Rating: 
Summary: Ghost World
Review: Terry Zwigoff's highly anticipated follow-up to "Crumb" (one of my favorite movies of all time) is his first non-documentary feature film, and while it doesn't live up to the hype (and its predecessor), "Ghost World" is still a very well-made and hysterically funny film. It is also very much a character study -- it's all about finding more about who the people in the movie are, and not about what happens to them. Like "Crumb", "Ghost World" has no shortage of strange characters (perhaps too many for its own good) and features lots of fascinating comic artworks (most prominently Robert Crumb's daughter Sophie's), but the movie is actually more reminiscent of "Happiness" and "Welcome to the Dollhouse" with its dark, caustic, off-beat humour and main characters who are social outcasts (as it turned out, Zwigoff and Todd Solondz are good friends). Thora Birch is excellent as our protagonist Enid (a role which was initially intended for Christina Ricci, except she was too old by the time this movie was being made) as is the rest of the cast including Steve Buscemi, Scarlett Johansson and over-the-top Illeana Douglas.
Rating:
Summary: Join the human race... or not.
Review: Best friends Enid and Rebecca graduate from high school and find themselves forced to enter the real world. Enid (more than Rebecca) is a counter-culture rebel who hates this world of frauds and losers, and she subsequently has trouble getting and keeping a job. One day the girls decide to play a prank on a lonely middle-aged loser named Seymour. Their plan backfires, though, and Enid becomes a little obsessed with the man. First she feels sorry for Seymour, then he becomes something of a hero to her, and she resolves to help him at least find a girlfriend. "Maybe I just cant stand the thought of a world where a guy like you can't get a date," she tells him. Meanwhile, Enid seems to be avoiding the challenge of getting her own life started.
Terry Zwigoff ("Crumb") directs this film based on a script by Dan Clowes, who also created the original comic book. "Ghost World" attempts to be a kitsch-free, counter-culture coming of age film, and for the most part it succeeds. The characters are very believable, honest, and engaging. The downbeat Seymour is wonderfully played by Steve Buscemi, and Thora Birch in her striking performance as Enid follows up her "American Beauty" role with another discontent, misfit teen character. Perhaps the greatest disappointment in the film, however, is that Scarlett Johansson as Rebecca is marginalized midway through the film. Regarding the story: It is debatable whether the film is entirely free of kitsch. As with "American Beauty," Seymour's sudden romantic options smell of middle-aged wish fulfillment. Also, one might ask for a slightly tighter ending, as the film finishes without much resolution--except for one rather simple but touching scene between Enid and Seymour. On the whole, however, the film is a delight, producing some very memorable characters to whom, in the end, the audience will be sorry to say goodbye.
Rating: 
Summary: "I can't relate to 99% of humanity..."
Review: From a first glance, "Ghost World" appears to be your ordinary teen comedy/drama when in reality nothing could be further from the truth. This is a strange and very well made film that is touching, funny, sad and twisted. One of those rare gems that did not fall victim to a "Hollywood" formula. I don't know why it took me so long to finally watch this, but I'm glad that on a day when I had nothing to do that I decided to pop this into the DVD player. Based on the underground comic book by Daniel Clowes, the story focuses on two characters who have just graduated from high school, Enid and Rebecca. They love to snoop around in other people's lives and find ways to humiliate them for their own amusement. When they play a practical joke on an isolating loner, Seymour, Enid can't help to feel a little guilty--which is something she never feels in similar situations. She ends up forming a strange and open relationship with him after that, and that's when things become complicated for Enid. While Rebecca has more of a focus on where to go next after finishing high school, Enid doesn't have a clue about her future. She feels trapped in a dead end town that offers no sanctuary for her. All of this makes way for a drama/comedy that sticks out from other films. I had been told many times that this was a movie that I had to see, and now I finally understand why. It was completely different from what I thought the movie would end up being. It's funny and sad at the same time, which is a very difficult task to accomplish without it ending up being corny. The movie is very well written (co-written by the very man who did the comic book), with very realistic dialogue and characters. The movie doesn't really feel like a movie, because it feels like real life. You feel like you know these characters and have seen them before. We all went to school with people like this at some point. That's when you know when something really works--when you feel like you are there. One of the great things about the movie is that there is not a big payoff in the end. There's on grand finale or an ending that lets you know that everything is going