High Fidelity

Rating:
Summary: Jack Black and Jon Cusack = a winning film!
Review: Rob is hopelessly adolescent as he manages a failing record store with two hapless employees he doesn't much like and who never seem to leave (amongst them is Jack Black, saracastic, slobby and absolutely hysterical). He just broke up with his girlfriend and, since he has no clue why his relationships perpetually fail, he decides to find his "top 5" ex-girlfriends and look for a pattern.

Rob is funny because he is just such a stereotypical male in an adult body with a teenaged mind (a "guy", if you will). He doesn't get women, nor does he really care -- when one ex screams about how he messed her up for years before she storms away from their table, he doesn't go after her or try to comfort her -- he turns to the camera with some comment about how he is one step closer to figuring out why his relationships don't work.

This has a great soundtrack, funny performances and an interesting plot with turns and twists as Rob just lives his loser life in Chicago. You'll enjoy it greatly.

Rating:
Summary: Ending Song Is Cut Off!!
Review: I really enjoyed this movie. It was funny and had some great music. There is only bad thing that I would like to say about the movie. The ending song I Believe by Stevie Wonder is cut off. I think that goes against what the characters in the movie would do. They also cut off of the best part of the song. I do not know who decided that it was ok to do this. If you want to hear what I am talking about pick up Stevie Wonder's Talking Book CD and play track 10 (I Believe). Would it have been a big deal to let this song play thru? I really enjoyed this movie. It was funny and had some great music. There is only bad thing that I would like to say about the movie. The ending song I Believe by Stevie Wonder is cut off. I think that goes against what the characters in the movie would do. They also cut off of the best part of the song. I do not know who decided that it was ok to do this. If you want to hear what I am talking about pick up Stevie Wonder's Talking Book CD and play track 10 (I Believe). Would it have been a big deal to let this song play thru? I think that the way they end the movie goes against its premise.

Rating:
Summary: "You Are What You Like..."
Review: The above quote is one of the many themes in this underrated masterpiece of satire and humor. However, the reason that this movie is so good is that while it seems you are prompted to agree and sympathize with the characters, you are, beneath the surface, really supposed to shake your head most of the time and utter under your breath, "That's just sad." It's a movie where the characters and situations are loveable and realistic, but at the same time, are disagreeable and hard to watch, making the characters seem more like people you know than just characters.

John Cusack stars as Rob Gordon, the owner of a less-than-mediocre Independent Records type store called Championship Vinyl. His two best friends, aptly knighted the "Musical Moron Twins" in the film, are played by Jack Black (in his best performance...ever, I don't care how good he was in Orange County) and the lesser known, but no less talented Todd Louiso. As the film progresses, you start to feel less and less like you are watching Rob, but rather that you are standing right next to him. Most of this is because of the fact that the script is flawlessly and brilliantly adapted from the book by Nick Hornby. (Why it wasn't nominated for an Academy Award is still a mystery.)

Rob and his girlfriend Laura have just broken up, causing Rob to sit back and finally say, "Okay, where am I now" instead of just hitch hiking on up another road like he has been doing for so long. In doing so, no matter how pure or independent or happy you are, you start to see a little glimpse of Rob in yourself. Do we compare some situations in our lives with songs and movies? Yes we do. It's weird, but we do things like that as human beings. High Fidelity analyzes all these crude, tacky, tasteless things we do, and puts it all in perspective, saying that, sure, we do them, but how can we stop? It's the small, simple things that make life what it is, and what makes relating to others so much easier. Are we always going to know our best friend's favorite vegetable? No! Are we almost always going to know their favorite movie? Yes. Films, music, books...they bring our society together.

It sure is weird to think about, and on first watching High Fidelity, it will seem like the movie is poking fun at these things, but what it is really doing is encouraging it. It's a movie analyzing the effects of movies like itself in our culture.

And how many movies can you say have that theme?

Rating:
Summary: Top Five Acting
Review: The engrossing tale of a man and his love for music and his failures in relationships. This romance/comedy has excellent acting from both Cusacks and Jack Black. Everyone in this movie is funny. The script is very well written and I definitely recommend it for a night filled with laughs. The soundtrack is also very unique and truly fitting to the movie.

Rating:
Summary: Great Piece of Work!
Review: After watching this film, I no longer felt that I was one of the few people in this world who believes music can save one's soul. That's not exactly the message that this movie is giving, but it's saying it's ok to say music is everything to you, music can take you to any place you want to go, it can bring back any memory you wish, and it's ok to sit and go through agony trying to figure out your top ten favorite songs! This movie was funny, true to life, very honest, and really unique in it's message. John Cusack was awesome and Jack Black had me rolling, he has such a great future in comedies. He's a terrific singer too! Awesome Awesome Movie :)

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Angst filled, very identifiable rage, wonderful soundtrack. John Cusack strikes again with a witty look at bachelorhood and the failure of his past relationships. Jack Black steals several scenes, and nobody will ever hear "Baby I Love your way" the same way again.

Rating:
Summary: good movie with john cusack
Review: John Cusack plays the loser, main character...... he works at a record store called Championship Vinyl. His 2 coworkers while often annoying are banks of information throughout rock and roll history and expertly portray how real record stores are(excluding Jack Black) who plays the loud and annoying cashier......? John Cusak in a comment to the audience and camera notes that they came in one day and he just can't fire them. They come to the store everyday.
John Cusack plays the man who using top five lists of all time to sort his life makes a top five breakups of all time list.
Using this list he actually goes back and sees how all these women are doing and to ask why does everyone break up with me?
The answer is boring............
but the acting in the movie is good, John Cusack's second best film first being Being John Malkovich. Old people who listen to rock still and annoy their children and friends will be pleased that there are several facts having to do with the history of records throughout the film
This movie was good it's a romance and a comedy and entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: From a man's point of view...
Review: And I loved it. Although I have not read this book, am a big fan of Nick Hornby. Am constantly amazed at his honest descriptions and then portrayals of his characters. Makes you believe these are true stories somehow. Very interesting and honest insight into how some people feel and think about events in their lives. Find myself able to laughingly relate. I enjoyed Cusack's character speaking to us throughout the film. I also enjoyed in Fever Pitch and About A Boy, how the main characters narrate their stories though not in the same way as High Fidelity.

Rating:
Summary: If this movie had a point, I missed it
Review: Generally speaking, I like John Cusack. But I'm afraid he made a poor choice here. This is one of those movies where you keep watching and waiting for the plot to start -- waiting for it to kick in and get good. I waited all the way to the end. This movie would have been more aptly titled, "A Day in the Life of a Loser". That's pretty much the only point I got out of it. The film chronicles a short segment in time of the life of John Cusack's ill-adjusted, stuck in some other era, character. Jack Black adds nothing to this movie. If you saw anything remotely funny in the previews, it was misleading. I do not recall laughing once. I wasn't emotionally moved in any direction. The characters were not the type you get involved with or attached to. The movie simply played before my eyes and I waited for it to end. I suppose if you like a diary-type film that is essentially about nothing, you would enjoy this movie. But if you are looking for a comedy or a romantic comedy, you will not find it here.

Rating:
Summary: Honesty
Review: This movie took the most honest stance on romance I have ever seen in a movie. The emotional maturity, or immaturity in some cases, and realistic stances of the characters loaned the movie the qualities of a good book. So much more than a film. The connection felt by the viewer to the actions and feelings of the characters is shocking.

Also, this is a great movie for geeks and collectors. Even if you're not an album collector, you'll be able to laugh at the obsessive characters and relate to the main character who is, himself, a borderline obsessive.