So I guess this one will be the 341st comment. Surely everything there is to be said about this film is already said in the 340 comments made before this one - therefore I'll just try to somewhat summarize my own feelings about the movie and try to analyze a bit why it is so controversial..;) Don't worry - I'm not turning this to Psychology lesson (I am not a humanist! :) (at least in that way that I'd study or practice psychology, philosophy, history etc..)
For me this movie seemed actually quite boring - there really wasn't really any story or plot, which are essential to me. Because really - if there isn't a plot to a film then what's the point? Nothing, it's just a bunch of stuff that happens (that they show to us) - for no reason. Of course one might argue that the point of this film is to criticize the very human nature, but so what? We all know (hopefully) what it is and after taking that away from the movie - what's left? Nothing.. Ok, there is good acting but I think that good acting is a prerequisite for a good movie, not something that would transform a hollow movie into a good one.
It's also a very linear movie: practically everything the characters are thinking is laid out for you to see and as a result, there are very few surprises and things that make you think - Another reason why I thought it was boring, since there is no room for your mind to wander: this is how it is and that's final - sounds like a High School teacher..:)
Ok, let's summarize: Happiness is a disturbing, but boring film. The main reason that I thought it wasn't good is that there really is no story to tell. What I think is the reason that so many people have praised it is that the the ideas are laid out very easily - it's like "disturbing pictures for dummies" and as empirical tests have shown: the majority of people are dummies. (ok I know I'm going to receive loads of hatemail for that one, but Even our old friend Albert Einstein said that in the Universe there are only two things that are infinite: the Universe itself and human's capability to be ignorant. And he wasn't even sure about the Universe..) Besides there are a lot of films that deal with similar (disturbing) subjects (sex, human behaviour) with much more style (and a good story), such as: Dr. Strangelove, Clockwork Orange, Twelve monkeys, Tokyo fist, Thesis, Braindead (this one at least made me laugh), 8mm, Audition and so on... (I think all those movies were better than Happiness)
One thing: I didn't say that the movie was all bad, actually it was ok, not excellent and a bit boring - that's all. And also it could be (and most probably in some of your opinion is) that I simply didn't get it, but I can't see how I could have missed it. (Since in my own opinion, I got all those movies I mentioned above and they all seem harder than this one).
Thanks for your interest in my thoughts, Max.
For me this movie seemed actually quite boring - there really wasn't really any story or plot, which are essential to me. Because really - if there isn't a plot to a film then what's the point? Nothing, it's just a bunch of stuff that happens (that they show to us) - for no reason. Of course one might argue that the point of this film is to criticize the very human nature, but so what? We all know (hopefully) what it is and after taking that away from the movie - what's left? Nothing.. Ok, there is good acting but I think that good acting is a prerequisite for a good movie, not something that would transform a hollow movie into a good one.
It's also a very linear movie: practically everything the characters are thinking is laid out for you to see and as a result, there are very few surprises and things that make you think - Another reason why I thought it was boring, since there is no room for your mind to wander: this is how it is and that's final - sounds like a High School teacher..:)
Ok, let's summarize: Happiness is a disturbing, but boring film. The main reason that I thought it wasn't good is that there really is no story to tell. What I think is the reason that so many people have praised it is that the the ideas are laid out very easily - it's like "disturbing pictures for dummies" and as empirical tests have shown: the majority of people are dummies. (ok I know I'm going to receive loads of hatemail for that one, but Even our old friend Albert Einstein said that in the Universe there are only two things that are infinite: the Universe itself and human's capability to be ignorant. And he wasn't even sure about the Universe..) Besides there are a lot of films that deal with similar (disturbing) subjects (sex, human behaviour) with much more style (and a good story), such as: Dr. Strangelove, Clockwork Orange, Twelve monkeys, Tokyo fist, Thesis, Braindead (this one at least made me laugh), 8mm, Audition and so on... (I think all those movies were better than Happiness)
One thing: I didn't say that the movie was all bad, actually it was ok, not excellent and a bit boring - that's all. And also it could be (and most probably in some of your opinion is) that I simply didn't get it, but I can't see how I could have missed it. (Since in my own opinion, I got all those movies I mentioned above and they all seem harder than this one).
Thanks for your interest in my thoughts, Max.