Around the Bases: Pop Culture and Sports Podcast
Around the Bases: Pop Culture and Sports Podcast
Around the Bases 2.7: Wait, Did the Professor Just Say 'Hot Trash'? Oscar Rankings & Rants!
Join us for an engaging Oscar preview where anticipation builds and excitement fills the air as we analyze this year's nominees! With your hosts and special guest Professor Sam Frink http://sfrink77.wixsite.com, we break down the key films and performances that have captured the hearts of the audience and critics alike. From universally acclaimed hits to the underrated gems that deserve recognition, we cover it all.
Dive into our discussion exploring the importance of cultural representation in film and how each nominated film reflects the times we live in, ensuring that viewers find a sliver of themselves in every story. Insightful anecdotes and behind-the-scenes trivia add a layer of richness to our conversation, making you feel like part of the buzz as we roll toward Oscar night.
Get ready to challenge your own knowledge of the nominated films with our fresh takes, spirited debates, and a sprinkle of humor. Who will walk away with the coveted gold statue this year? Will it be box office successes or indie flicks that resonate most with the Academy? Tune in and join our community as we dissect this exhilarating journey through the Oscars and share your thoughts and predictions with us! Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow film buffs ahead of Oscar night!
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Welcome to Around the Bases, a pop culture and sports podcast, Oscar preview edition, with your host.
Speaker 2:Charlie Seymour with special guest host, professor Frank.
Speaker 1:Professor Frank and I'm Tim Sternberg. Hit it, nick. All right, welcome, gentlemen fellas to this premiere Oscar preview episode. I forgot the tux. I did not wear the tux.
Speaker 2:Hey, you're black and white. It's basically a tux. I did not wear the tux. Hey, you're black and white, it's basically a tux.
Speaker 1:Oh man, Wow. You know, unlike the Professor, I don't see every single movie, but there's nothing more exciting for me than the Oscars. I mean, it's just I don't know, I just get such a jazz about it.
Speaker 2:I heard some interesting Oscars trivia today. I'm interested to see if either of you know the answer to this. I purposely did not share it with either of you today, so you'd go in not knowing it All right?
Speaker 1:Well, I think Sam's going to get it.
Speaker 2:Here's the question okay, conan O'Brien is hosting. Now. We all love Conanan. He was not their first choice. They a couple people turned it down. Now it got to talking about why people would do it or not do it. Do you know how much money the host of the oscars makes? Your dollars scale, yes, is zero dollars okay they make scale. Whatever the actors, guild scale is okay, now I don't know if okay. So you guys already have your guesses. Did you know that also before?
Speaker 2:I get into the answer every attendee of the oscars receives a gift bag that's worth in over six figures.
Speaker 1:Okay, you guys didn't know that it's disgusting what's in that bag like trips and oh my god, people were making big guesses.
Speaker 2:Sam knew the question was probably tricks that went low, the actually the answer isn't zero, it's between 10 and 15 000, but it does seem so for like a couple hours work. It seems like like for us hey anyone would do that, but apparently some of the others had said that. You know it comes with more work than you think and it's a lot of hassle.
Speaker 3:But I just found that was interesting. Yeah no, I'm really excited that you know I don't usually care that much about the ceremony itself, Unless I'm really invested in like a specific movie, like everything everywhere a couple years ago oh, I love that movie. Yeah, it's just, uh, one of my favorites, so me too, uh, yeah, um. But like this year is definitely interesting because, although I do really like jimmy kimmel, I mean conan is like he's kind of like a god, so that will push you into the, into the interested in it slightly oh yeah, no, I'll watch it.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna watch it for Conan for sure there's no good music there's not a single good song that can be performed, so he's great with you know, conan is like kind of like letterman was like he real quippy, kind of real off the cuff kind of. Well, we know conan, um, I think it's gonna be fun, I think it's gonna be.
Speaker 2:Uh, he won't insult people necessarily you probably won't have the same level of everything everywhere all at once, sam, but who? What is this year's? As close, I won't have the same level of everything everywhere all at once, sam, but what is this year's? I won't say the same, but essentially, what is that? This year's movie for you Like. Who are you rooting for in the?
Speaker 3:awards. Anybody, no, nothing particular last year, when I had so many movies that were I thought were masterpieces, that were nominated for best picture, including, you know, past lives, poor things, barbie, um, a couple of the others, uh oh uh, maestro, uh, yeah, I just thought these were even Oppenheimer. These were all just such genius movies. Were even Oppenheimer? These were all such genius movies. And this year I wanted to fall in love with one of the ones that's probably going to win Best Picture, but one I really like, that I think deserves it, and then a couple others that are like what on earth? Okay, which one?
Speaker 2:in particular. Were you thinking there?
Speaker 3:I think the most appropriate winner would be a Nora.
Speaker 1:One I haven't seen.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, it just feels like alive and it feels like it's of this age, of this time really. And I thought just really good acting performances by two nominees Mikey Madison, who is just fantastic as the title character, and then Yuri Borisov, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, who I just saw in a Finnish film called Compartment no 6, and I was really wowed by him. So then I actually watched that first. Then I saw this. I'm like, oh, wow, that guy. And I'm like, oh, my goodness, this guy is gonna be legit. He's like very russian. So I don't know he, I don't know how much he knows the language, but like really, really impressive.
Speaker 3:So yeah I think, anora uh, and it has heart to it and um, just got it feels alive, as opposed to other films that feel like kind of dead on arrival to me like.
Speaker 1:Can you give us a quick synopsis of the movie like what is it about?
Speaker 3:anora is about a? Um stripper slash sex worker. Uh, probably the craziest opening scene you're gonna see all year. Um, yeah, it'll grab your attention for the first 30 seconds. I can guarantee you that. Uh, that's all I'll say about that, uh, and then um, uh, she, um, eventually um falls and sort of falls in love. But like, has this like whirlwind relationship with this like russian kid who's clearly like an oligarch son, uh, and things just kind of go nuts from there takes place in coney island. It's got a really authentic feel there, real close, and just I loved the some of the performances.
Speaker 1:So yeah, it's great reviews so I can understand what you're talking about timely, with the oligarch type of thing and current events and everything that's happening and that sort of thing. So yeah, I'm definitely going to add that to my list, which, as Charlie knows, is very long. I, recently. So, if you don't mind, I'll share something Out of the 10 movies that are nominated. I, I recently. So I, if you don't mind, I'll share something I, I, out of the what is it? 10 movies that are nominated. I've seen three of them. So, yay me.
Speaker 1:Um, I've seen um Amelia Perez. I've seen um, uh, a complete unknown, and in my favorite wick, I love, I love, wicked. Um, I don't think it's going to win Best Picture, but I love the movie. I remember texting Charlie after I watched it, going this is going to win Best Picture. I didn't see anything else. This is going to win Best Picture. Blah, blah, blah send. Because I loved it. It's a fun movie to watch and I've seen it several times.
Speaker 1:But out of the three that I've seen, uh, emilio perez. Emilia perez is crazy. It's a crazy movie. I will say that uh, wow, um, and I thought I thought, uh, you know who was shockingly good in emilia perez was, um, oh goodness gracious, uh, the singer, selena Gomez. Oh my God, selena Gomez was fantastic. Zoe Saldana was fantastic, I think they. I think I don't understand why Zoe Saldana wasn't nominated for best actress and she was supporting. Uh, it's weird to me, but they were both, selena Gomez, surprisingly good, like I wasn't expecting that from her.
Speaker 1:And she doesn't have a huge role in the movie. Uh, she plays, uh, the drug. I don't want to give too much away, but she plays the, the dealer's wife. So I'll say that. You know, I won't kind of say what happens in the movie. It's a lot of twists and turns in the movie, but I will say, of the three, my most enjoyable movie that I think could win. I love Wicked, but I think A Complete Unknown is fantastic. It took me right back to the 60s and Bob Dylan and I think Timothee Chalamet was fantastic in the movie. So we'll kind of see how that plays out. What were your thoughts on those movies, sam?
Speaker 3:Emilio Perez is hot trash. I love it. It movies sam emilio perez is hot trash.
Speaker 1:It's a good way to put it.
Speaker 3:It's also insulting to, like, the transgender community. It's insulting to the mexican community. Uh, it's done by a white french guy who created an opera out of like a cartel leader who then has the surgery and then is then absolved of all the horrible things they had done, so they become a civil rights hero. What? And it's a musical and it's a musical.
Speaker 1:That was crazy to me. Did you notice how the, the, the drug dealer, was all kind of dirty and old skin and all of a sudden, amelia Perez has the smoothest skin on the planet? She's clean, literally clean, and it was a whole dichotomy of dirty versus clean.
Speaker 3:True, but Carlos Sofia Gascon, who is the actress who was nominated, is actually a transgender actress recently, so she transitioned, I think, no more than maybe 10 years ago. Um, so, uh, she was one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, I thought she was she played both parts too, you know yeah, that's it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, uh, like any, any movie that has lyrics to that one song where they're talking to the doctor uh, um, that was crazy. It's just like uh, it doesn't. It's just insulting on every level. So that's yeah terrible, terrible Zoe Zaldana will win. Uh, the she was fantastic for best supporting actors. She's fantastic, but there is not a likable character in sight within a million miles in that movie no, 100 no nobody's redeemable, I don't care.
Speaker 3:Uh, and I just found and this is, uh, the director whose other works I've found to be just really fantastic, uh, when he does like like his french film that he did in 2014 that won I believe the palm d'or was called d-pond. It was the story of a sri lankan immigrant, uh, who kind of just has to make his way in crazy paris just trying to survive with like a makeshift family, and I thought was like, oh, this is so. So I came in expecting a little bit more because it obviously had won. I mean, it can Like all four actresses won, they combined for the best actress. So I'm like okay, and then the whole fact is they didn't know Spanish. Like Selena Gomez doesn't know Spanish. She had to learn it in 25 days. That's not going to pass with native speakers in any way, shape or form.
Speaker 1:The whole movie is subtitles.
Speaker 3:So misguided, so misguided, that movie. But that's enough for that. Complete Unknown is actually somehow. I like that less than Amelia Perez, really. Yeah, it's my least favorite of the the ten.
Speaker 1:Bob Dylan has no personality, that's true, I've gone to concerts with him.
Speaker 3:So we did too, but that was way late, but still it's like, oh god, that must have been interesting. The main conflict being the 64 Fol festival in newport. And then people are like, oh, we can't have electric.
Speaker 2:I'm like, and everyone, oh, it's like, oh, shut up uh that was true, though, was it wasn't it what that they knew? That was true. That that's literally. I agree with you. It's ridiculous, but that was true to the time right it was true the time, but overplayed uh dramatically.
Speaker 3:I think that scene was lovely and I really thought monica barbara who did it was uh joan baez was fantastic and yeah, she was really good. Shale may timmy shale may is great too. I love him. Uh, that obviously not my perform, my favorite performance by him he was better in wonka, but yes which we'll get to in a little bit, uh later, uh, with my favorite movie yeah, I was gonna say to tim, he's also in another movie, nominated this year.
Speaker 1:Oh, he is okay.
Speaker 2:See, I didn't see it but it's, it's on your list, your it's on your list.
Speaker 3:So it's on my list uh, but and then finally, uh, what was the last one?
Speaker 1:oh, uh, wicked, wicked wicked. Okay, so it's interesting, it's my favorite of the three personally me too, um, easily, um, and charlie has to see the whole movie it's likable, um, like it.
Speaker 3:It takes a little bit of time to get used to, uh, sort of the how hard everyone's trying, um, and I give them all credit because these are all people who probably musical theater and they've always, everyone's always wanted to be the star in wicked or whatever, or just to be in it. So there's a lot of try hard.
Speaker 3:But cynthia revo genius fantastic, oh my god that voice and she's just a great actress in general. She was great to watch. She was harriet tubman a few years back and I thought she was great there and she got nominated um, but you know it is half a movie yeah.
Speaker 1:So for those listeners who don't understand, so, Wicked is going to be released in two parts and if you watched a Broadway play which I've seen, the second half after intermission is basically the second movie and really that's where I don't know if you've seen the play. That's where stuff really starts to pick up and there's a lot of connections that I can't really talk about now, but you kind of it makes the characters in this movie become something else I'll say okay.
Speaker 2:So does that mean that the play was like five and a half hours long?
Speaker 1:no, or they just extended the movie severely it is a long musical it is. It is kind of, I think it's like a two and a half hour musical or something like that.
Speaker 2:But the first movie was longer than the whole musical.
Speaker 1:Right, what they did is they stretched so much out of and they added some songs that were not in the musical and I'll say I loved Wicked before I even saw the movie.
Speaker 1:I went in with these high expectations and I thought you know Cynthia Erivo and I thought she was just absolutely fantastic. I thought ariana grande was a surprise. I mean I don't think she's best supporting actress material by any means, but I think she definitely brought a presence to the movie and that was nice for someone who doesn't usually do this. Um, and so I, I mean I, I, I thought the music, I love the music in the movie. I thought the last scene of you know, I mean I'm not really spoiling anything but cynthia revo hovering over the castle with that end note and I just to for the end the movie, that way, it was just, it was fantastic, it was just really fun, yeah, yeah oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Oh, I won't do it. It's uh, yeah, no, it's. It's a perfectly pleasant movie and in a year, in a down year, uh, where I'm trying to think of other things that I would have not, and there are other things but like, uh, they would go in over like a complete unknown and Amelia Perez and all that stuff.
Speaker 1:You think. Let me ask you, Sam and Charlie, do you think it's part of its recently recency bias? You know, you notice how it's usually always the movies that are released after, like September, that are nominated for Oscars. It's rare that I mean it does happen, but it's rare that a movie released over the summer, before the summer is nominated. You think it's that that a movie released over the summer or before the summer is nominated?
Speaker 3:You think it's that recency bias. That's why we end up with the movies that we get or what. There's just lots of campaigning going on. If that's a refresher in your mind, sure, but Oscar things that are going to be in the awards season, movies like that they usually try to delay them until around the Toronto Film Festival. So September TIFF is usually the big thing where everything comes out after TIFF. So yeah, although that's not always the case, think of early year releases like the last two best picture winners. Uh, were both like I think everything was like an April release. Yeah, I know Oppenheimer was like that June or July release.
Speaker 1:And Barbie was a summer movie too, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so once again we don't have as much. There's not a lot of as much star power as last year, or firepower in my opinion, but there are some great movies.
Speaker 2:One of the other best picture movies that we also watched that I saw. We also saw Conclave. I thought that was pretty good.
Speaker 3:You saw that one as well, sam yep, uh, you have to ask me, chuck, I've seen a lot I've seen every movie, every movie that has been nominated for every award, other than one documentary that I can't find. So we're other than that.
Speaker 1:You're good uh so conclave, I assume, is about the you know the pope dying and them. It is about that um, and it has.
Speaker 3:Its plot is wild again. Yeah, uh. And if it were to win best picture, which it does, have an outside shot. I mean, the last 20 minutes are so preposterous, so insanely ludicrous, that it just loses. And I know you're supposed to suspend your disbelief when you're watching movies, but everything I know about everything we know about, you know, the church and the Vatican, there is no chance, oh, now I have to see it so it's frustrating because it's like really well written, it's very taught, it's very like I really love the tense moments good acting exactly and edward berger's previous movie, which was all quiet on the Western front.
Speaker 2:Oh, really I didn't realize that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3:The direction is very impressive, I will say that, and the performances are also great. But you lost me, and Charlie knows exactly what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we won't spoil that for you, but I will say that I predicted what would happen pretty early into that movie to Rosie. So yeah, I don't like when that happens.
Speaker 3:Wait, you did not predict the end, not the twist within the twist. I also was on the same page of yeah, I pretty much knew, but the end, that final little yeah, oh my god now I have to see it.
Speaker 1:I mean, I wow, okay, so conclave is on my list and that one is is free to stream.
Speaker 2:Where is it, um peacock?
Speaker 1:okay, I didn't want to. Yeah, I was talking to charlie sam. I didn't want to stream anything because it was so last minute, uh, anything that he saw. That's why I saw amelia.
Speaker 2:I, I, I, I sacrificed myself and saw amelia perez um not gonna lie, I I had a little bit of heard, and when tim hadn't watched anything yet, I'm like, well if well, if I watch Conclave first, then maybe he'll have to sacrifice and watch the other one. So sorry about that.
Speaker 1:But I see you know and I texted you, you're a team player.
Speaker 1:Yes, I am, and I said to Charlie, just so you know, Sam, I texted him. I'm like I could see why it was nominated. And I say that to say it was very, almost like if you're going to package up a movie to be like, try to touch all these areas that are currents with you know what's happening in the world, that would be the movie, although I wouldn't put it together that way. Like you said, I believe it's also insulting to the trans community and kind of what. And now, mind you, I have no place to speak for that community, but from what I've heard too, they did not.
Speaker 3:They've come out and said what is this?
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 1:It's just so ridiculous. I mean and you know it's interesting you say that because as I'm watching the movie, I had no idea it was a musical right. So I'm watching it and all of a sudden they break out into a song. I'm like I turn, I'm watching it and all of a sudden they break out into a song. I'm like I turn.
Speaker 3:I'm like what is going on? What is happening? Yeah, because it's really abrupt. The musical numbers come out of nowhere.
Speaker 1:It's such a serious drama that you're like all of a sudden there's a musical number. Yes, that was kind of like the show before your guys' time. It was a show on ABC called Cop Rock, I'm so bad, oh man. So if I, oh yeah, go ahead, go ahead no, I was just gonna say, of the movies that you've seen, all the movies. Just chuck, he's seen all the movies. Of all the movies you've seen, what?
Speaker 1:is and they're not all the greatest. What is your favorite of the bunch, if you have one that you kind of enjoyed more than the others?
Speaker 3:sure uh. And also let me give a a couple of uh, uh shout outs to movies that didn't get nominated for best picture list of those.
Speaker 2:I've got it down, it down.
Speaker 3:I've got two in particular. That would be a real pain, a shocking omission in my opinion. And the other would be Sing Sing another pretty shocking omission in my opinion. Both of those have been nominated for acting awards, so they are on my notable mentions, honorable mentions, right and then? So what we're going to? The best movie nominated for Best Picture is Dune 2. Really, I believe.
Speaker 2:And that's for the earlier Easter egg, that's Timothy Hamill.
Speaker 1:Timothy Schaal yeah, because I remember him. He was in Dune 1. Yes, and I haven't seen either one. But okay, Dune 2 is so good.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's so unbelievably good. The acting is so it's essentially a perfect science fiction movie. I've got no notes, it's that good. You know, denny Villeneuve is just the best big game director there is and he just keeps hitting it out of the park. And then adding Austin Butler as the menacing Faye Ratha just was awesome. And he goes a couple of scenes that are just pure black and white and the way his use of color is nuts, so cool. So Dune 2, probably maybe the best science fiction, pure science fiction movie I have ever seen. So there's that. The second one that I really wish, really wish in some way could win Best Picture the Substance.
Speaker 1:I want to see that really, really badly. Yeah, I want to see that really really badly. Yeah, I want to see that.
Speaker 3:Let me more. Uh, yeah, it's a body horror uh flick uh, and it's pretty crazy. Margaret qually, uh, does a great job. Um, uh, they're kind of the same. I'm not going to really get into it, but yeah, you'll get it pretty quickly. Margaret Qualley, by the way, is beautiful, andy McDowell's daughter, so you know, you got that and it's like a very angry film. I saw the other two films that this French female director had directed and yeah, it's angry, it's funny, it's poking at beauty standards in Hollywood and then just like really needling at the patriarchy too. And it's got. We've seen, we know that there are some movies on this list that have some bonkers endings. Now I gotta get more bonkers in the substance, uh that's interesting.
Speaker 1:Do you think I'm hearing a lot of buzz about demi more? Do you think she has a shot to win her first oscar?
Speaker 3:uh, I can do real quick, uh, real, just a real quick breakdown in my end of what I think is going to win. Uh, it's best picture is the toughest one I've. No, I I'm moving on with honora, although I could easily see the brutalist or Conclave doing it. Best Director I would also give to Sean Baker. He's just consistently putting out great movies. He's Onora's director. So there's that, and then the Acting Awards. Closest one, in my opinion, is probably actor, and that's gonna be a battle between adrian brody uh, adrian brody, the brutalist and and tim chalamet, and uh and uh, complete unknown. Uh, I still think adrian brody's the favorite, but watch out for timothy chalamet. He's a late riser. He won the sag award on sunday did?
Speaker 1:Did Adrian Brody win for the piano? I don't remember. He won for the pianist, the pianist right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, my bad. Which is such an amazing movie and also way better than Brutalist.
Speaker 1:Brutalist is a Holocaust movie.
Speaker 3:What.
Speaker 1:Is it a Holocaust movie? Pianist is a Holocaust movie no, Brutalist. What Is it a Holocaust movie? No, Brutalist.
Speaker 3:They're both Holocaust movies. It's not really a Holocaust movie, it's more like a post-Holocaust movie.
Speaker 1:Oh okay.
Speaker 3:It takes place mostly in the United States, if not the entire.
Speaker 1:Is it about Nazi hunting? I mean, is it no?
Speaker 3:no, it's actually about a guy named Laszlo Toth, a real guy. He was a, uh, hungarian, uh jewish architect, uh of the brutalist kind. I don't know if you don't know what brutalism is, um, but it's like a type of kind of like oppressive architecture, that's yeah symbolize, you know, um kind of being closed in and and yeah, it's definitely impressive. It's the story of him, his journey, his 50-year post-war journey, him being an architect. Eventually he works for Guy Pearce. It is three and a half hours long. Is that the movie?
Speaker 1:that has an intermission. There's a movie that has an intermission.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's an intermission and it's beautifully shot, so it's going to win Best Cinematography. Wait, there's actually Wait.
Speaker 2:explain the intermission.
Speaker 3:Oh, in older movies for Chuck, especially the longer epics and God I know I've watched enough in the last couple years they would always have about halfway through, in between Acts 1 and 2, essentially you're going to have a musical interlude. Sometimes they would actually have an actual band playing. Um, as it's usually just a time for you to go to the bathroom and maybe get snacks so in the movie, four hours is brutal.
Speaker 2:What. What do they do in the actual?
Speaker 3:brutalist. Oh in, the brutalist it's just uh, it's real quick. It's not meant to be like that, it's meant to just be kind of like almost a crossover between Act 1 and.
Speaker 2:Act 2. So it's just like a minute or two of black screen.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly Okay, and then so, just real quick, we got Demi Moore, I believe, is going to win, and if she doesn't, it'll be Fernanda Torres from I'm Still here, which I just saw, which whatever Best Supporting Actress is going to be. Kieran Culkin, brilliant In a real pain, and there's some really good performances. These are not who I would pick, by the way. This is just who's gonna win, and I know so is aldana will win best supporting actress. Uh sure, why not uh, but uh yeah and they have two movies.
Speaker 1:You know, amelia perez has two songs, which I don't understand, that are nominated for best song? I didn't find a single song that was good in that movie.
Speaker 3:The Last Showgirl, which was such a great movie with Pamela Anderson, which she should have been nominated for Best Actress.
Speaker 3:She was so good there's an amazing song at the end by Miley Cyrus called Beautiful that Way, which is literally the outro to the movie, as, as we hit the credits and it just like such a like a lovely, just really emotional, and like, nope Cause, diane Warren has to get nominated for the 16th straight year for a movie that no one's ever seen, and I'm not even making that up. She's been nominated 16 straight years. Yeah, how many times she won?
Speaker 1:zero times, uh, so she just likes going to the auroras and having her camera on her and when they say you know when they do the nominations and the nominees are sweet 16 for the win I don't know, uh, it's gonna be for that tyler perry, uh, uh, pilot like african-american female pilot movie that nobody saw, called the triple six saint or something, uh.
Speaker 3:But yeah, um, I'm really good. I'm overall kind of just down about the Oscars this year, just because I'm just not really in love with the movies or the performances outside of a couple like things that like really impressed me surprisingly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's talk about one of those that we haven't mentioned so far, that I think.
Speaker 1:I know which one you're going to bring up. I know.
Speaker 2:I'm pretty confident that Sam agrees the wild robot Animated movie yes, the wild robot Oof.
Speaker 3:I adore the wild robot. Chuck, you can definitely talk to us about the wild robot.
Speaker 1:Charlie told me like he kept telling me you got to robot. Charlie told me, like he kept telling me you gotta watch this movie, you gotta watch this movie, you gotta. I was finally on a flight to new york, do going to work, do this job, and it was on the plane and I'm like I'm texting him and, like you know, I'm like I'm watching the wild robot. He's like you're on the plane, you're watching it on that little screen. And yeah, charlie, tell us why you love that movie so much yeah that, oh, man, it's just.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's so, so good, it's so good. I've been recommending it to anyone who would listen.
Speaker 1:Um, just the heart and soul of that story is just so good that's what it is yeah, I mean you fall in love with the robot, you fall in love with the animals, you just fall in love.
Speaker 3:I mean it's just a lovely movie yeah, no, no, it's, it's pretty perfect, uh, really really good, uh, uh. Animation this year is really interesting because there's another movie there that I am absolutely obsessed with. It's both nominated for best foreign film and and Best Animated Film, and it's wordless and it's yeah, it's called Flow and you can now see it on Max.
Speaker 3:If you've got it, it's 75 minutes. I don't want to spoil it in any way, shape or form Just go with it, man. And if you also have Amazon Prime, this guy directed a movie called Away in 2019. He's Latvian, his name is Gintz Zibilotis and he directed this movie by himself, wrote it, animated it, scored it. He literally was the movie, and so, like it's just shocking, scored it. He literally was the movie, and so like it's just shocking. It's so simple but like, so heartfelt. I'm obsessed with it. I think it should win. I wouldn't be upset if it won best animated feature, but, once again, the wild robot is pretty perfect too.
Speaker 2:I've heard great things about flow as well. That's on our to-do list one of these days soon.
Speaker 3:They're not going to let hundreds of, they're not going to give hundreds of beavers a whole bunch of awards, which is the crime, but whatever.
Speaker 2:Tim does not know about that one. You should know.
Speaker 3:Hundreds of beavers, it's everywhere. Just watch it. It's all I'm gonna say. Hundreds of beavers, if you like like the animal beaver yeah, and the number hundreds yeah hundreds I'll have to check it out uh, it's one. It's the funniest movie I've seen.
Speaker 1:This my list is gonna get so long. Okay, this literally the funniest movie this.
Speaker 3:If you're saying that, that's huge praise on a hundred and fifty thousand dollar budget. Um so clever, um it's imagine like that looks freaking hilarious.
Speaker 1:It's just a poster it's.
Speaker 3:I can't even begin to describe how I've been trying to get people to watch this movie, charlie knows for like six months. Every time something comes, I would just go beavers can I say, can I say so?
Speaker 1:the quote on the poster? You know how they have the quote it says exist at the crossroads of looney tunes, benny hill, cannibal, the musical blazing salad and adult swim mindsets hilarious. That is the quote on the poster yeah, no, I really think it's.
Speaker 3:It's like live action Looney Tunes with just such surrealist.
Speaker 1:How did I never hear this movie? That's crazy, it's because it's really.
Speaker 3:It was very under the radar, like I didn't even know about it until like I think it was the playoffs where the Brewers lost and somebody like tweeted out that's all right, brewer, I think it was the playoffs where the Brewers lost and somebody tweeted out that's all right, Brewer, turn the game off and just give everybody a free round and turn on hundreds of Beavers Because it takes place in Wisconsin. And I'm like what, okay? And then I watched it and then by the 20 or 25 minutes I was just like there's just no way. There's just no way. Your ongoing jokes after the sixth or seventh time they still get me. It's like how are you getting me that right now? It's so good.
Speaker 1:A beaver believer. Yeah, no I am Charlie, have you seen it?
Speaker 2:I have not seen it yet, but we're gonna have to see it, man we're gonna have to see it like I'm just looking at the youtube clip, it's hilarious all right for a comedy it's.
Speaker 3:It's tough to get a really high like, for instance, like a Metacritic score. It's an 82 on Metacritic.
Speaker 1:Wow, what is it on Rotten Tomatoes?
Speaker 3:I'm sure it's a hundred.
Speaker 1:It's probably a hundred yeah.
Speaker 3:I have to I love this.
Speaker 1:I love these cult type of movies that you know, no one ever like. White hot American summer was like that for me. It was like that for me. I wasn't expecting anything and I laughed my ass off. South Park the movie same thing I'm like, I love this.
Speaker 3:You should love this.
Speaker 1:Love that. I'm going to definitely check it out. I like a good comedy. Hundreds of Beavers, beaver Believers.
Speaker 3:Watch it guys.
Speaker 2:There's one other speaking of although I don't know if that is animated but another animated movie I want to give a quick shout out to. We just watched that I was obsessed with was Wallace and Gromit the new one.
Speaker 1:I used to watch the old one when I was a kid. How was that?
Speaker 2:It was fantastic. Fantastic, it was very good. If you like the old ones, it hit all the right spots.
Speaker 3:And there's another one, I don't know if it reaches the heights of like a Shaun of the Sheep, but like the Martin Studios, but like it's still so good, there's such a silly duo that it works perfectly.
Speaker 2:And there's so many little things that if you're not fully paying attention you wouldn't notice.
Speaker 3:So there's so many psych gags. I love that there's so many psych gags that you actually have to watch it several times to get them all.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly, yeah, for sure, absolutely, were there any other movies you wanted to give a shout-out to Not necessarily Best Picture for the year.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I wouldn't mind. Well, I've got the list in front of me. Charlie the Better man. Robbie Williams' biopic.
Speaker 2:Really.
Speaker 1:I have not seen that that, but really gotten really solid reviews so I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that movie thrust through the trailer, because why would robbie williams be an ape? Is he an ape? Or something like that. Like why, though? Why isn't it just robbie? Oh?
Speaker 3:oh boy, it does. That hit like really this movie's got feels like big feels to it and there's a he's very honest and like about him screwing up. And there's like a really like it's a crazy thing with the ape thing because he just like looks back in the mirror and the mirror just like kind of tells him that he's horrible.
Speaker 1:Oh, so it's like this analogy.
Speaker 3:Oh, it's a little bit like that, but you really have to see it. It's something that I couldn't have ever predicted would actually be a movie. It cost $110 million. It made $10 million back.
Speaker 1:So yeah, but if people had taste it where it made money better streaming I think, honestly, the, the promotion of it, was not the greatest, at least in my eyes. Going into, you know, just seeing it before a movie I saw it before wicked, I think the trailer and and just seeing it I I was like what is the stupidity? Because it didn't make sense, like it didn't connect what your theme you're talking about, the theming of the movie, to the trailer. The trailer just looked like it was robbie williams as a monkey. And here you go, and I don't think they did a great job in marketing it at all uh, no, not at all.
Speaker 3:Uh, which was not surprised. I mean movies have really got hit hard in the box office, especially the last couple of years. I mean superhero movies are finally starting to die out, thank God.
Speaker 1:No more Avengers.
Speaker 3:I just can't do it anymore. I'm really depressed. In a couple of weeks We've got the electric state coming out, which is one of my probably my favorite art book of all time Wow, by Simon Stonehog. It's absolutely a stunner. And the Russo brothers behind Avengers and Captain America made a movie out of it, although they changed the entire plot, which did nothing but infuriate all the hardcore fans, because they didn't need it. And then they spent $330 million on the budget and it's being released straight to Netflix in two weeks. Billy, bobby Brown, chris Pratt, ki Kwan, stanley Tucci.
Speaker 2:Hugh Maron.
Speaker 1:Why direct to Netflix, though?
Speaker 3:It was a Netflix project. The Russo brothers did this with the with the gray man a few years back ago, which was another like how do these people keep getting such insane budgets? That was like 150 million dollars for that movie.
Speaker 2:I'm like they keep jacking up netflix every month.
Speaker 1:That's how it's way for it they gotta crank out that new content so you, you, you're real excited about that, obviously because it's a book that you love. And are you nervous, though, whenever? No, no, no, I'm actually not excited at all oh okay, yeah, because anytime they turn a book I really love into a movie, it makes me crazy. I get really nervous, I really cool time. Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:These are weird. These are art books that have this crazy visual style that he's amazing with, usually set in Sweden because he's Swedish. So they did Tales from the Loop. That was on Prime. That was a show that was just based off of another. I have all of his books written in front of me. But yeah, it's just depressing when corporate takes your favorite stuff and decides to that they just squeeze every penny out of it. That's soulless and I'm not into soullessness.
Speaker 1:Well, there's something I agree with you. There's something to be said. You know, when you read a novel, especially as a kid you know I mentioned A Wrinkle in Time you create in your head, as you're reading the novel, the world right, the world that these characters are living in. Of course the author explains it, but you're still looking at it from your own kind of perspective. And when a director films a movie, produces a movie, they're filming a movie. At their perspective. It doesn't necessarily match from what I'm seeing or you saw in reading the book and it's always, almost always, disappointing, I find.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I it's not always but, I love it when like uh, maybe the and they take it in a different direction, not a lot like a Kubrick and the shining, oh yeah, yeah, the original story, uh, so it in a different direction, not a lot like a kubrick and the shining oh yeah, you're a shiny, uh, so I mean you can take stuff like that and still make it impressive. But like what, if you're going to say something that is so like, uh, how I describe his art, it's just so serene and like kind of cold but also beautiful, uh, and to make a bunch of to a rock and sock of robot movie, which is what they did, I'm like, okay, there's none of that, uh, in this book I love. So I'm glad you spent $330 million on something, somebody that nobody knows anything about except for the hardcore like Stalin, the hog ice. So, yeah, that was a weird one to me.
Speaker 1:It's it's tough to stomach. Well, we have you here. I do have a quick question for you, sam, because you're the professor we just lost two days ago. Well, we lost a while ago. We just found out two days ago that the late, great Gene Hackman passed away. Gene Hackman, probably one of the greatest actors of my lifetime, in my opinion. What's your favorite film of his that came out?
Speaker 3:Favorite Gene Hackman movie. Sorry to put you on the spot. You know I was thinking French Connection the year I was born. I'm not a huge fan of Hoosiers.
Speaker 1:I was going to ask Charlie if that was his. No, I have an answer for that one as well.
Speaker 2:I'm going to ask Charlie if that was his. Yeah, no, I have an answer for that one as well.
Speaker 1:Oh, you do. I'm going to ask you next.
Speaker 3:But if I'm just going to really luckily, really quickly look at movies that I really appreciated Mississippi burning, fantastic oh that's, that's my favorite favorite. This is easily the best. His best, uh, his, his lex luther uh, superman yes, absolutely brilliant. Uh, the best lex luther. Uh, there's ever gonna be um conversation's. Pretty good, that's right. He's in that one scene in Young Frankenstein. That's funny Love.
Speaker 1:Young Frankenstein. Young Frankenstein's a classic. His last movie was Welcome to Mooseport.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know that was garbage, but the Royal Tenenbaums which he hated being in Because he did not understand.
Speaker 2:That's my answer. Your favorite is Royal Tenenbaums, that's my favorite Gene Hackman movie by far.
Speaker 1:I'm surprised it's not Hoosiers.
Speaker 2:Well, I love Hoosiers, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 3:But Royal.
Speaker 2:Tenenbaums has a soft spot for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for me, my favorite is Mississippi Burning Myself. That movie just always stirs me when I watch it. Um, uh, you know, it's something about that period of time in our country which is ironic. Um, that's all I'll say. Um, but, uh, yeah, I just uh, I, I. I think I agree with you, sam, too. And and the fact that there was no lexuthor like Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor. He brought a humanity to that character that necessarily you wouldn't necessarily think of and you almost want to. Kind of it was fun to watch him be like the way he was as Lex.
Speaker 3:So yeah, yeah, no it's tough because they've just super. I'm super heroed out, I'm so I've been watching I've got like. I've got like a new, newer project I'm working on, which is I'm trying to see every foreign film that was uh submitted, uh in any give like from like last year, for the last five years, essentially. So I've got like a bunch of like world maps, uh and like, so they're all colored in, based on like that's amazing especially what I've seen versus like, also like, were they nominated when and I'm getting up to like so 2023?
Speaker 3:I've seen 30 of the 95 submissions. I don't even know how I can find them. I was going to say how do you find most of these? Tubi actually is amazing for it. Prime is pretty good. I've seen movies recently from countries like Lesotho and Malaysia Movies. I have never personally seen Lesotho and Malaysia. I have never, like personally seen Kazakhstan, all the stands, like you name it. I've seen gone through Central America and it's important because it gives you a snapshot Of that year Throughout the entire world. And so what?
Speaker 3:I like to do Is take a journey, risk style, almost starting in North America, and explain what these countries are Like or going through at the current time and why they felt it was important that this film was the movie that they wanted To represent their, their country, at the Oscars.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I think it's interesting. You say that because my degree is in history. I was a history major and one of my concentrations was film and historical kind of not historical film but film that are filmed in certain times, frames and how you can view what the world view was through watching a movie from a certain period of time. So you know, if you watch a movie from the thirties and you see, you, you, you, you outside the plot and whatever the movie's about, you can see the world was under a depression and you can kind of get a gist of that from what was selected and from what you're seeing with the foreign films and what these countries want to represent the best of this country. It's interesting to see it from that perspective and I think it adds what you're doing, adds something to the enjoyment of the experience where you're really kind of you're not only looking at the film for what the film is but you're looking at it from the cultural aspect of it. I think that's awesome, inspiring, you know well, it's very cool.
Speaker 3:I mean this soup, it's uh, you know, there's no superheroes and there are no sequels uh, which is like yay, but like, uh, for instance, uh, instance, charlie, a couple weeks ago I saw a movie from Burkina Faso, a Woogadoogoo, a Woogadoogoo, the capital. And you're like, how good could a movie from Burkina Faso or Lesotho or Uganda, you know, how good could these movies be? Answer amazing, like the majority of these films are so much better than any of the garbage that's been released in American cinemas that it's like I learned so much about perspective the world, about perspective the world. I can get out of this sort of your ethnocentric sort of viewpoint and really embrace humanity as a whole. Because when you see these stories, these are just human stories of people just trying to survive and get by Every country. It's the same for every country. There are universal things that go throughout all countries and you can see them in these movies and they're really, they're beautiful.
Speaker 3:I just really think that they mean more, because they're such honest and important depictions of, you know under, of cultures that really just don't get a lot of representation. They're really underrepresented, especially if you talk about Africa, southeast Asia, you know, for them to get a chance to show that like no, this is literally what we're about and you know we're impressive, you know we're our own thing, but we're modern and we're we. You know we're our own thing, but we're modern and we're, we're. We can do it just as good as you, uh, and that's that's. I find that inspiring, uh, and it's one of the reasons why, uh, you know, I well, I watched two foreign films today.
Speaker 3:Can you imagine one that was so brutal that, by the way, that, like if I were to write a list down of what happens to our protagonist, who's an 11-year-old boy this is post-World War II. This is World War II Czech Republic. Oh, you wouldn't be able to believe it. People just walked out of this movie en masse because it was just, but not me, not good old sam, because his obsessive nature doesn't allow him to just skip movies and stuff.
Speaker 1:I had to skip certain scenes because, nope uh, trigger warning every possible thing you could ever like think of yeah, I think I would kind of skip that for the trauma I don't I, I you know, I have my own trauma. I don't need to bathe myself in that.
Speaker 3:but yeah, I know, in that relationship I do find it important to uh recognize that. You know the trauma once again another universal theme and sadness and the brutality that was the 20th century. There's a lot of darkness. There's not a lot of fun stuff going on, say in the last 125 years. So I like that movies can reflect that.
Speaker 3:And don't get me wrong, I love and some of these are really funny, like thailand's entry for this year is literally called how to make millions before grandma dies it's one of my favorite movies of the year um so yeah, uh, you range, it's got the whole gamut, uh, from the sad as you can possibly imagine to just hilariously goofy, to like horror movie, and you get to see just how these, these, all these different cultures operate.
Speaker 1:I'm just always going to be eternally fascinated by it, uh, and so yeah can you imagine if more people took time just to open their world view and just like looked at how other countries lived or made movies or anything, and just open their eyes to culture, how much of a better world Well where we are would be? I mean, I just I honestly think people, if people just open their eyes to see that the world is not as big as you think it is, it's kind of you know, we're all in this kind of together and I applaud you for doing that, sam, and I just wish more people were conscientious to want to do that and I think it would open eyes and maybe people not be so in their place.
Speaker 3:That's what I'm going to try to do is I'm trying to, uh, I'm gonna put this online and, uh, I've got a couple of graphics I love that it's gonna be fun, uh, but yeah, it's just trying to try to get people to to engage more in that type of thing, um, and yeah it's, yeah, it's right. There you go.
Speaker 1:Cool, speaking of which you have a website sam right, there you go, cool, speaking of which, you have a website, sam right, can you you want to bear with us it?
Speaker 3:has not been used in a bit. The last thing I did was a top 10 movies to watch before we all went to London in October, so I have to get back into it A little bit of a rut, but like, I've got all the ideas uh, and I've been mostly focused on this, this foreign film thing. So, uh, uh, yeah, and Charlie knows me, uh, when I, when I start something, I don't finish it, uh, uh me.
Speaker 1:I don't finish it. Uh well, just for our listeners, you, you guys. Charlie and his friend sam and all their buddies went to a bachelor party in london and just hit it off. Went to soccer games. We talked about it a while ago, but yeah uh, no, yeah, that was.
Speaker 3:I'd never been to europe before oh wow, that's awesome, which is crazy because of like, of my obsession with like, european history, like, but the flight over is crazy I would be happy as a you know, happy as a clam to uh, to just hang out there for months on end, but uh, I've never been able to do it. I was going to study abroad, but I don't know.
Speaker 1:You guys went to a pub, of course, right?
Speaker 3:Yes, you had to do that.
Speaker 1:I know you went to the soccer game because I was jealous Charlie was texting me the pictures.
Speaker 3:We'll just say that Charlie made sure that Sam didn't die the first time we got there. That's true.
Speaker 1:That's true may have been over served and charlie charlie made it across traveling and all that real quick, off, off off a movie topic. Real quick, sam, since the last time you we had you on the show it it was right before I filmed Trivial Pursuit. I'm going to guess you watched the episode and you probably knew every single answer that I didn't know.
Speaker 3:I think I remember texting Charlie yeah, Sam did very well. Yeah, no, yeah, I was fine, my number was. Yeah was. It would have been good enough, but um, yeah I was. I was impressed by. Well, you got hooked up hard uh, really, really big with the mess question oh, yeah.
Speaker 1:With the derrick cheater yeah, yeah, the cheater question, right, yeah, yeah. With Derek Jeter yeah yeah, I know the Jeter question, right, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:That was a huge. And then the guy who was so angry that he lost to you, by the way.
Speaker 1:Oh, he was not. He was a nice. He's really the sweetest, nicest guy but he was not happy. I know Rich.
Speaker 3:Because he blew that lead man. It was the foggy bottom one.
Speaker 1:Yes, I, um, it was the. Was the, the, the foggy bottom one? Yes, I knew that one.
Speaker 3:By the way, I didn't know that I'm like, I'm like, and suzy said I'm like. Oh my god, tim just won.
Speaker 1:I literally, when I'm hearing him say it, I'm like, oh my god, he's wrong. You know you're internalizing. I I was like, oh yeah, I mean, I was like, oh no, it's washington right so it was exciting to see uh, you know you, you technically win the game.
Speaker 3:You know technically, yeah, right, by default by default, but yes uh listen, you know I I was already.
Speaker 1:You know, I'll tell you real quick and not to rehash the whole thing, but going in after the first round, that buzzer, I just could not get it from anything and the questions I got right, you know, I mean I knew seattle and I got, you know, so many other ones. It's because they didn't know it. You know, he even the beyonce question I knew and she, I mean the other, the other contestant outbuzzed me. I was terrible at the buzzer. So going into the second round I was already at a handicap. So that was, yeah, I had to ask you because, you know, right before, basically I was getting ready to film the show when we did our last episode.
Speaker 3:Right, exactly.
Speaker 1:And I, you know to that point, don't be a stranger, come on on, you're always welcome anytime.
Speaker 3:I'm happy to happy to do it, uh, I was jealous you were on.
Speaker 1:Uh, I got a little trivial pursuit I think you know we're gonna get sam on a show. I, I think jeopardy trivial pursuit. Uh, one of those shows, buddy, we gotta get you on because man you would collect that money dude you know your shit.
Speaker 3:Yes, and I need it more than ever.
Speaker 1:So let's do it all right, then let's you know, charlie and I talk all the time I will definitely pass along anything I I get oh, absolutely, and uh, you know, thanks for having me and uh of course love talking about the oscars.
Speaker 3:I don't really get to do this much, uh I appreciate it yeah and and just a reminder.
Speaker 2:He did see all of them. He did see all the best picture noms yeah, which which is a feat in itself.
Speaker 1:Uh, again one more time. What's your website, sam?
Speaker 3:I want to make sure we get that out there. Yeah, yeah, no worries, I literally have to look it up because, uh, it's movies with professor frank, it's. You can literally just go.
Speaker 1:Uh s frank 77 we're gonna put a link in this in this podcast yeah, no worries.
Speaker 3:Uh, yeah, it just movies with Professor Frank. I'm going to have far more postings coming out. I've got a top 10 coming out for 2024. I had to wait because I wanted to see everything, and now I finally have. I've seen just an absolutely filthy amount of movies that came out last year.
Speaker 1:I'm going to ask you a favor and I know Charlie will be on board with us too will you come back on for our summer movie preview special? I'd love to hear your perspective on the movies coming out. Awesome, I love it, love it. We're, we're gonna talk, and you know, coming up in a couple months, I mean, believe it or not, I mean it's march already. The summer is almost here. Um, we'll talk summer movies, definitely, definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, electric Slate coming out in a couple weeks, anything else big?
Speaker 3:You got Electric State, you got Superman. There's some interesting horror flicks coming out, which is Charlie will love to go see.
Speaker 1:Our buddy Mike is in Superman.
Speaker 2:Oh is he, he's in Extra Mickey 17. Oh is he, he's an extra Mickey 17.
Speaker 3:Oh right, mickey, 17. Yeah, we got Bong Joon-ho's first movie since Parasite. I think I'm going to like that a lot, just because, great director, great actor, robert Pattinson is maybe the best actor working today, if you ask me.
Speaker 1:Twilight.
Speaker 3:Yeah, obviously you have to do. That's crazy because Kristen Stewart and him they're both so insanely talented, so good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, our buddy, real quick. Our buddy Mike. You know, when you watch the trailer for the Superman film and there's this girl that Superman rescues a blonde girl he plays her father.
Speaker 2:The bomb's about to explode and he covers her up.
Speaker 1:He plays her father.
Speaker 3:Very interesting.
Speaker 1:They don't show Mike in the trailer, but he basically went on to be an extra and they upgraded his extra-ness.
Speaker 2:That scene from the trailer. She runs into his arms after. So we didn't see it in the trailer, but when that scene happens you'll notice them.
Speaker 3:Let me throw a real quick, late, early, early 2026 Oscar note. Okay, yes, note the name. He's won a lot of awards Jeremy Allen White.
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course, oh the bear, we love him, Jeremy.
Speaker 3:He is portraying the boss himself, bruce Springsteen next year.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he looks fairly unbelievable, so he's going to get a run for his money. I'm telling you, he looks fairly unbelievable. He's going to get a run for his money.
Speaker 2:That's music to my ears.
Speaker 1:I love Bruce Springsteen and we love the bear, of course. He's a great actor.
Speaker 3:That's just a little throwout. Love it.
Speaker 1:We're going to see you next, sam, on our movie special. Thank you for joining us. Absolutely, this has been A Round of Aces. The pop culture and sports podcast. Oscar preview special with special guests the professor.
Speaker 3:Sam Frank. Sammy Frank.
Speaker 1:And I'm Tim Sternberg. See you next week. Everybody Happy Oscar watching. Bye. And I'm tim sternberg, see you next week. Everybody happy oscar watching, bye.
