Criterion Crazy: July 2025 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
While we are only in the first quarter of 2025, the Criterion Collection’s rollouts for the year are already past halfway done now with the announcement of their July lineup having been released. Alongside a Janus Contemporaries release of last year’s fantastic release, All We Imagine as Light, there are five titles (and, really, eight films) to get excited about with Criterion’s latest batch. We have a heart-wrenching box set that — in hindsight — I’m surprised wasn’t released sooner, and three great titles from some of cinema’s greatest minds (I’d argue that they are slightly lesser known than their greatest achievements, but that’s all the reason to deep dive into some other stellar works by these astounding filmmakers). Finally, to wrap things up, not only is there another 4K upgrade, but it’s for a film you will only ever want to watch in that resolution and quality for the rest of your life (until the next format comes out, of course). Let’s explore what looks to be a strong month over at the Criterion Collection.
The Favourite: The Adventures of Antoine Doinel
While François Truffaut’s French new wave masterpiece, The 400 Blows, is already in the collection, Criterion saw fit to release a box set of his films with his beloved character Antoine Doinel, played by Jean-Pierre Léaud. Not to nitpick and be negative about what is shaping up to be one of the best releases by Criterion of 2025, but I cannot help but wonder: if the company was going through the effort of releasing this exquisite, well thought out box set, why is one of the films (Antoine and Colette) missing? I can only assume that there are rights related issues because it would not make sense for Criterion to not want the series to be complete. Nonetheless, there are four of the five Antoine Doinel films included, which is already reason enough to be excited for this set (The 400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run); that’s twenty years of content and cinema that I think will rival the adored box set for Satyajit Ray’s The Apu Trilogy (if only Antoine and Colette was included…). Available on 4K and Blu-ray, this box set gets even more ridiculously stacked with the inclusion of some great extras, including short film Les mistons, and multiple interviews, essays (both textual and video), and commentaries. For the most part, this is a phenomenal release that I cannot stress enough is a must-have for any cinephile’s collection, even with the one missing film.
Now It’s Dark: The Big Heat (1953)
Attention all film noir enthusiasts! Fritz Lang’s magnificent entry, The Big Heat (one of my favourite films of the fifties and of Lang’s career), is entering the Criterion Collection! Not only is there a lack of many of Lang’s great films in the Collection (outside of M, of course), but the slow accumulation of classic noir films is one I fully support, so the accession of The Big Heat is quite the pleasant surprise for me. Not only will the film be available on 4K and Blu-ray (this is a film that would look great in either format), there are many academic features to help make this already-noteworthy release even more splendid. Film noir aficionados Alain Silver and James Ursini provide audio commentary, crime auteurs Martin Scorsese and Michael Mann have interviews about this film included, and there are even archival interviews with Lang included as well (plus some video and textual essays to boot). If there wasn’t a certain box set announced for this same month, I’d actually peg this release of The Big Heat as my favourite non-upgrade release of this batch.
Revisit New Hollywood: Carnal Knowledge (1971)
After releasing two of the best films of his career from right out of the gate (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf and The Graduate), and a decent attempt at adapting Catch-22, American New Hollywood titan Mike Nichols had Carnal Knowledge: a less-discussed film in his career that certainly has its fans (including critic Roger Ebert). I think Carnal Knowledge will become a favourite for many more cinephiles after this Criterion release. The film is available on 4K and Blu-ray, but there aren’t too many features that will entice just about anyone to blindly pick up Carnal Knowledge. We have extras involving Nichols experts of various fields, like an audio commentary with filmmaker Neil LaBute, an interview with historian Bobbie O’Steen, a program with non-fiction writer Mark Harris and critic Dana Stevens, and a Q&A with screenwriter Jules Feiffer. Outside of an interview bwteen Nichols and director Jason Reitman from 2011, there’s not much involving those involved with Carnal Knowledge itself (this makes more sense for a film like The Big Heat which is far older, whereas a lot of people involved with Carnal Knowledge are still alive). Then again, these features may prove how wide spread the love for this film is, and this can convince you enough — especially if you love the New Hollywood movement — to pick up this title.
Sobbing Intensifies: You Can Count on Me (2000)
It was only a matter of time for indie director Kenneth Lonergan to find his way in the Criterion Collection, and so the company has chosen his superb debut, You Can Count on Me, to welcome him into the family. While there aren’t many extras at all (honestly, just commentary, interviews, and an essay), those involved with these features are what make them feel a little special in relation to this film. Lonergan himself provides the commentary and an interview, while stars Laura Linney, Matthew Broderick, and Mark Ruffalo round out the other interviews. That token Criterion essay that is included? Written by Rebecca Gilman, who wrote the original script of the play You Can Count on Me is based on. If you are a fan of American indie films, this is one that needs to be in your cart as soon as possible. For those who want to blind buy this title, I’d pick the cheaper Blu-ray version over the 4K variant (leave those for the diehards).
It’s Time to Upgrade: Barry Lyndon (1975)
It’s Barry Lyndon. On 4K. That’s all you need to know. Stanley Kubrick’s greatest film and the best looking film ever made (as well as one of my personal favourite films ever) is getting the 4K treatment through Criterion in celebration of the masterpiece’s fiftieth anniversary, and I cannot even fathom how wonderful it is going to look. What are you waiting for? I don’t have to say anything else! Just buy the damn film on 4K already!
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.