actor already has a few films under their belt before finding that one role that elevates them. Peter O’Toole is often miscredited as LAWRENCE OF ARABIA being his debut, when he had three prior films to his credit (same with Robert DeNiro, who had done 12 films before THE GODFATHER PART II). This blog focuses on the debut, which is the very first credit for an actor. The best ones are the debuts that define the actor, create memorable characters, and set them on their career paths. 

 

 

Here are the best of the Firsts: 

 

 

 

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES (1985)

 

Someone from THE GOONIES had to be chosen, and it might as well be a two-fer. Brolin and Astin play brothers and un-official leaders of The Goonies in this rollicking, generation-defining hunt for rich stuff. Both Brolin and Astin would go on to stellar careers; Brolin doing everything from Oscar winners (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN), to supervillain work (AVENGERS). Astin of course would play a pivotal role in THE LORD OF THE RINGS…because Frodo would not have got very far without Sam. 

 

 

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT (2010)

In this Coen Brothers-directed remake of the John Wayne Western, Hailee Steinfeld was just 14 years old when she went up against acting heavyweights Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, and (ahem), Josh Brolin. Not only did Steinfeld hold her own, but she stole the show…helping this new version surpass the original in every way. 

 

 

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001)

 

Along the same lines as Steinfeld, Anne Hathaway was just 19 when she went toe-to-toe against Hollywood legend Julie Andrews in this coming-of-age comedy. Hathaway would launch into a stellar career; winning an Oscar for her stunning role in LES MISERABLES (2012), and surprising us all with her villainous turn in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (also 2012). 

 

 

7. Lupita Nyong’o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)

 

In her first feature film, Lupita Nyong’o would win an Oscar for her gut-wrenching performance as a slave in this Best Picture winner. Her big monologue about body stench sums up slavery as well as can be done, helping 12 YEARS A SLAVE earn its reputation as a difficult, yet required watch. Nyong’o would go on to further accolades in her career, while also having fun in Marvel and STAR WARS movies.  

 

 

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL (1994)

 

Before she won an Oscar for BLACK SWAN (2010), and played the love of Anakin Skywalker, Natalie Portman played the protégé of a hitman in this iconic film that has grown in popularity over the years. THE PROFESSIONAL is known for a lot, including Jean Reno as a non-traditional hitman and Gary Oldman going batshit crazy…but it was Portman, who was 13 during filming, who came out the cleanest. 

 

 

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN (1978)

 

The HALLOWEEN franchise has (so far) produced 13 films with ever-changing lines of continuity, but none of the 12 films can match the splash made by Jamie Lee Curtis. The stalking shape of Michael Myers may get most of the attention, but it’s Curtis, who gave us fear and strength at the same time, who became the true icon of the series and one of the best Scream Queens. 

 

 

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE (1941)

 

Cinema was changed forever when 26-year-old Orson Welles wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this towering epic that set the standard for the modern Hollywood film. Often regarded as one of the best (and maybe the best) of all time, Welles’ mighty accomplishment has yet to be matched. 

 

 

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR (1996)

 

This legal mystery thriller was capped by one of the best twist-endings of all time, and it all worked thanks to Ed Norton’s stunning debut. Norton would get an Oscar nomination and win a Globe…and then go on to a productive and impressive career of hits, including an Oscar win for AMERICAN HISTORY X (1998), a Wes Anderson regular, a Marvel film, and a movie that we do not talk about.  

 

 

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD (1988)

Before he was Snape, he was terrorist Hans Gruber who took over an L.A. high-rise before famously getting tossed off the roof by a barefoot John McClaine (Bruce Willis). Rickman made the jump from Shakespeare theatre to cinema seamlessly, while creating one of the best villains the big screen has ever seen. No matter what season we choose to watch DIE HARD, Rickman’s ice-cold performance still chills. 

 

 

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS (1964)

Julie Andrews won an Oscar for her charming and delightful performance as the magical nanny, while creating one of the most iconic characters of all time. Everyone, including non-Disney fans, knows who Mary Poppins is. Andrews’ performance would earn her a role in THE SOUND OF MUSIC the following year, and it’s been practically perfect since. In a stack of impressive film debuts, all one has to do is see the famous silhouette of the umbrella and hat to know who flew in the best. 

 

 

REEL SPEAK’S TOP 10 ACTING DEBUTS

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL

7. Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES