Ep. 808 - Presence
Added 2025-01-28 17:00:11 +0000 UTCDavid and Jeff assess this year’s Oscar nominations, sing and dance their way through Emilia Pérez, and return to a galaxy far far away with Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. Then they are joined by Devindra for their review of Steven Soderbergh’s latest film Presence.
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Weekly Plugs
David - DaveChenPoker.com
Jeff - We Have Concerns - Gut Health Among Friends
Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate only)
What we've been watching (~00:21:49)
David - Emilia Pérez, The Girl with the Needle
Jeff - Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Dog Man, Bad Sisters, The Devil’s Plan
Featured Review (~01:03:24)
Presence
SPOILERS (~01:23:50)
Support David's artistic endeavors at his Patreon and subscribe to his free newsletter Decoding Everything. Check out Jeff Cannata’s podcasts DLC and We Have Concerns. Listen to Devindra's podcast with Engadget on all things tech. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993.
Credits:
Our theme song is by Tim McEwan from The Midnight. This episode was edited by Noah Ross who also created our weekly plugs and spoiler bumper music. Our Slashfilmcourt music comes from Simon Harris.
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Comments
they show who the ghost is in the mirror and a major character has a meltdown over it - so confused how you & Jeff missed it! I thought that scene really made the movie.
Cece
2025-02-11 03:39:44 +0000 UTCI am the sicko that heard Dave discuss The Girl With The Needle and immediately went and watched it that night.
Andy Tabar
2025-02-04 23:01:51 +0000 UTCAs someone old enough to remember all this, Crash was certainly not hated on until its Oscar campaign had cranked into gear and it looked a real chance of winning. Crash was released quite early in 2005 (for an Oscar film) and received generally mixed/ positive reviews and solid box office. Then it was mostly forgotten about for around 6 months until the academy thought it’d be too embarrassing for Brokeback Mountain to win and thought the ‘positive race relations message’ film was a sanitary choice and buy them good vibes. Hence the Crashlash started. I remember Roger Ebert in particular was a massive champion of Crash and in a way legitimatised voting for it for Best Picture. Ok, history lesson over 🤣
Mark P
2025-02-03 11:32:36 +0000 UTCJust saw a deleted scene from Here in 2150 were the house gets hit by a global warming tsunami
Roshar Space Fleet
2025-02-03 05:25:25 +0000 UTCI thought the crash controversy was that it shouldn't have won best picture not that it was awful?
Roshar Space Fleet
2025-02-03 05:24:31 +0000 UTC“Crash” isn’t that bad , it was beloved when it came out , I even remember it was the first movie that I ever seen get a clapping ovation at the end . It came out in the post magnolia/traffic era and people loved those types of movies . Just feels like it was a product of its time , like a forest gump, garden state , 500 days of summer. Modern audiences just created such a disdain over time online or online articles love to hate on the movie . The movie had a diverse cast , not very common in that Oscar bait era in the 90s and early 00s. The movie introduced us to Michael Peña, no Mexican American actors were getting monologues or film parts like that . The movie is filled with character actors getting some great film time . Crash is not a great film but it isn’t that bad and not on the level of a green book, that was instantly hated on.
Nick Esqu
2025-02-03 00:27:11 +0000 UTCthe people who didn't cancel chose not to leave!
Jacob Chimilar
2025-02-02 20:04:23 +0000 UTCGreat episode, and I have to say...Dave, that cowboy joke was an all-timer!
Monique M.
2025-02-01 07:38:11 +0000 UTCTeam Devindra... Here was a boring artless sappy slog and Presence was a thrilling and creative piece that's my favorite movie of the year so far. Usually I agree with Jeff so very shocked by his take here!
Griffin Herdegen
2025-02-01 07:35:15 +0000 UTCCould have been a less transphobic way to express that man
Rob
2025-01-30 22:47:25 +0000 UTCGosh I'm so happy for you, Jeff! Love that your kids loved A New Hope.
Viv
2025-01-30 22:29:12 +0000 UTCI thought I was the same one lol I kinda like movies that bum me out. I enjoyed “Requiem,” but I wouldn’t watch it ever again.
toeknee
2025-01-30 20:16:16 +0000 UTCSheesh, Jeff going in on this one. I’m more team Devindra. I really enjoyed it but didn’t leave any lasting impressions on me. The acting was a little cringe here and there but I’m really glad I watched it. The little twist was nice, I didn’t see that coming. I really appreciate the swings that Soderbergh takes.
toeknee
2025-01-30 20:14:03 +0000 UTCYou are not alone. What does that say about us?
Duc Tran
2025-01-30 19:17:03 +0000 UTCDave, have you seen this guys mini documentary? This would make a great discussion on your next after dark. https://youtu.be/7ttG90raCNo?si=_newuzkgmTIhTmXE
Zion Brock
2025-01-30 14:07:37 +0000 UTCI thought the same thing. One of my favorites.
Seth Offenberger
2025-01-29 22:17:01 +0000 UTCWas delighted to hear Jeff's take on Dog Man! One reason why the origin story is so deranged (and silly) is that author Dav Pilkey introduced it within his Captain Underpants series as a comic "written" by Harold and George, the grade school protagonists of that series. I would highly recommend the entire series (and, as noted above, the Cat Kid spin-offs)! It incredibly funny, surprsingly sweet, and the story becomes really emotional as it goes on. Well worth reading with your kids. So glad to hear the movie is good. My 11-year-old has kind of grown out of the series, but we still come back to it and check out the new books and I am very excited to take him to the movie.
SusanP
2025-01-29 22:07:57 +0000 UTCCrazy that David Lowery's A Ghost Story was never brought up during the debate about ghost and time travel. That movie had a great example how a ghost would effect something before it's death.
Felipe Ochoa
2025-01-29 22:07:06 +0000 UTCAgree. I was really moved when I learned who the ghost was and added that context into its actions. The blond guy was a lame part but the family stories were good IMO. I kinda feel like Jeff missed the forest for the trees.
Zomino
2025-01-29 21:22:21 +0000 UTCTeam Jeff when it comes to Presence, although not to that much vitriol. It's just another failed experimental film. I'm surprised nobody is calling out the performance of West Mulholland as "Ryan." Absolutely terrible acting performance and also the dialogue written for him is atrociously bad.
Papool Chaudhari
2025-01-29 20:33:27 +0000 UTCNot really a ghost guy, mostly because I don’t believe in an afterlife. One theory that is more palatable to me is that “ghosts” are not conscious extensions of a person, but are a residual energy of sorts, something being replayed that is not conscious. Like at Gettysburg people have long reported hearing things or seeing ghostly soldiers and such. I’m skeptical of any single account but find it hard to categorically dismiss everything as a whole. Especially as we learn how weird things get at the quantum level — in particular how quantum entanglement and superposition might relate to the functioning of consciousness — it’s apparent there’s still much we don’t understand about the world and how we perceive it, as Devindra noted
DarmineDoggyDoor
2025-01-29 19:47:10 +0000 UTCSeriously getting emotional listening to Jeff’s story of finally getting to show his kids Star Wars. The power of movies, man.
Garry L
2025-01-29 18:37:13 +0000 UTCWho did you leave the theater thinking the ghost was?
Nervous_NRG
2025-01-29 18:09:54 +0000 UTCWeirdly enough, Dave talking about how upsetting The Girl With The Needle is kinda sold me on wanting to watch it
Austin Buccowich
2025-01-29 17:47:24 +0000 UTCThe Girl with the Needle is on Mubi…if you’re one of the people that never cancelled after watching Decision to Leave.
Nervous_NRG
2025-01-29 17:09:46 +0000 UTCThey’re called Harmy’s Despecialized Editions and are quite easy to find (if you’re willing to be sly)
DarmineDoggyDoor
2025-01-29 16:08:54 +0000 UTCTotally agree, didn’t see Jeff hating the father. That character was amazing.
Asher Maitin
2025-01-29 14:20:53 +0000 UTCSo very happy Jeff's kids got to watch A New Hope! I recently showed it to my 7 year old, but was fortunate to have Harmy's Despecialized Edition to show to him. Well worth seeking out.
Yochai Gal
2025-01-29 14:18:19 +0000 UTCI thought for a period of time at least, the original versions were on Disney Plus
Mark P
2025-01-29 07:41:39 +0000 UTCCan’t wait to hear how Jeff watches more of the Original Trilogy without it being Special Edition. Easier said than done I think.
Seth Offenberger
2025-01-29 06:33:51 +0000 UTCGuys… this isn’t a bit, I’m not joking around. If you are a content creator of any kind, you might benefit from reading the DOG MAN spin-off, CAT KID COMIC CLUB. It takes side characters from the DOG MAN series and it puts them through a rigorous writing class. It’s funny, it’s irreverent, it’s fun for kids and adults alike … and I cannot stress this enough, it actually provides very useful tips to artists about their craft and the creative process. No joke, check it out.
John Halski
2025-01-29 06:28:35 +0000 UTCYeah im probably more towards Jeffs side and mostly enjoyed it for the technical aspect. I think its an interesting conversation to be had, its many one takes (which i think) can often lead to plot and characters feeling shallow because you literally lose a fundamental way of conveying things with a cut, or have to decide between having coverage of a scene or showing actors motivations because you essentially lose some blocking when directing actors. You have to cram things and shrink story elements (SPOILERS) like with the blonde kids weird diatribe at the end, because you literally cut yourself at the knees with the pov premise. You cant do a conventional story beat of that characters descent, or have enough time or justification because you are restricted to the house. Was anyone as confused about moving to that house?? Like I thought they moved because of the deaths, but then the killer is also in that same town they moved to?? All in all its an interesting exercise, but other then that I think the movie was just ok, I enjoyed the reveal of the son being the ghost at the end and Lucy Liu's scream of sorrow, it gave the movie some kind of emotional jab compared to how dramatically stale the whole movie felt up until then. Davindras right about the writing, I dont think anyone could have made anything interesting with this material, theres almost none existent character stuff of any kind, I dont know if thats because of the premise or the writing though... Love the show as always!
G. Xiong
2025-01-29 05:03:13 +0000 UTCI was impressed that Dave came SOOO close to not giving a single mention of A COMPLETE UNKNOWN in your discussion of the Oscar nominations! Putting aside my Dylanologist bias, I predict that ACK will get more than one Oscar, and it has a shot at winning Best Picture. Not because it was “Best” in 2024 (though it’s better than I had feared), but in how I’m reading the Academy tea leaves; it’s possible that The Brutalist, Emilia Perez, and Wicked could split the vote, leaving room for the Dylan biopic to win. (Also, it has the advantage of cross-generational appeal, potentially getting votes from those who want to burnish Dylan’s legacy, and the younger admirers of Chalamet.) Thanks guys!
CDMatthew
2025-01-29 04:03:59 +0000 UTCCrazy that racist Miss Doubtfire is one of the most nominated movies in Oscars history. Just a new high watermark in the Academy’s bad tastes.
ak
2025-01-29 03:59:55 +0000 UTCPaused the episode to read the plot of The Girl with the Needle, knowing I'd never watch it. I'm worried about the Danes.
Sam Hendrix
2025-01-29 03:46:58 +0000 UTCI rarely binge anything, but my wife and I loved “The Devil’s Plan” and finished it in two sittings. Thanks!
Tony Norgaard
2025-01-29 00:47:35 +0000 UTCThere must be some kind of mistake. I went to davechenpokeher.com and what I saw there was, well, let’s just say it was abhorrent.
Brian Deaton
2025-01-29 00:13:49 +0000 UTCThis episode made me feel like an absolute dolt because I completely missed the twist ending.
BENJAMIN SHULTZ
2025-01-29 00:01:37 +0000 UTCI think it's funny that ghosts never seem to haunt skeptics. If I were a ghost, I'd be scaring the crap out of people who doubted I existed.
Grant Cosper
2025-01-28 23:57:22 +0000 UTCThanks for another great episode guys! 🫶
Reynaldo K. Cruz
2025-01-28 22:24:41 +0000 UTCBut Jeff, it's not Special Editions. Otherwise you wouldn't have gotten Maclunkey!
Mountain of Conflict
2025-01-28 21:01:06 +0000 UTCI guess I can see that, it just felt like there were a lot of story threads that went nowhere. And yeah I totally got incest vibes from the mom and the son
Austin Buccowich
2025-01-28 20:44:21 +0000 UTCI feel like the mom's story was supposed to be a red herring for the final confrontation. She had the talk with her son (which totally gave off incest vibes for me) about doing whatever you have to for your family. I thought during the movie that maybe the ghost was the mom. Like maybe she killed herself or someone else killed her because of the mess she got herself into and her soul was staying around to help her daughter because she felt so terrible about how poorly she treated her in life. But like I said, I think it was just supposed to be a misdirection, what she was into isn't actually important.
Ben Wesorick
2025-01-28 20:41:40 +0000 UTCWhile I understand why Jeff didn't love Presence, I'm also shocked that he hated it. Unless I missed it, I'm also sad that he never went into why he was so annoyed by the father, I thought that character was amazing. And the other guys pointed it out to some degree, but I think putting the audience in the POV of the ghost works because we are trying to figure out what is happening throughout the movie, and so is the ghost.
Ben Wesorick
2025-01-28 20:33:09 +0000 UTCSo dope Jeff was able to get his kids into the live action Star Wars films
Maxaveli
2025-01-28 18:40:33 +0000 UTCI thought Presence was ok, but I keep wondering what the point of the whole “mom is doing something illegal and it’s affecting the marriage” subplot was
Austin Buccowich
2025-01-28 17:04:32 +0000 UTC
