The Last House

[00:00:02] What you want, when you want it, where you want it. This is The MESH. Footcandle Films. Film 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, visit the society's website at www.footcandle.org.

[00:00:34] Hello everyone and welcome to Footcandle Films here on the MESH.TV Podcast Network. Alan Jackson here with Chris Fry, both of us with the Footcandle Film Society, the annual Footcandle Film Festival, and co-host of this podcast, Footcandle Films. Chris, how are you? How's it going? It's going well. I'm looking forward to talking to you about this film. I had not heard of this film prior to, I think, at the conclusion of last week's podcast.

[00:01:03] As always, once we're off mic, we kind of say, okay, what are we going to review next week? And you threw this title out. I was like, hadn't heard of it. You mentioned two of the stars. I was like, oh, okay, coming to Netflix. That'll be convenient. We don't have to try to work our schedule around going to see it in a theater. Although that's how we like to see movies. We prefer to see movies that way, but cool. Cool. So, yeah. Chris is alluding to the film, The Last House, with that long lead up too.

[00:01:33] Yes. Everybody hanging by the edge of their seat to hear you say the name of the film. So, yes, it's The Last House, which is on Netflix and starring Greta Lee, Wagner Mora, and yeah, and then some kids. And then some kids. And then some kids. That's true. So, that is The Last House. We'll be reviewing that film in just a moment, giving a review of that.

[00:01:56] Alongside that review, once we finish, we're going to do a little digging into some trailers of some new films coming out soon, as well as I just have one news item. We don't do a lot of news because... Trailer top is this hard. Trailer kind of... When the trailers are released, that's kind of like a lot of times when we're introduced to the film. It makes our job easy. But sometimes we do get some news, like I did today, about a project that is not to the trailer phase. Okay.

[00:02:21] But it's just an interesting sounding project with a director that I'm fascinated by, so I'm anxious to see what this next film is. Okay. And then, Chris, you have a recommendation for us as well? I do. Awesome. Chris gives a recommendation, and typically at the end of our episodes... Yes. ...of something he recommends. We ought to try to check out if we have a chance. But let's not delay any further. Let's go right into it and get started with our main review for this episode. It is The Last House.

[00:02:54] Hey, no scooter in the house. Mom, mom, let's go! Go get in the car. Don't rush me. I'm not. I'm hiding from our children. It won't open. We're trapped in here. We're still dead.

[00:03:21] What the hell is going on? I don't know. But we are safe. It's not just us.

[00:03:46] But most importantly, we have each other. I saw someone outside today. What is something out there? It's keeping us trapped.

[00:04:24] The Last House, categorized by IMDb as a psychological sci-fi thriller, tells the story of a family of four suddenly sealed inside their house with no way out. The family with parents, played by Greta Lee and Wagner Mora, must work together to survive against both their dwindling resources and the mysterious threat that is keeping them trapped. I'm curious, Alan, to start this off, to kind of see what your history is with both the writer

[00:04:50] and the director of this film, the director, Louis Leterrier, and then the writer, Matthew Robinson. So let's start with director Louis Leterrier. His previous works are, you can just say, seen it, haven't seen it, The Transporter from 2002. I have not seen it. Okay. The Incredible Hulk with Ed Norton prior to really integrating into the MCU kind of in 2008. I have seen it. Okay. Now You See Me, the original magician starting of that franchise.

[00:05:20] I think now it's three films of that. Well, I've seen it. So 2013, you've seen that one. And then most recently in 2023, Fast X, or I guess Fast 10, depending on how you are. Continuing my trend of not seeing any of the Fast and the Furious movies. None. Outside of the first one. Okay. I've seen the first one. Okay. Outside of that one. No, I have not seen it. Okay. Now let's transition over to writer Matthew Robinson. Invention of Lying from 2009.

[00:05:46] It's a comedy, I believe, starring the original Ricky Gervais. I believe it's who's it. Oh, no, I did not see that one. Then there is 2020's Love and Monsters. Did not see it. Okay. And then Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die from 2025, released this year. I actually recommend it on the podcast. Alan, have you caught up with that film? No, I have not. I've not seen it yet. Okay. All of this to say, I've seen some of those films, haven't seen others. But I wasn't familiar right off the bat.

[00:06:15] I had to look up both of their filmographies about what they had worked on. I will go ahead and say right off the bat, The Last House is not going to go down as my favorite of either of their works. Don't know what I'd really say. I think I remember thinking Ed Norton is the Incredible Hulk was at least interesting. I think I looked it up. I gave it three stars. I was quite favorable on Matthew Robinson's Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die.

[00:06:44] I liked that film. And he wrote that. He didn't do it, but he was a writer. I don't – I feel like this film was a script that maybe was towards the bottom of Mr. Robinson's pile that he had. And he just kind of threw it out there. And maybe it was a chance for Leterrier to work with Netflix. And he's like, sure, I'll do this. It's kind of like low effort or at least to me it felt very low effort.

[00:07:14] I thought this film was pretty terrible. Question. And then before I get to too much, I wonder – I'll toss it back to you because you just did what you'd seen, what you hadn't seen. Of the films we've reviewed recently, specifically films that have gone straight to a streaming service, recently reviewed on the show we have done In the Hand of Dante, which was Netflix. And then we did Outcome, which was Apple TV.

[00:07:41] Both you and I were not highest on. Here comes The Last House. Alan, is this a rebound for streams? Or are you kind of where I am where like I would have trouble saying which one of those I thought was, quote, the better film of all of them because I'm pretty – those are kind of on par with how I feel about this. Take it away, Alan. What were your thoughts for The Last House? I didn't think the film was terrible, but it was not good. Okay.

[00:08:11] There are a few redeeming elements out of it that at least kept my engagement through two-thirds of the film. Okay. But yeah, no, it's not a good film. And by the end, it has just completely fallen apart. And honestly, to the point where I had to actually ask my spouse a couple days later, I'm like, remind me, how did that movie end again? It's like – and she described it back to me.

[00:08:39] I'm like, oh, yeah. Right. That is how it ended. Okay. So that's the kind of vibe from it. Look, I love the premise. I love the setup. Sure. I'm like – it's kind of what got me hooked on it. But I realize now that I think they released this film intentionally to kind of ride – you know, we've got the end of Oak Street coming out in another week or so.

