The Criterion Connection

On this episode, we chat about our first John Cassavetes film - Opening Night (1977). We also talk about the recent news that Wes Anderson's first 10 features are being remastered in 4k for The Collection via a beautiful collector's box set. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:57) What we've been watching (00:32:50) Opening Night (01:08:39) Final thoughts (01:14:39) Next week ---- McKenzie on ⁠⁠...

Our journey to 100 is over, but the show doesn't stop. We start a new double feature by discussing one of McKezie's all-time favorite films and Pedro Almodóvar's first appearance on The Criterion Connection with 1999's All About My Mother . ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:25) What we've been watching (00:22:23) All About My Mother (01:02:39) Final thoughts (01:10:00) Next...

It's episode 100! And it's the end of our second-ever miniseries! We conclude our series of discussions on Spine #1206, Eric Rohmer's The Tale of the Four Seasons, with A Tale of Autumn (1998). We also chat about what’s coming to the collection in August. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:44) What we've been watching (00:15:20) Criterion Updates (00:32:27) A Tale of Autumn (00:55:43) Final tho...

We're one away from Episode 100 - We close out the double digits with the third film in Eric Rohmer's Tale of the Four Seasons, A Tale of Summer (1996). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:15) What we've been watching (00:28:30) A Tale of Summer (00:52:34) Final thoughts (00:56:21) Listener Messages Next week, we conclude this miniseries with the fourth and final film, A Tale of Autu...

The Journey to Episode 100 continues as we continue to discuss Spine #1206, Eric Rohmer's Tale of the Four Seasons. In this episode, we tackle the next film (and maybe the best?), A Tale of Winter (1992). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:23) What we've been watching (00:20:50) A Tale of Winter (00:57:01) Final thoughts Next week, we continue with the second film in the series, A Tale...

The Journey to Episode 100 begins as we start our newest miniseries, Spine #1206, covering Eric Rohmer's Tale of the Four Seasons box set. In this episode, we talk about the first in the collection, A Tale of Springtime (1990.). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:05:00) What we've been watching (00:26:48) A Tale of Springtime (00:56:07) Final thoughts Next week, we continue with the second film in...

This week we conclude our double feature centered around best dude friends that sorta suck with Elaine May's dudes-suck-Cinema staple: Mikey & Nicky (1976). Plus, we also chat about Criterion Collection announcements! ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:53) What we've been watching (00:15:19) Criterion announcements (00:35:59) Mikey & Nicky (01:01:12) Final thoughts (01:05:28) Li...

This week, for only the second time we discuss Papa, That Patron Saint of Cinema himself, Martin Scorsese and his breakout feature film: Mean Streets (1973). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:05) What we've been watching (00:29:26) Mean Streets (01:01:20) Final thoughts (01:13:15) Listener messages (01:15:51) Next week ---- McKenzie on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Austin Danger Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠ , on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ian...

This week, we chat once again about legendary Japanese filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa, and one of his totemic works: Ikiru (1952). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:30) What we've been watching (00:35:55) Ikiru (01:01:20) Final thoughts (01:06:08) Next week ---- McKenzie on ⁠⁠⁠Austin Danger Pod⁠⁠⁠ , on ⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠ Ian on ⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠ ---- Send us your emails and voicemails to have them...

This week, we start another double feature of films. Starting with McKenzie's pick, we discuss Abbas Kiarostami's Palm d'Or-winning bare-bones drama Taste of Cherry . ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:38) What we've been watching (00:26:00) Taste of Cherry (00:56:11) Final thoughts (01:02:41) Next week ---- McKenzie on ⁠⁠Austin Danger Pod⁠⁠ , on ⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠ Ian on ⁠⁠Letterbo...

McKenzie & Ian wrap up a somewhat ill-conceived double feature of films centering around queerness, toxic heteronormativity, and monogamy with Ken Russell's breakout feature film, Women in Love. We also discuss June 2025 Criterion Collection announcements and what is coming to the Criterion Channel in April 2025. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:48) What we've been watching (00:27...

We conclude our double feature honoring the late David Lynch with two of his films in the Criterion Collection. This week we discuss, arguably his greatest contribution to pop culture, Fire Walk With Me and the larger Twin Peaks canon. Thanks to our friend Pat for their email! ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:27) What we've been watching (00:23:35) Fire Walk With Me (01:17:30) Final Thoughts...

