The Criterion Collection

[CinemaBlu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Yah I'm with you on that :P not saying don't obsess :P Id be gutted if my films came damaged, I bought 4 copies of Last Year to make sure I got the best condition I could.

Cost me a fortune but was worth it Plus is an incredible film! I was lucky and found a place to buy TMWFTE plastic keepsake case so atlas the digipak is protected

I understand now why you're upset about the OCD comment. I didn't know you really had serious OCD.

[jlk5844]

If you had to choose between Pale Flower or Branded to Kill, which would you choose?

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I haven't seen Noah yet - Ive seen the 'creation' sequence in it which was pretty awesome, but not watched yet. Seems a bit 'mainstream' and didn't come across as a Darren Aronofsky film, but they just be the advertising campaign. Anyone seen and can recommend? Would love Pi and Requiem in collection :P! (had to say it sorry!)

I really enjoyed Noah, but then i have a background studying biblical/theological things, so i had an interest right from the get go. Another enjoyable part of the film for me was the fact that it seems like the natural successor to The Fountain, which is one of my favorite films of all time (I know it gets a bit of a tepid response from most film fans). I found a tremendous amount of the visuals and music to be callbacks The Fountain, which made it all the more enjoyable for me.

And while on the topic The Fountain, my mind was blown this week when i watched Ikiru for the first time. I had no idea that Aronofsky had lifted a scene directly from the Kurosawa classic and plopped it right into The Fountain. Since I've seen The Fountain 25 times or so, i noticed it immediately. I was surprised i had never read anything about previously.

[mande2013]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Yah I'm with you on that :P not saying don't obsess :P Id be gutted if my films came damaged, I bought 4 copies of Last Year to make sure I got the best condition I could.

Cost me a fortune but was worth it Plus is an incredible film! I was lucky and found a place to buy TMWFTE plastic keepsake case so atlas the digipak is protected

The slip case for my Marienbad is slightly dinged. It was mailed to me like that in the shrink wrap way back when it was still available, but I'm living with it, but what's worrying me more is the staples binding the booklet for Last Year are starting to rust and it's only on that booklet!

As for buying four copies to get the most perfect one, I probably wouldn't go that far myself.

I hope you sold the other three on ebay or something.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I really enjoyed Noah, but then i have a background studying biblical/theological things, so i had an interest right from the get go. Another enjoyable part of the film for me was the fact that it seems like the natural successor to The Fountain, which is one of my favorite films of all time (I know it gets a bit of a tepid response from most film fans). I found a tremendous amount of the visuals and music to be callbacks The Fountain, which made it all the more enjoyable for me.

And while on the topic The Fountain, my mind was blown this week when i watched Ikiru for the first time. I had no idea that Aronofsky had lifted a scene directly from the Kurosawa classic and plopped it right into The Fountain. Since I've seen The Fountain 25 times or so, i noticed it immediately. I was surprised i had never read anything about previously.

I find all Aronofsky's film has a 'partner'

Pi - Requiem For A dream
The Wrestler - Black Swan (He was originally going to have a film where a ballet dancer falls in love with a Wrestler)
The Fountain - Noah

Maybe I will give it a try! and what scene are you talking about in The Fountain ? Not seen Ikiru :P

Originally Posted by mande2013

The slip case for my Marienbad is slightly dinged. It was mailed to me like that in the shrink wrap way back when it was still available, but I'm living with it, but what's worrying me more is the staples binding the booklet for Last Year are starting to rust and it's only on that booklet!

Yah mine were shrink wrapped but had black marks all over the digipak, luckily a rubber erased them - just the nature of uncoated stock I suppose! same for the dents, its a beautiful design and concept - just not one that lasts sadly!

Never heard of rusty staples! :O

[CinemaBlu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Never heard of rusty staples! :O

LOL Somebody start a new thread to address this issue.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by jlk5844

If you had to choose between Pale Flower or Branded to Kill, which would you choose?

Pale Flower.

