The Criterion Collection

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

The Cleveland C'theque is screening EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF this weekend.

CG, have you seen it?

Haven't seen it (on youtube though). It's not one of his video projects, so I guess more people will come to like it. Have fun.

[One4Deuce]

Originally Posted by italy12

If you are a B&N member, you can score 3 titles for about $23 each with the Buy 2 Get 1 free sale that is currently running. That is in store...not sure how the deal works out online since you're not getting 10% off for your membership.

I was actually able to pre-order The Naked Kiss, Shock Corridor and Army of Shadows for 65.xx with the buy 2 get 1... not bad at all.

[ShellOilJunior]

Does anyone have an Amazon or some other credit card with rewards?

It really helps with Criterions. I'm fortunate to be getting Army of Shadows and the Fullers for 75 cents.

[TheCurse]

For those thinking of ordering Criterion movies from BN.com with the "3 for 2" promotion, here is a little something to think about:

I'm in Canada and I ordered 3 Criterions Blu-Rays from BN.com four days ago. The order showed, correctly, 2 movies at full price and 1 for free ($0). For some reason, I decided to cancel my order less than 10 minutes after ordering (a change of mind about one Criterion I wanted to replace with another) and canceled each item individually. First mistake...

The next morning, I received two e-mails from b&n stating that I couldn't cancel two of the items since they already entered the shipping process (Already? 10 minutes after ordering? Wow!). Okay, no big deal. I can live with these 3 Criterions...

But the hammer fell this morning! 3 days after ordering, I received a notice that my third item was successfully canceled! The FREE one!!! How convenient!

E-mail support...: Bla, bla, bla... We're too busy for you, please call us.

Phone support...: 25 minutes on hold (international long distance call, by the way) without being able to speak to anyone.

And then, a tought occured to me: Let's suppose someone order from them (doesn't cancel like I did) and B&N.com decide, for some obscure reason, to cancel an item that is supposedly "shipping in 24hrs" (like they did, many times during the last 50% sale), would the "3 for 2" promotion still applied or would that person pay full price for their 2 criterions? The answer frightens me...

[lefty23]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Does anyone have an Amazon or some other credit card with rewards?

It really helps with Criterions. I'm fortunate to be getting Army of Shadows and the Fullers for 75 cents.

I have the Amazon card with rewards but I kind of consider using the rewards for Criterions a waste since their prices are so high. The B & N 50% of sale is where I buy 99% of my criterions. With the huge backlog of blus I always have waiting to watch, no reason not to!

[lefty23]

Are there any of the $5 off coupons available for in store purchases that are usually around during the 50% off sales?

[painted_klown]

Ok, well I watched Chungking Express last night and thought I would share my thoughts with all of you.

I had read in some reviews that the stories in the film never really have a conclusion to them...I agree with this to an extent. The story involving the drug dealing lady in the blonde wig never really has an 'ending' so to speak.

I did feel, though, that the stories of the police officers, the airline stewardess, and the girl from the restaurant all had conclusions as far as the scope of the film is concerned with these parts in their lives, and the full extent of how they were going to interact with one another. After that, I feel that these people would probably exit from one anothers lives.

In fact, I honestly liked the idea that these stories didn't have the conventional resolutions you would find in U.S.A. made romantic comedies. I found the way that this film deals with their stories to be wholly satisfying and a more realistic conclusion to relationships that never quite gel, or were perhaps doomed to fail from even before the time the participants met.

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack to this film. The use of music was almost exclusively used in the way I see Quentin Tarantino use music in his films. In here the music was something that was connected to what was happening on screen, the actors themselves were listening to the music we heard, and were the ones who made the selection of what songs we would be listening to. I REALLY like that idea. The only instance in the film that used music in a more conventional way (as a narrative tool to push the movie along) was the sequence that used the remake of the Cranberries song "dreams". In this sequence I felt that it was used to nice effect and set the tone for what the actors were feeling. Very cool, and overall one of the best uses of music I have seen in a movie.

The visual style is also something that gets brought up when this movie gets mentioned. It does have an interesting style, imitating that of a music video in parts, looking like an amatuer was running the camera in other parts, and being completely conventional in others. I think that Wong Kar-Wai made these stylistic choices very deliberately, to emulate confusion and frantic action in places, and subtle movements in others.

Overall, I have to say that I am VERY impressed with Wong Kar-Wai's work as a director. I liked this film a lot and am eager to watch it a second time, to absorb anything I missed the first time around, wich I am sure I did, having to read the subtitles to catch the story, rather than being able to focus on the on-screen action as much. It also makes me curious to see more of his work, hoping that he stays with the same directing approach when it comes to use of music and visual style. I will also toss in here that I absolutely got a HUGE kick out of the oversized stuffed Garfield.

My rating for Chungking Express is a 3/4 stars.

[kndy]

Originally Posted by One4Deuce

I was actually able to pre-order The Naked Kiss, Shock Corridor and Army of Shadows for 65.xx with the buy 2 get 1... not bad at all.

You'll be happy with the Sam Fuller Criterion release especially if you are a big fan of his work as you get awesome featurettes with the two releases. Especially the two interviews with Constance Towers. If anything, these special features celebrate his work. "Shock Corridor" includes the documentary "The Typewriter, The Rifle and the Movie Camera" with Fuller, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Jim Jarmusch. Definitely worth it!

Originally Posted by painted_klown

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack to this film. The use of music was almost exclusively used in the way I see Quentin Tarantino use music in his films. In here the music was something that was connected to what was happening on screen, the actors themselves were listening to the music we heard, and were the ones who made the selection of what songs we would be listening to. I REALLY like that idea. The only instance in the film that used music in a more conventional way (as a narrative tool to push the movie along) was the sequence that used the remake of the Cranberries song "dreams". In this sequence I felt that it was used to nice effect and set the tone for what the actors were feeling. Very cool, and overall one of the best uses of music I have seen in a movie.

"Chungking Express" is fantastic! Especially the music. I bought the soundtrack when it came out and also introduced me to Faye Wong's music. Many people outside of Asia are familiar with her because of this film but also the song "Eyes on Me" from the PlayStation 2 video game "Final Fantasy VIII". I love her voice!

[octagon]

Originally Posted by jcs913

Guys, I just placed a 3 for 2 order on B&N and it allowed me to also use the 15% off coupon in addition to also taking off the lowest price disc. They don't normally let you stack online, but this one did. The coupon, W3T8W7V was for non-members, like me...

Thanks for the heads up on the stacking coupon...just used it to preorder Army of Shadows and two copies of Sherlock Season One for just over $20 each.

Not the 'Sherman's March on Atlanta' that the half-off/$5 coupon combo turned into but still a pretty respectable deal.

[s00perd00per]

Originally Posted by painted_klown

Ok, well I watched Chungking Express last night and thought I would share my thoughts with all of you.

I had read in some reviews that the stories in the film never really have a conclusion to them...I agree with this to an extent. The story involving the drug dealing lady in the blonde wig never really has an 'ending' so to speak.

I did feel, though, that the stories of the police officers, the airline stewardess, and the girl from the restaurant all had conclusions as far as the scope of the film is concerned with these parts in their lives, and the full extent of how they were going to interact with one another. After that, I feel that these people would probably exit from one anothers lives.

What makes you say that?

[Show spoiler]You really didn't think they ended up being together?

[SpiderBaby]

CC, did you end up getting The Howl?


Also, people always say to me stuff like this forum doesn't revolve around me (which I don't think that, people say that), yet I prob have the most sigs about me on here. Funny.

[painted_klown]

Originally Posted by s00perd00per

What makes you say that?

[Show spoiler]You really didn't think they ended up being together?

No, I don't think they did. Mainly for three reasons.

[Show spoiler]The first is that the girl didn't seem too commited to staying in Hong Kong with him. Also, when the guy asked her when she was returning, she replied that she wasn't sure/didn't know.

I felt that if they were going to end up together then she would have attempted to give him a more defnintive answer, along with saying something regarding where they stand (as a couple) when she returns.

In addition, she never showed up to The California the night they were supposed to have their first date. Perhaps I am not quite "getting it" but that was my impression of the situation. That she wasn't too interested after all...

[SpiderBaby]

^ When you quoted him it shows you how to do spoilers.

[stobbart]

I watched Double Suicide last night and have to say it was better then I expected it to be.

[painted_klown]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

^ When you quoted him it shows you how to do spoilers.

Got it. Thanks alot!

[BluPat]

My boyfriend and I watched my Criterion Blu-ray of 'Days of Heaven' last night. I liked it alot. It has beautiful cinemaphotography and the music is pretty as well. The ending though....I wasn't really expecting it to end that way. But then again, I don't know how I intended it to end. Great movie though.

[SpiderBaby]

I have been thinking of a name change on here. Here is what I have:

MyPornStarName
RealSolution#9 (a fav so far)
#1SpielbergFan
SpiderBaby (another fav)
PunkB****
Caligula (for laughs)
[insert Star Wars character here]1234

any good? any ideas?

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by painted_klown

Got it. Thanks alot!

You are welcome. That is what I am here for. To help.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

I have been thinking of a name change on here. Here is what I have:

MyPornStarName
RealSolution#9 (a fav so far)
#1SpielbergFan
SpiderBaby (another fav)
PunkB****
Caligula (for laughs)
[insert Star Wars character here]1234

any good? any ideas?

EbenezerSplooge

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by greekak229

EbenezerSplooge

Nice, but wasn't looking for porn star names. That was just one I thought about. But someone should use this.