The Criterion Collection

[Helikaon]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

What do you guys think of Il Sorpasso? I watched this film last night and loved every second of it.

Sure was a lot of driving in it.

But seriously, I liked it, but never really connected with the characters. The ending left me just shrugging my shoulders.

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by lemonski

I just finished watching Sundays and Cybele. What a fantastic film, I was completely gobsmacked by it. If you liked Rapture, there's no way you're not going to love this, it's WONDERFUL.

What a pain it comes out a month before the November sale.

Criterion usually does flash sales at the end of September. You can get it then!

[Polaroid]

Being dragged to see Mrs Brown's Boys film... pray for me please.

Going to need a Criterion film night haha

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

What do you guys think of Il Sorpasso? I watched this film last night and loved every second of it.

Love it too, but had a question about the ending that I expressed here:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...12#post9377012

[GentleGiant]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Love it too, but had a question about the ending that I expressed here:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...12#post9377012

[Show spoiler]Well, if Roberto had stayed in that room he wouldn't have faced such a sad end. I don't know, the ending made me think more about the fortuitousness of life, the random choices life makes about who should die and who should keep living.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

I watched The Great Beauty on Hulu and loved it. As I was watching it I kept noticing the Fellini influence and that made it even more enjoyable.

[Show spoiler]Gelsomina is badly treated by Zampano in La Strada but won't/can't leave him even with multiple offers by others to take her in. Why? Is it loyalty, fear, the fact that she was sold to him so she's his property? I don't know but it's something that's seen all the time in domestic violence cases. It's a simple question but there's no simple answer. I don't know what Zampano is feeling at the end. A haunting film.

Very good analysis of the film.

[Show spoiler]It's extremely difficult to pinpoint why individuals stay in abusive relationships. Sadly, it sometimes comes down to not knowing anything else or having any other places to turn to, which seems to be the case of Gelsomina.

Originally Posted by jw007

I just finished watching Steve McQueen's Shame for the first time. I actually liked this film more than Hunger. Wow, Shame puts all other movies on this subject to shame. It's a powerful story on something so common today. The acting was outstanding and I was very moved overall.

Shame is one of my all-time favorite films.

I don't think any other film tackles sex addiction with such precision as McQueen does with Shame. It is a very real and very haunting film. It is also, without a doubt, Fassbender's best performance.

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

What do you guys think of Il Sorpasso? I watched this film last night and loved every second of it.

Il Sorpasso is, in my opinion, one of the best road movies ever made.

It's a very humorous, yet occasionally depressing film due to the honesty throughout it. I think the overall big picture about enjoying life and living it to the fullest is very relatable, as well.

Originally Posted by smoss469

I've been clearing off the Tivo of TCM recordings and working my way through my stack of movies on my desk, included in those efforts were 2 Criterion Titles.

1) Blow-Up - I hated this movie, every bit of potential that it had to be great was flushed down the drain. In a 2 hour movie, the first hour was spent on the main character, David Hemmings. Somehow Antonioni managed to waste 1 hour of "character development" time and the result was still 1 dimensional character. As a matter of fact, I don't think any characters had any depth to them. The film got a little interesting when it got into the meat of the plot but that's also where it really fell apart.

[Show spoiler]It seemed very lazy to have the plot basically be, "A man you don't know and never know is shot by someone you don't know and never know, the only conflict is with a 1 dimensional women who again you don't know and still don't at the end. It's possible to make a fantastic movie without a true antagonist (See A Man Escaped) but this one failed royally.

Overall a huge disappointment, thankfully I didn't buy this one. I VASTLY preferred the spiritual remake Blow Out in every single way.

I was honestly not a big fan of Blow-Up either. I wouldn't say that I hated it, but it was sort of just...there...

It's been a while since I've seen it, but I don't believe any of my complaints were with any of the characters. I think a lot had to do with the story and the paranoid elements of it.

The Conversation is my favorite Blow-Up-like film, followed by Blow Out.

[hendersd]

BUT...Blow-Up has The Yardbirds. It DOES have mimes though, so maybe that cancels out the benefit of The Yardbirds.

