Xixax Film Forum

Film Discussion => Digital Streams & Criterion Dreams => Topic started by: hedwig on July 18, 2005, 04:35:07 PM

Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: hedwig on July 18, 2005, 04:35:07 PM
In your opinion, what Criterion-released movies  did not deserve to be Criterionized and why?
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: mogwai on July 18, 2005, 04:40:49 PM
armageddon and the rock. because they stain the concept of criterion dvd's.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Brazoliange on July 18, 2005, 04:55:39 PM
they just... aren't good movies...
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: modage on July 18, 2005, 05:09:06 PM
watch the Rock again and tell it it's not a good movie.  

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.destinationhollywood.com%2Fmovies%2Frock%2Fimages%2Frock_12.jpg&hash=679b36444dc86539610bfd8a604bff9d09a0868b)
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Brazoliange on July 18, 2005, 05:12:32 PM
I can't possibly fathom why they would give The Rock a Crit. release and not Face-Off
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: cowboykurtis on July 18, 2005, 05:21:42 PM
the rock is an action film - as good as it gets for an action film -

i've harped on this before - I don't understand  the people that criticize Bay - are they expecting something subtle and philosophical? He is an action director, there are certain genre archetypes that are inherent to action films - And Bay is one of the best in that said genre. Most criticisms i hear directed towards Bay (over-the-top, gratuitous,etc) are a essential component to the action genre. What good action film isn't gratutious - John Woo, another great action director is over-the-top as one can get, a little more poetic than Bay? Yes. But they're cut from the same cloth.

If one thinks the action genre is shallow shit then you can't judge Bay for following those genre conventions - Criticize the action genre if anything - But, there are a hell of a lot more inept directors working in the action genre than Bay.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Tryskadekafobia on July 18, 2005, 06:56:55 PM
I'll go with The Killer or Hard Boiled when it comes to Criterion's action movies.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: cowboykurtis on July 18, 2005, 07:16:20 PM
i really wish they'd re-release these
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ on July 18, 2005, 10:46:54 PM
Armageddon and the Rock were mistakes, in my opinion.

I never saw the reasoning behind Spinal Tap deserving a Criterion treatment, though it wasn't as much of a blunder as enlisting some Michael Bay.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: pete on July 18, 2005, 11:01:24 PM
the rock wasn't even that good as an action film.  like you really couldn't tell what was going on and the action scenes weren't that intense or entertaining.  I mean why didn't they just go with like the big daddy of the genre and do die hard?  even under siege was better than the rock.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: modage on July 18, 2005, 11:03:02 PM
Quote from: BrazoliangeI can't possibly fathom why they would give The Rock a Crit. release and not Face-Off
i'm not arguing that.  i dont see how it possibly fits the Criterion criteria, but i was arguing that 'they're not good movies' statement.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Stefen on July 18, 2005, 11:31:55 PM
They gotta make the paper somehow. I bet The Rock, Armageddon, Chasing Amy, and any other film thats mentioned in this topic has outsold every other Criterion dvd.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: hedwig on July 18, 2005, 11:36:48 PM
Quote from: StefenThey gotta make the paper somehow. I bet The Rock, Armageddon, Chasing Amy, and any other film thats mentioned in this topic has outsold every other Criterion dvd.
hmmmmmmmm good point, i personally have not seen any of those 3 movies, and am completely satisfied with every Criterion I own (although I gotta give "I am Curious" another shot, really) ... Armageddon and the Rock were the 2 i was expecting some of yall to say immediately...

theyve released a lotta movies - two or three flukes really ain't that bad at all, right?
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Stefen on July 18, 2005, 11:41:04 PM
They are only flukes cause they are semi shitty movies. They aernt flukes in the pockets of criterion.

