The 21st-Century (American) British Movie Canon, ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,’ and ‘Paddington in Peru’

28:07It's a very sweet New Year's party. I did love the Italian womanizing 16 year old son. That was really, really funny. Enzo. And, and so like Chutel Ejiofor is like there and you're signaled that he's the partner or whatever, but it's like not emphasis. It's not like, it's not like three and two and like the rest end with just like Mark Darcy, Mark Darcy, Mark Darcy, you know? And this is more like, look at my beautiful life and it's going to be okay. But I mean, I agree with you. It's not a criticism per se. I liked his speech in the snow. Yeah, it was, they were like, what kind of Mark Darcy would he be?

28:46Yeah. And he's a scientist. And I mean, it echoes the first, you know, Mark Darcy in the snow. Newton's law of third law or whatever. Right. I feel like we're not giving enough attention to Hugh Grant. But let's talk about Hugh Grant. One of the great unbroken streaks of success in movies in the last 10 years. He's very, very funny in this movie. I'm sorry, but he's never shown up once for me in a film that I wasn't like Like, absolutely, yes. Standing ovation. Amen. He's a great movie star. He's so charming. And you know, Helen Fielding, I did listen to a little research, as I do. She said that he writes a lot of his own lines.

29:19You can kind of tell. Yes. There's a, it feels like his press tour in the movie. Yeah. Not in a bad way. It's a really interesting thing, though, because it is, this has always been true of this character as I remember it. But it is the inverse of the persona. I mean, it is him almost like rejecting the bumbling, adorable Brit thing that he trademarked, you know. And when he did it in the original Bridget Jones Diary in 2001, it's like right after Notting Hill. Right. And like he's doing it with Richard Curtis, who is it's almost like, OK, finally we get to be. He's always talked about it like I get to be closer to who I actually am.

29:59very few men have ever been more gorgeous and attractive than Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones 1 or honestly in Notting Hill or in Four Weddings and a Funeral or I could you know it's really really powerful but he also looks fantastic he looks amazing I just want to say across the board everyone over the age of 50 looks amazing in this movie including Emma Thompson Emma Thompson looks gorgeous yeah who's got like the Miranda Priestly hair at this point they have hair and makeup in these films you know no no no Yeah, but like, they don't always get it right, as you never notice. Allow me to point something out.

30:33These people are rich movie stars who are beautiful, and that's why they're in the business. Okay, the thing about A. Renee Zellweger is that she looks her age, but phenomenal, which is not the same as looking. And also, let me say something about the British canon, which I believe so firmly and strongly in. They still keep their teeth. American movie stars American movie stars please relax on the veneers I can't take it anymore I can't watch another film I needed to hear this because I was thinking the other day about maybe I would do some I know I can't first of all Hugh Grant has his regular messed up YouTube insidious no it is of course it is no it's actually that I was just like watching Instagram and someone was like here's how they put it on your I'm not gonna do it they aren't but thank you I have a bit of a British situation on the bottom and you know what that's fine I have sort of like a Ben Affleck like they're just like a little small you know and so Ben Affleck got that money go back and watch what is my favorite After Hours the Martin Scorsese movie yes the teeth are teething I listen yeah and you look Nicolas Cage what happened he was so wonderful and then what he made the it was so good Kirsten Dunst has kept her teeth and that's really important it's just so charming yeah I think people should do what they want to do honestly I think they should do what they want to do if you want to get veneers honestly I'll make a point of it every episode forever but you should do it both my parents are them so every day in my house I'm like okay we're at the TV set okay yeah yeah there is a good they look great my parents so another subplot in this movie because there are there are too many there are like 45 ,000 but one of them is the the TV producer the TV show where Bridget goes back to work with her friend Talitha yeah and they're doing like the fourth hour of the Today show but in the UK and they're doing And they talk about like how the HD camera is like the worst invention for TV presenters of all time, which is very true.

32:32We talked about it recently on an episode. Jack and I were just talking about like filters. Shout out, Jack, for all the work that you're going to do. Thank you so much, Jack. Let Jack know if you guys know about filters. Or let me know. We're doing our best. Because we're all learning together. We're doing our best. And then the lip thing was funny. It was funny. Especially because it was like, she got ghosted. Let's help you out. the implication was like you could if you're just hotter you wouldn't get ghosted interesting double feature potential here with Baby Girl I feel I thought about Baby Girl while I was watching are you pro or I'm like total neutral okay on Baby Girl I thought it was like did you watch Harris Dickinson's Criterion yes and he is so hot I mean it's like I could not it's good we can all have a little bit it's like really powerful are you watching I'm here do you feel threatened though threatened by what oh could a man so beautiful also be such a Yeah, well, it's just kind of like...

33:24It is like you're on my corner, handsome guy. Yeah, exactly. It's like none of the rest of you can pull that off, you know? No, I mean, for me, it's just like ball-knower salute. Right, right. I gotta say, this man is recommending obscure Filipino cinema to hot women around the world. This is super cool. He really sealed the deal for me on that one. Just cute. We need more men like him, to be honest with you. Couldn't agree more. I also, I was just reading, I didn't realize that Baby Girl is a big hit in England as well. And in Europe, it's doing very well financially. It did okay in the US. Europeans are more sexually free and pro-age gap relationships.

34:02I do think that is a huge factor. It just feels like a very French movie in a lot of ways. And like a French understanding of, or a European understanding of America. And even like this slightly simplistic girl boss, whatever. And then let's just like add a lot of sex. Yeah. Amen. men. Let's pivot to something more childlike. Okay. Paddington in Peru. We are gifted by marmalade sandwiches by you or by you? By you. By Yasi. Very kind of you. Thank you. I don't know that I've ever had just a straight up marmalade sandwich. Me either. I was just trying to be true to this. I looked it up. I don't know if I've ever had marmalade.

34:37Oh, I've definitely had marmalade. Marmalade's great. It's brown bread, specifically whole wheat bread. So that's what I got. I looked it up. And that is what Paddington likes. Yes. Paddington, of course, is a bear. he's a bear from as you would read in the story darkest Peru is that a real place did you look it up I believe it's just a reference to Peru but more like within Peru there is undiscovered country it does feel as we learn in this film lightly racist but I'm going to let it go there is definitely some colonialist vibes to the story you know and there you know Paddington is like the lost immigrant is definitely a sub theme in the original story yes learning to assimilate in the Brown family we re-reviewed read the original story last night and they don't I read it like every day they don't really get into the politics of it all but it has like it's like they found him at the train station and he's orphaned and you know like it's kind of a classical stand in for right a boy from another country basically in the original movie though they try to they draw the parallels to World War II and they're like they sent the tag and so they you know sent kids away and we're like please take care of this so that's not in the book Makes me cry.

35:47No, that's not in the book. Okay, yeah. That was added in the book. The book is very slim. Got it. I mean, it actually has a lot of words. Yes, I read it all the time. I mean, it's like, it is one of the, when the child requests original Paddington, it's like, are you going to do the edited version or are you putting away 15 minutes? I can't do the edited version anymore because my daughter knows every word to every story. No, Knox says two now. I will do tonal shifting. Me too. But no British accent. More excited if it's a female character, a different register. Excuse me. That's, wow. Sean was like, I go more shrill I'm not doing this is out of fire yeah just more annoying is really what I go no just like don't give these YouTube commenters does the energy go up does the you know yeah sure do I go like that no I don't do that Paddington Proof I do actually do that for the dads the dads talk like this yes there you go and you'll see sighs like like eyes light up I don't know whether like he's a budding misogynist or whether it just gets his attention he's just like hey a man is talking kids love performance and they love Paddington this is the third Paddington movie it's directed by Dougal Wilson the first Paddington movie not directed by Paul King who really made his name as a filmmaker on the first two Paddington films I would say especially Paddington 2 which is one of the most beloved movies of the 21st century it's one of the best films of all time many people are saying that I don't know if I'm quite at that level but I do like it quite a bit it's wonderful it's wonderful this movie had a lot to live up to because of the reputation of the first two Paddington films Paul King still did work on the story before moving on to Wonka, which is a movie that I don't like, but Amanda does.

37:20Oh, you like it? I cried. Is it not a musical? It is. It's more musical than even these movies, so you might not like it. Hugh Bonneville's back. Julie Walters is back. Jim Broadbent is back. Olivia Colman is here. Yes. Antonio Banderas is here. Yes. And of course, Ben Whishaw has returned as the voice of Paddington. Right. But who's not back that I was so upset and angry. So I didn't know this. And I sat down. I didn't know it either. You didn't know it either, right? I was like, excuse me. And I also had to like go get popcorn for Knox because I took Knox to his second theater experience of all time to see this movie.

37:57And I bribed him with popcorn to sit through all of it. So I was like, did I miss? Is this like Mrs. Brown's sister? You know, like what's going on? And they just like hard recast Sally Hawkins. As Sean put it, they ant-viv'd it. Yes, this is a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air situation where one day you turned on the Fresh Prince and Anne Viv was just played by a completely different actress. And they did kind of acknowledge it. They winked. This was my biggest criticism. How easy would it have been to write a funny little line when Paddington is like, this is Brown. Did you cut your hair? You look different.

38:28That alone might have mollified me, but I was like, I was angry. I was confused. I know the difference between Sally Hawkins and Emily Mortimer, two great actresses. The thing is that Emily Mortimer is great. We love her. So it's kind of weird because you're like, I know who that is. This isn't just a random British lady who kind of looks like Sally Hawkins. She doesn't look like Sally Hawkins is the other thing. No, so I guess it's more noticeable. Yeah, they have dark hair. Yeah, but Blue Eyes, isn't she? I'm with you. I was just kind of like, please don't insult her. It's a bit strange. It's like the one thing that insults the audience is intelligence.

39:02This is going around, you know, with Harrison Ford replacing William Hurt and Mark Ruffalo replacing Edward Norton in Captain America 4. Did you get any Tinseltown intel from the biz about why Sally Hawkins didn't do it been pounding the pavement been knocking on doors can't get any word on this where is Sally Hawkins and why is she not available I'm sure somebody out there knows why anyhow this third movie an adventure film yes Paddington headed back to old Peru to find out what's going on with his aunt with Aunt Lucy Aunt Lucy something's happened to her she's disappeared she's contacted him the whole Brown family needs to go on an adventure they're stuck in the malaise of middle age for the parents and adolescence for the kids Mix it up.

