Tonight we talk about some recent movies, go in-depth about some breakfast foods, explain nothing about some cultural difference, give you the inside scoop on a hot new comedian… and Tony tries to explain Warhammer 40K. Unsuccessfully. Enjoy!
QUESTIONS:
Breakfast eggs. How do you like them? (William eats those right?)I like mine poached or over easy. — Bloodsparrow
Warhammer 40,000 question, Can 20 trillion screaming zealots be wrong/ And are you familiar with the lore/books? — Stevan D. Grbic
Why do you think people in the UK call cookies “Biscuits”? — Bloodsparrow
LINKS: This is Kumail Nanjiani. He recently released his first album/hour special. You should get it. Here is the DVD and CD combo. And here is a download of the video for just five bucks!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Will the very last episode air on October 23? And does the master plan involve boats? Because, “believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” 🙂
I actually think William is giving too much credit to Zack Snyder in thinking that the plot hole is explained by the fact that they were playing on a farm boy stereotype. I think that’s the ending he wanted and he didn’t bother thinking of the “how it should have ended” ending.
The Bechdel test type problems with the movie are somewhat tangentially addressed in HISHE.
My biggest problem with the movie was in some of the creepy religious subtext–some of which was not “sub” at all and guffaw-worthy as a result. But other stuff was more just creepy.
Whether I’m giving Goyer and Snyder too much credit or not, it remains true, from my perspective at least, that most of the story irregularities are successfully smoothed out simply by assuming that Clark Kent is a bit of an ignorant hick.
Just sayin’.
Yeah, you’re right it does smooth out the irregularities. I generally am more interested in maintaining story irregularities I think. That’s where I look for cultural stuff.
Agreed.
I’ll note that, in my observation, dislike for “boy scouts” and a general notion that country folk are stupid are both features of the prevailing culture. I concede, however, that they probably aren’t much competition against the cultural influences that you’re think of.
My son saw Pacific Rim and loved it. Not at all deep (he said) — just very, very fun. He thinks I’ll feel the same way (and he knows my taste pretty well).
That said, neither of us really strictly fit that demographic Tony’s describing–we’re probably equal number of years older and younger respectively for one thing. But we are both into Japanese movies of all kinds, anime, manga, (Escaflowne and Evangelion probably most applicable here) so maybe that makes up for the lack of Transformers/Power Rangers experience.
Giant anime robots also qualifies.
I mentioned Robotech, because that’s from my childhood. But yes, I suppose there’s a whole set of later anime that involves giant robots, that could also draw one to this film. 🙂
Coincidentally, just saw a bit of “Orange is the New Black” ’cause it was linked in an article about the transgender actress who plays a transgender character. I really liked how that clip ended–“I threw my pie for you”–that may be my new most favorite line from a tv show.
Found a pretty interesting history of where the terms biscuit and cookie come from. “Biscuit” is from Latin meaning twice baked and was originally stuff like hard tack or ship’s biscuit–things that would last a long time. The sweeter varieties came later. “Cookie” is of dutch origin (meaning little cake). I’d say that even now, biscuits in the UK are not quite what we mean by cookies. They’re harder and crisper. American biscuits would probably be called “rolls” in the UK.
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcookies.html
This was a more general site on American/British differences in language and behavior. It’s from a British perspective–I think it’s generally in the context of giving advice to British Fulbright scholars about differences they might encounter when in the US. I thought this one was pretty interesting:
“One of the common greetings in the UK is to say to someone, ‘Hey, you alright?’ or ‘Hey, you ok?’ These terms are not socially used in America and can be perceived as asking whether there is something wrong with their health or suggesting that there is an obvious reason why they may not be ok. Instead try ‘What’s going on?’ or a simple ‘How are you?’ ”
It doesn’t mention a difference that I found very confusing when I first encountered it. English people use the word “quite” to mean “somewhat” rather than “very.” So when an English person tells you a movie was “quite good” it actually means they didn’t think it was that great.
There are some places in the American South where people greet you by saying, “Y’alright?” It often throws Yankees off.
oops forgot link: http://www.fulbright.org.uk/pre-departure/us-culture/language-differences
Oh and just tangentially reminded because of the trousers/pants distinction (in the UK “pants”=underwear) that I was listening to an interview with a woman who has written a history of swearing and she was saying that in the 19th century “trousers” was considered a dirty word in England (because it drew attention to legs).
I did quite like Pacific Rim (and that’s the American usage of “quite”).
I found it fun and the fight sequences between the robots and the monsters were really well choreographed and exicuted. There’s a great article about how the movie is “visually intellegent”. Go look it up.
I wasn’t able to listen to this while sitting at the computer as I normally do. So don’t mistake my lack of comments as a lack if interest.
Thanks, that article was great!
The point about Mako’s coloring and tying it into her story line was excellent, and made me think about the coloring of the Kaiju as well. Also didn’t realize until I read that article that the Kaiju in Mako’s backstory was called Onibaba (demon hag)–and interesting that Raleigh’s and Mako’s Jaeger was a “she.”
I thought Mako’s memory was just so powerful. The girl who played her as a child was really good. And that image of Idris Alba emerging from his Jaeger was great.
I think I’ve heard his name floated as the next Dr. Who and I would love that.
There was actually a ton of things to talk about in that movie 🙂 And it was pretty verbally interesting as well as visually. There was the stuff about the Japanese named Kaiju versus the German named Jaeger. Several quotes from other movies, and a reference to Alice in Wonderland in the “drift” warnings. There was the play on rift/drift and the fact that the drift was a connection versus the rift as an apocalyptic breaking apart.
I really liked what the blog said about cynicism too.
Nobody? Nobody got Avogadro’s Number?
Oh well, was trying to allude to it above in reference to October 23 and quote from Wind in the Willows 🙂
I -HATED- Man of Steel. Now, this comes from a person who likes 90% of the movies he watches. I think nearly anything can be ok for entertainment value alone. This movie however… irritates me to the point that it sucks the entertainment value right out of it. Superman is probably the world’s most recognizable superhero, and there is no reason to spend nearly 2/3 of the movie on his origin story. Its been told so many damn times that I think the majority of Americans know his origin story almost by rote. About a half hour in I wanted to fast forward through about another 40 minutes. I also -HATED- the idea that Kryptonians were manufactured and that Kal El was the first natural birth in hundreds of years and blah blah. To me Superman is the story of a man who for all his wonderful abilities, if sent back to Krypton, would be an ordinary dude. This story wrecks that to hell. This Superman ran away from the world until he happens to run into one thing that turns him into a hero despite his father continually instilling goodness in him. I’m not even a DC fan, I could care less about Superman usually. This movie honestly pissed me off on many levels.
That stand-up clip was hysterical! I had to time my breakfast chewing to keep the computer toast free.
The special as a whole is just as good! Get it! 🙂
Just one other small note about Man of Steel–there actually is a Jimmy Olsen character. The character was gender switched though. Maybe in an attempt at more gender equity? But if it was it was undercut by how minor and cliched the character was.
You DO have an egg poacher!
Tony – I am too Welsh.
William – I believe I had a fried egg on my burger at lunch – if only Tony had made mention of that, he would have been topical AND able to talk about lunch with me and Chris. We’ll try to do better next time.
DJ William in da house!
Almond Milk: Some kinds of this beverage are nice. There’s a new (and kind of pricey) brand at Hy-Vee that comes in several coffee-like flavors that are quite nice.
Man of Steel: I couldn’t bring myself to go watch this, not after seeing Pa Kent (in the trailer) respond to Clark’s question of “What should I have done? Just let them die?” with “Maybe so”.
Movie prejudices: What you’ve never noticed that most movies that deal with people from rural areas treat them as hicks, rubes, yokels or bumpkins?
Co-writing: Doom, doom, doooooooooooooooom! :p
Pacific Rim: Woo! I’m glad to hear somebody else liked this movie. I too am one of the people who liked it quite a bit. Also I hear a lot of complaints that this movie doesn’t have any depth, but I think it’s not trying for depth. Instead it’s working deliberately to be simple and accessible. There were scenes without giant robots, monsters & Charlie Day that were good. The problem was none of those scenes include the lead actor. He didn’t have the presence to pull off the role. Also Idris Elba was not the only good performer in there; Ron Perlman did a great job with his role. Lastly, there was more than a single woman in this movie with a line. Of course, there was Mako Mori but there was also Lt. A. Kaidanovsky (Russian Jaegar pilot). Though I don’t think the two of them ever talked to each other; so it does still fail the Bechdel test.
Orange is the New Black: I started watching the first episode as I’ve heard from numerous sources; but I just couldn’t get into it. Still I think it’s got enough promise that I’ve left it in our Netflix queue and will try it again another day.
Balloon: Lord that was even more annoying than I remembered as a kid.
Eyes: Scrambled with a dash of salt and some cheese mixed in; preferably with bacon. Deviled eggs & egg salad are both also very nice. Though I tend to be in William’s camp and prefer eggs to be in things vs eating them directly.
Hard Hat # 3: Howdy! 🙂
Miracle Whip: What’s up with the hate for Miracle Whip vs. “real” mayo?
Or maybe William just thinks the people walking outside are more interesting than Tony…?
W40K: You’re not supposed to; most people are just lazy so that’s what they say. Yes, they can be wrong. It’s kind of an interesting setting and I had fun back in the day painting miniatures (I played Dark Angels).
Cookies vs. Biscuits: Because the British like being difficult?
Jam/Jelly/Preserves: I tend to think of jelly as cheap jam and preserves as a fancy pants way of talking about jam.