Selections for the Letterboxd 2026 Criterion Challenge
Now with commentary!
Spent entirely too much time today building out my selections for next yearâs Criterion Challenge on Letterboxd. The Letterboxd community has built out a whole manner of annual challenges, everything from âwatch one movie from every year youâve been aliveâ to âget from one movie to another, but do so by using a shared actor to bridge each selection and also you canât repeat actors.â But the Criterion Challenge has the sort of elitist bougie prestige I want. Everything in the Criterion Collection is there for a reason, and sticking to that constraint is a great way to watch a bunch of classic movies Iâve been meaning to watch while also exposing myself to films Iâve never heard of and/or would otherwise never watch. Global cinema, films from decades agoâŚ
This being my fourth year, itâs slightly harder to pull off several categories. According to the site, Iâve only seen about 17% of all Criterionâs releases, but considering the breadth of the catalog thatâs a massive swath of films, especially when thereâs a consensus on what are great.
In 2025, I had a great Challenge, where the standouts were Mulholland Drive., Yi Yi, Punch-Drunk Love, Close-Up, and Personal Shopper. There were lowlights too, but most of the struggles were movies I promptly forgot. I donât even remember watching Divorce Italian Style or Love Affair.
Anyways. Hereâs my full 2026 list and below is a bit more on this coming yearâs choices, some color commentary etc.
1. 20th Anniversary Releases - Metropolitan (1990, dir. by Whit Stilman)
My friend Tim recommended this to me a few months ago and itâs also on David Simsâs master awards spreadsheet as a Best Screenplay(?) winner for 1990. Good enough for me.
2. Watch a film not on your watchlist - Pierrot Le Fou (1965; dir. by Jean-Luc Godard)
Caught my first and only Godard when I participated in my freshman challenge back in 2023. Excited for another swing at him. Also, they used the title for a terrifying Cowboy Bebop episode thatâs lived in my head rent free for two decades.
3. Watch a film with a color in the title - Three Colours: Blue (1993; dir. by Krzystof KieĹlowski)
This triptych of films has been on my radar for about a year. Knowing me, Iâll probably end up watching the other two this year too after I finish with this. But⌠mostly I picked it for the absolute lolz of how well it fits the category. The joke tickles me so much that KieĹlowski is the only director whoâs on the challenge twice. Canât bring myself to cut either.
4. 2020s or an upcoming release - Flow (2024, dir. by Gints Zibalodis)
The only 2020s film on the list this year. Supposed to be good!
5. Romance - A Room With A View (1986; dir. by James Ivory)
Big ÂŻ\_(ă)_/ÂŻ on this genre in the collection. Might as well have stabbed in the dark.
6. The Twenty Least Watched Films - Compensation (1999; dir. by Zeinabu Irene Davis)
Delighted by this category and raising awareness of lower profile films. That said, I havenât really heard about many of these so⌠stabbed in the dark.
7. Queer Cinema - Blue is the Warmest Color (2013; dir. by Abdellatif Kechiche)
Been circling this for a long time. Great to finally get off my ass and watch it.
8. 1930s - Trouble in Paradise (1932; dir. by Ernst Lubitsch)
Funny enough, I put this on my list about half an hour before seeing that Rian Johnson selected this movie recently for a podcast episode he was on. Sounds like I have good taste?
9. 1990s - Menace II Society (1993; dir. by Allen Hughes & Albert Hughes)
The only thing I know about this movie is that itâs one of the big parodies in the Wayansâ spoof movie Donât Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. Itâll be good to finally get all those references I missed.
10. Random Number Generator: 1156 - La Llorona (2019; dir. by Jayro Bustamante)
Total crapshoot being at the mercy of RNG. The trailer freaked me out and Iâm not looking forward to something spooky⌠but weâll see how this one goes. Itâs good enough to get into the Collection, at least. So thatâs something.
11. King Princessâs Top 10 - The Others (2001; dir. by Alejandro AmenĂĄbar)
Wound up with like three Nicole Kidman vehicles on the list this year. Weird.
12. Judge a film by its cover - Straw Dogs (1971; dir. by Sam Peckinpah)
It was between this and The Daytrippers. Criterion does incredible cover art for their releases, but the image for this is one of their most evocative. I have to know what it means, though considering itâs Peckinpah Iâm preparing for something grizzly.
13. Song and Dance - The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964; dir. by Jaques Demy)
Really know nothing about this movie except that it comes up a lot in lists/discussions of classic films. Hooray!
14. 2000s - Birth (2004; dir. by Jonathan Glazer)
The only Glazer Iâve seen til now is The Zone of Interest. Also itâs another Nicole Kidman.
