The Criterion Collection

[Gusto-Guus]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

For those just interested in the top 25 of 2014, here it is:

TSPDT's 25 Most Critically-Acclaimed Films of 2014
1. BOYHOOD Richard Linklater
2. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL Wes Anderson
3. UNDER THE SKIN Jonathan Glazer
4. WHIPLASH Damien Chazelle
5. IDA Pawel Pawlikowski
6. ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE Jim Jarmusch
7. BIRDMAN Alejandro González Iñárritu
8. FORCE MAJEURE Ruben Östlund
9. THE IMMIGRANT James Gray
10. GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE Jean-Luc Godard
11. TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
12. NIGHTCRAWLER Dan Gilroy
13. GONE GIRL David Fincher
14. WE ARE THE BEST! Lukas Moodysson
15. INHERENT VICE Paul Thomas Anderson
16. SELMA Ava DuVernay
17. THE BABADOOK Jennifer Kent
18. CITIZENFOUR Laura Poitras
19. MR. TURNER Mike Leigh
20. THE LEGO MOVIE Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
21. LISTEN UP PHILIP Alex Ross Perry
22. SNOWPIERCER Bong Joon-ho
23. MANAKAMANA Stephanie Spray & Pacho Velez
24. FOXCATCHER Bennett Miller
25. STRAY DOGS Tsai Ming-liang

Yeah, I know I might get some flack for saying this but what the ****? I thought both American Sniper and Interstellar were better than INHERENT VICE

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

Again, the villains in the government were literally Nazis. That is not dealing with the issue in a serious way. HYDRA utterly failed, Captain America succeeded in destroying their plan. The film took the easy, black and white way out.

Well, no, they weren't "literally" Nazis. Hydra started out in the 40s as a Nazi "super-science" group, but the Hydra agents as they were shown in the film were not Nazis. No more than Russian mobsters are "literally" KGB.

Nevertheless, why isn't that dealing with the issue in a serious way? How is it any different than Marathon Man or The Boys from Brazil, or any thriller that features a Neo-Nazi organization?

Hydra utterly failed with respect to that particular plot. They weren't destroyed, and are still operating. And SHIELD is now "organization non grata". Hydra's plot was stopped, but at the cost of the virtual elimination of SHIELD. That's not the easy way out.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Gusto-Guus

Yeah, I know I might get some flack for saying this but what the ****? I thought both American Sniper and Interstellar were better than INHERENT VICE

For what it's worth, I found Inherent Vice to be one of PTA's worst films.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

I would argue it's a comic book movie with some politically-driven conspiracy thriller aspects. Essentially, the other way around.

Don't be awkward, we're both saying the same thing!

Originally Posted by Infernal King

That is not dealing with the issue in a serious way. HYDRA utterly failed, Captain America succeeded in destroying their plan. The film took the easy, black and white way out.

I don't know about that. Hydra may have ultimately failed, but (SPOILERS) the revelations in Winter Soldier have dramatically altered the wider MCU. It's arguable as to whether or not they actually lost, given that it is revealed that everything we thought we knew about Shield was borne of a falsity, with the wider conspiracy extending far and wide. That's some pretty bold plotting (in terms of the wider MCU) for a franchise which is reliant upon am invested audience. In terms of storytelling I actually think what Marvel are doing is pretty bold. Sure, there's cause for complaint in some areas (aesthetically they're hardly the most daring features, but I understand why they are this way), but yeah, I think they're doing a really interesting job.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

So, you're telling me out of the 600 movies released in the US every year, there aren't exponentially more thriller/crime movies than comic book movies? That seems like an incorrect statement.

Where did I say that? I used "twice" as a rhetorical example, because I don't know the exact ratio.

I also don't understand why you seem to get so confrontational and snarky just because someone has a different opinion than you. You should probably work on that.

In what way am I being snarky and confrontational? I'm disagreeing with you, and backing up my position.

[Feiereisel]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Yes, that's certainly the case. There are any number of "comic book movies" that don't involve superheroes. Four off the top of my head: Ghost World, American Splendor, Road to Perdition, and A History of Violence. All of which (especially the first two) can be argued to be "art house fare".

Superhero films are certainly a "thing" now, much more than they were in the past, but it's not like they haven't been around a while. There were superhero serials in the 40s, random superhero films in the 60s and 70s, a few more in the 80s and 90s. The modern wave of superhero films can be argued to have started in 2000 with X-Men.

I'd argue that the reason they are more popular now than they were last century is undoubtedly the advances in CGI that made superhero action (not to mention the characters themselves, like Hulk) much more realistic. Which is why the big blockbuster SF/fantasy films are popular as well.

