Blu-ray collectors don’t need to wait for Prime Day 2025 to score great deals, as the annual Criterion Collection Summer Sale just kicked off. Hundreds of 4K Blu-rays, 1080p Blu-rays, and box sets are 50% off at Amazon and Barnes & Noble through July 27. But while you technically have a whole month to shop the deals, many of the most popular Criterion releases tend to sell out long before the official end date during these half-off promotions–especially at Amazon.
Here are some of the movies that often disappear before the sale ends: Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films Box Set, the superb 4K remaster of Pixar’s Wall-E, The Princess Bride, Dazed and Confused, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, The Shape of Water, Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai and Yojimbo/Sanjuro, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Uncut Gems, and The Silence of the Lambs.
We put together a giant alphabetized list of Criterion Collection movie deals that you can check out below. We also created sections for some of the notable franchises, directors, and actors featured in The Criterion Collection. So if you’re looking for every 50% off deal related to Godzilla, Guillermo del Toro, David Lynch, Akira Kurosawa, the Coen brothers, Martin Scorsese, and Akira Kurosawa, we have breakdowns for all of them.
Lastly, if you’d rather browse a list with the cover art for each movie visible, we created an Amazon hub with all of our favorite Criterion Collection 50% off deals. We’ll be adjusting the hub as stock/prices change, so we’d recommend bookmarking it for future use. Alternatively, you can dig through the Criterion Collection store page on Amazon, but it’s missing a bunch of the most noteworthy deals, so it’s easy to miss movies you may want.
4K Blu-rays are marked (4K) in the list. All of the other movies are 1080p Blu-rays with a few DVDs sprinkled in. Many of Criterion’s releases over the past few years are available in three formats: 4K, 1080p, and DVD. To avoid repetition, we only listed one format for each film. That said, if you click on a sold-out 4K Blu-ray, you may still be able to get the 1080p deal by switching to Blu-ray format on the store page.
As you can probably tell, there’s a staggering number of Criterion Collection releases included in the event. Since the only exclusions are preorders, that means you can shop the entire catalog of movies that are still in print and in stock. Criterion Collection has made a name for itself by offering a carefully curated collection of high-quality Blu-rays, 4K Blu-rays, and DVDs, all in the name of preservation. All Criterion releases feature original cover art and premium packaging, and most have exclusive bonus features. Though Criterion often focuses on old films, including black-and-white pictures, contemporary movies are regularly added to the catalog, too.
Godzilla Criterion Collection Movies for 50% off:
We can’t recall a time when the stunning Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975 didn’t sell out at Amazon when the price was $112.48 (was $225), like it is right now. The Showa-Era Films collects HD remasters of 15 Godzilla films released from 1954 to 1975. This is the best way to watch these classic movies from the iconic monster’s defining era. It’s also arguably the best-looking Criterion release; the 8-disc Blu-ray collection is accompanied by an exclusive hardcover book with commentary from film historians and full-color illustrations created by a group of talented artists.
For even more Kaiju fun, check out Amazon’s deals on Criterion’s recent 4K Blu-ray editions of the original 1954 Godzilla movie and Godzilla vs. Biollante, which debuted in 1989 and remains one of the most interesting entries in the long-running franchise. Criterion released the 4K remaster of the original last November and Godzilla vs. Biollante in March. The 1954 film is actually more than 50% off, as you can grab it for only $20. If the 4K editions sell out, standard Blu-ray editions of the original and Godzilla vs. Biollante are also available.
Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films and the two recent 4K remasters are excellent examples of how Criterion makes classic movies look and sound fantastic on contemporary display and audio devices.
Akira Kurosawa Criterion Collection Movies for 50% off:
The same could be said about Criterion’s selection of Akira Kurosawa films. The legendary Japanese director’s samurai movies are very popular during these sales. For good reason, too. Kurosawa’s sprawling epics are both consistently riveting and thought-provoking. Criterion recently released 4K remasters of two of its most popular Kurosawa releases: Seven Samurai and the Yojimbo / Sanjuro combo pack. Those two 4K releases join Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams, a Japanese folklore-inspired feature comprised of eight of the director’s visions.
$25 (was $50)
Criterion also does impressive work with contemporary films and frequently works with the original filmmakers to ensure it is presenting award-winning hits of the 21st century in the light they deserve.
One example of this remains a rather unique inclusion, because there aren’t many children’s movies in The Criterion Collection. Then again, Pixar’s Wall-E isn’t like many children’s movies. Its unconventional approach to storytelling–for a Disney movie, at least–and nuanced commentary on global issues make it feel right at home in The Criterion Collection.
Approved by director Andrew Stanton and released in 2022, Wall-E’s digitally enhanced 4K remaster is packaged in a display-worthy case and is absolutely loaded with special features. The film’s runtime is only 98 minutes, but this three-disc collection clocks in at 323 minutes. The nearly four hours of special features includes multiple audio commentaries, a bunch of documentaries about the making of the film, and new featurettes with cowriters Stanton and Jim Reardon.
The Coen Brothers Criterion Collection Movies for 50% off:
There’s no shortage of films from heralded modern directors in the catalog. Last year, Criterion released a 4K remaster of No Country for Old Men, Joel and Ethan Coen’s Best Picture-winning adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name. The remaster was approved by the film’s director of photography and includes new conversations with filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, giving you an exclusive way to dive deeper into the hit film’s production. Fans of the Coen brothers can also get three other titles from their filmography on standard Blu-ray.
David Lynch Criterion Collection Movies for 50% off:
David Lynch fans can snag several of the late director’s surrealist horror and neo-noir mysteries for 50% off. Criterion has released seven of Lynch’s movies, including 4K remasters of Mulholland Dr., Blue Velvet, and Lost Highway. You’ll also find standard 1080p Blu-rays for Eraserhead, Inland Empire, and the Twin Peaks prequel film Fire Walk with Me.
Guillermo del Toro Criterion Collection Movies for 50% off:
Criterion has frequently teamed up with Death Stranding actor–and Oscar award-winning director–Guillermo del Toro to bring his twisted fairy tales to the catalog. The Shape of Water released on 4K Blu-ray last holiday season, and now you can get the romantic dark fantasy for only $25. Outside of The Lord of the Rings, The Shape of Water is the only Best Picture winner in the fantasy genre, and del Toro also won Best Director. Two other del Toro films have received 4K releases from Criterion: the bold stop-motion reimagining of Pinocchio and the director’s debut film Cronos. Hopefully Pan’s Labyrinth will receive the 4K treatment soon, but Criterion’s 2K digital remaster is quite impressive, and it has a bunch of cool bonus features.
Adam Sandler Criterion Collection Movies for 50% off:
Two Adam Sandler movies are part of The Criterion Collection and have superb 4K editions. No, not Happy Gilmore or Billy Madison, though the latter is getting a 4K release in July. Criterion is home to two of Sandler’s films that Martin Scorsese would probably refer to as cinema: Uncut Gems and Punch-Drunk Love. Both films demonstrated Sandler’s impressive range as an actor, and Criterion’s 4K Blu-ray editions are excellent.
Martin Scorsese Criterion Collection Movies for 50% off:
Speaking of cinema, several Scorsese films are in The Criterion Collection, including The Last Waltz and Raging Bull on 4K Blu-ray. Scorsese’s 2019 gangster epic The Irishman is available on 1080p Blu-ray.
More Award-winning films for 50% off:
There are plenty of other highlights in the sale, including The Others, the 2001 Nicole Kidman-led horror movie that you should watch before reading anything more about it. And if you’re interested in that, you might also want to add The Silence of the Lambs to your collection. The adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novel remains the only horror movie to win Best Picture. Several other Best Picture awardees are in stock at Amazon, including this year’s winner Anora and Parasite.
Criterion Collection Box Sets for 50% off:
If you’ve got cash burning a hole in your pocket, Criterion celebrated its 40th anniversary last year with a 40-movie Blu-ray box set dubbed CC40. It has an eye-watering $800 MSRP, but you can get it for $400 right now. It’s still pricey, but if you look at it from a per-movie perspective, you’re paying 10 bucks for each one.
CC40 includes a nice assortment of classic and contemporary films, all digitally restored and available on Blu-ray. It’s also packed with audio commentaries, outtakes, trailers, and hundreds of hours of additional content. All 49 discs are stored inside folio cases and protected by a premium clothbound slipcase. CC40: The Criterion Collection also comes with a 216-page book with retrospective essays by critics and historians. You can check out the full list of movies in the collection at the bottom of this story.
CC40 and Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films are the priciest box sets on our list, but there are several smaller collections for around $60 each. One of the highlights is Bruce Lee’s Greatest Hits featuring five of the action star’s best films on Blu-ray.
$400 (was $800)
Here’s the full list of movies included in this 49-disc Blu-ray box set:
- 8 ½
- Tokyo Story
- All That Jazz
- Bicycle Thieves
- Repo Man
- Naked
- Jules and Jim
- Being There
- Weekend
- Yi Yi
- The Night of the Hunter
- Pickpocket
- Sweet Smell of Success
- On the Waterfront
- Do the Right Thing
- Ratcatcher
- Sunday Bloody Sunday
- Mirror
- Barry Lyndon
- Safe
- Seconds
- His Girl Friday
- Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
- Y tu mama tambien
- My Own Private Idaho
- Love & Basketball
- Night of the Living Dead
- Ace in the Hole
- 3 Women
- The Red Shoes
- Down by Law
- La Cienaga
- Wanda
- House
- Sullivan’s Travels
- The Battle of Algiers
- A Woman Under the Influence
- Cleo from 5 to 7
- Persona
- In the Mood for Love
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