In the late 90's, my mom and I rented five movies to watch over the weekend. We got through four of them by Sunday night, and wouldn't have time to watch our last one, "The Game". We thought it would be a waste of money if we didn't watch any of it. So, we told ourselves we'd watch 15 minutes, then go to bed. An hour and a half later, we were on the edge of our seats, completely engrossed. Besides being a fantastic film, it's such a good memory of my mom and I, and it's been one of my favorites ever since.
Ultimately what he got out of the game was through having everything taken away from him, he realized what mattered most to him: family, his brother when he realized he wasnt dead and his ex-wife when he realized how he had treated her. Also, this is one of those movies you wish you could forget, so you can experience seeing it for the first time again!
32:43 I like the inclusion of this sign. It implies that they had a 21-minute window in which they expected "the guest of honor" to fall through the ceiling. It's astonishing that they were dealing with such uncertainty throughout the Game, and yet it's also mind-boggling how narrow a window that actually is.
Yeah, simulations beats actually “lose everything” sub trip the way that went down! And maybe, if a religion other than yours is correct, even more than just your life.
This is still my favorite Fincher movie to date and one of the few film scores i ever actually bought and still listen to, to this day. the sparseness and ambient quality became a big influence in my own music. speaking of LOTR, you wouldn't imagine it's the same composer.. just goes to show how versatile Howard Shore really is.
This is one of my favourite films, so I've been looking forward to this reaction! "A game is a structured type of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool." The 'game' in this movie essentially deconstructs Nicholas' life completely; his control over things, his money, his home, his business, everything he deems important even though he lives a very empty existence with no partner and seemingly little in the way of close friendships or family relationships. And only by losing all those things does he get the clarity to recognise what really is important, and to realise that there are people who care for him even though his behaviour towards them has always been strained.
This movie definitely dials up the level of suspension of disbelief that’s required but it’s so good. Almost feels like a twisted take on A Christmas Carol in some aspects
The Game started the moment Conrad sat down, and the point was to teach Nicholas to appreciate life and stop him from following his father off the roof.
Not just similar, it's functionally identical to a lot of the composition/scenarios in the Game's opening. Read enough to understand it's almost certainly deliberate.
This is all I could think about when I rewatched it. Honestly, a spin-off series where Kendall gets involved in The Game is something I would pay to watch.
Mosta the guests at his bday party weren’t in on it. They simply received invitations made by CRS on his behalf and showed up. The only close person in his life who was part of it was his brother.
I remember watching it in cinema back in the day. How tense I was during the last minutes. What an ending. Douglas is great as usual. But I'm not a fan of Penn usually. But he's really good in this one. If you want to watch another Michael Douglas movie, then I'd strongly recommend "Falling Down" from 1993. What a ride! Btw the intro here inspired the intro to the hit show "Succession" on HBO. At times an almost frame-to-frame copy.
this movie i feel like was a big inspiration for Saw. putting people in a fight for your life game, creepy green lighting, and especially the clown puppet is like the saw puppet
There's a British illusionist named Derren Brown who does this stuff to people. He once staged it so a guy thought he committed a murder. There's another one where he stages a zombie apocalypse. Stuff like that. He also does fun stuff too--my favorite was when he trained a group of senior citizens to commit an art heist. Anyway, he's basically able to get away with it because people will willingly sign up to be part of a Derren Brown show, but he has them do it several months in advance. So essentially once you've been able to convince yourself that you didn't get selected is when you get selected...whether you know it or not.
I haven't been able to get into Derren Brown since he did the fake murder one. That poor guy looked legitimately scarred for life. It thought it was horribly unethical and way over the line for the sake of entertainment.
The movie "The Game" revolves around stripping Nicholas of his fortune and powerful position, thrusting him into a common man's struggles. For instance, when he humbly seeks help in a coffee shop to return to San Francisco, it's his first time asking for assistance in years, if not ever. His usual shield of wealth and success prevented him from connecting with others, but with these removed, he's compelled to face unfamiliar challenges. The tragic loss of his brother serves as the final blow, leaving him with nothing. Each meticulously planned event forces him to release his past and embrace the present, facilitating a profound transformation in his life. Amazing movie.
