Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I haven't seen it either. It's not intentional, but like Travis, I just haven't gotten around to it.

The #3 "related film" on Criterion's website is I Live in Fear, which is a really underrated Kurosawa film that deals with the aftermath of World War II.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I'm a Gojira fan, and I can vouch for you Ash.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

When I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I was blown away and enjoyed every minute of the film. Then I got online and was completely blown away by how many people hated it. I suppose it is a polarizing film. I couldn't resist the $5 BD, but haven't been able to part with my DVD copy yet.

I'm a big fan of Gojira as well as other, less noteworthy kaiju films. I hadn't thought to revisit it next month since there are so many Criterions in my unwatched pile. I there may have been a discussion of the film in this year's sci-fi/fantasy challenge discussion thread (too lazy to confirm) where people were looking at the differences between the American version of the film and the original Japanese.

This all reminds me that Godzilla makes a few cameos in Millennium Actress. That's another film that needs to watched by any movie lover who hasn't seen it. Too bad Criterion never dips into animated features.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Gojira is definitely an excellent movie, and that's coming from someone who has little to no interest in kaiju films in general. While I think the American version is seriously lacking in some ways, it is interesting to see the two versions in order to compare and contrast. I will also say that the Criterion release has some great special features (and great packaging!). I found the David Kalat commentaries on both versions to be highly informative and entertaining.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I saw it in the theater, shortly after its release and there wasn't too much negative criticism at the time (at least that I had heard). I think the vitriol gained steam as we neared Oscar season. I have since watched it a second time and still found it enjoyable despite the criticisms.
This reminds me: there is one film eligible for this challenge and the Animated Challenge. Akira was released on Laserdisc and would qualify as a film not released by Criterion on DVD/BD.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Some people would say I'm sitting out the current challenge, with only three selections logged so far. :) :(

I go heaviest on TV, Sci-Fi, and holiday. I always "register" for the other challenges and get credit when I slip an eligible title in, but sometimes that's only a handful over the month. Criterion, Oscars, B movie--all categories I dig, but due to circumstances I can't go all out for.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

The original Japanese version is a superior SF film. It's *far* less a "monster movie" than the US version. I'd put it at the top of the heap along with The Day the Earth Stood Still, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and other "serious" SF films from the late 50s.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I see that nearly all the Zatoichi movies are now Criterionized. It'll be nice to have some action breaks in between the usually slow, moody stuff that I (Or we) encounter in this challenge.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Ok so I worked on a viewing list during work today. Based on the checklist as it stands now these films should allow me to complete it.
A Canterbury Tale
Akira
Amarcord
The Atomic Submarine
Band of Outsiders
Che
Corridors of Blood
Le doulos
Europa
First Man into Space
The Forgiveness of Blood
Geometria
The Haunted Strangler
Kes
L’avventura
Leningrad Cowboys Go America
Lola
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Repo Man
Sanjuro
Stagecoach
That Obscure Object of Desire
The Third Man
Young Törless

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

The two you mentioned by title are also still on my List of Shame. I have more interest in them than I have in Gojira, though.

Yeah, I saw they're releasing a box set of them in November. I'm unfamiliar with them so I dunno how complete it is.

I worked out the other night how much of the checklist I would complete in the course of watching Jaime Hernandez's Top 10 list. It was more than half, I think. That was before I got the Amazon Prime trial, though, which should allow me to maybe do a Top 10 that interests me more. I need to scope that out later tonight.

Of the movies on your list, I've only seen three so far: Amarcord, Stagecoach and The Third Man. I enjoyed all three. Probably Amarcord the most, then The Third Man. I'll warn you now: I couldn't go an hour after watching The Third Man before I had to buy the title music from Amazon.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I went ahead and finalized-ish the checklist based on the feedback in the thread thus far. The highlights include:

1. A merging of the 1920s and 1930s and a merging of the 2000s and the 2010s. Anyone looking to spike the football a bit should feel free to keep them separated.

2. The removal of the Criterion Top 10 Directors as a subsection and the addition of Watch 5 Films from different people in Criterion's "Explore People" section.

3. The removal of the Watch a Film Which Won and Academy Award. That check is now redundant-ish because of the Themes subsection (one such "Theme" is Academy Award Winners).