39:41Be fearless. Hugh Bonneville, he's, I don't know, he's doing something in the corporate world. And that's why Hayley Atwell's there? I think I missed that scene. She's an American girl boss. Yeah, she comes in. Kind of a baby girl situation also for her. No sexual. I totally missed that scene. So at the end when she's just like in the boardroom, I was like, what is going on with my British wife? She comes in, she's like, we must embrace risk. Yeah. That's the big thing. Which I would say, plot wise, not coherent, but that's okay. The family decides to go to Peru together they get into some adventures.

40:12Yeah. Some shit goes down. I also saw this movie with my kid. She loved it but was absolutely terrified for about 18 minutes in the third act. Yeah, what part was terrifying for her? Just as soon as there was like storming and they were on the boat and the boat was getting destroyed. Oh, okay. That was like, she was like, no. She was like, get me out of here. I will say this morning when I asked Knox, because, you know, we're in a phase of life where you can't like ask direct questions and like get answers. So after the movie, I was like, did you like it? It's called for the rest of your life.

40:41Yeah. And he was like, yeah, sure. So, but this morning I was like, hey, do you remember what movie we saw? And he said Paddington in Peru. And he said, there was yellow. There was yellow in the boat. And I was like, oh, do you mean the life jackets? He said, yes, they were yellow in the boat. So I guess that also did stay with him. It's really funny. The life jackets also resonated in our home because Alice keeps doing this to represent life jackets, which I thought was pretty creative. What did you think of Paddington in Peru, Yossi? Well, much like Bridget Jones, I will watch 27 more Paddington's of varying levels of being good, and I will enjoy all of them.

41:16I had a great time. Once I got over the Mrs. Brownness of it all, I thought it was an anti-capitalist, pro-immigration tome, which is a cool thing to do, you know, to indoctrinate the children. El Dorado, it's oranges. Yeah. It's not gold, babe. I enjoyed that as well. That is lovely. I love these movies. I do too. I think Antonio Banderas is also having, to a lesser extent, a Hugh Grant year. He is doing very well, of course. He recurs in Baby Girl. He was one of the better parts for me of Baby Girl. There's something kind of weird in this where he's playing a somewhat similar character in Indiana Jones in The Dial of Destiny.

41:51I had completely forgotten that. I had, like, literally, that doesn't exist. Isn't that kind of odd? Well, I didn't remember that. Also, this movie, these movies do, like, they love other movies. and they do homages and they reference. So, I mean, he even does like a little Zorro thing at one point, right? With the boat. He does, yeah. Respectfully of Antonio Banderas. I mean, he's an actor I've always loved. He's going to be Antonio Banderas. He's fantastic. He still looks gorgeous. And he brings an energy that is fun to the movie but I think actually kind of scared Alice a little bit because the like multiple versions of Banderas was a little intense.

42:26Yeah, it was pretty sinister. Also, I did get upset about his name. What was his name in the movie? Cabot? Hugo Cabot. Yeah, but it was actually like Caballo, right? I was like, this man is Peruvian. His last name is Cabot. I did also. And it was like Martin Cabot or something. No, it was like Mr. Hunter, Mr. Something. I think there had been like maybe a Spanish conquistador in his family, but then also an American prospector. I think they were trying to show that, you know, the immigration throughout the family lineage. Great boat. Great boat. I mean, the production design in these movies is wonderful.

42:59It's very pretty. Olivia Colman was phenomenal, I thought. She's so enjoyable. I laughed every single time. She plays a nun with some suspicious intentions. Her face acting. She is locked in to the frequency of the Bawking movies. It's really, really funny. Agreed. Also, like, the Sound of Music whole, like, montage song, like, very funny. So whatever they're doing with however they make that Paddington Bear CGI or whatever, the minute he is lightly upset about something, I start crying. it is just the most moving I agree I love it they're knocking it out of the park with my Paddington CGI where do you is this the third best of the Paddington movies?

43:43what? so it's kind of it's pretty different because of its locale well it's not it doesn't have the whimsy of the like locations of the first two because like the Brown's apartment has all that like cuteness and whimsy and London in general is like such a portrayed as whimsical. Even the train stuff in the second one is like more pink and colorful and exciting and some of that comes back but I mean this is like we're in the jungle in this movie you know it's kind of the apocalypse now of Paddington movies. Okay. Heart of Darkness. There is a Heart of Darkness quality. There is a heart of darkness.

44:21Heart of Darkness. And they're definitely doing like they also do Raiders at one point which is very funny. The rolling giant. I, you know there was a boat and a plane so in that sense the three year old I was with was like absolutely out of his mind excited and then the orange stuff was so nice and friendly and then they all make marmalade together I enjoyed that you know the speech the ending speech my tribe and my family I wept I was literally weeping yeah and then they all get to and then everyone goes to London so I'll tell you a quick story Yasi and I saw this at the same screening yes and Yasi met Eileen Yasi met Alice she'd not met them before best day of my life Eileen was very friendly thankfully Alice a little less friendly as you know first timers you never know with Eileen so beautiful Sean's wife I was taken aback yes I used to have it back in the day not so much anymore but I'm holding on tight no implication there just praising your gorgeous wife Alice you know a little shy around Yossi and then we didn't speak of Yossi until two nights ago where we're sitting at the dinner table me Eileen and Alice and she said dad Dad, I need to make a podcast with Yossi.

