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Goin' beast mode! - Beast (2026) image

Goin' beast mode! - Beast (2026)

S1 E23 · Under Southern Screens
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1 Playsin 15 hours

Matthew and Mitch tackle the new Aussie UFC film and also discuss why the Rocky franchise is so good. No relation between the two subjects at all.

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Intro - Heavy Duty 

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Outro - Heavyweight

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License code: JEDZYX39HO96AFQ5

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Transcript

Introduction and Podcast Theme

00:00:04
Speaker
I am the night rain. You're a terrible Muriel. Talk to me. You gonna do that Pogger Pogger? You've been talking to the cops. Today is a brand new No, that's it. It's the vibe.
00:00:21
Speaker
G'day fellow Aussie film lovers and welcome to another episode of our Under Southern Screens, the most participating in Bloodsports Australian cinema podcast.

Hosts' Humorous Intros and Masculinity

00:00:30
Speaker
I am Mitch.
00:00:32
Speaker
And I'm Matthew and I'm a big man, masculine man, watching masculine movies. I'm a man, I'm a man. I love what punching people. I love kicking things and I love crying because I'm a man. and all i cry about man things though. that's not Not like anything like that to do with like anything meaningful which is a man. No, I cry because my dad said he loves me or something. I don't know. I don't know. ah don' I don't know. I cried because my brother got brutally murdered in front of me.
00:01:05
Speaker
Spoilers. Spoilers for the film. That's all This is a movie this one those movies I feel like you straight up can't spoil. I don't think there's anything surprising in this. um We'll get into it.

Introduction to the Movie 'Beast'

00:01:15
Speaker
we get it like well yeah we're We're watching Beast.
00:01:17
Speaker
We're watching Beast. Another 2026 release. Yeah, that's it. That's what we're doing. This is actually the second movie on the podcast we've mentioned with the title Beast. um Do you remember the other one, Matthew? was it no no true as if you remembered and then because you know that because i trust you mitch i trust your gut i actually really appreciate that no um the director of apex had done that movie called beast with um it just elbow about fighting a lion and i'm dying
00:01:53
Speaker
but Finding a Lying in Africa. There you go. Well, looking this movie up on Letterboxd, I had to quantify it down. had to go Beast 2026 in the title. Yeah, you really got to scroll that one. It just wasn't there. There's summary of movie called Beast. Yeah. It's messed up. I feel like this movie, out of the two movies we mentioned on this podcast, titled Beast, has less of a claim to the name. Yeah. But people seem to think it's okay. Like, I was looking up some reviews of it earlier. Oh, no, I just meant there's no beast in it, though. There's just dudes. He's the beast. He's the man beast. He's gonna punch him up.
00:02:31
Speaker
I guess we're in we're talking about it. um But i think i think there's one part. around the end when he's really locked into training with russell crow um and russell crow's daughter um and there's that part where he's like yelling after beating the crap out of three men and he kind of turns into a roar and i went all right so that's they did that so they could call it beast right that's that's the reason i think i think they said beast once in the dialogue and i was like yeah that's the name of the movie uh by the way like To me, this movie is just so

Overview of 'Beast': Plot and Characters

00:03:03
Speaker
funny. So I'm sorry if you want like sincerity here, but like, we'll get into it. Should like should I do a little introduction? Yeah, please do a little intro. Whoa.
00:03:12
Speaker
What did you call me? What the hell did you call me? That's true. We can't be using those names. have to go bloody beast mode on you. but Well, I'll go beast mode on you with this intro there, man. Time to man up my little film simps because today on USS we're not doing any of that airy fairy Baz Luhrmann shit.
00:03:33
Speaker
We're getting masculine with the Beast, the 2026 sports action drama film that poses the question, what if the recent Creed films were set in rural New South Wales and have no emotional message whatsoever?
00:03:46
Speaker
No, I'm being a little soy boy, aren't i Directed by Tyler Atkins, who is not a film director, but in fact a reality TV star, winning season one of The Amazing Race Australia. That's not related to the film at all. I just think it's telling.
00:03:59
Speaker
Beast is a drama that centers around mixed martial arts legend Patton James, played by Daniel McPherson, who commits to a final fight with his longtime rival and secret lover, Xavier Grau.
00:04:11
Speaker
That last part doesn't happen, but the sexual tension is so visceral between these characters that I see it for them. As he trains for the fight, Patton grapples with various drama checkboxes, including drama with his brother, drama with his wife, drama with his mafia mate, and most prominently, drama with his old trainer Sammy, played by Russell Crowe. And we have yet another film where a famous Australian musician plays a major role with Amy Shark playing Patton's current trainer Rose, Nito Burrito. I think we should start off... I don't like sport, like watching sport. I'm not a huge fan of it.
00:04:46
Speaker
um But I love a sports movie, man. Yeah, me too. me too I love a sports movie. I love Moneyball. Moneyball's good. Both. both Rocky.
00:04:56
Speaker
Rocky's really good, but damn, do I love Creed. I love Creed so much. Can we... Okay. Can I just say, i sorry to cut you off, but Rocky is my shizzle like genuinely like the whole rocky series rocky one through six creed one through three just like that is like those are like the movies for

Sports Movies Discussion: 'Creed' and 'Rocky'

00:05:17
Speaker
me the only one i've seen multiple times is probably i think creed one um that's that's like top tier that's that's the best one though it's I think it's the best Creed film. I don't think it's the best Rocky film, but it's still like five out of five. like It's like insane how good that movie is. and then This has turned into a review about Creed. No, no, but it's because we it's like a preamble. We get like, yeah you know, setting it up. I think the reason why I like Creed so much the is that it's not only is it this really cool... It's really good movie. First of all, really good movie. Ryan Coogler, famous for directing um a ripoff of ah from Dusk Till Dawn. That's true. Ooh.
00:05:56
Speaker
Ooh. I like saying, no, it's its own movie. Anyone who says this, like, who gets pissy about that, there there's a lot of similarities there, but it is its own movie, and it has its own identity. I'm talking about Sinners, by the way, if you weren't aware. This is a tangent within a tangent. This is tangent. but no ryan krugler great great director really really strong artistic um vision uh but i think what i think what makes creed my favorite out of the whole series and why it's the one i keep going back to is it not only does the creed story really well which is kind of like a character who gets thrown away in the like sorry a polar creed creed the titular creed in creed's dad gets killed off in the fourth movie as kind of like a just a he's he's fridged basically he's fridged to make the stakes um It's literally just drama. It's for drama. And so they actually give that weight in this, in the, the first Creed movie gives it weight, which is then carried on through the second and third one. But yeah the first one really does does the job. But Creed 2 really like extends that as well. But yeah. Yeah.
00:06:57
Speaker
I think the Creed 2 is just a little bit messy though is the issue, which is why it doesn't hold on. I love it. No, I love it. I love it, but it's a little messy. But the thing with Creed 1 though is that it also has the emotional weight of just Rocky dealing with the fact that he's just had an insane life and career. I just think the combination of both. And he's all alone. He's lost the guy who hated that robot. I can't remember his name. Paulie. Paulie. He's lost Paulie. He's lost Adrian. He's lost like his trainer, Duke or whatever. Are you going to finish? No, no, you go and go yeah go. I think that in contrast, the reason why all the Rocky films work so well and all the Creed films work so well is that it's not about the fight.
00:07:39
Speaker
It's not about the like actual fight itself. Yeah. Every single one of those films deals with a theme or an emotive core.
00:07:51
Speaker
So, for example, let let's just pick pick a random one for me, Mitch. Any any Rocky movie, any Creed film? Creed 5. Creed 5. Creed 5. Well, okay. or were There were like eight there to choose from and you just had to set me up like that. and and And I really picked a fake one. No, I meant Rocky 5. Sorry. Okay. Rocky 5, which is the worst one, right? Yeah. the theme of that film is- That's why I picked it.
00:08:13
Speaker
yeah What happens when you have it all and lose everything and who you are as a man when you lose everything. and what And what Stallone and Rocky comes to find in that movie is that, you know, family is more important, which he hasn't thought about for the entirety of the and Rocky series. Like, by the way, just for the record. When did he get his son? When is his son born? That's two. That's rock that's insane.
00:08:39
Speaker
That's actually it insane. like Like all of the other Rocky movies, he's just... Well, I mean, Adrian's like, oh, you gotta be here for your family or whatever, but like like it doesn't centre around that at all. He never really locks in.
00:08:49
Speaker
Yeah, he doesn't lock in, really. yeah um He gets a robot in the fourth film. That's that's like locking in adjacent, but like not, you know. not Anyway, but so like Rocky, that's the theme of Rocky V. That's what the

