Movie Monday, November 24th

It's Movie Posting Day! And, this week, I've actually seen a few of them, so here we go:

Quantum of Solace. By now I'm sure you all know that that is the name of the newest James Bond flick. The name comes from an original Ian Fleming-written James Bond short story, and refers to a "small amount of consolation" which... I guess... comes in the movie. You may remember that, when last we saw Daniel Craig's Bond, he had just lost his love. When Quantum of Solace starts, he is in the midst of the same drive which ended the previous movie. Here's the thing--the movie is a serious action flick. Lots of chases and explosions and thrills. But aside from a few state-of-the-art tech toys, Bond has no "gadgets"--no rocket launcher in the car; no poison pen; not even a "Bond, James Bond" to toss about. Did I like the movie? Yes. Do I wish it had been more flirty and gadgety? Definitely.

Chaos Theory. I got it through Netflix. It's centered on a fairly-average guy (Ryan Reynolds) who is all about his schedule and lists and post-its, until one day when his wife throws him off track. With his timing off, suddenly his world spirals out of control--everything from missing a ferry to being caught up in a bar fight. I mostly enjoyed the movie, but I have to admit that I kind of glazed over for a little while in the middle. Liked it? Mostly. Glad I didn't I pay to see it in a theater? Definitely.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Last night, while eating pizza in front of a friend's crackling fireplace, we watched the James Bond movie with the "unknown" actor in the title role. Remember George Lazenby? He was the second person to play Bond (Sean Connery had played him in all 5 of the previous movies), and spent the movie off-and-on romancing the stunningly attractive Diana Rigg all over Europe. This is a Bond that gives you flirtation, a few gadgets, some great scenery, and even a few moments of actual plot. Do I recommend going back and watching it? Yes. Do I think knowing the names of the lead actors will help you win at Trivial Pursuit? Definitely.

And now I'm going to log off and try to catch Samantha Who? which, along with The Big Bang Theory, makes Monday night my current favorite place for TV comedy.