A more appropriate title for this thread would be "criterion dvds that assholes dig"
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Stefen on July 18, 2005, 11:45:03 PM
No, it wasn't a knock on your thread. It's a good thread and its proven by my presense. I was just saying criterion is not exempt from making asshole dvd's. But they do it for the bank most definetely. But they did do an awesome job on those asshole dvds. It's not like they halfassed it.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: hedwig on July 18, 2005, 11:46:41 PM
Quote from: StefenNo, it wasn't a knock on your thread. It's a good thread and its proven by my presense. I was just saying criterion is not exempt from making asshole dvd's. But they do it for the bank most definetely. But they did do an awesome job on those asshole dvds. It's not like they halfassed it.

yeah i know it wasn't a knock on the thread...do you own the Armegeddon and Rock DVDs? what makes them awesome? .. interesting.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Stefen on July 18, 2005, 11:48:10 PM
No, but i've rented them. They are awesome in a criterion way. Lots of features. The Armageddon one in particular had one of the best blooper reels I have ever seen. They were feature packed and they did a good job.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Ravi on July 19, 2005, 12:37:51 AM
Criterion got the actors to make some interesting bloopers?  Wow, they are amazing.

If the two Bay films help fund some releases of excellent films, then I don't mind. Just as long as they aren't regularly releasing mediocre films.

Criterion released The English Patient on LaserDisc.  I haven't seen it so I don't know if it is undeserving.  Thoughts?
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Stefen on July 19, 2005, 12:41:22 AM
No, but the way it was presented was what made it great. It's not just a blooper real, oh forget it. To hell with you ravi!!!


Hey, English patient was an academy award winning film, like American Beauty and A Beautful Mind. Of course it's deserving! OH well.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Pubrick on July 19, 2005, 02:57:12 AM
not yet mentioned

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(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.criterionco.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2Flarge_boxshot%2F100_box_100x140.jpg&hash=e6fdb693311d9e61ce3954f53378f3efe88995b5)(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.criterionco.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2Flarge_boxshot%2F47_box_100x140.jpg&hash=ffbf68e4d68bc5d0aa498887a03fdd14c4f52e56)(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.criterionco.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2Flarge_boxshot%2F300_box_100x140.jpg&hash=26654bd5bff7d3b1c0898b886d9db559e49f4b2e)
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: life_boy on July 19, 2005, 03:14:18 AM
With The Rock and Armageddon I would guess Criterion had to work out a special deal to get the rights to those titles, since they are both multi-million dollar action blockbusters.  Considering they are "Director Approved" sets, maybe Bay brought them to Criterion wanting to assure a quality release, or made sure Criterion released them because he liked what they did with the laserdiscs.  

Whatever the case, it really doesn't bother me that Criterion released a couple of Michael Bay films.  I like that they have continually made a point to include all kinds of films next to each other as equals under the Criterion label, both those considered critically acceptable to be called "great films," and those that may be misunderstood or despised by elitists who can't take it that RoboCop sits between David Lean's Summertime and Akira Kurosawa's High & Low.  If nothing else, it just keeps things interesting.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ on July 19, 2005, 10:53:14 AM
I wonder how I forgot to add the Beastie Boys anthology when I own it...

You're right, it shouldn't be Criterion, though I did pick it up because I wanted all (well almost all) the Beastie Boys videos, and I can trust they got good supplements (which they did) because it was Criterion.

I liked Life Aquatic and would've gotten it anyway, but I don't really think it was Criterion par like the Tenenbaums or Rushmore.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Ravi on July 19, 2005, 12:23:36 PM
Quote from: life_boyWith The Rock and Armageddon I would guess Criterion had to work out a special deal to get the rights to those titles, since they are both multi-million dollar action blockbusters.  Considering they are "Director Approved" sets, maybe Bay brought them to Criterion wanting to assure a quality release, or made sure Criterion released them because he liked what they did with the laserdiscs.  

Criterion released Armageddon when Buena Vista hadn't started making special edition DVDs or even 16:9 transfers.  Criterion's version is not 16:9 either, but it sure had a lot of extras.  I believe Criterion released both The Rock and Armageddon on LaserDisc as well.  Their DVD release of The Rock came a few years later.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Brazoliange on July 19, 2005, 12:40:14 PM
Quote from: themodernage02
Quote from: BrazoliangeI can't possibly fathom why they would give The Rock a Crit. release and not Face-Off
i'm not arguing that.  i dont see how it possibly fits the Criterion criteria, but i was arguing that 'they're not good movies' statement.

what I meant was that there are hordes of better action movies they could have picked.... they aren't horrible, laughable movies, but there are lots of action movies that entertain me more that I consider better movies (and when I say this, I mean the majority of other action movies I've seen)
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: I Don't Believe in Beatles on July 19, 2005, 12:48:57 PM
How to Get Ahead in Advertising.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: cowboykurtis on July 19, 2005, 01:11:02 PM
i agree with insomnia - i blind bought it years ago, thinking the premise sounded interesting - it wasn't
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: killafilm on July 19, 2005, 04:12:16 PM
The Beastie Boys totally deserve the Criterion treatment.  If only for Sabotage.  And there's the usual crazy amount of extras that you expect for CC releases.  All of your choices on angles and remixes, so Awesome.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Find Your Magali on July 19, 2005, 11:41:39 PM
I thought this one was a bit of a stretch for Criterion, but who the hell am I?

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Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: MacGuffin on July 20, 2005, 12:51:30 AM
Quote from: cowboykurtisi've harped on this before - I don't understand  the people that criticize Bay - are they expecting something subtle and philosophical? He is an action director, there are certain genre archetypes that are inherent to action films - And Bay is one of the best in that said genre. Most criticisms i hear directed towards Bay (over-the-top, gratuitous,etc) are a essential component to the action genre. What good action film isn't gratutious - John Woo, another great action director is over-the-top as one can get, a little more poetic than Bay? Yes. But they're cut from the same cloth.

If one thinks the action genre is shallow shit then you can't judge Bay for following those genre conventions - Criticize the action genre if anything - But, there are a hell of a lot more inept directors working in the action genre than Bay.

Quote from: In that big ass article no one read in The Island thread, MacGuffinToward that end, in his first meeting with Parkes and MacDonald, who produced "The Island," Bay didn't discuss cinematography. He didn't outline stunts. He wanted to argue plot.

"I was expecting Michael to start talking about shots and cranes and camera rigs," Parkes says. "But he was focused on the story and its moral questions. That really surprised me."
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Ravi on July 20, 2005, 01:37:42 AM
We don't read articles about Michael Bay.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Weak2ndAct on July 20, 2005, 02:29:14 AM
To knock Bay being in the criterion collection is so a couple years ago.  Seriously kids, get over it.  If anything, y'all should be grateful that the sales of those discs helped get other films out there (both discs rank among their best sellers).
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ on July 20, 2005, 06:52:47 PM
Quote from: MacGuffin
"I was expecting Michael to start talking about shots and cranes and camera rigs," Parkes says. "But he was focused on the story and its moral questions. That really surprised me."

Wow... Michael Bay must be turning a new leaf.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: MacGuffin on July 20, 2005, 07:51:44 PM
Quote from: Tom WalrusWow... Michael Bay must be turning a new leaf.

That's what that article was about.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: hedwig on July 21, 2005, 05:10:05 PM
hmm, I wonder if "The Island" will get the glorious Criterion treatment, as well
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: MacGuffin on July 21, 2005, 05:11:58 PM
Quote from: Hedwighmm, I wonder if "The Island" will get the glorious Criterion treatment, as well

Doubtful. The others were Disney; The Island is Dreamworks.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: w/o horse on July 21, 2005, 05:40:43 PM
This topic has made me want to go watch Face/Off.
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: SiliasRuby on July 24, 2005, 11:52:07 PM
My favorite scene from face off:
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm gonna take his face....off"
"His face...off?"
"Yes!"
"How awseome!"
Title: Criterion DVDs That Don't Deserve It
Post by: Eddo on July 31, 2005, 10:28:54 PM
Though Life Aquatic clearly wasn't as good as everything else Wes Anderson has done, I'm glad it got the Criterion treatment, simply for consistency's sake (now where's my damn Bottle Rocket Criterion?!)

Also, the indie video store in my town has a full wall dedicated to Criterion. On the box of Armageddon they wrote "(This was a fluke)"