Critique of 'Beast': Themes and Characters

00:09:02
Speaker
movie is about. I think Rocky V is the only one where Rocky doesn't actually step into the ring, right? That's not true. That's the one with the street fight. That's the street fight one. Oh my gosh, he doesn't. Where Rocky differs from Beast is that Beast- Doesn't have Luke Hemsworth. true. That's so i mean like points will be notch off or that's one notch off for Rocky right there. yeah But Beast is all about, look how cool the sport of m MMA is and look how epic the fights are in it.
00:09:36
Speaker
You're not wrong per se, but I don't think you're 100% right either. No disrespect to the filmmaker. I'm going to go out swinging with some takes and you can say yes or no to them. Sure. There's like no theme for this movie. No, I think...
00:09:51
Speaker
Okay, I want to be defending the movie. Okay, I liked it. I actually... That's good, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was entertained by this movie. Did I think it was brilliant? No, it's not brilliant. It's not a... Look, it's a work of art. It's not high art. It's not high art, no. Which is also a term I don't like, but it gets the point across. I was entertained. thought it was serviceable.
00:10:12
Speaker
I thought it was a bit too long. Yes. Um... I think all the characters are weak source. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. But I also found, even though the, all the characters are weak source, I still found the actual performances most of the time decent. um and And decent enough to carry the film. um I think certain, I think certain people stepped up. I think Daniel McPherson,
00:10:35
Speaker
He plays Beast. He plays Mr. Beast. um Jimmy Beast. I think he would, if with a better script, would have had a... And probably better directing, would have had... yeah ah Would have been able to provide a much better performance. Russell Crowe, say what you will about him. he' He's a screen presence, man. He's a... he's got a He's got a charisma. um He's got that gravelly voice. He's so cool. He's so cool. Oh, in this one, he was less cool because he we had to be on crutches or whatever. i don't know. Luke Hemsworth. ah
00:11:07
Speaker
Look, the least known Hemsworth brother. i don't think I've actually watched anything else with him in it. um yeah I know he's in, um like, most famous for being in... Okay, I thought he was in that the the Ron Perlman, Charlie Hunnam biker film, Sons of Anarchy. yeah.
00:11:24
Speaker
but actually not he's in bikey wars brothers and oh okay not the same thing you know it's almost it's got bikes in it but yeah he's yeah just this his character and the grand majority of the characters are just so weak for me they're just they're so archetypal mitchell Yeah, you're not wrong, but I don't mind that though. The story is so archetypal. I guess I just didn't go in expecting more.
00:11:51
Speaker
I guess. Yeah, I was fine with that. I honestly think it's shot pretty competently. Well, that I agree. I do agree with that. It is shot very well. I don't think it's an ugly movie. Yeah, that's true. That's true.
00:12:03
Speaker
I think when there is fighting in it, it's actually really well shot too. The fight scenes are cool. I really enjoy all the real close-up shots of different dudes' asses as they're bent over another man. hell yeah. I love all the sweat and the blood. in all honesty, I think it was judo a little bit, like the the grapples they were doing and flipping around each other. i thought that was really fun. It was a different kind of choreography that I usually like praise and all that. Look. I think the issue is that not only have you and I both seen Rocky, but I've also seen warrior, which is the superior MMA film. Oh, okay. So yeah, I was going to say like, is there much of a market for MMA films? Warrior kind of stole it. Warrior oh one warriors really good. at some So that's Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, um, duking it, playing brothers who ended up duking it out. Um, and their dad is Nick Nolte. So it's, it's really good. It's a really good movie. Oh, Man, that movie's ending killer. Straight up killer. Yeah, okay. High recommend. Watch that instead of Beast. It's not Australian, but it's really good. Joel Edgerton, right? Joel Edgerton, though. Yeah, he's close enough. And I guess, what, Tom Hardy's British, which is like proto-Australian. But he's in that, Max Fury Road. Yeah, he's in Max Road. So it's like tenuous. Yeah. um Yeah, well, I'll have to watch it. And I just want to say for the pod, I'm not anti-MMA. I'm not anti-sports films. I just, i just this one. Well, you said you liked them at the start. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I'm not anti-anything, know what I mean? Well, I'm anti-a few things, but I'm not anti-anythings I just mentioned.
00:13:33
Speaker
He loves racism movies. ah He loves The Sound of Freedom. The Birth of a Nation. Oh, he loves it so much. um But i just I just need something in my movie, you know what I mean?
00:13:48
Speaker
It's one of those movies where it's very much, and this is not good criticism or good anything, but it's one of those movies where if you turn your brain off, you're going to have a fun time with it. Yeah, and that's fine. Should you have to turn your brain off to enjoy a movie?
00:14:00
Speaker
Arguably, no. No, you shouldn't. I don't... I think it's good... This is horrible. I feel I'm sounding worse and worse as I go along in this thing. No, no, no. It's good second screen viewing. It's... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, it's something you can put on in the background while you do the dishes or you... It's a movie from a bygone era of like Sunday night action flick. You what mean? Like that type of thing.
00:14:27
Speaker
Beyond nine, you'd have your ads running the bottom of it. Yeah. yeah yeah that type of thing in a weird aspect ratio that you've never seen before in your whole life all the sub subtitles would be out of sync and different colors and weird that's exactly right uh playing in a hairdresser yeah um but on a sunday night on a sunday night don't ask about where i get my hair cut curious please but But like, and for that really niche specific purpose, this film is great.

