The Criterion Collection

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by greekak229

Sorry to disappoint, but The Social Network will win Best Picture at the Oscars. It is on a roll winning everything. I's a magnificent film, so I'm very happy for its success. I think it's the best of the bunch.

Not to start an argument, but I thought the entire film was pointless and far too topical right now. It would have been better if Fincher had simply put together a TV documentary on Facebook. If it does win Best Picture (and I don't think it will), this will be one of the ones that fades into relative obscurity (and dates horribly) within twenty years. The only thing the film has going for it is Sorkin's dialogue, which, like the film's characters, is probably too unlikable--however well-written--to garner favor with the notoriously traditional (read: older) AMPAS voters.

I have to say, I didn't think Sweetie would make it to BD this quickly. The nest couple of months are good, but not great in my opinion, Kes (and Cathy Come Home--only available previously as a, now OOP and expensive, DVD from the BFI), is probably my most anticipated release.

Excited about the coming Basil Dearden Eclipse box, also, though.

[angrywolf]

Originally Posted by SoundofSilence01

Does anyone seem to know why many new criterion releases are not available on blu ray on Netflix such as Seven Samurai, Night of the Hunter, BBS Hollywood films, Modern Times, Videodrome, etc...

I've also noticed alot of other catalogue titles finally coming to blu ray are also not available. Such as True Grit, Steamboat Bill Jr., Once Upon a Time in America, The Color Purpe, etc...

It's really starting to piss me off

I just downgraded my Neflix account to 1 DVD out at a time, streaming and no Blu-ray for this very reason. It seems that if a new Criterion Blu-ray is already available on DVD (even if it's on a non-Criterion crappy transfer), or it's available for streaming, they won't get it. I'm about to subscribe to Blockbuster too because they do seem to have more Criterion Blu-rays available.

[nametag]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

I don't care much for either The King's Speech or The Social Network. But if I had to choose between the two I'd go with The Social Network. I'll probably get flamed for saying so but Toy Story 3 was better than any of the nominees IMO.

Oh yeah, Toy Story 3 definitely SHOULD win Best Picture at the Oscars (and Golden Globes, whatever). It'd be a great win, both 'politically' and artistically. The Social Network is currently my second choice, though I haven't yet seen The Fighter, True Grit, or Black Swan because they aren't out in the UK yet. Haven't seen 127 Hours either. So that might change. Saw the King's Speech last year... thought it was solid with great performances, but not that special.

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Not to start an argument, but I thought the entire film was pointless and far too topical right now. It would have been better if Fincher had simply put together a TV documentary on Facebook. If it does win Best Picture (and I don't think it will), this will be one of the ones that fades into relative obscurity (and dates horribly) within twenty years. The only thing the film has going for it is Sorkin's dialogue, which, like the film's characters, is probably too unlikable--however well-written--to garner favor with the notoriously traditional (read: older) AMPAS voters.

After all the hype all I could think of when watching it was that it was just standard story of betrayal A1. I really do hope there will be some kind of backlash because I just cannot see it's greatness. Yeah, it's a pretty good film, well-made (but so was Ben Button and that was boring as hell), some witty dialogue and performances. But I didn't think it had any depth, lacking in emotion (like Ben Button, despite trying so hard to be sentimental) no outstanding performances, and they kept piling and piling on more characters with the result being that they were barely a step above those of Inception. If I were to sum it up it one word it would be 'superficial'.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by JJE-187

Does anyone have the old digipak case for The Third Man that they no longer want? I would be willing to pay $ to cover shipping and everything. My wifes dog got mine and shredded it while I was watching the movie stupid dogs

I may be able to help you. I still have digipaks for Third Man, Chungking Express, Marienbad, etc.

I'll check the condition of them when I get home and then provide you with a picture.

[italy12]

Originally Posted by SoundofSilence01

Does anyone seem to know why many new criterion releases are not available on blu ray on Netflix such as Seven Samurai, Night of the Hunter, BBS Hollywood films, Modern Times, Videodrome, etc...

I've also noticed alot of other catalogue titles finally coming to blu ray are also not available. Such as True Grit, Steamboat Bill Jr., Once Upon a Time in America, The Color Purpe, etc...

It's really starting to piss me off

Blockbuster is the way to go for BDs...there's no extra charge a la Netflix. Granted, BBuster is not a secure company anymore, at least you can enjoy what they have to offer for the time being. If you still have a store near you, you can trade in your mailers for rentals with no due date.

Once you return those, your next mailer ships. It's pretty ideal, but only if they stay in business.

I originally switched from Netflix to BBuster strictly because of their selection. I couldn't find a lot of movies on N's site, but could find them easily on B's.

