#criterionchallenge
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goodintentions75.bsky.social
Finished up my #criterionchallenge with Certain Women, Nanook, and Paths of Glory. You Can See Everything was an incredible experience going in cold. All great movies, except Nanook, which was a little boring. #letterboxdfriday #lastfourwatched
Paths of Glory, You Can See Everything, Nanook of the North, Certain Women
October 30, 2026 at 3:05 PM
vicdon.bsky.social
#CriterionChallenge 45 was to choose from a long list of Novels on the Big Screen. I wanted to find something I had not only read, but love, and had never seen. I settled for Ryusuke Hamaguchi's magical #DriveMyCar. I could (and may) write an essay on this, but/

letterboxd.com/film/drive-m...
Drive My Car (2021)
Yusuke Kafuku, a stage actor and director, still unable, after two years, to cope with the loss of his beloved wife, accepts to direct Uncle Vanya at a theater festival in Hiroshima. There he meets…
letterboxd.com
November 4, 2026 at 4:29 AM
vicdon.bsky.social
Tonight's #CriterionChallenge task was to pick something from the Letterboxd 250 list: letterboxd.com/hetchy/list/... Has to be from the Criterion Collection, available in Canada, and previously unwatched, which narrowed it down a fair bit. I also wanted to avoid English language, so..
Criterion Collection in the Letterboxd Top 250
Every Criterion film listed in the “Official Top 250 Narrative Feature Films.” A category from the Criterion Challenge 2026. Share which film you chose in the comments! :)
letterboxd.com
October 21, 2026 at 3:53 AM
vicdon.bsky.social
#CriterionChallenge 42 was 1970s, which is inevitably almost impossible to narrow down, so I stuck a pin in the list and watched Terry Gilliam's Jabberwocky. It's essentially a mediaeval-themed satire on capitalism, which actually gave it real bite.

letterboxd.com/film/jabberw...
Jabberwocky (1977)
After the death of his father, young Dennis Cooper goes to town where he has to pass several adventures. The town and the whole kingdom is threatened by a terrible monster called 'Jabberwocky'. Will…
letterboxd.com
October 14, 2026 at 3:51 AM
vicdon.bsky.social
#CriterionChallenge 38 involved a random letter generator, which delivered the letter X.

Exactly one film was available - the extraordinary 1975 Senegalese satire, Xala. Utterly fascinating, genuinely funny in places and a cameo from Youssou N'Dour. Recommended.

letterboxd.com/film/xala/
Xala (1975)
A rich businessman in Senegal is cursed with crippling erectile dysfunction upon the day of his marriage to his third wife; the only cure is brutal public humiliation.
letterboxd.com
September 23, 2026 at 4:39 AM
goodintentions75.bsky.social
I'm working my way thru my last dozen or so #criterionchallenge movies. Three bangers and Mississippi Masala, which is pretty good, but not a full banger.

#LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched
M, Harlan County USA, My Winnipeg, Mississippi Masala
September 18, 2026 at 1:45 PM
vicdon.bsky.social
#CriterionChallenge 75 was another 'choose from this list' one - list to follow in thread. From a pretty comprehensive list, I did the less obvious thing, and went with 'Head', because how many of us can say they've actually sat down and watched it? Well, I have now.

letterboxd.com//film/head/
Head (1968)
In this surrealistic and free-form follow-up to the Monkees' television show, the band frolic their way through a series of musical set pieces and vignettes containing humor and anti-establishment…
letterboxd.com
September 16, 2026 at 3:47 AM
vicdon.bsky.social
As I was still running a little behind on the #CriterionChallenge, I added in one from the next topic: Glorious Restorations (full list in next post). Quite unlike anything I've ever seen before, this is a mesmerising Kazakh historical drama:
letterboxd.com/film/the-fal...
The Fall of Otrar (1991)
A staggering historical epic about the intrigue and turmoil of the East Asian civilization of Otrar, before its systematic destruction at the hands of Genghis Khan.
letterboxd.com
September 12, 2026 at 10:35 PM
vicdon.bsky.social
#CriterionChallenge 35 was 1950s. Following a conversation about it a few weeks ago, I chose the magnificent 4K restoration of The Wages of Fear. Everything you've heard about it is true - never has there been a more tense 2.5 hours. Magnifique.

letterboxd.com/film/the-wag...
The Wages of Fear (1953)
In a run-down South American town, four men are paid to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin into the jungle through to the oil field. Friendships are tested and rivalries develop as they embark…
letterboxd.com
September 9, 2026 at 4:26 AM
vicdon.bsky.social
#CriterionChallenge 34 was "2010s", which turned out not to be a huge list, given I want them to be first watch and available on the Criterion Channel. I went with Noah Baumbach, because of course I did. I think I'll like it more in retrospect, but/

letterboxd.com/film/frances...
Frances Ha (2012)
An aspiring dancer moves to New York City and becomes caught up in a whirlwind of flighty fair-weather friends, diminishing fortunes and career setbacks.
letterboxd.com
September 2, 2026 at 3:57 AM
vicdon.bsky.social
I've missed several weeks, but #CriterionChallenge no. 33 was simply 'War'. Avoiding the more obvious conflicts, I went for Bruce Beresford's unflinching "'Breaker' Morant". Tremendous performances all round, especially Edward Woodward and Bryan Brown.

letterboxd.com/film/breaker...
Breaker Morant (1980)
During the Boer War, three Australian lieutenants are on trial for shooting Boer prisoners. Though they acted under orders, they are being used as scapegoats by the General Staff, who hopes to…
letterboxd.com
August 26, 2026 at 4:16 AM
siansallpress.bsky.social
Watching the football scene in this after watching the match earlier was FUNNY #criterionchallenge
February 16, 2025 at 10:07 PM
siansallpress.bsky.social
Week 4: and we're watching Fanny and Alexander! #criterionchallenge
January 26, 2025 at 5:58 PM
siansallpress.bsky.social
Week 3: a Richard Altman film #criterionchallenge
January 17, 2025 at 9:23 PM
siansallpress.bsky.social
Week 2: a film from the year you were born, Safe (1995) #criterionchallenge
January 11, 2025 at 9:22 AM
siansallpress.bsky.social
Starting on our Criterion list tonight with 8 and a half #criterionchallenge
January 3, 2025 at 7:35 PM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"There's noir, there's pitch dark noir, and then there's Sweet Smell of Success, quite possibly the greatest movie ever made about the worst people you've ever met in your life."