I know. I was just trying to signal boost the non-superhero stuff, given some of the disparaging comments. Superheroes crowd-out the other stuff in print as well as on film, it seems.

Advantages in CGI definitely help sell the spectacle aspect of it all, but I also think the shared universe conceit is a big part of the appeal. It dovetails well with the post-Sopranos prestige drama boom--Walking Dead is kind of a case in point in that regard.

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Well, no, they weren't "literally" Nazis. Hydra started out in the 40s as a Nazi "super-science" group, but the Hydra agents as they were shown in the film were not Nazis. No more than Russian mobsters are "literally" KGB.

Nevertheless, why isn't that dealing with the issue in a serious way? How is it any different than Marathon Man or The Boys from Brazil, or any thriller that features a Neo-Nazi organization?

Hydra utterly failed with respect to that particular plot. They weren't destroyed, and are still operating. And SHIELD is now "organization non grata". Hydra's plot was stopped, but at the cost of the virtual elimination of SHIELD. That's not the easy way out.

If the film wanted to deal with the subject seriously, then all the villains would be the same type of real-world sociopaths who run the government instead of, yes, Nazis or Neo Nazis, whatever (the computer guy who orchestrated a lot of the events and the "Hail HYDRA" secret society thing). There would be no explosion-filled giant sci-fi helicarriers falling into the Potomac climax with an evil super soldier who can only be defeated by another super soldier, etc. The Winter Soldier is a good superhero movie. It is not a 70s conspiracy thriller in the vein of whatever film you want to mention from that era with superhero aspects. That is the point I am disputing.

I still say the easy way out is stopping HYDRA's plot, not whether they're still operating and SHIELD is temporarily eliminated (except on television I'm guessing?) until they rebuild it. But then again HYDRA's plot is so outlandish that it just proves my point: this is not a serious, realistic movie, nor should it be. It's a comic book/superhero movie.

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Don't be awkward, we're both saying the same thing!



I don't know about that. Hydra may have ultimately failed, but (SPOILERS) the revelations in Winter Soldier have dramatically altered the wider MCU. It's arguable as to whether or not they actually lost, given that it is revealed that everything we thought we knew about Shield was borne of a falsity, with the wider conspiracy extending far and wide. That's some pretty bold plotting (in terms of the wider MCU) for a franchise which is reliant upon am invested audience. In terms of storytelling I actually think what Marvel are doing is pretty bold. Sure, there's cause for complaint in some areas (aesthetically they're hardly the most daring features, but I understand why they are this way), but yeah, I think they're doing a really interesting job.

I liked Winter Soldier. It's one of the MCU's best films (although I'm not really a superhero film fan on the whole) and I liked the idea that HYDRA had infiltrated SHIELD. I have a bone to pick with its 3rd act climax and some nitpicks aside from that but that was never something I wanted to debate. Simply that the argument The Great Owl and others have presented goes way too far, in my opinion.

[Gusto-Guus]

Originally Posted by iScottie

If you guys are that desperate for Criterions, purchase them on Amazon or eBay or wait for the Barnes 'N Noble sale.

Stop whining every single day about there not being a flash sale.

True, but it's means more buying from Criterion because after a certain amount of purchases, you get a free movie. I've spent hundreds at Amazon and B&N and they never gave anything free in return.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

After that, 'Daredevil'. Forgettable. Ang Lee's 'Hulk'? Garbage. 'Catwoman'? No comment needed. 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'? 'Fantastic Four'? The cinematic abortions that were 'Thor' and 'Ghost Rider'? 'Green Lantern'? 'Jonah Hex'?

The majority of what you listed are movies everyone considers terrible though.

I could put together a list of animated movies that are widely considered terrible, it wouldn't prove that animated movies are all poor.

[Polaroid]

Just finished watching Venus in Furs and pretty awesome film, I was a bit sad when it ended, just wanted more! Great performances.

Have loved his stage adaptations (this and Carnage). I have only seen a few of his other films, are his other films in collection worth checking out? (only seen Rosemary's Baby, Repulsion and Tess).

