The Big 2024 Film Rewind!

In this episode, Aaron and Sam take a look back through 2024 and all the films they watched this year: The Good, The Bad, and the Trap! But what film came out as your favourite of the year? Let us know by leaving a comment or tagging us on social media! 

And from both of the hosts here at The Hollywood Scarlets, we want to wish you a very Happy New Year and a wonderful 2025! 

We release a brand new episode every Thursday, so remember to follow and rate us on your favourite Podcast site so you don't miss a single one! 

Also, follow us on Bluesky, TikTok, and Letterboxd, and let us know your favourite films of 2024!

Transcript

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Yeah, I like that she started. Action. I wanted to do a big one because it is Christmas. Merry Christmas, happy holidays to everyone that's listening. You are listening to the Hollywood Scarlet's A podcast where if you love film, you love us. Not necessarily. No, you might not. You might hate us. What are you listening for? Well, actually, no. Keep listening. Thank you. Oh, so who are we? Oh, yeah. No, no. Hold on. I had to plan. You know what? I was driving, overthinking. I know what the intro is going to be. I'm going to write an intro and then I just forgot. So you're listening to The Hollywood Scarlett's with myself, the director for this episode, Sam. And the talent for this episode is Aaron. Hello. Hello, Aaron. We are a podcast for film lovers by film lovers, so I like that you did not come up with that before six weeks. You know what I was thinking to myself, officer? You know, with the with the X podcast, every episode I had like an intro, I was like, oh, I'm going to do one for this one. And then I came up with that. But then I got the intro up just like you landed, you hit the landing. That's what I think, you know. That's exactly right. Everyone. I hope you've had a lovely lovely Christmas. Obviously you'll be listening to this on Boxing Day. And thank you for listening to us, making this part of you Christmas over, I imagine. I mean, yeah, I mean, we will talk quietly. Will be know for now. Okay, then, what did you get for Christmas? Depression? No. I'm joking. Jeez, Louise, the answer was not good to you. It's a little bit, I'm like that kid where he's like, listen, I'll. Was his accent. You. Have you seen the video of that kid? He's like, oh, my son or. Oh yeah, I'll he's like 19, though. That's disgusting. He did. He redid the video and he's in like a suit. And I was like, oh, the genuine he's so old, I'm gonna look so mustache, a mustache. And a quick disclaimer for this episode. We are not hung over from Christmas Day. We are not very well know. Just bear with us. If we if we keep it sounds like gusting. What? Basically what? Obviously, if you're not going gonna hear any coughs because these will be edited out. But what you might hear is at the beginning of the podcast are sounding quite coherent towards the end of the book, because we might start getting a bit like this. So we are going to dispense, if we may, with weekly rushes this week, as for the next two weeks, actually, as we're doing a bit more of a bumper episode, we want to get through as much as we can in the next two, which will start now 2024. Personally. Holy. Yeah. That was a start. I don't I don't know how much I want to sweat because my mother listens to this. I'll sweat for you. Yeah, my year was a bag of shit. She brought up. Ditto. Ditto. I've had some positives this year. Obviously. I've had my my kids start school. And that's about it. So, you got a new house? No, no, I didn't rent in because we got told we had to leave the old one. And but I celebrated my 10th anniversary with my wonderful one. Congratulations. Thank you very much. That's really about it. And I met you. I love it. You. So, the best holiday we didn't meet today. I didn't meet to see. Does the illness. Fuck sake. See, that's how it. Yeah, honestly, by the end of this episode, we're all just going to be, Yeah. Just follow us here and. Bye. Yeah. Good. You. Good bye. Have a good one. Drink more alcohol. Yes. Merry Christmas. So I think the best place to start for any of you that know us well or have just started listening to us, horror is our wheelhouse. We love horror. Any kind of horror. Well, there's some horrors that you like a bit more than me with body horror and stuff, but Sam's the actor. No, I was going to. Oh, I don't know. I was going, no, no, your your lips to bitch. Oh, bitch. Okay, I wasn't today. Oh, I didn't, I did not think you were going to say bitch. I thought you were going to say a word. No, I didn't, some scared of it. I'm scared of it. I just I just it's a lot. It is a lot. Yeah, especially some film which I know we're going to talk about is. Yeah, 100% that was a lot. But what I will say we're going to start with 2024. Now again, a very quick disclaimer I love disclaimer, we love disclaimers. We've not seen every film with 2024. There is going to be a lot that we do miss. And that's okay. Because if we do miss it and you're like, I love this, let us know when we want to hear everything that you have. You know that you've watched, that you've loved, that you've not liked. But you didn't get around to seeing. But you will see. That's very much that's very much our message. Our message. You want more, but you're all welcome here. And we this we're going to aim this kind of episode at 2024 as a whole, but from a from a sermon, our own perspective obviously. So but what I do want to start with, obviously, is 2024 horrors, I think is probably one of the strongest years of horrors I think we've had in many a year. Yes, yes, yes, yes. The horror genre is a very exciting one to be a fan of right now. Yes. Yeah, I'm and I'm seeing trailers for what's coming in our next year. And I'm like, oh, it just looks like it's going to keep going. There was a trailer that when we went to watch conclave for a, it was literally it was the whole trailer was a, a crane shot of a house, going down, down. And then it went into the door and it kind of just cut to black, and I was like, whoo hoo! I got, like, Amityville haunting. Yes. Kind of vibes. I also watch the trailer recently for something called The Death of the death of a unicorn. A oh poor Rudd. No, I'm not, I'm not. Seen that trailer cracking. Okay. Yeah. Obviously we've got Nosferatu, but this is all next week's episode. Why are we talking right? No. Well, I'm just saying I'm a bit. Well, a very quick disclaimer to our American friends that are listening. Obviously, Nosferatu, I think is out in America. Oh, fuck. By Lucky Bastard, 1st of January 25 is when it's released in the UK. So we are obviously basing all of these on UK releases, if there's any that were released in 2023 for you, but they would have been released in 2024 for us kind of thing. We're mentioning it because, you know, we live in the UK, so spoiler alert I saw that missed disclaimer that is disclaimer you, you've had like seven disclaimers in seven minutes. Shut. So let's start. Let's do it. Let's start. So I know when we first started obviously, you know, we first met one of the first films with me and you saw at the cinema together, Long Legs. Oh yeah. It was long Legs. Was that was it. So we, you know, we ventured off to, to the or what was it was a deluxe Odeon. So we said, you know, seats back. Yeah. Seats back listening. And then we saw Nic Cage put on probably one of his. It's a very Nic Cage performance, and yet it's not at the same time. It's. Yeah. It was, was it one of his best I don't know if I go that far. Was it one of his most captivating memorable memorable. Yeah. Yeah definitely. It was. It was a it was a beautiful performance in that regard. I agree I really enjoyed Long Legs. I think the suspense, the mystery around it. And obviously I think Long Legs is now available. So we might get into a bit of spoiler territory for some films in this episode. Obviously, if you don't want to hear any spoilers, we'll put a quick spoiler warning now for long legs. Just spoiler warning for all the films. Oh, every film. So just don't listen to us. That was spoilers. We see you in the next week, right? We won't go too happy with it. No, but what I, what I enjoyed with long is that it kind of took you to a murder mystery with, Mike Monroe. Obviously the detective who, again, was phenomenal in it. She's so good, really, really captivating. And it and then made it a very surrealist, supernatural kind of horror in the sense that they were possessed by the devil. It's weird because I look back and I think, why? Well, yeah, because obviously it's a very real not it's not a religious. It didn't strike me as a very like, heavy religious topic. There's religious themes throughout, throughout the film. Then all of a sudden it's like, oh, hold on, they're possessed by the devil. Okay. And then and then obviously the finale, which was quite gripping in a sense, that's really suspenseful. But it it was all done without kind of a score, without much of a, I can't remember any kind of like, score keys in that film because it was just it was the silence. It was the suspense. It was this the lingering, I think, is the best way I can describe that is lingering. Yeah, definitely 100%. That's a perfect word. Yeah, yeah. But we've also had, I don't know how to kind of go about it because I've got a whole list of horrors here. For example, fire, big fight. Alien. Romulus. Great film, very good film. The practical effects were so good. Yes. And that that reveal that final like monster, let's say. Oh my God. Yeah. My jaw dropped a lot, a lot, a lot of controversy because I think it was controversial, but a lot of 50, 50 responses on that kind of that reveal because to some like us, I think our reaction we were watching, it was like, oh my word, jaw dropping. However, I see a lot of people say, oh, it looks so stupid. And it's in the context of the film. It's not, why is this stupid though? Because it doesn't. I guess it doesn't look threatening, but yes. So obviously seven eight feet tall. Know in that sense, obviously when he's cower at the tower towering over. Yeah, yeah. But I think the face which I can see an argument for, but obviously it's I guess, you know, the flip side, it's, it's representing a kind of a are you be kind of think, well, first of all, it's, it's Prometheus. So that's where that came from. Oh yes. Yeah. So yeah. The engineers. Yeah. Yeah. Second off alien, the design was inspired by smut. It was H.R. Giger who was basically drawing penises in various format. All make sense now? An alien looks like a big fucking weird penis. Essentially, they do not need the. They do not need the heads that big. So, like, you think about where alien came from, it wasn't exactly a threat. I mean, maybe in some for some people that is threatening. But it wasn't like a typical monster. No, no, no, to describe it like the source of alien is not exactly what you would go for. For nightmares. No. Unless it is, it could be penises. The scary. That's what it's a women shout out under a. Rock. Yes! Yeah, we. It took me six weeks. I finally broke some weight. Is this the sixth episode? The sixth episode? Yeah. No. No. Yes. No. Yeah. Okay. But I just didn't see that coming. So I in the sea, I mean, the same way you, like, really enjoyed this. I think it was, a very real good bridge. The gap, I think, between the first and the second alien, it was it didn't diminish anything from the first. It didn't diminishing from the second. It was a it was very much I think you I think I remember talking to you about it with the director was very much the first half is alien. The second half is aliens. Yeah. So like, you kind of like the end alien into this alien Romulus, where you still got the alien vibe, and then you second half your aliens going into aliens. I yeah, I really, really saw it as a practical and just scary. It was. It was terrifying. Yeah. They go, I think I might be saying the same thing. Yes. The, the face huggers were. Yeah like practical which again genius. Making them car like running across a saw like but a lot of behind the scenes videos of them like creating a mouse like this I know it's a remote control car or whatever it is, but these are scarce. I have and it must have been really scary for them on set, because I know they killed off the characters in order. Yeah, they shot it all chronologically, so when that person died, it would have got a more of emotional reaction out of the actors because they spent ages together. Genius. And he's a very good director now. He's. Yeah, I know they fade. Alvarez. He did Don't Breathe as well, which is such an underrated horror film. It is like that film Walk to that. A Quiet Place could run. It's so good. I love that film. Quiet Place. You say what you mean quiet place? Day one. My favor of the trilogy. Yes. Yeah. I was going to say that's some statement, because the first one I. I've not seen, the second one. Don't know why. I just, I think I'm not against the second one at all. I just really liked the first one. I don't want to then be disappointed with the second one. I mean you won't be, I don't that's the thing. But that's, that's. Yeah I don't think I will be. But also I just really loved the first one. It was a very good film. But like I'm going to just make myself feel like a hypocrite here. I really want to see day one, even though it's it's a completely different group of characters I guess. So, yeah. Yeah, I guess it's it's the mystery around the how it started and like what happened at the very beginning kind of thing. But quite I know you were say, I know I remember you going to watch that cinema to watch it. Now you came back with very good. It's a grave. I mean like the performances of, Lupita Nyong'o and then Joseph Quinn, both phenomenal actors. I don't want to give too much away because you haven't seen it, but I think they they understand where the film franchise is in terms of these creatures and what you can do with them, what you can't do with them. And they lean into that in a way which I think was really smart and still made them terrifying, but in a new way. That's what I'm going to leave it. Yeah. No, I think that's not a very good place to leave it all. There's a couple more that I think I want to just talk about, and then we do a bit of a speedrun. Yeah, we need to speedrun at some point. Otherwise we're going to be here for. No, no, that's fine, I got it, I got it. So, one of one of my personal favorite horror films of the year was Speak No Evil. Yeah. Just like I did not expect to enjoy it as much as it did. However, Jesus star still, I'm still think about I think about it. But like when, not whenever I think back about it, I'm like that James McAvoy was a powerhouse, a hunk, if I may say so. I missed you, wall or whatever I think is small. The kids say nowadays, isn't it? But in like the worst way. Like he represented the worst side of masculinity and, was so good in that role, it almost like I wouldn't be surprised if he's actually that person, which would suck, because I love James McAvoy as an actor, as a person. But like, he hit that so well. Yeah, I was going to say you two. Well, you two. Well, but you get to he got to use his natural accent. Jermain. So yeah, he's obviously you've got to see like him. And I just think all of the, all of the actors played their roles. So well that you are like, you believe it. And I think the way the twist played out in this film was so clever. Yeah, because there was, again, no words because obviously, you know, speak no evil if it was, but it was in a way, it was done in a way, with respect, I think to the audience that that he he's letting you work out. He's not Dominic down. He's not saying, oh my God, you're this person kind of thing. Oh, that I think any kind of twist reveal was bad like that. Yeah, it's done. With respect to the audience, I think of. You're not dumb. Yeah. There's been a lot of that with like, making it dumb for the audience, you know, like it was something I read where, I say read. I was to TikTok. I said that all the time. I say, I've read Lincoln. I've actually watched you crazy. Like you watched the caption. You read the captions. I didn't even do that. I don't have money. Annoy me. But anyway, the they were talking about how like, these it was to do with test audiences and to do with the fact that, like when films are screened, they'll ask him, did you understand this about the characters? Do you understand that? And if they get one, no. The studios will go to the filmmakers and say, right, you need to write a line that makes this really clear. That's why, like in real life, you don't really say, I love you as much as you see in films. You show it more. Yeah, yeah. But in films you, you characters are always saying that because they need to make it obvious to the audience. Yeah. And that's become more and more of a pain. Yeah, I think and I think more and more people get involved with it. So it was actually really nice to see Speak No Evil not do it. So obviously it's still like a bit more of a brush breath. Would you say that's kind of a tick tock kind of audience? Is that people aren't like paying attention? I don't know, maybe, but I don't know if it's a symptom of shadows. Just feeling like they feel like everything needs to be understood about a film. Like films need to be black and white. Yeah, and not having the nuance. But then now you're getting, studios like A24, which are just going so against that way. Yeah. No, I agree, I know we're going to talk about it later, but how, I saw the TV go. Yeah. The whole allegory for the realities of trans experience wrapped up in a horror film. Yeah, I never really I don't well, I haven't seen the film, but as I understand it, never really 100% been like, here's what this is. Yes. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, yeah, I agree, we do have to mention trap. Unfortunately we're a positive film podcast. Yeah. And it's very hard to be positive about that film. It's quite hard to be positive. For those, please follow me on Letterboxd. I'm starting to actually write reviews now, and I will continue to do that throughout the course of 2025 and beyond. It's a sad map on Letterboxd. The only reason I gave that film one star instead of half star is because genuinely, I think the marketing did well to hide the third act from your completely, because the marketing was very much he's got to get out of this music you on set and then you've got this third act and I'm like, I did the third. I didn't I didn't expect the third act. It wasn't a good third act. No, I didn't see it coming. And that's why it kind of gained a half a star from me because I was like, oh, okay, I guess, I mean, I'd give it an extra half star just because Josh Hartnett as lead. Oh my god. Yes. Say if you're going to I just I don't know. There's a part of me that he's obviously signed on to an M Night Shyamalan film. He's like, yeah, okay. Fair enough. He signed the contract and then he's got the script. And then you reckon it went that way? I don't know how it works, really. But I feel like they have to be given the script first. No, I guess their agent would offer them a script, but I don't know, with a with an actor, like with I. Sorry, with a director of the caliber of M Shyamalan. I think if you've got, you know, like a Spielberg or Scorsese, I'm not saying he's on that level. What school? Spielberg or Scorsese? Yeah. I think if he says to, you got this Scorsese from coming out, he wants you to be in it. You. I think you're saying. Yeah, yeah, of course. Obviously, I'm not sure if he's on that level, but also he is very much he's I'm not Shyamalan. You know, you get in a twist. You know, you get in this, you get that. Although you didn't even try. I don't think you did. I think the twist of trap was the fact I wasn't into this concept. Oh, yeah. Fair it up. Escapes the trap and then works. So I think he's obviously, you know, I like to think maybe in my head, I just like to think that he's read the script and that I can't back out now. I'm just going to go all in and how, my God, he goes all in and we talk about making things obvious for the for the audience. His dialog, maybe not Shyamalan's dialog. It's like I am her father. How do you think I feel? It's like, yeah, we know you're her dad. We spent the first 15 minutes with you, her saying, yeah, yeah, I'm Knight's dialog is the greatest that I've ever seen. I had that she would knock at the cabin wrap is, trap is, you know, annoyed me. The more you know, I'm. I'm going to be positive about it. The thing that really annoyed me about trap was how he very obviously used it to promote his door. Oh, yes. Yeah. It was said that first hour was literally it was a music concert with a film intercut between them. Yeah, you could have. You could have just paid for your daughter's record deal. Yeah. You could have made a record company and done that. It's not my I again, it's not my kind of music. So that was another reason why I didn't enjoy it. However. Oh actually, do you know what? It might gain another half star from a trap? Maybe a quarter star because of the mid-credits scene with the worker when he was great, where he works out, he was like, oh yeah. So, so quick speed runs through the rest of the horrors that we may have, may not have seen, but, you know what, a year for horror as it was obviously. Heretic, heretic, heretic. I've seen heretic. You've seen heretic. Hugh Grant, obviously playing completely against type as a and he's played it. Well, he was yeah. He seems to be a nod to the Oscars, which is really interesting, a very interesting addition to the horror genre, one which I loved even if I didn't fully enjoy the film, even if it's not a five star film. I still loved what that included in, and that was written by The Quiet Place people and the right by them. So interesting, so parallel. I was going to say, I wonder why you like it so much. And obviously I've not, I've, I've not purposely left it out, but I know obviously our first episode was very much you talking about the substance of your favorite film. If Demi Moore does not get an Oscar for her performance, I don't think she will. I generally don't even think she'll get a nomination. I don't think she'll be on the shortlist. Horror at the Oscars. Disgusting. It's horrible. Yeah, I agree because it's horrific. The Invisible Man, you. It's cool. I've touched a nerve. The the The Invisible Man was an example for me or I thought was really I mean, yeah, she was very good. There was no the you never get any kind of, any form of recognition. And I mean, you spoke today actually about visual effects of the substance or whatever it was. Yeah. Because it wasn't nominated. It was always not in the shortlist. Yeah. But there's an argument that it's not visual effects that is practical. That film is done the the horror moan. 90% of it I think is done practically. I think it is. Yeah. But then because I've seen behind the scenes of, I can't remember what the final in integration of is called. Elisa. Elisa. So samosa is Elisa. I've seen behind the scenes videos of Elisa do. Yeah. And it's literally Margaret Qualley. What is it's literally Margaret Qualley, in this. Seriously. And I think that's brilliant. That is so good. And it's not a visual effect. It's you're seeing it. But then it comes and, because like the Grinch one, for its effects, but it it comes into makeup and makeup, which doesn't feel right. Like it. Oh, yeah, I know, you know what I mean. Yeah. It's it. I feel like if you're going to put it in anything, it should be visual effects. But then again, it was not a visual effects movie. So. But what you're now kind of seeing is everyone kind of going back to practical, especially in horror. It's respect. Yeah. And it's done very well. I mean, even in some like some, some not Marvel films because there's CGI, but, but you starting to see it in a bit more sci fi, like Alien Romulus, for example. Obviously the aliens we know are mostly no are sometimes CGI, but they are people in costumes and on the face. I was, you know, we mentioned it before. Yeah, we are starting to see that return to actually do you know what? It looks a lot better if it's real. Yeah. I think the the Marvel movies have, have had an effect on that. But then also the actors and how they work has had an effect. Like if you had the story about Ian McKellen working on The Hobbit and literally breaking down in tears. Yeah, because he's the working. Because he's not on a real set. Yeah, he was on his own, just acting to no one, and he hated it and he despised it and like, broke down. That I think is a big thing because everybody's experience coming out of the Marvel movies is like talking to sticks, like balls on the stick. And no one really speaks about it positively. No. And it's like me, for example, as someone who wants to make films, I very much I'm like, I do not want to make that film. I don't want to make a green screen film and make a, is weird. The first word that came in, quote unquote, a real film because like, I, I see what you mean. You sound very Scorsese. You they're talking about Marvel real film. I do love Marvel movies. Yeah. So I, I'm not and to be fair, Scorsese I watched an interview with him and he kind of explained that, and I agree with him a little bit more. Yeah. And, that understood. I understand one saddle quick. Trying to be quick. Quick. Fire. Yes you do. We've turned it. So this is you can tell this is a me I have a so I got in, late night the devil a tiny bit controversial II but in terms of the film and David, I'm. I was knighted to Markman, but I'm going to leave it there. I'm going. Yes. Yeah. I think he's in everything he does. Cuckoo. With Hunter Schafer was quite well received. Was, Maxine, you know, the third film in the Pearl trilogy that actually was the extra. Did you actually. Sorry. The strangers, I think. I didn't say you didn't do very well. My mum doesn't think it was very good either. Abigail. Which was a, a shock hit with the vampire to go. They didn't realize they were trying to, kidnap a vampire. That the daughter of this high profile person not realizing they've literally kidnaped Dracula's daughter. Yeah. I really wish the marketing had not revealed that. Yes, it was just a heist film, whatever it was. And then all of a sudden, people in the cinema, I know in spider Jumps, I was like, oh shit. Because in the film, like the first half of it, they don't tell you as Abigail. That's like the midway twist, and they're trying to keep it secret. And but you're like, but I know who it is. Yeah. You know, and it's kind of it kind of does ruin the suspense of the film a little bit. And then we'll I'll end with smile two and Terrifier three. Oh, so you've missed the big one, but we'll go on to those, those first. But you have missed one, which I'm going to mention in a minute. Well, yeah, trust me, it this is the thing though. I was oh it flew under the radar but is widely regarded by people who've seen it as the best horror film we've had in a long, long time. Ooh, okay. Small two and terrify three. I've seen neither. So, but I was going to use that as a segue into my next topic, but okay. Sure. We going to want to hear what you say first. What? This can be a segue as well. In a weird way, the first omen. Oh, do you know what? Oh, hold on, hold on. Is it that I've written it in my pads? Off? I have it. So that is, I think it's currently available on Disney Plus. I haven't seen it, but genuinely, people who've seen it have said that it is like the best film of the decade for horror. Yeah. So it is on my list. I need to watch it. Yes, but we can't. We can't be disrespecting that film. We have to put it on. No. Well, first omen is a prequel. It is, it is. But I obviously smarter terrify three comes into my next segment. Just watch. It's, 2024 had many a sequel and many a prequel. And again, I'm going to speed run through these. I tell you what, it's just name all of them. Just go. I'm not even going to say anything back to you. I just want you to name all of them. All the ones I've at least written down. All the ones you random I do in one breath. If you can remember your ill, I am ill and my throat is hurting. Okay, right. Furiosa. Dune two. Gladiator two Eddie. Romulus. Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. Joker two. Deadpool three. Inside out two. Godzilla. Kong. Kingdom of the planet. The Beverly Hills Beverly Hills Cops four. Sonic three Ghostbusters Roman Empire. Remember that? Phenom three. Terrify three. Quiet Place day one bad boys for Mufasa. That's coming out. Not yet, but it's soon. Despicable me four. Smile two. First omen Paddington three was in corporate three. Wow. Paddington in Peru. But it also wasn't. It also wasn't called Deadpool three or venom three. But you didn't pick me up on again. Fair enough. And so it oh. Sequel prequels. Wow. This is actually a big conversation that's happening in the film. I'm gonna use this term loosely to film critic, crowd because it happened when the trailer for How to Train Your Dragons live action remake. Yes, yes. Now people are talking about the sequels, the prequels, the remakes, the live action remakes as being the death of Hollywood. Yes. And then using that very seriously. They're saying that Hollywood is creatively eating itself. I disagree, in a way, I think that these films, what we're seeing, all these sequels, they're just symptomatic of us as audiences. I think a really big thing I've been seeing is, as a, as a fellow audience member, but also as someone who tries to look at the industry as a whole. Audience members are complaining about having all these sequels, all these live action remakes, and then the fucking going and watching them. And The Lion King made like a billion, literally contributing to the fact that these are being made, not seeing all of these original great films that have been coming out recently, ignoring them completely and then moaning that they're not getting original films. Yeah, I think you see, I again, I don't mind if it's done with respect and it's done well. Yeah. The Jungle Book I really enjoyed, and I know I'm probably going to be thinking more about Disney because they're the only ones that really kind of. I think this is why How to Train Your Dragon was such a talking point, cause that's Dreamworks and it's their first live action. Yeah. So with regards to obviously Disney, like The Jungle Book, I think I, I remember enjoying The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland, I don't remember enjoying at all. What the Lion King I don't I didn't enjoy no no emotion in that film. Aladdin. I think there was a live action Aladdin. There was. There's a Hercules coming out soon. So they are they they're taking basically a Little mermaid issue. I might was that Hercules was a little Little Mermaid. That was that this year. Lasher I'm sure it was that. It was 2023. My bad, my bad. Okay. But obviously yeah. And if we did it with The Little Mermaid, we're getting it with me. Well, we did had The Lion King. We farces obviously coming out, which is seems to be a bit more of a, a stand alone, it's own thing. All right. It's a prequel, which I don't think we need, but it's been it's been okay received. But the bar was quite low. The Lion King personally didn't like it. And I just, But the argument I get it for is that I'm not watch. I'm not watching these films. My kids are going to be watching these. I think, it's that you bringing it. I think you're bringing it to a whole new audience now that, you know, you know, When? Now, obviously, in this time, you get into a whole topic of what was done back obviously in the 80s. So like Snow White is a big example, I think live action that year. Yes. It release obviously. Yeah. I don't want to say take too much from the next box because we're talking about 2025, but they're obviously they remake not I don't think it's cast well at all. I don't personally I don't think Alfredo works as a queen. That is jealous of Rachel though, so it does look like it's going to be an interesting pairing. That one and the the seven dwarfs or the seven I don't. Yeah, yeah, CGI or what. I don't know what they're I don't know because I know that, Peter Dinklage. Yeah. He had like a huge issue with how they dealt with that. Yes. And that was very 5050 within the dwarf community, it's 50% of them were like, yeah, you know, he's right. The other 50% was, well, you've just lost me work. Yeah. I mean, we can look at it in the same way. I'm not obviously, in that community, but I am in the queer community. And we've talked about this off podcast, but it's like the idea of should you only have queer actors playing queer characters? So and I know that that's a 5050 split of how people react to that. So I think it depends who you are, what your experience is, your level of privilege, all that kind of stuff. But back into sequel prequels. Sorry. Yes. So we got a lot. We did, I think they split is more good, I think, than not. I look at Furiosa, obviously, that people didn't see, very well received, so. And good. Yeah. Yeah, it was good. I mean, like, I didn't enjoy it as much as Fury Road, but that's a high bar. That's a very high bar. But then some people did enjoy it more than Fury. Yeah. So and I like kind of Tyler. Tyler, Joe. I think she's brilliant and but we obviously look at Dune two, you know, that's this is an Oscar shortlisted as well Denis Levine Philomene Villeneuve Villeneuve bloody Denis. Oh did Danny Villeneuve was phenomenal director anyway. He is he's great. He's brilliant. We've mentioned alien Romulus. Yeah. Gladiator two got quite well received to an extent. But I think he got better received than a lot of people expecting it to be. Yeah I think again, high bar I hope this is the issue you run with with these long sequels and sequels in general. Yeah. Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. You saw a very well-made film for the fans. I think it was a bit bloated. But you know what I can respect for it was, inside out too, I know. Oh, great. Yeah, it was great. He really enjoyed that. Emotionally. Yeah. I mean, as anxiety as well like that, that depiction of anxiety. As for that final act, where panic attack that leads to type. Oh, shit. Yeah. Oh, I felt it. Yeah, it was great. And it was so real. I think it was a very good representation for a younger audience as well, of what a panic attack like looks like in your head. And just getting out with that in your eyes. Yeah. And when she turns around and just says like, oh, yeah, I notice, probably the best sequel prequel thing we had. Not a sequel prequel. Just a sequel. Deadpool, of course. Deadpool. Wolverine, I think, is by far the best sequel this year. I will speak so many praises about that film, and I will come off as a Ryan Reynolds fucking lover, I don't care. I do love Ryan Reynolds. I think he's great and I identify with him a lot. But like that film, it's narrative. It's it's beat. How we approached bringing Wolverine in. Oh my God. Yeah. And Hugh Jackman and Hugh Jackman so good. They, they must have been some like frustration within like executives away for it was because Hugh Jackman retired. Yeah. I'm pretty sure Kevin fired you. Whoever it was, it was probably thinking, right, okay, we've got to redo Wolverine. We've got to bring this Wolverine in and Ryan Reynolds gone. Oh, let me just bring Hugh Jackman in for one more. He then does that performance and Kevin. Well, yeah, it has to be Hugh Jackman. Oh, yeah. No one else can play it. No one else can play Wolverine. There's probably I like the obviously there's the Henry Cavill, probably the Alpha. Yeah, I did see when it was kind of like, being filmed and, you know, trailers, you know, when like people look in trailers for like certain like Easter eggs and stuff, the Wolverine that wore like, the white suit and the the the eyepatch. I don't I don't know a lot about Marvel Wolverine know, so apologies. But I saw a lot of people go, oh, that's I think that's Daniel Radcliffe, because I think a lot of people wanted to see him as a a variant of Wolverine, which I think I would have quite liked to have seen potentially a little bit in that. Is that it was Hugh Jackman playing, obviously most 95% of the Barrett Wolverines, apart from the cavalry, the cap, which I think is brilliant. Yeah, I guess I think it would have been quite funny to have seen other actors play that Wolverine character. I realize that's not Hugh Jackman. Yeah, I would have liked to as well. They didn't comment on it because obviously they he comments a lot on Calvary and he's like, oh my God, yeah, we treat you better. If it was Daniel Radcliffe at the table just to have been like, oh, you look different. And then him kill him or something like that. Yeah. Or even funny and make Daniel Radcliffe the short King version. The short? Yeah. This joke is, And, you know, I'll keep going through them. I'll save one till last. But, obviously you mentioned the first omen. Small two got quite well received. Yeah. Stick with me for, I have, not seen it. Third one. I didn't mind the third one. I've not. Yeah, the fourth one is the one. Pants improve off actor. Yeah. I've used bad boys for. Yeah. Bad boys for life. Sorry. Seem to resonate well with audiences as well. I guess of that trilogy. It seems to be redefining what we can expect from