 KSL Movie Show Review:...
Review by Steve Salles FUNNY GAMES *** (R) terror, violence and some language. Starring Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet and Devon Gearhart. Written and directed by Michael Haneke (“Cache” “The Piano Teacher”) - filmed in Long Island, New York. Playing at the Tower Theatre in SLC. 107 minutes. Director Michael Haneke is known for messing with your head and toying with his audience. He made this exact same movie ten years ago in German. This is nearly a shot-for-shot remake in English. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your perspective, I saw these two terrifying movies back to back. There is literally no difference. Both bring a chilling realization that something is not right with two young men, Peter (Brady Corbet) and Paul (Michael Pitt) who visit a vacationers’ lakeside cottage to simply borrow some eggs. The two young men dressed in tennis attire and white gloves are polite, well spoken and easy going. But when one of them drops the four borrowed eggs and then insists on four more, the somewhat obliging Ann (Naomi Watts) starts feeling uncomfortable. When her husband George (Tim Roth) returns to the cottage from the boat dock, he finds his wife having heated words with the two boys. An anxious son Georgie Jr. looks on. Now these young men have turned quite impertinent and are asked to leave the premises, but they continue to argue and are seemingly refusing to go. What in the world is going on here? And why won’t these boys leave as requested? The games are about to begin and there’s nothing funny about them. You will not believe how quickly the situation deteriorates into a hostage siege with deadly consequences. You’ll be torn in disgust, but riveted at the audacity of these heartless boys. This is not an easy film to sit through as it takes its sweet, agonizing time with each escalating intent of violence and control. I was both creeped out and mesmerized - but this is not for the faint of heart as it offers up several excruciating moments of real terror. “Funny Games” is playing at the Tower Theatre in SLC, but if you can’t make the trip, you can rent the exact same German version with subtitles at a video store near you. movies at a glance: FUNNY GAMES *** (R) terror, violence and some language. Two seemingly polite young men take a family hostage at their lakeside cottage and begin to play a sick and twisted game of survival. If that weren’t enough, the filmmaker also involves the audience suggesting we thrive on violence and secretly hope for the worst of all outcomes. This is a terrifying film playing at the Tower Theatre in SLC. The exact same movie in German with subtitles is available on DVD.
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Steve