The Criterion Collection

[scottpcusa]

Originally Posted by EnigmaticWarrior

Thanks for your input as well, Roninblues. I'll be sure to pick up Still Walking whenever a sale occurs!

Speaking of which, (I don't know if my question earlier was overlooked, but I'll ask it again anyway) besides that CC sale that Barnes & Noble has every November, do any of these movies ever go on sale at all or are sales completely random? Just curious.

I would definitely add my voice for Still Walking and would suggest checking out Monsoon Wedding as another good comedy/drama about family. The music is really good in that one, too.

If you know what films you want to buy, I'd suggest putting them in your price tracker on this site and watch for the random amazon price drops, too.

[wilky61]

I'm sure I'm late to the party here, but I just saw that Branded to Kill/Tokyo Drifter are coming to blu-ray before the end of the year.

I have to say that (excluding the sentimental favorite of Rushmore) the Seijin Suzuki films are the most exciting blu-ray announcements I've seen from Criterion in months. How entirely unexpected but thoroughly welcomed, to/by me at least.

[EnigmaticWarrior]

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

Amazon has put Criterions on sale below $20 before. I'm sure Criterion will have another 50% off sale when they hit 100,000 Facebook fans.

Originally Posted by scottpcusa

I would definitely add my voice for Still Walking and would suggest checking out Monsoon Wedding as another good comedy/drama about family. The music is really good in that one, too.

If you know what films you want to buy, I'd suggest putting them in your price tracker on this site and watch for the random amazon price drops, too.

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Barnes & Noble will randomly have a CC on sale besides the two yearly 50% off sales (don't forget their coupons). This last year Deep Discount and DVD Planet had sales where I picked up several CC Blu-Rays for $15.59 and $17.84. As well as the mentioned Amazon price dips.

Okay then, thanks for the heads up and the recommendations, everyone. I've already begun tracking the prices of several CC movies, so I guess I'll just have to keep an eye out then.

I really want a sale to happen soon; I don't know how much longer I can wait.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by EnigmaticWarrior

Okay then, thanks for the heads up and the recommendations, everyone. I've already begun tracking the prices of several CC movies, so I guess I'll just have to keep an eye out then.

I really want a sale to happen soon; I don't know how much longer I can wait.

I saw your post a page back; I really liked Days of Heaven, but I didn't much care for The Thin Red Line.

[EnigmaticWarrior]

Originally Posted by wilky61

I saw your post a page back; I really liked Days of Heaven, but I didn't much care for The Thin Red Line.

Good grief, are Terrence Malick's films really this YMMV? I can't make up my mind for both Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line anymore, after hearing varying opinions on both.

Speaking of Malick, any news/rumors on Badlands coming out for the Criterion Collection?

[melo4mvp]

Just pre-ordered The Phantom Carriage. Very excited to see this one. Anybody see this one yet?

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Then, suddenly, one of my girl classmates stand up and starts saying the Tour was a waste of time and that all French Cinema is obviously porn

I would have challenged her because I would think that while there might be a lot of sexuality in French cinema, that overall it treats sex in a far more mature and adult fashion than American cinema does. Which American movies does she think are better than French films? What French films has she seen (I bet none). While French cinema is not what it was during the height of the New Wave, Truffaut's films (as just one example) were and still are far more sophisticated in nature than almost anything that American cinema cranked out then or today. (And I hope this young woman is not enrolled in film school, because I'd flunk her just for making such a statement. I bet she eats "Freedom Fries".)

One look at almost any film geared towards younger people will demonstrate that American films are filled with dumb bimbos who are easily expendable in the course of the plot and in spite of decades of the women's liberation movement, women characters are probably treated even worse in movies today than they were decades ago. Furthermore, when female stars age, they disappear. When was the last time you saw Michelle Pfeiffer or Meg Ryan in a movie? And that's aside from the fact that 55-year-old male stars are frequently paired with 27-year-old females. Now that's porn, whether they expose their bodies or not. And what about all the "Friends With Benefits" type of movies that we've been seeing lately?

You know why there is explicit sex and/or nudity in relationship movies? It's so that guys will be willing to see the movie with their girlfriends.

I'm no prude and I don't believe in censorship, but I can't believe what passes for family entertainment on television anymore. A show like "Two and a Half Men" isn't even in the safe-harbor (after 10pm) time-slot and as far as I'm concerned, actually is porn, mostly featuring dumb, slutty female characters, lots of jokes about erections and oral sex and an inordinate number of jokes about passing gas. (OK, it's also still occasionally funny.) And just about every show on cable-TV is absurd. When Snooki is a star and earns $millions of dollars, we know we're in trouble.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by EnigmaticWarrior

Good grief, are Terrence Malick's films really this YMMV? I can't make up my mind for both Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line anymore, after hearing varying opinions on both.

Speaking of Malick, any news/rumors on Badlands coming out for the Criterion Collection?

I thought Thin Red Line was pretty YMMV (I could see others liking it, I just didn't), but I thought Days of Heaven was obviously a near-masterpiece.

