American Beauty

[Nuzzolese]

Remember this movie? Seen it?
Did you really like it?

Because I didn't. I found it entertaining, I guess, but something about it just seemed flat and I certainly wasn't wow'ed by it. I tried to be wow'ed by it because it got such great reviews. Since its release it has always been festooned with adjectives like Iconoclastic Provocative Stunning Relevent, and so on and so forth, including descriptions of how the film awakens the audience and provides insights into America and our ideals, doing such daring filmmaking magic as stripping away the outer casings of our society and culture to reveal the hypocrisy and the blah blah blah.

Did you all think so? Were YOU writing these reviews?

I missed that part of it. I can't figure out exactly how to explain what it was I didn't like about this movie. Maybe talking with you guys and getting your views can help me articulate it.

See for one thing, that whole theme about how the movie strips away the appearances of patriotism, feminine beauty, middle-american success, self-motivation, family values and all of that, to reveal the hipocrisy and fallacies;

Um...DUH! I think the hypocrisy and fallacy of those ideals has been plenty explored and illustrated so that the mentioning of them has become cliche, dried up and used, a big "no-doi"

What else is there to say about it? All American Beauty did was add some cold hard negativity (perfect fit for all you Palahniuk/Bret Easton Ellis fans), slightly amusing mid-life crisis situations, some cheap thrills racist-homophobia, and a weak, weak, 98 lb weakling of an ending that was supposed to be uplifting or revelatory but I didn't think was effective.

There's more to it, I just can't figure out what else it was that I disliked about it. It's not just that I thought the movie was a big downer without meaning.

Maybe my dislike for it is heightened to respond to how well the movie was recieved by just about everybody.

[cookiepuss]

I loved this movie. yep. no excuses. it spoke to me.

[Nuzzolese]

......?

[g-mile7]

it wasn't tight enough (in terms of everything making sense, connected) for me....but I can see why so many people loved it.

[QueenAdrock]

I liked it a lot. But that's because I live among yuppies in suburbia, so a lot of it rings true. Especially the mother. One of my friend's mom's looks just like her. And then she became a realtor. And then she became OUR realtor. And then when she was selling our house, she *actually* said that we could put tiki torches around the pool to look more lagoon-like. :eek:

So now whenever I see her, I keep thinking of her getting pounded and yelling "I love being nailed by the king! Fuck me, your majesty!" :(

[Kid Presentable]

It's a movie like this that has me hoping that really astute satirists of the future will be able to lampoon the 1990's, in the same way the 70's and 80's were charicatured.

[adam_f]

Any film that can get Kevin Spacey working a fast food window is fine by me.

[Bob]

maybe you were expecting too much? like you had an expectation of what the movie was going to do before you saw it, and when it did exactly that and nothing more, it failed to impress you?

i liked it when i saw it, but i saw it 4 years ago and my tastes are way different now. i didn't like the graduate when i saw it 4 years ago, and now it's one of my favorite movies.

actually, now that i think about it, i actually wrote a paper about american beauty in freshman year. that's why i watched it. i was discussing themes of panopticism in the movie (i'm not kidding). i think i got an A. i don't remember what i wrote, at all.

i've been thinking recently about how i want to see it again, it's funny you should make this topic now.

[QueenAdrock]

Oh yeah, I also really liked their description of that feeling that everyone must get:

"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me ... but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst ... And then I remember ... to relax, and not try to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain. And I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. Don't worry ... you will someday."

Or maybe that's just me. Either way, I knew exactly what he was talking about.

[Nuzzolese]

I liked it a lot. But that's because I live among yuppies in suburbia, so a lot of it rings true. Especially the mother. One of my friend's mom's looks just like her. And then she became a realtor. And then she because OUR realtor. And then when she was selling our house, she *actually* said that we could put tiki torches around the pool to look more lagoon-like. :eek:

So now whenever I see her, I keep thinking of her getting pounded and yelling "I love being nailed by the king! Fuck me, your majesty!" :(

So, it was just amusing for you, in other words. Not necessarily personally moving.

