I’ll ditto the Michael Bay attrocities, and probably Chasing Amy.
I can’t agree with the haters of The Rock. That was a Genre busting movie. It took the action movie and turned it on its head. Armageddon? That one I can agree with.
My pick for worst Crit would have to be Grey Gardens. ugh, I’ll never get that time back.
Out of 100+ Criterions i own, i don’t care for
- And God Created Woman
- Brazil
- Canterbury Tale
- Carnival of Souls
- Chasing Amy
- Equinox
- Jigoku
- Kicking and Screaming
- Maîtresse
- Monsters and Madmen
- My Own Private Idaho
So, if you are in India and don’t mind exchanging your Criterions for any title in the list above just send me a message/e-mail
I really hated John Ford’s Young Mr. Lincoln. Everything about that movie seemed amateurish and uninspired, at the very least. I found it very difficult to sit through, but as it was in class, I had to.
I didn’t really care for Man Bites Dog. Didn’t hate it, but it seemed too edgy for the sake of being edgy for my taste.
I remember being disappointed in the lack of extras on Insomnia.
Seijun Suzuki is one of my Favs, but the two barebond DVDs I own of Branded to Kill and Youth of the Beast are terrible.
I wish Criterion would reissue these. That and I heard Tokyo Drifter got the same treatment.
Punit S, just curious, but why didn’t you like Brazil?
I’m not sure but i think i did not like the story of Brazil that much. In the same genre, compare it with Blade Runner. Well…two separate ends of the spectrum. Yet to see a better sci-fi flick than Blade Runner. Fifth Element and Aliens were good too.
FISHING WITH JOHN. I like almost everyone in the film, but I was really bored with this one (which surprised me because someone I usually agree with on films really loves Fishing With John).
Green For Danger was a total mangy dog of a film. And I’m rating just the movie itself and not whatever extras there were. I’m sure they were well written and put together. But that doesn’t distract from how bad this movie was. Sluggish pacing, indifferent performances.
The Life of Brian. Not because the film is bad. It’s actually my favorite Python film. The features on it suck especially in comparison to the other deluxe editions that are half the price. Although the transfer is far superior.
Like most on here, I had the same WTF! reflex to the Michael Bay flicks. The obvious aside…
I’ve really only struggled with the films of Jules Dassin. I’ve watched them. I’ve rooted for them. I’ve half-convinced myself “I get” them. But in the end, when honesty wins out, I really don’t see anything noteworthy about them. Apart from the quiet heist in Rififi, I simply don’t get it.
Sorry?
They do push Dassin quite a bit don’t they? I am a big fan of that heist scene in Rififi though. With everyone I will agree on Armageddon. The worst!
Shock Corridor, it had no English Subtitles!
Armageddon, definitely. But, “The Rock?” Ed Harris rules all in “The Rock.”
I agree with Juan C.P. You got a problem with “Robocop” step outside and get PWND.
:)
Did I just see someone say they did NOT like: Shock Corridor? Carnival of Souls and the Suzuki films?
I’m sorry, I have to rethink my life now…I don’t know if I can read things like that anymore. It broke my heart into 14,562 pieces.
when i first came across armegeddon at criterion I went “what the f”
re CineSnag
No, I like Shock Corridor, and like every Fuller’s works. But I don’t like the dvd had no English Subtitles, because I hard to understand.( I’m hong kong people, so my English not good)
I think English subs ought to be mandatory on all CC main features. I was really bummed when I got a copy of Henry V years ago and saw no subtitles on it. Even though I speak English quite well, I still like having the words on the screen for Shakespeare or other heavily accented performances. To me, that’s really the only thing that makes for a “worst Criterion DVD” – the lack of supplements. I trust their judgment in selecting films – even if I don’t enjoy the movie so much the first time, I’m always learning and getting new insights and for the most part, the artistry and craft comes through as we begin to absorb a sense of the director’s vision that drove the project forward to begin with.
THE SCARLET EMPRESS. I have seen vhs transfers of it that are much better. What gives?
The Long Good Friday, no subtitles. It’s probably difficult to follow the accents for an english speaker, imagine for a non native speaker!
“Armageddon” – Since I’m sure nobody mentioned this yet, huh?
“The Thief of Bagdad” – I guess the cheesy special effects were ok for that time, but the movie as a whole doesn’t have much else going for it. To me this is the “Armageddon” of early color films. Maybe it can still pass as a decent kid’s movie. I guess I’m trying to find something positive because I’ve been cringing at some of the titles other people have mentioned (Band of Outsiders!!!!), so I’m sure someone must like this film.
My buddy Ryan told me I was a criterion apologist. I’d say that’s true. Let me be the one and only person on this forum topic to defend Armageddon.
Not to say it’s a particularly good film in an art sense. Visually, it can be pretty stunning. The story, eh. Ben Affleck is pretty much a tool, too. But the reason I think Criterion chose this film to be a part of the collection, is that for the kind of film it is, the blockbuster, the sci-fi action thriller, the big budget hollywood film, it’s one of the best. If you needed a poster film for that genre, Armageddon would be it.
Or perhaps that’s just me, being a criterion apologist.
To get to the question at hand, though, there’s a couple of different ways I can answer it. My least favorite film released by Criterion would probably be Traffic. I can understand why the film is important and hailed as a great film, but I just didn’t care for it that much. Another film that I enjoy, at least in the context of why it’s important, is Linklater’s Slacker. It’s a very difficult film to sit through, especially if you’re used to watching films with plots. I even fell asleep the first time i watched it. But I’ve watched it 3 or 4 times now, and the release is ample with special features. More than I’ve been able to get to.
Armageddon would definitely have to be the worst. There really is no competition. Another one that I’m not really a huge fan of is Chasing Amy. Apparently I hate Ben Affleck.
btw, Robocop is brilliant
Chasing Amy
Chasing Amy
Redundant answer; Chasing Amy and Armageddon. I mean seriously, Armageddon?! What I’ve invented in my head just to comfort me is that Michael Bay paid a lot of money for it at a time where Criterion was about to die and his money also helped for the appearance of The Eclipse series. Seems that Ben Affleck is cursed, they should add Gigli, and that movie with the pretty Siberian Huskies.
I’d also like to come to the defense of Chasing Amy. I believe the criterion release is the only release available, plus I think it a folly to discredit Kevin Smith for his contribution to the film world. He’s definitely got a pretty unique voice that’s resonated. It makes sense in my mind to see Chasing Amy in the collection, although I would probably be surprised to see any of his others.
I think another angle to this question would be worst release in terms of insufficient or off topic supplements. I loved Pandora’s Box, but it seemed all of the extra features were about Louise Brooks, and not about the film or Pabst.
Robocop, Armageddon, The Rock
Criterion makes so many strong and excellent choices in film that any “mistakes” are few and should be “forgiven”
Someone made a comment about the large amount of French and Japanese films in the collection; I have no problem with either. Both countries have a great amount to offer that just simply shouldn’t be overlooked.
I’d like to see some more Iranian films on the map as they are really good as well – maybe “The Cow” can be a Crtierion pick, I’m not totally sure. I’ll do have to see it again.
But as far as Criterion’s Chasing Amy and Armageddon that’s being mentioned, I think those were choices made early on when the company was probably still trying to define their niche. Though I liked The Rock and I heard Chasing Amy was good – They just seem alien b/c Criterion moved into the strastophere of top cinema.
Jake Howell
I just watched Symbiopsychotaxiplasm : Take One and didn’t much care for it, plus I don’t really like anything Terry Gilliam has ever done. And I hate Fat Girl. And Chasing Amy.