#89 Crossing The Streams Xmas Movie Binge Recommendations (Bonus Ep4)

CTS Announcer 0:01

Looking for your next TV show or movie to binge? Well buckle up, grab the remote and settle into your couch for this special edition of crossing the streams. We're here to help you tune in and get the most out of those 50 monthly streaming channels you're currently paying for. So without any further ado, here's your host of crossing the streams. Jeff Dwoskin

Jeff Dwoskin 0:29

Hey everyone, it's Jeff Dwoskin. Your host welcome to this special edition of live from Detroit the Jeff Dwoskin show crossing the streams bonus episode. What is crossing the streams? Well, first, it's a live show we do every Wednesday at 9:30pm. Eastern time. You're welcome to join us live on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook and fireside join us live chat along come on stage with us talk about the shows we're talking about. It's super fun and exciting. crossing the streams exists to give you so many TV shows and movies to bench that it appeals up all the time you have in the world except to listen to this show to learn more suggestions that you should be watching. It's a cycle that we have created in your lives and we're glad to be a part of it. All the bonus episodes brought to you in podcast format includes segments from the live shows throughout the run of the show. These bonus episodes are samplings of the live show itself. Today's bonus episode is Christmas related. With Christmas right around the corner. We thought you could use a few awesome suggestions. Episode Four of crossing the streams you can find on YouTube as a full hour of Christmas movie suggestions. We're going to cover three in this episode elf my dad's Christmas date and California Christmas. So get ready for some Christmas cheer as we turn it over to Sal de millio Sal's going to talk to us about my dad's Christmas date originally aired and episode 51. Take it away Sal. All right, well, let's get to another one. Sal is known mostly for

Sal Demilio 2:07

funny guy biographies.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:10

Usually Italian people buy that but is dedicated himself to Christmas movies for the month of December. The first one that he's going to showcase is my dad's Christmas dates, starring the amazing Jeremy pivot. Who's Jewish by the way, but I take it away.

Sal Demilio 2:34

I'm a big Jeremy stretching as an actor.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:37

I guess Jews can have a date on Christmas

Jennifer Fishkind 2:45

a Lifetime movie?

Sal Demilio 2:46

No, it is not is a Netflix movie. But it's a long those similar lines. It's a I first of all, unlike Ron, I don't get these murder documentaries sent to me on Christmas, you know, joyous Christmas movies. So anyway, I thought I'd choose choose this one. And here's the backstory on it. It stars obviously, Jeremy pivot, he plays a father named David, his daughter, his name is Jules. And unfortunately, they're his wife that her mother was killed in a car accident a couple of years before. They don't ever show any of that they don't deal with that. So it's kind of cool in that part. Now they have to live without his wife and her mother. And the movie is really about her trying to find him a date or another date along the lines have wife. But in the other realm, it's also about their relationship together, that they're trying to build it up the mother around anymore. So anyway, that's how it's kind of built up and starts really good back and forth. With Jeremy and her name is Olivia Barrett. She's from London. And she's a great actress. Um, there's a lot of scenes in this where they kind of remember his wife and their mother and stuff. So they've got to do some emotional acting, but they're both really, really good at it. There's also some great scenes where she's trying to cheat basically goes on a dating app and builds a profile for him without him knowing. And she starts communicating with all these girls and they'll show the girls on the on the screen and stuff, which I think it's kind of cool. It's like a built in episode of The Bachelor some during the movie, so that was cool. But anyway, they go on date. Now here's the part that's unbelievable. Like she sets him up on a date in like, Art Museum. She's with him and then you know, she ends up meet her in the art museum. And they just start communicating, but they never bring up how they met. She's like David, he she knew his name. And so I thought that was kind of like unbelievable. Like they never brought up the fact that he didn't build the profile on the dating app. So I thought that was not believable but whatever. It's so anyway, after a few dates like that, there's some moments in there with like, you know, father daughter moments like, there's a scene where she's going to try to set him up on a date on one of her dates that they're having. But she wants to dress him. So he goes to his closet, like he goes to his closet to get ready in the morning, whatever. And there's no clothes in his closet. He's like, jewels. You know, he calls her Naima. And by the way, he plays a great part, but he has a little bit of the army gold and in this in this, obviously a toned down already gold, but he does play a that kind of character. And anyway, he yells out jewels, you know, like, where's my clothes that she's like, Oh, I throw out the laundry, you know, and he's like, every one of them, you know. So she has a outfit for him on the bed. And she's kind of like dressing them up. And she's kind of it's that kind of movie where the daughter is trying to set up the dad on dates. And so there's a lot of that. There's a lot of like I said emotional parts with them, acting kind of emotional about the loss of their mother with very, very fun, funny banter. After that, I thought they work very, very well together. It's, you know, like one of those cheesy Christmas movies very short. It's like an hour and 15 minutes long. I won't say at the end. But she has this big ending where she sings in a choir and one of the dates that she sets up is at the at the church that day to listen to them to listen to her sing and beat for dead. And there's a moment where you see that but you don't know where that what that you know where that goes to. And then the last scene is them kind of dancing in a park kind of reigniting their relationship after the loss of their mother so you don't really know what happens with maybe they're looking for part two who knows maybe it'll be maybe it'll be Hanukkah, maybe you'll get your Chris your wish, chap and he'll do a Hanukkah movie, sharing pivot. But anyway, good movie, I get it for tomato sauce jars or tomato sauce jar. To me. I think it's something worth seeing if you have a Netflix account. And if you're looking for, you know, kind of like a little bit of comedy, a little bit of romance. A little bit of sappiness. Little bit of funny, you know, just a good movie and Jeremy Pepin, if you're a Jeremy Pippin fan, you're going to get the Jeremy pivot quotes and his attitude and all that. So I think it's a good movie.

Ron Lippitt 7:18

Does he yell Lloyd at any point during while

Sal Demilio 7:20

he yells his daughter would be amazing. Correct in this in the same voice as Lloyd, you know,

Jeff Dwoskin 7:28

I have a question for the group for anyone is, in this scenario where the wife the mom dies, would it be normal for the child to act to actively try and get a new mom? I'm asking like in real life? I mean, would you have Yeah.

Howard Rosner 7:50

Yeah, it depends. Depends on how emotionally mature the daughter is at that point,

Jennifer Fishkind 7:57

like a common movie. Mo. I mean, that's like,

Jeff Dwoskin 8:01

your life. Life. Yeah,

Jennifer Fishkind 8:03

I think so.

Sal Demilio 8:06

Yeah. Eventually not.

Jeff Dwoskin 8:13

A horrific car crash.

Sal Demilio 8:15

Two years. Yeah. There's a lot of scenes with him kind of dealing with her and dating and stuff, because she's 17 In the movie. So there's a lot of that and Jerry, Jeremy Pippin, you know, having a hard time dealing with her dating habits and all that. So it's got a lot of that. And at the same time, it's got a lot of her trying to set him up. You know, so that actually, she's kind of sets him up because she wants a lot of his life or life a little bit, you know? Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin 8:43

So the question is in the search for a new mom, well, Jules, find her old dad. Yes, exactly.

Howard Rosner 8:50

Is that the tag? Yeah. Yeah. Mm

Jeff Dwoskin 8:55

hmm. Good googling the wiki page gender in the show. That's it's a sound.

Ron Lippitt 8:59

I got to be honest with you. I don't think there's a chance in how I'm ever going to watch this movie. This is like this. This sounds like so I wanted

Sal Demilio 9:07

to do it. Well, don't jump out of the window. Because maybe one day you're going to be on a Delta flight going somewhere, and it might come up and you might go you know what, I'm gonna watch this thing now because I'm 30,000 feet in the air and I have to,

Howard Rosner 9:20

and unfortunately for Ron and I, they've, they've removed The Big Short. Delta. Yeah.

Jennifer Fishkind 9:29

It would be really interesting to see what Netflix is recommending for each of you to see what the difference is.

Howard Rosner 9:36

Sorry, Jen. I'm reading Jerry's comment Jerry Jerry's right now. When my grandpa passed away, I put her up

Jeff Dwoskin 9:49

this, this is very exciting. So South thank you for bringing Thank you Sally. Time to the

Sal Demilio 9:58

guy just got a text from Jeremy pivot he said thank you for doing we thank you for