This week we're finally doing our personal send-up to the late great David Lynch, kicking off a double feature of his films, with the urtext - Blue Velvet (1986). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:05:12) What we've been watching (00:24:29) Blue Velvet (01:19:33) Final Thoughts (01:22:49) Listener Messages (01:27:56) Next week ---- Links Ian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ McKe...

This week, we end our Valentine's double feature centering around the films of Demy & Varda by focusing on the Queen of the French New Wave herself! Once again, we're talking about Agnes Varda with her lesser-known feature film: One Sings, The Other Doesn't (1977). We also chat about the most recent Criterion Collection additions. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:53) What we've been watch...

This week, we begin our Valentine's themed pairing with films by French cinema power couple, Jacques Demy & Agnes Varda. On this episode, we pair The Young Girls of Rochefort from Demy with his wife, Agnes Varda's, documentary about the legacy of the aforementioned film, The Young Girls Turn 25. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:19) What we've been watching (00:17:40) The Young...

After an interruption in programming, we're back to conclude our most recent double bill with Leonard Kastle's only feature film, the ripped-from-the-headlines tale: The Honeymoon Killers . ----Chapters(00:00:00) Intro (00:02:13) What we've been watching (00:23:44) The Honeymoon Killers (01:03:39) Final Thoughts (01:04:58) Listener Messages (01:08:48) Next week----LinksIan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterbox...

After taking a break last week due to the sudden death of Maestro David Lynch, we're back to our regularly scheduled programming chatting Nicole Kidman (currently being celebrated on the Criterion Channel) and her amazing performance in Gus Van Sant's phenomenal satire To Die For (1995). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:34) What we've been watching (00:21:20) Remembering David Lyn...

The Criterion Connection is back and we're finishing out our most recent double feature, focusing on the films of Céline Sciamma with her immediate follow up to ⁠Portrait of a Lady on Fire⁠ , the touching mini-masterpiece ⁠Petite maman⁠ . ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:00) What we've been watching (00:29:24) Petite maman (01:06:50) Next week ---- Links Ian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

We've come to the end of another year and we're going out on a bang as we chat about a film we both love very dearly, Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire . ---- THE CRITERION CONNECTION WILL RETURN IN 2025. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:52) Our favorite films we watched in 2024. (00:27:14) Portrait of a Lady on Fire (01:11:00) Final thoughts (01:08:10) Next week ---- Links Ian on ⁠...

The master of suspense makes his Criterion Connection debut. This week we discuss an early-ish Hitchcock film that delves into the subconscious - Spellbound (1945). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:21) What we've been watching (00:29:53) Spellbound (01:03:34) Final thoughts (01:08:10) Next week ---- Links Ian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ McKenzie on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Journey with us from the Bayou to the Big Apple as we discuss Barbra Streisand's sweeping melodrama that tackles some big themes with lots of questionable nuance. Plus, we also chat Criterion Collection Announcements for Feb 2025. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:30) What we've been watching (00:27:46) Criterion Collection Announcements for February 2025 (00:42:20) The Prince of Tides (01:17:...

We're back from a spontaneous break with our connection to VICTIMS OF SIN . We're finishing out Noirvember with a truly classic film noir that features, quiet possibly, one of the magnetic screen performances of all time - Rita Hayworth in GILDA (1946). We also chat Criterion Channel additions for December 2024. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:08) What we've been watching (00:15:18) What's c...

We're back and accidentally falling ass backward into a lil Noirvember double feature. And, while our main event this week isn't exactly a noir - it is part noir, part melodrama, part dance picture, part crime story. We're discussing the undefinable and absolutely stunning Victims of Sin (1951) directed by Emilio Fernández and starring the phenomenal Ninón Sevilla. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (...

We continue our Spooky Season double feature and this time it's a little bit back to basics with a stripped down ghost story on a shoe-string budget with Herk Harvey's only narrative feature film, Carnival of Souls (1962). We also chat Criterion Collection and channel additions for January 2025 and November 2024 respectively. ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:50) What we've been watching (00:1...

Happy Spooky Season to all who celebrate! This week we're getting scared white as a sheet as we talk about TRAUMA ( or was it actually ghosts? ) with Jack Clayton's incredibly atmospheric adaptation of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw ~ The Innocents (1961). ---- Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:57) What we've been watching (00:22:41) The Innocents (01:00:35) Final thoughts (01:06:41) Listener M...