The Cinephile's Aisle
Two film haters and a microphone covering cinema classics, box office blockbusters, and everything in between!
The Cinephile's Aisle
Episode 2: "It Takes Two"
The second installment of The Cinephile's Aisle sees Ofili and Steve coming to terms with getting older, two TV shows they have been watching, and a few directorial debuts that have caught their eyes in recent years. Somehow, Shrek, Rapunzel, and Monsters, Inc. all make an appearance in the same segment.
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All right, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to episode two of the cinema Cinephile's Aisle. Why am I stumbling on our stumbling on our own name now?
Steve:It's our name, bro. We can't say how do you expect our listeners to get in?
Ofili:You know, welcome to the TCA. My bad. Exactly. That's what we got. Welcome to TCA. Have a seat. You know, let's get ready.
Steve:Grab some popcorn. Let's get it. Let's get into it.
Ofili:Grab some popcorn, bro. Alright. Alright, so what how was your week, bro? Tell me, tell me. What's been going on?
Steve:Oh, my week was good. Um it it was uh it was a light one work-wise. We love those. We love when we don't have work weeks. But it was messed up, bro, because I found out that we don't get the Juneteenth off. And I'm like, obviously, I'm not gonna say anything about where I work or the company name or nothing like that. You know, I can't be held liable. But I'm just gonna say the whole country has Monday off. The whole country, but I don't. So that was uh that was that was annoying to have to reconcile with you know you it was a good week.
Ofili:Black man, you should take that into your own hands. Just don't show up, don't pull up.
Steve:Nah, they're gonna they're gonna have to hear from me. That's all I'll say. They'll have to hear from me. But it was a good week, bro. I got to see some movies uh I've been excited for, I guess, bro. I hadn't seen I didn't I missed the theatrical run of Creek 3, so I got to watch that on video because we just dropped.
Ofili:You decided not to go on your ones.
Steve:I'll tell you what happened. So I think it had the same, it was released around the same time as like Guardians or like something. That was something else I was out. So I tried to do and John Week. So I tried to do John Wick. It was John Wick, yeah. I tried to do the I tried to rewatch Creed 1 and 2 before going for 3. That's what I like to do before all these movies. But then it was just Dragon, and I never actually I didn't get to see until like the night I saw Creed 2. I was gonna go see Creed 3 like immediately, but I was tired, so I fell asleep and I missed it. How do you feel about those trilogies though?
Ofili:Like that, the Creed trilogy.
Steve:I'll talk a little bit on Creed 3 later on in the segment, but I think it's one of those very few that has kept you know the same vision, the same style, the same. Like if you watch it as a marathon, it almost sort of feels like it's one long story, which is ultimately what a trilogy should feel like. It should feel like a three-part story, not a story, or three stories, rather. Yeah, it should feel like a three-part story, not three stories. That's what Creed feels like, unlike some of the other you know, trilogies, they have like time jumps or like someone else coming in, or you know, changing cast. So I think that's good, and like the style and the music has just been consistently good.
Ofili:So top tier. Yeah, yeah.
Steve:But that was that was my week. How was your week, bro?
Ofili:Um, my week has been, you know, it's actually been about two weeks since our last episode. Yeah, yeah. But to catch you up, started working a new job.
Steve:Congrats, bro. That's what we like to hear.
Ofili:Get that money. We love that. The money was not crazy this week, but we are here. Um, but apart from that, start working a new job, getting used to that role. It's pretty similar to like what I've done in the past, yeah. But you know, it has a little bit more like client calls and meetings, and everyone knows. I think one of the most embarrassing things that happens to you is being new at a job for no reason, it's embarrassing. Like, I don't know where to go, I don't know what to do, I need to be trained. It feels embarrassing, bro.
Steve:Yeah, I know exactly how feeling.
Ofili:Yeah, and so like adjusting into that role has been pretty good as an analyst. It's like typically it's different from like a typical analyst role that I would have I've had in the past, yeah. But yeah, it's it's it's a fun time, it's a nice, I mean, one of those like Gen Z startup offices where random are playing table tennis middle of the day, and you know, it's like fog bridge, so it's it's a very weird kind of vibes, and yeah, for some reason, like everyone graduated around the same time as us, but I'm an and like I'm I'm new, and my boss is like my age mates, and I'm just like damn, yeah, yeah, you know, like Nigerian in me is still like yes, uh but like I was like, bro, I'm totally you with the same age, like you know what this reminds me of.
Steve:I don't know if you saw, did you ever watch Shameless, the American version, the US version? Yeah, of course, of course. Bro, there's an episode where Lip gets this like nice internship for this like gaming startup, like video gaming or game sports betting startup. I think I know right. That's what this reminds me, because it was also in Chicago. It was in yeah, it was in Chicago, and like bro, he has to he's working for all these people his age, but then he has to treat them with respect and stuff, and like they're all just on Adderall, like they have kombucha on tap, like you're playing table tennis in the office, like type, yeah, and that's just what this is reminding. Maybe it's a maybe the place to go for a young startup is Chicago. Maybe, maybe.
Ofili:It's uh it's a pretty cool company, of course. Yeah, um, but now moving on to the fun part. So yesterday, completely randomly, and I remember when I tell you completely, completely randomly, we were meant to record around like five minutes before the call for the recording happened. Yeah, my friend hit me up and he's like, bro, I have free MMA tickets. Do you want to come with me? Like mixed martial art, full-on MMA, yes. Mixed martial arts, the ring, the whole thing, like yeah. And okay, I was like, let me get back to you because I don't want to, you know, CCA is important. So we take this very seriously, guys. We take this we're very serious with this, yes. So, and I was just like, Yeah, okay, let's see what we can do. Um, I'll get back to you. So, me and you spoke and coincidentally aligned up that you had something to do at the same time. So I was like, all right, let's push it till tomorrow. That's cool. I belled, I buzz broke immediately, and I was like, Yeah, I can go. What time? What time are we meeting up? And look at me thinking it's like one fight at eight. Bro, why was I sitting there for four or five fights? God damn, bro, every card, and the sad thing, which is kind of crazy, is that you kind of don't like when you hear certain heights, yeah. And then like you see you hear certain weights, you're like, oh, I don't I don't even know what that looks like. But when you're looking at man named that 135 pounds, I'm like like 130, 135 pounds. 135 pounds. I was like, bro, I haven't been that small since I was like 12. At what height though? How tall are they? Bro, they're like 5'6. That's crazy. Yeah. 135. And that was like the second major fight. Damn. Yeah, that was the second highest.
Steve:You know, me hearing me hearing you say that, bro, all that's ringing in my head is I could take him on. I could take him on. 100% 135. 135. If I if I land if I can swing a really good punch, bro, uh, he's out. I'll knock him out, bro.
Ofili:But the problem is that they're small, you know, they're short, so yeah. You might not get the chin properly. Yeah. Nah.
Steve:I don't know the last time I was clocking in at that many, many, many lifetimes ago. So many lifetimes.
Ofili:That's crazy. Um, but let me say, so the next thing that happened at the end of the night after the fight, you know, it was a fun time, but god, I did not know that I was going to leave there by 11. I feel like the bro said, hey bro, like it's 8 to 11. I'm going to be like, yeah, it's cool. I'm cool on that. I'm watching Black Mirror, I'm having a fun time. Um, but yeah, so that your first was that your first fight?
Steve:First fight.
Ofili:But it wasn't UFC, it was Bellator. I don't know what that is. Yeah, which is I don't know. It's like apparently there was some oh, this is the next part. There was some young guy beside us, and I didn't think he was young until like midway through the Convoy, where we're just battering. And he was like, Yeah, like Bellatour is like the G League of MMA, like you know, the G League basketball were like that part of MMA, and I was like, okay. And so we're making certain jokes, and bro wasn't catching it. And you know, for context, you know, I'm 24, my friend is 25. Okay, we're making jokes, and it's like timeline of like life kind of jokes. Okay. The other guy was not catching it. Yeah, it felt a bit weird that he wasn't catching it. Then he randomly asked us, yeah, like, how old are you guys? We said our ages. Bro was like, oh, I'm 20. And throughout the night, he kept calling us onk. Oh, no, no. He was like, Yeah, you old heads are like, you know. Ain't no way, bro. Ain't no way they did you like that. And you know, normally on everything, bro. It took me out. And you know, normally, with like some of our other friends, you know, we used to kind of be like the young guys and like a year or two, and but now being like the quote unquote old head is killing me, bro. And that's crazy. That is so hilarious, bro. Yeah, so that kind of like broke my heart, and you know, bro kept teasing me, and I was making jokes, and like and he said he was like, damn, your knees probably they're probably I was like, damn, bro got me.
Steve:Bro, he got you so good. I'm thinking that that Kevin Hart, the Kevin Hart meme where he's like, damn, that's the one that's what I'm thinking right now. Yeah, God.
Ofili:When we were leaving, okay, so we were leaving and we're going to look for our cars because you know, street parking, we're not paying 25.30 for parking, you know. Yeah, I would rather walk the 20 minutes than pay that 20. So what happened is that when we were leaving, like one random young G was like, Oh yeah, oh you guys look really good, like let's let's take a pick. And I was like, Okay, okay, this is I I didn't know I was stepping out like that, you know, and bro, and like, you know, I think what was happening is that we couldn't find his uh we couldn't airdrop to him, so he had to give us like give my friend his number, and you know, ask his name, just like save his name, like you know, whatever, whatever. And he was like, Yeah, I'm dozy. And I was like, wait, do you mean like with yeah, like with an IE at the end? Then he's like, Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think she dozier. Oh, brother, please, bro.
Steve:Oh, I didn't know he was black. When you were talking about him this whole time, I just assumed it was a white guy, no, no, no, he was a black guy, and he had like high top, and yeah, like, and I was like, bro, you're Nigerian, right?
Ofili:And he was like, Yeah, yeah, yeah. And bro, in my it was it was funny, and also the was also like 17, 18, and I was just like, God damn. Yeah, that's I am really surrounded by the Yom G's, bro.
