The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Originally Posted by jmclick

You described my own reaction perfectly! I really think Miss Byron should have collected an armload of awards for that performance. Some viewers have insisted that her makeup did a lot of the acting in that scene, but I disagree completely ... that unforgettable look in her eyes came strictly from within.

Yes indeed! It was a look that reminded me of hell if such a thing exists. That devilish, evil, dark, sinister, uncanny, wrathful, lustful look in her eyes nearly made my own eyes detach from my retina!

Oh, goodness gracious sir... a dreadful moment for sure... and imagine the reaction on the audiences back in the 1940s who witnessed this ON THE SILVER SCREEN in those little tiny theaters!

I'd for sure pay money to see Black Narcissus in a movie theater today if ever a print is released somehow. It would be cool just taking friends to the theater to see their reaction of Ms. Byron's extraordinary performances.

You know, thank you Criterion... Jon Mulvaney, if you're out there reading....thank you... for exposing me to this film that I prob. would have otherwise never been exposed to and sending shivers up and down the spine of my soul.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by jw007

Yes indeed! It was a look that reminded me of hell if such a thing exists. That devilish, evil, dark, sinister, uncanny, wrathful, lustful look in her eyes nearly made my own eyes detach from my retina!

Oh, goodness gracious sir... a dreadful moment for sure... and imagine the reaction on the audiences back in the 1940s who witnessed this ON THE SILVER SCREEN in those little tiny theaters!

I'd for sure pay money to see Black Narcissus in a movie theater today if ever a print is released somehow. It would be cool just taking friends to the theater to see their reaction of Ms. Byron's extraordinary performances.

You know, thank you Criterion... Jon Mulvaney, if you're out there reading....thank you... for exposing me to this film that I prob. would have otherwise never been exposed to and sending shivers up and down the spine of my soul.

I didn't care for it, but I too would love to see it on the big screen!

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

On topic, my local arthouse theater is playing Two Days One Night, which seems primed for a CC release. Thoughts?

The best film of 2014.

[pro-bassoonist]

Hello everyone,

I thought I'd post the review for Kino's release of Jacques Rivette's Le Pont du Nord here as well, since this week there is plenty of Godard talk again

Le Pont du Nord and Every Man for Himself are lensed by William Lubtchansky.

Le Pont du Nord Blu-ray REVIEW







Pro-B

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I agree with you about American Sniper. I have no idea what the film is really about, but I've noted all the controversy it's engendered, and I think Criterion could come up with some fascinating supplements. I definitely want to see the film and plan to buy it on blu-ray, no matter who releases it.

Here's my review of American Sniper.

(I actually tried to review the movie itself as a work of cinema, instead of reviewing the real-life war in Iraq or the real-life Chris Kyle, so don't freak out.)

Short take: American Sniper is not a perfect film by any stretch, but I think that it's Clint Eastwood's best directorial effort in recent years in terms of visual storytelling and in terms of his examinations of hero mythology.


I haven't seen the rest of the films on the Best Picture nominee list, but I need to check out Boyhood and Birdman at some point.

Just for kicks, my personal top five of 2014...

1. Under the Skin
2. Cold in July
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
5. A Most Wanted Man

I would love to have seen Dawn of the Planet of the Apes nominated for Best Picture. After a shooting occurs that is only witnessed by a couple of individuals, a misunderstanding about that shooting leads to violence on a massive scale. That seems quite representative of 2014, I'd say.

[Helikaon]

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

Ok, so a little pre-Oscar, Criterion blu-ray question. Of the best picture nominated films for the upcoming Academy Awards, which one would you like to most see Criterion do a nice release of, if rights and such were not an issue? (And knowing that Grand Budapest will get a treatment since it's Wes Anderson)

American Sniper
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

I'd like to see them go a little left field and maybe do something nice with Clint Eastwood and American Sniper. Or a really nice Imitation Game release. It seems to be more up the Criterion alley, though they do veer all over at times. I haven't seen Boyhood, but really enjoy Richard Linklater. But really, I'd think The Theory of Everything would be a nice companion piece to A Brief History of Time .

Thoughts anyone??

Whiplash, Boyhood or Birdman would be cool.

The real controversy is why The Imitation Game was nominated at all! It's a big mess of a movie.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Hello everyone,

I thought I'd post the review for Kino's release of Jacques Rivette's Le Pont du Nord here as well, since this week there is plenty of Godard talk again

Le Pont du Nord and Every Man for Himself are lensed by William Lubtchansky.

Le Pont du Nord Blu-ray REVIEW







Pro-B

Thansk Pro-B! You are awesome as always!

[Helikaon]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Here's my review of American Sniper.

(I actually tried to review the movie itself as a work of cinema, instead of reviewing the real-life war in Iraq or the real-life Chris Kyle, so don't freak out.)

Short take: American Sniper is not a perfect film by any stretch, but I think that it's Clint Eastwood's best directorial effort in recent years in terms of visual storytelling and in terms of his examinations of hero mythology.


I haven't seen the rest of the films on the Best Picture nominee list, but I need to check out Boyhood and Birdman at some point.

Just for kicks, my personal top five of 2014...

1. Under the Skin
2. Cold in July
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
5. A Most Wanted Man

I would love to have seen Dawn of the Planet of the Apes nominated for Best Picture. After a shooting occurs that is only witnessed by a couple of individuals, a misunderstanding about that shooting leads to violence on a massive scale. That seems quite representative of 2014, I'd say.

Love your top 3

My top 10 of last year, based on local release dates.

1. Ida
2. Mommy
3. Under the Skin
4. Her
5. Whiplash
6. Nightcrawler
7. Enemy
8. Captain American: The Winter Soldier
9. Edge of Tomorrow
10. Only Lovers Left Alive

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by RojD

Fun idea. I know next to nothing about distribution rights, but here are some thoughts.

Criterion: Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel. Maybe Foxcatcher in 30 years since they're bagging films like The Big Chill now.

Kino: I give them Whiplash and Selma, the latter as a not-altogether-successful-try with good production value.

Warner: The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything. Why not?

Fox: American Sniper

This is a cool way to look at doing this, didn't think about it as who would do each. Nice take.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by JJJ225

I would love to hear why you would equate The Big Chill to Foxcatcher.

Zero Dark Thirty is excellent.

I know it's not on topic, but I really struggle how anyone could really view American Sniper as pro-war. The character of Chris Kyle is pro-war, but he's also presented as flawed and damaged by his experience. The idea that the film is a pro-war tale of heroism is a superficial reading, and, judging by the film's box office power, I'd say that a lot of people have read it this way. But that says everything about the audience and nothing about the artist. I can't believe I feel the need to defend a Clint Eastwood film, and one of that I don't even particularly love.

Have to agree with you on Zero Dark Thirty, it is an amazing piece of film making and a dramatcic story, told very, very well.

As for American Sniper, I just read post from alternet.org that really just got under my skin. I won't get into it here as it throws a blanket stereotype on the people who like the film, but will say the film, like Zero Dark Thirty was amazingly done, and Clint Eastwood continues to produce some of the best movies out now. I tend to vote Republican and Libertarian, and in no way saw American Sniper as pro-war. It actually felt anti-war at times. I thought it did a good job of showing thr horrors of what is going on over there, and the internal struggles Kyle had. My brother did 3 tours through Irag and Afghanistan, and struggles with all that went on, and came back a different person... so I know first hand how that place can screw someone up. That being said, it didn't make me blantantly anti-war... though some say it should have. I guess what I'm saying is that it is a heck of a movie, that kicks you right in the gut. Eastwood is an amazing director and Bradley Cooper was outstanding.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Here's my review of American Sniper.

(I actually tried to review the movie itself as a work of cinema, instead of reviewing the real-life war in Iraq or the real-life Chris Kyle, so don't freak out.)

Short take: American Sniper is not a perfect film by any stretch, but I think that it's Clint Eastwood's best directorial effort in recent years in terms of visual storytelling and in terms of his examinations of hero mythology.


I haven't seen the rest of the films on the Best Picture nominee list, but I need to check out Boyhood and Birdman at some point.

Just for kicks, my personal top five of 2014...

