1 00:00:07,290 --> 00:00:10,110 S1: Hey, everyone, I'm Thomas Mitchell, and this is the draw 2 00:00:10,140 --> 00:00:12,420 S1: a culture show from the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, 3 00:00:12,420 --> 00:00:14,100 S1: where we dive into the latest in the world of 4 00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:16,739 S1: pop culture and entertainment. I'm here today with my co-host 5 00:00:16,739 --> 00:00:17,910 S1: and assistant Melanie Kingsbury. 6 00:00:17,940 --> 00:00:20,280 S2: Thank you. What an intro. I actually feel like the 7 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,610 S2: whole office is your assistant because you are so inept 8 00:00:23,610 --> 00:00:25,020 S2: at using Google calendars. 9 00:00:25,020 --> 00:00:27,810 S1: Yes, that is very fair. Our wonderful co-host Osman Farooqui 10 00:00:27,810 --> 00:00:29,820 S1: is currently on break, but we will be filling in 11 00:00:29,820 --> 00:00:32,100 S1: for him. And today we're going to be looking at 12 00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:34,650 S1: perhaps the most wonderful time of the year. 13 00:00:34,650 --> 00:00:35,309 S2: Oh ho ho! 14 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,250 S1: It is obviously December and Christmas is just around the corner, 15 00:00:38,250 --> 00:00:40,890 S1: which is very exciting. But most importantly, the arrival of 16 00:00:40,890 --> 00:00:44,220 S1: the festive season brings the excuse to finally watch Christmas 17 00:00:44,220 --> 00:00:47,190 S1: movies on repeat for the entire month. Melanie, I feel 18 00:00:47,190 --> 00:00:48,540 S1: like I know the answer to this, but are you 19 00:00:48,540 --> 00:00:50,040 S1: a Christmas movie kind of gal? 20 00:00:50,190 --> 00:00:51,510 S2: Well, what do you think, Thomas? 21 00:00:52,290 --> 00:00:55,470 S1: Well, it's hard to tell because in one, like, sometimes 22 00:00:55,470 --> 00:00:58,080 S1: you've got a cold, dead heart and sometimes you're actually 23 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,930 S1: quite wholesome. And so I feel like part of you 24 00:01:00,930 --> 00:01:02,730 S1: will be cynical. But I could also see you sitting 25 00:01:02,730 --> 00:01:04,890 S1: down and watching elf and chuckling along. So, I don't know. 26 00:01:04,890 --> 00:01:07,709 S2: I'm torn. That's very hard to pin down. Yes. Look, 27 00:01:07,709 --> 00:01:10,530 S2: I'm not a Christmas movie person. I wish I was like, 28 00:01:10,530 --> 00:01:12,839 S2: I really like the idea of kind of getting into 29 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,670 S2: it in Christmas and going home and putting on the 30 00:01:14,670 --> 00:01:18,029 S2: Christmas lights and watching like, elf again. But I don't know, 31 00:01:18,030 --> 00:01:19,920 S2: it's just not really for me. I don't revisit the 32 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,980 S2: classics and I don't really watch the new ones, but 33 00:01:22,980 --> 00:01:26,460 S2: I will say I do like Christmas adjacent movies. 34 00:01:26,610 --> 00:01:28,650 S1: Like Christmas Is in it, but not like The Star. 35 00:01:28,650 --> 00:01:31,770 S2: Yes, like I recently watched Todd Haynes Carol with Cate 36 00:01:31,770 --> 00:01:33,660 S2: Blanchett and Rooney Mara after we were talking about The 37 00:01:33,660 --> 00:01:36,630 S2: Talented Mr. Ripley a few weeks ago. And like, Christmas 38 00:01:36,630 --> 00:01:38,790 S2: is just in the background. There's just like a kind 39 00:01:38,790 --> 00:01:41,040 S2: of whiff of Christmas. So I like that rather than 40 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,020 S2: Christmas being at the heart and soul. 41 00:01:43,020 --> 00:01:44,700 S1: Yeah, I think it's the same with Mean Girls. It's 42 00:01:44,700 --> 00:01:47,490 S1: like at Christmas time, but it's not like a Christmas movie. Remember? 43 00:01:47,490 --> 00:01:48,030 S1: They do the content. 44 00:01:48,150 --> 00:01:50,100 S2: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great concept. Um, what about you? I 45 00:01:50,100 --> 00:01:51,990 S2: feel like you probably like Christmas films. 46 00:01:51,990 --> 00:01:54,030 S1: I do like Christmas films, but I think this is 47 00:01:54,030 --> 00:01:55,680 S1: what's interesting. And this is kind of where we're heading 48 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,830 S1: in today's pod. Christmas movies are having a big moment. Um, 49 00:01:58,830 --> 00:02:00,330 S1: we're going to be talking about some of the best 50 00:02:00,330 --> 00:02:03,000 S1: of all time, the home Alones The Love Actually, as 51 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,850 S1: well as this rise in kind of the Christmas film 52 00:02:05,850 --> 00:02:08,880 S1: genre and festive films flooding streaming services and the ones 53 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:10,649 S1: that are worth your time and the ones that definitely 54 00:02:10,650 --> 00:02:13,530 S1: are not. But look, to begin, I guess we're both 55 00:02:13,530 --> 00:02:17,190 S1: children of the 90s. We are famously, and I would 56 00:02:17,190 --> 00:02:20,010 S1: say that is arguably the peak of the Christmas movie era. 57 00:02:20,010 --> 00:02:23,880 S1: That was absolute classics like Home Alone, Jingle All the Way, uh, 58 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,970 S1: miracle on 34th Street, and of course, Die Hard starring 59 00:02:26,970 --> 00:02:29,820 S1: Bruce Willis, although that one does come with an asterisks 60 00:02:29,820 --> 00:02:33,630 S1: because lots of people don't believe it's a Christmas film. Look, 61 00:02:33,660 --> 00:02:36,090 S1: it was a great time for movies, but specifically a 62 00:02:36,090 --> 00:02:38,250 S1: great time for Christmas movies. Do you have a favorite 63 00:02:38,250 --> 00:02:38,880 S1: from that era? 64 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,890 S2: Look, I do, and I feel like my choice is 65 00:02:40,889 --> 00:02:44,220 S2: not going to surprise you. It's a Christmas Carol, but 66 00:02:44,220 --> 00:02:45,960 S2: the Muppets version, obviously. 67 00:02:46,290 --> 00:02:50,700 S3: Humbug. He was the Greediest man alive. It's Ebenezer Scrooge 68 00:02:50,700 --> 00:02:53,820 S3: until the night he met someone extraordinary. 69 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:55,230 S4: Hello. 70 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:58,679 S3: The Muppet Christmas Carol. 71 00:02:59,550 --> 00:03:01,230 S5: I'll Drink to Mr. Scrooge. 72 00:03:01,260 --> 00:03:03,720 S2: Famously based on a book by Charlie Dickens. You may 73 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,169 S2: know him. I do. Um. Michael Caine is Ebenezer Scrooge. 74 00:03:07,169 --> 00:03:09,600 S2: Just a lot of fun. Have you seen it? 75 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,730 S1: I have seen it. I mean, there's so many good 76 00:03:11,730 --> 00:03:14,910 S1: pics from that time. I always loved the Muppets. 77 00:03:14,940 --> 00:03:16,920 S2: It just. I like the Muppets films. I think it's 78 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,220 S2: very funny. It's a bit different. It's got more cynicism 79 00:03:20,220 --> 00:03:21,690 S2: than a lot of those other ones, and I think 80 00:03:21,690 --> 00:03:23,910 S2: it's aged pretty well. But I will say I revisited 81 00:03:23,910 --> 00:03:27,330 S2: one that kind of surprised me that I don't feel 82 00:03:27,330 --> 00:03:30,090 S2: as many people have seen Nora Ephron's Mixed Nuts. 83 00:03:30,570 --> 00:03:33,900 S3: Phillips job is solving other people's problems. May I put. 84 00:03:33,900 --> 00:03:35,880 S6: You on hold while I run to my desk? Uh, 85 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,190 S6: you're not calling from a bridge or holding a weapon. No. 86 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,490 S3: But unfortunately, he's got problems of his own. 87 00:03:41,490 --> 00:03:44,040 S7: I don't know how to say this. My psychiatrist thinks 88 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:44,820 S7: we should break up. 89 00:03:44,850 --> 00:03:46,680 S3: I didn't know you were going to a psychiatrist. 90 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,140 S7: Well, I'm not actually going to one. I've been dating 91 00:03:49,140 --> 00:03:50,160 S7: one for four months. 92 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:51,600 S3: And now it's Christmas. 93 00:03:51,900 --> 00:03:55,290 S2: It was this 1994 film that she put out, and 94 00:03:55,290 --> 00:03:58,680 S2: it was just after she'd done sleepless in Seattle, and 95 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,140 S2: it's set in, um, it's set in California on Venice 96 00:04:01,140 --> 00:04:03,660 S2: Beach at this volunteer hotline for depressed people. But the 97 00:04:03,660 --> 00:04:08,760 S2: cast is insane. It's got Steve Martin, Anthony LaPaglia, Rita Wilson, 98 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,720 S2: Garry Shandling, Rob Reiner and Juliette Lewis, Adam Sandler, Liv Schreiber. 99 00:04:12,990 --> 00:04:14,130 S1: It's a stacked cast. 100 00:04:14,130 --> 00:04:16,890 S2: It's a stacked cast, and the plot is insane. And 101 00:04:16,890 --> 00:04:19,770 S2: it is so silly and over the top and slap sticky. 102 00:04:19,770 --> 00:04:22,049 S2: But there's something very warm and affectionate, and it got, like, 103 00:04:22,050 --> 00:04:24,450 S2: destroyed at the time of its release because I think 104 00:04:24,450 --> 00:04:26,640 S2: it was coming out, you know, with all these other 105 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,520 S2: 90 films that were so loved and this was so 106 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:31,349 S2: different to all of that, and parts of it hasn't 107 00:04:31,350 --> 00:04:34,860 S2: haven't aged particularly well. But I think it's worth rewatching 108 00:04:34,860 --> 00:04:37,380 S2: just because it's quite silly and but also heartwarming. 