-
0: Introductions
Welcome to The Last Star In Hollywood! In this introductory episode, we set out our plans for the podcast, discuss what makes a star, and ask the tough questions!
-
1: Endless Love
This week, we discuss the melodramatic (and controversial) excesses of Franco Zeffirelli’s 1981 film Endless Love.
-
2: Taps
This week, we discuss Tom Cruise’s first take on masculinity and militarism in Harold Becker’s 1981 film Taps.
-
3: The Outsiders
This week, we discuss an American classic: Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film The Outsiders.
-
4: Losin’ It
This week, we head south of the border with Curtis Hanson’s 1983 sex comedy Losin’ It.
-
5: Risky Business
This week, Tom Cruise becomes a star in Paul Brickman’s tale of capitalist ennui and sock-slides, Risky Business.
-
6: All The Right Moves
This week, we have clear eyes, full hearts and we can’t lose as we discuss Michael Chapman’s 1983 football drama All The Right Moves.
-
7: Legend
This week, we reach the first milestone in the filmography of Tom Cruise with Ridley Scott’s 1985 fairy tale Legend.
-
8: Top Gun
This week, we could tell you all about Tony Scott’s 1986 military rollercoaster Top Gun, but then we’d have to kill you.
-
[Preview] Dirty Dancing
For this month’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, our listeners voted for an all-time favorite: Dirty Dancing!
-
9: The Color Of Money
This week, we invent the legacyquel with Martin Scorsese’s 1986 movie The Color Of Money.
-
10: Cocktail
This week, we need a stiff drink after Roger Donaldson’s 1988 movie Cocktail.
-
11: Rain Man
This week, we’re taking a swing at Oscar credibility with Barry Levinson’s 1988 movie Rain Man.
-
12: Born On The Fourth Of July
This week, things get grim with Oliver Stone’s 1989 anti-war biopic Born on the Fourth of July.
-
13: Days Of Thunder
This week, it’s Top Gun on the ground as Tony Scott returns with 1990’s Days of Thunder.
-
14: Far and Away
This week, the movie that’s often considered the first flop of Cruise’s career: Ron Howard’s Far and Away!
-
15: A Few Good Men
This week, we prove that we can handle the truth in Rob Reiner’s 1992 movie A Few Good Men!
-
16: The Firm
This week, we finally get the full, authentic Tom Cruise Run™ in Sydney Pollack’s 1993 movie The Firm.
-
17: Interview With The Vampire
This week, we slip into gothic melodrama with Neil Jordan’s 1994 movie Interview With The Vampire.
-
18: Mission: Impossible
This week, we disavow any knowledge of Brian de Palma’s 1996 spy thriller Mission: Impossible.
-
19: Jerry Maguire
This week, Cameron Crowe’s 1996 romantic comedy Jerry Maguire had us at hello.
-
20: Eyes Wide Shut
This week, we dream our way through Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut.
-
21: Magnolia
This week, we realize that everything is connected in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia.
-
22: Mission: Impossible 2
This week, we get as close as we can to killing a franchise with John Woo’s 2000 action drama Mission: Impossible 2
-
23: Vanilla Sky
This week, it was all a dream — or was it? — in Cameron Crowe’s 2001 movie Vanilla Sky.
-
24: Minority Report
This week, a glimpse of the future with Steven Spielberg’s 2002 sci-fi thriller Minority Report.
-
25: The Last Samurai
This week, Cruise shoots for Oscar recognition in Edward Zwick’s 2003 historical drama The Last Samurai.
-
26: Collateral
This week, Cruise plays the villain in Michael Mann’s 2004 thriller Collateral.
-
27: War Of The Worlds
This week, Cruise is a bad dad in Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds!
-
28: Mission: Impossible 3
This week, Ethan Hunt returns with more guns in JJ Abrams’ 2006 action sequel Mission: Impossible 3!
-
29: Lions For Lambs
This week, let’s get angry – but not in the way the movie wants – with Robert Redford’s 2007 political drama Lions For Lambs!
-
30: Tropic Thunder
This week, let’s be controversial with Ben Stiller’s 2008 action-movie satire, Tropic Thunder!
-
31: Valkyrie
This week, a rare late-period swing at legitimacy by Cruise in Bryan Singer’s World War II drama Valkyrie.
-
32: Knight And Day
This week, Cruise and Cameron are reunited in a chaotic, excessive, and surprisingly fun action-comedy, James Mangold’s Knight And Day.
-
33: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
This week, Ethan Hunt returns to save both the world and Tom Cruise’s career in Brad Bird’s 2011 spy thriller, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
-
34: Rock Of Ages
This week, Tom Cruise rawks in Adam Shankman’s 2011 adaptation of the jukebox musical Rock of Ages.
-
35: Jack Reacher
This week, Tom Cruise explores the road not taken with Christopher McQuarrie’s 2012 action-thriller Jack Reacher.
-
Bonus: The American President
To mark American Independence Day, we’re unlocking our Patreon bonus episode on Rob Reiner’s 1995 political rom-com The American President!
-
36: Oblivion
This week, twists and turns in Joseph Kosinski’s 2013 high-concept sci-fi adventure Oblivion!
-
37: Edge Of Tomorrow
This week, the second in Cruise’s high-concept sci-fi double-header: Doug Liman’s Edge Of Tomorrow!
-
38: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
This week, Ethan Hunt returns for a fifth time, this time (mostly) written and (completely) directed by Christopher McQuarrie.
-
39: Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
This week, Jack’s back in Edward Zwick’s 2016 franchise-killer Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.
-
40: The Mummy
This week, the venture into the Dark Universe — but not for long — in Alex Kurtzman’s 2017 reboot The Mummy.
-
41: American Made
This week, a rare Tom Cruise character-actor performance in Doug Liman’s stylish satire American Made.
-
42: Mission: Impossible – Fallout
This week, Christopher McQuarrie returns to M:I with the biggest, splashiest, most ankle-breaking adventure so far.
-
43: Top Gun: Maverick
This week, we feel the need for speed all over again with Joseph Kosinski’s much-delayed, hugely successful Top Gun: Maverick!
-
44: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
This week, Ethan Hunt returns for the seventh (and penultimate?) time in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning!