What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

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zedz
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Re: 476 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

#201 Post by zedz » Wed May 13, 2009 5:54 pm

swo17 wrote:
zedz wrote:nothing about the movie
Sigh. I guess I will have to wait 'til another day for zedz to regale TCCOBB with the Alexander Kluge treatment.
Don't hold your breath!

(And since when has this thread been about the movie?)

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swo17
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Re: 476 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

#202 Post by swo17 » Wed May 13, 2009 6:18 pm

zedz wrote:(And since when has this thread been about the movie?)
I know, I know, and yet the first thing I thought when I saw you had posted here, for whatever reason was: "I bet zedz has something long and insightful to say." I guess the one thing this proves is that the zedz branding has not been diluted!

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zedz
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Re: 476 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

#203 Post by zedz » Wed May 13, 2009 7:42 pm

swo17 wrote:
zedz wrote:(And since when has this thread been about the movie?)
I know, I know, and yet the first thing I thought when I saw you had posted here, for whatever reason was: "I bet zedz has something long and insightful to say." I guess the one thing this proves is that the zedz branding has not been diluted!
Anyways, I'm making a killing renting out these posts to Paramount.

By the way, have you ever wondered what highly-respected and not at all disgruntled Godard biographer Richard Brody had to say about this "sumptuous and stirring work of art"? We thought you would like to know.

We're thrilled that this multiple Academy-AwardTM-nominated modern masterpiece has joined the prestigious Criterion Collection alongside such other classics as The Seventh Seal, La Strada, Seven Samurai and Border Radio.

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tenia
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#204 Post by tenia » Fri May 22, 2009 7:29 am

I read all the arguing about this release and how it doesn't fit to the Criterion standards or mission. I would just like to say that I agree with the people saying that, if they do a lot of money with it so they will be able to keep on releasing 'non-commercial' movies, that the best it can do.

They already have The Rock, Armageddon, and other controversial inclusions like The Royal Tennebaums or The Life Aquatic (in partnership with Buena Vista, as Button is in partnership with Universal). Now, it's kind of admitted they sometimes need money. Large, huge frakking amount of money. It could have been worse.

It's still some 'author' work. It could have been Transformers, stuff like this. But, in a few years, it will be completely forgotten, imo.

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Cinephrenic
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#205 Post by Cinephrenic » Fri May 22, 2009 2:30 pm

People seem to be forgetting that Criterion is a business entity. Of course, they are all about making money while at the same time publishing great editions of films. I'm no completist however, so I'm not complaining. Don't like the film, don't buy it. :lol:

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Dr. Snaut
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#206 Post by Dr. Snaut » Fri May 22, 2009 6:02 pm

I think as with most controversial and criticized films at the time of their release, Button will be embraced by both critics and film lovers in, lets say, 10 years from now.

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Cold Bishop
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#207 Post by Cold Bishop » Fri May 22, 2009 6:19 pm

The only thing controversial about this film is how mediocre it is. We're not talking a Fight Club situation here which seems to have been embraced in the last few years. This is simply the most bland film from someone who is otherwise an auteur. There are some Fincher-esque visual floursishes (granted, the use of HD probably makes it look more Fincher than he can really be credited with), but content-wise, it seems even less distinct than Panic Room or Alien³.
Last edited by Cold Bishop on Fri May 22, 2009 8:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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"membrillo"
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#208 Post by "membrillo" » Fri May 22, 2009 6:43 pm

Dr. Snaut wrote:I think as with most controversial and criticized films at the time of their release, Button will be embraced by both critics and film lovers in, lets say, 10 years from now.
Why?

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domino harvey
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#209 Post by domino harvey » Fri May 22, 2009 7:43 pm

Ever seen Idiocracy?

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solaris72
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#210 Post by solaris72 » Sat May 23, 2009 12:56 am

Dr. Snaut wrote:I think as with most controversial and criticized films at the time of their release, Button will be embraced by both critics and film lovers in, lets say, 10 years from now.
Really? "Most" criticized films are embraced by both critics and film lovers 10 years after they come out?
As for controversial, what controversies have this film inspired?

