John Cusack (Horror)

1408
Horror
R
Fun (Few horror movies will be anything but Fun or Bad)

In the continuing saga of John Cusack movies you need to check out, this is...well, part two! *cue cheesy horror film music* This movie is a little special to me, because it touches on one of my favorite hobbies: Ghost Hunting. Not the kind of hunting you're thinking about, Wisconsin. I dont have a ghost call whistle that attracts paranormal beings, nor do I sit in a gloryfied treehouse in the freezing temperatures waiting for that "turdy point ghost." Ghost hunting is the act of trying to capture evidence of the paranormal through video, picture, or audio devices. It's a lot harder than you think, I assure you...nay-sayers, always nay-saying and whatnot. Anyways, all nay-says aside, ghost hunting is a sport of champions, and cool people, hence the Cusack.

In 1408, as stated previously, John Cusack is a ghost hunter/author. He travels to all supposedly haunted places and stays the night then writes his findings in books. Still not interested? Well hows-about if I told you he was able to secure a room in the Dolphin Hotel in NYC which has had over 100 or some odd deaths from natural and weird causes to include scissor-cuts, jumping from the window type suicides, and even drowning. Sam Jackson, a personal favorite, is the hotel manager who tries to convince our hero into changing his mind about staying in the room, but John sticks to his guns and stays in the room. With disbelief in his heart, he suddenly begins noticing things are a miss such as the radio turning on by itself, the chocolate mints return to his pillows, the towels are re-folded, etc. Before long, things begin to get stranger and scarier. There are jump scenes for those of you who are looking for an excuse to hold your girlfriends hand for the first time, or boyfriends hand...whatever, I dont discriminate. It's got some crazy twists and turns like the back roads of Missouri in the middle of the night. The acting is also phenominal, despite it's predominantly solo acting, talking to himself, and horror acting, which is generally bad. Yeah, I said it, Jamie Lee Curtis.

Favorite Quote:
Circumstances: John Cusack falls back into the room after trying to escape through the vents, where he encounters some pretty scary business.
Quote: "Ah, it's good to be back."

THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT:
1. Mild, mild cursing. I think the F word is said once, and other than that, the cursing is very, very minimal.
2. Scary images, but nothing more than you've seen in any other horror movies you've seen, but still original.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED:
I'm gonna keep my big mouth shut here, because the lesson to be learned is a hard one for people who have similar circumstances, and it's a BIG part of the plot twisting. If you have ever lost a family member, be careful on this one. It's a tender subject for some.

As far as horror movies go...this is one.

John Cusack (Action/Comedy)

Grosse Pointe Blank
Action/Comedy
R
Fun

Howdy, strangers. Sorry for the inappropriate delay in posting, not that I should be too worried being my fan-base consists mostly of myself and my dog who reads just because his cousin stopped writing his blog "Dogs DO know it's not bacon," which I believe is about his favorite dog snacks, but don't quote me. Ok, enough with the lies. Here's some truth for you: Grosse Pointe Blank is a movie you need to watch. It doesn't matter what you're into, this movie has it all: comedy, drama, action, love (aww), and whatever else it is you're looking for. Yes, you miscreants, there is a mild sex scene, so don't even ask; however, there is no nudity. If you're in it for the movie, here's the story:

John Cusack's character is a contracted hitman who hails from the mean streets of the Detroit area. His secretary informs him there is a high school reunion in his home town of Grosse Pointe and schedules him for a hit in the area as part of a kill two birds with one stone scenario. Despite his reluctance, he returns to his home town where he runs into his senior prom date, who is still bitter she was stood up on prom night by Mr. Blank himself. During this time, he begins rebuilding the shattered relationship with his long, lost love, unfortunately, Dan Aykroyd (Yes, the Ghost Buster and father of Britney Spears in the Academy Award non-nominated Crossroads), a fellow hitman, is trying to convince Blank to join a "Club" of hitmen in order to prevent mishaps on the job, which Blank refuses. The continual Man VS Man, Man VS Himself, and Man VS ...Woman prediciments ensue even during the Grosse Pointe High School Reunion.

The movie is full-to-bursting with dry, sarcastic humor as well as gun play and ...what I can only call "the other kind of gun play" which is often referred to as romance. That chemistry that everyone rants on about is definitely there between John Cusack and Minnie Driver as well as the negative chemistry between John Cusack and Dan Aykroyd. If you want to have a good time doing something other than your normal Wednesday evening activities, which I can only assume include doing laundry at the 25 cent laundramat and maybe calling your cousin after 7 when you get free minutes kick in, you should definitely check this movie out. It'll probably cost you a dollar to rent it for five days, so do that.

Favorite Quote: (New Segment)
Circumstances: Blank stands before a convenience store which is now in the place where his old house once stood. He calls his psychiatrist and leaves a message.
Quote: "You can never go home...but I guess you can shop there."

THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT
1. This movie is pretty loaded down with curse words, but why wouldn't it be? I don't know that I would believe someone is a hitman if they use words like "darn" and "dang" as I've previously stated in my introduction. Cover your ears when Dan Aykroyd talks if that kind of thing offends you.
2. There is a mild sex scene, but nothing is shown.
3. There is very little violence considering it's a movie about hitmen. People are shot, but the gore is minimal. I believe most of the blood you see is less than you see when you floss your teeth and shave...at the same time.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Alright, at the risk of sounding like I'm unoriginal, which I am, the tagline reads "Even a hitman deserves a second chance." Hitmen are people, too, hence the "man" in the job title. It's as respectable a job as PoliceMAN or FireMAN or SuperMAN, but only when contracted for jobs that involve the mercenary killing of a man who harms other people, but that's just my opinion. Someone has to take out the "trash," and by that I dont mean the GarbageMAN.

John Cusack

Dearest Readers...I mean Reader,

I often find myself holding a movie I have heard about for years, but never bothered to watch for whatever personal stand points I had deterring me from a certain director or actor/actress. It was just recently I stumbled upon a certain actor I never had any strong feelings towards one way or another, and his name is John Cusack. You're probably thinking, "But, Tom, isn't he one of those Breakfast Club kids?" You would be close to the truth; however, he was on Sixteen Candles, you little jump to conclusioners. Don't let that be the movie you think of when you think of John Cusack. That was my problem. I thought of that and the fact that I only heard his name referred to in cutesie love movies (Must Love Dogs, for instance), but there's much more to his career than holding boom boxes above his head in the rain, I can assure you. Over the course of however the heck long I feel like, I will be reviewing the dozen John Cusack movies I have recently watched, just to educate you. Now, now, before you go rushing to the video store to pick up a random flick with his name on the top of the cover, please, read the reviews. I don't want to hear, "Tom, I watched Martian Child and it sucked. It was not for me, Tom." There is a John Cusack movie out there for you, so be patient, movie-viewers.

Love,
Tom

Before I reference it again... (Requiem for a Dream)

Requiem for a Dream
Drama
R
Good
Anyone who enjoys twisted or drug abuse films (Trainspotting, Donnie Darko, etc.)

I was walking through the Post Exchange one day when I saw this movie on the shelf. I read the bit on the cover that basically read "Edited Version." I was curious. I had to know why this movie had to be edited. I checked online only to find out that there was a 10 second bit taken out of the movie to make it the "Edited Version." I have yet to view the unedited version of the film, but I don't really think I'm missing anything that I can't already view on a pay-per-website. I digress. The movie is a dig on people with addictions. It covers several different types of addiction: heroin, diet pills, television, money, and possibly sex (I'm not going to say definitely, but in my own personal opinion, the money and sex go together for one of the characters). The movie follows the life of Jared Leto's character, one of the Wayans brothers (the funny one) as Jared Leto's friend, and Jennifer Connolly (however you spell her name) as Jared Leto's girlfriend. Jared and the funny Wayans brother steal and hock Jared's mom's TV to pay for drugs to feed their addictions. Over time, they try to get into drug-dealing, but go through hard times. Dude's girlfriend is like most sleezy women in America, in as much as she is only supportive of him during the good times, but as soon as things are going bad for them, she wants nothing to do with him. She turns to prostitution behind her boyfriend's back. Herein lies the double addiction. As all of this is happening, Jared Leto's mom is watching what seems to be an infomercial channel which shows the same infomercial 24/7, all jacked-up on diet pills. Over the course of the movie, everyone's addiction grows until it is unstoppable. Just when you think the movie is glorifying drug abuse...it brings in the reality. I promise, if you have a heart or conscience or soul, whatever made you a little teary at the end of Homeward Bound or when the kid gives up Buddy on Air Bud, you will feel a horrible sensation in the pit of your stomach. At the same time, you will remember the characters, who you felt an emotional attachment to, were bad people. I refuse to say they "deserve it," but Jared Leto did, at one time, have bleached hair...take that however you want to. 9 out of 10. Does that offend you, Butterfly Effect 2?

THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT
1. Graphic sex scenes (for those wondering, the 10 seconds removed from the original version was an extension of the sex scene referred to - for those seeking more details, you're a bunch of degenerate perverts).
2. Pretty consistent drug use (sometimes showing the needle in the skin, and yes...it does show the woman taking the diet pills...ORALLY! Those who offend easily, beware).
3. An all-you-can-eat buffet of curse words and slurs not specifically racial.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Serious moment, y'all: Drug abuse is often glorified in all media; however, people often forget that there is a darker side (much like when Luke discovered cocaine could be combined with Dollar Value baking soda to make a cheaper version of crack, even though Lando warned him). I know it may sound stupid, but to some people it obviously doesn't. Something else that can be taken from this film is it is not always drugs that are abused. Anything can be abused, be it drugs, alcohol, television, video games, caffeine, soup and crackers (for those without a more reasonable addiction). So...the more you know...and knowing is half the battle.

If only the writer/directer had the ability to go back in time...

The Butterfly Effect
Drama
R
Good/Fun
Anyone who enjoys twisted or dark films (Donnie Darko, Requiem for a Dream, etc.)

I remember when this movie came out, I received instant messages and emails saying that there was a glimpse of a tombstone in the movie that read "Thomas Miller." I was intrigued by this and the fact that Ashton Kutscher was to play a serious role, as I had been a fan of That 70's Show, and sadly, Dude, Where's My Car? I meandered to the movie theater that night expecting to be disappointed by his performance; however, I felt he did alright all things considered. The whole idea behind the movie was the main character (Ashton) grew up having blackouts and began keeping journals of day to day activities. When he grows up, he begins reading the journal entries he made as a child and can return to that day in his childhood and can make changes as he sees fit. It's based on some kind of Chinese or Japanese philosopher's idea that even the flap of a butterfly's wing can change the entire course of history. He continues going back and forth trying to make things better for himself, then over time he begins trying to make things better for his friends and family. Some of the scenes give off (what I will often refer to as) a Requiem for a Dream feel in the pit of your stomach (watch Requiem for a Dream and you will understand, and I will later review it for those who don't have access). My quick run down: The acting is decent. No one in the movie is a seasoned actor/actress...we're talking about a child of a 90's sitcom, another guy who grew up playing the minor minor roles in movies that his friends were making, and a gal who up until this movie was good for nothing but eye candy. The story is a lot of fun. The timeline bounce back and forth isn't too confusing, and there are no slip-ups as far as the timeline goes. The dialog isn't too dry, and the soundtrack is well in tune with the events on screen. It's worth a watch. I give it a 7 out of 10, until I can come up with a better rating scheme...which I will.

THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT
1. There is a reasonable amount of cursing.
2. There are racial slurs in a prison scene.
3. There is a gay rape innuendo in a prison scene.
4. There is animal cruelty.
5. There is violence towards other people.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
If anything, the lesson here is that you cant make your life better without having a negative effect on someone else, or everyone else. Perhaps, something else we can take from the movie is that, sometimes, you just have to put your needs/wants on hold for those you care about. Sorry I had to turn it kind of dramatic there for a second. Personally, I would probably end up using the power to gamble.


The Butterfly Effect 2
Drama/Sequel
R
Bad
Anyone who enjoys twisted or dark films (Donnie Darko, Requiem for a Dream, The Butterfly Effect etc.)

Unfortunately, like most sequels, someone in the studio must have looked at his friend and perhaps the conversation went like this...

Ned: Hey, Larry?
Larry: Yeah, Ned?
Ned: Remember how much money we made with The Butterfly Effect?
Larry: Ummm...
Ned: The one with the kid from Dude, Where's My Car?
Larry: Oh, yeah.
Ned: Well, I think we should make another Butterfly Effect.
Larry: Should we do something different, maybe go another direction?
Ned: No. Why fix it if it's not broken?

Sadly, the "Same Movie - Different Characters" method has NEVER worked, not that I know of, at least. The good news is that this movie does not refer to old characters in an attempt to bring back big names of Hollywood that refused to return in the fear of ending up like Burt from Tremors. The movie does, however, show a picture of a character that was briefly seen in the original Butterfly Effect. He is shown in a newspaper clipping and is not noticeable for the most part. The movie starts light-heartedly enough with two couples on a camping trip by a lake and mountains, the whole nine yards. There's a car accident, everyone dies...except for the main character (a guy) who was driving. A year later, he's working a dead end startup company in a cubicle, being bossed around by some nerd who beat him for a promotion the day he was in the car accident. The car accident creates a "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" (the Get Out of Jail Free card for cops and soldiers turned criminal) which grants him the ability to go back in time by looking at pictures. I guess being that it's pictures rather than journal entries, that's enough to make me feel like Im watching a different movie. Once again, this character ruins his life/his friends lives/his girlfriends life...etc. In the end, he gives it all up to make everyone's life better. Sounds familiar, like something you just read about 2 minutes ago, huh? The quickest comparison I can think of right at this moment is Van Wilder and Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj. Even if you like the first Butterfly Effect, DONT waste your time on this movie. My quick rundown: Bad acting, unoriginal, poor dialog. 1 out of 10.

THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT
1. There is a fairly graphic sex scene.
2. There is another fairly graphic sex scene in a bathroom, making it more graphic.
3. There is a ... *sigh* tricked into an act of gay sex scene...it really made me feel depressed. Don't make me go into any further detail.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Nothing can be pulled from this movie that couldnt be learned from the first movie.

Introduction

To all movie enthusiasts out there:

My name is Thomas Miller and I am addicted to movies. (Hi, Thomas) I feel before you can take my opinion seriously, you should probably know a thing or two about me. I started watching movies when I was just a wee lad, but knee high on my Great Grand Pappy Miller. As a child, I learned to use the VCR before I could speak.

While skimming by my educational development, I made it a point to watch movies for more than just entertainment, but as almost a personal goal to watch as many movies as possible. In the year 2002, I made a New Years Resolution to watch a different movie every day and make a note of it on a Far Side calandar that I was given by my parents. There were rules, but the main rule was that I could not use the same movie twice in the year to count towards my "Movie of the Day" goal.

One year later, I graduated high school and took the road travelled by all undecided adolescent American males with no scholarships...I joined the United States Army. I moved away from my family in rural Wisconsin at the tender age of 17. I travelled the country before shipping off to support a "feel-good" war on terror where I was granted ample time to watch movies during guard shifts.

I returned only to deploy again on another save-face operation in New Orleans, where we sat around in a parking lot listening to the radio, smoking cigarettes. Without cable television, I found time to watch every movie I owned/rented/borrowed. I would, also, frequent the movie theater in town on an average of twice a week.

I began dating the woman who would become my wife, who didn't mind joining me at the theater, which worked out in my advantage. After moving to Fort Riley, Kansas my wife got a job at a movie rental store where she could rent movies for free and get movies before they came out. It was a beautiful thing. When she quit the job, I finally had to subscribe to HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax which helped me in my quest to see more movies, and it aided in the ability to remain in my pajamas while doing so.

I am now 22 years old, and I have since deployed, again, to everyone's favorite Middle Eastern conflict. Because of my horrible time management skills and failure to prioritize properly, I have 15 full months to do nothing but watch films. That means this is the place to be for those who want to save 8 dollars at the theater, OR 2 dollars at the video rental joint, OR an hour or so downloading illegally on the internet.

The following is a list of some of my all time favorite movies (in no particular order):
Goodfellas, Smokin' Aces, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Death Sentence, Lucky Number Slevin, Fight Club, American Psycho, Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard With a Vengeance, Memento, The Departed, Snatch, The 25th Hour...

The following is a list of some of my all time LEAST favorite movies (in no particular order):
Excluding most sequels...A Walk to Remember, The Sandlot, Halloween (the original, not the Rob Zombie version, which to be honest is not too bad), Rudy, Radio, Pearl Harbor, 21, Stop-Loss...I hate movies that cop out at the ending, movies that are afraid to say what they want to say but are swayed by MPAA standards and the opinion of death threat-writers, sequels that try to recreate the original movie with new characters (Butterfly Effect 2, Van Wilder 2...), movies that curse too much or use the wrong curse word in place of another curse word (keep in mind, using The Departed as an example, the movie requires there be cursing because as the audience, I refuse to believe that a gangster isn't going to say the F word, and instead, say "Dad gum!").

I was finally pushed over the edge to make a blog when I watched "The Butterfly Effect 2." No one should have to watch a movie like that without some kind of prior warning. This blog will not be a "spoiler" or a "movie mom" in any way, but it will borderline both. This is going to be the basic outline for how a movie will be reviewed:

MOVIE NAME
GENRE
MPAA RATING
RATING**
TARGET AUDIENCE

BIASED RANTINGS BY THOMAS MILLER

THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT (1. 2. 3. ...)

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED (IF APPLICABLE)

CLASSIC LINES (IF APPLICABLE)

** My rating is based on the following
GOOD: A movie that compares to Goodfellas. It is respected by many.
FUN: A movie that compares to XXX. It is not respected, but provides a good time.
BAD: A movie that compares to Lock Up. It is not respected by anyone, nor is it a good time. Most sequels will fall under this category.

This set up will, no doubt, change over time. Until then, enjoy the ride.