1. Under the Skin
2. Cold in July
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
5. A Most Wanted Man

I would love to have seen Dawn of the Planet of the Apes nominated for Best Picture. After a shooting occurs that is only witnessed by a couple of individuals, a misunderstanding about that shooting leads to violence on a massive scale. That seems quite representative of 2014, I'd say.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that realy loved Under the Skin. I really need to buy the blu-ray so I can watch it again. I knew it was going to be an odd, yet intriguing film, but it still blew me away. I wish I had seen it in the theaters, I think it would have been that much more of an experience. It's one of those movies I loved, but not sure how to describe to others... you know what I mean? I just tell them they have to see it. I don't even care if they like it, I just want them to see it.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by Helikaon

The real controversy is why The Imitation Game was nominated at all! It's a big mess of a movie.

Don't say that, I'm planning on seeing it this weekend.

[Helikaon]

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

Don't say that, I'm planning on seeing it this weekend.

Heh, sorry buddy!

I had a biopic day at the cinema and saw it together with The Theory of Everything and Unbroken and unfortunately its flaws became even more evident in comparison (not that the other two are masterpieces, mind you!). Hopefully you will enjoy it!

[JJJ225]

No way. The Theory of Everything is a mess of a movie. The Imitation Game, while excelling at nothing, is a finely put together, competent, and enjoyable biopic.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by Helikaon

Heh, sorry buddy!

I had a biopic day at the cinema and saw it together with The Theory of Everything and Unbroken and unfortunately its flaws became even more evident in comparison (not that the other two are masterpieces, mind you!). Hopefully you will enjoy it!

Originally Posted by JJJ225

No way. The Theory of Everything is a mess of a movie. The Imitation Game, while excelling at nothing, is a finely put together, competent, and enjoyable biopic.

Thanks to you both.. I'll try to have an open mind for both when I see them.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Hello everyone,

I thought I'd post the review for Kino's release of Jacques Rivette's Le Pont du Nord here as well, since this week there is plenty of Godard talk again

Le Pont du Nord and Every Man for Himself are lensed by William Lubtchansky.

Le Pont du Nord Blu-ray REVIEW







Pro-B

I'd like to second the praise for this movie. It's in my top ten of all time, and I'm pleased to see it being given such a lease of life on Blu-ray (I don't think it was ever even available in the UK prior to Blu-ray).

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Short take: American Sniper is not a perfect film by any stretch, but I think that it's Clint Eastwood's best directorial effort in recent years in terms of visual storytelling and in terms of his examinations of hero mythology.

The last part of that sentence nails it for me. It follows in the lineage of Josey Wales and Unforgiven. How anyone could write off a film from the director of either of those films (or the Iwo Jima pair) as simply "pro-war" is beyond me.

Context; I'm painfully left-wing, and had never heard of Chris Kyle before seeing the film.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Here's my review of American Sniper.

(I actually tried to review the movie itself as a work of cinema, instead of reviewing the real-life war in Iraq or the real-life Chris Kyle, so don't freak out.)

Short take: American Sniper is not a perfect film by any stretch, but I think that it's Clint Eastwood's best directorial effort in recent years in terms of visual storytelling and in terms of his examinations of hero mythology.


I haven't seen the rest of the films on the Best Picture nominee list, but I need to check out Boyhood and Birdman at some point.

Just for kicks, my personal top five of 2014...

1. Under the Skin
2. Cold in July
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
5. A Most Wanted Man

I would love to have seen Dawn of the Planet of the Apes nominated for Best Picture. After a shooting occurs that is only witnessed by a couple of individuals, a misunderstanding about that shooting leads to violence on a massive scale. That seems quite representative of 2014, I'd say.

I really enjoyed reading your review of American Sniper; now I'm more interested than ever in seeing the film. Thank you for publishing the link!

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

The last part of that sentence nails it for me. It follows in the lineage of Josey Wales and Unforgiven. How anyone could write off a film from the director of either of those films (or the Iwo Jima pair) as simply "pro-war" is beyond me.

Context; I'm painfully left-wing, and had never heard of Chris Kyle before seeing the film.

I had not heard about him before either ... and yet he's a supposed "legend"

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

I had not heard about him before either ... and yet he's a supposed "legend"

"Legend" was his nickname within the army, and a moniker that's crossed over in to being used by a section of his civilian supporters. It's not like it's an official title bestowed upon him by an authority!