| ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Special Features
None.
Editorial Reviews
Review
The Best Teen Movie Since Donnie Darko! --The Village Voice
Brilliant! A provocative, exultant stunner --Kevin Thomas, The Los Angeles Times
Courageous --The New York Sun
Brilliant! A provocative, exultant stunner --Kevin Thomas, The Los Angeles Times
Courageous --The New York Sun
Product Description
Ben is a bit different and often seems to be living in another universe. While he is a courageous hero in the computer gaming world that consumes him, Ben is tormented by classmates and ignored by apathetic teachers in his daily life. As the bullies relentless attacks push him over the edge and out of control, his online dreamgirl, Scarlite, steps in to help him devise a perfect plan to make them pay for their persecution. Director Nic Balthazar s dazzling debut blends fantasy and harsh social realism to bring us an utterly original and important film.
OFFICIAL ENTRY Belgiums official submission for Best Foreign Film at the 2008 Academy Awards
WINNER Grand Prize, Audience Award for Most Popular Film, Ecumenical Jury Prize for exploration of ethical and social values, Montreal World Film Festival
WINNER FIPRESCI Award, Istanbul Intl Film Festival
WINNER Audience Award and Directors Choice Award, Sedona Intl Film Festival
WINNER Heineken Red Star Award, Palm Springs Intl Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION Berlin Intl Film Festival, Seattle Intl Film Festival, Cleveland Intl Film Festival
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Descend into the nightmare that autism and mob thinking must be. And accept people that are different as simply being different, not some side show act.
This is director Nic Balthazar's first movie. Let me repeat, this is Nic Balthazar's first movie he has ever made. He is the author of the novel on which this film was based. There are directors that are on their 10th film that haven't yet come close to accomplishing what Balthazar has in this first film.
There is so much to say about this film, and yet little should be said. The film opens with credits over ArchLord, a video game by Codemasters. This is the first time this reviewer has ever seen a computer game depicted so perfectly in film. It turns out the director collaborated closely with Codemasters to get the game perfect. It even includes the occaisional frame drop jump seen all high detail computer video games. The credits are shown in action boxes, clicked on by an accurate gloved hand.
It takes some time to realize that Ben has autism, it's clear something isn't 100% normal about him. The initial clues are snap to extreme close ups of objects that Ben hears and sees. There are scenes of the veins in leaves, hair follicles, and eyes moving. All intercut with blurry views of the rest of the world. The sound is at times deafening. This is the beginning of the descent into, what must be, the nightmare Ben sees every single day. This intercutting technique is not overused and is carried throughout the film.
This film has a unique style that is consistent throughout. Another intercut device is interviews with other characters in the film. The interviews are done face to camera, much like a television show (think of the Office, but these people are not being funny) or documentary. These people are also interviewed after the story has taken place, they are relecting on what has happened. They add a foreboding to the story. A teacher says, "I should have seen this. I should have helped. But what can you do?" These snipits are revealed perfectly through the story.
The key message from this film, people battle with their demons. Ben's demon is autism and people treating him very badly. Instead of staring, we should find ways to accept those people. To not see the differences, just see a person.
Please see this film. It is marvelous. It's not easy to watch. But in the end, you will be very pleased that you did watch this film.
If the MPAA rated this, it's very likely it would R rated. There is no nudity, well except the scene where Ben has his pants pulled down and his naked behind is very visible. There really isn't much harsh language. There is some violence, mostly kids treating Ben badly. There is a fair amount of discussion about suicide. The film in the rest of the world was rated for older than 12, 13, 14, and 15 (pick your country).
In Dutch with English subtitles, which can be turned off. There is no English soundtrack. The English had a wonderful rythmn to it, so I'm assuming the translation is very good.
This is a Film Movements release. These discs are very deep with extras. In many ways, Film Movement is to DVD as to what Critereon was to LaserDisc. They have pushed the envelope for small independent film that matters. And they care about film deeply.
This is director Nic Balthazar's first movie. Let me repeat, this is Nic Balthazar's first movie he has ever made. He is the author of the novel on which this film was based. There are directors that are on their 10th film that haven't yet come close to accomplishing what Balthazar has in this first film.
There is so much to say about this film, and yet little should be said. The film opens with credits over ArchLord, a video game by Codemasters. This is the first time this reviewer has ever seen a computer game depicted so perfectly in film. It turns out the director collaborated closely with Codemasters to get the game perfect. It even includes the occaisional frame drop jump seen all high detail computer video games. The credits are shown in action boxes, clicked on by an accurate gloved hand.
It takes some time to realize that Ben has autism, it's clear something isn't 100% normal about him. The initial clues are snap to extreme close ups of objects that Ben hears and sees. There are scenes of the veins in leaves, hair follicles, and eyes moving. All intercut with blurry views of the rest of the world. The sound is at times deafening. This is the beginning of the descent into, what must be, the nightmare Ben sees every single day. This intercutting technique is not overused and is carried throughout the film.
This film has a unique style that is consistent throughout. Another intercut device is interviews with other characters in the film. The interviews are done face to camera, much like a television show (think of the Office, but these people are not being funny) or documentary. These people are also interviewed after the story has taken place, they are relecting on what has happened. They add a foreboding to the story. A teacher says, "I should have seen this. I should have helped. But what can you do?" These snipits are revealed perfectly through the story.
The key message from this film, people battle with their demons. Ben's demon is autism and people treating him very badly. Instead of staring, we should find ways to accept those people. To not see the differences, just see a person.
Please see this film. It is marvelous. It's not easy to watch. But in the end, you will be very pleased that you did watch this film.
If the MPAA rated this, it's very likely it would R rated. There is no nudity, well except the scene where Ben has his pants pulled down and his naked behind is very visible. There really isn't much harsh language. There is some violence, mostly kids treating Ben badly. There is a fair amount of discussion about suicide. The film in the rest of the world was rated for older than 12, 13, 14, and 15 (pick your country).
In Dutch with English subtitles, which can be turned off. There is no English soundtrack. The English had a wonderful rythmn to it, so I'm assuming the translation is very good.
This is a Film Movements release. These discs are very deep with extras. In many ways, Film Movement is to DVD as to what Critereon was to LaserDisc. They have pushed the envelope for small independent film that matters. And they care about film deeply.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Bell Howell
Format:DVD
Incredibly smart and moving story of an autistic student in Belgium. He's bullied and hounded nearly to suicide by his classmates before he gets help from a girl and his family. High production values on a tiny budget helped out by a tie-in to a real S.Korean video game. Top notch writing and acting. This gem left the sophisticated audience at the Palm Springs International Film Festival applauding.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite (of 155 films) at the 2008 Seattle International Film Festival
October 14, 2008
Format:DVD
The 2008 SIFF had a ton of great movies, but Ben X stood above all. Intense and wonderfully constructed, this film takes us into a world of autism and teen age cruelty. Brilliantly told, this film will keep you riveted and uncomfortably squirming from beginning to end.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ben X
awesome movie, I seriously love this movie. I saw it on Netflix for the first time 'cause it seemed interesting. I was bawling at the end. I love it.
Published 3 months ago by Tatiana Montenegro
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect
Perfect is about all i can say about this, the stunning realism will catch anyone. It doesnt have an english audio track although it does have subtitles.
Published 9 months ago by shawn gnass
5.0 out of 5 stars
this is what it would be like to have autism
As the parent and step parent of two boys who have Asperger's Syndrome, I can say on pretty good authority that this film does a very good job of giving the audience an accurate... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Tina Tang
3.0 out of 5 stars
Boy in Wonderland and back
A Belgium story of a mental man-among-teens (or all they are the same-it is hard to understand as actors look too mature for school folks? Read more
Published 18 months ago by Michael Kerjman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Required viewing for all Aspies!
If you or someone you know is dealing with Aspergers or just autism - understanding, bullying, suicide - this should be required viewing! Read more
Published 19 months ago by JAMacAlister
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good if frustrating mix of terrific and manipulative
A study of a tortured teen with Asperberger's syndrome, Ben is bullied and mistreated
by his peers, and since his divorced parents are pretty clueless, he retreats into an... Read more
by his peers, and since his divorced parents are pretty clueless, he retreats into an... Read more
Published 20 months ago by K. Gordon
4.0 out of 5 stars
Out of Nowhere
Then there's the big surprise movie you never heard of. Know nothing about. Never showed up on your radar, but when you watch it it nails your head to the wall it's so good. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Eric Sanberg
4.0 out of 5 stars
On Asperger's, bullying and on-line gaming
A few months ago I started watching movies released in Film Movement's continuing library of foreign and indie movies, and I happen to pick this one up recently. Read more
Published on February 6, 2011 by Paul Allaer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Creative Stoicism, with and powerful story to tell
The films centers around a teenager with autism (Asperger Syndrome to be more specific) that has to fight his extraordinary life in order to fit socially I an ordinary world,... Read more
Published on September 5, 2010 by F. Urena
2.0 out of 5 stars
Asperger's uber alles
I think that the concept of retreating into a fantasy life is not
ego-alien to most people at some point, as it imbues one with special
abilities and allows a much more... Read more
ego-alien to most people at some point, as it imbues one with special
abilities and allows a much more... Read more
Published on August 13, 2010 by PsyRC
Look for Similar Items by Category
|
