During this period of self-isolation and social distancing, recommendations for what to do with much more time spent inside abound – from books to read to how to be kind to yourself in quarantine. There’s plenty more time to watch films, too – and who better to take movie guidance from than arthouse auteur Wes Anderson? The Criterion Collection is dedicated to restoring classic and contemporary films and making them available as a DVD or BluRay or to stream on the Criterion Channel, and boasts an extraordinary library of movies to browse and buy online. Anderson is a fan of the Criterion catalogue.
“Director Wes Anderson writes us occasional letters to let us know what he’s been enjoying,” reads a recent Criterion newsletter, which goes on to share the filmmaker’s most recent note. So, what has Anderson been watching? “Dear Criterion friends,” he writes, “I’ve been streaming and Blu-raying Criterion movies every day and I just wanted to mention …
“Raymond Bernard! Anne-Marie written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry? I’d never heard of it … And Les misérables is a masterpiece. I love this Harry Bauer. Also: Wooden Crosses.”
Wooden Crosses, 1932(Film still)
“I had never watched Arthur Hiller’s The Out-of-Towners before, either. It is a great time machine, that one.”