Just my 0.02

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

I would have challenged her because I would think that while there might be a lot of sexuality in French cinema, that overall it treats sex in a far more mature and adult fashion than American cinema does. Which American movies does she think are better than French films? What French films has she seen (I bet none). While French cinema is not what it was during the height of the New Wave, Truffaut's films (as just one example) were and still are far more sophisticated in nature than almost anything that American cinema cranked out then or today. (And I hope this young woman is not enrolled in film school, because I'd flunk her just for making such a statement. I bet she eats "Freedom Fries".)

One look at almost any film geared towards younger people will demonstrate that American films are filled with dumb bimbos who are easily expendable in the course of the plot and in spite of decades of the women's liberation movement, women characters are probably treated even worse in movies today than they were decades ago. Furthermore, when female stars age, they disappear. When was the last time you saw Michelle Pfeiffer or Meg Ryan in a movie? And that's aside from the fact that 55-year-old male stars are frequently paired with 27-year-old females. Now that's porn, whether they expose their bodies or not. And what about all the "Friends With Benefits" type of movies that we've been seeing lately?

You know why there is explicit sex and/or nudity in relationship movies? It's so that guys will be willing to see the movie with their girlfriends.

I'm no prude and I don't believe in censorship, but I can't believe what passes for family entertainment on television anymore. A show like "Two and a Half Men" isn't even in the safe-harbor (after 10pm) time-slot and as far as I'm concerned, actually is porn, mostly featuring dumb, slutty female characters, lots of jokes about erections and oral sex and an inordinate number of jokes about passing gas. (OK, it's also still occasionally funny.) And just about every show on cable-TV is absurd. When Snooki is a star and earns $millions of dollars, we know we're in trouble.

I TOTALLY agree with you . I didn't said anything because we were at meeting with more people of our class and it wasn't time for debate. She was making and extremely ignorant and stupid commentary and I WANTED to say something but you know when it is time to make a thing like that and there wasn't it . I also agree with you in how most mainstream American entertainment/cinema is going the wrong way with the overly sexual tones and offensive stereotypes that do little to justify themselves. Is really sad how some people can blind themselves is such a way, I mean, I can bet she has seen max 10 French films in her entire life . It was just plain stupid of her. I kinda feel alone in my school. I am probably the only guy who actually likes film as an art instead of just mindless entertainment (Most of my classmates LOVE all the latest-romantic comedies and "horror" films that appear every Friday in theaters ) Thanks god I have all of you .

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by EnigmaticWarrior

Good grief, are Terrence Malick's films really this YMMV? I can't make up my mind for both Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line anymore, after hearing varying opinions on both.

Speaking of Malick, any news/rumors on Badlands coming out for the Criterion Collection?

As wilky intimated The Thin Red Line is very YMMV. It's not absolutely terrible, esp if you're big on PQ/AQ but I mostly agree with the faults already listed. Personally it's probably my worst blind-buy, and I wouldn't recommend you do that with this film. Or The New World (haven't seen it but based on what I know/read, in no rush to) or The Tree of Life, since we're talkin' Malick.

Days of Heaven though is recommended, even as a blind-buy. It's the only Malick film that I've seen that I'd recommend as much.

[EnigmaticWarrior]

Originally Posted by wilky61

I thought Thin Red Line was pretty YMMV (I could see others liking it, I just didn't), but I thought Days of Heaven was obviously a near-masterpiece.

Just my 0.02

Originally Posted by Cinemach

As wilky intimated The Thin Red Line is very YMMV. It's not absolutely terrible, esp if you're big on PQ/AQ but I mostly agree with the faults already listed. Personally it's probably my worst blind-buy, and I wouldn't recommend you do that with this film. Or The New World (haven't seen it but based on what I know/read, in no rush to) or The Tree of Life, since we're talkin' Malick.

Days of Heaven though is recommended, even as a blind-buy. It's the only Malick film that I've seen that I'd recommend as much.

Looking around the internet, I've seen my fair share of negativity towards Days of Heaven, though the amount of positive opinions far outnumber those bad ones. The Thin Red Line, on the other hand...Yeah.

Out of curiosity, without going into too much detail, what exactly separates Days of Heaven from his other films that makes it less YMMV and more of a masterpiece that I've seen so many people claiming it to be?

[dag]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

I TOTALLY agree with you . Thanks god I have all of you .

[Show spoiler]

[Show spoiler]

[Show spoiler]

[oildude]

Originally Posted by EnigmaticWarrior

Out of curiosity, without going into too much detail, what exactly separates Days of Heaven from his other films that makes it less YMMV and more of a masterpiece that I've seen so many people claiming it to be?

Probably the biggest differences are a story that is unknown, no philosophical voiceovers of mutliple character's thoughts, and the overall pacing of the film. Days of Heaven is a story that is not based on historic events, like The Thin Red Line or The New World. We just don't know how it will turn out, but you get the feeling it will not end well. This generates a slow building tension as the film moves toward its conclusion. And that conclusion is reached at a more efficient pace - or seems to be - than the other two films. To me, the film seems more focused than Malick's later efforts.