Final Thoughts on 'Beast'

00:15:02
Speaker
You know As we saying, it's like the kind of movie you'd see in a charcoal chicken shop.
00:15:06
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. Genuinely charcoal Charlie's or whatever, you know, that type of vibe. I just need it. Look, when I watch a movie. wanted more. I not want a movie to teach me something.
00:15:18
Speaker
I get it. Or i just want like compelling drama and the the drama in this is just so by the numbers and also not not super gripping because we don't see a lot of it.
00:15:29
Speaker
It's such a... weird the story is super weird though as well if you really break it down because it starts off um basically uh daniel mcpherson beats the crap out ah sorry pat and james or the general beats the crap out xavier grau off screen you see screen what you see what's got you see it about to happen and then you don't actually see the fight and apparently it's this legendary 30 seconds six second knockout was what it was or something yeah something like that it's yeah based in awesome and and super cool and you don't see it it was so epic it was so epic that they could have filmed it in a vine yeah they could have filmed it you know it was six seconds long they could have filmed it in a vine and posted it on vine.com think at the time vine was still alive as well maybe when that's there you yeah it was 10 years ago right yeah it's in 2016 i think vine was still alive then Yeah, one year before his death, RIP, fine. But anyway, anyway gone. Rest in peace, fine. And then ah we cut back to him. Well, we cut in.
00:16:23
Speaker
Well, sorry, we cut out, cut back in. And he's ah doing fishing with a dickhead. um Captain Asshole was what he was named. Captain F***Wid or whatever. that's Oh, that's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah And he um in that guy sucks. And he's like, oh, you're good for nothing and you can't catch fish. And there's he's got a buddy on the board who's like, I'm... I'm a big guy who doesn't like fighting, but then it turns out he's just really good at fighting, but just doesn't enjoy doing it.
00:16:48
Speaker
Fair enough. Yeah, reasonable. That's like, I'm really good at a fight. But a you but but not only that, though. I don't know if like the fact that I was kind of doing something else during watching this movie, something suggests that... I feel like they didn't mention he was in prison for a really long time. Yeah, well, so that comes out in passing. we like halfway through, right? Like, it takes for ages for them to mention that in the jump cut that we saw, he actually went to prison before he could get the title and therefore ruined, didn't ruin his career because he could have had it again. But he was but then he's like, oh, in prison, I was fighting so many people and I just didn't like fighting anymore.
00:17:23
Speaker
yeah But then he gets back into it because his brother owes money to a guy and and he's offered money by the lesser known Hemsworth to fight Xavier Grau who's grudging with him because yeah um he got beaten up in six seconds. And then you're like, oh okay. but then But that's not even like the the thing, up though. What happens then is that Xavier Grau then gets suspended from one championship, which is a real championship. ship that I looked up. um it's a real It's the real MMA thing. Mitch fact check Hale. I was just curious, really. um Apparently they collaborate they actually collaborated on this movie. That's
00:18:06
Speaker
cool. He gets kicked out, so he can't actually do the one ah an official MMA fight with the main character, Patton James. And so then when that happens, Patton James goes, I'm not fighting you unofficially. But then he doesn't get the money, even though it's still owed to him. Or he was so good. Or did he give? or was that the money? think he yeah he signs on because he needs that. He takes it for the money. He takes the fight for the money and then pays off the debt.
00:18:33
Speaker
