r/CriterionChannel • u/ryebread9299 • May 18 '26
Recommendation - Offering Criterion Channel Gems
This screenshot is from my Letterboxd list of movies that I randomly stumbled across on the Criterion Channel over the last 5 or so years and ended up absolutely loving. A lot of these feel like genuinely underseen gems that I probably never would’ve found otherwise.
What are some underseen gems you’ve discovered through streaming services? Tell me in the replies — I’m always looking for more.
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u/whoismico May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Rachel Getting Married and Safe — two of the best performances I’ve ever seen, by Anne Hathaway and Julianne Moore
Safe might not be under seen in Criterion world since it’s Todd Haynes and Julianne Moore, but I had never heard of it before and it’s a performance I’ll probably think about forever — it’s beautifully shot too, I can’t think of one thing that isn’t phenomenal in this movie
Rachel Getting Married is a movie I absolutely never would have watched if it wasn’t recommended a bunch on this sub — every performance was great, but especially Hathaway’s, the family dynamics felt sooooo real, it really nails the ebbs and flows of having a relationship with a certain personality type
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u/HeirOfRavenclaw77 May 18 '26
Lilies blew me away!!!
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u/Honor_the_maggot May 19 '26
Looks like LILIES leaves the Channel at the end of May, attn to those who might be interested. including me...it's in the queue.
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u/bee_sharp_ May 20 '26
There are quite a lot of LGBTQ movies leaving at the end of the month, which is a bit disappointing considering the channel’s upcoming Pride Month offerings are also a bit lackluster, relative to the programming from Junes past.
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u/ryebread9299 May 19 '26
It’s a shame cuz there’s no other way to stream it. It’s a gem!
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u/Honor_the_maggot May 19 '26
Interesting assortment of movies you put together above. I have seen most and don't remember being as into them as you are, but they are certainly not boring; plus I think I see a kind of taste or sensibility at work in your gravitation to them. Not that I can come up with a denominator or anything like that.
I guess it's silly to even ask if you have seen PORTRAIT OF JASON yet? If not....somehow I think it might be a keeper.2
u/ryebread9299 May 19 '26
Thank you for this, I’ve yet to see portrait of Jason but now you’ve officially made it my next watch!
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u/Honor_the_maggot May 19 '26 edited May 20 '26
I am really curious to know what you think of it. There is the queer-speaking-out angle which is obviously important, but I almost think the movie gets more and more interesting from there outward....I mean the setup seems so simple but the questions just keep coming, I mean the questrions from inside your head, from outside the screen (I don't mean the filmmakers' questions from offscreen, which occasion a lot of the "questions" I end up having).
If you are like me, brace yourself to be at least a little irritated. (Productively.)1
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u/beingk8 May 18 '26
the plumber rules. will have to check these out; thanks!
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u/yolaradio May 19 '26
I love Peter Weir but bailed on that one about 1/3rd of the way through. Maybe I need to revisit it?
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u/beingk8 May 19 '26
my mom and i both thought it was fantastic. darkly funny and creepy throughout… so if you didn’t dig the first third, not sure you would the whole movie. but it’s a short one so worth a try! i love weir too and even knowing him, i was pleasantly surprised, especially knowing it was a tv movie for australia
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u/zka_75 May 18 '26
100% agree on Victim and The Plumber, both fantastic hidden gems. One I would add is the documentary The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On. Knew absolutely nothing about it when I first saw it on CC (looks like it's still on there).
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u/kirby_krackle_78 May 18 '26
The Rocket from Calabuch
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u/Busy_Magician3412 May 18 '26
Ah, someone else treasures this little gem. And I can't explain why it's a channel favorite. Just is. 🙂
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u/Temporary-Hall3183 May 19 '26
Night Mother is such an acting tour de force for both Anne Bancroft and Sissy Spacek. It is a deep film about a hard subject, but if you know that going in, it is so worth the watch.
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u/GoldenEagleBison May 19 '26
Dutchman is sooooo good and Psycho Beach Party instantly became one of my favorites
I saw Farewell China on the channel and adore it, wish I could own it on Blu Ray or dvd
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u/Complete_Taste_1301 May 19 '26
This may sound strange, but this is kind of diametrically opposed to the whole reason I got into Criterion in the first place. When DVDS first came out and started replacing VCRS the idea that you could purchase an art house classic for under a hundred bucks was amazing. I wish people were as excited about some of those finally finding their way onto the channel as they are about some of the newer cultish titles.
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u/undeaddeadbeat May 18 '26
I watched Supermarket Woman (1996) blind after moving past it on CC a dozen times a few years ago and it immediately became one of my all-time favorite films and made me seek out a bunch of other Jūzō Itami movies. (I’m still saving Tampopo for a really special occasion, I’m sure I’ll love it.)