Ghost World

Rating:
Summary: Probably the best movie of the year
Review: I saw Ghost World because I just can't resist seeing a movie about a know-it-all sarcastic teenager. Usually, the teen turns out to be right about everything, and the grown-ups are just cretins with no concept of how the real world works. American Beauty is a great example. Thankfully, this movie doesn't trot down that path, Enid (played by an excellent Thora Birch) is cynical and distrustful of everything and everyone. She plays horrible pranks on people and basically likes no one. That changes when she meets Seymour (played by an always great Steve Buscemi). She says he is "everything I don't hate" or something along those lines. It's those kind of lines that give you an idea of the attitude this movie has. It's quite an honest film that confronts many different issues, and does a better job than most movies that only take on one. All the performances are excellent, and the direction is subtle, only after a few viewings do the images start to jump out at you. It does have a few of those moments that make me want to vomit, such as the guy who finally gets his bus. But I can't hate a whole film for one scene, and it's probably the best film of the year, and I can't say much more than that.

Rating:
Summary: Accentuate the positive
Review: Terry Zwigoff's "Ghost World" is that rarest of hybrids -- a human comedy, brilliantly and bizarrely funny, but suffused with a profound sense of melancholia. The experience of watching it is deliriously pleasurable, but the humor emerges from the film's unfailingly generous reservoir of empathy; by the end, you're not sure whether to respond to these characters with laughter or with love. It is quite clear that Zwigoff feels both.

And that's what critics of this fine film have overlooked -- that although 17-year-old Enid (Thora Birch) looks at the world with bitter, unremittingly sarcastic eyes, "Ghost World" couldn't be less cynical or judgmental if it tried. Of all the characters on display, most of whom Enid despises and ridicules, there isn't a single one who isn't really good at heart; even the art teacher (a ridiculously funny Illeana Douglas), who has been derided as a one-dimensional caricature, has an untouchable core of decency.

Indeed, the character for whom "Ghost World" retains the harshest criticism is Enid herself. As much as we adore her terrifying intelligence, her single-mindedly retro fashion sense, and her contempt for all things phony and pretentious, we aren't allowed to forget her self-destructive habits or her unwillingness to grow up even as the world around her charges resolutely forward. Her best friend, Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson), once her partner in crime, has taken on a normalcy and sense of perspective that Enid finds tiresome, which is partly why she takes refuge in a lonely middle-aged bachelor named Seymour (Steve Buscemi, in a shoulda-been-Oscar-nominated performance). Their bond is at once improbable and emotionally convincing, and Zwigoff harmonizes Birch's and Buscemi's own highly idiosyncratic styles into a marvelous, unforced chemistry.

Compassionate and subtly optimistic, "Ghost World" only falters slightly with a few misfired pop-culture references and an ending that's both ambiguous and too overstated, but even that misstep proves strangely satisfying. With a character as unforgettable as Enid, it's good to know that there's such a thing as closure -- even if it's open-ended closure.

Rating:
Summary: Poignant,Unafraid of Simplicity and Intelligence
Review: There are great films. And then there are those that touch you on a genuinely personal level.Ghost World is that film. It's a small film that won't mean as much to many people. But those that do "get it" will find it endlessly touching and filled with magical moments.There is no major plot, or big climax in Ghost World.It feels more like an emotional vignette of what it feels to be lost and lonely.And it captures that feeling so perfectly,with such feeling, that you'll get shivers down your spine.

Perhaps this film feels so real thanks to the amazing acting and writing.Thora Birch captured her lead role absolutely perfectly.Her character doesn't really give you any reasons to sympathize with her, and at first glance, there don't seem to be many redeeming qualities about her. But she is so refreshingly human, and realistically flawed, that you can't help but feel for her.Thora Birch gives Enid dimension and range, sculpting something so much more true to life than your typical "angst ridden teen".Scarlett Johansson nails her part as the more "normal" best friend. It's very rare than an actor with such minimal screen time is able to flesh so much dimension into her character.But that is just what she does, making every single moment of screentime with her priceless.Everything from her mannerisms, to the inflections in her voice make her a pleasure to watch.But it is Steve Buscemi,who is at the emotional core of this film, who creates one of the most real,and wonderful, and sympathetic on screen characters that I've ever seen.His performance in the film rendered me speechless-it was heartbraking and humorous at the same time.Lets not forget the superb collection of eclectic rock,jazz and blues tunes to be found in the film.And the film's score,the theme song for Ghost World was just extraordinary and added such emotion to the film. The script is abolsutely brilliant without sounding over the top.It still sounds like things people would actually say, and the fact that it manages to be so infinitely striking is a testemanet to its brilliance.The sets and costumes were also simply delightful and added a vigorous and zestful feel to the movie.The sets and costumes, and the overall appearance of the movie is simply unforgettable.And the film is endlessly witty,offering you an internal chuckle every step of the way.

