My Year of Criterion: The Culturing of Mike
Do you like spending a lot of money? Do you enjoy physical media in the times of everything going digital? Do you want to be a weirdo and have a hobby most people don’t understand? Well, I’d like to introduce you to the Criterion Collection!
For the uninitiated, the Criterion Collection is “movies for people who are better than you and/or went to film school”.
…wait…I read that wrong.
*ahem*
The Criterion Collection consists of DVDs and Blu-rays that are “important classic and contemporary films from around the world”. So a lot of international cinema and arthouse films you probably haven’t seen.
Each DVD and Blu-ray comes with extra features, such as director commentary or documentaries related to the film. Most films come with some kind of pack-in booklet with essays or interviews. And the cases themselves are art! Plus, the case spines are numbered and stamped with the Criterion logo so dorks can show them off.
Here’s a great introduction to the cult of Criterion collecting:
This year, I started my collection. It helped that the pandemic kept us all inside a lot more. Criterion (or Barnes & Noble) typically have a half-off sale every few months, so that’s the perfect time to buy. I try my best to get some really obscure, strange stuff for myself, and a few films I think my wife and I would enjoy together.
I’ve put together a select list of Criterion films I’ve watched this year. I’m not going to review each film per se, but rather give you some of my thoughts, tell you how it affected me, and what made it a significant watch. I’m not quite Roger Ebert yet, but I’m well on my way!
A Brighter Summer Day
A 4-hour Taiwanese epic.
This is the movie that made me fall in love with Criterion. What a masterpiece. I loved everything about this film. The sprawling script, the beautiful cinematics, the wonderful performances. Edward Yang was a genius.
A Brighter Summer Day is a great example of the work Criterion does to preserve films. Even if you never watch this film, you should watch this 2-minute video on restoration.
I think this is my favorite movie of all time. I had intended to watch it in two sittings but had to finish it in one. The time just flies by. If you watch one Criterion, make it this one.
Ikiru
Akira Kurosawa at his most tender. The director is known for his samurai films, but this one shows a different side of him.
I think if you’re intimidated by foreign cinema, this would be a great first film. Yes, it’s Japanese. Yes, there are subtitles. But the story is universal and moving.
Takashi Shimura puts in one of my favorite performances of all time. I know Mifune is the actor that comes to mind when we think of Kurosawa, but Shimura has to be number two.
I was really touched by this story, and I know I will come back to it many times in the years to come.
High and Low
I watched a lot of Kurosawa this year. What a treat this film was. My wife really liked it too!
You’re getting two movies for the price of one in this film. The first half is shot completely in one location, and you think that’s where you’re staying the rest of the film. But halfway through, it turns into a police procedural. I‘m not sure I’ve seen another movie structure quite like this, and it’s wonderful.
Toshiro Mifune puts on one hell of a performance. But this film’s most memorable quality is its cinematography. This is why Kurosawa is one of the all-time greats.
Come and See
The most terrifying non-horror horror film of all time. My favorite war movie of all time.
What really struck me is the brutality and honesty of it all. Hollywood war movies give you at least a few moments of hope or inspiration. Something turns out alright even if they do show the toll of war. But Come and See just devastates you. You want to look away but you can’t.
I didn’t feel great watching this film. But when appreciating a story, when appreciating art, I’m not always looking to feel good. I am okay feeling uncomfortable. I am okay feeling pain.
Technically, A+ as well. I loved the actors speaking directly into the camera. I dug the unorthodox sound design. The cinematography was outstanding.
I recommend checking out Roger Ebert’s review of this film.
So if you want a movie that will tear you apart and lead to days of Googling about World War 2, this is the one.
The Before Trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight)
Ask my wife. I’m not a hopeless romantic.
I usually hate romance films! They’re corny and the dialogue is terrible!
If you share those views, I got three movies to change your mind: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight. A trilogy of love films if you will. Released exactly 9 years apart, they tell a complete picture of love. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The puppy dog, the longing, and the challenging.
The acting and dialogue in these films…*chef’s kiss*. Each film is basically just two characters talking to each other without a whole lot going on. These are just intimate conversations between two people who fall deeply in love with each other. You see each stage of a long relationship. All the ups and all the downs.
You need to watch ALL three of these films to truly understand the story being told.
My Own Private Idaho
I had to include one I just didn’t get.
I understand this is an important film. I can appreciate the acting. I enjoyed seeing River Phoenix and a young Keanu. But it didn’t click with me.
I guess cult classics aren’t meant to be loved by everyone. One of my favorite films is The Big Lebowski, and that doesn’t connect with everyone.
That’s the thing about some of these more artsy, niche films: you’re either going to really love them or you’re going to not get it. That’s tough when spending $20 on a Blu-Ray.
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
I have a shameful secret to share.
I‘ve only watched two Alfred Hitchcock films in my life, and this was the second. The first was The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934). So…early Hitchcock! Not even his more well-known later stuff! I have some catching up to do.
I enjoyed The Lady Vanishes enough. It was good. In the past, I haven’t had any interest in watching these early black and white films, but the WAY I watched it really made it a special experience. You see, the other weird obsession I’ve had this year is CRT televisions!
Do you know those massive boxes that weighed a hundred pounds that we couldn’t wait to get rid of? Well, there’s a small, dedicated group of people that still really love these things. Retro gamers to be more specific.
Ever felt nostalgic for the Nintendo 64 and try to plug it into your enormous LED display? Yeah, not great. Really bad actually. Even if you can find plugs and switchers to get it displayed on your new television, those old graphics don’t look so hot.
However, when plugged into an old CRT, you’re talking a whole new ballgame. I’ve enjoyed some NES, Sega Saturn, Gamecube, Wii, and N64 on my newly acquired Magnavox 20MS3442/17. There’s something very cool about playing video games the same way I did as a child, and they look great.
So to watch The Lady Vanishes, I bought a new component cable for my PS3 and connected it to my CRT. Something about the glow of the TV and the deep black levels really elevated my viewing experience. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much on my 85" 4k display. It’s hard to truly grasp why but it just felt right watching an old black and white movie that way.
Those were just a few of the Criterions I watched this year. I’ve got plenty in the backlog to watch in 2021.
Got any recommendations? Leave them in the comments below!