the action genre, which is exciting. And venom, the most recent venom is was marketed as well marketed, received as a very nice send off. Yes. And terrify three is its own thing. Well. And Ghostbusters, I completely forgot that was a Ghostbusters film this year. Frozen Empire. Yeah. I didn't enjoy it. I think that's enough. Yeah. Okay. I do have a comment about sequels as a whole and why I think that popular. I will can we will finish with that then. Okay. That's okay, because I know you saw Joker Folie do. Yes. Which you you are bringing up all the films that make it hot Fairy, which is a film that you saw and you had very strong feelings. I was angry about that film and yeah. What you want? What do you want? I just wanted to see reaction. I just want a reaction from, you know, in terms of obviously sequels this year. What, what were you going to end? How with. So I was going to say, like, I think that the reason sequels and prequels and live action remakes are so popular is because there are two reasons. One, we live in an age where there is so much content, so much fucking content, like the amount that you can watch. And that's including like YouTube, Netflix, blockbuster releases, all that kind of stuff. There is. So much out there. Yeah. So that's one reason. And then the second thing is money. Everybody's pension or economic, stability is is hard to come by nowadays. You combine those two and you kind of see why people will gravitate to these films that they know at least have a core that they will enjoy. They'll have something which is like, oh, I can recognize that. So there's more of a likelihood I'll enjoy it even if it's not a great film, I'll still enjoy seeing these characters again. Yeah, it's like comfort, you know, when you go back to that same TV show, when you watch it. Yeah. The same. Yeah. Like there's another part and that's part of the job. But like friends, for example. Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean. You, you're going into Deadpool and Wolverine. You know what you get. You know, you get in that Deadpool fourth wall breaking. I wonder what you're going to say about Disney kind of thing. You're like, yeah, but then here's a film with a brand new actor, and it's from a director you've never seen before, and it's about just a random life thing. Like, for example, there was a film that came out called How to Have Sex, which is about, I think it's about like a teenage coming into age. This actress goes and is in Ibiza, and that's all I know about the film. But it was very well received, but no one saw it because that is such. That's more of a risk for an audience member. Well, I think you could argue as well marketing is huge. It will play a huge part because, you know, we take that, a, a director you've never heard of or whatever it was. You know, Oz Perkins did Long Legs. Now, that film was very much marketed as the scariest film you'll ever watch in your life. Now, it wasn't. It was. It was scary. Don't get me wrong. They were parts, but it wasn't the scariest film I've ever seen in my life. But the marketed as you hear this Nic Cage laugh, you never see his face in the trailers or any marketing. You see some eyes you might cut away very quickly if his hair is over his face, but that's it. That's all you get. Well marketing perfection I think that film was I will say that's because of Nic Cage though, because he refused to have himself in the marketing. He said I don't want it in a different way. And so they had to, but that I saw I think if you get any other actor in that role and did that kind of marketing, I still think it would have been as received as it would have. Yeah, no, I'm not saying like it's just Nic Cage. No, no. The decision from the actor to take himself out the marketing. Yeah, was was brilliant. It was a masterclass. And then, you know, I mean, you have Michael Monroe who's still a fucking masterclass in their own, but it's Nic Cage doing a performance. You've never really seen him do that. That is a marketing pull in of its own. And yet he was like, no, you can't have that power and took it away. And it was such good marketing. Yeah, really really good. Mark. So good. I think I'd like to pause for a moment. Okay. To basically just very quickly, make mention of there's been some actors that have passed away this year, 2024 had a bit of an In Memoriam section because, James Earl Jones now. But those that obviously are getting to know me more through this podcast, you will know the Am Star Wars nerd. And when that episode, I don't care if it is Aaron's episode, we're out May the 4th. Oh, that is more I'm taking up because you will be getting a Star Wars themed episode. That at that time, I'm stars nerd. You are a massive nerd. Massive Star Wars nerd. Thank you very much. My desk at work has Star Wars, memorabilia on it, and I've got lots of lightsabers at home, but I'm not going to get too much into that. James Earl Jones passed away. It was quite a big one. I know the man was 90. Lived. Well, I think he's just over 90. Lived the, the great life. And that voice, is iconic. Yeah, iconic. Like, whether it was, you know, biggest villain in movie history with asthma. The face or, you know, Mufasa, for example. Obviously, I think he's in this. I don't think he is. I thought he recorded a few lines for it maybe. Yeah. I'm sure when the cast came out, I'm sure he was, but I, he might be narrating it. Maybe. But I've seen the actor who takes it and he was talking about how he paid homage to that, like taking on that role. So maybe takes years to maybe plays a young version. And then the older version is James Earl Jones. Maybe it's like that, I don't know. We haven't seen the film. We we might see the film. We'll see. I will see the film. No, I know, so when I, I'll be, I'll be sat next year watching it. I don't know why we're saying we're not going to see it. This content. So obviously James Earl Jones for me was a big loss. Yeah, I was Darth Vader was just one of the most iconic, not even, like movie villains. He's just one of the most iconic cars of all time. And James Earl Jones is 90% of the reason for that. And in the wizarding world, that is obviously, Harry Potter. Maggie Smith, yeah, as well, was quite big. That one sucked. That one. Yeah. And again, lived a full life, Jane. And it was. I didn't really like when she died. I didn't actually quite realize. Oh, she was, I don't want to say like, oh, she was old, you know? I mean, no, you. I was surprised at the I, her age, I was. Oh, okay. Yeah, she's. I think I was surprised at how long she'd been in the industry. Like, she she won an Oscar. Like, what can I say? Years pass on my stuff like that where I was like, oh, shit. She. She was actually a staple of the industry for a lot longer than I think most people realize, because it was just Downton Abbey and Harry Potter there and then, and we didn't really see her in anything else apart from that. I want to see her more. I want to go back and watch her Oscar film. I'd love to go. Yeah, I'd love to go back and see her, you know, in the 50s and 60s just to. Yeah. No. Yeah. I think it would be spreading. As she say, she's very much Harry Potter I think for a lot of fans. Yeah. Professor McGonagall was just I mean, she was phenomenal in that role. Yeah, she made that role. And obviously in Downton Abbey she say. But yeah, I'd like to. Her dying is almost made me feel like, you know what? Yeah. I want to go back. Yeah. And, revisit her roles. And Shelley Duvall was number one as well. The shining. Yeah. Where she was put through absolute hell and she didn't exactly. And obviously she didn't exactly recover very well. I don't know, from, from that experience. And I know she, she lived in a bit of a tough, towards the end of her life, but that the his journey is not as effective without her cradling in the corner with that knife. Yeah. Just just screaming. And her bat and that bat when he's coming up the stairs or. I mean, she played that so well, I just look tired. I mean, yeah, the Stanley Kubrick put her through how he did the pitch, got a performance out of her, which, you know, that's what he'll say. But it ruined her life. Yeah, I like I think it's such an example of taking it too far to get quote unquote, the performance, because I think as a director, there's no trust in your actors that to give you the performance, you feel like you have to force out of them, fuck off. I ask someone else if you don't trust them, like, don't be a dick. And Tony Todd was another one as well. Oh my God, that one. That one hit me harder than I expected. I was like, oh, she took me by surprise. That took me by surprise. Didn't realize he was ill. Like, yeah, I mean, again, another actor whose voice is just iconic, you know him and he is Candyman. And then, Final Destination. Yeah, he was in Find This Nation and his voice and, like, his gravitas and all of that, like, oh, he's so good. Yeah, yeah, I that one downside to that was a show I was sucked. I mean, they also I mean I mean yeah. So this is in memoriam subs sucks. Well and another one as well was Carl Weathers. Oh I didn't when I was doing this piece, for the podcast, I saw, Apollo Creed. Fuck, yeah. Yeah. And, and, one half the most masculine handshake in film history. You son of a bitch. Yeah. That is, that is definitely the most masculine. Is at the end of