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126. Bad Enddington
18 Plays3 months ago
Adrian & Simon review director Rian Johnson’s film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. With the end of 2025 looming, the two buddies take a look at the best films and TV series of the year. They also examine the potential consequences of Disney’s fast and loose marketing for the Marvel Cinematic Universe by choosing to reveal Steve Rogers’ (actor Chris Evans) return to the MCU in Avengers Doomsday. Plus, they analyze the recent developments of the merger love triangle between Warner Brothers Discovery, Netflix, and Paramount; while also acknowledging YouTube’s 2029 Oscars broadcast. As they reside inside the timeless pocket between Christmas and New Years, the pals also get festive with stories about Christmas traditions, Christmas films (i.e. Polar Express, A Very Jonas Christmas Movie), and plans for the holiday. Will Stranger Things Season 5 end strong? Will the boys manage to watch Avatar: Fire & Ash in theatres before the next episode? Time will tell.
This episode was recorded in Canada on December 26th 2025. Episodes air every two weeks on Tuesdays! Catch us on January 13th for Episode 127. We wish you a Happy Holiday and thank-you for watching!
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
of 2025. I'm sorry. Whoa, that's rude. We present our picks. Jesus. That's not nice.
Highlights of 2025 Films & TV Shows
00:00:10
Speaker
This episode... We present our picks for the best films and TV shows of 2025.
00:00:16
Speaker
We also examine the controversial Steve Rogers Avengers Doomsday teaser while also discussing YouTube's new contract to take over the Academy Award broadcast coverage for the 2029 Oscars. And we review Wake Up Dead Man. Is this good enough impression for you? Yeah, that's pretty good. And we review Wake Up Dead Man, a novel mystery, a very Jonas Christmas movie, and a Polar Express movie, the Christmas movie by Robert Zemeckis.
Introduction to Split Focus Podcast
00:00:44
Speaker
That's amazing. With new episodes airing every two... Oh, you wanted to do this? No, you can do it. Do it. I'm doing it. With new episodes airing every two weeks on Tuesdays, this is Split Focus, a film and TV podcast. I'm Simon Eadie. And I'm Adrian Pinter.
Simon's Wedding Story
00:01:03
Speaker
Welcome. Oh. Welcome. Stepping all over each other. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to episode 126. 126. Yeah. Ho, ho,
00:01:18
Speaker
yeah oh ho
00:01:44
Speaker
Well, well, well, if it isn't my married friend, Simon, Dennis Eady, you're married now. How's life? How's how is your marriage? How is your wedding? How is life? Look at that wedding band on, dude. It is. It's exciting. It is a wedding band and it is good.
00:02:01
Speaker
It is great. It has been good. ah I've been married for a week and a few days at this point. I'm trying to think now we're in the limbo time, Adrian. We're in the limbo time between Christmas and New Year's. We have arrived.
00:02:14
Speaker
A time in which I'm not normally off work, but I am actually off work for the first time in 10 years during this period. We both worked retail for a long time and I'm still working retail in ah in an adjacent fashion, but I got lucky this year. and I'm not working retail, which is really cool. But yeah, the married life is good. The the ceremony was very quaint, small.
00:02:34
Speaker
kind of kind of sweet short and sweet we did a a dinner at langdon hall in cambridge ontario we both live in canada of course um but it was very small to dinner um with just just mainly family uh my side specifically only family um and then who did don bring couple lifelong lifelong friends she brought oh and and then some family as well which was which was nice but uh yeah very small nine people But it was very good. Langdon Hall is crazy. they it like They serve the food all at once, which was like ah so awesome. It's such an awesome, like there orchestrated kind of choreographed element of it. i don't know if you've been to like a group dinner like that where they do that, where they like they all set the plates down in the exact same moment. It's really, really cool. Because even if you go Langdon Hall, which I'd recommend, i can't remember if you said you did go.
00:03:23
Speaker
yeah I worked there briefly. had a co-op. Oh, yeah. That's so crazy. That's so awesome that you worked there. And that was what kind of turned you off of that experience. Is that what you said? You didn't think the restaurant experience was for you? Exactly. Yeah. That's what made me realize I didn't want to be... Yeah. It's intense. Yeah. You were in the back, though. You were in the you were in the the chefistry room, the the kitchen, as they call it. Yeah. and that That is typically what they call it. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah.
00:03:47
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, it's cool. um But yeah, they they all put like the servers will put the plates down at the exact same moment. It's just it's just something about that. And the food was delicious. Everyone was kind of blown away, which is what
Discussion on Wedding Rings
00:03:57
Speaker
we wanted. We wanted to like create an experience for my family members and and the people attending because we just didn't we didn't feel like they had that kind of experience before. And we thought that was going to be kind of good. It was just kind of honoring, you know people in our family, essentially. Yeah.
00:04:13
Speaker
It's like a celebration of our winning in some way. But yeah, it was cool. was awesome. I really liked it. But yeah, now I'm married and I got to wear this ring, which is too big for me. Oh, is it? i discovered too late.
00:04:23
Speaker
Yeah, i don't know if my hands just, when we chose it, it might have just been warmer. And so as a result, like over time, because you know your hands like kind of shrink in the winter a little bit. And so I think that's what happened. Like my bones kind of, and my skin just is not swelling up as much as it would in the in the spring and summer. So I have to go, i think I have to go get it resized. I was tempted to not do this.
00:04:45
Speaker
but i
Christmas Traditions & Culinary Adventures
00:04:46
Speaker
think it makes sense because i don't want to lose it and yeah that's fair where'd you get it from ah we just went to the stone road ball charm we did you charm yeah i did charm as well for mine just like a standard gold band i don't know what the width is i actually don't have it on right do you sleep with yours on yeah i'm always wearing it oh no i take mine off at night like okay and then i just forgot to put it on this morning so i'm gonna go grab it i take it off to wash my hands are you gonna get it yeah do it yeah i'm gonna run and get it feel weird not wearing i usually put it on every morning quickly but today is just a lazy day because like i'm off as well um right yeah that's good yeah like my my uh wife i almost said fiance my wife uh and i were just kind of chilling eating like christmas leftovers so we had like a nice little relaxing morning made a little bit of food we had like leftover like salmon so what i did simon is i made like you know like tuna salad essentially
00:05:37
Speaker
I just did tuna salad, but salmon salad. Oh, that's good. Like you think canned? It was canned or you had extra salmon that was fresh and then you made it? It an extra like, yeah, cooked salmon. Oh, cool. Fresh. Awesome. Yeah. so yeah just that's great chopped up some green onions, some pickles, some capers, added some dill, some mayonnaise, lemon juice. Sounds good. Mixed it up, dude. You're making me hungry. Hey, man, we got a long show ahead of us. Maybe and you can't eat. You can't eat. No, if you need to get a snack, just go get a snack. No, go get go get your ring. I'm gonna entertain the audience. and be like I'm not even gonna do the twelf side ticking clock. 12 seconds. 12 seconds. I'm timing it. Probably more than 12 seconds. I doubt it's gonna be 12 seconds.
00:06:14
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He's now left the room. Adrian has run out of the room. I will describe his room. I feel like that was about 12 seconds. I feel like that was about 12 seconds. About 12 seconds there.
00:06:25
Speaker
Was that 12 seconds? Yeah, yeah, I had a bunch of filler content that I was trying to work my way through, but you were so fast that I didn't have to say it, thank God, because it was boring. Okay. But anyway, okay, cool. but That's awesome, dude. i'm I'm so happy that you had had a wonderful little wedding day and like ah like a wonderful you know dinner with your ah family and Dawn's closest friends.
00:06:48
Speaker
thought I was one of Dawn's lifelong friends, but I guess not because she hasn't known me all of her life, but that's fair. That was the that was the parameter that was required, I guess. No, it's it's cool, man. i'm I'm very happy for you guys. That's awesome. Yeah.
00:07:03
Speaker
I like. ah Yeah, it's it's interesting. Because see I've been married, I guess, just to like a week and a bit longer than you. We can one day longer than you. And it's like, yeah, the further you get away, the more you miss it. And it's like, oh, man, I wish I kind of i want, you know, that that day was awesome. It's like fantastic. You know, it's like very happy. Oh, the day itself.
00:07:24
Speaker
I see. Yeah. Yeah. You think about it. Am I coming in too hot? I feel like uho feel like my bars are way higher. yeah It does look like that. Did your bike change again? I don't think so.
00:07:39
Speaker
It would have been the internal Windows settings. You think so? You're like double, triple the amount of... I know. I just noticed that. i like, what the heck? Let's to cause a nightmare if you...
00:07:50
Speaker
if you could fix it now let's find it live while we're doing this okay yeah yeah where are we yeah i did notice that and i was like mines are my my waves are waveforms are very small and in contrast to you i know i feel like usually we're quite similar but i'm coming in huge so here let's go yeah yeah do you have a picture of what you're supposed to be at This is really great radio right here. We're creating some just fantastic Yeti microphone. Everyone will be so enthused to hear us talk about it. should You know, I keep it at 55. Like it's it's at 55. Huh. And your mic didn't change up the gain.
00:08:27
Speaker
It didn't move. i I don't remember changing it. All right. Is this any better? feel like this is not much better. La la la la la. He's clipping at the top.
00:08:40
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Okay. Here, I'm going to just decrease this volume then. Okay, is this better? now it's Now it's almost too low. How now, brown cow? How an now, brown cow? How an now, brown cow? That's better. Where'd you move it to? Where'd you shift? How now, brown cow? You're just shifting the gain and on the actual microphone? Dude, so weird. So, yeah, so I put the gain back.
00:08:59
Speaker
I went into my sound settings. It's at 55. Yeah. yeah I dropped it to 40, dropped down like crazy. I put it back to 55 and now I'm back to 55. But it's it's not correct.
00:09:11
Speaker
Yeah. So I think maybe the setting was just it it was lying. is my point. Okay. Well, thank you for fixing it. Cause I'm sure you were, well, the audience will not notice that it was loud because I would have fixed it in post. wow So I would have fixed that problem, but it would have been a really bad, like quality. Most likely we'll see. Well, I mean, they can be the judge. You can be the judge if you listen back to it for the first eight minutes. I'll let you know, dude. I'll let you know. But yeah, OK, well, yeah, it was good. It was beautiful. It was a good time, my friend. You're beautiful. Christmas just happened. Oh, thank you. ah You too. We just ah we did Christmas. We had we had we had Christmas here in Canada and the rest of the world over now.
00:09:50
Speaker
It's Boxing Day. We're recording this on the 26th Boxing Day is a holiday in Canada. And yeah, it's ah it's cool. Your Christmas was good, I assume. Yeah, it was really nice, man. um Christmas Eve, it's like regular dinner at my parents' place. So just like a big extravagant meal. I was there all day helping cook, got a bunch of stuff going. And then like, you know, people come by. um Obviously my wife was there. her mom always comes every year for the past. This would have been year three um that she came, which is really nice. It's kind of like merging the families a little bit.
00:10:22
Speaker
And then typically we do Christmas day at her mom's house, but yeah, Like her, her, her note, like my, my, my wife, her Nona, her grandma is not feeling particularly well this year. It's kind of feeling dizzy and wasn't really up for like a Christmas dinner. So, um, we just ended up like hanging out with, um,
00:10:42
Speaker
you know, Cassandra's mom for the evening, nothing extravagant. We brought some leftovers over um some cabbage rolls specifically. I made cabbage rolls from scratch for the first time. Oh, wow. My mom always makes it. Yeah, like my mom always makes it.
00:10:55
Speaker
And um I mean, she helped me. I like she was showing me how to make it like the the the family recipe per se. Awesome. And I wrapped all the little cabbages. So ah like on the Sunday of of this week, went over to my mom's house and rolled like 60 fucking cabbage rolls, dude. Oh, wow. That's awesome.
00:11:14
Speaker
Yeah. So we cooked a bunch for Christmas and then like I have some frozen in my freezer right now. So like if I'm ever feeling cabbage rolls. Hmm. This is like the Serbian cabbage roll. I know that there's like different versions of cabbage rolls that have like tomato sauce in them. I'm assuming that's not it. It's like you've got the pickled cabbage type situation. You got the meat on the inside with the rice kind of filling on the, right? Instead of the ground beef. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. You pickled the cabbage, I'm sure, for a long time.
00:11:42
Speaker
Yeah. Like... um yeah Because, yeah, like I mean, you're Croatian, so I imagine that's how like your grandma and and and family made it as well, right? Yeah. Okay. i mean My grandmother would make them every year religiously and it would always be like a smell of cabbage in in the basement. Yeah. from from that For that period of time when it was getting like pickled and then made. Did you guys also call it Sodom?
00:12:05
Speaker
No, but she she was very like, she tried to dumb it down for us. Oh, okay. Because we don't speak, like you speak Serbian so that I could. I don't really speak Serbian. I speak Hungarian.
00:12:17
Speaker
Hungarian, my mistake. ah But yeah, yeah, you play, ah you you speak a different language. We just speak English. So she just dumbed it down. So whether she called it that, I don't know. Because we don't, yeah. yeah Because we don't speak the language. That was the thing. But yeah, they're delicious. there's I miss that miss it because my grandmother passed away a few years ago. So I was like, you don't don't get that anymore.
00:12:37
Speaker
It's cool. i'm gonna make you cabbage rolls. No, I'm not asking. I was not like a weird like simply. Dude, I'm going to make you cabbage rolls. I'll make you cabbage rolls. I'll bring you nice cabbage rolls. how it take you? It took a long time. Did you pickle the cabbage yourself to prepare it well? No, no. Gosh, no. Or do you have your mom did that in the meantime in your house, your other house, your old house? Like back in the day, I think my mom used to. But you can go to like, I don't know, any European supermarket they'll have like pre-pickled cabbage, like a full head of cabbage. Oh, interesting. And then literally just peel it and then put the meat in it.
00:13:08
Speaker
um I think when I was a kid, at least in Serbia, like whenever I went home, like my my grandma would always pickle it. I don't know if my mom ever did. I'm sure she did. But yeah, don't know. It's easy. You can just buy pre pickled cabbage.
00:13:21
Speaker
Interesting. and Yeah, I don't think my baka ever did that. She just made it herself. That's awesome. Anyway, man, it's cool. That's sweet, man. That's awesome. Yeah, dude. So it was it delicious? Was it delicious? Was it a hit?
00:13:32
Speaker
It was a hit indeed, Simon. It was a hit indeed. So yeah, it was a really good time, man. And again, I
Kingdom Hearts & Disney Fandom
00:13:38
Speaker
love Christmas. It's it's a wonderful time of year. This is the first Christmas as a married man in my new house.
00:13:44
Speaker
Yeah. Which isn't really new. I mean, we're coming up to a year. Yeah. in this, in this house. So I don't know. It was like a lot of firsts. It was really nice. It was like, or just a really nice in Christmas time.
00:13:55
Speaker
um And then, yeah, again, spending like Christmas morning, we like drove back to my parents' house, you know, had lunch with them, went back and we just got to like relax a little bit in our house for, you know, five hours and then went over to um again, Cassandra's mom's house and then like spent the night here.
00:14:12
Speaker
Played a little bit of Kingdom Hearts on Christmas, sweet which is always nice. Cassandra's actually playing through it. So like I'm i'm like, oh, we're playing through it together. It's like she's but she's doing it all. I'm sitting next to her. I'm giving her pointers.
00:14:24
Speaker
So like, because again, I know you you meant you asked about like, oh, why was she OK with doing um Kingdom Hearts music for for the wedding? um yeah I just asked. So she's always shown an interest. So she's like playing through it. We're we're in Agrabah.
00:14:38
Speaker
She's she's liking it, dude. does a does Does playing Kingdom Hearts make you a Disney adult? I don't know. i don't think so. I would say no.
00:14:51
Speaker
Because like, I don't know. I feel like a Disney adult is like, you're putting on fucking Mickey Mouse ears going to Disneyland like every year, you know, like you're day one at all the Disney movies.
00:15:02
Speaker
Right. You're saying it's the extremes, the very extremes. Yeah. I mean, like, okay yeah, like I like Disney, you know, obviously I haven't seen the last like couple of Disney movies in theaters, but like, you know, i I have a deep fondness for Disney movies and like, especially the classic Disney movies I grew up on, you know, like your Lion King, Little Mermaid, all that. like all I love Disney World too, but I haven't been there in years. and I've never been there since I was eight. No. Yeah. yeah I've never been
Recent Film and TV Reviews
00:15:28
Speaker
there at all. so yeah Yeah, I mean, I would recommend it, just not for the next three years personally, but it's up to you. Yeah, no, 100%. Yeah.
00:15:39
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, it's too bad. Anyways. Anyway. Okay. um Yeah. Well, yeah, so let's go. let's Let's get into this. This is going to be a pretty interesting episode. We got a lot a lot of things to talk about today. okay Let's start into the reviews. What we've been watching this last two weeks, Adrian, I will throw it to you. What have you been watching? We didn't watch anything just to give a preamble. We haven't watched anything together.
00:16:03
Speaker
We intended to go see is this thing on, but I don't think it's in our theaters here. And I think it's supposed to actually launch widely in January. I think it's January 9th, somewhere around that period. So yeah, I will.
00:16:14
Speaker
Exactly. It's at Princess, that they um I think on the 9th or the 16th. I can't remember. It's supposed to be wide release around that time, though. So I wonder if it'll just be at Cineplex as well.
00:16:25
Speaker
Maybe. Maybe. yeah we'll We'll see. But I definitely want to see that. I do want to see that for sure, man. I'm i'm very excited about that flick. um But yeah, I watched a few things, Simon, um you know, that this last couple of weeks.
00:16:39
Speaker
um i'll I'll talk about a couple of things briefly, you know, kind of go through it. So we watched a very Jonas Brothers Christmas movie, a very Jonas Christmas or whatever.
00:16:50
Speaker
Nice. um With, you know, we had just like a little movie night. Our friends came over and we all just kind of sat down and and we went through it. And um shockingly good, man. It's it's very funny.
00:17:01
Speaker
gent Genuinely hilarious. I was like, it's a really good comedy. It's about, you know, family rekindling this friendship, getting home on time.
00:17:12
Speaker
to be with your, you know, family, to celebrate Christmas together and how these three brothers, you know, that have drifted apart over many years. three brothers. Three. Yeah, exactly. With a pair of tomato guns or whatever. um And yeah, you know, those three brothers kind of getting back and rebuilding their, their, their, their friendship as brothers. And like, how are they, are they going to make it home in time?
00:17:39
Speaker
to spend Christmas with their families is is really, you know, the question. And um do they? I don't know, Simon. I don't know. Don't to spoil it. Yeah, I don't want to spoil it. But it's all about the journey. And it's it's genuinely hilarious. Like, I'm not even i'm not even being facetious. Like, i i i really liked this movie. I think it's very well rated as well, like both critically and audience score wise, which I'm not surprised about. There's a couple of surprise cameos.
00:18:08
Speaker
in the movie as well. um And yeah, just a good romp. Good Christmas romp. I don't know if this is going to be like a Christmas tradition where we're just going to bring it this Jonas Brothers Christmas movie out. But it might be.
00:18:21
Speaker
It might be. Why the heck not? ah And another thing i started watching um Man on the Inside season two. We talked about that. Oh, that released on Netflix.
00:18:32
Speaker
Yeah. ah Cassandra and I decided to hop it back into it. I like the second season a lot more than the first season. And I, again, I think you were right. Um, you know, pointing out, um, dementia is a tough topic.
00:18:47
Speaker
To make fun, you know? Yeah. Well, they're not making fun of it at all. No, no, no, no, no. no caesar But a also true try to make it comedic. Yeah. Exactly. I'm not saying make fun of it. I'm saying yeah yeah dementia is a tough tough topic to make fun, you know? Oh, fun. As in like, oh, this is really fun. Yeah, yeah, 100%. Yeah, yeah. um So, yeah. And I think, you know, this new setting for Man on the Inside is is much more lighthearted in tone. And it is – it's easier to get behind and like have a good romp. It does talk a lot about, you know, like, um I don't know, financial disparity, oddly enough, and like kind of the rise of AI and how it's taking jobs, which is a little bit, you know, odd um thing to bring up in the show, but it works. You know, there are some characters from the previous season that are still showing up and, you know, there's always a, there's there's a dinner party episode. And I,
00:19:43
Speaker
I always loved dinner party episodes, you know, in so many shows, I feel like the dinner party episode can be, you know, either the funniest or, you know, the most anxiety inducing or just kind of heartfelt. And, and I feel like man on the inside, really, it actually hit all of those beats in that one episode.
00:19:59
Speaker
And, um, Yeah, it's just, it's really good. I like this. um I feel, ah because I was pretty negative on that first a season. and i was, I liked it, but i was just like, I don't know. I just, I don't love it. And again, it's dementia is being such a tough topic to,
00:20:16
Speaker
to be essentially the backdrop for a comed like a comedy, like comedy, like it's tough and you're watching, and it's also in an old folks home and some of these characters are dying and it's like, man, like this isn't fun. um Whereas this one is, you know, ah Ted Danson's character, he's at a school, like a university and you know, this, the the head of the university is as essentially trying to make friends with a billionaire and get a bunch of funding for the school.
00:20:45
Speaker
And someone is trying to sabotage it. And it's like, who's trying to sabotage, you know, the school getting funding. But it's again, it's about like the financial disparity. Like this billionaire is a bad person. We shouldn't take his money. Like we, we can, you know, the school was built on a different foundation. So it's essentially Ted Danson being like, I got to figure this out.
00:21:03
Speaker
And um yeah, it's good. It's good. It's really good. um Sweet. are Yeah. So I'm glad that this one, the season's better. I feel like it's kind of hitting, know, I don't want to say on the level of of like The Good Place or, or you know, mike Michael Schur's other shows, but it's like I can see it's starting to find its stride and I'm enjoying it. So that's good. That's good. I mean, critics seem to think they found a stride in the first season, to be fair. But for you.
00:21:32
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. For me, I guess I should point out exactly. But yeah, yeah, of course. um So yeah, that's really good. And then I watched a couple of other things as well. I'm curious if you watch this movie because you got
Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man Analysis
00:21:45
Speaker
Netflix. six I do now. It's Wake Up Dead Man.
00:21:48
Speaker
I did. You did? I did indeed. Yeah. Awesome. Okay, cool. So but yeah, let's talk about that a little bit because I watched it and... I really, really liked it. I thought it was awesome. I think all the Knivescent movies are are quite great. Glass Onion, i honestly don't remember, really. i know I watched it, but I don't really remember what happened.
00:22:11
Speaker
And I feel like it's, I guess, the least memorable because I remember the first one in quite a bit of detail. um So I would say maybe I guess Glass Onion is maybe the worst of the three, but it's still an awesome movie. I still remember really liking it. But this one might be my favorite. I want to jump back and rewatch the original Knives Out as well.
00:22:28
Speaker
But. This one I think is so it's a for one, a cool premise and a setup. Cause it's, it's like this religious backdrop in this small town with this priest that's essentially going crazy. And this other priest that gets sent there, who's like the young buck and, you know, trying to solve, you know, this like extremism that, that this, you know, priest that's run this town for so long and, um, you know, try to get this church back on track and,
00:22:59
Speaker
ah murder a murder occurs and who caused the murder because it seems like an impossible crime. And then, you know, the first like 45 minutes of the movie is like set up to that point until Benoit Blanc shows up and you know Daniel Craig, I think, does an amazing job as Benoit Blanc. I really like him as a character, but I like him as a character the most in this one because I feel like you get a little bit more background on his viewpoints on certain things, on his viewpoints on religion specifically, because again, it's it's it's taking place in like a Catholic church a lot of the time. um And I feel like it developed his character a lot more and you know how his what his morals are and what he –
00:23:36
Speaker
Not necessarily, again, yeah, what he believes in, but also how he respects other people's viewpoints and beliefs. And I don't know, it it it made for a really good development of his character, who, again, we've seen in three movies, but at the end of the day, he is just the detective. He's trying to solve the case. And this one, I feel like, made him a little bit more of a...
00:23:57
Speaker
I don't want to say three dimensional character. Cause I feel like I'm talking poorly about the other movies and him, his portrayal in the other movies. But again, we just get a ah deeper insight into his life and viewpoints. um I think Josh O'Connor, who's kind of just coming up in a bunch of things. You know, I saw him in challengers. I think i I watched that earlier this year, even though that came out last year and then in this movie. And I think he's in a couple other movies. He's in like a few trailers that are coming out. um He's in that new uh, is it disclosure day?
00:24:28
Speaker
Do you watch the trailer for disclosure day with, um, Steven Spielberg's new movie? Is is he not in that? Am I misremembering? Oh yeah. um Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So like he's, he's becoming a lot more prominent and I can see why, because he is for one, he was phenomenal in challengers, but he's also like really, really great in this movie as the young priest going into this small town, trying to make the Catholic, you know, this Catholic church, a better place. Um,
00:24:55
Speaker
And yeah, the mystery is really fun. Again, great cast again, um like like in every of these movies, like just an all star cast. And just a good run. What did you think about this, man? Like, again, I'm curious to hear your thoughts because you've watched all three Knives Out movies as well at this point then.
00:25:13
Speaker
Yes. Yeah, we reviewed that for the... Just another review. We have that short review. We did that little short. That was the first one we did. For Glonion? So if you want to catch up on what it's about. Yeah, the glass onion.
00:25:24
Speaker
But yeah, I... yeah I really like it. I think it's, these movies are really fun. There's something really light about them. They're, they're a popcorn film, ah film and films in many ways, but they're really well written. So they're not just stupid action movies. They're, they're just like really, really quippy and very wittily written.
00:25:43
Speaker
Daniel Craig is just like amazing. I think at all three of them, he's really, really great. and He's really good in this one too. It's cool that he just comes in and he's not really the main character in really any of the three in a strange way. like that He's kind of a side character. he is sort of a main character, but he's not. and it's kind of i He's almost like a reflection of the of the suspects in a large way. like A reflection of all the different characters in each one of them, which is awesome. and He's just so interesting. so I hope he really loves playing this role. I think he does because every time I see him in an interview talking about it, And every time it kind of comes up with Rian Johnson, it seems like they really like making these movies, which I really appreciate because I could just watch this –
00:26:24
Speaker
constantly for years. It would be cool if they just kept coming back to it, like maybe with a larger gap in between. um And that just like, I don't want them to just do this as an example. Like I'm kind of curious what else Rian Johnson might be as up his sleeve. Cause he's, well, it seems like he's winding down on poker face, like that TV show on Peacock because it kind of got canceled. So I'm curious to see what else he could do. I wanted to see the extra star Wars movies that Rian Johnson had cooking, but obviously that didn't come to pass.
00:26:50
Speaker
um But anyway, yeah. No, this is a super fun time. Super fun cast. The cast is, again, like all-star. It's crazy. Just like every one of the the the three. It's really excellent. like it's Again, it's all about the it's all in the writing. It's all in the cleverness. And and they're trying they're like trying to subvert expectations, but they don't completely. Even the title kind of gives it away in some way. But the question is more in this, like how...
00:27:14
Speaker
How does it happen? You know you don't quite guess it. like I kind of guessed some of it, but I didn't guess all of it. It was um almost impossible to guess all of it. I mean, I'm sure someone out there has, and maybe you did, but I just i guess some of the little aspects, but there's always a little surprising little twists that happen constantly, and you're not you weren't quite sure how it was going to go, um which is cool. like I kind of guessed...
00:27:37
Speaker
the killer sort of, but im like, that's not real. I can't i can't take credit. like I just can't. There's just too many elements that were so well designed. And I would agree, like Daniel Craig, kind of you can see more of his character. i think you feel I feel like you do see more of his character in every one. I feel like the first one's establishing. You're just establishing him as this incredible detective. And the second one, you kind of see a little bit of his private life a little bit right in the beginning. And then you kind of it kind of goes on from there.
00:28:02
Speaker
You can kind of see his compassion and and empathy, I think, throughout. And then this one, you see his take on religion and and morals, as you say. And I think that that was brilliant, too. The production values are also galore. I imagine these don't cost very much to make these films because they're in such a tight area. The the price of of admission must go towards the cast. They just must spend it. All on the all in the cast and because Rian Johnson's writing and directing it too. I feel like there's not a huge budget, ah which is for the rest of it, but the production values are really high. like It just seems like for what the the tight-knit spot that they film everything, it just seems like they get the details right. um But yeah.
00:28:43
Speaker
I don't know. this is maybe I feel like this may be Daniel Craig's best role that I've ever seen him in. it's it's so really It's funny because he's James Bond and everyone knows him as James Bond. i feel like I wonder about how much je Daniel Craig... kind of He's been in interviews, I feel like, and he's been kind of annoyed. James Bond is such a huge character that people just ask you for the rest of your life about James Bond. Pierce Brosnan gets that all the time. like I think there was an interview recently where Pierce Brosnan was like,
00:29:10
Speaker
what do you think James Bond's, like it was like this year, what do you think James Bond's take is on Christmas? It's like, and Pierce Brosnan gave them like a really like snapback, like clapback answer. Like, I don't give a fuck what he thinks. suck I think he said something like that.
00:29:25
Speaker
I'm like ah about Christmas. Like, well, why are you asking me? That's so stupid. It's a dumb thing. But then he like, he reeled it back in because he realized he's got to do this with grace. But I think like Daniel Craig is kind of a little bit, I feel like I get this idea that he's annoyed with the James Bond hype.
00:29:39
Speaker
a little bit but he this character honestly is his best role and it's so iconic that he they created a new character a brand new incredible detective if they could keep doing it like every five years again just draw it out for years it would be could be like a Sherlock Holmes type type character um but I don't know if Johnson would maybe get bored or Craig might get bored who knows but I, I'm just ands incredibly entertained. It's so funny. I turned this, this movie came up. There's a lot of movies on Netflix. I haven't caught up on. And I'm just like, yeah, i just want to watch this. I just want to watch this.
00:30:12
Speaker
Yeah. I think I watched it. the The first day it was out. If I recall correctly. i might have asked you Yeah. Yeah. yeah Like literally just like you open Netflix, it's right there. And like me and my wife, I'm like,
00:30:23
Speaker
i just sit You want to just sit and watch this? And it's like, yeah, let's do it. And then, yeah, you just put it on. and And I think you said it best. Like, it is a popcorn movie, but not in that, like, it's just a dumb, like, action movie with a bunch of stuff going on. It's just like, it's a popcorn movie because it's fun.
00:30:40
Speaker
While still being incredibly like expertly written and like, you know, your brain's constantly working, like trying to solve this mystery as it's unfolding ahead of you. And you're learning, you know, new pieces of information like the rest of the cast is. um yeah And yeah, it's it's very well done. And like you said, it's very witty.
00:30:57
Speaker
Like there is a lot of yeah wittiness in the writing and and the the comedy is is fantastic as well. Yeah, it's subtle comedy too. It's not never too much in your face. You just see the the quirkiness of these characters and like their little mannerisms and like I i like that.
00:31:15
Speaker
Daniel Craig's character is not only a reflection of this, like it's ah a reflection of the suspects, but he's always a reflection of the audience. Like you you kind of. you kind of live within him in a little way. He's and being introduced into this weird, wacky world that these people are living in. This strange, in this case, strange small town vibe. Very, very Catholic community. that This like got this, some really w whack job priest, like kind of leading their parish. it's it's just, ah it's such an interesting thing. Like they're all manipulated and he's just coming into this situation. He's like figuring it out. And he's so,
00:31:49
Speaker
He's so enthusiastic to be there just as I am enthusiastic to watch another one of these Knives Out mysteries, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. and And also, again, like you can kind of make parallels to what's going on in the real world and how easily some people can be manipulated, um whether that's by religion or just by pointing out extremes in in the opposition, quote unquote. um and
00:32:21
Speaker
More directly, actually, and in some way in this too. yeah definitely. They have a political slant a little bit. There's like one character who's very very much like that. Exactly. But it's it's done so well and it's it's so well written where it's not frustrating to watch that.
00:32:40
Speaker
it's It's just, again, it's so well-written where it's like, i pointed out Odd comparison, but you know, I pointed out how I went back or like tried watching Gen V, the second season of Gen V or whatever.
00:32:52
Speaker
It's a chance Gen V, right? Not Gen Z. Yeah. No, Gen V. Okay, sorry. Okay. And how like I got through that first episode, I'm like, I just can't watch this because it is again like a parody and it's a commentary on everything that's going on in society. But it's not like, I don't think it's written as well. It's just done in a way where this is annoying and frustrating. And it's like, I deal with enough of this is in my real life and see on the internet.
00:33:15
Speaker
I just, I simply just don't want to fuck with this. um So yeah, i don't know. It's, it's refreshing to come across something that is, I think a really good commentary of what's going on, but in a way that isn't annoying, but which is i like, I can't really point out what the difference is and how it's done.
00:33:33
Speaker
um I don't think I'm intelligent enough to like say the specifics, but there is a difference and it's, it's satisfying to watch unfold. I think like there's a this is a testament to Rian Johnson, though. This is why I also really like this guy as a creator. like I think that he...
00:33:50
Speaker
He's smart enough to write this and you can tell. And that's part of it too. Like this is a very clever mystery with like you're trying to figure out it's like this mystery box. You're trying to understand how the entire thing unfolds. You're not sure. But he wrote it smart enough that you're not figuring it out immediately or it doesn't – he's not tripping himself up with plot holes because he's he's really thought about all the elements.
00:34:13
Speaker
Mm-hmm. it's the devil in the details and the writing is so important. And this is like, this is the kind of, the series is a kind of a prime example of why writing is so important and why if you don't have the right writer doing it, it' it's going to be, it could be a disaster.
00:34:30
Speaker
I'm just, i don't know why I keep thinking of Army of the Dead, but but anyway, i it's just like, no, it's like that. It's not smartly written. Like you have to get that part right to start. And I think that's also a test. That's also a good example is James Gunn.
00:34:46
Speaker
Not to make a direct comparison to Zack Snyder immediately right after, but, but James Gunn, like he knows that he's got to get the scripts done first for the DCEU. I think that that's awesome.
00:34:57
Speaker
Like you got the scripts done. It's done. You know, when you have a solid strip script, then you start. And if you don't start there, then you're kind of, you're all up in the air. And I think Ron Johnson starts there. hey He must.
00:35:08
Speaker
So it's really impressive. I just overall I like this is an A plus from like I really love this series. It's never I don't know what I'm not sure it's not my favorite movie the year still. I don't know what would have made it my favorite movie ah movie of the year, but it was super fun to watch. And like I could watch these for again, unlimited number of times because they're so well done.
00:35:29
Speaker
So I'm a big fan. i agree. i agree. Nice, man. Cool. Are we reviewing this? You want to review it? I feel like we haven't reviewed something with a number score in a while, but maybe we have and I just don't remember. Yeah. would We just throw the number scores. What's the difference? Cool. You know, we're doing them for fun anyway. We're not, it's not like we're doing a, like a closer look segment, but I, my score is a four out of five.
00:35:52
Speaker
Oh, nice. my one I would say 4.5 out of five. Yeah, these movies always dance between four and a half and five. I think all three of them did the exact same thing because I gave it a four and a half for Glass Onion when we reviewed it together on our YouTube short. I'm pretty certain. And then I went back on it said, I don't know if it is a four and a half I put it a four. So it could change tomorrow. But my Letterboxd store, I believe, is a score right now is 4.0 out of 5. So I'm a fan. But for us, this would be 8.5 out of 10, Adrian.
00:36:23
Speaker
tent adrian Wow, dude. I can't even count that high. Oh, boy.
00:36:31
Speaker
That's unfortunate. Okay, well. Why? Because I assume you passed elementary school. That's why. Dude, that's crazy that you'd think that about me.
00:36:42
Speaker
Yeah, okay. Here, let's go back. I'm going to actually go To what? To the short? The YouTube short? Yeah. i think I think we gave it each a 4.5. I don't know why I think that. Or maybe you gave it a 4 and I gave it a 4.5. I'm pretty sure I gave it a 4.5, but when I went back, I think in Letterboxd earlier,
00:37:01
Speaker
Recently, I should say. Glass Onion, I think I reduced to a four at some point. i don't know I don't know what the difference is. It's it's amazing. four Four out of five. It's weird. like The scales for people is so strange. Most of my movies that I've reviewed this year are either three or above out of five, which to me is good, is great. Three is great out of five. and then The thing is is I don't watch a lot of bad movies because I don't want to watch bad movies. movies what's the point of doing that that's a waste of time so the generally every movie i watch is good like i have very few below that line i get surprised sometimes by a 2.5 i feel like in ah a two and a one i'm like that's very rare yeah 2.5 happens like uh like wolf with wolfman yeah just like it's just a movie yeah it's like i know it sounds stupid but like a 2.5 to me is worse than a two even
00:37:54
Speaker
I know it doesn't make sense, but like the 2.5 being like, it's so middle, it's it's just a movie. It's like boring. You can't make fun of it. If it's a two, you're like making fun of it. You're doing doing like a Troy on Abed in the morning. You know, you're making fun of movies as you, as you go.
00:38:12
Speaker
Yeah. exactly Okay. So here, it's kind of fun. It's fun. You make your fun in a different way. Like the room, the room is really bad, but you can at least make fun of it and you can have a good time with it. You know? Yeah, exactly. No, that that's exactly it.
00:38:24
Speaker
So here, don't copyright strike me for this, okay?
00:38:29
Speaker
Netflix's Glass Onion and Knives Out Mysteries. You're playing it. Much like the 2019 film in the Knives Out franchise, Glass Onion was written and directed by The Last Jedi director, Rian Johnson. It is a fantastic ensemble cast, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as mastermind southern detective, Benoit Blanc. as he visits a private island where a group of eccentric friends have been brought together by tech billionaire Miles Braun, played by Edward Norton, who's planned an elaborate murder mystery party weekend. particularly enjoyed this movie, The Lavish Island made for incredible set pieces involving beautifully lit shot composition, with composer Nathan Johnson's ominous yet incredibly fun musical score also lending itself wonderfully to the unbridled excitement that I felt while watching. And this movie was a darn good time with a mystery that slowly unveils itself in a dumb way. The cast plays off very well with one another. Benoit Blanc is an incredibly charismatic character as he was in the original movie. And I can continue watching these fun murder mystery flicks by Rian Johnson for years to come. But that's why I rate this movie a 4 out of 5. And I rate this movie a 4.5 out of 5. Together, our score is an 8.5 out of 10. interesting okay so we gave it the same score this time well we flipped each other and i i don't think that the last one was better i do think this one is better but it's like i'm splitting hairs at this point i i like this one better but i would i'd be closer to giving this one a 4.5 i just i softened on the first one i feel like we did it we did a review so quickly after like our short our youtube short so i think that may be why
00:39:52
Speaker
I was really
Gaming: Red Dead Redemption & Grand Theft Auto
00:39:53
Speaker
snappy. We're very fast. in Jesus. Yeah. We got to get it under a minute. that you Under a minute. At least that was what the rule was before. Yeah. You doing like, yeah the unbridled blah, blah, blah, blah. And like doing a nice review. I'm like, this was a darn good time. I'm like f freaking. We got a lot of them.
00:40:12
Speaker
We did a good job. I'm like uncle in Red Dead Redemption. You know, my vocabulary. Oh, you're playing Red Dead 2? Red Dead 1, sorry, now? Yeah, yeah. I'm nearing the end.
00:40:23
Speaker
I'm nearing the end. Nice. Sweet. What a great game, dude. It's, ah not to go off on a tangent, but yeah it makes me love Red Dead Redemption 2 so much more. And like, again, going off topic, yeah just because I want to talk to you about this real quick.
00:40:40
Speaker
But it's cool because I never played the original Red Dead Redemption. i like I played the first little bit of it. I even like went back because I'm like, how far did I get when I played it? looked at my achievements on Xbox 360. Not far. Maybe like five missions in.
00:40:55
Speaker
Um, and you know, again, I'm, I'm playing through this. So I didn't know the context who these characters are like, you know, who the villain is or anything like that. And then going like, and then I played obviously red dead redemption too in full. I loved it. I think it's a, arguably one of the great games of all time and having these characters, I guess, to understand the context of these characters, where they're from John Marston's gang, you know, Bill willing ah bill William, Bill Williaming him. Yeah.
00:41:23
Speaker
Yeah, that's one. him Williamson. no Yeah. You know, Javier Escuela. Although I do think Javier character from Red Dead 2 to Dead 1 is quite different. But again, it's like 12 year gap. So it's like this guy kind of went insane in Mexico so I can get behind it. But then like seeing Dutch and everything too.
00:41:42
Speaker
And it's like. They actually you don't really get to know their characters all that well in the original. I thought they would be way more prominent.
00:41:53
Speaker
And then you get all of the context, you know, back in Red Dead Redemption 2. Or I guess it's cool. Yeah. As a prequel. And it's like, there's just these little din lines of dialogue that like John will say, um you know, talking about his son being like, yeah, you know, like Dutch was like an uncle to him or something like that. You know, like I saw that. I witnessed this all play out from the perspective of, you know, a different character. And like, he's like, he has like this um conversation with, um,
00:42:21
Speaker
the one like cowboy in, in Mexico that like, you know, went, went down South and he meets him in the the small town and he used to be like kind of a killer, but now it's trying to be like a good person or whatever. He's redeemed himself. Like John is essentially trying to do in this game. And he's talking about like, yeah, you know, I ran with the old gang once we were like a family, you know, like, and then we did all this awful stuff and like our leader went crazy. And it's like, i witnessed all of that through the lens of like Arthur Morgan in Reddit to redemption too. And it's just, It makes me love red the original Red Dead even more, i guess or I guess, probably more than I would have loved it without playing Red Dead Redemption 2. And then again, having such a fine appreciation for the sequel that is a prequel in Red Dead Redemption 2. And it's it's crazy. And the one thing I also want to point out, man, there's an eight-year development gap between Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2. Yeah.
00:43:15
Speaker
Yeah. And the jump in quality from a gameplay immersion standpoint is unfreaking believable, dude. It's so, it's like a night and day difference. Not that it's bad. Like the original Reddit, it still holds up. Honestly, I'm having a really good time, but there's like these, the way they developed all these mechanics over the course of eight years and made arguably the most immersive video game ever.
00:43:40
Speaker
And now we're almost eight years away from red dead redemption to And literally nothing has come close to being of that scale and immersion. i would say at least what I have in an open world game, in an open world game. Sorry. yeah I guess it's like the last of us. I feel like it it kind of does it a little bit, but it's linear.
00:43:58
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. um But yeah, like to hit that, again, size, scale, scope in an open world game in this level of immersion, nothing has come you know close to it. And I'm not a Grand Theft Auto fan, but now I'm like, yeah, dude like Grand Theft Auto 6, like, what do you do? Like another eight year gap? Like, what have you accomplished in these eight years? Like, are how are you going to top red interruption 2 you know like it's it's nuts it makes me very excited for grand theft auto 6 just like replaying red dead redemption or sorry playing it's a curiosity and how it will like how it will influence the industry that's what's interesting to me most of all like whereas gta 5 the story's pretty good but it's just a satire of the u.s s and it's not that yeah i don't know it the story's not phenomenal that's the problem with
00:44:45
Speaker
Well, Red Dead 2, they lost a lot of their writers, like Dan Hauser's gone. So that's what I'm curious. like that From that era of Rockstar, they've lost a lot of the guys like Laszlo and Dan Hauser. So what does it mean for for GTA 6, I guess? But yeah, no, it's crazy. it's It's unbelievable. I didn't want to go back to play Red Dead 1 now because I still feel like they're going to make the...
00:45:07
Speaker
I still feel like they're going to do a remake of some sort. I just to feel like it makes sense, but I don't know. Maybe not. Maybe they're just going to get so tied up in the weeds of GTA Online's money cash cow, you know? Yeah. I don't know if there's going to be any way they'll go back, but...
00:45:22
Speaker
Yeah, it's cool. Yeah, it's cool to see the gap. Imagine though in 2008, that's when it came out, right? 2008? 2008 or 2011? Oh, 2010. Like, I can't remember which one was GTA 4. Yeah, g GTA 4, I think it was 2008. But yeah, like, it's crazy that if you look back, though, at that point, like, nothing was like that at that point in 2010, in a way.
00:45:41
Speaker
Like it was pretty crazy back then, but now it's such a big gap of time. They barely really remastered it. You're playing it on PS five, but they didn't really do much to it. It's just a 60 frames per second patch. Essentially it's not. And it's okay. Of course. Yeah. Like it does look really good.
00:45:56
Speaker
Like it it genuinely does. Like, I mean, obviously it shows its age in some, design and obviously like, you know, the facial animations aren't like the greatest. And again, there's, there's these little things, but it's like, I can get past it because I mean, the writing is so good, dude. It's so good. Like, and that's the best part about, it's hard to say it's the best part about these games. I think it's the best part of Reddit redemption, the original at this point in time. But I mean, Reddit redemption too, is like the perfect package of immersion, gameplay, Just like storytelling, storytelling, everything just in a. Amazing fucking thing, dude.
00:46:34
Speaker
And again, yeah, I don't know. i yeah I like playing through Reddit Redemption right now. I'm like, do I jump into Reddit Redemption? I'm like, I shouldn't. I shouldn't. I shouldn't. But I really want to. got wait for the patch.
00:46:46
Speaker
Yeah. At the very least. yeah That one will have a 60 frames per second patch or re-release at some point. It's just a question of when. And that's ah that's the stupid thing. It's like, why isn't it on PS5 natively? It makes no sense. And it's funny. i like I sell games constantly in retail and I'm just like, there's a $20 copy of Red Dead 2. I'm like, this is a no brainer. Just buy this unit. when When there's people who have like, I've not played anything in 10 years or something. They're like, i've been on I've been on Nintendo. It's like, this game is freaking a masterpiece. It's so good. But yeah.
00:47:19
Speaker
Yeah, i don't know. It's a strange strange company. because they they I don't know. it's true You never know. Maybe this next one won't be as good. ah There's this element that makes me think that maybe they've kind of been dawdling, that maybe they've been dilly-dallying because some of their at least their writing leadership left.
00:47:41
Speaker
So I don't know. But i'm I'm very excited. I'm curious. Did they say they're making a Red Dead... movie? Was that something that ever came? I thought that was rumored or we talked about that at one point. I feel like everything's rumored though. like I feel like youll you'll always hear like, oh, they'll make a movie out of this video game. I don't know if it's anything tangible. like i I doubt they've sold the rights or anything like that. so I don't know. I would love to see a Red Dead Redemption TV series like fucking have like a couple season TV series like break it down because man it's a master's it's my favorite game of all time it remains like if anyone asks me that question it's always the answer it easily comes to my mind but the the um yeah it's so good
00:48:25
Speaker
There's that moment in Red Dead 1. So I'm talking about Red Dead 2 for my favorite game of all time. But Red Dead 1, there's that moment in where you're going over the hill in Mexico. i just like That's like one of the most... And now that doesn't mean as much now because so that happens in Death Stranding 50 times. But like at the time, there was nothing like that in 2011.
00:48:44
Speaker
like you're riding You're riding into Mexico and then there's like ah an actual lyrical Jose Gonzalez song that just starts to play far away. And it's just playing... And it's just like so epic. There's just something so epic as you're riding over this plane over the border. I don't know why. It's just, it's so amazing. And it's Red Dead 2 does the same thing. They're just, there's cinematic elements like that just didn't happen too often before then.
00:49:09
Speaker
i feel like they'd be started to happen a lot more. That game, ah the last of us part one, which wasn't called that at the time. It was just the last of us. And the unchartered games kind of up to that point we're doing that a little bit too um but then then red did two does it the last was part two is it incredibly and the last was part two is so immersive i'm playing that now i i can't believe how again there's little little things like the idea of somebody like shaking out their their shoe to get water out or like putting up their hood when it's raining and taking it off when you go inside it's just there's like these tiny little um animations like why bother animating it but the last was part two of course is a linear experience it's not red dead it's scope and scale and the amount of money how much the money that costs like billion and a half i don't know i'm not even sure it must have cost at least a billion to make it feels like but yeah i'm so excited for gta because of what it might might mean for the industry yeah okay cool man that's great glad you like it yeah um but so yeah sorry about going off on that tangent but i just wanted to talk to you about it and i was like man this is a god so good That's
Stranger Things Emotional Impact
00:50:07
Speaker
pretty cool. And then again, last thing I watched, I finished the so a New Stranger Things episode, the three.
00:50:12
Speaker
You finished them? Yeah, it dropped last night. Me and my fiance watched them. Sweet. Really good. Emotional. I can't wait for the season finale. Series finale, I guess.
00:50:24
Speaker
and I'll talk about it in more detail once we get there. um Sweet. And then... Yeah. Did you watch Pluribus as well? You wrap up? I haven't finished it. So I got to the second. We just watched the second to last episode just before we started recording here, which was pretty good. It's pretty interesting. It's like taking a turn. i yeah I like how it's so unexpected. You just don't know going to happen.
00:50:46
Speaker
I look pretty much the whole way through. Yeah. It's been very good. Did you see you watch the ending? Yep. Great finish. Awesome. Watch that on Christmas Day as well, actually.
00:50:58
Speaker
So. sweet yeah so you celebrated mostly on christmas eve and then you did mostly yeah do as much on christmas so did you also i guess it's not really this is more of an italian tradition you didn't do anything like with fish as much except you said salmon oh okay yeah like i mean i cook salmon because yeah yeah yeah like there's a seven fishes type thing that's why i was asking that question okay yeah no we don't do that that Like technically like as Catholic, you're not supposed to eat meat on Christmas Eve.
00:51:28
Speaker
I don't follow that rule. Right. ah Yeah. That's kind of what I was asking too. Yeah. my My wife and like her, her mom, they, they do follow that. Um, it's just like a tradition that they've done forever. So like, so they can like, like that's why I made salmon.
00:51:45
Speaker
Oh, so they didn't eat the capitals. No, they, they ate that yesterday when we went over to, um, got Cassandra's mom's house. I brought bunch of cabbage rolls and then ate some cabbage rolls for dinner.
00:51:56
Speaker
That's awesome. Sweet. Yeah. Cool. We got sidetracked again. Sorry. Yeah, you watched all the Stranger Things. So you on Christmas Day, you didn't do as much. You're just kind of chilling. Chilling. Spent some time.
00:52:08
Speaker
Yeah. Stranger Things. Amazing? I love it, dude. Or not? Okay. I love it. It's really good. Emotional. ah Again, i I teared up like like four separate times in these last like three episodes. I'm like, am I just like emotional?
00:52:21
Speaker
There's something... There's something like a screw loose in my brain. The power of friendship just gets me going, dude. The power of friendship gets me going. And the perseverance of, of of you know,
00:52:33
Speaker
love is just so palpable. It's, I don't know. I, again, I was, I've just been emotional, I guess. But as I sit in there, I'm like crying. like, wow, this is powerful. This is good shit, dude. This is good shit.
00:52:45
Speaker
I'm really enjoying it. Um, so I'm excited for the, the, the finale in the coming days. But yeah, anyways, I've done enough talking. You tell me what you watched as well. Uh, I'll just get through it real quick here. Uh, I started of watching. So with Netflix, I kind of just wouldn't been like trying to get through as many things as possible so that before I cancel it, uh, for the third time this year, I I'm kind of done or I guess not, I guess, no, it won't be canceled before next year. Yeah. What am talking
Critique of The Walking Dead & Squid Game
00:53:14
Speaker
about? But yeah, but anyway, so been trying to get through as many Netflix things as possible, though, before the subscription is up for that for this month period, I think it's probably going to be a two month period. So the one thing I went back to for sure is The Walking Dead. It's interesting. Season 11 is weird. There's like this weird Eugene storyline in the midseason. There's a very weird episode. I'm like, this is the cheesiest episode I've ever watched this year. I don't remember it.
00:53:35
Speaker
of any TV show. So I'm like, this is very strange. I'm sure there's more cheesy episodes of any other TV shows. I'm sure there's like other weird Hallmark movies that came out that were way cheesier, but i didn't watch them. And so this is very strange to me.
00:53:48
Speaker
It's like strange love story sort of thing with Eugene. Anyway, it's strange. Oh yeah. Yeah. is It was like a weird, it just was not really well written. And it's in contrast to, I guess, ah you know, wake up dead man.
00:54:02
Speaker
I guess I'm watching it around the same time. It's weird. It's funny, i'll dude, you pointing that out. Cause it's the radio thing. It's the person he talks to on the radio. It's like Dustin and his girlfriend in stranger things. Except that was done well.
00:54:14
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And this is, yeah, yeah it was done well in stranger things, not in the lock of that. Dude, I forgot about that plot line entirely. Good call. It's just strange. I don't mind the radio thing. It's the writing in it. Like for this part of it is weird. Like there's one episode in the middle. I'm like episode 12 or something. It's like a very strange, like a mystery episode where he's like hunting somebody down. It's like, what's going on? This is a strange. It just doesn't feel like it's like you i feel like we're missing something here. Anyway, move on from that. We finished squid game ah season three.
00:54:46
Speaker
Very good. I liked it. I don't, it's not as tight, unfortunately. It's not as tight. I feel like the dub for the Billionaires specifically is bad. And I think it's bad because the writing is bad. It's not as much about the dub as much as the writing is not good. And the actors, they're not Daniel Craig, you know, they're not going to get through the, you're not going to get through the, the bad writing because they can act out the phone book. They're just going to, they're just random actors and they're not the greatest actor ever. You know, so they' they're just going to struggle with it.
00:55:17
Speaker
It's like it it felt very. I know you don't really watch like anime dubs and stuff, but like there's like good anime dub, I think a lot like with, you know, your Studio Ghibli movies and stuff. And then there's bad anime dub where I can't get into it. And I feel like the voice actors and the lines, it's like bad anime dubbing.
00:55:34
Speaker
It literally is just so out of place. It's weird. Yeah. Yeah, it was strange. And then the last game in the Squid Game, i found it was kind of peculiar. The way it was presented and the the the the association that the characters arrived at when they were kind of like hinted at what the game was, I thought that was very weird.
00:55:53
Speaker
i was like, what is... What's going on here? Like there was a lot of assumptions being made and I'm not sure that again, it's felt like it was worse writing. Are they rushed to make this season? I don't understand that. And then I think you mentioned this at at one point, but there's a certain CG in it that was like, it's a little bit jarring. I don't really care that much. It's fine. It's a little peculiar. That's actually the least, my least criticism, but I understand what you're talking about is what I'm trying to acknowledge yeah yeah because I think you mentioned this when you reviewed season three of Squid Game. really It's really I just thought that I don't know. i don't know. i didn't really love the writing at the... At the very end, it's fine, but there was like the pre... The the very last game, there was like some choices that characters were making that also just didn't make any sense. Like, you're not using your brain.
00:56:36
Speaker
Everyone's thinking about this, overthinking about it for like massive amounts of time. And then all of a sudden, they're going to just make stupid decisions. Like, you guys have so much time. So it doesn't make any sense. It just was frustrating to watch in like the dumbest way because the characters that we were we were presented initially...
00:56:51
Speaker
weren't really didn't end up being the same care. It seems like they like, they like hit their head on the, hit their head or something. And they just made stupid decisions. I feel like the main character, like Jiyeon, like, I feel like he largely stayed consistent, but the other characters, I feel like, like, what is going on? Like, they're just like changing their, their personality. It's very, it's, it's a little strange, like not massively.
00:57:11
Speaker
Didn't love that kind of writing though. Um, but it's good though. I still liked it. I also liked the tease at the end. I thought that was really cool. I knew that it happened though. I got us. I had to spoil for me way
House of Dynamite Film Review
00:57:20
Speaker
early. Yeah, me too. But that's really cool because I didn't realize.
00:57:24
Speaker
i don't think I knew this. I don't think I did. I don't know. Maybe I could have guessed it, but I feel like I didn't necessarily know that the American David Fincher show on Netflix is supposed to be a spinoff. Yeah.
00:57:36
Speaker
i don't know i didn't know that I don't know if I didn't didn't know that or I didn't remember it. But either way, it's super interesting because i i I knew the spoiler, but I didn't connect the dots that it was going to be a ah spinoff. But anyway, okay, so moving on from that, I also watched um a movie called, oh, it's even here, House of Dynamite, which is also on Netflix.
00:57:59
Speaker
That's the Catherine Bigelow directed film with Idris Elba. ah It's about a potential nuclear holocaust approaching the United States and how they were how they respond to that thing. It's got Rebecca Ferguson in it as a main character, Idris Elba.
00:58:13
Speaker
And it's, I will say this, wow, what a first... almost the entire movie. The ending is bad. It's really bad. It reminds me at of Eddington, but in a different way. Because Eddington just like jumped the shark. And then this one is like a different way. I don't want to spoil it. i I really don't understand how you drop the ball that badly personally, because it seems to me like you just...
00:58:36
Speaker
decided not to i don't know i don't want to spoil it but i i think you should get you think it was like meddling where it's like oh we we got to make an ending that's gonna appease to the masses more so like more light-hearted or something like that or no i don't think it's appeased any masses Okay, fair enough. I don't think anyone who watches this that's not like really wants to like just think about it in a really, really intellectual way would not think that this was a disappointment.
00:59:04
Speaker
ah Even that type of person I think would still find it disappointing. I just think the ending is... I don't know. I think that throughout though, it's anxiety inducing. It's really well done. The production design, the devil's in the details. like The way they they look at how the actual nuclear like nuclear defense system in the United States works and how it would work to fire missiles at in like an opposing nation or anything like that and how scary that is. It is freaking scary. It's awesome in that way because I didn't really know how that works. so If you're interested And how the missile defense, I'm sure it's pretty accurate to the various extents. I'm sure they take dramatic liberties to to just kind of make it like you know very tense. But it is really cool in that way. I just feel like the payoff isn't necessarily that good. But i the devil, Catherine Bigelow like killed it. Her cast kills it in terms of the devils and the details. But the writing...
01:00:00
Speaker
for how it ends, I'm like, oh, it's so disappointing. Both me and my wife, no, was going to say fiance, were very disappointed in it. It's not bad, though. The movie, I still give it a three out of five, actually, in Letterboxd. So I don't think it's bad.
01:00:13
Speaker
It just reminded me of Eddington. And then
Nostalgia for Polar Express
01:00:16
Speaker
I gave Eddington a three out of five as well, if I recall. No, I gave it a 2.5 in the end. i don't remember. I was so disappointed that Eddington's ending. I don't know. i should be like that ending.
01:00:26
Speaker
and Oh, that's a good one. Actually. That's actually a good one, dude. That ending ending. I like that. Bad ending. Yeah. Cool. Anyway, so stupid. Okay. ah Yeah, that's pretty much it. What else did watch? Oh, lastly, but not leastly Polar Express. Do you like Polar Express?
01:00:44
Speaker
Never watched it. Polar Express is the most, in some way, underrated Christmas movie. And I say it's underrated because the rating on Rotten Tomatoes is very poor. I love Polar Express. It's a Robert Zemeckis movie, that the the director of Cast Away and Forrest Gump and Back to the Future. And I really legitimately think this movie is awesome.
01:01:05
Speaker
Because did you ever read Polar Express as a kid? Never. Oh, that's the same with my wife. Like she'd never read it either. Like Dawn has never read it. It's strange. Like it's a very, it's a children's like picture book, but it's just, it's, it's animated in such a way that I feel like they completely nailed in the actual movie. People criticize it as being almost uncanny Valley. I i get it in some way, but I don't really agree. I think it it it very much captures the essence of the book.
01:01:33
Speaker
But yeah, I never watched it as a kid. I remember this would be like one of the movies that they would play, you know, like in when you're in elementary school. And then i don't know if your school did this, but like just the day before, you know, Christmas break, they would bring everyone into the gym and then play a movie ah on like on like a projector or something like that. yeah Sure, sure, sure. So like I remember one year they played this movie and I remember just sitting there being like, I don't like this, like just like visually. And I feel like I zoned out or like, you know, me and my friends were just talking or something like that.
01:02:01
Speaker
um So I never watched it fully, but I always remember like looking at it being like, I don't feel good about how this looks. Interesting. Almost like ah remember that movie Beowulf?
01:02:13
Speaker
Yeah, like that forever that doesn't that looks bad. you i' been i I agree with. Yeah, like I remember being a kid and seeing that and being like, oh, man, this seems like so up my alley. It's like warriors and crazy stuff.
01:02:24
Speaker
And then like looking at that animation, i just remember being a kid being like, something's not right. And, you know, I couldn't discern what's the Beowulf is a live action movie. So sort of like it's a very weird mashup of things. It doesn't really make sense. it's like a weird art style. I don't really get that. That that felt that movie. I remember it felt empty.
01:02:44
Speaker
and I don't know why that's my my remembrance of that. Like maybe I'm soulless. That could be a two. I don't feel like that for Express at all, but I really... The music by Alan Silvestri, the composer for Avengers, like an Avengers Endgame, that classic theme, that composer is amazing. I have not really looked at his work in that much detail. He did Back to the Future as well. He's amazing. The music in this is so good.
01:03:11
Speaker
It's so good. And Tom Hanks is like every character, and that's why it's so interesting to me. like It was so interesting to me for years is Tom Hanks has so many characters in... Polar Express. Like he is every character almost.
01:03:22
Speaker
It doesn't make any sense. It's awesome in that way. And it's like there is motion capture as well. So it's kind of an early days of motion capture because it came out in 2004. But I really think it's great. And it's it's almost like a kid's dream of what like like of what of Christmas magic. It's a very weird. It's almost haunted.
01:03:42
Speaker
Don thought like, wow, this is like, is this a horror movie? Many times throughout the movie, which is very strange. <unk>s like It's like a kid's horror movie in some strange way. There's like a lot of weird threats against the children's lives in some weird way. But this ah there's things that just don't make any sense. And I think that's the point. And I love the way it's plotted and done. I just, I don't know. I think it's underrated. i think Rotten Tomatoes is this wrong. And I think it captures the music.
01:04:07
Speaker
Sorry. Captures the magic of Christmas in a huge way. And it's very nostalgic for me too. I have a lot of memories of watching it like at Christmas or Christmas Eve. And like my, my family's in the other room and like, we're like, everything's winding down and it's just on the TV. It was just so happened to be on the like network television at some point on some channel. And it would just have it on the, know, the catheter ray tube TV, just in the living room. And, next to the mantle with all the stockings all emptied because it's Christmas Day. And so I don't know. There's just something about that. It's very nostalgic. But the music is legitimately amazing.
01:04:38
Speaker
That is for sure. If anyone has any criticism of this movie, I don't think it would ever be the music. I think Alan Silvestri just murders. But I also think that the overall thing is very – it's very interesting. It's just strange.
Santa Claus Movie Reflections
01:04:48
Speaker
like You're like, what's going to happen next? There's something about It's a kid's movie, but it's like it's very dark at times. There's very strange – Strange things. with my My wife and I were thinking talking about Santa Claus, the first Santa Claus movie. We didn't see it this year, but we thought about it and were like, maybe we should watch that next year with Tim Allen. The first movie is actually quite dark. It reminds me of a Pixar movie in some way. like He pushes Santa Claus off the roof. That's the whole premise. He doesn't push him. he He doesn't push him, but he dies regardless.
01:05:16
Speaker
He scares him. He scares him. And Santa falls and then dies and then he puts on the Santa suit and becomes Santa. But it's think about how crazy that is. Santa Claus dies. it's it's that's kind of a but It's kind of about a divorce in some strange way. It's like a very strange movie. it's like And then they go to the next, the sequels and the freaking TV show, and it's really not at all the same vibe at all. You can watch the TV show.
01:05:40
Speaker
we We did. We started watching the TV show and we couldn't get through it because it's just so... The the kids are like... Man, it's fun to watch if you want to look at his children. Allen's characters, like Santa Claus's children, are like... They're... i don't know. They're very sheltered. They're the most sheltered children I've ever seen. It's cool because...
01:05:58
Speaker
it makes sense that they'd be sheltered because they're grown up next to these, like, like a different race of people in the North pole. So it's like, yeah, I guess this makes sense, but it also is just jarring and they're very stupid.
01:06:11
Speaker
Like I can't, I can't, I couldn't do it. We didn't watch it this year. It was two years ago. or year yeah Fair enough. Was it two years ago? Or last year. Anyway, point is, the first Santa Claus movie's vibe is very interesting. I kind of find it similar to Polar Express in that it's it's dark in ways that you wouldn't kind of expect in a kid's movie. Because a Santa Claus movie is this kid's movie.
01:06:31
Speaker
Yeah. um Essentially. But anyway, yeah. I really like Polar Express. I recommend it. You're going to have to go in with an open mind because obviously the animation is dated as well. But I think it overall it captures. If you look at the storybook, it's a crazy. they They got some frame by frame by frame. It's insane what they have captured in conjunction with the actual book. So I really like it.
01:06:54
Speaker
But yeah, that's it. That was my Christmas spirit movie that we watched this year. Nice. And we had a little apple cider we when we watched it. Hot apple cider? Yeah, hot apple cider with the cinnamon stick inside.
01:07:06
Speaker
I don't like hot apple cider. I mean, honestly. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I like cold apple cider. They're both good. Yeah. and then And then we had a pumpkin pie. but We bought some pumpkin pie. and We made some whipped cream from scratch.
01:07:18
Speaker
And we put the whipped cream on on top. Little dollops of whipped cream. It was really good. It's very, very festive. And it felt, i don't know, that that was the, I was the most in the Christmas spirit I've been in a while this year. And I think it's partially because I don't have to work on Boxing Day, I think. Because usually have to rush home.
01:07:34
Speaker
Um, our Christmas family celebration yesterday went until like freaking one in the morning. Like if I had to work the next day in retail, it would have been a nightmare.
01:07:45
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, what when I, cause you asked like, when do you want to record? And I was like, I'm assuming you're working today. So like I'm, I'm free, you know, like tomorrow. You're like, no, I can do today or tomorrow. was like, wow.
01:07:56
Speaker
Got lucky. Simon not working
Entertainment News Montage
01:07:58
Speaker
retail for for the first time ever. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. Let's now move on. Unless you've got more that you want to talk about that you watched, Adrian.
01:08:11
Speaker
No. I think I'm good. no I can't remember watched anything else. All right. Now on to the montage, a sequence of our show in which I briefly present at least seven of the bi-weeks smaller news stories as Adrian delivers a brisk verdict.
01:08:24
Speaker
Number one, the Keith Stanfield... actor like Keith Stanfield, has been cast to play NBA star Dennis Rodman in a previously semi canceled Jonathan Majors starring film, which follows Dennis Rodman's famously wild 1998 trip to Vegas during the NBA Finals. The Mandalorian director Rick Fumaiwa is set to direct. Hmm.
01:08:47
Speaker
Interesting. I have no attachment basketball or anything like that. So Not really for me. Fair enough. Number two, according to publication deadline, Disney Plus has decided not to move forward with their Holes TV series adaptation that they've been cooking up for a while now.
01:09:03
Speaker
the The gender bent Holes movie where it's all all young women in the Holes TV show. Good stuff. That's funny. I was kind of interested in that. I like the Holes movie a lot. I enjoyed it as well.
01:09:17
Speaker
Shia LaBeouf. Yeah. Number three, according to Deadline, Kong Skull Island actor John C. Reilly has been cast alongside shrinking actor Jason Segel in Apple TV's Jason Segel written thriller Sponsor. Oh, OK. Interesting cast. I like seeing John C. Reilly in more Serious roles. Number four.
01:09:38
Speaker
Apple TV has greenlit a Monarch Legacy of Monsters spin-off TV series following Wyatt Russell's Colonel Lee Shaw as he attempts to thwart a Soviet plan to use a Titan, meaning like a Godzilla-like Titan, as a weapon during the Cold War of the 1980s.
01:09:55
Speaker
Monarch Legacy of Monsters writer Joby Harold is set to showrun the new series. You could also say Kaiju. A kaiju is those big titans. Yeah, interesting. This is actually cool. I'm i'm into this. I'm into this.
01:10:09
Speaker
I like the Monarch TV series quite a bit. So let's get some more. Let's get some more. Number five. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paddington 2 director Paul King has been hired on to direct a La Boo Boo movie for Sony Pictures.
01:10:25
Speaker
Why'd you say Hollywood Reporter? Because you had a type town there, Hollywood. That's what it says. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Fair enough. Sorry. Sorry. I'm messing up the flow here. Do you not get this reference?
01:10:37
Speaker
You get this reference, obviously. Yeah. from From BoJack, right? Is that what you're referring to? Yeah. Yeah. and We don't have to call it out directly here. Okay. Okay. i Sometimes I just do that. I've been doing that for years. sir your I feel like it's the first time you've ever noticed it. 100% first time I've ever noticed Oh my god, really? Yeah. okay At least from my recollection. I like pat Paul King. um Yeah.
01:11:02
Speaker
I don't know, man. I don't know about this Labubu stuff. it's It's weird. They're weird looking creatures. they're Have you seen a Labubu? I have. What is this? Why is this popular and how are you going to make a movie out of this?
01:11:13
Speaker
i don't know. They made a Barbie movie. And that was really good. That's pretty... I mean... i was a really good movie. That's pretty different, though. Yeah. Wouldn't you say? I mean, they're a toy. Yeah, that's similar. That part's similar.
01:11:25
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. All right. Number six. Spider-Man Brand New Day has wrapped filming, Adrian. That's so cool. Did they wrap it in their webs?
01:11:37
Speaker
Is it... Not this... Anyways, don't worry about that. Just keep going. i don't know what I was trying to do there. Number 7 As announced by DCU CEO James Gunn on social media, German actor Lars Eidinger has been cast as Brainiac in the upcoming Superman sequel Superman Man of Tomorrow.
01:11:58
Speaker
Wow, very cool. I think there was a there was a lot of um thought that that that brainiac would be the villain. So this is, I guess, confirming. Yeah. Number eight, according to publication Variety, Chernobyl director Johan Reink has been hired on as director for Netflix's TV series adaptation of the action adventure video game series Assassin's Creed.
01:12:20
Speaker
Wow, cool. I still got watch Chernobyl. Still gotta watch it. Number nine. On December 14th, 2025, this is Spinal Tap director Rob Reiner and his wife were tragically murdered in their own home.
01:12:35
Speaker
Yeah, that's fucked up stuff. I'm kind of shocked that you just kind of added this. I just read it as you were reading it. Good thing to point out. Messed up situation. Very sad. Rob Reiner, probably best known as, um...
01:12:50
Speaker
ah Jess from New Girl, Zooey Deschanel, her father. That's probably his best known role, I would assume. Or that business guy in The Bear. Yeah. Or Leonardo DiCaprio's dad in in Wolf of Wall Street.
01:13:05
Speaker
Oh. Huh. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, I'm sure those are the most known known roles he's known for. And that concludes The Montage.
01:13:16
Speaker
I caught you off guard there. You did. i wasn't expecting it. You didn't clearly read this document before. I did. i don't know how to read. How many times I got to freaking tell you said that you knew about this before that he was killed. I knew that he was dead, that he passed away in a tragic murder. um This one I felt like I couldn't not bring ignore. Usually i kind of just don't do the and in memoriam stuff, but I feel like he is legitimately a legend. I love The Princess Bride.
01:13:42
Speaker
um I think it's amazing. i don't know if you've ever seen it, but I really like it as a film. And so, i don't know. As a director and in industry icon, I thought this was a good one to put in. But that's why I put it at the end. I was like, should I put it at the beginning? But then I set the tone pretty, pretty dour.
01:14:00
Speaker
And so then it's hard to kind of go back from that. I don't know. So then I put it at the end. I didn't want to make it a main news story because I just wanted to bring it up. Yeah, but maybe the montage is too quippy for for that for it to be placed there. But yeah, anyway, sorry about that. It's all good, man. Don't worry about it.
01:14:16
Speaker
We're cool. Assassin's Creed. Ass ass in. just want point out like, is that going to be good? i don't know. There's potential. Johan Rank? That's pretty. i I don't know. I never watched Chernobyl, but by all accounts, it's a really great show.
01:14:32
Speaker
I don't know. I think anything can be good, including the little boo-boo movie. Take it seriously. and That one, that's the one that is the least likely. In this entire list of things we just talked about, that's the least likely to be.
01:14:44
Speaker
like I should not not shouldn't say least likely to be good because it's Paul King. I would say if you were to tell me that you were going to make any of these things like the you know Assassin's Creed as ah as ah as a film or a TV show, or you're going to make the Colonel Lee Shaw spinoff, or you're going to create the LeBubu movie.
01:15:03
Speaker
Like, I think the LaBuba movie would be the one with the absolute most chance to fail. I can't even believe, why is Paul King doing this? You would think the LaBuba movie would be like a straight-to-DVD type, well, it doesn't have any more straight-to-streaming type situation.
01:15:17
Speaker
It's just popular. and i go Dude, i would I would bet money on it that it's probably money. um That's making him it. I'm to guess that. Yeah, but you know what's interesting is that how much money would they have offered him to do Paddington 3? And he's like, no, I'm going to do Wonka. I mean, I guess maybe they gave him more money for Wonka. Is that what happened?
01:15:36
Speaker
Or maybe he wanted to do Wonka. That's what I thought. That's what I was thinking. He just changed his mind. He's like, you know what I don't want to just cash the check. I want to make Wonka because I'm interested in it. That's what I thought. And that's why I think the Lububa one is strange. Yeah.
01:15:49
Speaker
And he's like, I'm taking Sally Hawkins out of Paddington 3. Right, for Wonka. Yeah. Yeah. yeah Academy ah Awards nominated actor, Sally.
01:16:02
Speaker
so Wait. Yes. Sally Hawkins. Sally Hawkins, yeah. Why am I thinking somebody different? Are you thinking Sally Field's? Yeah, that's what I'm doing. Yeah.
01:16:12
Speaker
Yeah, you're right. not No, but it's notes Academy Award. No, I'm talking about for Shape of Water. I just thought her name was wrong. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Sally Fields, Academy Award winning actor, Sally Fields. But yeah, no, no.
01:16:25
Speaker
Sally. Best known for a role and Mrs. Doubtfire. correct Sure. Actually, probably. Probably in modern, for modern day, maybe yeah at this point. But so Sally Hawkins, it's funny, that's one of those those rare moments where I literally saw her face and understood her role that she played in and understood her brilliant performances for Sally Hawkins and then thought, I don't feel like her name sounds right. and That's why I looked it up.
01:16:53
Speaker
That's rare. Usually you're like, huh, I'm seeing someone else. But no, that's not what I was doing. Anyway, Adrian, it's now move on. It's now time. It's now move on. It's now move on. It's now time to dive into...
01:17:09
Speaker
A trilogy of topical tidings, a component of our show where we discuss at least three film and TV industry news stories that have been somewhat zeitgeisty over the past two weeks.
01:17:20
Speaker
Adrian, the first one is a follow-up on what we talked about last time, last episode, episode 125. I'm just going to give you a quick quick blurb and we can go at it. Okay, so basically Warner Brothers is being purchased by Netflix, or so we thought, because then there was a hostile takeover bid, which we talked about last time. And the Warner Brothers Discovery Board of Directors wrote a letter to shareholders urging them to ignore the Paramount hostile takeover bid and back the Netflix deal.
01:17:48
Speaker
They cited an ambiguity but ambiguity in Paramount's funding as a as as a reason. They also talked about how it was weird that Larry Ellison wasn't backstopping the deal.
01:17:58
Speaker
Like the Ellison family, which is very rich, billionaires, they didn't they decided not to stand behind the deal in like a more substantial way. And so the shareholders rejected the bid, which is interesting. That's a development from what we knew about last time we talked about it.
01:18:13
Speaker
But then Larry Ellison stepped in and then he did backstop the deal. So he tried to recreate the the conditions of the same deal. So the same a monetary amount, they were giving more money to shareholders, theoretically, per share. It was like $30 per share. So a lot of money.
01:18:28
Speaker
It was over $100 billion, I believe, for the overall Warner Brothers purchase. And then they were also putting a $5.8 billion dollars termination fee in place, which is the same as what Netflix was offering. so that So basically, they matched Netflix, and then they backstopped the deal.
01:18:42
Speaker
They didn't remove, though, the the funding from the Sovereign Wealth Fund of of Saudi Arabia and the other wealth funds in the Middle East, which are still a part of the deal. But Jared Kushner's affinity partners, Jared Kushner being husband to Ivanka Trump and connected to the Trump organization in a deep way,
01:19:01
Speaker
He has dropped out of the deal. He's dropped his involvement of involvement in the Paramount Hostile takeover bid altogether. i have a theory about that. I feel like this possible because Kushner, I think, may be involved in the decision-making process for when these actually deals might go through. And maybe they they thought it was too on the nose for him to be directly involved. I don't know.
01:19:21
Speaker
Who knows what the reason is? But anyway, um so basically now it's just the Ellison family and the various Middle East ah sovereign wealth funds that are involved in this purchase. it's Ellison family, Paramount's guidance, and then $20 billion something, some odd dollars of sovereign wealth fund funds to basically fund the deal. And then the other development on the flip side, because Netflix is still the winning bid at the moment, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has restated his commitment to the concept of the theatrical releases at a content showcase for French distributor Canal Plus when he said, quote, "'Our intentions when we buy Warner Brothers will be to continue to release Warner Brothers studio movies in theaters with the traditional windows.'"
01:20:08
Speaker
Those movies will flow through the Canal Plus output deal, as he's just just mentioning because he's talking to his partners. We never got into it before but because we never owned a theatrical distribution mechanism. We were monetizing movies through our own subscription because that's how we were growing the business the fastest, unquote. Adrian, thoughts on the developments?
01:20:29
Speaker
Anything you think or anything you read that I maybe didn't write here that you're interested in um or want to talk about? um I don't know. It's it's interesting. you know i still I know Ted Sarandon is saying, like yeah, we're going to continue doing the theatrical distribution. I just i think he's lying. I genuinely believe that. I think you know maybe they're going to purchase Warner Brothers and then after a couple of years, it's going to either dramatically sort dramatically shorten down. um and and um
01:21:01
Speaker
like i think i think he actively wants to kill the theater industry, like genuinely. um because it's going to bring him more profits with subscription services and everything like that. He is a businessman. you know It's a bunch of billionaires doing all this all this stuff to to ultimately benefit their shareholders and you know benefit their business model.
01:21:18
Speaker
So i don't know. I don't believe him there. I still would rather I think Netflix win this over Paramount personally, um although I think both of these situations are pretty negative. It is kind of just funny to me, though.
01:21:34
Speaker
like It's essentially daddy's coming in to bringing in billions of dollars to help this deal go through. and it's just, it's so stupid, man. i don't understand how we like, I mean, again, we're all on the ground watching this happen and it's just like,
01:21:51
Speaker
and and people are cool with this. It's just, I just, I can't wrap my head around it, man. It's, i don't know. It just feels like a, sorry, go ahead. The elected officials who were voted in to potentially stop the deal from going through aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing. Like,
01:22:07
Speaker
do That's crazy. du Does the regular person, like you and me, I mean, we're not related because we're not in the United States. It would be a United States deal situation. So the American citizens, do they, those average people, do they think this is good?
01:22:18
Speaker
I guess that's the question. Because if they think it's bad on average, then I guess the people in Congress should step up and say, no, we're not going to have this happen. Definitely. And that's just not the the situation they have in the United States government, largely, at least from what I'm seeing from the outside looking in.
01:22:35
Speaker
But yeah I don't know. I don't know. I feel like just from a nationalistic point of view, like why wouldn't you want an american like your American company to, you know add of these two options, be absorbed by the other American company in full as opposed to selling it to the Middle East that you're constantly, you know, having wars in and, you know, a, a very racist society um of, I mean, you know, like people are just naturally racist ah to to the Middle East based on, you know, the events of 9-11 and everything like that. It's just, it's a weird situation that's going on. And then again, like that society, like specifically, you know, Saudi Arabia, the sovereign wealth and all that stuff, like it's just, it does not mesh with Western culture. And
01:23:25
Speaker
I, I, I'm not saying like, you know, they purchased this business and they're going to change it to, you know, match their values and everything like that. Cause I don't, I don't know if that's going to happen. That's way above my knowledge. I don't know these people. I don't know what their intentions are. Chances are they just want to make a shit ton of money. Cool. But it just, it does not mesh. They're killing you for being gay, throwing you off buildings, like hanging you you doing things that we just have freedoms over here for.
01:23:54
Speaker
Killing American journalists, which is obviously a big no-no as well. Yeah. All the things you said. like I just don't understand. LGBTQ plus individuals. It's very...
01:24:06
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. It's whitewashing. They're just, yeah we're allowing it to kind of be ah be allowed to be okay in a weird way by allowing the funding to go through. If it if it allows, if it is, if it is does in fact happen, which I feel like Netflix may just outbid them again. Mm-hmm.
01:24:22
Speaker
ah They'll just – another weird bidding war will happen even though it kind of already happened. It'll just occur again theoretically. But then it just depends on how much maybe the United States government favors Larry Ellison to such an extent that it won't matter. Maybe it will just – I don't know. Maybe Netflix will just get pushed aside depending. yeah um I don't know. how much cool How much will the corruption go – forward to? like Would it be bribery? what would What would end up happening? Because Larry Ellison's got a lot of money.
01:24:55
Speaker
first don't know Yeah. It's just dumb though, because it's like a government that is so America first as their tagline being okay with, again, the Middle East coming in and buying one of your companies essentially.
01:25:08
Speaker
Because I think they are funding a lot of it, um if not the vast majority of it. I might be mixing it up with the EA deal because I think like the sovereign wealth fund is like, it's like 90 something percent that they're funding for that. That was the EA deal.
01:25:20
Speaker
Okay. This is 25. This is like under, so the overall deal was like onto over a hundred million dollars for this Warner Brothers purchase, but it's like 20 million, 25 million dollars is coming out of the, sorry, sorry, did I say a million? Oh my God. Yeah. Imagine $25 billion is coming out of the wealth, that combination of wealth funds through Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and I think, are you a, yeah.
01:25:45
Speaker
Yeah. It's just, i don't know. I just don't understand it. I think it's, I mean, it's all hypocrisy, man. It's all fucking bullshit. you know The EA thing is crazy. That's a crazy one. Because that's a very deeply American company.
01:25:58
Speaker
And that the fact that that seems to be going off without a hitch is quite disappointing, actually. I don't know. It does conflict the way I look at EA, especially because it's the vast majority of the the funding, as you just pointed out.
01:26:13
Speaker
That's a, that's a huge issue. EA electronic arts is a huge video game publisher in the in the United States and publishes some of the biggest games every year. And it's really unfortunate that this happened because again, it's whitewashing. It's like, we're just going to accept that this giant company owns this. I don't think they're going to change the content of the games or the content of Warner brothers. they're just going to let them do their thing.
01:26:37
Speaker
i don't I don't believe. I think they're going to change the content in the in the way of they have to cut things. I think we're going to get less And only focus on the things that are going to make them their money back.
01:26:51
Speaker
Oh, that's true. I meant more like that's to happen with with whatever version of a yeah acquisition happens. But I'm saying it's not going change. They're not going change it for political censorship reasons.
01:27:03
Speaker
But it's funny you say the American first thing. We're not a political podcast, but there's this element like, are they not starting a war with Venezuela? Is that America first? doesn't doesn't look It doesn't look like it.
01:27:16
Speaker
They're bombing boats for... Anyway, I don't know. That's very peculiar. That illustration is a fucking joke, dude. It's just strange. i don't want again I'm not going to make a judgment call, but I mean, is that America first? Just ask yourself that question.
01:27:28
Speaker
No. Winnie the Pooh's in the F-C-E-N Files. Yeah, that they're that they're drip feeding even though they're supposed to launch them all at once. Yeah. Isn't that against the law? Everything's redacted. What do I know? that Well, the redactions theoretically have to happen because you've got to respect the victims. But they just release them at once. Yeah, but the entire page. It's pages where it's just black. It's just bars.
01:27:50
Speaker
Oh, yeah. True that. It's like, it's just, I don't know, man. It's like, I don't know. I just... Anyways, yeah not to get too political, but it's just, I don't ah understand how you can be supportive of your current administration. it just I just don't wrap. I like, you know, if you're a Republican, you know, you you you're pro-life, you know, all of that stuff. I i can wrap my head around I get it.
01:28:10
Speaker
um But like to be a supporter of who are you? argue Why? What? Like, you just come on, man. Just explain it to me. Explain it. yeah I'm genuinely curious.
01:28:22
Speaker
Yeah. I'm genuinely curious. Apart from it just being like, yeah. America. Like, shut the fuck up. Well, you know, so my thought process, and i've I've said this for years, is that it's like, it's a team game.
