• 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!