I love the fact that she can simultaneously say that a film is problematic and also changed her life for the better. That's the bittersweet reality of art.
That's the kind of nuance that's missing from the internet: you don't have to 'separate' the artist from the work (that's actually worse) and you don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater (like, cancelling both author AND work), you can both acknowledge the work is great AND the person behind it is trash. Polanski is awful, it doesn't mean his work is not iconic, both things can be true and coexist.
Chucho E. Quintero well said. Quite a few people are giving her a hard time for some of her commentary on these films, but a big takeaway for me was how she still seemed to have respect for them and was planning to still watch them.
Problematic things changing life for the better....that's the bittersweet reality of not just art, but LIFE. I found this out only when I reached my fifties. Up to then, a comment like mine would to me like a cliche.
C.A. Hall honestly. I get that it’s a chore re-collecting everything on Blu-ray, but the picture quality and the sound are infinitely better and are worth the time to do it all over again.
You can still appreciate art and find it dismissive and problematic as well. She’s fully aware of her growth as a filmmaker and film watcher, and that context is important. Otherwise how do we grow? How do we process our worldview when having watched a film years ago to understanding it differently now? Plus she’s made films and most of us haven’t so...
kind of right about French New Wave...Agnes Varda excepted, of course. Many of those female characters don't play that well anymore. "I Knew Her Well" from the same era, on the other hand (finally, someone picked it) has a more nuanced, complex female protagonist. An underrated gem
Yes! “Io La Conscevo Bene” was made with a really interesting film language. From the way it was shot - to the music; it felt as fresh as the new wave mixed with the social depths of Italian neo-realism! Highly underrated
@@MrRufusRToyota Plus, Godard was a notoriously neglectful dick to both Karina and Wiasemsky who followed her. That's besides his art but is not surprising, to be honest. I'm a man, by the way. So there's some inherent gender bias in my assessment.
I felt the same thing when I went to barns and noble in Montclair Mall, CA it really felt I was in chocolate factory and my first Criterion Collection was David Cronenberg's Videodrome on blu-ray and it's beautiful 2K format and really unbelievable body of horror film and today I purchased the Coen Brothers first Independent early career Blood Simple and the 4K format it's really unique and amazing picture quality and don't worry I wore my mask on when I buy films.
"The thesis statement like, should be....." What? I can't make out what she's says. Whatever it is it has to be sweeping. You can't sum up a whole raft of work by a number of directors as 'such and such'' as in 'that's so French' or whatever. Why do Americans in particular do that?
0:42 I'm having so much trouble deciding wich o those two masterpieces i love the most, watched love Streams this morning for the second time and tonight faces for the second time to decide which is my favorite Cassavetes movie
@criterioncollection Release Ratcatcher BluRay already.. haha. Talk about long overdue. One of the first Criterions I ever bought in the early 2000s. Such a beautifully shot film and I have a great feeling that so many haven’t seen it because it hasn’t been rereleased. She mentions her films being like a painting and for everyone who’s seen the movie knows that one scene with the grassy/wheaty field, which almost doubles as a painting that James literally jumps into from the window. Extreme bittersweetness. Still one of the most inspirational and indelible sequences in any film I’ve ever seen. Beautifully soundtracked as well with the vibraphone.
she's not comparing it but, like for everyone, watching is a subjective experience and some of those characters might not seem as cool to a contemporary woman. Or a man.
And isn’t that the point of Jules and Jim ? To point out the complexity and cruelty of life, love, etc... or any french new wave, is very similar to the way that platonic relationship in Licorice Pizza is portrayed. I think for some the aesthetics are so seductives that makes them stop there and not see the whole picture. Knife in the Water is still great because is about those two bastards and their egos, while the woman gets the picture.
I could never get into The Spirit of the Beehive. I found it dull and plodding slow. If someone can explain why it's a great film, I am all open to trying it again.
