The Criterion Correction

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Welcome to the Criterion Correction! In this podcast, we'll be delving into the Criterion Collection of films to try and figure out what each says about the craft of cinema and what, exactly, it takes to become part of the collection. Join us for rousing conversation and many, many references to geekery and film culture.

Ed and Dr. Z


    • Nov 23, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 207 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Criterion Correction

    Ep. 197 – Bacurau

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2020 31:31


    The real villainy in this world belongs to the corrupt politicians and systemic discrimination leveled at local and marginalized populations at the mercy of enormous capitalistic systems. Or, you know, the hired hitmen (and women) looking to scratch a sociopathic itch. So let’s buckle in for a nice cathartic tale.

    Ep. 196 – Man Bites Dog

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2020 30:42


    Three documentary filmmakers trail a serial killer in a mockumentary attempting to point out the violence that film can celebrate. However, does this deconstruct the violence or merely propagate more of it on screen?

    Ep. 195 – Until the End of the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020 36:15


    Come around the world with us as we adventure into the future of 1999. You’ll feel like you’re at the heart of the action as you traverse the wondrous landscapes of Europe, America, Asia, and Australia across the nearly 5 hour runtime of Wim Wenders Until the End of the World. (We wish he’d just release that 20 hour cut already!)

    Ep. 194 – Still Walking

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2020 30:42


    Not all family problems can be sorted out in the span of a single day. But there are often bonds that connect us to those who came before. Join us for Hirokazu Koreeda’s Still Walking.

    Ep. 193 – The Sacrifice

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2020 27:22


    Escape to the wild free country of…World War III. Or is it? Regardless, you’re in for a heartwarming tale as we take a look at Andrei Tarkovsky’s final film, The Sacrifice.

    Ep. 192 – The Handmaid’s Tale

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2020 35:57


    There are dystopias and there are dystopias. Welcome to Gilead, where all your repressive nightmares are true and marketing executives are the new ruling class. That’s right, we’re off to Margaret Atwoods visage of hell with The Handmaid’s Tale.

    Ep. 191 – One Sings, the Other Doesn’t

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2020 26:11


    Sometimes there are different paths open to us all. Apple and Suzanne know this better than most, keeping a friendship alive despite a difference of location and style of life. Join us for Agnes Varda’s 1977 film: One Sings, the Other Doesn’t.

    Ep. 190 – A Boy and His Dog

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2020 32:01


    Welcome to Fury Road. Or rather, just a desert in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where bands of nomads scrounge for food and sex. Or you can contrast that with the real remnants of society far below. Either way, prepare yourself for a grim experience in A Boy and His Dog.

    Ep. 189 – Sanjuro

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2020 25:43


    The samurai with no name returns in another caper. Watch as Toshiro Mifune outwits and outfights his opponents in Akira Kurosawa’s Sanjuro.

    Ep. 188 – Yojimbo

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2020 24:54


    The original man with no name isn’t Clint Eastwood. That honor goes to Toshiro Mifune, in one of his most iconic samurai roles. So, how can one bodyguard solve the problem of two warring factions in a small town? Probably not how you think. Join us for Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo.

    Ep. 187 – Daughters of the Dust

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2020 28:26


    This week we take a look at the first widely distributed film directed by a Black woman. As part of their efforts to highlight Black filmmakers, the Criterion Channel has released Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust—among other films—for free to non-subscribers. So there’s no reason not to go watch this impressive tale of family, values, and the non-linearity of experience.

    Ep. 186 – The Daytrippers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2020 30:46


    What’s more fun than a road trip with family? Well, a road trip with family to determine if your partner is having an affair. Wacky hijinks ensue in The Daytrippers.

    Ep. 185 – The Marriage of Maria Braun

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2020 34:57


    Someday we’ll be through the thick of this and get to our lives. After we have a home. And a family. And after a murder or two. Maria’s living a life deferred in the hopes of an idyllic romance. She becomes too focused on the destination and lets the journey slip by in The Marriage of Maria Braun.

    marriage someday maria braun
    Ep. 184 – Ariel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2020 27:28


    We’re returning to the oeuvre of Aki Kaurismaki this week and the middle segment of his Proletariat Trilogy (having unintentionally skipped the first part) with Ariel.

    aki kaurismaki
    Ep. 183 – Here Comes Mr. Jordan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2020 27:27


    In this episode, the dead really do speak. Well, the sort of dead. Okay, the temporarily bodily misplaced, if we’re being accurate. Join us for some supernatural hijinks in Here Comes Mr. Jordan.

