Criterion Collection Reviews: "A Woman Under the Influence", "Birth", "Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)"
A running-list of my favorite Criterion titles of 2026 (so far).
From the raw, domestic battlegrounds of Cassavetes to the icy, operatic mysteries of Glazer, these films aren’t just back, they’re reborn. Whether you’re a physical media purist or just looking for your next obsession, here are my favorite titles from the Criterion Collection’s 2026 slate.
RAW, VOLCANIC, AND VITAL
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
If you’ve ever felt like your emotions were just a little too “loud” for the room, John Cassavetes’ A Woman Under the Influence will make you feel better about yourself. This isn’t just a movie; it’s a bruising but beautiful dive into the human psyche. Gena Rowlands gives one of the great performances in American history. It’s a performance that both feels grounded but larger than life. Larger than the universe.
As a cornerstone of the American Indie canon, its importance can’t be overstated. It’s the blueprint for every “kitchen sink” drama that followed, proving there’s power in the machinations of our lives. This new standalone release gives the film the individual spotlight it has long deserved outside of the box-set shadow.
The Technicals:
The Transfer: A high-definition digital restoration from a 35mm color reversal internegative, preserving the thick, naturalistic film grain of its cinéma vérité roots.
The Sound: Uncompressed LPCM monaural soundtrack.
The Supplements: *
Audio commentary featuring sound recordist/composer Bo Harwood and camera operator Mike Ferris.
Archival conversation between stars Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk.
A massive 75-minute archival audio interview with John Cassavetes from 1975.
A booklet featuring an essential essay by critic Kent Jones.
EERIE, ELEGANT, & EXQUISITE
Birth (2004)
I’ve spent years shouting from the rooftops that Jonathan Glazer’s Birth is a misunderstood masterpiece, and finally, Criterion has given me the “I told you so” I’ve been waiting for. Following his not-so-mainstream breakthrough with The Zone of Interest, it feels fitting to return to a film that is equally haunting, hypnotic, and heartbreakingly human. Nicole Kidman, delivering a career-best performance, navigates a premise that sounds like tabloid fodder but plays out like an opera.
In the film canon, Birth has moved from a “cult curiosity” to a “pinnacle of 21st-century formalist filmmaking.” The legendary two-minute close-up of Kidman at the opera is worth the price of admission alone. This new 4K UHD transfer is, quite frankly, a religious experience.
The Technicals:
The Transfer: Director-approved 4K digital restoration supervised by Jonathan Glazer, presented in Dolby Vision HDR for stunning contrast and “inky” black levels.
The Sound: 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack that perfectly renders Alexandre Desplat’s hypnotic, percussive score.
The Supplements: * New documentary on the making of the film featuring behind-the-scenes footage and new interviews with Glazer and the cast.
New program on the film’s painterly cinematography with the original camera crew.
Archival 2004 interview with Glazer and Nicole Kidman.
An essay by author Olivia Laing.
GRITTY, GLAMOROUS, & GROUNDBREAKING
Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
There is something profoundly “electric” about revisiting Héctor Babenco’s Kiss of the Spider Woman in 2026. It’s a landmark of queer cinema that feels more relevant than ever, standing as a visceral and vibrant exploration of how stories save our lives. Oozing with chemistry, William Hurt and Raul Julia dance between the bleak reality of a prison cell and the Technicolor daydreams of a forgotten cinema.
With the recent remake starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh, which at times felt like too much of a diversion from the source material, returning to this version feels grounding. While the musical leans into the spectacle, Babenco’s film finds its power in the quiet, transformative intimacy between two men who have nothing left but their imaginations.
The Technicals:
The Transfer: A brand-new 4K digital restoration presented in Dolby Vision HDR, making the “imagination” sequences pop with a surreal, saturated glow against the gritty prison realism.
The Sound: 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. Plus, an alternate uncompressed monaural soundtrack for the purists.
The Supplements:
Tangled Web: A feature-length 2008 documentary on the making of the film.
New interview with Suzanne Jill Levine, biographer of author Manuel Puig, regarding the adaptation.
A short program on the life and work of Manuel Puig.
An essay by the legendary critic B. Ruby Rich.