The Criterion Collection

[octagon]

I drink alone to avoid social awkwardness.

[IronWaffle]

Originally Posted by octagon

I drink alone to avoid social awkwardness.

Sounds like a plan.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

It's an interesting not-entirely-related thing I think about sometimes..to what extent our collections reveal what kind of people we are. I don't think mine really reflects me much at all. Anyone have opinions on the matter?

Most offline friends and acquaintances of mine are often befuddled when they find out that I love watching foreign movies or old black-and-white films, and that I love visiting independent theaters in the city for special movie screenings when I get a chance. No other aspects of my life fit that profile, if such a profile even exists.

I'm active in the local running community, I lead a marathon training group on Saturday mornings, and I spend a lot of time running races and volunteering at races when I'm not working (environmental field). I suppose that people assume that I spend all my spare time watching ESPN or something of the sort, when the truth is that sporting events on television bore me. (I do own Chariots of Fire, though. Represent!)

It's always priceless, though, when I encounter someone in real life who has similar cinematic tastes. A few months back, when I was running a 50-mile trail race, another runner and I were talking, the conversation turned to movies, and we found out that we had a mutual liking for Godard's Breathless.

[ShellOilJunior]

I'm getting caught up on my 2012 blu.

Enjoyed the heck out of La Promesse and Letter Never Sent.

The ending of La Promesse couldn't have been done any better. Great closing shot.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I'm getting caught up on my 2012 blu.

Enjoyed the heck out of La Promesse and Letter Never Sent.

The ending of La Promesse couldn't have been done any better. Great closing shot.

Letter Never Sent was the unsung hero of 2012 Criterion releases for me. I love that movie.

Unfortunately, Letter Never Sent is also a victim of poor timing in my collection. I bought a fair amount of Criterions on DVD in recent months before I knew that I was going to purchase a Blu-ray player, and that movie is one of them.

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

Add me to the members of NAA (Non-Alcoholics Anonymous) frequenting this thread. I drank a little socially when studying in England because it made EVERYbody else uncomfortable. Like you, mainstream titles aside, the films I buy speak to my thinking better than random chatter in bars/pubs... or even threads, methinks.

Gotta love text-based asylums.

I think we might have a new winner! The Non-Alcoholics Anonymous group I like that! I too do not drink alcochol anymore, I also am only 28 and just don't have the desire to drink alcohol like I did in my late teens and in college(and even then it was just because it was the social thing to do). Just like you other folks I just don't care about doing things because that is what everyone else is doing around me anymore. For those who really enjoy drinking alcohol I think that is fine and great but I peronally get more enjoyment from other things. I made a comment yesterday about how my drink of choice is an ice cream milkshake...that was my way of saying I don't have an alcoholic beverage of choice....and also I just really love milkshakes

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

It's an interesting not-entirely-related thing I think about sometimes..to what extent our collections reveal what kind of people we are. I don't think mine really reflects me much at all. Anyone have opinions on the matter?

I personally don't really feel that anyone's movie collection can really tell someone else as to whom that individual is as a person but I think it can definitely reflect certain character traits. Obviously it reflects the film lover in us though and I think everyone's collection no matter how small or large says a little something about us in that aspect.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's always priceless, though, when I encounter someone in real life who has similar cinematic tastes.

I hardly ever meet someone with similiar cinematic tastes as I. Sometimes I will meet someone who likes a certain aspest or genre of the cinema I enjoy(Ex. maybe I will meet someone who enjoys Film noir and/or classic cimena but not Westerns, Foreign, Horror, etc.) but never anyone with an overall love for film in general, a love for all genres, cultures, and eras.

And finding a woman with similiar cinematic tastes is pretty much impossible it seems. The girl I am seeing now gets absolutely bored with any movie I have any interest in watching and I can't watch rom-com after rom-com so it is kind of a bummer but I am used to it, she is certainly not the first girl that has disimiliar film and entertainment interests as I.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

If you have the region free option, I would go for it. It's really not clear when most of these wuld ever be release by Criterion, they seem to have other option these days

Hey...you're supposed to talk me into waiting. Oh well...I wouldn't mind adding it. If I can't treat myself to anything at B&N tomorrow, I might just order it anyway.

[Fellini912]

Rashomon looks fantastic on blu ray. I saw this film 8 years ago, the old criterion dvd. It would be great to see Ikiru soon.

I saw La Haine, this week on blu ray. A great film, there are no compromises, very bold film. Many films today use extreme scenes of violence to portray hate, bigotry and discontent. There is minimal violence in this film, but one can feel the intense pressure these characters endure. There is violence, but off screen. The best analogy is the shark in Jaws.

Now I am going to see all of David Lean and Noel Coward films. It looks like a great box set.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by rkish

Hey...you're supposed to talk me into waiting. Oh well...I wouldn't mind adding it. If I can't treat myself to anything at B&N tomorrow, I might just order it anyway.

Not sure why Pat feels this way, Mizoguchi's Ugetsu came out the same day as their Sansho the Bailiff release and CC's releasing Sansho in Feb. That's not a lock on a 2013 Ugetsu release, but I don't think you could say that Mizoguchi isn't on CC's radar.

[The Great Owl]

I just watched my Blu-ray of Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven. I'm so glad that I upgraded this one. The cinematography is beautiful, and it's one of the greatest "This will not end well." movies.

I've been at home sick the past two days, so my activity has been limited to lying on the sofa in front of the television. I watched my Blu of Lawrence of Arabia earlier today, and I'm about to put The Omega Man in. Hoping to be well and back among the living in a day or two, but the down time with movies is cool.

[Fellini912]

I loved the blu ray transfer of Lawrence of Arabia. This blu ray alone justifies the use of blu rays. 70mm film looks the best on hd. A Passage to India, which I saw this week also, has a great transfer with amazing visuals (I highly recommend it). Lawrence has a better narrative.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

I loved the blu ray transfer of Lawrence of Arabia. This blu ray alone justifies the use of blu rays. 70mm film looks the best on hd. A Passage to India, which I saw this week also, has a great transfer with amazing visuals (I highly recommend it). Lawrence has a better narrative.

Yes, my mind was thoroughly blown watching Lawrence of Arabia. This was actually my first time seeing the movie, because I purposely waited until I had a decent setup. This was one of the first Blu-rays that I purchased, and I bought it for this specific reason. My expectations were exceeded in every possible way, because this was a priceless movie experience.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Yes, my mind was thoroughly blown watching Lawrence of Arabia. This was actually my first time seeing the movie, because I purposely waited until I had a decent setup. This was one of the first Blu-rays that I purchased, and I bought it for this specific reason. My expectations were exceeded in every possible way, because this was a priceless movie experience.

If you liked Days of Heaven, I would highly recommended The Thin Red Line. I use it as a visual and audio reference when even I recalibrate my AV receiver. The audio is the best of all my blu rays. The surround sound is mind blowing, more so than Saving Private Ryan. By the way, Badlands is being released in March.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's always priceless, though, when I encounter someone in real life who has similar cinematic tastes.

It sure is. I study filmmaking and I don't know a single other student who has the same film interests as me. Like, not a single other one who wouldn't be lost if they entered this thread. It's really unfortunate and often surprising. So I do appreciate any rare moment where I do meet someone who does have similar tastes.

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

I personally don't really feel that anyone's movie collection can really tell someone else as to whom that individual is as a person but I think it can definitely reflect certain character traits. Obviously it reflects the film lover in us though and I think everyone's collection no matter how small or large says a little something about us in that aspect.

I suppose that does apply to most people, thinking about it...that it reflects our tastes, but rarely ever our personalities.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

If you liked Days of Heaven, I would highly recommended The Thin Red Line. I use it as a visual and audio reference when even I recalibrate my AV receiver. The audio is the best of all my blu rays. The surround sound is mind blowing, more so than Saving Private Ryan. By the way, Badlands is being released in March.

I already have all the Terrence Malick Blu-rays, Criterion or otherwise, because that was an immediate priority when I purchased the Blu-ray player. I already had The Tree of Life as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo package, and one of the reasons I wanted a Blu-ray player and HDTV in the first place was to see the Malick films in that format. I watched The Thin Red Line Blu a couple of weeks ago, I watched The Tree of Life last week, and I'll watch The New World soon. The New World is Malick's weakest movie in my opinion, but it is still a thousand times better that the best films by most directors. I have Badlands on the calendar and cannot wait.

I am also looking forward to the theatrical release of Malick's new film, To the Wonder, in a few months. My current favorite director with a film starring my current favorite actress (Olga Kurylenko), so I'm sure it will be a winner.

[dag]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

Mizoguchi's Ugetsu came out the same day as their Sansho the Bailiff release and CC's releasing Sansho in Feb. That's not a lock on a 2013 Ugetsu release, but I don't think you could say that Mizoguchi isn't on CC's radar.

Hmm. The Toronto Cinematheque will showing Ugetsu later in January. I've never seen it, and I'm considering buying myself a ticket. Don't think I'll wait to see when (or if) Criterion upgrades to BD.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by rkish

I FINALLY watched Ugetsu (for the first time) on Hulu Plus last week and was also floored by it. I can see why it's been held in high regard. I'm in a quandary as whether to wait for it to be released by CC, or to jump the gun and buy the MoC version of it. I'll bet it looks great in 1080P.

It'll be a blind-buy for me, but this is my same dilemma.
I think I'll wait for Criterion, since they're releasing Sansho next year.
I wonder if they'll be using the same transfers or source prints as Masters of Cinema...

[Fellini912]

To the Wonder has been getting mix reviews, but what Mallick film has not had the same reception. I really enjoy the cinematography of all his films. I read somewhere that Mallick wanted to release a 4 hour version of The Tree of Life. It would be great if criterion would pick it up.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I'm getting caught up on my 2012 blu.

Enjoyed the heck out of La Promesse and Letter Never Sent.

The ending of La Promesse couldn't have been done any better. Great closing shot.

I also watched La Promesse last night. What a knock out!
Jérémie Renier is fantastic (which is what I expected). Looking forward to seeing him in Kid With A Bike.
Olivier Gourmet is a also fantastic.
I'd heard about the Dardenne brothers for a few years now, but had not seen any of their films.
I recently blind-bought both Rosetta and La Promesse and now I'm a committed fan of their films.
Émilie Dequenne is extraordinary in Rosetta.
Oh, and Letter Never Sent was another of my favourite blind-buys this year.
Why do people keep saying 2012 was a bad year for Criterion releases?