The Criterion Collection

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by jayembee

That's rather a snotty attitude. One might argue that mass audiences wouldn't have the necessary attention spans to appreciate his work, but I don't think mass audiences would be at all interested in his work anyways, whether last century or this one. I suspect that people interested in current art cinema would be just as appreciative of his work as they would've 20-40 years ago.

yes, yes! thank you, Jay! was munching down a burrito on lunch when I saw JW's post and didn't get a chance to reply. no need to reply now as you've hit it right on the head.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by kataxu36

Anyone have any thoughts on the movie Still Walking?

Anything by Hirokazu Kore-eda is worth getting.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by kataxu36

Anyone have any thoughts on the movie Still Walking?

Simply one of the greatest and most touching films I've seen in the past 20 years. Very reminiscent of Ozu.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by jayembee

That's rather a snotty attitude. One might argue that mass audiences wouldn't have the necessary attention spans to appreciate his work, but I don't think mass audiences would be at all interested in his work anyways, whether last century or this one. I suspect that people interested in current art cinema would be just as appreciative of his work as they would've 20-40 years ago.

Mostly agreed, but I fell like he also has a point. There was a time in the 60s-70s where mass audiences actively looked for avant-garde films by Bergman, Fellini, Truffaut, and embraced "art" films like The Godfather and The French Connection (both classics, but both pretty different form the type of glossy films Hollywood was accustomed to making). In the 80s, after Jaws and Star Wars, the blockbuster took over, but even in the later 80s/early 90s there was a resurgence of the indie film after Sayles Soderbergh, Linklater, Wes Anderson, Tarantino came onto the scene.

[StLouisRibs]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

Mostly agreed, but I fell like he also has a point. There was a time in the 60s-70s where mass audiences actively looked for avant-garde films by Bergman, Fellini, Truffaut, and embraced "art" films like The Godfather and The French Connection (both classics, but both pretty different form the type of glossy films Hollywood was accustomed to making). In the 80s, after Jaws and Star Wars, the blockbuster took over, but even in the later 80s/early 90s there was a resurgence of the indie film after Sayles Soderbergh, Linklater, Wes Anderson, Tarantino came onto the scene.

Nope, refuse to accept this. A mass audience never cared about art-house film, and never will.

And classifying The French Connection as an art film is utterly ridiculous. It's a by-the-numbers political thriller. It's a very good one, but still just a political thriller as was popular at the time.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

Mostly agreed, but I fell like he also has a point. There was a time in the 60s-70s where mass audiences actively looked for avant-garde films by Bergman, Fellini, Truffaut, and embraced "art" films like The Godfather and The French Connection (both classics, but both pretty different form the type of glossy films Hollywood was accustomed to making). In the 80s, after Jaws and Star Wars, the blockbuster took over, but even in the later 80s/early 90s there was a resurgence of the indie film after Sayles Soderbergh, Linklater, Wes Anderson, Tarantino came onto the scene.

I was born on the 80's and i have read about what you mention about mass audiences seeing more films by those directors, but i find it hard to believe that people have changed that much, very few people i know knows about those old directors that i sometimes feel weird just mentioning their names to anyone, even Woody Allen films aren't very popular these days.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

Nope, refuse to accept this. A mass audience never cared about art-house film, and never will.

And classifying The French Connection as an art film is utterly ridiculous. It's a by-the-numbers political thriller. It's a very good one, but still just a political thriller as was popular at the time.

It was a police procedural shot like a documentary, with a documentary crew and natural light... about the farthest thing from the way Hollywood makes movies as you can get. Sure it had a car chase, but even the ending is anti-Hollywood.

But you can choose to not accept whatever you'd like.

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I was born on the 80's and i have read about what you mention about mass audiences seeing more films by those directors, but i find it hard to believe that people have changed that much, very few people i know knows about those old directors that i sometimes feel weird just mentioning their names to anyone, even Woody Allen films aren't very popular these days.

But they have changed, especially since the advent of the Internet and video games. It's a instant gratification society now, and some have lost the attention span for anything thats not constantly moving. Just look at the top films now as opposed to years ago. On Golden Pond or Rain Man wouldn't even get made today, much less be gigantic mainstream hits. Rain Man made, adjusted, what The Dark Knight made, and it was a simple road movie, but back then movie stars could sell a film. That's not really the case anymore.

[GC Riot]

Well, I ordered the 3 Wes Anderson films that I was missing since they were on sale on Amazon. Can't really take part of Criterion's sales since they don't ship to Sweden, at least I assume they don't. Now just waiting for Moonrise Kingdom and Grand Budapest Hotel to be licensed and released by Criterion, and for Fantastic Mr Fox to ditch the DVD and get a regular Criterion case. My old 20th Century Fox BD will suffice until then.

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by kataxu36

Anyone have any thoughts on the movie Still Walking?

Fantastic family drama. Very well acted, directed and written. I love this release, personally.

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by kataxu36

Anyone have any thoughts on the movie Still Walking?

Buy this movie. It's among the top 1% of anything Criterion has ever released on Blu-ray. Hirokazu Koreeda is a genius. I like his work more than Ozu's.

