#279 Anatomy of Crossing The Streams (Bonus Ep77) – Great TV binge watching suggestions!

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, oh desire Jeff Dwoskin, your host of classic conversations and your guide through this bonus episode of crossing the streams. What is crossing the streams? It's where we answer the universal question. Hey, I just binge watch something. What should I binge watch next? We got your back. We got you covered 130 hours of streaming binge watching suggestions on our YouTube channel. But you're in luck. We're going to take three segments from three of those live shows. I'm going to send them right into your ears right now. That's right. It'll be like a z if you are actually at Live episode 7189 and 97 where we talked about anatomy of a scandal Moon vol and Cinderella Man, crossing the streams myself. My co hosts special guests just Sharon movies that we think you might enjoy. We've got three deep dives for you this time. We're gonna kick things off from Live episode 97 Bob Phillips and Cinderella Man. Take it away Bob. We got Cinderella Man boxing classic.

Bob Phillips 1:40

Yes, it's one of my favorite boxing movies. It's not a documentary. Obviously it's a Hollywood film with Russell Crowe as the title or character James J. Braddock and his wife may played by Renee Zellweger Paul Giamatti as he does in everything he's in seals. Every state steals every scene that he's in. He plays Braddock's, manager and friend and it takes place this is this a true story. They stay true to how, you know where we find James J. Braddock. He was dubbed the Cinderella Man by Damon Runyon who was a boxing writer and sort of an a novelist back in the day, it really fits him because he's he's such a good guy. And he gets this shot at the title rocky esque I mean rocky before rocky right? And talk about a down and outer. But he but he was a just a hard worker all the time. He he had the misfortune of being injured as a boxer during the Depression broke his right hand they didn't have the kind of medicine we have now. That was they didn't treat it properly. And so what did he do? He learned to fight with his left hand that's what you did back then. And he worked on the docks and he he just made a living somehow to support his family had a couple of kids he's on the dole which is you know, very embarrassing for him. He doesn't want to be he wants he just wants to work he wants to fight and he wants to to figuratively and literally fight his way out of the situation. Well, he gets a chance where he has given a fight to fight the number two contender because another guy pulled out and they're all figuring that Braddock although he's well liked is going to be a soft touch for this number two contender who's just staying busy so he can get a shot at the heavyweight champ whose name is Max bear, also a real guy, a fearsome puncher Jimmy Braddock, it takes this fight much to the chagrin of his wife and wins the damn thing knocks the guy out in the third round it sets up an improbable series of other fights that he takes he they you know the boxing promoters figures he's still got it he's a crowd favorite. They start matching them up with guys and lo and behold he fights his way into title contention to fight the the feared Max Baer different era completely different era back then than it is today. Today, like some of the lightweight division and boxing is probably the most exciting you've got four to six guys who could easily be champ they're actually starting a sort of an I don't want to say a tournament they don't do that in the pros. But today any one of those guys if they had one L on their record they wouldn't be they wouldn't be in the in the running for one loss and you're out or if it was a loss that had to be a close decision. A disputed decision whatever back then Braddock retired with a with a record of something like 58 and 26 this is the way these guys did it back then they fought just for money to eat. This is you know, they they had the they were called Club fighters. They were called Hammond Eggers. Hammond. Eggers literally fought for meals to eat so that this was the era that this took place and and it's and of course it's romanticized in the movie. Renee Zellweger is gorgeous. Paul Giamatti is hilarious and every scene he's in, but there is at it's a Ron Howard movie. So you Yeah, there's a little fairy dust going on here. And I don't want to ruin the the ending for anybody. But there is a hell of a fight sequence that takes place. I will say this I'm not gonna I'm not gonna tell you what happens in that fight. But I'll tell you what happened to James J. Braddock. In real life. He remained a beloved character for many years, continued fighting off and on, wound up working on the construction of the Verrazano Bridge got his one of the great things about what happened to what he did. And this is this is very this is true. When he started making money when they put him back in the fight game. He went to the government office that handed it wasn't called welfare back then I forget what it was called. It is called it the dole or whatever. He went and paid them back with his purses. You know, with what he won. He actually did this. This is this was just a whole different time. And it's kind of a fascinating thing to meet. But he went on later on in life to get the things that he had hoped for and dreamed about. And it's a great feel good, uplifting story. Yeah, they play a little around, play a little with the facts. But at the end of the day, they get it right. It looks sounds great. I wish I could remember the name of the actor who plays Max Baer. I've only seen him in one of the things but he's a gigantic he plays him as a gigantic asshole. And taxpayer really wasn't he was kind of an affable guy. He was a big guy. But he wasn't he was not a jerk. He was very friendly. But

Mick Manhattan 6:47

that's that was actually a big controversy in this movie that he played. His father his son came out the one who played was a Jedi Knight Jedi on Beverly Hillbillies. The son. Oh, that Max bear. Yeah, that's, that's Max bear son. Yeah, he came out and spoke out against the movie scene.

