The Criterion Collection

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by vader4

Do you like Wes Anderson? I really like all of his movies, but you said you dislike Life Aquatic (which is my personal favorite). I would be curious to eat your thoughts.

As for the announcements I'm pleased by the release of Lord of the Flies. The movie isn't as good as the book, but it's still great in a different way. The others are fine. It seems like there's atleast one thing for everyone. I had never heard of that The Life of Oharu and have never seen the devils backbone so I'll make sure to check those out.

I can appreciate the idiosyncratic vision on display in Life Aquatic, but it becomes so esoteric that all I see is the artifice, the design which leaves this film (and Darjeeling Limited) with an inert feeling.

I really do like the rest of his films, especially Royal Tenenbaums; but it seems as if during the middle of the oughts Wes and a bunch of other filmmakers (including David O. Russell) eschewed vision for quirk. Thank Gid they ate on the right track now.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

Yeah, for some reason people take liking him (or not) as a personal affront. Doesn't make any sense.

Not even Salo gets the same level of hate as Wes.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

$25 ain't bad.

I wasn't sure if either order would go through.... but now Importcds already shipped it to me, and amazon sent it to me as well, so I'm going to end up with 2 copies.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Not even Salo gets the same level of hate as Wes.

Haha, exactly!

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

I wasn't sure if either order would go through.... but now Importcds already shipped it to me, and amazon sent it to me as well, so I'm going to end up with 2 copies.

If you sell it down the line, I hope your not one of those jerks asking for $100.

I really want Man Who fell to Earth, but alas, it can't be found for a decent price

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

If you sell it down the line, I hope your not one of those jerks asking for $100.

Oh no, I won't.

$150 at least.

[Show spoiler]

I honestly don't see it being $100 soon, since titles like Pierrot Le Fou are selling for about $60.

I wish I could get Man Who Fell to Earth too

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Oh no, I won't.

$150 at least.

[Show spoiler]

I honestly don't see it being $100 soon, since titles like Pierrot Le Fou are selling for about $60.

I wish I could get Man Who Fell to Earth too

Labyrinth Check
The prestige Check
Last Temptation of Christ Check
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence Check

I need to complete Bowie on Blu.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by octagon

Wait for a deal? This the July slate...most of them will be half-price on day one

And it's a pretty good slate, too.

You're right. I had forgotten when the sale runs.

[brandon_260]

Spent the day in the city to catch a couple films, so I'm just catching up on the new releases now.

The Devil's Backbone and Lord of the Flies are definite purchases. The Ice Storm and The Life of Oharu have me interested enough, but I may try to see if my library has them first before purchasing. Babette's Feast doesn't seem like it's for me, but I may check it out at some point. One of the better months this year, I must say, even if there are only two I'm dead set on getting.

[CHEЯNOБLY!]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Spent the day in the city to catch a couple films, so I'm just catching up on the new releases now.

The Devil's Backbone and Lord of the Flies are definite purchases. The Ice Storm and The Life of Oharu have me interested enough, but I may try to see if my library has them first before purchasing. Babette's Feast doesn't seem like it's for me, but I may check it out at some point. One of the better months this year, I must say, even if there are only two I'm dead set on getting.

I saw The Ice Storm like over a decade or so ago...early '00s or '99 probably. From what I remember, I really enjoyed it. Well, maybe "enjoy" is not the best term, since the tone of the film is somber. Touched? Moved, maybe?

Anyway, definitely picking it up along with Lord of the Flies. Funny, I was thinking of both of these films rather recently.

[Abdrewes]

Watching the special features to Thin Red Line in the lead up to To The Wonder on VOD (my theaters will not show this, sadly)

[RojD]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Here is the (at least) one-page paper I had to write about Fish Tank. I don't think it's to the best of my abilities because I was struggling with remembering and connecting things with one another. I honestly hate writing about films that I enjoy, especially when I have some type of questions provided to me ahead of time to think about in the paper. It's supposed to relate to sex and gender, hence why I was referring to males and females quite often in the paper. Anyway, here it is.

