The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

last week was a good week for movies for me!

Pierrot Le Fou - watched it twice, actually.
Au Hasard Balthasar - definitely good.. I'm sure it will take (at least) another viewing for its greatness to resonate with me
Dr. No - a lot of fun!
Nebraska - liked it a lot... Alexander Payne recorded something for Il Sorpasso. I wonder if any of his films would be candidates for a CC release. some of his earlier films have lousy blu-rays.

Pierrot Le Fou is perhaps my favorite Godard film. It's one of the earliest examples of modernization and I think it executed it very nicely.

Au Hasard Balthazar is such a depressing, yet perfect movie on sacrifice. I really need to rewatch it, but I remember reading about it being an allegory of saintliness and martyrdom.

Dr. No is a lot of fun, although my favorite Bond film will always be For Your Eyes Only.

Lastly, Nebraska is one of the better films of last year. I really enjoyed it a lot when I saw it at the movies, but when I watched it on Blu-ray, it didn't have the same effect on me. I definitely think it's a great road movie, though, dealing with lost connections.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

last week was a good week for movies for me!

Pierrot Le Fou - watched it twice, actually.
Au Hasard Balthasar - definitely good.. I'm sure it will take (at least) another viewing for its greatness to resonate with me
Dr. No - a lot of fun!
Nebraska - liked it a lot... Alexander Payne recorded something for Il Sorpasso. I wonder if any of his films would be candidates for a CC release. some of his earlier films have lousy blu-rays.

Dr. No is one of my all-time top five movies, and it's my favorite Bond film. From Russia with Love is a close second. I was grateful to see both films on a big theater screen last summer.

Pierrot Le Fou is a winner across the board.

Last night, after I finished going through all of the goodies on the L'Eclisse Blu-ray, I watched Point Blank, starring the late great Lee Marvin. Great great movie and a great Blu-ray transfer from Warner!

[starman15317]

I watched Persona last night. I've only seen a couple of Bergman's films so far (The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries) but I enjoyed Persona more than both of those films. It's such a mind bender. You can definitely tell that David Lynch and many other filmmakers were inspired by this film.

[bluesilo]

Boyhood coming to Criterion confirmed. http://mobile.hypable.com/all/2014-0...er-interview#1

[jayxrico]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I need help choosing 3 out of the following:

Tokyo Story
Jules and Jim
Ace in The Hole
The Life Aquatic
L'eclisse
Pick Pocket
Tess
Scanners
Or just The Cassavetes Set.

All blind buys except Jules and Jim.

Can I add in Late Spring? If you pick up Tokyo Story, there is no doubt you will have to pick up Late Spring along w/ it.

Tokyo Story
Late Spring
Ace in the Hole

[ccg1978]

Originally Posted by bluesilo

Boyhood coming to Criterion confirmed. http://mobile.hypable.com/all/2014-0...er-interview#1

I want to see this but it isn't playing anywhere near me. Big fan of the Before trilogy so this should be great.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by ccg1978

I want to see this but it isn't playing anywhere near me. Big fan of the Before trilogy so this should be great.

All of the theater dates can be found here.

http://boyhoodmovie.tumblr.com/#find

[Polaroid]

Posted on Criterion Facebook:

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Restoration Demo - YouTube

[ccg1978]

Originally Posted by iScottie

All of the theater dates can be found here.

http://boyhoodmovie.tumblr.com/#find

Ha, thanks! Just saw this on the Boyhood thread over in Movies. I may be down for one of the VA showtimes this week. Convincing the wife to watch the kids may be the hardest part!

[jw007]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

I don't think many people talk about this amazing film probably because it's a DVD-only release and there are a lot of younger people that come in here that have no desire to purchase films on DVD, especially if there's any inkling of an indication that it'll come out on blu-ray eventually. The film, however, is fantastic as far as I'm concerned, jw! If you have any kind of idea of just how crazy one person can become over religion (or any obsession, for that matter) then you will appreciate the movie, I think. Brad Dourif's performance is unparalleled in Wise Blood. I'm hoping that I can get him to autograph my copy of the DVD when he's at Rock & Shock in Worcester, MA this year.

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

This film is hilarious and is a must see. Harry dean Stanton is also worth noting, as a not so blind broke preacher no less.

Wise Blood! It's time we put this film on the map.

Last night I tore open the plastic of this Criterion DVD and watched it. The experience was brutal. The main character that Brad Dourif plays (Hazel Motes) is one of the most unlikeable and crazed characters I've ever witnessed. There are plenty of flaws in this film, including some characters never getting fully fleshed out (the younger 18 year old kid for instance who went around wearing a gorilla suit), but the story is really an allegory about religious obsession. I was quite disturbed at times by the Motes character and how insensitive he was towards people in the story.

