In the 1940s and '50's, Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) made some of the best dancing musicals ever filmed. And now, Criterion is streaming nine of these pictures. I've added two movies, making eleven. Most musicals are fantasies. Without instruments and choreography, real people don't just burst into song and dance. But there are also realistic … Continue reading Leonard Bernstein & the MGM musical
Category: Streaming
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of April
At the end of every month, the Criterion Channel drops a lot of films to make room for other pictures. See these, or at least some of them, before it's May. Full recommendations A Ten Canoes (2006) This unique film feels more like a piece of oral tradition than of cinema. A heavily accented, English-speaking, … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of April
Pre-Code Paramount on the Criterion Channel
As silent movies died and the talkies took over, movies became racier. The jokes got raunchier. The gowns were more revealing. And the bad girl could get the good guy – or maybe two good guys. This so-called "Pre-Code era" died in 1934, when the censors of the Production Code Administration took away much of the fun. … Continue reading Pre-Code Paramount on the Criterion Channel
Buster Keaton at the Criterion Channel
If you haven't experienced Buster Keaton, this is the time to discover the greatest physical comedian since the invention of cinema. He could take a fall like nobody else, But he was more than that. He was a complete auteur, with a sense of what made a good story, and the feel of where to … Continue reading Buster Keaton at the Criterion Channel
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of January
At the end of every month, The Criterion Channel drops a lot of movies from its streaming service to make room for other pictures. Here are just a few of the films that will disappear from the Channel on February 1st. Full recommendations A Broken Blossoms (1919) We're not supposed to say good things about … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of January
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of November
At the end of every month, the Criterion Channel removes a lot of movies from their streaming service (although some return surprisingly fast). Here are only a few of the films that will go away when November disappears. Full recommendations A Deep Cover (1992) Here's an extraordinary film noir from the early 1990s. Laurence Fishburne … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of November
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of October
What will likely shiver your bones on Halloween? It's not the fake tombstones. Or the recorded witch voice. And not even the children's dentist bills. The true terror will be the realization that at midnight, on Halloween, many movies will disappear from the Criterion Channel. Now that's scary! So here are some of the best … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of October
Stuck at home? Celebrate silent films if you can’t go to a theater
Today, if you have the time, watch a film with printed titles instead of dialogue. After all, today is Silent Movie Day. With the exceptions of the Sebastopol and the Elmwood, the theaters and festivals don't seem to care. If you're not a silent film fan, and you're wondering what's so special about 100-year-old movies, … Continue reading Stuck at home? Celebrate silent films if you can’t go to a theater
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of September
At the end of every month, The Criterion Channel removes some of their films to make room for more. Here are some of the films that will go away at the end of August: Full recommendations A Raging Bull (1980) Martin Scorsese put a cap on 70's cinema with this study of boxer Jake La … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of September
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of June
A lot of early John Ford films will disappear from the Criterion Channel at the end of June. There are several other good films that will go away after June 30. Click the film's title to start watching the movie – assuming as if you subscribe to the Channel. Full recommendations A+ The Last Picture … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of June
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