So Drew is probably going to be disappointed at me about this, like he was about my gleeful Gladiator watching, but I just came back from watching Mission: Impossible 2 for the second time. Way back when I first saw it, I noted that John Woo was exceptionally cool, but that the movie was far less complicated than the first one.

I reiterate that statement. John Woo is the Master of Coolth. His humble origins show through in his flamboyant visuals, which I simply love. They also, unfortunately, show through in the depth of the storyline and character whatsit. John Woo makes simple, spectacular films.

I found it highly annoying that the Film Group audience continued their trend of laughing at anything possibly amusing. I wanted to bask in the over-the-top drama, but was denied that pleasure. They even laughed at the South African accent. Why?? I mean, I understand laughing at the overblown Aussies, because that was patently ridiculous, but since when was a South African accent occasion for mirth? See, the only reason I could come up with was that they thought it was a really bad attempt at an Aussie accent, and that just makes them even more twitful than I already considered them.

I think I'll go and look at the poster, and remember the glorious scene where Tom Cruise makes his entrance framed by fire and preceded by a white pigeon. Pure class. And no laughing morons.