The Criterion Collection

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by SilentDawn

I buy a lot of books and films from B&N; I think the membership is worth every penny.

Of course, you never buy new releases at B&N; but you can find some awesome Blu-ray deals if you use the coupons they send you.

In regards to Criterion; B&N is the best place to buy them if you can get a deal.

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

I view the membership as a basic way to not have to account for tax when having to buy something - it'll always be just a little bet less than the price of the item listed. So long as you spend $250 it's a perfectly reasonable way to keep costs down (plus you get sent 20% coupons every other weekish instead of 15% off, amongst 2 additional coupons every few months). I'd say any given year I probably spend around $650 at BN for one reason or another so it seems a totally reasonable way to lower costs.

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I buy 90% of my Criterions (and I buy them all) at the 2 yearly B&N sales and the 2 yearly Criterion.com flash sales. The money i save with the extra 10% off, not to mention the additional member coupon savings, far exceeds the paltry $25 a year. Sure, if you only buy one Criterion (as your example illustrates) its probably not worth the $25, but im guessing those who opt for membership are probably purchasing at higher volumes.

if you are buying them all and you are waiting for the two sales, as SP4 here says he does, then it is probably worth it.

if you are an OCD collector and need boxes in pristine condition along with the blue sticker, then I guess it works for you, too, to pick them out in the store.

yes, many ppl are "getting their money back," but my point is that if you pay attention there are probably a dozen different places that offer flash sales throughout the year, rewards points, free shipping, no tax, etc.

[smoss469]

I wish there was a BN closer than 3 hours drive to me.

[LegacyCosts]

I have been a member of Barnes for a while now and I never get coupons emailed to me or sent to me. They usually are emailed correct? Can I get them off the website or something?

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I'm still not completely understanding the fascination w/ buying Criterions from B&N. I don't know the order in which coupons are "stacked" but 30% off a 39.99 MSRP equals $27.99. If you have a coupon for 20%, it's $22.39. If you're a member, you take another 10% off so $20.15. Plus sales tax.. AND you pay $25 annually to get these "deals."

Well, I got the Zatoichi set for $75 at B&N by stacking sales, coupons, and membership. So that might help to explain some of the deals one can get.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by octagon

Deep down - in places you don't like to talk about at parties - we all want Criterion to release The Ghost and Mr Chicken.

Not me. I'm perfectly happy with my copy in Universal's "Franchise Collection DVD set: Don Knotts Reluctant Hero Pack (along with The Reluctant Astronaut, The Shakiest Gun in the West, and The Love God?).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I'm still not completely understanding the fascination w/ buying Criterions from B&N. I don't know the order in which coupons are "stacked" but 30% off a 39.99 MSRP equals $27.99. If you have a coupon for 20%, it's $22.39. If you're a member, you take another 10% off so $20.15. Plus sales tax.. AND you pay $25 annually to get these "deals."

It's not complicated. Sure, you pay $25/year to get these "deals", but you can amortize that cost over a metric shït-load of discs. I just renewed my membership the other day and bought two BDs. The membership savings for just those two discs was almost half of the membership cost. If one bought two discs (Criterion or otherwise) every two weeks at that rate, you'd save over $300.

Sure, maybe one can get the same cost breaks by buying from Amazon. On the other hand, you're also paying shipping costs there (unless you pay the premium for Amazon Prime), you don't know what condition they'll be in when they arrive, and you won't have them in hand right away.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

yes, many ppl are "getting their money back," but my point is that if you pay attention there are probably a dozen different places that offer flash sales throughout the year, rewards points, free shipping, no tax, etc.

I'm lazy. I don't spend a lot of time searching for special deals from a dozen different places. That's kind of the point. Why look at a dozen different places, when you can go to one place and get a reasonable deal. It doesn't have to be the best deal; for the most part, a reasonable deal is sufficient.

For new releases of contemporary movies, I usually just buy at Target or Best Buy. For the things they don't carry, I buy from B&N. For the things that I can't find even at B&N, I buy from Amazon. That works for me.

Besides, as others have said, some of us also buy books. My wife and I would have a B&N membership anyway, so why not use it to buy BDs as well instead of going to several different websites? I already get no tax (I'm in New Hampshire) and no shipping. The only extra cost for me is the gas to drive over to the store.

[The Keeper]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

...but my point is that if you pay attention there are probably a dozen different places that offer flash sales throughout the year, rewards points, free shipping, no tax, etc.

I pay very close attention, and it is RARE that I can find a better deal than the best deals (a few times a year) at Barnes and Noble as a member. They won't let me stack coupons like I used to, but I pay $15.69 (including Cook County 9% sales tax) for a $39.99 MSRP title if I have a 20%-off coupon during the 50%-off sale. $29.99 titles are $11.76 out the door with the same deal. During the holidays there are 25, 30, or 40% coupons, too. And there's a $5 off $50 member coupon that I've used on many purchases.

On top of that, I often pay with discounted BN gift cards that I purchase online, usually saving another 10-12%. Truth is, coupons are getting harder and harder to come by, and cashiers have been shutting me down on coupon use more and more lately. That, combined with the necessity of driving to the store (and finding a place to park at Old Orchard Shopping Mall) has dulled the fun of it a bit. But...

I couldn't have gotten the Zatoichi set for $80 anywhere else.

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by The Keeper

I pay very close attention, and it is RARE that I can find a better deal than the best deals (a few times a year) at Barnes and Noble as a member. They won't let me stack coupons like I used to, but I pay $15.69 (including Cook County 9% sales tax) for a $39.99 MSRP title if I have a 20%-off coupon during the 50%-off sale.

Yep...$14.61 for me. I live for B&N coupons during sale time.

[Icemouth]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I'm still not completely understanding the fascination w/ buying Criterions from B&N. I don't know the order in which coupons are "stacked" but 30% off a 39.99 MSRP equals $27.99. If you have a coupon for 20%, it's $22.39. If you're a member, you take another 10% off so $20.15. Plus sales tax.. AND you pay $25 annually to get these "deals."

You don't understand why someone would want to pay half price? And if you add in the annual price of $25...that means you make up that price in one movie essentially?

[oildude]

Sid Caesar, star of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and classic TV, died today at the age of 91. R.I.P.

[TheHighRoller]

I need help with something:

I was wondering if someone with The Ice Storm could check something out for me? Can someone please look at the booklet included and go to the last few pages where the art credits are, and check to see who did the packaging design? Was it Neil Kellerhouse?

[Scottie]

I just watched Au Hasard Balthazar and I am literally sick to my stomach.

What a heartbreaking film that very personally explores the idea of dreams vs. realities, suffering, and religion.

I can't really recommend it enough or explain it any further. It just needs to be experienced in order to be understood.

[pro-bassoonist]

Fantastic Mr. Fox Blu-ray REVIEW

[jw007]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I'm still not completely understanding the fascination w/ buying Criterions from B&N. I don't know the order in which coupons are "stacked" but 30% off a 39.99 MSRP equals $27.99. If you have a coupon for 20%, it's $22.39. If you're a member, you take another 10% off so $20.15. Plus sales tax.. AND you pay $25 annually to get these "deals."

I enjoy the annual membership and buying Criterions for $10-15 each during the 50% off sales. I still can't find such a price point on Amazon where I can buy these films for such a low price. Plus, I enjoy flipping through stacks of Criterions with my fingers and don't want this to become nostalgic some day when the only place that we can buy movies will be from websites, or worse yet, only digitally.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I just watched Au Hasard Balthazar and I am literally sick to my stomach.

What a heartbreaking film that very personally explores the idea of dreams vs. realities, suffering, and religion.

I can't really recommend it enough or explain it any further. It just needs to be experienced in order to be understood.

Terribly depressing and brutal film but Bresson's films are unlike any in cinema. I wish there were more directors making such humanistic films today actually. If you like Au Hasard Balthazar, have you seen Bela Tarr's The Turin Horse? I have been told its a good double feature with this film but I've still yet to open up my copy of The Turin Horse.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jw007

If you like Au Hasard Balthazar, have you seen Bela Tarr's The Turin Horse? I have been told its a good double feature with this film but I've still yet to open up my copy of The Turin Horse.

I just watched The Turin Horse this evening on Netflix. I liked it, but I couldn't even begin to tell you why. One way of looking at it is as quasi-nihilistic slice of life story about two people whose lives you wouldn't want to live yourself. Another way is as a Satrian examination of death. Or perhaps even as an apocalyptic drama.

But for all of it's repetitious portrayal of the day-to-day drudgery of life, its 2½ hours passes by pretty quickly. The cinematography is beautifully stark black-and-white. It's a fascinating film, and one I suspect I will get more out of with each viewing.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Fantastic Mr. Fox Blu-ray REVIEW

Why didn't you do the review?

Originally Posted by jw007

Terribly depressing and brutal film but Bresson's films are unlike any in cinema. I wish there were more directors making such humanistic films today actually. If you like Au Hasard Balthazar, have you seen Bela Tarr's The Turin Horse? I have been told its a good double feature with this film but I've still yet to open up my copy of The Turin Horse.

He's one of a kind. We need more of him on Blu-ray.

Also, I haven't, but I do own it. I'll check it out soon.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I just watched The Turin Horse this evening on Netflix. I liked it, but I couldn't even begin to tell you why. One way of looking at it is as quasi-nihilistic slice of life story about two people whose lives you wouldn't want to live yourself. Another way is as a Satrian examination of death. Or perhaps even as an apocalyptic drama.

But for all of it's repetitious portrayal of the day-to-day drudgery of life, its 2½ hours passes by pretty quickly. The cinematography is beautifully stark black-and-white. It's a fascinating film, and one I suspect I will get more out of with each viewing.

I keep putting off this film because I have this feeling I'll be bored to death watching this, but now after hearing this, I'm a bit more motivated to finally see this movie.

I do gravitate towards apocalyptic dramas. I just recently saw this indie sci fi film called "Monsters" which I thought was fantastic (right after I saw a couple of other recent indie sci fi films - Another Earth and Moon - the latter I had seen previously a few times before).

But now I do want to see The Turin Horse... maybe I'll watch it tomorrow night. It is quite ironic that you just happened to watch this earlier today...I'd call that synchronicity.

Originally Posted by iScottie

He's one of a kind. We need more of him on Blu-ray.

Also, I haven't, but I do own it. I'll check it out soon.

As will I.

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Everyone is giving their due respects for Mads in Hannibal, but what about Hugh Dancy? Now that's a performance.

Maybe...hard to get past the awful writing for the character for long enough to really tell how the performance is. He may be doing a great job, but I'm so distracted by the fact that the character he's playing is so not Will Graham, that I can't enjoy anything he's doing.