HAPPINES

[Joe]

When are you guys gonna put the movie  "HAPPINESS" in here it is so horrible it becomes funny. the entire time you are watching it you swear it has to get better but never dose and it has a whole after school special feel to it to turn up the creep factor

[J.R.]

Do you mean the controversial indie from '99 about the sexual deviancies of a suburban family? That is one of the few films dubbed "controversial" or "perverse" that really lives up to the titles.

[Joe]

yes the one with john lovitz and a bunch of other people one of whom is into little boys and buys a teen magazine to beat off to in his car

[J.R.]

The scene where the dad describes to his son the molestation of his friend  is very disturbing. And this film really went too far by showing Camryn Manheim as a sexual being. Vile.

[Andrew]

"Happiness" is certainly strange enough, but I'll probably not review the film because it makes me feel unclean, so much that watching it again has not crossed my mind.

Andrew

[lester1/2jr]

disturbing= bad??

[jmc]

I "liked" HAPPINESS in that I thought it was a good film.  Anyone seen STORYTELLING yet?   It played here briefly, but I missed it so I'm probably going to have to wait for the disc.   A lot of Soldonz' fans were disappointed by it, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

[lester1/2jr]

I thought Storytelling was of similar quality to the other ones, but I guess alot of his hardcore fans disagree.   it was maybe a little too, oh I don't know the word for it, illustrative of his philosophy rather then an attempt to tell a story.

[john]

Did the copy of Storytelling that you saw have the big red box over Selma Blair's sex scene with the teacher?

[lester1/2jr]

Yeah, what the f**k like I can't see a black guy and a white woman having sex?? I heard he opted for the red box rather than cutting the scene to draw attention to the censorship.  There was apparently a third "story" that was cut completely!!

[john]

This is why I hate the MPAA!

[Joe]

What the hell dose this have to do with the movie happiness??? ABSOLUTELY NIOTHING

[john]

You've never heard of topic-drift?

[lester1/2jr]

same director ass wipe

[BoyScoutKevin]

Actually, MPAA might have more to do with "Happiness," then one thinks. Because of the story matter in the film, the MPAA wanted to give the film a X-rating, but, because the X-rating is the "kiss of death" for a film, the distributor released it as being
"unrated."
As for my thoughts on the film, not bad, I have seen worst. Just the perfect example of a film that is overrated by the critics. There is nothing that particularly good in it. Neither the acting, camerawork, costumes, directing, lighting, sets, nor writing is particularly outstanding, during most of the film. Nor is it a film that is particularly funny. Despite what the critics say.
Having said that, I must admit, that the scene where the father confesses his crimes to his son is an outstanding scene. If only the rest of the film had been that good.