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Japan, Sinners, & Star Wars!
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James Games discusses his recent trip to Japan along with a review of 'Sinners' (2025), and the Star Wars prequel series 'Andor'.
Two Weeks From Now - Mission: Impossible!
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Transcript
Podcast Return and Hosts' Introduction
00:00:03
Speaker
You're listening to the Sleepy Games Podcast.
00:00:21
Speaker
And we are finally back for another episode of Sleepy Games Podcast. We are your hosts, James Games and Sleepy John. What's going on, Sleepy John?
Vacation Tales: Japan vs. 2017 Trip
00:00:31
Speaker
What's going on, ah we we We are back from a long hiatus. I just got back from ah a long vacation in Japan.
00:00:41
Speaker
i was in Japan for the very first time. it was a dream come true. And I'll get to talk a little bit about it on the show, which I'm excited about. And you were there as well so many years ago.
00:00:55
Speaker
So maybe we can see how things have maybe changed between your time there and my time there. Sounds good, buddy. Because you were there in 2017, correct?
00:01:07
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, that was right before I think we met back up for our New Zealand trip. Yes. Yeah. yeah Yeah. so So I was there beginning of May. I just i just got back ah May 20th.
00:01:22
Speaker
And being there for two weeks, so um I'm thinking it's it's a good amount of time, but it's definitely, I mean, it was enough time, but still not enough. Like, I saw a lot, but there's still a lot to see, a lot I still didn't get to see.
00:01:37
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, mine mine was even shorter. I was only in Tokyo for one week, and I definitely feel like I could have extended my trip there for an another couple of weeks and not gotten bored. in too Tokyo is huge.
00:01:50
Speaker
It is massive. Yeah. I only scratched the surface as far as all the different towns that was so was it in Tokyo. Yeah. Yeah. um But when when when i first arrived, like it was a 14 hour flight from Atlanta to Tokyo and i was in a middle seat
Culinary Adventures in Japan
00:02:14
Speaker
Nice. That whole ride. And a and i i check I can't sleep on planes.
00:02:19
Speaker
So I tried taking ah taking some NyQuil on the flight and everything, and it still didn't knock me out. i was so mad. And so when we finally landed and I got to the hotel, I had to take a ah nap. I couldn't just like go out on the town right away.
00:02:35
Speaker
Right. like I got there kind of early evening, so I took a nap for like three, four hours. Woke up around like 10, 30, 11 o'clock. And, you know, um I'm starving. I'm like, all right, I want some i want some Japanese food.
00:02:49
Speaker
Let's go. So the first place I go to is this ramen shop around the corner. And I shit you not, man, it was the best ramen I ever had. Oh, my God. It was so good. i I couldn't believe how good it was. I'm like, oh, my I'm so glad, i like, the just...
00:03:04
Speaker
all these expectations in my head about how good the is, and it's true. It does meet expectations. Basically, I mean, correct me if you feel like this statement is incorrect, but it's like, in Japan, for food, it's like, it's the best blank I've ever had. doesn't matter what it is, whether it's pizza, burgers, French food, Italian, like, they make it better.
00:03:28
Speaker
yeah Yeah, it is. yeah You're at a train station. There's a bakery. it that The smell is intoxicating, and it it'll be the best bakery you've ever been to in your entire life.
00:03:40
Speaker
Yes, I was at a bakery in Kyoto, and it was one of the best ah I've ever had. and And of course, when forre we're going to sell on a food tangent, you can't I can't help but want to try the...
00:03:52
Speaker
like the fast food there. Like I had to be like, all right, what's the McDonald's like? I gotta know, see what the difference is. And um i had a samurai burger, which which is basically a teriyaki burger.
00:04:08
Speaker
And it, dude, it was so fucking good. I bet it was. It was flavorful. I didn't feel like shit after I ate it It's like... um Regretting my life choices. Yeah, and and this the service was was exceptional.
00:04:25
Speaker
um I also, I loved just how, I mean, it felt so clean. i like Just in general, I love how clean everything was in Japan.
Public Transit and Travel Efficiency
00:04:36
Speaker
but um But you notice you notice like some little things as well. You can't help but but compare um what's there and what's in America. I mean, of course, that the public transit is exceptional. like you Every train is on time.
00:04:54
Speaker
like i think I think there was only one time a train was one minute late or two minutes late and that was it. like Everything else is on time. like The train will get there and then leave like yeah within within that same minute.
00:05:10
Speaker
it was It was wild. It was like, man, I can't believe just how... And then like, I noticed as far as, because I i got was able, I flew from Kobe back to Tokyo.
00:05:24
Speaker
because i So I took the bullet train from from Tokyo to Kyoto and then to get back, I flew. So, and then seeing how the process of boarding,
00:05:36
Speaker
compared to how is in america is much more efficient um and i was worried too because they said the boarding was like 20 minutes before the flight took off i'm like wait are they get everyone on the plane and like take off in time and and so what they do is they said it's so simple and this and it's like why don't we do this they're like okay if you have a window seat you board first if you have a middle seat you board second if you have an aisle seat you board last And I'm just like, that's genius.
00:06:09
Speaker
but you like ah You don't go like within like whatever zone or whatever they tell you to go to. they're like And then like someone's already sitting in the middle gonna be like, hey, I'm in the window. You gotta get out for me to get in. and like it just It clogs the line up the whole time. That's happened constantly, constantly.
00:06:27
Speaker
And you wonder like why they they start boarding 45 minutes or 50 minutes before actual takeoff. That's the reason why. it it's It just boggles my mind. It's like something so simple. It's um is because i they want people just to be together like while they're boarding. like who the fuck cares? You're not together for three minutes.
00:06:47
Speaker
like you You'll see each other when you're on the plane. it just it made me angry. it really made me angry. I understand, man. ah I get it.
00:06:59
Speaker
It's basically, it's it's it's just unfairly wasting everybody's time. Yes. Yeah, it worked out well because because I kind of got to the airport, ah at least I thought a little bit later. i'm like, oh, I want to have like a meal before I before i fly. And of course, what I'd like to, another another difference,
00:07:17
Speaker
is if you notice like when you go to ah the airport or whatever around here like usually the the price is a little bit more inflated as they would like at a normal restaurant right um a little inflated or like just exorbitantly ridiculous yeah yeah we can say that yeah and yeah so yeah like the prices are all the same but the price you see at the airport in japan is the price you'll see at a restaurant right No price difference.
Japanese Baseball Experience
00:07:46
Speaker
and and And I also went to a Japanese baseball game. When you're at a baseball game in America, the prices are so inflated, like the beer, the food, the the merchandise, everything is like so much money.
00:08:01
Speaker
Like you're spending a lot of times like over ten dollars for like a small beer. Right. and And then here, like, I'm spending like four or five dollars for beer. And it was cool because you have, like, you usually at a baseball game, you have a lot of ah beer patrons that ah they are going up and down the aisles of the sections, you know, are just handing out beer.
00:08:29
Speaker
Like at the Japanese baseball games, it's all it's all it's all girls. It's all just these beer girls who have like these these backpacks full of beer or lemon sour, whatever drink concoction they have.
00:08:40
Speaker
And they're going up and down the sections, like, like in every section of the stadium. Like, which was cool to see because there's some, like, at least in the ballparks in Baltimore, some other ones I've been to, if you're in, like, the nosebleeds, you won't have, like, beer be patrons, like, i'll come in and and give you...
00:09:00
Speaker
Like anything to drink, like you have to go outside your section to the concession area outside the stadium to to get what you want. Which, you know, because sometimes it sucks because there'd be a long line there. you have to wait and you miss some of the game.
00:09:13
Speaker
Here they want you to stay and enjoy. like the They want to entertain you throughout the entire game. Yeah. um So that was really cool to see. And there there was ah also someone else from Baltimore. i so so Someone was wearing a Baltimore Hawaiian Oriole shirt. I'm like, it was in the same section as me. I'm like, oh my God, what are the odds?
00:09:31
Speaker
You know? um But man, I really could just go on and on about this trip. It was, it was a dream trip of mine. It lived up to the hype and i can't, I already, I can't wait to go back.
00:09:47
Speaker
It's like after leaving, I definitely want to go back soon.
Cultural Insights: Politeness and Safety
00:09:51
Speaker
Yeah. It's, uh, I've often told people that, I mean, there's been many countries where it's like, someone will be like, oh, how was it? And it's just like, yeah, like, I'd probably go back. Like,
00:10:00
Speaker
With Japan, that that is definitely a country where it's like, I've said it, and like, honestly, I think I'll be sad in my life if if I don't end up going back to explore more of the country.
00:10:11
Speaker
Yeah. ah it It is one of the few places on the planet where I think that it is... different like the culture is different like because i find i mean you've done a fair bit of traveling too but it's like i found like the more traveling i was doing a lot of places just look like more of the same right it's like you know and even the culture like i mean everywhere speaks english it's like yeah there's a starbucks everywhere like it just like everything is getting more and more cookie cutter right whereas ah japan's definitely you know a place where
00:10:45
Speaker
it is very different like the the mentalities the culture like the people like it's it is it's gonna be something that like unlike you've experienced before like everyone is like there's a lot of a lot of social etiquette there ah in terms of like politeness it's like yeah i remember even just walking down a street and there's like construction workers and then like they'll they'll greet you right like in a yeah i remember that yeah i don't mean like cat calling i mean like they'll just be like hey like how's it going kind of deal right like And that's just like everyone is is very polite.
00:11:17
Speaker
You feel very safe there. Like I was walking around like late night, like one, two o'clock in the morning. And I felt super safe. And like I hear too, like even like women, kids, like walking on their own, they they feel very safe too.
00:11:34
Speaker
Right. Yeah, and even, like, as ah another kind of side story, and I remember this specifically, is, like, I i was ah ah kind of lost at one point in the, you know, the the trains, and I wasn't too sure exactly how to get back, and I'm pretty sure I was actually...
00:11:54
Speaker
trying to head back to the airport at this point and I don't know what had happened but I was like it was a little little lost yeah and then this random Japanese guy comes up to me it's really funny because obviously and all like I'm white he knows I'm white he knows I probably don't speak Japanese this guy did not speak a word of English but he still went out of his way took the time because he figured out where I was going and he was able to help me get to my destination despite the fact that I'm sure I'm sure he knew it was going to be more difficult because obviously we don't speak the same language but like that and that is very uh like unique of that place it's like uh yeah it just I I can't I can't honestly speak highly enough of Japan and I've never yeah talked to a single person that hasn't had
00:12:40
Speaker
an exceptional vacation there. Yeah, I like you mentioned that too, when when if you ever need his assistance or anything, and in yeah, as far as like the the language barrier and everything, but if you know just like a few phrases, and you get like it it goes a long way.
00:12:58
Speaker
Right. um Just just even saying, i mean, I caught myself saying the most was Simi Mazen, which is excuse me. and And just saying like that little bit, I feel like they're just like, oh, yeah, I'll say I'll say Simi Mazen and just point to something.
00:13:14
Speaker
And then sometimes they know that the pull out the Google google Translate. But if it was it was somewhere that like where it was a direction I needed to go, it wouldn't just be oh just oh go here or just point where to go and then go here, like they'll actually walk with you.
00:13:29
Speaker
Yes! In everything. I thought that was so cool. And then they're just like, you know, just arigato gozaimasu. Say that. And I was i just couldn't believe it and it. It happened multiple times, too.
00:13:46
Speaker
where yeah I was like, is everyone like this? They're so friendly. It's so nice. what What about like, did you ever, did anyone hand you like a bill or a receipt?
00:13:59
Speaker
and like yeah And if few if you, I don't know if they they did or not, but it's like anytime there's a bill or receipt, like they hand it very politely, both hands. Yes, it's both hands. Yes. And I noticed when, when because I noticed when I give them money, i always put it in the tray.
00:14:16
Speaker
They take the tray, put the money back to get out of the tray. And then with the receipt, you're right. they that they They have it extended the receipt out with both hands and you just grab it like that. Yeah, I did notice that. That was pretty cool.
00:14:30
Speaker
Yeah, like I said. They kind of do like a little bit of a bow while they're doing it. Yes, they do. Yes, it's quite remarkable. Yeah, I mean, again, I could go on and on about my experience there, but yeah.
00:14:46
Speaker
God.
00:14:49
Speaker
I'm already thinking about it. There's a possibility I might go back next year. Possibility. I believe it. And and especially, like, and ah and this is the thing. I'm not a big foodie, like, really by any means. I mean, like, I don't really care. but You slap some crap on a plate, like, I'll probably eat it.
00:15:03
Speaker
ah But like Japan like I mean it it definitely made me fall in love with the food while I was there like it didn't matter what you were having It was great. So yeah, then if you're a foodie you love it there.
00:15:17
Speaker
Yeah, God It just the prices to like Everything just feels so cheap I mean, I'm sure the the Canadian dollar is strong there as well as the American dollar is.
00:15:32
Speaker
But, I mean, I was having the best ramen of my life for, ah think it was like seven seven, eight bucks, maybe. Yeah, yeah, no, it was fairly reasonable. I think the only thing that was like more expensive is... ah the like any hotel or whatever you're staying seem to be like the accommodations I guess we're well if you play it right like I did like so my my flight was $900 round trip yeah um and then my accommodation for like 14 days 14 nights was are ah with a mix of hotels and Airbnb it was around a thousand dollars that's not bad for 14 14 yeah not bad at all yeah
00:16:16
Speaker
I was quite proud of myself. yeah Yeah, I'll bet.
00:16:21
Speaker
ah Yeah, so that felt So, yeah,
Anime Culture and Universal Studios
00:16:25
Speaker
it was that. um Oh, so, you know, since we you know we talk about movies and TV shows on here, I have to go in... I gotta talk about all the the anime love and the Pokemon love that is there yeah in in Japan.
00:16:41
Speaker
They're... ah So i i went to Universal Studios when I was there. i got I got to go to Super Mario World. I saw when you posted the ah like the Instagram pics. Yes. looks pretty. like yeah did It is very tempting if I ever go back to go down there.
00:17:04
Speaker
It was... Oh, man. um Yeah, so that lived up to the hype as well. But but so I also I went to I didn't go to the movies, but I went to the movie theater.
00:17:16
Speaker
Yeah. um And what was cool was they had a whole bunch of little movie posters that you could take. um For all the movies that currently release or the movies coming soon, like i this summer.
00:17:30
Speaker
So I was grabbing them all. Because I thought it was cool just having a Japanese movie poster for a film. I'm excited to see because they had like Superman. Um...
00:17:42
Speaker
28 years later, Howl, Trey and Dragon, just all of the movies. So yeah and I'm excited to put like to make like a kind of collage poster of these Japanese movie posters it and frame it and put on my wall and like this is year I went to Japan when all these movies came out, you know. um So I'm excited about that.
00:18:02
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. um Post up the picture when you when you got it all done. I was just going say, yeah. Yeah. um But the movie theaters there very nice. like i Most them have IMAX.
00:18:13
Speaker
There was one in a theater in... I wasn't in Shinjuku, but was in Tokyo. um And I just couldn't believe like the the quality. or just It feels very upscale, very bougie in a way.
00:18:29
Speaker
I'm not used to theaters being this nice because it seems... Like, I don't think the movie theater experience is going downhill in any way in Japan, where it might be a little bit more and North America.
00:18:45
Speaker
Right. um Because I feel like i feel like they they really do it right. Yeah. But I wish i had a chance to actually go see a movie there. I should have.
00:18:57
Speaker
ah But, you know, there's always next time. But um like I couldn't help it. So I went to this one district of Tokyo. It was Akiyabara.
00:19:08
Speaker
I hope I'm pronouncing that right. And they have like all like the anime figures... uh for like very cheap like actually i bought a few for become my buddies i bought actually i bought a uh um a gojo fig figure from um jujitsu kaizen yep uh and my one friend who had a cr did you ever watch sailor moon
00:19:38
Speaker
Uh, no, I don't actually think I ever watched it, but I mean, I'm familiar with So so there's this one buddy mine, he joked with us saying that he had a crush on one of the Sailor characters. And I got him a figure of that, so it's a little bit of a joke gift.
00:19:51
Speaker
And then my other friend is obsessed with Godzilla. they they They love their Godzilla in in Japan, especially in Tokyo. And they had their own, there's their own, like, big-ass store, just dedicated Godzilla. Mm-hmm.
00:20:06
Speaker
Godzilla are just souvenirs and gifts everywhere in this store. Right. So, of course, I had to get the original Godzilla figure from 1954, which is one of the movies that we talked about on the podcast.
00:20:19
Speaker
um So I'm excited to give that to him, too. but But it was cool seeing all the mangas, like man mangas everywhere. Right. Um, and those are great gifts to get.
00:20:31
Speaker
Mangas, I found out. like Like, a lot of those are a little little more on the cheaper side, too. all right but they have everything. Um... It was just cool just going to all the shops and just seeing what was there. like it's It's such a fun place to just... yeah is is You stop, look around, take it all in, then you're just like, I can't believe I'm here. And you you can't help but just think, oh, I can totally live here.
00:20:59
Speaker
and see so little Instagrams about that too. It's like oh, I can totally live in Japan. I can totally do that. But for now, for me, it's is it's a great place to visit for a long-term visit. Yeah, yeah, I agree.
00:21:12
Speaker
It's, uh, yeah.
00:21:15
Speaker
So, I'm counting the days until the next time.
00:21:21
Speaker
But, anyway, we get we got a show to get to. We do. We do have a show to
Recent Movies and Shows
00:21:27
Speaker
get to. So, and on today's show, we wanted to catch up on just what we watched, because it's been like a month since the last show.
00:21:36
Speaker
Right. um So we kind of want to talk about ah what films or TV shows that we've watched since then. And I know you haven't watched many. I've watched a lot.
00:21:47
Speaker
ah And and like the one I want to talk about quick, because, I mean, we might we might talk more on this in a future episode when when you get to see it, but I got to see the movie Sinners.
00:21:58
Speaker
Right. with like With Michael B. Jordan, the the vampire ah kind of the vampire gangster musical movie, I could call it. It's ah it's a lot of genres in one.
00:22:14
Speaker
But it was a film that I was probably like top three most excited to see
Film Review: 'Sinners'
00:22:22
Speaker
this year. Probably number three, I'd say. um Mostly because of the of ah Michael B. Jordan and the director Ryan Coogler.
00:22:32
Speaker
He did Black Panther he'd and he also did Creed. Okay. Yeah. yeah um And so this is his first time actually doing an original movie, not tied to any sort of past media or anything. so So it seemed like you know it seemed like he he finally was able to do like his it seemed like it was like his passion project.