[Show spoiler]Andrea Arnold’s 2009 British drama, Fish Tank, offers the viewer a harsh reality of how hard life can be, especially for individuals struggling with finding themselves. Fish Tank throws the audience into the life of a lonely fifteen-year-old girl named Mia Williams. Mia is a socially awkward girl who resides in Essex with her single mother, Joanne, and her young sister, Tyler. Nothing seems to make Mia happy except for her passion for hip-hop dancing. It is the only positive thing that she has going in her life. Mia’s home life consists of poverty, drugs, and unacceptable sexual behavior on behalf of the adults in her life. Her mother spends the majority of her time partying with friends and dealing with hangovers. Her younger sister tends to keep to herself, smoking cigarettes with friends and cussing like a sailor. One day Mia’s mother decides to bring home an Irishman by the name of Connor O’Reilly, and from that point forward, everything seemed to change for the better of both Mia and her family. Mia looks up to Connor, as he is the only positive (male) role model that she has ever had in her life. She trusts him and feels comfortable around him because he encourages her to pursue her dream of dancing and helps her to adjust to this new and confusing world surrounding her. Not everything is what it seems, though, as Connor has his own demons hidden away from the public’s view. Fish Tank is one of the more modern films of this current generation that explores such concepts as gender and sexuality. While there are numerous examples throughout the film, the most significant, in my opinion, is through the character of Mia Williams. From the very beginning of the film, we recognize that Mia is very different from all of the girls she hangs around with. She resembles a tomboy in many aspects because of her attitude, the way she dresses, and the tough exterior that she displays out in public. She has no real friends and has a hard time opening up to anybody in her life. Her only forms of communication are through name-calling, degrading, and shouting obscenities. The one thing that interests Mia the most in life is hip-hop dancing, which is a predominately male activity. When she is not walking around Essex or fighting with her family members, she is training and practicing in hopes of being a hip-hop dancer someday. The only thing that Mia is truly lacking, however, is confidence, which Connor eventually helps her attain. Part of the reason for her uneasiness, in my opinion, is due to puberty, while the other part is due to being a nonconformist. The age of fifteen is a critical point in everybody’s life because the body is changing and feelings of sexuality begin to emerge. This is often accompanied with feelings of confusion because she is now seeing the world from a new perspective. Because of her poor socioeconomic background, the absence of positive role models in her life, and her body changing due to puberty, Mia is a lost soul who is struggling to find herself. On the other hand, Mia has always been a nonconformist and gone against the grain for all of her life. Mia dropped out of school and refused to take anybody’s advice or guidance. It is not until Connor O’Reilly comes into the picture that she learns to live. He guides her to the best of his abilities, tries to make her come to her senses and drop this chip that has constantly been on her shoulder all of her life, and inspires her to go out and make something out of herself. Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank is more than just a lesson on life, love, and relationships. Rather, it is about being a unique individual and not conforming to society’s expectations for us. From the moment we are born, until the moment we die, society labels and ascribes various gender roles onto us, which we are then expected to live up to. Fish Tank challenges these notions and does so in an excellent way by shifting the focus from what society wants us to be to what we as a unique individual want ourselves to be. One could argue that Mia Williams is a “fish” that is trapped in this “fish tank” of Essex. She’s looking to be her own unique personality, but her home life and her lack of self-confidence, among other things, are continually holding her back. It is not until after she meets Connor that she can actually break free out of the “tank” and move on with her life. All in all, Fish Tank is a very relatable film because there is some point in every one of our lives where we want to be ourselves without conforming to the roles and expectations that are assigned to us at birth.

Nice, iScottie, especially the end, which boils it all down. Might have to give Fish Tank a rewatch.
____________________________

For today's releases, hafta say I'm especially glad about the Mizoguchi. Don't know The Life of Oharu, but based on his other films, I can't wait to see it.

The other releases seem sorta like cinematic comfort food, and I do like my steak and potatoes. Babette's Feast is rich and satisifying, and Ice Storm is one of my favorite Lees if not my flat-out favorite. I think Lee's at his best in putting human drama onscreen, and I'd put Ice Storm and Brokeback Mountain on par with any dramatic film I know. Nothing wrong with a little comfort sometimes.

