December 7th Movie of the Week

Natural Born Killers

Director: Oliver Stone
Writers: Quentin Tarantino (story), David Veloz, Richard Rutowski, Oliver Stone

Actors:
Woody Harrelson - Mickey Knox
Juliette Lewis - Mallory Knox
Tom Sizemore - Det. Jack Scagnetti
Rodney Dangerfield - Mallory's Dad
Robert Downey Jr. - Wayne Gale
Tommy Lee Jones - Warden Dwight McClusky

Ratings: 7.1/10 on IMDB
52% on Rotten Tomatoes

It's been a while since I wrote a movie review (for anyone following, Wild Wild Gayfest was the last one I did in August). Let's see if I can remember how to do this...

Trailer: Natural Born Killers

Plot Summary: Two lovers embark on a killing spree that spans the country and leaves dozens dead in it's wake. Adorned by fans, and followed by the media, these "Bonnie and Clyde" type murderers are on the run from famed detective Jack Scagnetti, who's looking to add to his elaborate career by making an example of them. Directed by Oliver Stone, this socially satirical movie follows right in his footsteps by taking a controversial subject head on. Will your perceptions change about the media, or will you too fall in love with this psycotic duo?

My friends call me the shittier, cheaper version of Roger Ebert.

What I wish was told to me before I watched this movie: Hey Kevo, have you ever gone into a movie expecting one thing, and getting way more then you asked for? Well, expect that to happen here.

Opinion: Woah........ I don't really know what to say after I watched this. There are a couple movies that leave you speechless after you watch them (Schindler's List, American History X, Debbie Does Dallas), and this was one of them. It's been roughly two weeks since I finished this up, so I've been able to work through what I saw.

First of all, if you've seen any Oliver Stone movie, then expect to be offended if it's you he is making fun of. In this case, if you love reality shows title "blah blah Housewives", "blah blah of Love (1,2,3...10,11,12)", or anything involving some criminal, then you are the unfortunate subject this movie aims at. It's a satire on the idea that the media will cover anything that gets them ratings, and in turn Americans will glamorize it. If you think that is absurd, then think about the news and what it turns into.

Crash the White House party, be on a show called "Real Housewives of DC"
Be a complete bitch to your husband you had 8 kids with, hello "Jon and Bitch Plus 8"
Pretend your kid went in a balloon and is about to become the first accidental human astronaut, "Space Boy"

Well, the last one never got a show, but he stated that was his whole intention behind the stunt. 2/3 of those are criminal offenses, and the one that's not should be, because being a bitch who whores her children out to the media deserves jail time. I bet at least 2 of those little bastards end up with teenage addiction to drugs or alcohol, any takers?

It's very interesting that this movie came out in 1994 because the concept of media overkill doesn't seem to be that bad compared to now. Yea, we had our fair share of reality television like Real World, but it wasn't even close to the crap that is followed now. Natural Born Killers seems like it came out before it's time, doesn't it? I know many of you probably haven't watched the movie, but if you think about the concept, doesn't it seem relatable to todays television?

Media is media. You take it with a grain of salt, and you chose your medium; whether it be internet, television, radio, or Kevo's Movie Blog (clearly unbiased, whitty, and clever). This movie hits home in a very odd sort of way that leaves you a little bit freaked out. And with that, is our que to the next segment...

What I disliked: Besides the fact that I was NOT ready for this movie at all, I didn't like how long it took to really get into. If you choose to see this movie, you will probably enjoy it. However, it takes a good amount of time to really understand where it's actually going after a while. Besides two people on a killing spree, the plot and message don't really come around until roughly 30 minutes. Stick with it, though, because it is very interesting.

Seeing as this movie was about the media, Oliver Stone used 18 different film formats. What this translates too is a very artsy, colorful, and wild film throughout. Plenty of black and white, extra lighting, and green screen was too much for me at times. I guess I don't see the necessity, but hey, I'm just a douchey reviewer who lives in his parents basement. The most artistic thing I ever made was an A-Z book about animals in the rainforest, and I'm pretty sure Mom did most of the work.

What I liked: The cast...

Woody Harrelson might have played the coolest role I have yet to see from him, besides White Men Can't Jump. I mean, you can't beat that role, and you can't beat him in basketball in that role. Unless you hustle him, of course.

Juliette Lewis would be the LAST person you'd expect for her part. I've seen her largely in comedies, and once as a retard (I don't know what her handicap was, so it's not polite to assume and offend people who have that handicap, so I'll generalize there). You'll be shocked at first when you see her.

Robert Downey Jr./Tom Sizemore - If you want to konw what Tom Sizemore would be like as a cop, this is exactly what I imagined. What would RDJ look like as a journalist? Well not this, but I threw him in there with TS for one reason. Can you guess it?

Did you say drugs? I think you said drugs. You said drugs, didn't you? Yeeeaaa, you did.

What were the early 90's like for these actors? I think I know, but I'm sure as hell they don't know, probably because they had more coke and drugs in their body than, well, THESE TWO IN THE 90S! I wonder what the wrap up party was like? I imagine it looked a lot like the last scene in scarface, except less guns, and more headfirst dives into piles of coke. O, and hookers, lots and lots of hookers.

As I've stated thoroughly, I enjoyed the concept because I think it is very relatable to how people get famous now. It's a shame to see how we glamourize people for doing wrong, acting wrong, or saying the wrong things. I don't want my kids growing up looking at a T.V. lineup full of shows featuring people who never did anything good to deserve it in the first place. Then again, Creed from The Office used to be an acid tripping musician, so you can't get rid of all of them.

Favorite Scene: There weren't any great scenes in this movie, so its hard to narrow just one of them down. Doing my best to not ruin the movie (hopefully I haven't done that so far), Woody Harrelson being interviewed. That's as far as I feel I can go.

Interesting Facts: Definitely one of the most interesting movie facts sections I have reviewed so far:

• The interview between Wayne Gale and Mickey was based upon Geraldo Rivera's interviews with Charles Manson and the infamous Mike Wallace interview with Manuel Noriega.
• Coca-Cola approved the use of the Polar Bear ads for its product in the movie without having a full idea of what the movie was about; when the Board of Directors saw the finished product, they were furious. (HAHAHA when stuff like that happens, it always makes me laugh for some reason.)
• Acclaimed as the #1 film of the 1990s by Entertainment Weekly
• Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 25 Most Dangerous Movies".
• Entertainment Weekly ranked the film as the 8th most controversial movie ever made.

Final Comments: I think those facts, especially the last 2, should wrap up everything I've been saying about the movie. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it is NOT for date night, with your parents, or if you're contemplating a mass murder spree.

3/5 Kevos - If you like what I wrote, then go out and get this movie. I don't lie about movies, because without endorsements, why would I. However, if you are queezy, into dramas, or your Netflix Que is full of Gossip Girl seasons, don't bother.

"The media is like the weather, only it's man-made weather."

-Mickey

10 minutes after writing this, Moviephone ranked this movie as 10 Most Controversial Movies of All Time