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Oscars 2026 – Animated Features – the year 2025 in animation · CinemaHounds - A Lorehounds Podcast

• 0:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to the Cinema Hounds, 2026 Oscars Train, this stuff is animation station.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I recommend starting with the first official in the series with David and I and our reactions to the nominees this year with a preview of the 10 Best Picture nominees and just talk about all the surprises and biggest races and other stats.
• 0:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I've also since dedicated episodes to the Shorts categories, to production design, costumes, makeup, and hair together, to international film, and to documentary features, not to mention the indie spirits and BAFTA awards.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And today is the animated features category where I am joined by Logan, who was previously my guest on the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes episode, and last year's Tech Awards discussion during the Oscars.
• 1:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, he is back this year to discuss his favorite category animated features and then stick around until the end for a preview of what's coming up next.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And final general note, we will, as usual, be talking movie premises and production, but we will be avoiding film spoilers.
• 1:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Alright, let's jump in.
• 1:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm here now with Logan.
• 1:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back.
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think we're just discussing.
• 1:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think this is your third lower-hounds episode after King Noem of the Planet of the Apes.
• 1:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: And last year we talked about the tech categories for the Oscar series.
• 1:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I believe this is round three, but I'm glad to be back.
• 1:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: Right.
• 1:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: I know this is gonna be a fun one because I am a huge animation guy.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's why I wanted to invite you for this one because you were talking especially in our coverage last year about how animation is really your favorite category.
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do you want to expand on that?
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: What is your background in history with the animation in general?
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, I don't.
• 2:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: really?
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, I think it's just from a lot of as a kid.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: We had a lot of like Disney VHS at the time.
• 2:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: Watched a lot of those as a kid constantly and then Aladdin is one of my favorite films of all time and of course watch the, you know, straight to DVDs and
• 2:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: uh robin Williams was big there so I got into robots which was the 2005 from blue sky right um and then from there I mean I just watched a lot of animated stuff for a long time and then uh my brother he's a good chunk younger than me I ended up watching a lot of the same things with him when he was you know a toddler
• 3:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, and I have just been a huge fan for all the very long time now.
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, all right, um, how is your death race going overall this year?
• 3:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, I was doing okay, and then I have had a pretty busy couple weeks.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm sitting at 38, 50, so I got 12 left in the next week and a half spoiler in the win we're recording.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, yeah, no, actually this is going to be one of the rare episodes that I turn around right away in the series.
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, actually going out the day after we record, which hasn't been in the case for most of them, but it just works out for various reasons that way.
• 3:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, we are here to talk about best animated feature.
• 3:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this has been a category since 2002, and because before that,
• 4:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: significant animated features to justify more than just giving the occasional special awards, so they did give special awards to things like Snow White and Seven Dwarves in 1938, which really kicked off the whole Disney animation thing, you know, special things like Who Framed Roger Rabbit
• 4:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: But then it was really, and there had been, by the way, one animated feature up to that time that it had been nominated for Best Picture, which was Beauty in the Beast in 1991.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: But then, you know, as they got to the turn in the millennium, they're like, actually, there's more animation studios entering the scene, making a lot of noise, making it worthwhile, having it competition, so it's not just the Disney show, for example, DreamWorks, which
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: in some ways, the child of Disney, because it was started by people left, Disney.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, were you surprised?
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if you remember before, because you're younger than me.
• 5:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if you remember before you made a feature with a category.
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to say something that's going to hurt you, but I just weren't in 2000, so absolutely not.
• 5:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I really don't.
• 5:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't remember anything.
• 5:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like, it's just always kind of been a thing for me, but ever since I've been doing the ODR, which this is year five for me.
• 5:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Which is Oscar's death race for anyone who's Oscar's death race race race.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: I've been doing the ODR, yeah, I think this is your five for me.
• 5:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: And being such a huge animation fan, so like, I've always kind of followed that category, even if I wasn't doing the whole race.
• 5:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: I believe there's still only, and this is a huge gap in my own knowledge.
• 5:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think there's only one of the best animated winners I haven't seen, and that's Rango.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, really?
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's a good one.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's such a random one.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's been sitting on my shelf.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have, like, a blue ray of it, I think.
• 6:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: I just haven't gotten to it.
• 6:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: Don't know why.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think you'll enjoy it.
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I suspect you will like it.
• 6:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: Probably.
• 6:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, since 2002, the definitions and rules and stuff have gone under some slight shifts, but the way that they currently set for this category is the Academy definition of animation is that characters performances are created using a frame-by-frame technique.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, this was defined this way specifically to exclude things that are solely motion capture.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: After and I'm kind of tweaked that and I think this is in response in large part to things like a Christmas Carol from 2009 that Roberts and mech is Take on that film with Jim Carrey that Luke and I did an in-depth Review of it on the wool ship dust feed recently and I'll just say we were not impressed by the animation because it was they're just like oh Just motion capture and then slap it on the screen and that'll be good.
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, no, it's not
• 7:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: It feels too much, I mean, it's how they make video games nowadays and it just feels like a video game cutscene.
• 7:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's what we were saying because it's just so floaty and for video games I understand because you can, you know, because it's determined by the player, you can't, you know, strictly, uh, snappily animate every single screen of a video game.
• 7:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: But a movie, you can and you should.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: But also this definition is designed to rule out films like Avatar for example, so that is definitely live action, although it's mostly CGI.
• 7:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the rules for the Academy has to be framed by frame animation, a significant number of the major characters must be animated.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And animation figures must figure in no less than 75% of the running time.
• 8:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it doesn't rule out a hybrid between live action and animation, but it needs to be heavily animated.
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I guess Roger Rabbit would qualify.
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: Roger Rabbit would Marcel the shell a couple years ago was not native and that's a question you wanted because it's stop motion with live action stuff.
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, versus just pure stop motion.
• 8:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: Mm-hmm.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that was, yeah, that qualified, although that was definitely a borderline case, yeah.
• 8:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it was very close.
• 8:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: I remember they actually had to release the numbers to prove that it was like, it was like 76% like it was very close.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just over the line, yeah, because it did feel very life-action to me.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hot take, I don't have that feeling.
• 8:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know, I did, but I know.
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Most people do.
• 9:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: My sister loves it.
• 9:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's, yeah, I enjoyed it.
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: I can totally understand why people don't, though.
• 9:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I just, the humor didn't hook with me, but anyway, it's not one of the ones this year.
• 9:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, the award is given out since 2019 to a maximum of four people, unless there's a two-person team included, and it must include the director and a producer, so that's what we'll see as we're listening that today, we'll also see mostly its combination of
• 9:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, this year they also have to submit the movie and we'll talk a bit later about some movies that might have been eligible this year would have been eligible this year but we're not submitted for whatever reason.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this year 35 features were deemed eligible which sounds like a lot but it's also actually not that many like when you compare it to the list of
• 10:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: not at all international films available it's quite a small list to be honest and it's crazy because there's so many other animated films but one of the big things that takes them all out of eligibility is that they don't run in theaters yeah yeah exactly we'll talk about some cases like that of some some bigger films this year but I will make a letterbox list of the 35 eligible features which you can find linked in the show notes if you're curious
• 10:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, yeah, most of the ones we talk about today, but we'll also talk about some that aren't eligible, so I'll just put those in the show notes, the ones that we actually discussed today.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: The way that they determine the nominees is that members of the animation branch, they can vote in the category, but they can also have members,
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: of the Academy, outside the animation branch, they can opt in to vote for this category if they meet a minimum viewing requirement.
• 11:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we heard this year that there's no short list for this category, but apparently there is a secret for your consideration list of reportedly 12 films, but we don't know what the 12 films were.
• 11:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, five, the five that were nominated, definitely included in those 12 films, no question, but we'll speculate at the end what the other seven films might have been.
• 11:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I'm good.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: If I'm by me, that list is a huge question mark I want to see it.
• 11:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, very curious, release the list.
• 11:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I did discuss the animated shorts in a separate episode about the shorts, nominees, so you'll see a link to that in the show notes, but I'll check in with you, Logan, at the end of this to see if you have any thoughts about these you want to share.
• 11:54
  [UNKNOWN]: Okay.
• 11:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: These, this year, are five nominees, well, four of them are single category nominees, and the one exception is K-pop demon hunters, which was also nominated for song.
• 12:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I talked about that more, and actually it'll be the next episode that Mark and I did talking about the music categories.
• 12:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I'll refer to that for some more details if you're
• 12:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: uh... but in general for these as usual we're going to discuss premises and production and opinions but we're going to avoid any spoilers for the films i won't assume that you've seen them all uh... what with with those terms of mine what are your overall thoughts on this year's five nominees were there any surprises for you i actually think this is the first year
• 12:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: At least since I've been doing the ODR, that I'm genuinely not surprised on any of the norms.
• 12:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think the five that were nominated were the five that pretty much everybody's predicted all season.
• 13:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely.
• 13:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: These, I mean, these five just clearly dominated and took over the, at least the conversation.
• 13:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 13:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we'll talk about some more at the end where we thought, oh, maybe those ag, but they did not say they did not say.
• 13:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, let's start with the most obvious of the nominees, the likely winner, the juggernaut of this year in cinema overall.
• 13:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: K-pop demon hunters, directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Apohams, it's a US film from Sony and released by Netflix.
• 13:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: In English mostly with some Korean, the nominees are the directors Maggie Kang and Chris Apohams along with producer Michelle LM Wong, and it's the first nomination for all of them, and the plot summary is.
• 13:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: They sing, they dance, they battle demons.
• 13:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: When K-pop superstars, Rumi Mira and Zoe aren't selling out stadiums, they're using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats.
• 14:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I said in the recording of the music episode, which is coming out next, but has already been made, that, yeah, this title is like a marketer's dream.
• 14:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: It just describes exactly what you're getting in the tin.
• 14:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: it is exactly what it is.
• 14:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, the title gives everything you could need.
• 14:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I did talk about this as I said in the music episode, which comes next to where we talk about specifically the original song nominee golden, which is also likely winner there.
• 14:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I included some more stats there.
• 14:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: I won't repeat here, but I'll just say this is the most watched original title a Netflix history with over 500 million views.
• 14:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: It had a budget of 100 million.
• 14:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Box office was only 24.7 million, but to be honest, that was more money than they expected, because they basically released it in theaters.
• 15:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: They did a qualifying run for the Oscars.
• 15:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Famously did not do that in Britain for the BAF does, and that's why they weren't nominated there.
• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they basically only did these sing-along releases in the theaters after the fact, because they're like, oh wow, people really like this movie, huh?
• 15:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: So because Netflix is the way Netflix is.
• 15:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they're not trying to get their money out of the box office yet.
• 15:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Still, it's theater release was the widest theater release in terms of number of theaters for Netflix film ever.
• 15:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the first to top the box office in the US.
• 15:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it is still their most successful theater release.
• 15:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: On Netflix itself, in 2025, so not even counting the first three months of this year, it garnered 20.5 billion minutes of watch time, making it the most streamed film of the year, not only on Netflix, but overall.
• 16:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: on any platform.
• 16:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the soundtrack was the first film soundtrack to have four songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, and it was certified double platinum in the US and October.
• 16:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I mean, what do your thoughts on this film overall on the soundtrack on golden and everything else?
• 16:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: I am a huge fan of this one.
• 16:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: It is, if I'm voting, this is my choice.
• 16:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to just say that now.
• 16:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's very heavily leaning that way for most voters, it made my top 10 last year.
• 16:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: It is genuinely just a fun time.
• 16:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's good, it's got a good message.
• 16:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: keeps a decent balance between the, you know, kid friendly and adult humor side of things, which I feel like a lot of animation really struggles to do.
• 17:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, everything that comes with this has been very impressive, I mean, all the soundtrack, stuff hitting the way it has, having four songs in the top 10 is genuinely crazy.
• 17:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: And like, I'm a teacher.
• 17:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I, you know, throw on music now and then when people are working, whatever, and it's kind of ridiculous how often golden will pop up.
• 17:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's probably every time I turn it on, whereas other like very popular songs don't.
• 17:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 17:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: So it's it's clearly having a huge influence on
• 17:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, market I were talking about in the music episode, which again, it's the next one, that we're not, we don't even necessarily agree the golden is the best of the bunch, but it is definitely the most ubiquitous.
• 18:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this overall, like everyone who has a child, who's like in, like a pre-teen child, has been listening to this movie nonstop,
• 18:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: force this year.
• 18:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just one of the biggest things to have in this year.
• 18:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think it absolutely is going to win.
• 18:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: It would be my third choice pick, I guess.
• 18:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we'll talk about what I would pick first.
• 18:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I do think like I like the message of empowerment.
• 18:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like the message that it's about
• 18:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like that they, you know, they're like, how do we, we have these central three female characters, but let them be weird and goofy and like not pretend they're perfect perfect princesses all the time.
• 18:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: and like they use these chibi animation features, which we'll talk a little bit about anime later on, but just sort of instead of having the more realistic faces, they'll sometimes revert to these more cartoonish faces with some expressive like one of my one of the moments that made me like with the bugger we're looking at is one of them looks at a character with like an eight pack abs
• 19:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're like crying popcorn or yeah, it's so funny.
• 19:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: I love GB animation.
• 19:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's always so it's so like stupid But in like how fun cheesy way.
• 19:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah exactly.
• 19:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's expressive, you know in a fun very Expression.
• 19:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah
• 19:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'll say that the voice cast was not known at all going into this, although now they've been making the interview rounds, so they are known for this.
• 19:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, there is a sequel in the work, so we'll be hearing more from them.
• 19:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this has just been...
• 20:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: destroying the precursor awards.
• 20:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's one 53 awards so far, which is insane, including the Golden Globes Critics Choice, Annie Awards, PGA and Art Director's Guild, and it's gotten six more honor, you know, it's been honored six more times.
• 20:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's only missed 10 times, which would be a lot for someone else, but compared to that 53 wins.
• 20:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, and then there's two pending awards including the Oscars, and of course it didn't win the Baphthas because it was not eligible.
• 20:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think that was, I mean, they're clearly sweeping the awards.
• 20:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think they care that much that they don't have the Baphtha, but I think it was very dumb of them because they could have just released it in theaters for a couple of weeks, made more money and one week whenever they did enough qualified for the Baphthas.
• 20:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
• 20:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: It was such an easy way up and they just fumbled it so hard.
• 20:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, a lot of places in the industry are pushing back on Netflix.
• 21:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's no theater policy, and I was kind of glad to see it.
• 21:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was kind of glad to see another one get a chance to win.
• 21:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll talk about that other one next, but yeah, I mean, I just don't understand why Netflix take the money.
• 21:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: You don't even need to release it that long.
• 21:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just take the money and then put it to short.
• 21:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: Even if it was a 30-day window, like
• 21:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: But like you can make a little extra cash.
• 21:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 21:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why do we do that?
• 21:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 21:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: I've never understood their policy on it.
• 21:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like I understand what they think they're doing.
• 21:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I truly just don't think it ever plays the way they want it to.
• 21:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel the same way about their binge drop policy for TV shows, so I had just not in the Netflix mindset, but I just, yeah, I don't think it's good for them and I don't think it's good for audiences and people who are so impatient can learn to wait a few weeks.
• 22:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think that's one of the, like,
• 22:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: I feel like I hear it a lot that people don't like necessarily watch the binge drops anymore and they actually just watch an episode at a time because they don't have the attention span to sit there and watch an eight episodes season and one sitting.
• 22:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, fair.
• 22:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so they just watch them one at a time and I'm like, yeah, that's like how it should have just been released.
• 22:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 22:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then people can talk about it and drum up social media and I'm a broken record case that that did happen with K-pop that that did sure that did become a huge easier with movies to do that because like with TV shows it becomes more difficult because they're like, oh, where are you in the season?
• 22:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 22:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then by the time you catch up everyone else is done.
• 22:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: this one was very much, um, I don't know, we, I don't know how this is elsewhere, but here in the States, like gay pop has always had like a very strong following, and so like.
• 23:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: It wasn't surprising to see it become the like a central focus of this film and the film to do well with it, but like it's not a film that really Americanized like it did a little but not like it didn't like super white wash it like it kept it very Korean and like very much stuck to the roots.
• 23:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like I was a little worried going in that it was going to be a little
• 23:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hmm.
• 23:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, very Korean-American.
• 23:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is funny to, you know, their Korean-American creators, although one of the directors is a white guy from the Midwest who's married to a Korean-American woman.
• 23:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, but it was funny to hear them in like the behind the scenes.
• 23:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like we just want to show Korean culture to people.
• 23:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, okay, as someone who watches, like it doesn't create films a year, regardless.
• 23:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, you know what really communicates Korean culture.
• 24:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Korean films, but I understand this is like a gateway drug for for younger kids, especially and for a lot of people who are afraid of subtitles.
• 24:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, a hundred percent, like it very much, it very much is a nice jump in point for those who aren't comfortable.
• 24:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 24:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 24:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I mean, I quite like this film.
• 24:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I am like the only reason why I'm like, oh, let another film win is because I just get bored when the same thing wins everything.
• 24:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's totally fair, cause it always ends up happening.
• 24:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 24:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: But otherwise, like I just, I'm glad this film exists.
• 24:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's communicating a great message to younger audiences and it's entertaining, it's well made and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
• 24:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: I am as well.
• 24:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: I can glad that they're not rushing it.
• 25:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: It seems like everything that's been shared about it, which has mostly been coming from Director Mackie, okay?
• 25:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like she has very blatantly said, we are not rushing this.
• 25:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're gonna take our time.
• 25:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're still gonna make it worth what we're doing.
• 25:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, well, if you want to see it for yourself, it is easy to watch its omnut flakes, and it's only an hour and 36 minutes.
• 25:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I've watched it twice now.
• 25:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I rewatched it recently, because I realized I watched it so long ago.
• 25:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: One of the animals from it was nominated in the animal branch of the Academy of Deathracers.
• 25:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I didn't remember the animals, so I rewatched it.
• 25:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah, yeah, no, that was great.
• 25:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was great.
• 25:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was totally gonna nominate that animal when I first saw it.
• 25:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Five months.
• 25:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, whatever.
• 25:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: I may or may not have been one of the ones behind the scenes very much pushing for Derby to be nominated.
• 25:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: I love that little tiger.
• 26:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, any final thoughts about it?
• 26:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: K about K pop demon hunters?
• 26:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, I think we kind of hit.
• 26:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: All there is to it.
• 26:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right.
• 26:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's take a quick break.
• 26:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: And when we come back, we're going to talk about the other two biggest commercial films of the year.
• 26:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Be our back.
• 26:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so we're back and we're going from the biggest cultural juggernaut into the biggest financial juggernaut of the year that is Zutopia or if you live in Europe, Zutropolis, too, so the sequel.
• 26:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, it's an American film from Walt Disney Animation and in English.
• 26:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so the director's Jared Bush and Byron Howard are the nominees along with producer Yvette Marino for Bush.
• 27:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: this is his second nomination he won for in content a few years ago and he was also the co-director on the first utopia by the way but that meant he was outside of the nomination categories that was two directors and then he was co-director like third place you know so he wasn't included in nominations so that's why he only poor guy only has one Oscar so far
• 27:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, Howard, Byron Howard, this is his fourth nomination after Bolt, Zootopia, and in Comto, and he did win for both Zootopia and in Comto, and the producer, if at Marino, second nomination, won again for in Comto, uh, so the plot of this one is Zootopia, will be changed forever, you know, like very anyway.
• 27:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: After cracking the biggest case in Zootopia's history, rookie cops Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves in the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary to Snake arrives and turns the animal metropolis upside down.
• 28:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town where their growing partnership is tested, like never before.
• 28:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: I really enjoyed it.
• 28:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: Zutopia 1 is very good as well, but this one like it doesn't hesitate.
• 28:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: It picks pretty much right off where you would expect it to.
• 28:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you're a nerd like me and also watch the show, it doesn't incorporate some of the funny little gags from the brief show that exists.
• 28:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: but it's very enjoyable, there's a good story to it.
• 28:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: I love how they finally brought in the reptiles.
• 28:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, Kihoekuanans.
• 28:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: A treasure, anytime he can do anything, I'm usually staring at the screen and cheesing.
• 29:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: He is just so infectious and he always was.
• 29:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: I say as an Indiana Jones fan who loved him when he was a kid.
• 29:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: But like him bringing the snake to life while
• 29:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: Batman and Goodwin return, like it's just a good trio that work very well together.
• 29:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I think they are truly the reason it is as good as it is they bring a lot of heart to it.
• 29:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'll be honest, this for me and got like a kind of, I think I gave it three stars out of five.
• 29:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I liked it okay.
• 29:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just I didn't connect with the humor as much as it seems like other people have and that for me just kind of undermined.
• 29:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: the film and made it a bit less memorable to me, but as you're saying, the cast is great, like so Jennifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman are the core duo, but then we have probably the most important addition this time is Kay who he quant a definitely someone this this podcast and
• 30:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that was definitely my favorite addition and that's love him and everything and just yeah the backup cast is is Ridiculous Fortune Feemster Andy Sandberg David Strathern E. Just Elba Shakira of course as Gazelle and they even had this is crazy Bob Iger played Bob Tiger a Tiger weatherman by Bob Iger being the CEO of Disney so they just really like
• 30:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: They just pulled out all the stops for this one.
• 30:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's, they did it with the first one too.
• 30:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's so funny that they just get celebrities to come in and voice people that are very similar to them.
• 30:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like Michael J.
• 30:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: Fox came in and played Michael J.
• 31:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: The Fox.
• 31:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like Ed Sheeran did a character named Ed Sheeran.
• 31:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't remember what the, I think it was a sheep.
• 31:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, there's so many that are just so funny, and it's, you can clearly tell it's people doing it because they just think it's fun to do.
• 31:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 31:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not being as ridiculous, we have Quincy Brunson, we have Denny Treho.
• 31:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think I don't even have time to list all of the celebrities.
• 31:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: No.
• 31:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Alan Tudick plays a whole bunch of different characters, McColle Colkins, and they're like, what?
• 31:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's crazy.
• 31:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, tell me, Charlie.
• 31:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: Even Josh Gad has a small role.
• 31:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: He's one of the the mole cops.
• 31:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sorry, but he's lost inside of door man.
• 31:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sorry, I don't mind the control.
• 31:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think the rock was in it too.
• 32:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think he I think he did a voice.
• 32:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, there's just, who once Liberty wasn't in WWE too, like, so many of the big names, Patrick Warburton coming back, I love him.
• 32:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's easy enough for them to just be like, do you want to come into the studio and record some lines for a day and be part of the next big Disney movie?
• 32:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, yeah, I mean.
• 32:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Zootopia too, I like Zootopia, what?
• 32:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: Even if they don't like, I don't know, even if it's not like a, they're getting paid.
• 32:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm sure a bunch of people just did it for free because it was fun, like, I don't know.
• 32:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: I feel like I would just do that
• 32:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure they were paid.
• 32:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm sure, but I think even if they were like it, just give me a line, I'll mess around.
• 32:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: But the payments justify because they spent 150 million on the film, but then they made 1.86 billion from this film.
• 33:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that makes this the second highest-grossing animated film of all time and the ninth highest-grossing film of all time and the second highest-grossing film overall from 2025 and the highest-grossing American-produced animated film of all time.
• 33:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'll say I said the second highest grossing animated film of all time and the second highest grossing film of 2025.
• 33:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: There is one animated film that is the first in both of those categories and we'll talk about that a little bit later.
• 33:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll address that.
• 33:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was not eligible for an Oscar, but Nage Oct. 2.
• 33:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, but this 1.86 billion definitely, like, easily the biggest box office success of his bunch, I would be predicting this if not for the cultural impact of K-pop statement hunters.
• 33:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: I completely agree.
• 33:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: I didn't think as Utopia to take off the way it did, but I know it did
• 34:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: I know it really took off in Asia, which I think is really cool.
• 34:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I just, I didn't hear a lot of people talking about it until a couple weeks after it had been out and then I think that was around Thanksgiving here for us.
• 34:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so I think a lot of people had time off work and finally went and saw it and they were all like, oh, this was great.
• 34:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 34:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's going to eventually be on Disney Plus, but right now it's available on video on demand so you can rent it through Prime or Apple or whatever you rent through.
• 34:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's an hour and 48 minutes long.
• 34:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think when it hits Disney Plus we're going to get a bubble of people talking about it again.
• 34:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think so too.
• 34:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: That happens with everything that ends up doing like, even if it does really well in theaters and then ends up on Disney plus and then suddenly it has a huge resurgence.
• 35:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean it happens with every MCU film that comes out and ends up on Disney, like, yeah.
• 35:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: It gets talked about again.
• 35:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and you can see like on letterbox there's suddenly a resurgence of people logging it and things.
• 35:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: 100%.
• 35:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 35:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, this one is one seven of words.
• 35:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's been honored three additional times.
• 35:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: It did win the BAFTAs, but again, that's because I don't want to say it's because K-pop demon hunters wasn't eligible for the BAFTAs, but it was because K-pop demon hunters wasn't eligible for the BAFTAs.
• 35:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: it's miss 23 times guess which one those awards uh and it has still four awards pending including the Oscars but i think it's just people are going to be happy to have this on the list remember oh yeah that's the years utopia 2 came out that did pretty well didn't it yeah which is crazy considering that box office
• 35:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, I mean, to be honest to me, like, I think it was a charming film, but I don't think it was the most memorable story.
• 36:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, the story definitely was one of the weaker ones, but I, I don't know.
• 36:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: I still really enjoyed it.
• 36:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, I don't think it's perfect by any means.
• 36:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I do think I'm starting to hit the bubble of, oh, that humor is a little too childish.
• 36:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I don't know.
• 36:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's fun, it's nothing fancy, and I'd watch it again.
• 36:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I did watch the Zootopia Plus series on Disney+, which is just like, I forget, it's like maybe six episodes.
• 36:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're quite...
• 36:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's like...
• 36:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's six.
• 36:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 36:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they're like 10 minute episodes, maybe if that lasts, I think even, like, yeah, it's with credits.
• 36:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's probably less than an hour total.
• 36:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 36:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 37:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so each of those, that one was released after the first film.
• 37:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: So each of those episodes goes like down, like a character that was introduced in the first film, you've followed that character down a side path of something else that's happening during the same time as the first movie.
• 37:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I actually like that series better than this film.
• 37:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I have not watched it since it came out so I don't even like want to shout out particularly the the godfather like mole episode that was the best one.
• 37:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh my goodness yeah yeah yeah I forgot about that one but yes that is a very fun episode because he really I mean it just it really plays into the godfather parody.
• 37:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, it was well done.
• 37:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like you got his whole back story and yeah, it's created a whole little world.
• 37:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: God, I actually completely forgot about that until you just mentioned it.
• 37:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Did you have any final thoughts about suitopia, too?
• 38:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think so.
• 38:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think we kind of hit everything.
• 38:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, that's the thing is I don't have as much to say about it.
• 38:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um,
• 38:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I actually have, I think I prefer the next one we're going to talk about, which is the other, this is the Pixar entry this year.
• 38:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elio, Elio, how do you say it?
• 38:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: Uh, Elio.
• 38:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this, yeah, it's an English, it's directed by Madeleine Cheraffian Domei Shi and Adrienne Molina.
• 38:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And yes, so those are the three nominees plus producer Mary Alice Drum.
• 38:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so this is Cheraffian's second nomination after the short, Burro from 2021, which I almost forgot about, but it was super charming.
• 38:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: um it's she's third nomination after the short bow from 2019 which one that year and turning red the feature from 2021 and it's Molina's first nomination but uh he also co-wrote and co-directed co-co- and so
• 39:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Adrian Molina was actually the creator of L.A.O.
• 39:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: basically, Molina conceived the story about childhood and social isolation inspired by growing up in a military base, and eventually enrolling at the California Institute of the Arts.