[Bob]

Any film that can get Kevin Spacey working a fast food window is fine by me.

"yes! i rule!"

i like kevin spacey, i dunno.

i never saw K-PAC though

[cookiepuss]

in the orginal screen play (yeah I've read the fucking screen play) the movie doesn't end on an uplifitng note. it ends with a court scene where what's his name is prosecuted for killing her father and the video is used as evidence. but they decided that was too synical. so they changed it.

[abcdefz]

I hated that movie. It's like a slightly better Crash.

First: I hate it when a movie sets up strawmen to take a position on whatever. So, of course, Annette Benning's character has to be a raving bitch, the homophobe next door has to be you-know-what under it all, etc. And as abusive as Spacey's household is to one another, we're coaxed into thinking it's amusing or witty or something that his "enlightenment" means that he becomes just as abusive, starts buying pot from a teen next door, starts trying to seduce the underage friend of his daughter's... basically, a great leap into self-absorbed nihilism. Then, of course, when he has his moment of enlightenment at the end, he's martyred for the liberal cause by the quasi-fascist, hyopcritical conservative from next door.

Pauline Kael was right about this one: it's a liberal wet dream wankfest. (n)

[Nuzzolese]

maybe you were expecting too much? like you had an expectation of what the movie was going to do before you saw it, and when it did exactly that and nothing more, it failed to impress you?

i liked it when i saw it, but i saw it 4 years ago and my tastes are way different now. i didn't like the graduate when i saw it 4 years ago, and now it's one of my favorite movies.

actually, now that i think about it, i actually wrote a paper about american beauty in freshman year. that's why i watched it. i was discussing themes of panopticism in the movie (i'm not kidding). i think i got an A. i don't remember what i wrote, at all.

i've been thinking recently about how i want to see it again, it's funny you should make this topic now.

That could be. It failed to impress me overall, maybe I was expecting a masterpiece. The thing is that I felt like I "got" all the messages that the movie was sending. I didn't feel like there was something to it I wasn't understanding - except the part about how great it is.

Now, it has been a while since I've seen it.

[QueenAdrock]

So, it was just amusing for you, in other words. Not necessarily personally moving.

Well, both. Read my above post.

[Nuzzolese]

I hated that movie. It's like a slightly better Crash.

First: I hate it when a movie sets up strawmen to take a position on whatever. So, of course, Annette Benning's character has to be a raving bitch, the homophobe next door has to be you-know-what under it all, etc. And as abusive as Spacey's household is to one another, we're coaxed into thinking it's amusing or witty or something that his "enlightenment" means that he becomes just as abusive, starts buying pot from a teen next door, starts trying to seduce the underage friend of his daughter's... basically, a great leap into self-absorbed nihilism. Then, of course, when he has his moment of enlightenment at the end, he's martyred for the liberal cause by the quasi-fascist, hyopcritical conservative from next door.

Pauline Kael was right about this one: it's a liberal wet dream wankfest. (n)

Yeah! Like Easy Rider!

[Lyman Zerga]

only saw it half assed :mad:

[cosmo105]

a-z and mickill always rake me over the e-coals when i talk about how little i enjoyed this movie. i, too, was expecting a lot, i guess, but man. what a letdown. i didn't like spacey too much beforehand, but this sent it over the edge. the dialogue was cheese, the use of lighting hit you over the head with a sledgehammer. i haven't watched in years, but i remember thinking, WHY are the actors saying/doing what they are? they don't have much of a reason to. especially spacey's character. shit just HAPPENS and you are supposed to lap it up. it had its points and moments, i guess, but i remember thinking it was just hollywood eating its own high and mighty look-at-us-we're-making-social-commentary-right? ass when i saw it.

