Being John Malkovich

I actually watched this move quite a while ago (I think back in year 8 or 9 during my movie watching spree cos I just got broadband) but I decided to re-watch it because it was really good. It's about how this guy who discovers a secret hole which allows him to be John Malkovich, an actual actor in real life. Basically its a portal for mind control, but it only works for one person John Malkovich, hence the title.

This is a lot more interesting than it sounds and the above synopsis is a gross over-simplification of the film. This movie is written by Charlie Kauffman (who also wrote Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and I've watched four of the movies he's written which I'll post about later. Right now I'll just say he's a very original writer with many original ideas. Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are) directs this movie and I think it's largely to his credit that he can thread all of the plot elements and themes here to make a coherent story which is emotionally involving as well as being funny and engaging.

What really confuses me is why the movie had such a hard time being made. Apparently plenty of studios turned down the chance to make this movie. One guy even said "Why the fuck can't it be Being Tom Cruise?".

Unlike Somewhere I think the majority of people will like this movie. It's an easy to watch movie (as in you always know what is going on and why - no long stretches of the camera just watching something) but not easy to understand. It's challenging not in an Inception sort of way where the structure of it confuses you, but rather raises questions that you might not have thought about before. What if John Malkovich went into the portal so he experiences being himself? What if a woman went in? What if John Malkovich had a child?

I think this is the perfect movie to start off watching other more diverse movies rather than traditional genre movies. I think it was this movie when I watched it way back in Year 9 that made me realize that good movies didn't necessarily have to be just conventional ones done well, but could also rely on original ideas not explored before. I recommend everyone to watch this movie when they have the time. Which is after Trials. Or HSC. You could still watch it now though.

That is all.