Mission: Impossible III

I caught a matinee of Mission: Impossible III today.

Best. M:I. Ever.

Seriously. This is an incredible film. Not just summer blockbuster incredible. It's got heart.

For me, the second (John Woo) Mission: Impossible II was lacking (and I'm a Woo fan) and it was the first (Brian De Palma) Mission: Impossible that I considered the best.

Until now.

M:i:III is amazing. We're talking new levels of intense for the franchise. Not just in action (and not over-the-top-huh? intense that M:i:II was), but in emotion and relational scenes, too.

Director J.J. Abrams is able to bring some of his Lost and Alias sensibilities to the silver screen.

Feel how you want about Tom Cruise and how gorgeous you think he is (or how gorgeous you think he's not), the Oprah thing, or Scientology -- the guy is a brilliant actor. Watch Collateral and M:i:III, then sit in the dark and muse about the brilliance that is Cruise as an actor.

And I'm glad Keri (Felicity) Russell is back -- and she's good (and believable) as an IMF agent.

Michelle Monaghan? Wow. I was in love. Scenes with her and Cruise felt authentic, and at times, important.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant. We're talking Bond-villain brilliant. But not cartoony. A joy to watch. Creepy joy.

I'm a Ving Rhames fan. And he doesn't disappoint in this film.

I'm looking forward to watching Mission: Impossible III again. You should go see it. Now. Go.