The Big Picture · Discussion · Review · Rankings
May 23, 2025/ 95 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins run down the Cannes 2025 slate they watched from afar, then reckon with 'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning' (the biplane highs, the first-hour lows) and re-rank all eight films in the franchise.
28 films across 3 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
Cannes, from a golf cartthe 2025 slate, as followed from home
Sean's signature film of the festival: Richard Linklater's account of the making of Godard's 'Breathless,' with Guillaume Marbeck as Godard and Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg. Warmly received, Marbeck's performance singled out, still without distribution.
Lynne Ramsay's postpartum psychological drama, her first film in seven years, with Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. Mostly positive if mixed; Lawrence drew rave reviews and early Oscar talk. Mubi bought it for a reported $23 million.
Jafar Panahi's thriller, made illegally without Iranian licenses. Rave reviews and a Neon acquisition mark it as a Palme d'Or front-runner; Amanda and Sean also call it 'A Simple Accident.'
Spike Lee and Denzel Washington's remake of Kurosawa's 'High and Low,' with Denzel as a record executive caught in a criminal situation. Apple, out August 22nd; Denzel got a surprise honorary Palme d'Or Sean thinks should have been a real one.
Ari Aster's COVID-era 'portrait of American madness' with Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler. Received about as expected: some found it annoying and too soon; Sean is game.
The film both hosts most want to see: Joachim Trier's 'The Worst Person in the World' follow-up, reuniting with Renate Reinsve, plus Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning. Rapturous reviews and a reported 19-minute standing ovation. Neon (US) / Mubi (Europe).
Kleber Mendonça Filho's 1977-set Brazilian thriller with Wagner Moura, described as a more propulsive companion to 'I'm Still Here.' Neon acquired it.
Kelly Reichardt's art-heist thriller set against the Vietnam War, with Josh O'Connor stealing from a museum to a jazz score. Mubi. Sean calls it 'very big-picture coded.'
Oliver Hermanus's period romance about two men who fall in love in secret, with Josh O'Connor and Paul Mescal. 'Eh' reviews, knocked as staid and restrained. Mubi.
Wes Anderson's new film, which Sean has seen and rates highly despite mixed festival reviews. Tighter and smaller in scope than 'Asteroid City,' which he thinks is throwing people.
Julia Ducournau's first film since 'Titane,' and the festival's designated underwhelmer: Sean heard it called 'by far her worst movie.' Neon.
The Dardenne brothers' new film, arriving quietly; it's been a few years since their last Cannes breakout.
Mascha Schilinski's temporal study of four girls from different eras on a German farm, whose timelines blend. A big early breakout; Mubi acquired it.
Hafsia Herzi's French-Algerian coming-of-age story, with strong reviews for Nadia Melliti.
Oliver Laxe's divisive but well-reviewed film about a father and son heading into the Moroccan desert to find a daughter lost among desert raves.
Kristen Stewart's directorial debut, premiering in Un Certain Regard to strong reviews.
Harris Dickinson's directorial debut, which drew very strong reviews.
Harry Lighton's BDSM drama with Alexander Skarsgård, whose thigh-high leather-boots red-carpet look Sean clocks approvingly.
Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut, with June Squibb; not-as-great reviews.
'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning'the highest highs and lowest lows of the franchise
Christopher McQuarrie's fourth Mission as director, co-written with Erik Jendresen, and Tom Cruise's eighth. Amanda's verdict: 'two hours of throat-clearing and 35 minutes of exhilaration.' Both peg the first hour (a clip-show of franchise callbacks and nuclear-codes exposition) as the low point, and the aircraft-carrier-to-Bering-Sea dive plus the South Africa biplane finale as top-tier stunt filmmaking. Praise for Tramell Tillman and Katie O'Brian aboard the USS Ohio; gripes about a humorless, sexless, self-serious tone, Hannah Waddingham's accent, and the Jim Phelps Jr. reveal. Runs 2:49, the longest in the series. Lorne Balfe did not score it, and Sean noticed within five minutes.
The 'Mission: Impossible' Rankingsupdated, best to worst
No. 1, unmoved. Both call it the peak in pure action terms; it made their 25 for 25 list.
De Palma's original holds at No. 2, two spots behind Fallout; the Don Lowe callback in the new film only helped.
Up to No. 3. Burj Khalifa, Jeremy Renner, bombing the Kremlin, Paula Patton and Léa Seydoux; Sean finds the plotting and the Burj a touch overrated.
No. 4. The introduction of Ilsa Faust; Sean admits he barely remembers the rest.
Slides to No. 5: 'no longer part one.' Sean prefers it to III for scale, scope, and humor: Rome, the car chase, the handcuff sequence.
No. 6. 'Three has Philip Seymour Hoffman and this has a Tamagotchi.'
Debuts at No. 7, second-worst in the series for both, but still ahead of II.
Dead last, again. John Woo's doves and thrown motorcycles noted, the movie still 'very flawed.'
Also mentioned raised along the way
Cannes, in passing BreathlessNo BearsThe SubstanceHigh and LowThe Worst Person in the WorldTitaneI'm Still HereMegalopolisAsteroid CityAnoraEmilia Pérez
Around the Cruise canon Top Gun: MaverickJack ReacherDays of ThunderF1
Touchstones and asides The Magnificent SevenThe Bridge on the River KwaiClose Encounters of the Third KindKillers of the Flower MoonThe TerminatorThe AbyssNo Time to DieAladdinThe Return of JafarThe AmateurLove Lies BleedingStar Wars: The Last JediStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerSinnersTenet
Opening the same weekend Lilo & StitchFriendship
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV SeveranceThe StudioSeinfeld
Podcasts The TownThe Prestige TV PodcastThe Rewatchables
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