The 2025 Alternative Oscars, a.k.a. the 5th Annual Big Picks!

26:31I thought that was worth sharing. Yeah. It'll also come up again in our predictions. It will. Because we do use the guilds as a bellwether. A bellwether. That's right. A beacon. A guiding light. The Spirit Awards happened on Saturday, as we mentioned. On Saturday night, I think at least among the Oscar punditry, everybody was like, this is locked and loaded. but Enora is taking this baby home because Enora won Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Lead Performance coming off of a weekend in which at the BAFTAs it won Best Actress. Sean Baker gave a great speech about the essential nature of independent film and it being a safe haven for artists who want to control their work and what they have to say and the challenging nature of it right now.

27:14This is something we've talked about on the show many times. It's been a really tough decade for indie film. Baker has stuck to the indie model. So he's the perfect person to be giving that speech. He's been giving a lot of good speeches lately. Yeah. I'm not sold. He's going to give another great one from outside your ADU while I rearrange it. You think so? You think director is locked in? I am hoping so. Both because it's my favorite movie of the year and I just, I really, I have visions. You know, I have a vision. I've got plans. I'm ready to go. Cool. who will give you the key to that room is the interesting question here her name is Alice she will she will betray me for you for sure Jesse Eisenberg wins best screenplay at the Indie Spirits Flo won international feature Flo I'm Still Here international feature that could come in at the Oscars I know what I think but we'll save it for Wednesday we'll see No Other Land wins best documentary we'll see what that means two awards that they do give at The Spirits that we will also be giving here today on the show Best First Feature went to Deedee Sean Long he also won Best First Screenplay The Spirits are fine they're on YouTube hosted by Aidy Bryant who I love she's great not much more else to say about it okay any other thoughts?

28:36I didn't watch them okay yeah live I mean I watched some clips but quickly the BAFTAs mentioned Best Film Best British Film went to Conclave We've mentioned Mikey Madison. The three other predicted winners went in the acting categories last weekend. Brady Corbet won Best Director. So we got a real showdown there. I actually don't know what the odds are. I'd like to see that. Eisenberg also won Best Original Screenplay here. Yes. That one's notable. What's going on there? Something might be happening there. And that's also like a very classic. We like it, but not enough for Best Picture. But we like you.

29:12Let's throw you a bone. in this category. It's weird because Kieran and screenplay would historically be what they call a very nice win package for a movie like A Real Pain. But it's not nominated at Best Picture, so how strong is it? Not really that strong. Superman, the Christopher Reeve story won Best Documentary, not nominated at the Academy Awards. This is the first time in 14 years that the BAFTA winner was not even nominated for Best Documentary at the Oscars. Best Documentary this year, not that great. I used my wellness week to watch all of the nominated documentaries. We will have that discussion.

29:42Okay. News we missed. Moving away from awards season. There probably were some things this morning that we've missed, so I'm sorry if I'm not getting into those things. We've been recording all morning. Matt Damon will play Odysseus in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. I'm actually getting this news now. What I did not miss was Googling the picture of Matt Damon's armor, which happened live on Jam Session last week. Yeah, just so period piece is what I learned. I listened to last week's Jam Session. Was it near the end? Well, that was probably because it was on 2X and you just, you missed it. What are you talking about?

30:15It was quick. With this bear trap in my head? Are you kidding me? No, I just Googled it. Nothing gets by me on Jam Session. Come on. There was some speculation. I think I might have speculated perhaps Tom Holland was playing Odysseus. Not the case. It's a statement. Yeah. How old is Odysseus in the book? Well, I mean, he's older. Yeah, but in that time, could you live to 70? Well, like, what are we doing? You know, like, do you want to be biologically accurate? How old are Scylla and Charybdis? That I don't know because that could be. They're ancient. Hundreds of, you know. Yeah, it feels like they're ancient.

30:48Yeah. How old are humans again? I was thinking about this the other day. How old are humans? Yeah. The human race? Well, the Bible tells us. I meant the real one because we got this set of like dinosaur eggs that you put in water and then they like, quote unquote, hatch a tiny plastic dinosaur. We've been going through that box, learning about all the different dinosaurs. What's the dinosaur of choice in the household? Triceratops. Stegosaurus? He makes up his own names. Allosaurus? We have like a lot of Spinosaurus. Spinosaurus. Spinosaurus? Yeah, I think we got two of those in the set. Those are cool.

31:23What he's really good at is... Raptor? We haven't gotten a raptor yet. It's just kind of what's in front of him. Do you think I could host a good pod that's just me saying dinosaur names? I would enjoy that. You could say it to Knox and then he would say them back and that would be really funny. Well, that's just something we'll do together. Who can pronounce them better? Knox or Chris Ryan is definitely like a segment that we should do. Or announcing, pronouncing king. I am excited about the Odyssey. I think we're developing CR's Odyssey report. Someone pointed out that the name of it should be the Odyssey CR, which is obviously perfect.

31:59Horrendous for SEO, but all right. I'll keep that in mind. we got word that can't you just do like metadata or whatever I don't know what that means okay that's very severance what you just said okay I wouldn't know Scorsese as in Martin DiCaprio as in Leonardo Blunt as in Emily and Rock as in The were reportedly coming together for a Hawaii set gangster movie and there is ferocious bidding in Hollywood for this new film which was described in the trades as Goodfellas meets The Departed, which is just gobbledygook. But in Hawaii. Yeah. But in Hawaii. Is this movie real? I don't know, but I'm trying to figure out how I can get a job as Martin Scorsese's Hawaii assistant.

32:46You know? That sounds hard. I don't know. You want to work that hard in Hawaii? Well, you got to figure. I hope that there are breaks built in for rest and relaxation, given the age and stature of everyone involved. I got to get back to Hawaii. We moved to LA and went to Hawaii three times in five years. And I was like, I guess this is where I go on vacation every year. And I haven't been in like nine years. And I love it. That's one of the few things in life that they were like, this is the best place on earth. I went and it was. You were like, yes. Yeah. No, it's amazing. I miss it too. I haven't been since.

33:19As always, don't have children. Yeah, really don't. This movie seems not real to me. It seems like if it's real, I'm very excited. A lot of people I really like. The Rock's obviously on his revenge tour. His actually I'm good tour, which I support generally. I've been wanting him to make good movies for a very long time. Martin Scorsese has been attached to like nine movies over the last three years. If any of them gets made, I'll be delighted and I'll look forward to them. But this one seems strange. But in some of the reporting, we did learn that Damien Chazelle's Evil Knievel biopic Yes Starring Leonardo DiCaprio Is supposed to begin Filming this summer What?

34:01What happened to the prison movie? I don't know Yeah Leonardo DiCaprio Is Evil Knievel In a Damien Chazelle movie? What's happening? I was waiting for you To announce like Your sabbatical To go once again Is this a real thing That is gonna happen? Be like the clapboard guy On this movie Yeah Hi my voice is getting I know I'm really excited about that I hope that's Really happening I think I think everything that you just said should be true and that we should go to Hawaii. Leo is. Set visit. I'm available. Usually I say no. I'm available for this one. All this shit is going on in the world. And Leo is like, I'm on a mission.

34:34Yeah. I make cool movies and that's the only thing I do. Yeah. It's honestly fabulous. I have so much respect for him. Okay. This is probably the biggest news. And this was one when it happened. I was like, why are me and Amanda not on a pod right now? Amazon announced last week that they have gained creative control from Barbara Broccoli and the Eon Productions Company of James Bond. Yes. So Amazon now, they had the right to distribute James Bond films when they acquired the MGM and the MGM library. Correct. And now, but Barbara Broccoli and, is it Michael Johnson? I can't recall her stepbrother's last name.

35:15Michael Wilson, excuse me. Yes, Wilson. they retained the creative control of the character. And so there has been this long period now since No Time to Die. Nothing's in development. No actors have been cast as an ex-Bond. Nothing's happening. They refused to let Amazon develop any related properties to the character. And then Amazon, reportedly for a large sum of money, got the rights. You've always been a much bigger Bond fan than I have been over the years. What do you make of this news? Inevitable, I guess. You know, every time that you have the conversation about who will be the new Bond, how will they start it again, there is also the question of like, should there be another one?

36:03Is this character, is this way of making movies completely out of date and context? And what does it mean anymore to make one of these movies and to make it the way that they used to make them? So I think Michael Wilson was retiring, so it was going to be Barbara Broccoli going on her own and just kind of didn't have... He's in his 80s, I believe. She's in her 70s. I didn't have the energy anymore and none of the broccoli children were ready to take it on, which that's obviously a succession spinoff that I'd like to watch. Very interesting behind the scenes. Which broccoli child is like, I don't think so.

36:45I don't really want to work on Bond. Well, I wonder if that was the decision or whether it was... We don't trust these Nepo kids? Exactly. Interesting. Because, I mean, historically, the broccolis and Barbara in particular have been very, very protective. Yes. make their movies the way they want to make them. But she inherited that from her father, Cubby Broccoli. Right. So, you know, but the standards and inflexibility at times. So maybe she was not willing to be flexible enough to one of the next generation, you know? The alternative is interesting by ceding control to one of the most powerful corporations in the known world and I'll zag on this a little bit because obviously when the news came out, a lot of people were like, oh my God, Amazon's going to fuck this up.

37:34They're going to make nine spinoff series. They're going to ruin the brand, yada, yada, yada. Honestly, two out of every five Bond movies aren't any good. Let's not pretend like this is 100 years of solitude or something. You know what I mean? It's like, it's Bond. Right. At least a third of the movies don't work at all. I mean, I agree with you. I think that the counter argument would be in the way that Star Wars fans have seen their, you know, once hallowed three, six, nine, however many movies turned into 45 television shows starring Jude Law that I've never seen. And that increasingly you haven't seen either.

38:16And that there is a feeling that it would like dilute the specialness of the experience. I hear that. I'm sure there will be like some weird, you know, money penny spinoff that will like make me depressed on behalf of all women and art. On the other hand, like, sure. Show me like an MI6 show. Like show me like I'd love to meet 005. Like I don't really care anymore. Like the you're right that they weren't hallowed enough that I I'm not interested like in other parts of the world. The main issue is just that, you know, they used to be events in the sense of like a lot of money was spent and a lot of creative effort was put, even if it didn't always work out in terms of the execution.

39:09But, you know, you think of the other Amazon blockbusters like that we have seen, like they are like uniquely bad and like look uniquely bad. and that's not exciting. You got to hope that they find a steward. Sure. A filmmaking, like a production group or a director or someone who feels very passionately that Christopher Nolan conversation cropped up right away because he's always wanted to make one of these movies. I find it hard to believe that they would give him total creative control. So, I mean, that becomes the problem. Like, do they find a steward who is like even close to, and I mean, it's not like the, you know, the Broccolis are not Martin Scorsese or anything else.

39:51But what is that person going to be a steward of? Like, is it trying to make the best possible James Bond film or trying to make something, like, you know, big and lavish and kind of silly and memorable? Or is it going to be maximizing X, Y, you know, the franchise potential over time with the content, you know, and then selling bow ties or whatever? Yeah, I don't have as much of a problem with the kind of merchandising and expansion stuff because it's an inevitability, I think. I do think that one thing that Barbara Broccoli in particular brought was not just like a real tenacity and an unwillingness to bend other people's desires, but a particular kind of taste.

40:33It might not have always been my taste, but fighting for Daniel Craig, not keeping Pierce Brosnan when she could have, because I think the last movie that he made was really financially successful. Pursuing someone like Sam Mendes, not my favorite director, but is a real director. And Skyfall was dynamite. Excellent movie. And being willing to evolve the character, being willing to take the chances that they took on the final film, they did a good job. You know, I really don't like Spectre and I think Quantum of Solace is flawed, but those other three movies I think are darn good. And you really got to hope that somebody who's got that, I don't know, vision is the right word when you're a producer of IP, but it's something.

41:14Like, I agree, but I just don't think Like a person with vision is going to be Amazon's number one priority when, or like vision being the most important thing on the list of demands. So in that sense, it's a bummer. I mean, it is a bummer when it's corporations instead of people in charge of things, just broadly speaking in the swath of human history. This is the last domino. This is the last one of these things. you know and the Lord of the Rings and Marvel and all of these things that people obsessed over for years and years that maintained some level of independent ownership in terms of licensing I guess you could make the case that Stephen King still kind of runs the show on his stuff but it's not really the same because he's already been adapted so many times so we are just in the era of corporate parentage for all of your favorite characters that's just what it's all about except for Mickey Mouse who's now in the public domain oh congratulations when will you make your Mickey Mouse movie?

42:10Knox does like Mickey he somehow knows about Mickey I think he learned about What does Mickey do? No idea What's his deal? I mean you would know better I don't I'm not sure I get it And what does Minnie do besides love Mickey? Yeah that's it I mean the ears are pretty good you know and they did merchandise that very early Brilliant So that that was smart Walt yay or nay? It's a nay Okay Walt was on a list of potential names Walt? Yeah I mean Would it be Walt Disney Baron? No. I think it would have been Walter and then Walt Baron. Yeah. Great. But obviously we went in another direction, but. Walt.

42:50It's kind of cute, right? I'm trying to imagine that kid being called Walt. Well, he's not a Walt. He's a Cy. Yeah. It all worked out, but. Walt. Walt. But there was a discussion. I love Cy. I'm very pro-Cy. Thank you so much. We like it too. As soon as like, we spent a long time trying to be like, well, like, would we do Cyrus? No, I meant the child, not the name. The name is great, too. But I was referring to how much I love your child. Yeah, he's great. He's great. I'm very pro. He's just really, you know, he's got a real temper, though. That's a really interesting. Yeah, I think I'm drawn to that.

43:19I mean, he's so, so smiley and happy until you've aired in some way. He reminds me of some people I know, yeah. It's really, it's powerful. Yeah, he's great. I'm happy about him. Shall we do the alternative Oscars? Yes. We have not changed the name. There will be no walting of the alternative Oscars. We're still calling it that. It's also called The Big Picks. It's the fifth time we've done it. You know, we were supposed to do it with Wesley Morris. We had a scheduling snafu. Yeah, we messed up. So Wesley is not with us today. I'm sad because it's like, I see Wesley like twice a year, basically at this point.

43:52Once when he's in LA and once doing this episode. Well, I kind of like - I miss him, yeah. Created this to get to spend two hours with him, especially during COVID. That was nice. That's okay. It'll be tennis season again soon and I can text him a lot. I've at least been in good touch with him but he's not joining us today. Alternative Oscars, if you've never heard it before it is what it says on the label. These are films, performances, stuff related to movies from the year 2024 that were not recognized at the Academy Awards. Can someone from a film that is nominated in another category be recognized?

44:23Yes, but there will be no repeats of any performances or of any movies in those respective categories. We've also added, I believe, nine categories. We've been sticking with these nine categories through the years. plus the seven big ones from the telecast. We also merged original screenplay and adapted screenplay into a single category, which I think maybe should be considered. Just putting that out there. Something that I've been thinking. We can't get rid of the actual, like, good awards, you know? And they're all good, except for, with respect, short films, which I still have to watch. Okay.

44:55I watched them all over well this week. I was, listen, I started at a deficit because of, you know, people not named Walt. and I am gonna catch up. Can you guess how many of the short films I liked? I would say I liked. Two? One. Oh, God. I mean, this is always the thing. One. Listen, it's important to learn about stuff by making a short film and it's important to learn about new directors, but we have a better category for that. We gotta move them. Different award show. Different award show. I'm sorry. Okay. Let's do our award show. Okay. Who's the host of our award show? John Mulaney okay I would love that yeah who's producing our award show Nick Kroll perfect great okay there we go yeah now we can't afford any awards or anything else but then now it's just me and you talking for 90 minutes no one is in attendance just Jack Sanders and Bobby on a black screen absolutely nothing yeah we are catered by whatever's in the fridge here at Spotify right also our children don't get to go to school that's right for the next 25 years.

46:06But Mulaney and Kroll got their feasts, so. Congratulations to them. The first category is best first feature. Now, we tend to, we do this collaboratively, collectively. Yes. I throw a bunch of names in, you throw a bunch of names in. Yeah. We take some stuff out, we don't take some stuff out. I try to keep the categories with a couple of exceptions to five people. Right. Which is, I think, the right number of people. This Critics' Choice situation where you get like seven or eight nominees, I don't really believe in that. Yeah. But honestly, I don't have self-control, and sometimes I add a bunch of people to certain categories.

46:35What do you think about the number of people? We've been mostly consistent. Yes. Which I, as a fan of order, and we need to know what the rules are. I like that, you know, when it's like, the thing that drives me insane is when it's like, sometimes it's seven, sometimes it's six, sometimes it's eight. I don't like that. That's not okay. I think that we have one category where things went, or two categories where things went a little crazy. but that's also I think they're justifiable I do that's the point of both categories yes good I'm glad we're on the same page about that okay first category best first feature yes these are the first feature film directing jobs the nominees are Dee Dee directed by Sean Wong the first Omen directed by Arkasha Stevenson Good One directed by India Donaldson How to Have Sex directed by Molly Manning Walker not CR The Piano Lesson directed by Malcolm Washington so a point of clarification so the person in the first omen is not actually named Damien Owen Damien Omen no Damien Omen that's right Damien Omen only makes a late breaking appearance at the end of the first omen but Damien Omen is a real person a real character his name is Damien okay so this is this is because you and Chris were like making a lot of jokes and you told me I should see this movie even though it's terrifying and has something to do with childbirth in a way that was like not gonna really be in my option set yes and his name is Damien Thorne I know but you just kept calling him Damien Omen and I thought that was his real name we do that because that's what Bill Simmons calls him and we don't know why he calls him that no one else calls him that but when he says it he says it so authoritatively that it makes it seem as though that is his name I mean it's a great bit he's got a lot of great bits like that alright I don't know if you feel strongly about any of these I so I have not seen the first Omen because of the childbirth stuff I'd like for you to watch it at some point because it it is it is pretty scary and intense but it's one of the it's honest it's just straight up one of the only horror movies made by a woman where you feel it but it's not annoying about it you know what I mean yes it's not like girl power it's like what happens to women's bodies is fucking insane it is and it manifests that in a very creative and intense and gripping way I mean I you know not to steal from the indie spirits, but I also really liked DD.

49:01Yeah, I think it's my winner too. And it also like did become, you know, a sensation. I don't know how widely it was seen, but everyone I know who saw it, a lot of people sought it out and everyone loved it. It feels so, this might be, this might've been like jerry-rigged by Sean because he, you know, had a little bit of, he's been making movies since he was a kid and he's had a little bit of a life before he made this movie. But it just feels like the first movie of a person's career where you're like they're going to go on and make really great movies. Like when you see like Duel or Sugar Land Express with Spielberg and you're like oh they get it.

49:34They have like a really strong point of view know how to tell a story know how to get you invested in characters. I really like him. He's really impressive and also like 27 or something. It's fucked up. That's good. We're on the same page with Dee Dee. Breakthrough performance. Now this is one of the two categories where we're a little crazy. Right. But the point of this is just to talk about as many fun performances. I'm with you. Which is like something that the Oscars could really get on board with. A few of these are very obvious if you've been listening to the show over the last year. Some of them I think are cool creative choices.

50:09Yeah. The nominee, do you want to read the nominees? Sure. Well, I don't, you'll have to help me with some pronunciations. Okay. Ryan Destiny, The Fire Inside, Willa Fitzgerald, Strange Darling, Juliet, Garipi, Garipi, Red Rooms, Fred Heckinger, Gladiator 2, Thelma, Nickel Boys, and Craven the Hunter. Did not know he was in Craven the Hunter. He is. John Earl Jelks, Exhibiting Forgiveness. David Johnson, Alien Romulus. Bridget Lundy-Payne, I Saw the TV Glow. Clarence Macklin, Sing Sing. Aaron Pierre, Rubble Ridge. Maisie Stella, My Old Ass. Now, I think Maisie Stella won this award at The Spirits.

50:49Okay. For her performance in My Old Ass. Okay. Some really good ones here. I just wanted to put a circle around John Earl Jelks from exhibiting forgiveness, which a lot of people haven't seen and we didn't talk about on the show at all. It's a movie starring Andre Holland that was at Sundance in 2024. That is a solid drama about an artist. It has a lot of tropey Sundancey aspects of it. But John Earl Jelks plays his father in the movie and he's terrific. And I couldn't remember him from anything and wanted people to check the movie out for his work. Hechinger, you know, he cooked. Very funny and glad to hear too.

51:21We love when people just pop up in like 45 different movies. And it's like, oh, it's happening. And he's completely different in all four. In Thelma, he's just like so sweet. When I realized halfway through Gladiator 2 that he was the kid from Thelma, I was like, holy cow. Yeah, we didn't give Thelma enough love on the show last year. That's a really nice movie. Kraven the Hunter, he's not particularly great in, but his character is very amusing. And the way that story is told is bad shit. It's not great or the... He's fine. It's just not good. He's fine. He and Aaron Taylor Johnson are meant to be brothers and then they become rivals.

51:55It's very silly. Nickel Boys, he's very good in as well. That's concerning for me, but... In crazy. Brothers that become rivals, you know? We need to not go that way. You know, I never had that. That's true. That's true. That's beautiful. But you had multiple siblings, so... I did. My sister and I could be rivalrous. well but it's also it kind of like lessens the it kind of spreads out the pressures and the strife you know it doesn't all have to be concentrated in one like deeply complicated relationship your boys are close in age so they might be competitive with each other you never know yeah depends on the vibe I I think to me it's between I'll tell you what I don't think you didn't see Strange Darling right I did see Strange Darling you did see it yes we didn't talk about it we did talk about it oh we did that's right yes when we came back from the break in August.

52:45Yeah, I saw it. I liked it. Do you think Willa Fitzgerald was really good? I did. Do you think she's competing with Aaron Pierre in Rebel Ridge? I was going to say it's between Clarence Macklin and Aaron Pierre. So I think it's probably Aaron Pierre. Clarence Macklin's great too. He's so good and should be nominated at the Oscars and isn't, which is just really dumb in my opinion. It is really annoying. I think, I mean, I think Julia Carrippi in Red Rooms is also remarkable. Willa Fitzgerald, even if you didn't like strange darling or felt like the premise was contrived or whatever, or you got the twist and didn't enjoy it because you got the twist.

53:18I still think she's great. She's so good in it. Tough one. I would say Aaron Pierre because I feel like Aaron Pierre now, that's a rare case where that movie, a lot of people saw that movie. Yeah. And so now I think he has a chance to become like a fixture of American movies. He also was the voice of Simba, no, Mufasa in Mufasa the Lion I have one other option for you. Okay. If you want, which is... No, no, no. I actually do think Aaron Pierre should probably be in Best Actor. So who would you take out of there, though? Well, I don't want to spoil it. So I'm just... Okay, yeah, we'll hold that.

53:56In terms of... So you want to give it to Clarence Macklin or Will Fitzgerald? I would give it to Will Fitzgerald if you want to. And then we'll put Aaron Pierre right here. Okay. Which you can see in the document. I'm not even going to look. I don't want to spoil it. Oh, okay. I don't want it spoiled for me. I want to see what you're thinking. I like Will of Charlotte. I think it's a good pick. I think it's a good way to recognize a movie that we're not going to, so we won't be repeating ourselves. The next category is a good one. It's incredible. Best cameo. Yeah. So, spoilers for the cinema of 2024.

54:26Good point. You know, and I don't want to hear it. You know, if you don't want someone, well, there's one in particular where I'm like, oh, people will be mad, but I don't know how many people are going to see drive-away dolls. If you don't want drive-away dolls spoiled for you, it's over a year old. Listen, that was a Valentine's Day movie last February. And you spent Valentine's Day with me and my wife watching that movie. I don't think that was actually Valentine's Day. It was Valentine's Day. You were in our house alone, as I recall. I did offer to come babysit for you guys sometime. Like once the kids are in bed, I can sit in your house instead of my own.

55:00I couldn't do it, but listen, I'm available. You know how people are. I just I don't want to be responsible for your spoilers I just I'm getting we're done with that more episodes this year that are long conversations about the movie part of it is my fault because I see movies too early and then we sit down and have a conversation about them and I'm like I didn't take notes I saw this movie three months ago so I am I am making so we're gonna see movies starting with Mickey 17 I'm gonna see it a second time the day before we record okay and I guess I will too we'll have a long conversation about Mickey 17 on the pod okay I mean, I am looking forward to that.

55:36Will you forward me the screening info? I'll be buying a ticket. Oh, okay. Like a civilian. Because it opens on the 7th. And then we'll do it on the 10th. On the Wednesday. And then we'll do it on the... Oh, we'll do it on the Monday? Yes. Oh, great. Wow. How luxurious. Yeah. Maybe we should be doing that more often. It's hard with big event movies. Yeah, but as you know, I like doing that. Okay. Okay. Spoilers. Best cammy. Keep it to yourself and be a grown up. You want me to read these? If you get spoiled. Sure. Yeah. Okay. Kid Cudi, Trap. That's a great addition by you. Thank you. Matt Damon, Drive Away Dolls.

