Criterion Cast: Main Episodes

In this episode of Criterion Cast, David Blakeslee interviews Thomas Golianopoulos about his new book The Life of Singleton: From Boyz n the Hood to Snowfall. The book provides an in-depth biography of director/writer/producer John Singleton, subject of John Singleton’s Hood Trilogy, a three-film box set recently issued by the Criterion Collection.

The Life of Singleton is the definitive account of film icon John Singleton’s life and times.

John Singleton became a living legend at just 24 years old when he earned Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Boyz N the Hood, the sleeper hit of the summer of 1991 and one of the decade’s most important films. Though he wasn’t victorious on Oscar night, it didn’t detract from his achievements. Singleton was the first Black person nominated for Best Director and remains the youngest person nominated for the award. But he wasn’t finished. Over the next three decades, he’d amass a Hall of Fame career featuring more classic films (Rosewood, Baby Boy), four number one hits (Poetic Justice, Shaft, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Four Brothers) and one of the top-rated series on cable television (Snowfall, which ran for six seasons).

In The Life of Singleton: From Boyz N the Hood to Snowfall, Thomas Golianopoulos reports on the life and death of John Daniel Singleton, from his time as a driven film student at USC to his last days on the Costa Rica set of Snowfall. Singleton was an American original, a Hollywood maverick, and a South Central icon — no one repped LA harder than him. He created indelible moments on the screen and inspired and mentored a generation of filmmakers.

Featuring nearly 400 original interviews and sharp analysis, The Life of Singleton takes readers behind the scenes of the filmmaker’s work and unwraps the complex man behind it.

The Criterion Collection

In this special episode of Criterion Cast, David Blakeslee interviews Aaron West, a longtime contributor to this site, about his new book The A24 New Wave, which will publish in May 2026. Their conversation gives a brief overview of A24’s history since the company began distributing films in 2012 (with their big breakthrough Spring Breakers) and went on from there to accelerate the careers of many of today’s most influential and respected directors, actors, and other talents. A24 has released many of the most impactful movies of the past decade-plus and this book offers insights and behind-the-scenes details on how those projects came together. Aaron also describes his creative process and shares some early insights on his plans for upcoming volumes exploring other chapters of cinema history.

The A24 New Wave is the story of the foundation of the indie film powerhouse that championed new voices and transformed cinema. This comprehensive book explores the A24 way, their business practices, and the great cinema that changed the way movies are marketed and seen. Includes in-depth stories about filmmakers Barry Jenkins, Robert Eggers, Greta Gerwig, Sean Baker, Ari Aster, and so many more.

For more information on how to order the book, visit CineJourneys!

In our annual episode focusing on The Criterion Collection’s releases from the past year – and there’s a lot to celebrate! – we’ve assembled a panel of CriterionCast regulars to share our favorite releases of 2025. David Blakeslee from Criterion Reflections hosts this discussion, which also includes Aaron West and Brad McDermott.

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Criterion 2025 Factoids

This episode of Criterion Cast features a conversation with director/screenwriter Matthew Gentile, as he and host David Blakeslee discuss the ARGENTINE NOIR bundle currently streaming on the Criterion Channel. As the name implies, this is a collection of six films noir originally released in Argentina during the 1950s. Here’s how the Channel describes the set:

Argentina gave rise to some of the finest and most fascinating crime thrillers of the postwar noir boom—pitch-black tales of lust, greed, guilt, and deception suffused with the passionate intensity of tango and sculpted in striking expressionist shadows. This selection of newly restored films from the Perón era brings together some of the most intriguing examples of Argentine noir, including two atmospheric Cornell Woolrich adaptations (IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE, NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR), a female-centered remake of Fritz Lang’s M (THE BLACK VAMPIRE), and a searing adaptation of Richard Wright’s landmark novel NATIVE SON starring the writer himself. Set amid the smoky nightclubs and dark alleys of Buenos Aires and laced with bitterly ironic social critique, these stylish, suspenseful journeys into existential dread are ripe-for-discovery gems from one of Latin America’s major film industries.

In our annual episode focusing on The Criterion Collection’s releases from the past year – and there’s a lot to celebrate! – we’ve assembled a panel of CriterionCast regulars to share our favorite releases of 2024. David Blakeslee from Criterion Reflections hosts this discussion, which also includes Aaron West (CineJourneys), Josh Hornbeck (Criterion Channel Surfing), and longtime site contributor Brad McDermott.

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In our annual episode focusing on The Criterion Collection’s releases from the past year – and there’s a lot to celebrate – we’ve assembled a panel of CriterionCast regulars to share our favorite releases of 2023. David Blakeslee from Criterion Reflections hosts this discussion, which also includes Aaron West (CineJourneys), Josh Hornbeck (Criterion Channel Surfing), and longtime site contributors Jordan Essoe and Brad McDermott.

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In our annual episode focusing on The Criterion Collection’s releases from the past year – and there’s a lot to celebrate – we’ve assembled a panel of CriterionCast regulars to share our favorite releases of 2022. David Blakeslee from Criterion Reflections hosts this discussion, which also includes Aaron West (Criterion Now), Josh Hornbeck (Criterion Channel Surfing), and longtime site contributor Jordan Essoe.

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In our annual episode focusing on The Criterion Collection’s releases from the past year – and there’s a lot to celebrate – we’ve assembled the entire podcasting crew from CriterionCast to share our favorite releases of 2021. David Blakeslee from Criterion Reflections hosts this discussion, which also includes Trevor Berrett (Inside the Box), Aaron West and Jill Blake (Criterion Now), Josh Hornbeck (Criterion Channel Surfing), along with longtime contributors to the site Arik Devens, Jordan Essoe and Scott Nye.

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To celebrate The Criterion Collection’s 2020 releases – and there’s a lot to celebrate – Scott Nye, David Blakeslee, Trevor Berrett, Aaron West, and Jordan Essoe gather to talk about the past year in Criterion, including their favorite three Criterion releases of 2020.

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On episode 211 of CriterionCast, Jordan Essoe is joined by Scott Nye, David Blakeslee, and Arik Devens to discuss Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker’s 1993 film The War Room.

The 1992 presidential election was a triumph not only for Bill Clinton but also for the new breed of strategists who guided him to the White House—and changed the face of politics in the process.

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