Funny Games (1997/2007)

Funny Games (1997) is from Austria. In German, subtitled in English. Funny Games (2007) is in English. It is also known as Funny Games U.S.

Michael Haneke made Funny Games before Jigsaw started playing games in Saw. He also remade Funny Games after Jigsaw started playing games. Haneke's comment on media violence is shocking and still very relevant. This review is for both films.

The 2007 version follows the same plot as the previous version. The two are completely identical so much that I'm not even sure what Haneke's point was in remaking it. Anyway, a happy couple (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth in 2007) and their child take a trip down to their vacation home. It's not too long before two psychotic killers (Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet in 2007) show up at their doorstep in preppy sports attire. They seem nice at first, but then they break the husband's leg and begin a hostage situation.


The only difference between the two is the obvious better acting performances in the new version. I don't know. Maybe if I lived in Austria and grew up with those actors, I could have changed my mind. To me, Naomi Watts and Tim Roth give believable and upsetting performances. As far as I'm concerned, Michael Pitt might as well be psychotic.

Michael Haneke employs some pretty revolutionary camera techniques. In both version, around one hour in, there's a ten minute long shot. Haneke may not have been the first to do a really long shot, but it's pretty impressive. Also, he breaks the fourth wall and has one of the characters literally rewind the film. Where else have you seen anything like this?

As usual, Haneke makes violence the point of his movie. Just like in Cache, the violence is supposed to shock audiences and make them squirm even if most of it is off screen. Funny Games isn't funny at all. It's a shocking and suspensful cinematic masterpiece that will surely thrill audiences for years to come.

Transsiberian (2008)

Transsiberian is easily one of the most overlooked movies of the year. Brad Anderson's successful picture is one of the best so far. It is minimalist and very well paced. Hitchcock would be very happy with it.

Transsiberian is about the Transsiberian railway that goes from Beijing to Moscow over the course of a week. The plot is hard to explain without spoiling things, but here it goes: an American couple whose marriage is currently on the rocks decides to take the train to Moscow. On the train, they meet another mysterious American couple. Some of the things about them just don't seem right. Ben Kingsley co-stars as a police detective who plays a major role in the second hour.

The film is, as I've already said, well paced, but many audiences will lose patience after the first hour. Honestly, even though it held my attention, the first half is pretty much plotless. It revolves around barely anything. On the other hand, the second half comes at you really fast and won't let your eyes leave the screen.

Brad Anderson's direction finds beauty in Russia, which is something that isn't easy to do. The many shots of the snowcapped mountains are easy on the eyes and fun to watch. In one clever shot, a horse is running in a circle next to a broken shack. All of a sudden, the train rushes by. The shot is unusual and the composition is perfect.

Despite it's many plot flaws towards the end, Transsiberian is one hell of a thriller. Even though the first hour is slow, the rest is action at full throttle. Combine a minimalist story and good direction and you've got yourself a great Brad Anderson film.

Les Diaboliques (1955)

This movie is also known as Diabolique. In French, with English subtitles.

Les Diaboliques is the movie that started the twist ending before Psycho could revolutionize it. Henri-Georges Clouzot's spectacular, black-and-white French film is a classic that is timeless and still surprising. Much better than most of Hitchcock's films, this is one to see.

Les Diaboliques is based on a book by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac of the same name. The clever story is about the wife of headmaster at a school and teacher who works there who are mad at the headmeaster. Their sinister talks about him lead to them plotting to kill him. They go through with the plan, but after the murder happens, the body mysteriously disappears. Strange happenings begin at the school all leading to the jaw dropping ending.

Clouzot's best film constructs suspense in such an amazing manner. In the scene in which the take the water and leaves out of a pool (this is where the women have deposited the body), we're sure their going to be found out. As the water clears lower and lower, the suspense mounts. Finally, the water clears and we're given a look at the pool. There is no body! His eery scenes are really what makes the film so special.

The tagline on the poster advised audiences to "See it, be amazed at it, but...BE QUIET ABOUT IT!" This is exactly what one who sees this should do. A major twist makes the film famous so don't spoil it. A great movie that Hitchcock actually tried to get the rights to a half hour after they were sold to Clouzot, it could not have been done better. It couldn't have even been done better by the Master of Suspense.