Cruel Intentions

A friend recommended this movie to me based on the fact that I have a secret obsession for Reese Witherspoon. Oh, crap, it's not a secret anymore!

Anyway, Cruel Intentions is a 1999 movie that stars Reese Witherspoon as Annette, the daughter of the head master of a private school. She's Miss Perfect and made a pledge to stay pure until her wedding, at which time I'll assume she'll be impure. However, Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Geller) has some other plans. She challenges her step brother Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) to deflower the headmaster's daughter before the school year starts. If he succeeds, his step-sister will let him have sex with her. Hmmm…a bit unconventional. If he loses, she gets his prized car.

To add to the mix Selma Bair plays the absolutely ding-bat sex-crazed idiot, who, at the time, was already 27 years old playing a high school girl. She is sent there by her mother, but sometime in the past she had stolen a boyfriend from Kathryn, so Kathryn is out to ruin her. Though not graphic in nature, she has a difficult time keeping her legs closed - and I'm not talking about any nudity. Just a lack of social norms. It's quite amusing.

The whole twist in the plot is that while Sebastian is trying to win his bet, he inadvertently falls in love with Annette. His challenge now is does he stay faithful to the bet or to the girl that he has fallen in love with?

The sinister plot is interesting in this movie. Sebastian keeps a diary which he names Cruel Intentions, listing his conquests. For the most part, the acting is what you would expect from a movie staring a bunch of young adults. Okay, but maybe a bit over-dramatic. And in death, the acting was a bit silly.

The movie is Rated R for strong sexual situations including a long-lasting lesbian kiss, and Reese Witherspoon having sex (uh-oh, did I spoil anything?), some strong language, 2 guys being caught together in their underwear in bed, and implied oral sex. Oh, and sex, and adult sexual situations and sex. But again, no nudity, unless you count Ryan Phillippe's butt, and I do not.

Overall, this movie was interesting. I'd probably see it again. I'll give it 4 stars. Reese Witherspoon, not with her fork, may be the tipping point for me.

Southland Tales

Is it a comedy? Is it science fiction? Is it drama? Yes, though its official genre is listed as Independent. To me, that's like asking someone what their sexual orientation is and they answer Lutheran. One has nothing to do with the other.

Regardless, Southland Tales is one that casts itself as a "star-studded" film because a bunch of people are in 18 second bit parts and some other "studded stars" have some longer parts. Actors include Dwayne Johnson, better known as "The Rock", Seann William Scott, better known as "Stiffler", and Sarah Michelle Geller, better known as "Daphne". These are the main characters. The other actors include Mandy Moore, Justin Timberlake, Nora Dunn, John Larroquette, Jon Lovitz, Amy Phoeler,...okay. Let's just say that nearly the entire cast of Saturday Night Live is in this movie.

The premise behind the movie is that post- 9/11 Los Angeles is near political, financial, and social collapse. One man can see the future, but he doesn't know if he can stop it. Reading this, one would think that it could be a documentary of current day Los Angeles. Is it not near total collapse???

The movie wavers between ridiculous and comical. The Rock is a timid and anxious man. How would the Brooklyn Brawler feel about this? There are stabs at the Bush Administration and talk about the war in Iraq. It had a similar resemblance to Peter Sellers' movie, Dr. Stranglelove, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb from the 1960's, which it attacked nuclear war.

I've read a few reviews of Southland Tales and some claim that the movie was aiming to be a cult film, much like Dr. Strangelove. I would agree that this is a movie you will either love or hate. Much of it is just too goofy to be taken seriously. However, other parts made me laugh. If I see this movie another 10 times, I may become one of those cult movie believers. Until then, I will give this movie 2 stars.

One special note. The DVD sleeve claims that this movie is 1 hr 40 min. However, it took me 2 hours and 17 minutes to see those 100 minutes that it claims. If a movie runs over my 5 minutes or so - no big deal. When it runs over by 37 minutes, then someone should be fired.