45:32Talked about Yossi for 30 minutes straight. Said, Dad, I need to see pictures of Yossi. Okay. We need to talk about Paddington. Okay, yes. And is pretty obsessed right now. That's awesome. That's really special. Once again, I did cry when he sent me a video of this. You know, I'll say something. I'm very popular with children. Can't explain it. But one thing I've noticed is I have very long hair. And young children associate that with princesses. Yes. And so often I have a bit of a leg up over other adults. I would say Yassi also has a princess name vibe. Totally. And I have a child like whimsical energy about myself.

46:13I see it as well. I like I understand the response, but that's very exciting. Alice doesn't choose anyone. I literally cry. Yeah. She's a bit picky to be honest. I mean, I'm going to put aside how alarmed I am that she's like, I want to make a podcast because that's what you do. This is a whole other thing. Like this week she was like, I want to be a movie director. Like I don't even, I'm not even like telling her. I'm not like, dear, Steven Spielberg in 1987, like I'm not doing that with her. I don't need to curse anyone to become a podcaster. I think she's just, she's absorbing the general experiences of our lives and she's thinking that this is what you, just what anyone does, you know?

46:47Max just likes to use microphones. So anytime he can like scrabble up and get access to my home microphone, he'll sit there and he's like, I podcasting. I do a podcast. Dead. he's going to be a star they're both going to be stars I hope not Paddington 3 is a really fun movie a good family movie and also a good movie if you don't have a family honestly they're just really well made they are like they're the best I tried to borrow a child to take with me to the screening but my little my little nugget Leo was unavailable Leo Woodall Leo Woodall who wasn't he was busy that day he was in the Christian closet and I went with my adult friend and we had a blast.

47:29It's a good movie. Can we close the loop on Hugh Grant and his year at the movies? Yes, of course. That's right. There's so many intersections in this movie. Jim Broadbent in this movie as well. Knox was just like, Knox started pointing. I was like, him, him, hey, Paddington. From Paddington, knowing Paddington too. Because, I mean, that's obviously our favorite. That was post-credits, right? It was. I might have missed it if I hadn't come to like, because remember, The theater was empty when we saw that happen. I came to hang and talk to Alan Alice. And we were just like chatting. And then all of a sudden, empty theater comes up Hugh Grant.

48:03I'm like, I'm so glad I caught this. That's something that always happens for us because Alice is like, I want to stay for the credits for everything. Like even if we watch a movie at home, I'm glad it worked out. And now she knows about Stingers, which is great for her. She can get right into the MCU now. We can start right off with the Incredible Hulk. Once again, Hugh Grant, very funny. He did great. Yeah. He's an international treasure. Yeah. It's funny. it does feel like and this is perhaps a segue to our conversation you know that there's like 87 people making movies together in England and they're all kind of all doing the same stuff in different tones different genres but then their worlds are all interconnecting they have 87 of the best people they're very good at what they do obviously there's a long and storied history of British cinema we're not talking about that today no With Nail and I today we're not talking about Noel Coward and David Lean and we're not talking about all those wonderful people With Nail and I with Nail and I just announced to join the Criterion Collection this morning.

48:54It's just now? It was not. Just in time for me to go to the closet. What's wrong with that? There was an Arrow release for a long time. No one cares. Which is very good. Arrow, British company. No. Also announced How to Get Ahead in Advertising, which also stars Richard E. Grant, another Bruce Robinson movie. Also announced another British filmmaker, one of your favorite filmmakers, The Three Musketeers and the Four Musketeers by Richard Lester. Amazing. Who, of course, directed A Hard Day is Night. Oh, quite a night, yeah. Criterion, just a banner morning. Thank you to them. 21st century British movie canon.

49:23As I said, films with British stars and or directors filmed in England or in the extended kingdom detailing British aspects of life from love to crime to war to governance. Sure. What do you think of that? Are you counting Australia and Canada? No. I don't think so. No. I think that's a separate vibe. Because you know how I feel about Australia. I mean, Australia and Canada are not parts of the kingdom anymore. Well, at one point. I think that the queen or the king is still on the money. We're not really talking about that. No, no, no, no, but I think that the king is still on the money. in which country in Canada Prince Charles is on the money in Canada well he's the king now well the queen was for sure shout out Prince Charles Cinema by the way yes hopefully they're doing well please support them can you still sign the petition I don't know if you live in the UK to the UK?

50:12no to the Prince Charles no but I'd like to it's really cool I honestly Paul the programmer is the best in the business he is it's a great place and I hope more people are patronizing not to get the sub mad at you but Ireland is not part of as you know only Northern Ireland I don't think I included any Irish films here I don't think I did either you didn't put the one that you just talked about in the musical oh Sing Street no what did we just say it was nominated for best picture oh kneecap kneecap kneecap it is cited as best British film yeah at the BAFTAs I got yelled at a lot on my sub for this so I'm just now hyper aware to be respectful it's a thorny issue that has provoked significant strife over the years so kneecap is Belfast right it is so that's it's very complicated I recommend the TV show Say Nothing yes wonderful TV show shout out Brad okay so I've broken this into a handful of categories you've added some categories as well hopefully thank you this is all gender essentialist generational and frankly this is like 45 of my favorite movies overstated But we will be naming a lot of good movies.

51:23The categories are for the lads, for the lasses, for the normies, for the cinephiles, and for Gen Z. You mean Gen Z, I think. Gen Z. It was very easy for me to make the list for the lads. This was one of the easiest jobs I've ever had on this podcast. Every movie I name is a movie that I care about deeply. I think that you've claimed a couple that go beyond the lads. 24 hour party people is not for the lads what is it for who is it for music loving people but that's not one of the categories I'm just trying to squeeze it in I think Tinker Tailor is broader Tinker Tailor is a film that barely features a single woman but it's also for dads it is for the dads yeah for the dads for the lad dads yeah lad dads the dad lads in the loop is for anyone who likes to laugh everyone can come into the lad tent come join us in the lad tent where we also have the film Snatch of course we love Guy Ritchie here in America in Britain the Cornetto trilogy we love the Edgar Wright movies especially that that trio Layer Cake which Chris would take a bullet for Sienna Miller in that film in Bruges which is from an Irish-British filmmaker Martin McDonough he kind of straddles the line okay Sexy Beast really any Jonathan Glaser movie but some of them are for the cinephiles and some of them are for the lads yeah but isn't you're gonna get yourself in some hot water with these distinctions.

52:51Yeah, I was going to say, also, like, isn't, what's the Nicole Kidman one? Birth? Sex, Birth, yeah. Yeah, Birth is like a New York. It is. So, I mean, I understand that he's a... It has a distinctly British sensibility, I would say. Sure, but, like, it's not... Danny Houston being an American with a British accent has always been confusing to me. I think Birth is, like, the most underrated of the... Maybe the best of the Jonathan Glazer films, but it's not on this canon. In this canon. Kill List, the Ben Wheatley movie. Sure, yeah. In the Loop, you mentioned. Attack the Block. Yeah. Sunshine. That's the Danny Boyle movie that the lads like.

53:24And Four Lions, Chris Morris' incredible comedy. For the last is, I took a shot at a couple and then you've added some more. Do you guys want to talk through these? Do you think that there should be more? I think you could do more, honestly, on this list. You could do more. Where's Four Weddings? Well, it's 94. Oh, right. I mean, that's the thing. Yes. These are all movies in the last 25 years. Yeah. I'm a love actually truther, just so you guys know. And like a... Like, I love it. I don't care. And the truth is that it's fucking terrible and should be abolished from society? No, here's the thing.

53:50It's powerful and I watch it every year. I don't know if we can be friends anymore. It's like, I mean, it's deeply problematic. Oh God, not Bechdel test. Leave me alone. Let me just enjoy a film. It's not even a Bechdel test. It's just like, how many different secretaries can we have affairs with? You know what I'm saying? Listen, if the shoe fans pay. Okay, it's true. This is how they be. Emma Thompson, like all time in that movie. Really, really beautiful. Listen, we talked about this. And you know, like in many ways you can't have Landman without Love Actually. So, because the Billy Bob Thornton character is just sort of that's what happens next.

54:31Such good casting. It's like George W. then and George W. now. I hadn't really put that together but that makes a lot of sense. So there you go. Okay, so Love Actually, obviously. Atonement. Where are you on Atonement? I could only watch it the one time because it's devastating but I did really like it. Had you read the book? Did you know it was coming? I didn't read the book. Okay. So how did that twist work for you? It was very painful. Okay. I'll never forget. The book is one of the great novels of our lifetimes. But it's buried in the last paragraph. And I read it. And then 30 minutes later, just started weeping uncontrollably in my parents' home.

55:06I'll never forget it. Okay. I can't even read it. Wuthering Heights. Love. Love, actually. Joe Wright, Pride and Prejudice. Av. About a Boy. yes it's the Hugh Grant of it all Bridget Jones Diary the original 2001 The Holiday which for the record I do not endorse but it's undeniable what do you think of The Holiday? it's I'm not it's fine yeah it's not very good the misuse of Kate Winslet yes and everything like the three movies before and the two movies after Nancy Meyers great love them but The Holiday is like sort of like the cults I mean it is the Christmas aspect of it people love it whatever whatever.

55:44It's no hot frosty. Young Victoria. Yeah, I like this movie too. That's a really good one. Have you seen this? I have not seen that. Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend. Sort of, it's like pre-crown, yeah, pre-crown, but like crown-esque. I saw this on a plane one time and I was like, cool. With the edges sanded off. Yeah, it's just kind of like a romance. It's pretty nice. Paul Bettany plays Lord Marlborough, I think? Mm-hmm. Prime Minister? Yeah. It's a good movie. Okay. The Normies. So, these are the movies that break through. They're usually box office successes. They sometimes get awards attention.

56:19They feel distinctly British, I think is the thing. They're almost about say, the tropes of British life. Dashing spies, the class system, the king, the queen. The empire. The disintegration of empire. Their spies are better than ours. I think they're considered cooler for one obvious reason because you know Casino Royale and Skyfall yeah are you had Casino Royale I as always the Skyfall stand but it also they're both great I think Casino Royale is more this no but like because it was the first one but Skyfall is like about the empire it is and like and mommy issues and it has the you know the shot of like all of the coffins and him like running through London like while they're doing Tennyson like it's about it's But what you're talking about are high-minded ideas.

57:12Yeah. You could make the case that Skyfall is for the cinephiles and the Casino Royale is for the Normans. Well, that's fine. It's on the list. Skyfall is incredible. 1917. It also has Javier Bardem. It does. Mommy was very bad. 1917. Paddington 2. Yeah. Okay, do you guys know a little piece of trivia? How beloved Paddington is in the UK. That apparently when the Queen was ill, she did a little video. Do you remember this? It was for her jubilee. It was for her jubilee. And she did, had tea and marmalade sandwich with Paddington. And there was like public outcry. People being like, Paddington, no.

57:49She is anti, you're an immigrant, Paddington. How dare you sit and take tea with the queen? Which I love. People were really upset about Paddington. That's interesting. Aligning with the monarch. Truth to power. It is like their, like Knox is fully Paddington-filled, but in large part because loved ones have gone to the UK, including like Chris Ryan, and they're just like the only souvenirs to buy. There's a whole Paddington store. Yeah, no, I mean, but it's just like everywhere. They have like fully exported that. Do we have one of those? You could say Mickey Mouse, but Mickey Mouse has no like ethical and moral compass that I'm aware of, you know, like.

58:29Well, just like America. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Maybe Winnie the Pooh, but that's fallen on hard times. Also, isn't Winnie the Pooh British? I tend to think the Muppets occupy this space and like the Sesame Street Muppets. Sesame Street Muppets. That's a good one. Big Bird and... Yeah, Grover is giving us some life lessons for sure. I think Big Bird and Kermit are kind of like the moral center of those two properties. Yeah, but they're like not as big as Paddington internationally. No way. Elmo is probably... Yeah, Big Bird is not what he once was. I just saw Follow That Bird recently. Elmo's just like a dumb kid, you know?

59:04He doesn't bring anything to the table. is like trying to like is pushing Paddington like Big Sesame is pushing Elmo. It's true. Like Elmo is like doing SpawnCon with Roger Federer right now which on the one hand like target audience on the other hand like what are we doing? Well I think the thing that Elmo does that is nice is that he preaches a kind of sincerity that I think the world could use from time to time. Which is what Paddington does as well. I love Paddington in a less annoying way. I love Paddington I love Elmo I love Roger Federer like why are we advertising for on running? Grover would never babe is all I'm saying it's a good question about what are the equivalents we don't really have quite the same thing sorry to bring it back to Paddington we can continue to the canon Slumdog Millionaire a bit of a thinker here obviously not a film set in England made by a distinctly English filmmaker a huge hit kind of sort of empire bound because of the history of India and England I wasn't sure whether it should go in it's a tougher call than something like Darkest Hour which is about Churchill and you know about the country during World War II.

1:00:08Yeah, yeah, yeah. Same for The King's Speech and The Queen. These are very standard, entertaining, sometimes better than average movies about this space. I saw The Queen. I didn't see The King's Speech. King's Speech, you know, has a dreadful reputation now because it beat the social network at the Oscars, but it's not bad. And it was also like a Harvey Weinstein that took here. Well, he did leave some stands. Did you like it when it came out? Oh, yeah, sure. Who was the star Colin Firth? Colin Firth. We love him. And Guy Pearce. Love Guy Pearce. Wonderful Guy Pearce. Oh, right. He plays the...

1:00:38Brother who can't step up. What's that guy's name? Uncle David is what they call him. What, Edward something? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Dick. Went off and married an American movie star. Oh, yeah. I love him. Great story. He's great in The Crown, too. Yeah, what an asshole. That's right. For the cinephiles, there's been a lot of really good British films in the last 25 years. So ones that popped into my mind, you guys added some too. The Souvenir in part two, I suppose. Weekend, Andrew Hayes' movie. I've got two weekend Andrew Hayne movies here 45 years this year I guess all of us strangers should be considered too I was gonna say yeah Fish Tank love Fish Tank Andrea Arnold's great movie Hunger Steve McQueen's first film Happy Go Lucky was my Mike Lee pick it's one of my favorite Mike Lee movies maybe like top three it's a favorite of mine as well and I feel like it's the most British until Hard Truths you know about life and obviously a lot of his movies in the 80s and 90s and 70s even are about that that one in particular is not like a period piece.

1:01:34Morvern Caller. I love Morvern Caller. Bloody Sunday, Paul Greengrass's first movie. The Deep Blue Sea, the late Terrence Davies. I don't know if it's his most, maybe not his most recent movie, but the movie before that with Rachel Weisz. You added Dunkirk, which I think is a great call. Now, Dunkirk to me occupies basically all of these categories. Of course. This is the rare tic-tac-toe. It's definitely Laddad. Yes. Laddad. Something for the lasses with Hardy at the end. The Normies, of course, love Dunkirk. Gen Z loves Dunkirk Gen Z oh that's right Gen Z yeah an education is an education for cinephiles or for the lasses you know what please excuse me excuse you it's really well made my wife loves this movie this is a huge favorite of hers so why does it just have to be for girls why can women enjoy all cinema because we are so superior and then just because it's about women simply cannot bear to watch anything that doesn't have a war or a spy in it yeah great there you go good for you guys also featuring Emma Thompson I mean, this is like another subset.

1:02:35It's like, does the movie have Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Tom Hardy? Peter Sarsgaard pulling a Renee Zellweger in that movie. Very incredible British guy. Keira Knightley. I love Keira Knightley. Keira Knightley, she's in the Hall of Fame of these movies. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then Phantom Thread, you know. Yeah, I say yes. It is. It is. It's PTA, but it is. One of my faves of all time. For Gen Z, I'm glad you added this. Yeah, just because I don't need the children yelling at me about What a Girl Wants. I know. It's very important to them. What is What a Girl Wants? Colin Firth is another person of if Colin Firth is in the movie.

1:03:13What a Girl Wants, in my head, is a Christina Aguilera song. And it is an incredible song. And I think What a Girl Wants, the Aguilera song, is tight. So it's an Amanda Bynes film where Amanda Bynes finds out that her dad is Colin Firth. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so then she goes to London. it's actually a great movie yeah kind of some Princess Sofia vibes there Sofia the First Princess Sofia becomes a princess because her mom marries the king okay like it's not I don't acknowledge that part of it it's like a you know a combined adjoined family situation have you seen Sofia the First? no okay I watched it with Alice and then and it was not a fan I mean it was total garbage I loved watching it with Alice it's a it's like a computer CGI animated show I'm good and Sofia finds out that So Sophia was not born a princess, but then she becomes a princess.

1:04:01And the episode that we watched was about Mother's Day and how Sophia used to celebrate it with just her mom. But now she has to celebrate it with her stepchildren, with her stepbrother and sister as well, who are the reason that she's a princess. But anyway, so I came into Sophia cold. And so I was asking Alice a lot of questions about kind of like family structure. And Alice wasn't really willing to engage with me during the. She was kind of locked in the show. It's a little hard to talk to. She was like, kind of like me. She was like, can you not talk? No, she didn't even say anything. And so then I start yelling to Sean.

1:04:34I'm like, so Sean, is this a stepdad situation? And the whole time I was just like, well, Amanda shut the fuck up. No, Sean's just like on his computer being like, no, I am like emailing about, you know, episodes in 2028. It's really amazing what you can do with an hour of free time. I've been meaning to say that to you. It's just like, I know, but it's like, the light goes on. At what cost? We're going to find out. And I just, I hear from you and then I know what's going to be happening for the next three to five years. Yep. I know how to plan. What else is in Gen Z? Bendelay Beckham. Speaking of Keira Knightley.

1:05:06Never seen it. Oh, that's nice. Not for any reason. I just never saw it. I was in college when it came out. You should also show it to Alice. Eileen and Alice should watch it. Yeah. Great. It's a good movie. I'll let them know. I believe it. Parminder Nagra? Is that the star? Yes. Harry Potter movies? Yeah, this is a good point. Yeah. This is kind of for normies too, right? Yeah. Yeah, with a Weinstein-esque afterglow. Some scandal. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Movies are innocent though. Fabulous movies. Yeah, I like them too. I didn't add Sing Street, so. Sing Street, Irish. So maybe not Sing Street. Any other movies that we haven't listed here spring to mind?

1:05:42I'm sure there's a great many that people are like, how could you not have named? So everyone, just to be clear, we're doing 21st century only. So like a lot of Hugh Grant movies, like The Parent Trap for all my Gen Z kids, which is also, that's a bridge between my generation and your generation. But that's 98. So. What about Philomena? Keep it to yourself. Oh, sure. Yeah. That's a good one, right? Or the trip movies. Judy Dench is another one where if Judy Dench is in your movie. Yes. If Judy Dench is there, if Steve Coogan is there, in many ways, there's some angle file. Yeah. Honestly, if Stephen Frears directed it, more than likely.

1:06:18Totally. It's a part of this family. I noticed you didn't include Better Man. Well, yes. You know, I'm mixed on Better Man. Mamma Mia count? Mamma Mia? Yeah. Not a film I've seen. I actually haven't seen Mamma Mia either. Okay. We talked about this last time. Yes, we did. Okay, so it's like the biggest ever British movie, but I guess it's filmed in Greece. With half American cast. Right, but the other half of them are British. I guess it doesn't count. Okay. It's more international. In Mamma Mia 2, I think Donna was in London. I wish someone here could work with me on this. You know, maybe I'll just show Mamma Mia to Alice and she'll love it.

1:06:59And then you have to watch the whole universe for. It's all in play. Okay. It's all in play. Honestly, I encourage her to have well-rounded ideas. I don't want her to just be a vessel for my taste. I thought of something by doing a Google. Okay. Shaun of the Dead. I said the Cornetto trilogy. That's what that is called. My bad. Yes. Shaun of the Dead. Jeez. Hot fuzz. Really showing my lack of cinephile knowledge. And you were being a little bit of a letterbox nerd just then. I'll be honest. I didn't know. I didn't know. Huge Edgar Wright fan. He's great. Very excited for the right name. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:07:30Aren't they all? Do you think Harris Dickinson uses letterbox? I would be surprised if he doesn't based on that level of correspondence out of the Criterion Closet. But he doesn't really seem like a phone guy, you know? She said aspirationally. Yeah, I know. She said longingly picturing herself beside him. He's just like, I don't really look at that. You know, it's really powerful. I think. I mean, it's just like he's reached a level where he doesn't have to be on his phone like the rest of us. I think his accent is camouflaging an unfortunate truth for you, which is that he's more similar to me than he is to you.

1:08:05Like, yes, but there are some material differences. I'm sorry to say to you. I'm going to be... I don't know. He was in his bag. Yeah. He was like, oh, of course, World Cinema Project Volume 2. Thank you, Martin Scorsese. That was really... But this is what I'm saying. I know you think that's good for you, but I don't know if it's good for you. Do you think he's market correcting me? Yeah. I'm just sort of like, if that's available, then we don't have to accept this. Do you know what I mean? You don't want someone to be the best version of what you could be. It's one of those things where should I invite him on the show or should he never be allowed on the show?

1:08:38If you invite him on the show, unfortunately, I will have to be under the table. I literally, I can't be anywhere near it. He's a handsome guy. You know, I was also kind of thrown. He also had a side part. And I was like, side part too? Like, you're really, you're in all my spaces right now. Which is much better. It's tough. He's very tall. Did I ever tell you about the bizarre interaction I had with Jason Statham? No. Well, this is a great way to finish British. In one of my many lives, I was in St. Bart for the holiday season. And visiting a... Was St. Bart a British isle at a certain point?

1:09:13That's a good question. I think French. I thought it was French. I think French, yeah. And there, you know, all the rich people go and they have their yachts. And what they do is they host celebrities on their yachts. That's kind of like their fun little game. You get all the paparazzi opportunity. And then you go to parties on yachts via small boats. So we'd gone to a party on one yacht. This was witnessed most recently in a season of industry. Oh, okay. So they got it on the truth of the matter. So we're at this one party. I'm like 27 or 28 at this point. The Pussycat Dolls performed on this yacht.

1:09:52Wow. Who's your favorite Pussycat Doll? Well, I only know the one. Scherzinger. Yeah, Scherzinger. Currently on Broadway and Sunset Boulevard. I know the world is so strange. Famous-rated Nicholas Hexham and Amber is the color of your energy, I believe is about her. That's right. That's right. Yes. So they're performing. Martha Stewart is dancing over here. Anthony Kiedis. I'm losing my whole mind being like, why am I here? Why were you there? My college roommate is a billionaire. Okay. So me and my cousin are together. We all lived together in college. And so now it's time to go to another party.

1:10:22So we are getting on the mini boat. And, you know, I have to think I had my makeup like this. I always wear my makeup like this. I get on and I'm separated from my cousin. I'm sitting next to Brian Grazer and his wife. I don't know them. They're just saying it's me. And then Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely get on the boat. and he looks at me and he goes, wow, you were phenomenal in there. Implying that perhaps he had mistaken me for a pussycat doll. Now everyone on this little boat looks at me and we're talking Brian Grazer. We're talking Lawrence Bender. We are talking, you know, and I'm horrified, mortified.

1:11:00And then I go, and then, because then he realizes I was not a pussycat doll. And he goes, oh, no, no, sorry. That wasn't you, my bad. And then everyone's still looking at me and I go, I was amazing in there. I'm amazing all the time. And you are mistaken. And then everyone claps. They start clapping. And then I was like, I don't understand what just happened. Wow. So that was my... And then how much longer are you on the small boat? Exactly. Yeah. Like a long enough time that it's awkward. Okay. Yeah. Like incredible. Seven to 10 more minutes. Yeah. Hats off to you. That's really good. And no one was like speaking into their wrist getting you assassinated No, I should have really.

1:11:38Yeah, because that's sort of like... I had to think on my feet to avoid further humiliation. It's a great story. Thank you. Are there any Jason Statham films that belong in this conversation? He's frequently playing an American guy with a very clearly bad American and covering up a British accent. I mean, obviously he's in Snatch. Do you guys watch Snatch with the subtitles? Because I do. I have to. Are you able at this point to determine exactly what they're saying? Like Doug's? Okay, I mean... I don't totally understand everything, but it doesn't really matter. You know, I just kind of let it wash over me.

1:12:14Yeah. Any closing thoughts here? Do you feel we did great work? Should we try the marmalade sandwiches? Yeah. Okay. Let's try one. Pass them around. People love to listen to people eat. Well, you can just give a review. There's a whole cottage industry. Okay. Okay. Thank you so much. I do love whole wheat bread. I looked it up, and that's the bread that Paddington uses, or Aunt Lucy used. Oh, yeah. Oh, this is great. So, Marmalade, first time? I think so. I mean, it's just orange jam. What did you think about the machine that they built instantaneously at the end of Paddington and Peru to create jam?

1:12:51Well, why did they have sugar? I think that the... Where did the sugar come from? Where did it even come from? I have jars. Really good question. This is good. You know, I thought that the son needs to get his inventions out in the world, you know? so as a as a boy mom I found that inspiring it's how to bring your son's you know gifts to the to the broader world get them away from the video screen I'm sorry tiny tiny extra criticism yeah they showed a close up of the daughter's hand at one point she had hand tattoos and I was like she's supposed to be 17 and not yet at college who let her get hand tattoos and I think perhaps the actress is older and has them and they forgot to put makeup on them so should I not have let Alice get hand tattoos Is that what you're saying?

1:13:34I'm going to take her. So back when the mom. That's the kind of aunt I am. Venice Beach, we're going. The minish turns 10. Sounds great. Please don't do that. She's getting a belly button piercing. Okay, my verdict is this is good. Same. Yossi, thank you. Thank you, Yossi. Great job. Thank you for having me. You really brought the Anglo spirit. Three Americans here talking nonsense. I'm willing to go back to the UK anytime. We were talking about this last week. Just, you know, wherever you need me to. We should do a big pick Bandsplain crossover live event for the end of the British season of Bandsplain, which we then make into a film festival.

1:14:15When is that? Isn't that season ending fairly soon? In June. That's a lovely time to go to the UK. It's a beautiful time for us to go to the UK. Maybe once you're done golfing. Well, I'll never be done golfing, as you know. Thanks, Yossi. Thanks, Jack Sanders. Thanks to our producer, Bobby Wagner, for his work on today's episode. later this week we're drafting best picture winners here on the big picture we'll see you then