But perhaps what touched me about this movie the most was that it allowed itself to be so real and vulnerable.It never tried to glamorize, or make being an outcast or a lonely person seem cool like so many other brainless movies catered to a young audience have.It wasn't afarid of being emotional,and striking a chord with the viewer. And believe what you like, but this movie is by no means a "teen" movie.It is a deeply intelligent, and profoundly moving film that most teens wouldn't take the time to understand.The film may mislead you into thinking of it as a teen movie because it stars two teenage girls in the leads, but don't for one second assume that this is the case.Ghost World is a movie that is undefinable.You cant't recommend it to a certain age group,or a certain film preference.This film is catered to your emotions.You either feel it or you don't.Subtle,touching,full of dry wit,and deep beyond explanation Ghost World is a film that can be watched and watched and watched and watched...

Rating:
Summary: A witty and delectable black comedy.
Review: Director Terry Zwigoff has just done the impossible: he has created the first movie about teens that will appeal more to adults than to teens themselves. More than just another run-of-the-mill teenage movie, "Ghost World" is a striking black comedy that deals with being different, and while it's certainly not the first film to showcase outcast teenagers, it's definitely the most invigorating.

Based on the original underground comic book by Daniel Clowes, the film follows the lives of best friends Enid and Rebecca, who could not be happier to have graduated high school. With them, they carry their rejection of all things popular, angst for their air-headed, well-to-do classmates, and dreams that have nothing to do with college, education, or anything outside of working and living in an apartment together.

Feeling mischievous one afternoon, they come across a personals ad in the newspaper, and decide to reply with an invitation to meet the mystery man at a retro diner. This practical joke later becomes a threat to their friendship, as Enid's fascination with Seymour (Steve Buscemi), a middle-aged music lover with similar social outsider traits, begins to block out her bond with Rebecca and their dream of sharing an apartment.

The two girls are played by actresses Thora Birch ("American Beauty") and Scarlet Johansson ("The Horse Whisperer"), who form the most believable best friend duo of the year. As Enid, Birch has a great knack for sarcasm, employing a wonderfully adept use of facial expressions and humorous wit that provides most of the film's comedic moments. Johansson's character is more reserved, and she handles the transitions in Rebecca's life with effective results. And Buscemi is quite the outsider as Seymour; his character's differences are given such an excellent treatment by his acting.

Clowes's screenplay is a perfect balance of humor and drama, providing us with a mixed bag of emotions that blend together very effectively. The first half of the film, devoted to the development of the friendship between Enid and Rebecca after graduation, is a canvas of lightweight jokes and situational humor resulting from their unabashed actions. Since we are given the chance to become acquainted with the two, the second half of the film is easier to connect with.

As the characters begin to separate into their own worlds, the story leaves much of the humor behind and takes on a serious demeanor, that which is none-the-less affecting. As Enid's future hangs in the balance, I was willing to stay with the film, eager to see her resolve her self-conflicts and achieve a state of happiness. This leads to an ending that some will dispute over for its ambiguity, though it allows us the decision of whether or not the movie ends happily; it all depends on your own attitude.

Dense and filled with magnificent acting and a terrific sense of humor, "Ghost World" is one of the best movies of the year, and one of the most involving films to come along in some time. The laughs are fresh and utterly original, while the story provides a unique look at all things abnormal. The film dares to ask the question, "What is normal?" through its characters, yet leaves us with no simplified answer to this difficult point.

Rating:
Summary: Ghost World Rings True
Review: High School wasn't all that long ago for me, the daily endeavor to remain an individual in the midst of so much conformity, the use of sardonic and sarcastic quips to keep the world at bay. The life of a pragmatic outsider was the life I led then, and I suppose I still do now. Enter Ghost World, a brilliant piece of cinematic rebellion seemingly made just for people like me, a film that deftly explores the alienation some, if not all of us feel at times.
Enid (Thora Birch), a freshly graduated high school senior, is a girl surrounded by the shallow, meaningless, constantly fading ghost world of pop culture. A teenager tortured by the perpetually perky attitudes of everyone in the world around her, a realist in a world where optimistic slavishness to the status quo is treasured above all else, whose world comes crashing down around her when her best friend/foil (Scarlett Johansson) begins to play the game of the social order for which Enid holds such contempt. Unable to stomach the idea of following her friend into this nightmare world, Enid turns for companionship to aging individualist Seymour (Steve Bucemi, in a performance so good that anything less than a nomination is, in my opinion, a criminal act on the part of the academy), a vintage record collector and white collar middle manager who seems unsure of himself and his station in life, who longs for the companionship that would come so naturally with fitting in while simultaneously despising himself for that same yearning. The characters come together naturally, drifting in and out of each others respective lives and scopes of influence.
The story, something so seemingly straightforward, is complicated by the fact that this is a movie about human beings, not caricatures, it takes these people time to come to terms with each other, to grow to understand and appreciate each other, and to grow apart when circumstances force it. This is a personal tale, a deeply involving character study on how individualism can be both a curse and a blessing, and how its effects carry influence even into later life.
Using its subject both for drama and comedy, Ghost World is able to create some of the most cutting satire to come out of a film this year. Writer/Director Terry Zwigoff (Crumb) and his co-writer Daniel Clowes present us with a brilliant script that unifies the outlook of the film with the one shared by the characters at its center. It is a testament to the talent of both writers that an affecting and dramatic story can carry with it such deadpan sarcasm and subversion without self destructing.
Ghost World is a unique film about unique people. It is a quirkily dramatic satire of strange and original proportions. It is a film that is sure of itself, of its tone, and of its content. Still, what stands out most of all is its brutal, sometimes painful, and always unflinching honesty towards its characters and its plot.

Rating:
Summary: Seeking
Review: What an amazingly honest movie, and what an amazing character it had in Enid... One reviewer characterized her as someone who is "unwilling to grow up even as the world is moving on;" I guess it depends on your definition of "growing up." In Ghost World, which IS our world, "growing up" means compromising, laughing at bad jokes, pretending to enjoy atrocious and mediocre music, faking orgasms, all in the name of "being normal," "fitting in," "having a career" ... This is what Enid is rejecting, and "adults" who have "grown up" in such a fashion are the targets of her withering sarcasm. Her tragedy is that she is either not smart or literate enough to know what to substitute for this phoniness, and she may be forgiven for this, because I don't think there are many people who do. This movie is primarily about Enid's restless search for something - but neither she nor audience knows what it is. For most of high school, she has a friend who shares her outlook on the world, but eventually she chenges, and becomes more conventinal. Why? Perhaps because she realizes that she's not getting her point across, because quite simply, everyone is too stupid and shallow to care. Enid also understands this, but for her, retreat is not an option - she would rather be openly unhappy than to live a phony life with self-deluding infusions of happiness. Hence, the movie's ending.

P.S. The movie was, as many critics have pointed out, startlingly realistic in the way it portrayed people, their speech and mannerisms. For me, it threw out any pretense to realism when that blonde called Seymour back, and they actually ended up together!! My friends, in 4.5 billion years planets can form out of a primordial gas cloud, seas and continents can emerge and intelligent life can blossom on planet Earth, but a real-life gorgeous blonde (or a brunette, for that matter) would never EVER have called back a guy like Seymour. I should know.

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: Awesome... Up Until the Ending!
Review: From the very beginning, the eccentricity of "Ghost World" had me hooked. Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansen) are two high school graduates who are breaking the mold by not attending college. Instead, they plan to live together and torment the pathetic suburban neighborhood that they live in. While Rebecca takes a job at a coffee shop that is begging to be called Starbucks, Enid is forced to go to summer school to earn credits for an art course that she flunked. The two collect retro knick-knacks, play off-beat music, and haunt 1950's diners. Their angst-ridden but amused camaraderie, however, is shattered when one of their pranks goes horribly wrong. After pretending to be the long lost "blonde girl at the airport" that a lonely man has placed an ad in the "personals" section to look for, Enid finds herself a soul mate. Seymour (Steve Buschemi) is a significantly older man who is awkward but sweet and sensitive and loves the same music and culture that Enid does.

