December 18, 2024 • 45 mins
Imagine a world where Scrooge and Marley navigate the corporate afterlife, armed with holiday cheer and comedic flair. Our cinematic journey through 2024's festive film, "Spirited," has us captivated by Octavia Spencer's fresh take on Bob Cratchit and her balancing act of work and life. We stir up the perfect seasonal cocktail, the Bob Cratchit, blending Aviation Gin with mulled wine elements, all while sharing lighthearted banter and a dash of holiday miracles. Join us as we unravel the charming yet morally ambiguous characters and suggest a cheeky narrative twist that could elevate the story.
Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds bring Dickens' classic tale to life with humor, as we explore corporate afterlife antics and Easter eggs aplenty. With nods to Dolly Parton and saving a Karen, we delve into the intricacies of modern storytelling and timeless character arcs.
We celebrate the vibrant fusion of narrative and song that musicals bring to film and theater. From the teamwork in film production to surprising song rankings, we explore the critics' takes on modern retellings of classic tales. Our passion for musicals shines through, inviting you to rediscover their magic and storytelling power.
In this episode, Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival Operations Director Jonathan C. Legat (co-host) is joined by Cinema Centennial Program Director Tricia Legat (co-host), and Executive Director Michael Noens (producer). Featuring "Bring Down the Money (Freedom)" by Soldier Story.
Remember to imbibe responsibly! If you haven't seen "Spirited," watch the film before you listen to the episode.
To begin your Imbibe Cinema membership, visit imb.watch/membership. To dive deeper into the episode, visit our listen.imbibecinema.com.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tricia Legat (00:00):
The jingling in the background is the dog.
Jonathan C. Legat (00:02):
I thought it was Christmas sleigh bells.
Tricia Legat (00:03):
Yes, it's Christmas, sleigh bells and our
dog.
Okay, so are we doing anepisode?
Sure.
Jonathan C. Legat (00:30):
Greetings and or salutations, and welcome to
Imbibe Cinema.
The Imbibe Cinema podcast isbrought to you by the Blue
Whiskey Independent FilmFestival, otherwise known as
BWIF.
We are currently acceptingsubmissions for our 2025
festival.
We seek independent, characterdriven films of all length,
styles and genres.
To learn more, please visit B WI F Fcom.
(00:52):
I'm festival operationsdirector and MC Jonathan C
Leggett, along with my cohostcinema centennial program
director.
Tricia Leggett as well as ourexecutive producer and the
executive director of the filmfestival, michael Nolans.
In this episode, we are goingto be discussing our 2024
(01:14):
holiday film pick Spirited.
The cocktail we'll be imbibingis called the Bob Cratchit.
I know it's not Scrooge, butwait for it.
Follow my TED Talk for a second.
It contains Aviator Gin.
Again, this is our.
Tricia Legat (01:31):
Third podcast in a row.
Jonathan C. Legat (01:32):
Third podcast in a row making the call back
to Aviator Gin and Ryan ReynoldsAviation.
Michael Noens (01:37):
Aviation, aviation.
You know, Ryan Reynolds wouldbe very upset.
He would, but I'm already atleast one glass in, because
we've just started the podcast,so you're officially an aviator
now and it's off of the samebottle, because that's a big
bottle.
Jonathan C. Legat (01:49):
We finished it tonight, oh really, oh, we
did.
Michael Noens (01:51):
Nice, cool, I have a whole unopened one still.
Tricia Legat (01:55):
I believe in the rule of threes.
So we drank the gin three timesand we will reference Ryan
Reynolds, forynolds for thethird time, and then we stop no
more, because after that it'sstalking I thought you were
going to go in a differentdirection.
Michael Noens (02:09):
Like you know, on the third time we've referenced
him three times, then does heactually appear so that would be
a christmas miracle that wouldbe a christmas miracle and what
the uh?
Jonathan C. Legat (02:23):
um, guest celebrity uh appearance.
Now, I mean, you know, holidaymiracles, let's, let's just put
it that way um, but this alsohas a burdo uh and triple sec.
So it is essentially uh, it isvery reminiscent to me.
I make aina gardens first wordsound a mulled wine wine for
(02:43):
Halloween, so that I can givethat out to the adults walking
around with trick-or-treaters,because it is a nice warming
beverage.
So this is a heated wine thatwe have added gin and triple sec
to.
Tricia Legat (02:58):
Right, not that he's getting the neighborhood
trashed, it's more like we liveoutside the Chicago area and
it's cold.
Jonathan C. Legat (03:03):
Yeah, and you have to walk a long distance
between us and even just thenext house over.
So I mean, people needsomething to warm them up.
Yeah, the recipe, as well aspictures, are available on our
website, imbibecinemacom, andour mobile app.
In addition to this podcast, wealso offer a variety of short
and feature length independentfilms that you can enjoy for
(03:23):
free.
Variety of short and featurelength independent films that
you can enjoy for free.
But when you become an In VibeCinema member, you get access to
the monthly limited releasesand the BWIFF virtual experience
from our week long festival.
To learn more and begin yourmembership, please visit
InVibeCinemacom or download theIn Vibe Cinema mobile app,
available on the App Store andGoogle Play.
Tricia Legat (03:44):
So we started with the drink.
Yes, it's a Bob Cratchit drinkinstead of a Scrooge drink, and
I think that is awesome becausewe can then start with Bob
Cratchit in Spirited, played byOctavia Spencer, and she's
amazing she is.
Michael Noens (04:00):
She is amazing in this.
I think seeing the movie thesecond time, because I've only
seen this twice.
Jonathan C. Legat (04:06):
I saw it, oh, okay.
Michael Noens (04:08):
Yeah, so I only saw it.
When it first came out, I lovedit, and then, you know, sunday.
Jonathan C. Legat (04:13):
Last night for us.
Michael Noens (04:14):
Perfect, yeah, and I just I really enjoyed the
heart that she brings to thestory, but like the struggle,
the struggle, the inner strugglethat she brings to the story,
but like the struggle, thestruggle, the inner struggle
that she has, it's very modern,you know, between, uh, work life
balance, yep, and uh, what Idid find really fascinating was,
(04:36):
you know, that she has beendoing this for so long and still
still has held on to some sortof positive force of humanity,
you know.
Tricia Legat (04:48):
Yeah, right which.
Michael Noens (04:49):
I think is kind of amazing, because it's like,
and the way that she plays isit's like this, you know, it's
like just dangling by a threadand she keeps making sure that
it's still intact, just so thatway you know she keeps her
sanity.
Yeah, now I have.
I'm a terrible person.
I love this movie.
Tricia Legat (05:03):
making sure that it's still intact, just so, that
way you know she keeps hersanity.
Yeah, now, there I have.
Uh, I'm a terrible person.
I love this movie, I reallylove this movie, but I do have
one little thing that I wouldhave tweaked that, I think,
would have improved it.
Um, that slide into um bad moraljudgments yeah it's not, you
know, like flipping a switch,it's not uh, it like uh, scrooge
(05:27):
, was, you know this?
Angry, hateful, like taking joyout of other people's misery,
kind of uh, portrayal of the badguy, right?
Uh, he is charming from theget-go, and so you can
understand why her characterwould kind of go along with it.
(05:52):
But what I would have changedis there's that scene where you
go back to his past and hisbenevolent boss, mr Figgywig, or
whatever in this who fires himbecause he crosses the line, and
it's a small detail.
What I would have done is theytalk about how he had spread a
(06:14):
lie about something right, andit had ruined this person's life
right, and that was crossingthe line.
I think that is going too far,too fast.
I think what it should havebeen is he had lied about
something that caused a scandal.
That wasn't true.
But it was about somebody whowas already bad right, it was
already somebody who was amonster.
So if they're already a bad guy, what harm is it right?
(06:37):
That's an easier line to crossthan to get to the part where
you're then going after children, where you know you can cross
that like to me, morally, that'skind of how you could slide,
yeah but it's like you werealways.
Jonathan C. Legat (06:51):
He was already making a horrible choice
in the past and being totallyokay with it yeah, I'm trying to
remember if, if they theyestablished, because my brain is
suddenly completely fried bywine and gin, um, but uh, yeah,
this is the one where where itstarts, and he like cues it up.
Michael Noens (07:11):
You know, clint is doing what he does um best,
which is, you know, trying todistract um yeah, and then he's
like all right, stop.
And he like stops the scene yesthe, the guys fade away and
then you know he answers hisquestions basically all right
I'll give you these answers allright now.
Shut up and like yeah, watchthis scene play out yeah and so
(07:33):
it was that scene.
And then he leaves and walksover to um kimberly and, you
know, asks her to join him it'snot not like she just decides to
do this.
Jonathan C. Legat (07:47):
The boss actually pretty much gives her
the nod, like go with him.
Michael Noens (07:52):
It'll be better for her career-wise Correct.
Tricia Legat (07:55):
My biggest hiccup with the whole story is his
decline into becomingunredeemable.
And he's likable from thebeginning and I feel like if we
just made him just a tad bitunlikable and then you get under
the skin and then you're like,oh, he's really likable.
(08:16):
You know, I don't know, there'sjust something there that I
think could have heightened it.
But again, it still is anincredible movie and the only
reason I think I'm drawn to thatis because we are doing a take
on the Christmas Carol andbecause I can see Will Ferrell's
journey clearly.
(08:37):
And it's harder to see RyanReynolds' journey, his change
from being unredeemable toredeemable Because he's always
likable.
Michael Noens (08:46):
I feel like Ryan Reynolds plays this character a
lot.
And it's somebody that if youwere there with him you wouldn't
like him.
But because you're watching amovie you know you find him
funny.
Jonathan C. Legat (09:01):
Like him as Deadpool is a prime example.
Tricia Legat (09:04):
He uses humor and wit, right, no, but he uses
humor and wit to deflect and infact to attack yes.
Michael Noens (09:14):
So I don't really find him likable, but it's his.
It's the Ryan Reynolds charismathat he brings to it.
Tricia Legat (09:21):
Right, he's charming, yes, and Scrooge
typically isn't charming, butthat's another thing, that's.
That's one of the things that Ithink really makes this movie
kind of um of the times and uhand uh scary in its own way is
how, uh, social media andmisinformation and mistruths and
(09:46):
the outright lying.