I have so many friends that adore this movie, and it is really good. Falling Down is probably my favorite Michael Douglas Role , and Robert Duvall for that matter. Romancing The Stone is also great:)
Yeah, I agree the story works best when taken as a sort of modern-day fable, almost like a really noir-ish "Christmas Carol." The details are meant to be enjoyed rather than analyzed, and the overall vibe and effect is more important than the mechanics of how it happens. :)
As my friend said as we walked out of the theater after watching this movie, "It's a good movie as long as you don't spend any amount of time thinking about it afterward." I have always agreed. Taken as-is it's a great, fun movie. But it does break down very easily if you think about it too much .
All movies operate on the basis of excising a pivotal point of reality to make the story work. Whether it is the actual procedures of the justice or medical systems or the logic and intelligence of a person under extreme stress and duress. The trick is to excise it in a way that is unnoticed because of ignorance or entertainment - most people are neither legal or medical or economic professionals and would be bored to death by a television show or movie that includes the nitty gritty of each unless it leads to a better experience, in which case they'll be more likely to invest in learning the nitty gritty or to suspend their disbelief.
29:07 the late James Rebhorn lived in South Orange, New Jersey in the town my college was in; he did a little PSA thing as himself on our school's TV channel, talking about enjoying the freedom how to make the best of it. That was 20 years ago. Because I saw him in some many movies I couldn't tell if he was being himself or still playing a character.
This one is my all time favorite.. I always saw all this as a shock to the system..or like catharsis.. basically if he hadn't been forced to participate in life that he would still be sitting in his study slowly dying inside.. ..I'd do this in a second.
Much lower scale, but made me think of years ago, a firend, on my birthday took me to an NFL game.. not my fave team, but his and local, so OK. It was rainy, wet and cold, and he kept saying afterwards we should go back to my house, well, my mom's. I kept saying, Oh, I'll be fine, but he kept insisting. So we get there, and there are a lot of cars parked on the street, more than usual. I remember walking up to the door noticing one, "huh, that looks like my boss'"... SURPRISE PARTY! I remember my mom looking at me saying, "I know you hate surprises, but I just wanted to do this". And I love her for it.... but also, afterwards, I was like "Wow, they really pulled this off... and most of my friends are really good at lying to me to make this happen."
Extreme Exposure Therapy: Get you over the most traumatic experience of your life by giving you dozens more traumas! Each step was crafted though to slowly test his priorities with ever-increasing stakes, as well as to rely on his figuring things out within a specific window range of time. Each decision he makes reveals a priority that is subsequently taken away from him until he has nothing left he cares about, and decides to end it all.
"I got that reference" about meeting the wizard in The Wizard of Oz at 30:01 is a reference to Captain America's "I understood that reference" about the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. It's all connected.
That was from The Avengers, also starring Chris Hemsworth, who was also in Thor Ragnarok, which also starred Jeff Goldblum, who was in Independence Day... BOOM
Basically, "We love you, but you're an asshole, and that needs to change." I've watched this a few times, but it only just now hit me -- this is set in San Francisco, and Michael Douglas got his first big break co-starring with Karl Malden on the TV police show The Streets of San Francisco.
I think it’s also, “We love you, but you’re an asshole, we also think you might kill yourself, like your father did.” It’s pretty clear he was too closed off to go to a therapist (I’m sure he’d say he’s too busy), so Conrad decided to see if he couldn’t shake him out of his rut.
George saying that 555-1111 was the most movie phone number ever made me really laugh. I lived in a small town in Pennsylvania before you had to dial area codes for every call (even local ones) and all the phone numbers in town were in the 444-XXXX format, so you'd ask a person their number and they would just tell you the last four digits all the time, non locals were always very confused. The best part was that the local pizza place was 444-1111 so no matter what state you were in you could always remember the number to order a pizza, maybe the only pizza joint in a town of less than 5000 people that stayed open all night, I'm convinced it was because everyone knew the number .😊
"Total Recall" (1990), from a Philip K. Dick story, has a similar premise, where the main character pays for a "fantasy trip" that is made up but feels real, and at times he wonders if something he sees is real or is just part of the "arrangement."
This is such a great film, and like all of Finch's work rewards multiple viewings. And it looks so good ! Check out Max Headroom for the reference to the TV guy.
