Rating: 
Summary: Not What You Think
Review: While most people that i've talked to think of this movie as a comedy before they've seen it, it definatly was not. the previews may have been somewhat misleading, but im still very glad i saw it. one of the best movies ive seen all year. the deep twisting plot of college relationship angst was just amazing...
Rating:
Summary: A CK1 ad set at a uber- bohemian liberal arts college
Review: This movie production does a great job of capturing the essence of the novel (fyi much better at capturing it than American Psycho). The characters are stuck in a k-hole in a small affluent liberal arts college somewhere in the Northeast. Promiscous sexuality and omnipresent drug abuse are the backdrops for an interesting group of well- heeled young sophisticates dealing with coming of age issues like the forging of an identity and ambiguous sexuality. This movie is a satire of the prototypical "out of wack" liberal arts institution and the class that attends it, yet it is refreshing that the characters are not so deadpan and vilified that we can't find them likeable in some ways. The emotional fragilities of some of the characters is almost tender at times. This movie could of easily become a silly spoof.The plot is desultory and mirrors the lives and internal confusion of the characters. Most of the scenes revolve around characters posturing for the affection of other characters who are frequently oblivious to the interest and infatuated with someone else. Humorous scenes come about when characters expound markedly different accounts of the affections of their pursuits. There are some other funny scenes in this film also. The cinematography is interesting in the scenes that are rewound. It really captures the languid mood of the characters. The soundtrack is excellent also. A beef I have with the movie is that all the main characters are fiercely independent and interesting. A lot of the wanabe hipster types from Bard and Vassar and places like that I've met tend to be unoriginal poseurs who are not nearly so independent. Keep in mind that some viewers (possibly you) will be disapointed with the film because the plot is downplayed. The emphasis of the movie is capturing a mood and a spirit and all the conflicting and troubling emotions. This movie is not Van Wilder
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting and innovative
Review: Be prepared to be brutally astounded by this film, The rules of Attraction. Starring some very WB teen like players James Van Der Beek, and Jessica Beil i figured I was entering into another idealistic teen movie (due to the trailer previews), but I found a film that was very dark and amazingly thought out. Based on the novel, Rules enters you into the world of some very confused college students. Though their everyday sex lives, emotions and social positions are completely exaggerated , there are many levels of the story that really arent that far from true University life. College students will and are constantly in a uncomfortable position of "soul searching", and I felt, through thiis interesting satirical medium, the film shows emotions of youth rarely shown . Not recommened for the conservative type, come with an open mind!
Rating:
Summary: Crazy but Sexy
Review: Go see this movie....if you want to see James Van Der Beek in best role since Varsity Blues...the womanizing drug dealer turns into the love affectiate ladies man....this movie is strange, funny and will make you say huh....a really politically incorrect look at the way college life is when you have way too much time on your hands..
Rating:
Summary: Totally Screwed Up!
Review: After watching the first 10 minutes of Rules Of Attraction, the new movie based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the man behind the twisted American Psycho,I felt like walking out. However, once it got out of the atrocious opening, I found myself quite involved in this very strange, messed up, teen film about love,sex,death, drugs, and of course, rock and roll.
James Van Der Beek, Jesssica Biehl, and Shannyn Sossoman are excellent playing against type. Ian Somerhalder as Paul is the best character in the movie, and has a shot at becoming one of Hollywoods best young actors. Their really is no plot so its pointless for me to try to explain it, so all I can say is that if you like totally [messed] up movies, then this is the one for you.
Rating:
Summary: Truth hurts, but is also very entertaining...
Review: Where to begin? Simply put this movie is amazing if you're a fan of dark humor and edgy filmmaking. Roger Avery does such a great job with his cast of WB brats. He turns them into shallow college brats. The movie revolves around sex, drugs, parties, and more sex. Also deals with suicide due to unrequited love. That part was probably the most gruesome and sad, but also very affecting. James Van Der Beek blew me away, I never would have guessed this is the guy who plays sappy Dawson. And Russell Sams steals the movie with his portrayal of Richard...er I mean Dick. That 10 minutes alone makes this movie worth going to see. I highly recommend it, but not to the squemish or the prude, you'll have wasted your money.
