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What’s really surprising is that I actually have time to watch movies. But after months of long hours, our work load is lightening up for the thanksgiving break. My ChemE class has taken advantage of this opportunity in order to go out and relax. As a result, I’ve seen some movies, enough movies to warrant a movie review post.

007: Casino Royale
I would have to say, this was a thoroughly entertaining movie. I mean, the first 10 minutes (the on-foot chase scene) was worth my $10. Had all the elements of great action movies: hard crunches, whizzing bullets, svelte bodies, lots of killing. Oh ya the car was really nice. The only problem is that it doesn’t fit too well with my perception of a james bond flick which has more romance, gadgetry, and british regality. Daniel Craig doesn’t seem to me to be a James Bond type, particularly since they make him out to be a thug of sorts. I suppose this is to contrast against Pierce Brosnan, who was all suave, but not action-y.

Stranger than Fiction
This was a very good movie as well. Funny, but be warned not Will-Ferrell funny. It straddles the line between great existential literature and provocative ironic-dramatic-irony. Suppose you had a really great story - a tragedy, both epic and tragic. If you read it in a book, you would finish it and say, ‘now that was a good book.’ But now suppose that the story was being played out as you read it, and you were the main tragic hero! What would you do then? The movie explores this question and poses a very improbably what-if in order to shed light on the meaning of life, and the inadequacies of tragic heroism when it becomes reality. If you watch it just for the literary story that is told, it comes out as a really great movie. All the play between the main character and the ‘narration from above’ makes it even more enjoyable.

Little Miss Sunshine
I watched this on a friends recommendation, and heard it was the funniest movie he had ever saw. I must say that it definitely was not as funny as I expected. Nonetheless this was a really good movie, and I highly recommend it. It has that indie film feel to it and explores many areas of life that really make you think. Carrell is not really the main star of the show; rather, the family as a unit is what is emphasized, and the appreciate-your-family theme comes through finally in the end in what has to be the funniest scene ever. ever. True the movie wasn’t too funny throughout the film, but it all came down to the final ‘punchline’ which basically compensates for it.

Thank you for Smoking
This movie is one of my all time favorites now. Man this is one smart and witty movie. It’s about a cigarette company lobbyist who has to confront the incongruity between social morality condemning smoking and his own interests as a representative of the tobacco industry. I just find this movie so witty and intelligent and its take on society. What is especially fun to see is how a clever smooth talker can get out of any situation, whether it be cancer boy on a talk show, a group of deranged activists who want him dead, and a news reporter who will stop at nothing to get the story. Highly entertaining.