• 39:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's interesting to read this movie as like an abstract analogy of, or how do you say that?
• 39:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I've met a four for that experience, I guess.
• 39:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I guess it's a closest.
• 39:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: But then Molina ended up leaving the production midway to work on Cocoa 2.
• 39:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then that's when Sharifian and she took it over and replaced Molina as director.
• 39:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the set up for the story is
• 40:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elyo, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric, alien life forms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who he's truly meant to be.
• 40:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: So what did you think of Elyo overall?
• 40:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, I still really enjoyed this one.
• 40:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's Pixar.
• 40:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's really hard to disappoint.
• 40:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, there's some, of course, I adore and there's some that are lower tier, but Pixar is pretty much always going to be good.
• 40:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: Even if it's not like anything phenomenal.
• 40:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's been a minute since I've seen this one.
• 40:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: I watched it over the summer back when it first released.
• 40:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I have not rewatched it since.
• 40:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I mean, it was in production for what felt like forever.
• 40:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I remember seeing the first trailer for it back in like 2023 and it took like two years to release after that.
• 41:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: It was tease-rave very, very long time by Disney.
• 41:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I think the hype kind of added to me and drawing it a little more.
• 41:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think, yeah, there's also this narrative about the fact that it's an original, you know, it's not a sequel or a part of a franchise.
• 41:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's here's an original story, and there was a sort of pressure, like if you want original animated films, go out and support this film.
• 41:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I have to say this did well on normal terms and it got 154 million at the box office, which is a lot of money except that the budget was 150 to 200 million.
• 41:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: So obviously it's still it's still made money more money that's not reported in this box office report from things like video on the man, but definitely.
• 42:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not nearly as much as what Zootopia 2 made, so what lesson is Disney going to take from this is obviously keep making and remaking the same stories, which is unfortunate.
• 42:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: However, I do think Hopper's is in theaters right now.
• 42:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm hoping that they also realize, oh, hey, another original story, and it seems like Hopper's is doing pretty well at the box office already.
• 42:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: All right.
• 42:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: Now, if the combo of Hopper's and Elio together will lead them to make better decisions.
• 42:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: I shouldn't see her.
• 42:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: I do enjoy the sequels,
• 42:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: How happens is considered was considered the next great hope for Pixar's original storytelling.
• 42:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I haven't seen it yet.
• 42:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've just been too busy with this Oscar stuff.
• 42:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm looking forward to I'm definitely going to see it while still in theaters.
• 42:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm very curious to see what I think of it as a film.
• 42:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I'm glad to hear I hope it has a better box office than LAL for the sake of future original storytelling.
• 43:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: I completely agree.
• 43:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I'll say this one also has, obviously, there's a listers in the cast.
• 43:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not quite as ridiculously stacked as Zutopia II, which at times turned into a cameo fest.
• 43:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: This one, the two main characters are young kids, so they're not known.
• 43:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jonas, Kibrab, and Remy, Edurly, they did, they were fantastic.
• 43:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the two main characters, L.I.O.
• 43:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: and Glorden.
• 43:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: obviously they're not going to be named draws, but I think for me it's more important than you just get people who can do the job well.
• 43:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: But anyway, yeah, so their kids, we don't know them, but we still have lots of other people in the cast.
• 43:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: We do recognize like Zoe Seltonia, Brad Garrett,
• 43:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I preferred this, I found it more inventive.
• 44:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I do think the strongest part of this film was visually and the world building, where this is not really a spoiler, but a lot of the film is spent in space in this place called the communeverse, which is like they designed it to be like spheres within spheres with these different habitats and stuff
• 44:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's so much invention going on with the setting itself and with a variety of extra terrestrial creatures and characters who are part of this setting.
• 44:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I mean, I find the the story beats are pain by number in the way the Pixar films have sadly largely become, but the
• 44:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: remarkably original.
• 44:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I completely agree.
• 44:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, Pixar in recent years has just went, okay, the appealed to the emotion very heavily has been successful for us.
• 45:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: Let's just keep trying to rehash it.
• 45:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I feel like they just missed the mark sometimes when they keep trying to do it.
• 45:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: Instead of just letting it naturally happen.
• 45:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: And if it happens great, if it doesn't
• 45:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: Mm-hmm, and I don't know, I think I think a big part of that was probably all the way back to Toy Story 3, when I think that one was like the big one where it kind of flipped picks our switch, and we've had good and bad since then from them, but I just, this setting is something that is, it's finally very different, it's very fresh, it's not
• 45:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not a sequel.
• 45:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not a repeat of anything we've seen before.
• 45:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not something come to life like cars and toy story.
• 46:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 46:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's very fun.
• 46:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 46:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, within the animation industry, Pixar has become a famous formula that others learn in order to, like, how do you do animated storytelling?
• 46:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Follow the Pixar formula.
• 46:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, here's how you make your own film.
• 46:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: But for me, the most interesting films, the other two
• 46:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think big studios are just, especially in the current moment, whether it's just such an obsession with making money over absolutely everything else, over creativity, over the staff, over the future of the studio as we see with Warner Bros. Like, they just had their most successful year and yet they're gonna strip it for parts and sell it to someone who's gonna defy or most of the people like, what are we doing?
• 46:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And sense of the rest?
• 47:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's not a great time for creativity in studios in general.
• 47:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: So Elio is definitely the most creative animated big studio offering we've gotten this year.
• 47:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I know people are like, oh, this is the one that could be off the list.
• 47:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I'm happy to see it here.
• 47:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: I am to even, even just going off of.
• 47:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: the year in film.
• 47:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I know we're going to talk about some of the others later.
• 47:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's one that I'm personally upset didn't make the noms.
• 47:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: And Elio is probably one of the two that I would rather it be replaced by.
• 47:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 47:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: But like I still enjoyed it a lot.
• 47:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like every animated
• 47:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 47:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, for me, I'm always going to be like Rob Raff for the animated indie films, but of the big studio films.
• 48:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: of the, we've talked about three big studio films so far, the last two are Indies, uh, and of these three big studio films, I guess this is the one that I would remove from the list is Utopia 2 and nobody's going to remove that from the list so don't listen to me.
• 48:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: That just me finding that the most boring three and LEO for me has something more interesting going on.
• 48:25
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 48:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it didn't do well head awards.
• 48:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's been nominated 13 times, which is not as much as the others missed every single time.
• 48:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Three awards pending, including the Oscars.
• 48:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it did surprisingly get 10 nominations at the Annie Awards, making it the leading film and nominations there, which I didn't expect.
• 48:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I wonder.
• 48:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: They just really loved it this year.
• 48:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: I wonder if it's that combination of a being a studio film and original storytelling and they're like, no, listen, do this, do more originals.
• 49:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it was that and from my understanding, which is not anything phenomenal from what I understand was they actually like designed a few new techniques of doing animation better and making it a little more fluid to make it more natural.
• 49:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so obviously the anis of all of the award shows are going to take most notice of that one.
• 49:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's actually in the technical aspect side of animation.
• 49:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 49:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you know, I was talking about, um, uh, about that that communeverse and I know that a lot of technical animation went into that into the setting into those unique creature design.
• 49:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I was talking about when you design an entirely new creature.
• 49:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: you have to also design how that creature is going to be animated.
• 49:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like if it has like fingers all over the edges of its body, those all needs you need to build a new animation break for that.
• 50:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you can animate it.
• 50:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, so it takes a lot of work to think outside the box like that.
• 50:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Even if it's not, even if the script isn't breaking new ground, all of these world-building details around it are what makes this film, special and for me, worthy of this nomination.
• 50:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I don't know if anything else to add to that one.
• 50:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you want to see it for yourself, it's streaming on Disney Plus already.
• 50:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: It came out quite early in the year to be honest, so it's on that regard.
• 50:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's also nice that it made it.
• 50:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's only an hour and 38 minutes long, so I'm really typically short and very pleasant watch.
• 50:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I recommend if for kids and I recommend it for adults too, just, you know, it's probably won't become your favorite movie,
• 50:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, all right that wraps up the studio films so let's take another quick pause here when we come back we're going to talk about the indie films spoiler alert my favorites very back
• 51:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, let's dive into, I mean, between the last two, I'm a bit torn about which is my favorite, but I do tend to land on Arco.
• 51:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: which is directed by Hugo Biemvenu.
• 51:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's from France, it's an indie film, but a neon purchased it, and they've been circulating a dubbed version of it.
• 51:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it was originally in French, but now it's easier to find the English dub as become more prevalent.
• 51:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to explain that, we look at the nominees are the director, who go be in Vinou, with producers, Felix, Dijivri, Sophie Mass, and Natalie Portman.
• 52:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so it's the first nomination for three of those, although Sophie Mass also worked on a lot of films like the Witch in May, December, and outside of animation, as well.
• 52:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: But the secret ingredient here, the person who's been painted is kind of a savior of having getting this film seen internationally is Natalie Portman who this is her fourth Oscar nomination, the other three nominations are of course for acting where she was nominated in supporting for closer and in lead for Black Swan and Jackie and she won for Black Swan.
• 52:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, and the plot of Arco is, what if rainbows, where people from the future traveling in time, 10-year-old Arco lives in a far future, during his first flight in his rainbow suit, he loses control and falls into the past.
• 52:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Iris, a girl, his age from 275, comes to his rescue and tries by all means to help send him back to his era.
• 53:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, what's your overall thoughts on Arco?
• 53:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: This one, I've noticed his hit or miss with people.
• 53:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: this one I will say as of right here right now is my bottom of the five oh it's I still gave it a seven I still really enjoyed it I do I have this really bad habit I need to sit down and watch all five of them together I would love to just sit for a day watch all five compared them
• 53:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: I've watched the last two nominees most recently, so Arco and Little Omelay, I have, I don't know, I've been thinking about Arco more, and so I'm wondering more and more, if Arco actually stuck with me more than I realized.
• 53:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: because it's very good, the animation's great.
• 54:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: That is like it's strongest point for me.
• 54:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, of course, the story and everything else is very solid.
• 54:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: But it's just, I don't know, there's lots of great elements.
• 54:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: I do really want to see this in French.
• 54:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm very frustrated that we can't get the English dub.
• 54:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: I purchased this film on Vod and still can't see it in French.
• 54:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
• 54:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that has to do with, you know, I said, neon is the international distributor.
• 54:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's a powerful international distributor, huge Oscar footprints, you know, see our international films episode, what we talk about that.
• 54:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, yeah, that was a big win, but I think they only have the rights to distribute the English dub.
• 54:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Which is my assumption.
• 54:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Which, um, yeah, I mean, I'll say the English dub has a great cast obviously, Natalie Portman is in it herself, she plays, so Arco is the name of the film, that's the character who goes back in time and I love the fact he goes back in time to 275, so he comes from even further in the future.
• 55:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: So just the world building there is insane.
• 55:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so he goes back and he meets and makes friends with this young girl called Iris or Iris, I suppose.
• 55:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, Iris and English for sure.
• 55:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So Iris's parents are played by Natalie Portman and Mark Rufflow.
• 55:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a trio of antagonists in the English language dubbed
• 55:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, Arco's mom's play by America for Rera.
• 55:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, it's, it's, uh, an a list English language cast.
• 55:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I have to say I've refused to watch the English language version.
• 55:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I did see it.
• 55:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I talked about this subscribers.
• 55:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I might remember me talking about this in the Liden International Film Festival.
• 56:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: What you watch in episode.
• 56:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, I saw this back in October.
• 56:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I did see, I saw it in French.
• 56:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And when I've watched like the commercials or clips for it in English, um, part of me is like, oh, let's give it a chance.
• 56:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then when I hear like the three triple antagonists like when I hear the dub, I'm like, no, it's just not the same.
• 56:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't want to watch it and get the French voices out of my head.
• 56:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I kind of wonder if,
• 56:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel like the people who really love it saw it in the original French, and then a lot of the people who saw the dub first are less high on it.
• 56:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think that would probably be a fair assumption because like, while I was watching it, when that trio get introduced to our basically the three stuages.
• 56:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 56:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: I literally like the first voice I hear, I was like, is that Will Ferrell?
• 57:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like it took me so out of it because it was like I immediately knew the voice and it was like if it was an American dub or an English dub and we had American actors in here.
• 57:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: Fine.
• 57:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Why do they have to be such well-known ones?
• 57:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: Why couldn't they be people who are simply voice actors to voice act?
• 57:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: Andy Sandberg, I will give the benefit because he has done so much voice work in his career, but like
• 57:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, some of the other choices here, I wasn't the biggest fan of, even though the rest didn't really take me out of it, it was Will Ferrell, being Will Ferrell.
• 57:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: Even though he was still great, he was still funny.
• 57:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: But those three characters, I do feel like they were thrown off a little bit, being Andy Sandberg Will Ferrell and Flee.
• 57:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, so I have to say, I think also my theater experience helped with this one a lot too.
• 57:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was in this tiny indie theater in a small city in the Netherlands and the crowd.
• 58:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was all because it was an original French with, I think we had Dutch subtitles.
• 58:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it was an all adult audience who was also in the evening, by the way.
• 58:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: so what there were no kids there is just all adults because because kids there was a dubbed Dutch version that kids could watch on other days which I know someone else got stuck watching that and he really this is his bottom ranked he's like the Dutch dog would's terrible.
• 58:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: But my all adult audience was so into this film, just like laughing the entire time, especially at those three characters, and definitely a theater experience like that can boost your opinion on a film.
• 58:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I also just really love the inventiveness of it, the sense of fun, there's things in there that I've never seen, there's so many combinations of like,
• 58:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: We've got time travel and robots and dinosaurs all coming together, not necessarily in the way you might think.
• 59:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, it's pure chaos at different points in any other medium.
• 59:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: You'd be like, what the hell am I watching?
• 59:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: But the fact that it's done in animation and it's done so beautifully in it, it's like, oh, okay, this is fun.
• 59:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's just enjoyable.
• 59:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely beautiful.
• 59:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: Ooh, I have it as my background for the film on letterbox, but I love the like floating platforms, that they all just house on.
