Take 4: Cusack Quartet
In this edition of Take 4, we look at four films from Hollywood leading man, John Cusack. Stay tuned for the next edition, when we make a return to our Viewer's Choice mailbag.
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Identity (2003)
In the Beginning: A group of strangers all become stranded at a remote motel in the Nevada desert during a flash flood.
The Plot Thickens: One of the group is found murdered. Fear and distrust soon turn into panic, and John Cusack tries to puzzle out just what the heck is going on. Picture Ten Little Indians meets Psycho.
The Plot Thickens: One of the group is found murdered. Fear and distrust soon turn into panic, and John Cusack tries to puzzle out just what the heck is going on. Picture Ten Little Indians meets Psycho.
Cusack Casting 101: Ed Dakota, tough and hardened limo driver who (for the most part) can keep his cool while those around him are losing theirs
And I Quote...: Paris: "You're a limo driver. So I'll ask again, what are you doing? Are you looking to win some "beyond the call of duty" limo driver merit badge?"
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Paris, played by Amanda Peet. Not your run-of-the-mill prostitute, looking to change her life. You kind of get the feeling that she did "one last trick," then got stuck at this motel when things began to hit the fan.
Random Trivia: Several endings were filmed in order to shroud the real conclusion in secrecy.
Curt's Take: One of the few movies in my Netflix list that I'd seen before, and added because I wanted to see it again. Normally, that almost automatically makes it a "Must See." But this is definitely one of those "twist" movies, that, like The Sixth Sense, gives you a different perspective on it if you've already seen it once. I know that some friends of mine figured out what was going on pretty early on, and having gone back through, I don't see how I could have missed it...but on repeat viewing, this was still a "Must See" for me. Very creepy and well thought out. Just wish the "multiple endings" were shown on the DVD.
And I Quote...: Paris: "You're a limo driver. So I'll ask again, what are you doing? Are you looking to win some "beyond the call of duty" limo driver merit badge?"
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Paris, played by Amanda Peet. Not your run-of-the-mill prostitute, looking to change her life. You kind of get the feeling that she did "one last trick," then got stuck at this motel when things began to hit the fan.
Random Trivia: Several endings were filmed in order to shroud the real conclusion in secrecy.
Curt's Take: One of the few movies in my Netflix list that I'd seen before, and added because I wanted to see it again. Normally, that almost automatically makes it a "Must See." But this is definitely one of those "twist" movies, that, like The Sixth Sense, gives you a different perspective on it if you've already seen it once. I know that some friends of mine figured out what was going on pretty early on, and having gone back through, I don't see how I could have missed it...but on repeat viewing, this was still a "Must See" for me. Very creepy and well thought out. Just wish the "multiple endings" were shown on the DVD.
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Better Off Dead (1985)
In the Beginning: Lane Meyers, who is completely infatuated with his girlfriend, gets dumped for the captain of his high school ski team.
The Plot Thickens: While Lane is trying to deal with the loss of his girlfriend, the taunts of her jackass new boyfriend, and the pursuit of a homicidal paperboy, he almost completely overlooks the new French foreign exchange student next door.
Cusack Casting 101: Lane Meyers, goofy and romantic high school student with an overactive imaginaton.
And I Quote...: Tree Trimmer (seeing Lane ride by in the back of a garbage truck): "Now that's a real shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that."
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Ricky Smith (played by Dan Schneider, who also played Dennis Blunden, on TV's Head of the Class), the nerdy next-door neighbor with whom Monique, the French foreign exchange student is staying. His dance moves aren't quite up to Napoleon Dynamite's, though.
Random Trivia: People protested the film's original tagline, "Sometimes...you're Better Off Dead," so it was changed to "Relax...you're never Better Off Dead."
Curt's Take: A classic "Must See." Always kind of funny 1) watching a young John Cusack act and 2) any movie set during high school in the 80's. There aren't really any "normal" characters in these types of films, but that's part of the fun. Everyone has a quirk...from the mom who can't cook a damn thing to the little brother who doesn't talk but is building a space shuttle out of common household appliances. Definitely a good time watching this one.
The Plot Thickens: While Lane is trying to deal with the loss of his girlfriend, the taunts of her jackass new boyfriend, and the pursuit of a homicidal paperboy, he almost completely overlooks the new French foreign exchange student next door.
Cusack Casting 101: Lane Meyers, goofy and romantic high school student with an overactive imaginaton.
And I Quote...: Tree Trimmer (seeing Lane ride by in the back of a garbage truck): "Now that's a real shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that."
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Ricky Smith (played by Dan Schneider, who also played Dennis Blunden, on TV's Head of the Class), the nerdy next-door neighbor with whom Monique, the French foreign exchange student is staying. His dance moves aren't quite up to Napoleon Dynamite's, though.
Random Trivia: People protested the film's original tagline, "Sometimes...you're Better Off Dead," so it was changed to "Relax...you're never Better Off Dead."
Curt's Take: A classic "Must See." Always kind of funny 1) watching a young John Cusack act and 2) any movie set during high school in the 80's. There aren't really any "normal" characters in these types of films, but that's part of the fun. Everyone has a quirk...from the mom who can't cook a damn thing to the little brother who doesn't talk but is building a space shuttle out of common household appliances. Definitely a good time watching this one.
