I wish Criterion Channel would make all Collections available at the beginning of the month. I didn't bother adding any of the new arrival Cary Grant movies to my watchlist because I know a Collection will be available soon enough.
Expiring from The Criterion Channel - The Awful Truth (1937)
In this classic screwball comedy that's credited with introducing the world to "the Cary Grant persona," Irene Dunne and the aforementioned Cary Grant star as a divorced couple who have to wait 90 days for it to become official. Over those those three months, they do everything possible to interfere with each other's romantic relationships. A young Ralph Bellamy plays Dunne's potential next husband. His shaky Oklahoma accent doesn't pass muster, but that hardly matters in a farce like this. The famous Marilyn Monroe upskirt spot may have come from this movie - with Joyce Compton doing it to a much different result and reaction decades earlier.
DaBargainHunta's Decree: Light, fun, and a star-making role for Cary Grant - what's not to like? (Subtitles/Captions: Yes!)
Aside from Tony Takiani (recommended), I have ended up watching some of the Joan Crawford films that I don't own and haven't seen before.
Not sure how much more I can squeeze into these next two nights but probably more Joan, looks like maybe 5 left to choose from, and I may give Barking Dogs Never Bite a shot if there's time, or maybe something else.
Oh, I also watched Attenberg, worth a watch if you get the chance. (Love Is The Devil kept putting me to sleep so I gave up on that one.)
Expiring from the Criterion Channel - Theatre of Blood (1973)
Yes, this is a slasher flick, but it's a damn good one. The amazing Vincent Price plays a bitter theater actor who seeks revenge against the critics who gave him bad reviews by staging their deaths based on iconic scenes from Shakespeare. If that doesn't grab your attention and pique your interest, there's nothing else in the world I could possibly say that would sway your opinion.
DaBargainHunta's Decree: The rare example of a movie that actually lives up to its devilishly delightful concept. (Subtitles/Captions: Yes!)
Last edited by DaBargainHunta; 12-31-2020 at 09:58 PM.
I'm a little underwhelmed by the selection of movies in the upcoming Peter Sellers tribute in January. Still, Mr. Topaze is one of the few of his I've never seen so I'm looking forward to that, as well as the Ghost of Peter Sellers doc.
Expiring from The Criterion Channel - Tchoupitoulas (2012)
In this documentary, three brothers spend one night wandering around New Orleans - seeing the sights, the sounds, and the people that make up this iconic American city. There is no "story" or "plot" to speak of. The entire film consists of the youngest brother wisecracking, making observations, and arguing with his older brothers - as they take in the lush New Orleans city scenery, observe people at work or about town, listen to live music along the way, and explore their surroundings. That's it! It's all very relaxing and "chill."
DaBargainHunta's Decree: A leisurely night in Louisiana. (Subtitles/Captions: Yes! But some of the words run together likethis, which make the captions feel like they came from a cheap bootleg. Bad quality control by Criterion, but they're tolerable.)
The amazing Vincent Price plays a bitter theater actor who seeks revenge against the film critics who gave him bad reviews by staging their deaths based on iconic scenes from Shakespeare.
I agree that it's a brilliant movie, but the critics are from the Theater Critics Circle, they're not film critics.
I agree that it's a brilliant movie, but the critics are from the Theater Critics Circle, they're not film critics.
D'OH! You're right, and I mentally told myself not to call them film critics when I was writing that, so I'm not sure what happened. Anyway, I've changed it to just critics.
Last edited by DaBargainHunta; 12-31-2020 at 09:58 PM.
Envious of you guys who have the time to burn through Criterion films. If the service existed about a decade ago I'd probably never get to sleep. Watching movies now is like getting struck for jury duty. I'll pick one and then the spouse will strike it as "too serious/boring" for something like a typical Criterion title or "too stupid and cheesy" for many cult titles. So we'll end up watching her or the kids' choice.
Envious of you guys who have the time to burn through Criterion films. If the service existed about a decade ago I'd probably never get to sleep. Watching movies now is like getting struck for jury duty. I'll pick one and then the spouse will strike it as "too serious/boring" for something like a typical Criterion title or "too stupid and cheesy" for many cult titles. So we'll end up watching her or the kids' choice.
What movies do your wife and kids like? With a baseline of preferences established, perhaps we can offer some suggestions to expand their plebeian palates.
Aside from Tony Takiani (recommended), I have ended up watching some of the Joan Crawford films that I don't own and haven't seen before.
Not sure how much more I can squeeze into these next two nights but probably more Joan, looks like maybe 5 left to choose from, and I may give Barking Dogs Never Bite a shot if there's time, or maybe something else.
Happy 2021 guys! I'm hoping that this year will be a much better year for everyone.
Oh, I also watched Attenberg, worth a watch if you get the chance. (Love Is The Devil kept putting me to sleep so I gave up on that one.)
Thank you very much for this recommendation. This was my last film viewed for 2020 and I loved it. So offbeat, weird but so enthralling. I was mesmerized by the character of Marina and her coming of age story. That poster also made me very curious. This is one of the reason why I love this streaming service!
Quote:
Originally Posted by fdm
Barking Dogs Never Bite was really good.
I watched it yesterday and think that it doesn't compare to Bong's latter films but is still quite good. I found the dog scenes tough to watch.
Thank you very much for this recommendation. This was my last film viewed for 2020 and I loved it. So offbeat, weird but so enthralling. I was mesmerized by the character of Marina and her coming of age story. That poster also made me very curious. This is one of the reason why I love this streaming service!
I watched it yesterday and think that it doesn't compare to Bong's latter films but is still quite good. I found the dog scenes tough to watch.
BTW, do any of you have a Letterboxd account?
On the last day I ended up watching just one more Joan Crawford movie all the way, and watched one other (Mrs. Craig I think it was called) for just a little while as I couldn't seem to stay awake through even the first 20 minutes of it, so called it a month.
Attenberg, I recalled it being an Artificial Eye dvd (that I don't have), read the blurb and gave it a shot.
Barking Dogs Never Bite, I read the blurb and did likewise. Aside from it, I'd only seen Bong's Memories Of Murder, though I had no idea it was the same director until I went looking to see if it was on blu-ray (it is a 2fer with MoM in the UK). Oh and I did watch The Host jsut this past summer sometime, so make that 3 so far.
I tend to go for the stuff I think I'll probably never get another chance to see, focusing first on the foreign films, as the chances are slimmest for those (and they are usually the more interesting ones anyway). This month I also got the urge to knock off some of the Joan Crawford movies I had not seen from that very long list of her films that were about to go away.
No letterboxd for me.
I hope to get back to some of my own discs this new year, kinda got busy/behind with (too many) other things, catching up soon perhaps, at least temporarily.
I'm a fan of German films (way behind on some directors though ), so while I'm at it I'll reiterate my recommendation for the Volker Schlöndorff and the Margarethe von Trotta films that are being featured on the channel. A couple I need to see yet myself. Catch them while you can.
Recently checked out Gillian Armstrong's coming-of-age rock musical comedy Starstruck, which is leaving the Channel as of Jan 31st. It's very early 80s and very Australian, but it's lots of fun and has a cool, pop-punk sensibility (with the occasional touch of camp) and anyone who enjoys musicals should get a kick out of it (a few of the tunes are really quite catchy). Also, future Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush has a small role in the film.
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Anyway, I've changed it to just critics. 
), so while I'm at it I'll reiterate my recommendation for the Volker Schlöndorff and the Margarethe von Trotta films that are being featured on the channel. A couple I need to see yet myself. Catch them while you can.
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