gift card purchases...

[dean_martin]

I received 3 Barnes and Noble gift cards for Christmas. I placed my first online order Friday for the following movies:

La Dolce Vita
Cinema Paradiso: The New Version
Picnic at Hanging Rock

I've seen La Dolce Vita a couple of times. It didn't stick with me like 8 1/2 did, but I've never owned La Dolce Vita either. I'll now be able to devote the appropriate time to it while in the appropriate mood.

I don't have any specific recollection of seeing Cinema Paradiso, but I'm familiar with the praise it's received. Evidently, The New Version has about 51 minutes of footage that was either included in the European release, but not in the US or was added for this dvd. Some think that the added footage helps the progression of the story, others think that it changes the story particularly with respect to motivations of some of the characters and still others think that it's heresy to mess with the version they've known. Fortunately, The New Version contains the "original" shorter version also so I can judge for myself.

Picnic at Hanging Rock is supposed to be a unique Australian mystery. It came highly recommended by a poster from Australia not too long ago. My sons are travelling to Australia this summer so I thought we would have an Australian movie night. One of the boys went to Japan last summer. Before he left, we almost overdosed on anime.

It looks like I've narrowed my next gift card purchase down to Seven Samurai and The Third Man.

I'll post updates as I'm able to watch these films.

[Worf101]

Some folks really really like you. Nobody likes me with that. Thanks for reminding me to buy some more movies as well. I've always wanted "The Seven Samurai" one of my Top Ten Faves. I'm also thinking about buying boxed sets of the LOTR etc... and perhaps Star Wars Episodes 4-6. Certainly NOT 1-3. Have fun spending that free money...

Da Jealous Worfster

[dean_martin]

Some folks really really like you. Nobody likes me with that. Thanks for reminding me to buy some more movies as well. I've always wanted "The Seven Samurai" one of my Top Ten Faves. I'm also thinking about buying boxed sets of the LOTR etc... and perhaps Star Wars Episodes 4-6. Certainly NOT 1-3. Have fun spending that free money...

Da Jealous Worfster

Most of my extended family members ask my wife what to get me for Christmas and "a B&N gift card" is her well-rehearsed response.

However, I still get clothes that don't fit (irregulars from factory outlets) and Old Spice, but hey, it's the thought that counts.

BTW, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men... I blew the rest of the gift card money on music and cafe' mochas for my wife and me. I picked up -

In a Silent Way - Miles Davis
Moon Safari - Air
Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys
Final Straw - Snow Patrol
Live - Alison Krauss & Union Station which I'm about to give to my wife.

Seven Samurai and Third Man (only available on Criterion for $35-40) will have to wait. There's a Criterion Kurosawa 4-film boxed set that includes Seven Samurai, but it's quite a chunk of change.