Drama on Criterion: what is worth streaming right now

50 drama titles on Criterion at our last check, ranked by quality and fame, each with scare, gore and violence tags.

1. 1The Silence of the Lambs (1991)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA brilliant, imprisoned psychopath offers chilling insights into a serial killer's mind, if a young agent dares to listen.Prime Video · Criterion86
2. 2Seven Samurai (1954)Mildly scary · light gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · NRA desperate village hires seven masterless samurai to prepare them for a brutal bandit attack.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
3. 3Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · TV-14Humanity's last stand against apocalyptic Angels unfolds with intimate, surreal dread and measured, bleak suspense.Netflix · Criterion
4. 4Modern Times (1936)No gore · measured · GA bumbling tramp's wholesome heart chases a home with a young woman, despite constant, whimsical setbacks.Prime Video · Max · Criterion
5. 5La Haine (1995)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · NRThree friends navigate the bleak aftermath of a riot, their intimate journey fraught with suspense and a gritty atmosphere.Criterion
6. 6The Elephant Man (1980)Light gore · emotionally devastating · measured · PGA Victorian surgeon discovers a man of intelligence and sensitivity behind a monstrous facade, revealing an intimate, bleak history.Criterion
7. 7Bicycle Thieves (1948)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · NRA desperate father and his young son comb post-war Rome, searching for the bicycle that offers their only hope.Prime Video · Max · Criterion
8. 8Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997)Properly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · NRA relentless, surreal battle pushes a young pilot's sanity to the brink, deciding humanity's dreamlike fate.Netflix · Criterion
9. 9The Seventh Seal (1957)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · NRA knight plays a slow-burn game of chess with Death, seeking one redemptive act amidst bleak, surreal landscapes.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
10. 10City Lights (1931)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · GA whimsical tramp navigates love and friendship, creating heartwarming moments with a blind flower girl.Prime Video · Max · Criterion
11. 11In the Mood for Love (2000)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · PGTwo neighbors in 1960s Hong Kong find intimate melancholy in a slow-burn romance of unrequited love.Max · Criterion
12. 12Come and See (1985)Properly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · NRA young boy's journey through war-torn Belarus becomes a chilling, surreal descent into human brutality.Criterion
13. 13Stalker (1979)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · NRA mysterious guide leads two men through an otherworldly, restricted zone where desires may be granted.Max · Criterion
14. 148½ (1963)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · NRA famous director retreats into surreal memories and melancholy dreams, searching for inspiration he cannot grasp.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
15. 15M (1931)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · PG-13A chilling hunt for a child predator grips Berlin, as both cops and criminals close in.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
16. 16Persona (1966)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burnA silent actress and her nurse merge identities in a cerebral, intimate drama of melancholy and surreal atmosphere.Max · Criterion
17. 17The Kid (1921)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · NRA tramp and an abandoned boy find family and joy, even as their bond faces an emotional challenge.Max · Criterion · MGM+
18. 18Paris, Texas (1984)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · RA silent wanderer slowly pieces together his past, confronting the intimate, bleak memories of a broken family.Max · Criterion · Plex
19. 19Rashomon (1950)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · NRMultiple accounts of a murder and a rape weave a complex, suspenseful web of truth and perception.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
20. 20Wild Strawberries (1957)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burnAn aging doctor's road trip becomes a dreamlike journey through his melancholy memories and regrets.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
21. 21The 400 Blows (1959)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · NRA neglected Parisian boy navigates a gritty world of adult indifference, yearning for a better life.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
22. 22Yojimbo (1961)Light gore · strong violence · measured · NRA masterless samurai ignites a darkly comic gang war between rival merchants in a gritty, suspenseful feudal village.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
23. 23Chungking Express (1994)No gore · measured · PG-13Two lonely policemen in Hong Kong chase elusive love, finding melancholy romance in dreamlike, atmospheric encounters.Max · Criterion
24. 24The Gold Rush (1925)No gore · measured · NRA lonely prospector braves the Alaskan wilderness, finding broad humor and heartwarming whimsy in his quest for love.Max · Criterion · Hoopla
