Thom says: “Out-of-hand I see all Criterion releases that come out if previously not watched by me. Most of their releases are anywhere from good to extraordinary (although very occasionally they are poor) and this one is an outright masterpiece.
Thom says: “Surveying director Rose’s rather run-of-the-mill curriculum vitae (IMMORTAL BELOVED, PAPERHOUSE, CANDYMAN, etc.), I had no reason to suspect I’d enjoy this film so much & would have probably passed on it were it not featuring the indomitable Ms.
Michael says: “After seeing ORPHEUS, I had to finally check out BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the film that first put Jean Cocteau on the map, and his first feature length directorial narrative. Released in 1946, this French romantic fantasy film
Michael says: “I find Elaine May’s career rather fascinating, although I haven’t seen a lot of her work more of her writing, some of her acting, and little of her directing. I’m hoping to change that. A NEW LEAF, released
Michael says: “While not necessarily the most original idea, the execution of this film about a young couple, pregnant with their first child, and suddenly facing the terrifying reality of transitioning into parenthood, with their parent friends talking about their
Chris says: “Interesting that Brian De Palma made this between PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE and CARRIE: it feels almost beholden to reverently emulating (rather than simply paying affectionate homage to) a certain Hitchcock film (Bernard Herrmann score and all!) except
Chris says: “Re-watched with John Waters’ commentary track (recorded for the 25th anniversary edition), which makes it far more bearable (though still not as fully realized as his next film, the glorious FEMALE TROUBLE.) Best revelation: on people walking out
Chris says: “Super fun heist flick where Robert Redford’s self-seriousness greatly benefits from playing off the quirkier likes of George Segal, Ron Leibman and the ever-underrated Paul Sand. It has neither the grit nor the gravitas of director Peter Yates’
Chris says: “I don’t know why it took me so long to watch this. Sure, you can adequately summarize it in one or two sentences, but how it gets from point A to point B conveys Sidney Lumet’s mastery of
Michael says: “Released in 1978, COMA came from an era before thrillers had to be action movies. Set in Boston, a young resident, Dr. Susan Wheeler begins to suspect something strange is going on when a good friend lapses into
Michael says: “This cult classic was released in 1984 integrating elements of punk culture, government-hidden science fiction, and urban crime to create a clever, irreverent and fun film. I suspect if I had seen it in the mid-80’s around its
Michael says: “Based on a novel by Larry McMurtry, and adapted by the author and director Peter Bogdanovich, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW is a sad, and nostalgic look at a dying Texas town in 1951. The film follows best friends,
Michael: “I’m not really an avid sports documentary viewer, but this fascinating slice of Olympic history intrigued me greatly, and I found the film utterly fascinating to watch. In the late 50’s the Japanese women’s volleyball team began a streak
