Paris, Texas: Criterion Collection
February 1, 2010
Films made about the United States by foreign filmmakers are interesting because quite often they provide a unique perspective – someone from the outside looking in. German filmmaker Wim Wenders did just this with his film Paris, Texas (1984). It was...
Wings of Desire: Criterion Collection
November 5, 2009
If Paris, Texas (1984) firmly established German filmmaker Wim Wenders on the international art house cinema scene, then Wings of Desire (1987) reinforced his status as one of the world’s premier visual storytellers. Not only is the film an impressive,...
Made in U.S.A.: Criterion Collection
July 20, 2009
Made in U.S.A. (1966) was made during Jean-Luc Godard’s most celebrated and highly-regarded period of filmmaking – 1960-67 – that spanned Breathless (1960) to Weekend (1967). As Godard progressed through this time period, his films became more self-reflexive...
Last Year in Marienbad: Criterion Collection
July 14, 2009
When Last Year in Marienbad came out in 1961, it divided critics and audiences alike with its refusal to adhere to traditional linear storytelling. Prior to this film, director Alain Resnais had dazzled audiences with his feature debut Hiroshima mon amour...
The Seventh Seal: Criterion Collection
June 22, 2009
It’s safe to say that The Seventh Seal (1957) is Ingmar Bergman’s most famous film judging by how firmly entrenched it has become in popular culture over the years. Key images and scenes from it, including Death (Ekerot), the chess game, and the Dance...
My Dinner with Andre: Criterion Collection
June 19, 2009
When I was a kid my parents used to let me stay up and watch Siskel and Ebert on television. This was back in the day when they were still on PBS and had yet to hit the big time. Their show gave me my first exposure to Louis Malle’s My Dinner with Andre...
Enchanted April
May 19, 2009
Adapted from the novel of the same name, Enchanted April (1992) was originally intended to be a television movie for BBC but the powers that be were so pleased with the end result that it was given a theatrical release and it garnered several Golden Globe...
The Exterminating Angel: Criterion Collection
March 11, 2009
The Exterminating Angel (1962) marked the end of legendary filmmaker Luis Bunuel’s 18-year stint in Mexico and the only film from that period in which he had complete artistic freedom. He had just come off the controversy of Viridiana (1961) and was...
Europa: Criterion Collection
December 15, 2008
Most people associate Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier with the kitchen sink realism of Dogme films Breaking the Waves (1996) and Dancer in the Dark (2000), or the minimalist theatricality of Dogville (2003) and Manderlay (2005). However, before these...
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters: Criterion Collection
July 14, 2008
Initially, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) seems like the odd man out in writer/director Paul Schrader’s filmography. It takes a complex look at the life of Japanese writer Yukio Mishima who ended his own life by committing the ritual act of...
