The Criterion Collection

[sawdustandtinsel]

I thought the "T" clue was either The Last Wave or A Farewell to Arms.

[20th Century Boy]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

It could mean the release is 2 years away.

I've genuinely resigned myself to the fact that Criterion, who have Salo in their filmography, mind you, are too chicken shit to release Sixteen Candles.

[20th Century Boy]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

Haha, I've never understood the snobbery about Subway...

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...ticle16728365/

http://www.grubstreet.com/2017/03/su...n-scandal.html

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by 20th Century Boy

I've genuinely resigned myself to the fact that Criterion, who have Salo in their filmography, mind you, are too chicken shit to release Sixteen Candles.

Will that hopefully mean we won't hear you bring it up anymore?

[billy pilgrim]

Originally Posted by ravenus

^Now there's a review that inspires a look-see

I loved Leigh's Secrets & Lies (and Topsy-Turvy), but found Naked's nihilism and wholly unsympathetic protagonist off-putting.

So true, the protagonist is totally unsympathetic, however the Odyssey like trek that propels the film forward is truly a marvel of screenwriting. Such dark and damaged characters. I was repulsed by these people, especially Thewlis's character, but totally blown away by the both his and all of the other actor's amazing performances. One of the finest collections of great acting in one film IMHO.

It's a totally devastating film and also my favorite by Leigh. It's certainly not everyone's cup of tea and I completely understand people's aversion to the characters. For me, however, it is a stone cold classic.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by billy pilgrim

So true, the protagonist is totally unsympathetic, however the Odyssey like trek that propels the film forward is truly a marvel of screenwriting. Such dark and damaged characters. I was repulsed by these people, especially Thewlis's character, but totally blown away by the both his and all of the other actor's amazing performances. One of the finest collections of great acting in one film IMHO.

It's a totally devastating film and also my favorite by Leigh. It's certainly not everyone's cup of tea and I completely understand people's aversion to the characters. For me, however, it is a stone cold classic.

What's amazing is that Thewlis' character is not the most despicable in the film. Gregg Cruttwell's sociopathic Jeremy G. Smart and Ewen Bremner's brutish rube are probably worse than Thewlis' character. Leigh is an absolutely incredible screenwriter. His early writing is as good as it gets in film IMO.

[Hoke Moseley]

Originally Posted by 20th Century Boy

I've genuinely resigned myself to the fact that Criterion, who have Salo in their filmography, mind you, are too chicken shit to release Sixteen Candles.

Personally, I felt more in need of a shower after watching Sixteen Candles than I did after Salò.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by mja345

What's amazing is that Thewlis' character is not the most despicable in the film. Gregg Cruttwell's sociopathic Jeremy G. Smart and Ewen Bremner's brutish rube are probably worse than Thewlis' character. Leigh is an absolutely incredible screenwriter. His early writing is as good as it gets in film IMO.

By early do you mean his 90s work which includes Secrets and Lies and Topsy Turvy? If so, I agree. I've yet to see High Hopes, mind you, but I was really unimpressed by Meantime (the only 80s film of his I have seen). The characters are sketched out okay, but the conflict and drama just wasn't there for me.

[20th Century Boy]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Will that hopefully mean we won't hear you bring it up anymore?

Sure. Why not? Le Samourai and Tree of Life fans have been so mum on their wishlist as you have with your Ozu wishlist.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

By early do you mean his 90s work which includes Secrets and Lies and Topsy Turvy? If so, I agree. I've yet to see High Hopes, mind you, but I was really unimpressed by Meantime (the only 80s film of his I have seen). The characters are sketched out okay, but the conflict and drama just wasn't there for me.

"High Hopes", "Secrets and Lies", "Life is Sweet", "Topsy Turvy", "Career Girls" and "Naked". "Meantime" is decent IMO, but is far below his subsequent films.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by mja345

"High Hopes", "Secrets and Lies", "Life is Sweet", "Topsy Turvy", "Career Girls" and "Naked". "Meantime" is decent IMO, but is far below his subsequent films.

Agreed (I've yet to see Career Girls however).

I do really love his last two or three movies as well. Mr Turner in particular was an incredible film. I know I'm a sucker for movies about painters, but it reached way past providing a greatest hits and gave you a stirring impression of, arguably, the earliest key impressionistic painter.

Speaking of movies about painters, there's a ton of really great ones that I'd love to see again on blu-ray. The obvious CC candidates are Andrei Rublev and Edvard Munch. But Basquiat, Pollock, and The Draughtsman's Contract are all pretty good too.