your In Memoriam. Have you got anyone else? Because there's one I'm surprised you haven't mentioned. So I, did mention, I've got, like, Bernard Hill, obviously Lord of the rings. Yeah. Donald Sutherland as well. I don't have this kind of new heart. Oh, I wanted to mention a TV show. My apologies, but, no. Obviously very renowned actor, but obviously I've got. No, I'm. I'm. Oh, because I forgot he'd gone as well. Yeah. He died. I'm sorry. I love in the Big Bang theory way place that he was. He was funny. Also an elf. He was great. Oh, elf. Yes, of course he was. Yes. Christmas fame. Yeah. Going to bring it back in the In Memoriam. Oh, yeah. It's Christmas. Who have I missed? Jim Abrahams. Oh. Was it? Yes. He nike.com. And you have paid direct. Yeah. Yeah, that would have been like one of your first. I, I, I don't want to sound like, I didn't forget he died. I think I was so focused on, like, the actors. Yeah. Like that for. Oh my sucked. When he died, I was at work and I got the. No, I'm not laughing at the death of laughing at. You're like. You're just an expressive emotion. Yeah. You back. Oh, I feel like doing it. And by the way, I do want to apologize. I'm such an unserious person, so doing an In Memoriam section is hard because, like, I want to pay respect to these people who are fucking masters at their craft. Absolutely. But I have such an inherent need to make jokes. Oh, no. I'm so sorry, I can. I'm with you. I just thought it would just. It would be a nice little. Also pause. Just because, as I say, like, you know, Donald Sutherland didn't really show me it was looking through muscle. Oh, God. 2024 is a long year. It was a long year. Yeah, it was fucking Christ. But best way. Let's let's take serious for a moment. Best way to honor all of these people. Go watch film of each of us. Watch this. Now, you haven't seen as well. I'll tell you why. If you want a film that you haven't seen of James Earl Jones, go watch. Click, click. Oh my. What isn't click isn't click. Yeah. Go watch a film of theirs and just honor that. Honor them. And and yeah, I think that's a nice way to just pay tribute. I mean, so I think so 2024 there's an interesting BBC article, that, I had read and it's called how LGBT Stories Got Real in 2024 yields. Which led me to, you know what I want to make mention of 2024, you know, queer stories because there was, you know, it was a lot of representation this year. I think, with that and obviously, as you mentioned, you know, member of the community, I'd like to obviously speak to you more about how you felt that representation representation came in 2024 and, you know, your favorite films of, of of that. Yeah. So you've got a list of queer films, haven't you? I might have, may I read a few down? Obviously I know you mentioned my old ass, and cast a few episodes ago. Yeah. And obviously we got the new Daniel Craig film. Well, yeah. Out. And, I saw the TV glow, which I know you might mention to a little bit in the podcast. Love Lies Bleeding was another one, which was very, very well received. Us about each of these films is how they, they portray a different aspect of the queer experience. Yeah. So love lies bleeding, not a lesbian relationship. That's pretty clear cut of what that is. Oh, yes. Yeah. My old ass is about someone who thinks they're a lesbian and discovers that they could actually be bisexual. Sorry. Spoiler a little bit, but I love that they. That kind of got a bit of dick in the latter box reviews, but I loved it because I was like, we always have these stories about straight people, quote unquote, figuring out that they're actually gay. It can go the other way, you know? And I think that's that's fine. Yeah. You know, and it's nice to see that representation because that can happen as well. The, I saw a TV guy, obviously trans experience is brilliant to see that. Also cuckoo having a trans actor. I was just about to say Hunter Schafer being the lead in that and then seeing her as well in, kind of kindness as well. That's great. Oh, yes. You know, like, it doesn't have to be just about the films being about queer experiences, but also seeing queer actors in such a forefront of, the industry is phenomenal. A film which isn't on your list, but did feature a queer character. We live in time. Oh, I tell you what, just it's so subtle. They don't even really talk about it. Florence Pugh's character is by. Yeah. And she talks about her previous partner, who's a who's a woman. I need to talk about it in the same way that Andrew Goff, who's character, talks about his ex-wife, they just talk about it as if it's a character, why they broke up and just and it's so love or is like, they broke up because she didn't want kids and her partner did. And so they broke up. And that's so normal and heteronormative. But say it was really nice to see. And that's what I that's what I think is so I'm not a part of community, but, I'm a yeah, a member. He's got his fists. I got my fists up to you. I mean, like, I got you, you know, I've got you. I got you. And I just think as a, from a representation point of view, that the, the way when it's kind of given to you in a completely natural construct. Yeah. Not, you know, this character. Oh, you know, these characters, guy or this characters. It's, as you say, like with the Florence Pugh conversation. I love subtlety in stuff like that. Just in film in general, like normalization. Yeah, it's not an obvious conversation. It wasn't done in a oh, she's gay. It was just done in a, as you say, you just forget that. Oh yeah. You don't even think about it. No. Because like you see Andrew Goff, those character pick up this photo frame of her and this woman and you feel like he's going to be like, are you gay. He doesn't. He just kind of looks around and she goes, oh, that's this person. And then that is left. And then later on they have that conversation. But at no point does he question if she's straight, bisexual or gay. They just go with it. It's great. It's fucking awesome. I love that representation. I thought it was really, really good. Good. And of course, as usual, Charlotte Florence Pugh Florence Pugh yeah. I didn't put her on my list of my favorite actresses, currently, right now, because you put me on the spot, like, you play me. Lana, you can decide to keep this in, but, Lana made that interesting admission of the last episode we did, where she. You can tell the episodes where I'm put on the spot compared to the episodes that I know what's coming, because, she says I'm much better when I know what's coming up. To be fair, like you've, I wanted. I've even noticed it through this episode. You are so fluent. You are so together. And it's because I don't know if you can hear the papers rustling. Audience. He has a fucking pad in front of him, which is reading off. Apologies if that is coming off. And I want you to listen to this, and then I want you to listen to next week's episode and hear the difference. And also back to back recording. I'm dying. I might make it to next episode. That's convenient. No, I just wrote down. I'm not remembering all these bloody films about this. I there's something. But now I thought, and obviously if everyone you know did. The article was called how LGBT Stories Got Real in 2024. You find it on the BBC, culture website. Give it a read. It's really opened your eyes a bit and it's just very what I love that we're seeing is you we we've had queer stories in the past, but they've always been these cult classic films, you know, like, Blue Is the Warmest Color and and stuff like that. And then you had to Call Me By Your Name, which just rocketed in as a blockbuster and did so well. Yeah. And since then, we've seen a real uprise of these films becoming so much more mainstream. And I love that we're telling these stories because, you know, in the same way that we have, directors and writers like Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler, telling these, nonwhite stories to put it as a really big fucking on subsection, but not to minimize it. But we're seeing these stories come from other communities other than the white man and the white woman, to an extent. And I love that we are seeing not just queer representation, but representation. Yeah, I agree, that's a lovely, lovely way. Oh no, I didn't. What I want to do, I want to talk about I, I film a film style, I guess you can call it, that's very close to my heart is obviously animation as a father. As a father, but also as just someone that loves animation. I mean, like, the Oscars in the Academy seem to have a bit of a Pixar fetish. You know, I say is that is that no matter what films are out, if a Pixar films come out, that's going to win Best Picture. Now, I don't by any means want to diminish Inside Out, too, because I think it was I think is again, very good. I don't think as good as the first one, but it's a strong showing. I think it was funny. I think it was heartfelt and it was Pixar. It, you know, we all know what you get. Maybe not recently, but the wall robot. For me, I would be surprised and it hasn't happened often in animation films where it's nominated for Best Animation and Best Feature. I think up did it. Yeah, because they they expanded the, the amount of films nominated for Best Picture from like 5 to 10 or something like that. I'm sure they did ten nominated on show night. It used to be like five