Hidden

PDelux

Hidden aka Cache ?
That film was very poor,it had no ending !

I think you missed the point of the film. Of course the film did have an ending but if you mean the audience was not told who was sending the tapes, the point is that you have to think about the film and go through it which leads you to find the true message in the film.

Colonel Kurtz

Well said.

The ending was deliberately ambiguous in a marvellous way - if only we could have more films like this which really challenge the viewer - instead of the usual routine of wrapping everything up in a neat boring little package by the final scene.

Definitely a very strong contender for film of the year.

MisterAnarchy

PDelux wrote:

I think you missed the point of the film. Of course the film did have an ending but if you mean the audience was not told who was sending the tapes, the point is that you have to think about the film and go through it which leads you to find the true message in the film.

I understand the meaning of the film (Guilt,grief) the point was that the message could have been told in about 30 mins less.
The fact that the writer/director didnt even know who sent the tapes was a cop out and bad filmmaking.

PDelux

I understand the meaning of the film (Guilt,grief) the point was that the message could have been told in about 30 mins less.
The fact that the writer/director didnt even know who sent the tapes was a cop out and bad filmmaking

Well I liked the fact that it was different than 'normal' films in this way.

There was some more going on in the film;
1. Immigration is a big thing in France, remember the riots over a year ago. The film shows the contrast between Georges who lives in his nice house in a nice area with his family and good job, peaceful life etc. Then he starts getting the tapes and is becoming really upset and angry. When you think about it, having those tapes sent to you isnt really a big thing but in his quiet life it is.
Contrast that with Majod who had a rough childhood, lives in a small flat in a bad area and ends up in a bad way. Geroges problems are small compared to Majids. Like the problems many immigrants are having in France.

2. A big theme in the film which i think gives a reason for the ending is Trust.
A number of times in the film Majid and his son separately tell Georges they did not send the tapes. And a number of times Georges says he knows Majid or his son sent the tapes. They do not trust each other. The audience is left not knowing who to trust at the end.
Geoerges son thinks his mother is having an affair with her male friend. She swears she is not. But we see them together looking pretty close. The audience does not know if she is having an affair, do we trust her?

ixoy

I'm actually in the camp that thinks this was an over-rated movie and I know it'll be one of my options for over-rated movies of 2006 when I'm nominating for the Film Awards. Which is a shame, as I loved "Funny Games".

I think one of the issues, and I've had it elsewhere, is the way in which we're handed an issue - in this case the Algerian angle. It really peeved me with "Crash" and here, where it is handled more subtlely admittedly, I still felt almost resentful. I also thought that the script wasn't necessarily as smart as it was made out - sure, there's ambiguity but that, in itself, isn't necessarily clever. Making yourself question the roles of people because it's not known by anyone, rather than there being an actual puzzle to properly solve smacks a little of arthouse pretension.

*Shrug* Maybe I wasn't in the right mood when I saw it, but like "2046" I just didn't see why it got the accolades it did.

humanji

Speaking of "Funny Games", THEY are remaking it. :rolleyes:

Colonel Kurtz

ixoy wrote:

I'm actually in the camp that thinks this was an over-rated movie and I know it'll be one of my options for over-rated movies of 2006 when I'm nominating for the Film Awards. Which is a shame, as I loved "Funny Games".

I think one of the issues, and I've had it elsewhere, is the way in which we're handed an issue - in this case the Algerian angle. It really peeved me with "Crash" and here, where it is handled more subtlely admittedly, I still felt almost resentful. I also thought that the script wasn't necessarily as smart as it was made out - sure, there's ambiguity but that, in itself, isn't necessarily clever. Making yourself question the roles of people because it's not known by anyone, rather than there being an actual puzzle to properly solve smacks a little of arthouse pretension.

*Shrug* Maybe I wasn't in the right mood when I saw it, but like "2046" I just didn't see why it got the accolades it did.

Ambiguity in itself is'nt always clever - agreed. My view is that the ambiguity is more challenging than intelligent - and thereby makes it a more thoroughly involving experience for the viewer. I certainly take your point on Crash, which was completely over-rated and used the "sledgehammer morality" effect to exasperating levels. But the message was far more subtle in this case. Personally, I felt concentrating more on the emotional aspect rather than the actual puzzle of the "whodunnit" was far more interesting - after all, did we really need another Usual Suspects or Memento ?? These were good movies, but we've been there, bought the t-shirt, etc.....But Anyway, what's that they say about the world being a very boring place if we all liked the same things???

gazzer

I saw this movie in the IFI last year and i thought it was terrible.. I didnt mind the ambiguious ending so much but i really felt it was a lot of pretentious cr*p.. just been arty for the sake of it..