Thanks, Ken! Yes, so many great titles this year that there are a lot of Criterion releases I loved that didn’t make the top 10. Great year for physical media, including boutique labels like Criterion and I’m hoping 2022 has even greater things coming. Happy New Year!🎈🎊🎆
Some of my all time favorites, The Searchers, Sunrise, Grand Illusion, Modern Times, Our Hospitality, Pickpocket, Tokyo Story, Ugetsu, Bringing Up Baby, North By Northwest, Taxi Driver, L’Atalante, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Shining, Duck Soup, Ordet, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Paisan….
Ethan, very nice list of all time favorites, and some of those are among my favorites as well. I’m looking forward to revisiting Taxi Driver in 4K from the Columbia Vol. 2 box set .
Hi James. Great video! I completely agree that 2021 has been a wonderful year for physical media. I love the Criterion Collection and really enjoyed your favorites of the year especially the detailed discussion on each film. Tarkovsky's "Mirror" is one of my favorites of 2021 also. D.A. Pennebaker's documentary on "Company" is amazing. Happy New Year!
Hello, Dave! Glad you enjoyed the video! Mirror is an amazing film and last year’s release was one of the best, as well as Original Cast Album: Company. I enjoyed your Criterion favorites video as well and saw that we have a lot of the same ones on both of our lists. Happy New Year to you and yours as well!
The way you described them, I’ve got this funny feeling that you’re really into the stapled booklets. “An amazing stapled booklet” “A very nice stapled booklet” “A thick stapled booklet”
Well James, another great year of content on your channel. I really like your list though I wonder how Secrets and Lies would have fared. It is a top 10 all time favourite of mine. I would love to see a video on the heavyweights of cinema. The greatest of all time. I think it would be fun if it were international and not limited to American cinema alone. Thanks for another year of great videos James… I wish you and your’s a safe, happy and prosperous 2022!
Matt, thank you for the kind words and I appreciate your feedback and engagement with the channel and community! 2021 has been a fun year and I’m looking forward to 2022. Based on feedback from yourself and the community, it sounds like a greatest films video would be a good idea for next year. You and yours have a very Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 and Happy New Year 🎈🎊🎆 as well!
What a great year for your channel James! It was a really fantastic selection of titles for your top 10. For me my personal top 3 criterion releases this year were Mirror, Mandabi and Céline and Julie Go Boating. Happy New Year!
Sergio, thank you very much! 2021 has been quite a year and I’ve enjoyed the journey with the community this year and engaging you and others in conversations about these great films and physical media releases. Looking forward to 2022. Happy New Year 🎆🎊🎈!
For the top 10 films of all time that you mentioned towards the ends, the top 2 I always revert back to is Shawshank Redemption and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Scott, those are two excellent films for sure! It’s been a while since I’ve seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, so I need to revisit it. Best film(s) of all time is a topic we’re planning to explore in 2022. Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!
When I was watching Elaine Stritch's first attempt at 'Ladies Who Lunch' I thought "wow, she nailed it first time!" so I was very surprised when they spent most of the night and the next day perfecting it!
Hello, Olivia! I had a similar reaction to the first attempt for Elaine. They have such a high bar for what is considered good and it is so awesome to see the artistic process at work and the fruit it bore at the end. Just fantastic! Have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Holiday Season!
I would absolutely love to watch a video about possible greatest films ever. Also, a video about some of your favorite films ever would be interesting to watch! P.S. Love the channel!
James, very good list. In my opinion, mirror must be in the second position after Citizen Kane and films like The Ascent, The Human Condition, Flowers of Shanghai, La Piscine, Ashes and Diamonds, The Damned, Celine and Julie go Boating and Memories of Murder must be in the top ten. The best box set is without a doubt World of Wong Kar Wai but honorable mention deserves Three Films by Luis Buñuel and also Melvin van Peebles.
Juan, glad you liked the list. Your selections are excellent and indicative of how great this year was for Criterion. So many fantastic titles it is hard to narrow down to a Top 10.
I had a feeling CK would be your #1. I have seen the film several times and own a DVD copy but your enthusiasm has me convinced to buy the Criterion release. Discovered your channel in 2021 and am looking forward to seeing more great content in 2022.
Steve O, yes, when it all came down to it, CK was just the most complete overall release for me for the year content wise. Excellent all the way around, except for the packaging. Have a very Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 and Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!
Really enjoyed this video--I was guessing what your selections would be and was only surprised by " Smooth Talk"--mainly because I somehow missed this one, based on your review it has been added to the top of my list for the next sale. Looking forward to your content in 2022!
Born on the Bayou, thank you for the kind words! I really enjoyed Smooth Talk and recommend it highly. I’m looking forward to 2022 as well and continuing the discussion on film with this great community. Have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁, Happy New Year, and Happy Holiday Season!
