quarterempty

A so-far-uncredited screenwriter, Matthew Dessem, has started a project, The Criterion Contraption, where he will watch each of the criterion collection films in order of the company’s release.  While this in itself is an admirable, ambitious project (there are 403 films so far!), his reviews are remarkably  creative, insightful, and full of pithy details.  It’s unlikely he’ll ever catch up (he’s been at it for three years and is only up to #70, averaging two a month while criterion puts out three a month), as he reviews the entire disc, all the features, commentaries and packaging, along with his own considerable film knowledge.  His writing style, while heavily informative, is never pedantic, nor does he take cheap shots at some of Criterion’s head scratchers.  Armageddon (#40) for example, exhibits a considered defense of not only the film’s existence, but even its inclusion on the list.    A digression on lenses and aspect ratios in his review of Rushmore (#65) is particularly idiosyncratric.  I recommend these reviews as well as:  This Is Spinal Tap (#12), The Silence of the Lambs (#13).