As far back as the mid-eighties, Criterion has been responsible for restoring and preserving some of the most influential cinema across the world. Many of the now-classic titles it carries might have been lost to time otherwise, and the service has become a go-to for film collectors and aficionados everywhere. Despite this wonderful legacy, though, being the premier curator of international and arthouse cinema does mean that Criterion’s reputation sometimes gets ahead of itself - “a film lover’s dream” is indeed the site’s tagline. Despite the wide array of films available in both the Collection and on the Channel, the service can certainly be intimidating for those who are just getting into classic/international cinema and don’t know where to start. Here are some films streaming on the Criterion Channel that are both accessible and will give a great idea of what the service has to offer.
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8 Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Warner Bros.
Perhaps Paul Schrader’s most ambitious and visually stunning film, Mishima covers the life (and death) of one of Japan’s most intrepid, polarizing authors. Although Yukio Mishima was a stark nationalist, who believed in the full-scale return to traditional values (even going so far as to raise his own private army), his stories paint a picture of a flamboyant and fallible man. They are vibrant, colorful, and utterly human. Schrader’s film captures the many sides of this legendary person by revolutionizing the biopic - he shows us different scenes from Mishima’s novels, as well as the events that went down on the last day of Mishima’s life, each with a distinct color palette. Mishima is a must for anyone who is interested in biopics and how their boundaries can be pushed, both visually and thematically.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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7 Stalker (1979)
Goskino
As a dark, slow-burn dystopian feature, Tarkovsky’s late masterpiece Stalker admittedly might not be for everyone. Indeed, a large part of what makes Stalker so compelling is also the lore that exists behind it, like the fact that it supposedly contributed to Tarkovsky’s death. However, no matter what way you spin it, Stalker is one of the most seminal sci-fi films of all time, and it’s hard to imagine any of our modern dystopian films existing without it. The story, often considered an allegory for Christianity, follows an expedition led by the “Stalker,” who takes his two clients into an uninhabitable place called “The Zone,” where a room supposedly exists that can grant people’s deepest desires. Stalker is full of philosophical reckoning, but also its equally bleak and dreamlike cinematography makes it a one-of-a-kind film-watching experience.
6 In the Mood For Love (2000)
Block 2 Pictures
Often praised as one of the most beautiful films of all time, Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love is the quintessential romance film - it is all yearning and no fluff. Set against the backdrop of early sixties Hong Kong, the film follows two neighbors who slowly realize that their spouses are having affairs with one another. The film follows the complicated relationship that ensues between the pair, while also deconstructing larger themes such as gender roles and the loneliness of modern society. As the “master of cool,” Kar-wai approaches these subjects through a fashionably melancholic lens, while still providing immense depth to his characters and their predicament. The beautiful, sumptuous colors of the film make every scene feel like a work of art.
5 Paris Is Burning (1990)
Off-White Productions
The Criterion Channel is home to an astonishing array of documentary films liable to change one’s perspective on the world - Jennie Livingston’s Paris is Burning falls nothing short of being one such film. Chronicling the drag ball culture of New York City in the 1980s, the film takes a close look at the intersectional communities within New York’s gay subculture at the time. Jennie Livingston spent six years making the film, interviewing countless prominent figures within the scene, such as Dorian Corey and Will Ninja. The film was deemed by the Library of Congress to be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and is essential viewing for anyone interested in documentary filmmaking and/or LGBTQ+ history and culture.
4 Breathless (1960)
SNC
When it comes to the French New Wave, there has never been a dearth of options on the Criterion Channel. Although the movement often turns people off because it appears to be about style over substance, many French New Wave films follow rather conventional forms and are no less plot-driven than more mainstream films. Breathless is a perfect example of one such film, immediately immersing us within a story while still showing the unique visual flairs of French New Wave master, Jean-Luc Godard. The film follows the classic French New Wave archetype of a “suave” criminal, Michel, who, after killing a policeman in a stolen car, is forced to reckon with a volatile future. This might not sound like much at first, but Breathless has been praised as revolutionary - as Roger Ebert says, the start of modern cinema.
3 8 ½ (1963)
Columbia Pictures
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without a film about filmmaking. For this unique subgenre of film, there is nowhere better to start than Fellini’s 8½. It chronicles the many personal and artistic crises of filmmaker Guido Anselmi as he tries to get a new film off the ground, but his troubled thoughts cause him to slip further and further into a dream-like reality. 8½ is both a visual and philosophical masterwork of Fellini’s - undoubtedly an eye-opening film for anyone who’s ever struggled creatively throughout the ages. Despite how surreal and contemplative it is, 8½ is also driven by comedy and farce. This unique subversion of genre is part of what makes it one of the most iconic films of all time.
2 Mikey and Nicky (1976)
Paramount Pictures Studios
Any Scorsese fans looking for something familiar, yet slightly off the beaten path, ought to give Mikey and Nicky a shot right away. Written and directed by the enduringly clever Elaine May, the film takes a familiar scenario and ups the stakes tenfold. Nicky believes the mob is after him for stealing, and the only person he has to turn to is his childhood friend Mikey - who is also involved with the mob. The whole film is an After Hours-esque trip into desperation and nighttime insanity, and yet it’s the tenderness at the heart of this film and its characters that really makes it shine. The film’s ending, along with the extremely realistic cinematography and authentic writing, are what make it such a truly unforgettable ride.
1 Scanners (1981)
New World PicturesEmbassy PicturesManson International
Finally, what would a dive into Criterion be without a fair dosage of body horror? For those horror fans looking to get more into the genre’s history and its many rich subgenres, David Cronenberg’s Scanners is the perfect place to start. Cronenberg, often labeled the master of body-horror, goes full-out craft-wise in this early film of his, showing us gut-churning and mind-blowing (pun intended) visions of horror. Scanners is also a hotbed for the many unique ideas that are proponents of any Cronenberg film, this time seeing a world in which men and women are born with a unique set of telepathic powers. Scanners marks the start of horror’s turn towards the brash and unconventional, and its influence remains palpable within the newly emergent body horror of today.
