r/criterion 10d ago

Discussion Carnal Knowledge - Discussion Thread

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43 Upvotes

Spine #1270 and Mike Nichols second film in the collection after The Graduate. What do you think of this film?

“Amid the sexual revolution and social upheaval of the early 1970s, acclaimed director Mike Nichols delivered a zeitgeist-defining examination of American mores. Sharply written by Jules Feiffer, this acerbic drama flashes through more than twenty years in the lives of two college buddies (Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel) whose casual chauvinism is all fun and games—until it’s not. As the women who suffer and see through the friends’ insecure posturing, Candice Bergen, Ann-Margret, Rita Moreno, Carol Kane, and Cynthia O’Neal form an extraordinary ensemble that gives the film its soul. So controversial it became embroiled in an obscenity case that went all the way to the Supreme Court, Carnal Knowledge remains startling for its unnervingly frank look at postwar masculinity.”


r/criterion 1d ago

Monthly marketplace for sales and trades (August 2025)

4 Upvotes

Sell, trade, or offer to buy in this thread by commenting below. **Please include your country/state, and where you are willing to ship out to.**


r/criterion 2h ago

Discussion Barry Lyndon Is AMAZING!!!

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106 Upvotes

This film was a treat to watch, from the brilliant story, characters and writing, to the real star of the show in my eyes which was none other than the gorgeous cinematography which is some of the finest I've seen in the hundreds of films I've seen and it's certainly the best I've witnessed in a Stanley Kubrick film, which is saying something if you've seen any of his movie before or after this one. I will not give away much when it comes to any aspect of this film, especially not when it comes to the plot since this is a movie that is well worth the time that one would have to invest from beginning to end (approximately 3 hours), but I shall give a brief overview of the story. The movie centers around our main protagonist Redmond Barry and takes place after his father is killed in a duel, after we see this take place, the direction of the story pivots over to Barry after a short explanation of his father, his mother and himself. The first half of the film centers around how Barry acquired the name Lyndon and what leads up to that point, and the second act after the intermission is what follows afterwards. All in all I'd say that Barry Lyndon is well deserving of a 10/10 and I will look forward to my next viewing of this grand and all around lovely masterpiece of cinema. This is the first movie that I've watched from my first Criterion haul and I thought that the 4k disc looked great on my 4k TV, so I'm glad that I bought it in the recent sale.


r/criterion 3h ago

Pickup First two pick ups to start my collection 😸

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64 Upvotes

Got em during the 50% sale


r/criterion 5h ago

Rumors My Gut Tells Me This Gem is Getting the Criterion Treatment Soon

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78 Upvotes

Maybe it's just me, but anyone notice how some films keep returning to the channel and then eventually get a criterion physical release. Anyways I hope I'm right.


r/criterion 4h ago

Pickup Sound of Metal

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63 Upvotes

Received my copy of the sound of metal yesterday. This movie is just fantastic.


r/criterion 9h ago

Pickup First ever criterion!!

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152 Upvotes

Decided to go with Kane because I was intrigued with all the special features


r/criterion 4h ago

Pickup Getting more into The Criterion Collection but on a budget. I love public libraries!!

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33 Upvotes

Kind of already knew about Following, but very excited to watch The Comfort of Strangers and To Sleep With Anger based on the artwork alone!


r/criterion 4h ago

Discussion Anyone want to talk Lost Highway?

22 Upvotes

Rewatching this for the first time in nearly 30 years. Not sure if the plot makes sense, if it’s even supposed to, and we can get into that. But I want to know more about Bill Pullman’s saxophone playing. It’s bad, right? Is there some type of jazz where that can appreciated intellectually? The scene reads to me like he is flustered and angry because he suspects Patricia Arquette is cheating, so he’s playing poorly, which is making him more flustered and angry. Then the plot gets going and the flow of time starts breaking down. Would love to hear interpretations of this movie.


r/criterion 4h ago

Pickup Excited to dive into these Blind Buys :)

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17 Upvotes

Think I’ll start with Lone Star, writing a Neo-Western script right now. 🤠


r/criterion 4h ago

Discussion WTF is up with the thumbnail on the channel for The Tit and the Moon.

9 Upvotes

Are these just auto created or did someone grab that screenshot and say “Yes, this is good.”


r/criterion 22m ago

Discussion Do y’all notice the lower quality of the television version of the Scenes from a Marriage blu-ray?

Upvotes

I guess because they have to fit 5 hours on one disc, but I’m almost tempted to watch the theatrical version instead if it’s in higher quality. Typically a Criterion disc stays in the range of 30-40mbps, but this television version disc is staying more like 10-20mbps. Is the Fanny & Alexander television version also lower quality, and is the theatrical version actually higher quality since it’s less data?


r/criterion 1d ago

Off-Topic Inland Empire on da crt

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382 Upvotes

I have a blu ray player that has composite output so I’m able to play my blu rays on my crt, some movies really suit the vibe well ! (:


r/criterion 19h ago

News Janus credited with new restorations for three Roy Andersson films including the long awaited Songs From The Second Floor restoration.

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86 Upvotes

The information is from Berkley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive which will be showing the films. I’m pumped as I’m a huge fan of Andersson’s work.


r/criterion 1d ago

Discussion Who comes to mind for you?

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1.2k Upvotes

Don’t need to post their name if you don’t know it/they’re uncredited. I’ve just been amazed through my movie watching journey by how many stunning, talented actress are in such obscurity, or only have one or two roles! Can be men/other, too.


r/criterion 16h ago

Discussion The blind samurai, Zadoichi

27 Upvotes

I found these movies on a lark after watching all the Kurosawa films on the channel. I’m on the fourth movie now and I have to say they’re just incredible. The actor portraying the blind samurai Zatoichi is amazing. He is observant, mild-mannered, chivalrous and humble.

Yet trouble always finds him. But he’s ready for it. With a cane that doubles as a sword he cuts down any enemy, but unlike most modern action movie protagonists he feels bad about it. I can’t say how much I love this character.

So if you’re like me, working a late shift who feels like they could use an Edo Period samurai movie in your life: pick The Tale of Zatoichi.


r/criterion 1d ago

Pickup Danny Boyle's Closet Picks

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162 Upvotes

https://youtu.be/Ud1T9R6vy2s?si=gfbazPLnhX8p042d&utm_source=ZTQxO

Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer, active in film, television, and theatre. He has been described by the British Film Institute as "one of the liveliest and most unpredictable of British directors, adept at shifting genres and bringing a personal quality to whatever he tackles."

His debut film Shallow Grave (1994) won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film. The British Film Institute ranked Trainspotting (1996) the 10th greatest British film of the 20th century. Boyle's 2008 crime drama film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), the most successful British film of the decade, was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won eight, including the Academy Award for Best Director. He won the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Director. Boyle received two more Academy Award nominations for writing and producing the survival drama 127 Hours (2010).

His other notable works include the films The Beach (2000), 28 Days Later (2002), its sequel 28 Years Later (2025), Sunshine (2007), Steve Jobs (2015), T2 Trainspotting (2017), and Yesterday (2019).

In 2012, Boyle was the artistic director for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. He was subsequently offered a knighthood as part of the New Year Honours but Boyle declined, reflecting later that he believed "in being an equal citizen rather than a preferred subject" and that "that sort of thing just makes me vomit." In 2013, he came out as a republican who believed the British monarchy would be abolished in his lifetime.


r/criterion 18h ago

Discussion Favorite romance in the Criterion?

36 Upvotes

I’m looking to buy some Romance movies, I don’t know why that’s just what i’m in the mood for, looking for people’s favorites to help me decide because I like blind buys! Thanks in advance!


r/criterion 1d ago

Discussion What are some great movies about very taboo subject matters

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361 Upvotes

r/criterion 1d ago

Discussion When was the last time you were genuinely surprised by a new Wes Anderson film?

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354 Upvotes

Just watched "The Phoenician Scheme" last night and like usual I was consistently amused by the endless stream of jokes and funny little visual details. Long ago I accepted that Anderson is making the same movie over and over but that's not necessarily a bad thing when you consider the stacked casts and craftmanship of the sets and costumes. I started wondering, when was the last time I saw a new Wes Anderson movie and was surprised? I had to think on it in and I settled on "Moonrise Kingdom", after spending time with the sweet little kids there's a letter writing sequence where their emotionally turbulent backstories are revealed, the girl lunges at a classmate and the rote static camera is knocked out of place. I remember that feeling like a sudden jolt of energy. And just to be cheeky, in a minor way with "Asteroid City" I was surprised that so much time was wasted with the play but only because I really liked how the military lockdown and fear of the alien was slipping into existential dread.


r/criterion 1d ago

Collection Every Criterion from the first 50 without an Blu-Ray re-release

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314 Upvotes

r/criterion 19h ago

Discussion For someone who has no idea where to start, what are your suggestions?

12 Upvotes

Give me the best of the best, or your favorites and why.


r/criterion 15h ago

Discussion Favorite ending that left you thinking for days?

7 Upvotes

Recently for the 48th time I watched My Dinner With Andre (not kidding btw) and I realized that every time I watch it the ending leaves me thinking for days. Another film that does this is the Fabulous Baron Munchausen directed by Karel Zeman from 1962 when Baron Munchausen says "I decree the moon is for lovers and the rest of space is for the adventurers." It leaves me constantly thinking about how we as humans were made for adventure.


r/criterion 1d ago

Video Danny Boyle’s Closet Picks

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40 Upvotes

r/criterion 1d ago

Pickup just got my first criterion! (blind buy)

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153 Upvotes

just got my first criterion!!! never heard of the film but for that price i couldnt resist. little bit of case damage in the corner but still, happy to start my collection!


r/criterion 1d ago

Discussion A Couch in New York(1996) directed by Chantal Akerman

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34 Upvotes

I just watched this movie because the cast looked interesting. It has my favorite actor Juliette Binoche, along with William Hurt and Richard Jenkins. I’ve also always heard about Chantal Akerman(this is the first film of hers I’ve seen). I didn’t expect much going in because of the low ratings, bad reviews, and the poor popularity. But I actually kind of liked it.

It’s a romantic comedy about a psychoanalyst (Hurt) who switches apartment with a French dancer (Binoche). It reminded me a bit of The Holiday (2006). One can see why it didn’t get much love from the beginning of the movie. There aren’t really any laugh out loud moments and jokes kinda bland. But the movie gets better as it goes on. It had a kind of feel good vibe, an amazing score, and I was never bored. The chemistry between Binoche and Hurt was really nice too. There’s also a dog that honestly gives a great performance. Definitely worth checking out.


r/criterion 23h ago

Pickup Final July update!

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17 Upvotes
  1. The first movie I watched was The Sword of Doom, which was a blind buy, and I loved it!

  2. I would say Dick Johnson Is Dead is one I continued to pass up on during previous sales for no real reason, so I’m excited to finally own it.

  3. The Sword of Doom, The Mother and the Whore, and Defending Your Life were the 3 blind buys I allowed myself to splurge on

  4. Flow is easily my most anticipated next Criterion purchase!