The Criterion Collection

[Polaroid]

On note of Nymphomaniac:

VERY VERY VERY NSFW:

http://www.nymphomaniacthemovie.com/#

I do hope Criterion releases the full uncut version though...

[Judex]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

On note of Nymphomaniac:

VERY VERY VERY NSFW:

http://www.nymphomaniacthemovie.com/#

I do hope Criterion releases the full uncut version though...

Well that's the Solaris theme slightly ruined for me now...

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Unrelated, but have you heard the new U2 album, Songs of Innocence, that was released for free on iTunes yesterday? I'm sure that you have, since I know that you're a superfan.

My first impression after a few listens is that Songs of Innocence might be U2's most humble album to date. It's certainly one of their most introspective albums. I love that the album opens with a heartfelt ode to the effect that the Ramones had on the musical direction of the band, and I love that other songs, namely "Iris", dwell on the impact of family and friends on our lives.

U2 are not firing on all cylinders with this new album like they did back in the 1980s and 1990s, but they're still making some strong tracks. The standouts for me so far are "Every Breaking Wave", "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)", and "Volcano."

Within the hour, I had my world famous U2 fan site (http://www.U2station.com) updated with several news stories. I am definitely not a super fan anymore at all. That ended in the early 2000s after U2's first initial sell out (ironically around U2's first collaboration with Apple with their U2 ipod which I also bought then).

I was shocked that U2 came out with a new album yesterday, the first in 6 years. I pretty much all but gave up with that homogeneous band, ticked off and frustrated by Bono and co.'s greed and power and socio-political antics. I reluctantly put on the new album 2 hours after it was released and listened to it once and only once. I wanted to let the initial listen sink in before I re-played it again (which I will do today). I heard 3 or 4 good songs and the rest of the songs were overworked and forced. I particularly like tracks 2, 3 and 4 so far. I need to listen to this album again. I was somewhat impressed with some of the music and lyrics (especially on track 9 - Sleep like a Baby Tonight - which reminds me of 90's U2), so my consensus is not here yet.

More about this soon.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Judex

Well that's the Solaris theme slightly ruined for me now...

Bach! Absolutely incredible piece of music in the film it is used SO well, the scene is basically Joe comparing her sex life is like that piece of Bach music, its very well put together and probs my favourite chapter in the film

Really enjoyed rewetting Eraserhead and can see many more views in future, the release is incredible - just realised how similar the radiator girls room is to the room in Twin Peaks :P

[ultlife2013]

Tonight I shall be continuing my classic film viewings with a double feature of The Big Sleep and Key Largo. I've got so many Humphrey Bogart films now and all of them blind buys. Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Tonight I shall be continuing my classic film viewings with a double feature of The Big Sleep and Key Largo. I've got so many Humphrey Bogart films now and all of them blind buys. Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Great choices! Check out The Enforcer when you get a chance, because it's an underrated Bogart flick.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

Within the hour, I had my world famous U2 fan site (http://www.U2station.com) updated with several news stories. I am definitely not a super fan anymore at all. That ended in the early 2000s after U2's first initial sell out (ironically around U2's first collaboration with Apple with their U2 ipod which I also bought then).

I was shocked that U2 came out with a new album yesterday, the first in 6 years. I pretty much all but gave up with that homogeneous band, ticked off and frustrated by Bono and co.'s greed and power and socio-political antics. I reluctantly put on the new album 2 hours after it was released and listened to it once and only once. I wanted to let the initial listen sink in before I re-played it again (which I will do today). I heard 3 or 4 good songs and the rest of the songs were overworked and forced. I particularly like tracks 2, 3 and 4 so far. I need to listen to this album again. I was somewhat impressed with some of the music and lyrics (especially on track 9 - Sleep like a Baby Tonight - which reminds me of 90's U2), so my consensus is not here yet.

U2's music in the 2000s has nothing on their output from the 1980s and 1990s. During their first couple of decades, the band was quite adventurous and they were not afraid to change their approach. Since 2000, though, all of U2's albums simply sound like U2, and they have a manufactured brand name aesthetic. The recent albums all sound effortless, because the band has figured out how to please the long time fans, and they're simply rolling along with that. I still like the recent stuff well enough, though, and some of the songs from the past decade can still pack a cathartic gut punch.

I still think that Criterion should release Rattle and Hum.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Great discussion on U2; they were one of my favorite bands in the '80's & '90's. I actually saw them live in Fall 2001 (a couple of months after 9/11), and it was definitely one of my all-time favorite concerts.

Agree with The Great Owl; the last album I got from them was All that you leave behind (2000), and that was fairly mainstream. Haven't gotten or heard any of their subsequent albums. Here are my favorite albums by the group:

The Joshua Tree (1987): Amazing; this came out when I was in high school, and I remember the lyrics of many of the songs really resonated with me at the time. Not my favorite album by them, but at the time (late '80's), this was iconic....

Achtung, Baby (1991): Sheer brilliance, and one of my all-time favorite rock/pop albums, ever. Really liked the themes of longing & regret that permeated these songs, and IMHO this displayed a new maturity for the band. All of these songs are amazing, and this is defiinitely my favorite U2 album.

Zooropa (1993): Another great album, and I like how the band experimented with the then-relatively new electronica/techno songs.

Pop (1997): My second-favorite U2 album; the techno-vibe was even stronger here. Excellent stuff. It was amazing that these songs were produced by the same band that released The Joshua Tree ten years previously...

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jw007

Tell me one thing Lionsgate ever did right? I can't think of one.

Their releases of Terminator 2: Judgment Day have been aces. And then there's Apocalypse Now: Full Disclosure Edition, The Hunger Games films, Kick-Ass, Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing, the two seasons so far of Hannibal...

[shadedpain4]

Rattle and Hum would be a great Criterion. There are a ton of unofficially released deleted scenes, and a band commentary track would be rad.

If anyone was thinking about the Twin Peaks set, it can be had right now at dvdplanet for about $56 shipped. Seems pretty reasonable. (There is a thread in the deals section with details).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Coen

Pulp Fiction and Winter's Bone are both solid.

I can't give them credit for Pulp Fiction. It's just a clone of the previous edition distributed by Buena Vista (same with a bunch of other Miramax titles).

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Great choices! Check out The Enforcer when you get a chance, because it's an underrated Bogart flick.

Thanks for the recommendation and thanks for your support of my discovering of classic films. You are the wind beneath my wings, dude.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by jw007

Favorite movie by far for me is Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive. I think about that film often. I think its one of the most original films to have come along in years. Boyhood is also one of my favorites of 2014 too. Under the Skin is in the bottom of the barrel for me. Funny I haven't changed my avatar yet though.

Damn JW I thought you liked Under the Skin???

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

My most anticipated Criterion title of September. Looks like a fantastic disc.

Likewise, I'm really excited for this. It reminds me of my early days exploring Criterion where they'd throw out a title I'd never heard of but looked right up my street.

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

For me:



Moonrise Kingdom

Life Aquatic

Budapest Hotel (Hate to rank after just one viewing though)

Darjeeling Ltd

Fantastic Mr Fox

Royal Tenenbaums

Rushmore (Need to revisit it)

Bottle Rocket

Originally Posted by RojD

Moonrise Kingdom

Fantastic Mr Fox

Darjeeling Ltd

Royal Tenenbaums

Budapest Hotel

Life Aquatic

Rushmore

Bottle Rocket

Originally Posted by willieconway

I enjoy them all but my list is:



Royal Tenenbaums

Life Aquatic

Budapest Hotel

The Darjeeling Limited

Rushmore

Fantastic Mr Fox

Bottle Rocket

Moonrise Kingdom

Originally Posted by Archedamian

I am a big Wes Anderson fan, and The Darjeeling Limited is my favorite of his films.

Originally Posted by iScottie

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Darjeeling Limited

The Royal Tenenbums

Rushmore

Bottle Rocket

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Moonrise Kingdom

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

Thanks for your lists, peoples!

My list would be like this:

Life Aquatic
Rushmore
Bottle Rocket
The Royal Tenebaums
Grand Budapest Hotel
Moonrise Kingdom

As of now, that list can always change depending on mood after re watches. Also the top 4 on my list are very close to a tie for first place, so much awesomeness in those films. I really like Anderson's color palette choices and his framing of scenes. The camera movements really add another layer to the films.

Haven't seen fantastic mr. Fox or the darjeeling limited yet.

Anybody who wants to add to the lists are free to do so now.

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Likewise, I'm really excited for this. It reminds me of my early days exploring Criterion where they'd throw out a title I'd never heard of but looked right up my street.

I have a big fondness for French Cinema during that period. My "Midnight in Paris” time travel period would be Paris at that time. Essentially I want to be trapped in a "French New Wave" I've never seen this film, so my anticipation for it is strong.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

I have a big fondness for French Cinema during that period. My "Midnight in Paris” time travel period would be Paris at that time. Essentially I want to be trapped in a "French New Wave" I've never seen this film, so my anticipation for it is strong.

Yes, it's my favourite period too. I'm particularly intrigued about the interview with Bourguignon in which he apparently discusses the place of his own work alongside that of the New Wave filmmakers.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

Great discussion on U2; they were one of my favorite bands in the '80's & '90's. I actually saw them live in Fall 2001 (a couple of months after 9/11), and it was definitely one of my all-time favorite concerts.

Agree with The Great Owl; the last album I got from them was All that you leave behind (2000), and that was fairly mainstream. Haven't gotten or heard any of their subsequent albums. Here are my favorite albums by the group:

The Joshua Tree (1987): Amazing; this came out when I was in high school, and I remember the lyrics of many of the songs really resonated with me at the time. Not my favorite album by them, but at the time (late '80's), this was iconic....

Achtung, Baby (1991): Sheer brilliance, and one of my all-time favorite rock/pop albums, ever. Really liked the themes of longing & regret that permeated these songs, and IMHO this displayed a new maturity for the band. All of these songs are amazing, and this is defiinitely my favorite U2 album.

Zooropa (1993): Another great album, and I like how the band experimented with the then-relatively new electronica/techno songs.

Pop (1997): My second-favorite U2 album; the techno-vibe was even stronger here. Excellent stuff. It was amazing that these songs were produced by the same band that released The Joshua Tree ten years previously...

Achtung Baby is their best work by far, followed by Zooropa. Their 1980s output was far more ambitious and far different but far more pretentious as they were channeling Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan with The Joshua Tree. It's a great album for what it is but its in another era for the band. When Rattle & Hum was released at the end of the decade, the band all but nearly split up from frustrations over how pretentious their music was and how they weren't meshing. This was all rectified with Achtung Baby though, an amazing sonic exploration of dance music and rock and roll fused together into a brilliant masterpiece that is more re-playable than any other U2 album. Even 1997's Pop is their last ambitious, raw effort before they became a marketing group called: "U2", with their overproduction and irritating perfectionism in studio albums. By the 2000s, U2 were washed up and they played it safe with All That You Can't Leave Behind and the followup (How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb), a lukewarm affair. No Line on the Horizon was too unfocused. And now we have Songs of Innocence, still something to be determined in U2's long running canon of work.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

U2's music in the 2000s has nothing on their output from the 1980s and 1990s. During their first couple of decades, the band was quite adventurous and they were not afraid to change their approach. Since 2000, though, all of U2's albums simply sound like U2, and they have a manufactured brand name aesthetic. The recent albums all sound effortless, because the band has figured out how to please the long time fans, and they're simply rolling along with that. I still like the recent stuff well enough, though, and some of the songs from the past decade can still pack a cathartic gut punch.

I still think that Criterion should release Rattle and Hum.

I said the same thing a year or two ago about Rattle and Hum making for a worthwhile Criterion release. It's an epic failure of a band trying to channel Springsteen and the 1970s American music scene and is pretentious as can be, but its so fascinating seeing these guys failing at being absolutely ostentatious, that the film is worthwhile.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Damn JW I thought you liked Under the Skin???

Under the Skin is one strange movie. Maybe I should revisit it again. Glad Criterion never got a hold of this one though.

[SammyJankis]

Under the Skin is one of the two masterpieces I've seen this year. I have a feeling, way down the road, it'll be one of the few films I remember from this year. Don't really care if they got ahold of it or not, though; the Blu release is fine.