A WRINKLE IN TIME Review

This one is a hard nut to crack. Both for this reviewer and the filmmakers as Madeline L'Engle's 1962 novel that serves as the source material for this latest Disney live-action adaptation has been said to be unfilmmable. A Wrinkle in Time was always going to be different though, in that this wasn't a Disney live-action re-make in the vein of one of their treasured animated films from their golden age or renaissance period, but rather the Mouse House had enlisted Selma and 13th director Ava DuVernay to bring this much beloved material to the screen. On the other end of this review is myself who somehow made it through grade school without finding L'Engle's novel despite being an avid reader and fan of all things science-fiction/fantasy. A Wrinkle in Time is one of those cases where my intent was to in fact read the book prior to seeing the film, but that intent never led to any kind of fruition and so I walked into DuVernay's adaptation of this seemingly complex yet still kid-friendly source material last night with little to no expectation as to where the story might take me. What I did know was that the trailers hinted at some pretty spectacular imagery as well as some intriguing ideas that would be interesting to see worked out through a narrative. First things first though, A Wrinkle in Time misses a huge opportunity to inject a rather epic title card (which, if you've read my reviews before, is kind of a thing for me), but more so by the third or fourth scene it's clear there is a stiffness to the events that have unfolded thus far and that there is a certain flow most movies settle into that A Wrinkle in Time isn't finding. It's a weird kind of phenomenon that either happens or doesn't and most of the time, especially with movies such as this AKA big-budget spectacles produced by Disney, there is such a reliability factor that we as viewers automatically settle into the groove and/or movement of the environment the movie invites us into, but this speaks to what is the biggest weakness of DuVernay's adaptation in that it's never sure enough of itself. Where this apprehensiveness comes from in terms of movie language doesn't necessarily seem to come from DuVernay's filmmaking skills as anyone who saw Selma can attest to her talent, but there is a more deep-seated issue at the heart of this big-budget spectacle and I don't know whether it comes from the seeming compression of the original text or the inability to materialize the countless words L'Engle put on the page, but 2018's A Wrinkle in Time is essentially a concept that possesses these larger than life ideas as reduced to their simplest form.

New Trailer for A WRINKLE IN TIME

Walt Disney Pictures has released a new, full-length trailer for Selma director Ava DuVernay's adaptation of the Madeleine L’Engle's much beloved 1962 novel "A Wrinkle in Time". The story follows Meg Murry (Storm Reid), her brilliant brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), and their friend Calvin (Levi Miller) on an unexpected journey into alternate dimensions on a mission to bring their father (Chris Pine) home. The film has certainly assembled a strong cast as Oprah Winfrey (It feels so strange having to type her full name), Mindy Kailing, and Reese Witherspoon are highlighted both in the trailer and new poster (see below) as three chimerical celestial beings who help Meg “wrinkle” time and space. Though somewhat difficult to get a grasp on the meanings and impressive nature of what DuVernay has brought to life here given I have no frame of reference it is after seeing this new trailer that I look even more forward to establishing one. There is almost nothing I love more about the movies than walking into a film that is so boldly a science fiction/fantasy that builds its own world unabashedly as it seems DuVernay has done here. With A Wrinkle in Time it seems DuVernay was given the keys to a kingdom she's always desired to explore and so, to be able to witness this opportunity come to fruition will no doubt be something rather remarkable when the film is released next Spring. Selma was the best film I saw in 2014 (though it technically received a wide 2015 release) and so, without even knowing what type of film DuVernay would be tackling next there was anticipation to see where the filmmaker's career would go and to see it not only go in a direction that is rather unexpected, but also in such a potentially special direction is all the more assuring. Visually, this thing looks wonderful and the cast all look as if they're really tuned in to not only delivering a final product that is a fun experience and beautiful to look at, but meaningful as well. I'm in the bag and officially cannot wait. Definitely one of my most anticipated films for 2018. A Wrinkle in Time also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Mrs. Murry, Zach Galifianakis as The Happy Medium, André Holland as Principal Jenkins, as well as Bellamy Young, Rowan Blanchard, Will McCormack, and will open on March 17th, 2018.