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domino harvey
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#211 Post by domino harvey » Sat May 23, 2009 1:47 am

It just wasn't banal enough. WE DEMAND MORE BANALITY

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knives
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#212 Post by knives » Sat May 23, 2009 1:59 am

Forest Gump: Directors cut; with more CGIed stock footage banal enough for you?

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MoonlitKnight
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#213 Post by MoonlitKnight » Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:26 am

Now, now. Comparing this to "Forrest Gump" is unfair...it was more like "Forrest Gump" meets "The Elephant Man." :wink:

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#214 Post by CSM126 » Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:52 am

MoonlitKnight wrote:Now, now. Comparing this to "Forrest Gump" is unfair...it was more like "Forrest Gump" meets "The Elephant Man."
How dare you besmirch two fine films by comparing them to Forrest Gump.

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Re: 476 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

#215 Post by rs98762001 » Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:31 pm

cdnchris wrote:I do have to admit after watching the documentary and learning that either Spielberg or Ron Howard could have directed this that it could have turned out a lot worse. I don't hate Spielberg like a lot of members here but I can only imagine how much sappier this film could have been if he had done it. I can also only imagine how much more uninteresting and stale this film would have been if Howard had done it.
Yeah but it would have been far more honest about what it was. No dressing up the banality with Fincher's fancy tactics.

This is truly the worst film Crit has ever released. Makes Armageddon look like Au Hasard Balthazar.

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Re: 476 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

#216 Post by CSM126 » Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:37 pm

rs98762001 wrote:This is truly the worst film Crit has ever released.
Come now, they released Spielberg movies on laserdisc.

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psufootball07
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#217 Post by psufootball07 » Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:12 pm

The Life Aquatic was pretty horrible, and I like Wes Anderson and his style in Rushmore, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, and even Darjeeling a little bit.

Button is definitely not the worst, but nowhere near the best or even the average films released by CC. It was more of shock release, and I think that films like Robocop, The Rock are worse than it too.

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#218 Post by kaujot » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:11 pm

psufootball07 wrote:I think that films like Robocop, [...] are worse than it too.
Blasphemy, sir.

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#219 Post by cdnchris » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:36 pm

psufootball07 wrote:Robocop... worse than it too
Oh, so tempting to hit the ban button right now...

And The Rock is awesome, too

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#220 Post by psufootball07 » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:43 pm

Button is on par with and maybe better than those films in my opinion. Yes, ultimately I believe that Button has many faults, but many films do. And the film is at the very least, a visually strong film through the DP's lighting.

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#221 Post by cdnchris » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:50 pm

RoboCop's a sharp and exciting satire on corporate America* where Button is an aimless waste of 160 minutes that doesn't seem to know what its point is.

*and a guy explodes when he gets hit by a car!

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#222 Post by kaujot » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:51 pm

And in The Rock, a man melts!

It really is a pretty great action film.

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#223 Post by cdnchris » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:52 pm

kaujot wrote:And in the Rock, a man melts!
Ooooh! I forgot about that. Plus it has the "prom queen" line.

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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#224 Post by Tribe » Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:01 pm

cdnchris wrote:RoboCop's a sharp and exciting satire on corporate America* where Button is an aimless waste of 160 minutes that doesn't seem to know what its point is.

*and a guy explodes when he gets hit by a car!
What I love about it is that it's supposed to be in Detroit...yet it looks absolutely unlike anyone's conception of Detroit past, present or future...

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knives
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Re: What?!? Criterion is releasing Benjamin Button?!?

#225 Post by knives » Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:15 am

Except me I guess.I have and will continue to believe that the whole of Michigan looks like robocop, minus the robos, with varying degrees of snow. How could you you not love a film where Red tells some bitches to leave? Also acid man.

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