Spotlight
Under the Influence
In this ongoing series of videos, contemporary filmmakers talk to us about the movies that have had a lasting impact on their work.
The Criterion Collection
An online magazine covering film culture past and present
A career-altering artistic breakthrough for director Martin Ritt, this dark tale of a family’s downfall daringly exposes the mythology of the western hero as empty and morally bankrupt.
Made in close collaboration with its star, Ellen Burstyn, Martin Scorsese’s first film for a major studio is a warm, openhearted portrait of a woman who endeavors a drastic reshaping of her life.
Though it became the subject of cultural hysteria upon its release in 1992, Neil Jordan’s film can be appreciated today as a rare and remarkably nuanced depiction of a cisgender man and a trans woman falling in love.
Neil Jordan achieved major international success with this complex exploration of identity and desire set against the turbulence of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
A characteristically rebellious work from the Czechoslovak New Wave pioneer, Wolf’s Hole explores the perilous absurdities of groupthink through the story of eleven youths held captive at a skiing retreat.
The beloved rock musician reflects on her formative experiences as an actor and her close collaborations with directors Miloš Forman and Alex Cox.
Shot clandestinely in Iran in just twenty-five days, Jafar Panahi’s acclaimed eleventh feature is a philosophical examination of political ethics that transforms into a comedy of manners and a psychological thriller.
One of the most outrageous films of John Waters’ early career, this brilliant portrait of queer rebellion envisions a world where the outcasts set aside their differences and band together against their fascist enemies.
Trash icon John Waters snuck into the commercial mainstream with this delightful coming-of-age comedy, which draws on the director’s love of classic Hollywood and features charismatic performances by Ricki Lake and Divine.
A labor of love made for cheap in its director’s Manhattan apartment, this audacious queer fantasia endures not only because of its frank sexuality but also its gentle, honest heart.
The director behind such documentaries as Helvetica, Objectified, and Urbanized talks about his interest in how designers shape our world and explains the technological innovation at the heart of his new film about legendary musician Brian Eno.
Celebrate the hundredth birthday of the great Harry Dean Stanton, delight in the twists and thrills of our Murderous Melodramas collection, and binge the surreal cult-favorite TV series The Prisoner.
Spotlight
In this ongoing series of videos, contemporary filmmakers talk to us about the movies that have had a lasting impact on their work.