The Criterion Collection

[soarinsteven]

I wonder how much longer we'll have to wait for the special edition of Blue is the Warmest Color. I'm hoping by early next year.

I watched Visconti's Senso today. I always remember how deliriously romantic the film is, but I forget about that ending. Brutal.

[soarinsteven]

Originally Posted by Snicket

I don't even understand what this means. I don't think "Quirky" is a criticism anymore than "green" is.

There are so few auteurs worth anything making movies now, thank goodness for Anderson. We need more filmmakers with a voice.

AMEN.

[Talal86]

imo, there's no such thing as naturally quirky

I enjoy Wes Anderson's movies because they're over the top and cartoon-y, not because they're "real" and/or raw

[Zen_Amako]

I found some Criterion DVDs today at (of all places) 7-Eleven. For a while now, 7-11 stores here have been selling a random assortment of DVDs and even Blu-rays without cases or artwork. Picked up Fish Tank on DVD for $1.99. They also had copies of Steve McQueen's Hunger (on DVD) for $1.99.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I dont to like rock and I know they had huge influence, I just not keen on em...

I'm huge fan on classical music and film scores

And sorry, just my opinion lol

When I was a teenager, I did not mind hearing The Beatles, but I also had a preconceived notion of their music as something that contemporary music fans only listened to out of a sense of obligation. I dismissed them as just an influential band from the past, and I preferred to concentrate on the college radio alternative music that was so great during the 1980s.

A few years later, when I was in college, some friends and I were driving to a game across town and I heard this insanely awesome song on the car stereo. I figured that it was some crazy cool up-and-coming alternative band that I had still not discovered, and I just had to hear more. When I asked the driver about the song, he turned to me with a slightly annoyed look, and told me that he could not believe that I did not recognize "Tomorrow Never Knows" by The Beatles.

I purchased Revolver soon after that, and later went on to check out the other music from the band.

I'd like to think that, for most people in this day and age, all it really takes is hearing that one Beatles song that really quickens your pulse. That's what happened to me.

[Snicket]

We should start a kickstarter to buy a copy of Tiny Furniture for Owl so he can review (or do an audio commentary) it for us.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Snicket

I don't even understand what this means. I don't think "Quirky" is a criticism anymore than "green" is.

There are so few auteurs worth anything making movies now, thank goodness for Anderson. We need more filmmakers with a voice.

There are plenty of excellent filmmakers out there right now, you might not be looking in the right place. I don't find Anderson to have any voice, he had a style, which I would assert is wholly different.

I didn't criticize him for being quirky, I criticized him for being enamored with the concept of quirky, to the point that it almost becomes a parody. That being said, quirky is absolutely a valid criticism of something, as film is subjective. Some people could say a film is too dramatic for instance or too sentimental. Criticism is often relegated to an adjective.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Originally Posted by Zen_Amako

I found some Criterion DVDs today at (of all places) 7-Eleven. For a while now, 7-11 stores here have been selling a random assortment of DVDs and even Blu-rays without cases or artwork. Picked up Fish Tank on DVD for $1.99. They also had copies of Steve McQueen's Hunger (on DVD) for $1.99.

Wow, that's a new one on me. Now that Criterion DVD's are being sold in 7-11's, does that mean that those of us who collect these should start considering ourselves low brow?! Kidding!

But seriously, glad you Fish Tank for such an amazing price - extremely well-done, disturbing, and raw film. When I first saw FT, it was also the first time I heard Bobby Womack's excellent version of California Dreamin', and I now prefer it to the original version (by the Mamas & the Papas)...to the point where I actually consider it the definitive version of the song....

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

For those who enjoy Blu is the Warmest Color, may I recommend a Room in Rome. While Blue takes place over a long period of time, Room in Rome (based in part on En La Cama) takes place over one night. It's not as raw and authentic as Blue, nor does it have the thematic scope, but I think Julio Medem does an excellent directing job and Elena Anaya is great,

Thanks - Blue is the Warmest Color was amazing, and I'm surprised I liked it as much as I did; very honest & raw, and far superior to the graphic novel it was based on (which I also read). So, I will definitely check out Room in Rome...

[WinterLand]

I have a question about Rififi, I almost purchased it a little while ago but I see that the Arrow release seems to have a bit more extras if I remember correctly, would anyone care to recommend either the CC or Arrow release?

[Clare2904]

I've asked elsewhere but no reply yet. does anyone know the link to the trail membership page for B&N via their mobile site?

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Talal86

imo, there's no such thing as naturally quirky

I enjoy Wes Anderson's movies because they're over the top and cartoon-y, not because they're "real" and/or raw

I would disagree with the first statement. While it can be argued that anything on film is, by it's very nature, unnatural, I think that it's indisputable that some films have a more authentic feel than others.

I dislike Anderson's films because I prefer films that feel a bit more natural and not forced. However, I certainly can understand that people like Anderson because of how over the top his films are. It comes down to subjective preference.

[BAMJoe]

What is the consensus on Il Sorpasso and The Great Beauty?

