This movie should be a huge favorite for the 25 and under crowd. Anyone who loves the John Hughes movies of the 80s starring the Brat Pack, should enjoy this one with John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga (yes, Princess Vespa is in it). The two best scenes in the entire movie are of John Cusack pretending to lose his mind, which frighteningly enough, he does very well. In one he jumps in a pool and in the other, he rescues Zuniga's character from making a serious mistake. It's a warm, funny teen comedy by Rob Reiner, who also made When Harry Met Sally and is comparable to that movie in its level of humor. One of the best one-liners in the movie: "how would you like to have a sexual encounter so intense it could conceivably change your political views?"
Reviews
5 Reviews
One Crazy Summer
(1986)
Completely miss-able, despite the star power
6 March 2005
Despite this being one of John Cusack and Demi Moore's early films, it is one even hardcore fans can miss, unless they absolutely have to complete the collection. I have rare moments, where I can handle Better Off Dead, but this movie is ultimately worse. I am just not a Savage Steve Holland fan, and he did both movies. So if you don't like the cheesy, random comedy and amateur animation, steer clear of this one. FYI even for the Demi Moore fans: she can't sing and the 80s synthesizers did not save her. There are too many predictable twists and too-easy jokes. I suppose if you want mindless entertainment or something you can leave on in the background and ignore while you do something productive, then go for it. Otherwise, don't watch this movie. If John Cusack (or Demi Moore) couldn't save it, you know it's got to be bad. They are the only reason I didn't give this movie a 1.
Hot Pursuit
(1987)
Adorable Saturday afternoon movie
6 March 2005
From John Cusack's earlier days, this film is a cute one that slipped through the cracks. It features a shaggy-haired John from his earlier, hapless romantic teen phase. Ben Stiller, as ever, plays a jerk. It's not a must-see, but a good one to pass the time with and just have a laugh at the strange things Cusack has to do in this movie--aside from getting wet and topless...
High points of the movie: watching him get stoned with a bunch of island natives, get drunk in an island bar and shanghaied into service on a boat, and then arrested and thrown into a local jail. The crazy pirate, played by Robert Loggia was excellent comedy relief as well.
High points of the movie: watching him get stoned with a bunch of island natives, get drunk in an island bar and shanghaied into service on a boat, and then arrested and thrown into a local jail. The crazy pirate, played by Robert Loggia was excellent comedy relief as well.
Max
(I) (2002)
Excellent for the art-house crowd, too deep for the popcorn crowd
6 March 2005
The tag line, "Art + Politics = Power," should give people some idea of the gravity of the film. This role may have been the Oscar that slipped through Cusack's hands due to the controversy surrounding the release. The sad part is, it was started by people who had not even seen the film, and when they had seen it, they retracted their statements. The movie was very well-executed and tasteful, and it was refreshing to see Cusack lose himself in a character. He does well with complexity, and it shows here.
Noah Taylor made a particularly realistic (and as a result particularly unsettling) performance as Hitler. Definitely see this film and don't expect blockbuster two-dimensional acting and predictable plot twists. Watch with a glass of wine and a group of friends who will explore the aspects and finer points with you. It's a conversational piece if nothing else, but one that will leave you on a tangent of what-ifs for quite some time.
Noah Taylor made a particularly realistic (and as a result particularly unsettling) performance as Hitler. Definitely see this film and don't expect blockbuster two-dimensional acting and predictable plot twists. Watch with a glass of wine and a group of friends who will explore the aspects and finer points with you. It's a conversational piece if nothing else, but one that will leave you on a tangent of what-ifs for quite some time.
Runaway Jury
(2003)
Movie adaptation is on par with book
27 April 2004
One of the best things I liked about this movie is not only the acting, setting, and what I considered a flawless adaptation from the book, but also that it is an eye-opener on the justice system--especially with regard to major trials. As was stated time and again at its release, "Runaway Jury" illuminates the world of jury consultants and tampering. The "behind-the-scenes" characters of Rankin Fitch and Lawrence Green are true to form, right down to the high-tech gadgets and spying on potential jurors.
That aside, the story itself was complex and the excitement was not in how the story was going to end but why it came to be. For that, I'd highly recommend it to anyone.
That aside, the story itself was complex and the excitement was not in how the story was going to end but why it came to be. For that, I'd highly recommend it to anyone.
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