FilmsHappinessLike this

Films like Happiness.

Happiness (1998) reads as Heavy, measured, measured drama / comedy, inventive in texture. Nihilistic, intimate, cold. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

The Ruination of Men (2000) poster
1. The Ruination of Men2000

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Spanking the Monkey (1994) poster
2. Spanking the Monkey1994

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

Storytelling (2001) (2001) poster
3. Storytelling2001

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) (1995) poster
4. Welcome to the Dollhouse1995

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Family Friend (2006) poster
5. The Family Friend2006

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

I Shot Andy Warhol (1996) poster
6. I Shot Andy Warhol1996

Keeps the heightened unreality and the pitch-dark outlook; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

We're All Christs (2006) poster
7. We're All Christs2006

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Music of Chance (1993) poster
8. The Music of Chance1993

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace; trades toward a bone-dry seriousness.

Gohatto (1999) poster
9. Gohatto1999

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality; trades toward a bone-dry seriousness.

Meeting People Is Easy (1998) (1998) poster
10. Meeting People Is Easy1998

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the heightened unreality; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

The Stoker (2010) poster
11. The Stoker2010

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Deep Crimson (1996) poster
12. Deep Crimson1996

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

These are Happiness’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

Find my film for tonight — 60 sec →