Funny Games (2008) | 
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| Actors: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt
Studio: Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)
Category: DVD
List Price: $27.98
Buy Used: $8.99
You Save: $18.99 (68%)
New (44) Used (17) from $8.99
Rating:  71 reviews
Sales Rank: 2275
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 107
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 1000026359
UPC: 085391176299
EAN: 0085391176299
ASIN: B00187FPC2
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: June 10, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Michael Haneke is a modern master, which his spellbinding films Cache and The Piano Teacher proved to an international audience. When it came time for a Hollywood remake of his ultra-disturbing 1997 picture Funny Games, who better than Haneke himself to helm the new version? And indeed, the second Funny Games bears the impeccable sense of control and technique that the Austrian version had: it is a horrifyingly precise account of a family terrorized by two psychopathic young thugs at a vacation home. For anyone who's already seen the '97 film, this new one--a nearly shot-by-shot transcription of the original--will seem superfluous, no matter how impressive the performances of Naomi Watts and Tim Roth are. (Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet are suitably creepy as their menacers, too.) For newbies, the movie might be as infuriating and thought-provoking as Haneke intends it to be. That's because Funny Games is an intellectual game itself, a direct rebuke to the audience that gobbles up gratuitous violence and cynical manipulation. Haneke sets up our expectations, and then refuses to provide the conventional catharsis… or the conventional anything. All of this was pretty bracing in the first go-round, but feels like gamesmanship in the remake. Even if you dig what Haneke's up to, this is a brutal movie-watching experience. --Robert Horton
Product Description
In 1997 writer-director Michael Haneke (CACHE) made the controversial Austrian thriller FUNNY GAMES about two young men who terrorize a family on vacation. A decade later Haneke was convinced by producer Chris Coen to bring the story to America filming a nearly word-for-word shot-for-shot English-language version even re-creating the locations and sets as obsessively as possible. Shortly after Ann (Naomi Watts) George (Tim Roth) and Georgie (Devon Gearhart) arrive in their country home Peter (Brady Corbet) an eerily polite young man dressed all in white including odd white gloves appears on the doorstep asking Ann if he can borrow some eggs for their neighbor. Peter is joined by Paul (Michael Pitt) and the Leopold-and-Loeb-like duo are soon doing horrible things to Ann George and Georgie torturing them both physically and psychologically (nearly all the violence occurs off-screen) for no apparent reason other than they can referring to the whole thing as a game. And the biggest game of all is whether the family will be alive at the end. FUNNY GAMES is an intense experience driven by Haneke's careful manipulation of both the film itself and the audience. He's trying to shake up the viewer even having Paul address the audience directly several times with Paul fully aware of what he is doing and how the audience is most likely responding. And in one unforgettable scene Haneke pulls the cathartic rug right out from under the viewer playing with the actual medium of cinema in an infuriating and ingenious way. Roth and Watts give outstanding performances as the victims matched by Pitt and Corbet's deeply unsettling creepiness. Just as Peter and Paul (who also call themselves Tom and Jerry and Beavis and Butt-Head) alternate between calm and violent the soundtrack alternates between classical music by Handel Mozart and others and hardcore punk from John Zorn and Naked City. Though difficult to watch FUNNY GAMES is ultimately a rewarding and illuminating fi
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| Customer Reviews: Read 66 more reviews...
 not good August 15, 2008
I am a big fan of horror, thrillers and slashers. This did not deliver for me. It was more about artistic cinematography, long shots, sparse and contrived dialogue and an unconventional film style, not in a good way. I am a big Tim Roth and Naomi Watts fan but they don't even have roles that take advantage of their skills. I did not like the opening credits, there was not a stitch of character development (although that was part of the point of the movie), and I wish it had fewer stars so I had avoided buying it. Which is, in part, why I am writing my first review, to help others avoid this. Best watched if borrowed from someone who already purchased it.
why you should skip this one August 14, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I really like violent and obscure films, like the Saw videos, some asian violent flicks like Ichi the Killer and other movies alike...but this wasnt one of them...
please skip this film, i dont care if the original was brilliant (which they say is the same as this, so i dont think so), the real truth is that this film is boring, bad, non-violent and infuriating just because and without any sense....
one thing that bothers me a lot, is that this film has lots of out of place scenes and close ups that doesnt make any sense at all....they give you 1 or 2 minutes close ups of people faces, the lonely outside of the house, some random walls inside the house and you go along expecting to find some hidden clue, but nothing!!! they just put those in there without meaning at all!!! and although the acting from Naomi and the lead killer were very good and believable, the truth is that this film is so horribly made, that it doesnt matter if they gave Oscar like performances...
Without giving too much away, the basical plot is about 2 killers terrorizing a wealthy family...and that it!!! its snail-like-paced and on top of all, the producers dont even show the violent parts!!! so, its only about a couple of teens talking nonsense, boring silences, and people getting killed out of camera, cmon!!! this is a horror flick and yet they dont even show that?......even the ending is bad and casual in this film!!!it should have ended just before the rewind scene...thats the best part of the movie...and whats up with that horrible and stupid music at the end and the beginning of the film....WT*?? it sounds like death metal sang very badly, so you can figure out how bad does it sound...yuck!!!
rent this garbage at your own risk, but you will be sorry if you do, believe me, you will be bored and expecting some type of resolution, hidden meaning, or plot, and you wont find any....so, instead, just take that rent money and flush it down the toilet...its better used that way.....
Vile Film August 14, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"Funny Games" is the most reprehensible movie I have ever watched. This story of a family being terrorized by 2 young thugs never reaches the lowest level of entertainment.
Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against violent films where the supposed heroes end up losing a battle against villains. The "Saw" films, "The Ruins", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "The Hills Have Eyes" and others were entertaining while vicious and mean.
"Funny Games" is simply vile. In any film, you want some sort of conflict to make the story interesting. This movie is dominated solely by the two young punks and never gives a chance to the family led by Naomi Watts and Tim Roth. I don't always expect happy endings but this movie is so bleak and depressing that after it's over, you feel darn dirty for watching it.
A cute visual trick near the climax of the movie simply irritates the viewer.
Those who think this movie is an indictment of violent society or any sort of cultural statement are stretching the credibility of this trash.
"FUNNY GAMES" MOVIE REVIEW BY MICHAEL ELLIANO July 28, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
WIERD MOVIE. NOT REALLY ENTERTAINING...SOMEWHAT DIMENTED. PROBLEM IS THAT MAY THE GOAL. USUALLY LOVE NAOMI WATTS AND THIS WAS A DISSAPOINTMENT.
 love michael pitt July 25, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
i bought it cuz i love michael pitt...he's great at playing the disturbed psycho...and i love watching disturbed psychos. i know it's a remake but the movie could have been a lot better.
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