Which resolves that subplot within like 10 minutes. So he does pay off the debt, but then his brother gives back the money as the present. Is that what happened? No, no, no. His brother takes an unofficial fight with Xavier Grau. Yeah, yeah. And he gives the money to the daughter as like a birthday present because I think he knows he's going to die or something like that. No, I don't think he did though.
00:18:55
Speaker
Because it's like... He's just a stupid guy. It's so tom And then once the he his brother dies and they're like, oh your head is like mad must messed up. If you get in the ring, you're going to die. And you think what's going to happen is just like one bad punch is going to get him But no, he just brains himself on an electric box. yeah like yeah it's and it's It's a fight in a random warehouse somewhere. Exactly. And then we get a proper montage, another montage of Patton James' Doing his training and all that. And this time he goes, because he's like, Russell Crowe's been like, I hate you because you didn't come back to my gym because you were in prison and then you didn't. And you wanted out of this lifestyle. You wanted out of this lifestyle. And, you know. And it's not even it just like, you didn't message me or anything, which I guess is kind of fair. Like, you know, let your friend what's going on. I guess so. I don't know. It's still a bit of a weak drama. could have been a stronger drama, I think. yeah Or at least we could have seen something. was a bit weak source. I can't buy into something like that that I can't see.
00:19:55
Speaker
you know what I mean? It's all show, don't tell in this. Exactly. It's the opposite. It's tell, don't show. Yeah, tell, don't show, which is like, oh, okay, I guess they're beefing now. I guess they're back together now. Because the last time saw them, they were fine. They were happy chappies. They were fine. Because then he goes and he's like, this time I'm going to fight Xavier Grau, not for the guaranteed money, but I don't have any guaranteed money. don't have any, like, there's no guaranteed benefit for me fighting him.
00:20:24
Speaker
I have to win the fight. And so then Russell Crowe is like, ah, now I'll train you instead of, well, I'll still get my daughter to do it, but I'll be more actually happy that you're here. Yeah. I'll do it with a smile instead of yeah telling you to F off. yeah um Which is, whatever.
00:20:39
Speaker
Yeah. When you explain the story, it's kind of like, i yeah, I was be like, look, this seems really complicated. complicated You could have probably needlessly complicated. Just don't bring the brother back and don't yeah have Xavier Grau, you know, get suspended.
00:20:55
Speaker
Just exactly that whole thing. I know yeah it feels like that was in there to put another fight in the movie. Yeah, just get the stakes going. but But what you could have done is maybe Patton James had to fight a couple other people to be allowed to fight. build it up.
00:21:12
Speaker
yeah yeah Xavier Grau because i grow yeah he's a great right yeah like Creed exactly yeah yeah it's like in Creed he has to go and you know he fights a bunch of um amateur people and then he builds up his way up and he's like in that f freaking awesome one shot boxing scene yeah that was so good dude I know the way they introduce all of them with like the um stats and stuff it's so stylized good that yeah that's so good um so good man yeah meanwhile let's just Yeah, this one's just a bit by the numbers. And again, I'm so sorry for calling this movie... so I swear I'm not trying to be pretentious with this. It's not a bad movie. like um The movies have to be... big They have to say something about the world or whatever. But it's like... this is It's just weak drama. I think, as you said, Midge, I think the performers are doing a great job at what they're doing. Most of them. Most of them. I had...
00:22:06
Speaker
One person I found was a bit... I didn't like the brother. i didn't like the brother. Oh, I thought the brother's character was so bad that I just didn't know if I should blame him or the... You know, I just... I found Amy Shark to be quiet. You didn't like Amy Shark! I did not like her performance. There you I don't know her music, so no comment on that. She was a judge on Australian Idol, believe. Well, i've lost a little bit of respect there. um But ah I just thought she was, like, pretty...
00:22:34
Speaker
i don't know. Maybe it was just the fact that they kept doing this thing where she's like, yeah, I'm going to train you up. And then it's, and everyone knows he hasn't been training for years, right? yeah And then they get him in the ring and he's not doing brilliant. And she's just shaking her head. It's like, what did you expect? He hasn't been doing this in so long. Like, what do you mean? What do you, what do you mean? shake That's not helpful. All right. You're just being a dick. Like, he's he's shown... can consist like why does Like, why does everyone hate him? know what I mean? He's like, because he pays off the brother's debts, like, 20 minutes in. yeah That resolves that subplot. The brother still hates him for the whole movie. Because he wasn't there. Like, he was in prison, right? like Yeah, yeah. He was in prison, and he and then he left to raise a family.
00:23:14
Speaker
I just don't... That's admirable reason. I guess he wasn't around, but I guess the thing is that we don't see Pat and James be a bad dude, right? He's like a pretty stand-up bloke the whole time see him. He's just a normal guy. He's normal guy. When he's violent, he's rightfully violent in a way. The movie's justified it. And his whole thing is like, I don't want to be violent. I just want to be with my family. And his wife... The one bad thing is that he lies to his wife. And the movie does...
00:23:42
Speaker
punish him in quotation marks for it for by having his wife be mad at him for 10 seconds you lied to me it's just like oh my god was just like the more we talk i'm just i'm just making you not like this movie more aren't i bitch i'm bringing out all the my opinion's not changing so i didn't expect much from it and what i wanted from the movie was like i just want to just want a easy to watch You want something digestible? Sports film that had some nice shots and it had some cool fights.
00:24:13
Speaker
That's true. We have been doing some pretty deep films recently as well. You know, we did Brand New Day. We did Leviticus. Like, they're very, like... Leviticus. Leviticus. That's a... It's still going. And those are films with sort of deep subject matter. So it is good to pivot to something a little bit more general and something that works. Because, look, this will this will please audiences. i I don't doubt that. I just think that it's like the competition is so much better. Do you know what mean? Yeah. No, look. yeah i mean...
00:24:47
Speaker
don't know. I guess I hope Daniel McPherson maybe gets to have a chance to like do some bigger stuff. I reckon he could maybe carry a more dramatic role. but Yeah. yeah but i' like that The scenes where after his brother dies and he's like yelling and shit, he's going ham on it. He's being sad. and hes drink He sad drinks pretty good.
00:25:05
Speaker
you know Yeah. Talking from experience. He does everything that I do. He like lifts the bottle and it like the tears seep in with the alcohol. He's literally me, dude. Except I don't fight people. I just get sad and drink. um Whenever someone tries to fight me, I just make a sarcastic comment.
00:25:25
Speaker
yeah and then i get biffed and then i get absolutely bashed and they chin me they chin me actually it was so funny i was watching this movie and could i'd vaguely been the one who said maybe we should watch this and so i was on the impression that i had to look for the most australian thing and then i got to the end of the movie and i was like i got nothing oh wait i don't have to do it i'm off the hook baby but i was like i got nothing this is just like like it's it's not it's not secretly Australian. Like, it is quite Australian. It's very Australian. There's just nothing in here I'm like, ah, it's Australia, you know? Like, I don't know. Maybe you found something. guess the pineapples. Yeah, I did find something. I did find something, actually. I think the pineapples. Okay, yeah, go for it, for it. It's a very, very small, minute thing. Yeah. But in my opinion, the most Australian thing about Beast 2026 is the fact that Patton uses one of those grey Nike water bottles