15. Director Approved - Ratcatcher (1999; dir. by Lynne Ramsay)
Blank Check is covering Lynne Ramsay in the new year, so Iâll be watching this anyways. Might as well double dip and get credit for it.
16. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldbergâs Closet Picks - Internal Affairs (2002; dir by Alan Mak Siu-Fai & Andrew Lau Wai-Keung)
From the description it sounds like something totally up my alley. Stoked for it. And thereâs even sequels for if it jives.
17. Prequel/Sequel/Remake/Reimagining - Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance (1974; dir. by Toshiya Fujita)
Put the first Lady Snowblood on the first Criterion Challenge. It was awesome and clearly Tarantino cribbed from it mightily for Kill Bill. Itâll be nice to finish the duology.
18. 1980s - The Last Emperor (1987; dir. by Bernardo Bertolucci)
Havenât seen any Bertolucci before, but Iâve heard good things about this one. And it knocks off the list of Best Picture winners. More double dipping.
19. Watch a film that starts with the first letter of your name: âMâ - Mona Lisa (1986; dir. by Neil Jordan)
This wouldnât be annoying but wait like⌠a few selections for the Random Letter Generator.
20. Kathryn Bigelowâs Closet Picks - Army of Shadows (1969; dir. by Jean-Pierre Melville)
Iâd already seen like half of Bigelowâs picks, which limited the options. That said, I read the synopsis for this and it got me excited. Thatâs true love.
21. 1940s - The Lady Eve (1941; dir. by Preston Sturges)
No idea about this one, but Preston Sturges is always a good time.
22. Watch a film rated 2.0-2.9 stars - Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978; dir. Chan Chi-hwa)
This is gonna be a rough one. Last time this category came up I watched the Bruce Lee movie Game of Death, which was really not good. Not that it was that movieâs fault. Bruce Lee died in the middle of production and it leaves most of the movie as a Frankenstein monster with horrible doubles standing in for him. Very low expectations here.
23. Pick any category from a past Criterion Challenge year: 2022 âLinklaterâs Top 10â - Pickpocket (1959; dir. by Robert Bresson)
Love Linklater. Love a thief.
24. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die - A Woman Under the Influence (1974; dir. by John Cassavetes)
Been dipping my toes into Cassavetes for the past few years with Opening Night and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Heâs one of those directors I want to explore more, and this challenge is helping that. This one is supposed to be excellent.
25. âGood For Herâ Cinematic Universe - Paper Moon (1973; dir. by Peter Bogdonavich)
This one really doesnât require a lot of explanation, but the best story is about Bogdonavich telling Orson Welles the title. According to legend, Welles replied âthatâs a title so good you donât even have to make the movie.â But itâs also supposed to be a very good movie.
26. Guy Maddinâs Top 10 - Black Narcissus (1947; dir. by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger)
Powell & Pressburger have the distinction of being the RNG selection for my first year with The Small Black Room, a movie I didnât super love. On the other hand, they did The Red Shoes, which is fantastic. I didnât walk in meaning to watch another movie of theirs and yetâŚ
27. 1960s - High and Low (1963; dir. by Akira Kurosawa)
Just about all of Kurosawa is in the collection and itâs delightful to watch any of his films for this. Eventually Iâll have seen all his movies, but until that project is done, itâs a guarantee that a Kurosawa is gonna be on my annual challenge.
28. Directed by Satyajit Ray - The Hero (1966; dir. by Satyajit Ray)
Been wanting to watch more Indian cinema. Glad to hop into a director with a good selection of interesting sounding films. Now I just have to recalibrate my expectations because this dude is not gonna be Rajamouli.
29. Watch a film from any box set release - Dekalog (1988; dir. by Krzysztof KieĹlowski)
No idea what this is about aside from it being Polish and originally on television. This has been on my shortlist for this challenge for some time based on the abstract cover alone. It also fits into the mini constraint of doing one selection every year thatâs more long-form than television (last year it was The Underground Railroad and two years ago it was Scenes from a Marriage). This is also breaking the donât-repeat-directors stipulation, but thereâs enough going on in the rest of this Challenge that it doesnât break anything to go against the constraint.
30. Black Lives - Malcolm X (1992; dir. by Spike Lee)
Thereâs a whole lot of Spike Lee I want to watch. And with a filmography of more than two dozen films, best to keep plugging away at it. This is supposed to be incredible. Canât wait.
31. Watch a film rated 3.7 stars - Crash (1996; dir. by David Cronenberg)
Cronenbergâs penchant for body horror skeeves me out. But the one film of his Iâve seen so far (Videodrome) was quite good even if it was a lot. Based on everyoneâs reverence for him, though, Iâm looking forward to digging more into his work. And itâll be nice to know a movie called Crash that isnât a flaming dumpster fire thatâs still one of the most embarrasing Best Picture winners of all time.
32. Elle Fanningâs Closet Picks - To Die For (1995; dir. by Gus Van Sant)
Third Kidman. This has been on my radar since first encountering her in Batman Forever and noticing this at the local video store. Finally getting around to it thanks to this recently entering the Collection.
34. 2010s - The Tree of Life (2011; dir. by Terrence Malick)
The only Malick Iâve seen so far is The Thin Red Line. It was insanely good, but Iâm slowly getting around to watching more of his work. Heâs a seminal director and itâs time to close the blindspot. Why not go for his big grand epic?
35. 1950s - Cairo Station (1958; dir. by Youssef Chahine)
Sometimes a movie lands on this challenge because itâs from an interesting country and I pretentiously want to experience cinema from outside my comfort zone.
36. Glorious Restorations - Prince of Broadway (2008; dir. by Sean Baker)
Such a massive fan of Tangerine and Anora that I need to close the massive gaps in Sean Bakerâs filmography.
37. Must see Criterion released films as featured on Danny Pearyâs âGuide for the Film Fanaticâ (1986) - The Most Dangerous Game (1932; dir. by Ernest B. Schoedsack and Irving Pichel)
People hunting people for sport? Hell yeah.
38. Random Letter Generator: âMâ - Meantime (1984; dir. by Mike Leigh)
Have seen only one Mike Leigh to date (Secrets & Lies), so this is gap-filling.
39. The Best Movies of the 21st Century - Frances Ha (2013; dir. by Noah Baumbach)
Not sure if Iâve ever seen any Noah Baumbach (though I plan to watch Jay Kelly before the end of the year). He has a rep for making bummer movies, so⌠time to dip the toe in and see.
40. Directed by Mira Nair - Mississippi Masala (1991; dir. by Mira Nair)
More like âdirected by the mother of the new mayor of NYCâ, amirite?
41. Spine #701-750 - Watership Down (1978; dir. by Martin Rosen)
Feel like this is a title that comes up all the time. Other than that, I know nothing.
42. 1970s - Stalker (1979; dir. by Andrei Tarkovsky)
The only Tarkovsky I know is Solaris. It was absolutely terrific and itâll be interesting to see something different.
43. Letterboxd Top 250 - Harakiri (1962; dir. by Masaki Kobayashi)
Picked this because itâs #1 on the Letterboxd Top 250 ngl.
44. Watch a film you havenât seen that someone else watched as part of last yearâs challenge - Where Is The Friendâs House? (1987; dir. by Abbas Kiarostami)
Weirdly, two people I follow on Letterboxd did the Challenge last year and both of them picked this as their choice for â1980sâ. Canât ignore providence like that.
45. Novels on the Big Screen - The Virgin Suicides (1999; dir. by Sofia Coppola)
Something strange and melancholy, I guess?
46. Random Year Generator: 1961 - Blast of Silence (1961, dir. by Allen Baron)
A Hitman in Manhattan during Christmas time? Say no more.
47. Women Directors: The Official Top 250 Narrative Feature Films - Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962; dir. by Agnès Varda)
I know Vardaâs name but nothing else. The endorsement of the source list is enough, though.
48. David Byrneâs Closet Picks - Playtime (1967; dir. by Jacques Tati)
David Byrne really likes Jacques Tati, huh?
49. Criterion Double Features: Film #1 - Diabolique (1955; dir. by Henri-Georges Clouzot)
Had picked something different, but Iâm a snob. The first part of the original choice I had was not an official Criterion release and so choosing it felt like I could do better. The Criterion Channel is a terrific streaming service, but itâs not as prestigious as their main line.
50. Criterion Double Features: Film #2 - The Soft Skin (1964; dir. by François Truffaut)
That said, swapping out the Double Feature means that I get to watch some French New Wave from Truffaut. Heck yes.
51. 1920s - Underworld (1927; dir. by Josef von Sternberg)
The last time I watched a von Sternberg for the Criterion Challenge (His Last Command) it was a total freaking winner. Probably wonât get that lucky again, but Iâm willing to hope.
52. Watch any Criterion film from your watchlist - Sorcerer (1977; dir. by William Friedkin)
Have heard nothing but good things about Friedkinâs then-flop, now-classic movie about dudes transporting a truck full of dynamite through a jungle. Soon as Criterion announced that Sorcerer was entering the collection, I bookmarked it for this prime slot. Itâs the #1 most anticipated film for this yearâs challenge and nothing else comes close.
And now is the long two weeks where I think about all these movies and increasingly excited at the prospect of whatâs coming. In the meantime, though, time to keep building the Top 250âŚ
What about you? You gonna try your hand at the Criterion Challenge and see what mischief you can get up to?