Of course! You will be surprised of how many people still buy DVDs, in fact, more people buy Criterion DVD than blu ray, including libraries and, well, a good portion of filmmakers and stars in the closet videos
Of course we still buy DVD instead of blu-ray : - cheaper - don't need a specific paid software ot be played on a computer - no risk to have that shiny perfectly clean image on a black and white movie from the 50's For whole new movie, a Blu-Ray is good, but for a more than 40 years old movie it's not really useful.
I'll explain. Back in the day many of us older film fans in the 1980's spent a lot of money buying a VCR & hundreds of "videotapes". In the late 90's we spent a lot of money buying a DVD player & "re-buying" hundreds of same films on "dvd". When "Blu-Ray" players & disc's came out, we became tired of spending more money "re-buying" the same films over & over again. We're all married now, have kids & a home to pay for. They have enough of our money. No more. Forget 4K !
@@SaintMartins I'm older too. I remember the Beta vs VHS war. I bought laserdiscs when they came out and dvds to replace the laserdiscs. Blu rays are significantly better than all the previous formats. You don't need to replace all of them but why not the favorites. DVDs play on bluray players and the players can be found for under a $100.
@@grandmestredespoulpes2435 older movies are significantly better in bluray and 4k. The gray scales in bluray, and now 4k, make previous formats look like mud.
I had to roll my eyes when she said Truffaut films are "problematic". Looking at every work of art, especially older stuff, through 2020 politically correct lenses is gonna make watching movies a miserable experience. Art is sometimes meant to offend or provoke, it's not created just to affirm your personal beliefs.
What is wrong with those saying "Are there still people buying DVDs?" You can enjoy your Blu-Rays, without looking down other viewers because they're buying DVDs! There are plenty of reasons, you can only guess - maybe some choose DVDs caring for the price, or someone can't afford a Region Free Blu-Ray reader at the moment exc.
"How do you teach someone how to have a personality? How do you teach someone how to taste? You are just you and go fucking make something" This is the best advice EVER to aspiring film makers...
All these movie people!!! - who don't they know how to hold the DVD to the screen so as to avoid the reflections?!?!? ...or maybe someone could 'direct' them....
Comments are filled with folks getting offended with her addressing objectively stereotyped depictions of women in various films, yet characterize her as being irrationally oversensitive. 🙄 These impulsive outbursts are always projection in the highest sense of the word.
a lot of the films she chose...man...I don't even know what they are and have never heard of them. But, I have never gone to film school. Does that make me an uneducated person of the arts? What if I can't understand the film's message?
D.A.: Yeah, here's an older movie I like, I have some passing comments on how its politics seem a little questionable now, but I still like it and respect its influence Comments: HFYBFGHFVJGG FFFFFFFF WHY ARE THRSE SNOWFLAKES SO EASILY OFFENDED, RAHHH IMAGINE GETTING SO WORKED UP OVER NOTHING Shit, I don't love the corporate-y language of stuff being "problematic" that much either, but goddamn, relax fellas, lol
Probably something about possibly seeing Catherine as poisoning the friendship between the two of them, as if the film could be using her as responsible for the two men's desire and obsession, pitted against each other. I haven't watched it in a while though myself so I don't know how well I'm remembering the film holding Jules and Jim accountable for their own actions. I've always kinda felt embarrassed for relating to the two of them a bit in it, hah, though I don't necessarily mean that as a fault of the film. but rather a fault of youth as portrayed by the film when they're young in it. Man, now I want to revisit it myself.
One woman feeding off two men's jealousy and using it to pit one against the other. I'm sure this is where you can get into the whole thing about the male gaze and the female gaze in film/gender studies but personally I think that sort of thing does more harm than good. Because then we get into all forms of self-denial.
@Captain Brandon Cinema Lover cinephiles who don't unironically use words like "alas" and have "cinema lover" in their username buy standard def releases in the era of 4k restorations
we can cancel both Freud and Polanski, but dont feel guilty about the movies, I would reccomend not buying them tho, unless the money goes somewhere else besides his pocket
I love the fact that she can simultaneously say that a film is problematic and also changed her life for the better. That's the bittersweet reality of art.
