Cinema is a profound language of emotion and storytelling; few perceive this as deeply as Denis Villeneuve. His curated picks for the Criterion Collection reveal a director’s intimate reference to transformative filmmaking. These decisions span a long time and continents, showcasing movies that problem narrative conventions, discover human complexity, and push inventive boundaries. Villeneuve’s picks usually are not mere suggestions however a masterclass in cinematic appreciation—every movie is a testomony to storytelling’s energy to light up the human expertise.
1. Three Colors: Blue (Krzysztof Kieślowski)
Kieślowski’s masterpiece represents cinematic poetry in movement. Denis Villeneuve is captivated by its meticulous inventive synthesis—the fragile interaction between visible composition, emotional narrative, and musical rating. The movie explores grief by a devastatingly intimate lens, monitoring a girl’s journey of loss and eventual emotional reconstruction. Its visible language transcends conventional storytelling, making a symphonic expertise that strikes viewers at a profound, virtually mobile stage.
2. Through a Glass Darkly (Ingmar Bergman)
The Psychological exploration by Ingmar Bergman delves into the advanced dynamics of familial trauma and inventive consciousness. Villeneuve is especially struck by its nuanced portrayal of an artist’s probably parasitic relationship with human struggling. The movie dissects the ethical ambiguities of inventive pursuit, analyzing how private anguish turns into inventive materials. Its intimate chamber drama reveals the intricate psychological landscapes the place private ache and inventive expression intersect.
3. Che (Steven Soderbergh)
Unlike a standard biographical movie, Soderbergh’s epic gives a granular examination of revolutionary management. Villeneuve praises its meticulous historic analysis and revolutionary narrative construction. The movie deconstructs the mythology of Che Guevara, presenting a posh portrait of revolutionary battle by rigorous, virtually documentarian precision. Benicio del Toro’s efficiency transforms historic documentation right into a profound character research.
4. The Wages of Fear (Henri-Georges Clouzot)
A masterclass in rigidity and visible storytelling, this movie represents pure cinematic rigidity. Villeneuve admires its means to speak narrative by visible language alone. The story of truck drivers transporting risky explosives turns into a metaphorical journey of human endurance. Clouzot transforms a seemingly easy premise right into a profound exploration of human resilience, masculinity, and existential threat.
5. Europa (Lars von Trier)
Von Trier’s hypnotic exploration of post-war Germany represents radical cinematic reinvention. Villeneuve is fascinated by the movie’s playful deconstruction of conventional narrative codes. Europa challenges viewers’ perceptions of storytelling by mixing historic reflection with surreal stylistic decisions. Its revolutionary method reveals cinema’s potential to concurrently disorient and enlighten, creating a novel viewing expertise.
6. Satyricon (Federico Fellini)
Fellini’s avant-garde adaptation of historic Roman literature transcends standard narrative. Villeneuve is especially moved by its stunning opening sequence and dreamlike aesthetic. The movie transforms historic supply materials right into a hallucinatory visible poem, difficult conventional representations of classical narratives. Its daring inventive imaginative and prescient reveals the potential of cinema to reimagine historic and mythological experiences.
7. Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa)
Kurosawa’s epic represents the top of motion cinema’s inventive potential. Villeneuve particularly highlights its revolutionary use of sluggish movement, demonstrating how technical innovation can elevate storytelling. Beyond its technical mastery, the movie provides a posh exploration of honor, neighborhood, and particular person sacrifice. Its affect extends far past Japanese cinema, reshaping the worldwide understanding of narrative choreography.
Bonus Recommendation: Le Mystère Picasso – A documentary that Villeneuve considers a supreme exploration of the inventive course of, reworking inventive documentation right into a narrative of suspense and discovery.
Here’s Denis Villeneuve At The Criterion Closet