Tom Cruise is always Tom Cruise! Looking back at 'Mission: Impossible' and 40 years of films since his debut.

A man smiling on top of a small airplane without a helmet or safety line.

That man is Tom Cruise.

I love Tom Cruise.

I immediately went to the theater to see his new film, 'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,' and it was the ultimate piece of entertainment, 120% Tom Cruise!

Trailer

And, as expected, the action was incredible.

It is hard to believe he is already over sixty.

I am always thrilled by Tom Cruise's challenges to push his limits.

I am always excited by it.

Tom Cruise has now turned 61.

Let's look back at his life and his many memorable films.

Tom Cruise was born on July 3, 1962.

His real name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV.

His great-grandfather, Thomas Cruise Mapother, was an immigrant from Wales, and he was born in Syracuse, New York, to parents of Irish, English, and German descent.

His parents divorced when he was 12, leading to a financially difficult life. He was passionate about wrestling during his student years but had to give it up, after which he became interested in acting. After playing minor roles in youth films, he gained attention for his fresh performance in 'Risky Business' and was counted as one of the 'Brat Pack' of young star candidates.

Following the global success of 'Top Gun' in 1986, he joined the ranks of top stars and appeared in one hit after another.

Previously, he mainly appeared in human dramas, social issue films, and auteur-driven art films, with almost no image of being an action star. However, today, he is essentially an action actor, with the majority of his work centered on the 'Mission: Impossible' series.

He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for 'Born on the Fourth of July' (1989) and 'Jerry Maguire' (1996), and for Best Supporting Actor for 'Magnolia' (1999), cementing his status as a top-tier actor in both name and reputation.

In 1992, he established 'Cruise/Wagner Productions' within Paramount Pictures with his longtime business partner Paula Wagner, and with 'Mission: Impossible,' he ventured into film producing for the first time.

The success of this film marked a turning point in his career, and he began appearing in many more action films thereafter. Even in films with flashy action, he insists on performing his own stunts instead of using a stunt double as a rule. Because of this, his driving skills for cars and motorcycles have reached a professional level. He has also obtained a pilot's license and is frequently seen flying his own private plane.

[Major Film Appearances]

(Bold text indicates movies I've watched / Ranking of favorite works: Mission series are tied)

1981 (Age 19)
Endless Love
Taps

1983 (Age 21)
Losin' It
The Outsiders
Risky Business
All the Right Moves

1985 (Age 23)
Legend

1986 (Age 24)
Top Gun (2nd place / *Includes 'Top Gun: Maverick') Heart-pounding!
The Color of Money

1988 (Age 26)
Cocktail (3rd place) That sparkling youthful feeling!
Rain Man (8th place) Playing brothers with the great Dustin Hoffman!

1989 (Age 27)
Born on the Fourth of July

1990 (Age 28)
Days of Thunder

1992 (Age 30)
Far and Away
A Few Good Men (10th place) Competing with great actors!

1993 (Age 31)
The Firm

1994 (Age 32)
Interview with the Vampire

1996 (Age 34)
Mission: Impossible (2nd place) *A series that has continued for 27 years since my first date with my wife!
Jerry Maguire (1st place) *The work that made me decide to make a living through film!

1999 (Age 37)
Eyes Wide Shut (9th place) Collaboration with the genius Kubrick!
Magnolia (4th place) An ensemble drama nominated for an Academy Award!

2000 (Age 38)
Mission: Impossible 2 (*2nd place / but the worst in the Mission series)

2001 (Age 39)
Vanilla Sky

2002 (Age 40)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (Cameo appearance)
Minority Report (5th place) A near-future suspense about crime prediction!

2003 (Age 41)
The Last Samurai (6th place) Overflowing with Tom Cruise's love for Japan!

2004 (Age 42)
Collateral

2005 (Age 43)
War of the Worlds

2006 (Age 44)
Mission: Impossible III (2nd place)
The late Philip Seymour Hoffman becomes the most terrifying enemy!

2007 (Age 45)
Lions for Lambs

2008 (Age 46)
Tropic Thunder
Valkyrie

2010 (Age 48)
Knight and Day

2011 (Age 49)
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2nd place)
The sense of camaraderie in team battles increases, making it even more interesting!

Action Making-of

2012 (Age 50)
Rock of Ages
Jack Reacher

2013 (Age 51)
Oblivion

2014 (Age 52)
Edge of Tomorrow (Ranked 7th) A successful adaptation of a Japanese manga!

2015 (Age 53)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (Ranked 2nd)
The intensity of Tom Cruise clinging to an airplane!

Action Making-of

2016 (Age 54)
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

2017 (Age 55)
The Mummy
American Made

2018 (Age 56)
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Ranked 2nd)
Tom Cruise jumps from the sky again and again!

Action Making-of

2022 (Age 60)
Top Gun: Maverick (Ranked 3rd)
*Tom Cruise is just so cool! The sequel to this legendary film is a masterpiece!

2023 (Age 61)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Ranked 2nd)
*A brilliant suspense action film that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish!

2024 (Age 62)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two
*Looking forward to the release next year!

Was there a Tom Cruise film that you love or have fond memories of?

Having someone like Tom Cruise, who is over a decade older than me,

taking on such incredible challenges.

Watching his movies always gets me excited,

and seeing him take on those death-defying stunts,

makes me feel like I can do my best today and tomorrow too.

I'll continue to be with Tom Cruise's films.

Even as I get older, I won't give up,

and I intend to keep taking on new challenges.

Fighting!