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.
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:
- Excellent141
- Solid55
- Superior Imports1
- Good Imports1
- Good in DV Only1
- Disappointing3
- Worse Than BD1
Films where Criterion's release is the pick. How picks are made
405 of 636 films match · Page 11 of 21
Films where Criterion's release is the pick. How picks are made
Director: Jean Eustache
Best English-Friendly:
Criterion coming soon
Sources: filmlinc.org (opens in a new tab)
Best Video:
New 4k resto, waiting for Criterion to release https://www.filmlinc.org/films/my-little-loves/
Director: Éric Rohmer
Best English-Friendly:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Best English-Friendly:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Best Video:
Criterion Essential Fellini
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Video Notes:
StudioCanal and Universal Blu-ray have DNR. 4K master also exists, unreleased
Director: Kira Muratova
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Video Notes:
Criterion Blu-ray is "new 4K digital restorations"
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray with new 4k resto
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Éric Rohmer
Best English-Friendly:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Video Notes:
Criterion Blu-ray is English-friendly but has very poor compression: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=21900961&postcount=22
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Director: Gregory La Cava
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Video Notes:
Although there's a bit of aggressive grain management see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=15853770&postcount=43
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)
Director: Spike Lee
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Best English-Friendly:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Giuseppe De Santis
Best English-Friendly:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · filmforum.org (opens in a new tab)
Best Video:
Criterion Blu-ray HD restoration
Additional Info:
4K restoration is done https://filmforum.org/film/bitter-rice
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: John M. Stahl
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)
Video Notes:
Criterion Blu-ray has minimally better encoding than Twilight Time Blu-ray see caps
Director: Gregory Nava
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion A Hollis Frampton Odyssey Blu-ray 1080p extras
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
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