00:22:54
Speaker
Right. Which is cool. It's kind of like how how Christopher Nolan's like his passion project was like Inception. ah The studio let him do that. He's like, all right, you made your Batman. yout Now you can we'll give you all the money, all your all your money you need and and do what you want. You know, you get you get a final cut. You get all the say.
00:23:12
Speaker
um So it felt like that this was his film. And it was, i mean, it it it and it was, i thought it was it was just extraordinary. i still I still think about the film, like some the music I still listen to you on Spotify, because a lot of the scenes stick with you, like the very haunting, but still beautiful.
00:23:33
Speaker
And i mean, in as far as like the horror aspect of it it, it dives into it, but not until like later in the movie. Like the first half of the film is, it feels is feels completely different from the second half.
00:23:48
Speaker
But I mean that in a good way. It's not like, it's not like, ah um where where the where like the tone shift is that rattling where it kind of takes you out.
00:23:59
Speaker
I got you. Yeah, it feels pretty so ah streamlined. um And and and the all the acting's exceptional. ah And... um Yeah, I've been trying to say things without spoiling it.
00:24:13
Speaker
That's difficult sometimes. I know. But, yeah, because it...
00:24:21
Speaker
It definitely takes you on a ride that is where you're you're not exactly sure where it's going.
00:24:33
Speaker
Because like you have villains, but they have they're villains with understanding motivations. And it it gets i mean it is it gets pretty funny too. I was actually, I found myself laughing quite a bit during it.
00:24:49
Speaker
and yeah like you're laughing during it you're getting scared you get you're grossed out sometimes um you're you're tapping your toes to the music a lot because it's it's catchy as fuck um and it actually has a post-credits scene Actually, two post-credit scenes.
00:25:08
Speaker
So when the movie ends, make sure to to to to to roll with the credits because I was actually not expecting. And the post-credit scenes are actually, especially the first post-credit scene is very good and very essential to the to wrapping up the film.
00:25:22
Speaker
like i like I can't imagine ah the film without that post-credit scene. um Really ties ties it in a nice bow. But yeah, so I mean, I can't recommend it enough.
00:25:34
Speaker
And it was a great movie theater experience. Like we we we watched like a very big screen, great sound system. So the music is just blaring and everything. and ah and And I think a lot of it was shot in IMAX and it definitely shows because there were some beautiful, beautiful shots.
00:25:53
Speaker
cinematography wise. ah So yeah, I'm definitely excited to see it again. So hopefully, yeah. So when you get a when you get a chance to watch, we I would definitely like to get your opinion on it. We can probably go into more spoilers.
00:26:08
Speaker
Sounds good, man. Yeah, man. um But what else did I watch? that That was like the only big movie I watched. And I think a already talked about on the show.
00:26:23
Speaker
know I think I talked about the show Studio, so I won't go into that one. That's true. We have to. The one show I talked about. um So there was a new season. did Did you ever watch the show Andor?
00:26:35
Speaker
Or better yet, did you ever watch the movie Rogue One, the Star Wars
Exploring 'Andor': A Star Wars Prequel
00:26:39
Speaker
movie? Rogue One? ah Yeah, watched the Wars movie.
00:26:43
Speaker
So did you know that they made a prequel series of that movie called Andor? I had no idea. i feel like... ah i think I think i was getting a little bit of the ah Star Wars fatigue. yes yes yeah Yes. Star Wars and superhero fatigue are very much in right now. Right.
00:27:04
Speaker
um yeah and i totally you understand the Star Wars fatigue, especially because um the quality of what they're putting out has been... Right. Some of it been pretty bad.
00:27:18
Speaker
Yeah. um they're They're really dropping the ball. Disney's really dropping the ball with that property. um But I'm happy to say Andor is probably some of the best Star Wars that I've ever seen.
00:27:33
Speaker
ah ah it it's especially So if you like even like Rogue One, you i mean you'll you'll love Andor, but you don't need to watch Rogue One.
00:27:47
Speaker
to to appreciate Angela. The characters are so, it feels, it's a much more adult Star Wars. Like, I feel like this show was made for the people that grew up with Star Wars, that who are, who are the millennials, um the the older generation of your 40s or 50s or even older.
00:28:05
Speaker
um If you, if if you like, if you saw like some of the original trilogy in theaters, I feel like you would, you would really appreciate um this show. it, it
00:28:18
Speaker
They make the characters very compelling. they the They don't do dumb shit. They make the Empire scary, for one, which is so i feel like something that's been greatly missing in a lot of the Star Wars stuff. like they they're They're calculated, and they do smart things, but not all the time.
00:28:40
Speaker
like there There's still some some cogs and in the machine, as they say, to to show that they're not all, you know, to show their weaknesses.
00:28:52
Speaker
um But, yeah. ah So I literally just finished the show up today. it was 12 episodes. i ah And only only watched, like, I think three episodes before I left for Japan. And then, you know, getting back since... but it's ah I finished the rest of season, you less than a week.
00:29:13
Speaker
um And there was there were two episodes that were back-to-back that I think were... could get toe-to-toe with like the best Star Wars like ever.
00:29:27
Speaker
like Okay. Could could could rival... like how like i mean I mean, as far as like best since the original trilogy... Already? Okay, so is there is there a Death Star?
00:29:40
Speaker
Or a version of Death Star? so so so So it's a prequel to Rogue One. right Rogue One is delivering the plans to how to destroy the Death Star.
00:29:51
Speaker
Right. So this is kind of... you're figuring out how the Empire creates it without anybody knowing it. So there is a Death Star.
00:30:02
Speaker
well Well, yeah, because because the whole the whole show is based off um them starting like the Rebel Alliance. and how that like how that slowly gets started and it kind of just like, who are like the main leaders with that who are pulling everybody together in one spot to help build this Rebel Alliance to defeat the Empire eventually.
00:30:30
Speaker
But they don't know about the Death Star. like They don't know about it until at the very end. like The whole time, they're just just cheek ah strategically waiting strike.
00:30:42
Speaker
And then once they figure out, oh shit, they're making a Death Star, we need to do something and stop them. That's when they start scrambling everything. But it's not until very late. like There's so much shit that other shit that happens where... um Because there are times with the Empire that are kind of infiltrating certain planets to try and mine to gain certain resources.
00:31:07
Speaker
to help build the Death Star. But, you know, the whole time, like, you know, nobody knows like what they're doing there. They're just like, oh, we're just occupying this planet to help the production and grow. And, you know, a lot of them could be thinking, oh, we're helping the economy. You know, we're all we're just doing that. But really, the underlying thing is, oh, we're going to fuck them over and steal all their materials, all their resources and drive like a civil war into this planet.
00:31:33
Speaker
And as the other thing, think that that sounds kind of neat. yeah just like I think for me, it's like the thing that was getting annoying is that there's just there's always a Death Star. And I mean like i get it. It's like the killer weapon. But that's like that's like if every action movie was like surrounded around like a nuclear warhead. It's like, I know that they exist.
00:31:54
Speaker
but yeah And it's like, you know, like, I just feel like they they got lazy in the storytelling to some degree. Yeah. yeah so so So literally, the only time you see the Death Star in this is, i think, the last...
00:32:11
Speaker
the last minute of the show. okay but that's so yeah yeah So you never see it. Maybe I'll be forgiven then, don't know. Yeah, you don't even, it doesn't even do it. You just see it like being constructed for like ah like a a couple seconds and they're like, all right, we're gonna show everybody else.
00:32:27
Speaker
ah Yeah, because it's more about how... like Because you follow... but There's main characters in this who are in the Empire who are kind of like not not so much the grunts, but more of like the like the lieutenants. like kind like Not so much the higher-ups, but like like upper management still, you know what I mean?
00:32:47
Speaker
ah And you kind of see what what drives them... And, but still like, even when they're, they work for the empire, you still have the empire kind of manipulating certain employees and them not knowing they're being manipulated, which is kind of fascinating.
00:33:08
Speaker
Cause they're, they're thinking, oh yeah, we're doing so we good at helping the empire. And like, you see the the other side, like, oh yeah, we're helping all these people because we're the empire. We're so good. it's like, no, no, man, you need to open your eyes.
00:33:23
Speaker
You need to see what's really going on. Well, that but that is kind of one of the things in like some of the the older movies. is like you know they They tell you basically the Empire is the bad guys, the Rebels good guys, but it's like they never really go into depth as to why some degree, right? yeah Yeah.
00:33:44
Speaker
Yeah, so I feel like this show definitely like fills in a lot of lot of holes, i guess but that I guess, that the movies had um or or just didn't really... um
00:33:57
Speaker
they really expand upon right um and this show definitely does that so i say if you like if you yeah if you like rogue one original trilogy definitely watch this you will like it lot in this in some some of the actors like like one of the standouts is um uh stellan scars guard and i've never seen him probably many of things um But man, he he's such a badass in this show. Oh my God. and he's He's older too. He's got to in his now.
00:34:31
Speaker
Right. But he he's got such a presence about him. His his gravitas and his voice, it just you can't help but just be like, you're hanging every word he says.
00:34:44
Speaker
get it. Yeah. So it's probably my favorite ah my my favorite Star Wars I've seen Actually, it's probably the best Star Wars that's come out since I've been born, I guess.
00:35:00
Speaker
So guess I could say that. Yeah. It's better than the prequels, better than the sequel trilogy. Yeah, nobody liked the sequel trilogy, but it was the real.
00:35:13
Speaker
Better than Mandalorian. Yeah. Yeah, i so I guess it's like the best since Empire Strikes Back, I guess we could say. Okay, okay.
00:35:24
Speaker
I know, it's a glowing review, but it's it's well deserved, because ah no because i feel like Star Wars really needed a win. and And that was definitely it. but I mean, it's happened before. Didn't they have like the Ewok Christmas special in the 80s or something like that? that was I never saw it, but I heard it was pretty horrendous. Yeah.
00:35:49
Speaker
Yeah, I remember like the production value on that was so bad. and me like i remember look i mean i remember seeing Luke Skywalker's face. It's like, why does he look like that? He looks so weird.
00:36:02
Speaker
And maybe Star Wars has just always been plagued with what is currently ongoing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, true, true. And it is honestly a shame because I feel like there's...
00:36:15
Speaker
I feel like there's a lot of potential for good storytelling and I think they just... I don't know. i had like the yeah well I guess Disney and Hollywood in general, they're just like, they don't want to take any risks, any chances typically, and they're like, let's make the exact same movie again.
00:36:35
Speaker
yeah
00:36:39
Speaker
I mean, that that that is what they do with the sequel trilogy. Well, I mean, at least for the first one. Yeah, so. But oh well.
00:36:51
Speaker
um I'm trying think of, ah what okay, so i'll seconden for I don't have many other shows I want to talk about yeah because I haven't finished them yet.
00:37:03
Speaker
did you ah Did you happen to start watching ah Devil May Cry? No. Wow. That hurts my soul, buddy. Sorry. um I other things on the docket.
00:37:21
Speaker
I get that. but like like like i'm currently watching I'll be watching the finale of ah Last of Us tonight. That's exciting, I guess. yeah I'll have my review on that for the next yeah next show.
00:37:33
Speaker
Sounds good. um And then I know for anime is for you. I want you to watch Solo Leveling. I think you'll like that. It actually just won Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Awards.
00:37:46
Speaker
like girl It's a movie, it's TV show? What is it? The TV show. The TV show. It's actually a Korean anime. Korean? Yes.
00:37:58
Speaker
You wouldn't know it unless I told you.
Anime Recommendation: 'Solo Leveling'
00:38:03
Speaker
Why I couldn't tell you a lot about... ah Aren't they the ones that made Squid Game? Or am I on the blue? Yes they are. Okay. But when it comes to animated, like, they're not really known for their animation. Right, right, right. Yeah, they're known for their K-dramas, like Squid Game.
00:38:21
Speaker
Yes. Right, right. That comes out next month, by the way. The the final season of Squid Game.
00:38:30
Speaker
I think I only watched, like, two episodes of it. Not saying I didn't get into it, I just... i don't know. Maybe I didn't get into it. I don't know. It sounds like you didn't get into it, Sleepy John. Yeah, I guess not. watched a couple episodes. I was like, I get it. like It seemed pretty cool, but yeah I guess it didn't draw me in the way that i maybe expected. Maybe there was a bit too much ah hype before I got into it.
00:38:54
Speaker
hype was real, Sleepy Joan, come on Sometimes the hype kills me though, because it's like there's just too much and then you're expecting, like, maybe you're just expecting something that is impossible to deliver because there's been so much hype, right, that it doesn't matter what you were watching, it's never gonna match the hype you built up in your head. Hey, is you also, speaking of an impossible, I was thinking for for the next episode.
00:39:19
Speaker
Have you seen the entire Mission Impossible series? I feel like we we talked about that. Okay, I definitely didn't see the last one that just came out.
00:39:30
Speaker
oh Otherwise... So so you you know you mean the weather that came out two years ago? Yes, yes, the one that, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know that there's a new one. So that one's dead reckoning. Yeah. You haven't seen that one.
00:39:42
Speaker
No, but i correct me if I'm wrong, but I i feel like that one and the current one, there it's the same story. Like, they're they're together. yeah Yeah, it's like a part one, part two. Right, and that's kind of why i didn't watch it. I figured I was just going to do the part one, part two together.
00:39:58
Speaker
uh yeah it to me it's like and this is the thing with the with the mission impossible movies i they they remind me i know they're different but like to me it reminds me a lot of like the fast movies uh in that i have seen them all there are some noteworthy scenes that i could talk about yeah but in general i feel like it's pretty much the same movie every time i'm not saying this is a bad thing I'm just saying it's like, it's just it's just another Mission Impossible movie, you know what i mean? Well, it sounds like you have a lot of thoughts about this. I'm excited to talk about this on the next episode. ah Okay, sounds good. So, okay, I probably shouldn't know this, but like I don't.
00:40:41
Speaker
the The new movie, it is out right now, is that is that correct? Yes, it is out right now. It is out. So for this episode, are you wanting me to watch...
Mission Impossible vs. Fast and Furious
00:40:52
Speaker
the the The two movies? So so I know with your schedule, um it might be hard to watch both, but at least watch the first one. Okay. Yeah, if you can't watch it, it's okay.
00:41:03
Speaker
ah I will be able to watch the second one. I'll make sure to make time for it. No, like I mean... I'll give the listeners what they want. I'll see... I'd like to... I'll see what I can do to... to like It's kind of crazy because...
00:41:18
Speaker
I mean, I still remember when the first one came out, and that was like in 1996 or something. It was. Yeah, like, that's that's wild. Like, that's had your point a long time. ja reno That's right.
00:41:30
Speaker
Yeah, man. yeah Yeah, there's, uh, and it's like, and and I remember when it came out and stuff, right? And like and i I never got to see it in theaters, but the one thing I'll talk about is like, and it it was interesting, is that I knew somebody that went and saw it in theaters at the time, and he said that that that part where he breaks into the vault and he's like floating over the ground or whatever. ever Yes.
00:41:53
Speaker
He said that like in in the movie theater, like everyone was like holding their breaths. He's like, yeah, believe Pin drop in there. It was like, was wild. Like it's an experience. It's very, very hard to, uh, to have these days. I find especially, but, uh,
00:42:07
Speaker
So it is kind of cool to to see this coming to to a conclusion. so yeah, i'll try to I'll try to do my best to ah to watch the movies. so oh yeah, I guess too, if you want to... so so do you have you seen them all?
00:42:25
Speaker
As far as I know, I have seen them all. But like I said, it's yeah, as far as I know... ah Yeah, I'm pretty damn sure I've seen them all. I mean, i should probably look at the ah ah look at the list and and make sure, but I'm pretty sure. I mean, don't don't ask me what they were all about. I mean, like the second one, I saw it when it came out, right? I mean, I do remember some stuff. There's like the motorcycle chase scene. John Woo. John Woo. Yeah, yeah. So I remember some stuff about it. Yeah.
00:42:55
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. and It's like, same thing with the third one. The third one I saw, it that was actually the first one I saw it in theaters. That was the first one I saw in theaters. Yeah. And then I've seen every one since in theaters. Right.
00:43:08
Speaker
Yeah, like it's, ah I don't know, I mean, yeah, like ah it it is definitely but kind of like like a cinematic juggernaut. So, yeah, we should we definitely should talk about it. so yeah and we Yeah, we we should probably provide a ranking of the films, I think, too. like I know you might not forget them, but if I think if you just read a synopsis or a recap, right you'll remember.
00:43:31
Speaker
They'll be like, which plot that is the exact same plot in every Mission Impossible movie do you prefer? They're not. Disavowed by his organization. He has to prove his innocence is while saving the world. Especially when you watch the new one, you'd be like, okay, this is and this one's actually very different from the other ones.
00:43:53
Speaker
So he's not disavowed from his organization. not Not in the... No, in the new one... The new one's unique. Okay. Because it's like, you don't have... um I mean, there's a villain, but like, like the villain's like AI in the new one.
00:44:14
Speaker
So it's like, they kind of, yeah, yeah okay it's it's yeah it's more about that than anything. And it kind of like, yeah, it's, I kind of need to rewatch, kind of want to rewatch it before the new one.
00:44:30
Speaker
just I mean, I'll probably watch a recap. I've rewatched it before, but like... Sounds good. Yeah. I don't want to go anything else. Yeah. yeah I have a good excuse. Okay, so I have a good excuse if I don't end up watching them for next episode.
00:44:49
Speaker
I didn't choose the mission. Oh, you didn't choose to accept the mission. It still just exploded in your hand. Exactly. Yeah. It's self-destructive. yeah He's always yo wait like, doesn't that guy want a vacation?
00:45:05
Speaker
It's like, should you choose to accept this? Like, fuck off. I'm busy. Yeah. I'm in Maui. Fuck. off
00:45:16
Speaker
Okay. Okay. Okay. Alright, that's the plan for next week? Yeah, that'll be actually probably two weeks weeks from now. Two weeks, yes. Because forgot. It'll give birth the both of us a little more time.
00:45:32
Speaker
Yes, to watch them. They're the other ones in theaters, you know what? ill I'll actually try to go see it. to I'll do my best. You have given me my mission.
00:45:42
Speaker
i will let you know if I choose to accept it. Good. Yes. Please accept it for on behalf of me. It's the least you can do.
00:45:57
Speaker
After all this time of not watching any shows, that's what it is. Sounds good. yeah we Yeah. Are we all we all wrapped up then? We're wrapping up to now. Instead of a cheers, we will say cheers in Japanese.
00:46:14
Speaker
oh So that will do it for us today. pie!
00:46:21
Speaker
Kung pie? Kung pie! y'all! lea
00:48:25
Speaker
you