Eye On Horror
Eye On Horror
The Reigning King of the Monsters
This week, the boys go on a long discussion of Godzilla Minus One leading into the main topic of toxic fandom (again) and how some forms of praise can be backhanded for other entries in a franchise. All Godzillas are valid and beautiful damnit!
But before we talk about our favorite Thicc Boi, the boys review Poor Things, The Zone of Interest, Saltburn, Cypher, Leave the World Behind, The Killer, Eileen, and much more! Its all new on EYE ON HORROR!
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Welcome to Eye On Horror the official podcast of iHorror.com This is episode 118 Otherwise known as season six episode 19. I am your host James Jay Edwards and with me as always is your other host Jacob Davison, how you doing Jacob?
Jacob Davidson:Doing good. It's chilly this morning so I'm wearing my hoodie
James Jay Edwards:it's yeah, we're not, we're wimps. We're not used to this by chilly it's probably 45 We're
Jacob Davidson:well I mean, I'm I mean, I'm an east coaster man. I'm used to you know, the cold temperatures. It's just you know, buildings on this coast are not built for cold weather so it gets a lot cooler inside these places a lot easier.
James Jay Edwards:It's I am a California dude. So ya know, this is cold for me. Also with us as always as your other other host Jon Correia How you doing Correia?
Jonathan Correia:It's that beautiful time of year where I'm reminded of that Letterkenny clip where they make fun of people from LA and they're like, oh hiking tacos. Hiking tacos, why don't you go get a taco while you're on a hike fuck off. But they have because I remember watching it and be like, ah LA people I've done that I've done that but then the second they go like Oh, you know it gets cold in the desert. It's just a different kind of cold you know? And I'm just like, Fuck I feel attacked. Because Jacob is right it first of all, it is a different kind of cold fuck off. Second of all these buildings are not made for for the cold. So yeah, it does get cold. Here it is. 45 degrees. I'm still wearing shorts because New England born and raised, but you know, it's fine.
James Jay Edwards:I live in shorts, shorts and flip flops. So like even it could be raining and I'll cruise out in shorts. I had a guy make fun of me, one of my critics group members who he's like, I don't think I've ever seen you wear pants. But I also don't think I've ever seen your arms because I'm always wearing like a hoodie or a jacket. But I'm always in shorts.
Jonathan Correia:Beautiful. Before we get into it, I want to give a special shout out and congratulations to Ema and Brandon. Red and yeah, getting married this weekend. Congratulations, guys. That was a that was an amazing wedding. A very I
Jacob Davidson:know it's a beautiful ceremony. And yeah, we both had an amazing time. Yeah.
Jonathan Correia:What table Did you say they had each table was themed after a holiday horror movie. I got Elves What did you
Jacob Davidson:Deathcember Nice. And Jonathan have you seen get? Jacob? Elves? No,
Jonathan Correia:no, but I found I found a few links to be able to watch it because after sitting at the table, I'm like, I feel like I have to that has to be on the holiday list now. So
Jacob Davidson:oh, man, I discovered in high school and it starts Grizzly Adams and it has this immortal line. I want to know the connection between the Elves and the Nazis. Speaking
James Jay Edwards:of Nazis, my I know we did. I'm the king of transitions. I've been mainly catching up with awards stuff and seeing basically it's the awards pushed. So for by critics groups, I've just been having to watch a whole bunch of that kind of stuff. And one of the things I saw that was really interesting is The Zone of Interest. Have either you guys seen or heard about The Zone of Interest?
Jacob Davidson:No, I've heard about it.
James Jay Edwards:It's the new movie from Jonathan Glazer, who did Under the Skin that movie with Scarlett Johansson as an alien a few years back, okay, The Zone of Interest is about it's about this Nazi commandant at at Auschwitz who built this idealic little, this idealic little compound right outside the gates of Auschwitz for his family to grow up, you know, to live in and his kids grow up in and everything. And, you know, there's like a little pool there, there's a yard they play in and it's like, right near this river. And it's just this weird little juxtaposition of this, this little pleasant life he's built for his family. And then the sound is amazing in it because there's the constant sound of like, gunshots and screaming and and stuff like that. And at one point, you hear like guards Go on, get him get him get him and you hear a guy screaming and then they go drown him in the river drowning in the river, you know, and you're, it's all in German. So you have to read the subtitles. So even if you can't make out the noise, it tells you but it's just it's just a fascinating little experiment in I mean, it's really it's one of those movies that there's not a whole lot of plot to it's all atmosphere. But man it's it's, it's it's kind of kind of dirty It just there's one scene where the commandant is talking to. He's having a meeting. And what you figure out is that these guys are selling him a new crematorium for the camp. And you're like, oh my god, this is just Yeah. It's a tough one.
Jonathan Correia:Sounds like a real fun movie to watch with family. It's
James Jay Edwards:not a feel good. It's not a feel good at all. But it is. It's it's a pretty important one. And it's really well made. It's very well made. But yeah, it's a it's a tough one, The Zone of Interest. It's called and
Jonathan Correia:that's for well, opposite end of the spectrum. I finally watched The Marvels, which was really difficult. Because they were already pulling it from theaters when I saw it. Like three weeks ago, I saw it like right after we recorded our last episode. And yeah, I don't understand the complaints. It's a fun movie. It honestly like out of the slew of like, Marvel projects come out recently. This feels like the most like self contained story. This feels like, like, Yes, I understand it is a little aggravating that you had to watch Wandavision and Ms. Marvel and the previous Captain Marvel and like five other things to like, fully know what was going on. But I mean, even if you didn't watch those, they did a nice little like, Oh, this is where they're at now. You know, like a very quick like, organic thing. And it was just a fun movie in it that all the characters progressed it like I there was, there was some complaints I saw of like, the black girl magic line. And it's like, she doesn't speak for like, oh, so what she gets her powers from from that. And it's like, no, that was just Nick Fury. Encouraging someone like Do you not know the term black girl magic? Come on. It's it just felt like a lot of the criticism came from like, Do you not want women to be happy? Like,
Jacob Davidson:I don't think a lot of these people don't?
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, it was it was yeah, it was fun. Like, come on with. Superhero movies especially are allowed to be fun. Like not everything has to be based off of a Frank Miller run of something. Okay. That's it. That's my pedestal. No,
James Jay Edwards:I thought the Marvel's was I mean, I they did have fun with it. Like you said, like, like it for anyone who hasn't seen it by now. Um, basically Captain Marvel and two other heroes, their powers get mixed up. So they, they're always teleporting between each other switch and spots. Yeah. And I loved it when they were trying to get a handle on what's happening. So they're like, jump playing jump rope, and then they're switching in the it's, it's fun. I thought
Jonathan Correia:that montage of them like working that out together and work as a unit and switch because it's only when they use their powers at the same time. So they can coordinate like attacks and stuff together doing that that like Yeah, it's like, it was silly. It was fun.
James Jay Edwards:And the thing is, I didn't watch any I watched Wandavision but I didn't watch any of the other shows. And I understood what was going on. I mean they do do and I still wrap up at the beginning you know with you know with that Ms. Marvel talking about and then we're going to be besties and she's gonna say cool name.
Jonathan Correia:Yeah. Oh, yeah. And that was the thing I appreciated most was because I think in the previous episode, I've been brought up and Ms. Marvel The only thing that was like really grody was her like, was was her like fanboying constantly over like the superheroes and then like in you know, The Marvels they addressed it and she's like, oh, sorry for putting you on a pedestal and like not treating you like a person did like Captain Marvel. And like, I was like, yeah, thank you. That was That's great character development.
Jacob Davidson:I mean, that was part of that as being too is that as part of her character that she's a superhero fan girl. Yeah, just comes with the territory. But no, I'm with you. Like it was fun. Like I don't get what the big deal was with people getting mad about it.
Jonathan Correia:Well, according to Bob Iger, the problem was they didn't have enough executives on set that's the issue
Jacob Davidson:you have thrown Nia DaCosta under the bus classy move
James Jay Edwards:me that's why I like it more.
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, no Nia DaCosta in my book. So if I can do no wrong like, like, I will support her work forever.
James Jay Edwards:Have a I don't think we talked about it yet. Have you guys both watched The Killer?
Jacob Davidson:Yes.
Jonathan Correia:No,
James Jay Edwards:you haven't seen? Oh,
Jonathan Correia:I know. I know. You
James Jay Edwards:gotta go watch The Killer like you're missing. As soon as we hit stop. This is it's the new it's the new David Fincher movie. It's on Netflix it stars Michael Fassbender is like a hitman. And you know what is it's like it's kind of like American Psycho if the if the hero was a hitman. I mean there's there's this little narration the whole time you know, and it's not bothersome though. When it first started and he's narrating the whole thing. I'm like, this is gonna get old but it didn't get old. And and the thing is the guy one of the most impressive things about it is like he'll be when he's Basically when he's doing anything, but mostly when he's going to perform his hits, he'll start listening to the Smiths. So he'll put in his ear buds and he'll dial up to his iPod. And it's like, there's a line and it never goes out. And it's, what difference does it make? It's just, you gotta watch it. I don't even want to talk. It's basically he has a hit that goes wrong. And so his world kind of implodes. And he's kind of, he kind of goes John Wick, but he also kind of goes on the run a little bit.
Jacob Davidson:It's a bit more grounded than a John Wick tip.
James Jay Edwards:He definitely is more grounded. Although he does. There's one fight scene where there's no way he would have just gotten up and walked away from it. Like that was a little John Wick. But um, I think
Jonathan Correia:Guillermo del Toro has tweeted saying that it felt like David Fincher made a Charles Bronson movie, and that got me super hyped, but hearing that he listens to Smith's kind of like, diminishes that a little bit. Because fuck Morressy
Jacob Davidson:There was a great letterbox preview that said, this about the least sociopathic Smith's fan.
Jonathan Correia:All right, I'm back. I'm back. I'm back. Yeah, that's all I need is just some snarky comment like that if people recognizing Yeah,
James Jay Edwards:it's just kind of a cool just juxtaposition cuz he's doing these violent things. And Smith's is not violent music. It's,
Jonathan Correia:it's very melancholic.
James Jay Edwards:The lyrics are kind of morbid, but they're like shoplifters of the womb. Yeah.
Jacob Davidson:And also like, he has a reason in your universe for that, because like it when he's about to shoot like he's doing a sniper mission like it helps with his tempo. Yeah, he
James Jay Edwards:wears like a, like a Fitbit kind of a thing. And he it's like he won't pull the trigger until his heart rate is to a certain certain rate, you know, until he gets his heart rate down. And then the Smiths helps him you know, mellow out. It's a it's you gotta watch it tonight. Dude.
Jonathan Correia:had the thought like, oh, yeah, the Just least psychopath Arias sociopathic like Smith's fan. It's in. It's like, yeah, the last time we had like cinematic Smith's fans was 500 Days of Summer, so that's pretty funny. Um, did you guys see Saltburn yet? Yes. JJ, you saw Saltburn?
James Jay Edwards:Oh my God.
Jonathan Correia:Man. So so. No, man. So Saltburn the new movie from Emerald Fennell who did Promising Young Woman and was also for Killing Eve, And was Midge in Barbie. The pregnant Barbie, but Saltburns about this? This? The student at, what was it Oxford? Yeah.
James Jay Edwards:Yeah, it's and he is played by Barry Keegan, who is really good. And what he does is he he doesn't have a place to go for like winter break or something. So yes, summer break. So he goes home to his rich friends house with him which is a this big sprawling Manor called Saltburn.
