2023 Criterion Forum Awards

[Matt]

RESULTS (January 14, 2024)

Voting starts once the last release of December is available to the plebes: Tuesday, December 12th. You may post in this thread before that, but any lists posted early will be deleted and your message replaced with Dynasty gifs. Voting ends 6 PM EST Sunday, January 14, 2024.

Post your votes in this thread or PM me. You don't have to vote in all categories, but you must provide a ranked BEST RELEASE 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.

Your 2023 Criterion Forum Awards categories are:

BEST RELEASE Numbered in order from 1-5. Must vote for five titles to have your ballot counted. Boxed sets or multi-film collections can also be voted for in this category.

BEST BOXED SET or MULTI-FILM COLLECTION
BEST MODERN FILM "New" (2019-2023) films released by Criterion OR Janus Contemporaries (JC)

BEST COMMENTARY New commentaries only, not ports of existing discs from other labels/studios — see list below
BEST BOOKLET

BEST UHD RELEASE
BEST REISSUE or UPGRADE Former titles upgraded to a new format with or without new features

BEST COVER
BEST PACKAGING - BOXED SET, MULTI-FILM COLLECTION, OR INDIVIDUAL RELEASE

BEST DISCOVERY For the film that is, as the NBC commercials used to say, new to you

2023 RELEASES

1201 Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio UHD
1200 The Red Balloon and Other Stories: Five Films by Albert Lamorisse
1199 La cérémonie
(JC) Godland
(JC) The Eight Mountains
(JC) Tori and Lokita
1198 Mean Streets UHD
1197 Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar
1196 Nanny
1195 The Others UHD
(JC) EO
(JC) No Bears
(JC) The Innocent
1194 Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers
1193 La Bamba
1192 Moonage Daydream UHD
1191 The Trial UHD
1190 Drylongso
1189 Bo Widerberg’s New Swedish Cinema — The Baby Carriage / Raven's End / Elvira Madigan / Adalen 31
1188 Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart
1187 One False Move UHD
1186 The Ranown Westerns: Five Films Directed by Budd Boetticher UHD
1185 After Hours UHD
1184 The Watermelon Woman
1183 Medicine for Melancholy
1182 The Servant
1181 Petite maman
1180 Thelma & Louise UHD
1179 Targets
1178 Triangle of Sadness UHD
1177 Small Axe — Mangrove / Lovers Rock / Red, White, and Blue / Alex Wheatle / Education
1176 Chilly Scenes of Winter
1175 Inland Empire
1174 Last Hurrah For Chivalry
1173 Hollywood Shuffle
1172 Two Films by Marguerite Duras — India Song / Baxter, Vera Baxter
1171 Romeo and Juliet
1170 Bergman Island
1169 This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection
1168 Lars Van Trier's Europe Trilogy
1167 Imitation of Life
1166 The Adventures of Baron Munchausen UHD
---- Pasolini 101

REISSUES

948 The Princess Bride UHD
860 Mildred Pierce UHD
842 Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams UHD
764 The Fisher King UHD
745 Don’t Look Now UHD
587 Three Colors — Blue / White / Red UHD
549 The Last Picture Show UHD
490 Wings of Desire UHD
428 Blast of Silence
409 Days of Heaven UHD
408 Breathless UHD
336 Dazed and Confused UHD
248 Videodrome UHD
216 The Rules of the Game UHD
38 Branded to Kill UHD
37 Time Bandits UHD
11 The Seventh Seal UHD
10 Walkabout UHD


ELIGIBLE COMMENTARIES
The Fearless Hyena (on Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar) — Frank Djeng
The Young Master (on Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar) — Frank Djeng
Freaks (on Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers) — David J. Skal
The Unknown (on Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers) — David J. Skal
Moonage Daydream — Brett Morgen
The Trial — Joseph McBride
Medicine for Melancholy — Barry Jenkins
Hollywood Shuffle — Robert Townsend
This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection — Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, Cait Pansegrouw

[Noiretirc]

Thanks for taking this on Matt.

I'm willing to bet that there are numerous people like me who, for various reasons, do not / cannot keep up with all of the releases, and they rely on this annual thread, and the forum in general, for education in these matters.

If that sounds like freeloading, then I plead guilty. I bow to the knowledgeable forumites, and I eternally thank them for their wisdom and research.

[Matt]

Can anyone confirm that these commentaries:

Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar (The Fearless Hyena and The Young Master — Frank Djeng)
Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers (The Unknown — David J. Skal)

are actually new to these Criterion releases? They are not specified as such on the Criterion website, but I can't find any other previous releases they are on.

[TechnicolorAcid]

The Unknown did have a commentary on the original DVD release but it was by Michael F Blake. As for Fearless Hyena, again, there was other commentaries but they were done by other people.

