Home :: DVD :: Art House & International :: General  

Asian Cinema
British Cinema
European Cinema
General

Latin American Cinema
Ghost World

Ghost World

List Price: $14.95
Your Price: $11.96
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 .. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 .. 29 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Easily the best movie of 2001
Review: This movie was, by far, the best of 2001, and one of my all-time favorites. From the opening scenes with the Indian dance routine, to the dead-on accurate graduation ceremony, to the trip to the porn shop, this movie puts me in a pretty much constant state of laughter.

The performances by both of the young female leads are outstanding, and even better, was the amazing job Steve Buscemi did with his character. But what i think really made this film were the absolutely hilarious peripheral characters. Seymour's roommate, Joe, is my personal favorite, with his beer gut and constantly mussed hair, but there are many more: David Cross' character and the rest of the guys at Seymour's record collector party, the guy who asks for a beer at the movie theater, the teacher of the art class, the rest of the students in the art class, the ultra-perky aspiring actress aquaintance of Enid and Rebecca, the comic book store guys, the guy in the band Alien Autopsy, and the poor kid that tries to talk to Rebecca at the graduation party. Not only are all these bit parts well-written, but they are perfectly acted.

This movie is probably an acquired taste, and not one that most mainstream audiences will take to (since that mainstream audience is the target for most of the ridicule in this movie), but if you don't quite fit in with everyone else, this movie will speak to you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I never get bored with this movie.
Review: Somehow these characters just grow on you. I saw this movie when it first came out, and I thought it was OK. But I kept pondering how Thora Birch's "Enid" and her friend "Rebecca" evolve through the movie, from school girls to the working world; and I saw myself in Enid with what destiny she ultimately chooses.
The movie is full of little scene gems involving the strangest people one could meet on the streets of any given community in the USA.
By far, this movie tops my list of favorites.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Maybe I Missed The Point But...
Review: I really didn't care much for this movie. First off, i cant imagine it is easy to make a movie based on a Graphic Novel.

I found the story to be very dull, and the main character (enid i think her name is) is extreemly annoying. The movie, to me, is set around her feeling sorry for herself, and whinning a whole lot.

There are parts of the movie that i did like however. I loved all the Art Class scenes i thought those were hilarious.

I give it two stars, because it wasnt the worst move i have ever seen, and like i said i did like the art class scenes.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wickedly Intelligent and Real
Review: The characters in this movie are so real in their actions and their views of the world, that you have to spot at least one person you know in real life who are like on of the characters. Enid is a continuation of Thora Birch's character in American Beauty as she and her best friend, Rebecca played Scarlett Johansson, snidely remark on fellow citizens, pop culture and their surroundings. The film injects humour, sarcasm and wit into everyday deeds such as summer school, jobs, and going to the video store. It sort of like "High Fidelity" with teenage girls. The girls are outsiders by choice and Enid would rather hang out with older recluses than to go against her morals by following the in crowd. My favorite line from the film is at the beginning where a girl who has been in an accident is giving a graduation speech and...well, you need to hear it for yourself. I highly recommend this movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Awesome, BUT...
Review: Alright. I love Thora Birch. She puts mannequin actresses like Shannon Elizabeth and Sarah Michelle Gellar to shame. So there's no possible way I could dislike something she was in. And indeed, Ghost World was astounding in so many ways. I am Enid, in many areas, and myself and those like me are the audience this film is intended for, those of us who KNOW (not think) the majority is stupid. Those of us who KNOW pop culture is vapid, and those of us who find joy in tearing down even the most sacred of hollow traditions.

However, if you want the FULL enjoyment of a movie like this, then I sincerely reccommend picking up the Ghost World screenplay. I bought it long before I saw the film, and I was blown away. So I was more than a little disappointed when a lot of what made the screenplay great was left out of the movie, like Enid's infatuation with Josh, Seymour's fight with Dana, and so on. Terry Zwigoff and Daniel Clowes put together a much better script than the final film.

My only other major reservation was the extremely unfunny and unsympathetic performance by Scarlett Johansen. I understand she's supposed to be cynical and disinterested, but there were times I had to turn the volume up just to hear what she said. It was that inarticulate. She was much better in The Man Who Wasn't There, but she did absolutely nothing for this movie, and I cringed every time she talked because it just brought the movie down so much.

And finally, a word to all of you who "didn't get" this movie: stick with American Pie. This obviously isn't your kind of humor, and you're obviously not who it's intended for. Because we all know American Pie is sooooooo funny :(

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A film I can relate to
Review: The so-called "teen movies" offered in recent years have been of a dull and empty variation. The basic formula usually includes the geek who gets the girl/guy, the nasty popular kids, the jocks, the unlikely couple and more uses of the word "like" than any normal person is able to tolerate. What a rare treat it is that in the middle of the season usually full of teen movie trash that we had "Ghost World", a film that remembers that not everybody fits into easily accessible categories (adults and teens alike).

