Our first episode recorded together in 2021. A pair of films now Oscar-nominated, both centring on protagonists searching for purpose and meaning in their lives, linked also by their passion for music.
Riz Ahmed stars as Ruben in Darius Marder's Sound of Metal on Amazon Prime. Ruben, a drummer in a metal band, he struggles to come to terms with a sudden sharp decline in his hearing. We discuss its deaf representation, the original story idea, impressive sound design, nuanced performances and unlikeable characters.
Jamie Foxx stars as Joe, a music teacher turned wayward soul eager to return to his life on Earth with the help of fellow soul, Tina Fey's cynical 22 in Pete Docter & Kemp Powers' Soul from Disney Pixar. We talk about the core message, depression, the POC transformation trope, design influences and the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Finally, we share brief thoughts on John Lee Hancock's The Little Things, starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto. While underwhelmed by the film, we love the WarnerMedia HBO Max deal bringing its 2021 film slate to streaming concurrently to cinema releases in the wake of the pandemic.
Sound of Metal (2020) (07:58)
[ Amazon Prime ]
Soul (2021) (43:15)
[ Disney+ | Disc | Digital ]
The Little Things (2021) (1:01:20)
[ Cinemas | WarnerMedia HBO Max deal ]
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