Bob Odenkirk’s Closet Picks

Overview

Bob Odenkirk gives a tour of his “Criterion Closet,” a personal shelf of Criterion Collection films—covering both favorites and titles he’s curious to explore. His recommendations span classic action, noir, horror, romance, and psychological dramas, with an emphasis on what each movie does best.

Highlights & Notable Reactions

• Jackie Chan pick

  • Odenkirk gushes that Jackie Chan is “fun” and “clever,” especially praising his physical comedy and nonstop inventiveness.
  • He also highlights a Criterion set of Chan’s early films, noting they show a connection to Buster Keaton: “set pieces one after another,” built with physical-gag craftsmanship.

• Bruce Lee admission

  • He jokingly notes he’s never seen a Bruce Lee movie, so he’s treating some older classics as “to-do” viewing.

• Old movies he respects

  • He appreciates that older films can be “unafraid of wallowing in tropes,” calling the approach funny and enjoyable.

• Classic Hollywood noir / production nod

  • He singles out a Howard Hughes–produced, Howard Hawks–directed title, starring Paul Muni, Boris Karloff, and George Raft.
  • He frames it like a “do you know how great this is?” type of recommendation.

• Adam Sandler praise

  • Odenkirk calls Adam Sandler incredibly versatile: “Adam can do anything.”
  • He also adds a personal compliment that Sandler is “one of the nicest guys.”

• Criterion Channel plug (noirs)

  • He recommends using the Criterion Channel for great noir films not even in this closet, encouraging viewers to “pop it on” and start immediately.

• New Wave energy, British story

  • He describes a film using The Who’s music to capture a youth-rebellion vibe.
  • It has energy influenced by French New Wave filmmaking, but it’s a British production.

• A “one and done” horror experience

  • He calls one film “one of the great films ever made” and says it’s horrifying.
  • He puts it back after already watching it with total certainty: “One time, that’s enough… Never need to see it again.”

• Film about power and corruption

  • For that same horror pick, he stresses its larger theme: what it says about people, power, and corruption.

• Romantic, visually stunning favorite

  • He shares another pick as beautiful and romantic, praising camera technique details he remembers from his first TV viewing.

• Emotional storytelling lesson

  • A key craft tip: if you want the viewer’s heart to break, don’t just make the characters cry.
  • He recommends a heartbreaking film about a little kid who is deeply sad, where the reasons are revealed in a way that makes it extra poignant.

• Psychological noir appreciation

  • He highlights a more complex, non-obvious psychological noir, crediting Nicholas Ray and praising its delicate, layered storytelling.

• “BBS” box set

  • He closes by recommending a late-’60s/early-’70s producer-focused “BBS” box set.
  • The films are cool, thoughtful, and realist-leaning, connected to people like Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, and even The Monkees—a “hang out with them” kind of viewing experience.

Jokes / Memorable Lines

• His playful “I’ve never seen Bruce Lee” admission.
• The exaggerated horror reaction: “One time, that’s enough.”
• The craft advice about breaking hearts: don’t rely on characters crying.
• A repeated Criterion Channel pitch framed like an easy, immediate watch.

Personalities Mentioned

• Bob Odenkirk (host/curator)
• Jackie Chan
• Bruce Lee
• Buster Keaton
• Adam Sandler
• Paul Muni
• Boris Karloff
• George Raft
• Howard Hughes
• Howard Hawks
• The Who
• Nicholas Ray
• Jack Nicholson
• Dennis Hopper
• Peter Fonda
• The Monkees