The Criterion Collection

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Frances Ha is actually selling the worst of all the November releases on Amazon currently

Zatoichi set - Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #326 in Movies & TV
City Lights - Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #443 in Movies & TV
Tokyo Story - Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #925 in Movies & TV
Frances Ha - Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,265 in Movies & TV

Possibly because it's the least known among Criterion consumers.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So far the only Ozu film I've seen is Tokyo Story (which I love). What should I watch next? I've been interested in Floating Weeds for a while.

Floating Weeds is my favorite Ozu film, and second fav. film ever. It's the 2nd Ozu film I've watched, the first being the silent version of it "The Story of Floating Weeds". I just love everything about it. The seaside setting, the vibrant colors, the amazing compositions, and the story. It's just a great movie all around. If you can get the Criterion DVD for it (which has both the silent and remake) do listen to Ebert's commentary track for it, he focuses on the filming techniques mostly, but it's a great listen.

I don't think you can really go wrong with any Ozu though. Most share similar qualities as Ozu has a tendency to re-do his stories more than other directors. I can vouch for all the ones included in the Late Ozu Eclipse series, as well as "I Was Born, But..." (in the Three Family Comedies Eclipse series release)

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Floating Weeds is my favorite Ozu film, and second fav. film ever. It's the 2nd Ozu film I've watched, the first being the silent version of it "The Story of Floating Weeds".

I have a special fondness for Floating Weeds as it was the first Ozu film I'd ever seen (it was one of many, many blind buys I made with Criterion LDs). But Tokyo Story is probably my favorite of his films.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So far the only Ozu film I've seen is Tokyo Story (which I love). What should I watch next? I've been interested in Floating Weeds for a while.

Go with Floating Weeds. It's my second favorite Ozu, right behind Late Spring. Maybe it's my favorite. It depends on the day. You can't go wrong, though. It's one of the most stunning color films I've seen, and, as expected, the composition is second to none.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Ain't that the truth? Actually, it's been quite nice. I was in a hurry to upgrade a lot of my favorites that I had on DVD.


I'm hard-pressed to come up with anything that I want to part with in my collection right now. The "All Killer, No Filler" plan has worked out quite well.

I loved watching Mud last night, by the way, but I'm glad that I rented the movie instead of blind buying it. I may buy it at some point down the road, but I've realized over the past few years that just because something makes my Top Ten of the Year does not mean that it absolutely has to be in my collection. There are a lot of movies that I hold in high esteem, but just never seem to watch multiple times.

It goes without saying I blindbuy alot, but as far as films ive seen: if I liked the film, hell, even if I was mixed to positive on it, I will buy. I can never predict what I will want to revisit down the road. I'm pretty unpredictable that way.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Go with Floating Weeds. It's my second favorite Ozu, right behind Late Spring. Maybe it's my favorite. It depends on the day. You can't go wrong, though. It's one of the most stunning color films I've seen, and, as expected, the composition is second to none.

F*** the 180 degree rule

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I loved watching Mud last night, by the way, but I'm glad that I rented the movie instead of blind buying it. I may buy it at some point down the road, but I've realized over the past few years that just because something makes my Top Ten of the Year does not mean that it absolutely has to be in my collection. There are a lot of movies that I hold in high esteem, but just never seem to watch multiple times.

I like it a lot, but it remains my least favorite Nichols. It nails the feel of its setting and the coming-of-age angle is top notch, but the revenge plot feels have assed and there are few stylistic choices that annoyed me (the song being one of the main ones.) Still, I like it a lot, and it's still in my top ten of the year, though it's at the bottom.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

F*** the 180 degree rule

Never has that worked so well.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Floating Weeds is my favorite Ozu film, and second fav. film ever. It's the 2nd Ozu film I've watched, the first being the silent version of it "The Story of Floating Weeds". I just love everything about it. The seaside setting, the vibrant colors, the amazing compositions, and the story. It's just a great movie all around. If you can get the Criterion DVD for it (which has both the silent and remake) do listen to Ebert's commentary track for it, he focuses on the filming techniques mostly, but it's a great listen.

