Review: Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods

Version I Watched: Theatrical English dubbed version.

History: Originally released theatrically in Japan on March 30th 2013. This marks the eighteenth theatrical Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z anime movie, but the first to be released since 1996. It was also the first Japanese film ever to be released in IMAX. Something that honestly surprised me. It hit other regions later that year and is now available on DVD and Blu-ray just about everywhere outside the states. The time I saw it was during a very limited theatrical run. In my area it's running once a day for less than a week as it has in other parts of the country. So far it has grossed approx $48 Million. Outside of America that's not bad mind you. Especially in a small country like Japan.
This is also the first Dragon Ball movie to be within the continuity of the series and manga. Taking place during a ten year time chunk late in the Z story. All other Dragon Ball and Z movies have been alternate universe or side-stories that don't fit in (with slight exception to Garlic Jr who made his way into the TV show.) This production also had the franchises creator, Akira Toriyama, heavily involved. Toriyama himself said he wanted to it partly as vengeance for the 2009 live action movie Dragonball: Evolution, which was a critical, financial, and all around failure especially to the franchise as a whole.

Personal History: Although there are ways of seeing this before it's brought to the states this is my first viewing. I do have an extensive personal history with the genre, though. Something I'll cover in the review section.

Review: Dragon Ball and I go back a long ways. Way back to middle school days. Can't say when I first got into it but it was at a time when we still had dial up internet, I had to be driven to school, and I didn't know what 'subtitled' meant yet. It became one of my biggest obsessions as a kid. I went nuts buying the tapes at absurdly high prices back when anime cost an arm and a leg just to get three episodes. Beyond that I went so far as to ordering bootleg tapes online of the movies and final episodes long before they were localized in America. Could talk forever about how obsessed I was with Dragon Ball.
With that said I have not kept up over the years. I have little to no knowledge of what the franchise has been up to if anything at all. I didn't even see all of GT but I hear that's okay to miss. I've seen the games show up here and there in the states. All I've seen since the glory days was a little of Dragon Ball Z Kai, aka DBZ abridged, so technically nothing new. Outside of that the only interest I've had in the franchise recently is to collect the original TV series on DVD (although I'm considering Blu-ray) now that it's actually affordable.
So this experience was set to be a fun return to the franchise for me. I can also be more open minded now that I'm not heavily invested in everything. At the same time that could be the downfall. Seeing as how Dragon Ball knows it's audience it will definitely play to that audience. I imagined everything I knew, loved and hated about the TV show would show up in the movie in a more condensed, eighty five minute version. Is that a good thing? Was hard to say going in. What I will say is I was incredibly excited going in while worried I was keeping my expectations too high with how much I'd enjoy it.
Well... I was not disappointed.

Before I continue I feel I should point out the obvious. This is definitely a movie made specifically with fans in mind. There's not just tons of references and callbacks to the series but there's also a lot of that knowledge incorporated into the story and how it plays out. This is definitely not entry-level Dragon Ball. It expects you to know a thing or two and doesn't care if you didn't do your homework.
But that's the great thing about this new movie. It takes the old and gives us that with a great mixture of new. Most of which is quite good.

Now I don't get to see animation on the big screen too often. Going beyond that I see 2D hand drawn animation even less often on the big screen. Adding on top of that it's an animation style and design I'm so used to seeing at home strictly for TV, done in a style that fits for TV. Bringing that to the big screen has always offered a unique experience that I find hard to explain. Like seeing something so familiar in an unfamiliar format.
That transition went incredibly well here. The vibrant colors and character design work well on the big screen. Not to mention the bigger budget offered supremely better animation than what would be seen on the show. You may find it odd I'm pointing that out but some of the previous movies had almost identical animation quality to the show. So not horrible, just not pulling off what it could. Thankfully Battle of Gods is likely one of the best looking of any Dragon Ball show or movie.
I say "likely" because the animation has one major downfall. While the traditional drawings look incredibly with a high quality, high definition reworking the animators also decided to include some 3D animation into the mix. I realize other countries aren't as advanced in their 3D technology as we are but this was still pretty rough for a 2013 movie. It just didn't blend well with the 2D animation winding up looking good only about half the time.

Thankfully it isn't present too long and doesn't break the immersion too often. After all this movie is very unique for a Dragon Ball storyline and the best part of it all is the antagonist. Lord Beerus isn't the same song and dance enemy like pretty much every single one before him. Something that's bugged me about Dragon Ball is how every new enemy is "THE MOST POWERFUL FOE WE'VE EVER FACED!" and said foe (like Frieza, Cell, Buu) is usually overly evil with the motivation of either killing all Saiyans or destroying the world. Beerus had different motivation.
Beerus, for context, is an actual god in the Dragon Ball universe. Not god-like. Multiple times he's straight up refereed to as a deity. His visual concept sure shows it, too, as they went as old school as possible by basing him off Egyptian gods going so far as making him look like a cat dressed in Egyptian-style clothing.

The story here is that Beerus has been asleep for the last thirty-nine years, waking early from what was supposed to be a fifty year sleep. He woke because of the prophecy of a worthy opponent known as a Super Saiyan God. So he travels to the only place Saiyans are left. Earth. Which may sound like a pretty standard Dragon Ball Z plot but the way it's handled is what makes it unique.
Right from the start Beerus is presented as the not so serious type. Going in I knew nothing about the character, assuming it would be standard protocol or at least kicked up a notch because this was looking to be a big movie. Imagine my surprise when the introduction of Beerus was a Warner Brothers style of "get out of bed!" humor. Matter of fact he carried himself so casually I didn't like it at first. I found it hard to believe this was the antagonist. Not only not feeling the threat, but when he gets in a sparring match with Goku near the begging and takes him out with two simple blows I found it hard to believe our heroes would find a way to beat him in the next hour.
But as the movie went on I started to really like him. He turned out to be a really cool villain because his presentation almost transcended him as a villain into something else. I started to remember that this guy is, in this universe, the literal god of destruction. If he really wanted to he could have wiped out the entire planet without even thinking about it. With that power means his life needs some excitement, which is why he went to earth in the first place.
Not because he was angry, not because he wanted to take over, he was simply looking for a challenger since he hasn't had a worthy one in so long. And the way he handles his threat to destroy earth is so simple it's kind of genius. His perspective goes beyond what a human or other mortals comprehend so it may seem silly to destroy a world because he was slightly annoyed. But that's the type of creature he is. He's a god after all. Destroying earth would be like us taking out a bee hive. A bee doesn't even have to sting us. It can just be annoying and we take it out.