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, it's very very British. And it this his rich friend Felix, who's played by Jacob elordi, who is from the kissing booth movies. And Priscilla, he was Elvis in Priscilla. He his family's that type of rich where they have a it's a castle. It's a fucking like Manor castle. And they kind of take care of it. And the the movie does a really good job of like getting into like that kind of rich world where it's like, we own this giant house that has hundreds of years of history, but we only hang out in two rooms because we get we can't like do stuff in the other one. And it's this really kind of it's a I got some like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf vibes where it's like what is everyone's motive here? What's everyone everyone has an alternative ulterior thing going on here? And it's really good it's definitely bringing you know sex back to the cinema which I really enjoyed. If you think I wonder what inanimate object Barry Keoghan can make sexual
James Jay Edwards:I was gonna say it's sex is like not loosely saying sex with you know, back to cinema, but do that he'll fuck anything. Dude. It
Jonathan Correia:is it is the horniest movie to not feature that much like actual like, penetration and stuff and like, but also like cringe and it it feels like you're being manipulated as well as the characters are. And also Rosamund Pike is just top of her game man she is absolutely she plays the mother of Felix the rich kid, and she is just on another level. In this movie, but yeah, I really liked Saltburn. I can see why some people might not have gelled with it, but
James Jay Edwards:the character really impressed me. I don't know. I don't think she's been anything else but she plays the slutty sister Venetia. Her name is Alison Oliver. I thought she was great. She has one scene in particular where she gives like this. You know, one of those heart wrenching monologues basically an Oscar scene is what you know, people joke around and say, but yeah, the acting is amazing all around. Yeah,
Jonathan Correia:that that. That entire young cast was phenomenal. I mean, Archie, Madekwe, I'm butchering names this morning. It's early. But he was in that TV show. See that I really liked but he was the character I least liked. But he's been killing it in features. He was also in Teen Spirit, Midsommar, and Gran Turismo.
James Jay Edwards:You mean? The guy who played Farleigh?
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, the cousin. Okay. Yeah, he was really good. He was the one that was like, straight off the bat was just like, you don't belong here. You?
James Jay Edwards:Well, he was also he was also kind of getting pushed out. By by Oliver. Yeah. Yeah.
Jonathan Correia:But like, again, it's just really great. Like cat and mouse. Everyone's manipulating everybody. There's like some really weird shit going on. And again, it's it's so incredibly horny, like just incredibly horny. And I think I think the cinema needs more of that.
Jacob Davidson:Speaking of, I wanted to talk about how I saw Yorgos Lanthimos says Poor Things.
Jonathan Correia:Oh, I was wondering, I was like, Where are we going with weird horny? A What are we transitioning to?
James Jay Edwards:Of course, it can only be Yorgos. I haven't
Jacob Davidson:seen it yet. Or as I like to call it Yorgos Lanthimos's Frankenhooker.
James Jay Edwards:I was gonna say it's like a Frankenstein deal, isn't it?
Jacob Davidson:It is. I don't want to say exactly how it is. But basically, it takes place in kind of an alternate universe, kind of Victorian era thing where William Defoe plays this mad scientist who brings a woman back to life, but she's basically because he brought her back to life. Her brain is a complete blank slate. So she's learning to be human again. And she starts and the creature who's named Bella Baxter's played by Emma Stone. And she's so she's basically regrowing and becoming a human being again, and she's figuring herself out. And she becomes a very liberated woman. And also, it's got a great cast because as I love Mark Ruffalo plays this like Playboy, Shyster lawyer, and in any kind of deals a lot with her, you know, kind of discovering the world and meeting all these different people and wanting to travel and grow. And there's so much fucking
James Jay Edwards:that's Yorgos Lanthimos.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah. And, you know, it's it, it's about the human condition, so wouldn't be that without a whole lot of fucking. And, ya know, I really love that. It was such an interesting take on the Frankenstein story, which itself was an adaptation of a book called Poor things. It you know, just there's been so many different versions or inspirations from the story. It is such a unique take. And made by yoga, elementary, most of it look beautiful at this, the set design and the world building was amazing. Yeah, no, it was great. That's
James Jay Edwards:one of the things I have to catch up on before we do our voting because I missed the screen. But a funny story about the screening. One of the security guards, it's done by Fox Searchlight, which is owned by Disney, and one of one of the security guards that kind of keeps an eye on people, you know, like, they're, they're looking for people bootleg in the movie, basically. She had. She was, I heard this story when we were at Napoleon, because I miss the poor thing screening. And she had. She's like, Oh, yeah, it's a Disney screening. This is going to be fun. Into Poor things. I've mainly, like I said, been catching up with award screener stuff. So I've caught up in a lot of stuff that you guys had already seen. We've already talked about, but I just kind of want to rapid fire through some of them first. And you know, since we've already talked a little bit about Nazis, I saw Sisu finally. Yeah.
Jonathan Correia:Is that really
James Jay Edwards:brilliant? It'd be brilliant. It was so much fun. It was awesome.
Jonathan Correia:That's the that's the
James Jay Edwards:feel. CC's totally feel good.
Jonathan Correia:No, see, he sees the feel good family film of the of the holiday season. Of course. Also,
James Jay Edwards:I saw Dream Scenario, which nice equally brilliant. I loved Dream Scenario was so it just so much fun. The Iron Claw. I also saw which I agree with everything Correia said about it. It is absolutely heart wrenching. I mean it's only horror when you stop to think that it's true. But Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem Fuck yeah, brilliant. Yeah, it was it was awesome and also the Super Mario Brothers movie. Awesome.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah. Oh, that reminds me Jack Black's song is Bowser peaches got nominated for a global Golden Globe today
James Jay Edwards:as it should.
Jonathan Correia:I mean, how hasn't Jack Black EGOTed already? You should Have like Pick Of Destiny should have gotten best picture.
James Jay Edwards:This one actually we haven't talked about yet. Trolls Band Together. Are you guys into the trolls movies? No, no.
Jacob Davidson:I've heard I've heard good things.
James Jay Edwards:I love them all. There's so much fun the way they use music. This one Trolls Band Together that we find out that Branch. He's the Justin Timberlake troll was in a boy band when he was little. And basically they have to go and save one of his boy band brothers. It's a brother's boy band. And it's funny because the his other boy bands that are played by one of them is Eric Andre. And Daveed Diggs is another one of them that it's it's really funny.
Jonathan Correia:So you were all about the brothers this week between iron claw and trolls
James Jay Edwards:bright yellow brothers banding together yet all of
Jonathan Correia:you need to watch a Trolls Movie after Iron claw that just kind of like not be so
James Jay Edwards:and another movie not really horror, but still a little disturbing. May December you got smooth May December. I haven't seen it but I've heard about it. It's on Netflix. It it stars Natalie Portman as like, like an actress who is playing Julianne Moore's character in an upcoming movie or TV show. So she goes and meets her to do research on the character. And it turns out, it kind of slowly reveals why they're making a movie about Julianne Moore's character. And it's not really horror, but it's pretty disturbing and it gets kind of it gets kind of weird with how Natalie Portman's character is not really starts taking over her life. But you can see that that as she's figuring out the character she gets a little too involved kind of thing.
Jonathan Correia:She's like Parker Posey in Scream three.
James Jay Edwards:A little bit a little bit except not as comedic about it. But yeah, right.
Jacob Davidson:On a On a similar note, Have either of you guys seen Eileen?
Jonathan Correia:No.
James Jay Edwards:It's in my neon pack. I need to see it. Yeah, the
Jacob Davidson:new William Oldroyd epic movie. I really dug it. It's definitely a loved or hated type of film, but it's, it's this kind of pulp story about this woman named Eileen is played by Thomasin McKenzie, who's living in this small town in 1960s, Massachusetts, and she works at a you know, like a juvie detention for boys out out in the woods. And her life is a mess. Like she has to like she's living with her alcoholic, ex cop dad who's completely falling apart and she's lonely and she's dealing with the isolation and everybody dumps on her. And then Anne Hathaway, who plays this, like highly loaded, New York psychologist is set to start working at the juvie. And it's hard to say what goes from there but it like they start to become close and shit goes down. Yeah, no,
Jonathan Correia:that's definitely on my list to check out. I've heard some really good things about that.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, I really dug it like again, I feel like it's kind of a love it or hated thing. But also between this and The Holdover has been really on a roll with the period Massachusetts films. I still need to see The Holdovers. Oh, man, that was so good.
Jonathan Correia:I have rapid fire for some documentaries that I've been watching recently. First, first off, have you guys seen Is That Black Enough for You? Know, it's a documentary on Netflix. It's a it's a like a film essay about 1970s Black cinema. So it's all about, you know, what led up to blaxploitation, the era of blaxploitation and its influence on films after the interview a lot of players in it and a lot of people who grew up and were influenced by it. It's got one of the last in rare interviews with Harry Belafonte, which was just incredible to hear him talk and like be so candid about like his life and career. It's absolutely phenomenal. I highly recommend it. i It will ruin Saturday Night Fever and Rocky for you though, because it dives into like how, during an era where anti heroes were the thing and Hollywood black cinema was creating like actual heroes like Shaft and those type of characters and then like Saturday Night Fever just completely ripped off those movies hard but Starred John Travolta. But yeah, is that black enough for you is on Netflix in its phenomenal came out in 2022. Another one is Cypher, which is a new documentary on Hulu that follows the rise of one of my favorite artists, Tierra Whack. She's a rapper from Philadelphia. And it starts off as like a this is how she got her start and her coming up and all this stuff. And then it very quickly gets into conspiracy. Theory Illuminati shit like, hard. It's really interesting. And if you're not familiar with her work, it's a it's a fun introduction to her and her her style. But also goes batshit bananas. And then, of course saw Renaissance, the new Beyonce movie, it's fucking incredible. Even if you're not a Beyonce fan, it's insane to see how they were able to pull off that level of like concert with all the moving parts. And it's just a well made. And unlike the Taylor Swift movie, it's not just the concert playing out like they do a really good job of like, mixing together the various shows throughout the tour. And yeah, it's really it's the the energy that comes off that film is intoxicating. It's so good. Beyonce is such a great performer.
James Jay Edwards:Have you guys seen leave the world behind on? Its Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke. And how do you say his name Martin Marsala Ali. And Kevin Bacon is also in it. It's it's basically it's an end of the world movie. It's this family, Julia Roberts and Ethan hawks family, they go they rent like an Airbnb in the country. They're from New York. And while they're there, something happens. There's like a global blackout or not global national blackout. And basically, you know, planes falling from the sky oil tankers running in the ground, all this shit. And they are trying to figure out what's going on. And it's basically a good thing that they're not in the city that they happen to be in the country. But um, mashallah, Ali. I think that's how you say his name, I don't know. But he plays a character who owns the house that they're renting. And he shows up there because it's one of the safest places to be during this during this crisis. And, and they don't really know what's going on because all the TV stations are showing the the emergency broadcast thing and none of their cell phones work, you know, so they don't really know what's happening. But that's a there's a whole lot of distrust there. They're like, you know, because they've only ever exchanged emails. They don't even recognize his voice. So they're like, oh, is this guy really who he says he is, you know, and then they have to figure out what's going on. And it I have to admit the ending is not entire, it's only satisfying for one character. And one character basically gets what they're after for the entire movie. But the other ones that leaves them hanging, you're like, Okay, wait, this didn't really end. Except I'm happy for this one character.
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, I've heard really good things about it. And I'm very interested. I will say I already giving that movie huge props because letterbox did their top four interviews and they interviewed the cast of the movie and Julia Roberts said that Milo and Otis was in her top four. So like, shout out to Julia for spreading the book of Milo and Otis. I take it we've all seen Godzilla minus one. Yes,
Jacob Davidson:yes, we
James Jay Edwards:have the year Oh, Dash. It's It's amazing.
Jonathan Correia:Is that on the list for the critics groups Jay It's loved it. for?
James Jay Edwards:No, we, a couple of, of my colleagues went out to the theater to see it and they started raving about it. So we I had to kind of not really big but beg for a screener. And it was a really weird process I had to go through to get it. Because I tried as the president of the SDF ces I tried to request for everybody, but it was a process where you have to sign up for something and then they'll they give you an account to this thing and then they load the movie in there. And I'm like, everyone's got to do it themselves. They didn't just send it out. I had to ask for it. But it's getting traction. People are people are loving it. Oh,
Jonathan Correia:man, I'm calling it best piture of the year, Godzilla minus one.
James Jay Edwards:I don't know if my best picture I mean, it's no cocaine bear. But it is a tip coming up this year. So far. It is my my favorite international Picture of the Year, which puts it above The Zone of Interest, which is, which is well the zone of interest might be kind of partially an American movie. But it's it's German. But this is purely Japanese. This is a Toho Godzilla movie. Yeah.
Jacob Davidson:Oh, definitely. And I thought it was one of the more unique takes on Godzilla of the last couple decades, especially because it's one of the few period Godzilla movies like not a lot has been set in the past. And it's kind of a prequel to Godzilla because you get to see Godzilla before he becomes the Godzilla we know. Well,
James Jay Edwards:it's kind of a remake of the original Godzilla kind of because it's, it's almost like not really an origin story. But but an origin story. I mean, it it's like his first, you know, it's people's first experience with them. And the reason it's called minus one is because it's set at the end of World War Two. And Japanese Japan is set at Japan zero. They're, you know, they're like, they're rebuilding so they're at zero, but then Godzilla comes around and sets them to less than zero. So it's minus one.
Jacob Davidson:I thought it was minus one because it was a prequel Like it's before 1954
James Jay Edwards:That might have a little bit to do with it. But it it I thought I always thought that it was because it was setting Japan back to minus zero or below zero. Yeah,
Jonathan Correia:there was definitely a trailer that was like Japan at the end of World War Two was set to zero because of they got the EverLiving shit bombed out of them. And then Godzilla shows up and then it's it's a minus one. But also like yeah, no, I mean, Godzilla has had so many reboots has so many retellings different eras, it's surprising that they haven't gone back to World War Two because the original I personally i i know a lot of people agree this is like the closest we've gotten to Gojira of all the movies is going back to not only the time period but they you can tell the director a who was a huge Godzilla fan I mean he wrote directed and did the VFX on this movie like a madman and but it really takes a lot of the lessons from the original Gojira and not only the time period but incorporating so much of Japanese culture a huge part of the movie is the transition from from pre World War Two to post World War Two when it came to like the ideas of soldiers lives and kamikaze soldiers and like moving away from that mentality and what that means and it's and just also like because that one of the reasons why the original Gojira movie works is because there's a love story in the middle and during all of this that's very infused with what was going on with the culture at that time and marriages and what those roles men and like breaking those bonds and that's one of the reasons why I think the original Gojira is so good yes, Godzilla himself is awesome as shit but like having that really good human element really works and he is back to being a force of fucking destructive nature I mean when Godzilla first uses his atomic breath in minus one my eyes were wide as fuck and my jaw was on the floor for a solid five minutes the entire time like I was gripped Lindsey had I stopped hold Lindsey pulled her hand out of mine because I was just gripping it just like so fucking good.
James Jay Edwards:I had to watch it I got a screening link so I'd watch it on my computer which you know was not ideal. There was a screening last week of The Color Purple which is okay I guess and starting a half an hour after the screening of Color Purple was a 4DX screening of Godzilla Minus One I almost went AWOL. I was like that is so tempting right there
Jonathan Correia:you know, I had a beautiful kind of double night double feature where I saw Minus One Thursday I saw it at the fan event and then the next night I saw Renaissance so I'm surprised I can still hear because I saw minus one in IMAX at the Chinese Theater and then Renaissance they just had a crank the fuck up so like going to see the King and then the Queen was was really special but minus one man like it's it's so brutal. It's so good. And then you do get a chance to see because they have this like moment early on when the main character lands kamikaze playing on a small island and there's like this little Legend of like the locals called Godzilla and he's more like, small and dinosaur like, but then they show like that the nuclear testing it in the Bikini Knolls, like, you know, makes it bigger. But like pre Godzilla like smaller Godzilla is, was his introduction was fucking terrifying. I nearly pinched myself like just coming out of the darkness like that
Jacob Davidson:was like the T Rex appearing in Jurassic Park.
James Jay Edwards:That's totally what it is. And the thing is, and I don't know if he actually eats people, but he's picking people up and throwing around with his mouth. I mean it. It is like a T Rex attack. It's not a typical Godzilla where he's just smashing things.
Jonathan Correia:This Godzilla loves throwing shit, and I love it so much. There's so many scenes, and you just see like, a train or a boat go flying through the fucking air. What is it, man when they when they come up with their big plan to take down Big G? And they're like, All right, we have our first like, we have our first ship out there to give us a warning, or like the first parameter or something and then you just see this giant boat go flying through the air and smash into the port. And then you hear the announcement. The first barrier has been broken. It's like, Yeah, no shit.
James Jay Edwards:They have a ship that's luring him in. And it's and it says something like, the lower ship has been destroyed or something.
Jonathan Correia:But it's like a solid 30 seconds after it's gone over everyone's head and smashed into the ground.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, and I mean, there's some good bits in the in this movie. There's some levity. It's,
James Jay Edwards:um, it's more than I mean, Godzilla is only in like four scenes. It's more it's actually a movie. It's a good movie that happens to have Godzilla in it. I mean, they're pretty much like you were you were talking about you were talking about the kamikaze pilots. And the I made. The main character is basically a disgraced kamikaze pilot, it's a kamikaze pilot who chickened out and he didn't want to do to Kamikaze. So he
Jacob Davidson:chickened out and said, you know, the war was pretty much over and he didn't want to die for nothing.
James Jay Edwards:Yeah, yeah. Which that factors into his redemption arc, kind of, I guess, you know, if you want to call it that, you know,
Jonathan Correia:well, but that's the whole thing is because a lot of people viewed him as chickening out like a there's a an it shows him going back home and all the houses are like, completely leveled. And he runs into a neighbor. She's like, Wait, you're a kamikaze. You weren't supposed to come back. And like, he's kind of ostracized by a lot of people in society. And then you see, even
James Jay Edwards:when he first lands, his plane, the on that island, he you know, the mechanic is like, you know, we took a look at your plane, there's nothing wrong with it. Yeah. You know, because because that's why he came back. He's, he's like, oh, there's a mechanical failure in the plane, I couldn't complete the mission. They're like, well, there's nothing wrong with your plane, dude. Why are you here? But
Jonathan Correia:it's really cool. Because they like very organically show like how that like that. That mentality of like going down of of doing like a you're not coming back on how that has a toll on someone because he goes through a lot of PTSD over that. And that decision, and that guilt of not completing, completing air quotes, completing the mission. And then like, the mentality change amongst characters of like, yeah, no, you know what that is kind of fucked up that we do just throw lives away, essentially, and leads to a very beautiful, like redemption and complete culture change by the end of the movie, which is just so well done.
Jacob Davidson:And then seeing Godzilla eat and kill, the rest of the mechanic crew gives him a double PTSD. Yes,
James Jay Edwards:especially because at one point, he has Godzilla in the sights of his 20 millimeter gun on the plane, and he doesn't pull the trigger. So he's got more, not only survivor's guilt he's got, could I have stopped this guilt?
Jonathan Correia:No. Well, we know as the audience that that wouldn't have done. Yeah,
James Jay Edwards:yeah, he does. But also, and I know, and I know that Jacob could appreciate this. A lot. There's a lot of Jaws influence. But like a lot of Jaws, when
Jonathan Correia:he's When, when, when Thicc Boi is swimming after them. That was just like, I, there's so many bug clenching moments in that like, and that needs to be applauded the tension in the scenes because sometimes, when you get these big moving CGI bits, the gravity of the situation is lost, because it doesn't feel like there's weight to it. And they did a really phenomenal job with this. And it's it's, it's, they shot this thing for $15 million. That's how much of this was made. And the amount of like, tension and just master fruit like ah, it's it's insane. The
James Jay Edwards:plan they come up with this stop him is I don't want to spoil anything, but they're like in this big room full of all of the citizens. And they're, you know, everyone's coming up with their part. And the scientist who comes But the plan, the plan is so hokey, it is totally hokey. And everybody in the audience is thinking it. And everybody in this room is thinking, like, well, that's not gonna work, that's gonna work. And the doc goes, if anyone has a better idea, I'll listen to it. But this is what we
Jonathan Correia:it's one of those things because, you know, it's so it's so funny because like sometimes, in order to stop something like a Godzilla, you have to invent something like the oxygen Bomb, right? Because that was the other thing with the original
Jacob Davidson:oxigen destroyer,
Jonathan Correia:Oxygen Destroyer, where you kind of have to create this kind of almost MacGuffin thing that's like impossible to make. Go. Jared did a really good job of being like, Alright, we're gonna create this ultimate weapon, but like, I need to die after because this can't be used ever again. You know, that was one of the amazing things of the original. This one. Yes, it sounds hokey as shit but it makes sense. It's that it's done so well, where it's like, yeah, this sounds ridiculous as fuck, but like, the sciences there. Or at least the theory is, yeah,
James Jay Edwards:the docs. He sold it when he was telling them about it. He's all this how this is gonna work.
Jonathan Correia:And then immediately after they're like, Do you really think it's gonna work? And no one has a better idea. Yeah.
James Jay Edwards:Where it's like they ask him they're like, Well, can you guarantee this work? He's all No, I can't guarantee this is gonna work. But what else we got?
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, it's phenomenal. I know we're praising the shit out of minus one. And this is going to kind of lead into our main topic. A bit more, because our main topic is of course, Godzilla. Right.
Jacob Davidson:Gotta be Godzilla. But
Jonathan Correia:everyone's been loving minus one. And I've, as a Star Trek fan, I've been seeing this mentality coming up a lot as well. where something is done really well. Something is done really well in the spirit of like the original or in the series or bringing it back. And then the fandom does these backhanded compliments, right? Where they're like, Oh, yes, finally, we have something good in this franchise. And it's and it feels like they're invalidating what has come before so like with Star Trek, a lot of people are saying Strange New Worlds. Finally, this is the Star Trek series. We've been waiting for it. It's like, but we have like five other Star Trek shows going on right now. Why are you invalidating that and like a lot of people are saying that to Jonathan Frakes, who's like involved in all Star Trek. And he's like, Dude, why are you like shitting on my other work, man. And that's happening a lot with with Godzilla Minus One because first of all we live in in a great era of Godzilla because not only do we have amazing films coming out of Japan, there are these very beautiful original takes on on our Thicc Boi. But we also have legendary putting out some of the best hokenness. I mean, what do you guys say? Like, I mean, between, like, you know, Kong, or Godzilla versus Kong and like the new Monarch: Legacy of Monster like we're really getting into? Yeah.
Jacob Davidson:Well, I'll tell you this much when I was a kid, I was a Godzilla fanatic. I mean, I still am but I rented every Godzilla VHS tape I possibly could for my local video store. And it's all over the place of franchise the whole series like I never knew what I was gonna get from the Godzilla movies I was renting you know, because it was before letterbox and all that like I just had a VHS box to to you know, tell me and usually just because it had a cool cover, so you get all kinds of stuff you know, like Godzilla vs Hedorah where it's Godzilla vs pollution. Then you got Destroy All Monsters, which is like Godzilla throwdown the original which is you know, Stark drama about the horrors of nuclear war. And then you got Godzilla 1984 where Godzilla comes back at the height of the Cold War as a nuclear menace. So you know, that's the thing Godzilla can be so many different things across so many different movies it's it's all interpretive.
Jonathan Correia:I've been shouting it that all Godzilla is are valid, right?
Jacob Davidson:They truly are
Jonathan Correia:Everything from an IT can be a hokey monster showdown, it can be a hell of a hefty, you know, socio or socio, you know, message within it. I mean, Biollante is one of the best Godzilla movies out there. And it's all about it's going back to Hedorah with vs. pollution and nature fighting back against it, and things of that nature. I mean, it's great. I wouldn't even say the American Zilla in its own way is valid in showing like how not to do it. But the animated series to the Zilla is really dope. And not only that, but Toho themselves have an awesome Godzilla YouTube page where they have Godzilla puppets, like hokey Monster Island thing.
Jacob Davidson:Oh yeah. It's like Monster Island as a sitcom. So much because it bugs you.
Jonathan Correia:fun. I mean, yeah, it's, it's, it's so strange to hear these complaints coming out, especially when it's like, this, this franchise is like 60 years old, right? I mean, you got to have different interpretations not every if You guys give me a lot to bitch about. your character is at least being thrown into different things, why not James Bond I think is the closest thing that we have to a character that has gone through so many eras and so many different interpretations. And if we were still making movies exactly like Doctor No and not letting bond evolve into different eras, like his Star Wars era with Moonraker to The Dark Knight era with the Daniel Craig, even the Daniel Craig movies changed dramatically from like, Bourne rip offs to Dark Knight rip offs to finally something of its own, you know? It's yeah, it's just again, toxic fandom. Why? Why is it every time I propose like a topic, it's always bitching about the fandom
Jacob Davidson:Thanks for good conversation.
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, and you know what? I'm so pumped for
Godzilla X Kong:the new empire. That trailer that dropped this week. Yeah. So fun. And if even if it's dumb as fuck, I mean, come on. The last movie introduced Hollow Earth, okay, like we're legendary is it? It's silly Godzilla it's end of Showa silly Godzilla phase. And I'm loving it. I mean, Gods GVK was so much fun. It was silly. It was great. It had awesome action. And I can't wait to see Thicc Boi and Apeman. Just go. Team up. And
James Jay Edwards:do you think that possibly? Godzilla quote fans, and I use the quotes because you know how I always say that. A lot of horror fans don't really like horror, because they just like to complain about it. I think the same might be true of a lot of Godzilla fans. Do you think that they take it too seriously. And that's why they can't have fun with movies like Godzilla vs. Kong or King of the Monsters? You know, they like they can't they can't just have fun with a Godzilla movie.
Jacob Davidson:Yeah, I think it's just a lot of the times in particular fandoms people interpret a, you know, like a movie or character or something. And specifically a certain way usually, like the version that they grew up on, or they knew when they were younger, and they're just not open to change. Like, if there's varying character story, then it pisses people off.
Jonathan Correia:I would say that the Godzilla fandom is far more accepting of change. You know, I know, I know, we're the main topic is bitching about those people that were like, invalidating other Godzillas. But I think it's a very, it's a very loud crowd. But I think it's a very small group. I feel like the Godzilla crowd are very into the idea of him being what he needs to be for the film, right. And are much more adaptable than say horror bros. Right. You know, cuz it's the same with Star Wars fans. You know, I think Freddie Prinze Jr. Surprisingly, you wouldn't think he would be the one to put it so eloquently. But he said, I had said, you know, there's, he knows the reason why everything is it's all about balance, and all this stuff. And people are just pissed that it's not the same thing that it was for them. But that's because these movies aren't always going to be made for your audience all the time. You know, Star Wars, especially is always being made for the younger generation at the time. And if you're not a part of that, it probably won't be big for you, you know, and that's fine. That's okay. Like, not, I mean, I love Godzilla. It's, it's one of my favorite film franchises of all time. Not every Godzilla movie is for me, and I don't like every Godzilla movie I've seen and that's okay. You know, I still love it. I still love every interpretation, because they're all valid, like, I shave quite how many times have I given 98 It's props this episode. You know, like, you gotta have fun. I mean, Final Wars, where it's literally just like, we're gonna create the most simple plot to have Godzilla fight everybody and they drop him into various they literally just like picking them up in a ship and dropping like alright, now you're gonna fight this guy. All right, you're done with that one. It's like watching a video game. It has great lines like the alien calling Godzilla fish breath. Ah, how do you fish bread? Like come on. So, love the Thicc Boi love. Let him be what he needs to be to facilitate the story. And yes, Binus one is an amazing film, especially a Godzilla film. It's incredible. But that doesn't invalidate what else is going on and I'm always gonna butcher the title of Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire because it's not vs. its X
Jacob Davidson:yeah um so I love that somebody did a recount of the trailer sending it to the boys are back in town
Jonathan Correia:yes which by the way are we starting our boys are back in town band because I mean the boys are back in town songs but yeah oh and then and then people are like complaining about Godzilla is new colors for New Empire like one half is like yes Godzilla has purple atomic breath there so now so he's so he's you know now a bi icon and other people like I don't like that color it's like it's fun colors like come on guys.
Jacob Davidson:It's Godzilla when Super Saiyan
James Jay Edwards:he's a bi icon. Yeah dude call it Godzilla goes woke.
Jonathan Correia:I love it. I can't wait to see Godzilla March the next Pride Parade next to Babadook it's great.
Jacob Davidson:Put him on the Pride Parade.
Jonathan Correia:Yes.
James Jay Edwards:Godzilla is kind of the ultimate androgynous because we've been saying he but isn't it uh, she depends
Jonathan Correia:on the interpretation too. Because I mean, yeah, 98 Zilla was the she you know,
Jacob Davidson:we don't like Jurassic Park where they were able to they were hermaphroditic are able to switch ship eggs. Yeah, Life
Jonathan Correia:finds a way. I don't know. Minya Godzilla Jr. Or even. I mean, even the Showa era. I mean, the original Godzilla died at the end of Gojira. And then we had from Godzilla Raids Again, it was basically a second Godzilla like a Godzilla Jr. took over. Like, ya know what I mean? Like, I don't know how these things come about, but like, you know, fuck it. It's great.
James Jay Edwards:That was the big the big twist. And Rodan was that there were two of them.
Jonathan Correia:Yeah, I mean. Oh, God, I love Rodan
James Jay Edwards:I do do my favorite. You guys know that? I think Rodan needs a better agent after how lame was treated and King of the Monsters.
Jonathan Correia:Hey, you know what? King of the Monsters is also valid. Yes. Don't get me wrong. The whole Kyle Chandler's character somehow being at the center of everything always was a bit frustrating. But you know what, we got some really great kaiju scenes and some really beautiful like shots of them going Ham so? I still love it. Plus, I mean, I can't be mad at a Mothra movie. I really can't Mothra That's my girl. You know
James Jay Edwards:what one of my favorite moments in the monster verse was in the 2014 Godzilla you're you're in a theater you have to see it in a theater and he's the Mutos are over and the Muto is go over and you think it's like all loud. And then Godzilla goes and it's just, it's parting your hair, you know, in the theater. You know, and you because you think that the Mutos are all fierce. And Godzilla was like really little boy, check this
Jonathan Correia:man I love your Godzilla impression that's beatiful
Jacob Davidson:again, go to that scurry crowd
James Jay Edwards:but add a little bit of echo to that.
Jonathan Correia:I also want to give a shout out to Skull Island the animated series that takes place in the legendary monste verse that
Jacob Davidson:oh yeah
Jonathan Correia:is on Netflix. It was written by Brian Duffield and it's a lot of
James Jay Edwards:fun. Friend of the podcast Brian Duffield
Jonathan Correia:podcast Brian Duffield and and I think that's another thing that encapsulates it because to also say that like, the legendary movies aren't valid like Skull Island. Honestly, when when I was watching it, I was kind of expecting like a Godzilla type kaiju show. But that that show actually captured the spirit of King Kong more than anything like when they're on school island because it doesn't feature kaiju Kaijus. It features giant prehistoric things so like there's a giant prehistoric dog that one of the characters is best friends with and rides and stuff. And
Jacob Davidson:there's a giant Kraken octopus Oh squid on the Kraken
Jonathan Correia:was was like I was sitting there. I was like, I don't really don't get like, you know, tensed up over like animated stuff. But like they did a really good job of making that thing that kind of scary. And when he finally fights Kong, towards the end of the series, it's brutal.
James Jay Edwards:That's kind of what Kong was calling was less kaiju and more like dinosaurs. Yeah, that's true. So I mean, that kind of just tracks with with Kong in general.
Jonathan Correia:Yeah. And that's what I dug about because I know Brian was tweeting about it quite a bit when it came out. And he even said that like they weren't let him do any known Kaijus they had to create and create their own but like stick stay within this like mode and I thought they did a really good job of that. And it just made me really want to revisit like all the classic Kong movies and, you know, sit down for four hours to watch Peter Jackson's
Jacob Davidson:No, yeah, I gotta rewatch that one.
James Jay Edwards:So I'm like most Peter Jackson movies. I think it's best to treat them as like a mini series and do them in little 30 minute chunks. I mean, I know.
Jonathan Correia:It's also one of those things like Peter Jackson's King Kong like, I It's like, a half hour has to be trimmed by this, but I don't know what half hour to trim because it's so good. You know, it's like, it's like you You did everything. You did extended versions of it. And I love it all. I'm just very tired there. But it's all dope like, oh, especially the central park scene where it's Kong and Naomi Watts on the ice. Such a great scene.
James Jay Edwards:That's when you you do a part. I guess maybe Peter Jackson learn from that. Yeah, because he split up Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit into three parts. That's when you but even those are three hour movies. So you got this nine hour epic.
Jonathan Correia:Hobbit didn't need to be three movies Hobbit me to no no, no, no,
James Jay Edwards:it did not. It did not Lord of the Rings kind of did. But you
Jacob Davidson:know it just the movie would have gone a lot faster. Frodo had ridden on King Kong's back or something. Like imagine him riding to Mordor on King Kong. For
Jonathan Correia:a moment I thought you were gonna bring up the Eagles and I was about to get so pissed off.
Jacob Davidson:No, no, no,
Jonathan Correia:we're not having this argument on this podcast. I
James Jay Edwards:will forget the
Jacob Davidson:Eagles. I want to see Frodo teamed up with King Kong.
James Jay Edwards:The Jackson verse. Yeah. Oh, man.
Jacob Davidson:King Kong in Middle Earth, make it happen.
Jonathan Correia:That's what Space Jam 2 should have been. It's just like them riding through the Peter Jackson universe and like, yeah, Frodo riding King Kong while Meet the while Meet the Feebles are just like getting fucked up and dealing with PTSD in the corner, you know?
James Jay Edwards:Okay, well, let's, let's call this one and episode. What do you think your Godzilla minus one? We know you loved it. Because if you're listening to this podcast you there's no way you could not have loved Godzilla Minus One. And what do you think of the other Godzilla movies? Don't Don't Don't tell us that you're one of these Godzilla fans who's not really a fan? Because that'll make us sad. Yeah. So
Jonathan Correia:what's your favorite interpretation of Godzilla? What's your favorite Godzilla movie? Are you watching Legacy of Monsters? Because I'm having a lot of fun with it. Yeah,
Jacob Davidson:dig it.
James Jay Edwards:Somewhere out there. There's somebody whose favorite interpretation of Godzilla is the Matthew Broderick 98. Godzilla, the aliens clone.
Jonathan Correia:And and if it is, hit me up, because I need I need any reason I want to revisit it, but I need more motivation.
James Jay Edwards:Yep. All right. Our theme song is by Restless Spirits. So go check them out. And our artwork is by Chris Fisher. So go check him out. You can find us on any of the socials as under@EyeOnHorror or ihorror.com, which is the site we all call home. And yeah, we'll see you in a couple of I think our next episode is going to be our top 10s for the year. So you'll probably be hearing more about Godzilla Minus One.
Jacob Davidson:I'm most likely yes,
James Jay Edwards:it's pretty safe to say it's probably going to make especially because it's also so fresh and we're so pumped on it. It's probably going to make a few of our lists. A few of our lists, there's only a few of us.
Jonathan Correia:That is it is going to be the best kaiju film until Troll Two comes out the sequel to the troll kaiju movie not troll two from the 90s although that is great.
James Jay Edwards:Not Troll 2 the best movie ever made. I mean, what the Best Worst Movie. Alright, cool. So we will see you in a couple of weeks. And you can yell at us about our top 10 lists for the year. So until then, I'm James Jay Edwards.
Jacob Davidson:I'm Jacob Davison,
Jonathan Correia:I'm Jonathan Correia.
James Jay Edwards:Keep your Eye On Horror.
