James Gunn recently stopped by JM Video Club (via Konbini) and, for 30 minutes, went on an unapologetically nerdy, wildly entertaining deep dive into the movies that shaped him.
For those unfamiliar, the concept of the series is simple: filmmakers and actors are invited into a retro-style video rental store and asked to talk about the films they love. Gunn, being Gunn, took the assignment and ran with it—name-dropping cult classics, international gems, and personal favorites at a dizzying pace.
Right off the bat, Gunn professed his love for Hong Kong action cinema, especially the work of John Woo. “I had this bootleg collection of over 500 films,” he laughed. His passion for martial arts and filmmaking bled into every corner of the conversation. When he held up “Kung Fu Hustle,” he didn’t hesitate: “It’s a masterpiece. The most perfect film ever made.”
He also shouted out Takashi Miike’s “Audition,” calling it “one of my favorite films of all time,” before pivoting—without skipping a beat—to “Paddington 2.” “One of the greatest movies ever made,” Gunn said. “I mean it.”
It’s a classic […] People think I’m being ironic when I say that, but I’m telling the truth.
Paul King’s “Paddington” sequel is pure cinematic joy — colorful, precise, and bursting with invention. Unlike Gunn, I might not go as far as to claim it’s a masterpiece, but it’s lovingly crafted and effortlessly charming.
Gunn then grabbed a copy of Robert Altman’s “The Long Goodbye,” and proclaimed it “my favorite movie of all time.” I’m starting to like this guy. Atlman’s film is a masterpiece. A noir deconstruction that feels both laid-back and quietly devastating. Elliot Gould’s mumbling detective is an all-timer — influencing everyone from the Coens (“The Big Lebowski”) to PTA (“Inherent Vice”).
As for Quentin Tarantino? Gunn gets it right, again — “Jackie Brown is my favorite Tarantino film. I watch it at least once a year.”
On the superhero front, Gunn made a bold proclamation: “Into the Spider-Verse is the best superhero movie ever made.” But when it comes to live-action? “Iron Man” is the best one.”
In perhaps the most revealing anecdote of the session, Gunn shared how he discovered David Corenswet, his new Clark Kent. “I was watching “Pearl” and I saw a character whose name is just The Projectionist, and I went, ‘That guy looks like he could possibly be Superman.’ I looked up his name on IMDb and said, ‘Can you bring this guy in?’”
Gunn’s stop at JM Video Club was more than a fun diversion—it was a window into the brain of one of Hollywood’s most popular blockbuster filmmakers. Equal parts grindhouse and art-house, reverent and irreverent, his movie diet is eclectic and unpredictable.