Chicago – Criterion Collection Blu-ray releases start from a more critically safe place than most films simply by their selection process. What I mean is that it’s easier to produce a quality Blu-ray from a Kurosawa or Hitchcock film than, say, “Scary Movie 5.” The implied stamp of quality given to the film itself before you even see the transfer or special features elevates the way we approach the material.

Rating: 5.0/5.0

However, Criterion certainly does much more than merely present their chosen classics. Take the case of “The Devil’s Backbone,” a film I know and love, one of the best horror flicks of the ’00s and the second-best film that “Pacific Rim” director Guillermo Del Toro has ever made. The special features for “The Devil’s Backbone” don’t just accompany this gorgeous, perfectly-transferred master-work, they enhance your appreciation of it. There are few people in the industry smarter...