3. Funny Games (1997)
Madman EntertainmentPeople who have seen Funny Games - Michael Haneke's meditation on cinematic violence and torture - fall into two specific camps. There are those who think that Haneke has produced something masterful, satirical and witty and there are others who think that the film is pretentious, pseudo-intellectual rubbish. Both camps, however, would be forced to admit that the film sacrifices much of its scare value in order to make its point. Whilst the early instances of wry breaking of the fourth wall help add to the suspense of the home invasion setup, this is not the case later on. As the fourth wall is completely demolished, it becomes far too much not to be alienating. It might make the audience consider their love of fictional violence, but it's certainly going to ensure that they're not scared. At times, Funny Games is more of a lecture than a movie as villainous protagonist Paul discusses the unfolding events with the audience. By the time he whips out a remote control to "rewind" an unwanted plot development, the film has completely abandoned the idea of ever scaring anyone. However, without these flourishes, Funny Games is just a generic home invasion horror. Like Switchblade Romance, it's a film that is both defined and derailed by its own silliness.