Thora Birch is Enid, a high school grad unsure of what to do with the rest of her life. She thinks she will rent an apartment with her best friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson), but with no job and summer school (for flunking art), nothing is certain. In a similar spot is Seymour (Steve Buschemi), a record collector who can't see any real meaning to his actions. Enid and Rebecca play a seemingly harmless prank on him after seeing a classified ad he put in the paper. Quite to the surprise of the duo, this little stunt really hurts Seymour. Guilty, Enid feels obligated to hook him up with the girl he was looking for in the ad.

What is remarkable about "Ghost World" is not that it is more entertaining than your average teen entertainment. No, what strikes me about "Ghost World" is how astutely it remembers the feeling of displacement that plagues so many teens. Enid doesn't seem to have many friends who respect her, and as cynical as she may get, human contact is the obvious ingredient missing in her life, even though she is constantly pushing it away. Rebecca urges her to get a job, so she gets a job working at a concession stand in a multiplex. That same day, she's fired for too many wise remarks about the theater and it's customers. Enid doesn't feel the need to "fit in", instead she sees the whole world collapsing around her and would rather observe and snicker than get away from the problem. She tries to move on with her life, yet everyone around her is trying to keep her grounded. Thora Birch seems more alive as Enid than in any other of her roles. In "American Beauty", she played a similar character, but I was less than convinced with her portrayal, mostly consisting of pouting. In "Ghost World", it is like she has woken up, and really works as Enid. Her chemistry with the other actors ranges from comfortable to repellent as the story requires.

Seymour is just as miserable as Enid. He collects all kinds of junk- from jazz records to old posters from the fast-food company he works for. He wishes he could have a more rewarding career and a more exciting life. "I hate my intrests", he remarks. Where Enid is a little more honest and will say anything that comes to her mind, Seymour builds a shield against pain with his collections and obsessions and rarely takes a chance. Enid does not care about the consequences; Seymour is constantly running away from them. Steve Buschemi is wonderful in this role. He does what an actor should as he doesn't overact but really gets into the character and inhabits him. As we watch him, we feel just like a picture Enid draws in her sketchbook: "Go Seymour!" We want him to get the girl, to succeed and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, his own self-pity comes back to haunt him when he realizes he has nothing in common with the woman of his dreams.

In the end, Enid is off to create a world of her own, while Seymour is left behind back where he started. He does have his experiences with Enid, but how far does that really take him? We will never find out, but we are sure that he will start to come into his own; we now have gained confidence in him. The film has that personal touch that most films lack. Coming from Terry Zwigoff, a man who threatened to commit suicide if the subject for a documentary he was making didn't cooperate ("Crumb"), it's easy to see why the film is so accurate in its portrayal of emotional emptiness. "Ghost World" has so many strengths to deem it one of the best films of the year. And as much as some would like to disagree, it is not a teen movie in any way, shape or form.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Disappointing Movie
Review: Lots of folks seem to like this movie, however, we were did not. Story is about a self-centered, self-absorbed teen age girl who never seems to be able to her connect actions with their consequences. There were a few funny lines (every one of which was in the preview) between long stretches of tedium.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Shock! A 'teen' movie worthing watching
Review: ...

Ghost World's humour is dark and dry, and perhaps a little too bleak for the good of the viewer. Thora Birch impresses as Enid. A part of me despised her self-defeatist attitude, but as the film progresses the other half of me empathised with her loneliness. The rest of the cast, including Scarlet Johnasen as Rebecca, is solid. Steve Buscemi's performance isn't a world-beater because he's given few opportunites to show the funny side we've come to expect. Nonetheless, this poignant and gloomy non-mainstream teen movie finds a new and quirky way of rewriting the 'growing up is hard' chestnut. Its slow moving in parts and I thought some scenes were redundant, "Ghost World" could have been 15 minutes shorter. Still, this is recommended 'alternative' viewing. Thank God not all teen movies are about dudes looking for their car.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Catcher in the Rye" for this generation
Review: I'm not gonna write a huge review, but if you haven't read "The Catcher in the Rye", read the book & see this movie. The two have a bunch of similarities. Enid reminds me of Holden Caufield, walking through the city, and flunking school. Some of the deeper themes about loneliness and fitting in are also prevalent. I don't want to give away too much about the movie, but I remember in "Catcher", Holden went to buy a specific record for his sister... that reminded me of the movie. Enid's language, calling everyone an a**-hole reminds me of how Holden called everyone a "phony". Just a whole bunch of stuff. Anyway, this is a good decent movie. Watch it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Movies I've Ever Seen!
Review: This movie is incredible. It's as simple as that. And EVERYONE should see it - it's got awesome acting, extremely deep characters, a perfect cast, it's wicked funny, plus it has strong undertones about relationships and American culture. Every time I watch this movie I pick up on something new that it's trying to tell you. Two words: SEE IT.


<< 1 .. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 .. 29 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates