There’s no film director I admire or enjoy more than Orson Welles. His ambition and talent were unmatched in their day, and he remains the most visionary and brilliant filmmaker in the history of the medium. No one understood better what movies were capable of, and when allowed to follow his muse, no one did it better. He wasn’t perfect, but he was Welles. At its worst, his work was fascinating. At its best, it was absolutely breathtaking. Here are my three favourites.

Mr. Arkadin — A mystery wrapped up in Welles’s fascination with art, ego, and a beautiful young woman. Criterion’s set has three different versions, and seeing what is the same and what is different in each gives you enormous insight into his methods. One of the DVD sets I value most in my collection.

Citizen Kane — Almost defies recommendation at this point, and yet still astonishingly watchable, entertaining and thought-provoking. Roger Ebert’s commentary track on the DVD is an essential (and free) film-school education. You probably know what Rosebud is, and yes, it means nothing, and it means everything.

F For Fake — To me, the absolutely essential Welles movie, again obsessed with art, ego, and a beautiful young woman. Part magic show and part auto-bee-ography (as he calls it), Welles somehow connects the dots between an art forger, Picasso, and his own amazing life. Criterion’s DVD set has epic extras.