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And I Quote...: Russell Bell: "I used to bowl, when I was an alcoholic."
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Russell Bell, Cusack's rival in the film, played by Billy Bob Thornton. Part Cree Indian, part cowboy, he's the new guy in New York Air Traffic Control, and his co-workers don't know whether he's crazy, a loner, extremely normal, or some combination of the three.
Random Trivia: Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie first met on the set of this movie. They fell in love and were briefly married.
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And I Quote...: Max Rothman: "Hitler, come on, I'll buy you a glass of lemonade."
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Hitler, played by Noah Taylor. Most people going into this know that Hitler is a main character, but I had either not been aware of this or had forgotten. Regardless, when I found out who he was, I was, like...wow. I can see how this movie could get interesting. You definitely see the fervor and strong emotion that Taylor brings to the role.
Random Trivia: To help get this controversial movie financed, producer/star John Cusack took no salary for acting in the lead role.
Pushing Tin (1999)
In the Beginning: Nick Falzone is the hotshot air traffic controller at TRACON, the facility that handles all flights in the combined airspace of JFK, LaGuardia and Newark.
The Plot Thickens: Enter Russell Bell, new guy, who turns Falzone's seemingly under control life upside-down. With him comes his beautiful wife, Mary, played by Angelina Jolie, who also distracts Falzone quite a bit. But air traffic control isn't really a job that is conducive to inter-worker conflict.
Cusack Casting 101: Nick Falzone, cool, calm and collected air traffic controller who everyone looks up to.
The Plot Thickens: Enter Russell Bell, new guy, who turns Falzone's seemingly under control life upside-down. With him comes his beautiful wife, Mary, played by Angelina Jolie, who also distracts Falzone quite a bit. But air traffic control isn't really a job that is conducive to inter-worker conflict.
Cusack Casting 101: Nick Falzone, cool, calm and collected air traffic controller who everyone looks up to.
And I Quote...: Russell Bell: "I used to bowl, when I was an alcoholic."
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Russell Bell, Cusack's rival in the film, played by Billy Bob Thornton. Part Cree Indian, part cowboy, he's the new guy in New York Air Traffic Control, and his co-workers don't know whether he's crazy, a loner, extremely normal, or some combination of the three.
Random Trivia: Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie first met on the set of this movie. They fell in love and were briefly married.
Curt's Take: For a comedy, it was a bit dry and uninteresting. The dialogue didn't really engage me, and the conflict between Falzone and King grew a little tedious at times. On a good note, it does give you an engaging look inside the world of air traffic control. Talk about thrill a minute. Anyway, it didn't royally suck, so it gets a "Not a Priority."
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Max (2002)
In the Beginning: Max Rothman, Jewish art dealer/teacher living in Germany during the final days of World War One, meets up with a young soldier who is passionate about art. That young artist's name? Adolf Hitler.
The Plot Thickens: In the turmoil surrounding the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler faces a crossroads...does he pursue his love of art, and give it a political bent, or does he pursue his love of politics, approaching it as an artist might? Rothman plays a vital role at this juncture in Hitler's life.
Cusack Casting 101: Max Rothman, former artist (having lost his right arm in the war) and man-about-town, as much as one can be in post-Great War Germany.
The Plot Thickens: In the turmoil surrounding the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler faces a crossroads...does he pursue his love of art, and give it a political bent, or does he pursue his love of politics, approaching it as an artist might? Rothman plays a vital role at this juncture in Hitler's life.
Cusack Casting 101: Max Rothman, former artist (having lost his right arm in the war) and man-about-town, as much as one can be in post-Great War Germany.
And I Quote...: Max Rothman: "Hitler, come on, I'll buy you a glass of lemonade."
Favorite Non-Cusack Character: Hitler, played by Noah Taylor. Most people going into this know that Hitler is a main character, but I had either not been aware of this or had forgotten. Regardless, when I found out who he was, I was, like...wow. I can see how this movie could get interesting. You definitely see the fervor and strong emotion that Taylor brings to the role.
Random Trivia: To help get this controversial movie financed, producer/star John Cusack took no salary for acting in the lead role.
Curt's Take: This is a great film, if only for the fact that you know what Hitler grows up to become. Great lines permeate the film...if only because you can't imagine someone saying them to the Hitler we all know from our history classes. It really was gripping, watching him struggle internally...which side of the fence (art or politics) would he fall on? There is one great scene where Hitler is discussing with a superior officer how he is thinking of walking away from politics and staying with art. The officer points to the young soldiers that Hitler is about to get riled up and says "They are your canvas," then points to his head, saying, "This is your paint." Brilliant. He is also critiqued by Rothman for only painting reality and what is seen, rather than what is felt and conveying the emotions of the battlefield (the subject of many of his sketches). There is one scene where Hitler gets WAY mad...and goes to town on a canvas...but then destroys it out of anger. The fact that I was SO hoping to see what he finally painted when using emotion as a wellspring is just one reason I give this a "Must See."
posted by Curt at 9:27 PM
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