Jeff Dwoskin 7:07

Right Jethro from Beverly Hills. Yeah, yes. Is this max bear son? Okay. Yeah, that's interesting. Bilbo shards in the house. Hey, Willie. So at what point they played loose with the facts, but it wasn't so a little nod then make Gladiator?

Bob Phillips 7:28

Yeah, he was James J. Maximus Braddock.

Mick Manhattan 7:33

That might have been good. There's a great shot in this movie where he's fighting his first fight back. And he gets hit hard. It rocks him. Yeah. And he starts picturing, like, his kids not eating on the welfare line on the hunger lines. Just working down at that he just sees all these glimpses of these things. And he just shakes it off and smiles at the guy and gets back into it because and it's just it's really powerful for especially that timeframe with the depression when everybody was going through. Like this little this little punching me down.

Bob Phillips 8:03

Yeah, and I don't know that that like I said, I don't know if that actually happened, but as a hell of a nice stretch of the movie there. It's, it's to me it's one of those movies where it's just sort of Pitch Perfect right from the beginning to the very end. They don't miss a trick. It's I've seen it several times, and it hits me the same way each time. Awesome. Cool. I never saw that one, but we'll check it out. It's a good one. Boxing movies. I do.

Jeff Dwoskin 8:34

All right. That was Cinderella Man from Live episode 97 with Bob Phillips, our boxing aficionado, lover of all things boxing. Up next special guests to the show. John Sullivan. You'll love him online as depressed, Darth he's going to take us through a moon fall and that leads to a fun discussion. This is from Live episode 89 Take it away John. Let's jump into our next one which is get rid of that Munna Hall is an HBO Max show, and John Sullivan is going to take us through

John Sullivan 9:12

this is actually a movie that came out February 4 2022. directed by Roland Emmerich. So I basically just put this on of HBO Max has like the newer movies, I feel like it's the platform that comes out kind of with the newest movies. I generally try to watch the sort of newer movies coming out because it makes me feel like when I was younger, I'd kind of go to the theater and see anything. So I just start put this on no research, and it's wild. It's about basically it opens up. Let me just get this actor's name. I always forget his name. First of all, it has Halle Berry. I know always a plus. She looks amazing. I think she's in her 50s and I swear she looks like late 20s 30s She looks amazing.

Jeff Dwoskin 9:56

And then she never looks bad. Yeah,

John Sullivan 9:59

it's So Patrick Wilson, and then the guy, John Bradley, who's the bigger guy from Game of Thrones, British guy. So he's sort of a conspiracy theorist. And in the beginning of the movie, they see this sort of big creature s thing that they're astronauts, Halle Berry and John Wilson, and it kills one of the sky there with and then they go back to Earth. And it kind of gets blamed on John Wilson. So he kind of gets kicked out of NASA. And he's sort of down and out. And it's 10 years later, and this conspiracy theorist who's John Wilson or John Bradley, he figures out by whatever that the moon is collapsing towards Earth, right. So this is like a disaster movie. Roland Emmerich did Independence Day, he got a crazy line of movies, he didn't Universal Soldier in 1992, he did the Patriot with Mel Gibson. He also didn't midway recently, which I saw was a war movie, I thought it was really good. So this was kind of it was like Independence Day, but the moon is falling into Earth, and everything is getting sucked up. And it's like a huge disaster movie, Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry have to sort of reconnect squash their beef and get this old spaceship flight out of space. So that's basically the plot, it's a disaster movie, and I won't spoil the end, it's not rated well, a lot of problems with it, just believing that the moon crashing to Earth, you know, and somehow we can survive that by sending someone up into space and then input it's not like it's entertaining, you know what I mean? It's not so bad here. Like I can't even like there are like your I did watch it, and I enjoyed it. And then at the end, it sort of takes a if you've seen Interstellar, it sort of takes her right into this AI kind of like, futuristic sort of almost more philosophical term towards the end, which I actually kind of liked. I was like, I appreciate that but just seeing all this guy's movies that he's directed like I probably would say this isn't one of his better ones, but he's a pretty good direct so it was entertaining. It's long so I mean, if you like that kind of movie, check it out. But it is it's it's very sort of summer blockbuster. The moon is crashing into Earth and like you know, skyscrapers are getting pulled up and people are flying around and there's like this that actually crash into the earth. You can see it coming over the earth like and it's about to hit it and then they do something. I don't want to spoil it.

