wysmommy wrote:Are these like artsty movies? Most of these movies I have never heard of?
No, not all however some would be considered art films I think but many are not, this last one for example is a documentary.
Criterion wants to include films from across the entire range of cinema and they are not motivated by a films financial success or popularity or even critics opinions.
What they want is to have a dynamic "cross-section" of all types of film both in terms of material and impact on the industry as well as specific genres.
For example they pick films based on directorial styles or photography styles that have affected the craft as a industry, special effects or other technical break-throughs that triggered change, period or era defining films and of course films that they feel affected transitions or evolutions in many other areas.
- Nice addition! 
