Right. Piano. Because that's what we used to kill that big demon that one time. No, wait. That was a rocket launcher.

Xander ,'Touched'


Buffista Movies 4: Straight to Video  

A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.


Vonnie K - Jul 29, 2005 5:45:51 am PDT #6219 of 10002
Kiss me, my girl, before I'm sick.

I liked him quite a bit on Sure Thing and Better Off Dead, but I gotta admit he didn't really make me go WOW until Say Anything. Although... the characters he played in those earlier movies did have similar traits to Llyod Dobler.


Nutty - Jul 29, 2005 5:53:28 am PDT #6220 of 10002
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."

John Cusack made me go WOW when I realized that he did Eight Men Out, Say Anything, and The Grifters in rapid succession, at the age of 21. Dude wanted to stop playing teenagers, and he pulled it off, and I had no idea he was that young in either of the non-teenager roles.


-t - Jul 29, 2005 5:54:10 am PDT #6221 of 10002
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Really? I thought Say Anything was just another John Cusack movie after watching The Sure Thing and Better off Dead seventy gajillion times, and even seeking out Hot Pursuit and One Crazy Summer because, John Cusack! But perhaps my bemusement over him playing a college student when I was in High School and a High School student when I was in college colors my opinion too much.

(eta: And I can see why he'd keep coming back to the tried and true romantic comedies after the lack of recognition for Eight Men and Grifters )


erikaj - Jul 29, 2005 6:04:17 am PDT #6222 of 10002
Always Anti-fascist!

Maybe once you make out with your movie mom, it's a fork in the road.


Lyra Jane - Jul 29, 2005 6:24:19 am PDT #6223 of 10002
Up with the sun

I can see why he'd keep coming back to the tried and true romantic comedies after the lack of recognition for Eight Men and Grifters

I think "The Grifters" is still a movie people talk about (thought maybe more for Bening and Huston than for him), and it got a bunch of Oscar and other nominations that year.

He's always made movies that weren't romantic comedies; his last two movies before "Must Love Dogs" were "Runaway Jury" and "Identity," and it looks like his next movie is a thriller with Billy Bob Thornton. It's just that the romantic comedies are the ones people remember, which he probably sees as both a blessing and a curse.


erikaj - Jul 29, 2005 6:27:49 am PDT #6224 of 10002
Always Anti-fascist!

wrod.


Nutty - Jul 29, 2005 6:31:44 am PDT #6225 of 10002
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."

once you make out with your movie mom

If you must be used to wipe the floor with, best the person doing the wiping be Anjelica Huston, you know?


Lee - Jul 29, 2005 6:33:21 am PDT #6226 of 10002
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.

So Lloyd Dobbler ruined other men for John Cusack too?


-t - Jul 29, 2005 6:37:31 am PDT #6227 of 10002
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

He's always made movies that weren't romantic comedies

I meant he keep making them in between other things. Which just makes sense, gotta do what makes money. But when The Grifters came out there was a lot of talk about how this was a breakout role that would put him into position to move away from the rom-coms and that didn't really happen.


Nutty - Jul 29, 2005 6:50:47 am PDT #6228 of 10002
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."

I wonder how much of that is the movie market over the last ten years. I can name you ten romantic comedies, and ten action movies, and ten oscar-bait historical epics. But for the life of me, I have trouble thinking up a large number of plain old dramas.

I mean, plain old dramas that were made for more than $11 and a package of macaroni, and plain old dramas that made any money. I guess they exist, but they seem to exist in places like HBO, you know?

I could respect Cusack more if he picked better romantic comedies (preferably that never, ever star Meg Ryan), but if it's between romantic comedies and shlock Michael Bay fare, I say bring on the SNAG.