First Trailer for Ava DuVernay's A WRINKLE IN TIME

It looks as if I need to track down a copy and get to reading on Madeleine L’Engle's 1962 novel A Wrinkle in Time as Walt Disney Pictures has released the first trailer for Selma director Ava DuVernay's adaptation of the much beloved classic via their D23 Expo. The story, which follows Meg Murry (Storm Reid), her brilliant brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), and their friend Calvin (Levi Miller) on an unexpected journey into alternate dimensions on a mission to bring home their father (Chris Pine). The film has certainly assembled a strong cast as Oprah Winfrey (It feels so strange having to type her last name), Mindy Kailing, and Reese Witherspoon as the three chimerical celestial beings who help Meg “wrinkle” time and space. Though somewhat difficult to get a grasp on the meanings and impressive nature of what DuVernay has brought to life here given I have no frame of reference it is after seeing this trailer that I look forward to establishing one. There is almost nothing I love more about the movies than walking into a film that is so boldly a science fiction/fantasy and builds its own world from the ground up. With A Wrinkle in Time it looks as if DuVernay has been given the keys to a kingdom she's always desired to build and to be able to witness this opportunity come to fruition will no doubt be something rather remarkable when the film is released next Spring. Selma was the best film I saw in 2014 (though it technically received a wide 2015 release) and so, without even knowing what type of film DuVernay would be tackling next there was anticipation to see where the filmmaker's career would go and to see it not only go in a direction that is rather unexpected, but also in such a potentially special direction is all the more assuring. Visually, this thing looks wonderful and the cast all look as if they're really tuned in to not only delivering a final product that is fun to experience and beautiful to look at, but meaningful as well. I'm in the bag and officially cannot wait. Definitely one of my most anticipated films for 2018. A Wrinkle in Time also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Mrs. Murry, Zach Galifianakis as The Happy Medium, André Holland as Principal Jenkins, as well as Bellamy Young, Rowan Blanchard, Will McCormack, and will open on March 17th, 2018.

HOT PURSUIT Review

You know those movies that are easily relegated to comfort food? You know, the ones where things that in the real world would be deathly serious (sometimes literally) and in a movie intended to be nothing more than fluff are dismissed without a second thought? I tend to like these movies more than I should. I enjoy them in a way that I get to turn a blind eye to the real issues of the world or even to thinking critically for a while, but when a movie that is made to make you feel this way can't help but make you constantly think about how awful it is it must be really bad. I mean, no one expects much nutrition from comfort food, but at least it goes down easy. There is neither anything fulfilling or fun about Hot Pursuit, a buddy/road trip comedy that was clearly created in the vein of The Heat from a few summers past by putting two female actors in the lead roles and hoping for the same results. While this was no doubt meant to be the watered down version with Reese Witherspoon playing up the naive, but dedicated cop routine that Sandy Bullock perfected while they flipped the script on the major comic relief of the piece by making her both a criminal rather than a veteran police officer as well as enlisting an actor known more for her looks than anything else. While Melissa McCarthy gets a fair amount of attention for her appearance Sofia Vergara gets that same attention for completely opposite reasons. With Hot Pursuit, Witherspoon's production company, Pacific Standard, is looking to sneak into the summer movie season on the typically quiet second weekend and provide a bit of alternative programming for those not interested in super hero team-ups, but even those who aren't fans of super heroes or comic book movies in general would have more fun at Avengers than they would at a screening of Hot Pursuit. I've never watched Mike & Molly, but I feel like that would be the more apt comparison to a McCarthy project as Hot Pursuit is more akin to watching a punishing half hour comedic sitcom that has been stretched as far as it can possibly go without the laugh track instructing us on when things are "supposed" to be funny.

First Trailer for HOT PURSUIT

As I was saying yesterday after three fairly major trailers were dropped within twenty-four hours of one another-the summer movie season is all but impending and the studios are ready to let us know what ALL of our choices will be this year. The latest is another comedy that will look to fill the slot of the weekend after the opening bow. This was typically reserved for the likes of romantic comedies that serve as fine enough alternative programming to the big-budget, highly anticipated sequel, comic book/superhero/fantasy offering that came the week before. As the rom-com has grown more out of style though that trend has changed over the last few years to include the likes of Dark Shadows and The Great Gatsby with Neighbors last year now setting a trend for what looks like a stomping ground for comedy. This years doesn't necessarily look to be particularly strong as far as edgy or substantial is concerned, but more a safe reincarnation of The Heat that pits two, strong female leads against one another all while concerning a police case. Granted, I know this isn't the same premise, but the concept looks to be similar and you can't blame Warner Bros. or New Line for wanting to capitalize on the success of Paul Feig and Melissa McCarthy collaborations by hiring the director of The Proposal and Reese Witherspoon. It's also not a bad idea to get this one out there, make their money and be done before Feig and McCarthy's latest, Spy, even shows up. As for the actual film, it looks to be fine enough even if I don't necessarily care for the pairing of Witherspoon with Sofia Vergara. Witherspoon looks to be having a lot of fun though with Vergara doing her same schtick and if nothing else it looks completely harmless with the possibility of being fun. Hot Pursuit also stars Jim Gaffigan, Robert Kazinsky, Mike Birbiglia, John Carrol Lynch, Richard T. Jones and opens on May 8th.