[Feiereisel]

Idea: the term "art-house film" has changed with time and thus encompasses different sets of films in different time periods?

The French Connection and the Godfather were/are mainstream films--not art-house but undeniably artful.

This nebulousness is what allows Criterion to release the many types of films that they do.

As far as Kiarostami's films go--they demand a lot from the viewer, which is incompatible with the way many people consume media, especially in the internet age. (Somewhat ironic considering the internet age also helps raise awareness of his films--I know I wouldn't have seen Certified Copy if wasn't on Netflix streaming c. 2011.)

That said, we shouldn't lament an artist not catering the style or form of their art to meet popular demand (especially if a company is invested enough in the work to release it in primo blu-ray editions). I'm glad Kiarostami is able to do what he's interested in doing on his own terms.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

It was a police procedural shot like a documentary, with a documentary crew and natural light... about the farthest thing from the way Hollywood makes movies as you can get. Sure it had a car chase, but even the ending is anti-Hollywood.

But you can choose to not accept whatever you'd like.



But they have changed, especially since the advent of the Internet and video games. It's a instant gratification society now, and some have lost the attention span for anything thats not constantly moving. Just look at the top films now as opposed to years ago. On Golden Pond or Rain Man wouldn't even get made today, much less be gigantic mainstream hits. Rain Man made, adjusted, what The Dark Knight made, and it was a simple road movie, but back then movie stars could sell a film. That's not really the case anymore.

been wanting to chime in here, but I'm a little confused by your argument... mass audiences have lost their taste for art house films and you're citing the fact that they came out in droves for Rain Man?

"movie stars could sell a film"... yes, but the presence of a movie star usually means that said film was not all that artsy, no?

[Feiereisel]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

been wanting to chime in here, but I'm a little confused by your argument... mass audiences have lost their taste for art house films and you're citing the fact that they came out in droves for Rain Man?

"movie stars could sell a film"... yes, but the presence of a movie star usually means that said film was not all that artsy, no?

Some clarification or elaboration would be helpful, yeah. Musicals and Westerns have moved from the center to the peripheral edges of the mainstream; so did the artist-driven cinema of New Hollywood; so too will superheroes and YA-lit adaptations...

Tastes change, and the filmmaking economy adjusts accordingly.

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by Feiereisel

Some clarification or elaboration would be helpful, yeah. Musicals and Westerns have moved from the center to the peripheral edges of the mainstream; so did the artist-driven cinema of New Hollywood; so too will superheroes and YA-lit adaptations...

Tastes change, and the filmmaking economy adjusts accordingly.

God, I hope so. I'm about done with comic book movies.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by yoyokid8

So what are your guys thoughts on Seijun Suzuki's films? I saw Tokyo Drifter recently and loved it. What do you guys think?

I've seen three. I did not much care for Branded to Kill, but Tokyo Drifter and Youth of the Beast are wild fun.

Originally Posted by kataxu36

Anyone have any thoughts on the movie Still Walking?

Probably my favorite of the five Koreeda films I've seen, though After Life is also stunning. It shares a similar quality to Ozu's work, if that means anything to you.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

God, I hope so. I'm about done with comic book movies.

So don't see them. There really aren't that many. There have been far more science fiction blockbusters or crime/thrillers per year for the last few years than there have been superhero movies.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

But they have changed, especially since the advent of the Internet and video games. It's a instant gratification society now, and some have lost the attention span for anything thats not constantly moving. Just look at the top films now as opposed to years ago. On Golden Pond or Rain Man wouldn't even get made today, much less be gigantic mainstream hits.

Maybe not blockbuster hits, but Box Office Mojo's list of the top 100 films of the past year include The Fault in Our Stars (#25), The Imitation Game (#36), The Grand Budapest Hotel (#55), The Hundred Foot Journey (#58), If I Stay (#63), Selma (#64), The Judge (#67), Jersey Boys (#68), and Boyhood (#97).

You also have to consider the effect that DVD/streaming has on this. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the movies people tend to go to the theater to see are the big blockbuster CGI action films, and they watch the less-action-packed ones at home.

[Gusto-Guus]

Still no flash sale? Damn, really want to pick up Thief. Anyone remember when it was last year?

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by jayembee

So don't see them. There really aren't that many. There have been far more science fiction blockbusters or crime/thrillers per year for the last few years than there have been superhero movies.

http://screenrant.com/dc-marvel-movi...ule-2015-2020/

The effect of film-making economy adjusting.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

http://screenrant.com/dc-marvel-movi...ule-2015-2020/

The effect of film-making economy adjusting.

As a result, we currently have over 40 DC and Marvel branded films scheduled to hit cinemas the next six years, with a few more still unannounced.

That's 3.6 DC/Marvel films per year, on average over the next 6 years.

There are over 600 films released in the US alone each year (this means films that earn some perceptible gross). That means that these comic book movies account for less than half a percent of films released.

Yeah, sure they make a fortune and get tons of media coverage, but when it comes down to it, they are a blip. You could never see another comic book movie for the rest of your life, and still see hundreds and hundreds of new films each and every year.