Star Wars: The Force Awakens

***DISCLAIMER*** The following review is entirely my opinion. If you comment (which I encourage you to do) be respectful. If you don't agree with my opinion (or other commenters), that's fine. To each their own. These reviews are not meant to be statements of facts or endorsements, I am just sharing my opinions and my perspective when watching the film and is not meant to reflect how these films should be viewed. Finally, the reviews are given on a scale of 0-5. 0, of course, being unwatchable. 1, being terrible. 2, being not great. 3, being okay. 4, being great and 5, being epic! And if you enjoy these reviews feel free to share them and follow the blog or follow me on Twitter (@RevRonster) for links to my reviews and the occasional live-Tweet session of the movie I'm watching!  I don't need drugs because the high this film gave me is incredible!

Star Wars:  The Force Awakens ? 5 out of 5

I?ve been a lifelong Star Wars fan since I was barely able to develop conscious memories.  The first home video I remember watching was the original; A New Hope, and the first film I can remember seeing in the theaters was Return of the Jedi.  I played with all the toys, read all the books in the now-defunct Expanded Universe and read all the comics from Marvel?s old run and Dark Horses? tremendous work after that.  I played every video game and will even admit that, while I didn?t enjoy everything about them, I am a fan of the prequels.  My body has Star Wars-themed tattoos all over my body including the Mandalorians? mythosaur skull and symbols from the Sith, Jedi and Black Sun.  My parents, whether by accident or on purpose, set me on a path to be a serious geek for the Star Wars universe and I own toys and collectibles for it, been to a few conventions on it and have geeked out over shaking hands with Peter Mayhem.  When Disney purchased the property from George Lucas three years back and announced that they would make more films, I flipped with excitement.  That excitement reached a boiling point for the seventh episode in the mythology with The Force Awakens.  My expectations were high but I walked in with no doubts that I was going to be entertained.  I was completely wrong?it was even better than what I hoped for!

             **Don?t worry?there won?t be any spoilers here**

                                                          Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
I want a BB-8.  No, not the smartphone controlled one
but a full size, fully autonomous one.

30 years has passed since the Rebellion destroyed the second Death Star.  From the ashes of the evil Emperor, a new order has risen and threatens the new Republic.  To combat these forces, the Resistance is formed but to help stop the First Order once and for all, they need the help of a powerful old ally.  Their greatest fighter pilot; Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is sent to retrieve a map to help locate this man but the evil user of the dark side; Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), uses his forces to stop him and take the information for himself and deliver it to General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) and the all powerful Supreme Leader Snoke.  However, Poe hid the information in the little (and freakin? adorable) droid; BB-8.  The droid ends up befriending a struggling junker on the planet of Jakku named Rey (Daisy Ridley) and a runaway stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega).  Together, they team with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) in order to get the information to General Leia (Carrie Fisher) and the rest of the Resistance before Ren and the First Order use their superweapon to destroy all that oppose them.

                                                                                        Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Boyega seems like a cool guy.  I think we should be best friends.

I?ve been not-so-patiently waiting for Episode VII since they released the first photo of the table read.  Since then, I?ve watched every trailer and TV spot they released and read all the new canon books and comics released (and I have to say that every book Marvel has done with this now official expanded stories is gold and I don?t miss the Expanded Universe).  Money and timing prevented me from seeing the film the day before and on the release date but after soaking in all the glory with my eyeballs (that were wide as plates the whole running length) the wait proved to be worth it.

                                                                                         Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Dude...Marvel, Captain Phasma needs her own series.  Please, please, please!

The Force Awakens is, to put it simply, amazing!  The film made me laugh, it made me cry on several occasions but, most of all, it transported me back to when I was a kid and my mom and dad would throw an old VHS copy of Episode IV into the VCR.  J.J. Abrams visuals and the story that he helped craft was the perfect mix of honoring the adventures Han, Leia, Chewie and Luke took back in 1977 and paving a new road for new journeys with the likes of Poe, Rey and Finn?and, of course, BB-8.  In a world of cynicism and jaded pessimistic world views, The Force Awakens made me remember what it was like to first see the galaxy far, far away and filled me with joy and the child-like sense of wonder.  The fairy tale-esque vibe that Lucas created almost forty years ago was all here and it made for an incredible theater experience.

                                                                                        Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
At one point, every single one of these troopers hit their heads on a door.

                                                          Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
What happens if Ren sneezes in that helmet?

