Criterion Crazy: November 2025 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
We still have a quarter of the year left, and yet Criterion is already almost finished 2025 by reaching and revealing their November slate today. It’s safe to say that the Criterion crew went super hard with this month’s lineup, perhaps as a draw for cinephiles to partake in that annual November flash sale — where all available stock is fifty percent off for twenty four hours. I feel like there is something for everybody this year, with a number of cherished films entering the Collection (at least one of these motion pictures has been — what I believe is — one of the most frequently requested films to enter the Criterion Collection, so it’s great to say that our prayers have been answered). We have a lot of 4K releases as well, so strap in and get ready to be broker than ever (although this does happen every single month, let’s be honest). Let’s go through the November 2025 Criterion lineup.
The Favourite: Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Here it is, folks. Eyes Wide Shut. One of the last remaining Stanley Kubrick films to get a Criterion release (will Full Metal Jacket ever see the day?), and now there is only one Kubrick film left to not be available in 4K via any distributor (Fear and Desire). What has been crowned one of the greatest films of the nineties and — depending on who you ask (me) — of the holiday season, Eyes Wide Shut is a nightmarish, hallucinogenic classic. You can purchase this Criterion release on either 4K (this is the best option, if you are able to) or Blu-ray. In case you weren’t interested about this release yet, Eyes Wide Shut is packed with features. These include a slew of interviews, Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick (I assume there will be coverage of his incomplete Napoleon Bonaparte project here), press conference footage, and much more. In all honesty, the special features could be just twelve hours of elevator music and I’d still want to buy this because — need I remind you — this is Eyes Wide Shut on 4K. That’s all you need to know.
Under-Seen Choice: Él (1953)
Usually when Criterion selects underrated films, these are works that are fairly good and overlooked. That’s not the case with Luis Buñuel’s Él, which is, quite frankly, a sensational drama that deserves to be as discussed as his surreal classics. Available on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD (there’s accessibility all across the board with this one), Él is a stunning, expressionist film that is worth your attention, even if it isn’t as well-known as The Discrete Charm of the Bourgeoisie or Viridiana. There aren’t too many features for this title, but you will be getting a video essay about Buñuel’s life as a director, an interview from 1981 with Buñuel and writer Jean-Claude Carrière, and a shout-out by Guillermo del Toro (because, why not).
An Ambitious Auteur Part I: Burden of Dreams (1982)
Are you a fan of Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo — the ego-maniacal quest to hoist an entire steamship over a steep mountain in order to fulfill a delirious mogul’s desires? Do you want to see the auteur fall into the same trap as the character his film scrutinizes? Burden of Dreams is a sensational documentary where art becomes reality that Criterion is releasing on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD. Burden of Dreams will come with audio commentary (one track by filmmaker Les Blank), numerous Herzog-related interviews, and — perhaps the best feature of all — Blank’s film Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (a film that is precisely about what it sounds like).
An Ambitious Auteur Part II: Hell’s Angels (1930)
If you are a fan of Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, you may be interested in seeing Howard Hughes’ towering achievement as a director: Hell’s Angels. This pre-Code classic is essential for film buffs who are obsessed with cinematic and technical spectacles (especially if you want to have your brains scrambled by the mind-boggling air combat sequences). Available on 4K and Blu-ray, there aren’t too many features that are present here; they include contemporary interviews, and — shockingly — outtakes and rushes for a film that is nearly one-hundred years old. If you want a solid film that is sure to take your breath away, Hell’s Angels will make a strong blind buy.
Sure, Why Not: House Party (1990)
I feel like I have come to terms with the Criterion Collection expanding its catalogue to the point of being more widely accessible than ever before, and this includes who its demographic is. If teen films like The Breakfast Club can be in the collection, then, I suppose, why not Reginald Hudlin’s House Party (a romp that I could have never imagined would be released by Criterion even five years ago). Available on 4K and Blu-ray, this version of House Party comes with audio commentary by Hudlin (this should be a great listen), the director’s student short film that inspired this feature release, and a staff reunion extra. I feel like this film is quite easy to find if you want to see it for the first time, but those of you who are already established fans of House Party may find great delight in this well constructed release.
It’s Time to Upgrade: The Breakfast Club (1985)
Oh, speak of the devil. The Breakfast Club is back in the Criterion zeitgeist. Now available on 4K, I’d argue that this recent iteration is the biggest incentive to pick up The Breakfast Club via Criterion as opposed to, say, the likely trillions of other ways you can watch the film; where else can you watch this John Hughes classic on 4K?
Oh, yeah… THE ECLIPSE SERIES IS BACK: Abbas Kiarostami: Early Shorts and Features
A surprise that came out about a week ago is that the once dormant Eclipse series is now officially back. Eclipse is an affordable collection of curated films — usually ones that abide by an over arching theme — that are in desperate need of preservation and the spotlight (in fact, the Eclipse series has been beneficial for the rise in popularity of a number of once-neglected films, like Larisa Shepitko’s The Ascent, which has since been upgraded to a stand-alone Criterion release). If you are a hardcore cinephile who is searching for some of the unsung projects of yesteryear (especially international releases), Eclipse is the way to go. These releases are usually quite bare-bones, stripped of features and available on cheaper formats like DVD or Blu-ray. The return kicks off with a bang: seventeen features and shorts by Iranian auteur Abbas Kiarostami that — should you resort to watching films via legal means only — are next to impossible to see otherwise (and now they are here). If you ever wanted to finish watching all of the films by this master, the first Eclipse release in quite some time is sure to cure that itch. I cannot wait to see what other Eclipse concepts will drop in the future.
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.