56:06Fred Durst, and sort of an extended cameo that becomes a real part in Y2K. Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel in Wicked. Jane Fonda in The Greatest Love Story Never Told. Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls, the musical version. Jason Momoa in The Fall Guy and Wesley Snipes in Deadpool and Wolverine. There are obviously a number of contenders for Deadpool and Wolverine. Wesley was my favorite. Could have been Channing Tatum. And Jennifer Garner just absolutely being ignored. She's got that, what's it called? Farmers insurance money? Capital one money? Do you guys do the pouches? What are the pouches? Because she has like a kids food company.

56:44She makes like a lot of pouches. Oh, is that her company? What's like the standard? Farm, once upon a farm? Yeah, once upon a farm. You guys do those? Yeah, we do those. Yeah, that's Jennifer Garner. Pretty good. Because I've tasted them. Okay. But they are inhaled by my child. Yeah, you have to keep them refrigerated, which is, that's not where we are. in our lives right now. You want to have preservatives in all your food that you give to your children. I mean, we're just doing, yeah, the regular, the applesauce. Yeah. Bobby points out that Fred Durst was also in I Saw the TV Glow. He was two for two on A24 projects this year.

57:17This is a tough one. Now, which one of these made you laugh the most? Because that's a big part of the cameo part, right? Definitely Kid Cudi. Kid Cudi was hilarious. Just steals the... They're openly flirting with Josh Hartnett. Really, really funny. Matt Damon kind of makes the movie in Driveaway Dolls, but he also wins Best Cameo every year. That's true. One of his favorite things to do. Yeah. It can be Lindsay Lohan because it was sort of at her expense, and that makes me sad, even though she's doing fine now. She's doing very well. Yeah. She's making very popular Netflix original movies I'll never watch.

57:52Did you watch Irish Wish? I didn't. Okay. Yeah. What do you think happened to that movie? did she find love in Ireland can't say I hope so Amy Adams did that once what was that movie Leap Year yeah with Matthew Goode yeah trust me I've seen all the Matthew Goode movies sure you have and your lair Mamala also really made me laugh I liked this one a lot this was very good very funny I just want to say that Jane Fonda gives Jennifer Lopez some very prescient and useful life advice in the greatest love story never told like Rosillo she's literally just like so Jane Fonda is there because she's one of the Zodiac Council in the musical I don't remember what the musical this is the documentary this is me now this is me now the movie yes this is me now then the streaming movie on a global streaming platform this is me now this is me now colon this is Amazon where you buy shit yes exactly Jennifer Lopez edition and also watch James Bond movies this is me now then but now in the future tense of today.

59:00Right. And so Jane Fonda is on the Zodiac Council which is a very normal sentence. And so is... So is... By the way, so is Post Malone. he's the Leo and he's incredible and I almost put him on this list yes we have had this conversation on this podcast before but he is incredible in the greatest love story I'd never told just you know respectfully hitting on Jennifer Lopez you know what's really hard for me to accept what that he was extremely solid filling in for Kurt Cobain and Nirvana on the SNL 50 music special I mean like honestly he was pretty good he's really he's really good in this okay so but like That's what made me understand Post Malone.

59:46But anyway, Jane Fonda is there doing her lines. But she is also checking in with Jennifer Lopez about her romantic decisions. And it's trying to be like, but we just want to be sure that you're okay. And she's like, and so people, the interest is about you and your heart. But also is very quietly being like, is your money tied up somewhere? And Jane Fonda turned out to be right. so are you making a bit for Jane Fonda no I just like I wanted to put some context to that I think most people in America would say that Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel I absolutely refuse to do that I'm not saying we should I'm not saying that we should this is our our alternative Academy Awards they can do what they want they have the original soundtrack they can listen to it all the time okay you seem very mad I did not like that movie and that was like a new song that they had written I mean they're they're very good Yeah, I think it was a cover of Rammstein's Du Host, as I recall.

1:00:47We are not giving it to Wicked. I want to do Kid Cudi. Okay, I love that. I thought that was funny. It was really, really funny. Okay, that's what I'm choosing. Okay. No disrespect to Wesley Snipes, who I love. Okay, best kid performance. I got it in my bag for this one. Yeah. I feel good about these picks. The bracket here is 17 years or younger. Okay. I believe there did used to be a juvenile Oscar category many years ago in the Academy Awards. I think they should bring this back. The nominees this year, you would like to read them? Sure. Grace Delaney, We Live in Time. Ian Foreman, I Saw the TV Glow.

1:01:21Dan Howe, Speak No Evil. Isaac Wang, Dee Dee. Zoe Ziegler, Janet Planet. My movie phone voice is getting pretty good. I totally agree. Thank you so much. You've been broadcasting professionally for almost 10 years. That is really horrifying when you put it like that. Haven't seen We Live in Time. Can't see it. I'm very sorry. I'm just too emotionally raw. I need you to see it. No, I won't. I need you to. I know I ask you to see movies all the time, but I need you to see it. I need to have a long conversation with you about it. It just seems very manipulative and upsetting. This show was made for this movie.

1:01:56It's an intersection in a way that most movies are not intersections. All the times I ask you to watch a fucking comic book movie and you come on and you're like, I'll do it. I'll ask questions about Marvel lore, but you won't watch a movie. I'm not even thinking you're going to like it. You might hate it. No, but it's like, listen, I'm still like, I don't, I try not to play this card too often, but like, I'm still sort of like in the weird postpartum emotional zone. Okay. I like, there's. So you're now saying I'm bullying you into doing this. I can't. No, I just, I'm trying to protect myself.

1:02:27Okay. And my heart's not ready. Okay. Then in exchange, you have to go see Brave New World again by yourself. Which one is that? That was so bad, but I would take a really good nap. So. to have the clockwork orange machine on your eyes. I think I think Zoe Ziegler is amazing in Janet Planet. So I this would be my choice. A movie that I like that we didn't spend a lot of time on on the show Annie Baker's directorial debut a movie about a mom and a young girl. Is she like nine in this movie? Eight or nine something like that. And she's extraordinary. So Zoe Ziegler will be our winner. No disrespect to Dan Huff who seemingly it looked like he had his tongue cut out.

1:03:07to perform in Speak No Evil. It's a tough beat for him. Don't think he actually had his tongue cut out in real life. Hope not. That would be not ideal. Best performance by a dog. Yeah. This is a very serious award show. So, here's the thing. So, by a dog is really standing in to represent the whole animal community. This year it is. Yeah. I'll read the nominees. Okay. The nominees are the Night Bitches from Night Bitch. These are the dogs that follow the night bitch in charge. Yeah. As portrayed by Amy Adams, the mother of a young child. Perhaps you're experiencing some night bitchery here on the show between the two of us.

1:03:46The next nominee is not a dog, but a cat. Frodo the cat from A Quiet Place Day One. This is the cat that trails Lupita and Younger throughout the film. The next nominee is Dog Pool. Yeah. This is a dog in Deadpool Wolverine. It's dressed up like Deadpool. Okay. And then the fourth and final nominee, because we ran out of animals, is the rats from Nosferatu. 5 ,000 trained rats that ran through the streets of Germany trailing an ancient demon that wanted to fuck and drain the blood of Lily Rose Depp in the movie Nosferatu. I was just like... You're getting paid for this. There is a Sundance drama waiting that is the story of the rat trainer starring Chris Ryan.

1:04:31And like, we will win. And 5 ,000 train rats. And here's a little piece of piece. Oh, no, it needs to go right here. I think they should win. Those rats were extraordinary. Their work touched me. How much do you know about their training? Like, what is the extent of it? Not very much, but I suspect that Robert Eggers knows a lot. Yeah. He's in the weeds on that stuff. They're not potty trained. No. Well, that's part of the appeal. Right. Yeah, but they can - That's the authentic nature of the performance. They go where they need to go? Yes, which is everywhere. Okay. You can give it to the rats.

1:05:08Congratulations to the little rats. Nice job by you guys. The rats, everybody. Cheers. Okay. The next category is best casting. Will you read the nominees, Amanda? Yes. All we imagine is light. Blink twice. The Last Stop at Yuma County Saturday Night and Snack Shack I kind of went ham on this category I was like I'm trying to get some titles in here that we're not going to be able to recognize elsewhere They were good You added Blink Twice which I thought was smart That is a very good cast in a movie that I don't love Yeah But you're excited every time someone else shows up You did watch Saturday Night?