INHERENT VICE Review

They say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If you agree with that line of thinking than you will likely be disappointed in the latest from director Paul Thomas Anderson. At nearly two and a half hours, it is a mess of a masterpiece that begs for you to dissect every scene and every line of dialogue as well as how the actor speaking a said line conveys the meaning of their dialogue. Do we place this kind of importance on the film because it does indeed come from a filmmaker with the unique status of Anderson? If it came from a lesser known director would the awaiting audience be as accepting? It's hard to say and it hardly matters because no one else would ever make films like the ones Anderson crafts. Like his other six features, Inherent Vice is wholly a concoction of the directors singular voice and style. From Boogie Nights to There Will Be Blood and Magnolia to The Master Anderson has demonstrated an eclectic range that gives each new film a dynamic all its own. It has always been clear his sentiment is slightly off-kilter, but he has never made anything as loopy or goofy as what we have here and somehow it seems as if this is the truest representation of the person Anderson actually is. As much as Inherent Vice fits perfectly into Anderson's diverse filmography it is the way he has approached the project that stands out more than anything, maybe even more than the finished product itself. Set in Gordita Beach, California in the summer of 1970 as Vietnam rages on and the sixties come to a screeching halt the director infuses his film with this aesthetic by consistently relying on the style of limited camera movement and the framing of shots to capture specific angles that immediately conjure up references to films of the time period in which his film is set. From the attention to detail to the technicolor texture of the images and more forward to the seemingly blind, but no doubt highly calculated preciseness of not seeming to give two shits Anderson delivers a film that, on the surface, seems to make little sense at all. And yet, as one begins to dig deeper and break down the whole of the film into single scenes, individual moments and certain pieces of dialogue it somehow makes more sense even if that bigger picture is all but lost. While Inherent Vice isn't and won't be hailed as Anderson's greatest work, it is easy to see it becoming the one his loyal fans end up returning to most often.

WILD Review

The thought of Reese Witherspoon, the sweet and petite blonde from New Orleans made famous by broad comedies like Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama, playing a down on her luck hitchhiker dealing with a past that includes drug problems and excessive fornication with the dealers of those drugs isn't one that immediately meshes well. Despite "Academy Award Winner" being inscribed above her name every time she takes on an Oscar-bait role such as this there still seems a very confined set of types we expect the actress to play. For some reason, I don't expect Witherspoon to be a very versatile performer and though her actual person is no doubt much more interesting due, if not for nothing else, to everything she's accomplished there is still such such a specific on-screen persona I expect from her. As many actors before her looking to fulfill something more in their careers by challenging themselves or just to simply add depth to their filmogrpahy, Witherspoon breaks away from what is expected of her and completely embraces this necessary journey her character goes on, warts and all. In many ways it is refreshing. Witherspoon has been stuck trying to figure out where to go with her career after winning her Oscar for Walk the Line, semi-afraid of doing romantic comedies again, but finding comfort in them while love stories never stray far from her grasp. Frozen and Maleficent have both been huge hits for Disney, but more importantly they have raised the idea over the past year that not all love stories have to be about the romantic relationship, but more the love of what else enriches our lives. While Wild is nothing like either of those films, it keeps this kind of love story in mind and is executed in such a way that we come to appreciate the journey of the character realizing this factoid. Wild is a character study, but it is not a film that rests solely on the performance of its lead. Witherspoon is more than capable and fully immerses herself in the ever changing state of mind Strayed must have experienced as we go on this journey with her, but more than that director Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club) has crafted a fully realized film around her.

First Trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's INHERENT VICE

It seemed as if we would never get a trailer for the latest Paul Thomas Anderson contraption, Inherent Vice, but now that we have it seems its over two month away release date will take forever to get here. I had no idea what to expect from this adaptation of the Thomas Pynchon novel and knew little about it other than the summary of said book. Given that, I was beyond anxious to dive into the trailer and upon first glance this couldn't be a better mix of everything I hoped it would be considering the style in the stills we'd seen up to this point and an unexpected comic tone that seems in line with Anderson's natural instincts. I love the look of the trailer (Anderson re-teams with cinematographer Robert Elswit after The Master) and I assume he is again shooting on 65 mm film using the Panavision System 65 camera. It gave The Master such sweeping, epic scope and even on your computer screen you can see the depth of some of the shots here. Besides the excitement that comes along with a first glimpse at footage from a new PTA film there is also the brilliant cast he has in place here that is on full display. Joaquin Phoenix re-teams with the director for his second go- around, but this time as drug-fueled detective Larry "Doc" Sportello. The remainder of the cast features Josh Brolin (getting a nice bit in the trailer), Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio Del Toro, Martin Short, Jena Malone and Joanna Newsom. Inherent Vice opens in limited release on December 12th before going wide on January 9, 2015.

THE GOOD LIE Review

The Good Lie is a perfectly good movie. It has simple aspirations and intentions and within these goals it does what it sets out to do with perfectly reasonable results. There isn't an over-complication of themes or a conflict of interest in the characters and filmmakers objectives, but more this is a film that feels as if it has one mission and that is to tell a story of great risk and sacrifice leaving how it makes you feel up to you. This is strangely unique to a story that looks and feels like the one The Good Lie is telling though because typically we are manipulated into feeling a certain way for the victims of such circumstances and led to a foregone conclusion from the opening scene. There is certainly an expectation that one would come away from the film feeling largely sympathetic for the lost children of Sudan, but the film also understands that this is largely a case of bad luck-being born into an unfortunate time in an unfortunate corner of the world. The film doesn't make a case that we, as individuals or as a country, should be doing more to help the situations of those less fortunate than us in poorer nations, but if anything reminds us to be thankful for the opportunities offered to us by the place and time in history we were born. As much as I appreciate the film traveling the lesser of two roads and approaching its inherently uplifting story with a straightforward mentality that doesn't necessarily make the proceedings all that compelling. Like I said, this is inherently uplifting and there is no escaping that fact and so as the film glides from one setting to the next we are left knowing that everything will turn out more promising than it began, yet it is told in such a conventional, almost safe fashion in terms of filmmaking techniques, dialogue, even overcoming certain obstacles that we never feel the tension or emotion that should come to light in some of the situations that arise. This is all to say that The Good Lie could (almost easily) have been a better, more affecting film than the product we have here, but in terms of what it was meant to do and what it ultimately does it sits squarely in the middle between excellent and horrible.

DEVIL'S KNOT Review

There has been so much made of the trial that Devil's Knot dramatizes that the film itself almost seems irrelevant at this point. If you've seen any of the three Paradise Lost documentaries or for a more complete look at the eighteen years after what happens in Devil's Knot, last years excellent documentary West of Memphis, than you already know everything there is to know about this trial with ample amounts of theories and extraneous evidence to boot, but while West of Memphis encapsulated this entire ordeal from beginning to present when it turned from a trial about the murder of three little boys to a witch hunt for three other boys and the eventual plight to free them from the prison cells that constantly reminded them of the actions they were wrongfully accused of, Devil's Knot is simply looking to see what made everything go so wrong from the inception of this incident and more importantly, give a voice to the often forgotten victims and their families. The film is very open to interpretation in terms of what avenue you prefer to travel when it comes to this well-publicized case, but it certainly lays inclinations to what the current state of the case would best indicate. With such a sprawling story, a large cast of characters and multiple perspectives from which you could approach this it always seemed the choice to go with a documentary as far as chronicling the events of this case was the most efficient thing to do, but with Mara Leveritt's 2002 crime book of the same name proving an interesting and well-read piece of source material it was unavoidable that at some point a narrative feature might be attempted that pulled from the well that has seemed to officially run dry. The interesting question here is whether or not the film might be more highly looked upon were there not so many other films surrounding this same set of events because this film, on the most basic of principles, is still engaging due to the horrible circumstances under which these murders happened and the horribly botched job that the police did with the investigation that, when paired with the fine, but admittedly passive performance of actors at the caliber of Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon, you are bound to find a few things making it worth a look.

