Battlefield 3

In the realm of online combat, Battlefield 3 provides thrills that few games can match.

The Good

• Deep and varied multiplayer competition  
• Awesome array of vehicles  
• Many gorgeous environments  
• Rewards teamwork handsomely.

The Bad

• Campaign is disappointing and dull  
• Only six cooperative missions  
• No way to practice jet flight outside of multiplayer. 

When it comes to virtual battlefields, nobody does it quite like the Battlefield series. It has a long history of creating sprawling conflict zones where players have an exhilarating range of ways to make powerful contributions to the war effort. The competitive multiplayer mode in Battlefield 3 stays true to tradition, delivering an online combat experience that is amazingly addictive, immersive, and exciting, with refinements and new elements that make the familiar action feel fresh. Unfortunately, the stale single-player campaign fails to capitalize on the strengths of the series and feels like an off-brand imitation. The six cooperative missions fare better and offer a tougher challenge, but only the competitive multiplayer provides a compelling reason to buy Battlefield 3. With online battles this excellent, though, that reason is all you need. 
There are many factors that combine to make these battlefields as good as they are, most of which will be familiar to series veterans. Nine great maps set the stage for up to 64 players to fight it out in a variety of urban, industrial, and military locations. These places all look beautiful, though the grassy hills and blue skies of the Caspian Border are naturally more appealing than the drab urban corridors of the Grand Bazaar. The maps vary widely in size and offer diverse environmental elements, including claustrophobic tunnels, coastal roads, desert plains, and a variety of multistory buildings. Many man-made structures can be damaged or destroyed by the explosive tools at your disposal, creating new infiltration routes or removing cover positions. The maps are designed to create opportunities for combat at all ranges, and the element of destruction lets you manipulate the environment to create even more.
Combat is not just about where you are, but also about how you get there, and the variety of vehicles is one of the things that makes Battlefield so uniquely engaging. Small maps might only have a Humvee or a light armored vehicle, while larger ones boast buggies, tanks, amphibious transports, helicopters, and jets. There are a few variations within each class of vehicle that make them better suited for troop transport, anti-infantry, antiair, or anti-vehicle combat, and learning how to get the most out of each one is a blast, even if you're sometimes the one getting blown up. Whether you're piloting, gunning, or just going along for the ride, vehicles offer a key tactical element that can change the tide of battle when used by a savvy squad. Using a vehicle well can earn you powerful upgrades and bonus weapons, but it can be tough to get the hang of the flight mechanics for helicopters and jets. It's a shame there's no way to practice flying them outside of active multiplayer matches (with one exception), though you can take comfort in knowing that you are at least entertaining your fellow players when your jet nose-dives into a mountain.

 The maps and vehicles allow for a great degree of strategic freedom, but choosing your class and loadout is the first and most important decision you make before spawning into combat. Abilities and weapons have shuffled around a bit since Battlefield: Bad Company 2, so now the assault class slings health packs and totes defibrillators, while the support class carries light machine guns and ammunition boxes. Engineers still thrive on vehicle support/destruction, and recon delivers long-range death. New gadgets like robots that can arm charges (engineer) and mark targets (recon) give players more to look out for on the battlefield, and claymores and mortars (support) ensure that the engineer class isn't the only one packing an explosive punch. Unlockables include class-specific weapons and gadgets, gun-specific sights and attachments, and specializations that can make you tougher and deadlier. Focusing on one class to unlock higher level gear has its advantages, but so does spreading around your progress in an effort to be more adaptable to the ebb and flow of combat. Regardless of what loadout you choose, there are a lot of ways to earn points for your actions. In addition to kills and kill assists, you can now earn points for suppressing enemies who are subsequently killed by your teammates. When a player is suppressed by enemy fire, they suffer from blurred vision and decreased accuracy. This disorienting tactic can help you mitigate the effectiveness of enemies who are peppering you from a prone position, which returns in Battlefield 3 after being left out of the Bad Company games. Battlefield 3 may be a successor in name to Battlefield 2, but in spirit, the competitive multiplayer is a refined version of that offered in Bad Company 2. Nevertheless, it will be immediately familiar to veteran players of either game, though fans of Bad Company 2 will encounter a few other small but notable differences. Buildings are not easily destroyed in Battlefield 3 and underslung grenade launchers are, as of now, far less prevalent. Furthermore, you can't just run up to someone and stab him in the face for an instant kill; you need to get in two swipes or sneak up from behind. Nor can you simply rely on explosives to destroy M-COM stations in Rush mode because arming and detonating the charge is now the only way to progress.

As with the previous Battlefield games, the focus is on teamwork. Diverse loadouts encourage you and your squad to make complementary choices, and point bonuses reward you for working together. Every vehicle is better with teammates in it, and even the simple act of spotting enemies is an effective way to contribute to your team's efforts. Teamwork is woven throughout the fabric of Battlefield 3's multiplayer action, and when your team is working well together, it's one of the most gratifying experiences you can have in a game.
Battlefield 3 also has six cooperative missions that require teamwork on a smaller scale. These stand-alone sorties have a narrative connection to the campaign, but they are tougher to complete than most campaign missions and you can unlock some nice weapons for use in the multiplayer. Setting up voice chat with your teammate is helpful here, especially in the stealthy sections, because the spotting mechanic doesn't sufficiently differentiate enemies at long distances. Your foes are fairly tough, even on normal difficulty, though some unexpected quick-time events can also catch you off guard. The most notable mission here puts you in the cockpit of a helicopter, which provides the only chance outside of multiplayer to practice your flying skills. Earning all of the weapon unlocks requires repeat playthroughs of these missions, so it's a shame there aren't more of them to keep you busy.
Finally, there's the campaign. Battlefield 3's single-player adventure tells a harrowing tale of a fictional modern conflict. It follows a familiar formula by delivering a short campaign with diverse combat scenarios and dramatic set pieces. The story is solid and has some good acting, but the "Now tell us about this mission" interrogation mechanic makes the structure feel stale (having made a notable appearance in last year's Call of Duty: Black Ops). The focus on realism makes the unrealistic elements like the heavy-handed linearity, quick-time events, and reckless foes even more noticeable, but most disappointing of all is the campaign's utter failure to capitalize on any of the series' strengths. The lively personality of the Bad Company games is nowhere to be found, nor is the operational freedom on which the series has thrived. When you climb into the cockpit of a fighter jet, you are merely the gunner in an on-rails sequence rather than the hotshot pilot. There are some gorgeous environments and a few exciting sequences, but these are outweighed by the overly familiar cityscapes and set pieces that were clearly inspired by other shooter campaigns from the past few years. This contributes to the pervasive sense that this campaign is not only outdated, but also outclassed.

