The Criterion Collection

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I think MD is more similar to Altman's Three Women. Have you seen that, Ray? If not, you should.

I haven't.

...will add to the list.

[filmmusic]

Wasn't today that the B&N sale would start?

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Wasn't today that the B&N sale would start?

Next Tuesday I believe.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

As for second viewing chances, I get how it is a problem when one is trying to watch all the great films ever made, there is not enough time unfortunately, but I think it is a fact that second viewings can change our appreciation of a film, people change over time, their tastes get more specific or broaden, our expectations affect our reactions, there are too many factors and it has happened to me too many times to not accept it, even if I too would like to just see each film once and be done with it if I didn't like it enough.

yes! all of what you said here, but especially the bolded part.

if the film is something that plays out like a pop song and there's nothing to be understood, revealed, or thought about after one watch, then I can understand being done with a movie after one watch.

L'Avventura and Grapes of Wrath are two films that I saw years ago and remember being bored to tears. I revisited them within the past few years and I now consider them great films. ..and Jules and Jim, as well. second watch for that one was within one year's time and I had a complete 180 on it.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Next Tuesday I believe.

Oh, i thought someone had said November 3rd.

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I think MD is more similar to Altman's Three Women. Have you seen that, Ray? If not, you should.

I can see that too. Phenomenal film. You could trace it to a number of films, both self-reflexive and about gender identity, but it's also quite original too.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I think MD is more similar to Altman's Three Women. Have you seen that, Ray? If not, you should.

I need to revisit this film I watched it a couple of days after seeing Persona for the first time and I was somewhat underwhelmed. Both Persona and Mulholland Drive have a very distinct eerie feel to them. With the ending of 3W I was more like...oh...ok.

I've since seen several people around here rave about Three Women.

[bwdowiak]

How do people like the Almodóvar title that is in the collection? Tie Me Up Tie Me Down. As I mentioned before, I definitely consider myself a fan of his work and would absolutely love a box set of his films. For whatever reason, though, I feel like I need nudging on this one.

I’ve seen the following:

Talk To Her
Bad Education
All About My Mother
Volver
The Skin I Live In
Broken Embraces

I’ve liked everything to varying degrees and would want to re-watch everything except for maybe TSILI.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

I need to revisit this film I watched it a couple of days after seeing Persona for the first time and I was somewhat underwhelmed. Both Persona and Mulholland Drive have a very distinct eerie feel to them. With the ending of 3W I was more like...oh...ok.

I've since seen several people around here rave about Three Women.

Now, see… I was a bit underwhelmed with Persona. It is definitely a film I will revisit, but it struck me more as vague artsy-ness (which is totally fine) and therefore not quite an apt comparison. I just think that the dream like quality of 3 Women is more akin to that of MD. In fact, Altman even admitted to getting ideas for the film from ideas he had in his dreams.

[llj]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

How do people like the Almodóvar title that is in the collection? Tie Me Up Tie Me Down. As I mentioned before, I definitely consider myself a fan of his work and would absolutely love a box set of his films. For whatever reason, though, I feel like I need nudging on this one.

I’ve seen the following:

Talk To Her
Bad Education
All About My Mother
Volver
The Skin I Live In
Broken Embraces

I’ve liked everything to varying degrees and would want to re-watch everything except for maybe TSILI.

I enjoyed it, but I know a lot of people, even Almodovar fans, had some problems with the central conceit of a woman who falls in love with her kidnapper.

I will say that I think it's fairly lightweight overall, though. Definitely more of him in generic rom-com mode than some of the heavier Almodovar stuff that seems to make up your list.

[SkyAntoine]

Bitter Rice is available for pre-order on Amazon for $22.99. Hopefully, they continue to add the new titles that won't be available during the B&N sale.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

How do people like the Almodóvar title that is in the collection? Tie Me Up Tie Me Down. As I mentioned before, I definitely consider myself a fan of his work and would absolutely love a box set of his films. For whatever reason, though, I feel like I need nudging on this one.

I’ve seen the following:

Talk To Her
Bad Education
All About My Mother
Volver
The Skin I Live In
Broken Embraces

I’ve liked everything to varying degrees and would want to re-watch everything except for maybe TSILI.