MUD Review

Though my opinion might be slightly biased as director Jeff Nichols is from my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas and is certainly the most prominent filmmaker to come out of here in quite some time it is also nice to see the south receive authentic representation in a film that receives wide, and mostly positive recognition. This isn't Nichols first foray into depicting the south in all its bare normality's and simplicities though as he has ventured here twice before in 2007's deadly family feud drama Shotgun Stories and 2011's Take Shelter that perfectly encapsulated the inner demons and slow unraveling of the human psyche. In his latest, Mud, Nichols has kept his location the same as he is able to so naturally create a sense of place and that is key here as our two young protagonists live on and off of the river that guides them to an island where they meet the titular character. The atmosphere and the way in which Nichols crafts his story lend an almost mythical quality to the tone. It is as if this could just have easily been a southern fable that parents told their children at night so as to keep them from wandering where they aren't supposed to go. Still, even with these vibes of a folk legend the film is able to say and do so much more than simply teach a moral lesson. I expected the slow pace, the southern setting, and the bigger implications the story might make other than what is on the surface, but what continues to surprise is the renaissance of a period that Matthew McConaughey is having in his career at the moment. All of the performances here are strong and Nichols has rounded up a solid cast, especially in his two young stars, but it is McConaughey's turn as the title character that will have you thinking about the film long after the credits roll and what he stood for, what he wanted from life, and most inconspicuously, who he really was.

THIS MEANS WAR Review

Most of the time I can agree with critics, or at the very least understand where they are coming from. Most of the time I am even willing to defend the critics and their picks of non-mainstream films for the best of the year and academy award nominations, but I am also very much a fan of the mainstream. I enjoy the big budget summer flicks, I don't mind it every now and then when style overtakes substance as long as it is entertaining I'm good to go. I just have to like it, simple as that and I will have your back. I have to feel, in a way, defensive of director McG and his rapid style of filmmaking that more times than not does allow for substance to be thrown by the wayside, but that is not to say he hasn't tried. Just look at "We Are Marshall" or even "Terminator Salvation" where while these weren't great they strived to be a little more than you ever thought a McG production might try for. With "This Means War" the director is back to flashy, stylish action sequences and pretty stars with a film that oozes fun. Like his "Charlie's Angels" movies this is a refreshing jolt of a movie that is action packed from the opening sequence all the way until the last frame. It is bright, full of colors and though the storyline is rather improbable (and by that I mean completely ridiculous) it is just a farciacal piece of fantasy that plays upon the archetypal cliches that we all expect spies to be dashing, handsome guys who have plenty of time for relationships. The triple threat of Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom Hardy doesn't hurt either as each of them looks to be having great fun and not taking themselves too seriously. You shouldn't take the movie seriously either. Don't listen to the critics on this one and go have yourself a good time at the movies.

Tuck (Tom Hardy) and Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) keep
things fresh on their paintballing date.

One of the main complaints I heard about the film before going in was the fact many people couldn't tell whether this was a romantic comedy or an action flick. The first thing wrong with this issue is that it is even an issue at all. Why audiences have been brainwashed into thinking a film has to fit into a specific type of category doesn't make much sense but beyond that is the fact a film should be able to cross genre borders and become fun mash-ups that offer a little for each side of the couple that will likely be seeing this. It did take the marketing standpoint of being a romatically infused film for a Valentine's day crowd and there is no problem with that. I saw it with my wife and we both really enjoyed it. She isn't generally a fan of straight up action movies and I don't gravitate towards a film just for the action but it was nicely done here and the balance was handled better than I would have originally thought. Best of all it was funny as well. Consistently we were both laughing whether it be Chelsea Handler throwing in her little bits or the complications that naturally arise from one woman dating two men, never mind the fact the two men are best friends and spies. That is the set-up we have here in case you weren't sure. Reese Witherspoon is the cutie who somehow has had no luck with relationships and at the urging of her friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) begins dating more. Lauren (Witherspoon) gets in over her head though when she begins seeing Tuck (Tom Hardy) after meeting on a dating website (yea right) and then runs into FDR (Chris Pine) in the video store where they hit it off (how convienent). It just so happens these two boys are super secret spies who work for the CIA (Angela Bassett) and are the best of friends.

Unbeknownst to Lauren FDR (Chris Pine) is best friends
with her new date Tuck.

There is also the subplot about some guy named Heinrich who is after the boys for killing his brother. This was certainly something that could have been handled better, but it could have been a lot worse as well. This thread plays just enough into the story that we forget about it during all the antics of FDR and Tuck competing for Laurens affections that when it does come back around to bite them in the ass it feels rather tacked on. I can't decide what else they could have done with it other than cut it. Still it serves as the motivation for the big action set piece at the end of the film where Heinrich again isn't really that essential to the plot, it could have been anyone chasing them and I guess that is why they made him the most stereotypical of villians. This doesn't really matter though as the real meat of the movie is given to the competition over Lauren. There is one scene inparticular where (in a kind of creepy way) Tuck and FDR each sneek into Lauren's house and collect notes of what she likes and what would make good dating spots. The single take and well choreographed motions of all involved was impressive and expretly crafted. It was a shining moment that hinted at what McG's imagination is certainly capable of. That he is not all explosions and car chases, that he actually has an interest in building character into his film by the way he shoots it. This was all the more evident due to how well his three lead actors played the roles as if they were all kind of in on the joke. Hardy is especially endearing and likeable as Tuck, a gentleman who just wants someone to share life with while Pine plays up his Captain Kirk persona as the smooth talking playboy just looking for a fun night. You may know where all of this is heading the moment each guy locks eyes with Lauren but there is fun in guessing who she will choose or if she will choose either after she learns their secrets. Most important though is the fact that no matter how ridiculous the movie gets it is consistently fun and engaging. Allowing us to leave logic at the door and be swept up in ideal fantasy.

Tuck and FDR meet for the first time in front of an
awkward Lauren.

I can understand a person who is fickle about their details and needing a film to be more logical than anything else not understanding this movie or liking it, but if you are that type of moviegoer you should have had no interest after seeing the first minute of the trailer. Otherwise, I really can't understand what you could possibly dislike about "This Means War". Yes, it has enough action for those guys that don't like to admit it was a chick flick and enough romance for any women who go into this thinking it is pure rom com. That isn't the point though, the point is overall it is a funny movie you can enjoy and never think about again. It won't change you as a person, it won't leave you thinking about it hours later. It is simply a fun way to spend two hours. Oscar winner Witherspoon has had a bit of bad luck at the box office lately with "How Do You Know" flopping in December of 2010 and the underrated "Water for Elephants" not living up to expectations last year. It is not that these are bad choices, but it might be a bad sign for her star power as the opening weekend for this wasn't all that impressive either. What I'm getting at is that despite the slump as of late Witherspoon is still a blessing to any film and she holds this one together. While Hardy and Pine should be equally comended for bringing a different flow of charisma to their roles it is Witherspoons Lauren who has to make us believe and understand why these guys who even go through the trouble. She does that in spades and it is to her charm that McG owes a debt of gratitude. His film is fun and he would have no doubt accomplished this same level of fun without such an actress in the lead role, but it may not have been as believable as this outlandish tale already is. Give it up for Reese and go have fun at "This Means War".

THIS MEANS WAR Review

Most of the time I can agree with critics, or at the very least understand where they are coming from. Most of the time I am even willing to defend the critics and their picks of non-mainstream films for the best of the year and academy award nominations, but I am also very much a fan of the mainstream. I enjoy the big budget summer flicks, I don't mind it every now and then when style overtakes substance as long as it is entertaining I'm good to go. I just have to like it, simple as that and I will have your back. I have to feel, in a way, defensive of director McG and his rapid style of filmmaking that more times than not does allow for substance to be thrown by the wayside, but that is not to say he hasn't tried. Just look at "We Are Marshall" or even "Terminator Salvation" where while these weren't great they strived to be a little more than you ever thought a McG production might try for. With "This Means War" the director is back to flashy, stylish action sequences and pretty stars with a film that oozes fun. Like his "Charlie's Angels" movies this is a refreshing jolt of a movie that is action packed from the opening sequence all the way until the last frame. It is bright, full of colors and though the storyline is rather improbable (and by that I mean completely ridiculous) it is just a farciacal piece of fantasy that plays upon the archetypal cliches that we all expect spies to be dashing, handsome guys who have plenty of time for relationships. The triple threat of Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom Hardy doesn't hurt either as each of them looks to be having great fun and not taking themselves too seriously. You shouldn't take the movie seriously either. Don't listen to the critics on this one and go have yourself a good time at the movies.