DVD Game

[criterionmaster]

wkw said:

criterionmaster said:

wkw said:

Ah, my worst. I figured someone would pick some of these. I don't want it to sound like I have to defend owning these films, because, we all own what we own, it is all opinion, I will just say WHY I own them, not excuses for owning them really. I love Korn, one of the best bands I have ever seen live, they have one album that probably makes it into my top ten. I don't see why they get so much hate, well especially their early stuff. I bought that DVD used, blindly, and it was very fun, with some cool things on it. I own the whole Austin Powers series; I think they are really funny, although kinda stupid humor. I just think they capture Bond films so good. Goldmember is probably the worst of the trilogy though. Shallow Hal is a funny film, last time I watched it, a long time ago, and I needed one more movie to get a sale of buy 7 get like 4 free or something, when CD Warehouse had a huge sale. I am a huge fan of Jack Black, I mean, how could you not like him? He is hilarious, although it isn't a must for a collection, nor are some of the films I own.

Huge, huge, huge Fellini fan, and an even huger Criterion fan. Both go together so well, so you should have guessed I will check that film out, especially since you and lordofdance gush about it a bunch. I would just blind buy it, but now with Netflix, I might just rent it first, we will see, but either way, I will see the film, and end up buying it (if only to have all the Fellini Criterions). Fucking kill me now, I haven't seen any Ozu films, I should kill myself. I can't stand it; I really need to see one of his films. Hopefully this huge Criterion Eclipse boxset will help me with that , but Tokyo Story has been on my must-see list since the beginning of me liking films. The reason I haven't seen it/or bought it? I think because it is so popular, and talked about; I always pass it up for something rarer or something. Like I always am like, “well, there are other things that I should get before this, that will always be there.” I really need to change my way of thinking. I have seen half of The Decalogue and the only reason I haven't bought it is because there were rumors a while back that it might get a better release someday, so I will see the films (via library), but I think I will hold off on buying them. (Let’s hope Criterion gets a hold of this bad boy). Oh yeah, by the way, I totally love what I have seen of the films. Seven Samurai, duh. I can't believe I don't have it yet, my second favorite film. I will be getting it soon hopefully.

Do you have a DVDAficionado or something? I will do yours.

The reason I chose Korn is because it's probably my most hated band. Their music is so bad and their singer has the worst voice I've ever heard. IMO their music is not much different from noise. Pardon me if that offends your opinion of them, but that's how I feel.

Nights of Cabiria easily makes my top 5. I'm a huge fan of Fellini as well, and in certain moods I prefer NoC over 8 1/2. Giulietta Masina's performance is one of the best I've ever seen. She's like a more expressive Chaplin. The ending of that movie is even more powerful than City Lights.

Tokyo Story is utterly amazing, it's such a powerful film even though it has zero melodrama. The story is so simple but it says so much about the human condition. It just might be the best film ever made. The DVD has a great commentary track as well. I can understand the "collector" mentality in going after rare dvds. I will post my thoughts on how I buy dvds on the appropriate thread. My DVD collection is miniscule compared to you guy's since I just started not long ago. www.dvdaficionado.com/dvds.html?cat=1&id=columbiatch

Wow, most hated band? Worst voice ever? That may be a little extreme. William Hung recorded an album, not to mention Fergie, Mims, 50 Cent, etc. Korn at least had an original (for the time), underground sound, and a perfect sound to mosh to, which I love to do. Maybe you don't like that kind of music or something, they also mix in weird sounds and guitar notes that no one would think of using, and that sound terrible [normally], but the way they are assembled all fit and work so well. It just has an amazing sound to me, one that when I hear it, I immediately move to.

Lucky, you picked the only Chaplin feature I have seen for your comparison. City Lights' ending is just a perfect piece of cinema, so if an ending can be that good, then I must see it. 8 1/2 is in my top 20, so if something is ever better than that from Fellini, I may have to kill myself.

I love simple Japanese cinema, from directors like Naruse, or films like Twenty-Four Eyes. I am pretty sure I will dig Ozu.

So...

Top Three Best
1. Fanny and Alexander TV Version (the most perfect example of film ever. it does everything film should do, and is why I love movies.)
2. Seven Samurai (it is not even possible to describe how perfectly this film works. it is one of the few films I wished never ended.)
3. 400 Blows (I love this film. there is nothing more that needs to be said)

Top Three Worst (this was impossible, while you may not have the best films ever made (according to my top list), you don't have a single bad film, so I had to pick the ones I liked the least, and some of them I even really like)
1. Andrei Rublev (amazing filmmaking with amazing everything, but very boring to watch. I don't think I would revisit it much, unlike Solaris.)
2. Branded to Kill (a very, very fun film, but one that doesn't work quite as well as it could have with color. I still really like it, but some elements just don't work that well. But Tokyo Drifter is a 10/10)
3. City Lights (I didn't really enjoy the first half, took a break, came back and loved the rest. nothing really bad about it, just not perfect to me.)

Top Three Most Needed
1. The rest of the Cassavetes box (holy fuck. you are missing like the three best films in the set)
2. Jules and Jim (one of the most fun foreign films I have ever seen. all the characters are just delightful)
3. Some more Kurosawa (Rashomon, Ikiru; both of which are perfect pieces of cinema)

Top Three I Wished I Had
1. Hiroshima mon amour (beautiful. poetry. it is just perfect art.)
2. Seven Samurai (one of my top 5 favorite films, this edition looks boner-worthy)
3. Tokyo Story (as you have recommended)
- Passion of Joan of Arc (I don't really want it because I heard it might be re-released, but I need it so bad)

[criterionmaster]

lordofdance said:

I can see that, I mean the Bresson thing. There is something anyone who knows about film can, and should, respect. It is just so simple and pure, despite me disliking how he made Balthazar, I got to admire it. I mean this almost is like how I admire low-budget independent films. They just have something about them, (really independent films I mean, no “indie” shit), that just is something to respect. I also like some of his choices, like I have said; his simple style is nice, occasionally. I just rented Bresson’s last film though, have you seen that, if so, and you wanted to, I would love to hear how it compares to his other work in the thread you started. This will be my third film from him. [The Exorcist] That is what happens to me, I get films that shouldn't really be in my collection, just because it is cheap or something. It is one of my major problems, but since they are cheap, I guess we shouldn't worry about having them, especially since the first film is definitely worthy of having. I need the original myself; all I got is the "Version You Have Never Seen" or whatever. I heard there was a doc on the other version of the DVD. Is that true? The commentary on my version was so lacking, that I wished there had been one. If there is one, have you watched it, and is it any good?

So far I've watched Au hasard Balthazar, Mouchette, and Pickpocket. Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne will be next, probably. I'm still trying to figure out how much or how little I like Mouchette. I got the Exorcist Boxset at Best Buy for around $20, which was what some places used to charge for The Exorcist alone. I guess Exorcist 2 is worth having just because it's so legendary in its crappiness. Some people think Exorcist 3 is an underrated horror classic, but I don't understand why. I'm really behind watching out the extras on my DVDs because I'm still trying to get through the actual movies. I'll check out The Exorcist DVD when I'm home on Sunday.

Les Dames is actually unlike any Bresson I have seen, it has been said that it is not made in his style, which I agree with, but because of that, it is actually a pretty good and entertaining film, you probably won't dig it as much as his other stuff, since it isn't like the stuff you like about him. You think you are behind on watching the extras on your DVD's?! I am not only WAAY behind on that, but I still have 25+ films I haven't seen and OWN!

I'd give Maude ***, while Claire's Knee gets a **** rating and La Collectionneuse ***1/2. Maude was a bit too talky for me. The other two are much brighter and breezier (and sexier), which appeals to me more, I suppose. I've been meaning to watch them again, so I'll try to write my thoughts on them soon. I didn't really care for Love in the Afternoon (**1/2).

I loved the talking in Maud, as I think I have heard, all his films are very dialogue heavy. The scene where her and the guy are alone talking, and she is hitting on him, it is just such a perfect scene. I paid attention to every second of Maud and I still missed stuff, so watching it again would be nice for me as well.

Aside from Un Chien Andalou, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie was the first Buñuel
movie I ever saw. It's probably one of the first international movies I saw, too, so it definitely had an influence on what I watched after it. Because I've already watched it a few times, I guess I don't feel like I have own the Criterion edition right away. The only Frank Henenlotter movie I've seen is Frankenhooker (though I did see Basket Case 2 on cable a long time ago and barely recall it). Frankenhooker has some really funny moments and is enjoyably tasteless.

I don't know how I would have reacted if that was my FIRST international film. How did you come across that as your first? I don't think I have heard of something like that before, normally people come in with Fellini, Kurosawa, or the like. I remember there used to be a used store by my house where they got in a copy of Frankenhooker, since then I have wanted to see it, but it has been in the back of my mind so long, I think I will have to check it out soon.

I too hate Hollywood films, kinda, ones like Troy and shit like that, I am never interested in, but some films I do like. And don't you like Old Hollywood films at all? (ala Hitchcock, Wilder, etc.)

I should clarify by saying that I generally hate Hollywood epics, though I have a hard time enjoying most movies that come out these days. I don't mind older movies because they aren't the same as recent releases. Pretty much anything before the 80s is more acceptable.

Yeah, that is what I was just saying over in the DVD releases thread. New films aren't the same as older films, same for Hollywood films, older Hollywood films used to be so much better, and different. Yeah, before like Raging Bull or maybe, if you count it, Heaven's Gate, according to the book I am reading, films were being made for more personal reasons. In the mid-late sixties, people, influenced by Godard and other foreign films, busted into Hollywood wanting to make films, different films, more personal films and stuff. Then came Spielberg with Jaws, which basically ruined making personal films and stuff, and they slowly went away from that, and making movies that obeyed all the rules, the rules of making money that is. (Not saying I don’t like Jaws, I do.)

[lordofdance]

I just noticed your responses.

As for Discreet Charm being my first international movie, I happened to pick it up at a video store sale on VHS for cheap. Un Chien Andalou got me interested in his stuff. I saw that way before any Bergman or Godard or Fellini. I think I tried to watch Satyricon by Fellini around that time, but I wasn't in the mood to get through it. I did watch Seven Samurai (I need to sit down and watch it again, because it's almost like I never saw it after so long) shortly after, but I don't remember it half as well as Discreet Charm. I'm not sure how seeing that particular movie first influenced me, though. It probably caused me to look for stranger movies.

[criterionmaster]

lordofdance said:

I just noticed your responses.

As for Discreet Charm being my first international movie, I happened to pick it up at a video store sale on VHS for cheap. Un Chien Andalou got me interested in his stuff. I saw that way before any Bergman or Godard or Fellini. I think I tried to watch Satyricon by Fellini around that time, but I wasn't in the mood to get through it. I did watch Seven Samurai (I need to sit down and watch it again, because it's almost like I never saw it after so long) shortly after, but I don't remember it half as well as Discreet Charm. I'm not sure how seeing that particular movie first influenced me, though. It probably caused me to look for stranger movies.

haha, yeah, it definitely sounds like it got you into liking stranger movies. satyricon by fellini! haha. that is really funny you went to watch that so early on watching movies. i am surprised i made it threw it, too. you definitely need to re-watch seven samurai, it is such a good movie.