lifestyle SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015 Features Country legend Lynn ‘Rogue Nation’: 5 reasons it’s Anderson dead at 67 ynn Anderson, whose strong, husky voice carried her to the top of the charts with “(I Never Promised You a) Rose LGarden,” has died. She was 67. A statement from the fam- the best ‘Mission: Impossible’ ily said she passed away at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday. Her publicist said the cause of death was cardiac arrest. Anderson first soaked up the national spotlight as a young singer on “The Lawrence Welk Show” between 1967 and 1969. Although she was signed to an independent label, the expo- sure helped her nab a deal with Columbia Records in Nashville. “He was absolutely wholesome,” she said of Welk in a 1987 interview with The Associated Press. “He felt country music was coming into its own and deserved to be on nation- al TV. At that time, I was the only one singing country music on national TV every week. He’s one of my heroes and always will be.” And it was “Rose Garden” that sealed her country music legacy, earning her a Grammy and Country Music Association’s female vocalist of the year award in 1971. “It was popular because it touched on emotions,” she told the AP. “It was perfectly timed. It was out just as we came out of the Vietnam years and a lot of people were trying to recover. “This song stated that you can make something out of nothing. You take it and go ahead. It fit me well and I’ll be proud to be con- nected to it until I die.” TV star She made television appearances with such stars as Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, John Wayne and Tom Jones and she per- formed for presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan. She was also in episodes of the TV show “Starsky and Hutch” and in the 1982 TV movie “Country Gold.” Anderson’s other hits included, “Rocky Top,” “You’re My Man,” “How Can I Unlove You,” “What a Man, My Man Is” and “Top of the World” (also recorded by the In this image released by Paramount Pictures, Tom Cruise appears in a scene from “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.” — AP photos Carpenters). She returned briefly to the country Top 10 with a Gary Morris duet in 1983, “You’re Welcome to Tonight.” Country star ust when Tom Cruise had been written off as “Mission Impossible 3,” which interwove the heart- all the praise for last summer’s “The Edge of Reba McEntire lauded her accomplishments Thursday. “She an action star, he makes a triumphant come- pumping twists of “Alias” (season one) into a the- Tomorrow,” one of the central flaws of the film was did so much for the females in country music,” McEntire said in Jback-at age 53 — with “Mission: Impossible- atrical recipe that could give Daniel Craig as 007 a the lack any romantic spark between Cruise and a statement. “Always continuing to pave the road for those to Rogue Nation.” The summer’s most entertaining run for his money. Emily Blunt. Even though Ferguson is only 31, the follow.” Dolly Parton also said she’d be missed. popcorn movie not only eclipses “Avengers: Age of This new “Mission: Impossible,” directed by age difference between her and Cruise isn”t notice- “Lynn is blooming on God’s Rose Garden now. We will miss Ultron,” “Jurassic World” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” Christopher McQuarrie under Abrams’ Bad Robot able or distracting, because she comes across as his her and remember her fondly,” Parton said in a statement. She with its action sequences, it also brings to mind Productions, ups the stakes at every level. Cruise equal. was born Sept 26, 1947, in Grand Forks, North Dakota, but Cruise’s prime days (“Top Gun,” “Jerry Maguire,” etc) not only dangles from an airplane in the opening raised in Sacramento, California. The daughter of country on the Hollywood A-list. Here are five reasons sequence, he withstands multiple beatings from a The leading lady carries half the movie songwriters Casey and Liz Anderson, she started performing “Mission: Impossible 5” is the strongest film in villain known as the Bone Doctor (Jens Huten), Ferguson doesn’t just elevate Cruise, she also at the age of 6. Paramount’s 19-year-old spy franchise. goes for a terrifying dip in an underground water carries half the film, playing a spy who may or may Anderson was an award-winning equestrian as a teenager, chamber, stops an assassination attempt at the not be on his side. She keeps up with every punch voted California Horse Show Queen in 1966. In her later years Vienna opera, leads a car chase in Casablanca and he throws or weapon he fires. Like Rosamund Pike she lived in Taos, New Mexico, where she faced a number of commands a motorcycle ride through the winding in “Jack Reacher,” “Mission: Impossible 5” will be legal problems. A Taos judge issued a restraining order in 1995 roads of Morocco. If the Oscars gave a trophy for remembered as a breakout vehicle for its heroine. against Anderson after her boyfriend said she had threatened stunts, “M:I 5” would win it. In another summer of action tentpoles that treat him following the end of their 12-year relationship.