Criterion Web Site

[Matango]

It's kind of annoying that the Search by Title index is sorted by page number instead of alphabetically by letter. That doesn't make any sense to me.

[domino harvey]

Hey thanks guys from the Auteurs for introducing us to Helvetica

[Tribe]

The new site does not carry over whatever one may have spent at the previous version of the Criterion Store. So, it looks like everyone is starting at zero in terms of getting to that illusory $500 goal.

[Daze]

My first-glance complaint: the page layout is too wide. With my monitor set to 768x1024, every single page requires side-scrolling.

[kaujot]

My first-glance complaint: the page layout is too wide. With my monitor set to 768x1024, every single page requires side-scrolling.

My computer at work is locked to 768x1024, and I don't have to side-scroll at all. What browser are you using? And, to sound a bit snarky, if it's your personal computer, why is the resolution so low?

[domino harvey]

Maybe Criterion stopped linking to us because they knew we'd say their new site looks like shit

[kaujot]

For the record, Helvetica is great.

[domino harvey]

Helvetica's great for like a sandwich shop sign or subway letters, not as the default font for a boutique DVD label's official site. It looks cheap, not unlike the Auteurs' site. The previous website was classy and functional, this new one is some sort of misguided appeal to youth

[Cinephrenic]

Maybe Criterion stopped linking to us because they knew we'd say their new site looks like shit

Probably because we keep announcing their release schedule before they even know their own.

[kaujot]

Helvetica's great for like a sandwich shop sign or subway letters, not as the default font for a boutique DVD label's official site. It looks cheap, not unlike the Auteurs' site. The previous website was classy and functional, this new one is some sort of misguided appeal to youth

I fail to see the problem with Helvetica as a boutique DVD label's default web-header font. It's neutral, simple, easy to read, etc. Sans-serif fonts are the best for web-use in general, and Helvetica's at the top of sans-serifs. There are others, like the usual suspects of Arial and Verdana, or even Trebuchet MS, but they aren't quite as tight in my opinion.

It's obvious that the new site is some form of an appeal to appear younger than they are. But that's what every company is doing in the "Web 2.0" era (I really hate that term, but it's sort of the only one). So they're social-networking? So what? It's a great way to build enthusiasm for what Criterion sells, and social-networking is by no means limited to the younger generation (of which I'm part). With Criterion's old design, they didn't really have the space to provide for streaming video, or really large, hi-res images without making some weird layout changes. Now they do, and I think the site is much better off for it.

[nsps]

I just tried watching some of FAT GIRL (one of the free movies they're streaming) full screen on my 24" iMac. Image quality is solid given the format -- about what you'd find on Hulu.

Yeah, I'd equate it to a high-quality Netflix stream—not perfect, but solid. Now, I notice I can also pay $5 to watch the same films that are free. Hopefully you get higher quality for paying, rather than just no ad at the beginning. I like the credit-towards-purchase system, but would be less likely to pay $5 for a film that I didn't anticipate purchasing.

[Oedipax]

The quality surprised me, it's not bad at all. Visually I would compare it to watching a 700mb DVD rip, not that I've ever done such a thing

I've got a 40" LCD hooked up to my graphics card's other DVI port, and the streaming copy even looked pretty decent on that! A real DVD would still be superior, but overall I found the quality quite good (at least on Ratcatcher, I watched a couple minutes of the beginning since I know it well).

[colinr0380]

Hey thanks guys from the Auteurs for introducing us to Helvetica

Oh fantastic, and just when I was getting used to Tamara! Who's this new girl?

For the record, Helvetica is great.

Seems weird though that it took The Auteurs to introduce them to a font - did they miss the film of its life story?

[Daze]

My computer at work is locked to 768x1024, and I don't have to side-scroll at all. What browser are you using? And, to sound a bit snarky, if it's your personal computer, why is the resolution so low?

I figured out that the massive Helvetica in the navbar was causing the side-scrolling. Decreasing the font-size (control-minus sign) eliminated that problem.

I still prefer 768x1024. Tiny text bugs me.

[kaujot]

I figured out that the massive Helvetica in the navbar was causing the side-scrolling. Decreasing the font-size (control-minus sign) eliminated that problem.

I still prefer 768x1024. Tiny text bugs me.

Fair enough.

What browser are you using, and what's the size of your monitor? I ask because, well, I'm a nerd and want to know the root cause.

[Daze]

What browser are you using, and what's the size of your monitor? I ask because, well, I'm a nerd and want to know the root cause.

Firefox 3.04, 21" monitor.

[Bete_Noire]

The new site does not carry over whatever one may have spent at the previous version of the Criterion Store. So, it looks like everyone is starting at zero in terms of getting to that illusory $500 goal.

If I were among those whom had spent $300+, I'd be reeeeeally pissed about that. Luckily, I do most of my DVD shopping elsewhere and only use the Criterion site for the occasional poster.

[Tribe]

The new site does not carry over whatever one may have spent at the previous version of the Criterion Store. So, it looks like everyone is starting at zero in terms of getting to that illusory $500 goal.

If I were among those whom had spent $300+, I'd be reeeeeally pissed about that. Luckily, I do most of my DVD shopping elsewhere and only use the Criterion site for the occasional poster.

Mulvaney wrote me back the other night and advised that the new site will give credit.

Thanks for your e-mail! Don't worry, the money you spent at the old Criterion site won't be lost.

All you have to do is create new account on the new site, then forward your account confirmation e-mail (or just send an e-mail) to [email protected]. We'll look up your past purchases from the old site and enter the total into your account on the new website. We can't do it if you haven't created a new account though, so that's the important first step.

This may take a few weeks because we are doing this by hand, and we appreciate your patience! Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions or concerns.

[swo17]

They do some random numbering of the artwork archives so we can no longer see the artwork of future releases until they post them - bummer!

As a result of this, none of the links to upcoming artwork on the Criterion Dungeon work.

[cerealiscool]

The forum is mostly lists/favorites it seems.

[domino harvey]

1. Not
2. Really

[Mr Sausage]

What forum is he referring to? It would make more sense if he were talking about dot com.

[Tootletron]

What forum is he referring to? It would make more sense if he were talking about dot com.

The Auteurs forum, I think.

[domino harvey]

Oh, I thought he was talking about us. There's a lot of forums being discussed in this, uh, forum

[nsps]

Oh, I thought he was talking about us. There's a lot of forums being discussed in this, uh, forum

The forum is terrible, and I never post.

Apparently the Auteurs is also a social networking thing, as I just got a friend request in the email.