February 24, 2004
Friedmans Revealed?
This past weekend, I watched Capturing the Friedmans, the much ballyhooed, Oscar-nominated documentary on the Friedman family. In the late 1980's, Arnold and Jesse Friedman were both charged with molesting children in the basement of their home where they taught a computer class. After watching the film, I came away thinking that there was no way that Jesse Friedman could have done the horrible things that were mentioned in the film. I also came away with a bad impression of Elaine Friedman.
A NY Times article today details some criticisms that the former victims had with the film. They say that the film distorted or omitted some facts from the case and presented Arnold and Jesse in somewhat of a positive light.
Much of the film was made with home video footage from the Friedman family, which gave the viewer a creepy sense of being in the family as the drama of the case unfolded and slowly destroyed the family. I get the chills just going to the movie's website.
- NY Times: Victims Say Film on Molesters Distorts Facts
Posted by tien mao in Movies at 11:44 AM
i saw this movie on a date. a second date. it's not such a great second date movie.
Posted by: rachelle on a dell at February 24, 2004 12:32 PM
i saw "chuck and buck" on a date. also not such a good date movie, fyi.
Posted by: el at February 24, 2004 1:35 PM
i loved this film...and the person i hated most at the end was the clown. actually, they were all really unlikable people. i guess that type of stress brings out the worst in everyone.
Posted by: corie at February 24, 2004 3:21 PM
that must have been one hot date rachelle.
"chuck and buck" - what's that about?
what i can't believe is that the one of the people in that house went on to be a clown...someone that deals with kids every day. i wonder if his business has suffered since the movie came out.
Posted by: tien at February 24, 2004 4:08 PM
The movie is a huge mindf-ck. You just don't know who to believe. I totally remember the hubbub in a peripheral way, but I was 7 or 8 when it happened - I just knew that child molestation was the topic and I had nightmares. I saw the doc with Peter and Ezra, and afterwar, Ezra refused to speak to me after seeing the movie, he was so disturbed.
Chuck and Buck is basically about this losery guy who follows this guy he was best friends with when he was little and stalks him. But it's better than my description - it's directed by Miguel Arteta and written by Mike White, who respectively directed and wrote The Goodbye Girl; White played the pale security guard in that movie. White also wrote The School of Rock and played Jack Black's roommate.
Another awful date movie: Requiem for a Dream.
Posted by: Jen at February 24, 2004 10:32 PM
ooh.. requiem for a dream.. that movie messed with my head for days after i saw it.. that and Kids.
Posted by: rachelleb at February 24, 2004 11:06 PM
also, it should ammend my first comment and say that there was no third date. coincidence?
Posted by: rachelleb at February 24, 2004 11:08 PM
chuck and buck...welcome to the top of my netflix queue.
Posted by: tien at February 24, 2004 11:55 PM
tien, don't forget "happiness." i actually hated it, but it has the same severely disturbing qualities as requiem for a dream et al.
Posted by: corie at February 25, 2004 8:34 AM
yes, i have seen both happiness and requiem. both disturbing, both very bad date movies. at least i would presume they are bad date movies.
Posted by: tien at February 25, 2004 10:45 AM
oo - another freaky movie is "spanking the monkey". incest is a great date movie theme.
Posted by: jeannette at February 25, 2004 11:14 PM
"Requiem for a Dream" is one of the best films I've seen in the past 10 years (although deeply disturbing and difficult). DEFINITELY not a great date movie. "Chuck and Buck" and "Spanking the Monkey" are pretty good (although I thought the former was better then the latter).
My worst first date movie was "The Piano."
Posted by: Mase at February 27, 2004 1:55 PM
Post a comment
Mase: "Requiem for a Dream" is one of the best films I've seen in the past 10 years (a... {read on}
jeannette: oo - another freaky movie is "spanking the monkey". incest is a great date movi... {read on}
tien: yes, i have seen both happiness and requiem. both disturbing, both very bad dat... {read on}
corie: tien, don't forget "happiness." i actually hated it, but it has the same severe... {read on}
tien: chuck and buck...welcome to the top of my netflix queue.... {read on}
rachelleb: also, it should ammend my first comment and say that there was no third date. co... {read on}
rachelleb: ooh.. requiem for a dream.. that movie messed with my head for days after i saw ... {read on}
Jen: The movie is a huge mindf-ck. You just don't know who to believe. I totally re... {read on}
tien: that must have been one hot date rachelle. "chuck and buck" - what's that about... {read on}
corie: i loved this film...and the person i hated most at the end was the clown. actua... {read on}