Australian Cinema and Cultural Elements

00:26:18
Speaker
that every sporty kid had back in primary school. that's true. That's true. You know the one I'm talking about. Yeah, like the squeezy one. Yeah, that's very Aussie. That's very Aussie. No hat, no play. Am I right, guys? No hat, no play. I was thinking back on it. I reckon the most Australian thing is just like getting a stack of pineapples for a day's work. You know what I'm saying? true. It's true.
00:26:38
Speaker
Yeah. I've said pineapples like five times now. That means nothing. Basically, I'll... Also seeing like that is that Australian money as well. Well, that's the thing, yeah. know the start, like... Well, that's the pineapples I was talking about, bro.
00:26:49
Speaker
Dude. They're called pineapples. Really? Because it's yellow. Okay, so for those who don't know. I'm anti-Australian. For those who don't know, a $50 note can be called a pineapple, often at the races. thought you were just being literal. I was like, he eat? No, okay. No, no, no. Okay, this is good, because I've said pineapples like five times over the course of the three minutes, and that's not good.
00:27:09
Speaker
um But for anyone who doesn't know, our $50 notes are a very yellow note, and they can be called pineapples, often at bookies and stuff like that. Yeah. um But seeing the Australian money was like, oh. It is quite confronting because it's more. That's rare. It sticks out in comparison, at least to us, obviously to us. But I don't know. i think it's like the green, especially the green of the $100 note. Yeah, yeah. And actually, you want the pink of the $5 note too. $10 kind of blends in. There's so many $5 notes anymore. No, well there's not nothing's worth $5 anymore. Everything's worth $10 at least. Everybody's got to live in crisis these days. money of them The man's come out again. but Body out, body out.
00:27:47
Speaker
That's wild. like i'll i'll leave this I'll leave this film on this note. I think that if you love if you can get into this movie, that's really, really awesome. And I apologize for being so snide and snooty this episode. I think what would have been really, really cool is if they retooled the concept so that it was like 25 years later.
00:28:09
Speaker
And they're all in their, like, 40s. And they're... trying and they It's like Rocky Balboa. Like, the 2006 Rocky Balboa film. Daniel McPherson is in his 40s, so... Well, there you go. Well, so, like... light's but dr It's just emphasised the ageing aspect. So, it's like a grudge that's happened for, like, 25 years. think that's the amazing thing, right? It's like, it would have been cool to maybe watch, like, these two guys have a grudge over the course of their career, but you don't see... it' Instead, it's just, like, you drop it at one point and then you come out the other. Once again, though, that's, like, us saying... Sort of like the prestige, but m MMA. Actually, that sounds really good.
00:28:38
Speaker
yeah matt get let's get writing let's get writing let's get on it that's crazy any final thoughts on beast mitch my final thought is that you should watch warrior 2011 yeah you actually sold it on me it's really so good um i like look i like i'm not as down as math matt math matthew math you math mathematics mathematics math man um i'm not as down in this movie as matthew is but i um i look, it's got its it's got its flaws, but I had a fun time with it. i think I think there's a fun time to be had in this. rockangle core you radical if but i a Daniel Crow. I Daniel I read Daniel McPherson and then Russell Crowe back to back, so I just to him like Daniel Crow. Russell Crowe, he's fun in it. Yeah. He's easily he start cool screen present. He's so cool. Well, actually, you know what? Let's start ranking Daniel. Daniel. Crow Russell Crow performances is this better or worse than um ah absolute true history true history of the color gang I think worse if you want my honest opinion if you want my honest opinion Mitch this is in my opinion the second worst movie we've watched for USS but that is just my opinion
00:29:50
Speaker
Wow. I think The Furies is the worst. And I think it goes... Are we The Furies and then Beast. I'm very, very sorry. have such a different ranking to you. I think they're a weird mob is better than this movie. That is my opinion. Nah, I can't agree with that.
00:30:04
Speaker
Um... Sorry. But, like, again, if you love... If you love this movie, if you thought it was... If you gave it three stars on Letterboxd... Yeah, I saw your score, Mitch. Um... Like... Sorry.
00:30:16
Speaker
Sorry.
00:30:19
Speaker
That's fine. And I'm glad you saw something in it. Three is a very middle of the road take. That's like, enjoyed this movie. Yeah. And that's like... I think you would have four. That's probably the normal reaction. Maybe I'm just the weird one. It's like, there was no drama. It's got a 2.8 on like overall on Letterboxd. Who cares? Who cares? Anyway, it's just It's closer my rate than yours probably. At least no one in real life died or anything. That is cool. It sounds like we're teeing up a fact that we're actually done. Double check, double check. No, no, no, no, no. Let's just leave it be. In the next episode, should we watch season one of the amazing race Australia? Because the director won the amazing race Australia season one. That would be good. But actually in the next, next week we start a themed month.
00:31:07
Speaker
We do! that was ah That was a segue right there. I'm so glad you picked up on that. that was yeah That's 22 episodes strong, baby. Let's go. I almost started reading out our socials. We'll get there. We'll get there. Do we want to tell them what the theme month is? Yeah, next month we are doing Waggast. Waggast! Do you want to explain Waggast?
00:31:31
Speaker
um so in australia there's obviously there's so many diverse films that have come out across the years know we talked about a few indigenous films over the past over our little journey two indigenous films two out of 22 which is

