The Bikeriders

[00:00:02] What you want when you want it, where you want it. This is the MESH. Footcandle Films, Thill News and Reviews from two guys who really like movies. This episode is brought to you by the Footcandle Film Society. For a schedule of upcoming screenings and membership information,

[00:00:26] visit the Society's website at www.footcandle.org Hello and welcome to Footcandle Films here on the MESH.TV podcast network. My name is Alan Jackson with me is Always This Chris Fry. We are with the Footcandle Film Society in the Annual Footcandle Film Festival.

[00:00:47] Located out of Western North Carolina, but we are here today to talk to the world about movies and film reviews on our show here for Candle Films. Every time we get together we have a review of a film, at least one,

[00:01:01] and today we will be reviewing one film. There we go, dip into a little bit of movie news. We'll get pre-ealed later in the show. And maybe even tap off the episode with a patented Chris Fry recommendation of a film

[00:01:15] that he recommends you, you might want to check out. Chris, how are you doing? I'm just going to keep rolling with the intro here. I'm doing well. I'm looking forward to talking about today's movie. It's from a director that we've discussed a couple of films.

[00:01:30] I'm looking forward to talking about his new one. Well, the film that Chris is talking about is the film The Bike Riders. That is the latest film from writer director Jeff Nichols, starring Jerry Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy. We're going to be discussing that film.

[00:01:44] Follow by a little bit of some movie news, some new productions that I've come across. Found some information about very curious about when to get your thoughts on Chris. And we'll talk about those.

[00:01:55] And then we'll get to Chris's recommendation at the end of the episode of a film. He's recently saw that he thinks might be worth checking out. But let's go ahead and get into our review. We are going to be reviewing the film The Bike Riders. Chris, you ready?

[00:02:07] Yes, let's hop on our hog and hit the road. Is that the actual terminology versus hop on the hog? I mean, wild hogs used it. And that was a great film. So I feel like we can co-op that. Here we go. Here's a review of The Bike Riders.

[00:02:23] I'm thinking of starting a lighting club. Why? All those clubs do a sit around talking about motorcycles. I feel window. I was born ahead of my normal. It's all along the way else so we belong together. We do the Man in Charge. I'm Johnny. We're the Man.

[00:02:53] The bike rider's captures the rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, Strongwilled Kathy played by a Jamie Jodie Cummer. Is it strictly drawn to Benny played by Austin Butler?

[00:03:13] The newest member of a Midwestern motorcycle club, The Vandals, led by the Inematic Johnny. Used played by Tom Hardy. Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence.

[00:03:31] Forcing many to choose between his wife Kathy and his loyalty to the club. We mentioned that this is Jeff Nichols, you know, the mystery set film. He's done things like take shelter, shotgun stories, mud. We've talked about some of this on the show. I did love it.

[00:03:50] Another film with his midnight special actually was a football film we showed at our film Society. So this is a movie that he based off a book of photography that came out and actually a little bit of some interviews in there as well.

[00:04:05] But he based off kind of a coffee table book. What was your experience with the film? And do you find it? He would have been better off or do you find it a worthwhile project?

[00:04:17] But he left day one of a quiet power, quiet place day one to direct this film. Oh, he was attached to do well. He was attached to at one point to direct that film, which is also coming out this summer.

[00:04:33] But he left that film to direct, I guess, this is more of a passion project for him. So what did you make of it? And he felt like, maybe you should have stuck with the black bus chair. What were your feelings?

[00:04:43] Well, no, I'm definitely, definitely happy he didn't go the black bus chair route or try to go the black bus chair route. I don't know if a quiet place day one is going to be a black bus chair or not. Sure.

[00:04:53] But I'm happy he made the bike riders. I really thought the premise of this film is interesting. Basing it off of a set of photographs, I guess inspired him and you know, they used to see the photographs at some point in the film too.

[00:05:08] So he kind of gets sense of what might have been some of that inspiration. I totally get it. The tone of the film, the setting, the environment is all really, it's really interesting. It is a really, 1965, it can kind of mention time frame advantage.

[00:05:23] It's just 65 to 71, right, time frame. You know, I like all of the, I like all of the production elements of this film because I thought it was just, you know,

[00:05:33] I always like watching a really interesting time period with a interesting subsection of our country and people with different belief system, different motivations and life. You know, I think it's a really interesting, interesting premise.

[00:05:50] I wish I had a would have enjoyed the film more than I did, but I didn't. But I appreciated it and I liked what it was trying to do.

[00:06:00] I think when it tries to work as more of a pseudo-documentary, pseudo, let's just put you in this world and let you feel this world and this environment, this group of people. I think it's successful.

[00:06:14] When it tries to weave a story, that's where I feel like it just kind of lost. Because there's not much of a story in the story. They do try to weave it, I don't think works very well. And I've got to hang that honestly on.

[00:06:29] I did not find any of the three leads really good. So that was my probably biggest issue with the film is, for various reasons, I don't think the characters that were introduced to are given in the film are really good.

[00:06:46] And I don't think the actors they've got play in them quite get their roles down, where we need them too. So it's tough when I feel like the three people were supposed to be associating with, actually, I'll see even say, Benny played by Austin Butler.

[00:07:01] It's the one I feel the most disconnection with. And again, I know that's partly the reason. His characters meant to be a little more ignored, it can medic and mysterious and not as connected, but I also don't feel like that role really played well on the screen.

[00:07:17] So it's tough when I didn't feel a real connection with any of the three lead actors, but I did enjoy the film and I appreciate what was doing when it just gave me a sense of who these people were

[00:07:27] and what their lives were like, what their beliefs were like at the time. Well, with motivating them, all that was really interesting.

[00:07:35] I just would have liked a little more of that or figure out a different way to count the triangle of the three leads that had some issues with. All right, it's a little vague discussion, but Chris, I'm going to turn it back over to you.

[00:07:49] What was your thoughts on the bike rider? How did you take away from this film? What did you like or not like? Well, interesting the point she brought up on the same page with some of them and quite opposite on others. I'll start off saying, um,

[00:08:06] this film been directed by anybody else written by anybody else or acted. If the three leads had been acted by anybody else, I don't know. I would have liked this film as much as I do. That said, it's not one of my favorite films of the year.

[00:08:22] I did find myself my mind kind of wandering. It is almost hits the two hour mark. You mentioned that there's not kind of a strong story. And that's what helped me back. I actually liked the performances by the three leads.

[00:08:38] I found in Jodie Camera, we saw her in the last duel. That's what I really remember her and the Ridley Scott film. She, I thought she was great in this. She knows how to hold the camera's gaze.

[00:08:51] I mean, you know, no surprise, Austin Butler who that's basically all he did with the movie Elvis. He was in that way. Yeah, so the kid, also the kid, the gentleman, also knows how to hold the Tom Hardy we all know who he is.

[00:09:03] So I thought all the leads were good. I just didn't feel like they were given, not that they weren't given enough to do because I said it all the time, but they weren't given enough unique things to do.

[00:09:15] It was kind of like we were dropped into this story. And if it had been a true documentary and these were actors, then maybe it would have been more engaging because it would be like, Okay, yeah, we're just seeing little instances and little slices of their life.

[00:09:29] And you don't expect a story per se. The story is just to kind of make sure the idea of the film is just to experience what these people are experienced.

[00:09:37] But when you know these people are actors, and you know this is a script that you can basically do whatever you want to with, because you're you know, fictionalizing certain aspects of it or kind of weaving things together and kind of created way fictional way.

[00:09:50] It's based off a book of photography and some of the people's names I think are there, but other than that, you know, we're not sure how much is true, how much is not. I felt like that's where it kind of fell down.

[00:10:03] And also, I like Mike Fist, I think he's great. But the scenes where he's kind of supposedly the guy who's the interviewer and the photographer, and they show some scenes of him interviewing Jodie Kramer kind of.

[00:10:20] I guess during this time period then kind of like after everything is over kind of like a, you know, way kind of like a framing device, but just didn't really work in it.

[00:10:28] Some points you see him riding around with the writers, but not a lot, and you don't see really his relationship between how the writers view him. It's all, it's, and not that you need it, but it's just like you're,

[00:10:39] I was looking for something to kind of hold on to. And I, I never really got it, but I think it's a good way, but it's just going down to it, the script really.

[00:10:49] Yeah, something to hold onto. I guess that's the key because I never got that either. And I didn't get it personally from the performances, but I definitely didn't get it from the story either. So there wasn't, you mentioned Mike Fist, to me, a real disappointment in that,

[00:11:03] I think he's such a good actor. Oh yeah, and I feel like this role that he played was just nothing. And it really, when it started and we, I started to realize, oh wow, they're actually going to frame this film,

[00:11:16] talking about the guy who did the photographs and wrote this. I'm like, okay, that's kind of interesting. I liked that. But we never got in any connection with him, and even his relationship with the rest of the group, the, the, the, the, the

[00:11:29] Michael gang was so, like you don't know what that relationship was until like one gang member, like a two-thirds of the movie, makes a comment about the guy Mike Fist is playing. And it's like we're supposed to automatically understand now.

[00:11:43] This is what their relationship is. And I mean, no, I didn't work that way. You can't just throw this character in and have him appear every 15 minutes at the film.

[00:11:51] And he just sit is sitting there asking questions and we're supposed to believe he has some outsized role with this group. It doesn't work the way the story was told that way didn't work for me. And they're again touching on, you know, the people playing their roles.

[00:12:03] Yeah, if it had been anybody else than Mike Fist, I probably wouldn't have liked his, but Mike Fist, like, you know, it's kind of one of those people. He could read the phone book. And he'd be interesting doing it.

[00:12:13] So I was frustrated that he wasn't more of an integral part or didn't weave in to the story better, but he thought he did great. And the scenes where he's interviewing and you can tell he's trying to pull things from Jodie camera stuff like they're back and forth.

[00:12:29] Yeah, all great. I just wish it had formed a better, a better piece as a whole. Somebody else who, again, you know, the cast just great. The cast I thought was great. Michael Shannon, he's been a couple of other

[00:12:45] Jeff Nichols films. He's kind of a semi regular, I guess. When he gets the spotlight, no surprise, but damn does he make the most. Oh, no, he's great. His character was actually the one. I felt myself the most excited to see on screen when he popped that up.

[00:13:01] Yeah, so yeah, just needing somebody, whether it's going to be which could have been interesting, which maybe that's semi-wetting was trying to do

[00:13:09] was look at masculinity with all this bike riding and all, you know, the tough guys. But actually kind of flip it a little bit and look at all from the wife's perspective.

[00:13:17] You know, okay. If that had been maybe if it had worked better that way, that would have been interesting or take the whole tack with the interviewer and learn.

[00:13:27] But instead it was just kind of like it was too much all over the place. Yeah, so which was unfortunate because I did like it, but I thought it was it was uneven. Can we can we talk about. Can we talk about Tom Hardy and performance of Johnny.

[00:13:47] I thought the Johnny is the kind that got who formed the bike club. Yes, and he becomes kind of our, he's the leader of this club.

[00:13:58] He's also the one that kind of determines the direction that the club is taking with in terms of its personality and make up a people.

[00:14:08] I really struggled with his with Tom Hardy's performance of this role. I think the role of, I think the character of Johnny is interesting and I really would have liked to even learn more about this character.

[00:14:20] You know, the film, the film touches on so many things that could, I think, have been developed and been really interesting, but it just seemed to like want to just give you a quick taste of it and then move on to something else or kind of not dwell on it too much.

[00:14:35] For me, the idea of what in what mode of a Johnny to truly want to start this club. I saw the movie he watched the movie. Okay cool, great that's awesome, but it's got to be deeper than that.

[00:14:46] He watched the movie The Wild one, we started Marlon Brown. Yeah, we should have said so. Yeah, he's like watching that and his wife's like, oh, and he's like, yeah, I need a place.

[00:14:55] I need to feel like I fit in and kind of like, you know, I need to make this game. So yeah, and I feel like I'll say, I can see you can having issues with this performance on a stand.

[00:15:04] But like to me, you know, if you're going to try to give the film a pass even though it's like these people didn't know who they were.

[00:15:13] And so that's the whole thing is like kind of hard to know who he was when he doesn't really know who he is himself. He has a family yet. You don't really see him interacting with his family.

[00:15:23] Actually, they were just kind of weird like you assume because of what we've seen in Hollywood movies and things like the gang.

[00:15:31] This is their job and this is what they do is they go around and like they're kind of like the mafia or what you just assume my head that's what this is going to be.

[00:15:38] But now apparently with this gang that's based on a real thing based on a photo book. These people all had jobs like he's a truck driver. So I guess this is like his, you know, it's a group like a fan club.

[00:15:51] They just, oh, they like motorcycles and they just get together on the weekends and have picnics and ride around and you know, make their go to bars and stuff. So it's like that was it.

[00:16:00] But yeah, it's like kind of defining, they're trying to define themselves by making this club that eventually does, you know, lead to some. Well, the thing is I feel like as a situation show don't tell.

[00:16:12] It's it's one thing to hear a character say, I need this. I want to do this and to hear a jerry comon and an aerator say, well, they wanted this and they needed this so this is what they did.

[00:16:22] Like okay, no, you can show this to me without having to like dictate it as an aeration piece. I just felt like again, it distance me from the characters.

[00:16:30] Benny, the one play by Austin Butler he is meant to be mysterious. I get that he is meant to be the one that we probably know the least about. Also understood. I thought his introduction was great. I thought the opening scene.

[00:16:44] He has a scuffle with some guys in a bar because they're wanting him to take off his jacket, his colors. You know that represent what gang he's with and he refuses to do so.

[00:16:55] But I don't me personally. I never once got any sense of why Benny felt this way. Okay, like you tell me he's going to go. He's willing to fight hell and I am basket to keep his colors for his gang. Why?

[00:17:12] Like why is it that I should feel this way about these characters? And the story is there. There is a story there. It just the film didn't spend a lot of time going into it. So again, like you said, it's that nothing really grab a hold of.

[00:17:26] There's a turn in the character of Benny at the very end of the film where there's and I didn't buy it because I'm like, I don't understand why you haven't given me anything in this film to make me feel like why this character's turn makes any sense.

[00:17:42] So anyway that's the whole thing for me. I couldn't grab on anything meaningful for me. It was the performances for you. It was just story, but I think overall we needed something something to hold on to here.

[00:17:55] And so I was riding along with the film and the ending for me was what really fell flat. It tees something with the destiny of you already mentioned kind of Benny's character and a question about like, you know,

[00:18:14] they're aware about and then there was an odd reveal and then the person was like less than 100 feet away. And I was like, he was like less than one feet. They should like widen the shot and he's like, I don't know if he's like, okay, I don't understand why that question was asked when like you know,

[00:18:29] just it doesn't, it just seems such an artificial construction there again using Mike Fise and Jodie Comer which to make it for the most part when they were talking on screen to back and forth at different time periods.

[00:18:40] I liked but then at the end I was like, okay, do what? I did understand. I mean, I guess they needed an ending and that was like a clever way to ending and then kind of a reveal and then like,

[00:18:53] it kind of closes in at one point on Austin Butler's face or Benny's face and you hear like rumbling over those and I was just like rumbling over a motorcycle and I just, I don't know,

[00:19:04] it really, well that really didn't work and so that was kind of the note that I left that theater on which you know, ending doesn't work and that's what you a lot of times what you can remember.

[00:19:15] So there's a, there's a moment of film. I mean the film does have some semblance of some story elements. They're few and far between and they're not terribly long developed but I was invested in the cockroaches arc.

[00:19:32] Okay, well let me ask about cockroach. Let me talk about cockroaches. Cockroach was one of the members of the gang we've found out later in the film that for some various reasons he's contemplating leaving the club. In replay by Emory Cohen.

[00:19:45] Okay, I'm going to throw this name there and on, we're not going to talk details and scroll but to just say there was some, there is an action performed by Johnny with Benny and toe. Yeah dealing with cockroach. Yes. That I didn't understand.

[00:20:01] And it wasn't just me because I actually was with two other people and neither of them understood it either. Okay, as far as the reason for the action. Well, reasons for the action taken and then more importantly to me, the reason for Benny's reaction to,

[00:20:19] and willingness to then change his whole perspective on the club. That's where the film lost me because at that point I'm like, okay, I don't really understand what these characters are thinking doing or wanting.

[00:20:34] And it's really hurting my enjoyment of the film at this point. Again, and I would do what I say. I liked the film. Okay, I think it was a good film. I think it is an interesting film to see.

[00:20:45] I think there are some interesting things being explored here and shown. I just wish the film could have gotten the story stronger and the characters better developed so we could grab a hold of it and really want to like,

[00:20:59] stay with this to the end of the film. So anyway, I'll just say that. There was some, it was enough of a question mark for me that kind of just pulled me out of the film and made me question even who these two characters were that we've been following this whole time,

[00:21:14] or what is leading now to the end of the film where I had the same concerns and questions you did with the way it ended. So anyway,

[00:21:23] it was so close. It was so close to being a really good film and I can't put my finger at it just something with the story,

[00:21:34] something with the story in the motivations for the characters I needed more of to understand and get me at the end like they wanted us to get to get us at the end.

[00:21:43] They just didn't give us enough to hook us by the end. So I will say, I'm a little disappointed in the film because it was one I did have pretty high on my experience. I just wanted my time, Tanner whatever, and anticipated films for 2024.

[00:21:59] I did walk away a little disappointed. It wasn't a mess. It wasn't a disaster. It wasn't a bad film. It was just a disappointment from what I think could have been there.

[00:22:09] Given the subject matter, given the talent involved, it could have been really something special and it just fell short of that.

[00:22:17] Yeah, to me, because while I was watching it, you know, to me, it was kind of like an odd cocktail of the outsiders, good fellows and interview with a vampire.

[00:22:32] Yeah, and then like at the end it just kind of had this weird aftertaste which I blame on ending. You know, so it's kind of like nothing was terrible because it wasn't like just saying but it just it was kind of a weird cocktail that overall just didn't work.

[00:22:46] Yeah, definitely had a lot of you could tell a lot of inspirations from some other film types. Yeah, obviously you know, in the first five minutes, you're going to get amazing good fellow vibes like right away. It's like just the pacing, the storytelling, the narration.

[00:23:03] It very much had that kind of vibe and even cut touch back on it again at the end. When it's trying to wrap up some of the storylines are talking about the current state of where things are. It also had a little little scorsese feel to it.

[00:23:16] There's roughly some inspirations coming in here. Yeah, you could say films like easy writer and all that inspiration. Well, that's obviously been commented on in the film.

[00:23:24] There's very direct, you know, the Barlem Brando connection with on, you know, the wild bunch and all. I mean directly reference in the film.

[00:23:33] So it's like that's excused. You can use those films as a reference as an inspiration because they actually were an inspiration for the characters in the film. So perfect. That was good.

[00:23:43] I liked the the field, the style of the film. I thought these music was good. I thought the editing was strong. I mean, just it. When it was when it was firing on all is cylinders the right word. Can you cylinders from a such a story?

[00:23:57] Sure. It was firing on all cylinders. It's doing is really, really good. It's just a, it just needed a stronger story and stronger character with a dome in my mind to carry it through.

[00:24:09] Fair enough. Yeah, I think else on this. No, I think we're basically on the same page. We have different reasons for our hesitations maybe, but yeah, overall what they were there together.

[00:24:19] Yeah, and I think if you are interested if you like these actors or, you know, to see it, see it on the big screen because I think it does benefit because there are some scenic shots of the Midwest and them writing around in motorcycles.

[00:24:33] There are some cool, cool shots. You know, there's one of them writing on the highway at night with all the headlights and everything around the mirror. So you know, it benefits from a big screen viewing.

[00:24:45] Interesting. And don't wait until it's streaming or something. Go ahead out to the theater and see it. Completely agree. Completely agree. Well, that is the bike riders from a Mike nickel or not, Mike nickels Jeff nickels. Sorry. It's based on wrong director.

[00:25:00] Sure. From Jeff nickels starring Jerry Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy. It is in theaters right now playing. We're both saying sure. Check it out. You know, it's, it's good enough.

[00:25:16] You can tell from the trailer if it's going to be somewhat your type of film. So if you're interested, yeah, head to the theater. If not, you're like, ah, I don't really care about you bikers and all that kind of stuff. So you can kind of engage it that way.

[00:25:28] Yeah, I will say the audience I saw it with yesterday come interesting mix of ages and demographics. So I think there was a lot of I think there is some cross appeal to people wanting to see a story like this told and a little bit the historical relevance of it.

[00:25:44] Yeah, I hope it does well enough because again, I like it when films like this are being made sure. It's just this one was just this one was close. Well, that can really close to the background.

[00:25:56] Back to the question of the answer. It's like and you mentioned you know answer it right off the top. Yeah, I'm glad Jeff nickels decided to make the bike riders instead of doing a sequel to the quiet place.

[00:26:07] I think I see a lot of doing that. But like he's able to do what he wants and how he would by making like stand alone film. So go for it.

[00:26:16] My only fear is that with the way the box office market is these days that if the bike riders doesn't perform well, which I'll go into.

[00:26:23] It's probably won't. I'm just unfortunately, but that may actually be a tougher spot for Mr. Nichols to do future work. I don't know where if he had cashed in and done quiet place. And he's pretty cool. Come off that and yeah, sure possibly.

[00:26:41] Again, I hate to look at it from a purely commercial standpoint. But we do want these directors making more movies and of course the way they make more movies is their movies have to be moderately successful or better to do that.

[00:26:53] And we'll see we'll see how the bike riders turns out. This is a film I understood. I read that Disney owned as of a year ago.

[00:27:01] And then dropped it basically sold it off and it got picked up. I don't remember the studio now that released it, but it's always a bad sign and kind of dropped here the beginning of summer.

[00:27:15] Well, I don't know. I think they were hoping for it to be a kind of a little bit more adult summer movie coming out. But I don't know.

[00:27:24] I'm being anxious to see what the box office is like for it and how it does. But all right, well that is the bike riders out in theaters now. We're both giving it a generally generally favorable review.

[00:27:36] All that with some misgivings and concerns and things that we wish had been better and stronger with it. So okay Chris. How about we take a break. We come back. We do a couple news items.

[00:27:48] I actually remembered I have a trailer to show, but I think it's the I'm sure the trailer you've seen because I just saw it yesterday before the movie.

[00:27:56] But we'll let's at least talk about it. And then you got a recommendation from you to come up as well. So all right, stay tuned. You're listening to FootChandle films here on TheMesh.tv and we will be right back.

[00:28:07] This podcast is sponsored by Jackson Creative, a custom communication agency located in downtown Hickory, North Carolina specializing in online content creation. To learn more visit thejaxoncreative.com. Jackson Creative, we tell your story.

[00:28:25] Welcome back to FootChandle films here on TheMesh.tv podcast network. We had our review of the film, The Bike Riders in the first half.

[00:28:34] Now we'll move on to a couple of news items. Chris, I teased that we would play a trailer. Right before the break like literally like 60 seconds ago or have along the break was sure and in that quick time frame.

[00:28:48] We have since discovered that the trailer that we were going to play and talk about is actually not available online until two hours after this recording time.

[00:28:57] Hopefully we're not going to be able to play the trailer or talk about it in detail. We will do that at the next week, but I will go ahead and at least mention the trailer we were going to talk about is the for the film, NOS for auto by a Mr Robert Eger's Robert Eger's that we know from the which from the lighthouse and also did the Northman correct?

[00:29:21] I think that's the three he's done. Leave your right. So NOS for auto, that trailer did premiere with the bike riders in the theater but it's not available until a few hours from now. Chris, are you at all interested in NOS for auto?

[00:29:40] I mean both from a subject matter, original vampire story type of thing. I mean sure. I, yeah sure. Your Robert Eger's I really like the which it's kind of been diminishing returns a little bit since then.

[00:29:56] The lighthouse saw the thought was interesting but wasn't really that into and in the Northman. I just kind of same thing. I do like William Diffo and he's in this film as well as the guy who

[00:30:10] can I remember his name, I'm drawing a blank but he played it in the is a scarced guard. Yeah Alexander is Alexander or it's not Alexander and it's not Stella Bill. There we go. I think it's the one with the least appropriate name Bill.

[00:30:30] That's not Stella and not Alexander, it's Bill. Bill's scarced guard. So yeah I thought it looked interesting. I will say a little surprised at kind of the presentation of what we saw on the trailer because it looks like the most

[00:30:48] quite unquote normal thing that Robert Eger has done. I mean you're like with the witch it was very colonial America kind of say in like strip down. Very stark how many lighthouses back and why Northman.

[00:31:05] Yeah I don't know how to characterize that but I don't know just and this just seems like more like a typical vampire movie. I can't know if they are fully done not to not be just like I know it's kind of like that.

[00:31:17] To me I expect Robert Eger's movies to be very unusual and very like odd and when I watch the trailer. I mean it looks interesting, I do want to see it but I'm like you know for the most part this looks pretty quite unquote normal.

[00:31:30] Well and I'll echo that because in the first probably for the first 20 30 seconds before I realize what the film is. It looks like a pretty stock period horror film. Yeah well made. Yeah it's well made.

[00:31:43] And so it wasn't until I started realizing oh this is for this is not for all two this is a triggers film. It gave me a lot of prom stokers Dracula.

[00:31:54] Yes the copal version gave me a lot of vives from that both in that it was obviously that the period timing that the visuals had there are some striking similarities or some interesting things with them.

[00:32:08] It was one scene where you're looking out over the city and you're almost seeing like this shadowy hand kind of creep over it. Yeah that's totally that was a copalad Dracula type of thing from that film.

[00:32:19] So yeah there seem to be some vives from that but I'm curious as well how much of an eggors film is going to be versus you know colloquium by said the Northmen that they kind of felt like he was having to hone in a little bit and trying to make something

[00:32:33] a little more commercial especially after the lighthouse which was not commercial at all in the slightest. Sure is this going to be even deeper down that road or is there going to be some some uniqueness to this film? I don't know.

[00:32:46] Well and I wonder I was I mean when Dracula came out I was really into it. I saw it multiple times in the theater. I thought it was awesome. I wonder now. I mean we're talking Gary Olman.

[00:33:02] Canaries when I want to write a big names in the film. I wonder is Anthony Hopkins in it? Very host. Yeah just huge cast in like he's directed by Copa. I wonder now if I were to watch it if I think it would just come off as silly.

[00:33:22] No you know it's in the 90s and so like I don't think it does. I've seen it more recently. It holds up really well. Well except for Canaries performance but he doesn't his doesn't hold it very well. The rest of it's really good.

[00:33:34] It still holds up I feel like. Okay. So you know this is kind of an inspiration for that. Find by me. I'm anxious. I mean Bromstocres Dracula famously was the first film that my wife and I saw together when I started dating. Okay.

[00:33:51] Yeah how best to start a budding relationship then to see Bromstocres Dracula. It excurses that's the way you do it. So we're both big fans of the Dracula, the vampire genre. Okay. But I like the more classical feel to it.

[00:34:06] I want something in that historical period but I also want something unique and interesting and challenging as a presentation. Okay. We will see I'm very anxious to see where that one goes. So we'll have the trailer hopefully soon.

[00:34:20] Maybe the next episode or two we might play it if we feel so inclined. Okay. Let's get into a couple of news items I do have that we can share a little bit more concretely as I pull up my notes. I'm sorry.

[00:34:34] The intern stuff fell asleep on me so now I gotta wake it all up. Okay. Here we go. Two news items of two projects that I have heard about for the first time ever. I'm thinking about both of these. Okay.

[00:34:48] Sounds like one of them has actually been obviously has been worked on for a good while because it's coming out in November but I had no knowledge of it whatsoever. Okay. Robert is a mechus, a long time director known for many many classic movies.

[00:35:04] But also known for some movies that not known as much classic. He's a director that I think really big and late 80s, 90s, some really far scob. He did a lot of Tom Hanks movies with Castaway. Didn't Zemeckas do back to the future? See, I think he did.

[00:35:24] I think he did. But I have a problem remembering which ones he was like executive producer. Yeah. They know that. Between he and Spielberg and all these guys they kind of. Blended projects by Mumus Pazzo. I think back to the future was it's yeah it was.

[00:35:35] He was Robert Zemeckas did back to the future. Far as scob. Gosh, I'm drawing a blank. I know there's so many more. But Castaway he did flight which he did flight. Which I liked. Yeah.

[00:35:49] I think where he's gotten some pushback is he kind of leaned really heavy into the all CGI. Just the polar express. He did that version of Beowulf. Beowulf. Okay. And there might have been another one. Oh the Christmas Carol. Yeah, okay.

[00:36:05] He did a Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey. And all those kind of hit or miss with responsiveness. I think the criticism he's gotten as he maybe is lean too much in the attack and kind of got away from good human storytelling. Sure.

[00:36:18] Well, so I don't know how I feel about this story then. Robert Zemeckas has a film called Here. H-E-R-E here. That is going that is now shifting to a November release which I didn't even know the film was in existence to begin with.

[00:36:35] It was originally slated to premiere November 15th now it's going to be coming out limited November 22nd and wide release November 27th. Okay. Here's the thing. It stars Tom Hanks. Okay. And Robin Wright. Okay. Okay.

[00:36:51] And the film is it CGI or like, can I can do it in the maybe? Okay. Maybe a little bit. So, as Emeckas has retained with writer Eric Roth to pin this script. It's based on an innovative 2014 graphic novel by the same name. And it's described.

[00:37:09] This is all from a variety reporting this. It's described as an original film about multiple families and a special place they inhabit. The story travels through generations, capturing the human experience and its purest form for a tell of love, loss, laughter and life.

[00:37:26] That the most generic boring description I could think of for a film. But then it explains Paul's sounds odd. Yeah. Then it's also co-starring Paul Bettany, Kelly Riley and Michelle Dockery. So Tom Hanks and Robin Wright.

[00:37:45] It is live action but they will be digitally de-age for the ambitious project using technology advancements. Yeah. But it actually, I'll give it, it actually has come a long way. No, it has. The de-aging I think is less problematic than full CGI.

[00:38:03] And maybe it's just because we're getting used to it, I guess maybe. Yeah. But they are doing the de-aging for this. As Emeckas is quite as saying, I've always been attracted to technology that helps me tell a story. Hmm.

[00:38:16] With here this movie, the film simply wouldn't work with that art actors seamlessly transforming into younger versions of themselves. He said our new AI tools let us do that in ways that were previously impossible. Having tested every flavor of face replacement and de-aging technology available today,

[00:38:34] this particular company they're going to use in this technology is clearly the global leader in feature quality AI content and the perfect choice for this incredibly challenging emotional film. Hmm. Yeah. So here it is. We're in June. Yep.

[00:38:52] Just now hearing about this film coming out November, that's starting time hangs and that is by Robert Zemeckas and that's going to be doing all this de-aging. Yeah, I'm going to really kind of curious curious about this film. I'm not sold on it.

[00:39:08] On paper, you know, show me something from it. I mean, I assume we'll be seeing a trailer probably in about two or three months. And I think honestly, like, you know, which I guess could be a warning sign.

[00:39:20] If it takes a trailer to make me interested in a film, that's what, but with this, yeah, I'm very cautious. But a trailer may be like, okay, I'm going to buy this. Well, there's obviously, I mean, the concept we read, the description was so broad and generic.

[00:39:35] I mean, I think you give me a little more meat to this. There may be something interesting here or maybe some desire to see it right now though. It's, it's sounding concerning.

[00:39:46] Again, I just, you know, think about all the flag that, that Scorsese took with the Irish man about the whole de-aging. Right. And granted, I thought it was fine. I thought the de-aed to the technology to me worked okay.

[00:40:01] I didn't bother me, but it does, it does call some friction with audiences. And I mean, you're going to have people who like me, didn't care and thought it was fine. You can have a lot of people who are immediately going to throw up their handles.

[00:40:13] They know, can't do it. It doesn't work. Especially a known quantity like Tom Hanks, de-aging Tom Hanks and spending considerable time with a de-aged version. That could be, that could be an issue. Right. Yeah.

[00:40:28] All right. Well, that is right now coming out November 15th is now the new white release schedule. And just called here, here. Okay. By Robert's a mechus, starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, we will be curious to see how that turns out. Yes. Okay.

[00:40:45] The other one I've got to share, a little, little lighter subject matter. Okay. Well, yeah. We'll go with that. Did you ever see the film? And I never know how to pronounce it. Is it megan? Is it megan with the three? I'd say the megan. Megan.

[00:41:02] I did see it. You did see it. What do you think about it? You know, it's exactly what the Bill of Sales said it was going to be or the trailers. It's a Blum House production.

[00:41:14] So it has kind of some comedy in it but it's kind of like a next generation Chuck E. Thome with the whole use of like AI.

[00:41:21] You know, kind of AI like, you know, robots coming to life and having their own feelings and turns in surprise, turns into a killer. But I thought it was okay. You know, I'm imagining, I think it got decent money. It did.

[00:41:37] And I think it helped that there was a meme that came out of a dance that she did in the film. It does help. It means always helped. The meme itself. Yes.

[00:41:46] So but the fact that this is a news item makes me think that there's going to be a sequel. Not necessarily. Okay. Movie cinematic universes are all the rage right. Right. Every film has to have a cinematic universe associated with it now. And Megan is no exception.

[00:42:09] So, so a little clarification you were asking about how to pronounce the name. Not that this matters. But in the film there was like iterations of the Megan robot and so this was the one. The three was the one.

[00:42:22] Yeah, it's like the one that like actually came to life and worked. Which honestly from a film marketing standpoint, you know, they should have held that title until the third.

[00:42:31] Megan film and then you flip the E in make it a three and then you're a genius but they didn't do that. Okay. So now we get confusion because we see a three in the title. But it's not the third movie is the first movie. Right.

[00:42:45] So atomic monster in Blumhouse are developing a new film that is expanding the Megan universe. It is called soul mate and the eight. The A in the word soul mate is the number eight. Nice.

[00:43:03] So there again, you got the synergy going on there with the less change one letter to a number. It is being deemed as an erotic thriller with a technology twist.

[00:43:13] Soul mate centers on a man who acquires an artificially intelligent android to cope with the loss of his recently deceased wife. And in attempt to create a truly sitting in partner he had virtually turned his armless love bought into a deadly soul mate.

[00:43:31] Which you look, I get it. It works if you're going to say hey look people liked it when we turned a doll into an AI driven killing machine. What if it was a you know sex spot okay let's do that and actually the film kind of writes itself.

[00:43:47] I mean yeah it's like I can just imagine the notes and everything that's going to play out. It is interesting which I will give the film a little credit instead of just being. What I would see would be a little bit more of a typical trope lonely guy.

[00:44:00] It gets sex dolled as like you know make his life less lonely. It's actually someone who's trying to get over his deceased. Yeah right that gives it a little bit more nuance than I would expect out of the box so I'll get it credit for that.

[00:44:13] The film is being described as being in the this is all from variety once again. Thank you variety for all this great information. The film is being described in the tradition of 90s domestic thrillers but with a modern technological twist.

[00:44:25] So yeah think fatal attraction think you know other kind of more erotic driven thrillers. So white female right but it's that now we have a AI robot that is going to be this spot. It doesn't say we don't have actors yet assigned to it.

[00:44:46] James won and Jason Blum will be producing the film so it is a Blum House production. I think we do have a director. Let's see oh where I just saw the director in here sorry Kate Dolan who directed the film called you are not.

[00:45:03] My mother she will be directing the film they have a date of January 2026 for release. So we're a little bit out there just now starting so I think they're moving on the casting.

[00:45:16] But Chris you may be saying to me but what about Megan you know what is Megan gone forever. No you're exactly right Megan is going to have a sequel it'll be. M3 again to point oh goddess this is going to be confusing.

[00:45:34] Megan 2.0 is scheduled for June 2025 so it is having a sequel it's going to have Alison Williams returning. Violent McGrawle the two of them returning in the film. So yeah we will say. Sounds like placement was.

[00:45:52] Yeah they're expecting I'm assuming there's also going to be kind of the hint of soul mates. I bet like Dolpa's and I'll be references to soul mate in the second Megan. Because of how they're being really.

[00:46:04] I would assume that they're the same company or whatever is going to be somehow involved in both film that's going to be kind of the universe they're building is. Sure company making these AI robots to satisfy people's needs and they're turning into killing machines.

[00:46:20] So the Megan cinematic universe is expanding Chris get your tickets now be a part of it. Yes I never saw Megan so I'm speaking to all of this from just me.

[00:46:33] I think when I saw it hit kind of one of those times it was either like summer and I was looking for stupid diversion or just you know turn your brain off.

[00:46:43] If it that or it was maybe near Halloween when I saw it said also fit that like I just want to go see a scary movie. So so it kind of hit me at the perfect time but you know it was fun enough. Yeah, okay. Okay.

[00:46:57] All right well that is all the news we have so here is coming in November. Soul mate will be coming in 2026 Megan 2.0 coming out in 2025. That's the movies we have on the horizon.

[00:47:10] Not not for odd two we'll talk about the trailer and more detail in the coming weeks. So with that wrapped up all of our new sections Chris I do want to toss it over to you because it is time for the Chris Fry recommendation.

[00:47:23] What film do you have to recommend for us this episode that you think is worth our time checking out? I'm going to talk about a film that was released 25 years ago. It is currently available for streaming on Hulu.

[00:47:38] Although immediately when you said 25 years ago my initial first synapse of thought was oh my gosh that's really old that's like back in the like you know 80s or 90s and I'm like no that's like 2000s. Yeah, 99. Yeah. Time is flying man. Time is flying. Okay.

[00:47:57] So it's on you can stream it on Hulu but it's also probably you can probably rent it numerous places I would assume. I'm talking about office space. Oh wow. And pretty much everybody is probably seeing this movie.

[00:48:09] I had seen it in its entirety once, but I feel like I've seen a million times because you hear references all the time about staplers and burying a building down and things like that.

[00:48:19] But I revisited it and I was surprised at how much I still enjoyed it and liked it and gave it a four star rating and letter box. Nice. It's just, I mean there are just several things.

[00:48:31] There's clearly there's no stiger we're talking about 25 years ago so yeah I've been only been out of college for a couple of years at this point and I entered the workforce and then here's this movie that talks about working in an office and getting frustrated when to beat the crap out of a copier.

[00:48:46] I can totally hear you know it's like anybody who's working in office can see like getting together for like birthday parties and like handing out the cake.

[00:48:56] I mean there's just you know I could be a pull a Chris Farley and just name all these different scenes in there, but it's just it was so much fun to return to seeing Jennifer Aniston and Ron Livingston like super young was also kind of cool somebody else too and I mentioned the stapler and I'm going to burn the building down.

[00:49:15] Steven wrote he's been in a lot of maves never and granted I think this is maybe one of the first things he did and I was definitely not aware of Steven read.

[00:49:25] I don't think I became aware of him until after this movie but not because of this movie because like he just became somebody else.

[00:49:33] I mean yes it was him but he wore these glasses that made his eyes like really weird and he just his voice was not the same and he plays a character unlike any other Steven or character that I'm aware that he's ever done.

[00:49:45] I think Milton was the name of the guy that he plays in his. And it's just so it's only at the end of the film his voice becomes a little recognizable as Steven read but other than that you're just like dude and it's such a.

[00:49:59] And I don't know writer director of my judge. I think he had had a comic strip that basically office space is based off on which was based off I guess Milton was the name of the comic strip.

[00:50:08] But I don't know whether Mike judges like okay Steven this is the dude I want you to play or whether Steven Rue got to come and say like oh I got it and I'm going to do.

[00:50:17] This you know like I don't know but that for me even though I like the film and you know I like lots of things about it but to me it's just fascinating. The character study Steven wrote.

[00:50:30] It's just like the closest character he ever had to Milton was in the movie Dodgeball you remember seeing Dodgeball which came. It came much later. Okay, but Dodgeball is a good thing.

[00:50:42] But I forgot his character in Dodgeball is probably about the closest we get to Milton it's still not Milton but it's it's closer. It can only be one million. Okay.

[00:50:52] No I think that's a great pick Chris I do I love this movie and actually as soon as you mentioned this film it reminded me that I've had a burning desire to go back and see idiocracy. Okay.

[00:51:04] The other Mike judge film that came a few years after this one. I am hesitant to revisit the accuracy but I want to visit and actually after seeing office space I'm even that much more encouraged because I remember I really liked idiocracy.

[00:51:16] I did too as well. I like you and my little nervous to go back to it because I'm afraid there's going to be two me things I'm going to say oh yeah that's kind of how things are turning out so but I mean this is to me Mike judge in these two films had the perfect perfect eye for the satire of the world we live in.

[00:51:38] I mean the office environment that corporate environment and then on 80 accuracy just government society is a whole yeah he had his finger on the pulse for sure and yeah these two are interesting pairing of films so glad you recommended office space.

[00:51:53] Yeah, I'd like to go back and revisit it again sometime myself so yeah and you said you saw it on who the okay. I'm sure you can rent it for numerous places but who lose an easy place to get it if you have a subscription good.

[00:52:07] Well that is office space Chris's recommendation of a film check out from writer director Mike judge available on who the any tidy Chris fry approved. 89 minutes running times. Yeah who's a nice tidy running time. I love this.

[00:52:23] All right Chris. Well that is our show for today we had our review of the bike writers. Both came out generally positive on the film but some some questions issues concerns things we wish had been done better.

[00:52:37] With it we had our discussion about the new Megan spin off movie soul mate the new Megan sequel the new Robert's a mech is film with Tom Hank some robin right coming out this fall where they're going to be deaged a whole bunch.

[00:52:53] And then office space idiocracy let's move east to recommend there Chris being by has any thoughts about anything we've talked about any feedback for us they want to.

[00:53:02] Tell us how we're wrong on our some of our problems with the bike writers or they want to tell us that.

[00:53:09] Here is going to be an amazing movie that we just need to get on board with anything they want to tell us how how can they do so.

[00:53:15] You can reach out to us on Twitter where they're at foot candle film Facebook or Focandle films society Instagram and threads or a foot candle film or you can do the really simple easy thing and to email to info at.

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[00:53:33] Do us a favor if you like the show recommended friends get them to listen to it and subscribe should do it star rating right or review just helps us reach more listeners we appreciate it.

[00:53:44] Our foot candle film festival is going to be coming up in September September 20th through the 29th.

[00:53:50] If you're a filmmaker and you're interested in like seeing some films or you're going to be in western North Carolina coming hang out there will be other filmmakers they're representing their films if you just like watching films and you're going to be in western North Carolina drop by we think it's going to be a good one it's going to be our 10th.

[00:54:06] Year of doing the film festival so we're excited about it all right there we go thanks everybody for listening thanks for checking us out.

[00:54:13] And we'll look forward to talking here by next time as we have more movies through a view and more films to talk about thanks for listening we'll talk to you soon see you in the ticket mom.

[00:54:54] Special thanks to Carple Taller for the show theme music for more about Carple Taller visit www.carpletaller.com You've been listening to the mesh and online media network of shows and programs ranging from business to arts sports to entertainment music to community.

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