Funny Games

Describing Michael Haneke's 2007 version of Funny Games as overwhelmingly intense would be an understatement. The game is in the hands of two handsome, young, charismatic golf players that cause psychological torture like you've never seen. The movie kept me waiting for the next scene to bring some sort of relief. (and does the relief ever come?) Everything about Funny Games from the acting to the cinematography is matchless. You don't typically come across films like this (a gem!). Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Devon Gearhart give outstanding (believable) performances as a family trying to survive the night and protect each other from two unknown, violent psychopaths. The intruders are manipulators ( and malignant narcissists?) of the highest form, and their pleasure is derived from playing god. Beware, this isn't your typical slasher film.

Tripper

Just realized I never talked about "Tripper". Not sure about the whole Reagan killing hippies stuff, especially since we have new poster children for representing 'Evil Republican'. But there's a nostalgia about it I guess.

First let me say my fave scene is the nudist scene and I don't want to spoil that. I also like when Jamie King runs into a drum circle freaking out and the people are too high and tranced out to listen to her, and then they dose her with acid by somehow macing her (sp? what I mean to say is they sprayed her like one would spray an attacker with pepper spray) with it.

The movie has also has an all star cast. Just to name a few: Paul Reubens, he acts like Peewee but he says fuck all the time. Awesome. The kid from Witness is in it. And he has a moustache. Jamie King. I'm not so much of the demographic to know what else she's been in though she's somewhat familiar. The hot dad from The Mist in a totally different role. This guy is versatile. The anti drug guy is the villain, awesome. No wait, the traumatized blue collar aggie kid is the villain. And was that Fishbone? That was totally Fishbone. Party at Ground Zero. "It's our God-given right to rock."

A good special feature involved a PA finding a human finger while she was sweeping the set. I don't even believe them but it was a good gag.

Over all, did it hang together too well? Not so much. Did it have lots of fun stuff? Absolutely.

Fear Itself

I can't believe I haven't talked about Fear Itself. My current favorite TV show that I can watch on the Web besides The Office.
I loved the cable series Masters of Horror. Same guy behind this series, Mick Garris. First let me say that my favorite episode of Fear Itself so far is "Eater." That said, I loved watching Eric Roberts in "Spooked". The show features great directors and I love the short form for giving them a chance to try out stuff. I hope they keep trying out stuff. p.s. my favorite Masters of Horror episode was "Sick Girl" by Lucky Mckee, director of one of my favorite horror films, "May." Both start Angela Bettis.

Eric Roberts - Fear Itself


Eater - My Favorite

Exciting

I'm about to watch Funny Games. I am excited about it because the actors are good. I recently watched Turistas. I did appreciate that it was set in Brazil and was probably a reaction to Brazil's reaction to 911. And I also appreciated the underwater photography which I can't find a publicity photo of, I guess because they are trying to save it for when you watch the movie. But otherwise it was kind of rote. And not even rote enough to have some big scary guy say in a scary way "Tu-ris-tas." Which was kind of a disappointment.