Funny Games

I remember seeing the original German-language version of this movie about ten years ago when it first came out. It’s a very nasty little movie about a nice family being held hostage and tormented in their nice home by a couple of young polite psychopaths. I had seen some pictures online of the actress tied up, so of course I had to check it out. Like I say, the movie’s really nasty and dark and it’s supposed to be an indictment of how so many of us like to see nasty and dark movies as entertainment. I got that, but I just wanted to see the bondage and, yes, there were some pretty good, if overly grim, scenes in it.

So now the movie’s been re-shot with Naomi Watts staring in it, and apparently it’s nearly a shot-by-shot duplicate of the original. I’ll have to see it, though most likely when it comes out on DVD. And yes, again I get the director’s indictment of the audience and all that, but I don’t know where to go with it. Am I supposed to feel bad about myself because I like dark stuff? I mean, guilty as charged. And the fact remains that the director did choose to shoot all this dark stuff himself, so maybe it’s not just the audience. I don’t know – it’s probably not worth feeling defensive over. It is just a movie, after all.

As for the bondage, if it’s a shot-by-shot remake, then yes, there will be some – some really mean suffering-and-torment style bondage, but bondage nonetheless. Okay, it’s on my “to see” list.

Review on the NY Times

Movie website from Warner Bros.

Kinkster Hike, April 12th, in Griffith Park, L.A.

As many readers here know, I’m a big hiker and I just wanted to announce that I’ve been organizing a “Kinkster Hike” for Saturday, April 12th, at the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, with lunch at the Wolfgang Puck Cafe. It’s going to be a chance for connecting and having fun with your fellow kinksters and is open to everyone – any kink, interest, gender or orientation in the bdsm and fetish communities.

It’ll also be a chance to get together out in the broad daylight rather than the night-shrouded parties we so often go to. Don’t get me wrong, I love those parties. This is just doing something new and different with people that normally I would never have the chance to enjoy the great outdoors with.

There are full details on where to meet on the website here. The hike to the Observatory is of moderate intensity and under a mile, and if you’re in reasonably good shape you’ll do fine. If you don’t like hiking, just meet us at noon at the Observatory and have lunch at the cafe. Afterwards we can check out the cool exhibits and continue up Mount Hollywood for everyone who wants to. Since there are families at the park, I recommend just coming in normal everyday hiking wear, unless of course you wear full leather or pink pvc 24/7. Myself, I’m just going to be in guy mode.

It’ll be a fun time and I hope to see you there!