CardiffGiant

This thread is for LISTS ONLY. Discussion of films, questions about the challenge, etc., should be directed to the Discussion Thread. You are; however, encouraged to provide reviews and comments within your list.

Challenge Rules: Watch current or past media from the Criterion Collection. See the Discussion Thread for complete details of what counts.

There is no number goal, no prizes, no winners, no losers. Counting is not necessary, but feel free to format your lists any way you want, including counting titles or even minutes if you are so inclined.

Many people put their checklists in spoiler tags, to allow easier browsing of the list thread by others.

Also, if you are planning to reveal key plots points/endings in your mini reviews, you should put them in spoiler tags. To apply spoiler tags, you can click the spoiler button on the toolbar or use the text below:

[ spoiler] Remove the spaces to really hide something, like this
[ /spoiler]

The challenge officially begins August 31 at dusk in whatever location you are in at the time, and ends on October 1st at dawn in whatever location you are in at that time. Also, feel free to time your final Criterion film(s) to coincide with the start of the Horror Challenge.

CardiffGiant

Optional Checklist

The checklist is completely optional. It is just a "fun" inclusion to give one a sense of accomplishment, to help one diversify viewing, or to use as a guide on what to watch next.

Watch one film from every decade covered by Criterion.
--- 1920 - (insert film title here)
--- 1930 -
--- 1940 -
--- 1950 -
--- 1960 -
--- 1970 -
--- 1980 -
--- 1990 -
--- 2000 -
--- 2010 (Optional) -

Watch films in at least five languages.
--- First language, (insert language), (insert title).
--- Second language, (insert language), (insert title).
--- Third language, (insert language), (insert title).
--- Fourth language, (insert language), (insert title).
--- Fifth language, (insert language), (insert title).

Watch films from five different directors in Criterion’s top 10 (Kurosawa, Bergman, Ozu, Malle, Fellini, Renoir, Powell, Godard, Truffaut, Melville)
--- First Director, (insert title)
--- Second Director, (insert title)
--- Third Director, (insert title)
--- Fourth Director, (insert title)
--- Fifth Director, (insert title)

Watch a film from five different “themes” on Criterion’s website
--- First Theme name, (insert title)
--- Second Theme name, (insert title)
--- Third Theme name, (insert title)
--- Fourth Theme name, (insert title)
--- Fifth Theme name, (insert title)

Watch something from spine number range:
--- 001-050 -
--- 051-100 -
--- 101-150 -
--- 151-200 -
--- 201-250 -
--- 251-300 -
--- 301-350 -
--- 351-400 -
--- 401-450 -
--- 451-500 -
--- 501-550 –
--- 551-600 -
--- 601-650 -
--- an Eclipse title -
--- Watch a title not released on DVD by Criterion -

--- Watch a film which won an Academy Award -
--- Watch a film with commentary –
--- Read an Essay -
--- Watch a short -
--- Watch a Criterion disc completely. Every part of it. -
--- Watch an entire Criterion Collector's Set/Eclipse Box Set -

(One film could fill multiple items. Example: Fanny & Alexander would qualify for a decade, language, spine number range, theme (Blue Christmases), Academy Award, and possibly more.)

(Change "---" to "-X-" or some similar mark when you have completed that line item.)

The challenge officially begins August 30 at dusk in whatever location you are in at the time, and ends on October 1st at dawn in whatever location you are in at that time. Also, feel free to time your final Criterion film(s) to coincide with the start of the Horror Challenge.

CardiffGiant

1. Certified Copy (2010)*: I waited for a full night's sleep before giving my thoughts on this film. After thinking about the subject, the content, and reading this essay by Godfrey Cheshire, I'm still not convinced that this film is effective. I know it's been an art house darling over the past year or two, but it didn't resonate with me. Perhaps it was unfair expectations: I've read comparisons to (In the Mood for Love, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, L'Avventura), all of which I love. Yet, I find Certified Copy cold, emotionless even in moments it is trying to convey emotion. While the first three films I put in parenthesis emit that warmth, L'avventura is emotionless, but it is emotionless in an emotionless world. I couldn't help but think that the man and woman in Certified Copy were outsiders hoping for something much better. Before any defenders of the film cite the true article and the artifice, I get all of that from the film, but the exploration into what is a fascinating question, never drew me in. Last night, I would have given the film 2 stars, but I've reconsidered, found it's desire to reflect something complex worthy of an extra star. 3/5
2. The Complete Jean Vigo (1930-1934)*: Although this covers three different films (well, one feature length, two 30ish-minute, and one 9-minute film), I thought it was best to lump them all into one number for clarity. I watched L'Atalante (1934) first. I don't think it's possible that I could have fairly viewed the film; I have heard so much praise over the years that I could only be let down. And, I wasn't let down, exactly, I felt it was a good film, but I think I was expecting something different. The shots of Juliette walking on the barge, the overhead shots, the feel of the film were great. In fact, I think the film was great, but I wanted a little bit more. I ended up loving it more and more as I read more about Vigo (he was so sick he was on a stretcher during production of the film?!). It's a film that I could easily recommend to anyone, and one that I'm sure to visit again. I followed that with Taris (1931) and it's just the kind of documentary-style film I love seeing. It's a profile in "how to swim" with a French swimming champion. Definitely worth a watch for nostalgia purposes. 4.5/5
3. The Magician (1958)*: While Ingmar Bergman is my favorite director of all time, I haven't watched a "new-to-me" Bergman film in a long time. The Magician didn't disappoint. It's slightly slow in developing, but the payoff is big. The thing that most draws me in to Bergman is the exploration into human relationships and human struggles. 4.5/5

4. The Bank Dick (1940)*: The Bank Dick starts off as a borderline train-wreck of a film, but it gathers steam (and plot) in the second half. Most of the jokes are seriously dated and much of the physical comedy seems like thinly veiled ripoffs of Chaplin and Keaton, but as the film drew to a close, I was drawn in by the larger social message in all of it that seems like it would still be relevant today. A car chase scene is the highlight of the film; very well done, even by today's standards.

E-mail people: Spoiler Ahead!And, it happened again, I convinced myself of more stars once I started writing about it. 4/5

5. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)*: 3/5

6. Jimi Plays Monterey & Shake! Otis at Monterey (1986): I watched this last year for the challenge. I had seen bits and pieces prior to that. Here I was watching it again for a "mindless" break from foreign/art house films. I love how you can see Otis Redding's breath when he's singing. 5/5

7. Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)*: This is a tough one to get through because of the treatment of Balthazar. The film is promoted as following the life of a donkey from life to death, but it's more there as a device to show human hostility toward one another. This is one of those odd films that I'm able to completely appreciate on paper and say that it structurally contains the makings of a great film, but I care so little about what happens to every person in the film (save Jacques, who has far too little screen time), that I'm left without emotion. Not unlike those in the film. This one really leaves me with things to think about, but it's hard to imagine revisiting it anytime soon. 3.5/5

8. Some Like it Hot (1959)*: Now we're talking. I've stayed away from this one for years because of some notion of an aversion to Marilyn Monroe films. I can say that this is easily one of the most accessible "older" films that I've watched. I had no idea that the film had, as its backdrop:The film seems well ahead of its time and I've changed my attitude towards Monroe and Lemmon. I had nothing against him in the first place, but for some reason I thought I wouldn't like him. I've yet to watch a Wilder film I don't love. 4.5/5

9. I Live in Fear (1955)*: A great postwar film. As always, Kurosawa sets up his shots so well. I'm not sure if another director is as strong at framing scenes, for some, it may be overdone, for me, the aesthetics of each shot could be a telling screencap. This film asks one of the ultimate questions about the nature of reality "after the bomb." Simply, how do we move on? How do we go to work? Protect our families? Is anywhere safe?

Toshiro Mifune is great in this film, it's one of his best performances, and I must have checked the Criterion website 3 or 4 times to make sure it was actually Mifune, completely transformed. Ultimately, you can see how this film lights the way for Rashomon in its dealing with the nature of reality. Is Nakajima wrong? Nope, but neither are his kids. It's a film that probably reflects you more than some objective reality. 4.5/5

*=First Time Viewing

Giles

King Kong BD 9-1
-----Feature Film

Quadrophenia BD 9-5
-----Feature Film [with new 5.1 soundmix ☼]
-----Trailers (x2) ☼
-----Bob Pridden sound remix featurette ☼

Weekend / 2011 / BD 9-5
-----Feature Film ☼
-----Trailer ☼
-----Short Films: "Cahuenga Blvd" / "Five Miles Out" ☼

Singin' In the Rain BD 9-6
-----Feature Film

Evita BD 9-6
-----Feature Film

Letters from Fontainhas: Three Films by Pedro Costa / DVD
-----Short Films: "Tarrafal" / "The Rabbit Hunters" ☼ 9-7

Brief Encounter BD 9-8
-----Feature Film ☼
-----Trailer ☼
-----A Profile of 'Brief Encounter' ☼

This Happy Breed BD 9-8
-----Feature Film ☼
-----Trailer (x2) ☼

Blithe Spirit BD 9-8
-----Feature Film ☼
-----Trailer ☼

Spartacus DVD 9-9
-----Feature Film with commentary track ☼
-----Original Theatrical trailer ☼
-----The MPAA responds ☼
-----Rare deleted scenes ☼
-----Vintage newsreel footage ☼
-----1960 promotional interviews with Jean Simmons and Peter Ustinov ☼
-----1992 video interview with Peter Ustinov ☼

Thunderball BD 9-10
-----Feature Film

The Rock BD 9-10
-----Feature Film

Yojimbo BD 9-11
-----Feature Film [in 'Perspecta Stereophonic sound'] ☼
-----Trailer ☼

Sanjuro BD 9-11
-----Feature Film [in 'Perspecta Stereophonic sound'] ☼
-----Trailer and teaser ☼

Le Haine BD 9-12
-----Feature Film ☼
-----Trailers (x2) ☼
-----Introduction by Jodi Foster ☼
-----Deleted and Extended scenes ☼
-----The Making of a scene ☼

Le Havre BD 9-12
-----Supplements Only
------ Trailer ☼
------ Concert footage of Little Bob ☼
------ Press Conference from 2011 Cannes Film Festival ☼
------ interview with actor André Wilms ☼

The Music Room BD 9-13
-----Feature Film ☼

The Night of the Hunter BD 9-14
-----Feature Film ☼
-----Trailer ☼
-----video interview with Laughton biographer Simon Callow ☼
-----Clip from the The Ed Sullivan Show ☼
-----Documentary featuring interviews with producer Paul Gregory, Sanders, Feeney, Jones, and author Jeffrey Couchman ☼

The King of Kings (1927) / [155min version] DVD 9-18 ☼
-----Feature Film ☼
-----Trailers ☼

Children of Paradise / BD 9-19
-----Feature Film ☼

The Leopard / (Aussie: BD) 9-20
-----Feature Film [2010 4K restoration / 2.55 aspect ratio ☼]

The Complete Jean Vigo / BD 9-21
-----A Propos de Nice ☼
-----Taris ☼
-----Zero De Conduite ☼
-----L’atalante ☼ 9-29

Lawrence of Arabia / BD 9-22
-----Feature Film

Picnic at Hanging Rock / BD 9-23
-----Feature Film

Dr. No / DCP 9-24
-----Feature Film*

Grand Illusion / DCP 9-25
-----Feature Film* ☼

The Game / BD 9-27
-----Feature Film with commentary track ☼

Rosetta / BD 9-28
-----Feature Film ☼
-----interview piece featuring actors Émilie Dequenne and Olivier Gourmet ☼
-----Trailer ☼

In Which We Serve / BD 9-29
-----Feature Film ☼

Colossal Youth / DVD 9-30
-----Feature Film ☼

Island of Lost Souls / BD 9-30
-----Feature Film with commentary track ☼


-----
☼ = First Time Viewing/Listen
* = theatrical viewing

shadokitty

* First Time Viewing

FTV Total: 1


Sept 6

1. Monty Python's Life of Brian - Criterion Collection Edition - DVD


Sep 7

2. Samaritan Zatoichi - Hulu *


Sep 16

3. Godzilla King of the Monsters - DVD

Trevor

Mothlight (1963),Loud Visual Noises (1987), Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse (1991), #n/a, youtube, 3/10.King Kong (1933), #n/a, BD, 10/10.The Vanishing (1988), #133, DVD, 9/10.Videodrome (1983), #248, BD, 7/10.The Silence of the Lambs (1991), #13, DVD, 10/10.The Night of the Hunter (1955), #541, BD, 7/10.
Blow Out (1981), #562, BD, 8/10.
For All Mankind (1989), #54, BD, 7/10.
Charade (1963), #57, BD, 8/10.Yomjimbo, (1961), #52, BD, 9/10.
The Magician (1958), #537, BD, 8/10.Vivre Sa Vie (1962), #512, BD, 8/10.
Black Moon (1975), #571, BD, 7/10.
The Only Son (1936), #525, DVD, 8/10.
There Was a Father (1942), #526, DVD, 8/10.
set, #524
Monterey Pop (1968), #168, BD, 7/10.
Bottle Rocket (1996), #450, BD, 8/10.
Metropolitan (1990), #326, DVD, 8/10.
Le Trou (1960), #129, DVD, 9/10.Secret Honor (1984), #257, DVD, 8/10.
Downhill Racer (1969), #494, DVD,
Rembrandt (1936), #Eclipse, archive.org, 8/10.Clean, Shaven (1994), #354, DVD, 8/10.The Gold Rush (1925), #615, BD, 8/10.The Darjeeling Limited (2007), #, BD, 8/10.Kuroneko

