Remembering the great Kenji Mizoguchi, born on this day in 1898. 🖤 One of Japan’s most important filmmakers, Mizoguchi created a cinema rich in technical mastery and social commentary, specifically regarding the place of women in Japanese society. Watch our collection of his films on the Criterion Channel, featuring the heartrending masterpiece THE STORY OF THE LAST CHRYSANTHEMUM (1939), the exquisite ghost story UGETSU (1953), the moving tale of forbidden love A STORY FROM CHIKAMATSU, and much more. All of these films are also now 30% OFF during our Spring Sale at criterion.com!
Evening viewing recommendation? On the Criterion Channel, watch K-ON! THE MOVIE (2011) as part of our Anime collection! This heartfelt continuation of the beloved, slice-of-life anime series K-ON! traces the charming adventures of five high school students who come together to form the band Ho-kago Tea Time. Beautifully blending humor, music, and gentle emotion, K-ON! THE MOVIE is a bittersweet ode to friendship, creativity, and the bonds that last a lifetime.
✨Eiza González’s Closet Picks! ✨ The actor praises the honest and vulnerable performances in John Schlesinger’s films, shares how KLUTE awakened her love for film noir, and talks about why she keeps returning to THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE. ✨ You can see Eiza next in I LOVE BOOSTERS and IN THE GREY, both opening theatrically this month!
Watch some of Eiza's Picks on the Criterion Channel!
FANNY AND ALEXANDER
THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
MONSIEUR VERDOUX
On the Criterion Channel, watch Roger Donaldson's NO WAY OUT (1987) in our '80s Remakes (and Their Originals!) collection. Based on Kenneth Fearing’s classic suspense novel THE BIG CLOCK, this gripping, inspired reimagining resets the story against the backdrop of Washington, DC, political intrigue as young naval officer Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) begins an affair with the mysterious Susan Atwell (Sean Young)—unaware that she is also the mistress of his boss, the powerful and possessive Secretary of Defense David Brice (Gene Hackman). When Susan dies under mysterious circumstances, Farrell is plunged into a labyrinth of danger and deception.
✨Announcing our JUNE 2026 Criterion Channel lineup! ✨ Next month, set out on an epic journey with our Odysseys collection, or revisit the foundational Bond classics that introduced the silver screen’s most iconic superspy. A spotlight on Courtney Love’s acting career reveals an incandescent screen performer, while a collection of wedding movies explores the tension and breathless expectation surrounding that fateful walk down the aisle. There’s so much more to choose from this month, including a selection of LGBTQ+ Favorites, Steven Spielberg’s jaw-dropping classic CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, the exclusive premiere of Gary Hustwit’s shape-shifting portrait of Brian Eno, cult classics from Alex Cox, and stylish shorts by Yann Gonzalez.
Evening viewing recommendation? On the Criterion Channel, watch CLOCKWATCHERS (1997)! Jill Sprecher’s indie gem stars Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, Toni Collette, and Alanna Ubach in a deadpan time capsule of late-90s corporate culture that brilliantly captures the malaise and muzak-set absurdity of life inside the cubicle. Alongside the film, watch a great interview with Sprecher.
Read Geoff Dyer's new essay on our edition of John Boorman’s 1967 stylized revenge thriller starring Lee Marvin — a film that transforms hard-edged pulp into a kaleidoscopic psychological puzzle. 🖤 Head to the link in our bio to check out the full essay and buy our new 4K edition of the film for 30% OFF at criterion.com during our summer sale!
A great visit from Boots Riley! ✨ His new film I LOVE BOOSTERS opens theatrically on May 22.
Boots's Picks (more to come. . . ):
MISHIMA: A LIFE IN FOUR CHAPTERS
TAMPOPO
BLACK ORPHEUS
PASOLINI 101
Tonight, we're thrilled to present the third installment of our Criterion Channel original series The Craft of Acting, featuring Paul Dano in conversation with Isaac Butler at Museum of the Moving Image! To celebrate, we're revisiting Paul's wonderful Closet Picks video from 2024. ❤️ The conversation will be available to stream exclusively on the Criterion Channel in August!
