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Episode #802: Mission: Impossible III (with Ben Worcester)

“He’s at the height of his Lost powers here” - Ben on J.J. Abrams

On this week’s episode, we welcome Ben Worcester onto the Summer Blockbuster Extravaganza to chat about the super-fun action sequel, Mission: Impossible III! How great is this engagement party scene with Ethan working the room? Has there been a better M:I villain than the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Owen Davian? Is this the M:I flick with the most Ving? How lucky is Ethan to have Aaron Paul for a brother-in-law? PLUS: Does Ethan Hunt have the same bartending skills as Brian Flanagan?

Mission: Impossible III stars Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Keri Russell, Maggie Q, Simon Pegg, Eddie Marsan, Laurence Fishburne, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Owen Davian; directed by J.J. Abrams.

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Episode #802: Mission: Impossible III (with Ben Worcester)

Comments

The Cruise vs PSH fight ending reminded me of the ending of a Gene Hackman film (cant remember the name). He's fighting a villain ontop of a moving train, the villain is on top of him and they're exchanging barbs and it ends with Hackman saying "you're also taller" and pushing him up and the guy gets hereditaried by a beam.

Matthew Lloyd

One of the producers of M:I 3 owns a very well established ice cream shop (Leopold’s) in Savannah, GA. In the movie, there is a truck with the ice cream shop logo and if you go to the shop, you can see/take pics of multiple props INCLUDING the “Rabbit’s Foot.” https://leopoldsicecream.com/hollywood-stratton/

Michael Mora

Better name for the Ving Rhames Hat Database: Mr. Scalp.

Jamie

So what I'm hearing is that Eric very narrowing escaped death via Chinese bus...does this mean a certain mack daddy is coming for him?? 👀

Rose Esposito

PSH is "the extreme!" baddy of this movie! MI:3 is a blast because he does not let up once in his performance, excellent movie & quality EP Boys

Watch_N_Rewatch

Jesse gets converted by Tom Cruise: "Scientology bitch!"

Watch_N_Rewatch

Yeah but no opening credits scenes???

Jan

The fact that it then turns into an Alex Jones impression for the rest of the episode is so wrong...and yet so right 😂

Rose Esposito

I laughed unreasonably hard at Andrew's oh yeah sexy "hospital showers" intonation.

Jason

Seeing this in theaters I had the perfect real world synergy moment. After Ethan gets the nose bomb and starts running the screening started to glitch. I initially thought it was an artistic decision, but then the screen went black and I thought they took it too far. An employee came in, apologized, and then they resumed the screening without issue

I.C. Weiner

J.J. Abram's Super 8 MM: A bunch of kids hear a rumor about finding porn in the woods and what they find is way worse than they were expecting....

CharlesGrodin'sToupee

So glad Chris made that connection to Campbell Scott's traffic nerd character in Singles, I thought I was the only one

Jack

Ben got a Non-Blart episode!!!!?!?!?!? Hallelujah!!!!

Brandon

I may disagree with some opinions expressed on the show, but I will agree with Andrew that you're taking your own life in your hands when you run. Worst activity on the planet.

Smaug

That movie has way too many cuts to the older movies. I don't understand why we're spending the first 10 minutes on a MI montage. I liked it enough, but that slow start is kinda rough

Smaug

Unfortunately, this one didn't do it for me. I found most of it very dull and lacking in scope and for me, not enough Hoffman on screen. Was fun to see Cruise pretending to be Italian, though.

Z

Brain Flex pills made me drive off road I was laughing so hard. Bravo, Eric

Matthew Kennedy

Andrew should be 'Tall Glass' for all his 'Tall glasses of water'

Nicholas Knecht

I loved this movie since the theater. JJ Abrams is a frenemy for sure. Russell's death is legit one of the scariest scenes and still stays with me

Tala Hobballah

Jesse sees the mask-making process: Yeah science!

Eren Keskin

Remember, folks. When your friend interrogates an internationally wanted terrorist, just yell out his name multiple times and make sure the terrorist can hear it. Do this right after they ask if your friend has any loved ones, and then they keep boasting about how they will hurt them. Just do it. What's the worst that can happen?

Eren Keskin

Oh, they must've. At least for me. I've fallen hard for this series since then, all entries, so I can't imagine my thoughts haven't changed at least. - Andrew

We Hate Movies

The fact they tell what the Rabbit’s Foot is in Final Reckoning is insane

Noura Sarayel

This felt like a breath of fresh air after Final Reckoning (which I liked OK). Just a simple, fun story with a great villain that isn't a computer program Aaron Paul looks like he's about 15 here

JK

Hey Jupin, The Nutella biscuits come in a 4 bag pack at Costco... welcome to Costco I love you.

DMAC

I also have 8MM on the brain lol

Jaime Lee Ezell

Sorry, I listened a little more to the episode and this is acknowledged. I'll sit down.

Tim O'

Andrew says this one has the franchise's first major bathroom scene. Unfortunately, I must disagree; William Donloe has a titanic battle with his own bowels in the CIA bathroom in the first one.

Tim O'

That is absolute insanity to me. Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation are good, but I can't tell them apart if I ever reference them and they're good sleeping pills. They're easily in the bottom three with M:I2

Adam Ray

Noted PSH fan Andrew doing what I believe to be his first impression of him on the podcast and absolutely crushing it within the first 15 minutes of the episode LFGGGG

Jacob Curry

I'd just re-listened to the IM marathon episodes in the archive, be interesting to hear if any opinions have changed on this one

Kureigu

It's cathartic to hear folks talking about how good this movie is. So often (especially recently with people making new Letterboxd ranking lists) I see people stick this one at or near the bottom of the franchise, but I've *always* championed it because it's what made me a fan of the series. PSH's intensity in that cold open hooked me in instantly.

Busiris

Call signs update: Andrew: M.I.A. Chris: Cabin pressure Steve: 5 second rule Eric: blond bad guy Ben: serious sauce

Jan

Hoffman is a menace in this film lol they don't make them like him anymore

Alex Murica

The beginning of this movie is one of the best cold opens to ever happen in a movie. Light that fuse We Hate Movies

Papa Taylor


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