Fiend Without a Face

Haxan

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Starting point: 295 to go


Starting point: 134 to go


1. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
2. Island of Lost Souls
3. Equinox
4. Salesman
5. George Washington
6. 3 Women
7. Naked
8. Head
9. Withnail & I
10. Life During Wartime
11. The Secret of the Grain
12. Ride with the Devil
13. Made In U.S.A.
14. Everlasting Moments
15. Grey Gardens
16. The Ice Storm
17. Night Train To Munich
18. Fish Tank
19. The Times of Harvey Milk
20. The Friends of Eddie Coyle
21. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
22. Tiny Furniture
23. 49th Parallel
24. This Happy Breed
25. My Dinner With Andre
26. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
27. And the Ship Sails On
28. The Tales of Hoffmann
29. Indiscretion of an American Wife
30. One Hour With You
31. Rembrandt
32. Secret Sunshine
33. That Hamilton Woman
34. Le Million
35. Blithe Spirit
36. Hobson's Choice
37. Certified Copy
38. And Everything Is Going Fine
39. Weekend
40. My Uncle Antoine
41. Fiend Without A Face
42. First Man Into Space
43. Dekigokoro
44. Robinson Crusoe on Mars
45. Paths of Glory
46. Devil And Daniel Webster
47. Cat People

Dr. Mantle

Collection from 2011



Collection from 2012


Challenge list

Dimension X

'09 list
'10 list
'11 list


9/28/12

Dr. No (1962) - Watched MGM DVD while listening to the old Criterion laserdisc commentary by Terence Young, Peter Hunt, & Ken Adam. Really not much different from the MGM commentary.

9/29/12

Goldfinger (1964) - Watched MGM DVD while listening to the old Criterion laserdisc commentary by Guy Hamilton, Peter Hunt, Ken Adam, & Richard Maibaum. Again, not much different from the MGM commentary.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) - Watched the Universal Blu-ray.

9/30/12

Kuroneko (1968) - Didn't watch the Criterion version, so no extras.
The Most Dangerous Game (1932) - Spine #46 - Watched feature, watched it again with the Bruce Eder commentary, read the liner notes, & checked out the color bars.

Travis McClain

My List also available on Criterion | Letterboxd

1. 9/01 À bout de souffle [Breathless]
2. 9/03 The Devil and Daniel Webster
3. 9/04 The 39 Steps
4. 9/05 Secret Agent
5. 9/06 Spoorloos [The Vanishing]
6. 9/09 Kakushi-toride no san-akunin [The Hidden Fortress]
7. 9/10 Fishing with John "Montauk with Jim Jarmusch"
   9/12 Fishing with John "Jamaica with Tom Waits"
   9/12 Fishing with John "Costa Rica with Matt Dillon"
   9/15 Fishing with John "Maine with Willem Dafoe"
   9/23 Fishing with John "Thailand with Dennis Hopper, Part 1"
   9/24 Fishing with John "Thailand with Dennis Hopper, Part 2"
8. 9/11 Belle de jour
9. 9/11 Gimme Shelter film & bonus content
   9/12 Gimme Shelter commentary track & essays
10. 9/13 Kind Hearts and Coronets
11. 9/13 The Third Man
12. 9/16 Jungle Book
13. 9/21 La strada
14. 9/22 The Circus
15. 9/24 Fat Girl
16. 9/26 Young Mr. Lincoln
17. 9/26 Les Enfants Terribles
18. 9/28 The Horse's Mouth
19. 9/28 Ai no korîda [In the Realm of the Senses]
20. 9/30 Hitori musuko [The Only Son]
21. 9/30 Chichi ariki [There Was a Father]
22. 9/30 The War Room
23. 9/30 The Idle Class SF

Looking Back
Checklist

mrcellophane

4th Annual September Criterion Collection Challenge

*= first time viewing
blue= personal BluRay
black= personal DVD
green= other

September 1st
1. An Autumn Afternoon (Yasujiro Ozu, 1962)* - Spine #446
~ "In the end, we spend our lives alone... all alone." - Sakuma the Gourd

• Essay: "Ozu's Diaries" / Donald Richie
• Essay: "A Fond Farewell" / Geoff Andrew

2. Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (Jacques Becker, 1954)* - Spine #271
~ "That's the trouble with young people - they're so doggone young!" - Max

• Essay: "Strange Reflections" / Geoffrey O’Brien

September 3rd
3. Mon Oncle (Jacques Tati, 1958)* - Spine #111
~ "That's the beauty of it. Everything is connected!" - Madame Arpel

• Introduction by Terry Jones
• "L’école des facteurs" (Jacques Tati, 1947)* - short film
• Essay: "Mon Oncle" / Matt Zoller Seitz
• Essay: "Mon Oncle" / Alan Rich

September 4th
4. The Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson, 2007) - Spine #540
~ "I wonder if the three of us would've been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people." - Jack

• "Hotel Chevalier" (Wes Anderson, 2007) - short film
• Commentary on The Darjeeling Limited
• Commentary on "Hotel Chevalier"

September 7th
5. Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick, 1957)* - Spine #555
~ "Don't do anything I wouldn't do! That give you a lot of leeway." - Sidney Falco

• Documentary: Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked Away (1986)
• Documentary: James Wong Howe: Cinematographer (1973)
• Interview: Neal Gabler (historian)
• Original theatrical trailer

September 10th
6. Osaka Elegy (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1936)* - Eclipse Set #13

September 11th
7. Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders, 1984)* - Spine #501

September 12th
8. M (Fritz Lang, 1931) - Spine #30
~ "It's there all the time, driving me out to wander the streets, following me, silently, but I can feel it there. It's me, pursuing myself!" - Hans Beckert

September 13th
9. Insignificance (Nicolas Roeg, 1985) - Spine #566
~ "I don't want to want." - The Actress

September 14th
10. Broadcast News (James L. Brooks, 1987)* - Spine #552
~ "I think we have the kind of friendship where if I were the devil, you'd be the only one I would tell." - Aaron

September 15th
11. Le Samourai (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1967)* - Spine #306
~ "I never lose. Never really." - Jeff

September 16th
12. The Love Parade (Ernst Lubitsch, 1929)* - Eclipse Set #8
~ "I'll lay the dish here. Ooh, la la la la! To hold the fish here. Ooh, la la la la!" - Jacques

September 17th
13. Monte Carlo (Ernst Lubitsch, 1930)* - Eclipse #8
~ "Trains don't go until I get on them." - Countess Helene Mara

September 18th
14. Stray Dog (Akira Kurosawa, 1949)* - Spine #223
~ "A stray dog becomes a mad dog." - Sato

September 23rd
15. Vivre Sa Vie (Jean-Luc Godard, 1962)* - Spine #512
~ "The more one talks, the less the words mean." - Nana

16. The Blob (Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr., 1958)* - Spine #91, borrowed DVD
~ "Doctor, nothing will stop it!" - Kate

• Gallery: BLOB-abilia!

September 24th
17. The Smiling Lieutenant (Ernst Lubitsch, 1931)* - Eclipse #8
~ "Remember what Napoleon said before he went to Elba: 'So long'." - Lieutenant Niki

18. The Atomic Submarine (Spencer G. Bennet, 1959)* - Spine #366
~ "It was foolish. It was insane. It was fantastic." - The Narrator

• Interview: Brett Halsey
• Theatrical trailer
• Gallery: Exploitation

19. The Honeymoon Killers (Leonard Kastle, 1969)* - Spine #200
~ "You want a sleeping pill? I've got some." - Martha Beck

• Interview: Leonard Kastle
• Theatrical trailer
• Essay: "The Honeymoon Killers" / Gary Giddins

September 25th
20. One Hour with You (Ernst Lubitsch, 1932)* - Eclipse #8
~ "In Switzerland they have a very peculiar law. When a husband shoots his wife, they put him in jail." - Prof. Olivier

21. Cria Cuervos... (Carlos Saura, 1976)* - Spine #403
~ "Do you want to die?" - Ana

22. Swing Time (George Stevens, 1936) - Laserdisc release
~ "Now, eh... how did you say that last step went? Eh... oh, yes!" - Lucky

September 28th
23. Weekend (Andrew Haigh, 2011)* - Spine #622

24. Chungking Express (Wong Kar-Wai, 1994)* - Spine #453

September 30th
25. The Magician (Ingmar Bergman, 1958)* - Spine #537

MrTerrific

2012 Criterion Challenge

September 4
1. Tiny Furniture* - All I could think was Clerks meets Woody Allen somehow. I don't know how long people can enjoy her view of angsty twentysomethings.

September 5
2. This is Spinal Tap - I think I watch this every year at Criterion time. One of my favorite movies.

September 10
3. Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto* - Definitely has that "epic" feel like a "Gone With The Wind" or "Giant". Very good film.

September 11
4. Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple* - Very good battle scenes. Especially at the end with the 80/1 duel. Can't wait for the inevitable duel with Kojiro.

5. Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island*

acubfaninmd

Blu-ray
Any Other Format
*-First Time Viewing

September 1
1.)*The 39 Steps
2.)*Shallow Grave
3.)*Antichrist

September 2
4.)*Kiss Me Deadly

September 5
5.)*Godzilla

September 6
6.)The Royal Tenenbaums


September 13
7.)*Kuroneko

Undeadcow

Undeadcow's 2012 Criterion Collection Challenge

September 2
1. Black Orpheus - fun with colorful song and dance sequences with a love story that is stretched but does so in style. The dark tones of the classic Orpheus story play well incorporated into modern Brazilian surroundings with an impressive contemporary depiction of hell.

September 3
2. Blue - at times aimless and some of the "liberation" theme escapes me but toughtfully scripted with interesting adapted color scheme.

September 4
3. In the Realm of the Senses - graphic and intentionally over the top in a way that works by emphasizing the connectedness between the two main characters towards a tense conclusion. Very effective but not for the weak.

September 9
4. Discreet Charm of Bourgeoisie - a subtle film with pointed social commentary and humor, too bad there's no commentary (which might defeat the purpose)

September 13
5. The Killing - a well paced tense heist film but third chapter was disappointing.

September 17
6. King Kong - one of my favorite movies, a blast watching with my 4 year old who yells at the scream for Kong to not bite because it's mean.

September 21
7. Close-up - Moments of brilliance with clever use of real participants as actors.

September 22
7. Paris, TX - a meditative film with good cinematography.

Mondo Kane

(Shamelessy stealing Dim-X's intro)

'09 List
'10 list
'11 list


1st:
1. #341-A Canterbury Tale__Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger__1944
Since I have been on a good streak of enjoying Powell/Pressburger films for these challenges, I felt I needed a good omen by starting out with one this time around. I wasn't as completely wow'ed by this compared to their other works, but I liked this plenty enough.
-
2. #559-The Mikado__Victor Schertzinger__1939
This was reminiscent of my (Early) viewing of Bergman's Magic Flute last year. Not really my cup of tea and though I admit to zoning out on more than one occasion, I still found this more watchable than the Bergman film at least.
------------------------------------
2nd:
3. #607-"Zorns Lemma"__Hollis Frampton__1970

------------------------------------
3rd:
4. #412-Sawdust and Tinsel__Ingmar Bergman__1953
A pleasant surprise! Then again, I'm a sucker for any movie that has a circus setting. I'd also say that this (Along with Virgin Spring) would be a safe recommendation for Bergman-newbies.
-
5. #256-A Constant Forge—The Life and Art of John Cassavetes__Charles Kiselyak__2000
Intimidating 3-hour time, but hardly redundant. I definetly gained more respect for Cassavetes when all was through.....And when the heck will Love Streams be available to see?
------------------------------------
4th:
6. #484-Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles__Chantal Akerman__1975
Would make a great double feature with Satantango!
------------------------------------
5th:
7. #276-The River__Jean Renoir__1951
Part travelogue movie. Part coming-of-age movie (It's mostly this) Didn't quite have that Renoir touch, but this was certainly solid enough. Loved the techinicolor in this as well.
------------------------------------
6th:
9. (Eclipse) Shadows in Paradise__Aki Kaurismäki__1986
One of those slightly-above-average deadpan romance flicks. Not bad.
-
10. #512-Vivre sa vie__Jean-Luc Godard__1962
Best film I've seen (Yet) in this challenge. Loved the dialogue-sequences that were shot behind one's head (Something that influenced Tarantino...Notably in Pulp Fiction) and I won't be able to get that haunting theme out of my head for some time.
Also dug the inclusion of two films available from Criterion: Passion/Joan of Arc and Jules/Jim!
------------------------------------
7th:
11. #72-Le million__René Clair__1931
+
"René on sound"
Cute comedy and an uncoventional musical (For it's time) but my favorite moment on the disc was the brief interview---Which sure sounded like it had some advanced discussion that probably wasn't normally heard on 50's American TV!
------------------------------------
9th:
12. #498-Paisan__Roberto Rossellini__1946
+
"Introduction"
Rossellini at Rice University (I had audio difficulties with this though)
Adriano Aprà Interview
"Into the Future"
I never knew this was an anthology of stories (On it's My Voyage to Italy segment, I thought the whole movie would be centered around the "Naples" story) so it was good to know that a lot more was added than what I had expected. Though some of the stories feel anti-climactic, this still ended up being a very good watch...And, thankfully, not quite as downbeat as Germany Year Zero.
------------------------------------
11th:
13. #127-Gertrud__Carl Th. Dreyer__1964
The most boring movie I've watched yet, but I still didn't completely hate it (The final 10 minutes really helped in saving things) Still though, I've only struck gold twice with Dreyer on Passion/Arc and Vampyr. The drought still continues.
------------------------------------
12th:
14. #621-Rosetta__Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne__1999
I felt the need for a contemporary "Survival tale" and this one hardly disappointed. My only problem was that, since I fought with a headache today, the often shaky-cam photography didn't put me in a brighter mood.
------------------------------------
14th:
15. #384-Vengeance Is Mine__Shohei Imamura__1979
(As with Gertrud) Yet another movie where the last 10 minutes gets me most involved. Good moments here and there, but it just wasn't consistent enough to keep me interested. I'm starting to worry about my selections now.
------------------------------------
16th:
16. Eclipse Series 19: Chantal Akerman in the Seventies
The 3 films (La chambre, Hotel Monterey, News from Home) seem to each get gradually better. The final shot of News from Home obviously has much more greater meaning now than it did back then.
------------------------------------
20th:
17. #228-Salvatore Giuliano__Francesco Rosi__1961
Reminded me of a slightly-less dynamic version of Battle of Algiers. Worth checking out.
------------------------------------
21st:
18. #617-And Everything Is Going Fine__Steven Soderbergh__2010
Masterful job of combining performance footage and interviews together for a complete narrative on Spalding Gray's life. This entry felt like a much-needed breath of fresh air for this marathon.
------------------------------------
23rd:
19. #604-In Which We Serve__David Lean and Noël Coward__1942
I admit to getting a little restless and dozing off towards the end, but it's extremely rare to find war films from this era that features some sort of fractured timeline. For that, it shouldn't be dismissed.
------------------------------------
24th:
20. #454-Europa__Lars von Trier__1991
+
The Making of “Europa”
Not only was this the most visually-compelling film I saw for this challenge, but this has also now become my most favorite Von Trier film to appear in the Criterion Collection (Unless Dancer in the Dark shows up soon)
------------------------------------
25th:
21. #210-Winter Light__Ingmar Bergman__1962
+
"Exploring The Film"
I kinda moaned and groaned during the early-going of this. Thinking "Great. Yet another spiritual-conflict entry from Bergman". But boy, did this sucker really start pulling me in as it went along. At this moment, I'd say this is my favorite Bergman film that deals with these themes.

davidh777

*First-time viewing

1. The Game (1987)*: Love twisty-turny movies! Watched it by myself but would like to watch again with the fam. Crappy Universal non-anamorphic disc from Netflix, but fine when watching on my CRT in the basement.

Gobear

2012 Criterion Challenge

Aug 31/Sept. 1
1. Quadrophenia (1979) DVD-Roddam, #624
Watching my old Rhino DVD I bought back in 2001 (oy!) has convinced me of three things: A-this is the most accurately insightful examination of adolescence on film; C-Quadrophenia is easily The Who's best album; C-I really need to upgrade this to the Criterion Blu. Director Franc Roddam and Phil Daniels as the protagonist Jimmy create a terrific snapshot of the mid-60s British working class youth scene as poor schlub Jimmy, a very average teen in terms of looks and intellect, tries to find an identity and something to believe in, only to have his every desire to fit in and to be loved fall apart. It's a brutal, brilliant film. Although I love Ken Russell's audacious visual style, I wish Roddam had directed Tommy instead because The Who's music was handled much better by Roddam than Russell.
2. Billy Liar (1963) TV--Schlesinger, #121
Can I just say the sight of the Studio Canal logo fills me with rage? Stupid greedy jerks. Tom Courtenay gives a terrific performance as the dream-filled title character who fills his empty life with heroic fantasies. I suppose his bumbling lies and gormless demeanor were supposed to elicit the audience's sympathies, but
3. Autumn Sonata (1978) TV--Bergman, #60
The bitter argument between Liv Ullmann and Ingrid Bergman could have been taken verbatim from any number of angry exchanges between my mother and my sister over the years. Ingmar Bergman excels in showing the regrets and hidden bitterness that color the relationships with the people we love and sometimes resent. The print TCM used, though, is atrocious; Criterion needs to Blu this up.
4. Armageddon (1998). YouTube--Bay, #40
It's Saturday morning, I'm eating leftover enchiladas for breakfast, and I want to watch something undemanding and stupid. Helloooo, Michael Bay!
5. The Long Good Friday (1978) Netflix--Jordan, #26
A cracking good British crime thriller that takes the viewer through a journey to an unexpected end.

Sept. 2.
6. Blood Wedding (1981) DVD-Saura, Eclipse Series 6
Absolutely magnificent adaptation of Garcia Lorca's play to ballet as his tale of jealousy and revenge is told through the art of flamenco. And Antonio Gades was smokin' hot.
--Essay, "The Dress Rehearsal"
7. Carmen (1983) DVD-Saura
The second of Saura's flamenco trilogy, Carmen shares the same cinéma vérité feel as Blood Wedding, as rehearsal blends into the story.
--Essay, "The Performance"
8. El Amor Brujo (1985) DVD-Saura
This is more movie-like than the first two films, with less breaking of the fourth wall.
--Essay, "The Denouement"

Sept. 3
9. The End of Summer (1961) DVD-Ozu, Eclipse Series 3
There's something about Ozu that that cheers me up, even when the subject matter is tragic. He was a true master of cinema, able to evoke emotions and a sense of place in a few quick camera cuts, like the three-part montage of the sake tubs drying in the sun. The End of Summer is another take on one of Ozu's favorite themes, the conflicts between adult children and their parents and the struggle to achieve personal happiness while maintaining family harmony, as well as the transition between generations as the young supplant the old. This was one of three Ozu films that were not filmed at Shochiku, his home studio.
--Essay, "Moving On"

Sept. 4
10. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) Hulu -Jireš
How on Earth was this film made and released under a puritanical Communist dictatorship? It's an amazing blend of, as Joe Dante put it in his commentary on the trailer, "part Alice in Wonderland, part horror movie, part erotic romance." The surreal imagery reminded me very much of Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural

Sept. 6
11. Gimme Shelter (1970) Blu-Ray -with commentary -Maysles, #99
This is one of the best documentaries ever filmed, not only a document of the catastrophic concert at Altamont that marked the death of the 60s, but also a testament to the sheer awesomeness of the Stones in their junkyard dog prime.

Sept. 7
12. Jubilee (1977) DVD -Jarman, #191
Despite its billing as a punk movie, Jubilee is really a piss take on the punk movement; why else would a film about a working class phenomenon include esoterica like Queen Elizabeth and her court magician John Dee declaiming pseudo-Shakespearean dialogue?
--Essay, "Jubilee"
--Short, "Jubilee: A Time Less Golden"
--Trailer
13. L'Atalante (1934) Hulu -Vigo, #578
It's nice to know that even in my tottering state I can still be surprised by beauty. I've heard good things about Jean Vigo's films for years, but I had no idea he was such a masterful visual stylist. What a tragedy he died so young--dead at 29, an age when most artists are still finding their way. What films he could have made if he had lived to a more mature age!
14. My Dinner With Andre (1981) DVD -Malle, #479
I could watch this film over and over, and never grow bored. It's like listening in on the most fascinating conversation ever.

Sept. 8
15. House of Games (1987) TV--Mamet, #399
I'm really glad that I went into this cold because it would have been a crime to spoil this film about a psychiatrist who thinks she can hang with con artists with impunity.

Sept. 9
16. Sid & Nancy (1986) TV--Cox, #20
More style than substance, but with Gary Oldman you see the birth of a burning new talent.
17. Missing (1982) DVD -Costa-Gavras, #449
Jack Lemmon knocks it out of the park as a conservative, flag-waving father who becomes radicalized by the discovery that the U.S. government was complicit in his son's death at the hands of right-wing death squad when the fascist dictator Augusto Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende in a CIA-backed military coup. It's a shame that more Americans are unaware of our history in backing some truly awful regimes.
18. Weekend (2011) Netflix -Haigh, #622
Two men meet in a bar, go home and trick, and begin to fall in love. The film feels like you are watching a love story play out in real time, and even though we don't get the conventional happy ending, it's clear that both men have grown through their time together.

Sept. 10
19. A Woman Is a Woman (1961) Netflix -Godard, #238
Leave it to Godard to make a musical that violates all the conventions of the movie musical. Songs are sometimes sung by the characters, and sometimes they just pop up on the soundtrack, the colors are bright but the sets are dingy. and the backing score sounds like it was lifted from a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
20. The Mikado (1939) Netflix -Schertzinger, #559
Even though this is an abbreviated production of Gilbert and Sullivan's funniest operetta (most of the songs have suffered drastic cuts, and "I Have a Little List" omitted entirely), it's extremely entertaining. The D'Oyly Carte company preserved the original orchestrations and stage directions, so this film is the closest we can get to seeing The Mikado as it was first performed in the 19th century.

Sept. 11
21. Stagecoach (1939) DVD -Ford, #516
One of John Ford's greatest films, Stagecoach made John Wayne a star and set the template for Westerns and character-filled disaster films to come.
22. La Bête Humaine (1938) Hulu -Renoir, #324
One of my favorite actors, Jean Gabin, in a riveting film about seduction, murder and revenge. Since it's from Studio Canal, and amazingly still in print, I need to pick this up in November before SC snatches it away.
23. Heaven Can Wait (1943) DVD -Lubitsch, #291
A sparkling, risque comedy that went right over my head when I saw it on TV back when I was a kid. The plot concerns a Lothario played by Don Ameche who finds himself in Hell, and the film unfolds as a flashback as Ameche reminisces with Satan on his amorous past. However, the DVD transfer is a disaster, with some serious color-timing issues. Criterion needs to remaster this for Blu-Ray.

Sept. 13
24. The Baron of Arizona (1950) DVD -Fuller, Eclipse Series 5
I do love Vincent Price, and he excels in this character piece as a con man who concocts an exceptionally elaborate plan to steal Arizona from the United States.

Sept. 14
25. Pandora's Box (1929) Hulu -Pabst, #358
It's amazing that G.W. Pabst could get away with the blatant sexuality depicted in Pandora's Box. Louise Brooks is sensational in this downright decadent silent gem from the Weimar era.
26. Hunger (2008) Netflix -McQueen, #504
I remember reading about the hunger strike by IRA prisoners in 1981, but at the time I was a clueless college kid who didn't know much about politics. Steve McQueen's film exposes that bit of history, although Hunger makes Bobby Sands a martyr to a political principle instead of the murdering thug he really was. Also, like many British films, it really needs subtitles for us poor Yanks.

Sept. 15
27. Close-Up (1990) Hulu -Kiarostami, #519
A weird blend of fiction and reality in which the actors are the real-life people in this story of a con-man who fooled an Iranian family into thinking he was a famous film director.
28. Equinox (1969) TV -Brooks, #338
Despite the micro budget, this bit of drive-in fodder is a lot of fun. I had no idea Sam Raimi lifted The Evil Dead's basic plot (4 kids in a cabin in the woods running from demons in pursuit of a book containing dark magic) from Equinox.

Sept. 16
29. The Game (1997) DVD -Fincher, #627
The Universal DVD blows--I definitely need to upgrade to the Criterion Blu. I had never seen this before, and I was in the edge of my seat through the whole film.

Sept. 17
30. Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964) YouTube -Haskin, #404
When I was a kid back in the late 60s/early 70s, low-budget sci-fi movies like RCoM used to be on heavy rotation on the weekend and late night movie blocks that existed before infomercials took over. Despite the cheesy FX and the science illiteracy, I really enjoyed seeing this again. May have to get this in November.

Sept. 18
31. Koyaanisqatsi (1983) DVD -Reggio, #639
Another DVD I'll need to upgrade. Although the claims of profundity on the DVD case are IMO overstated, the contrasting images of tranquil nature and urban frenzy set to Philip Glass's hypnotic score create a beautiful piece of video art.
--Short, "Essence of Life"
32. Show Boat (1936) YouTube -Whale, LD #44
I associate James Whale with the Universal Frankenstein series, so finding his version of Show Boat was a pleasant surprise. IMO, this is the best of all 3 film versions.

Sept. 19
33. Street of Shame (1956) DVD -Mizoguchi, Eclipse Series 13
Kenji Mizoguchi's final film is a heartbreaking ensemble piece, telling the stories of 5 women trapped in prostitution in the dreary backstreets of postwar Tokyo.

Sept. 20
34. Naqoyqatsi (2002) Netflix -Reggio, #639
The third chapter in the trilogy, Naqoyqatsi has beautiful images set to Glass's score, but it lacks the impact of the first film.
35. Eating Raoul (1982) DVD-Bartel, #625
A funky commentary on the sexual revolution 30 years ago, now it seems naive in the face of the onslaught of AIDS that returned America to a puritanical past. I bought this DVD at Big Lots 3 years ago, and I'm probably going to upgrade this as well.

Sept. 21
36. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) DVD-Gilliam and Jones, LD #168
What is there left to say? One of the funniest films ever made. And see Spamalot on stage if it ever comes to your theater--even funnier than the film with better songs.

Sept. 24
37. Antichrist (2009) Netflix-Van Trier, #542
Antichrist is infuriating, beautiful, mesmerizing, and disgusting, in about equal measures. Ostensibly the film is about a couple working their grief over the death of their infant son, but there's no point in trying to wring any kind of rational sense from a Van Trier film. His films are meant to be felt, more than examined or dissected. And no filmmaker today has a more intimate understanding of the mechanics of mental illness and depression.

Sept. 25
38. Monterey Pop (1967) DVD-Pennebaker, #167
Yes, kids, there was a time when pop music had cultural significance and musicians played their own instruments.

Sept. 26
39. Edward II (1991) DVD-Jarman, LD #189
In defiance of AIDS and a bitter conservative backlash against gay rights, the early 90s were a benchmark for queer cinema, a highlight being Derek Jarman rewriting Kit Marlowe's already very gay play, Edward II.

Sept. 28
40. The Haunted Strangler (1957) DVD-Day, #364
Boris Karloff turns in a terrific performance in this late-career serial killer thriller.
41. Corridors of Blood (1958) DVD-Day, #364
Despite the low budget, this film looks terrific, including the Seven Dials slum scenes. Pre-Dracula Christopher Lee is suitably creepy as a Burke and Hare style "resurrection man" who kills drunks and sells their bodies to a hospital.

Sept. 29
42. Fiend Without a Face (1958) DVD-Crabtree, #92
Marshall Thompson wasn't a great actor, but he should have had a bigger career in films. Although the FX don't stand up a half-century later, the killer brains still manage to give me the willies.
43. Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One (1968) TV-Greaves, #360
A metatextual film about the process behind making movies, with one film crew filming another film crew filming a third film crew filming actors performing scenes from a film they think they are making. I still don't know what to make of it, although I suspect this must have an intense following among film makers.

Sept. 30
44. The Four Feathers (1939) TV-Korda, #583
I suppose the colonialist tone of the British empire epic might turn off some, but the ideas of honor and courage seems to have gone away from our society and it's nice to see them upheld in this film.
45. Rosemary's Baby (1968) DVD-Polanski, #630
Hail Satan! A classic of paranoia. I'm not a huge fan of Mia Farrow, but she is perfect as poor Rosemary Woodhouse who has been chosen to bear the Antichrist. Can't wait to trade in my dingy Paramount DVD for a new Criterion Blu.
46. The Last Wave (1977) DVD-Weir, #142
I enjoy movies about that explore aspects of the supernatural from other cultures, so Peter Weir's film is one of my favorites. Richard Chamberlain plays a Sydney lawyer who becomes entangled in Aboriginal magic and prophecies of rain that will end the world.
47. Kuroneko (1968) Blue-Shindo, #584
A mother and daughter are raped and murdered by rogue samurai, and return as vengeful spirits who lure samurai to their deaths. Kaneto Shindo's direction breathes pure creepy evil into this breathtakingly scary movie.

ororama

1. Carnival of Souls (1962) 83 min.
2. Manual of Arms (1966) * 17 min.
3. Process Red (1966) * 4 min.
4. Maxwell's Demon (1968) * 4 min.
5. Surface Tension (1968) * 10 min.
6. Carrots & Peas (1969) * 5 min.
7. Lemon (1969) * 7 min.
8. The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) * 99 min.
9. Zatoichi on the Road (1963) * 87 min.
10. Dead Ringers (1988) * 116 min.
11. A Chairy Tale (1957) * 10 min.
12. Mon Oncle Antoine (1971) * 105 min.
13 . Zorns Lemma (1970) * 60 min.
14. The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) * 88 min.
15. Menace II Society (1993) * 98 min.
16. Clean, Shaven (1993) * 79 min.
17. Pearls of the Deep (1966) * 107 min.
18. Withnail & I (1987) * 107 min.
19. Young Törless (1966) * 87 min.
20. Hapax Legomena I: Nostalgia (1973) * 36 min.
21. Hapax Legomena II: Poetic Justice (1972) *31 min.
22. Hapax Legomena III: Critical Mass (1971) *26 min.
23. A Report on the Party and the Guests (1966) * 71 min.
24. Daisies (1966) 76 min.


*First time viewing.

Sondheim

Hoping to get through a few of the Eclipse sets this year.

