Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Is Certified Fresh

The recipe for a Mission: Impossible movie: take a bunch of interesting actors, add the latest in futuristic technology, throw in a death-defying Tom Cruise stunt or two, and voila! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and critics say Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation is terrific popcorn entertainment that benefits immeasurably from energetic performances by Cruise and relative newcomer Rebecca Ferguson. The plot is the same as usual: the IMF is on the run from both the government and a shadowy band of bad guys. But the pundits say it’s that adherence to formula that helps to make the Certified Fresh Rogue Nation such a triumph — this is assured blockbuster filmmaking at its slickest and most pleasurable.

Few would claim that National Lampoon’s Vacation is a deathless cinematic masterpiece, but its deft balance of warmth and sustained zaniness have made it a perennial favorite. Critics say Vacation is unlikely to engender such fondness: a game cast keeps things watchable, but the film’s labored gags are often more cringe-inducing than funny.  Ed Helms is the latest actor to portray Rusty Griswold, and the plot is basically the same as the original: the family hits the road for Walley World, and is met with wacky characters and bizarre humiliations along the way. The pundits say Vacation is good for a dumb chuckle or two, but it’s sour where the original was sweet.

I Am Cait aims for insight rather than exploitation, treating its subject with a respect that sets it apart from other reality programming.

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp offers more of the the goofy hijinks that fans of the cult classic crave, but outsiders might not be quite as enamored.