25. 25The Night of the Hunter (1955)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA chilling Depression-era fable unfolds as children flee a murderous preacher obsessed with their dark secret.Criterion · MGM+ · Kanopy
26. 26Boyhood (2014)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RAn intimate, earnest drama watches a boy's life unfold, capturing twelve years of melancholy and nostalgic growth.Netflix · AMC+ · Criterion
27. 27Three Colors: Red (1994)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA model and a retired judge form an intimate bond amidst melancholy, atmospheric mystery and dreamlike romance.Max · Criterion
28. 28Boogie Nights (1997)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measured · RA measured descent into the gritty, atmospheric melancholy of a fading era's dark satire.Criterion
29. 29Infernal Affairs (2002)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · brisk · RUndercover moles on both sides of the law race to expose each other, creating a gritty, tense, and pulpy drama.Max · Criterion
30. 30Solaris (1972)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · PGA psychologist confronts his own lost memories as a mysterious planet's influence blurs reality.Max · Criterion · YouTube (free)
31. 31Wings of Desire (1987)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · PG-13Angels drift through a melancholic, dreamlike Berlin, observing humanity and yearning for physical connection and romance.Max · Criterion
32. 32The Great Beauty (2013)No gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA jaded socialite navigates Rome's decadent high society, finding melancholy beauty and dark, witty absurdity.Max · Criterion
33. 33The Garden of Words (2013)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A young shoemaker and a mysterious woman find solace and connection on rainy days in a quiet garden.Criterion · Kanopy
34. 34Lost Highway (1997)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA jazz musician's torment unravels into a surreal nightmare of murder, doppelgängers, and impossible transformation.Criterion
35. 35The Last Emperor (1987)Light gore · emotionally devastating · measured · PG-13An epic, melancholy history follows China's last emperor through a gritty, measured, and dramatic life.Max · Criterion
36. 36Three Colors: Blue (1993)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · RA grieving widow navigates profound loss and unexpected connections, finding intimate freedom in melancholy.Max · Criterion
37. 37Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)Light gore · emotionally heavy · relentless · RA drug-fueled journalist and his attorney descend into unrelenting, darkly comic chaos in Las Vegas.Criterion
38. 38Breathless (1960)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · NRA small-time crook and his American girlfriend drift through Paris, dodging the law and their own desires.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
39. 39Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA surreal, slow-burn mystery unravels as dark visions and supernatural encounters haunt agents investigating a murder.Max · Criterion
40. 40Melancholia (2011)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · RA mysterious planet approaches Earth, intensifying the surreal and bleak melancholy between two estranged sisters.Criterion · Kanopy
41. 41Funny Games (1997)Properly scary · light gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RTwo young men force a family to play sadistic games, creating a chilling and bleak ordeal.Max · Criterion · Tubi
42. 42Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13Romantic entanglements and witty banter unfold with melancholy intimacy between two Thanksgiving dinners.Criterion · MGM+ · Hoopla
43. 43Drive My Car (2021)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · NRA melancholy slow-burn unfolds as a theater director and his driver navigate grief and past secrets.Criterion
44. 44Frances Ha (2013)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA whimsical dancer navigates New York's cringe-worthy moments and melancholy friendships with earnest charm.Netflix · AMC+ · Criterion
45. 45Dead Man (1995)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · RA wounded accountant drifts through a dreamlike Western landscape, guided by a mysterious Native American.Max · Criterion · Fandango at Home (free)
46. 46Blood Simple (1985)Mildly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA jealous bar owner's murder plot spirals into a darkly comedic and gritty Texas nightmare.Max · Criterion
47. 47The Doors (1991)Light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA legendary rock band's journey unfolds with surreal grit, tracing a melancholy path through music history.Paramount+ · Criterion · MGM+
48. 48Ghost World (2001)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RTwo cynical teens navigate post-high school ennui, finding unexpected connection through a prank gone intimately awry.Prime Video · Criterion · Kanopy
49. 49A Room with a View (1986)No gore · measured · NRA young woman's Italian holiday blossoms into unexpected romance, challenging her rigid English life.Max · Criterion · YouTube (free)
50. 50The Beguiled (2017)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RConfined women in a Southern boarding school find their lives upended by a wounded soldier, sparking dangerous rivalries.Netflix · Criterion · YouTube (free)

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.