The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

[Noiradelic]

Want to watch this, but not on my laptop, so I guess I'll have to wait till April.

[jedgeco]

Watched Wanda with no problems last night using the VHX app. It looked great, and I was really glad to have the chance to watch it, as it's one of the few Sight & Sound poll films I haven't seen due to its limited availability.

This is also the sort of marginal-interest film that I probably would have bought on Blu-ray last year and now won't (as was To Sleep with Anger), so for the first time, I can really see myself buying a lot fewer CC Blu-rays in the future.

[testingwithfire]

Hi all, new to this topic.

It looks like the initial rollout will be available only for US IP addresses, which ... ?!? I don't quite understand. MUBI is available worldwide.

[jedgeco]

Historically, Criterion and Janus have had distribution rights for their catalogs only in the United States, so it's unlikely that they have obtained streaming rights for most of the catalog outside the US.

[dda1996a]

Hi all, new to this topic.

It looks like the initial rollout will be available only for US IP addresses, which ... ?!? I don't quite understand. MUBI is available worldwide.

Mubi shows different films in different countries/regions. You could use an IP blocker to watch movies from different countries though

[willoneill]

The Criterion Channel will also be available in Canada.

[jedgeco]

For All Mankind just popped as the movie of the week.

[lzx]

Detour is Movie of the Week #8

[domino harvey]

A movie everyone could already see for free everywhere!

[HinkyDinkyTruesmith]

I watched it this afternoon though, and it looks pretty darn great.

[yoloswegmaster]

Criterion Channel Lineup for April: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts ... nch-lineup

[albucat]

Looks fantastic so far. And the list of licencors is also strong: "Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Lionsgate, IFC Films, Kino Lorber, Cohen Media, Milestone Film and Video, Oscilloscope, Cinema Guild, Strand Releasing, Shout Factory, Film Movement, and Grasshopper Films. Additional licensors will be added in the coming months."

[yoloswegmaster]

Personally, I'm excited for John Woo's 'Last Hurrah for Chivalry'. I wonder if Criterion is going to be releasing it on blu.

[jedgeco]

A really solid and thoughtful lineup. One of the "problems" of streaming services is that the number of choices leaves you paralyzed with indecision, so it's good to see that they are thinking about how to give subscribers a through-line to find notable films. I'll also be really happy if they're streaming some of the older CC titles (e.g., The Cranes Are Flying, Great Expectations) in HD.

I did note this: "Films in the permanent streaming library will be continuously available...", which is a clear signal that the Channel will not be permanently streaming every spine numbered physical release.

[senseabove]

I did note this: "Films in the permanent streaming library will be continuously available...", which is a clear signal that the Channel will not be permanently streaming every spine numbered physical release.

It sounds like that's what it is saying, though, which the full paragraph makes clearer: "Films in the permanent streaming library will be continuously available to all Criterion Channel subscribers at all times, regardless of whether they are being spotlighted in thematic programming. Films licensed specifically for featured thematic programming may be available for shorter periods, but all films will be available for a minimum of ninety days unless otherwise noted."

That is, "movies from our library will be permanently available, whether or not they're highlighted, but movies licensed from other labels will be only temporarily available, usually for at least 90 days."

[Luke M]

I like that a whole lot better than Filmstruck's policy.

[jedgeco]

I did note this: "Films in the permanent streaming library will be continuously available...", which is a clear signal that the Channel will not be permanently streaming every spine numbered physical release.

It sounds like that's what it is saying, though, which the full paragraph makes clearer: "Films in the permanent streaming library will be continuously available to all Criterion Channel subscribers at all times, regardless of whether they are being spotlighted in thematic programming. ....

Perhaps I'm used to over-lawyering press releases, but when they go out of their way to describe a "permanent streaming library," I take that as something slightly different than "every in-print spine number," otherwise they'd have just said that. For example, I wouldn't expect Criterion to have obtained streaming rights to some of it's more prominent Hollywood releases.

Of course, I'll be happy to have been overly suspicious!

[Noiradelic]

" I take that as something slightly different than "every in-print spine number," otherwise they'd have just said that. For example, I wouldn't expect Criterion to have obtained streaming rights to some of it's more prominent Hollywood releases.

The studios would never license permanent streaming rights to most of Criterion's Hollywood releases, even if CC could afford them, which it can't.

[Noiradelic]

I like that a whole lot better than Filmstruck's policy.

It was the policy of Filmstruck's higher tier (was that called Filmstruck + Criterion Collection Channel?).

[criterionsnob]

Was The Elephant Man available on Filmstruck, or is that a new addition? I'm hoping that's the next Lynch to get a Criterion Blu-ray release.

[kcota17]

It seems like they struck a new streaming deal with Paramount so it could just be apart of that.

[flyonthewall2983]

So is that line-up everything or will there be a lot more titles added in to pad out the selections when it officially launches? I notice this whenever HBO or Netflix releases lineups of whatever is on next month, that there's more than advertised.

[KJones77]

So is that line-up everything or will there be a lot more titles added in to pad out the selections when it officially launches? I notice this whenever HBO or Netflix releases lineups of whatever is on next month, that there's more than advertised.

These are spotlights in addition to the "permanent catalog of titles".

[Minkin]

Two things:

1) I won't be subscribing to the Criterion Channel. There's far too much I'm backlogged with already. I will therefore need everyone's help for finding if anything is added to the service that needs to be placed on the forthcoming list.

2) As Filmstruck was such a mess for me, and I still haven't completely fixed the Forthcoming list because of that.... Please note the following with the Criterion Channel:

I will not add anything to the forthcoming list unless the film opens with a Janus logo.

-I will wait for reports to see how frequently films open with the Criterion logo - to which that might be acceptable proof (only if it shows up with the Criterion logo before the movie, not some "Criterion channel" etc).

-If a movie has "wacky C" branding anywhere, that is not proof of anything. If its on the Criterion Channel as opposed to channel X, that still isn't proof. Even if the film is listed on some "here's what's coming up next month" press release directly from Criterion (as seen above) = nope.

Just Janus (and possibly Criterion) logos before the movie.

Thanks
-Your neighborhood Wrangler

[FrauBlucher]

Just like OLD COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN had a C in front of it on Filmstrick and everyone that wasn’t aware enough (especially those folks over at the other forum) thought it was a forthcoming bluray release.