The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by octagon

It might seem like The Tenant gets short shrift but it has a lot of fans here.

People would go batshit if that ever got announced.

I had faint hopes that The Tenant was one of the hints from the 2013 New Years hint with the large apartment building, but I was off base. I'd love to see this one land in Criterion waters.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by momaw

Can anyone offer any opinions on Marketa Lazarová?

It is the best film I discovered in 2013.

[momaw]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It is the best film I discovered in 2013.

Thanks. It looks intriguing and the reviews are good (especially regarding the criterion treatment). It seems an investment is required from the viewer to get the most out of this film. I don't mind putting the time into a good movie and enjoy films that reward on multiple viewing, but is it hard to understand without those multiple viewings?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by momaw

Thanks. It looks intriguing and the reviews are good (especially regarding the criterion treatment). It seems an investment is required from the viewer to get the most out of this film. I don't mind putting the time into a good movie and enjoy films that reward on multiple viewing, but is it hard to understand without those multiple viewings?

The first 40 minutes of Marketa Lazarova are befuddling, but the pieces slowly started to come together for me after that during my first viewing.

I was hugely impressed by this title, and I wrote a User Review shortly after my initial viewing. I got caught up in the fold of new purchases during that time, though, and I never got around to watching the film again. I need to remedy that soon, because I'm curious to see how many more layers I can peel away during subsequent viewings.

The most immediate impression that came to my mind while watching Marketa Lazarova is that it might very well be the cinema's most accurate approximation of what medieval times were really like. This movie is light years removed from films like Braveheart that depict attractive stars with just enough scuffy makeup to pass for an illusion of authenticity. The characters in Marketa Lazarova are feral and quite alien in nature compared to today's civilized sensibilities. This really is a fascinating movie.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It is the best film I discovered in 2013.

This times 1000.
Its definitely quite confusing on the first go and its managed to put off a lot of people but I found it really rewarding and can't wait to find the time to revisit it.
Right after On The Waterfront I thought it was their best new release of the year.

[momaw]

Thank you brandon_260, The Great Owl and JoeBuck.

I think I will pick this one up.

[jw007]

I ended up seeing the new Spike Jonze movie "Her" at a local theater last night. Amazing film! Her really is ahead of its time. I think I could see the possibility of adults falling in love with their operating system over other human beings. Artificial intelligence might very well replace human intelligence some day when it comes to romance. The story is actually plausible!

Oh, and I have to say that Scarlett Johansson was just stunning as the voice of the computer. I think she dominated the film. I am proud to feature her avatar right now.

[Visco.]

Originally Posted by jw007

I ended up seeing the new Spike Jonze movie "Her" at a local theater last night. Amazing film! Her really is ahead of its time. I think I could see the possibility of adults falling in love with their operating system over other human beings. Artificial intelligence might very well replace human intelligence some day when it comes to romance. The story is actually plausible!



Oh, and I have to say that Scarlett Johansson was just stunning as the voice of the computer. I think she dominated the film. I am proud to feature her avatar right now.

Agreed! It literally felt like it was filmed in the future. Amazing production design.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hustlermane

How is this discussion still happening. Art vs the artist. It was a shocking crime, and a miscarriage of justice that Polanski wasn't arrested, but watching art is in no way condoning the artist's behaviour.

There are no doubt people who will shun an artist's work completely because of something the artist has done in his personal life. But I think the issue with many, perhaps most, is whether or not buy a work by that artist, and therefore (at least theoretically) contribute to the financial well-being of that artist through royalties.

I can see someone making a distinction between borrowing, say, Rosemary's Baby from a library or watching it on Netflix and buying the Criterion Blu-ray from the local Best Buy.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by jw007

I ended up seeing the new Spike Jonze movie "Her" at a local theater last night. Amazing film! Her really is ahead of its time. I think I could see the possibility of adults falling in love with their operating system over other human beings. Artificial intelligence might very well replace human intelligence some day when it comes to romance. The story is actually plausible!

Oh, and I have to say that Scarlett Johansson was just stunning as the voice of the computer. I think she dominated the film. I am proud to feature her avatar right now.

I do not think so. We all desire human contact.

I hope in the future Rooney Mara will actually stay with the guy (she is the new breakup girl).

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by momaw

Can anyone offer any opinions on Marketa Lazarová?

Finally watched that one recently after picking it up a few sales ago. It's definitely a cinematic assault that you should be in the mood for to watch (I started and stopped several times beforehand), meaning: be prepared for three hours of not knowing who is who, what's really happening, and all of that because chances are you'll just get frustrated. At least on your first viewing, perhaps.

