10 Best Recent Films That Deserve to Join the Criterion Collection

The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company known for releasing its own take on various indie and art house films under its label. Criterion has a great reputation behind them for offering very high quality movie releases with beautifully designed graphics and tons of special behind-the-scenes features. They’ve built a huge following in the almost 40 years they’ve been around, and to this day, fans are excited to see what new titles they plan to release.

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Although the company releases many classics and old movies, they do a great job of releasing notable, underrated, and great films from the last few years, including some of these titles The power of the dog, parasiteand sound of metal. Criterion selects specific films and does not release every single film. They tend to move away from big blockbusters and focus on the art of filmmaking. Of course, they can’t get their hands on every single film, but there are a number from the past few years that would make great additions to the collection.

“Call Me by Your Name (2017)”

Despite its controversies, call me by your name is one of the best gay love stories set in a movie. It follows the relationship that develops between an Italian-French teenager named Elio (Timothy Chalamet) and an elderly American named Oliver (Armie Hammer), a graduate student who acts as a temporary research assistant for Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg).

Any movie from Luca Guadagnino would be a perfect choice to add to the collection. His films have such a great mix of serenity and awesomeness call me by your name is no exception. A visual and tonal delight, the film is a piece of filmmaking that any Criterion Collection lover will love if for some reason you haven’t seen yet.

‘Subject No.6 (2021)’

Subject No.6 is a simple but effective story about two strangers who have to share a narrow compartment on a train while heading for the same destination. It’s a Scandinavian film from Finland that has an aesthetic similar to the recent Criterion entry The worst person in the worldas the films are from neighboring countries and focus on a young woman trying to find her place in the world.

The setting, writing and performances are amazing and manage to create such a compelling play about these characters. They feel so real and are very relatable and a pleasure to watch. It tells such a profound story that really captures the human experience.

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‘The Favorite (2018)’

Some Yorgos Lanthimos previous films such as dog tooth feel they would be perfect additions to the collection, but from his more recent films The favourite is the best bet. Set in early 18th-century royalty, the film follows the rivalry between two cousins ​​who compete to become the queen (Olivia Colman) Court favourite.

The film is a hilarious historical piece and dark comedy with loads of funny dialogue and some phenomenal performances, particularly from Colman, who won an Oscar for her role. The film is interesting as it is a kind of parody of real people and events. However, the film added some artistic liberties to fill in the blanks, resulting in a highly entertaining dark royal comedy.

“Thinking of Ending Things (2020)”

Charlie Kaufman is an absolute mastermind when it comes to surreal storytelling, and I’m thinking of ending things is a prime example of this. This film is a psychological thriller about a young woman (Jessie Buckley), who with her boyfriend (Jesse Plemons) visit his parents for the first time. However, the film offers many interpretations and the discovery of your own understanding of its themes and symbolism.

Kaufman’s only new addition to the collection is with be John Malkovitchthe A Spike Jonze-Directed film written by Kaufman. Another reason why it should be added is that the film hasn’t had a physical release like Blu-ray or DVD yet. If Criteria had to release it, many fans could finally have a stylized physical copy of the film.

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‘Invisible Life (2019)’

invisible life tells the story of two close sisters living in Brazil in the 1950s who are separated for a long time. The film contains some great themes and commentary about women’s lifestyles during this time and their struggles while suffering from oppression and prejudice.

It’s a great film that does a great job of commenting on family relationships and women’s independence in the 1950s. On a visual and audio level, the film is stunning and has very impressive cinematography and sound design. It’s a truly atmospheric and sensual experience that definitely deserves a Criterion release.

“Island of Dogs (2018)”

Island of Dogs is set in a fictional futuristic Japanese city where Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) pushed through a law to ban all dogs off the coast to an island of garbage due to the spread of canine flu. The movie follows Chief (Bryan Cranston) and his pack of charismatic dogs who help raise a little boy (Koyu Rankin) with his lost dog named Spots (Liev Schreiber).

Island of Dogs would be a great addition as it would expand the Anderson film roster and add another animated film that is severely lacking in the collection. Of the more than 1000 criteria releases, only 2 are animated films, Fantastic Mr Fox and Fantastic planet; So it would be great to see animation get more love in the future.

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‘Museum (2018)’

museum is a grossly underrated Mexican film about two men who plan a heist to steal a series of priceless artifacts from a museum. However, it doesn’t play out like a typical heist movie, it’s unique and most viewers will probably love it.

Each new scene is presented in its own unique style and adds greatly to the exciting tone the film has to offer. Currently, the film can only be watched on YouTube Premium, but not many people know about it. The film desperately needs a spot in the Criterion Collection to gain more exposure and reach the audience it truly deserves.

“Some Kind of Heaven (2020)”

A kind of heaven is a documentary about the largest senior citizen community in the world known as The Villages, Florida. The film acts as an interview with four community residents who strive to find happiness as they near the end of their lives. The film is a most fascinating insight into gated communities and the experiences of older generations.

The film makes a highly impressive directorial debut Lance Oppenheimer. In terms of style, this is by far one of the best looking and most creative documentaries ever made. It feels like a film that would go straight into the Criterion Collection and would be a great addition to their documentary list.

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“Spencer (2021)”

spencer is a beautiful film that tells a twisted fable of true events. The film is a biopic about Princess Dianamain role Kristen Stewart as a legendary king. It is a film that tells the story of Diana’s brief visit to the Sandringham Estate on Christmas weekend 1991, but manages to tell experiences she has lived throughout her life, such as her negative attitudes under the royal system and her desire to Liberation from tradition and royal tropes.

The Criterion Collection is known for its creative posters and artwork, as well as some contemporary posters spencer feel like Criterion versions. Spencer is a remarkable film that truly deserves the Criterion prestige for its amazing filmmaking and ability to comment on a real person’s life through a poignant and personal lens.

“This Isn’t a Burial, It’s a Resurrection (2019)”

This is not a burial, but a resurrection is a very visually and spiritually powerful film about a small mountain village that will soon be destroyed and turned into a dam. The film follows an 80-year-old widow as she struggles to stop this process, wanting to be buried in her home country when her inevitable death occurs.

One amazing thing about the Criterion Collection is that they release tons of films from all over the world and it’s a great way to introduce more people to foreign cinema. This isn’t a burial, it’s a resurrection would be a great choice as it is a very underrated film that needs more attention. It would also make way for a Lesotho film to join the collection and shed some light on African cinema.

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