Your Indulgence Picks

[HoldenMartinson 221]

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?

[Llewellyn_Wells 47]

Heavyweights

[Head Spin 112]

Buckaroo Banzai for me. Indulge me at your own risk.

[DavidThomasWatson 8]

Re-Animator

[ZZZ 63]

Eaten Alive or Phantom of The Paradise a canon that doesn't include William Finley is not a world I want to live in.

[groovy-guy 24]

Andy Warhol's Chelsea Girls

 

you can make the canon argument for its basically being a precursor to both reality TV and mumblecore, as example of the 60's underground film, as document of the 60's art culture, as an early attempt at interactive film in its projection of two different scenes simultaneously forcing the viewer to pick one or the other making for a unique viewing experience every time - and lastly as an Andy Warhol film that's actually pretty damn good

[bleary 333]

Bergman's Persona. No Bergman has been discussed for the Canon yet, and although I think he has better films, I'll always enjoy watching Persona.

[gene_shallot 79]

I'm a little shaky on what "indulgence" criteria is - a movie that you love but don't think is necessarily Canon-worthy? Or one you think is underrated but should get into the Canon?

 

Either way, I'm going She-Devil.

[bri-witched 60]

Dirty Dancing or Bound-two of the few films that consistently fills me with joy.

[NathanGordon 1096]

Serious answer - Beau Travail

 

Joke answer - Buffalo '66

 

Also: how have they not done a Michael Mann film yet? Skip his later films like Heat or The Insider, go straight to Manhunter or Thief.

[phred2321 57]

UHF. It's one of my favorite movies

[EvanDickson 30]

Amy told me... finally... that her indulgence pick is actually going to be JESSE JAMES. get excited guys!

[Rotmonian 15]

The Toxic Avenger

[Cronopio 127]

Suspiria

[T.D. 61]

Dirty Dancing or Bound-two of the few films that consistently fills me with joy.

 

Dirty Dancing is 100% Canon, no question; I would LOVE to hear that episode.

 

I imagine it would be a companion piece to the "Saturday Night Fever" ep for how it's often written off by those who haven't seen it as something that it isn't.

 

People tend to just think of Travolta grooving down the street and wearing tight pants but are oblivious to the rape and suicide and exploration of masculinity. Likewise, people tend to think of Swayze in tight pants and "Time Of Your Life" while being oblivious to the botched abortion and the class tension and feminist themes.

[joel_rosenbaum 1269]

Tombstone.

[ZZZ 63]

Dirty Dancing or Bound-two of the few films that consistently fills me with joy.

 

I'm not saying this to be a dick but, can you explain dirty dancing to me because everyone of my friends loves it and I have never been able to understand.

[PatrickGaertner 17]

Almost Famous

[Impudent Lackwit 15]

The first IRON MAN movie.

 

Kicked off the MCU so its importance in terms of impact is undeniable, but it's not even the best IRON MAN movie let alone the best MCU film.

 

I think there's a lot of great arguments to be made for inclusion AND exclusion. That's my favorite type of episode.

[Llewellyn_Wells 47]

Almost Famous

 

aw, I totally think it's Canon-worthy on its own.

[Ryan L 57]

The first IRON MAN movie.

 

Kicked off the MCU so its importance in terms of impact is undeniable, but it's not even the best IRON MAN movie let alone the best MCU film.

 

I think there's a lot of great arguments to be made for inclusion AND exclusion. That's my favorite type of episode.

 

I'd much rather nominate the film that best shows the impact of the MCU in its masterful display of the heights of a shared universe film series, and the best Iron Man film in the MCU - Captain America: Civil War.

[Impudent Lackwit 15]

 

I'd much rather nominate the film that best shows the impact of the MCU in its masterful display of the heights of a shared universe film series, and the best Iron Man film in the MCU - Captain America: Civil War.

 

CIVIL WAR would be a great head-to-head - I'd like to see it pitted against THE WINTER SOLDIER, which I know a lot of people still consider the MCU high water mark.

[bri-witched 60]

 

I'm not saying this to be a dick but, can you explain dirty dancing to me because everyone of my friends loves it and I have never been able to understand.

 

I mean I don't know if I can fully convert you to a fan or whatever since I'm fully admitting this is an indulgence pick, but I can explain what I love about it.

 

First off, I love anything that doesn't demonize a character for getting an abortion (I used to work at an abortion clinic-that's always gonna be important to me). The audience is meant to empathize with Penny for wanting one and it's fascinating to me that such a taboo subject was a major plot point in a film almost everyone's seen, and was a hit at the box office. This still may be one of the better depictions of abortion in fiction.

 

I also honestly just feel, like T.D. mentioned earlier, that there's a lot of really interesting stuff to unpack surrounding gender and class within this film that still feels radical today. Baby isn't judged or shamed for having sex with Johnny, a guy she frankly barely knows and will never see again after her vacation ends. It celebrates short times of passion where two people can really have an effect on each other rather than going for some hokey romance that inevitably has to end in marriage or a promise for something long term. She goes from a young girl who's interested in studying "economics" into a mature adult who actually has some real world understanding of class systems by befriending the working staff (the amount of class conflict going on in this is actually staggering-also I'm here for any film that takes a shot at people who love Ayn Rand). It's a film that takes place in the 60s and is meant to comment on that period, was released in the 80s so simultaneously commenting on its own era, and many people still feel it speaks to them today. It's a fun dance movie with a great soundtrack that has a lot of interesting, subversive elements sprinkled throughout.

[ZZZ 63]

Thank you for your explanation I was honestly curious. I feel like I should revisit it. I think I developed a bitter taste for it because it was being shoved down my throat as an amazing swoon romantic movie and as the kid that would rather watch Evil Dead 2 at the slumber party I don't know if I ever even gave it a fair chance. You're words inspire me to pop some popcorn and dredge up a copy.

[HoldenMartinson 221]

 

aw, I totally think it's Canon-worthy on its own.

Right? I think something like Singles or even Say Anything... would be more dubious--even though I LOVE the latter dearly.