Funny Games -- Haneke Hates Us

I just saw Michael Haneke's adaptation of his own movie Funny Games, and I have to say it was one of the most appalling horrors I've ever seen. Never have I witnessed a filmmaker who has so much contempt for their audience.

The premise of the movie is simple (and, I have to say, alluring) -- two psychos take a rich family hostage and make a bet that they won't live through the night. But it quickly becomes obvious what the point of the movie is: scolding the audience for enjoying the horror genre.

How does Haneke do this? By breaking the fourth wall and having the kidnappers address the audience, just to make sure you're not actually getting into the story he's presented. Well Mr. Haneke, I wouldn't go to see the movie if I didn't get any enjoyment out of it, and if I want to be lectured, I'll go to church. I felt viscerally insulted by the film, more so because of the promise it showed.

Did I read this movie wrong? Did anyone out there actually enjoy this movie?

Who's Your Favorite Horror Villain?

Who's your favorite sicko, psycho, crazy, killer, stalker, hunter, ghost, ghoul, undead, zombie, vampire or freak?

I have to go with Zelda from Pet Semetary.

She's not in the movie for long, but man are you glad to see her go.

What's the Last Horror You Watched?

If there's one thing that can be said about horror, it's that only the true fans can appreciate good horror when they see it -- even when everyone else sees mindless schlock. So make some recommendations!

What's the last horror you saw, and how would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10?

Cloverfield: The Aftermath

The time has come. You've endured months of viral marketing, code-name film titles that turned to real-name film titles, "Ethan Haas Was Right" red herrings and a website dedicated to a fictional Japanese drink called Slusho--I imagine it's like a Slushee, only made from nuclear waste.

Cloverfield has FINALLY hit theaters.

Now that you've seen the movie, it's time to let us know if it lived up to the hype. Did the beastie meet your expectations? Will this movie redefine the monster genre forever? Most importantly, given everything J.J. Abrams and his crack-squad of marketers have put you through, was the movie worth it? Or do you feel a bit let down?