blog crack

Remember when people used to smoke in airplanes? Remember lighting up in the movie theater or after dinner? How about the hospital? If the tobacco industry had its way, firing up a cigarette in these public venues wouldn't be a remnant of the past. You'd be able to enjoy a long, cool cancer stick anytime your little American heart desired. But, alas, times have changed, and smoking just ain't what it used to be. Much to the chagrin of spin master Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), the protagonist of Thank You for Smoking, one of the sharpest and funniest satires to come out in recent memory.

Naylor could make a child murdering serial killer somehow look good. Thankfully, as the tobacco industry's secret weapon, he only needs to sell the country on cigarettes. And he is very good at what he does. He lives and breathes spin. He teaches his young son Joey (Cameron Bright) about the variability of truth and tells a bunch of middle-schoolers to essentially question authority and doubt everything they've ever been told (before being cut-off and ushered out by their disgruntled teacher). And every week he meets with the M.O.D. (ministers of death) Squad -- filling out the threesome are Polly Bailey (Maria Bello) representing alcohol and Bobby Jay Bliss (David Koechner) representing fire and arms -- for lunch at their steakhouse of choice where each dish about the chills and thrills of spinning for a client whom a large percent of the country vehemently hates.

But Naylor is pretty much unfazed. It's as if he thrives on antagonism. His mission to spread the word leads him to California where he tries to get big-time movie producer/idea man Jeff Megall (Rob Lowe who is excellent here) to get smoking back into the movies, and goes to have a little chat with the dying Marlboro Man (Sam Elliott). His impressionable son accompanies him on the trip and Naylor is forced to face how his actions and motivations could affect his son. Add a sweet, young journalist (Katie Holmes), a back-stabbing boss (J.K. Simmons) and an ambitious, liberal, anti-tobacco Senator (William H. Macy) into the mix and you have yourselves a movie.

Directed and adapted to the screen by Jason Reitman and based on the novel by author Christopher Buckley, Thank You for Smoking is both engaging and just plain funny. The direction is tight with filmic frills reminiscent of Fight Club and The Royal Tenenbaums, and the writing possesses an acerbic wit. Every actor brings forth a stellar performance; special kudos goes to Adam Brody as Jack, Jeff Megall's fast-talking assistant who does so much with so little a role.

While Thank You for Smoking does well to entertain, it has a serious underlying critique about the nature of truth. If the government has its wizards of spin, the media is a funnel for spin, products are spun a dozen times over, and all advertising is the stuff of spin, then who can you trust? How do you make your decisions? How can you judge between what's right and what is wrong? In short: what is the truth? As Naylor would urge you to do -- question everything.


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Man, the last month has been crazy! First my mom came to visit me for a week, then I went to Chicago, and now I'm in New York for a week.

Wrote a review for V for Vendetta. Check it out.

Imagine, if you will, a Western country ruled by a totalitarian regime whose hypocrisy is enshrouded in a faith-based rhetoric. Imagine a society is which the conversations and movements of everyday people are under surveillance. Imagine a people who have signed over their inherit rights as citizens in exchange for safety. Imagine a nation living in constant fear of a terrorist threat propagated by media outlets controlled underhandedly by the government. No, despite the similarities, it's not the year 2006. It's the futuristic, fictionalized world of Great Britain. And it is the setting for one of the year's most engaging Hollywood films thus far: V for Vendetta.

After a bio-terrorism attack leaves Great Britain in shambles, and fear forces the populace to instill a leader (played with great passion and aplomb by John Hurt) who rules with the iron fist of a zealot, a mysterious masked man (whose disguise bares a disturbingly close resemblance to the plasticized Burger King mascot) simply known as "V" (Hugo "Yes, I was both Elrond in LOTR and Agent Smith in The Matrix trilogies" Weaving) decides to take action. Dubbed as a terrorist by some and a freedom fighter by others, V plans on bringing his message of revolution to fruition a year from when he is first introduced -- November the 5th. Innocent bystander Evey (Natalie Portman) unknowingly becomes entangled in his scheme, and soon finds herself on the run from the powers that be, particularly detective Finch (Stephen Rea) who is hot on the trail of the two fugitives.

Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and brought to the screen and produced by the infamous Wachowski brothers, V for Vendetta, draws parallels to a variety of films, most obviously 1984, in terms of its critique of absolute power. It possess a unique aesthetic -- updated propaganda films from the Soviet era come to mind -- as one would expect from the makers of The Matrix, and a strong, some would even say heavy-handed, political take. The film forces its audience to analyze a number of issues including the idea of terrorism, the role of government, the separation of church and state and the media.

Indeed one of the most striking elements of the film is its depiction of (secretly) state-controlled media. It is the government that decides what the people see and how they see it. The media is its means of spin control. And, with chilling effect, the audience can't help but draw comparisons to a certain cable news channel with strong ties to our own regime.

Political discourse aside, V for Vendetta is an engaging and entertaining film. Even the side stories, though they could have easily been cut, were compelling. Stephen Fry as Evey's boss Deitrich gives a particularly standout performance. Although Portman's name, after her disastrous turn in the recent Star Wars trilogy, doesn't exactly align itself to action films, she does a good job here, and even manages to carry off a British accent. Weaving is linguistically masterful (V enjoys alliteration and Shakespeare, among other things) and creates a nuanced and sympathetic character despite the fact that his face is covered with an off-putting mask.

This would have been a five star film if not for the gratuitous love story, which I like to call the Speed effect (entirely random and inappropriate passion ignited through hardship) slapped on the end. V for Vendetta makes you think as well as lets you layback and mindlessly enjoy the show. Plus, it has a breathtaking finale for which the whole movie is worth watching. What more could you want?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Okay, I have some serious blogging to catch up on...Here are some photos from my trip
to Chicago.


The City


The Crashpad


The View (from the crashpad)


The Glam shot


The Mood Pic


The Sleepover


The Blogging


The Putting on of the Face


The Stylin


The Fungigated Shoes that Needed to be Thrown Out But Were Still Worn


The Representin'


The Cousins


The Superstar


The Bride's Back


The Food


The Silliness


The Bride with her Siblings


The Family


The Family Again


The Cake


The Eating of the Desserts


The End of the Road (aka the best damn mac & cheese this side of the Mississippi, found at the Atlanta airport on the way home)

Why am I always eating?

Oh no! I think another episode of drunken blogging is in order. Last round: kamakazes, jaiger(sp?) bombs, b52s. oh. dear. lord.

What happens when you add eight drunken Patels together? Trouble. That's what.

I like the fact that we spent over twice as much on alcohol as on food (Ethiopian).

wait, wait. we interrupt this message for a commercial break...

three words, people, three words: back, crack & sack.

Properly hydrated? Check.
Snacks? Check.
Drugs? Check.
Clothes for cold weather in which nose hair freezes? Check.

Chicago here we come!

My favorite cousin and I have travelled to the Windy City for one of our cousin's weddings.

It's sure to be lots of fun and has already proved to be great. Man, people can really pack it away in the Mid-West. Got off the plane, took the "L" to the bride's place, and went to get breakfast at an establishment called the Golden Nugget. It's not just a casino folks - out here it's a dining experience. The portions were gimongous and they wouldn't let me get anything off the kiddie menu.

It is SO, SO cold here. Everyone here is all "Oh, it's gorgeous! GORGEOUS!" Oh, these sad, sad people. It's really cold. However, this did not stop me from going on a run on a beautiful winding path around the lake. It's a treat to have such a beautiful landmark and such awesome trails.

Looking forward to tonight when the rest of my cousin's arrive. Let's just say: 1 bedroom, 8 people, 1 bathroom. I believe this will define our trip. Good times.

The RFL and I have recently become secretly addicted to that most unsavory and shameful of contraband: American Idol. Yes, yes, I know....and I'm sufficiently embarrassed. And in all honesty I haven't watched it in years. YEARS! But for some reason we've gotten hooked on the sauce this season.

Oh and what a season it is! Personally, I think it's going to come down to Paris Bennet, even though I think my girl Mandisa is a better overall singer.

Anyhow, while watching singer after singer be rejected and shot down and brought to tears, we started thinking about all the famous singers out there that would never make it on America Idol were they to audition.

Por ejemplo.

Bono (way too whiny)
Tom Petty (sounds like a horse)
Cher (sounds like a man in drag)
Cyndi Lauper (sounds too Brooklyn)
Bob Dylan (can't really sing)

Shall I go on?

Who else...?