Howard Rosner 10:06

a little bit of our guilt

Jeff Dwoskin 10:08

man so

Howard Rosner 10:10

let's have our Guilty Pleasures sales Guilty Pleasures our hallmark lifetime

Jeff Dwoskin 10:16

right my

Howard Rosner 10:18

past saij films

Jeff Dwoskin 10:18

right all right i hope you enjoyed that Saudi millio has never met a Christmas movie he does not like you also heard Jen fish kind Ron lipid and myself mixed into the conversation there. If you check out my dad's Christmas Day, let us know on Twitter at Jeff Dwoskin show Tweet us give us your review. We do have another sal de millio classic recommendation coming up called California Christmas and just a bit, but I'm going to go first and talk about one of my favorite movies of all time, which also happens to be a Christmas movie The Will Ferrell classic elf. Let's get to one of the what I consider greatest holiday movies, if not movies of all time 2003 blessed us with what was soon to be a perennial classic that of elf. Elf is a story of buddy, who as a baby was in an orphanage and made his way into Santa sack, give sack Sal. And then he accidentally ends up at the elf pole at the North Pole. And then they decide not to return him and admit the air, which is a whole different thread we could discuss in another episode, but they decided to raise him as one of their own. And so that's Bob Newhart plays Papa elf, who his buddy's dad adopted dad in the movie, and when buddy is of age, and he accidentally over here some other elves elf saying if he doesn't always human by now ever figure it out. And so then buddy has this crisis. And then they let him know that he was born of two humans who one of lives in a magical city of New York. And then they give him a snow globe. So he knows what New York looks like. And then he is set off to to meet his father, who's James Caan, whose name is Walter and before leavings. Now keep in mind body is an elf working in Santa has Sanchez workshop, right? So he has his life. His Christmas, he loves Christmas. And so as he's leaving, Santa has to break it to him that his dad is on the naughty list, which breaks his heart which breaks his heart. So buddy somehow manages to make it all the way from the North Pole, through the candy cane forests and the Gumdrop all the way into the reach is through the Lincoln Tunnel and he finds his father and they reunite and then it's it's it's all this fun stuff that happens and he he happens into Gimbels department store and they just assume he works in the Christmas department because he's always dressed as an elf. And it's like when you watch the movie. It's there's a certain magic to this movie. Right? That is just like one Will Ferrell you there isn't a second in this movie that you don't believe Will Ferrell is is in love with Christmas the way he is it believes that smiling isn't his favorite and like he walks by a crappy diner and sees like a sign this is World's Greatest cup of coffee nice walks right

everybody and then later Zoey dashing out a blonde Zoey Deschanel later brunette and new girl. So a blonde singing Zoey plays a girl named Jovi. He later takes her on a date and one of the things he takes do you cut to the scene and she's blindfolded about this sip this crappy cup of coffee

Ronnie, and then you have, of course, the great ad as they're playing Santa Claus. And then this just so everyone can kind of put into context. I'm stepping aside from the movie for a second, but the director of this movie is Jon Favreau. Okay. Favourite not only in my opinion created the greatest Christmas movie of all time, but if you look at Jon Favreau Jon Favreau created Iron Man, right basically re brought to life Robert Downey Jr. His career right, ignited everything that we know of the 20 year MCU marvel marvel universe, and then recently with the Mandalorian, which we talked about in an earlier episode is The brainchild behind the whole storyline and concepts and direction of the Mandalorian literally single handedly with Dave Filoli family, excuse me for saying his name wrong, but brought back the magic of Star Wars and brought back Star Wars to what it was in its heyday. So I mean, this man is, is like one of the is just everything he touches his goal to be considered what I think is a national treasure. And so there's so many quotes from this movie. And one of the funniest things in this movie is Peter Dinklage is in this movie. And he plays miles Finch, and they bring him in to write a book, which is funny because they all work at a, they work at a books, they write books, they're, you know, the public, they're a publisher. And that's super, the two writers go to James Caan and their idea is to bring in another writer, he's like, my top writers best ideas to bring in another writer. So So miles Finch is in there, right? And he's pretty what it was. And everyone knows him from Game of Thrones, and he's one of the best actors in the world and bloody comes into the room. And buddy, you know, from buddy's point of view, and I when I was watching this movie yesterday, I found it interesting because there's buddy is calling Hey, oh, it's an owl from the North Pole. And, and Peter Dinklage, his character is hearing him being his, he hears being called an elf. So you have, you know, without buddy's intentions, he's like, oh, you know, did you know Sam, you know, like, and it's like, it's just interesting. Like, when you just think of any conversation, where you don't really understand where people are coming from how things can be taken so wrong. And that's why it's so funny too, is like, and then is like, Oh, you're an angry elf, and it's a crap auto. It's it's one of the best scenes of anything. And then Mary Steenburgen is in this and she's amazing. It's just, it's just, it's just really great. It's one of those movies that he just, I just I can we watch it as a family like every single year, the best Christmas present I've got is Casey Ryan plot. And he's convinced soon,

Ron Lippitt 17:15

it's okay. I'll just we love elf for all the reasons I think he just mentioned, Jeff, but I have to tell you, when we watch it as a family, the couple of scenes in the movie, where he adulterated his food with syrup, and or sugar. Some of those scenes are tough to watch. I have to be honest, because I can only believe that he actually did this in the shooting of the movie. It runs.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:39

