Movie Review: Funny Games

Yar, you thought I was done. Just like this guy, and this guy (many thanks to them for making good use of their desirable domains).

But anyway, this is weird stuff: it's like, I watched this movie, and it was something different, and I wanted to write it up. And so I started and then I didn't want to do it and then about a month later I started again but then I didn't remember the thing so well and so...

Whatever. I hope I didn't lose too many fans. Ha.

So let's get rid of this stupid movie and then maybe I can type up something else:

Name: Funny Games (and apparently there are two versions and apparently this is the latter)

Purpose: Some kind of meta-horror-suspense kind of thing. Oh, I know! It's "The Hostel Next Door"! That's what it is...man, I hope someone gets to read that one. Yes, what happens is two kids with no weapons walk into a secluded house and...
Ok, actually, it would be better if you didn't know before hand (admittedly, a difficult position to be in [no, no, don't click on the link {isn't this the way they notate math equations, but backwards?}]). My, I seem a trifle over-buoyant today.

Yeah, so it would be better it you were clueless going in - because I was, and let me tell you, I was completely mesmerized by this early scene:

The wife is in the kitchen, and one of the creepy kids is asking to borrow eggs - some story about helping out the neighbors. She's at ease - a bit disinterested, in fact (by the way, great acting job by Naomi Watts), but you KNOW something's not quite right. The camera follows her to the fridge, he slips out of the picture. She moves back, camera follows. He's in a different place. Weird - but his posture isn't threatening, it's not like he's done anything unusual, he's just moved. She grabs her kitchen knife, rinses it, puts it on the counter, goes back to the fridge; he slides off-camera. Here it comes, you think. She closes the door, turns around. Camera creeps back to center. He's in a different place again! Whoa! But same thing as before - no grabbing of the knife, no aggressiveness. They keep making small talk, the camera - a single, continuous shot (this being the crux of the tension) - just keeps drifting back and forth, and you keep thinking about that knife, and he keeps getting closer to her, and then...

He takes the eggs, walks out, shot ends, scene's done, no harm. And you're still holding your breath. It's incredible. Things just keep getting more tense and uncomfortable from there. And the rest is up to you to discover - I won't spoil it; you'll have to choose that path yourself.

Not everything is perfect. The little 4th-wall breaks (you'll know when you get there) are meant to enforce the themes, but actually sabotage the "this-could-happen" feeling that is so crucially gripping. That aside, this film aims deep and cuts deep. It is not entertainment; it is a powerful statement a fantastic comment on the disconnect between our cultural paradigms of screen horror and real-life horror.

And here's the thing: I have never seen a movie as viscerally suspensful as Funny Games. It's far more gripping than any of those violence/horror-as-entertainment films it critiques. Ironic and remarkable.

So take yer adult (stress: ADULT) sensibilities and watch this thing.

****