[Nuzzolese]

Oh yeah, I also really liked their description of that feeling that everyone must get:

"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me ... but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst ... And then I remember ... to relax, and not try to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain. And I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. Don't worry ... you will someday."

Or maybe that's just me. Either way, I knew exactly what he was talking about.


See, I thought that was lovely sounding, but also so fake sounding. It sounded like a strong attempt for meaning, but a fake one that didn't mesh with the rest of the story of the movie.

[Bob]

I hated that movie. It's like a slightly better Crash.

First: I hate it when a movie sets up strawmen to take a position on whatever. So, of course, Annette Benning's character has to be a raving bitch, the homophobe next door has to be you-know-what under it all, etc. And as abusive as Spacey's household is to one another, we're coaxed into thinking it's amusing or witty or something that his "enlightenment" means that he becomes just as abusive, starts buying pot from a teen next door, starts trying to seduce the underage friend of his daughter's... basically, a great leap into self-absorbed nihilism. Then, of course, when he has his moment of enlightenment at the end, he's martyred for the liberal cause by the quasi-fascist, hyopcritical conservative from next door.

Pauline Kael was right about this one: it's a liberal wet dream wankfest. (n)

i definitely missed all that the first time i saw it. maybe i should look at it again.

[abcdefz]

a-z and mickill always rake me over the e-coals when i talk about how little i enjoyed this movie.




Not me. See above. I fucking hated this movie.

[cookiepuss]

I can't really explain why I like the movie so much. it's dark and funny..to me at least. I liked the way it was shot, the use of color and what not. I enjoyed the disfucntionality of the characters. yep.

[cosmo105]

Not me. See above. I fucking hated this movie.
really? maybe when i talked about how much i hated spacey? i could have sworn...

[QueenAdrock]

I think it meshed decently. But yeah, they could have made him appreciate beauty more before they came up with those last lines. You see the kid next door appreciating it, but you never really see him; he just has a midlife crisis and says "fuck it." So in that respect, it's kind of out of nowhere.

I just really liked that line, because my heart swells when I'm watching a sunset on the beach, or other things like that. Just times where you sit back and think about how life really is beautiful and how you're grateful for having it. And then you go back to DC and start honking in traffic again.

[Nuzzolese]

a-z and mickill always rake me over the e-coals when i talk about how little i enjoyed this movie. i, too, was expecting a lot, i guess, but man. what a letdown. i didn't like spacey too much beforehand, but this sent it over the edge. the dialogue was cheese, the use of lighting hit you over the head with a sledgehammer. i haven't watched in years, but i remember thinking, WHY are the actors saying/doing what they are? they don't have much of a reason to. especially spacey's character. shit just HAPPENS and you are supposed to lap it up. it had its points and moments, i guess, but i remember thinking it was just hollywood eating its own high and mighty look-at-us-we're-making-social-commentary-right? ass when i saw it.

They (a-z and mickill) do?? Surprise. I know what you mean about the obviousness of the actions and the ....what you said about the lighting and the dialogue being really cheesey.

I don't have strong feelings for Kevin Spacey either way.

[abcdefz]

I think he's good in it, but, no -- I'm so glad when I know someone else didn't like the movie I practically get tears in my eyes.

It's also heartening to know that it's slowly gaining a rep as one of the worst best picture winners so far. I know it's self absorbed of me, but I feel kind of vindicated because I've railed against this piece of shit from day one.

[cosmo105]

hrm. maybe that was when i said i didn't like garden state. i don't know, i swear i said i didn't like some movie and you two went all baboon on me.

hah, i used a string of words held together by hypens in this one too (http://www.beastieboys.com/bbs/showpost.php?p=1016948&postcount=91)

[QueenAdrock]

I loves me some Kevin Spacey. I liked him in Usual Suspects, Life of David Gale, and Se7en, too. I think he does an excellent job. (y)

[Nuzzolese]

I think it meshed decently. But yeah, they could have made him appreciate beauty more before they came up with those last lines. You see the kid next door appreciating it, but you never really see him; he just has a midlife crisis and says "fuck it." So in that respect, it's kind of out of nowhere.