Gradually as everyone's lives shift around her, Enid finds her own splintering apart. Her father is contemplating marrying a repulsive former girlfriend. Seymour finally finds his "lost girl at the airport". Enid herself cannot keep a job and ends up flunking her art course, losing the chance to obtain a scholarship to an arts school. Even worse, Enid's relationship with Seymour alienates her from Rebecca, who is more interested in saving money and picking out apartments. Ultimately, Enid realizes that her only hope for salvation is to indulge one of her deepest fantasies and simply walk away from the life she has known.
I started out really liking this movie for its quirky, off-beat characters. Apart from Enid and Rebecca themselves, there is Josh (Brad Renfro), the cashier at a local quick-mart, whom the girls alternately torment and flirt with; Josh's crazy martinet of a Greek boss along with his archenemy red-neck of a customer; Allen "Weird Al", the cook with the crazy hair at the 1950's diner; Norman, who faithfully waits for the bus although it was canceled two years ago; Enid's obnoxious, freaky art teacher; even a cameo by a man so lazy he requires a wheelchair and spends his time looking up the answers to trivia questions in the coffee shop Rebecca works at on his laptop. Enid's father is also by turns amusing and sympathetic as her well-meaning but stuttering father. Seeing Thora Birch continue her masterful portrayal of teenage angst after "American Beauty" was delightful. However, I found one of the final plot developments outrageous and quite bizarre. Seymour and Enid were, as far as I could see, just friends. I did not view them as being anything else and felt that adding this dimension to their characters did not fit with Enid's personality as being cynical and aloof from typical human passions. Therefore, I was pretty disappointed and a little freaked out towards the end, although the final scene is somewhat believable. This is one of those movies where you just want to delete one or two of the scenes and pretend they never happened and let the rest of the movie go on as it is. Overall, worth watching simply for its hilarious caricatures of cynical high school graduates and suburbanites.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful coming of age story
Review: "Ghost World" is Terry Zwigoff's very off beat comedy drama about Enid (Thora Birch), a high school graduate who still has to take a remidial summer art class, even though she would rather be out causing mischief with her friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansann). One day they plays a cruel joke by responding to a lonely hearts ad in the newspaper, and then standing him up at a diner. Later on Enid runs across him, whos name is Seymore (played near straight by indi great Steve Buscemi) and finds out they actually have a lot in common, like alianation toward most people and old folk music. As she grows closer to eccentric Seymore, once rebellious Rebecca becomes a 'normal person'. The movie is not a streight forward romance, as you might think at first. It is really about finding out that if you are a nonconformist, you're not alone. It is really hard to say what the movie is about, because it will very from person to person depending on your attitudes and ideals. Most people don't get Enid; she has a sense of humor and outlook on life that is levels above everyone else. That she is smart, there is no doubt. Is she misunderstood by everyone? Very much so. She says she dosn't care if anyone gets her; but that is not true. The first time she finds that Seymore understands her, she digs into him with both claws. The cast dose a incredible job, but with this cast you can't expect less than greatness. Although I have to say that the Art Teacher, played by Illeana Douglas, is very funny (and thought provoking) as a wholely sensitized liberal who way over analyizes junk. If you can find this movie somewhere, I recommend it. Hollywood is not likely to make a lot of gems like this often.

Rating:
Summary: Crap
Review: Let me guess, you think im gonna use words like "gritty" and "realistic" to describe this movie. Right? Wrong.

Now when I wake up, the first thing that comes to my mind is, "Gee, I could really go for a depressing movie that doesn't make me feel good at all." Seriously, this movie isn't "art". It isn't good. Wonder why it didn't go to theatres? The reason this movie didn't go to theatres is because it relies too much on showing a depressive girl's obsession with some loner(Steve Buscemi in his first role that I haven't liked). The fact that anyone would want to see such a depressing movie amazes me. Even more amazing, people call this movie realistic and artistic. It isn't either of those things. It's just a movie that didn't make it to theatres and didn't sell that well on dvd.

In the end, this movie did horrible with the critics and being depressive isn't brilliant. It's depressing and boring.