Rating: 
Summary: One Of The Greatest Ideas For A Movie... EVER
Review: I saw this movie and knew from the begining that it would become one of my all-time favorites. The idea and plot are so ludicusly strange, hillarius and confusing that they must be seen numerus times to be fully understood. The image of seeing someone spit from out of nowhere, 15 feet in the air, onto the bank of the New Jersey turnpike, alone, is worth the 20 dollars. The 7.5 floor and the chimpanzee flash back, along with the rest of the movies constructiuona and direction, help to make this the second funniest movies of the last five years. The first being Theres something about Marry. American Beauty takes a repectful third. The DVD features also add to the worthyness of the movie. the "Spike Jones Intemite Portraits Of" are hillarius, (Even funnier on the thee kings DVD) and the Puppet Scenes are beautiful. Unfourtnitly John Cusak is a very underated actor, and still does not get the credit that he deserves. Pushing Tin, and Gross Point Blank are very good movies. Please excuse my spelling and the jumbled sentences.
Rating:
Summary: To be, or not to be?
Review: Craig Schwartz (played by actor John Cusack) has a problem: he doesn't like being Craig Schwartz. This identity crisis is identified (pun intended) immediately within the beautiful establishing shot(s) of director Spike Jonze's fantastic -- if not highly bizarre -- film "Being John Malkovich." In the aforementioned shot(s) we see a puppet show taking place -- a solitary performance, which is orchestrated and conducted by Schwartz, with no audience in attendance and (presumably) with no other purpose than providing him with a mode of escape: from himself, from his life... from reality. "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" proves to be the running theme (or should I say "belief?") for all the characters in the movie (including Schwartz), each seeking a new and improved existence -- specifically via a magical portal that allows them to enter the mind of acclaimed American actor John Malkovich. But once the transition is made, and each character has a chance to "be" somebody else-to experience the hoped -- for improved emerald splendor of another's grass -- Spike Jonze throws a wicked curveball at the audience, asking the question "Is it really greener elsewhere?"For me, this ingenious film worked on many levels. Firstly, the technical aspects, from lighting to camera angles, and everything in between, were handled and produced in a very controlled and (I think) appropriate fashion for the message being conveyed. An example of this can be found in the choices of lighting for the scenes involving Schwartz. He's a man who has grown despondent with his life, so Jonze chooses to light him in a gloomy, almost haze-like manner, conveying a sense of doom and depression, as well as depicting a gloomy and futile attempt by Schwartz to struggle through the suffocating miasma that surrounds him every day. It is not until we see Schwartz manipulating his puppets, or until he enters the mind of Malkovich (essentially, in both cases, "becoming" someone or something else), that we see a brighter, more illuminating style of lighting used, which seems to indicate Schwartz only feels alive and free when he is able to escape from himself. This clever handling of the lighting shows the audience -- with or without the assistance of related dialogue -- what kind of life Schwartz lives, and gives definite clues to his personality and his motivation (or lack thereof). On the emotional and psychological levels, I found "Being John Malkovich" to be extremely satisfying. Not only was the quirkiness of its subject matter both challenging and refreshing (I mean, a magic portal into the mind of John Malkovich, for Pete's sake!), but the underlying questions being asked, as well, made this a pleasurable viewing experience. I left the movie wondering about my own existence, and about the times I -- like everyone else, I'm sure -- have considered what it would be like to be someone else; to see the world through another's eyes. The answer, I believe (and the movie provides this quite clearly), is that a person can never really know what it's like be someone else without completely becoming that other person. And once you do, what's the point? You've lost yourself and will never know the differences you are now experiencing. Spike Jonze meets Soren Keirkegaard: I like it!
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Movie
Review: This is one of those movies that you lose yourself in. Look through someone elses eyes. Feel what another is feeling. Wanting to be a man because the feeling of being a man feels soooo good intrigues me. A Great Movie!
Rating:
Summary: Hopefully a sign of things to come.
