The Criterion Collection

[saprano]

Originally Posted by saprano

Are Naked Lunch and Badlands good blind buys?

What about Videodrome? I've never seen any of them but the previews and subject matters interest me.

It's me again.

Another questions for you guys. The Game. I've never seen it either. Is it also a good blind buy? I love ALL of David Fincher's movies that i've seen. I love the way he shoots and his sound design.

[Scottie]

For Jean-Pierre Melville fans, Cohen Film Collection will be releasing his 1959 film, Two Men In Manhattan, on Blu-ray on September 17, 2013.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Two-M...Blu-ray/74750/

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by saprano

Another questions for you guys. The Game. I've never seen it either. Is it also a good blind buy? I love ALL of David Fincher's movies that i've seen. I love the way he shoots and his sound design.

To me, it's not a movie with any repeat value. I think the same about Fight Club as well, so make of that what you will. Se7en, Zodiac and Social Network are the Fincher films I can re-watch.

[saprano]

Originally Posted by ravenus

To me, it's not a movie with any repeat value. I think the same about Fight Club as well, so make of that what you will. Se7en, Zodiac and Social Network are the Fincher films I can re-watch.

Fight Club has the most repeat value out of all the movies you named imo. Especially Social Network.

EDIT- I see The Game was $16 at amazon a few months ago. Wow.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by shortmartin

I hadn't been following After Earth or the reviews, but after your post I went and checked out the reviews on IMDB - wow, divisive to say the least! To be honest, all the negative reviews make me kind of want to see it and check out what all the hubbub is about.

It's nowhere near as bad as you would expect. At worst you will deem it an under sketched, plodding sci fi actioner.

In terms of badness density (mass of bad/runtime): Battlefield Earth (which some are trying to compare it to) is atleast 20 times more dense (I recently saw it)

[lastemp3ror]

Originally Posted by saprano

It's me again.

Another questions for you guys. The Game. I've never seen it either. Is it also a good blind buy? I love ALL of David Fincher's movies that i've seen. I love the way he shoots and his sound design.

For me this is one of two of my favorite Fincher movies (Seven being the other). It also ranks as one my favorite films of all time. At worst The Game would rank as a middle of the pack film from his catalog. So if you like ALL of his films, it is a no brainer to buy it.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by ravenus

To me, it's not a movie with any repeat value. I think the same about Fight Club as well, so make of that what you will. Se7en, Zodiac and Social Network are the Fincher films I can re-watch.

I really disliked The Social Network.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I really disliked The Social Network.

Oh wow! That's one of the best films from the last ten years. I can't think of a single thing to knock on the film...

Your opinion lies way outside of consensus

96% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 281 reviews, with an average score of 9/10

That probably makes it the best reviewed film of the last ten years too.

[bsweetness]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Oh wow! That's one of the best films from the last ten years. I can't think of a single thing to knock on the film...

Agreed on all counts. It's an expertly crafted look at interpersonal relationships.

[White Dang]

Originally Posted by saprano

Another questions for you guys. The Game. I've never seen it either. Is it also a good blind buy? I love ALL of David Fincher's movies that i've seen. I love the way he shoots and his sound design.

I feel The Game has almost no character development. Dead characters=dead movie for me. One of the worst IMO.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by bsweetness

Agreed on all counts. It's an expertly crafted look at interpersonal relationships.

I honestly can't think of another film that best describes our generation. I think it just hit too close to home for some viewers. Many are not willing to go along with something that takes a hard look at social networking (Catfish was totally soft compared to Fincher's magnum opus) and late-hyper capitalism.

Furthermore, I can't think of a modern film that more thoroughly employs the possibilities of visual storytelling. Jeff Cronenweth's work was masterful.

[bsweetness]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I honestly can't think of another film that best describes our generation. I think it just hit too close to home for some viewers. Many are not willing to go along with something that takes a hard look at social networking (Catfish was totally soft compared to Fincher's magnum opus) and late-hyper capitalism.

Furthermore, I can't think of a modern film that more thoroughly employs the possibilities of visual storytelling. Jeff Cronenweth's work was masterful.

Personally, I think the look at modern social networking was just the backdrop for the film. The movie is really about the relationships between people, and how things like personal idiosyncrasies, modern society, the internet, money, and power impact those relationships.

I don't know how many times I've had someone tell me they won't watch it "because it's a movie about Facebook." I try to explain to them that it's not really about Facebook. Facebook and social networking are catalysts and backdrops, but they're not the central focus of the movie. That's why the movie earned so much praise. It's about aspects of life that really speak to everyone, not just those who were of the proper age during the time the film takes place.

I definitely agree that it captures quite a bit of the last decade for those who were in their late teens and early twenties during that time perfectly.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I watched Leon Morin, Priest today and Riva's performance really makes me want Hiroshima Mon Amour on blu. Here's to hoping something comes of the new restoration shown at Cannes.

I'm thinking that it's just a matter of time before Hiroshima, Mon Amour hits Blu-ray. Maybe an announcement over the next few months. I've been wanting to revisit this one badly.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by saprano

It's me again.

Another questions for you guys. The Game. I've never seen it either. Is it also a good blind buy? I love ALL of David Fincher's movies that i've seen. I love the way he shoots and his sound design.

