Jeff: Hello and welcome to the Filmbird Podcast. I am Jeff Ward, and I'm joined here by my brother Matt. And we're here to talk about some movies this week. Matt, I think we're on episode ten. Is that right?
Matt: Nein.
Jeff: Dang it. Somehow I always get I always get it wrong. So we're on episode nine. Thanks for joining us today. We're gonna be talking about obsession, the breakout blockbuster from this summer. We're gonna be talking about twelve angry men, which is we're talking about the nineteen fifty seven version, and then we're gonna be talking about our top five screenplays of all time. And yeah, I guess just to kick things off, Matt, did you watch anything interesting this week?
Matt: I'm not sure if interesting is the right word, but we did watch the true memoirs of an international assassin with Kevin James on Netflix. And I think we'd actually seen it before, which I'm a bit ashamed to say that we watched that movie twice, but my boys enjoyed it. And it is funny at times. It's just complete nonsense. Probably a two out of five. but you know, it was it was fun. It's kind of that era of all the Netflix comedies with Kevin James and Adam Sandler that were just they were just pumping those things out, rapid fire, and you know, it's not a horrible film by any means, but it's not terribly memorable. So I watched that one
Jeff: Yeah.
Matt: and then I showed my boys the prestige, because we had talked about it and they were interested. And that was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun kind of walking them through it, especially afterwards, once the you know, that we're getting close to the kind of the big reveals at the end, and you're saying, like, you really need to pay attention here. hey, don't put that phone down. Put that phone down. You're gonna miss it all, right? And and they did. They, you know, they all looked up, they're all foot locked in. I told them the whole the whole time, like, you have to you have to really pay attention while you're watching it, 'cause they're gonna drop little clues and and so they kinda did, but I think most of are pretty excited to rewatch it at some point in the future.
Jeff: Yeah, it's a great rewatch. as we've talked about, but that's that's pretty fun. Yeah, I was gonna say about the Kevin James, you kinda you kinda get what you expect there. Although he's made a career out of it, so I mean I can't can't dog on him there. but it's
Matt: Well, and did you did we already talk about Solo Mio a little bit? That's actually
Jeff: No, I haven't seen solo mia or heard of it.
Matt: really sweet film. Has I think it's Angel Studios and it's available maybe on Prime or or Netflix, one of And it's him. He gets stood up at the altar and then he goes on a a trip to Italy and kind of finds love again. But it has the the guy who plays Jesus on the chosen. is in there and there's some other actors that are on that the film. But anyway, it's good, good natured, fun. I I wanna say t like over the top funny, but just kind of a sweet movie to watch.
Jeff: Yeah. I've now that you bring it up, I feel like I might have actually seen that or maybe I just watched the trailer and and that's why I'm remembering it. But anyway, yeah, it's interesting era with all those comedies that came out for sure. well I'll I'll give a I didn't watch anything of note this week. watched some T V, but no no movies of note. and just give a quick shout out to some of the movies that are coming out this weekend. did you ever watch Godzilla minus one, Matt?
Matt: I did not No, I did watch that one. I I watched that, yeah.
Jeff: It's like the one w where it's a little bit more historical. I think it's in World War Two or just post World War Two or something. and Yeah. Yeah. Well, I don't think it's like
Matt: Is is that the one that's all in Japanese? Yeah, so I don't I didn't watch that one. Too much work, Jeff. Too much work. I watched some of the other ones.
Jeff: Yeah, it's not like actually it just takes place in Japan. Like it's but it's it's English, I think. Anyway. You should
Matt: Okay. Cause I well I watched the trailer for this one coming out and it's v and all the trailer I watched was in Japanese. Is are they are they dubbing it? Anyway.
Jeff: Is it? I I N now I'm forget yeah, now I'm forgetting Godzilla Minus One. Maybe you're right and I'm wrong. but it was very good. It was like very, very good. and then Godzilla Minus Zero comes out this weekend, which has great reviews so far and I think will probably be very popular, especially among the crowd that saw the first one. definitely recommend this one. The other one that comes out into wide release or wider release is Wild Horse Nine, which is we pointed it out a few months ago or weeks or months ago, but it's it's one that has John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell and it's like supposed to be one of the favorites for Best Picture. Although I guess you never know, but it's got great reviews so far and should be pretty popular. Also coming out this weekend The Cat in the Hat, which I've heard yeah.
Matt: That's the one we're all waiting for.
Jeff: That's the one. It's got I think Bill Hayter is the voice of the cat, but which I love Bill Hader, but I've heard the movie's terrible. Like absolutely terrible. And I guess Warner Brothers is having like a terrible, terrible year. we'd have to go through and research all the movies that are being noted as complete flops, but I think this one is supposed to also be like a major, major flop. And another like hundred million or two hundred million dollar flop. So I guess we'll we'll see about that one. and then I think I play Rocky, I think it was supposed to come out this weekend originally, but then I think they delayed it. So I think the wide release is in a week or two. Yeah.
Matt: Yeah, it's okay. Yeah, a few more weeks. But that yeah, that one you've talked about that one quite a bit. I I'm excited to see that. I think it looks like a fun, fun show to to check out.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. And I was super jealous because I think I I was noting to you that there are these theaters around the country that do pre like pre release screenings and this friend of mine got to go to I play Rocky and said it was incredible, but I was like, Well, now I'm super jealous because that's I wanna go. So, so then we started looking into pre release screenings and we'll see if we can get get ourselves into some of those movies a little ahead of time. Since we're just getting started, I guess we'll see. but yeah, also I think there's some there's some stuff coming out on streaming, but I guess we'll nothing really of a note. You know the other one, Matt, that I want to talk to you about was this Ramayana Ramayana? Have you seen that one?
Matt: Ramayana? No.
Jeff: Ramayana. I guess you need to spend more time in in the deep rabbit hole of movie trailers. but it's kind of like this some people are really raving about it. It's it's like a Bollywood crossover, that I think has gotten a lot of good press and publicity and I say it's a Bollywood crossover. I mean I think it's made for the US market, but it's kind of definitely like an Indian Bollywood type feel to the movie. probably has some some dances in it and stuff, but I've heard good things about it and I've heard some people talking about being excited about it. So Ramayana.
Matt: Yeah.
Jeff: Rise of a legend, so.
Matt: Rami I I'm pulling it up. It looks like the Rotten Tomatoes might be a little low on it, but other other ones look very positive. And I I admit that I am underexposed to Indian cinema and Bollywood. I think that the the most that I've really engaged there is Slum Dog Millionaire, which is not that is not I'm sure anyone who is a true Bollywood fan, I don't even know if they would consider that to be a part of that genre at all, but I I it does look kinda interesting and I did see it pop up. We we see we have a lot of the Bollywood shows come up at the Cinemark near our house and so might be worth going to check out just to expand my my vision a little bit more and go back to my international cinema days in college and try and
Jeff: I I would actually be if you if you wanted to spend three hours and fifteen minutes seeing Ramayana, I'd be extremely intrigued with how you know how you found the movie. because again I have heard some really good things about it. so anyway, we'll see. But yeah, I mean it's Wild Horse Nine is one that I I definitely want to see. I think it's rated R, and I'm not exactly sure why, so I'll probably do a little more research. into that. but you know, I'm sure it has a lot of language knowing those guys. but looks like actually just seeing the trailer it had a ton it had a ton of language.
