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Big Mean Jerk posted:I couldn't get into Blow-Out. That, Overlord, and Broadcast News are the only Criterions I've ever gotten rid of. Broadcast News is charming, you fool!!
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Aug 8, 2017 07:09
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I am a real American. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKJDAVvs_JA Discount Viscount posted:As is the transfer; it's bananas how great these silent films look. I wish every old movie could get the same treatment. We have Harold Lloyd to thank for this. He was an obsessive archivist and because of this his work is among what little of the silent era survived to this day.
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Aug 8, 2017 07:20
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I, Butthole posted:Non-US citizen here, but hol yshit you haven't watched Dr Strangelove? Peter Sellers also knocks it out of the park in three roles. Last Halloween I met a guy dressed to the T as Dr. Strangelove, mannerisms and all. It was fantastic. Also, I just remembered Before Sunrise is on Amazon Prime, and it's on my long list of Linklaters that I haven't seen. I may even watch it tonight.
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Aug 8, 2017 12:40
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US citizen here: You've got two of my favorite movie series on the list. The Apu Trilogy is simply fantastic and beautiful. The Lone Wolf and Cub movies are over the top and insanely awesome. Also they are really quick watches. I'll be contrarian here and say I don't like Shogun Assassin though.
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Aug 8, 2017 14:52
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Coaaab posted:When I went through the Before films in preparation for Midnight a few years ago, the first one stood out as my favorite. Celine and Jesse are fairly naive 20-somethings, yes, but it's also them with the brightest eyes and the most hope for the future, enhanced by the Linklater's signature evocation of naturalism with his actors (and the fact that I was aware there were sequels out there). And I'll also appreciate any movie that's not afraid to be so aimless, as the other entries in the trilogy have more of a sense of urgency attached (which is great too since it means each film isn't so samey), but I'll always be for films that acknowledges doing things because you have all the time in the world for doing them. I like that Sunset is the shortest of the bunch by a wide margin, it lends it an immediacy the other two don't have.
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Aug 8, 2017 15:56
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Magic Hate Ball posted:Broadcast News is charming, you fool!! Broadcast News is fuckin' great, I don't know what that fool's on about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW-B-NcD-3c I live in the US. GonSmithe posted:There's a beautiful scene of the two of them sitting in a restaurant, pretending to be calling their friends back home. The restaurant is filled with jovial Viennese, the only people not enjoying themselves being the two Americans (complaining about the service, like Jesse on the train), and the couple. As Celine talks to her "friend" and pretends to be Jesse's, her pinky trails her lips. She bites it, loses its movement as she tells herself her story and listens to his, theirs. Her eyes widen and focus on him and his greasy hair. I've been doing my own rewatch of these after picking up the box set, and this scene has always stood out as one of the most romantic I've ever seen. It's got a perfect mix of wit, earnesty, and vulnerability. Sunrise stands out so much more now as a chronicle of youthful romance compared to its sequels, and it's this scene that really captures that feeling so effortlessly. They're both kind of cocky and assured of their own grand ideas about existence and love. Regardless of whether they're actually keyed in on the truths of this world, when they're paired together, it's as though they are. They complete each other's fantasies.
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Aug 8, 2017 16:36
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Broadcast News also has that great bit with the Norman Rockwell painting, which I could watch over and over.
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Aug 8, 2017 16:54
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This is exciting for me because I have the exact same problem. I have maybe 8-10 blind buys that I've never taken the time to sit down and watch, including some on your list, like the latter two of the Apu trilogy. I started to adore Linklater after seeing Boyhood, though I'd seen Bernie, Tape, Slacker, and Dazed and Confused before and thought they were okay but not great. I think Boyhood made something click for me about him and since then I've wanted to see everything he's done, including those movies again, but haven't made the time. Of the Before trilogy I've only seen Sunrise and loved it so maybe I'll take this opportunity to at least watch Sunset along with you. I'd recommend some international variety, so if you can't get to everything definitely do either Ikiru or Panther Panchali. Dr Strangelove is one of the greatest ever though so you can't go wrong with that. I didn't like Walkabout much when I saw it many years ago, fwiw. E: I'm America Colonel Whitey fucked around with this message at 17:59 on Aug 8, 2017 |
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Aug 8, 2017 17:50
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Alright, it's time for Blow Out! Also, I'm going to watch them all. I don't care if I have to watch 6 movies in one day one of the days, I'm doing it. I also have Sunday to watch stuff, even after the contest ends, so I have that extra day.
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Aug 8, 2017 18:54
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GonSmithe posted:Also, I'm going to watch them all. I don't care if I have to watch 6 movies in one day one of the days, I'm doing it. I also have Sunday to watch stuff, even after the contest ends, so I have that extra day. *rob schneider voice* you can do it!