[00:09:02] In the theaters, which is like a family kind of in a house situation neighborhood kind of a, you know, family drama put in a sci-fi element type thing. And I just wonder if maybe The Last House is like, let's kind of go ahead and just kind of push this out to get a little bit of this momentum going on stuff or to kind of beat another film that might be seen as a little similar in tone or style.

[00:09:27] And it's a shame because I think it's got two really good leads, actors, Greta Lee, Wagner Mora. I think they're giving it their best with what they've got. But I will say as much as I love the premise of the film and overall the conceit of the film, the concept of the film. Like if you were describing this film to somebody, I'm like, huh, yeah. Okay. That sounds interesting. But then when it actually gets played out on screen, it's tedious.

[00:09:58] It's a film that can't quite decide which direction it wants to go. You've got two really good actors that unfortunately are given some really trite dialogue and scenes that have to act out. And it's like, oh, no, this is the scene where the family is going to act silly and dance and have a little party. And now, okay, now this is the scene where things are serious and we have to have serious talks. It's like there's no gradation. There was no like development.

[00:10:25] Honestly, there's a part in this film where it goes from truly one scene of, oh, we're just we're surviving. We're doing great. This is awesome. And the very next scene is like, we're hungry and we're starving. We can't. I'm like, there was no. If you want us to go along for the ride, you've got to build things. And you can't just drop in scenes haphazardly and ask us to react to them. So it's just, again, I like the concept.

[00:10:52] I was generally intrigued by the concept until I realized what the concept was, which it reveals about halfway through the movie. And at that point, I'm like, okay, well, unless they can do something really interesting with this idea that I'm kind of checked out. And unfortunately, they did not do anything really interesting with it. And I was completely checked out. So I'm not going to say terrible only because.

[00:11:18] I did enjoy some of the lead up scenes to what was going on. I thought the first 20 minutes or so, like it kind of had me. But then it lost me. So I is a subpar movie. It is not not a good movie. So, Chris, I want to hear a little more thoughts from you. It's interesting. The definition of terrible, but please, please feel free to expand. And I think it's almost as if, I mean, the notes I have, you've kind of ticked them off.

[00:11:47] The problems I had troubled tropes, a dance party to lighten the mood. Yep. When that happened, I was like, okay. You know, yes, I like the Cure song they played. But yeah, I mean, it's just kind of like, okay, that that to me is reaching in just like a color by numbers way of showing something that like lots of other movies have done at this point. Not that original.

[00:12:07] You mentioned, rarely in a bad film, one that I don't like because of the script or because of something, like even in Hand of Dante, let's say, I don't really feel sorry for the actors as I'm watching it. But as I was watching this film, Greta Lee and Wagner Moore, I just, I, they would deliver dialogue. And I'm like, I know that had to be, I feel, I just feel sorry for them because the dialogue is clunky.

[00:12:36] It's just, you can see the gears, the plot stuff moving forward. And it's just not interesting. And I'm like, God, I just, I really hated it for them. You know, and I don't fault them. Like you said, I feel like they're doing the best they can. There's a shift late in the film where then we just get this voiceover narration that also made me groan. We're like, there's a transition of. Well, the, the voiceover was at the very beginning. Okay. And then it disappears. Disappears.

[00:13:02] Then it came back like two thirds of the way in the movie or some halfway through kind of randomly. Yeah. And yeah. Right. And so that, you know, it just, it bothered me. I will say at the very end of the film, I have to kind of give the filmmakers maybe some credit here because they kind of, they kind of ended as if there could be a sequel. And I'm like, you know what? Good on you. You're optimistic. You're optimistic.

[00:13:31] You're saying this is going to happen. You're like, yeah, like, and I'm like, you know, that has, it's like, I'm glad that you had enough faith in this project. And it's, you know, I get it. You know, you're working hard. You're trying to make a good film. Nobody tries to make a bad one, but like that used to, they could have just kind of concluded it. And they're like, no, we're going to have an open that if Netflix wants to invite us back. I'm like, okay, good on you. But I just, it was kind of eye rolling, but in a way I had to admire it, admire him for it.

[00:14:00] You said the premise that they get stuck in this house. Did we actually mention the premise and the setup? I kind of said they stuck in, but I didn't say like why they were suddenly seeing it in the house. And we don't, I don't think we should say. Oh, okay. Because that's like one of the only enjoyment to get out of the film is to actually try to figure out what's, what is causing it. Although I will tell you once you learn, it is kind of a let down disappointment. Well, okay.

[00:14:27] So you say I can't spoil it. Well, there's. Well, look. All right. Fine. Fine. Okay. Okay. I mean, you know, it's, if you're in, if you really like, if you're looking for something and you like science fiction, I am, I'm going to try to remain. Everybody just, if you had been waiting for months to watch the last house, if you somehow knew about top of your watch list and you now are listening to this episode for some reason, before you decided to watch the movie, uh, just fair warning, Chris is going to spoil. I'm going to, I'm going to spoil the, the threat. Okay.

[00:14:56] Um, I won't spoil how the movie ends, but yeah, the shift of the threat from sticky rain to walking octopus was so shaky and poorly handled. And I thought less interesting. It could have been an abyss adjacent update where the world is kind of upset or is taking back this kind of thing. And like, that's what's the rain.

[00:15:25] Cause they, it's just raining constantly and that's, you know, forcing them to stay indoors because it seals the house. Okay. There's something there, but then you shift to where it's like a gaggle of Daisy Davy Jones clones from pirates of the Caribbean. To me, it felt like that's right. Just not as interesting. And well, see, there's, there's some ways to make a good movie out of this. Okay. I thought about this. Cause this is what my thing is, is like, look, if I'm going to watch a bad movie, I at least want to try to see if I can figure out a way to make it good.

[00:15:54] Is it changing the title from the last house to chimney fishing? Chimney. I have, I have questions about chimney fishing. We will explain that for people. We'll get to chimney fishing. Okay. So I think, okay. I'm cool with the concept of, all right. Um, a majority of the earth is covered in water and there's like depths of the oceans that maybe we don't always know. And yes, maybe, uh, if there are creatures that inhabit the oceans, maybe they are a

[00:16:21] little ticked off at humans for the way we've tried to treat their oceans or whatever. Okay. I can buy that. I kind of like the idea of an uprising of like these ocean creatures deciding, you know what? We've had it. We're done. We're taking over. Okay. Okay. If that was the concept of the film, we're watching a family and all of a sudden they're being invaded by these creatures across the entire world. And for whatever reason, this house, they are able to stay protected and, and they are truly like the surviving family with all this going on.

