Weekend Watchlist: Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Lost City and Infinite Storm
[Izon by Trent Walton fades in, plays alone, fades out]
SLIM Hiiiii, welcome to Weekend Watchlist, a look at what’s screening and streaming brought to you by Mia.
MIA Hello!
SLIM And together we’ll dig through what’s dropping this weekend, last weekend, recent trends on Letterboxd and we’ll also take a peek at our own watchlists.
MIA Woo! Yep, we are back. Mitchell is on assignment this week. They will make their triumphant return to Weekend Watchlist next week for... Morbius. [Mia laughs] Morbius, Morbius, Morbius. And a couple others, but... Morbius. So this week, we are going to cover Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Lost City, Infinite Storm and we’ll also look back to see how last week’s releases fared.
SLIM I don’t know if you know this or not, Mia, but we’re kind of big shots.
MIA Oh yeah.
SLIM We both got into advanced screenings of Everything Everywhere All at Once, and there’s some considerable Letterboxd buzz around this movie from The Daniels, both of them—Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan AKA The Daniels. This is a limited theaters release for now, I think it’s opening wider in just a few weeks. It’s on 47,000 watchlists. And the synopsis: “An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led. Unfortunately, this sweeps her up into an even bigger adventure when she finds herself lost in the infinite worlds of the multiverse.” So, you saw this, as of recording, I think you saw it last night or the night before, Mia?
MIA Yes, I saw it on Monday night. And I loved it. It is incredible.
SLIM Tell me.
MIA Yeah. I mean, it’s what the modern-day action blockbuster should be. It’s like, we can make good versions of these things, you guys! [Slim laughs] It’s so possible! It’s so possible. It’s infinitely creative and kinetic, like there’s never a dull moment. It’s also laugh-out-loud funny, I was cracking up. And then it also doesn’t overdo the meta stuff. You know, like sometimes with meta things, it can get a little Deadpool-y. [Mia laughs]
SLIM Yeah.
MIA If you know what I’m talking about.
SLIM Mhmm.
MIA And this one, it really rides that line. It’s just so much fun. I cannot recommend it enough.
SLIM When I was sitting in the theater, so I saw this at the Ritz in Philadelphia—all of our Philadelphia fans, we’re here to you. Almost ten, fifteen minutes in, and I thought this is one of the most chaotic movies I’ve ever seen. [Slim laughs]
MIA Yeah, I agree!
SLIM Like it never lets off the gas. And I couldn’t even think of a recent mainstream movie that felt so… insane, like almost all the time. Even the editing to the different universes and the emotional journey that you go on throughout the entire thing, I was like exhausted by the end of this movie!
MIA Yeah, it’s a true trip. The visuals are wild. The choreography, like the action choreography, and the Kung Fu and all of that, is just so, so impressive and well-choreographed.
SLIM What did you think of the performances by the cast?
MIA Oh, I loved—I mean, we got Michelle Yeoh in there. Like, come on! [Mia laughs] Are you kidding? We got her. And then I had never actually seen Stephanie Hsu in any films before. But I was watching her, she plays the daughter, and I was blown away. I was like, she needs to have a huge career. She’s both—she’s so funny! All of her line deliveries were just pitch-perfect, and then she can also do the dramatic stuff, like she can do it all. So I was very, very impressed by her.
SLIM I do want to also call out, fans of the Indiana Jones franchise and [The] Goonies, Ke Huy Quan, previously Jonathan Ke Quan, who was Data in [The] Goonies and Short Round in Indiana Jones [and the Temple of Doom], this is his first role in twenty years. So I think he had a different movie come out last year, but this was the first one that he had filmed in twenty years. He had taken twenty years off from mainstream filmmaking and acting and this is like his comeback role. I thought he was incredible in this movie!
MIA Yes. And I didn’t even, at first I did not even recognize him as Short Round and Data from The Goonies, and I think it’s very cool to give him such a well-fleshed-out and interesting role, especially because, you know, those roles of Data and Short Round are stereotypes, essentially, like they’re just kind of racist stereotypes made by totally white filmmakers. So it’s very cool to give him an actual role. Yeah, and he did a great job!