This movie is so cool. I had an experience that reminded me of this (though not so extreme, lol) called "En Route," through an Australian theater company called One Step at a Time Like This. Anybody reading this know what I'm talking about? I don't know if they still do it, but if you hear about it and have the opportunity, absolutely do not miss it. But also try not to read anything about it. Just trust me, okay? Fun fact: the Sean Penn role was originally going to be Jodie Foster. She starred in another Fincher film called Panic Room. I never hear anyone mention that, but I enjoyed it.
Things got a bit strange when I quit drinking. I went to get a prescription filled at a supermarket pharmacy, which was screened off from the main shop floor. As I waited I could hear customers singing a Christmas song (it was June) but when I went to look, everybody was just shopping as normal. Hmm. Back in the pharmacy I heard the singing again, like the whole shop was a choir. Had a look.. normal shopping?! I tried to catch them in the act by jumping out.. normal shopping! Looked for hidden cameras in the pharmacy but didn’t find any, jumped out.. normal shopping??!! I was just about to run away when the pharmacist returned with my script and I left through a perfectly normal supermarket. I have always assumed I was hallucinating but maybe it was… The Game!
32:40 Simone is so mad.. I totally get it but it's also cathartic and darkly hilarious To watch her like try and be cool.Even thoushe clearly finds it emotionally disturbing and You know I appreciate her going through this experience for us to Piggyback and empathize with because I think that's how it makes a lot of us feel... I hope she reaches the same conclusion, which is that he gave up everything at that moment. So everything was a blessing After that... We love you Simone, Trying not to focus on the negative it's just a movie...
This is one of my favorite movies, it's such a great example of, "If you think about it for more then 5-10 sconds the movie falls apart, but you dont' care, because it's so good."
The best part about it is that once you become paranoid, things that aren't part of The Game seem like they ARE part of the game. The woman picking up the baby rattle at the airport for instance. I really liked it and bought almost all of it. If you had enough money, you could cover all the contingencies. The only part that shattered my suspension of disbelief was the jump off the roof. How do you get him to step off at just the right position, and you can see a huge lattice of I-Beams in the skylight and I just couldn't buy that he would fall exactly between them. Other than that, pretty convincing.
I always felt the purpose of the game was to teach the player what is truly important. All Nicholas cared about was work neglecting family, friends and anything fun. The game taught him that family and friends were more important and that he needs to actually live his life.
Fincher has said that he's not exactly thrilled with this film, and that's too bad. He created an intricate puzzle of a movie here, with details foreshadowing details, to the point where several viewings will only get you a few levels in. There's a lot of allegory here, as well. You already picked up on the theme of resurrection. Do you think the name "Christine" is random? Are the initials C_R_S_ (go on, fill in the blanks...)? Again, lots of intricate details here, which befits a craftsman of Fincher's caliber. It's underrated, even by its own director.
I used to think this movie was utterly implausible until I saw some of the stunts that Derren Brown has pulled off - convinvincing a bad driver that they'd died in a car crash, getting a group of people to rob a bank truck or that they're in a crashing plane and they're the only one who can land it!
Nicholas had modeled his life after his father's with the wealth, and success, but like his father, he was also inheriting his feelings of emptiness and isolation. Seeing this, Conrad had to do something so extreme, that it would pull him out of that depression and ultimately killing himself on his 50th Birthday, just as his father did. And because Nicholas blew off everybody when it came to conversations, Conrad had to create The Game to both give him something to look forward to, and to give him an experience that would have a last effect on him.
The first time I tripped on acid we watched this. Me and my friends were ENGROSSED. The experience gave me a lifelong appreciation for Fincher. I still think it's his most underrated flick.
Best parts , to me, George connects this movie back to "Independence Day", and Simone saying, "The moral of the story is...don't trust anyone, ever." Exactly what I said too, btw. GREAT reaction!
Haven't seen this for myself up until a week or so ago. Now I can safely say, I like ALL of David Fincher's movies (but The Social Network is still my favorite).
You both guessed what the movie was about at the start but refused to believe it until he jumped at the end. You have to commend the movie for convincing you to question what you thought all the way through.
Ooooh yeah, this is something to enjoy thoroughly. With a small bit of whiskey...just to take off the edge! 😎 That image of him driving his BMW at pretty good pace and having the remotely opened gate open was so incredibly cool that it stayed with me...especially since I lived in a house where we had a good driving distance to our front gate and I wished we had a remotely opened gate like that, and I wish I was old enough to drive, and I wished I had a BMW like that.
fincher was never happy with the ending apparently.. I can see why. but the more times I watch this movie the more I enjoy the cheesy charm of the ending. it's almost like fincher had to throw together an ending but still managed to do it with incredible grace and style. This is still a fantastic movie in spite of the flaws and anyway it has one of the coolest setups of any movie.. really hooks you. I also love the way Fincher captures that super-wealthy-but-empty world so well.
I believe you can only import canned haggis as regular haggis is banned by health laws (the process in making regular haggis doesnt meet preserving standards in the US) 🤔
Okay, so who wants to tell George and Simone?!!! Okay, I guess I will. All your followers pitched in and bought you guys an experience of "The Game" from CRS. Congratulations!!!!
Fabulous movie!!! All the perfect actors for this , "Game" IMO. Really thought you two would love this movie.... Guess you never know. I am a little confused though. Maybe it's all part of the game🤔
This movie is so intense and on edge of your seat and it ranked at #44 in the 100 scariest movie moments on Bravo, cool reaction as always Simone, get better soon, what up George, you both take care
In the late 90's, my mom and I rented five movies to watch over the weekend. We got through four of them by Sunday night, and wouldn't have time to watch our last one, "The Game". We thought it would be a waste of money if we didn't watch any of it. So, we told ourselves we'd watch 15 minutes, then go to bed. An hour and a half later, we were on the edge of our seats, completely engrossed. Besides being a fantastic film, it's such a good memory of my mom and I, and it's been one of my favorites ever since.
Good memories always make something, whatever it is, so much better bc now you can connect that thing to a special moment in time
Sounds like an awesome weekend! Spending time with family is what makes life joyful.
Ultimately what he got out of the game was through having everything taken away from him, he realized what mattered most to him: family, his brother when he realized he wasnt dead and his ex-wife when he realized how he had treated her.
Also, this is one of those movies you wish you could forget, so you can experience seeing it for the first time again!
32:43 I like the inclusion of this sign. It implies that they had a 21-minute window in which they expected "the guest of honor" to fall through the ceiling. It's astonishing that they were dealing with such uncertainty throughout the Game, and yet it's also mind-boggling how narrow a window that actually is.
Between paying for a "lose everything" simulator or buying a trip on a sketchy submarine, this probably works out as a better billionaire vacation.
Yeah, simulations beats actually “lose everything” sub trip the way that went down! And maybe, if a religion other than yours is correct, even more than just your life.
The coffin scene is symbolic. Revolving around issues he had with his father and his father’s death, and the way he died as well.
This is still my favorite Fincher movie to date and one of the few film scores i ever actually bought and still listen to, to this day. the sparseness and ambient quality became a big influence in my own music. speaking of LOTR, you wouldn't imagine it's the same composer.. just goes to show how versatile Howard Shore really is.
This is one of my favourite films, so I've been looking forward to this reaction!
"A game is a structured type of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool." The 'game' in this movie essentially deconstructs Nicholas' life completely; his control over things, his money, his home, his business, everything he deems important even though he lives a very empty existence with no partner and seemingly little in the way of close friendships or family relationships. And only by losing all those things does he get the clarity to recognise what really is important, and to realise that there are people who care for him even though his behaviour towards them has always been strained.
This movie definitely dials up the level of suspension of disbelief that’s required but it’s so good. Almost feels like a twisted take on A Christmas Carol in some aspects
Fun little fact, the man portraying Michael Douglas’ father in the old footage is Charles Martinet, voice of Mario!
And Paarthunax in "Skyrim."
That's not how you spell Chris Pratt
Whoa!
@yt45204 Footage of him falling of a building to suicide?
@@foljs5858he did play Van Gogh…
Haha speaking of smashed burgers and Michael Douglas... A nice callback to one of his other movies Falling Down. A fantastic but quite tragic movie.
The Game started the moment Conrad sat down, and the point was to teach Nicholas to appreciate life and stop him from following his father off the roof.
I think Nick needed to sign some documents first before The Game could get started.
34:02: "Wheel of Morality, turn, turn, turn, tell us the lesson that we should learn." lol
This is one of those movies that is great the 1st watch and just gets better with each watch after that.
Tagline of this movie was "What do you get for the man who has everything." So, they took EVERYTHING from him. I think the message was clear.
@yt45204....
And a giant steaming mug of hot insanity. Enjoy!
First time I saw the opening for Succession all I could think about was how similar it was to the opening of this movie
Not just similar, it's functionally identical to a lot of the composition/scenarios in the Game's opening. Read enough to understand it's almost certainly deliberate.
You can look it up, Im pretty sure one of the show runners said it was inspired by it
@@soxxel12 , me too! They HAD to get inspiration directly from this. Too similar.
This is all I could think about when I rewatched it. Honestly, a spin-off series where Kendall gets involved in The Game is something I would pay to watch.
Mosta the guests at his bday party weren’t in on it. They simply received invitations made by CRS on his behalf and showed up. The only close person in his life who was part of it was his brother.
I remember watching it in cinema back in the day. How tense I was during the last minutes. What an ending. Douglas is great as usual. But I'm not a fan of Penn usually. But he's really good in this one. If you want to watch another Michael Douglas movie, then I'd strongly recommend "Falling Down" from 1993. What a ride! Btw the intro here inspired the intro to the hit show "Succession" on HBO. At times an almost frame-to-frame copy.
this movie i feel like was a big inspiration for Saw. putting people in a fight for your life game, creepy green lighting, and especially the clown puppet is like the saw puppet
I feel like Falling Down, War of the Roses, and Wall Street should be on your list.
Falling Down 100%
All Michael Douglas movies?
@@sebswede9005 Yes
Disclosure good too.
GREED IS GOOD
The constant piano notes reminds me of playing LA Noire
Waiting for the clue jingle.
There's a British illusionist named Derren Brown who does this stuff to people. He once staged it so a guy thought he committed a murder. There's another one where he stages a zombie apocalypse. Stuff like that. He also does fun stuff too--my favorite was when he trained a group of senior citizens to commit an art heist. Anyway, he's basically able to get away with it because people will willingly sign up to be part of a Derren Brown show, but he has them do it several months in advance. So essentially once you've been able to convince yourself that you didn't get selected is when you get selected...whether you know it or not.
I haven't been able to get into Derren Brown since he did the fake murder one. That poor guy looked legitimately scarred for life. It thought it was horribly unethical and way over the line for the sake of entertainment.
This film is definitely underrated. It has the misfortune to be sandwiched in between two David Fincher masterpieces Se7en and Fight Club
A Frontrunner for most underrated film of all-time, for sure.
The movie "The Game" revolves around stripping Nicholas of his fortune and powerful position, thrusting him into a common man's struggles. For instance, when he humbly seeks help in a coffee shop to return to San Francisco, it's his first time asking for assistance in years, if not ever. His usual shield of wealth and success prevented him from connecting with others, but with these removed, he's compelled to face unfamiliar challenges. The tragic loss of his brother serves as the final blow, leaving him with nothing. Each meticulously planned event forces him to release his past and embrace the present, facilitating a profound transformation in his life. Amazing movie.
This reveal at the end blew my mind, the first time I watched this back in the day. Also great shirt George
I have so many friends that adore this movie, and it is really good. Falling Down is probably my favorite Michael Douglas Role , and Robert Duvall for that matter. Romancing The Stone is also great:)
Emerging from the coffin is very symbolic. Also, notice how he was wearing a white suit. Rebirth
Yeah, I agree the story works best when taken as a sort of modern-day fable, almost like a really noir-ish "Christmas Carol." The details are meant to be enjoyed rather than analyzed, and the overall vibe and effect is more important than the mechanics of how it happens. :)
its so interesting that the 90's have a pure gold age of thrillers that even today are amazing.
Absolutely ☺
Those more adult minded films like this one would likely be streaming series that run two episodes too long today
Very underrated film,love it👍
A Frontrunner for most underrated film of all-time, for sure.
I saw this in the theater and loved it.
As my friend said as we walked out of the theater after watching this movie, "It's a good movie as long as you don't spend any amount of time thinking about it afterward." I have always agreed. Taken as-is it's a great, fun movie. But it does break down very easily if you think about it too much .
All movies operate on the basis of excising a pivotal point of reality to make the story work. Whether it is the actual procedures of the justice or medical systems or the logic and intelligence of a person under extreme stress and duress. The trick is to excise it in a way that is unnoticed because of ignorance or entertainment - most people are neither legal or medical or economic professionals and would be bored to death by a television show or movie that includes the nitty gritty of each unless it leads to a better experience, in which case they'll be more likely to invest in learning the nitty gritty or to suspend their disbelief.
