Want to start collecting Criterion, but not sure where to begin? Nooooo problem. With so many great titles released over the last… lots of years, finding an entry point can be a challenge. But, lucky you, we have come up with a list of not one, or two, but TEN great ways into one of the best boutique labels around.
There is no better way to begin than with some Kubrick!
This satirical slice of dark comedy genius is directed by Stanley Kubrick and stars a Peter Sellers at the peak of his powers. A film that unfortunately gets more politically prescient with every year that passes, Dr. Strangelove is an essential for every collection, Criterion, or not.
The hook of Criterion is not just the catalogue of titles but the care put into the film’s presentation and, of course, the extras. The 4K restoration means the picture looks incredible, and as well as the original mono (one channel) audio, there is a new, fuller 5.1 mix too.
It can be frustrating when special features do not include anything with the director or cast, but Criterion’s release of Dr. Strangelove has not only an interview with Stanley Kubrick, but George C. Scott and Peter Sellers too.
Scorsese fan? Loved The Departed? Then you have to see the original Japanese film it is based on, Infernal Affairs.
A super stylish thriller about undercover cops and robbers, in the words of Quentin Tarantino, “We’re going to sell you this seat, but you’re only going to use the edge of it.” An absolute box office smash in Hong Kong that was such a big deal that audiences in the West were hearing about it and begging to see it pre-social media, this Hong Kong underworld pulse-quickener will not disappoint. Guaranteed.
Not only do you get Infernal Affairs in the Criterion set, but the two equally-gripping sequels are included, all with director-approved new 4K restorations, and extras that include principal cast interviews, alternate endings AND deleted scenes. This one doesn’t miss.
If you’re a 90s kid and/or a Kevin Smith fan, then you NEED to see Slacker immediately. The first feature film directed by Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise, Dazed and Confused), it tells the tale(s) of a disparate group of young people bumming around a small Texan town getting in minor scrapes and just trying to find their way through the day, man.
Shot on 16mm for no money, this is one of the most important independent films of the 90s and inspired Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.
Again, completely director-approved contents (you’ll find that happens a lot with Criterion; it’s a filmmaker's film label). Slacker comes complete with an astounding array of extras that also act as a mini film school!
Game-changing, inspiring, never-topped. You’ll adore Slacker.
Matt Dillon stars in Drugstore Cowboy, Gus Van Sant’s dreamy, drifty, deadpan second film absolutely nails drug-addicted drifter counter-culture and feels completely authentic.
A gang of pharmacy robbers, always on the lam AND on the lookout for their next fix, desperately try to outrun not just the comedown but their own inescapable bad ending. Wavy and wacked-out visuals, plus a supporting cast including Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham, and James Le Gros, make for a film you won’t be able to look away from.
The van Sant and Dillon commentary is one for the ages, the 4K video transfer is so clean you could eat your dinner off it, and the uncompressed stereo audio is pin-sharp clear.
I saw this one for the first time on VHS back in the day. I loved it then, but seeing a repertory screening of the new 4K restoration made it feel like seeing it again for the first time, and made getting a hold of the Criterion 4K UHD edition an absolute must.
It’s back to Texas in Lone Star, John Sayles’ neo-Western mystery about never being able to escape a dark secret, no matter how deep you bury it.
A little lighter on extras, the video and audio quality of the film’s presentation don’t just make up for that; they are so good you won’t even care. Who needs a commentary when the film is so good you’ll want to hit PLAY again the second it ends anyways?
Further watching:
If you enjoy our five Criterion picks and need more recommendations and further viewing, be sure to check out Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Thelma and Louise, Birth and House Party.