SLIM I do want to call out a review, Matt Herrero saw this at SXSW and tagged his review with “Weekend Watchlist”: “I won’t try and describe the magic of this film further, but I’ve never seen a movie with so many moments that made me: laugh out loud, cry at the pain, and mostly scratch my head wondering how the #$@% any humans could have conceived and captured what I was seeing on the screen.” The one other movie that kind of compared this to the kinetic energy of the actual editing and filmmaking, was almost like Scott Pilgrim [vs. the World], when I first saw Scott Pilgrim [vs. the World] in theaters, and you can kind of see what Edgar Wright was capable of. That was kind of like the similar vibe that I got when I was watching this today.
MIA Yes, particularly the fast editing. And again, I already brought up the visuals, but yeah, the visuals and colors, it’s just so... it’s just so gorgeous. They’re also, I feel like the directors are really good at combining very intelligent filmmaking with a lowbrow humor, and I’m not knocking lowbrow humor, it makes me laugh. But I really, really like that combination of things. It’s hard to pull off!
SLIM If you don’t like lowbrow humor, then get out right now from this podcast. [Mia laughs] I need you to leave.
MIA Yeah!
SLIM No, please don’t leave if you don’t like it.
MIA I do want to bring up one more thing.
SLIM Yes, please.
MIA And I know I won’t shut up about Turning Red, I will not shut up about it. But I think, again, it’s cool that this is coming out, I guess around the same time, because it’s also, Everything Everywhere All at Once, it’s also talking about breaking cycles of generational trauma and bigotry, particularly within the Asian American community. It’s a huge issue. And I’ve been really loving this dearth of films that have been coming out, like made by children of immigrants where they grow up, and they make this art that is both incredible and communicates to their family, “I love you. I respect you. I appreciate you. But I have these boundaries, and I need you to treat me in this way.” You know? And I think that that’s just a really interesting conversation! And I appreciate when it’s brought up. So yeah, this movie has it all. It also has heart. [Mia laughs] Check it out. I cannot recommend it enough.
SLIM It feels amazing to have Turning Red and this movie come out so close together so the conversation can continue on.
MIA Yes! We also have another very funny movie coming out, called The Lost City. So this one follows a reclusive romance novelist, Sandra Bullock, who was sure nothing could be worse than getting stuck on a book tour with her cover model, Channing Tatum, until a kidnapping attempt sweeps them both into a cutthroat jungle adventure! Proving life can be so much stranger and more romantic than any of her paperback fictions.
SLIM God, I feel like I was in the theater hearing that synopsis read to me. [Mia laughs]
MIA Thank you, thank you.
SLIM In theaters right now, from Aaron Nee, on 12,000 watchlists. And... if I can be honest with you, Mia, right now, please, it’s just the two of us right in this podcast studio.
MIA I’m ready. Be honest!
SLIM I didn’t think anything of this movie when I saw the poster come out. I was like, “Oh this looks like a rom-com cash-in” almost. But I feel like people are digging this movie. The early reviews that are coming out now, they’re having a lot of fun. Mikey P tagged his review, “Consciously embraced romcom / adventure troupes while making something new with them. Channing’s ass is detrimental to everyone’s self worth.” [Mia gasps] What more do we need?
MIA What more do we need?
SLIM What are you hearing about The Lost City? And these two?
MIA Oh, what am I hearing? Well, you know, I’m biased. My buddy Demi Adejuyigbe, who’s also a Letterboxd darling, he did punch-up the script.
SLIM Unreal.
MIA I know, right? He’s so funny. So I’m excited to see it, because I feel like the team is just talented and creative. Also, Patti Harrison is in it! She’s hilarious. She’s so funny. You might recognize her from I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. And she’s in the film, I can’t wait to see that. And also, you know, I just feel like we are in a very severe romcom drought. I mean, I’ve been trying to think about the last romcom that I loved and I mean, it’s Phantom Thread, which isn’t even a traditional romcom in the slightest. [Mia & Slim laugh]
SLIM Should we have doubted Sandra Bullock? I mean, I think she said she’s kind of like taking a mini-break after this. But she’s back! Should we have doubted her at all at this point?
MIA She’s a romcom queen. She’s romcom royalty. You can’t even deny that. I mean, she... one of my guilty pleasures is Two Weeks Notice because I have Hugh Grant disease. And I’ve seen that like a billion times. She’s so great in it. She’s so great in a lot of romcoms. She made Ryan Reynolds watchable in The Proposal. Yeah, I won’t even give him credit. I’m gonna give her the credit.
SLIM When will they find a cure for Hugh Grant disease? Is there any cure in sight?
MIA It’s terminal. [Slim laughs] It’s genetic… It’s hereditary. There’s nothing we can do about it. But yeah, I mean, I trust her. And I trust Channing! He’s funny! He’s very funny. In 22 [Jump Street] and 21 Jump Street, he’s just hilarious. So I think that the leads are talented.
SLIM We talked about this in your Four Favorites episode, what was the Letterboxd list that you had? Like greatest movies ever made? [Mia laughs]
MIA Yes!
SLIM And 21 Jump Street was on there.
MIA 22 Jump Street, to be precise.
SLIM 22 Jump Street, to be clear.
MIA Yes.
SLIM I feel like, there was like a period of time where there were rumors that there was going to be a sequel to 22 Jump Street and was going to be like a Men In Black—
MIA A Men In Black thing.
SLIM 22 Jump Street sequel, and then it didn’t happen. Oh my god. We have to go back!
MIA I’d watch that. I know, we do have to go back.
SLIM Absolutely!
MIA Go to that multiverse.
SLIM Sheesh.
MIA So I’m excited for it. Haven’t been able to see [The] Lost City, but I will be there.
SLIM Maybe it’s time for a date night. Maybe it’s time. Maybe The Lost City is the key for everyone listening as well.
MIA Its true. I’m single and looking, folks! [Slim laughs] I’ll put it out there.
SLIM Ohhh gosh. Next on our list, another new release called Infinite Storm. This is not on a ton of watchlists right now. It’s on 530 watchlists. It’s from Michał Englert and Małgorzata Szumowska. The synopsis, this is starring Naomi Watts by the way. Synopsis: ”One woman’s journey for self-discovery turns into a harrowing tale of survival. Based on a true story of a real-life rescue mission from 2010. Pam Bales set out on a familiar path to the top of Mount Washington. But she encounters someone up there that didn’t really have any intention on ever coming down the mountain.” And it’s about their journey together. So I think we both saw this. This one for me hits in the sweet spot of three and a half stars. I love Naomi Watts. I feel like there’s not enough Naomi Watts movies.
MIA No, I agree. I also love Naomi Watts. She’s so talented, I mean, Mulholland Drive, come on. It’s like a masterclass performance but yeah, I feel like the last thing that she was in that had big buzz and critical acclaim was Twin Peaks: The Return, which was a couple of years ago. You know, I’m happy when she’s cast as the lead. She’s incredible and I want to see more of her.
SLIM Yeah, this had beautiful cinematography, this is one of those kind of like uplifting, find strength in yourself to survive after going through some sorts of trauma, for multiple viewers. First of all, I would never go up on a mountain by myself.
MIA No!
SLIM I don’t care how talented these people are. One false move, you’re dead, Mia, up on that mountain.
MIA Oh yeah.
SLIM You go through a hole, it’s game over.
MIA I would be gone in a second. There’s not even a chance of survival for me. So maybe that’s why it didn’t quite... resonate with me… a ton, But again, yes, I totally agree, the cinematography is beautiful, if you love mountains and snow.
SLIM I think my number one Naomi Watts movie might be The Ring. [Mia gasps]
MIA Stop! I love The Ring. Are you kidding?
SLIM The Ring? Gosh, such a great visual snap to that movie. the green hues. It feels very timeless, The Ring.
MIA The Ring was my first scary horror movie, when I was like eight and it traumatized me. I was way too young to be watching that!
SLIM the quick shot of the closet opening and the babysitter...
MIA Oh, stop. That’s what got me! Stop. [Slim laughs] It was so scary! It was so scary! I had nightmares for years, no exaggeration!
[music fades in, plays alone, fades out]
MIA Let’s take a quick look back to last week’s movies and see how things are shaking out. If you want your review or list potentially featured on an episode of Weekend Watchlist, just add the tag hashtag “Weekend Watchlist”.
