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Rating of
3/4
America Gets Michael Haneke's Middle Finger
SIngli6 - wrote on 03/31/2012
Michael Haneke's didactic essay on violent media is strangely well-suited for an American environ, with it's ironic cruelty and sadism being more pertinent for an audience that has eagerly embraced a bevy of grim and bloody sensationalised spectacles than one that has simply braved too much to relish such depravity. The comparative professionalism of this film to Haneke's naturalistic original will probably lead purists of this type of confrontational cinema to cry foul of bourgeois predilections, but I would humbly submit that the improved mise-en-scene actually works to absterge any trace amounts of sensationalism that were left by the independent aesthetic (which, in truth, is just as manipulative as the classic summer blockbuster) of the first version, creating a harsher, crueler, …
Rating of
2/4
"Funny Games" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 02/02/2012
A pair of sociopathic young men take a young family hostage and force them to endure a series of torturous mindgames for their own amusement. Funny Games is basically torture porn's answer to Rope, the two young conservative psychos are obviously intelligent and creepily polite in the same way as the Leopold and Loeb alikes of that film. In fact Haneke admirably uses the Hitchcockian device of making certain events happen off screen, sparing us the more gruesome violence and its knowing self-referential post-modernism can be used as the excuse that its "making a point" in the same way as Natural Born Killers and Man Bites Dog were. Allegedly. But the irony card is a very easy one to play and never escapes the fact that it relies on exactly the same format and devices of every other …
Rating of
2/4
I Love Twisted Films But This Isn't One of Them
Franz Patrick - wrote on 06/06/2008
Going into the cinema, I thought I was in for a typical psychological thriller. But about an hour into the film, I felt kind of bad watching the story unfold as the family is terrorized and tortured in ways that are twisted and gratuitous. I wanted to like the film because it was daring and different (acknowledging that it is also a decent remake regardless of it being done shot by shot as the original), but there's something about the picture that is rotten and not meant to be taken in easily. If the point of the film is to make its audiences extremely uncomfortable, I give kudos to the director. I must say the acting here is on a higher level compared to other psychological thrillers. Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet give convincing performances as two preppy psychotic teenagers with a …
Rating of
3.5/4
Funny Games for the dark and demented
Neil - wrote on 05/27/2008
The biggest debate surrounding the release of Funny Games in the US is whether someone should bother to watch if they have seen the original German-language version {Funny Games}. Originally release in 1997, the Austrian version became popular in the US following the announcement of the US version. Many avid movie watchers were curious and wanted to see what the original was about. Many fans have been disappointed to discover that the US release is essentially scene-by-scene, step-by-step, and line-by-line the same. The only difference is the US version has a slightly more updated feel, and of course, it uses some well-known American actors.
It is hard to write a review of Funny Games (USA) without reflecting a bit on how it compares to the original. The plot of the story is so …
Rating of
4/4
A Must See
taylors - wrote on 05/26/2008
I LOVE this film (check review below). In all honesty what originally drew me to see this film is the movie poster. A very stark image mixed with beautiful typography that, as a designer, made it irresistible. Judging from the trailer I expected a film that would be comparable to a Clockwork Orange of our modern day. Although it will never reach the same level of popularity or respect, I do believe this is the closest we have come or ever will come to something on such a perverse and eye opening level as A Clockwork Orange. The thing that I love best about this film ,and many potential move goers should heed, is that this movie is more about toying with us the audience that toying with the kidnapped family. With different point in which the kidnappers directly talk to the audience and …
Rating of
3/4
Worth seeing... if you can make it to the end
newmans_own - wrote on 03/17/2008
The film is made with no intent to be liked by anyone. In fact, anyone who says they love it should be ready for all sorts of strange looks from the others who’ve seen it. The family makes all the wrong decisions when attempting to escape, and Haneke relishes devilishly in what we expect from it. The film is alienating and accusatory in the same way it was before. Unfortunately, Haneke takes a slightly subtler approach to the film’s meaning and it loses some of its bite. It will still shock and offend many, even if it isn’t as wicked or biting as before.
Aside from a few entirely plausible cell phone-related additions to the film, it remains entirely the same. The main interest for viewers to revisit the film’s world is the performances, which are very strong. While …
Rating of
4/4
Funny Games?
FZero - wrote on 03/16/2008
Avert your eyes if you don't want any spoilers. An Anti-Hollywood movie of how stuff like this really goes down, no one makes a final stand the good guys do not win. Even though it is a shot-by-shot remake I liked this version much better than its previous counterpart, maybe it was the familiar faces or just something lost in the subtitles either way I feel it is superior. Naomi Watts gives a brilliant performance which should come as no surprise if you've even remotely followed her career, she is the perfect choice for this role. Going in I thought the casting of Michael Pitt was a misstep and would only ruin the movie, but his awful wooden acting was perfect for the role of Paul. The nihilistic approach will probably turn people off and ensure no word of mouth or money is made in …
