The Lighthouse (2019)
The Lighthouse is the focus of today's discussion, with hosts J.J., Mattson, and Alec diving deep into its unsettling themes and unique storytelling. They explore the dynamics between the two lighthouse keepers, played by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, as they grapple with isolation and insanity on a remote island in the 1890s. The conversation highlights how the film's ambiguous ending leaves viewers questioning the characters' sanity and the nature of their experiences. While Mattson struggles with the film's length and its lack of clear resolution, Alec appreciates the weirdness and psychological tension it delivers. J.J. shares his mixed feelings, acknowledging the film's strong performances but expressing frustration over its unresolved plot elements.
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Transcript
Means that you're man of the people status is in jeopardy.
Matson:Oh, dude, how many people actually watched it, though?
Matson:They gave it a 72% fresh rating.
J.J.:Over a thousand verified ratings.
Matson:Yeah, okay, but those are the people that.
Matson:The only people that are putting reviews up on rotten tomatoes and IMDb people are people like you, JJ.
J.J.:Welcome to the what's up Every podcast we fashion ourselves cinematic judge and jury.
J.J.:My name is J.J.
J.J.:crowder.
J.J.:I'm here with my co hosts, Matzer.
Matson:Better Red Than Dead, and Alec Burgess.
Alec:Let's get it.
J.J.:We appreciate you tuning in.
J.J.:Go hit that follow, subscribe like bell notification buttons.
J.J.:Tell a friend about us.
J.J.:Tell a family member about us.
J.J.:A couple of cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.
J.J.:Lighthouse guys about us.
J.J.:Yeah, that's all I got.
J.J.:I don't know how else to say it, but yeah.
J.J.: We're kicking off: J.J.:What was this month?
J.J.:Like, original.
J.J.:Oh, that's right.
J.J.:Original screenplay.
J.J.:So movies with original screenplays.
J.J.:So none of this, like, sequel or.
J.J.:Yeah, it's got to be an original idea that came through, which made for some interesting choices, not the least of which was this first one we're reviewing, the Lighthouse.
J.J.: ,: J.J.:It was written and directed by Robert and Max Eggers.
J.J.:Directed by Robert Eggers.
J.J.:And then it starred Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe.
J.J.:There's a list, I guess.
J.J.:Valeria Cameron, Logan Hawks, Kyla Nicole, Sean Clark.
J.J.:And I'm gonna stop there because the rest of them, they even have a seagull on the list, so that tells you how big this cast list was.
J.J.: ous New England island in the: J.J.:Matson, this was your pick, so take it away, buddy.
J.J.:Why'd you pick this movie?
Matson:Look, I wanted to be something that was not in my wheelhouse.
Matson:And while it certainly wasn't, I think I'm reminded why I do stay in my wheelhouse.
Matson:Because this movie probably was seen by, like, three people, and they regret watching it.
Matson:And so did I.
J.J.:Hate to break it to you, dude, but he gets a 7.
J.J.:4.
J.J.:7.4 out of 10.
J.J.:So somebody likes it.
Matson:These are people, probably like our co host Alec, that need, like, a sanity check.
Alec:Hold up.
Alec:Cause this is actually a good story.
Alec:It's a good movie.
Alec:The problem is, is it tried to take an indie idea and turn it into a blockbuster, which is never a good idea.
J.J.:Well, I mean.
J.J.:Okay, so let's jump over.
J.J.:I was going through IMDb, which admittedly gets more reviews from critics than it does from normal people typically.
J.J.:But on Rotten Tomatoes, which gives both gets a 90 fresh and a 72 from a viewer rating.
J.J.:So to say that it wasn't popular means that you're man of the people status is in jeopardy.
Matson:Oh, dude.
Matson:How many people actually watched it though?
Matson:They gave it a 72 fresh rating.
J.J.:Over a thousand verified ratings.
Matson:Yeah, okay, but those are the people that.
Matson:The only people that are putting reviews up on rotten tomatoes and IMDb people are people like you, JJ that actually do that.
Matson:The movie.
Matson:Let's talk about revenue.
Matson:How much movie did this money make?
Alec:Jay, how much movie did this money make?
J.J.:I don't know.
Alec:How much movie.
Matson:How much money did this?
Matson:Hey, I sound like them when they get hallucinatory.
Matson:We'll just spin words and then let me add a thanky on top of that.
Matson:Well, which money did it make?
J.J.:So if you want to talk about money, you have to.
J.J.:You can't just talk about money made because independent films have their own.
Matson:Yeah, you can't say criteria.
Matson:I know.
J.J.:If you're going to compare it, you have to compare apples to apples and say a.
J.J.:In an independent world.
J.J.:And in an independent world, it's very rare to actually make a ton of money.
J.J.:This mo movie grossed 9 million over what its budget was.
J.J.:8 million.
J.J.:9 million.
J.J.:So in an independent world, especially a small, weird independent film like this that's technically has no genre.
J.J.:Like it doesn't list as anything.
J.J.:You can go to different places and they all list it as something different.
J.J.:Psychological, thriller, a horror.
J.J.:It's.
J.J.:There is no genre and it was not defined by the movie's creators.
J.J.:So it's a decent amount of money for an independent film.
J.J.:Especially black and white that was filmed in.
J.J.:Not quite one to one aspect ratio.
J.J.:But yeah, I.
J.J.:I can't say it was a flop.
Matson:I mean it didn't make its money back, but it was close.
Matson:I mean, I'm not here to say it was a flop.
Matson:I'm not here to say it wasn't interesting.
Matson:It's just was an odd movie, but that's what it was always supposed to be.
Matson:It wasn't anything but that.
J.J.:Sure.
J.J.:Well, and it's based off of a.
J.J.:An unfinished short story by Poe, which makes it weird right out the gate.
J.J.:And by saying base, that doesn't remove the.
J.J.:Like when I save unfinished.
J.J.:The short story had like a page and it never got past the introduction of characters.
J.J.:Like, it's not like there was some source material here that they were able to build off of like, it was like, okay, here's a story about a couple guys on an island with a lighthouse.
J.J.:Go.
J.J.:So that's why it can still fit within the original screenplay.
Matson:The real question we all want to know is would you.
Matson:Would you not bang the mermaid?
J.J.:No, dude.
Alec:100 I'm banging the mermaid.
J.J.:No, not when you know, like, the actual history of mermaids.
J.J.:They're.
J.J.:They're out to kill you.
J.J.:Like, I'm not banging the mermaid.
J.J.:Especially with like, her giant fishtail vagina.
J.J.:Weird.
J.J.:That was the weirdest visual scene.
J.J.:This entire.
J.J.:The jerk off scene was really weird.
J.J.:Like, it ranks up there with some, like, dolphin sex conversation.
J.J.:Like, really.
Matson:Well, the other one, when Tom was up in the lighthouse and that sticky substance fell down, I'm assuming was that sperm.
J.J.:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Matson:Because he was like on shrooms and doing his thing.
