Stalker (1972)

Stalker is a 1979 Soviet science fiction art film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky with a screenplay written by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, loosely based on their 1972 novel Roadside Picnic. The film tells the story of an expedition led by a figure known as the "Stalker", who guides his two clients through a hazardous wasteland to a mysterious restricted site known simply as the "Zone". This is one of the most impressive films I have ever seen. Every time I watch it I see something new. I watched it on HBO Max, but it is also available on Freevee and via YouTube:

MovieWeb says it "has often been considered one of the most meaningful movies of all time" and explores different perspectives on its meaning. ReelViews says, "It is masterfully done, contains some haunting images, and has a difficult-to-pinpoint mesmerism in the way it progresses. Once it gets you (which, for some, may never happen), it will hold you like a fly trapped in amber." Rotten Tomatoes has a critics consensus score of 100%.