The Criterion Collection

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by jayembee

The one that does it for it for me is Daniel Petrie's 1980 film Resurrection (written by Lewis John Carlino, who wrote Seconds). Not only does the ending itself make me weep (but in a happy way, not a sad way), but just thinking about the ending makes me weep.

I have to get off my ass and recommend this one to Criterion. Universal continues to treat it like a red-headed stepchild.

I'll have to give that one a watch, don't recall ever seeing it. Thanks!

And I love movies like these... really just good movies.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by jw007

Glad to hear you share the same sentiments. It's just one of those films that I classify in another level of genius...like it was directed by an advanced alien, not a human.

If Criterion ever re-released this on blu-ray, I'd probably faint from shock. There's no way Warner is going to ever let one of their prized catalog titles be outsourced probably.

That would be a shock, and a pre-order, stand in line, take straight home and watch. But seriously, it's an amazing film, once that I see something different in every time I watch. Not many movies can say that today.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

Spielberg's movies are like the opposite of Kubrick's. Everything on earth is explained so much that there's basically no mystery left. Even Close Encounters of the Third Kind doesn't get me excited anymore. I guess his films are better suited to younger folks or those that still have the mind of a child's. AI was somewhat mysterious but I disagree with Kubrick's opinion of him preferring Spielberg to direct it.

I still love Spielberg's early films because they enable me to view things with a childlike sense of wonder. Raiders of the Lost Ark always takes me back to the days of reading adventure stories as a boy.

Just a few days ago, Ain't It Cool News posted a really good write-up on A.I. Artificial Intelligence that pretty much mirrors my own opinion of it as an underrated movie.

I recently revisited Duel, by way of the excellent new Blu-ray, and I had forgotten how much I loved that movie back in the day. It's still outstanding.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by jw007

I don't have an official poll here, but I am going to actually conduct this for official purposes now that you said it.

It's not a deal breaker, but Kubrick has to be at least recognized and respected by my female peers.

But yes, I am super picky about my female preferences.

I actually thought about asking my female co-workers after I threw that out there as well. I don’t want them to think that I am judging them if they don’t happen to know who he is, so I decided against it.

The most important thing to look for in a partner, btw, is an open mind.

[Polaroid]

Still disappointed with the Mulholland Dr artwork :P

They could have come ups with something so beautiful and dreamy for this film - I know I'm annoying going on and on but still :P

Mocked this up.. not exactly Criterion design but more just a character poster, but gives a good sense of the mood and style they could have maybe gone for without making the artwork look like just a copy of existing posters... I don't know, this may be crap lol

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by jw007

I guess his films are better suited to younger folks or those that still have the mind of a child's.

Wow, really? You speak so highly of Stanley Kubrick, but I guess he had the mind of a child as well because it's known that he liked Spielberg and some of his films.

I could say the same thing about Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson, directors who you seem to like based upon your blu ray collection.

[Yami]

2001 has been my favourite film for years, but I've yet to manage to see it on the big screen. There have been a few screenings recently, but none at a convenient time so I've had to miss out. One day...

With regards to the ending

[Show spoiler]I've always viewed it as an allegory for the evolution of man - the birth of Nietzsche's Ubermensch as we move towards a higher plane. The 'star child' - child of the stars - eyes wide open, looking down on the earth as we would look up at space.

I've had a love/hate relationship with E.T. and recently reassessed it - coming out on the side of love this time around. It has a fairy tale feel to it - of an otherworldly creature who comes down to earth to mend a broken family, to befriend a lonely child. E.T. helps Elliot to cope in a world that he himself is a stranger to. In many ways, it's a film primarily about communication - in the beginning of the film, Elliot's family don't understand each other despite speaking the same language. E.T. and Elliott form a connection that doesn't even necessitate speech. E.T. famously 'phones home' and through the film he helps Elliot value his.

I think Spielberg is so synonymous with popcorn cinema that he's actually underappreciated as an auteur. I'd recommend watching the video essay series Magic and Light: The Films of Steven Spielberg and reading Darkness in the Bliss-Out: A Reconsideration of the Films of Steven Spielberg by James Kendrick

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

For anyone curious like me , here are the Top 15 most-owned Criterion titles among members here

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Seven Samurai
3. The Thin Red Line
4. The Game
5. 12 Angry Men
6. Godzilla / Gojira
7. The Royal Tenenbaums
8. Rosemary's Baby
9. Rushmore
10. Paths of Glory
11. Videodrome
12. The Seventh Seal
13. Bottle Rocket
14. Days of Heaven
15. Brazil

Personally, I don't really consider Benjamin Button a true Criterion release, but rather a Paramount wide release with Criterion branding. So if you feel that way too, then Seven Samurai is tops, and the 15th would be The Darjeeling Limited (making 4 /15 Wes Anderson titles).