to be all right. I know this was a disappointment for some people, but I couldn't envision the film ending in any other way. It's a realistic and beautiful moment. And to me, that was the greatest payoff you could find. It also shows you that this film refuses to conform to Hollywood standards, which is always refreshing. The DVD has a few things to offer--"few" being the keyword here. Don't get me wrong, I was happy with the features that were included, but I was hoping there'd be a few more goodies for a standout movie like this. The picture and sound is very good, so no problems there. Extras included are deleted and alternate scenes, a "making of" featurette, trailers and a music video. I think a great opportunity was missed here, as this is the perfect movie that screams for a commentary from the cast and crew. Despite the fact that it isn't loaded with a ton of extras, it's still a very nice package. "Ghost World" is a phenomenal achievement in filmmaking, in my opinion. True, it is not something that everybody will be head-over-heels for, but those who end up loving it will really appreciate it for what it is. It's a film that takes risks and never falls into a basic movie formula. If you're looking for a movie that is different from the rest, this is an excellent choice. A superb film on all fronts. -Michael Crane
Rating:
Summary: The Essentials of Life
Review: Focusing on the themes of friendship, loyalty, dreams, the future, and the quirks of a teen's life, "Ghost World" is an exciting adventure leading insight into the life of a newly graduated teen. The story is about two best friends freshly out of high school. In their search for a future they would enjoy, they run across opposition from their parents and peers. They are trying to find a place where they belong in the world. Focusing on one of the girls, it portrays her inner tumult about the decisions she must make. This girl meets an older eccentric man and decides to befriend him and add color to his life. She feels sorry for this man and feels she can help him. She ends up falling in love with him even though she is 18 and he is 40. Through trying to help this man she has only complicated her own life more. When the man she is helping falls in love with a woman his own age (who the girl has set him up with) the girl sabotages the relationship and ends up ruining her friendship with the older man too. She becomes very depressed and dissatisfied with her life at this point. Her best friend is pressuring her to get a job and move into an apartment with her. She doesn't feel ready for this choice yet and holds back. Meanwhile on the home front her father has told her he is going to marry someone who she hates. At this point she is very displeased with her own actions and with the people around her. Finally she decides to follow her own dreams. She finds a random bus and gets on it. This has always been her dream to do and she finally does it. This movie portrays an interesting aspect to all of our lives. I think at some point this is what everyone wants to do. Just get on a bus and leave all your cares behind. This story really brings about a human connection between the characters that makes you feel as if you know them. I think the author, through this story, is trying to express his concern for the world. He shows one lone girl and the weight of her problems and a lonely man. The author is trying to tell others to just follow their own dreams instead of trying to live someone else's life for them. I think the author is hoping that when people watch this they will try to relate it to their own lives and make better choices themselves.
Rating:
Summary: A movie about ideas and people in the real world
Review: Here's an unHollyowood film about life, roles, friendship and departure that transcends most of the trash available on the big or little screen. I saw this on TV last night, followed by the big screen spectacular "Three Kings". It was more than clear to me which film was about ideas and real life, and which one was a cure for insomnia. I'll talk about the one about ideas and real life. Unlike the Amazon synopsis and Leonard Maltin's opinion, this movie is not about alienation. It is about a cynical high school graduate's attempt to find a niche to fit into when her world undergoes changes she cannot understand. Thora Birch ("American Beauty") is very good as the high school graduate with a dark view of everything in the world...until she meets milquetoast record collector Steve Buscemi. There is a good deal of cliche in this meeting but it serves to break the holocaust of darkness in her life, which is compounded by her best friend changing roles, her schlemiel father being an empty, vacuous figure in her life, and her indecision about what to do with her own life. Birch focuses on loser Buscemi, trying to improve his lot in life. She successfully helps set him up with another woman, then injects herself in his life in a way to locate her own life when everyone she knows seemingly abandons her. When this fails, she follows the pattern of the only other stable role model in her life, a mentally ill middle age man who sits at a bus stop, waiting for a bus that never arrives. When his bus one day arrives, she decides to take it, too, as the movie ends.
