When I was a kid, if you wanted to see old movies and foreign classics, there were just two dedicated revival theaters in Chicagoland — The Varsity in Evanston and The Parkway in the city. Double and triple features. Foreign flicks. Old classics. As a teen curious to see the world, this was the best and only way to travel to the places beyond our small, small-minded, boring suburb. And it ignited my lifelong love of film.
They closed long ago.
Today if you're a film buff, the Criterion Collection is THE must-have streamer. For a few bucks a month, you get access to literally hundreds of the greatest films of all time from all over the world. And now Criterion is adding a new service.
To celebrate their fifth anniversary this April, the Criterion Channel unveiled a new addition: a livestream. Criterion24/7 is a never-ending playlist of films from the deep reaches of the channel, showing well-known classics, international masterpieces, and obscure indies. It's also the best way to watch movies right now, from the best streaming service we have.
There are so many incredible films available on Criterion it seems silly to make recommendations. But one title that stands out for me is Come and See, one the greatest, most harrowing anti-war films ever made. Directed by Elem Klimov in Soviet-era Belorussia in the 80's, this unflinching look at the horrors of WWII is incredible and devastating and if you have the stomach for it, I guarantee this film will stick with you the rest of your life. Sitting through this movie is a profound experience but don't say you haven't been warned. Steven Spielberg is said to have watched it before making Saving Private Ryan and I can see the influence.
Previously: Criterion Channel under fire for unexplained edit in "The French Connection"