Quote from original OP:
1) Blow-Up - I hated this movie, every bit of potential that it had to be great was flushed down the drain. In a 2 hour movie, the first hour was spent on the main character, David Hemmings. Somehow Antonioni managed to waste 1 hour of "character development" time and the result was still 1 dimensional character. As a matter of fact, I don't think any characters had any depth to them. The film got a little interesting when it got into the meat of the plot but that's also where it really fell apart.

[Show spoiler]It seemed very lazy to have the plot basically be, "A man you don't know and never know is shot by someone you don't know and never know, the only conflict is with a 1 dimensional women who again you don't know and still don't at the end. It's possible to make a fantastic movie without a true antagonist (See A Man Escaped) but this one failed royally.

Overall a huge disappointment, thankfully I didn't buy this one. I VASTLY preferred the spiritual remake Blow Out in every single way.

[monorail91]

Just finished the Three Colors Trilogy and am so relieved it's over -- did not feel those movies at all.

In a way though, I do appreciate seeing Criterions that I don't end up liking. I find I love (and buy) so many of the Criterions I see, so it's a nice mental check to watch ones I don't like enough to buy, as self-assurance that my preferences are not tainted by the little "c" in the corner.

[The Great Owl]

Whenever the discussion of Fellini movies comes up, I have to mention I Vitelloni. This is such an underrated film, and it's a great coming-of-age story.

I hope that Criterion upgrades this one to Blu-ray someday.

[zoodermin]

Originally Posted by monorail91

Just finished the Three Colors Trilogy and am so relieved it's over -- did not feel those movies at all.

In a way though, I do appreciate seeing Criterions that I don't end up liking. I find I love (and buy) so many of the Criterions I see, so it's a nice mental check to watch ones I don't like enough to buy, as self-assurance that my preferences are not tainted by the little "c" in the corner.

Well to each their own, but I think the Three Colors Trilogy is one of the best cinematic achievements ever and it's one of the best releases that Criterion has ever released.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Whenever the discussion of Fellini movies comes up, I have to mention I Vitelloni. This is such an underrated film, and it's a great coming-of-age story.

I hope that Criterion upgrades this one to Blu-ray someday.

+1 I absolutely love that film.
Probably my favourite Fellini that I've seen. (yet to see La Strada, Amarcord, Juliet of the Spirits)

[brandon_260]

People slamming Blow-up and Three Colors on the same page. What a wacky morning.

[grim_tales]

Blow-Up was good, but I found it rather too clever and pleased with itself at times, especially since it cant provide an answer to many mysteries in the film.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by grim_tales

Blow-Up was good, but I found it rather too clever and pleased with itself at times, especially since it cant provide an answer to many mysteries in the film.

That's the entire point.

The answers don't matter. Antonioni doesn't put his focus on plot like De Palma did with Blow Out. Rather, he uses the central mystery as a device to indulge his thematic concerns. What matters is how the protagonist came to this question to begin with. The final shot gives you everything you need to understand the film.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

That's the entire point.

The answers don't matter. Antonioni doesn't put his focus on plot like De Palma did with Blow Out. Rather, he uses the central mystery as a device to indulge his thematic concerns. What matters is how the protagonist came to this question to begin with. The final shot gives you everything you need to understand the film.

Dammit, if only I'd stayed awake thirty seconds longer...

(I kid, I kid...sort of)

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

People slamming Blow-up and Three Colors on the same page. What a wacky morning.

I also hate when people have different opinions.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

I also hate when people have different opinions.

How dare people dislike a movie, the nerve of some people!

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

Well to each their own, but I think the Three Colors Trilogy is one of the best cinematic achievements ever and it's one of the best releases that Criterion has ever released.

lot of people say that about neraly everything criterion released. i for example hated "breathless" and overall godards style.
Tastes are different.


Ordered a Few Criterions yesterday at BIOH

Antichrist
Cul-de-Sac
Repulsion
Kiss me Deadly
World on a Wire

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

lot of people say that about neraly everything criterion released. i for example hated "breathless" and overall godards style.
Tastes are different.


Ordered a Few Criterions yesterday at BIOH

Antichrist
Cul-de-Sac
Repulsion
Kiss me Deadly
World on a Wire

You are in for a treat!

[jlk5844]

I was not a fan of Blow-Up myself. Felt super pretentious.