Film Junk Podcast Episode #401: Zero Dark Thirty and Gangster Squad
0:00 – Intro
9:15 – Review: Zero Dark Thirty
46:45 – Review: Gangster Squad
1:08:35 – Headlines: 2013 Oscar Nominations
1:19:05 – Other Stuff We Watched: West of Memphis, The Staircase 2, Qatsi Trilogy, Two-Lane Blacktop, The Impossible, Hitchcock, Catch Me if You Can, The Paperboy, Homeland, Murder on a Sunday Morning, War Witch (Rebelle)
2:06:35 – Junk Mail: Trading in a Blu-ray Received as a Gift, Recent Scorsese Sucks, Spike Lee vs. Django Unchained, Mel Brooks, Letterboxd and Owning Movies That You Don’t Like
2:32:30 – This Week on DVD and Blu-ray
2:34:35 – Outro
Film Junk Podcast Episode #401: Zero Dark Thirty and Gangster Squad by Filmjunk on Mixcloud
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Comments (37)
Life is good.
scott
Posted by scott on January 15th, 2013http://www.weddinglovestories.com
So happy to hear Jay rant about beer in geek media. Lately I’ve been getting more and more annoyed about this, as I find it the absolute lowest you can sink trying to be cool, so it’s nice to hear someone who’s in agreement.
Posted by Kasper on January 15th, 2013I’d be curious to hear some movies featuring strong female characters in the lead role that Frank enjoys. I know Jay touched on the issues of relating to female characters on the Lincoln podcast. I found Chastain’s character to be somewhat middle of the road, but a servicable heartbeat at the center of the story. I just found the hint of disdain in Frank’s voice over her confidence to be interesting. If a man were being so confident would it be annoying still?
I liked the film alright. I kind of feel like it’s the opposite of Argo. Instead of taking the easy way out and going for cheap wins with its viewers, Zero Dark challenges in a way I found compelling. I enjoyed the slower burn of ZDT to the crowd pleasing emptiness of Argo.
Thanks for the show!
Posted by Essie on January 15th, 2013Skyrim Grandma:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5GT8moAv3w
best logo ever:
http://www.dvdjournal.com/reviewimgs/a/aviator04_imgs/aviatortitle.jpg
Posted by dirrrtyfrank on January 15th, 2013Anticipating a snarky Matt Gamble comment slamming the guys for their new taste test ritual.
Posted by Tum Tum Tyranus on January 15th, 2013Once again Sean prevails as the sole voice of reason on the Film Junk. ZDT takes chances and refuses to talk down to the audience, it’s approach is very similar to the stuff Michael Mann did in the Vice City movie and Public Enemies. It’s all procedure, because in real life characters aren’t constantly talking about their backgrounds and motivations, they’re focusing on their job.
Also Jay, you may be interested in this article, which goes into who the real life counter-parts are to the people in the film: http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/01/14/zero_dark_thirty_fact_vs_fiction_who_are_the_real_life_inspirations_for.html
I think you may be under-estimating how close a lot of the movie is to the truth. My understanding is that the raid featured in the film matches up almost 1 to 1 with the first-hand account in No Easy Day.
Posted by bullet3 on January 15th, 2013What is the skyfall grandma thing mentioned on the podcast? Can’t find anything about it…
Posted by Andrew on January 15th, 2013It’s going to be genuinely difficult to ever watch Die Hard in the future without thinking of “Bruce Earring”.
Posted by FDB on January 15th, 2013Sean, did any of the “Thin Man” movies make it onto someones Top 100 film list?
Posted by Glen on January 15th, 2013Andrew, it’s ‘Skyfall grandma’
Posted by IchigoNL on January 15th, 2013Ehh.. ‘Skyrim grandma’!
Posted by IchigoNL on January 15th, 2013‘Maya’ in real life is someone named Jen.
Posted by rjdelight on January 15th, 2013Zero Dark Thirty = Hero Smart Girly!
Posted by rus in chicago on January 15th, 2013bad, I know
Is The Staircase 2 also divided into episodes? Where can I watch it?
Posted by Napalm on January 15th, 2013Doubt the Cinecast would still be even going without alcohol. Also the 2012 Review show on the Director’s Club Podcast is pretty great with their drunkeness towards the end.
Posted by Andrew James on January 15th, 2013fyi, tim tams are readily available on store shelves in the gta; longo’s and shoppers drug mart are my usual spots to grab a pack.
Posted by baron von testicle on January 15th, 2013The Staircase 2 aired on the CBC and can be watched online here if you live in Canada:
http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/episode/the-staircase-last-chance.html
In the U.S., it airs on the Sundance Channel in March. The CBC version was one long feature but I assume the Sundance version may be broken up into a couple of episodes.
Posted by Sean on January 15th, 2013I watched “Zero Dark Thirty” last night and liked it a lot. Having heard all the controversy before, I was expecting it to be, for lack of a better term, “torture porn” for two and a half hours, but it was really just the focus of the first 45 minutes or so, so I think the attention it’s getting is overblown to say the least. Is ZDT just this year’s “based on a true story” awards season darling that gets torn down to the atomic level because it’s BASED on a true story but may not be 100% accurate? How come no one’s tearing “Les Miserables” apart for it’s inaccuracies? It’s one thing if you know all the lyrics to YOUR song, but this film was full of heated rivals knowing what the other is going to sing and finishing THEIR songs as well! Just a LITTLE farfetched! But, y’know, ZDT may not have been entirely accurate, so that makes every other movie it’s up against better or something…
Where were these experts and critics last year when “Act of Valor” was out? I know it was in no danger of winning awards, but to me, that’s FAR more offensive to push the “starring real SEALs, using real tactics patterned after real missions!” stuff and then waste it by dropping it into a manipulative, generic, cliched, poorly-acted action flick. It’s a fucking live-action cartoon, but if you hate THAT movie, you must hate America or something.
Posted by PlanBFromOuterSpace on January 15th, 2013(I originally posted this on the Zero Dark Thirty review page. If someone could remove it from there, I’d appreciate it, because it looks really, really weird…)
ANYWAY…
Wow, “Rock of Ages” sounds like more of a blind buy that your grandmother would make if she knew you liked Blu-Rays and the rock and/or roll music, but your DAD? I think what he’s saying with that purchase is that he’s OK with your homosexuality, so just open up to your parents and talk to them already. I’m just kidding…unless I’m not and I’m right.
Posted by PlanBFromOuterSpace on January 15th, 2013When listening to your review you guys didn’t seem to understand why it was such a risk to Invade this compound. I believe someone even said “If they are wrong, what’s the fallout?” Well the fallout could easily be starting a war with Pakistan. Which is kind of a big deal. You are Invading someone else’s country without their knowledge to kill one of their citizens. It would have been akin to Obama’s “Bay of Pigs” fiasco with even more fallout. Also keep in mind you have a Pakistan military base only a few miles away.
Posted by Larry on January 15th, 2013Sure it’s the movies failure to not properly explain all this, but there’s a reason they didn’t just invade because the smart lady said to.
@20 —- Also, if they were wrong, or if it wasn’t executed well, bin Laden could have fled and they might have to basically start all over again, possibly leading to more attacks, etc. Aside from the political consequences, that’s what I was thinking, that they could lose him for good.
Posted by PlanBFromOuterSpace on January 15th, 2013I liked Zero Dark in that it was serviceable…maybe they felt the burden of it being so IMPORTANT?! I agree that Hurt Locker is her better film. Zero Dark does contradict itself by claiming that billions are being spent on finding these terrorists YET she can’t get her budget approved and they appear to be working in basements! The disheveled tape/DVD library thing has got to go – all this time & money interviewing terrorists suspects and REED takes better care of his VHS backups of the internet!!!
Posted by rus in chicago on January 15th, 2013“There was somebody else that was heavily favored to get nominated for Best Actress and I don’t remember who it was but she didn’t get it” – Sean
Marion Cotillard? Nicole Kidman?
Posted by Tum Tum Tyranus on January 15th, 2013Again a great podcast guys. Listening to your latest sparked my intrest in Letterboxd.
I was wondering if any of you have a spare letterboxd signup you could give me please? I have been using imdb to make lists for a couple of years. But letterboxd looks to attract a far better class of movie fan and the site looks attractive with the poster art for each movie.
Posted by James on January 16th, 2013From the Zero Dark Thirty conversation I now want someone or everyone from the podcast to try Homeland and give a take on it. It has won Emmys AND GOLDEN GLOBES! Seriously though, it is pretty great and plays in this same sandbox but with an interesting twist on the heroine. give it a shot, one episode, come on…
Posted by rot on January 16th, 2013Cheers Sean.:)
Posted by James on January 16th, 2013I have some invites still, i need an email to send it to though.
Posted by rjdelight on January 16th, 2013rot: Frank and I talk about Homeland a bit in the What We Watched segment.
Posted by Sean on January 16th, 2013about time!
Posted by rot on January 16th, 2013I haven’t seen Zero Dark Thirty yet, but I have done work in the past for the US Department of Defense. I can assure you all that trillions are spent by DoD and you still see insane frugality. Money being spent and money being spent on the right things are two different things.
That said… I was shocked (SHOCKED) to hear Jay lay down a little bit of politics. Not that he was taking any particular side but it was a pleasant surprise to hear a little more serious talk from the man sometimes known as the Jackal.
Finally, Letterboxd vs. IMDB. Sean, Jay & Frank are right. No comparison. Pull up the homepage of each and the reasons for Letterboxd over IMDB are evident. Sorry Greg, I know this conversation rates right up there with movie organization for you.
Posted by Bob on January 16th, 2013Love the opening, the opening of the beers had an amazing sound. It reminds me of the good old days when you almost always had some story or hmv plug in the beginning of the show. LOVE it.
Posted by patrik on January 16th, 2013Frank, how do you rate Ewan McGregors crying scene in the end of Moulin Rouge?
I’ve seen the first season of Homeland. I liked it a lot and I thought it ended pretty strong so keep watching Sean. Frank is correct about the theme song though.. Even more so since I’m a huge fan of Treme, which has awesome (jazz)music.
Posted by patrik on January 16th, 2013Theme of Homeland is great, and mostly the credit sequence is great with the exception of the terrible shot of the characters in a labyrinth, that verges on satire. I heard Anne Hathaway did a great job on SNL mocking the Claire Danes cryface, haven’t seen it though.
Posted by rot on January 16th, 2013also 0D3 music sounded exactly like syriana and had some of the same cast. *mark strong “visions of bob but never bob”
Posted by reeds golden shower of love on January 17th, 2013Hi guys, glad you loved the tim tims and ginger beer, a tip if one of you haven’t opened bottle yet, don’t invert it first, that way all the sediment will stay at the bottom.
Posted by Brad on January 17th, 2013I’m a long haul truck driver sometimes spending up to 14 hours in the truck, I love when your shows go long, ep 401 was perfect but I can see how annoying it would be for someone commuting half hour to work.
Keep up the great work and ill be listening closely for the next request from oz
Brad
Trans Am intro! Nice! Whoever chose that chose wisely…
Posted by Mrespony on January 19th, 2013next on filmjunk
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldzde4DOlY1qbpgpyo1_500.jpg
Posted by reeds romulan dildo display on January 22nd, 2013Leave a Reply