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From KPop to AstroBot: Reflecting on 2025 || Chatsu Cafe #3
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In this episode of Chatsu Cafe, Satsu is joined by Martin MacAlistair to reflect on their time during the year 2025? Why was AstroBot Satsu's game of the year? What made K-Pop Demon Hunters stand out to Martin? And why won't the duo watch another Jurassic Park film?! All of this and more in our first Chatsu Cafe episode of the year!
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Transcript
Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:00:14
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome to this very special episode Chatsu Cafe. My name is Satsunami and joining me with his cozy beverage of choice is none of- Jesus that was loud coming back to the con here. My headphones aren't that good so I've got the volume up. as Jesus that's Martin McAllister I think if I can still hear him. Hello it's me my iron brew extra blue the head. I don't know why i have the thought of you hunched over your mic because did you not do that last time i've done this a few times but no i was complaining last time because i did it off recording and i was gutted because i was like it's such a good bit to which you were like it's not funny you've done it too many times so that's why i just sort of change up the formula yeah there was one that you did and it was like delayed you know like those old martial art action films where they dub over it and it's like the delayed ones here is my drink
00:01:11
Speaker
Absolutely
Reflecting on the Year-End
00:01:12
Speaker
amazing. But yeah, how are you doing today? I'm pretty good. I'm pretty good. It is almost the end of 2025 in the last couple of days, but this is like the festive off period when nothing's happening for me. So I'm finally getting to relax. How are you? Yeah, can't complain, to be honest. That sounds exactly what someone who's about to complain would say. I'm this close to slapping my thighs and going, right now. Just walking out. Yeah, can't complain. i mean, when this episode comes out, of course, we will be on the other side of 2025, also known as 2026 for anyone who can count. But yeah, as of recording this, we are at the tail end of that kind of limbo period, isn't it? And the amount of, this will sound like a really weird thing to say, but the amount of Wallace and Gromit memes have been seen recently, where it's like that period in between Christmas and New Year, and it's just Wallace looking really Ellen calling just with these crackers and cheese being like, what do i do now? I mean, that is true, isn't it? It's that kind of period where you think, do I just tan all the sweets and everything in the cupboards? I just get rid of and then get that gym membership? I say that as if you would know that, but you've got a permanent membership with Iron Gurders. That's a me problem.
00:02:25
Speaker
I have the problem, I'll put off a lot of things. I'll be like, oh, I can do that in that period between Christmas and year. You know, I can fix that light. I can empty this thing. I can clean that car. And yeah, I've done none of it. Absolutely nothing. No, same. I honestly wish I could say, oh, this period of the year, I'm working on a content plan. 2026 is going to be our year, which it is. It is going to be our year for the podcast. But yeah, I've also got a PlayStation.
00:02:49
Speaker
Not in a lie, that has taken a considerable amount of time. away from me because you and i were of course talking about that before we came on about the things we had watched over 2025 the games that we've played you know and it's actually quite scary looking back because i genuinely had to scroll through my well my phone my photos and everything to actually double check and yeah were you the same Yeah, we were just saying that this year has seemed to have gone from everything pre-September, October kind of time, seems like it was years ago. And everything since then feels like it was days ago. September to me feels like yesterday, but we were chatting about, we'll probably go into it a bit more, but like things that happened in June feel like it was last year or two years ago. It's just... Seems such a disjointed year this year. Because I have to say, there is a lot, both in the podcast and in real life, that I've been looking forward to building up towards, like doing the content creation stuff with Fan Frontiers, as you were saying. And then after that, it was like, right, okay, it's the trip to China next.
Travel Highlights: Trip to China
00:03:51
Speaker
Yeah.
00:03:51
Speaker
that basically i blinked and it's now over i don't know where the time went for that when i was there it felt a lot longer i was like all right okay we're doing the great wall today we're doing this and that now i'm back and i'm like jesus that was over a month ago or if you're listening to this now that was two months ago But, you know, it's like you always build up to things. And it's the same with the podcast, because I was looking through to see what we have done this year. Don't get me wrong, we've done incredible episodes this year, but the ones especially are the themed months, which are ones that I always try to hype up and everything. And mean, especially to you, I'm like, you know what month it is, Martin? It's Avatar Month, or it's Mario Month, which... Avatar Month. Oh, God, I cannot believe it. Yeah, February was Andrew and I, we did Avatar Month, then you and I, literally the month after, did Mario Month, because it was the 40th anniversary. Then there was also Animation Month, which I can't believe that was
Themed Months and Gaming Adventures
00:04:50
Speaker
this year. Yeah, it feels years ago now. Me with my terrible James Stewart impression. I still listen back to that club. I don't know yet. I was like, wow, I actually nailed that for
00:05:00
Speaker
Again, to pull back the curtain, while we were waiting in the Chatsley Cafe here, Martin was trying to fix his audio settings, so I was just quoting The Muppets Christmas Carol. He made it quite a bit through it. Next year, we'll do a reading of it for Christmas. For anyone wondering, yes, I did get to the...
00:05:16
Speaker
founder of the feast indeed so you know but yeah we had those we had bioshock month resident evil month which i'm going to be honest i feel as of 2025 for me personally as the year i just fell into the resident evil rabbit hole because it was last christmas and by last christmas i mean 2024 where one of my friends bought me a copy of the re4 remake and i thought yeah Well, get round to it, yeah, sure. And, you know, I had the Steam Deck and I thought, well, I've got to get my money's worth out of this. So I decided to play it, fell in love with it, and I thought, you know what, I'm going to try the other ones. And therein started the addiction. But I feel as if that, for me, has been the majority of what I've been playing this year. But, you know, before I go on to my other gaming addictions, as it were, have you been playing anything this year? Well, my game's kind of been highlighted by two games. Ballin Wonderland, of course. Ballin Wonderworld. actually, I'm probably going to say three games. Four games you include Ballin Wonderworld. Oh, okay. Blatro. I got on my PlayStation and went, I could probably do that my phone. And putting it on the phone was a terrible decision. Phenomenal game. I know that was last year came out, but I don't play games very frequently. So thankfully, don't think you can see how many hours put into it on my phone. I imagine it's in the hundreds, if not thousands. so addictive. I also was one of the people had waited seven years for Silksong. I then bought it and played it for about an hour and then didn't play it for two months. And to the surprise of absolutely no one, being a turn-based JRPG guy, the biggest game for me this year, Expedition 33. I have just got back to I didn't actually finish it. So my goal now is to finish it before I turn 33. In a couple of months, I've got my own Expedition 33. Yeah.
00:06:50
Speaker
yeah so to speak. But they've really been like the main sort of games for this year for me. I've picked up a couple of other games, but that's kind of been the main stage. I mean, that is a pretty good spectrum, to be fair. Yeah, it's a line-up. Yeah, Balatro's one of those ones that I did a look at and have heard a lot of people praising it, especially my friends over at the Game Club Pods. They play it over on Twitch as well. And I was like, you know one of these games where it's like, you know if you got into it, you would understand the rules and everything, but yeah Not looking, you know, from the outside in.
00:07:24
Speaker
100%. It's a hard sell. It just makes no sense to me. I feel like if I can't pick it up and be like, yeah, I can really get into this. I feel as if I've shot myself in the foot this year because of the types of games that I've been getting into that require a lot of time to put into them. especially with the Bioshock series. I finally thatly finished Bioshock for the first time this year. Fantastic game series. I did the Resident Evil series, all the mainline ones. I have actually, I don't know if I've told you this, and this is technically, well, semi-exclusive, I think by the time this episode comes out, we've probably announced it. But next month, we are going to be doing a David Cage month with the one along with Bad Games Duels.
00:08:04
Speaker
Or rather, sorry, it's a Quantic Dreams month. Feet David Cage, let's just say, because Jules and I were talking in the Resident Evil Revelations episode. She was like, yeah, if you're going to do like a month of the David Cage games, let's do them. And I was like, you know what? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Because I know Martin's never going to play them all. Andrew definitely will play them and Adam won't return my calls. So I was like, yeah, have to take that opportunity. But no, in all seriousness, that has been ah bit of a up and down slog, if I'm honest. Some of them have been so bad they're good. Like Indigo Prophecy, Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls is one of the worst games think I've ever played in my life. Out of curiosity, have you actually played any of these games? So... I'm just looking at the line up now. I played Fahrenheit I think when it was on the PS2. Detroit Become Human was one of the big Sony games when it came out. I played that at that conference i used to go to but I don't think I've actually played the full game so maybe I'll pick it up. Maybe you'll convince me and I might talk about Detroit Become Human but no um but I haven't played any of the other games that seem to be listed here. Yeah, I wouldn't recommend Beyond Two Souls. It's a hard sell, I'm going to be honest. It's like, how do we take all these complex themes, mash them up and make them as insensitive as possible? And David Cage said, yes, hold my wine, I've got this. Say no more. Say no more. He's like, the Expedition 33 of bad writing. And I don't mean that as a compliment.
00:09:33
Speaker
Yeah. Heavy Rain, of course, is a fan favourite of Chatsunami because if you go onto our gaming YouTube channel, Chatsu Plays, we've got a full compilation of when we did it in 2021 and we did it for like, I think 17 weeks or something. It was a long slog, I'm not gonna lie, it was a really... mean, it was a great... Like, the whole compilation of it is fantastic, and it's one of the funniest things I think I've put out there.
Exploring Nostalgic Games
00:10:01
Speaker
And considering how much you and laugh, and the amount of episodes I listen back to you and I, and I can't listen to them in public, because otherwise I'll burst out laughing. Especially the King Adira one. That's just terrible to listen to in public if you don't want to laugh. but yeah i know heavy rain inside out but for fahrenheit i played that a couple of months ago i still don't understand it you know that simpson scene where he goes brilliant i have absolutely no idea ah what's going on that is me for fahrenheit or indigo prophecy or david cage's fantasy i was gonna say this sounds mainly like all of his games ah i don't understand any of them
00:10:38
Speaker
It pretty much is. I mean, the only one that i think I understood fully was Heavy Rain to a degree. Well, except for how the killer did XYZ and whatnot, but that's a whole other thing. Fun facts, did you know that the Heavy Rain box, at least the PS3 version, came with a free sheet of origami? I can't say i didn't know that. Well, now you do, because I've got it full. Next thing you're over-recorded, I'll be like, hey, you want to see my own gamut? Do you want to see a piece of paper I got in a PlayStation box ten years ago? I folded it. No, I don't. I may or may not had to look up a walkthrough. I know, that's valid. That would have been me. It's like, step one, do this, do that. And I'm like, god no, don't. mean, who do you think I am? But yeah, the big one that I've been playing this year, looking back onto games that aren't David Cage related, I've been playing a copious amount of Astro Bot. Oh yes. God, that game's so good. and I'm sure this could be a whole episode in itself, but genuinely that game is quite possibly one of the best platformers i've ever played. And I mean, coming from a Sonic fan, that is a huge compliment.