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Nope.

I wasn't a big fan of The Phantom Carriage, The Freshman, or Safety Last! (on a rewatch). They were just okay, in my opinion.

Was this with the audio commentary? Whilst I still didn't like it enough to keep, I found that it helped me understand the film and gave me more appreciation.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Snicket

We should start a kickstarter to buy a copy of Tiny Furniture for Owl so he can review (or do an audio commentary) it for us.

You're too kind!

In all seriousness, I would probably enjoy Tiny Furniture at least a little bit and relate to it in some form or fashion. Even my least favorite Criterion titles, such as Robert Altman's Nashville, Henry Jaglom's A Safe Place, or Akira Kurosawa's Dodesukaden, still hold my interest in a reverential sort of way because I respect what was so influential about the films, and I can empathize with just about any character.

It probably seems disingenuous of me to bestow at least four stars to every Criterion title in my User Reviews, as I've probably done so far, but the ones that I've researched enough to purchase are so adeptly presented in terms of making a case for the film's legacy that I can easily fall into the vibe after watching the respective films with undivided attention and then going through all of the supplements. There are some Criterion titles that I revisit a lot less than others, but that's a given with any film fan.

That said, I feel sorry for anyone who would have to listen to an audio commentary from me, if I were to record one. I...talk...slowly...in...person. An old girlfriend once told me that I always sound as though I'm putting a lot of thought into what I say. In truth, I really don't, but I just happen to speak slowly. If my thoughts were as slow as my spoken words, I'd still be wondering what to eat for yesterday's breakfast. I also have a distinct good-old-boy Jeff Foxworthy-esque Southern accent that would probably throw off a lot of people who are used to reading my posts here.

[ultlife2013]

Nobody would want me to an audio commentary for a movie? I'll do it for any movie you guys want to send me.

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

There are plenty of excellent filmmakers out there right now, you might not be looking in the right place. I don't find Anderson to have any voice, he had a style, which I would assert is wholly different.

I didn't criticize him for being quirky, I criticized him for being enamored with the concept of quirky, to the point that it almost becomes a parody. That being said, quirky is absolutely a valid criticism of something, as film is subjective. Some people could say a film is too dramatic for instance or too sentimental. Criticism is often relegated to an adjective.

But Anderson does indeed have a voice. He deals with issues of class, social privilege, family relations, love and mid life discovery. He is one of the very few filmmakers out there who makes films you can almost immediately identify as his if you watch 2 minutes. While there are great filmmakers out there now, there are very few auteurs.

His comic sensibilities (which have evolved considerably since Bottle Rocket) may not jive with some people, but that's ok. He is using his toolbox to competently make the films he wants to make.

Anderson is quirky, the Coens are melancholy, Curon is grandiose, Nolan is spectacle, Malick is introspective. Let's celebrate that we have directors who are not vanilla and are trying to say something.

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by TheHighRoller

B&N Members can get it for $10.99, and if they use the 20% off coupon, they can get it for $8.99.

Still $8 too much.

[Helikaon]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

That said, I feel sorry for anyone who would have to listen to an audio commentary from me, if I were to record one. I...talk...slowly...in...person. An old girlfriend once told me that I always sound as though I'm putting a lot of thought into what I say. In truth, I really don't, but I just happen to speak slowly. If my thoughts were as slow as my spoken words, I'd still be wondering what to eat for yesterday's breakfast. I also have a distinct good-old-boy Jeff Foxworthy-esque Southern accent that would probably throw off a lot of people who are used to reading my posts here.

If you could do impressions and other comic expressions you could do a rifftrack instead . I would love to do one of those some day.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Snicket

But Anderson does indeed have a voice. He deals with issues of class, social privilege, family relations, love and mid life discovery. He is one of the very few filmmakers out there who makes films you can almost immediately identify as his if you watch 2 minutes. While there are great filmmakers out there now, there are very few auteurs.

His comic sensibilities (which have evolved considerably since Bottle Rocket) may not jive with some people, but that's ok. He is using his toolbox to competently make the films he wants to make.

Anderson is quirky, the Coens are melancholy, Curon is grandiose, Nolan is spectacle, Malick is introspective. Let's celebrate that we have directors who are not vanilla and are trying to say something.

You lost me at Anderson and auteur.

[jlk5844]

I find myself to be in the middle when it comes to Anderson. Moonrise was the first one I saw, and I didn't get the extreme love for it. I thought it was good. I saw Rushmore and loved it, still my favorite of his, and the most accessible of his films that I have viewed so far, for anyone who may not want an overdose of quirk. That one I highly recommend. With Life Aquatic I was like wtf. Very style over substance, and the peak of his quirk. The only thing I liked was the colorful visuals, sort of. Grand Budapest started like most of his movies, where I was worried the quirk would overwhelm the story. But, thankfully, it was just a really fun and at times emotional movie, with a terrific Ralph Fiennes performance and solid comedy, and again great visuals.

I am very much still motivated to watch all of his films because they seem to be of different appeal to everybody. One's favorite could be another's least favorite.