That's not to say that the film is especially avant-garde in narrative - there is a story, and though the plot is circumspect with flashbacks from what I was able to gather it generally flows in chronological order. There is no narrative hand-holding though. Further adding to possible frustrations is the fact that the relationship between image and sound is largely converse to what one is used to in traditional forms of cinema.

But if you can take leave of such proprieties and give yourself over to the film at hand - at least for the first viewing(s) - you'll find a stylized approximation of the Middle Ages fairly unique in the cinema. I'm not entirely sure I loved it that much - well, at least in proportion to the praise it gets from quarters like this one - but it's certainly unlike practically anything I've seen before and worth a gander for the adventurous. If even for a different shade of your Game of Thrones fix even, haha.

And in terms of the Criterion package, which I look forward to exploring further forthwith, it is a standard-bearer for the label.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by jw007

I ended up seeing the new Spike Jonze movie "Her" at a local theater last night. Amazing film! Her really is ahead of its time. I think I could see the possibility of adults falling in love with their operating system over other human beings. Artificial intelligence might very well replace human intelligence some day when it comes to romance. The story is actually plausible!

Oh, and I have to say that Scarlett Johansson was just stunning as the voice of the computer. I think she dominated the film. I am proud to feature her avatar right now.

Totally agree with your review JW I told ya it was a great movie! And oh yes an OS with Scarlett is something I would buy in a heartbeat lol

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by smoss469

I've somehow been on a streak of Lino Ventura films lately.

Check out the Melville film Le Deuxieme Souffle. It's available on Criterion DVD. He also has a smaller role in Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows.

I've come to really like him, too. I wish that the film they just announced with Jean Paul Belmondo would be region free, but I don't believe that is the case.

Can anyone address this thought?: Would Criterion be afraid to release any subsequent Melville films for fear of them only having a limited run with them before being scooped up by another distributor? With the 3 going out of print, there are ZERO films available on Criterion blu-ray and so many highly regarded possibilities for release. I WANT MORE MELVILLE!

[thebard]

Originally Posted by jw007

I ended up seeing the new Spike Jonze movie "Her" at a local theater last night. Amazing film! Her really is ahead of its time. I think I could see the possibility of adults falling in love with their operating system over other human beings. Artificial intelligence might very well replace human intelligence some day when it comes to romance. The story is actually plausible!

I use Windows. There's no way I'm falling in love with my operating system.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

It was my best blind buy last year.

I bought recently, having little knowledge of the film.

Watched about half of it now, had to turn off as need to pop out do stuff but oh my lord, its mesmerising, enchanting, haunting... its incredible!

The cinematography is out of this world, the score is PERFECT.

I can't believe I haven't heard of this sooner! it's like a mix of Bergman and Tarkovsky, even some sorts reminded me of Malick.

I thought I would maybe get a bit bored but the pacing is perfect and Ive not felt bored or anything yet, it's incredible!

[The Bronx Bull]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Check out the Melville film Le Deuxieme Souffle. It's available on Criterion DVD. He also has a smaller role in Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows.

I've come to really like him, too. I wish that the film they just announced with Jean Paul Belmondo would be region free, but I don't believe that is the case.

Can anyone address this thought?: Would Criterion be afraid to release any subsequent Melville films for fear of them only having a limited run with them before being scooped up by another distributor? With the 3 going out of print, there are ZERO films available on Criterion blu-ray and so many highly regarded possibilities for release. I WANT MORE MELVILLE!

Also, Classe Tous Risques. Lino Ventura takes the lead in this one. Both are excellent!

[Ctzalman]

review for jules and jim is up at dvdbeaver and they have confirmed that criterion fixed the mirrored frames from the original sd release. can't wait to pick this one up!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by thebard

I use Windows. There's no way I'm falling in love with my operating system.

Windows went down on me several times a day, so there's something to be said for that.

I'm a Mac user now, though.

Originally Posted by The Bronx Bull

Also, Classe Tous Risques. Lino Ventura takes the lead in this one. Both are excellent!

Classe Tous Risques is an outstanding and underrated Criterion title.

For Lino Ventura fans, the Olive Films title, Greed in the Sun, is one of the best previously-undiscovered gems of my Blu-ray purchases last year.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Windows went down on me several times a day, so there's something to be said for that.

I'm a Mac user now, though.



Classe Tous Risques is an outstanding and underrated Criterion title.

For Lino Ventura fans, the Olive Films title, Greed in the Sun, is one of the best previously-undiscovered gems of my Blu-ray purchases last year.

If windows went down of me several times in a day... I'd fall for it.

Greed In the Sun was awesome. Such great desert cinematography!

[excellence]

Watched Persona last night for the first time. Not sure if this is a spoiler, but

[Show spoiler]that film creeped me out quite a few times! Didn't know I'd be watching a horror movie! But then again I didn't really know what to expect since I've only seen one other Bergman film (The Seventh Seal).