I'm in the minority, but The Game is my favorite David Fincher film. The Criterion Blu-ray is quite stellar with the picture quality. Highly recommended!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

For Jean-Pierre Melville fans, Cohen Film Collection will be releasing his 1959 film, Two Men In Manhattan, on Blu-ray on September 17, 2013.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Two-M...Blu-ray/74750/

This is the best Blu-ray release news that I've heard in a long time. Looking forward to adding another Melville to my collection!

I've always wanted to see Two Men in Manhattan. It's the only Melville film where he had a major acting role.

[bsitg]

Well, I'm new to the Criterion Collection game. Simply put, they're too expensive for me. However, due to some gift cards + reward points on credit cards, I've decided to go ahead and get some.

Picked up two so far from BB: Rosemary's Baby and Badlands.

From Amazon I'm planning on picking up 12 Angry Men, Anatomy of a Murder, The Killing, Paths of Glory, The Game, and maybe Repo Man.

I've had 12 Angry Men on DVD for years and there is simply nothing wrong with this film. All the others I decided on after researching them.

The only one I'm now unsure about is The Game. From this website's review: "The Game is also the type of film you could truly enjoy only once. Once you've seen the ending, it is not the same. A second viewing could only reveal how good all of the actors in The Game are, how carefully everything has been put together."

Rewatchability is a big deal to me, especially if a film is $20. I'll probably end up getting it as I love Se7en, Zodiac, and the Social Network.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by bsweetness

Personally, I think the look at modern social networking was just the backdrop for the film. The movie is really about the relationships between people, and how things like personal idiosyncrasies, modern society, the internet, money, and power impact those relationships.

I don't know how many times I've had someone tell me they won't watch it "because it's a movie about Facebook." I try to explain to them that it's not really about Facebook. Facebook and social networking are catalysts and backdrops, but they're not the central focus of the movie. That's why the movie earned so much praise. It's about aspects of life that really speak to everyone, not just those who were of the proper age during the time the film takes place.

I definitely agree that it captures quite a bit of the last decade for those who were in their late teens and early twenties during that time perfectly.

Definitely. It would be a very hollow bio-pic if it was only about social net working.

Also, if only for the directing, the film is a monumental achievement. Weaving so much information into the film while complemented by pitch perfect camera placement makes this Fincher's masterpiece. In a commentary track Fincher says there are maybe only two acceptable angles for a shot, and one of them is wrong. Judging from the results, that was not a pretentious statement for no other director can compose shots with such assuredness today...

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Oh wow! That's one of the best films from the last ten years. I can't think of a single thing to knock on the film...

I liked The Social Network a lot.

Fincher's remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was lost on me, though. I did not care for it.

I read Stieg Larsson's trilogy first, then saw all three of the Swedish adaptations of the trilogy. I thought that the initial Swedish film was the best by far, but they are all quite good.
On a purely physical level, the actors (Rooney Mara, Danial Craig, etc.) in the Fincher version looked more like the characters that I imagined when I read the novels than the actors in the Swedish films did, but that is where the competence ended. The Nine Inch Nails soundtrack was one of the most obtrusive soundtracks that I have ever heard in a film, and the music often skewed the tone of the story 180 degrees off from what it should have been.
Also...

[Show spoiler]As much as I love Stellan Skarsgård (and as much as I want Criterion to hurry up and upgrade the original Norwegian version of Insomnia to Blu-ray), I was not keen on his casting in Fincher's adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Most observant moviegoers knew right away that he was the villain simply because of his cinematic past.

Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo seemed to be well-loved on this Blu-ray forum, so I'm probably ruffling a few feathers. I was not impressed, though.

[Abdrewes]

Owl, TGwTDT a great film (easily trumps the televisual Swedish adaptation), I actually think you are missing the point. Trent Reznor's score gives the film an added source of contrapuntal tension which goes fine with Stellan's obvious turn. Fincher's version is not about the payoff and drama, but rather the false hopes Lisbeth places confidence in and their eventual shattering dissolution. Contrary to popular opinion the final act (fifth I believe) most aptly conveys what the film is all about: process and miscommunication.

I started writing an essay on the film, but oh my! There's alot if formal invention to unpack!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Owl, TGwTDT a great film (easily trumps the televisual Swedish adaptation), I actually think you are missing the point. Trent Reznor's score gives the film an added source of contrapuntal tension which goes fine with Stellan's obvious turn. Fincher's version is not about the payoff and drama, but rather the false hopes Lisbeth places confidence in and their eventual shattering dissolution. Contrary to popular opinion the final act (fifth I believe) most aptly conveys what the film is all about: process and miscommunication.

I started writing an essay on the film, but oh my! There's alot if formal invention to unpack!

I see your point. Still, the movie missed the mark with me both as a fan of the book and as a moviegoer in general. It was really the first David Fincher movie where I had the impression that I was watching Fincher-by-the-numbers. Being a fan of the book and a fan of the original Swedish movie, I was probably setting myself up to be disappointed, but I nonetheless expected better. I agree that Fincher places more emphasis on the final interaction (There is a good reason why the story is titled the way that it is.), but I would liked to have seen more suspense during the journey.