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‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ Trailer Premieres

First sneak peek at Tom Cruise’s fourth ‘Mission’ teases death-defying stunts. By Kara Warner Paula Patton and Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” Photo: Paramount Pictures If there is one thing we can count on from Tom Cruise in a “Mission: Impossible” movie, it is mind-blowing action and stunt sequences. From his first foray into the spy-tastic world of Ethan Hunt to his fourth, the upcoming “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” Cruise has been one-upping himself in the stunt category. And judging from the first official trailer, which was released Tuesday evening (June 28), his work on the fourth “Mission,” directed by “The Incredibles” helmer Brad Bird, is no exception. The trailer opens with the ominous words of Tom Wilkinson, whose character name we have yet to learn, essentially laying out the nuts and bolts of the plot. “An hour ago, a bomb blew up the Kremlin,” he says, as footage of the Kremlin blowing up appear onscreen. “The president has initiated Ghost Protocol, the entire IMF has been disavowed,” he explains of Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) spy organization. “Now, I’ve been ordered to take you to Washington where they will hang the Kremlin bombing on you and your team, unless you were to escape after assaulting Brandt and me,” says Wilkinson, shown seated in a car with Brandt (played by Jeremy Renner) and Hunt. “But if any of your team is caught, they’ll be branded as terrorists.” “So what happens now?” Hunt asks. “Your mission, should you choose to accept it,” Wilkinson begins, recalling the series’ famous line before being cut off so he won’t spoil the plot entirely (although, if were to guess, the mission is probably to prove his team’s innocence in the Kremlin bombing). His words are followed by a series of quick cuts that showcase and introduce the various castmembers, potential villains, etc. Renner as Brandt, Paula Patton, a serious-looking Josh Holloway, Cruise as Hunt in a series of wardrobe changes ranging from dapper formal wear to more rugged leather. Then we see snippets of those famous Cruise-brand action sequences: car chases, underwater escapes, machine-gun fire, hand-to-hand combat, lots of running, more fighting and martial arts, more running, and plenty of spy-associated breaking and entering, which all leads up to a potential character reveal about Brandt. “Who are you really, Brandt?” Hunt asks, in a scene where the two characters apparently come to blows. “We all have our secrets,” Brandt responds. “Don’t we, Ethan?” Cue the famous bars of Lalo Schrifin’s “Theme From Mission: Impossible,” which plays over Hunt looking out over Dubai, standing on the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. This is followed by a quick cut to a previous scene wherein tech master Benji Dunn (played by Simon Pegg) shows Hunt how to use a pair of fancy gadget gloves, which we soon see help him scale the Burj. “You’re not going to make it!” Brandt yells to Hunt, who is climbing and jumping up and around the side of the building. “You’re not helping,” Hunt says, before the final shot, which shows the superspy repelling away from the Burj with a rope, which he loses midair and looks to plummet to the ground. Fade to black and the film’s official titling. Cruise’s wife, Katie Holmes , told MTV News recently that she was privy to a sneak peek of the film and that it’s “amazing.” “The movie is going to be very cool and intense and the best ‘Mission’ yet.” First-time live-action director Bird echoed Holmes’ sentiments , adding that Cruise did a lot of the craziest and most dangerous stunts himself. “It’s big and it is crazy,” he said. “I think the craziest thing is that [the stunts] are real they’re not digital. That’s Tom Cruise on the tallest building in the world, he’s doing all that stuff,” Bird said of Cruise’s death-defying stunts. “People won’t believe it, but we shot it in IMAX so it’s there for everyone to see.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ Trailer Premieres

Dubai: World’s tallest tower closed to public a month after opening

The world's tallest skyscraper has unexpectedly closed to the public a month after its lavish opening, disappointing tourists headed for the observation deck and casting doubt over plans to welcome its first permanent occupants in the coming weeks. Electrical problems are at least partly to blame for the closure of the Burj Khalifa's viewing platform – the only part of the half-mile high tower open yet. But a lack of information from the spire's owner left it unclear whether the rest of the largely empty building – including dozens of elevators meant to whisk visitors to the tower's more than 160 floors – was affected by the shutdown. The indefinite closure, which began Sunday, comes as Dubai struggles to revive its international image as a cutting-edge Arab metropolis amid nagging questions about its financial health. The Persian Gulf city-state had hoped the 2,717-foot (828-meter) Burj Khalifa would be a major tourist draw. Dubai has promoted itself by wowing visitors with over-the-top attractions such as the Burj, which juts like a silvery needle out of the desert and can be seen from miles around. In recent weeks, thousands of tourists have lined up for the chance to buy tickets for viewing times often days in advance that cost more than $27 apiece. Now many of those would-be visitors, such as Wayne Boyes, a tourist from near Manchester, England, must get back in line for refunds. “It's just very disappointing,” said Boyes, 40, who showed up at the Burj's entrance Monday with a ticket for an afternoon time slot only to be told the viewing platform was closed. “The tower was one of my main reasons for coming here,” he said. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's temporary shutdown remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on “unexpected high traffic,” but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. “Technical issues with the power supply are being worked on by the main and subcontractors and the public will be informed upon completion,” the company said, adding that it is “committed to the highest quality standards at Burj Khalifa.” Despite repeated requests, a spokeswoman for Emaar was unable to provide further details or rule out the possibility of foul play. Greg Sang, Emaar's director of projects and the man charged with coordinating the tower's construction, could not be reached. Construction workers at the base of the tower said they were unaware of any problems. Power was reaching some parts of the building. Strobe lights warning aircraft flashed and a handful of floors were illuminated after nightfall. Emaar did not say when the observation deck would reopen. Ticket sales agents were accepting bookings starting on Valentine's Day this Sunday, though one reached by The Associated Press could not confirm the building would reopen then. Tourists affected by the closure are being offered the chance to rebook or receive refunds. The shutdown comes at a sensitive time for Dubai. The city-state is facing a slump in tourism – which accounts for nearly a fifth of the local economy – while fending off negative publicity caused by more than $80 billion in debt it is struggling to repay. Click link to continue: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_DUBAI_TALLEST_BUILDING?SITE=AP&SEC… added by: xiola

Dubai: World’s tallest tower closed a month after opening

The world's tallest skyscraper has unexpectedly closed to the public a month after its lavish opening, disappointing tourists headed for the observation deck and casting doubt over plans to welcome its first permanent occupants in the coming weeks. Electrical problems are at least partly to blame for the closure of the Burj Khalifa's viewing platform – the only part of the half-mile high tower open yet. But a lack of information from the spire's owner left it unclear whether the rest of the largely empty building – including dozens of elevators meant to whisk visitors to the tower's more than 160 floors – was affected by the shutdown. The indefinite closure, which began Sunday, comes as Dubai struggles to revive its international image as a cutting-edge Arab metropolis amid nagging questions about its financial health. The Persian Gulf city-state had hoped the 2,717-foot (828-meter) Burj Khalifa would be a major tourist draw. Dubai has promoted itself by wowing visitors with over-the-top attractions such as the Burj, which juts like a silvery needle out of the desert and can be seen from miles around. In recent weeks, thousands of tourists have lined up for the chance to buy tickets for viewing times often days in advance that cost more than $27 apiece. Now many of those would-be visitors, such as Wayne Boyes, a tourist from near Manchester, England, must get back in line for refunds. “It's just very disappointing,” said Boyes, 40, who showed up at the Burj's entrance Monday with a ticket for an afternoon time slot only to be told the viewing platform was closed. “The tower was one of my main reasons for coming here,” he said. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's temporary shutdown remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on “unexpected high traffic,” but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. “Technical issues with the power supply are being worked on by the main and subcontractors and the public will be informed upon completion,” the company said, adding that it is “committed to the highest quality standards at Burj Khalifa.” Despite repeated requests, a spokeswoman for Emaar was unable to provide further details or rule out the possibility of foul play. Greg Sang, Emaar's director of projects and the man charged with coordinating the tower's construction, could not be reached. Construction workers at the base of the tower said they were unaware of any problems. Power was reaching some parts of the building. Strobe lights warning aircraft flashed and a handful of floors were illuminated after nightfall. Emaar did not say when the observation deck would reopen. Ticket sales agents were accepting bookings starting on Valentine's Day this Sunday, though one reached by The Associated Press could not confirm the building would reopen then. Tourists affected by the closure are being offered the chance to rebook or receive refunds. The shutdown comes at a sensitive time for Dubai. The city-state is facing a slump in tourism – which accounts for nearly a fifth of the local economy – while fending off negative publicity caused by more than $80 billion in debt it is struggling to repay. Click link to continue: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_DUBAI_TALLEST_BUILDING?SITE=AP&SEC… added by: xiola