The visuals are gorgeous and every second is filled with the familiar whimsy and eccentricities that we?ve come to expect from this reality.  The action is fast-paced and exciting.  Whether it?s battles with blasters or screaming TIE fighters in dogfights with X-wings, the action supplied is more than satisfying and griping.  The returning old characters filled me with nostalgia and the new characters were all intriguing and fun.  I can?t wait to learn more about the likes of Kylo Ren, Rey and Finn in supplemental books and comics and to see more of them in the upcoming episodes.  The performances from everyone from the returning favorites like Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher to the new faces like Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and the more digital features given life to by performers like Lupita Myong?o and the incredible Andy Serkis were rad and I really lost myself in their characters.  John Williams? score, as expected, is exactly as it should be, complimenting and enhancing every scene and making them more emotional and important. And, finally, the mixing of practical and digital effects was seamless and simply magical.

                                                                                        Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Yes, Chewie and Han, you're home.  And so am It because that's what The Force Awakens felt like.

Even though I am a super obsessed Star Wars fan, I tried to be as objective as possible while experiencing the film so that I can admit if there was anything I didn?t enjoy.  Heck, I will admit that I wasn?t a fan of Hayden Christensen?s performance and I didn?t like Jar Jar in the prequels but I couldn?t find any real faults in The Force Awakens.  Granted, there were a few lines of dialogue that felt a tad awkward but there was only a line or two and, in the grand scheme of emotional scenes and epic space action, this was a drop in the bucket that was barely even noticeable.  Hell, I?ll even admit that there?s one point in the story that dragged but this was only for a few minutes and is just another drop that is barely noticeable among the rest of the amazing qualities this film threw at me moment after moment.

                                                                                        Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The Force is strong in this movie!

                                                           Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Play this for the full effect with this visual.

Maybe I sound like an overzealous fan that is only focusing on the positive but Star Wars:  The Force Awakens is what a Star Wars movie is suppose to be.  The story may feel like it was told before but it got that right blend of being familiar and new at the same time but it also did a great job of setting up this new trilogy and ending on the right point of being satisfying and leaving me salivating for the next one.  Additionally, the film is truly very fun because of genuinely funny scenes, cool new characters and its stellar action.  The film also has some awesome cameos littered throughout the film that only enhances the viewing experience to something more than just an exciting film.  Finally, unlike the prequels, this film just felt like it belonged in this established universe.  I?m not saying that Episodes I-III don?t feel like Star Wars films but there visuals were so drastically different than what was seen in A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.  I?m not saying the prequels don?t feel like Star Wars films?far from it?but Episode VII feels like it is the natural progression from Episode VI.

                                                                                         Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
I know it's a weird thing to get excited about but inter-atmosphere dogfighting is awesome!

I went into Star Wars:  The Force Awakens with high hopes and had those hopes met and exceeded.  I knew that when Disney purchased the property that the series would be in good hands because The Mouse, for all his flaws, knows his audience and knows how to give them what they want and, alongside J. J. and his team, they delivered something incredible.  My excitement level is just as insane for Episode VIII as it was for this one but, at the very least, I get to see Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story next year.  Now, the real question is:  How many times am I going to see this one in the theaters?

Inside Out

***DISCLAIMER*** The following review is entirely my opinion. If you comment (which I encourage you to do) be respectful. If you don't agree with my opinion (or other commenters), that's fine. To each their own. These reviews are not meant to be statements of facts or endorsements, I am just sharing my opinions and my perspective when watching the film and is not meant to reflect how these films should be viewed. Finally, the reviews are given on a scale of 0-5. 0, of course, being unwatchable. 1, being terrible. 2, being not great. 3, being okay. 4, being great and 5, being epic! And if you enjoy these reviews feel free to share them and follow the blog or follow me on Twitter (@RevRonster) for links to my reviews and the occasional live-Tweet session of the movie I'm watching!  There's no way mortals work at Pixar.  The creators there have to be gods of some kind.

Inside Out ? 5 out of 5

I?m quite the fan of Pixar?s work.  Ever since I first saw Toy Story, I was hooked with their films.  I hold them completely responsible for the renaissance of animated films that happened and the new golden era of family films we have.  They showed us that animated features don?t have to be song and dance numbers with bright colors and dumb characters meant to occupy your child while you sneak off to power nap or wolf down candy you hide in a secret stash.  Pixar showed us that the stories can by dynamic and deep and the characters can be rich and fun while all existing in a premise unlike everything else out there.  With the exception of the Cars films, I?ve never been disappointed with a Pixar movie and that?s why I bought this one on Blu-ray without actually seeing it.  I figured with their track record, purchasing Inside Out before seeing it was a completely safe bet?and boy was it.

