The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I think he’s simply stating that no matter how highly people speak of 3 Women, he can’t get himself to watch it. Sounds like he doesn’t loathe it or the idea of it, necessarily – just that when the mood strikes to watch something, this one is always somewhere far down the list.

I bet if someone paid him money to watch 3 Women, he would.

Everyone's got a price after all.

[pedromvu]

While there are some films I agree you need to be in certain mindset to get, for the most part I would say unless you are too tired or all depressed for some reason it is alright to watch most movies out there without focusing on this, it is too much work having to research every movie to see if you are in the perfect mindset for it, usually if a movie will work for you it will work unless you aren't really ready for it yet (but I mean you need to watch a lot of other films before it), sometimes researching too much could have the opposite effect too, for example me thinking 3 Women would be anything like Mulholland Drive .

[llj]

Originally Posted by jw007

I bet if someone paid him money to watch 3 Women, he would.

Everyone's got a price after all.

I'll get to it eventually though. It's not like I won't ever watch it. But if someone wants to waste their money to force me to watch something I'll get to eventually anyway, I'm certainly not going to complain.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by llj

I'll get to it eventually though. It's not like I won't ever watch it. But if someone wants to waste their money to force me to watch something I'll get to eventually anyway, I'm certainly not going to complain.

Fair enough.

Just wanted to tell you something about this particular film though.

When I first was able to "get through" this entire film, I dismissed it instantly after watching it as total boring garbage. I was glad I only borrowed the film from the library and didn't pay for it.

Then about a year went by and I decided to buy this as a blind-buy during a 50% off sale, for no reason at all.

I watched it a 2nd time and realized just how intriguing this film was. I didn't go in with expectations, unlike when I saw this the first time... and then knowing it was a "weird" film, I didn't have any expectations the 2nd time around, and was richly rewarded. I haven't watched it a 3rd time, but man, not having expectations sure helps a lot with certain films.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by llj

I'll watch 3 Women when you single guys here get a girlfriend.

Seriously, though, I've got a sense of admiration for cinephiles who simply watch anything at any time. There are movies I just can't bring myself to watch sometimes--no matter how classic they are, how much they are masterpieces, etc--because I just don't feel like watching them at the time. I'll get to them when I feel like it. If I'm not in the mood for a war movie, I'm not gonna watch a war movie. Even if it's the greatest thing ever put on Earth since my birth.

The blow-up dolls are on order, so be prepared.

I'm the type of person who will watch anything at any time. I figure if I ordered something blind, then I have the faith to give it a try. I love to follow up a Criterion title or something high-brow with an absolute piece of shit exploitation title. Great way of balancing things out.

[llj]

Originally Posted by mja345

The blow-up dolls are on order, so be prepared.

I'm the type of person who will watch anything at any time. I figure if I ordered something blind, then I have the faith to give it a try. I love to follow up a Criterion title or something high-brow with an absolute piece of shit exploitation title. Great way of balancing things out.

While usually I'll "blind" order something I plan to watch right away, sometimes I'll order something I have a feeling I may want to watch later, even if not right away. Usually these purchases would be limited time only releases where I can't sit around and wait until I "feel like buying it". I have a handful of these discs sitting around waiting for those days

There are a few DVDs I bought in 2008 I've only started watching now. (Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers FWIW. I like anything TMS animation is involved in, but run hot and cold on the cartoon series itself)

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Can we share your wife? My birthday is March 2nd.

Take care.

-

Very nice present though Enjoy!

No sure she'd go for that, plus I don't want to share the gifts!

Hope you get a few for your birthday!

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Great wife! You must be a happy man!

Thanks. And yes, I am a very, very happy man!

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by Bandit Tajomaru

Inspired Tokyo Story? I need to add Make way for Tomorrow to my next Barnes & Nobel sale pick up list.

yeah, i can't wait to watch this one. I've been so busy I haven't been able to sit and just watch these.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by llj

It's ..

I didn't get any of that from the original post, but thanks for expanding.... Also my phone typo aside I shouldn't have said that I don't want to offend anyone here.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

I didn't get any of that from the original post, but thanks for expanding.... Also my phone typo aside I shouldn't have said that I don't want to offend anyone here.

is jeden your fav Dekalog episode?

it is a very good one and one of the best, no doubt.

[llj]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

I didn't get any of that from the original post, but thanks for expanding.... Also my phone typo aside I shouldn't have said that I don't want to offend anyone here.

I doubt there's more than a handful of members here who actually have tourette's but you never know I guess. And there's always someone who knows someone who knows someone...you get the picture.

Just be thankful bluray.com isn't twitter, the platform for the constantly outraged.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by llj

But I'm assuming that since you watch physical media, you have the disc and its case in your hands at some point in the pre-viewing phase and at that point you get some idea of what kind of subject matter it MAY BE about, even without reading the back summary.