BTW, does anyone get what draws Lee to projects like Crouching Tiger and Hulk when he's so good at intense drama?

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by RojD

BTW, does anyone get what draws Lee to projects like Crouching Tiger and Hulk when he's so good at intense drama?

Dunno about CTHD, but I have a gue$$ for The Hulk...

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by RojD

Nice, iScottie, especially the end, which boils it all down. Might have to give Fish Tank a rewatch.
____________________________

For today's releases, hafta say I'm especially glad about the Mizoguchi. Don't know The Life of Oharu, but based on his other films, I can't wait to see it.

The other releases seem sorta like cinematic comfort food, and I do like my steak and potatoes. Babette's Feast is rich and satisifying, and Ice Storm is one of my favorite Lees if not my flat-out favorite. I think Lee's at his best in putting human drama onscreen, and I'd put Ice Storm and Brokeback Mountain on par with any dramatic film I know. Nothing wrong with a little comfort sometimes.

BTW, does anyone get what draws Lee to projects like Crouching Tiger and Hulk when he's so good at intense drama?

Croutching Tiger is an intense drama.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I want this Blu-ray badly, because I've always loved watching my old DVD. Not sure whether or not to hold out for an entire box set upgrade of The Adventures of Antoine Doinel, though.

If I order The 400 Blows, you'd better believe I'm ordering a plastic case to go along with it.

It looks EXCELLENT in Blu-ray. There was only one scene where the father is talking to the judge or something and it looks a little grainy, in my opinion. Otherwise, it was fantastic. I wouldn't hold your breath for a box set, especially any time soon.

Originally Posted by BruceWayneMartin

Nope, not at all. I'm not the biggest fan of Wes so I was just curious as to which is his favorite. No hate here at all.

For me personally, I think Fantastic Mr. Fox is my favorite film, followed by The Darjeeling Limited, The Royal Tenenbaums, Bottle Rocket, Moonrise Kingdom, and then Rushmore. I still haven't seen The Life Aquatic (although I own the Criterion DVD) but that's how he ranks up in my book.

Originally Posted by RojD

Nice, iScottie, especially the end, which boils it all down. Might have to give Fish Tank a rewatch.

It's a really great film and it's one of my favorite Criterion releases to date. Such great acting, especially Michael Fassbender, and it has a really great, hard hitting story.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Croutching Tiger is an intense drama.

Yep, I know a lot of people who respond to Crouching Tiger like that. And even Hulk has a certain amount of drama because what compels Bruce is his love for Betty. But still, on a dramatic scale, I'd put both of them closer to The Avengers than On the Waterfront.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by randomzombie

We are never shown a man coming to visit him and his congregation appears to be mostly female.

So what did I get from all this? I'm still not entirely sure. Lol. I've read that the Catholic Church at the time of Leon Morin, Priest's theatrical release approved of it greatly. I find this puzzling because if anything, Morin, while a nice example of a freer thinking priest, does organized religion no favors here.

Of course his congregation is mostly female. The film is set in 1942-1944 Vichy France, in a provincial town near the Italian border. The men are almost all in Germany (some as voluntary labor, but most as prisoners of war or forced laborers), in hiding from German and Vichy press gangs, or off with the resistance.

In fact, this was typical of many French towns of the time. By December 1943 there were over 666,000 French men (and some women) working in Germany. This is in addition to the 1.5 million French prisoners of war, the vast majority of whom were kept in Germany after the 1940 armistice as hostages for the good behavior and collaboration of Vichy France. The six week German victory over France was the greatest encirclement in military history. France's defeat was shockingly swift, humiliating, and tragic, with far reaching consequences for the world. It would be difficult to find a comparable modern example of a great nation falling so hard or so far so fast.

Melville's film is superbly authentic and true to the reality of the times. Leon Morin, Priest is one of the most remarkable films ever made; it shies away from nothing. It shows us the occupation and the collaborators….and there were a great many collaborators, enough that Melville and similar directors were considered groundbreakers for including this dark unspoken part of France's occupation in the plots of their films.

