The Killer

[00:00:00] What you want, when you want it, where you want it, this is the mesh.

[00:00:08] Footcandal Films

[00:00:13] Film news and reviews from two guys who really like movies.

[00:00:18] This episode is brought to you by the Footcandal Film Society.

[00:00:22] For a schedule of upcoming screenings and membership information, two films and talk about them a little bit. I think both projects sound very interesting, so I'm anxious to hear Chris's thoughts on these two as well. But as I said, we're going to be discussing David Fincher's latest film, The Killer. That is our main review, so let's go ahead and get right into it, Chris, if you are ready. Let's do it. All right, here we are. David Fincher's The Killer.

[00:02:45] flosbinder who after a bot's job begins an international manhunt.

[00:02:49] Alan, what did you make of Fincher's latest effort? Well, so Chris, you and I saw this together,

[00:02:51] which is true of little hit or miss

[00:02:53] on whether we actually see these films together

[00:02:56] and seeing at a critics screening.

[00:02:58] So it's a little bit of a unique situation,

[00:03:01] sometimes to watch a film where you're in a theater

[00:03:04] and you're there with just other people

[00:03:05] who are critics and people watching these films. And I say that in terms of you mentioned you described Pinterest films as kind of being very a little cold and detached and sometimes very focused on process, maybe less so than it's not as involved. It doesn't seem to be as quiet as involved a lot of FIS films and necessarily I don't want to say character development.

[00:04:20] It's more of a, it seems to be a lot more fascination on showing the how things are doing

[00:04:25] and not necessarily of the film. It's just, I do think you have to go in realizing you're looking at something very much on a surface level. Even the, we get a monologue from our main character

[00:05:41] played by fast bender throughout the film

[00:05:42] that does give you some, a little bit of insight into them,

[00:05:45] but you don't really ever get to know

[00:05:47] any of these of it all. And it's going to work for some people. It's not going to work for many. It worked for me, but barely. So I hope that something up okay for me. And fast benders amazing. So I will just say that. I'll let him. Chris, your thoughts on the killer. I've been a little long. Sorry. Well, no, I mean, it's we basically had the to expand on it from that. Well, and I think a lot of people I've seen on line are kind of taking this as Fincher, actually kind of poking fun at himself because he's a very meticulous filmmaker as far as, because I mentioned the touch tone and the way things are very precise. Well, Michael Fassbender's the killer, that's his name. He doesn't really have a name.

[00:08:22] Yeah, there is no identifying spend 99% of the film with, and we hear voiceover narration which would make you think, oh, we're going to really dig into his psyche. We're going to get to know this guy. No, not really. Everything is very, I mean, his narration is almost like more reading instruction manuals

[00:09:44] on how he's going to do his job than things. But at the end of the day he has a nice getaway house or safe house. He has a nice safe house. And but at the end of the day he doesn't seem to be getting any kind

[00:11:00] of happiness gratification. He's just kind of perceived to be perfect. And because of that mess up, now people are after him. So he's kind of getting back at them before they can get to him. Right, I kind of think. Yeah. I mean, you could read a little meta end of this. Like, Mank got some nominations for awards,

[00:12:20] but I think in general, a lot of people

[00:12:22] looked Mank, his last film, and said,

[00:12:24] yeah, that's not really David Fincher.

[00:12:27] We don't really like that as much.

[00:12:28] Blah, yeah, this is good I mean it's a it's a fun and good film to watch and

[00:13:43] It's just does don't go in expecting a lot more than what you're kind of talk for a while with Tilda Swinton. So when she shows up and she gives, she does her little song and dance, I really enjoyed that. And at that point in the movie, I needed something like that, because a lot of it is action sequences of him assassinating people. But at some point you kind of need something different.

[00:15:02] Well, I think the film,

[00:15:04] I think what made the film is like yes This is a process. There's a there's a there's a work going on here to make this happen I Think the film that ultimately does work because it's punctuated with enough of those moments like you described the till to sweat and interaction

[00:16:23] that and you're not always quite sure what those moves are going to lead to, and it takes some time to pay off. I think something you and I had discussed off-mic, when we were driving home, that you mentioned, there were little dashes of humor from Fincher that kind of also would kind of make you sit up and take notice a little bit. There's pulling a cheese grater from a kitchen drawer.

[00:17:43] This moment, I won't go into why you what you want but I'm gonna challenge you to be entertained by it because I'm giving you like violence. I'm giving you some... No, I like that phrasing. I'm challenging you to find entertainment in this. Right. And I think some people will. Right. And some people will not, yeah.

[00:19:00] And I'm one of the first people to usually complain

[00:19:03] about runtime and this film, like all the cuts are edited to the song. And it's funny that way. And a little touch in the opening sequence,

[00:20:21] he is setting up this assassination that gets botched.

[00:20:25] He comments on how he listens to music. or not that. No, it's not that. I think I was looking for a little something that had a little bit more to say, something that had a little bit more to dig into and there's really not with this film. It's pretty much what you see is what you get. And it's I don't know. I was hoping for something a little deeper. Didn't get it but I did appreciate and had a good time with what I was given. So, getting

[00:21:43] other thoughts on it? No, no, no. I agree. Yeah. Well, that is the killer is going to be playing us some limited theaters here, like I think right now, next week or so. Sposed to open and select theaters, October 27. But this is a movie that will be on Netflix. What was the date on the Netflix? November 10th.

[00:23:00] November 10th.

[00:23:01] So you got about a week or so to wait

[00:23:04] if you're listening to this podcast when it came out

[00:23:06] before it will be available we didn't see. But overall, we appreciated what David Fancher decided to lay out on the table for us with his work this time. So, all right, Chris, let's take a quick break. And when we come back, we're going to talk about a couple of films coming up here in

[00:24:23] the month of November coming up soon that are film is going to be going to Netflix after a limited, very, very limited theatrical run. Okay. So a lot of these Netflix films or ones are going to streaming.

[00:25:40] I noticed that the trailers don't come out until fairly close to

[00:25:44] when the movie's ready to release.

[00:25:45] Like it used to be like a big theater release.

[00:26:42] This is the, let me give you the lag line for this film. This film is titled is Leave the World Behind.

[00:26:47] It is directed by a Mr. Sam Ismail.

[00:26:52] Do you know who that is?

[00:26:54] The name sounds vaguely familiar.

[00:26:56] He should.

[00:26:57] So he was the producer and showrunner behind Mr. Robot.

[00:27:02] Okay.

[00:27:03] Okay.

[00:27:03] He did Mr. Robot.

[00:27:04] He also was producer of a TV show called Homecoming.

[00:28:03] Yeah, this is slowly becoming normal for me. It's very normal for me.

[00:28:04] It's very normal for me.

[00:28:05] Yeah.

[00:28:06] I'm coming to clear for you.

[00:28:07] So here's the castle is for you.

[00:28:08] Julia Roberts.

[00:28:09] Marasha Ali.

[00:28:10] Okay.

[00:28:11] Ethan Hawke.

[00:28:12] In Kevin Bacon.

[00:28:13] Okay.

[00:28:14] Yeah.

[00:28:15] I think Kevin Bacon, somebody, I saw a joke online and something about Kevin Bacon.

[00:28:23] Okay.

[00:28:24] So, yeah, being able to play that game of six degrees of Kevin.

[00:28:26] Yes.

[00:28:27] Yes.

[00:28:28] But I didn't know it was associated with this movie. such a smart programming decision, it seems like a perfect holiday movie to take your family to see in the theater, or wait until it comes on Netflix and you can all gather around and watch it, because it just seems like a really, I mean, there was Wonka, but then there's Leave the World Behind. Chris, I'm just telling you, if it's my family, yeah, this is totally perfect. It wasn't for us to watch.

[00:29:42] Any takeaways, any thoughts? I think, you know, obviously, as you mentioned,

[00:29:45] I'm not, I mean, I know who the director is like now

[00:29:47] that you've told us and everything, to sustain a full movie on that. But the fact that there's a book, I'm like, okay, there's probably gonna be enough there to sustain my attention and my enjoyment of it. So yeah, it looks to be pretty good, but not, doesn't look to be terribly happy, but... I guess not, but I... But yeah, I mean, it's not... I look, as I said, I'm a big fan of Mr. Robot,

[00:31:02] definitely the first two seasons of that show.

[00:31:04] I thought were extraordinary.

[00:31:07] I think some of my favorite And something about them playing a husband and wife, I'm like, yeah, why hasn't that been done before? Like something that just, they just seem so, what the few scenes we see from the trailer, which are really good trailers. So good job, you give yourself a movie.

[00:32:21] But they just seem like so natural to get it

[00:32:24] like the interplay they have.

