22 Amazing Cult Classics That Deserve The Criterion Treatment

These acclaimed off-beat films would fit right in as new additions to the Criterion Collection.

You don't have to be a full-fledged film enthusiast to be familiar with Criterion, the esteemed boutique distribution outlet that has successfully expanded their web into the streaming game.

Criterion may be the gold standard for home media release, whether it be on disc or digital, but their process is incredibly selective, with only a handful of titles being added to their collection every month. 

So I've decided to assemble a list of 22 cult classics that deserve to be added to the hallowed halls of the Criterion Collection in 2022:

1. Taxidermia (2006)

Tartan Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

Perhaps the most twisted family story ever told, Taxidermia is a lauded Hungarian satirical drama that recounts the experiences of three generations of a family, including a delusional military officer, a champion speed-eater, and an ambitious taxidermist.

2. Q&A (1990)

TriStar Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

One of the unsung masterpieces from filmmaking legend Sidney Lumet, Q&A is a stellar drama that skewers and subverts every expectation one might have with a police thriller.

3. Girlfight (2000)

Screen Gems/ Courtesy Everett Collection

The feature film debut of Karyn Kusama, Girlfight received much critical acclaim for being one of the first films to depict women's boxing and providing the platform to launch the career of star Michelle Rodriguez.

4. Eve’s Bayou (1997)

Trimark Pictures / Moviestore Collection Ltd / Courtesy Alamy

While Criterion has been noted for their willingness to bring aboard more and more horror titles to their collection, the southern gothic drama Eve's Bayou has been long deprived of getting the recognition it deserves with the exception of its preservation in the Library of Congress in 2018. 

5. Little Children (2006)

New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

Based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, Todd Field's compelling depiction of intersecting stories in a suburban community, including adultery and paranoia, garnered multiple Academy Award nominations and induction into the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection, even if it hasn't received a proper Blu-ray release yet.

6. The Last Minute (2001)

Venom Productions Limited / Via YouTube

Shortly after directing Blade, filmmaker Stephen Norrington crafted this excellent and darkly humorous rumination on the fickle entertainment industry that is woefully overdue for a rediscovery.

7. The Fourth Man (1983)

International Spectrafilm / Courtesy Everett Collection

Just prior to leaving his mark on Hollywood and the film industry in general, director Paul Verhoeven's sexually charged and utraviolent thriller rocked audiences around the globe and yet has been widely unavailable in the US for a number of years.

8. Dogville (2003)

Collection Christophel / Zentropa Entertainments / Isabella Films BV / Something Else BV / Courtesy Alamy

Though the Criterion Collection has long been in the Lars von Trier business, his spellbinding (and devastating) Dogville has yet to be announced for their upcoming slate.

9. Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

There are a number of Martin Scorsese-directed films that seem to be Criterion-bound, but Bringing Out the Dead may be most fitting for the format, especially as it features one of Nicolas Cage's best (and most underrated) performances and stunning cinematography from Robert Richardson.

10. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)

Elsevier-Vendex / Allarts / United Archives GmbH / Alamy

A truly shocking and depraved comedy from controversial filmmaker Peter Greenaway, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is the kind of transgressive film that should have been a Criterion title years ago, if for no reason but Michael Gambon's all-timer of a villainous performance.

11. A Simple Plan (1998)

Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

Though Sam Raimi would later venture into the worlds of Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Oz the Great and Powerful, his most understated and suspenseful film, A Simple Plan, is among his best and should undoubtedly be his debut in the Criterion Collection.

12. Palindromes (2004)

Wellspring / Courtesy Everett Collection

Todd Solondz was previously featured in the Criterion Collection with his 2010 film Life During Wartime, but his most polarizing and experimental film, Palindromes, is equally deserving of the boutique distributor's spotlight.

13. Intacto (2003)

Collection Christophel / Sogecine / Telecinco / Courtesy Alamy

An imaginative and occasionally nightmarish film about high-stakes gambling where one's luck is literally on the line, Intacto is a dazzling descent into darkness and magical realism that has had far too few eyes upon it over the past 20 years.

14. Pink Floyd — The Wall (1982)

MGM / PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy

A surreal retelling of Pink Floyd's concept album from visionary director Alan Parker, this critical darling's cult audience has grown over the years even if the film has yet to receive a definitive high definition transfer.

15. Redbelt (2008)

TCD / Prod.DB / The Redbelt Company / Sony Pictures Classics / Courtesy Alamy

David Mamet's early films have occasionally graced the Criterion Collection, but his later (and underrated) directorial efforts, including the taut Spartan, the pulse-pounding Heist, and the soulful Redbelt, likewise deserve to be considered for inclusion.

16. Whatever (1998)

Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Before she became a scene-stealing regular on Gilmore Girls and How to Get Away with Murder, Liza Weil received rave reviews as the conflicted lead in Susan Skoog's New Jersey-set independent teen slacker drama Whatever.

17. Mute Witness (1995)

Sony / AF Archive / Courtesy Alamy

This inventive and intense horror film about a mute woman who stumbles upon a snuff film production has sat on the shelf for too damn long, and seems to be a perfect candidate for a Criterion-led revival.

18. The Fall (2006)

Roadside Attractions / Courtesy Everett Collection

A brilliant fantasy from the mind of Tarsem, The Fall feels like The Wizard of Oz for an adult audience, expertly wavering between beautiful visions of a larger-than-life fantasy and the sobering (and occasionally, tragic) realities facing its leads.

19. Strange Days (1995)

20th Century Fox Film Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

Kathryn Bigelow is simply undeniable as a filmmaker, but among the many classics to her name, Strange Days is often considered her most underestimated film and frequently pops up in rumors considering future Criterion Collection films given its frequent inaccessibility.

20. Pi (1998)

Live Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

The inaugural cinematic effort from Darren Aronofsky, Pi is a seminal piece of independent science-fiction filmmaking whose inclusion in the Criterion Collection feels closer to "when" than "if."

21. Red Rock West (1993)

Roxie Releasing / Courtesy Everett Collection

Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper and Lara Flynn Boyle headline John Dahl's southern-fried noir film that has somehow avoided the embrace of mainstream audiences despite having all the ingredients to become a stone-cold classic of its genre.

22. Dead Presidents (1995)

Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

The Hughes Brothers were recently highlighted by the Criterion Collection with their UHD release of Menace II Society, giving fans of their amazing 1995 drama Dead Presidents hope that the latter film would be following soon thereafter.