2025 Oscar Nominated Movies: Once again, 10 was too many

Transcript

Speaker: who the Oscars went to, but should they have gone there? Welcome to And the Oscars Should Have Gone To, a place where we discuss, debate, and decide certain Best Picture races from the Academy Awards, and then reveal who we think should have been awarded the Best Picture Oscar that year. Maybe our Best Picture pick was clearly the movie everybody loved that year.

Speaker: Maybe it was an influential work that filmmakers still discuss years later. Or maybe it's just the movie that everyone re-watched year after year As always, we recommend that you folks at home watch each nominee so you can make your own determination and then let us know how wrong we are. And with that, we thank the Academy. Let's start the show.

Speaker: Welcome back, everybody, to And the Oscars Should Have Gone Too. This is the current edition. That is to say, we're actually going to this year. Well, this year is 2026, but that honors last year's nominees from 2025.

Speaker: and Before we begin, remember, if you disagree with us, you can always email us at the Oscars podcast at gmail.com and ah let us know that we're full of sour owl poop.

Speaker: So anyways, I'm here in Los Angeles. I'm Dylan. Who's with me? Hi, I'm Rob from from Boston. I'm Glennis, also in Los Angeles.

Speaker: Wow, what are the odds? Okay. Ten nominees this year. Not all of them. Wait, ten or nine? No, it was ten. I figured out the last one. The full Monty. Yeah, the full Monty.

Speaker: Not as... Too much tuna. um So, we to be perfectly frank, half of these shouldn't have been nominated, so we will probably be quite brief on them, but we encourage you to see them, and again, tell us if we're you know totally off at the Oscars podcast. Tell them if I'm right.

Speaker: Yeah, which will I mean, there's one person who agrees with that. out of people we have And he probably liked a lot of these movies. Well, ah for 2025, the nominees were one battle after another, an action comedy thriller about a washed up former revolutionary who's brought back into conflict when his enemy resurfaces after 16 Sinners is a horror film set in the 1930s Mississippi Delta about criminal twin brothers who return to their hometown in the Jim Crow South where they are confronted by a supernatural evil.

Speaker: Marty Supreme is a sports comedy drama about 1950s table tennis player Marty Mauser as he follows his quest to become world champion. Sentimental Value is a drama that follows sisters Nora and Agnes in their reunion with their estranged father Gustav.

Speaker: Hamnet is a historical drama that dramatizes the family life of William Shakespeare and his wife as they cope with the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. Frankenstein is a gothic horror film based on the 1818 novel by Mary Shelley.

Speaker: The Secret Agent is a historical political thriller that follows Armando, a former professor caught in the political turmoil in the midst of the Brazilian military dictatorship, attempting to flee persecution. Begonia is a black comedy thriller which follows two young men who kidnap a powerful CEO, suspecting that she is secretly an alien who wants to destroy Earth.

Speaker: F1, the movie, is an American sports drama about a Formula One racing driver who returns after a 30-year absence to save his former teammate's underdog team from collapse. And Train Dreams is a period drama about trains and um and dreams or something. Yeah. Or I don't know. Yeah. Anyways, Glynnis, Train Dreams. What'd you think?

Speaker: I think your plot summary was great and summed it up. It's about a guy who lives a long time and has sad things happen to him. And there's dreams and there's also trains. And um I would say this was not my most hated movie of 2025,

Speaker: ah Unsure of why it got nominated, maybe just because it's very, I think, was trying to be very Terrence Malick-esque. It's um got some great performances from Joel Edgerton, and I think that Felicity Jones does a good job. Oh.

Speaker: Oh, I don't know. I really i feel like this watching this movie was like a bad dream in a sense or a good dream. Hard to say. It's very beautiful. My memory of it is fairly strong, but that's because almost nothing happens. And it's a true it's a series of. um Very beautiful images in moving format. I guess one would call that film. But it really just feels like you're looking at a whole bunch of really nice photographs without a whole lot of plot. Like um this introverted guy who's sort of, you know, I think is supposed to be documenting a period of time in America and looking at the changes over this guy's life. And it's based on a novella. But I would say that maybe it's a better read than it is a watch. It's very quiet and meditative.

Speaker: Critics love this movie. I can kind of understand. It feels like it's a movie made for critics to love. But as far as my experience watching it, it was a snooze fest, which is just another way to say it was... And I'm sure Dylan's going to bleep that out for me.

Speaker: um But it it just... It was... ah It's weird. the My experience of it was like... Oh, wow, that was a slog. And yeah, I do remember very many scenes from it. So I guess it's a very visual, high visual impact movie. I don't know how to say that. But um like, I remember a lot of it. But ah again, not much goes on. So um I did have to read the Wikipedia plot summary to remind me what went on. So maybe... That just conjured up more images. um There's a very sad thing that happens in the middle of the movie and I feel like it fails to have much impact. Like I felt like I should have been way sadder. um

Speaker: I don't know. I felt like I should have been sadder at the end of the movie, but I just didn't really have much emotional connection to any of the characters. So, I mean, I guess if it's free on Netflix or you have your account on Netflix and it's there, you could watch it. If you like really quiet, slow movies that will probably put you to sleep before bed and not get you riled up. um It's very pretty to look at. The performances are quiet and very, um they seem like they're built for Oscar bait. And um I don't know. i I guess if you like really quiet movies without much plot, then this is the movie for you.

Speaker: No, there there's no reason to watch it again. But I i think I liked it a little little bit better than you did. mean, should I have gotten nominated for Best Picture for you know for an Oscar? Absolutely not.

Speaker: However, um I did like it. mean, it doesn't mean it should be you know a Best Picture just because you like it. Did you have nice train dreams that night? No, I see. I didn't think this movie was about trains. I mean, that was kind of like what the title. It's in the title. It doesn't i seem like it's about trains or dreams. And yet that's correct. Correct. I think it's I don't think it's what either. I think it was more of a a love story to his wife by the fact that, you know, you alluded to the terrible thing that happened and it was his ah big fire. burning the woods around his house, his log cabin that was in the middle of the woods. And he went there, he went back there like in, you know, ah during the fire to try to see his wife and child and they were not there. So he decided to camp out there for many, many years and wait for them to come back. Yeah. During which nothing happens.

Speaker: They never came back. um so Probably because they were dead. Was this a true story? No, I think it was it was not. As far as I could tell, it was just based on this novella by Dennis Johnson. Was that the name? Yeah. Yeah. Who also wrote. I just read this.

Speaker: Jesus's Son. Thank you. Jesus's Son. Also a movie that is very similar in tone. Okay. Got it. Got Yeah. He writes quiet, meditative stuff about troubled dudes. Yeah. Right, right. So when when he was away, like earning money, he'd have to go away. you It was said in an olden times and he would have to go away.

Speaker: Kind of reminded me a little of like Little House on the Prairie or something. that When they'd have to go away to work. Without the funds. There's no phones, there's no electricity, there's none of that stuff. So they're just gone for a while. And then their wife and... And family is surprised when they come back because there's no warning. You know, um sometimes they can write them a ah letter, but I don't know if they even got mail in middle of the woods here.

Speaker: But um it was it was it was a love story. That's really what it was. you liked it? I liked it. There's not a lot going on. I mean, I agree with a lot of what you said. i Well, I don't dislike it, but but I also don't like it. And I think it's almost worse to have a neutral feeling on something. Yeah, yeah, I see what you're saying. And there's no need to see it again. i think once is enough. And, you know, it's not like some of the movies. in They're just looking for movies to fill Oscar slots, I think. And this is has that intellectual air of like quietude and whatever. But right again, critics love it. and Bottom five. If you like what critics like, you're going love this movie.

Speaker: Okay, sounds good. Dylan, what'd you think of Train Dreams? It's a Hallmark card that pretends it's Walt Whitman. All right. F1, the movie. Okay. um ah just bad from start to finish, too loud.

Speaker: ah Brad Pitt is in his Al Pacino phase where he just plays Brad Pitt, which is charming in Once Upon Time in Hollywood, but quite grating from here on. um Carrie Condon, my favorite actress, is in it, so she elevates it. She really had a great year. She had great year. But it's a lot of rawr and whoosh. It's like a video game, but you're not as invested. um So, you know, if you're Well, Rob can speak to this. If you're a middle-aged dad, you maybe you love it. And I don't know, maybe around the popcorn you know machine you talk about carburetors. I don't know what you guys talk about. But ah for two and a half hours, um really bad.

Speaker: like I can't recommend one thing about this. Not one thing. except Except Carrie Condon, America's sweetheart. Glennis? Yeah. i I guess I felt kind of the same. i I thought sometimes a movie comes along on a topic that I don't give a shit about, and ah but it makes me interested in it anyway. This movie did not do that for me, for for car racing. um ah Yeah, i I usually like Brad Pitt. And again, he's, yeah, you're right. He's slipping into that kind of um Brad Pitt, casual, oaky character. i don't know. He's not an oaky. He's from- Which is not a good thing, you're saying? Yeah.

Speaker: ah He's just, yeah, I don't know. I think it's like the less the least good version of Brad Pitt in this movie. And then the other guy who i don't even remember what his name was. um Wait, the other driver?

Speaker: Yeah, the other kind of like young guy. He's called someone you'll see in a Paramount Plus series in three years. yeah it's just something i don't remember anything about it there's car racing there's high stakes for some reason i don't remember it was very unmemorable to me but i again i think people sort of liked it for like such a crappy year movies i think they oh it's a huge hit yeah there's a of dads out there yeah i don't know i just failed to grab me yeah it was one of the bigger money makers of the 10 is that correct I'm going to assume it's the biggest of the 10. Yeah. Because, you know, Foo Fighters still sell albums. So yeah, no, I think it was probably the biggest. Go on.

Speaker: What did you think, Rob? um I got be careful what I say about F1. My son is a um a writer. He's a sports writer, just graduated from college, and he writes about F1, and he is an absolute expert on the topic, um like really deep knowledge. So, ah you know, he he found the movie like, it was entertaining, but it's just, you know, i found a lot of flaws with it, like we're finding it as well. Yeah.

Speaker: But yeah, no, i I agree with what the two of you said. It was just, it was made to put people in seats. um Whether you like F1 or not, people went for an action movie and a you know movie that's supposed to be exciting. And there's a lot better action movies out there. There's a lot more exciting movies out there. um It was fairly predictable. um I don't think this was one of Brad Pitt's better roles. I think he's a talent, but I don't think he is as a talent in this movie. Really anyone could have, you know, played this part. They could have given it to someone else. Yeah. Um, yeah but waste waste of Brad Pitt.

Speaker: Right. I mean, I don't even recommend seeing it to be honest with, with you. Um, there's better movies out there if you're looking for something exciting and action packed. Um, What's the one with Will Ferrell about car racing? Talladega Nights.

Speaker: Just watch that one again. If you want to see exciting driving, drive to work in Los Angeles. you're going to see all sorts of interesting driving. I disagree. Drive to work in Dallas. Oh, yeah. We'll have to cut this part out. Yeah. All right. that's That's what I have to say. Well, Rob, this is going to get better. What did you think of begonia?

Speaker: Begonia. I know, Clint, as you have a soft spot for this movie, you mentioned that in one of your emails. So I'm kind of keeping that in mind as I as I talk. no But feel free to eviscerate. Feel free to eviscerate. No, I, I hated this movie as I was watching it. I think I appreciated the last five minutes of the movie a little bit more than the rest of the two plus hours of this movie. It was. um ah God, it's so predictable and done, just done before. Rob, I have a question. Did you guess the ending before it ended? Yes, about halfway through. Yes, halfway through. You can't guess it at the beginning. you know what i mean? There's no way people can say they guessed it at the beginning. But about halfway through, you're like, why does it seem like I've seen this movie before? like Why is it so familiar? that's just And it can only go one way. like it It has to yeah

Speaker: a certain way for the for the movie to make any sense. So it's like, well, we know what the ending is kind of, yeah we know what's going to happen, right? Yeah. go on yeah And it was still, it was, you know, even though I guessed it, it was still mildly shocking how they played it out at the, at the end. i got to give props to the, to the end of the movie, but the, the, the first, i don't know how long the movie was, say it's two hours long. The first hour and 55 minutes were just, um,

Speaker: It's just garbage to me. I just didn't appreciate it at all. I didn't like it. I did i i find myself looking at my watch. I just like, why is this nominated?

Speaker: I don't really have a lot of good things to say about it. I mean, maybe Emma Stone was was good. She's good in everything she does. yeah Jesse Plemons is always fun to watch I like him jesse plummens was yeah he played a crazy guy pretty well in this movie and his artistic brother didn't really have much to to say in this movie but yeah or any point in being in the movie but yeah I'm done uh glennis um well i of all of yorgos lanthimos's movies this is not my least favorite that would be killing of a sacred deal deer but this is not anywhere close to ah like something i really liked um but i also didn't hate it so uh again yeah you can pretty much guess the ending so then it's like well how just how will the ending be executed that's kind of

Speaker: And it was okay. It was fine. It was just like, I don't know. Why did this have to be made or nominated? Again, just not a whole lot of emotional punch to it. I don't know. I guess if you've never seen a movie before, and this is the movie first movie you've ever seen, you've just learned about moving pictures, this would thrill you. But if you have ever seen movies before, this would be like, not that, I don't feel like it's- I i have to disagree. I think if never seen movies and you see this, you're going to like switch to ballet or something. Yeah. opera Maybe you're like, this is not this is not great. This whole genre of of ah this medium is not good. um

Speaker: So anyway, there's not much more to say on it. Again, the performances are pretty good, but it's just kind of a silly movie um with no real point to make, I think. and Which is fine. Movie doesn't have to make a point, but also not real entertainment value. overly Perhaps overly grim for what it is. ah But I don't know. I guess if you're a Yorgos Lanthimos fan, maybe you would love this.

Speaker: But I think you'd have to be a fan. How many of them are there out there, though? There's the lobster and killing the sacred deer and poor things and the favorite and and quirky movies. Kinds of kindness. Yeah, Gladys, that's the one you hate the most because we didn't even finish it.

Speaker: That's right. Kinds of Kindness, we just stopped watching. Okay, got it. Which is rare. Usually we push through it. It's like, fuck this. Yeah. So some I really love his movies or hate them, but I don't know. This one, I guess, is just like, eh, whatever. I don't know.

Speaker: Can you describe your a soft spot a little bit more? Because that intrigues me. It might just be that I do enjoy his direction, generally speaking, and I do enjoy Emma... um Stone. Oh, my God. Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons and... um okay that i did like I kind of liked that that was how the movie ended. We won't give it away, I guess, if you haven't seen it yet. But um I just did like that that was how the movie ended. And to me, that kind of saved it. Otherwise, it would have just been a very boring meditation on human beings.

Speaker: frailty or something but um I did like that that was how the ending went so because you remember you can probably guess it from how we're talking about it but anyway I won't say it but yeah it was fine i'm not recommending to anybody if somebody said should I watch Begonia I'd be like probably not No.

Speaker: I, you know, i i disagree with Rob slightly. I think it had a lot to say. In fact, too much to say. In fact, halfway through, that's all it did was say what it wanted to say. was like, I get it. I get the metaphor. The bees, the bees are dying. We're killing the bees and the planet is dying. Capitalism is bad and blah, blah, blah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah I think actually. but But then the ending came and kind of like subverted all that, I thought. It did, but we all guessed at the ending. Like, well, what we think is true is true. So how do you get there? So even the ending is like, yeah, I guess. I mean, it's like, oh, how was the restaurant? Well, the service was bad and the food was bad and the parking was bad, but man, it was a good dessert. Like, yeah, well, that's not good place to eat. That is a pretty good description of this Exactly. That's really good. so

Speaker: Well, don't go see If you're got to see one of his movies, see The Favorite or Poor Things or The Lobster. yeah Yeah, those are the top three. Rob, as a huge Shakespeare fan, did you think Hamnet? but yeah that yeah I had a lot of faults with this movie. I think Jesse jese Buckley was... Wait, wait, wait. Are you a Shakespeare fan or is Dylan just being... No, Dylan just threw that in there. That's okay.

Speaker: Yeah. um and I had a lot of problems with this movie. I mean, Jesse Buckley got Best Actress. i don't know if she deserved to win, maybe just get nominated. I think she would i thought she was very good in this movie. um But the the problem is is that Hamnet was the 11-year-old boy that died, which is like, you hear that on the surface, and you're like, oh my gosh, that must be so tragic. Like, what a real tearjerker. Like, what a horrible, terrible thing.

Speaker: But you never really got to know him. Right? Do you guys agree with that? He's dead and also wants to know, but you're right. It's sort like, who cares when he dies? He was just a symbol to move the plot along. He was a symbol to move the plot along. And it's like you get to know a character. The person's almost got to be the main character or main character someone that grows in the movie or someone that endears you to him or her in the movie. And this was none of that.

Speaker: um So, you know, yeah it's it's almost like reading a headline in a newspaper where you're like, oh, that's awful. You know what I mean? Oh, that's awful. Yeah. then you turn the page you know what i mean and that sounds terrible but but um it that's what this movie was for me i'm just like i didn't feel it i didn't feel anything during this movie i felt very cold did you feel annoyed because i did annoyed yeah i didn't like it i didn't like it at all and i was really looking forward to seeing it i thought i was gonna like it i mean it wasn't a

Speaker: Shakespeare um written movie. it was, a but you know, is that's where he got the name Hamlet from. I guess Hamlet Hamlet are interchangeable. But um that's that's where he got the name from for the for his famous play, Hamlet. But um no, I didn't feel it. I don't feel I should go on any further. yeah Well, yeah, I agree.

Speaker: You you'd think that's, you read about that in a in CNN or sounds like, oh, it's terrible. You lost your young child. But actually seeing it, i didn't feel anything. now That's the director's fault. She did Nomadland, which we're not going to talk about, which was awful Yeah, it was. And I read the book, which was a nonfiction book. I really sympathize with these people. Then watching the movies, I don't care about any of you. So that's her fault. She's a very heartless director.

Speaker: She did The Rider, which was terrible. Boy, that's a real trend now, isn't it? It is a trend. Another trend is these movies um are like so much hype. We'll get to some of the other movies that we all rather say. this was When this, before it came out,

Speaker: Like, oh my God, it's already the best movie of the year. it's It's a masterpiece. It's amazing. that's That's high he stakes, but you know you may pull it off. And it was it was less than all of that. It was very dull.

Speaker: i i I've not seen enough of Jessie Buckley to know if this was a good performance or not. um And she was fine. I mean, she had to grieve, which is not that hard in movies. So yeah, it was not a very good movie.

Speaker: And I didn't get anything out of it. And parts of it just so... Parts of it seemed like, is this magical realism? Or is this supposed to be a period piece? And just like a mashup where, wait is this really happening? Or is that how it was back then? or And I don't know why it had to be out Shakespeare. You get nothing out of that, that, you know...

Speaker: I don't know. He's this genius. I have no idea. They, I think we're just supposed to assume. And I, you guys know, this is a pet peeve of mine. I don't care how famous the person is. You can't assume everyone knows who that is. So you have to show like, well, how'd this guy get a play going? He just walked into London and like, Hey, I got plays. And then he's really famous, I guess. Right. know It perhaps a play called or a movie called hamnet about the play. Hamlet should have showed more of Shakespeare.

Speaker: Well, at least let me know why this is important. And then again, with the Jesse Buckley character, she's a witch or she's not, or it's just, I don't know. So, which is all fine and good, except it was a very slow movie, a very dull movie. And like Rob said, like, I didn't really care if the kid died because i didn't really get to know it. And And to glance this point, I think there are movies we do care about the kid because they built even when we watch the goodbye girl, whenever was last year, like oh that kid, I was investing that kid. Quinn Cummings, like she was all sassy. Like if she died and we're like, oh, no, but she had a personality. So I think you can invest a 10 year old with personality if you're a good director. But when you're a shitty director like Chloe Zhao, you just don't care. so And she was nominated for Best Director, one of the five, right? I mean, she always is, it seems like. What what a steal. Oh, my God. Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah, I would have nominated even the Train Dreams guy that was yeah directed. But anyways, Glennis, you're another big Shakespeare fan. Well, I kind of am a Shakespeare fan, actually. But... um No notes on either of your takes on these. Like, i agree. It's just, ah it was boring and um dull and annoying. It was more more than a boring. It was annoying, actually. Just like Jesse Buckley is just sort of over emoting all the time, which is kind of, you know, you can see it's like, oh, this is her Oscar bid kind of thing. yeah I think she was good in it. But, um and then Paul Mescal, I don't know what he's doing there, but whatever he's. I always want to like him a lot. And then everything he does, I'm like, oh, I don't know if I like you or not. um

Speaker: But yeah, no, no notes. That's it's just a very um long. movie about Shakespeare, which most people don't like. Again, i' i'm I'm guessing that most people didn't see this. so I'm sure it didn't do that well. and you don't Even if you love Shakespeare, I mean, I have a great appreciation for Shakespeare and everything. This isn't going to tell you anything about Shakespeare. This is not going to be the movie for you. you know what mean? so I got more out of Shakespeare in Love, frankly.

Speaker: Shakespeare in Love. The big cheat, they just engaged the big cheat, which is a a good part of Hamlet is the movie. Well, come on. Hamlet's another thing altogether. So it just. i Yeah. Did Shakespeare get nominated for best like adapted screenplay? like Right. third of the movie was just him. didn't really write that much, did you?

Speaker: Just another movie that I'm like, I guess if you have 10 spaces and you have such a crappy year, like 2025 for movies, this, of course, is going to get nominated. ah In a year of better movies, this isn't going to get nominated.

Speaker: I hope. Rob, the secret agent. What'd you think? i Yeah. This movie was 161 minutes. I know.

Speaker: i'm he I mean, we're supposed to keep our bottom five brief. I'm going to keep it brief. It was just overly complex and movies that are overly complex. I tend to, you know, they have no business being overly complex. I tend to tune out quite a bit and I tuned out like a lot of this. There were some shocking things. well were they that far it wasn't there was there was some scenes that attempted to be entertaining and shocking that just weren't and it's like you know try to get your your attention a little bit um wagner wagner more he was i guess he was good i i They raved about his performance at the Golden Globes especially, and it's a little bit to a lesser extent at the Oscars.

Speaker: um Read about it on Wikipedia if you want to zoom through these movies and as you're listening to the podcast. Don't waste your time seeing it. um and I don't know. Yeah. i don't have a lot to say about it. I'm sorry. No, correct you've you've said everything. but us you said everything did Nothing to disagree with there. There was almost no plot. It's inexplicable, inexplicable that this was nominated, frankly, even made. It's just this long movie. And then at the end, I don't care. Spoiler.

Speaker: The guy dies. Like all of this to get to know this character. It's one long flashback as it turns out. Yeah. Yeah. And is annoyed. Very annoyed because also you're not just watching it. You're reading the subtitles. And usually if it's a good movie, you forget that you read subtitles. Correct. I just felt like I cannot look away because I need to know if anything's going to happen. And nothing ever happens and you don't care. And it tells me nothing about really what was going on at that period and of time, really. um Maybe I'm too stupid to recognize that. But it just, i don't know. Again, didn't talk to anybody who saw this. And I actually work with one or two people who really like movies. So then they said, oh, did you see that? And I said, yes, don't see it. So um I don't know. It sucked.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. ah At no point did quite understand what was going on. Right. When they reveal, I guess, what the incident was, it seemed, oh, I need to understand the pettiness of that, or is there something larger going on?

Speaker: Oh, the actor was fine. um You know, yeah I mean, I'm sorry. I think he did a good job, actually. Yeah, the acting was all good, but... I think we're we're we're presumed to know stuff about Brazil, and I do know Brazil was a military dictatorship up in the 60s and 70s. I don't know how many other people are supposed to know that. um It's just sort of assumed. And to compare it to ah whatever the one was last year, she's not there, I'm not there, I'm still i'm still here. That was it. that Not my favorite movie, but a much better version of this movie In the sense, like there's some, the the stuff happens up front and you're like oh, what's going on? Is is she able find her husband and what is she going to And they they did a good job painting Brazil as this really fun place where underneath is all this terrible stuff. So it's a really good juxtaposition.

Speaker: In this movie, didn't get that sense. Everything was like run down and and and um not colorful and not fun. And I'm not saying I'm going to tell you Dick Shaver's fun, but to me, that's the fascination of these movies about Brazil where on the surface, it's so colorful and these beautiful people are dancing and drinking. It's like, oh, what could be wrong? And then someone gets snatched off the street for like no fucking reason. Like, oh, that's what's wrong. This didn't really give a sense of that.

Speaker: And... when the, when the, when the action happens, its all within like a 20 minute timeframe towards the end, which would have been better interspersed. The fact that was a long flashback was a stupid conceit. Cause that ate up 15 minutes, 20 minutes, maybe here and there. So it's, it was not a good movie. Now, maybe it's one of those things where people like, well, if you're a Brazilian, like that's cool, but, um, I'm not. So that's stupid.

Speaker: Um, if you can't translate to a universal audience, it's not a very good movie. Sort of like Roma, which is garbage. So, I understood what was going on in Roma more than I did in this movie. Well, more in this movie. So no, it's not very good. I don't, I don't understand how it was nominated. I don't understand how critics enjoyed it.

Speaker: I think there could have been a good movie in there, but the direction. There is a good movie in there. and theyve They've done it over and over in the eighties. So there is a version of this that that could exist. That's entertaining and possibly even enlightening, but this is not it. So avoid at all costs. Cause as Rob said, what, it's like 10 and a half hours. Oh no. It just seemed that way.

Speaker: Seemed that way. Yeah. Well, speaking of short movies, Glennis Frankenstein. talk about a movie i really wanted to like but could not like oh i really do tell well i think i i think i like monster movies or anything kind of you know magical or whatever and and this is a classic and you know we all have frankenstein or frankenstein in our in our memory maybe i guess yeah on ah young frankenstein is the uh definitive movie for me on this subject but it is for most people under 100

Speaker: And I always feel like I like Guillermo del Toro, but I realized I don't because I only really liked Pan's Labyrinth and the rest of his movies have not liked at all. So I guess this is just one more for that for that bucket. um It was okay. I mean, it wasn't the worst movie. It was a very big, lavish, ah visually arresting spectacle with very little heart or soul. um i In the end, I didn't really care that much for Hot Frankenstein, who's Jacob Elordi.

Speaker: I didn't really care about Mia Goth's character. i mean, I just, I didn't care about anybody in this movie. And it was so long. And what is christo Christoph Waltz doing there? and ah it's not that faithful of an adaptation to the book. I mean, it's sort of faithful, I guess, just based on my Wikipedia reading. I didn't read the book. um But don't know. Did you read book, Dylan? Oh, yeah, yeah. yeah i mean, when I was a kid, yeah. Yeah. How faithful do you think, sorry to interrupt, Clintus, but how how faithful do you think it was to the to the book? The parts I was faithful to, it should have been unfaithful to, and the parts it changed, it should have left. So...

Speaker: I don't like a third of the movie is taken up by this Christoph Waltz character. And for the life of me, I cannot remember that taking up so much. I didn't even remember who that character was. I don't think he was in the book. Yeah, it was in the book. And I think the monster kills Victor's bride as like, because you didn't build me a bride and all that shit. Yeah. There's no sort of relationship between... And I don't mind an unfaithful adaptation as long as you're entertaining me. But really, again, this was just yet another another movie. I found like, oh God, wrap it up. Or I'm on my phone looking at something else or looking up something re related to to the movie. But that just means it's not a good movie. So I just think it was very bloated but very pretty to look at. um

Speaker: I don't know. i just It just left me cold. I think what I was saying earlier was that this I feel like... And Guillermo del Toro has a very cold touch in directing. Like he just kind of fails to maybe be an actor's director where you're getting a lot out of the performance. He's just really all about how does this look on the screen? And then that just leaves me very cold where i don't care about any of the characters. So... I don't know. It wasn't the worst movie. I think you could watch it and be like, eh, not bad. um

Speaker: I wouldn't pay to go and see it. But then again, you really probably need to see it on the big screen to get the impact. It was like a Netflix movie, wasn't It also must have been released theatrically, right? because it has to be Yeah, i had a short run just to get nominated. but I'm looking online. It was released August 30th last year in Venice, October 17th in the United States, and less than a month later, November 7th on Netflix. Yeah. They just put in the theater to get nominations. They probably pulled it pretty quickly.

Speaker: that's i mean, not because it was doing bad. It was probably just like, well, we wanted to come. Chris was meant to see him a big screen. yes so then give Given that it was really never going to be seen widely on the big screen, what they should have done was invest less in the visuals and more in a director who could. Well, I mean, but this is his passion project is what I've read. Like he always wanted to do this movie. So you wouldn't get another director for it, but.

Speaker: Maybe a director who got a lot more emotion or something out of actors, but that's not that's not Del Toro. So, I don't know. i it just It was fine. i i'm would never watch it again, and I wouldn't recommend it to others, but...

Speaker: no and if if i'm correct i think he's a big fan of like um like monster memorabilia like toys and models and you know things like i know i had as a kid like i put together like a godzilla with glue and painted and i i think that comes out he he has these incredibly beautiful set pieces full of these wonderful toys and they just sit there and you just look at them and they don't do anything they don't move their hearts don't beat their lungs don't breathe they just look nice yeah And that's what Frankenstein was. Everything looks nice. Like if you just paused it, it's like, well, that looks nice. That's all it is, is something looking nice. And even that's subjective. Some people may look it and say, oh, it's way too florid and and, you know, Baroque and everything. um

Speaker: So it's just it's just one set piece after another. And after while, it's like, I don't care what's the story. And if he didn't know the story, he made it needlessly complicated. Like Rob, you're saying what was faithful and what was not faithful.

Speaker: he could He could have cut it up however he wanted it and made it much more streamlined. The original Frankenstein, which is still the best with Boris Karloff, they play a little loose with the book, but it's pretty tight and you sympathize with the monster.

Speaker: In this, and i and it's kind of downplayed from the book, but it's still there. The monster is like human. And that's kind of the point in the movie, I suppose, that he's supposed to have our sympathy. But in the book, it's much more nuanced, where he's human, which means he does some bad shit like humans do. The whole book is a critique of humanity, not the monster.

Speaker: And in this, I think Toro thinks he's he's sympathizing with the misfits, with you know the creature in the shape of water, with Hellboy, with the girl in Pan's Labyrinth. but yeah To echo what Glenn has said, i don't think he invests a lot of heart in it. I think he just like shows a misfit and we're supposed to feel sympathetic, but often I don't.

Speaker: And I didn't care for Frankenstein's monster. He seemed like a real prick. and And Victor was a dickhead. It's like there's no one sympathetic. They're all kind of assholes. I don't know who I'm rooting for here. um So I think he you know this is a very beautiful movie to look at. Steampunk chic? I think that's maybe what he's going for. Yeah, but there's not it's not there it is is no heart to it, and the acting's pretty bad, um and it's long. Yeah, no, it's I've been reading some reviews on it, and I think the consensus is it's the movie's described as like gothic romanticism. I see that kind of coming up here or there in different reviews. um I probably liked it a ah little bit better than you guys, not to say it should have gotten nominated for Best Picture either. This should have been...

Speaker: you know a movie a year or five movies with this one maybe just just misses or something like that i did find this mildly entertaining i gave it like three stars out of five you know what i mean okay yeah um because i i was entertained by it i i i did buckle under its own weight and it didn't live up to the hype and all All the things you both said were, I agree with, but I did i still i still you know and enjoyed it a little bit. Didn't avoid hatred? i don't yeah i invite Yeah, I avoided the hatred that you guys felt, but I i wouldn't see it again. It's one of those movies where that you like. that It's like you walk out of the theater, walk out of your Netflix in your living room or whatever, however you saw And then immediately going to forget everything about this movie. Mm-hmm.

Speaker: Yeah, so like yeah you kind of tend it tends to be a little bit forgettable as well. But it it it was long. It kept me a little entertained during it, and I guy didn't need it. How about that?

Speaker: so I think that sums it up, actually. ah So Sentiment of Value is a film I heard a lot of critics liked. i was like, yes, yes. um But I quite enjoyed it.

Speaker: ah Surprisingly, it's nothing groundbreaking. It's kind of a small family drama. um It's ah two sisters. One, i think, is kind of in the arts.

Speaker: And the other one isn't. And their father's a famous film director, I guess, who they are quite estranged from. and he shows back in their life to, oh, I'm going to make a movie and I want you to be in it, the artistic daughter. And she refuses. But then the father gets an American star and the artistic sister regrets it and they they kind of have it out about, you know, what a distant father he was and, you know, this stuff.

Speaker: It sounds like just a very pablum plot and it is, but for me, I felt it was just well done. The acting was uniformly excellent. The direction, i mean, there were some parts that were a little fey, but, but overall ah for a movie that wasn't about much and usually, of these movies I usually detest, like coming to grips with like, oh, my father was distant. Like, yeah, okay. But, you know,

Speaker: you got three meals a day. Right. So, uh, I, I was surprised how much I liked it. It was very, it was dry and low key, but there were still moments of like of humor, um, and some moments of pathos.

Speaker: And I backtracked to see what the movies this guy did earlier in worst person in the world. I found the same feelings and the same kind of style. So this must be his style. He seems to take these ordinary stories and,

Speaker: and um nothing magical, but but for me, I think he invests them with a lot of heart, even though it seems very dry on the surface. If you pay attention, there' a lot going on. So it's not it's not you know from here to eternity or anything. I don't want to overhype it. But it's a really small, quiet movie that for me worked um just on ah on a kind of a character level.

Speaker: But you guys may feel differently. know. Rob? Yeah. No, I think you've maybe lowered your standards a little bit. um i I'm glad you find it funny. But yeah it's it's I think it kind of fits in with this year's movies of how it was. Like, yeah, it was an enjoyable movie. It was a little dull. It was a little dry. You tend not to remember it too much after you leave the theater. I'll admit I had to read the plot summary again.

Speaker: He was in subtitles in nor was it Norwegian. Yeah, or Swedish. I don't think i don't remember. Scandinavian. Yeah, Scandinavian. That covers it. Yeah, that covers it. Except for the scenes that Elle Fanning was in because she spoke in in English and they spoke back to her in English. so That was a little bit of a break from, from reading throughout the movie. But um like Lena says, you see, you do see ah a movie, some movies you don't, you see, you don't remember they're in subtitles or you don't, you kind of forget you're reading the subtitles. I'll have to give it credit for, for that. I kind of forget. I forgot I was reading subtitles after a while until they started speaking in English. Then I'm like, Oh, this is nice. um

Speaker: It was, it was, ah it was, it was, It's an okay little movie. A little dry, little forgettable. But do you think, Linus? I actually did like this movie probably more than Rob. Okay. And ok probably on par with um Dylan. I was surprised that I liked it because I was prepared after all of these movies to just be like, another one that's going to suck. and you know But I actually thought this director had a really fresh um touch with the movie, and it it could it could have been dreary drearier given the subject matter, but actually kept it.

Speaker: from getting too heavy, i think. And then I think, so I just wonder if what I'm watching is the difference between a director who is really good with his actors and squeezing out some really good intimate performances versus the other movies that we've watched that we're talking about. It's kind of bloodless, kind of cold. So I think that that's what I liked that. It was a very small intimate movie that actually didn't drag for me at all. um And I really liked it. And yet, like you said, we went on to watch another one of this director's movies in very similar style and same actress, same main character main actress in it um

Speaker: Yeah, i really I actually really liked it. I, again, would it have gotten nominated in a year of better movies. I'm not sure. um Probably not. Nothing extraordinary about it, but I do actually recommend this movie if you like kind of quiet, um you know, ah human drama type movies.

Speaker: Would you see it again? Yeah, if. Maybe. I don't know. Too fresh. Yeah. But I would not like if somebody said, do you want to watch this movie? I'd be like, OK, fine. Put it in. um I would say there's very few movies this year that I want to watch again. so um it's no, not that much impact for me that I would look forward to watching again someday. But you know what? There are very few movies like that for me, I think.

Speaker: I think. i don't know. Not like Jaws. we not It's not like Jaws. Yeah, this isn't like an all-time movie. It's just, oh knows it was a nice small piece. yeah i think I think it'll easily be forgotten about through time, though. like Yeah, especially because it's a foreign film. um But Stellan Skarsgård, I think he's good um in everything he's in, usually. ah He plays a great kind of dickhead director.

Speaker: um You know, an artist driven by his his demons or whatever. But I don't know. I thought it was pretty good, actually, which I think is very strong. ah praise in a this movie year.

Speaker: This so particular movie year. Speaking of this movie year, Marty Supreme, Glenis, what did you think? I wanted to like this so much. I kind of have been liking more of Timothee Chalamet. I don't really, i haven't just hadn't decided yet if I like the Safdie brothers or, you know, one of the Safdie brothers, whichever um one is directing at the moment, but I've realized this movie made me realize I don't really like the Safdie brothers and I'm not sure Timothee Chalamet is really there yet in terms of his acting. So, I mean, i think he could get better. But really, this is a long, very long.

Speaker: It was long, right? Or did it just. fifteen minutes It was too long about a really unlikable character that was based on a real life person that could not have been this unlikable in real life. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten as far as he did. But it's just there was zero break in the action at times. It was just one long, like, really, he's running all over the place and driving and running and running. There's more running. And then there's. i thought i would enjoy the ping pong more but i didn't really ah it got lost in all the the the forward momentum of this of this movie and uh i just didn't really like any none of the characters ended up being sympathetic not the wife um not well kevin o'leary from shark tank mr wonderful

Speaker: Which one was he? Yeah, who was he? He was Glyneth Paltrow's husband. Oh, yeah, yeah. yeah yeah I wondered where I recognized him from. i was like, i somewhere I know that guy from something. but um Yeah, no, I didn't really... don't know. I just i felt like there was trying to be it was trying to be a very sensational movie about one man's dreams. and I'm like, well, his dreams are stupid. So who cares? um And i again, just I think a better actor than Timothee Chalamet would have made his made the character a bit more likable sometimes, but he was not likable at all ah anywhere, I didn't think. So that made it a very tough watch for me, and um i think his ultimate win was unearned. That was the big problem, is that I didn't want him to win. He needed a lesson, but he won despite all of his awfulness, truly awfulness. So...

Speaker: I don't know. I hated it. and He wasn't supposed to be a great character. I think he was an awful person, but, but I think there's a way to make an awful character also a little bit sympathetic because this movie is about him. So I think to watch a full 150 minutes of an, a bastard is really tough. If you don't bring in some sympathetic qualities to him somehow and a skilled or gifted actor and a more gifted director probably would have been able to do that. It's just, that didn't happen for me in this movie.

Speaker: You didn't see any kind of vulnerability in his character at all? Well, I saw that he was a flawed human, but that didn't make like him. Yeah, isn't? He is... Well, no, but this is my point. He didn't recognize that he was flawed at all. He just had this incredible hubris that he never ever... I think at some point the character needs a little bit of a lesson somewhere to make that more...

Speaker: palatable whereas he's just like and and and in the end it's almost like yes all my all my hubris was was not actually hubris look how amazing i am and i beat the the japanese guy was it japan that he went to yeah and i beat the guy i'm like i actually was rooting for the for the other guy to win at the end i liked his character better so i don't know i just felt he was too dislikable too unlikable what's What's your retort, Rob? It sounds like you made it. I think the movie was an absolute mess, but so is the White Album. and it's a it's work it's It's a work of genius. I'm not calling this a work of genius. This is not a work of genius. this is not No, no, it's not on the the the part with the White Album. yeah But I'm just saying that. You can be a hot mess and great, but yeah. Right. I think it was a hot mess. That was a very good movie. I enjoyed this movie. um

Speaker: I thought i said i did feel sympathetic towards the characters and um wait characters plural or towards Marty Supreme. Mostly towards Marty. So why is that?

Speaker: I'm just curious. I, I, I saw a certain, like I was saying, like I asked Linus, there was a certain vulnerability in his character that, um, what he was kind of like a poor soul who kind of pulled himself off as, uh, something greater than he really was. Um, you know, they, they didn't recognize him as, you know, a great person, but he thought they all did, you know, does that make any sense? I recognize what you're saying. I guess I see it differently. Yeah. He's like, well, want to recognize that great. I'm like, but you're not. You're an asshole and a piece of shit that plays pong. it's just ping pong. Right, and he knew that about himself. I don't think he did, Rob. I don't remember any point. He's like, you know what? Gee whiz, shouldn't have got this chick pregnant in a shoe store. Like, gee whiz, I shouldn't have I shouldn't have overturned a table. Like, I don't, he never, he never reflected at all. Unless you can think of a scene, there's no scene where he's oh shit, I shouldn't done that. He kept saying, I should have done more than that.

Speaker: I don't know. I i guess we'll agree to disagree. i I think he saw himself as as a flawed character. i mean I was just curious if there was a scene or a line, because I don't recall any where he just like kind of sat down like, boy, I shouldn't have done that. I mean, he reflected like, I shouldn't have done that because it got in the way of me getting what I wanted. but i never When he gets in trouble, he's very mea culpa and tearful and whatever. Like he wants to get out of it. Yeah, he wants to get out of it. Not truly remorseful for how horrible he is. I wouldn't say truly remorseful. I would just say but I'm more talking about his like his bravado. Sympathetic. That's not why. Yeah. Like if at some point he realized, Jesus, what a piece of shit I am. And then we go, oh, yeah, you are a piece of shit. And that's the moment we could maybe connect and have a break from like this.

Speaker: unlikable character that like screws everybody over in his path everybody everybody no sympathy yeah i i back to the movie though i think i like the the pacing i like the um i i i like the fact i like the direction i like i thought chalamet was was amazing i thought some of the minor characters were very good as well i like kevin o'leary's character he kind of cracked me up a little bit just knowing what he's like as a person and seeing this movie it was you know part of it wasn't really a stretch but yet he was acting and he wasn't himself so um part of it was a stretch um i think um you know i i like i like the the running scenes i think that was like you know so symbolism of his character and how he was always in trouble and how he was um

Speaker: always trying to get out of situations and the situations were sometimes hilarious and sometimes sad and it gave you a little bit of of everything added. It was just, it was a hot mess that was entertaining and well acted and you know I really ah i enjoyed it. I would like to see it again. um i don't know if I'd like it more the second time or like it less the second time, but sometimes a second viewing when you know what's going to happen can really lend credence to exactly what you're saying or I'm saying anyway about the movie. I would recommend this movie. I would i would like to see it again, and I think people people should see it. i don't i think I don't think it was quite worth all the hype.

Speaker: Well, here's an unlikable person playing who gives a shit ping pong and he's terrible from start to finish. And when you can, you can see these, these fantasies, certain men have, like I can do whatever I want and hot chicks are just fucking bang me in a shoe store and I'm going to get, uh, I'm going to fucking run the world, even though look at me and listen to me. It definitely speaks to a certain disaffected male who's like, I should be running the world. Alas and alack, if anyone would just recognize my scary genius.

Speaker: Alas and alack, it's Ping Paul. I forget if I said who gives a shit. um it's It was just he's a terrible person, which is fine, except he's an uninteresting person to boot. He's not Jordan Belfort in Wolf of Wall Street, who you just kind of can't help but like him because he's doing the wildest shit.

Speaker: this guy Again, that's a choice of performance, right? like And direction. And direction. That was also a very unlikable character. But somehow you're like, oh I'm kind of rooting for this guy or something despite myself.

Speaker: Well, that's their thing. they they No one but disputes this. They make movies about unlikable people doing unlikable things. That's their thing. so I guess I didn't mind Uncut Gems, but you didn't mind. But that was another dickhead who's like, you're such a fucking stupid asshole. didn't like that at all. That's what I'm saying. That's what Marty's Supreme is. It's a guy who's like, there's no reason to be sympathetic for you. And when you a chance to be sympathetic, you blow it because you're not a, and that's fine. But again, i was using Wolf of Wall Street, like highly entertaining about a guy who was morally questionable to say the least. But it's like, don't know, you're you're making this like, I can see why people would want to be around you. You're kind of fun. Martin Supreme is like, you're a dick to everybody. Why on earth would anyone want to be around you? And answer is, and but um unless you're Trump, no one does want to be around you.

Speaker: If Trump's the president United States, this guy's a, can I say it again? a ping pong player, who cares? Yeah, it was kind of a questionable choice to make it about ping pong playing. You'd think it'd be like something a little bit more sophisticated, like maybe a professional gambler or something like that. That would have been much better.

Speaker: That it is ping pong. It could have been a lot more fun. um It could have been a lot more fun and it should have made me way more interested in ping pong. Again, these things can happen. i don't really have an issue with the the story. It is based on a real life guy. Just I think they didn't they didn't stick to that story.

Speaker: It didn't do a lot for the sport, that's for sure. and It seems like the director was kind of throwing things at the wall and seeing what stuck. You know what I mean? That kind thing. It was a mess. It was an absolute mess. yeah But it was, it just, you know, there are things that, like you said, Glennis, that can be absolute messes, that can be enjoyable as well. Oh, there's no back in the USR while my guitar gently reaps on this white album. No. Rob, speaking about another overhyped film, Sinners.

Speaker: Honestly, what did you think, Rob? I'm i'm so curious. Yeah, no, I saw it early. it was it was really two movies in one to me. um i enjoyed the heck out of the first movie or the first half of this movie. I thought the the cinematography was really something to write home about. I thought the acting was fantastic. I thought the music was amazing. um i just uh i i kind of wish they continued on with that you know what i mean and made a full movie out of the the first half or cut it short and and made it a little bit like you're talking about the part that's more like focused on the like them setting up the juke joint and coming back home and stuff right yeah yeah i love that part and and and i was halfway through the movie i was like This is really going to be a big movie. This could be a winner at the the Oscars. This could be a movie that's remembered through time in an unmemorable year. And then then it changed. It became a horror movie. And, you know, it got good reviews for a horror movie. And this this movie is kind of...

Speaker: like dominated the whole movie, the horror movie part of it. And it's being known. And I think we'll be remembered through history as a horror movie, which to me is a shame because in my opinion, because the first half was so strong. um I, you know, I didn't, I did not enjoy the second half. I wish it didn't go there. um Make, make a, make a second movie out of the horror movie. Don't get included with this first. Yeah.

Speaker: borderline masterpiece of a movie of the first half, which I love so much. um It turned me off. it I tuned it out a bit. I didn't really focus on it. I couldn't wait for it to end. And I just think it went things went awry when they went towards the horror movie part of it.

Speaker: But, you know, there are people out there who will disagree with me. And I'm really curious what you guys have to say. So what do you guys think about this duo movie? I mean, interestingly, I did not talk to anybody who saw this movie that thought it was stunning. So there was a lot of hype around it. And um I was hoping for a really great movie. But I think you speak to a really good point.

Speaker: point, which is that it's two different movies. It's like the first half is this like, you know, drama of like coming back and setting up this business and whatever else. And then finally, i mean, you know, it's going to be a horror movie because the first scene is like vampire stuff. Right. But I think something like that. they Early on, they established early on. there's Yeah.

Speaker: And ah so you're kind of waiting. And I feel like you're waiting forever. Like, well, when does the horror movie kick in? And then it kicks in so fast and it's so like, it's like, yeah, don't go out there. you know, don't go out there. It's a little surprising. You know, it's just like, it I don't know. It just, I didn't think it worked very well as either movie. I, I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. i don't think it lived up to the hype that it was, that that it was getting. um

Speaker: Yeah, I... e and There's lots of things I remember from it, but that it's like... Yeah, I don't know. It just, again, didn't excite me the way i had hoped it was going to the way I think it was supposed to. i like a good ah monster movie. Again, this is... The problem with Frankenstein, the problem with vampires, it's like it's... these shit This should be a lot more exciting for the subject matter. And it just took... For me, it took way too long to get to the vampires... And you already knew it was going to, so maybe that the tell was too early, like, oh, there's going to be vampires. um

Speaker: Maybe just to remind us, you've got to get through this long drama first to get to the vampires. And then, i don't know, then there was a musical sequence, which I didn't, I had no appreciation for because I have no appreciation for musicals. So I. It's like, is this trying to be a musical or a vampire movie or ah a drama or like a commentary on race in America ah or like, what is it? And I guess it was trying to be all of those things, which is very ambitious. But I would say just it did not excite me the way I hoped it would.

Speaker: Yeah. I, I think Rob's point is really pernate. It's, it's two separate movies and I appreciate that Coogler swung for the fences. Honestly, like you, you don't hit a home run unless you swing. Like I, I think you fail, but it's like, I, I truly, cause his movies up to this point have been very, um,

Speaker: one-dimensional and very cardboard. Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, you know zero fucking nuance in those movies. So I do appreciate, okay, I i see what you're trying for.

Speaker: i think there's a lot of structural problems. Again, introducing the vampires early on takes... takes all the drama out of it when they show up where it's, you know, Oh, Haley Stanford is going to talk to the vampires. Like, right. Cause I know they're vampires. I know she's going to be a vampire and I know she's going to try and bite one of the Jordans. And so so I don't know if that first half would have been a great movie, but like you said, Rob, I think I would have rather have seen that play out and then say, well, spend a half hour on that instead of another hour on the vampire movie. Yes. And let's see, maybe I wouldn't have liked it, but it's like, well, I was more into that part.

Speaker: And then the vampires show up, which again, we already knew they were. So there's no, you know, no tension when the, when the white people show up at the door, like I know they're vampires. So there's no mystery. And you can kind of, so from that point, you can kind of guess what's kind of going to happen, especially when there's twin brothers. So it's like, well, one of them's going to turn but It's like, you can see it coming, but maybe if I didn't know they're vampires, I would have been like, oh I don't know. Are they the clan or no? Oh, they're Irish and they're sympathetic. Like we're the same, you know? So yeah,

Speaker: That that was just a big problem in the foundation of the movie that can't be fixed. um the The vampire part was inconsistent in terms of what not the rules, but, ah you know the ending where how they escaped the vampire doesn't work within the logic of the story. I won't say too much because it's pretty it's a nuanced plot point. If you haven't seen the movie, it makes a difference. But it made no sense. It seemed like an easy out.

Speaker: um which I didn't appreciate. But that goes back to Rod's point. Maybe don't have a vampire movie. I don't know what he was thinking. I mean, I don't mean this a bad way. i don't know if he's like, well, I want to mash up stuff and have both. Like, OK, I appreciate that. Or if it's like, well, this is more commenting on race. Get it. The white people are vampires. Get it. They suck black culture. Get it. It's like, yeah, I got it.

Speaker: But it's so. so The acting was really good, I thought, but honestly. Michael B. Jordan was fantastic. Yeah, and me and Glantz are big fans of his from The Wire and Friday Night Lights, just like we like Jesse Plemons from Friday Night Lights. And he he deserved the Oscar ah for a variety of reasons this year. Yeah, yeah. And, you he's 35. First of all, I need to do double the work. Yeah. Well, did have to do double the work. yeah um And he kept the only reason the movie even halfway works is because he's in it. And it's not a terrible movie, but it seems like there should have been something better, right? Or no?

Speaker: i agree. Glennis? ah Yeah, I feel like the end product could have been knit together a bit tighter, um edited differently.

Speaker: I don't think there is anything really wrong with the direction. i mean, maybe there are some very obvious... maneuvers in the direction but I just think it was again too long um I felt like I was waiting felt like I was waiting for action I don't like that yeah yeah That's a good point. Yeah, I did feel like a, oh, okay, now it's starting. Oh, not yet. Okay, now. And it's like, oh, yeah, I guess that's it. Yeah, that's a good point.

Speaker: Yeah. And then when I talked to it, saw it kind said the same thing. Like, oh, then it changes halfway through, and I don't know if I like that. ah right Right. You know? Yeah. but enough for the bed Sometimes that's a great thing, and sometimes that's not such a great thing. So it just depends. Yeah. Yeah. There you go. Yeah. No, like I said, you don't hit a home run if you don't swing. I i truly appreciate that. He really really tried for something amazing. Just because I don't think he succeeded doesn't take away from his effort. right.

Speaker: so right All right. So the winner. The winner. The winner. Rob, why don't you start? What are thoughts on one battle after another? Oh, thank God for this movie. um Yes. Yeah. Now we're getting somewhere. Yeah.

Speaker: After a year of just, I think we're but we're all guilty of lowering our standards a little bit. um yeah yeah We had to this year. It's 2025. It's not probably going to be a fine year for wine or movies. I don't know. um It's just this this movie was a very, very good movie. I don't know if I'd call it a great movie or a classic. Time will tell. But it was a little bit of everything except a comedy. i don't think I chuckled at all during this movie. really?

Speaker: did you see in the theater or on on uh like rented or i saw it on the the rental at home i saw i watched it twice i did see it twice i wanted to see it again for this podcast i wasn't gonna about to see 20 movies for the podcast 10 times two but i did see this one again because i i uh loved it the first time I have to say I didn't like it quite as much the second time fair enough as the first time. um Maybe because I knew it was going to happen. I do think some of the scenes were borderline shocking the first time you see it and very surprising. And there there's some tension. There's there' there's some lessons. There's... ah some morality clauses about right and wrong um in this movie. And it's it's it is very political as well. I do think that I think it could anger some people on the left and anger some people on the right during parts of it. I think it made some commentary here or there, which may or may not have been necessary. I'm not sure.

Speaker: But um DiCaprio, like, oh, my God, like, you know, If he hadn't won to the Oscar before, I would have said he should have won this year over Jordan. I just, he already has one. So it's like, okay, but yeah, he already has one. Yeah. Yeah. But he was, he was amazing. I mean, talk about living the role and then just getting involved and getting your hands dirty and just becoming this character. it Same with Penn too, his lockjaw, which is, you know, you compare that to some of his other roles and it's always just so unique. Well, you know, whether you like him in a role or don't like him in a role, they're all different. You know what mean? You gotta, he's truly a a great actor. When someone says like, Michael B. Jordan's a great actor, maybe, but not yet. Like Sean Penn's like a great actor. yeah He is. He is. Uh, absolutely. Um, and the, though the, women, not to leave them off, Tiana Taylor, amazing. And the, the girl who was in her first movie, her name just escaped me. Ace infinity.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah, Chase Infinity, thank you. Her first role, my gosh. um She was fantastic, played the the daughter. um you know they They thought it was that's part of the suspense. It was supposed to be DiCaprio's character's daughter, and they did a DNA test, and we we actually waited for the results during the movie. Uh-oh, yeah. Yeah, maybe I won't ruin what happens, but he may or may not be DiCaprio's. She may or may not be DiCaprio's daughter. Yeah, that's fair.

Speaker: But um I enjoyed the heck out of it, especially the first time seeing it. um I was kind of surprised. at you know I didn't like it as much the second time, but it's still, to me, a great movie. um And I maybe might even see it a third time. I'm not sure. i picked up i picked up more the second time. um it's kind of a It's kind of a timeless story, I think, that could have been made during any era.

Speaker: um i you know I could see this being made during the 70s. I could see this being made now. Although, no, and it didn't fit in with the other movies as well as much because maybe maybe it's a surprise that it was made now.

Speaker: uh to me now was kind of reconsidering that but yeah this is a this is a five-star movie um this is something that you should definitely see um it's ah it's a little out there it's a little um um you know surprising at some of the twists and turns that it takes um dicaprio's he's now you know he's playing someone his his age maybe a little older because he was so you know washed up his character was supposed to be washed up And he he kind of goes on the the run from his past with with his daughter and kind of shows its it their life a little bit and just the right amount of their life for us to get to be sympathetic sympathetic towards the characters, I think. we The characters really grow during this movie. um this There's enough of each of them. I would have liked to have seen maybe a little bit more of Teyana Taylor's character, but...

Speaker: She kind of disappeared halfway through. But the others, even Benicio del Toro, I thought was fantastic. yeah ah He always is. But this this was this was a great role for him. um Kind of ah a subtle character in the movie, but yet one that ended up you know standing out due to his acting chops, I think.

Speaker: um There wasn't, you know, some of DiCaprio's movies is a little bit too much of him. you know, maybe if I had a little criticism, it would be a little, maybe a little too much of him, maybe a little too little of the other characters, but that's just a minor thing.

Speaker: But go see it. Enjoy it. um Movies like this don't come along too often these days. So what'd you guys think? Yeah, I really like this movie. i was actually so I was prepared to go in not liking it because I didn't like um that director's last film that much, Licorice Pizza. Although that movie grew on me um over time ah as well with a few repeated watchings. But this was really a big, huge surprise to me at how much I liked it considering how long it was. and agree pretty much with everything Rob said so far. I'm sure agree with what Dylan said because we've talked about this quite a bit. But yeah, I've i've seen it twice now or three times. I can't remember. Two or three times. two Twice. Dylan's seen it three times. um

Speaker: And i I enjoyed it eat just as much the second time. You get a little bit more each time, I think. Okay. Just since we were talking about it, this is a really good Sean Penn is a great example of playing a really truly reprehensible and horrible character and yet somehow I'm not getting burned out on him. Almost sympathetic with him towards. Almost sympathetic and isynetic almost how he in his pathos. Like he's just he's just kind of pathetic in a way. right And ah you recognize that. but also, like you're not going to let him off the hook, but it still makes it watchable in a way that...

Speaker: is interesting and that i think is the mark of a really great actors like you have this thankless horrible character it's not a thankless role actually it's a great role because he you know and he does so much with it and he's just this really weird gross and yet interesting character i really uh really enjoyed his performance in it and and his ending is completely earned And, yeah, it's just – that's what Timothee Chalamet, if he wants to be a great actor, should be looking at um yeah Sean Penn. And then I think that rob ah Leonardo DiCaprio is not as great of an actor as Sean Penn, but he's pretty good in this. Right. I like that he's sort of taking less heroic roles now and kind of blundering idiots. um

Speaker: yeah You know, he does that really well in this. And and he i think it's a really good role for him. And yeah, I thought everybody was great in it. The action was just the right pace. It didn't get burned out on anything. Any... oh you know too much momentum i think it was just it struck the right pace the characters were very you know insightful i love when they kind of show up at the monastery with um i can't remember that actress's name but um uh the one that takes chase infinity to the monastery what's her name

Speaker: I can't remember. But anyway, she kind of kept- Oh, Regina Hall. She was great. She's always her radio. Thank Regina Hall. Yes, so Regina Hall shows up in the monastery and they think it's going to be this great. And the nuns are like, this one comes from somebody who makes trouble. She better not make trouble. And it's just like such a great commentary on like, that person was like this revolutionary. Tiana Terrell, this character's a revolutionary. And yet, did she know when to stop or was it more about her excitement for the danger I just thought it made a lot of great points without whacking me over the head with a frying pan. And I really enjoyed that. And then it was also funny. So it wasn't grim, overly grim. It took a potentially grim subject and people are dying in it, but it still keeps it light enough that you're not just feeling burned out by the whole situation. So I think it was truly subtle. Yeah. I think it was just such a standout for how bad this year was. So, um,

Speaker: But I think it it would stand out even against really great movies, too. So I just think it's like this movie, which is, you know, 10 million stars and every other movie, which is 10 million negative stars. So it's such a weird year. Like to me, the. It balances out. Yeah. Anyway, I know. It's like one movie, then the 100 shitty ones.

Speaker: i I was just surprised how much I liked it, actually. just This is probably my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson movie. I like a lot of his movies, though. But there's some I don't like, too. So I just think, yeah, great, great movie. Glad it won.

Speaker: i guess this is like, this podcast is very obvious. about which we're probably talking to me. Yeah, Sorry, man, there's no suspense. Yeah, to anyone who watched movies this year, it should be obvious. Yeah, so anyway. There's a lot of people who love Sinners out there and, you know, i that I've talked to and thought Sinners should have gone. would say if if one battle actually after another was not in this category, it would have been Sinners probably. Yeah, far and away. For all its flaws, it's still tried.

Speaker: But unfortunately, one battle after another, know, it is the better movie, so. Yeah. Well, Dylan, what do you think? Well, like you, Glenn, and I was like, oh, I'm a huge Paul Thomas Anderson fan, but his last three movies were just too dry and meandering. And was sort of like, I'm going to see this movie and I'm not going to like it. That's fine.

Speaker: I'll give it a chance. And right from the start, like, well, this is different. i saw We saw in the theater, and this is for Rob, actually. So but where I work, um they got a screening of one bit after another for the communications department and the students and the faculty. And i I'm in the dean's office, so I go wherever I want. So oh I want to go. And they had the cinematographer there and the producer and the editor. so they could and And two of them had won an Oscar you know like two months earlier. Um, so they were there to talk about the movie. So I watched it with mostly college students.

Speaker: They laugh their asses off at all the parts you're supposed to laugh at. Like the parts I laughed at. It's like, no, this is funny. And they're laughing at it. It's like yeah, yeah, no, I think it's a very funny movie actually.

Speaker: um and you know, standing in pause and all that shit. Um, So I just want to bring that up. Like, I think there's a lot of humor in it. um Yeah, i did I didn't get that. i wish I did. But I just I just didn't get that. I mean, half of the scenes of Benicio del Toro are just hilarious on their own, you know? Yeah, I mean, even like the the bathrobe that DiCaprio's in, like, you know, that's that maybe that was kind of funny. Like they put him in a bathrobe for his most important scenes. Yeah. or like they keep him in for the whole movie Yeah. well And the whole like kind of Marx Brothers routine of like, what's, you know, what time is Like, I don't know. It's been so long. Well, you know, I can't tell a time. And and it's so like you say, Rob, it makes fun of both left and right. No, the acting is uniformly ah stunning. The directing. ah

Speaker: Well, he's a master, even when his movies aren't. I don't like them. It's like, no, this is maybe the best living director right now. um he He said it in a way that. i mean there are cell phones but uh it could have been the 70s like you said rob or it's right now it makes sense right now um i thought was all the characters are very nuanced you know ah leo just wants to be a good dad after being this revolutionary maybe he's not a good dad but he's obviously a loving dad the daughter is typically like my dad doesn't know what's going on he's he's a fucking idiot and then she found out it's true it's like cool

Speaker: Sean Penn was sympathetic in a sense. He's just like a child in a way. if he tears up at getting accepted to Christmas club. Sean Penn's a fucking psychotic and I felt more like, aww. He just wants to be loved. right you say that You see the the insecurity and the desperation yeah behind the beneath this terrible human.

Speaker: Besides the comedy and besides the family drama, you know like hashtag was a girl dad or whatever. The action is great. Like that whole scene with the at the end with the car chase going up and down the roads.

Speaker: But with the the car chase scene, it wasn't just the disorientation of the characters. It actually served the story like, oh, that's how she can get away with parking the car where she did and and kind of kind of you know foil her or pursuer. So I think it's it's easy to best move the year. I think it is his best movie.

Speaker: And I think it's probably one of the best movies of the century. guess we like that one. all right So, Glennis, what do you think the... What do you picking for the movie? Yeah. Well, I guess ah no suspense in this one. I think it's one battle off the other. They did they finally did right by, you know...

Speaker: A movie, a great movie. So I think that that that was the right choice. The second one, the second runner up would have been Sinners easily. And then from there, it's like, if I don't know. It's I like sentimental value a lot. if If the other movies, if those first two hadn't been it, I might've picked that one for the you know winner. But but no, ah one battle after the other. There's no question.

Speaker: that was yeah That was the clear winner. It's the most entertaining movie. Yeah. Yeah. Rob, anyone else got a different answer? Yeah, no, I mean, I like i i liked four movies, believe it or not, this year. i probably go with, you know, Frankenstein is number four, Sinners is three, Marty Supreme two, and by far and away, number one, and obviously, one battle after another. I should have been called one great scene after another. It was just, yeah, I mean, I think we we talked about it quite a bit, and this is the this is the one to see. This is the one that'll be remembered. Yeah. This is the one that could have won best picture in other years, you know, dare we say it.

Speaker: um So, yeah, that's my choice. One battle after another by far. Yeah, yeah. i Obviously, I agree. I think even it had been a stacked year, um very few films I would have picked over this. I think this would be one of those ones that's like taught in film class that's also very popular and that kids of all ages seem to enjoy. Anyways, thanks for listening. um Go see all these movies, but not really. Just see like one after another, maybe, don't know, Sinners. A couple times. couple times. If you disagree, you can always email us at the Oscars podcast.

Speaker: At gmail.com. Well, next episode, the year 2000. So next episode, we're going to do your 2000. The winner was gladiator. And the other nominees were chocolate crouching tiger, hidden dragon, Aaron Brockovich and traffic.

Speaker: Any last words? P casters. Hollywood. Do better. Do better. Better movies. I'll have a gentle time folks. Enjoy the winter. Okay. Bye. Bye. Bye.

Speaker: you