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Medium Cool Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Living Document of America’s Rebellion

Written by Kristen Lopez The Criterion Collection presents a slice of American history with director/cinematographer Haskell Wexler's, Medium Cool. Filmed ...
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3:10 to Yuma (1957) Criterion Collection DVD Review: You Gotta Trust Delmer Daves on This One

The opening shot of 3:10 to Yuma (1957) sets the film up as perfectly as anything I have ever seen. ...
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Pierre Etaix: Criterion Collection DVD Review: Affordable Pricelessness

For many of the "average" citizens living within the confines of the continental United States of America, the concept of ...
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Band of Outsiders Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: An Odd, Wonderfully Fun Film from the French New Wave

During the 1950s a number of film critics began to criticize French cinema. It was too traditional, too literal, too ...
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Pierre Etaix Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Bringing Etaix’s World to Life

“The defining characteristic of comic cinema,” says French comic, clown and filmmaker Pierre Etaix, “is that it begins with a ...
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Richard III Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Ravishing Technicolor Beauty

The Film The last of Laurence Olivier's three Shakespeare adaptations, Richard III is unquestionably one of the great Shakespeare films, ...
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Richard III (1955) Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Tremendous Film

One of the most striking aspects of the newly restored Richard III (1955) is its magnificent use of color. As ...
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Cinema Sentries

Repo Man Criterion Collection DVD Review: Punk All Over

The seamy underbelly of Los Angeles has been explored in numerous films over the years. A few of my favorites ...
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Ministry of Fear Criterion Collection DVD Review: (Don’t) Let Them Eat Cake

Written by Brandie Ashe Stephen Neale, a handsome young Brit, stares at a clock on the wall, counting down the ...
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Gate of Hell Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Not Quite Heavenly, but Far from Hellish

Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, this Oscar-winning Japanese film has fallen off the radar over the past few decades ...
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Umberto D. Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: An Old Man and His Dog

One of the last great films from the Italian neorealism movement, Vittorio De Sica's Umberto D. focuses on the struggles ...
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Pier Paolo Pasolni’s Trilogy of Life Criterion Collection DVD Review: Make Mine Bunuel

As one of those individuals that became the slightly pretentious artsy-fartsy feller during his teenage years whilst growing up in ...
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The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: It’s a Man’s Life in the Formerly Modern Army

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is epic in scope, though not scale, as ...
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Badlands Criterion Collection DVD Review: An Exploration of Isolation, Realism, Self-Image, and Violence

Terrence Malick's debut explores isolation, realism, self-image, and violence with the filmmaker's lyrical elegance, setting the footing for an opus ...
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Ugetsu Criterion Collection DVD Review: What Price Desire?

Kenji Mizoguchi is considered one of the masters of Japanese cinema, striking a balance between the contemplation of Ozu and ...
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Badlands Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Birth of a Legend

Forty years ago, writer/director Terrence Malick's first feature film announced the arrival of an important new voice. Through the ensuing ...
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The Blob (1958) Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: An Oldie but Goodie Returns in High Def

Watching The Blob (1958) and then watching The Blob (1988) reveals much about how American culture changed over three decades. ...
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The Kid with a Bike Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Another Major Work from the Dardennes

The Film It's time for yet another reminder to be grateful for the Dardennes, those Belgian masters of unmatched cinematic ...
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Being John Malkovich Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich

In Being John Malkovich, the brilliant feature-film debut of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze, an unhappily married couple ...
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Sansho the Bailiff Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: The Ties That Bind

Based on the movie title, one would expect Sansho to be the main character. One would be wrong. In fact, ...
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Chronicle of a Summer Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Fascinating Glimpse into Paris in 1960

I have very recently decided to become a full-blown Francophile. My wife is one. and while I've stuck my toes ...
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The Ballad of Narayama Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Kinoshita’s Kabuki Theatre Envisions Ubasute

The concept of ubasute is at the centre of The Battle of Narayama, the 1958 film by Japanese director Keisuke ...
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Pina Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Striking Elegy for an Artistic Giant

The Film Wim Wenders' gorgeous and touching tribute to modern dance pioneer Pina Bausch is a film birthed out of ...
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Following Criterion Collection DVD Review: Glimpse a Genius Just Finding His Voice

In 1999, a 28-year-old Christopher Nolan couldn't possibly have seen himself directing such big budget films like Inception and The ...
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Cinema Sentries

Two-Lane Blacktop: Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Monte Hellman’s Masterpiece

As anyone who has ever experienced a truly awkward moment of puberty is well aware, growing up is an inevitable ...
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Following Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Christopher Nolan’s Memorable Debut