Bob Phillips 12:34

All right, I won't watch it. You can spoil it for me. I don't care. Roland Emmerich directs like a sledgehammer every movie is just like

Jeff Dwoskin 12:46

Independence Day is one of my favorite movies.

John Sullivan 12:50

theaters and that moment I saw that in theaters that was just

Jeff Dwoskin 12:54

that was a good movie. I saw that like the opening week like it opened like July 4 was like a Wednesday at open on Tuesday at you know, it was great. It has that independent standing is the only movie has that I really liked but the sequel? I never even saw her. It's horrible. offI you have classic Randy Quaid and by classic it predicted him now. And then. And then the independent say you have the Bill Pullman speech which is the best president.

Bob Phillips 13:24

So wouldn't so awful in yet so majestic.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:27

Today is our independent. Great. I need if you need to get ramped up on something.

John Sullivan 13:37

I actually, I have a question I asked people what's the best movie you ever saw in theaters like experience wise, you went in? And it's a famous movie now? Or like, what is your best movie you saw in theaters minus scream? I saw a screen when I was pretty young. And I was absolutely terrified. Like it affected me for like, a year. I was so scared. I didn't expect it. I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know anything about it. And that's got to be my best one.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:05

This is a great question. I mean, if I were to just and I could change my answer if it's if it sinks in more, but I think my answer would have to be Raiders of the Lost Ark. That's a good one. Yeah. So mine is

Scott Curtis 14:19

easy. It's Apocalypse Now. Oh, I saw that when I was maybe 13. And I still get goosebumps when I think about it. And you know, I got I was totally into the doors for up until I was like 18 And now I can't listen to him anymore. It's the doors were for people who are like 1318 That's classic rock for teenagers. But that movie, I think I had seen Star Wars like right before that, and I hated Star Wars and I never or watch another Star Wars after that. And then I saw that and I'm like, Okay, that's a movie is so fucked up. And it's a movie

Jeff Dwoskin 15:09

Star Wars was really good. I saw all those in the theater originally, but I wouldn't I wouldn't have picked it as my answer. And you weren't going to do an entire podcast about rediscovering Star Wars

Scott Curtis 15:20

which Yeah, I ended up watching a couple

Jeff Dwoskin 15:23

news. What will will get any we can get into Star Wars. Let me do my same because we can talk about what Bob's got one goblin go Yeah.

Bob Phillips 15:31

Oh, well, it's obvious. It's Rocky for all all the reasons. You know, I mean, whatever, whatever Stallone became, you know, he's kind of the cliche these days. Not a cliche, but that movie was perfect. It was perfect. It was script was perfect. The acting was perfect. The directing was perfect. The fact that he didn't win was perfect. And Talia Shire I was in love with Talia Shire. I mean, I think I was 14 when that movie came out. I'm like, I love her. That sounds Vega.

Jeff Dwoskin 16:08

All right, thank you. John says all event you're gonna have to answer whether you want to see that one, I think on your own based on what John said, go either way, depending on how much you enjoy, depending on how you enjoy movies, I suppose. But also, hey, comment us tweet at us. Let us know what the greatest movie you ever saw in the movie theater was we'd love to hear from that. And while you're pondering that, we're going to do our final segment for this bonus episode from a live episode 71 Ron libbets is going to take us through anatomy of a scandal take it away Ron. Let's do anatomy of a scandal. Yeah, Ron's talker anatomy of a scandal comments along as you're doing it everyone at home but Ron, take us away Wow.

Ron Lippitt 16:58

Another of the algorithm choices from Netflix sitting right there as the as the flag above the line for me so every time I turn on Netflix anatomy of scandal is sitting there waiting for me stuff. Sure why not? It's it's a six episode limited series produced by Netflix starring Sienna Miller and Michelle Dockery and Rupert Friend and a few other folks that you've seen around town. It's an English series that asks the question If love and privilege and being born of the right lineage can get you out of more scandalous situations that us regular people perhaps cannot get out of. And it's it's an interesting story. I have to say first off, let me just say this Michelle, excuse me, Sienna Miller. I didn't know Sienna Miller real well, I had seen her in, in the what was it? It was the sorry, American Sniper. And I remember her an American Sniper it was it was a side role. It wasn't that big of a deal. So I didn't have any sense for her range. And it's she's a fine person because she is American but grew up in London. So she has that kind of that dual she can speak American and apparently now and anatomy of scandal she's full on British and it's a super interesting story because she plays the wife of a parliamentarian accused of raping his his parliamentary assistants and what originally was supposed to be a case of him just having a little dilly dally on the side that she was supposed to forgive him for turns into a full fledged rape case. And it is a terrific part courtroom drama part story about can their relationship survive? Does she trust him enough to believe the fact that he didn't rape her that it was very much a consensual relationship which they go into great detail to show you all the reasons for why you should believe that this is so so

Bob Phillips 18:52

this was his second dalliance, and one that was being accused of being a rape

Ron Lippitt 18:58

well, so it was a dalliance that that ended with the the young lady accusing Okay,

Bob Phillips 19:04

so one time he did it when it was well, it was

Ron Lippitt 19:07

apparently the dalliance went on for months but the very last incident was considered a rape so right so it's a what same person but here's what's super interesting about the show and that is that as the courtroom drama builds up, oh, and I should also mention that Michelle Dockery, who you may recognize that name, she's in in Downton Abbey and is the star of Downton Abbey. So it's funny and I've been laughing about it with my wife that in Downton Abbey, she plays this monotone aristocratic daughter of an Earl and and she just plays this the stiff upper lip, cold fish kind of daughter. She does a very, very well now fast forward to anatomy of a scandal where she is the she is the attorney for the Crown prosecuting this parliamentarian for rib and once you know it, she plays another stiff, cold arrest. kradic She may as well be wearing her 18th century gear from Downton Abbey. The exact same character. It's hilarious in this range she

Jeff Dwoskin 20:09

feels like everyone is on Downton Abbey like the one guy from Ted last I was on a two but anyone British Louie James everyone seems to be on

Ron Lippitt 20:19

Downton Abbey has an amazing legacy. The organizational chart coming from Downton Abbey has incredible how many amazingly big people have have come from that show. But anyway, Michelle Dockery, not a lot of range, she you know, she doesn't Okay, job, I guess playing this, this attorney for the crown as they say I was hoping for perhaps a bigger breakout role for Michelle Dockery to get away from the whole Downton Abbey thing, not so much. So here's an I don't want to once you know, Jeff, when you put something on, now it's backwards, it shows up backwards. Yeah. So here's the thing, the story builds into a full on courtroom drama, where you're left to decide, hey, is the guy guilty or innocent. And that's where, like I said, this is six episodes, but at the fourth episode, so you got three episodes, a fourth episode, they throw the dumbest, like most ridiculous outlandish plot twist that not only is impossible, but but has nothing to do with with the point of the story and only acts as a distraction. I don't want to give it away, because because the story is really a really good story. It's a great build up, and then they throw this part to us and you're left, like you're left questioning everything, because it's so stupid. And

Bob Phillips 21:31

I'm already not gonna watch it. So

Ron Lippitt 21:35

So you, you get through the plot quit, it's almost like you're trying to get around the plot, twist so you can get back to the actual story. But no, they do end up making the left turn, because of the plot twist. And the show is frankly, unable to recover from it. And I find that to be a real shame because they really had something where they were rigid. Why is it called the anatomy of a scandal? Is it is that I mean, what's the Yeah, well is it is the voyage of a ministerial family in England, a Tory Minister going through all of the elements of a full fledged sex scandal in British society. And so they walk you through that not just with the press, but with your friends, with your family, what it does to your kids, what it does to your parents, you know, just so that's the part that the that's super compelling. Like that was that was a great part of the story. And Rupert Friend who plays the Minister is just perfectly cast as this well to do. Well, he'll the British, you know, arysta aristocratic guy, you know, believes himself above all of this. It's just, it's a great story that made an unnecessary turn. And, and I'm really sad for it, because I do believe this show is good. I think the casting was excellent. I think the storyline up until that point was really compelling. And I really enjoyed it. So I would, you know, out of 10 Or maybe I'll keep it to sauce chairs, Sally, out of five out of five potential soft chairs. I'm gonna give this two and a half.

Bob Phillips 23:09

Ryan plot twist is been put off.

Ron Lippitt 23:14

I just say this as a final remark about it that I think it's worth watching. If only if you're one of these people that just like being able to dissect a show and being able to take it apart to its pieces saying, hey, this really worked. And this is where it didn't work and you know, being able to kind of comment on that level about a show. I think you would find the show very interesting, because it really is. It should have gone back to the screenwriters. And someone should have said yeah, this was that was an unnecessary turn. Is it a year a series right? It's a limited six part series each episode 45 minutes on Netflix, and I think I guarantee you you'll very much enjoy the first four episodes.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:57

That was anatomy of a scandal. Thank you Ron. Lippitt another one in this bonus episode that you're gonna have to kind of decide based on their viewer whether you want to dive into it or not. Run gives you the go ahead by gives a few red flags on this one as well. I hope you dry it out. Either way. Go grab your spot on the couch. get all cozy, grab your own remote cross your own streams, check out Cinderella Man Moon fall anatomy of a scandal and we'll see you next time.

CTS Announcer 24:30

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. I'll be busy for a while.

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