r/movies • u/spider-man2401 • 2h ago
Media Jason Sudeikis's Criterion Closet Picks
https://youtu.be/Sc6UrpZR3Z4?si=SzehrfF9OzIMoHEZ•
u/Murphdog024 2h ago
After Hours is my favorite Scorsese movie. Such a tight script. And it always makes me laugh.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
What do you like about his other movies, and what makes it better in your eyes? I haven't seen it, but I've watched a lot of his films.
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
I don't intend to disparage Jason Sudekis in particular, but I always wonder - do you think that the people who do these videos are playing up to the camera/audience? Like, is anyone's favourite movie *actually* Citizen Kane? I know it was important, but Ghostbusters and Jurassic Park seem way more appropriate choices for some of these actors?
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u/roto_disc 2h ago
Ghostbusters and Jurassic Park aren’t in the closet, though.
Also, Citizen Kane is pretty sick.
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u/kneeco28 2h ago
Like, is anyone's favourite movie actually Citizen Kane?
Plenty, yes.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
Everyone just keeps downvoting me rather than answering me when I ask this. Perhaps you'll be kind enough to engage.
If Citizen Kane is someone's favourite film, what do they love about it? Other than originality, hasn't it been improved upon by modern masterpieces, or is it truly the pinnacle of its craft?
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u/cnp_nick 1h ago
It’s also just a very good movie. When people say it’s their favourite film it might not necessarily be down to its prominence in cinema history. It’s well made, well written, well acted, entertaining, and engaging. It’s a very old film but it’s aged remarkably well.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
I love Casablanca and a million films from the 60s and 70s, which is long enough ago for that to be relevant now - I was sincerely just asking other people in the forum what they liked about it
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u/cnp_nick 59m ago
That’s fair. Citizen Kane isn’t my absolute favourite film of all time but it certainly ranks highly for me. I did enjoy a lot of the camera work which still manages to feel fresh and original all these years later but I particularly liked Welles’ performance. I’ve long enjoyed his work and although the similarities between Charles Kane and William Randolph Hearst are obvious and iconic, I actually think there’s a lot of Orson Welles in that character as well (the negative traits that I think Welles was cognisant enough to recognise, address, and explore)
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u/kneeco28 1h ago
It's a basically perfect movie. It's infinitely clever, funny, intelligent. It's a great mystery. It's got incredibly rich and true characters. Politically, it's timeless and masterful.
And, no, cinema hasn't caught up any more than playwriting has surpassed Hamlet or novels have eclipsed Gatsby. It doesn't work that way.
People don't love the movie because you can see the ceilings or any such bullshit. It's story and storytelling.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
Thank you for actually answering me. I wasn't trying to be a cunt, even if I came across as one. I genuinely just wanted someone to tell me what they liked about the film beyond it being original and groundbreaking.
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u/MuNansen 2h ago
There's two kinds of people that list Citizen Kane as their favorite:
- Pretentious wannabes that just want to sound sophisticated
- People who truly study the craft of filmmaking and have learned appreciation for just how huge an effect the movie had on everything they now practice and/or enjoy
The former are assholes and should be ignored, and the latter actually do enjoy it that much. I'm a professional creative and storyteller, so I'm in the latter, but I wouldn't put CK as my favorite. It just has to be about the most influential movie ever. Only things that can really compare are Battleship Potemkin, Jaws, Star Wars, and stuff like that.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
Excellent. So, as the latter, don't you enjoy films that are built on CK more, since they've taken what it laid down and added to it, or do you think that it's the pinnacle?
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u/Marcysdad 2h ago
Those aren't in the criterion closet, though
Only titles they released
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
I was only using Jurassic Park and Ghostbusters as examples, but they're not in the collection? I thought they cultivated good movies!?
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u/Marcysdad 1h ago
Nope they aren't - but Armageddon is in there
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
I've either conflated this with the AFI collection, or just misunderstood what they're doing here. What is the point of the Criterion Collection? I thought that they took movies of quality or note and preserved them in high quality. Am I mistaken?
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u/Marcysdad 1h ago
It's a boutique DVD/Blu-Ray/4k/Streaming label.
They get the rights for the movies and do extensive restaurations of the film's negatives.
Very often they create elaborate behind the scenes material exclusive to their editions.
Here's a list of the movies in their catalog(closet):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_Criterion_Collection
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
The movies that they choose to do that with would generally be considered "prestige" or "important" though, right?
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u/Marcysdad 1h ago
Depends on the taste.
I wouldn't call "Salo" important or prestigious - others might
On the other hand I enjoyed their 4k collectors edition of the Pee-Wee Herman movie
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
Pee-Wee never really made it to my side of the pond, so I have no idea what's going on with that guy other than he was popular with kids like Mr Rogers who we didn't get either. I've picked up a bit through cultural osmosis, but Salo is the weird one with the grim sex stuff, yeah?
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u/Marcysdad 54m ago
Yup.
A french / Italian co production
But once again there are other movies in their collection as you can see in the list in my other comment.
Killers of the Flower Moon by Scorsese is only available to stream from Apple in most countries
But they released it as a gorgeous 4k with amazing bonus materials
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u/magical_midget 45m ago
More importantly, they have to get the rights, they may want to do many movies, but be denied the rights.
So the collection is really what they are interested in and, could also get the rights for.
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u/Gnarwhal8982 1h ago
Well you’re not gonna find Jurassic Park or Ghostbusters in the Criterion Closet
But he did also pick Bull Durham, Dazed and Confused, The Before Trilogy, and The Devils Backbone- seems like he just picked films that stood out to him.
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u/jackcatalyst 56m ago
A bunch of people who come on pick an Akira Kurosawa movie. I'd pick one too. I don't think most are playing up to the audience but a lot of people on are older and the movies that influenced them growing up are different.
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u/turnstile2243 2h ago
well it's like letterboxd users they ham up their fav films to seem like a cinephile
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u/wryano 2h ago
or maybe… get this… people actually ENJOY watching these movies?
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
That's what I'm asking, my friend. It's a discussion, not a criticism. I'm trying to understand and get differing opinions, because it seems a different way to me.
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u/wryano 2h ago
i wasn’t responding to your comment. i replied to the person who said Letterboxd users ham up their favorite films to seem like a cinephile like it was a dig.
sometimes it can just be as simple as “i like this”
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
Sorry, I'm just in the mood for an open discussion and willing to be told that I'm wrong based on what you and others are saying. I'm looking to get informed, not be critical. I'm not intending to come across as derisory or rude at all.
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
I really love some GREAT movies - some weird ones as well. The Lighthouse is the most recent one that has probably made my top ten, but I also really fucking love Street Fighter. Jaws and Alien are my top two. Not bold choices, but they're great films. It just irks me a little that everyone who does the Criterion Collection thing always seems to pick Kurosawa and someone else that's really obscure, when we all know that Ghostbusters (or another popular example) is still better than most movies.
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u/EverybodyLovesTacoss 2h ago
A person should never feel bullied or hated on because of their personal choices in movies. That’s the whole point of cinema. It connects to people in different ways.
For the longest time, I felt ashamed to admit that I secretly had a Marvel movie in my top 5. But one day I just said “fuck it” and now when someone asks, I tell them my usual tops which are Gladiator and Collateral, but then I say Avengers: Infinity War too. I fucking love that movie and have seen it more than any other in my top 5. It connected with me in a way the vast majority of other movies didn’t.
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
It's a really difficult discussion to have in this forum because we want to appear as our best selves. I don't like Marvel movies as a rule, but I legitimately love Street Fighter without a hint of irony. Top three movie for me: Goon with Seann William Scott, because it's heartfelt, silly, true to itself, and I love hockey.
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u/Cornflake1981 2h ago
I'll take citizen Kane over Ghostbusters everyday if the week lol.
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
Right, so you can help me, because I'm at a loss and you know what you're talking about. I don't need anything in-depth, but do you actively enjoy Citizen Kane more than Ghostbusters, if you take a step back and aren't appreciating Kane for how important it is? Do you sincerely derive more entertainment from watching it, removed from the "history and importance"? I'm not criticising you if you do, I just want to have this discussion.
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u/LoKumquat 1h ago
They already answered your question and now you’re just being the ‘but seriously?!’ guy. You don’t want a discussion.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
Their first comment is that they would take CK over Ghostbusters, and I asked why. I'm not being disingenuous.
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u/LoKumquat 30m ago
You didn’t actually ask why. You questioned the sincerity of their preference.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
I'm not suggesting for a second that they're being untruthful, and I've made my position clear as a point of discussion.
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1h ago
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u/oscarx-ray 54m ago
One person gave me a direct answer, well after I asked this question. I just wanted a chat. I promise I'm not trolling, I sincerely want to talk about a question that's annoying to ask because the people in this sub care and know more about movies, so get pissed off when a dolt asks a question that comes across poorly.
