The Criterion Collection

[ThisKid]

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I've been thinking about this for a while and wanted to see if anyone has some thoughts on the subject.

As time passes I have been noticing I find it harder and harder to be really wowed by a movie, sometimes I have lengthy streaks without finding anything that amazes me even if the films come highly recommended or are highly praised, whereas I feel that when I was younger I was easily impressed with such films.

I've been thinking what could be the reasons and thought of the following:

- The amount of great movies seen has to be a factor, since lot of movies have variations on similar themes, and once you love one it is hard to not be a bit disappointed on the failure to achieve the same greatness in others, at least in some of their aspects.

- Like with everything in life, as we age we probably get more selective after forming a particular taste, hence while still open to enjoy new things, there might be a predilection for movies of certain genre, themes, style, etc.

- We probably tend to always select the best movies of great directors first so while it can happen that we like more some of their lesser regarded works, the possibilities are lower, of course there are too many great directors to run out of movies but not all are very accessible in terms of finding their films.

This doesn't mean I haven't really liked some films lately, but in general I think the numbers are lower compared to the amount of movies I watch.

Lately I have been having trouble with the films from the Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, in a similar way to some of the Tarkovsky and some Godard, which seems to be cases of just going too far out of my comfort zone maybe because of my ignorance of those countries politics, culture, etc. but then there were also some great discoveries of some of the same directors, including Bergman, Fellini, Truffaut that aren't always easy films either.

Now another thing that comes to mind is that the films we really love may become better and better as we think of them in retrospect, so it is hard to compare with something watched recently which is probably just a crazy idea.

As an example, from the last 100 movies I have seen, these are the ones I really liked (first watches), with the bolded ones being the real highlights:

Juliet of the Spirits, Tomboy, Death in Venice, Splendor in the Grass, Steve Jobs, Diary of a Lost Girl, The Verdict, Mighty Aphrodite, The Hateful Eight, I Knew her Well, Forty Guns, Body Double, Brooklyn, Some Came Running.

Anyway I was wondering if anyone feels the same.

The main reason why we enjoy so fewer films made today is simply because Hollywood has just run out of ideas. I'm grateful for the films of the past because they changed my tastes for films and my outlook on life. I may be 14 years old, but I've seen a lot of films. A lot. Back around 5 years ago for Christmas, I got a PS3. For a while until the next Christmas, I was just buying all these poor to mediocre action films, and I didn't care. When that Christmas came around, I asked for the Necronomicon Edition of Army of Darkness. I didn't care for the film initially, I only cared about the package. But then when I watched the film, I enjoyed it! And soon then after, I started going on the computer more, finding about more films like this, and then here I am! I'm more aware of the films that are available to us, and the films that I didn't think were good when I was like 9 or so just by looking at the cover, I then ended up loving them! I still remember finding a copy of Videodrome on DVD in a Blockbuster, and I thought it was a dumb 80's comedy. (Yes, I actually thought that!) Cut to today, and I think it's a masterpiece of cinema! If I never saw Army of Darkness, I would never be the same person I am today. (Who knew that AOD could change someone's life!)

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by ThisKid

I may be 14 years old, but I've seen a lot of films.

14 years old?
OMG, when I was 14 years old I just recorded VHS from TV.
We didn't have even DVDs yet..
and you didn't have a wide range of films to choose from either since I grew up with Greek TV. Just the ones that were subtitled!

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

14 years old?
OMG, when I was 14 years old I just recorded VHS from TV.
We didn't have even DVDs yet..
and you didn't have a wide range of films to choose from either since I grew up with Greek TV. Just the ones that were subtitled!

I graduated from college prior to purchasing my first dvd player. That makes me feel old.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

Although I've caught a lot of the essential titles I'm still watching classics that are new to me each month. The vast majority of my ratings are 7/10 or 8/10. Excellent movies, but maybe not masterpieces or films that particularly connect with me. I still have a ton of Criterions to see that are widely recognized as classics.

In the last two nights, I finished two Costas-Gavras films: Z and Missing. I thought Z was very good (8/10), but I was blown away and locked into Missing throughout (9/10). For me it cracked my top 100 and that was unexpected.

As I'm exposed to more and more quality movies I do believe it takes more to wow me than even two years ago. I'm definitely becoming more of a film snob toward anything new that comes out of Hollywood. I don't waste my time watching new releases unless they come with recommendations from those online whose opinions I value.

This is exactly what I meant, in terms of ratings most films I see are (7/10) a bit lower (8/10) but I find it is more rare to feel a movie is a (9/10) as time passes, could be that I am just more strict, a movie has to really connect with me and have several memorable scenes for that to happen.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by ThisKid

The main reason why we enjoy so fewer films made today is simply because Hollywood has just run out of ideas. I'm grateful for the films of the past because they changed my tastes for films and my outlook on life. I may be 14 years old, but I've seen a lot of films.

14 years? , at that age I was happy just to watch whatever the latest movie with Jackie Chan/Van Damme/Gary Daniels/Steven Seagal/Stallone/Schwarzenegger(basically almost anyone that has appeared on an Expendables movie) was out on VHS, Actually The Expendables movies would have been a dream come true at that age, but at this time I didn't find the second one (only one I saw) very good.

Usually watched either pure Action, pure comedy or something in between.

I wasn't really talking about Hollywood movies in particular, but I agree that overall watching only those would be too limiting, I still watch them because I still found some of them to be great, but in smaller numbers compared to everything else I watch.

[mja345]

Here's a list of films I've seen, either for the first time or on repeat, in the last 8 months or so that I would rate a 9 or 10. I rate movies based on how we'll they succeed in their particular genre, not necessarily if they're sweeping cinematic achievements. That's why films like "48 Hours", "The Last Boy Scout" or "Freebie and the Bean" appear.

Anatomy of a Murder
The Odd Couple
Kansas City Confidential
Radio Days
48 Hours
Witness for the Prosecution
Southern Comfort
La Dolce Vita
Heaven's Gate
The General
At Close Range
Living in Oblivion
Papillon
The Last Boy Scout
Classe Tous Risques
Insignificance
Twisted Nerve
Jubal
In the Mood for Love
Unforgiven
Mississippi Burning
Full Metal Jacket
Last Year at Marienbad
The Devils
High Noon
The Duellists
Shadow of a Doubt
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
In the Company of Men
Wake in Fright
Black Narcissus
Being There
Figures in a Landscape
For All Mankind
Freebie and the Bean
The Leopard
Deep Red
The Grand Illusion
Letter Never Sent
Modern Romance
The Big Chill
Bonnie and Clyde
The Big Sleep
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
On the Waterfront
Laura

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

This is exactly what I meant, in terms of ratings most films I see are (7/10) a bit lower (8/10) but I find it is more rare to feel a movie is a (9/10) as time passes, could be that I am just more strict, a movie has to really connect with me and have several memorable scenes for that to happen.

Sounds like you need to mix in a few stinkers here and there. Rob Schneider, Tommy Wiseau, Top Gun, etc.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Sounds like you need to mix in a few stinkers here and there. Rob Schneider, Tommy Wiseau, Top Gun, etc.

It's true. Watching really shitty horror/exploitation movies is key to balancing out watching higher-end films. Watch something like "Samurai Cop", "R.O.T.O.R.", "The Room", "Manos: Hands of Fate", or, if worse comes to worst, "Top Gun". Then, follow it up with a masterpiece.

[MikeZ.]

Christ, I was 14 in 1972.
If you were impressed by a movie, and wanted to see it again, you closed your eyes and tried to replay it in your head !!!
Got my first VCR in 1979, 20 years old, tapes were limited, and $100.00 each, and up.
It would be another 4 years before rentals started to grow.

[MifuneFan]

Has Criterion done any AFD stuff this year?

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by mja345

It's true. Watching really shitty horror/exploitation movies is key to balancing out watching higher-end films. Watch something like "Samurai Cop", "R.O.T.O.R.", "The Room", "Manos: Hands of Fate", or, if worse comes to worst, "Top Gun". Then, follow it up with a masterpiece.

Well when I watched Top Gun I think I loved the next 10 films I saw, didn't made the connection then

[joie]

Has Criterion done anything for April Fool's day?

[filmmusic]

Please make it happen!

A new 4K scan of the theatrical cut to be a companion to the Kennedy Documentaries:

[Show spoiler]

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by joie

Has Criterion done anything for April Fool's day?

4 years ago:


https://www.criterion.com/current/po...ndergarten-cop

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by joie

Has Criterion done anything for April Fool's day?

