IFH 051: Are the Oscars Too White…Again? #OscarsSoWhite

Alex Ferrari 0:47
Now this episode is a really special episode guys, we wanted to do an Oscar special This is a shout out to the fan who came up with this idea. I don't know where he is or how I got I got the information. I can't find this tweet anywhere. But this member of the tribe tweeted both me and RB from stage32.com to see if we wanted to do an Oscar special and to talk about not only the Oscars, but the whole controversy this year about Oscars being to white and that whole thing and diversity within the within the Oscars in the academy. So me and me and RB decided to get together have a good long discussion about the Oscars about the film business about the Oscars being too white or not diverse enough. women directors the whole ball of wax and we gave our two cents on all of it. There's a lot of great information in that in this podcast. So definitely hang out. Take a listen. It's a long one. It's the longest podcast I've ever done. It's over it's getting over almost two hours and and a half, almost two hours and 15 minutes. So if you're just sitting around in a car, this is a great, great thing to listen to. But it is a long one but really entertaining a lot of fun. RB was amazing. We had really great chemistry I love doing I felt like I was on Siskel and Ebert back in the olden days. So it was really great to sit down and meet meet RB for the first time in person. And also we recorded at stage 32 headquarters in Manhattan Beach at their studios. So it was so much fun to go out and do this. So sit back, relax and enjoy my friends. I mean me and RB got together. Episode 29 I think we was a guest on my podcast and we became fast friends after that I was one of the best, most recorded downloaded podcast ever had. So someone tweeted us you remember this? Someone tweeted us this. This idea?

RB Botto 4:02
Ohh Really?

Alex Ferrari 4:02
Yes. Someone tweeted.

RB Botto 4:03
Ohh yeah this was a fan idea.

Alex Ferrari 4:04
This was a fan idea which please if your fan is watching, please forgive us. We have not been able to find that tweet again because we tweet so often. But they said hey, RB and Alex, why don't you guys do an Oscar special and then you tweeted back, I think from Sundance or something. I'm like let's do it. Let's do it. I'm gonna interview I'm like, sure why not. So here we are today.

RB Botto 4:24
Here we are. I'm Rich Batto people know me as RB I run stage 32, which is the world's only platform for connecting and educating film, television and theater creatives. We have a half a million people on the site worldwide. If you are in a film in the film business in any capacity if you're an actor, a writer, cinematographer, Director anything, go to Stage32.com And sign up takes about a half minute and you'll be connected to half a million people around the world. I'm also a working writer in Hollywood, as well as an actor, producer and voice actor. So we're here today we have a little knowledge between us. We've been around this for a while. Have you got sort of the vibe of what's happening in the street around here in Hollywood? I'm going to talk Oscars. I'm going to talk from busy to film biz. So we want to start you want to start at the top we want to talk about the year I have my top 10 list. I have all sorts of things so not so much. The questions at any point during this we have our we have a crash step behind.

Host 5:21
We will be taking questions on Periscope momentarily, but you look so angelic right now I'm gonna have you move.

RB Botto 5:27
Oh, yeah. It's a little bit sunny Yes.

Host 5:30
Yes. Yes, I'll give you too angelic. I'll give you a little light hand when the questions come in at the end. And I'll make sure to screenshot all those. So keep your questions coming, everyone.

RB Botto 5:44
Alright. And that is the voice of the stage stage and social media Sar? Noel, yes. And in the corner, silently, looking on. menacingly looking on. It's like a sickly area.

Alex Ferrari 5:56
So I mean, we can we can. We can talk a little bit before we get into the actual nominations. We could actually talk about the whole season, the whole year film, and there has been some controversy this year as well. So we could talk about that, too. So wherever you want to start from, sir.

RB Botto 6:10
Well, I mean, we could start right at the top. And yeah, I think it's been, I think it's been a very good year film. I think the thing that's been interesting to me, is the resurgence of independent film, right. at the box office, I mean, some of these films, you know, we're going to talk about, you know, great turns of the box, a couple of met sort of disappointing ruins. A lot of them actually. Yeah, but but there's also it's been a we're starting to see that tanker turn. And we've been talking about all right, I believe. And you and I talked a little bit about our podcast, that the independent film business is making a little bit of a shift and a turn and coming sort of in vogue again, I think a lot of the streaming has a lot to do that. And then of course, on the on the studio side, which I think the big story of the year, in my opinion, is mednax. Because huge, mainstream film summer blockbuster film, that maybe it will get into it. Maybe it's not a legitimate threat, the best picture? I don't know. I don't know, because this thing is really wide open right now. But I you know, none of the indicators are there. But definitely, it's right, in my opinion in the director category.

Alex Ferrari 7:19
It could be it could be, and I agree with you, I think a movie like Mad Max, I remember when it was coming. I saw the trailers like everybody else did. Like cheeses. This is This is done by more like Warner Brothers. It is like this is like, they just let George run wild. Yeah, with it, and that they market it and I was listening to everyone talk like it. No, it's not gonna make any money. It's like, it's too too out there. It's too this or that. And it's like an old, it's an old reboot again, and all this kind of stuff. But you know, when you see it, it's like, it's an experience. And I guarantee you that most people who saw it had no idea that it was 16 year old 67 or 70. Yeah, a 70 year old man did this like

RB Botto 8:01
And without a lot of, you know, of course, the famous story, the multiple story is without a lot of digital effects.

Alex Ferrari 8:07
Yeah, there was somebody there's obvious but there's a lot of practical a lot. He went old school and a lot of stuff. And and we can talk about sure, at least is not nominated. But we'll talk about that later.

RB Botto 8:18
We'll get into that.

Host 8:20
Quick question. Did it make money?

RB Botto 8:21
Made lots of money to Fortune made a fortune? Yeah, I made a fortune. We have one of the most successful films of the year.

Alex Ferrari 8:29
Yeah. On every level, there's on every top 10 list it was like,

RB Botto 8:32
oh, yeah, every top 10 I mean, money was mean globally.

Alex Ferrari 8:37
100, at least at least, if not more,

RB Botto 8:40
At least, you know. And then of course, the other big story of the year is diversity story. I'm sure a lot of people are curious about our thoughts on that, or some thoughts of their own. If you're on Periscope, and you want to bring in on that. Yes, I have some very strong feelings about this. And we talked about this. I was on a couple of panels at Sundance this year. This came up quite a bit. And, you know, my feeling is, I think that we're, I think the what the academy is doing right now. I think they jumped a little quick. I think there's sometimes when you have controversy, especially with the new when the media jumps on board. And of course, you know, in this day and age, the media jumps on board like that. It's much like just you just going I mean, you know, you know that the house

Alex Ferrari 9:25
It's a big target is a big target. Yeah,Oscars a big target.

RB Botto 9:27
It's a big target. But I think that we're I think the bigger problem is the industry itself. I think the depths are not did not enough if there were more roles, more films that had diverse casts, we would see more nominations. I don't necessarily think the answer is to shift everything. Yes, the academy is old, 63 year old 63 year old average whatever heck it was, you know, 90, whatever. The old and like older like Yes. Okay, well for adding into that cool. Okay. More for that. But I think the bigger problem is the industry itself. And I think, you know, when somebody like Will Smith, who legitimately was probably a short hair away from being nominated for concussion, okay. I mean, it's very close. Right. He was nominated in some of the he was not a Golden Globe and other guilds and everything like that. Absolutely. When you're that close, I think that instead of, and this is just my opinion, instead of banning the Oscars, I think that you can make a strongest statement that maybe making a statement against the industry itself. I don't think the academy is the target. I think it's the industry, the studio system. You know, was dying to see there was an article the other day, I think it's the first one I ran on the weekend blog this week on stage 32. About how they're more female protagonist and films. Yeah, they predominantly white. Okay. All right. So it's going to solve one problem. The other yet right, can make everyone happy and make everyone happy. And that's, I think you got a point of this. Right. I think that I just think that it's an industry wide problem. And not a one night in February problem. I agree. And I think that's, I think that's where I disconnect a little bit. As far as what good, European No,

Alex Ferrari 11:12
I mean, I agree with you. 100%. I think that if you look at studios movie, I mean, this is this is an industry meaning studios. Yeah, the studios are the ones putting out the majority white characters, white situations, all this kind of stuff. And when you look at the independent world, the independent world is like 80, to things like at last, the last check I saw was like 70 or 80% are female, and different ethnicities, you know, Latino, black, Asian, also, you don't see that, but it's because I think that the the studios are so risk averse, that they don't want to take a chance with an A, you know, in their minds, why is going to be the broad spectrum that everyone can can digest that, you know, but you can't have an Asian in Madmax as as Max, like I said, a possible to have you can't have African American or Latino in that in that role. And I get their point. I don't agree with it, but I understand it, and the studios are so risk averse, that that's why the decisions are made, like, you know, we were both around this town enough. You know, you know, I remember when I was chopping out projects, like a female lead in an action movie. On Forget it, just I was never able to get any traction on certain projects. Because most of the projects that I was doing, were all female leads because I want I wanted to do female leads. I love you. I love Ridley you know, an alien. Yeah, I love I love Sarah Connor and like, you know, I love fair. Charlie's thrones for for Furiosa Yes, thanking her for character like that was like amazing. So I love those kind of characters and, and just couldn't get any traction. So I've seen the whole the way things I remember it like, I mean, I'm Latino, I'm Cuban and Latinos and movies about and if it wasn't, you know, Jimmy Smith's got nothing. It's Jimmy. But you know, there was like every there's there's there was a group of five guys who got all the roles, you know, and and God forbid a female, Latina. Like, you know, Salma Hayek was the first in Desperado, she was the first co star Latina in a studio movie in 40 years, prior to Desperado. And then like so a lot of people don't know that. I mean, like sound like I kind of kick the door down a little bit. And then Penelope Cruz and all these other you know, amazing actresses have opened up, as well, Gina Rodriguez now. So it's, I think it's just taking them like you're talking about the boat turning, it's so slow, but it's but we seeing it. And I think it's speeding up a little bit more and more than it used to, right. You know, before it was like, you know, in the 80s Done 90s. But then you're now you're starting to see things happen a little bit quicker. Now, instead of 10 years to do something, it takes five years. And now it's moving a little quicker because technology and everything else is changing so fast.

RB Botto 14:00
Yeah, I think you make one of the points you made, I think is the point which is that this is a studio from this is not an independent film from new right. So again, numbers we've got to somebody like Will Smith, I sit there and I say okay, if you really want to make a statement, say you're not gonna make a studio phone for the next year, put your money where your mouth is and that way to say look, you know, this is a project that I had on the table I'm not doing it and other people will probably follow suit that sending a message I think saying I'm not going to go to the Oscars. I think a lot of people go you know

Alex Ferrari 14:30
Oh, so you're not going to go to another party

RB Botto 14:32
I'll talk Shawn and you know, the limo we were heartbroken Middle America is going please crush me a little more.

Alex Ferrari 14:40
You know, what would be great is I'm going to drop you but like it would be great as like if someone like listen, it's because he's put himself out there. And I believe first and foremost, I'm a huge listener. Yeah, love goes nothing against love them against them. But if you're going to take a stance like this go, You know what, I'm not going to do a studio move for the next year. I'm going to do an independent project myself. I'm going to do at this budget range. I'm going to put myself out there, I'm going to hustle it myself and then do it all myself, and I'm gonna put ever the hell I want in it. Yeah. Well, you know, what do that

RB Botto 15:07
That's a statement.

Alex Ferrari 15:08
That's that's gonna be a statement and all of a sudden when I Will Smith does that, then maybe somebody else does it and maybe another maybe a bigger female, you know, female actress was like, You know what, that's what I'm gonna do. Yeah. And and so on and so on. Maybe they start a trend because at the end of the day is the studios are I mean, they're not as Star reliant as they used to be. But they're still star reliant. No question. You know, I mean, Independence Day, the new one is not star reliant. There isn't I mean, the star is there or not really what the drives, right? It's there that movie, Star Wars kind of Star Alliance, but now going forward? Probably not so much. Right? So. But if the stars start boycotting it and start doing because the technology is there, the ability is there to distribution to imagine if a Will Smith showed up at Sundance with a frickin movie. Can you imagine what what that's a $20 million buy,

RB Botto 16:04
And you're a hero too man,

Alex Ferrari 16:05
And you're a hero, you're gonna make your money. It's just the way it is. So but it's about who has the harness to do something like that?

RB Botto 16:13
Well, and that's the thing. I mean, I think, you know, the, I guess, again, I go back, I'm not trying to be almost no, I love a lot, but I love a lot of willscot. Using this as an example, because he's the one that came out in the media and said boycott is why shouldn't boycott. But if he would have been nominated and would have been one actor of color, you know, in 19? Not what would have been the same thing and will be you know it. I think again, at the end of the day, I think there are two issues here as far as I see it one again, as you said, industry problems studio problem casting problem project problem as far as the studio's are concerned. And then the second thing is garbage. So what's my train of thought? Is? I just lost my train of thought

Alex Ferrari 16:58
I'll bring up why you think yeah, there's a new movie coming out called Gods of Egypt. Yeah. Come on. Yeah, completely whitewash. Yeah, then I loved your book. I'm a big fan of 300. But, dude, you're not Egyptian? Yeah. You know, I'm like, Are you kidding me? Like Dances with Wolves they were all Indian. Yeah, they were all Indian. Wow, what a concept by a great company that which was still around Orion, who was doing some amazing days RoboCop

RB Botto 17:27
It was never good enough at every minute.

Alex Ferrari 17:28
You know? Jesus don't even get me started with that. But, but that look at that, that today, dancers will not be cast out by No, no matter who's in the lead. No matter who's in the lead. It would have never been casted that way. And that movie would have never been one it was so that's the problem I think I agree with it is a studio problem. I think Gods of Egypt are gonna die a miserable I think it's gonna die a miserable that is such a a classic studio, some executive somewhere like we're gonna get your Gerald Butler you know, big movies he did. 300 That's good. Let's just bring them in. Yeah, and then we'll put this other kind of put digital effects everywhere and it's gonna make no it's gonna die a miserable horrible death. Fantastic for did like all those kind of movies like is fantastic for when they actually put a man of color. In a part. I didn't agree. I personally I'm a comic book dude. I know. Johnny storms not you know, he's not an African American guy. Nothing against Michael J. He was great in the in creed. But he wasn't saying when they put Jessica Alban right. Yeah, as storm like, no, no, no, no, no, she's not. No, that's not who that character is. You know, it's like, Come on, guys. So don't jam it in when it's not needed. And don't put it in when it isn't needed. Right. Like

RB Botto 18:40
That was exactly what I was actually gonna make is I feel it's no reaction. I you know, you don't want it I you know, just came back from Sundance and the film that won Sundance, birth and rejuvenation, retire at the Venetian. Right. Great, great. And, you know, here you have, and this bothered me, then this is what I mean by the overreaction. This really bugged me, I got to see the film, it is fantastic. Very well made film. A park is seven years of his life to put, you know, into this film could imagine and, you know, gave up his acting job told us, you know, told his agent, you know, this is what I'm going to do. Now. He wins everything he gets a 17 and a half million dollar deal. And the talk all over Main Street is Is this because of the Oscar diversity thing it that is and that you see another thing is if you're you do not want if you're if you're the filmmaker now, right? And you've spent the seven years, you don't want this to be part of the compensation. You wanted to be on your own merits. People forget that we're only two years removed from 12 years of slave winning a million awards. No, it did really, really well. So I think that again, if you making if you greenlighting those kinds of those kinds of movies that will allow for diverse casting. I think you solve the problem. And I think we've seen it historically. And we don't want to get into this we we are a society that overreacts and overcompensates and No, we're an impulse society. And I hated hearing that conversation up at Sundance, because the movie is fantastic. It probably would have benefited for from a little distance from 12 years of slave. But, um, but it is such an accomplishment that I bought me to have to hear people talk about that as opposed to talking about the film on its own merits.

