BLACK HUMOUR

I have placed "sizzler ratings" next to movies to give you an idea of how good they are

HIGH FIDELITY (2000)

Starring: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Jack Black, Todd Louiso
The plot: Rob is a down and out record store owner in a location far away from window-shoppers. All his life, he fears commitment, feels safer when he is dissatisfied and ranks anything in Top Five Lists. When Laura walks out on him, he begins to obsess about why women always leave him and ranks his Top Five Break Ups. Then he sets out to track down each and every one of them to find out why they broke up...
Comment: If I was Nick Hornby, I would be pleased about the wonderful adaptation of his novel of the same name! Even though Cusack moved the location of the novel from London to Chicago, it has the same seedy, ironic and funny feel Hornby's novel had. Can't say it is any surprise that Cusack is perfect as playing Rob - it's a role he does well. Hjejle is wonderful as Laura, and I look forward to seeing her in more films! Black and Louiso are excellent counterparts to Rob's insecure character - one even more insecure and one so confident, he's brazen... The mystery to me is why EVERY guy seems to feel girls won't get/won't like this film/book... We do!
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BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999)

Starring: John Malkovich, John Cusack, Cameron Diaz
The plot: A puppeteer, Craig Schwartz, is forced to join the work force as the money drains out of his and his wife's life. Because of the nimble finger work requried of a puppeteer, Schwartz quickly finds work as a filing clerk for Lester Corporation, conveniently located on the 7 1/2 floor of a skyscraper. Then a chance of hope appears in his life - he finds a corridor which lets you experience 15 minuted inside the mind of John Malkovich, the actor. Quickly, he and a co-worker whom he has a crush on, decide to cash in on this marvelous opportunity and it is here that everyone's world tumbles down around them.
Comment: Ah well, if there is one thing that can be said about this film, it is that it leaves you thinking. Deeply dark, Being John Malkovich is a bit like the thinking man's Monty Python with many, many seriously bizarre concepts and images to grapple with. And yet, it so endearingly quirky that you can't help but laugh at Schwartz as he grapples with situations that arise as he stumbles from one disaster to another. Certainly, seeing the tall figure of John Cusack navigating the 7 1/2 floor is worth the price of admission alone. Having never seen a John Malkovich film in my life, I can assure you that this film hangs together even if you don't know all the 'in' jokes the critics say are there - and of course, this isn't really John Malkovich's life anyway...
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DOGMA (2000)

Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Rock, Alan Rickman
The plot: Two fallen angels, Loki and Bartleby find a loophole that allows them to return to heaven. However, since God is never wrong, the angels have to be prevented from returning. Hence the Voice of God makes a rare appearance on earth and orders Bethany, a drap woman working in an abortion clinic, to go and prevent the angels from returning. Along the way, she receives assistance from two prophets and a 13th apostle.
Comment: A very clever, funny and fast-paced script make this movie a must see. Ironically, it offended lots of christians out there, but if they stepped back from their moral outrage, they would find (or at least, I did) that it Dogma actually addresses some of the gaping big holes in the bible (and creates one or two caveats...).Yeah, Yeah, the friendly duo, Damon and Affleck were in this, producing an average performance, and "Bethany" was just so DULL compared to the other characters... But the fast and funny script and overall good acting still results in a enjoyable funny film!
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ELECTION (1999)

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein
The plot: Tracy Flick is an over-achieving student who desires to become the President of the School Council. Mr. McAllister is a teacher who decides Tracy needs to be put in her place after his best friend gets fired because he had an affair with her. Paul Metzler is the ex-football hero Mr. McAllister decides should be President instead. Tammy Metzler is the sister of Paul, and she decides to run when her 'lover' decides she is heterosexual after all and is rather attracted to Paul and not Tammy. Put all that together, and you have a disaster in the making...
Comment: Unlike the other teen movies coming out of Hollywood of late, this one is just as attractive to adults. Filmed in a funky kind of way that both simulates and makes humour of the apple-pie kind of '50's living in America, this film combines wit and cinematography to make a thoroughly enjoyable film. Matthew Broderick reminds you of a downtrodden Ferris Bueller, 15 years later, Reese Witherspoon is perfect as the ever perky over-achiever, and Chris Klein is the spitting image of Keanu Reeves back in his Bill and Ted days...
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RUSHMORE (1998)

Starring: Bill Murray, Jason Shwartzman, Olivia Williams
The plot: Max Fischer is a bright high-school student enrolled in every extracurricular activity associated with Rushmore Academy. As Max's grades slide, he falls in love with a Grade 1 teacher, Miss Cross. At the same time, Mr. Blume is disillusioned with his butch sons and befriends Max, and through him, falls in love with Miss Cross himself. As they double cross eachother, revenge is exacted between the 15 year old and the 50+ year old...
Comment: Ya know, the potential is there - the quirky and dry humour, a good cast, a nice little plot about the improbable, and yet - it falls flat. Somehow, the movie inexplicably crawls along even though the lines are delivered with the solemn demeanour that should make it all work. Since it isn't the delivery of the lines, one has to assume its just the script that falls flat. I dunno folks, I wouldn't rush off to see this one - Bill Murray or not! And in case it nags your through the movie, Olivia Williams (Miss Cross) sounds exactly like Emma Thompson....
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