The Criterion Collection

[fdm]

Originally Posted by Volume11

You couldn't be more wrong (and I think you misunderstood his overall point). With B&N you HAVE to be a member to take advantage of a good portion of the available coupons both online and in store and that costs actual money (strike 1) and even then its a constant and annoying game of searching out said coupons in hope to save a few bucks off their terrible pricing (strike 2). B&N's online model is easily one of the worst for usability and their shipping options are as inconsistent as they come (I ordered the Leopard and the Yojimbo/Sanjuro boxset within minutes of each other and both were in stock and shipped the same day. I received the Leopard Friday and I'm not scheduled to receive the box set until this coming Thursday). Not to mention they often use DHL whom works with the post office now so my items will sit locally for 3 extra days thanks to the red tape involved (strike 3).

Borders, while just as terribly priced and coupon driven, at LEAST frequently has 40% off coupons (which put most Criterions at $25) and becoming a member to take advantage of said coupons is free and easy. They do tend to only have 10 or so titles at a time whereas most B&N's have a much larger selection.

But I think the bigger point is that both companies have a large and nationwide corporate presence. The vast majority of their criterion sales likely come from the half off promotions and any regular discounts during the rest of the year come through random coupons and costly memberships. That is an old corporate model that newer companies are not adopting because most people find it annoying and do not have the time to sit and search the internet for coupons to find a fair price. These booksellers would be better served to price their Criterions at $26-30 and sell titles more consistently throughout the year while occasionally offering sales. They are large enough to make a profit by selling in volume to offset the low pricing.

Locally in Denver we have an electronics chain called Ultimate Electronics. They survive in the crowded marketplace by undercutting walmart and Best Buy by a few pennies or sometimes a few dollars. They have a very good Criterion selection that are routinely priced at around $28. While that is more than the current sale I will admit I NEVER buy from Borders or BNN outside of the half off sale and if I can;t wait for a title I really want Ill pick it up at UE because the pricing is consistent and fair.

I could be more wrong, since I am never wrong, but since you live in Denver, I'll let you off this time.

B&N membership pays for itself if you do much of any shopping there. They often have sales that are pretty decent and you can save a lot of money if you work things out right. I rarely pay more for anything than I can get cheaper online elsewhere, and frequently pay less when I do shop there. So yeah, if you don't want to work the system, you can complain about it but you're looking at it from the outside in rather than from the inside out. The best bargains are to be had through membership (though probably not so much since "the change" a few months ago, particularly online). If you're going to just stick with Criterion blu-rays then yeah maybe it's just not for you. In reality I don't spend a whole lot there, just one of the stops I make when certain titles come out, or one of the few magazines I like to buy off the shelf come out, or a good sale is in progress, even a book or two every so often.

And, um, so far anyway, they've yet to ship anything to me via DHL. In reality, I would probably actually prefer them doing that, as UPS is pretty brutal in my neighborhood. Single items in particular. More in reality, I'm probably not going to buy much from them online any more, as between the way they've been packing things lately and the way UPS mangles them, there's not much point.

Borders coupons... useful from time to time, but most often their selection and pricing result in no sale for me. Rarely bother any more.

Ultimate: great for price matching at Best Buy. Saved nine bucks today on one new title. And pretty good sometimes when Amazon has let their pricing go into the stratosphere for a few other items that Ultimate may carry at a more reasonable price.

For the most part, I shop online through other places altogether. So I don't really spend all that much time or money at B&N, but still make out okay with the membership just the same. It's just one of several options in my mix when looking to pay the least for an item (and/or wanting to have something in my hand today vs waiting a while to get it from somewhere else).

[zedd_117]

Originally Posted by JediFonger

OK, back to Criterion! =D have there been any comic-book/superhero/etc. type film on Criterion? som1 get us back on topic!

Robocop?
It's kinda embarrasing to admit that it's in the collection, thankfully OOP, but there it is, and I want one.

[BasicGreatGuy]

Originally Posted by zedd_117

Robocop?
It's kinda embarrasing to admit that it's in the collection, thankfully OOP, but there it is, and I want one.

It is amazing to me, that that movie is in the collection. lol

[zedd_117]

Wow, you don't read the thread for a couples day, suddenly you're 200 posts behind. JUst spent the past hour (off and on) catching up. Seems I didn't miss much, B&N sale, replacement cases, Batman, anger, CC lashing out (settle down dude! )
Going back to B&N tomorrow it could be bad...
Also going to see "Inception", which concludes my input into the past day and a half of posts.

[jimonee78]

Went to B&N today and picked up Berlin Alexanderplatz, Oshima's Outlaw Sixties, The Only Son/There Was a Father and Mystery Train (blu-ray) for $122.65 including tax. The employee who rang me up was really cool and let me use the "$5 off one DVD", "$5 off $50 purchase" and "15% off most expensive item" coupons on the same order. I also had them order the Teshigahara box for in-store pickup.

3rd Rock From the Sun was one of my favorite sitcoms during the 90s. Glad to see JGL enjoying some serious success.

[zedd_117]

Originally Posted by BasicGreatGuy

It is amazing to me, that that movie is in the collection. lol

They filmed some of it in the town where I live now. Haven't seen it in YEARS, but the opening of the film where they blow him to bits was filmed here, as well as a couple other scenes.
Also, Coolio grew up here.

I need to move...

[BasicGreatGuy]

Does anyone own "King of Kings" ? That is another movie I have had my eye on for quite some time.

[zedd_117]

Originally Posted by BasicGreatGuy

Does anyone own "King of Kings" ? That is another movie I have had my eye on for quite some time.

