Four Year Anniversary Q&A with Jamie and Caitlin

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, quick plug. At the top of the show, we
are doing a live reading of the Santa Clause Disney.
You know it, you love it, so we're taking the script.
We're doing a live reading of it. I'll be there,
Jamie will be there. Grace Thomas, our guest from the
Santa Claus episode we recorded and released last year, will

(00:22):
be there. We've got a few other friends joining the cast.
Uh So, don't miss it. It is Sunday, December at
six pm Pacific, nine pm Eastern. That's the live show.
But if you can't make it to the live show,
it's okay because the whole things online. It will stay online.
You can watch it whenever if you buy a ticket.

(00:44):
Here's how you buy a ticket. We have a link
that will give you instructions on exactly what to do.
But basically, we are doing this show to raise funds
for Reclaim and Rebuild our community. There's currently a go
fund me for it, so we are are asking that
you make a donation to Reclaim and Rebuild our community.
You will attach a screen grab of your donation receipt

(01:09):
on this link that will be sending out. It's just
a simple Google form where you'll submit your donation receipt.
That's effectively how you buy a ticket for this show.
So you'll send us the receipt. In exchange, we will
email you a link to the live stream. But again,
if you can't make it to the live stream, we
still encourage you to buy a ticket if you want
to see the show, because we'll send you the link

(01:31):
to the stream and you can watch that at any time.
So just again, real quick, the Santa Clause live reading Sunday,
December at six pm Pacific, nine pm Eastern. A link
with more information and all those instructions will be on
our Twitter. We'll put it on our Instagram. I will
put it on my website, Caitlin Durante dot com, slash shows.

(01:56):
It'll be around. Just check our social media and we're
really excited. It's gonna be blast, it's gonna be a romp.
We're doing it for a terrific cause. So check out
the show. We hope to see you there in the comments,
because that's how online shows work, all right. Enjoy the
episode on the be dol cast. The questions asked if

(02:17):
movies have women and um are all their discussions just
boyfriends and husbands or do they have individualism, the patriarchy,
zef invest start changing it with the beck Del Cast. Hi, everybody,
welcome to the beck Del Cast. My name's Jamie Loftez.
My name's Caitlin Darante, and we're celebrating four years of

(02:41):
the MF Bechtel Cast. Wow, the MF TBC or no
t MF B c oh yes the mud. I was like,
wait a second, math letters, math letters, da Vinci could
let's over it, which brings us to our episode today.

(03:03):
Uh no, I promise we'll never cover the da Vinci cud.
Isn't it? I know, but it's like I feel like he.
I mean, I feel like he would be like that's okay,
you don't have to cover though that that's kind of fun.
If I wonder what movies Alfred Billina was like, I
don't watch that one. Maybe don't. Welcome to the back Doelcast.

(03:28):
This is a celebration episodes. If it's your first episode,
uh you know, probably shouldn't be, but or unless you
want to just get to know us really well before
verifying if we have any skills or not. Well, some
of these well, okay, so we're doing a Q and
A episode. Some of these questions I think will elicit
a really interesting discussion. So that's our plan. We're we're

(03:51):
just doing a celebratory four year anniversary Q and A episode.
We've done a few of these in the past. We've
done been at least one or two on a main feed,
and then I think too on the Matreon as well. Yes,
which is where these questions are coming from. They are
coming from our patreon ak matrion where you can I guess,

(04:13):
I'm like, I just started plugging it instinctually, but essentially
that's that's our Matreon community and that's where we sourced
the amazing questions that you're going to be hearing us
uh stumble our way through today. That's right, So thank
you to everyone on the Matreon who did submit a question.
We're unfortunately not going to be able to get to

(04:34):
all of them. We won't have the time. We've we
got dozens of questions, um, and some of them are
questions that we have answered on previous Q and A episodes,
So we'd recommend going back and listening to those. If
you're like, why didn't they answer, how how did Jamie
and Caitlin meet? And why did you start the podcast?

(04:55):
We've already answered that on other episodes in the past
season of Our French These questions, the reveals have happened
mid season. But but there were a lot of amazing
questions in this um in dispatch our listeners. Well, they're
very perceptive, smart, brilliant geniuses, a million percent all feminist icons. Yeah,

(05:19):
five you all get five five nips, five nips all around.
So yeah, it's been four years. I still I mean,
we did not start the podcast because the Trump administration
was starting, but it was it just timed out that way.
And baby, we're gonna be in office longer, four more

(05:40):
years for the factodcast exactly, we're gonna outlive the Biden administration.
Who was it? Was it FDR who had like four
four year terms? Was that that president? And I think
it was This is a this is a history podcast. Wait,
I think it was FDR, right, And I think so
we're gonna we're gonna do FDR. Like, see, we're gonna

(06:01):
sixteen years. Is that too long? Twelve twelve years, that's
too locome, that's too long, that's three terms. Hey, he
shouldn't have done that. Well, all right, now they put
in term limits because of him, right, I think. So, Yeah,
we're like, we're getting close to like dictator territory here,
Let's let's give it a limit. Yeah, you're like, okay,
knock it off, sir. Um. Anyways, I don't know anything

(06:26):
about that, but what we do know is the answers
to the questions that you're about to here. Um okay,
so here, here we go. Our first question comes from Jacqueline.
The question is what has been the most surprisingly positive
find during the show for each of you, especially movies

(06:49):
pre two thousand and five? Oh, does anything jump to
mind for you immediately? Well? As far as um, the
positive find implies to me as though it's a movie
that we hadn't already like known about or been on
our radar. I guess, which is a lot of them
for me and none of them for me because I

(07:11):
just kidding. But but um, because there are plenty of
pre two thousand five movies that I think are worth
watching and checking out. But um, like, for example, Thelma
and Louise comes to mind, But I had already seen
that many times, so it wasn't as though like we
discovered it via this podcast. But I feel like that
does count though, of like, uh, you know, your love

(07:32):
of a movie increased, or like the context of it
and shift. I thought about that for Josie and the
Pussycats because I'd seen it before. But I feel like
that was a movie that when we analyze it and
it did so well and like there were so many
more layers that I was like, yeah, like yeah, it
just like deepened. I feel like I have more cases

(07:52):
of that than not if either my love for a
movie I already loved deepening or it becoming tarnished. Sure, well,
A few that stood out to me. A recent one
was How Stella Got Her Groove back. Um oh, First
Wives Club. Again, not a perfect movie, but um it's
one that I really wasn't I hadn't seen it prior

(08:15):
to starting this podcast. I would say nine to five. Uh,
Sister Act. My love of Sister Act was deepened when
we covered that movie. I'm just going through our list here.
I mean National Treasure, of course. I mean, well, if
we're going to bring up National Treasure, we have to

(08:37):
Actually the top answer for this question is obviously Flubber Flabber.
I mean, were there. I think I hopefully we've given
a second life to Flubber, and I Frankenstein. Oh yeah, yeah,
I mean there's there are a lot of movies who
who who movies are people? Um, that my love has deepened.

(09:00):
I think that that's where common Josie and the Pussycats
comes to mind. How Stella got her groove back is
a great example. And yeah, I think that's I think
that's my answer to that question. Yeah. Same. I I
feel good about the movies I've already thrown out, So
thanks Jacqueline. Um our next question comes from Ella asks

(09:23):
what movies were you expecting not to like and have
surprised you? Um? I that's not true. I was like,
I can't get a flubber answer here because I was
expecting till love it and then I still did. Um.
I mean I think for me it's there's the occasional

(09:44):
action movie will cover that I didn't think I was
going to be like captivated by but ended up being.
I think that actually the Terminator movies, UM surprised me
because I just view that as like, it's not my genre. Really,
I know that it's like feminist and cool, but it's
but but I was really captivated by them. I liked

(10:07):
them a lot. I'm so glad to hear that because
I love the first two in the second one especially,
are is like one of my top ten favorite movies
of all time. I think. My biggest answer for this, oh,
I have to I didn't have super high hopes for
Birds of Prey based on how bad of a movie
Suicide Squad was, but I really really enjoyed Birds of Prey.

(10:29):
And I also I think because of the way the
movie Blockers was marketed. I thought it was and we
covered Blockers on the Matreon, so get on it, folks.
But I thought Blockers was going to be a mess
just like another like gross Ou and it is, you know,
kind of a gross out comedy, but in in the
vein of like American pie problematic and not sex positive

(10:54):
feminist kind of messaging that it had. So I also
I would also add in, uh, Frozen two. That was
a movie I did not expect to I guess I
just I mean, that movie is very you should just
listen to the episode. But I think that was a
movie that I thought I knew what the direction of

(11:14):
the conversation was going to be when we when I
started like the process of researching, and it just totally
went another way. And I learned a lot and our
guest Ali is so incredible and like, I don't know.
That was like one of the recent episodes where I
was like, whoa, I learned ship and it really like

(11:35):
I didn't go in expecting to like find a lot
in in in Frozen two, but guess what, there's there's
some stuff in there. It's got substance. It's got substance,
it turns out. So that was That was another one
that kind of pleasantly surprised me. Thank you Ella for
that question. Indeed, let's see going next to Adam, who

(11:56):
is a student of yours. Yeah, he sister of mine.
So shout out to Adam. Thanks for taking my class,
Thanks for asking this question. Adam has a good question,
and I'm trying to figure out if I know what
the answer is or not. Are there any films one
of you wants to cover in an episode that the
other person refuses to cover. That's like, definitely, but I

(12:20):
guess I just said I will never cover the Da
Vinci Could But I'm like kind of joking and I'm
over here like we have to cover Da Vinci. Let
the da Vinci Could stand. And it's been a big
problem for in our friends, So it's toward our podcast
apart almost what is I feel like we talked about like, well,

(12:41):
there was something that you said no to for a
long time and then eventually you said yes recently, but
I'm trying to remember what it was. I mean I
was very reluctant to do like D coms and like
high school musical and stuff like that for a long
Maybe that is it, right, but then but but then
now you've seen d coms. I haven't seen teen Beach movie. Hello,

(13:05):
best movie ever made? Um? What else are There's not
many that we are like, no unless I remember saying
that we should cover Dumb and Dumber and you know that,
but only not because I like that movie, just because
I think there's a lot to talk about because of
how fucked up it is. Yeah, there are. I mean

(13:28):
I think occasionally, honestly, there are episodes that you're just like,
do we have to thinking about it? But I mean
I would, I would do Dumb and Dumber. I think
it's also just sometimes you're just like, is that the
top of our list? But then it's also like we
just did Flubber, so that list just very it's a

(13:48):
very it's a very fluid list. Yes, if we're nothing
if not eclectic in our movie choices. I will say
one episode that I was I mean, and there's just
like certain movies that you just know are so deeply
entrenched in like problematic stuff that you're just like, where

(14:10):
are we even going to begin? I felt that way
about that. There's something about Mary episode of like we're
gonna be here for six hours but thankfully Katy's stall
is an angel and that episode was really fun. But
it was like stuff like that, I get like overwhelmed
in advance thinking about like or like episodes where you're like,

(14:30):
I have forty five pages of notes, like it's not well.
There was a period of time where I was kind
of begging you to redo the Matrix episode. And this
actually leads to kind of a plug because here's something
that happened a few months ago. We removed four episodes,

(14:53):
really early episodes that for different reasons, we just kind
of didn't want them in the feed, mostly because we
wanted to redo them. Yeah, and we never thought anyone
would notice, and turns out everyone noticed were so wrong. Um,
And the reason we did it it was honestly, I mean,
if you've ever had a podcast for four years, you'll
find that some of your like, especially they're they're all

(15:17):
episodes from like early on in the show when we
were disorganized, and like they're all in like the first
ten we did, they are all among that cluster. So
they're all, yeah, and we've done how many episodes now,
I've done hundred, uh not including the matren And also
it's like, I I everyone roast me for not watching

(15:37):
the Matrix, but it early in the show, we were
truly doing the show pretty much strictly for fun and
to have a fun conversation, and I was like working
two jobs, Like I didn't always have time to do
the deep dive that were fortunate enough to have the
time for now. So we so we took down four
episodes that we just were like, honestly, we're just like,

(15:59):
we don't think that is going to be very helpful
for anyone. And since people tend to like scroll down
to the beginning of a feed to start the show,
we got rid of four episodes that were like, we
don't think this is a good introduction to what the
show is. Yeah, but but we are going to redo
those episodes. We're redoing them. The plan is for January. Uh.

(16:21):
Those that's kind of just kind of be our our
January episodes. The episodes we are redoing our Kill Bills
Volume one and two, which was our first episode of
all time, and you might imagine it's not our strongest.
Uh it's almost like we're flailing around in a big pool.
I'm not sure what to do. Uh. One of them
is the animated Beauty and the Beast from one, our

(16:44):
second episode ever, again, as you might imagine, not our strongest,
our best. Um. And then there's also The Matrix, Yes,
which I am going to watch. I know it's been
like a joke for for years, but um, I'm sick
of hearing about it. And I hear that the movie
is pretty good, So I think, I mean, I don't

(17:05):
know if you'll like become a fan, but I think
you'll not hate it. I think you'll like enjoy it
for what it is. I honestly think i'll I'll. I'm
there is so much that we didn't discuss in that
first Matrix episode anyways that I'm like, I feel like
there's so many more, so many levels of appreciation for
the Matrix that I'm excited to discuss and I'm a
way bigger Kian you stand than I was four years ago,

(17:29):
So I think that this is just it's it's a
good vibe. And then we're also redoing Mad Max Fury Road, Yes,
which since recording that one, that has become one of
my like top five favorite movies of all time. So
I I've seen it like dozens and dozens and dozens
of times since then, I've done a bunch of reading
and research about it. I have a greater appreciation for it,

(17:52):
but also some like other like different opinions that I
had originally, So yeah, worth redoing all around. Still I
still resent the steampunk aesthetic for the record, but I
have rewatched the movie since, and uh yeah, I think
I feel like we just there that movie deserved a
better episode than we were equipped to give, which I
think also like ties into like our own ongoing education

(18:17):
and growth as hosts to or we're always learning, we're trying,
and so yeah, I look forward to We've we got
to think of a better name than redo month? Right?
What is what do we call it? Well? Where we
will accept pitches from listeners on what that month should
be called, although we usually don't. We have like very

(18:39):
goofy names for themes for Matreon months, but not usually
for the main feat, so maybe we don't need like
a fancy name for it. I don't know. I was like, Redo,
you wary thoughts sound off in the comment, No, don't
because that was perfect. All right, Well we figured it out. Redo,

(19:01):
you are okay. So that all was the answer to
the question from Adam, So thank you again for submitting
that question. Next question comes from Darcy asks how do
you feel nostalgia plays into how we view movies. It's
easy to defend your favorite movie when it's your favorite,

(19:21):
but what about when that movie has actively harmful things
being said. I know y'all have had some discussion about
this on your Favorite Movie episodes, but I'd love to
hear any other takes you have on it. So thanks Darcy. Yeah,
I feel like we've had versions of this conversation in
the past. I think that nostalgia weirdly, especially for our

(19:42):
generation for everyone, but I feel like we are a
very nostalgia driven generation in particular. Yeah. One of the
main examples that comes to mind for me is the
Indiana Jones trilogy. And it is a trilogy because let's
not I don't. I don't observe the fourth one is
being part of it anyway. Um, those movies are so

(20:06):
harmful and so bad and so sexist and so racist,
and I can't stop loving them. So like nostalgia is
a huge component of that because these are movies I
grew up with and I watched constantly as a kid.
And um, same thing with like the Back to the
Future trilogy pretty actively harmful in terms of its depictions

(20:29):
of various characters and just situations. But they're like my
favorite movies. So, as we always see on the podcast,
you're allowed to love whatever you love. We just always
encourage critical analysis of the things you love and be
able to recognize that something you love might be actively harmful.

(20:53):
And if you share your favorite, like your nostalgia favorite
movie with someone, like have a discussion with that person
after were it's about like why it's fucked up and
why it doesn't necessarily hold up anymore. But do you
still love it? Yeah? I also feel like there is
like it's such a personal thing as well, where I

(21:13):
feel like part of I mean this is this this
question ties into why we do the show in the
first place, is to like approach popular movies. I mean,
in some episodes, it's like approaching popular movies that have
a lot of problematic elements that it's like, we just
want to talk about the context of it so that
you can watch it with more awareness. I don't. I

(21:35):
feel like it's almost creating a shield for yourself in
a way of like, first, we want to encourage people
to demand better of the popular art that's being created,
but also it's like you're creating a shield against old
art to be like I can consume this and I
can like take in its entertainment value if I'm comfortable
doing so, and everyone, I mean, that's a whole it's

(21:57):
very personal. Like I can also see how someone would
be like I just don't funk with the Indiana Jones
movies anymore after I realized what it and but it's
going to be different for everyone, and I feel like
it's just a matter of like crafting your Oh god,
I sound like a Marvel movie, crafting your little your
little shield so that certain stuff you know, just so

(22:18):
you're aware and that you can watch and enjoy things
mind fully. Does that make sense? Yeah, of course, yeah,
Because nostalgia is such a tricky and sometimes pesky little emotions.
It does. I mean, it's like I I was totally
torpedoed by like Disney movies and like, I mean I

(22:42):
think more of us than not honestly, and you're just like,
I know this is wrong, but the songs are so catchy.
What do I do. It's something that if, like we
all deal with to an extent, if you have literally
no problematic faiths, congratulations for you born in like like

(23:03):
but and also like even so kind of but it
I feel like it is just a matter of just
creating a level of awareness and and like you were saying,
having discussions that feel productive with with people who share
the same nostalgia you do. Nostalgic. I feel like it

(23:24):
can be if if you're if it's uncritical nostalgia, that's
that's a red straight to hell. Baby. Yeah, that is
like what I would take issue with. It's again, it's
I mean, we have our our list of red flag
movies that it's like like, if you listen, this is
your favorite movie, maybe reevaluate your love of like fucking

(23:48):
scarface or whatever right there. Yeah, the way you said
that sounded like Jeff Foxworthy, You're like you might be
a toxic person um. But but if you love scarface
and have like written essays about how fucked up and

(24:09):
problematic it is, then that's another thing. But bottom line,
be critical of the media you consume and we are
here to help with that. Yeah, and that's why we
do the show to continue to learn from our listeners,
which is which is great. And so it's like it's
kind of a different It's kind of hard to have
this conversation too broadly because it's like there are some

(24:32):
it's a very movie to movie, person to person thing,
but I think that's our general answer. Indeed, so thank you, Darcy.
Our next question comes from PSI area and they ask.
For years, intersectionalist critique of popular media has seemingly been
relegated to indie publications, academic papers, and blog posts. Many times,

(24:54):
I've seen such criticism disregarded as having no bearing on
the objective quality quote unquote of a film. For example,
even modern reviews for Birth of a Nation often call
it quote a masterpiece despite all the racism unquote, not
even considering that the racism might have any bearing on
the quality of the film itself. Blatant use of sexist
tropes by male auteurs are acknowledged as an afterthought. If ever,

(25:17):
it seems unthinkable to reviewers that analysis of racism, sexism,
or ass heteronormativity could somehow be integrated into mainstream critique.
Why do you think that film critics have been so
slow to adopt new, more self reflective ways of thinking
and talking about movies? Uh? Wow, what it's awful question.
Thank you so much. Indeed, my first of all, I

(25:40):
totally see what yours. I mean, it's like that. I
feel like we often kind of try to go to
how is this movie reviewed when it was released? And
you see a lot of that. To me, I mean,
my gut instinct answer is that pop culture is reflective
of the larger culture that you're living inside of. And

(26:02):
so I think that the reason that film critics have
been slow slow to adopt more self reflective ways of
thinking is because our culture has not been welcoming or
encouraging of new ways of thinking for since time immemorial.

(26:22):
I feel like it it definitely not completely but has
a lot to do with, you know, Western culture in general.
Like and I also really don't like when people dump
on independent film critics and creators because it's like I
feel like that's who's really doing the work and moving

(26:45):
stuff forward, like it's it's not Roger Ebert, Honey is sorry,
Like yeah, yeah. Often when we cite writing film criticism
film reviews on our show, it's almost always from you know,
indep complications and like feminist blogs and stuff like that
that are you know, not the most mainstream because reviews

(27:07):
from the New York Times or from like Roger Eberts
like Legacy you know, l A Times and all those
you know, huge newspapers and publications and things like that. Yeah,
they're still they're doing what they've been doing for decades
and decades, which is analyzing a film only on the
merit of its like story and cinematography and like important

(27:33):
aspects of film, but not at all on like representation
and inclusion and and it's like really acknowledging saying I mean,
I think that the way that si Areal describes this
is really insightful of like calling Birth of a Nation
a masterpiece despite all the racism, Like you, like, do

(27:54):
you hear what you're saying when you say that, Like
whoever the funk said that? Like what the look? Yeah,
it's it's I feel like for especially for like legacy
film critics who like it almost seems like they think
that that is enough. They're like, well, I acknowledge that
it's racist. I said all the racism, so you know,

(28:15):
check I mentioned it's racist, and the racism doesn't make
it bad. It's still a great work of art. And
first of all, is it it's a fucking three hour
long piece of shit movie that fucking sent kicked up
the KKK and the US, so like, we don't yeah,

(28:37):
I mean, and I think it also has to do
with the extreme whiteness and you know, siss maleness of
most of film criticism up until pretty recently. And that's
not to say that people weren't writing. I mean, that's
like so much of what we've pulled from over the
years is from black writers, from indigenous writers, from women

(29:00):
in from queer people, from people who have been doing
the writing and the work for a long time. It's
just I feel like, in terms of being put on
by like an institution and being like you're our film
critic now, that is like, first of all, still needs
a lot more, but um is something that's relatively new,

(29:20):
and I wanted to just off the top of my
head shut up. We've had two incredible black film critics
on the show recently, Ashley Ray and Jordan's Searles. So
they're doing it, but they like, you know, they they
did a lot of indie writing before, and so it's
so frustrating. I mean, I think that that's just something

(29:43):
that even as fans of movies, that's like something that
we all as a community need to keep pushing for,
is like more representation in film criticism, because otherwise I
feel like it's never going to stop this like despite
all the racism, despite all the sexism, and and then
being like all right, I'm done, good review five stars,

(30:05):
like fuck you for sure. I think that also extends
to what is taught in like film schools, because a
lot of I imagine a lot of like film critics
did something to study like you know, film theory or
film criticism or you know, film studies in you know,
some form of higher education. And so much as someone

(30:28):
who's taken many classes like that in my various degrees
that I that I would never talk about. Of course,
there's been very very little discussion about representation or if
it was it was like a specific class if you
wanted to like learn about like feminism and movies. You'd

(30:49):
have to like take a specific class, and it was
always like a an elective that wasn't a required part
of the curriculum. And and so it's just not prioritized
in in schools, or at least it wasn't when I was,
it was taking classes at university. And I hope, yeah,
and even when I feel like, even sometimes when you

(31:10):
do get to address stuff, it's still in a very
I didn't know, just a very academic, whitewashed way where
even like I remember in like one of my film
classes there it was like and this is like it's
woman Day in film history class, and here's all the
women who have done stuff, and it was like a
list of like five white women. And then we never

(31:32):
talked about any women ever again. And then we talked
about Woody Allen for five years. Like it's like why, why, why,
why why? We really need to get them out of
the classroom. Mom sick of it. So yes, Si Aio,
thank you so much for that really thoughtful question, and
that's a discussion we hope to continue. Yes, indeed, let's

(31:56):
take a quick break and then we'll come back with
more questions. Uh. Next question comes from Jerome asks. I
just wanted to ask specifically about the changes you've made
since June and the two incredibly self reflective episodes you posted.

(32:19):
I'm wondering if you went back to those challenging questions
you were asking yourselves in June and how you feel
you are going on the journey of addressing them. Thank
you for your question. That that's a great that's a
great question. I think. First of all, I mean that's
it's not really a question for us to answer, per se.
I mean, we can't really say how we're doing. That's

(32:42):
really up to our Black, Brown and Indigenous listeners, So
that's not really our call to make. But in terms
of what we have been trying to do and the
track that we've been trying to get onto and the
priority switch, I think we've made some progress. I think
we definitely we could always be doing more, but I

(33:05):
think we've I think we've made progress. I'm I'm like
we're on the right track. I feel yeah, I I
I'm of the mind that like we could always be
doing better. There's always more to learn, There's there's always
something new to address, there's something that we've overlooked in
the past that we should like be careful to address
moving forward. There's mistakes we've made in the best, So

(33:26):
yeahs as far as like our progress goes, since like
those few episodes that are being referenced that we released
in June, which which was released um around the height
of the Black Lives Matter protests, and we I mean basically,
I mean, if if you didn't listen to those episodes,
that's totally fine. But what what it boiled down to

(33:48):
it as far as our show goes at least, was
that I feel like, I mean, for for I don't
want to speak for you, Caitlin, but I I feel
like I had a reckoning with how few black movies
and by extension, how a few non white movies we
had covered on the show, and how that was kind
of that had to do with a fundamental flaw in

(34:10):
the premise of our show, which was that we were
going on this very vague, you know, qualifier of quote
unquote influential movie without taking into account movies that are
not given the priority, the budget, the marketing, that are
amazing movies that people should be watching, and also the

(34:31):
fact that we're filtering it through our white experience, and
the result of that was that we were watching mainly
movies directed by white people, like by a huge margin,
and seeing that laid out was really like a fuck
moment for me, of like, well, if this is what

(34:52):
we're doing, then the premises flawed and we need to
like you know, grow the show to not just be
covering you know, white movie like. So that that was
what as far as our show goes, that really stuck
with me, of like, we need to not just be
covering and this is kind of like referencing our episode
with Kidneys, but not just movies by black directors, round directors,

(35:16):
indigenous directors, but like movies about black joy and yeah,
I mean, I mean just covering a wide variety of movies,
not just rehashing the same two thousands shitty white rom
call movie premise that we've talked about a million times,
which can be fun, and like we're not saying that

(35:37):
like that, you know, that's a part of our whatever
what fucked us in the head, So it's worth discussing.
But but but it can't just be that that's a
fruitless exercise. After a while, we need to be you know,
introducing our audience to movies and just like learning more
ourselves for sure. Someone tweeted at us just say a day,

(36:00):
asking like can you cover more Latin X movies and
have more Latin X guests on and I was like, shit, yeah,
we've covered only a few and we should and will
do more for sure. Yes. So um, like I said,
there's there's always more to learn. There's always room for improvement,
and that is a large a large part of why

(36:22):
we encourage engagement from our listeners to like, let us know,
suggestions for movies to cover, for guests to have on
the show, articles, we should read, books, we should read
um even though we are famously and the book just
d but uh, yeah, it's always open feedback with us.

(36:44):
It's always been like that, it always will be like that.
And then when this episode comes up, we're all will
also um repost our request for him and um we
would love more requests, UM for movies that are not
made by white people that you would like to see
spotlighted on the show. That would be that would be amazing.

(37:05):
We always want to you know, give you know, on
on top of um talking about amazing movies, we want
to talk about movies that you want to talk about
with us, and so you know, we'll always be in
conversation with you, and we're we're committed to continuing to
to learn and and do better. Yeah, we're we're always
looking to enlighten ourselves and learn more and be as

(37:30):
inclusive as possible. So so thank you for that question.
Thank you, Jerome. Our next question comes from Alana. Who
would you cast as yourself in the movies about your life?
And who would you cast for the other person if
it's different. Uh, well, the question answers itself. I want

(37:51):
Alfred Billina to play me from the moment I'm born,
because in parentheses at the end of this question is
is it all Alfred Maline? And of course the answer
to that is yes, I think that. Yeah, I want
movie of my life would start with my mom's C
section and and and then it's Alfred Billina currently so

(38:13):
she's so holding him in her arms, but it's like
a sixty year old man. Wait, pitch, okay, it's it's
Alfred Molina as the surgeon performing the c section. It's
Alfred Molina as your mother, Alfred Molina as you the baby. Yeah,
is my princess switch, this is my norbit this is

(38:34):
my any of the one person plays everybody, that's what
I want off for Malina to play Caitlin as well.
Thank you so much. What what would what would be
your picks? I'm curious. Um. For some for some reason,
my mind went directly to Winona Ryder. That's yeah, that
would rock for my For me, yeah, I don't know.

(38:57):
And then obviously I agree that from Lena should play
you and everyone you know in the movie about your life.
So yeah, I don't even have a different answer for that. Okay,
So thank you Alana for that question. Next question comes
from Donna asks what are some ways that one can

(39:19):
be involved in film discourse? I love these types of
conversations and find myself wanting to talk with you both
on so many topics, but lessa you cannot hear me
through the headphones frownie face emoji. I don't have any
friends who are very interested in this, and also do
not want to code to art school again. I would

(39:40):
love a community where I can talk about these topics more.
I find it very important in stimulating listening to your
podcast help me realize just how deeply these tropes impacted me,
the magnitude of their effect is wild and then they
say thank you and thank you Donna for this question
and for your kind words. This is a tricky Okay,

(40:01):
so this is a tricky question. I feel like because
the answer to your question is the Internet, but that
is very fraught because there are so many toxic I mean,
there are places I would say, you know, unless you
know of a Reddit board that is safe, uh, to

(40:21):
avoid their I mean, I feel like that there are
conversations about film discourse going on everywhere. It's just a
matter I think of finding a space that is going
to discuss film in a way that is open to intersectionality.
It doesn't even need to be strictly about intersectionality, but
has to be like involved in the conversation. I think.
I think the closest I could come to with a

(40:44):
recommendation here. And I would also be curious for listeners
to pass along communities that you you like to participate in.
But I feel like letterboxed is potentially a good a
good place to go to find a I've found the
letter boxing community to be generally very like cool and
open to discussion, and yeah, it seems like kind of

(41:07):
a beautiful corner of the Internet at the time of
this recording, right, it could all go tit's up when
we least expect it. But um, yeah, that's a that's
a great suggestion. Um well, obviously this isn't a viable
option right now. But we've had listeners reach out to
us and say that they have like kind of put

(41:28):
out feelers just like in whatever city they lived. I
think there was one in London. I think there's ones
in other cities where people have just been like, hey,
I'm a fan of this podcast. Anyone else out there
want to like get together and have kind of like
we almost like a book club. But for spectel Cast listeners,
obviously with this pandemic, that is is not an option.

(41:49):
But if there's some kind of like I don't know,
our chat room, that's still a thing. I'm kidding, But
I do think, I h I think that fully we can.
I mean that's the thing that like I love I
love when uh, like fans of a show, our show
or any show like organized and like meet each other.

(42:10):
And that seems like the most organic, cool way to
do it. But unfortunately, uh, you can't right now. I
would say, yeah, letterbox for now, and then I'm trying
to think of a way we can help streamline this process.
I guess we have until there's a vaccine to figure
it out, but to help our listeners kind of coordinate,

(42:31):
and a place to find other bectel heads, because I
like truly the energy at live shows of like fans
of the show meeting each other, like we have had
so many I miss live shows so much, like so
many cases of like people who are like in line
together or like sat next to each other, or came
to the show by themselves and then mets like made

(42:52):
made friends, and like vactel cast shows are great networking tools.
Can't wait to go back to I can't wait to
go to places we've never been before for shows I
have such I'm like, God, damn it, we're gonna go
to Austin. I swear on my We've still never been
to Chicago to do a live show, which is I

(43:14):
was like, well, we've been at but yeah, we're still
going to do Chicago in Chicago, right, But since that's
not an option at the moment um, Yeah, you know,
I feel like Letterbox and then also, uh, and I
don't have enough insight, but I know that there are
discords that are focused on film, and it's a matter

(43:35):
of finding kind of the right one for you. I
was gonna ask, I was like, what is discord? Is
that a we're old? I just I just started a
discord for Lolita podcast Subtle Plug, and it has been
so lovely so far. It's been. Yeah, it's like a
site where you can like, oh my god, everyone who

(43:57):
uses discords are rolling their eyes. They're like, who are
these old women? Um? But you start little different channels
where you're like, oh, here's the area where we talk
about the adaptations, here's the area where we talk about
the book. Here's an area where we can just talk
about anything and hang out and chat. And if that
sounds so useful, that yeah. And it's like the community
can kind of self regulate. You have, like you get

(44:18):
a couple of mods in the mix. And it's been
a very lovely conversation so far. So as of this recording,
I'm like, discord rocks cool. Yeah, let's um. I wonder
if there's already some kind of like pectel cast or
like just feminist film discourse discord out there. Oh, that'd
be fun. I would prefer discord to Reddit a million percent.

(44:40):
So yeah, Reddit, I can't look at the interface of Reddit.
It gives me a panic attack. I'm just scared. I'm
just scared. I just I have PTSD with read it
and I'm like, I don't want to be on this side.
Get me out of here. But the betel cast read
it is lovely. Oh, I can't look at it. I'm afraid,
just like I can't look at the reviews. But m yeah,
for any listeners who maybe already like facilitate or moderate

(45:03):
some kind of or if you're interested in starting up
one of your own, if there's any sort of group
out there that is living on the Internet that you'd
like to share, let us know. Yeah, we'd have We'd
be happy to spread the word for listeners like Donna
who are looking for a place to chat. So hell yeah,

(45:24):
let us know. Wow that I think that that started
as as being like letterbox seemed cool and ends up
being like we're going to start a discord. Uh So
stay tuned. Yes, um. Our next question comes from Courtney.
The question is when watching non bectel Cast movies, do
you have a hard time turning off the podcast lens? Oh?

(45:47):
For me, I honestly, and this might sound weird, but
I still oftentimes kind of have to actively deliberately switch
the Bechtel Cast lens on to watch a movie that
I know that we're not covering for the podcast, so
I don't even and and and it just might be

(46:08):
like years of programming of never watching anything through like
a feminist critical lens before, I still kind of have
to and definitely like I default to a feminist lens
more now than I did prior to start starting the podcast.
But sometimes I'm just like, I just want to watch

(46:29):
and enjoy a movie without without having to tear it
to pieces in my brains. So so I like, yeah,
part of it is watching a movie through the Bechtel
Cast lens feels kind of like work, since doing this
podcast is a job of ours, and believe it or not,
sometimes I don't want to work, So I would say

(46:53):
I don't have that heart of a time switching it.
What about you, Jamie, how do you um? I feel
like I it kind of depends for me, it does.
I mean, there are certain movies that I sort of
can when I can foresee that I'm not going to
really like the movie anyways. I think that I can

(47:15):
be borderline impossible to watch a movie with because I'm like,
what the fund is? That? What the fund is? That?
That's that? That's like I think that when I when
I go in, I don't know, it's hard for my
partner to watch movies with me because he's just like, hey,
I wanted to watch this, and I'm like, well, why
is that like? So it depends if it's unfortunately, I

(47:37):
think it if I'm rooting for the movie going in
and like this movie is going to be good, but
I don't know it. It has been harder for me
to shut it off, even with movies that I'm like
wanting to enjoy. Uh, you know it's blessing and a curse.
And then I think it's sometimes where it's like it's
harder for me to turn it on for movies that

(47:58):
I have nostalgia for than movies that I'm watching for
the first time. So even when it's like a movie
that I like, um or I'm like hoping that I like,
I feel like I kind of go in with a
default back to cast lens. But it's I I struggle
more in like the reverse sense of like watching an

(48:19):
all D com and being like, no, that has to
be feminist. How can I reverse engineer my brain to
make it, make it sether like no, JB. It just doesn't. Um.
So yeah, I guess I have like a different new movies.
I feel like I kind of go in with the
lens almost almost automatically with some exceptions. But yeah, revisiting
old movies it's challenge. Thank you Courtney for that question.

(48:44):
Let's take another break and then we will come back
and answer some more questions and we're back. Our next
question comes from Lucy, who asks how do you choose
with films to cover and has this process changed over
the years as you've covered a lot. This is a

(49:06):
great question. I think it has changed a little bit
over the years we started, but I mean it's still
a combination of a lot of things. There's a real
there's a real four D game of chess we're playing
when we choose movies. At times and then other times
we're like flubber um, But what do you mean? We
very carefully and meticulously put a lot of work. That

(49:29):
was a very long math equation. It was a flubber
like equation that we the formula to flubber led us
to realizing we needed to cover flubber. We should have
done this years ago. Um, But I feel like there's
the factors we consider when choosing a movie is, first
of all, what's most important is that it's a movie

(49:50):
that our guest wants to talk about. Second of all, um,
it's something that there's and we break this real pretty consistently.
But but is it a movie that there's some listener interested?
Because we we have Google doc we have for years
where listeners can make requests for movies, so we, uh,

(50:10):
we have a list of like, here are most popular
requests of movies we haven't covered yet, and we'll go
back to that pretty frequently when we're giving our guests
like suggestions for potential movies. But the third factor that
we has has always been true but has not been
true enough, which kind of goes back to our conversation
about um our discussion on how white our movie list

(50:33):
has been in June, is do we really like is
it absolutely if it's a white movie like or a
white directed movie, is it really necessary? Like? So now
it's also like, are we covering enough movies that are
not directed by white guys? Yeah? And that's kind of
where the change has coming because a lot of the
movies we've covered historically have been since had white male

(50:58):
dominated movies either who's making them or who are like
the character the leading characters. And that is because we
were kind of focusing on movies that have had a
huge cultural impact on people, individuals, culture at large, and
that have like just influenced a lot of just kind

(51:18):
of like film discourse for for a long time. And
I think there is value in covering those movies, and
I'm glad we did cover a lot of them, just
because like there are so many of those movies that
like did really affect people in negative ways and like
and that I've had to unlearn stuff that they've learned
from that media that they've consumed. So while I don't

(51:41):
regret covering some of those movies, I do regret not
placing enough focus on other types of movies. And that's
where we've we're switching gears a bit, where we we
are prioritizing more directors of color, more queer director's, more

(52:01):
director short women to broaden our scope and like pay
tribute to a lot of those movies because a lot
of them are really cool and really good and and
they're lesser known, very underrated. Exactly, they're underrated they're lesser known,
so we're hoping to buy covering them encourage people. A
great example is when we literally just covered rhymes for

(52:22):
young Girls. I would hazard a guess that most people
have never even heard of that movie, let alone seen it.
But it's a really, really good movie. It's a really important,
a really powerful movie that I implore everyone to watch
and to listen to that episode because it's just a
very important movie that uh needs to be seen. So yeah,

(52:46):
so that I mean that. Yeah. That also speaks to
kind of how our show has evolved, where originally we
were like, oh, we're covering popular movies of the past,
but that inherently aligned itself with covering mostly sis at
white male movies because is who has been making movies
on a large scale. And it does kind of get

(53:06):
a little mired sometimes because if you look at our
request list, a lot of the movies that are right
at the top are movies directed by sis at white guys. Um. Yeah,
the process is definitely changed, and we're just I mean,
our and our priorities as a show have changed. Um,
so we want to always be servicing our listeners, but

(53:29):
we're no longer just the show that dunks on movies
you've seen before. We also want to direct you too,
movies and two guests into you know, work that you
haven't seen but should and deserve a bigger platform, bigger budgets,
all that stuff. So thanks for your question, Lucy. Next

(53:52):
question comes from Madeline says, some of my favorite queer
storylines have been called queer baiting, Black Swan and Jennifer's Body.
I would argue aren't, but for sure, cruel intentions is
the thing is these movies are how I realized I'm queer.
Don't you think queer bathing can be good? So I

(54:13):
guess I'm of many minds about this completely, I mean,
I think completely valid and also not even uncommon that
queer baiting scenes are kind of formative experiences. I mean,
I've I think we've heard about the cruel intentions seen
specifically excited a lot. I mean, and I also like

(54:37):
have personal experience too of like, yeah, I don't know,
queer baiting is harmful in a lot of ways in
that and we've talked about this in many episodes where
it perpetuates that you know, queerness is a phase or
it's a shock tactic. You know, all this stuff we've
kind of talked about that said, you know it for

(54:58):
a very very very long time and still now, sometimes
that was the only way that you would see, you know,
two women on screen kissing was like it was that.
So I don't know, you know, it's like I don't
know how. I mean, whatever, we we we'd all figure
it out one way or another. But I think that

(55:19):
there are like certain queerbating scenes that come to mind
of like, oh that was something that you were like, oh,
what's what's what's going on over there? And those experiences
are obviously super valid and like a lot of us
have had them, but I think it speaks more to
like the fact that most of these scenes are directed
by straight white guys who are framing it in a

(55:40):
disingenuous way. So it's like, I don't know, yeah, it's
it's definitely not bad that we've all you know, responded
to it and that it but I just think that there's, um,
there are demonstrably better ways. Yeah, for a very long time,
the only presentation you would see of queerness or like

(56:04):
by curiosity or something like that would be in queer
baiting scenes. And like the person who posts this question says,
scenes like this are how a lot of people discovered
they are queer, So definitely validity to that. But yeah,
like like you said, Jamie, it would it would be
nice if there had been other options for young queer

(56:29):
people to see that we're like less baity and more
just straightforward or more like like like baby more great,
more grady, And yeah, it couldn't have said it better
myself less baby more grady. Uh. And I think that
that is again slow progress that's um starting to be

(56:52):
made now, although where I think a lot of it
is lacking looking at you, Disney also pay your fucking tag,
is is in media that is like directed at kids
like kids. It's I think that some areas are, but
like Disney is still suppressing queer characters in a way

(57:14):
that you're like, this is just a youth thing. At
this point, it no longer even makes fucking financial sense
to do this, like get over yourself and you know
it's it's the year. We shouldn't need to have to
go to queer baiting scenes. Um at this point, I

(57:35):
don't think there's really in much of an excuse for
them to still be happening. But that doesn't get rid
of you know, the experience, the very valid experiences people
had with queer baiting scenes of the past. I almost like,
is there I've I know that there's a number of
video essays on YouTube about the history of queer baiting. Um,
but I think that, yeah, just like having more queer

(57:58):
characters who it's like, it just is what it is,
and having that presented from an early age, it just
you know, the normalizing effect that pop culture has. It's
good ship if you use it for good. But yeah,
I mean, I don't know. I I felt, you know,
the Black Swan scene. You know, it's just you know,

(58:19):
a lot I do. I do love a good kiss. Uh.
I wonder too if if queer baiting will kind of
be a thing of the past now that we have
seen more normalization and acceptance and more out queer characters
in a lot of media, especially media for young people.

(58:39):
I mean, we were talking about Blockers earlier, which is
an example off the top of my head of a
pretty mainstream book Smart that featured a queer teen book Smart.
Lots of TV TV directed towards teens that features queer characters.
So yeah, I'm wondering if that's kind of a thing
of the past, and again it's it is like a

(59:01):
part of rectifying that issue is, you know, have having
more queer directors and people behind the scenes and writers
in the mix as well. So yeah, hopefully, hopefully we
sort of answered that question. Thank you for sending it metal, Yes,
thank you. Next question is from Emily, who asks I'm
curious about what value, if any, you see in analyzing

(59:23):
films for not passing the reverse spectral test a k
A films where no two named men speak to each
other about anything other than a woman. I'm always delighted
to realize the film doesn't pass this non existent test
a k. Bridesmaids, and it seems like such films are
few and far between. Interesting question. Thank you for sending it. Yes,

(59:45):
I feel like it's definitely interesting to discuss it. Just
like almost happens so infrequently that it's like, yeah, let's
talk about this where they at Yeah, I mean, it
mostly happens in movies with predominantly female casts, so like Bridesmaids,

(01:00:05):
like was mentioned, and you know, while those movies aren't
always perfect, they're often like they're usually ripe for the
types of discussions that we have. And because so many
movies I mean, he could rattle off hundreds of movies
that are like a cast of nine percent men and

(01:00:27):
one woman is in the entire cast, or maybe if
you're lucky, there are two women on chances are they
never are in the same scene together. So tons of
movies are just all like, are predominantly male casts. But
it's yeah, far rarer that you would see a movie
that is mostly women. So yeah, I think there is

(01:00:48):
value in shouting out a movie when it does, when
it doesn't, when it doesn't pass the reverse bactal tests,
And there's a lot of negatives in there, so I'm
trying to make sure my brain understands this. But yeah,
if if no men talk to each other in the movie,
or if men do talk to each other but it's

(01:01:08):
only about women, that means it does not pass the
reverse Spectel test, was a good thing, or you know
in theory, my head hurts. Uh yeah, no, I totally
agree with you. And I also think that speaking to
like even Emily's question that it's uh like you almost
manifest it, you will it into existence. If we talk

(01:01:31):
more about, well, what isn't this past the reverse Factil test.
Maybe that's so you know, we we say it enough
and I feel like this isn't entirely true, and it's not.
It's probably being mean to us, But I'm like, we've
spoken a few things into reality, but most of it
was goofy. We're like, oh, we've spoken. Um. I mean,

(01:01:53):
there's a few things that were that set true. But
I'm like, maybe if we and the grand we as
well make more of a show of kind of pointing
out like, Wow, isn't this amazing? This movie is so
good and men didn't ever have a conversation. Uh, that
might encourage you know, more of that. Who knows, I'm

(01:02:13):
overestimating and underestimating our power all at once. Well, if
we manifest it enough, we can will it into reality.
And that's the secret. That's the secret. That's the secret. Alright,
a few more questions. Yes, next one comes from Alicia asks,

(01:02:34):
I love how you both have expanded the lens of
the show to include more intersectionality with your more inclusive
focus of today. Are there any films covered in earlier
episodes that you would rate differently now, or perhaps aspects
that you wish you'd brought up. Um, definitely, for sure.
That's part of why we're redoing, like those four episodes
that we mentioned earlier. UM. Almost every episode we do,

(01:02:58):
people have been like, oh, I love this to discussion.
Great episode of brag for us, I was like, where
is this going, Colma, But you didn't bring up this
or you forgot to mention this or something, you know,
And it's sometimes it's just because we ran out of
time and we couldn't cover everything. Sometimes it's because you know,
we we didn't consider that, um, and we needed you

(01:03:19):
the listeners, to educate us or to bring something up.
A few examples off the top of my head, our
Mulan episode, people were like, yeah, but you didn't talk
about how the male love interest is a bicn you know,
because he was attracted to Mulan while she was presenting
as a man. Uh. You didn't talk about the queer
coding of the villains and birds of prey. You didn't

(01:03:40):
talk about you know, There's so many different things that
we examples of, like things we missed or something. So
definitely there are a lot of things I would go
back and write differently, or things I wish we had
uh mentioned or had thought of at the time. UM.
But that again is why we we so much appreciate
everyone's calm and contributions. Uh, and we encourage you to

(01:04:04):
continue to send us those comments with those etcetera. Yeah,
I feel uh, I feel similar. I I think that
we also, like earlier in the show, especially with early episodes,
we kind of we both knew a lot less than
we do now, and I think we kind of fell
into like the thing bad trap a lot where we

(01:04:25):
would be like, this sucks from the lens of twenty seventeen,
and we did not do enough to contextualize like things
that we are more mindful of now, like there is
a way to contextualize why a movie presented as it
did in a very problematic way and be critical of it.
But I feel like we we didn't. I would say,

(01:04:49):
even in our first year or so, we were not
like heavy enough on the context and they're just uh
not my favorite episodes for the reason. But I think,
you know, there's so much I would do different, especially
getting back into like but and and so even though
I'm like cringing past us, I also am glad because

(01:05:14):
that means, you know, it would be very weird if
we were like no, our tags were perfect and I
haven't learned a single thing since and I was correct. Um,
so you know, if you don't look under your past, self,
your past, trying self with without without a little cringe,
you know, what's what's going on? What are you even doing?

(01:05:35):
The past is cringe, the future is cringe. The present
also cringe. The present is extremely cringe. Uh so, thank
you for that question, Alicia. Next up, we have a
question from Tessa. The question is are there any movies
you really want to cover but just haven't done yet,

(01:05:55):
either because they're not a priority or because the time
hasn't felt right. Uh, yes, I've got some you got
wait you have you have like some specifics? Yeah, hit it,
hit it, hit it, hit it. Some of them are
just because they're like childhood or like adolescent favorites of mine.

(01:06:16):
They wouldn't even necessarily make that much sense to cover
some of these because I don't know how interesting of
a of a discussion they would generate. But um well,
actually one of my favorite movies for a while was
Since City, and I think it would be an interesting conversation,
that would be an interesting there's there's some some ship. Yeah,

(01:06:36):
there's there's a conversation to be had. So maybe I'll
do that on one of my um as one of
my Matreon birthday picks next May. I also I kind
of really want to do a Ninja Turtles movie because again,
they were pretty big movies of my childhood. There's something
I really want to do just because I've been requested

(01:06:58):
a million times, and I do with him as a
movie that we just haven't gotten around too yet. For example,
Pitch Perfect is one of our top requests. Um, okay,
I don't like, oh really, I enjoyed um. Pride and
Prejudice is one of our top requests. The Cure Knightly
I think two thous five one. Oh yeah, I was there.

(01:07:20):
I was talking with my dad about that movie the
other day because there was like my dad, I think
my dad maybe noticed a trope in movies that's very specific,
but he not to call him up. But he was like, yeah,
because my dad. I made my dad because the Pride
and Prejudice this story is too long already, but it

(01:07:40):
was like not shown at major theaters, but I really
wanted to see it. So my dad like drove forty
five minutes to go to this like indie theater and
then watched it and was like, oh, this is really long,
and he's right, but but he was we were talking. Oh,
it's because we were talking about The Crown, and my
dad was like, why are there often these like young

(01:08:03):
British women in movies who were always like hiding behind
something flirtatiously, which I actually think he's onto something there.
There's a scene in Pride and Prejudice that he made
fun of a lot when we went and I was like, stop,
but like it's like Kia Knightley as Elizabeth Bennett, like
hiding behind some ribbons and being like ha ha, like

(01:08:25):
you know. And there's a very similar scene in the
in the Crown where Princess Diana shows up for the
first time and she's like t T I'm like, wow,
these young British actresses do be hiding behind things flirtatiously.
What's that all about? What was the question? Again? I

(01:08:46):
don't know, but Mike shout out to Michael Loftus for
his uh poignant observations. That's my favorite useless movie trope
since Leonardo DiCaprio fully closed wet. You're just like, I
don't know if that says anything about our sure, but
it definitely seems to be a thing. Well you know what. Okay, sorry,
this is another another quick tangent, but you know how

(01:09:06):
we were talking about the breakfast Rube Goldberg Machine trope
in um a bunch of movies that we brought up
on the Flubber episode. I thought of another one. There's
so many. It's in the first Paddington movie. There is
a marmalade making machine, the Goldberg Machine, and because Paddington

(01:09:26):
eats marmalade for breakfast, it counts as a breakfast machine.
It's true. It's true something that some things that I've
wanted to There's like other childhood favorites that I would
like to cover down the line, but it's like they're
just not the highest priority things I would generally like
to do more or like to like I don't know,

(01:09:50):
we don't really do themes on the main feed. But
I love musical movies, so I would love to do
and we haven't really done that many that aren't like
Disney Movie. Sure, So I love musicals. And I also
think doing more international movies, which we've been which we've
been doing more recently. And then I would also love

(01:10:10):
to do like a little just a block of old
Hollywood movies. We've really only done that once or twice
with movies that are older than like forty years old. Yeah. Yeah,
I just like getting into like very influential old Hollywood movies.
I think would be fun. Yeah. Also, we desperately need

(01:10:33):
to do two separate episodes on Magic Mike and Oh
Magic Mike double Hustlers. Hustlers, that's like one of my
top picks that like it. Just it's truly like the
timing just has it. It's been a timing issue. Um,
but Hustlers, it's going to happen. Magic Mike, It's going

(01:10:53):
to happen. It's just really the question is when, Yes, yeah,
and then and then of course anything that Alpha Billina
wants to cover when he comes back. Yeah, absolutely, and
the Holidate No, I'm kidding, let's for time. We didn't
see that, but although I so so to round out

(01:11:14):
our question segment, thank you to everyone on the Matreon
who sent questions, and if you'd like to join the Matreon,
it's a great month to do so, because we are
doing our annual Terrible Holiday Movies block, including the three
Vanessa Hudgens, Princess Switch, Princess Switch Switched Again, I think

(01:11:39):
is what it's called but really it's called three Vanessa
hudgens Is. It's pretty much called three Vanessa hudgens Is.
And then we're also doing Christmas Prints too, because we've
already covered one and three, and we are releasing Christmas
Prints one as a main feed episode to give ourselves
a little holiday break and just sharing the Christmas cheer

(01:12:03):
that is Christmas Prince. Yes, um, there you're welcome once again.
I mean, Christmas Prince genuinely is is requested? Oh yeah, often,
we did that, you know, because the masses insisted it's true.
So that's what's going on over in the Matreon. Mm hmm.

(01:12:23):
So that was. We have a few more questions, but
they're kind of more like fun silly questions, and we
thought we'd close out on Before we do that, we
had a few very just like very nice comments that
we wanted to share. We just wanted to share a
bunch of compliments. Are our listeners being nice to us
and and telling us that we we rock rule and rule? Yeah? Yeah,

(01:12:47):
I mean we're we're spreading joy, is what we're doing.
And or we're it's spreading joy fending off dread, you know,
like it's really all the same act ativity these days.
But yeah, we wented to laser in and a couple
of comments we received to celebrate because we cannot physically

(01:13:09):
see each other. So this first comment comes from Patty.
They say, I saw Boss Houmas Girl on an incredibly
rainy evening in Edinburgh last year and it was by
far the funniest and most interesting performance of the festival
for me. Oh Jamie Ye, one of the allies. Jamie
got on stage, which is a bit you do in

(01:13:31):
the show, was so bumbling that he almost made her
break character several times. It was absolutely glorious and I
hope she remembers it as fondly as I do. Uh
that sounds like that so nice that I think I
do remember the experienced Patty is discussing because there were

(01:13:52):
like sub so it's the context for this is I did.
I did a show last year at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
where I played uh earld Boss Elizabeth Holmes character who
just was like bad faith feminism. Uh. The show was
basically what it was, and I would bring people up
on stage and I would make I would make them

(01:14:12):
name women and then they could never do it. I
would always bring like men on stage. It's it's one
of my favorite bits from your show. Yes, it's always
so funny. I think I do remember this night specifically
because it was like nights that were rainy were really
hard because it would be harder to get people to
come to the show, and that I was performing in

(01:14:33):
a shipping container, so it would smell really bad when
wet people came inside. So I my I have a
very sensory memory of this night and that I don't know.
That's that's so lovely. I miss being able to meet
people and do things and be in stinky shipping containers. Friends.

(01:14:53):
Thank you for that, Patty. That was very um that
made my day. We also have a really kind comment
from Alicia, who says the two of you inspired me
to start writing about film again, which I'm so grateful for.
Somebody actually now pays me hell yeah to to write
reviews focusing on diversity, and I wouldn't have known that
that was something you could do, let alone, something I

(01:15:14):
could do if not for the podcast. Thank you for
that shout out, Alicia. Holy sh it, that's that's for us.
That's like the most gratified feedback we could get. That's like,
that's the idea and yeah, that's amazing. Congrats, listeners are
so cool. That's amazing. It also send us your work.

(01:15:37):
We want to we want to plug it. Yeah, and
to to I guess to all of our listeners, we
say versions of this pretty frequently. But if you are
seeing like there's a perspective you have that is not
being discussed, like, go for it, like and let us
know what we can do to help kind of get

(01:15:57):
the word out, because it does. I mean, it makes
a sucking difference. And so shout out Alicia. That's so cool. Indeed,
and this last comment that we wanted to share comes
from Maddie says, I just want to say thank you
so much for this podcast. I was a socially anxious

(01:16:17):
kid with big feelings whose only hobby was watching movies.
I've realized how dangerous stereotypes and movies are and how
I have romanticized toxic behaviors in my relationships because of it.
Grand gestures that somehow equate to forgiveness slash stalker behavior
slash boys will be boys mentality, slash intense fights then

(01:16:38):
always making up, slash unnecessary sacrifices slash surprise kisses, etcetera.
I've been uh, I've been able to re analyze what
I really want and what is healthy for me and others.
A big part of that is because of this podcast.
Thank you, yay, thank you, thank you for sharing that.
And yeah, I mean just so glad that you've been

(01:17:00):
able to unlearn the toxic crap that movies teach us
that many of us are trying to unlearn and we
still are like, it's just uh, yeah, this comment was
really cool. Like what we keep trying to talk about
is like, what is really helpful and unlearning stuff is
like like, once you recognize, oh, this is a toxic
thing I need to unlearn, just start the work, don't wallow.

(01:17:23):
And you're like I can't believe. How could it be.
You're like, well it is, so let's do something about it.
And that sounds like the approach Maddie is taking. And
ah nice, so cool, so much. Yeah, and then just
a few fun questions to close us out. So the

(01:17:44):
first one comes from someone who wanted to be identified
as Freddie Molina fan number one. So, Jamie, I'm not
sure if you'll have a response to that. I love this. Okay,
what's something non movie related that you're passionate about. Oh,
something that I've I've become very passionate about. Um In

(01:18:04):
the past year and a halfish has been a local
politics via a friend of the show, Nitia Rahman. Yeah. Yeah,
that's like when I'm not when when I'm not poding
and goofing around. Yeah, I've gotten really like excited by

(01:18:25):
communities that are like in in l A. It's especially big,
I think. But yeah, learning about kind of my community,
what direct action stuff is possible to do, and just
like I guess most specifically like local journalism and how
important it is and how much there is to do,

(01:18:45):
and like what a cool community it is. I like
local journalism. Hell yeah, borring answer, No, I love it.
Something that I've always been passionate about, the I think
is a little known fact about me, is that I
love anthropology. I almost minored in it. In fact, I

(01:19:07):
almost majored in it in college before I really knew
what I wanted to do. So I had just kind
of contemplated making that my career for a while, but
ultimately was like, oh, I don't want to get a PhD,
so never mind. But um, I only wanted to get
a master's in screenwriting. Obviously, and honey, you did and

(01:19:29):
I did it. But I love anthropology. I love reading
books about anthropology. I love um just kind of like
human evolution in general, and the way human psychology has evolved,
human sexuality has evolved or has kind of dictated our
human evolution, and just like all that kind of stuff.
I've always been fascinated about that. So, if anyone has

(01:19:51):
any recommendations for anthropology books, I've probably I've read a
fair number, but I'm always on the lookout for more,
So hit me up with your Rex. But yeah, I
love anthropology. So and if anyone, if anyone knows about
corruption in the v A in West Los Angeles, hit
me up Jamie. Our next fun question comes from Becky.

(01:20:18):
It goes a little something like this. Hey, Caitlin and Jamie,
you've been my running buddies for years. I love the show.
You're both from the East Coast, but now in l A.
How is that transition for you? Do you miss certain
aspects of the East? Come visit Pittsburgh when it's safe please? Uh? Okay,
we will, yes, fine, And yeah I miss I miss
the East Coast a lot all the time. H Yeah,

(01:20:41):
I mean I do like living in l A. But
I do miss I do miss the East Coast. I
miss Massachusetts so much all the time. I missed public
transportation as being a more accessible and easy thing to
do than it is in l A. I miss living
in a walkable city. I miss bike riding around. I

(01:21:04):
used to ride my bike to get everywhere when I
lived in Boston, and now I'm just scared to ride
my bike anywhere in l As. Oh god, yeah, I
miss the Fall. I miss my family. I miss yeah,
just like yeah, there's there's a lot that I miss.
I also just I don't know Massachusetts could be so

(01:21:25):
fucked up. But then sometimes just I don't not to
go back to local journalism, but sometimes the hyper specific
stories you can find in New England truly could happen
nowhere else and shouldn't happen anywhere else. And by that
I mean something everyone should go watch is uh YouTube video.

(01:21:46):
It's called Down the Rabbit Hole the per Cat Cafe.
I thought you were going to talk about love Boocardi Boston.
Oh my god, I'm also talking about love boocarti Boston,
because is where else can you make that film? Don't
even try the worst student film of all time. You
gotta watch it. But I also wanted to reference Yeah,

(01:22:08):
YouTube user Frederick Knudson. He doesn't really need are plugging.
He's a very popular YouTuber, but he makes this um
series called Down the rabbit Hole where he just will
like rehash a scandal that is very specific and very online.
And there's one that took place in Boston called the
per Cat Cafe, where it was a New England mom
trying to start a cat cafe and she does a

(01:22:31):
really bad job and she gets so mad because she's
from New England. Uh, she just starts cyber bullying people.
It's the wildest story and it just maybe so homesick
because you're like that, what it could only happen with
that kind of angry mom that they make in those

(01:22:53):
in that region. I miss it, okay. Next question. Next
question comes from Carly asks what would you call an
all female remake of the movie Flubber flub Her, Fember, Fember.

(01:23:14):
I don't think, maybe not fember. So just to be clear,
those were the two pitches that Carly shout it out,
and also I let yeah, I do love flub her
serious answer, it should just be flubber like they it
should just be called flubber and then woman is the
lead this time. But in terms of what I think

(01:23:35):
they might name it, flub her is great. What about
this is a non gendered way to do it. I
flubber right from the perspective of the flubberer. So so
that would would that mean that um like maybe a
spooky Halloween version of flubber would be I Flubber flubber Stein,

(01:23:57):
like I I Flubberstein would definitely neally, I think work
we should get the I Frankenstein team. We also got
a message from a listener the other day that was like,
I'm so high, I'm under my Christmas tree and I'm
watching I Frankistan and I've never felt so at peace.
And I was like, now this is the impact we've
been going for. I. You know what, I don't care

(01:24:18):
what they call it. I just I And I'm sick
of I'm sick to death of rebooting old properties. Just
I mean whatever we talk about all the time. Just
let marginalize people make the movie they want to make.
Don't make them remake a movie that was made bad
the first time. What the fun? However, with flabber I
take an exception. We do need a reboot of Flabber?

(01:24:38):
We need we need it, we need it. Yes. Next
question comes from Maria. Do you believe in astrology? Because y'all,
being a Taurus and a Leo is t Sorry for
the lack of intellectualism, but it really must be addressed. Yeah,
I believe in astrology? How dare you? Yeah? Of course,
what kind of question is that? Of course they do?

(01:25:00):
I uh don't. I don't. I don't really even know
what astrology is. I don't know how it works. I'm
sure if this is where everyone's sitting at home being
like taurists. Okay, yeah, I'm too stubborn to believe in
something like astrology. Um I I well, I okay, I

(01:25:20):
did buy some crystals. You did that astrology? That's not astrology,
but that's definitely you know, in the astrology extended universe,
it's yeah, astrology adjacent. Um yeah, I don't participate, but
I like when other people tell me, they're like, oh,

(01:25:41):
you're such a Taurists. Therefore x y Z nice to
feel seen. Yeah, I'm going to be a Leo and
just like read out my chart. Okay, so Leo's son,
which you know I was port August eighteenth, and I'm like,
I feel cuspy. But whatever airy is moon Pisces rising? Okay,

(01:26:02):
astrology heads tell me something I don't know because I
know I know a medium amount. I know, like not
a ton. Say, I don't know what any of that means,
but I have to pull up my costar app to
give that information. There you go, Maria, please advise what
does happen? Two more things, starting with question from Lindsay asks,

(01:26:27):
if you were to focus on the films of Alfred
Molina four a month, would you call it Molina March
or Alfred May Lena Funny? Okay, first of all funny.
Second of all, we would call it Molina March, but
it would fall in September. That's the only way to
do it. That's my favorite, maybe one of my favorite

(01:26:50):
running jokes we have is how we just everything in
the matrion has just insert something March, but it's never
in March. It's in our port in the year. It's complicated,
but but if you really if you put all the
strings together on the on the corkboard, it does make sense.

(01:27:13):
And then finally, Caitlin, this one, this one's for you.
It comes from Chris Caitlin, have you heard of these
anagrams of your name? I trend nautical. I have not
heard that one Kurt italian end, not that one specifically,
but I have one similar that has Italian in it,

(01:27:34):
and instead of Kurt, it's a much more unpleasant word
if you change out one. Oh yeah, it's rude Italian bleep. Okay,
here's the next one, A tinder lunatic. That one, Yes,
that one was one of the very first ones that

(01:27:55):
Zack Sherwin um made from me. So that one does,
and that you might have even did an illustration for it. Yeah,
I think I illustrated that. Yeah, because Zack and I
went sack and I famously collapsed on your birthday present.
And then finally, this one is gross tinier anal duct

(01:28:17):
I have not I wish I hadn't heard yet one,
but that one's my favorite one of these and of
maybe all time. That made me feel um unwell, I
feel great, I feel honestly, I'm like, wow, I haven't

(01:28:38):
eaten yet today, and it's honestly it's good. It's tinier.
I'm like tiny because it implies it was already tiny
and that there's maybe there's a tiny one, and then
there's the tiniest one. But this is the ace and
you're just like, it has to get smaller. I don't.
It's so nasty. Okay, thank you for that, Chris. On

(01:29:01):
that note, Happy for your anniversary, Caitlin. Happy four years, Jamie,
I are more years. I loved doing this show with you.
I can't wait to do much more. I love you
and you're the best. I love you, and yeah, this,

(01:29:24):
Uh what a joy, What a joy it's it is.
Ed continues to be truly, I swear, it's like so
nice to like I don't know, you know, sometimes this
is like I'm not talking about anybody we know, but
you know, sometimes when you listen to a podcast, you're like,
I don't want to think these two people like each
other very much. I just I'm so grateful for your
friendship and this show brought us together. Look at us,

(01:29:49):
look at us go and look at us grows here
in heaven. Uh well that was our four year anniversary
celebration Heaven where Rose doesn't go At the end of Titanic,
what if at the very end I tried to That's
what if I try to pick a fight at the
very end. But yeah, they were like, actually the show's canceled.

(01:30:12):
So everyone, Uh, this is how we're kicking off December.
We're gonna be doing a lot of fun holiday movies.
We're gonna be doing another Grace Thomas Santa Claus episode.
We're gonna be doing an episode on this Christmas. We're
gonna be doing what else? Are we doing an episode
on New Year's Eve? You know? There's just there's and

(01:30:34):
then over in the Matreon. However many Vanessa Hudgens as
we can bear, so thanks for listening. You can find
us in all the regular places Twitter, Instagram, We've we've
you know, you know what the Matreon is at this point,
and there's ongoing sales if you want to get back
tel Cast merch for you or your loved ones this

(01:30:57):
holiday season. Feeling to do so over at te public
dot com slash the beactel Cast, right, that's the one.
You think I would know that by now U And
there's face masks, which is cool. I I just actually
I need to order Bactel Cast face masks because because why,
I feel like a poser on our own show. I'm

(01:31:18):
literally I'm look what I'm like fidgeting with right now?
I'm literally fidgeting with my Alfred Bollina action figure. I
keep him at my work desk. He calms me down. Good, oh,
good wit. And I was just gonna ask you, Okay,
have you told this story or do the listeners know

(01:31:41):
about this? Okay, because we need to Okay, we said
the episode was over, but it actually there's more where
I think maybe we talked about the Matreon but not.
This needs to be as public as possible and everyone
to have access to this. Um Okay, so it was.
I've been trying to figure out which listener originally sent
this to us, but essentially, we did a Matrian episode

(01:32:04):
a couple of years ago at this point where we
watched all of the Grinches. We just like drank all
day and a potatoes and watched every Grinch and you know,
just talked a lot of ship and I love Baby Grinch.
We've had Baby Grinch merch for years. You can get it.
This is a plug, right, But a listener sent us
a link to something just simply called Green baby Boy,

(01:32:28):
and it was a kind of like the shop looked
like like I can't it a little mean online shop.
Something's not quite right because what it said it was selling.
I'm pretty sure it was a production still of the
animatronic for Baby Grinch. It looked very top quality. The

(01:32:48):
product that the site said they were selling looked as
though it came straight off the movie set. It looks
like it would have couldn't be right because it was
only thirty dollars and it looked like it should have
cost like three hundred dollars if it was what it said.
So but so so Calin and I were back and
forth of like, where's the line, Where's the line? And

(01:33:10):
then I was like, I had to I have I
spoke to God about it and and she said she
She said to me, Jamie, I think this is a business.
You can list us as a business investment on your taxes.
And I said, oh, yeah, okay, I guess I'll do it.
And I ordered it and there was no tracking number.

(01:33:31):
There was impossible to know if Green baby Boy was
ever going to come, and if he came, what what
what would it be like? And then the night Joe
Biden won the presidency a fraud weird night. Literally moments
before the speech, I received a package and inside of

(01:33:55):
it it was not what was in the pictures. I
will post a pick sure of it to the feed,
but it's like impossible to describe. It is technically a
green baby boy, but it's it's like, it's so scary
to look at it as like soulless eyes. It is hollow.
It's made like a dog toy that doesn't squeak. But

(01:34:16):
you can just it has a little hole in its button.
You can just make it totally flat. You can squish
his head. Uh, it's made out of rubber. It is
technically a dog toy. It's it's definitely not worth thirty dollars.
And I don't know who made this. Who's doing that?
I'm not sure. Yeah, you face timed me yes with

(01:34:38):
the second you received it to show it to me,
and I've I like nearly pee my pants laughing so
hard because I'd never I wasn't expecting necessarily, you don't
know what to expect, but I wasn't expecting that. And
it's yeah, so we'll we'll do like side by side
comparisons of like a screenshot of what the site was

(01:35:00):
advertising and what actually showed up. Because it is the
funniest thing in the world. And I'm so sorry you
spent thirty plus shipping and handling the greatest return on
investment either. I was just like it, maybe miss shows
because I'm like, ah, if I could bring this to
a show, really set up Green Baby Boy and then

(01:35:21):
and then pass them around. Oh that's your next one
person show. Submit, Submit Green Baby Boy the show to
Edinburgh in Please. You think they're gonna say now please?
That's just good storytelling. Uh so? So my my two
guardian angels on yeah and my desk are Green Baby

(01:35:43):
Boy and Dot Cock. Amazing. Well, okay, now that's the episode. Um,
just a reminder about the live reading of Disney's The
Santa Clause that we were doing on Sunday, December at
six and Pacific nine pm Eastern. Again, the link that

(01:36:03):
will allow you to donate and thereby purchase a ticket
to the show will be on all of our social
media and again on my website, Caitlin Darante dot com.
And we really hope to see you there again for
a terrific cause reclaim and rebuild our community. The show
is going to be a blast and we hope to
see you there. Thanks for listening. Have a safe holiday

(01:36:27):
season everybody, and we'll talk to you soon. We'll see
you soon Bye bye bye

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Jamie Loftus

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