2019 Criterion Forum Awards

[domino harvey]

IMPORTANT NOTE
Voting starts once the last release of December is unleashed on the populace, December 10th. You may post in this thread before that, but any lists posted early will, as always, be deleted and your message replaced with Gossip Girl GIFs.

Please either post your votes in this thread or PM me, domino harvey. You may or may not vote in most categories, but you must provide a ranked Top Five to be counted at all. No ties will be counted in any category, so make the hard decision if you want your vote to matter.

NO VOTING UNTIL DECEMBER 10 2019
VOTING CLOSES JANUARY 10 2020

And your 2019 Criterion Awards categories are…
BEST RELEASE Numbered in order from 1-5. Must vote for five titles to have your ballot counted. Boxed sets can also be voted on in this category
BEST BOXED SET
BEST MODERN FILM "New" (within the last five years) films released by Criterion

BEST COMMENTARY New commentaries only, not ports of existing discs from other labels/studios (see list below)
BEST "BONUS" FILM See list below
BEST BOOKLET
BEST ON-DISC NON-COMMENTARY EXTRA

BEST REISSUE
BEST UPGRADE Former DVD titles upgraded without new features

BEST COVER
CLUNY BROWNIEST COVER
BEST PACKAGING

BEST DISCOVERY For the film that is, as the NBC commercials used to say, new to you
MOST UNNECESSARY RELEASE For the film that didn’t need to join the Collection, either for personal reasons (you hate it) or because Criterion’s additions added little to already available editions
MOST FLAWED RELEASE For Criterion's treatment, not the film itself

BEST THREAD For the discussion that yielded the most interesting insights or entertainment this year
MEMBER OF THE YEAR For the member with the best contributions to the forum this year
RICHARD CRANIUM AWARD For the member with the worst contributions to the forum this year


2019 RELEASES

956 24 Frames
957 Mikey and Nicky
958 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
959 In the Heat of the Night
960 La verite
961 Shame
962 Death in Venice
963 To Sleep With Anger
964 the Kid Brother
965 Wanda
966 Detour
967 I Wanna Hold Your Hand
968 Japon
969 Diamonds in the Night
970 A Face in the Crowd
971-972 Police Story I & II
973 My Brilliant Career
974 the Heiress
975 Funny Games
976 Let the Sunshine In
977 Blue Velvet
978 One Sings, the Other Doesn't
979 Swing Time
980 La vie de Jesus
981 L'humanite
982 Hedwig and the Angry Inch
983 War and Peace
984 1984
985 Europa Europa
986 the Baker's Wife
987 Klute
988 the Inland Sea
989 the Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice
990-992 the Koker Trilogy
993 the Cloud-Capped Star
994 Local Hero
995 Polyester
996 the Circus
997 Cluny Brown
998 When We Were Kings
999 Matewan
1000 Godzilla: the Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975
1001 the Daytrippers
1002 Betty Blue
1003 All About Eve
1004 Now, Voyager
1005 Cold War
1006 the Story of Temple Drake
1007 Until the End of the World
1008 Old Joy

2019 REISSUES

71 the Magic Flute
97 Do the Right Thing
137 Notorious
400 Stranger Than Paradise

2019 UPGRADES

134 Haxan
203-206 the BRD Trilogy
208-211 A Film Trilogy by Ingmar Bergman
225 Tunes of Glory
301 An Angel at My Table
333 Fists in the Pocket
401 Night on Earth
411 Berlin Alexanderplatz
457 Magnificent Obsession
528-531 3 Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg


ELIGIBLE BONUS FILMS
Luchino Visconti: Life as in a Romance (Death in Venice)
Visconti's Venice (Death in Venice)
Le scandale Clouzot (La vérité)
I Am Wanda (Wanda)
the Frontier Experience (Wanda)
the Lift (I Wanna Hold Your Hand)
A Field of Honor (I Wanna Hold Your Hand)
Adulte (Japón)
Edgar G. Ulmer: the Man Off-Screen (Detour)
Over the Fence (the Kid Brother)
That's Him (the Kid Brother)
A Loaf of Bread (Diamonds in the Night)
Arnošt Lustig Through the Eyes of Jan Němec (Diamonds of the Night)
One Hundred a Day (My Brilliant Career)
The Costume Designer (the Heiress)
Voilà l’enchaînement (Let the Sunshine In)
Women Are Naturally Creative (One Sings, the Other Doesn't)
Réponse de femmes (One Sings, the Other Doesn't)
Plaisir d’amour en Iran (One Sings, the Other Doesn't)
"Blue Velvet" Revisited (Blue Velvet)
Woina I Mir (War and Peace)
The Making of "War and Peace" (War and Peace)
"Klute" in New York (Klute)
Homework (the Koker Trilogy)
Abbas Kiarostami: Truths and Dreams (the Koker Trilogy)
What Did the Lady Forget? (the Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice)
Shooting from the Heart (Local Hero)
the Making of "Local Hero" (Local Hero)
Soul Power (When We Were Kings)
the Hatbox (The Daytrippers)
Le chien de Monsieur Michel (Betty Blue)
All About Mankiewicz (All About Eve)
Hollywood Backstories: "All About Eve" (All About Eve)
The Song (Until the End of the World)

ELIGIBLE COMMENTARIES
And Life Goes On
the Circus
the Daytrippers
Local Hero

MINKIN'S COVER ROUND-UP


Bonus films and commentaries compiled by swo17

[perkizitore]

[DeprongMori]

I guess we’re not going to see Bamboo Toboggan released this year.

[movielocke]

The bakers wife commentary is not to be missed. Incredibly informative!

[Boosmahn]

That squirrel is adorable; I'm taking the tattoo rights to it ASAP.

[TMDaines]

I think the covers are much improved from recent years. I like a lot of these.

Opening this thread is the first thing that has made me realise how quick this year has passed, as I at first expected to find all of last year's releases.

[movielocke]

In regards to the bonus films, are there enough in each category to split them into shorts and features? (says someone who wants to vote for both Women respond and What did the Lady forget)

[zedz]

I watched The Baker's Wife disc on the weekend, and I'd like to point out that the "selected-scene commentary" on it, while very good, is not actually a commentary in any meaningful sense. It consists of four parts, none of which are commentaries on a selected scene. The first part is a standard intro over illustrative stills, and the remaining three are brief essays that run over montages of relevant clips drawn from throughout the film. i.e. it's just a standard extra, like so many others that also use film clips to illustrate their points.

[bugsy_pal]

Just looking at the 2019 lists... it's a pretty great year of releases, even though I will probably own less than a quarter of them

[kcota17]

Since it is technically a bonus feature being on a supplement disc, could the original Japanese version of King Kong vs Godzilla be eligible for Best Bonus Film?

[swo17]

Since it is technically a bonus feature being on a supplement disc, could the original Japanese version of King Kong vs Godzilla be eligible for Best Bonus Film?

We've treated alternate cuts of Tree of Life and Andrei Rublev that way so there is a precedent

[tenia]

Looking at the current list for bonus films, I don't understand exactly what it encompasses. I thought it really was for Films (ie feature length documentaries, movies or short movies), but I've seen that 20 minutes documentaries are included and even two 9 minutes featurettes. On the other hand, the alternative cut por Police Story 2 is not included, nor is John Stahl's Magnificent Obsession (which is newly restored - unlike the Sirk one). I'm also unsure, considering what currently is in the list, if it's an omission or not that the 61min 1988 Do The Right Thing making of, 52min "Once upon a time" Notorious documentary or some of the lengthy "making ofs" for Hedwig and the Angry Inch aren't included.
It looks like 2018's list was already more inclusive, but it doesn't seem it was the case in the past.

[Glowingwabbit]

I assume John Stahl's Magnificent Obsession was left off because its not new (that title was a simple upgrade). I dont think any special features (incl. commentaries) are eligible if it's from a previous release.

[domino harvey]

Swo compiled the list of bonus films. I assume he only includes those films that have an IMDB listing, thus some weird outliers like the backstage TV doc. No one’s voting for the weird non-films anyways, so who cares?

And yes, old Criterion extras don’t count

[swo17]

More detail than most will care to know but...

My intent was to include any documentary that wasn't specifically made to be a DVD extra. So for example, the contemporary featurette about the making of Klute is eligible, but something that Criterion produced (or that some other studio produced for a prior DVD release) isn't. And yes, if the bonus film already appeared on a previous Criterion release, my intent was to leave it off.

Alternate edits are trickier. Given how the specs presented, say, The Passion According to Andrei on the Andrei Rublev release, it seemed like a natural thing to list it as a bonus film. It didn't occur to me at the time to give the same treatment to King Kong vs. Godzilla. They should probably both be treated the same way, though I suppose an argument could be made for not counting either of them.

Obviously, anything that doesn't make it into this category is eligible for "Best Other Extra," but I'm happy to reconsider my criteria or revise the list if anyone notices anything I missed

[Roger Ryan]

...Alternate edits are trickier. Given how the specs presented, say, The Passion According to Andrei on the Andrei Rublev release, it seemed like a natural thing to list it as a bonus film...

Then again, this cut of the film was previously released by Criterion as it was the only version to appear on the 1999 DVD release. Would it still count now? (I guess this is the argument for not including it!)

[swo17]

Good point! Well, one of the cuts was new anyway. In any case, the bigger reason it's not listed now is that it came out last year

[Roger Ryan]

Good point! Well, one of the cuts was new anyway. In any case, the bigger reason it's not listed now is that it came out last year

Ha! Of course. Need to remind myself to step back and look at the bigger picture.

[tenia]

Swo compiled the list of bonus films. I assume he only includes those films that have an IMDB listing, thus some weird outliers like the backstage TV doc. No one’s voting for the weird non-films anyways, so who cares?

I helped in the past years compiling end of year lists. I here simply wondered here if I missed something in terms of what is included or not, or if some material was wrongly omitted or included.

More detail than most will care to know but...

Thanks for your answer nonetheless !

[domino harvey]

VOTING NOW OPEN

Rulings on questions upthread:
Alternate cuts will not be considered for the Bonus Film category. The selected-scene commentary for the Baker's Wife is no longer eligible for Best Commentary (though I was tempted to keep it out of spite for zedz bombarding two threads about it!)

[Never Cursed]

BEST RELEASE:
1. To Sleep With Anger
2. A Face In The Crowd
3. War And Peace
4. Do the Right Thing
5. Polyester

BEST BOXED SET: The Koker Trilogy
BEST MODERN FILM: Cold War

BEST "BONUS" FILM: The Making of "War and Peace"
BEST BOOKLET: I wanna say Do the Right Thing, but it has to be A Face In The Crowd for Kazan's notes on screenwriting
BEST ON-DISC NON-COMMENTARY EXTRA: A Walk With Charles Burnett on To Sleep With Anger

BEST REISSUE: Do the Right Thing
BEST UPGRADE Haxan

BEST COVER: Polyester
CLUNY BROWNIEST COVER: Cluny Brown
BEST PACKAGING: Polyester, for Odorama™

BEST DISCOVERY: To Sleep With Anger
MOST UNNECESSARY RELEASE: Godzilla: the Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975. I always kind of dismissed accusations of Criterion being an art house Shout Factory until I saw that this was their big blowout multiple-times-delayed set of the year.
MOST FLAWED RELEASE: 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days

BEST THREAD: The Music Video Mini-List
MEMBER OF THE YEAR therewillbeblus, for his ceaseless and ceaselessly interesting contributions across all areas of this site. Honorable mentions of course go to domino and DarkImbecile
RICHARD CRANIUM AWARD: Robespierre. In a year full of godawful Tarantino takes, his was the second worst (after the comic so bad that even Film Twitter couldn't help but dunk on it)

[movielocke]

I’m only at about 85% watched for 2019 releases, so this could change, but since the longest ones comprise most of the ones I haven’t seen, maybe not.

BEST RELEASE 
1. One Sings the Other Doesn’t
2. Klute
3. Do the Right Thing
4. Police Story
5. To Sleep with Anger

r/u The Kid Brother, The Circus, in the Heat of the Night, I wanna Hold Your Hand, My Brilliant Career, A Face in the Crowd, Diamonds of the Night, The Bakers Wife, 1984, Flavor of Green Tea over Rice, All About Eve, Godzilla one hell of a year! their best ever, imo.