[00:16:51] And if that's kind of set up and established, and now we're following this family as they are trying to survive being this one family, lone family with the, with this going on outside, there's something there. That's, that's actually, I think an interesting film, but then you have to go ahead and let them know this is the threat to you. This is the situation. Everything we're doing as a family is to protect ourselves from what we know is going outside.

[00:17:17] The problem with this film is it wants to spend so much time where the family doesn't know what's going on, but seems completely okay with it. Like that whole first half of the movie, I was kind of surprised. I'm like, why are they still kind of being cool with all this? It's like, they're locked in their house. They cannot escape. They can't get out. And they just like within the first day, they're just like, okay, well, here's what we're going to do. We're going to do this and we're going to do that. And we're going to make sure we're all good.

[00:17:45] Like, I'm sorry. No human family people would react this way. People would be, it would be freaking out. It would be mania to figure out what is going on. Right. So if you establish this threat, that this situation early on and say, this is what's going to happen. This is the, these are creatures outside and they're trying to track down all the humans and you have to stay protected and silent. Okay. I like that. Then don't show me the creatures. Okay.

[00:18:12] Like truly let them be a hidden threat. Sure. That I'm dealing with as a family and then explore the family dynamics of how do we, in this family, we are now the only family left that we know of in this area and we are cut off from the outside world because we cannot leave this house because we are trapped in here. Right. How do we deal with this constant threat? See, the problem is they introduced the threat of these creatures very sloppily.

[00:18:39] Like, it's like, it took a while to even figure out, Oh, they are trying to insinuate. There's something out there. Besides sticky water. Right. And it's like, it just was really clumsy the way it went about. Anyway, there's a decent movie that could be made out of a core concept. But again, they, they made the wrong choices in the way to do this and it didn't work. So. Yeah. And it just, I agree. There are, there are interesting ideas, but just not kind of fully baked, you know, fully

[00:19:09] processed and realized. And it just comes across as being just not that great. I mean, I think as well, maybe if this film had come out, you're right. I guess it probably is released to kind of catch on the coattails of what's going to be the end of Oak street. I mean, that's a little bit of a reach, but it just seems kind of weird that it came out like a week before another very similar family in a sci-fi situation in the suburbs kind of came up. Sure. It just seems a lot. No, it does.

[00:19:38] While I was watching the film, I was reminded of a different filmmaker, different film, obviously, but signs in night Shyamalan, because it's like family aliens in a house trapped, all this kind of stuff. And you learn like dynamics about the family. And I'm just thinking to myself, like, yeah, this is like signs, but with water, you know, like ocean thing. And just didn't work, but then I was like, well, why might something like this be of interest?

[00:20:05] And maybe this was also an idea that it was kind of like a corollary to something that everyone had been through recently as 2020 COVID trapped inside, trapped inside a house. And it's like, okay, and like the family trying to do the best they do with food. And then, you know, kids not being able to go to school. And so I, but it just, there wasn't, it was like all these ideas, but then trying to make them mesh and work together just didn't, didn't happen. Right. Agreed. Agreed. Yeah.

[00:20:35] And I thought by the end, it was pretty, it just got pretty ridiculous. Oh, the resolution of it totally. We're not going to spoil. Yeah. I spoiled the creatures, but did not work for me. It's like, that's it. That's going to be the way that this is going to end. Really? And again, if, if they had leaned in deeper into whatever theme they were trying to establish about environmental issues or way human street, the environment around them, I think there's something you can play off of there.

[00:21:05] And I think there could have been a way to build a resolution that kind of stemmed off of that more, but it didn't actually kind of forgot all that. It's just there helped because one creature liked them. Yeah. I mean, yeah. Question. Yeah. I mean, essentially that's basically it. So, um, yeah, no, this is a, this is a miss of a movie and it's a shame because I

[00:21:31] really bought in the concept and I, it's the type of film I like and want to enjoy. And I really liked the two leads. So it was just disappointing all the way around. Although I will say I did not realize it was a Mr. Uh, Louis, um, uh, what's his name? Leterrier. Leterrier. Yeah. Did not realize he was the director until I saw his name flash up on the credits at the beginning. Okay. That automatically put me in warning mode. You did know kind of who he was. Oh, I knew he was. Okay.

[00:21:59] I, uh, uh, I will, I will never forgive. Oh, Mr. You did not like the Hulk. No, no. I thought the Hulk was actually okay. I thought it was a little bit of an underrated film. I think. Oh, now you see me. Now you see me. Now you see me. I despise as a movie. Okay. As a concept. Oh, as a concept. As a franchise, as a whole big thing. This idea of, oh, no, I don't want to get on my soapbox on that movie. No, we have a, we have, we have things to get to in the show. I want to make sure.

[00:22:29] They just know I, I do not like that film at all. And I'm very angry about that film. And so I do hold that against him. Okay. So when I saw his name pop up on the credits, I did not see that. I'm like, oh, oh no. Please. Fair enough. Please, please. No. So anyway, that's that. Well, I'll say on a positive note. Oh, I will say one thing that I did think towards the, uh, there is some scenes with this house towards the end.

[00:22:58] Now granted, I know, you know, with technology and everything nowadays, nowadays, maybe there was none of this and it was all just green screen, which probably a lot of it was for safety for the actors. But what I wasn't expecting, I think they actually had some underwater work for Wagner and more, uh, for the kids for, um, Gratalee. And I was like, oh, that's, that's something that I think, I don't think Gratalee had ever done before in her careers have to like, you know, do action sequences underwater and like hold a breath.

[00:23:27] Granted, I know they have like people with respirator breathers, like right off camera. So they're, you know, but still like the physical, like having, I was like, well, that's, that's gotta be interesting for them to do. So that it, some of that to me, I was thinking was kind of, and I'm sure that's probably expensive. Um, so that was like, oh, well, okay. They're stepping up a little bit of interest. So that looked, I thought some of that stuff looked good if it was real, it may have all been digital. But I also don't think it was edited and displayed really well.

[00:23:56] So it just made that those scenes really chaotic and kind of hard to follow. I felt like, so yeah, but I mean, sure. Give credit for them trying it, trying, trying to do it. But it's just a, yeah, no. Um, so I can, I can give a positive. Okay. I always think it's the admirable when you can cast children, uh, different actors at different ages. And I totally buy that. Yeah.

[00:24:21] And the older, the older son, I thought he really looked like Wagner more. Like I haven't. Yeah. Yeah. That, that too. I was like, whoa, I bought this family. I'm like, not only like we see them at age. Yeah. Really young, really young. Like a eight years old for the girl and 12 years old for the boy. And then we see them again at 13 and 17 and I bought it. I'm like, yeah, yeah. I think that's the same kids. And I do believe that they came from these two parents. No, again. Yes.

[00:24:51] Good, good casting. Unfortunately, you know, it wasn't a lot for them to do and you know, but yeah, that yeah. Agreed. Yeah. We can find some positives. Well, let me ask you, Alan. Okay. So I can go ahead and say the next work from Mr. Leterrier is to do fast forever coming out in 2028. They're already filming it. Um, I don't think you're going to be on board for that because you won't forgive him for now. You see me. So probably won't have any interest in that. I'm not going to fault him on the fast franchise.

[00:25:21] I have not. I cannot properly evaluate his work on the fast and the furious franchise. It may be okay. I don't know. Okay. But you won't run to the theater just because you haven't been invested in the film. Okay. But I, you know. Now, Mr. Robinson, his next work, no date set on this, but he is writing Edge of Tomorrow 2. Yeah. But I think that's been, I think that's been something on the table a long time. Like, you know, I think they started talking about writing a sequel, like after the first one made so much money came out. Sure.

[00:25:49] So I don't know if I hold out hopes on that. Look, I liked the first Edge of Tomorrow. He didn't write the original one, right? I don't think so, but I'm not positive. Yeah. So. Yeah. We'll see. I don't have a lot of, that's just been way, way long in development phase. I just don't know if that's something we'll really honestly ever expect to see, but we'll see. All right. Well, that is the last house on Netflix. Look, here's the thing.

[00:26:19] If you have a Netflix subscription, it's technically free. Like you've already paid your Netflix subscription. Do you want to sit and have a movie on in the background for an hour and a half that you don't really want need to mentally be engaged with? And you like these two actors and you like seeing them off the screen. You know, I, I'm saying it's not a good movie, but I'm also going to say that, you know, uh, you know, some people may get a little bit of enjoyment out of some moments

[00:26:48] of it and some parts, but right for free. I would say like, if you have, if you're looking for a, I mean, your kids probably need to be at least in high school because there is some like drug use and stuff in there. Um, the parents smoke some pot. Oh, right, right, right. I forgot about that scene. Yes. Other than that, which is probably why they were trying to push to do, get a PG 13 rating. I mean, there is some like jump scare type stuff, but outside of that, um, if your kids,

[00:27:17] if your old high school kids are maybe into like science fiction or like thriller movie and you want to watch a movie, you know, with, you know, you're older, then maybe, you know, you're like, and it's like you say, it's real Netflix. Then maybe you might would enjoy this like sci-fi thriller type. I think there's, I think there's some people who could probably find a little bit of enjoyment from it, but, uh, yeah, it's just not, it was more of a disappointment for me that it just didn't do more with what it had on its plate. Cause I think it could have pulled something off pretty, pretty good out of this.

[00:27:46] I will say, uh, there was one moment that, you know, they have some attempts at humor like, you know, the dance party or whatever. There was a moment when the father is struggling to find things to do and he comes across, find some DVDs and he finds a Netflix envelope that obviously he never returned and he just kind of like crumples it and throws it. Which I thought that was funny. I mean, that was obviously they knew this was going to be showing on Netflix. Right. They did. But I thought that was funny because it's like, you know, oh yeah, I never returned and like throwing it.

[00:28:16] I thought that that actually got a laugh. We didn't mention the, you mentioned it, but we didn't go into details with the chimney fishing. Oh, how dare we? Cause as soon as they said, I mean, I'd already kind of checked out the movie, but they said chimney fishing. I was like, oh, that would be an amazing title for this movie because last house, how generic is that? But chimney fishing. See, and what, just again, we have to give background to people because we kind of mentioned these things and not really giving any context to it.

[00:28:43] There's a, a, a, a plot point where they're trying to figure out how to get food. Yes. And there are animals on the outside of the house, but they are unable to leave the house. So therefore they have to figure out a creative way to get food into the house. Yes. And the only, the only thing that they can actually get escape out of, which I didn't understand either was the chimney. The chimney was open. Yes. So I guess the water creatures forgot about chimneys. Well, at one point the, uh, yes, they, yes, they must've forgot.

[00:29:13] They must've forgot. Oh, we didn't realize these houses had a hole in the top. Right. Oh. We completely didn't. And the rain falling from the sky in theory would have sealed said chimney. I would have thought so. But, but anyway, Wagner Morris character is an engineer, which we're told many times that that's why he's able to build things and he builds contraptions that they somehow get out the chimney, lowered down to the ground through a pulley system.

[00:29:38] And it's a trap where an animal can go in at the trap, but they have to reel it in from inside the house. Yes. So it's chimney fishing. Yes. I'll tell you, I know we were going on this movie way too long. I will say, uh, the few little moments where they're actually trying to creatively come up with solutions. I actually thought were pretty interesting. It's kind of like MacGyver mixed with signs or whatever.

[00:30:04] When, when Wagner Morris character is actually like trying to craft, like they craft this trap and they try it and it doesn't work. And then they have to go back and fix it and revise it. I'm like, okay, this is actually something. This is, I'm not hating this part. This is actually okay. It's like, this is, this is slightly entertaining. And, you know, I kind of would have liked to see more of that, like more of ingenuity of like, what are we going to do to survive inside this house? Okay. Let me, let me add a point on that. Okay. And then we will move on.

[00:30:34] Cause like you said, we spent way too much time, but that's what we do. We talk about movies. Um, something that could have helped the film, which it being PG 13, they're probably not going to do. Um, let Wagner Morris character as the father go dark. And what I mean, kind of loses mind. Yes. And what I mean by that is because they show a, I guess, is it a dog or is it just a wolf? It's a wolf, right? That's on the outside. Okay. The wife sees it. He sees it.

[00:31:03] They kind of are, you know, they're like, Oh, you know, go, you're on the outside. Be free. You know, like good luck for you. Because they realized that thing's looking for food. They're looking for food. They're trapped. They're trapped. And it goes off. Um, they manufacture some food inside their house twice. Um, and once the son does it, once the father does it, the father does it first.

[00:31:26] Um, some leftovers that they can't eat are, um, sympathetically put outside for said, um, for the, for the wolf. Um, later when he starts fishing, I'm curious because it's like, at one point you were sympathetic to things outside and then now you're like, we're hungry. We're going to start getting food.

[00:31:51] And then even at a later point, things seem to be kind of happy. They figured everything out. They have to, and the daughter kind of questions like, wait a second, why are we continuing to chimney fish when we don't need to? And the father's like, well, you know, and I'm like, if they had continued his life, like descent into madness or like, you know, maybe that would have worked for me. But then it was like, it just, it didn't. They tried to have him go dark for like one scene. There was like one moment where it's like, oh, they totally shifted his personality.

[00:32:21] And then it's like, then he was fine after that. Like he kind of went mad dad and was like yelling at the kids. For like, which again was another checkbox. Yep. You got to do it. That's that's, you got to have the ups and downs of the family drama. If you're going to be trapped in a house like this. So anyway, okay, we're done. We got to move on. That's the last comment on the last. That was the last comment on the last house on Netflix. See it if you want to. All right. So let's take a quick break. When we come back, we've got a couple of trailers and a news item to do.

[00:32:51] And Chris's recommendation. So stay tuned. You're listening to foot candle films. We'll be right back in a minute. Want to discover great podcasts or maybe even start one of your own? Welcome to the mesh Western North Carolina's podcast network built for creators and listeners alike from local sports and business to comedy and culture. The mesh is home to unique voices and fresh perspectives. Do you have something you want to say?

[00:33:17] The mesh can help you bring your podcast to life with the tools, support and platform you need to be heard. Check us out at the mesh dot TV where great podcasts live. And new ones are born. Hello and welcome back to foot candle films here on the mesh dot TV podcast network.

[00:33:39] Chris and I had a longer discussion on the last house much longer than needed or required, but it was, it was fun conversation. Listeners. If you know of another podcast that talked about the last house for as long as we did or longer, please let us know. Let us know. We'd like to connect up with them. Right. Swap notes. Right. So, all right, let's move on to some, some other discussions, mainly looking at films

[00:34:08] yet to come out. We like to explore trailers, although we have a love hate relationship with trailers. We know that sometimes the trailers can give away too much. We don't like trailers that detail the entire plot of the film or show scenes from every moment of the film. Yeah. We like good teaser trailers. We're a fan of teasers. Yeah. Teasers are great. Give us a taste of the film. Let us know kind of the style, the vibe that we're getting into before you give away the entire plot. So we are going to watch these.

[00:34:37] I've got two trailers to watch sandwiched in between them will be a news item. I've got, okay. This is labeled as a teaser trailer. We'll see how teaser it is or if it's truly like in trailer territory, but this is one I am interested in curious about. It is a remake of the film, the Thomas crown affair. Okay. Now the Thomas crown affair, I know for a fact has been made twice. If it's been made more than twice, I'm, I'm just not aware of it, but I know that

[00:35:06] there was one, I think it was Steve McQueen, Steve McQueen and a Faye Dunaway. Okay. Is that it? Uh, the Thomas crown affair, the original, it sounds like that's something that could have happened. I need to go look up and see if I'm correct in saying that, but I'm pretty sure it's Steve McQueen, but you mentioning those two actors being in this film makes me want to yeah. Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway from 1968. I need to go check that out. Cause I've seen the, the remake that came after it, but okay. Yeah.

[00:35:34] The Thomas crown affair that was back in a 68. And then we also had the one with Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo in 1999, which I thought that was, that was really good. That was a good movie. Me not being as into movies in nine nine as I am now. I mean, I was into movies. I did not realize at the time that that was a remake. I think I thought that was like an original property or whatever. So this one, the Thomas crown affair, a little, uh, interesting take on it, which I like

[00:36:02] Michael B. Jordan starring as Thomas crown. Okay. So he coming off of, um, center centers, centers was the last thing award-winning centers. And I think his performance award-winning as well. And, uh, so this is his followup to centers. Uh, but even more exciting to me is he's also directing it. Is he also going to play the Thomas crown role and the romantic? He's going to play both characters. He's going to play both the villain and his love and Thomas crown. So it's going to be very interesting film. Okay.

[00:36:32] Uh, so as a director, I think he's only done one other film. Okay. And I think that was creed. Hold on. It was creed three. Right. Okay. That makes sense. He directed keep creed three, which he also started. So he is kind of used to starring in his own directorial efforts. Um, and I think that's the only thing he's directed other than now the Thomas crown affair. Okay.

[00:37:01] Uh, so let's watch the teaser trailer. Uh, it's Thomas crown affair. It has Michael B. Jordan. Uh, Adria Arjona is the, uh, uh, co-lead on this and Kenneth Branagh will be in this film as well. Interesting. So with that, let's watch the teaser trailer and see what we think of this so far.

[00:37:24] I've been taking risks my entire life, but last night it was different. I felt alive. My heart was racing. Every step was part of a plan. Things slowed down.

[00:37:54] It was silent. And I was surprised how easy it was, but I'm not finished yet. That's what excites me. I just had to come over and introduce myself.

[00:38:23] Thomas crown. I know exactly who you are. All right. So that is the teaser trailer for the Thomas crown affair starring and directed by Michael B. Jordan. Chris, any just immediate quick reactions on that? I, it looks interesting. Um, you know, I, I liked, I thought the trailer was well edited. I liked the whole like footstep motif kind of building up anticipation with like the sound

[00:38:52] effects and the soundtrack kind of him constantly walking towards pieces of art or, you know, while, you know, walking towards his goals, his missions. Um, I'm going to give it a shot. It looks well shot, you know, very slick. Um, I am there for Kenneth Branagh in his bond villain phase. He was that way in tenant. Yes. Um, to some lesser extent, cause not a villain, but kind of a idiot, I guess in the Harry Potter movie that he was in. Right.

[00:39:21] Um, so it's interesting. That's kind of like his role, but it looks like he seems to be playing a direct adversary to Michael Jordan, be Jordan's character. Um, and then you mentioned our Jonah. I have liked her in the things I've seen her in. Um, she looks very capable of playing like the, you know, the antagonist to his criminal trying to do stuff. So yeah, it looks good. Um, going into something that we've already seen a previous version of, I can see a lot

[00:39:49] of audiences or, you know, people out there probably because it's been a long time. You said 99. So here we are in 2026. There's been enough of a gap that an updated version, you know, could, could be interesting. So yeah, it looks good. So what'd you think? I'm, I'm with you. I think it looks good. I, uh, I think there are obviously, I got to believe that there's a little bit of a,

[00:40:14] you know, there's a, there's a, there's a dearth right now due to the lack of James Bond, the lack of any clarity on where James Bond is in the franchise. I think they see this. This is Michael B. Jordan's bid to be the next James Bond. No, no, not even that. Just to say we, we can create the kind of film that, you know, a Bond film could be, should be, uh, was supposed to be.

[00:40:42] I mean, I, I personally feel like that if this movie is a success, they're, they're trying to build it. They'll build it as a franchise. Okay. That's just my gut feel. And you, that's the, you know, and this is the kind of role I think of Michael B. Jordan wants to have is like a franchise type role of a character like this, where you get some cool action scenes, you get some really great spy, like, uh, intrigue, criminal theft, you know, heist type of stuff. I don't know.

[00:41:09] I just, I could see that building as like, that'd be the goal. So in other words, Hey, if the Thomas crown affair is good, the next you have the Thomas crown dilemma, then you have the Thomas crown. Sure. Something, you know, it's like, it's kind of structured for that already the way that it's set up in this teaser. Let me, let me offer something. I agree with everything you're saying. Um, you and I have mentioned, I liked it more than you, uh, the film relay, but it was somebody

[00:41:37] where they had a job and they're very good at their job. And so therefore it's enjoyable to watch. This guy was like a, would listen to devices and would do all this work through using a TTD devices that are normally used for deaf folks. And he would do all this communication back. Oh, right, right, right. Right. So that's, um, but watching and somebody like a James Bond, although I got tired of that cause it's, you know, it's a franchise. There've been so many of them, but somebody very good at their job being able to execute it. And it's like, how can they elude captors?

[00:42:05] Like that film crime one Oh one, that was not that great that we saw that had, you know, it was a criminal that would do all these crimes, you know, to, so that one wasn't interesting, didn't work, but this looks like it has the capability. I was thinking to myself, what is it going to be different other than the update? What if at the end of this, he actually goes to jail and then that sets up him breaking out for like the second sequel.

[00:42:32] I think that could be a very interesting, like you like him the whole time, but then he actually does get caught or even better. He gets caught on purpose because he's like, he is in love with the girl or whatever. So just, there you go. Studio notes, not too late. Maybe it hasn't been released. Yeah. Make it happen. There's still time for re-edits and re-shoots. So sure. All right. Well, that's the Thomas Crown Affair. That is coming out March, 2027. So we're still a ways off. So there you go. Nine months out.

[00:43:01] Those are some notes if you've done some preliminary screenings. There you go. Michael B. Jordan, make it happen. All right. That looks good. Let's go into a bit of a news item. So no trailer with this one, but just because it's still very early. But I'm just, I really, I'm interested in Ari Aster as a director. Oh, wow. As a filmmaker. Okay. I haven't even heard of. Yeah. And I just, I like kind of knowing what projects to work on.

[00:43:28] Because even if his films don't always 100% work for me, I'm still intrigued by them. Oh, yeah. I'm like, I want to see them. Well, his last one was kind of a sidestep from what we had kind of known him to do. It was like horror stuff. But then he did, is it Eddington or Effington? I can never. Eddington. Okay. It's Eddington's The Ben Fold Song. Correct. But yeah, so that was kind of a different, a different like lane for him to get in. So, okay.

[00:43:54] Well, so the next film he's got coming up is a film called Scapegoat. Okay. And it had recently announced that Scarlett Johansson will be leading the cast of this film. Now they've announced that Academy Award nominee Jacob Elordi is in talks to star as well. Okay. So we've got Scarlett Johansson and Jacob Elordi in the new Ari Aster film Scapegoat,

[00:44:23] which will also be released by A24, just like I think all of his others have. According to Variety's article on this, it's, you know, the log line for the film is being kept under wraps. Oh. There's plenty of early speculation about the plot. Some say the thriller is about a doctor who operates on an internet famous person. And it goes wrong. Well, we don't know, but I would assume so. If it goes right, where's the story? Or some others have said it's more of a sci-fi romance.

[00:44:50] And then still others are saying it's like a traditional drama for Aster. I'm like, a traditional drama? Doesn't sound like something Aster does. But anyway, so nobody knows what this film's about. Okay. But it is, all we know right now is the name is Scapegoat. Okay. And it does have Scarlett Johansson and Jacob Elordi.

[00:45:11] Of the possibilities you've mentioned, it seems most likely the idea that being like a doctor who something goes wrong with a surgery, with the internet, like that seems like a plausible idea. Yeah. That sounds like a... That sounds like something that could be. Yeah. Yeah. But anything goes. Sure. We have no idea. Sure, sure, sure. And I don't even have a date or anything on like... Obviously, they're just now casting, so they haven't even started filming yet. So it's still a ways off. But I'm just kind of... I'm intrigued.

[00:45:40] It's nice to know another one's on the way. Sure. Yeah. I'm curious. Yeah. I know I liked Eddington, I think, more than you. I found more out of it. But we got to... I mean, no matter if you liked it or didn't like it or whatever, I mean, it's still an intriguing watch. And it's still an interesting watch and something to talk about. So that's always good with Astor films. Same with Bo is Afraid. You know, it's like... You definitely liked Bo is Afraid more than me. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, Ari Aster.

[00:46:10] Excited to see his next film there. Let's see. Okay. Now we're back to trailers. One more trailer to go. This is one... Has one of the longest titles of a film we've had recently. But I'm really curious to see this trailer. The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. That is the name of the film. It stars a Mr. John Turturro. John Turturro plays an aging thief.

[00:46:40] Okay. Whose old school tactics become less effective in an age of two-factor authentication and technology. So it's not a comedy, just a drama. It's supposedly a crime drama. Okay. It is from a director, Noah Segan, who is... It's his first film directorial debut. The IndieWire article about it says, It is an unapologetic love letter to the city. New York, obviously.

[00:47:10] Filled with location and the characters that evoke the city's rich history, documenting the passage of time, while exploring what made its past era so great. So with that going on, and let's see. Also in this film, we have Juan Carlo Esposito. We have Tatiana Marcellani. And we have Jamie Lee Curtis. Oh, and Steve Buscemi. Okay. Wow. So yeah. A lot of interesting people. Brand new director.

[00:47:41] I like the premise of the film. I like John Turturro. So let's take a look at the trailer for the only living pickpocket in New York. You know what you did wrong? It wasn't the lift. You did that swell. You need something to hide it. Sometimes you got a newspaper or a magazine.

[00:48:12] That's it. Yeah. I'm full. You got to take it day by day. We're everywhere if you keep an eye out. Hey. When you coming to work with us old dogs? You got to learn some new tricks. Nothing's as good as a five-finger discount. Watches? That's for Gatsy. You got platinum cards. Yeah. Even suckers get a day off sometimes. All right, honey. I'm sorry we lost the data guy.

[00:48:42] Maybe I'll grab a tape at the library. Something with Barbara Stanwyck. Let me get it for you. So that was the trailer for the only living pickpocket in New York from Sony Pictures Classics and writer-director, first-time director Noah Sagan.

[00:49:11] Chris, your thoughts on the trailer? Interesting. Interesting. Um, I think it will be, if we end up reviewing it, it'll be one of those things where you're like, it was okay. Um, I think it's going to be with the premise and being Love Letter to New York, which I can see how that follows through on that. I think it'll be hard to achieve something more than that, more than just kind of a simple, simple film, which no problem with that. Um, the cast looks interesting though.

[00:49:39] Um, and it does look like it's going to be a, which he doesn't really get a chance to be kind of the main star of a film. Right. So for this to be Totoro, you know, it looks like he's really getting a chance to kind of show everything he can do. Agreed. Looks interesting. I'm on board. I love it. I think it looks great. Uh, excited to see it. I hope it's good. And, uh, yeah, no, I mean, you know, so films we've been watching and talking about even like lately, like you mentioned that film Relay. Yes. From last year or a year and a half ago.

[00:50:09] Uh, we did, uh, uh, Tuner recently. Yes. You know, these kind of in the city, uh, you know, people who perform things outside of the boundaries of the law, but yet they're having either kind of come around and reevaluating their life a little bit. It just, I don't know. There seems to be kind of a rash of those films and that style. And this seems to be a little bit in that same vein. And, uh, but I like John Turturro so much. I do too. I'm, uh, I'm excited to see it.

[00:50:39] And have to see him have like a lead. Yeah. Like he's the central character. Yeah. All right. Well, that is our news section, trailers and news, all that good stuff. So with that, we are done with the main body of the show, but we come to the dessert, the, the, the epilogue, the, the curtain call, whatever you want to call it. That is Chris's recommendation of a film for us here at the end of the episodes. Chris, what do you have to recommend for us today?

[00:51:07] So I saw this film after I'd seen the last house and it was kind of a reminder of here's a kind of similar in last house. It has like kind of a big idea premise difference being this one. I was very well executed. Everything at the end of the day made sense, even though the, uh, villain of the film is kind of fantastical and weird.

[00:51:33] And you kind of have, you have to buy into the fact that this thing could exist. Um, it's the 2022 film Nope by Jordan Peele. Um, you know, plotline for his residence in a lonely gulch of inland California, bear witness to an uncanny chilling discovery that then they're at risk of being killed by this thing.

[00:51:56] Um, just suffice it to say, it's kind of, if you haven't seen the film for some reason, it's like an alien that haunts the skies or aliens that just kind of leave it at that. Um, but watching it again, I'd seen it, hadn't seen it in a while since it had come out in 2022. Um, just made me realize how well plotted the film is and how little things that occur kind of come back around and really make sense.

[00:52:21] Or like, you know, you needed to see that happen to then kind of like later in the film, like at the end of the film, it just, it's just really expertly done. The shots are actually done to acting. I think it was my first introduction to Kiki Palmer, um, who plays Daniel Kaluuya, their brother and sister. And I think it was the first time I'd really seen her. And she is just so, you know, you're just like, who is this person? Cause she's just like, so, you know, got this really big presence on screen.

[00:52:49] And of course now she's done a lot of stuff. Um, just really, just really well. And the casting down to, there's a kind of a cinematographer that they end up having to recruit to try to capture on film, some things that are happening. Uh, Michael Wincott don't know anything. I mean, I feel like I have seen him in other things, but his presence on screen in this movie, his voice does the majority of everything it needs to do.

[00:53:16] And, oh man, he's just, he's got this really gravelly voice. And if you saw me be like, oh yeah, that guy, I think in most films he usually plays probably a grizzled bad guy. He's not a bad guy in this. Um, and it's also just fun because it's inside Hollywood because the brother and sister, they work as horse wranglers for Hollywood. So there's just a lot of, he, uh, has a jacket because he worked on Scorpion King with his dad at the time. So, you know, there's just a lot of like references.

[00:53:45] Uh, there's a motorcycle skid towards the end of the film that is actually a reference to a anime film, Akira that I used to watch like back in high school. So you can just tell Jordan Peele really loves movies is really into what he's doing. And I think this is one of his best. And also I was watching it because at some point, I think in 2027, we may see a new Jordan Peele joint. Yeah. That's, that's another one. I mean, just like bringing up Ari Aster.

[00:54:13] I'm, I'm equally fascinated to see what, whatever Jordan Peele movie we get next. I mean, was Nope his last one? Yeah. Yeah. And that's the thing is like, he did get out, which, you know, really get out. He did us and then he did Nope. And so like, his, yeah. And his films for me just keep getting better. And they're all, they're different.

[00:54:33] They're very different, you know, but they have similar, some similar, similar stuff going on, but yeah, different, different, different genres to kind of play with in each of those. And, uh, or sub genres within kind of horror drama. Yeah. Like all of them, obviously the clear thing is they all talk about race and stuff like that, but you're like. Nope is when I need to go back and see again. I did like it a lot when I saw it, but I also, I was a bit overwhelmed by it because it's got a lot going on.

[00:55:01] It does actually goes in places later in the film that I did not expect. And so yes, I need to go back and watch it again. And I looked in letterboxd. I'd only seen it twice. I'd seen it twice in the theater. My first experience, I gave it like three and a half. I said, yeah, I liked it, but there were some things I didn't quite, there was so much going on. There was a lot. We back and saw it a second time. I'm like, Nope, this is five stars. What didn't help me back the first time?

[00:55:26] And there's a side plot, you could say with a 1990s sitcom show that has a chimp that is used. And the first time through, you're just like, okay, like, could you just have cut that out? But no, because there's things in there about animal behavior. Like, but then the first time through, you're just like, this is too much. See, that's the kind of stuff I need to go back and process.

[00:55:51] I remember having the longest conversation about that film leaving the theater with the people I went with. Okay. Like, we, I remember talking about it for a really long time because it's like, there was just so much to process. There's a lot. And so many scenes, or there is one scene in particular, a sequence that still is in my head and it's jarring. It's the, I'll just say the person getting consumed. Yes. Sure. Sure. Yes.

[00:56:21] Yeah. That, as someone who does not do good with very tight spaces and all that, a little claustrophobic. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yep. And see, that's the thing is second time through, you kind of know what's coming, but watching it this third time that I did, I was actually surprised at how much, how well things were fitting together. You know, I just was like, oh no, that totally, like, I remember things that were coming up, but then when they came up and they were integrated as well as they were, I was like, dude, this is, this is so good. So yeah, Nope.

[00:56:49] It is on Netflix. Well, there you go. So there you go, Netflix. You know, you have some content that you brought into the system. Yeah. Make the choice. That's right. Are you going to watch The Last House or are you going to go back and watch Nope on Netflix? There you go. It's a choice. Chris definitely has an opinion on which way you should go if you have the choice. I do. All right. Well, that is going to wrap us up for today. Thank you for the recommendation, Chris. And thank you for everybody for listening.

[00:57:13] I think we can go ahead and say, I know we haven't had our off air production meeting, but safe to say we are going to review The End of Oak Street. Okay. Next week. All right. I'm looking for a nodding of affirmation. Is that correct? Okay, good. So listeners, if you want to get a jump on our review next week or whatever, you can go see that as well. Go check that out.

[00:57:32] That is going to be, that's the latest film from director David Robert Mitchell, which we remember and know from films like It Follows, Under the Silver Lake. So yeah, I'm interested to see what he does with this type of film. I think this is going to be, so he's made, I think this will be his fourth one. I never saw The Great American Sleepover.

[00:58:00] Yeah, that was the only one I didn't mention there of his. He did It Follows, which I loved. And then he did Under the Silver Lake, which I'm trying to remember the date on that. I don't know if it was around COVID or right after, but I don't feel like. 2018. Okay, so it was right before. It was before. But that one didn't make as big a splash. And, you know, so this one, I feel like in a way is kind of like a, is kind of a make or break. It's like, okay, let's see if, you know, you can get some of the It Follows. It Follows got him a little bit of a cult following because it was a kind of a,

[00:58:30] it was a small independent horror film, but got good feedback and people really liked it. And it's actually even spawned the idea of a sequel, which he is also attached to possibly They Follow instead of It Follows. So, yeah, but I agree. I think Under the Silver Lake, not really gelling and not getting quite as good acclaim as It Follows. I mean, and the fact that it's got, this one's got big stars, Anne Hathaway, it's got Ewan McGregor, and it's a freaking dinosaur movie.

[00:58:58] It's like, all right, like, I want to see what you can do with this kind of thing. J.J. Abrams is a producer. Doesn't he have some producer weight there? He's a producer on it. Okay. I want to see what he can do with a, quote, big movie. Yeah. Yeah. And we'll see. But Chris, being a movie theater owner and manager, I also know one little piece of information about The End of Oak Street that will make it very appealing to you when you go to the theater to see it this weekend. It is a tidy one hour and 39 minutes long. Nice.

[00:59:28] There you go. So just have at that. We're actually getting a dinosaur movie that is under an hour and 45 minutes. Cool. Yeah. I'm on board just for that reason. There you go. All right. Good deal. Well, we're going to review The End of Oak Street and see if that hour and 45 minutes holds up or not in our review next week. But until then, thanks for listening, everybody. Oh, Chris, how can people get a hold of us and talk to us if they wish to about anything we talked about here? Sure. Tell us what you thought of the ins and outs of chimney fishing. There you go. If you see that film.

[00:59:56] Have you started chimney fishing yourself? That's right. It could be the next rage that everybody's all into is doing. So you can contact us by sending us an email to info at footcandle.org or leave us a voicemail at the mesh.tv website where you can also check out past footcandlefilm episodes as well as other podcasts on various subjects from barbecue to comedy to mental health. We're also on Facebook at Footcandle Film Society and other social platforms as Footcandle Film. Do us a favor.

[01:00:24] If you like the show, consider leaving us a review on whatever platform you receive your favorite podcast on because it'll help us reach new listeners. We'd appreciate that. And the 2026 Footcandle Film Festival is coming up from September 18th through the 27th. You can find out more information about the festival at footcandlefilmfestival.com. You can see a schedule. You can get tickets. We would encourage you if you're going to be in Western North Carolina during that time frame to come check us out. It's going to be a good one. All right. That'll do it then.

[01:00:54] Thanks, everybody. We'll talk to you next week. See you in the ticket line.

[01:01:38] Special thanks to Carpal Tuller for the show theme music. For more about Carpal Tuller, visit www.carpaltuller.com. You've been listening to The Mesh, an online media network of shows and programs ranging from business to arts, sports to entertainment, music to community. All programs are available on the website as well as through iTunes and YouTube.

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