For now on, I'm just going to pretend I have anthropomorphic emotions in my head.

Inside the mind of a small girl named Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), deep within the center of her mind, exists her emotions:  Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling).  These emotions find their work cut out for them when Riley?s mother (Diane Lane) and father (Kyle MacLachlan) packed up their life in the Midwest and moves them to San Francisco.  While the stress of moving comes into play, Sadness starts to act up and begins to turn happier memories into sad ones.  After Sadness takes control of Riley?s mind and ends up creating a sad core memory?the memories that create who and what we are?Joy attempts to stop her from creating any more sadness but accidentally ends up getting her and Sadness lost in the deep recesses of Riley?s brain.  Now they must figure out a way to get back and take control before Fear, Anger and Disgust does something drastic that can change Riley?s life forever.

In all seriousness, Inside Out really creatively captured the difficulties that kids
face as they grow up and their world changes around them.

Like all Pixar films, this feature has some absolutely amazing animation and voice acting.  I really loved the look the emotions had with their glowing appearance and a texture that made them look a bit like Muppets.  The core cast of Poehler, Smith, Hader, Black and Kaling are incredible at bringing to life these characters but the film also has a great supporting cast that helps really give this world life and depth?and yes, John Ratzenberger continues his streak of doing a cameo voice.  Furthermore, and once again like all other Pixar films, the concept of this story is incredibly creative and imaginative.

I get the same way when I see the posts my racist uncle puts on Facebook.

Joy is looking at her hand...she must be high.
That's probably why she's so upbeat.

This unique look at what drives a young girl trying to come to terms with moving across country perfectly illustrates the difficulty that comes with being a kid and growing up.  Seeing inside Riley?s mind and seeing things like memories fading and being forgotten or, more importantly, meeting an imaginary friend from Riley?s childhood help Joy and Sadness on their journey really crafted some incredibly emotional scenes.  It?s never surprising that Pixar creates stories that will fill the viewer with happiness and incredible sadness (dang, Up makes you cry within the first five minutes) but it?s always impressive how they can create dynamic characters that you get invested with and then have a very strong emotional reaction to.  So, yes, I will admit that Inside Out made me cry.  I watched it with my girlfriend and tried my hardest to not bawl in front of her but the story was so strong and the characters so likable and sympathetic that fighting those feelings were impossible.  So, once again, you made tears come out of my face, Pixar, and I?m not mad at all for you doing it. 

Bing Bong's part in the story really had me in tears.  I don't know if I should be
openly admitting how often this film made me cry.

 

What's that?  No, I'm not crying again.

With its excellent animation, perfecting voice acting cast and a story that is overflowing with creativity, wit, humor and drama Inside Out is just another epic feature from a studio that keeps churning out amazing films.  I find it hard to category which films they?ve done that are their best because their level of creativity is beyond so many other animation studios in existence but I do think that this is definitely one of my top five films they?ve done.  I walked out of this one with no complaints and the only regret being not seeing this one in the theater when it was out?but if I did it then, I would have been trying even harder to not cry because as much as I don?t want my girlfriend to see me shed some tears, I REALLY don?t want complete strangers to see me bawl over the heartbreak of some animated emotions.

THE HUNGER GAMES : MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (2015) REVIEW : The Satisfying Finale [With IMAX 3D Review]

Perjuangan Katniss Everdeen, sang Gadis Api menuju pada babak terakhir. Setelah mendapatkan cerita yang menjembatani perjalanan terakhir dari Katniss Everdeen ini lewat Mockingjay Part 1 pada tahun 2014, jelas The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 adalah salah satu film yang sangat dinantikan di tahun ini. Penonton ingin mencari tahu bagaimana kelanjutan dari cerita Katniss Everdeen yang  ditutup dengan penuh pertanyaan di bagian pertama.

 

The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 kembali disutradarai oleh Francis Lawrence yang mulai dipercayai menangani seri ini lewat The Hunger Games : Catching Fire. Jennifer Lawrence pun tetap menjadi sosok Katniss Everdeen dan mentransfrormasi dirinya menjadi simbol aktris blockbuster yang memiliki efek besar. Jelas, sosok Katniss akan menjadi salah satu karakter yang berarti dalam rekam jejak pamor dari Jennifer Lawrence.