1. A Generation (Wajda, 1955) - Occasionally exciting story of Polish communist resistance during World War II. - 6/10 [also watched Wajda's short film, Ceramics from Ilza.]
2. Kanal (Wajda, 1957) - Another tale of the Polish resistance - this time, it's a 96-minute journey through hell. - 8/10
3. The Fire Within (Malle, 1963) - Recovering alcoholic decides he wants to die. Experiences the ennui of his social class as he meets up with old friends; his decision is reinforced. - 6/10
4. The Lovers (Malle, 1958) - 5/10
5. Youth of the Beast (Suzuki, 1963) - 6/10
6. Juliet of the Spirits (Fellini, 1965) - 5/10
7. Fighting Elegy (Suzuki, 1966) - Funny, violent story of a Catholic Japanese teenager finding relief from his sexual urges through beating people up (or being beat up.) - 6/10
8. House of Games (Mamet, 1987) - Twisting story of an uptight psychologist/popular author discovering her dark side as she journeys into the underworld of confidence men. - 8/10
9. Amarcord (Fellini, 1973) - 7/10
10. Tiny Furniture (Dunham, 2010) - Hipsterphobes beware! - 6/10
11. The Rock (Bay, 1996) - Dumb and exciting. About a million times better than Armageddon, and the only Bay film I've ever enjoyed. - 7/10
12. Show Boat (Whale, 1936)
13. Homicide (Mamet, 1991)
14. Babette's Feast (Axel, 1987)
15. The Shop on Main Street (Kadar, 1965)

Greg MacGuffin

The 4th Annual September Criterion Challenge

September 3
High and Low

September 4
High and Low (Audio commentary by Akira Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince)

September 5
Boogie Nights

September 8
Do the Right Thing
Harakiri - Video Introduction by Japanese-film historian Donald Richie
Harakiri - Trailer

September 9
Gimme Shelter

September 11
Harakiri
Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create (High and Low)

September 12
Video interview with Toshiro Mifune (High and Low)
Video interview with Tsutomu Yamazaki (High and Low)
Japanese Trailer - High and Low
Japanese Teaser - High and Low
U.S. Trailer - High and Low

September 16
Blackmail

September 17
Introduction by Ingmar Bergman (The Seventh Seal)
A 1989 tribute to Ingmar Bergman by filmmaker Woody Allen (The Seventh Seal)

September 20
Bergman Island

September 23
The Seventh Seal

September 25
Fish Tank
Wasp (short)

September 27
Throne of Blood

September 28
Being John Malkovich

September 29
Blow Out

September 30
Kuroneko

tellybox

I'm hoping to watch at least 10 entries. Excited to see how this pans out!

1. This is Spinal Tap (1984)

2. High Noon (1952)

3. The Blob (1958)

dcrw6

As of 8/31, 73 checked and 670 to go.


As of 8/31, 0 checked and 145 to go.


Bold = First Time Viewing
Rated out of *****

1. Head (1968)- I was never a fan of The Monkees as a child, even though my mom never ceased trying to get me to watch the television show. However, I really enjoyed this movie. Essentially, it's a stream of consciousness touching on various subjects such as how The Monkees have lived as corporate products and the Vietnam war while at the same time making it a fun watch, even if you start to tire by the end. Plus, hey! Victor Mature!
****

2. Easy Rider (1969)- The last and only time I watched this was when I was 12 and my grandfather felt it was important to show it to me. I enjoyed it back then, but something about revisiting it all these years later left me a little unengaged. I don't know if I'm just past that part in my life where I can identify with some of these issues, or if the hipster movement burnt me out on caring about waxing poetical about why no one likes them. I still find the movie entertaining and wonderfully shot. The entire sequence in the graveyard was the highlight for me.
***1/2

3. Five Easy Pieces (1970)- This movie I could identify much more with. The difference in classes and the struggle to find a sense of caring inside about others and what you're doing, it's all stuff I'm dealing with right now with an expensive degree being put towards generic labor work at the moment along with other kicks in the nuts lately, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Nicholson gives voice to the anger and dissatisfaction a lot of us has with life and ourselves. Along the way, the various characters in the film give the film life with a string of wonderful performances, adding a fair amount of humor.
****

4. Drive, He Said (1971)- I didn't really care for this one. It's filled with cliche hippie rhetoric ("You can't change the system within the system, man"), and the two main characters are on the two ends of the annoying spectrum. The story doesn't really have a lot of point to it, though you can tell it postures itself as having one. It's not a complete bore as I found enough entertainment to keep me going, but by the final few moments I was just kind of waiting for it to end.
**

5. I Am Waiting (1957)- On the outset, it's a fairly typical noir story only transplanted to Japan. But the fun of the movie lies in the style and the performances. Great lighting and compositions give it a look that makes it stand out. Yujiro Ishihara gives a subtly unhinged performance that gives him a bit of a wildcard feel to him, and which ultimately leads towards the climax of the movie where he socks just about everyone. Pretty damn fun.
***1/2

6. Louie Bluie (1985)- Immensely entertaining while following remnants of antique blues bands of the south. It's an easy hour-long watch and one wishes it could go on far more. Lots of laughs, good music, and a hell of a fun central character.
****

7. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)- Absolutely cracking writing and such slippery performances made this an incredibly fun film. One of those movies you dread having to see the end credits of.
*****

8. Rusty Knife (1958)- A fairly average crime film with a multilayered plot that ultimately doesn't add up to anything new. Yûjirô Ishihara stands out similarly to I Am Waiting with a great performance.
***

9. A Safe Place (1971)- Surprisingly, this is my favorite from the BBS boxset thus far (with only one to go). It's artsy but never feels pretentious or unwarranted. The editing style flows naturally like a dream which caught me up and I spent the entire movie watching almost as though I was in a trance.
****1/2

10. The Last Picture Show (1971)- While it follows the traditional arc of a coming of age story, it's still very well-done and handles the tone of nostalgia better than most. Solid performances and a very naturalistic portrait of life in a small town at that time.
***1/2

11. The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)- Another of the more accomplished films in the BBS box, it's a very engrossing and entertaining portrait of two brothers, with Nicholson playing against his usual roles. Lots of comedy and pathos that makes for a very nice viewing.
****

Ginwen

I think I'll put my list of hope right about here.

Darkgod

ok... lets set a lofty goal of 1..... 1 god damn movie.


Sept.
3rd
1. Night and the City #274(1950,Dassin)7.5/10
30th
2. Kuroneko #584(1968, Shindo)7/10

Bladz

* First Time Viewing

1. Clean, Shaven (1993) *
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
3. This is Spinal Tap (1984) *
4. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
5. Forbidden Planet (1956)
6. Brazil (1985) *
7. Fanny and Alexander (TV Version) - (1982) *
8. White Dog (1982) *
9. 3 Women (1977) *
10. Time Bandits (1981)
11. Scenes From A Marriage (TV Version) - (1973) *
12. Forbidden Games (1952) *
13. Antichrist (2009) *