Part 4 of our podcast series on the early films of Abbas Kiarostami just published! In this episode, @mookse.bsky.social and I discussed six "school films" to conclude our coverage of 17 titles in this collection. criterioncast.com/podcast/ecli...

my 1949 zine is available NOW! ships in 2-5 days. please consider buying one if you haven't already! a labor of love & a needed way of making a little extra $ so any support is greatly appreciated!

Part 3 of our Eclipse Viewer conversation about ABBAS KIAROSTAMI: EARLY SHORTS AND FEATURES is now online! In this episode, Trevor Berrett and I talk about five films made in the years surrounding the Iranian political revolution that deposed the Shah in 1979. criterioncast.com/podcast/ecli...

1/11/51: Sam Fuller's astonishing zero-budget The Steel Helmet Shot during the Korean war; amazing it got by the PCA censors More: @marshagordon.bsky.social: www.jstor.org/stable/26532... @peutetre.bsky.social: criterioncast.com/column/a-jou... @zachlaws.bsky.social: collider.com/steel-helmet...

Three friends, each very knowledgeable about the Criterion Collection, share their thoughts about their favorite releases by that label from the past year. criterioncast.com/podcast/crit...

12/20/79: Hal Ashby's Being There [N: Jerzy Kosinski] w/Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas More: @cinephiliabeyond.org: cinephiliabeyond.org/hal-ashbys-b... @markharris.bsky.social: www.criterion.com/current/post... @peutetre.bsky.social: criterioncast.com/reviews/blu-...

Here's what she's talking about! Part 2 of our coverage of the new Abbas Kiarostami set, just released in the Criterion Collection's Eclipse Series. criterioncast.com/podcast/ecli...

The Eclipse Viewer podcast is live again! @peutetre.bsky.social and I recorded the first of our episode covering the newest Eclipse series from @criterion.bsky.social: Abbas Kiarostami—Early Shorts and Features. open.substack.com/pub/eclipsev...

This was a great conversation, give it a listen!

Here's a 20 minute video I made discussing each of the Criterion Collection spine numbers that end in 00 (in honor of NETWORK (1976), recently announced as Spine 1300). youtu.be/B69VUaj3Z24?...

Stepping briefly out of my Criterion-centric podcasting habits, I had a few things to say about this poignant, heart-wrenching animated Japanese film set in the final days of WWII.

So glad to be revisiting the work of Abbas Kiarostami with my podcasting partner of many years!

First look at the new Abbas Kiarostami box set coming from Criterion as they revive the Eclipse Series. youtu.be/Ho94kFb-D6Q?...

Just released today, here's my 8 minute review of CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, a 4K/Blu-ray edition that returns the film to the Criterion Collection 34 years after they first released it on Laserdisc! youtu.be/kbZ-HyGAAgM

Link to a new episode of my podcast: criterioncast.com/podcast/crit...

I reviewed this excellent late work from Ozu back in 2010! criterioncast.com/column/a-jou...

14 minute video review of JEAN DE FLORETTE and MANON OF THE SPRING, new on 4K UHD from the Criterion Collection. youtu.be/fyhUpXWP4XE?...

New episode of my podcast, in which I revisit Allan King's COME ON CHILDREN, a Canadian "actuality drama" involving 10 teenagers living without adult supervision on a farm in 1972. A fun conversation, give it a listen! criterioncast.com/podcast/crit...

Always happy to see a movie review I wrote on 2011 get some fresh circulation!

The MLB app is really going out of its way to keep the Dodgers in first place.

A look at the packaging of the new Criterion Collection edition of UGETSU, a classic ghost story directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Also my first post on the Skylight Social app!

An advance look at Barry Blitt’s “Left to Their Own Devices,” the cover for next week’s issue. #NewYorkerCovers

15 minutes of me talking about NIGHT MOVES, starring Gene Hackman. The Criterion Collection just put it out in 4K UHD. youtu.be/sz1-s_fxoBI?...

New Criterion Now episode with @peutetre.bsky.social. We get into the Killers of the Flower Moon news that went viral and also the June 2025 announcements. cinejourneys.com/criterion-no...

My 20 minute review of Charles Chaplin's A WOMAN OF PARIS, just released by the Criterion Collection. I also talk a bit about Criterion's other Chaplin releases and where this title fits in his filmography. youtu.be/_x8j3MFpk3Y?...

