The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I loved Mad Max: Fury Road when I saw it at the theater, but I love it even more after subsequent viewings on Blu-ray.

Mad Max: Fury Road is not the most profound movie ever made, and it's not the most original movie ever made, but it works. It really really works.

This film, just like The Road Warrior, is a retelling of John Ford's Stagecoach. I think that John Ford would have loved both of these films, though, and he would have loved the updated dynamics and the broken-down-future aspects of the stories.

I think that, more than anything, Mad Max: Fury Road was a reminder of how few films actually work these days, as far as pacing and narrative fervor are concerned. It's a real throwback to the good old days when people simply flocked to the theaters to be told a fun story.

I almost turned the movie off when

[Show spoiler]Charlize realizes that her dream is gone, drops to her knees and screams "NOOOOOOO!"

I was like, "Come on. You've GOT to be kidding me."

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I almost turned the movie off when

[Show spoiler]Charlize realizes that her dream is gone, drops to her knees and screams "NOOOOOOO!"

I was like, "Come on. You've GOT to be kidding me."

In terms of the storyline, her behavior was an authentic reaction to circumstances.

I actually did the exact same thing when I found out that StudioCanal was releasing a 4K restoration of The Third Man on Blu-ray just a few months after I shelled out $75 for the out-of-print Criterion disc.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Honestly, during the nearly interminable chase sequences, where stuff was blowing up every 3 seconds, I found myself looking at my watch a lot.

I said this in another thread, but I guess I'm just not the demographic for that kind of movie any more.

I thought "Fury Road" was pretty good, but the hype machine spiraled way out of control with it IMO. I saw it about a month after it came out, so the letdown was a bit inevitable after people were calling it things as hyperbolic as "mind-blowing". But I enjoyed it for what it was.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

In terms of the storyline, her behavior was an authentic reaction to circumstances.

I actually did the exact same thing when I found out that StudioCanal was releasing a 4K restoration of The Third Man on Blu-ray just a few months after I shelled out $75 for the out-of-print Criterion disc.

Heh, ouch! Doesn't that seem to always be the way?

As to the MM:FR thing, I don't question that her reaction was authentic. I just think that from a cinematic point of view it was more silly than it was compelling. If I had been directing that scene, for instance -- and this is in NO WAY me saying that I know what I'm doing more than Mr. Miller does --

[Show spoiler]I would have had her fall to the ground, look silently around her, run the sand through her hands as she began to cry (again, silently), pull herself together and return. But that's I think why the film didn't connect to me: It was always too loud, both in a visual and audio sense.

Oh, also,

[Show spoiler]she should have died at the end. I know why she didn't (sequels).

But that would have made the story much stronger, I think.

Originally Posted by mja345

I thought "Fury Road" was pretty good, but the hype machine spiraled way out of control with it IMO. I saw it about a month after it came out, so the letdown was a bit inevitable after people were calling it things as hyperbolic as "mind-blowing". But I enjoyed it for what it was.

See, I didn't see it in the theater. And maybe that's part of the problem, I will admit.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by InTheMood

Carol not nominated for Best Picture or Todd Haynes for directing? Maybe the biggest snub of the century so far.

It's crazy to think that it's not up there, had to double back and read the list again. Another overlooked film is Anomalisa, which is a better film than more than half of the ones that beat it out. It probably has 0 chance winning against Inside Out in the animation category either. I really hope we don't have to wait so long for another Kaufman film, whether he directs it or not.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I actually did the exact same thing when I found out that StudioCanal was releasing a 4K restoration of The Third Man on Blu-ray just a few months after I shelled out $75 for the out-of-print Criterion disc.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Somewhere Tommy Wiseau is telling his poor minimum wage assistant... "See I told you Lisa The Room is amazingly brilliant piece of cinema. Best Picture wow underhand throw me that football yesss!!"
Assistants talking among themselves. "Uh should we tell him it's Room not The Room?" "Nah..."

"They tricked me, they betrayed me and I don't care."

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I loved Mad Max: Fury Road when I saw it at the theater, but I love it even more after subsequent viewings on Blu-ray.

Mad Max: Fury Road is not the most profound movie ever made, and it's not the most original movie ever made, but it works. It really really works.

This film, just like The Road Warrior, is a retelling of John Ford's Stagecoach. I think that John Ford would have loved both of these films, though, and he would have loved the updated dynamics and the broken-down-future aspects of the stories.

I think that, more than anything, Mad Max: Fury Road was a reminder of how few films actually work these days, as far as pacing and narrative fervor are concerned. It's a real throwback to the good old days when people simply flocked to the theaters to be told a fun story.

I love Stagecoach, but for me what makes it so good is that every character is great and unique and all their interactions are memorable, doesn't matter if some may be stereotypes, for me it is the perfect western, if there is a problem it might be the Picture Quality on the blu

Maybe that is why I never realized the resemblance, as I remember it more in relation to what happens to the characters than for the plot of going from point A to point B, action, etc.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by mja345

Surprised Wiseau didn't pick up a Best Supporting Actor nod for "Samurai Cop 2" to be honest.

Lol what? I'm YouTube'n this as we speak!

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I almost turned the movie off when

[Show spoiler]Charlize realizes that her dream is gone, drops to her knees and screams "NOOOOOOO!"

I was like, "Come on. You've GOT to be kidding me."

Well, it wasn't traditional, though. It was a

[Show spoiler]silent scream that gets drowned out by the music.

It's supposed to hit the audience in the gut about her plight.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Well, it wasn't traditional, though. It was a

[Show spoiler]silent scream that gets drowned out by the music.

It's supposed to hit the audience in the gut about her plight.

I know. But it still didn't work for me. Like I said, though, maybe this isn't my kind of movie anymore. *shrug* It seemed a bit too obvious. There were a lot of different ways in which that scene could have been handled. And I think the vast majority of those other ways would have been an improvement.

[warrian]

Filmmakers everywhere. If you can make any other choice than having someone scream "Nooooooooo!" after a significant dramatic setback, then for the love of all the good left in the world, please choose it.

That said, the cliche in MM:FR is somewhat mitigated by the sound being muted.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by warrian

Filmmakers everywhere. If you can make any other choice than having someone scream "Nooooooooo!" after a significant dramatic setback, then for the love of all the good left in the world, please choose it.

That said, the cliche in MM:FR is somewhat mitigated by the sound being muted.

I wish that were my only problem with the movie. If it had had more than a dose of something interesting going on, I would have been on board. Believe me: It takes a LOT for me to be disinterested in a film with BOTH Charlize Theron AND Rosie Huntington-Whitely. Stunning cinematography didn't hurt at all either.

ETA: I am ordering from criterion for the first time. Now Gilda is available in January, no? But Paris Belongs to Us isn't available until March. It says that the whole package will come in March. Is this normal?

[WonderWeasel]

"You people. If there isn't a movie about it, it's not worth knowing, is it?" --Alan Rickman

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

"You people. If there isn't a movie about it, it's not worth knowing, is it?" --Alan Rickman

I watched that clip this morning! One of the first scenes I thought of, oddly enough.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Is there a possibility of Goerge Miller getting director win? While I haven't seen The Revenant, it appears it is the favorite for Director and Picture again, but I am not sure if the same director has won this two prices two years in a row.

On the other Hand, Mad Max for Picture is almost guaranteed to not win, since no actors are nominated.

Agree about the sentiment about no Ridley Scott nomination

Edit: Just found out it has happened only two times:

John Ford (The Grapes of Wrath, 1940 and How Green Was My Valley, 1941)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz (A Letter to Three Wives, 1949 and All About Eve, 1950)

Not consecutive Best Picture though.

I don't see Miller getting it, as much I'd like for that to happen. Personally, as long as Mad Max gets editing, I'll be pleased.

I don't see Innaritu winning two years in a row. As you noted, it's far too uncommon for it to be a sure bet. My money is still on Spotlight.

DGA will tell all.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

This film, just like The Road Warrior, is a retelling of John Ford's Stagecoach.

Sorry, Owl, but this is nonsense. Well, at least as regards The Road Warrior (I haven't seen Fury Road yet). That both films have a big chase scene with "savages" trying to catch "civilized" folk doesn't make one a retelling of the other. The whole surrounding narratives of the two films are completely different.

The Road Warrior isn't a Western, it's a jidaigeki film. Max is a classic-style ronin, wandering the landscape after "losing" his master (the Main Force Patrol) in the first film.

Now, before anyone throws out that chestnut about samurai films being imitations of Westerns, that's not really true. Kurosawa said that his samurai films were influenced by Ford's Westerns, but that's pretty much where that comparison stops. In many ways, Westerns and jidaigeki fit similar niches in their respective cultures, but neither one is a copy of the other.

[MifuneFan]

Road Warrior is a jidaigeki? The things you people come up with

[hanshotfirst1138]

I do definitely think it indebted heavily to Kurosawa.

[colbyw]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I don't see Miller getting it, as much I'd like for that to happen. Personally, as long as Mad Max gets editing, I'll be pleased.

I don't see Innaritu winning two years in a row. As you noted, it's far too uncommon for it to be a sure bet. My money is still on Spotlight.

DGA will tell all.

I thought that they were going to give it to Ridley Scott; sort of as a lifetime achievement, but he got snubbed.

Guessing they won't reward the same director back to back, but who knows. Pretty much leaves McCarthy vs Miller. I would rather see Innaritu or McCarthy get it over Miller. Just my opinion.

I see they put a lead actress in the supporting category. Even though I think Vikander is great, I'm rooting for Jennifer Jason Leigh or Rooney Mara.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by colbyw

I thought that they were going to give it to Ridley Scott; sort of as a lifetime achievement, but he got snubbed.

Guessing they won't reward the same director back to back, but who knows. Pretty much leaves McCarthy vs Miller. I would rather see Innaritu or McCarthy get it over Miller. Just my opinion.

Honestly, I think the race is more McCarthy vs. McKay. The Big Short has a lot of momentum.

But this is completely irrelevant to Criterion. Somewhat Criterion related, as they've been posting about the film quite a bit as of late, I was glad to see Mustang land a nod. It doesn't make up for the lack of The Assassin, but it is a welcome surprise.