[swo17]

Can anyone confirm that these commentaries:

Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar (The Fearless Hyena and The Young Master — Frank Djeng)
Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers (The Unknown — David J. Skal)

are actually new to these Criterion releases? They are not specified as such on the Criterion website, but I can't find any other previous releases they are on.

DVD Beaver says they're all new

[cdnchris]

Yep, they're all new, even the Freaks one.

[Matt]

Voting is now open! Don’t go wasting your promotion, lay all your lists on me.

[AfterTheRain]

Best Release
1. The Trial UHD
2. The Servant
3. One False Move UHD
4. Targets
5. The Last Picture Show UHD

Best Boxed Set/Multi-Film Collection: The Ranown Westerns UHD

Best Modern Film: Triangle of Sadness

Best Commentary: David J. Skal on The Unknown

Best UHD Release: The Last Picture Show UHD

Best Reissue/Upgrade: Akira Kurosawa's Dreams UHD

Best Cover: Thelma & Louise

Best Packaging: Tod Browning's Sideshow Shockers

Best Discovery: The Servant

[therewillbeblus]

BEST RELEASE
1. The Last Picture Show
2. The Trial
3. Inland Empire
4. Ranown Western box
5. Bo Widerberg set

BEST BOXED SET
The Ranown Westerns

BEST MODERN FILM
Triangle of Sadness

BEST UHD RELEASE
The Princess Bride

BEST UPGRADE
Like Film Editing at the Oscars, The Last Picture Show wins for the most upgraded, only that’s justified here

BEST COVER
Chilly Scenes of Winter

BEST PACKAGING
Ranown Westerns

BEST DISCOVERY
Both Duras films

MEMBERS
nicolas - Fresh voice contributing to multiple facets of the forum with both kindness and illumination
DI - Already put in the work to deserve a marked hat tip before the recent hiatus, a reminder that a presence we notice absent has earned that attention

Edit: Whoops, didn't consult the upgrades list before posting a top five when an upgrade belonged in the number one slot

[TechnicolorAcid]

TOP OVERALL RELEASES:
1. Tod Browning's Sideshow Shockers, ever since I got into the Blu-Ray collecting sphere about a year ago, one of my main wants on Blu-Ray was Freaks so when this was announced I was indeed excited. It harkens back to when Criterion's main focus was to give neglected films their due and the release itself is great. Also bonus points for including The Mystic on their as I don't think that ever even had an official home video release.
2. The Last Picture Show would have already been an exceptional release if it was released by itself, but the extra disc for Texasville is maybe the best extra (technically, not sure if it counts) that Criterion has done in a while for a singular film.
3. Pasolini 101, alongside having a wonderful name, is a box set that is completely deserving of recognition, it is packed with extras and delivers stellar restorations of all of Pasolini's work.
4. The Ranown Westerns, a great box set dedicated to some of the finest 50s Westerns in a wonderfully packaged release with great 4k transfers and extras.
5. After Hours, a solid release for a great film that definitely lives up to the hype that the release circulated.

Best Boxed Set:
Pasolini 101

Best Modern Film:
Small Axe (specifically Lover's Rock)

Best UHD Release:
The Trial

Best Upgrade:
The Last Picture Show

Best Cover:
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Best Packaging:
Thelma & Louise

Best Discovery:
The Bo Widerberg Set

Best Members:
In terms of discussion, Swo17 has provided a lot of good discussion, is well spoken, and comes off as intelligent.
In terms of general enjoyment, Domino Harvey's witty and often sarcastic remarks never fail to make me smile.
In terms of technical knowledge, nicholas is definitely the best with his great discussions on UHD releases.

[Matt]

Just a FYI: I'm not tabulating votes for members as I can't afford the customary gold medals this year, but mentions are encouraged because these folks deserve recognition.

[bottlesofsmoke]

Best Release
1. The Last Picture Show UHD + Texasville
2. The Trial UHD
3. Bo Widerberg’s New Swedish Cinema
4. Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers
5. Small Axe

Best Boxset: Bo Widerberg’s New Swedish Cinema

Best Modern Film: Petit maman - also special nomination My Life as a Zucchini for Best Bonus Film

Best Commentary: The Unknown - I’ve read Skal’s book on Browning but there was still a lot of interesting stuff here to go with the new footage

Best UHD: The Last Picture Show - honorable mention to The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, which would get my kid’s votes

Best Upgrade: The Last Picture Show

Best Cover: The Others

Best Packaging: Blast of Silence

Best Discovery: Chilly Scenes of Winter

Best Member: Stefan Andersson - for consistently digging up interesting news and other items I’d have no idea how to find

[DRW.mov]

