TNP fans complete Mission: Impossible movie marathon
TNP readers enjoy thrilling Mission: Impossible movie marathon
Ever since the action movie Top Gun came out in 1986, technical specialist Calvin Tay has been a huge Tom Cruise fan.
So when he heard about The New Paper's recent online contest to win tickets to a movie marathon of three Mission: Impossible movies - Ghost Protocol (2011), Rogue Nation (2015) and Fallout, the sixth and latest instalment of the franchise - starring his favourite actor, he leapt at the chance.
The event was organised as part of The New Paper's 30th anniversary celebrations.
Fifty winners won a pair of tickets to the special screening held last Saturday at Cathay - Parkway Parade.
The marathon began at 10.30am and ended at 6.30pm.
Mr Tay, 51, told The New Paper: "He is my idol, he never seems to age and is a very solid action star who portrays a good image.
"I've watched all the (Mission: Impossible) movies before and I have seen Ghost Protocol (the fourth film in the franchise) three or four times, but it was still worth watching again, especially all together... which made it feel like one full story."
Mr Tay has been reading TNP since its launch in 1988, following the newspaper through its changes over the years - from being a daily tabloid sold in the afternoon to its current incarnation as a newspaper distributed free on weekday mornings - for almost as long as he has followed Cruise's career and films.
He said: "I've been reading The New Paper from age 20, and as long as I pass by the MRT station, I will pick up a copy.
"It was very good of the paper to organise this (marathon). I'm glad I got to watch the films and bring my brother along as well."
Friends Jaden Azander, 43, and Mohammad Fauzi, 38, also attended and sat through the marathon.
Despite the eight-hour duration, the action had them on the edge of their seats.
Mr Fauzi, a teacher, told TNP: "I was still gripping the arm rests during the third movie (Fallout)."
Mr Azander, an entertainer who has been reading TNP since he was in secondary school, found out about the marathon when he saw the advertisement for the contest while flipping through the newspapers.
When Mr Fauzi discovered via Instagram that Mr Azander had won a pair of tickets, he quickly sent him a message in order to get in on the prize.
Both men found the marathon to be a rewarding experience.
Mr Azander said: "Since Rouge Nation and Fallout are linked, sharing the same villain and everything, watching them (back to back) allowed us to see the intricate links between the stories."
Mr Fauzi added: "It was my first movie marathon, and it was a good experience. Everything was well-organised and I was very happy that there was food provided between the second and third movies."
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