Di bagian pertama, Mockingjay berubah menjadi sebuah drama penuh intrik politik yang membuat sebagian orang kurang menyukai film ini. Mockingjay Part 1 hanyalah sebuah cerita pengenalan atas konflik-konflik yang akan dihadapi oleh Katniss Everdeen di bagian kedua. Di bagian kedua ini, segala konflik yang sudah dilontarkan di bagian kedua diberi sebuah konklusi yang juga mengakhiri seri ini. Dan The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 menjadi sebuah seri penutup yang masih memuaskan dan menyenangkan untuk diikuti. 

Setelah Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) berhasil diselamatkan, dia menyerang Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) dan membuat hubungan mereka merenggang. Peeta dicuci otak oleh Presiden Snow (Donald Sutherland) agar memusuhi Katniss. Hal itu jelas membuat Katniss terpukul dan semakin menguatkan misinya untuk membunuh presiden Snow dengan tangannya sendiri. Presiden Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) tetap tak mau untuk mengirim Katniss langsung untuk menyerang Snow.

Tetapi, Katniss tetap tak mau tahu dan dia pun berusaha agar dia bisa pergi ke Capitol untuk menyerang Snow. Naas, ketika Snow tahu akan rencana Katniss beserta teman-temannya untuk menyerang Capitol untuk membunuhnya. Dia sudah menyiapkan berbagai perangkap di sekitar kota Capitol agar dapat membunuh Katniss dan timnya. Hal itu pun semakin membuat perjuangan Katniss untuk membunuh Snow semakin mendapatkan tantangan. 

Menjadikan satu buku menjadi dua bagian film memang menjadi sebuah tren yang diawali oleh Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. Memang, dengan formula itu akan dirasa efektif oleh rumah produksi untuk mendatangkan banyak keuntungan bagi mereka. Mockingjay adalah salah satu yang menggunakan formula itu. Buku ketiga dari Suzanne Collins ini pun dibagi menjadi dua bagian film yang sebenarnya akan menjadi sangat riskan untuk performa filmnya.

Nyatanya adalah Mockingjay hanya memiliki satu konflik besar yang sebenarnya tak begitu rumit. Maka, keputusan untuk dipecah menjadi dua bagian hanyalah gimmick dari sang rumah produksi untuk mendatangkan keuntungan. Dengan adanya dua bagian itu, jelas problematika yang besar adalah bagaimana menyamaratakan performa di dalam filmnya. Isu plot itu jelas jurang besar bagi pamor seri The Hunger Games yang menjadi salah satu seri adaptasi novel young-adult yang kuat.

Di bagian kedua, The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 tidak lagi memiliki konflik yang signifikan. Segala konflik yang ada di dalamnya hanyalah jawaban dari konflik yang sudah ditawarkan di bagian pertama. Jelas, ini adalah tantangan yang besar bagi sang sutradara untuk mengemas Mockingjay Part 2 agar tetap menjadi sebuah film yang tak terasa sia-sia untuk dipecah menjadi dua bagian. Francis Lawrence benar-benar berusaha keras untuk menyingkirkan paradigma itu. 

Kata ?Aji Mumpung? memang tak bisa terelakkan ketika Mockingjay dibagi menjadi dua bagian. Tetapi, Francis Lawrence membuktikan bahwa Mockingjay Part 2 tetap menjadi sajian yang sangat menggugah minat penontonnya untuk mengikuti filmnya hingga akhir. Mockingjay Part 2  mengubah warna cerita menjadi cenderung lebih gelap dan murung. Sang sutradara berusaha kuat untuk menghadirkan nuansa cerita penuh intrik politik yang lebih kental.

Jelas, berubahnya warna cerita itu adalah kekuatan dan potensi besar dari Mockingjay Part 2. Sehingga, seri-seri The Hunger Games bukan hanya sebuah film fantasi petualangan remaja yang hanya lalu. Tetapi, memberikan pendalaman lebih tentang propaganda politik yang dapat dikaji lebih lagi. Representasi kediktatoran pemimpin yang mempermainkan bawahannya yang terlihat secara implisit lewat karakter-karakter seperti Snow ataupun Alma Coin.

Mockingjay Part 2 memberikan sebuah final battle yang berhasil membangun suasana mencekam. Dan sang sutradara berhasil benar untuk menghadirkan hal-hal itu sehingga bagian kedua dari Mockingjay ini tak terasa monoton bagi sebagian penonton.Banyak beberapa bagian dari Mockingjay Part 2 yang berhasil membuat penontonnya keasyikan menonton petualangan dari Katniss Everdeen dalam perjalanannya menuju kota Capitol. Anggap saja, di bagian kedua adegan pertarungan itu adalah penebusan dosa dari bagian pertama yang sangat minim akan hal itu. 

