Criterion Crazy: May 2026 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
It feels like that Criterion flash sale will be any day now, but we clearly do not have time to wait and find out. Instead, the Criterion Collection wants us to be excited for its latest rollout earlier than usual (perhaps since Monday is Presidents’ Day in the United States). This latest announcement is quite decent, with a film that is so new that it is still fresh in the minds of many cinephiles, an underrated film by a New Hollywood titan, a couple of under-seen nineties cuts, and a 4K upgrade of a forties film that is only getting more beloved with time. Let us dive right in to the May Criterion titles and see what you may want to add to your home library.
The Favourite: Sentimental Value (2025)
This release comes as no surprise given a few factors. First, it’s been known that Criterion has teamed up with Neon to release a few of their latest feature films, including this one. Secondly, even if you were not privy to this announcement, Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World was a quick addition to the Criterion Collection. Alas, Sentimental Value is here early enough that many cinephiles have only just watched it for the first time recently by the time they get the chance to own it as a Criterion title. This is a lovingly made release with fascinating box art that embodies the themes of familial distancing, existential numbness, and an unassuming house that has histories of life and discourse within it. Available on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD, everyone will have a chance to own Sentimental Value on Criterion no matter what their preferred price point is. There aren’t too many bonus features, but there are still some goodies, including a conversation between Trier and filmmaker Mike Mills, various interviews with the film’s stars, commentary for certain sequences from the film, and deleted scenes — not to mention a classic Criterion essay, this time by writer Karl Ove Knausgård. Sentimental Value is already cherished as one of the best films of 2025, and any fans of drama, thought-provoking cinema, and emotionally raw endeavours owe it to themselves to watch and own such a tremendous feature film.
New Hollywood is Back in Fashion: Lenny (1974)
Bob Fosse has a near-perfect career of New Hollywood staples; All That Jazz — his magnum opus — already exists in the Criterion Collection. It’s about time that some conversations were reignited surrounding his third film of five: Lenny, starring Dustin Hoffman as the controversial comedian Lenny Bruce. This film is ridiculously underrated when it comes to the overall discussion of New Hollywood greats, and the film can now be yours on 4K or Blu-ray; given the film’s intended graininess, I don’t know if it is an absolute must to gun for the 4K copy if you are weighing your options economically. If you are a fan of seventies cinema, the New Hollywood movement, or the topic of counterculture, Lenny is a must that I hope garners renewed interest after this Criterion release. Lenny will come with a few special features, including audio commentary by film historians Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo, various interviews with Hoffman, Valerie Perrine, and editor Alan Heim, and an essay by critic Mark Harris; there is apparently another interview, this time with the late Fosse, but I am assuming that it is a textual one to be included with the release’s booklet (given how this feature is depicted on the official Criterion website alongside the essay).
Gimme Danger: Body Heat (1981)
The seventies and eighties were a sandbox for filmmakers to try and shake up films noir with their countless neo-noir attempts. One such case is Lawrence Kasdan’s Body Heat that pulls the erotic tension that protagonists and femmes fatale could muster in a day and age not stunted by the Hollywood Code. Criterion has this pulpy gem of eighties crime cinema available on 4K and Blu-ray; you may want to go with the highest quality possible with this one, considering the juicy, colourful lighting and shadows that will simply pop on your screen (or, at least, I can only hope that they will). This release will come with a few interviews (from Kasdan, editor Carol Littleton, and historian Bobbie O’Steen), deleted scenes, and archival programs featuring many of the film’s cast and crew members (including William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Ted Danson, John Barry, and Richard H. Kline). I feel like this film will have an even larger fanbase after this release, and — should you like what you have read above — you may want to be a part of it.
Under-Seen Choice: The Delta (1996)
Ira Sachs has become a bit of a bigger name in contemporary indie cinema thanks to films like Passages (and another title I will refrain from bringing up… for now), so looking back on a film like The Delta is rather nice; Criterion — and similar companies — can be great resources when it comes to rekindling the legacies of forgotten films, even by reasonably big names. Sachs’ debut feature film is just as thought provoking and sociopolitically aware as his films have ever been. This release will only be available on Blu-ray, should you be interested in owning it. It will come with a few features that sound like golden opportunities for any existing fans of Sachs, including audio commentary by the director, two of his earlier short films (Vaudeville, 1991, and Lady, 1993), and an interview between Sachs and critic Keith Uhlich; there’s also a classic Criterion essay by author Michael Koresky. I feel like these features are great for directing those who are familiar with Sachs’ more recent works towards the start of his career, with a film that you maybe didn’t know you ever needed in your collection.
Buy The Delta Here
Get Your Cult Classic: Fresh Kill (1994)
While I am appreciative that the Criterion Collection releases massive classics in film history, it is always nice when they preserve and showcase deep cuts that may not have gotten the light of day, including Shu Lea Cheang’s Fresh Kill. This queer, pseudo-avant-garde cult classic is just begging for a blind buy from those who are able to pick up Criterion titles at any given time (just look at that cover art: it’s just so nostalgically enticing). This is a good film to pick up if you are obsessed with the nineties aesthetic, LGBTQ+ cinema, cyberpunk and psychedelic art, and unorthodoxy as a whole; you may also find its themes and arguments ahead of their time and a worrisome look at contemporary times. Available only on Blu-ray, Fresh Kill includes an interview with Cheang and star Sarita Choudhury (of Mississippi Masala fame, as well as Fresh Kill here), a panel discussion surrounding the film’s thirtieth anniversary, coverage of Cheang receiving the 2024 award for Artistic Achievement from the LG Guggenheim Art and Technology Initiative, and a classic essay by artist Mindy Seu. Could this be a new favourite for younger cinephiles? It sure sounds like it to me.
It’s Time to Upgrade: Stray Dog (1949)
Akira Kurosawa’s Stray Dog is slowly becoming one of his most beloved and discussed works, so Criterion struck while the iron was hot with this upgrade. Previously available only on DVD, Stray Dog is now going to be purchasable on both 4K and Blu-ray. If you know me by now, I would say you can never go wrong with Kurosawa (who is one of the greatest directors of all time), but if that isn’t enough to entice you to pick up this upgrade, I will say that Stray Dog is a major highlight of Japanese cinema and the crime genre of the 1940s. This film will also be jaw-droppingly stunning in a higher quality (Kurosawa never missed with his film’s aesthetics).
Finally, Criterion Premieres: Peter Hujar’s Day (2025)
The Delta likely got added to the Collection so Criterion Premieres could release Ira Sachs’ latest film, Peter Hujar’s Day: an acclaimed indie film from last year featuring a stimulating discussion by actors Ben Winshaw (as photographer Hujar) and Rebecca Hall (as writer Linda Rosenkrantz); you will be hooked for all eighty minutes of this film. Available on Blu-ray and DVD, I have a feeling that you will be hearing a lot more about Peter Hujar’s Day (if you haven’t already) once the Film Independent Spirit Awards take place; I predict this may pick up a trophy or two.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson 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.