4. The addition of Reading 5 Essays from the Criterion booklets/website.

5. The addition of Watching 5 Criterion supplemental interviews.

6. The addition of Watching a Trailer.

7. Slight word changes for clarity.

All of these changes are reflected in Post #1 of this thread and will be noted in Post #1 (or #2) of the List Thread, when it is created.

Please note: I still need to linkify (I can't remember if that's a Trevor term or a Travis term?) to some of the Criterion lists, so it remains a work in progress.

For my own list, I've put together an excel spreadsheet with Spine Number, Title, Year, and Language. I just went through the collection, and my unwatched pile, and then sorted by spine number. It really does help with what is becoming the overwhelming size of the collection.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Of the ones I've seen I'd rank them, roughly:
1. L'avventura
2. The Passion of Joan of Arc
3. The Third Man
4. Band of Outsiders
5. Stagecoach
6. Sanjuro
7. That Obscure Object of Desire
8. Amarcord

9. Repo Man

I put Repo Man by itself because I think the last time I saw that was in the 1990s, so, really...it's unranked.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I completely forgot until now, but I think we had a conversation about adding: Listen to a Soundtrack to the checklist.

I remember your comment about The Third Man and I ended up creating a soundtrack playlist on Spotify because of it.

Maybe it's still a check we can add...or make optional...?

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

The set is 99% complete. Movies 1-25, including the till now MIA #14 Zatoichi's Pilgrimage (1966), but not #26 Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman (1989) are in the box.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I *think* I coined "linkify" and Trevor enthusiastically adopted it. Though I could be wrong and it was the other way. I'm too lazy to search the discussion thread from 2011 to find out.

I dig the revisions to the checklist. I think soundtrack is a good idea, but I also agree with it being optional just because I'm sure it'll be inconvenient to find a lot of them without going to some degree of difficulty and expense.

Also, I think I finally thought of a way to include the Top 10s. What if we make the following amendment:

--- Watch an entire Criterion Collector's Set/Eclipse Box Set/Top 10 List?

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I like the amendments made to the list so far. My only suggestion would be to up the trailers to 5. It's not like it is a big time commitment and I like the idea of keeping things uniform.

The world has thus far conspired against me when it comes to watching Repo Man. For whatever reason I never am able to make it through. I figure by putting on my list I'll have to break my streak.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Yeah, I watched it during my annual "Oscars" binge so the critics and commentators where pretty vocal about the nominees and whether they should have been nominated or not.

I really like the changes to the checklist! It looks awesome!

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Wow! I just don't know what to say about that! It hits me the same way me not having seen Nightmare Before Christmas hit LJG765. :)

I highly recommend you watch Gojira, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers during the Criterion challenge as both qualify and The Day the Earth Stood Still as soon as you can.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I get that a lot. My List of Shame is staggering.

I may. They're not compelling priorities for me right now, but they're on my radar.

Another link to add to the list, BTW:

iCheckMovies - Criterion's Eclipse Collection

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I'm really going to try to focus on first time watches and any unopened Blu-rays that I purchased. Looking forward to going completely through a disc. That's always my favorite part of the challenge.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Maybe you should post it so we can all give you a goodly amount of grief and get it over with. That way you would be partially guilt-free once you finally watch a film on the list. :D

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I think this is why it took so long for me to watch it. I had heard a lot of bad things about it. I still bought it-I got it really cheap when it first came out because it was a Criterion. I finally watched it last year for this challenge, I believe. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Maybe more because I thought it was going to be bad?

It's funny that you mention Millennium Actress. I watched it last night and really enjoyed it. I did notice those parts, they're not long though, but I laughed when she was taking photos with Godzilla. Sadly, it's out of print. Used are still fairly cheap but new are fairly expensive. :( I'll probably pick up a used one, but I hate not knowing what you'll get.

I have to admit, I too, have not seen Gojira. Not that I remember anyway. I'm not a huge fan of monster movies, but perhaps you've convinced me to give it a shot this upcoming month! ;)

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I wouldn't say "hate" but I'm one of those who absolutely do not like that film. I picked up a $3 copy (Criterion no less) from BL sometime last year and am glad that's all I paid. I'd say a second viewing might change my mind but I tend to form opinions of films the first time out and rarely change that opinion.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

You really should. The original is not the kiddie camp stuff that came later. It's a very serious film. Just save the US version for second and then mainly as a curiosity. It's not "bad" but it doesn't have the impact of the original.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Whoops! Had two windows open and posted in the wrong one. :)