Are there any CC possibilities I'm missing?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by 20th Century Boy

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...ticle16728365/

http://www.grubstreet.com/2017/03/su...n-scandal.html

[Show spoiler]

[jw007]

Originally Posted by ravenus

I loved Leigh's Secrets & Lies (and Topsy-Turvy), but found Naked's nihilism and wholly unsympathetic protagonist off-putting.

Naked was one of the first Criterion releases I ever purchased and David Thewlis's character of Johnny is one of the most devastating souls I've ever seen captured on film.

I was so inspired by that film and the performance by Thewlis, that I memorized a 2 minute monologue captured from a scene in the film and performed it in public (as well as for my Acting class at the time).

I've attached the clip below (I used a tree instead of a body guard, so please try and look past that). I was walking around with a friend 2 and a half years ago and was so inspired in the moment that I told her to videotape me doing my monologue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq0r...ature=youtu.be

[Knaldskalle]

If you guys like Mike Leigh, I urge you to seek out his early work for British television (I'm inclined to say BBC, but it may have been ITV). Both "Grown-ups" and "Nuts in May" are hilarious while "Hard Labour" rivals Naked in bleakness.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by mja345

"High Hopes", "Secrets and Lies", "Life is Sweet", "Topsy Turvy", "Career Girls" and "Naked". "Meantime" is decent IMO, but is far below his subsequent films.

Hate to be a party pooper here, but I think Mike Leigh is just an above average director and that's it. Naked is one of his few cinematically engaging films and the only one I own.

Career Girls was just 'meh' to me. Never understood the fuss about it. Secrets and Lies is decent but extremely overrated. Topsy Turvy is almost nauseating in its eccentric 'Britishness' I also thought Turner was completely one dimensional and boring. Don't get the praise for that either. It's pretty good compared to your average shallow American biopic, but compared to something more ambitious like Edvard Munch it's borderline rubbish.

Maybe that's the problem. Too much of a bourgeois Brit. I don't mind bourgeois continentals, but bourgeois Brits man, they are hard to take ;-)

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Speaking of movies about painters, there's a ton of really great ones that I'd love to see again on blu-ray. The obvious CC candidates are Andrei Rublev and Edvard Munch. But Basquiat, Pollock, and The Draughtsman's Contract are all pretty good too.

Are there any CC possibilities I'm missing?

The Horse's Mouth is a wonderful and hilarious movie about a fictional painter. I've been hoping for years that Criterion would upgrade their DVD of it.

[captainron_howdy]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Hate to be a party pooper here, but I think Mike Leigh is just an above average director and that's it. Naked is one of his few cinematically engaging films and the only one I own.

Career Girls was just 'meh' to me. Never understood the fuss about it. Secrets and Lies is decent but extremely overrated. Topsy Turvy is almost nauseating in its eccentric 'Britishness' I also thought Turner was completely one dimensional and boring. Don't get the praise for that either. It's pretty good compared to your average shallow American biopic, but compared to something more ambitious like Edvard Munch it's borderline rubbish.

Maybe that's the problem. Too much of a bourgeois Brit. I don't mind bourgeois continentals, but bourgeois Brits man, they are hard to take ;-)

I agree, I've seen a number of his films.....he's very overrated.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Hate to be a party pooper here, but I think Mike Leigh is just an above average director and that's it. Naked is one of his few cinematically engaging films and the only one I own.

Career Girls was just 'meh' to me. Never understood the fuss about it. Secrets and Lies is decent but extremely overrated. Topsy Turvy is almost nauseating in its eccentric 'Britishness' I also thought Turner was completely one dimensional and boring. Don't get the praise for that either. It's pretty good compared to your average shallow American biopic, but compared to something more ambitious like Edvard Munch it's borderline rubbish.

Maybe that's the problem. Too much of a bourgeois Brit. I don't mind bourgeois continentals, but bourgeois Brits man, they are hard to take ;-)

"Topsy Turvy" is my least favorite of that list by quite bit. But you did admit he's above average, which, given how picky you can be, is at least something.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by The Sovereign

The Horse's Mouth is a wonderful and hilarious movie about a fictional painter. I've been hoping for years that Criterion would upgrade their DVD of it.

Oh nice, Alec Guinness is in that one. I really like the films he starred in in the 50s.

I'll seek it out.

[thatguamguy]

Guinness also wrote the script himself (adapted from a book) and wound up nominated for an Oscar for his writing, the year after winning for his acting. I'd compare it to "A Fine Madness", which is not a Criterion movie but is also a fun movie about a misbehaving painter.