I published a new episode of my podcast yesterday, which seems kind of silly and futile in light of all that's going on in today's world, but it's about rampaging monsters inflicting indiscriminate chaos and destruction, so I suppose it's sufficiently on-topic. criterioncast.com/podcast/crit...

Two photos: 1) me introducting Flow at the Boston Baltic Film Festival with Matīss Upītis, who is the VFX artist and animator that did the WATER in Flow. This was Saturday. 2) Upītis with his Oscar! This was Sunday.

@grfilmsociety.bsky.social published a special edition of our newsletter, a dedicated tribute to David Lynch and the impact that he and his work have had on so many. Here's a link: grfilmsociety.substack.com/p/special-ed...

I strung together enough words about the new KING LEAR release from Criterion to fill almost 17 minutes of air time (with a little help from Richard Brody). But it all amounts to nothing. No thing. youtu.be/aCzhH2C71tw?...

In advance of reviewing Criterion's upcoming release of Jean-Luc Godard's KING LEAR, I made this video talking about films he made in the 1980s that I'm in process of watching, to better understand what he was up to during that decade. youtu.be/ARLUkHh_VEs?...

New episode of my podcast discusses Mike Leigh's 1973 made-for-BBC film Hard Labour, and also his most recent release Hard Truths, still showing theatrically in some markets. criterioncast.com/podcast/crit...

Downtown Grand Rapids tonight at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.

Information on the fundraiser that will benefit the Black History Month assembly celebration of local Campus Elementary School! grcmc.org/theatre/even...

This past Saturday I hosted an hour-long video call about 2 films from Pier Paolo Pasolini: 1962 short LA RICOTTA and 1963 feature LOVE MEETINGS. It's part of a series hosted on the CineJourneys website created by @awest505.bsky.social and @biscuitkitten.bsky.social youtu.be/zOxIxgtRthg?...

I had a few things to say about the new Criterion release of WINCHESTER '73. 12 minute video includes an old trailer. youtu.be/9DE0kTNLJv4?...

A 6 minute video survey of Westerns that the Criterion Collection has released on DVD and Blu-ray over the past 17 years. youtu.be/S8OE5s3znC0?...

Proud to contribute to the #Pasolini discussion over at @cinejourneys.bsky.social with my friend @peutetre.bsky.social with my review of his #sexeducation #documentary “Love Meetings” boxd.it/8Az5Nb

I planned to be quiet on social media today but I decided to give Facebook a peek. Right there at the top of my timeline was Trump's inauguration photo, him glaring at the camera. I immediately reported the photo as "Violence, hate, or exploitation", subtype "Organized Crime". That made it go away.

I'm disappointed that the Lions lost tonight, even though I didn't watch the game. (No access to TV networks at this time.) NFL broadcasts (esp. the ads) put a lot of strain on my cultural diet that seeks to limit my intake of stupidity, so I'm relieved to be done with football for a while.

Anyone interested in what I have to say about Jean Eustache's 1973 film THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE? Well here's your chance, in both video and written formats. criterioncast.com/reviews/blu-...

Happy (and relieved) to see that Nouvelle Vague will be presented in French even though the director is American. I wouldn't tolerate watching the Cahiers du cinéma gang speak in English.

I had a great time as a guest on David Blakeslee's (@peutetre.bsky.social) great Criterion Reflections podcast this last week discussing Peter Bogdanovich and his 1973 classic film Paper Moon. Give it a listen on your favorite podcast app or at the link here! criterioncast.com/podcast/crit...

I gave intro comments prior to tonight's screening of WINTER LIGHT. Right after the movie ended, someone in the back of the theater blurted out an incredulous "what?!?" I could not have wished for a more perfect reaction at that moment.

Thank you Karl! Here's the link. criterioncast.com/podcast/crit...

An excellent director who delivers great insights into British culture via highly entertaining and engaging films. Some nice links in this post, including a review I wrote of ALL NIGHT LONG back in 2012!

15th annual edition of our "Favorites from the Criterion Collection" podcast episode!

Saw WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954) in theater this afternoon. A fun, satisfying crowd pleaser for sure, but I feel like I could eviscerate the essence of what the movie was aiming for if I just decided to not go along with it.

12/19/1968: Lindsay Anderson's audacious If Malcolm McDowell big-screen debut got Kubrick's attention More: @peutetre.bsky.social / @criterioncast.com: criterioncast.com/column/refle... @lwlies.com: lwlies.com/articles/why... Harvey/ @lareviewofbooks.bsky.social: lareviewofbooks.org/article/a-bu...