Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away

Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

GregForstner Austrian film-maker Ulrich Seidl is known for his documentary-style cinema that subjects the oftentimes dreary everyday life to a closer examination. In his famous "Paradies"-trilogy he studied "Liebe", "Glaube" and "Hoffnung" in 3 movies and showed how sordid reality can look when confronted with human ideals. In "Dog Days" there are no ideals – we observe people – most of them downtrodden and hopeless in their aspirations – surviving the hottest days of a merciless Viennese summer. 6 different episodes are intertwined to offer a disturbing medley of sex, violence, desperation, examples of pettiness and greater evils: a security salesman is confronted with a lot of pressure to track down a vandal - a mentally retarded woman hitchhikes through her day and gets on the nerves of the drivers - an estranged couple is forced to live together even though they have nothing to say to each other - a female music teacher feels fatally drawn to an antisocial brute is abused and gets her (involuntary) revenge later on… - an old man, who otherwise spends a lonely uneventful life, celebrates the marriage anniversary even though his wife is long deceased - a teenage- looking stripper is harassed by her pathologically jealous boyfriend These episodes are more or less interconnected (rather less) but certainly not as artfully interwoven in a masterpiece like "Magnolia". It has to be questioned whether an overall message is intended except for the existentialist layer that mirrors the fundamental misery these people are in. The first premise of making such a movie was – according to the director – that conflicts are more likely to erupt under the sweltering conditions of a midsummer heatwave. Fittingly, the characters appear to be permanently on the edge, ready to yield to violent outbursts, ready to leave the confines of common sense. The second premise that makes the movie special is that Seidl almost exclusively relied on non-professionals who were asked to improvise most of the scenes as there was no real screenplay.Apparently, the desired effect was a heightened level of authenticity in the depiction of everyday reality. However, as Seidl laconically remarked in an interview, it is impossible to imitate reality in all of its horror and depravity. Well, this movie certainly represents a valiant effort: filming bloated beer bellies sweating in the unforgiving sun sets the aesthetic tone for a movie that does not shy away from showing not- quite-attractive middle- aged women and men engaging in a porno. The overarching theme is the subjugation of women in a male-dominated society as almost every episode makes its contribution. Especially hard to watch is the excessive party where the female teacher is ridiculed and abused by her rowdy boyfriend and his younger pal…. "Hundstage" is in many respects the very opposite of light-hearted entertainment – if there is love, it is doomed to turn into misery. If there is comic relief, it is only by the absurdity of what is shown and by the futility of human efforts. The undoubted authenticity is the strongest quality of a movie that may leave you with a bland feeling. "Hundstage" falls definitely short of true greatness as the story lacks coherence and the episodes seem arbitrarily chosen. However, as an unblinking study of the human condition, it works just fine.

punishmentpark A film mosaic about suburban Vienna, Austria. Though the various characters are diverse and seem to be relatively normal people (on the outside at least), all of them clearly have their own struggles. The only one who straight away comes off as... off, is the girl who hitches rides with anyone she can and then bothers and insults them until they see themselves forced to kick her out of their cars. Most stories overlap just a little at one point or another, but for the greater part they live separate lives. All of this is intertwined with the heatwave that's taking place, wherein people lie motionless and practically naked outside their houses in their neatly divided suburban area.The characters are portrayed without mercy: old, obese, simple, helpless, angry, sad - whatever they are, they are. Seidl portrays them in such a sober way, one would at times think it must be a documentary, including some of the actors looking into the camera. Even though the introductions of the characters are too long to my taste (as are some of the scenes where finally some of the plots finally begin to unfold), the fly on the wall-feel of it keeps it rather fascinating throughout.8 out of 10.

Tim Kidner Not the sort of movie you expect to find for 99p in a medieval market town's Cash Converters!I HAD seen Dog Days before, probably on Film 4, where such oddities belong but unaware of this director's subsequent films, though I had seen Import/Export on F4 but not made the connection.Firstly, I find it strange that many, including some reviewers here have the notion that Austria to be a genteel place. They're human as everybody is everywhere, whether that be LA, London or Vienna. And didn't a certain A. Hitler come from Austria and more significantly, cinematic provocateur extraordinaire, Michael Haneke is Austrian and all his early movies were about and showing almost exactly the same kind of under-the-target unrest and spiralling human life of his fellow Austrians.To be honest, whilst Haneke is much more the international film-maker (the Oscars in 2013, I believe?) and is much revered, critically, I find his rather sadistic and humourless approach just a bit too trying.Uri's sardonic and often ridiculous scenarios are often achingly funny - such as the habitual hitch-hiker who soon gets spouting off crazy top ten lists, obviously not knowing what they mean (top ten positions for lovemaking, for example, then, for most popular models of TVs).Filmed in one long heat-wave with lots of (frankly) overweight Austrians removing their clothing as much as they can - and not just for sex - adds to the strangeness and won't appeal to everyone, but in the 34C heat and in and around our own homes, wouldn't we want to do this too?There are quite long periods of fairly trivial talk about trivial things - but what might be trivial to the modern suburban Viennese, is actually strangely fascinating for us. Then, there are quite long periods of sadistic cruelty - visiting Haneke's 'Funny Games' territory and as much enjoyment. These, as they should be, are an uncomfortable watch and their inclusion might be questioned, but I would guess are as otherwise the whole exercise would be a quirky, near freak-show comedy.There are simply too may elements to go into - and if you're not one who can handle a couple of minutes of actual hardcore orgy porn, filmed specially, not as a video on someone's TV, simply ignore this movie. Over ten years have passed since this movie came out and time and viewing habits and expectations have obviously lessened many of the potential shock elements, now.Indeed, there's almost nothing new here, that hasn't been said, now. That aside, no genre is seemingly unique now and Dog Days still appeals due to its fresh fizz and liberal attitudes. It still remains a unique viewing experience and for the liberally minded adult, has much to offer as both an offbeat social statement as well as entertainment.

zombiezen I rented this (the uncut version with hardcore scenes intact) with the thought that it might offer some insight into the daily lives of the people of this suburban neighborhood. I found instead just rather pointless montages of bland characters without any rhyme or reason. It's acted nicely and there is nothing technically wrong with the film it just isn't interesting really. We wander from one scene to another some brutal and vile and some just dull. I'm not sure what the director was trying to go for but short cuts or magnolia its not. I did not feel disgusted really but just disappointed in the lack of purpose the film had.