SLIM So we usually in this segment, we’ll spotlight maybe two things from the previous week that we wanted to call out. And Mitchell, who we mentioned is on assignment this week, Mitchell watched Deep Water. I missed Mitchell’s review last week from the Adrian Lyne last week, it dropped on Hulu. I just want to call out a shocking rating average on Letterboxd right now, 2.4 for Deep Water, for Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas. It’s still on 23,000 watchlists, but Mitchell really enjoyed it. Actually I enjoyed it too, I gave it three and a half stars. Mitchell writes on Letterboxd: “In 2022 it’s a true gift seeing a film so unafraid of being as lurid, provocative, and unabashedly horny as Deep Water. Perhaps it took a seemingly retired master of the genre to resurrect the erotic thriller, and hopefully this somewhat buried release won’t cause people to miss it.” So I watched it too. My wife left the room after about ten minutes after I put it on. But I enjoyed it. I had some fun. And to be honest, I kind of had forgotten the director, Adrian, I mean they have done the big ones: Fatal Attraction, Lolita, Flashdance, Indecent Proposal, Unfaithful, 9½ Weeks. So their catalogue of films, it’s like right up there for horny cinema.
MIA Yeah, I’m gonna have to check this one out as... a purveyor of horny cinema, I think I’ll be having to check out Deep Water. [Slim laughs] And I will give my thoughts. Give me a week, you guys, give me a week.
SLIM Yes, one other review to spotlight for Deep Water, Anna Ghoul: “unequivocally a mess, but trashy fun. ben’s giving his ‘mysterious’ nothing but still looking like a snack; ana wears more backless dresses than you’d expect a person to own” [Slim laughs]
MIA See, is it not enough to just watch hot people be hot on the movie screen? [Slim laughs]
SLIM That’s true. We don’t need an excuse to watch movies like Deep Water. Thank you, Hulu. Thank you, Hulu!
MIA Thank you, Hulu!
SLIM What’s something that you wanted to spotlight from the last week?
MIA So this is a little unconventional, because this film didn’t really come out last week. But it did come out in 2021. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who also directed Drive My Car. I just got to see a screening of this with a Q&A with the director himself. And I loved this film. I think it’s another masterpiece, like the fact that he came out with two masterpieces in the same year is... is just wild.
SLIM So what’s the pitch for this movie? Because maybe some people have heard of Drive My Car from this podcast.
MIA Yes.
SLIM Maybe they watched Drive My Car. So how would you position this movie for them?
MIA Well, first, I’ll just read the little synopsis of it, just in case you’re not aware. It’s an anthology. So it’s three different stories. And here’s the synopsis: “An unexpected love triangle, a failed seduction trap, and an encounter that results from a misunderstanding are the three episodes, told in three movements to depict three female characters and trace the trajectories between their choices and regrets.” So... it’s kind of similar to Magnolia in the sense that a lot of it is about little coincidences and little happenings that all kind of add up. And it’s similar to Drive My Car in the sense that it’s very dialogue heavy, very literary, and just very intelligent. Such a smart, smart film. And it’s got laughs! I almost—
SLIM Love laughs.
MIA I think that both this and Drive My Car are both great, like similar levels. But I enjoyed Wheel of Fortune [and Fantasy] just a tiny bit more because I love to laugh. [Mia laughs] And the theater was cracking up, like it’s a comedy too. Yes, I highly recommend, especially if you enjoyed Drive My Car.
SLIM You might have even said that you like this more than Drive My Car. Is that a quote? Can we make that declaration on this podcast? [Slim laughs]
MIA Yes. I will go on the record and say that do prefer it just a little bit more.
SLIM Okay. This is a 4.0 on Letterboxd right now. And it’s on 35,000 watchlists, and 145 fans currently, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy.
MIA You know, I’ve seen some people saying like, “Oh, people who liked Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy over Drive My Car really want to let you know that they prefer that to Drive My Car.” [Slim laughs] And it’s like, um... yeah, so it’s gotten a fraction of the praise and attention that Drive My Car got. Nobody, not nobody, but not a lot of people know about this film, even though it deserves mountains of praise. So yeah, I’m going to talk about it! And I’m going to hype it up, because you should go see it. Only 20K watches on Letterboxd. Drive My Car is 120K. And again, I don’t want to pit them against each other. They’re both incredible films. But... you know, I just want to spotlight Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy.
SLIM This is what we’re here for. We’re trying to help people grow their watchlist.
MIA Yeah!
SLIM And then watch them over the weekend. So hopefully maybe people will do just that, judging from the buzz.
MIA Yes.
SLIM Last week’s other bigger release was Jack puts together. It’s a brand-new list that will help influence the end-of-year list. So if you want to see what’s trending on Letterboxd this week, what can possibly beat out The Beatles: [Get Back – The] Rooftop Concert, will anything beat out The Beatles: [Get Back – The] Rooftop Concert this year? Who knows? But let’s see what Jack has spotlighted. Number two, which we talked about earlier in the show, Everything Everywhere All at Once is averaged at 4.4, which if it holds even close to that, and it tops 5,000 views by next week, it would put it in the All Time Top 50, Mia!
MIA Ohhh, whoa!
SLIM We’re onto something with this buzz.
MIA Yes. It’s all well-deserved buzz.
SLIM Mhm.
MIA Yeah, the next call-out has got to be for X, which we just spoke about. A24, they’re adding another acclaimed horror notch in their belt, it enters at number fifteen and becomes the highest-rated horror film of the year so far, beating out Fresh.
SLIM Your favorite, previous favorite of the year, Fresh. [Slim & Mia laugh] So Fresh is out and X is in. So the people have spoken this week. So that’s what’s trending. Okay, so we’ve got some buzz. Tell your friends, you can be the one in the know with all these facts. And last week, we tried something new where we went to shuffle our watchlists and we picked a movie, and I know since Mitchell’s on assignment, you have not been able to watch Scanners, but I did watch Wolf Guy.
MIA Spill! [Slim laughs]
SLIM That was the movie that I shuffled into. And Sonny Chiba, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. That guy has got some moves. The soundtrack to this movie, it made me want to just dance around the room. [music from Wolf Guy fades in] Maybe I’ll loop it in here just to give you a taste of the Wolf Guy soundtrack. But, he doesn’t turn into a wolf—spoilers. [Mia gasps]
MIA What!
SLIM He just kind of has like wolf-esque capabilities. So that was kind of like a shocker to me. I mean, he has like Wolverine-ish hair, Sonny, in this movie. So that kind of makes him wolf-ish. But I had a great time watching it. And then next week, we’ll see what Mitchell gets when we shuffle their watchlists on Weekend Watchlist.
MIA I have to ask a question about Wolf Guy. So... he’s not a werewolf?
SLIM Not quite. I mean, he never fully transforms. But he can kind of like move quick as he gets closer to the lunar time period. It’s not technically a werewolf movie, but he’s just like, hairy. [Mia laughs] He’s hairier than your average Joe. [Slim laughs]
MIA So he’s like, half werewolf maybe?
SLIM I think he’s technically considered a lycanthrope.
MIA Oh, yes, the technical term.
SLIM Yes, if we want to get technical so no one yells at us in Apple reviews, lick-anthrope, like-anthrope, however you want to pronounce it. So hopefully in two weeks from now we’ll be able to hear your thoughts on Scanners.
MIA I can definitely watch Scanners in two weeks. I can do this. I can do this. [Mia laughs] I can do this! It’ll be easy. It’ll be easy. [Slim laughs] I’ll just do it!
SLIM You’re mentally talking yourself into being able to watch Scanners in two weeks.
MIA No, I’m sounding like I’m not so excited for it. I’m super excited to watch Scanners. [Mia laughs]
[Izon by Trent Walton fades in, plays alone, fades out]
MIA Thank you so much for listening to Weekend Watchlist, brought to you by HQ page on Letterboxd using the links in our episode notes.
SLIM Thanks to our crew. And thanks to Letterboxd member Sophie Shin for the episode transcript. And to you, for listening. Weekend Watchlist is a Tapedeck production.
[Tapedeck bumper plays] This is a Tapedeck podcast.