So how does the movie play out? With big epic battles? Long power up sequences? Sometimes it does. For the most part it doesn't which is what makes it so unique.
Berrus' intentions are simply to find the Super Saiyan God for a challenge. He has no immediate issue with anyone on earth and has no real anger related issues connected with destroying earth unless he gets annoyed. So what happens throughout the second act of the movie? Berrus is enjoying a birthday party. No joke. Matter of fact a lot of this movie is very humorous. Definitely no joke.
Not sure if it was the crowd at the theatre or if it was really this funny but I found myself laughing at quite a bit of the movie. There were either humorous situation, funny dialogue, or all around silliness. Granted this is anime so there's a lot of anime trope humor. If you watch anime chances are you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, then I'll explain by saying anime humor tends to have the subtlety and cleverness of a frying pan to the face. Not saying that's always a bad thing, anime just doesn't know how to swing it most of the time.
Not Dragon Ball. I feel it has a better sense of how silly it is and it embraces it. Going through the franchise you'll find a lot of serious situations but rarely done straight faced. There's always been a lot of humor regardless of the situation. Making Dragon Ball pretty self aware but done surprisingly well for the genre it's a part of. And that's present in this movie.
Granted there are a lot of cringe-worthy jokes but that's to be expected. Partly because I felt the localization was pretty poor here and there... or that's the original writers trying too hard to be funny and relevant. Despite well executed scenarios and situations it still had piss poor dialogue in many spots.

When it's not being funny the movie is kicking a lot of ass. The final battle was pretty hardcore, albeit brief. Nothing too out of the ordinary for Dragon Ball. Flying all over the place, tons of blasts and screaming, they even wind up in damn near outer space which is where the fight has it's climax. With the higher production value it felt stronger than what you'd see on TV. And even though it is tons shorter than what we'd see on TV (obviously) I was not disappointed by how exciting it was.
Simply put, even when it's all said and done this new movie delivers in the same way the show did if not better. It's like it never went off the air it was so well done!
This finishes off with a fantastic ending where (SPOILERS!) Berris finds Goku to be such a worthy opponent that he lets him go with no hard feelings, leaving as friends, and decides not to destroy the earth. Later it is revealed Berrus didn't use his full power. Not even seventy percent. (SPOILERS END!)
Come to think of it. This was so much like Dragon Ball yet unlike Dragon Ball that it felt more like a character study than "another exciting adventure!" Since there wasn't a lot of fighting we got to know Berrus more in eighty five minutes more than other villains in a season's length of episodes. Even if it meant having some stupidly written exposition.

Which was one of my few problems with the movie along with the other stuff I mentioned much earlier.
I know I already mentioned this as well but there was some bad writing in an otherwise really well done movie for this franchise. Sure you can laugh off most of it but not all of it. Heck, even some parts had repeated dialogue that reminded me of the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Still this is hardly a complaint because it's part of the charm. I don't (and I don't think many) watch Dragon Ball to take it seriously. It's hilariously fun because it knows it's corny, which doesn't mean it's bad, either. Kinda like Star Wars. Campy as hell and when it tries to take itself too seriously it suffers.
The only other thing I didn't like was when it tried too hard to deliver fan services. I'm specifically talking about the Emperor Pilaf side-story. Too much of the middle of this movie was taken up by Emperor Pilaf and his minions Mai and Shu trying to get the dragon balls. They previously wished to be young again but were turned into children and now regret it as they try to get another wish out. This call back all the way back to the original Dragon Ball franchise (pre-Z) did bring a lot of funny bits but was completely unnecessary. If it was the show then it would feel fine cause it's filler. But when your movie is already a short eighty five minutes I don't want filler. I want what needs to be there.

While not brilliant or an anime game changer this new movie was definitely a surprise that's easy to recommend. If you love Dragon Ball then you'll love this movie. If you hate Dragon Ball this won't change your mind. If you're on the fence or haven't watched in a long time this is definitely worth a shot. You may be surprised how strong some characters come off instead of stupid or one dimensional. Yes, I just described a Dragon Ball movie that way. That's how good this was!
...just as long as you're already a Dragon Ball fan or open minded.

Clover Reviews! Volume 1 -> Episode 10

Welcome back my friends to another episode of...

CLOVER REVIEWS!

Today's review:

"It embraces the original while expanding on the story as a whole and gives you a reason to come back for the next one. I'm excited!"

That's all for today. Join us every Saturday for more movie recommendations from our fuzzy friend.

Don't forget that Clover gladly takes requests. Her aim is to please you, the reader.

The Rings of Saturn Review #1: Daytona USA

History: Originally released in arcades in 1994, the game was ported to the Sega Saturn in the spring of 1995 making it a launch title for the console in the states (in Japan the Saturn came out the previous fall/winter). Much like the arcade version the game received a lot of praise despite not playing as strong or looking as good in the arcades. An extended edition (of sorts) was released in late 1996 known as 'Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition' and it included more tracks, better visuals, and even online play!

Availability: Was released exclusively for the Sega Saturn with no ports or sequels until years later. Daytona USA 2 was released exclusively in arcades in 1998 with no home ports. Then a remake of the original was released in 2000/2001 (depending on your region) for the Dreamcast. An HD upgrade closer to the original game is really easy to find for modern systems. You can buy it on the Playstation Store or XBox Live Arcade. I have not played it but I'm sure it's fine and dandy. To my understanding it is faithful to the arcade, non-remake edition but with improved graphics and multiplayer options.

Personal History: I remember having this game as part of a three-pack that either came with my Saturn or I picked up second hand. The three-pack included this, Virtua Fighter 2, and Virtua Cop. I never owned a proper, original boxed copy until now come to think of it.

Version I Played: US version, non-Championship Circuit Edition release both then and now. Using standard controller as I don't have the driving controller yet.

Review: I finally did it! I finally picked up a Sega Saturn again. And this time it's for keeps. No more of this buy/sell/trade crap. I am so happy to have it again and I plan on embracing it much like I've been embracing my Dreamcast. I plan on building my collection for this over the less interesting modern consoles, not to mention doing plenty of importing. Until I build up the cash to make my collection a strong standing one I'll start with a more common title. Less expensive for sure, but still a classic.