Branded to Kill is really hard to pigeonhole. It's a little too quirky to take seriously but it's not quite camp - at least not in an overtly anyway. It's interesting and it has some cool visuals but I don't see going back to it anytime soon.

Pale Flower is fantastic though. The characters are really cool, their world is really interesting and the whole thing has a cool, jazzy 'sort of noir, sort of not' feel to it. I'm a big fan.

[jlk5844]

Originally Posted by octagon

Pale Flower.

Branded to Kill is really hard to pigeonhole. It's a little too quirky to take seriously but it's not quite camp - at least not in an overtly anyway. It's interesting and it has some cool visuals but I don't see going back to it anytime soon.

Pale Flower is fantastic though. The characters are really cool, their world is really interesting and the whole thing has a cool, jazzy 'sort of noir, sort of not' feel to it. I'm a big fan.

That was the one I was leaning towards. Branded to Kill I was more unsure about, but still very much interested in.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I haven't seen Noah yet - Ive seen the 'creation' sequence in it which was pretty awesome, but not watched yet. Seems a bit 'mainstream' and didn't come across as a Darren Aronofsky film, but they just be the advertising campaign. Anyone seen and can recommend? Would love Pi and Requiem in collection :P! (had to say it sorry!)

It's "mainstream" in the sense that it's a $100million+ blockbuster, but that's about it. It's pretty out there. I liked much about it, and think that Aronofsky was doing something pretty interesting re- notions of spectacle, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by octagon

Pale Flower.

Branded to Kill is really hard to pigeonhole. It's a little too quirky to take seriously but it's not quite camp - at least not in an overtly anyway. It's interesting and it has some cool visuals but I don't see going back to it anytime soon.

Pale Flower is fantastic though. The characters are really cool, their world is really interesting and the whole thing has a cool, jazzy 'sort of noir, sort of not' feel to it. I'm a big fan.

Pretty much agree, but I like both for different reasons. I'd pick PALE FLOWER first, primarily for its stunning black-and-white CinemaScope cinematography, relentless noir mood, and interesting soundtrack.

BRANDED TO KILL is a film for a different mood, but also heavily noirish and equally rewarding in its own way. It's much more off-the-wall unpredictable ("quirky" is an appropriate word), both in story and characters as well as in filmmaking techniques, especially editing. It's maybe a little bit as if Godard had made a film noir in Japan, but with a weird underlying twisted sense of humor. It doesn't quite have the overt and colorful genre parody (a la Tarantino) that TOKYO DRIFTER has.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

It's "mainstream" in the sense that it's a $100million+ blockbuster, but that's about it. It's pretty out there. I liked much about it, and think that Aronofsky was doing something pretty interesting re- notions of spectacle, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.

I just find his film have so much depth to them and ar every artistic, Noah just looks like one of those films that explain every detail and treats the audience like they are stupid - I'm probably wrong, but thats the impression I get from the marketing, but I guess if it is a bug budget they need to get as bug an audience they can get...

I'll give it a try I suppose... just don't want to see him 'sell out' or make films for the money, he always comes across as someone who makes film for passion and for pleasure...

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jlk5844

If you had to choose between Pale Flower or Branded to Kill, which would you choose?

Pale Flower is one of the greatest neo-noirs, and it's a great-looking black-and-white film with an innovative soundtrack. I hold it on par with many of the classic-era film noir movies here in America, because it has the same dark-edged themes and plot elements.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I just find his film have so much depth to them and ar every artistic, Noah just looks like one of those films that explain every detail and treats the audience like they are stupid - I'm probably wrong, but thats the impression I get from the marketing, but I guess if it is a bug budget they need to get as bug an audience they can get...

I wouldn't worry, it still has his fingerprints all over it. TBH I'm kind of in awe of the fact that it actually ever got made, it's one of the strangest blockbusters I've ever seen.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I wouldn't worry, it still has his fingerprints all over it. TBH I'm kind of in awe of the fact that it actually ever got made, it's one of the strangest blockbusters I've ever seen.