Before creating his own following with the sensational Memento, Christopher Nolan made his feature-film directorial debut with Following. It is ...
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Ivan’s Childhood Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review:  War is Hell, but Looks Superb

On the surface, this film might not seem to offer much enticement for viewing considering its decidedly downbeat subject matter ...
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The Tin Drum Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Schlöndorff’s German Fable

A dazzlingly dark and often very funny fable, The Tin Drum is a terrific motion picture. The 1979 film by ...
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The Tin Drum Criterion Collection DVD Review: Familial Insanity Mirrors Nazi Germany

For a film that won both the Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, The Tin ...
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The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) Criterion Collection DVD Review: See the Master of Suspense Invent Himself

In 1934, Alfred Hitchcock was not considered the great director we know him as today. Nor was he the Master ...
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Purple Noon Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Treat for the Eyes and a Test for the Nerves

Purple Noon (Plein Soleil), Rene Clement's 1960 film based on Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, is more brooding ...
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Purple Noon Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: The Talented Mr. Delon

Remember The Talented Mr. Ripley? Director Anthony Minghella's 1999 adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's crime novel helped launch Jude Law to ...
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The Qatsi Trilogy: (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, Naqoyqatsi) Criterion Collection DVD Review: Fans Should Be Very Pleased

When Koyaanisqatsi (1983) came out, my girlfriend at the time talked me into seeing it with her. She was very ...
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Trilogy of Life Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Three Films, Countless Tales

Italian filmmaker, poet, philosopher, writer, and sometimes actor Pier Paolo Pasolini has certainly generated his fair share of controversy. He's ...
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La Jetee / Sans Soleil Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Stay for the Stills, Run from the Motion

Director Chris Marker's two most well-known works have been compiled into one Criterion release, but only one of them is ...
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Weekend (1967) Criterion Collection DVD Review: For the True Cinephile

Written by Kristen Lopez I probably shouldn't have jumped at the first opportunity to review a film like Weekend (or ...
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Rashomon (1950) Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Restoration Shows Improvements, Not Perfection

If you're reading this review, chances are you're fully familiar with this classic film and just have two questions: how's ...
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A poster of the movie Sunday Bloody Sunday

Sunday Bloody Sunday Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: You Can’t Always Get What You Want

John Schlesinger's Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971), the highly anticipated follow-up to Midnight Cowboy (1969) is an honest, often somber, account of what lovers will ...
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Rashomon Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Best of the Best

Director Akira Kurosawa (1919-1998) was known as “The Emperor” of Japanese film for a few reasons. For those he worked ...
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Rosemary’s Baby Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Masterful Film

There have been countless movies that were either so shocking, or just captured the zeitgeist of the culture so well ...
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The Game (1997) Criterion Collection DVD Review: Edgy and Uneven, But It Grows on You

There's nothing taking time out of your everyday boring routine to play a fun game with your friends. In the ...
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Les Visiteurs du Soir Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Medieval Tale of Love and Fate

In late 1942, when the surreal French fantasy Les Visiteurs du Soir was first released in good ol' gai Paris, ...
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The poster of the movie In the Mood for Love

In the Mood for Love Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: An Astonishing Meditation on Longing

Wong Kar-wai's wonderful, stunning In the Mood for Love sparkles on Blu-ray thanks to Criterion Collection. The 2000 film, nominated ...
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Cinema Sentries

The War Room Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Peek Behind the Campaign Curtain

While the campaigns for United States President seem to grow increasingly relentless with every cycle, especially in so-called battleground states, ...
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The Forgiveness of Blood Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Nik Full of Angst

Remember Maria Full of Grace? Writer/director Joshua Marston's 2004 film about a Colombian drug mule garnered international acclaim and recognition ...
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12 Angry Men Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Guilty of Being a Great Film

Set almost entirely in a single room, 12 Angry Men appears to be a small film yet the story reveals ...
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Eating Raoul Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Equal Parts High Camp and Urbane Comedy of Manners

The Film A delightful black comedy that's equal parts high camp and urbane comedy of manners, Paul Bartel's Eating Raoul ...
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Children of Paradise Criterion Collection DVD Review: The Film is Paradise 

Widely hailed as one of the finest French films of all time, Marcel Carné's Children of Paradise is an astounding ...
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Eating Raoul Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Biting Social Satire

Independent cinema of 1982 did not resemble today's genre in any shape or form. Viewers had to work to find ...
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Weekend (2011) Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Moving, Deceptively Complex Film

The Film When I first saw Andrew Haigh’s Weekend last year during a blitz of awards-season catch-up, I appreciated its ...
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