Racing games have never really been my cup of tea, and when they are they're not the realistic kind. I love Cruisin' USA, Crash Team Racing, Mario Kart 64, Burnout 3: Takedown, and of course the Saturn exclusive Sonic R (didn't see that coming I bet.) I have tried to get into games like Gran Turismo multiple times but it's never done it for me. I could never get used to the way it controlled, or at the very least I never had the patience or interest to get better at it. Whatever, when the game becomes work and I'm not invested it's not fun anymore. Maybe that's why it's been so hard for me to get into the Ultima games (conversation for another day.) There are of course few exceptions and Daytona USA is one of them.

The reason being? Daytona USA is just good old fashioned video game fun!
Come to think of it Daytona USA is a rarity. Typically game genres have a very clear presence in the market rarely crossing over. This is especially true with sports games. While you may see first person shooter games that play out like a role playing game or a sidescroller with some puzzle-like twists you don't see sports games in the mix. And no, games like Mario Kart do not count. While racing is technically a sport that is so disconnected from the sport it's not even in the same universe.
What makes Daytona USA standout is it can appeal to both the casual observer while pleasing fans of actual racing at least on a casual level.

First it gets it right visually. There are elements of realism to the design of the cars and tracks without them being licensed. I don't know about you but the moment something goes into the world of licensed property my thoughts and attitude toward said game changes. If Sega produced a NASCAR game I would have likely looked at it differently until it proved to be better than the typical garbage that comes out. But Daytona, while referencing a very real speedway in Florida, never presents itself like a licensed product.
There's also no reference to real racers. This may not please NASCAR-like fans but the way Sega interprets their original ideas make them feel like real race cars. It's a unique experience from Sega instead of a digital interpretation of what real racers are driving that, again, can please real life racing fans and general video game fans.
I'm not aware of any sort of accuracy with the tracks but I imagine those are like everything else in the game. Referencing something real but not a direct interpretation. Because of this originality in their execution I'd say, in the gaming world, more people recognize Daytona as a racing game than an actual race track. Unlike other sports games where even gamers will recognize the real people or real sport over the game.
Daytona USA became so iconic to the gaming market the Hornet (the car in all the advertisements) is practically it's own character. Constantly being referenced in later Sega games including Fighters Megamix where it was a playable character.

This is a real screenshot from a real game developed by Sega, not a hack.

Really the visual concept is top notch and very appealing. As is the actual gameplay.

The whole reason Daytona USA is so loved is because it has that nice middle ground approach more games need. Meaning it's easy enough to pick up and play (as it was originally an arcade game) and while you may not get first place every time you can do well enough to keep moving onto new tracks or replaying old ones. At the same time it has the ability to be incredibly challenging depending on the track you chose or if you play via manual or automatic driving. Like I talked about in my Nights into Dreams review, easy to pick up and difficult to master. The perfect combination for an arcade game of any kind.
Believe it or not the driving mechanics are what make this game what it is. Adding to the widespread appeal it has this very approachable yet slightly realistic mechanic. When driving you feel a sense of weight to your vehicle. Unlike other raters like, let's say, Cruisin' USA/World/Exotica where you are bouncing all over the place with little to no consequence Daytona makes you think about each turn but not as much as more realistic driving games like Gran Turismo. Still enough to make you think about each turn instead of flinging the wheel all over the place.
Besides, there are consequences for poor driving.

Thank you to whoever photoshopped this and put it on Google.

Depending on what generation of games you date back to you may find it hard to believe that Daytona's cars were affected by the damage done by slamming into other cars or into walls. So if you're bashing all over and you notice your car isn't doing so well it may be a good idea to stop into the pit stop where they'll do a quick fix up on your car. While not entirely realistic in how quickly and easily they fix up your car it adds a sense of realism seen in actual races. Definitely more realistic than when you crash into walls and your car literally flips into the air only to land safely and keep driving like nothing happened.

Gratuitous pit stop screenshot.

I really have very few complaints about the experience Daytona USA offers. It definitely holds up for me and I can't wait to get a steering wheel to play it properly. Despite being a visually less appealing experience than the arcade it's still a great port, especially since I've read reports it was a rushed port to get it to the Saturn market. Which is likely why there was a second edition released outside of simply adding online features. And while the draw distance is far from pretty (especially with all the clipping) it doesn't really bother me because I'm so engrossed in the race itself.

Really my only complaints are petty and have to take the times and context into consideration. For example, there are only three tracks. Easy, medium, and expert. They are all very well done tracks for sure but it may leave you craving for more. Also while the Saturn version lets you play as a couple other cars unlike the arcade version that lets you play as one with either manual or automatic transmission, the difference in the cars isn't that significant. Meaning you'll likely just pick the care you like the most and stick to that.

This will probably come off as absurd from my modern perspective but the lack of options is what I don't like about this game. Which, like I said, is petty for a number of reasons. Since this is a port of an arcade game I can't expect there to be a ton of options. Especially from the early days of 3D. Still the lack of content does make this a game that only offers me short play sessions unless I were in competition with friends. Something I can't even do proper with this version because it only offers single player play. Until I get a second controller and a copy of the Championship Circuit Edition I'll be doing this solo.

I guess I'm a bit too used to my games being longer and with a story. As much as I like arcade games in concept this is definitely a wake up call that they don't appeal to me as much at home as they used to. Which is the most unfortunate part of this otherwise positive review. That this game will likely collect dust while I'm trying to get to the next disc in Enemy Zero also on Saturn, level up in Phantasy Star Online on Dreamcast, or whatever I've got going on, on PS3 right now.

While I haven't played the enhanced Championship Circuit Edition I imagine it's better than this original version. Same goes for the Dreamcast version and digital re-release on modern consoles yet I still think this original has value. If you're looking to jump into Saturn collecting this is still a good game to pick up. I've found it's less expensive than the enhanced version. Also you'll likely find the old three-pack I mentioned way, way back at the beginning of this post that also includes Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Cop. Still this is a very common game to find and you can find it cheap. I got mine complete with case and manual for $5. It may not have as many bells and whistles as other editions but it's not a bad choice. If you don't have a Saturn or the interest in picking up one you can always get it on PS3 or XBox 360.

Can't wait to pick up the enhanced version and so a review comparing and contrasting. Minus the online play of course...

Review: Boyhood

Version I Watched: Theatrical cause it FINALLY made it here!