That's the kind of nuance that's missing from the internet: you don't have to 'separate' the artist from the work (that's actually worse) and you don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater (like, cancelling both author AND work), you can both acknowledge the work is great AND the person behind it is trash. Polanski is awful, it doesn't mean his work is not iconic, both things can be true and coexist.
Chucho E. Quintero well said. Quite a few people are giving her a hard time for some of her commentary on these films, but a big takeaway for me was how she still seemed to have respect for them and was planning to still watch them.
Citizen Four if she thought they didn’t need to exist, why did she pick them up then?
Problematic things changing life for the better....that's the bittersweet reality of not just art, but LIFE. I found this out only when I reached my fifties. Up to then, a comment like mine would to me like a cliche.
She said that specifically about the French New Wave films, I think. Though I wonder if she thinks a film like The 400 Blows is "problematic".
I liked how she talked more extensively about each film than the other guests usually do.
the ones who just say "yea amazing film ive seen it before"
uh yea dude thats why its in the closet
I really liked the way she talked about how every film meant something to her.
While some of you annoying boys complain about her wild ambition to be honest, I'm over here fretting about the glare!
Could sit and watch Closet Picks all day.
We need a Ari Aster closet picks
Still blows my mind that some people haven’t made the upgrade to blu-ray. Filmmakers especially! But great choices here, she has great taste.
I always wonder if the camera person informs the interviewee that they've picked up a DVD.
Some films are made for Blu-Ray and some are just great on any format.
C.A. Hall honestly. I get that it’s a chore re-collecting everything on Blu-ray, but the picture quality and the sound are infinitely better and are worth the time to do it all over again.
Blu-ray's cost more, not everyone is super rich.
something like 50% of all physical movie sales are dvd format.
I’ve missed these so much, and she was so fun and informative as well!
Yes Life is Sweet! I always get excited when people pull it out, and Ratcatcher!
I cheered when she said it was her favorite! It’s mine too. Who else has chosen it?
Louis Newton Sean Baker (dir. Tangerine)! And Barry Jenkins chose Ratcatcher. I know other people picked Life is Sweet but I can’t think of them.
Capgungoesbang thanks!!
Loved her in ‘Creep 2’. And now I loved her in this.
Nick Owens That’s where I’ve seen her from! I was scratching my head knowing she looked familiar the entire video
You can still appreciate art and find it dismissive and problematic as well. She’s fully aware of her growth as a filmmaker and film watcher, and that context is important. Otherwise how do we grow? How do we process our worldview when having watched a film years ago to understanding it differently now? Plus she’s made films and most of us haven’t so...
So just because she’s a filmmaker, we can’t criticize her opinions on movies if we are not filmmakers ourselves??
Love Do The Right Thing
'The Miseducation of Cameron Post' is everything 'Boy Erased' wishes it was.
but im a cheerleader is better than both
@@user-yq9ul9rw1x LOve that movie!! Wish the recent 4k release was not just digital but on disc :(
So much more interesting that the videos where the person's just like "I'm taking this, and this, and this", not saying why...
the miseducation of cameron post is an amazing film, i can't wait to see what she makes next!!
Where did you guys get the shelving?
I like what she had to say about Cassavetes' work. Faces is one of my least favourite of his though tbh but I do generally love his films.
Her choices, my god. Spirit Of The Beehive changed me ❤
kind of right about French New Wave...Agnes Varda excepted, of course. Many of those female characters don't play that well anymore. "I Knew Her Well" from the same era, on the other hand (finally, someone picked it) has a more nuanced, complex female protagonist. An underrated gem
Yes! “Io La Conscevo Bene” was made with a really interesting film language. From the way it was shot - to the music; it felt as fresh as the new wave mixed with the social depths of Italian neo-realism! Highly underrated
Anna Karina?