I just really liked that line, because my heart swells when I'm watching a sunset on the beach, or other things like that. Just times where you sit back and think about how life really is beautiful and how you're grateful for having it. And then you go back to DC and start honking in traffic again.

And to draw attention to that, to those moments of beauty making everything else worthwhile, is sort of Hallmark card-ish and sappy but I don't even think the movie was doing that.

I guess the movie was sort of saying that he was grateful for every single moment of his stupid little life, because it was ALL beautiful. It was sort of saying that, or trying to...which I think is a nice thing to try to make a movie about. But it didn't do that, for me anyway.

And the message to look for beauty, when spoken with such smug finality at the end of a cynical parade of unsympathetic characters depicted with pure spite, is unconvincing and it turns me off.

[Bob]

I think he's good in it, but, no -- I'm so glad when I know someone else didn't like the movie I practically get tears in my eyes.

It's also heartening to know that it's slowly gaining a rep as one of the worst best picture winners so far. I know it's self absorbed of me, but I feel kind of vindicated because I've railed against this piece of shit from day one.

you really do not like this movie

do you think you'd hate it less if it weren't so well-received by the public? if it were just a pretentious movie instead of a pretentious movie that everybody fell for?

garden state, i didn't like. but i think i might be biased, because it was so heavily hyped. then i saw it and i kinda thought "seriously? that?". also i've never seen it sober. that could be a problem.

[abcdefz]

hrm. maybe that was when i said i didn't like garden state. i don't know, i swear i said i didn't like some movie and you two went all baboon on me.





I think it was Herbie: Fully Loaded.


...nnnot Garden State, either, though -- I liked it but didn't think it was the Second Coming or anything. Plus, Portman is really, really bad in that -- all precious and twee.

[cookiepuss]

in the orginal screen play (yeah I've read the fucking screen play) the movie doesn't end on an uplifitng note. it ends with a court scene where what's his name is prosecuted for killing her father and the video is used as evidence. but they decided that was too synical. so they changed it.


not sure if anyone saw this...do you think you might have liked it better with the original ending?

[Nuzzolese]

I saw you post that. But I didn't have a response. If the movie was even MORE cynical, I doubt I'd have liked it any more. I thought it was pretty cynical. A big downer.

[abcdefz]

not sure if anyone saw this...do you think you might have liked it better with the original ending?


I read that version. It didn't read so much as "cynical" as... maybe "bleak." Kind of despairing, considering that this was the kid who seemed to have a lust for life. I actually thought it worked, as far as that went.

[bigblu89]

Any movie that has K-PAX wacking off gets an instant thumbs down in my book.

But seriously, I didn't like it because I don't like movies that try to hard to get the point across.

[enree erzweglle]

I remember liking it a lot. I don't remember why, though.

Sometimes I'll love or hate a movie and then a bunch of years later, I'll watch it again and I'll have the complete opposite reaction to it. It's been almost 10 years since that movie came out. I should give it another try.

[Nuzzolese]

I used to be obsessed with Saved By The Bell, when I was around 8 or 9. I planned my whole day around it. A couple of years ago I was ecstatic to catch it on TV one morning...until I realized I couldn't even watch a whole episode because it was so annoying.

[Bob]

I used to be obsessed with Saved By The Bell, when I was around 8 or 9. I planned my whole day around it. A couple of years ago I was ecstatic to catch it on TV one morning...until I realized I couldn't even watch a whole episode because it was so annoying.

i never liked that show, even as a kid. i always found it annoying. i watched it again as a grown(er?) up(per?) and yep, still annoying. i really hate the 80's. even when i was living in the 80's, i hated the 80's.

is saved by the bell even from the 80's? if it isn't, then i hate it for another reason, i guess. it reminds me of the 80's, whether it's actually from then or not.