While Days of Heaven doesn't have the multiple voiceovers of character's philospophical thoughts, it does have the narration of the little sister to move it along. She has a unique accent that some people do not care for, but to me lends her voice a bit of working-class period authenticity, like someone speaking who is not well educated but has a good memory. The film is set around the time of World War I, has good period details, and lush cinematography (as do all of Malick's films). There are trademark Malick scenes of people walking together in silence, and characters staring off into the distance lost in "contemplation", but these scenes feel more natural to the story than they are in TTRL and TNW.

[jvince]

Maybe you guys could recommend me some Criterions to watch too.

Among the titles released on blu-ray, I love and own (or plan to own):
12 Angry Men
Seven Samurai
The Third Man
The Red Shoes
Diabolique
Still Walking
Wings of Desire
Chungking Express
Yi Yi
Dazed and Confused
Last Year at Marienbad
Rushmore
The Double Life of Veronique
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I've also seen The Killing, Repulsion, Paths of Glory, 8 1/2, Au Revoir Les Enfants, Beauty and the Beast, Days of Heaven (couldn't finish it; bored me to death), Secret Sunshine, House, The Thin Red Line (was kinda liking it but got accidentally deleted halfway) and Bottle Rocket.

Any suggestions that are similar to the ones I like and own?

[wilky61]

I think the experiece of Days of Heaven is tricky to describe in words. The film is very visual with the cinematography and lighting being memorable and beautiful. The film is hardly 90 minutes long, so I'm surprised that anybody could be "bored to tears" by it. The film 's narrative plays out like a string of memories that fade into one another, narrated by the little sister who largely acts as an outsider to the central drama of the movie.

TTRL is quite different, being a 150-minute war movie with dozens of characters fading in and out of the plot. I was pretty interested by this film at first but thought that it overstayed its welcome and kept making its point (about the psychological effects of war) over and over again. It was the hour-long lull in the middle of the film after some intense fighting toward the start that lost my interest. TTRL is a strange film because of the way it treats its characters, its viewers. Don't expect a conventional, entertaining spool of yarn here.

[Belloche]

Originally Posted by jvince

Maybe you guys could recommend me some Criterions to watch too.

Among the titles released on blu-ray, I love and own (or plan to own):
12 Angry Men
Seven Samurai
The Third Man
The Red Shoes
Diabolique
Still Walking
Wings of Desire
Chungking Express
Yi Yi
Dazed and Confused
Last Year at Marienbad
Rushmore
The Double Life of Veronique
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Akira = Yojimbo
The Red Shoes = Black Narcissus
Diabolique = The Wages of Fear

These are great movies by some of the directors on your list. You should enjoy them. Personally I would recommend Charade and The 400 Blows to anyone.

[rock, stone]

For my money, Days of Heaven feels authentic in a way that Thin Red Line does not. There is a lot to love in TRL, but like others have said its philosophical take on war is somewhat at odds with the subject matter. It's greatest shortcoming is that none of the characters feel like they are soldiers. They don't feel tough enough to have been through boot camp, let alone several battle. Only very rarely does the way feel dangerous.

In a way, it is the same complaint I have with Ride with the Devil: just looking at the characters, they look like actors. The mud and blood doesn't seem organic and everyone's hair is too clean. Ride with the Devil that is a literal complaint, in Thin Red Line it is more of a feeling.

But Malick films are almost always worth the price of admission if you like eye candy. If nothing else, that guy knows how to shoot pretty.

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by jvince

Maybe you guys could recommend me some Criterions to watch too.

Among the titles released on blu-ray, I love and own (or plan to own):
12 Angry Men
Seven Samurai
The Third Man
The Red Shoes
Diabolique
Still Walking
Wings of Desire
Chungking Express
Yi Yi
Dazed and Confused
Last Year at Marienbad
Rushmore
The Double Life of Veronique
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I've also seen The Killing, Repulsion, Paths of Glory, 8 1/2, Au Revoir Les Enfants, Beauty and the Beast, Days of Heaven (couldn't finish it; bored me to death), Secret Sunshine, House, The Thin Red Line (was kinda liking it but got accidentally deleted halfway) and Bottle Rocket.

Any suggestions that are similar to the ones I like and own?

If you like The Killing you should look into Kiss Me Deadly and Sweet Smell of Success.

One of my favorite Criterion releases from this year was Pale Flower.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Monty70

One of my favorite Criterion releases from this year was Pale Flower.

I would recommend Pale Flower and High and Low to almost anyone.....

[Mac Norton]

I might be in the minority, but I did really enjoy Thin Red Line. I had no expectations going into. Although I knew Mallick, I had never seen any of his films.

I was impressed from the on-set. It wasn't a war movie in the traditional sense. It happened to be a movie, with war in it. Or so is my assessment.

The shifting perspectives was what I really enjoyed. At the time, I had just finished The Pacific, so the film struck a different cord, since the two are very similar in tone (and I use that loosely). I haven't watched either a second time, but I did just recently get The Pacific...I might do that.