Best Release
1. AFTER HOURS
2. THE TRIAL
3. TARGETS
4. TOD BROWNING’S SIDESHOW SHOCKERS
5. MEAN STREETS

Best Boxed Set/Multi-Film Collection: Tod Browning’s SIDESHOW SHOCKERS

Best Modern Film: TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

Best Commentary: FREAKS - David J. Skal

Best Booklet: TARGETS

Best UHD Release: THE TRIAL 4K

Best Reissue/Upgrade: THE LAST PICTURE SHOW 4K

Best Cover: AFTER HOURS

Best Packaging: PASOLINI 101

Best Discovery: HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE

[Finch]

BEST RELEASE
1. Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers
2. One False Move UHD
3. The Ranown Westerns: Five Films Directed by Budd Boetticher UHD
4. The Others UHD
5. Petite Mamman

BEST BOXED SET or MULTI-FILM COLLECTION
The Ranown Westerns: Five Films Directed by Budd Boetticher UHD

BEST UHD RELEASE
One False Move UHD

BEST REISSUE or UPGRADE
The Last Picture Show UHD

BEST COVER
Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers

BEST PACKAGING - BOXED SET, MULTI-FILM COLLECTION, OR INDIVIDUAL RELEASE
Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers

BEST DISCOVERY
The Unknown

[TBickle020776]

Best Release:
1. Targets
2. After Hours UHD
3. The Last Picture Show UHD
4. The Trial UHD
5. Mean Streets UHD

Best Boxed Set/Multi-Film Collection: The Ranown Westerns UHD

Best Modern Film: Triangle of Sadness UHD

Best Commentary: Freaks - David J. Skal

Best Booklet: Targets

Best UHD Release: The Trial UHD

Best Reissue/Upgrade: Dazed and Confused UHD

Best Cover: Thelma & Louise

Best Packaging: Moonage Daydream

Best Discovery: Chilly Scenes of Winter

[HitchcockLang]

BEST RELEASE:
1. Tod Browning Sideshow Shockers
2. After Hours
3. Inland Empire
4. The Trial
5. The Red Balloon and Other Stories

BEST BOX SET OR MULTI FILM COLLECTION:
The Red Balloon and Other Stories

BEST MODERN FILM:
Small Axe

BEST UHD RELEASE:
After Hours

BEST REISSUE OR UPGRADE:
The Seventh Seal

BEST COVER:
Tod Browning Sideshow Shockers

BEST PACKAGING:
Small Axe

[videozor]

BEST RELEASE:
1 Two Films by Marguerite Duras — India Song / Baxter, Vera Baxter
2 The Servant
3 Mean Streets
4 Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers
5 The Red Balloon and Other Stories: Five Films by Albert Lamorisse

[Matt]

BEST RELEASE
1. Two Films by Marguerite Duras - because I never thought they'd release this
2. Pasolini 101 - because it's the perfect thing for my early Pasolini blind spot
3. The Ranown Westerns - because I love these films
4. Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers - because it's a cool release
5. Inland Empire - because I bought it but am a little terrified to watch it again

BEST BOXED SET or MULTI-FILM COLLECTION
Pasolini 101

BEST MODERN FILM
Petite Maman

BEST UHD RELEASE
The Ranown Westerns

BEST COVER
Chilly Scenes of Winter

BEST PACKAGING
Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers

BEST DISCOVERY
Mamma Roma (Pasolini 101)

[criterionsnob]

BEST RELEASE
1. Pasolini 101
2. Bo Widerberg’s New Swedish Cinema
3. Days of Heaven [UHD]
4. Lars von Trier’s Europe Trilogy
5. The Ranown Westerns [UHD]

BEST BOXED SET
Pasolini 101

BEST MODERN FILM
Petite maman

BEST BOOKLET
Pasolini 101

BEST UHD RELEASE
Days of Heaven [UHD]

BEST REISSUE OR UPGRADE
Branded to Kill [UHD]

BEST COVER
Chilly Scenes of Winter

BEST PACKAGING
Lars von Trier’s Europe Trilogy

BEST DISCOVERY
Raven’s End

WISHES FOR 2024
For gosh sake, I hope 2024 finally brings us Atlantics, I Know Where I’m Going!, My Sex Life . . . or How I Got into an Argument, Happiness, many Edward Yang films, plus more Kurosawa and PlayTime on UHD!

