Strange Club

August 5, 2015 12:36 PM

After some discussion, it looks like there's enough interest, so I'm starting up Strange Club on FanFare. It's all about the strange, sublime, arty, and unclassifiable. Join up, and vote for the first viewing here. We're also welcoming film suggestions and ideas for the club over in the discussion thread.
posted by naju to MetaFilter-Related at 12:36 PM (20 comments total)

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!
posted by Timmoy Daen at 12:41 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Also, I think there's a lot of potential for some great discussions with this group, so I am exceedingly excited for it. Seems like there are very few places for any kind of intelligent or insightful film discussion online, especially for movies like these, so this should be great. Thank you for starting this up, should be a hot ticket!
posted by Timmoy Daen at 1:09 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Thank you, naju, for taking the initiative to start strange_club and the initial list of forty films.
posted by standardasparagus at 1:16 PM on August 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

This looks nice. I guess I might struggle to access some films more available in the US but definitely up for it - really intrigued by some of the list of 40.
posted by biffa at 1:43 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Thanks, I'm in! Having seen some of the films included in your initial list of 40 candidate films, I predict this will get interesting. Trash Humpers is a special kind of brilliant.
posted by heyho at 3:27 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

I signed up just because ZOO is on that list.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 6:42 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

I signed up by accident but I guess I'll have to watch all the movies now.
posted by aubilenon at 7:56 PM on August 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

I guess I might struggle to access some films more available in the US but definitely up for it

So I don't have access to every film ever made, but my library does have 118,000 films available digitally. Feel free to memail me with requests. Offer good for non-commercial academic research only, of course.
posted by ryanrs at 10:57 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Just a heads-up: Juliet Banana's Skinned Goats And Film Reel
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 11:12 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Thanks ryanrs, I actually am an academic and have an ongoing research project which includes looking for wind turbines in films so it would be totally legit!
posted by biffa at 1:22 AM on August 6, 2015

YES, this is fantastic.
posted by moira at 11:04 AM on August 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'm in! I'm guessing that coordinating sources for the films is going to be a challenge -- at least insofar as certain films might be on services that certain members may or may not be able to access -- but this should be fun.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:49 PM on August 7, 2015

I just checked and I can source every film, so hit me up if you can't find something on your favorite streaming service.
posted by ryanrs at 5:42 PM on August 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

Judging from the votes I've received for the first viewing (which I'll close up tomorrow), there's an interesting quandary. The votes are very much in favor of the two movies that are available on Netflix Instant - 70%. So as long as we have movies up for vote that can be viewed on Netflix, I imagine those will end up being the winners. Do we want to limit this club to Netflix only? That limits options of a TON of great movies that I'd love to do - most of the movies on our formidable list would be out of the running entirely. I initially imagined that people would just be willing to torrent things that are a bit more obscure, but that was wrong of me to assume!
posted by naju at 7:39 PM on August 8, 2015

(I should add that it makes perfect sense for people to vote for things that are easy for them to watch. Not a problem in most scenarios, but we'll be dealing with non-mainsteam films as a matter of course here, so things could get limited quickly.)
posted by naju at 7:47 PM on August 8, 2015

I'm in!

If we can't watch Holy Mountain, how are we going to have this club work out? I say let's vote No on Netflix.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:45 PM on August 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

Also, OMG Love Exposure is on there!
posted by oceanjesse at 9:48 PM on August 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

After talking with ryanrs, it seems that he really does have something impressive set up that he'd be graciously willing to offer as a resource for us. With that in mind, I don't think we should be too concerned about availability.
posted by naju at 10:06 PM on August 8, 2015

I vote against limiting the group to Netflix only - I'd rather have a range of possibilities, and it seems like we'll be able to get our hands on stuff - but that's just me.
posted by koeselitz at 12:24 AM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]

The first viewing has been chosen!

We'll be watching Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010, written/directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.) Available for streaming on Netflix and Fandor, and digital rental on Amazon or Apple for 3.99. Or hit up ryanrs on memail, and he'll get you sorted out. We're going with Monday, August 17 for the post, which gives us a week.

Thanks to ernielundquist for suggesting this movie. I'm excited to see it!
posted by naju at 1:42 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]