History: This ambitious project's inception dates all the way back to 2002 despite coming out just this year. Richard Linklater assembled a cast and crew and shot little by little over the course of twelve years to watch the story's lead, Mason, grow as the actor grew in real life. Played by Ellar Coltrane he was cast at the age of seven and filming finished at eighteen. Making this the most literal coming of age story in film history.
Production was done in a very non-traditional way outside of the twelve year schedule. The first being they could not sign contracts for this project, because it's illegal to do something for more than seven years contractually. Branching off that I am assuming signing and re-signing had it's own complications as well. In addition to this Ethan Hawke, who plays Mason's father, was so involved in the project that Richard Linklater said if he died during production that Hawke would have to finish it.
While Richard Linklater is credited as writing the film he didn't have a full script done when they started. Instead it was written throughout the twelve years they filmed it, even getting the cast involved in the writing process. The film also didn't have a title until everything was wrapping up. At first it was going to be titled 12 Years. A title that was changed quickly to avoid confusion with 12 Years A Slave, which was released the year before Boyhood.
The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival where it received a lot of praise. It also played at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival where Richard Linklater won best director. It eventually received a limited release in July this year, slowly opening to more and more screens as the weeks went on, currently still considered a limited release film as you will likely not find this at any old cinema. So far it's only made a little over $10 million which is still good for how limited a release it's gotten. Even better is it only cost around $2.5-$4 million to make.
Lastly, it currently holds a staggeringly high 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Personal History: First viewing of a film I've literally waited years to see. I remember stumbling across this in early college. Meaning it wasn't even halfway done when I first hear about it. And back then it was simply labelled as 'Untitled 12-Year Project' or something like that. I knew little to nothing about it and wondered if it would even be completed. Beyond that... if it would ever be seen by the masses. Thankfully it was finished and it has made it's limited release.

Review: I am so happy this film exists.
In an industry full of people who are jumping on the gravy trains of what's HOT AND NEW all for the sake of a cash grab it's always good to know there are artists out there with the patience and dedication to not just tell a story, but to make groundbreaking art. Never before has something been done to this level. And I guarantee it'll be a long time before it's done again.
Seriously, even if this totally blew. Even if it was a big letdown I would have still respected it for what it did. Thankfully that wasn't the case. Cause this experience was so unlike what I've experienced before. I'm hesitant to simplify it by saying it was one of the best of the year. While not necessarily in my top ten, I could see this jumping very high into one of my top films of all time.

I'll do my best to keep this spoiler free by only talking in detail about the first half while only hinting or glossing over the second half. Then again since this is the life story of a boy's life from first to twelfth grade it's hard not to spoil it cause I'm sure you can predict what will happen at certain points.

The opening is simple. We are dropped into the world of a seven year old boy first shown laying in the grass staring into the sky just like on the poster. He's picked up by his mom where they have a cute chat about his day. We quickly learn he has a big sister and are living in a broken home. His dad isn't around and his mom has a knack of making bad mistakes. With that we're given the setup to the next twelve years of this boys life as he tries to survive it all.
Survive his mom's new men, meaning new dads. Survive not seeing his real dad very often. Survive moving around and going to new schools being forced to make new friends. Just surviving life which gets especially difficult in his teen years as it did for all of us. While not having the literal exact same experiences I did, I did find a lot of moments and elements of Mason's life and his experiences very familiar.
Which is easily one of the best parts of this story. Almost anyone seeing this movie as it's released can have a personal experience connected to it in a way I've never seen before. He shared some of my same interests, had similar fumbling experiences talking to girls, and had moments of trying to look cool around peers or older kids. Girls can even relate through Mason's sister, Samantha, by seeing themselves in her or recognizing their own brother's traits in Mason. Then there's the parental aspect. If you're a parent of a child born within the last twenty to thirty years, maybe even beyond, I know you'll find something familiar in this world. Even if you're not divorced from your spouse like Mason's parent's were.
This was such a relatable experience. Even though Mason is seven years younger than I am I still felt a strong connection considering we grew up in similar eras. The early 2000's weren't that much different from the mid-late 90's. It's just the cultural references had a different form of reminiscing to me. Like when they mention the Bush v Kerry election when he was still in elementary school but I was in high school, or talking about movies like The Dark Knight when he was in late middle school and I was in college. None the less it's not the references but the experiences he went through.

Speaking of cultural references. I can't think of a single moment where this movie felt dated. Richard Linklater did an amazing job of making the film feel like it was done all at once instead of over a long period of time. An incompetent filmmaker may not have been able to stay so consistent with the film's look and feel.
Best part of all it never had the need to make it clear what year it was.
Unlike period pieces set in, let's say, the 1970's where an entire decade is boiled down to some cliches Boyhood was done in and of the moment so how would they know what was the cliche? How would they know what would last? Because of that all the design choices feel stupendously organic solely because it was filmed in and of the moment. And the more I think about it there are lots of older films done in and of the moment that didn't realize they were being a cliche. So bravo to Linklater for keeping things neutral where the most out of date stuff are references to the Iraq war or Mason playing a Game Boy Advance SP.

This organic feeling transfers into the pacing of the film. If you were unaware the movie is fifteen minutes short of three hours. Not something you'd see often for a coming of age story like this. But every minute matters here. There is so much story to tell that I can't think of a single moment that should have been cut. If anything I wanted it to be longer! A few extra minutes in each year of his life. This movie could have been four hours and I wouldn't have cared.
It really never drags. There's always something going on and it's never predictable outside of knowing next year he'll be in high school or something like that. Not like the characters know what will come next as you shouldn't either and it was written that way. As I mentioned in the 'History' section this movie was written year by year with the cast heavily involved. It was a part of their life, too, as they lived the characters so it only makes sense to do it that way. As I said before the film is unpredictable because life is unpredictable. You may anticipate living the rest of your life with a new dad and new siblings. What you may not predict is this new dad is a drunken jerk and your mom would leave him within two years anyway. But what happens and how it happens isn't a matter of how predictable it is. It's how realistic it feels.
Can I say this had to be one of the most realistic movies I've ever seen? The sibling relationship between Mason and his sister Samantha feels so natural, as if they were real siblings. Not to mention Mason's parents, while separated, radiate this love for their children I don't even see in some real parents in real life. Both of which were brilliantly portrayed by Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette. The two most famous faces in the movie. Something that does not damage the film especially since everyone else is an unknown. It's in that lack of familiarity in the actors that keeps this story alive for such a long screen time. It makes them feel far more real.

