The Criterion Collection has unveiled its January 2027 lineup, a terrific way to kick off the year, especially for physical media collectors. John Boorman’s “Deliverance” makes its Criterion debut with a new 4K edition, while Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” and John Schlesinger’s “Midnight Cowboy” receive 4K upgrades of their existing releases. Meanwhile, Mike Leigh’s “Career Girls” and Claire Denis’ “Chocolat” join the collection for the first time, alongside the sixth installment of Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project. The collection is a typically eclectic mix of Hollywood classics, international cinema, and overlooked gems.
First up, “Parasite” arrives on 4K UHD on January 5, bringing Bong’s Oscar-winning class-war thriller to the format in both color and black-and-white versions. The four-disc set includes 4K masters approved by Bong and cinematographer Hong Kyung Pyo, Dolby Atmos soundtracks, and plenty of extras: a commentary with critic Tony Rayns, a conversation with Darcy Paquet, a New Korean Cinema feature with Park Chan-wook, and Bong’s 2019 Lumière Festival masterclass. For anyone who owns Criterion’s 2020 Blu-ray edition, the new 4K presentation is the main selling point.
On January 12, “Midnight Cowboy” joins the 4K UHD lineup, upgrading Criterion’s existing 2018 Blu-ray edition. Schlesinger’s 1969 classic, starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman as two hustlers scraping by in New York, remains a defining film of the New Hollywood era and the only X-rated movie ever to win Best Picture. Criterion’s edition features a 4K restoration approved by cinematographer Adam Holender, Nancy Buirski’s 2022 documentary, “Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of ‘Midnight Cowboy,’” Voight’s original screen test, archival interviews, and a 1991 commentary from Schlesinger and producer Jerome Hellman.
January 19 brings one of the month’s most significant releases: “Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 6.” Scorsese launched the preservation initiative through The Film Foundation in 2007, and it has since helped restore more than 70 films worldwide. This latest two-disc Blu-ray collection features four newly restored works: Flora Gomes’ “Mortu nega” (1988), about Guinea-Bissau’s struggle for independence; Luiz Sérgio Person’s “São Paulo, Incorporated” (1965), a Brazilian drama about industrialization and alienation; Timité Bassori’s “The Woman with the Knife” (1969), a surreal psychological drama from Côte d’Ivoire; and Bahram Beyzaie’s “The Stranger and the Fog” (1974), a dreamlike Iranian film banned following the 1979 revolution.
This is the sort of work that makes Criterion especially valuable, bringing films from underrepresented cinematic traditions to wider audiences. The $99.95 collection includes new Scorsese introductions, filmmaker interviews, and a restored documentary short from Gomes.
Also joining the collection for the first time on January 19 is Leigh’s “Career Girls” (1997), one of his more overlooked films. Katrin Cartlidge and Lynda Steadman play former roommates who reunite in London six years after going their separate ways, revisiting old friendships, painful memories, and the awkward business of growing older. Leigh does what he does best, finding humor, tenderness, and heartbreak in ordinary lives. Criterion’s Blu-ray features a new 4K restoration approved by Leigh, selected-scene commentary, and an essay by critic (and former Playlist-er) Jessica Kiang.
Making its Criterion debut on January 26 is “Deliverance,” Boorman’s deeply unsettling 1972 survival thriller starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox. Four friends head into the Georgia wilderness for a canoeing trip, and things go about as badly as humanly possible. More than 50 years later, the film still packs a punch, and its most infamous scenes sometimes overshadow Boorman’s accomplished filmmaking and thorny examination of masculinity and violence. The new 4K UHD edition includes a Dolby Vision restoration supervised by Boorman, his commentary, a new interview with critic Mark Harris, archival documentaries, and recordings featuring novelist James Dickey, who wrote the source material. A standard Blu-ray is also available.
Finally, Denis’ “Chocolat” (1988) joins the Criterion Collection for the first time on January 26, with a new 4K Blu-ray restoration. Drawing on Denis’ childhood in colonial Africa, the film follows a French woman who returns to Cameroon and reflects on her upbringing, particularly her complicated relationship with a Black servant played by Isaach de Bankolé. Denis’ enduring fascination with race, power, desire, and unspoken emotions is already firmly in place. Denis and cinematographer Robert Alazraki supervised the restoration, with extras including a new filmmaker interview, archival Cannes footage, and an essay by Jennifer Wilson.
All told, Criterion has put together a strong start to 2027. “Deliverance” finally joining the collection is a major addition, while the 4K editions of “Parasite” and “Midnight Cowboy” give collectors two worthwhile upgrades. The Leigh and Denis restorations are just as welcome, and Scorsese’s latest World Cinema Project collection offers four worthwhile discoveries. It’s a good reminder of why Criterion still matters in an increasingly streaming-dominated industry.
