Eraserhead: Criterion Collection
November 24, 2014
The arrival of 1977 saw the release of two important films – Eraserhead and Star Wars. Both films couldn’t be more different visually or thematically, and yet they share a common bond in the sense that each features a filmmaker with a unique vision....
All That Jazz: Criterion Collection
September 3, 2014
Legendary choreographer Bob Fosse unfortunately did not get a chance to direct many films, but the ones he did bear his unmistakable stamp, none more so than All That Jazz (1979), which stands as one of the purest expressions of an artist’s creative...
Love Streams: Criterion Collection
August 26, 2014
Based on a play by Ted Allan, Love Streams (1984) continued John Cassavetes’ fascination with the often-messy relationships between people. Sarah Lawson (Rowlands) and her husband Jack (Cassel) are in the process of getting a divorce and figuring out...
Y Tu Mama Tambien: Criterion Collection
August 20, 2014
The commercial disappointment of A Little Princess (1995) and Great Expectations (1998), director Alfonso Cuaron left Hollywood and regrouped back in his native Mexico by going back to basics with Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001), an independently made road movie...
Insomnia: Criterion Collection
August 12, 2014
In retrospect, films like Smilla’s Sense of Snow (1997) and Insomnia (1997) anticipated the recent fascination with Scandinavian thrillers. While the former dealt with a protagonist uncovering the nefarious machinations of a powerful corporation under...
Pickpocket: Criterion Collection
August 11, 2014
Robert Bresson’s Pickpocket (1959) is about Michel (LaSalle), a man compelled to steal from others. He works the streets, subways and train stations of Paris taking money from unsuspecting victims with his nimble fingers. He wears a plain, non-descript...
The Big Chill: Criterion Collection
July 30, 2014
It was during the 1980s that the Baby Boomer generation were at the height of their influence and The Big Chill (1983) is often regarded as one of their most identifiable pop cultural touchstones. Using the clout he had acquired for his screenwriting...
Scanners: Criterion Collection
July 28, 2014
For a good part of his career, David Cronenberg has been fascinated by secret societies, be it the New Age-y psychotherapist and his patients in The Brood (1979) or the people addicted to an immersive video game in eXistenZ (1999). With Scanners (1981),...
Hearts and Minds: Criterion Collection
July 16, 2014
Peter Davis’ powerful, Academy Award-winning documentary Hearts and Minds (1974) was made before the war in Vietnam ended in 1975. Not surprisingly, it became immediately embroiled in controversy as the United States was deeply divided and conflicted...
A Hard Day’s Night: Criterion Collection
July 10, 2014
When A Hard Day’s Night (1964) was released in theaters, the Beatles had already performed on The Ed Sullivan Show and conquered America with their insanely catchy songs. Richard Lester’s irreverent film cemented their reputation as the most popular...