My ★★★★★ Letterboxd review of SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957) directed by Alexander Mackendrick #CriterionChallenge 📽️🎬
A ★★★★★ review of Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
My Criterion Challenge 2026 35. 1950s What does this boy got that Susie likes? Integrity. Acute. Like indigestion. There's noir, there's pitch dark noir, and then there's Sweet Smell of Success, quite...
letterboxd.com
August 2, 2026 at 3:32 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"Both a loving tribute and a scathing indictment of the music industry..."

My ★★★★★ Letterboxd review of NASHVILLE (1975) directed by Robert Altman #CriterionChallenge #Filmsky #Moviesky 📽️🎬
A ★★★★★ review of Nashville (1975)
My Criterion Challenge 2026 13. Song and Dance You may say that I ain't free but it don't worry me! I love a movie that's both a sprawling opus and a naturalistic slice-of-life. Both a loving tribute ...
letterboxd.com
March 18, 2026 at 4:21 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"Honestly, Elliott Gould being the coolest motherfucker alive is probably worth four stars on its own."

My ★★★★½ Letterboxd review of THE LONG GOODBYE (1973) directed by Robert Altman #CriterionChallenge #Filmsky #Moviesky 📽️🎬
A ★★★★½ review of The Long Goodbye (1973)
My Criterion Challenge 2026 45. Novels on the Big Screen Honestly, Elliott Gould being the coolest motherfucker alive is probably worth four stars on its own. The first ten minutes are literally just ...
letterboxd.com
March 17, 2026 at 12:47 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"This movie goes all out in creating a totally different kind of western than anyone had ever seen..."

My ★★★★★ review of MCCABE & MRS. MILLER (1971) directed by Robert Altman #CriterionChallenge #Filmsky #Moviesky 📽️🎬
A ★★★★★ review of McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
Criterion Challenge 2026 44. Watch a film you haven’t seen that someone else watched as part of last year’s challenge When a man goes into the wilderness, and with his bare bones gives birth to a smal...
letterboxd.com
March 11, 2026 at 2:53 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"An absolute masterclass in 'Show Don't Tell' storytelling and the use of silence that should be (and probably is) taught in film school."

My ★★★★★ Letterboxd review of LE CERCLE ROUGE (1970) directed by Jean-Pierre Melville #CriterionChallenge #Filmsky #Moviesky 📽️🎬
A ★★★★★ review of Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Criterion Challenge 2026 3. Watch a film with a color in the title An absolute masterclass in "Show Don't Tell" storytelling and the use of silence that should be (and probably is) taught in film scho...
letterboxd.com
March 4, 2026 at 4:45 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"I appreciate the craft and it kept me interested but sadly I was expecting something more from a movie on so many greatest of all time lists."

My ★★★½ Letterboxd review of THE 400 BLOWS (1959) directed by François Truffaut #CriterionChallenge 📽️🎬
A ★★★½ review of The 400 Blows (1959)
Criterion Challenge 2026 1. 20th Anniversary Releases I can't help feeling like this is one of those movies that (for me, at least) can't escape the incredibly long shadow of its reputation. And/or on...
letterboxd.com
March 2, 2026 at 1:40 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"This is tough, guys. I think today I finally have to admit something to myself and to the world: I don't think I like Wes Craven (as a filmmaker) very much."

My ★ Letterboxd review of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972) directed by Wes Craven #CriterionChallenge #Filmsky #Moviesky 📽️🔪🎬
A ★ review of The Last House on the Left (1972)
Criterion Challenge 2026 50. Criterion Double Features: Film #2 This is tough, guys. I think today I finally have to admit something to myself and to the world: I don't think I like Wes Craven (as a f...
letterboxd.com
February 28, 2026 at 2:09 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"The relationship between faith and guilt is a long and complex one. Let's watch while Ingmar Bergman tackles it in under 90 minutes!"

My ★★★★½ Letterboxd review of THE VIRGIN SPRING (1960) directed by Ingmar Bergman #CriterionChallenge #Filmsky #Moviesky 📽️🎬
A ★★★★½ review of The Virgin Spring (1960)
This review may contain spoilers. Visit the page to bypass this warning and read the review.
letterboxd.com
February 27, 2026 at 4:15 AM
uncanny305.bandcamp.com
"Nobody does ghost stories like the Japanese but when it's a Nagisa Ōshima ghost story, hold onto your butts!"

My ★★★★★ Letterboxd review of EMPIRE OF PASSION (1978) directed by Nagisa Ōshima #CriterionChallenge #Filmsky #Moviesky 📽️👻🎬
A ★★★★★ review of Empire of Passion (1978)
Criterion Challenge 2026 12. Judge a film by its cover - Watch a film whose cover art caught your eye REWATCH Nobody does ghost stories like the Japanese but when it's a Nagisa Ōshima ghost story, hol...
letterboxd.com
February 25, 2026 at 4:10 AM