I don't think you can really go wrong with any Ozu though. Most share similar qualities as Ozu has a tendency to re-do his stories more than other directors. I can vouch for all the ones included in the Late Ozu Eclipse series, as well as "I Was Born, But..." (in the Three Family Comedies Eclipse series release)

Yeah, I am very interested in Ebert's commentary as well.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Go with Floating Weeds. It's my second favorite Ozu, right behind Late Spring. Maybe it's my favorite. It depends on the day. You can't go wrong, though. It's one of the most stunning color films I've seen, and, as expected, the composition is second to none.

Yeah the color on the Criterion DVD is incredible. That's why I was saddened to find out the Masters of Cinema release in the UK wasn't very vibrant, and had a very soft look to it. I hope Criterion releases it on BD one day, it's my top want from them.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was in a hurry to upgrade a lot of my favorites that I had on DVD.

When I first got into Blu-ray, I set myself a policy of not upgrading titles I already had on DVD unless I found it at remaindered prices. I still try to focus on films I don't already own, but I find myself upgrading more and more often.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Never has that worked so well.

The MoC release in comparison (not the exact frame):



Some in the UK forum have said the Criterion's colors are off, but it looks so much better to me. With tthe amount of red in his compositions, I imagine Ozu intended for it to be nice and vibrant, rather than the more lifeless presentation of the UK BD

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I like it a lot, but it remains my least favorite Nichols. It nails the feel of its setting and the coming-of-age angle is top notch, but the revenge plot feels have assed and there are few stylistic choices that annoyed me (the song being one of the main ones.) Still, I like it a lot, and it's still in my top ten of the year, though it's at the bottom.

I was not wild about one scene late in the film that made me think of Van Damme's Hard Target, because I would have preferred something quieter and more in tune with the rest of the movie, but that was a minor complaint. For the most part, I gave Mud an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Never has that worked so well.

Best "violator" of the 180 degree rule? Silence of The Lambs.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jayembee

When I first got into Blu-ray, I set myself a policy of not upgrading titles I already had on DVD unless I found it at remaindered prices. I still try to focus on films I don't already own, but I find myself upgrading more and more often.

Shortly after seeing the benefits of Blu-ray, I decided quickly that I wanted to upgrade my favorite DVDs. I realized that I ought to sell the DVDs while I could still get some decent cash for them. Your policy is definitely sensible, though.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

It goes without saying I blindbuy alot, but as far as films ive seen: if I liked the film, hell, even if I was mixed to positive on it, I will buy. I can never predict what I will want to revisit down the road. I'm pretty unpredictable that way.

I've made blind buys on Blu-ray, but they've all been Criterion, Olive Films, or Twilight Time titles that I've researched quite well to get a sense of how they fit my tastes of old film noir, espionage, classic foreign stuff, etc. My days of blind buying new releases from Target or Best Buy are behind me, though, because I used to do that a lot with DVDs, and I would usually end up selling them later on. If I liked a film in the theater or on rental (Mud, Pacific Rim, etc.), I try to marinate on it for a while before rushing out to buy, unless it was something that really kicked me in the tail (To the Wonder, Oblivion).

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Best "violator" of the 180 degree rule? Silence of The Lambs.

I just watched that the other night, actually. Was a lot better than I remembered. I remember the third act suffering from a dip in quality, but this time I found it thematically fitting to the entire picture.

Are you referring to a scene in particular?

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I just watched that the other night, actually. Was a lot better than I remembered. I remember the third act suffering from a dip in quality, but this time I found it thematically fitting to the entire picture.

Are you referring to a scene in particular?

The interrogation scene that also brilliantly pushes into Foster's and Hopkins' faces, adding a layer of claustrophobia. They could have been discussing the recipe for the perfect peanut butter & jelly sandwich and it still would have been damn tense.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

The interrogation scene that also brilliantly pushes into Foster's and Hopkins' faces, adding a layer of claustrophobia. They could have been discussing the recipe for the perfect peanut butter & jelly sandwich and it still would have been damn tense.

Ah, yes, that is a great scene, though I'm not sure it's my favorite.

Criterion needs to release more Demme. I'd love to see his earlier work.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Ah, yes, that is a great scene, though I'm not sure it's my favorite.

Criterion needs to release more Demme. I'd love to see his earlier work.

Ditto. I'm a huge fan of Beloved, it would rank in the top ten films I want on BluRay next.