    Ep. 182 – 8 1/2

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2020 27:29


    The Dead Speak! Calamity strikes as four episodes of the Criterion Collection were unceremoniously lost due to poor file management. Authorities are on the hunt for one Dr. Bellini Zed for gross negligence relating to failure to appropriately back up files before updating software. As a result, this week, Ed and Dr. Zurich Bed will team up to discuss Federico Fellini’s movie about movies: 8 1/2

    Ep. 180 – Naked

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2020 22:58


    After a long lockdown hiatus, we’re back with an episode recorded back in the rosy days of early February. Except, it isn’t exactly a rosy film. No, we’re headed into the heart of modern disillusionment and life on the fringe with Mike Leigh’s Naked.

    Ep. 179 – Metropolitan

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2020 20:07


    Did you ever wish that you could roam among the high society elites? Go to cocktail parties every night? Have deep (and not-so-deep) philosophical conversations? All while you’re still barely an adult? Well, fear not, because you can live vicariously through Metropolitan.

    Ep. 178 – Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2020 21:25


    The adventures of a legendary executioner father and his toddler protege continue in the second adventure of Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx.

    lone wolf river styx cub baby cart
    Repost: Ep. 33 – Seven Samurai

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2020 35:29


    Greetings listeners, and please forgive us the disruption as we hold between two parts of Lone Wolf and Cub. While we handle some off-cast logistics, please enjoy a revisit to one of our earlier episodes, a classic of the genre, Seven Samurai.

    Ep. 177 – Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2020 22:56


    Are you a fan of the Mandalorian? Loving Mando and Baby Yoda? Well, not every samurai movie features a stroller of death and a lovable father/son dynamic, but Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance sure does. Well…maybe lovable isn’t quite the right word.

    Ep. 176 – The Color of Pomegranates

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2019 21:38


    This week we watch a movie about a poet.

    Ep. 175 – Kicking and Screaming

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 30:02


    This week we watch Dazed and Confused: The College Years, better known as Kicking and Screaming. Behold as young men of privilege struggle to find a path forward after the wild days of college have come to an end.

    Off Collection 24 – Virginia Film Festival

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2019 19:26


    Ed discusses his experience and his viewings at the 2019 Virginia Film Festival.

    Ep. 174 – The Last Metro

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2019 22:28


    This week we’ve got acting, we’ve got drama critics, and yes, we’ve got Nazis with Francois Truffaut’s The Last Metro. We also have subpar audio for part of the episode thanks to Dr. Z’s ineptitude. Our apologies!

    Ep. 173 – Police Story 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2019 25:41


    This week we’re headed into sequel territory and revisiting Hong Kong’s best supercop in Jackie Chan’s Police Story 2.

    Ep. 172 – Police Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2019 26:19


    With our spooktacular October fright-fest in the past, this week we look to another genre of films entirely. Get ready for high intensity hijinks with Jackie Chan’s Police Story.

    Ep. 171 – Night of the Living Dead

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2019 27:47


    Before they were walkers, they were…well…they were kind of unnamed. But they definitely gave rise to the modern interpretations of Zombies. Let’s take a look this Halloween at Night of the Living Dead.

    Ep. 170 – Jigoku

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2019 26:08


    Dr. Zed sincerely hopes there isn’t an otherworldly punishment for getting the podcast up a day late, since Jigoku’s depiction of the bowels of Hell certainly has some apt punishment in store for him. Perhaps the Sisyphean task of editing an episode that never ends!

    (Repost) Ep. 128 – Repulsion

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2019 30:40


    It’s the spooky season and we’re taking a look back at one of the spookier movies we’ve watched in the past. Join us for a little Repulsion.

    Ep. 169 – Macbeth

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2019 22:52


    This week we’re taking inspiration from the Bard and exploring the tragic tale of one Macbeth. However, this isn’t your average stage production; get ready for the gory Macbeth you’ve always dreamed of!

    Ep. 168 – Antichrist

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2019 28:12


    We’ve seen Willem Dafoe playing the role of Jesus before, but how will he fare in Lars von Trier’s depiction of the hell on earth that we all face? Join us for Antichrist.

    Ep. 167 – Blow Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2019 34:46


    Did you think John Travolta was compelling in Grease? Magnificent in Pulp Fiction? Well, he’s stepping off the dance floor and into the recording studio…as a sound engineer caught in a deadly political game. Will his foil, John Lithgow succeed in his plans? Join us for some John on John action in Blow Out.

    Ep. 166 – Saraband

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2019 26:36


    Wait, you thought we were done with the adventures of Johan and Marianne? Didn’t you watch the final episode of Scenes from a Marriage? That was clearly way too optimistic, am I right? So, roughly thirty years (and some weird in-universe aging shenanigans) later, how do you think our (un)happy couple is doing? Let’s find out in Ingmar Bergman’s final film: Saraband.