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Aug 8, 2017 19:18
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Blow Out is so goddarn good. De Palma had such a great flair for the dramatic back then and an understanding of how entertaining it is to be engaged in craft. The finale is a standout but the failed scream in the opening is one of the funniest things in cinema.
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Aug 8, 2017 19:53
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Huh. Of his 38 films listed on Letterboxd, I have only seen 5 de Palma films and I only enjoyed 3. Blow Out sounds good.
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Aug 8, 2017 20:01
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Magic Hate Ball posted:Blow Out is so goddarn good. De Palma had such a great flair for the dramatic back then and an understanding of how entertaining it is to be engaged in craft. The finale is a standout but the failed scream in the opening is one of the funniest things in cinema. And the comedy of the failed scream in the opening scene also sets up how horrific and tragic the ending is. EDIT: I live in the US. VoodooXT fucked around with this message at 05:56 on Aug 9, 2017 |
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Aug 8, 2017 20:01
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Franchescanado posted:Huh. Of his 38 films listed on Letterboxd, I have only seen 5 de Palma films and I only enjoyed 3. Blow Out sounds good. I've got the same numbers, although I'm guessing those are primed to go up when my 5 include The Black Dahlia and Snake Eyes. E: The three ones I liked were Carrie/Blow Out/Sisters. Power of Pecota fucked around with this message at 20:43 on Aug 8, 2017 |
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Aug 8, 2017 20:27
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I was just talking about this today, I've only seen Carrie, Phantom of the Paradise, Scarface, The Fury, and Mission to Mars. I liked them all, but I haven't seen that last one in over 10 years, so it's very likely my opinion on it has changed. The one I'm really excited to see is Body Double, which literally turns into a Frankie Goes To Hollywood music video for a few minutes.
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Aug 8, 2017 20:32
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Everybody should see Sisters.
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Aug 8, 2017 20:37
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I've got Scarface, Carrie, and Dressed To Kill as the ones I like, and I dislike Mission: Impossible and The Black Dahlia.
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Aug 8, 2017 20:38
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Oh gently caress, I completely forgot he did Mission: Impossible. I remember it being disjointed and confusing with some standout setpieces, but that was also almost 10 years ago, I'll have to give that one another whirl.
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Aug 8, 2017 20:41
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Franchescanado posted:I've got Scarface, Carrie, and Dressed To Kill as the ones I like, and I dislike Mission: Impossible and The Black Dahlia. Check out Sisters and Hi, Mom! and Phantom of the Paradise
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Aug 8, 2017 20:46
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Mission Impossible is great because it's a really straightforward story told in a deliberately confusing way. It's probably my favorite Tom Cruise movie.
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Aug 8, 2017 20:48
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MacheteZombie posted:Check out Sisters and Hi, Mom! I added both to my list. I'm waiting to watch Phantom of the Paradise with my horror group for a Horror Musical theme. X-Ray Pecs posted:Oh gently caress, I completely forgot he did Mission: Impossible. I remember it being disjointed and confusing with some standout setpieces, but that was also almost 10 years ago, I'll have to give that one another whirl. You really don't have to. It's very...Boring.
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Aug 8, 2017 20:53
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 I'm not too too familiar with De Palma's work (I've seen Carrie, Scarface, Mission Impossible, and The Black Dahlia), but this one floored me. This entire movie is such a perfect act of rising stakes and rising tension organically escalating as it needs to instead of being forced to do so. It's incredible how one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen, the scream, turns into a hauntingly sad final shot. The movie's cinematography is stunning. The split screen shots, every one of them, are a marvel to look at. The way that the nighttime scenes are shot with blacks so deep you can swim in them, the way the interiors are blurry and off focus, the lighting in the city that lets you take it in without it ever overshadowing the characters. The movie has a very dreamlike quality to the way it's shot and it's very clear as to why it was done that way. The use of reds, whites and blues throughout to show just what this American conspiracy is to the characters. I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the finale. The fireworks exploding and lighting the horror that's happening, like police lights against the face of the characters. And of course that gorgeous, show-stopping dolly shot of Jack and Sally with the fireworks exploding around them. Above all, this movie makes me wish Travolta could go back to acting. What he does with Jack in this movie is just excellent. His smile is so charming you have no problem believing that Sally would hit it off with him as soon as they meet. The way he carries himself when he's out at night recording the sound, like a conductor with his baton, and the way he follows it back with the pencil all feel natural as someone who is an expert at what he does. Nancy Allen is of course wonderful as Sally, the con-girl who loves movies but won't watch the news because "it's too depressing." Movies are an escape, but this one shows that sometimes there's no escaping reality. Horrible things happen, and sometimes you're around to experience them. Your life choices lead you to these places, and it's up to you to figure out how you're going to learn from them and how you'll react to them. And sometimes, you just need to do your job.
