To paraphrase Roger Ebert, "What are we going to do with these people?" I've seen so many good films (including La Ceremonie) slagged by people who evidently didn't get the entertainment value that they were hoping for, I feel I have to speak out.
There is a difference between something like, for instance, "Transformers", which was made to titillate the senses and amuse on a superficial level, and something like "La Ceremonie", which was made to be (and is, in my opinion) a work of art. The two types of films are trying to do different things. And fair enough, if you were looking for entertainment and didn't get what you were looking for, that's a real drag. But when you review something that you don't really understand because no one has ever taught you how to watch a "film", all you do is expose your own ignorance, and potentially mislead people who enjoy difficult / challenging films.
Thanks for listening.
Also...
Chabrol's "La Ceremonie" is a powerful film about a family who hires a new housekeeper, Sophie, and the strangeness that ensues. Sophie is odd, and we soon learn that she seems to be hiding things from the family. As the legendary director leads us to a final confrontation, he reveals much about family, social expectations, and the dark edges of human behavior. A wonderful film by a truly great director.