Killers of the Flower Moon

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[00:00:22] For a schedule of upcoming screenings and? Yes, I believe it's the way you want to pronounce it. Of course, we joke. He's been around for quite a while, but it's the latest epic film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone. Killers of the Flower Moon will be discussing that in our first review. Then after that, we'll be dipping into some movie news, some recommendations, and even

[00:01:42] a trailer to tease of an upcoming film that I'm, one that involved being a hitman for a crime family and especially, assassinating Jimmy Hoffa. Now in 2023, Scorsese has teamed up again, not only with De Niro, but another favorite of his, Leonardo DiCaprio, for the three hour and 26 minute, based on a true story, Killers of the Flower Moon.

[00:03:00] This new film visits Oklahoma in the 1920s when oil is discovered on the land of the

[00:03:04] Osage nation. very eager and excited to see a film for me to go out on opening night or opening night weekend to a three and a half hour movie by myself I might note too because the entire family skipped out of town that night so it was just me and it would be for a Scorsese film that I would pull that off and do that for. I think Killer to I connected with the film so much is I knew nothing about this story, the underlying story of the Osage nation back in the 1920man is more of what people stereotypically think with a Martin Scorsese picture. It's about the mob. So it's like, kind of like, I'd seen him do that before, and it was still good, but I kind of felt like it was so familiar to me. Whereas you're right, with this,

[00:07:01] not to say there's not a crime element,

[00:07:02] because obviously there definitely is,

[00:07:04] but because it's like a from the trailer, but kind of a crime thriller or a crime who done it kind of type thing. And I wasn't expecting from the very beginning, you're like, Oh, I think I, I think I know what's going on here. And then for the rest of the film, it's like, no, I know what's going on here, but I don't think I think that was just a misconception.

[00:08:20] No, no, I, I, it's surprising because you're like, wow, like it, well, kind of shows you

[00:08:25] what's happening early. of its historical drama, its historical crime drama, there is a romance, I guess you could say, at one part of this film, which is a little different. I mean, we don't see a lot of romance in Scorsese films. And this one starts to have one bit of a relationship that is the main character that we follow.

[00:09:41] Well, the two main character, I will say.

[00:09:43] Leonardo DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhardt,

[00:09:46] and Lily Gladstone's characters hardly ever there. We have no insight from the rest of the Osage Nation other than a couple of

[00:11:02] scenes I think dropped in almost very expositionally

[00:11:08] just to have them kind of comment on what's going on. But I felt like they tried to shoehorn it back in at the end to kind of remind us it was their story overall, but I do feel like it got a little more consumed with, with the white man story than it did the Osage story, which that was a disappointment for me. Not enough for me to at all anywhere close to saying I don't appreciate the film. It's just, it is something I feel like was a missed opportunity.

[00:12:20] And I would have loved to see more of with it. Yeah. Um,

[00:12:24] what about some callouts on some, some strengths with the film, uh,

[00:13:24] Very, like, he's, yeah, he just, it's a very different looking role for him.

[00:13:27] So that kind of took me aback,

[00:13:29] but I think his performance is pretty good.

[00:13:31] A lot more subtle to than what would normally be,

[00:13:35] like it's not a very, I don't know,

[00:13:38] he's so kind of even keel throughout the film,

[00:13:40] his character doesn't really change.

[00:13:44] A very simple type character that,

[00:13:46] and I don't know, that was just kind of talk and make an idiot of yourself, but they just, they listen. And if they do say something, you better pay attention to what they say. And she falls into that category, well, yeah, she'll talk, but just her facial expressions and how she's able to, just even her eyes seem to kind of communicate a lot. And so that made it really impressive.

[00:15:01] It's not like she was nonstop talking

[00:15:03] and that made her a very dynamic character.

[00:15:05] She's just in her silence, very strong performance. You know, DiCaprio, look, it was a good performance. I liked it. I don't think he had as much to do as much of the other character, and that's fine. I think that was his character. His character was a lot more just kind of there. His character didn't drive any of

[00:16:20] the action. His character wasn't there to respond it was centered more on this relationship between Ernest and Molly and the relationship with, with, uh, in there, in the uncle, you know, King Hill and the FBI side of things kind of got shifted and just kind of put like really like we saw in the last third of the film. I mean, Jesse Plemons is Tom light, you know, kind of heading up the investigation. We don't see until, you know,

[00:17:41] the last third, uh, but that's good. I'm okay with that because again,

[00:17:45] I wanted to spend more time with this community.

[00:18:45] that is unexpected, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

[00:18:47] I know where you're going with that. And then there's a second layer to it

[00:18:48] of a particular speech and particular piece

[00:18:52] that's presented by a certain someone

[00:18:55] in that final segment that is also a bit surprising.

[00:18:59] So just give me overall thoughts on the ending.

[00:19:02] How did that ending work for you?

[00:19:03] It was a very...

[00:19:04] Sure.

[00:19:05] It was a very cut to this ending, a radio play, essentially. I found it, it was odd, and at first I was kind of like, okay, what's going on? But I think it was, it's how radio would have been big back in the 1920s,

[00:20:22] and they had like radio dramas and radio plays.

[00:20:25] So I think it was an, the Osage Nation, except for the final shot of this film, and I am in general not a fan of drone or drone looking shots just because I think it is really, really, really overdone, especially like even low budget films a lot of times throw drone shots in to be like, hey, look at our production value. Obviously, Martin Scorsese doesn't need to do that.

[00:21:43] And I'm not saying it looks like a drone shot to remind you in a way too that we as an American society have kind of turned it into entertainment, these stories. Yes. And that's how it was presented to people on this radio show. It is entertainment. Oh, you know, let's talk about the mean villain who kind of murdered these people and we're

[00:23:02] going to talk about all this sensationalism.

[00:23:05] So that is us as an American society.

[00:23:07] We've glommed onto that. I'm just conflicted because it's a little bit trying to play both sides. Just like it's trying to remind us, hey, we played this for entertainment and we should be a little... it's a little... it's a little pointing the fingers at ourselves saying, hey, we do this as a society. This is how we treat these stories. But yet, this is also what... It's probably why I'm disappointed that the whole latter half of the film,

[00:24:21] I felt like straight away from the Osage Nations viewpoint and their story, really, really fine film, well made. I appreciated it and enjoyed it all the way through. Just feel like there was some missed opportunities with the story. Yeah, I don't know that I definitely don't share that misgiving. Yeah, I understand what you're saying,

[00:25:40] but I think that's the story that was told was,

[00:25:43] yeah, I see why it odd and maybe it's just because I'm too much of a movie nerd music nerd that it I saw it as much as I did but Jason Isbell is in this film Yeah, well as George Will Simpson is in this film both of them having pretty pretty big impactful part Yeah, they're not just there briefly and then the one that really made me kind of like wait, is that yeah, that's him

[00:27:01] In the in radio play Jack White is there. Yeah, so it was like a lot of musicians. It's just kind of was weird

[00:28:05] that. But they all did good jobs. I mean, I think performances were fine from all of them. So it was a little odd, the casting there. And I think, speaking of music, Robby Robertson did the score

[00:28:12] for this film and he had done, I think, Casino. And he'd also done work on The Irishman. And he's

[00:28:17] the member of the band who passed away, is it earlier this year in 2023 or was it 2022? I mean,

[00:28:24] he's deceased now. And I know this was his last big thing that he got to work on with Scorsese.

[00:29:24] of became a victim of a little bit of what we're trying to indict at the end of the film. It's let's make it a little more entertainment and make a little more gangster movie that we're

[00:29:29] following the mob and we got to try to figure out who's going to get off next type of thing.

[00:29:34] And that was still very well done. I mean, it's very engaging filmmaking. It's just,

[00:29:41] boy, I just wish they could have they could Just a little bit of a double whiplash. Just like you get whiplash with the radio show coming up. And then as you're kind of getting settled and thinking, really, they're going to end the film with kind of a little bit making light of the situation, and then you get that final closing speech. Like, okay, all right. Yeah, I get it. I get what the messaging is. I

[00:31:02] feel like it may be a bit contradictory to what a good chunk of the film, she's just not there. But I don't know, I've seen them make some stranger decisions on that. Well, then you give her that whole like, it's basically a game that you play, it's like, okay, if you feel like the main actress is the more competitive field, then you put her

[00:32:20] and you know she's got a lot to win supporting.

[00:32:22] So it's, you know, which is unfortunate,

[00:32:23] because like you're saying, you know.

[00:32:24] She should be a lead actress.

[00:32:26] I just feel like he will be. I think there's a pretty good shot for him to win it too, because I mean, what you've got Oppenheimer with Christopher Nolan. I'm sure he'll probably get a nomination for direction as well. Outside of that, I don't know. Greta Gerwig for Barbie, I don't know.

[00:33:40] We'll see what happens with other nods,

[00:33:42] but this could be one to watch.

[00:33:44] Okay, so that is Killers of the Flower Moon.

[00:33:47] It is out in theaters now. I would actually rather go see it in a theater because then you're like, you know, you have to make a point, it's making a point not to be distracted by anything because you're not in your house sitting on the couch where you could easily be like, you know what, I'm hungry, I'm gonna go get a snack. And then like pause it for 20 minutes. So yeah, if you're interested in seeing it, I would encourage you maybe if you feel safe going to a theater or whatever, to go to the theater

[00:35:01] because the experience is gonna be, to me,

[00:35:04] more of an experience.

[00:35:05] Yeah, yeah.

[00:35:06] But yeah, if you're like, To learn more, visit thejaxacreative.com. Jackson Creative, we tell your story. Welcome back to Foot Candle Films here on the Mesh.tv podcast network. Alan Jackson and Chris Fry back here again. We had our review of Killers of the Flower Moon earlier, which we both really did like.

[00:36:20] Yes.

[00:36:21] I had some comments to make about it that I wish had been a little different with the storytelling,

[00:36:25] but please don't let that be seen as a sign that I do not like this film. I want to share the trailer with you as well. So yeah, all that mystery I will explain here in a moment. Um, director Matthew Vaughn. Okay. Okay. You may know him from, let's see, he he's made the Kingsman movies, which, uh, yes. Not the biggest fan. No, no, not the biggest fan either. There's been three of them. I believe so. I saw the first one.

[00:37:44] I did too. I don't think I've seen the sequels. I don't think I have,

[00:38:41] the film in general. It is being touted as a little bit of a kind of

[00:38:43] a big release coming out in, I think, January?

[00:38:45] Maybe I'll verify that for sure.

[00:38:47] But Matthew Vaughn had kind of an interesting news item

[00:38:51] and it just brings up a good question.

[00:38:54] He got talked to in an interview, I guess,

[00:38:56] while he's out promoting this film, Argyle.

[00:38:59] And he was asked if he ever considered

[00:39:02] or would want to do something with Star Wars,

[00:39:05] the Star Wars franchise.

[00:40:06] director you liked came up and said I'm going to reboot Star Wars we're gonna start it back from ground zero it's still gonna be similar characters it's

[00:40:10] still gonna be similar things but we're redoing it just all new new casting maybe

[00:40:15] put a little fresh spin on some of the characters but it's still gonna be a

[00:40:18] reboot it like forget everything that happened starting fresh how what would Star Wars and some of his like maybe twist type stuff, maybe it could work. I guess Matthew Vaughn was the person who said it. I'm like, yeah, his stuff doesn't in general work for me. So I'd be really leery at it. So I mean, if you have such an original take on the universe, then just do it with some original people,

[00:41:43] not with character, or not original people,

[00:41:45] but do it with some same characters. Yeah. It's the same basic story, but he obviously added a very different take on it and it worked beautifully. So yeah, I think it depends on the person. I don't want Matthew Vaughn doing it, but I'd be happy with a select number of people maybe considering it. Vaughn went on to say kind of his comments on this is like, you know, everyone would

[00:43:03] say you're an idiot to try to do it, but Vaughn's likely not going to get an opportunity anytime. This is from a vanity fair. Vaughn's likely not going to get an opportunity anytime soon to remake the

[00:44:22] original films.

[00:44:23] Kathleen Kennedy had just told Vanity Fair last year that Lucasfilm is focused basically the same characters just replayed by different people if it was being done by someone with a really unique vision for telling the story, that's it. But if it's just gonna be re-tooling it just because we want younger people to like Luke Skywalker and see a younger like Luke Skywalker, no I'm not interested in that. That's no good. Okay, so that's Matthew Vaughn just because he's him.

[00:45:42] He's talking Star Wars, I thought it was worth exploring.

[00:45:45] And honestly there's not a lot of other news

[00:45:47] right now going on. And then of course I read the premise of the film, an introverted spy novelist is drawn into the activities of a sinister underground syndicate. All right, I like that concept, but I feel like it's also been done recently. Didn't we have a film very similar to that with Sandra Bullock, The Lost City? Yes. Where she is a like an adventure romance novelist and she kind of gets brought into her own

[00:47:04] story?

[00:47:05] Yes.

[00:47:06] Right?

[00:47:07] That is the movie and I, we're not so different. Agent Argyle. Little help? Hold on. So that was the trailer for Argyle coming out February 2nd by director Matthew Vaughn. Huge cast. I will say, I mean, before I know, the line on the poster is, once you know the secret, don't let the cat out of the bag. And there seems to be in the trailer a moment of some sort of twist as well. So we're trying to play that up from a marketing standpoint and make it, you know, appealing of why. Oh, oh, I have a guess.

[00:49:41] You have a, okay, I don't wanna know.

[00:49:43] Okay. Yeah.

[00:49:45] Look, this is gonna be, I'm like, okay, all right. I never kind of heard it pitched that way, but they're definitely trying to play that up. And then play up some sort of twist in the film, yeah. But it's really interesting, even the visual style of the film looks like the Kingsman, even like the use of the plaid patterns and some other things they use, it just looks like, yeah, this looks just like his other action movies, and I don't know.

[00:51:03] We will see.

[00:51:05] I'm kind of curious, but at the same time,

[00:51:07] I don't have high hopes either. She loves going there to see all the new stuff they come out with, you know, just the different costumes and such. There's always this character and I had no idea who it was and then it was like, oh, well, that's trick-or-treat. That's Sam. I'm like, okay. But just, I thought it was like a Nightmare Before Christmas rip-off or something. I was like, okay, I want to watch trick-or-treat just so I know like what Sam is. And he is in the film.

[00:52:23] I was a little disappointed that he wasn't in the film come out yet. Maybe they're still working on the script. But if you want something a little, an original kind of scary movie, if you haven't seen it, you can check it out. It's available on Max, so if you subscribe to that service, you can see it, or I'm sure you can rent it at all the usual places.

[00:53:40] And that's the service formerly known as HBO.

[00:53:42] HBO Max, yeah, but Max.

[00:53:44] Now it's just Max.

[00:53:44] Now it's just Max.

[00:53:45] So trick or treat.

[00:53:47] Right, because trick or treat.

[00:55:03] So with that Chris, anybody has any thoughts,

[00:55:06] feedback for us, what should they do? We won't let anyone know where you are. The films that don't make it to Carmike at the mall. Or ones that were famous when grandpa would watch films. Out of the reverence of the heritage of an ark. Watch films through the courtesy of Woodkin.

[00:56:24] No film society.