Being John Malkovich

One of the best films of 1999, one of the many underrated of that year. Along with Fight Club, Being John Malkovich was largely overlooked when the Oscars came around. This is nothing new, but that year was a great year for films (moreso than the Oscars would reveal), and Being John Malkovich was the best of them. The most original idea since Wings of Desire, the most engaging film since Pulp Fiction, and the greatest fulfillment of potential of the year. Malkovich is a great actor who is as good as a lead as he is as a character actor, one of the few who are, and basing this film on him was its first step in the right direction. Bringing in Spike Jonze, whose resume was lacking albeit brilliant, as director was the second. He handled this film with a precision of vision. He kept it unique while maintaining a universal quality, a comedy that spreads its limbs across many demographics. It is mainstream, truly; in fact I'd call it an independent film made by Hollywood. It's not purely independent, obviously, but it's closer to that than it is to Hollywood Tripe. It has elements of both, and that alone separates it as a film. It puts it on a short list of films that are successful and brilliant.

There's not enough fantasy in films these days. While movies are ludicrously unrealistic, they not necessarily fantastic. All of the silly special effects and overboard plot twists are based in reality in that they are proposed as possible, plausible results. While the films' events may not be plausible, they're trying to convince the audience that they are plausible. There are varying degrees of success, of course, as to how well a film persuades an audience, but they are all attempting to make an obvious lie a believability. Being John Malkovich abandons this premise and lives entirely on a tangent, an entirely fantastic story that isn't meant to be believed. It is meant as fantasy, which can be used as allegory and satire and entertainment. The Wizard of Oz was a FANTASTIC film that had subtextual meanings galore. These are largely overlooked and/or unseen, but they remain and thus give the film a depth that allows it to last. I believe Being John Malkovich will survive for exactly the same reason. There are serious undertones in this film, and sad ones. The story is preposterous, the plot is far-fetched, the dialogue is absurd, the characters are caricatured cartoons, and the visuals are unnatural at times. These are exactly the reasons why this film will persist and affect viewers for decades to come. It is an inventive and ingenious, imaginative and instinctual, incredible and intelligent film. "Ma-Sheen!"