The Criterion Collection

[ShellOilJunior]

Voting is now open for Best New Spine

You may also vote for "What were they thinking?" (Although it's not required. If you can't think of a release that shouldn't have entered the collection then abstain from voting on that question).


http://tinyurl.com/CriterionCollection2013

[moviebuffed]

Originally Posted by hustlermane

Watched The Heiress today on the recommendations of you guys yesterday (and I'd been putting it off for a while) and yep, brilliant film. What an ending.

De Havilland deservedly won her best actress Oscar starring in this film. One of the few times I agree with the Academy.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Voting is now open for Best New Spine

You may also vote for "What were they thinking?" (Although it's not required. If you can't think of a release that shouldn't have entered the collection then abstain from voting on that question).


http://tinyurl.com/CriterionCollection2013

I went with(from the ones I've seen).
A Man Escaped
Kid With a Bike
Life of Oharu

What was they thinking option(again from what I've seen) I went with Frances Ha.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Voting is now open for Best New Spine

You may also vote for "What were they thinking?" (Although it's not required. If you can't think of a release that shouldn't have entered the collection then abstain from voting on that question).

My vote for the three Best New Spine titles...

On the Waterfront
La Notte
Seconds

I abstained from the "What were they thinking?" question. My least favorite new spine of the year is Nashville, but I still liked it enough to bestow four stars upon it in my User Review. I have a feeling that my already-favorable opinion of the movie will soar during subsequent viewings.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

My vote for the three Best New Spine titles...

On the Waterfront
La Notte
Seconds

I abstained from the "What were they thinking?" question. My least favorite new spine of the year is Nashville, but I still liked it enough to bestow four stars upon it in my User Review. I have a feeling that my already-favorable opinion of the movie will soar during subsequent viewings.

This makes me sad. 4 stars from The Great Owl is equivalent to "meh, whatever, it was okay "

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

This makes me sad. 4 stars from The Great Owl is equivalent to "meh, whatever, it was okay "

Not quite. Four stars generally means, "I really enjoyed this one, but I may not watch it quite as often as I watch Army of Shadows, The Night of the Hunter, or Paris, Texas."

I gave four stars to Picnic after watching it and reviewing it last night. That's an awesome film, but not a "want to revisit every other day" type of film that merits five stars. (This was a short review, because I wrote it late at night.)

Here's my review of Nashville from a couple of nights ago. It was a challenging film for me, because it was my first time seeing an Altman film in its entirety, and I had to get my mind around a few things.

[Judex]

The Great Beauty will be released on Feb 25th on Itunes from Criterion.
So I'm guessing that it'll be announced for March. With the Oscars and the other award shows around that time it makes sense for a March release.

Criterion Cast blog

[The Great Owl]

I'm headed to Barnes & Noble after work, because I have these on reserve for me during the B1G1 sale...

Late Spring
The Complete Jean Vigo
Rashomon
High and Low

I might or might not grab two more to top off a great year of Criterion purchases. Depends on what's in the store.

One unexpectedly awesome benefit of being a Barnes & Noble member is that I was able to order Christmas gifts for my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, and my two nieces this morning with a minimum of effort, and I am assured that they'll arrive at my doorstep well before Christmas week.

[bwdowiak]

I had a chance to see Kurosawa's High and Low yesterday and while it generally met with my approval, it didn't quite work for me as I know it did (does) for some. I can not really put my finger on it, although there were about a dozen minor gripes/annoyances I felt with the film.

Detailed spoilers for High and Low below. If you haven't seen it, don't read it!

[Show spoiler]
1) I found the scenes where Gondo (Mifune) finds out about the kidnapping to be kind of hokey. When the two boys are playing sheriff and cowboy, there is a pretty silly line of dialogue that Gondo says to the chauffeur's boy. I don't recall it exactly, but it's something about switching roles.

2) About switching roles.. "the kidnapper thought that Gondo's son was the sheriff because Shinichi was wearing his costume!!" That revelation was a little contrived.

3) "National Shoes"..... need I say more? Ok. I will. Gondo is driven by the desire to make the perfect woman's shoe. That's a bit silly, no?

4) A lot of emphasis is put on the other high ranking members of National Shoes and the fact that the narrative goes from their detailed disagreement straight to the kidnapping kind of leads the viewer down (for lack of me having a better way to describe it) - a false path.

5) Because of #4, it was difficult for me to understand what exactly was the commentary on Japanese society. Late in the film I had no idea what the name "High and Low" (Heaven and Hell) had to do with what was going on on the screen. I didn't realize it until the final scene.

6) Kurosawa's shot composition is second to none. In Yojimbo, it is jaw-droppingly good. Here, he films most of the early scenes like a stage play - his wide screen lens capturing all 50 people in the frame at once. This forces every character in the scene to have somewhat of a reaction shot. I found the dejected looks and all of the 'I'm so distraught that all I can do is stare at the ground' looks to be tiring. The reaction shots of the police are so overplayed that (and this is my fault) I thought maybe they weren't police and they were, in fact, reacting as a result of some other motive.

7) I was a bit underwhelmed with Mifune in this role. He is definitely overshadowed by the few scenes in which the kidnapper appears. Mostly the final scene, where Gondo's appearance is almost an afterthought.

8) I'll say one good thing here for my final point. The actor playing the kidnapper was pretty awesome. The scenes at the end where the police are tailing him and the shot of where he peaks his head up from the flowers and you can see not only the foliage around him but the reflection of flowers in his sunglasses is just plain .

Just to repeat myself. I liked this film. If it seems like I'm tearing it apart, I am not. It's just fun to be analytical!

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm headed to Barnes & Noble after work, because I have these on reserve for me during the B1G1 sale...

Late Spring
The Complete Jean Vigo
Rashomon
High and Low

I love 3 of these 4. I'm not as high on Rashomon as others though.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I had a chance to see Kurosawa's High and Low yesterday and while it generally met with my approval, it didn't quite work for me as I know it did (does) for some. I can not really put my finger on it, although there were about a dozen minor gripes/annoyances I felt with the film.

Detailed spoilers for High and Low below. If you haven't seen it, don't read it!

[Show spoiler]
1) I found the scenes where Gondo (Mifune) finds out about the kidnapping to be kind of hokey. When the two boys are playing sheriff and cowboy, there is a pretty silly line of dialogue that Gondo says to the chauffeur's boy. I don't recall it exactly, but it's something about switching roles.

2) About switching roles.. "the kidnapper thought that Gondo's son was the sheriff because Shinichi was wearing his costume!!" That revelation was a little contrived.

3) "National Shoes"..... need I say more? Ok. I will. Gondo is driven by the desire to make the perfect woman's shoe. That's a bit silly, no?

4) A lot of emphasis is put on the other high ranking members of National Shoes and the fact that the narrative goes from their detailed disagreement straight to the kidnapping kind of leads the viewer down (for lack of me having a better way to describe it) - a false path.

5) Because of #4, it was difficult for me to understand what exactly was the commentary on Japanese society. Late in the film I had no idea what the name "High and Low" (Heaven and Hell) had to do with what was going on on the screen. I didn't realize it until the final scene.

6) Kurosawa's shot composition is second to none. In Yojimbo, it is jaw-droppingly good. Here, he films most of the early scenes like a stage play - his wide screen lens capturing all 50 people in the frame at once. This forces every character in the scene to have somewhat of a reaction shot. I found the dejected looks and all of the 'I'm so distraught that all I can do is stare at the ground' looks to be tiring. The reaction shots of the police are so overplayed that (and this is my fault) I thought maybe they weren't police and they were, in fact, reacting as a result of some other motive.

7) I was a bit underwhelmed with Mifune in this role. He is definitely overshadowed by the few scenes in which the kidnapper appears. Mostly the final scene, where Gondo's appearance is almost an afterthought.

8) I'll say one good thing here for my final point. The actor playing the kidnapper was pretty awesome. The scenes at the end where the police are tailing him and the shot of where he peaks his head up from the flowers and you can see not only the foliage around him but the reflection of flowers in his sunglasses is just plain .

Just to repeat myself. I liked this film. If it seems like I'm tearing it apart, I am not. It's just fun to be analytical!

It's been a while since I watched my old Criterion DVD of High and Low, but it's a pretty tense film for the era, and it's always been one of my favorite Kurosawa movies. The location of Gondo's home above the industrial town is the most obvious call to the title, and I enjoy how the film adds socioeconomic commentary to a police procedural story.

High and Low is often described as a film noir, but I do not quite think of it as such. I do, however, consider Drunken Angel and Stray Dog to be film noir titles.

