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A Wish Come True! Let's Discuss Puss in Boots: The Last Wish || AniMAYtion Month
42 Plays4 days ago
Welcome to AniMAYtion Month! This May we are diving into the world of animation by reviewing some of the genre's greatest entries, from 2.5D and stop motion to anime and live action hybrids. So get your pencils ready because this is one month you won't want to miss!
In this episode, Satsunami and Martin MacAlistair kick off the month with their review of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. With the declining reputation of the Shrek franchise, why does this film stand out? What makes this one of Martin's favourite films? And could this be one of the greatest comebacks in animation?! Without any further ado, let's kick off AniMAYtion Month and find out!
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Transcript
Introduction to Animation Month
00:00:00
Speaker
Well, it was a long, long Mario month. I think I deserve a break. That's right, no more podcasting for me anytime. Oh no. Hey Martin, Martin the champ, I see you're relaxing. Would be a real shame if I suggested another theme month for us to do. Come on, how about it?
00:00:22
Speaker
No, no, forget it. Forget it. I'm out. I'm not that person anymore. But that was only a month ago. No, no, no, forget it. Forget it. The old Martin is gone. Martin and Tartan is no more. Martin and what? Look, forget it.
00:00:32
Speaker
Grab your reviewing bits because it's time for the greatest month of all time. We're doing Minions! Finally, Minions month! It's time for the second greatest month of all time! Welcome to Animation Month!
Focus on 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish'
00:00:49
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome to the first episode of Animation Month. My name's Satsunami and joining me today is none other than the wrestler in boots himself, it Martin McAllister. Martin, welcome back.
00:01:03
Speaker
Thank you for having me back. Wrestler in boots, most wrestlers or wear boots, but I'll take the compliment. It's good to be back. How are you today? Not too shabby, thank you. The sun is shining and the films we're watching this month are actually good. Would you believe that? No, this one's great, but we'll see what the rest of the month has to do.
00:01:21
Speaker
but Well, that's true, because we do have a wild card that we're still waiting for at the end of the month. Wink, wink. And yeah, today we are diving into, and this is something that you and I were, i wouldn't say arguing, but... Spirited debate. now That's exactly the word, thank you. A spirited debate about what kind of animation style this film is. And that film, of course, is Piss in Boots' The Last Wish. Now, when I looked it up, Google seems to think it's 2.5D combination between 3D animation and 2D backgrounds and things.
Initial Reactions to the Film
00:01:55
Speaker
A kind of nice blend between them. And, you know, they get very funky with the frame rates. as it were but yeah others just say it is animation is that right insane that's what i would call it because to me two point five that could be anything from snow white and the seven dwarves know like the whole lighting up one stuff it doesn't feel right but i guess it is but you know mean it just it doesn't feel right well that spider-verse animation but i don't even know if it's got a name yet of it as just spider-verse it feels so distinct now and only a couple of films have used it and each time people go oh it's just like spider-verse so yeah Do you think Sony have copyrighted that term?
00:02:29
Speaker
Spider-Verse animation? If they haven't, they're doing it right now as they hear this. I love to think there's just one lonely intern in this Sony office. It's just what something does. Oh my God, we have incorporated it.
00:02:43
Speaker
Boss, boss. I don't care if you're in a million dollar meeting. This is important. Satsunami and to copyright that and sell you the rights it. Oh, anyway, devious machinations aside. Yeah, before we dive into this particular film, and don't get me wrong, spoilers, but it is a very good film. What was your introduction to this film? Because I think personally, other than seeing the odd advert here or there, I think it was you who actually introduced me to this film.
00:03:12
Speaker
So I'm curious, how did you hear about this film? It's kind of wacky because I had absolutely no interest in this film at all, right? So to keep track, it is a spin-off to the third Shrek film, but a sequel to that spin-off, right? I'm right in that, I think. So I think I watched the third Shrek film once.
00:03:29
Speaker
I didn't watch the first Puss in Boots movie. And then all of sudden this film came out and I didn't go see
Comparisons with the Shrek Series
00:03:34
Speaker
it in the cinema. And it was during, think it was like the end of 2022. I was just trying to catch up on films I hadn't seen. and a lot of people were saying, oh, this Puss in Boots film is really good. I was like, oh, cool. You know when someone says that to you you're like cool add it to the list of a thousand films I have to watch. And I was scrolling on the Instagram or something one day and the clip came up of him fighting the giant at the start. They've sort of opened the sequence and it was like a side by side with Attack on Titan because that scene we'll probably chat about in a bit but that scene is pretty much an Attack on Titan rip.
00:03:58
Speaker
It just caught me so off guard i thought it was so funny that this Shrek spin-off was doing an Attack on Titan thing and so decided to sit there and watch it just because it's only an hour and a half long or whatever and I genuinely think it's one of the best films I've ever seen I'm so glad I sat and watched it I loved this film to the state where I think you were probably one of the first in the fighting line but just messaged everyone I knew people hadn't spoken to in years I haven't spoken to them like 10 years from school by the way you need to go watch this film you need to go worst person it's the last wish don't argue with me I understand it's a weird sell it is probably my favourite animated film I think one of my favorite of films of all time tremendous film obviously to jump into the actual too detail but that was my experience with it I wish I'd seen in the cinema because I think it would have been absolutely phenomenal yeah that was kind of my experience with it and I guess we'll pass on to you because I was messaging you frantically about it so then what was kind of your take on it well whenever you come to me and you say oh this is the best film of all time you have to watch this it intrigues me to no end you have no idea
00:04:54
Speaker
How that one sentence from you saying it's the best film of all time or it's a great film. I'm like, what is this? It's either going go one of two ways, isn't it? It's either going to be Hobbs and Shaw it's going to be the greatest film ever, which is Hobbs and Shaw. know, going have a bit of a... mix you don't usually make a habit of recommending bad films unless you know we're talking about bad films and we say oh i need a bad film oh say no more to be honest i had seen the adverts and things and i think what put me off this and i think i did see the first one before i saw the second one just because i was really curious and i think i watched it during the lock I want to say.
00:05:32
Speaker
It was on Netflix anyway and I thought okay I'll watch it And the first one I didn't exactly think it was an amazing film. I thought it had some really funny moments but compared to Shrek 1 and 2 compared to other DreamWorks films that are held in high esteem didn't think it was anything great. I think as well it's important to note as well that I think obviously Shrek's kind of picked back up over the last few years but I think in general just as Pussing Boots Last Wish was coming out I think Shrek was a bit stinky as a brand. you know yes obviously i know it's picked up again now and there's a lot more nostalgia around it but do feel like in 2020 2021 people weren't as funny or you know somebody once told me blah blah it was obviously a bit a meme but feel like it wasn't as held as in high regard you know and because certainly free was a stinking film i don't think yeah the piss in boots first one was very well received the brand was kind of damaged so like i don't think that made people that interested in this film see controversial take here but I didn't really mind the fourth film. I didn't think it was amazing or anything. I still think Shrek 1 and 2. See, despite the memes, I genuinely think they're still really good films. They do. And would love to do a Shrek month at sea even next December. We could genuinely have enough content for a Shrek month. But anyway, putting the pin on that nightmare aside... Yeah, you're completely right though, because Shrek 3 probably one of the worst films I've seen. Well, okay, that's a bit hyperbole, but at the same time, it is a really bad film compared to the
Exploring Themes and Animation Style
00:06:55
Speaker
others. I think it's because you know how you get films, the first two, they're amazing, they're really good, then you get the third one, and it's just the disappointment in the middle. And the fourth one's alright, but again, it doesn't hit highs of one and two. And then by that point, you know, you had your memes, you had your Shrek X Shadowed the hedgehog shippers online making meme posts and things. You have filters now in TikTok. So it's safe to say that Shrek has definitely become a bit more of a meme, and especially with the release of the Shrek 5 trailer recently, which is a whole other can of worms. So when the Puss in Boots one came out, you're completely right, it was kind of, yeah, it was alright. It wasn't anything special, it used the same animation style as Shrek, that kind of. I mean, it was still good 3D animation, but nevertheless, it was still the same as the other Shrek films, so it didn't really have its own identity. This film, on the other hand, oh boy, I had no interest after watching the first one. But then you came to me, you said, oh, this is amazing, go watch it. I watched it. I regret as well not seeing that in the cinema because it is, and I'm going to sound so pretentious saying this, it is a visual feast for the eyes. It is so...
00:08:06
Speaker
as so damn good. The animation, the action, the characters even, everything just blends together so damn well and I was shocked at how good it was, especially as I said, considering that it's a follow-up to the first Puss in Boots film and the first Puss in Boots film, as I said, it's got its funny jokes and moments but it's nothing really special but this film on the other hand wow and again i totally agree with you i saw the i think it was the beginning fight with the giant as well again as you were saying people were memeing and comparing it to attack on titan you could definitely see the inspiration list just say between the two it was so who was so good and then i was curious so i was like okay i'm gonna go watch this i watched it loved it thought right you know what we have to do an episode on it and that leads us to today so yeah
Character Development and Plot
00:08:59
Speaker
are you ready martin for this last wish of a film going ready this is my first wish for a film
00:09:05
Speaker
yeah And of course, we will be right back after these messages. Welcome to Chatsunami, a variety of podcasts that discusses topics from gaming and films to anime and general interests. Previously on Chatsunami, we've analysed what makes a good horror game, conducted a retrospective on Pierce Brosnan's runs James Bond, and listened to us take deep dives into both the Sonic and Halo franchises. Also, if you're an anime fan, then don't forget to check us out on our sub-series, Chatsunani, where we dive into the world of anime.
00:09:34
Speaker
So far, we've reviewed things like Death Note, Princess Mononoke, and the hit Beyblade series. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can check us out on Spotify, iTunes, and all good podcast apps.
00:09:46
Speaker
As always, stay safe, stay awesome, and most importantly, stay hydrated.
00:09:56
Speaker
Fancy taking a humorous trip down a random topic each week? You do, well you're in luck. Casting views presented by me, Dan, and a host of guests bring you just that. With topics from the world of entertainment, science, sport, and everyday life, there's bound to be a topic that's going to inform and amuse.
00:10:14
Speaker
Catch casting views every Sunday on all listening platforms now.
00:10:22
Speaker
And we are back. So, before we dive into why we love this film so much, Martin, do you want to explain briefly what this film is about? Absolutely. Spoilers, I guess, for a start. This film follows the story of Puss and Boots as he finds out that he's not got any lice left. There's a cat who had nine lice, he's just eight them up, and he's now on the run from death Personified and he finds out about a magical wishing star and he wants to get a wish to bring all his life back. And along the way he meets a whole bunch of characters who also trying to get their own wishes, cultivating in a massive big fight over and a bit of a chase, kind of like a sort of an old western style chase towards the hidden treasure. The actual plot the film is pretty thin, actually know that I'm saying it out loud, but yeah, that's kind of the long and short of the story beats.
00:11:04
Speaker
It's all about his journey into becoming a better person and kind of figuring out his own place in the world and he doesn't have to be so selfish. His relationship with other people and his relationship with others and with his own mortality. Happy kids film, everyone.
00:11:17
Speaker
ah No, you make a great point there because, and I'm sure there's a technical term for this, but the way i usually see it in this kind of story is it's like a scaffold story. yeah You know, there's not really much to it. It's basically supporting the characters moving from point A to point B and everything, but it's... It's the characters themselves that bring the substance to these kind of scaffolding stories. And genuinely, I think the characters do an absolutely fantastic job in this.
00:11:50
Speaker
Maybe bit too close to the bone sometimes. but There were one or two moments. I know you said it's a kids film and you joked there about, oh, happy kids film, but there are one or two moments where genuinely you're kind of looking down at yourself going, oh my God, this is really heavy. Yeah, this isn't the average kind of like, i don't know, don't want to say the average Disney experience because they can get pretty dark as well, but it's not the average sort of popcorn, fight to have a fun time experience.
00:12:13
Speaker
a bit wacky. Yeah, because it's something that DreamWorks, and by extension of course Shrek 1 and 2, did really, really well. Which is, of course, they blended a kid-friendly film with kind of mature themes, but they veiled it in a kind of childish demeanour, like, you know, love yourself, be who you want to be, blah, blah, blah, that kind of thing.
00:12:35
Speaker
And this one, as you said, it deals with the idea of mortality, and we get one character called Perito, who, oh my god, Honestly, so there's a character who, you know, is a dog that Puss in Boots meets, and long story short, he has a very tragic story, but he veils it in this kind of comedic demeanour. And you know the scene where, and this is me jumping ahead a wee bit, but know the scene where he admits his story where his, think it was his family or whatever, they put him in a sock and they threw him in a river and he's laughing, thinking, oh, it was a prank, it was a joke. And see how Kitty Softpaws looks at and gasps.
00:13:14
Speaker
That was me. That was genuinely me. I was like, there's no way you put this in this film. Seriously, sorry, before we go on, did you have the same reaction? Oh, 100%. Yeah. It gets good to see play it for last they move on dead fast, but yeah, like, it's just like a, oh my God, that's such a bad thing to in a kid's film. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I suppose they've got all the pretty visuals and things that it doesn't take away from the utter horror that you can get in this film.
00:13:41
Speaker
and the other ones are just jump ahead again but the other one kind of like the adult theme or the sort of more mature thing they do is this was the first I know a few films have done it now but this was the first film I saw that I think nailed panic attacks they have person boots have a panic attack and it's like one of the first ones like oh you actually went full on on this you didn't do like a kid friendly oh no I'm shaking in my boots it was like a proper panic attack and I think other films have done it since but this was the first time I'd seen a kids film kind of do it realistically and I was mad that they're now doing this kind of stuff in kids films but it works it works the plot and stuff think that's one of the dand out scenes in the film it just seems like such a far cry away from Shrek know little bit you know you're like can I miss your theme to it but also like this is just another level of absolute nonsense
00:14:19
Speaker
I mean it's true though because I know exactly the scene you mean because it also deals with the themes of PTSD.
Character Growth and Mortality
00:14:25
Speaker
The very beginning where he fights the giant, he dies. Again that caught me off guard because I'm like oh Jesus this is a very short film. and I genuinely was like oh okay and then they go through the different deaths and I thought that was such a clever idea of playing on the whole cats have nine lives and wanting these lives back and being frivolous I thought that was just such a great idea and then of course Beth literally catches up with him to say oh he wants to make him suffer and things and again
00:14:56
Speaker
And that's really dark because whenever death is introduced it's usually the grim brief, the big cloak, the big scythe and oh I'm gonna get you with my big bony hand, ghost of future past style kind of out. But this wolf is terrifying isn't it. And what love as well is apparently if you pause at the right moments he is actually in the background. Yeah, he's in different scenes at the start and stuff. Yeah, and that is such a good attention to detail there. Honestly, I genuinely didn't know until I was watching reviews on it and people were like, oh, isn't that cool? He's been in the background the entire time. I'm like, what? Oh no. And I love the reason behind it that death is just so petty and just so angry because the reason he's chasing them is he's angry that he wasted his lives and because he has nine lives he's been taunting death and that is just such a clever way to personify death it's almost like the way greek gods are personified it's like on the one hand these kind of very powerful polytheistic beings who have all the power in the cosmos, but on the other hand, they've got very human flaws. Well, in this case, very anabostic flaws, where he doesn't just want to take Puss's life because think if he wanted to at the very beginning, he could have just snuck up on him and boom, that would have been it. But it's the fact that he relishes in it like a wolf would. Being a predator, he wants to savour it. You know, he does the whistle, which causes him to have the panic attacks later on, which is so damn good. That whole beginning scene where he's fighting him, and you're so used to seeing Puss in Boots being the cat on top, where he always finds a way to get out of trouble, and he does his whole, ah, fear me, if you dare, and then he just smacks his rapier out of his hand, he's like, okay, let's try that again, and, you know, initially you think, is this supposed to be for laughs? Because you know that way initially when he does it for the first time, it's like, oh, ha, ha, ha, and then the second time he does it, it's like, oh no, this is gonna die. and there's like the blood on his head and everything his life flashes before his eyes you get to see a wee cameo from Shrek which is quite cute but at the same time it's like jeezo and then he has to Shawshank his way out of the place I was going say I think that's the crux of that scene as well because he's so flamboyant and so proud and during the scenes at the start he's so over the top and then he's crawling for a toilet to get out it's like such an amazing fall from grace so quickly they really go from this film's a bit of a giggle to oh this guy's an absolute menace that's chasing him
00:17:22
Speaker
And it's just see the whistle. In fact, I think I probably heard the whistle on TikTok first. So it became a meme because obviously TikTok will grab anything in its greasy talons and make it into a meme and say, oh yeah, listen
Villains and Humor
00:17:37
Speaker
to this. But I remember hearing that whistle thinking, oh, ha ha, what a funny meme. And then, of course, when you watch the film, you you feel quite anxious when you hear it you're like, my God, this is a song Puss in Boots and nearly died to. Wow. Wow.
00:17:50
Speaker
Enjoy kids, enjoy your TikTok dance. But oh, it's just honestly so good. Those are the two standard characters. Well, sorry, two of the standard characters. And I'm putting emphasis emphasis on the of because there are so, so many that we are obviously going to go through. Because as I said, you've got Puss in Boots, you've got Death, you've got Perrito, you've got Kitty Softpaws, who's actually not bad. She's quite a really fun character to watch. but the one character and i think you and i are on the same wavelength with this that i absolutely love as a character i love to hate him as well and that is jack horner yes one of the best animated villains i think i've seen in a long time because it is so refreshing and i think maybe it's just i'm very disney brained when it comes to this but ever since frozen spoilers disney have been doing a lot of twist villains you know where it's like oh look it's a nice person a plot twist they're evil gonna trip up your gran and nasda yeah i don't want to see that disney film really underwhelming disney film this is my plan my evil plans to trip up your granny and was all right grandma got tripped by a reindeer
00:19:01
Speaker
Anyway, Disney, call me. ah Then it's like family members and the kind of people who, you know, they're not really villain villains, but they still portray them as, oh, they're awful. and The Disney villains, as I said, they've been quite underwhelming. Jack Horner is just unapologetically evil. He's got no redeeming features. Nothing.
00:19:21
Speaker
I just love the fact that they don't even try. There's even a bit where... And I love the flashback where Jack Horner, of course, is named after the children's... It's not a fable. When he actually says that in the film, it's like, it's not a fable, it's like a children's song or something. And he sticks his thumb in a plum or something like that. And he's doing a dance for everyone. And he gets outshone by Pinocchio. Ha ha! Oh, I was howling at that. I was like, that is so funny. And that's why he hates magical creatures. I'm like, oh, that is hilarious. And they don't try to be like, oh, that's such a sad backstory. Yeah. Maybe he'll come round. He's like, no, no. He is just pure evil because of the slight.
00:20:05
Speaker
He's so petty. All of the villains are petty in this, but in the best way possible. Because, yeah, I love at the beginning, it's like, oh I'll give you your weight in gold, and he turns one of the sisters into literal gold. With the Midas touch, he's got unicorn horns that he says, does he not say he snapped him off of baby unicorns or something?
00:20:24
Speaker
ah Something is like that. It's like evil but oh so funny he ends up shooting these own people and they just explode and you're like ah oh my god and my favourite side character is the James Stewart Germany Cricket a legally distinct Germany Cricket yeah I love her oh jeez you can't do that like
Subplot Debates
00:20:47
Speaker
I love it so much. i don't know why that tickled me so perfectly. I was just like, good oh, look, it's a noble phoenix.
00:20:55
Speaker
He just uses it as a flamethrower. It's like, oh my god, are you doing? love it. And so good. Oh, I can't stress how much I love her. That's a sad thing because you've also got Goldilocks and the Three Bears. And while I like their characters, I feel as if that's the only part of the film you could have probably gone without. See I would actually disagree And for my reason being I get the story Going into it But see the Final standoff At the end Yeah Where they all kind of Not to spoil too much I'm going back to say that But I really really like That at the end of the film You've got that kind of Good the bad the ugly thing Every character's got A really solid and clear Motivation for why they're there It becomes so complicated And messy As a scene And I really like I think the Goldie Locks and Freebe Is actually Maybe you could cut it to make a shorter film But I do think they get a lot of good screen time And they deserve like the payoff at the end To the stage where it's like The last scene is such a beautiful mess Of characters all have their own motivations And reasons are different from each other So that I wouldn't cut any characters And also, Papa Bear's accent Phenomenal So...
00:21:57
Speaker
hard disagree Is it Ray Winston's name? Is it Ray Winston? Yeah, it is. Yeah, well, I was going to say, but just wanted to fact check before I dived into that. Yeah, Ray Winston is available. So good, man.
00:22:10
Speaker
Oi, we're the best. It's like, so good. The thing I'll say is, initially, I wasn't 100% in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. When i first saw them, you know, I thought, all right, they're just the tertiary characters. They're just following the story, which, don't get me wrong, initially they are, but are completely... completely right as much as I'm saying oh you could cut them out and yeah again technically you could but the thing i love about them is there's a scene later on where when they touch the map to go to the star it takes you through different areas in different lands and it's very personal depending on who's touching the map which I absolutely love think that's a brilliant idea steal that for everyone in my Dungeons and Dragons campaigns forever exactly yeah
00:22:55
Speaker
It's so oh good. I genuinely, I love the creativity in this and it's something that the Shrek series as a whole, at least for the first three anyway, they were so clever in doing that and I love how they did it in this film that they kept it more of a fantasy film but they did it in such a clever way i love how goldilocks and the three bears they do find the home that she was raised in and that that's where they found her and it's just such a lovely scene because it's that idea of i mean goldilocks is the og found family isn't she story yeah yeah she comes in she steals a porridge messes up the beds and the chairs and they still adopt her well in the nice versions they do let's not talk about the other's grim versions But it's such a beautiful story, you know, it's like it doesn't matter because she wants to find who she is and then she comes to terms with the fact that this is her family. I love that.
00:23:46
Speaker
I think that's such a great message for, well not just kids, but just people in general. I think that's just such a beautiful message. and the fact that they gave her and the three bears such a fleshed out motivation it's just so good and it's just so nice to see as opposed to genuinely they could have just made them generic oh haha funny thugs and everything and they didn't they had the opportunity they had it in the crosshairs and they didn't take that shot so fair play on them Yeah and I think honestly one of the few films where like said that final sequence, see when
Climactic Scenes and Themes
00:24:17
Speaker
they're all closing in on the star. was so excited for that scene. Every character you get why they're there. They've done a really good job of fleshing out everyone's motivation and like relationship to each other as well. You understand what Good Locks and Freebies think of Jack Horner, you understand what they think of Puss in Boots and you understand what Jack Horner thinks Puss Boots. You know there's relationships, the interpersonal relationships between them and it's like I was genuinely, think I had to turn my wife and I was like this is
00:24:37
Speaker
and incredible this film i was hyped up going into this final sequence and that really really very rarely happens in films especially so many films don't want to say it's predictable because this film is kind of predictable i guess but there's probably a good ending where any of those characters get the wish probably a fine ending of writing in the story i wouldn't say unpredictable but there's so many different ways you could have played that end scene in a way that makes it quite unpredictable yeah just very rare for me to get to a film in genuine rather close gonna happen that's what's so exciting and i think about this film Yeah, I was really surprised at that ending, you know, because I genuinely thought, oh, one person's going to get a wish. And then is it safe to jump into the ending?
00:25:11
Speaker
I think we have to. i think I've mentioned it four times now. Yeah. So, of course, at the very end, you know, and again, it's a fantastic journey. But at the very end, they get to the wish and they have to fight a Titan version of Jack Horner. In fact, before that, they fight death, but that's another thing I'll touch on in a minute. But they fight Jack Corner and everything, thing and then they end up destroying the piece of paper instead of taking the wish. Goldilocks has the opportunity to take the wish, but she decides to save her family, who are the bears. Puss in Boots decides that he has one life and he should use it to the fullest, which, again, absolutely adore that message. Because obviously, we are not cats, you know? At least I hope we're not.
00:25:50
Speaker
But but None of us have nine lives. We've all got one life. As morbid as that sounds, you know, it such a surprising and disarming message, you know, and it's so good the way they do it. But it's the fact that he has had all these lives, these grand adventures, and now he's realising the truth. true value of life that he can finally appreciate it now that he's down to his last life and he has this amazing action sequence against death one final bout and they fight and you know he brings up his rapier and he does the whole again fear me if you're there Antonio Banderas absolutely killing it and you know they fight and what love is it's not even so much that pissing boots beats death that's one other thing i do like the fact he doesn't really beat him but he brings him to a stalemate and then death has a hissy fit and he goes into a big rant in spanish he's like oh dear smiel and he's really angry because it's like this isn't how it was supposed to play out he was supposed to get the fun out of it Yeah, exactly. He was supposed to, you know, be fearful and he was supposed to take his time and enjoy it. And yeah, now he's realised the value of it. It's a bit like, you know, when you get animes where they do the whole power of friendship thing? Yeah. And then the villain's just like, what the hell? Come on.
00:27:06
Speaker
yeah it's like that where he's just like oh you've ruined it you've ruined it going home that's just so good about it because he doesn't even have to beat death like that's what's so cool in my mind it's not absurd that person boots hold his own with it you know i mean it's like he actually beats death and then the metaphor is just lost it's that death's still watching him and he's still waiting for him but the metaphor sort of continues and that fight scene itself is so gorgeous with the flames the sort of in and out of that really hyper don't want call the spider-verse animation but that hyper version spider-verse animation with all things tearing apart and just an incredibly well put together fight scene the choreography don't know if you'd call it choreography and animation we're calling it choreography it's brilliant that fight scene itself is such an intricate bit of detail the bit where you just sit with silhouettes fighting there's just so much going on and obviously he gets to use like the little sword as well to get it's called no but the little dagger that he's got he's used as that it's just Eyebride, death switching between different weapons, there's just so much that goes on if they pack so much into such a little bit detail. Yeah, it is phenomenal. That fight scene alone would probably have put that filled my top ten, but everything else around it puts it even higher. Because I mean, going back to what we were saying at the beginning, opening fight scene against the giant is, oh, it is spectacular. I know we said it's like Attack on Titan, but that is a point. Oh, it's not like it is Attack on Titan. It straight up is, and it's so much better for it.
00:28:22
Speaker
It really is. I mean, it's the fact that he looks as if he's having so much fun with it. He's doing the flips, he's diving in the air, you've got that. i Again, i think sometimes the animation, see when it's an action scene, they kind of do that thing where they reduce the frame rate. Again, not to coin the Spider-Verse thing, but it is very Spider-Verse bad guys if you're doing much like And, you know, that kind of animation where when it's the action, they kind of slow it down, but also keep up the pace.
00:28:51
Speaker
Because one of my favourite action scenes in this film as well is, see, when Jack Horner catches up to them in the land where the star has fallen, and they have this huge battle. It's like a three-way battle between Jack Horner and the chefs. You've got Goldilocks and the three bears. You've got the trio of heroes, of course. And then that scene where Puss just can't compose himself because he's just seeing all these things go by, you know, he's running away, sees somebody literally blow up in front of him because he gets shot by a unicorn horn. going get specific on this. It is. One of Jack Horner's men gets shot by Jack Horner. Specifically, I want that noted. The person with the highest kill count in this film of Jack Horner's men is man as Jack Horner. Pretty much. Is there not one person that survives to the end and then he gets rid of her or something? I can't remember, but oh, yeah, no, he kills all of them. That's what I'm trying to say.
00:29:47
Speaker
It is horrifying, but he's such a good villain for it. We love an evil king in this house. talking talking but yeah the whole action scene there is fantastic and i love how almost at times claustrophobic it feels because we zoom in to puss you're trying to get away and you know he's weaving in and out and the camera's really closed and then we get the death whistle literally death is just a whistle and saying oh i'm here and then again what you were saying earlier he has the panic attack he flees and then burrito finds them and calms them down which i think is such a lovely scene as well because initially see when i first saw burrito i thought ah great this is going to be one of these characters who's going to get annoying he's going to be you know the really annoying sidekick that's going to have all the catchphrases and whatnot he was a very complex character and i don't know to feel about that i was like i actually kind of wanted him to be oh no he's fantastic and i just i love that see when he says at the beginning oh he wanted to be a therapy dog and it's such a throwaway line and then he actually does become a therapy dog by calming him down and i thought that was so lovely me looking in tears at my own dog and my dogs rolling their eyes going oh god here we go it's like so beautiful i do love
Character Reflection and Life Lessons
00:31:02
Speaker
that whole theme of and i think that is one of the major themes in this old found family because of course you've got piss and kitty and burrito you've got the goldilocks and the three bears they're their own found family the og found family as i said jack corner obviously is the one who's left out of this and that's for obvious reasons because he's jack corner he's a bad man rejects anything of family Oh, sorry, let me quote James Stewart's Jiminy Cricket.
00:31:28
Speaker
That's horrible. You're horrible. He's so horrible, but he does it so well. I don't know how to feel about that game. But honestly, I cannot praise this film enough. As I said, action. Love it. The animation. Love it all the more. One scene want to quickly touch on. This is a maybe a controversial statement for me, but see what we You know in MFast Fights Back, right?
00:31:48
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Star Wars. They have the scene where Luke goes into the cave and he fights Vader and he chops Vader's head off and it turns out to be Luke and his vision. Puss and Boots did this scene better. I'm just gonna throw it out here. See this scene where they go into the cave and he sees all his eight lice on the glass walls and he kinda has an argument with himself and a self reflection of who he is and who he's becoming and kinda arguing with his different versions of his past self and It's something that I've thought about a lot as well in my own life of what would my past self think of me now? And they all kind of make fun of them for changing which I think is really fun, really interesting interesting. What would your past self think of the positive changes made in your life?
00:32:18
Speaker
ah Sometimes it's okay to like totally change path and then death comes in and kills all the eight lives himself. That is what i think the Star Wars Empire Strikes Back scene should have been. and So... See, in all seriousness, I thought you were going to say it was better than what they did in The Last Jedi. I mean, that isn't that controversial if I said that. I'm saying that Puss in Boots' Last Wish did a better scene than Empire Strikes Back, which I think might be more controversial. What, so you're thinking that he chops off Death's head and it's just Puss in Boots' head and said? Yeah. That would have been so weird for Star Wars. No, I think in Star Wars, they should have gone into a cave and they should have spoke to different versions themselves and found out who the man he was becoming and then a cutout of Vader killed everyone.
00:32:58
Speaker
Oh, why you think just a cardboard cutout? Yeah, it's a cardboard cutout of Vader. Because that scene makes way more sense and I love the Puss in Foots version. I think they did the Cave of Reflection better than Star Wars did it. I will stand by that. See, in all seriousness, and I'm going to kind of sidestep that point.
00:33:13
Speaker
Coward. Pick up. Pick up. like out I must flee. Yeah, Star Wars fans are scary, guys. Now, jokes aside, not for Star Wars fans, but jokes aside, that is actually really great interpretation of that scene. And you are completely right because is death that literally gets rid of those lives because as a metaphor as well, he comes in and he pushes him over and he literally took those lives away from him because of his stupid, reckless nature throughout his life, saying, oh, I've got nine lives, so I can waste them however I want, you know, and they're really stupid. Eating shellfish is my favorite one, think.
00:33:53
Speaker
Yeah, I love that. Or the Ben's press guy, like, obviously, but, oh, I love that variant of him. No! It's so Pooser boost does not need a spotter. but doesn' all this though There's so many great ones. But that's such a great point you make though, because i mean, thinking back to my own life, I do agree. I think as my younger self, I would look forward and be like, I can't believe I'm saying The Simpsons did it
Unique Storytelling
00:34:15
Speaker
better than the Empire Strikes Back.
00:34:16
Speaker
But you know the scene where Homer and Barney are singing and Grandpa comes in and he's like, I used to know what was hip, but now it's out and it'll happen to you. And then Homer's like, way, man. This'll be cool forever. What scene in the start was you referencing this to?
00:34:36
Speaker
The cave of deflection. Come on, man. Keep up.
00:34:40
Speaker
Oh, sorry, obviously. Obviously, yeah. i I know, I know. It's so subtle. It's like poetry, at right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Got it, though. Treeto's a funnier character move I ever had before. I get it. All that ideal thinking that when you're younger, you're never going to change. You think you're always going to be this person for the rest of your life, which, of course, when you're younger, that causes insecurity. You think, well, I hate the way I am. And then, you know, as an older person, you look back and go, well, you can change. You know, you can evolve. You can choose different different habits. you can choose different hobbies but you know you're so consumed in the moment as it were and things that seem important as well not to go too deep into it but you know things that seemed really important you as a kid and if you were like but's a teenager and a bit of that teenage self asked do you care about this probably like no this is an example i used super uptight about my music taste you that kind of whole pretentious thing with that and a bit of 18 year old me asked me who my favorite band was and like um at the moment it's probably beli eilish
00:35:33
Speaker
yeah and I'd be horrified at myself. Anyway, that's just what growing up is. And so i just think that scene's just dead fun. It's a good bit of self-reflection on yourself. Yeah, it's a bit like me when I was younger. I'd be like, yay, Sonic. And then when I was a teenager, I'm like, oh yeah, Call of Duty. Yeah, Halo. Yeah, Gears of War. Now in my 30-somethings, I'm like, yay, Sonic. ah Honestly, if you're a younger listener listening to this, trust me.
00:35:58
Speaker
Your taste will change. Your taste will change and then they'll look back. Trust me. ah Another one, sorry, just to kind of jump on a bit. Another scene that's also kind of a parody of the or another scene from another film.
00:36:08
Speaker
But think Puss in Boots does it better. can't believe I'm saying this. See the bit on the boat where Katie Softpaws shaves him? And it's kind of supposed to... I know it's obviously a few scenes into one, but the scene in... Is it Skyfall? Where James Bond gets shaved by Miss Moneypenny. The Puss in Boots one's another better version of ah but like There's a couple of scenes like you talk about structure, scaffolding plot, they've taken a couple of heavy plot points from other films and done them better and it's kind of wacky. I'm saying it's because love James Bond.
00:36:33
Speaker
But again, this film took that kind of story beat and went, no, no, we're going to make this a super endearing but very playful and funny scene, enjoying it all together and get a good character in there. Way more precise and better than I think other films that have done that same kind of idea I've really ever managed. And I love this film. I know I've kind of said that, but see every time I mention another scene, I'm like, this scene's brilliant. This scene's brilliant. This scene's brilliant.
00:36:53
Speaker
ah Because I mean, even the comedy in this film, this is the thing about films like this, where are you think, okay, this is a great film, but surely there must be a flow, you know, the comedy might not land, even though the action's great, or the story might not be as good, or the characters might not be, but in a weird way, they all kind of feel... views together, ironically enough, coming to the same point, both at the end and, you know, just narratively, they all come together the same point in their lives, and then they decide how they are going to be going forward. They're going to deal with their troubles and their trials and tribulations, and it's just such a damn good way they do it. And it all fuses together, it just, it all works, everything slots in, and it's just, it's absolutely incredible how would they do it. I mean, is it a bit wacky and over the top? Obviously. you know, it's pissing boots. but that's what we're here for. Exactly, you're not here for Citizen Kane, The Shawshank Redemption, you know, you're not here for a serious thriller or something like that. And yet somehow it double delivers on that, you know, because I'm going to be honest, although it's a kid's film and, you know, usually you can predict, oh, that's going to happen, this is going happen. I had no idea where this film was going. Can I be honest? Genuinely, I thought, not clue. Not clue. But it's fantastic. I genuinely, I cannot think of really a better film in recent memory, especially from the big hitters like DreamWorks, because I'm obviously not including things like the Sonic the Hedgehog film and things like that. That's a whole different... I mean, that's a different play. There's no way Sonic the Hedgehog comes better than this. You said Minions, I'm like a waver, but Sonic the Hedgehog, I'm not having that.
00:38:28
Speaker
Do you see the stick I'm prodding you Say the words. The fishing reel you've got away with. but bug The big the cat fishing reel. But no jokes aside, I genuinely can't think of an animated film recently that I've seen personally because I know there's been quite a few that have come out like, well, someone from the Podpat Collective, Kof Marie Kof, keeps telling me to watch Flo. Yeah, I've heard that's really good. Yeah, I've heard
Future of Puss in Boots
00:38:54
Speaker
that's good. I've heard there's a lot of other ones. What I would say though for things like Flo and all that is I think there will be films obviously better than Pismet Slash Wish but will say these films kind of set out to be artistic films and they present themselves as that. well So I think you can have an advantage if that makes sense in being perceived as artistic. Well, I think the fact that this film had no right to be this good this is what I think makes it so tremendous is that the whole thing of it being a sequel to a spin-off of the third film in a franchise I think it will forever be the hardest any film has ever gone and it shouldn't have bothered. You know that? Like
00:39:24
Speaker
As a kind of closing point, the only thing I was disappointed in was in the Shrek 5 reveal. There was no piss in boots. See, I actually, I swiveled back and forth on this. Yeah. Because on the one hand, yeah, I would have loved to have seen all lot But the other hand, I do of have that, I don't want to call it the Marvel fear.
00:39:40
Speaker
But I would actually be happy to never see these characters again. Hmm. And not in like a sense of I'm done with them but in the sense of like that story is so perfectly wrapped up. I do get this a lot though to be fair like I think I've said this a podcast before whenever I watch a show and it's like one season long I'm pretty satisfied with that you don't need to make a second season and I often get proven wrong like Squid Games or Mandalorian and stuff. Well this film I was like this is so good that I would be satisfied to never see of these characters ever again. Not in like I hate them.
00:40:04
Speaker
But like just in a sense of you have completed film. Tick. 100%. Like I don't ever need to see Puss in Boots get any more character development because I think they've perfected his character they've perfected this film is perfect in my mind. But I actually kind don't want him to turn up in Shrek 5.
00:40:18
Speaker
I don't want it to be a sequel. I would love for this to be the last Puss in Boots film and just draw the line under it. I don't know how to express that. I think I've done a good job of it but I love things having a distinct end. I think that's something that I don't like about a lot of things now is I feel like things get dragged on and so on. and So a cinematic universe. like I love just one and done for a film.
00:40:34
Speaker
Obviously, I appreciate this a sequel to spin-off before, but if they the line and said, that's us done with Puss in Boots, I'd be like, congratulations, you've finished it the greatest time ever. That was the best possible way to end it. You know what
Podcast Wrap-up and Future Plans
00:40:44
Speaker
mean? Here's a controversial suggestion, though. How would you feel if they had a Puss in Boots 3, but they had Shrek as a cameo character? You that episode of The Simpsons where they have the spin-off shows and it's like Chief Wiggum in New Orleans and it's like, why if it isn't my favourite friends, The Simpsons? I would hate it.
00:41:04
Speaker
yeah if they did like a Cleveland show version of Pussing Boots. I'm okay, thanks. So, a Megamind style show. Yes! Oh, anyway, on that horrible note, that was the one wish I'd be asking for. Please don't make this into a TV show. If I was getting that wish right now, it'd be, we're done with Pussing Boots. Thanks. Don't make anything else involving them.
00:41:24
Speaker
You've done your job. I don't feel so good. but you've perfected film you've completed it mate 10 out of 10 all the achievements have been unlocked platinum trophy 100 completion your game's been locked Turn your PC off, you've done it. Your roger cells, Avon. Get out. Exactly. It can only be made worse by what comes next. And on that very sombre note, much like the film itself, Martin, thank you so much for coming on today and, yeah, talking about this absolutely fantastic film. Absolute pleasure. I have loved talking this. I've wanting to talk about this film. I don't even feel like we discussed much. we just gushed over it. i love that. Because I could probably talk about this film for another hour and say nothing new. Yeah, we just...
00:42:05
Speaker
Which is how much I love it Yeah, thanks for having me on to talk about it. I've been loving this. And yeah looking forward to seeing what else we talk about in animation month that won't be as good. I honestly can't wait because next week you and I are jumping into the wrong trousers. Trust me, it makes sense in context. Don't know why I said it like that. was going to say, if you just rolled with it, it wouldn't have been weird. But now they've stopped to call it Yeah, next week we're of course going to be diving into the weird and wonderful, mainly wonderful world of Wallace and Gromit, which I cannot wait for. That's going to be fantastic. The week after, Andrew and I are going to be talking about the slightly interesting world of Detective Pikachu. And then the penultimate episode will of course be about the beautiful anime film that Andrew and I will be talking about, Your Name. And then finally, Finally, we have a wildcard episode that we're going to be trying out, so please stay tuned for that because it's going to be absolutely fantastic. I cannot wait to reveal what it's going to be.
00:43:02
Speaker
But before we wrap up this episode, Martin, where can these lovely Pandalorian listeners find your content? If you want to hear more from me, see more from me, talk to more from me, I'll be all over social media. The best places to find me are Instagram and TikTok. Just search up Martin McAllister. You will find me. And can't promise be talking about Piss in Boots, The Last Wish, but if you message me about it, I will reply. ah Your DMs are going to look very interesting in the next couple days. Hell yeah. My DMs are full of people just saying how Piss in Boots, The Last Wish stuff. I'll be fine with that.
00:43:34
Speaker
That's all from me. And if you would like to check out more episodes of Animation Month, as well as many other episodes from ourselves, not Puss and Boots related, mind you, which is a shame, you can indeed catch us on our website, chatstonami.com, as well as all good podcast apps.
00:43:49
Speaker
I also want to thank our amazing Pandalorian patrons, Robotic Battletoaster, Sonya, Ghostie, and Cryptic 1991. Thank you so, so much for supporting the show. And if you would like early access to episodes, exclusive episodes, commentary tracks, Martin's 10-hour rant about this film, totally uncut, just raw.
00:44:09
Speaker
I think maybe an hour of it is just him sleeping. The hour of me sleeping, though, still murmuring about it. I'm sleep-talking, thinking about the film. No, Jack Horner! then indeed you can check us out at for legal reasons that last one's a joke but you can indeed check us out there's also an hour and a half watch along but it's just me saying this is so good this is so good this is so good peak cinema this is them cook this is like an hour and a half of just me saying those 10 lines over and over again like I'm an NPC in a game but just soy point in
00:44:42
Speaker
Yes, then you can indeed, other than that, I'm just, I feel sorry for the person signing up to Patreon and they're like, who's the commentary track? If you sign up to Patreon and you want that commentary track, message Satsu and I will sit and watch Piss and Boots Last Wish and I will make that commentary track for you. Yeah, genuinely, we will do it. I don't need an excuse to watch that film again, but if you give me one, I'll watch it again. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. No, we will do it. And that Patreon, of course, is at patreon.com forward slash chat tsunami.
00:45:08
Speaker
This podcast is, of course, a member of the PodPack Collective. of For further information, check out our Twitter slash X page at PodPackCollect. But until next time, thank you all so, so much for tuning in to the first episode of Animation Month. Stay safe, stay awesome, stay hydrated, and most importantly, yet don't get Martin another copy of this film nipp because he's probably got too many. Buy me more copies of this film.
00:45:34
Speaker
but For one copy, you can keep him off the streets. I'll give you Satch's address. Send it to him. He'll give it to me. And on that note, goodbye guys.