Anywhere I Lay My Head

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 minutes

Box Office (in today’s dollars): 32 million (approximately)

Characters: Craig Schwartz, Lotte Schwartz, Maxine Lund, John Malkovich, Dr. Lester, Floris, Charlie Sheen, Elijah

Favorite Quote: “Maybe you could alphabetize me. And don’t forget, I comes before U.”

Favorite Scene: When John Malkovich goes into the portal

Favorite Character: John Malkovich

Other need-to-see nineties movies directed by Spike Jonze: none

The last movie on my list is also one of the toughest I have had to review. The movie is weird (obviously), but I have had to write about weird movies before. I didn’t really like any of the characters (most of them are absolutely terrible people). But that being said, it is a visually appealing, well-acted movie that fits perfectly in this “thirty movies from the nineties” recap. John Malkovich is my favorite character. Maxine is great, but she (like Craig and Lotte) is just looking out for her best interests and doesn’t care about anybody but herself. Charlie Sheen is funny, and I find it adorable that he and John Malkovich grow old together and refer to each other as Masheen and Malcatraz.

The movie is full of uncomfortable moments and dialogue. There is an obvious “the overhead is low” pun about working on the tiny 7½ floor that I appreciate. There are also several references to a jewel thief movie that does not exist which I find funny. My favorite quote is delivered by Floris (another of the unlikeable characters). While watching Craig flip through some index cards, she says, “Maybe you could alphabetize me. And don’t forget, I comes before U.” Nineties workplace humor at its finest!! I loved the choice of Bjork’s “Amphibian” for the credits, but I am sure I read somewhere that They Might Be Giants “Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head” was the first choice. I know three people who would have loved this (shout out to Rebecca, Andy, and Scooter).

Everyone wants their 15 minutes inside Malkovich, so when John Malkovich himself crawls through the portal and is in a world where everyone is John Malkovich (my favorite scene), he probably wishes that he hadn’t. Side note: one person who wants to be someone else (the tagline of the movie), says that John Malkovich would be his “second choice”. I find it extremely strange that there are countless people in the world, and John Malkovich is his second choice. I have always wondered who his first would be.

Poor Edward

Fight Club (1999)

Rating: R

Run Time: 139 minutes

Box Office (in today’s dollars): 53 million (approximately)

Characters: The Narrator, Tyler Durden, Marla Singer, Robert “Bob” Paulson, Richard Chesler

Favorite Quote: “The first rule of fight club is you don’t talk about fight club. The second rule of fight club is you don’t talk about fight club.

Favorite Scene: When Edward Norton and Brad Pitt enter Lou’s Bar

Favorite Character: Tyler Durden

Other need-to-see nineties movies directed by David Fincher: Seven

This was a tough call when choosing between Seven and Fight Club as the David Fincher movie of the nineties. I hope I made the right choice. It is probably for the best to not have two Kevin Spacey movies (the other being The Usual Suspects) on my necessary nineties list. So, to the Fight Club review!! There are not a lot of characters in the movie (only about 4 or 5 major ones) to choose from. Marla is great, and everyone loved Bitch Tits Bob. I chose Tyler Durden. Brad Pitt was so cool. Everyone wanted to be him. There were, however, many quotes to choose from. “How’s that working out for you? Being clever?” is hilarious. “The condom is the glass slipper of our generation” and “Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken” are naughty. “I want you to hit me as hard as you can” is a close second to what is probably the most memorable quote in the movie (also my favorite). I am not supposed to talk about it. So, I won’t.

My favorite scene from the movie is very similar to my favorite scene from another movie I reviewed on my necessary nineties movie list, Dazed and Confused. In that film, three characters enter the Emporium and ooze cool. In this film, it is two characters entering Lou’s Bar. They also ooze cool, but the coolest thing about the scene is that “Goin’ Out West” by Tom Waits is playing. In case you haven’t caught on by now, all of my nineties movies reviews have a Tom Waits song as the title. I can’t remember why I chose to do it, I just thought it would be fun. And who knew that a Tom Waits song would pop up in one of the movies!!

Speaking of songs, the end scene of the movie is not only mind blowing (see what I did there?), but the song playing is “Where Is My Mind?” by the Pixies. I can’t think of a more perfect song for that ending. Only one more movie to go on my list before the tournament begins!!

Next movie to review: Being John Malkovich