With Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 finally out in theaters, you may be gearing up for a movie marathon to get you in the mood for Star-Lord, Groot, and the whole gang. It’s the obvious choice to go with the original Guardians or the bevy of MCU films, but there are a few other less-obvious choices out there with similar vibes to the space adventure. James Gunn has already told us about films that inspired Vol. 2, but in the video above, HitFix host Miri Jedeikin offers up three more essential movies to watch.
Dazed And Confused
Would the first Guardians be nearly as popular as it is if it weren’t for the soundtrack? In the same vein, Richard Linklater’s 1993 movie was solidified as a classic not only because of its songs but because of how they’re woven into the story. Guardians follows suit, making its intrinsic playlists into near-characters in both installments.
Super
James Gunn didn’t have a lot of name recognition before Vol. 1, but he did write and direct a little indie movie called Super. Rainn Wilson stars as a man who loses his wife and gains a wrench and a sense of misplaced, violent justice. With Super, Gunn demonstrated he could craft a superhero story that doesn’t follow the typical beats, and it helped earn him the respect of Joss Whedon and the auteur-ship of Guardians.
Spaceballs
No film did as much for space comedies as Mel Brooks’ cult classic Spaceballs. It may be a parody of Star Wars and similar films, it still bent genres and paved the way for Guardians. They feel like kindred spirits, with an emphasis on jokes and gags even when the universe is at stake.