Being John Malkovich Review

Film-o-Rama Review by August Meyer

It is now time for a little retrospective movie reviewing, with Being John Malkovich at the center of this effort. Through the divine glory that is Netflix, I recently watched this film. I strongly advise anyone with a penchant for film or even a half-hearted interest in good movies to give this one a watch. In its relatively brief run-time, Being John Malkovich tackles more ideas effectively than ten normal films could even begin to hope to properly convey. It is simply astonishing how powerful, hilarious, and greatly thought-provoking this film proves to be.

Failing puppeteer Craig Shwartz (John Cusack) finally decides to give up on his dream and settle down to a desk job on the 7 1/2th  floor of a New York office building. While performing the duties of his boring filing job, Craig stumbles upon a portal to none other than the head of "famed actor" John Malkovich, or as Craig mistakenly refers to him; "that guy from that jewel thief movie". With the help of the office hottie who (married) Craig is head over heels in lust with (played by a never more confident and seductive Catherine Keener), the two set up an under-the-radar business of allowing paying customers entrance into the mind of Malkovich for exactly fifteen minutes at a time. Cameron Diaz plays Craigs extremely homely zookeeper wife Lotte, who develops a somewhat unconventional relationship with Keener; who will only be with her if she's "inside Malkovich" at the time. The plot takes some mind-bending turns that I won't spoil here, and ends in as poetic a manner as any of the great classics that have graced the silver (or in my case, laptop) screen.

The magic truly is in the dream-like combination of director Spike Jonze (in his directorial debut) and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. If you've seen Adaptation or Synecdoche, New York, you'll know what utter brilliance to expect. Some of the ideas touched on in the film are as far fetched as one may find in a science fiction movie, as heartbreaking and tear-jerking as could be found in a serious drama, or as humanly, hilariously bizarre as could be found in a Woody Allen film. Through Jonze's masterful command of the screen and Kaufman's human awareness, the film takes each and every one of these concepts and puts them through the human perspective; making the ridiculous seem just as every-day as the other-worldly.

Being John Malkovich is an experience unlike any other. It goes places few films dare to go, and confidently soars from hilarious to mind-bendingly surreal from one instant to the next. Be prepared; you're not likely to see one like this again.

Author's Note: Being John Malkovich is available to watch instantly on Netflix Instant, and the author of this blog would like to urge you to watch it at your earliest convenience. Seriously, the subscription fee to this service is worth it for this film alone.

The Avengers Review

Film-o-Rama Review by August Meyer

Just over two weeks ago, one of the most successful films ever made was released. Just about every person I've spoken with has either seen the movie once, twice, or plans on seeing it as soon as they can. Without scaring some audiences away by pushing too heavily on niche-genre elements like science-fiction or hardcore comic book lore, the film appeals to a huge demographic of people. It's like Avatar all over again, but with more Robert Downey Jr. one-liners and less subtle references to the displacement of the Native American people. Much like it's monstrous-amounts-of-money-making-counterpart, The Avengers isn't exactly perfect.

The movie's got the "wow" factor, I'll give it that. The special effects are nothing short of brilliant, and blend perfectly with the action of the world around them. The fight-scenes (and there are plenty of them) don't seem contrived at all; a fresh quality to have among the Michael Bay/Michael Bay explosion-ridden knock-offs our theaters are usually filled with. Director Joss Whedon commands our attention with eye-catching moments and a healthy mix of humor throughout. This is one of the areas that the film shines in most; the balancing of humor and action. I can't think of one scene where a sense of overwhelming drama or hard-hitting action isn't met and relieved by some sort of well-placed slapstick or intelligent one-liner that is almost always effective at getting a good chuckle out of the entire audience. The Avengers, as odd as it may sound, is a genuinely funny movie. Just take a look at any of Joss Whedon's other works, and you'll see where this is coming from.

The acting is not as consistent as the comedy and action of the film, however. Chris Evans mucks around as Captain America and is more effective as an awkward lampoon of conservative America than he is as the unflinchingly heroic leader the comic books depict. Evans somehow manages to take a brilliantly written hero from a beloved series and turn him into some sort of an ignorant and cheesy mess of a character. Luckily, this is the only real low-point of the cast. Robert Downey Jr. is just as good as we've come to expect after two Iron Man films, and delivers his hilariously arrogant (and deservedly so) dialogue like a pro. The film is worth it for Downey Jr. alone, really, but the talent doesn't stop there. Chris Hemsworth plays Thor better than anyone else I can think of. He's got the look, the voice, and the swagger that one would expect from the God of Thunder. Mark Ruffalo (a replacement for Edward Norton's Hulk due to some creative-differences) does a stellar job as the new Bruce Banner, and is by far the best we've seen yet. He's reserved, awkward, and has a fiery anger pulled back just enough to make the scenes where he busts out of his normal-person clothes into a giant green fighting machine that much sweeter. The biggest surprise of the film is Scarlett Johanson's Black Widow. She plays her heroine with a sincerity and genuine vulnerability that comes completely out of the blue, and is a stark (pun intended) contrast to the butt-kicking, skin-tight-jumpsuit-clad S.H.I.E.L.D. agent she can bust out as quickly as she can the more sensitive side of her character. Jeremey Renner is just okay as Hawkeye. For a lesser-known Avenger and a relatively smaller role, he gets the job done. There's really just nothing too memorable about him; he doesn't get into the audiences head like Johanson does, or have our sides nearly split with laughter like Downey Jr.. In all honesty, he seems like just another generic, emotionless action-hero than anything. Samuel L. Jackson is supremely intimidating as Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. He's a veteran actor who's created some of the most memorable characters of all time, and he plays this role like he would a classic. The trenchcoat and eyepatch he dons are sure to become just as iconic as each of the Marvel heroes who headline the movie.  The only real "bad guy" of the movie is very effective in his role. Tom Hiddleston's Loki embraces his assured antagonist with just enough malice to make us root for his defeat. His performance is miles away better than his portrayal of the same character in "Thor"; some serious evolution of character has gone on, and the whole movie benefits from it. He also happens to have the best wickedly sinister evil grin that's graced the silver screen in ages. This is the stuff of comic book movie legend.

By far the best movie Marvel has pushed out to date, The Avengers is definitely worth a watch. It's not perfect by any means, but that really is part of the magic; The Avengers are known for their super-faults just as, if not more than they are for their super-feats. Joss Whedon brings to life a magnificent movie and a refreshing summer blockbuster that casual and die-hard fans alike are sure to enjoy. Be sure to stay after both the short cast credits (accompanied by some slick CGI) and the long, traditional credits. The final scene is the debris-covered cherry on top of the movie you'll be remembering fondly for a long time to come.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home Review

Film-o-Rama Review by August Meyer

This is one to think about. Jeff Who Lives At Home takes its relatively meager resources (a budget at around $7,500,000) and creates something wonderful. There's something to be said for a film that draws upon it's audience's emotions like this one does. Somehow it manages to be an effective comedy, drama, and philosophical journey. Think a less funny, more serious Big Lebowski.

I can't think of a more perfect role for Jason Segel. He plays the title roll in this friendly smack to the face of a film. Jeff, as you may have guessed by this point, lives at home. He's a thirty-something year old slacker who spends his days smoking pot, watching infomercials, and stinking up his mother's basement. It's this intense isolation that leads him to become the constantly ponderous thinker we see in the movie. His mother's basement evolves from a sanctuary for all things mediocre to a cannabis-filled underachiever's think-tank. The film starts out with a monologue describing the significance of M. Night Shyamalan's "Signs". Jeff meditates on how a string of seemingly random events can culminate into something beautiful and life changing. Jeff's life is this jumble of randomness, and he's looking for some meaning to make something out of it. That's exactly what happens when his mother sends him on an errand to fetch some wood glue. This carpenter's adhesive is the catalyst that sets into motion the chain of events that will give Jeff exactly what he's looking for, and is what drives this stunning reflection on the significance of the lazy mediocrity rampant in our day and age.

The cast is a kind of a dream team. Ed Helms and Jason Segel play off each other with a great combination of fierce animosity (mostly on Helms' part), and nearly-forgotten brotherly love. As Jeff's "successful" brother Pat, Helms' character sees himself as above the ever-positive pothead philosophy his little brother spouts. He does a wonderful job of  attempting to hide his fascination with Jeff's undying optimism, and just barely masking the bitter depression he harbors over what his life has come to. The emotional highs and lows of Helms' performance are really something. Susan Sarandon plays the pair's at-the-end-of-her-rope mother. She longs for the days where her family was together and her boys were cute. "What happened?", she reminisces to a friend at her nine-to-five grind. Sarandon does an excellent job of conveying the feelings of a forlorn mother who just wants to see her children, and herself, happy again. The subtle romance her character take part in is a nice touch, too. Judy Greer is a pleasant surprise as Pat's miserable housewife. Like Sarandon's character, she's just kind of done with it all. She's tired of the passive aggressive relationship she shares with her husband, her small apartment, and the person all of these things have turned her into. She's a scene-stealer, and a shining example of the brutal honesty that makes this film great.

Directors Jay and Mark Duplass put a smile on the faces of the audience I was apart of, and I imagine the same thing can be said for audiences across the country. The only thing I can really find to complain about the film is how brief it's stay on the screen is. It runs at a meager hour and twenty three minutes, but it really does make the most of it's time in front of audiences. It's a feel-good movie that strays away from Hollywood fluff, speaks to the quiet dissatisfaction of our generation, and toys with the idea that just maybe there's some sort of reason to the randomness of how we all fly about the universe. See it while you can.