I didn't like The Ghost Writer though, thought that was a pretty weak film from Polanski.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

TSPDT's 25 Most Critically-Acclaimed Films of 2014
1. BOYHOOD Richard Linklater
2. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL Wes Anderson
3. UNDER THE SKIN Jonathan Glazer
4. WHIPLASH Damien Chazelle
5. IDA Pawel Pawlikowski
6. ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE Jim Jarmusch
7. BIRDMAN Alejandro González Iñárritu
8. FORCE MAJEURE Ruben Östlund
9. THE IMMIGRANT James Gray
10. GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE Jean-Luc Godard
11. TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
12. NIGHTCRAWLER Dan Gilroy
13. GONE GIRL David Fincher
14. WE ARE THE BEST! Lukas Moodysson
15. INHERENT VICE Paul Thomas Anderson
16. SELMA Ava DuVernay
17. THE BABADOOK Jennifer Kent
18. CITIZENFOUR Laura Poitras
19. MR. TURNER Mike Leigh
20. THE LEGO MOVIE Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
21. LISTEN UP PHILIP Alex Ross Perry
22. SNOWPIERCER Bong Joon-ho
23. MANAKAMANA Stephanie Spray & Pacho Velez
24. FOXCATCHER Bennett Miller
25. STRAY DOGS Tsai Ming-liang

I've seen ten of them so far, and I am interested in seeing most.

Edited: Thought this was the top 25 of the other list, not of 2014. Oops!

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Just finished watching Venus in Furs and pretty awesome film, I was a bit sad when it ended, just wanted more! Great performances.

Have loved his stage adaptations (this and Carnage). I have only seen a few of his other films, are his other films in collection worth checking out? (only seen Rosemary's Baby, Repulsion and Tess).

I didn't like The Ghost Writer though, thought that was a pretty weak film from Polanski.

Certainly check out Knife in the Water and Macbeth. Both are excellent and classic Polanski.

And I agree with you on both Venus In Fur and Ghost Writer. Venus In Fur was just absolutely fascinating, I thought. I was completely engaged from minute 1.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

I would argue it's a comic book movie with some politically-driven conspiracy thriller aspects. Essentially, the other way around. And like I said, good guys win, bad guys lose, an almost Avengers-scale action climax that decimates any doubt what this movie's primary concern is, and the fact that everyone involved in government surveillance are LITERALLY Nazis is so childish that I couldn't take the film's primary conceit seriously.

The knowledge that good guys will win does not necessarily make a movie bad, or poor climax scenes, the Climax scene in Toy Story 3 is very intense and perfectly crafted, i don't think any of the recent Superhero movies has approached that quality.

Edit: still it would be better if they don't announce the equivalent of Toy Story 4, 5 and 6 before releasing the third one

[myka22]

I watched The Thin Blue Line the other night as some have been discussing. I definitely recommend watching it, as it is on Netflix right now. It is a troubling documentary.

I also watched his more recent work, The Unknown Known, which is equally fascinating and disturbing. Now that I think about it there are a few similarities between the two films.

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

The knowledge that good guys will win does not necessarily make a movie bad, or poor climax scenes, the Climax scene in Toy Story 3 is very intense and perfectly crafted, i don't think any of the recent Superhero movies has approached that quality.

Edit: still it would be better if they don't announce the equivalent of Toy Story 4, 5 and 6 before releasing the third one

I didn't say Winter Soldier was bad. I meant that "good guys win, bad guys lose" does not scream "1970s political/conspiracy thriller" to me.

The climax of Winter Soldier was "seen this sort of thing before", however, and a predictable letdown. For me, anyway.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Certainly check out Knife in the Water and Macbeth. Both are excellent and classic Polanski.

And I agree with you on both Venus In Fur and Ghost Writer. Venus In Fur was just absolutely fascinating, I thought. I was completely engaged from minute 1.

Oh yes Macbeth, I have got that, completely forgot about that one haha!

Criterion have got more of his films than I remember! Not seen or heard of Knife in the Water though, thanks for recommendation

[Andrew13]

Just a heads-up, Amazon's preorder price for Cries and Whispers, The Rose, and The Merchant of the Four Seasons has dropped to $22.99.

[pedromvu]

I was unable to watch this at work, but seems a heads up on the work being done on the upcoming Apu Trilogy if someone is interested:

http://wexarts.org/film-video/restor...gy?language=en

[oildude]

Good grief....seven pages of superhero movie chatter.

If anyone cares to join me in the bar I will be talking about Criterion movies.

Last watched: King of the Hill. First time seeing it and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I think some of it comes from being a sucker for movies set during the Depression. The period details are fantastic. The roots of The Greatest Generation are on display here, how a kid essentially left to fend for himself manages to stay in school and not turn into a gangster. Much of the story takes place through day to day vignettes. The kids are resourceful, resilient, and somehow manage to hang onto their decency with vagrant camps across the street and starvation staring them in the face daily. Some of the scenes are laugh out loud funny and others immensely moving. Don't think much of the father though.

Despite the tough times, there is a veneer of nostalgia surrounding the film, like in many movies about kids during the Depression. Those kids later went on to make up the majority of the soldiers who fought WWII.