Matson:I was like, oh, man.
J.J.:Poof.
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:It's a weird movie.
J.J.:There's some weird.
J.J.:I mean, I don't know.
J.J.:Alec, why do you like this movie?
J.J.:Because I can tell that you enjoyed.
Alec:Because it's weird.
Alec:That's why I liked it.
J.J.:We are talking to you that loved Rubber Robert.
Alec:It was weird.
Alec:It was out there.
Alec:I will say I was.
Alec:I actually didn't really like both Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson in this.
Alec:I think having those two, I mean, they're great, right?
Alec:They're phenomenal actors.
Alec:They did a phenomenal job.
Alec:But for this specific type of movie, I think one of them has to be unknown.
Alec:Either get an or just less known because they.
Alec:Having both of them.
Alec:You're trying to sell tickets 100 with using both of them.
Alec:And then you get the problem where I'm gonna say you're.
Alec:You're Matsons, right?
Alec:Go to the movie and they're expecting Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe and what they get is something strange.
Alec:And so then you're just disappointed because you're expecting something completely different.
Matson:Right?
Alec:It's almost like a bait and switch with what they're giving you.
Alec:Versus this is a chance for, like, to really rely on the independent story, which the story is fucking strange, but also kind of cool.
Alec:Like, I.
Matson:Tell us the story, Alec.
Matson:What's the story here?
Alec:The absolute gaslighting by Willem Dafoe's character, like, got me for the first half of the film where he's like, oh, yeah, we've been.
Alec:We missed the boat by two weeks.
Alec:I'm like, what?
Alec:Okay, maybe they're gonna say.
Alec:And then you get it later.
Alec:Where it's like, dude, you just smashed up the boat and you chased me around with an ax.
Alec:And then you have to question, what is this guy actually done versus what is he saying that's been done?
Alec:And so the whole just manipulation, gaslighting that goes on, I was just intrigued the entire time.
Alec:I was like, this dude's pure evil, and I'm here for it.
J.J.:I think that's what triggered me, like, the most of this movie is.
J.J.:And triggers the wrong word.
J.J.:But, like, what kept me watching the movie with interest versus trying to do something else was, like, the first 90 minutes of this movie.
J.J.:Like, I'm wondering what the.
J.J.:Is at the top of this.
J.J.:I'm expecting some sort of, like, Lovecraftian, because we keep seeing the mermaids, and then we see the.
J.J.:You know, the tentacles.
J.J.:And, like, I'm like this.
J.J.:I'm feeling this, like, serious HP Lovecraft vibe.
J.J.:So I'm expecting.
J.J.:And then he won't let him in the upper tower.
J.J.:So I'm like, there's got to be some.
J.J.:Within the light of the tower, like some demon God or.
J.J.:You know what I mean?
J.J.:Like, Cthulhu's up there or some, right?
J.J.:Like, that's what I keep thinking.
J.J.:And what I was aiming for is, like, that's why.
J.J.:So we know why the Tom.
J.J.:Like, the young guy's crazy, right?
J.J.:Like, we know why his.
J.J.:He's cuckoo because he's stuck on his island with a psychopath or what.
J.J.:Seems that way to your point out, getting gaslit and, like, bossed around.
J.J.:And, like, the constant, like, power dynamic that's going on is really weird.
J.J.:And then you find more out about his character later where the guy's actually a really big.
J.J.:And then.
J.J.:But, like, that's to me.
J.J.:And then you've got this old guy that, like, I'm like, okay, I know why he's nuts, but why is Willem Defoe's characters nuts?
J.J.:Because he's been doing this for years.
J.J.:It's not like he.
J.J.:This is his first rodeo.
J.J.:Like, he's not new to this gig.
J.J.:Like, so why is he nuts?
J.J.:And then I'm thinking, okay, there's something.
J.J.:Actually, the reason he won't let him up there is there's, like, this God or this demon or this monster of some sort that's controlling him.
J.J.:And that's where this other power dynamic.
J.J.:So that's what I kept waiting for.
J.J.:And then it's like, there's no answer.
J.J.:And I.
J.J.:I think that's where I get the most frustrated with independent movies like this.
J.J.:And I I shouldn't label it just independent movies, but weird ass movies like this, especially from like the Eggers Brothers, because if you've ever watched the Witch, and I'm sure neither of you have, it's the same.
J.J.:And because Alec, you don't want to watch that one.
J.J.:That one's real.
J.J.:This one has some creepy elements.
J.J.:That one's geared toward scaring the out of your ass.
J.J.:But like, it's a really good film in the same vein as this in that it.
J.J.:There's no real answers to anything.
J.J.:And that's where I get really frustrated is it's like I understand ambiguity and I'm okay with it.
J.J.:What I'm not okay with is a hint of ambiguity and then nothing.
J.J.:Like, it's not even ambiguous.
J.J.:It's like you don't know because at the very end, like he's looking at the light and then it cuts to him getting his eyeball or his guts eaten by birds and you're like, okay, hold on, how'd we get here?
J.J.:Is he hallucinating again?
J.J.:Is he?
J.J.:And so ambiguity to me means that I could figure out there's like one of a handful of solutions.
J.J.:I don't know what the going on by the end of this movie.
J.J.:And that frustrates me.
J.J.:Like I want to at least be able to debate the different options.
Matson:Yeah, well, I think what a movie that does it well is like for me, in my opinion, like an Inception where at the end then you're left to wonder, well, is it, is it spinning?
Matson:Is it gonna stop?
Matson:Like it gives you, you have that like.
Matson:Well, there's like one, two, maybe three options of where we could talk about that a lot with your friends, but I agree with you here, Jay.
Matson:It's like the end.
Matson:And I was like, well, that was a, that was a lot from like, that was like an A to like Z type thing.
Matson:Like what, where, where, where'd that, where'd that come from?
Matson:Because I like the second guessing of I'm with Alec on this.
Matson:The, the fact that like, well, how much of it actually happened?
Matson:Like, you're like, oh, that, that, that.
Matson:But nothing in this movie gives me enough grounding to actually feel like I know what did or didn't or have really, really any hypothesis.
Matson:And I think that's at times what gets really difficult because this movie just felt weird for weird sake.
Matson:And I question if there was intention behind that.
Matson:Or maybe I'm just too dumb to know, but I mean, just left your head kind of in a tizzy.
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:And I'M sure, Alec, you don't give a about that level of ambiguity?
J.J.:Like, nope.
Alec:All I needed to know was it's bad luck to kill a seabird.
J.J.:And boy, does he.
J.J.:Yeah, what a violent way to kill the sea.
Matson:I thought this movie was rated R because of that.
Matson:I was like, damn animal violence right there.
Matson:Beat the shiz out of that sequel.
Matson:He beat that thing like 10 times.
J.J.:Yeah, that was a mess.
J.J.:Even in black and white, you could see all that blood.
J.J.:That was a mess.
Matson:I will say one thing I do have to compliment.
Matson:Well, there's a few things, one to a point.
Matson:You're talking about earlier, Alec, about the Matsons that are expecting these amazing performances by well known actors.
Matson:For me, one, William Defoe.
Matson:He was what I expected.
Matson:That dude can play some weird people.
Matson:Like, let's just call it what it.
Matson:I knew he.
Matson:I mean, now having seen this movie, if I was a screen caster, like, give me William Defoe.
Matson:The dude's already like two cuckoos from Cocoa Puffs.
Matson:Like, he's perfect.
Matson:He.
Matson:He probably was like, look, this is me on Friday night.
Matson:I'm like, probably is.
Matson:He was great.
Matson:But who I continue to be impressed with.
Matson:And I know this movie came out years ago now, but Robert Pattinson, let's not forget, he was extremely typecast to a very well known movie trilogy that gets made fun of, AKA Twilight.
Matson:But he's been from.
Matson:From Tenet to this to.
Matson:We reviewed that movie that he was in that he was a pastor.
Matson:Remember that creepy pastor.
Matson:I remember what that movie was called.
Matson:We reviewed it Devil all the time.
J.J.:Yeah.
Matson:Yeah.
Matson:And there's some other movies.
Matson:I should be able to name it.
Matson:He's a really good actor.
Matson:Like I just.
Matson:The monologue that he went on when he talked about the goddamn farts.
Matson:Which one?
Matson:That was funny.
Matson:I was gonna text you, Jay, but I forgot.
Matson:Like, that part made me chuckle.
Matson:But that monologue he went on and the way, like he just.
Matson:When he wasn't talking, but the way he looked into the camera and like the physical acting, which it's not like John Wick acting, but, you know, like, it's different.
Matson:Like, I was just really impressed with him.
Matson:I expected William Defoe to give me what he gave me, but Robert Pattinson in this movie just.
Matson:He's got dimensions.
Matson:He really does.
Matson:And I was.
Matson:I was captivated by his performance.
Matson:Not that William Dafoe didn't do great.
Matson:I just expected him to do it because he.
Matson:He is that.
Matson:But Robert Pattinson was awesome.
Matson:And then another thing I Liked about this movie, the eeriness of the, the shooting, it felt like it was an old time movie.
Matson:Obviously it was by design, but they hit it on the head.
Matson:Like I.
Matson:The thing that.
Matson:One of the scenes I remember the most is when they had the camera when they were walking, they were walking up to the house for the first time and what that looked like, that felt like an old timey style shot and I appreciated that.
Matson:And then the music and really the most reoccurring sound is the foghorn.
Matson:Like, I mean that when Jay said this has shades of horror, this one wasn't scary at all, but it, that it.
Matson:They did a good job captivating the eeriness and keeping you a little on edge.
Matson:Especially towards the beginning.
Matson:Like the first 30 minutes for me, you're still kind of feeling out like, what the hell is happening?
Matson:And they did a great job with that.
Matson:And then that foghorn, even towards the end, I thought that was exceptional.
J.J.:Yeah, the audio in it is unnerving.
J.J.:Like the fact that there's just these sounds like that are just obnoxious in the background and then they'll pull them to the foreground and then pull them back to the back.
J.J.:But they're never absent from the movie.
J.J.:Right?
J.J.:And I think that's like to your point, like that foghorn and that like of the sound of the freaking light spinning to like you could hear that the whole time and it starts to like, great.
J.J.:And then it kind of goes away for a while because you get, you know that resonance gets in your ears and you're like, okay, I'm used to it.
J.J.:And then all of a sudden like he'll, they'll push it to like, like during the weird jerk off scene.
J.J.:As much as I hate to talk about that, like they bring all those sounds to the foreground while he's like.
J.J.:And I'm like, stop.
J.J.:Like this just makes that that much more uncomfortable.
J.J.:And I, I will say that this movie, to your point, I think it goes to the audio and it goes to the filming.
J.J.:As much as I hate 1 to 1 or 119 1, which is what this actually was.
J.J.:Like that almost square aspect ratio.
J.J.:Like that mixed with the black and white and the really harsh black and white.
J.J.:Like it wasn't like a, a typical artistic black and white.
J.J.:Like it's a harsh, darker black and white.
J.J.:And then you add in the creepy sounds that are constantly there.
J.J.:And like I was uncomfortable a lot of this movie, even when nothing was going on.
J.J.:Like, I'm just like, God, this movie needs to hurry up and get over.
J.J.:Because, like, I don't like watching it.
J.J.:Which really puts you in a.
J.J.:A position to kind of relate to Robert Pattinson's character, because you can tell he's like, I don't want to be here.
J.J.:And then it only gets worse when he kills the seagull.
J.J.:And then, like, they're delayed, right?
J.J.:Like, they can't.
J.J.:It's like, oh, God, this is horrible.
J.J.:Like, we were one day from getting off this island, and now we're stuck because of this storm.
J.J.:And then, like, the fact that they're always in the rain after that for that, the.
J.J.:The duration of that big storm.
J.J.:I'm like, God, I hate being stuck in the rain.
J.J.:Like, I'm the guy that'll sit in my car for a half an hour to wait for the rain to slow down.
J.J.:If I'm trying to go into a grocery store or something and it's raining real bad, I'm like, I'm not going in.
J.J.:Numb out.
J.J.:And so, like, watching that made me uncomfortable.
J.J.:So I will say from that perspective, they did a really good job of putting me in the position that I feel like I could relate to Robert Pattinson.
J.J.:Patson's character is discomfort, right?
J.J.:Which it was like, o, I don't like this at all.
J.J.:And then on top of that, I really wanted to know what was up in the top of the lighthouse.
J.J.:So I was like, damn.
J.J.:And then the only thing that threw me off was when he starts talking about that when he tells the story.
J.J.:Because my favorite, like, monologue of his, and I guess it wasn't quite a monologue, but the dialogue sequence where he's telling his past, like, how he changed his name and he watched that Foreman drown, and he's just like, I probably should have done something, but I didn't want to.
J.J.:I was like, this guy is just as cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs as William Defo's character.
J.J.:And I.
J.J.:You know.
J.J.:But all of a sudden, now we know that it's not just this place that's driving him crazy.
J.J.:He was a little off before he got there.
J.J.:And so, yeah, I mean, from a storytelling perspective, it's an interesting movie.
J.J.:I can't deny that as much as I want to hate this movie.
J.J.:Like, I was like, there's actually some really good aspects to this film that they did very well.
J.J.:Still not something I want to rewatch just because it's, like, not interesting enough to me.
J.J.:But a first watch, I was like, okay, this is not my style at all, but this was pretty well done.
Matson:For what it is not my style.
Matson:And let's be honest, this movie, they could have taken out 20 minutes easy.
Matson:I mean there, there so many things that if they wanted to condense it a little bit not.
Matson:But I know that was by design.
Matson:I want you to look at things, I hear things.
Matson:You took this, shorten it by 20 minutes.
Matson:I think this movie would have been more bearable and something that I could have considered like, well, really good acting performances, interesting subject matter, but the ambiguity and the length and I don't know, I think at times it's just, it's a little meandering and slow and I think it's kind of.
Matson:I don't know.
Matson:To me it's kind of a one trick pony.
Matson:I don't know what I'm gonna see a second time that like, oh, wow, I missed that.
Matson:Like the ambiguity.
Matson:I know what it.
Matson:This all is because I don't even know if the brothers who directed this know what it all is.
Matson:They just wrote it and hoped we interpreted it because that's what they were hoping for.
J.J.:Yeah, I was reading an article, an interview that they did where they like, we didn't even know what the third act was going to be until we finished putting dialogue on paper of the.
J.J.:He's like, we had a good treatment for the first and second act and then we started, right?
J.J.:We were like, well, we can't figure out the third act.
J.J.:And then we start writing the dialogue and then we're like, okay.
J.J.:So now that the dialogue's all there and the first two acts are written in a screenplay format, now we're ready to take on the third because it, it really dictated the direction that they went for the third act.
J.J.:And I'm like, that's how you know that this like you just.
J.J.:And, and to their point, like, I guess to their credit, like, that's true creative process, right?
J.J.:Like.
J.J.:Because like, for example, Goodwill hunting was the same way.
J.J.:Like they wrote most of the dialogue of that movie as they were shooting it.
J.J.:And they would sit around and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck would have conversations like they were the.
J.J.:At like the characters in this movie.
J.J.:And like that's where most of their dialogue come from.
J.J.:You ever watch interviews with them?
J.J.:It's an intriguing listen to see that creative process.
J.J.:We're like, we know we want to tell this overarching story, right?
J.J.:We have this treatment that we want to deal with.
J.J.:And then when you start putting in a screenplay format, like that's difficult because you got to go from Act 1, 23 plus, you got to get all these scenes down.
J.J.:How does this drive the movie?
J.J.:So listening to them talk about the fact that they didn't even know what the hell they were going to do and see in Act 3.
J.J.:Now I will say again to just my annoyance, and this is me as a personal thing watching a movie.
J.J.:Like, I wish they could have tone, like honed in on a couple of different options that had happened versus who the knows what happened truly on this island over this.
Matson:Like, who's the blonde kid?
J.J.:That's the.
J.J.:My interpretation is that that's the dude that he let drown.
Matson:But yeah, I was wondering because he's.
J.J.:The only one that saw him.
J.J.:But I don't know because the other guy we saw that could have been was at least characters that were named and talked about was the other guy that he replaced.
J.J.:But we see his head in the crab pat the crab trap.
J.J.:So it's like.
J.J.:But again, you gotta.
J.J.:Did he actually see that dude's head and this guy just lost his from start to finish?
Matson:No idea.
J.J.:And then you gotta wonder, like, the other part that got me was when he's reading in his journals, like, because I'll be honest, when he busted in and started reading the dude's journals, like, that was my ent.
J.J.:Like the introduction of.
J.J.:I was expecting some weird to be in the.
J.J.:In the journals.
J.J.:Like, that's where I was thinking, like, he would drop a name or something that you're like, that's who's up in that tower, right?
J.J.:But instead we just get this guy's a shitty worker.
J.J.:And like.
J.J.:And I'm like, okay, so my question, and this is where I think the thing that I landed on is that Robert Pattinson's character is actually the one that's crazy.
J.J.:And he comes there and the guy's cuckoo for cocoa puffs from start to finish.
J.J.:And Willem Dafoe is having to deal with this dude, and in order to try to keep himself safe, he's trying to eat.
J.J.:They're having this power dynamic issue where he's like, no, I'm the boss.
J.J.:You're nuts.
J.J.:Shut your pie hole and stay the around.
J.J.:And he has to limit.
J.J.:Like, you don't want him in a tower with you up there.
J.J.:That's a very limited area with a lot of danger involved, right?
J.J.:So that's how I kind of was.
J.J.:Like, okay, this is my interpretation.
J.J.:I don't think Willem Dafoe's characters.
J.J.:I think he's weird, right?
J.J.:That he's a weird dude based on what he does.
J.J.:But I don't think he's the real crazy one.
J.J.:I think that's Robert Pattinson's character.
J.J.:And we're just piecing together like how Robert Pattinson's character's mind goes to.
J.J.:I'm coming here, starting fresh, getting away from this situation that I was in, but putting myself right back in that situation.
J.J.:We see the violent tendencies.
J.J.:We see.
Matson:Yeah, but how do you explain the alcohol though?
Matson:Because if you're feeling the ways Tom, whatever his last name is, when the foes character.
Matson:I won't begin shiz face drunk with someone, I feel like could shank me like three seconds later.
J.J.:Alcoholics are alcoholics, dude.
J.J.:If he's to that point that he's drinking like a fish, like that he's drinking, that's the one thing he won't be able to stop.
J.J.:Because that's a.
J.J.:That's a disease.
J.J.:You know what I mean?
J.J.:Like, that's not something where he can control.
Matson:Then he better part of the reason might die.
J.J.:Well, for sure.
J.J.:But that's also part of the reason he probably feeds him the alcohol.
J.J.:Right.
J.J.:Because if they're both faced, then they're on a level playing field, at least in the alcoholics mind.
Matson:But monkey juice.
J.J.:I will.
J.J.:Yeah, I will say that.
J.J.:What one scene that got me that I was like.
J.J.:Because I was borderline alcoholic for a while.
J.J.:I mean, matzah, you knew me in those days.
J.J.:I don't know, you probably listened to me in some of those days.
J.J.:But I didn't.
J.J.:You didn't know me.
J.J.:But like I drank a lot and I.
J.J.:What made me like laugh in a very sad way was when they drank the turpentine mist.
J.J.:Like the cleaning turp.
Matson:Yeah.
Matson:I was gonna ask about that.
Matson:Like the concoction they made with honey.
J.J.:Honey?
J.J.:Yeah.
Matson:Is that what you're talking about, Jay?
Matson:When they made that drink.
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:Because they ran out of alk.
Matson:They actually.
J.J.:What is that?
J.J.:I think it's turpentine.
J.J.:It's whatever he was using to clean, which back then would have been turpentine.
J.J.:We still use turpentine, but they mix it with honey.
J.J.:And it does have some level of alcohol content.
J.J.:But.
J.J.:But that's.
J.J.:That's alcoholism for you.
J.J.:Like, I have a good friend that was trying to get clean and drank hand sanitizer and trying to keep alcohol.
J.J.:Like that's just that level.
J.J.:So I watched that and I had a very sad chuckle because I was like, I had never been there to that level.
J.J.:But I've had friends that were.
J.J.:And That's a sad state of affairs when you are willing to drink something that potentially could kill you rather easily in order to get that fix.
J.J.:Like.
Matson:Well, the Internet says turpentine contains no alcohol.
J.J.:Oh, really?
Matson:Yeah.
J.J.:I didn't know that.
J.J.:I assumed that anything that had that level of cleaning power and burn my nose smell would have some level of.
Matson:Alcohol considered toxic if.
Matson:If ingested.
Matson:So.
Matson:Yeah, well, something that they.
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:So there's.
J.J.:There's a whole nother level where they drink.
J.J.:It was monkey juice, turpentine the entire time.
Matson:Could have been.
Matson:It's.
Matson:I mean, who knows?
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:And maybe that's what was creating the.
J.J.:You know, the.
J.J.:The visions and the hallucinations.
J.J.:I.
J.J.:I don't know.
J.J.:There's just so many.
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:Different routes you could take with this whole thing that I'm like, oh, it's exhausting to kind of think through.
Matson:I thought we were going to get a little bit more like, something actually scary or truly eerie or something of that nature, because it definitely.
Matson:The scene.
Matson:Like you were saying, Jay, what.
Matson:Like, what was really up in the lighthouse?
Matson:Was there actually something there?
Matson:I think I was a little let down that there wasn't something.
Matson:I think there could have been more payoff there because I kind of was conditioned to expect something like that.
Matson:And I think that's definitely a little bit more.
Matson:My letdown was where the way the movie ended, I was kind of just like, oh, that's.
Matson:That's it.
Matson:Like, all right.
Matson:Yeah, I think that's how I felt.
J.J.:I get it.
J.J.:And I agree.
Alec:Not me, Alexa.
J.J.:I don't care.
Alec:I didn't need to see the monster.
Matson:Did he stick his hand in the.
Matson:The flame or, like, what was that?
Matson:When he was yelling and, like, when he was looking at the light, what do we think that was?
J.J.:I don't know.
J.J.:Like, and I think that's where.
J.J.:I think he was just screaming.
J.J.:And that's another one where you can.
J.J.:Like, there's so many interpretations of it.
J.J.:He was in my head.
J.J.:He was screaming because there was nothing but a light.
J.J.:Right.
J.J.:Like, so why in his mind, why did he keep him out?
J.J.:And then he had to.
J.J.:Like, he was a complete nutter to this guy.
J.J.:Like, it ends.
J.J.:Their relationship ends the way it ends.
J.J.:And so, like, with a freaking ax to the head.
J.J.:So it's just like.
J.J.:But then he went up.
J.J.:So he.
J.J.:He's in the same situation that he left previously, only for nothing.
J.J.:Because he gets up there and it's just the light.
J.J.:Right.
J.J.:But, like, who knows?
J.J.:I mean, you could say that he saw something in the light that freaked him out and then he blacks out because of whatever and ends up on the Roc dead.
J.J.:I mean, you just don't know, right?
J.J.:And that's the part that I'm like.
J.J.:It's just weird that there's no, there's no even options for what it could have happened.
J.J.:Like he just, whatever he sees out there, he doesn't like or makes him scream or whatever, you know, interpretation you want to run with.
J.J.:But I.
J.J.:Yeah, because all we see is his face.
J.J.:You just don't know.
J.J.:A weird choice.
J.J.:It's a weird choice, but the Eggers boys are weird people when it comes to their writing.
Matson:And so Reddit says what they were drinking was lighter fluid.
Matson:Yeesh.
Alec:No, thank you.
Alec:I don't think there's any amount of honey that can make that taste good.
J.J.:No.
J.J.:Well, I mean there's nobody on a honey that could take.
J.J.:Make turpentine taste good either.
J.J.:But lighter fluid, like, I don't know that I would.
J.J.:I don't know.
J.J.:I guess it's all flammable, but.
Matson:All right, so the alcohol used in lighter fluid composition of the invention will general comprise approximately between 0.5 weight percentage and approximately 98.
Matson:Wait, hold on.
Matson:So there's a lot of alcohol in here?
J.J.:Potentially a lot.
J.J.:It's 0.5.
J.J.:There's nothing.
Matson:Yeah, it's.
Matson:It varies between the brands.
J.J.:Yeah, 0.5 is like the same as a beer.
Matson:Yeah, no, it just depends on the brand.
Matson:But I guess their brand back then.
J.J.:Oh, I'm sure back then, like they didn't try to, they didn't have all.
Matson:These like petroleum based options that we, we have today.
Matson:So my guess is it probably was heavily alcoholic based.
J.J.:I'm.
J.J.:I'm sure it was.
J.J.:Well, and it, it would need to burn depending on what they're using it for, but.
J.J.:And they were using it to keep that fire going.
J.J.:I'm sure if that's what they were using was the, the lighter fluid.
J.J.:But I mean, I did that same to my buddy drinking hand sanitizer.
J.J.:So I, you know, I did have my limits, but a lot of alcoholics don't at that point.
J.J.:But yeah, weird movie.
J.J.:And I will say the best part of this movie regardless is like the dynamics between the two.
J.J.:Like if I were to take out the ending and the fact that I don't know what the hell's going on and then the weird, like the mermaid sex and the jerk off scene like that, I, to me, serve no purpose.
J.J.:I.
J.J.:Come on, you Guys know me.
J.J.:I'm all for a sex scene and nudity and all that if there's a purpose behind it.
J.J.:But I felt like that scene was for nothing other than shock value.
J.J.:And I'm like, I don't love that.
J.J.:But the dynamic between these two characters, and I think that comes from the ability for these actors to do a lot with little.
J.J.:Because it's not like there's a ton of dialogue either.
J.J.: dialogue that's There is this: J.J.:Right.
J.J.:Like, so it's like the sailor speak.
J.J.:So you time.
J.J.:I'm like, what the are they even saying?
J.J.:But I could tell the intentions between these two.
J.J.:And so kudos to these two because they.
J.J.:They rocked it.
J.J.:And I'm with you.
J.J.:Matt said, like, I.
J.J.:I was forced to watch the.
J.J.:The Twilight movies for Casey, and they're terrible, and I hated him in them.
J.J.:Like, I.
J.J.:I was like, I will never watch anything with him in it.
J.J.:But I.
J.J.:To his credit, like, there was a.
J.J.:Oh, I forget the name of it now.
J.J.:Anyway, there's one where he's in New York.
J.J.:It's a weird.
J.J.:It's another little independent film.
J.J.:Kind of strange.
J.J.:Let me look and see.
J.J.:Because now it's gonna bother me if I don't remember it was between Twilight movies.
J.J.:Remember Me.
J.J.:Movie called Remember Me.
J.J.:Very sad.
J.J.:Did not.
J.J.:It was one of the twist movies that I was not that when it happened, the ending happened, I went shut the up.
J.J.:I did not see that coming at all.
J.J.:And it was very sad, but very interesting movie.
J.J.:And so I saw that Casey made me watch that because she loved Pattinson.
J.J.:And I was like, oh, he's actually really good in this.
J.J.:And then he did Water for Elephants.
J.J.:And from then on, I was like, I'm sold.
J.J.:He's really good.
J.J.:And he's done nothing that I'm like, everything since then.
J.J.:He's just been amazing.
Matson:He's a great actor.
Matson:He's definitely someone that changed their fate, which hard to do.
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:He hung in there and.
J.J.:And really kind of came through the.
J.J.:You made Twilight?
Matson:Oh, he didn't even talk about freaking Batman, for instance.
Matson:Sure.
Matson:I thought he was great in that too.
J.J.:Yeah.
J.J.:I still think my favorite performance from him is Tenant.
J.J.:Like, oh, he was.
J.J.:He.
J.J.:He made that movie for me.
Matson:Like, he was awesome.
J.J.:I liked it a lot.
J.J.:We talked about.
J.J.:I thought it was great.
J.J.:But he was the best part of that movie, in my opinion.
Matson:Oh, I remember because I was the one.
Matson:I hadn't seen some of his others because we Did a lot of his other movies after that.
Matson:I was blown away by him, and I was like, I never knew he could do that.
Matson:Had no idea.
J.J.:And I love John David Washington.
J.J.:He's amazing.
J.J.:But Robert Patson steals that movie.
J.J.:Every scene he's in, he just chews it up.
J.J.:So I was really excited because Willem Dafoe is one of my favorite actors, period.
J.J.:Like, I love all the weird he does.
J.J.:I've seen a lot of weird movies that Willem Dafoe's done because of Willem Dafoe.
J.J.:Like, movies that I walk away going, I should not have watched that.
J.J.:But because he's in it, I'll watch it.
Matson:Is he a weird dude in real life?
J.J.:I don't know.
J.J.:Like, I don't.
J.J.:Based on the interviews I've seen.
J.J.:No.
J.J.:He seems like a pretty normal dude.
J.J.:He just seems like he has the range and he enjoys being, you know.
Matson:How I feel about people.
Matson:I can do that.
Matson:Can exude that level of like a Mel Gibson something.
Matson:He was really zoned in.
Matson:I just always believe those people.
J.J.:Yeah.
Matson:Just there's a screw that.
Matson:If you're that good, something.
Matson:Something's slightly off with you.
J.J.:Yeah, I get that.
J.J.:I get well into Falcon.
Matson:Fit a lot of skittles in his mouth that I do know.
J.J.:Yeah, he's a.
J.J.:He's got a very large mouth and he's done some weird.
J.J.:Like he did one trying to remember the name of it.
J.J.:The.
J.J.:The Antichrist.
J.J.:He.
J.J.:That was a very strange movie.
J.J.:Very strange movie.
J.J.:And a lot of nudity.
J.J.:And I don't recommend that before he met him.
J.J.:But it's a weird.
J.J.:It's a strange movie, Alec.
J.J.:You might like that movie.
J.J.:It's very odd movies.
J.J.:It's.
J.J.:It's got a lot of very good character progression type stuff.
J.J.:Like very character driven, very strange hallucinogenic type.
J.J.:It was funny because there was like a.
J.J.:There's a rumor that there's a lot of full front and frontal nudity in that movie.
J.J.:And there's a rumor that they used a body double for his character because his dick's too big.
J.J.:And then I've read ones where it's like, it's got an odd shape to it or something.
J.J.:Like it's a weird look, and so that's why they did it.
J.J.:But, like, the prevailing, like, rumor is that his dick's too big and that's why they use the body double for him.
Matson:But why would that be a bad thing?
J.J.:I have no idea.
J.J.:Because it's.
J.J.:Because it's shocking and it takes away from the movie like you.
J.J.:All you think about is how big Willem Dafoe's dick.
J.J.:I have no idea.
J.J.:But that's.
J.J.:That's the prevailing sentiment is that that's why.
Alec:Could you imagine being that body double?
J.J.:We need you to come in and be full frontal because.
Alec:Because your dick is small.
J.J.:Because the hammer over here can't be on camera.
Matson:This is a bad premise for a movie.
Matson:An unnamed couple have sex in their Seattle apartment while their unsupervised infant son Nick climbs up to the bedroom window and falls out to its death.
J.J.:Wow.
J.J.:I told you it's a up movie.
Alec:It's very specific.
J.J.:Yeah, it's a up movie.
J.J.:I think it's the same guy.
J.J.:I'm trying to remember who made that one too, because it was the.
J.J.:Oh, it's the same guy that did.
J.J.:There was like a two part movie that a lot of pretty big actors at the time were in, including Willem Dafoe, I think.
J.J.:What's the damn name of that movie?
J.J.:Oh, Nymphomaniac.
J.J.:Same guy that did made the movies, the movie Nymphomaniac.
J.J.:He makes very strange movies.
J.J.:I don't recommend that.
J.J.:I watched part one of Nymphomaniac and I couldn't bring myself to watch part two because I saw no point in it.
J.J.:It just was a.
J.J.:To me it was just a reason to have a bunch of gratuitous nudity and weird sex.
J.J.:Trying to do a character progression with an actual nymphomaniac and I'm like, I, you know, look, just don't know that that worked for me at least.
J.J.:So very weird movie.
J.J.:But anyway, I love these two.
J.J.:I love the dynamic between the two of them.
J.J.:Even though it's a really weird movie.
Matson:Yeah, the.
Matson:This movie you're talking about.
Matson:Jj.
Matson:I know which one does the one.
J.J.:Antichrist.
Matson:Yeah.
J.J.:Yeah, I'll.
Matson:I'll pass for sure.
Matson:You've now seen the movie.
Matson:Just reading the two paragraph summary on Wikipedia.
J.J.:Yeah, you should.
J.J.:It's very.
J.J.:It's.
J.J.:It's not an easy watch.
J.J.:That's why I say Alec.
Alec:Where can I stream it?
J.J.:Alec would probably really like it.
J.J.:I.
J.J.:Because it's.
J.J.:It's your.
J.J.:It's in the vein of.
J.J.:Of what's that movie Snuff made us watch for the Patreon.
J.J.:Oh, vulgar.
Alec:Yeah, it's.
J.J.:It's in that vein where there's just a lot of.
J.J.:What's just uncomfortable.
Matson:Then smashes a large block of wood onto his erect penis causing him to lose consciousness.
Matson:She then masturbates him until he ejaculate blood.
J.J.:I told you, it's a weird.
Matson:She drills a hole through his leg, bolting a heavy grindstone through the wound, and tosses the wrench she used under the cabin.
Matson:This sounds like.
Matson:What's the clown movie with the saw type stuff, dude.
Matson:I'm like, it's.
J.J.:It's rough, dude.
J.J.:It's a weird movie.
Alec:I know what I'm watching tonight, Alec.
J.J.:Let me know how you like it, because I will say this Willem Dafoe is masterful in it.
J.J.:Like, he.
J.J.:I cannot stress enough.
J.J.:I could not take my eyes off the screen no matter what weird ass was happening.
J.J.:Willem Defoe kills it.
J.J.:He's a weird dude.
J.J.:And that is by far one of the weirdest movies I've ever watched.
Matson:She cuts her clitoris off and they show that.
J.J.:It'S a weird movie, dude.
Matson:How's that rated R?
Matson:It should be, like, rated.
Matson:Don't see this?
J.J.:Is it only rated R?
J.J.:I thought it was an NC17, but let's see.
Matson:I might have just skipped over that.
Matson:I don't.
J.J.:I don't remember that guy doing anything that's just rated R anymore.
Matson:It doesn't even say so.
Matson:It's probably whatever you're talking about.
J.J.:Oh, my God.
J.J.:It's.
J.J.:It's not she, dude.
Matson:This is.
Matson:Yeah, this.
Matson:This is the type.
Matson:Alec would probably love this girl.
J.J.:Oh, yeah.
J.J.:It's a weird.
Alec:Don't threaten me with a good time.
J.J.:I'll be interested to hear what you think, because like I said, it's a strange.
J.J.:It's a.
J.J.:It's.
J.J.:It's something.
J.J.:It made me uncomfortable far more than Lars von Trier.
J.J.:That's the.
J.J.:The writer, director, and he's never done anything that's not, like, make you question your existence type.
J.J.:Like, beautiful.
J.J.:He is.
J.J.:He is a strange son of a.
J.J.:You'd probably love all of his movies because they're.
J.J.:There's something wrong with him in all the best ways from a creative perspective.
J.J.:But anyway, back to the lighthouse.
J.J.:Are we ready to rate this thing?
Alec:I think we are.
J.J.:All right.
J.J.:Now that I've completely and utterly disturbed Matson with the Antichrist, the film that shook the world.
Matson:Shocked the world.
Matson:Yeah, I can.
J.J.:That tracks.
Alec:Shooketh the world.
Matson:All right, I'm first.
J.J.:So rate this first, because it's your pick.
Matson:I'm gonna give it a two.
Matson:Almost gave it a two and a half.
J.J.:Wow.
J.J.:I'm impressed.
Matson:Yeah, I'm gonna give it a two.
Matson:It would have been a two and a half a day if this movie wasn't so long.
Matson:But I was conditioned to know that this movie was the aspect ratio on the black and white.
Matson:But for whatever reason, because of what they were trying to portray, I could get behind it.
Matson:I was like, all right, I don't know.
Matson:But like Zack Snyder just intentionally doing that to a movie has no reason have an aspect like that are being black and white.
Matson:That just pisses me off.
Matson:There's nothing.
Matson:No reason to do that except he just thinks he's the coolest director on the planet.
Matson:This movie.
Matson: had tried to film this in the: Matson:But it's fine with me.
Matson:So I was behind that.
Matson:Phenomenal actors, weird movie, slow movie, eerie in a good way.
Matson:And the lacks direction.
Matson:And I thought the.
Matson:The ending was just.
Matson:It could have been more.
Matson:It really could have been.
Matson:And I wanted it to be more.
Matson:And that's where if it had a really intriguing.
Matson:Any like a lot of what JJ was talking about, like some supernatural spin or something.
Matson:Like, I think this movie could have been elevated quite a bit.
Matson:I think it could have been something that I was hoping for it to be, but it just didn't have the shock and awe that I was really hoping for at the end.
Matson:So for that, I think I probably surprised people giving it a 2.
Matson:Like, I'll never watch it again, but, like, there's a lot to talk about.
Matson:It's an interesting premise and I think they did a good job.
Matson:But it's definitely not a mainstream movie.
Matson:So for my people out there, like, probably not gonna enjoy it, but if you do want to watch it, like.
Alec:The people enjoyed it.
Matson:Madsen, I think you're gonna be pleasantly surprised to an extent.
Matson:No, the people didn't enjoy it, Alex.
Alec:The people did enjoy it.
Matson:The people that are you people or the what reads you site would.
Matson:Yes, the movie festival people or people that watch the Lars von Trier's Antichrist people probably would enjoy it.
Matson:And we don't want to be those people.
Alec:How can you say you're of the people if you don't listen to the people?
J.J.:Yeah, of the people has to include all people, sir.
Matson:I'm talking about normal people.
Matson:Define normal, not Alex.
Matson:People is what I'm trying to say.
Matson:Most of JJ's people I vibe with.
Matson:It's just sometimes JJ strays off the beaten path.
Matson:Anyways, I digress.
Matson:I'm going too long.
Matson:I gave it a 2.
J.J.:Matson represents the lemming people.
J.J.:No, I'm just kidding.
J.J.:Alec, your turn, buddy.
J.J.:Tell us what you thought.
J.J.:What do you rate this?
Alec:I like this movie.
Alec:It was weird.
Alec:It was fun.
Alec:It was out there.
Alec:I don't need the supernatural ending.
Alec:Just the crazy gaslighting and going slowly insane is enough for me.
Alec:I'm gonna give this movie a four.
J.J.:Wow.
Alec:I think it was really, really good.
Alec:I don't know if it's something I can watch frequently, but I'm definitely throwing this back on and just sitting there and enjoying it because it was really good.
J.J.:I liked it.
J.J.:Nice.
J.J.:Oh, man.
J.J.:I'm gonna give it a two and a half.
J.J.:And I.
J.J.:I think I would have really scored this high if I had a couple of options to choose from on what happened.
J.J.:And, like, I'll even.
J.J.:I'll spend my review, like, my scoring time saying what I would have liked to have had happen.
J.J.:My ending.
J.J.:If I were ending this film, he would have been staring into the lighthouse and having this, like, realization of how cuckoo he was, how nuts he was, and going back to.
J.J.:And change for reframing in his own mind the story that he told the Willem Dafoe about this foreman that he let drown and have it be that he actively murdered him.
J.J.:And, like, it's this cycle that he goes through, right?
J.J.:Like, that's what I think would have driven me to be, like, this was great because the whole time, up until a certain point, I would have been blaming Willem Dafoe for the reason that this guy's losing his marbles.
J.J.:But instead.
J.J.:And the.
J.J.:The environment, right?
J.J.:Willem Dafoe and the environment.
J.J.:But instead, it turns out he's the guy that's the problem from the beginning.
J.J.:And you don't have to give it that level of definition that I'm talking about.
J.J.:But, like, that's how I would have ended it.
J.J.:Right now, I'm not the most leave it ambiguous guy, so I would have clean turned it around and have him go to this flashback where he's actively the problem.
J.J.:And, like, even to the point where maybe it's his own journal that he thinks is.
J.J.:He's read Will, you know what I mean?
J.J.:Like, every piece of things that make you think Willem Defo is the problem is some manifestation of him being the problem.
J.J.:And he's going through this cycle again and again, right?
J.J.:Where he goes to a new place and somebody ends up dying, but it's under, you know, weird circumstances that can be explained as not his problem.
J.J.:Anyway, that's how I would have done this.
J.J.:And I think if it had done something of that level or where I Could have at least speculated between a couple of different things and not have to completely create my own ideas around what happened.
J.J.:I don't love that having to do that.
J.J.:I get why they did it.
J.J.:I understand that that's for some people.
J.J.:Like they're okay with that level of ambiguity.
J.J.:I just not.
J.J.:I think I would have scored it around a 4 or 5.
J.J.:I do think there's some unnecessary like a 5.
Matson:Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Matson:Jay.
J.J.:I would have been close if it had had a good solid ending that explained things.
J.J.:Even if it was a weird ass like alien in the.
J.J.:You know what I mean?
J.J.:Like I don't care what it was.
J.J.:Like if you had given me some reason for what we had been doing all this, besides two guys just losing it, I, I would have probably because I really enjoyed the dynamic and, and I'm with Alec.
J.J.:We've talked about this before.
J.J.:I love a movie watching people digress into psychoses.
J.J.:Like I think that is such an interesting concept and that's terrible of me to say but if I could sit and study someone that's slowly going crazy, I would be more than interested in that because I think that level of watching people's minds deteriorate, that deterioration level is interesting to me.
J.J.:That says a lot about me, I'm sure.
J.J.:But it intrigues me.
J.J.:Right.
J.J.:And so the fact that I don't understand why is hard for me.
J.J.:And that's a me thing.
J.J.:But it's hard for me.
J.J.:And so I.
J.J.:That's where I mark it down.
J.J.:But I think based on how it was acted, I think the things that would have kept me going were the unnecessary jerking off scene and not even necessarily the unnecessary jerking obviously, but the length of that scene and then like the weird giant mermaid vagina inside.
J.J.:Like it was weird.
J.J.:Like there were some visuals that I was like that doesn't add value to this movie.
J.J.:This is just Robert Eggers being a weirdo.
J.J.:Like that's all that was.
J.J.:And when I have to.
J.J.:When I, when it pulls me me back and I go, you're just being weird now.
J.J.:Like that's when I, I can't give it a full on five.
J.J.:So I think if you get rid of some of that, that was unnecessary.
J.J.:And then add some at least less ambiguous stuff to the ending.
J.J.:I could have given it a four or four and a half, maybe a five, depending on how much you pulled out of it.
J.J.:But I didn't even feel the length like magic because it's only an hour like 49 minute movie which is right there in the sweet spot.
J.J.:But I could get where it would feel long.
J.J.:It didn't feel long to me, but it was weird.
J.J.:And it was so weird and I just lost like, I have no interest in watching it again because I know how frustrated I'm gonna feel at the end of these great performances and very interesting, eerie movie that to me goes nowhere, like, has no purpose and doesn't allow me to even lean towards something.
J.J.:So that's why it's getting a two and a half for me.
J.J.:But I was expecting way worse.
J.J.:So maybe that's part of the reason I was pleasantly surprised when, when Madsen picked it, I was like, it's like I've kind of actively avoided this movie because I watched the Witch and I know how weird Eggers gets.
J.J.:But yeah, I can't complain about watching it.
J.J.:I liked it, especially for this topic.
J.J.:It was a good way to kick off the year.
J.J.:So well done.
J.J.:Matt's a good pick.
J.J.:Even though you may not agree with it being a good pick on your end.
J.J.:I liked it.
J.J.:All right, well, I'm excited for the rest of the month and for the rest of the year.
J.J.:Really lots of good, good stuff to choose from.
J.J.:Excited.
J.J.:Got some good topics lined up for the first few months with that.
J.J.:Alec, tell everybody where they can find us.
Alec:Happy to jj.
Alec: our review of the Lighthouse: Alec:Matson has made sure we started off bad, or at least he tried to anyway.
Alec:So thanks for that, Matson.
Alec:Thanks to our current patrons, Rich and JJ's low hanging glistening Christmas balls for picking the topic of original screenplays and the first movie.
Alec:So I think we can blame JJ's glistening low hanging Christmas balls for this pick as well.
Alec:But I'm still gonna blame Matson.
J.J.:Things you can blame for yeah, low hanging glistening Christmas balls.
Alec:So Patreon is a place to get involved, guys.
Alec:Every month we have topics to choose from, topics to suggest, and any kind of topic that you want.
Alec:And then we pick movies within that topic that you then get to vote on as well.
Alec:So join us there.
Alec:What's our verdict?
Alec:Reviews to get really involved in the content that we make.
Alec:With that I will kick it back to the Titan of Terror, the Wazir of Wap A jj.
J.J.:Yeah, thanks Alec.
J.J.:Appreciate that.
J.J.:We do appreciate our Patreons.
J.J.:Our patrons are.
J.J.:They keep us going.
J.J.:They make it a lot easier to continue making the podcast.
J.J.:So if you want us to keep doing it, want to help that out, we'd appreciate It.
J.J.:Plus you get to have a lot of fun over there.
J.J.:It's a.
J.J.:It's a whole different world.
J.J.:My inappropriateness is on full go on the that side.
J.J.:I don't hold back at all.
J.J.:You guys probably listen to this and go.
J.J.:He holds back.
J.J.:I do, actually.
Matson:Hey, we were once labeled as a wholesome family entertainment, but yeah, that must.
J.J.:Have been without me because.
Matson:Certainly not.
J.J.:A real dark road when you were gone for a while there.
Matson:Certainly not this episode.
J.J.:No.
J.J.:Yeah, this one got weird.
Alec:Yeah, wholesome family entertainment turned left way too long ago.
J.J.:That's fair.
J.J.:I've just been dragging your wholesome asses my direction the whole time.
J.J.:Little did you know, I've been watering you down.
J.J.:Maybe not, Alec.
J.J.:I thought I was until.
Alec:You're making me a better person.
J.J.:Alex.
J.J.:Actually making me look good sometimes.
J.J.:JJ's not as crazy as he thinks he is.
Alec:Yeah.
J.J.:But yeah, go join us there on Patreon.
J.J.:It's fun.
J.J.:And we appreciate those that have been there and are listening to us.
J.J.:We're growing rapidly.
J.J.:I'm on.
J.J.:I mean, we're pushing 400.
J.J.:I know that sounds so easily, but.
Alec:Yeah, we started with zero.
J.J.:I know.
Alec:Yeah.
J.J.:Well, we went from like 300 to 360.
J.J.:I think we're up to 360 now.
J.J.:We're getting up there to where it's like the last, like few.
J.J.:We've been climbing pretty quick.
J.J.:So we appreciate those that have now subscribed to us here on.
J.J.:On YouTube, those that watch us and those that listen.
J.J.:Thank you.
Matson:So thank you for being and listen to the.
Matson:Your man and the people.
Matson:So I appreciate that, everybody.
J.J.:Thanks for getting the true opinions as well.
Alec:You know, if anybody's a Matson fan, please let me know.
Alec:I want to meet you.
J.J.:Well, we know at least one.
J.J.:So with that, as always, we appreciate you tuning in.
J.J.:We'll catch you on the next LA.