Being John Malkovich

Rating:
Summary: A Thoroughly Unpleasant Viewing Experience
Review: I find it unbelievable that so many film critics lauded this trite, overly clever, smug piece of pretentious garbage. It's a conte cruel that inflicts most of its cruelty on anyone who may be forced to watch it all the way through to its (predictable) conclusion. The whole thing seems like a bad script that Richard Matheson had cranked out for a 1960's "Twilight Zone" episode, then, after he had sobered up, took one long look at, laughed, then filed it away.

Almost none of the character elicit a sympathetic response, and one can only root for the least revolting ones on the screen. The film has a "weirdness" to it, all right, but it's not an intriguing weirdness like that of a David Lynch film, but that of a disjointed, incoherent narrative that tries to hide a plot with holes in it large enough to toss cats and dogs through. Even John Malkovich appears to be bored and embarassed with his role in this mess.

Didn't Spike Jonez direct videos for the MTV crowd before becoming involved in this fiasco? It shows...

Rating:
Summary: It is good
Review: I liked this movie, IT IS VERY GOOD.

Rating:
Summary: If only all films had the guts of this one!
Review: I missed this one in the theaters. I just bought the DVD, and i have to say... WHOA! Up until now, I thought the two most inventive movies of 1999 were Fight Club and Magnolia. Now that I've seen Being John Malkovich, I realize it is not only the most inventive film of 1999, it's one of the most inventive films EVER! Words cannot describe how much I love this movie. It is hilarious, beautiful, touching and down right bizarre, all at once. Every single frame, every single line spoken, every single character in this movie is unlike any other movie ever! Please watch this movie with an open mind. It really is a work of art.

Rating:
Summary: I have a few questions...
Review: I love a good movie, and this one was great. But if there's something I don't quite understand in a movie, it really bugs me. I have a few questions about this movie, and I'm hoping someone can help me out.

1. Is the portal in the office building the same one that Captain..Whatever His Name Was found 90 years ago?

2. So let me see if I've got this right: if you enter the portal in the pupal stage, you get stuck forever in the body, if you enter the portal in the larval stage, you get kicked out after 15 minutes, and if you enter the portal in the ripe stage (is it always on the 44th birthday?), you stay in the body for good?

3. What determines who the portal will go to next? And is it always the same portal (the one in the building?)And is it just coincidence that the daughter is the next person the portal leads to or am I missing something? Is it because she's Malkovich's daugter? And what determined that the portal led to John Malkovich for that matter?

4. So Dr. Lester started out as that Captain, jumped to Lester, and then to Malkovich, and that's why he says he's 105 years old? Or is Lester really 105 years old because of the carrot juice?

Maybe I'm thinking too hard here, but I know there are answers to these questions, and, like I said, it's driving me crazy. It keeps me from fully enjoying the movie. Help me out, people! E-mail me with some answers at: [e-mail] Thanks!

Rating:
Summary: Art + Originality = Greatness = Being John Malkovich
Review: What more can I say?

With "Being John Malkovich", Spike Jonze delivers a better first-time directing effort than other first-timers have in a long time.

Most of all, this film stands out for its ideas. Whatever went on inside the mind of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the creativity that emerges in this film is the kind that audiences should get to see more often on the big screen.

Kaufman's script is one of the best and most original of the 1990's.

"Being John Malkovich", a thought-provoking film highlighted by Catherine Keener's fantastic performance and John Malkovich's delightful self-parody, is destined to become a cult classic.

Take a trip into the portal...

Rating:
Summary: Good movie... interesting DVD...
Review: Being John Malkovich is a wonderful movie, and in my opinion justly deserved the "Best Movie of 99" from Roger Ebert, so the second it came out on DVD I picked it up. While the movie is still great, I have problems with this DVD version. Firstly, the 16x9 Widescreen presentation doesn't show up on DVD-Roms (sorry college students). Secondly, the special feature "An Interview with Spike Jonze" was so borderline confusing that it makes you wonder whether or not to laugh at Jonze vomitting in the street. Basically, a great movie, but they could have done MUCH better on the presentation and special features.

Rating:
Summary: protecting happiness.
Review: It's not required that you follow the plot in this film. Rather look for what the director is relating in the script, and visuals. Being John Malkovich is a film about how people are willing to disguise, and lie to their true selves in order to protect the small pieces of happiness they obtain in life. Craig Schwartz is a puppeteer who projects his inner conflict through his performances. His wife projects her empathy, and insecurity on to her pets. These two people live in isolation even though they are married. When Craig needs to find work he finds it at a "down sized" business on the 7 1/2 floor of old building. The building holds a secret... a portal into John Malkovich's mind. Does this need to make sense. No it does not. What is important that the character's find a place where they can hide their identy, and become what they wish because of John Malkovich's celeberty. I will go no further in discribing the plot because there are many surprises to be had in this movie.You may want to rent this before you buy simply because the film contains some bizzare moments, and is not for everyones tastes. This is an art film, not a special effects ladden action flick. To me it's nice to see art prevail in a commercial glutted field. Give it a shot

Rating:
Summary: Simply okay, but overrated
Review: I found Being John Malkovich to be something of a let down when I saw it in the theatre. As a fan of John Malkovich and Spike Jones (C'mon, the video he did for Weezer's Buddy Holly was great!) I had good expectation for this movie. While there were a few amusing chuckles and the actors were all fine, I felt that over all it was lacking. Yes, I get the whole point about celebrity. But even so, I found it to be both flat and trying too hard to be cute, instead of simply being clever. All in all, too clever for its own good.

Rating:
Summary: Best movie of 1999
Review: this should have won best picture. the spike jonze interview is the funniest thing on the disc. just wait til' the end when he throws up! John Cusack, Jonze, Malkovich , and Kauffman are gods!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie, A Great DVD
Review: This movie was great, but the DVD is even better. From the minute I opened up the packaging, I was surprised. Somehow, they came up with a way to compress a t-shirt and a Malkovich mask to fit inside the DVD case with the DVD. Aside from that, the dvd itself was great. It had many extra features, including an interview with the director, a 45 minute behind the scenes featurette, a link to a special website, 2 different Director's Commentaries (one in Spike Jonze's Original Swedish), an interactive game with puppets and much more. I would strongly reccommend this dvd even if it didn't have that stuff on it.