For the most part, you usually can make a reasonable mental stab at what a film might be about about based on the cover. Unless of course you get a case like this, of course:




I mean surely if you look at this:



You think "Okay, Touch of Zen is the name of this film. There's an Asian girl with a sword (or two?) on it. Based on my calculations coupled with my past cinephilia experience this MAY BE a martial arts movie."

Sure, but even then, unless you start with the assumption that every martial arts film is about the same thing, you still don't know what the movie is about.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

is that possible, though? ideally, I'd like to approach new films the same way, but between this thread and so many online critics (pro and non-pro,) I find that to be impossible.

It's very possible with some films, extremely difficult with others. I love trailers that give you a sense of the feel of the film and it's cinematography without being any kind of mini synopsis. Not the norm, but they happen. I also skip over reviews (in this thread and elsewhere) unless I've seen the film.

These days between directors I love, actors I love, cinematographers I love, not to mention general buzz around films, and other film lovers who recommend things to me, I have an overwhelming list of films I want to get to without having to read reviews or synopses.

It isn't always possible though. I have a pretty good idea what the new Magnificent Seven movie is about for example.

[llj]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Sure, but even then, unless you start with the assumption that every martial arts film is about the same thing, you still don't know what the movie is about.

Oh, I'm less chuffed about plot and all that jazz. My moods are more genre based than what the story is about and where it goes. For example, war is the genre I generally like the least, even though I respect and even enjoy a number of war movies. But some movies I'll look at the cover and go "Great, another movie about WW2/WWI. Maybe another time." Later on I'll watch them and find that they are great movies after all but some days I simply have no interest in watching a war movie.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

It's very possible with some films, extremely difficult with others. I love trailers that give you a sense of the feel of the film and it's cinematography without being any kind of mini synopsis. Not the norm, but they happen. I also skip over reviews (in this thread and elsewhere) unless I've seen the film.

These days between directors I love, actors I love, cinematographers I love, not to mention general buzz around films, and other film lovers who recommend things to me, I have an overwhelming list of films I want to get to without having to read reviews or synopses.

It isn't always possible though. I have a pretty good idea what the new Magnificent Seven movie is about for example.

Whenever I write anything that resembles a film review, I stay away from plot points and try to discuss the acting, cinematography, whether it was good or not.

I glaze over reviews if I'm not yet sold on wanting to see something, but look for similar, non plot describing paragraphs. It seems that without fail, I'll read something I wished I hadn't so maybe I should stop doing that.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

is jeden your fav Dekalog episode?

it is a very good one and one of the best, no doubt.

Yes, definitely. It always gets to me. I can't wait to cry like a baby to it in HD.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Whenever I write anything that resembles a film review, I stay away from plot points and try to discuss the acting, cinematography, whether it was good or not.

I glaze over reviews if I'm not yet sold on wanting to see something, but look for similar, non plot describing paragraphs. It seems that without fail, I'll read something I wished I hadn't so maybe I should stop doing that.

That's exactly what I look for in reviews. Usually I'm more interested in the general feel, type of the movie and the atmosphere it generates. Plus the acting and cinematography. I always skip over the plot details or synopsis when reading a review. I don't want anything to build expectations of what to expect in that area. Usually I can tell if I will like the film by those qualities alone. The other deciding factor for me is actors or directors I like.

Trailers tend to build expectations in my mind that can easily be wrong. Nothing is worse for me then going into a movie assuming its one thing or expecting something grand, because the trailer gave that impression, only to be let down. For me its kind of that way with every movie. If I go in expecting a so-so movie or having no idea its more likely to impress me then one I'm told is a masterpiece or have a preconceived notion of the plot/characters.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

Yes, definitely. It always gets to me. I can't wait to cry like a baby to it in HD.

I don't know if you saw my post from a few days ago. I saw ep 5 & 6 at the local art house theater here in Chicago. The restoration really looks great. I can't wait to get this set!

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Banned User

That's exactly what I look for in reviews. Usually I'm more interested in the general feel, type of the movie and the atmosphere it generates. Plus the acting and cinematography. I always skip over the plot details or synopsis when reading a review. I don't want anything to build expectations of what to expect in that area. Usually I can tell if I will like the film by those qualities alone. The other deciding factor for me is actors or directors I like.

Trailers tend to build expectations in my mind that can easily be wrong. Nothing is worse for me then going into a movie assuming its one thing or expecting something grand, because the trailer gave that impression, only to be let down. For me its kind of that way with every movie. If I go in expecting a so-so movie or having no idea its more likely to impress me then one I'm told is a masterpiece or have a preconceived notion of the plot/characters.

and trailers for older films are the worst as they practically give away the entire film sometimes.

on the infrequent occasion in which I know little or nothing about a film only to discover something great... man, that's a good feeling!