Unless there is something obviously "wrong" with the original theatrical version, that's what I prefer to watch. If there is a "Director's Cut" included, I may (or may not) watch that also.
Fans of Criterion should be aware that Criterion itself has the occasional surprise half-price "Flash Sale". The most recent occurred on 9 October. All you need to do is subscribe to the monthly Criterion Collection newsletter to get the announcement. If your order exceeds $50 you get free shipping.
I ordered five titles on 5 November. Four arrived in a single package on 8 November. The only one that was not included was "City Lights", which was not scheduled to be released until 11 November. Frankly, I've never had any real problem with B&N, either with films or books.