Matt: Right. Yeah, I was I was gonna say the the trailer alone was seemed like it kinda set the pace for how that movie's going.
Jeff: They they couldn't even make a trailer without having twenty cuss words in the trailer alone. So I'm sure the movie itself has has significant profanity. but it's still one that I'll probably check out at some point. well anyway, let's dive in. Speaking of R rated movies, let's talk about obsession. and Well,
Matt: And speaking about profanity.
Jeff: I should I should this is a good opportunity for Matt to put in a plug for for Vid Angel, which he likes to use to watch movies. and I'm I'm actually a little curious how it worked on this one, Matt. Like did it did it cut out a lot of a lot of the movie or like did you feel like it was disjointed at all or all good?
Matt: Well, I think the Bid Angel is is really nice and we'll include a a link in the the show description for it, for a fourteen day free trial on it. But it it gives you a lot of flexibility. You can filter out the language and and this this film has somewhere in the hundreds on on the just the F word alone and and so and they're showing it through Peacock right now. And so Vid Ang Angel can connect to to Peacock and you can watch it. And it's you know, it's so it depends on what you put in there. And I would say, let me just say it was 127 F words in obsession. And and so it gives you a chance. You can remove the the the language, you can remove any of the sex or nudity, and you can also remove the violence. And I think I probably tend to go light on the filters for the violence. And with that being said, I think that that, you know, allows the show to still s kind of keep a lot of its true the original flavor. But you do get a lot of empty a lot of silence whenever there 'cause
Jeff: Yeah.
Matt: there's a lot of F words in the movie. And but, you know, I have I have one of my sons who really wants to see Obsession and I was watching through to see if he'd be be good to watch it. And I think you put the you put the filters on, I feel like you could still have a cohesive story and and show the the film. But there are some definitely some very f kind of frightening or suspenseful parts, right? That but I think he probably enjoys that. I don't I don't necessarily love that kind of stuff, but I thought obsession. So you know, we'll we'll jump into it. It was just a very unique and and enjoyable film to watch though.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. Well let's talk let's talk first about, I guess, some of the the phenomenon of obsession. before we dive into the story and and any any thoughts around that. so Curry Barker, I'm sure you've read a little bit about his story, but I guess like a YouTuber who this is his first feature linked film, at least his first as far as I know, if his first feature link, but definitely his first feature link that was released to a a broad audience. really had a an indie cast, an indie, budget. I think the budget was 750,000 going into this.
Matt: And an Indy in the cast. Haha.
Jeff: And an indie in the cast. Good one.
Matt: Thanks.
Jeff: I guess in Andy Richter was the was the big the big budget actor in this one. but focus features came out in May and I think I was just noting I think the first weekend It was pretty good. I I f I don't have the the number in front of me, but the I guess the the big note was that it went up thirty percent in weekend two. So word of mouth was the strategy for this and it really caught on and ultimately ended up making four hundred million worldwide, which is on a seven hundred fifty thousand dollar budget. Focus films focus features, biggest movie ever made, so biggest biggest ever box office you know, hall.
Matt: Well and and less yeah,
Jeff: Pretty incredible. And people love this one, so yeah.
Matt: less than a million to make it. I have I have seven hundred and fifty thousand for the budget. and and to have that to to rise up to four or five hundred million worldwide is just is crazy. And I I like the story. I was actually listening to some interviews with Corey Barker, Curry Barker before the show, and he talks about how he edited the film in his bedroom. by himself. so everything was very indie, right? And and he talked about how he kept on waiting for a producer or somebody to come in and be like, Hey, you can't do a shot like this or a scene like this. You have to change it up. We need we need more light. We need, it's too dark. And he's like, Nobody ever told me anything. And so I was able to just kind of go with what I felt was right. And it was really interesting listening to him and the the two main actors, the The one who played Bear and Nikki, the ones who played Michael Johnston and then Indy Navarrett, to have those two and the director talking, it really feels like people that you'd interview that are in all in college right now. It's like that it's that that age group, even just how they talk about it, like the director clearly has amazing vision and did a wonderful job on the film. But his his interviewing comes across like you're interviewing some I think he is just in his, early twenties or mid twenties. And so it's it's entertaining. It's it's fun to to kinda capture that he's able to produce something like this. It ca it kinda gives us all hope, I think.
Jeff: Yeah, and I'll I'll throw in one last note on this on this on this piece, which is we talked about the in in one of the previous episodes, we talked about the the small budget versus the big budget and how you know Curry Barker is the kind of guy that like I heard his next project is Texas Chainsaw, like a a revamp of Texas Chainsaw, which he's working on with A twenty four. And like Yeah, yeah, he's probably not gonna work on a shoestring budget anymore, nor should he necessarily after making this much money for the studio. like I get it. It's justified to like have a larger budget and everything. But there's a magic. There's a magic in the in the small budget and in the in this kind of movie that you're making for 750,000. which you know, I guess we'll see if he's able to retain that kind of that similar magic in. in a larger budget movie, or if he like like you just said, he's sitting in his room editing this, not getting any feedback from anyone, and it's a big success. a lot of times those kinds of things can be lost when someone gets a a larger budget. So I'll be curious to see like kind of the arc of his career and and and if he's able to kind of stand up success with it with a larger budget and larger larger studio influence and so on.
Matt: Yeah, well and hopefully it doesn't go the way of the Blair Witch project creators, right? They first one had a huge f it was a big phenomenon when we were probably in high school and then they made a a follow on a while later and it was it was a a bomb. And and so yeah, I I think that there's there is something special. I mean, essentially this the cast of this film is like five people, right? Four or five people. Maybe the shop owners, right? They're they're funny, interesting people, but they're not really huge parts of it. Even Andy Richter, I kept on waiting for more interaction, more involvement with Andy Richter, and and even that you don't get a ton of. I really like the the also the story that they talk about that the inspiration or part of the inspiration for the movie is from The Simpsons and the Treehouse of Horror Two and Homer's Monkey Paw. I mean, those are classics, right? The classic ones from when we were kids and kind of a fun, fun connection with the film. So Anyway, wan we wanna jump into the actual film a little bit more, Jeff, and your thoughts.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. if if you haven't heard the premise of this movie yet, then you're probably not paying too close attention because again, it was it was a pretty big deal over the summer. but basically the the plot here is that this this guy Bear, he gets a wish. He's he's super in love with this girl, but she's well, pr maybe just a little bit not into it or off putting a little bit. maybe a little
Matt: Little friend zone.
Jeff: I don't know, just a little yeah, friend zone, a little bleh. And he's just like, Man, I would do anything to get this girl to be into me and he gets this wish. it's a one wish willow. It's like a little thing, it's like a little stick that you break. And he wishes that she I well, I forget the exact wording, Matt, do you remember?
Matt: No,
Jeff: It it's a s yeah, it's essentially I wish she would be in love with me or love me anything more love me more than anything in the world, or something like that.
Matt: Yeah, yeah.
Jeff: And well, the wish comes true very quickly.
Matt: Mm-hmm.
Jeff: but as as the movie progresses, we we realize that like Nikki is in love with him, but also like on the inside is being essentially like her real self is like being held inside by this wish. love self and is like trying to get out, hates her life. I don't know, hate hates hates what's happening to her 'cause she's not in control. yeah, I don't know. That's my plot summary, Matt. You got any other notes?
Matt: yeah, that's that's pretty pretty accurate. And it's I think just even from just the moment like everything's going along pretty pretty smooth and then from the moment that he makes the wish and breaks that the little willow thing, I mean from the next second it just becomes like the creepiest film. Like so you're 'cause they they look over and she's there on the porch in darkness, right? And and from there kudos to to Indy never never ret. I I'm I I listened to her name multiple times, but Indy, the actress that plays Nikki, she is just so multifaceted in this film in turn like last week we talked about I talked about Anthony Hopkins and the father, where he's playing as old man with dementia and just how hi he has a standout role because of the the range that he has to have and and she is very similar. she is just all over the place. The whole film. And and her face, facial expressions and just the the panic and the kind of freakouts that she offers. She it really just I mean the whole thing is just like this snowball, right? Getting a momentum throughout the film. And it's it is a creepy and interesting ride. kind of from end to end. And it's it's it's funny because India is so all over the place. And then you have Bear, on the other end, the one who made the wish, and I feel like his emotions are essentially I'm freaked out of my mind right now, and I'm completely checked out as to like what she's doing. Like there are some moments where you're like, he didn't react at all to like what she's doing. And it's just I I I think I just love how real the movie tried to be. And I think And especially for that for maybe that generation, for the people and the ages that they're in, I felt like it was very authentic to what I see anyway, and and not to throw a stereotype over the whole group, but they definitely seem to to capture the the generation in a very interesting and realistic light.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah, it's interesting. Your your point about Bear and just this passiveness, I guess you could like I I don't know. Like I'm thinking about all the different solutions that I would have during this movie, and one of them is just like next time that she's staying home and you're out, like you could leave town. Like you could just leave, you know, completely leave, see what happens. I'm sure she'd find you. somewhere, but then you could just leave again, and he's just kinda like, Well, I'm in this reality. I don't know what to do. I'm gonna try my best to solve some problems. I'm also gonna take advantage of the situation, you know, to the extent possible. So yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Matt: Yeah. Well and and I I I think that it's yeah, like so many of the moments you're like, man, like I I think so mu so many of the scenes it's like you can tell that he does want to be with her, even when she's psychotic, right? He's just like, No, like I really do. Like he's freaked out, but he's also like, This is exactly what I wanted, but it's not it's not what I wanted.
Jeff: Right. Right. But in a cursed nature. so let's talk about the horror itself. because you know, this was not no jump scares. Not necessarily traditional horror movie. And I would say the same about backrooms. we talked about that one and and people pointed out that backrooms and obsession were kind of these horror movies that came out in a similar vein and were both extremely popular. when I was a kid I was probably what, sixteen to eighteen. We saw The Sixth Sense and then we saw The Ring. And basically after those two movies and maybe a couple more, I was like, I'm not gonna watch scary movies anymore. Like it's just not for me. It does not like it's not great when I'm in the dark or in my frame of mind. it doesn't help me sleep. so from that time I've pretty much said, I'm not gonna watch scary movies. And then you get these two movies and I give both both a shot and like I think it's much more like the thing I love about it is I think if I'm putting it into words, it would be I like that they're completely unrealistic. And so you can completely remove yourself from reality because this this thing that happens in obsession is not possi physically possible in the real world. It's I would compare it a little bit to Final Destination, like no one knows I d I haven't watched Final Destiny, but I know the plot. no one knows exactly when they're going to die, therefore you cannot fight the final destiny you can't fight death. so it's kind of like a a bit more of a fun ride than it is like jump scare or like scary or like ghosts or you know spirits haunting you or whatever it might be. what are what are your thoughts on just kind of the the genre of horror that that captivated the nation?
Matt: this is definitely more of my pace of of horror. I I don't enjoy horror films typically. I think, you know, Sixth Sense was and my poltergeist, you know, those are probably my speed. so I'm a little baby when it comes to horror, I guess I should say. And I what I really enjoyed about this film, I mean I felt like there were a few moments where I was certainly caught off guard with maybe the degree of violence that occurred. it did not, it just took me by surprise. And I'd even watched some spoilers, so I knew what was coming. And I still was like, whoa, that's that's a lot. but the the thing I liked a lot in the film is the long drawn-out scenes. It reminded me of like Tarantino films where they take their time with different scenes, they allow the tension to build very slowly, they're not rushed. And like even right after he makes the wish, there's a long scene where she's like, Let's hang out, let's spend more time together. And it just the whole thing is just this long, drawn out scene. And and you're just you're sitting there being like, What what is going on? And what's gonna happen next? And then especially in this movie, you know, out of nowhere, something crazy will happen and you're just like like it just completely catches you know that the you can feel the tension. But then they execute brilliantly with that tension that they've they've been able to amass. And so I I really enjoyed that aspect of the film. And I they do it again and again. Like there's a house party, and there are these this slow, slow movement. And it just everything just the they they just take their time. Like nothing's rushed. None of the shots are really rushed. And I so that's the kind of I enjoy that. And I think it has a certain element. to horror or suspense, that makes it a lot more powerful for somebody like me whenever I'm watching it.
Jeff: Yeah, I guess the only question I had for you was like do you feel like I guess I'm maybe I'm I'm showing off that I'm a little bit too much of like a plot snob, but like, did you feel like the building sequence like, you know, we find out about the curse within, I don't know, twenty minutes of the start of the movie, which it does take quite a quite a little bit of build up even just to get to the wish sequence and and everything. And then like, did you feel the middle of the movie was necessary just as like a snowballing sequence, or did you feel like Okay, we can we kinda know what's going on here, we kinda understand when is something else gonna happen.
Matt: Yeah, I I was a little surprised after some of the initial kind of freak out sessions that they ended up having such a lovely relationship for a few scenes there. And you're like like is like what exactly's going on? He has this really strange kind of you know, completely out of nowhere evening with her, and then They're like, no, I think we actually will just have a relationship. And then it goes on like that until they have an interesting dinner where more is revealed. And so I think it's all just the slow burn effect. And and I'm I'm open to that. I enjoy those films where they're not really in a rush to get to it. I think you know, and they have other parts where, you know, with with his his cat, right, where they bring that in. And like that, all those build ups are really effective for me and and make it an enjoyable ride. And so I I'm not complaining about it. I thought that that that kind of pacing is is good for me. And then to kinda have the chaos of the last twenty minutes or so. I felt like it was a great wrap up and great delivery. What what about you? What do you think?
Jeff: No, I I agree. I think that I think they played it extremely effectively in terms of building building up that that emotion, that tension. I I agree I mean, I'll I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. They're the ones that made four hundred million dollars on this movie and clearly it was extremely popular. But yeah, I mean, may maybe a little disjointed from a plot perspective or maybe even a little unnecessary as we think about a plot, but again, just going from like, I'm really freaked out, man, I don't know what's going on, to actually I think this could work to, the f the final the f the final scenes. but I I mean clearly very effective and and enjoyable movie.
Matt: Well and where do you land, Jeff? Where do you land with Bear? Is he a villain? Is he a victim? What do you where do you put him?
Jeff: Again, I think he's just I think he's a I I wouldn't say he's a v victim because as I already noted, there's so many things that he could have considered doing to try to change his situation. Granted, I know leaving town is not an option for everyone, but and and again, like would it even be right for him to leave town? Like, I that is something that maybe could have been explored in the movie is like Maybe he tries to you know, just like tries
Matt: Run off.
Jeff: to rid himself of the situation a little bit and kind of see what happens, but
Matt: Well it it it didn't work in the park, that's for sure. She found him. The I actually saw an interview
Jeff: That's right, yeah. So Yeah.
Matt: with the actors and and they're like, D do you think that Nikki actually liked Bear beforehand? And I felt like they they kinda hinted at it maybe a little bit for those first fifteen, twenty minutes, that there could be a relationship there if if he had just been a little more mature and been willing to just ask. her out or something like that. I think it could have evolved honestly. And think that's probably part of the plot is is to have that question going on in your mind. But but then he the the actor for for Barry's like, well if if I didn't make the wish then the movie doesn't happen. So gotta move this thing along, right?
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. And also in in if anything, he's a victim of his generation. it it's interesting watching that like I was it the first scene in the diner where he's like practicing what he's gonna say to her. And like they're kinda Hey man, that's like it's it's too much, you know, you're saying you're you're like coming on
Matt: Yeah.
Jeff: a little too strong, you know? And that's why I say maybe a a little bit of the victim of his generation because I feel like in in our generation, I think we acknowledged that like just being around someone, just being their friend, just being able to work with someone is like actually kind of a win in itself. And like I mean, my wife and I were good friends before we got married. You know, it's just like you don't have to like declare your love to someone in some dramatic fashion. Anyway it bigger social commentary, but anyway, well let's get into rankings. I don't wanna spend I don't want to spend too long or ratings on this one. what what are your thoughts? What are you going with?
Matt: I think I was gonna land on a four point five out of five, but I'm I'm gonna take it down to a four out of five. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was very well done. I love the indie filmmaking going on with it. I just I don't know if I'm gonna sit there and say, obsession, five out of five or and so I I'll I'm I'm good. Four out of four out of five for me with obsession. How about you?
Jeff: Yeah, yeah, I was gonna go with the same. Four four out of five. again, I think I I think I probably gave backrooms a four out of five as well. I just I like I like being able to watch a horror movie and not have it be a true horror movie. You know, more just like a creepy movie. It it's a lot of fun. So all right. Let's dive into our next movie. Matt, maybe you can give some background on this one. We're gonna discuss the nineteen fifty-seven classic Twelve Angry Men.
Matt: Yeah, Twelve Angry Men, with Henry Fonda, directed by Sidney Lumay. And the I actually whenever I was doing a little background on on Twelve Angry Men, I I admit I thought that it started as a stage play. It actually started at with Reginald Rose. he wrote it for live TV on CBS and then it was adopted and and transitioned into a play, and then it eventually made its way or a T V movie and then made its way to the first to the film that we were able to watch. And just so Henry Fonda was one of the producers. He kind of spearheaded it and and hired Sidney Lume, who had been a T V director up until then, to direct it. And and and he he went on to direct Dog Day Afternoon and other other films and really had an amazing career as a director also as a film director. but the whole movie is just it's about an hour and a half. and it's just the whole thing pretty much within the first three minutes makes it into the the room with with the f with the twelve men of this jury. It's a murder trial. There's a young man who's being tried for the murder of his father, and the and so they they all get in there pretty quickly deciding to That this is an open and shut case. And let's go around the room and take everybody's votes. And one there's one holdout, Henry Fonda, who says not guilty when everybody else says guilty. And and then it just goes from there. And very dialogue driven, very character driven drama, and just kind of an interesting classic in terms of I mean, there are lots of things that we can get into kind of in the history context also, but the the whole movie centers around this room and the the conversations that they're having to determine whether or not there is reasonable doubt for to convict this young man of murder. What were your thoughts of it, Jeff? Or anything else to add?
Jeff: Yeah, I really Yeah, yeah, I really enjoyed this one. I guess just a a few other points. three Oscar nominations, which I was watching this one and thinking to myself, like, this is a great candidate for best picture. but I guess it it lost on all three of its nominations to Bridge Bridge on the River Kwai, which we need to watch at some point 'cause I haven't seen that one. but I know it's
Matt: Yeah, that's a really good one.
Jeff: a it's a classic, yeah. and I was also noting that it It flopped on an original release, but this is one that really stood the test of time. Was remade in 1997 with Jack Lemon and and George C. Scott. And yeah, you can tell why. You you watch the movie and it's actually you know, people people might I I guess like a young a young person might say like it's a little slow, but actually it's kind of got like the Aaron Sorkin kind of fast dial like that's what I was thinking the whole time I was watching it. It's like, man, this is like a early Sorkin movie, because it's it's got this moments of tension, but moments of fast dialogue, moments of really great monologues that that run through it. there's a few that maybe we can talk about. but I I found it to be really compelling. Another thing that I really enjoyed reading about was the cinematography of it. And I don't know if you dove into this a little bit, but like they were talking about how it was one take in the opening sequence in in the jury room is like seven minutes. And that was pretty original for the time. And then also the way that I think it it was like in the early stages of the of the deliberations, like the camera angle was like high and wide, and then it gets lower and tighter and you see a a lot of these like eye level shots. And apparently as I didn't really notice, but I guess at the end it it They moved the camera to be more like wide shots and lower again. so it's pretty interesting the way that they did it. And another thing that I really loved about the movie is is like the heat aspect and how these guys are like sitting in this like hot jury deliberation room, just like sweating their guts out. I thought that was pretty pretty fun and fascinating as well. definitely like a a throwback to another time. but just yeah, just a really enjoyable classic and fun to watch.
Matt: Yeah, and I thought that the the camera angles and and things reminded me a little bit of Citizen Kane, right? Where with Orson Wells being very deliberate about where the camera placement was and pushing in or pulling back. And they do that throughout the film. It's very a very interesting progression throughout the the whole thing. And I also you know, and we'll get into some of the other characters, but I I was just amazed at how unique each character was. And that they didn't all eventually mold into just a single representation of of us, of one perfect individual. They they were 12 very unique, uniquely written and consistently written characters. And I think that's one of the enduring qualities of the film and of the story is just that they they were able to represent such a diverse group in in this context. And and one of the I think that one of the standout performances in my mind is from Lee Jacobs. who plays jury number three, I believe. And is it three?
Jeff: I think it's yeah, I think it's I think his last name is Cobb. I think it's Lee J Cobb.
Matt: yeah. Lee yeah, sorry, Lee Jacob. just gives a thanks for for that. just gives like an amazing performance kind of end to end throughout the whole throughout the whole film and and really kind of stands out. you know, you have him who's very fiery, he gets very very worked up, and then you have Henry Fonda over there as juror number eight, and who's just almost beyond calm for the for the most part, almost strangely, strangely calm with everything else going on and and maybe a little bit idealistic. And I thought it was an interesting contrast and and whether or not it's realistic or not would be an interesting conversation. I guess part of the historical context that I thought was interesting for 12 Angry Men is that this is McCarthy era, United States, the movie came out in the 1950s. And they make a big push in the film for not just assuming, but for finding out the truth, for finding out the facts, right? Not just allowing your bias or racism or anything else to dictate your decision, but look at the facts and give every person a fair and equal chance for justice. Any any thoughts along those lines, Jeff?
Jeff: Yeah, I was just gonna say, I think that I thought a lot about the title, Twelve Angry Men, and how not you know, not everyone in that room is the same level of angry, but there are certainly like there are certainly people in that room who kind of treat each other like jerks, who are just mean to each other. And I think in our day and age, it it's a very interesting contrast because I do feel like in this day and age, if someone's angry with you, a lot of times At least for me, I just retreat or don't want to engage. I think generally in our family we have pretty good open communication, which sometimes can lead to anger. but the I guess my point is I I would worry about physical violence. In some of these situations in in the show, you almost worry about physical violence happening because you're so accustomed to that in our modern generation. I like the idea that you can be angry with someone without getting physically violent with them. so, you know, that's that's definitely a big like I like the fact that they're angry with each other. I like the fact that there are people yelling and being passionate about their opinions. I just think that in our day and age, it's harder to it like if we remade this again in the coming years, it would be hard to not see someone in the courtroom pushing someone else or f you know having a fist fight with someone else, right? It's just it's it's the way that our culture has and and maybe it's unrealistic for nineteen fifty seven too, but it's it's just I feel like it's a little bit of a cultural snapshot and and I feel like our our society has devolved in the last seventy years so that we we can't even imagine this room where people are like having these very passionate opinions and shouting at each other and and not becoming physically violent. So
Matt: Well and and could we imagine in this day and age, twelve angry men who all start with, you know, where where eleven start with guilty, is it realistic in any way to believe that they would soften and change their opinion, right? I I just don't know if that's the if that matches today's climate at all to have people even consider that maybe I should and they're not even saying that he didn't do it, right? They're just trying to establish reasonable doubt and to look at the facts. And even that, I think, there was just I've I've seen cases like this, right? And rather than where there's been one holdout, but rather than have people see the light one way or the other, which is always kind of complicated, right? Is the holdout wrong or is the holdout right and everybody needs to, you know, re re evaluate their their position. But but I think most of the time it ends up being a mistrial or a hung jury. And and so this is it's a it's a fun character study, it's interesting, it does feel very idealistic, especially again for for our day and age. The but I I think it's it's a healthy idealism to to say, well, maybe we should can stop stop where where we are and say, can I adjust or can I can I see the other the other side at all?
Jeff: Yeah, and truthfully this is like this should be required viewing for like everyone in high school. I'm not I'm not gonna say that once I you know, I have my own political opinions, which is like you know, we we're not gonna talk about in this podcast, but like I feel like this is how to this is how we should be disagreeing. And I guess when I get back to my point about like physical violence A lot of times the political discour discourse in our country is is so filled with so much vitriol, you know, so much hate that it's hard, you know, you almost feel like people are on the cusp of like fighting about it. And I just I wish we could get back in our country to to having, you know, civil disagreements and and so on. shifting gears a little bit, Matt, I'm curious what you found to be maybe the most interesting plot point that they brought up, because I've got one specific one that I pulled out. you know, that throughout the movie, like Henry Fonda and others point out like very you know, a bunch of distinct points. And I just wanted to to know if you had one that like stood out to you.
Matt: I like the knife. There's a a knife where they say, Well, this this is the specific knife that was used. It's very unique. If you know, it's very you know, nobody there's no mistaking it, right? This is a very cut and dry fact that this y knife is identifiable as a murder weapon and nobody else essentially would have it. And then Henry Fonda pulls out a knife that's essentially identical, right? And he's just like, I found this at like the pawn shop last night, right? And I I thought Yeah, something like that was a what was one one of the facts that I thought was was interesting, even though I think they said that he wasn't supposed to do that, right? But but you know, it pointed out an important conclusion. There are other ones that I thought were were just a good good reflections, right? And I I don't know. I'm curious to hear yours. What what was yours?
Jeff: Yeah. I put you on the spot there. I think the one that I really liked was when somebody points out that he came home at three AM and it's like why it's it just to be arrested and like why would he have come home at three AM if he wasn't at the movies? Like why would he kill his father at twelve ten, leave the apartment, and then come back at three AM knowing that he had died? Now, yeah, I mean granted Again, it's just reasonable doubt, right? We're not saying he is guilty or not guilty, but it does raise a a very crucial question of like if he wasn't at the movies, why did he come home at three AM? So interesting to think about. let's see, I guess anything else? the the only la the last thing I want to talk about, there are two speeches. So you pointed out the one by Lee J. Cobb, juror number three, who has well actually yeah, I I guess I won't point it out again because but it has a very, very important monologue at the end, where we realize that he you know has his reasons for for declaring guilt. The other one that I thought was the other scene that I just thought was so compelling was Juror Ten and his bigoted speech. and I'm sure you agree, but it's it's this awesome sequence where he's just ranting. about how you can't trust I guess he's Puerto Rican, but you can't trust these guys. They're, horrible people. He's just going off on this bigoted speech. And one by one, all the jurors just kinda stand up and and turn their backs to him. And that was a r that was another really compelling sequence. so anyway, any other thoughts
Matt: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
Jeff: before we get into ratings?
Matt: Well, I love on that scene how they they pull the director's pulling out, right? They're they're pulling out and then you see the whole the whole court or their whole jury room and people are, slowly standing up and turning their backs on this guy who's who's clearly suspecting guilt for the all the wrong reasons, right? And yeah, there are lots of again, I just love the the variety of characters and that they were able to To treat them so consistently. And that that felt a lot like like what Sorkin does, where you can have a show like The West Wing where you have season after season after season. And and I I I'm pretty sure Sorkin didn't end up writing everything, but he wrote a lot of them, especially at the beginning. And just to have these cons the consistency and the diversity of characters is always just an amazing feat.
Jeff: well, I guess getting into ratings, I would give this one definitely a five out of five. I can understand why it's a classic and found it compelling in a lot of ways and again would recommend that it's you know, required viewing for for all the United States. What what do you give it, Matt?
Matt: Yeah, definitely five out of five. I think it deserves its status as a classic and absolutely is beneficial for for anyone having any sort of conversation, here in the United States or anywhere in the world, to just to take a step back and say, Can I see any glimmer of reason on the other side of the argument? And let's stop and talk about it instead of just holding fast to everything that I, you know, come into the room believing.
Jeff: Also, out to Henry Fonda's character for being that guy that just, I w I wouldn't even say that he is the most passionate guy who says, like, surely this guy sh you know, I mean he's the one that initiates the whole thing. but he's not he he never declares his opinion. For sure he's not guilty. 100% I know he's not guilty. But he's just stuck on this piece of reasonable doubt and saying like I have some doubts and I guess it's just healthy for everyone to have some level of doubt, however you get there in in in in any any cause that you feel passionate about, like just just take a step back, you know, just just have the have the I guess it's it's it's its own way of being a hero or it's its own way of, you know, being courageous. So Alright, well let's dive in. Let's talk about our top five screenplays. And the criteria here was that it has to have been a screenplay that was nominated at some point for an Oscar for an Academy Award, either for adapted screenplay or for original screenplay. Maybe at some point we'll we'll dive a little deeper and talk original versus adapted, but for today it's just could be any of them. Although I think actually I'm looking at my list. I think all of mine are original. no, no I've gotten adapted. So anyway, we'll we'll dive in and talk talk through these. Matt, you wanna kick us off? I'll actually be curious if we have any overlaps.
Matt: Yeah, well and and I will say Yeah, yeah, well there's a yeah, the the it's a wide field. And I thought one of the interesting conversations to have with best original screenplay or best adapted screenplay is just how closely did the actual film follow maybe the original the the original screenplay versus the the shooting, like what they actually use for shooting. you know, there are all sorts of varieties, different phases of screenplays. And and so I I and I know that there are screenplays that one best original screenplay or best adapted screenplay where they had to modify it to no end, right? They like Godfather, I think has lots of changes. They they they worked it from the original content from Mario Puzzo, but there's a lot of adjustment that had to happen even as they're filming. versus other ones where they just take that screenplay and they're like, and the director either wrote it themselves, which I probably have quite a few of, or they're handed it and they say, I c this is this is what I want to make. And anyway, so I think it's an interesting conversation. I don't know if members of the academy are opening up, you know, a hundred different screenplays and saying, I'm gonna read this and see how good of a screenplay it is. And so I tried not to give it that much scrutiny. I just think that you can kind of tell in some in some of these films and and watch me say one that doesn't abide by this, but just which ones are shot written, it was written, it was intended, versus which ones are they trying to constantly mold? And I know there's a lot of molding and adjusting, but anyway, I thought it was an interesting thing to see. But I will not go on anymore. I will number five for me. I put down Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino, 1994. Travolta's in there, Samuel L. Jackson. Pulp Fiction's a classic. I think I think a lot of people would feel that. And I think just the nonlinear part of it makes it very interesting. this is one that I just besides just being like beautifully shot, it has some interesting moments for sure, but the the nonlinear fashion of it is a very interesting way to tell the story that it tells. And And there's just a lot of work that that has to go into that. And the dialogue is so witty, so sharp, so hilarious at parts. And and the fact that Quentin Tarantino wrote it and then he went out and directed it, I just feel like, you know, kudos to him for an ama amazing film and many others. And and so that's my my number five.
Jeff: I like it. We might we might revisit Tarantino because he's he writes his own stuff and he is extremely talented, so we'll see. number five for me, I I put Inception. We talked about this one a few weeks ago, and this is Christopher Nolan. And you know, I yeah, so we we talked about it several weeks ago. I then sat and watched the whole movie. start to finish and I think what stands out to me, obviously like Chris Renolan, very talented guy and and there's a lot of great screenwriters out there, but like, you know, I've never come up with an idea this good. and so you you see this movie and and you're just like, man, this is an original screenplay. Like this guy sat and came up with this story and and all the complexity that goes inside of it. And I love like the different clocks that are running throughout the movie. so you've got, our reality, the first layer down, second layer down and and and it's it's very interesting. The only criticism again, I know we're not talking criticisms of Inception, but the only criticism is like I find it very unrealistic that Leo's character ever ever got out of the fourth layer down. Like I just don't I don't see it. Like what? It took him like it
Matt: It's probably
Jeff: took him like five thousand years or something and and he you know, somehow made it back, but you know. G whatever.
Matt: Yeah, and yeah, it's it's not without its flaws, but it is a phenomenal, amazing film.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fantastic, fantastic movie, compelling original idea. I think again, Nolan this is just just briefly going back to our conversation about Nolan movies, like, I just I want him to have another original idea. I hope that Tennet didn't you know, push him to say, I'm not really gonna do these original movies anymore. I'm gonna just focus on, you know, adapting Oppenheimer and and the Odyssey, which They're so popular it it it's it's gonna be interesting to see the direction that he decides to go next. So
Matt: Yeah, definitely. All right. Number four for
Jeff: Number four.
Matt: me, Goodwill Hunting. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. nineteen ninety seven, directed by Gus Van Sant. And this is one that I you know, and this is we I watch this one on T V, right? And I I think that the amount of profanity is probably, you know, right there with Obsession and and a lot of these other ones. and I just I love the story of Goodwill Hunting. I I love the actual dialogue in the film. And I know that Goodwill Hunting went through many iterations. And I've I'm familiar with the story of of Matt Damon writing, s this kind of something that very that deviates from what we actually have, working with Ben Affleck to refine it, getting tips I think from Rob Reiner and others to to hone in on the relationship between Will Hunting and Robin Williams' character. And I just there is so many parts of Goodwill Hunting that I just think we're were well so well done, but they're well done because of the the sharp writing that's in there. And and I just can't I can't think of another movie honestly that has so many scenes where I'm just like, wow this is just just hands down one of the the some of the best dialogue and the best development of characters of of films that I've seen.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. That's a that's a great one. That's a great one for sure. And we should we should remind everyone that as you said, we we grew up watching this on T V and so we we have this line that we always used to quote, just give me my what does he say? My my my burger sandwich. Just give me my burger sandwich.
Matt: Yeah, my burger stay.
Jeff: 'Cause they're cutting out the F word and so he says burger sandwich instead of the F word, so pretty funny.
Matt: It it would be interesting if we could get a hold of all the old T V edits from A B C and N B C and just have a nice loop running of all the strange variations that they they spat out there for for for profanity in these films. And we're just like, well whatever. And it they they definitely were very creative back in the day.
Jeff: Yeah. I do like to say that one though. like whenever we're going to get burgers or sandwiches. We'd be like, I want a burger sandwich. So funny one.
Matt: Well, and do you remember just a quick shout out for the old Joe Pesci show on SNL when he's like, We're gonna replace all of our profanity this week with shampoo and he's like, Shampoo you and he's like shampoo anyway, Joe Pesci show. Classic.
Jeff: Yeah, classic. all right, so number four I've got the social network. this is a Aaron Sorkin movie. And this one has some really fun rapid fire dialogue. yeah, I mean Aaron Sorkin, you can go through his whole filmography and and TV shows that he's made and stuff, and I mean he's a master, but the social network is one that just keeps you engaged from start to finish. I actually really like Steve Jobs too. Or was it Was it called Steve Jobs? Or was it called Jobs? Anyway. I think it was Steve
Matt: It was good.
Jeff: Jobs. It was a good one. You know, I liked that one too. But Social Network just has that rapid fire dialogue. again, maybe unrealistic, but I just like think he told the story of Facebook in such a compelling way. And yeah, I think I'll I'll leave that there for now, but just fantastic movie, but really fantastic dialogue all all the way throughout.
Matt: Yeah, absolutely. all right, number three for me, Million Dollar Baby. Paul Haggis. adapted from wrote Burns from a book. and directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman, and also Hillary Swank. And I don't know how and I will say before anyone goes out and rushes to watch Million Dollar Baby, I love Probably the first hour, hour and fifteen minutes, a million dollar baby. And then it gets a real becomes a very rough watch for for the final for the home stretch. And and intentionally so, but I just love the narration from Morgan Freeman. And I also I love the story that I heard from about Paul Haggis writing it. It took him a long took it he wrote it on spec, took him some some time to sell, but he but Clean Eastwood, this is the story that I heard. that Paul Haggis gives Clint Eastwood the script, just like the the the the the script that he had had written. And Clintis was like, All right, let's do it. And Paul Haggis is like, you want like, should we talk through it and kind of refine it? He's like, Nope. Like, we're doing it. And so a lot of the the word, like the dialogue that you have in that film, which is spectacular, came from Paul Haggis and that that original script that he wrote. And I'm sure there have been there were refinements and there were adjustments made. But I just I think that it's it's so emotional from start to finish. And I I love the story, I love the characters in it, and I just feel like it really hits home every time I watch it.
Jeff: that's great. I I actually haven't watched Million Dollar Baby in some time. So I'm probably one of those guys that needs to go and like refresh my memory on it. but yeah, I'll have to watch for the you know, see how see how I like the the dialogue as well. I number three, Dead Poet Society for me. I grew up with watching Dead Poet Society probably too many times. And Matt, if you've ever wondered why is Jeff such a individualist and nonconformist, I don't know. Many would say that I'm a conformist. but I I think that I have my own free thinking anyway, I d I don't know. I don't know how I how I define myself, but I will say that Dead Poet Society probably played some piece in my desire to be, you know, a free thinker and and so on. but I love this story. Obviously, it has a bit of a tragic ending, but also Ethan Hawk at the end and standing on his desk and captain my captain. but really it it's the Robin Williams scenes that I just absolutely love. The Carpe Diem, Sees the Day Boys, Make Your Lives Extraordinary. obviously, like some of that is given to Robin Williams and just his incredible delivery of the character. and and not strictly on the screenplay, but I think. just really vividly portrays this this idea again about conformity versus individuality and like finding freedom and and freedom to express yourself and and so on in a in a world that oftentimes demands conformity and so really really like this one and giving it giving it my number three. I'll give it a shout out to Tom Skullman Skullman I don't know if he wrote anything else. I'll have to look it up right now, but but cl classic Deadpood
Matt: Well and I love the scene.
Jeff: Society.
Matt: right right there at the start when Rob Williams walks in the the classroom or or soon after and he's like, Follow me and they go down and they look at the old pictures and he's like, Garbadia sees the day. I just I love that. I always love that. Looking and
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. It's great.
Matt: they they zoom in on those pictures and you're just like, man. And and also, a a shout out, let me make sure I get his name right before I before I butcher it. But let's see. The Robert Sean Leonard. I he was on the he was on lots of movies when he was younger and plays Neil Perry in Dead Pod Society. I I'm always I think that the the story of of Robert Sean Leonard is always interesting because because he spends when he's a younger man, he's in all he's in lots of movies. And he's in Swing Kids with Christian Bale also. He does an amazing job in Dead Pod Society. And then he ends up doing tons of seasons on house. And I always think that's an interesting because there are several actors that have done that, right? Chris O'Donnell did that with what NCIS LA and there are lots of these young amazing actors who and and I think there are lots of different paths to this, but eventually find their way kind of as a as an actor in a TV series. And I think maybe for family purposes or just for comfort that may be the the choice, or maybe just for opportunities, I'm not sure, but amazing performances by by some of those young actors on Depot Society.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. All right, Matt, what do you got for number two?
Matt: Number two, Shawshank Redemption. Frank Derbant, he he adapted the screenplay from Stephen King's novella. And I I love Sha Shank Redemption. I think it's really one of the the best films of all time. And I you know the other Stephen King book that I really enjoyed. that they made into a movie was The Green Mile. I know they made a lot of his horror books into into movies like The Shining and things, but in terms of ones that aren't of the horror genre, like we were discussing, Green Mile is another one where I love the book, love the movie. And but Sha Shang Redemption is just has so much depth to it. And I I just love the hope that it projects and maybe the overwhelming theme for for my films is just that Morgan Freeman's in it. Right. And so that's he does you know it plays red
Jeff: That's the key.
Matt: in Sha Shank Redemption. And I love going back. they kinda unpack Sha Shank Redemption at the end in a way that's that's not is n not that quite the same as rewatching the prestige and things, but th it's beautifully done. And I love the scene where he goes out to the big the huge oak tree or the huge tree out in the field towards the end and and they he finds kind of his his letter and instructions and stuff, but he But that that tree, that iconic tree from Shawshank Redemption was fell over a few years ago. I don't know if you heard about that. So people
Jeff: That's too bad.
Matt: people would go out and see this tree and now it's now it's gone. But anyway, amazing screenplay. Love love Sha Shank Redemption. All right, how about you?
Jeff: Yeah, yeah, I I had that on my short list. I think I think I'd probably put it at number six, so definitely can can agree with that one. Well, number two, pardon my French, but I'm gonna go with this one, Inglorious Bastards. I don't know if you've seen this one. Wha
Matt: Yeah.
Jeff: Quentin Tarantino. this one is one that like again I I kinda made a short list and then was going through them. And I just remembered the farmhouse scene at the beginning. Obviously that one is iconic. And then also there's a basement tavern scene that also is iconic. and I lo I loved the ending when you get to the end and they just kind of like rewrite how World War Two ended, you know. But I just I find the whole thing to be I mean, obviously like I think given our our history and everything in in the United States and World War Two, how we view Nazis is is this movie puts like almost a hilarious spin on the the vengeance and hate that we feel toward the Nazis in many cases for for what happened in World War Two. but overall just like those scenes especially stand out. but you know love the whole movie. Even though I did watch it fairly recently and the scalping is a is a little it's a little heavy, but nonetheless fantastic fantastic film and probably my favorite Tarantino, although honestly I really like all of them. I put like all the ones that I've seen like on on pretty equal footing. I I I just think he does a really fantastic job.
Matt: Yeah, at one point I was considering Django Unchained also because I I think that there's another other ones where, he just does it so well. These long, drawn out scenes of rising tension. And and he's talked about that, right? He talks about that in a lot of interviews. He's like, there's that difference between like I'm gonna take 30 seconds and raise the tension, erase the suspense versus I'm gonna take 15 minutes to do it. And he's just such a master at that. And there's so many, Just amazing sequences where you're like, how is he able to successfully keep our attention and build the momentum, every minute so that it has these amazing climaxes. So very, very cool. All right. Number one from
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. All right, what's what's the top one, Matt?
Matt: number one for me, you already mentioned it is social network. And I just there are so many scenes in social network that Sorkin wrote that I just I I really like at the end. where Eduardo's confronting Mark Zuckerberg and he walks in there and he slams down the keyboard and he breaks and they talk about how they depleted his shares. and I just I think that the the dialogue is so sharp and so witty and you know the I even just the some of the the depositions that are offered throughout the film and Mark Zuckerberg his character is just very sharp and I r I know that you know if Once again, we've probably talked about before, but Sorkin has a tendency to he wants to make a point, right? He's not so concerned with the facts of every scene and every character and everything. He's trying to he's trying to make a point. And he does such he does that beautifully. and so the the movie is this fictional i interpretation of what happened over the years with Facebook and with Zuckerberg and everything. But man, what an entertaining ride and just, you know Every scene, every conversation is just over the top, entertaining and and fascinating and intelligent and it's just a joy to watch.
Jeff: I guess in retrospect Eduardo should have put that contract through Claude first, huh?
Matt: That's right. Maybe just double check that one one more time, buddy.
Jeff: Yeah. You're taking how many shows? All right, well my number one has been called out by you. Goodwill hunting, nineteen ninety seven, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck. I guess since you already kinda talked through it a little bit, I'll just talk about a couple of my favorite scenes. the first one that comes to mind is at the bar. Which, is one of the most famous scenes. But I just love this snooty guy from Harvard is, bragging about his knowledge. And you you go back and you if you haven't if you don't remember that scene very well, like go back and just watch it on YouTube. Because when you break down the dialogue, it's actually pretty funny what that guy's saying about I forget, like the post like was it post Civil War farmers in North America. Yeah, I forget what it was, but He's like throwing in all this all this jargon just to try to confuse Matt Damon's character and and Matt Damon just throws it right back at him. And then I I obviously love the the end where he's like, Hey, do you like apples? And the guy's like, What? Do you like apples? Yeah, I like apples. Well, I got a number. How do you like them, apples? You know, just good stuff. and and then, you know, pointed out the profanity, I think Part of it is just the fact that we've never lived in Boston. I imagine a lot of a lot of rough and tumble people in Boston kinda speak like that. but it's it's pretty hilarious. And then the last one that I'll point out is just Robin Williams character. I think his name is Sean. he's the therapist, but he's telling that story about his wife and how he how he, you know, was able to I forget if it was meet his wife or but it was like he missed the world six game or th I'm sorry, the World Series game six in nineteen seventy five to go and go and meet his his wife his future wife who he loved and he says I had to see about a girl. I I told my friends I had to see about a girl and it was like kind of a funny scene because I had to see about a girl is just such a cheesy line. And then at the end, Will kind of d does the same thing. He says, you know Sorry, I had I had to see about a girl and Robin Williams says something like, I stole stole my line.
Matt: So my line. Yeah.
Jeff: So anyway, I just really enjoyed I really enjoyed those things. Obviously like the whole story, the whole movie, there's a reason why everyone loves it so much. but those are just a few a few of the scenes that stood out to me.
Matt: Yeah. Well and it it's fun to watch it now and see all these young actors and Stone Skarsgaard from last week that you mentioned. You know, he's in there also. And
Jeff: Yeah.
Matt: I mean tons of tons of character, recognizable faces, many drivers in there. and and Ben Affleck has a has a great role. I love the the scene where Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are sitting there next to the truck towards the end. And he's like he's like, dude, if we're having this conversation whenever we're like fifty years old, he's like kill myself or whatever. And I think that just some great great moments throughout that that film and really gives us all hope. I I think in college I was I told a professor once I'm like, man, I just really want to be like that, I met Damon in Goodwill Hunting. And he's like, you're an idiot.
Jeff: Mm.
Matt: Nobody has that kind of intellect boy. but great, great, great film, great list.
Jeff: Yeah, yeah. There's I was reading something the other day on a different note about how oftentimes intelligence normalizes on the curve. So like you could be a prodigy and be like a genius who goes to college at twelve, but that by the time you're like say twenty-five, like your intelligence is not going to be like far superior to others who you just developed quicker. Your you just developed your intelligence quicker. I always thought that was interesting because yeah, it's it's a good question. Like how would Will Hunting be in yeah, maybe he's a math professor, but maybe he's a math
Matt: Yeah, we're
Jeff: professor at MIT, but how many math projects professors at MIT do you know the the name of? it's it's a big deal and it's it's a lot of notoriety, but it's also like, So he's a prodigy. Get over it.
Matt: Don't undersell it, Jeff.
Jeff: It's a great movie though. Great movie, so
Matt: Yeah, definitely. Hey, what one more shout out? I brought this book here. Do you remember reading this? This is Mi making movies
Jeff: I d yeah, Sydney Lumay.
Matt: with Sidney Lume. I read this in college. I did a Shakespearean film class, I think. And or did we do this together? Maybe a different class. Anyway, and really great book. If you're ever interested in in getting a few more takes from Sidney Lume, the director of Twelve Angry Men that we're talking about today. really interesting book, Making Movies, by him. And it kinda walks through his different filmography but also just the techniques that go into making film. So just so I I brought it. I meant to mention it during Twelve Angry Men, but really interesting book as well.
Jeff: Y yeah, I I looked up this guy's Sidney Lume, honestly never really heard of him, and I looked up his filmography and it's not a filmography that I'm familiar with a lot of the movies, but talk about a career in Hollywood, just movie after movie after movie, had a very long and vibrant career, ultimately won an honorary Oscar I think in in the nineties at some point. So yeah, maybe it's a one for for deeper expl exploration into Sidney Lume, but certainly someone that
Matt: Well
Jeff: knew the industry well. So
Matt: and have you seen Dog Day Afternoon, Jeff?
Jeff: I haven't.
Matt: I would definitely recommend checking that one out. It's very interesting and and based on you roughly based on a true story at least. So Al Pacino. Can't go wrong. Yeah.
Jeff: another Al Pacino. By the way, I we we created this you know, we were talking about heat and I saw a short come out that had Al Pacino it we we were talking about Al Pacino in the in the clip and it pulled this you know, we have like an automation setup to like pull pictures in from the internet and this Al Pacino picture came through and all I can say is I mean I know he's like a very old man, but he's looking a little rough. Like he might need a Might need a haircut. Might need a shave. He looked like a homeless man. I know. That's that's
Matt: Are you are you gonna tell Al Pacino that? I'm not gonna tell Al Pacino that.
Jeff: Yeah, he's eighty six, so I guess he's he's earned the right to here I'll just maybe I'll just sho show this picture real quick, if I can here, one second. I know everyone's super interested in seeing this.
Matt: show me that picture, Jeff.
Jeff: This is the one that I'm talking about. You
Matt: Yeah, yeah.
Jeff: see how I'm kinda giving he's he's got the beanie on, he's got like the homeless guy vibes, so He's again, he's entitled to dress however he wants. He's Al Pacino for heaven's sakes, but
Matt: That's right.
Jeff: it's interesting. So All right, we'll wrap it up.
Matt: No. Anything else, Jeff? All right. Well, thanks everyone for listening. Please subscribe to our podcast or even just to our YouTube channel. We love hearing the comments, positive or negative. It's always interesting to hear from people listening. And until next week, onward and filmward.
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