The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by captainron_howdy

All Essential.

Anything by Elio Petri & Robert Bresson is. Phoenix was was of the best films of 2014 I thought, a masterful drama. Killing is Kubrick, enough said. And In Cold Blood will haunt you until the day you die.

I love Phoenix. Such a powerful film, and so well-made. It's definitely not one you forget once you see it.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I love Phoenix. Such a powerful film, and so well-made. It's definitely not one you forget once you see it.

Agreed. I watched it for the first time a few weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. I am already looking forward to watching it again.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Killers
Criterion Collection: A Man Escaped
Foreign Correspondent
Lady Vanishes
Man Who Knew Too Much
M
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Ride the Pink Horse
Riot in Cell Block 11
Overlord
Phoenix
Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Criterion Collection: Kennedy Films Of Robert Drew
Killing
Bridge
To Be or Not to Be
In Cold Blood

A lot of great films in this list. If you like Hitchcock, the that's four of your films right there. The Killers is great, you get two versions of the same story. I slightly prefer the 1965 version, but the opening sequence of the original is terrific. They could have ended it there, as Hemingway did, and would it have been one of the best short films ever. I'll put a plug in for Ride the Pink Horse. This was a blind buy for me and it exceeded expectations. Truly original noir, it has a small-town Southwest setting, and it features a hero who isn't very bright but is stolidly persistent and is aided by a young girl and an old man. Robert Montgomery didn't direct a lot of movies, but the ones I've seen all have style.

But really, I don't think you can go wrong with any five from that list.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Agreed. I watched it for the first time a few weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. I am already looking forward to watching it again.

And the ending is one for the ages.

[c-murph]

Canadian Criterion sales when?!.... Never.

[iamhopkat]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Killers
Criterion Collection: A Man Escaped
Foreign Correspondent
Lady Vanishes
Man Who Knew Too Much
M
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Ride the Pink Horse
Riot in Cell Block 11
Overlord
Phoenix
Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Criterion Collection: Kennedy Films Of Robert Drew
Killing
Bridge
To Be or Not to Be
In Cold Blood

The Killing and The Killers are two of my absolute favorites.
Foreign Correspondent
Ride the Pink Horse
Phoenix

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Killers
Criterion Collection: A Man Escaped
Foreign Correspondent
Lady Vanishes
Man Who Knew Too Much
M
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Ride the Pink Horse
Riot in Cell Block 11
Overlord
Phoenix
Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Criterion Collection: Kennedy Films Of Robert Drew
Killing
Bridge
To Be or Not to Be
In Cold Blood

First and foremost, you NEED to buy Colonel Blimp as it's probably one of the few truly perfect films ever made.

Then I'd pick up:

M
Foreign Correspondent
To Be Or Not To Be
The Killing
The Man Who Knew Too much

[Ray Jackson]

I watched Still Walking last night for the first time.

I was hoping to be surprised, but it was about what I expected.

The Ozu influence is pretty glaring.

Not trying to say anything bad about this film...it's good.

But these little family dramas with simple stories, shot in very simple ways are just not very compelling to me. Everything about the movie felt familiar. Like I had seen many elements of it before in numerous other films.

The simple fact is, there are some styles that you respond to and some that you don't.

One person might watch Pierrot Le Fou and be bored out of their mind.

...because Godard just isn't for everyone.

I'll probably watch it one more time in a few weeks, just to be sure.

[SammyJankis]

I've gotten to the point where I can no longer trace the trajectory of your posts, Ray.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I've gotten to the point where I can no longer trace the trajectory of your posts, Ray.

You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.

[Show spoiler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uh2fYoKlKY

[javy]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.

[Show spoiler]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uh2fYoKlKY

If one plays the track in the spoiler tag the volume should be turned to a high level.

[The Great Owl]

There is a Barnes & Noble in the vicinity of where I was running some errands earlier today, so I stepped inside and browsed the Criterion Collection section one last time to see if there were any titles that intrigued me before the 50% Off sale is over.

Surprisingly, nothing quickened my pulse. I've reached a temporary plateau of "Criterion contentment."
There were a few titles that I briefly entertained the idea of purchasing, but I didn't want them badly enough to add them to my hugely-daunting still-unwatched Blu-ray stack (Certified Copy, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, etc.). I'll grab them at some point in the future, maybe, possibly.

I always feel like a gullible rube whenever I buy a hardcover book for market price at Barnes & Noble, because the brick-and-mortar B&N stores are the absolute godawful worst places to buy actual books. I did, however, give in to temporary insanity by purchasing a hardcover of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, just because I've been wanting to read it and because a nice perfect-condition copy was right there in my hands.

[AaronJ]

I've actually never seen The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, which I consider an absolute failure on my part. I mean, Powell and Pressburger AND Deborah Kerr?!

I suck.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I've actually never seen The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, which I consider an absolute failure on my part. I mean, Powell and Pressburger AND Deborah Kerr?!

It's one of the most beautiful films in the Criterion collection, as far as picture quality is concerned. Powell and Pressburger really knew what they were doing with their filming style.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I did, however, give in to temporary insanity by purchasing a hardcover of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, just because I've been wanting to read it and because a nice perfect-condition copy was right there in my hands.

Good choice. You gotsta to read it before the new movie comes out--I got a feeling many viewers won't "get it" without knowing the book first.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Surprisingly, nothing quickened my pulse. I've reached a temporary plateau of "Criterion contentment."

No Carlos = No Contentment

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's one of the most beautiful films in the Criterion collection, as far as picture quality is concerned. Powell and Pressburger really knew what they were doing with their filming style.

*sigh*

Yeah, I need it. I know it.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's one of the most beautiful films in the Criterion collection, as far as picture quality is concerned. Powell and Pressburger really knew what they were doing with their filming style.

I have that DVRed and I can't get more than ten minutes in without thinking 'this is stupid, this is like watching a bootleg when the film is still in theaters'. And it's not like the TCM presentation is bad, either.

The film itself hasn't prompted me to pull the trigger yet but it's probably only a matter of time.

[stvn1974]

I just finished watching Solariszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Thank goodness I haven't opened Stalker yet so I can take it back.

[jbieste]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I always feel like a gullible rube whenever I buy a hardcover book for market price at Barnes & Noble, because the brick-and-mortar B&N stores are the absolute godawful worst places to buy actual books. I did, however, give in to temporary insanity by purchasing a hardcover of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, just because I've been wanting to read it and because a nice perfect-condition copy was right there in my hands.

Good book. I liked it better than Armada, which was good. Not sure Armada lived up to the hype.
I sometimes feel gullible when attending author events and buying the book if author is socially challenged. Having a B&N nearby put you ahead.

I'm curious about the Ready Player One film, so if I hadn't read the book now would be the time. Unless you're one who has serious problems with a film leaving off subplots, taking a different direction, ect. Then wait and read to add depth. In either case, I'm hopeful the film will be something special. Sorry there wasn't a Criterion that would have made it Christmas in July.