• 59:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not really a spoiler.
• 59:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's a co-minton, that they show off these houses that they live in in the future.
• 59:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's just like every family kind of has like this, looks like a plate where they all just live and do their thing.
• 59:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right, because there's been climate disasters so they have to come on new ways to live.
• 59:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I want more stories in this world for sure I could absolutely see it happening.
• 59:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think they are done with it
• 1:00:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: yeah, I hope.
• 1:00:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I will say indefense of the of the dub.
• 1:00:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: They've made interesting choices.
• 1:00:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: For example, there's this Mickey character who's the robot, a robot character is important throughout the film.
• 1:00:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And in the French original, the director himself.
• 1:00:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hugo, he, he, I love his last name, it's B.M.
• 1:00:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Vanu, by the way, which means welcome in French, for a new artist of Mr.
• 1:00:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome.
• 1:00:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: He voiced the robot himself.
• 1:00:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the creator.
• 1:00:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I love that this is like a sole creator film.
• 1:00:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is really out of the mind of a, you know, a creative.
• 1:00:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I want more films like that, but I do also appreciate the choice they made, you know, so he did the French version and then in the English version, because this robot character Mickey is a caretaker, they combine the voices of Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo, who plays Iris' parents, it's their voices combined that's doing the robot voice.
• 1:01:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I appreciate decisions
• 1:01:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, yeah, both ways, I mean, are very cool.
• 1:01:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's, I mean, you can't really just have, I mean, I guess you could have Buggo come and do the English dub, but I don't know if he's big English, but from my understanding, he is with a thick French accent.
• 1:01:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: From my understanding, he's a very cool guy.
• 1:01:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, like, I know he,
• 1:01:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: is the director but I know he didn't write a lot of the script.
• 1:01:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: I know he kind of just drew some stuff, storyboarded a lot, and then kind of passed the book and said, hey can we make a script out of this?
• 1:01:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it was definitely art led that you know it's it started with him sort of he said he had this vision of this little boy with rainbows and like and that that was where it started and I suppose like those habitats you were talking about and things like that.
• 1:02:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, the, uh, I was saying one of the producers, uh, Felix de Giefri.
• 1:02:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, he is the co-writer.
• 1:02:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I suppose he's the one who co-elessed a lot of these ideas into a more coherent script along with you go.
• 1:02:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, that's just cool.
• 1:02:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 1:02:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 1:02:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: I just find it cool that he was like, I really like this art.
• 1:02:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have this cool idea.
• 1:02:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, who's around me who can help me bring it to life?
• 1:02:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Make it a movie.
• 1:02:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then luckily, I'm not, they keep telling the story that Natalie Portman saw it.
• 1:02:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not sure how exactly it came across her, but like she saw an animatic version of it is like a 40 minute animatic version of it basically.
• 1:02:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: And she's like, I love this.
• 1:02:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: How do we turn this into a film?
• 1:02:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're like, we need your name when we need some of your money.
• 1:02:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And she's like, done.
• 1:02:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And by the way, here's my voice as well.
• 1:02:57
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 1:02:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:02:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's like in terms of the budget was 9.5 million, which is it's indeed it is quite low, but it only made 4 million of the box office.
• 1:03:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: So they are trying to make that money back now.
• 1:03:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is available to rent just released to rent.
• 1:03:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: This was a big like it was the white whale for a lot of the death racers, Oscars death racers this year until it was just released on a video on demand.
• 1:03:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if you if you do rent it know the money's going to a good cause to supporting indie film and a lovely one, it's an hour and twenty nine minutes long, um, it, it has the pedigree.
• 1:03:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: in terms of it was released at the Confilm Festival.
• 1:03:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, it's one six awards so far and been honored for more times, including the O'Winnid Anasy, which is, like, the biggest animated film festival and any, we already talked about that one, the indie award at the, any film at the awards, uh, the Sasear, the French film awards that makes sense.
• 1:04:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Miss 25 times again, blaming K-pop demon hunters for that.
• 1:04:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: with two pending awards.
• 1:04:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Did you have any other thoughts about Arco?
• 1:04:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 1:04:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I have other ones, but they will get into spoiler territory.
• 1:04:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I will just say watch the freaking film because it's very good.
• 1:04:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I say it's, it takes you on a emotional roller coaster.
• 1:04:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: There is a lot of emotion to it.
• 1:04:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot of heart that you can tell.
• 1:04:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: You can tell behind the scenes that there is a lot there, too.
• 1:04:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: It lands in a bittersweet place, I'll say that.
• 1:04:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, yeah, I agree.
• 1:04:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I was definitely room for SQL.
• 1:04:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I want the visit to go the other way next time, but yeah.
• 1:04:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that would be lovely.
• 1:04:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if you all go watch Arco and rent it, maybe I get my SQL, I want.
• 1:05:02
  [SPEAKER_03]: That would be fun.
• 1:05:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, it's definitely there's two indie films that have been dominating the attention this year.
• 1:05:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: One is Arco and the other is the final nominee, Little Amelie or the character of Rain, directed by my least Valad, Leon Chohan.
• 1:05:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's from Belgium, France, another indie film distributed by G kids.
• 1:05:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's in French, or Japanese originally, I know that this is another one that people have been having trouble finding the original language and have mostly been listening to the dubbed version, which version did you get to watch?
• 1:05:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: from my understanding, and I also purchased this one because I wanted to support the endies.
• 1:05:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: From my understanding, the one on Vod is the original with the French and Japanese language indexed.
• 1:06:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I definitely heard both Japanese and French when I was
• 1:06:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, no, that must be it, but no, like someone rented it through, I think YouTube and then was like, oh, I didn't check and it's the English dub.
• 1:06:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, yeah, I didn't know whether there wasn't English dub of this one.
• 1:06:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's not a famous voice cast for this one, but I know it exists.
• 1:06:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: I haven't heard any of it.
• 1:06:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I can't attest to the quality or anything like that.
• 1:06:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: But obviously, if you need the dub for whatever reason and great, I'm glad it exists, but obviously I prefer the original.
• 1:06:41
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 1:06:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the nominees for this one are the directors, Myelis Falad, and Leon Chohan, along with the producers, Nidias and Tiago, and Alri Magalong.
• 1:06:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the first nominations for all of them, but they do all have strong pedigrees, in especially animated films.
• 1:07:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to set this film up, it's about when you're three years old, you see everything and understand nothing.
• 1:07:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: The world is a perplexing peaceful mystery to Amelie until a miraculous encounter with chocolate ignites her wild senses of curiosity.
• 1:07:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: as she develops a deep attachment to her family's housekeeper, Nishiyosan, Emily discovers the wonders of nature as well as the emotional truths hidden behind the surface of her family's idyllic life as foreigners and post-war Japan.
• 1:07:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we should say, yeah, this is it's set.
• 1:07:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: in post-war Japan so like late 40s I suppose that definitely plays a role in it and it's a Belgian family in Japan and from the perspective of a three year old so she's trying to understand the world all she's ever known as Japan and it's devastating to her that she's not considered Japanese.
• 1:07:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: because she's from a Belgian family.
• 1:08:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is based on a book I haven't read the book, but it's called The Character Rain in English or in French.
• 1:08:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's called Amelie,
• 1:08:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: it's talking about like the abstract what is the character of rain but also in the film she literally learns how to draw the Japanese character for rain.
• 1:08:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah and that's a big moment for her.
• 1:08:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm showing a big one.
• 1:08:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: What would you her overall thoughts on little Amalee?
• 1:08:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Where does this rank for you?
• 1:08:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, I, again, enjoyed this one a lot.
• 1:08:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, spoiler alert.
• 1:08:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: It is three of the five nominees I gave an eight out of them.
• 1:08:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: So, they're all kind of there for me.
• 1:08:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, hadn't had this one is actually number three for me.
• 1:08:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: So, this is dead center.
• 1:09:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 1:09:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: I, I really, the focus on such a young kid.
• 1:09:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: being the protagonist and like from her point of view and
• 1:09:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, there's a lot more observational story telling that can happen that way because it's constantly the kid going, what's this, what's this, why does this happen?
• 1:09:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's for anybody who has ever worked with kids, like I do every day.
• 1:09:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's pretty normal to hear that constant questioning of different things.
• 1:09:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: nature of her was very fun.
• 1:09:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
• 1:09:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and they really, with the, I mean, the art is adorable.
• 1:09:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's, you know, we talked about Chibi style.
• 1:09:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not that, but it's like a more artistic version of that, with like rounded characters, you know, like rounded shapes.
• 1:10:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: but with more like a watercolor type, you know, arts aesthetic.
• 1:10:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they really with the cinematography, they emphasized putting it at the child's eye view, you know, making the camera on her level.
• 1:10:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you see her way, but also just the way it focuses on her and the way it darts around kind of mimicking her hyperactivity.
• 1:10:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: We should say she
• 1:10:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: She seems to be a bit neurodivergent as a young child, even though she's also just a young child.
• 1:10:35
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 1:10:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Apparently in Japan, this is something from the book that's not said in the film, but I saw in the making of about it, which is on animation's showcase if I didn't want to check it out, that the in Japan child is considered a god until their three years old.
• 1:10:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that explains also a bit of washi, I think she's a god.
• 1:10:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, that explains the intro because that intro that me sitting here going what am I watching?
• 1:11:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then it picked up and I was like, oh, this is great.
• 1:11:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: But to just throw in and yeah, suddenly we're talking to a god.
• 1:11:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: I was very confused.
• 1:11:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, well, because she thinks she's a center of the universe and a young child, which I thought was brilliant, apparently in the book, it gets a bit more overtly religious and the filmmakers for this were like, yeah, we didn't want to actually be religious, we was wanted to talk about that childhood transition from thinking you're the center of the world to realizing you are a part of a wider world beyond your scope and understanding.
• 1:11:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, that's just awesome though.
• 1:11:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, this one had the same budget as Arco 9.5 million, but it made even slightly less 2 million so don't regret it the fact that it's too rent still, including I noticed it was to rent on letterbox for actually a good price because often the new films on letterboxed are really expensive, I think this was only like six years.
• 1:12:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think it was about, I think that's about $11 here in the US.
• 1:12:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 1:12:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:12:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's a short film too.
• 1:12:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's only an hour and 18 minutes long.
• 1:12:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: So definitely a really easy watch.
• 1:12:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, because Arco, I struggle between these two or my favorites because Arco, I love the inventive world building and like it's just so much fun and color in there.
• 1:12:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Amelie is the one that really makes me think about like, at someone, I'm someone who grew up in one country and then moved to another and my identity is split between them.
• 1:12:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's a film about that a lot, but also a film about like,
• 1:12:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: the fallout of war and how to children learn about these complex adult concepts and yeah there's so much surprising depth not to mention beauty in this and not just like I mean of course the fallout from the war is like one of the biggest parts but like I think there's that
• 1:13:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: that subtle racism that like, yeah, perpetrates because like, I mean, that was something that the U.S. made a massive mistake on during the war was putting Japanese Americans in basically concentration camps.
• 1:13:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it wasn't actually, but it's like my favorite.
• 1:13:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, it was to it.
• 1:13:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean,
• 1:13:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, my grandfather's cousin, who's a close family member growing up, I didn't even learn about this at school.
• 1:13:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's the one who told me about it because he was as a kid, he was in these camps and they were taken away from their houses and they were kept in, you know, not cages in the way we see going on in the US right now, but still.
• 1:13:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, but still in a way that's brutal.
• 1:13:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:13:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, FDR is my favorite U.S. president, but that is like a massive caveat.
• 1:13:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: We've never had a perfect U.S. president.
• 1:13:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that is.
• 1:14:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: God, no.
• 1:14:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, he really screwed the food on that.
• 1:14:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:14:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, yeah.
• 1:14:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's probably one of the biggest mistakes we've ever made.
• 1:14:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:14:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let's not do worse.
• 1:14:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: But anyway, um, this, yeah, this, this is one that like it has all these complex topics that adults can dig into, but it's still something you can show to a very young child and they will enjoy because they'll enjoy seeing the young protagonist and the pretty colors and all of that, you know.
• 1:14:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think this is a rare film that really transcends all age groups.
• 1:14:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I completely agree.
• 1:14:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I would argue, Arco, that's a certain extent too.
• 1:14:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, this is the other one with the, like, the pedigree behind it, where it also premiered a con.
• 1:14:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's one six awards so far, but on our three additional times, including the Anna C, audience award.
• 1:14:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's missed 23 times.
• 1:14:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, the culprit already two pending awards, including the Oscars.
• 1:15:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Did you have any other thoughts on little
• 1:15:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, I mean, it's, it's a hard one to like discuss because it's not like it's so subtle.
• 1:15:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's so involved.
• 1:15:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: You just have to like experience it through her eyes, which is exactly what the film is, but like there's not a lot to talk about without just watching it.
• 1:15:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, and it's a short watch as we said.
• 1:15:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah,
• 1:15:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, Dickin.
• 1:15:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so you've given us a rough sketch, but let it out, what is your ranking of these five?
• 1:15:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, ranking for me, you keep up demon hunters, Zutopia 2, Little Amalay, Lio, Arco.
• 1:15:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, I think I'm going to do ranking for me.
• 1:15:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's so close to, it's kind of a tie between ARCO and little omelette, maybe I give the edge to ARCO.
• 1:16:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I keep doing that, but I don't, I don't know, like, I like them for different reasons.
• 1:16:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm gonna say a tie between those two.
• 1:16:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that means third place, third place, then for me goes to K-pop demon hunters, then L-O, then Zootopia.
• 1:16:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think, I think we agree on what's gonna win.
• 1:16:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I don't I don't think there's any surprise there.
• 1:16:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean like I said it's it's in my top 10 of last year, but it's It's very clear.
• 1:16:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think this is one of the clearest years.
• 1:16:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's been It would be a shock if anything else won.
• 1:16:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's the most clear since spider-verse.
• 1:16:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think yeah Yeah, I
• 1:16:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, just, you know, as we've hinted at already though, these, we were not surprised remotely at all that these were the five films dominated, but it doesn't mean that there weren't other films who were worthy of this.
• 1:17:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: You tease it.
• 1:17:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's one in particular.
• 1:17:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: You were sad not to see here.
• 1:17:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to take a quick break and then when we come back, we're going to find out
• 1:17:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: What that film is that you was surprised not to see here.
• 1:17:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to talk about the Mass of cultural resurgence in a mainstream way of anime and Some of the other best animated films at the year bear a back
• 1:17:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so we talked earlier about this sort of secret for your consideration list that anyone who voted on the animated films or, you know, the nomination process and the Academy had to have seen these 12 films.
• 1:17:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: We know the five that were nominated were definitely on the list.
• 1:18:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: There are 35 eligible films, so
• 1:18:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: what do you think might have been some of the other seven on that list?
• 1:18:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's starting with what is the one that you most hoped was nominated?
• 1:18:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: That one is very easy for me.
• 1:18:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: Lost in Starlight.
• 1:18:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: The Korean
• 1:18:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: Netflix production that was so that was actually my number seven on the year.
• 1:18:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: It was only the only animated film above it was K-pop team and honors.
• 1:18:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: That one really just hit with me, but I'm not surprised that it wasn't nominated.
• 1:18:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was going to set it up for people who don't know what it is.
• 1:18:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's on Netflix, by the way, so people watch it easily.
• 1:18:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: When an astronaut leaves Earth for Mars, the vast infinite space divides star-crossed lovers in this animated romance that crosses the cosmos.
• 1:18:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's sci-fi meets romance meets great animation.
• 1:19:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 1:19:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's this guy very much questioning why this seemingly awesome woman loves him.
• 1:19:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 1:19:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's very, very good.
• 1:19:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: I, I truly doubt it was in that secret 12 list.
• 1:19:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it probably was personally.
• 1:19:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it was probably close.
• 1:19:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: If it was not.
• 1:19:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it.
• 1:19:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
• 1:19:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, I've heard people loving it all year.
• 1:19:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is one, I think I gave it a seven out of 10, 3.5 stars out of five, and it's one, like it's on paper.
• 1:19:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: It sounds like exactly my kind of thing, you know, like scientists and musician fall in love, space travels involved and music, obviously.
• 1:19:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: didn't there were certain things that like irked me from like a cinema since perspective where I was really mad about how the climax of the whole thing happened.
• 1:20:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was like, does that make sense?
• 1:20:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's what never.
• 1:20:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, there's there's a little bit there, but
• 1:20:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, but I understand it's beautiful, it's like got very likable characters, you're rooting for them.
• 1:20:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Apparently it started as a music video, so it's amazing they were able to flesh it out so much.
• 1:20:26
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 1:20:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I generally hear nothing but raving reviews of Lost and Starlight.
• 1:20:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if you want to check that out, it's on Netflix.
• 1:20:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's in Korean, obviously, you can listen to the dubbed version of people too.
• 1:20:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I...
• 1:20:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: god i actually don't remember i think go watch it in korean i think i don't know i'm not yeah if a dub is good sometimes they will
• 1:20:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah.
• 1:20:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm, I'll say that even the Korean version has some English in it because well, especially because she is an astronaut, it opens with English because she's in, she's in the US training, doing astronauty things and so they're speaking English and then she goes back to Korea and it switches to Korean for most of it.
• 1:21:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:21:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there is definitely, there's English in it as well.
• 1:21:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe that's why I can't remember.
• 1:21:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:21:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, that one, I mean, I, that was one that I thought, like, if something else slipped onto the list other than the five expected, that's one I thought was a potential spoiler.
• 1:21:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:21:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Can I give you a hot take on one that I, I would have put over Zootopia to, I would have put the bad guys to.
• 1:21:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: see I was getting ready to bring that one up next because I actually haven't seen it yet.
• 1:21:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, it was like one of my most anticipated in terms of animation last year and I just didn't and it's so it's been so easily available for so long now.
• 1:21:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean it almost in setup it almost feels like it did you like the first bad guy said
• 1:22:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's instead of it almost feels like as utopia rip off in some way except they live in a world where like there's anthropomorphic animals and humans living together Yeah, they never really explain the relationship there.
• 1:22:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just how it is.
• 1:22:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, it's just kind of there
• 1:22:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so you have this group of villainous animals.
• 1:22:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So there's some crossover with Zutopia to there who perceived as villainous animals who are like, well, we have no choice but to be villains because you see us that way, played by Sam Rockwell, plays the lead, and everyone's sexually attracted to his Mr. Wolf character.
• 1:22:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, he's like a villainous James Bond Wolf.
• 1:22:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, I don't know, it's weird.
• 1:22:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the rest of his crew is Mark Marone, Alcofina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos.
• 1:23:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Susie Beats, they're joined by new characters played by Danielle Brooks, Natasha Leone, Maria Backelova, Alex Borsstein is a cop in both versions, one of the only human characters who actually gets lines.
• 1:23:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it is a pretty good cast, it is sort of a, it's another one where like the climax and like this makes no sense scientifically like logically none of this makes sense, but I still am enjoying this.
• 1:23:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that is uh, I've only heard good things about it.
• 1:23:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: I.
• 1:23:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's one of the ones that I like wouldn't have been surprised hearing that he got nominated because I had heard it had been doing well, but I think it just really really early in the season to even be considered.
• 1:23:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think a flu under the radar, like the bad guys franchise in general.
• 1:23:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is second film and it just hasn't gotten as much attention.
• 1:23:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a dream works film.
• 1:23:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like DreamWorks we were saying is was one was the main studio that made them say like, oh, maybe we should actually start awarding animated features regularly because now we've got some competition.
• 1:24:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: but they're not doing as well in recent years at the awards.
• 1:24:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:24:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this was their big entry this year.
• 1:24:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can watch it yourself on peacock or here in the Netherlands on Sky Showtime.
• 1:24:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it did.
• 1:24:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was long-listed for animated feature at the BAFTAs, but otherwise it's been pretty ignored by the award C-stuff.
• 1:24:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'm not too surprised on that one.
• 1:24:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, there's one more that I, again, I still haven't seen it, which bad Scarlet was the one that I thought was really going to take off.
• 1:24:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's the same people that did, um, bell, which I thought was very pretty, even though I have not seen all of bell either, um, and a girl who left her time, I saw a long time ago, but like, I don't know, that studio is very solid and I really thought Scarlett was going to be a bigger one in the conversation this year.
• 1:25:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I haven't seen Scarlett either.
• 1:25:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: I actually, I was going to go see it in the theaters before it was barely in the theaters here to be honest.
• 1:25:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: It did not get traction in the theaters.
• 1:25:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: There were a few showings, and then I ended up deciding I just needed to spend my time on other work things rather than going to see it.
• 1:25:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's just exited theaters.
• 1:25:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hopefully it will be to rent soon.
• 1:25:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: it's from studio chizo distributed by Sony and it's basically a new take on the Hamlet story which fits in with like I've noticing there's so much hamlet going on right now we had that documentary from last year slash this year grand theft hamlet we had ham net of course it's a big film this year we have uh
• 1:26:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: the new national theater pamlet and there's that new hamlet also that just released trailer.
• 1:26:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, Hamlet's having a moment and I want to see Scarlet.
• 1:26:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's always a weird research instead of Shakespeare and it's always like one story though.
• 1:26:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I guess Hamlet, like, I'm like, okay, remind me all the details of Hamlet.
• 1:26:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is a juicy one, but this one, yeah, it's directed by Mamoru Hosoda, who is probably best known for the two films you mentioned.
• 1:26:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: The girl who left through time from 2006 in Bell, from 2021 in Bell, is a take on the Beauty and the B story as the title kind of implies.
• 1:26:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: think the girl who left her time is great.
• 1:26:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: I did not love Belle as much as everybody else.
• 1:26:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Really?
• 1:26:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, that's another reason why I dragged my feet on the theater.
• 1:27:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was like, I would rather just binge more of demon hunters and finally finish that.
• 1:27:08
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 1:27:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, but Scarlet was one that a lot of people thought might go into the year.
• 1:27:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: It definitely
• 1:27:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you know what else people thought was going to make it was another Netflix movie in your dreams.
• 1:27:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this is an American film.
• 1:27:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: This was, it's another like very comfy studio offering, like it's one.
• 1:27:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: I gave it three stars, but I liked it.
• 1:27:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Three stars with a heart, you know?
• 1:27:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: As Stevie and her little brother Ellie journey into the wildly absurd landscape of their own dreams to ask the Sandman to grant them the perfect family.
• 1:27:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's got that like following the Pixar formula situation in terms of both story and art style.
• 1:28:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it does that very well, I think that I think there's definitely worse ways you can spend an hour and a half than watching in your dreams on Netflix.
• 1:28:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I have not seen that one either.
• 1:28:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: I've been really bad about seeing much animation this year.
• 1:28:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: The couple other features I've seen are either more or even eligible or more considered.
• 1:28:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: But this was another one that I like saw it.
• 1:28:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, maybe.
• 1:28:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then I saw a trailer for it.
• 1:28:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, and this just feels like fake pics are.
• 1:28:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's kind of how it.
• 1:28:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, I don't know, it's not like really jumping at me.
• 1:28:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so I kind of ignored it.
• 1:28:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I don't know, maybe I'll see it eventually.
• 1:28:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I mean, it is very much fake Pixar.
• 1:28:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I liked it.
• 1:28:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it should have been on here over LAO, for example, which it would have been what it replaced basically.
• 1:29:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, probably.
• 1:29:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's worth.
• 1:29:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you're looking for some light fun animation that's all about like family feels in your dreams is a good way to spend your time.
• 1:29:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I have to say, it worked for me a lot better than there's two other indie films, you know, I'm like Rob Rye indie animation, but there's two other indie films that got some more attention than I'm less keen on.
• 1:29:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: One is Boys Go to Jupiter, which you can watch on HBO Max, and it's basically, I don't know if you saw that one, it's really, it's, I maybe, I wonder if you would like it better than me because it's one that I think I would have liked better in my 20s.
• 1:29:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's like, isn't that the one that's like flash animation-ish?
• 1:29:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I can't.
• 1:29:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: The animation is terrible.
• 1:29:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's always busy.
• 1:29:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes when it's bad animation, that makes it funnier.
• 1:29:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, I mean it is, that's the vibe, that's the vibe you're going for, that it's like so stupid, it's funny, sort of thing, but there is kind of about hanging out in Florida, but there's weird stuff that happens.
• 1:30:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's one that I think about more than I expected after the fact, so maybe I liked it more than I thought, but I just think I would have liked it so much more in my 20s.
• 1:30:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that makes sense.
• 1:30:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: That one was nominated for the John Castle Veggies Award at the Indie Spirits, so that's why I saw it.
• 1:30:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, if you're into more experimental animation, yeah, boys go to Jupiter's one to check out and kind of in the same vein, but on the documentary side of things is endless cookie, which was nominated for best documentary at the Indie Spirits, and it's got like this.
• 1:30:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Intentionally ugly animation, I think the creator has a background in adult swim.
• 1:30:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: That would make sense.
• 1:30:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's got that vibe.
• 1:30:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a Canadian doc about a white guy and an indigenous guy who are brothers.
• 1:31:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: They share a father and they make this film together.
• 1:31:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of a hangout film, kind of about their experience for me to bit too unfocused.
• 1:31:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: But those were two of the wilder Indiana-made films.
• 1:31:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: But before we move on from the eligible film to talk about some other recommendations, we have to talk about the gigantic anime dragon in the room.
• 1:31:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
• 1:31:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do you have the sense that anime is having a moment in the main stream?
• 1:31:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think so.
• 1:31:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's hard to say because I'm such a friggin' nerd.
• 1:31:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: I really think so, I mean, with me being a teacher, I teach kids that are high school, so like 14 to 18.
• 1:31:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: So, like, I feel like year to year, I always kind of can tell the trends, but I definitely feel like the last couple of years anime has been getting bigger and bigger, and now when I hear kids talking about it, I hear much deeper cuts, and like deeper cuts to anime that I have not seen.
• 1:32:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's like you're getting old, man.
• 1:32:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Is there 2,000 births?
• 1:32:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have not seen a lot of anime.
• 1:32:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm very bad about that.
• 1:32:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: I end up reading a lot more manga, but I don't know, like I hear some of the crazy deep cut weird anime that they're watching.
• 1:32:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm like, oh, they're actually truly interested in the form.
• 1:32:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, I'll say there's two big films that came out this year that are making especially an impact.
• 1:32:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's Demon Slayer, Kimetsu no Yiba Infinity Castle, and Chainsawman, the movie, Res Arc.
• 1:32:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: and both of them are sequels to existing series.
• 1:33:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: So chainsaw, ma'am, I'll say my bias going in.
• 1:33:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I watch chainsaw, ma'am every episode as it released.
• 1:33:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's only one season out.
• 1:33:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's based on a manga that I have not read.
• 1:33:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I thought, like, I'll read the manga and now I'm like, me and I want, I'm just happy to experience it this way.
• 1:33:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: So they did an entire first season, which is about a torny chainsaw demon, but somehow I really like it.
• 1:33:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's still really good, not only animation, but really good writing about, you know, the horny chainsaw demons also have hearts.
• 1:33:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, hey, you got to have something.
• 1:33:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that was definitely my bias going in and that was one that like as soon as the movie came out I can immediately watch the movie because I'm all caught up.
• 1:33:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Whereas Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yama That has Depending on how you count
• 1:33:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: four or five seasons Netflix says five where's like the first seasons 26 a short episodes and then like the other seasons are like eight seven to 11 episodes each and then this this movie immediately picks up after that.
• 1:34:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: so I have been binging demons there so that I can watch this movie and unfortunately I have not yet watched this movie I am almost done with the final season of the show so actually I'm going to and yeah so listeners if you stick around until after I say goodbye to Logan I will jump into the future for the outro where I will have seen this film and I will be able
• 1:34:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, between these two, you know, my bias was chainsome and that did well.
• 1:34:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's from Mappa.
• 1:34:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's available to rent now.
• 1:34:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: It grossed 174.7 million in the box office worldwide, making it one of the highest grossing Japanese films of all time.
• 1:35:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: It got positive reviews.
• 1:35:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's based on this manga that's still ongoing, but it follows only one season of an anime.
• 1:35:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's
• 1:35:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Easy to catch up on the season and I think I don't know.
• 1:35:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe you can watch it without that as well I think that's it catches you up enough.
• 1:35:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just basically like about I don't know I think it's worth getting Denji's backstory That's the main chainsaw demon character in the whole backstory of like it's funny They're both kind of about groups of demons layers but completely different in tone Whereas chainsaw man is kind of more grounded set in a modern society
• 1:35:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, the animation is a bit more adult.
• 1:35:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And demons there is more like they use a lot of that Cheebee style that we are talking about.
• 1:35:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was even wondering if, um, if Kpop like took some inspiration from some of the ways they use that Cheebee animation, but I'll say,
• 1:36:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: where chainsaw man has gotten good money and good reviews, demon slayer has wiped the floor with chainsaw man almost every other movie on this list.
• 1:36:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's from Ufo Table, UFO Table, maybe it's called.
• 1:36:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know how to pronounce it, let me see it on the screen.
• 1:36:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's out of theaters now, not available to rent yet, so it's difficult to watch, but it will soon be available to rent for sure.
• 1:36:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this became the seventh highest grossing film of 2025 grossing 778.9 million worldwide, so one of the top grossing films of the year overall.
• 1:36:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Highest grossing international film in the US, a record previously held by crouching tiger
• 1:36:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, it broke multiple box office records, becoming the highest grossing Japanese film, the highest grossing are rated animated film, the second highest grossing adult animated film, and the first are rated non-American and animated film to gross over 700 million.
• 1:37:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it overtook the Simpsons movie as the highest grossing film based on an animated television series.
• 1:37:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: just behind Lion King.
• 1:37:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a second high-scursing traditionally.
• 1:37:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 1:37:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: So anyway, it's just breaking box office records left and right.
• 1:37:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this is why I was aware Demon Slayer existed.
• 1:37:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was like, I don't know if it's for me.
• 1:37:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then after this film came out in the phenomenon, I'm like, oh, I guess I'm watching five seasons of this freaking TV show.
• 1:37:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 1:37:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: Demon Slayer is one of the one of the enemies sitting on a list that...
• 1:37:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: eventually I'll get to it.
• 1:37:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's Demon Slayer, my hero, and Chujitsu guys, and it's like three of the biggest ones, and I have not seen any of them.
• 1:37:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, I feel like demon slayer.
• 1:37:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: So okay, demon slayer is a type of manga or type of, we have manga and anime called Shonen, which is basically Japanese for like teenage boy fantasies.
• 1:38:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, basically.
• 1:38:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, Shonen jump is called that for a reason.
• 1:38:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mm.
• 1:38:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:38:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, Shonen literally means boy in Japanese.
• 1:38:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 1:38:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think so.
• 1:38:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like because I've been binging this, you know, I just just want to get to the movie, which I'm now at the reach.
• 1:38:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm in the middle of the final episode, before the movie.
• 1:38:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's like I closed my eyes after watching it and like I see animated boobs.
• 1:38:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not bare breast, but just every adult woman has like, like there's one character in there.
• 1:38:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, I'm sorry, Mr. Sound Hashira.
• 1:38:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you actually love your three wives, you will get them from fricking clothing because they look cold.
• 1:38:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's how you take care of them.
• 1:38:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: No funny.
• 1:38:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's such a...
• 1:38:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's such an animatrop too, it's just to sexify the women as much as you can.
• 1:39:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, so I mean, it's one, and I have to say that happens in chainsaw man, but there is some more mature nuance in chainsaw man about it a little bit.
• 1:39:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: where as it's more, it's like full on teenage fantasy in Demon Slayer, but that's being said.
• 1:39:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: I do quite enjoy Demon Slayer.
• 1:39:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I haven't, again, I haven't watched the movie listen to the outro for what I think the movie itself, the movie in question, but
• 1:39:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: of the seasons I've seen so far, definitely the highlight is something called the entertainment district arc, which just has one of the most emotional and epic and well-grounded and found like not grounded, it's not the word, but like there's a battle sequence that lasts for like half the season.
• 1:39:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it just had me absolutely enthralled with the character development with every move with like oh my god, they're gonna lose oh no What's gonna happen now?
• 1:40:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Who's gonna die?
• 1:40:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, it does a really great job in that regard, and it does a great job in general of it has all these characters it'll
• 1:40:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: give these tragic backstories too.
• 1:40:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there's a lot to love about Demon Slayer.
• 1:40:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the animation, like I said, it's it's very cheapy style a lot, but, you know, mixed in with just very crisp, colorful,
• 1:40:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: art.
• 1:40:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's very attractive to look at, not just the physical forms of the people.
• 1:40:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'll say they also give every single male character when they take their shirt off.
• 1:40:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have, I would say they have an eight pack, but I think it's animated as a four pack.
• 1:40:44
  [SPEAKER_03]: That sounds great.
• 1:40:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're all just like very stucky, chiseled men without variation.
• 1:40:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: so it's yeah it's a good looking one it's a fun one and when it hits those epic highs it does it like no other yeah you're hype in this up you're making me want to launch it now but i do like the chainsaw movie man movie even better i just think it's more grown up
• 1:41:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Again, we'll see what I think about the infinity castle movie, which is the first in a trilogy.
• 1:41:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: So there will be two more infinity castle movies, and then I guess that's the end because the manga for this one's wrapped up.
• 1:41:27
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 1:41:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: But this one, yeah, it got to more award tension about a golden globe nomination, a critics choice nomination, a PGA nomination, and was on the BAFTA long list, but it didn't win all of these because do you want to guess who did?
• 1:41:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Except for BAFTA.
• 1:41:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: Makes sense.
• 1:41:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, K-pop demon hunters for the win this year.
• 1:41:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, yeah, I mean, it's definitely happening.
• 1:41:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Whereas chainsaw men got more indie awards attention like the Emmys or Japanese awards or smaller awards.
• 1:42:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Have a question.
• 1:42:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do you know the difference between?
• 1:42:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we talked about Shonen is like teenage boy fantasy.
• 1:42:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then there's something called signing or seeing signing.
• 1:42:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I guess it's pronounced or seen in signing.
• 1:42:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's like shonen for grownups and it's like it's like darker, right?
• 1:42:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like it's supposed to be
• 1:42:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's like it's like there's no you know rating restrictions on it.
• 1:42:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so I would expect I already said Demon Slayer was rated R. Chainsaw Man I think in some ways is even more adult.
• 1:42:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I don't know where both I think are called Shonan.
• 1:42:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I don't know where this line is drawn, but but neither of these movies do not show them to kids.
• 1:42:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think, if I remember correctly, like, the biggest example is Vin-Win-Saga.
• 1:42:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: Hmm.
• 1:42:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because it's like...
• 1:42:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's more mature.
• 1:42:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: I've seen a couple episodes of the anime, but from my understanding, it's just like, it's a lot heavier with the themes.
• 1:43:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not as whimsy, I don't know.
• 1:43:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 1:43:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:43:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, okay.
• 1:43:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I'll just, just as a reminder that anime though it doesn't have to be this shown in teenage boy style, there's lots of different varieties and a film that's based on a Japanese film animated film based on a manga that definitely does not fit into this that could have been a contender this year is a film called 100 meters, which is also available in Netflix.
• 1:43:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it is, it's much more grounded and restrained and mature.
• 1:43:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's basically about running and philosophy and the philosophy of running.
• 1:43:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I called it look back for those who are familiar with that animated movie that's based on a manga and being made until live action movie.
• 1:43:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I called it look back for Jocks, but with more philosophy and less sudden tragedy.
• 1:44:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so it's about two guys who meet or you could compare it also to what's a call to Cocoa, we talked about in the makeup category.
• 1:44:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's about two guys who meet when they're kids, basically teenagers and they're both runners and they become sort of lifelong rivals who kind of push each other to do better, but then it's all talking about like, what is, why do we run?
• 1:44:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And what is healthy and that other, but it also has, it's rotoscope animation, which is basically where you take live action and kind of trace over it to create the animation.
• 1:44:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's absolutely stunning animation of these races.
• 1:44:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's especially this sequence that takes place in the rain, that if you look through the reviews on Letterbox, to everyone mentions a sequence in the rain.
• 1:45:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if you want to see anime that's not teenage boys fighting demons and getting the girls, 100 meters is, and I'm saying this is someone who's not into sports films, 100 meters is a great film.
• 1:45:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's uh, it's, uh, it's, uh, Ken Potter one of the list of just, e-bating to, it just hasn't happened, but I'm also, I was a runner for a very long time, and um, I have some issues with my knees, so I don't do it anymore.
• 1:45:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: It, um, but like running is a huge, huge part of my life.
• 1:45:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: I can't believe that that one is one, but I still haven't gotten to, but it's up there.
• 1:45:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, I recommend it.
• 1:45:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do you have any other films you want to call out from the list of 35 eligible films?
• 1:45:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: From the illegibles, no.
• 1:45:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think there's any of the others I saw.
• 1:46:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, a lot of them are films that are, I mean, include on the list, but films that I would have never expected to get, like, the SpongeBob movie or fixed, uh, Gabby's doll house, the movie, people were joking, like, wise, Gabby's doll house, the movie eligible, and certain other films are not.
• 1:46:21
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 1:46:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: What other films are they talking about?
• 1:46:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, let's take one final break and when we come back, we're going to talk about the biggest animated film of the year and other recommendations that were not eligible for the Oscars for various reasons.
• 1:46:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Be right back.
• 1:46:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Alright, it's time to talk about the Naja, too, of the, of, in the room.
• 1:46:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Uh, I have you seen any of these Naja movies?
• 1:47:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, but I have.
• 1:47:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: watch clips.
• 1:47:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm so bad about this this year.
• 1:47:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: This is killing me.
• 1:47:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: No, I've seen lots of different clips and really enjoyed the animation.
• 1:47:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: I actually at one point did have a ticket to see the sequel and feeders.
• 1:47:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I was like, oh great, I'm gonna watch the first and then I don't remember what happened.
• 1:47:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: something was going on.
• 1:47:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think with work at the time and I just had to put it on the back burner and it has never been picked back up.
• 1:47:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: But watching it continually, do what it did at the box office was crazy to lay out.
• 1:47:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: Watch from a distance, especially for a Chinese film that Chinese animation, Chinese films in general, just don't ever do as well as this one did in the
• 1:47:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:47:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, Ninja 2, it is a sequel as the title suggests.
• 1:48:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's based on a Chinese mythology.
• 1:48:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so, actually, if you look up the film, you'll see there are other films with similar names because it's based on the same mythology.
• 1:48:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: But, um,
• 1:48:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I actually like the first one in the series.
• 1:48:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe better than the second one in terms of writing, but the second one is just gobsmackingly mind-blowing animation when it comes to epic battles between gods and humans basically.
• 1:48:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so this one you can see if you're self on HBO Max or it's available to rent, but you were referencing, you know, what I was doing at the box office, it had a budget of 80 million US dollars and it grossed 2.2 billion.
• 1:48:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: So sorry, Zootopia too.
• 1:48:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's why Zootopia too was like second and all these categories.
• 1:48:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Nage out to is number one in those categories.
• 1:49:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is the highest grossing film in a single box office territory, the highest grossing animated film of all time.
• 1:49:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: The first adult animated film in this position, it's the, I don't know why it's considered adult though.
• 1:49:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: I actually think it's pretty kid friendly, at least.
• 1:49:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: preteen friendly.
• 1:49:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the highest grossing non-English language film and the first animated film in history to cross the $2 billion mark as well as the highest selling animated film on ticket sales overtaking the Lion King again.
• 1:49:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sorry Lion King's getting a trouncing this year.
• 1:49:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this is by the way the Lion King that we're referring to that had these wax office records,
• 1:49:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: live action one, I think, just because the animated one, yeah, the inflation's not doing that one any favors.
• 1:49:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, it's the highest grossing film overall of 2025 and the fifth highest grossing film of all time.
• 1:50:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I was shocked that they did not submit it for the Oscars.
• 1:50:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: Maybe I should have been.
• 1:50:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't, I don't know, like it was clearly doing very well.
• 1:50:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: Critics were raving.
• 1:50:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: It had the theatrical runs.
• 1:50:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: I do not know why they didn't at least throw their hat in the rain.
• 1:50:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:50:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's nothing.
• 1:50:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it was...
• 1:50:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not like they didn't have the money for a campaign.
• 1:50:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel like there's something.
• 1:50:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think this is a weird one where people are going to go in a few years, wait, that wasn't nominated, because it feels so out of place.
• 1:50:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it feels like such a big miss, but if they don't submit it, the Oscars aren't going to be like, hey, I mean, other awards ceremonies will, and it was nominated in other places, but the Oscars say like, no, you must do the paperwork and submit your film to us before we consider it.
• 1:51:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it was just not even for consideration.
• 1:51:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, there were other films that were not up for consideration that I might have expected otherwise.
• 1:51:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Lesbian space princess was another one that I keep hearing great things about.
• 1:51:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's an Australian film.
• 1:51:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's available on like hoopla and a bunch of other places and to rent.
• 1:51:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, I haven't gotten to see that one.
• 1:51:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is the other one.
• 1:51:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I will watch it by the time you hear the outro.
• 1:51:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: So when you time travel to the future of the outro, I will have, I will have comments about this one.
• 1:51:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Whether I liked it or not, it's a comedy as the name suggests.
• 1:51:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: I feel like a lot of people I know that have seen and have just kind of said, it's fine.
• 1:51:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then move on.
• 1:51:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right.
• 1:51:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I want to think we're missing out on too much.
• 1:51:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Alright, I'll say I did watch and I liked, but I didn't, I liked, I strongly liked the colors within, even though it's kind of like, it's kind of a Christian film which is not typically my bag, but it is in a very kind of open-minded way, what I consider the good
• 1:52:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: side of Christianity where let's just be kind to people and let's, and it's about, like, let's allow teenagers some room to discover themselves sort of thing.
• 1:52:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I enjoy the colors within which you can, it's a Japanese film, you can watch it on HBO Max.
• 1:52:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: But another one that, yeah, was not eligible because it didn't get a theatrical release is Predator, Killer of Killers, which you can watch
• 1:52:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Did you are you predators fan did you this one I am a fan of predator
• 1:52:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: I weirdly, the predator franchise was one I hadn't really touched into like a year ago.
• 1:52:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: I binge them all and then, you know, finished prey, which was the most recent at the time, and then Killer of Killers, which was the animated one to come out last year, I watched.
• 1:53:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then last week actually, no, I don't know, I'm mixing my calendar up.
• 1:53:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: I watched Predator Badlands very, very recently.
• 1:53:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I don't know, bring Predator to animation was a decision.
• 1:53:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not sure how I feel about it still because while I enjoyed it, it definitely felt like the animation didn't match what we've always seen in the live action films.
• 1:53:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 1:53:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: There were some things that they could do that were fun and unique.
• 1:53:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then there were things that very much just felt like other Marvel animated projects that, um, that just the animation drives me baddie.
• 1:54:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so I'm a what if defender, but yeah, fair.
• 1:54:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: But like, I don't know.
• 1:54:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have my issues with some of the animation,
• 1:54:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, my, my issue, we did a watch you watch and the subscribers can listen to for killer of killers.
• 1:54:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: My issue with that one was
• 1:54:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Pretty much entirely the frame rate.
• 1:54:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think they used too low, like they were like animating on, I don't know, the twos are even less for some reason.
• 1:54:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe that made it cheaper, maybe they're going for a particular style.
• 1:54:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it just made it come across as too choppy, distractingly happy for me.
• 1:54:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: It was like motions moving, it had been turned on.
• 1:54:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: It just made everything, I don't know, it was very funky, I don't know.
• 1:54:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it was just that that for me was the issue was the choppyness of the animation and it's an anthology style.
• 1:55:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: So some hip better than the others, like the Japanese one and there is one people like best.
• 1:55:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:55:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think maybe probably I like them all to different degrees.
• 1:55:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like the Japanese one followed by the Viking one and then the
• 1:55:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, the, what do you, like the world where to do it?
• 1:55:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: The dialogue where everyone, it looked cool, but it had the least story, but I really liked the last one, which I won't spoil, but I'll just say the last segment, the fourth segment brings together everything else, but also expands the lore of the predator universe.
• 1:55:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that is what gets me most excited about this film.
• 1:55:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: I do truly think the connections to other parts of the franchise are the best part, but that also hurts it in the same time.
• 1:55:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: Because it's like, if it's so tied to everything else, is it really its own thing?
• 1:55:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, I mean anthropologists, it's very hit or miss.
• 1:56:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I love an anthology, but it's because it's like a grab bag of different things.
• 1:56:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
• 1:56:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I think the grab bag is what throws me off.
• 1:56:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I don't know.
• 1:56:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm curious to see if they'll do another animated predator project.
• 1:56:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think we will have an animated alien project that will serve as the answer because predator and alien are in the same universe.
• 1:56:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I'm curious to see what might come of it.
• 1:56:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: It sounds like Dan Traktenberg is planning to do a follow-up to this just to pick up on, you know, the things I was teasing in that last section.
• 1:56:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: I wouldn't be surprised at all.
• 1:56:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, he's done three predator projects already.
• 1:56:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 1:56:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it seems like this is kind of his thing.
• 1:56:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but there's also things he set up in the section that you can't necessarily do like maybe bringing back some legacy characters who might not look the same as they did.
• 1:57:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:57:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: that would be the other consideration.
• 1:57:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hmm.
• 1:57:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: You'll win, did you think of Badlands, by the way?
• 1:57:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: Love it.
• 1:57:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: Badlands is...
• 1:57:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's actually up there is one of my favorites in the Predator franchise.
• 1:57:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: On Iron, I click.
• 1:57:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: five star film.
• 1:57:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I will hear nothing else.
• 1:57:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'll link to a deep dive to that in the show notes too for anyone who hasn't heard it.
• 1:57:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, that might make two favorite predator films are actually it's prey in bad lands like yeah, this is the correct answer.
• 1:57:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: I like the modern takes on it.
• 1:57:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think there was a lot of mistakes that the older ones made.
• 1:57:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Alien vs.
• 1:57:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: Predator, we don't really need to talk about.
• 1:57:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, I don't know.
• 1:57:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 1:57:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 1:57:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'll defend the first one.
• 1:57:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: Requiem I won't.
• 1:57:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's like, it goes into the so bad it's good again in a way like how it's so bad.
• 1:58:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's so good for you.
• 1:58:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Give me more.
• 1:58:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: How is it so bad?
• 1:58:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: What are they going to do next?
• 1:58:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh no, why?
• 1:58:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, yeah, that's that's fair.
• 1:58:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, no, I like killer of killers, but they just Disney was like, no, we're not even interested in floating this for a war.
• 1:58:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so fine, fair, whatever.
• 1:58:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's on Disney+.
• 1:58:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you're into the Predator franchise, I definitely suggest watching it for the lower reason, the loan.
• 1:58:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: But also there's some cool storytelling in there.
• 1:58:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think if you're already not a fan of Predator, you're not going to vibe with it, though.
• 1:58:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, no.
• 1:58:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is purely for Predator fans, I think.
• 1:58:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:58:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you're not a predator fan, try badlands and maybe you'll become one and then go to Killer of Killers.
• 1:58:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: God, that's a great one.
• 1:58:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I don't know between prey and badlands, which I would rank first because they both have different things going for them.
• 1:59:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, very, very different, but yeah, I enjoy them.
• 1:59:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, did you get a chance to watch any of the animated shorts for this?
• 1:59:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that was actually the first category I've finished this year.
• 1:59:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, what's your, I mean, I won't say too much about my own thoughts here because I've dedicated a few episodes to these so far, but what a year overall thoughts in this category, any favorite.
• 1:59:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: I do have a favorite.
• 1:59:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's the unconventional one that people have been like, what this is your choice.
• 1:59:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's three sisters.
• 1:59:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I.
• 1:59:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: Really you vibe to it the beginning threw me off, but then it got really funny, and I was just laughing the whole time and I was like, oh, this is great.
• 1:59:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's definitely my front runner.
• 1:59:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: What do you think might win?
• 1:59:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know actually.
• 1:59:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think anime to short, it's a very big toss-up this year.
• 2:00:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's my lowest of the short, the enemy shorts, but butterfly has been getting lots of attraction.
• 2:00:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have a sneaking suspicion that this is going to be an upset category and forever green is going to take it and the reason I think that is because at the end there's that Bible verse that pops up and I think a lot of people are going to say oh it's a Christian film and we know how America is a lot of the American voters might see that go up push for it maybe maybe not that's where I'm sure
• 2:00:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think yes, so forever green is my lowest rated just because it's so simple, but it's a lovely like I have no problems with any of these I like three sisters more than most people like people like it's kind of a silly simple short I'm like I kind of like that that's why I like it.
• 2:00:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, yeah, the sisters are fun the animations fun the whole thing is fun.
• 2:00:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hmm, my, my two favorites are retirement plan and the girl who cried pearls.
• 2:01:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think retirement plan would be my pick to win and I think it might, it might also be my prediction just because of the way it resonates with people in the Donald Gleason of it all, but I do also hear a lot of buzz about butterfly, which is again about, I don't want to spoil it,
• 2:01:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: complicated past in terms of, well, just say, in terms of World War II stuff.
• 2:01:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, in terms of Holocaust.
• 2:01:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, that aspect of it is, I think, also going to, and has very inventive animation butterfly.
• 2:01:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I could see, I think, to win, it's between retirement plan and butterfly, my pick is retirement plan.
• 2:01:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 2:01:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: I could really see any of these pulling out.
• 2:01:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think the one that's least likely to win is three sisters, which is the one I would love to win.
• 2:02:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I don't see that being the winner.
• 2:02:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I hear a lot of people who, I mean, there are people who are like poop-moving in as we've been saying, but I do hear a lot of people who are like, you know what?
• 2:02:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like that one.
• 2:02:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:02:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it could be a dark horse, but I think if retirement plan and butterfly weren't such strong contenders, maybe it could be like a third place.
• 2:02:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Any others from the shortlist do you want to call out?
• 2:02:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: Snow bear that one was a big one that I was genuinely surprised didn't get nominated Loved that one a lot.
• 2:02:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: I actually Have talked to the director.
• 2:02:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have a copy of the film that he gave me Because I'm a teacher and snow bear talks a lot about
• 2:02:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: some of the impacts ecosystems are facing because of humans and global warming and I don't know I thought it was cute and fun and I will be showing it actually very soon to my some of my students because it's it's a cute way to look at it but also it shows the reality of the nightmare situation we have created for them and I don't know what's the age of your students again?
• 2:03:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, they are 14 to 18.
• 2:03:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: So definitely like old enough to like see the message and I think still too young to have seen brother bear.
• 2:03:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, Brandon also when we did our shorts episode, he also called out snow bear as a particular favorite.
• 2:03:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: A lot of people have been doing that.
• 2:03:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I know a lot of people are surprised.
• 2:03:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: It didn't get nominated.
• 2:03:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 2:03:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's one more that really hit me, and that was playing God.
• 2:03:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: Hmm.
• 2:03:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the Frankenstein like that.
• 2:03:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, I love stopping the nation.
• 2:03:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: Hmm.
• 2:03:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: And claymation, in my opinion, is one of the hardest stop motions.
• 2:04:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's not always done well, and I'm going to say a very controversial thing.
• 2:04:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not an artman fan.
• 2:04:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have not seen anything for me.
• 2:04:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: I enjoy it.
• 2:04:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's good.
• 2:04:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: I love the animation.
• 2:04:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I don't know.
• 2:04:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not the biggest fan to like...
• 2:04:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: The stories are too simple or too slapstick for me.
• 2:04:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not sure.
• 2:04:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think so.
• 2:04:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: But, and that's...
• 2:04:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So our man, friend, even doesn't know, is like the... What's the main one?
• 2:04:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I was in ramen.
• 2:04:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sean, the sheep.
• 2:04:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 2:04:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: Those are their big, big ones.
• 2:04:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Nothing wrong with that, like, you do you, but I don't know.
• 2:04:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the Star Wars visions when they came back.
• 2:04:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, they did a good one there.
• 2:04:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, I don't know, playing God is just this cool little freaky little innovation thing.
• 2:04:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't really know how to like describe it.
• 2:04:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's very Frankensteinly and horror-esque.
• 2:05:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: Um, there's like practically no dialogue.
• 2:05:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:05:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I highlighted it in my shorts for Laura Hound's episode that's linked in the show notes.
• 2:05:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was definitely one of my favorite.
• 2:05:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: And another one I'll call out is her calm, which is about casually boreheaded guy.
• 2:05:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, don't worry about it.
• 2:05:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: He has a head of a pin and worries.
• 2:05:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it's mostly about like one wild night in Prague where he's trying to impress a bartender and things just keep going wrong.
• 2:05:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that sounds about right.
• 2:05:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:05:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was a good lineup this year.
• 2:05:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:05:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I liked auto cars, magical realism.
• 2:05:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of good stuff going on this year.
• 2:05:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: I completely agree.
• 2:05:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think there was a lot being considered that was not great.
• 2:05:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: I didn't finish the short list, but I got a few docked off of it and everything I saw was pretty solid.
• 2:06:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:06:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: But what about any other recommendations, other animated films you saw this year that that you would recommend?
• 2:06:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think we've literally discussed every animated feature, I think.
• 2:06:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'll just shout out quickly, you know, we brought up the Chinese animation of Nesha to there's a couple other one from China one from Hong Kong that impressed me this year.
• 2:06:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I talked about them both more in the Imagine Fantastic Film Festival episode for subscribers.
• 2:06:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: And those are the girl who stole time from China, which is like this bittersweet
• 2:06:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Uh, yeah, it was about to say something spoilery about it, but I'll say, if you late's time, there's a romance element, there's a lot of adventures and really cool 3D animation.
• 2:06:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: I, the girl who stole time is my favorite animated film of the year, followed by, I think, chainsaw man.
• 2:07:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: and another world from Hong Kong is one that I highly recommend to especially people who are fans of spirited away.
• 2:07:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's very much that vibe in the after world of someone who ends up traveling through lifetimes to try to save a soul from becoming a demon from giving into the anger within and becoming a demon.
• 2:07:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, so yeah, the girls still time in another world are, I'll put links to the show notes, uh, I'll put links to where you can find out more about them, but they are both, I think, still making the festival round.
• 2:07:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it might be a bit more difficult to watch, but one that's easier to watch, that I'm not going to say it's great, but I enjoyed it more than I expected, and that is the Witcher, Syrians of the Deep.
• 2:07:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's on Netflix, it's part of the whole Witcher thing with Henry Cavill, now taken over by, I haven't watched the latest season of the Witcher.
• 2:08:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I still need to do that.
• 2:08:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jean and I are supposed to talk about it, but I've been so caught up in all this other stuff.
• 2:08:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I enjoyed this animated series that set, I think, between seasons one and two, and it basically blatantly rips off the original Hans Christian Anderson version of the Little Mermaid in terms of plot is something like exactly that.
• 2:08:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I had a great time with it.
• 2:08:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Are you a friend of the Witcher universe in general?
• 2:08:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: I
• 2:08:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: legitimately, nothing.
• 2:08:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: None of the games, nothing.
• 2:08:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have not.
• 2:08:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's one of my blind spots in fantasy realm.
• 2:08:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 2:08:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, I mean, yeah.
• 2:08:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I've seen all except for actually I'm in the middle of season three.
• 2:08:49
  [SPEAKER_03]: Okay.
• 2:08:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think I kind of like the animated film better than seasons two and three of the live
• 2:08:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: What is it?
• 2:08:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: The blood, whatever, spin off.
• 2:08:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like that better than seasons two and three.
• 2:09:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So don't listen to me.
• 2:09:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if you feel the same, sirens of the deep, you can do worse with your evening.
• 2:09:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Then watching a little mermaid rip off.
• 2:09:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: But remember, it's not the Disney little mermaid.
• 2:09:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the Hans Christian Anderson tragedy little mermaid.
• 2:09:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:09:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I think it's been a people are saying it's been a week here in animation and maybe like 35 qualifying films definitely is not a lot.
• 2:09:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think there's some real quality more in there than people can and I don't think you should watch all 35 those films.
• 2:09:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Some of them look terrible and have bad reviews.
• 2:09:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think there's a lot to dig into if you're interested in animation.
• 2:09:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: and I'm very curious to see how the anime influence plays out in future years.
• 2:09:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, are we going to keep getting, like, because these two chainsaw men and demon slayer, they're not just anime films, but they are sequels to series.
• 2:10:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you have to be heavily invested in order to watch the film, yet still they're doing so well.
• 2:10:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think people really like being invested in massive stories like that, but then I feel like a lot of the anime films, they're not inaccessible, whereas I'm going to compare it to the MCU, which is weird, but like the MCU is huge, there's lots of shows, there's lots of films.
• 2:10:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: it got to a point where people were feeling like things were homework, whereas individual like films and like tie-ins to anime, they're already enjoying the anime, usually, so they just go see the film and theaters.
• 2:10:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: I say that is a guy that I don't know.
• 2:10:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: I read Dragon Ball, like I read the manga or read it, but like I watched the films, I don't watch the anime, so I don't know.
• 2:11:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean like films like like I was saying chainsaw man there he had me I was like oh cool films coming out and then it did better than I expected but something like demon slayer that that got almost 800 million at the box office and it's got me being like fine I'll watch five seasons of this freaking series and that for me I'll be honest at a times did feel like homework.
• 2:11:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but I'm so glad that I'm invested all of that because it is one that really builds the characters throughout and I know like having all this background knowing all these characters seeing all of the training and strife and everything they've gone through is going to make this final film hit so much more.
• 2:11:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, yeah, it's a good year, I would say in animation and it feels like we're at a turning point where I wonder when the awards are just going to kind of let go of these less interesting more formulaic big studio films like it feels like that's already happening in favor of
• 2:12:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I love the less mainstream, I mean, a long time ago it was the only film nominated was owned by Disney or DreamWorks and right now it's way less often that that's the case.
• 2:12:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's certainly like we saw flow one last year and that was just made in blender and animation studio I used to work at just it's open source software.
• 2:12:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you can just pick it up and start using it for free and start learning on YouTube videos how to use it.
• 2:12:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's made it more possible.
• 2:12:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: for a wider variety of passion projects to make it through.
• 2:13:05
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 2:13:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Things like that.
• 2:13:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I like to see it.
• 2:13:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think K-pop team and Hunter's is going to win.
• 2:13:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: If Arco or Little Amelie does, then you'll hear me screaming from Amsterdam.
• 2:13:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: But what would your thoughts or preferences or predictions in other races, what are some of your favorite films of the race and who do you think is going to take the big prize?
• 2:13:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: God, I'm hoping sinners.
• 2:13:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: I just think centers to sweep.
• 2:13:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: I would also be okay with one battle after another.
• 2:13:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, man.
• 2:13:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I enjoy them both.
• 2:13:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know.
• 2:13:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And other people love it.
• 2:13:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've got to stop yucking other people's lives.
• 2:13:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: Centers was my number two only year, and one battle was my number three.
• 2:13:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: So like, I am very excited for both.
• 2:13:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm cool with.
• 2:13:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: You're spoiled this year.
• 2:13:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I headed.
• 2:13:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: We would see your number one.
• 2:13:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Superman.
• 2:13:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah.
• 2:14:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm a certain nominated.
• 2:14:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why was that not mentioned?
• 2:14:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 2:14:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 2:14:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's sinners in one battle.
• 2:14:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think they're going to do very well.
• 2:14:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: I really, really want to see Michael be Jordan.
• 2:14:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Get that actor.
• 2:14:17
  [SPEAKER_03]: Hmm.
• 2:14:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: Cookler getting actor would be great too.
• 2:14:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: But Michael be Jordan getting actor is something that I think really, really needs to happen.
• 2:14:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hmm.
• 2:14:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: it's it's looking a lot more likely after the actor awards.
• 2:14:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So say that.
• 2:14:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think I'd love to see centers take score as well because I love Ludwig.
• 2:14:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think he does great work and him getting another award would not hurt.
• 2:14:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: In tune into the next episode for a deep dive into the center score.
• 2:14:50
  [SPEAKER_03]: There you go.
• 2:14:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, um, I'm pro centers.
• 2:14:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, no, I don't need it to take all 16 categories.
• 2:14:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's nominated in for example.
• 2:14:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm vocally championing Kate Holly for Frankenstein and costume for example.
• 2:15:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, but yeah, I hope it wins most of its categories and I definitely hope.
• 2:15:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: that the tide is turning that it will win best picture because I just think I know people a lot of people love one battle after another but I do feel like there is a the people who love sinners love it more if that makes sense yeah like there's such a passion for it as a creative work of arts as a time capsule of both our cultural moment and the 1930s Mississippi yeah it's just
• 2:15:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's so much film.
• 2:15:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's just, I mean, it's Michael B. Jordan.
• 2:15:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: The man is phenomenal and... Kilmonger.
• 2:15:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: He, yes, and...
• 2:15:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's another one of those films where it's... Hey, let's remind everybody how jacked he is.
• 2:15:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's, because, I mean, him playing Creed for so many years, like, he's always been shown that way, but...
• 2:16:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
• 2:16:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm hoping.
• 2:16:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:16:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, you'll hear two yells then if that contains best picture.
• 2:16:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: It sounds about right.
• 2:16:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, it's been great talking to you about all of these.
• 2:16:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I will also link the two prior episodes that you appeared on in the show notes.
• 2:16:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: If anyone wants to hear more of our conversation about Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which we are both spoiler alert fans of, and last year's Tech Awards, is there anything else you want to shout out or final words you want to share before we go?
• 2:16:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, I don't know, keeps supporting animation.
• 2:16:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: Go see things theaters as you can.
• 2:16:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, or rent it.
• 2:16:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: Or renting, yeah, pay them.
• 2:16:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, great.
• 2:16:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much.
• 2:16:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, thanks for having me.
• 2:17:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you again so much to Logan and thank you listeners for hanging out with us while we talked a lot of animation I have as I promised now that is the future seen those two other films that I mentioned first Let's be in space princess.
• 2:17:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I suppose I vibe a bit with what Logan was saying other people were saying which is
• 2:17:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's good.
• 2:17:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's fun.
• 2:17:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's more in that quirky kind of maybe almost adult swim vibe like the two other features I talked about.
• 2:17:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: I did enjoy it more than them.
• 2:17:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is absurd.
• 2:17:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's about literal lesbian space princess who lives in gay space and then has to go outside
• 2:17:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: who is, yeah, just a lot of kind of on the nose humor, but it's, it's amusing, it's charming, and the, there's some really inventive animation, actually, so I enjoyed my watch.
• 2:18:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: now as far as demon slayer, infinity castle, I can't stop, I finish it now and I can't stop comparing it with chains all man in my mind which is I'm sure is very unfair but just because they have some surface similarities with both being the shown in type of anime that's about
• 2:18:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Demon Slayer's teaming up with demons to fight other demons and I enjoyed the Infinity Castle movie.
• 2:18:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is a wild animated ride like it looks great.
• 2:18:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It does the Demon Slayer thing where, you know, it's battle battle battle battle and now let's do a flashback to understand more about the people engaged in the battle always tragic always tragic.
• 2:18:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then once you have been queued to be sufficiently devastated, perhaps someone will die.
• 2:19:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, yeah, putting them side by side, I think what really strikes me why I like the
• 2:19:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Demon Slayer has a sort of surface wholesomeness, you know, like you can tell that it's promoting traditional Japanese values and that's definitely not always a bad thing when it comes to like working hard things like that, although maybe goes a bit too far in that sense at times in the expectations of the characters and that is something that I noticed more with with Demon Slayer
• 2:19:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: There is more downtime with the characters, like yes, there are epic and epically animated battles, but they have also more time to just hang out and be normal people.
• 2:19:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Also, help so I suppose that that one is set in something more like our real world in the present day.
• 2:19:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, but yeah, in terms of the wholesomeness, you know, I talked about like the the booblishers character designs and things like that and, um, it's, uh, whereas, uh, you know, I called chainsaw man the horny chainsaw demon.
• 2:20:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, but I suppose the differences with chainsaw man is that that concept is explored.
• 2:20:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not just like, oh, look at the, look at the lovely ladies.
• 2:20:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: him openly lusting after them and kind of having to learn in the way I think a lot of teenagers do in general about A, what's acceptable, and B also the difference between just lusting after someone who's pretty and someone about whom you genuinely care.
• 2:20:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: and what it feels to be cared about, even though he's not someone with Denji, that the Jain told man protagonist, he's not someone with deep feelings, whereas Tangero from Demon Slayer definitely is someone of deeper feelings.
• 2:21:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's sort of like the perfect you know, the perfect son that everyone would want to ever, he's just such a good guy all the time.
• 2:21:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: humanly flawed, even though he is merged with a demon.
• 2:21:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, I think that there's also a difference between them that Demon Slayer has so many more characters, so you end up getting these these dips into these backstories I mentioned, which give you shallower bapoynean arcs, where as a chainsaw man, it does mostly focus on Denji and some of the key characters around him, and so you get deeper dives into fewer characters.
• 2:21:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't know, I guess there's a bit of a difference like in demons layer.
• 2:21:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Again, I have not read the manga, which I know is as concluded.
• 2:21:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: So maybe this has will be resolved by the end of the story.
• 2:21:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's two more of these infinity castles movies coming to wrap it up.
• 2:21:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there's a current story going on about like, oh, we have to turn someone back from a demon to being human.
• 2:22:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, as a viewer, am I supposed to want this because I absolutely do not.
• 2:22:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's like, why are we taking away this woman's power instead of, you know, versus where you have people in chainsaw men who are struggling with the fact that they've become demons.
• 2:22:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: But, yeah, it's about accepting someone for who they are and maybe helping them to become better versions of themselves.
• 2:22:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, they don't stop being demons, but they can be better demons, you know?
• 2:22:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, as I said, both have absolutely epic battles.
• 2:22:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: The advantage to demon slayer is that the battles are very easy to follow.
• 2:22:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say, whereas chainsaw man, especially this new movie, uses a bunch of different mixed animation styles and media that are so cool to look at, but I too sometimes lose track of what's going on in a battle.
• 2:22:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I will say, you know, it's just the advantage of a longer format, in both cases, I think there are elements from the series that I prefer to these new movies that we're talking about.
• 2:23:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: So for Demon Slayer, I still would say that the entertainment district, the second half of that season, especially is where Demon Slayer peaked for me so far.
• 2:23:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And in chainsaw, man, although it is the film is a more, it's a complete arc versus, you know, infinity castle starts in the middle of action and ends in the middle of action with a bunch of cliffhangers.
• 2:23:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because there's two more films coming.
• 2:23:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: And chainsaw demon, there's chainsaw, man, there's more coming, but this res arc is a complete arc.
• 2:23:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you have a beginning in the middle and the end of this sort of side step in the story.
• 2:23:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, that's probably more than you wanted to know about my thoughts about the difference between those two shown in anime juggernauts.
• 2:23:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you have any thoughts about them, if you prefer a demon's layer or if you agree with me about chainsomen, I definitely want to hear about them.
• 2:24:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Please send any and all feedback about anything we've covered today or anything else we cover on the lrhounds to lorhounds at the lorhounds.com.
• 2:24:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Or just love to hear your feedback regardless, you can also join us on the Discord to chat about all of this.
• 2:24:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: You'll find that link in the link tree in the show notes that's also where you'll find links to the other network affiliates such as properly Howard, which just started there.
• 2:24:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: quote unquote newlywed season of movie reviews, which is not very descriptive, but basically they are watching a bunch of movies for the first time from all different kind of genre.
• 2:24:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: So check that out in the properly Howard feed and never mind the music just put out an AI side track episode where Mark tells me that I'm named dropped as someone who has opinions about AI.
• 2:25:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So looking forward to listening to that this week.
• 2:25:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: in the lower-hounds feed obviously there's a few more Oscar episodes coming after this in the just over a week now until the Oscars.
• 2:25:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mark and I have already recorded as I said before our music episodes so that's coming out next followed by the tech categories episode and then wrapping up
• 2:25:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: And other than that, of course, there's weekly coverage of the pit.
• 2:25:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: We just released a one shot from the live action one piece season one recap to prep for season two, which launches on March 10th on Netflix and John and I will be back to talk about season two in some form.
• 2:25:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: And also watch out for the upcoming one-shot for the Bone Temple, as soon as Oscar coverage is over and subscribers you of course get access to add free versions of these episodes in the Supercast and Patreon feeds plus bonus episodes like the Annie Hall episode that just dropped there.
• 2:26:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, we're pulling today from the epic folder for our final thank you's in honor of the epic stories.
• 2:26:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: We've been talking about and an honor of our epic listeners like you.
• 2:26:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much.
• 2:26:25
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• 2:26:34
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• 2:26:46
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• 2:26:55
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• 2:26:58
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• 2:27:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you most especially though, as always to our highest care subscribers, our lore masters,
• 2:27:24
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• 2:27:32
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• 2:27:40
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• 2:27:43
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• 2:27:53
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• 2:27:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you all so much and see you back here soon for music.
• 2:28:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Our second annual never mind the Oscar's music crossover episode.
• 2:28:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bye!
• 2:28:10
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• 2:28:13
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• 2:28:19
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• 2:28:25
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• 2:28:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening.