Strays

[00:00:00] What you want, when you want it, where you want it. This is The Mesh.

[00:00:10] What you want, when you want it, where you want it. This is The Mesh.

[00:00:18] Footcandle Films Film news and reviews from two guys who really like movies.

[00:00:26] This episode is brought to you by The Footcandle Film Society. For a schedule of upcoming screenings and membership information, visit the Society's website at www.footcandle.org

[00:00:43] Hello everyone and welcome to Footcandle Films here on The Mesh.tv podcast network. My name is Alan Jackson.

[00:00:51] I'm across the table from me on the second microphone at this table. It's Chris Fry and we are both privileged to have the titles of co-founders and co-directors of The Footcandle Film Society and also host of Footcandle Films Podcasts. How you doing Chris?

[00:01:07] I am doing well. How are you now?

[00:01:11] I'm pretty good. I'm pretty busy because we have an impending festival. We'll probably talk about that in the podcast.

[00:01:18] Lots going on. There's always time for movies Chris.

[00:01:22] Let me say that and of course I'm the one that hardly gets to catch up on other movies we're supposed to be seeing.

[00:01:28] We do have at least time for one movie we will be discussing this week for sure. This week in our episode we will be having a review of the film Strays starring Will Farrell and Jamie Foxx.

[00:01:40] After that review of the film, the comedy film Strays, we have a couple of items. I've got a couple of news items to share Chris and Chris has a recommendation of a film he's going to share with us as well for this episode.

[00:01:53] So lots to do. Let's jump right in and talk about our feature film review which is the film Strays.

[00:02:02] Today is going to be the best day ever. I love sunshine, I love butterflies but more than anything I love Doug.

[00:02:12] Hey! Shut the f**k up! That's Doug! The best owner in the world!

[00:02:20] On our podcast homepage on the nesh.tv website, Alan's bio states he's a big fan of Citizen Kane and also appreciates films with giant monsters and where animals talk.

[00:02:32] Strays features talking animals and in pen and or Doug played by Will Forte a giant monster at least from his dog's perspective.

[00:02:41] So with these two criteria met is this your favorite film of 2023 Alan?

[00:02:48] Good call on that. Yes, I do like the talking animal genre. There's two sub-genres in there. I don't know if you're aware of.

[00:02:56] There's the animals with these movies with they the pig and those movies without them.

[00:03:00] No, it's whether the animals actual lips move are made to make the move or you just are hearing them without any movement.

[00:03:08] That's two sub-genres of the talking animals movement. Do you have a preference between the two?

[00:03:13] I like the talking lips. I do like it when the lips move and this movie interestingly enough starts out you're hearing you're following the will for a fair of Reggie.

[00:03:23] Yes, the dog he plays. This is a live action film but it is voiced all of the animals are voiced by actress that we'll talk about.

[00:03:33] We hear Reggie's thoughts and we don't see a mouth move for a while. I'm like, oh we're going into that genre film but then things shift after you kind of get all the setup of the film done and follow actually more of the day to day plot.

[00:03:46] Then yes, lips move in I was happy so.

[00:03:50] Back to your question of did this film work? I think this is a very funny film. I did have a good time with it although it's a lot.

[00:04:03] It definitely takes the profane to an extreme level I feel like at times that I just on a personal preference. It doesn't always work for me.

[00:04:15] I think I got a little too much at times. A little too trying to push that Rangie button but I had a fun time with it. I do think it's funny.

[00:04:24] I think the writing on it is pretty sharp. I think taking the idea of dogs and the things that we know dogs have as general characteristics and kind of playing them into how they relate to one another,

[00:04:36] how would they talk about these traits that they have in a very their own self self-aware way. I thought was pretty clever at times the plot super simple there's nothing much to that it's it's it's a very simple movie.

[00:04:50] It even though an hour and a half is it is a little long it does feel like it drags at times I think this probably could have been a much tidier film even in an hour and been just as effective.

[00:05:02] I had a good time with it. Yes, I'm a sucker for this type of film. Yes, I do like Will Farrell. I do like Jamie Foxx. I thought they were both very funny.

[00:05:12] Actually all four of the main characters I thought were voice actors were very very good as well. So Chris I saw some eyebrows pop out as I was giving my opinion so have at it tell me tell me your thoughts on this film.

[00:05:23] Well, we're we're on the same page. I thought the voice work by Farrell Jane Fox Randall Park and is the Fisher I love Fisher. I thought yes they were all they were all great.

[00:05:34] I also saw on the marvelous internet that apparently in the film like 90% of the dog stuff you see is is actual dogs.

[00:05:47] I think there is a little bit where I guess they it's totally CG obviously they make their lips move. Right, we have the lips.

[00:05:53] But like you know getting the dogs to do things I guess that's all like they're very well trained. So you know that to me is also impressive because if I'm if I think about trying to make a movie that runs you know 93 minutes and it has to involve animals doing things like

[00:06:12] that just seems to me almost impossible right off the bat yeah animate them or make them fake with CGI yes easy but so I'll give the film credit for that and yes you know what this is just be a comedy is not supposed to make you think or anything is just supposed to be a comedy did I laugh a couple times sure.

[00:06:29] But where I was disappointed and I felt that down and I think you appreciate I think you like to film more than me.

[00:06:37] And that's why the eyebrow raising that podcast listeners couldn't see when you talked about how it was well written.

[00:06:44] I think there are some clever jokes but overall it reminded me of the Austin powers franchise actually where they take it they take something that's funny and then they absolutely just run running in the ground just totally kill it.

[00:07:01] And that's kind of how I felt here like they would have little funny things but then they just kept like you know okay animals talking funny animals talking and cursing okay funny.

[00:07:13] But then they just kind of go overboard with them cursing it's like yeah after a while it's like I don't know who people who talk like this.

[00:07:20] I don't know obviously I don't know any animals the talk but definitely don't talk that so that was just kind of like okay and you're just trying so hard for like the R label and you know dogs being dogs their animals like pumping things okay funny you know they even should and I think again kind of take a drink.

[00:07:41] The things that were in the trailer that were fine and this is I think this is one example of a really well made trailer totally sells them maybe totally gives you the whole idea.

[00:07:51] Let you kind of know that it's going to be a little out there and definitely adult but the beats that were in the trailer like take those jokes and then just do them over and over and over again and that made for the 9-30 minute running time.

[00:08:04] Well I agree with you on the link I do feel like it was extended as welcome longer than it to it it was a little repetitive with some of the jokes.

[00:08:14] I still liked the intent of the jokes yeah do I wish I hadn't seen him in the trailer absolutely it would have helped a lot for sure with that.

[00:08:22] Well I'll say something you know come on say something positive the character Doug the pet owner played by Will for a day in a not that I love this film but in a lesser film they would have given him some redeemable qualities or given him a story arc.

[00:08:41] They do not bother with that and I think that's actually kind of a strength of the film where some of the things that they end up doing with the other characters other dogs.

[00:08:51] They kind of wrap it all up in a really nice bonus a little to like sugary sweet small see for me and I was kind of like wait wait wait kind of like how they're making everything nice thing I'm like wait this isn't a Disney movie.

[00:09:03] Why are you just let it be what it was so I kind of found that surprising but the thing that saved it was that yeah Doug is a jerk and continues to be a jerk so that that worked in the plot line of the film I don't know if we even mention or not so.

[00:09:20] The idea is you have a dog who is abandoned by his quote owner guy who basically was just had him right play by Will for today that was that was Doug.

[00:09:31] So Reggie's on his own for the first time he's abandoned he teams up with these other stray dogs that he meets in the city and then plots ways to get revenge on his former owner and that kind of starts there.

[00:09:44] They're incredible journey in that the animal film I think there's an incredible journey and then there's also a home or bound home or bound yeah there's all bad I think one of them yeah now I think it's like multiple animals are kind of going on a trip together same idea yeah.

[00:09:59] Will Ferrell is Reggie I like it's it's perfect casting I mean he can play the.

[00:10:07] Gollible kind of a little too innocent for his own good but yeah when he starts to develop an edge you kind of buy it I don't know I liked his work Jamie Foxx's bug look it's it's the most profane I've ever heard Jamie Foxx be which I know he can be profane at times but sure boy oh boy they just let him go nuts with this and.

[00:10:28] I think it's really good in that I didn't even I couldn't even told him was Jimmy Foxx half the time because he just really just laid on to this this character.

[00:10:38] A bug a little what kind of dog is that the little dog he played do you know the dog he's small little dog yeah my wife is a vet and I'm terrible yeah it's a small dog anyway yes and that's part of the joke is he so small but yet he's just got a big big big mouth and personality and yes.

[00:10:56] Um he was really good you mentioned Randall Park as Hunter who's a larger dog another breed I don't know how to tell large dog yeah but yet the idea is he wears a one of the plastic medical cone jam on them all the time he's got a lot of anxiety he's kind of a hyper contract it seems like to be sometimes.

[00:11:16] So he's been rejected from the police for right reject from the police force and then is a Fisher as Maggie who a very very beautiful dog and they even play that up kind of from an appearance wise it's like a collie like a little boy collie type of thing sure.

[00:11:30] But yeah was abandoned by an owner she had as well so uh yeah that's the for some and I think look it the plots nothing to write home about it it's a pretty cut and dry thing it's more they're banking on the concede of look hey here or.

[00:11:46] Four dogs and instead of it being this little Disney production of four dogs going on a trip to find their owner let's make them just be.

[00:11:55] Out for revenge and bad tempered foul mouth and just rejects basically that not trying to just get home they're trying to take revenge yeah so yeah and that's the whole concept of the film if that sounds at all interesting and funny to you then yeah it's an hour and a half I think is as well spent with it but yes is it repetitive absolutely.

[00:12:16] Does it kind of where way too much of his are rating on a sleeve for some good yeah I mean look I feel like that way with a lot of comedies that come out you mentioned how you know you don't hear people curse and talk the way they do as much as they do

[00:12:29] I've said the same about so many independent films or or hard our movies I see or even comedy you know we're like man people honestly don't talk this way I don't feel like any walks of life I encounter but yet is playing up is like well we got to

[00:12:45] are rating let's just go nuts with it and let's make every other word as per faint as possible. It does get a little tiresome it does get a little tiresome some of the some of the moments I'm just going to say I'm not a big fan of seeing anything that has to do with

[00:13:01] body excrement on screen right not a big good thing for me I mean it doesn't matter if it's animal him it doesn't matter that is not work for me at all they love the

[00:13:11] excrement they do there's a whole big scene I could have done without in a in a prison or animal control prison that was yeah that was probably the point where I'm I say okay this is this is a bit much I'm having a

[00:13:26] difficult time with this right now for a while but that's also more of a personal thing for me I get I don't want to sound like a prude on this I I have no

[00:13:34] problem with this I just felt like they just maybe went a little too far for a little too long sure in general and I think you know it's just humor comedy is very hard

[00:13:45] because you know it's to do it right or to make it really funny you're trying to appeal to so many different things in people like their

[00:13:53] senses of humor and just like their level of yeah profaneness or what is clean humor really funny humor harder to do than really dirty humor you

[00:14:01] just throw out a bunch of cuss words and some people will laugh just because it's like funny awkward way so I think and callbacks like that was my

[00:14:09] thing is there's a thing about how poop might be used to make chocolate okay funny once fun then there's a callback okay but then I feel like it

[00:14:18] keeps getting it was definitely called back more than once and I was like okay yes that was funny now come up with

[00:14:25] something new and that was just me getting for instance my favorite which thankfully was not spoiled by the

[00:14:32] preview my favorite joke in the entire movie and I won't spoil it was there was a encounter with a monologue

[00:14:41] dog all right yeah at a county fairs good yes and there's a callback to it and then they leave it but that was my

[00:14:48] favorite thing in the whole movie and I think that's just the kind of humor that appeals to me is that little kind of

[00:14:54] little kind of meta humor in a way and making kind of a dig at Marley and me as well so you're making a joke

[00:15:00] about inside movies and then also making it so that's kind of what appeals to me and I understand this movie is like

[00:15:06] it's not trying to do that all the time there was something there but then it just you know relied too much on other stuff that I just

[00:15:13] didn't find as funny yeah I did find it funnier even if I do feel like it was a little a bit tiresome at times I don't

[00:15:23] think that's the concept for me I think I think as making a comedy film the whole key is to making something you

[00:15:32] feel like will gain automatic laughs is to have characters say or do things very very contrary to what they appear

[00:15:41] or look like they would be as characters whether you have small children there was the film Good Boys that came out

[00:15:48] a couple years ago yes very very similar in that idea of actually recommended that on the show you did yeah where it's like

[00:15:55] okay let's take young boys that are we're going to let them be profane we're going to let them really talk about

[00:16:01] you know adult subject matter and that's what's funny about that you know you do the same thing with

[00:16:06] there's been some cartoons that kind of have taken that approach let's have these really fun youth

[00:16:13] look oriented little animated characters but let's have them say like horrible things you know what was the one that was

[00:16:19] the about all the food that uh Seth Rogan did was a sausage party yeah sausage party kind of same idea that's

[00:16:28] definitely playing into that I mean right away the concept it kind of writes its own ticket it's like okay yeah we're

[00:16:34] going to have fun little dogs cute little dogs dogs are still really big on social media right now people

[00:16:39] some dogs stuff all the time let's make them be really perfect and do that and I think they just took too

[00:16:46] much of the free ride like it was a clever idea yeah and there was some writing there but I feel like

[00:16:51] it was kind of 60% of script I feel like if it would have had a couple more revisions it could have been

[00:16:57] really good or I would have liked it better but it it just was kind of taking a little bit of a free

[00:17:02] ride of okay talking animal movie but instead of being a Disney movie we make it a hard are and then

[00:17:08] they're like okay and then they put the minimal amount of work into the script yeah good big I think also the

[00:17:14] pedigree of the film not familiar with the writer don't know of anything that he's written other things but I'm not familiar

[00:17:19] with them but the director did a film that you recommend on the show the two funny to fail the kind of

[00:17:26] documentary about the Dana Carvey oh yeah so he directed that and then he directed barben stargut

[00:17:32] Del Mar which was a film from 2021 yeah which we loved and yes so I knew that going in to this so I was my

[00:17:40] expectations unfortunately the bar had been raised and it did not meet them so I but I really it's not you

[00:17:47] know voice acting they gave it the raw the effects of the animals talking great yeah it's just this it comes

[00:17:53] back to the script that was well like I'm I'm gonna give the film personally a good recommendation

[00:17:59] because I think I love having been former dog owner have dogs most all my life the the elements they

[00:18:07] decided to weave into the film and have the cut dogs comment on and give kind of that meta commentary from their

[00:18:13] own perspective where we're seeing it from the dog viewpoint where something we already have a preconceived

[00:18:18] notion about their love of couches okay I think it's funny yes was it used quite a bit absolutely but very

[00:18:26] very funny still the same seeing themselves in mirrors I thought that's funny unfortunately

[00:18:32] spoken in the in the trailer I wish that had been something not in the trailer as a couch care couch was

[00:18:37] to that would be fine right you mentioned the humming yes humming is very prevalent in the movie but I like kind of

[00:18:44] they take they gave the dogs to do it it's just again it's a little more redundant sure there's a couple more

[00:18:51] things you mentioned about the oh gosh what was it although something else I was going to mention anyway

[00:18:58] another one of those dog tropes that they just just kind of have fun with and I think it's great so look I like

[00:19:05] the film I thought it was funny it was a bit much it's one of those where I will if it comes on again like when it goes

[00:19:12] to video on demand or it goes on to some streaming service whatever I would have on and I would watch not

[00:19:19] watching it as a complete movie but just sure because there are enough funny moments and situations

[00:19:25] and the voice acting is fun to listen to it's a fun time for me but not for everybody I can see that yeah if

[00:19:33] you're looking for story yeah don't come here no no you're not going to get there and if you're concerned about

[00:19:40] the level of profanity in some recent movies yeah definitely don't go see this one because this will this

[00:19:45] will not be a good fit for you to I think that's where we are with Strays yes I'm positive Chris is

[00:19:52] not not so much more on the negative side all right again it gets because this gives me a

[00:19:58] frame of reference Chris on a five star letter box review you're at where with this two either two or

[00:20:03] two and a half two to an half okay I'm it I'm at three to three and a half okay you know it's

[00:20:11] definitely not up in that four five and there's no way it's just it just doesn't have enough going

[00:20:16] for it to do that but uh but it did keep me laughing quite a bit some of it uncomfortable

[00:20:22] laughing but still laughing all the same kind of that is Strays unfortunately it is a little

[00:20:29] bit of a a victim of the actor strike from a box office standpoint because this movie severely

[00:20:36] underperformed did not make a lot of money and a lot of it's being claimed on you know will

[00:20:40] will Farrell Jamie Foxx the big stars of film are not out there promoting it can't talk it up and can't

[00:20:45] share anything about it so that does seem to be something affecting this film as well as the fact

[00:20:50] that the reviews were not stellar coming out of it so sure word of mouth was not the most positive

[00:20:55] either so I don't know how long it'll be in the movie theater after you hear this podcast but I'm

[00:21:00] saying give it a shot Chris is saying man don't worry about it I mean maybe when it hits a

[00:21:04] streaming service maybe oh mailman that's the other conceit I love their take on mailman okay and

[00:21:11] that okay they played that just enough they played it just yeah there were callbacks but they were spaced

[00:21:16] out they weren't relying there was one moment yeah and not filthy raunchy not that I'm against that kind of

[00:21:22] humor but it was like it was nice to have a break of something that was funny outside of like yeah when

[00:21:28] a mailman is encountered at two different times in this film their reactions and you really hear from

[00:21:34] a dog's internal voice of what their thoughts on the mailman is sure it's very very funny so I'm

[00:21:40] okay that is straight we'll wrap that up Chris we'll stick a quick break and when we come back I think

[00:21:45] I've got a couple of quick news items to share you have a recommendation to share that's what we're going

[00:21:49] to do so stay tuned for candle films we'll be back in just a moment.

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[00:22:13] Welcome back to foot candle films here on the mesh.tv podcast network Chris and I disagreed

[00:22:20] on our take of strays but that's okay the mixed world go around we don't have everybody with the same

[00:22:25] opinions it's fine so my correct opinion of strays and it was a very funny movie right versus Chris's

[00:22:32] possibly misguided somewhat uninformed I don't know what the word I want to use for it but your opinion

[00:22:38] on the film yes no we we saw some elements we liked in it but not enough for Chris to give a positive

[00:22:44] review just enough for me to say yes it's worthwhile okay that being a side let's go turn our

[00:22:51] attention to some other things Chris we always like to either bring up some news or bring up some

[00:22:56] items to share I've got a couple news items I thought let me talk about in the film world and then I want

[00:23:01] to hear your recommendation of a film for our listeners as well Chris already mentioned during the

[00:23:07] review of strays about the actor strike and the writer strikes going on we contemplated in past

[00:23:14] episodes what impact this is gonna have on films being released the rest of the year right we are

[00:23:21] hearing that some films were being moved and some things are shifting around well we have another

[00:23:26] victim don't know if you saw this dune has been officially moved as of just yesterday delayed to

[00:23:34] 2024 and March was the I think was the month they gave it I believe yes March 50 is interesting

[00:23:44] because okay so they actually gave it a day to I think it's interesting where you know everything

[00:23:49] seems to be so up in the air that instead of just saying it's gonna be a 2024 release and maybe

[00:23:55] just giving it a mark like I'm surprised that they actually went ahead and gave it a month and a

[00:24:01] like you know rather I'm not surprised they're moving I understand why because like everything we said but I'm

[00:24:06] just kind of shocked that they go ahead and give another day it's like they're kind of guessing like oh well

[00:24:11] we it's kind of like the studios are like we know when we're gonna finally cave and give people money so

[00:24:15] we know by then we'll be okay to release it so I think that's it does sound a little presumptuous it's

[00:24:19] kind of interesting yeah because I think the actors and writers have been struggling struggling like dude yeah

[00:24:24] I mean the word I've been hearing is that it could be still January February March even possibly

[00:24:29] where the strike's still going on it was like okay well then you're right March saying it's putting a

[00:24:34] stake in the ground for March 15th it is tough because it's like kicking it to like the summer or something that

[00:24:40] would seem like well or at least keep it open and say spring 2024 and then as things progress you

[00:24:45] can't stake a more permanent release date as it is right now if it's March 15th and things are not

[00:24:49] resolved in January February I mean they're gonna have to bump it again or else they just say no we're

[00:24:55] just gonna release it even if we can't promote it we just we gotta do it right that's gonna be the

[00:25:00] challenge with all these situations and I'm not saying it's a I'm not saying it's a it's a heartache

[00:25:05] situation for the studios because again I do feel like the studios are a little bit doing this to

[00:25:11] themselves so it is a dilemma they're just gonna have to deal with if they're gonna continue

[00:25:17] again from what we read and see if they're not as cooperating with the those on strike and the guilds

[00:25:24] then they're gonna have to figure out how to make their business work and delaying seems to be

[00:25:29] the immediate thing I think there's a belief that delaying films hurts everybody it's like okay fine

[00:25:35] those on strike your film is now going to get pushed back further to and studios we're gonna try

[00:25:41] to make more money from the film when we can in a later date so I don't know I just my biggest fear right

[00:25:48] now is I honestly you and I were looking at films that even bring to our film society to screen over the

[00:25:53] next few months and it's it's not a lot so we're in the early phases of this where right now production has

[00:26:00] stopped on movies okay we're still dealing with the movies that have already been made that are just

[00:26:07] coming out and those are getting delayed or or not happening so not only are we in this phase right

[00:26:14] now where we don't have movies a lot of a lot of current movies coming out there are still some

[00:26:19] sure strays came out you know grand trismos coming out this weekend right retribution with Liam

[00:26:26] Nissan some of these movies are still coming out even despite they can't promote them right but the big

[00:26:31] start getting moved and then we still haven't even faced the time where because of all the productions that

[00:26:37] have stopped now when they're actually able to start back up production at whatever time there is going

[00:26:43] to be a a dearth of time where there's not content coming out so you know movie theater and it was just

[00:26:50] kind of were coming back from the pandemic with the savior of top gum Maverick and this year it was barbie

[00:26:56] and now they're gonna they're gonna be hit really yeah it's gonna be another tough year I mean predictions

[00:27:03] I've already been reading and hearing from a lot of analysts are I know this is happening

[00:27:08] COVID a lot of smaller independent theaters and all shut down and just couldn't support themselves

[00:27:13] this is going to be I'm afraid around two of that I mean I think ones that maybe found a way to hold on

[00:27:18] during the pandemic are are gonna be really tested on this as good to be time for theaters to be just

[00:27:24] creative with what they do and how they make use of the films that you have available to them to show

[00:27:29] and how to make those as attractive in more of an event for people to come see them not so it is a tough

[00:27:37] situation that is very very true there so that is due to officially been delayed as you recall as we

[00:27:44] talked about a couple weeks ago they had already moved back the other Zendaya start film which was Challengers

[00:27:51] that was supposed to come out like now I think they're supposed to be out like actually September 15th

[00:27:55] 10th and yeah and it's coming out now April 26th let's see yeah so there's gonna be a lot of films

[00:28:04] currently slated to come out March and April okay whether that still hold or not we'll see but a lot of

[00:28:10] movies have been moved to that time now I think it's on a similar article that aquaman and color purple

[00:28:15] were as of the recording date of today still still supposed to be still going you know aquaman I

[00:28:23] would be surprised if they just let that one play I still feel like they're kind of just burning

[00:28:29] through these movies kind of getting to the next phase of what they do and do with the DC movies

[00:28:33] color purple I will be honestly disappointed if they're not able to go out there and promote it

[00:28:39] with the stars and really get them a moment to shine on this film it's gonna be really

[00:28:43] disappointed it will be because I'm anxious to see the film I think it looks really good from the teaser

[00:28:49] and clips of scenes and it's just it'd be a shame for this movie to not get an audience only

[00:28:55] because it's released at a strike and the actors some actors you recognize from the film some are

[00:29:01] going to be brand new actors to people sure you want them to get out there and get some attention

[00:29:05] and get some promotion for the film so I hate to see that not happen so here's hoping it gets cleared up

[00:29:11] before that time but we'll see what happens I'm hoping we have a Christmas miracle that the studio has

[00:29:16] finally decided to settle and you know work with the actors and the writers so I'm hoping that's

[00:29:22] what happens right around Christmas time or maybe Thanksgiving thanksgiving thanks for it

[00:29:27] give thanks for the the lives that yeah so Chris you know a lot of our time we talk about movie news

[00:29:34] it's all about you know what movies are coming out and what tape trailers are coming out is we don't typically

[00:29:40] get into a real philosophical discussion about the films and the film business okay but I do have one for

[00:29:48] you okay has to do with a little movie that I don't even know if you ever saw I never saw it okay the blindside

[00:29:56] I have seen it you've seen the blindside but yeah I think because it was nominated for Oscars and won

[00:30:03] did Sandra Bullock Sandra Bullock won for best actress it was nominated for best picture in 2010 okay so I saw

[00:30:10] the year came out and the reason is you know he was nominated your completist I'm a completist so I didn't see it

[00:30:16] right well it's not familiar with the film it is a sports film a 2009 sports film that was nominated in 2010 the

[00:30:24] story of Michael Oer who is a teenager and povers teenager up ring being brought up in Tennessee and then a

[00:30:31] family a white family that brings him in because of his his his terrible housing conditions and where he's

[00:30:38] where he was at the time they found him he played football in high school then went on to become a big college

[00:30:43] player and NFL player and the movie plays up this idea of the family you know that that that Michael became a part

[00:30:51] of and how they helped embrace him and the two family yes Leanne and Sean two E so got all this acclaim it was a big big

[00:31:01] box office hit and a guy I'll have award nominations of course Sandra Bullock did win best actress for her world on that

[00:31:07] it has come out in read just the last couple weeks that Michael Oer the NFL player that's the subject of the

[00:31:15] film is come out and Mason comments about how the two-year family in his perspective and come from his

[00:31:22] side of the story misled him maybe felt like it may have used him a little bit more for attention and

[00:31:32] and the business side of things I think there was some controversy about you know the movie made us sound like he

[00:31:37] was adopted okay by this family but in terms he technically would he thought in real life he was being adopted but turns out he

[00:31:44] was not okay so there's some things I'm not going to take sides on this because the two E family's also come out

[00:31:51] and said hey no this is what's happened this is the real situation I don't want to get involved in any of that

[00:31:57] because I don't know what the right story I'm we're not there right however there's been some internet buzz coming out about the

[00:32:04] movie saying okay given all these situations now they've come into kind of light the movie is based on this true

[00:32:11] story or quote true story of the two E family and Michael Oer people are wondering and I think there's even been

[00:32:19] some petition sign about that Sandra Bullock needs to turn back in her Oscar there argument is that the

[00:32:28] performance is based off of a false pretense and it is not warranted anymore because the story had fabrications to it

[00:32:38] or was not what was really happening in real life that's the argument so Chris I turn it to you I'm going to pose it as

[00:32:43] a bigger question should movies that are based on real stories and real people if those things stories change

[00:32:53] over time should the movies be in any way impacted for what they had depicted at the time I think that's ridiculous

[00:33:01] I think now I do not I'm not a Hollywood studio executive I have never worked on a major motion picture

[00:33:09] but my understanding is that when you get people's rights to stories legal documents are signed saying yes I'm okay to have my

[00:33:16] life story to and you but you also get some kind of compensation so there's a lust so you know

[00:33:23] Sandra Bullock's performance whether or not she's a fictional person or real person that's what's being

[00:33:29] rewarded not how true to really real life it is so from that perspective I mean now if you want to demonize

[00:33:35] film for portraying this fictitious thing that didn't really happen that's fine but I don't think so just don't watch it

[00:33:41] you know the nearby can now say oh yeah that film was nothing but a big big lie which we know a lot of times when

[00:33:47] things are based on a true story things are kind of rough edges are shaved off some things are glossed over

[00:33:53] that's just you're not watching a documentary so I can understand people especially you know if Michael or if he's

[00:34:01] feeling slighted and feels like they took advantage well totally I can see you know why did it take

[00:34:07] it being 2023 for this to come out when the movie was made in 2010 I don't know but maybe

[00:34:13] there have been some hard feelings in the meantime like who knows like you say I'm not here to say who's right and who's

[00:34:18] wrong because I don't know but do I think Sandra Bullock should have to turn her Oscar and no I think that's ridiculous

[00:34:24] but you know I think I thought the question you were building up to is like some type of legal stance on whether

[00:34:33] or not a film can say based on a true story or like you know what if like there's like this thing like okay let's put

[00:34:39] it into based on a true story unless like I don't know how you would quantify that yeah I will say you know there's

[00:34:48] the whole white savior complex or white savior thing in trope and film yeah and Blonde side obviously plays into that

[00:34:54] because they're a white family adopting a black child or not adopting a child but taking him in I guess is so when watching

[00:35:04] I remember you know it was kind of like huh that was a very fairy tale story but I guess if it's true it's true

[00:35:09] but it didn't it did seem so like squeaky clean and perfectly hewn out of you know the story bedrock there was maybe

[00:35:18] a little suspicious but you know you take if it says basically you're like okay you know and at the time no one

[00:35:24] no one said anything the family didn't say anything he didn't say anything I don't remember any press being around it

[00:35:30] was all like look at this inspirational true story well and even the statement based on a true story no matter

[00:35:36] what comes out of this this this agreement it's the word base and I mean there are so many

[00:35:41] biography biography pictures and real life story pictures that are made that are based on a true

[00:35:48] story but man lot of liberty is taken to make it a movie to make it dramatic to make it entertaining

[00:35:54] and we had something even more recent with green book oh yeah that whole story in my you know the

[00:35:59] controversy surrounding that it was like do I thought Viga Mortes and for portraying no that he's

[00:36:05] given a script he does this is the part you play this is the character you're gonna play all that no I absolutely I'm

[00:36:10] I'm 100% with you obviously I know it's ridiculous to think especially the actress should not give

[00:36:17] a give back an award she won the award because of her performance of a character she was given in a

[00:36:22] script to perform that's it and I you know here's a statement Alcorn Entertainment which was the

[00:36:29] producing studio that helped okay produced the blindside has come out to say let's say like the blind

[00:36:34] side is verifiably authentic it will never be a lie or fake regardless of the familiar ups and

[00:36:40] downs that have occurred subsequent to the film indeed scores of trusted individuals not the least

[00:36:44] of whom is Michael Lewis one of our countries most respected writers and journalists and the author

[00:36:49] of the book the blindside so based on a book yeah I've forgotten that have spoken of their first

[00:36:53] hand knowledge of the authenticity of the two ease loving Michael dearly and raising Michael as

[00:36:58] their son through the end of high school and then throughout college and on to the NFL they're

[00:37:02] basically saying look it's based on a book the book is based on true interviews and exploration of

[00:37:08] this relationship at some points they are interviewing Michael right right so you know the idea is

[00:37:13] that look it's things may have changed in the family but that doesn't make the blindside as a movie

[00:37:19] necessarily inauthentic is there argument there yeah I think it's ridiculous I think it's it's

[00:37:25] it's just not the way we need to look at art you know and performance art and I don't fault a

[00:37:32] director you have a project this is the script this is the concept you're gonna film us make an

[00:37:37] engaging entertaining effective movie that audiences are gonna like check we did it okay we're good

[00:37:43] actors actresses same idea this is the part you're given this is the role you play go to it and

[00:37:48] you did a great job you went in Oscar if you got to put a claim anywhere okay yes whoever

[00:37:55] wrote the script if they had written the script based on inauthenticities right that they were aware

[00:38:04] of right that's where you could start to say okay then that starts to taint the film a little bit

[00:38:09] if you're basically making up things on a script that you're saying is based off of interviews or

[00:38:15] you're starting to kind of like write in actually false information you're blatantly false things

[00:38:22] that's where I can start to see it being a little more somewhere you could point some blame to

[00:38:26] a little bit but not anybody else in the filmmaking process so I think that's that's ridiculous

[00:38:31] I've seen the blindside once back and I guess 2010 don't play plan on ever seeing it again so

[00:38:38] I hadn't even thought of the film until Bob Burnham made a joke about it on a inside

[00:38:43] oh right yeah one of the songs we missed the blindside so yeah I mean I think I don't know it's

[00:38:50] well it's an interesting topic I just think yeah I kind of feel the same way I do about you know

[00:38:55] and when a film is made and then if a person involved with that film has some issues in their

[00:39:02] personal life or some challenges or things that put them in a bad light in the public I just I hate

[00:39:08] it when the film and the people that made this film are blamed or given a bad light for that take

[00:39:15] the flash okay we talked about the flash I watched it again the other night it's it's good it's

[00:39:20] a fun it's a fun superhero movie it's a little better than I would have reviewed it when we

[00:39:24] talked about it okay but um but I know it's going to be clouded by Edger Miller and their

[00:39:29] their their personal personal exploits outside of the film sure and that's a shame because that

[00:39:35] means everybody else involved with that film is now got a bad mark against them for being in this

[00:39:41] film only because of one character one person one little small and it's a big part of the film

[00:39:46] but it's still one name or credit right at the end that's kind of how I feel about the blind

[00:39:51] side you cannot blame and forecast out on everybody else involved because now there's a

[00:39:58] now there's a bit of a controversy going on with maybe the source material so anyway

[00:40:03] okay good well that was our little our little soap box moment we haven't had one of those in a while

[00:40:08] so let's let's move on to more positive forward moving subjects Chris you have a recommendation

[00:40:14] I believe to share with us of a film that is it up is it a positive movie or is it we're going

[00:40:19] to go into kind of more negative uh oh no it's it's positive okay good so Chris what do you have as

[00:40:24] a recommendation for us of a film that you think we ought to check out so Alan back in 2021 I

[00:40:30] think that's when they were released but um did you ever see the movie of foreign film international

[00:40:35] film drive my car yes I did okay I saw it as well really liked it um I don't remember the running

[00:40:41] time but I remember it was long yes okay drive my car um if I remember correctly yeah in the opening

[00:40:48] credits didn't show up until 25 minutes in something yeah yeah I remember that distinctly it's great

[00:40:54] so um I liked it um I think in the same year the director also released another movie this one

[00:41:01] was 120 minutes long and maybe just because I was like you know what drive my car was good but I

[00:41:06] don't have time to fit in another two hour movie because I think it was at the end of the year

[00:41:09] when I found out the person had also done another release that release was wheel of fortune and fantasy

[00:41:15] well I had it on my watch list in letterbox for a while and I finally it's like you know what

[00:41:20] I'm gonna watch this and I watched it and I really liked it um it is 120 minutes it is very kind

[00:41:27] of slow and deliberate pace what sets it apart from driving my car is it has three different stories

[00:41:33] that are told and they all have to do with relationships um kind of ones unexpected love trying

[00:41:41] all that happens between some people and then another story tells about a failed kind of

[00:41:47] trap that these people try to set for somebody like to get him yeah I just I don't want to reveal too

[00:41:51] much about but a failed trap the seduction trap these people try to do on this one person

[00:41:56] and then the last one is the kind of the most weird kind of curious it's like an encounter between

[00:42:04] two people that results from a misunderstanding but then kind of a pale it's it's very it's very much

[00:42:10] a like a meditative type movie and you think it is very talky and so you're reading a lot of

[00:42:17] subtypes there's not a lot of reaction but just for them to be able like the after the first

[00:42:21] sequences over I was like okay that was that was interesting you know but I don't know what these

[00:42:25] other two were gonna be and I think they get increasingly better the payoffs from so it's like

[00:42:31] it builds you think I like okay I get it it's gonna be a slow film these people are gonna talk a lot

[00:42:35] and they do but it's all about interpersonal relationships and what people say to each other

[00:42:39] and what they really mean the consequences of what people say or don't say like it's a piece of

[00:42:45] and it's just I think you wouldn't think and it could have been very easily a play because there's

[00:42:51] not a lot of action no a different sets I mean sometimes they're a lockdown shots where you're

[00:42:55] looking at these two people talking for like what felt like maybe 10 minutes yeah the shot doesn't change

[00:43:01] but just following what they're saying and kind of the turns the story takes it's pretty interesting

[00:43:07] I think I think this guy makes he's made two really interesting films I'll be interested to see

[00:43:14] what he does next and I won't wait so long to check it out sure but it's Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy

[00:43:20] it's streaming on I found it streaming for free on hoopla which is that service that like library

[00:43:26] library yes so but I I like I'd seen some critics talk about it I guess in 2021 and I was just like

[00:43:33] yeah I can't do another drive my car though but it's it's really good I mean and you all actors

[00:43:40] of course I'm not familiar with but they were all they were all really good so it's Wheel of

[00:43:46] Fortune and Fantasy yes two hours long yeah which is kind of old title but I think it's just all

[00:43:52] talking about how fortune misfortune how things just kind of align them so yeah and again this

[00:44:00] was the director of drive my car which from 2021 was that a that was not nominated for best

[00:44:07] foreign film or maybe it was this one was not oh no it did it did win one Oscar okay what

[00:44:18] Oscar did drive my car when I'm pulling up to see and it's not cooperating anyway yes so

[00:44:25] obviously it was in the running there it was a nominee was it nominee for best picture it may have

[00:44:31] been wow it was a nominee for best picture in the winner of best international okay yes so it did

[00:44:35] did did did win that award yeah but this was a film that this this director did the year before or

[00:44:41] two years before drive my car all right yeah so yeah because release dates were a little weird

[00:44:47] as far as you but um yeah I'd recommend if you liked drive my car I'd recommend check this out

[00:44:52] and drive my car kind of the same thing where it's very slow but then the payoffs just kind of build

[00:44:59] and that's the thing with this one is it is definitely a slow-paced film you have to be patient

[00:45:03] with it but for me I found it satisfying and maybe it also helps that there were three different

[00:45:08] stories yeah well that definitely breaks up quite a bit for sure if you were like well I don't

[00:45:12] really care about this story well if you're patient then you get two more so great well that is

[00:45:16] wheel of fortune and fantasy but Chris is saying you can see it on hoopla which is the library system

[00:45:21] supported streaming service that if you have a library card and a participating library you can

[00:45:27] technically get and access the hoopla app which will allow you to see a lot of uh movies it does

[00:45:33] it does a music as well too I believe yeah yeah that's the hoopla um Chris I don't have a recommendation

[00:45:39] to share I've already done my bit with my news right I did my throwout one and maybe this is just

[00:45:43] a teaser maybe I will I have a lot of exploration to do about a film that I saw for the first time

[00:45:50] just a couple days ago okay it was on kind of in the background as I was trying to do some work and

[00:45:56] then I started saying hi you know I never saw this film I've always been curious and I watched it

[00:46:01] and I have some very very very odd opinions about this film okay and I kind of want to talk

[00:46:08] about them but it's gonna be like a whole half of a podcast to do that so maybe I just table that

[00:46:12] for another episode but it was the Will Smith film Hancock yes yes I've seen it is

[00:46:20] been a while but that was interesting well it's not at all what was expected and

[00:46:30] interesting daring to some degree but also poorly done you know it's like I could get into this

[00:46:38] for a long time it's kind of an early template for um the boys in a way a little bit has a

[00:46:44] little bit of that this is the Will Smith film where he is a super powered

[00:46:50] individual that has it's kind of a deadbeat guy just you know kind of a crass very irritable person

[00:46:59] that homeless person I guess too they never really go into a lot of detail that's part of the

[00:47:03] problems with it as I think it's an interesting film I definitely want to have a conversation about is

[00:47:09] absolutely not a recommendation um and we were at the end of our show now but let me just throw

[00:47:15] that out there's a little teaser for maybe a future I mean I want to dissect that maybe a little

[00:47:19] bit but well they don't make any new releases maybe we'll have to I think we might have to go

[00:47:23] ahead and stockpile some content that is not dependent on new releases in case that is the case

[00:47:27] so Alan's die tribe about the Will Smith vehicle Hancock will be coming to a future episode

[00:47:33] in the coming months I believe for sure fair enough I'm quite a bit to say about that okay

[00:47:38] okay we're going to wrap it up we did our review of the film Strais uh Chris gave his

[00:47:43] recommendation a wheel of Fornis fortune and fantasy we talked a little bit about unfortunately

[00:47:48] how doomed to and other films are being bumped to the spring due to their the strikes

[00:47:53] and we also talked about the controversy surrounding the blind side and have both agreed that

[00:47:59] Sandra Bullock does not need to give her Academy Award back to anybody it's right breathe this

[00:48:03] side really yeah Chris if anybody wants to chime in to this conversation and give us some feedback

[00:48:08] thoughts questions how do they do that you can send an email to info at footcanto.org you can

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[00:48:41] north Carolina we'd love to have you you can go to footcantofilmfestival.com and get information

[00:48:47] about the movies buy tickets all that kind of stuff so check it out all right we hope to see

[00:48:52] it the festival in a few weeks and we'll definitely be talking to you next week with our next

[00:48:56] episode of footcanto films and until then take care we'll start here next time see you in the ticket line

[00:49:11] wash no's in the underground we won't let anyone know where you are the fills that don't make it to

[00:49:20] call my countable for ones that were famous when ground floor wash no's out of the reverence of

[00:49:31] the

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[00:49:43] special thanks to carpal taller for the show theme music for more about carpal taller visit www.carpaltaller.com

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