 Fortunately, Battlefield 3's competitive multiplayer is among the best in its class, providing immensely rich and immersive combat zones. These are complemented by the slick browser-based Battlelog, which serves as the hub from which you access each game mode. With EA's Origin software running unobtrusively in the background, Battlelog tracks your unlock progress, displays your stats, and enables you to join parties and launch games easily. Battlefield 3 may not offer much beyond the multiplayer, but there are so many ways to contribute and feel like a powerful soldier that after hours and hours of playing, all you'll want to do is play more.

Source-GAmespot

UP (2009)

MPAA Rating: PG, for some peril and action
Genre: Animated/Family/Comedy
Guide age recommendation: 7 years+
Runtime: Approx. 102 minutes

Bottom line: Presented in beautiful 3D animation, Up tells a story that is both funny and tender, conveying a moral that our connection with others is what makes life meaningful. Several moments of peril may be frightening for young children, and the movie deals with the reality of death and loss. 

78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen is pushed beyond his limit when builders force him to move out of his own home, where he and his late wife had built their lives. Determined to live out a lifelong dream and show everyone that he won't be living in an old folks' home, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his house and lifts off toward Paradise Falls, South America.
Just as the thrill of his successful sianara is sinking in, Carl realizes something horrifying: he has a stowaway -- an 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. Carl is unable to get the talkative and persistent whippersnapper back to the ground, and the both of them end up in South America, with Paradise Falls finally in sight.
Along their trek toward the falls, Carl and Russell find a strange and very large bird, whom Russell dubs "Kevin," and a talking dog named Dug who is hunting the bird. Russell wants to keep them, but Carl does not want any extra tag-a-longs. When a pack of mean dogs sent by Dug's master show up to get the bird, Carl's trip takes a whole new turn.
As it turns out, the dogs belong to Charles Muntz, the adventurous explorer who inspired Carl and Ellie's dreams of Paradise Falls. He is in search of the mysterious Kevin bird, and will stop at nothing to capture it. Despite his desire to stay out of this big mess, Carl finds himself right in the middle of it. At 78 years old, he is about to finally realize what life and adventure are all about.

Up - Guide Review for Parents 

As with many of the Pixar films, the story of Up can be interpreted on different levels. To young kids, it is a funny story about an old man, a boy, and some silly animals. Kids will love the colorful scenery, the talking dog, and of course the house floating away with all of the balloons tied to it.
Slightly older kids may catch some of the beginning moments of the film which reflect on Carl's life will Ellie, the joys and pains, and her death. The tender reflection may bring a tear to the eye of adults, and reminds us of how quickly the years add up.
What did Carl and Ellie accomplish in the many years they spent together? What is it, exactly, that they built? After Ellie's death, Carl sees his home as the symbol of all of that. His trip to Paradise Falls is an attempt to close the book on his big adventure, but instead, he realizes a new adventure is just beginning.
Small children may be frightened by some scenes of action and peril, especially those involving ferocious-looking dogs. Kids may be saddened by some scenes played during the reflection on Carl and Ellie's life. Ellie is shown crying in a doctor's office (she presumably lost a baby), and Carl is shown sitting in a funeral home after Ellie was in the hospital (it is left for the audience to presume that she passed away). Also, parents should know that Russell feels sad that his dad isn't around much anymore.

 

Up – Content Overview 

• Violence (Medium): For the most part, Up contains the usual cartoon violence: characters chasing each other, falling off things, crashing into things and more without getting seriously hurt. However, one character in the movie is injured, and another character (a bad guy) falls from very high in the sky. We see him disappear through the clouds as he falls toward the earth. A number of dogs also fall off a cliff as they are chasing the main characters. We see them fall and land in a river at the bottom. One house fire is set intentionally, and one character shoots at others with a rifle and a dart gun.
• Sex/Nudity (None):
• Drugs and Alcohol (Low): Two scenes in the movie show wine or champagne. In one such scene, the dogs open the bottle and pour the drink into two glasses.
• Language (None):
• Disrespectful/Imitative Behavior (Medium): Charles Muntz will stop at nothing to catch Kevin so that he can prove he was right. He orders his mean dogs to get the bird and others. The mean dogs mock Dug and try to act tough. Carl is grouchy during much of the movie. 

Scary Scenes (Medium): Scenes listed under "violence" may be frightening for young children. Children may be frightened by the mean dogs who chase the main characters and at time viciously corner them, and they may be frightened for Kevin as Charles and his dogs try to catch him. In some scenes Charles and Carl fight with swords and other weapons, and some characters come very close to falling out of the floating house or Charles' flying machine. Charles actually does eventually fall -- presumably to his death.

Sad/Unsettling Scenes (High) During the reflection on Carl's life with Ellie, we they are excited to have a baby, but they are then shown in a doctor's office with her crying. We see her later in life, after she has grown old, in the hospital, and Carl is subsequently shown in a funeral home. Russell is sad that his dad is never around.

Up – Topics to Discuss

• After seeing Up, kids may have questions about the following topics: losing a baby, losing a loved one, growing old, using balloons to carry objects or people, South America, adventure, a dad not spending time with his son.

Up – Blu-ray Bonus Features

Up is now available on Blu-ray (in a pack which includes the DVD), and contains a wealth of bonus features. Watch features about the making of the movie, as well as a documentary about the filmmakers' visit to Venezuela. The Blu-ray version also includes an awesome game that helps kids (and adults) learn geography!

Source- Kidstvmovies

 

Crashday

As the title advertises, Crashday has a fair number of car crashes, but the trouble is that it doesn't have much of anything else.
 

The Good

• Combat races contain a certain level of amusement  
• cars crush and break apart quite nicely.

The Bad

• Racing is no fun at all  
• stunt tracks are rather plain  
• nearly impossible to find an online game  
• track editor is underwhelming  
• British voice actor + New York accent = hilariously awful comedy. 

If you were to smoosh together the FlatOut series of demolition racing games and Nadeo's TrackMania stunt-racing franchise, then systematically vacuum out all of the most appealing aspects of both titles, you'd have the basic equivalent of Crashday. It's not that the game is terrible, but so little of it feels genuine or original; it's more of a cheap, hacked-together clone of the aforementioned titles. And what's more, it isn't even a particularly good clone. The game's race modes lack coherency--let alone excitement--and the stunt and combat modes fall flat. 

There's supposed to be a premise to Crashday, but it's anyone's guess as to what it is exactly. Booting up the game's career mode simply drops you right into the middle of a backstory that features up-and-coming racers in some cockamamie imaginary racing league. But the text doesn't explain much, and the guy doing the voice acting is practically indecipherable. Imagine, if you will, a game developer tracking down the man with the thickest British accent in the world, plopping him down in front of a series of bad New York mafia movies, handing him a script, and demanding he talk exactly like the gangsters portrayed onscreen. That's how awful the voice acting is in Crashday.
Once you realize the premise is best ignored and actually jump into the game, you'll find gameplay that's just as clumsy as the voice acting. Racing in Crashday is exceedingly frustrating. Cars are a floaty, slippery mess, sliding out and crashing into random objects on a regular basis. This is an arcade racer, so no one's asking for a devout dedication to realism. But arcade or not, these cars are not fun to drive, nor do they handle well. Of course, the trick is that you have to drive especially fast because the other racers have a preternatural ability to use their speed boosts at all the right moments and will always blaze past you if you screw up. So what you end up having to do is memorize every nook and cranny of each race track just so you can figure out where to use your boost and where not to use it. Another weird thing is that the game's sense of speed isn't all that good. You definitely get the sense that your car is about to go flying out of control at any second, but the visceral thrill of high-speed racing is basically absent.
Only the stunt and combat races are slightly better than the sense of speed. Stunt modes include tracks filled with ramps, jumps, and loops, but there's a highly limited scope to the stunt track designs. The game lacks the sort of "look at how completely insane these tracks are" vibe that such games as TrackMania have all but perfected. They're not kooky or bizarre; they're just a bunch of ramps and loops. And they're not even laid out well. The bonus is that the game does include a track editor, but even its scope is limited, allowing for a few bizarre twists but not much more.
The combat modes come in a couple of forms. There are straight-up demolition races where the goal is to just slam into opponent cars over and over again until everyone has exploded but you. Then there are weapon-based modes that give you a Gatling gun and a missile launcher so you can go nuts. These are, by far, the most entertaining modes in the game because, in stark contrast to the driving physics, the game's crash physics aren't half bad. Cars break apart pretty nicely, and the weapons aren't hard to aim or use, which makes wanton destruction a fairly painless process. The main issue here is the limited array of tracks and weapons. It would be nice if there were more variety to the destruction at hand. But sadly there isn't, and after a few plays against the computer, the action does get a bit tiresome.
Multiplayer would theoretically remedy that issue, but even the multiplayer isn't without problems. The primary problem is that there's nobody online to play against. Sure, the servers list lots of games being played, but they're all being played across the pond by players in Europe. And the European version of the game isn't compatible with the US version for some reason. So you won't be able to play against any of them until Moonbyte patches one version or the other. We spent a considerable amount of time trying to find a US-based opponent but only found one playable online match during that entire span. To make matters worse, lag practically wrecked the experience. Trying to play a crash race while cars skip and jump all over the track is just about the most obnoxious thing you'll ever experience.

 Apart from the awful voice acting, the remainder of Crashday's production value is bit more laudable. As mentioned previously, the crash effects are done quite nicely, and the cars deform and explode about as well as you would hope. The car models aren't exactly impressive, but considering you're just thrashing them over and over again, they don't need to look pristine. The tracks are easily the weakest point of the visuals. The background environments are extremely generic, dressed up with bland-looking towns and set pieces, as well as unattractive textures. They're not hideous, but they're definitely not pleasing to the eye.
Of course, someone could try to justify the plain-Jane gameplay and total lack of originality found in Crashday by simply mentioning that it's only a $20 game. Do you want to know how much a new copy of FlatOut 2 costs on the PC? Yes, that's right, $20. And a copy of TrackMania: Sunrise? It's the same price. Do yourself a favor and go right to the sources of Crashday's inspiration rather than pay for a bargain-basement, bush-league version of the same basic gameplay concepts.

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  Source- Gamespot

Tom Cruise

Date of birth   - 3 July 1962, Syracuse, New York, USA

Birth name      - Thomas Cruise Mapother IV

Height             -5' 7" (1.70 m)

If you had told 14 year old Franciscan seminary student Thomas Cruise Mapother IV that one day in the not too distant future he would be considered one of the top 100 movie stars of all time, he would have probably grinned and told you that his ambition was to become a priest. Nonetheless, this sensitive, deeply religious youngster who was born in July 1962 in Syracuse, New York, was destined to become Tom Cruise, one of the highest paid and most sought-after actors in screen history. The only son (among four children) of nomadic parents, young Tom spent his boyhood eternally on the move, and by the time he was 14, had attended 15 different schools in the US and Canada. He finally settled in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, with his mother and her new husband. While in high school, he developed an interest in acting and abandoned his plans of becoming a priest, and at age 18 headed for New York and a possible acting career. The next 15 years of his life are the stuff of legends. He made his film debut with a small part in Endless Love (1981) and from the outset exhibited an undeniable box office appeal to both male and female audiences. Within 5 years Tom Cruise was starring in some of the top grossing films of the decade including Top Gun (1986); The Color of Money (1986), Rain Man (1988) and Born on the Fourth of July (1989). By the 1990s and 2000s he was one of the highest paid actors in the world earning an average 15 million dollars a picture in such blockbuster hits as Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996), Mission: Impossible II (2000), Mission: Impossible III (2006), Vanilla Sky (2001), Minority Report (2002), The Last Samurai (2003), Collateral (2004), War of the Worlds (2005), and Jerry Maguire (1996) - for which he received an Academy Award Nomination for best actor. In 1990 he renounced his devout Catholic beliefs and embraced The Church Of Scientology claiming that Scientology teachings had cured him of the dyslexia that had plagued him all of his life. A kind and thoughtful man well known for his compassion and generosity, Tom Cruise is one of the best liked members of the movie community. He was married to actress Nicole Kidman until 2001. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV has indeed come a long way from the lonely wanderings of his youth.

Spouse--*Katie Holmes (18 November 2006 - 20 August 2012) (divorced) 1 child

 *Nicole Kidman (24 December 1990 - 8 August 2001) (divorced) 2 (adopted) children

*Mimi Rogers (9 May 1987 - 4 February 1990) (divorced)

Trade mark-:Often plays romantic leading men with an edge

                        Often plays characters caught up in extraordinary circumstances

                        Short stature

                        Winning smile

                        Frequently plays intelligent yet laidback and likeable characters

TRIVIA-; Older cousin of actor William Mapother, Katherine Mapother and Amy Mapother.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#41) (1995).

Ranked #3 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list (October 1997).

Chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world (1997).

Voted Best Dressed Male Movie Star (1997).

Stopped to help a hit and run victim and paid her hospital bills. The victim was aspiring Brazilian actress Heloisa Vinhas (1996).

Caused a stir in the medical community when he claimed, in an interview, that Scientology cured him of his dyslexia (1992).

While he was working with Paul Newman in the The Color of Money (1986), he engaged in much conversation with the politically active actor. The resulting conscious raising changed him from an actor who ignored the jingoistic tone of Top Gun (1986) to a performer who chose a film with a strong anti-war tone, Born on the Fourth of July (1989) to counter his contribution to the former film.

Has three sisters: Marian, Lee Anne De Vette and Cass. Lee Anne became his publicist in 2004 after he left Pat Kingsley and left in 2005 to concentrate on production matters for his production company.

Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world (1991).

Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world (1990).

Graduated from Glen Ridge High School in New Jersey (June 1980).

At age 14, he enrolled in a seminary to become a priest. He dropped out after one year.

He took up acting after losing his place on a high school wrestling team due to a knee injury.

He has two adopted children with Nicole Kidman: Isabella Jane Cruise (born December 22, 1992) Connor Antony Cruise (Connor Cruise) (born January 17, 1995).

Mission: Impossible (1996) gave him a total of $70 million with percentage of gross included.

Enjoys skydiving, scuba diving, and piloting his Pitts Special S-2B stunt plane

Recently restored an older home in the township of Biltmore Forest, a town within the city limits of Asheville, North Carolina (2000).

Chosen "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine (1990).

Received the John Huston Award for Artists Rights in 1998.

Was considered for the lead in The Matrix (1999).

Cruise earned roughly $75 million for Mission: Impossible II (2000). He did this by turning down any upfront salary, for instead taking a back-end deal that landed him 30% of the film's gross for both his producing and acting duties.

Attended Packanack School in Wayne, New Jersey from first through third grade.

Filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Michael Davis, a man who allegedly offered to sell videotapes of himself having sex with the actor. The lawsuit accuses Davis of making the statements "in order to hurt the plaintiff and gain widespread publicity for himself." (May 2001).

Lived together with Vanilla Sky (2001) co-star Penélope Cruz from 2001 to 2004.

Suffers from dyslexia.

Earned his pilot's license in Toronto, Canada in 1994.

He didn't stay for the remainder of the 2002 Academy Awards after opening them because it was his turn to look after his and ex-wife Nicole Kidman's children. He reportedly left the Kodak Theatre by a back door after opening proceedings and dashed home to watch the rest of the event on TV with his kids Conor and Isabella.

For 1988, he became the first actor to have the distinction of starring in both the year's Oscar winner for Best Picture, Rain Man (1988) and the year's Razzie "winner" for Worst Picture, Cocktail (1988).

Ranked #14 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Had ranked #16 in 2002.

Ranked #4 in Star TV's Top 10 Box Office Stars of the 1990s (2003)

Born to Thomas Mapother III (15 October 1934 - January 1984), an electrical engineer, and his wife Mary Lee Pfeiffer, a special education teacher.

Has two dogs called Basil and Murray and a cat called Harvey.

First actor in history to star in five consecutive films that grossed $100 million in the USA: A Few Good Men (1992), The Firm (1993), Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996), Jerry Maguire (1996).

Briefly attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky and was a paperboy for the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Wore braces on his flashy, million-dollar smile in 2002 to correct a misaligned bite.

Announced that his relationship with Penélope Cruz had ended in January 2004. [March 2004]

Has appeared in films opposite four directors who have also directed his films. Sydney Pollack, who directed The Firm (1993), appeared in Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Paul Thomas Anderson, who directed Magnolia (1999), appeared as an extra in Minority Report (2002). Minority Report (2002) director Steven Spielberg appeared in Vanilla Sky (2001) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). Cameron Crowe, who directed Jerry Maguire (1996) and Vanilla Sky (2001), appeared in Minority Report (2002).

Will not allow his likeness to be used in video games or for action figures.

While filming Days of Thunder (1990) at Daytona International Speedway, he drove one of the Hendricks Motorsports R&D cars around the track. The best time recorded was a lap at 205 MPH.

He was voted the 31st Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

Lives with his sister Cass and her three children in Los Angeles (September 2004).

Spoke at his niece's, Lee Anne De Vette's daughter, graduation from the Delphian School.

Ranked #18 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties

Lost out to actor Peter Barton for the lead role in "The Powers of Matthew Star" (1982).

Renée Zellweger thanked him in her Oscar acceptance speech when she won 'Best Actress in a Supporting Role' for Cold Mountain (2003).

Attended the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City.

Channel 4's 'Ultimate Film' show states that, in terms of UK cinema audience rather than revenue, Cruise's most successful film in the UK was Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).

While a student at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, he studied one of his courses under legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner.

Studied drama at the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse, in conjunction with the Actors Studio, New School University, New York.

Was named the #1 top money-making star at the box office in Quigley Publications annual poll of movie exhibitors a record seven times between 1986 and 2005. Being crowned the top box office champ in 2005 put Cruise one title ahead of Tom Hanks, who has been named #1 at the B.O. six times. Bing Crosby and Burt Reynolds both were named #1 for five consecutive years, and Clint Eastwood also has been #1 five times, but non-consecutively.

He has been named to the Top 10 Poll of Money-Making Stars 18 times, as ranked by Quigley Publications' annual poll of movie exhibitors. With his 18th appearance on the B.O. list, he moved out of a tie for 4th place tie with Paul Newman (17 appearances on the list) into a tie for #3 with Garry Cooper. John Wayne is #1 on the all-time list, with 25 appearances in the Top 10, followed by Clint Eastwood with 21 appearances on the list. Gary Cooper rounds out the top three. Due to his young age and continued popularity, it is conceivable that within 10 years, he will exceed Wayne as the #1 box office champ ever.

Has donated to charities such as The Ashley Flint Fund, The Tsunami Relief Fund, Themoms.biz Diabetes Fund, Hillary Rodham Clinton's Campaign and The Church of Scientology.

Premiere Magazine ranked him as the #3 Greatest Movie Star of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005).

Studied with renowned acting coach Phil Gushee at Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, New York.

His character Lt. Daniel Kaffee in A Few Good Men (1992) was based on real life U.S. Navy JAG Corp Donald Marcari, who now works as an attorney with Marcari, Russotto, and Spencer P.C. in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The name Mapother is pronounced like "MAY bother", only with a P.

Time magazine once described him as a "baby-faced Christopher Reeve".

Ranked #14 on Premiere's 2005 Power 50 List. He is the highest ranked actor on the list.

Engaged to actress Katie Holmes (17 June 2005).

Proposed to Katie Holmes at the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Was the original choice for the role of Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999).

Emilio Estevez served as best man at his wedding to Mimi Rogers.

Celebrated his 43rd birthday atop the holiday box office with War of the Worlds (2005).

His May 2005 appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986) was named the #1 "Celebrity Meltdown Ever" by TV Guide Magazine.

Owns and operates "Montana Miss" a WWII P-51 Mustang.

He and his former girlfriend Penélope Cruz appeared together in Vanilla Sky (2001)

He and ex-wife Nicole Kidman made 3 movies together: Days of Thunder (1990), Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and Far and Away (1992). They met on the set of Days of Thunder (1990)

While attending the London premiere of War of the Worlds (2005), he was squirted in the face with water during a prank interview. His reaction on camera was stern but not livid. The culprit was charged with assault.

He was in two different movies featuring the song "Iko Iko" on its soundtrack - Rain Man (1988) by The Belle Stars and Mission: Impossible II (2000) by Zap Mama.

He is a big fan of British singer Joss Stone.

Has played a soldier in six different movies. Taps (1981), Top Gun (1986), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), A Few Good Men (1992), The Last Samurai (2003) and Valkyrie (2008).

Has worked with an impressive list of master filmmakers: Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Francis Ford Coppola, Oliver Stone, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg.

Is a vegetarian and doesn't drink alcohol.

Tom and Katie Holmes became the parents of Suri Cruise, who was born on April 18, 2006 in Los Angeles. "Suri" weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20 inches.

In the past twenty years since his first hundred million dollar grosser (Top Gun (1986)), only six of his films have failed to reach that status.

Was originally to star in Enemy of the State (1998), but scheduling conflicts with Eyes Wide Shut (1999) forced him to miss out on the film. His part went to Will Smith.

Wears a mask on six different movies. In all of the three "Mission: Impossible" movies and in Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Vanilla Sky (2001) and Minority Report (2002), where the injection that makes his face disfigured can be considered as a futuristic mask.

Topped Forbes magazine's "100 Top Celebrities" list in 2006 ahead of The Rolling Stones and Oprah Winfrey (June 2006).

Ranked #14 on Premiere's 2006 "Power 50" list. Had ranked #14 in 2005 as well. He is the highest-ranked actor on the list.

Stepfather of his children Isabella and Connor is Keith Urban

Is talked about in the song "Though the Wire" by Kanye West.

Was ranked # 1 in Forbes Celebrity 100 Who Made Bank (2006).

On August 22, 2006, Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone announced through the "Wall Street Journal" that Viacom' Paramount subsidiary was terminating its development dealt with Cruise after 14 years. Redstone said the firm terminated its deal with Cruise due to the under-performance of Mission: Impossible III (2006) (which had been expected to gross $100-150 million more than it did), which he attributed to Cruise's "bad behavior". Movie pundits were somewhat surprised by the announcement, as Cruise remains the top B.O. draw in North America and was Paramount's cash cow. Cruise's films reportedly have accounted for 32% of Paramount Pictures' revenues in the last six years, and he was named the Top Box Office draw for a record 7th time by Quigley Publications for the year 2005. As part of its machinations before severing its connections with Cruise, Paramount leaked to the press the information that the deal was worth $10 million annually; however, the development deal actually was for $3 million per annum. At the time of the announcement, Cruise and his advisers were considering Paramount's new offer of $2 million per year in development money when Redstone dropped his bombshell. The news gave rise to speculation that Paramount has run out of cash as it reportedly has told other development partners with which it has deals to use their own cash for the rest of the year, with the proviso they will be reimbursed come 2007.

In September of 2006, he visited actress Brooke Shields at her home and personally apologized to her for criticizing her in 2005 about her use of prescription medication to overcome her post partum depression. Touched by the gesture, Brooke accepted his apology.

He once shared a record with Tom Hanks as the actor to star in the most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies (7). Both were surpassed by Will Smith who reached eight in 2008.

Resurrected United Artists together with MGM executives to produce and star in some of the company's projects (November 2006).

The years of birth of his wives are 11 years apart: Mimi Rogers was born in 1956, Nicole Kidman in 1967 and Katie Holmes in 1978.

Although they officialized their marriage in Los Angeles prior, he and Katie Holmes celebrated their wedding in the Odescalchi castle in Bracciano, Italy. The ceremony was performed by a Scientology minister in front of more than 150 relatives and friends including Hollywood superstars such as Jim Carrey, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Russell Crowe, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Richard Gere, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Kirstie Alley. Italian pop opera purveyor Andrea Bocelli serenaded the newlyweds (18 November 2006).

He and Katie Holmes both wore Armani at their wedding.

He and Katie Holmes honeymooned in the Maldives.

Best Man at his wedding to Katie Holmes was his best friend David Miscavige.

Once lived in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada & attended the same high school as Bryan Adams.

Donated to Hillary Rodham Clinton's electoral campaign for the U.S. Senate together with his then wife Nicole Kidman (2000).

Considered for the role, in Crimson Tide (1995), that went to Denzel Washington.

Mentioned in the song 'High School Never Ends' by 'Bowling For Soup'.

Was offered for the lead of Reign Over Me (2007).

According to Forbes, for each dollar he got paid, Cruise's movies averaged $11 of gross income (December 2007).

Attended St. Raphael The Archangel Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Although the shooting of Valkyrie (2008) caused controversy in Germany due to his Scientology membership, he was awarded at the Bambi Awards for "Courage", a category, newly created by the organizers to honor him for "tackling a story that had never been covered by Hollywood before". The decision was also heavily criticized by journalists and politicians (2 December 2007).

The Japan Memorial Day Association declared 10 October 2006 "Tom Cruise Day".

Due to his friendship to David Beckham, he became a supporter of Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

When attending a Franciscan seminary in Cincinatti, he aspired to become a priest.

Has German, Welsh, and English ancestry from his father's as well as German and Irish ancestry from his mother's family.

Was introduced to Scientology by his ex-wife Mimi Rogers.

In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated his earnings for the year to be $31 million.

Mentioned in song "Faudrait leur dire" by French rap band "3eme oeil".

Listed at Number 7 on "The Top 10 Box Office Moneymakers of 2007".

Is the only actor to ever work with all of the following directors; Oliver Stone in Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Martin Scorsese in The Color of Money (1986), Stanley Kubrick in Eyes Wide Shut (1999), and Steven Spielberg in Minority Report (2002).

Huge fan of professional wrestling.

Has married two actresses who played Batman's love interest. Nicole Kidman from Batman Forever (1995) and Katie Holmes from Batman Begins (2005).

Is reportedly a huge fan of "The Simpsons" (1989). However, he has twice turned down guest roles; once for the part of "Tom", which was written specifically for him, in the episode "Brother From The Same Planet" (eventually voiced by regular Phil Hartman) and the other alongside his then-wife Nicole Kidman in the episode "When You Dish Upon A Star" (eventually voiced by then-couple Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger).

Considered for the role, in End of Days (1999), that went to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Was going to play as Tom Warshaw in House of D (2004) and opted to do War of the Worlds (2005) instead.

In 1974, when Cruise was 11, his parents divorced.

He is of German, English and Welsh descent.

Has "attended" Harvard Law School in 2 movies: A Few Good Men (1992) and The Firm (1993).

Was considered for the role of Frank Roberts in The Indian Runner (1991).

Went to an audition for the part of Howard Keach in Harry & Son (1984). He didn't get the part, but the director, Paul Newman remembered him, and decided that he wanted Cruise for The Color of Money (1986).

His acting idol is Paul Newman. Much to the delight of Cruise, they became good friends during work on The Color of Money (1986). Newman got him into racing, and Cruise ultimately raced on his team.

He became good friends with Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton during the making of Taps (1981).

Nine actors so far have got an Oscar nomination for their role in a movie co-starring Tom Cruise. Paul Newman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, Holly Hunter, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ken Watanabe, Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr..

From late January to early February 2009, he along with wife, 'Katie Holmes' and daughter, Suri, spent several days in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil staying at the famous Copacabana Palace Hotel. They were in town for a vacation (which included a helicopter tour over Rio) as well as to promote his film Valkyrie (2008).

Visited Moscow, Russia for the first time. He told the press that since he was a boy he had always dreamed of visiting the city. He stayed at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton which offered sweeping views of the Red Square, Bolshoi Theatre and the History Museum. [January 25, 2009]

Still owns a P-51D Mustang, but changed the nose art from "Montana Miss" to "Kiss Me Kate". Airplane is very rarely spotted out of hanger.

In both Rain Man (1988) and The Firm (1993), he portrays a man with an older brother named Raymond, who he helps free from a confined environment.

Hired Amanda Lundberg as his new publicist, replacing the PR firm Rogers & Cowan [January 28, 2010].

Lives in Beverly Hills, California and Telluride, Colorado.

When he visited Cape Town, Tom stayed at Geriva Mansions, the home of actress Ceridwen Morris.

Even though the "Mission: Impossible" series is his signature action series, he never actually fires a gun in the original film.

Attended Princess Diana's funeral with, his then-wife, Nicole Kidman.

It was announced on June 29, 2012 that, after five years of marriage, Cruise and his wife, Katie Holmes, are divorcing for personal and private reasons.

Versions of the song "Iko Iko" were played at the beginning of two of Cruise's films: "Rain Man (1988)" and "Mission:Impossible II (2000).".

His attorney is Bert Fields.

Personal Quotes

The thing about filmmaking is I give it everything, that's why I work so hard. I always tell young actors to take charge. It's not that hard. Sign your own checks, be responsible.

[to Jay Leno regarding his topless Vanity Fair cover shoot] I don't drink but I had a beer that night and they only did one setup like that. I'm a cheap date. What can I say?

[about Eyes Wide Shut (1999)] We knew from the beginning the level of commitment needed. We felt honored to work with Stanley Kubrick. We were going to do what it took to do this picture, whatever time, because I felt - and Nic [Nicole Kidman] did, too - that this was going to be a really special time for us. We knew it would be difficult. But I would have absolutely kicked myself if I hadn't done this.

I have cooked turkeys in my day but when Mom's around I let her do it.

I was 18 when I saw Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954). After about 30 seconds, I realized that this was not just a cultural thing, it was universal. Years later, I read Bushido. It talked about many things that I strive for in my own life: loyalty, compassion, responsibility, the idea of looking back on your life and taking responsibility for everything you've ever done. I'm fascinated by the samurai and the samurai code - it's one of the main reasons I wanted to make The Last Samurai (2003).

Awards are wonderful. I've been nominated many times and I've won many awards. But my journey is not towards that. If it happens it will be a blast. If it doesn't, it's still been a blast.

I believe in life. I know that life comes in at your heart and it doesn't matter if you're an actor, a filmmaker or a gentleman on the street, it comes at you. What Scientology gives me is the tools to deal with that, to better enjoy my life and to be able to contribute more.

[on his role as the hit man in Collateral (2004)] I've never played a character like this before. Vincent interested me because he is such an anti-social personality, bringing destruction and chaos with him wherever he goes. He's a force of nature.

I remember getting through high school and thinking, "Boy, I'm glad I got that behind me!" Then, when I was 19, I got Risky Business (1983), and I realized, "Ah, so this is life - it's a little bigger than I thought!"

As a young actor, people were trying to define who I was before I really knew that for myself. But I still remember thinking, "This is what I love doing, and I hope I'm going to be able to do it forever."

I've had a very interesting life. There are ways of handling the complexities. I'm willing to take on responsibilities as a father, as a producer, as an actor - and I enjoy that. I've always been changing and evolving and growing. There's no pinnacle of power where you can sit back and rest.

Because I grew up in so many different places, I was used to rumors [about me]. You know, I didn't have the right shoes, I didn't have the right clothes. I even had the wrong accent.

Nic [Nicole Kidman] and I don't talk publicly about custody but, definitely, both of us share the kids back and forth. They're amazing kids.

I would live with all of my sisters if I could. We've always been very close, my sisters and me.

The important thing with a child is that you love them, you protect them and you help them to grow and find out who they are. And as a parent, it's my responsibility to help them to become independent and get all the knowledge and a broad view of the world and life. I know that Nic [Nicole Kidman] absolutely agrees with that. And that's what's important: being there.

I'd like to be with a woman who goes [he switches into a woman's voice], "I've reviewed your schedule, and I'm going to set up this motorcycle trip for you, because you've been working really hard. And I'm going to go with you. We're going to go riding together. And I've already been working on it for a couple days so it can be special."

I don't really keep counsel with others. I'm the kind of person who will think about something, and if I know it's right I'm not going to ask anybody. I don't go, "Boy, what do you think about this?" I've made every decision for myself - in my career, in my life.

SAT (exam) scores have gone right down the toilet. The parents are blaming the teachers, the teachers are blaming the parents and the psychs are putting everyone on drugs.

[on the relationship with Katie Holmes, about other people thinking it's a publicity stunt] It's amusing at first. It's funny. But then you sit back and realize how sad it is that there are people who can't even imagine feeling like this. But my friends are happy for me. The people who know me are happy. My mom is happy. My family is happy.

I've never agreed with psychiatry, ever. Before I was a Scientologist, I never agreed with psychiatry. Here's the problem. You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do.

I'm passionate about learning. I'm passionate about life.

[on the invasion of Iraq] Personally, I don't have all the information President [George W. Bush] has. But I believe [Saddam Hussein] has committed many crimes against humanity and his own people.

Every single time I start to do a picture, without fail, I feel as if I don't know what I'm doing.

(On his father) He was a bully and a coward. He was the kind of person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you. It was a great lesson in my life - how he'd lull you in, make you feel safe and then, bang! For me, it was like, 'There's something wrong with this guy. Don't trust him. Be careful around him.' There's that anxiety.

[on Born on the Fourth of July (1989)] When I made that film people said, 'This is going to ruin your career. Why are you doing this after you did Top Gun. Why not just do Top Gun 2?'. I wanted to challenge myself.

(1992 quote) I'm very careful in choosing things. I'm not one of those people that's in, that's out. Once I make a decision, nothing will stop it. It's not something that takes me months to make a decision either, but I evaluate it very carefully, specifically, at the time, taking into account a lot of things.

(1992 quote) I really enjoy talking to other actors and directors. Sometimes, if I see their movies, I'll call them up or write them a note saying, "I enjoyed it," or asking, "How did you do that? How did you make that work?" I just saw Billy Crystal's movie Mr. Saturday Night a couple of weeks ago-he did a phenomenal job directing this-and afterwards, I talked to him for a couple of hours. It's true, I can be very shy around famous people. I remember, Sean Penn and Emilio Estevez and I used to drive by Brando's house and Nicholson's house. We'd see a light go on inside and go, "There he is-let's go knock on the door," then go, "Nah, nah, they'll never let us in."

(1992 quote on fame) In the beginning, when people were looking at me, it could be unnerving. People just start looking at you, staring at you. I used to get nervous. Sometimes I still get a little nervous when, all of a sudden, so much attention is directed at me just like - [snaps his fingers]

(1992, on career choices) My choices are sometimes dictated by many considerations. I'm interested in making different kinds of movies. My path is very simple: I want to challenge myself, find something that lifts me up and makes me want to get out there and work out. Sometimes, you might look at something I've done and go, "Degree of difficulty: not so great." But, every time, man, it's a new ring with a hell of a lot of work to be accomplished in it.

(1992, on A Few Good Men (1992) and working with Rob Reiner) I finished Far and Away (1992) and started immediately on it. So, the first time I met Rob Reiner - I'd been told, "You know, Tom, he's a pretty aggressive guy". He's a big guy. Big hands. Very bright, articulate. When he talks his points, he gets very loud because he gets very excited. He's just so fucking smart. He's very intense, but he's also like a teddy bear you want to hug. We read the script together - I'd already planned on doing it, but we were working on things like structure - and he would read it imagining the nine different characters. And he started imitating Jack Nicholson. That's how he found out that Jack Nicholson should play the role. The character I play, Kaffee, is a very tough, complex role to play. You're either going to hit or miss with this guy. All of the scenes, all the rhythms, come from character and even though Rob worked so hard on it himself, he trusts the actors to breathe life into their roles. You'll look over at him on the set and he's saying the lines along with the actors. You become really bonded with this guy because there's nothing more he wants for you than to be great. And you feel that.

[on his character Jack Reacher in Jack Reacher (2012)] Reacher is such a great character. He doesn't have a cell phone, he doesn't have email. He's off the grid. He pays for things in cash. People look at things through the prism of the colours of their life, but Jack Reacher does things the way we want to sometimes. In that sense he's sort of a Dirty Harry, a James Bond, a Josey Wales.

I'm not the Stanislavsky kind of actor. I just want to communicate with the people in the scene.

[on Rock of Ages (2012)] Adam Shankman, the director, asked me if I could carry a tune. I said, "We'll see, won't we? This is either going to work or it's going to be dreadful."

What do I want? I want a world without war. I want a world without insanity. I want to see people do well. And I don't even think that it's as much of what I want for myself. It's more what I want for the people around me.

(2012) I have a standard of what winning is. How do you define winning and losing? If I get beaten in a basketball game, I don't care. How a movie does is based on so many things, including release dates and marketing. I understand the box office game. I was there in the beginning when they started fixating on the number one film and the competition in that. I really came up with promoting films around the world, and studios fought me, but I mainly did it because I wanted myself and my kids to see the world. But here's the game I'm playing. I want to make great films that entertain an audience and hold up. I can control only the effort I put into it and the experience we all have making it. After that, it is what it is.

(2012) Whether it's making a film or raising my children, personally I'm striving to do the right things and to learn. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person, and when I become interested in something, I give it my all. In life, I always wanted adventures and to learn different fields of endeavor. The great thing about being an actor is I've gotten to see what a fighter pilot's life is like and a race car driver's. I've gotten to fly airplanes, race cars, learn about motorcycles. In Rock of Ages I studied music, learned how to sing and see it from a singer's vantage point. I carry those interests and lessons through my own life. I guess I am always striving to be competent.

(2012, on his favorite 'toy') Each one has its different level of freedom. A fast motorcycle is wonderful, but I'd have to say it would be the P-51 Warbird. I have a 1944 Tuskegee Airmen P-51 that was part of their training squadron. When I traveled around as a kid, I had a picture of a Spitfire and a picture of a P-51. P means "pursuit," and you can fly hard through the canyons. It's a beautiful airplane, unlike anything else.

(2012, on learning to fly) I always wanted to fly, and that was one of the reasons I did Top Gun (1986). I just never had the time to learn. Then I met Sydney Pollack. I was 19 or 20. He was editing Tootsie (1982), and I'd just finished Risky Business (1983). I got a meeting with Sydney that was supposed to be 20 minutes and ended up being over two hours. Outside of my admiration for him as a filmmaker, we talked about a big mutual interest that we had in aviation because I knew he flew. Sydney became a lifelong friend, and when we finished The Firm (1993) together in 1993 or 1994, he gave me flying lessons as a gift. He said, "I know how much you love flying. Take the time, right now, and do it, because otherwise you'll never get to it". I had two kids by then, and I worked all the time. In a few months, I had my instrument rating and, a little while after that, I had my commercial rating. I trained mostly in aerobatics, because I wanted to fly the P-51. I was doing rolls, loops, all kinds of aerobatic maneuvers. My first airplane was called a Pitts, and then I flew a Marchetti. That's a third-world air force trainer they use in the Navy's TOPGUN schools for air-to-air combat. This was all in preparation to fly the Warbird, the P-51. I searched all over the world for my P-51 and found it in 2000. It's called "Kiss Me Kate", which covers two things I love most, my wife and movies.

[on Tony Scott] He was a creative visionary whose mark on film is immeasurable.

[on preparing for Rock of Ages (2012)] I spent months studying the history of rock 'n' roll for my role as Stacee Jaxx and 'Queen' and Freddie Mercury were a big part of that.

Source  -IMDB