I've only seen 4 films by him, including TMUTMD and I'd rate them:

Volver (Loved) > Broken Embraces (Good) > TSILI (Eh) > TMUTMD (Eh)

[soarinsteven]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

I think a better comparison is Sunset Blvd meets Persona, directed by David Lynch. I can understand someone not reacting well on a first viewing, and normally I'm not the type to say "watch it again." As said above, gut reactions are important. But Mulholland Drive is so deeply layered that you do see a lot in the second viewing. It wouldn't hurt for you to skim one of the Internet theories as to what happened to inform your second viewing.

Agreed. As soon I pick up my copy of Mulholland Drive next week I'm planning to have a mini movie fest, and watch all three in a day.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

How do people like the Almodóvar title that is in the collection? Tie Me Up Tie Me Down. As I mentioned before, I definitely consider myself a fan of his work and would absolutely love a box set of his films. For whatever reason, though, I feel like I need nudging on this one.

I’ve seen the following:

Talk To Her
Bad Education
All About My Mother
Volver
The Skin I Live In
Broken Embraces

I’ve liked everything to varying degrees and would want to re-watch everything except for maybe TSILI.

I've seen exactly the same as you, with the exception that I've seen one of his older films What Have I Done to Deserve This?

And I think you will like it, not my favorite, but still pretty good in my opinion, I wouldn't say it is a romantic comedy either.

The only one I didn't like at all is Bad Education, but I saw that like 10 years ago, so I need to watch it again.

[soarinsteven]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

How do people like the Almodóvar title that is in the collection? Tie Me Up Tie Me Down. As I mentioned before, I definitely consider myself a fan of his work and would absolutely love a box set of his films. For whatever reason, though, I feel like I need nudging on this one.

I’ve seen the following:

Talk To Her
Bad Education
All About My Mother
Volver
The Skin I Live In
Broken Embraces

I’ve liked everything to varying degrees and would want to re-watch everything except for maybe TSILI.

I've seen What Have I Done to Deserve This?, Matador, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, The Flower of my Secret, Law of Desire, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, Bad Education, Volver, Broken Embraces, The Skin I Live In, and I'm So Excited, and with the exception of ISE which is his only outright failure I've liked or loved them all.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I've seen exactly the same as you, with the exception that I've seen one of his older films What Have I Done to Deserve This?

And I think you will like it, not my favorite, but still pretty good in my opinion, I wouldn't say it is a romantic comedy either.

The only one I didn't like at all is Bad Education, but I saw that like 10 years ago, so I need to watch it again.

for whatever reason, I have zero memory of the story lines for Volver or Broken Embraces, so I look forward to seeing those again, especially.

the only one that I can remember not liking was All About My Mother, but (and this TOTALLY goes w/ the conversation that was had a page or so back) I think I was expecting something else from it considering the rave reviews. It was also my first Almodóvar, so I feel that I may not have "gotten it."

Bad Education is very Hitchcock-ian from what I can recall. I liked it for that reason and also for Gael García Bernal who sadly doesn't appear in too many new films, it seems.

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. Nice to see some love (or at least interest) for Almodóvar. I was half expecting crickets when I asked my question. I think I'll pick it up and pray that something else follows from Criterion.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

Bitter Rice is available for pre-order on Amazon for $22.99. Hopefully, they continue to add the new titles that won't be available during the B&N sale.

Scratch that...I forgot Bitter Rice was a $30 MSRP title. I'll be cancelling that pre-order.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by Banned User

As far as the other topic" IMO second viewings can very well make a poorly received film move up a notch or two. I know I've seen a few films where the first viewing left me cold or uncaring about a film only for it to become a masterpiece in my mind on a second viewing. Whether it is going into the first viewing with the wrong expectations or in the wrong frame of mind or simply because a lot subtleties went unnoticed until after viewing the ending or the final destination of the characters and/or plot.

Best example of this for me is Boogie Nights. Almost walked out the theater. But gave it a second chance on DVD and now I love it.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I've only seen 4 films by him, including TMUTMD and I'd rate them:

Volver (Loved) > Broken Embraces (Good) > TSILI (Eh) > TMUTMD (Eh)

Does this mean you found TSILI and TMUTMD to be especially Canadian-y?

[Arawn]

Originally Posted by jayembee

and she's reduced to a single line

Not true in any version of the film.