A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

DO YOU THINK I WON'T DO THIS? Memo to movie studios--go watch M:I:iii. That's what we want in a summer blockbuster--a twisty plot that's not just twisty for the sake of being twisty and doesn't feature the villain giving a long expository speech, depending on the audience to work it out, jokes that are funny without being obvious (any film that requires knowledge of who Ralph Ellison is to get a joke is OK by me), authentically stirring action sequences (a break-in in possibly the world's only place more secure than the CIA or the casinos heisted in Ocean's 11 is a particular high point), characters who actually have motivations for doing what they do beyond "money" or "it's the right thing to do!," actual performances (after seeing Capote, you wouldn't think of Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a badass, but he is), a political message that's present, but not heavy handed, and a couple of Abrams regulars turning in nice work (you wonder what Alias starring Keri Russell would have been like, and Greg Grunberg has a very funny cameo). My only regret is that we don't get more with several members of the supporting cast, all of whom are excellent. Also, Lost-ies, make sure to stay to the very end, as there's a potentially significant "Special Thanks To..." at the very end of the film.