The Criterion Collection

[Namuhana]

I watched Tangerine last week and found it to be merely okay. I guess I can see why people like it, but I really only enjoyed the last third of the film; the first two thirds were somewhat slow, and I wasn't entirely convinced of Kitana Kiki Rodriguez/Sin-Dee Rella's acting ability. I also felt like half the film was just the characters walking or driving around, which isn't too exciting.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

Man From Uncle???????????

Why don't people share when they get crack that makes that a good movie???

LOL

That kind of stuff is something that can't be shared or sold, you have to find it within yourself.

[SkyAntoine]

I received Lady Snowblood today, but I'm shipping it back out tomorrow along with Three Colors Trilogy and Repo Man in exchange for antiquated DVD copies of Quai Des Orfevres, Port of Shadows and The Orphic Trilogy.

I'll have to wait until my next shipment next Tuesday from Criterion.com to get a version of Lady Snowblood I can keep for myself.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I think Anthony Quinn has the record for the greatest number of different ethnic roles (even without counting all the times he played a Mexican).

"Played" a Mexican???

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

Man From Uncle???????????

Why don't people share when they get crack that makes that a good movie???

LOL

The world does not move to the beat of just one drum, and what might be right for you might not be right for some.

Incidentally, San Andreas was a near-miss for my own Top 10. In fact, I believe that I ranked it at #11 in the Movie forum. The critics disliked that movie, but I love every minute of it, and I think that it's a fun throwback to the disaster movies of the 1970s.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The world does not move to the beat of just one drum, and what might be right for you might not be right for some.

Right on.

I don't even get what singles out Man From UNCLE specifically - I genuinely think it has great performances and style, far more refined and classy than all the other spy movies this year. I expect more disparaging comments for every other movie I've listed (and really, they all have their share of haters, Inside Out might be the only one that doesn't).

I will admit that I'm probably missing out on a grand wealth of indie/foreign films, but I'll catch up sooner or later.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Incidentally, San Andreas was a near-miss for my own Top 10. In fact, I believe that I ranked it at #11 in the Movie forum. The critics disliked that movie, but I love every minute of it, and I think that it's a fun throwback to the disaster movies of the 1970s.

You know, I enjoyed San Andreas a lot. It reminded me of all the disaster movies of the 90s I used to watch and love. The disaster scenes were really hard-hitting, but the movie had its heart in the right place, imo.

[RalphoR]

I just watched CC's Godzilla again. Wow.....just love this bd! Any chance they could do another Kaiju disc....maybe Rodan since it's not available here in English? Or something else?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I don't even get what singles out Man From UNCLE specifically - I genuinely think it has great performances and style, far more refined and classy than all the other spy movies this year.

I'm tempted to rent The Man from U.N.C.L.E. simply because it stars Alicia Vikander.

Originally Posted by RalphoR

I just watched CC's Godzilla again. Wow.....just love this bd! Any chance they could do another Kaiju disc....maybe Rodan since it's not available here in English? Or something else?

I've been clamoring for a domestic Blu-ray release of Rodan for quite some time now. It does not seem like Criterion fare, but I'd love for Criterion to pick it up.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm tempted to rent The Man from U.N.C.L.E. simply because it stars Alicia Vikander.

I thought she was great in the movie too. It certainly gets my recommendation.

Originally Posted by RalphoR

I just watched CC's Godzilla again. Wow.....just love this bd! Any chance they could do another Kaiju disc....maybe Rodan since it's not available here in English? Or something else?

I liked how the Toho Master Collection DVDs were - picked up King Ghidora and Terror of Mechagodzilla from that. Not sure why Rodan didn't get the same treatment. Kind of a bummer.

One that would really make my day is Mothra. Had to get a copy from a triple-feature set. But really, all of these kaiju movies should come to Blu-Ray in some form or another.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

Don't mean to interject politics but since you did it first...

The Federal Reserve caused the housing crisis by setting interest rates too low for far too long. The government had the idea that "everyone" should own a house and that it's a "human right" so money was handed out to banks at retarded rates and then the banks loaned it out to people at the same retarded rates. It all starts with government though. There is a documentary on Netflix about this very topic called "Money For Nothing". Check it out. The free market economists predicted the housing bubble's bursting as far back as 2001. You call for the jailing of citizens but when government causes problems or breaks the law, nobody pays, EVER.

Thanks for the education lesson. I realize all that too, and government tends to be the problem in the end. Alan Greenspan and Henry Paulson were the architects behind the 2008 crash...and corporations and government go hand in hand in certain nations. I'll check out that film.

In the meantime, check out this article about 25 people behind the crash: http://www.theguardian.com/business/...iduals-economy

[jw007]

I watched Phoenix last night and was thoroughly engaged...

However...