Director John Huston was a cinematic, rambling troubadour though, shooting from the hip and unafraid of being provocative (esp. in this film with all the racist language being spoken, but I guess that's how people spoke back then in the deep south such as in Georgia). The main character is truly a loose cannon in all ways.

This film is more timely than ever as even today in the year 2014, there are religious fanatics and evangelists deep in the heart of the American south who go around preaching the word of Jesus yet many are charlatans and snake oil salesmen. This film reminded me of a better, later film called The Apostle (and man, this would be a perfect addition to the Criterion Collection!), with Robert Duvall playing a preacher (who is far more likable despite his flaws and sins). The Apostle isn't even available on blu-ray yet too! Man, do we need this one ASAP!

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Posted on Criterion Facebook:

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Restoration Demo - YouTube

My copy of the set arrived today, I'm just about to get started with Lola.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by jw007

[IMG]
Wise Blood! It's time we put this film on the map.

Longtime fan of Wise Blood. It never stops, just keep going, even when you think it's gone too far. That Huston made both this and The Maltese Falcon is nothing short of mind-blowing, his eclecticism knowing no bounds.

[The Great Owl]

Right now, I'm watching the commentary track on the Blu-ray of Point Blank. Director John Boorman and Steven Soderbergh talked for a couple of minutes about the brilliance of Michelangelo Antonioni's Red Desert, about how it is one of the greatest color films ever made, and about how it was such an influence.

I've had Red Desert on the mind a lot lately, and I might have to revisit it this week.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

My copy of the set arrived today, I'm just about to get started with Lola.

Mine should be in tomorrow. It's going to be great!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by mcvitie

Is there any talk of an upgrade for Most Dangerous Game? Not sure if it is OOP?? An amazing film if you ask me but doesn't get much in the way of attention here. My DVD is on its last legs and could defiantly do with a spruce up

The Criterion DVD is definitely not OOP. There's no reason for it to be, as the film is in the Public Domain. I haven't heard anything about an upgrade, but there would have to be significant work done on it.

There actually is a Blu-ray of the film from Flicker Alley. I haven't seen it myself, but frequent contributor to this thread, The Great Owl, gave it a very positive review.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

After revisiting L'Eclisse last night by way of the outstanding new Blu-ray, I'm thinking that L'Avventura cannot be upgraded soon enough. I hope that a high definition transfer sees the light of day later this year or early next year.

The Antonionis have been at (or near) the top of my upgrade list pretty much since Criterion went blu. Glad they finally got around to them.

An Il Grido blu would be nice... haven't seen it yet.

[SilentDawn]

I watched Slacker via Netflix Instant, and I found it to be an engaging and enjoyable slice of life film. If you are a fan of Richard Linklater, you need to see this.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by jw007

[Show spoiler]

Wise Blood! It's time we put this film on the map.

Last night I tore open the plastic of this Criterion DVD and watched it. The experience was brutal. The main character that Brad Dourif plays (Hazel Motes) is one of the most unlikeable and crazed characters I've ever witnessed. There are plenty of flaws in this film, including some characters never getting fully fleshed out (the younger 18 year old kid for instance who went around wearing a gorilla suit), but the story is really an allegory about religious obsession. I was quite disturbed at times by the Motes character and how insensitive he was towards people in the story.

Director John Huston was a cinematic, rambling troubadour though, shooting from the hip and unafraid of being provocative (esp. in this film with all the racist language being spoken, but I guess that's how people spoke back then in the deep south such as in Georgia). The main character is truly a loose cannon in all ways.

This film is more timely than ever as even today in the year 2014, there are religious fanatics and evangelists deep in the heart of the American south who go around preaching the word of Jesus yet many are charlatans and snake oil salesmen. This film reminded me of a better, later film called The Apostle (and man, this would be a perfect addition to the Criterion Collection!), with Robert Duvall playing a preacher (who is far more likable despite his flaws and sins). The Apostle isn't even available on blu-ray yet too! Man, do we need this one ASAP!

Another variation would be The World's Greatest Sinner. Character actor Timothy Carey's homemade film about a frustrated salesman starting his own religion. It's a truly bizarre with a mix of rock and roll, politics, and religion. Frank Zappa did the soundtrack.

[deepbreathsanddeath]

I've recently gotten into Ingmar Bergman and am considering including Autumn Sonata in another B&N order. Aside from the fact that it's supposed to be a good film, the main draw is the making of documentary which is 207 minutes long. My question is, is the documentary actually great? Long doesn't always equal great, in fact sometimes it can make things worse.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I've recently gotten into Ingmar Bergman and am considering including Autumn Sonata in another B&N order. Aside from the fact that it's supposed to be a good film, the main draw is the making of documentary which is 207 minutes long. My question is, is the documentary actually great? Long doesn't always equal great, in fact sometimes it can make things worse.

Not watched the Doc yet, but buy it!!!! The performances are incredible, it starts off slow but stay with it because when it kicks off, its devastating, I can't praise the acting enough.

BUY IT!