I have never been able to enjoy it because it makes no sense
@@John-ir4idwhoosh was invented for people like you
@@larrote6467Are you old enough to have seen it in theaters?
29:07 the late James Rebhorn lived in South Orange, New Jersey in the town my college was in; he did a little PSA thing as himself on our school's TV channel, talking about enjoying the freedom how to make the best of it. That was 20 years ago. Because I saw him in some many movies I couldn't tell if he was being himself or still playing a character.
This one is my all time favorite.. I always saw all this as a shock to the system..or like catharsis.. basically if he hadn't been forced to participate in life that he would still be sitting in his study slowly dying inside..
..I'd do this in a second.
A very underrated movie, and one of my favorite Fincher films.
Much lower scale, but made me think of years ago, a firend, on my birthday took me to an NFL game.. not my fave team, but his and local, so OK. It was rainy, wet and cold, and he kept saying afterwards we should go back to my house, well, my mom's. I kept saying, Oh, I'll be fine, but he kept insisting. So we get there, and there are a lot of cars parked on the street, more than usual. I remember walking up to the door noticing one, "huh, that looks like my boss'"... SURPRISE PARTY! I remember my mom looking at me saying, "I know you hate surprises, but I just wanted to do this". And I love her for it.... but also, afterwards, I was like "Wow, they really pulled this off... and most of my friends are really good at lying to me to make this happen."
I've been on both ends of a surprise party, and so nerve racking to pull off. Glad yours went well 🥳
Extreme Exposure Therapy: Get you over the most traumatic experience of your life by giving you dozens more traumas!
Each step was crafted though to slowly test his priorities with ever-increasing stakes, as well as to rely on his figuring things out within a specific window range of time. Each decision he makes reveals a priority that is subsequently taken away from him until he has nothing left he cares about, and decides to end it all.
A classic! I still have this vhs tape.
"I got that reference" about meeting the wizard in The Wizard of Oz at 30:01 is a reference to Captain America's "I understood that reference" about the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. It's all connected.
That was from The Avengers, also starring Chris Hemsworth, who was also in Thor Ragnarok, which also starred Jeff Goldblum, who was in Independence Day... BOOM
Referenception
WAYTOODANK
Basically, "We love you, but you're an asshole, and that needs to change." I've watched this a few times, but it only just now hit me -- this is set in San Francisco, and Michael Douglas got his first big break co-starring with Karl Malden on the TV police show The Streets of San Francisco.
I think it’s also, “We love you, but you’re an asshole, we also think you might kill yourself, like your father did.”
It’s pretty clear he was too closed off to go to a therapist (I’m sure he’d say he’s too busy), so Conrad decided to see if he couldn’t shake him out of his rut.
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 So if anybody doesnt like how someone else is, they can just force manipulation on them so they change?
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 Yeah. Basically a guy so stuck in his mindset it required something as extreme as this game to get him out of it
*BASIC INSTINCT* starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone. The CineBinge guys would love it. 👍
Its wild George mentioned Squid Games during a Fincher movie because he's apparently making an english version of the show
George saying that 555-1111 was the most movie phone number ever made me really laugh. I lived in a small town in Pennsylvania before you had to dial area codes for every call (even local ones) and all the phone numbers in town were in the 444-XXXX format, so you'd ask a person their number and they would just tell you the last four digits all the time, non locals were always very confused. The best part was that the local pizza place was 444-1111 so no matter what state you were in you could always remember the number to order a pizza, maybe the only pizza joint in a town of less than 5000 people that stayed open all night, I'm convinced it was because everyone knew the number .😊
I moved from a big city to a small one 7-8yrs ago. Ppl do that here, pisses me off 😂 I kept my # (cell) so I guess that’s my payback
"Total Recall" (1990), from a Philip K. Dick story, has a similar premise, where the main character pays for a "fantasy trip" that is made up but feels real, and at times he wonders if something he sees is real or is just part of the "arrangement."
This is such a great film, and like all of Finch's work rewards multiple viewings. And it looks so good !
Check out Max Headroom for the reference to the TV guy.
This movie is so cool. I had an experience that reminded me of this (though not so extreme, lol) called "En Route," through an Australian theater company called One Step at a Time Like This. Anybody reading this know what I'm talking about? I don't know if they still do it, but if you hear about it and have the opportunity, absolutely do not miss it. But also try not to read anything about it. Just trust me, okay?