Francis Lawrence tak terlihat terlalu asyik untuk memberikan pendalaman lebih kepada karakter-karakter yang ada di seri The Hunger Games yang semakin lama terlihat semakin manusiawi. Pun, lewat naskahnya, The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 memiliki dialog-dialog sarkastik terhadap otoritas pemimpin dan permainan propaganda politik yang tampil secara implisit dan dibutuhkan interpretasi yang kuat dari penontonnya agar pesan yang dimaksudkan dapat tersampaikan. Dan hal itu lah yang menjadi poin plus lagi dari seri Mockingjay Part 2.

The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 jelas mengajak penontonnya berpikir tentang kebenaran yang kita bela. Adanya pro dan kontra di dalam memilih kebenaran jelas sudah menjadi sesuatu yang lumrah. Sehingga, perlu adanya tanggung jawab atas apa yang kita pilih tentang sesuatu yang kita anggap benar. Dan representasinya lewat karakter Alma Coin dan Snow, polemik pemilihan pemimpin yang bersih adalah salah satu isu yang diangkat oleh The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 yang dirasa akan relevan di berbagai belahan dunia.

Tak dipungkiri lagi, The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 memiliki nilai-nilai produksi dengan estetika berkelas. Lewat tata kostum, artistik, dan teknik pengambilan gambar yang menarik menjadi kelebihan lain dari seri ini semenjak Catching Fire. Juga, performa luar biasa tetap dihadirkan oleh Jennifer Lawrence sebagai karakter Katniss. Dia jelas sosok aktris aset Hollywood yang berhasil menjadi ikon film blockbuster. Jennifer Lawrence dapat menghadirkan segala bentuk emosi di dalam setiap adegan sehingga The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 tak hanya sebuah franchise kosong. 

Dengan pembelahan dua bagian dalam adaptasi buku terakhirnya, jelas tak dapat dipungkiri bahwa The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 memiliki permasalahan lewat pengembangan plot yang sangat minimalis. Tetapi, Francis Lawrence berusaha keras untuk mengarahkan seri terakhirnya ini tetap menjadi sebuah film penutup yang memiliki presentasi yang kuat. The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 tetap menghadirkan sebuah petualangan Katniss untuk berhadapan dengan presiden Snow yang penuh akan intrik politik yang menarik dengan warna cerita yang murung. Tetapi, itulah potensi dari Mockingjay Part 2 sehingga dapat menjadi seri penutup yang memuaskan.

Di wilayah asia, film ini dirilis dalam format IMAX 3D dan berikut adalah review dari format tiga dimensi lewat layar IMAX

DEPTH

Hasil konversi format IMAX 3D tak berhasil memberikan kedalaman film yang menarik. Sehingga, rasanya kedalaman The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 hanya terasa seperti film dua dimensi.

POP OUT

Tak ada sama sekali efek Pop-Out yang mewarnai The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2. Sehingga jelas akan terasa pointless untuk disaksikan dalam format tiga dimensi.

The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 dikonversi menjadi sebuah film tiga dimensi berformat IMAX yang tak memiliki pengaruh signifikan di dalam filmnya. Sehingga, menyaksikan The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2 dalam format ini hanyalah sebuah gimmick lagi dari rumah produksi untuk mengeruk keuntungan. Sehingga, sangat berharap film ini hanya dirilis dalam format IMAX dua dimensi.

Spy

***DISCLAIMER*** The following review is entirely my opinion. If you comment (which I encourage you to do) be respectful. If you don't agree with my opinion (or other commenters), that's fine. To each their own. These reviews are not meant to be statements of facts or endorsements, I am just sharing my opinions and my perspective when watching the film and is not meant to reflect how these films should be viewed. Finally, the reviews are given on a scale of 0-5. 0, of course, being unwatchable. 1, being terrible. 2, being not great. 3, being okay. 4, being great and 5, being epic! And if you enjoy these reviews feel free to share them and follow the blog or follow me on Twitter (@RevRonster) for links to my reviews and the occasional live-Tweet session of the movie I'm watching!  Next movie needs a crossover with Jason Bourne and James Bond.