[jacobsever]

Now you guys have me questioning the way I use netflix...
I just signed up 2 months ago when I bought a Wii. I just do the streaming & 1dvd. I find their selection to be enormous, almost to the point of being overwhelming.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Not to start an argument, but I thought the entire film was pointless and far too topical right now. It would have been better if Fincher had simply put together a TV documentary on Facebook. If it does win Best Picture (and I don't think it will), this will be one of the ones that fades into relative obscurity (and dates horribly) within twenty years. The only thing the film has going for it is Sorkin's dialogue, which, like the film's characters, is probably too unlikable--however well-written--to garner favor with the notoriously traditional (read: older) AMPAS voters.

Now don't get mad at me for asking you this, but did you even see the film? Your comments resemble the kind of person that is on the fence about seeing the film, but not sure how they can make a 2 hr. film about Facebook. After all, it is just about Facebook isn't it?

I agree with what you're saying about the older AMPAS voters though. But honestly The King's Speech was seemingly the only film of the year to attract any attention from the older crowd. I haven't seen it; I really want to though. But I can't convince myself, the way you have, that something like the age of the AMPAS voters would prevent The Social Network from winning anything. Black Swan would be the one to do that, but I don't think it's the "better film". Natalie Portman will win Best Actress, and I'll be happy for that because she was dominant in her role. Nuf said.

Originally Posted by Pyoko

After all the hype all I could think of when watching it was that it was just standard story of betrayal A1. I really do hope there will be some kind of backlash because I just cannot see it's greatness. Yeah, it's a pretty good film, well-made (but so was Ben Button and that was boring as hell), some witty dialogue and performances. But I didn't think it had any depth, lacking in emotion (like Ben Button, despite trying so hard to be sentimental) no outstanding performances, and they kept piling and piling on more characters with the result being that they were barely a step above those of Inception. If I were to sum it up it one word it would be 'superficial'.

Explain how it's a "standard story of betrayal"? Have you seen a movie like it? Also, what kind of "backlash" would you wish to take place? Burning of every copy? Rallies? I don't understand how someone can draw a conclusion like this, to describe one of the best films of the year as "superficial", "lacking any emotion", "no outstanding performances". That's just lame and unfounded because everyone who's seen the film knows how great the performances and the directing were. I certainly felt sympathetic toward the people involved and even toward Zuckerberg, so there's your emotion right there. Whether you felt sympathetic or scornful toward Zuckerberg doesn't make a difference, it still can be emotionally stirring. Also, I think this film is going to age extraordinarily well.

[whbinder]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Not to start an argument, but I thought the entire film was pointless and far too topical right now.

Respectfully, I disagree. "The Social Network" wasn't about Facebook anymore than Beverly Hills 90210 was about the modern education system. Now, if you feel the film was overrated or dull or whathaveyou, I can respect that opinion. I have a different opinion, but that's what makes film great.

But I think it's unfair to talk about this film as being too topical, etc. Facebook was really just a setting for the character study. It wasn't a film about Facebook.

[greekak229]

Sorry to those that won't be able to accept it, but The Social Network will absolutely win Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay. No film has had more success thus far in terms of awards and recent praise. About time, because a Fincher film is in definite need of attention, and he'll get it here with this one.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by whbinder

Respectfully, I disagree. "The Social Network" wasn't about Facebook anymore than Beverly Hills 90210 was about the modern education system. Now, if you feel the film was overrated or dull or whathaveyou, I can respect that opinion. I have a different opinion, but that's what makes film great.

But I think it's unfair to talk about this film as being too topical, etc. Facebook was really just a setting for the character study. It wasn't a film about Facebook.

Originally Posted by greekak229

Sorry to those that won't be able to accept it, but The Social Network will absolutely win Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay. No film has had more success thus far in terms of awards and recent praise. About time, because a Fincher film is in definite need of attention, and he'll get it here with this one.

Couldn't agree more.

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

Explain how it's a "standard story of betrayal"? Have you seen a movie like it? Also, what kind of "backlash" would you wish to take place? Burning of every copy? Rallies?

Guy gets screwed out of millions after an invention explodes? Most recent example I can recall was a storyline like that in Breaking Bad. And with backlash I mean of the Shakespeare in Love kind, where people realise that maybe it wasn't the genius masterpiece they at first thought. Inception got crap, and rightly so, for its paper-thin characters, but everyone seems to be eating up The Social Network despite most of the characters being wafer-thin at best, and that's for a drama, as opposed to a tech/action movie.

Maybe it deserves best picture, maybe there wasn't anything else really good this year. But to me it's a sleek, solid movie, not something to put among history's greats.

[jacobsever]

Originally Posted by whbinder

But I think it's unfair to talk about this film as being too topical, etc. Facebook was really just a setting for the character study. It wasn't a film about Facebook.

But without the invention of Facebook, this film would never have been made. Mark Zuckerberg would have never been famous, and his name would have been unknown by everyone in the world.

Originally Posted by wikipedia

The Social Network is a 2010 drama film about the founding of the social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits.

[myka22]

Originally Posted by SoundofSilence01

Does anyone seem to know why many new criterion releases are not available on blu ray on Netflix such as Seven Samurai, Night of the Hunter, BBS Hollywood films, Modern Times, Videodrome, etc...

I've also noticed alot of other catalogue titles finally coming to blu ray are also not available. Such as True Grit, Steamboat Bill Jr., Once Upon a Time in America, The Color Purpe, etc...

It's really starting to piss me off

Really? I stopped my Netflix about six months ago, but when I did have it they seemed to have every Criterion Blu-ray, and were also getting the new ones. I literally spent a few weeks trying to watch all of the Criterion Blu's.

[jacobsever]

Originally Posted by greekak229

No film has had more success thus far in terms of recent praise.

Maybe it was because of the limited release, but I heard way more talk/buzz/hype about Black Swan than the Social Network.

And as far as nominations go...

Social Network : 183
King's Speech : 156
Black Swan : 147
Inception : 162

It really doesn't have THAT much of a lead over the others, nominations speaking. I wouldn't be so 100% sure it will win the Oscar. That's like everything thinking the Patriots would take the Super Bowl this year...and look what happened...

[Hendershot737]

Just thought I'd ask if a thread had been started where Criterion users/lovers could exchange and or sell their copies (for whatever reason). I just thought it'd be a good idea for criterion lovers to work together amongst themselves as well as helping Blu-Ray.com users to either earn more money for their copies (without some online conglomerate taking a chunk out of the earnings). I'm not looking to sell myself, but may be interested in buying (as perhaps many Criterion Collection Discussion readers may be as well). Just a thought.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

But without the invention of Facebook, this film would never have been made. Mark Zuckerberg would have never been famous, and his name would have been unknown by everyone in the world.

I think the disagreement stems from this exact claim. Many of us would argue that the film isn't really about Facebook (in the same way that lots of great films aren't really "about" what people claim they are). Facebook is the background used for a more complex examination of motivation, guilt, greed, ambition, and desire. In this sense, I don't think the film is too topical...just like I can still watch a movie about Vietnam, or WWI and find things relevant to our contemporary moment. Obviously only time will tell, but my sense is that this is a movie that will be relevant for a long time.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by Pyoko

Guy gets screwed out of millions after an invention explodes? Most recent example I can recall was a storyline like that in Breaking Bad. And with backlash I mean of the Shakespeare in Love kind, where people realise that maybe it wasn't the genius masterpiece they at first thought. Inception got crap, and rightly so, for its paper-thin characters, but everyone seems to be eating up The Social Network despite most of the characters being wafer-thin at best, and that's for a drama, as opposed to a tech/action movie.

Maybe it deserves best picture, maybe there wasn't anything else really good this year. But to me it's a sleek, solid movie, not something to put among history's greats.

Actually, I think a lot of people agreed at the time that Shakespeare in Love wasn't the masterpiece that some claimed, and that more than anything the fact that it won was a testimony to the masterful manipulation and marketing of the Weinsteins.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by Hendershot737

Just thought I'd ask if a thread had been started where Criterion users/lovers could exchange and or sell their copies (for whatever reason). I just thought it'd be a good idea for criterion lovers to work together amongst themselves as well as helping Blu-Ray.com users to either earn more money for their copies (without some online conglomerate taking a chunk out of the earnings). I'm not looking to sell myself, but may be interested in buying (as perhaps many Criterion Collection Discussion readers may be as well). Just a thought.

Someone started a 'Sticky' thread in the Hot Deals section... right here. It's all mostly blu-ray stuff, though, since this is a blu-ray specific site.

Otherwise, I'd suggest you go over to criterionforum.org and sign-up so you can jump into their 'Buying/Trading' thread, which has lots of Criterions floating around as well as MOC titles, Second Run, Mr. Bongo, etc.

CC

[whbinder]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

But without the invention of Facebook, this film would never have been made. Mark Zuckerberg would have never been famous, and his name would have been unknown by everyone in the world.

Superman would never have been a household name if Krypton never exploded. The tagline for Superman was "You Will Believe a Man Can Fly", not "That Krypton Exploding Movie"