Fun fact: the Sean Penn role was originally going to be Jodie Foster. She starred in another Fincher film called Panic Room. I never hear anyone mention that, but I enjoyed it.
I’m SO GLAD the two of you would be upset. I have been told for years that I was crazy for not seeing things the way this guy did. 😂
Things got a bit strange when I quit drinking. I went to get a prescription filled at a supermarket pharmacy, which was screened off from the main shop floor. As I waited I could hear customers singing a Christmas song (it was June) but when I went to look, everybody was just shopping as normal. Hmm. Back in the pharmacy I heard the singing again, like the whole shop was a choir. Had a look.. normal shopping?! I tried to catch them in the act by jumping out.. normal shopping! Looked for hidden cameras in the pharmacy but didn’t find any, jumped out.. normal shopping??!! I was just about to run away when the pharmacist returned with my script and I left through a perfectly normal supermarket. I have always assumed I was hallucinating but maybe it was… The Game!
This is one of my favorite films of all time... Of course the same could be true for Perfume the story of a murderer
Ultimate line up right here:
Falling Down (1993)
Carlito's Way (1993)
Casino (1995)
Honorable Mention:
Me, Myself and Irene (2000)
Falling Down (1993) 100%
This movie is loosely based on a 1988 British TV mini-series called "The One Game", which is worth a look if you can find such an obscure edition.
CRIMINALLY underrated film! 🔥😅
And I was guilty, having taken SO LONG to watch it
perfect gift for someone who has everything
Like the touch of adding Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” for ending credits. Dude goes down a badass rabbit hole.🐰👍
32:40 Simone is so mad.. I totally get it but it's also cathartic and darkly hilarious To watch her like try and be cool.Even thoushe clearly finds it emotionally disturbing and You know I appreciate her going through this experience for us to Piggyback and empathize with because I think that's how it makes a lot of us feel... I hope she reaches the same conclusion, which is that he gave up everything at that moment. So everything was a blessing
After that...
We love you Simone, Trying not to focus on the negative it's just a movie...
My favorite reaction from Simone so far: "Well what do you f***in' think?!?"
A great, underrated and under seen movie. I think it's one of Michael Douglas' and Fincher's best
Ok admit it, how many people have just lost? (Nice niche circa 2010s reference for you)
2010s? 90/2000s!
Simone's cat: "Let me re-position that mic for ya!"
This is one of my favorite movies, it's such a great example of, "If you think about it for more then 5-10 sconds the movie falls apart, but you dont' care, because it's so good."
Yes, puzzle is a game. It's a brain game, like Sudoku or Mahjong.
One if my favorite movies!!! The 90s had some AWESOME "twist" movies!!
LETS GOOOOO!! 💪😎💪
Have to mention Jodie Foster.She was originally supposed to be in this film.She was cast to be Sean Penns character.She sued the studio and producers.
The best part about it is that once you become paranoid, things that aren't part of The Game seem like they ARE part of the game. The woman picking up the baby rattle at the airport for instance. I really liked it and bought almost all of it. If you had enough money, you could cover all the contingencies. The only part that shattered my suspension of disbelief was the jump off the roof. How do you get him to step off at just the right position, and you can see a huge lattice of I-Beams in the skylight and I just couldn't buy that he would fall exactly between them. Other than that, pretty convincing.
I was like 15 or 16 when my friends and I rented the DVD from the gas station we worked at. We were very confused/speechless the whole time haha.
This little quip was dark as hell...
"Did you enjoy your birthday?"
"Does Rose Kennedy own a black dress?"
OMG George.. not even a glance to camera when you missed your own "awww that's a sh*t thing to do"....lol
I love this movie. Watch it anytime I see it on.
I always felt the purpose of the game was to teach the player what is truly important. All Nicholas cared about was work neglecting family, friends and anything fun. The game taught him that family and friends were more important and that he needs to actually live his life.
Fincher has said that he's not exactly thrilled with this film, and that's too bad. He created an intricate puzzle of a movie here, with details foreshadowing details, to the point where several viewings will only get you a few levels in.
There's a lot of allegory here, as well. You already picked up on the theme of resurrection. Do you think the name "Christine" is random? Are the initials C_R_S_ (go on, fill in the blanks...)?
