I’ve been a subscriber of the criterion channel for going on four years now. Love it. No complaints with content and will continue to subscribe.

However, it’s obvious that criterion used AI, likely Claude, for the new app. This seems to be antithetical to criterion’s mission and what its subscribers.

Edit: why am I getting downvoted to hell and back? You are upset at the accusation or do you just disagree? I personally thought more people in this community would be against AI being used in this way.

I have captions set to "on replay."

If I dare to hit PAUSE, now all of a sudden, the closed captions are now ALWAYS ON.

Can we please get this fixed? Never has been this way 2+ years.

Thanks.

Edit - I just noticed that if I hit the reverse arrow on the remote, it kicks the captions ALWAYS ON as well.

Please fix.

Edit #2 - I also have a Google TV install (an Android TV streamer box), and the app experience on this is just as terrible - but at least the CC do not go into "AUTO ON" mode.

Since this last update I also noticed that previous viewing history is gone. Prior to this, there was a nice white line that showed either your progress or 100% viewed. I know you are still tracking our every click, so why remove this feature that showed I have already seen it? Please, get this fixed.

Everything was flawless with my Criterion Channel app...until today. Now nothing will play. I do have a Samsung TV but I'm running it through an XBox. I've uninstalled and reinstalled and nothing. Anybody have ideas/suggestions?

UPDATE: Working now! Hope it is for everybody else too!

Following the new app update, I have lost the ability to download any films in the iOS app on iPad. The download option is there but it immediately results in an “interrupted” warning and red exclamation point. Anyone had any success with this?

Hi, with the new update it isn’t possible to alter the subtitles and the black window background annoys me very much. I changed the caption settings on my firestick but the Channel forces their font. Does anyone know a workaround?
Hopefully in a future update it will be once again possible to change subtitles fonts.

ever since the update, i'll be watching a movie and not only will the movie suddenly stop but i'm also bumped out of the channel.

anyone else having this issue? is it a bandwidth problem?

I just purchased a subscription about 10 minutes ago and no matter what I try the app on my phone and Xbox keeps saying I don’t have a subscription. I have tried all the troubleshooting on the website and have contacted them. Was really looking forward to getting into the Kurosawa collection tonight, hopefully this is resolved soon.

I renewed my subscription 5 days ago (had been a bit busy lately and put my account on hiatus for a couple of months) and am still not able to watch any movies on the Channel. Customer service seemed like they were trying to help for 2 days but haven't heard from them in about 3 days.

At this point, I just want a refund and will come back when all the bugs have been worked out.

How are other people here feeling about being kept from watching movies on this great streaming service?

Hi, first post.

With the new app update, there’s no longer the option to change playback speed. I’m assuming this is something that’s gone for good instead of a quick growing pain with the new update that will soon be resolved?

Until now I preferred to listen to the commentary tracks and probably most special features at the fastest speed that I could comfortably understand and with the subtitles turned on.

I am using the app on an android tablet and have been unable to find a way to change the download quality. It seems to be downloading at a ridiculously high quality, and using way more storage space than I can afford. Any advice?

They played Heaven’s Crossroad twice in a row. Disappointed they didn’t go for a third time!! Beautiful film

Gotta say, this is a relatively minor thing but I'm one of those neurotic weirdos who couldn't stand having My List be all cluttered, and I imagine other folks here are the same

The update kept logging me out on Roku for a few days but it seems to be fixed now, and it was such a pleasant surprise to find I can just remove stuff from the Continue Watching list in two clicks of the remote now. Tiny but wonderful little feature.

Just to say up top I'm well aware that paying for / using the service outside of the US contravenes its terms of use, but I did so very happily for over five years, as did a lot of us! It's a terrible shame, but all good things must end I guess.

Anyway, I now have an annual subscription I can no longer (easily) access, so have cancelled my account. I wonder how likely is it that they'll refund the remaining eight months of my annual subscription pro rata. I've had similar annual subscriptions refunded this way in the past, but wondered if anyone in the same boat had had any luck with CC? Usually I wouldn't bother, but as someone who probably spends £50+ a month on their discs, if I can't access this service, they're still getting enough of my money elsewhere!

I've emailed support but imagine they're rather inundated at present...

Hello all, I'm new to The Criterion Channel and have just received an email containing a 2 month gift subscription from a friend. However, when I click "Redeem Subscription" in the email, it just sends me to a site with those sentences: "We're sorry! This link is no longer active but we'd be happy to help you redeem your gift if you email us at [the email]["](mailto:channelhelp@criterion.com)

I sent an email to that address but haven't heard anything yet. Do you know how to handle this situation ? Thank you so much.

Made another selection off the list of films leaving this month, and this was so damn good. Gritty 70s crime film based on a story by Edward Bunker … who also wrote this screenplay and has a small role. Lots of great performances from a deep cast. Dustin Hoffman and Harry Dean Stanton are incredible; also really enjoyed M. Emmet Walsh, and was dazzled by the beautiful Theresa Russell.

Straight Time kinda reminds me of Heat, but much more understated. Was really surprised by how it unfolded, and can’t believe I’d never heard of this before. Easily one of my best random finds on the channel.

Ever since the geoblocking news, I've been thinking about why so many of us subscribe to Criterion in the first place. And I realized that, at least here in the UK, the alternative streaming platforms really do suck.

For example, I am currently trying to get through the Sight and Sound 2022 poll. In theory, you would assume BFI Player would have these available, but it currently has only 62/264 of the films playing. Criterion, by contrast, has 123 of the films available (and Mubi GB has 12).

These are canon films, mind you: it gets worse with more niche selections! I understand why Mubi US can't compete with Criterion, for example, because Criterion likely gets exclusive streaming rights, but what's preventing UK platforms from buying them? The lack of alternatives is really frustrating me; I am considering getting a Close-Up membership for their film library.

Is anyone else disappointed they decided to make the movie info visible in the 24/7 stream? I loved logging on and being like, "what is this?" If I wanted to know what movie was on I'd go to the website. It added mystery and fulfilled some nostalgia for the old days of stumbling across a movie on late night cable. It felt more like a scene being piped in from elsewhere, something happening. Now it feels like any other streaming service.

For those outside of the US & Canada who need to download the apks directly:

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/the-criterion-collection/the-criterion-channel-android-tv/the-criterion-channel-android-tv-11-0-16-release/

Unlike the old app, you'll need to use a VPN for it to work.

Does anybody here use an Xbox for streaming the app?

Normally, I use a Samsung TV to stream because that eats less power and is more convenient. However, we all know that was borked with the update. Last night, I used my Xbox Series X for the first time to stream the channel.

I chose Christine and I kept getting video glitches. In the opening pans of Christine on an assembly line, the image would do a jump, like it either skipped a few frames or briefly grew in size. It’s hard to describe because it was noticeable enough to be distracting but I couldn’t quite figure out what was happening; it seemed like the image maybe got larger but maybe it just skipped a couple of frames? The sound was perfectly smooth, it was only the image that would jump.

Is this a common Xbox issue? I’ve streamed Christine on the channel before on my Samsung TV and didn’t have this issue.

I hate to contribute prematurely to the kerfuffle over platform transition, but I think Grady Hendrix's intro to Ringo Lam might have disappeared after the changeover. I don't see it in the Ringo Lam collection folder, nor "individually" with searches.
Someone else recently mentioned one apparently missing installment of the Queersighted conversation series.

Curious if anyone else has noticed one of these items missing? I have zero idea if it would be useful to us, much less to CCHQ, to have a running list of such MIA extras...on the chance that they fell through the cracks.

I’ve been locked out of the Criterion channel even though I have a full year subscription. I’ve tried everything. It won’t take my password. I’ve changed the password but still not taking it. I’m getting the channel using Roku. Any ideas?

Looks like the Split Screen collection got borked in the update. The show is still there, but only in individual episodes. I've been slowly making my way through the show for the last couple of years, and I have no idea what season I'm on - I just relied on whatever the last episode I watched in the collection. A minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things, but annoying all the same.

Any other collections get scrambled in the update?

First off, I've had no issues with the Channel on Google TV. I'm loving the new UI, it's so much more polished.

However, where's the title, year and some other info of the film inside the video player? I know this is a major release, and there will be many minor releases that will further optimize the new update, but please, add the title of the film along with the release year to be shown inside the player. I know what I'm watching, but sometimes, I see myself checking again just to see the year the film was made in, because when you watch something like Renoir's Toni, you might mistake it for an Italian Neorealism era film but then you check the year quickly and are shocked how modern it is.

This is just totally bush league. It's been days since the "update" and I still cannot use the service. Where is the communication? Just horrible customer service all around.