00:11:45
Speaker
I'm not going to say anything. Yeah, I know. Thank you for humouring me there. But yeah, in all seriousness, it is so good, doesn't it? Yeah, and I think we get so few 3D platformers nowadays, so it's nice. I think we spoke about this a lot when we spoke about Super Mario Odyssey, funnily enough, but get so few 3D platformers that when one's good now, it stands out so much, and think Astro Bot's phenomenal. It takes a lot of the old 3D platform concepts and kind updates them and uses a lot the tech from the newer PlayStation stuff, so it's I don't think it's a really good game. Because what surprised me as well is just the fact, something you said briefly there, that it's its own IP, yet what's also interesting there is a lot of nostalgia baked into it. You have to hunt down a lot of the robots that are dressed up as various characters, like you've got Alloy from Horizon Zero Dawn, you've got Kratos from God of War, of course, you've got Jak and Daxter, Crash Bandicoot, you know, you've got all of these ones. There's characters in those games that haven't had their games in about 10 years. Yeah, it makes me sad in a way. I keep looking like, when's the next Jak and Daxter game? It's soon, right? I'll actually need to play that, or sorry, replay it rather, and see if it holds up to nostalgia or not. But, you know, there's a lot of very nostalgic hints and things, and The game doesn't shy away from the fact, yes, it's a PlayStation game. Here's all the accessories that you could buy back in the day. And usually, don't know how to feel about that, but for this particular game, I was like, hell yeah, hit me with that nostalgia. It's weird how it hit the perfect balance of making you feel like a kid again playing it without making it feel as if it was, you know, the way some games pander to the retro crowd to be like, oh, this is a game just like Sonic or oh, this is a game like Mario. It's its own thing. Although one thing I did feel sad about, and I don't know if you did as well, is when you found the Astro Bot that was dressed up as Sackboy. You replaced me mean it's true When was the last time that had a game? There was a weird thing can't remember this exact off to my head But there was a weird thing with licensing And something got bought out Because genuinely think the LittleBigPlanet One and two are two of my favourite games ever I'm one of the people that were hanging out to drive it for a bit But there was a game on its own Just called Sackboy Which was okay They kind of dropped a lot the LittleBigPlanet stuff Yeah, so it kind of went nowhere The franchise is shame No, that is a shame actually. Just when you were talking about the nostalgia aspect, one thing I think what's kind of cool about is it's quite sincere with the game, but it's still its own thing. think that's how it's quite different in a way.
00:14:17
Speaker
This is going to sound like the worst comparison of all time, but it's basically Sony's answer to Smash Bros. where it's like, it pulls on all the nostalgia and all the things that happened before, but it's still its own game with its own good mechanics and it's actually playable, as opposed to just a sloppy attempt at making a nostalgia game. that makes said That's kind of how always feel they've made a good game under it and then stuck all the Sony stuff over it. Oh no, it's absolutely solid because even if you took away the Sony stuff, and don't get me wrong, it would feel quite weird without it, but even if you did, it's still a competent game. What i will say is I absolutely hate see the slime monsters that spit at you. I'm taking a minute.
00:14:55
Speaker
this podcast is saying i bloody hate them the amount of times i've been like oh i'm near the end and then they just spit at and you're like i will find you i will find your extended family i will ruin you i will hover over you and laser you and i did several several times actually it's one of those games though it's like the difficulty curve at some points is a bit steep. Oh yeah, it's wild. It's always very easy and then of sudden it's like, oh, but this bit's absolutely solid. You know when you see online the people who run through them and it's like, first attempt to no deaths, etc. And you look at it and you go, that could be me. It's that easy. It's so easy. And then you're two or three attempts in and then you're crying into your controller like, why is it so damn difficult? Honestly, it's a lot of fun though. Despite the rage of this 30-something year old man. LAUGHTER
00:15:44
Speaker
No, is. In all seriousness, it's absolutely a fantastic game. The only other game I've actually played, and I can't remember I told you this, this is like the two sides of my gaming face right now, because on the one hand I have Astro Bot, which is bright and bubbly, colourful, and on the other hand I finally that i played Silent Hill 2 Remake, Surprisingly good game, I have to say. And granted, I think that might stoke the ire of any Silent Hill fans out there listening, but I'm going to be honest, I never played them when I was younger. Too afraid. But i mean, did you ever play any of them out of curiosity? No, I think I was a bit young when they were out on the PlayStation and I just never kind of picked them up. afterwards i'm not a big horror guy i think i've always said this i'm a scaredy cat so i don't do well horror it's one of those games where initially it's really terrifying and i'm like oh my god i don't think i can get through this and then i had to switch off and play a bit of astrobot for a while that's the perfect antidote and it's like okay i'm back it's funny when you're going through astrobot and you see the pyramid head from robot and you're like he's followed me
00:16:42
Speaker
but Not today. But I mean, back and forth. It's one of those games where it just gets so long at times. As you know, the way you're playing a game and you think, wow, this is a great experience. Oh, it looks wonderful. And then you're like, how long is this going to go on for?