[00:32:25] So I'm like, yeah, it's, yeah.

[00:32:27] I'm looking forward to it. Okay, this is now vaulted to the top of my anticipated list, like in very short order. So leave the world behind. It is again, going to be on Netflix December 8th. It is playing select theaters in November. Again, the reason they're doing that whole select theaters weeks in advance is now because my understanding is Oscar rules are to be contender for the big awards.

[00:33:43] Your film has to play theaters.

[00:33:45] So just going straight to Netflix it. I'll pay my $7 a month or whatever it is to get the subscription. That's the ultimate gameplay. It seems to be working as a couple of situations. Now, I don't feel like leave the world behind. There's going to be a wide release like Killers of the Flower Moon was. It'll get enough of a theatrical run to qualify for awards, but then Netflix is really going

[00:35:02] to bank on people wanting that's it. Because I like seeing it on the big screen. But you're right, I mean, this film will not get a wide release, I'm guaranteeing on. I feel like you're probably right. It looks more like a genre type of type film.

[00:36:20] I mean, look, I'll be happy if it is playing, you know,

[00:36:22] in our hometown of Hickory, you know, in a couple of weeks

[00:36:25] because I'll go see it in the theater.

[00:36:26] I'd like to go see it in the theater.

[00:36:27] Yeah, my default is I'd Behind coming out in November in select theaters, but then in December on December 8 on Netflix. Very, very excited. How's it going? All right. So the second film to talk about is also one. Very interested in. Chris, we have reviewed familiar with the work here. Considering about writer and director of this film. Oh, okay. And here's the here's the tag line for this from IMDB. A hapless family, a hapless family man finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in

[00:39:00] their dreams. When his nightmare appearances take on a night

[00:39:04] marriage turn. I'm sorry. Paul, you've been on my mind recently. You keep popping up in my dreams. You don't do anything. You're just there. So, this specific person. The remarkable nobody. I'm also going to have that experience. Do you have a picture?

[00:40:22] Chris, let me just ask this right off the bat.

[00:40:24] In my two for two with films, I've now got you interested in. The whole dream is another conceit they can use to weave in some really wild scenarios, but then you've got Nicholas Cage playing a very, on the surface, it seems to be very similar to what we saw in adaptation. I tell you, and I think, this is based off the trailer people, and they have all these have given me some, both have given me a little more hopeful vibes about this fall and the films coming out. I think we've got, you know, I'd say earlier in the year looking at kind of the slate of films to come out throughout the year, I didn't feel like we were going to really have a good strong year of some interesting films to see. And even right

[00:43:03] now where we are, I think both I think both the

[00:44:20] Marvels and Aquaman are going to underperform. I don't think they're they come to the theater, but then most of them wait and watch it online. And I think the streaming services, this could be the season that just proves, yep, the streaming services are in the movie business, the new movie business for real. And when award season comes and the nominations come out in February or so, don't be surprised if a lion's share of those nominations

[00:45:40] are from films released by streaming services studios.

[00:45:44] So yeah, that'll be-

[00:45:46] Thanks for me, interesting. Yeah, you got the Taylor Swift movie. You've got Killers of the Flower Moon, which I even noticed is already in a very, very small theater, like not packing in big crowds. Sure. And one or two other kind of big releases, and then the rest of the R12 or 14 screen multiplex is filled with, really,

[00:47:00] I mean, I remember before Christmas,

[00:47:03] Lucas, Lucas, yeah.

[00:47:04] Lucas, Lucas.

[00:47:05] Or films you've just theater as opposed to just, hey, it's Friday night, let's go see what's at the movie theater, you know? No. OK, so I'll push the soapbox away I'm done. Anyway, two films. I already forgot the name. Oh, I'll leave the world behind in dream scenario. Yes. Both coming out over the course of the next several weeks,

[00:48:22] excited for both of them.

[00:48:24] And I'm sure we will find a way to talk about both of them

[00:48:27] on the show when they do come out. So it's just B O X D. Do us a favor. Give us a star rating, write a review, share with friends on whatever service you receive your favorite podcasts on. To help us reach new listeners, we would appreciate it. All right. Well, that's going to wrap it up for today. Thanks everybody for watching or listening, I guess, when I'm not watching, there's no you don't want to watch. I don't want to see us. It's all listening. Thanks for listening.

[00:49:41] And we'll look forward to talking to you next time. Take care. See you in the ticket line.