Rating:
Summary: The most original and creative film of 2002
Review: This year's most original and creative movies, The Rules Of Attraction, in a certain sense, "rules" A must see for anyone in college, for thats the basis of the film. The movie follows three main characters, Sean Bateman, (the brother of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman), Paul, and Lauren. Sean is a drug dealer who is recieving love letters from a woman throughout the movie, and runs into many different sexual and drug related situations. Paul is bisexual, (although men is what he's mostly looking for), hes gotta crush on Sean, but Sean will only smoke w/ him, he has no interest in him sexually. Lauren, whos still a virgin and whos boyfriend has been in Europe for quite a while, decides maybe she should pursue other men, one of those men being Sean.
The film has a very creative style in inrtoducing its main characters, the first segment, which is really the end of the film, follows each one during a party, one at a time, then reverses literally to follow the next character, its really quite amazing, and probably a lot less confusing watching it than reading it. Go see it, its more than a movie, its an experience.
Rating:
Summary: even better than the book
Review: this movie was awesome it did a great job of showing the characters emotion and expressing what college life (even if it is a pretty wild version) is really like. This movie does a great job of showing the same event through other people's point of view finally a movie that understands that life has more than one point of view
Rating: 
Summary: What was the point?
Review: After watching this film, I wondered "what was the most obnoxious part of this movie"? Was it at the drug dealer's house? Was it the gay guys' dinner with their mothers? Or maybe it was the overly long and inflated "whirlwind" tour of Europe through the eyes of, perhaps, the most despicable person in this film? All of these characters are deplorable and shallow. One reviewer said they felt sorry for the girl who was sending the purple letters! Why? She does herself in for a guy that she doesn't even know and has made no attempt to talk to!! Following their lives leaves the viewer feeling empty. They are all emotionally and ethically bankrupt. Why should we care about these characters? What is the point here?! It is truly sad that Brett Easton Ellis has gotten rich writing pathetic drivel such as this. He has truly hoodwinked a lot of people who are easily shocked. Richard Avary and Ellis is a good combo though-- because both are masters at creating exploitative, sensationalist garbage with no heart. 2 stars for the acting only.
Rating: 
Summary: The Rules of Putrefaction
Review: Movie: BOMB _____ DVD Quality: **** _____ DVD Extras: *
About halfway through "The Rules of Attraction", a minor character climbs into a warm tub surrounded by candles, opens the veins in her arms with a razor blade, and bleeds out into the bathwater. I almost envied her. Because for her, the movie was over. I, on the other hand, still had another 55 minutes of watching unlikeable and totally unappealing characters vomit on each other; play with themselves; wipe themselves while sitting on the toilet; shoot up drugs; and advertise Jack Daniels whiskey by clutching a bottle in scene after scene after repetitive, dull scene. Seriously, it isn't often that I run across a movie with no redeeming qualities - usually there's one praiseworthy performance, or a sparkling line of dialogue, or a commendable technical achievement - but "The Rules of Attraction" is an utter waste of film. The characters are unpleasant; the script, which is chockful of homophobic and misogynic elements, is totally repellent; the direction is showy yet uninspired; the editing is completely ineffective. Someone needed to remind the filmmakers that it's entirely possible to make a successful black comedy about youthful alienation, but to do so, it's necessary to: 1) be funny, and 2) avoid alienating the audience.
While the film is a resounding dud, the DVD nonetheless can be complemented on offering a clean and sharp audio and video transfer. The extras consist of a brief "Anatomy of a Scene" segment produced by the Sundance Channel, and an array of the film's original advertising. Tellingly, the promotional ads give no true indication of the movie's actual content and tone, suggesting that the filmmakers knew they had a turkey on their hands and felt as though they needed to fool people into buying tickets. Don't be misled into adding this one to your home theatre collection; there are hundreds of better DVDs for you to spend your money on.
|