00:16:57
Speaker
but yeah i think Overall, that is probably the mainstays of things that I've actually played this year. A lot of horror, which is really weird. lot of indie games as well, of course, with Creature Kindness, Ova Magica, those kind of games, which I got addicted to, I'm not going to lie, but it is a fantastic game. But what about in terms of films this year? Because, again, you and I were really shocked at the films that did come out this year. I'm going to go straight to the best film I saw this year. Probably the most influential for me. K-pop Demon Hunters. We also debated whether it came out this year or not, but it was June 2025 it came out. Much to the surprise of both of us. Absolutely out of nowhere hit.
00:17:32
Speaker
Probably the biggest film that wasn't a sequel, prequel or reboot or something in a long time. So yeah, phenomenal film. I
Film Highlights of 2025
00:17:40
Speaker
loved it. And I dressed up as roommate at Comic-Con. So that was cool. You did. Because I was there watching you fighting for your life against SpongeBob the ring. don't know. Which is a sentence I never thought I'd say. It's funny how these sentences start happening the longer you're in wrestling for. So that was my big highlight film-wise. No, same here. Because always remember seeing the trailer and thinking, this film looks very generic, it doesn't look great. And I've said this a million times before, but as soon as I saw that demon boy band pop up, was like, now hold on a second, they're cooking with something here. Let them cook. Waseria Moth and I did an episode on it, and I still cannot believe that to this day, actually, as of this episode anyway, not only is it the highest listened episode, we got 2,000 listens. for that episode and it's crazy because the highest episode up until that point was our review of the anime chunibyo which for some reason a great episode but i just always wonder why that one in particular but it got 550 560 something like that plays and it was there for the longest time and i remember refreshing the page and it was just the number for k-pop demon hunters slowly going up and up and up you're like what
00:18:53
Speaker
certainly i think it's just been absolutely incredible to see how influential it's been i mean do you remember a film in recent memory that has just swept through pop culture so fast no that's i think so amazing about it is most other films that have kind of been hits recently are always that kind of sequel prequel reboot it's funny to say loud but yeah it's usually you know an existing franchise but for something that's completely unfranchised to do so well is unusual in the I think film studios in general put very little time and effort into films that aren't part bigger franchise so for that to happen is quite cool obviously the story is isn't it that Sony made it and then went we can't bother publishing it so they obviously didn't expect it to be a hit either it's kind of lightning in a bottle and they're talking about making sequel to it and I feel like that will probably not go down very well not like it will be bad but you know mean as in just they'll never recapture that lightning in a bottle moment what if they pull a Shrek 2 though true mean that is the make or break situation here because when No, it can be done, but are they going to pull it off?
00:19:51
Speaker
That's the question. And I mean, it'll probably curb the amount of, you know, those AI videos that keep popping up of K-pop doing hunters. But yeah, they were going to do a sequel, they were thinking about doing a live action one, they were thinking about this and that. Honestly, it's just that it's been off city. I think all the executives are probably seeing either dollar signs or one signs, and as it were, but they're probably looking going, yeah, this is going to be a huge moneymaker, which is ironic because a lot of the other films this year were pretty Pretty bad, have to say. Or not bad, but some of them were kind of all right because I was scrolling through trying to remember what came out this year. The new Jurassic Park came out, I think. It's so hard to remember, but if it came out this year, my God, it was a bad film. I think I went up to go to the toilet and then I came back and they were still talking about dinosaurs and I'm like, oh my God. In fact, no, they weren't even talking about dinosaurs. That's how bad it was. Where the dinosaurs? Itchy and scratchy and segasaurus. Did you see that one? No. No.
00:20:53
Speaker
Tell you what did see. We're not talking about Jurassic Park anymore. I've not seen a Jurassic Park one since Jurassic World. Oh. That was good. I have this thing. I think I've ranted about before and it definitely ranted it to you about it. But when someone says this is the best blank since blank it instantly makes me think I'm not going to go see this or play this. And I know it's not fair because sometimes it is the best blank since blank, but when every Sonic game comes out and it's the best Sonic game since Sonic Adventure 2, or it's the best Slipknot album since Iowa, or it's the best Jurassic Park movie since the second one, it can't be true. I refustively refuse to believe it's true. Jurassic Park unfortunately falls into that now. Well, I'm not going to see it. Also, the trailer made it look like it was to keep moving away from dinosaurs. I also don't have much interest in that. Yeah, that's a baffling thing, and I swear this will be a brief point, but that's the thing that always baffles me when they're like oh dinosaurs aren't cool anymore we need to make them genetic hybrids and it's like at what point do you move away from dinosaurs in Jurassic Park the whole point of it is it's a Jurassic Park at point are they not cool anymore what point do you call it a Godzilla film that's what saying what point do you just get the atomic breath out and say this is the best Godzilla film since Godzilla vs King Ghadira I was going to say minus one because that's an incredible film. Yeah, it's actually really good. Oh, it's so good. I still can't believe that the only episode we've got of that is our first impressions video. It's not as fun to talk about the good Godzilla films. I want to talk about the trash. Oh yeah, the rule. They are still really fun. yeah but but I'm not in here to talk about Oscar films. We're here to talk about films that people want to see. So what else have you been watching? I saw Heads of State on Amazon Prime. Was that any good?
00:22:36
Speaker
fine, good. Was it entertaining? had a great time. Yeah, Red 1 levels of good time. I mean, John Cena is the President of America and Idris Elba is the Prime Minister of the UK and they get stuck and they fight people. It's nonsense. And I loved it. I loved every minute of it. It's probably my film of the year, apart from K-pop, even on those. It was just rubbish. But like, the best type rubbish? The fast food of movies. The same thing I think is about all these films, but if you're just wanting to live out and just watch something that's weird and funny, just watch this. Honestly, that sounds about right. i loved it. But you know, my sort of track record for films although funny enough speaking of red one did i ever tell you that think it was either on christmas day or maybe it was boxing day they were playing it on stv and i don't even know why because i'm like is this not an amazon exclusive yeah i don't think they're allowed to put it on telly No, no, apparently was so, though. It was funny because I was watching my family and they only watched wee bit because it was, like, really late. They had it on at, like, 10 or 11, something like that. And I thought, yeah, no one's staying up past one to watch Red One. It's like, no, no, I'm just... Suffice to say, in and the first five minutes, they did not like the film. I was so sad. They haven't listened to my Red review yet. was like, that'll change your mind completely. Krampus is in it.
00:23:46
Speaker
Spoilers. I'm scrolling through other films that came out this year. It was How to Train Your Dragon this year. honestly haven't. I saw that in the cinema. That was good. Oh, the remake of it. Or well, live action remake. Was Lilo and Stitch this year? Oh my god. Was it? The reason ask is, it was the same one that was in China as well, but I feel as if Lilo and Stitch, mainly Stitch, was Everywhere. I've got one from when my partner Miss Nami and I, we were in the city of Chongqing and think it was one of those mini-soul shops and there was like a stitch coming out the building. I was like, what in the attack on titans going on here? And what's hilarious is, it's like right behind us there, you know, there's like a food court and there's a plaque that says, oh, did you know that a dinosaur fossil was found? yeah yeah that's all finding good you know jurassic park but we've got big stitch up here what's he doing here over and over us judging us for our sins and all that like what is going on here yeah it was everywhere still haven't seen it i'm kind of again not really got an interest in a lot of the live action no it's much too much of the same isn't it the animated ones i mean the other ones saw i'm going through the list and they're all awful I think I saw that Captain America, you know, the new one. wasn't the worst, but again, you know, it's like Marvel fatigue after, was the last one? That's just how big a Marvel am. What was the other four ones I saw? What was the big one where it's like... Endgame? Endgame, that's the one it must be endgame i think after that i did watch a couple of things but i mean i think they're good films but i wouldn't say i'm a massive marvel fan except for spider-man that's because of the sam raimi films i've always got soft spot for you know the games which ironically enough i've just picked up the second game so i'll be playing that next year doubt oh sorry this year wink wink in 2026 but yeah watched that i actually watched it with my family i think my dad fell asleep and my mum walked out Not great, not a great endorsement. I saw that wake up dead man. Oh yeah, nice out. Yeah, saw that. Yeah, nice out. Yeah, what did you think of that? It was alright. I watched it. I don't think I could tell you anything that happened in it. That was my reaction as well. I enjoyed it was on for like two and a half hours as well. I put it on and it was good background noise. Yeah. I know this is like the death of cinema, right? And I shouldn't say this, but there like that leaked memo that came out and was like, all Netflix TV shows and movies need to be made with the assumption that someone's making dinner or washing the dishes when they're watching it. And therefore you should recap the plot every 10 minutes. Honestly, great for me. Because I wasn't watching this film the whole time. But the end of it, was like, oh no, who did it? Yeah, it's fine. I watched it and I was actually wondering why Daniel Craig was in it at all. He was barely in it. Yeah, it's like having a viral film and having them come in at the last minute and be like, oh, I know who Nikila was. You know, he's like, I don't care. I was like, who are you? You've
00:26:38
Speaker
but thats I'm just hoping it's because they're filming 15 nice out films at the same time right now and they're just shipping him out to do that one spiel in every film and that's it. Could you imagine for the next two years there's a nice out film every two months? How good would that be? You know, the one that really disappointed and annoyed me, not because it was bad or offensive, but because I know they'll never make a full live action version of it.
Cinema and TV Nostalgia
00:27:00
Speaker
Minecraft. Was that this year? Was it this year? Oh my God, time's a flat sort. I think it might be actually, if not, it was last year. But in fact, I think it was this year. is It was because I was actually, and I never watched it, but I think I said to you at the time, and i've shown you the pictures to prove it, but went over to Belfast this year for a When we were on the ferry, one of the films that were shown for the kids was the Minecraft and I was like is that not just come out great place by the way we saw the Titanic museum but that's another thing not for the Minecraft film great place the Minecraft film was out a week early we don't go to Belfast specifically I hear Jack Black's gonna be at this one I actually got my photo of in front of you know the stained glass in fact you've got the picture of it it's in my blackmail folder There's me sitting in front of the there's like the Game of Thrones stained glass window things that they've got all over the city. So cool. But anyway, sorry, back to Nives Out. The thing that really annoyed me was that he was on Sesame Street, but not as himself, but there was a puppet version of him. Which then made me think, oh my god, they could have a Muppets version of Knives Out. Yes, please. They need to have one. I mean, surely. There'll be some crime film snob being like, oh, it'll dilute from the purity of the series. I don't care, I just want to see Kermit's all mysteries.
00:28:16
Speaker
I want to see Kermit and Daniel Craig's accent twice all mystery. I'm not even going to tempt I don't even know what accent that has to be. Apparently, when they made the second one, he had to watch the film, the first one back, to try to remind himself what accent he was doing, because he just he just kind of made it up as he went along. Is it not like New Orleans Southern drama? It's supposed to be some kind of Southern drawl, but I don't think it was good enough to be specific. So we had to kind of like, oh, it's too good and it's too specific.
00:28:45
Speaker
You know what I mean? One of the two. You had to go back and watch it and make themselves. So is it basically what Americans think are British actors that put on an American accent? And we think, wow, their accent's amazing. And they're just like, what accent's amazing? I hope so. Or vice versa when you get the generic quote-unquote British accent and it's just the most generic English accent. It's like, hello, how are you?
00:29:07
Speaker
beg your pardon. Do you know one of the best films I watched this year came out 30 years ago and that was GoldenEye? Yes. Which was re-released in cinema. By the way, that was absolutely fantastic. I'm not to lie. One of the best experiences watching it. actually drove through a storm just to get... you're not stopping me you're not stopping me golden eye that was great try to think of what else i saw the roses for the first time about the chocolate no i wish honestly no the olivia coleman and benedict cumberbatch one oh yeah it's like a remake of another film where it's like i hate my wife now laugh film classic and yeah it's just one of those films the only reason i saw it was because it was on disney pass a lot of these films is because they've come on to streaming services as you said the death of cinema but you Was there anything else you watched this year? Honestly, no. That was me. About four films I think I've seen this year. If I did see anything else, it's not left an impression. This whole time we've been chatting about this, I've been scrolling down lists of films that came out this year and I've got absolutely nothing else to add. It's a sad state of affairs, isn't it? Is it our fault? with Who's wrong here? I feel like Principal Skinner.
00:30:11
Speaker
No, it's a cinema show. Yeah, it's Hollywood. It's out of touch, not us. I mean, I've got a podcast to run. I don't have time for these. I don't have time to research the things I'm talking about. You know, have to say, I really admire, see the, I know a couple of film podcasts, like the We Needed Roads podcast and whatnot. And you see lot of these podcasters go into the cinema with the notepads and things. I thought, I wish I had that dedication to them. we just set a card afterwards and chat until the parking attendant tells us to move it's like sorry i've been here for three hours get another thing about one of the rohanom and you're not gonna do the film you used for the example as well actually fun fact when i was going over to china i was looking through the films and i have to say they had some really really good ones they had alien 2 which was absolutely fantastic crazy film for a flight i know they had like a lot of blockbuster but they had lot of old ones but really popular ones like they had the lord of the rings they had harry potter they had star wars but one of the ones i was really surprised that as i was saying there they had lord of the rings it's like first one second one third one war of the room i was like yes please I know what I'm doing for this entire flight. Stick and repeat. I also watched that Civil War and without getting too political it was terrible.
00:31:26
Speaker
It was so bad. I fell was asleep halfway through. And I woke up and they were shooting one another. And I was like, what have I Wait, did Iron Man and Captain America turn up yet? Half of the film is them yelling at one another and taking photos and the other half is them shooting one another. It's so boring. It's people like they're going, oh no, it's an insightful reflection of our modern society. It's like, it's just shit.
00:31:56
Speaker
It's terrible. It can be both. It can be. Anyway, maybe i'm not American enough to appreciate it, but I was just like Homer Simpson at the front of the flight. And I had one eye open in case the dinner service was coming. I was like I'm missing the year But honestly I feel as if this year And I keep saying this to you on a daily basis Just because that is my talk nowadays I'm like hey Martin do you know I'm just old But I feel as if this year has just gone so quickly Not only for the podcast But just in general I mean I was trying to remember what else you and I have done this year And the other one which you haven't mentioned And is absolutely fantastic Is FantasyCon over in Baisley Which I mean you even remember it was like Vaguely, vaguely. No, Fantasy Con was really good fun. I got to work there as an NPC. We've been very lucky for Comic Cons this year, actually. So that just caught me off guard. I was like, oh my God, done tons of Comic Cons this year. But yeah, Fantasy Con was a good laugh. It was basically, it was ran by HorrorCon Scotland and they put on different Comic Cons with NPC actors walking about. So i was like an actor for that and people were on quests. I had to help people completely acquire. it really was because I keep getting emails from them, you know, like the newsletter ones and I'm like, the hell is
00:33:16
Speaker
no it really was because i keep getting the emails from them you're know like the newsletter ones and i'm like who the hell was hor what have i done yeah and i'm like oh yeah no that was for fantasy god that was amazing though the pure dedication of everyone that came out to that as the name suggests obviously it's more fantasy centric and i did meet a couple of really cool people that you know like authors and things like that they were selling their books and all the people selling the handmade stuff and there was all the performances on stage i finally that we got to see tartan tabletop live for the first time lovely people by the way go check out their podcast slash live shows that was kind of a surreal experience especially since as you know these are usually done well our ones are sometimes done face to face but nine times out of ten they're done over zentcaster or over online and they're all audio only so i don't really see the other person so it felt kind of weird sitting in the tartar table as you know like in those thriller films where It was the person sitting in the crowd and the person on stage had no idea they're sitting there. I thought, this feels somewhat wrong. Great show, by the way, but it's just like, this feels somewhat strange.
