Criterion Close-up

Mark and Aaron are joined by Scott Nye to hash out the intricate themes, history, and nuance of Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day. Given the length and depth of the film, we explored it in detail, distilling the cultural and societal clashes that took place in a pivotal period of Chinese and Taiwanese history....

Mark and Aaron welcome old friend, Doug McCambridge to talk about Robert Altman’s “Don’t call it a” comeback. We touch on the opening tracking shot, what Altman is saying about Hollywood, and yes, we even go into the ending — or both of them. On top of that, we give some tidbits on how to...

Mark and Aaron welcome Ben Model, silent film historian, accompanist, distributor, and enthusiast. He gave a presentation about “undercranking” on Criterion’s release of Chaplin’s The Kid. We discuss the idea of undercranking, scoring silent music, and the state of silent media today theatrically and in the home video market. Episode Links & Notes Special Guest:...

Mark and Aaron take a look at Whit Stillman’s Barcelona (1994), and how it compares with his other work. We focus most on his other two films from the 1990s, Metropolitan (1990) and Last Days of Disco (1998), but we also discuss his most recent effort, Love and Friendship. About the film: Whit Stillman followed...

Mark and Aaron explore the popular genre that is science fiction. At the core of our discussion is a science fiction project that Aaron has been working on, but we also explore the genre on Criterion, and delve further into Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s World on a Wire. Episode Links & Notes 0:00 – Welcome and...

Aaron is joined by Keith Enright for a discussion of politics, new and old, through the lens of The War Room (1993), the behind-the scenes 1992 Clinton campaign documentary. We go into depth about the backroom politics and how those are what defines the campaign, but are usually far from the public eye. We contrast...

Mark, Aaron and Paul Cobb look at John Frankenheimer’s political thriller, The Manchurian Candidate. We explore the originality and how it influenced other paranoia films, how it spoke to the spirit of the 1960s, as a satire towards McCarthyism, and how it has remained relevant throughout the years.

Mark and Aaron fly back to 1939 to discuss Howard Hawks’ classic Only Angels Have Wings. We evaluate the special effects, how the film built suspense, the context of aviation in the late 1930s, and later films that embody a similar masculinity. We also reveal the winner of our Don Hertzfeldt contest and talk about...

Mark and Aaron discuss Plain Archive, the South Korean Blu-Ray label, with input from Hyunhu Jang. He is a Producer and the Communications Manager for the label. In addition to talking about the label’s titles and their terrific packaging, we also delve into the global Blu-Ray economy and the challenges with streaming media. We discuss...

Mark and Aaron change things up by talking about a variety of topics. We delve into Don Hertzfeldt, Lady Snowblood, our recent purchases, films we’ve seen lately, Criterion news, and a strange story about a trolling incident.

Mark and Aaron are joined by Michele Rosenthal, professional illustrator and Criterion fan artist. She’s also a Criterion fan, but approaches the label from a different angle compared to most collectors. We talk to her about her process, passion, and dedication, and we also discuss the June 2016 release slate with her. Special Guest: Michele...

Mark, Aaron, and Tim are seduced by plastics. We explore what turned out to be a pivotal film in Hollywood history. The Graduate paved the way for many films to come, from casting lead actors, film structure, cinematography, and to the use of music in film. We explore the complexities of Ben’s relationships, speculate about...

Mark, Aaron, Cole, and Dustin are back to continue the conversation about “Gross Out” films. This time we strike a balance between artistry and filth, and try to find redeeming qualities in some of the films considered to be among the grossest of all time. We cover genres and movements, including Giallo, 80s horror, New...

Mark, Aaron, Cole, and Dustin go further than most people want to go. This is our exploration of the gross film, and whether the subgenre has any artistic merit. Our main episode is a deeper look at Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (2009), followed by a history of gore and violence in film, and then a...

Mark and Aaron are joined by JD and Brendan from InSession Film Podcast to discuss the world of film podcasting. We talk about what led us to this new medium, how the community embraces and enhances it, and how much of an impact it has on our lives. We compare it to the terrestrial radio...

Mark, Aaron and Kristen Sales give Catherine Breillat’s Fat Girl a look. We look at Breillat’s methods, and the points about women in society she is trying to make. We delve into feminism, fat shaming, and the dichotomy between the lives of men and and women. We also take a close look at the shocking...

Mark and Aaron are joined by Cole & Ericca from the Magic Lantern Podcast. They are Austin, TX residents and shed a lot of insight into this landmark independent film, Richard Linklater and his involvement in the Austin Film Society. They also talk about how the film reflects the city of Austin, and how much...

Mark and Aaron take a trip north to the wonderful world of Canada. This is a special, unscheduled episode to celebrate the O’ Canada Blogathon. We talk about all things Canadian, including our Canadian Connections, film and media culture from Canada, and two particular films from The Criterion Collection — Videodrome and My Winnipeg. Show...

Mark and Aaron are joined by Matt Sheardown of … Criterion Close-Up. You heard right. Long story. Matt is also a video games expert, so we borrowed his expertise as we broke down and evaluated the controversial Criterion release of Takashi Murakami’s Jellyfish Eyes. We discuss the visuals, the influences, the intended audience, and how...

Mark, Aaron and Keith Enright give a look at D.A. Pennabaker’s documentary portrait of Bob Dylan in Dont Look Back (the no apostrophe is intentional). This was a pivotal period in the artist’s career, and both the film and the music were influential. We dig deep as to what type of persona Dylan revealed, the...