I think I prefer the idea of this film rather than The Wolverine film he was going to do lol

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I don't mind people obsessing and loving their Criterions and wanting them perfect, its only natural Just throwing around OCD bugs me, anywhere not just here ^^

-

On another note, watching Black Swan, not seen in a LOOONG time, love this film, so beautiful to watch, only couple things bug me which is the CGI was a bit weak in some scenes and the soundtrack was a bit overused (but its still a beautiful score and I love the integration of Tchaikovsky's music).

The cinematography is stunning though and really love Natalie Portman in this role, I find her hard to like in other roles but she transformed herself (ha!).

Just realised how fitting this film is to the chat about OCD haha, but I adore the themes, LOVE ballet and in particular Swan Lake. Im also a tad in love with film that shows the lead going through some form of transformation, be it physical or physiologically. Not checked but is there a bluray out there for Tetsou: The Iron Man? and is it any good? Its an INCREDIBLE experience and the visuals and music is out of this world.

I haven't seen Noah yet - Ive seen the 'creation' sequence in it which was pretty awesome, but not watched yet. Seems a bit 'mainstream' and didn't come across as a Darren Aronofsky film, but they just be the advertising campaign. Anyone seen and can recommend? Would love Pi and Requiem in collection :P! (had to say it sorry!)

Noah was awful.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I wouldn't worry, it still has his fingerprints all over it. TBH I'm kind of in awe of the fact that it actually ever got made, it's one of the strangest blockbusters I've ever seen.

I think that's a good way of putting it.

As for it being a companion to The Fountain, I couldn't disagree more. They're extremely different films.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I think that's a good way of putting it.

As for it being a companion to The Fountain, I couldn't disagree more. They're extremely different films.

I loved how little CGI was used in The Fountain, the special effects won't date, or atleast for a very long time - I wish more directors skipped CGI whenever possible.

I mean look at The Lord of the Rings compared to the Hobbit. LOTR has awesome special effects because a lot was practice, they seemed to have rushed or got lazy with The Hobbit. Shame really.

I just don't want him becoming Del Toro or Steven Soderbergh, make some incredible pieces of Cinema but then go do these big blockbusters that lose their personality. Not saying they are terrible films but they aren't as good as their mor personal stuff. Also I'm aware some do it to make money for their personal films.

I think they should just do a Lars Von Trier and run a porn studio and use that to fund their films lol.

[Rebster81]

Originally Posted by jlk5844

If you had to choose between Pale Flower or Branded to Kill, which would you choose?

Pale Flower for sure.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Noah was awful.

I agree. I enjoy the biblical story, but the execution made it feel into a blockbuster. Not to mention, those Rockformers were incredibly...I don't even know how to describe them...

As far as Aronofsky, I would rank his films as:

-The Wrestler
-Requiem for a Dream
-Black Swan
-The Fountain
-Noah
-Pi

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Gusto-Guus

Watched Interstellar today and I'll say this. Visually, it's amazing. I was reading how the scientist who helped work with the vfx crew ended up writing more theories based on what he saw in this and it is really amazing. An experience.

Narratively, it fails a bit. Performances from the actors were fine, but the story doesn't work as a whole.

Solid flick. 7/10 for me, no where near films like Solaris or 2001.

I'm not convinced that the remarks by Tarantino, et alia comparing the film to 2001 and Solaris are meant to suggest that they think Interstellar is as good as those films. They seem to me to be comparing it to those films in that it's a more cerebral, artistic SF film rather than being an SF action blockbuster like Star Wars or Star Trek or Edge of Tomorrow.

I don't know when I'm going to get around to seeing it. My wife wants to see it, too, but she's having back problems that are exacerbated by sitting for too long. We're going to tempt fate and see the Fathom Events showing of Jon Stewart's Rosewater on Thursday evening, which is accompanied by a live-streaming interview with Stewart and Maziar Bahari conducted by Stephen Colbert. If my wife can manage to sit through this without being too uncomfortable, we might try to see Interstellar on the weekend.

At any rate, yesterday I went to see Gone Girl, which I thought was terrific. I'm inclined to judge it Fincher's best film yet.