I felt the film was a "one trick pony" and I honestly can't understand how the male lead character ("Johnny") couldn't have recognized

[Show spoiler]Nelly/Esther until the very end when she sang that song (and he saw her tattooed number on her forearm). Couldn't he have recognized her voice, her mannerisms, her behavior, etc.? She could have easily brought up a memory that nobody else could have fabricated. Was he in denial? Was she in denial?

It was all very realistic, but at the same time not realistic. I was a bit frustrated with this film to be honest,

[Show spoiler]and I wanted more redemption and reaction from certain characters.

This film is not one I could see myself re-watching often, so I'm going to pass on buying this when and if Criterion releases this.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by jw007

I watched Phoenix last night and was thoroughly engaged...

However...

I felt the film was a "one trick pony" and I honestly can't understand how the male lead character ("Johnny") couldn't have recognized

[Show spoiler]Nelly/Esther until the very end when she sang that song (and he saw her tattooed number on her forearm). Couldn't he have recognized her voice, her mannerisms, her behavior, etc.?

It was all very realistic, but at the same time not realistic. I was a bit frustrated with this film to be honest,

[Show spoiler]and I wanted more redemption and reaction from certain characters.

This film is not one I could see myself re-watching often, so I'm going to pass on buying this when and if Criterion releases this.

It was my impression he knew it all along, and the film wanted you to know he knew as well.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by joie

The Washington Post's review of the novel (Inherent Vice) calls it California noir. "The Long Goodbye" is another California noir.

This just needs to stop. I love noir as much as; probably more than, the next guy but this creating of subcategories in the genre is getting beyond silly. It seems like every time I read an article on or explore a thread about noir there's some new term on there.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

It was my impression he knew it all along, and the film wanted you to know he knew as well.

So it was

[Show spoiler]denial?

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

This just needs to stop. I love noir as much as; probably more than, the next guy but this creating of subcategories in the genre is getting beyond silly. It seems like every time I read an article on or explore a thread about noir there's some new term on there.

I kind of feel the same way. I can go about as far as the term 'neo noir' then after that it's just ridiculous Inherent Vice is PTA doing Long Goodbye basically

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by jw007

So it was

[Show spoiler]denial?

[Show spoiler]
I should really see it again to fully back up that comment, but my impression was that he was involved with what happened and/or wished she hadn't come back. I could be totally wrong though but that was my impression and it made it incredibly surrealistic in this way.

[colbyw]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I've seen it twice. Very good film. I have the DVD and wasn't going to get the Blu-ray, but I think I will as I've been on a bit of a Frank Sinatra kick recently.

Manchurian Candidate is just as good in repeat viewings. I owned on VHS, DVD, Blu Ray, and there is no way that I will not purchase the Criterion release. James Gregory playing the perfect schmuck cracks me up every time. Hell, I even like the remake

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

This just needs to stop. I love noir as much as; probably more than, the next guy but this creating of subcategories in the genre is getting beyond silly. It seems like every time I read an article on or explore a thread about noir there's some new term on there.

I agree. Also, since half the noirs ever made seem to be set in California, I'm not sure what that subcategory would even mean. It's kind of like calling something a Texas Western. Noir, neo-noir. That's it.

[tallrichard]

I saw Man From Uncle at the theater since I think Alicia Vikander is the best thing to come around in a long time...I loved her in Ex Machina!

That said, the nicest thing I could say about Man From Uncle was it had attractive people in it and good special effects...I'm not sure I would rate that a rave review.

San Andreas was another movie with attractive people...and spectacular special effects! But again, I'm not sure I would recommend a movie on that basis....

That would be like recommending a M Night Shyamalan movie because it was loaded with good special effects, doesn't mean it's watchable.....

[SammyJankis]

Frankly, I don't believe Phoenix should be accepted with the most literal terms - that is to say, it shouldn't be greeted with conventions of the thriller with the "is he gonna find out?!" crux. It's not the fact this angle that makes the film work. It's two aspects. The first being that he is doing this to a person he supposedly once loved for his own selfish need, all the while that woman, who clearly wants to obtain what she has lost, is being the subject of unusual cruelty, thus altering the perception of her life. It's almost forcing her into this masochistic corner, until it's too late and she has to decide her future with certainty.

The second, and most thematically crucial, aspect expands upon this. He's trying to mold his own doing from the past into his own personal gain for the present. It's kind of a twist on Vertigo, except Petzold's interests aren't nearly as personal as Hitchcock's. Johnny's doing represents the millions that tried to silence a past that they wanted to be forgotten, while maintaining it in order to convince themselves that the world will be a better place. He's molding this person into an object, while forgetting the simple fact that she is a person. And this person defiantly shoves his wrongdoing - his actions from the past - in his face, and he's left with it, stunned.

The film uses its central scenario in order to address something broader while not reveling in thematically similar pictures of its kind. The past cannot be erased, no matter our actions. There will always be something to remind us of this fact, whether it's in a form that's desirable to us or not.