00:34:27
Speaker
But out of curiosity, though, what else have you achieved
Wrestling Successes of the Year
00:34:31
Speaker
this year? See, in terms of wrestling, because I mean, can't finish off this session of Chatsu Cafe, of course, without talking about how you pummeled people with a ladder. I got Pummel with the ladder, that was a highlight. No, it's been a good year for wrestling for me. I've been really lucky this year, really, really lucky. And I was kind of reflecting on it recently. And what was kind of cool is that I had a few things that wanted to do. So I have a bit family history with Blackpool. So I got to wrestle there, so that was like a bit of a bucket list moment for me. That was really cool. Got to wrestle a few people that wanting to wrestle for a long time. But also what was really cool was to get opportunities I didn't know were going to happen. So I wrestled at a music festival, Kelber and Garden Party. I wrestled there over two days. That was one of the highlights of my wrestling career. Just a phenomenal experience. phenomenal crowd got to wrestle in belfast wrestled couple times in england wrestled for a company called mega slam who have been around for ages that was just like really cool opportunities that didn't even know were out there yeah and we sort of a team with my friend ellie make this team called planet and we got to wrestle all the way up and down scotland and in england together that was like super super So yeah, no, it's been a really good year for wrestling. 82 matches of wrestling overall, so that's like over one match a week, which is kind of crazy. 82? Jesus. So next year, I don't know how to it next year, but think actually said that last year, so we'll see what happens. Hopefully I can. But yeah, 2026 is going to be a big year. Because have to say, I do love getting the messages from you where it's like, oh, this week I'm climbing up a ladder, or this week I'm in Thurso, and it's like, why are you in Thurso? It's like, nice place, but why? you know all right doing this wrestling match or in fact speaking of belfast i think you and i missed each other by like week yeah we were no i think it was days i genuinely think it was days that was so bizarre because yeah as i was saying before were up in strenard and we thought oh yeah let's just take a ferry over go see belfast and things and then i was saying to you we're thinking about going over and you were like when what do you mean what i want to say were you there maybe like the thursday and i was there the saturday i didn't you think it was something like that yeah i think you're right actually yeah because we'd brought up the dogs there half of my family went to belfast one day and then my partner and i went the other day and it was it was like just a couple of days out from it but yeah ken great place great place to wrestle as well known for the titanic and martin mccallister of course there's actually a statue of you then. Would you believe. What's your big things for 2026? What do you want to get up to? Now that we're getting into the personal stuff, let's throw back to you. What's happening next year? Or this year, as it is now 2026? Definitely. As of recording this, definitely 2026.
Podcast Goals and Future Hopes
00:36:58
Speaker
Honestly, there is a lot I really want to do. Am I going to tell you?
00:37:03
Speaker
ah end podcasts That's how you make good podcasts. No, there is a lot I really want to try this year. I want to really try and push myself out my comfort zone. But again, i think it was you that was describing that, that you can only go so far with your comfort zone. I want to try different things, get a lot more live streaming going again, because I do miss that. But my computer is on the fritz. Half of the time it'll blue screen, half of the time it doesn't. And it's like a Russian roulette. So I'm like, I don't know if this is going to hold out. I want to do more with the pod pack and I think eventually I do want to try and get a proper video podcast done even if it's just hiring a studio or if it's just you and I sitting on the couch and chatting away and doing something like I want to build up to that eventually there'll be a lot of the same but I feel as if there has to be a lot of more variety as it were which sounds so weird considering has variety of podcasts. I mean, this year we've got the Quantic Dreams month, where we're going to be talking about all the David Cage games. Hopefully in October time, we'll get a Silent Hill month. I'm really curious to try and do that. In between's a bit fuzzy. I'm hopefully going to be doing a theme month centred around Sonic for, I think it's the 35th anniversary this year. So we're going to be doing something big for that. I've still got to get you back for a theme month. Pick your poison. Get your Sonic month. Get me on Big the Cat week I was going to say It's either going to be Kaijus Or Yu-Gi-Oh Oh, forget me on for both of them I'll do the whole month I'll host it Persona month went Part 1 of 20 I still need to play Persona I bought it ages ago It's still stuck in the backlog But yeah, no, it's just going to be hopefully trying to push the boat out a wee bit more. And of course, I do want to try and get back to a lot of Comic-Cons. You know, like, I think PowerCon is in three months, I'm going to say. In March 7th, 6th, 7th, or 7th or 8th. If you did that thing with your hands, listen I swear to God. wasn't going to say anything else. Yeah. I could hear you holding that. itching. My hands might have moved a little bit. And there's like the trembling. I can't see it, but I could feel it. God damn it. But yeah, sorry. Dated references aside. By the time this episode comes out, I'll be like, oh, seven, eight. i Yeah, I'm hoping to get to that and all the other ones that are eventually going to pop up. Because I have to say, although they are obviously expensive, you do miss them, don't you? When they're not around. I think they're saying 100%. And are you going to be returning as well to those cons? Oh absolutely you absolutely I've got so much stuff I want to do in terms of cosplay Stuff I want to do in terms of wrestling So yeah I think I'll be You can see me there I don't think I'll be doing anything as big as meeting John Cena this year I did at Liverpool Comic Con But you never know Did you meet him? I did yeah I cried Did you tell him you You could see it think She's just At arm's length Yeah that's nice security's coming across
00:39:52
Speaker
I love you. Godzilla's my favourite film. I don't know why that was the last thing I said. I just wanted to tell him. I just wanted to let him know. I really like Godzilla films. But as a kind of closing point for a chuck here the cafe for that, no, I'm kidding. Yeah, what are your plans? Because I'm assuming you do have a lot planned for, well, obviously Comic-Cons, cosplay and wrestling this Yeah, it's kind hard wrestling because it's hard to plan things in advance. so a lot of it's based on other shows. But Iron Gurders are putting on a show on the 31st of January, which I have to plug because I'm helping run it. It's a charity fundraiser to raise money for the Glasgow Saints football club. So that's going to be very stressful to help run that, but very exciting, and very rewarding, hopefully to raise a lot of money for a really good cause. and That's like the the short term, long term, just get bigger and better. You were talking about pushing yourself of the comfort zone. and That's kind of the same same thing for me. Those little steps, push a bit more, push a bit more, push a bit more and see what happens next. And I can't wait to see that, to be honest, because you know I'll be dragging you back on here to say, oh you come tell us for the content.