I'm looking forward to watching this on Blu-ray at last, because my only exposure to the film so far has been through the old first-printing Criterion DVD with a lesser print.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's been a while since I watched my old Criterion DVD of High and Low, but it's a pretty tense film for the era, and it's always been one of my favorite Kurosawa movies. The location of Gondo's home above the industrial town is the most obvious call to the title, and I enjoy how the film adds socioeconomic commentary to a police procedural story.

High and Low is often described as a film noir, but I do not quite think of it as such. I do, however, consider Drunken Angel and Stray Dog to be film noir titles.

I'm looking forward to watching this on Blu-ray at last, because my only exposure to the film so far has been through the old first-printing Criterion DVD with a lesser print.

I feel a bit stupid acknowledging this, but I hardly noticed that it was an industrial town.

[Show spoiler]I got the gist at the end of the film when a bit more focus is placed on the kidnapper and, of course, through what he says in the prison scene. I think I was distracted by what I called 'the false lead' regarding the other higher ups at the shoe company.

Have you seen Ikiru, Owl? That's my favorite Criterion film. well... after The Third Man.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Have you seen Ikiru, Owl? That's my favorite Criterion film. well... after The Third Man.

Ohhhh yeah! I've seen Ikiru many times, and it really strikes a nerve with me, since I've been a government employee for almost 18 years now. That park swing scene is marvelous and melancholic.

My favorite Kurosawa film is probably Stray Dog, but Seven Samurai and Yojimbo are right up there. I really hope that Stray Dog gets picked up on Blu-ray some day.


Unrelated, but I saw two Kim Novak films this week... Book, Bell and Candle and Picnic.
Picnic is the better of the two, but they're both solid great flicks.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Ohhhh yeah! I've seen Ikiru many times, and it really strikes a nerve with me, since I've been a government employee for almost 18 years now. That park swing scene is marvelous and melancholic.

My favorite Kurosawa film is probably Stray Dog, but Seven Samurai and Yojimbo are right up there. I really hope that Stray Dog gets picked up on Blu-ray some day.


Unrelated, but I saw two Kim Novak films this week... Book, Bell and Candle and Picnic.
Picnic is the better of the two, but they're both solid great flicks.

Oh, awesome! Awesome because Stray Dog is next in my Kurosawa cue! I'll visit some other directors first, most likely. Some of these newer films are piquing my interest as I have not seen many newer Criterion titles. I've got Revanche at home and there was a discussion here about Le Havre which made me interested.

I'll see those Kim Novak films one day, I'm sure. I considered (for a moment anyway) picking up Picnic, but I've got too many in my 'buy' cue up ahead of it.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I've got Revanche at home

I'm fond of saying that Revanche is my favorite Criterion film of the 2000s, but I always get called out on this, because the truth is that I have only actually seen a small handful of post-2000 titles (Revanche, Hunger, The Devil's Backbone, The Royal Tenenbaums, Traffic, Blue is the Warmest Color).

Still, I'm hard-pressed to imagine anything recent knocking Revanche out of the spot.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm fond of saying that Revanche is my favorite Criterion film of the 2000s, but I always get called out on this, because the truth is that I have only actually seen a small handful of post-2000 titles (Revanche, Hunger, The Devil's Backbone, The Royal Tenenbaums, Traffic, Blue is the Warmest Color).

Still, I'm hard-pressed to imagine anything recent knocking Revanche out of the spot.

it's probably Kid With a Bike for me although I, too, have only seen a handful. Carlos would be 2nd place if we're talking about the century and not the decade.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

it's probably Kid With a Bike for me although I, too, have only seen a handful. Carlos would be 2nd place if we're talking about the century and not the decade.

I liked Blue is the Warmest Color when I saw it at the theater a few weeks ago, but I'm in doubt about whether or not the film will be added to my Blu-ray collection. I don't see myself revisiting it frequently, although I'm glad that I took the time to see it once on the big screen. I'll definitely let the initial Criterion release pass me by, but there's a chance that I might grab the future Special Edition depending on what is added to the movie.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Unrelated, but I saw two Kim Novak films this week... Book, Bell and Candle and Picnic.
Picnic is the better of the two, but they're both solid great flicks.

I actually preferred Book, Bell and Candle over Picnic. The acting in Picnic seemed hokey to me, but any movie with Novak in it is good in my book.

I may have to revisit Picnic

[BillWatkins]

My favorite post-2000 films are Summer Hours, Fish Tank and Everlasting Moments. I can't recommend them enough.

[TJS_Blu]

DVDBeaver has posted its first 2 reviews of Potemkine Film's Coffret Rohmer intégral. Man I hope Criterion gets this!