Interesting list James. You mention ‘In the Mood for Love ‘ - one of my favourite films period. There is a 4K UHD release in Germany which I’m thinking of importing - could be a future criterion release? You also mention High Sierra - I’ve been making my way through Bogart’s films in recent days - a true Hollywood star!
Sean, glad you liked the list. I didn’t know In the Mood For Love had a 4K UHD release. Talk about a movie that would look stunning with a proper 4K release with good HDR! High Sierra was such a great release and a nice film with Bogart. Definitely recommended if you don’t already have it. Merry Christmas 🎄🎁!
I haven't seen nearly as many films, so my top picks for the year come from a smaller pool. Also, I don't have a 4K TV (yet), so I can't speak to the merits of the 4K discs I purchased: Citizen Kane and Mulholland Dr. Among those films I have seen, my clear favorite was Mirror. In fact, that title is now one of my favorite films of all time. I don't own the Fellini box set so La Strada was a first-time watch. That was also one of the standout titles I picked up this year. Finally, I have to say I'm one of the haters when it comes to the packaging for Citizen Kane. I'm agnostic on the artwork but the sleeves are unforgiveable. They created an unnecessary risk the discs will get scratched in their biggest title of the year. That was inexcusable, in my view. Best wishes to you and your family for the holidays. Hope you enjoy a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.
Hello, Rob! Mirror is such an amazing title for sure. It’s a film I see myself revisiting over the years due to its deep meaning and themes and it’s such a beautiful film to watch. I have the Fellini box set and La Strada along with Nights of Cabiria are the two that stand out the most for me. Great films and Giulietta Masina was wonderful in both. I would agree that the packaging for the Citizen Kane release was not very good. Probably well intent but it just doesn’t work well. At least the content is amazing and the 4K disc is great. I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 and Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!
How come the parallax view, nightmare alley, and bringing up baby didn’t make it? You were so thrilled when these movies got released. I bought them based on your highly enthusiastic recommendations. And they were so good
Merry Christmas, Thomas! Parallax View, Nightmare Alley, and Bringing Up Baby are all excellent editions for sure and I enjoyed them as well. It’s really indicative of how great a year 2021 was for Criterion releases that there are a lot of titles I really enjoyed that didn’t crack my top 10 favorites. Are they in your top 10?
If you have not seen Eyes Without A Face, I give that a recommendation. Creepy horror without blood and gore like most modern day "horror" films. I definitely want to get One Night In Miami but will wait for next sale :)
Eyes Without A Face is one I need to add to the watchlist. I’ve heard good things about it. One Night in Miami will be a good one to pick up ina future sale for sure. Hope you had a good Christmas 🎄, and Happy New Year 🎈🎆🎊 , pdxsoapopera!
I've just done my favourites of the year video, but I've chosen one from each month interesting our views are somewhat similar and yet some of my choices differ. I don't know about you but some months it was hard to choose an overall favourite. All to be revealed on Boxing Day.
Hello, Steve and Cheers! Glad to hear you have put together your list as well and I look forward to seeing it after Christmas. Have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 and I’ll look for that video on Boxing Day this Sunday!
I need to get citizen Kane, tried watching a few years ago and turned it off cos it found it boring, but since then I’ve expanded the types of movies I watch so will get hold of it
Dan, it’s a good one and the supplements really round out the experience with the history and significance of the movie and Orson Welles’ journey, etc.
Hello, Jerry! Yes, I’ve been thinking about a video along those lines for some time and January/February might be a good time to produce it. Have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁, Happy New Year 🎈🎊🎆, and Holiday Season!
I still need to watch uncut gems, but if it’s anything like reign over me, it will be frustrating seeing Adam Sandler give an excellent performance when you see what he’s capable of, but decides to make films like grown ups
Hello, Dan. Yes, I’m thinking of doing some Criterion Collection videos. Will need to break it up into a video series (perhaps by spine numbers). Should be fun.
I love both arrow video and criterion but I feel it’s safer to blind buy a criterion disc because you got more chance of the film being excellent whereas with arrow some of the films they put out are awful
Dan, thanks for sharing that insight into Arrow. I do plan to collect more Arrow in 2022. Hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas 🎄 🎁 and Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!
What a great list and a reminder of just how many of these I still need to watch! Lol... Deep Cover and Fast Times were definitely my favorites!
Thanks, Ken! Yes, so many great titles this year that there are a lot of Criterion releases I loved that didn’t make the top 10. Great year for physical media, including boutique labels like Criterion and I’m hoping 2022 has even greater things coming. Happy New Year!🎈🎊🎆
Some of my all time favorites, The Searchers, Sunrise, Grand Illusion, Modern Times, Our Hospitality, Pickpocket, Tokyo Story, Ugetsu, Bringing Up Baby, North By Northwest, Taxi Driver, L’Atalante, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Shining, Duck Soup, Ordet, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Paisan….
