Criterion Close-Up

Latest Episodes
CCU24 - A Conversation with Caitlin Kuhwald
Illustrator extraordinaire Caitlin Kuhwald joins us to talk about her artwork and the Criterion Collection. She is a professional artist and has worked extensively with many clients, including The Criterion Collection. She has created original...
CCU23.5: Star Wars The Force Awakens
This is our first bonus episode and we look at the behemoth of the moment, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This is a fun little detour from our usual serious, arthouse type of podcast. We tried to approach the movie as both fans and discerning...
CCU23 - Breaker Morant and Mr Johnson
This is the first Criterion Close-Up double feature. Mark and Aaron take a close look at two films from Bruce Beresford, released theatrically a decade apart and just recently as part of The Criterion Collection. We look at Breaker Morant and how it...
CCU22: A Room with a View (1986)
Mark and Aaron start the New Year as members of CriterionCast, and jump into the world of Merchant Ivory. With such a lavish, large production with quite an ensemble of characters, there is a lot to say. We discuss the social constraints placed upon...
CCU21: A Christmas Tale (2008)
This is a special Christmas episode as we discuss some end of the year Criterion news along with Arnaud Desplechin's 2008 A Christmas Tale, released on The Criterion Collection in 2009. Rather than a pleasant family Christmas film that fills all with...
CCU20: Criterion March Releases & The Best Blu-Rays of 2015
Aaron, Mark and Martin Kessler discuss the March 2016 Criterion Collection releases, and then go further by talking about our favorite Blu-Ray releases of the year. These include Criterions, but we also discuss many other boutique labels including...
CCU19: A Conversation with Alex Cox
Mark and Aaron talk to Director, Screenwriter, Actor, Author (and many other titles) Alex Cox. We focus on his films in the Criterion Collection, including Repo Man, Sid & Nancy, Walker and Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, but we delve into a lot...
SC6: In Cold Blood (1967)
Aaron West and David Blakeslee talk about Richard Brooks' 1967 adaptation of the popular Truman Capote "Non-fiction Novel," In Cold Blood. We talk about the actual crime itself and how the perpetrators are portrayed, whether accurately or not, the...
CCU18: Expanded News and an Announcement
Mark and Aaron have to abbreviate the episode, but we expand the news and get into what is happening not just with Criterion, but also with other films out there during awards season and that are in the wheelhouse of Criterion fans. We also finally...
SC5: Here Is Your Life
Aaron West discusses This Is Your Life, Jan Troell's debut film on The Criterion Collection, which he co-write, directed, photographed, and edited. The intent was not to compare him to Bergman, but that was easier said than done. Any 1960s Swedish art...