There were a few times when I felt some performances or execution of acting styles weren't up to snuff. Including the alcoholic Mason's mom marries early on and Mason's photography teacher in high school. Both these characters and a few of the other 'elder' characters will have these words of wisdom or are trying to teach Mason a lesson and sometimes in an overbearing way. In these speeches and anecdotes they come off as pompous and overblown in a way that seems too much to be truly realistic.
Then as the story moved I thought about it more. Rarely are there scenes without Mason, and while it chronicles Mason's life for so long I also feel we see the world through his eyes. When we see his photography in high school they are all or are mostly beautiful images or meaningful images. We see the highlights that he thinks are best. We don't really see a series of crap (and this movie had enough time to show it.) So if we see the world from his eyes it would only make sense we'd see the adults who give him a good talking to in a cartoonish light.
Don't you remember getting a good talking to by a parent, guardian, supervisor, teacher, when you were younger and feeling like they're standing on a soapbox? Well that's how I anticipate Mason felt in those situations and I feel it transferred into the performance of those characters. It all made much more sense in my mind looking at it that way and I hope you can understand what I mean when you finally see it.

I just can't express enough how much this story feels like a real life experience. Part of which is captured brilliantly by the filming method. A similar story could be told using traditional methods of hiring multiple actors for multiple ages but in no way would it give the same results. Really this is the best way to do a coming of age story because you see the actual actors come of age. An inefficient method but it obviously gives results. It had an aging method like cheese or a fine whiskey. It took a long time to make and it's better for it. Not because of a hellish production. Because it required the time.
The results are breathtaking as it feels like real life. With the length of the movie you spend a lot of time with the characters. But unlike other lengthy movies where you see them grow or develop as characters across a few days, months, maybe a couple years at most you really get a grasp of growing up in a non-cliche way.

In the last half of the movie we see Mason get taller, his hair gets longer, and he eventually has a little awkward facial hair like most guys did at one point. I thought about how much he changed over the last hour and half or more. I started thinking about how he looked at the beginning of the movie, not really noticing how much he had grown until it was a very noticeable change whether in his size or his voice. I then realized that while I remember that version of him I couldn't get out of my head his 'current' image at that time. I saw him change little by little over a long period of time. Next thing you know we have a Mason that looks exactly like and nothing like the little boy he used to be when we first met him...
...just like real life.
It's the same when we look in the mirror. The changes are so minor we don't notice until we look back at what we use to be. Whether in physical appearance or in mental attitude.
Watching Boyhood is like reliving your own childhood and not in the way an old video game or cartoon does. Boyhood doesn't take you back to the fun times you had watching some show or listening to some song. It takes you back to the good and the bad. It makes you remember the hard times and how you're better now because you found a way to survive it. It reminds you, you were never alone even though you felt it. It reminds you of your own life, your sibling's life, your child's life, and in the far future it will help your own child understand your life.

Even though this movie is R rated I think it would be good for younger audiences to see it. How young is up to you but when my future child gets to their teen years I could see this as a great story to show them. It doesn't show them anything they wouldn't be seeing or hearing in school so there's no harm. At least if they watch it with a parent there's a teacher by the side to compare and contrast with their own values in raising a family. Something that would be good to discuss for some families as there are a couple brief scenes that don't exactly make religion look like a good thing. They make it seem more silly while never truly slapping it across the face... strangely.
Still, it could be a good teaching tool. To say "here's an example of what you once experienced and here's something you may experience in your future." Making this one of the most groundbreaking and important films in years. I can see this helping out a lot of young and confused kids trying to find their place in the world. That's the problems Mason experienced as many of us did. Also like a lot of us life had it's ups and downs for Mason. There were good times and bad. He may not have been the all star quarterback or the most popular but he had his friends and his own unique ideas to keep him sane.

This is the least cliche coming of age story you may ever see. If you claim it has a lot of familiar elements and see it as a bad thing then take a look at most people's lives and you'll realize that 'cliche' is simply accurate. At least for middle class suburban America.
Mason may have had a different life than you did. Maybe your parents weren't split up. Maybe you had three brothers and no sister. Maybe you were a girl. Regardless you can find something within this that will take you back and help you grow up again more than any other movie out there.

Screw Star Wars, screw Ninja Turtles, screw Nintendo, if you want to really relive your childhood then see Boyhood.

I'm in love with this song by the way.

Clover Reviews! Volume 1 -> Episode 9

Welcome back my friends to another episode of...

CLOVER REVIEWS!

Today's review:

"Meh... it was ok."

That's all for today. Join us every Saturday for more movie recommendations from our fuzzy friend.

Don't forget that Clover gladly takes requests. Her aim is to please you, the reader.

Clover Reviews Volume 1 -> Episode 8

Welcome back my friends to another episode of...

CLOVER REVIEWS!

Today's review:

"Wait a second! That wasn't that doctor show. That was a corny 80's horror movie!"

That's all for today. Join us every Saturday for more movie recommendations from our fuzzy friend.

Don't forget that Clover gladly takes requests. Her aim is to please you, the reader.

The Second Disc: The Criterion Collection

You saw this one coming. Of course I would talk about these guys eventually. Well here it goes. Set the gush level as high as it'll go. This is gonna be a bumpy ride for some of you.

The Criterion Collection is a home video distribution company that specializes in, "important classic and contemporary films." Some may confuse this to be a listing of the best films ever made. In a way that's true but it's not that black and white. In the end they are a dedicated group of film lovers who want nothing more but to give you the most important films (not the best necessarily) in their best possible versions on the best available formats.
I fell in love with them shortly after I fell in love with film as an art form and not just straight up entertainment. And how could I not? Any film lover whether serious or casual has a huge variety to choose from whether it's artsy or wacky. There are tons of reasons why The Criterion Collection is one of the best resources for film in the modern age. And I'm going to tell you many of those reasons. First with the obvious...

The Titles

As I stated before, Criterion has a very wide variety of titles to choose from. DVD and Blu-ray alone they've released over seven hundred titles, plus whatever they released on Laserdisc that hasn't already been re-released.
While this collection releases some of the best films ever made it doesn't mean they're the most popular. They have released some more popular titles like Casablanca and King Kong on Laserdisc. Then Silence of the Lambs and Monty Python's Life of Brian on DVD just to name a couple off the top of my head. But for the most part you'll see their selection is a very unique list. I challenge you to go and look at their complete and find movies you recognize. I guarantee you will not find many. That's not a bad thing of course. That's one of the best parts about this company. They have released some amazing films that you or I may have never known about if not for their efforts. Otherwise where's the fun of discovery if they're gonna release what you expect or want them to?
As a quick example these are some excellent films I found out about because of Criterion: The Samurai Trilogy (Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple, Duel at Ganryu Island), Seven Samurai, The Red Shoes, Jigoku, Salo, The Magic Flute (Bergman's adaptation), The Seventh Seal, Blood For Dracula, Flesh for Frankenstein, Jeanne Dielman 23 quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles, and the list goes on and on and on and on.