Steve:Yeah, we need to get we need to get you home, Unk.
Ofili:Don't kill me, bro. That was crazy.
Steve:But that's fun though. I wish I could go to a fight.
Ofili:It was not going to lie. I I wish I was more buzzed, can't I? But it was a fun time. Um, definitely go late. Because they are not really that entertaining. I'm not gonna lie. Um, but after that, we ended up at another like a little club thing, you know, those bars that have like club spaces on the back. So yeah, it was that, and they were man, shout out to Mochi, because if there's one person I trust in this life is Mochi. Yeah, I feel I feel bad that he's a white dude, but like, bro, he he be cooking, he be cooking with the Yamafia and then he cooked with the Afro. I'm like, oof. I love like if you know me, my story, I'm always gonna end up by Mochi. Yeah, yeah. And I love that. But uh yeah, that was my that was my weekend. Today I am going to the beach and see Uncle Waffles tonight. So that sounds like a recipe for a great time, bro.
Steve:Shout out Uncle Waffles, bro. Shout out, it's an amazing because she's doing the thing, yeah. Shout out Waffles, bro. I haven't seen her live, but everyone I know that has gone has said it's been an amazing experience. So shout out to she comes late as hell though, but I I know that it's a fun time. Hey, have fun though, but let's get into it, let's get into it. Let's get into it. Alright, so in terms of what we've been watching this week, I'm only gonna say one. I mean, I've I've seen a lot this week, but I'm only gonna say one, and I want to get this off my chest before I let it like sit and fester a little more.
Ofili:Okay.
Steve:Minds the idol. So I think when before we recorded, uh the first episode hadn't dropped, and now there have been two episodes since then, and I've seen both, you know, um drop in night. And at the risk of you know, this being polarizing, I would hate to lose listeners like this early on in the podcast. I'm gonna I'm gonna try to keep it as like PC as possible, you know. Um, you know, my politics checkouts, at least I think. Uh but the butt is right here, but okay. But the show is it's uh cesspool of a lot of things that people would you know identify with politics that don't check out right. So it's like I feel conflicted when I'm enjoying it, you know, and I'm like, oh, should I be enjoying this? You know, is this man the creator, Sam Levitton? Is he a misogynist? Does he hate women? Is he does he censor women, you know, or does he write women in just uh the wrong light? But then my thing, my personal thing is I'm not going to let anyone like I don't look at the critic's rating for anything I see until after, because I'm not going to let it affect you know, like Cloud. And then unfortunately, I just happen to understand how the Rotten Tomatoes percentage works, which I feel like most people don't. So most people just see 20% and think, oh, people only rated this two out of ten or something. But it really is just a percentage of how many people have seen this that liked it. So 20% would mean one out of five people, you know, thought that it was good, or one out of five people, you know, really, really liked it. That's pretty much what it means. So I'm like, okay, it was dropping, you know, I think it's debated at like 25, and then it kept dropping until it was like what nine percent, which is pretty much just one over 11. So I'm like, that really isn't as like horrible as people are saying, but I'm like, whatever. I'm still going to watch it and make that decision for myself. And the first episode, you know, I sat through it. I think I watched it once and then I went back and watched some more like bits and pieces. And I'm like, this is not even that bad. Like, I thought it was gonna be like full-on, extreme explicit nudity, like like you know, like a dramatic porno of some sort, but it wasn't even that bad, like you know, like our content-wise. The terrible part, the part I didn't like was the acting, and it's so crazy when like the acting is a bad part, because that's a pretty massive part of anything you're watching. So it's like okay, you can't expect the act, like the acting, if anything, should at least be okay. But like, I mean, the weekend is not an actor, you know. All the strong actors or the like the strongest part of that cast are all in supporting roles. That's the so like when they're on screen, you really feel it and you like it, and it's good. It feels like a normal TV show. You know what? Scratch that, it is a normal TV show, regardless of anything, it's just a regular, it's not that there's nothing crazy that's going on. But then when like our two leads are on there, they have chemistry, but they're just not you know convincing enough in their performances, and so it's like, bro, I'm not gonna stop watching this. Like, the cinematography is beautiful. I don't know if you've seen it's very, very good cinematography. Um, the score, obviously, given the nature of the series, it's also very good, and like there's a chance for an original song, and I like The Weekend, it's one of my favorite artists, so there's a chance for an original song every episode. I'm not gonna stop watching it because of that, you know.
Ofili:So I see how you're I see how you feel about that, and I I feel like I do agree with some points. I understand, like the I feel like people just they like they they let their distaste for Sam Levinson like cloud their judgment because it's the same way people were like you know, complaining about euphoria, and like especially the last season and saying that oh it wasn't that good. I was like, that was quality TV, bro. Like, I don't know. Just bro. To me, the idol is I've only watched one episode so far. Okay, and you know, I'm I'm a big Rachel setup fan, bro.
Steve:Like, you know, shout out Rachel because that is my guy, bro. Oh, bottoms is good. I'm in their opening night already. Opening night, bro.
Ofili:Bro, come on, did an amazing job in bodies, bodies, bodies, and is doing an amazing job here. I love her, I love Lizzie Lily Rose Depp. I feel like her character is doing great. Like you said earlier, the weekend is not an actor, isn't it you know?
Steve:Sorry, I'm gonna interject real quick. People always go on to say, Oh, he's acted before, and it's like anyone who saw Uncut Gems will tell you right off the bat that he's a terrible actor because that was not acting, bro. Yeah, but yeah, he's not an actor. Sorry, go on.
Ofili:Yeah, that was not really acting. He was in a club scene with uh Julia Fox, like it wasn't really exactly, but yeah, the role that he has now is so much more in the middle, like in the limelight, and he's not doing an amazing job portraying that in the way that he should, and I feel like that's probably like the main drawback of the show because, like you said, the cast is great, Levi, Rachel Sinat, Lily Roscamp, even Jenny Kim, she was too bro, they are cooking, it's doing an amazing thing, but like I said, like the weekend is the main guy, that's the problem. But I do think it's still like really good cinematographic cinematography is great. I agree, like the portrayal of like the vulnerability that Lily shows, and like you know, like it feels very I don't know, like I just feel like it feels like you're not really watching a TV show sometimes. It just feels like okay, yeah, these are like real experiences, real stories. Exactly. So I liked it. I don't think I'm gonna stop watching it, even though you know the hate might keep going on. Because there are many shows that like Rotten Tomatoes did get wrong and like reviews go on.
Steve:Oh, yeah, we can we can have a whole episode about that another time. Um I will be there. I will be there.
Ofili:We actually should do that.
Steve:We should have another episode, just a list of times Rotten Tomatoes got it wrong. They just didn't get it. I'm there, but yeah, yeah.
Ofili:Um, but to go off from there, something that I watched this week. I'm trying to pick because on Tuesday, okay. What I wanted to watch this week was past lives, and I very I was very excited for that. And I was gonna do that on Tuesday because I work in person on Tuesdays, Tuesday, Saturday, I didn't work in person, and like I'm not that far from the cinema, but you know, because it's still on artisanal releases, it's on the select cinemas, yeah. Let me tell you the cinema close to me, it was like 20 minutes. I'm cool with doing a 20-minute walk, but it was raining, and I mean pouring, bro. Oh god, yeah, and I grew up, I go off work at five, the showing was at five. I'm like, you know, I'm one of those guys that can like miss the credit miss the ads for like the extra 15 minutes, but it's a 20-minute walk. I'm not gonna do that in the rain, also.
Steve:Like, yeah, that's fair. I will say though, you should. I'm also going to that's one of the ones I'm gonna talk about in the main segment. But I'm telling, I'm trying to get everyone as many people as I can to go see it. Not because I think it's revolutionary cinema or I think there's any like groundbreaking work being done, but it's just so like representative of what every movie should be or should feel like. It's just like it it's complete, bro.
Ofili:It's I I I feel like you know, we can talk about it, we'll dive into it, yeah. We'll dive into it in the main segment. But what I've watched recently that felt really like good was silo on Apple TV, and that's you know, Apple TV Apple TV hired you, bro.
Steve:Just let me know, bro, right off the bat. I really don't know, man.
Ofili:It's like because last episode I was talking about Tetris, and now I'm talking about Tetris.
Steve:Exactly, that's what I'm saying. And I'm like, sponsorship deal, let me know.
Ofili:Bro, they need to they need to put me on, they need to put me on. I will do everything. Because they're doing amazing over there, but yeah, silo is kind of like you know, dystopian world situation, population control. Uh, I think the air is toxic, so everyone lives in the silo, and it's like hundreds, thousands of years old. So most people don't remember a life before the silo. And like information about prior times is called relics and they're outlawed, they're banned. But you know, it's one of those, like, you know, the government is hiding things from us type vibes. Yeah. And I don't know how to explain it. I I'm seeing like I really like the dynamic of dystopian shows because they really like show you a different way people are reacting, like what their circumstances have now deemed normal. And I feel like it's very, like, that's very interesting. It's very, it's a fun show. I no, I wouldn't say it's a fun show, actually. It's very it's entertaining and it's thinking. It's like it's there's good drama in it, there's great acting, yeah, in it. Because David O'Yolo is an eye and he's doing a great job.
Steve:I did not know about um, I just looked it up, bro. Rebecca Ferguson, David O'Yolo, Common, Harriet Walter. This cast is stacked.
Ofili:Absolutely stacked. How did I not know about this? Absolutely stacked. I didn't know about it to you until a friend told me about it, and I was like, man, I would absolutely watch this.
Steve:I just added it, I just added it to my watch list.
Ofili:And it's like it's it's a good watch that you don't have to be too invested in before you put it on. Yeah, it would literally just casually pull you in, and I'm like, oh damn, like this was this was good. I like I watched it with another friend of mine, and yeah, it has common in it also. He's playing like one of the kind of like antagonists. Okay, it's like it's a role that suits him pretty well. Um Ian Glenn is doing a great thing too, um, from Game of Thrones. Yeah, and Rebecca Ferguson actually said yeah, I think you want to say about her, because she carries.
Steve:Yeah, that's my that's one of my favorites.
Ofili:Yeah, always carries.
Steve:Always, always silos. I'll I'll I'll be watching. Yeah, so there we go. Two great TV shows for our listeners. Well, one not so great, but Silos potentially great. Okay. All right, moving on. Today, I have a proposal for what uh I would like to talk about. So I noticed this recently, like when I've been I've been, you know, the films I've just been watching over the past few weeks, and a good number of them were like directorial feature debuts. Because I'll like you know, look up the film after or before, and I'm looking up the director, and it's a name I never heard, or if it's a name I've heard, I'm like, oh, I didn't know this person directed. And so like a few come to mind a thousand and one that's um starring Tiana Taylor, that's a really great one.
Ofili:So that oh that was that was that was pretty good actually.
Steve:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and I don't know my guy lucky because they made him like a bum. Yeah, bro. I I was I was in there like like oh wow, this is really pretty. Like, I wonder who they got to you know do this. And I looked her up, and it's her first, it's her first, it's a first feature debut. Um that's yeah, love that for her. Um, past lives, we just talked about that. We'll go into that in a second. But obviously, directorial debut, really amazing, really strong. Kree three, I mentioned as well. That one, um, I like to know, you know, you know, people's thoughts on that. You know, if you want to send us a message or if you want to send us a comment, because I'm pretty sure most people that are listening did see that, so you know, always happy to engage. But um, I have some thoughts on that as well. Okay, and Ry Lane, Ry Lane. I'm actually gonna say it was Ophilly that told me about that. I didn't know, of course. I put you on. Okay, brother, relax. He put me, he put me on on that, and then this morning, random morning, I woke up. Um, and I'm like, let's watch this, let's get into it. And it was I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.
Ofili:So pleasantly surprised.
Steve:But anyway, so um I think let's do let's start off with Creed. Creed 3. Again, like I I had said, I think um the beauty about it, it's the trilogy, you know, the trilogy aspect of it. Because we're telling the story of Adonis, Creed, and who's lived this, you know, it's come it's a spin-up from Rocky, which made a lot of money for a lot of people back in whenever, back when. You know, our parents were youngins. And I just think like the way they connected it with Sylvester Stallone, spearhead in the first two, and then before fool on diving into Michael B. Jordan, it makes the story flow, right? And then the stories in Creed 1, 2, 3, like there's not much you can't find like continuity jumps, you can't find, you know, like loopholes or like things that just don't add up. And even when they go back to his past and bring someone for him to fight on later on, it's like it still fits, like it's still within the line of the story, so that it doesn't feel like oh, we're just plucking at plucking at fruit here, like bringing different things and trying to piece it all into one piece. It just seems like it's a story that was already pre-made, you know. The storyline was written down, and like you know, they're just filling it up as it goes. So I I I was impressed, but obviously, by the anime influences, I was pissed off because I don't watch anime. And when he went on, when he went on that press, that press run talking about five anime that has um influenced me, and he just looked so like corny. I'm like, uh, I don't know. I'm like, I don't know if I'm if I'm if I want to watch this now.
Ofili:Like his writings he likes, that's insane.
Steve:But I'm watching it, and like, you know, all the slow-mo jabs, there's a there's a fight scene where they're like they're taken out of like they're literally like you know, removed from everyone else, and it's just both of them in their heads just fighting each other. And obviously that that's not common. You don't see that in common like like like martial arts movies. So I could see the anime influences, and he incorporated them really well. The music, oh my goodness, there's a lot of Nigerian artists on the soundtrack too, or African rather. Kel P produced a couple songs, Black Sheriff is on there, Era Star is on there, and I'm like, it's very good, but at the same time, it sucks because it just means that whenever we want a movie to be made that centers around black culture, we're either going to Dreamville or we're going to Top Dog Entertainment. So it's like it's either it's either J. Cole and his group and his crew or Kendrick and his crew, and anyone else, case in point, Metro Booming. This they gave him Spider-Verse 2, and look at look at that. Like it's not bad. Hey, no one come from permit. It's not bad. There's a few gems here and there, but as a whole, it's like, what is going on here, bro? You know, but it fits because Spider-Verse is animated and like really edgy and stuff, so it fits. But like for a serious project, no one like they shouldn't even call that man, like keep him away from it. You know, I'm fine. It's just sad that we only have Dreamville and TDE, but it works. So but yeah, that's how I feel about Kree 3. Enjoyed it thoroughly, and I appreciate like this is a statement, uh massive statement from him as a debut. Um, and I fully appreciate the the film.
Ofili:What was your favorite element of Kree 3?
Steve:My favorite element of Kree 3 incorporating um you know the I don't what's the right word to say? The the hard of hearing? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Ofili:Mercantine language, so ASL, yeah.
Steve:But incor just incorporating, you know, in little ways. So when you know the doorbell rings, I noticed that Pippa, when the doorbell rings, the lights flicker in their house, or um, they have like a lot of see-through walls and like see-through glasses, or even see-through floors, so that you can see, like she can because she can't hear, so she can see when she's been summoned. Um, they try to get their guests to sign as well. Like they try to get, you know, if people are visited, so she feels included, you know.
Ofili:Yeah.
Steve:And yeah, I just I really, really appreciate that. I think it's it was very intentional. Obviously, they were very intentional about that. And it just it shows. You know, so that was my favorite element. I think, okay, so I I'm kind of upset that you had that answer.
Ofili:That's my film answer. Hey, we're thinking though, synergy, we're thinking, synergy, bro. Um, and like, yeah, definitely. And I feel like I love how this didn't come from nowhere. Like, it's been there from the first movie. Literally, yeah. This girl, you know, she had a cochlear implant, and like, you know, she she's hard of hearing. Yeah, and you know, then we move into the second movie when she's having anxiety over their child possibly being deaf or hard of hearing. Yeah, and he too is having like a bit of like you know, a go-between emotionally because he also has the fight championship and he also has you know his family and his future that he's trying to set up. Yeah. That his child might not be able to hear. And then in the end, he like kind of doubles down. Oh, if my child can't hear, we're gonna make we're gonna be there. Yeah, exactly. And in the third movie, you're seeing all the inclusionary things, all the accommodations made. Yeah, like the amount of sign language in that film felt so good, like genuinely felt so good, just being able to like watch all of that. Especially because, like, you know, I guess like not to go like full like social work uh or social justice right now, but we don't really talk about like black people with disabilities that I agree, I agree with black deaf people, we don't really do that as much, and ASL like is it's honestly not crazy hard to learn, especially if you're intentional about it, because I like I tried like I had a period in 2019 where like I was like doing like a video every day for like I think I ended up only being for like three months, but it was like fun and I could have like some little conversations, and I just always thought like yeah, like you know, if push every comes to a man I'm around someone that is out of hearing, like I can make things easier for them instead of having to like what to talk, so having to like kind of force them to read my lips. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. So it's and also like with kids, a lot of times because I work in therapy, so like with kids, um kids, before they can speak, sometimes they they teach them sign language so that it's easier for you to know what they want, like food or like so it it kind of holds me in my job because I just probably believe like a decent amount. Wasn't like I was fluent, but I can have like little conversations, make requests, understand things.
Steve:So for for those for those listening, just because you can't see, Offilly just actually signed thank you when he was saying thank you. I'm just saying that to give them a visual view that he's not just talking, he's actually living the life.
Ofili:Yeah, I was screaming, I'm screaming, but yeah, that I really liked seeing that because it was it didn't pop out of nowhere, and just seeing the inclusion, seeing the care, because like even though her character wasn't like a main character, you just seeing the amount of support, and I think in real life she is hard of hearing, the acting.
Steve:I think so, I think so, yeah.
Ofili:And it's like you know, but taking it a step further and like actually helping people in these communities and like putting them on the platform, yeah. Yeah, I think for me, I don't know if it's I I don't think it's the first movie to be using sign language. No, for me, it was like way back in um what's that horror movie with John from John John from The Office, he's big. I forgot what his name is. Oh, Acquire Place. Acquire Place and Acquire Place 2 was one of the first places on Sign Language, yeah. I love that. But yeah, now moving on to my favorite directorial debut debuts, yeah, I guess. Yeah, three-way tie recently. Um after sun. Oh god. Let's not do that.
Steve:That got me crazy depressed, bro. I'm not even gonna lie. Let us not do this, bro. What are we? I know, I know, I know.
Ofili:Okay, let me just cut out the last one, actually, because I think it's it is a two-way, not three-way. Okay. So After Sun and Emily the Criminal. Emily the Criminal are really good for a director or DV. I haven't said that. Definitely gave um it gave an air of the Safety brothers from Uncut Gems and um that other Robert Patterson movie that he's like running around New York. But yeah, Emily the Criminal very much gave me like, damn, I'm really in this, and like I'm rooting for Emily to be the criminal and get through. And it's just like full chaos in an entertaining way that you are not overwhelmed by. Okay.
Steve:I had that I had that on my watch list last year because I think it premiered at Sundance. I think yeah, it premiered at Sundance, and so it received like good reviews, but I just never saw it in theaters.
Ofili:It was just randomly on my Netflix, and I was like, hey. Oh, okay. That was good. That was good. That's nice. Okay.
Steve:Yeah, so and then you said After Sun. After Sun.
Ofili:How do you feel about Aftersun?
Steve:After Sun, I don't I can't even tell you how many times I started that and I've never sat through it. Um I can see exactly why it relates, you know, to so why so many people, bro. They um Letterboxd had this tweet where they're like updating your past your four favorites from the decade or something, and it's it's kind of crazy how many people have After Sun in there, but it's always the same type of movies, you know. It would be After Sun, The Worst Person in the World, Lakrish Pizza, and which other one? Like those type of films, Lady Bird will be on there, you know. Because we it's a certain time coming of age, bro. Yes, yeah, sure. But at the same time, it's like sometimes it borders on the line of pretentious. Like After Sun, I I think it's a it's more of a thing of me just not being able to relate. But then at the same time, it's like a lot of films I watch and enjoy. I can't relate, but I like I'm able to go where this film wants me to go. It's all about feeling, it's all subjective, like it's taking you somewhere, there's a journey, right? And it's taking you somewhere. Every every film does that to you, and I just couldn't go where after someone was taking me to, you know. And maybe it's because I am not a single dad, maybe it's cause both my parents were in my life, you know. Maybe, and these are not like not saying that you know the lack of these things are bad, but maybe it just hinders my ability to relate so much, and I wanted to, I really do, I really did, I think, but I just was not able to. You're about to say something crazy.
Ofili:You're about to say something crazy. No, no, no. I I think I think you're hating on Paul Meskow. Like, I think that's the major thing, right? I think you just don't like Paul Meskow. And you because we've had personal conversations together. I I think it was around the time that they were like Paul Meskow for Bond. Yes, yes, I remember that.
Steve:How can we go from that to Paul Mesko? He's a star of aftersone, bro. What do you mean? We cannot go from no time to die to Paul Mesko, bro. We can't have Bond, you know, in his suit and all, like fighting up like a warehouse full of criminals to James Bond having a breakdown in the middle of the street because fighting criminals to fighting demons, bro. Like we are not doing that, bro. Uh-uh. Ain't no way. Ain't no way, bro. I'm so sorry. But I don't mind no, I don't, I'm not a hater. I don't hate Paul Mesco, you know. Um I like I loved, really, really loved normal people. That's an amazing show. Perfect. I just rewatched it again. I think my third watch. Yeah, I think I just had my went to my third watch. Um, spoiler alert, if I'm if you see if you ever see me watching normal people, just check in on me. I'm not going, you know, things are not okay with me. That's the only reason why I would willingly watch that. But um it is pain. But I don't hate I don't hate Paul Mescal. I just could not get like I just wasn't as able to relate, but I see it's like it's one thing if I don't see it. I see why you know it resonates so strongly with a lot of people. It just didn't do it for me, you know.
Ofili:I I think for me, it is man. Paul Mescal might be I don't know, man. He's that Irish guy right now. You know, there's always one, there's always an Irish guy that is is cooking something crazy. Yeah, Paul Mescal feels like that guy right now. And I feel very much I think he portrays sadness in a way that is utterly heartbreaking.
Steve:I completely agree. I agree.
Ofili:Yeah, it is, and like he doesn't need to cry.
Steve:He doesn't need to like that is the crazy part, bro. That's the actual crazy part. Like it's like either the the things he says or the way he like makes his faces, like he wasn't crying much in normal people anytime, but every every broken word he uttered, bro, like just like stung, like it just resonated with you so hard.
Ofili:It's like an emptiness in his eyes at certain points, and you're just like like damn.
Steve:Yeah. Well, they they want him for gladiator, or rather, they got him for gladiator, so that would be a big that would be a big shift. And if he like I I I'm not, you know, I'm not skeptical, I'm not doubtful that he's going to deliver, but like if he does proper deliver without you know sad boy tm, um maybe I'll reconsider my my stance on on him playing Bond, but for now, keep him as far away from James Bond as humanly possible, please. But yeah, his I would like I would really I'm really excited for Gladiator.
Ofili:Really excited for him because he's I'm really excited for Gladiator too, bro. It's him and then next year we have a crazy slate next year, but this year, let's see. Let's keep it to this year. Let's keep it to this year.
Steve:I have a question though. You said you had said it was a three-way tie, and then you changed it to two. I want to know what that mystery one that didn't make the cut.
Ofili:The mystery one is it's we spoke about this earlier, also, but it's the movie with um Joe on the count of three, where George Carmichael is directing and starring.
Steve:Oh, okay. I remember you said it was a good thing. It's a good thing. What if the budget is light?
Ofili:What do you do before?
Steve:I I don't I struggle with it. I struggle with it, but but I think it's more so because like movies like that where it's like uh actor-director, and you know, yeah, you're you're playing the lead role, you kind of tend to take the focus away. Like you're almost present in every scene. It's from your point of view, it's it's completely subjective. You're present in almost every scene, and it's like entirely told from the lead's like the protagonist's point of view, which doesn't make for a very balanced story. Emnight, like M. Night Sharmalan, he's acting he directs and acts in his in his films, but he's almost never you know as prominent. He doesn't have a prominent role in these films.
Ofili:So like he'll it's mostly I think he has a weird Easter egg in all his movies where like his first car is in every movie.
Steve:Oh, oh I didn't know that.
Ofili:Yeah, it's like a it's a so if you ever see like a yellow like kind of like retro whip, I don't remember what what car it is. But it's like a lot of his movies, yeah, yeah. And I picked up on it, then I was like, wait, what? Wait, what? And then I saw like I I think I saw it on Twitter after, and I was like, oh okay, this is weird, but like you know, kudos to you, my guy, you know.
Steve:But that's the thing, like he doesn't you're not taking he's in there and he's not taking the focus away. It's mostly cameo, or it's like an uncredited role, or it's like a voice acting role, it's just something like it's it just takes like like I think when you're the lead and you're the you're the director, um, it becomes almost entirely from your point of view, from a subjective, you know, the the lead role, and it's just it's hard to see anyone else, it's hard to like the villain, it's hard to even connect with any the supporting cast and all of that. So that's just my issue with it.
Ofili:I I get what you're saying, honestly. I think damn on the count of three is it's another one of those shows, it's another one of those movies, actually, that hits you in a different way. I don't know what I was going through when I started watching these movies, but but damn, like I I don't think I can put it into words, yeah, but you should definitely watch it, it's an experience for you. Okay, I don't think it's like a typical Joe comic or like you know, in a funny show. Okay, because you know he does stand up and stuff like that, so like median. So I really I think that's another thing for me. I like when actors that are typically you know funny eyes go into like these horrible places because I feel like some of the funniest guys I know are some of like the darkest and like the depressing I know at the same time, bro. It's just interesting, and they do an amazing job. Like um, he's he's his he's escaping my mind right now, but um bloody hell. What's his name from Ozark? Um Jason Bateman.
Steve:Oh, Jason Bateman, sorry, yeah.
Ofili:Jason Bateman switching from Arrested Development and all the comedy stuff, going into Ozark, he was cold.
Steve:What? He kept that face so straight, I could not like I couldn't believe it was the same person. Bro, yeah. But anyway, um I think we're almost at time. So you had said that you had a surprise segment. Yeah, we tried to keep it 45, 45, 15.
Ofili:You know, it I feel like the first time we were like the first episode we were going, it was a little bit, you know, you know, around like the 20, 30 minute mark, I was like, damn, this is kind of this is kind of hard to keep talking. But yeah, I guess.
Steve:We covered a lot of films today, though.
Ofili:I will be honest.
Steve:We did mention, we've easily mentioned the pretend. Bro, there's like a very good watch list that yeah right now, just from this.
Ofili:Yeah, we've given we've we've put out a lot, but okay. Are you ready? I am ready, brother. So I am going to give you a plot for this movie, and you tell me what movie you think it is. If you and like there's typically two options, but the second option is kind of outlandish. Okay. Okay. Um where the main character visits his parents' part his partner's parents' house for the first time, only to realize they're racist who have hatched the plan to have a white guy steal their identity.
Steve:Let's get out.
Ofili:Yes. That's how it looks like a movie.
Steve:Um I have no idea, no.
Ofili:I don't think you're getting it. Okay. Shrek two.
Steve:That's the plot of Shrek 2. What the hell, bro? I was not expecting that. I was trying to think like, where did Jordan Peel get inspiration from? That's all I was thinking about that. Ain't no way, brother.
Ofili:Are you ready for another one?
Steve:That was a good one. We should have these at the end of every episode. I like it.
Ofili:We can we can try either this or like a poor plot and have each other guess what the movie is. I bet. Okay, if you're ready. Blonde women with superpowers that make their hair glow and are consistently gaslit and lied to about their past families and threats of the outside world.
Steve:Um, I have a few come to mind. Scarlet Witch, so um, well, she's not blonde. Not blonde. Um, Scarlet, hence the Scarlet.
Ofili:Um Dark Phoenix. Not blonde. She is also a redhead.
Steve:So that's true. So what are you doing? Um Fantastic 4? Um, I mean, she is blonde, but she wasn't lied to, and her hair doesn't glow. Don't tell me something like Elemental, bro. I don't know.
Ofili:Okay, it's um what's uh it's um Captain Marvel?
Steve:That should have been my option.
Ofili:Yeah, I thought you were gonna say that, but the second album is tangled. Like the Rapunzel Disney movie.
Steve:I am very, very oh my goodness. I think you're gonna hate the last one in the last one. I hate I hate I hate the tangled answer. Let's just way more than the Shrek 2 one, but go on.
Ofili:No, I think you're gonna hate the next one so much more. Let's hear this. A blue guy named Sully has unique access to a hostile species that maintains the most precious resource in the world. Uh he discovers the species not what he thought, befriending a young female and eventually fighting against his own kind to protect her.
Steve:That was long. Uh Dungeons and Dragons? No. No. Um Blue Guy named Sully. Blue guy named Sully.
Ofili:Yeah. You love the movie, you told me to watch it. Your I told you to watch it. It's a legacy sequel, so it came out many years after the initial film. Avatar? Yeah, Avatar. Okay.
Steve:Blue guy named Sully. Okay, yeah. That's one. So that's the that's the that's the that's the actual answer.
Ofili:There's another answer. And my god.
Steve:The last two have not been answers at all, but sure. Um Letteri.
Ofili:Monsters Inc. Okay, brother.
Steve:It's time to end this. It's time to end this. We have cooked too far. It is time to end this. We we have cooked. It's been a fun episode for you guys.
Ofili:This has been great.
Steve:This has been a fun time. Um, hope you love it. Happy listening.
Ofili:Hope you guys love the episode. Welcome to the TCA. Thank you for the ride. You know, we'll be here in two weeks. Exactly. Catch you. Bye. Bye.
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