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 6: "Stick To The Plan"
After a long break, Ofili and Steve return to discuss one of the best films of the year, "The Killer" from Director David Fincher (24:20), and another one of 2023's films, "The Marvels" from Nia DaCosta (19:34). They talk about what they've been watching (8:30) and what we should all be looking forward to (44:20). As always, there's mindless side talks including an argument on who the best James Bond is (15:20), and somehow neither says Sean Connery!
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube at @CinephilesAisle.
All right, we're back, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back to the Center Falls Iowa TCA.
SPEAKER_03:So long since I heard those words. Jesus.
SPEAKER_02:I forgot we're still a podcast. I don't know. To two-way street over here. Mostly my fault though.
SPEAKER_04:I had an exam, but I know, I know. It's life though. But how's your week been? Sorry. No, it's kind of weird since hiatus, because we talk like every week, bro. We talk like every couple days. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:You just talk about stuff that we're doing, stuff that's talk about life really, but then it's like we're setting time apart to like sit. Because we had a FaceTime that was like, I don't know, 20-something minutes one time, which could have been time that we could have used to record. I don't think you remember.
SPEAKER_04:We've had like multiple of those, like 20 to 30 minute FaceTimes since our last episode.
SPEAKER_02:But setting time to just sit down and do this, I don't know, it seems like a like like a task. Was our last episode with Camden? Yeah, that was our last episode. That's it's been a minute, bro. It's been a minute and a half, bro. Yeah. But my my weeks since then have been good. I had an exam, um, an actual exam that I think went well. So find out in a month. Um, so since then I've just been catching up on work and life and people that just wasn't able to hang out with in movies and stuff. No, I got that. But yeah, it's been it's been good. I'm getting getting ready for a year end because everyone's going niggas. I'm not going to Nigeria this year. Everyone's traveling, so you know, I'm not gonna lie.
SPEAKER_04:Going nights, I don't know, man. What do you mean? I feel like I treat some sometimes I treat nights like like man, I left for a reason, bro. You get me? Yes, bro. Yeah, like everyone else is like, oh my god, I want to go to Lagos for December, Lagos for December. I'm like, bro, Lagos hasn't been fun December since we were like 19, bro.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, no, I I came here and I knew that I can maybe max two weeks that country can get out of me, and it has to be like every couple years or something. The idea of just constantly going back is so stressful, bro. Man, I do not want to do. I met I was talking to this guy uh at work. He doesn't work in my office, but he came by and he was talking about he had to travel through um Lagos one time because his flight got cancelled. He lives in Ghana, and that the Lagos airport was embarrassingly like disgusting because he's like, oh, that Nigeria is the powerhouse, and he thinks of Nigeria as like a super big country and uh you know the like the largest economy in Africa. So he expected that Lagos being the biggest city there um should have like a very modern airport, but he landed there and he felt so unsafe.
SPEAKER_04:Hey, okay, he had to like let's just show because every time I talk to LaGuardia, I feel a little unsafe. Like, what do you mean, bro? LaGuardia, like I happen to grab my order and my passport.
SPEAKER_02:LaGuardia is the is the murderer Mohammed airport of New York, bro.
SPEAKER_04:Not too much on too much on Lagos, bro. Because LaGuardia is a crazy place to stop it, bro.
SPEAKER_02:Well, yeah, man. I'm I'm not going, I've been back in a while. Um, maybe next year. That's why I say every year, maybe next year. So I guess we'll see. Yeah, we'll see. How about you, bro?
SPEAKER_04:How have you been? I've been good. Um oh my god, bro. Time for me to hate. Bro, time for me to hate. What a way to start, bro. So, um, I got invited to a friend's wedding recently. Yeah, you know, bear man have been getting married recently, and it's kind of weird because it makes you really fuck how old you are. Yeah, and in my head, I'm like, bro, I'm not even that old. Why are why are people getting married? What is going on? Am I doing something wrong? Yeah. But this guy I went to undergrad with, well, let's there's been like three people, I'm not gonna lie, the same year, have been proposing. I'm like, what's the rush, bro? But honestly, a lot of these people have been in long-term relationships. Like, if you're dating the same person like three years or four years, at one point you're gonna have to like whip out the ring, my guy. Yeah, I guess. I don't think I could be a boyfriend for four years right now. Like, it's it's a little insane, simply insane. Yeah, but basically, this guy that I was friends with, uh we weren't like close, close. But and he's a little like he's a little white guy, you know, cool little vibes, he's a chill dude. Um sent me an invite to his wedding. In my head, when I got the invite, I was like, bro, I didn't even think that we were close like that. I thought we were like, you know, see you on IG, congratulations, my guy, so proud of you. Yeah, and go your invite to your wedding. Yeah, bro. I'm just like, I didn't know that we were close like that, but you know, wedding vibes are wedding vibes, you know, it's a nice way to dress up and meet people. So good energy stuff, and of course, open bar, or so I thought. Let me tell you what let me tell you what came with an RSVP. What came with an RSVP is you have to pay to RSVP. So kind of like a cover. I say, okay, this is different. There's two, bro. This is different cover. Okay. So I read through the rest of the doc. You pay for your guests, too. So me and my guests, not just me, my cover doesn't extend to my guests. Me and my plus one. No free lunch. That's that's that's two, that's number two. The third thing is the bar is on cash bar. Oh hell, okay, nigga. Okay, okay. Cash bar. So you have me paying cover for me and my guests.
unknown:Okay.
SPEAKER_04:Happy paying for hotel, happy paying for flight. And I get out of bank get drunk. It's not, it's like straight cash chart. I wish them a happy morning life. I might just send like why just tell me to cash app you. Just send me the cash app link for your wedding. Like, why am I paying for your wedding, bro?
SPEAKER_02:Bro, I hope this man isn't listening to this podcast right now.
SPEAKER_04:I don't think he is. I don't think he is. Like I said, we're not that close. That's why I was kind of surprised. Yeah. Yeah. But I was trying to he's trying to throw rocks for his for his wedding. That's crazy. He's trying to throw rocks, but bro, like, you know, is I just never thought I'd be getting built for someone else's wedding. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's that's crazy though. I just think like what I'm hating on right now is the audacity of people these days.
SPEAKER_02:Weddings are expensive though, but like if you're going to if you're going to go through with that, like you should be ready to be at that cost, man. Like, you can't be charging people to show up to your wedding. You know, that's that's insane.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. That's what I was just thinking about, man. Like, I know I'm not meant to be hating on other people's happiness, but you know, Loki, Loki, I think relationships are one thing that I never really hate on. I hate on a lot of things, but I don't hate on people in relationships.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:Okay.
SPEAKER_02:I don't think we're the same there. I think I I don't know why, but I hate on a lot of people's relationships. But mostly because I feel like people go out of their way to pretend and to like portray the best. You know how they say don't wash your dirty linen in public? People paint their linen white in public, like try to make it seem like when you can just be real. If you're real about your stuff, like you know, if you're a couple that fights, when you're real about your fighting, you know, you're not trying to pretend and make stuff weird in public. I'm not gonna hate on it, but if you're those couples that try to put on the most picture perfect, you know, and it's like bro, we know the real you, then I'm a I'm a big hater of relationships like that.
SPEAKER_04:Okay, yeah, we have to pivot soon because I don't want to sound like them timeline podcasts, them Twitter or you know, ex podcasts. Seven Samuels, yeah. Moving on, moving on, moving on from the mess. Okay, so what have we been watching? Okay, what we've been watching, um I've been I've been a bit like in and out of things, I can't lie. I don't think I've watched too much since over the last couple of weeks. But um some things that have made like a proper impact on me. I watched All of Us Are Dead, um K-drama Tang, South South South Koreans can do that fucking zombie thing to the T. I don't know if it's if it's a genetic ability to like do like the creativity is insane. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, watched that during that Halloween period. Um then I watched um another TV show. Don't remember what TV show. I started watching The Boys, no, not The Boys, um Invincible. No, Gen V. I started watching Gen V and Invincible. Okay. Yeah, that kind of didn't really how far are you in Gen V? Uh I think I'm almost at the last episode in Gen V. Okay. But again, like I I don't know. I feel like I'm like phasing out of that, or maybe I'm not in the right frame of mind where like I'm like in love with this the same way like I was in love with the boys when it first came out.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. I I I I have something to say about that. I feel like because I think like quality-wise, didn't drop if anything, like it seems like it's the same writers just writing different characters. Um but I think what had the boys well, two things that had the boys going for it. The big one is what everyone says, you know, it's a mockery mixer, yeah. Like superheroes. We haven't seen it like that superheroes, yeah. We haven't seen it like that, and all of that, you know. So that was that was a good take to see, especially as someone that likes superhero stuff. Um, but the main reason why I kept going back to it was the shock factor. Every episode is not like the most absurd thing that could happen was like, you know, like something you could think of, like something more absurd was going to happen. Gen V is I I don't think it's that absurd. Maybe it's because like these are kids, or maybe it's because you know they're trying to be morally upright as opposed to the boys where the seven, I swear did you have to be? I don't think it's that absurd. I've seen the whole thing. I've seen the whole thing.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I feel like the shock factor was that point. The biggest shock to me was um the guy that she made his dick explode. Yeah, not gonna lie. I feel like the boys have shown me penises exploding more times than like I would like to have actually desired seen penises exploding. I'm not gonna lie. It's I think it's happened like twice, and that's two times too many.
SPEAKER_03:That's definitely a lot of dicks exploding. Yeah, not gonna lie.
SPEAKER_04:Honestly, it might be three, but I can remember two, yeah. I remember two, but like I feel like it could be three. Um, but yeah. Um what else are that?
SPEAKER_02:I just feel I just feel like it's it's it's like the way the boys, the intro to the boys is you know, speed start running through a person, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Um like there were so many scenes that just don't, you know, like so shocking. I always had a problem with that whole scene.
SPEAKER_04:Why? Because he's a black man named A-Train running through a white woman. I'm not gonna lie, okay, okay.
SPEAKER_02:I don't even want to call that a reach. I don't know where how you were able to pull that one, but his name is A Train. It's crazy that's a black man.
SPEAKER_04:The only thing is that he's not a big black guy.
SPEAKER_02:She wasn't white though. That's I think you're misremembering. She was borderline. What's the politically correct way to say someone is? Yes, yes, that's what she was. Yeah, I don't know, bro. But all I know. You know what I mean? You know what of them spicy whites? That's what she was.
SPEAKER_04:Oh my god, bro. Let's not do this. Let's not do this. This is not this is not FaceTime. This is a horrible episode. This is very recorded. This is out this is out there. But um, what else have I watched? Um, really got excited about dumb money. Watched her, finally made time to watch that. Then started watching um no, I finished um what's that thing called? Um the new thing with Peter Dinkler's that came out recently. I think it's She Came to Me.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, with Anne Hathaway. No?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, it's with Anne Hathaway, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. She she came to me, that's what it's called.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. Yeah, the rom-com thing with like the composer with like Ryzer's vlog. That was that was I won't I won't say it was hilarious, but like I don't think it was intentionally meant to be funny, but it was like so weird and like a bit, it was just like my guy, what's going on?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I don't I didn't know that was out. Like I I knew it was in theaters, but I didn't think that was out yet. I haven't seen that. It's on my like one of the first things I added to my watch list this year, bro.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, same, same. It's it's pretty decent. Um also, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Shout out to the strike, because you know, shout out to the strike is crazy. Oh, to the strike ending, yeah, yeah. I was very excited actually. The the night, because I saw before they announced it, I saw that they were going to meet that day. So I'm like, okay, like and this was their final meeting. Like, if they didn't come to a conclusion, it would have had to be extended for like an insane amount of time. So I was like really hopeful for that. And when they announced it, bro, I was very ecstatic. Um, I think it's crazy though that everyone is being rushed to do press, like to right the Hunger Games press is happening right now. I was I know, and it's been so funny, bro. Yeah, so like I'm like everyone's just like trying to bro. I know Netflix sent out like 70 emails immediately, like 1201 a.m. that day. Like they try to get they got the cast of Stranger Things is coming back, bro. Like Timothy Chalamet is being pulled from all ends to promote different stuff.
SPEAKER_04:Everything, bro. Like it's he's got Wonka too.
SPEAKER_02:So like Yeah, he's got Wonka Press, he has Dune Press, he had like the SNL run, so I don't even know. Zenday as well, she's been pulled from all angles, so it's like I can't imagine what it must be like now. But yeah, shout out that we need that. Streets needed that streets definitely needed that because this past few months in cinemas, like before this month, the last like two, three months in cinemas was torture. Like I it was bad.
SPEAKER_04:So yeah, no, I I think some things were good, like we had some like nice little spots. Let me see. What about you?
SPEAKER_02:What you've been watching, what you've been watching this period. Um, because again, because I didn't really like what was in cinema, especially through October. I started I decided to do a Bond rewatch, but not like the older stuff. I didn't go to Sean Connery. I did Craig, Daniel Craig, Bond, and I watched all of them. You didn't even do Piers? Nah, bro, Piers Brosnan, nah.
SPEAKER_04:I'm never gonna lie, Piers Brosman is my favorite Bond.
SPEAKER_02:Uh nah. I I I never saw like I've seen clips of Sean. Obviously, he's the Bond. Yeah. Um, but for me, my favorite Bond has to be Craig. Like, he embodies it so well. He looks like a Bond, he feels like a Bond.
SPEAKER_04:Can I tell you something kind of crazy? Okay. I saw a picture or is there a video of Daniel Craig walking, and I saw how sure he was out of my head. I was just like, yeah, this is not my bond. I'm sorry. This is not my bond.
SPEAKER_02:But he doesn't appear tiny in the in the movies. That's all that matters.
SPEAKER_04:They do the Tom Cruise thing with him.
SPEAKER_02:Which ever it is. I also have a hot take. While watching Craig, right, you know, and I noticed the same thing with Ethan Hunt, that's Tom Cruise's mission impossible. These are lead, you know, protagonists, um, detective, whatever you call them, spies, they have to be just a little bit bisexual. And I hope my listeners I hope my I hope I hope my listeners are, you know, friendly and not homophobic or anything. But you just have to have the right amount. Like they're traditionally sexy, like you know, romantic, flirty spies. That's how they get around by womanizing women, you know, and taking using advantage of their good looks or whatever. Okay, but they have to just have some zest. So I was gonna say a low spice, yeah. A little spice, and Craig just has the right amount, bro. Um, and I just noticed that while I was doing the rewatch, but yeah, no, so I that's why that was one of the things I watched, and I just cut up on movies that I haven't seen during the year. So I saw Polite Society, it's a nice um Indian flick, so that was nice. Um, I saw Florent Sun, it's Irish, it's on Apple TV. That was also interesting. Um speaking of Apple TV.
SPEAKER_04:I didn't want to say it. Here we go. Didn't want to say it. No, no, actually, actually, Tim Peter. I was water higher. Bree Larson and lessons in chemistry, not the marvels. I know you you people thought I was gonna say the marvels, but no. I I'm no, I am down the marvels. If there is only one hater for the marvels in this world, that is me.
SPEAKER_02:We have to unpack that some other time because that is an insane thing to say.
SPEAKER_04:But except Monica Rambo, we love you. We love you. Oh my god. Back to what I was saying though. Um, she has a show called Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV. Yeah. When I tell you, the pacing is one of the most confusing things I've ever seen in my life. What do you mean? The pacing of the show, I'm just so confused at what's happening and what is the time span between the things that are happening. Oh it just felt so uncomfortable. It was this is my first like Apple TV kind of miss, but again, I only watched three episodes.
SPEAKER_02:You please tell me you're lying. I've been saving that one because I was doing the morning show. I'd just finished the morning show and I'm trying to fill time with other stuff because I want it to be done so I can just like binge through it. I know it's not one of those shows because it's not a thriller. I know it's not going to I'm not going to anticipate it like week to week. I just want to sit through it. But every everyone I've like heard talk about that said it's been really good.
SPEAKER_04:Like lessons in chemistry? Yeah. Interesting. For me, it's just like the pacing's been a bit weird. And okay, I'm I don't know. I feel like the acting is good, but like because of the pacing, it feels like a bit out of like order. Like I don't really understand what's okay. Yeah. Okay. But I I'm I enjoyed some aspects of it. But at the same time, I think. Oh could it just be a me thing?
SPEAKER_02:But I'll I'll I'll watch I'll watch it and and report back. Um speaking of Brie Larson though, I did see the Marvels. I'm a big MCU fan. I think I've said that too many times on this. I saw it opening night too. I see all the Marvel movies opening night. Um while I was sitting there, you know, this is the le the this is the opening night that I've been in the theater for a Marvel movie with like not many people at all. I swear I counted where like 20 in there, which is crazy for New York City. Like you it would typically be over a hundred. Um we have things to say about that. Um but um I didn't do any prep, I didn't re-watch, like I typically would watch the older movie or like the TV shows leading up to it. I didn't do any of that this time because I'm like, bro, I'm tired. It feels like homework at this point. And so sitting there, I'm like, this is the first time I'm realizing that these movies aren't standalone, like they're not meant to be like I know it's a cinematic universe and there are phases, and you have to like all the phases go together, but like sitting there and watching it and not knowing anyone's backstory except like Captain Marvel and Monica, I'm realizing that yo, like I really don't know what's happening right now, and not knowing makes the movie not as nice or not as enjoyable, or not as good because you're so distracted.
SPEAKER_04:I think that's it though, like that's what you're saying. It's it's like homework to have to watch 10 12 episodes of Miss Marvel, then have to watch 10 12 episodes of Wondervision to understand Monica's backstory.
SPEAKER_02:My guy, plus you had to watch like all the movies that had like the Cree and um yeah, and all the ones that had Captain Marvel in them as well. It's a lot, it's a lot of work. I saw Wondervision, I saw all the Marvels, I just didn't see Miss Marvel, so that that was what was still. That's a big chunk because she's exactly so it's like yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04:So I think like a lot of people have been attributing like the low um viewership to the fact that it's it's you know female leads. Yeah, but like realistically, I think like that is a massive one, but it's not the only thing. I think it's also because you have to do homework for Marvel shows, yeah. Like Marvel movies and shows, you have to do homework.
SPEAKER_02:I'm not going to discount the female lead thing. Oh no, I I personally I personally really struggle with it because Captain Marvel is one of the highest grossing Marvel movies. Not named an Avenger movie, like of outside of the four Avengers, I think only Spider-Man No Way from Home. Oh No Way Home, sorry, um surpassed that uh the box office. And there's been two movies, like Wakanda Forever, the second Black Panther, and Captain Marvel combined gross two billion, bro. So I think it's more so they had the opportunity to do so much more, they had the opportunity to appeal to a larger audience, and they just kind of dropped the ball on it, is how I feel. Um, they could have just done so much more, you know. But it's not bad. I enjoyed my bro. I had a good time in there. I was like there kiki keying it up, like eating everything up. I'm just like, yeah, it's not what it used to be. Captain Marvel was better too. But I still think everyone should see it, you know. But uh it was a real coming of age moment in there. I'm like, damn, I'm getting older, something because this is.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, that's what I was thinking, also. It could be like a fatigue effect. Because we've just had like so many, yeah, so so many like superhero stuff over the last couple of like and you know it's it's fair, like it's only so much that can be done. I know, yeah. And like not to invent new superheroes is like, gonna shade it. I hated that Eternals got the reception that it did. Why do you hate that? Did you like Eternals? I loved Eternals. Oh, yeah, okay, same. Yeah, I loved Eternals, so I hated that I got the reception that it is because it introduces to a different style of like they could have taken, they could have just taken that and like made a whole new I don't I don't want to say. Like it's like I want to say more adults, but like a slightly more like a different kind of artistic vision.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_04:For the people that don't go into like the Marvel movies, like wanting the predictable, like, oh we're gonna win, we're gonna make jokes, we're gonna crack, you know, we're gonna act like we're about to lose. Like I think it's very similar with like like Guardian strikes a great balance of that like kiki key, but like, damn, this is like hard hitting and sad. And like grown, like stressful themes. This is actually very interesting because this like keys into like what we're talking about today. Like the major movie is the killer. Yeah, so that's what we're gonna focus on today. Yeah, so as we pivot into the killers, you keep saying the plural.
SPEAKER_02:I don't know why you say the plural. It's just one killer in the movie.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, yeah, it is the killer, my bad. I think there's like a multiple killers, to be fair. There's multiple killers in the movie, but there's also not gonna lie, there's a I feel like there's a killers with like Ryan Reynolds or Ashton Kutcher. There's there's an older movie that's like a comedy that is basically the same name. Oh, I haven't seen that. Yeah, and like the music is done by the Smiths, and I think I keep trying to like remind myself that. The majority of the music is like the band The Smiths. It's it's like uh I think it's Troy Reznor, yeah, who like he did like everything with. Like this is his guy, this is his guy. It's Trent Reznor and Attica Throst. Yeah, they've been doing them things for forever. But I'm not gonna lie, like I have to say this before I forget it. But I've listened to the Smiths during like my phases of like white people music and the vibes. When I tell you, this is like some great kill music. Bro, some great kill music. It bangs, but like you know, you read the lyrics sometimes and you are you're listening to it, you're like, yo, what is going on? I think I might have to bleep this one out. Too bad. I don't even think it we're booking for that. I I know I we're not, but like realistically, it is something to talk about. Yeah, but jumping into like I guess like feelings after watching the killer. Um I can go. Like, give me a rating of it. What do you say? Good, great.
SPEAKER_02:I gave it an A out of ten. Um, and I can you know talk a little bit more in that. I think I understood, and I say I think because it's not a complicated movie, it's not a complicated film. Um Fincher's Fincher's movies tend not to be complicated, at least I hope. I hope. I understand them after one view, and that's what I mean by not complicated. Um, I hear you, I hear you.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:So I think I got the whole gist, you know. Um, I also think it's an analogy because he's using himself as the what made Fincher popular was his Zodiac and Seven, and you know, his he had a defined method, which is the whole analogy, the whole um what the killer, what Fazbender's character is saying, you know, stick to what you know, forbid empathy, all of that. Um Fincher had that in his filmmaking like techniques and whatnot. And then he ventured away from that for a little bit to make Mank and what what was his movie before Mank? Like he made things that weren't widely accepted, and you know, that's the analogy of the killer missing his shot and like having to go back and go back to the drawing board.
SPEAKER_04:This is how like you see it. That's that's very interesting.
SPEAKER_02:I think that's what it I think it's a self, it's a it's introspection, you know, because he That's interesting.
SPEAKER_04:That's actually like very interesting. Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_02:But that no, that's that's that's that's that's what I took from it. And but but like, sorry, just to finish to wrap that up. Keep going, keep going.
SPEAKER_03:I think keep clicking.
SPEAKER_02:Um he may have like stayed too too straight on the line. Like, this is obviously going to be critically acclaimed, you know. It's very well done. The music is to die for or fastbender embodies the like as a nameless killer, we don't know his name. We have we we literally cannot have any empathy for anything that happens to him. He could have died at the end and no one would have because you are not like we're not allowed to that's the whole point. We're not allowed to learn his backstory, we're not allowed to see what motivates him, or that what motivates him is his job, you know what I mean? And so um he stays too close to you know just sticking to the sticking to the plan and seeing the end goal. That there's no emotion that Fincher's films tend to have so much of. Um, that's why I love Fincher, that's why it's my favorite um director, because he balances emotion with the filmmaking techniques and the thrill and whatnot. But I felt like this film was devoid of emotion, which I guess is what uh fastbender kept saying on and on and on, forbid empathy, empathy is weakness, weakness is vulnerability. But by not allowing Fastbender to be vulnerable, except with the two scenes where he's with the woman, where which don't really show vulnerability, then it leads the audience, us having no emotional connection to Fastbender and ultimately to the movie. So it's my least favorite venture, is what I'm getting at, because I felt zero connection as I was leaving the theatre, but I recognize that it's like wonderfully made. Yeah, that's how I feel. I hear that.
SPEAKER_04:I disagree a bit. Not gonna lie, I do disagree a bit. I will agree that I think if I was to give it a number scale, I maybe would say eight or so. But this is a better way in my head. Okay. It's a good movie, it's not a great movie. So if you missed out on it, you don't watch it. Okay, you're not gonna be like missing something crazy. It is a good movie though, so if you have some time and you happen to watch it, you could enjoy it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. And I think like having it on Netflix helps with the accessibility of it. What's in the comfort of your home? I did not watch it on Netflix. But that was like I think that was like a a choice for me because I heard the movie was majorly um voice overwork. So I want to feel the other aspects which you can only kind of feel in IMAX, you get me? I want to hear the breathing better. I want to hear like the vocals of like things. Like I want Since it's majorly voice overwork and I'm like the acting is majorly done through like okay, his body, his breathing. Like that is what you're focusing on. Like his emotions and like how he's acting and facial expressions. I wanted to see that in cinema, not at home. Yeah, I get that. Okay, so back on Fincher. I like Fincher. I've always liked liked the stuff. Interesting that like for you, you're bringing up like seven man. For me, first movie that comes to mind with Fincher's Fight Club. Fight Club is the first movie that comes together. I know what you're about to say. I know. I know you haven't watched Fight Club. It's okay. It's okay. Not that. Yeah. I've watched Fight Club, I've watched Garden Girl, and I watched The Social Network. Like oh, like probably way too young. Then like what then rewatch them as time went on, and I like started like getting like more into like movies and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:When I tell you, bro, like for me, like you talk about like Fincher and you're like, oh, like his movies are always like pretty straight to the point. For me, it's always like Yeah, I watch it in like one like one way, like one setting. And after like my opinion either changes, or I'm like, oh that was interesting. Or like middle of it, I'm a bit confused at like what's going on. But I'm still like sitting and looking at the journey, like what are we going? Where are we going? Same thing with like gone girl, same thing with like Fight Club, and social network is like very like straight up. But interesting thing about social network, I love that they changed the name of the social network.
SPEAKER_02:Because in the anti anti-social billionaires or something, yeah, yeah, the accidental billionaires, yeah. Accidental billionaires, yeah, yeah. That's what it was.
SPEAKER_04:Social network sounds better than the accidental billionaires or something like what? Yeah, yeah, but like I think in general, like you you basically summed up like Finch's style, it's dark themes, visual music. Yeah, yeah, he loves them noirs, bro. Yeah, bro. Like I feel like it just The Killer is an intense story and an interesting character study, but on like a more banterful side, I've never seen a killer or like an assassin that I've like resonated with until the killer. And let me tell you, bro, he makes one of the most stressful and intense jobs that is like also like morally very, you know, not really up there. Yeah, it shows you the mundane sides of it, like you're at work, bro, like you're at your desk and like you're killing time before your first meeting or your manager comes, like, okay, you find a little corner or like some empty office that you're gonna go take a nap in.
SPEAKER_03:Uh-huh. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:Low lunch, you come back and you you're still waiting. Like it just felt like we haven't seen in a lot of assassin movies and stuff like that, we haven't seen any mundane. We haven't seen any waiting. We haven't seen any like just like oh just like downtime.
SPEAKER_02:There's no downtime. We're watching him eat a McDonald's, we're watching him sleep, we're watching him like breathing it now, do yoga. Exactly.
SPEAKER_04:We're watching him like also like again, like you say, we we watch him to the point that we even watch him fuck up. We watch him like do his little affirmations ahead of time. Like when you're saying, like for you, the words that stuck in your head or like empathy, um, like forget empathy. For me, it is I think the words were anticipate, do not improvise. Yes. Yeah, that was what I said. Like deadass, like that has been something I feel like I've heard different variations of that throughout like school and like throughout life. Like, oh, be prepared, or pre like failing to prepare is the same as a person to fail. So, like in my head, I was like, my guy, like I love this as like this was my favorite aspect of the movie. It's not the shooting, it's not the women, it's not like it's just really like we're seeing a guy like kill time out of his job, he's listening to music, and I think the only thing that's like stopping like he didn't take off his shoes and like chill, that was it. I'm like, bro, like I love I love the movie, I love the aspect of it.
SPEAKER_02:I think you said uh character study, um, which it was, it was it's an excellent character study, but I saw Mank as well. Um, I didn't see that in in theaters, I saw it on Netflix. And Mank was also a character study. For Mank, which some people have said is a tribute to his dad. Um, that's the for me, I would consider Mank the miss, you know, like the killer miss. That's what I mean in the analogy. Um, I didn't even think Mank was a miss. I think I thought it was different, it's not a thriller. But even in that, which is a pure character study, most similar to you know, of all his other films, it would be the killer that's most similar to. We still had the opportunity to get emotionally attached to um to Mank. Um, and maybe that's because of different um different actors, um, Gary Oldman versus Michael Fassbender. Um, or maybe that's because you know it's a if it's meant to be a tribute, then obviously then it's more emotional, it's more we're actually journeying with this man whose you know whose health is deteriorating and whatnot. I just felt like he wasn't allowing us to have that because we think because we're sticking to the plan. Like we the fact the simple fact that we don't we don't even get a name, you know. Um but in terms of the other stuff, you know, the trust no one, the anticipate or improvise, never yield an advantage. Um having no mercy until the very end. Um well done, excellent. Um it's it is a good film. I just like I wouldn't consider it a favorite, you know. But I hear everything, I hear everything they're saying, and um we don't see we don't I don't I can't think of when you said I haven't seen a killer who you know that you resonated with in terms of like just the mundane stuff, the everyday stuff. I was trying to think of one, and you know, you really do not get that. We don't get much.
SPEAKER_04:We see them like immediately bang bang, like throwing people throwing knives. That's it. Yeah. And I feel like I don't remember too many movies that like I I don't think I I don't remember any movies this year that are like big budget movies or like big cinema waiting movies that were like this except like John Wick, and that's like the complete opposite spectrum of this. Yeah, like the whole movie, whole John Wick franchise is is like based on emotion.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, like entirely, yeah. Um, this is nothing like that. It's not it's not like the John Wicks or whatever, what other action yeah, it's nothing like it's not even an action movie, you know. There's not many fight scenes. The one fight scene though in Florida with at that guy's house was kind of had me on the edge of my seat because I want to say, like, I think it doesn't oversaturate you with fight scenes, but it builds so much tension.
SPEAKER_04:And if I will say, like, sometimes like building tension can be like one of two things. You can either get bored or you get tired, and the other side is that you can like it just like helps you lead into like edge of your seat moments and like oh my god, like what's going to happen next? Like gradually, and I feel like it depends on the person because some people maybe overstimulate it and you're like, okay, I'm bored and tired, so now I'm going to be on my phone. But if you stay true to the plan, you know, you stick with the movie, you're going to have like a great experience, like seeing like some of these narratives and thieves like come full circle. Like I enjoy the pacing of it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, oh no, I did. Absolutely. That's one of the better parts of it. Another good part, which I'm surprised that's taken us this long to mention, Tilda Swinton. Her cameo is the best, obviously, needless to say, in the movie. But every line she was delivering was just so like I felt it, you know, like when they were in that diner um restaurant, or when they were just driving and when he was following, or when he was taking the train to go see her, she's like leaving alone, leaving amongst the normies and like driving and the turns that she like just stuff like that. I'm like, this is probably the only time I feel like I can relate much to or I feel some emotion to to this movie, but at the end of it, like she still dies, which by the way, if you haven't seen it, I guess spoiler spoiler warning. Um but I thought Akami was brilliant. The casting was also the pacing and the casting um was really good. I don't think there was any person in the cast that kind of threw me off. Um yeah, superb acting, all acting master classes really um I definitely agree with that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:I think I think my favorite aspects of it were definitely the pacing and I think yeah, the pacing and fastbender. Like all of his little movements, like the BP talk, like the voiceover work. Yeah, he did so well with that. And yeah. I feel like you can just like enjoy the movie seeing the panic. Like honestly, this is genuinely similar to like you're at work, you fuck up, and you're panicking, like panicking.
SPEAKER_03:What do you think?
SPEAKER_04:What do I do? Yeah, yeah. And you're like, oh, how do I like resolve this? How do I knock that fire or kill?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's it's it's going to end up. Um, I mean, I don't know what next is he plans to work in. I think he's going to go back to what Mindhunters or um No, I I don't know.
SPEAKER_04:I don't think Mindhunters coming back, actually. Oh fun fact, Mindhunters was shot, or some of it was shot in my undergrad. Oh wow. Yeah. Where did you go for undergrad? I went to school in Pittsburgh. Small Libble Arts in Pittsburgh. Can't tell people with the name. Don't worry about that. You don't need to know that. But small liberal arts college in Pittsburgh. Uh well, I would say like 30 minutes from Pittsburgh, but like you would have kept it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Um I know his I I know his Netflix contract isn't up. I think he still has a couple more stuff to do with Netflix. Um, I think it's giving them four projects now or something. So I know he's still working with them. That's just why I assumed Mindhunters, but um, I don't know what he's going to put out next, but I'm almost certain that this is going to be my least favorite venture, and which is not a bad thing to say. I I gave it an eight over ten. It's really not before this, my least favorite was probably Gone Girl, you know. So if you know what's funny, yeah, which Gone Girl was wasn't bad either. So um, but I'm fine with it being my least favorite because I recognize that it's good. The score is to die for again, the cinematography is excellent. Um, the pacing, the casting, the dialogue, when there is dialogue. Um, but it's just it doesn't resonate much. I don't get the emotional connection that I did with say the social network, for example, or the girl with the dragon tattoo, which are both you know, dark and serious, but I'm still able to develop some connection with the with the characters.
SPEAKER_04:Okay, I think that's funny because I think, like quite honestly, gone girl serves as kind of like okay, I'm sorry, I was doing something. Uh I'm saying my mind was training a little bit, but gone girl serves as a like a weird little litmus test for me when I get involved. You were good to say that. You were good to say that when I get involved with women, I use gone girl as a little litmus test. I think we've talked about this before. Because it's like my sign to either run or like you know, I mean I mean, like let's see what what are the vibes? That's crazy. What are the vibes? Because like I think it's also interesting because you might genuinely think I'm joking. Yeah, but it's like I I know some people actually completely rationalize and understand everything that like she did. Like, do you get me? Like they rationalized. I don't want to speak too much of this topic. And for me, I'm like, oh my god, like you know, let's not let's not hate. I don't want to I don't want to sound like I'm hating, but oof, some some interesting people out there. It's a funny little show, funny little vibe out there. Yeah, but you know, fun fact I know people that have read watched Gone Girl multiple times. And I'm like, why why are you doing this to you?
SPEAKER_02:I guess they're they're trying to pick up some tips then. I've seen Gone Girl times. I've seen Gone Girl, I've seen most Fincher uh films multiple times, I think. Unless like they were really hard for me to get through once, then I'm just not going to put myself through that again. I've seen the girl with the dragon tattoo maybe three times or four times, really. But I feel like that's your niche though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's probably why. Yeah, but um, um, but yeah, um, I guess what next are we looking at? I'm seeing Killers of the Flower Moon. I still haven't seen that.
SPEAKER_04:And I'm going to see that four hours is making me feel a little bit.
SPEAKER_02:It's making me feel a little bit like, yo, what's going on? I owe it to Scorsese, especially if this is going to be his final. Not that I owe it to him, but you know, it's good, it's getting so much acclaim. Come award season is going to be one of the most touted names. Lily Gladstone, I can't go a day without seeing her name on my page. So you know, I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice and I'm doing Scorsese and I'm just doing like film as a whole, a disservice by not seeing it. But then I feel like I get ready to go for it, and then that like I just takes an hour to get to the city, an hour and a half to get to the city. I have to sit through four hours, no intermission, and then an hour and a half to get back. Like even hearing myself say this out loud, I sound so juvenile, but like it's it's very tasking.
SPEAKER_04:Every time you say it out loud, I'm going to have to drive maybe like 30 minutes. Yeah. And then sit down for four hours. Watch this, drive another 30 minutes back home. In my head, it's like, what is going on?
SPEAKER_02:What is going on? I have to see that. So I think I'm gonna see that this weekend, and if you see it soon, then next time we meet, we can talk about that. Yeah, definitely, definitely. Um duty pleasure, obviously, Hunger Games. As soon as we get off this recording session, I'm going to start from the beginning, going to re-watch the Hunger Games, and I don't care what anyone has to say. That got us through the whole YA time when you know Divergent and them man were doing their thing, Maze Runners and them were doing their thing. No one was doing it like the Hunger Games, bro. No one was doing it like nobody, so like I owe this to you. No one was doing it like the Hunger Games. Nobody, so um, and like the press is looking fun. It looks like the cast had a genuinely good time, and you know how I feel about Viola Davis, bro. As soon as she's in anything, I'm there. So I don't no questions asked. Put her name in there, I'll be there. Um, so I'm going to see that as well. Uh we can talk a little bit about that next time as well.
SPEAKER_04:For me, um, guilty pleasure, but it's not really a guilty pleasure. I just found out that the trailer is horrible and the movies in immense. The holdovers.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, yeah. I was looking at that today.
SPEAKER_04:The trailer was I've always seen the trailer and it's always looked like, what is this? I haven't seen the trailer. This is uh like this does not look like a fun time, but it's Paul Jamani, so like you know, we gotta go. Yeah, we gotta go. Um, what else am I looking forward to? Looking forward to Ferrari. Um you've been talking about this Ferrari since the beginning of the year, bro. Since beginning of the year. You know, me and a good biopic, bro. Me and a good biopic. And um, I don't know. I don't know what else I'm looking forward to. I might talk in Hunger Games, but I don't think I'm actively looking forward to that. I think if I have some free time, I will just like go watch that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:But I think right now those are the only two. Um kind of want to see Wonka because I know it's going to be bad. I'm just wondering how bad it is. So I might hit the cinema up on a Tuesday, you know, them AMC Tuesdays.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. I don't care. I'm going to be enjoying, I'm going to enjoy myself there. And like I feel like we need because there's so much serious stuff coming out. There's still there's so many we haven't even mentioned. There's still poor things, still bike riders, there's still watching that me of the phone. No, I haven't seen that yet. Like there's so much, there's so much linked to the films.
SPEAKER_04:Like so I need to. I keep forgetting soulborn.
SPEAKER_02:Is like I still haven't seen Priscilla. Like, there's so much, bro. I was making I wasn't having Priscilla, I'm not gonna lie.
SPEAKER_04:Why?
SPEAKER_02:Why is that?
SPEAKER_04:I don't know, bro. Like, there's too many Ovises. Oh my I'm tired.
SPEAKER_02:Um, make sure it's still coming. Damn it. Like bike ride. There's so much that you need you need the wonkers and you need Dix the musical. That's another one that I need it's like a to to breathe it to refresh it. I've heard good things about the boy and the heron. Like this, you just need this fun things in between all this.
SPEAKER_04:You heard about how good like the you you saw the voice actors list. I did not see the voice actors list.
SPEAKER_02:The boy and the heron has been on my list since I've been talking about it. Oh my god. Because I don't because I don't enjoy anime doesn't mean I can't enjoy animated cinema, you know. Sure. But I guess we'll have a lot to talk about next time.
SPEAKER_04:No, no, it's a close up shop. We'll have a little twist, have a little game. Alright, let's go. So I'm gonna describe a movie, you tell me what movie it is.
SPEAKER_03:Look this.
SPEAKER_04:Okay, are you ready?
SPEAKER_03:I'm ready.
SPEAKER_01:Orphan with head drama, third wheels for six years.
SPEAKER_03:Third wheel for six years.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Does this have to do with Harry Potter?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. Okay. Is there is it is it is it one that is there are there two films or is just one. No, no, I go, I go another one. Okay, okay. Okay. Okay, you ready?
SPEAKER_01:Okay. Alright. Squid games or make it western.
SPEAKER_03:Squid games. Or make it western. I am not gonna get this one.
SPEAKER_01:Would you like me to add an occupation or a weapon? Add a weapon. Squid games and make it western with bows.
SPEAKER_02:Bro, there is nothing like that. Is it niche or is it like you know major? You absolutely know it. I know it. Squid games, like the Netflix show Squid Games. Yes, but make it western. But make it western. The very concept of Squid Games is has nothing to do with anything western. Oh western like the Western world or Western Yee?
SPEAKER_01:No Western Yee Haw. Okay. I don't know. Oh, this is going to be something stupid.
SPEAKER_03:Of course. Oh fucking course.
SPEAKER_00:We just talked about that. Yeah, like this quick thing.
SPEAKER_04:We just talked about that. Ah, so stupid. Okay. Fair enough. There's one more. There's a bonus round if you want it.
SPEAKER_03:Let's get it. I have to come up with some of these for you, but let's go.
SPEAKER_04:Are you ready? Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_03:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:Wife plays an extreme version of hide and seek.
SPEAKER_02:Nah, I like that one. That's cool. I will come up with some of these next time. When you said the when you remember the Shrek one? I said that one on Twitter. I'm like, ah, that was a good one. We'll have to find some of some more of these ones. But I think we can end on that note then.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I think we can end on that note. So, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for listening to us. This has been the TCA.
SPEAKER_02:And we'll be back in a couple weeks.
SPEAKER_04:I'll be back in a couple weeks. Alright.
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