Nor does Melville shy away from showing us the sheer muscular power of faith. Morin is a shoe leather priest; he doesn't just sermonize and pontificate, he is an intellectual man with a physical presence wielding rapier-sharp reason and disarming charm and humility to pull his charges to their feet and challenge them to look at the spiritual world around them in a time when God is not so much in evidence in France, or in the rest of the world for that matter. He is also a man who struggles with his human desires, who fights to remain true to his higher calling. He is young, handsome, desireable; women find him attractive not least because he is one of the few young men left in town and ultimately unattainable. Melville makes us realize just how much courage and strength is required to walk in Morin’s shoes. Whether or not one chooses to believe, Melville makes us see it, feel it, and respect it. Leon Morin, Priest is a testament to man and his capacity for faith, and the more I watch it, the more I think it is Melville’s deepest, most layered, and best film.

I appreciate the thoughtful perspective you have on the film, but I find myself at odds with your diagnosis. Cheers, mate.

[morg999]

Originally Posted by Romulus

Received an e-mail this morning telling me that I won't get Le Cercle Rouge until May now... anyone else receive something similar?

I did....

Alain Delon "Le Cercle Rouge (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]"
New Delivery Estimate: April 29, 2013 - May 07, 2013

[morg999]

Originally Posted by octagon

In case anybody's interested, Amazon.uk has the MoC Das Testament Des Dr Mabuse steelbook for £13.17 and it's currently £12.99 directly from Eureka.

That's a pretty decent drop.

(Eureka offers free worldwide shipping but doesn't deduct VAT from the total, for one title they're probably cheaper, for multiple (non-Eureka) titles Amazon.uk is probably the way to go)

Thanks for the heads up..picked it up, I don't own many Steelbooks, this looks like a good one. AmazonUK also has MoC Cleopatra(1934) Steelie for the same price...

[randomzombie]

Originally Posted by oildude

Of course his congregation is mostly female. The film is set in 1942-1944 Vichy France, in a provincial town near the Italian border. The men are almost all in Germany (some as voluntary labor, but most as prisoners of war or forced laborers), in hiding from German and Vichy press gangs, or off with the resistance.

In fact, this was typical of many French towns of the time. By December 1943 there were over 666,000 French men (and some women) working in Germany. This is in addition to the 1.5 million French prisoners of war, the vast majority of whom were kept in Germany after the 1940 armistice as hostages for the good behavior and collaboration of Vichy France. The six week German victory over France was the greatest encirclement in military history. France's defeat was shockingly swift, humiliating, and tragic, with far reaching consequences for the world. It would be difficult to find a comparable modern example of a great nation falling so hard or so far so fast.

Melville's film is superbly authentic and true to the reality of the times. Leon Morin, Priest is one of the most remarkable films ever made; it shies away from nothing. It shows us the occupation and the collaborators….and there were a great many collaborators, enough that Melville and similar directors were considered groundbreakers for including this dark unspoken part of France's occupation in the plots of their films.

Nor does Melville shy away from showing us the sheer muscular power of faith. Morin is a shoe leather priest; he doesn't just sermonize and pontificate, he is an intellectual man with a physical presence wielding rapier-sharp reason and disarming charm and humility to pull his charges to their feet and challenge them to look at the spiritual world around them in a time when God is not so much in evidence in France, or in the rest of the world for that matter. He is also a man who struggles with his human desires, who fights to remain true to his higher calling. He is young, handsome, desireable; women find him attractive not least because he is one of the few young men left in town and ultimately unattainable. Melville makes us realize just how much courage and strength is required to walk in Morin’s shoes. Whether or not one chooses to believe, Melville makes us see it, feel it, and respect it. Leon Morin, Priest is a testament to man and his capacity for faith, and the more I watch it, the more I think it is Melville’s deepest, most layered, and best film.

I appreciate the thoughtful perspective you have on the film, but I find myself at odds with your diagnosis. Cheers, mate.

Oildude, this is wonderful. I probably should have quoted only a small bit of it, but I couldn't bring myself to cut any out.

Thank you for articulating your thoughts on the film so beautifully. Gives me more to consider for sure.