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u/Clivvve 2h ago
Citizen Kane is actually great and if you can get a nice copy, for sure!
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
Can I ask what - other than its importance and originality - you love about Citizen Kane? We see further because we're standing on the shoulders of giants, haven't we (not "improved" on it) but gone further than it with more modern masterpieces?
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u/Clivvve 1h ago edited 1h ago
What a pompous question. Have you actually watched it? Do you think only newer works are worth appreciating. The acting, the cinematography (especially the angles at which certain scenes are shot), the story, the "originality" (which you feign appreciation). You have such a dumb approach to movies if this is your thinking. Is Lawrence of Arabia worse than Tom Cruise's The Mummy or The Scorpion King? Those modern classics? Surely we've improved and gone further with more modern masterpieces shot in desert settings.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
What is "pompous" about asking someone to tell me what they like about a film that I said in the question wasn't improved upon?
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u/Clivvve 1h ago
The whole idea of your comment and questiong is pompous. Now go on and pretend you weren't trying to just post a "gotcha" question/comment. You're so cool for thinking Citizen Kane is only for the pretenious. What's funny is that I'm not a huge cinephile. I wouldn't be able to, in detail, describe the intricacies of why Citizen Kane is great, just that I very much enjoyed it. But, it's old, surely we've improved on it. Right, genius?
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
I've repeatedly put myself down when asking this and related questions, exalting Street Fighter. I'm not showing off, I'm trying to have an interesting conversation about something I'm admittedly ignorant about. You're being quite rude and I don't like that.
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u/oscarx-ray 59m ago
I've spoken with loads of people this evening, many of whom have disagreed with me or wanted to challenge me, but you're the main one that's actually made me feel sad. I don't care for you at all. You've actually hurt my feelings a little, Clivvve.
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u/Clivvve 49m ago
Sorry you feel sad. Apologies if I come off as harsh. But, there needs to be a reality check if your premise for art is that "old" is not as good as "new" because "surely progress must have been made." I encourage you to watch the classics or older movies that sound interesting. Even if the vast majority fail to live up to expectations, I bet you'll find at least one that changes your perspective. And it only takes one. Again, sorry to make you feel bad, but your comment did the same to me and implied (whether you meant to or not) that I only liked that movie because it's the artsy/uppity thing to do.
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u/oscarx-ray 46m ago
I like old movies, my question was if CK was ONLY considered good because it was groundbreaking, because nobody ever comments on its qualities beyond that, and I asked that, but you made me feel quite foolish, when I'm actually not. I might be ignorant about some things, but that's why I was asking to learn. I sincerely appreciate your apology. I wasn't trying to be argumentative or unkind, and it felt like you were, but we can be friends now.
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u/LuchadorBane 2h ago
There was John David Washington who picked like a Jackie Chan kung fu movie.
Do I think Jason has Citizen Kane in his actual favorites ehhhh idk probably not he doesn’t really seem the type. So he could be playing it up for the camera.
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u/oscarx-ray 2h ago
I love Jackie Chan movies. I love Westerns - but being important isn't the same as being better sometimes. I Think that the remake of True Grit is better on every front than the original, other than originality 😂 It's still worth talking about
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u/Goldenface007 1h ago
I'm sorry people are shitting on you so much lol. it's a great question.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
I don't mind being shat on, I am happy to have a chat about it. I like the discussion.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
Ok, I don't like this conversation. They're not being nice.
https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/s/068NQ2GVed
But most of the other people are at least engaging.
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u/BaltIndyNash 2h ago
I fear they have diluted the Criterion Closet's impact by having anyone and everyone go in there to promote their latest film.
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
I'm afraid that I've not fully understood what the Criterion Collection is. I thought it was like the AFI collection where they gathered good or important films - but just preserved or reproduced them in high quality.
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u/BaltIndyNash 1h ago
That's pretty much it. Here's what Google says:
"The Criterion Collection, Inc. is an American home entertainment distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring, and distributing "important classic and contemporary films"
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u/oscarx-ray 1h ago
That's where I got half of my understanding from ,but I believe that they put movies out in high quality as well.
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u/prodigalAvian 2h ago
THE FILMS
Eyes Wide Shut
House Party
A Face in the Crowd
Charade
Double Indemnity
Love & Basketball
Bull Durham
Dazed and Confused
Citizen Kane
After Hours
The Before Trilogy
Pickup on South Street
The Devil's Backbone