109 00:04:37,380 --> 00:04:39,299 S1: Yeah, it's funny because, like, I think it's hard to 110 00:04:39,300 --> 00:04:42,869 S1: know whether or not like it's our own like recency 111 00:04:42,870 --> 00:04:45,090 S1: bias in terms of like that era or like, you know, 112 00:04:45,089 --> 00:04:47,250 S1: because we're nostalgic for it. We were young then, but 113 00:04:47,250 --> 00:04:48,960 S1: I do feel like so many of the best Christmas 114 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,230 S1: films came from that time. Like, so a couple of 115 00:04:52,230 --> 00:04:54,120 S1: years ago, I think it was variety. Did a, you know, 116 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,279 S1: this huge poll like the greatest Christmas film of all 117 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,700 S1: time and unsurprising, Home Alone came out on top. I 118 00:04:59,700 --> 00:05:01,770 S1: think it is like for a lot of people, the 119 00:05:01,770 --> 00:05:04,770 S1: peak Christmas film. Are you a Home Alone fan? 120 00:05:05,190 --> 00:05:10,230 S2: Yeah, sure. Like definitely Home Alone one, then Home alone two. Yeah. 121 00:05:10,230 --> 00:05:12,570 S2: And Home Alone one. Like, I rewatched it not that 122 00:05:12,570 --> 00:05:15,870 S2: long ago, surprisingly. And it was, um, it was actually 123 00:05:15,870 --> 00:05:18,630 S2: quite violent, like the violence of Home Alone was quite 124 00:05:18,630 --> 00:05:20,490 S2: shocking to me at the time. Like, I didn't remember 125 00:05:20,490 --> 00:05:21,989 S2: that part of it. I mean, look. 126 00:05:21,990 --> 00:05:24,090 S1: I watched it obviously as a young kid and have 127 00:05:24,089 --> 00:05:27,450 S1: watched it every year since and I think, well, firstly, 128 00:05:27,450 --> 00:05:29,640 S1: Macaulay Culkin, probably one of the all time great on 129 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,700 S1: screen performances. Kevin McCallister, he's kind of like the kid 130 00:05:32,700 --> 00:05:36,120 S1: that every kid wanted to be. I think his parents, like, 131 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,940 S1: live in this most amazing house ever. They go away 132 00:05:38,940 --> 00:05:41,940 S1: every single year overseas, which again, as a young child 133 00:05:41,940 --> 00:05:44,190 S1: in the burbs, I was like, well, they're not going 134 00:05:44,190 --> 00:05:45,030 S1: to Nelson Bay this year. 135 00:05:45,060 --> 00:05:47,580 S2: They're beautiful Christmas decorations all through their house. 136 00:05:47,580 --> 00:05:51,300 S1: House is totally stacked. Big chaotic family. Um, and I 137 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:53,670 S1: just think like it's become such a part of like 138 00:05:53,670 --> 00:05:55,560 S1: Christmas pop culture now. Like it's one of the most 139 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,170 S1: quotable movies I made my family disappear. 140 00:05:58,290 --> 00:06:01,050 S8: I made my family disappear. 141 00:06:01,529 --> 00:06:03,299 S1: Keep the change, you filthy animal. Like that. You can 142 00:06:03,300 --> 00:06:06,089 S1: buy like, Christmas festive jumpers with these taglines on it. 143 00:06:06,089 --> 00:06:07,650 S1: But I think what I love so much about it 144 00:06:07,650 --> 00:06:09,660 S1: is it kind of brings together all the threads of like, 145 00:06:09,660 --> 00:06:12,600 S1: what makes a good Christmas movie for me. Number one, 146 00:06:12,750 --> 00:06:13,589 S1: there's a bit of like. 147 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:15,150 S2: Well, we. 148 00:06:15,150 --> 00:06:15,990 S1: Begin the Ted talk, here. 149 00:06:15,990 --> 00:06:16,800 S2: We go. No, but. 150 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,089 S1: Like what Macaulay Culkin aka Kevin McCallister does to Harry 151 00:06:21,089 --> 00:06:23,400 S1: and Marv is like. I mean, each year I watch it, 152 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,560 S1: I'm like, this is some serious crimes being committed here. 153 00:06:26,100 --> 00:06:28,229 S2: It's such a violent film. And then if you watch 154 00:06:28,230 --> 00:06:31,529 S2: Home Alone two as well, it is even more violent. 155 00:06:31,529 --> 00:06:33,479 S2: And when you rewatch it, you're like, these men would 156 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,120 S2: clearly be dead after this treatment. Like, how are they 157 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:36,930 S2: still standing? 158 00:06:36,930 --> 00:06:39,359 S1: But also it makes me wonder, like, just Kevin's a 159 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,250 S1: young kid and he's got some pretty violent ideas that 160 00:06:41,250 --> 00:06:44,880 S1: we really do need to talk about Kevin. But I think, like, 161 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,310 S1: there is this like wish fulfillment thing where, like when 162 00:06:47,310 --> 00:06:48,720 S1: you're a kid, all you really want to do is like, 163 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:52,320 S1: be home alone and, like, happens to Kevin McCallister. And 164 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,140 S1: then obviously it it it's got these like, cute messaging 165 00:06:55,140 --> 00:06:56,760 S1: in a way where he's like, he realizes he wishes 166 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,250 S1: his family away constantly. And then they go and he's like, 167 00:06:59,250 --> 00:07:01,650 S1: so sad. And then the family, like, who are always 168 00:07:01,650 --> 00:07:03,900 S1: so annoyed at Kevin because he's the youngest annoying kid, 169 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:06,420 S1: you know, they also realize, oh, it's not Christmas without Kevin, 170 00:07:06,420 --> 00:07:08,580 S1: which is all great, but on like squeezed in between 171 00:07:08,580 --> 00:07:11,460 S1: those bookended by those two messages is just like lots 172 00:07:11,460 --> 00:07:13,350 S1: of really funny, dangerous pranks. 173 00:07:13,350 --> 00:07:15,720 S2: Yeah, like a lot of gags, but it does. I 174 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,210 S2: think what Home Alone did so well was that it 175 00:07:18,210 --> 00:07:20,640 S2: balanced that slapstick with the, as you were saying, the 176 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,080 S2: sentimentality of the message and the kind of the the 177 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,690 S2: joy of watching this young boy kind of have this 178 00:07:27,690 --> 00:07:31,170 S2: experience alone, and at the same time realize that he 179 00:07:31,170 --> 00:07:32,790 S2: needed his family around him. It's kind of it's a 180 00:07:32,790 --> 00:07:34,290 S2: Christmas coming of age, isn't it? 181 00:07:34,290 --> 00:07:36,180 S1: It really is. And like, I just think it's we've 182 00:07:36,180 --> 00:07:37,980 S1: obviously all grown up with the movie and it's so 183 00:07:37,980 --> 00:07:40,290 S1: funny having a look at the cast. So like Macaulay Culkin, 184 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,530 S1: I think kind of suffered a little bit from how 185 00:07:43,530 --> 00:07:45,870 S1: popular Home Alone became like. He was kind of frozen 186 00:07:45,870 --> 00:07:47,940 S1: as Kevin McCallister. I think he did like Home Alone one. 187 00:07:47,940 --> 00:07:50,490 S1: Home alone two. Also, Richie Rich, another great film for 188 00:07:50,490 --> 00:07:53,400 S1: the 90s, but then he hasn't really, though he. 189 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,740 S2: Did recently get a star on the Hollywood. Did you 190 00:07:55,740 --> 00:07:58,320 S2: see that? Not only would you see. 191 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,230 S1: Who was there to help him receive it. Catherine O'Hara, 192 00:08:01,230 --> 00:08:03,060 S1: his onscreen mum, which was amazing. But like, you know, 193 00:08:03,060 --> 00:08:05,610 S1: John Candy, Joe Pesci and one of the all time 194 00:08:05,610 --> 00:08:08,760 S1: great on screen baddie roles. Yeah, like it was, it 195 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,880 S1: was a kind of like a moment in time, I think. 196 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,130 S1: And it's really funny. I was reading the director, Chris Columbus. 197 00:08:14,130 --> 00:08:16,050 S1: I think he does like basically every single year on 198 00:08:16,050 --> 00:08:18,060 S1: Home Alone. He does like some kind of Home Alone 199 00:08:18,060 --> 00:08:21,000 S1: related interview. And he was saying originally the Joe Pesci 200 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,160 S1: character was meant to be played by Chevy Chase. Yeah, okay. 201 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:24,600 S1: And they went out to lunch to kind of like 202 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,040 S1: talk about the role and stuff. And he just found 203 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,680 S1: Chevy Chase, like, so unlikable and such a, like, not 204 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:30,510 S1: a nice person that he, at the end of lunch 205 00:08:30,510 --> 00:08:32,160 S1: was like, okay, well, I can no longer offer you 206 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,410 S1: this role. So I mean, like just little things like that. 207 00:08:34,410 --> 00:08:35,850 S1: It could have been such a different film, you know? 208 00:08:35,850 --> 00:08:37,829 S1: And Joe Pesci, I think, was so important to why 209 00:08:37,860 --> 00:08:40,350 S1: Home Alone is so good. But I just think like 210 00:08:40,350 --> 00:08:41,699 S1: it came right at the start of that era. It 211 00:08:41,700 --> 00:08:44,850 S1: was released in 1990, and for me it is, you know, 212 00:08:44,850 --> 00:08:47,220 S1: Home Alone two great for Home Alone one close to 213 00:08:47,220 --> 00:08:49,260 S1: the perfect Christmas dinner yesterday. 214 00:08:49,260 --> 00:08:53,429 S3: He was just a kid, but tonight he's a home 215 00:08:53,429 --> 00:08:55,440 S3: security system. You guys give. 216 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,480 S8: Up? Oh, yeah. Thirsty for more. 217 00:08:58,380 --> 00:09:00,990 S3: From John Hughes? You know, I got a feeling this 218 00:09:00,990 --> 00:09:03,240 S3: is going to be your best Christmas ever. A family 219 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:08,940 S3: comedy without the family are home alone. Are you here 220 00:09:08,940 --> 00:09:09,660 S3: all alone? 221 00:09:09,660 --> 00:09:12,900 S8: I met you, John. You think I'd be here alone? 222 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,720 S2: I think it really set the standard for that 90s 223 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,540 S2: crop of film. That kind of wholesome vibe that they 224 00:09:18,540 --> 00:09:20,790 S2: all had with a kind of moral message behind it. 225 00:09:20,790 --> 00:09:24,600 S2: Also a very white and straight vibe, which continued through 226 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,390 S2: a lot of the 90s and into the 2000 as well. Like, 227 00:09:27,390 --> 00:09:29,700 S2: it's hard to ignore that, particularly when you look at 228 00:09:29,700 --> 00:09:33,240 S2: the crop of, um, films that are coming out this 229 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,820 S2: year and in recent years, and we'll talk about them later, 230 00:09:35,820 --> 00:09:40,560 S2: which are have a far more diverse cast, um, sexually, racially, um, 231 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,890 S2: and more interesting plots because of that. But yeah, the 232 00:09:43,890 --> 00:09:48,300 S2: 1990s and into the early 2000 were a very white Christmas. 233 00:09:48,300 --> 00:09:49,650 S2: More ways than one. 234 00:09:49,890 --> 00:09:52,470 S1: Yeah. It's funny, like, I feel like the 90s was 235 00:09:52,470 --> 00:09:55,950 S1: very much the Christmas for the whole family vibe. I mean, 236 00:09:55,950 --> 00:09:57,540 S1: all of those things you said are so true. But 237 00:09:57,540 --> 00:09:59,250 S1: even if you look at some of the most popular ones, 238 00:09:59,250 --> 00:10:01,590 S1: like they had such a formula, it was like jingle 239 00:10:01,590 --> 00:10:04,950 S1: all the way. Um, I'll be home for Christmas. Home alone. 240 00:10:04,950 --> 00:10:07,920 S1: It's all like, you know, like mischievous young kid gets 241 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:09,390 S1: into trouble at Christmas. And it was very much like 242 00:10:09,390 --> 00:10:11,820 S1: a family experience. And I do think as we moved 243 00:10:11,820 --> 00:10:15,060 S1: into the noughties, Christmas movies became more kind of commercial 244 00:10:15,059 --> 00:10:18,240 S1: adult products that studios like look to tap into making 245 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:20,220 S1: money at this time of year. And in fact, six 246 00:10:20,220 --> 00:10:22,770 S1: of the top ten grossing Christmas films of all time 247 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,349 S1: are from the 2000. And a lot of them, I guess, 248 00:10:25,350 --> 00:10:29,130 S1: are kind of like more adult films. Uh, we're talking elf, 249 00:10:29,130 --> 00:10:32,040 S1: of course. The holiday, one of the, I guess, all 250 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,260 S1: time great Christmas movies. I love the holiday, and you 251 00:10:34,260 --> 00:10:36,689 S1: can probably guess the last one that makes it into 252 00:10:36,690 --> 00:10:37,620 S1: the top ten. 253 00:10:38,130 --> 00:10:39,720 S2: Surely love actually. 254 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:40,470 S1: Correct? 255 00:10:40,860 --> 00:10:46,230 S3: This holiday season, I'm picking up Good Vibrations. Join this 256 00:10:46,230 --> 00:10:48,569 S3: unforgettable filmmaking team. Welcome. 257 00:10:48,570 --> 00:10:51,780 S9: Prime Minister, this is Natalie. Hello, David. I mean, sir. 258 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,020 S10: 20 years ago, you'd have been just his time. 259 00:10:55,740 --> 00:11:02,490 S3: Are as they explore that time of year. When desires 260 00:11:02,490 --> 00:11:05,700 S3: are revealed. I'm love. Aren't you that young? 261 00:11:06,330 --> 00:11:08,580 S1: I'm fresh from rewatching this last night. Are you. 262 00:11:08,580 --> 00:11:09,750 S2: Okay? Interesting. 263 00:11:09,750 --> 00:11:11,699 S1: Uh, it's probably worth noting it's been 20 years since 264 00:11:11,700 --> 00:11:14,100 S1: love Actually came out, which is insane. Uh, came out 265 00:11:14,100 --> 00:11:18,480 S1: in 2003. Yeah. Big year for Christmas film 2003 also 266 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,270 S1: saw the release of Elf and Bad Santa. But look, 267 00:11:21,270 --> 00:11:23,670 S1: love actually, I think it's impossible to have a Christmas 268 00:11:23,670 --> 00:11:27,660 S1: movie conversation without it coming up. It remains, I guess, this, 269 00:11:27,660 --> 00:11:30,600 S1: like kind of cultural totem pole for people at Christmas 270 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,810 S1: time every single year. You know, like Moonlight Cinema does 271 00:11:33,809 --> 00:11:36,450 S1: a replay of Love Actually, which I am also going 272 00:11:36,450 --> 00:11:41,819 S1: to later this month. But it is polarizing. You know, 273 00:11:41,820 --> 00:11:45,270 S1: it is very popular, but people have strong feelings about it, 274 00:11:45,270 --> 00:11:48,689 S1: I guess. Let's begin with, do you like Love Actually? 275 00:11:48,690 --> 00:11:51,120 S1: Is there room in your cold, dead heart for a 276 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:52,020 S1: beautiful Christmas film? 277 00:11:52,050 --> 00:11:53,880 S2: Firstly, I have to say that I think outdoor cinema 278 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:58,620 S2: is the perfect cinema for you. As a noisy cinema man. 279 00:11:58,620 --> 00:12:01,679 S2: Outdoor everyone is rustling and there are kids and there 280 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,320 S2: are dogs and there are mosquitoes and wind. And like 281 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,140 S2: I reckon that is your ideal mode of watching cinema, 282 00:12:07,140 --> 00:12:07,709 S2: whereas you. 283 00:12:07,710 --> 00:12:10,740 S1: Enjoy the cover of nature in which to make my noises. 284 00:12:10,740 --> 00:12:12,480 S2: So you could see all of those films that you 285 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:14,610 S2: could watch and you went for Love Actually again. 286 00:12:14,610 --> 00:12:16,530 S1: Yeah, because it's nice to watch it outside. 287 00:12:16,530 --> 00:12:17,490 S2: Yeah. Okay. 288 00:12:17,820 --> 00:12:19,559 S1: You really liked I heard you say the other day 289 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,620 S1: you hate seeing movies outdoors, which is such a specific hate. 290 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,420 S2: I do you know what I'm like? I like a 291 00:12:24,420 --> 00:12:28,949 S2: kind of dark, quiet, siloed room where I can just 292 00:12:28,950 --> 00:12:32,490 S2: be completely absorbed by the cinema that I'm watching. And 293 00:12:32,490 --> 00:12:35,069 S2: I don't want the distractions, because to me, that's a 294 00:12:35,070 --> 00:12:37,380 S2: completely like, I would enjoy going to outdoor cinema, but 295 00:12:37,380 --> 00:12:39,089 S2: I would treat it as a social event, not as 296 00:12:39,090 --> 00:12:39,900 S2: anything to do. 297 00:12:40,290 --> 00:12:42,240 S1: I like, I like having a picnic and I like 298 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:43,770 S1: going to the movies, but I don't want to combine 299 00:12:43,770 --> 00:12:44,550 S1: those two things. 300 00:12:44,550 --> 00:12:45,990 S2: So Love Actually is probably quite a good one to 301 00:12:45,990 --> 00:12:49,410 S2: see at the outdoor cinema, because I'm not deeply invested 302 00:12:49,410 --> 00:12:51,839 S2: in it and I have seen it a few times. Um, look, 303 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,830 S2: I think we have to say it doesn't particularly date well. 304 00:12:56,860 --> 00:12:58,420 S2: Do we? No we don't. Thomas. 305 00:12:58,750 --> 00:13:01,210 S1: I think no, you're right, it doesn't date well. But 306 00:13:01,210 --> 00:13:04,809 S1: I think it's become like. It's become cool to hate love, actually, 307 00:13:04,809 --> 00:13:08,350 S1: because it's so, like, overly sincere and earnest. And there 308 00:13:08,350 --> 00:13:10,420 S1: are definitely things that haven't dated. Well, but I think 309 00:13:10,420 --> 00:13:12,670 S1: as a movie, it's like, I like I said, I 310 00:13:12,670 --> 00:13:15,220 S1: watched it last night. I was like pretty fucking into it, 311 00:13:15,220 --> 00:13:15,939 S1: to be honest. 312 00:13:15,940 --> 00:13:19,600 S2: I feel like the gender politics of not dated well, 313 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,120 S2: rather than the sincerity is not what I'm like. The 314 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,750 S2: sentimentality is not what I'm so concerned about. But it's 315 00:13:25,750 --> 00:13:27,700 S2: more like, and I don't want to be the Grinch. 316 00:13:27,700 --> 00:13:31,600 S2: That's still love Actually from your Christmas. You do. But 317 00:13:31,870 --> 00:13:35,199 S2: I mean, the women don't have a huge role in it. 318 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,760 S2: Are they like the general, quite emotionally inept? The women 319 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:43,720 S2: are all idols to be kind of one. You think of, 320 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:49,839 S2: like Keira Knightley character Juliet. Um, to Andrew Lincoln's character Mark. 321 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,170 S2: You think about Joanna, the small girl. You think about 322 00:13:53,170 --> 00:13:55,870 S2: Colin Firth new love affair. She's a woman who speaks 323 00:13:55,870 --> 00:13:58,300 S2: no English. Obviously these women. 324 00:13:58,660 --> 00:14:00,520 S1: Colin's first fault that he doesn't speak Portuguese. 325 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,000 S2: Often the women are like one without or tried to 326 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,210 S2: be one without any actual. She's literally in the film 327 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:10,060 S2: and the only noisy one. Um, and of course, I'm 328 00:14:10,059 --> 00:14:11,800 S2: not the first person to point this out, but the 329 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:16,240 S2: only noisy one, Emma Thompson, who, like, is fantastic in it. Um, 330 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,890 S2: who plays Karen. She is, like, very much punished, isn't she, 331 00:14:20,890 --> 00:14:24,940 S2: for having some kind of personality that isn't just silence 332 00:14:24,940 --> 00:14:27,160 S2: or kind of desirable woman. 333 00:14:27,490 --> 00:14:30,460 S1: Yeah. Look, I mean, that is all true. And when 334 00:14:30,460 --> 00:14:33,700 S1: you rewatch it last night, especially, like, aside from the 335 00:14:33,700 --> 00:14:36,910 S1: kind of problematic gender politics, the storyline with Keira Knightley 336 00:14:36,910 --> 00:14:40,420 S1: and Andrew Lincoln is really, like, quite odd. It's, you know, 337 00:14:40,420 --> 00:14:42,700 S1: how people cut those trailers on YouTube when they, like, 338 00:14:42,700 --> 00:14:44,890 S1: redo a film, but like as a horror or whatever 339 00:14:44,890 --> 00:14:48,760 S1: you could? Seriously. It's so odd how much he films her. 340 00:14:49,030 --> 00:14:50,800 S1: And I know that that's become like this really famous 341 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,350 S1: sequence when he appears outside the apartment. It's like, to me, 342 00:14:53,350 --> 00:14:54,280 S1: you are perfect. 343 00:14:55,330 --> 00:14:56,830 S11: Oh, hi. 344 00:14:56,980 --> 00:14:57,580 S6: Who is it? 345 00:15:00,220 --> 00:15:01,630 S2: Is carol singers. 346 00:15:02,510 --> 00:15:02,720 S12: Again. 347 00:15:03,110 --> 00:15:05,990 S1: But like if that scene was to roll another 10s, 348 00:15:05,990 --> 00:15:08,180 S1: you would probably see a Swat team, like taking him 349 00:15:08,180 --> 00:15:12,110 S1: down because it's so really is odd how into who 350 00:15:12,110 --> 00:15:15,020 S1: he is. And like for that to be this kind 351 00:15:15,020 --> 00:15:17,300 S1: of big emotional moment in the film is very funny 352 00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:19,550 S1: that he essentially is a stalker who's in like has 353 00:15:19,550 --> 00:15:22,280 S1: been filming his best mates girlfriend from afar. 354 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,530 S2: I know totally and to the point about kind of 355 00:15:24,530 --> 00:15:27,080 S2: men who are unable to express their feelings like I 356 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,990 S2: love when Keira Knightley is like to him, but you 357 00:15:29,990 --> 00:15:33,620 S2: never talk to me. You don't like me like she's like, why? 358 00:15:33,620 --> 00:15:36,350 S2: This is not normal kind of behavior about how you 359 00:15:36,350 --> 00:15:38,900 S2: treat someone who you would like to seduce. But even 360 00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:40,550 S2: at the end when he's showing her the signs, he 361 00:15:40,550 --> 00:15:43,550 S2: can't even express his feelings. Yeah. 362 00:15:43,550 --> 00:15:46,160 S1: I mean, look, he's he's he's about a humble man. 363 00:15:46,190 --> 00:15:48,620 S2: Did that strike you rewatching it so recently? 364 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,490 S1: Yeah. Like I it hasn't held up well, but the 365 00:15:52,490 --> 00:15:54,170 S1: problem with me is I'm such a sucker for, like, 366 00:15:54,170 --> 00:15:56,690 S1: a big set piece. So, like, when they're getting married 367 00:15:56,690 --> 00:15:59,780 S1: and then the, like, orchestra appears in the church, there's 368 00:15:59,780 --> 00:16:00,229 S1: nothing you. 369 00:16:00,230 --> 00:16:02,260 S12: Can. That can't be done. 370 00:16:02,410 --> 00:16:08,230 UU: God, there's nothing you can say. Can't be sung. There's 371 00:16:08,230 --> 00:16:09,370 UU: nothing you can say. 372 00:16:09,980 --> 00:16:11,120 S12: Learn how to play the game. 373 00:16:12,230 --> 00:16:19,690 UU: It's easy. All you need is love. 374 00:16:21,310 --> 00:16:22,660 S1: I'm like I was last night. I was like, I 375 00:16:22,660 --> 00:16:24,730 S1: felt myself moving on the lounge and stuff like, I 376 00:16:24,730 --> 00:16:26,050 S1: love that. But how did they. 377 00:16:26,050 --> 00:16:28,300 S2: Not see even that? Her husband, like kind of. And 378 00:16:28,300 --> 00:16:30,670 S2: I think Lindy West writes about this in her piece 379 00:16:30,670 --> 00:16:32,590 S2: that she wrote for Jezebel, which I think kicked off 380 00:16:32,590 --> 00:16:36,400 S2: a lot of, um, a lot of the Love Actually discussion. Like, 381 00:16:36,550 --> 00:16:38,950 S2: why did her husband upstage her on the wedding day 382 00:16:38,950 --> 00:16:43,060 S2: with this surprised dig gesture? Like, that wasn't run past her? 383 00:16:43,060 --> 00:16:44,830 S2: And how did they get the band into the church? 384 00:16:44,830 --> 00:16:47,500 S1: That was like literally last night. My wife was like her. 385 00:16:47,500 --> 00:16:50,890 S1: Probably her favorite watching activity is just a pick holes 386 00:16:50,890 --> 00:16:54,070 S1: and things I don't think she even enjoys, like any content. Um, 387 00:16:54,070 --> 00:16:57,190 S1: mostly just giving feedback. But like we were watching it, 388 00:16:57,190 --> 00:16:59,260 S1: she was like scrolling on her phone, like half watching. 389 00:16:59,260 --> 00:17:01,510 S1: And that happens just like fucking stupid. How would they 390 00:17:01,510 --> 00:17:03,670 S1: not know they're in the church? And I was like, 391 00:17:03,670 --> 00:17:06,070 S1: I was mid dance. Like, okay, well, you've ruined this 392 00:17:06,070 --> 00:17:06,370 S1: for me. 393 00:17:06,369 --> 00:17:08,770 S2: Yeah. Where is your Christmas spirit? Also, I think Alan 394 00:17:08,770 --> 00:17:13,450 S2: Rickman as Harry, who kind of seduces his sexy young 395 00:17:13,450 --> 00:17:16,450 S2: secretary and like she calls him sir, which is really 396 00:17:16,450 --> 00:17:20,920 S2: weird because, you know, that's not really shaming. Yeah, yeah, 397 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:22,990 S2: but I think she means like, so in terms of 398 00:17:22,990 --> 00:17:24,909 S2: that's just how they dress each other in the office. 399 00:17:24,910 --> 00:17:27,340 S2: But I don't think that's age particularly. 400 00:17:27,460 --> 00:17:30,220 S1: No. But the funny thing about that whole sequence, I 401 00:17:30,220 --> 00:17:32,409 S1: have a huge crush on the secretary, but agree. Um, 402 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,500 S1: the funny thing about that, though, is he calls Laura 403 00:17:35,500 --> 00:17:38,260 S1: Linney into his office. She plays Sarah, like the American 404 00:17:38,260 --> 00:17:42,369 S1: who works for him. Um, and he's basically like, this 405 00:17:42,369 --> 00:17:45,760 S1: is her boss, right? And he's basically like, so, you know, 406 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,500 S1: you're in love with Carl. How long have you been 407 00:17:47,500 --> 00:17:49,090 S1: in love with Carl? We all know it. When are 408 00:17:49,090 --> 00:17:50,890 S1: you going to, like, make a move on him? I'm like, 409 00:17:51,130 --> 00:17:51,429 S1: this is. 410 00:17:51,580 --> 00:17:52,270 S2: Not gonna fly. 411 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,669 S1: Crazy. And she's just like, oh, my God, I've been 412 00:17:54,670 --> 00:17:56,560 S1: in love with him for like three years, two hours 413 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:58,030 S1: and 14 minutes or whatever it is. And then he 414 00:17:58,030 --> 00:18:01,330 S1: basically like, I mean, like, has anyone been in an office? 415 00:18:01,330 --> 00:18:03,430 S1: This is crazy. Yeah, that's. 416 00:18:03,430 --> 00:18:06,010 S2: Not how it would fly today. I will say, though, 417 00:18:06,010 --> 00:18:09,879 S2: one thing I do love about Love Actually is the soundtrack. 418 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,720 S2: I enjoy Billy Neely singing Billy Mac's um, love is 419 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,810 S2: All Around at the start or Christmas is all around. 420 00:18:17,050 --> 00:18:20,770 UU: I feel it in my fingers, in my fingers. I 421 00:18:20,770 --> 00:18:29,800 UU: feel it in my toes. Feeling my. Love is all. 422 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:37,550 S13: Ah fuck wank, bugger, shitting arse, head and whole. Start again. 423 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,500 S2: They've got like the the soundtrack is really good. Joni Mitchell, 424 00:18:41,530 --> 00:18:44,350 S2: Beach Boys all I want for Christmas is obviously in 425 00:18:44,350 --> 00:18:47,170 S2: there the Bay City Rollers, Bye bye baby. Like I 426 00:18:47,170 --> 00:18:49,780 S2: do enjoy the soundtrack of the film. 427 00:18:49,780 --> 00:18:51,129 S1: This is the thing I think I could love actually 428 00:18:51,130 --> 00:18:54,250 S1: as a package people. It is like a good offering, 429 00:18:54,250 --> 00:18:56,500 S1: but once you start to scratch the surface, there are 430 00:18:56,500 --> 00:18:59,919 S1: some big issues. But yeah, like watching Bill Nye try 431 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:02,290 S1: and fit in that extra syllable. Like if you really 432 00:19:02,290 --> 00:19:05,020 S1: love Christmas, he is very funny. He's probably like one 433 00:19:05,020 --> 00:19:06,580 S1: of the best characters in the film, I would say. 434 00:19:06,580 --> 00:19:09,370 S2: Yeah, I think I think that's true. Um, obviously shout 435 00:19:09,369 --> 00:19:12,070 S2: out to Hugh Grant playing the Prime Minister, and I 436 00:19:12,070 --> 00:19:13,990 S2: think I was reading a piece that was like a 437 00:19:13,990 --> 00:19:16,510 S2: lot of people in the US, like, probably kind of 438 00:19:16,510 --> 00:19:19,179 S2: believed that Hugh Grant was the British prime Minister. 439 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:21,010 S1: Like he was really busy. I also think it. 440 00:19:21,010 --> 00:19:23,860 S2: Was the start of maybe he's turned towards villain. 441 00:19:24,070 --> 00:19:26,710 S1: Well, yeah, because he's a that's a funny storyline as well. 442 00:19:26,710 --> 00:19:29,770 S1: And also again, kind of problematic a little bit. Yeah. 443 00:19:30,010 --> 00:19:30,730 S1: I mean having been. 444 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:32,200 S2: Watching adored on. 445 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,350 S1: You, I know you I mean it's annoying because like 446 00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:38,439 S1: we obviously obviously did a lot of preparation for this 447 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,210 S1: podcast and now you've come in here and just completely 448 00:19:40,210 --> 00:19:41,320 S1: shattered my idea of love. 449 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,750 S2: Actually, you like cancelling your Moonlight Cinema tickets? 450 00:19:43,750 --> 00:19:46,119 S1: Yeah. No, don't be ridiculous. Just say something else. Um, 451 00:19:46,570 --> 00:19:50,020 S1: I think it's safe to say perhaps you've tainted love 452 00:19:50,020 --> 00:19:53,350 S1: actually forever. Uh, for me, at least until December 20th, 453 00:19:53,350 --> 00:19:54,850 S1: when I go and see the Moonlight Cinema again. 454 00:19:54,850 --> 00:19:56,859 S2: I actually don't know how you've got by 20 years 455 00:19:56,859 --> 00:19:58,899 S2: without having these thoughts about love. Actually, I've. 456 00:19:58,900 --> 00:20:00,640 S1: Had the thoughts, but I don't let it, like, ruin 457 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:02,410 S1: the film. It's so fun. 458 00:20:02,770 --> 00:20:04,240 S2: You should do some reflection on that. 459 00:20:04,450 --> 00:20:06,310 S1: I mean, some people still love it. I think I'm safe. 460 00:20:06,310 --> 00:20:07,510 S2: How often do you rewatch it? 461 00:20:08,690 --> 00:20:10,399 S1: I watch it like probably once a year at Christmas. 462 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:12,290 S2: How often do you rewatch Home Alone? 463 00:20:12,710 --> 00:20:14,180 S1: Probably twice a year. Wow. 464 00:20:14,180 --> 00:20:16,340 S2: So you are. You love Christmas films. 465 00:20:16,730 --> 00:20:18,530 S1: This is why I suggested we do the podcast. Yeah, 466 00:20:18,980 --> 00:20:20,929 S1: it is funny though, like we kind of flagged before, 467 00:20:20,930 --> 00:20:24,770 S1: but both. Elf. Elf, another great Christmas film. Um, Will 468 00:20:24,770 --> 00:20:27,950 S1: Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel together. So cute. Love that. 469 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,160 S14: I ought to say no, no, no. 470 00:20:31,190 --> 00:20:33,260 S15: Mind if I move in? 471 00:20:33,260 --> 00:20:35,840 S14: At least I'm gonna say that I try. 472 00:20:35,869 --> 00:20:37,969 S15: What's the sense of hurting my brain? 473 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:47,040 UU: I really can't stay. I mean, it's cold outside. Right. 474 00:20:48,540 --> 00:20:52,740 S1: But also same year, Bad Santa. Very different. Uh, speed. 475 00:20:52,740 --> 00:20:55,679 S1: Billy Bob Thornton, who we mentioned also in love actually, uh, 476 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,890 S1: of course, playing a department store Santa who goes on 477 00:20:58,890 --> 00:21:00,960 S1: a robbing rampage. Very, very funny thing has. 478 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,950 S16: Ever sucked more ass than this. If I'd known I 479 00:21:04,950 --> 00:21:06,060 S16: was going to have to put up with a bunch 480 00:21:06,060 --> 00:21:08,250 S16: of screaming brats pissing on my lap for 30 days 481 00:21:08,250 --> 00:21:10,350 S16: out of the year, I would have killed myself a 482 00:21:10,350 --> 00:21:17,420 S16: long time ago. Come to think of it, I still might. 483 00:21:19,450 --> 00:21:22,480 S16: Where I come from. We didn't celebrate Christmas. Not because 484 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:23,020 S16: we were both. 485 00:21:23,020 --> 00:21:26,080 S1: Came out in 2003. All three movies turning 20 this year. 486 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,660 S1: So look, it was a it was a a big 487 00:21:28,660 --> 00:21:32,380 S1: time when studios thought like, actually, it is possible for 488 00:21:32,380 --> 00:21:35,320 S1: us to make money by just investing in this seasonal film. 489 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,169 S1: And all three have done crazy numbers at the box office. 490 00:21:38,500 --> 00:21:42,609 S1: I mean, I guess like the noughties, perhaps peak Christmas era? 491 00:21:42,700 --> 00:21:45,190 S2: Yeah, I think so. And I think like those are 492 00:21:45,190 --> 00:21:47,770 S2: still talked about as classics because they kind of bring 493 00:21:47,770 --> 00:21:52,060 S2: us this level of nostalgia and comfort, and it's like 494 00:21:52,060 --> 00:21:55,720 S2: the annual appointment viewing that people have with their families, um, 495 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,030 S2: each year, you know, it's something to mark the start 496 00:21:58,030 --> 00:22:00,220 S2: of the season. And like, I guess the more cynical 497 00:22:00,220 --> 00:22:03,160 S2: side of me thinks it's because we don't really connect 498 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,080 S2: or a lot of people don't really connect Christmas with 499 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:11,080 S2: faith anymore. Spirituality and Christmas is just about commercialism and consumerism. Um, 500 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:13,630 S2: that watching these films is kind of a way to 501 00:22:13,630 --> 00:22:16,869 S2: make us pretend that we're kind of good people and 502 00:22:16,869 --> 00:22:18,820 S2: have values around this time of year. 503 00:22:18,820 --> 00:22:21,040 S1: I love anything that makes me think that I can 504 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:23,679 S1: feel something again. And that's what that's basically what Christmas 505 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:24,730 S1: films do. Yeah, yeah. 506 00:22:24,730 --> 00:22:28,120 S2: It's our way of pretending that Christmas hasn't been reduced 507 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:29,649 S2: to just kind of shopping. 508 00:22:29,650 --> 00:22:33,040 S1: Yes. Which is probably an ideal segue into, I guess, 509 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,650 S1: the final part of our chat today, which is this, 510 00:22:36,010 --> 00:22:39,460 S1: I guess in some ways it's the cult of bad 511 00:22:39,460 --> 00:22:43,270 S1: Christmas films, but really it's this new phenomenon, probably like 512 00:22:43,270 --> 00:22:46,390 S1: new to the last like ten years, streaming has changed 513 00:22:46,390 --> 00:22:48,219 S1: the game for Christmas films. And if you'd log on 514 00:22:48,220 --> 00:22:50,379 S1: to Netflix right now, or I guess any of the 515 00:22:50,380 --> 00:22:53,200 S1: other streamers, but Netflix specifically, you would be inundated with 516 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,869 S1: a bunch of Christmas movies you've never heard of, and 517 00:22:55,869 --> 00:22:58,090 S1: each name kind of sounds like a slightly different version 518 00:22:58,090 --> 00:23:01,810 S1: of the one before we're talking A Christmas Wish, falling 519 00:23:01,810 --> 00:23:04,630 S1: for Christmas, A Christmas Prince, Christmas with you, a brush 520 00:23:04,630 --> 00:23:08,080 S1: with Christmas, catering for Christmas. And these are what they 521 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,659 S1: refer to as Hallmark Movies in America, which is obviously 522 00:23:10,660 --> 00:23:13,149 S1: a nod to the US network that produces many of 523 00:23:13,150 --> 00:23:16,570 S1: these films. They're kind of made for TV holiday romcoms. 524 00:23:16,570 --> 00:23:18,939 S1: We don't have hallmark over here, but so many of 525 00:23:18,940 --> 00:23:22,300 S1: them end up on Netflix, and they do often follow 526 00:23:22,300 --> 00:23:26,260 S1: a similar trope. Uh, two people meet in unlikely circumstances, 527 00:23:26,260 --> 00:23:29,350 S1: often in a small town. Someone's coming back home escaping 528 00:23:29,350 --> 00:23:32,080 S1: their job in the big smoke. Uh, and then, you know, 529 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:33,850 S1: they might butt heads at first but end up falling 530 00:23:33,850 --> 00:23:37,120 S1: in love. And ipso facto, Christmas is saved. Now, I 531 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:39,610 S1: have been off the last couple of weeks and inhaling 532 00:23:39,609 --> 00:23:42,910 S1: these hallmark movies like they're going out of fashion. Uh, 533 00:23:42,910 --> 00:23:45,340 S1: it makes me feel a bit weird now. I've just 534 00:23:45,340 --> 00:23:47,200 S1: watched so many of them and I can't even tell 535 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,470 S1: which is which anymore. Mel, have we reached the death 536 00:23:50,470 --> 00:23:52,000 S1: of the Christmas movie as we know it? 537 00:23:52,810 --> 00:23:55,540 S2: Look, I in some ways, yes, I think there are 538 00:23:55,540 --> 00:23:59,410 S2: different types of Christmas films being made at the moment. 539 00:23:59,410 --> 00:24:01,600 S2: Like I think every streamer now is kind of it 540 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,480 S2: is the battle of the Christmas film. Every streamer is 541 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,030 S2: trying to make the Christmas film that gets the most eyeballs, 542 00:24:07,030 --> 00:24:08,800 S2: and I think it's become a stock standard on the 543 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,729 S2: streaming release calendar around this time of year. But as 544 00:24:12,730 --> 00:24:14,800 S2: I was saying earlier, I think as well as seeing 545 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,410 S2: the kind of classic hallmark film where it is very 546 00:24:17,410 --> 00:24:19,540 S2: predictable and silly and you kind of know what you're 547 00:24:19,540 --> 00:24:22,449 S2: getting into. I do think we're seeing some more interesting 548 00:24:22,450 --> 00:24:24,790 S2: ones coming out, and it's more because of the kind 549 00:24:24,790 --> 00:24:27,460 S2: of politics that are involved in some of them, whether 550 00:24:27,460 --> 00:24:30,700 S2: it's class or race or gender. I do think opening 551 00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:33,550 S2: up those discussions into Christmas films, when it's done well, 552 00:24:33,550 --> 00:24:37,090 S2: it does make a Christmas film more interesting. Um, and 553 00:24:37,090 --> 00:24:38,710 S2: some of them are just, I think, a bit more 554 00:24:38,710 --> 00:24:40,990 S2: tongue in cheek now, like some of the ones that 555 00:24:40,990 --> 00:24:44,920 S2: are out are riffing on the Christmas films of past. 556 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,020 S2: Like I do think they're doing something a bit different. 557 00:24:47,020 --> 00:24:49,990 S2: I watched Best Christmas Ever on Netflix. Was that on? 558 00:24:49,990 --> 00:24:51,700 S1: You're obviously watching it, correct? Yeah. 559 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:56,199 S17: Dear friends, family and fellow earth dwellers, life just seems 560 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,990 S17: to fly by when you're having a splendiferous time. 561 00:24:58,990 --> 00:25:01,210 S18: Oh, is that the Jenning's holiday newsletter? 562 00:25:01,210 --> 00:25:03,880 S17: It's the most absurd thing ever. I would love to. 563 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:04,479 S7: Show up at her. 564 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:10,720 S17: House uninvited and to see the actual truth. Charlotte Sanders 565 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,040 S17: Jackie Jennings. 566 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:13,930 S2: Stars actual Brandy. 567 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,090 S1: Yeah it does. And Heather Graham. This is the other 568 00:25:16,090 --> 00:25:18,190 S1: funny thing about these movies. It's always like stars. Someone 569 00:25:18,190 --> 00:25:18,969 S1: you're like, huh. 570 00:25:19,330 --> 00:25:21,490 S2: Brandi? I know. And then I looked and she's gotten 571 00:25:21,490 --> 00:25:23,290 S2: I think she's got a new album coming out as well. 572 00:25:23,290 --> 00:25:24,520 S2: I mean, she's got a Christmas album. 573 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:25,480 S1: That's that's good. 574 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,629 S2: Jason Biggs as well plays Heather Graham's husband. So the 575 00:25:28,630 --> 00:25:32,470 S2: setup is essentially Heather Graham plays this woman called Charlotte, 576 00:25:32,470 --> 00:25:36,190 S2: her old college friend. Jackie, who's played by Brandi, you know, 577 00:25:36,190 --> 00:25:38,980 S2: seems to have this beautiful, perfect life, sends a postcard 578 00:25:38,980 --> 00:25:41,380 S2: every year about how wonderful her life is, and then 579 00:25:41,380 --> 00:25:43,840 S2: they end up kind of together on Christmas. They try 580 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:45,310 S2: to tear each other apart, and then they have to 581 00:25:45,310 --> 00:25:47,650 S2: build each other back up again. It is a kind 582 00:25:47,650 --> 00:25:49,720 S2: of formulaic plot, but I just thought it was really 583 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,590 S2: sweet and very sassy and kind of. I enjoyed it. Yeah. 584 00:25:53,590 --> 00:25:54,970 S1: It's weird. I mean, I thought this was one of 585 00:25:54,970 --> 00:25:58,000 S1: the crazier ones because the plot, like, these are two 586 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,060 S1: friends who end up spending Christmas together because, like, there's 587 00:26:01,060 --> 00:26:04,030 S1: a lot of they get snowed in like it was okay. 588 00:26:04,030 --> 00:26:05,770 S2: All right. Are you being your wife now? Here. You 589 00:26:05,770 --> 00:26:07,810 S2: said picking holes in the details. 590 00:26:07,810 --> 00:26:10,570 S1: But, I mean, part of the hallmark experiences, that the 591 00:26:10,570 --> 00:26:13,330 S1: plot is often so ridiculous, it doesn't matter. But even 592 00:26:13,330 --> 00:26:16,210 S1: in this one, I was like, okay, where we're bending here. 593 00:26:16,330 --> 00:26:19,600 S1: I did enjoy seeing Jason Biggs back. You know, he's funny. 594 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:20,619 S2: I knew you would enjoy that. 595 00:26:20,619 --> 00:26:22,449 S1: I think he holds up like he's pretty good. He 596 00:26:22,450 --> 00:26:25,449 S1: should get more work. Um, so Jason Biggs, agent, if 597 00:26:25,450 --> 00:26:26,440 S1: you're listening to this. Yeah. 598 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,119 S2: Get him, get him on the TV shows. 599 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:30,940 S1: Um, I thought it was quite fun. Like, again, it 600 00:26:30,940 --> 00:26:32,950 S1: was exactly what you expect. Like, it's 80 minutes long. 601 00:26:32,950 --> 00:26:37,630 S1: It's barely a movie. It's a long episode of something. Um, and, 602 00:26:37,630 --> 00:26:39,159 S1: you know, there are a few laughs. There's, like, the 603 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,730 S1: quirky kid. The nerdy kid, the silly kid. Uh, and 604 00:26:42,730 --> 00:26:47,350 S1: I guess a kind of conflict. Barely. But this ticked 605 00:26:47,350 --> 00:26:50,050 S1: all the boxes in that, like, the plot was crazy. 606 00:26:50,050 --> 00:26:51,640 S1: You don't have to think too hard. You can be doing. 607 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,920 S1: They can be wrapping presents while it's on and like 608 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:54,640 S1: nothing matters. 609 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,250 S2: Yeah. Best served with some eggnog, I would say. Correct. 610 00:26:57,250 --> 00:26:59,980 S1: Now, one of my favorites from this year. Uh, it's 611 00:26:59,980 --> 00:27:02,050 S1: actually currently it was at the time of writing, it 612 00:27:02,050 --> 00:27:03,760 S1: was sitting number three on Netflix. It's now dropped down 613 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,220 S1: to number six guys. So I mean, hopefully when you're 614 00:27:06,220 --> 00:27:08,620 S1: listening to this, it's still in the top ten. It's 615 00:27:08,619 --> 00:27:09,700 S1: Catering Christmas. 616 00:27:09,700 --> 00:27:13,510 S19: Catch the second original movie of Great American Christmas Catering 617 00:27:13,510 --> 00:27:17,320 S19: Christmas starring Merritt Patterson and Daniel. Listen, these are really good. 618 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:18,850 S20: Your charm will not work on me. 619 00:27:19,300 --> 00:27:20,140 S21: You think I'm charming? 620 00:27:21,070 --> 00:27:23,619 S20: Wow. You know more about catering than you've let on. 621 00:27:23,619 --> 00:27:24,010 S20: I might have. 622 00:27:24,010 --> 00:27:25,240 S21: Done a little bit of research this. 623 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:30,280 S1: Week. This is absolute. This is like paint by numbers 624 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:33,399 S1: Hallmark Christmas movie. So I'll read you what it's about. 625 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,660 S1: A fledging caterer, Molly Frost is hired by Jean Harrison Frost. 626 00:27:37,660 --> 00:27:38,590 S2: Does she make cakes? 627 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:40,570 S1: Well, she's gotta get hold. 628 00:27:40,570 --> 00:27:40,869 S2: Hold the. 629 00:27:40,869 --> 00:27:44,320 S1: Line. The perfectionist director of the renowned Harrison Foundation to 630 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,010 S1: cater this year's annual Christmas gala. Things get complicated. They 631 00:27:48,130 --> 00:27:50,889 S1: often do in Christmas films when Molly falls for Jean's 632 00:27:50,890 --> 00:27:53,830 S1: nephew Carson, a travel photographer with no desire to take 633 00:27:53,830 --> 00:27:56,770 S1: over the family's foundation until his aunt assigns him the 634 00:27:56,770 --> 00:27:59,770 S1: task of making sure the catered dinner goes perfectly. So basically, 635 00:27:59,770 --> 00:28:02,530 S1: you've got this small town caterer who meets this, you know, 636 00:28:02,530 --> 00:28:05,590 S1: photographer from the big city. He's home for Christmas. Uh, 637 00:28:05,590 --> 00:28:07,570 S1: they work together. At first they don't get along. Why 638 00:28:07,570 --> 00:28:09,550 S1: would they? But then, of course, you know, the magic 639 00:28:09,550 --> 00:28:14,290 S1: of Christmas sees them fall in love. It was. It 640 00:28:14,290 --> 00:28:17,409 S1: was amazing. Like I couldn't have been more into it. Um, 641 00:28:17,410 --> 00:28:21,310 S1: it was so, so bad. Like the production values on 642 00:28:21,310 --> 00:28:22,600 S1: this thing. So I think I read it was filmed 643 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:24,909 S1: in two weeks, filmed in Canada, like so many of 644 00:28:24,910 --> 00:28:27,639 S1: them are, uh, like on a very tiny budget. You 645 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:31,149 S1: can tell everything's been turned around so quickly. The grandmother Jean, 646 00:28:31,150 --> 00:28:33,130 S1: in of her first, like 6 or 7 scenes, her 647 00:28:33,130 --> 00:28:34,600 S1: outfit doesn't change. She'd been wearing the same thing for 648 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:38,740 S1: like two weeks. It's it's amazing. Like, I would definitely 649 00:28:38,740 --> 00:28:41,680 S1: put it on your list. Uh, it's catering Christmas. Uh, 650 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,729 S1: and the best thing is the lead actress, Merritt Patterson. Uh, 651 00:28:45,730 --> 00:28:48,430 S1: she's basically like, I think, I don't know, she I 652 00:28:48,430 --> 00:28:50,650 S1: think hallmark basically own her. She's done like 7 or 653 00:28:50,650 --> 00:28:51,640 S1: 8 Christmas films. 654 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:53,490 S2: Like, she's like doing the. Winking at the camera. Get 655 00:28:53,490 --> 00:28:54,090 S2: me out of here! 656 00:28:54,150 --> 00:28:56,490 S1: No! She's like, please, someone send help! This is like 657 00:28:56,490 --> 00:28:58,830 S1: her seventh or eighth Hallmark Channel movie in the last 658 00:28:58,830 --> 00:29:00,600 S1: few years. So. Yeah, she's. I mean, she's found her 659 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,340 S1: lane and she's sticking to it, so I respect it. 660 00:29:02,370 --> 00:29:05,370 S2: Wow. Sounds like just like the perfect cake. Light and 661 00:29:05,370 --> 00:29:08,340 S2: fluffy and delicious to watch. 662 00:29:08,340 --> 00:29:09,780 S1: And then you have too much of it and feel 663 00:29:09,780 --> 00:29:10,440 S1: sick after. 664 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,410 S2: I will put forward. Have you seen in your perusal 665 00:29:13,410 --> 00:29:15,450 S2: of Christmas films? Did you watch the family switch? 666 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:17,220 S1: I obviously watched the family switch. 667 00:29:18,060 --> 00:29:19,440 S9: I wish you could be me. 668 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:21,810 S7: I would love for you to be me for one day. 669 00:29:21,810 --> 00:29:23,310 S5: I would love for you to know what it's like 670 00:29:23,310 --> 00:29:24,000 S5: to be. I would kill. 671 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:25,770 S22: To eat a dozen donuts and just have it burn 672 00:29:25,770 --> 00:29:26,400 S22: right off. 673 00:29:26,430 --> 00:29:28,350 S7: Would you take a picture of my family, please? 674 00:29:28,350 --> 00:29:32,040 S23: Everybody say Merry Christmas. 675 00:29:34,860 --> 00:29:39,600 S2: Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emily Meyers, Brady noon. They start 676 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:41,970 S2: as a family. They're kind of falling apart. The mom 677 00:29:41,970 --> 00:29:43,590 S2: and dad and the kids. And then one day an 678 00:29:43,590 --> 00:29:48,150 S2: astrological event occurs and then they switch bodies firstly so 679 00:29:48,150 --> 00:29:49,860 S2: that the parents become the children and the children become 680 00:29:49,860 --> 00:29:53,130 S2: the parents. Classic setup. Firstly, why does Jennifer Garner always 681 00:29:53,130 --> 00:29:55,200 S2: want to play body switch films? That was the first 682 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:56,700 S2: thing that I could not get over. 683 00:29:56,700 --> 00:29:58,860 S1: I know it's like an agent's like, look, you're a 684 00:29:58,860 --> 00:30:01,590 S1: body switch person now. This is your like, people love 685 00:30:01,590 --> 00:30:02,130 S1: you in this. 686 00:30:02,460 --> 00:30:03,540 S2: You've mastered this. 687 00:30:03,540 --> 00:30:05,640 S1: Your best when someone else is playing you. So. 688 00:30:07,500 --> 00:30:10,350 S2: Um, uh, I don't like body switch films, so I really. 689 00:30:10,350 --> 00:30:12,930 S2: I didn't like this one. I don't like Freaky Fridays. 690 00:30:12,930 --> 00:30:13,380 S2: I don't like. 691 00:30:13,380 --> 00:30:14,190 S1: Friday, but. 692 00:30:14,190 --> 00:30:16,950 S2: It throws me. I don't, I can't it's too much 693 00:30:16,950 --> 00:30:18,600 S2: for me to handle in a film. And I did 694 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:19,770 S2: not really like this film. 695 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:22,470 S1: If we're going body switch, I only really like Face Off. 696 00:30:22,470 --> 00:30:25,590 S1: I mean, that's more of like a facial transplant film. 697 00:30:25,590 --> 00:30:26,700 S2: But not quite. 698 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:27,060 S24: Yeah. 699 00:30:27,630 --> 00:30:29,550 S1: No, look, I agree, and this is what's so funny, 700 00:30:29,550 --> 00:30:32,010 S1: I think because, you know, the hallmark things are the 701 00:30:32,010 --> 00:30:34,860 S1: hallmark movies are like one thing, but there is also 702 00:30:34,860 --> 00:30:37,890 S1: a kind of trend of, like, pretty successful actors, like, 703 00:30:37,890 --> 00:30:41,250 S1: you know, Jennifer Garner, you know, famous doesn't work a lot, 704 00:30:41,250 --> 00:30:43,620 S1: I suppose, but Ed Helms, but we've also had, like 705 00:30:43,620 --> 00:30:48,000 S1: Jeannie with Melissa McCarthy and Candy Cane Lane with Eddie Murphy. Like, 706 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,270 S1: these are big famous comedic actors, like putting themselves in very, 707 00:30:51,420 --> 00:30:54,420 S1: you know, low quality Christmas films. And I think like 708 00:30:54,420 --> 00:30:56,190 S1: the for the Stream is like, they must make so 709 00:30:56,190 --> 00:30:58,410 S1: much money off these that they're offering these guys insane 710 00:30:58,410 --> 00:31:00,570 S1: salaries to do them. And so like we're going to 711 00:31:00,570 --> 00:31:04,350 S1: see I guess this will continue to be a Christmas tradition. Yeah. 712 00:31:04,350 --> 00:31:06,750 S2: And I reckon that is one definite trend in this 713 00:31:06,750 --> 00:31:10,230 S2: new crop of films is having kind of a landmark 714 00:31:10,230 --> 00:31:13,530 S2: actor or a big name Shailene Woodley. Lindsay Lohan was 715 00:31:13,530 --> 00:31:16,080 S2: recently in one last year. Like having these big name 716 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,020 S2: actors to peg a film to. I think that's kind 717 00:31:19,020 --> 00:31:22,560 S2: of something you see consistently. It's like everything is hung off. 718 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,440 S2: The idea that people will watch just for this person, 719 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,060 S2: not for anything else. Yeah. 720 00:31:27,450 --> 00:31:30,030 S1: Yeah, it's funny. But then like in the in the 721 00:31:30,030 --> 00:31:34,080 S1: hallmark space you go through and I was like really 722 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:37,290 S1: crazy amount of Australians appearing in these films. Yeah. Okay. 723 00:31:37,410 --> 00:31:39,990 S1: Kind of like mid tier Australian actors. So in catering 724 00:31:39,990 --> 00:31:42,300 S1: Christmas we talked about earlier the lead kind of male 725 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:44,940 S1: actor very handsome man. Uh is Daniel listing who's an 726 00:31:44,940 --> 00:31:48,300 S1: Australian actor. He's kind of been overseas for a long time. Uh, 727 00:31:48,300 --> 00:31:50,490 S1: Rihanna and Phish. Former Home and Away star. She does 728 00:31:50,490 --> 00:31:53,100 S1: a bunch of hallmark films. Luke Bracey has done one 729 00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:56,190 S1: with Emma Roberts called Holidate like it's. Yeah, it must 730 00:31:56,190 --> 00:31:58,050 S1: be if you're a kind of jobbing actor over in 731 00:31:58,050 --> 00:32:00,540 S1: Los Angeles come November, December, you'd be like, well, I'm 732 00:32:00,540 --> 00:32:02,250 S1: just gonna fly to Canada where they make all these, like, 733 00:32:02,250 --> 00:32:03,990 S1: really bad Christmas movies and just hang out until someone 734 00:32:03,990 --> 00:32:04,530 S1: calls to me. 735 00:32:04,530 --> 00:32:06,180 S2: Why are they being made in Canada? What's the go there? 736 00:32:06,180 --> 00:32:08,700 S2: Is that the setting? Is that the tax write offs? 737 00:32:08,700 --> 00:32:10,230 S1: Yeah. It must be the tax write off. It's cheaper 738 00:32:10,230 --> 00:32:11,850 S1: over there. Like the same thing with suits. So like 739 00:32:11,850 --> 00:32:23,600 S1: you can this can be New York. So yeah. All right. Well, 740 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,940 S1: enough talk of potentially boring Christmas content. Let's get to 741 00:32:25,940 --> 00:32:28,190 S1: the good stuff, guys. Impress Your friends is back for 742 00:32:28,190 --> 00:32:30,740 S1: another week. Melanie. I feel like you've got something fun. 743 00:32:30,740 --> 00:32:31,430 S1: Let's hit it. 744 00:32:31,430 --> 00:32:33,110 S2: Yeah, well, because I knew I would be sick of 745 00:32:33,110 --> 00:32:37,640 S2: all this cloying sentimentality. I've gone for a real dark one. 746 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:41,150 S2: Season two of time, which is on binge. Did you 747 00:32:41,150 --> 00:32:44,390 S2: see season one? I did see loved it. Ah it's incredible. 748 00:32:44,390 --> 00:32:48,320 S2: Season one was Sean Bean and Stephen Graham. Um, Sean 749 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,140 S2: Bean played this guy who accidentally killed an innocent man 750 00:32:51,140 --> 00:32:53,090 S2: and was in prison. And when he was there, he 751 00:32:53,090 --> 00:32:57,260 S2: met Eric McNally, this caring prisoner officer who was trying 752 00:32:57,260 --> 00:32:58,790 S2: to protect him and look after people. That was played 753 00:32:58,790 --> 00:33:01,670 S2: by Stephen Graham. It was so good. It was very acclaimed. 754 00:33:01,670 --> 00:33:05,030 S2: It was the perfect kind of interesting prison drama, kind 755 00:33:05,030 --> 00:33:07,970 S2: of a short season. It's back for season two. Stephen 756 00:33:07,970 --> 00:33:11,180 S2: Graham still involved in it, but we're centered in a, um, 757 00:33:11,180 --> 00:33:14,930 S2: in a female prison this time, where Jodie Whittaker plays 758 00:33:14,930 --> 00:33:19,100 S2: this woman who's been, um, arrested for fiddling the lecture 759 00:33:19,550 --> 00:33:20,330 S2: with me. 760 00:33:21,500 --> 00:33:22,640 S1: All right. I wasn't expecting that. 761 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:25,970 S2: I know it comes early in the first episode because 762 00:33:25,970 --> 00:33:28,580 S2: they're from the North. Um, it comes early in the 763 00:33:28,580 --> 00:33:31,400 S2: first episode where she's like, I've been sent to jail. 764 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:33,890 S2: All I did was fiddled the lecture, and I had 765 00:33:33,890 --> 00:33:37,340 S2: to rewind it about four times to be like, did 766 00:33:37,340 --> 00:33:38,810 S2: she say, what is she saying? That I had to 767 00:33:38,810 --> 00:33:42,050 S2: Google it and fiddle in the lack. It means feeling 768 00:33:42,050 --> 00:33:44,900 S2: the electricity meter so she didn't have to pay for 769 00:33:44,900 --> 00:33:45,680 S2: her gas. 770 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:47,540 S1: Ah, anytime you talk about a crime and the word 771 00:33:47,540 --> 00:33:48,950 S1: fiddling is involved. Yeah. No. 772 00:33:48,950 --> 00:33:50,600 S2: You don't think it's good? Yeah, but it's now my 773 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,340 S2: go to. If I've done something wrong, I'm like, I 774 00:33:52,340 --> 00:33:55,880 S2: was called Fiddler on the ledger. Um, anyway, she gets 775 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,850 S2: into jail for six months, which is obviously insane. And 776 00:33:58,850 --> 00:34:02,000 S2: part of the setup is like the system that has 777 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:03,860 S2: allowed this woman to be sent for jail, and the 778 00:34:03,860 --> 00:34:07,130 S2: kind of ramifications for that. She loses, her kids life 779 00:34:07,130 --> 00:34:09,380 S2: falls apart and so forth. But, um, in jail, she 780 00:34:09,380 --> 00:34:12,290 S2: meets two women, Bella Ramsey, who you might remember from 781 00:34:12,290 --> 00:34:15,980 S2: The Last of Us. She plays this heroin addict who 782 00:34:15,980 --> 00:34:18,529 S2: finds out she's pregnant. She is so good. I think 783 00:34:18,530 --> 00:34:21,080 S2: she is such an actor to watch and is going 784 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,270 S2: to be around for a long time, and she is 785 00:34:23,270 --> 00:34:26,690 S2: also paired with another woman, um, named Abby, who's played 786 00:34:26,690 --> 00:34:31,310 S2: by Tamara Lawrence, who is in there for, um, for matricide. 787 00:34:31,340 --> 00:34:33,740 S2: It's a fantastic show. I think the first two episodes 788 00:34:33,739 --> 00:34:35,930 S2: are out now and they're coming week by week, but 789 00:34:35,930 --> 00:34:39,049 S2: it is so worth watching and I'm really glad it's 790 00:34:39,050 --> 00:34:42,350 S2: come back different, but just as strong as the first season. 791 00:34:42,350 --> 00:34:45,260 S1: Yeah, I love the first season and Stephen Graham quietly 792 00:34:45,260 --> 00:34:47,060 S1: building like possibly one of the best bodies of work 793 00:34:47,060 --> 00:34:49,700 S1: out there, I would say, um, very tense show that. 794 00:34:49,700 --> 00:34:52,130 S1: I found it very stressful. Watch. Yeah. Anything prison related 795 00:34:52,130 --> 00:34:54,530 S1: I love though, so I'm very keen for that. Uh, 796 00:34:54,530 --> 00:34:56,959 S1: my rec this week is one that people have kind 797 00:34:56,960 --> 00:34:58,970 S1: of started to get around, but I think it's worth 798 00:34:58,969 --> 00:35:00,980 S1: discussing and I personally loved it. It is Leave the 799 00:35:00,980 --> 00:35:03,620 S1: World Behind. Yes. Uh, so it dropped on Netflix a 800 00:35:03,620 --> 00:35:06,560 S1: few days ago. It's, uh, based on the novel of 801 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:09,319 S1: the same name by Roman Alarm, and basically it's kind 802 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:13,850 S1: of a post-apocalyptic end of the world tense psychological thriller, uh, 803 00:35:13,850 --> 00:35:16,250 S1: which is several of my favorite genres just stuffed into 804 00:35:16,250 --> 00:35:19,850 S1: one sentence. Directed by Sam Esmail, it stars Julia Roberts, 805 00:35:19,850 --> 00:35:23,480 S1: Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, and Kevin Bacon. Like, I really 806 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,150 S1: love the setup of this. Julia Roberts plays this kind 807 00:35:26,150 --> 00:35:29,450 S1: of like, uppity New Yorker, almost like a Karen type, 808 00:35:29,450 --> 00:35:32,480 S1: if we can use that term. She's married to Ethan Hawke. Um, they, 809 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,540 S1: you know, she books this beautiful house on Airbnb in 810 00:35:35,540 --> 00:35:38,960 S1: Long Island, takes her kids. They're, uh, having a great time. 811 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:40,670 S1: And then in the middle of the night, knock on 812 00:35:40,670 --> 00:35:43,160 S1: the door, and, you know, there is Mahershala Ali, and 813 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,980 S1: it's his house, and he's returned home because there's been 814 00:35:45,980 --> 00:35:48,830 S1: this nationwide blackout. And, you know, he needs somewhere safe 815 00:35:48,830 --> 00:35:52,430 S1: to stay. Julia Roberts is inherently skeptical of him. Um, 816 00:35:52,430 --> 00:35:54,920 S1: you know, she's kind of a bit, if we're being honest, 817 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,650 S1: confused by this black family turning up in the middle 818 00:35:57,650 --> 00:35:59,450 S1: of the night. She, you know, she's kind of wearing 819 00:35:59,450 --> 00:36:01,610 S1: it on her sleeve, how she feels. And then it 820 00:36:01,610 --> 00:36:03,560 S1: goes from being, you know, what you think is going 821 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:04,910 S1: to be like a kind of. Is this like a 822 00:36:04,910 --> 00:36:09,140 S1: cat and mouse thriller to being this much wider post-apocalyptic thing, 823 00:36:09,140 --> 00:36:11,540 S1: all these strange occurrences going on, you know, around the 824 00:36:11,540 --> 00:36:13,820 S1: United States. And the great thing is that the whole 825 00:36:13,820 --> 00:36:16,730 S1: time you never really know what's going on. Um, a 826 00:36:16,730 --> 00:36:19,220 S1: few really good jump scares, but also very, very fun 827 00:36:19,219 --> 00:36:21,950 S1: trying to figure out where this is headed. Uh, and then. Yeah, 828 00:36:21,980 --> 00:36:25,040 S1: a very, a very fun, uh, and controversial, I would 829 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,049 S1: say ending, but that's on Netflix now. It was in 830 00:36:27,050 --> 00:36:29,630 S1: cinemas a couple weeks ago, but Netflix have dropped it. 831 00:36:29,630 --> 00:36:31,459 S1: Definitely worth a watch. And I think a really good 832 00:36:31,460 --> 00:36:33,469 S1: one for like, you know, lots of people are on 833 00:36:33,469 --> 00:36:35,839 S1: holidays now. Spend a couple of hours doing this and 834 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:37,400 S1: you're like, yeah, okay, that's time well spent. 835 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,230 S2: Yeah, I'm gonna put this on the list. And I 836 00:36:39,230 --> 00:36:42,049 S2: am loving like great stacked cast and loving Julia Roberts 837 00:36:42,050 --> 00:36:43,460 S2: in this kind of. I feel like she's having a 838 00:36:43,460 --> 00:36:45,620 S2: bit of a renaissance lately in a lot of films 839 00:36:45,620 --> 00:36:47,060 S2: and always fun. 840 00:36:47,060 --> 00:36:48,919 S1: Yeah, I'm a big Julia Roberts fan, but yeah, she's 841 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:51,170 S1: doing some really cool stuff now. So yeah, that's Leave 842 00:36:51,170 --> 00:36:52,460 S1: the World Behind on Netflix now. 843 00:36:52,460 --> 00:36:54,230 S2: Suitably impressed. Yes. 844 00:36:54,230 --> 00:36:56,120 S1: Well, that's it for our festive theme pod. Uh, we'll 845 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:58,370 S1: be back next week with a whole bunch of other 846 00:36:58,370 --> 00:37:05,770 S1: stuff for you by. This episode of The Drop was 847 00:37:05,770 --> 00:37:08,650 S1: produced by Kai Wong. If you enjoyed listening to today's 848 00:37:08,650 --> 00:37:10,600 S1: episode of The Drop, make sure you follow us on 849 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:13,420 S1: your favorite podcast app. Leave us a review or better yet, 850 00:37:13,420 --> 00:37:16,180 S1: share the episode with a friend. I'm Thomas Mitchell. See 851 00:37:16,180 --> 00:37:16,870 S1: you next week.