1:05:39I did You hated it? I didn't hate it Okay Did you like it? I thought that the Chevy Chase guy was very good Okay And I like some of the other people in the film I have to be honest Corey Michael Smith the Chevy Chase yes I I thought a major role was miscast just saying well Gabriel Lebel is a great actor and way too young to be Lorne Michaels and that was that stuck out a bit but it's it's a good ensemble it's funny I watched it on a plane for a second time about two thirds of it I wasn't able to finish it because the flight ended but um I still like it like I don't it really got dumped on and I know that everybody has it out for Reitman and, you know, but I think it's entertaining.

1:06:23I think it's okay for it not to be a perfect movie. I don't know. No, it's fine for it to be a perfect movie and you made the point that if you didn't know that it was Reitman that you would just kind of go along with it. And I mostly went along with it. Like, I felt that some of the quote-unquote flourishes and the, like, were annoying, you know? And I was like, okay, yeah, I understand and you're trying to recreate minute by minute, and you're doing all your fake one-ers. Yeah. It's just like, I don't care about all this, and you're not that good at filmmaking, respectfully. Yeah. But yeah, sure.

1:07:01I read the SNL book, too. You know, I like that stuff. It's fun when there are famous people together in a room or talented young people playing famous people. What do you think should win this category? You didn't see Last Stop in Yuma County, right? No, I didn't. And I still have not seen Snack Shack, which is... Oh, that's a good one. I know. Instead, I chose to watch here last night, which we'll come back to. Fuck yeah. We will. So, you know, we could do Saturday Night. We could do Snack Shack. You could do last night. Stop it. I'll let you decide. Thank you very much. That's very generous of you.

1:07:37You're so welcome. Well, why don't we do Snack Shack? Okay. Since it is a smaller cast, but it does feature a great Gabriel Abel performance. in fact I would say as much as The Fableman's a star making performance also Connor Sherry who is really the lead of the movie he's amazing in the movie Nick Robinson's very good in this movie David Costabile from Billions and Gillian Vigman from Step Brothers is the person I think of is the role that I think of for her as Connor Sherry's parents and then Mika Abdallah is the love interest and she's great too bunch of people I haven't seen before bunch of people here like who is that what's their name so to me that should speak to the greatness of this performance.

1:08:17So Snack Shack for best casting. Glad to get Snack Shack a W on the board. Okay, best stunt action sequence. Okay. You want to read them? No, I think it's your turn. Okay, it's my turn to read them. Adam versus Lazarus, the beekeeper. This is the crazy Kiwi guy at the end with the wild hair. Oh, right. Okay. No, not Kiwi, South African. Excuse me. Okay, yeah, I remember this. He's like, oh, hi, Adam. We're going to fight. The high rise raid from Civil War. the Beaver Brawl from Hundreds of Beavers the War Rig from Furiosa Mad Max Saga and the Movie Theater from Twisters. Yeah. Did we forget anything here?

1:08:57This is a funky category. I'm sure that we did and there was also a little bit of like are we gonna reward like you know pure technical like filmmaking achievement or are we gonna reward like the most fun that we had? Yeah. There's no John Wick 4 this year. Yeah. Which would be both. Yeah. So It's really, I know where I go. You want to do the war rig? No. I mean, that is obviously like the biggest, you know, what? It took them like eight years and, you know. Yeah. You're going to see the movie theater. Well, I had the most fun with the movie theater. But I don't expect us to do that one. I'm just saying.

1:09:36But I don't want to put my thumb on the scale of every category. And I was, you know, I was critical at times of Furiosa. But that scene in particular is as excited in a movie theater as I've been in a long time. I think that's fine. Okay. Will you allow me that selection? Yes. Or you want to do Lazarus because you like the South African guy? No, that wasn't my favorite sequence in the Beekeeper. The opening sequence is my favorite, but that's not really an action sequence. What was the opening sequence again? That's when Felicia Rashad gets scammed. Right. It was scary. And then the fake Hillary Clinton is running around later on.

1:10:12I liked that as well. and whatever. She's kind of a Trump Clinton. Yeah. Well, she's like a business woman, you know, got into public office. And then, whatever, what's the, PETA, Josh Hutchinson. What's the little boy? Josh Hutcherson. Josh Hutcherson, that's right. Come on, you got it. Only one hour left. Hang in there.

1:10:47Jack Sanders needs to eat lunch so bad. I'm sorry, Jack. Sorry, Jack. Okay. All right. Yeah, it should be The Warwick. You're right. Okay, thank you. The Warwick, Furiosa. Okay, best ending. You can read the nominees. Okay. Challengers, do not expect too much from the end of the world. Here, juror number two, small things like these. You added juror number two. Yeah. And that was it to this category. And then I was like, is this done for? Or am I expected to add more here? I couldn't figure out what message you were trying to send me. Well, I knew my vote. I'm willing to accept that if you want that to be the win.

1:11:27Having seen here, you felt no. I will say that the ending, obviously, is what brings it together. Like, I'm not going to say that I wasn't moved by the last scene of here. I was in tears. Yeah, of course I was. But that's just, you can't have, like, good-natured, manipulative. That's going to be me reeling you out on the last pod ever. I know. But you can't have, like, Tom Hanks being, like, the nice guy, being like, oh, you know, of course I'm going to cry. Like, I'm programmed to cry. Like, a lifetime of conditioning to cry. No. The rest of the movie. No. It's human nature. I think I texted you when, like, Benjamin Franklin rolled by, like, the weird colonial house in one of the boxers.

1:12:09A lot of shit happened there. That's why it's called here. I don't really feel... It was Benjamin Franklin's son. Oh, okay. Well, that movie did not work for me. Okay. Even though the ending was very beautiful. But there was just something like... When are you going to get it together? Stilted about the... Whatever. We've been doing this for so long. I gave it a damn try. And I did think that the ending... But the ending is not commensurate with the rest of the experience. What's the movie where it's like, we were counting on you! We were all counting on you. That's how I feel about you letting me down on here.

1:12:44I think Juror number two is the right pick. Yes, of course it is. It's so good. Yeah, I love that ending. I did want to put Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World in honor of Adam Naiman who also loved Juror number two. I'm sure he would appreciate that. But Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. The ending of the movie is 45 minutes long. It's very, very funny. Okay. Juror number two, congratulations. Congrats to Clint. I'm sure he's listening to this episode. Thank you for all you've done, Clint. the Glenn Close memorial it's time Oscar got a case of the gigglies I was just imagining Clint like and the podcast gets stuck on 2X and he's just like what the hell is this you think he has wired headphones or airpods I hope so I hope so big like professional grade cans over his ears yeah yeah yeah Glenn Close memorial it's time Oscar Glenn Close still does not have an Academy Award sorry to her it's a real shame don't think she's going to get one anytime soon.

1:13:39This was really nice because we were in the dock at the same time. And I was like going to this to type in the name of our, of this year's Glenn Close Memorial, It's Time Oscar. And you had already written it. And I was like, wow, sometimes, sometimes it's here and sometimes it's this moment that we have. So I'm so, I'm pleased and proud and, and a little bit honored because I did get to, um, I think I helped push this over the hill, you know, to announce. Wait. Just take here out of your goddamn mouth for the future, okay? Because that movie is very special to me and I won't have you blaspheming it anymore.

1:14:16You sat alone on a Friday afternoon at which local multiplex? I think it was the Americana. Okay. The AMC. Alright. I sat in the second row because all the seats were taken. I was the youngest man by about 30 years in the screening and we were all crying. Yeah. It was beautiful couples surrounding me, Angelinos. alike who admired the craft and vision. Did I text you from recently where there was someone just like openly sobbing at the end of the movie? The Kraven the Hunter? It'll come to me. Okay. The winner of the Glenclothes Memorial it's time Oscar is Michael Keaton. Yay. He performed in three films and directed one of those films in 2024.

1:14:57Yeah. Goodrich, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice and Knox Goes Away. Which is he getting this award for? I think For Goodrich? I think so too, but it could be Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. It could be both. Why can't it be both? Like, we're in charge. But Knox goes away, you think should be abolished? You think it should go away? I do. It was not my favorite of his performances or his efforts this year. Okay. Goodrich is great. People are really, are coming on the Goodrich train. It's very good. It's on Max. Watch it now. Quality film. Those are the nine goofball awards that we've created. Congratulations to Keaton.

1:15:33Where do you think he's partying tonight at the after party? Where do you think he's had an In-N-Out burger? I think he's like, he's like really into cycling, I think. Cycling? Yeah. Isn't he a man in his seventies? Well, yeah, but I think he's in great shape. You know, I feel about cycling. How? Not a fan. Okay. Don't like it. So you know how I feel about people who wear spandex to do cycling as like a organized group and threaten other pedestrians, which is really negative. No one needs your Peloton. People using any type of cycle to get from point A to B is great. What about city bikes? I feel good about those.

1:16:11Let's go to the seven core categories at our award show. The first is Best Screenplay. Yes. The nominees are Justin Kuritskas, Challengers, Mike Lee, Hard Truths, Richard Linklater, and Glenn Powell, Hitman, Kelly O'Sullivan, Ghostlight, and Aaron Schimberg, A Different Man. Many of these movies could have been nominated for Academy Award. Yeah. They probably should have been. Maybe all of them should have been. Tricky one, our guy Glenn. Yeah. Nice to see him here. His first alternative Oscar. Is it his first? Maybe it's not. Surely he was nominated for Top Gun Maverick in some capacity. Best Dickhead?

1:16:49What was the category that he was nominated in? Best Supporting? Supporting Actor. Could have been. Best Ending? he doesn't he doesn't take that prize but he well he could share in it I think that prize goes to Tom okay or to Chris McQuarrie okay tough one here I'm inclined to acknowledge Mike Lee at the end of his career I mean I am as well not saying he's dying or anything yeah yeah yeah I don't know how many more movies he's gonna make Dick Pope his great cinematographer passed away this year is this where you wanna do it is all I would say cause we have more awards intriguing You would like to give Justin Kyritska some love for Challengers?

1:17:26I do love that movie, as do you. I do. And I think... An incredible romp. If Wesley were here today, he would say he does not. He does not, yeah. So we have a little bit more freedom in the Challengers. I'm just wondering whether Hartreuse is going to get some other love. So I think that Aaron Schimberg should have been nominated for a different man as well. But I think Justin Kyritska, Mike Lee, and Aaron Schimberg all should have been nominated for real Oscars. so I agree you know I agree I would do Aaron Schimberg okay as long as we make sure to acknowledge which we can that movie had a great ending too we didn't put it in best ending it does at the restaurant it's really really funny yeah okay okay great Aaron Schimberg for a different man which is I believe also streaming on max right now and if people have not seen it they should check that movie out wonderful if they want to see great performances best supporting actor okay I like this category quite a bit you like the list of people that we've I think it's my turn.

1:18:23You're right. Okay. George McKay, The Beast. Clarence Macklin, Sing Sing. James McAvoy, Speak No Evil. Adam Pearson, A Different Man. And Jesse Plemons, Civil War. Now, this is tough. I think Clarence Macklin, agree with you, should have been nominated for an Oscar, could have given him breakthrough performance, could have recognized that all the way across. Jesse Plemons in Civil War is a radioactive, powerful, naturally occurring element. Yes. that when you watch that movie even if like you you didn't believe that movie for a minute you still were like that one scene is completely it's like it is and it's him and if he were in the rest of the movie you'd be like oh maybe I would he is carrying it yeah and he does this you know he's very funny in kinds of kindness as well I think he the best actor he can this year he did where he's just there's something very deeply unsettling about whatever's going on in his mind he did this as far back as Breaking Bad when he was playing Todd and it's only one scene yeah but it's one of the only scenes that tells us what's really going on and it's pretty clear what's really going on yes who occupies what side et cetera et cetera and I don't want to take anything away from Clarence Mack because that Sing Sing is his movie in so many ways and I think he should win supporting performance is an interesting category that is largely unexamined and I think it would be more interesting if more frequently there were more parts like this that were going into the awards race some of the great winners are like this You know, Beatrice Strait in Network is the one I always talk about.

1:19:52Where she gets one scene. And otherwise, she's just like, oh, hey, how you doing? To her husband in the kitchen or whatever. And that's it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I just want to make a note about that. I think Adam Pearson's great in A Different Man. He's wonderful. George Mackay is doing some crazy shit in The Beast. Very weird, hard performance. Oh, right, George Mackay. I apologize for mispronouncing his name. He's like very... Because I was on Harris Dickinson Instagram. We'll come back to it. Okay. But then I get a lot of George Mackay contact. Well, the chicken shop thing, you know. Did you go on chicken shop?

1:20:24He did. Did they flirt? They did. Anyway. What's her deal? I don't really know. I think it's one of those, I think I'm too old for this situations. Okay. I think she's an official ambassador at the Academy Awards. Oh, so. She's like one of the hosts. That's how they young it up. Amelia de Moldenburg, I believe her name is. So she's going to, they're going to like cut to her. and she'll be like I think it's in the pre-show so no offense to her but don't watch her watch us on YouTube yeah okay on Sunday at 2.30pm PST I just wanted to say James McAvoy as always completely delightful he cooks and the movie doesn't work at all without him it's category fraud putting him in this category because the movie's kind of on his shoulders I guess so but he's not he's not a perspective character I remember sitting there watching it being like best sporting actor like James McAvoy really yeah I mean he sings Eternal Flame so that is the way to my heart he was great okay Clarence Macklin's our winner right yes Okay, we'll give it to Clarence Macklin.

1:21:17It's a solid win for Clarence. McAvoy, better luck next year, buddy. Hope you do some great shit. Best Supporting Actress, another good category here. Joan Chen for Dee Dee. Jodie Comer for The Bike Riders. I like the voice. Anjanu Ellis Taylor for Nickel Boys. Carol Kane for Between the Temples. And Aubrey Plaza for Megalopolis. Yeah. That's one for your boy.

1:21:43I don't know, what do you think? I mean, this one, we like to have fun here at the Alternative Academy Awards, aka the big picks. But this should just go to Agenue Alice Taylor. Yeah, I think so too. Like, what are we doing? I don't know why she's not nominated. I don't either. Too small a part? I guess, or... You didn't see that movie? Enough people, yeah. The broader... I know it's a packed category or whatever, but it's just been Zoe Saldana all the way down. I don't know. Okay. I'm down with Anjanae Ellis Taylor. Best Actor. You ready to read these names? Oh, I see what you're doing. This is just crazy what you're trying to pull, but I'll let you do it.

1:22:24Well, we've already awarded it. Okay. Go ahead. Best Actor. Just an incredible list. Josh O 'Connor, Challengers. Harris Dickinson, Baby Girl. Hugh Grant, Heretic. Josh Hartnett, Trapp. And Aaron Pierre, Rebel Ridge. Now, who did Aaron Pierre replace? Nicholas Holt, Juror No. 2. So, Juror No. 2 is already? This is a no cucks list. Oh. I thought it was a men Amanda wants to share a bed with list. You know, so it's like we're overlapping. Josh O 'Connor in Challengers, you like a guy like that? I mean, the thing about that performance is that it's not the type of person that you're, you know, like, get your shit together.

1:23:07Why are you being like this? Whatever. But there's something so magnetic about what he's doing. He looks like he really smells. Yeah, he does. But, like, we've all been 25, you know? Yeah, sure. Not me, but everybody else. He's so good, even if it's, like, not really my type. Okay. But, like, also, you know, Aaron Pierre is, like, very solid in a way that is not normally my, you know, type. I mean, he's objectively a handsome man. Yeah. I mean, like I said, undeniable. This is quite a crew. Yeah. I've been meaning to revisit a heretic. I like the first half so much. Yeah. And then it kind of does what it has to do.

1:23:48Or it doesn't. Or it kind of goes all over. Harden it? I mean, that's the most fun. It probably should be Josh O 'Connor, but we can do challengers later. Oh. I mean, we don't have to, but. No, no. If we're, like, sharing the wealth. No, I'm with you. We have already honored Trap. that's why I was gonna say Aaron Pierre makes sense because I don't think we have another place to honor Rebel Ridge unless you want to give that best picture I don't think I want to give that best picture okay so then my instinct would be Aaron Pierre okay I'm good with that and you cucked out Nicholas Holt even though he gave great performances across the board this year he's great in the order he's great he was in a third film that I can't recall at the moment Nosferatu Nosferatu of course he's great in that too cucking out um I don't know.

1:24:43It's got to be... These five are really important. You're saying you would not share a bed with Nicholas Houle? Is that... No cucks. Okay, Aaron Pierre, Rebel Rich, congratulations to you. Congratulations to that streaming film. Best Actress. Yeah. You're reading? No, I just did. It's your turn. Okay. Marion Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths. Nicole Kidman, Baby Girl. Vicky Crapes, The Dead Don't Hurt. Lupita Nyong 'o, A Quiet Place Day One. and Lily Rose Depp Nosferatu. I mean, Mary Ann Jean-Baptiste without like a, this is the best actress winner for both of us. IRL. Like she should be nominated. She should be winning.

1:25:24Psychotic. I was just absolutely knocked over by this movie, which I saw later and I saw it like a week after the fires. So I think I was like in a pretty emotional place. But the combination of electric anger and despair is like, I've never seen anything like it. It's instantly memorable, amazing movie. Not like uplifting. No, it's a very hard movie to watch. It's a very hard movie to recommend to people at a time when some people are feeling really down. It's a very real movie. as with all Mike Lee movies he kind of scratches at something about the nature of existence that feels very true and feels like you're sitting in front of someone yeah I don't know how he does that in movie after movie but he's obviously got a working relationship with Mary and John Baptiste they worked together in Secrets and Lies 30 years ago and I don't think they've worked together since and Pansy the character that she plays and I'm talking about this because we haven't talked about the movie really on the pod is unlike almost any character you'll encounter in a movie as a protagonist.

1:26:40She's a deeply unhappy person, deeply difficult person. The movie does not provide answers or even psychologize her specifically. It doesn't confront you with whatever her trauma might be and say, this is why things are this way. Right. This is why, this is how, it doesn't say, oh, she has depression or she's bipolar or it doesn't tell you any of those things. It doesn't, it almost tells you don't think that way. Like, empathy is understood in a different way, which is don't just assume that everybody who's difficult should be sent to hell immediately, which is tough stuff. It's like, it's hard for people to accept that, I think.

1:27:17And even watching the character, there's, I think I mentioned this to you once before, but the scene in the furniture store. The sofa, yeah, yeah, yeah. Where, like, we've all been there. We've all witnessed someone do that. We've all witnessed someone do that to a server at a restaurant where someone's just needlessly rude and aggressive and pursuing conflict. And you're like, what the fuck is this person's problem? Right. And ultimately it is her fault. I mean, it is her life. It is her, these are her decisions, but there's much more that goes into being alive, I think, than just I'm happy today or I'm sad today.

1:27:49Yeah. So just a very complex, deep, but also very simple, like 90 minute character study. Yes. Great movie. I mean, absolutely heartbreaking. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, congratulations. wish more people saw hard truths I guess it will stream I hope so Hulu though again it's like fire this up yeah for a lot of laughs yeah I mean I guess it's not it's not funny funny it's the type of uncomfortable where you might someone like me might like laugh out of discomfort you know and like oh my gosh like why is this happening a couple of the scenes are like that yeah any scene that happens with the family is really the son and the father or even the extended family with her sister and her nieces.

1:28:35Pretty bracing stuff. Anyhow, best director? Mike Cheslick, Hundreds of Beavers, Robert Eggers, Nosferatu, Luca Guadagnino, Challengers, Pascal Plant, Red Rooms, Lena Raine, Baby Girls. Baby Girl. Baby Girls will be the secret. Yeah, I know. Sign me right up. Yeah. Will that be more cougars getting dominated by young interns? It's just what's next for Harris Dickinson. I bet it is. This is our second to last award of the night. I don't know who wins this. We already represented Nosferatu with those rats. Yeah. You know, Karitskus sitting on Challengers. This is why you shouldn't have given it to Karitskus.

1:29:18I didn't give it to Karitskus. Who did we give it to? We gave it to Aaron Schimberg. Oh, you're right. So we haven't given Challengers anything yet. Yeah. So, I mean, we can do it here. Wow. Or. Or. We could do Helena Rain. Or. Or you want to do Nosferatu? No. Okay. No. I think he directed that movie beautifully. Okay. But if you choose Luca, can you really choose Challengers as Best Picture? No, that's what I was saying. Yeah. Helena Rain for Baby Girl. I'm with it. And then? And then? Well, we'll see. Okay. Helena Rain for Baby Girl. Yeah. Best Director. Great. I'm with it. Mike Cheslick, just want to give him some respect for making Hunters of Beavers, which is insane.

1:30:00It's a live action Looney Tunes movie. It's an almost two-hour movie about a guy fighting hundreds of beavers. This is cinema. To me, this is cinema. Okay. Best picture. Now, we didn't really sort out the true long list. I attempted to cut it down somewhat. Okay. I didn't get it all the way down. To 10. To 10. Okay. Did I cut anything that you see that is intriguing? Like, for example, I don't have Horizon Part 1 on here for the same reason that I don't really like the Wicked Part 1 aspect of things. So that's the only reason. Horizon part one rocks. I really hope I can see part two soon. Yeah.

1:30:42I hope Netflix picks up three and four because it doesn't seem like anybody else will. Okay. It's been rumored. And it performed magnificently on the Netflix streaming service. Did you hear about that? I did. We had friends at the premiere of part two. They said, home run. You did it, Kev. Kev, meanwhile, was sitting next to Cher at SNL 50. Kev watching Cher at SNL 50 music special first of all Cher if I could turn back time at 77 years old or whatever all timer what the fuck dude yeah she looked amazing her voice sounded good yeah like there are 32 year old pop singers who sound like shit live it's Cher Cher's in her mid 70s yeah she's Cher trust me I get it and I'm a fan I've always been a fan but I was blown away and there's a reaction shot of Costner in the audience being like what the fuck I'm blown away by her.

1:31:32Anyway, Horizon not nominated. By us. Sorry. Sorry, Kev. Good luck on part two. I listed 11 movies. Okay. Well, we can have 11. It's our awards show. I'll list the 11. The Bike Riders. Challengers. Civil War. A Different Man. Evil Does Not Exist. A Hamaguchi film. Hard Truths. Here. don't say shit Hitman Nosferatu Rebel Ridge it's actually 12 Red Rooms and Sing Sing yeah my thing about here is like why were they all acting like that like everyone but Tom Hanks like what I've been with you for like six straight hours but why what do you mean I mean those are good actors why were they acting in that manner yes it's dramaturgy what do you want me to tell you Well, it didn't work for me.

1:32:32So you're saying here wins?

1:32:38Let's see. We know I think it should go to challengers. I would also consider...

1:32:47Hard truce, but, you know, we are trying to spread the love. We're spreading the love. So we already did Mary Jean-Baptiste. We did Clarence Macklin for Sing Sing. The Rats for Nosferatu. Hitman did not get... Hmm. Any awards. And we did like it very much. Did I like it more than I liked Challengers? I didn't. I didn't. I liked Hitman. I liked Hitman a lot. I liked Rebel Ridge, but we've already honored Aaron Pierre. Rebel Ridge rocks. I liked A Different Man, but we've already honored Aaron Schoenberg. I didn't like Civil War.

1:33:25I say this like every other episode, but I will be proved right on that one. Okay. I think that movie is going to be a big deal. Long term. I could be wrong. Yeah. But I don't think so. Okay. There are many things that are like a big deal, you know, that are still really stupid. So. Could be true. Okay. Could be true. I won't be voting for it for Best Picture and the big picks in 2025. What if I just would not move off of Civil War and we just stood here for four hours? And I was like, this is the only place where this prize can go in my heart. Tell you what was not eligible for Best Ending? Civil War.

1:34:00I thought it was funny. Okay. I thought it was a funny ending. Okay. Great job. It was like, what a joke this society is. We just murdered the president with a camera in our hands. Okay. If you haven't seen Civil War, that was a spoiler. Okay. I like the bike riders, but I don't think it needs to win here. It won number three on my top five list. But would that have changed if you'd seen some other films? Yes. You hadn't seen Nickel Boys, The Brutalist, Hard Truths. Hard Truths would definitely have been on there. I'm trying to think what else. You wouldn't say that the bike riders is better than the brutalist, right?

1:34:35No, of course not. But, you know, when I'm making my list, I can do whatever I want. That's true. Yeah. You will always have that right. I hadn't seen Baby Girl. Baby Girl's not on this list, but that's okay. Didn't even realize that. Yeah. I think it should be Challengers. We loved Challengers. It's Challengers. Of course, it's Challengers. My third favorite movie of the year. Yeah. My second favorite movie of the year. Behind the brutalists? Yes, exactly. How did you know? Especially the second half. Challengers is great. I really like the dining room scene. I don't think... And I spoiled it on the Academy Twitter account, so...

1:35:12Challengers... Don't get the blowback. I can understand people saying they don't love it as much as we do. Yeah, that's fine. The this is bad stuff? Don't get it. Well, they don't know how to have fun. Okay. You know? And we know how to have fun. Zendaya, Mike Feist, Josh O 'Connor. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Karitschus Luca Churros Churros Nike activewear whatever Zendaya's wearing in all those scenes yeah the skincare what do you like what's the Augustinus Bader yeah that's huge those watches that they're selling yeah the fake TV program the I told you T-shirt I told you sold by the way maybe I should have ordered that for Oscar night it's too late now in the event that you win And if you lose, though, that could be very embarrassing.

1:35:59What? Wearing an I told you t-shirt. No, I would just be wearing it for challengers. I don't understand. Just to honor challengers because the Oscars didn't, you know? Oh, a silent protest? Yes, exactly.

1:36:14It's not too late. For challengers to win an Oscar? I opened my challengers pop-up on Fairfax. So you could just swing by, pick up some of that Augustine Spader. I would love for you to run a pop-up on Fairfax and just watch you interacting with the youth. What do you mean golf-wine? That's what I do. Go on. I've been there since day one. Odd Future? Okay, yeah. Check my resume. Okay, great. I'm not new to this. Yeah. Me and Tyler? Way back. Okay. Way back. Pitchfork.com, my friend. Challenger's a very worthy winner. Mm-hmm. What other films could have been nominated but weren't? Furiosa? Yeah.

1:36:50Trap? We loved it. The Beast? Yes. Juror number two? Yes. Love, Lies, Bleeding. Good.

1:37:02I'm not going to do that game with you anymore. Same movie titles. You say adjectives or affirmative or non-affirmative. I liked it. What really got snubbed here this year? You mean from our... Yeah, you won't watch We Live in Time, so we couldn't recognize that film. Right. You're very upset about here. I just think these takes are bullshit. I got Bobby leaving notes in the comments about how poorly written the movie is. Settle down, Bob. All right? Just respect cinema. That's all I ask. There he is. I tried to respect the cinema. I tried really hard. I watched it at home. I was locked in. I did as well.

1:37:41I loved the format. I was sad that I didn't get to see it in a theater. And then about like 48 minutes in, I was like, what are these scenes? It's like one pass of dialogue, and then we're just going. Yeah. Sorry. You guys are simpletons. thinking too much about the text. I do agree with that. The ending is sick. Very sad. Very sad. Yeah, of course it is. We're all going to be there one day. I love a chair in an empty room. It reminded me of my first confession. That's how we did it at my church because they didn't have enough money for a real confessional booth. Wow. I mean, that is... That's a movie.

1:38:12That's a whole movie right there. In Bruce Part 2. I think we did a great job. Okay. You know, we represented most of our favorites. Should we add Best Kill? because there's a kill in In a Violent Nature where like a grappling hook goes inside of a girl and then they like pull out her intestines at the edge of a cliff. I mean, I guess I wouldn't have a lot to contribute to that particular category. What if we just showed you those scenes for the first time and filmed you? Okay. I mean, like that would be fine. That's kind of a good bit. Yeah. Is that a good Amanda in the void where we run the scene right beside the reaction shot of her face?

1:38:50I think that would work. Did we just find our syllabus for Amanda? I don't know, but what if I'm just like, huh, that seems bad, you know? That sounds good content. Sometimes when you and Chris, because I listen to all of your horror movie recaps, even though I've never seen the movies and have no intention of them. But then sometimes they'll be talking about a movie I have seen, and you guys are describing the kills. And we're like, oh my God, dude. Well, but there's a level of detail where I'm just like, did I just go to sleep? And I saw it, but I guess I'm looking for something different, yeah.

1:39:21You old bear trap. That's true. For anything that is not, you know, personal human interaction. That's right. If it is depraved on film. Right. I can remember it. If it is emotional and connected to the real world. That's why you like Tear is because it's someone explaining to you how to have the emotions. Yeah, here's what you don't remember about your feelings. It's obviously 100 % true and I will not deny it. But you know what? At least I know it. Okay. At least I'm in touch. Congratulations to all the winners. Yeah, they did great. To the losers, fuck off, you know? Like, I got really nothing for you tonight.

1:39:56Maybe next time. Sorry, Juliette Garippi. Maybe you'll be the breakthrough performer next time around. You know? Can you be eligible for breakthrough performance multiple times? So she won't be the breakthrough performer next time around. What if she goes away for 30 years and then comes back? So it's a, well, that would be the comeback performance, which is also a category that we should introduce for next year. Intriguing. Intriguing. Yeah. I'm interested in that. Okay. That would be like Josh Hartnett would win that. Yes, although he was Lawrence in Oppenheimer. Right. Yeah. So that was, you know, that's a big movie.

1:40:31Yeah, that's true. And he like was a big part of, I mean, he wasn't a big part, but he was memorable. He had a big part in Ruse de Guerre. Oh, of course. The Guy Ritchie movie. You saw that film? No, I don't think I saw that one. He drives a sports car. He wears a sweater in The Bear season three. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So he does. I don't think Trap was really a comeback okay well I think that that is what she could be eligible for you know who needs a comeback is Shannon Sossaman his co-star in 40 Days and 40 Nights oh yeah where's she at what's up with Shannon Sossaman Shannon with a Y you want me to get her on the phone you're calling her you want me to get her on the phone you think that'd be a good end to this pod Shannon what's up cold calling Shannon Sossaman big fan she's still working she was in a film in 2023 called Backspot Backspot you say yeah and it's a fictional it's like a scripted film about the world of competitive cheerleading Evan Rachel Wood was apparently in this I don't know who Shannon Sossman played because the Wikipedia page does not illuminate that for us okay alright Backspot that's just that's that's what I'm learning I'll write a film for Shannon Sossaman.

1:41:48I wouldn't say it's been the most illustrious of decades. It would appear she was born Shannon, S-H-A-N-N-O-N, and changed it to S-H-A-N-N-Y-N. Okay. I wonder if that's because there already was a Shannon Sossaman in SAG. Yeah. Or maybe she's just an unusual person who likes to change her name. Well, Shannon, thanks for all your work. Thanks to Jack Sanders. Yes. Thanks to our producer, Bobby Wagner, for everything he provided on this episode, which is not interrupting us when I was talking about Gen Z. Thank you, Bob. Later this week, we're predicting the Academy Awards. We sure are. How are you feeling?

1:42:31Stressed out. Who will win and who should win? That's how we do it. Yes. Who do you think should win best picture? Don't say anything. Don't react. Don't talk. Looking forward to that episode. Should be a lot of fun. This concludes the sixth hour of recording here right now in the big picture in place. You couldn't tell. We'll see you on Wednesday. You said Wednesday. We got a book of time, but yes. Fuck. Wednesday, Bob? Should we just keep recording now? I mean, it's like getting to be performance art at this point. So, hold on. Let's keep recording. I have a question about... I'm in a phone booth on the 70th floor of the World Trade Center at 6 p.m.

1:43:10So, I'm just ready to keep going. So 2.30 p.m. on Sunday Are people submitting questions? Like what's the Is there an interactive element? In the chat You can send questions Okay Bob will help us pick questions While we're talking The YouTube chat? The YouTube chat So you have to have a YouTube account I don't know how that works But are there people who are like Fuck I have to join YouTube? Jack's nodding Maybe If you have a Google account You have a YouTube account They're all part of the same Oh yeah That's right Big alphabet What if I had a different account from when I just had a YouTube account?

1:43:45What happened to that, Bobby? Can you find that account and sync it up? It doesn't matter for you. You're going to be on the episode. You're not going to add questions in the chat when you're talking to me. I'm going to be putting my Venmo name in the chat so that people can pay me to get their question asked. Do not do that. Is it against some written policy that I don't know about? Okay, yeah. we'll be live on YouTube but I'll I'll tout that again later this week that's just what I always wanted to do growing up was to be live on YouTube at 2.30 before the Oscars as a mother of two children but isn't it though is it like honestly is it not what you wanted um I live on YouTube I don't know you would like to be live on Truth Social how do you think Siskel would have handled a handled a call-in episode because that's basically what's going on here.

1:44:41I mean, they were in that environment all the time. They went on the radio all the time. They answered questions to promote their stuff. Yeah, that's true. We're just doing the same shit. Okay. And you know what we don't do is debase ourselves by going to red carpets and asking people questions. Yeah, that's true. I didn't want to be on the red carpet. Yeah. So we're just doing our version of it. Okay. Might get a little silly. Great. But honestly, just probably rippling with expertise. Rippling with expertise. what was the old tagline because that's the new one that needs to go there rippling with expertise should I call Shoemaker and get that on the logo the big picture it went from see you at the movies to rippling with expertise okay great job everybody we had a very normal day of recording as usual we will see you on Wednesday where we are predicting the Academy Awards bye

1:45:37Thank you.