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Aug 8, 2017 21:23
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Ha, just found out today is the day Nixon announced his resignation on TV. That's good timing.
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Aug 8, 2017 21:31
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My favorite part of Blow-Out is when he discovers all his taped have been wiped and he's running around the room as that trippy soundscape plays. The contrast between the spinning camera and then the overhead shot that concludes the scene is a great example of how much narrative space affects a story.
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Aug 8, 2017 22:01
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De Palma from his very beginning up until about Body Double is one of the great runs of films.
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Aug 9, 2017 00:54
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Magic Hate Ball posted:De Palma from his very beginning up until about Body Double is one of the great runs of films. Murder a la Mod is... okay. It's got some cool stuff in it.
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Aug 9, 2017 03:57
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This thread might encourage me to watch a bunch of the Criterion movies that I have in my collection too. I should at least watch Blow Out and Dr. Strangelove. Maybe I'll do that on my day off Thursday. (I am a US Citizen)
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Aug 9, 2017 05:46
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X-Ray Pecs posted:I was just talking about this today, I've only seen Carrie, Phantom of the Paradise, Scarface, The Fury, and Mission to Mars. I liked them all, but I haven't seen that last one in over 10 years, so it's very likely my opinion on it has changed. The one I'm really excited to see is Body Double, which literally turns into a Frankie Goes To Hollywood music video for a few minutes. Have you seen Raising Cain? Because that poo poo is wild.
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Aug 9, 2017 06:44
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Now, have you seen Blow-Up? That's a hell of a double feature right there.
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Aug 9, 2017 16:12
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My favorite part of Blow Out is that scene where he's putting the sound and image together, specifically that bit where he runs it back and forth to make sure he got the timing right.
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Aug 9, 2017 16:12
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This might be outside the scope of your vacation (that's a lot of movies to watch!) but I recommend watching Dr. Strangelove twice. Not necessarily in a row, but twice within a short period of time. Other posters have touched on this, but it's an incredibly bizarre movie, done in a very low-key way, visually. It's not one of those ones where every time you watch it you find something new, but the first couple of times, for sure.
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Aug 9, 2017 16:34
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Alright, making some breakfast first and then it's time for Blood Simple
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Aug 9, 2017 16:52
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You're drat right it is. I'd love to see the Criterion blu-ray of Blood Simple.
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Aug 9, 2017 16:54
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Franchescanado posted:You're drat right it is. I'd love to see the Criterion blu-ray of Blood Simple. It's stunning.
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Aug 9, 2017 18:52
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THAT WAS THEIR FIRST MOVIE?
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Aug 9, 2017 19:07
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GonSmithe posted:THAT WAS THEIR FIRST MOVIE? Joel Coen got to play script doctor/film editor for The Evil Dead first, but yes. I'd love it if some secret Coen Bros short films were surfaced, because their debut is unbelievable, and then to follow it up with Raising Arizona, one of the greatest comedies ever, is astounding. Crimewave is in the middle, but no one's seen Crimewave and they only wrote it.
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Aug 9, 2017 19:10
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I'd love for Criterion to grab Raising Arizona or Barton Fink.
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Aug 9, 2017 19:15
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Franchescanado posted:Joel Coen got to play script doctor/film editor for The Evil Dead first, but yes. I like Crimewave. 
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Aug 9, 2017 19:19
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Barton's way more likely than Raising Arizona, but I'd love either of them. Or Miller's Crossing Hudsucker Proxy needs to be more widely available. It was on Netflix Streaming a few years ago, and I thought that was a sign it would have a new release, but it never happened (as far as I know). Kull the Conqueror posted:I like Crimewave. That wasn't meant as a knock, it was meant as "that movie that's seemingly almost never been released/available". Barely anyone's seen it.
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Aug 9, 2017 19:19
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"Down here... you're on your own. I love the Coen brothers. I've gleefully watched almost all of their films ever since my math teacher in 9th grade showed us Raising Arizona on the last day of school. All of these movies, and yet I had never seen Blood Simple, their debut, and now that I have, a more complete picture of them has come together in my mind. Now I know that from the very beginning, they knew exactly what kind of movies they want to make. Character driven, darkly funny, fatal. Each character in this movie can't help but lead themselves into destruction. Everything comes to an end in their movies, whether the characters like it or not. You can tell that they cribbed a lot in this from Sam Raimi to great effect in a noir setting instead of a straight horror setting. The shaking camera, the hand from inside the open grave. The best part of this movie for me, though, is the sweat. These people are in Texas. Every scene the characters brows are soaked, their faces glistening. The PI's sweat exuding from every pore as if it was slime; Marty's greasy balding hair running down his forehead. Even the pipes are sweating. The transfer that Criterion put out is so grainy and picks up on all of these gloriously nasty details in exactly the way they should be seen. This is a gross film, and it revels in it.
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Aug 9, 2017 19:29
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