Of course, I also just watchedlast night Buy Now the Shopping
Conspiracy documentary onNetflix, which but I mean just
(10:07):
the incredible amount ofpsychology that goes into
marketing and getting people tobelieve one thing or another,
and how that can come at such agreat a cost and how everybody
can blame someone else for itthat nobody is actually, you
(10:29):
know, held accountable, right Intoday's society.
Well, it's, you know, it's thecompany, it's not the person,
it's, it's the, it's the.
Or maybe you shouldn't believeeverything you read, or blah,
(10:49):
blah, blah.
But again, maybe we should, Idon't know, tell the truth.
And the fact that he is kind ofthe master of lies and
misinformation and he's socharming is, well, that's kind
of very villainous, right, yeah,yeah, I mean, you're not wrong.
My tangent over.
Jonathan C. Legat (11:07):
I mean I'll call out, as you lovingly
pointed out, when it comes tolike corporations and whatnot,
just how he manages to spin theroom of Christmas tree growers
into a frenzy by you know,making them feel like they are
the patriotic you know lifebloodof it, yeah.
(11:29):
And letting thatself-righteousness, and then
just villainizing the others,continue to rip this nation that
we love apart.
Tricia Legat (11:42):
By buying plastic trees.
Yeah, by terrifying, that is,and the fact that you could do
that well, and any ramificationsright and how it is done and
how, like we have these, uh,social media wars or, um, just
in general, we will, uh, as asociety, get divided over
something and how much and thecreepy thing is well, how much
(12:03):
of it might have beenmanufactured just to in to
incite people and and what?
Uh, he says it's so scary, ishe's like it's not enough to say
this is why we're right.
You know, we're bringing backchristmas.
That's the name of the songwhich is one of the like my
favorites in the in this, in amovie filled of amazing songs,
um, the bringing back christmassong about, like, how we're
(12:25):
bringing back nostalgia and whatChristmas should be and how,
like this is a point of pride.
But it's more than that.
You have to make them hate notonly the producers of your
opposition, your competitors.
You have to hate the consumersof those products, and that
hatred is what's going to makethat righteousness, is going to
(12:49):
make profit and it's like, oh,this is so gross, but I've seen
it.
Michael Noens (12:54):
Yeah, and to the film's credit, specifically with
that song.
What I think is so amazing iseven on the first viewing you
get that so black and white, howclear that point is made in
such a fun, happy way, and yetyou're internally conflicted
(13:15):
going oh, this guy, this fuckingguy, and whether he believes
any of that or not, it doesn'tmatter.
Jonathan C. Legat (13:24):
It doesn't matter because all he's doing is
whipping the people who arepaying him into a frenzy so that
they can help him smash anddestroy the people that are not
paying him and you know what hischaracter reminds me of.
Tricia Legat (13:37):
Uh, thank you for smoking aaron eckhart.
Michael Noens (13:40):
Aaron, yes, thank you, uh, and he has this whole
spiel.
Tricia Legat (13:42):
But I was like it's not about proving that I'm
right, that's never how you work, how you uh debate, it's just
proving you wrong.
I, that's all I have to do.
I have to poke a hole in yourargument.
I never have to make my own, Ijust have to make you look bad
and that's like the key.
Michael Noens (13:59):
And it's scary yeah, they're uh an unlikely
pairing.
Jonathan C. Legat (14:04):
Thank you for smoking and spirited I mean,
you know, one's a musical comedy, one's not, uh, it's a musical.
Tricia Legat (14:13):
Yeah, it's a comedy question mark.
Michael Noens (14:14):
Yeah, that should be a genre comedy just like,
okay, flashback, uh uh block.
Tricia Legat (14:22):
Do you remember going into a rental facility?
And if you do, wow.
Jonathan C. Legat (14:26):
Rental facility.
Holy hell, robot.
Yeah, I was about to say I'mlike I think you've managed to
date it even worse somehowthey're going to figure out that
Trisha's actually.
Tricia Legat (14:38):
AI.
Okay, you go back in time.
Now.
This is only a very few peopleleft alive, remember this.
But um, jesus christ, you go inand you're like I'm looking for
this movie and it's like I knowit's.
It's a drama and you'd find itin the comedy section after you
search the dramas.
And then you're like I give upon this movie and I'm gonna go
(15:00):
over here and like why is itover here?
It makes no sense.
And it's like there are somemovies they just couldn't figure
out, like Forrest Gump.
Michael Noens (15:06):
You could find it in different locations and it's
like well, I blame this on theGolden Globes, where it's like
best musical or comedy andyou're like and even this year
there are a few where I was like.
Yeah, why is that?
Tricia Legat (15:19):
a comedy show show don't get me wrong bear was
good.
I liked the bear.
Not a comedy, it's not true.
Not a comedy, yeah, but I meanyeah to john's point.
Um, if christoph waltz, who Iwould say is the scariest
villain there ever was, made melaugh so many times, but it also
made me more terrified of himyes, I, I would not want to like
(15:41):
, and it's just because of hischaracter.
Jonathan C. Legat (15:41):
I mean like I would not want to like and it's
just because of his character.
I mean like I would not want toencounter him in a dark alley
and I'm sure he might be alovely man, but no Inglorious
Bastards, no.
Tricia Legat (15:58):
No.
Jonathan C. Legat (15:59):
No Pound on subscribe.
I would not want to be there.
Tricia Legat (16:02):
Do you mean hashtag, pound?
Michael Noens (16:06):
Well, it's the pound symbol.
Yes, I know, but I like poundpound unsubscribe.
Jonathan C. Legat (16:11):
Would you rather I say octothorpe, also a
pound symbol alright, soscrabble guys.
Tricia Legat (16:18):
Alright, so, moving back to the film, what?
Where were we?
What were we talking about?
Jonathan C. Legat (16:23):
what haven't we been talking about?
This has been a smorgasbord, sothis is obviously a to the film
.
Where were we?
What were we talking about?
What haven't we been talkingabout?
This has been a smorgasbord,you're right.
So this is obviously a newretelling of the Dickens classic
A Crispus Carol.
Tricia Legat (16:37):
What does Will Ferrell say in the Good
Afternoon Song?
Kiss my Dickens son Kiss myDickens son yeah.
Jonathan C. Legat (16:48):
I mean, he's got some big dickens energy, um,
uh, but I mean, you know, I Ilove that.
You know, uh, ryan reynoldscalls out.
You mean, like you know, the,the bill murray, um, the, the
fact that they essentially callout all of the films that we had
watched growing up, and Ibelieve that we have said this
previously possibly in anotherChristmas, one, but your
(17:11):
favorite incarnation of theChristmas Carol.
Yep Muppets Christmas Carol.
Michael Noens (17:16):
Oh yeah, we talked about it last week Yep.
Yeah, Was it last week?
I think it was last week and Iit hit the cutting room floor.
Oh but yes, we did talk aboutit also in jacob episode jacob
marley in this uh film is uh.
Tricia Legat (17:31):
I think he's really the representative that
gives you.
He gives you that whole, likecharles dickens feel yes he is
from that era.
It doesn't seem like he'schanged much.
Jonathan C. Legat (17:40):
Yep patrick page, and one of the things that
I actually want to understandabout this this, this telling of
it.
You know Scrooge.
For those who have not watchedthis movie, please watch this
movie.
Drink the drink that we aredrinking, enjoy the movie, enjoy
the drink and then come listento us, because we kind of spoil
(18:01):
things.
Sure do.
Will Ferrell, who plays theghost of Christmas Present, was
an unredeemable.
He was, in fact, scrooge.
And they talk about the factthat, okay, so you can retire
and go back to Earth and liveout your days.
(18:23):
Now, what I find fascinatingabout this is, if we go with the
original Dickens story, Scroogeknew Marley in life, that they
were partners.
Why is it that Marley dies andbecomes this entity who now has
(18:47):
three ghosts who go and do this?
And then now this is likeessentially a corporation, that
they do this every year.
They pick a being whom theyneed to haunt and do this, and
my personal favorite is DollyParton is on the wall.
Oh my God, that was so hard thatthey they're the reason.
Thank you that Dolly Parton isthe amazing humanitarian that
(19:10):
she is.
We love you, dolly.
Tricia Legat (19:11):
The national treasure.
Jonathan C. Legat (19:13):
Yes, the absolute national treasure that
is Dolly Parton.
But so you know.
But why is it that Marley-.
Tricia Legat (19:19):
Don't forget, they save Karen.
That's how we open the movie.
Yes, they save a Karen.
They save a Karen, save a KarenA.
Jonathan C. Legat (19:24):
Karen Hashtag save a Karen.
Tricia Legat (19:26):
Octothorpe.
Jonathan C. Legat (19:27):
Octothorpe.
Save a Karen Well played.
But why is it that Will Ferrellhas an option to retire and go
back to Earth?
He was in the mail room,essentially, I think.
Oh, okay, I know, we have thereal, I know Trish, yes.
Tricia Legat (19:47):
Because Marley explains in Christmas Carol the
chains he forged in life or theones that he carries in death.
When he pretty much says I waslike really, really bad and
you're on your way, hedeliberately shuts down a mine
so that all the people that workthere will be too broke to pay
(20:08):
their mortgage.
Jonathan C. Legat (20:09):
So he can like- Buy those houses at really
cheap.
Tricia Legat (20:13):
Right, and he can explain all this to a small
child begging for his father'sjob and you're like, wow, that
is evil.
Like before I always knewScrooge was bad, but damn.
Michael Noens (20:22):
Right, Even Clint is like yikes, that is cold.
Jonathan C. Legat (20:26):
Yeah, and so did you manage to stay, you know
good, for the rest of your life, or was it only three and a
half weeks?
Yeah, there was.
The leading cause of death ofthat period was called January.
Tricia Legat (20:41):
Yes, but then yeah , there's a lot of back and
forth about today versus 200years ago and the indoor
plumbing and all the otherthings that have changed.
How like holding hands wasthird base back then.
Jonathan C. Legat (20:53):
Yeah, Can I?
Can I take a shower every month?
Look out New York.
I'm going to take a showerevery month.
Michael Noens (21:00):
Look out New York .
I'm going to take a showerevery month.
Yeah, one of the moments in themovie, also relating to the
Dickens story, that really mademe laugh out loud was when he's
trying to remember Tiny Tim'sname.
Yes, that's right.
Tricia Legat (21:14):
Little Larry, super Small Steve, yep, super
Small Steve, micro Mike yeah.
Michael Noens (21:20):
It's one of those where you're like was this like
multiple takes?
Jonathan C. Legat (21:24):
and just coming up with whatever, and you
can only imagine your objectiveis it's Tiny.
Michael Noens (21:30):
Tim.
That's Ryan Reynolds' objective.
It's Tiny Tim and Will Ferrellis like it's any other name than
that.
Jonathan C. Legat (21:36):
Which could you imagine being one of the
background artists in thatelevator?
Oh, my god, how many takes wereruined you have to.
Michael Noens (21:44):
You have to be like a background artist.
That's like I.
Jonathan C. Legat (21:47):
I don't break you either have to be a
background artist that says Idon't break, or you have to be
listening to like death metal inlike earbuds, uh, and and just
not know, like at 11.
Because you're deaf, right,right.
Tricia Legat (22:04):
Okay, so All right .
One of my favorite parts ofthis movie that I'm very excited
that we get to talk about thismovie in regards to filmmaking
in general, is the choreographer.
Regards to uh, filmmaking ingeneral, is the choreographer?
(22:24):
um, because the incredibleamount of uh, they go all out
yes for the dancing in everynumber, but it's like every
number one ups the next in goingabove and beyond.
They're all like broadway showstopping ridiculous, incredible
numbers.
And then, uh, I had to look up,because not just the special
effects, like the stuff they dowith the flashlights, the stuff
(22:46):
they do with the water, thestuff they do with the uh,
acrobatic- people.
Michael Noens (22:50):
There's like this whole thing where they're
dancers on like pogo sticks atthe very, very end the other
thing, uh, with the choreographythat I particularly enjoyed.
Uh, the use of tap.
There's a lot of tap in this,and even the call out to tap
after a good afternoon is justso funny.
You know like it's such anexpressive medium.
Tricia Legat (23:11):
Oh yes, well, no, and the fact that they did they
like, they took tap, theytrained to be in this film.
But it's more than the effortuh that they uh put in the and
by they I mean the leads uh putinto the dancing.
It's the incredible amount of uhdancers yes, in the film and I
believe, in looking up uh uhchloe's um background, she is,
(23:36):
like in like an acclaimed, likeworld-renowned tap dancer, but
but she's also other things.
She's got a pretty diversebackground as far as, like,
directing, producing, like she'sgot other credits.
This was just like I have tolook up this person because they
have like I'm now a huge fanand need to see more now a huge
(23:57):
fan and need to see more.
Michael Noens (24:03):
Well, and it's, it's, it's, um, it's also, I
think, uh, a compliment, I meanto the whole production team,
because I think that, uh,specifically the way that they
did all of the cinematographybecause you know, like like old
classic Hollywood, where we likeback off and we just we let the
choreography tell the story Um,like you would see it on stage,
and I feel like there's a lotof musicals where we get really
(24:26):
close and we're only seeing bitsand pieces and so you can't see
the big picture, except forthose specific shots that you
see the big picture, becauseit's like, oh, this was a really
cool movement or this was areally cool thing.
You know, it's like they'rethinking like filmmakers, not
like filmmakers Establish yeah.
Tricia Legat (24:41):
And I love that they did this, where we got to
see these incredible dancenumbers.
And then they also said, when Iread up about Chloe, was that
for this film the dancers rangedin age from children.
Children to like in the 70s, inpeople's 70s.
(25:02):
Like it was a very diversedancing crew.
Like they're from all over andall different ages and shapes
and sizes, and it made more forthe realism of it that everybody
doesn't look like a dancer.
Michael Noens (25:17):
Right.
Tricia Legat (25:17):
Straight off from like your stereotype of what
dancers look like.
One of my favorites is that thetraining crew like I guess
they're like newbies or whatnotto working in the afterlife and
they have like some sort of Idon't know supervisor that
guides them around.
Michael Noens (25:35):
They're like on a tour the entire time and in the
beginning.
Tricia Legat (25:38):
In the beginning it's like, oh, my God, god, why
are we?
Why, what are they doing?
Oh, it's a musical.
The afterlife it's.
It's a musical.
We just call it out right away.
And uh, and one of them, uh,he's, he's like, oh, I'm not
gonna, I'm not, I'm not gonna doin the end you don't dance, no.
And then in the next big dancenumber, he's in the center and
he's, he's killing it.
(25:58):
And after that, like, you'llfind him dancing and it's great.
No, you didn't see that.
Jonathan C. Legat (26:04):
No, oh yeah, watch it again.
I must have missed him,actually, because I thought he
just continued just like no.
Michael Noens (26:11):
It's during the course of the year when they're
doing like.
At least that's when I remembernoticing him.
Jonathan C. Legat (26:16):
Right, it's during, like that montage where
we're going month to month tomonth, oh, and they're planning
how to haunt him.
Yes, Okay.
I'll have to rewatch.
Tricia Legat (26:24):
No, what's also great about that is like the
montage of them doing theirresearch, Like it's a John
Oliver, Like we have to do allour research before we can haunt
you.
We have to know everything andit's you know, the big board
with all the pictures and thelines.
But then at the same time wehave tap dancers that are
practicing at all times andtheir tapping is getting more
(26:44):
elaborate because we're doingmore research.
Jonathan C. Legat (26:47):
Awesome.
We are going to take a fewminutes here to fill our glasses
and get ready to imbibe moreafter this.
The Blue Whiskey IndependentFilm Festival exhibits short and
feature-length motion picturesthat utilize story elements in a
new and exciting way.
Our official selections are acarefully assembled blend of
(27:10):
imaginative, sophisticated andfull-bodied stories.
This is what our namerepresents BWIF.
Audiences expect to experiencecharacter-driven, independent
cinema that is fueled by thefilmmakers' passion for the art
of visual storytelling.
Filmmakers can expect anintimate festival experience
(27:31):
where their personal story isvalued as much as the one
projected on the big screen.
I'm Jonathan Sealeget and I amhere along with Michael Nunes
(27:52):
and Tricia Legget, and we arediscussing Spirited, Enjoying
this podcast.
Please subscribe and or followus on all of your favorite
podcast providers to get the newepisodes as soon as we release
the MeTweak Rate and leave us areview to help the show reach
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And you can also follow ImbibeCinema on Facebook, Instagram
(28:14):
and the threads the threads.
Michael Noens (28:16):
Because it's no longer the Twitters, it's the
threads.
Jonathan C. Legat (28:19):
Yes, Got it.
Also, you can now send us atext Look for the link to text
us in our show notes, and youcan send us a comment or a
question and we will try to makesome time after the break to
address those texts which wehave received from the previous
week, received from the previousweek.
(28:41):
So, uh, during the break, we welovingly pointed out and or
realized, uh, that this is thefirst musical with which we have
uh, um, and, and I will statethat that is actually
interesting to me, only in mymind.
It is interesting to me, andyet it's not interesting to me
the fact that, I mean,technically, there's not going
to be a lot of independent filmmusicals, let alone major motion
(29:01):
picture films, musicals.
But we, given our backgroundsin theatricus, theater,
Theatrics Shh.
Michael Noens (29:11):
How's that Shh?
Jonathan C. Legat (29:12):
All right, given our background in theater
and whatnot.
I mean I love musicals in thesense that what a wonderful
world.
Bad guys have bad things happento them.
For the most part, everythingends up the way that it should,
(29:34):
oh yeah right, except for SouthPacific and Carousel.
Tricia Legat (29:35):
Oh yeah, right, good things happen, except for
South Pacific and Carousel, andwait.
Michael Noens (29:39):
That was a dark era.
Jonathan C. Legat (29:40):
What other ones?
Sumitag?
Very dark era in theatrics.
Tricia Legat (29:45):
Yeah, right, you sound like.
What is the name of the musicaltelevision show you?
Jonathan C. Legat (29:50):
know the.
Tricia Legat (29:51):
Apple one Schmigadoon, schmigadoon,
schmigadoon.
We're like in season two.
Jonathan C. Legat (29:59):
They're like all the dark musicals where it's
like nobody ends happily everafter Correct, and yes, what a
great show that was.
Oh, it's a great show, oh, sogood.
Tricia Legat (30:05):
But this, as far as musicals go, is very upbeat
Even in its scariness, hugemusical numbers.
There are one or two softerkind of ballad type songs.
Right, there are one or two um,softer kind of ballad type
songs, Right, Uh, but for themost part some really uh, energy
filled, uh joyous yes Numbers,Um, and they rank them in
(30:32):
Collider.
Michael Noens (30:33):
Yeah, uh, before we do those, I'm just curious,
cause I think it would beinteresting to see how they
measure up Um, um.
Can you guys identify what yourfavorite song was from it,
because then we can see where itranks.
Jonathan C. Legat (30:46):
Oh okay, so we're saying favorite song is in
the song itself or includingchoreography, because I know
that there's two that were like.
Michael Noens (30:55):
I think you have to do all of the weighing
yourself.
Tricia Legat (30:59):
Oh, yep, yes on your own time.
Jonathan C. Legat (31:02):
On your own time.
So I mean my, I think, visuallyfavorite was Unredeemable
Visually.
I say that because thechoreography utilized
flashlights in a way that itjust looked like lasers and
(31:22):
whatnot.
It was on people's arms, andhow they managed to do that, I'd
say from the if you're sayingthe most toe-tapping e, uh, I
would say that the number one isprobably going to be good
afternoon where I really lovedbringing back christmas as far
as uh, the tune with uh and uhand choreography was really good
(31:46):
, yes, and what they did withthe tables, yes, how they
utilize the tables in severaldifferent ways was incredible,
but then, as far as like thevisual was a little reference to
me um uh for uh uh.
Tricia Legat (32:00):
Indiana jones, indiana Jones, because stay with
me.
Jonathan C. Legat (32:05):
Follow her TED talk.
Tricia Legat (32:06):
Okay, so Ripple is a cut song.
So you see it at the end in thecredits and I think visually
it's incredible.
And they use the water in thatwith the dancing.
That is just amazing and thatis just a great, great number.
However, because it is a cutsong in the film, there is a
little bit of it in thebeginning and then there's a
(32:28):
little bit of it like of thechorus that kind of shows up a
little bit.
that is not cut so that itindicates there is a number, but
we've cut like, but it doesn'tfeel like there's a hole or
anything.
The editing is done very verywell, yes but it it's that in
the beginning, uh where uh willferrell character president, yes
(32:52):
, present is arguing with marleyabout taking out who we take on
this year.
Who's who's going to be the onewe redeem?
And he wants clint.
And uh, marley's against itbecause he's unredeemable and we
can't spend all his effort toturn somebody and change
somebody.
That is somebody that can'tchange and it's a waste of time
(33:13):
and resources.
So scrooge decides he's goingto change marley's mind by
singing to him and marley hatesall, all the singing all the
singing.
And so he he like, just startsjust a little bit.
And he's like, if I say yes,will you stop singing?
And he's like, yes, and thatwas the end of it.
And it to me it reminds me oflike the big uh fight in indiana
(33:36):
jones, where it just it wassupposed to be this giant
choreographed scene of a fightand instead he just pulls out a
gun and shoots him because hewas sick.
Harrison ford had a stomach bugand he couldn't do it, and so,
rather than shoot it, they justhad him shoot the guy, and it
was brilliant, it was so funnyand it was slow.
(33:56):
Yeah, it was such a twist, butto me it's like it's this
build-up for something thatdoesn't happen, and because it
doesn't happen, it it's reallyfunny.
Yes, and then, but we're notdenied it because we get it in
the credits and it is thisincredible number.
Michael Noens (34:10):
Yeah, so that's and that's nice that they did
that where they found a way tostill include the song in the
credits and actually really keepthe audience, you know, there
to see something they hadn't yetseen.
Yeah, throughout the credits,instead of just like a, a
reprise and that's not as theyargue in the movie.
Tricia Legat (34:30):
Is it a reprise, right?
And we all wonder?
Michael Noens (34:33):
so, yeah, mine is um, I was, I was back and forth
between good afternoon, um, butI think I'm going to go with do
a little good okay um, that'sthe big shows, that's a big
number at the end and it's, it'sum, I mean it is just, it lives
up to like the big climacticsong.
(34:54):
It is, um, there's a lot goingon.
There's.
I mean you have basicallyeverybody coming in off off the
street of new york, um, dancingthe streets.
You got snow, you got peopleare dancing up on the
scaffolding.
Uh, great use of tap too.
Um, they're um, the the pogostick dancers.
I mean like it was, yeah, and I,I, I enjoyed, thematically and
(35:20):
story-wise, what was happeningthroughout that song.
I know, like I know people whodon't like musicals because they
feel like the plot not plot,but story is going and then all
of a sudden we get to a song andit's like we pause for five
minutes so we can sing aboutthat moment and then move on.
And I think that is anoversimplification of musicals.
(35:41):
There's lots of musicals thattell the story throughout the
song and I felt like, yes, thereare moments where we do that in
this movie, but there aredefinite moments where we're
revealing throughout the entiresong.
Jonathan C. Legat (35:52):
Correct, right, I was going to say the
director for the, the, themusical that I was just cast in,
uh uh, talked about the sheerfact that there there comes a
point in a musical and as longas the musical is written well,
it does make sense that simplewords do not convey the meaning
(36:13):
or what is going on at thatmoment, and the only way to
convey that is through this song.
Tricia Legat (36:19):
Right, and I think Schmigadoon does an amazing job
of explaining that.
When you get too emotional tospeak, you have to sing.
And when you're too emotionalto sing, you have to dance.
And he's like okay.
So when you get full circle,like if you're too emotional to
dance, can we talk again?
Michael Noens (36:37):
It's true, it's funny.
Jonathan C. Legat (36:39):
I want to give one special call out to
that Christmas morning feeling.
I love these instances whereproductions do this.
I want to say that Bring it On,did something similar.
That Christmas morning feelingis the curtain call.
(37:00):
Yeah, and call it's.
You know as essentially thefact that they have the
foresight to, um, you know, eachday, as they're wrapping a set,
have a particular song play andlet the the, the actors, in the
makeup or or scene or cameraangle that they're in, do this
(37:21):
song is just fascinating to mebecause you're able to compile
this and edit it all together.
At the end, the curtain call iseverybody's taking their bows,
essentially, and just what awonderful thing that is to see.
Tricia Legat (37:37):
My favorite part is when we turn from the
backstage crew, the, uh, thebackstage crew which is really
like the people that are doinglike the uh uh scourging staff.
I should say the bad, the thescourging staff to the actual
crew for the film.
For the film where you switchfrom that and that I love that
(37:58):
the whole bit where, uh, when he, when they're haunting, they
have like cue up this scene, cueup this scene, or the
transitions.
We have a whole team.
They work really hard on thesetransitions.
Jonathan C. Legat (38:12):
Yeah, couldn't you have just walked me
over here?
No, no, no.
Tricia Legat (38:16):
You understand, and then like when he will do
something that's not on theschedule, and it's like no, I
need to call out this scene.
They're like but we, I, I knowand you have, you see the, the
people like pulling the thewalls and uh and and stuff in to
like and it's like thanks, bobso, uh, yeah, trisha, now that
(38:38):
we've done that, like what iscolliders called out?
Michael Noens (38:40):
oh, yes, okay, sorry because I interrupted you.
Tricia Legat (38:43):
No, no, no, so they had ranking 10 songs.
Ah, my two were in the bottom.
What yeah?
Jonathan C. Legat (38:53):
Oh really.
Tricia Legat (38:53):
Yeah.
Jonathan C. Legat (38:55):
Bottom five.
Tricia Legat (38:56):
Yeah, so nine was Ripple.
Okay, bringing Back Christmaswas eight.
Those were my two.
Michael Noens (39:03):
Yeah, those are way too low on the list.
Tricia Legat (39:05):
And the View From here.
Michael Noens (39:08):
That's a good one .
Jonathan C. Legat (39:09):
Okay, Do A.
Tricia Legat (39:10):
Little Good was number three.
Michael Noens (39:11):
Oh okay.
Tricia Legat (39:13):
And Good Afternoon was number one.
Jonathan C. Legat (39:15):
See, okay, called it.
Yeah, called my shot, calledyour shot, uh-huh.
Michael Noens (39:20):
Wait, and what was?
There was one other one.
Tricia Legat (39:26):
It was wait.
And when, what was?
There was one other, one,number two, what was an and what
was unredeemable uh,unredeemable was six, okay, oh,
so that's in the bottom.
Jonathan C. Legat (39:30):
Five also in the bottom, yeah yeah, but look
at those flashlights yeah, no,the whole flashlight thing and
the fact that they were each,yeah, independently, with each
hand, turn on and off, justcover it made me think of.
Michael Noens (39:43):
it made me think of uh, that whole sequence, for
whatever reason, just brought meto Barbie.
Oh yeah, you know, I just Ithink a lot of this could be
brought to Barbie because of howmuch realistic it's.
Tricia Legat (39:59):
not green screen, all of it is everybody's there
in person.
Michael Noens (40:03):
It's like an old Hollywood musical.
No, all of it is everybody'sthere in person.
It's like it's like an oldhollywood musical the.
The scale of it is huge andit's all there yeah, all there
on the soundstage making thesepractical effects happen yep you
know, maybe enhancing themlater in post, but like we're
really there doing that, um yeahuh, yeah, so people can change
(40:28):
and and, and.
So let's, let's see if thecritics agree yeah, or if we can
change these critics minds yes,because we're only going to
talk about the bad ones yeah sothis movie does have a 70
percent um only which is yeahit's actually surprising good um
, but yeah, there there are alot of um naysayers on um yeah
(40:50):
scrooges uh.
Alternate ending says the yep,that's okay, that is the name of
the uh publication.
Alternate ending summarizes thefilm, um, as a horrifically
bloated 127 minutes.
They don't like musicals.
Wow, yeah, probably.
Jonathan C. Legat (41:13):
That's probably what it comes down to
my boss maybe watch this again,this is one of those instances
where, like I, I appreciate whatthe the film did in retelling a
story that we have seen overand over and over and over and
over and over and over again, ina way that is not, uh, an
(41:37):
active retelling.
It is even a continuation of,and modernizing it in a way that
is taking into account socialmedia and, uh, trolls and all
these other kinds of I.
You're bloated.
Michael Noens (41:54):
Arts Atlanta or arts ATL um says.
Now I'm not sure if this is, uh, really a criticism or a
compliment.
It's a big, obnoxious and has,in parentheses, shutter a lot of
musical numbers delivered withoutrageously enthusiastic
(42:16):
choreography.
Tricia Legat (42:17):
Oh right, so it's a musical.
I feel like these people don'tlike musicals.
Michael Noens (42:22):
Yeah, it is obnoxious, it's supposed to be.
Yeah, it has musical numbersthat are delivered with
outrageously enthusiasticchoreography.
Where's the problem?
Jonathan C. Legat (42:33):
No Other than somebody who is a cinephile,
who does not believe thatmusical theater either exists or
should exist in film.
It is a medium that stillmanages to tell the story in a
compelling fashion, and I thinkthat all of the songs speak for
themselves and are wonderfullychoreographed and extremely well
(42:57):
written to keep the audienceengaged.
Michael Noens (43:00):
Tilt Magazine.
So this is just slightlydifferent.
Tilt Magazine summarizes theirreview, a colossal dud one,
tragically short on laughs andunable to do anything
interesting or constructive withits source material okay.
Tricia Legat (43:16):
So this is, uh, somebody who didn't actually
watch the film and had to writea criticism.
You couldn't totally tell it'slike um, I have to do my
homework but I'm just gonnafudge it.
So in the civil war we foughtthe germans and you know like
they?
Just no, I don't think, I don'tbelieve they watched the movie
well, and if they watched it bythemselves at home, like this?
Is on a plane on their cellphone this is.
Michael Noens (43:39):
this is I will actually say say this because I
I think it did have a relativelylimited release in theaters and
this was like a theater movie.
Tricia Legat (43:48):
Yeah.
Michael Noens (43:48):
Like 100%.
Oh yeah, A big musical likethis is meant to be seen on a
big screen, I mean.
I enjoyed the hell out of it athome, but if you are watching
this at home by yourself, it'sjust.
I could understand it not beingas thrilling because you don't
have that energy, and we'vetalked about that in the past
(44:08):
there you have it.
Tricia Legat (44:09):
Any last thoughts?
I hope everyone else liked it.
I mean, it's a great movie,it's a feel-good movie, and
Christmas should be aboutfeel-good movies sometimes.
Michael Noens (44:20):
Yes, yeah, not horror movies.
What is with the horror movietrend on Christmas Day?
We're just trying to normalizethe fear.
Jonathan C. Legat (44:28):
Oh, oh, oh.
We greatly appreciate ourlisteners Hashtag, crambo, yeah
shit.
We greatly appreciate all ofour listeners for choosing this
podcast supporting independentfilms and the blue whiskey
independent film festival.
This is our last episode forthis fiscal year, uh, but we'll
(44:51):
be back on January 8th withanother episode.
So I am Jonathan C Leggett andthanks for imbibing with us.
Happy holidays, cheers.
Thank you.
The jingling in the background is the dog.
Jonathan C. Legat (00:02):
I thought it was Christmas sleigh bells.
Tricia Legat (00:03):
Yes, it's Christmas, sleigh bells and our
dog.
Okay, so are we doing anepisode?
Sure.
Jonathan C. Legat (00:30):
Greetings and or salutations, and welcome to
Imbibe Cinema.
The Imbibe Cinema podcast isbrought to you by the Blue
Whiskey Independent FilmFestival, otherwise known as
BWIF.
We are currently acceptingsubmissions for our 2025
festival.
We seek independent, characterdriven films of all length,
styles and genres.
To learn more, please visit B WI F Fcom.
(00:52):
I'm festival operationsdirector and MC Jonathan C
Leggett, along with my cohostcinema centennial program
director.
Tricia Leggett as well as ourexecutive producer and the
executive director of the filmfestival, michael Nolans.
In this episode, we are goingto be discussing our 2024
(01:14):
holiday film pick Spirited.
The cocktail we'll be imbibingis called the Bob Cratchit.
I know it's not Scrooge, butwait for it.
Follow my TED Talk for a second.
It contains Aviator Gin.
Again, this is our.
Tricia Legat (01:31):
Third podcast in a row.
Jonathan C. Legat (01:32):
Third podcast in a row making the call back
to Aviator Gin and Ryan ReynoldsAviation.
Michael Noens (01:37):
Aviation, aviation.
You know, Ryan Reynolds wouldbe very upset.
He would, but I'm already atleast one glass in, because
we've just started the podcast,so you're officially an aviator
now and it's off of the samebottle, because that's a big
bottle.
Jonathan C. Legat (01:49):
We finished it tonight, oh really, oh, we
did.
Michael Noens (01:51):
Nice, cool, I have a whole unopened one still.
Tricia Legat (01:55):
I believe in the rule of threes.
So we drank the gin three timesand we will reference Ryan
Reynolds, forynolds for thethird time, and then we stop no
more, because after that it'sstalking I thought you were
going to go in a differentdirection.
Michael Noens (02:09):
Like you know, on the third time we've referenced
him three times, then does heactually appear so that would be
a christmas miracle that wouldbe a christmas miracle and what
the uh?
Jonathan C. Legat (02:23):
um, guest celebrity uh appearance.
Now, I mean, you know, holidaymiracles, let's, let's just put
it that way um, but this alsohas a burdo uh and triple sec.
So it is essentially uh, it isvery reminiscent to me.
I make aina gardens first wordsound a mulled wine wine for
(02:43):
Halloween, so that I can givethat out to the adults walking
around with trick-or-treaters,because it is a nice warming
beverage.
So this is a heated wine thatwe have added gin and triple sec
to.
Tricia Legat (02:58):
Right, not that he's getting the neighborhood
trashed, it's more like we liveoutside the Chicago area and
it's cold.
Jonathan C. Legat (03:03):
Yeah, and you have to walk a long distance
between us and even just thenext house over.
So I mean, people needsomething to warm them up.
Yeah, the recipe, as well aspictures, are available on our
website, imbibecinemacom, andour mobile app.
In addition to this podcast, wealso offer a variety of short
and feature length independentfilms that you can enjoy for
(03:23):
free.
Variety of short and featurelength independent films that
you can enjoy for free.
But when you become an In VibeCinema member, you get access to
the monthly limited releasesand the BWIFF virtual experience
from our week long festival.
To learn more and begin yourmembership, please visit
InVibeCinemacom or download theIn Vibe Cinema mobile app,
available on the App Store andGoogle Play.
Tricia Legat (03:44):
So we started with the drink.
Yes, it's a Bob Cratchit drinkinstead of a Scrooge drink, and
I think that is awesome becausewe can then start with Bob
Cratchit in Spirited, played byOctavia Spencer, and she's
amazing she is.
Michael Noens (04:00):
She is amazing in this.
I think seeing the movie thesecond time, because I've only
seen this twice.
Jonathan C. Legat (04:06):
I saw it, oh, okay.
Michael Noens (04:08):
Yeah, so I only saw it.
When it first came out, I lovedit, and then, you know, sunday.
Jonathan C. Legat (04:13):
Last night for us.
Michael Noens (04:14):
Perfect, yeah, and I just I really enjoyed the
heart that she brings to thestory, but like the struggle,
the struggle, the inner strugglethat she brings to the story,
but like the struggle, thestruggle, the inner struggle
that she has, it's very modern,you know, between, uh, work life
balance, yep, and uh, what Idid find really fascinating was,
(04:36):
you know, that she has beendoing this for so long and still
still has held on to some sortof positive force of humanity,
you know.
Tricia Legat (04:48):
Yeah, right which.
Michael Noens (04:49):
I think is kind of amazing, because it's like,
and the way that she plays isit's like this, you know, it's
like just dangling by a threadand she keeps making sure that
it's still intact, just so thatway you know she keeps her
sanity.
Yeah, now I have.
I'm a terrible person.
I love this movie.
Tricia Legat (05:03):
making sure that it's still intact, just so, that
way you know she keeps hersanity.
Yeah, now, there I have.
Uh, I'm a terrible person.
I love this movie, I reallylove this movie, but I do have
one little thing that I wouldhave tweaked that, I think,
would have improved it.
Um, that slide into um bad moraljudgments yeah it's not, you
know, like flipping a switch,it's not uh, it like uh, scrooge
(05:27):
, was, you know this?
Angry, hateful, like taking joyout of other people's misery,
kind of uh, portrayal of the badguy, right?
Uh, he is charming from theget-go, and so you can
understand why her characterwould kind of go along with it.
(05:52):
But what I would have changedis there's that scene where you
go back to his past and hisbenevolent boss, mr Figgywig, or
whatever in this who fires himbecause he crosses the line, and
it's a small detail.
What I would have done is theytalk about how he had spread a
(06:14):
lie about something right, andit had ruined this person's life
right, and that was crossingthe line.
I think that is going too far,too fast.
I think what it should havebeen is he had lied about
something that caused a scandal.
That wasn't true.
But it was about somebody whowas already bad right, it was
already somebody who was amonster.
So if they're already a bad guy, what harm is it right?
(06:37):
That's an easier line to crossthan to get to the part where
you're then going after children, where you know you can cross
that like to me, morally, that'skind of how you could slide,
yeah but it's like you werealways.
Jonathan C. Legat (06:51):
He was already making a horrible choice
in the past and being totallyokay with it yeah, I'm trying to
remember if, if they theyestablished, because my brain is
suddenly completely fried bywine and gin, um, but uh, yeah,
this is the one where where itstarts, and he like cues it up.
Michael Noens (07:11):
You know, clint is doing what he does um best,
which is, you know, trying todistract um yeah, and then he's
like all right, stop.
And he like stops the scene yesthe, the guys fade away and
then you know he answers hisquestions basically all right
I'll give you these answers allright now.
Shut up and like yeah, watchthis scene play out yeah and so
(07:33):
it was that scene.
And then he leaves and walksover to um kimberly and, you
know, asks her to join him it'snot not like she just decides to
do this.
Jonathan C. Legat (07:47):
The boss actually pretty much gives her
the nod, like go with him.
Michael Noens (07:52):
It'll be better for her career-wise Correct.
Tricia Legat (07:55):
My biggest hiccup with the whole story is his
decline into becomingunredeemable.
And he's likable from thebeginning and I feel like if we
just made him just a tad bitunlikable and then you get under
the skin and then you're like,oh, he's really likable.
(08:16):
You know, I don't know, there'sjust something there that I
think could have heightened it.
But again, it still is anincredible movie and the only
reason I think I'm drawn to thatis because we are doing a take
on the Christmas Carol andbecause I can see Will Ferrell's
journey clearly.
(08:37):
And it's harder to see RyanReynolds' journey, his change
from being unredeemable toredeemable Because he's always
likable.
Michael Noens (08:46):
I feel like Ryan Reynolds plays this character a
lot.
And it's somebody that if youwere there with him you wouldn't
like him.
But because you're watching amovie you know you find him
funny.
Jonathan C. Legat (09:01):
Like him as Deadpool is a prime example.
Tricia Legat (09:04):
He uses humor and wit, right, no, but he uses
humor and wit to deflect and infact to attack yes.
Michael Noens (09:14):
So I don't really find him likable, but it's his.
It's the Ryan Reynolds charismathat he brings to it.
Tricia Legat (09:21):
Right, he's charming, yes, and Scrooge
typically isn't charming, butthat's another thing, that's.
That's one of the things that Ithink really makes this movie
kind of um of the times and uhand uh scary in its own way is
how, uh, social media andmisinformation and mistruths and
(09:46):
the outright lying.
Of course, I also just watchedlast night Buy Now the Shopping
Conspiracy documentary onNetflix, which but I mean just
(10:07):
the incredible amount ofpsychology that goes into
marketing and getting people tobelieve one thing or another,
and how that can come at such agreat a cost and how everybody
can blame someone else for itthat nobody is actually, you
(10:29):
know, held accountable, right Intoday's society.
Well, it's, you know, it's thecompany, it's not the person,
it's, it's the, it's the.
Or maybe you shouldn't believeeverything you read, or blah,
(10:49):
blah, blah.
But again, maybe we should, Idon't know, tell the truth.
And the fact that he is kind ofthe master of lies and
misinformation and he's socharming is, well, that's kind
of very villainous, right, yeah,yeah, I mean, you're not wrong.
My tangent over.
Jonathan C. Legat (11:07):
I mean I'll call out, as you lovingly
pointed out, when it comes tolike corporations and whatnot,
just how he manages to spin theroom of Christmas tree growers
into a frenzy by you know,making them feel like they are
the patriotic you know lifebloodof it, yeah.
(11:29):
And letting thatself-righteousness, and then
just villainizing the others,continue to rip this nation that
we love apart.
Tricia Legat (11:42):
By buying plastic trees.
Yeah, by terrifying, that is,and the fact that you could do
that well, and any ramificationsright and how it is done and
how, like we have these, uh,social media wars or, um, just
in general, we will, uh, as asociety, get divided over
something and how much and thecreepy thing is well, how much
(12:03):
of it might have beenmanufactured just to in to
incite people and and what?
Uh, he says it's so scary, ishe's like it's not enough to say
this is why we're right.
You know, we're bringing backchristmas.
That's the name of the songwhich is one of the like my
favorites in the in this, in amovie filled of amazing songs,
um, the bringing back christmassong about, like, how we're
(12:25):
bringing back nostalgia and whatChristmas should be and how,
like this is a point of pride.
But it's more than that.
You have to make them hate notonly the producers of your
opposition, your competitors.
You have to hate the consumersof those products, and that
hatred is what's going to makethat righteousness, is going to
(12:49):
make profit and it's like, oh,this is so gross, but I've seen
it.
Michael Noens (12:54):
Yeah, and to the film's credit, specifically with
that song.
What I think is so amazing iseven on the first viewing you
get that so black and white, howclear that point is made in
such a fun, happy way, and yetyou're internally conflicted
(13:15):
going oh, this guy, this fuckingguy, and whether he believes
any of that or not, it doesn'tmatter.
Jonathan C. Legat (13:24):
It doesn't matter because all he's doing is
whipping the people who arepaying him into a frenzy so that
they can help him smash anddestroy the people that are not
paying him and you know what hischaracter reminds me of.
Tricia Legat (13:37):
Uh, thank you for smoking aaron eckhart.
Michael Noens (13:40):
Aaron, yes, thank you, uh, and he has this whole
spiel.
Tricia Legat (13:42):
But I was like it's not about proving that I'm
right, that's never how you work, how you uh debate, it's just
proving you wrong.
I, that's all I have to do.
I have to poke a hole in yourargument.
I never have to make my own, Ijust have to make you look bad
and that's like the key.
Michael Noens (13:59):
And it's scary yeah, they're uh an unlikely
pairing.
Jonathan C. Legat (14:04):
Thank you for smoking and spirited I mean,
you know, one's a musical comedy, one's not, uh, it's a musical.
Tricia Legat (14:13):
Yeah, it's a comedy question mark.
Michael Noens (14:14):
Yeah, that should be a genre comedy just like,
okay, flashback, uh uh block.
Tricia Legat (14:22):
Do you remember going into a rental facility?
And if you do, wow.
Jonathan C. Legat (14:26):
Rental facility.
Holy hell, robot.
Yeah, I was about to say I'mlike I think you've managed to
date it even worse somehowthey're going to figure out that
Trisha's actually.
Tricia Legat (14:38):
AI.
Okay, you go back in time.
Now.
This is only a very few peopleleft alive, remember this.
But um, jesus christ, you go inand you're like I'm looking for
this movie and it's like I knowit's.
It's a drama and you'd find itin the comedy section after you
search the dramas.
And then you're like I give upon this movie and I'm gonna go
(15:00):
over here and like why is itover here?
It makes no sense.
And it's like there are somemovies they just couldn't figure
out, like Forrest Gump.
Michael Noens (15:06):
You could find it in different locations and it's
like well, I blame this on theGolden Globes, where it's like
best musical or comedy andyou're like and even this year
there are a few where I was like.
Yeah, why is that?
Tricia Legat (15:19):
a comedy show show don't get me wrong bear was
good.
I liked the bear.
Not a comedy, it's not true.
Not a comedy, yeah, but I meanyeah to john's point.
Um, if christoph waltz, who Iwould say is the scariest
villain there ever was, made melaugh so many times, but it also
made me more terrified of himyes, I, I would not want to like
(15:41):
, and it's just because of hischaracter.
Jonathan C. Legat (15:41):
I mean like I would not want to like and it's
just because of his character.
I mean like I would not want toencounter him in a dark alley
and I'm sure he might be alovely man, but no Inglorious
Bastards, no.
Tricia Legat (15:58):
No.
Jonathan C. Legat (15:59):
No Pound on subscribe.
I would not want to be there.
Tricia Legat (16:02):
Do you mean hashtag, pound?
Michael Noens (16:06):
Well, it's the pound symbol.
Yes, I know, but I like poundpound unsubscribe.
Jonathan C. Legat (16:11):
Would you rather I say octothorpe, also a
pound symbol alright, soscrabble guys.
Tricia Legat (16:18):
Alright, so, moving back to the film, what?
Where were we?
What were we talking about?
Jonathan C. Legat (16:23):
what haven't we been talking about?
This has been a smorgasbord, sothis is obviously a to the film
.
Where were we?
What were we talking about?
What haven't we been talkingabout?
This has been a smorgasbord,you're right.
So this is obviously a newretelling of the Dickens classic
A Crispus Carol.
Tricia Legat (16:37):
What does Will Ferrell say in the Good
Afternoon Song?
Kiss my Dickens son Kiss myDickens son yeah.
Jonathan C. Legat (16:48):
I mean, he's got some big dickens energy, um,
uh, but I mean, you know, I Ilove that.
You know, uh, ryan reynoldscalls out.
You mean, like you know, the,the bill murray, um, the, the
fact that they essentially callout all of the films that we had
watched growing up, and Ibelieve that we have said this
previously possibly in anotherChristmas, one, but your
(17:11):
favorite incarnation of theChristmas Carol.
Yep Muppets Christmas Carol.
Michael Noens (17:16):
Oh yeah, we talked about it last week Yep.
Yeah, Was it last week?
I think it was last week and Iit hit the cutting room floor.
Oh but yes, we did talk aboutit also in jacob episode jacob
marley in this uh film is uh.
Tricia Legat (17:31):
I think he's really the representative that
gives you.
He gives you that whole, likecharles dickens feel yes he is
from that era.
It doesn't seem like he'schanged much.
Jonathan C. Legat (17:40):
Yep patrick page, and one of the things that
I actually want to understandabout this this, this telling of
it.
You know Scrooge.
For those who have not watchedthis movie, please watch this
movie.
Drink the drink that we aredrinking, enjoy the movie, enjoy
the drink and then come listento us, because we kind of spoil
(18:01):
things.
Sure do.
Will Ferrell, who plays theghost of Christmas Present, was
an unredeemable.
He was, in fact, scrooge.
And they talk about the factthat, okay, so you can retire
and go back to Earth and liveout your days.
(18:23):
Now, what I find fascinatingabout this is, if we go with the
original Dickens story, Scroogeknew Marley in life, that they
were partners.
Why is it that Marley dies andbecomes this entity who now has
(18:47):
three ghosts who go and do this?
And then now this is likeessentially a corporation, that
they do this every year.
They pick a being whom theyneed to haunt and do this, and
my personal favorite is DollyParton is on the wall.
Oh my God, that was so hard thatthey they're the reason.
Thank you that Dolly Parton isthe amazing humanitarian that
(19:10):
she is.
We love you, dolly.
Tricia Legat (19:11):
The national treasure.
Jonathan C. Legat (19:13):
Yes, the absolute national treasure that
is Dolly Parton.
But so you know.
But why is it that Marley-.
Tricia Legat (19:19):
Don't forget, they save Karen.
That's how we open the movie.
Yes, they save a Karen.
They save a Karen, save a KarenA.
Jonathan C. Legat (19:24):
Karen Hashtag save a Karen.
Tricia Legat (19:26):
Octothorpe.
Jonathan C. Legat (19:27):
Octothorpe.
Save a Karen Well played.
But why is it that Will Ferrellhas an option to retire and go
back to Earth?
He was in the mail room,essentially, I think.
Oh, okay, I know, we have thereal, I know Trish, yes.
Tricia Legat (19:47):
Because Marley explains in Christmas Carol the
chains he forged in life or theones that he carries in death.
When he pretty much says I waslike really, really bad and
you're on your way, hedeliberately shuts down a mine
so that all the people that workthere will be too broke to pay
(20:08):
their mortgage.
Jonathan C. Legat (20:09):
So he can like- Buy those houses at really
cheap.
Tricia Legat (20:13):
Right, and he can explain all this to a small
child begging for his father'sjob and you're like, wow, that
is evil.
Like before I always knewScrooge was bad, but damn.
Michael Noens (20:22):
Right, Even Clint is like yikes, that is cold.
Jonathan C. Legat (20:26):
Yeah, and so did you manage to stay, you know
good, for the rest of your life, or was it only three and a
half weeks?
Yeah, there was.
The leading cause of death ofthat period was called January.
Tricia Legat (20:41):
Yes, but then yeah , there's a lot of back and
forth about today versus 200years ago and the indoor
plumbing and all the otherthings that have changed.
How like holding hands wasthird base back then.
Jonathan C. Legat (20:53):
Yeah, Can I?
Can I take a shower every month?
Look out New York.
I'm going to take a showerevery month.
Michael Noens (21:00):
Look out New York .
I'm going to take a showerevery month.
Yeah, one of the moments in themovie, also relating to the
Dickens story, that really mademe laugh out loud was when he's
trying to remember Tiny Tim'sname.
Yes, that's right.
Tricia Legat (21:14):
Little Larry, super Small Steve, yep, super
Small Steve, micro Mike yeah.
Michael Noens (21:20):
It's one of those where you're like was this like
multiple takes?
Jonathan C. Legat (21:24):
and just coming up with whatever, and you
can only imagine your objectiveis it's Tiny.
Michael Noens (21:30):
Tim.
That's Ryan Reynolds' objective.
It's Tiny Tim and Will Ferrellis like it's any other name than
that.
Jonathan C. Legat (21:36):
Which could you imagine being one of the
background artists in thatelevator?
Oh, my god, how many takes wereruined you have to.
Michael Noens (21:44):
You have to be like a background artist.
That's like I.
Jonathan C. Legat (21:47):
I don't break you either have to be a
background artist that says Idon't break, or you have to be
listening to like death metal inlike earbuds, uh, and and just
not know, like at 11.
Because you're deaf, right,right.
Tricia Legat (22:04):
Okay, so All right .
One of my favorite parts ofthis movie that I'm very excited
that we get to talk about thismovie in regards to filmmaking
in general, is the choreographer.
Regards to uh, filmmaking ingeneral, is the choreographer?
(22:24):
um, because the incredibleamount of uh, they go all out
yes for the dancing in everynumber, but it's like every
number one ups the next in goingabove and beyond.
They're all like broadway showstopping ridiculous, incredible
numbers.
And then, uh, I had to look up,because not just the special
effects, like the stuff they dowith the flashlights, the stuff
(22:46):
they do with the water, thestuff they do with the uh,
acrobatic- people.
Michael Noens (22:50):
There's like this whole thing where they're
dancers on like pogo sticks atthe very, very end the other
thing, uh, with the choreographythat I particularly enjoyed.
Uh, the use of tap.
There's a lot of tap in this,and even the call out to tap
after a good afternoon is justso funny.
You know like it's such anexpressive medium.
Tricia Legat (23:11):
Oh yes, well, no, and the fact that they did they
like, they took tap, theytrained to be in this film.
But it's more than the effortuh that they uh put in the and
by they I mean the leads uh putinto the dancing.
It's the incredible amount of uhdancers yes, in the film and I
believe, in looking up uh uhchloe's um background, she is,
(23:36):
like in like an acclaimed, likeworld-renowned tap dancer, but
but she's also other things.
She's got a pretty diversebackground as far as, like,
directing, producing, like she'sgot other credits.
This was just like I have tolook up this person because they
have like I'm now a huge fanand need to see more now a huge
(23:57):
fan and need to see more.
Michael Noens (24:03):
Well, and it's, it's, it's, um, it's also, I
think, uh, a compliment, I meanto the whole production team,
because I think that, uh,specifically the way that they
did all of the cinematographybecause you know, like like old
classic Hollywood, where we likeback off and we just we let the
choreography tell the story Um,like you would see it on stage,
and I feel like there's a lotof musicals where we get really
(24:26):
close and we're only seeing bitsand pieces and so you can't see
the big picture, except forthose specific shots that you
see the big picture, becauseit's like, oh, this was a really
cool movement or this was areally cool thing.
You know, it's like they'rethinking like filmmakers, not
like filmmakers Establish yeah.
Tricia Legat (24:41):
And I love that they did this, where we got to
see these incredible dancenumbers.
And then they also said, when Iread up about Chloe, was that
for this film the dancers rangedin age from children.
Children to like in the 70s, inpeople's 70s.
(25:02):
Like it was a very diversedancing crew.
Like they're from all over andall different ages and shapes
and sizes, and it made more forthe realism of it that everybody
doesn't look like a dancer.
Michael Noens (25:17):
Right.
Tricia Legat (25:17):
Straight off from like your stereotype of what
dancers look like.
One of my favorites is that thetraining crew like I guess
they're like newbies or whatnotto working in the afterlife and
they have like some sort of Idon't know supervisor that
guides them around.
Michael Noens (25:35):
They're like on a tour the entire time and in the
beginning.
Tricia Legat (25:38):
In the beginning it's like, oh, my God, god, why
are we?
Why, what are they doing?
Oh, it's a musical.
The afterlife it's.
It's a musical.
We just call it out right away.
And uh, and one of them, uh,he's, he's like, oh, I'm not
gonna, I'm not, I'm not gonna doin the end you don't dance, no.
And then in the next big dancenumber, he's in the center and
he's, he's killing it.
(25:58):
And after that, like, you'llfind him dancing and it's great.
No, you didn't see that.
Jonathan C. Legat (26:04):
No, oh yeah, watch it again.
I must have missed him,actually, because I thought he
just continued just like no.
Michael Noens (26:11):
It's during the course of the year when they're
doing like.
At least that's when I remembernoticing him.
Jonathan C. Legat (26:16):
Right, it's during, like that montage where
we're going month to month tomonth, oh, and they're planning
how to haunt him.
Yes, Okay.
I'll have to rewatch.
Tricia Legat (26:24):
No, what's also great about that is like the
montage of them doing theirresearch, Like it's a John
Oliver, Like we have to do allour research before we can haunt
you.
We have to know everything andit's you know, the big board
with all the pictures and thelines.
But then at the same time wehave tap dancers that are
practicing at all times andtheir tapping is getting more
(26:44):
elaborate because we're doingmore research.
Jonathan C. Legat (26:47):
Awesome.
We are going to take a fewminutes here to fill our glasses
and get ready to imbibe moreafter this.
The Blue Whiskey IndependentFilm Festival exhibits short and
feature-length motion picturesthat utilize story elements in a
new and exciting way.
Our official selections are acarefully assembled blend of
(27:10):
imaginative, sophisticated andfull-bodied stories.
This is what our namerepresents BWIF.
Audiences expect to experiencecharacter-driven, independent
cinema that is fueled by thefilmmakers' passion for the art
of visual storytelling.
Filmmakers can expect anintimate festival experience
(27:31):
where their personal story isvalued as much as the one
projected on the big screen.
I'm Jonathan Sealeget and I amhere along with Michael Nunes
(27:52):
and Tricia Legget, and we arediscussing Spirited, Enjoying
this podcast.
Please subscribe and or followus on all of your favorite
podcast providers to get the newepisodes as soon as we release
the MeTweak Rate and leave us areview to help the show reach
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And you can also follow ImbibeCinema on Facebook, Instagram
(28:14):
and the threads the threads.
Michael Noens (28:16):
Because it's no longer the Twitters, it's the
threads.
Jonathan C. Legat (28:19):
Yes, Got it.
Also, you can now send us atext Look for the link to text
us in our show notes, and youcan send us a comment or a
question and we will try to makesome time after the break to
address those texts which wehave received from the previous
week, received from the previousweek.
(28:41):
So, uh, during the break, we welovingly pointed out and or
realized, uh, that this is thefirst musical with which we have
uh, um, and, and I will statethat that is actually
interesting to me, only in mymind.
It is interesting to me, andyet it's not interesting to me
the fact that, I mean,technically, there's not going
to be a lot of independent filmmusicals, let alone major motion
(29:01):
picture films, musicals.
But we, given our backgroundsin theatricus, theater,
Theatrics Shh.
Michael Noens (29:11):
How's that Shh?
Jonathan C. Legat (29:12):
All right, given our background in theater
and whatnot.
I mean I love musicals in thesense that what a wonderful
world.
Bad guys have bad things happento them.
For the most part, everythingends up the way that it should,
(29:34):
oh yeah right, except for SouthPacific and Carousel.
Tricia Legat (29:35):
Oh yeah, right, good things happen, except for
South Pacific and Carousel, andwait.
Michael Noens (29:39):
That was a dark era.
Jonathan C. Legat (29:40):
What other ones?
Sumitag?
Very dark era in theatrics.
Tricia Legat (29:45):
Yeah, right, you sound like.
What is the name of the musicaltelevision show you?
Jonathan C. Legat (29:50):
know the.
Tricia Legat (29:51):
Apple one Schmigadoon, schmigadoon,
schmigadoon.
We're like in season two.
Jonathan C. Legat (29:59):
They're like all the dark musicals where it's
like nobody ends happily everafter Correct, and yes, what a
great show that was.
Oh, it's a great show, oh, sogood.
Tricia Legat (30:05):
But this, as far as musicals go, is very upbeat
Even in its scariness, hugemusical numbers.
There are one or two softerkind of ballad type songs.
Right, there are one or two um,softer kind of ballad type
songs, Right, Uh, but for themost part some really uh, energy
filled, uh joyous yes Numbers,Um, and they rank them in
(30:32):
Collider.
Michael Noens (30:33):
Yeah, uh, before we do those, I'm just curious,
cause I think it would beinteresting to see how they
measure up Um, um.
Can you guys identify what yourfavorite song was from it,
because then we can see where itranks.
Jonathan C. Legat (30:46):
Oh okay, so we're saying favorite song is in
the song itself or includingchoreography, because I know
that there's two that were like.
Michael Noens (30:55):
I think you have to do all of the weighing
yourself.
Tricia Legat (30:59):
Oh, yep, yes on your own time.
Jonathan C. Legat (31:02):
On your own time.
So I mean my, I think, visuallyfavorite was Unredeemable
Visually.
I say that because thechoreography utilized
flashlights in a way that itjust looked like lasers and
(31:22):
whatnot.
It was on people's arms, andhow they managed to do that, I'd
say from the if you're sayingthe most toe-tapping e, uh, I
would say that the number one isprobably going to be good
afternoon where I really lovedbringing back christmas as far
as uh, the tune with uh and uhand choreography was really good
(31:46):
, yes, and what they did withthe tables, yes, how they
utilize the tables in severaldifferent ways was incredible,
but then, as far as like thevisual was a little reference to
me um uh for uh uh.
Tricia Legat (32:00):
Indiana jones, indiana Jones, because stay with
me.
Jonathan C. Legat (32:05):
Follow her TED talk.
Tricia Legat (32:06):
Okay, so Ripple is a cut song.
So you see it at the end in thecredits and I think visually
it's incredible.
And they use the water in thatwith the dancing.
That is just amazing and thatis just a great, great number.
However, because it is a cutsong in the film, there is a
little bit of it in thebeginning and then there's a
(32:28):
little bit of it like of thechorus that kind of shows up a
little bit.
that is not cut so that itindicates there is a number, but
we've cut like, but it doesn'tfeel like there's a hole or
anything.
The editing is done very verywell, yes but it it's that in
the beginning, uh where uh willferrell character president, yes
(32:52):
, present is arguing with marleyabout taking out who we take on
this year.
Who's who's going to be the onewe redeem?
And he wants clint.
And uh, marley's against itbecause he's unredeemable and we
can't spend all his effort toturn somebody and change
somebody.
That is somebody that can'tchange and it's a waste of time
(33:13):
and resources.
So scrooge decides he's goingto change marley's mind by
singing to him and marley hatesall, all the singing all the
singing.
And so he he like, just startsjust a little bit.
And he's like, if I say yes,will you stop singing?
And he's like, yes, and thatwas the end of it.
And it to me it reminds me oflike the big uh fight in indiana
(33:36):
jones, where it just it wassupposed to be this giant
choreographed scene of a fightand instead he just pulls out a
gun and shoots him because hewas sick.
Harrison ford had a stomach bugand he couldn't do it, and so,
rather than shoot it, they justhad him shoot the guy, and it
was brilliant, it was so funnyand it was slow.
(33:56):
Yeah, it was such a twist, butto me it's like it's this
build-up for something thatdoesn't happen, and because it
doesn't happen, it it's reallyfunny.
Yes, and then, but we're notdenied it because we get it in
the credits and it is thisincredible number.
Michael Noens (34:10):
Yeah, so that's and that's nice that they did
that where they found a way tostill include the song in the
credits and actually really keepthe audience, you know, there
to see something they hadn't yetseen.
Yeah, throughout the credits,instead of just like a, a
reprise and that's not as theyargue in the movie.
Tricia Legat (34:30):
Is it a reprise, right?
And we all wonder?
Michael Noens (34:33):
so, yeah, mine is um, I was, I was back and forth
between good afternoon, um, butI think I'm going to go with do
a little good okay um, that'sthe big shows, that's a big
number at the end and it's, it'sum, I mean it is just, it lives
up to like the big climacticsong.
(34:54):
It is, um, there's a lot goingon.
There's.
I mean you have basicallyeverybody coming in off off the
street of new york, um, dancingthe streets.
You got snow, you got peopleare dancing up on the
scaffolding.
Uh, great use of tap too.
Um, they're um, the the pogostick dancers.
I mean like it was, yeah, and I,I, I enjoyed, thematically and
(35:20):
story-wise, what was happeningthroughout that song.
I know, like I know people whodon't like musicals because they
feel like the plot not plot,but story is going and then all
of a sudden we get to a song andit's like we pause for five
minutes so we can sing aboutthat moment and then move on.
And I think that is anoversimplification of musicals.
(35:41):
There's lots of musicals thattell the story throughout the
song and I felt like, yes, thereare moments where we do that in
this movie, but there aredefinite moments where we're
revealing throughout the entiresong.
Jonathan C. Legat (35:52):
Correct, right, I was going to say the
director for the, the, themusical that I was just cast in,
uh uh, talked about the sheerfact that there there comes a
point in a musical and as longas the musical is written well,
it does make sense that simplewords do not convey the meaning
(36:13):
or what is going on at thatmoment, and the only way to
convey that is through this song.
Tricia Legat (36:19):
Right, and I think Schmigadoon does an amazing job
of explaining that.
When you get too emotional tospeak, you have to sing.
And when you're too emotionalto sing, you have to dance.
And he's like okay.
So when you get full circle,like if you're too emotional to
dance, can we talk again?
Michael Noens (36:37):
It's true, it's funny.
Jonathan C. Legat (36:39):
I want to give one special call out to
that Christmas morning feeling.
I love these instances whereproductions do this.
I want to say that Bring it On,did something similar.
That Christmas morning feelingis the curtain call.
(37:00):
Yeah, and call it's.
You know as essentially thefact that they have the
foresight to, um, you know, eachday, as they're wrapping a set,
have a particular song play andlet the the, the actors, in the
makeup or or scene or cameraangle that they're in, do this
(37:21):
song is just fascinating to mebecause you're able to compile
this and edit it all together.
At the end, the curtain call iseverybody's taking their bows,
essentially, and just what awonderful thing that is to see.
Tricia Legat (37:37):
My favorite part is when we turn from the
backstage crew, the, uh, thebackstage crew which is really
like the people that are doinglike the uh uh scourging staff.
I should say the bad, the thescourging staff to the actual
crew for the film.
For the film where you switchfrom that and that I love that
(37:58):
the whole bit where, uh, when he, when they're haunting, they
have like cue up this scene, cueup this scene, or the
transitions.
We have a whole team.
They work really hard on thesetransitions.
Jonathan C. Legat (38:12):
Yeah, couldn't you have just walked me
over here?
No, no, no.
Tricia Legat (38:16):
You understand, and then like when he will do
something that's not on theschedule, and it's like no, I
need to call out this scene.
They're like but we, I, I knowand you have, you see the, the
people like pulling the thewalls and uh and and stuff in to
like and it's like thanks, bobso, uh, yeah, trisha, now that
(38:38):
we've done that, like what iscolliders called out?
Michael Noens (38:40):
oh, yes, okay, sorry because I interrupted you.
Tricia Legat (38:43):
No, no, no, so they had ranking 10 songs.
Ah, my two were in the bottom.
What yeah?
Jonathan C. Legat (38:53):
Oh really.
Tricia Legat (38:53):
Yeah.
Jonathan C. Legat (38:55):
Bottom five.
Tricia Legat (38:56):
Yeah, so nine was Ripple.
Okay, bringing Back Christmaswas eight.
Those were my two.
Michael Noens (39:03):
Yeah, those are way too low on the list.
Tricia Legat (39:05):
And the View From here.
Michael Noens (39:08):
That's a good one .
Jonathan C. Legat (39:09):
Okay, Do A.
Tricia Legat (39:10):
Little Good was number three.
Michael Noens (39:11):
Oh okay.
Tricia Legat (39:13):
And Good Afternoon was number one.
Jonathan C. Legat (39:15):
See, okay, called it.
Yeah, called my shot, calledyour shot, uh-huh.
Michael Noens (39:20):
Wait, and what was?
There was one other one.
Tricia Legat (39:26):
It was wait.
And when, what was?
There was one other, one,number two, what was an and what
was unredeemable uh,unredeemable was six, okay, oh,
so that's in the bottom.
Jonathan C. Legat (39:30):
Five also in the bottom, yeah yeah, but look
at those flashlights yeah, no,the whole flashlight thing and
the fact that they were each,yeah, independently, with each
hand, turn on and off, justcover it made me think of.
Michael Noens (39:43):
it made me think of uh, that whole sequence, for
whatever reason, just brought meto Barbie.
Oh yeah, you know, I just Ithink a lot of this could be
brought to Barbie because of howmuch realistic it's.
Tricia Legat (39:59):
not green screen, all of it is everybody's there
in person.
Michael Noens (40:03):
It's like an old Hollywood musical.
No, all of it is everybody'sthere in person.
It's like it's like an oldhollywood musical the.
The scale of it is huge andit's all there yeah, all there
on the soundstage making thesepractical effects happen yep you
know, maybe enhancing themlater in post, but like we're
really there doing that, um yeahuh, yeah, so people can change
(40:28):
and and, and.
So let's, let's see if thecritics agree yeah, or if we can
change these critics minds yes,because we're only going to
talk about the bad ones yeah sothis movie does have a 70
percent um only which is yeahit's actually surprising good um
, but yeah, there there are alot of um naysayers on um yeah
(40:50):
scrooges uh.
Alternate ending says the yep,that's okay, that is the name of
the uh publication.
Alternate ending summarizes thefilm, um, as a horrifically
bloated 127 minutes.
They don't like musicals.
Wow, yeah, probably.
Jonathan C. Legat (41:13):
That's probably what it comes down to
my boss maybe watch this again,this is one of those instances
where, like I, I appreciate whatthe the film did in retelling a
story that we have seen overand over and over and over and
over and over and over again, ina way that is not, uh, an
(41:37):
active retelling.
It is even a continuation of,and modernizing it in a way that
is taking into account socialmedia and, uh, trolls and all
these other kinds of I.
You're bloated.
Michael Noens (41:54):
Arts Atlanta or arts ATL um says.
Now I'm not sure if this is, uh, really a criticism or a
compliment.
It's a big, obnoxious and has,in parentheses, shutter a lot of
musical numbers delivered withoutrageously enthusiastic
(42:16):
choreography.
Tricia Legat (42:17):
Oh right, so it's a musical.
I feel like these people don'tlike musicals.
Michael Noens (42:22):
Yeah, it is obnoxious, it's supposed to be.
Yeah, it has musical numbersthat are delivered with
outrageously enthusiasticchoreography.
Where's the problem?
Jonathan C. Legat (42:33):
No Other than somebody who is a cinephile,
who does not believe thatmusical theater either exists or
should exist in film.
It is a medium that stillmanages to tell the story in a
compelling fashion, and I thinkthat all of the songs speak for
themselves and are wonderfullychoreographed and extremely well
(42:57):
written to keep the audienceengaged.
Michael Noens (43:00):
Tilt Magazine.
So this is just slightlydifferent.
Tilt Magazine summarizes theirreview, a colossal dud one,
tragically short on laughs andunable to do anything
interesting or constructive withits source material okay.
Tricia Legat (43:16):
So this is, uh, somebody who didn't actually
watch the film and had to writea criticism.
You couldn't totally tell it'slike um, I have to do my
homework but I'm just gonnafudge it.
So in the civil war we foughtthe germans and you know like
they?
Just no, I don't think, I don'tbelieve they watched the movie
well, and if they watched it bythemselves at home, like this?
Is on a plane on their cellphone this is.
Michael Noens (43:39):
this is I will actually say say this because I
I think it did have a relativelylimited release in theaters and
this was like a theater movie.
Tricia Legat (43:48):
Yeah.
Michael Noens (43:48):
Like 100%.
Oh yeah, A big musical likethis is meant to be seen on a
big screen, I mean.
I enjoyed the hell out of it athome, but if you are watching
this at home by yourself, it'sjust.
I could understand it not beingas thrilling because you don't
have that energy, and we'vetalked about that in the past
(44:08):
there you have it.
Tricia Legat (44:09):
Any last thoughts?
I hope everyone else liked it.
I mean, it's a great movie,it's a feel-good movie, and
Christmas should be aboutfeel-good movies sometimes.
Michael Noens (44:20):
Yes, yeah, not horror movies.
What is with the horror movietrend on Christmas Day?
We're just trying to normalizethe fear.
Jonathan C. Legat (44:28):
Oh, oh, oh.
We greatly appreciate ourlisteners Hashtag, crambo, yeah
shit.
We greatly appreciate all ofour listeners for choosing this
podcast supporting independentfilms and the blue whiskey
independent film festival.
This is our last episode forthis fiscal year, uh, but we'll
(44:51):
be back on January 8th withanother episode.
So I am Jonathan C Leggett andthanks for imbibing with us.
Happy holidays, cheers.
Thank you.
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