That's what the UK announcement was. They just did it early so people wouldn't suspect.

[ShellOilJunior]

Still waiting on the Clouds cover art.

[bwdowiak]

Great post, Pedro.

I think that if all one does is watch films that have received near universal acclaim, you're bound to make relative comparison among the lot of films you've chosen to see. So, yeah - watch more stinkers.

Sometimes with older films that have been so influential, it is occasionally difficult to see their greatness because we have seen many of their imitators beforehand. It doesn't surprise me much if someone says that they were not impressed with The Godfather considering the number of mob movies that have proceeded it.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Sometimes with older films that have been so influential, it is occasionally difficult to see their greatness because we have seen many of their imitators beforehand. It doesn't surprise me much if someone says that they were not impressed with The Godfather considering the number of mob movies that have proceeded it.

I agree with your point in a more general sense, but The Godfather is an interesting case though because stylistically it hasn't been imitated to the same degree that Goodfellas has. That's partially because it's very difficult to pull that kind of look off, but also because the whole approach to narrative cinema has changed over the years. We live in the get-to-the-point-already era, which is deeply unfortunate. A movie that's paced like The Godfather would never have a hope of becoming one of the biggest films of all time if it was released today.

Without being too presumptuous, I suspect that a large percentage of the 'Godfather is boring' crowd have not watched it too closely. That has certainly been my experience anyway. Although that's obviously different from arguing that the film is overrated.

As for classic films, it's perhaps not advisable to go in expecting them to blow you away instantly. Some great films take time to work their magic.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

I agree with your point in a more general sense, but The Godfather is an interesting case though because stylistically it hasn't been imitated to the same degree that Goodfellas has. That's partially because it's very difficult to pull that kind of look off, but also because the whole approach to narrative cinema has changed over the years. We live in the get-to-the-point-already era, which is deeply unfortunate. A movie that's paced like The Godfather would never have a hope of becoming one of the biggest films of all time if it was released today.

Without being too presumptuous, I suspect that a large percentage of the 'Godfather is boring' crowd have not watched it too closely. That has certainly been my experience anyway. Although that's obviously different from arguing that the film is overrated.

As for classic films, it's perhaps not advisable to go in expecting them to blow you away instantly. Some great films take time to work their magic.

I can't imagine the type of person that finds the Godfather boring. Then again, I'm the type of guy that finds a Sopranos episode to be the fastest hour possible.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

I agree with your point in a more general sense, but The Godfather is an interesting case though because stylistically it hasn't been imitated to the same degree that Goodfellas has. That's partially because it's very difficult to pull that kind of look off, but also because the whole approach to narrative cinema has changed over the years. We live in the get-to-the-point-already era, which is deeply unfortunate. A movie that's paced like The Godfather would never have a hope of becoming one of the biggest films of all time if it was released today.

Without being too presumptuous, I suspect that a large percentage of the 'Godfather is boring' crowd have not watched it too closely. That has certainly been my experience anyway. Although that's obviously different from arguing that the film is overrated.

As for classic films, it's perhaps not advisable to go in expecting them to blow you away instantly. Some great films take time to work their magic.

Several years ago, a local radio station was taking to a caller, and the DJs were amazed to find that the caller was an adult male who had never seen The Godfather. This radio station subsequently rented out a theater for a day, and invited all males who had never seen the movie before to come watch it on the big screen for free. The rules were that only males were invited, and that they had to admit that they had never seen the movie before. The radio station pledged that they were making the world a better place.

The Godfather is a great movie, and, although I have my issues with the idea of only inviting males to a showing, I think that it's the ultimate "dude flick."

I'd like to think that the reason why many people find the movie to be different than what they were expecting is because, well, it is. Most people probably expect Marlon Brando to be featured prominently throughout the entire film, and, while he is featured prominently, he is not the focal point.

Similarly, I attended a big screen showing of Gone with the Wind at Fox Theatre here in Atlanta a couple of years ago, and, as I was walking out after the movie, I overheard one thirty-something woman say, "I didn't realize that there was so much to it. I thought that it was just about Scarlett O'Hara during the Civil War, but the movie goes on for two hours after that." Gone with the Wind is a great movie, and it's one of the ultimate antihero movies, but, yeah, there's a lot more to it than most new viewers expect.