[abcdefz]

I'm pretty sure it's from the '80's. And, yeah, it was always annoying.

[Nuzzolese]

The late 80s.

At the time, I didn't think about the 80s being "the 80s", or even being something I was allowed to have an opinion about. It was just my life, it was just the present, and it didn't occur to me that things could ever be very different.

I don't remember much before 1986.

[Bob]

i was actually only 6 at the end of the 80's, so i don't remember it at all. i was just exaggerating, because that's just how much i hate the 80's.

to bring the topic full circle, i wouldn't hate them so much if everyone else didn't look back upon the period so fondly! come on! it's lame! we should be forgetting the 80's ever happened.

the only memory i have of the 80's while i was alive at the time, is of the berlin wall going down. i was in kindergarten at the time, and i didn't care.

[beastiegirrl101]

I used to be obsessed with Saved By The Bell, when I was around 8 or 9. I planned my whole day around it. A couple of years ago I was ecstatic to catch it on TV one morning...until I realized I couldn't even watch a whole episode because it was so annoying.

the college years...pathetic.

[abcdefz]

I liked a lot of stuff about the '80's. It was a good time to be in my young adult/early adult years.

[Nuzzolese]

I remember the Challenger exploding. It was a huge deal on Punky Brewster, they did an entire episode on it.

I wonder if young people in the 60s and 70s felt the same annoyance towards hearing about the 50s, and how older generations boasted about it.

[abcdefz]

...I remember my brothers and their friends generally thinking the '70's sucked.

[SobaViolence]

i liked it a lot last time i viewed it...

[marsdaddy]

The plastic bag dancing scene was forced.

[GetYourWarOn]

i liked it

[Ace42X]

Did you really like it?

Yes, it was one of the few films, in my opinion, to go beyond just fiction and approach the celluloid equivalent of "literature."

I found it to be quite profound in a lot of places - and yes the plastic bag scene has been blown out of all proportion, so that it has become a pretentious cliché, but there were also a lot of themes that I think are important to most people in today's consumerist world.

Maybe "not being an American" I wasn't really looking at it in terms of a commentary on America, so much as modern life in general. I thought the theme of finding wonder in even a mundane life was quite stimulating, and the ending quite poignant, and sad. I didn't think it was supposed to be particularly "uplifting", leastways not in a 'feel good' sense.

The homophonic guy is a red-herring, incidently. The guy is just an interesting Macguffin. If anything I thought he represented social alienation more than just being a lame "look at the gun-totting redneck!" comment on middle American paranoia.

Similarly, the "weird kid next door" I thought was not interesting because of his character (he didn't really have much character) but because he was external to the lives of all the people around him. He looks at the dead body of Les in the same way he looks at the bag precisely because his only meaningful interaction with them is that of observed - external to the superficialty of the world around him. Not just in the materialistic sense, as covered by Les's wife, but in a much more profound sense.

He has ascended beyond social norms, and worked out a way of doing things that suits him on his own terms - it is this that sparks Lester's desire to escape from the constrains of his situation. First by taking drugs, then by quitting his job and trying to recapture his lost youth (as embodied by his fantasies over Mina Souvari's character).

It is only when Lester dies that we realise from the monologue that he has *truly* managed to escape from the confines of his life (literally and figuratively) and achieve the fresh, external, perspective of his life he wanted.

Similarly, his daughter is trying to get an external perspective on her life by dating the outsider, and agreeing to extricate herself from her home life by running off with the boyfriend, who is also shrugging off his remaining earthly ties to a repressed suburban life.

Man, I could talk about that movie all day.

[zorra_chiflada]

the dad crushing on the 17 year old girl was supposed to be a big deal or something, like all edgy. all old guys want to do it with young girls.

[GetYourWarOn]

all old guys want to do it with young girls.


its pretty much all guys. not just the old ones

[Kid Presentable]

I hope cardigans, Y2K panic and quasi-intellectual film-making all recieve the same treatment as Don Johnson shirt-and-blazer ensembles and 80's dance steps. The 90's were so self-conscious.

[Sarky Devotchka]

Yes, it was one of the few films, in my opinion, to go beyond just fiction and approach the celluloid equivalent of "literature."

I found it to be quite profound in a lot of places - and yes the plastic bag scene has been blown out of all proportion, so that it has become a pretentious cliché, but there were also a lot of themes that I think are important to most people in today's consumerist world.

Maybe "not being an American" I wasn't really looking at it in terms of a commentary on America, so much as modern life in general. I thought the theme of finding wonder in even a mundane life was quite stimulating, and the ending quite poignant, and sad. I didn't think it was supposed to be particularly "uplifting", leastways not in a 'feel good' sense.

The homophonic guy is a red-herring, incidently. The guy is just an interesting Macguffin. If anything I thought he represented social alienation more than just being a lame "look at the gun-totting redneck!" comment on middle American paranoia.

Similarly, the "weird kid next door" I thought was not interesting because of his character (he didn't really have much character) but because he was external to the lives of all the people around him. He looks at the dead body of Les in the same way he looks at the bag precisely because his only meaningful interaction with them is that of observed - external to the superficialty of the world around him. Not just in the materialistic sense, as covered by Les's wife, but in a much more profound sense.

He has ascended beyond social norms, and worked out a way of doing things that suits him on his own terms - it is this that sparks Lester's desire to escape from the constrains of his situation. First by taking drugs, then by quitting his job and trying to recapture his lost youth (as embodied by his fantasies over Mina Souvari's character).

It is only when Lester dies that we realise from the monologue that he has *truly* managed to escape from the confines of his life (literally and figuratively) and achieve the fresh, external, perspective of his life he wanted.

Similarly, his daughter is trying to get an external perspective on her life by dating the outsider, and agreeing to extricate herself from her home life by running off with the boyfriend, who is also shrugging off his remaining earthly ties to a repressed suburban life.

Man, I could talk about that movie all day.


I agree with this assessment. I also think that there have been so many direct and indirect rip-offs of this movie in the past few years, that it has tainted the original feel and motive of the movie.


and I also liked Garden State. and Donnie Darko. I saw all of these movies before the hype. I wonder if that makes a difference? or maybe I just like movies about the human condition that happen to contain men that I'm attracted to? well, that's not true. I fucking hated The Chumscrubber.

[GetYourWarOn]

I agree with this assessment. I also think that there have been so many direct and indirect rip-offs of this movie in the past few years, that it has tainted the original feel and motive of the movie.


and I also liked Garden State. and Donnie Darko. I saw all of these movies before the hype. I wonder if that makes a difference? or maybe I just like movies about the human condition that happen to contain men that I'm attracted to? well, that's not true. I fucking hated The Chumscrubber.

i never saw garden state, but i lurved donnie darko.

[Kid Presentable]

I really liked Garden State, but I hated Donnie Darko. Something seemed a little more earnest about Garden State, and not a calculated attempt at a head-fuck.

[P of R]

I only liked it for Thora's tits.

[alexandra]

we have it at home, but i've never watched it. might do it now tho'.

[mikizee]

i thought it was a real good movie. kevin spacey is one of my favourite actors. plus he owns the worlds most expensive mini, so he must be cool.

[marsdaddy]

plus he owns the worlds most expensive mini, so he must be cool.You sure that's not Austin Powers?

[abcdefz]

(y)

[dave790]

you mentioned it was quite entertaining in places, i found the whole thing entertaining to watch. hence why i liked it. guess i'm just more easily pleased, and there is the fact i'm a kevin spacey fan (y)

[zorra_chiflada]

waynes world is probably my favourite movie

[Bob]

have you seen this boy?

[zorra_chiflada]

have you seen this boy?

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

[Nuzzolese]

Yes, it was one of the few films, in my opinion, to go beyond just fiction and approach the celluloid equivalent of "literature."