—AP female characters as afterthoughts (see: “Avengers” The script lands on both feet or “Ant Man”), “M:I 5” gives us a female lead who In the past, story has never been a strong point shares equal screen time. of the “Mission: Impossible” movies, this isn’t a spy adventure that require CliffsNotes to follow along. A throwback to how summer In this installment, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is battling a tentpoles should be. secret agency known as the Syndicate, run by Most action movies now are so serious, a Solomon Lane (Sean Harris, enjoying every byproduct of the Marvel universe, where super- moment of playing the villain). Hunt is aided again, heroes sulk in their own darkness. And when of course, by his crew at IMF, which includes Simon “Jurassic World” tried to be a fun, it just came across Pegg (the perfect comedic foil), Jeremy Renner and as silly with its high-heel-wearing heroine played Ving Rhames. McQuarrie, who also wrote the script, by Bryce Dallas Howard. But “Mission: Impossible 5” wisely keeps the narrative focused on the battle finds the right tone for a summer blockbuster. Its between good and evil, not letting any extraneous 131 minutes of escapist entertainment prove that plot twists trip up his action. not all sequels must be pale imitations of what comes before. This is the rare Hollywood franchise Cruise gets his sexy back that only gets better with age. — Reuters In this image released Ever since he jumped on Oprah’s couch in 2005, by Paramount Pictures, Cruise has struggled to maintain his heartthrob Rebecca Ferguson and Bigger, sleeker than Bond persona. Thankfully, “Mission Impossible 5” finds Tom Cruise appear in a It’s sleeker than any James Bond movie you can him a leading lady-Swedish actress Rebecca scene from “Mission: remember. The first “Mission: Impossible,” which Ferguson (of TV’s “The White Queen”) — who man- Impossible - Rogue opened nearly two decades ago in 1996, was a ages to re-awaken Cruise’s sex appeal. The two standard big screen reboot of a TV show. But the have the best chemistry for a Cruise movie since he Nation.” In this Nov 10, 2010 file photo, Lynn Anderson attends the franchise received a jolt in 2006 with JJ Abrams’ romanced Renee Zellweger in “Jerry Maguire.” For 44th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville. — AP Filmmakers respond to criticism SNL stars reunite, new Wu series of Lego ‘Brickumentary’ he filmmakers behind a documentary on the toy power- “I don’t think anyone would have seen the omnipresence of and Maisie calls the doctor house Lego say critics who see the film as a 92-minute Legos we see now,” said Junge, who won an Academy Award in ere’s a roundup of news Friday from the Television Tcommercial for the tiny building blocks are missing the 2011 for the short documentary, “Saving Face.” The film includes Critics Association summer meeting, at which TV net- point. “A Lego Brickumentary” opened Friday in limited theatrical recording artist Ed Sheeran, basketball player Dwight Howard works and streaming services are presenting details on release to mixed reviews, with some reviewers complaining the and South Park creator Trey Parker describing their love for the H upcoming programs. film took an uncritical eye to the toy that captivates children and toy. Jason Bateman narrates the feature length documentary as adults alike. an animated Lego mini-figure. Rock on “If there is anyone out there that’s looking for a hardcore con- The majority of the film, however, explores the bricks’ huge The shaggy-haired rocker who set up his amplifier in the troversial film they are looking at this film through the wrong adult fan base, known as “Adult Fans of Lego,” or AFOLs. Junge posh hotel lobby looked a lot like Fred Armisen. And wasn’t lens,” Kief Davidson, the film’s co-director, said in an interview was approached to create the film about Brickworld, an annual that Seth Meyers snapping his picture? It was indeed a Friday. His co-director, Daniel Junge, said the film was guided by convention of Lego enthusiasts who show off elaborate cre- bewigged Armisen getting in a few guitar licks and Meyers a genuine affection for the bricks, not any input from the Dutch ations and learn new building techniques.