The best movies and shows on Criterion right now

58 recognizable, well-rated titles streaming on Criterion as of our last availability check, ranked by quality and fame. Availability moves; each page shows when it was last checked.

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. 5The Great Dictator (1940)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · NRA ruthless dictator's ambition clashes with a Jewish barber's struggle, creating a darkly comic, epic satire.Prime Video · Max · Criterion
6. 6La 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
7. 7The 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
8. 8Bicycle 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
9. 9Neon 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
10. 10The 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
11. 11City 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
12. 12In 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
13. 13Flow (2024)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA lonely cat drifts on a whimsical, melancholy ark, learning to belong in a world remade by water.Criterion
14. 14Come 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
15. 15Stalker (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
16. 168½ (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
17. 17M (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
18. 18Persona (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
19. 19The 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+
20. 20Paris, 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
21. 21Rashomon (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
22. 22Wild 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
23. 23The 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
24. 24Yojimbo (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
25. 25Chungking Express (1994)No gore · measured · PG-13Two lonely policemen in Hong Kong chase elusive love, finding melancholy romance in dreamlike, atmospheric encounters.Max · Criterion
26. 26The 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
27. 27The 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
28. 28Boyhood (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
29. 29Blue Velvet (1986)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA severed ear pulls a young man into a surreal, gritty mystery with a nightclub singer and criminals.Criterion · Kanopy · Hoopla
30. 30Three 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
31. 31Boogie 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
32. 32Infernal 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
33. 33Solaris (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)
34. 34Night of the Living Dead (1968)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · NRStrangers barricade themselves in a farmhouse, facing relentless flesh-eating ghouls and bleak, chilling suspense.Max · Peacock · AMC+
35. 35Wings 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
36. 36The 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
37. 37The 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
38. 38Lost 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
39. 39The 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
40. 40Three 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
41. 41Fear 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
42. 42Breathless (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
43. 43Twin 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
44. 44Eraserhead (1977)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · NRA new father navigates a bleak industrial world and the unsettling cries of his mutant offspring.Max · Criterion · Fandango at Home (free)
45. 45Melancholia (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
46. 46Funny 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
47. 47Hannah 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
48. 48Drive 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
49. 49Frances 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
50. 50Dead 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)
51. 51Escape from New York (1981)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · brisk · RA hardened war hero has one day to rescue the president from a lawless, island-sized maximum-security prison.Prime Video · Criterion · Kanopy
52. 52Blood 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
53. 53Ring (1998)Terrifying · light gore · measured · NRA chilling video unleashes a measured, atmospheric dread that puts an inquisitive journalist's life in danger.AMC+ · Criterion · Kanopy
54. 54The 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+
55. 55Ghost 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
56. 56Christine (1983)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA rusty Plymouth Fury possesses a teenager, transforming him into an arrogant menace with chilling consequences.Criterion
57. 57A 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)
58. 58The 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)

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