BEST BOXED SET
Godzilla

BEST MODERN FILM 
Let the Sunshine In

PRODUCER of the YEAR
Elizabeth Pauker (La Verite, Diamonds of the Night, Swing Time, The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice, Cluny Brown, Now Voyager) – all exceptional editions, impressive variety, & 60% unsung gems (in the USA); exploring every one of these discs while revisiting some of these films and discovering the new ones was a wonderful delight this year.

But it was a very tough year! I’ve not yet seen Cold War or Local Hero or It’d be a closer call in voting for Kate Elmore, with an equally impressive slate, and my favorite title of the year. Issa Clubb had yet another mind-numbing murderer’s row year of canon, plus massive volume with 10 upgrades and 9 new releases, but if anything his 2018 was even more impressive (minus the upgrades). and Abbey Lustgarten had two of my top five, and possibly more once I finish off The Circus.

BEST COMMENTARY 
The Baker’s Wife

This is one of those rare commentary's that actually unlock much of a film that just isn't necessarily apparent, explicating the culture, exploring the rich history, situating what the actors and director are accomplishing. It's not often that a commentary is this good and this essential.

BEST "BONUS" FILM See list below
Women Reply
(r/u: A Loaf of Bread)
(r/u: best ‘bonus’ FEATURE: WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET?)

BEST BOOKLET
Do the Right Thing

BEST ON-DISC NON-COMMENTARY EXTRA
“PRESERVING HAROLD” (W/ DINO EVERETT on rare film formats/gauges)

not as polished as most of criterion’s interviews, but enthusiastically techy on stuff I didn’t even know about. Plus I finally got to see one of those slick new Kineta scanners in action.

BEST 2nd EDITION
Do the Right Thing

BEST FORMAT UPGRADE

HAXAN

BEST COVER
TO SLEEP WITH ANGER


CLUNY BROWNIEST COVER
BETTY BLUE

BEST PACKAGING
DO THE RIGHT THING

the Koker cut outs are quite novel, wonderful and interesting, but the Do the Right Thing whole package design is squirrels to nuts just stunning.

BEST DISCOVERY 
ONE SINGS THE OTHER DOESN’T

MOST UNNECESSARY RELEASE
FUNNY GAMES
R/U OLD JOY


MOST FLAWED RELEASE For Criterion's treatment, not the film itself
BERGMAN TRILOGY (could have used some new extras)

[DarkImbecile]

BEST RELEASE
1. War and Peace
2. To Sleep With Anger
3. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
4. Klute
5. The Koker Trilogy

BEST BOXED SET
The Koker Trilogy

BEST MODERN FILM
Cold War

BEST COMMENTARY
The Circus

BEST "BONUS" FILM
"Blue Velvet" Revisited

BEST BOOKLET
Do the Right Thing

BEST REISSUE
Do the Right Thing

BEST UPGRADE
Haxan

BEST COVER

Runners-Up:


WORST COVER


BEST PACKAGING
Police Story

BEST DISCOVERY
Matewan

MOST UNNECESSARY RELEASE
Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975

MOST FLAWED RELEASE
House of Games

BEST THREAD
Auteur List: Woody Allen - Discussion and Defenses

MEMBER OF THE YEAR
therewillbeblus, for suddenly emerging as one of our most vital members; dropping 500+ posts in 9 months after only 30 posts in 3-1/4 years is one thing, but for those contributions to be as wide-ranging and insightful as they are is something else entirely.

RICHARD CRANIUM AWARD
Donald "Antichrist" Brown

[Boosmahn]

BEST RELEASE
1. Do the Right Thing
2. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
3. A Face in the Crowd
4. Diamonds of the Night
5. Detour

BEST BOOKLET
Detour

BEST REISSUE
Do the Right Thing

BEST UPGRADE
Häxan

BEST COVER
Local Hero

CLUNY BROWNIEST COVER
Let the Sunshine In

[knives]

Legit don't get the votes against Godzilla. I get if that's not your jam, but decent transfers of the whole era is fairly disqualifying as worst.