Posts Tagged ‘Funny Games’
Film Review – The Killer (2024)
I’m not one to automatically disregard remakes of beloved movies. Sometimes a fresh new perspective on a familiar story can help us better appreciate the original. But there are instances where the very notion of a remake is preposterous. Case in point: The Killer (1989). John Woo’s…
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SXSW Film Review – Us and Them
Us and Them (2017) starts out seemingly as a biting satire about class warfare. You know the story: a person of low economic stature feeling like they got the short shrift out of life butting heads against a rich person who savors all the privileges…
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Film Review – Shut In
The snowy thriller Shut In revolves around a child psychologist and her disabled stepson who get trapped in their house that may or may not be haunted during a winter storm. That she is the worst child psychologist since Hugh Grant in Nine Months and the…
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Film Review – The Purge: Election Year
Man I wish these movies were better. This series is a repeating exercise in frustration. There is potential here for making a trenchant, biting, incisive commentary on American society. And there are germs of good ideas in The Purge series. But they are so underutilized…
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SIFF Film Review – Goodnight Mommy
For two thirds of Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz’s Goodnight Mommy (Ich seh, Ich seh, 2014) I was completely entranced by its mystery. Coming out of Germany, this film taps into our deepest fears about childhood: not knowing if our loved ones can be trusted.…
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A Teacher – Audio Podcast #177
Spencer is joined by special guest writer/director Hannah Fidell (A Teacher). Segments include: handling challenging subject matter, judging the markers of success, inspirations and aspirations for A Teacher, cinematic role-models, surprising favorite films, and thinking about the future. Upcoming Events: Secret Movie Night VI (8/26…
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Film Review – Amour
Even without context, the opening moments of Michael Haneke’s Amour are among the most harrowing and unforgettable he’s ever put on screen. That may seem daunting for those familiar with his previous work (Funny Games and Caché among others), but there’s a poignancy here that…
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Episode 131 – The Danger Zone
In honor of The Hunger Games, Spencer and Greg discuss child deaths in film. Then they discuss the theme of “one vs. many,” and give DVD picks of the week.
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