01:28:35
Speaker
And we've talked about this before. There's this idea that you're on one side or the other. It's PlayStation versus Xbox. You know what i mean? Yeah. It's, It's conservatives versus liberals. Like our our that conservative government here, and that we don't have a conservative government here, but the conservatives like the the actual federal conservatives in Canada, the blue, our blue version. Yeah, was we flipped the colors in Canada. But like our blue conservatives and are red liberals, like the the liberals are, they seem to be wanting to actually make change. And they're quite conservative, actually. They're the ones that are currently in power. Whereas the conservatives just complain, complain, complain, complain. No matter what you do, you want a pipeline? Oh, we want more than the pipeline, even though we asked for this exact thing that last year. where We want more than that. Then just complain.
01:29:20
Speaker
And that's, so there's an element of like the team game, people on picking on either side. So if you're picking a Republican or Democrat, or you're picking the liberals or conservatives, whatever it may be. There's this element of like, it doesn't matter what they do. It's kind of like, I have to, I have to side with my people.
01:29:35
Speaker
There's like, I have to have somebody to believe in. There's it's like an absence of God type situation. Like, we're in a more secular society than ever. And you have to have somebody to believe in and you believe in your Lord and savior, Donald Trump, I guess. I don't know. It's just peculiar to me. Like if you look at what's happening, you would think, well, this is absurd. But it's like, I don't really care what happens. It's us against them. It's always us against them. We got to deport these people because they're from Mexico 20 years ago and they didn't completely fill out their paperwork, you know, like but they've been working here and paying taxes for years. Like, you don't know, that's not enough. Like, it's a strange. So like, God wouldn't want their criminals. Deport them.
01:30:11
Speaker
hundred percent. You know what God doesn't want them there. Okay. Yeah, that's right. God built these borders. Okay. Yeah, it's but it's ah us versus them. And that's the problem. is like It's a team game. it's like the It's actually the better analogy to to all analogies is sports. It's like this idea that they're playing on a startt they're voting for their sports team. They're like, oh, it's like it's the the Jets versus the – I picked the wrong thing because I don't know football probably more than any other sport. um Versus the Vikings. Sure.
01:30:41
Speaker
Sure. you know, or the Patriots or whatever. And think so you're, you're kind of, you're, you're voting for your, the Kansas city chiefs. It's your colors. And so that's a, that's, but that's another way to do it. I, I, my recommendation to everyone, again, you should be an undecided voter and you should go for the, the, the, the lesser of the evils because none of the options are going to give you the best option.
01:31:01
Speaker
There's this idea like we're going to abstain from voting this year because Biden didn't quite, quite meet my quota of how I wanted him to deal with the Israel Palestine situation. it's like, yeah, No, you don't abstain from voting. That doesn't tell anyone anything. You're just going to get the the other guy in. Is that is that useful? you Pick other things that you believe in. You only believe in one thing. Anyway, this is a way too political. Let's move on. But um it is bizarre. That's what it is. It's a team game. So we'll see what happens with this. But I will go back out on the flip side of the not less political part of this.
01:31:32
Speaker
When Ted Sarandon says...
01:31:36
Speaker
The thing where he's like, we were we were monetizing movies through our own subscription service because that's how we were growing the business the fastest. I love that line. Because that to me, you said he's lying.
01:31:49
Speaker
That's what makes me think he's not telling the whole truth. That's how we're growing the business fastest. they Dude, the that's your bitter industry the theater industry hasn't grown.
01:32:02
Speaker
yeah But the theater industry hasn't grown. right like so I mean, Warner Brothers had a pretty great year this year. but And actually, Disney's actually hit $6 billion. they're They're on track to, at least. They're hitting $6 billion dollars with Avatar and for the first time since 2019 in terms of the box office results, which is pretty cool.
01:32:23
Speaker
Yeah. um Which is awesome. But ah look, arguably, like the the overall theatrical industry has detracted. It's not increased in in revenue. So if you're saying that you're growing the business the fastest, that's still going to be the case.
01:32:37
Speaker
So what's going to happen is years down the line, you're just going to keep moving stuff to your streaming platform as the theatrical industry to the industry continues to to you know contract.
01:32:50
Speaker
Yeah. I just think of that you just told us that. fight by that same that paragraph, that the thing you were saying about how you were supporting theatrical experiences, you're also saying the answer, which I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong, but it would be cool if he keeps his word and he really sees the advantage of the theatrical experience, because especially based upon the people he's working with, that the creators who are going to care about this. And I'm hoping that that comes to pass, but I don't know.
01:33:21
Speaker
It's kind of, again, this is the situation for us too. Like which one's bad here? If we had to vote for this, which one, which one's the, it's the lesser of two evils. Which one's a good option? None of them. None of them are good. You pick the lesser of two evils because that's what a nuanced society of, you know, thinking adult people is. You have to just think about what is the lesser of the evils and choose that option. If you could pick the third option as the deal doesn't go through, i would do that. But there, I don't know that's going to happen with this current.
01:33:51
Speaker
administration in the in the United States. I mean, you could even make an argument that that is not a good option either because of how how the business is currently run, right? Like, i feel like there's arguments to be made for all of those, but yeah. um What do you mean about that? Sorry, maybe clarify that. So I understand. Just again, just like how, I mean, again, this year has been a really good year for Warner Brothers in general. um But I think like with previous years, especially if you're looking at it from like a game studio perspective and like that. Just that though.
01:34:19
Speaker
That's the only thing I think. I think that the they've had an amazing year this year. and they they and and like David Zaslav hired James Gunn. I think that they're looking up. there It not never looked better, I feel like. I don't know. We'll see.
01:34:38
Speaker
Is that it it? Was this the Game Studios thing? I think the Game Studios, and again, i mean like they did lose... Christopher Nolan a couple of years ago. Like, you know. that was because of, yeah. i would The theatrical stuff, yeah.
01:34:51
Speaker
Yeah, because they were putting things. And I think that was a COVID decision that was made. I think they would admit that it's a mistake actually today, to be honest. But that's funny because this.
01:35:02
Speaker
That's what we're talking about. Yeah. They're being bought by Netflix. So theoretically, it's like their dream come true. We like we tested the waters and it didn't work out. Now we're going to eventually go full steam ahead with streaming.
01:35:15
Speaker
Maybe. We'll see. Yeah. that Yeah, okay. yeah I don't know. I think that's the lesser of the three evils. That's not a good option. You may be right, but I think that's definitely the lesser of the three evils. You but break up the company, you make it in linear networks on one side, and then you put studios and streaming on the other like they plan to do, and you just run it the way you just try to run the company up in an upwards trajectory on a revenue perspective.
01:35:40
Speaker
like This was a great year for theaters, for Warner Brothers, for theatrical releases, I should say. They were competing with Disney for a while until Disney destroyed Zootopia and Avatar.
01:35:53
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. All right, well, we to people we'll keep looking at this story. It's cool. Every two weeks, I'm sure there's lots that will happen. When we used to do this podcast weekly, things wouldn't like change that much between them. There's like multiple kind of differences. We'll see. there' There'll be a deal eventually. I feel like it's going to take forever, though. I think Netflix is going to come in and say, oh, no, actually, if they if they accept the Paramount deal, Netflix will be like oh whoa, whoa, whoa. Are we doing a bidding war again? I'm sorry. ah Here's our bid.
01:36:21
Speaker
Let's go around. I'm assuming that be what would happen. Then then then Ted Sarandos walks into Oracle and just murders Larry Ellison in cold blood. Whoa, whoa,
01:36:35
Speaker
That's very dark. And then goes into Paramount. And just fucking murders David Ellison in cold blood. And then they don't give it to Netflix because they, there's murder in it. Although he gets away with it.
01:36:48
Speaker
He gets away with it. he And he gets to it He gets to it. It's quite the story. Yeah. What is this like? And then he's in season two of the studio. Right. Yeah. Even more. It becomes a dark, very dark drama.
01:37:01
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. and That means it's got to become a, an hour per episode. It's true. It's true. That's how math works. Math.
01:37:12
Speaker
Yeah. It's just a contradiction to comedies. That's all i'm saying. Yeah. Hey, Scream Queens. It's an hour. oh wow. Yeah, yeah, That's true. holie Rare.
01:37:23
Speaker
Rare. Rare exceptions. Show's pretty good. it's It's a little much, though. We've kind of like simmered down on it. You got to be like in a mood. Okay. That's fair.
01:37:35
Speaker
Okay. Are you ready to move on? Yeah. Let's talk about Christopher. The next. Christopher. Yeah. Another Christopher. All right. Well, Chris Evans is in Avengers Endgame. Adrian has revealed by a teaser. I dude i know he's in Avengers Endgame. We watched that movie in 2019.
01:37:51
Speaker
Sorry. Did I say Endgame? Oh my yeah you did. Thank God. it's because he wrote it. Thank God. Oh yeah, I wrote it. Now that's true. Yeah, there's no going back. hol Anyways, i know in that.
01:38:02
Speaker
Chris Evans is in Avengers Doomsday. Doomsday, Adrian. I'm sorry for the misty. Chris Evans, the the the actor who plays Captain America and therefore Captain America will be in Avengers Doomsday as revealed by a teaser shown off during Avatar Fire and Ash.
01:38:19
Speaker
This is very... Very strange. There's something about this that's really weird, and I just want to address this right out of the gate. There no way that people thought this was happening. We didn't know for sure this was happening before this was teased, right? It's just rumors and speculations. Yeah, in clings.
01:38:38
Speaker
And Chris Evans was saying, no, I'm not in it. He lied very like several times to various publications. Correct? We were on the same page. Because there's a weird thing. If you look at the trailer, this teaser, it is now released, right? This was a teaser that was revealed only as a for the exclusively to the people who watched Avatar, Fire, and Ash.
01:38:58
Speaker
But then they released this same teaser online for everyone to see. Yeah. But if you look at the teaser and you go down, people are like laughing, crying emoji, laughing, crying emoji. Oh, they had so many leaks that now they had to just really, they just had to tell everyone that's like many comments. And I'm just like,
01:39:18
Speaker
Are you talking about the thing that they released to the public that was not? No one was NDA'd who went to go see Avatar Fire and Ash, the movie that's already made $500 million dollars five hundred billion five hundred million dollars at the box office.
01:39:32
Speaker
I think what they're referring to is not this. I think they're referring to leaks online where it's just people that are running these random clickbait websites being like, i heard i heard Chris Evans is going to be there.
01:39:44
Speaker
I heard we're getting a Robert Downey Jr. as well. And it's like, you're, you're just swinging for the fences and and saying things that are totally possible to happen. Pretending that you have insider knowledge only for it to be proven correct.
01:40:00
Speaker
Yeah. You know, it's like a clock is broke. Exactly. It's right. Once a day type situation. Yeah. Twice a day. But yes, twice a day. Right. Sorry. Well, that's it. Unless you're running on 24 hour time, which is okay. is Right. Yeah.
01:40:12
Speaker
That's correct. Yeah. So true. In which case. Okay. Yeah. So anyway, ah I'll throw this to you and I have lots to say about this. What do you, but otherwise I just wanted to establish that first that this was not known. No one knew this. This is not even leaked in a, in a substantial way. Really?
01:40:30
Speaker
It was just, yeah. It was leaked in that people, a lot of people knew that the teaser existed already and then they released it to everyone so that everyone could see it because that was what they're going to do in the first place.
01:40:40
Speaker
But anyway, what do you think about the fact that Chris Evans is going to be in Avengers Doomsday? And more importantly, in my opinion, what do you think about the fact that they chose to reveal it now?
01:40:53
Speaker
um So i'm a I'm of two minds about this. I'm of my personal mind and my devil's advocate, okay? Okay. Me being a devil's advocate, it's like Chris Evans being in this movie, it's not that big of a deal. They you know they probably thought, hey yeah, this is gonna you know this is going to drive people to the theaters. We got way bigger reveals for the movie.
01:41:13
Speaker
And that's, you know, that's maybe their thought process. Sure. I disagree with that. I think it's stupid that you're doing this. It's a big surprise there. We, I think about all the rumors and speculation to a movie like Spider-Man, um no way home far from home. The third one, the third Spider-Man movie. No way home. and Yeah, that one. There's a bunch of rumors. There's a bunch of speculation, but nothing was confirmed prior to that. So when these reveals were happening in that movie, there was still this crazy level of excitement in the theater. And, you know, you as the viewer watching it being like, wow, this is awesome.
01:41:48
Speaker
What a twist. I knew this was probably coming, but it's still awesome to see it unfold on the big screen when I'm in the theater surrounded by, you know, tens, dozens, hundreds of people, or however big my theater is. and Yeah. there's there's the you know There's these moments that I think about, you know that theater-going experience that we that I'm sure you had as well in Spider-Man No Way Home or in Avengers Endgame or Avengers Infinity War, this communal experience of experiencing it all at the same time together being awesome. And it's like, I love those movies because I think they're great movies, but also because of the experience and how I felt watching it surrounded with all these people um that I didn't know. And you have this like weird...
01:42:35
Speaker
kinship with, you know, the guy sitting directly behind you that you don't even know their name, but they're just as excited as you are because this is unfolding on the screen. And it's like, it's a surprise and, and, and coolness. And I think, you know, I think this is like a prime example of, you know, Marvel is arguably doing worse, you know, post and end game compared to how it was doing, you know, previously, or I guess post no way home. Cause no way home was after that.
01:43:04
Speaker
you know They're not hitting billion dollars with every movie like they were in the lead up to that um or or you know right after that, even with like Captain Marvel hitting a billion dollars, right? And you're not...
01:43:16
Speaker
You're having a lot of people kind of back out of the MCU. Like I know some friends that like, yeah, i haven't watched you know the last like five movies or TV shows because there's so much going on. It's like, you know, I'm just not attached to this anymore. And how do you bring people back in?
01:43:29
Speaker
Hey, remember this, your favorite character from the time of of the MCU that you liked? come on, he's in this one, come back, like come sit back down in the theater seats and give us a billion dollars again. And this just feels so commercial where it's frustrating, where I'm, I'm confident that the Russo brothers are making this movie with passion and they're confident in their product. And, and it's probably going to be great.
01:43:54
Speaker
You'd hope, you know, that they, they do. I mean, they, they crush it with every MCU movie that they've done. But again, this just made, it makes it feel like they're, the execs, I guess, you know, aren't as confident in this universe anymore. It's like how do we bring people back in?
01:44:09
Speaker
And it's again, it's just the member berries from fucking South Park. Like, remember, you know, remember the the Death Star? You know, like, I don't know if you you're not a South Park guy, but you know, it's the same thing, right? Like, it's just...
01:44:20
Speaker
It's disappointing. Like, be confident, bring people in, let word of mouth spread, man. You know, like people I think are going to watch this anyways. you already revealed Robert Downey Jr. is in this as Dr. Doom.
01:44:31
Speaker
Like what, ah like, why do you have to reveal more? Obviously we probably know like, you know, Thor is coming back anyways. Like we still have a lot of those previous characters coming back regardless. Just let the movie speak for itself.
01:44:43
Speaker
And you know maybe Doomsday doesn't pop off as much as you you want it to, but if it does well and it's interesting and word of mouth spreads, people are going to go to it and then come the the one after this one, whatever it's called, Avengers Secret Wars.
01:44:58
Speaker
People are going to be sitting back down in those seats day one and you know having it cross billion dollars within you know ah ah few weeks. Right? like I just, yeah, I think this just kind of highlights a level of
01:45:14
Speaker
I mean, what it's always been, it's it's commercial. it's it's It's a business. They got to make money. But I feel like this was like the prime example of releasing this teaser trailer a year ahead and just being like, hey, man, like we're we're a commercial company. We got to make money. How are we going to bring people in? Like it just doesn't seem like a creative choice.
01:45:31
Speaker
It seems like a boardroom choice. And it's a bummer. I'm not saying having Steve Rogers in the movie. I'm saying releasing this teaser with Steve Rogers in it is like not a creative choice. It seems like a commercial choice.
01:45:45
Speaker
So I don't know. Not a fan of this. I was kind of disappointed. I like surprises. I want to be surprised. So I don't know. What what do you think about this, man? What do you think? I'm flabbergasted. It really upset me. Yeah.
01:45:57
Speaker
I just couldn't believe it. When I was hearing the the the rumors of this teaser being shown at Fire and Ash, I was like, what? Why would you tell anyone this? I think this is actually the opposite of marketing. It's like counter-marketing. People are clowning on them. They're like, see this? like They're just going to go back to pre-end game. They're like, hu what are you gaining from? i have no idea what you even gain. You're not a YouTube content creator.
01:46:21
Speaker
You're not creating youtube hit like hit YouTube clips on YouTube. Like, oh, I've got millions of views on this clip. for this trailer teaser trailer. That's not your job. Your job is to create cinematic experiences in the theater.
01:46:34
Speaker
That's your your whole thing. The Russo brothers are ah all about the theatrical experience. I sent you a video. that showed this they're bringing endgame back to the theaters when they do that did they already do that now i can't remember september of next year it's next year right just before doomsday comes out fine so they they send this put this video up on instagram it's in social media and says do you remember this do you remember remember this feeling and was like this your this feeling of when when when cap catches the hammer and like there's like and he's like on your left
01:47:07
Speaker
whatever. Yeah. that Those moments and everyone's cheering in the theater. like, it's like like Avengers Endgame is coming back. to It's like, you loved it. and like We love it too. And then they're like, Avengers Endgame coming back to theaters. It's like, okay, you just posted that. And now you're posting a clip of Steve Rogers is returned. What, to what end are you, what are you accomplishing here?
01:47:29
Speaker
i I just don't even understand what you even word of mouth is more powerful, arguably than the marketing that you're going to have. I just just don't think you're if you have people really hyped up because they went to the theaters and they there's also this idea like there's something to spoil. they They've discovered something that people don't know. And they're like oh you got to go see it. You got to go see it. That happens. And people go see the movie repeatedly because of the feeling that they had the first time. They're not going to have that feeling the first time. You're losing all of that marketing. And I wonder, like, they've been doing this more and more, of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They're like, they're desperate or something. There's like a cowardly aspect. They don't want to take any risks. So they just reveal all the plot points and the, oh, oh, it's Thunderbolts is now the new Avengers. We're just going to tell everyone this and all of the marketing material.
01:48:10
Speaker
yeah like publicly online. Like, what are you doing? Can we just like like within like a day after its release? Like think it was like, i like a weird maybe three, um maybe a month later, but you like maybe on, on Disney plus when it hits there, are you seriously, you you're this desperate you're doing doomsday. You revealed the entire goddamn cast of fricking 50 stars that everyone knows and loves. You don't need to say also Chris Evans. Like, why didn't you just do that on the chair reveal then? They had that chair reveal. It ran all day long. Just put Chris Evans at the end.
01:48:42
Speaker
What's the difference? Like, why is it revealed now to why now you have a full year before their movie even comes out? You're trying to hype it a year in advance. I don't even get it. It's it's it's so bonkers. Like they must be like in a boardroom. They're like panicking. Like we're not going to do it this year. Next year is going to be a disaster. We're not going to sell tickets. Like who's not going to go watch doomsday. People are going to go see it. Not to worry. Like if you're worried about this, is the movie bad? Are you seeing screenings?
01:49:07
Speaker
Like what's happening? I'm like literally lost. It really, really, was confused. was a 12 clip all the cast.
01:49:20
Speaker
I don't get it. And we can again, i i was even annoyed about that like 12 hour reveal because it revealed cast members from like the Thunderbolts showing up. And i think, again, Fantastic Four showing up and then you're watching this reveal and you're like, oh, OK, so I guess these characters in the in this next movie that I'm i'm going to watch, they're going to be fine.
01:49:41
Speaker
Like there's no, it removes the tension when they are in like a life or death situation. Exactly. So like, I remember, I think I pointed that out ah after that chair reveal because like going into a Thunderbolts, they're like, anyone can die. This is crazy. And it's like, no, actually none of them can, except for the one character that wasn't in those chairs.
01:49:59
Speaker
You're right. Yeah, exactly. and It's just stupid. I just don't – I don't know who this is for. I'm just confused about who it's for. It was the nose. think it's for the lowest common denominator, dude. It's for the people that are like, oh.
01:50:11
Speaker
like Again, that will just eat anything up. And they're like, wow this is cool. I'm going to make a 10-minute YouTube video about this. It's like – I don't know. It's just like this endless cycle. like I don't think this is for – I guess arguably it's for the average person, like the simple person.
01:50:25
Speaker
I just, I, I, I'm, I'm a hundred percent with you. It makes no sense. I think this is a bad marketing decision, but i don't know. I'm sure you ask someone, they're probably going to be like, Oh, did you hear Steve Rogers coming back to the new Avengers? I can't wait to see him.
01:50:39
Speaker
I'm sure someone's going to say that you work in retail. You're going to come by someone that is going to say that exact line. hundred Maybe it won't work. Maybe you're saying it yeah on the other flip side, you think it works then. Maybe it's it's a good idea. I just i think if I fine was Chris Evans, though, I got to be real with you. If I was Chris Evans and and this happened, I'd be like, why have I been lying to freaking publicity? for I'm lying to for for a teaser trailer? I'm a movie star. I'm in movies. i I'm not lying for the movie I'm going to be in. I'm lying for freaking a teaser trailer you launched randomly on an in an Avatar, Fire and Ash. There's apparently more of these. There's one for Thor and various others. like
01:51:15
Speaker
and think At the end, I think it's hilarious too. The end of the teaser is, Chris Evans will... No, Captain America will return. like You couldn't be more on the nose. like can you Why don't you spell it out for me with like each letter?
01:51:27
Speaker
They basically did that. i can't I can't understand it. You're right, it's the lowest common denominator, but that's not how they had the hype of Endgame or No Way Home. No Way Home had... They waited. they They pulled their... They waited. They didn't tell anyone.
01:51:39
Speaker
They did just... they Why? That did not not work. they Think about doublene think about even um was it last year with a Deadpool, man? Deadpool and Wolverine movie.
01:51:50
Speaker
There was some pretty big reveals and cameos in that movie, not spoiled in the marketing. It was like, no we're going to bring... That's Yeah, right? That brings me to my next point, I guess, is that is do you think that there's any chance that there's any bigger reveal than this? And I think no.
01:52:05
Speaker
I'm sorry, but the only thing I can think of that would be a bigger reveal... That's going to come of us heartless of as heartless. I'm sorry, I'm not going to say that. but I was going to say something... It's like Chadwick Boseman returns. I was literally thinking the exact same else could you have return?
01:52:19
Speaker
There's no one else. like Some weird AI form. And like the family was okay. It just doesn't make any sense. That would be horrible. But like, yeah. But you think about that. Like where, how you can't have anyone else. There's no one bigger than that. For the MCU, in terms of its core.
01:52:37
Speaker
Chadwick Boseman would be bigger. That's it. That's that's it And that's impossible. so its It would be bigger because he is literally, he has passed away. is dead. And he was phenomenal. Like he, it's just, I don't know. I just find it ah absurd. Genuinely.
01:52:52
Speaker
Like, yeah. It's like they fricking bring him back from the dead for the movie. And it's like, come on man like i don't know what else is there though i i'm just like thinking what scarlett johansson they bring her back now but she's not bigger than chris evans's captain america he roots the whole team together it's just like there's nothing you can do it's it's so stupid there is no big reveal you already you already pulled the first punch because you you decided that you were you were going tell us robert downey jr imagine how cool that mask and reveal would have been in the movie theater i know I already thought about that initially. That would have been so cool if they had done that.
01:53:26
Speaker
And now everyone could just talk about it for a full 365 days before the movie ever comes. I don't understand what you're gaining. you've You've revealed your, this is the only twist that would be, again, I just don't, I don't understand. It just doesn't make sense to me. And I think you're losing built-in marketing.
01:53:42
Speaker
I just think you're losing, not winning. I don't know. It's very bizarre. Think about, think about the opening of end game. with With Hawkeye. Right. like yeah And think about how that wasn't spoiled. And you go sit down in the theater and you're like, wow, that's a fucking stellar opening for a movie. I can't wait. And he has bad ah he has an awful haircut. Damn, this is going to be a good movie.
01:54:05
Speaker
You know, like you're you're all in it. And then just imagine you go in Avengers Doomsday, day one, you sit down and that's the opening scene of the movie. Some guy on a motorcycle.
01:54:16
Speaker
goes upstairs, picks up a baby, and then it pans up and it shows that it's like Steve Rogers. And you're what? What? what's going on here? And then it's just like, you know, it cuts. And then like that, just imagine the, the, the, the tingle, how how the theater would pop off right away. but Like you said, they're showing all their cards. Like what else can you do? I guess you can kill off a bunch of characters and do shock value like that. Maybe you bring in the entire original cast of X-Men from the Fox universe, both the James McAvoy one. And, uh,
01:54:49
Speaker
And the Patrick Stewart one, you just bring that entire cast in. like But even that, that's not is that bigger? No, it's not. it's just But you already have too many characters. Do they want to add more characters? I'm not sure you're even going to gain anything. there's yeah You want to get one person.
01:55:05
Speaker
Who's going to really do it? And that would have been it. There was that. yeah There was an idea. Maybe like Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield return again. That could maybe help. But you already did that. you You're just not. You're not gaining anything. I just I'm so confused. It's just like I'd love to be in the room with like is Kevin Feige lost his way? Like he did he hit his head.
01:55:26
Speaker
What is happening? What to guy? I don't know. I don't know, man. i guess it He's the man in charge. What's going Maybe spread too thin, man. like I think maybe that's what it was because they started doing so much additional content and I feel like when became- They reel the backing?
01:55:40
Speaker
Yeah. He specifically said he reeled the backing. Yeah. But I think, yeah, maybe spread himself too- too thin and things went awry. And now it's like, i don't know. I'm sure he still has a lot of control, but I feel like there's probably way more pressure on him. Like, no, we need to make money. Like you guys aren't making as much money. Fantastic Four should have been a hit, should have made a shit ton of money, you know, but it wasn't right. Like, it and it just, I don't know.
01:56:06
Speaker
Captain, Captain for America should have been a hit. Wasn't right. Like, I just feel like I think they're scrambling. Again, I i just – this felt like a boardroom decision and it's frustrating because I feel like there was a time where, again, mccu was always commercialized, but there was a time where it felt like creators came in and could do something and you you know you had the Guardians movies. You had, a again, the Captain America movies. like You had these events happening.
01:56:37
Speaker
And now it's like, we got to make the event and we like, and we need to send this to again, as many people as possible to bring them in. And that's what they're going put it on Tik TOK. It's gotta be.
01:56:49
Speaker
Can you reveal all the reveals? My biggest issue, man, is the the way I found out about this is I opened Instagram and literally I just saw like it's rotten tomatoes. And it was the first thing was Chris Evans returning in Avengers doomsday. I didn't even watch the trailer. I was like,
01:57:04
Speaker
Okay, I guess I just got this spoiled in a line of dialogue, like in a fucking text box. And then I watched the trailer, and I'm like, you serious? And I, yeah, I sent it to you and I'm like, okay.
01:57:16
Speaker
I think I literally wrote, oh, okay. Okay. Yeah. Did you, did you see ah all the, that stuff before? Cause I saw it for a week cause this fire and ash was already in theaters. So it was, that was what.
01:57:29
Speaker
Oh, you heard about it before? didn't know about that. Cause it was like all the, they were, I was showing up in some of the, cause I'm little constantly like reading these websites. So yeah, variety deadline and Hollywood reporter. And I just constantly see you because I'm constantly clicking for those. its I guess my algorithm showing them more. So as a result, like people were like, oh, they're going to return. He's going to return. and So I already knew but before. and then and then they actually did it and they showed the trailer. And I was like, I was hoping it was fake.
01:57:54
Speaker
But when I heard about it, that's what I was saying. When I heard about it initially, I heard about it on the Friday, Saturday of like the nineteenth nineteenth twentieth and I was like, okay I hope this is fake because that's really stupid. Like a really stupid decision. And then, no, it wasn't fake. They, they, they were going to tell us. It's like, I love that people will like also just love this idea of this. Like it's like the knowledge is currency type situation. Like you don't want to be surprised. Like that, that was the thing about the the YouTube comments. It's like, with Oh, it was, everyone knew it was coming and now it's here because they they had to reveal it because everyone knew about it It's like, no, I don't think so, dude. Like,
01:58:34
Speaker
I don't think i think so. Brother. Come on. like You end the speculation. That's stupid. It's so stupid. It's like speculation is cool. Like everyone kind of knew that Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, but they really didn't. I didn't know. I was like, wouldn't that be cool? That's what I kept thinking because Andrew Garfield was doing such a freaking goddamn good job in every interview. And it's like, I think he was when he's he wasn't promoting that musical.
01:58:59
Speaker
He was in the tick tick boom. Yeah, tick, tick, boom. And he's just like, everyone's asking him questions. he He was like, almost having a good time with it. It looked like he was just like, no, no, I'm not in it. I know it's it would be awesome. i would I'd love to be how like, I do this guy's killing it. That was a better performance than his performance in the movie. And he did a great job. So in the movie. So I feel like that's awesome. It's just, there's a fun about that. That's the fun about the industry that I enjoy watching. It's like, that was in 2021.
01:59:26
Speaker
one Like it wasn't that long ago. Like we're not like, a that everyone oh What's it's a year after COVID. Oh, because COVID. Everything changed. Yeah.
01:59:38
Speaker
Anyway. Remember COVID? i I sure do. Crazy. yeah Crazy. Crazy. crazy beat That was a time. All right, man. That wass a good one then. yeahs What a disappointment. This was such a disappointment. Quick aside, do we want to watch Avatar Fire and Ass in the theater? So mean. ah Fire an ass.
01:59:59
Speaker
ah In the theater, I don't know. i don't not really I kind of want to watch other movies. I don't know. Me too. like I've watched a lot of things in the last little bit, but it's mostly streaming, which is ironic because I i like theaters. ah But yeah, I don't know. If you're interested, sure. i know that my wife likes Avatar enough. like She's like a middle ground to Avatar. she's like I like it enough too, actually. It's good. It's cool. It's fine. i just It's a three and a half hour movie almost. like So she's not interested in it in theaters because she watches it in segments. She'll watch half and then watch another half.
02:00:34
Speaker
she would just randomly will watch Avatar just randomly because it's just something. telling you right now. on i'm I'm telling you right now. If we don't watch this in theaters, I will probably never watch this fucking movie. So maybe we should go see it then. There's like a very, very high chance I'm never going to watch this movie if we don't watch it in theaters.
02:00:51
Speaker
Okay, well, we'll think about it. Let's take look at what's coming out. Do want to watch No, not really. But it's also just like i got – maybe this is the one. Maybe this is the one where I'm like, wow, Spider's such a great character. I'm so glad they kept him in this movie as well, and I love this.
02:01:07
Speaker
Maybe I'm think that. That clip was it that was not clip. It was like an article where James Cameron said like yeah everything was hinging. Everything hinged on Spider. yeah yeah It didn't. None of them worked in the s Spider was in it. Wait, wait. That's like that's a reference to. Yeah. Jar Jar Jar Binks is the key to all of this. Yeah. Right. It's the same thing.
02:01:28
Speaker
Jar Jar Binks is a better character than Spider. by every By every aspect. I'm not even being facetious. You're laughing, but I genuinely believe that. Cameron did say that Spider was the linchpin. Like you it all together. Why? He's the glue. He was the least interesting character in the the way of the water. He was annoying. He's weird to look at. I'm watching this move with a bunch of blue people and he's the weirdest looking one.
02:01:53
Speaker
just – He's dreadlocks. He's a white guy. Dude, he's just like a monkey in a ring. It's fucking Tarzan, dude. You just made Tarzan. But it's and it's twice the length.
02:02:05
Speaker
And there's a big scene with a whale. You've made Pocahontas before. Like... like there were The reviews for the movie say they're pretty much the same thing as we've been saying about the first two. is that it's like not very The plot is this weakest part. I'm like, oh, man, again?
02:02:19
Speaker
i know. Come this one at This time I thought it would be different a little bit because it felt like you know you don't have enough Pocahontas and Tarzan to go off. so what are you going to do the next one? On Pinocchio? or I'm kidding. I'm genuinely curious, though. like What is it? What is it going to be?
02:02:34
Speaker
Actually, yeah like I'm curious because people were saying like, yeah, the ah the story doesn't feel as original this time. I think I read like so I forget who reviewed it and said something along those lines. I'm like, what do you mean as original? The other two
Avatar & Academy Awards Streaming Shift
02:02:48
Speaker
weren't original. So what is this?
02:02:50
Speaker
What could it be? look man What could it be, Simon? It's fucking Stephen Lang. He's a blue guy now, and he's banging the other blue one. Like, is it just they the red one?
02:03:02
Speaker
yeah the Yeah, the red blue one. Yeah. And it's like, what what is happening? what I'm trying to think of a Disney property that has a similar thing. It's a so Lion King. Is this one just going to Lion King?
02:03:15
Speaker
Hamlet? You know, Scar being like, I'm the king now. You you want an equal. o Scar doesn't do that. But, you know. you know Yeah, maybe maybe it's Lion King, though.
02:03:25
Speaker
Taking over the pride. you Scar takes over the pride. Is this going to be Hamlet's Lion King? You know what's crazy is that I'm surprised. Yeah, that is actually a connection. Because like he's like a weird, he's a human person, sort of. But he became an avatar.
02:03:39
Speaker
And you can come in and... i don't want to spoil anything. So we shouldn't probably talk about it. Of the original Lion King? No, no, no avatar. the but The way of water, dude. Oh yeah, sorry. i guess We're talking about avatar.
02:03:54
Speaker
Not Lion King. Lion King you can't really spoil because Hamlet, as you said. Yeah. but You're right. Actually, Hamlet's actually a really good thought because of the connection with this, like, he's almost the same family. Like Scar was was Simba's uncle.
02:04:09
Speaker
You know what mean? Like in a human race perspective, the villain is part of the same family, but he's connected to the Navi. So it's like that could be something that comes in because he's coming in. But you can't really. well I guess so, he because you could betray you could befriend to betray the avatar, the Navi that you're dealing with. That actually that's not a crazy thought. I'm i'm curious. That would be fun. It must almost be fun to watch it to see which movie it is, which movie it is they're going to take take the ideas from.
02:04:35
Speaker
Or nothing. Maybe it's original. Maybe it is. Again, i'm i'm i want to like this franchise. Genuinely. I want to. yeah right It looks cool.
02:04:46
Speaker
it like It has such a cool visual aesthetic. i think it's a cool idea. It's like Alien Planet. They're fucking riding on these dragon things. Shooting fucking you know bow and arrow in people, dude. like It's badass fighting against these huge mechs. It's a cool The game... yeah The game is better than ever.
02:05:04
Speaker
Avatar Frontiers of Pandora is like yeah better than ever. I'm not playing it. No, I want to play. I'm not that interested in Avatar, but it looks like from the perspective of the graphics of it, because the snowdrop engine ah like Ubisoft is massive and it looks so they added a fruit though they added a third person. no Yeah, they add third person so you can switch between first and third person in the DLC that they recently added.
02:05:26
Speaker
But it's just a cool idea is that they just they just the DLC. That's third person or is the entire No, you can do the whole game. it's like aful that was I think that was a free update. But I think it's a lot less expensive than ever too.
02:05:38
Speaker
Maybe worth it for you to try. cause It looks looks gorgeous. Snowdrop is awesome. like That engine's crazy. It's awesome. so I think that Avatar kind of works best in a video game. there was I think it Wired article that was saying that like Avatar, the movies are fine, but really the best way to experience Avatar like Pandora is Avatar Frontiers of Pandora. I'm like, oh, that's cool.
02:05:57
Speaker
That's kind of... It's kind of neat. anyway, yeah what are you doing? i'm like I'm checking to see if it's on sale like on Best Buy or some shit. I think it's on sale right now online. It's like $40 or something.
02:06:09
Speaker
like what Because they're reselling it packaged with the DLC now in these stores, I think. So I think they ran out of the regular version. So I think it was like $55 or something. Yeah, it is $55. I'm not spending that much on that. it'll go down. It'll go down. If it's $55 is the base amount, yeah you'll see it drop.
02:06:25
Speaker
But Yeah. Anyway, anyways cool. Let's move on to the next. Where where are we at? C. We are on Chris Evans. That was so disappointing. Anyway, let's go. Yeah, C. C, as it said here in the document. But yeah, the third of the trilogy of topical tidings, Adrian, is ah it starting in 2029. The Academy Awards will air exclusively on exclusively on YouTube. So it's taking the contract from ABC, Linear Network, and it's going to YouTube in 2029.
02:06:56
Speaker
What do you think of this overall? And think it was great. Yeah. I think it was great. Again, like having the ability to just watch this at home anywhere.
02:07:07
Speaker
on your phone, tablet, computer, just on the fucking television, just on YouTube, which is like accessible by everyone. I think this is fantastic. I think, i think the biggest issue with the Academy Awards is how hard it was to get. And it's funny. We just talked about how Crave is now adding the Academy Awards that you can just stream it through the Crave app for, for this upcoming Academy Awards. was like, Oh, finally took them long enough. And it's like, yeah, you know, it's still nice. We're still going what three, three years,
02:07:34
Speaker
ah Yeah, six, seven, eight. So like three years where we can watch it on c Crave. Fantastic. Cool. Cool. But yeah, i don't know. Like you made it so inaccessible. And I think this is going to make it as accessible as Remotely possible, arguably. It's going to probably make the Academy Awards a bigger thing. And I think it's going to probably help the movie industry because more people can now watch the Academy Awards. You know, you're just chilling up at home. Oh, it's on YouTube. Sure, I'll put that on.
02:08:02
Speaker
Oh, this movie seems cool. Maybe I'll go watch that in theaters. Maybe I'll go see a Nora in theaters because it just won Best Picture or something like that. um Right? Like, I think this is a purely positive from my perspective. Yeah.
02:08:17
Speaker
Yeah, it's a celebration of the industry in a large way. was going to say analogy, it's not really analogy. The similar show to this in some way from a different industry is the Video Game Awards, and it's completely free, and it's been on YouTube from a very long time. I guess since it moved from Spike TV back in the day, years ago. 2015 something. And the VGA's is insane. The Video Game Awards – It inform gets crazy viewership. like I think it was over 100 million people watched it, which is way more than the Academy Awards have made i've gotten in viewership over the last few years. And like the idea of buying into the Academy Awards with a network, like a linear network purchase in some way, a cable subscription or a streaming service,
02:09:04
Speaker
versus not having that barrier of entry. The number of people that are gonna see the ads, as an example, on YouTube, how much more money are you gonna rake in? I feel like it's a lot more. i just feel like what's the point of even doing that?
02:09:16
Speaker
Like why have that barrier um where you have to buy into it? So I think the VGA is crazy. Video game awards is crazy. I saw the stat. I was like over it. It was the best, largest viewership ever for the video game video game awards this year. And it was like over a hundred million. I was confused because I was trying to add it up. I went to the official stream, like the English stream, and it was like 20 million.
02:09:36
Speaker
i was like, crazy how did you get to the hundred million? I'm like, it's so, in all the languages, is this how it works? maybe Maybe, but it was also airing on um Amazon Prime this year. They don't report those numbers, though. though Those weren't enc included. that was The article said that's what was so strange. It must have been the different languages, I assume, yeah and over English.
02:09:55
Speaker
But I was like very confused. like Also, maybe they counted like IGN and all the other YouTube viewers view views because they give the stream to various other publications that people watch as well. There might have been huge publications that kind of played it as well. Well, yeah, no, definitely because yeah, yeah, because they IGN games, buddy, but even like smaller um like YouTube channels, like kind of funny or like sacred symbols that we both like watch like they're streaming it.
02:10:21
Speaker
Yeah, you have these you know large YouTubers like i don't know. um I can't think of and any other YouTuber off the top of my head, so it doesn't matter. Asmund Gold.
02:10:33
Speaker
Moist Critical. Yeah. i't won the but I think he won the new end. Yeah, Best Influencer. creator team Yeah, Creator Content. Content Creator. Yeah. He was in Dispatch, so that's why it's on top of my mind.
02:10:44
Speaker
Yeah. He's awesome. I like Moist Critical. yeah as his i don't know anything about him he's a good i have not watched single moist critical hit but yeah same with the same with this i mentioned this asmund gold guy i have no idea who he is i just i've heard his name before and i think he's like a controversial figure but i know he's like a big game person but i just think most critical's voice and dispatch really good yeah yeah
02:11:08
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. Cool. Yeah. All right. Well, yeah, that's good. I'm excited about this, but I'm excited about it going to Crave, as you pointed out. That's actually awesome. That's all I've really ever wanted, but I'm curious to see if the Academy Awards can hit hit new heights. And then again, because it's a celebration of Hollywood, could the movie industry and ah like movie industry hit new heights too? They all like, you know, rising tide lifts all boats type situation. Yeah.
02:11:32
Speaker
It's like a stubbornness for old the old ways that is not necessarily helpful. um So we'll see how it goes. But yeah, curious. All right. Moving on now to the trailer roundup, Adrian. are a lot of trailers released in this period. I think it's because of...
02:11:47
Speaker
Potentially a lot of the movie releases, like the big blockbuster movie releases that have happened recently. And because I think maybe that's just the thing during this period of time for like Christmas season, like holidays. But Animal Farm was like an animated trailer. There was Disclosure Day, which you just mentioned earlier. The Sheep Detectives, which is a really wacky trailer. I know. Digger.
02:12:07
Speaker
uh as well which is interesting the odyssey don't you dare give me those eyes i said digger the odyssey uh which is a crazy that trailer was awesome man i'm so excited i'm so excited for christopher it's the odyssey we madden did you watch the madden trailer this morning and then there's a one piece season two tease as well yeah i saw the madden trailer uh during uh football on christmas day oh really Yeah, I wasn't watching football. It was just on the TV.
02:12:35
Speaker
And I looked over I'm like, oh, hey, there there's a there's Christian Bale. I know that guy. Oh, there's Shane Gillis. I know that comedian.
02:12:46
Speaker
Yeah, no, um I watched some of these trailers. I think I watched the One Piece season two T's. when When did that come out? Was that recent? I think it was today. Okay, then I have not watched it. I feel like I saw a couple of things.
02:12:57
Speaker
Okay. I'll watch that after. I'm excited for one piece season two though. That's only, no, I did watch it. Cause it's like saying it's coming March, right? So I'm showing Yeah. Where is that? I'm just looking to see. He's always one day ago. According to this. Okay. I think I did watch it. Um, I'm excited. Cool. I'll watch that for sure. I really liked that first season. I thought it was awesome. I'm not a fan of the anime. Never watched the anime. Really. Uh, just like kind of on, on, uh, why TV when I was a kid and, um,
02:13:26
Speaker
I, you know, watched it a little bit of the the season. Like one piece was like one of those shows. Like, again, I saw in passing that I was never invested in when I was like young um compared to like a Naruto and stuff. So I really like the the live action. um The Sheep Detectives.
02:13:41
Speaker
This is a weird one, but there's something yeah nostalgic about it in a weird way. it It feels like a movie that you watched as a kid in like the Okay.
02:13:54
Speaker
okay yeah I don't know. that it just It just kind of hit. It has this vibe to it. and like They don't make movies like this anymore, I feel like, that are theatrical. And it's kind of a cool idea of like this is like this weird murder mystery.
02:14:09
Speaker
Who killed Hugh Jackman, the the shepherd to these sheep? um with and these sheep have It's an cast. It's crazy. um speaks weird nostalgic things that don't happen as much anymore. I just, I just realized something. And I meant to talk about this last, like two weeks ago. And now even this week, I should have mentioned it.
02:14:34
Speaker
The, uh, the Looney Tunes Acme versus Coyote movie is Warner brothers distributed. is there any chance to just say they kill the deal?
02:14:49
Speaker
Oh, with the ketchup? Is there any chance we lose it in theaters? That would be such a tragedy. I hope that doesn't happen. i think not, but I think it's hilarious. That would be such a like a hilariously tragic end to a movie that I really do want to see in theaters. Because that's nostalgic for me too, the Looney Tunes.
02:15:07
Speaker
I just thought like we don't really make Looney Tunes movies anymore anymore. So i'm I'm curious. I hope that doesn't happen. But I think I was just thinking about that because I'm like, it's just so funny because like they finally got it off the ground. It's going to launch in theaters.
02:15:21
Speaker
And now um it's like Warner Bros. is like, psych or Netflix is like, psych, we don't care about this just shit. We're going to take it back from Ketchup Entertainment.
02:15:33
Speaker
cats Anyway. yeah anyway probably not but anyway well shit okay um otherwise the odyssey um yeah odyssey looks fucking cool man i'm i'm into it i'm in dude it's christopher nolan come on you got an in halfway people are criticizing it though because of the costume design i'm like what are you talking about i never even i didn't i don't care what other people think i'm gonna i watched it on my phone first and then i'm like that's christopher nolan intended Yeah, I'm like not. so I watched it first. I'm like not sufficient. I went upstairs and I just like turned it on like at full blast volume. I just watched it on the big screen. I'm like, yes, this looks so good. That's what's Benny Safdie with that crazy helmet. Come on, and man. daddy Come on, man. Yeah, it's like, oh, man, this guy's got to fuck people up. Probably presumably in this movie.
02:16:19
Speaker
Yeah. You got Tom Holland being like, oh, I'm dumb. old Yeah, he doesn't sound like that. Holland seems like a really nice fella. I shouldn't make fun him. Yeah. I'm not really making fun of him. He's just British. I'm making fun of the British people.
02:16:33
Speaker
Not him. Okay. You know, that's fair. um Disclosure day is the last one I really want to talk about here. I think that looks awesome. I think Steven Spielberg um is, is legendary.
02:16:46
Speaker
I think. Yeah. I don't know that there's any director that to me, when I think of director, I think of more than Steven Spielberg. I got to say, I think that he's also created massive blockbusters, but also created not in Indies really, but like, like like more art house films in the way that he's built. Like schin from Schindler's list to Jaws, he created the blockbuster with Jaws.
02:17:13
Speaker
essentially that's where the term came from from that release so it's like he's a legendary figure and I think that this did you ever watch and I have never seen it actually I've only seen it in clips because it was running at the retail store I was working at but have you ever watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind no there's a movie I intend to I gotta see but anyway is it on your board that you scratch things off on oh you've seen that Yeah.
02:17:44
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I don't think it is. It should be on there though. That's not, I didn't make the board. It was, it's a scratch scratch card that someone else made. Scratch and sniff. Yeah. You're interested in this one. looks crazy good to me. does look really good. I'm curious about it. It's cool. Cause yeah, he's coming back in into a alien roots, I guess. Right. You know, with, um, I, I guess close encounters of the third kind, but also like ET.
02:18:09
Speaker
Yeah. And, um, It's creepy, this trailer as well. Yeah. Excellent. It is creepy. Like, what is happening here? I like because it also doesn't reveal much.
02:18:20
Speaker
And you're just like oh. But yeah, I don't know. It was funny, though. It's like, they like, you know, it's like the weather network happening and then Emily Blunt's talking and all sudden it's like, ah, ah, ah, ah.
02:18:31
Speaker
And there's like the weird stuff. Like people are just watching this on a plane. Who's watching the fucking weather network on the plane? You know? Yeah. Yeah. um But anyways, like that's really the only thing. But again, it looks really good. I'm into it.
02:18:46
Speaker
I'm a Josh O'Connor fan now. Yeah, he's good. So let's do it. Let's watch this. Yeah. Right now.
02:18:58
Speaker
and Well, we can't. We can't do that. But what we can do, Adrian, is welcome our audience to an ambiguous Schrodinger segment that it likes to be called the Split Focus Toppling Totem. This section of our pod is focused upon a particular core topic and might find itself lodged anywhere between any segments of Split Focus, if it appears at all. What will it be? Where will it arrive? Tune in to find out. This episode, we'll be talking about...
Favorite Films & TV Shows of the Year
02:19:22
Speaker
taking a look at, I should say, our picks for the best films and TV series of the year. We've each chosen three seasons and three seasons of TV or and or movies. So it can be a movie or a season of TV. um And we'll present them in an alternating fashion.
02:19:38
Speaker
h as you're As you requested, actually. You wanted to do this. You wanted it to do the end end the end of the year strong with our picks for the best of. Yeah.
02:19:49
Speaker
Ape Together Strong. Yes, ape together strong. Yeah. Yeah. but Yeah. So I thought this would be a good idea. you know, like, let's wrap up the year. We've watched some things. We've watched some TV. We've watched a lot of things. And I thought it would be a fun idea to just kind of, you know, highlight things that we really enjoyed over the last year.
02:20:10
Speaker
um Maybe not necessarily our favorite thing. Maybe it's just something that made a big impact. Maybe that's something that stuck around. I ended up choosing kind of like my favorites. I actually wrote down like six things um just in case we had overlap and I had to adjust some stuff. So yeah. um You know what? Let's switch it around, Simon. You go first this time.
02:20:33
Speaker
Why don't you go first this time? You're going to regret this. Yeah, probably. So my first pick for the best of... 2025, Adrian, is a little show from a huge franchise called Star Wars and or season two.
02:20:51
Speaker
Oh, yeah. And or season two is a legendary TV show. it's It's very good. And or season one is also amazing. It's just so good. And it kind of got snubbed at the various award shows so far. So I feel like.
02:21:07
Speaker
it wasn't shown the ultimate respect that it deserves. It, it's strangely topical. it It, it, it seems to tackle certain political topics that are kind of relevant in today's society in, in bigger ways than it maybe should.
02:21:24
Speaker
Uh, because obviously Pandora is a Star Wars thing and a Very deep fascism in Star Wars. It's obviously not exactly on the nose, but there is some some tie-ins there, which is very strange.
02:21:35
Speaker
But the performances from the entire cast, the writing is so tight. The music is so good. The the set pieces are so big. The CG are is so well designed. The little details, the sound design, again, the actual sets themselves and the costumes and how they... Every single little piece was done so well. And the the cinematography.
02:21:57
Speaker
is so brilliant. There's really nothing, they're not hair out of place. And I mean, it all comes down to the writing overall. Uh, Tony Gilroy, the show, show creator and the creator of rogue. Well, not really the creator of, but the, I guess the savior of rogue one in some aspects. Um,
02:22:15
Speaker
he just ah He's done such an incredible what job of making this show. and his it seems like as he made it a family affair with, i think it was Dan Gilroy that wrote one of the ah best episodes of the show that won the Emmy. Is it Dan? I can't remember. that He's got two brothers working on this at the same time. Two brothers. Yeah.
02:22:35
Speaker
two brothers Yeah. I mean, I, I, um, I'm sorry. Sorry. Go ahead. Go on. Sorry. No, no. Yeah, no, i I can't agree with you more. It's, it's become a running joke in my friend group. And even with my wife, I, I love this show. I think this is probably my favorite thing I've watched this entire year.
02:22:57
Speaker
TV show movie wise. Um, the, i mean, everything that you said, but just like the idea of what does it take to run like a fascistic, you know, so yeah know this fascist government regime? In the galaxy at this level.
02:23:15
Speaker
The answer is just regular people, you know, in a lot of cases being like thrown into this cog, the idea that it recontextualizes the rebels in such a brilliant way where you as the viewer are even questioning like,
02:23:37
Speaker
And does the end justify the means of getting there? Everything about it is just so nuanced and brilliant. And it made, i think, literally the best piece of Star Wars content and arguably some of the best piece of of TV content.
02:23:54
Speaker
ever and i just i love the show so much i get excited talking about it again it's become a running joke um when i talk about my wife just kind of like she's like okay okay you know you talking to her about it because she didn't also watch i can't remember yeah she she has not watched it and you know i'm i'm trying to convince her to watch it at some point and I even, it's funny, you know, even at Christmas dinner, I was, you know, sitting next to like a family friend, like someone I've known.
02:24:21
Speaker
And he's like, Oh, like, you know, what, what have you been watching? Like, ah, you know, a bunch of stuff. Um, it's like, yeah, like my buddy recommended and or to me. I'm like, dude, I'm like, please. And like literally immediately Cassandra was like, Oh no.
02:24:33
Speaker
Oh no. Yeah. She's just like, okay, I'm going to turn it away. I was like, dude, you have to. And just like I was just talking about the quality of it. And again, there's just so many moments in that show from season one and again, season two being just brilliant where one line of dialogue just adds so much.
02:24:51
Speaker
to the, to everything that's come before it from, you know, like the season one, the I can't swim to, you know season two, the, the, who are you? Like, like just these little moments where you're like Oh my God, this is so good. And, um,
02:25:09
Speaker
Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy that my favorite thing, piece of content that I've consumed this year is arguably a Star Wars TV show. um Definitely yeah my favorite thing that I've watched this year.
02:25:22
Speaker
And holy smokes, dude. Brilliant. Brilliant. yeah it's crazy it's really good sorry to take your pick from you but it's okay man that's why i wrote multiple things that's why i wrote multiple things i had a feeling that you'd say that yeah i don don't know if it's my favorite i i don't know i'm thinking i think it might be as well it's tough it's a tough there's a it's crazy how the year just kind of melds together the way because there's a lot on this list that i've got here and it's like Man, I'm just going to list off the things that I have, the remaining items I have on this list yeah as like the, you know, the kind of honorable mentions without kind of going into too much detail. But okay, I'll give it, throw it to you. What's your first pick here?
02:26:03
Speaker
Cool, man. So my first pick is probably my favorite movie that I've watched this year. I know what it is. Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, they're back, baby. 28 years later.
02:26:13
Speaker
um Man, I think this movie is a freaking masterpiece. the The like coming out of the theater, just absolutely loving it. And the it's it's been aging like fine wine in my brain.
02:26:25
Speaker
I think. Everything about this movie from you know the pacing to, again, the cinematography to like the homages to the you know original 28 Days Later. Again, ah the same same guys making this one as they as did the original. And the way they were able to capture that magic once again and turn this tale into...
02:26:48
Speaker
of a family focused story while still, again, keeping it in this world and the tone and the world building of, you know, what's happened over these 28 years. And just so much about this movie, I think is makes it such a perfect sequel. um It's, you know, matured. And again, you, you can, you,
02:27:10
Speaker
since I'm such a big fan of the last of us, you can see the, you know, the direct inspiration that Alex Garland took from, you know, the last of us and input it and put it into this movie where Neil Druckmann, you know, did the exact same thing with 28 days later, took so much inspiration of that and put it into his universe. And it's this awesome cycle.
02:27:29
Speaker
um And, I just think that this movie was was brilliant. It's heartfelt. It's emotional. it's It's funny at times. It's scary. It just hits all the marks. And i am I'm so excited to see what Nia Dacosta doing, like from from a directing standpoint with ah Bone Temple that's coming out in just a few weeks. Damn, it's crazy. And see, i can't imagine it being – you know, as good as this one, but heck man, even if it's half as good, I think I'm going to be pleased with it.
02:28:00
Speaker
um And again, I just, I just truly love this movie and it stuck with me. i I would have thought that, you know, maybe this is just like that recency bias, but again, the further I've gotten from it, the more I've appreciated it, the more I love it.
02:28:13
Speaker
And um the more excited I get about, again, the sequel that's coming out um and now the now confirmed threequel to this movie as well.
02:28:26
Speaker
Three cool. Oh, right. Yeah, of course. Yeah. Yeah, no, it's amazing. I just think about that sound. There's that sound clip from the, like the nineteen thirty s or nineteen forty s Wait, it must have been in the 1940s. I think it's a World War II clip.
02:28:41
Speaker
I think so. It's that got radio broadcasts and they're just playing it. And it's just very haunting. And yeah I don't know. There's a lot of really creative choices that were made. And it's kind of almost like nothing else in a way. And even like it's almost unlike 28 Days Later and in very many ways, too. It's really good. it's It's awesome. Yeah, it's really good. I'm very excited to see how how it plays out for a trilogy.
02:29:02
Speaker
I like the the idea that Alex Garland's writing all three and then he's got he must have a plan for the entire kind of saga that's going to happen. yeah I'm curious to see how Killian Murphy might be tied into it if he is in fact in it, as rumors suggest, um and casting. I don't know if they've confirmed it exactly, but I think it was just kind of like...
02:29:20
Speaker
yeah kind of like in the ether that he was hired on for both bone temple and the third one. Anyway, so it should be good. should be good. I'm excited. Uh, the third, uh, my pick I should say, or my second pick, the third pick overall is, uh, one battle after another, which I think is an amazing movie by Paul Thomas Anderson. Uh, it's awesome.
02:29:40
Speaker
I think that the overall, like this movie, I feel like as is a very strong contender for winning movie of the year, best picture at the Oscars. And people seem to like it quite a bit too. It seems popular enough. And that's kind of my, I made this argument last year or or for this year, I guess for Anora winning and that or Anora is kind of mainstream. It's rare to see something, not now mainstream, but kind of a fun movie to watch versus like the other movie that was kind of big contender was, um oh God, the architect one. What is it called?
02:30:14
Speaker
Can't even remember now. Oh, I know what you're talking about. Adrian Brody. eighty year Adrian Brody. And I don't remember it, but yeah, that was the the other contender that people thought might win best picture, but then it was a Nora. And I think a Nora is like overall kind of edging more and toward the blockbusters incredibly an entertaining watch. Like it's very entertaining. It's like it's art house, but it's like art house with a slant. Like it is very, I feel like it's rare for a movie like like the movie we can't think of the name of, yeah to win or Nomadland to win, which it did win Best Picture, Nomadland. And so there is that element. But I think that overall, ah One Battle for Another is incredibly entertaining and incredibly funny. And I think Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro do ah like a fantastic, fantastic job. I think that Paul Thomas Anderson nailed the details as well. I think that's the biggest thing is that all the details from the...
02:31:09
Speaker
the The karate dojo to the, it was karate, right? I think so. Yeah. Yeah. to To like the, the way that the political state was in this kind of potential alternate near future, uh, America is, uh, it's crazy. It's, it's really awesome in that way. The devil was in the details and he, it was very haunting Sean. Oh, I forgot about Sean Penn. Tana Taylor, Tiana Taylor is also incredible in it.
02:31:38
Speaker
Um, I think, um, yeah what's your name jason crawford i want to say chase crawford i think that's right i don't know why i'm thinking chase crawford no it's infinity infinity chase right yeah that seems right he' a team crawford i don't know chase but uh offered and you're like how you're looking for this oh chase crawford is uh uh the deep in the boys oh yeah yeah infinity chase yeah yeah they're all great yeah Jason Vinny. That's just a great cast. Oh, man. The Sean Penn walk throughout that film.
02:32:14
Speaker
but Also, the very haunting like piano music that's constantly going running through it from ah Greenwood. Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead. It's just great. It's overall. Benicio Del Toro, dude. Yeah. it's um It's great. And again, it's it's ah it's so well written. It's nuanced. Again, it's just like...
02:32:33
Speaker
extremism is bad on on both ends in a lot of ways. yeah One is definitely worse, but you know, again, it is like, not everyone is a three dimensional character and painted in this.
02:32:44
Speaker
And yeah, I think it is really great movie. Yeah. I feel like the more I thought about it as well, it kind of got better in my mind. I feel like in the beginning, I didn't like it as much as I didn't really liked it, but I feel like it just became, it it it aged like a, like a stinky cheese, you know?
02:33:02
Speaker
Yeah, I thought you were um i thought you' were going to say a fine wine. Yeah, like i did not today. like ah But yeah, cat it's really good. I really love it. yeah think I think it has a real chance of winning as well.
02:33:16
Speaker
Yeah, I think so too. I think so too. it it is a it is a fun watch. i I feel like I was a little bit... um little bit too I don't want to say I was too negative on it, but I definitely was a little bit more negative than than than um expected on it.
02:33:34
Speaker
um And I think a lot of that had to do with
02:33:41
Speaker
ah just, again again, the hype around it. And I was expecting something more. And again, we're we're coming off ah you know a a year with such great content. um it was It was tough. So know.
02:33:53
Speaker
good stuff. Yeah. I did really like it. Okay, your pick. My next pick here, my friend, is another movie.
02:34:03
Speaker
This one, not fun whatsoever. But funnily enough, another Alex Garland joint um in Warfare. Oh, yeah. That's a great choice. That was going to be a minute. yeah That such a harrowing hour and a half, such an anxiety-inducing hour and a half of movie that that again is incredibly nuanced and doesn't paint the picture of, you know, this war propaganda, America, hoorah, good guy.
02:34:32
Speaker
um It shows like, you know, the the atrocities atrocities that they also had to commit and how they treated the people in, um you know, Iraq at that time in this silhouette, this hour and a half silhouette that you're just watching play out essentially second by second.
02:34:50
Speaker
And it is, So good, man. And also, again, so – I already said harrowing, but just so disgusting in its, like, grotesque violence, watching people's fucking legs blow off.
02:35:07
Speaker
you know, get getting shot. Like it's, it does not paint war in a fun light whatsoever. It is warfare. It is fucked up. It is crazy.
02:35:17
Speaker
And um I thought this movie was, was phenomenal. And I thought about it. I still think about it. but Like the the one... Anyways, there's like a... Yeah, like um yeah the the grotesqueness of it is is something that has stuck with me since. And again, I think the performances from everyone, you know, Will Poulter especially, is just...
02:35:41
Speaker
it's It's phenomenal, man. I think it's well written, well well directed. And again, it's it's crazy to think that this is like based on something that actually happened not you know on the account of, ah what what it's I want to say Alex. um Oh my goodness, I should have this ready. It was another Alex, yeah.
02:35:57
Speaker
Right, he was actual soldier. Yeah, it's it's it's really great. I agree with you. It is very anxiety. ray Mendoza. Sorry, I was going to say Alex Mendoza. I was like, that doesn't seem right. It's Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland. i'm sorry.
02:36:11
Speaker
i I also i said the same thing, though. Yeah. um But it's... It's cool because it really does show the horrors of war. And there's a lot of the problem with war movies is that they often can be interpreted as kind of like a glorification of war, even if they're intended to be ah like a show of the horrors. It's a strange like consequence of making a war movie, I i find. and I feel like this really doesn't feel good. To watch in any way. I feel like there's almost no way to interpret it that way unless you're maybe, i don't know.
02:36:44
Speaker
A psychopath? I don't know. like I don't want to be too harsh. But um maybe it was our circumstance watching it maybe that just made me feel that way. But I just feel like it overall, it was it's excellent. It's really excellent. And it's just this heart pounding the whole way. And it just you're at the edge of your seat and you just want these young lads to survive. It's really excellent. I really love it.
02:37:04
Speaker
it but it's i also never want to watch it ever again thank you yeah next yeah yeah yeah okay uh it's my pick and i'm having a tough one with this i don't know what i'm gonna pick because i feel like if i pick one that you don't pick then i'm maybe be like ah honorable missing which uh which show won best uh drama at the emmys do you remember it's the pit Yeah, I gotta watch that. Season two right around the corner. Maybe then the best comedy was Hacks again?
02:37:33
Speaker
Or is something different? No, it was The Studio. Oh, good. Oh, yeah. the studio. Oh, that's another one. I forgot. forgot. Yeah. I forgot to add that. It's harder for me to track the shows I have because I i don't have Letterboxd. Letterboxd, I just went through the scores and I just picked the ones with the highest scores. That's how I basically did it. But for the shows, I don't have that. Letterboxd was supposed to get TV shows, but it never did.
02:37:59
Speaker
It just never did that. They promised that. like it Wasn't that like two years ago? That was a while ago now. That seems right. Yeah. Yeah. I'm really having trouble with this last one. I'm not sure what to pick. I'm going to go with, I think it makes the most sense. And this is a show that did that did not win. I feel like it deserved to win perhaps the Emmy. um I did have problems with it though, to be honest. And because it wasn't perfect, but I think it had something to do with, I don't know, maybe being rushed to finish the season, but Severance season two.
02:38:27
Speaker
I think Severance is excellent and and not to pick two season twos here, but I guess I have. So it's too late. um But yeah, Apple TV plus is Severance season two. I think that that a whole team, ah Dan Erickson and and Ben Stiller and like ah Adam Scott and ah um Britt Lowry, they they they just kill it. The overall, that the cinematography in that show, the music, everything. about it is really, really great. I just didn't love certain elements of certain, the way they handled certain characters that near the end. I feel like they felt, felt a bit rushed, but other than that, I loved the show. i thought it was excellent overall and I can't wait for the sort third season, which I think is a long way out. I got to be real. It seems like it's still going to be like not this year, but 2027. It seems like the spring of 2027 is what I was reading recently, which kind of sucks.
02:39:20
Speaker
So yeah, There is that, but ah yeah, it's ah it's a pretty big hit from a viewership level. It seems like Apple TV has had a few hits on their hands in terms of viewership, which is fantastic, but it's such a great mystery show. And we talked about this on our very long review in that the the one of the greatest things about this show, and it's one of the greatest things about Pluribus actually, is like the Vince Gilligan show, is that It takes a concept and it really explores every aspect of this really kind of smart and intelligently i i intelligently built idea. The skeleton the show exists, but could you bend this idea in various ways and still land with the idea intact? Or are you going to find yourself in a plot hole somewhere?
02:40:04
Speaker
situation where things fall apart pretty easily. And severance is not afraid to keep asking the tough questions of the concept of if your mind were split into the concept of the work-life balance, where when you go to work, you only remember work things. and when you go to your your back to your life, but you only remember life things.
02:40:24
Speaker
How would that work? What would relationships look like? How could you possibly sustain relationships at home versus at work? ah would you Would you question what you were doing in either spot? Would the the Audi and the Innie conflict with each other? Would they cause each other issues? what What could happen in those situations? And they just keep asking and asking and asking and asking the questions of what this company is about. wow How does Lumen, the big company that runs the Severance program? Are they a shady organization? Why do they even want to do this program? Is it really an altruistic goal? It's a giant corporation is is kind of the questions. And then this crazy cast of characters is all like thrown into it with Christopher Walken somehow in the cast.
02:41:11
Speaker
It's insane. It's an insane concept and it's really, really like a great workplace drama that is sometimes almost a comedy, but really ultimately a drama. It's awesome. I recommend it to all.
02:41:23
Speaker
um Watch season one, obviously first, but yeah, season two, really good. And it didn't necessarily get snubbed because I'm sure the pit is awesome, but I feel like Severance didn't win the first time either. So I think it's really excellent. We'll see what they do with season three. Maybe they can iron out some of the kinks that they had with season two that I felt like.
02:41:39
Speaker
They didn't quite nail on like, you know, hit the nail on the head. Exactly. But anyway, sorry, I've talked too long. No, no, man. it's It's cool. I like hearing your voice.
02:41:52
Speaker
Okay. Okay, cool. um So my third... Oh, you didn't say was Severance. I'm surprised. Oh, i guess no. like Oh, yeah. I guess... i guess Sorry. i You just hit the... nit Like, i don't know. It's like, what else should I add to it? you you honestly hit every point. You did a great job. i I agree. I agree. I think... I don't think I was as harsh on it as you were. um i I thought this was like a really entertaining and...
02:42:15
Speaker
um Crazy season of TV. And it had me, you know, at the edge of my seat waiting week to week on, you know, what was going to happen next. And again, I think there's this like weirdness, quirkiness that that's that's that's in the show that is...
02:42:35
Speaker
like It's so odd, but somehow just works in the context of everything. um i do think like this season did have like you know one episode, which I thought was fairly weak. um But apart from that, i just I really enjoyed it as a whole. And I think the performances from everyone and Tramiel Tillman winning Best Supporting Actor in a Drama well-deserved. I can't even mention Tramiel Tillman.
02:42:57
Speaker
Yeah. like It's just... I just think this is a ah stellar TV series. And again, it's crazy that it wasn't my favorite of of the year, considering that this year has been just so packed with but such quality TV and and movies that it's <unk>s hard to pick and choose, man. It's hard to pick and choose.
02:43:16
Speaker
Yeah. I feel like I'm the, my list of like extra stuff is very long. There's a few here that I'm like, should I have pick severance? I don't know. I just, I picked it cause I i just can't decide, you know, they're all really good.
02:43:31
Speaker
But I have like 12, I have 12 things picked. It's insane. Anyway, what else you got? What's your last one? So this is a tough one as well. Cause I got a few that I'm kind of juggling, but
02:43:45
Speaker
don't know. Do I do the, it's not really a basic bitch answer, but I feel like this is probably on many a people's lists. So I'll just say it because this was the one time where I was sitting in the theater watching a scene unfold. And I literally was like, Oh my goodness. Am I just watching like a masterpiece kind of play out in front of me?
02:44:04
Speaker
And that is with sinners, um, directed by, um, Oh my goodness. Ryan Coogler. Ryan Coogler. I literally had Ryan and I just kept on saying Johnson in my head because we were just talking about- I'm to help because I've been really struggling with names in this segment. There's just two, we're looking at so many different properties and there's a lot of different people involved. So- Yeah. Anyway, Ryan.
02:44:29
Speaker
Yeah. And I just think this movie was something so cool and unique. um You know, a really awesome cast, you know, Michael B. Jordan playing like a a pair of brothers in this movie kind of starting off as this like prohibition era gangster movie and then evolving into a vampire horror movie with this amazingly menacing villain played by, you know, Jack, ocon ah Jack O'Connell.
02:44:55
Speaker
right? Oh man, now I'm questioning because I'm thinking Josh O'Connor. I'll look it up while you talk. Yeah. And, you know, something that just, you know, hit the mark on being very frightening for sure, but also just like this artistic masterpiece and, you know, kept me hooked throughout the entire, you know, two plus hour runtime. Um,
02:45:19
Speaker
it was It was awesome, dude. And it was it was really awesome. And again, i there's this scene in the middle of the movie that essentially bridges the gap between the Prohibition era gangster to the horror piece of the movie where this dance number plays out and this musical number plays out and the cinematography moving around this like barnyard bar area.
02:45:46
Speaker
And in the music Ludwig Göransson score is just like freaking divine. Yeah. And just, I, I, again, I was sitting there just watching him and wow, I'm watching something truly special right now. And I'm like experiencing something that's probably going to stick with me for years. And I mean, it did, it has stuck with me for not years, but, but a long ass time. Yeah. since they're yeah yeah um So Yeah, I don't know. I think that movie is really special. I really liked it.
02:46:17
Speaker
I think one of my favorite movies of the year for sure. and um I mean, heck, man, I'll watch anything Ryan Coogler does. Why the heck? Yeah, I got to watch Creed.
02:46:30
Speaker
Right, yeah. Yeah, I'm curious to see what he does next. Well, no, he might be doing Black Panther next, actually. I'm not sure. No, I think there's maybe one movie between that. We'll see. Because isn't Black Panther, the next Black Panther 2027? that what they said? I have no idea. It was 2028.
02:46:45
Speaker
We talked about about it at one point, but we'll see what happens. Yeah, it was awesome. you this They also introduced us to Miles Katon, who seems like a pretty talented dude, like skilled fella. Awesome. A young guy. um yeah But yeah, it's just the music that really sticks out to me the most.
02:47:01
Speaker
But we watched it in an IMAX and I almost feel like biased me a little bit because it really is incredible in IMAX, but not everyone gets to see it in that scene. There's almost a problem with that and seeing it. I want to see like every Nolan movie that ever exists in there. And this was shot with 70 millimeter like yeah film as well. So it's really kind of built for an IMAX setting. If you can find a 70 millimeter theater showing IMAX as an example, but. though it's so good it's it's just that was that that was this true like cinematic experience this year that i'm so glad that i witnessed yeah it's awesome yeah michael both jordans killed it michael both jordans yeah amazing okay i i'm done i guess and you've done yours i've got a lot of honorary mentions let's just go through them i guess i guess okay quick um black bag
02:47:51
Speaker
So good. That was good. and That's ah it's amazing. Alien Earth I've got on here as well. Yeah, Steven Soderbergh. Alien Earth from Noah Hawley. Man, what a freaking... So good. That was only something I saw recently. Amazing.
02:48:04
Speaker
um I'll throw it to you, actually. Let's go back and forth. you What do you got? yeah um Adults. FX is an adult series, which is like a nice little... like you know It brought me back to that like sort of a sitcom era...
02:48:16
Speaker
like just really fun comedy you know these 20 something year olds living in a house together just having a good time loved it right loved it yeah the next one i'll say is the studio i mean how did we not mention that yet yeah mean we did it's incredible we did we mentioned it but not for the list studio is amazing as much as it it won the emmy and we kind of just disparaged it a little bit no kidding we didn't but But that is the best comedy of the year, I think, um for me, at least for what I've seen. I think it's ah excellent. Seth Rogen killed it. I'll throw it to you.
02:48:47
Speaker
um The Chair Company TV series, Tim Robinson's The Chair Company series. Wacky. It was awesome. Brought my wife into the Tim Robinson style of humor, kind of like accepting it.
02:49:00
Speaker
um So I think this was a you know really fun, great time. Yeah, that's true. Pluribus. I mean, I didn't see the last episode yet, so maybe it's a bad, maybe I'm a bit a closer with the last. going to hate it because of the last episode. I guess we'll see. But Vince Gilligan returns. It's pretty cool. This premise is awesome. I think this is really great. I'm very curious to see how the next seasons play out. i don't know how even the finale plays out, so we'll see. But all right. Zach Kregor's weapons.
02:49:28
Speaker
Oh, I don't even have weapons here. I completely yeah forgot to add that. That's amazing. Yeah. Such a fun horror movie, genuinely hilarious, brilliantly, you know, played out makes me so excited for his Resident Evil movie. That's I think next year.
02:49:42
Speaker
The blockbuster beginning of the DCU in Superman, i think is amazing. I think it's incredible. It's really fun. It's really funny at times it was as well. And it's very, it's a movie rooted in kindness, which I think ah woke somehow but rub people the wrong way. i mean, that's a message you can't stand behind if you're a conservative.
02:50:04
Speaker
Yeah. anyway uh whatever but yeah james gun killed it i'm so excited about the dcu by the way i didn't say this earlier i am i've never been less interested in the mcu because of the chris evans reveal i think it's awful it's just so stupid you're dumb and i don't know how you make that to me i'm just like i don't know i care the least i've ever cared about the mcu at this point so fair enough it's too bad anyway there are any more on your list there um Yeah, it's not fully done. The series finale is in a week, but Stranger Things, man, going on that journey, rewatching all all four seasons and then now watching the fifth season. i love Stranger Things, man. going to be a fan of this for for for good. it's i
02:50:47
Speaker
I hate myself for forgetting how much I like this show and how good the show was. And i'm I'm glad that i I was able to rewatch and remind myself of of this quality that it has. Yeah. The only flaw in it probably being that these are 20 year olds and they're not shouldn't be in high school. But anyway, honestly, it doesn't bother me at all. You ignore it. a It's just completely. yeah I think so. Like I ignore it. Like it's it's just like falls to the waist. It's like the the the CGI in Squid Game. I didn't care at a certain point. It's I just I hate that argument, man. We like especially in the, you know, aughts and like the mid aughts and like the 90s. You had 20 something year olds playing high schoolers in every show, every movie. A bit different. And but yeah, yeah, we have seen them age. It's a four year jump. Yeah, they're pretty much the same age as, you know, ah the actors like Nancy and Jonathan and and um Steve were when they were playing high schoolers.
02:51:41
Speaker
It's like just it's fine. But some of them look bother pretty old. That's the issue. It's more like Nor Schnopp, as an example, is a completely different person. He looks very different. looks like an adult. It's okay, though. He's great. I'm soft on this idea, but it's the only flaw I feel like in what I've seen to be a really good season so far.
02:52:00
Speaker
I think the weirdest part, actually, of season five, I was bringing it up because um I was watching it with my fiance. I'm like, millie bobby brown got lip filler this season right like i'm like she's like yeah yeah it's like a thing online i'm like oh okay so i'm not just imagining wait because she's like oh from the beginning is of the season okay yeah okay yeah yeah sure i think you're saying it would be funny if it was in the midway point oh no no no she she has lip filler this entire season she's serving okay as they say
02:52:31
Speaker
Gotcha. Yeah. Okay. All right. Yeah. Is that it? um Last, but certainly not least. This is actually my number one pick. Jurassic World Rebirth. 10 out of 10. I'm just kidding. Right. But I do love that movie. It's fun. Dinosaurs killing people.
02:52:46
Speaker
Let's do it. Let's have some bad exposition on a boat. Who the fuck cares? Dinosaurs killing people. Okay. If you say so. Okay. Okay, yeah. Cool. I think I listed all my honorable mentions.
02:53:00
Speaker
Oh, no. Peacemaker season two. I think it was awesome. Yeah. Yeah. It was good. It was good. I thought it was really good didn't like it as much, but based on the, yeah. It was good. I thought it was great. i think I think it's a great season of TV. I don't think it's as good as the first, but it's good.
02:53:14
Speaker
I disagree. Yeah. That's why I said, we had I think, that's why I said, I think Simon, you disagree with what, that I think that i you disagree that disagree with that. No, that's not what I said. I just, no, that's what you said. That's what you said. that's it No, you said that you disagree with what I think that that I think that not with what I think. I don't think that's what I said. You're getting your real defensive here. Okay. Let's move on now.
02:53:38
Speaker
This is a good segment. Thank you for the suggestion. I appreciate it. It was good. dude No worries. You owe me 50 bucks. We should like a, we should do a hype. Yeah. We should do a hype version of of this. i don't know if we should it two weeks like when it's the new year.
02:53:49
Speaker
Yeah. um but What are we most hyped about? Yeah, we did it right in the nick of time just before the end of the year because this episode airs on the 30th. So it's kind of perfect. Yeah. um But yeah, okay. Cool. Now into a segment of our show that I like to call a Look to the Future.
02:54:03
Speaker
A portion of our podcast where each of us present at least three of our picks for the TV series or movies that look most interesting to us that are releasing between the dates of December 30th and January 12th, 2020.
02:54:15
Speaker
twenty twenty Oh, sorry. That doesn't make sense. Between December 30th, 2025 and 12th, 2026, two-week period, As is customary, you go first.
02:54:28
Speaker
Okay, man. So do your thing. I will go first. My first pick, the series finale of Stranger Things, releasing on December 31st, the final episode, wrapping it all up.
02:54:44
Speaker
Heck yeah, dude. Two hours. I'm there. It sucks that it's on New Year's Eve at 8 p.m. I'm not going watch it then. I'm going to be doing lines of cocaine, dude, in my bathroom. You know, that's what I do on New Year. and I'm just kidding. i'm not doing that.
02:54:58
Speaker
Wow. But, you know, I'm going to have a little potluck, which I invited you to if you still want to come. You did. if you still did if If you change your mind and want to come. Because you don't necessarily want to come. I will let you know, but I'm not going to live.
02:55:14
Speaker
yeah It's okay. I'll let everyone know how you responded. next oh Okay. we'llll We'll talk about it next next time if you remember. If you remember though, i don't know if you'll remember. Happy New Year.
02:55:27
Speaker
Cool. Okay. ah My pick for this coming two week period, Adrian, is a movie I think you're very very hyped for. It is a movie called Greenland to Migration.
02:55:39
Speaker
Are you excited for that? I am. I'm like unironically. I'm unironically kind of excited about this. i You said unironically or ironically? Yeah. Oh, yeah, me too. I think so, too. I actually really quite enjoyed the first one. I feel like it was kind of well composed, to be fair.
02:55:56
Speaker
Yeah. the The cool thing about a House of Dynamite, by the way, is it it is kind of a disaster movie. It's just the ending is not good, but I'm sure there'll be an ending to this movie because this is... predominantly a third a thriller rather than being a like a hard hour art house film but hu um yeah anyway yeah okay cool cool cool cool cool cool i am gonna choose a zombie movie that's coming out actually early next year starring daisy ridley called we bury the dead this kind of just looks like a fun time is it gonna be good i don't know
02:56:29
Speaker
I don't know. The trailer shows this scene in a bus like three times in the trailer, genuinely. Where she's like in the bus and the zombie's coming at her. I don't know. Let's let's let's watch it.
02:56:42
Speaker
Let's watch it. Let's watch it. Why the heck not? Cool. Yes, indeed. I'm...
02:56:51
Speaker
but Sorry. You have more to say about that? No, no, no. Okay. Sounds good. ah My next pick is going to be, we just talked about it actually. I think you said you wanted to watch it. The Pit season two begins on January 8th.
02:57:08
Speaker
So that should be interesting. Medical drama where it's like 24, the show 24. Do you ever watch 24? Did we talk about this? Yeah, of course. Okay. The original 24.
02:57:19
Speaker
twenty four I didn't watch like the sequel series. Oh, I think I watched some of the original and watched the sequel series, which wasn't like a sequel series was. i think I watched the first like few episodes. I'm like, I'm fine without this. It's okay.
02:57:31
Speaker
Yeah, that's fair. Okay. Cool. Cool. Okay. And my final pick, Simon, is ah is a horror movie about a monkey going crazy called Primate.
02:57:44
Speaker
It's like a bunch of people. They go to like a house. This person, she has a pet chimpanzee. Something's wrong with the chimpanzee today. He wants to kill all the people.
02:57:55
Speaker
So he's killing all the the the the people in this house. Oh, interesting. Okay. Yeah. Interesting. the Did we talk about Hamnet already? That came out last time, I thought.
02:58:10
Speaker
Oh, it's just a wide release. I think that's what it is. there's ah there's a There's not that much, I feel like, this two-week period. It's like the smallest amount probably of the entire year. the week out the The two weeks after, there's a lot more. I got one more, though. um I think in TV shows, it's fine. But for TV shows, the show that stands out to me is what I thought was originally a miniseries, but it's The Night Manager Season 2, Adrian, which returns with Tom Hiddleston as a spy.
02:58:40
Speaker
as a spy it's on prime video it launches on january 11th you haven't seen the first season i don't believe so i don't think this is i am necessarily for you but that does look really cool yeah um but uh we'll see yeah yeah okay anything else oh anything else you want to no no the one thing that i forgot to mention though about that primate movie yeah you know who you want to know who it's directed by
02:59:06
Speaker
uh johannes roberts oh great who directed hit resident evil welcome to iraq in city movie which is a great movie i stand by it this movie though 92 primate 92 on rotten tomatoes right now 25 reviews oh wow that's awesome good for him yeah yeah do you think um i can't remember is zach kreger's next movie resident and evil it is oh wow that would be think's next year Oh, wow. That's soon.
02:59:35
Speaker
This could be like the actually like a really good one. like we we Again, we've had this is like the... the golden age of video game adaptations and film and TV.
02:59:47
Speaker
Yeah. It started with, um, Johannes Roberts's resident evil. Welcome to Raccoon city. No, it didn't. and You know, it did not. Don't, don't you. What was the start though? I'm trying to think about it. It wasn't that cause I was too late, but there was, there was specifically one.
03:00:05
Speaker
No, it was something before that for sure. Mario. I'm blank. No, that was after. The Uncharted movie. I wouldn't count all that. the There's a very weird scene in that movie that makes no sense.
03:00:21
Speaker
On a plane. If you remember correctly. Yeah. Remember. Where's the blood? talking about I don't know. It doesn't matter. Who cares? There's no blood. There's. Yeah. Makes no sense. I have no idea.
03:00:33
Speaker
There was one before The Last of Us that was really striking. Fallet was after. Arcane was before The Last of Us for one thing. Was it? so that's automatically. Wasn't it the first season? Maybe you're There's a gap between the seasons, right? Arcane season one. Dude, was Arcane season two this year?
03:00:48
Speaker
no No, that was last year. That was last year. That was last year. so ah Yeah, got beat out by Fallout.
03:00:54
Speaker
Preposterous. Fucking preposterous. November 6, 2021 was Arcane season one. It wasn't just post-COVID, though. we There was something before it. I'm just not i'm blanking on it. i'm I'm feeling bad about it. I don't know why I can't figure this out.
03:01:12
Speaker
It's another big video game launched before. I don't know, man. Whatever. Whatever. Let's just wrap this FNAF. FNAF. No, that was after as well.
03:01:25
Speaker
I mean, whatever. Okay. Well, anything else you want to add to the audience before we wrap this show up, sir? No, let's wrap it up, baby. Let's wrap it up. Alrighty. Alrighty. Thank you for listening audience to episode one 26 of split focus, a film and TV podcast. My name is Simon Eadie and it has been a pleasure to host you alongside my Christmas boy co-host Adrian Pinter.
03:01:49
Speaker
Please join us. on January 13th for episode 127. Good evening to you and good luck. Ho, ho, ho. It's me, Christmas boy, Adrian. I actually dressed up as Santa this year, again. um Nice. But yeah, thank you.
03:02:05
Speaker
Always a pleasure, man. You take care. Have a good night. Goodbye.