The Criterion Collection currently has 630 movies and counting released through its company. A number of those are now out-of-print, but there are also many more that are added each and every month. With many new additions coming, including beloved classics, modern day anomalies, cult favorites and foreign masterpieces, here is a look at five movies that could be perfect additions to the Criterion Collection library.
“Magnolia”
With P.T. Anderson finally receiving the critical acclaim he has always deserved, thanks to director nominations for “There Will be Blood” and recent praise for “The Master,” he is a director custom fit for the Criterion Collection. Rumors have surfaced that his dramedy “Punch Drunk Love” could be on the way to Criterion, but if any movie from Anderson deserves the Criterion treatment, it is his masterpiece “Magnolia.” The movie is an actor’s masterpiece and one of the finest screenplays ever written. Overlooked on its original release, it remains one of cinema’s greatest treasures.
“Pi”
Another director that fits the Criterion Collection like a glove is Darren Aronofsky. Every movie by Aronofsky could easily fit into the Criterion format, and there might not be a better place to start than his debut “Pi.” The movie is the least known of any of his work, and deserves the specialty treatment that Criterion could give it. Released in 1998, “Pi” tells the story of man who believes that everything can be understood through numbers.
“Barton Fink”
The Coen Brothers remain two of the most popular directors in cult cinema, with many fantastic movies that collectors and film lovers can point to as minor masterpieces. When scanning their library of titles, one that stands out as a Criterion possibility is “Barton Fink.” John Turturro stars as a playwright hired by Hollywood to script a wrestling movie. When he develops writer’s block, he begins to notice curiosities around the hotel that might lead to a serial killer.
Quentin Tarantino is a director that demands critical explorations of his work. A man who developed his style from movies watched while working in a video store, he is an encyclopedia of movie knowledge and his movies remain a brilliant mixture bright ideas and homage to older movies as well. The best place to start here is with his debut feature, “Reservoir Dogs,” shot thanks to the Sundance Institute. It is a raw look at a man who became one of cinema’s most unique talents.
“Pan’s Labyrinth”
Guillermo Del Toro has already made his way to the Criterion Collection with “Cronos” and “The Devil’s Backbone” should come in 2013. However, his masterpiece and the film that deserves a spot with Criterion above all others is “Pan’s Labyrinth.” The movie is a fairy tale set in the Spanish Civil War about a little girl who finds a secret path into a beautiful world that might be deadlier than the war ravaged world she lives in.
See also:
Criterion Collection Review: Sunday Bloody Sunday Blu-ray
Criterion Collection Releases: November 2012
Criterion Collection Announces Their January 2013 Schedule
Criterion Collection Hints Big 2013 Releases
Criterion Collection Review: The Forgiveness of Blood Blu-Ray