Upcoming Warwick Thornton Films Month

00:31:46
Speaker
a it's just a crime it's actually quite startling with a low margin we we have not planned this well Yeah, well, yeah, yeah, but we're going to change all that because for the month of August, we're going to be watching every single Warwick Thornton film. And Warwick Thornton is like the Indigenous Australian director. He's one of the best Australian directors, period, in my opinion. He's pretty good. He did four feature films, well, feature narrative films.
00:32:16
Speaker
Yeah, and then one i anthology as well, which we're not going to be doing for this this month. anthologies. I shouldn't have said Yeah, get that out of there. The Beatles anthology is pretty good, but aside from that. um Oh, okay. All right. We're going to get into this off pod, but that's anyway, that's neither here nor there. But anyway, Wargust, each march h week of the month, we're going to be watching the four main Warwick Thornton films. So next week, we'll be looking at his most recent film, Wolfram, which I haven't seen. ah Then we're going to go from that to the... note new The New Boy. the new and then And then the week after that, we're going to be doing Sweet Country. And then in the final week, we're going to be doing Samson Delilah, which many consider to be the best Australian film ever made, including myself. Is New Boy um the one with Cate Blanchett? Yes, it is. Yeah.
00:33:06
Speaker
Yeah. The only one I've seen is Samson and Delilah and that one's peak for me. haven't seen any of them. So I'm I'm so excited to go on this journey with you, Mitch. Cause they're like, they're, Oh, Samson and Delilah, especially. I'm also going away again. So we're watching a bunch of these back to back and then talking about them back to back. That's true. Wait, this is like our other themed month. That's true, mate. This is how it happens. This how it goes down. It's like Star Wars, man. It's like poetry. It rhymes.
00:33:34
Speaker
but anyways i hate star wars too oh no we're talking about so many things i don't like right now but i will hopefully enjoy warwick thornton what's his name warwick thornton yeah i said that's right you you don't know him now but you will in a month trust i'm gonna get to know him he's gonna even become my best bud we're gonna get him on the pod um honestly that would be kind of how we come if we could we would love to have you on and i promise i'll say your name correctly if you do This is going to be, because just trust me, like way where you are now, trust you where you are now in comparison to where you're going to be in a month's time yeah is going to be the biggest like eye opener for Australians in a month's time. There you go. That's step one. But you're going to be like, your perceptions of Australian film are going to change this month. And that's my opinion. Exciting. yeah
00:34:20
Speaker
Anyway, but um ah now that I've overhyped the hell out of that, let's... ah actually fine Sorry, actually, I want to point out, um we didn't mention this, but the 22nd episode's coming out on the 22nd of July. Oh, that's cool. That's a little serendipitous for you there. because this is coming out the 29th, I believe. Let me just check, actually, that I'm not being an idiot.
00:34:41
Speaker
I'm not. We're good. um Yeah. we We're in the clear, mate. That's right. that's a little fun thing too. Where can they find us? They can find us at TikTok, Instagram, threads, and YouTube at UndersouthernScreensPod. Yes, sir.
00:34:55
Speaker
And they can send us emails on the southern screen pod at at gmail.com that can be suggestions for movies you want us to watch, reviews for your own Australian films that you've seen, and yet um hate mail if you really don't like us that much. We'd prefer nice meal. If you loved Beast and you want to tell me how how much of a simp soy boy cuck I am. Simp soy better cuck, yeah.
00:35:18
Speaker
Yeah, just go for it, mate. Go for it. That's all I'll say. going to have bleeped out the really insane opinion I had in this episode, you're not going to be able Come at me for that one. Please give us some Sterling fight starling starling what sterling starling five star reviews. They really do help us get onto to the charts. And they mean that we can frustrate other soy boy beta cucks with our amazing take on beast.
00:35:48
Speaker
These are my favorite episodes when you, when like we disagree, not when we disagree, but when someone likes it and someone doesn't. It's a pendulum shift where I'm like, I didn't like this movie. You're like, bro, it's just a, it's not that deep.
00:36:00
Speaker
Just chill out that for once. I would never say it's not that deep. I don't, I don't think it's incorrect to dislike a movie for being shallow. I just, I'm fine with it.
00:36:11
Speaker
Cause so yeah. But at least Russell Crowe's cool. At least he's cool even though you hated the man. I didn't realize you really didn't like I didn't get that hate much hate from me. I feel like you spoke worse about brand new day than you did about this movie.
00:36:24
Speaker
Did I? Yeah. Maybe that was just me. Maybe it was just just me. I really didn't like brand new day, man. that was That's right. and And that's right. You're entitled to your opinion. i'm entitled to be a ****.
00:36:36
Speaker
I'm cutting that. And on that note. can we just leave? that Yeah. yeah Keep an eye on those southern screens, man. Thanks for listening to another episode of Under Southern Screens. We'll be back next week to talk more films down under.
00:36:49
Speaker
We just want to attribute that our opening title is Heavy Duty by Zoo and our closing title is Heavy Weight by Fell Creek. Thanks so much for listening and Mitch and I will see you in the next episode.
00:37:00
Speaker
See you next time.
00:37:04
Speaker
Under Southern Screens would like to acknowledge the stolen lands on which this podcast is recorded and produced and pay tribute to the Wurundjeri and Woiwurrung people of the Kulin Nation and Kamaragal people of the Eora Nation.
00:37:17
Speaker
Sovereignty was never ceded and we pay respect to all Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.