When I get Criterion's new release newsletter I'm sometimes surprised and many times very excited with the new titles they're bringing out. It's great because due to the variety they have there is next to no way to predict what they're release next, outside of guesses because of similar themes. Sometimes these titles will be pretty popular movies (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), quirky but still pretty popular (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou), older and lesser known titles that would otherwise be lost to history (The Passion of Joan of Arc), titles that are just REALLY out there (Naked Lunch), and even some mini-series/film serials (The Human Condition) and documentaries (Shoah).
But these titles aren't always easy to get your hands on. Due to issues with copyright, rights, limited runs, and so forth certain titles can and will be available for only so long until they're out of print and never re-printed via Criterion (but sometimes/usually through other distributors). You'll find this mostly with their earlier DVD releases.

I'll talk about more titles as I go on. If you want to see a complete list now you can go to their main website for extensive details on everything DVD/BD, or to the Wikipedia page for their Laserdisc releases.

Price + Extras

Because of the quality and effort they put into each title Criterion is known for the high prices of their releases. On average a new release title can cost anywhere from $30-$40 depending on if it's DVD or Blu-ray. That's roughly $10-$20 above the usual price you would see even a new release movie whether standard or "special edition." Keep in mind that's the average. Some of their stand alone titles can get up into the $50+ range depending on the title or what all it includes. That's because the premium treatment of the film and the set come at a premium price. You do truly get what you pay for. Their goal is in theory to give you the last edition you will ever need to buy. I say "in theory" because they have re-released multiple titles with even better editions than before. Like my newer editions of Seven Samurai and The Seventh Seal.

Typically with their special features they try and cram in as much as possible.
One good example of this is for The Leopard. It includes two cuts of the film, the full 185 minute cut and the 161 minute American cut. This along with a wide variety of other special features that are all packed thick and aren't just little 5 minute blurbs of "behind the scenes" shit like typical, modern DVDs/Blu-rays have been doing recently.
An even better example is Brazil. It includes the full director's cut on disc 1. Disc 2 has some making of features but also includes a full history of the controversy surrounding the film and it's multiple edits. Within that is a series of interviews, phone messages, documents, etc. The icing on the cake has to be disc 3, where you find the "Love Conquers All" cut of the film. A heavily altered (over an hour cut out!) version done without the director's approval and used for TV viewing. It's a huge departure from the original film's purpose and is a fascinating watch as it is there to show the power of something as simple as editing. Great commentary to go with it, too!

But that's why these are so expensive. They give you everything you'll ever need to enjoy these titles. It gives you multiple edits that aren't just the R and Unrated cut with a time difference of two to five minutes. They give you worthy differences to see the story from a different perspective. It also gives you more history on the film itself especially if there was controversy or just a general difference of opinion causing changes. Heck I've seen movies packed in with their remakes.
They give it to you not just because it's available to the world, but because they have a good reason for including it. Nothing is thrown in for padding. Everything that is in there they meant to put in there. And this is a huge benefit for some titles as sometimes they'll throw a whole other movie in the mix. There are a couple of Chaplin movies available that also include some of his shorts. For Kubrick's The Killing they included another early Kubrick film, Killer's Kiss. And in the second DVD release of The Seventh Seal they include the documentary Bergman Island, which is otherwise a standalone Criterion title. It's so fantastic what they do with these sets. Every single time a new title comes out it's like a whole new experience in film even if you've seen the movie before.

Janus Film & Alternatives

Janus Film is a distribution company that goes hand in hand with Criterion. Janus Film actually was formed way back in 1956 (Criterion was founded in 1984) and is the distribution company that initially distributed to theatres many now famous Criterion titles. Just take a look at a lot of the older titles and you'll see their logo at the start. Basically their purpose is nearly the same to Criterion. To bring forward otherwise overlooked titles to the mainstream light. But in the case of Janus Films they were theatrical where Criterion is home video. Their activity isn't as huge as it used to be. As a matter of fact, according to their Wikipedia page they released Revanche theatrically in 2009 but it was their first first-run (meaning not a re-release) theatrical release in almost 30 years. I knew they were still issuing films. I saw Mala Noche when it was re-released in theatres about 5 or more years ago but that movie first came out in 1986.
Despite seeing their logo at the start of multiple films I didn't really take notice of them too much until fall 2006. In October of that year they released what I consider to be my holy grail of film collecting. The Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films.

Oh sweeeet baby Jane...

A 50 DVD box set that includes a hardcover book commenting and expanding the films. It really is a hell of a collection and I feel would be worth every penny. However the reason why I call it a holy grail is because of it's price. If you wanted to buy this collection new you'd have to drop nearly $800. The price on Amazon at the time of writing this was specifically $764.96 (Used is around $450 or higher depending who/where you buy it from). That may not just seem like a lot for a box set, that IS a HELL of a lot for a box set! Now I did do the math and it came out to fifteen and change for each title which is fair. Also keep in mind it comes with the book so that would "lower" the cost per movie slightly but I can't imagine by a lot. I know the book used to be sold separately but for the life of me I can't remember how much it was. Anyway, one of the main reasons I brought that up because I wanted to express how badly I want it.

The other reason is to talk about what came after that. Around the same time The Essential Art House mini collections were released. Basically these were the same movies included in the mega box set collection but at an individual or smaller box set rate. These also doubled as budget Criterion titles. Same titles as full priced Criterion but sold without the extra bells and whistles, just the movie itself.
One example of this is The 400 Blows. Right now you can get it on Amazon for roughly $25 in the Criterion edition DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack. But if you buy the individual Essential Art House edition it is only $15. That's great if all you're interested in is the movie itself with a killer transfer but not the bonus features and don't need the extra Blu-ray. And this is far from the only good deal. An even better deal is on Knife in the Water. Criterion edition is $34 and EAH edition is $18. The only downside to these is that some of these titles are already out of print or are just flat out rare. There are smaller collections of these individually sold titles released to put them at an even better deal, but like I was saying, some are rare and/or out of print. Some volumes can cost as high as $75-90 new depending where you buy it simply because they're out of print. It would be more worth your time and money to buy the titles individually.

But enough about the prices and rarity, the fact of the matter is that Criterion wants their titles to be more accessible. They are providing titles at cheaper prices while maintaining the full package version for the buffs who can't get enough. Not only that but they will time and time reissue some out of print tiles.
The original Criterion edition of Salo, or 120 Days of Sodom is considered one of the rarest DVDs out there. It was the 17th title they released on DVD way back in the late 90s but had a limited shelf life. Rumors were because of the movie's controversial content when it was actually a rights issue. For almost a decade it stayed that way until Criterion was able to gain the rights again and re-release it in August of 2008 on DVD and a couple years later on Blu-ray. I actually did enjoy this movie artistically (the content and context of the content is rough, however) and hope to get my hands on the re-release, maybe even the Blu-ray.

But the last and most recent of these alternatives is easily one of the best. In 2011 Criterion started working with Hulu Plus to make many of their titles available through them. At $8 a month you can enjoy nearly nine hundred Criterion titles, many of which are otherwise only available in box sets or special feature sections.
A beautiful deal considering you could watch literally hundreds of dollars worth of Criterion material for a deeeeeeeep fraction of the cost. Not all titles available, though. Some I was bummed not to see on the list. First world problems.
See the full list of what's currently available here.

Eclipse

Believe it or not there's one more layer to The Criterion Collection. Even with all that under their belt there's still one more collection they maintain. The Eclipse Collection.
I like to look at Eclipse as an extension of The Criterion Collection. The collection releases even lesser known titles that what they already release but usually by the same directors or in a similar theme as their mainline releases. As I look through this collection it feels like these were titles they felt warranted a release, but wouldn't be able to hold up on their own. Which means for fans of Ingmar Bergman or Akira Kurosawa (common names in Criterion) they can get a collection of their more obscure work with a bundle price tag attached. No they don't have the abundant special features, but the fact they're released at all is a charm.

Funny thing about these collections, though. They are loaded with far lesser known titles, little to no special features, yet they're more expensive than the single title released with lots of special features.
It may sound like I'm complaining but I'm not. if anything I enjoy the irony of it. Also I over exaggerated that point. It definitely depends on what's included and how many titles are included. I've seen some on Amazon that have only a couple movies and it's around $20. Then there were some that jumped to the $70+ range!
Still these are definitely worth it. While, unfortunately, I am not as familiar with as many of these titles I can still appreciate what I've come across. Personally I only have one of these box sets. That being The First Films of Akira Kurosawa. Four great films packaged together nicely, but couldn't really see myself busting down doors for each individual title. Wish I had more cash to get more like When Horror Came to Shochiku, Chantal Akerman in the Seventies, Early Bergman, and so on.
Which is probably a good way to look at this. I think Criterion understands that many of these individual titles wouldn't be worth giving the full Criterion treatment so they go with this instead. Not to say they're not memorable films. Just Criterion understanding not everyone has all the money in the world.

There's not much else to say about Eclipse. They have the same mission statement as Criterion, just a different kind of execution.
You know what, though? I just thought of something. If we count these as Criterion titles then that means their total list on DVD would jump a huge number. Each Eclipse has two to seven titles in each pack. They've released forty so far. That means this adds close to two hundred more titles! Estimate without counting each one individually. I love Criterion so much.

My Wish List

Any and every Criterion fan has a wishlist of what they want to see released through this portal of excellence and respect for the art of film. To keep things simple I'll give you ten key films I would love to see released via Criterion. Not a solid, chisel this in stone top ten list but ten that come to mind as I'm writing this post.

LoveExposure - One of my top ten favorite movies of all time and easily one of the best I've ever seen. This modern, Japanese, coming of age tale from Shion Sono is charming, heartwarming, funny, but also deep, dark, and disturbing in many ways. At a massive four hour run time it is immersive and plays out on screen like you're reading a book. Getting a pristine Criterion transfer all on one Blu-ray (so I wouldn't have to switch discs halfway) would be an incredible experience. The extras don't even have to be abundant. Getting this Criterion-ized would be good enough in my eyes. It would render my import copy useless outside of being a collector's item (I imported the UK DVD before the region 1 copy became available).

Once Upon a Time in America - One of those movies that has a very rich history and multiple cuts. A new cut is being released in September but I hear it's not the full one. It'd be great to get a box set with the multiple cuts with the main selling point being the full cut of the film. Giving three cuts and three different perspectives. The roughly 2 1/2 hour US theatrical cut, the DVD almost 4 hour cut, and the 4+ hour full director's cut. Add a set of extras going through the history of the film and one of those essay booklets that's been included in some of the bigger packaging and it would be an essential Criterion title.

Cannibal Holocaust - An horrifying classic that caused a ton of controversy when released. Another fine example of a title that could sell itself solely on the special features talking about the controversy surrounding the film. There is so much history here that it could definitely justify the premium price. Also it'd be neat to see an alternate cut. They included the 'Love Conquers All' cut of Brazil to show the power editing can have on a movie. Here they could have the 'Animal Cruelty Free' cut used in certain regions. All scenes with animal death were cut in that version due to the fact they were controversial because they REALLY KILLED THE ANIMALS!

Ring - Easily one of the best Japanese horror films, hell one of the best horror films ever made. It's a movie that I don't feel gets the attention it deserves in this day and age. At least in America. So much of it's attention is either based on the American remake or the many rip-offs that were 'inspired' by it the years following it's release. A criterion release would bring it back in a way that shows the subtle origins of this modern classic. Even though the book is far more subtle than the 1998 movie it still is a far better example on how pacing can and should be approached in horror, making it far scarier and more disturbing than a few scenes stringed together to startle you.

Inland Empire - This could be a set made with a similar approach Shoah had. In the early 2000's David Lynch went big time digital and big time online. So not only could we make this everything the current 2 disc edition is, but throw in a ton of his online shorts that were in the same style as or eventually inspired material in Inland Empire. The core film filled with extra films on top of it is always a great package deal. Sure it would raise the price quite a bit but I'd be willing to pay $50+ if it meant getting all of that into one package and new extras!

Un Chien Andalou - A fantastic, surreal silent short film from the late 1920's. This would make a great budget title like when Criterion released the thirty minute documentary Night and Fog. It's also a popular enough title where I'm sure they could get a few other extras to make the purchase of a 16 minute short worth $15.

Napoleon - An epic from the silent era that has had quite the history since it's initial release. Having multiple cuts would be nearly impossible and would raise the price too high considering there are, reportedly, at least nineteen different versions of the film. Starting with the original cut being ranging from six to nine hours long. Regardless this is a highly praised film that's been lost to time. There's never been a DVD release and the VHS/Laserdisc release (At four hours more or less) is very uncommon. Bringing it to Criterion would finally give it the treatment it deserves and so I can finally see the damn thing. That and I've got to see what the 4.00:1 aspect ratio looks like in select scenes.

Barry Lyndon - The one Kubrick I'll include on this list because of how underrated it is. As Kubrick's follow up to the controversial masterpiece A Clockwork Orange he took a bit of a gamble. Barry Lyndon was a very slow-paced three hour period piece centered around a fictional Irish rogue. At the time it got moderate success. While it is given high praise now it gets very little attention, especially when compared to Kubrick's other work. Seeing this re-done with a Blu-ray release and some history would be a dream come true for me. As this is one of my top Kubrick films, just behind some of the more obvious choices.

Lar Von Trier's Trilogy of Depression - A 1/3rd cheat because Antichrist is already a part of the Criterion. Much like how they released Pasolini's Trilogy of Life not too long ago I would love to see LVT's complete Trilogy of Depression released. Package together Antichrist, Melancholia, and Nymphomaniac into what would be a top notch deal. Also, unlike other filmmakers they tend to honor, LVT is still around so he could do an extensive commentary for each of the films which would be fascinating. Especially the four hour epic Nymphomaniac. A movie I've been entranced by since it's inception but have yet to see. Despite that slight lack of info and despite being disappointed by Melancholia I still think this would make a fantastic set.

Birdemic/The Room/Etc - Please, let me explain, this is not entirely a joke. Criterion does not release their titles based on a one to ten score of how good it is. They release based on the impact said titles had on the industry or if they served other importance. Technically it would make sense to include movies like Birdemic or The Room as they became huge cult classics in their missteps. No, not a 'so bad it's good' series. Not intentionally bad movies. I'm talking projects where the director thought they were making something brilliant, failed miserably, and won in popularity because of it. No Sharknado because it wasn't conceived the same. Anyone know what I mean by this?

My Other Wish List

There were a few titles I intentionally left out because they were already released on Criterion but on Laserdisc. Most of their Laserdiscs have since been re-released on DVD but with a good number still left behind. These are my top ten re-releases I would love to see (alphabetical order this time):

2001: A Space Odyssey - The Blu-ray currently available is actually a fantastic set with some great special features. Still I can see more being done with it, including even more. Maybe even a paperback copy of the original book? It was written alongside the making of the film so it would make sense. That and it's a small book so it could fit in the package pretty well.

Akira - One of the best animated features to come out and not just from Japan. This surreal, extraordinary animated feat would be stupendous on a modern Criterion release. Especially since it could include alternate dubs from the original release and the 2001 re-release when the dialogue and translation was re-worked for the first special edition DVD. And just think about how beautiful it would be in HD via their amazing transfer work.

Annie Hall - Do I even need to explain why? This is one of Woody Allen's finest and is considered a classic by nearly everyone who has seen it. It's funny, charming, and incredibly innovative for it's time. Holds up great so re-releasing would do great. They could even sell it at a less expensive rate like how A Hard Day's Night was recently sold for $20 at release compared to the usual $30-$40 tag.

Blade Runner - An amazing film with a long history and many different cuts. It would be hard to top the five disc collector's edition Blu-ray from a few years ago. It has all five cuts of the movies and tons of special features. Still I feel that collector's pack could have been put together better. Something Criterion would do very well.

From Russia With Love - Something I know wouldn't be released individually in the "binge the entire franchise" mindset of the modern age. Still would be nice to see this and maybe even an era collection. Like 'The Connery Collection' for Bond. A celebration of how he helped establish the character to be what he is today. At the very least a re-release of From Russia With Love would be fantastic as it is, like many other people, one of my favorites.

Halloween - What eventually became every other slasher out there, the first Halloween is a tense and exciting example of horror done right on a simple and small scale. If this were coming I know it wouldn't be anytime soon as there's a new box set coming out of all the Halloween films (with an abundance of features). This would be great to see. Because much like a lot of the other movies Criterion puts out... plenty of different cuts, plenty of history, plenty of additional content.

A Night at the Opera - Really I'd be happy with just about any of the Marx Brothers films coming out on Criterion. Still I understand why they chose this one back in the day. Easily one of their best films that is only comparable to their other 'non-Zeppo' films. Sorry, buddy. I don't know why but the ones you were in just weren't as good. I don't think it was anything you did. Maybe it was just a coincidence.

Supercop - I have no other reason why other than I think it was badass they released this on Criterion in the first place. Hard Boiled and other John Woo I can understand. But this Jackie Chan action flick? Did not see that coming. Would make me happy to see re-released for the sheer fun of it.

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song - Didn't personally care for it my first time around. I do understand the importance of the film as it was technically the first of it's kind that kick started all the other ass kicking brothas and sistas movies. If it weren't for this we wouldn't have classics like Shaft, Super Fly, and eventually Black Dynamite.

Taxi Driver - Like Annie Hall do I really need to state why this should be re-released? It's an American classic that helps showcase what Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro are truly capable of. It is remembered well and for good reason. It's dark, honest, and has a lot to say. Seeing it re-released via Criterion would be fantastic and there's not much else to say about it that hasn't already been said.

The Future

Criterion is still going strong, there's no doubt about that. With every year they grow and get better and better. Before I commented how they have out of print titles but they're continuing to turn that around when looking at re-releases even as of recent time. So that list of unavailable Criterion titles is not only getting smaller, but are being released better than before.
The great thing about them is they always are open to innovating and thinking outside the box. Not always fully succeeding, though. They recently did a string of Blu-Ray/DVD combo packs at a higher price than DVD but people didn't react well to that.
However they seem to be doing pretty well digitally, too. When I found out about them being on Hulu Plus I wondered if it would be just a handful. Then I was pleasantly surprised to see majority of their library there and it made me want to get a real deal Hulu membership instead of just a free trial. They also embrace digital by renting and selling digital copies of their movies. I know some are currently only available that way, but I doubt they'll keep them exclusive.
I guess the only thought I have is I wish they would release more animated films. They've released over a thousand titles when taking the Eclipse collections into consideration. How many of those features have been animated? Two. Akira on Laserdisc and Fantastic Mr Fox earlier this year. There's no reason why they can't put more an effort into animated features that would be equally beloved as their typical releases.
None the less they continue to satisfy and surprise me. I always thought Salo would be rare, but that's not the case anymore. A few years ago I would have never dreamed Scanners would get the Criterion treatment. But it did. Even if they don't fulfill my dream list they still do so many wonderful things it more than makes up for it. Like they're telling me what I should want instead of giving into my personal choices.
Bravo, Criterion, bravo.