The “Mission: Impossible” franchise comes to full circle in the eighth and final installment with “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning“. Although it might not be the greatest in its series, the death defying stunts by Tom Cruise makes it worth the watch. With a hefty budget of over $300 million, “The Final Reckoning” has become one of the most expensive films ever made.

The “Mission: Impossible” theme stays on track with the inevitable sacrifice and precision timing. The IMF are rattled by a powerful artificial intelligence known as the Entity, which challenges humanity into nuclear destruction and it’s up to Ethan Hunt to accept this impossible mission to save the world.

In a compilation of flashbacks and simultaneous present day scenes, the clues are revealed which adequately ties everything together. The story surprisingly brings back CIA Analyst William Donloe (Rolf Saxon). It was also nostalgic to see the remembrances of characters/actors from the previous missions like Henry Cavil as August Walker and Jeremy Renner as William Brandt.

“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”, is has plenty of breathtaking action and subtle scenes that resemble scenarios to “Top Gun”, like Hannah Waddingham’s character Rear Admiral Neely having a striking appearance to Kelly McGillis’s character Charlie. Even towards the end of the film there was a similar scenario to “Pulp Fiction” – possible nod to Ving Rhames’s character Marsellus Wallace and his briefcase that radiated a golden hue when opened.

Since the film’s focal point is time, the underwater and biplane stunt sequences indeed took up much of it – no aspect was overlooked. During a Q&A after the screening, Storyboard Artist Mark Bristol explained the details that went into creating the vision for these high-octane moments. It was fascinating to learn about his experience working with Director Christopher McQuarrie, the writers and Tom Cruise to understand their vision to create the illustrations that serve as a visual guide for the production team.

Warwick Thornton evokes an emotional perspective with his masterful cinematography in The New Boy. This endearing independent film takes place in the 1940’s in an Australian monastery, starring Cate Blanchett as Sister Eileen and Aswan Reid as the enigmatic aborigine, New Boy.

For the Cate Blanchett enthusiasts, she is impeccable in every role capacity. Aswan Reid has natural talent to interpret emotions without having to utter a single word. Together, they are charismatic and enlightening.

Sister Eileen appears welcoming and comforting with a nurturing personality and warm smile. At first, the orphan boys seem to be well mannered and cooperative. They are polite towards the savage New Boy, who does not speak. However, their attitudes change when the older boy gets baptized and leaves the monastery to go work.

Then, there is the intriguing flickering spark that New Boy creates from his hands, fingertips. He appears to have invigorating healing abilities when he helped out an injured orphan boy. Sister Eileen is perplexed by this inexplicable event. She misunderstands New Boy’s phenomenon, which challenges her faith against the wonders of spiritual belief from the natives.

The story is slow paced, which allows the viewer to ponder on the scenes that highlight the peculiar circumstances surrounding the monastery. The priest has been dead for a year without any explanation. Subsequently, Sister Eileen takes over the monastery – taking in young aborigine boys, teaching them basic reading, writing skills and introducing them to Christianity, while they are trained for labor work.

There are a lot of questions left unanswered: What secrets does Sister Eileen hide behind her smile? Is New Boy a miracle healer? Is the glowing spark a symbolism to the light of life?

The New Boy might not appeal to the regular viewer. However, the mysterious topics in this film will fascinate to those with a curious, open mind.

Fountain of Youth is the latest action-adventure release from acclaimed director Guy Ritchie, available today on Apple TV+. Blending the thrilling spirit of Indiana Jones with the mystery of The Da Vinci Code, the film stars John Krasinski as the son of a legendary archaeologist and the headstrong brother of Natalie Portman. Together, they embark on a global quest to uncover the mythical Fountain of Youth at the request of a terminally ill billionaire—only to discover that some secrets are meant to stay buried.

With stunning international set pieces and a fast-paced narrative, Fountain of Youth delivers high-octane entertainment as Krasinski and Portman leave a trail of mayhem in their wake. Eiza González, currently one of the most in-demand talents in Hollywood, showcases her action prowess in a standout role, lighting up the screen with expertly choreographed fight sequences.

Full of humor, intrigue, and imagination, Fountain of Youth is a spirited adventure the whole family can enjoy. Stream it now on Apple TV+.

SYNOPSIS: “Fountain of Youth” follows two estranged siblings (John Krasinski and Academy Award winner Natalie Portman) who partner on a global heist to find the mythological Fountain of Youth. They must use their knowledge of history to follow clues on an epic adventure that will change their lives … and possibly lead to immortality.

An Apple Original Film, “Fountain of Youth” is directed by Guy Ritchie and written by James Vanderbilt. Hailing from Skydance Media, “Fountain of Youth” is produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger for Skydance, alongside Vinson Films (Tripp Vinson) and Vanderbilt’s Project X Entertainment (James Vanderbilt, William Sherak, Paul Neinstein), with Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson and Jake Myers, and Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Chad Villella and Tara Farney) serving as executive producers.