    Ep. 165 – Scenes from a Marriage, Ch. 5 & 6

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2019 24:10


    This week, we bring the sage of Johan and Marianne to a close. Will they reconcile? Is marriage truly the strongest bond on earth? Can Ingmar Bergman produce a happy ending? Find out in Scenes from a Marriage, episodes 5 and 6.

    Ep. 164 – Scenes from a Marriage, Ch. 3 & 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2019 26:38


    Another week, another reminder that all that is warm and rosy is destined to wither and fade. Sorry, we rejoin Ingmar Bergman this week for the continuing tale of Marianne and Johan. Will their marriage survive? Will they find happiness? Find out in Scenes from a Marriage, episodes 3 and 4.

    Ep. 163 – Scenes from a Marriage, Ch. 1 & 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2019 24:35


    Marriage. It can be pretty trying. But leave it to Ingmar Bergman to take a deeper look at this wonderful social institution and leave us with a “realistic” depiction of individuals growing and changing. Join us for the first two episodes of Scenes from a Marriage.

    OC23 – Always Be My Maybe

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2019 27:02


    Best believe, I watched Keanu Reeves in a Netflix Movie that was way better than Speed. Join us for Always Be My Maybe.

    OC 22 – Midsommar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2019 28:52


    Dr. Zed is moving to Ireland, which is…kind of near Sweden, so he thought the podcast would take a look at the ethnographic documentary, Midsommar. After all, what could be more exciting than a group of graduate students ardently pursuing their super-niche theses projects, right?! That’s enough to label this a terrifying horror movie.

    Ep. 162 – Jubilee

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2019 30:06


    Queen Elizabeth I travels in time to a punk dystopian 1970s England. Do you really need to know anything else? It’s bonkers, but is it good? Find out as we cover Jubilee.

    Ep. 161 – Valley of the Dolls

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2019 28:30


    Sometimes a life of glitz and glamour might lead to utter ruin. Join us as we look at the dark side of Hollywood and the perils of show business in Valley of the Dolls.

    Ep. 114 (Re-Release) – Barry Lyndon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2019 35:22


    A day late and a euro short. Dr. Zed is relocating to the Emerald Isle, so forgive him for being a bit tardy in uploading an episode. However, in honor of the move to Ireland, we’re going to re-post our episode on the Stanley Kubrick classic, Barry Lyndon.

    OC 21 – Booksmart

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2019 17:44


    What happens when you’ve played it safe throughout high school? No, you don’t join the Breakfast Club, but you do get up to some hijinks. Join us for Booksmart.

    Ep. 160 – Mr. Freedom

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2019 24:41


    The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Or…the price is a complete nitwit dressed up in hockey gear preaching the glories of American capitalism. Join us for one of the least successful superheroes ever constructed: Mr. Freedom.

    Ep. 159 – Shallow Grave

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2019 25:20


    In our ultimate crossover, we ask, what would happen if the 9th Doctor and Obi-Wan Kenobi moved into a flat together? No, really, what would happen? It would have to be heartwarming, right? Right!? Let’s find out in Shallow Grave.

    Ep. 158 – Chinese Roulette

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2019 27:54


    Marriage can be tough. Especially when you’re caring for a child who was stricken with a debilitating disease. And when your parter is cheating on you. And when you’re cheating on your partner. Especially when both sets of extra-marital couples wind up at the same castle retreat together with a strange housekeeper and her son who all get together to play a game of Chinese Roulette.

    Ep. 157 – Dead Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2019 22:52


    What do you get when you cross Nobody with William Blake? A low-octane chase movie with Johnny Depp traversing a surreal frontier landscape. And a cannibal bounty hunter. And a depiction of Native Americans that’s actually really well done. You get: Dead Man

    Ep. 156 – Funny Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2019 33:04


    Violence, whoa, good god, lord. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing, according to Michael Haneke. Well, okay, maybe he’s onto something with the fetishization or violent imagery and torture porn as a genre. Still, is horror the place to go picking this particular fight? Find out as we look at Haneke’s first take on Funny Games.

    Ep. 155 – Godzilla

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2019 22:19


    The King of the Monsters is back in theaters this week, so we thought we’d take a look back at the film that started it all. Join us for Godzilla, a movie about giant kaiju monsters…unpacking the existential dread of nuclear devastation…

    Ep. 154 – Women of the Night

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2019 24:40


    This week we’re watching a morality play about the perils of taking up that most ancient of professions: giving someone advice and then immediately doing the thing you told them not to do. Oh, and prostitution. Join us for Women of the Night.

    Ep. 153 – Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2019 25:34


    What more do you need than a title for this one? It’s a tale old as time. A man cheats on his girlfriend while his ex-wife seeks his death. Oh, and there are unwitting terrorist accomplices and phone repairmen. So I guess you do need a little more than the title…we’re watching Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

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