Ethan, very nice list of all time favorites, and some of those are among my favorites as well. I’m looking forward to revisiting Taxi Driver in 4K from the Columbia Vol. 2 box set .
Hi James. Great video! I completely agree that 2021 has been a wonderful year for physical media. I love the Criterion Collection and really enjoyed your favorites of the year especially the detailed discussion on each film. Tarkovsky's "Mirror" is one of my favorites of 2021 also. D.A. Pennebaker's documentary on "Company" is amazing. Happy New Year!
Hello, Dave! Glad you enjoyed the video! Mirror is an amazing film and last year’s release was one of the best, as well as Original Cast Album: Company. I enjoyed your Criterion favorites video as well and saw that we have a lot of the same ones on both of our lists.
Happy New Year to you and yours as well!
The way you described them, I’ve got this funny feeling that you’re really into the stapled booklets.
“An amazing stapled booklet”
“A very nice stapled booklet”
“A thick stapled booklet”
Ha ha! A stapled booklet never hurts. 😊
Well James, another great year of content on your channel. I really like your list though I wonder how Secrets and Lies would have fared. It is a top 10 all time favourite of mine.
I would love to see a video on the heavyweights of cinema. The greatest of all time. I think it would be fun if it were international and not limited to American cinema alone.
Thanks for another year of great videos James… I wish you and your’s a safe, happy and prosperous 2022!
Matt, thank you for the kind words and I appreciate your feedback and engagement with the channel and community! 2021 has been a fun year and I’m looking forward to 2022.
Based on feedback from yourself and the community, it sounds like a greatest films video would be a good idea for next year.
You and yours have a very Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 and Happy New Year 🎈🎊🎆 as well!
What a great year for your channel James! It was a really fantastic selection of titles for your top 10. For me my personal top 3 criterion releases this year were Mirror, Mandabi and Céline and Julie Go Boating. Happy New Year!
Sergio, thank you very much! 2021 has been quite a year and I’ve enjoyed the journey with the community this year and engaging you and others in conversations about these great films and physical media releases. Looking forward to 2022.
Happy New Year 🎆🎊🎈!
For the top 10 films of all time that you mentioned towards the ends, the top 2 I always revert back to is Shawshank Redemption and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Scott, those are two excellent films for sure! It’s been a while since I’ve seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, so I need to revisit it. Best film(s) of all time is a topic we’re planning to explore in 2022.
Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!
When I was watching Elaine Stritch's first attempt at 'Ladies Who Lunch' I thought "wow, she nailed it first time!" so I was very surprised when they spent most of the night and the next day perfecting it!
Hello, Olivia! I had a similar reaction to the first attempt for Elaine. They have such a high bar for what is considered good and it is so awesome to see the artistic process at work and the fruit it bore at the end. Just fantastic!
Have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Holiday Season!
@@20thand21stMovies All the best for 2022!
I would absolutely love to watch a video about possible greatest films ever. Also, a video about some of your favorite films ever would be interesting to watch!
P.S. Love the channel!
Oscar, thanks for the feedback and glad to hear you enjoy the channel!
Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season!
James, very good list. In my opinion, mirror must be in the second position after Citizen Kane and films like The Ascent, The Human Condition, Flowers of Shanghai, La Piscine, Ashes and Diamonds, The Damned, Celine and Julie go Boating and Memories of Murder must be in the top ten. The best box set is without a doubt World of Wong Kar Wai but honorable mention deserves Three Films by Luis Buñuel and also Melvin van Peebles.
Juan check out Let's Talk Criterion on Boxing Day for a nice surprise
Juan, glad you liked the list. Your selections are excellent and indicative of how great this year was for Criterion. So many fantastic titles it is hard to narrow down to a Top 10.
I had a feeling CK would be your #1. I have seen the film several times and own a DVD copy but your enthusiasm has me convinced to buy the Criterion release. Discovered your channel in 2021 and am looking forward to seeing more great content in 2022.
Steve O, yes, when it all came down to it, CK was just the most complete overall release for me for the year content wise. Excellent all the way around, except for the packaging.
Have a very Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 and Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!
Really enjoyed this video--I was guessing what your selections would be and was only surprised by " Smooth Talk"--mainly because I somehow missed this one, based on your review it has been added to the top of my list for the next sale. Looking forward to your content in 2022!
Born on the Bayou, thank you for the kind words! I really enjoyed Smooth Talk and recommend it highly.
I’m looking forward to 2022 as well and continuing the discussion on film with this great community.
Have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁, Happy New Year, and Happy Holiday Season!
Interesting list James. You mention ‘In the Mood for Love ‘ - one of my favourite films period. There is a 4K UHD release in Germany which I’m thinking of importing - could be a future criterion release? You also mention High Sierra - I’ve been making my way through Bogart’s films in recent days - a true Hollywood star!
