Best Blurays
Labels
/
Criterion

Criterion

636 films on Best BluraysBest video release: 222 in 4K405 in HD9 in SD38 more for audio only19 more announced

Best 4K release by tier:
Based in United StatesFounded 1984criterion.com (opens in a new tab)

Films where Criterion's release is the pick. How picks are made

Based in New York, Criterion has released classic and contemporary films since 1984, giving each title a spine number and adding commentaries, essays and supplements. Many discs use new restorations it supervises, and 4K UHD releases began in November 2021. North American Blu-rays are Region A locked, with a smaller Region B UK line since 2016; Janus Films is a sister company, and Steven Rales has owned both since 2024.

405 of 636 films match · Page 1 of 21

Films where Criterion's release is the pick. How picks are made

Before Sunset (2004)

Director: Richard Linklater

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray/ Germany Warner Bros Blu-ray

Sources: caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray/Germany Warner Bros Blu-ray both basically the same see caps

Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray has English audio 

Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

Before Sunrise (1995)

Director: Richard Linklater

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray/Germany Warner Bros Blu-ray

Sources: caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Germany Blu-ray and Criterion Paramount

Video Notes:

Germany Blu-ray and Criterion Paramount no difference, just get Criterion https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=11014&d2=10022&c=4022

Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray has English audio 

Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

Come and See (1985)

Director: Elem Klimov

Best English-Friendly & Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Audio Notes:

Not really noticeable difference to Germany Bildstörung Blu-ray

Best Video:

Germany Bildstörung Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Germany Bildstörung Blu-ray marginally better encode than Criterion

4.6

Night and Fog (1959)

Director: Alain Resnais

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion, 4k transfer

4.6

The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)

Director: Masaki Kobayashi

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

> Arrow Blu-ray > Japan Blu-ray

Both Arrow and Japan Blu-ray seem to suffer from the Quicktime Gamma Bug

4.6

The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)

Director: Masaki Kobayashi

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

> Arrow Blu-ray > Japan Blu-ray

Both Arrow and Japan Blu-ray seem to suffer from Quicktime Gamma Bug

4.6

The Cranes Are Flying (1957)

Director: Mikhail Kalatozov

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

2019 Potemkine France Blu-ray

Video Notes:

2019 Potemkine France Blu-ray less processing than Criterion. Need to adjust luminence from 16-235 (limited) to 0-255 (full) to fix crushed blacks

4.5

Woman in the Dunes (1964)

Director: Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

Criterion DVD

4.5

Paris Is Burning (1990)

Director: Jennie Livingston

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion 2k transfer

4.5

The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959)

Director: Masaki Kobayashi

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

> Arrow Blu-ray > Japan Blu-ray

Both Arrow and Japan Blu-ray seem to suffer from the Quicktime Gamma Bug

4.5

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

4.4

Close-Up (1990)

Director: Abbas Kiarostami

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion best HD transfer

Best Audio:

2007 Soda Pictures DVD

4.4

A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

Director: John Cassavetes

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray or BFI Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion = BFI, both HD resto: source

4.4

Sansho the Bailiff (1954)

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Kadokawa Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Kadokawa Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

4.4

Where Is The Friend's House? (1987)

Director: Abbas Kiarostami

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion Koker Trilogy

4.4

The Ascent (1977)

Director: Larisa Shepitko

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

2022 France Potemkine Blu-ray

Video Notes:

2022 France Potemkine Blu-ray > Criterion

Best Audio:

France Potemkine

Audio Notes:

France Potemkine > Criterion

4.4

Scenes from a Marriage (1974)

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Best English-Friendly:

TV Cut: Criterion Blu-ray

Theatrical Cut: BFI Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

TV Cut: Japan Blu-ray

Theatrical Cut: BFI Blu-ray

Best Audio:

?

4.4

Hoop Dreams (1994)

Director: Steve James

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray and UK Dogwoof Blu-ray probably similar

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

4.4

Z (1969)

Director: Costa-Gavras

Best English-Friendly:

Spain Resen Blu-ray (Bootleg) or Criterion DVD

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

France ARTE

Video Notes:

France ARTE has Costa-Gavras Coffret boxset Germany/Spain also have releases

4.4

Mirror (1975)

Director: Andrei Tarkovsky

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion

Best Audio:

Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray marginally better

4.3

12345
21

Know a film where the Criterion release is the one to buy? Suggest it