Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

3/5

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is standard summer blockbuster fare that, like Sherlock Holmes, came out 5 months too late. The plot follows IMF Agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) on a mission to stop a madman (Nyqvist) from starting a nuclear war. It's a movie trope we're all too familiar with, and the only thing this particular movie brings to the table is lots and lots of exciting action (and little else). It's not so much that there are plot holes, it's more that the filmmakers just didn't care about the plot. Nor did they care about the acting, as Paula Patton is clearly just a pretty face and nothing more.

Ah, but the action. The stunts on the Burj Khalifa are truly breathtaking and the chase through the sandstorm is inventive and thrilling. The climax in the motorized parking garage is truly edge-of-your-seat entertainment. But unfortunately that's about it. If you're the type of person who enjoys this kind of action and doesn't mind the nonsensical, unbelievable plot, then you will clearly enjoy it. If you were excited by the enormous number of positive reviews and thought this movie might be somehow different from every other action movie you've seen before, start rethinking. This is nothing more than a simple action movie, but at least it's a decent one at that.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229238/

The Incredibles (2004)

5/5

When I first saw Brad Bird's The Incredibles, it instantly became my favorite Pixar movie. And seeing it again after 5 years, it remains my favorite Pixar movie. It has everything you could want and more, from humor to tension, from mature themes to childish fun. What struck me the first time I saw this movie was its remarkable breadth of material and motifs. Not since The Rules of the Game had I seen so many topics explored so fully in such a short period of time. The Incredibles brings up the ideas of juggling family life and career life, of being true to yourself when you're not allowed to, of our rampant litigation and torts system, and of doing a needed public service, whether or not it is requested. Being in medical school, it is the last of these many subjects that struck an intimate chord with me this time. What do you do when you take an oath to do good and you find yourself in an opportunity to utilize all the faculties you've harnessed in your training only to have them reject your help?

But what really took my breath away when I saw the movie yesterday was simply how entertaining, engaging, and engrossing it was. On this second viewing, I found myself laughing at different times. I found myself breathlessly waiting for the action sequences' resolutions. I knew everything that was going to happen and it still held me completely in its grasp, as only the best films can do. This movie is far, far more than a movie. It is a brilliant work of art and a foray into human nature, social expectations, and family dysfunction. And it is something that invades your body and warms the cockles of your heart, instantly and tenderly, with levity and empathy. This is not just my favorite Pixar movie, or my favorite cartoon; it is one of my favorite movies of all time.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/

Ratatouille (2007)

4/5

Ratatouille is a delightful family movie with aspects nearly everyone can enjoy. Remy the rat has a gift for cooking because of his sense of smell, but his father wants to use him as a poison detector instead of letting him live his dreams. Linguini is a buffoon hired out of necessity to be the garbage boy of a famous restaurant that recently fell out of favor with food critics. Their paths cross and the adventure begins. The animation is absolutely brilliant; every frame makes you stare in awe. Liquids, fur, and their combination are notoriously difficult to animate and they were stunning in this film. The ingenuity and the innovation were real joys to watch (Remy marionetting Linguini, all the rats cooking in the kitchen, etc.). It was fun to watch and never got old or boring. These are rare traits in a modern movie, and much appreciated.

I found the characters a bit hollow. Remy was the chef who always made the perfect dish, Linguini was the moron who never got anything right, and Colette consistently and predictably chose the wrong ingredients. All the characters were so set and never surprised you. Also, some of the scenes would increase in climax but never quite reach their peaks. For example, many scenes would end with a fade out or cross dissolve into the next one with no real satisfaction of ending the previous one. The comedy was a bit too rare and the emotions were a bit too common; it tries to be too meaningful and doesn't succeed at being funny enough. The plot is a mite too complicated because it feels as if it's trying to tell two stories instead of one--the rat story and the human story. Overall, very much recommended for anyone who loves Disney Pixar and Brad Bird (of The Incredibles fame).

Also, I loved the short that they showed in the beginning (Lifted) and found it to be my favorite of the ones I've seen.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0382932/