'Being John Malkovich'

One of my favorite all-time films. It blew my mind. I'd never seen a more original film in my life and I might not have seen one since.

It's shocking to me that this film was every made. Getting John Malkovich involved. Collecting that fantastic cast (including the actually good Cameron Diaz). Writing that quirky, yet, wonderful script. Tying together all of these idiosyncratic characters (like the receptionist that can't understand others' talking). It's such a bizarre, unique film and due to the other dreck that is made, it's surprising to see such a cool film.

The film addresses the existence of a soul, religion, being, consciousness and thought. Are we real? Are we just other people creating some kind of reality through someone else's body? Is all of this that far fetched?

It doesn't, honestly, to me. Unlikely, yes, but not totally out of the question. My two favorite parts are when Malkovich goes into his own portal where he's placed in a fancy restaurant where everyone has individual bodies, but Malkovich's head. Then when Diaz chases a pregnant Catherine Keener into Malkovich's portal and through scenes in his subconscious. Funny, yet disturbing, scenes from Malkovich ensue including him seeing his wife getting sexed up and hims peeing his pants on the school bus.

We assume these are fake memories. In the film, his middle name is "Horatio." In reality, it's Gavin. A small detail, but it divorces the real Malkovich from the Malkovich in the movie.

Which brings us to Malkovich's performance. You might say that it was an easy role since he's playing himself. This isn't true. For one, he's playing himself in a series of circumstances that the real Malkovich would never, ever encounter. Furthermore, for most of the film, Malkovich plays himself as John Cusack or Cameron Diaz would act should they be able to control him like a puppet.