Me too! I haven't seen it since Middle school (we were actually shown it at a school assembly)

[BasicGreatGuy]

Originally Posted by zedd_117

Me too! I haven't seen it since Middle school (we were actually shown it at a school assembly)

It has been years since I have seen it. I have seen some of the Criterion clips on Youtube, but would prefer reading from someone that has watched the release on their tv. Glad to see I am not the only one interested in it. With the B&N sale, the price is very appealing.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by chetripley80

A lot of film geeks have had a "hard on" for Gordon-Levitt since he displayed that he's one of the best young working actors out there in "Mysterious Skin" and "Brick."

Yes, there have been some fanboys that got all excited when Nolan cast him in "Inception", and they thought for sure he would be replacing Ledger as the Joker in the next Batman flick.

But I think it's the guy's charisma and good looks that have gotten people onto his fan bandwagon lately. His performance in "500 Days of Summer" got more people interested in him than fanboy Joker rumors.

JGL has some talent. He was good in The Lookout. On the other hand, don't get me started on that pretentious hipster mess that is 500 Days of Summer (I refuse to put 500 in parenthesis ).

[capnnarcolepsy]

For those of you that have seen Inception, you might greatly enjoy this article. I don't often agree with the writer, but I feel like he nailed this one, and I feel like it might could help flesh out an idea some of you may have already had and in some cases make you enjoy it even more. If you haven't seen it, though, do yourself a favor and don't read it. Nothing good ever came from spoilers

http://chud.com/articles/articles/24...ION/Page1.html

I just got back from seeing it a second time and, as someone previously mentioned, a repeated viewing not only holds up, but adds more depth and awareness to the overall narrative. Best movie ever? Not really, but a damn fine one. I'm totally ok with it getting hype, if nothing else it will help studios realize that maybe taking a chance on an original story over churning out the same garbage over and over again is a worthwhile thing to do. Nolan, as well, is not the best director ever, but has, for the most part, an excellent for storytelling and building tension/suspense. I've been a fan since I blind bought Memento when it came out, and save for Insomnia feeling kinda "meh", I've greatly enjoyed everything else, especially Following which, surprisingly to me, doesn't seem to get much love. I find it to be one of his more creative and interesting films he's made.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

JGL has some talent. He was good in The Lookout. On the other hand, don't get me started on that pretentious hipster mess that is 500 Days of Summer (I refuse to put 500 in parenthesis ).

500 days was fantastic.

I wish Brick would hit Blu.

Speaking of Noirish type movies, I'm off to watch M for the first time.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

I know I may sound like I'm bashing Nolan, which I'm not. Just the hype.

Let's face it, the reason this movie is popular (and this is the truth):

1. Chris Nolan directed the Dark Knight.

2. There has been this "hard on" for Joseph Gordon-Levitt ever since Ledger passed (which is sad, because I really like both actors). His name was some hit thing for fanboys wanting him to play the Joker in place of Ledger. Don't bash me on this, because it's the truth. All of these people had nothing to do with Levitt until his name started to get attention a couple years ago, now they act "cool" because they are now fans.

3. Ellen Page (who by the way, is really good in this film)

4. Summer Blockbuster

With all that said, it's just the hype that gets on my nerves. The film was great. Give it time to say it's a masterpiece.

P.S., Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Ellen Page was all great in this film.

I like JGL because his roles in Brick and Mysterious Skin were very difficult and nuanced and he pulled both of them off with maturity beyond his 3rd Rock from the Sun trappings.

Unfortunately, most people have never seen either film and judge him on the mediocre and whiny 500 Days of Summer and GI JOE.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by fdm

I could be more wrong, since I am never wrong, but since you live in Denver, I'll let you off this time.

We shall never fight again.

[SpiderBaby]

I hope everyone that reads back what I wrote knows that I am a fan of JGL. Just to clear that up if no one didn't know.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

I hope everyone that reads back what I wrote knows that I am a fan of JGL. Just to clear that up if no one didn't know.

I was hoping you'd pile on 500 Days

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I was hoping you'd pile on 500 Days

I would, but you did a good job.

I can say that I don't understand this generation's "indie" crowd of films/music.

Hipsters use to be so kick a$$. Now they are Michael Cera clones that can't get "the girl" and acts like one too.

I mean now hipsters and "indie" films have crossed over to the mainstream. What the heck is there left that can't be ruined?


I'm not talking about all indie films of this past decade. Just those "Juno" types, and the music is all over the place these days, that I just stick to my 60's hipster music, thank you.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I was hoping you'd pile on 500 Days

I will. What a whiny mess of a movie. Outside of a few bits it was almost boring to watch. I felt like I was watching a film made by and for emo girls except it was about a male lead who should have had more self respect.

I'd quote Guru of Gang Starr but the ladies in this thread would get mad at me. Also, RIP Guru.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by zedd_117

Me too! I haven't seen it since Middle school (we were actually shown it at a school assembly)

Actually, King Of Kings was another of those films that I saw at a rather young age in a movie theater, but it was the early '60s version with Jeffrey Hunter.

Haven't had a chance to view the Criterion/DeMille version, though. It's on my radar, but I tend to focus on one Criterion title (or box set) at a time, and haven't found a big enough time slot to reserve for it. Wife's out of town for a week early next month, so possibly will be squeezing that in along with some of the other even bigger (aka time consuming) titles in that spine number range.

[ShellOilJunior]

CG-

IDK if we can post cursing but you should search "How to make a Michael Cera move"--- very funny stuff.


BTW- Mr. Wiseau debuts his new film in 3 days