Happiness
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Movie Reviews of Happiness
Movie Review: The most fun you'll ever have being shocked, disgusted, disturbed and depressed. Bare-bones DVD, but still 4.5 stars.
Summary: 5 Stars
"Happiness" is without a doubt a sick piece of film. It will shock you, depress you, disturb you, and profoundly affect you in all kinds of emotional ways. This film is misunderstood because most people don't realize that this is a black/dark comedy in disguise. The film is hard to watch, but at the same time you HAVE to keep watching. The plot is really just a group of people acting absolutely loathsome towards each other and/or going through extremely distressing drama. The characters consist of a pedophile, a sexually frustrated pervert, a young boy who is drugged and raped, a completely depressed and lonely woman whose emotions are trampled throughout the film, and a sexually curious pre-teen asking every embarrassing question about sex you could possibly conceive a child asking (and beyond), among others. The filmmakers obviously have a lot of animosity towards people, and life in general. So, if you watch this film, be warned: absolutely ADULTS ONLY!! And, I'd say only watch this if you can handle very disturbing sexual and/or violent content. The acting is great, the script is really good, and the content is totally engrossing. There are NO special features here, so only buy this if you like the film, or don't care about special features. I would recommend getting sick and twisted one night and popping it in, if you have the moxie. And if you do, make sure you stay tuned until the very end, when we are shown what I call, "the money shot". 4.5 stars.Movie Review: What is the big fuss here??
Summary: 5 Stars
Shocking? Yes, maybe. But why is this one so much more shocking to so many people (pro's and cons) than, let's say for instance, Scream?? That one is shocking and violent and totally unrealistic. This one is shocking and violent and portrays the world we live in in a very realistic way! Maybe without knowing or realising it THAT is what people find so shocking about it. One reviewer wrote: "I actually felt violated watching this movie. Completely unentertaining. Made me feel very uneasy watching it. It seemed to have no point." Well, fellow viewer: THAT might be the point exACTly! As director Solondz already proved with his wonderful and almost equally uncomfortable DOLLHOUSE film he has a very sharp eye wor what is happening around him and his memories and observations of his life and the world he spends it in are not obscured by pink clouds. A lot of people portrayed in HAPPINESS are resembling many people I know in real life. This is what we made of the world, people, weather you like it or not! Those who don't like the film or don't see the point in this film are probably those who it is about. I myself found it very comforting to see that there is at least ONE person in the world who actually sees the things I see: that the real world and the real life are definitely not what everyone tries to make it look like in everyday talks, magazines and tv-soaps. Brilliant. Kept me glued to my seat for the full 130 minutes.Movie Review: In the U.S., there is no Logos.
Summary: 5 Stars
What is normal? Is it the accepted suburban middle-class and its offspring? There is no definition for normal, not one physical and realistic. It is a boring ideal, an amalgam of plain characteristics. And yet so many consider normalcy an achievement when it is only contentment that they desire.The characters in Happiness may desire contentment, but it's not of a normal type. There is no attempt to make them appear normal; why should there be? They are animalistic, absurd, hilarious, but not exagerrated. They are sincere, and their sincerity is frightening. They are frightened; they are sad; they fear themselves, what they are and represent: loneliness, immorality (or perhaps amorality), discontentment, doubt, and a society approaching contentment. They fill no molds, even in their tragic flaws. Though they are self-destructive, they are original. Though they are original, they should not be completely foreign to us. Their flaws are not their fault; their flaws are internal. Because they lack some sense of self-realization, they lack some sense of reason. But is reason natural and innate? Is prudence innate? Plato said that reason came through knowledge or death, but knowledge is infinite, disciplined, and difficult. Without knowledge what is there? Desire. Confusion. Certainly not apathy. And not answers.
Movie Review: Only a genius.....
Summary: 5 Stars
I could easily write a doctoral dissertation about this film, that's how deep its impact is. I will, however, say here that only a genius such as Mr. Solondz would film a scene in Joe & Mary's bar in North Bergen, NJ, using Air Supply as a soundtrack. Genius Genius Genius. I grew up around the corner from that bar, a little hole in the wall in a hole in the wall town. As a young adult, my best friend and I would stop in there for last call, just to enjoy the ambiance, if you will. I almost plotzed when I saw that scene the first time I saw the movie. I began uttering strange gutteral noises and my wife thought I was having a heart attack. I was like "oh, my God, NO WAY....JOE AND FREAKIN' MARY'S, NAW, UH UH, NO WAY!!!!!!!! Of course, I saw the film in Boston, so none of the other theatergoers could relate. I dragged my buddy to the film a few weeks later, and I had to carry his jaw out of the theater. It was just priceless the look on his face when that scene came on the screen. The scene starts with a quick look at the neon sign outside the bar. I'm checkin' my bud's reaction, which was delayed for about 4 seconds, then the complete look of utter shock. Oh, well, one of those things where, you, uh, "had to be there." Thanks Mr. Solondz. Thanks Thanks Thanks.Movie Review: Shocking but Insightful
Summary: 5 Stars
It is one of the best movies that i've ever seen. Its not a movie to watch while eating popcorn or if you want to pass the time easily. This movie contains something to think about. It brings into light some dark spots in our life, in our society. Spots that we usually ignore or categorize without really analyzing them. The Serial rapist can actually be the charming shrink and not necessarily a twisted mind weirdo, a brutal murderer can be the fat poor lady and not necessarily a cold minded killer, a phone-sex harasser can be a computer insecure nerd, and they all can be neighbores or somehow relate to eachother. The movie also deals with the relations of 3 sisters, a happy houswife-the shrink's wife, a novelist that her main problem that she has too many admirers, and little joy who has anything in life but joy - on the surface everybody pretends to be supportive but down beneath they are actually phony. The talented screenwriter which happens to be also the director, Todd Solondz, makes out of some really pathetic situations something to laugh about. The first and last scene is something that should not be missed! If you would concentrate in the message and not on the bodily fluids, I promise you'll know to appreciate this movie.