Review: "Being John Malkovich" is a revelation. Of course this movie isn't loved by all; but such gems that jumpstart a new wave of creativity rarely reach universal popularity. The first thing I thought of when I heard about this movie was "Anything this off the wall has to be good." The second thing I thought was "Hey! I didn't know we could do that." I mean, what a startling idea. This movie really pioneers a new genre: I call it "reali-fantasy." People steer away from this film because they find it too bizarre. But the sad truth is that the oddities in this film are just warped fun house mirrors to our own lives. Afterall, the only happy, sucessful character in this film is Maxine; a cold, calculating, me-first-screw-everybody-else type. The honest people just striving for their dreams are miserable. Craig wants to be a successful puppetteer. Lottie simply wants to be a mother. It is apparent that they will not be reaching these goals at the outset of the film. Doesn't that just ring a little too true? How do they distract themselves? Why, by becoming John Malkovich. This says another thing about our society; to distract ourselves from our miserable lives we focus on celebrities. We use them up, and when we are done with them, leave them on the side of the road. This film is at one moment utterly hilarious and all too depressing the next. It truly is a rollercoaster. But with a story this enthralling, it is a ride you are more than willing to take. John Malkovich delivers the greatest performance of his career. He doesn't only play John Malkovich, he also plays the other characters that enter his mind so believably that you have no problem believing that Craig Schwarftz is really controlling. John Cusack seems top be the only performer who didn't get any publicity for this film. That is really sad because his performance is so sublime and strong. After all, he is the sun of this film's universe. If he weren't as bright as he is the others would fall into despair apart. "Being John Malkovich" is a new film for the new millenium. It is perfect frame by frame. I reccomend this film for everyone. At least try it. You might like it, you might not, but you'll have to admit that you've never seen anything like this before. If only every film could be such an innovation.
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Summary: It kept me thinking long afterward...
Review: I saw "Being John Malkovich" about a month ago, and I still find myself thinking what it would be like to literally get into someone else's head (or if someone else got into my head!). John Cusack and Camron Diaz were great, in roles that I didn't recognize them in at first. Though the story had a sort of dark humor to it, I found it very entertaining and thought-provoking.
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Summary: My, my, my...
Review: Cool. Original. Funny as hell. Acted well. A disappointment? Not at all. A triumph of film making? Yes. It doesn't matter if you love it or hate it. You still have to say this was one of the most intriguing movies ever.
Rating: 
Summary: Believe the hype.
Review: C'mon folks, give the Devil his due. Spike Jonze has crafted an unforgettable fever-dream of a movie. How did he do it? He picked a great script that was populated with bizarre plot twists & quirky characters. He cast John Cusack as the lead. It's hard to imagine another actor in that roll. And the smartest thing he did was to keep the movies sad ending (you know that at some point a studio Executive must've taken him aside and said "Yeah, but isn't the ending a little...um...down." Thank god somebody had the guts to make this very strange film that full of great little surprises. Not since Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil' have I seen such a fresh film. By the way, once the doorway to John Malkovich's brain is explained, everything makes an odd sort of sense.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Believe the Hype
Review: Unfortunately, we're so desperate for an interesting movie these days that people can be tricked by pretentious pieces of fluff like this film. A clever premise does not a good movie make. Jonze cut his directorial teeth on music videos, and this film, with its complete lack of three-dimensional characters, dramatic structure, or any emotion whatsoever, reflects that. Don't let your psuedo-intellectual friends trick you into thinking that you have to like this movie, because you don't. It's a waste.
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Summary: Hollywood can still suprise us!
Review: 1999 was the best year in movies I can remember. granted I'm only 23 and don't have that many years to go by, but 1999 was incredible. Sixth Sense, 3 Kings, Fight Club, American Beauty, Blair Witch, etc etc. And the most original of them all, Being John Malkovich. This movie is strange, just plain strange. A puppeteer (John Cusak) is working for a filing company on the 7 1/2 floor of a building (yes, you read that right). He finds a door that goes into the mind of John Malkovich. After 15 minutes, he's shot out of John's head onto the side of the NJ Turnpike. Makes perfect sense right? In order to enjoy this movie, you better check your rational thought at the door. Oh man, what a ride. This movie challenges everything we've come to expect from cute little cookie cutter movies that come out of hollywood. Thank god some people out there still have the courage to make something completely different. I applaud everyone involved in the making of this movie, you all rock. The DVD is even stranger than the movie. The extras here are bizarre at best, including a page with nothing on it. There's isolated versions of the movies shown in the movie(strange), an interview with the director(stranger), and a 15 minute car ride with an "extra" as she rambles on and comes across as a complete psycho(strangest).
Rating:
Summary: Bizarre DVD Features
Review: I bought this "Special Edition" DVD, expecting the "Interview With Director Spike Jonze" feature to give me many new insights into the making of this amazingly unique film. No such luck. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so let's just say that this short segment is totally consistent with the bizarre tone of the film. You've been warned....!
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