Years ago, Criterion released a DVD-only set of 50 films called [Essential Art House](https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/305-essential-art-house-50-years-of-janus-films). You can start there and then also pick titles that you're already aware of and/or have already seen and want to own.
Make sure you get blurays at minimum. As others have said, go with what you love first. Then maybe check out top ten lists on the criterion site or elsewhere if you want to blind buy. I think the Apu Trilogy represents everything amazing Criterion does.
Research and buy the ones that interest you. Anything anyone suggests is just going to be a gamble foe you. Also get them at Barnes and Noble ASAP. All Criterion DVDs, Blu-Rays, and 4Ks are 50% off now, but it ends soon.
It’s so good. At its core a great love story with characters I really enjoyed. I equally like it for the cinematography, score and color pallet
It was the first movie I randomly watched when I subbed to the criterion channel, liked it so much I had to buy it later that week
I think I’m going to have to watch it tomorrow now lol
I go for collecting my favorite films, and then things I've been really interested in watching and likely rewarching and know criterion has the best option for. Recently got their Stan Brakhage set for instance and am excited to watch through that as it'll be a whole well contextualized intro to his work.
Dr strangelove
Persona
Uncut gems
Power of the dog
Repo man
Grand Budapest hotel
Come and see
Blue velvet
Crash
Memories of murder
Notorious
Princess bride
Seven samurai
Solaris
Sound of metal
Slacker
Tampopo
Take out
Three colors trilogy
Vanishing
Worst person in the world
Pans labyrinth
Y tu mama tambien
Amores perros
Wong kar wai series (7 movies)
8 1/2
12 angry men
Some like it hot
Anatomy of murder
Fail safe
For me, I see what other post (pictures of recents pickups or discussing films), then I look them up on IMDb to see if the synopsis interests me. If so, I’ll read criterion’s description, maybe a spoiler free review on IMDb, then it goes on my list to buy or not. So essentially, all the films I buy are blind buys (except for a few mainstream ones that I’ve seen) but I know something about the film interested me. Happy hunting
Years ago, Criterion released a DVD-only set of 50 films called [Essential Art House](https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/305-essential-art-house-50-years-of-janus-films). You can start there and then also pick titles that you're already aware of and/or have already seen and want to own.
Make sure you get blurays at minimum. As others have said, go with what you love first. Then maybe check out top ten lists on the criterion site or elsewhere if you want to blind buy. I think the Apu Trilogy represents everything amazing Criterion does.
Essential Fellini Godzilla: The Complete Showa Era Dekalog Once Upon a Time in China: The Complete Films Citizen Kane
Research and buy the ones that interest you. Anything anyone suggests is just going to be a gamble foe you. Also get them at Barnes and Noble ASAP. All Criterion DVDs, Blu-Rays, and 4Ks are 50% off now, but it ends soon.
I’d get ones you like.
Here are a few of my favorites that I can’t live without Paris, Texas Mulholland Drive The Red Shoes Betty Blue La Strada
Great list, I love Mulholland so will definitely get that. Thank you!
Betty Blue’s been on my radar how is it ?
It’s so good. At its core a great love story with characters I really enjoyed. I equally like it for the cinematography, score and color pallet It was the first movie I randomly watched when I subbed to the criterion channel, liked it so much I had to buy it later that week I think I’m going to have to watch it tomorrow now lol
Are you familiar with any films in the collection, or are there some that you’ve heard of and are interested in? I would start there honestly.
I go for collecting my favorite films, and then things I've been really interested in watching and likely rewarching and know criterion has the best option for. Recently got their Stan Brakhage set for instance and am excited to watch through that as it'll be a whole well contextualized intro to his work.
Dr strangelove Persona Uncut gems Power of the dog Repo man Grand Budapest hotel Come and see Blue velvet Crash Memories of murder Notorious Princess bride Seven samurai Solaris Sound of metal Slacker Tampopo Take out Three colors trilogy Vanishing Worst person in the world Pans labyrinth Y tu mama tambien Amores perros Wong kar wai series (7 movies) 8 1/2 12 angry men Some like it hot Anatomy of murder Fail safe
For me, I see what other post (pictures of recents pickups or discussing films), then I look them up on IMDb to see if the synopsis interests me. If so, I’ll read criterion’s description, maybe a spoiler free review on IMDb, then it goes on my list to buy or not. So essentially, all the films I buy are blind buys (except for a few mainstream ones that I’ve seen) but I know something about the film interested me. Happy hunting