Imagine That: What if your daughters imagination... was the secret to your success?

Who doesn't love a fresh new director; the kind of director with vision, energy, no experience, no record of success, no feel for how movies work? Ok I"ll give you a hint: I don't. Why? Because directors such as Karey Kirkpatrick (director of--you guessed it--Imagine That) don't know what they're doing. Sure there's some, no, a LOT, of very talented independent directors. Look at Neil Blomkamp's District 9, for example. I don't mean to say that directors are limited by experience, but maybe some are just fast learners. Kirkpatrick is not a fast learner.

Enough idle words. this was a fairly entertaining movie, actually. The biggest problem I had was shot composition. I don't think I make any exaggeration when I say that EVERY shot in this movie was governed by the rule of thirds. I know, some people are more devoted to the rules of filmmaking, but it's always nice to actually see something in the middle of the screen, right? even over-the-shoulder shots--where the person being talked to is usually in the center, and the person talking is usually off to the side--were divided into thirds.

Acting... ah.... well Eddie Murphy certainly has a nod-worthy career, having taken a part in 220 films (in various rolls of acting, music, producing, etc.) Did he fail to entertain? certainly not. If there is fault to be found with this movie, he is certainly not to blame. What did I like about the acting? Two words: Daniel Polo. although he had a tiny part in the movie, he made me laugh more than any of Eddie Murphy or Thomas Hayden Church's capers and escapades.  After being in several notable TV shows (this being his only film role to date) I expect this kid to definitely be going somewhere. Hopefully he will get out of the dead-end TV career realm, but I wouldn't set my hopes to high.

What did I think about the story, you ask? wow... what a strange story. It centers around Eddie Murphy's chraracter's daughter's blanket's imaginary friend's financial advice. It's made clear that her imaginary friends are... well.... imaginary, and that the blanket isn't "needed" to come up with wise financial decisions, but the heck of it is that the blanket was always exactly right. What is this supposed to mean? was this a jab at a reference to a higher power? maybe an attempt at humorous random luck? maybe it was just stupid? I'll go with the latter. It was just stupid. I understand, if you took it out, the movie would have no content. I suggest they should have taken it out, and made a movie about something not-so-stupid. Perhaps something entertaining and believable. am I asking for too much?

I know, I complain a lot about movies, but to be honest, this wasn't a "terrible" movie, just a failed attempt at a very good movie, falling a little short of "hilarious", "clever", or "worth watching again." Thomas Hayden Church has a bright future, Daniel Polo has high prospects, Eddie Murphy has a bright past, and if you haven't guessed, neither Yara Shahidi nor Karey Kirkpatrick are going anyway. thank you, that is all.