The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Purplenoon

I feel the same way about Goddard's "Weekend".

Yes, now that I can understand more than Breathless. Weekend is meant to be annoying and frustrating and get on the viewer's nerves. If you just can't stand it, then Godard accomplished what he set out to do, in a sense.

But Breathless always seemed like a fun lark of a film that had an incredible amount of subtext, reference, and rejuvenation of the art form lying under the surface. But on the "top layer" it's this somewhat crazy, often very funny send-up of/homage to many genre films, but especially American gangster flicks. So, on that "top layer" it's just a good time. At least, that's how I always saw it.

Weekend, OTOH, that's a different story. Heck, Contempt is a different story, too. And that's one of the two or three best films ever made IMO (along with Three Colors: Red and Mulholland Dr.). But I can easily understand why someone wouldn't like it.

Again, that's art. That's why we're all here, right?

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

I can't say that I enjoyed Weekend, but it has some of the most memorable shots I've seen on any Criterion release. The 1st 2/3 of the film is amazing at times. The last 1/3....

I felt exactly the opposite. Well not exactly... the beginning intrigued me, the middle was a slog, and the last 1/3 is where the film is brilliant.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I felt exactly the opposite. Well not exactly... the beginning intrigued me, the middle was a slog, and the last 1/3 is where the film is brilliant.

I think that Weekend and Contempt share a sort of split-personality, in that they are multiple movies in one. Now, whether this is Jean-Luc being brave and edgy and avant-garde, or if it's him not being able to construct a single, coherent narrative -- that's up for the individual viewer to decide. But I definitely feel that they share that split-personality, though obviously not in the same way.

To me, a Godard sycophant, it's genius. But trust me when I say that I can understand how others wouldn't see it the same way.

[ShellOilJunior]

Snow White is as perfect as it gets for animated films. Timeless piece of art.

[Majin Blu]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I was wondering, have you seen any other Godard film?
because I can't connect to his films at all. (I've seen 3)

The only other one I've seen (and own) and I liked it, is "Band of Outsiders".

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Martin_31

What movie(s) have made you teary or cried your eyes out? Anyone else can answer this question.

I find there is something very similar in all these three films that always make me want to cry at the end:

City Lights, Nights of Cabiria, Wall-E

For me the characters of those two later movies are the Chaplin equivalents in Female and robot

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Snow White is as perfect as it gets for animated films. Timeless piece of art.

In the couple of times that I've seen it I just haven't been able to connect with it.

OTOH, I love Frozen. And I realize that that admission makes me some sort of Philistine when it comes to animated works, if not film in general.

But Frozen was so much fun. I can't tell you how many times I watched it or listened to the soundtrack. Snow White I just couldn't get into. I realize its importance. But there's no "hook" there that grabs me.

[*DrStrangelove*]

I see a couple people have Che on their worst blind buy list. Any reason why? Just curious because after pushing it off for so long I finally picked it up yesterday. Did you not have interest in Che Guevara or was the film just poorly made? I was always interested in Che Guevara when I was younger. I've read a couple books on him so naturally this film interested me. Just wanted someone's take on the film.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

The point I was trying to make, is that maybe some (including me) give Criterion some more slack in the choice of films they're making, but if it was the same film from an unknown small company they never heard of, they wouldn't care to check that film out, let alone like it!

i don't know, it's just my personal sense.
I know Criterion has built a trust towards them and good for them

I think that that hits the nail on the head. Criterion gets more trust than "an unknown small company" because Criterion has been a significant force in the industry for 30 years. Now maybe you're saying that people are a little too trusting of that reputation, and perhaps that's a fair argument.

I know it's not that for me. Let's take two other "boutique" labels that seem to have the same sense of direction as Criterion, but don't have decades of reputation: Cohen Media and Cinema Guild.

For Cohen, I have 10 of their releases out of somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 titles. I love every single one of the 10 I have. And just about everything else they've released look interesting to me for one reason or another. So I've pretty much decided that, like Criterion, if they release it, there's a good chance I'm going to want it (only a dearth of money stands in the way).

For Cinema Guild, I have 4 out of about 15 releases. The ones I've got I love, but there have been a couple of others I've caught on Netflix, and are iffy about (for what it's worth, two of the four I have I first saw on Netflix and loved). And a handful of their releases are documentaries about which the subject matter doesn't really interest me. So I'm not as hot to blind-buy their releases.

but I feel sometimes i see an agony in members to like a film because it's Criterion and not just even think that "maybe that film is not good after all and Criterion released it just because..."?
Maybe I'm wrong..

Depends on the film. I'm fairly confident that most anyone familiar with Armageddon isn't questioning the awfulness of it despite Criterion releasing it.

But more than that, it's not necessarily a question of whether the film is good or bad, but whether it's liked by any given viewer. I'm less likely to say that a given Criterion release is terrible, and more likely to say, "It's just not for me."

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I see a couple people have Che on their worst blind buy list. Any reason why? Just curious because after pushing it off for so long I finally picked it up yesterday. Did you not have interest in Che Guevara or was the film just poorly made? I was always interested in Che Guevara when I was younger. I've read a couple books on him so naturally this film interested me. Just wanted someone's take on the film.

It was a blind buy for me (in relation to the film, of course; I'm fairly familiar with the real life individual). I'm also a Soderbergh fan, in general. I enjoyed it greatly. But I need to revisit it, and spend a good weekend watching it, studying it, the whole nine yards. But it certainly would never make a "worst" list of any kind for me.

I know that's not exactly what you were looking for.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I felt exactly the opposite. Well not exactly... the beginning intrigued me, the middle was a slog, and the last 1/3 is where the film is brilliant.

The piano scene around the middle was what I had in mind. If you like the last 1/3, then I'm assuming you don't have a PETA card in your wallet. (Disclaimer: Neither do I.)

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

The piano scene around the middle was what I had in mind. If you like the last 1/3, then I'm assuming you don't have a PETA card in your wallet. (Disclaimer: Neither do I.)

I will grant you that that's incredibly difficult. I'm that guy who switches the channel every time Kayley Cuoco comes on with her ASPCA commercials -- I just can't watch them. Even when I have the show on in the background, I have to change the channel. So I know where you're coming from.

[*DrStrangelove*]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

It was a blind buy for me (in relation to the film, of course; I'm fairly familiar with the real life individual). I'm also a Soderbergh fan, in general. I enjoyed it greatly. But I need to revisit it, and spend a good weekend watching it, studying it, the whole nine yards. But it certainly would never make a "worst" list of any kind for me.

I know that's not exactly what you were looking for.

No, any input is great, thanks for that. I was just trying to make sure I didn't make a mistake blind buying. Thou I doubt it as I already have interest in the subject matter. Soderberg is hit or miss for me, which I'm sure is the case with many people. The back said it was an unconventional biopic. Is it not a straightforward narrative on the life of Che? Or is it a bit more abstract?

[diskspinner]

So, I bought one more $50 GC from bn.com today...So I have about $100 of GC left...since most of the items I want are OOS online and I only have one 20% off coupon...I am thinking of getting a box in store and 1-2 single release online or 4-5 single release (1 store, rest online)...

I do not have to spend all $100 in GC though...

I am considering

1) Tati set
2) Demy set
3) Scorsese World Cinema Set

Any of these must own?...Never watched any Demy, Watched Tati's Playtime (liked it overall)...I will only get one of the boxes if I get strong recommendations...

[D2Girls]

Originally Posted by diskspinner

So, I bought one more $50 GC from bn.com today...So I have about $100 of GC left...since most of the items I want are OOS online and I only have one 20% off coupon...I am thinking of getting a box in store and 1-2 single release online or 4-5 single release (1 store, rest online)...

I do not have to spend all $100 in GC though...

I am considering

1) Tati set
2) Demy set
3) Scorsese World Cinema Set

Any of these must own?...Never watched any Demy, Watched Tati's Playtime (liked it overall)...I will only get one of the boxes if I get strong recommendations...

Apparently the tati set is a must own. so get that?

[Martin_31]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I find there is something very similar in all these three films that always make me want to cry at the end:

City Lights, Nights of Cabiria, Wall-E

For me the characters of those two later movies are the Chaplin equivalents in Female and robot

Wall-E is amazing. Up made me cry when Ellie died. Titanic always gets to me when the ship is sinking and the musicians decide to play Nearer My God to Thee. They know they're going to die and decide to continue until death. All the people dying.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

No, any input is great, thanks for that. I was just trying to make sure I didn't make a mistake blind buying. Thou I doubt it as I already have interest in the subject matter. Soderberg is hit or miss for me, which I'm sure is the case with many people. The back said it was an unconventional biopic. Is it not a straightforward narrative on the life of Che? Or is it a bit more abstract?

I think ... and this fits with Che himself, IMO ... that's it's difficult to describe. But I wouldn't call it "abstract." Soderbergh definitely takes a bit of a different approach, though.

I had a lot of interest in Che as an individual before I bought the BD. I believe that the fact that it doesn't preach one way or another, but it attempts to give so many different points of view is a strong mark in its favor. Don't get me wrong: Soderbergh obviously has some respect for Che. But he also understands the things he did that couldn't be justified. So you, again IMO, get a well-painted view of who Che really was.

I still haven't investigated all the extras. Though it's fairly loaded, as I'm sure you know.

It's such an interesting time in history, and Che was -- regardless of how one feels about his politics -- a fascinating character. I believe that the movie(s) get that across very well, and does so in a manner which is not ... conventional.

I'd be interested to see what you think of it once you see it.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by diskspinner

So, I bought one more $50 GC from bn.com today...So I have about $100 of GC left...since most of the items I want are OOS online and I only have one 20% off coupon...I am thinking of getting a box in store and 1-2 single release online or 4-5 single release (1 store, rest online)...

I do not have to spend all $100 in GC though...

I am considering

1) Tati set
2) Demy set
3) Scorsese World Cinema Set

Any of these must own?...Never watched any Demy, Watched Tati's Playtime (liked it overall)...I will only get one of the boxes if I get strong recommendations...

Now, I haven't seen the others. So, my word is FAR from Gospel.

But the Demy set is pure beauty and cinema awesomeness. Even if you later find that one of the others would have been the better choice for you, you will NEVER regret the Demy set. At least trust me on that. It's a collection of some of the most beautiful films ever made, put together in one of the most beautiful sets you'll ever see. It really doesn't get any better than that.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I will grant you that that's incredibly difficult. I'm that guy who switches the channel every time Kayley Cuoco comes on with her ASPCA commercials -- I just can't watch them. Even when I have the show on in the background, I have to change the channel. So I know where you're coming from.

Kayley Cuoco, alone, is enough for me to change the channel. Just can't watch her. No me gusta.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Now, I haven't seen the others. So, my word is FAR from Gospel.

But the Demy set is pure beauty and cinema awesomeness. Even if you later find that one of the others would have been the better choice for you, you will NEVER regret the Demy set. At least trust me on that. It's a collection of some of the most beautiful films ever made, put together in one of the most beautiful sets you'll ever see. It really doesn't get any better than that.

...and features some beautiful women, too.