Tag: Criterion Collection

A Scumbag for the Right Side | Deep Cover (1992) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Deep Cover (1992)

Released in early 1992, advertising for the crime thriller Deep Cover played up star Laurence Fishburne’s involvement in the previous summer’s breakout hit Boyz n the Hood and generally tried to connect the film to the run of other so-called ‘hood movies that had made waves during that period. Although it scored positive reviews from… Read More A Scumbag for the Right Side | Deep Cover (1992) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Josh ZyberLeave a comment

A Haunted Mansion and a Turned Screw | The Innocents (1961) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

The Innocents (1961)

Movies are an inherently sensationalized medium, and haunted house movies in particular often rely heavily upon cheap scare tactics to startle viewers into spilling their popcorn and clutching the hand of the date they brought to the theater. Subtlety is not generally a defining trait of the genre. Produced in 1961, director Jack Clayton’s The… Read More A Haunted Mansion and a Turned Screw | The Innocents (1961) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Josh ZyberLeave a comment

The Destroyer of Worlds | Godzilla (1954) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Godzilla (1954)

By this point, I’m sure most people understand that the first Godzilla movie (or Gojira as originally known in Japan) from 1954 was, for all its inherent absurdity and cheese, designed and intended as something a little more thoughtful and introspective than just a schlocky giant monster fright flick. This is hardly a new observation.… Read More The Destroyer of Worlds | Godzilla (1954) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Josh Zyber2 Comments

Nolan’s Inception | Following (1999) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Following (1999)

Before he became a brand unto himself with a rabid cult fandom slavering to see his latest three-hour-long, bombastic IMAX spectacle, Christopher Nolan started his filmmaking career with a very modest, small art film called Following that was little seen by anyone until the Criterion Collection picked it up on home video. To be honest… Read More Nolan’s Inception | Following (1999) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Josh Zyber3 Comments

Crime Does Pay | Bottle Rocket (1996) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Bottle Rocket (1996)

Coming up on three decades into his filmmaking career, Wes Anderson has put such a distinctive stamp onto all of his movies that none of them could be mistaken as the work of anyone else. Nor could anyone adopt Anderson’s style without being labeled a copycat. Looking back on it, the director’s debut feature Bottle… Read More Crime Does Pay | Bottle Rocket (1996) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Josh ZyberLeave a comment

You Can’t Be Less Wicked Than Your Enemy | The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)

First published in 1963, John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold was designed as a corrective against the far-fetched espionage fantasy of Ian Fleming’s popular James Bond series. A movie adaption followed two years later, released right at the height of Bond-mania. While perhaps not cultural milestones on quite the same… Read More You Can’t Be Less Wicked Than Your Enemy | The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Josh Zyber5 Comments

Remember When DVD and Blu-ray “Special Features” Actually Used to Be Special?

Reservoir Dogs 4K Ultra HD Menu

Confession time: As someone who has reviewed movies on home video for more than two decades, I simply cannot stand to watch most DVD or Blu-ray bonus features. The days when I might get excited for a director’s audio commentary or a lengthy making-of documentary about the film I just watched feel like a distant… Read More Remember When DVD and Blu-ray “Special Features” Actually Used to Be Special?

Josh Zyber6 Comments