I own all but one - The Seventh Seal - which I'll be picking up at some point since I just traded in my old Criterion DVD towards a credit at Vintage Stock, which I used to pick up The Merchant of Four Seasons.

I very much enjoyed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, by the way. It's never going to make my list of all-time favorites, but I thought it was an interesting story, artfully told.

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

For anyone curious like me , here are the Top 15 most-owned Criterion titles among members here

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Seven Samurai
3. The Thin Red Line
4. The Game
5. 12 Angry Men
6. Godzilla / Gojira
7. The Royal Tenenbaums
8. Rosemary's Baby
9. Rushmore
10. Paths of Glory
11. Videodrome
12. The Seventh Seal
13. Bottle Rocket
14. Days of Heaven
15. Brazil

Personally, I don't really consider Benjamin Button a true Criterion release, but rather a Paramount wide release with Criterion branding. So if you feel that way too, then Seven Samurai is tops, and the 15th would be The Darjeeling Limited (making 4 /15 Wes Anderson titles).

Interesting, of the 4 Wes Anderson movies I only have The Royal Tenenbaums. And of all 16, i only have 3 (the others being Seventh Seal and Seven Samurai) but not on blu.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by joie

It is possible to think that something I don't understand has some profound meaning. An alternative is to consider it poor storytelling.

Very well stated. I greatly admire specific components of 2001 (particularly the cinematography and the art direction/set decorations), but on the whole, the film has never resonated with me intellectually or emotionally. I've seen it at least five times ... twice on the big screen, twice on home video, and once on TCM ... and at this point, I have no reason to think I'll ever want to watch it again, since my initial ambivalent impression has never changed.

Heretically, I feel the same way about Citizen Kane ... there's no doubt about it being an outstanding technical achievement, especially in terms of American filmmaking circa 1941 ... but my favorite films from that year are Preston Sturges' hysterically funny The Lady Eve and John Huston's intriguing proto-noir, The Maltese Falcon.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by jw007

Spielberg's movies are like the opposite of Kubrick's. Everything on earth is explained so much that there's basically no mystery left. Even Close Encounters of the Third Kind doesn't get me excited anymore. I guess his films are better suited to younger folks or those that still have the mind of a child's. AI was somewhat mysterious but I disagree with Kubrick's opinion of him preferring Spielberg to direct it.

By the way, I saw a Kubrick list of his favourite movies recently, and E.T. was included!

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

By the way, I saw a Kubrick list of his favourite movies recently, and E.T. was included!

Well, clearly he had the mind of a child then!

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

Well, clearly he had the mind of a child then!

Here's the rest for anyone interested.
The 28 films are the ones that are in Criterion collection, but the page has a paragraph too which cites the films that were in the list but aren't in the collection:
http://www.criterion.com/lists/10675...favorite-films

I wonder what he would think of Malick's The Thin red Line and The Tree of Life.

[soarinsteven]

Originally Posted by jw007

Spielberg's movies are like the opposite of Kubrick's. Everything on earth is explained so much that there's basically no mystery left. Even Close Encounters of the Third Kind doesn't get me excited anymore. I guess his films are better suited to younger folks or those that still have the mind of a child's. AI was somewhat mysterious but I disagree with Kubrick's opinion of him preferring Spielberg to direct it.

God what a terrible and condescending thing to say.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by soarinsteven

God what a terrible and condescending thing to say.

Yes, I don't understand why the good films are the ones that have a mystery.
So, Schindler's list is awful?

[bwdowiak]

I just knew when I read it, that JW's Spielberg comment was not going to get passed anyone here.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Yes, I don't understand why the good films are the ones that have a mystery.
So, Schindler's list is awful?

My feelings concerning Spielberg are really mixed. A huge swath of his films I consider either just sort of fun (nothing wrong with that, trust me), or not at all that good.

However, those of his films which I really do like (Schindler's List, Munich, Jaws, a couple of others) I REALLY like.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by soarinsteven

God what a terrible and condescending thing to say.

If you say that pointing out something being suited to younger folks or a child's mind is condescending, isn't that itself condescending to younger folks and children?

[Kaiju]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

Well, clearly he had the mind of a child then!

...Pls.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Here's the rest for anyone interested.
The 28 films are the ones that are in Criterion collection, but the page has a paragraph too which cites the films that were in the list but aren't in the collection:
http://www.criterion.com/lists/10675...favorite-films

I wonder what he would think of Malick's The Thin red Line and The Tree of Life.

Guarantee you he would've loved them both.

...I've never been so certain of anything in my life.

White Man Can't Jump is the one that I can't get over.

Just the thought of Stanley Kubrick watching that movie makes me laugh out loud.