Bobby Shalom

I did a search but I don't believe anyone's started a thread about this movie yet. Excuse me if they have.

I know that this film is generating controversy, and some hype surrounding subject matter. I found it to be a thoroughly rewarding filmic experience. I don't like throwing this word around, but I thought it was... "Brilliant!"

I loved Happiness, and found Storytelling to be mediocre. This is miles above anything Solondz has done. Absolutely unique, and so so fucked up!

SPiRAL

I saw it a few weeks ago, and liked very much. Some scenes were a little much, but all in all I appreciate a different story being told.

Frank TJ Mackey

I'm there whenever it comes my way, it's Todd Solondz. Even if it's bad, it's still worth seeing. There are very few directors you can say that about.

BTW - STORYTELLING really should've included the third act with the James Van Der Beek storyline, because i think it would've been much better or more complete.

rkndkn

Thought it was interesting, but "Happiness" remains by far my favorite Solondz film.

The Bus

I agree with Trigger, who said "I may check it out, but I'm getting kinda tired of this filmmaker. He seems like his stories are all out of the same miserable book."

majorjoe23

I always end up seeing Solondz's new films, and every time I think "Ok, that's that last one for me." They're well made and well acted, but his films are about the only thing that still shocks me. I went with a group of friends and we all sat there, mouths agape the whole time.

Which is not to say that "My name is Skippy! Like the peanut butter" hasn't become the new catchphrase with my friends.

SPiRAL

That made me laugh the hardest !!

Giles

that whole dinner scene was funny, I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to laugh or not.

mattressman

I've become a big fan of Solondz and I finally watched this. I expected it to be my least favorite film of his for some reason, but I enjoyed it very much. I thought it was stronger than Storytelling, but I love Welcome to the Dollhouse and Happiness so much its hard to rank them. Needless to say, Palindromes was terrific.
Although, the one thing that always jumps out at me about Solondz is that he seems to distance himself from his characters and sort of mocks them. Often it seems the sympathy I feel for his characters is out of pity. That still doesn't change the fact that I love his films.

Frank TJ Mackey

I liked it. An interesting way to make a film although it could've had a little more to it.

But come on, the family in Kansas or wherever, was funny as all hell.

calhoun07

I just watched this last night for the first time. First, I never knew going in that this was a sequel to Welcome to the Dollhouse. If you haven't seen WTTD then starting with Palidromes isn't a problem, but you will get a richer enjoyment and understanding out of Palidromes if you watch WTTD first.

Second, and I am surprised nobody mentioned this, I was really taken with the varying actresses playing Aviva. I have read on other message boards where people didn't understand why Solondz did this but I took it as to mean that the young girl was going through a lot in her development and often saw herself in varying ways, and Solondz chose to use different actresses to communicate this. I read also that he chose to do it because he wanted people to focus on Aviva for her character and not one actress who played her and it would also allow different viewers to identify with her.

I think it was a brilliant film, and perhaps his most moving and thought provoking to date. If I was to rate his films from my most favorite to moderately favorite, I would rank them Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness, Palidromes, and then Storytelling. But I still have yet to see Fear, Anxiety and Depression yet and I wonder if it will ever come to DVD.

Raul3

I finally saw this last night. Another Solondz classic. It has been a long time since I've watched a Solondz movie, I'm a big fan of Happiness and WTTD, so I had to watch this.

With another director I'd roll my eyes about having different actresses playing Aviva, oh yeah, you are trying to be clever, but in Solondz case it just makes sense.

Although I think it was a good movie, I put it in fourth place in my list, behind the three movies I've watched before Happiness, WTTD and Storytelling.

inri222

I agree. I would rank them :

Happiness
WTTDH
Storytelling
Palindromes

calhoun07

This probably deserves it's own thread, but what the heck... Palindromes was a sequel to Welcome to the Dollhouse and I see on IMDB it looks like we are getting a sequel to Happiness.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808526/

Can't wait!

Raul3

Actually, there's a thread for that movie:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk/...happiness.html

I decided to watch Palindromes after checking that thread a few months ago.

So yeah, basically we are going in circles.

fiver

I'd probably go with

Welcome to the dollhouse
Palindromes
Happiness
Storytelling

Really looking forward to his next film - it's been awhile.