Spy ? 5 out of 5

Spy comedies are nothing new.  There?s been a few of them and they often vary in the quality department.  However, when I heard that a writer/director I really enjoy; Paul Feig (the man who is, according to people of the internet, super evil because he?s being the Ghostbusters reboot?the remake that, also according to people on the internet, will erase all memories and copies of the original film due to the lack of dicks in the story), was creating a spy comedy with a comedic actress I really enjoy; Melissa McCarthy, I was very excited but never got the opportunity to see it until it came out on Home Media (but that?s because of my own spy stuff I had to do?but don?t look too much into that because I might have to kill you if you learn too much?or give you a stern talking to and have you pinky swear you know nothing about my job).  

But if you tell anyone, I will threaten you by vigorously shaking my fists.

Jude is here to lay down some law...I'm truly sorry for
that one.

Spy tells the story of CIA analyst Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) hitting the field after the agent she works with; Bradley Fine (Jude Law), is murdered while on operative must try to find a suitcase nuke that?s in a location known only by the daughter of an international terrorist (Rose Byrne)?who, just so happens to be, the same person who killed Fine.  However, along the way, Cooper must compete with an irritate and rambunctious agent who keeps mucking things up (played by Jason Statham).  Now Cooper must find the location of the nuke before it?s sold to the highest bidder and is unleashed on the world and avenge her friend?s death.

It's hard to make killing a man funny but Feig and McCarthy did so and made
it look so easy.

Bobby Cannavale is in the film...and seems to be
rocking some guyliner.

I figured that Spy would be funny because I?m a fan of Paul Feig and Melissa McCarthy but I don?t think I was prepared for exactly how funny it was going to be.  The story is incredible solid and build on a foundation that creates a decent spy thriller with surprisingly good action but, at the same time, does a great job of poking fun at the genre.  The cast is incredible and a fantastic mix of proven funny-makers like McCarthy and other actors not necessarily known for comedies but all doing an amazing job of bringing the laughs?for example, Jason Statham was absolutely hysterical as he played a slapstick-y and goofy character that I?ve never ever seen him play before.  Finally, the comedy is unrelenting and gags and jokes are coming at you fast and nonstop.  Everything from simple jokes that rib spy and action film clich?s to slapstick humor to gross out jokes to more vulgar insult based lines litter almost every second of the film and it had me laughing so hard and so often that I was brought to tears every few minutes and found myself actually exhausted from how much I laughed.  I slept like a baby that night.

Every time I see Rose Byrne is in a comedy, I always try to convince myself she won't
be funny but I'm always wrong.  I really need to end this ridiculous preconceived notion.

I have a lot of friends who aren?t fans of McCarthy because they see her as a one trick pony who only does films that involve her falling down and making cracks about her being fat (yet, when Chris Farley made this his career, it was considered brilliant?but I won?t get into the systemic sexism of comedy and the entertainment business here) but while those gags can be seen in the film on an occasion (and they are funny), this film also makes fun of those tropes with jokes about McCarthy not wanting to be seen that way and gags about her actually being a true badass.  Some characters want to light her up as the funny fat person but her character is actually a dedicated agent who wants to do a good job and is actually really handy with a gun and in a fight.  In fact, this film even does one better by making her be the tough one and having the man who usually is doing the fighting (Jason Statham) be the one who messes up and falls down.  It?s honestly some immensely brilliant comedy writing and just another reason that I am such a fan of Paul Feig and his work?and, just to incite the rage of the internet, I?m excited as hell for his Ghostbusters reboot.  Yes, hate me for not hating a film that hasn?t even been released in trailer form yet.  I know it?s weird that I?m excited for something rather than hating it based entirely on casting decisions alone.  I?m a rarity on the ?net.

Yes, that man is Jason Statham...and the look actually works for him.

Any complaints I have about the film are minor and involve a couple of missteps in the story.  Occasionally, a plot point felt superfluous and unneeded but it never took away from the immensely entertaining experience.  And sure, there was a joke or two where I laughed very slightly less hard than other times but, seriously, from beginning to end I was laughing my ass off to this film and was intensely entertained.

The longer you stare at the look on McCarthy's face the funnier this screenshot
gets.

Paul Feig wrote and crafted a spy comedy that takes itself seriously enough to look like a legit spy film (seriously, the action in this film is really, really good) but, at the same time, balanced itself out with some of the best humor I?ve seen in a film this year.  Spy is definitely one of those comedies that I will turn to repeatedly in the future because it is just that well put-together and just that hysterical.  And, if it?s not asking too much, I would very much love to see this turn into a regular franchise and see more wild and funny adventures of Susan Cooper.  I'll consider it a personal favor, Mr. Feig.