This is Birch's final removal from the world, the alienation most critics disucssed. I prefer to think of it as role acceptance, as finding her niche, as getting to a place she wants. This very simple film portrays a reality for many high school kids that come from single parent homes and lack direction after school. It tells a real story in an uncomfortable circumstance. People that enjoy nice neat stories in films will be very distrubed watching this. People whose minds look for meaning in film portrayals will become more involved the longer the movie goes on.
Rating:
Summary: "If he's so weird, why is he wearing Nikes?"
Review: Dan Clowes, the only comic book artist to be nominated for an Oscar (for best screenplay this film, along with the director Terry Zwigoff), brings to life characters created in one particular storyline from his highly popular and very odd independent comic book Eightball, specifically in the unconventional film Ghost World (2001). The film, directed by Terry Zwigoff, who also directed the acclaimed biopic about underground artist Robert Crumb aptly entitled Crumb (1994) and Bad Santa (2004), stars Thora Birch as Enid, Scarlett Johansson as Rebecca, and Steve Buscemi as Seymour. The story begins with Enid and Rebecca, who are best friends, graduating from high school. During their slightly reflective moments of high school, we begin to learn that these two girls are among the fringe dwellers. You may be familiar with them, as they were the kids who dressed oddly, oozed sarcasm, shunned almost all after school activities, and seemed to have a negative view of most everything, seeing what they perceived as the phoniness and superficialities rampantly inherent within their environment, and taking pleasure in tormenting and alienating those around them and purposely ostracizing themselves from their peers. They often emit an aura of superiority, believing they are above the banalities, relishing their positions as outsiders smart enough to see through the perceived lameness, but their non-conformist attitudes often rendered them to most as snide, obnoxious losers with extremely limited social circles whose actions seemed to mask a deeper, desperately needing to belong but due to physical differences, lack of athletic abilities and just general awkwardness of youth put them in a not so unique position of never really fitting in with their peers. Anyway, as the post graduation phase sets in, Enid and Rebecca's paths begin to separate as they had originally intended to get an apartment together, which requires money ergo jobs, but Enid must take a summer school art class to complete her requirements for her high school diploma. Rebecca, seemingly beginning to grow out of the non-conformist phase takes a job at a coffee shop understanding that her goals rely on the very real fact that things cost money, while Enid's less than heartfelt attempts at work fail miserably (her stint working in a movie theater is truly funny...Movie Patron: Do you serve beer or any alcohol? Enid: I wish. Actually you wish... after about five minutes of this movie, you're gonna wish you had ten beers.) Through a particularly obnoxious and uncomfortable prank pulled on a completely unsuspecting and random individual, they meet Seymour, someone most would consider an unassuming loser in that he lives a very isolated life, has no misconceptions about his identity or attractiveness in general, and obsesses over rare records, devoting an entire room in his modest apartment to this pursuit. Enid later develops a relationship mostly due to the fact, in her words, 'I kind of like him. He's the exact opposite of everything I really hate. In a way, he's such a clueless dork, he's almost kind of cool.' Enid begins to identify with Seymour, someone who has excepted his loser status and has even managed to squeeze an existence out of it, while Rebecca seems to be conforming more and more to achieve a goal once shared by both girls, straining their relationship, and effectively isolating Enid even more, especially once Seymour begins to develop a relationship with a woman that Enid helped him meet, not thinking it would ever go very far... The story sort of rambles along, but seemingly with a purpose. Certain elements appear completely odd and disconnected from any plot, but if you've ever read Eightball, you may have more of an understanding of this, as is how the comic book (graphic novel) is set up, which is one of the elements that made it so popular, at least within the individuals that followed the comic. Offbeat, irrelevant, irregular, spooky, ethereal, sarcastic, witty, genuine, scary, sad, humorous, these are all words I would use to describe both the comic book and the film. I was surprised to see this movie made, much more so