The Criterion Collection

[the sordid sentinel]

Originally Posted by BruceWayneMartin

I'm going to watch On the Waterfront tonight and was just curious, which ratio should I watch first?

1:66/1 splits the difference..that is the one I always revert to.

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

Speaking of Kurosawa - any other love for High and Low? Of the Kurosawa films that I've seen it has the highest rewatchability factor.

I loved the two distinct acts in this film - the family crisis up close and personal and then the cat and mouse game that finishes out the film. So, so excellent.

Over the past couple years, High and Low has climbed up the ladder to be my favorite Kurosawa. Excellent indeed!

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by the sordid sentinel

1:66/1 splits the difference..that is the one I always revert to.

Yeah just go with the 1:66 first.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by BruceWayneMartin

I'm going to watch On the Waterfront tonight and was just curious, which ratio should I watch first?

There is a brief video in the supplements that discusses the different ratios. I found watching it helpful when I was deciding which version to watch.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I was thinking of trying that, but I've been seeing so many French noirs recently that I figured I'd give it a break... at least for a little while, anyway. High and Low is considered noir, yes?

I dunno, I don't really see it as all that noirish. The first half is a pretty straightforward drama, the second half is a very straightforward police procedural and visually the whole thing is fairly conventional.

Don't get me wrong, it looks great but it looks great in the way that something like All About Eve or To Kill a Mockingbird looks great.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

There is a brief video in the supplements that discusses the different ratios. I found watching it helpful when I was deciding which version to watch.

Oh, cool...I completely overlooked that in the review. If I ever get the plastic off that will be the first place I go

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by octagon

I dunno, I don't really see it as all that noirish. The first half is a pretty straightforward drama, the second half is a very straightforward police procedural and visually the whole thing is fairly conventional.

I forgot to mention High and Low in my above post, but I also hold this movie in high esteem. Stray Dog is more "film noir" in my book, although High and Low does fit some of the stylistic conventions.

Unrelated to anything, but this is my first time using a MacBook. I bought one today after my old Sony Vaio kicked the bucket last night. I love it, but there's definitely a learning curve. I'll be trying to figure out how to do little things for the indefinite future.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Unrelated to anything, but this is my first time using a MacBook. I bought one today after my old Sony Vaio kicked the bucket last night. I love it, but there's definitely a learning curve. I'll be trying to figure out how to do little things for the indefinite future.

Did it come with a free hipster beard?

[SilentDawn]

So everyone, I will finally be watching Three Colors: Red tonight; and I can't wait to see how the trilogy ends. Considering both Dallas Buyers Club and Catching Fire come to my cinemas this weekend, It's best to finish the Three Colors Trilogy tonight.

I will post my impressions on the film as soon as I finish!

Silent.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by smoss469

Did it come with a free hipster beard?

Not only that, he now knows the difference between craft beer and microbrews and will soon be able to bowl ironically.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by scorsetinogilliam

(Spoiler!!!!!!!!!!!)
This film was just okay. Roughly five great scenes, surrounded by decent filmmaking. The score was horrendous and the film is only truly effective when we are watching intense suffering. Anything in between is very distant and unaffecting. Also, Brad Pitt's paid for producer role was painful to endure. I normally love him, but his lines might as well have been, "Hi! I'm Brad Pitt. (SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I'm here to wrap shit up conveniently" Easily McQueen's worst film. Still worth watching, but the praise has been rather excessive.

Well, I will agree with you on the music part. Hans Zimmer's score reminded me a bit of the stripped down theme from Inception as well as The Thin Red Line. The main theme in the score was too repetitive and there needed to be an alternative theme or other themes. The score wasn't original at all to say the least. It's a theme from a score I've heard many times before (from those 2 films especially). As for Pitt, he wasn't as distracting as I thought he would be. He sort of fit in with the characters. Funny though on how a friend of mine told me after the film we both went to see that nowadays there is more racism up north (esp. in Canada) than one thinks and Pitt's character was Canadian.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

12 Years a Slave is the best movie about slavery that I have seen to date. I loved the idyllic scenery of antebellum Louisiana juxtaposed with the harshness of the story.

It's not a perfect film. Brad Pitt is commendable in his small role, but his comparable star power makes him stand out like a cockroach on a wedding cake, and the scenes took my mind out of the story and into the fact that I was watching a movie after all. Other than that small flaw, though, I do not have any complaints, and I was drawn back into the fold quite easily.

Yes, I think it is probably the best movie about slavery I've ever seen too. I think the cinematography was a highlight for sure. This is a film that doesn't need to be in the Criterion Collection but it earns everything it deserves.

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Once you go Mac, you never go back.

Oh, I don't know about that. I just use my macs for video editing and DVD authoring, and prefer my PCs for everything else. On the other hand, I'm typing this right now on my iPad, which is really just a convenient toy that's pretty good for some things but quite limited otherwise. The WatchTCM app is nice, but I still prefer my basement theatre's projection setup and sound system for any full-length feature (preferably with a Criterion Blu-ray, to bring this back on topic).

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by drawohua

In my opinion, High and Low is the best among all the Akira Kurosawa's BD released by CC, I love Seven Samurai and basically all Akira Kurosawa's film too, but I just can't forget how stunning is the first 45-50 minutes from High and Low. The tension created by the performances of actors and the mise en scene is incredible. no other film can compare with that

I have never seen high and low. I certainly want to now.

[Cvalda]

Originally Posted by jw007

Well, I will agree with you on the music part. Hans Zimmer's score reminded me a bit of the stripped down theme from Inception as well as The Thin Red Line. The main theme in the score was too repetitive and there needed to be an alternative theme or other themes. The score wasn't original at all to say the least. It's a theme from a score I've heard many times before (from those 2 films especially).

So typical Hans Zimmer McMusic, then

[momaw]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

No extras but a nice print.

http://www.yesasia.com/us/ran-blu-ra...0-en/info.html

How does this version compare to the US/UK release in terms of picture, audio and subtitle translations?

[StLouisRibs]

Originally Posted by SilentxStatik24

So everyone, I will finally be watching Three Colors: Red tonight; and I can't wait to see how the trilogy ends. Considering both Dallas Buyers Club and Catching Fire come to my cinemas this weekend, It's best to finish the Three Colors Trilogy tonight.

I will post my impressions on the film as soon as I finish!

Silent.

I watched this for the first time Tuesday - I did it slightly out of order for varying reasons, doing White 2 weeks ago, Blue last week.

Needless to say I think the best film was the first one I saw, then Blue worse than that, then Red... but they're all stupendous films.

[bluesilo]

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

I watched this for the first time Tuesday - I did it slightly out of order for varying reasons, doing White 2 weeks ago, Blue last week.

Needless to say I think the best film was the first one I saw, then Blue worse than that, then Red... but they're all stupendous films.

Interesting. I liked Blue the best, then Red, and then quite a drop off to White. I just didn't care for White thematically. Just didn't work for me.

[smoss469]

Received my 2nd order from BN.com today.

Night Train to Munich
Green For Danger
Thieves' Highway

Once I finish up the Eclipse Warped World of Koreyoshi Kurahara I'll be diving right in!

[ccg1978]

Is Solaris worth the blind buy? Saw the remake and thought the story was intriguing...

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by ccg1978

Is Solaris worth the blind buy? Saw the remake and thought the story was intriguing...

There are a lot of different opinions out there, but I definitely prefer the original to the remake. I think the original is much more emotionally affecting than the remake.