Closet Picks

20 Oct 2025

Benny Safdie’s Closet Picks

The writer, director, and actor returns to the Criterion Closet, where he shares how he and cinematographer Maceo Bishop studied documentaries like The War Room when making their new film The Smashing Machine, shouts out the singular performances in Carnal Knowledge, and talks about watching Flow with his kids and their cat.

Choices
9
Single films
7
Box sets
2
Chose Director Year
1 The Princess Bride Rob Reiner 1987
2 The War Room Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker 1993
3 When We Were Kings Leon Gast 1996
4 Wim Wenders: The Road Trilogybox set, 3 films
5 Carnal Knowledge Mike Nichols 1971
6 Flow Gints Zilbalodis 2024
7 The Red Balloon and Other Stories: Five Films by Albert Lamorissebox set, 5 films
8 Husbands John Cassavetes 1970
9 The Great Escape John Sturges 1963

Watch the video · On criterion.com