a major studio release, as the comic didn't seem to lend itself to this kind of treatment, especially given that the main character is not one your normal viewer would like or develop much empathy for...The characters are very well developed, warts and all, and Birch is wonderful as the snotty, snooty outsider who finds life certainly isn't the same as when she was in high school, suffering, in part, to her unwillingness to grow from her childish attitudes and develop a path to follow. Buscemi seems made for his part as Seymour 'I can't relate to 99% of humanity', given his unique physical appearance and understanding created within the context of his character of his lot in life, embracing that which is comfortable, while the rest being more of a means to an end supporting his passion. He knows what he is, but seems to harbor no ill will or outward hatred towards society in general, accepting his role in life, taking what comes his way and just going with the flow. The wide screen picture looks really sharp with matching audio. Special features include deleted scenes, a ten minute featurette entitled Making of Ghost World which, in its' brevity and use of various scenes from the film hardly shares much of anything, a music video for the sixties Indian music sequence presented at the beginning of the film (which we see as Enid is watching it on her television), and an original theatrical trailer for the film, along with a TV spot, and a couple of other trailers for more popular films. If you enjoyed this film, I would also recommend Crumb (1994), American Splendor (2003) and the upcoming Clowes/Zwigoff production of Art School Confidential (2004). By the way, watch the film all the way through the credits as a nice little surprise awaits you. Cookieman108
Rating:
Summary: Ghost World
Review: Terry Zwigoff's highly anticipated follow-up to "Crumb" (one of my favorite movies of all time) is his first non-documentary feature film, and while it doesn't live up to the hype (and its predecessor), "Ghost World" is still a very well-made and hysterically funny film. It is also very much a character study -- it's all about finding more about who the people in the movie are, and not about what happens to them. Like "Crumb", "Ghost World" has no shortage of strange characters (perhaps too many for its own good) and features lots of fascinating comic artworks (most prominently Robert Crumb's daughter Sophie's), but the movie is actually more reminiscent of "Happiness" and "Welcome to the Dollhouse" with its dark, caustic, off-beat humour and main characters who are social outcasts (as it turned out, Zwigoff and Todd Solondz are good friends). Thora Birch is excellent as our protagonist Enid (a role which was initially intended for Christina Ricci, except she was too old by the time this movie was being made) as is the rest of the cast including Steve Buscemi, Scarlett Johansson and over-the-top Illeana Douglas.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Brilliant
Review: If your an anti-social punk rocker, you might just like this movie. There were some funny scenes, but the two girls are annoying. They just walk around cussing and complaining about how terrible life is and how everybody is so stupid. Buscemi was good (a little strange) but the guy with the numchucks was the best. Unfortunately, you only see "numchucks" for a total of 90 seconds. I think the funniest scene was when Buscemi goes into the convenient store steaming mad and tries to knock over the food shelf. He didn't see those numchucks coming now did he? Rent it if you must see it.
Rating:
Summary: classic!
Review: This movie is so great at making its charecters realistic and relatable to those of us who don't fit in or conform to society. There's so many references to how the media influences people's decisions in what they buy, music they listen to, etc. Years from now people will still identity wit this movie.
Rating:
Summary: "God, what a bunch of retards."
Review: Based off of the comic book, here we have a movie with two best friends Enid and Rebecca fresh out of high school and their futures lying wide open in front of them. Except they don't know what they want to do. Both disgusted by society, people and world around them they are cynical and annoyed by almost everything. Enid develops an unlikely relationship with Seymour, who they prank called on a fake blind date, and followed him to his house. That doesn't work out, and like before Enid is left with an unknowing sense of what to do. Enid and Rebecca's friendship drifts apart throughout the movie because they are obviously going in different directions in their lives. But as it always seems in life, Enid has no resolution for her problems.
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