Alex Ferrari 20:20
Now there's 17 and a half with just streaming rights. So they can still go theatrical. Oh, no. Yeah, no.

RB Botto 20:29
Yeah, no, yeah. There's Fox, there's a movie you're thinking of is infested by the see. Also Excellent. And just finally got they got the Netflix deal? Or they got the Amazon deal. Now they got the dish, but

Alex Ferrari 20:39
If it wasn't for Netflix and Amazon, that's not 17 points. No, they're the ones that

RB Botto 20:43
Netflix actually or for 20. And he turned it down when he wanted the article. Because he ended what ended up happening was, it was a little bit of a fear over what happened with me, this would be kind of a segue into all this in a way. He was a little fearful what happened with VESA donation from Netflix, because the feeling was that it didn't get the best picture nod and it yourself didn't get the best actor now because of Netflix, you know. People didn't see it, and only got a couple of theaters. I put it in a couple of theaters just to get it theatrical. So we'll qualify, but not not enough. Yeah. But it's a good segue. Because, in my opinion, as far as you know, when we're talking about diversity, we're talking about marriage again, to me. And I know you have some feelings, your own will. And I'll just we'll have a little back and forth about this. And the one snub that stood out to me, like my biggest snub of the year, to be honest, is I don't pull Dino for love and mercy. Yeah,

Alex Ferrari 21:40
He was amazing. He was he really wasn't me.

RB Botto 21:42
And I hate to bring up another white actor. But that was diversity. The second one to me, was just like, I look at that performance. And I you know, look at that film. And I do believe that film at the article he there's no question about it. But some of the other names that have been brought up these names. They weren't really factors in any even the Guild awards or something, you know, and but you have some thoughts

Alex Ferrari 22:08
I do. I think that personally, I think that straight out of Compton was completely snubbed. I thought when I saw straight out of Compton at the time I saw it as like, is the best movie I've seen all year at that time. Okay, at that time I've seen other movies but I think it it definitely for what the reason why I love straight out content so much is that it had no business being as good as it is. There hasn't been a rap bio pain other than maybe eight mile that you know, I mean, I wasn't even a bio pic. It was loosely based on Eminem. That that has been done well, yeah, you know, the biggie one stop the, you know, all these other ones they weren't. So it had no business doing as well being as good as it was. And because of that, I was like blown away with it. I think that Shay Jackson isn't Shay's right? Yeah, Shea Jackson, ice cubes kit should have been knotted. Because this is just my opinion. I think what he did with ice cube, I mean, the living embodiment of it. How he obviously lives with his dad, growing up with his dad might have done Could you do Shakespeare? I didn't know what that ice cube ice cube is to do Shakespeare. But he couldn't do what I'm not sure what you did in Compton was amazing. What F Gary Gray did was, I think, should have been a nod in itself. Purely because there was so much going to guess the film like that as opposed to a Bridge of Spies or Brooklyn or not. I'm not saying that they shouldn't I'm not trying to take these out. But like, you know, bring despise filbert, like this is not a real uphill battle guys. You know, Brooklyn, not uphill battle in the scope of

RB Botto 23:49
I disagree with Brooklyn. Okay. A small little indie.

Alex Ferrari 23:53
Okay, okay. Okay. The Martian the RAD I agree with you spotlight Big Short, which are all amazing. Fun. We'll talk we'll talk about them. Yeah. But straight out Compton had there was two more spots available and yeah, straight out calm. That could definitely have been one of them. That's my opinion. I know you differ.

RB Botto 24:08
Yeah. i probably like Roger Zebra is it the the first hour straight out of college. I was I was electric. I loved it. I was showing on it. And I felt like the last hour and a half.

Alex Ferrari 24:25
Hour half was a three hour movie.

RB Botto 24:27
So two and a half personnel for the last hour and a half and say two and a half hours. I actually showed the director's cut which was 45 minutes.

Alex Ferrari 24:33
Okay. Okay, that might have been a little Oh,

RB Botto 24:37
yeah, two hours and 45 minutes. The I felt like the second half was a little sluggish. Okay, you know, so I didn't love it. I respected it wherever I go to get a little melodramatic imports. I thought the acting was good. I don't know who I would have taken out of this top five. Well, a Cranston maybe. You know, well, you know what Cranston and Damon maybe mean? Yeah, maybe maybe but but that's why the leading up, leave support he would have been supported. But I mean, I go back to your cell phone, like, oh, no, no, I agree with you and even pull down. Yeah, you know,

Alex Ferrari 25:13
that's okay. That's a good film. I like that movie. I love

RB Botto 25:16
it. That was the thing. You know, you can't compare Loving You talking about two totally different bands, right, you know, to the scene 10 times me. But the thing I loved about loving mercy was I felt like it felt tight. I felt like Straight Outta Compton could have been maybe 20.

Alex Ferrari 25:28
But then the lesson had all those movies it don't have Paul Giamatti near you.

RB Botto 25:37
Or both the nurse, and he's been happy. Yes. I couldn't believe that. But I'll show you both. You know, I'll show up and watch Paul. Yellow Pages, you know, so watching that. Not to go off on a tangent billions. Oh, I've seen it. Yeah. Watch them on their top in the scenery. Yeah. So I

Alex Ferrari 25:57
think I think what we talked about the diversity, I think, I think one thing, and the Coen Brothers just got hit really bad for what they said, You know, I think everyone's a little too sensitive. You know, I wish this was kind of the 80s or the 90s, where people weren't that the political correctness is not as much. Um, I agree that we need more diversity in our movies, because it's a reflection of society. You know, we are not a white society. And by 2050, there'll be more Latinos than anybody else. In the United States. You know, as things go, there's more ethnicities in the United States than just white, you know, so it is it is a reflection of our society in America at least. But also, we're a global world now. So it's, you know, you have to kind of open up and I think, just from even on a financial business sense, if you don't open up, you know, you're going to lose look at faster look at the fear faster purity series. I mean, there's ethnicity everywhere in that movie everywhere, everywhere. And it was built that way from the first movie. And look and why does it travel? So well? Me the billion dollar the last one made it but when was the last movie that was the seventh of anything? It make a billion dollars and now they have three more in the works? Why not? Right? Oh, no, no, just keep going. Yeah, just keep going. And this basically the new bottle you run out of course. And so you run out of cars. I mean, I don't know what else they're gonna do. I think they're gonna go to the moon and jump off because I mean, their planes buildings, I don't know what else they gonna do, Vinod, you know, but, but look how amazingly well, that's been received. And, again, look at the ethnicity of all of those characters. Yeah, I think. I think the students have to kind of wake up a little bit and,

RB Botto 27:33
and that's what I hope I hope once we get past this to 28th, and everybody takes a breath. We start looking at the business and not because I do think it's not a good to knee jerk. You don't want a knee jerk reaction. Anything that's not fit anybody. It doesn't solve it doesn't solve the problem. I

Alex Ferrari 27:48
love that Chris Rock hangs out. He's he's hanging out. He's not leaving. I also

RB Botto 27:52
love the fact that I looked at Chris Rock one out and said, you know, here he is what he blamed he blamed the studio. She said, Look, because every time I've taken a movie to the studio, and I have a black girlfriend, they say can you make a white? Yeah, exactly. You know, and I'm glad he's saying those names because without having to go I'm not doing it. No, he's just using his keys actually using his platform the right way.

Alex Ferrari 28:11
Right. And I can't wait for him to have this. I can't wait for the opening monologue. It's going to be I think epic only Chris Rock I think honestly, is the only comic alive that is perfect. The timing can't be more

RB Botto 28:26
Oh yeah, to get these things these articles that are hitting the Tres he was like,

Alex Ferrari 28:30
Oh no, he was just He's the perfect comic for the perfect time. And it's just like when Richard Pryor did it back in the 70s he was a perfect guy the perfect time no doubt you know so

RB Botto 28:41
I should know all raising hand over here. Yes, no questions

Host 28:44
@beavixen says and create more powerful roles for women.

Alex Ferrari 28:49
Absolutely. Well, and

RB Botto 28:50
That's the thing the independent film world that's happening you know it listen if you look at the Best Picture nominees I mean, nothing nothing. Brooklyn, female lead Madmax on code you see mostly female lead

Alex Ferrari 29:01
No, surely it's the wrong it's surely the Rochelle female he said five words in the movie. Yeah,

RB Botto 29:05
It's there's no room female lead. Yep. She's about three of your your eight pitches and it really spotlight didn't have a lead. And Rachel McAdams it you know, it was it was a total collaborate. Yeah, absolutely. And that's awful. Thank you for the word. And he wasn't he was his nominee Rachel gams is nominated. She isn't she's not just okay. So I'm saying so there you go. So you can you can make the argument that for the films that have nominated us pictures, I wouldn't say that she's a female lead in The Big Short. It is an ensemble cast, but she is bigger. She is big.

Alex Ferrari 29:37
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And I think there's more. I think what's your least did in in Madmax opened up a lot of doors so question a lot of doors for female because it's like, Hollywood is all about oh, it has it hasn't been done. You don't want to try it? You know, so I can't believe that man. Honestly, I can't believe Panamax was made that's it's it's it's a mystery to me that that movie got made in the studio system. It's one of those Things that snuck through. And it was purely because of George Miller and who he is. And you know, but they wouldn't have given a young kid that movie, I don't think you know, or it's just because it was George. And it was an established, there was a lot of pluses going for it. And then they got Charlie Cena that's a big star. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor. And now back to the show. But I think she's opened up a lot of doors in the action genre, and now I'm praying that she becomes Captain Marvel. I think I think she'd be the captain marvel. There's no love the superheroes. So my comic Bama comic book geek, I, I've been a comic book geek. You know that Marvell? Marvell is right over there. Yes. I know. He's done a movie. I know they had a gun. I know. But I'm a huge Marvel guy. I can talk about the Batman Superman movie if you want me to. I love the Nolan, Batman's were amazing. I mean, you could put up dark night against any crime. Any crime movie,

RB Botto 31:04
I'll even go with your dad.

Alex Ferrari 31:07
I mean, it's I mean, I'm not gonna put it up against heat,

RB Botto 31:10
But was shorter like the The Godfather one of superhero movies.

Alex Ferrari 31:14
I mean, it's pretty much it really is. I mean, you know, the dark night, I put it up against any crime drama, crime thriller, without question. But I am a big comic book geek. And I'm in my Renaissance now, and will be probably and also the Star Wars geeks, I'm in heaven.

RB Botto 31:31
So I know you have some good strong feelings. On this, I think we saw me with the screen writing things and work our way up. But here it is. Well, you know, as, as always, we have another question

Host 31:41
Tenay wants to know, can there be two strong leads? So why are we arguing about who's the main lead

RB Botto 31:47
Ofcourse because we were talking about because somebody asked a question about female leads.

Alex Ferrari 31:53
Female Lead, that's why we're talking about that. So, as Hollywood would say, the screenwriting is on the second page, not really, not really No, not really doesn't really matter. It's like it's not really about the script.

RB Botto 32:04
And I'm a screenwriter, and this is literally listed on the Oscars site as the last two freaking categories.

Alex Ferrari 32:10
It's not even like underwriting it's it's alphabetical. It's all guys, please don't overreact. Well, it's not completely alphabetical because best pictures first, but we'll we'll let that go.

RB Botto 32:21
I'm going to get a letter from Sheldon Isaac's now. She's gonna she's gonna hit. Okay, so let's get let's see my screen reading a little bit. All right. So adapted screenplay. Yeah, we have The Big Short Brooklyn Carol the Martian and room. I I'm just gonna go out there, man. I did not quite get the Martian. All the love for the Martian. And I Ridley Scott,

Alex Ferrari 32:46
I understand the love for Ridley Scott. I love Matt and I literally love that. I think the new Jason Bourne scene Yeah. that I saw. And it's like it's Castaway on on Mars. It's Castaway on Mars. It was an entertaining movie. I'll never watch it again. Yeah, it's not one of those movies. But and really did a great job. But it's not the Blade Runner. It's not Blade Runner. It's it's not. I don't know. I I'm confused as well. I don't know why it was nominated. I don't know. Why isn't that? Yeah. Yeah, I get it. I get it. But it's not like it's not a performance that is for the ages by any stretch. Not nothing against Matt, please. I love Matt. But no, I agree. I'm calling I'm calling it as I see it. But I don't understand the love for it either.

RB Botto 33:29
I don't either. And I look at this list room. I was I love relaunched into that we'll get into the Actress category Raider. She was phenomenally trembling. That kid was unbelievable. did not connect with that either. I mean, the one Brooklyn was one of my favorite movies of the year. I love the film. But the one that I thought was real. I actually like I actually like Brooklyn better than this movie. But I think as far as wrapping this book, short not I mean, just think sortable. I mean, you're talking about a very dense book.

Alex Ferrari 34:02
Ah, and the way he did it. Yeah. I mean, I got it. When I saw the big short. I was like, Oh, this is nice. This is and you could tell it was him. That was out. Okay, right. Yeah. Yeah. So you could tell that it was a comedy dude. Do it it like the guy who did Anchorman did this. I can see in there, but it's done so well. And so, and the way that they cut to, like, you know, famous celebrity, right, yeah. Just to talk about the most mundane financial stuff. Yeah. Brilliant. Yeah.

RB Botto 34:31
Margot Robbie in bed, thinking about subprime loans.

Alex Ferrari 34:35
Just like, it's brilliant. Yeah. So, so arguably, I think that's probably one of the best that's probably the best one in my opinion.

RB Botto 34:42
Yeah, I think that's what's gonna win. And you know, Carol was a film I don't think it has a shot now because it was a film that everybody expected to get a Best Picture nomination, and it just didn't happen. I mean, it got a couple of them got the acting. Not for Okay, ready now over okay. Yeah. Thank you. And, you know, but didn't get the best picture now. So I don't think it has a shot I think I think it's gonna be The Big Short in this category. And I think deservedly so I agree. And then in the original screenplay category of British spies your favorite no Mokena if you're not confident, yeah, Inside Out spotlight and straight out of Compton, we thought,

Alex Ferrari 35:20
Well, I think X Mokena should have been nominated for much more than it was. Yeah, I think it should have been nominated. I think Isaac was surprised I saw Oscar Isaac was inside out. Oh, well,

Host 35:32
We have a comment inside out.

Alex Ferrari 35:34
We're gonna get to I think British spies I felt the first 40 minutes of it was dead. Yeah. And then when it became a thriller, then it picked up again. I'd love Stephen Of course. Yeah. You know, anything he does, but sometimes. Yeah, you know, he Steven X mark and I absolutely spotlight. I spotlights one of my favorite movies of the year. So Mike, is amazing. That movie is remarkable on how it did it. Another movie that I'm not sure I've watched again? Like there's those movies that unite like, perfect on TV. Um, I don't know it's not one of those movies. Yeah, it's not Shawshank like we always talk about me, right? Yeah, go watch that movie a million times this. I'm not gonna watch it, but I respect how amazing it was. Um, and I love Straight Outta Compton. But I'm gonna argue that inside out should pry when Best Screenplay because what I'm Peter did Peter sharp starts off as the director and the writer this what they did it inside out I thought was amazing. I know a lot of people don't like it. I nobody knows an animator at Disney use this, I really hated it. But he hates everything. Like he thinks, you know, Ben Helsing is the best movie of all time. So I always go I always bust his balls about that. But he but inside out i I just sat there and watched the honor if no one's seen it turn away because I'm gonna say a spoiler now, but when the figment of the imagination,

RB Botto 37:05
Yes. Just like boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,

Alex Ferrari 37:08
Whatever, boom, boom, break my frickin heart and that guy. And I went out, and I'm the guy. Okay. So people in the room that hasn't heard about ever there is, but I literally waited till after the credits to see if put your put your years back in. If he came back, because it's easy, is it? And I didn't see him like, oh my god, it's like, it's gone. And then I saw an interview with him and like, we had to bring them back. But it was really I love it was it's Pixar at its peak. Yeah, I think if Pixar at what Pixar does the best, or I think the good dinosaurs with Pixar to work on the most money. It is. Is it like a dinosaur? I watch it a lot with my girls. I was just sitting there going, you got to be kidding me. Like I just was I was beautiful. It'll get gorgeous. But the story was just a you know, I just didn't like it. You know,

RB Botto 38:03
I pretty much agree with everything you just said. I mean, I think that spotlight I thought was technically an incredible film. I thought the script was ridiculously tight to filmmaking I thought was outstanding. It is not a flashy film, which is of course, it's just made against everybody, but it is right. A clinic.

Alex Ferrari 38:20
It's clinical. Yes, Clinical. That's a great word. It's clinical, like textbook,

RB Botto 38:25
Screenwriting filmmaking, I mean, just really the performance I've actually had some friends in the industry as well who have killed spotlight a little bit no character development, but I think when you're dealing with an ensemble piece like that, but the subject matter is

Alex Ferrari 38:39
Like you don't want a character to take over know who the character is the subject matter

RB Botto 38:45
And the ensemble thing was so important on why they didn't you know, one of the cool things about spotlight I know some people I'm sure know this but the cast immediately said even before they started filming, nobody is the lead nobody's going to campaign for Best Actor and no snow so they all went after Best Supporting Actor they said name go after they said they nominate us, they nominated us. They nominate us that was kind of beautiful. And it's only it's wonderful. Yeah. And you chose on the screen because they're all putting in everything and it's the other thing I love it so it's a clinic you know in the writing standpoint and filmmaking step one of the acting standpoint I think it's a brilliant script inside out I could not agree with you more I just think it's genius.

Alex Ferrari 39:24
How do you like that lead? Like how do you do that? Like I was sitting there watching this like Who in their right mind comes up with like they've made characters out of our emotions and it's just like and then the the the lands though? Yeah, and I just and then the just everything was just brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Now can we before we could move on Callaway

RB Botto 39:51
I'm rooting for and I am pulling for X makan. And the reason why I see you I see I feel you as a screenwriter myself first, you know, this is his first film certain other things before of course, I took the the writing and the execution of it. And again, I want to get to the execution as far as the filmmaking we just talked about the writing, but one does obviously go lockstep with the other. This reminds me of, and it's one of my favorite wins of all time in this category. I was young, but I remember the usual suspects winning and going to usual suspects went up against all these bigger films, and it was a $4 million indie. And not a lot of people had seen it. And Chris McQuarrie went up there and basically said, you know, if I could do it, anyone can do it. This is very positive. And I remember that speech. This x marketed to me feels like and you're right. I think it should be nominated for more things. Oh, absolutely. And but it feels to me like this is sort of a David versus Goliath thing. And I'd love to see it steal it. And and I gotta tell you word around town. Because for a while there, a lot of people didn't say that was a shoo in. And there was a spotlight fans as well. A lot of people around town feel like there's a ton of momentum for this because they feel like it for exactly what we just said, a lot of people around town feel it should be nominated for more, and they want to give it some they want to give it something. So

Alex Ferrari 41:11
It might it might say maybe Pixar doesn't need any more Oscars on its own. So I mean, I'm not I'm not running animation. It's gonna win. No, no, well, no, no. We'll get into that. But before we move on, can we just all come together? And thank God that Michael Keaton's back Oh, God, he was back last year, but that, but he didn't. That wasn't that he didn't pull me to work. Yeah, no, right. Yeah, he didn't, but he just didn't like, ah, and I'm out. Well, he is. He's back.

RB Botto 41:41
And now he's playing Ray Kroc. He's playing he's gonna play the founder of McDonald's. What an exciting gunfire.

Alex Ferrari 41:48
Oh. French fries. It's crazy. Gonna be crazy. No, but Right. Right. But it's great. As you can say, on the street. And at McDonald's and McDonald's and McDonald's. Michael I've been it's clean and sober. Back in the day, night shift night shift night. Sober was like when you first saw him go? Yeah, yeah, Night Shift

RB Botto 42:10
And opportunities and all those other best and Mr.

Alex Ferrari 42:12
Mom, I mean, I wouldn't go back. But Birdman and that we will talk about Birdman because it's been tough. But when I saw Birdman last year, I was just like, Yeah, my mouth was on the floor as a director as it that's, I'm so glad that one last year I'll meet you because it's such an odd pick for the Academy. No doubt that I couldn't believe that they actually want and a Latino one Best Director and Best writer. And that's everything. Yeah. And I think Michael was robbed. I wish she would have just gotten

RB Botto 42:43
So great. And I got the heat to be blunt. We haven't gotten there yet. But I think that he should have been nominated overflow. Spotlight. I don't ruff Lewis. Very good. But I thought Keaton Oh, sorry. The Keaton was fantastic.

Alex Ferrari 42:56
I agree. Okay. All right. So let's move in. Um, we won't go. Well, I mean, I could talk visual effects, but that's just me, cuz I know.

RB Botto 43:09
I get off the space. Alright. I think you should shift that shift to anybody, but you know, six hours.

Alex Ferrari 43:13
All right. Let's just go into let's go to animated features that you Okay. Yep. So, I would agree that inside out pretty much as a lock. Yeah. But Charlie Kaufman, yeah. Joe Kaufman has done something that no one has ever done before.

RB Botto 43:28
I don't know if anybody's seen it.

Alex Ferrari 43:30
I agree. I agree. I don't think anyone's seen it. But if there was someone who could take you could upset it.

RB Botto 43:37
Yeah, it could be that I wouldn't be all that. I just think that this is a foregone conclusion. I was actually surprised. Not surprised. But I did think that there was a very good shot that it would have been in the best category. I thought so So and, you know, I think there might be a prevailing feeling out there that if you put it into the best pitch category, you're wasting it because it's not gonna win. So put it in the animated feature film. Yeah, boy, it's gonna win. Um, I can't see a loser.

Alex Ferrari 44:02
There. Yeah, I know. That's a real dark. Yes, it's a dark horse. I'll get that. cinematography is something I would definitely like to have a conversation about.

RB Botto 44:11
Let's go. Let's name them and read them off.

Alex Ferrari 44:14
Carol. Hateful Eight. Madmax the Reverend and Sicario Hmm. I don't think there's any way that the Reverend doesn't win. Really. Now, with that said, I'm Hateful Eight was gorgeous. But not nothing compared to what the Reverend did. Madmax stunning. But the reason why I'm going with the Reverend is that he used no lights. He's done something that no one has ever done prior to him. And where and I'll talk about the Reverend and my feelings about the movie in general. But on a technical and cinematography standpoint, I can't it such a stunning stunning stunning piece of work that I mean if you watch the behind the behind the scenes documentary but it's like a 45 minute documentary No I haven't. I mean they were they were mad I mean the whole movie was crazy yeah they did it was kill the deal twice I think hopefully they'll get on the Oscars he doesn't try to kill himself anymore. Um I don't think there's anyone and you mean what you mean by that?

RB Botto 45:25
You mean acting voice

Alex Ferrari 45:26
Acting and going so deep as an actor that he almost kills himself not

RB Botto 45:31
Like in a bathroom?

Alex Ferrari 45:33
No not a bathroom and I'm saying as an actor Van Nuys never be caught. Um, so I think the Reverend there's I don't think there's even a question the only one that might upset it would be either Mad Max or Hateful Eight but I think the Hateful Eight with the whole 70 millimeter and deacons. I get it. Yeah, I get it. But the movie takes place. I get 70% inside of a room. Yeah. And Mad Max is gorgeous. But there's so many other things great about Mad Max that I think that what the guy did irreverent is you know,

RB Botto 46:08
I agree with you the most beautiful film of the year. As far as beautiful looking forward. I think this is a really interesting category that you know, would have been more interesting. Had that film not been so beautiful because if it was a little bit closer Sicario I can get into all day Why did not enjoy this film.

Alex Ferrari 46:29
With you? I didn't insurance corporate and either

RB Botto 46:31
I think the first passive female protagonist in the history that made such a big deal out of this female protagonist and she's the most passive female protagonist of film but the first 20 minutes Yeah, yes, fine. And in that scene in the tunnel, fine. But to me, that's the courage to I mean, Deakins is amazing. Oh, is incredible. Even I just want to go see Hail Caesar. And I love the Cohen's didn't particularly love the movie with movies beautiful. He's just unreal. You know, he's just a master. And he's been nominated I think 13 times now. Someone wants and Oh, doesn't know that. He's gonna lose again. And unfortunately, and you

Alex Ferrari 47:04
He won last year.

RB Botto 47:06
Last few years you want for gravity and they went for Birdman. This is what I'm gonna say this might be the one So Carol has no shot hopefully I completely agree with you. 70 millimeter was supposed to be this big, grand, beautiful thing and the revenue blows it away as far as Oh is concerned. And you have the 70 millimeter you know, this whole thing about division and everything in a room and you're in a room you know, for like you said 70 80% of the movie. I think that because he's won two years in a row that they

Alex Ferrari 47:33
They might give a deacon I think they might give it to us. So it's political political not on merit, maybe not

RB Botto 47:39
But there's also I think a lot of people and it's not only thing gonna give it to deacons I think they might give it to min max because I think that it was such a difficult shoot also No, I think it gets minimized because of what the around the Revenant but I think it was such a difficult suit shooting is a gorgeous shoot. It's a beautiful look at that. I think they might go there. So I think that that might be you're upset. Oh, I had a vote though. I'm with you. Because I just think it's incredibly

Alex Ferrari 48:08
It's stunning. It's absolutely stunning. I'm a documentary. It's all you all it's all me it's all you because I have not seen I am sorry.

RB Botto 48:18
I think that you know, I have my top 10 List of films of the year number I think four or five on my list is what happened Miss Simone an incredible movie if you haven't seen it, it's on Netflix. You need to watch it beautifully done. Cartel and just one DGA so that has that going for it. Also a very you know beautiful also on Netflix right now clientele and just just when

Alex Ferrari 48:43
Netflix does not sponsor us, I don't know just Nando if you would like to Netflix please give us a call.

RB Botto 48:49
Yeah, right Yeah. You'd like to stream this cartel and you know, I think has a little bit of advantage because of the of the DGA when certainly it's also topical. It's not and the director I mean, I've heard nothing but he's he's a great guy. Not only is he a great guy, but he put himself in I got to see him speak at the DGA he what he put himself in the middle of his is no joke so I think that that has some really really strong full Amy I thought was is I think number 10 on my list I have three dogs on my list one of them that the one that's not here is listen to me Marlon, which is the Marlon Brando documentary, which I believe is on either Showtime or HBO streaming you got to check that out if you're creative any kind you need to check out the Marlon Brando documentary. All told in his own voice I got Sundance last year he narrates his own documentary basically from from the Andre absolutely amazing, but I think that the one that I love, and I was a little bit surprised by cartella not surprised. Fantastic winning the DGA is what happened to small I just thought it was an incredible film. Okay. This garbage directed it and did an amazing job at it. So I recommend those three out of the five. If you if you and they're all available out there to watch me that was spent Amy is for a movie where you know where it's going is unbelievably heartbreaking. It is such a tough movie to watch, because you see this incredibly talented woman who is surrounded by all the wrong people. And it doesn't play like behind the music, right? Especially you know if these are the human tragedy, right, and, you know, nobody's who are a lifeline. And it was a really fun movie to watch. It really, really was. And, and cool story about Amy is that the director, the film came to him he lives like one town away from where she lived. And I've been to our town, it's really interesting. There's a small, you know, community. And he said that, you know, all you would do is hear stories about our egos. I never wanted to make a film about our egos. And then all of a sudden, nobody wants to talk to me, because but then all of a sudden, one person will talk in the next person will talk and then the whole new views will come out. And then the love would come out. And then he had a movie. And it's really an interesting story. So I gotta tell you, I thought the documentaries this year in particular, were stronger than narratives. I know so many documentaries out there.

Alex Ferrari 51:19
But that's been a theme for a while for a while. Yeah, because documentaries are basically the only journalism Yeah. I can go into that conversation right, very well said.

RB Botto 51:30
Very well said.

Alex Ferrari 51:31
All right, we want to I'm just gonna touch on costume design and touch on it you touch on this is all I'm gonna say Mad Max. Yeah, I'm just gonna say Mad Max because I mean the Reverend there's a bunch of people infer if people infer I'm not gonna downplay that. Danish girls the classic stuff Cinderella's always like all the pretty dresses and Carol saying Carol's people in far man what they did in Madmax is insane. What they did in Mad Max is insane. I totally agree. Um, and then and just because my crowds watching I'm going to talk visual effects for a second. Yeah. Visual Effects I'm gonna say and you might find this surprising Star Wars by far and the reason why I do that I mean yes, the bear was awesome in the reverent but what they did in Star Wars how they did it the mixture of the practical effects how they were able to bring us back into that world. It's by far I think it's the best I think what they did in Mad Max was great. The Martian fine. X Mokena was gorgeous. That was clinical. Like you were saying yeah, you're gonna go but what they were able to add to the story of Star Wars because it's all visual effects. I think it's masterful so that's my opinion of star

RB Botto 52:47
Yeah, it's interesting. I mean, I this we start getting into all these technical technical ones. I wonder if Mad Max is going to run the table and some of these No,

Alex Ferrari 52:54
There's no there's there's absolutely no way Mad Max will let you don't think I did I don't I put money down that there would not be a chance of that maximum

RB Botto 53:03
Visual effects. Yeah. Sound Editing

Alex Ferrari 53:05
I wonder when those are all competing in Star Wars to buddy. But I can see sound mixing or sound editing waiting for Matt Mac not visual. That is the sound that they did in Mad Max crowded Oculus in Chrome and Star Wars is known for sound and all that stuff, but the visual effects that they pulled up in in Star Wars. There isn't anything else out here that has full CG characters that you don't even know if they're CG or not. Because there's a lot of practical guys walking around in mass. Yeah, so you so I like I was looking at like, even with a trained eye, you're like, is that real? Is it not real? So I think what they did this year, what's that's my thing.

RB Botto 53:40
I have a feeling we're going to be talking more about Star Wars. When we get to touch picture.

Alex Ferrari 53:45
I have a feeling that there might there might be there might be a war. There might be a conversation. It might be a conversation. All right. Um, and then the technical ones the production design. I'm going to go mad max on that one as well. Though, the Reverend was beautiful. I mean, again, the world that that created a Mad Max.

RB Botto 54:00
Yeah, is it was insane. I did begin to take a lot of these categories. I like I said, The Sound Editing sound mixing. I like I said, maybe an offset in the cinematography. Possibly, but get used original song. songs that were your own score.

Alex Ferrari 54:16
Oh, score. hatefully it's gonna go because yeah, it's him. Yeah, he asked to get he's never won, right? I don't believe yes. No. No, no, I can say thanks. miracoli Marconi? Yes. He's never won. Um, I don't particularly think it's his best work.

RB Botto 54:34
Well, I'd have to become the thing,right?

Alex Ferrari 54:36
Yes, but it is. Uh, but I think they'll give it to him. I think I don't think John Williams is going to take it again. No. I don't think they're gonna give it to him again.

RB Botto 54:48
Oh, for oh, I should be going. Yeah,

Alex Ferrari 54:50
I don't know. For music. Yeah, yeah. John Williams is not gonna win. Star Wars again. Yeah, makeup. Go Mad Max. Film Editing. Go Mad Max on that one as well though The Big Short that's you know, The Big Short, I would, I would argue on The Big Short

RB Botto 55:07
It's gonna be interesting I think Mad Max has a shot at this one too with you know, a big shot at The Big Short is sort of flashy you know what all the cuts flashing but like

Alex Ferrari 55:19
I mean I've been an editor for years and when I saw the big short I was sitting there watching it going like what they did and how he told that story is so beautiful it's it was

RB Botto 55:30
A pretty big again you know for a story that Sachi Roy and that got me to be able to turn it into what he turned it into. It's pretty impressive. Absolutely. Absolutely. Um, why don't we move into the big boys the acting categories let's go into the big boys. Sorry. So we have Actress in a Supporting Role. Jennifer Jason lay for the Hateful Eight Rudy Marfa Carol Rachel McAdams spotlight. Alicia the panda for The Danish Girl not for X Mokena by the way, and Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs. You know, I gotta tell you, I was surprised by the Winslet nomination. I actually thought she was pretty good but that was the only nomination of Steve Jobs got which was a little bit of a surprise.

Alex Ferrari 56:09
That's that's all Fassbender said.

RB Botto 56:11
But he got no no nothing for work in and yeah.

Alex Ferrari 56:17
Which I thought honestly wasn't good. scrapped. It I mean, for what needed three scenes.

RB Botto 56:21
I thought it was a pretty good movie. I you know, I enjoyed the movie. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I thought it was I thought it was pretty well done. Yeah. I was a little surprised by that stuff. I was a little surprised. I wouldn't go to stuff. I was surprised by that admission. The front runner here is is well, it's kind of going back and forth. But pick handers winning a lot of The Guild awards that I loved Jennifer Jason Leigh. Thankfully, she was absolutely the only thing that I really loved about the movie.

Alex Ferrari 56:49
If you want we can talk about the hateful it now since you've already. Alright. I'm gonna I'm gonna preface this by saying I'm a huge, huge, huge kwitansi fan. Absolutely. Monsters Tarantino fan. I've been a fan of it since Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction. I don't like Jackie Brown, one of the first among the few people that don't like Jackie Brown, we will differ we will differ. So maybe I can watch it now. I saw it twice. I haven't seen in a decade. Well, maybe maybe it'll be different. But by far I think the hatefully is the worst Tarantino movie made.

RB Botto 57:22
I agree with you.

Alex Ferrari 57:23
I think it's the worst one. I think that Quinton has drank a little too much

RB Botto 57:28
Tarantino juice he needs an editor. I think he I think he misses his editor at The he misses another I think he needs well, you know what I think the most damning the thing that when I went to I got to this I had the opportunity to see this movie a month before it came out. Which was interesting to me because I really went in on it. Like I was like, I can't wait to see it. I'm getting this I'm getting this advanced, you know, advanced chance to see it and then see it in the 70 millimeter see the roadshow the whole deal. The room I was in we're all people in the industry that when they were outside in the lobby force knocking on their wines and beers, they were all out of their minds excited. Of course you were hyped up there was a horse and you could feel that energy just train coming out of the room. People were not laughing as we mentioned before you came on the show about half the room if not more left for the q&a, which is a it's a no no no, no at the gills you know it doesn't happen at the gills people do not leave. And I will sit in parenting. I was just speaking it was producers. But so you know, there's just kill each other world small business failure. People left and I found myself you know, in the third act I found myself laughing a little bit at it and getting you know, you know that the typical thing that you do with the Tarantino movie conventions over the top, but But it's so over

Alex Ferrari 58:52
The top but it's so over the top? It's it is over the top and I mean, look, he he he killed Hitler. Yeah. Okay, like he's, he's he's over the top. But that's an amazing movie. No, I mean, I mean, seriously. So I mean, it turns out he was known for being over the top I mean, Pulp Fiction and all the other brands. But I just felt that as I was watching I'm like, oh my god, he actually felt that he could pull this off yeah, because this is what he did was not easy like to sit there with basically it's a play. It is a it's a play chamber piece. It's a play. It's a play great acting, and everyone who did the dialogue is of course dialogue international dialogue. But the story I'm just sitting there going dude, this could have been an hour and a half that it could have been an hour and a half out the door. It didn't have to be shot 70 mil you know if it was all outside if it was Ben Hur if it was something that's all epic and Cisco it, I get it but you do that for like the first parts of the movie and then the rest of the movie are inside of a frickin room. Yeah, it's a waste in again, my humble opinion. I don't think you know, I was I was super excited. I heard it I saw the trailer I was I drank the 70 mil of Kool Aid. I mean, I was all into it. I'm like, Oh, I gotta go back and film's back, you know? And like, do this and, and I was I was there but when I saw it, I was just like, wow. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor. And now back to the show.

RB Botto 1:00:26
And then it just died. No, she's fans ended and it died. Yeah, I think that's the biggest thing about this is that didn't get the writing nomination. No, didn't get

Alex Ferrari 1:00:36
The nominated Look, when you're a screenwriter and you come out and say, This is the best I've written? No, not only that is the best I've written because I need to I need to break the record. And, and when the most best screenplay, like only Woody Allen did, and he didn't like in 12 years. I'm like, damn, I do it in 10. When you have that sense of arrogance, because that's arrogant, and there's confidence and there's arrogance. And we all I love quitting. I love his confidence, and sometimes even like his arrogance, but I think he finally overstep I think he finally did I mean with Death Proof. He kind of did that as well. Though I didn't I didn't tweak that proof a hell of a lot more than I enjoyed APR eight. But I just think he overstepped finally, and I think he got he got smacked sport, I think I mean, curious to see how he's gonna come back. And he's like, I'm only making 10 movies on this whole thing. Like, dude, I get you. You're awesome. You're like, one of the best filmmakers of your generation. There's no I'm not taking anything away from you. But Humble it down a bit.

RB Botto 1:01:32
Well, if you don't feel humbled that this is a smackdown to the academy is getting smacked down by the audience.

Alex Ferrari 1:01:37
It is odd, no one no one showed Yeah, no one showed and he didn't have. I mean, he didn't have any big stars, though, you know, champions in it and all that. But he didn't it Sam Jackson. And Sam Jackson doesn't pull movies like that lesson isn't a Marvel movie, and he's gonna support it

RB Botto 1:01:50
It's perfectly fine.

Alex Ferrari 1:01:51
I think that the performance is worthwhile.

RB Botto 1:01:53
I mean, force is great. And everything like that, I think the thought of is that the Weinstein Company enabled him with the 70 millimeter in the roadshow and then the other bad press with the, the projectors breaking and they just, it was just such a clusterfuck in every way it was, and then the film itself was one as well, in my opinion. Yeah. Which brings us back to Best Supporting Actress and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and why the highlight

Alex Ferrari 1:02:14
Of the entire movie, The highlight of the entire movie was Jennifer Jason Leigh, I think she was I'm just glad that she's back. I love having that. I love having her back. You know, you know for for guys like us and our, from our generation. We all remember being who she was. And not that. I mean, I don't think she's been under our stone for the last 15 years. But she hasn't been in the big yet public eye. And I'm so glad that she's back. And I think she's wonderful, absolutely wonderful in this movie. She's vicious. She's just she's rolling. She was all in. I love Kurt Russell. And I think Ross was very good. I thought Kurt Russell was really good.

RB Botto 1:02:50
I don't know. Everybody was good. I mean, I really didn't. But everybody was fantastic. They were all fine. I thought a couple of the characters on the written I hated seeing Michael Madsen and Nakata rollway had nothing to do. And that was the only thing about the script that really drove me nuts. Was that really outside of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Samuel Jackson and Kurt Russell for pretty much first half of the movie. Not if not a lot of people are really much to do that. The other guy too. I always forget his name these days about Tarantino favorite shower fair,

Alex Ferrari 1:03:17
Or about oh, no, um, I know he was he was

RB Botto 1:03:21
Excellent. He was actually he was excellent. And, you know, but a lot of the other players, the other four of the eight, even though there were like 15 people, you don't even know what He even comes from 15 people by the time he got the third act, there were all these other people that came in and then Channing Tatum comes out of the floor. Boiler looks that's all everywhere. Oil, anything.

Alex Ferrari 1:03:43
But the blood was a bit much.

RB Botto 1:03:46
Well, that's why she was like top. I didn't mean but I know Tarantino so that's not what I'm saying. And you're straight to that. He killed Hitler. That he got to be like, you just got no.

Alex Ferrari 1:03:57
No, it became it became it became and I know he's gone through that a little bit. No, no, no, it was it was it was just like, all right already. It was basically quitting completely unleashed. Yeah, like he had no reins. No, not you could tell he had no one said no. To anything he said. Now, you could argue that he did have the same freedom in Django, which was amazing, and the same freedom and glorious bastards. But if he didn't have those freedoms, he lost. He just I don't know what he was doing to this. But that's

RB Botto 1:04:30
I think you said something terrific to me. I'm curious to see how he rebounds. Now. What does he do from here? Where does he go? I know now he wants to take the Broadway which you know and move a $44 million. You want to go broke because

Alex Ferrari 1:04:40
77 loss plus with all the projectors in the film and all that crap. Must be no but you know. Yeah, they might they might be doing that. But then we'll get

RB Botto 1:04:52
to though I know. There were a little bit of precarious financial position.

Alex Ferrari 1:04:57
And they were and they were in there. Were hoping that this was gonna be the one that was This is the big boy coming out. Yeah, I don't know, because he made such a hoopla over this movie and such a thing. And he kept talking about it, and he kept doing it. And I think that also the whole thing with the cops and stuff that I don't think that helped, didn't help. It didn't

RB Botto 1:05:12
Help, didn't help. It says, Look, you can take all that out of the way. Me. And so I show you a little bit generalization.

Alex Ferrari 1:05:21
I think I I think it's Jennifer. Jason, we,

RB Botto 1:05:24
Again, this seems to be the ingenue of the moment,

Alex Ferrari 1:05:28
I think. But I think what Kate did was amazing what Kate Winslet did and see Josh,

RB Botto 1:05:31
She was very good. I think that again, there also is going to have the advantage of people. I think people love their ex Mokena. And they'll give her some love. Give us some love for that. So she could easily be nominated there. Well, she was well, she was fantastic. And, you know, the fact that she was up against a Redmayne in the Danish Girl and held the Rhone and you know, and all that. Who knows, but I but I would, you know, from a personal deep down heart, I love to see Jennifer

Alex Ferrari 1:05:55
Jason they can bring it back to JL when JJ l will do so but we could just skip right over. Best Supporting Actor because we all know who's gonna win that or you do I least we all hope it's gonna be sly.

RB Botto 1:06:06
Yep. And we got Christian Bale for The Big Short. He was really nice. He was really freaky with that. He was a little creepy.

Alex Ferrari 1:06:13
And I think Tom Hardy I don't agree with Tom Hardy actually thought

RB Botto 1:06:16
I gotta tell you he was gonna we're gonna we're gonna get into I mean, I love Leo. I gotta tell you, I got I got I have my issues. Um, I thought Tom Hardy was great. And I think he's great in anything. i He's the type of guy

Alex Ferrari 1:06:29
What's the most underrated Tom Hardy movie rock. Besides that? Warrior, warrior. Warrior.

RB Botto 1:06:36
These creating every kid I watched him lock and then the drop on Yeah, back to that. Okay. And I was just sitting there going. How is this the same guy? Like, you don't mean that he's

Alex Ferrari 1:06:47
Just unreal. He's an amazing actor. He's he's one of the best of his generation. He's fantastic. He's wonderful.

RB Botto 1:06:52
He won't win here. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Yes. Yeah, I'm just saying

Alex Ferrari 1:06:55
Mark marks not showing up. He's

RB Botto 1:06:56
Not what Mark Ruffalo is. He's

Alex Ferrari 1:06:58
Boycotting Tim. Oh, he bought Yeah, he bought and Mark marks boycott. Okay,

RB Botto 1:07:01
So Buffalo's not going. I actually thought like I said earlier that Keaton deserve the spot, maybe a little bit more. He was perfectly fine. Just like Keaton, Mark Rylance is somebody that everybody loves? This is this is he's probably the second favorite in this category. As far as what you're hearing around town. Yeah. But there's no way that

Alex Ferrari 1:07:18
I don't I don't see a way that's the lone doesn't let it he's one. Everything else. That I mean, look, man, come on. It's been 40 years.

RB Botto 1:07:26
And he and he was great in the role. He was wonderful. He was terrific.

Alex Ferrari 1:07:30
And this is, and I don't think he's coming. I don't think he's coming back to the podium anytime soon. Yeah, because he hasn't been here. 40 years. Yeah. So this is his moment. And I think everybody knows that. This is this moment, and for God's sakes, what the man has done for cinema history over the course of his career. That's what it's not just crit.

RB Botto 1:07:51
Yeah, it's for everything. And if it was the only character yet ever created, it would have been

Alex Ferrari 1:07:55
If he would have just made Rocky and when it just did the Rocky movies and never did anything else. Yeah, you're good.

RB Botto 1:08:01
When you figured the Rocky movies, JAWS and Shawshank pretty much made TNT and TBS If it wasn't for the Rocky movies towards

Alex Ferrari 1:08:13
The Shawshank they have like a minute cheeses it's on all the

RB Botto 1:08:24
Shawshank we're gonna play we're playing hockey. It hasn't been made yet. And it's gonna be on is I didn't know they're doing another Creek they're gonna do another creed. Yeah, that's the word on the street. Did you hear this? You hear the first rumor that there was another the new creed book they were actually talking about because the computers have advanced so much. No, no, what are you gonna going back in time which the loan and but it's back to the future and Carl Weathers and actually showing them in another movie like between like, three and when he dies and for

Alex Ferrari 1:08:57
That we spoiler alert. I'm joking.

RB Botto 1:08:59
Just said

Alex Ferrari 1:09:05
That. Oh my god, really? No. Well, and let's talk about Creek Creek was one of those movies that people were talking about. Why isn't it nominated? Why isn't this Jordan might be joiner like look, I thought creed was great. I think what the director did with creed is remarkable because he revitalize a franchise that had no business being revitalized because I think what rocky what's the one that was Rocky Balboa

RB Botto 1:09:31
That was good great great send all right we're

Alex Ferrari 1:09:33
Done better than rocky five well rocky five in the bat that just ignore everybody knows rocky five. So wandering from four to Rocky. Yeah, exactly. And

RB Botto 1:09:42
Actually even Rocky Balboa ignored five in the plotline

Alex Ferrari 1:09:46
Completely. You know, we just know Tommy, Tommy God as the dream just just a few weeks. So what he was able to do with creed and to put a snoo spin on Rocky and bring rocking back somehow was great. I think Michael, Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan was awesome in this movie. I don't think he deserved a nod. But I think he was really, really good with it. And I think the director was really good at it. I don't think it was best picture material. Um, but I applaud what he did. And God man, God bless the kid, Greg was the guy. He knocked on the door. He's like, got this script. And he's like, one another Rocky movie. Are you crazy? So I have nothing but props. Nothing but props for him to do what he did. But I don't think he's just because he's African American, and they're all African but it doesn't mean that you have to get announced or not, you know, I'll put straight up a competent ahead of that ahead of that. Me personally.

RB Botto 1:10:42
I you know, even and I again, I didn't enjoy Shreya coming in, but she did, but I think it's a better cinematic experience. As far as if we're talking about this level, and everything like that I took free was excellent. I thought he I couldn't agree with everything you said any more than I couldn't put it even better than you said that way. Great acting. In a popcorn movie. What I feel was more of a popcorn area. A little more prestigious popcorn movie maybe but or a little higher, elevated popcorn movie, but a popcorn movie all the same? I didn't think it was the Best Picture nominee I didn't think was the best director nominee. He was Best Actor nominee. I absolutely get why Sloan was not nominated. First. There are a couple of scenes there is, you know, this old sort of tear up. Yeah. And there's that one moment where I'm not going to give it away. I've seen it but you'll know it when you see it. And it's just the reaction moment. I'm upon him hearing something and it is the reaction there. I went. Like it just it was funny years of that character in his face at that moment. But he is there is no

Alex Ferrari 1:11:45
One that it's him. It's there one in the same Stallone is Rocky. Rocky is the lone it's just more than Rambo more than any other characters ever created. Yeah. He's that guy. And it was just such a it was so beautiful to watch. Yeah, bring that back and he's Mickey. Yeah, he's, he's freaking Nick. Yeah, you know, and it's like Jesus, like, it's brilliant. I wanted

RB Botto 1:12:07
To play him when they rebooted next year. Actress in the Matt Damon. Alright, so, just in a leading role, I'm going to read them down.

Alex Ferrari 1:12:31
Kate Blanchett. Brie Larson for room Jennifer Lawrence for joy Charlotte Rampling for 45 years. And

RB Botto 1:12:38
I can't say I actually looked this up for its sheer show shisha running short run in

Alex Ferrari 1:12:45
Brooklyn. Um, I think breeds a lock. Yeah, I think breeds a lock, because she played in a room.

RB Botto 1:12:57
That was very true to its tail. I mean, at least the first

Alex Ferrari 1:12:59
You don't. You don't get surprises really? Like it's it's it's room. It's a room. She I think she's great. I think Jennifer Lawrence was wonderful and joy. I think I think she just shows I saw joy. I didn't.

RB Botto 1:13:12
Sure. Let's talk a little talk a little bit. Yeah. What the hell was going on in Troy?

Alex Ferrari 1:13:18
You know, I'm going to say that. I'm going to say I enjoy joy. And I'll tell you what, I want to tell you why I enjoy joy.

RB Botto 1:13:26
Please let me sit back and hear this.

Alex Ferrari 1:13:29
I enjoyed. I think it's not as much I enjoy Joy's as much I enjoy Jennifer Lawrence. She's great. And I think she because she is the movie without her. It doesn't go anywhere. I still think it's a little bit all over the place. I think Bradley Cooper just showed up as an a villain, and really wanting medicine. Yeah, like, Hey, what's going on? And it wasn't really, you know, there's problems. Yeah, there's no question. There's problem with the movie, but I was just so enthralled with basically the Meryl Streep of her generation, Jennifer Lawrence.

RB Botto 1:13:57
She is fantastic. The movie is a mess. It's amazing. Like how she

Alex Ferrari 1:14:02
Comments actually, but I still enjoyed it because

RB Botto 1:14:05
I did enjoy the scenes was the end of not giving anything away. But I did enjoy the scene at the end when she morphs into Don Corleone. Yes. I almost came out of my sheet because I was so out

Alex Ferrari 1:14:22
Of the realm. It was just like so you want to be you want to be you never come to come to me when we asked me for QVC you don't buy my maps before a funeral and asked me to be on QVC it's it's it's crazy. I didn't know what the hell

RB Botto 1:14:45
What's going on there. This is a really tough category for me personally, and I'll tell you why. Yeah, and it comes down to these two cats, Brie Larson. And Henry Henry sitting over here is a film producer. We talk about it all the time. Bree was in a movie called short term 12 Two years ago, which is my favorite film, I think of two big block 2013 My favorite independent film,

Alex Ferrari 1:15:04
But isn't then Bree just come out of nowhere and she's an overnight success. She's never 20 years. She just showed up. And just

RB Botto 1:15:11
I know she's been acting since she was six. Yeah, exactly. But she was so great in short terms. Well, I that was one of the it was a film that I think in the wrong hands could have been very cliche, and she was so nuanced and so great. And I love there, you know, instantly in that film. I loved her in the room. I really did. I thought she was the best quality and the kid Tremblay is, um, guys, I didn't know if the film, I loved her, and I love him. And I love the relationship. But shisha, shisha shisha rolling in Brooklyn. I was one of the best performances I've seen in years. I don't It was unbelievable. She's 21 years old. You know, she was I think she was 13 when she was nominated for a tournament. So she has some experiences that opps okay. Yeah, you know, she's been around, she actually has been this is actually a second nomination at 21 years old.

Alex Ferrari 1:16:02
So she's she's the Kate Winslet of her generation. Because that's kind of Billy Kay. Yeah,

RB Botto 1:16:07
I think she was 19 when they filmed this or 20 when they filmed this and you will not see a more nuanced performance at such a young age at such a young age. She blew me out of the water and the unfortunate thing is she's running into this bus. So that's not to say unfortunate cuz I don't mind running either. I think she's incredible. And she's not so she'll be back. But just from a street performance standpoint, man, I don't think I saw better performance this year. There you go. So yeah, we'll see what happens leading role Actor in a Leading Role. Yes, go for it. Well, Bryan Cranston Trumbo, which has a lot of people up in arms and feel they feel like that might have been the spot they took away from like it yourself. Oh, Matt Damon for the Martian another one. Leo for the revenue. Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs and Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl. That, you know, the pushback in this category, when it comes to the diversity issue is that a lot of people feel that they're more,

Alex Ferrari 1:17:01
They're all white? Well. I think you're saying that. They're all like, they're all what they might be from different countries, but they're all whites.

RB Botto 1:17:15
But I think the thing that a lot of people feel the four of the five, you can kind of question what Trumbo was a movie that nobody saw. Right? Matt Damon in The Martian, you sit very well, you know, we love Matt and everything like that. But, you know, I definitely didn't feel like Fassbender was idle. It was phenomenal. And Steve Jobs had a problem with it. A lot of people didn't really see us.

Alex Ferrari 1:17:36
He's not like, he doesn't look like Steve Jobs. But he did play in user perspective. He's also made me

RB Botto 1:17:43
Compliance is incredibly quick. And everybody I mean, you know, obviously won last year, and a lot of people felt you know, had stopped, you know, stunt this not that, but take that away. A lot of people feel like this is the category where when they talk about some of the actors and straight out of content, or some of the or we said earlier it yourself, or Michael B Jordan, that this is where it could be. I don't know if I can argue with that. I would have put yourself ahead of a few of these people. You know, we all know Leo's winning for the Revenant

Alex Ferrari 1:18:14
Well, I mean, honestly, I think I think he was robbed for What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Oh, I think he was robbed for was Eating Gilbert Grape. You know, and, you know, whether you like Titanic or not, I think he should have got it. He should have gotten you know, so look, he's he's a he's always been the, the bridesmaid, never the bride. And I think he's and I think someone said it out there in the blogosphere. He's like, you know, would you please give it to Leo? So he doesn't, so he doesn't stop trying to kill himself. Yeah, doing these parts together. I saw this great. Great thing on Facebook. It was Matthew McConaughey. Yeah. In in in Wolf of Wall Street. But yeah, the Oscar is just on. Like, so it's like, I get it. Leo. Absolutely. should get it. I think. I don't think he out of these. I

RB Botto 1:19:06
Get the performance. So talk to me. Let's take away you know, when he's winning Oscars are winning, you know, just the performance itself,

Alex Ferrari 1:19:13
Which, you know what I mean? what's this gonna lead right into the Reverend conversation, but I think Leo, I think we did a great job. And then I don't think it's his best work by any stretch. Um, I find it bearable for Wall Street. I thought he was better in. I mean, What's Eating Gilbert Raisa planet best performances ever done? He's been better in a lot of movies. I mean, he was better than the department. I thought, you know, I think he he bet he was better in other other parts, but the sheer brutality of what he had to deal with, but I think that's why he's good. That's why he's getting it. He's getting it not purely for his acting, but because he's alive. He made it through as I think one of the main reasons why he's getting it and it's not bad performance by Oh, no,

RB Botto 1:19:57
It's not no but but it's

Alex Ferrari 1:19:59
It's not his best work and I would I would argue that maybe Michael Fassbender was a better choice to win out of these out of these guys. Yeah, I didn't see Trumbo and Bryan Cranston doodle wrong for me. Breaking Bad.

RB Botto 1:20:12
Lifetime pass.

Alex Ferrari 1:20:13
Yeah, lifetime lifetime pass forever. Um, but that's I think what I that's what I felt about Leo's performance in it.

RB Botto 1:20:21
Yeah, I thought that he was I listened I tell us exceptionally it was it was a very tough role. You know, obviously, I do a lot of it alone. Most of it. Listen, I started as an actor and the toughest thing when you're starting as an actor, and something a lot of people who don't act, don't realize is that idea of when you are alone, or when you have to pass them on and it's you're playing obviously playing against yourself. When you're trying to play against the elements you're trying to play against you. You have to come up with that it's not you're not react. Yeah. Somebody else. So from that perspective, it's amazing. Yeah. You know, he didn't have the the, the, the option or even the pleasure of having someone to bounce off to build to build off. Yeah, yes.

That's the point. Yeah. I can't argue with anybody. Certainly, obviously, that you should be nominated and certainly a mock of yourself and winning right there that I kind of agree with you Joe Fassbender. I thought he did an amazing job in that role. Really, I mean, clearly Leo's winning. I'm just saying that I just thought that for what he had to take on in a, you know, obviously a shortened script that requires you know, Sorkin scripts

Alex Ferrari 1:21:24
And generals zillion

RB Botto 1:21:25
Lines of dialogue and nuance and they had to get beyond and everything's got to hit I usually before we move to the best picture and address the revenue, Oh, get directed. So before we even get there we are on Periscope. Yes, sir. And we are on what are we on over here YouTube Google hangouts google hangout Google Hangout to Google Hangouts. Yes, I'm recording this for indie film hustle as well. Put it on stage 32 is what's gonna be freaking everywhere. It's gonna be everywhere. But you people out in Periscope land if you want to ask some questions. We'll do a q&a at the end of this as well. Yes, we get through Stitcher. Yep, absolutely. So feel free to type in your questions and our social medias are

Alex Ferrari 1:22:04
Noel is waiting in the wings is waiting patiently. So um, I definitely have strong feelings and director read them off. All right, Big Short, Mad Max Fury Road, the reverent room and spotlight kind

RB Botto 1:22:16
It bothers me that they have directing in the names of the directors.

Alex Ferrari 1:22:21
I really agree with you. So The Big Short Adam McKay. Amazing job. I agree. Absolutely. Mark wising leads surprisingly again had no business being as good as it was.

RB Botto 1:22:38
And we're talking Adam good people that don't know Anchorman

Alex Ferrari 1:22:40
Anchorman every every every Will Ferrell movie you've seen in the last decade? But the thing was that on paper if you tell me this movie, everyone says it's gonna suck right on paper like oh advocate wrote this script on the you know, this book about the financial crisis, right? Is it a comedy? No, it's straight to drama, but little comedy like on paper makes no sense. Yeah, no sense. But because of I mean, to Adams credit, I mean, he pulled it off in a way that I just I went into Team Big Short completely blind, like I didn't know anything about anything. I just kind of sat there and watched it and I just all I could do is smile through the piece because I man this guy is directing like he is really directing this movie really a straight vision and took such a complicated and goal concept of you know, subprime mortgage or like, and made it so much fun. And I don't think another honestly I don't know what other director could like a Fincher did that.

RB Botto 1:23:41
A different a different movie but that's what you would expect kind of in a way to do this kind of with like a Scorsese a Fincher

Alex Ferrari 1:23:46
Yeah, but yeah, I think that yeah, but it would have been like straight Yeah, wrong. Yeah. Yeah. And the way he brought the comedy aspect into it was so it's not a comedy by any stretch though. Got a lot of holy moments, though, that you can argue that the subprime crisis was comedic and with distance and with it with distance Yes, yes. Very much distance was comedic in the way that it felt went down and they actually laid it out in that exact way. Yeah, this movie comes out and 2010 Not so much. I'm so Mad Max Fury Road about what do you think?

RB Botto 1:24:27
I think Sure. No, I love The Big Short I agree exactly what you're saying. I went in also blind. I didn't want to read anything about it. I had very low expectations. Adam McKay not to bash and advocate it's just that this was you know, he's a comedy. This is what he does. He does the funny to die things. He does. You know, the you know, stepbrothers and Anchorman. Akamatsu. I didn't expect this out of him. Nobody did. So, you know, I thought he did a tremendous job. I thought the film was very good. I thought some of the performances in it that everybody would, you know, a lot of people were raving about a corral to see him not in the accurate category. I don't I think it's okay. It's okay. I think it's okay. Because I thought he was okay. I know some of the forums were okay. Um, but I did like Ryan Gosling. Costumes got it. That's another thing. It's a great piece of writing and oh, by the way suits, that's a made of character. Oh, yeah, he's not that character doesn't exist, right. It exists to serve the plot, right and to move the plot along and serve as sort of football. Yeah, Raider and everything like that. And also move to chess pieces. Yeah. So even that, to me was a great device. already. I believe he was involved with the writing. Yeah, I think it was. Oh, yeah. He's definitely one of I think he co wrote it. Or maybe he wrote himself, he got it. But no

Alex Ferrari 1:25:42
One ever went there. He won't be here. He will not. He will not want here. I don't think so. There's just not it's not maybe in another year, but not this year? I don't think so. I'm Mad Max. Fury Road. George Miller, George Miller, the man the myth, the legend, the man who made us happy feet has also brought us Furiosa he won an Oscar for Happy Feet. Best Animated Picture, which I thought was a robbery cuz it was Monsters Inc. or something. I was against it. I was like,

RB Botto 1:26:10
What's this movie?

Alex Ferrari 1:26:12
Oh, yeah. He directed Happy Feet. He also directed there's

RB Botto 1:26:16
A lot of kids that he also directed vape again, this happens, you know, kids,

Alex Ferrari 1:26:21
And they drink paper. I think he's involved with them. I'm not sure if he directed it or not. But he's involved with it. And I think he directed Babe and produce a pig in the city. But he did vape so from Mad Max, or from grow from Mad Max was not actually original. Right? And then don't worry then next. So from Mad Max, arguably, you know, one of the best independent films ever made for me creative genre, right, you know, to Happy Feet

RB Botto 1:26:47
To Sin City.

Alex Ferrari 1:26:49
He didn't do sensitivity additions. No, no, no, that's Robert Rodriguez. No, who

RB Botto 1:26:52
Did they included the to do? The second one was a George Miller.

Alex Ferrari 1:26:57
Royer. Yeah, he did World War and they did not Max Beyond Thunderdome. did.

RB Botto 1:27:00
He did the second city.

Alex Ferrari 1:27:01
No, they'll probably Rodriguez. I'll bet you Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, Frank Miller. Frank Miller, not George Batuan. Yeah, Frank Miller. I

RB Botto 1:27:10
Got my mill is very different.

Alex Ferrari 1:27:12
But what he was able to do as a 70 year old director out in the just just that he's a seven year old man out in the desert for months at a time doing this. i That alone? Yeah. wins. He wins an award. Yeah. But that he was able to do what he did and and do it only in the way he do. He's not doing the sequel. He refuses to say, I heard that he doesn't want to do it. I agree with him. He's like, No, I'm good. I did. I did what I did watch to

RB Botto 1:27:38
Judge the sands that they were leaving. Even like it just leave and go out and I

Alex Ferrari 1:27:42
And he was supposed to do justice league. And, of course, the studio was like, wait a minute, that's way too original. We don't want to do that. Let's go to Batman or Superman, but we'll talk about that later. But I don't know if he's gonna win. I think he is up for it. And I think he is really close. I don't know if he'll win. I think that what Alejandra did in the reverend. And I'm going to tell you what I felt about the reverend. The Reverend is wonderfully directed. wonderfully. I can't say lit. So So cinematography, amazing. Yeah. Um, the the performance is great. The story itself, I didn't think it it I fell for me it's it's it's a very basic story. And I didn't get basic mean, it's a revenge story. But it wasn't intriguing enough, it was more spectacle than anything else. It's not Birdman by any stretch, like Birdman. It's a billion times better than ever. But what are the 100 did as a director to tell that story? Now you could argue like, Well, if he didn't tell a great story, then what's the point of him being the director, I still think what he was able to achieve in the Reverend is something that should be that should be taken seriously, because the man has done something that arguably was probably one of the toughest shoots in history. I mean, I could argue the Abyss I could argue Apocalypse Now as being more tough, but in recent, I mean, what demand is like, yo, let's go on to the forest. Let's take these actors as freeze their ass off. We're gonna we're not gonna shoot with any light. You know, let's just do this like that is and be in a Masters hand because he's a master. Oh, no, he's a master he is and you know, and he's and that whole crew that the three the three Latino amigos Alejandro get more and not babble. The gravity? Does he did? He did 100 to gravity. No, it was the other Yes. Um, yes, him Yes. Those those three guys. Yes. were horrible guys. were horrible hosts. We have no idea. Why do I throw that out? But those those those three filmmakers, Mexican filmmakers are, you know, amazing. Amazing. And I think that's opening up some doors that might have not been open for other Latino filmmakers? Oh, I agree. Yeah. Because I mean, if you look at, I saw the picture of the four of the directors, who they threw out 100 Right in the middle because it's like, white white. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor. And now back to the show. But that's my feeling or directing the room. I didn't see. Yeah, so I can't say but I'm sure you have your feelings on it. And spotlight. Clinical beautifully done. Beautifully directed. Can't argue it. Um, it was just, it was just cleanly, beautifully executed. It wasn't a stylistic movie. It wasn't a Fincher movie. Like right, like, Fincher. The directors. Stank was not on it. Yeah, it was about telling the story. It was about this while Mad Max had all George Miller stank over Reverend headstamp over and so did the big short. But there was no stank on spotlight, if that makes any sense.

RB Botto 1:31:02
Yeah, but you know, and I'll come back down to that. But I think in a sneaky way it did a little bit. And okay, well, you know, I'll stop there and go backwards. I think that it did because because of the fact that it wasn't flashy because of the fact that he went in it was understood that it was understated. He wanted to show you this and the thing that that sticks with me with spotlight is that you know, there's no car chases, there's no explosions. Nothing right. Yet the tension in this beautiful is incredible. And that is a testament to the writing and directing. And that's where I feel like Tom McCarthy with the with the directing, really just did an amazing job and you sit down you go like Who else could have directly such movies? Why people said like, this is like kind of a paint by numbers when we I think I wouldn't be more

Alex Ferrari 1:31:44
Than I wouldn't be with you. Yeah, I don't think it's a paint by numbers movie. I think it's masterful know, what he did was a masterful, masterful and what he was able to do, he hit those notes.

RB Botto 1:31:52
And I think it's one of these, it's one of three of these five that I think has a legit shot. Although it has some things against it, which I'll go back to the room. You know, with the accomplishment of a I think it's a person, you know, shooting in that room. And if you see the footage of how they shot in that room, and you walk online and see that the technical aspect, the technical aspect of it is pretty incredible. They had them in this you know, in this room, you know, for four or five weeks before they got him out there and the rest of the shoot and everything and he had to shoot around of course the kid schedules so many hours in the day, cutting through the floor shooting through you know, trying to get all the angles still has so much room to work with and having the the actress feel that sense of claustrophobia and all very, very impressive. I didn't look the movie. I you know, fell short for me. The Revenant you could not have nailed it more. As far as my feelings. Does he agree again, completely beautiful to look at first 20 minutes of the movie. I think I sat there my mouth was Oh, absolutely. Oh, I'm watching.

Alex Ferrari 1:32:51
Oh, no. Okay. It's just It's again, some of those shots of you. When when people in the business have to question how they did it. Yeah. That's the point when you go like some of the shots he did. I'm like, like, I'm thinking and I'm a VFX soup as well. Like, I know, I'm like, how did you get the camera like that? It's just like, is it like, what? It's not tech? No, it's not like you're trying to figure it out. It's like so some of the stuff he did was just like, Forget

RB Botto 1:33:17
Amazing. Forget about it again. We got a better just needs to get exactly the thing where came ashore for me his story. Yeah, it was two and a half hours. It is it is a tough movie to sift through obviously never

Alex Ferrari 1:33:30
Wanted to go. It's yeah, it's, you know, I'll watch the bear scene again.

RB Botto 1:33:33
Yeah. I mean, it's totally to sit through and to sift through that kind of movie. You know, he reminded me a little bit of, and it's totally the movie it's, it's just coincidental that heavily on it as well. Totally different movie Titanic. I don't know. A little bit of gangs in New York from the standpoint of it was an event that gangs in New York beautiful. But but it was really at the end of the day. It was it left me a little short. I love Scorsese. Yeah, because it was a revenge story. It ultimately the end of the day, you were going through this whole entire thing knowing that there was going to be this showdown. And that's kind of where I felt with

Alex Ferrari 1:34:09
But I mean, personally between Gangs of New York and this tech games, your everyday everyday, everyday chores.

RB Botto 1:34:15
I agree with you, and it reminded me Yeah, you know where I'm like, where's it gonna go? I know what Yeah, I know what the final showdown

Alex Ferrari 1:34:21
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, but just there's no surprises no nothing. Um, and it's just yeah, it kind of left me flat. I know a lot of people oh my God forever like it kind of left me flat and it is a tough movie to watch. It's like it's it's a long movie and it's rough and it's just kind of like it's not a it's not like a torture porn like like it's not hostile rough but it's like it's rough that way too because it's like a point where like that was getting it's starting to get to that point like how much more you're going to beat these characters off but I get it but yeah, and let go a little bit Poor Leo. He's gonna win the Oscar just enough.

RB Botto 1:34:53
Yeah, no. I agree with you got to a point where I was like, Alright, do we need five Seems the horse like for example, like you know what I'm saying the five more do we need the next morning and the next day? Yeah. So that's how I feel okay? Man, Max nama you know, to be honest with you not my kind of movie in a lot of ways, but loved it. And I thought it was true incredibly well done. I mean, what this guy accomplished is insane to me. And then the big show we talked a lot about To me this is a three horse race. If you would ask me two weeks ago, I would have probably said you was Mad Max and spotlight just based on what was happening in the awards senior you're reading the tea leaves the thing that's for everything. See the whole thing and the chaos was Alejandro winning the DGA? Yeah, because he also want to go anyone who nobody can. Everybody else was saying okay, spotlight one, say one sambal one this Mad Max, you picked up a ton of you know, Australian this this all over the place, and Elijah really wasn't winning those and then all of a sudden you want to DGA? And what the hell's going on here? So now, this is where I feel like we may end up having that split vote, where I think who wins director and I have a feeling it's going to be either Oh, Andrew,

Alex Ferrari 1:36:19
George or George Miller said that says it's a two horse race.

RB Botto 1:36:22
I don't think McCarthy's got a shot. I'm not

Alex Ferrari 1:36:23
Even in a million years. I think he's the I think he's fourth on this list. Really, in my opinion. Is McKay. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I think McCain did better. I think that it didn't say better. It's our it's to argue art like this is ridiculous. But But in general, I think that on a practical standpoint, I don't think it has a shot at all. I don't think anybody else other than

RB Botto 1:36:44
Miller. And I think it's just gonna it's those

Alex Ferrari 1:36:47
Two guys. And the not only the Mercy vote, but I think because I don't think George is going to show up again. Oh, I agree with that. I don't think George is going to show up again. I think you know, you know, I don't I just don't think I think this is his last hurrah. Wow. 100 Just one last year. You know, it's nothing. Yeah, it would be wonderful. If you want two years in a row. I don't even remember the last time a director one two years in a row. Now even Francis did that with the godfather. They waited a year in between. So it would be a huge coup, but for for him but I think I think Georgia is probably like 1% ahead, in my opinion for that. Now, with that said,

RB Botto 1:37:28
Yeah, let's go on to our best pitcher. And just a reminder. Yes, yep. We have a bunch coming in. Okay. Just your mind if you're on Periscope.

Alex Ferrari 1:37:35
Thank you for joining us and

RB Botto 1:37:36
Continuing. Thank you. Yeah, thanks for staying with us for fun so far. Yeah, we're in this for a while.

Alex Ferrari 1:37:39
Yeah, we'll see what happens when to film geeks gets

RB Botto 1:37:46
High. All right, the last category so you know, here we go. Best Picture. It's The Big Short. Yes, spies. Brooklyn, Mad Max Fury Road, the Martian revenant room and spotlight.

Alex Ferrari 1:37:57
We're gonna move we've talked a lot about

RB Botto 1:38:00
What before we go before we get into it name. I think you already have need to put name one on this game, one that you feel like it's missing from this list and Star Wars.

Alex Ferrari 1:38:10
Really do industry that I know I'm going to start with straight out content as well. But I think Star Wars because an avatar gets nominated. Why is the Star Wars nominated? Because Avatar was bashed by every screenwriter I've ever talked to

RB Botto 1:38:22
Deservedly so every time the way they filmed it right here. Yes. It's a slot. Yes. Right. All right.

Alex Ferrari 1:38:28
So if avatar gets a nomination, which I still think he should have won best picture that year over her locker,

RB Botto 1:38:35
Personally, this is where my throat

Alex Ferrari 1:38:37
Okay! The reason why is I don't think that and now we can go into a deeper conversation of sometimes these Best Picture ones. Um, Avatar will be talked about for the next 20 years, if not the next 50 Hurt Locker will not. I agree. And for that reason, and for what James did, and all the stuff that he did back then now we're getting to like Oscars from yesteryear. But that's the reason why I think Star Wars should be on this list. Not only because Avatar was on like, well, if I were to I was watching Star Wars. I think that the the academy, just on a marketing standpoint was foolish not to throw it on there, purely because it would get so many more views. Everybody would want to see if Star Wars would get in. It's stupid. The first Star Wars was nominated in there and it was a good film. And regardless if you want to argue about Star Wars, being a good film or not good film, I enjoyed it. I'm a Star Wars fan. It was what JJ was able to do. A race the prequels. That alone is worth its weight in gold reboot the system and reboot this franchise in such a huge way because now we will have Star Wars every year for the rest of our lives are our waking lives. Unless there's three bombs in a row which I don't see happening anytime in the near future. I think that it should have been nominated just on that. And and I argue that Daisy really should have been nominated.

RB Botto 1:39:56
I thought she was fantastic.

Alex Ferrari 1:39:58
I think she you want to talk about strong female character. Yeah, she was probably one of the strongest female characters I've seen in cinema in the last decade. Next until this year was to start Lisa ROM and her both amazing what that little girl I call a little girl was she's like 2021, whatever she is that young lady, what she was able to pull off with the pressure on her back to carry Star Wars. No one knows you. This is your first movie, and she crushes it. crushes it. That is one of the people that I feel should have been on this list.

RB Botto 1:40:34
Should I agree with you on her? The movie I thought was fantastic. I have a romantic attachment. So it was all done. And went in from, you know, a very low expectation point. I know a lot of people feel that he remade the first one. I personally don't have a problem with that. Even if you want to look at it that way. I thought he did what he had to do. I didn't think it was fan service completely. I thought it was a decent story. I thought the actors are great. That was incredibly well cast. Oh, I agree with you that it wasn't the, you know, ridiculous spectacle of the prequels. And it was a different kind of spectacle. And I thought she was fantastic as well. And I completely will agree with you that the degree of difficulty has been completely lost in the conversation, because that is an enormous amount of pressure for somebody that hasn't, you know, been seen before.

Alex Ferrari 1:41:25
You know, even even Finn was in another couple movies before that. She was literally plucked. She was princess she was Carrie Fisher. I don't think Carrie Fisher do anything before Star Wars. I think she might have done something before to the one or two that wanted to. She was literally plucked out of obscurity and said You You come? Yeah, like from the gods up at the top mount. You come at now you have a career. Yeah, you're good. She can sign autographs at Comic Cons for the rest of her life. If things go downhill. She's good for the rest of her life. Yeah,

RB Botto 1:41:54
Yeah. I mean, just amazing. So that Sure, yeah. Well, I can't see it. You know, I can see where you're coming from. I was just surprised not to see. Oh, no,

Alex Ferrari 1:42:02
I wasn't surprised not to see. Yeah. But you know, if the Martian got on,

RB Botto 1:42:08
That's the thing.

Alex Ferrari 1:42:12
If the Martian if Castaway on Mars got on. I can't go I can't Star Wars beyond they're just marketing guys. And if they think that the Martian is what's going to bring the people in the kids, the kids to watch the Oscars happen if you were to put Star Wars on there. I guarantee it. That's why they built that's why they built this whole eight, eight to 10 was the year that the Dark Knight was nominated. Right. But that's why they did but but

RB Botto 1:42:35
The way it worked this year, of course, was probably Mad Max in a lot of ways, you know, because I don't know worse. But what I'm just saying I'm saying I don't know if, even though we can sit here and say the director may have a legitimate chance to win, because now there's this momentum in this acceptance. We were still back in the days where there were five films.

Alex Ferrari 1:42:53
No, no way. It's okay. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

RB Botto 1:42:56
And we were still talking about the prestige movies versus whatever you would not if it

Alex Ferrari 1:43:01
Was fine. I would say it would be like the big shorts, Bridge of Spies. The reverent and like spotlight war, and there you go, that that would be your top five room would have never made it. The shot. Yeah. I said Brooklyn, Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Shot. Yeah, but Mad Max. What margin? Yeah,

RB Botto 1:43:17
Those things. All right. So let's talk about what year Alright, visually

Alex Ferrari 1:43:21
What I'm thinking Best Picture. I'm gonna say the reverend. Because I just feel that that's where everything's going. I don't think it deserves it. But I think it's where everything is going and I think for what it was. It's something that will probably be studied for years to come because of what the man did. It's not the best story. And it's not the best movie. In my opinion. What I think the best movie should be out of this list is my best movie. Oh, I would I would either go and I'm gonna talk about Mad Max per second. Yeah, I liked it. But I'm not I'm not I'm not like over the moon. Yeah, no way. I liked it. I enjoyed it. And it's amazing cinematic feat. And surely should have been nominated. Snow question surely should have been. I agree. But it's not my favorite movie of the year. And I know and a lot of people agree with me on that. I'm out of if I had to choose out of this. It's between bitumen and spotlight. Yeah, and I think in Big Short I think that's it for me, for me as Best Picture of out of everything here. Yeah. Big Short without question. I think for me that that's what I that's what I would be on this list

RB Botto 1:44:39
For me the the I have a one in a one A and a very, very close, I think spotlight in Brooklyn where my two favorites, Brooklyn. That's such an interesting story, man. It's a simple, simple,

Alex Ferrari 1:44:51
It's your usual suspects. It's

RB Botto 1:44:53
It's beautifully well done. It's the film that came out. It was the only movie that came out of Sundance last year in my opinion, you They have your own Dying Girl who went for 8,000,004 Nine and no I think it went for seven and I think dope went for seven don't make any money didn't make it neither mural Donny girl and but Brooklyn with the nine the one under the radar. A lot of people just didn't smoke quick Fox search and it's been a while yeah, it's it's doing well it's done well people love it it has this sneaky it's a simple story yet I mean beautifully told beautifully shot gorgeous all the way it's the type of movie that when you sit there if you're an independent movie fan you go that's it. You go man that's the reason I love movies like that performance that set up that everything beautifully shot and it couldn't be more different obviously the spotlight right it's a different story different everything spotlight like I said earlier, I just think it's the most lethal year I think it's just the most complete beginning to end writing directing acting more than Big Short, The Big Short Promo The Big Short was I when I said the problem I have with it it's in my top five The reason I maybe didn't like it as much as because it still felt a little dry to me even with everything even with all the stuff and everything like that and you know the tricks and all that good you know

Alex Ferrari 1:46:21
What you know what spotlight reminds me of? Is that movie with Philip Seymour Hoffman Philip Seymour Hoffman Meryl Streep Amy Adams

RB Botto 1:46:29
The now based on the play the nonmoving back killed true not true not killed not

Alex Ferrari 1:46:35
Okay anyone anyone? Anyone doubt doubt that's what spotlight reminds me of not because of the kind of this I didn't think that it was the kind of thing but the same topic but it's just that was wonderfully produced. Yeah, the performance was like every single body was just like pounding it left right. That's what I felt spotlight was like yeah, everything was just done so well. But my sensibilities Big Short was better in the sense that there is so much more personality and the uphill battle to tell that story in my opinion is so much harder not that the spotlight topic was not not that not that the spotlights topic is definitely not controversial. No but as far as trying to look you could tell spotlight and you could tell that story. Yeah. Um, but big short to tell that story there's a degree of difficulty there that did not exist if different kinds Yeah, so I think Big Short for me but spotlight top it's on my top two top two

RB Botto 1:47:37
Now as far as what's gonna win right I think the The Revenant I think that you are in a You're right. I think that there's a little bit of momentum swing here. I I don't know though. The thing that makes me wonder if at The Big Short, had a little bit of momentum, I think that they had killed The Big Short, of course, is that really hasn't won anything, any of the other one. So you have these these indicators, of course, one of them being Alejandro winning the DGA. And they won the Golden Globe and the Golden Book, but the DGA is indicated where I think it's I think it's six in the last only like six times in the last 40 years. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, that by the SAG Award for ensemble is also an interesting one too, because that's been an indicator for a lot of dust pictures as well. And that went to spotlight. So you have all these sorts of indicators. I feel like it comes down to those two, like a month ago, or three weeks ago, I felt like I felt like The Big Short was in it. But then it just hasn't won anything. And I think it needed to win that ensemble award to be in the next. So I think it comes down to those two, but I do I do feel that you're you're on money that they're going to just use up that momentum right now.

Alex Ferrari 1:48:43
It has no it's not it's not the best movie. Um, but I applaud the the artistry of what all the 100 did what Leo did with Tom did with the entire thing. What that cinematography did is it is a masterful piece of filmmaking. I'm not sure if it's a masterful piece of storytelling. Yeah. And that's probably the distinction

RB Botto 1:49:06
While it here's the other thing that we didn't touch on another indicator. Visual effects. No. It's almost impossible for a film the one best pitcher when it hasn't been nominated a screenplay and the revenue.

Alex Ferrari 1:49:20
Oh, really?

RB Botto 1:49:21
So that's the indicator that goes against it.

Alex Ferrari 1:49:25
So that's so then what did you think the spark was?

RB Botto 1:49:30
Just saying not for nothing. Hey. And then you go an hour and 47 minutes? Six or seven categories? We got q&a.

Alex Ferrari 1:49:41
Oh, right. If you guys if you guys 1000 degrees in here, if you guys if you guys are still with us. Thank you.

Host 1:49:50
Our first question is from Newt Lin. Tell us about your opinions on the Sony leak about black actors not selling abroad?

Alex Ferrari 1:50:02
Um, that's not surprising. That's completely what we were talking about the studio's don't don't think that that works. And you know what, on a certain standpoint, I mean, it does it or doesn't it I don't know, I don't know how a black actor would be received in India or in China, I don't know, it's something that is, you know, I don't agree with it or disagree with it. It's like, personally, I disagree with it. But on a business standpoint,

RB Botto 1:50:29
It's the unfortunate thing about the studio system and about big budget films is that there's a formula that everybody goes by, based on an actor how much an actor to sell in a foreign territory, there are certain actors of color, Will Smith obviously being one of them who you know, kills it kills it foreign. But there aren't a ton. And and this is the problem with the studio system is that it's everything is based on money. Whereas in the independent world, you can catch your movie, especially if you if you're guessing movie where you don't have distribution, yet to get you thinking about taking it to festivals or whatever Kasliwal the whole way you want. Yes, you can think in your head, it might have a better way of selling this. But a lot of times, directors and your director, you know, it's yeah, it's the best person for the part, right. And it's in the service of the movie.

Alex Ferrari 1:51:13
The bottom line is that the studios are in the business. They're there, they're not studios anymore. They're just Corporation, that's it, they're not the movie, they're not the guys in the 70s, or in the 80s, or anything before all of those have been bought by conglomerates. And they are about pleasing the widest audience possible, because that's what they're in the business of doing this the bottom line, and the independents or the smaller movies, they take all the risks because the risk is smaller. Look, I'm not going to spend $200 million. And there might be a risk that the lead actor because he's African American doesn't sell China, guess what, he's not going to get the part, right, because there's too much money at play. And it's I can't blame the studios for that, like, I've had $200 million on the budget. I'm like, I'm just gonna roll the dice and see what happens. It has to be strategic. So those are the kind of movies that studios are going to make and continue to make until the entire thing implodes, which might very well happen in the next decade or two, because all of us, because all we're seeing is 200,000,002 100,000,300. And by the time if like Spielberg said after a certain point, like watch a couple of these 300 million plus PNA movies die and knock out a studio, because Disney can handle a lone ranger every once in a while John Carver every once in a while, they've got Marvel Star Wars and Pixar, they're good.

RB Botto 1:52:33
They'll be alright, there'll be okay.

Alex Ferrari 1:52:35
But you know, if Paramount did it? Well, next thing, you know, I'm not the Paramount's of you know, punk, but right in the grand scope of the setup of big boys, they're not as big as they used to be. Right? And if they put up, let's say they put up a $200 million movie and they how would they make 50 bucks on it? It's gonna hurt.

RB Botto 1:52:55
And it's a cyclical business. I mean, like we said, we've seen the sea change, streaming has changed a lot of stuff Television. And by the way, we talked about the diversity issue. Television right now. I mean, it's fantastic. It's like I'm saying so yes, it is.

Alex Ferrari 1:53:10
He knows everywhere, African Americans are being told, Oh, hazing. I mean, it's so it's the Renaissance. It really is.

RB Botto 1:53:17
And you know, what, if, really, if this all comes down to it's just the studio system and everything like that, let them figure it out. And let's not get completely crazy about it, because the independent world is casting beautifully in which they

Alex Ferrari 1:53:28
Just did. But the studios are just a big target. They're the big target. So everyone always aims at the big target. So I get it, but you can't blame the studios for trying to be fiscally responsible. They're not operational. What

RB Botto 1:53:40
You said earlier about, like the Exodus movie, or Oh, horrible homie and horror. That's my story.

Alex Ferrari 1:53:45
That's just ridiculous. On a financial standpoint, you've now become so risk averse, that you are now clogging up the storytelling process and just being ridiculous, right? It's like, what was it after the whole thing is like, you know, okay, who's gonna be cast as Malcolm X now, Channing Tatum? I think he would be an amazing Malcolm X because he sells and you know, overseas, right? There's certain parts that are supposed to be that ethnicity, and you can't, regardless of the budget, you can go and have that answered. Thank you.

Host 1:54:19
Our next question comes from director Z. How do we encourage investors to support stories and experiences which are representative of various voices?

Alex Ferrari 1:54:33
If I may take the lead on that? Yeah. The way you get investors to do that is to show investors that you are physically responsible and are able to make money with your movies. And that's what a lot of filmmakers don't understand is they have to learn the business side of it. The reason why the word show business business has twice as many letters as the word show. There's a reason for that. You have to understand the business you have to be as filmmakers you have to be entrepreneurs, and you cannot just be a filmmaker anymore, that does not exist. Unless you're Chris Nolan, or I've got a studio deal, then you could be, you can be just, I'm just going to be a filmmaker. But if you're in the trenches down here, with me and RP, A, we have, you have to be an entrepreneur and understand the business side of it. So I guarantee you, if you made a 50,000 $50,000 movie that made $100,000, and then you made $100,000 movie, then a $200,000 movie, you're gonna have investors lined up. And you can prove that and you can prove that system works. Again, again, you're gonna have investors lined up, and you'll be able to sustain a career. And then we get into the topic of building a career, building an audience and selling to that audience. And that's a whole other conversation. But first, first things first is you have to think as an entrepreneur, you have to think about and a lot of filmmakers don't want to do that. They just want I just want to tell a good story will then go tell a good story, but you're not going to get to play in the big sandbox, you're not going to be able to play in with real big money, or $100,000 $200,000, or half a million dollars. Because at those levels, you better know what you're doing, because you're going to get one shot. If you do that, you'll never get a shot like that, again,

RB Botto 1:56:11
Totally agree on everything. I think that in this business, you need to know the business is no excuse not to know the business. We talk a lot about this on on stage or with RP, which is a monthly webcast that they do with the state states and community get asked this question a lot. I talked about it every morning, I get up, I read the trades. I know exactly what's going on in the business. I need to know what's going on in the business. To me, it's part of my job as a writer, it's part of my job as producer. It's my job. I don't act as much as I used to as part of my job as an actor. I need to know what's going on. Can you know what's being cast? I need to know where the movers are, who's doing what and whatever. From a business standpoint and investing standpoint, you need to understand what you're looking to do the ins and outs of raising financing. Okay. You talked about the fact that a lot of filmmakers don't want to do that. I always say to people, when people say to me, man, it's so tough out there. There are so many people trying to do the same thing that I'm doing. I go there are but guess what? You get a competitive advantage. Okay? No, you shit. Because most of them over here. No idea. So immediately if you know how to put together a plan, if you know exactly, you should be fiscally responsible, even before that, know exactly what your movie is going to cost, which a lot of people don't you say a few people go, Hey, have a great I have a script. It's fantastic. And you go, Okay, what do you want to shoot for? And they go, Well, you should have for one and we can shoot for 10?

Alex Ferrari 1:57:36
No, no, not that far.

RB Botto 1:57:38
Yeah. But you know, saying no. And what can you shoot it for? What can you reasonably beautiful, you have a chance to actually go out and raise that money. And then you could take something and put it in front of somebody and go, this is the reason why it's gonna cost a million dollars. And people could look at it and go, Oh, I see it. I get that. Okay. A lot of people don't understand that. If you do, you will have an incredible advantage

Alex Ferrari 1:58:00
Over the pack. I mean, and that's what I talk about an indie film hustle all the time is this specific thing, understanding every avenue that's for you. There's so many opportunities for filmmakers to make money today. So many, but it takes this magical word, it's work, work, that's the word it takes work, and it takes ballbusting work and it will take a year for you not to just make your movie, but to market it and sell it and build that audience and it's gonna take work and a lot of filmmakers just just want to make movies because that's what they told me in school and if I just you know, just go make my movie with my iPhone. I'll bet Harvey will pick me up and give me 10 million but it doesn't work that way. You have to you have to learn every aspect of the business you can and then then you can go after investors

RB Botto 1:58:49
Including marketing by the way

Alex Ferrari 1:58:51
Oh big time.

Host 1:58:53
Umm your best pick in sound editing they tuned in late let's rewind

Alex Ferrari 1:59:01
The there's no more tape sir. Um sound editing we mentioned a second ago I think it's between Madmax and Star Wars

RB Botto 1:59:09
Right Yeah, you were you back but I think this might be the area where it could go boy it could go either way. It could be the consolation prizes for Star Wars or it could be no that it could be the run for Mad Max and he's in

Alex Ferrari 1:59:21
It because Max is not gonna win Best Picture but Star Wars. Why is it constellation? Yeah, no, no, no, I was nominated. It's gonna be it's gonna be Star Wars. There's gonna be mad max. It's one of those two. I don't think it'll be in. Yes.

Host 1:59:33
And then this is our last is a comment question. They want your thoughts from note Lin. Why is the academy 96% white males over 60 voting on voting on everything?

RB Botto 1:59:49
The simple answer to it if I can jump. The simple answer to it is that you got to look at the long body when you're when you're if you win something or if you have been, if you if you wish to the earth for life, and if you're nominated if you're into life, right?

Alex Ferrari 2:00:06
We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor. And now back to the show.

RB Botto 2:00:17
And then there are other ways that you get in, you can get into the academy. These people have been in the academy forever, because they can't be taken out. So they've just gotten older. And back in Hollywood, 20 3040 years ago, it was completely white. If you thought it was bad, then you didn't like that it was pretty it was predominantly, I mean, completely Snow White, okay, and male and male. So all these people now who were in their 20s, and 30s, when they were first in the Academy are now 60 7080 and are in the academy. The problem is the bigger problem, besides the fact or, or let's say equal problem is that a lot of these a lot of people that are in their 60s 70s and 80s. They're not accepting the script and are watching the screeners. They're not watching the movies. This is a big problem, too, that a lot of people don't talk about is that they're voting, it becomes a popularity contest to that. Yeah. Oh, we love this guy. Oh, we love that guy, oh, slow and stop. I'm saying Sloan doesn't serve and say, Oh, we know him. We don't know this person. Okay? That's part of the problem. The Academy's answer to that is, of course, is too much flooded a little bit, we younger people and people of color watch or watch. Watching. I don't necessarily have a problem with that, if it's done, like we said at the beginning of the show, and I enjoy the jerk reaction. And not in a way that is sort of haphazard, where we're reversing the effect where people are going to vote just because of color, or, you know, whatever, that whatever their whatever the motivations are, we want people I mean, ultimately, at the end of the day, look, the Academy Awards, if you look at the history, the Academy Awards, there are some terrible pics with the people, you know, movies that have one crash, crash. Right? And go on all day, people who have won and everything like that, at the end of the day, I mean, look, it's an award show, it's never going to be perfect. This is not a thing, which you would want. At the very, very least, if you're going to have something like this, is you want a diverse body that actually folds on the art. Okay, and I don't think you have that all the time. I don't think you will ever have it

Alex Ferrari 2:02:24
Perfect. No, it's never gonna be perfect. We're gonna be perfect to be better. But it needs to

RB Botto 2:02:27
Be better than it is now. I think as we started to say at the top of the show, I know we're getting to the end of this show. I think that the way we're handling it right now, is not exactly the right way. I think that if we would have taken a breath, I think we will come up with a better way. Yeah, that's and that's where I think we're at, but to answer your questions, because people have gotten old that have been in for 20 3040 years done

Alex Ferrari 2:02:51
With the motor present. That's exactly the reason why it is and there just hasn't been a lot of, you know, minorities that have been nominated or gone in any other way. Because there's not a lot of minorities in general in the business, you know, you know, the non Latinos, Asians, African Americans. So it's, it kind of is what it is. It's kind of like, you know, trying to be a female director is rough as hell because it's the boys club. And it has been and I you know, I you know, I'm not feeling hurt, but I'm the one who wanna hurt locker.

RB Botto 2:03:22
Oh, now you see your face.

Alex Ferrari 2:03:27
I see a face to James gamma Zack. Okay, yeah. All right, Bigelow. Thank you, Kathryn Bigelow, you know, she are Yeah, her like Kathryn Bigelow is as a director, she, she shoots action better than a lot of a lot of middle directors. But there's, there's so it's just a closed club. And if I understand a Hollywood as general saying the studio system is closed, it's not open. They're not waiting for new ideas. They don't want new ideas. They want to rehash old ideas over and over over because that's safe. And that's just the way it is. So when you have to make a lot of ruckus, and make a lot of money to get any notice by the studio system.

RB Botto 2:04:06
Now what I will say is, it's turning it is what I was seeing the studies, like I said, like we just an outstanding young protagonist, even though they're white. So now we got to fix that problem. Okay, but but we're seeing an increase in female protagonists. The indie film, or what we said is that as getting more and more diverse, and the indie world indie film world thanks to war theaters, kicking back at the studio, saying we're saving more screens for indies, you know, wish wasn't happening five years ago, streaming deals, direct, you know, in theater on demand deals, these independent films are getting seen more than than they were five years ago. They probably have almost 20 years and a lot of ways since the Renaissance in the end, since 89. Yeah. Okay. So we're seeing more of that. The voice is going to be hard. Okay. We're seeing it in TV. We're seeing it with like I said, independent film. We're seeing it in the studies that it's fun with the increases it's going to happen, it's going to be much, much more difficult to happen in the studio system. Because what we said earlier, and that is money.

Alex Ferrari 2:05:06
I'll leave on this note, the world is changing so rapidly. And maybe not rapidly enough for most people, but it is changing so rapidly that there's a guy on YouTube. His name is cutie pie. Do you know PewDiePie?

RB Botto 2:05:21
Did you not know PewDiePie

Alex Ferrari 2:05:23
PewDiePie has 27 million subscribers he's the number one YouTube guy on YouTube. He has more followers and more eyeballs than all network television. Even more than the Big Bang, wow. He's on YouTube. He plays video games, and makes funny, funny noises.

RB Botto 2:05:46
I know who this guy is. Okay.

Alex Ferrari 2:05:49
That one day, and I hope it soon will start translating into filmmakers having that kind of power. And it will. And the people who follow quitting Tarantino who follow like I'm going to go see a Spike Lee movie, I'm going to go see Mark Scorsese movie, they're not going to be going to the studios anymore, they're going to be going online because that's what those guys are coming up now. And they are going to eventually, you know, I can imagine the Martin Scorsese page having 20 million people looking and waiting for the next mark Scorsese movie and he doesn't have to go to the studios, he doesn't have to do anything like that, because he has 20 million eyeballs. And guess what investors are going to come in because he knows that he'll get 20 million views right off the bat. And there's and then you can just start selling and it's there's so much opportunity. And we are a lot of times I wish I was like oh man, I wish it would have been around for when you know the internet started or when the cars got started or, or when computers first came out, we are in a moment in time that will be looked back on and go oh my God, I wish I would have been in this time. Because there's so much opportunity for filmmakers. I think there's more opportunity now than ever before. But it's about that learning curve. It's about teaching them and it's about taking the old and the established information and knowledge that's out there and updating the new generation with it, which is what both of us are trying to do with our platforms. And I guarantee you in the next 10 years, there will be a director in there probably is already that we just never heard of because they don't care to be known by us. They have all we got 5 million views, five minutes, subscribers, I make my living I'm making making half a million a year, making my movies. I'm good. There's a lot of guys doing that right now. Not on the feature sets, maybe then other content. But that's where everything's going eventually. So you know, and not only films, but TV do men that work in creating their own networks. And everyone out there has the ability to create their own networks and do everything. It's just a lot of other thing called work that you have to put into it.

RB Botto 2:07:51
Well, next thing you said it beautifully. And I'll just add, the only thing I'll add to it is that's why it's so important. If you're out there and you are it doesn't even have to be an average of so much space thinking about doing filmmaking. It could be I know people who have been writing in the South for 20 years who have formed close to the Sun sold a couple of things that got me, you know, everything's gotten to the point where they said you know what? It is this moment in time. It isn't that it's harder to get it done. It's actually easier to get it done. So what they're doing is they're writing material for themselves to film. They're going out and filming it. They are controlling their own destiny. They are making proof of concept films. They are quick. They're creating their own marketing. They're creating their own brands online on social media. And by the way, if you want to look about creating brand, okay, check out indie film. I'm not joking. I got a look what he does on social media. Look at the brandies bill, this came out of dust. Okay? You build it. I mean, you did six months ago, six months ago. Look at the following as a social media, look at the content he puts out there. Look at the output he puts out there. He talked about the dirty four letter word work. This is proof positive of it. It's the right place and the right time to be controlling your own material, creating a brand for yourself cultivating that brand cultivating relationship crowdsourcing of writing a book on film crowdsourcing before. People ask me all the time, they're like, I don't understand it. I mean, why would I want to go out and market to people? Like why would I want to do this, you want to stand out from shape? Get out there and do it. There really hasn't been a more exciting time. And it's gonna get more exciting

Alex Ferrari 2:09:25
As the technology gets cheaper and cheaper and the bandwidth gets bigger and bigger. It's It's just I mean, look at five years ago. Look at five years ago was night and day five years ago, between 1970 1975 NASA. Yeah, between 1970 1999 so much, it really has gone into hyperdrive after 2000. Really, because I mean, I remember 2005 You couldn't even there was no YouTube, you know, so in the last decade, the last 10 years how much has happened and in the last five years So much has happened with the technology with cat. I mean this thing. I mean, seriously, people are shooting movies with this, you know, tangerine was made with this. And you know, before people go, I'm gonna go make a movie with an iPhone, that man, that was his fifth feature and he knew exactly what the hell he was doing. So don't think you're just gonna grow, have an iPhone, go make a movie, there's a lot of work that he put behind. That doesn't mean

RB Botto 2:10:18
Don't go out and do it. The point of the matter is learn that learn. And don't expect that you don't have success. But the thing that you could cultivating that brand cost is owning a every part of it. It's like making contacts. It's like it's, you know, making connections, creating all these things. Take time.

Alex Ferrari 2:10:38
I'll leave with this. RB I think you tweeted me originally, maybe I think originally you tweeted me after a few listen to Suzanne's podcast. Yes, yeah. So I had a podcast with a mutual friend of ours, Suzanne Lyons. And he, he tweeted me he's like, Hey, man, love what you're doing. I'm like, Oh, great. And I knew what stage 32 was. And then we started building relationship got him on the show, we started building a friendship. And but that took time. It didn't happen overnight. You know, we're both busy guys. We're both doing that. It's been like, what, four months since we've been talking. For the first time we are face to face, but we've been talking a lot. But that's the kind of relationships that you know, were rebuilt. And that's something that they have to understand. They have to learn how to build these relationships, and these connections with other people in the business and everyone helping each other. But it takes time to do build that brand up, build that value up. So you can give that value to other people and help you move forward

RB Botto 2:11:34
And and create champions of who you are and of your work. And by the way, they're mutually exclusive. Yeah. I realize yes, yes.

Alex Ferrari 2:11:46
I like the person but not like,

RB Botto 2:11:49
Mutually exclusive. But it better if they go in tandem.

Alex Ferrari 2:11:52
Yeah, yes, yes. Yes. So thank you guys. Again, who

RB Botto 2:11:55
You are, because some people might have come in late. Yes,

Alex Ferrari 2:11:57
I'm Alex Ferrari. I'm the founder of indiefilmhustle.com. We teach you how to survive and thrive in the film business. I do everything myself, right now currently. So I haven't read indiefilmhustle.com. And we also have right now currently the number one filmmaking podcast on iTunes, indie film hustle podcast, where I do two episodes a week, because I'm nuts. And we're here to help. And I'm trying to give you guys as much real information about the film industry as possible. Because I think there's very few sources they 30 to us are, you know, few of the sources that actually tell you how it is. And the reality that they don't teach you in the school and in the in the schools and in the schools. But you learn on the street and through pain in blood and sweat and tears as what, you know, we've gotten where we are. So that's who I am.

RB Botto 2:12:48
I started six months ago, I urge you to check out this site to check out his social media to just see what he does and how he gets himself out there and how he interacts with people. Thank you port. I'm Rich Batto. People know me as rb I run stage 32, which is the world's largest platform for connecting and educating film, television and theater creators have many people worldwide. I'm working screenwriter, actor, producer, voice actor, and author. And if you're in the industry on any level, or you're a filmmaker, an actor, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer crew, wherever you are, go to stage 30 two.com. It's like LinkedIn meets Lynda, which is the biggest educational platform on the web. For film creatives. Takes a half minute to set up an account and it's free. So I hope to see you on there. If you do join, you'll get my mug on your wall. Be sure to say hello.

Alex Ferrari 2:13:35
It's awesome. Guys. It's up. What are these been able to do with say, sir two is pretty remarkable as well. So yeah,

RB Botto 2:13:42
I think I was coming all the way down here. It was here at the stage. Social media, so I know well for saying thank you. Thank you so much. Over there. And thank everybody on Periscope. And everybody who's watching this broadcast will be on the indie film, hustle podcast will

Alex Ferrari 2:13:58
It will be podcast. Yeah, we put it on the podcast.

RB Botto 2:14:00
It'll be on the stage 32 blog, and on YouTube as well. And on YouTube as well. Yep. So plenty of places to watch us drone on for now, two hours and 11 minutes. In case you wanted to watch us again. So on that note, have a great night. They have a lot of fun with the Oscars.

Alex Ferrari 2:14:17
Man, I really loved doing this with RB. It was such a thrill and a lot of fun to just sit back and talk shop, talk about the business. Talk about the Oscars, and I hope we clarify a little bit or at least our point of view of what's going on with the Oscars, diversity issues and all this kind of stuff. I think everyone's going a little crazy with it right now. But I think it is a problem. And it's something that hopefully everyone at the academy and everyone in Hollywood in general are making strides to get this this situation as far as diversity bettered and get it to a better situation. And I know it's a lot better than when I was coming up. And it's a lot better than it was years ago. So hopefully, going forward. It's going to get even better and better for all Voices from all ethnicities from around the world to be seen, not only in the Oscars, but in the film industry as a general statement. So, hope you guys really enjoyed this. And if you are listening to this right now oh my god, you guys hung in there. And I really appreciate that I really, really do guys. So thanks again so much. Don't forget guys to head over to filmmaking podcast.com And leave us an honest review really helps the show out a lot to get the word out to all the people that we're trying to help. And all the filmmakers we're trying to help with indie film hustle and the indie film hustle podcast. So, guys, I really hope you enjoy the Oscars. I'm hoping to do this every year I'd like doing this Oscar special thing. It was a lot of fun. So it just gets the film geek out of me. So thanks again. As always guys, enjoy the Oscars. Enjoy the show. And remember, keep that hustle going. keep that dream alive. And I'll talk to you soon.