Everyone’s Talking About Funny Games

The buzz began a couple months ago but now the movie is out, and the chatter about it is everywhere. I’ve been reading the reviews – and this one, in particular, is a stunner.

Reading all the reviews have been fascinating. If you’re interested in hearing what various American critics are saying about Funny Games, there’s a compilation of links here at House Next Door. And here is Fernando F. Croce’s review on THND.

Here’s Dana Stevens at Slate.

It’s rare that I am happy when something fails. But in this case I’m happy. I feel like he’s being called on his bullshit. I feel the same way about Lars von Trier’s work. It’s not that Lars von Trier’s movies are upsetting or that I feel confronted by them, and I am afraid of the implications. It’s that I can smell the bullshit from down the block. He’s a phony.

I still think that the poster for Funny Games is one of the best movie posters I’ve ever seen. I didn’t know what it was, hadn’t heard anything about it – but one glimpse of it in a coming attractions area of a local cineplex made me stop in my tracks. Literally. I stopped and stared. It’s beautiful, it’s evocative, it tells you NOTHING about the movie itself, it’s vaguely disturbing – but what an image. It’s art.