Criterion 24/7 helped me uncover the very best films I might by no means seen

For many years, the Criterion Assortment has been a guiding star for film buffs. Launching within the LaserDisc period, after which shifting into DVDs, then Blu-rays, and now 4K Blu-rays, the corporate has been on the forefront of releasing traditional and artwork home movies from all around the world. In 2019, they launched the Criterion Channel, a streaming service housing an enormous portion of their library, together with licensed titles from many different studios and distributors.

Then, in April 2024, 5 years after introducing the streaming service, the corporate launched a brand new live-stream channel inside the app known as Criterion 24/7, for subscribers. The idea is easy: a 24-hour-a-day stream of movies, one after the opposite, from Criterion’s streaming library. Seems, it is also the streaming characteristic I did not know I desperately wanted in my life.

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What does Criterion 24/7 provide?

Solely the very best films of all time

Criterion Channel

As a result of Criterion 24/7 pulls from Criterion Channel’s huge library, that additionally means it is filled with most of the finest movies ever made. There are over 2,000 movies on Criterion Channel, which can not sound like a lot in comparison with giants like Netflix. However in contrast to Netflix, which barely options any films made earlier than 1980, Criterion Channel is full of films from throughout the entire historical past of cinema, from the silent period to immediately.

A lot of the library is pulled from Janus Movies, the mum or dad firm of Criterion, which has been distributing overseas, artwork home cinema in the USA because the Fifties. That features films by vital filmmakers like Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, Agnes Varda and plenty of extra. There are additionally many modern movies, together with this 12 months’s wonderful Evil Does Not Exist, by director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who was Oscar-nominated for Drive My Automotive in 2022.

Why Criterion 24/7?

Randomness is the spice of life

Criterion Channel

The important thing factor to learn about Criterion 24/7 is that you just by no means know what you are going to get, and that is the fantastic thing about it. In reality, once you tune in to Criterion 24/7, which exists as a channel inside the Criterion Channel app, it will not even say what’s at present enjoying. The concept is to imitate the way in which issues can be within the outdated days, on an precise TV channel — the viewer was merely caught watching no matter was on.

Which will sound like a foul factor within the period of video on demand, the place consumer selection is king, however there was one thing easier about simply turning on a film channel and trying out no matter occurred to be enjoying. What’s extra, it is an effective way to find films. It may be so troublesome to decide on one thing new to look at, and it is typically straightforward to choose one thing acquainted.

Whereas acquainted titles may pop up on Criterion 24/7, the randomness means being uncovered to loads of new movies as effectively. Wish to know what’s enjoying, or when the subsequent thriller film will begin? Simply head over to the location’s What’s On Now page.

How I exploit Criterion 24/7

It is the brand new TCM

Criterion Channel

I’ve all the time cherished Turner Traditional Films, however with out cable, I wanted a substitute, and Criterion 24/7 affords simply that. It isn’t precisely the identical or as thoughtfully curated, the schedule is not introduced prematurely, and it would not characteristic interstitial content material like outdated newsreels, movie intros, or documentaries. That stated, the films are a very powerful factor, and on that entrance, Criterion 24/7 greater than delivers.

Because it launched, I’ve used Criterion 24/7 loads, principally as one thing to have on within the background whereas I work. That is not the best strategy to watch films, however at any time when I come throughout one that really captures my consideration, I am going to simply add it to my Criterion Channel watch record and stream it later. I additionally use the 24/7 channel loads at night time, once I’m too drained to go looking via my numerous streaming companies for one thing to look at. I can placed on Criterion 24/7 and let it select for me.

It is even enjoyable to activate in the course of some film that is already enjoying, getting a style of one thing I would need to rewind and watch in full, or settling in with an outdated favourite.

My Criterion 24/7 discoveries

The perfect issues I’ve seen on the channel

Criterion Channel

There actually is a wealth of nice content material for film lovers on Criterion Channel and Criterion 24/7, and because the live-stream channel launched, I’ve found many nice titles. Listed below are among the finest.

• Le Samouraï (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1967)
• Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders, 1984)
• Yojimbo (Akira Kurosawa, 1961)
• Within the Temper for Love (Wong Kar-wai, 2000)
• The Pink Footwear (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1948)
• Improbable Planet (René Laloux, 1973)

And that is only a small style of the varieties of films you may see in the event you tune in.

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