Again, lots of intricate details here, which befits a craftsman of Fincher's caliber. It's underrated, even by its own director.
A movie with some kind of similar elements, but a vastly different tone is The Man Who Knew Too Little
I used to think this movie was utterly implausible until I saw some of the stunts that Derren Brown has pulled off - convinvincing a bad driver that they'd died in a car crash, getting a group of people to rob a bank truck or that they're in a crashing plane and they're the only one who can land it!
Mannn....I love this movie..seen it in 1999..great movie
By far, for me Fincher's best movie
A great follow-up to this would be the Bill Murray comedy "The Man Who Knew Too Little".
The Game !!!! I’ve been watching this since I was 11😅 there is just something. I always found it so interesting & even more so every time I watch it.
Nicholas had modeled his life after his father's with the wealth, and success, but like his father, he was also inheriting his feelings of emptiness and isolation. Seeing this, Conrad had to do something so extreme, that it would pull him out of that depression and ultimately killing himself on his 50th Birthday, just as his father did. And because Nicholas blew off everybody when it came to conversations, Conrad had to create The Game to both give him something to look forward to, and to give him an experience that would have a last effect on him.
The first time I tripped on acid we watched this. Me and my friends were ENGROSSED. The experience gave me a lifelong appreciation for Fincher. I still think it's his most underrated flick.
@mmclaurin8035, Did you enjoy the Jefferson Airplane insert?
Best parts , to me, George connects this movie back to "Independence Day", and Simone saying, "The moral of the story is...don't trust anyone, ever." Exactly what I said too, btw. GREAT reaction!
The opening of this movie reminds me of that scene in The Omen.
One of my all time favourite films.
Haven't seen this for myself up until a week or so ago. Now I can safely say, I like ALL of David Fincher's movies (but The Social Network is still my favorite).
This is, in my opinion, is David Fincher’s most vastly underrated movie.
You both guessed what the movie was about at the start but refused to believe it until he jumped at the end. You have to commend the movie for convincing you to question what you thought all the way through.
I always loved the very last frame of the movie.
The Game broke the circle of death, he was heading down the road his father went, he was in denial and he was reborn....
Saw this when it came out at the cinema. A great ride.
Ooooh yeah, this is something to enjoy thoroughly. With a small bit of whiskey...just to take off the edge! 😎
That image of him driving his BMW at pretty good pace and having the remotely opened gate open was so incredibly cool that it stayed with me...especially since I lived in a house where we had a good driving distance to our front gate and I wished we had a remotely opened gate like that, and I wish I was old enough to drive, and I wished I had a BMW like that.
The only canned Haggis I know of is made in the village near where I grew up.
Just think, this was just a twisted retelling of "A Christmas Carol".
My favorite part is the size of the bill at the end.
fincher was never happy with the ending apparently.. I can see why. but the more times I watch this movie the more I enjoy the cheesy charm of the ending. it's almost like fincher had to throw together an ending but still managed to do it with incredible grace and style. This is still a fantastic movie in spite of the flaws and anyway it has one of the coolest setups of any movie.. really hooks you. I also love the way Fincher captures that super-wealthy-but-empty world so well.
You know why I can't wait for your videos? Because you are obviously great friends. Thank you for your service. Love you. Pretty drunk tbh.
I believe you can only import canned haggis as regular haggis is banned by health laws (the process in making regular haggis doesnt meet preserving standards in the US) 🤔
Gen Z kids have no idea what a one hour photo lab is. The struggle was real. 17:35
Please check out Falling Down, Black Rain and Fatal Attraction for more Michael Douglas thrillers.
Okay, so who wants to tell George and Simone?!!! Okay, I guess I will. All your followers pitched in and bought you guys an experience of "The Game" from CRS. Congratulations!!!!
Fabulous movie!!! All the perfect actors for this , "Game" IMO. Really thought you two would love this movie.... Guess you never know. I am a little confused though. Maybe it's all part of the game🤔
This movie is so intense and on edge of your seat and it ranked at #44 in the 100 scariest movie moments on Bravo, cool reaction as always Simone, get better soon, what up George, you both take care
This is my favorite Fincher's film. Is amazing. I hope you enjoyed guys. Let's see!
was it one of your first films with a twist? because it's pretty bad: predicatble and illogical
Top 5 favorite movie of mine. Love it, love this reaction.