[nicolas]

BEST RELEASES
1. Days of Heaven UHD
2. Ranown Western box UHD
3. The Last Picture Show UHD
3. Bo Widerberg set
4. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams UHD

MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASES
1. Walkabout UHD
2. Pasolini 101
3. Last Hurrah for Chivalry & Jackie Chan set (tie)
4. The Trial
Special Mention: Janus Contemporaries series

BEST BOXED SET
The Ranown Westerns

WORST BOXED SET
Pasolini 101

BEST MODERN FILM
Bergman Island (I wish I had more time this year to see all the others)

WORST MODERN FILM
Triangle of Sadness

BEST UHD RELEASE
Days of Heaven

WORST UHD
Walkabout

BEST UPGRADE
Days of Heaven

WORST UPGRADE
The Seventh Seal

BEST COVER
Chilly Scenes of Winter

WORST COVER
Dim Sum

BEST PACKAGING
Ranown Westerns

WORST PACKAGING
Pasolini 101

BEST DISCOVERY
The Princess Bride

MEMBER
therewillbeblus - Some of the most precisely intricate, pitch-perfect breakdowns on specific aspects found in (contemporary) films I've ever read. TWBB articulates what I often feel instinctively when watching something - but put in more profoundly meaningful words than I ever could. Beyond that, he showcases how beautiful and layered the English language can be, which is often forgotten in all the meaningless idioms and chattering we're constantly faced with.

WISHES FOR 2024
For God's sake - better disc encoding (no more Walkabout disasters and careless encodes like the Three Colors set), less audio filtering and a "back to the roots" sense in making more definitive editions in terms of extras and content again. Every month, the lineup feels slimmer and smaller compared to other labels. Criterion has become a "last resort" label for me instead of the cornerstone of my collection - particularly because of their approach to UHD and their near-total unwillingness to expand their original editions with more new content for upgrades.

[TBickle020776]

Why was The Trial a disappointing release?

I bought it but haven’t watched it yet.

[tenia]

BEST RELEASE
1. After Hours
2. The Watermelon Woman
3. This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection
4. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
5. Thelma & Louise

BEST BOXED SET or MULTI-FILM COLLECTION
Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers

BEST MODERN FILM
This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection

BEST BOOKLET
I genuinely and for the first year haven't particularly been impressed by a booklet in particular.

BEST UHD RELEASE
Days of Heaven

BEST REISSUE or UPGRADE
Branded to Kill

BEST COVER
The Others

BEST PACKAGING - BOXED SET, MULTI-FILM COLLECTION, OR INDIVIDUAL RELEASE
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

BEST DISCOVERY
Chilly Scenes of Winter

I'll also second the special shout-outs for nicolas, who is a shining example of how a release can properly be analysed technically-wise. Some historical tech reviewers should take notes.

[Walter Kurtz]

BEST RELEASE
1. Lars von Trier's Europe Trilogy
2. Bo Widerberg's New Swedish Cinema
3. The Trial
4. No Bears
5. Petite Maman

BEST PACKAGING
Lars von Trier's Europe Trilogy

BEST COVER
Lar von Trier's Yellow Movie

BEST BOOKLET
Lars von Trier's Europe Trilogy

BEST TIGHTROPE WALKER
Pia Degermark

[kekid]

BEST RELEASES
1. Days of Heaven UHD
2. Ranown Western box UHD
3. The Last Picture Show UHD
3. Bo Widerberg set
4. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams UHD

MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASES
1. Walkabout UHD
2. Pasolini 101
3. Last Hurrah for Chivalry & Jackie Chan set (tie)
4. The Trial
Special Mention: Janus Contemporaries series

BEST BOXED SET
The Ranown Westerns

WORST BOXED SET
Pasolini 101

BEST MODERN FILM
Bergman Island (I wish I had more time this year to see all the others)

WORST MODERN FILM
Triangle of Sadness

BEST UHD RELEASE
Days of Heaven

WORST UHD
Walkabout

BEST UPGRADE
Days of Heaven

WORST UPGRADE
The Seventh Seal

BEST COVER
Chilly Scenes of Winter

WORST COVER
Dim Sum

BEST PACKAGING
Ranown Westerns

WORST PACKAGING
Pasolini 101

BEST DISCOVERY
The Princess Bride

MEMBER
therewillbeblus - Some of the most precisely intricate, pitch-perfect breakdowns on specific aspects found in (contemporary) films I've ever read. TWBB articulates what I often feel instinctively when watching something - but put in more profoundly meaningful words than I ever could. Beyond that, he showcases how beautiful and layered the English language can be, which is often forgotten in all the meaningless idioms and chattering we're constantly faced with.

WISHES FOR 2024
For God's sake - better disc encoding (no more Walkabout disasters and careless encodes like the Three Colors set), less audio filtering and a "back to the roots" sense in making more definitive editions in terms of extras and content again. Every month, the lineup feels slimmer and smaller compared to other labels. Criterion has become a "last resort" label for me instead of the cornerstone of my collection - particularly because of their approach to UHD and their near-total unwillingness to expand their original editions with more new content for upgrades.

What, in your view, is the best available version of "Walkabout"?

[MichaelB]

Second Sight, I’d have thought. Not UHD, but a superlative presentation.