I found it to be quite profound in a lot of places - and yes the plastic bag scene has been blown out of all proportion, so that it has become a pretentious cliché, but there were also a lot of themes that I think are important to most people in today's consumerist world.

Maybe "not being an American" I wasn't really looking at it in terms of a commentary on America, so much as modern life in general. I thought the theme of finding wonder in even a mundane life was quite stimulating, and the ending quite poignant, and sad. I didn't think it was supposed to be particularly "uplifting", leastways not in a 'feel good' sense.

The homophonic guy is a red-herring, incidently. The guy is just an interesting Macguffin. If anything I thought he represented social alienation more than just being a lame "look at the gun-totting redneck!" comment on middle American paranoia.

Similarly, the "weird kid next door" I thought was not interesting because of his character (he didn't really have much character) but because he was external to the lives of all the people around him. He looks at the dead body of Les in the same way he looks at the bag precisely because his only meaningful interaction with them is that of observed - external to the superficialty of the world around him. Not just in the materialistic sense, as covered by Les's wife, but in a much more profound sense.

He has ascended beyond social norms, and worked out a way of doing things that suits him on his own terms - it is this that sparks Lester's desire to escape from the constrains of his situation. First by taking drugs, then by quitting his job and trying to recapture his lost youth (as embodied by his fantasies over Mina Souvari's character).

It is only when Lester dies that we realise from the monologue that he has *truly* managed to escape from the confines of his life (literally and figuratively) and achieve the fresh, external, perspective of his life he wanted.

Similarly, his daughter is trying to get an external perspective on her life by dating the outsider, and agreeing to extricate herself from her home life by running off with the boyfriend, who is also shrugging off his remaining earthly ties to a repressed suburban life.

Man, I could talk about that movie all day.

I do think it was better than the average movie, it told a story and it attempted something of a message. I just didn't enjoy that story and didn't connect with the message. It all seemed very detached...too detached, and cold. That might have been intended to show the overall theme. But I guess it's not what I enjoy in a movie.

[icy manipulator]

i thought it was a real good movie. kevin spacey is one of my favourite actors. plus he owns the worlds most expensive mini, so he must be cool.
on 5th Gear last night they had a search for the ultimate Mini special. there was one with a turbo charged Hayabusa engine in it that put out 400 horseys. Fucking insane beast! 0 - 100 in 3.4secs! It;s bad enough that Suzuki put that engine in a 220kg bike, but straping a turbo on and dumping it in the back of a mini?! FUCK ME!

[mickill]

a-z and mickill always rake me over the e-coals when i talk about how little i enjoyed this movie. i, too, was expecting a lot, i guess, but man. what a letdown. i didn't like spacey too much beforehand, but this sent it over the edge.
Why don't you summon your dork lord for even greater dork strength and see if your immense dorkbilities could help you find one of the at least 10 posts that I've made articulating my hatred for both this film and Kevin Spacey.

Then go drool over K-Pax some more.

[Nuzzolese]

My SO loves K-Pax but I haven't seen it because I'm convinced it's like a bad version of that Jeff Bridges alien movie...which wasn't even a good version of itself. I enjoy lovable aliens but Spacey isn't cuddly like ALF or Robin Williams or even charmingly macrocephalic, like E.T. or David Bowie.

I have this theory that people are subconsciously attracted to things and people with proportionately large heads, because it reminds them of infants, who inspire impulsive caring.

[mickill]

Like Hello Kitty.

[Nuzzolese]

and Tommy Lee Jones

[mickill]

And Pochacco. And Keroppi. And perhaps to a lesser extent Chococat and Julia Stiles.

[Nuzzolese]

She's bottom heavy. Did you see Save the Last Dance?

[mickill]

No, but cosmo has. And man does she ever stirfry me in the e-wok whenever I talk about how stupid I think it looks.

[Nuzzolese]

She does what to ewoks?!

Ignore me.