00:40:53
Speaker
I am always excited to do that. I'm always excited to see what you get up to as well. So it's a good bit of fun. No, it's going to be an interesting year because every year I'm like, yeah, this year's going to be the year of the Red Panda. And it's like, hmm, maybe next year. Pack up, lads. We're going to come back this year. I think it's been the year of the Red Panda for three years in a row. It can just keep being it. Ten out of ten. No notes. but yeah no it's going to be amazing because mean as of this episode the podcast has reached about 93 000 plays overall which is incredible i was pushing for 100 000 think i was a bit too ambitious or too greedy but you know i mean next year will definitely hit that and that'll be amazing to see and yeah i think once we hit that milestone it'll be like you know the end of finding nemo now what well it'll be 200 000 after that you know we just have to keep going up and those are rookie numbers bump up. Honestly, I can't wait to see, because there's so many sub-series that I really want to bring back. Like, a couple of weeks ago, Andrew and I did the first and last again, which is fantastic. Sitting in a car in Glasgow, that has to come back. I don't even know what you call that. I mean, technically, it's first impressions if you want to be, know, boring. Yeah, first impressions or... That's who's sitting in a car for an hour or two, just chatting away. I'm trying to think of what else, you know, this chow tsunami as well, which I'll have to get you back on for. You've got to do more stuff at the Comic-Cons as well. More creative content for Comic-Cons. Well, if they'll have me back after last one.
00:42:27
Speaker
It's like, I'm sure they would. A couple of months later. No, you're bad. because I'm sure they would after I bribed them again. Tell them to forgive everything you did last time. No, he's different now. He's changed. Look, in my defence, I didn't expect SpongeBob and Pyramid Head to team up on me. Okay? That was on the con. That wasn't on me. Valid. Listen, who I scream at my own time. Who makes me scream and run away crying is up to my business. Terrifying team, honestly. Leave me a little SpongeBob.
00:42:56
Speaker
My wife's still alive. Oh, spoilers for Silent Hill. I thought it was Silent Hill. SpongeBob's actually in it. No, to be fair, that's how it starts.
00:43:06
Speaker
Well, Silent Hill 2, sorry. I didn't know SpongeBob was in that game, so... It was really weird when you get chased by him, especially when he's making, you know, the footstep noises. Like the squeaking. Sounds like you're running away from Panamintent. It's like... Oh dear. Anyway, on that horrifying note, sweet dreams abound. Yeah, Martin, thank you so much for joining me once again in the cafe to, yeah, reminisce about 2025 and really just to return. After the Red One episode, I was like, is he going to come back? Please tell me he's going to come Thank you for coming. Thank you for having me on. It's been a good year. 2035 was a good year and 2026 is going to be even better. So let's get out there let's smash it. Cannot wait for that. yeah, before we wrap up, lock the doors and drink the rest of our popped open. yeah where can the amazing mandalorian listeners at home find your content the main two places to find me are instagram and tiktok both of them just search the name martin mccallister i'll be posting random stuff that i come across throughout the year but mainly be wrestling content so if you want come follow me and see some of my journey you're more than welcome to that's all for me so back to you and if you want to check out more episodes from ourselves where we talk about a wide variety of topics like for example our travels together experiences with comic cons as well martin's experiences with crying with john cena and then indeed you can check out all of those episodes and more at our website chatsunami.com as well as all good podcast apps. also want thank our amazing Pandalorian patrons, Robotic Battle Toaster, Ghosty and Cryptic 1991. Thank you so much for supporting the show and if you would like early access to episodes, exclusive content, Twitch VODs as well as the secret episode of us sitting in a car and Glasgow. For legal reasons, that last one is of course a joke, then you can check us out on our Patreon page, patreon.com forward slash chat tsunami. This podcast is a proud member of the PodPack Collective. For more information, check us out on Twitter slash X page at PodPackCollect. But until next time, thank you all so so much for joining us in the Chatsu Cafe. Stay safe, stay awesome, and most importantly, stay hydrated.