HoldenMartinson

You know, I hate to be someone who digs in their heels before there's a discussion to be had, but I'm a hard, hard, HARD no. I find this movie to be incredibly irritating. For whatever reason, Labyrinth has always rubbed me the wrong way. I like Jennifer Connelly. I really like David Bowie's 70's output. I have no affection for Labyrinth. It's gonna take something miraculous to sway me.

I watched Pennies from Heaven this weekend. I also watched Albert Brooks's Modern Romance this weekend, which is similarly about a self-centered dude who does not fully live in reality, and whose significant other does not deserve his emotional abuse. I may prefer the latter film, but I totally relate to both characters, and I get living so outside of reality that you lack any awareness towards how you treat the people that matter most to you. When Amy relates to Steve Martin in Pennies from Heaven, that totally makes sense. Plus, I love how absolutely different this film is. Like Amy said, there's nothing quite like it. Why can't we celebrate something smart and sad and weird like Pennies from Heaven the way we celebrate cult gems like Re-Animator or They Live? Personally, I want a big canon, and the canon is big enough for Pennies from Heaven.

As for Gus Van Sant films go, I'm partial to Elephant. Anyway, I'm not a fan of Good Will Hunting, but I can imagine an argument for it exists.

There's a great A.V. Club article about how the Coens' films from No Country for Old Men on are paired with each other thematically. So, there are a few "versus" potentials. Specifically... No Country for Old Men vs. Burn After Reading A Serious Man vs. True Grit Inside Llewyn Davis vs. Hail, Caesar! http://www.avclub.co...nd-its-b-231871 Personally, I love both of these films. They're excellent Coen brothers films. Inside Llewyn Davis might be up there with Fargo and Miller's Crossing, as far as their strongest works are concerned. A Serious Man may not be as exciting, but it's a damn well-made film. So, I'd be down for a versus of these two.

Rita coooorny, Michael.

Pennies From Heaven is terrific. As much as I begrudge Amy for forcing a modern musical in the form of The Rocky Horror Picture Show upon us, this is a legitimately excellent film, and I'm really excited to hear her thoughts. As was the case with Devin and Re-Animator, this has got to be a really special picture if Amy's a fan.

I grew up with Brooks's films, and Blazing Saddles is probably his best. It's an easy yes. Also, Amy, I found the screenwriter's girlfriend you were describing, and let me send a "fuck her" of solidarity your way--though, I'm mostly disappointed in said screenwriter.

Actually, I take that back. Every Dreamworks animated feature is a masterpiece, and each one deserves a spot in the canon, starting with Kung Fu Panda 3, followed closely by Shrek Forever After .

Hopefully, they could get an expert on his filmography, should such an episode arise, to Mann-splain why his work is so great.

I'd be down for The Prince of Egypt. Personally, I'm not a fan of Dreamworks animation otherwise. Shrek would make sense, but I've got no passion for it. It's all right. I'd rather talk about more Pixar, or hold out for another Ghibli before doing Dreamworks.

I'm incredibly excited for these episodes--as I am for every episode of The Canon. So, if you could all pick some films to be discussed, which would you choose? I'd probably go with Inagaki's Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, maybe an early Kieślowski--maybe A Short Film About Love or A Short Film About Killing as a way of getting The Decalogue in, though Blind Chance clearly merits discussion--or a semi-forgotten art film like Paris, Texas or The Tin Drum. What does everyone else think?

This rivals Mason Sr.'s Black Album.

If we do another Keaton, Sherlock, Jr. could very well be submitted as a short film--seeing as it clocks in at only 45 minutes. That, and any excuse to talk about Sherlock, Jr. is a good excuse.

Okay, but Bounty is fucking manna. I say this because it is both great for what its purpose is, and it's delicious.

One of those cases where I am over the moon for a slam dunk.

My answer is George, runner-up being anyone other than John. All of The Beatles were terrible people, but John may be the most problematic. His love and peace mantra that he's known for would be interesting if he wasn't a terrible father, and an abusive, philandering husband. Maybe Lennon's greatest transgression is letting Yoko Ono take the fall for breaking up The Beatles when he was just as responsible, if not more so, for the band's end. That's another thing that I don't necessarily blame Lennon for, but that really bothers me: The way we, as a culture, trash Yoko Ono, when John Lennon is far more reprehensible as a human being. It's really unfair.

I am not a fan of The Beatles. They're not overrated, but they also don't do anything for me. Having been raised on The Beatles, and having listened to all of their records many times, I'm pretty burnt out on them. That said, having seen A Hard Day's Night, I was almost re-converted. The film is so energetic, so charming, and so irresistible that I was nearly sold on the band all over again. Hell, pre-Revolver is my favorite era. So, if ever there was a way for The Beatles to bring me back in, it would be through this. A Hard Day's Night is a great comedy, and the impact it has had is undeniable. This is an easy yes. That said Best Beatle: George Best album: Revolver Best song: "A Day in the Life"

A Hard Day's Night can be in the canon. That's fine. The Replacements, however, will always have the superior Let It Be.

Since the old forums, I've been championing Police Story. I like The Legend of the Drunken Master, but Police Story is the one I'd champion. This is not one I'd want to do as a versus, since both are so different, and so goddamned awesome. With that in mind, either of these getting in would be fine.

Not to beat a dead horse, but The Matrix versus Dark City, or The Matrix versus Fight Club .

I'd rather do two slam dunk Hitchcock films, because that's way more fun. I mean, choosing between Vertigo and Psycho? How does anyone do that? That's as difficult as they come. I'd rather not pull punches.

Wow, Nick Perkins. How does that feel, to have Devin stepping in on your turf?

Yeah. Sherlock, Jr. is the superior achievement, but The General is an honest-to-goodness miracle. It's so full of life, nearly a hundred years later. And there are action films today that don't come close to the level of inventiveness that Keaton has on display here. What's more, I don't think The General could be made today. Keaton is far too involved than actors are allowed to be--unless you're, say, Jackie Chan, and you're already making your own movies anyway. Of course, filmmakers like Chan are hugely influenced by Keaton, and by films like The General. I usually fall more in line with Devin on things, but Amy was totally right. This is so kinetic. I don't even think I checked the time while watching this one, because it's so engrossing. That said, I have felt Devin is a little right about the train stuff. At least the first time around, it does become a bit strained, but it's still so great, and the gags are so awesome that it doesn't even matter. Also, I don't think Keaton is using trick logs. I think he just knew how to make the gag work. Keaton's obviously crazy athletic, and knows how to make far more daring things work with greater authenticity that I can totally believe he really made the beam gag work without any crutches.

I'd love to an episode like the for The Godfather trilogy, where could potentially induct the whole trilogy all at once. They're all so great, but are doing different things thematically, and technically. So, it'd be somewhat unfair to pit them against one another. That said, if forced, I'd maybe go Before Sunrise, then Before Midnight, and then Before Sunset. But again, they're all terrific.

Amy loves Errol Morris--not to mention he's one of the eminent documentarians in all of cinema--so this is mostly just a matter of time. The Fog of War is great. I'd also put forth The Thin Blue Line, Standard Operating Procedure, and Gates of Heaven. That said, it's really difficult to wrong in any direction.