and it got expanded to nine. I thought to eight or something, maybe like, oh, maybe that then. Yeah. But you saw you saw a double. So and I think up and I think beauty and the beast, the original was nominated for Best Picture or two. I know Toy Story might have been King y, but it's a good film. But like Oscar worthy, there's not many you don't get animation not calling for animations to be nominated, but I think The Wild Robot was so good that I'd love to see it as a Best Picture nominee, just in general. I think the animation style, I think the themes, I think everything acting, everything. Yeah, if, if, if inside out two beats, the Wild Robot is bullshit. It's a bit of a snob 100%. Obviously, you know, we mentioned Inside Out to, Moana two, typically four did you do you remember Megamind two came out this year? No, it is the lowest reviewed letterbox film of the year. We'll just say that, really? Yeah, yeah. Well, well, below them, I think there's obviously amount of hype is still. Oh, yeah. Shout outs. I'm Adam Webb this year that came out this year. Remember that the Kraven finishes the year. I think obviously Craven's still out. So it's still been it's been show. But now I just forgot Mega man two came out and I. Yeah, I didn't remember that battle. It's out. Well it's available. Oh I am I think was bad guys issue. No, no. Yeah. There's a bad guy coming out next year. Yeah. There's Garfield. Oh. Okay. Gotham came out and Transformers one which is a film. Yeah. Disappointed in myself darling consumer to watch. So it's we went to the cinema many times and in the cinema that we go to the majority of the time, there was always this big cardboard cutout you walked up the stairs of the Transformers one. But not once, I think. Did we go let's. That's the next one we saw off it. We were just like, oh yeah, it was like Transformers, though. Like Michael Bay ruined Transformers in my head. I just, I enjoy Bumblebee, I really I've seen it. See, I really enjoyed Bumblebee. I've not seen that dinosaur was of a dinosaur or whatever was cool. I'm disappointed I didn't go see Transformers one, so I know that's going to be the one that's out on. Yeah, streaming or whatever, but I'm 100% watching that, piece by piece, which was the, the oh my God, yeah, the Pharaoh and the Pharaoh. Williams. Yeah. True. Or or biopic, but oh, Lego. And a film that I do want to mention because I think technically it's out or I don't know if it's out. Yeah, I don't know, Flo, I didn't I wrote it down because I'm like, I'll remember if it's out. I think it's out in some countries. Oh, I see you're okay. But I don't think it's had a UK release. Yeah, I've gone against my UK thing. Sorry us friends, I contradict myself near the end. I think we're way stronger. That one I think is is in Oscar contention. Oscar contention as well. Yeah. I love animation. I think it's been a decent year for animation. I think. I think it's been a really good year for animation because I mean, like wild Robot alone. The fact that that came out and how it looks in the animation, all of that, I think is going to have such a knock on effect now. Yeah. And I'm really excited about it. Yeah, I really I'm based on that. So we're coming towards the end, I think, for this episode, and I put to you, little tests, no quizzes, no quizzes, but I do some things. I feel like you just want to vindicate the Christmas. No, no, no, no, because this is this. These are questions about you and your viewing a 2024. So I've gone through, obviously, your letterbox. Fucksake. I filtered it to films in 2024. And I want to. You have rated four films as one star. And so in 2018, 2024, released in 2020, release of 2024. Fuck. What was it? You okay? Rated four one star. Okay. Can you tell me what those were? Garfield's one. Garfield was one of them. Why? Real quick. Quick, why the quick why? Because it did a huge disservice to Garfield and was offensive to that character of Despicable Me for. No, no, that was Mr. Bean. Higher. What else have I rated? One star. Oh, Joker. Joke to joke two. Quick. Why? Again, a disservice to the Harlequin character and doubles down on the incel, ideology. Fuck me. What films will I watch that one star. Good lord. We mentioned one of them, Richie, at the start. Yeah. Oh, the one star. It's, it was, just a big advertisement for his daughter and made me not want to listen to her, ironically, because of what he did. Not so. Yeah. And the last film you write, if one star I need, like, a clue or something here. It was horror. I think you walked out of it. Oh, my God, did I. Oh, my God, what film was it? I think you told me you walked out of it. You didn't walk out of it. I think you wanted to. No, no, no, it was the one with Russell Crowe. Yes, it was the one. It was, it was called, like The Exorcist. Exorcism, sexism. Yet that film, you can't even remember it, right? One star, which tells me all I think I need to know about it. That film was so boring. Yeah, and, oh, my God, Russell Crowe, what have you done with just my like. That was my whole vibe the entire time. You write it on Letter box three films, 4 or 5. Shebang oh five stars. The substance, Deadpool and Wolverine and they're still tomorrow. Oh, those are the. Those are all five stars. Oh, no. No. Yeah, the other whatever. So the substance is Deadpool. Yes. Correct. But in terms of 2024, I don't know if that last one was released in 2023, but you watched it in 2024. But I filtered the date to release date 20. Okay, so there's Still Tomorrow was an Italian film. It had a UK release at 2024. I was just about to say, if we're doing it by letterbox. Interesting, because I might have. I did it just before I had a fourth. Did you, did the water bottle? No. Weatherwatch the. I'm happy to give you a clue. Do it. Let me in now. I read long legs as fast. Right? You're wrong. Next fall. So I have to change that. Okay. And you write it. Six films, four and a half. Oh, my. So I want you to see if you can name them. But also quickly, I want you to tell me why. Why missed at half staff. It to the world. Robot is one of them. While robot was four and a half. Why did that, miss? I think the pacing was a bit off for me. Just a touch off where I was like, I'm not fully in that as much, as I want to be. Okay? Like, I think we got to him leaving too early. Yeah, yeah, that's that's basically why. Fuck me. I cannot remember the rest. Okay, whatever. What? I mean, I'm happy to tell you. Okay. I, me. Yeah. I'll give you the heart. So civil war, it, it was more I think that was a marketing thing. So it was more marketed as a war film, and it was more about the journalism, which I loved when I was watching it. But I was like, I was expecting something different when I went to White Place. Day one. Fuck, what? Did I not get that far? So that's crazy. Oh my. I have a bit of a retro I might have to break down. Yeah, okay. We live in time again. The pacing. I mean, like, they told that film in a very non-linear way, which I respected. But for me, I was there was some times where I was a bit like, I don't, I don't know where we are. Yeah. Speak no evil. Yeah. I speak no evil. Just like it wasn't a bad film. There was nothing wrong with it, but it didn't feel like a five star film. It didn't feel like a hit that caliber for me. And a complete surprise on mine. And your list? I think of how much we enjoyed this kneecap. Oh, I was film. Oh. For film. Nick, I was I give up four and a half. I think, that would be in retrospect as well, because I'm struggling to find a a reason. I didn't like that. That was such a good film. That was. I took me completely by surprise, that film. I agree, that was a mystery film that we went to watch. And it was it was so good. Yeah, I highly recommend that one. Yes, I do too. Yeah, I really, really good. Me so obviously I started using letterbox quite late in the, when you met me, I think. Yes. Yeah, it was pretty much. And, although I met you early in the year, a one star films track for me. Yeah. I've said all I need to say about track. Yeah. Five star was the wall robot for me. Upset. All I need to say. You are so much more stingy with your five stars than I am. I am. Yeah, I've noticed I've noticed, but I. It needs to hit me and I need to come out of it because I try not to write my films straight away. I need to sleep on it. That's why I gave conclave an extra, because I slept and I looked back, I was fine, I think I'm quite emotional when I come out of it. Yeah, I need to settle and I want to settle and not talk about it. I'm like, oh yeah, no, that was good. Yeah. Or. Yeah. Oh no, that was, that wasn't good. And yeah, the wild robot was the only five star I gave this year. Well that's right. So here's the thing. Hit me. Thing is, that litter box told me that this film was released in 2023, or at least 2023, or at least 2024. Okay. In the UK anyway. And I'll come to it in a second. What what cliffhanger was that? I'll tell you in a second. My four and a half, according to letter box 2024 was Speak No Evil. I think it got a tiny bit predictable towards the end. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I took just a tiny bit more, on Deadpool. Wolverine? I just, I don't know, that might be another retrospect for me. I think I, I think that might have been in another emotional kind of like I came out of it like, I don't think I want to write it five stars. But now I'm looking back. I think, you know, I think I'm gonna write a five star, any film that can make me emotional during a Madonna song. Well, I didn't know what that song was about. Yes, I just I was going to say, yes. It's very. When you listen to the lyrics and you listen to the lyrics. Listen. You. Yeah. And Deadpool made me care about that song. Yeah. Like I hear that song now, and I genuinely do tear up a little bit. I'm like, oh my God, that's so emotional. And then I was watching the choir version of it that, yeah, the Choral Guardian. I watched, everything great about that film, which shout out to cinema wins on YouTube if you haven't seen him. Fucking awesome. And he mentioned what that song is about, and I was I'm my world view. I was like, are you joking when not? But when you then read back the news, you're like, oh yeah, it's like playing in my head. And I was like, I'm on my knees. It's like, you know what I want? I want to end with as we do, as is I, I was the five star. That was 20, 23. But oh, I'll say in second place playing the second, I don't I want to end with, your top four of 2024. Yeah. Do this we do Christmas top for Christmas top for this. Top four. With that very box. But we love letter box. Follow us on there. I said it again. Woop! All right. Top four 2024. Go in chronological. Please go from 43 to 1. That's not chronological, you fucking deacon. Logical. Okay, so at number four, number four is the hardest one. And you've given me that. You. Fuck. Yeah. Being put on the spot I'm on is put in long legs. There. Even I read that five star. I'm not putting long legs on my top four because I think I need that a retrospective maybe down. No, no, I just think I need to put some respect on the wall. The robot. I think what that's going to potentially and hopefully do for animation, I think is really exciting. I think it's in the parallels, like across the Spider-Verse and into the Spider-Verse, and I think that, like, we're seeing really cool animation come out and yeah, so that's number four for me. Number three, I'm going to put there still tomorrow. I don't know how to say in Italian, but that is an Italian film and is so underrated and like is a beautiful feminist film and deals with really taboo subjects, really hard subjects, in a really interesting way. I recommend that one. Get over the subtitles, guys. It's just fine. Just just read the fucking stop moaning about subtitles. Actually, number two is Deadpool and Wolverine. I mean, like, I have no qualms putting the Deadpool film on top of the 2020, for sure. You like what you like that film? The the narrative of the themes, how it dealt with the characters, the comedy of everything. It was just so well done. Shout out to Ryan Reynolds for being a fucking powerhouse, because he wrote that as well. And he produced and he acted. Yeah, it's just great. And then my top one comes as no surprise, I'm sure is the substance, which is a again, a really I've put two very feminist films in my top four. There's, there's still tomorrow. And then there's the substance. And then to counteract that, I've put Deadpool in there. Apparently there we are. But the substance deals with these feminist issues in such a different way, but still in a very poignant way. I feel like there's Still Tomorrow is like a scalpel with its messaging. The substance is a sledgehammer. It just rocks you over the head with it. It does? Yeah. It does. My word. I want to hit you. Might. I forgot chronological. I did this beforehand. And now I'm looking at it going. I don't know if I changed my mind. You had prep time. I had plenty of prep time for this. Now, number four is alien Romulus. Wow. Okay, I really I really enjoyed it. I just the I say the final the final half hour, 45 minutes is just you hold onto your seat like this is really, really, really good. And I think the performances as well by the, by the lead actress and forgive me, I can't remember her name. Hey, Kelly. Speeding. How you speeding? Yeah. Like a Final Woman esque performance there. Yeah. And it's all. Yeah, it's it's very, very good. It was very good. Yeah, I agree, my number three threes, long legs. Okay. Because Nick cage just made me I sing let me in now literally once a day in my head. Yeah. That scene and I will never forget. Never forget that jump scare of her looking at the pictures of. Yes, that in itself. But it the lingering. I just thought. Yeah, yeah. Number two. Number two is hitman. You know what? I read that five stars. I write him in five star. It's 20. It was a 20. That's why I was really. It's not 2023. No, it is in America. It was. I looked it up. It was released in. It was released in like America every September. But like it was UK. Motherfucker. You know what though? But no flicks Netflix in obviously in the UK was released in June. I think it was or whatever it was. Yeah. I loved how it's amazing and I hope he gets some nods for some acting. For that film. Me too. It's sexy as hell. Yeah. I'm I'm not someone who normally like sexy films. Like I did sex in films. I'm kind of like a, you know, I'm not really into it, but that film I think I was all for. I think it's him, the chemistry he has with every woman he touches on screen. I don't know, but he has such chemistry and the, the. I think he really made me believe that he could play this nerd at, like, this teacher this this, you know, professor, whoever he is. But then as a side job, but this kind of, like, disguises every time. And then obviously, you see him get but sexier throughout the throughout the film, even, like, there's even a throwaway comment. But one of the teachers guys, I went to take it. Oh, yeah. And I had and the performances and it's tense, you know, as it's a lot more tense. And the scene where he's trying to get the, confession, I use quotation marks out of her, you know, where. But he's written on the phone saying, you know, tell me to call college. I love that scene. I just think it's so funny. And the the acting between them two is the exact chemistry I think is really what makes that film work so well. And that's my number two play by play respect and the wild robots. But, I've said enough. I think I've said everything I need to say about it. I really love it. Yeah, the wardrobe, I if it doesn't, I want it to win at least best Animated Feature. If it doesn't, because it's the it's the Pixar fetish. Yeah, but it's like when Klaus lost to Toy Story four. Fucking piss me off as well. I hope you have enjoyed our complete, you know re review and very, very like Quick Fire 2024 review. You know, like we can't really I would love to sit here for like four hours and I want to I know this films I've missed like a Nora. I know that it's grown a lot or. Yes got Oscar, you know, for, you know, for Mikey, Madison. Yeah. You know, she's a powerhouse in that film. You know, I've seen, you know, I've seen some clips, I've seen interviews of her talking about it as well, and I just, I mean, if she doesn't get nominations. Yeah. You know, and I know this films, I know this films that we've missed. Oh, frosty. Another Oscar contender. Let's be honest. I mean, I just I think we can carry on. So I mean, that's the thing, but I, we have to come to an end because that was very much that was a, it was a Hollywood Scarlett's review of 2024, obviously, you are going to have your own review of 2024 and we'd love to hear them. So, you know, I'd love to we're going to end it there. You know, we finally had a lovely, lovely Christmas. And we wish you a very, very, a very happy New Year. Please follow us on blue Sky. On I'm going to say Twitter. Just follow us on Twitter. It I know what else on Twitter. Please follow us on letterbox. Sam up. Is myself and orange Duke yourself. Follow us on TikTok because I think we're going to definitely get some content on this. Yeah. So just to give you guys a heads up on that, the plan going into 2025 is that I feel like these past six weeks, we've really been just kind of testing this a little bit, kind of putting ourselves in this and being like, do we enjoy it? Is it something we want to do? I think we're both very excited about it. And so I think 2025, we're going to really start treating this more seriously and like having a content schedule and all this kind of stuff. And so you're going to see more from us on other platforms and definitely oh no, I echo everything Irish just said that. I think, TikTok is very much if you want to see more of us in the moment, like when we go watch films, that kind of our initial reviews and, you know, we've got I've got some ideas, I've got some ideas. So, you know, give us a follow on there and, you know, get ready to see more Hollywood Scarlets. Thank you very much for listening. Next week you have a 20, 25, 25, 25 oh 75 2025. Keep that it. You're going to have a 2025, preview of everything that we are looking forward to. Yeah, looking forward to that. Yeah. I'm, it's my episode, and I've got a plan for it. I'm very excited about it. And, I mean, here's hoping in general that not just in film, but in, in every sense, 2025 is better. Yes, yes. Absolutely. Echo that. Spotify, Apple. That's where you'll find us. Yeah. Thank you very, very much for listening. Happy new year. Happy new year. I don't know why I said it like that, but I did. Well, Sean Connery at the end and right there, cut.