@@MrRufusRToyota Plus, Godard was a notoriously neglectful dick to both Karina and Wiasemsky who followed her. That's besides his art but is not surprising, to be honest. I'm a man, by the way. So there's some inherent gender bias in my assessment.
MrRufusRToyota not Karina, but their eyes totally look similar on the cover
I Knew Her Well is so good.
Now THAT's a great, informed selection. I was dying to see someone mention Spirit of the Beehive.
Creep 1 and 2 are great if you haven’t seen them. She’s in 2.
I felt the same thing when I went to barns and noble in Montclair Mall, CA it really felt I was in chocolate factory and my first Criterion Collection was David Cronenberg's Videodrome on blu-ray and it's beautiful 2K format and really unbelievable body of horror film and today I purchased the Coen Brothers first Independent early career Blood Simple and the 4K format it's really unique and amazing picture quality and don't worry I wore my mask on when I buy films.
I haven’t even seen Akhavan‘s films, but I want to now lol
She just NAILED the French New Wave and I loved her talking about Lynne Ramsay.
and i'm waiting for "morvern callar" to come to criterion.
Anna Karina?
"The thesis statement like, should be....." What? I can't make out what she's says.
Whatever it is it has to be sweeping. You can't sum up a whole raft of work by a number of directors as 'such and such'' as in 'that's so French' or whatever. Why do Americans in particular do that?
@@davidsanderson5918 I didn't understand what she said either.
Bring James Gray to the closet, he is also from New York
What was she the statement said about what she thought of french new wave at minute 3:00?
I recognize her from Creep 2 I didn’t know she was a director. Sweet!
I love that Desiree talks about her directing class with Ira Sachs, whose Closet Picks video is here: ruclips.net/video/FA4mnGD5Qi8/видео.html
Great she picked Safe.
0:42 I'm having so much trouble deciding wich o those two masterpieces i love the most, watched love Streams this morning for the second time and tonight faces for the second time to decide which is my favorite Cassavetes movie
I love her voice.
Cool. Love Streams and Safe are two of my all time favorites
I love how almost every closet picks has Safe in it lol.
Still waiting for Tarantino and Coen Brothers Picks
Spirit of the Beehive is a transcendent experience
Whens the barns and noble criterion sale?
I can't take seriously people who unironically use word "problematic"
I can't take seriously people who get offended at people using words to describe things.
I can't take people seriously when they screw up grammar like you do.
I can't O9_ÄASÖIOTA? JSArfsrIIIIIIIIIIIII piip piip. .
( ) öOoOoOoOoOoOooooo'
Sil never said they were offended. They said they don’t take it seriously.
@criterioncollection Release Ratcatcher BluRay already.. haha. Talk about long overdue. One of the first Criterions I ever bought in the early 2000s. Such a beautifully shot film and I have a great feeling that so many haven’t seen it because it hasn’t been rereleased. She mentions her films being like a painting and for everyone who’s seen the movie knows that one scene with the grassy/wheaty field, which almost doubles as a painting that James literally jumps into from the window. Extreme bittersweetness. Still one of the most inspirational and indelible sequences in any film I’ve ever seen. Beautifully soundtracked as well with the vibraphone.
It’s uploaded here on youtube right now
‘for all french new wave though, the thesis statement could kinda be like ‘bitches be cray’
I know. So cringe when she used the dumb rap lingo
@@tonywilthshire308 how do you still think rappers are dumb?
Calvin Hill oh absolutely not i love this woman lmao she’s a queen 👑
imagine going into the Criterion closet and the first thing you pick is Tiny Furniture
Not a good start, for sure, but thankfully it got much better after that.
I like Desiree, but it feels unfair to compare a 60 year old film against today's social politics with Jules and Jim
she's not comparing it but, like for everyone, watching is a subjective experience and some of those characters might not seem as cool to a contemporary woman. Or a man.
And isn’t that the point of Jules and Jim ? To point out the complexity and cruelty of life, love, etc... or any french new wave, is very similar to the way that platonic relationship in Licorice Pizza is portrayed. I think for some the aesthetics are so seductives that makes them stop there and not see the whole picture. Knife in the Water is still great because is about those two bastards and their egos, while the woman gets the picture.
I could never get into The Spirit of the Beehive. I found it dull and plodding slow. If someone can explain why it's a great film, I am all open to trying it again.
So when is this 50% off July Sale?
I thought it started July 10th?
@@louisnewton4292 any official announcement?
John Ta someone on the criterion subreddit who works at Barnes and noble said so. But no official announcement yet.
I called Barnes and Noble and the sales rep checked her schedule and told me to check back on about July 10th.
Tomorrow.
Right now.
It passed.
I wanna become a well-known filmmaker just so I can get invited to raid the closet. Then I'll retire immediately afterwards.
When is Criterion going to start carrying 4k? Do people still by DVDs?
Of course! You will be surprised of how many people still buy DVDs, in fact, more people buy Criterion DVD than blu ray, including libraries and, well, a good portion of filmmakers and stars in the closet videos
Of course we still buy DVD instead of blu-ray :
- cheaper
- don't need a specific paid software ot be played on a computer
- no risk to have that shiny perfectly clean image on a black and white movie from the 50's
For whole new movie, a Blu-Ray is good, but for a more than 40 years old movie it's not really useful.
I'll explain. Back in the day many of us older film fans in the 1980's spent a lot of money buying a VCR & hundreds of "videotapes". In the late 90's we spent a lot of money buying a DVD player & "re-buying" hundreds of same films on "dvd". When "Blu-Ray" players & disc's came out, we became tired of spending more money "re-buying" the same films over & over again. We're all married now, have kids & a home to pay for. They have enough of our money. No more. Forget 4K !
@@SaintMartins I'm older too. I remember the Beta vs VHS war. I bought laserdiscs when they came out and dvds to replace the laserdiscs. Blu rays are significantly better than all the previous formats. You don't need to replace all of them but why not the favorites. DVDs play on bluray players and the players can be found for under a $100.
@@grandmestredespoulpes2435 older movies are significantly better in bluray and 4k. The gray scales in bluray, and now 4k, make previous formats look like mud.
I've had a big crush on her since creep 2
...someone, please buy her a bluray player....
Victor Erice ❤️
Just finished watching all the films she talked about. A great month.
You had me at John Cassavetes 🙂
She seems extremely easily offended.
Please, mention the names of the movies your guests picked at the end.
It will be helpful.
Check the description
I had to roll my eyes when she said Truffaut films are "problematic".
Looking at every work of art, especially older stuff, through 2020 politically correct lenses is gonna make watching movies a miserable experience.
Art is sometimes meant to offend or provoke, it's not created just to affirm your personal beliefs.
The fight scene in Do The Right Thing?
i'm guessing she means the riot
I have heard tiny furniture get a lot of hate. Can anyone tell me why?
Lena Dunham
Lena "The Patriarchy" Dunham
Wow I’m impressed 😎 very nice
Creep 2! I thought she looked familiar.
CREEP 2 gang where you at???
I hated that movie
why dooesn't she have an instagram or facebook so i can stay up to date with her :(
she does
@@satelliteinc.6767 oh cool whats her handle? :)
@@RapidBlindfolds nvm, she deactivated IG, but she's on twitter: akhavandesiree
What is wrong with those saying "Are there still people buying DVDs?" You can enjoy your Blu-Rays, without looking down other viewers because they're buying DVDs! There are plenty of reasons, you can only guess - maybe some choose DVDs caring for the price, or someone can't afford a Region Free Blu-Ray reader at the moment exc.
It's because they look awful compared to blu ray. Quality picture is obviously not in her criteria
"How do you teach someone how to have a personality? How do you teach someone how to taste? You are just you and go fucking make something" This is the best advice EVER to aspiring film makers...
All these movie people!!! - who don't they know how to hold the DVD to the screen so as to avoid the reflections?!?!? ...or maybe someone could 'direct' them....
2:51
El espíritu de la colmena 😍😍
How she finished off by saying if you get those two things right "dancing and fucking"..That closing statement is just priceless.. !
spirit of the beehive - now theres a film
She's beautiful
Comments are filled with folks getting offended with her addressing objectively stereotyped depictions of women in various films, yet characterize her as being irrationally oversensitive. 🙄 These impulsive outbursts are always projection in the highest sense of the word.
Big fan of her.
a lot of the films she chose...man...I don't even know what they are and have never heard of them. But, I have never gone to film school. Does that make me an uneducated person of the arts? What if I can't understand the film's message?
No. A lot of these film school types think art film automatically equals good film.
Please release rat catcher on blu ray!!! Pleeeeeaaase!
I love her 😍❤️❤️
Dancing and fucking: if you get those things right, then you’re fine.
The glare and audio are beyond insane.
FACES
Has anyone grasped wtf she is talking about, in her eighties Tupperware party presenter outfit!!?
Criterion! What's with the lighting here? Every dvd cover is reflecting so much light
She is grabbing a bunch of DVDs...what in the acutal f
She so rad
D.A.: Yeah, here's an older movie I like, I have some passing comments on how its politics seem a little questionable now, but I still like it and respect its influence
Comments: HFYBFGHFVJGG FFFFFFFF WHY ARE THRSE SNOWFLAKES SO EASILY OFFENDED, RAHHH IMAGINE GETTING SO WORKED UP OVER NOTHING
Shit, I don't love the corporate-y language of stuff being "problematic" that much either, but goddamn, relax fellas, lol
She is so beautiful 😍😍😍😍
Respect, if not for the Knife in the Water grab alone. ;
I like her. I like that she picked a Mike Leigh & a Lynne Ramsey and a Polanski. I don't like the hipsterspecs.
Wow, she actually talked about a Polanski film.
because polanski is a genius.
You would think that this tiny room would give off great audio. This was the worst audio yet.
3:03 haha
I hate this one
She's much too abrasive for my taste.
im so glad im not like this
At least you know how to use the word "like".. She says it every other word.
good for you
I actually haven’t seen Jules et Jim in forever. Can someone remind me could be problematic in it?
Probably something about possibly seeing Catherine as poisoning the friendship between the two of them, as if the film could be using her as responsible for the two men's desire and obsession, pitted against each other. I haven't watched it in a while though myself so I don't know how well I'm remembering the film holding Jules and Jim accountable for their own actions. I've always kinda felt embarrassed for relating to the two of them a bit in it, hah, though I don't necessarily mean that as a fault of the film. but rather a fault of youth as portrayed by the film when they're young in it. Man, now I want to revisit it myself.
One woman feeding off two men's jealousy and using it to pit one against the other. I'm sure this is where you can get into the whole thing about the male gaze and the female gaze in film/gender studies but personally I think that sort of thing does more harm than good. Because then we get into all forms of self-denial.
Yeah...Jules and Jim does suck. Lol
Sorry sister. You’ll never be creative with a head that full of judgements
oh shut up!
...but she already is..?
What's your point here, mate?
Okay, where's your feature film then?
She's already made a bunch of movies, yo
MasterBerry i like her, but Appropriate Behavior is just ok. Forgettable if the central protagonist is a Persian lesbian.
She's very insightful and intelligent, I like how in-depth she goes with each film. Kinda cute, too.
How about just don't be offended or think things are problematic if you like them. Good lord.
'Bitches be cray' she's the best
Yeah, that's so cool of her to use slang from a decade ago so hip
Who buys dvds anymore? Get the blu ray!
Tiny furniture hahaha
Disliked on the fact she picked out DVDs in 2020.
Who cares
@Captain Brandon Cinema Lover cinephiles who don't unironically use words like "alas" and have "cinema lover" in their username buy standard def releases in the era of 4k restorations
Ugh
we can cancel both Freud and Polanski, but dont feel guilty about the movies, I would reccomend not buying them tho, unless the money goes somewhere else besides his pocket