Director - Michael Haneke
The film that put Haneke on the map. Two young men take a family hostage in their summer home. Really uncomfortable to watch despite the fact that almost none of the violence happens on screen. By far and away the best film to deal with one of Haneke’s major obsessions - the depiction of violence in films and how the audience reacts to it. Haneke doesn’t make bad films. Essential viewing.
Director - Ulrich Seidl
A total oh-my-God-watch-did-I-just-watch film. Various messed up Austrian’s lives overlap at various points like a kind of queasy Altman film. Not for everyone, but worth sticking with if you have a strong stomach. Black humour throughout, but whatever you do don’t watch it with your mum.
Director - Guy Myhill
This superb coming of age flick is Guy Myhill's feature debut. The Goob (Liam Walpole) is our title character, a wild-card kid who we first meet on the last day of school, his whole life ahead of him, the world is his oyster except for the fact that he’s stuck in rural Norfolk with his brother, mum and her nasty bastard boyfriend, Womack (Sean Harris). It’s crop picking season, the Goob meets a foreign girl, makes friends with a flamboyant homosexual and constantly winds up Womack. Making this the film equivalent of kicking a wasps nest just to see what happens. Great acting, unfussy direction and refreshingly gritty take on this type of story mark it out as one of the years best films, and Myhill as someone to keep an eye open for in future.
Director - Michael Haneke
Nasty tale about the relationship between a young piano student and his sadomasochist piano teacher. Not one to watch with your mum. Isabelle Huppert gives the sort of performance that if this was an American film would have everyone clapping their hands and talking about golden statuettes. But it’s a European film and as such you expect the acting to up to this standard. As with all of Haneke’s films this should be seen. And then talked about. It's quite icky though.
Director - Bryan Bertino
Liv Tyler and her beau are menaced by some masked nut jobs at their secluded house in the woods. Enough jumps, "don't go out there" moments and gore to keep the whole family on the edge of the sofa.
Director - Michael Haneke
Haneke’s post apocalyptic (or should that just be apocalyptic?) film about how rapidly society breaks down when things go tits up. It starts off in much the same way as Haneke's earlier masterpiece Funny Games (1997), with a family arriving at their summer house only to find it already occupied. Isabelle Huppert carries the majority of the first half of the film, before falling into the background for the final half. Rape, murder and animal cruelty. You’ll need a shower afterwards. As always with Haneke this is essential viewing.