Sean, glad you liked the list. I didn’t know In the Mood For Love had a 4K UHD release. Talk about a movie that would look stunning with a proper 4K release with good HDR!
High Sierra was such a great release and a nice film with Bogart. Definitely recommended if you don’t already have it.
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁!
I haven't seen nearly as many films, so my top picks for the year come from a smaller pool. Also, I don't have a 4K TV (yet), so I can't speak to the merits of the 4K discs I purchased: Citizen Kane and Mulholland Dr.
Among those films I have seen, my clear favorite was Mirror. In fact, that title is now one of my favorite films of all time.
I don't own the Fellini box set so La Strada was a first-time watch. That was also one of the standout titles I picked up this year.
Finally, I have to say I'm one of the haters when it comes to the packaging for Citizen Kane. I'm agnostic on the artwork but the sleeves are unforgiveable. They created an unnecessary risk the discs will get scratched in their biggest title of the year. That was inexcusable, in my view.
Best wishes to you and your family for the holidays. Hope you enjoy a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.
Hello, Rob! Mirror is such an amazing title for sure. It’s a film I see myself revisiting over the years due to its deep meaning and themes and it’s such a beautiful film to watch.
I have the Fellini box set and La Strada along with Nights of Cabiria are the two that stand out the most for me. Great films and Giulietta Masina was wonderful in both.
I would agree that the packaging for the Citizen Kane release was not very good. Probably well intent but it just doesn’t work well. At least the content is amazing and the 4K disc is great.
I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 and Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!
How come the parallax view, nightmare alley, and bringing up baby didn’t make it? You were so thrilled when these movies got released. I bought them based on your highly enthusiastic recommendations. And they were so good
Merry Christmas, Thomas! Parallax View, Nightmare Alley, and Bringing Up Baby are all excellent editions for sure and I enjoyed them as well. It’s really indicative of how great a year 2021 was for Criterion releases that there are a lot of titles I really enjoyed that didn’t crack my top 10 favorites. Are they in your top 10?
Great selections
Thanks, Travelin Man! Glad you enjoyed the selections. Merry Christmas 🎄🎁!
I discovered Cinema Paradiso in 2021 and I think it’s arguably one of the best movies of all time
Wonder Wheel, that is a title I need to add to my watchlist. I’ve heard good things about it.
Merry Christmas 🎁🎄!
If you have not seen Eyes Without A Face, I give that a recommendation. Creepy horror without blood and gore like most modern day "horror" films. I definitely want to get One Night In Miami but will wait for next sale :)
Eyes Without A Face is one I need to add to the watchlist. I’ve heard good things about it. One Night in Miami will be a good one to pick up ina future sale for sure.
Hope you had a good Christmas 🎄, and Happy New Year 🎈🎆🎊 , pdxsoapopera!
I've just done my favourites of the year video, but I've chosen one from each month interesting our views are somewhat similar and yet some of my choices differ. I don't know about you but some months it was hard to choose an overall favourite. All to be revealed on Boxing Day.
Hello, Steve and Cheers! Glad to hear you have put together your list as well and I look forward to seeing it after Christmas. Have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 and I’ll look for that video on Boxing Day this Sunday!
Great video.
Richard, glad you enjoyed the video. Merry Christmas 🎄🎁!
I need to get citizen Kane, tried watching a few years ago and turned it off cos it found it boring, but since then I’ve expanded the types of movies I watch so will get hold of it
Dan, it’s a good one and the supplements really round out the experience with the history and significance of the movie and Orson Welles’ journey, etc.
I would love to watch your possibilities if greatest films ever made!
Personally I’d place Barry Lyndon as a possibly #1
Hello, Jerry! Yes, I’ve been thinking about a video along those lines for some time and January/February might be a good time to produce it.
Have a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁, Happy New Year 🎈🎊🎆, and Holiday Season!
Great Kubrick film and beautifully shot.
I still need to watch uncut gems, but if it’s anything like reign over me, it will be frustrating seeing Adam Sandler give an excellent performance when you see what he’s capable of, but decides to make films like grown ups
Uncut Gems is Sandler’s best performance to date in my book.
Do you think you’d do a full criterion collection video?
Hello, Dan. Yes, I’m thinking of doing some Criterion Collection videos. Will need to break it up into a video series (perhaps by spine numbers). Should be fun.
Kinda disappointed that in the UK we only get the standard blu of menace 2 society
Hopefully the 4K of Menace II Society will make its way across the pond soon. It’s a really good disc.
I love both arrow video and criterion but I feel it’s safer to blind buy a criterion disc because you got more chance of the film being excellent whereas with arrow some of the films they put out are awful
Dan, thanks for sharing that insight into Arrow. I do plan to collect more Arrow in 2022.
Hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas 🎄 🎁 and Happy New Year 🎊🎆🎈!