Best Criterion Collection DVD...
 

I am looking to do a blind buy and was hoping for opinions. For the record I own 4 Akira movies and the Royal Tenenbaums, as well as disliked brazil. I am looking for something unique, warm, and with depth. And or complex, entertaining, and thought provoking. Right now, thinking "In the Mood for love", but what does everyone think?

Fear and Loathing is the best Criterion IMO...although I don't know if you find it complex, and it isn't a"warm" film by any means...If you didn't like the weirdness in Brazil, it's probably not for you, though.

I think the best is Armageddon.

If you liked FAR FROM HEAVEN, you could always explore the inspiration for it : Douglas Sirk fifties melodramas, with beautiful set design and storylines that smuggle in a lot of issues. I own both ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS and WRITTEN ON THE WIND. Both are excellent prints, but story-wise, the former is the superior movie of the two.

Get Straw Dogs:CC. It's going out of print in three weeks and stars Dustin Hoffman as a Mathematician.

Seven Samurai if you don't have it already with your 4 Akira movies.

I say none of them

:whofart:

I agree with Fed-Ex Pope that FALILV is the best Criterion disc though.

Well, you shot down my favorite right off the bat: Brazil.

Yeah, Brazil was kinda boring even though it tried to squeeze in a lot of action. And for $50+? Bleh.

Chasing Amy, In the Mood for Love, The Rock, The Silence of the Lambs gets my vote. I'll have to see how violent Straw Dogs is. It's in my netflix queue.

Another vote for All That Heaven Allows, and also Rushmore, since you have The Royal Tenenbaums.

Rob

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is the best Criterion Collection DVD.

Brazil and Armageddon are not anamorphic (ditto Silence of the Lambs, Charade, etc), so they're out of the running - IMHO - based strictly on DVD quality. The films are another topic completely... ;)

For my money, Kurosawa excluded, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas and Spartacus are outstanding DVDs... YMMV of course, you may not like Fear & Loathing at all given your position on Brazil (a position which I also share BTW, I don't care for that film at all, the only Gilliam film that I do not like).

But, my personal favorites (to date) would be The Last Temptation Of Christ and Notorious.

Quality-wise, La Strada - hands down! Movie-wise, In the Mood for Love.

To say that you like Kurosawa, enjoyed Royal Tenebaums, and disliked Brazil without saying why doesn't give enough info to make very specific recommendations. I can say though that if you didn't like Brazil you probably won't like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas either. As for In the Mood For Love, I think its is an incredibly beautiful film, but its pacing is too slow for some people.

Why though are you basing your search for recommendations on who the distributor is?

Re: Best Criterion Collection DVD...
 

Using you "criteria" (pardon the pun :D ) I am having a hard time coming up with an exact match, but some of the "lighter" CC's that I can think of that are somewhat in line with what you seem to be looking for are:

Chasing Amy
Do The Right Thing
This Is Spinal Tap (OOP)
Time Bandits (although, if you didn't like Brazil, this is another Gilliam film, so you might not like it . . . although, they are very different).

Robocop! Just kidding... :)

If you don't already own it as one of your 4 Kurosawa films, I'd recommend Red Beard. I think it is a great movie. The pacing is slow for some people but the movie really hit me on an emotional level. The movie is also beautifully shot and Kurosawa makes good use of sound in this movie. Additionally the commentary is one of the best I've heard.

My recent thoughts:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...03#post4297103

For the record, I *love* In the Mood for Love -- moody, atmospheric, romantic, beautiful (but, then, I love Wong Kar-wai in general).

Warm and fuzzy? My Life As a Dog!! Best criterion blind buy ever!

Light, warm, funny, and nearly one of the best Criterions ever made:

I Know Where I'm Going! Hands down

I HIGHLY recomend it. It's not the best P&P film but it's the best for what you're looking for.

Are you into Bergman?

Hmmm... where to start
 

Alright, thanks for all the thoughts

It wasnt that i did not like the "wierdness" of brazil, it was that i did not find it engaging, entertaining, thought provoking, nor visually stunning. Other slightly different movies (dont really like wierd) such as amelie, pi, adaptation, punch-drunk love, magnolia, lynch stuff etc etc i like quite a bit. But for some of you, sorry to shot down your first choice :)

As for why buy only a Criterion??? Simple fact, i get most any other dvd from columbia house for cheaper than a would otherwise. But i have a gift certificate, so I want to get something i could not get from there, but of merit.

As for why a specific type of movie??? Because, I have gotten to the point where I buy movies based on what i am the mood in for. That way i watch them right away (or close enough), i find it a lot more enjoyable that way.

Seven Samurai, check, got it. And while I love Akira, i am going to hold of on Ran and Red Beard for a little, cause i still have yet to watch hidden fortress.

What else, hated spinal tap too. Just didnt find it funny, directors cut off almost famous was way better (yeah, i know they are slightly different makes). Chasing amy, I have 2, sorry forgot to mention that one, since its pricing was much less than most Criterions. As for Do the Right Thing, i have it, just not the crit version, and would rather pick up something new. Seen rushmore so that is off the list 2 (pretty good movie though). Notorious, im gonna cross off 2 cause i own some hitchcocks and once again want something new. Fear and Loathing, I really like the artwork, but not the type of movie I am after (saw bits and pieces when i was younger). It would sit on the self for a long while, i have a feeling. Time bandits, will have to be a rental first, I want to give Gilliam another look but it wont be a blind buy.

So that leaves us with...
In the Mood for Love
All That Heaven Allows
Spartacus (epic/shakespere is sounding appealing)
I Know Where I'm Going!


Thanks for the suggestions, and lol no Robocop, im going have to check out some reviews on these b4 i decide on something.
La Strada (gonna have to look into this one)

Without question - FASSBINDER'S BRD TRILOGY is quite possibly the best product that Criterion has ever put out - from packaging to suppliments to presentation and to actual content, you'll be hard pressed to find a better dvd set anywhere.

here's a pretty good review of the set:
http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/brdtrilogy.php

Fear and Loathing is my fave...