I just I think if I'm dumb, don't take this wrong way. I just think it comes from a mis understanding of elf culture. And elf culture. I have four main food groups right Candy, candy cane, candy corns, syrup, and so of course, that's how he would he you know, so it's like, yeah, I don't want to say I feel bad for you for saying that I kind of do. So. I can't wait to hear see it again. And I can't I'm even wearing as a proud Jew my first Christmas sweater. But he didn't even do it. So yeah, it was it

Howard Rosner 18:30

is it's such a good movie. Japp it is. And you're right. It is so quotable. I know I mentioned at the beginning that there's there's five or six lines of that movie that my wife and I use with each other all all year long, not just around the holidays. The bug buddy hope you find your dad is one will say to each other. Every one of us is leaving the house. You know, I mentioned that we just just after watching the movie. Right after Thanksgiving, we got a Roomba for a new house. And we decided to name him Francisco. Because Francisco that's a fun thing to say is one of the great lights from the movie and it's just so quotable that the sad part of it is I read an interview with Jim's James Caan who said that the only reason they never made a sequel, because it's a movie that's begging for a sequel. The only reason they never made a sequel is that Will Ferrell and John fabro absolutely did not get along whatsoever. And that. Wow. Yeah, I just read it a couple of weeks ago. That's the only reason they didn't make it. Otherwise it would have been I mean, it's perfectly suited for a sequel.

Jeff Dwoskin 19:44

It's funny you bring that up because this is how much they must have hated each other. Will Ferrell was offered $29 billion to do a sequel. I don't know how you but that would take me six months to make 29 Totally, but yeah, so, so that was I yeah, I just love that one. I love that one. All right, that was me talking about elf. The best way to sum that up is the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear your love out as much as we do. Tweet us at Jeff Dwoskin show and let us know we've got one more Christmas suggestion for you today. Again, coming to you from Mr. Christmas himself sounds Emilio California Christmas movie that perhaps only Sal saw, but maybe hearing this will change that. I guess we're about to find out. Let's turn it over to Sal de millio and California Christmas. So the next one is an interesting choice I we're gonna go with and I hope this is I can't imagine there's more than one a California Christmas. I don't know. Well, it's a California Christmas. If this isn't the right one. You just tell us what it is.

Sal Demilio 21:09

I don't think it is. But that's all right. Um, my movie that I chose because you guys said that somebody was going to pick like a hallmark type movie, which none of you guys did. So I I did the duties of doing that. So I pick a movie that just came out a couple of weeks ago December 14 on Netflix. It's an original Netflix movie. It's called a California Christmas and when I first saw this title, I thought it was gonna be about all the citizens of California just watching Gavin Newsom eat it's a movie about a couple. They're good looking couple and their names are Josh Swigert, and Lawrence wicker they are a real life married couple that made a movie you guys. It's Wow, really? That's tough because I know some married couples that can't put an Ikea chair together. And these people made a movie together so produced by a guy named Ali out Shar. And if you don't know that guy's name, he produced a he's just not that into you. Which I liked that movie. Yeah, that's anyway. Yeah, it's good movie. So anyway, this is a real life couple that made this movie. And it's basically it's it's the typical, you know, romantic comedy. This guy shark's Wickard. His name is Joseph in the movie. His mother owns a big commercial real estate company in LA and he has to go to Northern California and buy this lady's cow Ranch, but she has like an old wine vineyard that her dad had years ago. And that kind of comes in at the end of the movie, if you can kind of guess what's going to go on but it's also a cow ranch. And he has to go here and kind of get to know her and then pop the papers in front of her and try to buy this cattle ranch and then he goes there and falls in love with her. And all that and there's a producer that I just named he he plays like the driver because Joseph is rich but when he goes to try to get the ranch from Cali is her name. He has to act like he's a ranch and or a ranch and wants to work on the ranch. I gotta say this is one scene that's that's kind of funny. You know in romantic movies where the the characters are about to meet for the first time they're the love interest and then they lock eyes on each other for the very first time no matter what romantic comedy you're watching. This one happens because she's owns a call ranch the first time he lays eyes on her. She's literally pulling a cow baby cow out of its mother. She's mother's giving birth to a and she's holding. I didn't know cows came out feet first because it looks like the cow. I know. He

he walks into the barn lays eyes on her and she's pulling this college she goes why are you gonna help her? Why? You know that's the first thing she says. So within 30 seconds of meeting this girl that he has to steal or buy your land from her that she doesn't want to sell. He's he's got a baby cow in his arms within a minute of meeting her which which is funny to me because I go on a bumble date. I'm waiting two hours at a Starbucks eating the chocolate

Unknown Speaker 24:40

she's doing animal husbandry.

Sal Demilio 24:44

But anyway, you know, it's one of those movies and there's a lot of funny things that happen along the way. Obviously I don't want to blow it but you can kind of figure out those movies always end on a happy ending and they get together. It's like I say I hate to call it Like a Hallmark movie, but it kind of is, but it's very well done. It really is. It's got some decent writing in it. She actually she is a very good actress Lauren Swigert, I thought was a better actor than her husband Josh. And she's actually a pretty good little actress and she does a good job in it. It's got some funny moments in it, the producer, the guy that I told you about Ali F shar, he does a really good job and it playing the driver. And then there's another guy that that the actual ranch and that Joseph just tells him to hang out with, with the with the driver. And while he does his job for him, you know, it's just one of those movies. It was fun. It went by pretty quick. I think it's an hour and a half. It's on Netflix, and I guess it's doing pretty good. They actually have already slain and started filming a sequel, which is going to be about obviously, while it's about city life, where they may possibly move back to New York or whatever, or LA and live down there. But there is a sequel plan. It's not a bad movie. If you're looking for something to watch during the holidays. And like I said, it's brand new. So it's never you know, hasn't been seen out there. Like the last movie we saw. It's been out for a long time. If you want to check out something new. Check out a California Christmas.

Ron Lippitt 26:14

Sally, how on earth did you stumble across this? I just have to I

Sal Demilio 26:18

think things are set up because yeah, I didn't go hunting for this thing. You know, when you search Netflix, it just gives you something that you should Well, I don't know why it recommended that maybe they're trying to push that out to people but it was the first one that popped up. And we had just talked about doing Christmas movies and I'm like, Alright, I'm gonna watch this thing and see what it has. And like I said, it wasn't really that bad. I give it three tomato sauce jars.

Unknown Speaker 26:41

All right. That movie sounds like to me the plot that is You've Got Mail, but instead of books, it's cows.

Sal Demilio 26:50

That's right that Bob that in Tommy Boy a little bit Tommy Boy

Unknown Speaker 26:54

a little bit. Yeah, a little bit. He's got

Howard Rosner 26:56

again. And city slickers y'all Norman and city slickers

Jeff Dwoskin 27:01

right and then Star Wars and instead of

Ron Lippitt 27:08

I got a little Sophie's Choice in there as well right

Unknown Speaker 27:17

yeah, there's a sequel there Sophie's Choice

Jeff Dwoskin 27:25

So for the record for the record called Sophie's child's right for the record, rather an update is equal to Sophie's Choice that's sponsored by Maxwell House where she can't which which flavored creamer the if as as show producer I did prepare for sales tomato sauces. Five I didn't I didn't eat anything curry. I didn't even think you would go down as low as three three

Sal Demilio 27:55

because it's really really bad. I'm not saying that it's just you know, it's not up there with the great Christmas movies that you guys are talking about.

Ron Lippitt 28:05

I just I want to tell you Sally I'm a little concerned because Casey Ryan plot has not offered is convinced

Jeff Dwoskin 28:12

hang on hang on

Ron Lippitt 28:19

man All right, there we go.

Sal Demilio 28:21

Oh hang on it's doing very well it beat it beat out a Meryl Streep

Jeff Dwoskin 28:27

choice Ryan Casey Ryan plot it all in on this. Oh boy. Is that one where the people the something mafia when they won the Academy Award they go there they went. They want one Martin Scorsese zero that's I feel like it's salad

Sal Demilio 28:49

with California Christmas. Just just get a hot cup of hot chocolate. I know. Look, there's a lot of lonely housewives in one unemployed comic that watches that movie okay

Jeff Dwoskin 29:06

well, there you have it, folks, a California Christmas. Throughout a lot of these bonus episodes, you may hear the name Casey Ryan plot is a frequent viewer of the show and will always comment along whether we convinced him or not to watch the program. Just to give you a little context. If you haven't seen the full live shows that ends this episode. Don't forget to check out episode four of crossing the streams on YouTube for even more Christmas binge suggestions. This has been my dad's Christmas state and California Christmas with Mr. Christmas himself sounds Emilio and I talked about the Will Ferrell John Fabbro classic elf. I wish all of you an amazing holiday season. We'll see you next week. In the meantime, go cross some streams.

CTS Announcer 29:56

Thanks for listening to this special edition of crossing the streams. Visit us on YouTube for full episodes and catch us live every Wednesday at 9:30pm. Eastern time. Now turn this off and go watch some TV. And don't forget to tell your family y'all be busy for a while.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai