Reel Confessions: Mike Mitchell

Hey everybody, welcome to Unspooled's Real Confessions. I am Paul Shear. Hello, and I am Amy Nicholson, and this is the show where we dim the lights and ask our guests to bear their cinematic souls, to tell us about the movies they love, the movies they hate, the movies they are embarrassed to admit they own, and the reasons why we might not want to sit next to them in a dark theater. Today, stepping into the confessional, we have a podcast legend, a brilliant actor and comedian, Mike Mitchell. We know him as the co-host of The Doe Boys with Nick Weigar. His brand new film, Napa Boys, is in theaters now, which honestly, I can't even describe it. It's just a comedy that is absurd and wonderful and weird and feels like no one gave them any notes, and I mean that in the best possible way. You also might know him as Stu on Twisted Metal, and from The Birthday Boys. Yeah, he's an A-plus guest. Oh, I love The Birthday Boys. I loved it when they had their show. I love seeing them at UCV. They used to do a show with my girl Eva Anderson and kind of a double feature. She was in Kiss From Daddy. They're awesome, two set. Well, I'm telling you, we got an A-plus guest here. Mike, step into the confessional. Well, Mike, I just want to jump right into this then because I want to take you back to the year 2005. I believe this is a special year for you. This was the year that Sideways went to the Oscars. I would like you to give me a fuck-mary kill of that year's best director nominees. I'll give you three of them. Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Alexander Payne. Wow. That's, I mean, I'm marrying Martin Scorsese. Then he was nominated for the departed that year. Is that what it was? Is that what the nomination was? Feels like it. That feels right. I think so, actually. I'd forgot to double check which one. And what you want, I would marry Scorsese a hundred percent. I'm afraid to, Clint Eastwood seems so frail. I feel like, I feel like I would, I feel like you, I would destroy him. I feel like I'd destroy him is my fear. That's what, that's, I feel like I would crush the man. Have you not seen the mule? Have you not seen the mule? The man's having three thumbs left, right and center in the mule. He's lived a very good life. I mean, if you marry him, how many more years you can get out of this guy? What, five, six? I mean, come on. And Scorsese seems to have a long, he seems really with it. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna marry Scorsese. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna fuck Clint Eastwood. And then who was, wait, who was the last option you gave? Was it Alexander Payne? Alexander Payne. Oh my God, I have to kill Alexander Payne? Wow. You said it. You came out to you very natural that you had to kill Alexander Payne. I mean, you know, and that's, I would have killed Clint Eastwood because you would, he would have gone down with a fight. It would have been, it would be a bloody affair. You might not come out of that. I mean, look, this is the second time. So, okay, this is the second time that I now am embarrassing myself with an Alexander Payne movie. I, I did the show Twisted Metal and, and Thomas Hayden Church was in it. And I was like, he should have been nominated. I mean, not nominated. He should have won. He should have won. He should have won the Oscar. And I was like, who won best supporting actor? And this is on the set of Twisted Metal and Anthony Mackie's there and, and, and Stephanie Beatrice. And I was like, I was like, Morgan Freeman won for a million dollar baby. And I was like, no one cares about that performance anymore. There's been so many Morgan Freeman performance that are better. I like no one really even cared. Like sideways is more in, like has lasted longer. I feel it's like more in this like guys than, than million dollar baby. I feel like that's like a movie that people don't care as much anymore. And then I said to Anthony Mackie, I was like, have you ever been in a clean, clean Eastwood movies? Like, yeah. And I was like, which one? He's like million dollar baby. And I was like, fuck. And I just, I was just screaming, fuck. And he was just laughing. He just laughed at me to his credit. He was just laughing. And this is, this is, this is one of my confessions is that I, I am sometimes too open about my film opinions as an actor, working as everyone here does working in Hollywood. You're like, I maybe should just keep some of this to myself. I shouldn't, I shouldn't blabber and embarrass myself like I did. And luckily I embarrassed myself in front of a guy who did not care at all. You know what I mean? But I, I think it's hard. It's hard. Well, I'm the only one who gets the freedom to just say what I want all the time. It's true. You're in a very enviable position. You never know. And people always ask me about how did this get made? Like, oh, have you upset people? And I say, you know, not that they have come to me and told me to my face. Cause I think most people understand, oh, I've been in a bad movie and we've all been in things that like, oh yeah, it didn't turn out exactly the way we wanted, but million dollar baby is like a highly regarded. And I agree with you. I also highly forgettable film. And I don't remember Anthony Mackie in it at all, nor do I really remember anything about it. Um, but it's like, it's weirder to be like, to be like, oh yeah, you did achieve that thing, but does it mean anything? Like, I don't know. Like, would you rather have a million dollar baby, which is like maybe like six to eight months of people being like, this is the best movie ever. Or would you rather be like in, you know, for a lot of, well sideways, I mean, sideways, you got, I was going to say, like, would you rather be in a movie? I was also critically claimed. Yeah. I was going to say like a, like a fast and furious movie or like, you know, like where you're like, I mean, if it's like a quality thing, like, you know, would you rather be in a movie that is viewed as a critical masterpiece, but is forgotten or a big, dumb, you know, movie with a shark, you know, like the Meg two, you know, what, what is better? I, for me, if it was, if it was like, would you rather be a million dollar baby or deep blue sea or, or F seven, I would choose F seven or deep blue sea. I would. I mean, like, I love movies like that too. You know, that's like, I mean, I, I feel like I have a lot of cinematic blind spots and, and I've for years done the work. I went to film school too. And I saw like a lot of classic movies and stuff, but there's so many always that I feel like there's a chance you'll be embarrassed having not seen something or other. And that at least with, with those kind of, you know, shitty B movies, I've seen so many of them that I feel really comfortable talking about them. And that to me is they're still film, you know what I mean? It's still counts. I still, I still adore movies like that. And, you know, they don't get the credit they deserve a lot of the time. And, and they're never in, you know, like, I don't know if anyone else would want to be in deep Lucy, but that movie ruled and it meant a lot to me when I was younger. I mean, like Starship Troopers is one of the all time classics. I love it. And I think people come around and, you know, like, I feel like that movie is well regarded, but I say deep Lucy is a movie people think is kind of crappy. Right. Like I think people don't think it's a great movie. But I mean, but it, but it like it exists in the zeitgeist. Like it was, I think that that's the important thing. Like I was reading this thing with Paul Thomas Anderson's casting director, and she said the interesting thing about one battle after another is it's a film and a movie like, and I thought that was an interesting thing to say because, you know, very rarely do we have both. Like there is a real divide. I think this is a year where you have a lot of films and movie centers is like a film and a movie. But yeah, it's but movies seem to kind of get like short shrift. But those are the ones that I've watched. Those are the comfort ones are the ones that people like, you know, one's like, I love 2001, but no one's like, oh, yeah, when I just want to chill out, I'm putting on 2001 and I'm just, yeah, just 100 percent. No, there are definitely people who do that. There are definitely people who do that. They're definitely blazing up and absolutely chilling out with 2001. But I agree with you. I am curious though, Mike, is there a franchise that you have quietly checked out of been like, now I'm good, I'm full? Oh, man, sadly for me, it's kind of been Star Wars, which like I loved Star Wars. And then now I'm like, there's just too much. I mean, I think the streamification of a lot of these movies, too, is not helpful, you know, like for something that meant so much to me at one point to have been like, oh, I haven't watched and or which people love. And I watched the first episode and I was like, it's really good. I just have like, I've just had my, my fill, you know, I'm done. I'm done. That has always been my theory, actually. Like, like why you can't just like spread the field with a franchise like that? Because as soon as a fan nopes out of one, in essence, they're noping out of their fandom. They're saying, I thought I was the biggest, I guess I'm not. Yeah. But I also believe like I'm a big believer in getting out while happy. And I do it well with TV shows. Like that show, Mr. Robot, I really liked it. And then I watched like one episode in like maybe the second or third season, probably the third season where I was like, oh, yeah, I'm going to stop now. I'm not going to, I did it with Homeland as well. I was like, and I'm, and I'm out and I am leaving happy. And then everyone will complain about how this episode sucks or this series went downhill and I, I try to get out before it's like, can you pull the rip cord and never go back? Cause I think if you can go out satisfied, then it never is sullied in your mind. And I think unfortunately with many Star Wars fans, we all, we kept on eating after the expiration date. We're, we're given so much now. We are like very like the thing in the like in the nineties or the early 2000s. We're like, I wish they would do something like that. And now they do just do like whatever you wish for it comes true. And it's a monkey's paw thing where you're just like, oh, I don't care. It's too much. I don't, I don't care. They need to like give it the same with like, I'm not that excited about the new screen movie. I could be great. I haven't, you know, I'll see this, I'll see soon and I'll see it. You know what I mean? Like I'm not helping the matter. I go and see it, but like they should give it like a 15 year break or something. You know what I mean? Like, like maybe even a 20 year break before they come back to it. I, and it's that sort of thing now where they're like, I don't need to see TV shows of every movie I love. And then there's, it's like usually two or three seasons of the show. And like you're saying, Paul, I'm like, yeah, it's too much. I don't know. I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't need. And also I wish they would make 10. See now I've gone back the other way where I like missed sitcoms and I wish they would make 10 seasons of shows. I don't want like two or three seasons or anything more. So just for work, I guess is how that's changed. We've been watching the office and Rob was, Rob Hubel was making fun of me the other day because I was like, we've been watching the office and we're on like the fourth season right now. And I'm like, it's so funny. He's like, yeah. And I'm like, but, you know, I guess like also like after watching like 60 episodes in the course of like a handful of weeks, it's so consistently good. And there's so many of them that I don't, it's impressive to me that there were 22 episodes and they were super sized episodes. And they, and they never really waver in quality. Like some are like, well, that was fine. That was funny, but they were never bad. Like, or so far, never bad, right? And it's and bring it back, bring that, bring that, instead of a season every three years or whatever that happens now. And then you get three seasons over the course of a decade. That's that to me is like, I couldn't even, I didn't watch Stranger Things really. I'm a grump. I am also a grump. Here's the other. That's surprising. I am very opinionated and everyone thinks my opinions are bad. So I like, I don't feel bad about it. I like, I like what I like. And I oftentimes will people who listen to Doughboys, my podcast will be like baffled by my film takes and I, but I, and that's why I shouldn't say them too often. I don't, like it just gets me in trouble. Well, this is the, this is the spot. Yeah. Is there a thing that you have like doubled down on that you have super strong opinions on, but you've actually only seen it once and you're not planning on seeing it again. Oh man, that is a great question. Yeah. I mean, there's a lot of movies like that where I'm like, that was great, but I like never want to watch it again. You know what I mean? Like, what's the, what was the one where that where it was like next to the concentration camp and it was all the, the sound, like it was basically like the sounds. I was going to say sound or freedom, which it is not. Oh, we just forgot the title of it the other day. Zone of interest. Zone of interest. And like a movie like that where I'm like, oh, I like it, but I'm never going to. It's like a hard thing to watch. That's, yeah, that's not also not a comfort movie. Like it's, it's like I seen it. It's burnt into my brain. I don't know if I need to revisit that, but I guess to your point before, what's the opinion that people have come at you the hardest about that you have had? Because I said things on how did this get made where people still to this day, like I brought up that a sled is a terrible gift. I was like, you shouldn't give a sled to anyone. A sled should just be something that you have in your house. We have a sled. That's that's what a Santa's that's what a Santa's original gifts. Yeah. I'm like, you don't you don't need to get gifted a sled. The sled should be like, yes, we have a sled. It's a it's a bad gift. That's true. I kind of, I agree with that. I if I if someone if I had a child and some gave him a sled, I'd be like, what are you doing here? Yeah, come on. You don't need a sled. We like, but what's what's a take that you had that that is like lingered with you that, you know, that Nick or the fans have like continually raked you over the coals for. I I didn't like the new Star Wars movies, which it leads which leads into it. And I was vocal about that, which was maybe the dumbest thing I had ever done. I shouldn't have been vocal about it because also then you see like awful people not like it for the bad reasons. And then you're like, I don't like I don't dislike this movie because I'm an insole or whatever. Like I just like I just don't like the movie. And like Nick Weigar changes mind quite a bit after he watched after he watched Force Awakens, he texts me, I'm going to kill JJ Abrams. And then he and then he and then he completely flipped on it was like, I like it. I like the movie. And and and I was just stuck in the zone of being like, I hate, I don't like the movie. So there's there's a lot of movies like that. Now I keep my my mouth closed, but then we on the opposite end of it, a lot of our of Doughboys listeners don't get my love for Avatar. And I love Avatar like I kind of speak about this. I need to hear this. All of Avatar. I love all of them, all three of them. And I've always when I went and saw the first one and I saw in 3D, I just think James Cameron, he knows what he's doing. I don't know. Like it's their entertaining movies. And also I CG, CGI will like annoy me in a lot of films, but he's a guy who like uses CG, CGI well and actually has a style with it. You know what I mean? Like he makes CGI look decent. And it's like, oh, it's like an artist working with this instead of like kind of a lot of like Mar-Marvel kind of gray goop. You know what I mean? Like that's that. And I don't love Marvel movies either, which I'm just on the wrong. We have to celebrate every movie that gets people in the theaters. And I just shouldn't. I shouldn't say my opinion on a lot of these movies, but I'm just like, I don't they just don't do it for me. And I go and see every single one of them. By the way, you're supporting that's another to the worst Marvel that people don't even see. I'm going to go and see it. You know what I mean? Like so so I am a hypocrite in that way is that I will still go and see all of them. Like a like a way. I actually think that that makes you a better filmgoer because you are actually like you are going and saying, I don't like it instead of not going and assuming that you won't like it. Like I think that that's I think that's a big distinction. Like, you know, you actually subject yourself to the 90 minutes or or in the avatar sense, three hours and 40 minutes. You have an earned opinion, which is rare and rare and rare these days. 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I will tell anyone who's talking or even has their phone open. They need to stop in that. You're that guy? I am that guy. I can't. It's changed. I forever was so afraid of people and I would just sit through noise and then as I I don't know, maybe it's a thing of when I hit 40. I was just like, I have no shame anymore. I'm going to go tell this person to stop stop doing it. But I am I'm when it comes to I'm very strict, like, don't be using your phone. Don't be talking. Which I think is kind of basic, you know, like it is the basic human decency of going to a movie is like you shouldn't do things like that. But then also the fact that people are even out seeing movies is a plus. But I like if I see you open your phone twice, I like will at that point be like, I'm going to say something to this person. How do you do it? What is your plan? Yeah, I want to hear. I'll be like, Hey, excuse me, could you please put your phone away? I mean, that's what I that's I mean, it's not really nice. No, that's a nice way of doing it. I'll tell you, people get so mad at that even. It's insane. I've been like, Hey, excuse me, could you put I went and saw Friendship and I saw this at the Vista Theatre where you're like, this is like this is a movie theater that like people who love movies go to. And this couple came in late and like during the movie and they came up with a hot dog. And then this guy's girlfriend put on her her flashlight and was and he was putting on condiments on his hot dog. And I was just like and then they started talking and it was like like five minutes into them being there and they like had said like like they was like back and forth like five times. And I was like, Hey, excuse me, can you please stop talking? And he got so mad. He's like, dude, we've said like two things. And I was like, I was just like, all right, just please stop talking. And then at the end, when he was leaving, he stopped in front of my chair and he nodded at me and put his hand out to shake his hand. Wow. He re-asserted his male dominance. Wow. Or like it's like, we're good, bro. Which I was like, get the fuck away from me. I don't know who you are. Shut up. I don't like the movie talk. It is a weird thing because I think that we've gotten so used to like being home and theaters have evolved in a way where there's a place in Bangkok called like the bed cinema where they have beds now, you know, and you can watch it in a bed, which by the way, I'm not again. Yes, actually, that's okay. That's not too. I just feel like people are going to be sleeping at some point. Well, that's right. When there's a blanket, I'll immediately fall asleep. Yeah, you give me three pillows. I'm done. I want to ask you because I've said this to other people and they don't know what I'm talking about, but you might. Do you know what a freestyle machine is? Yes, the Coke freestyle machine. Yes, I got to take on this too. All right. I want to hear it because I love. Well, let me hear your take on the Coke freestyle machine. Oh, no, I hate that I just heard you say I love. Oh, no, no, no. Get rid of them. Get rid of them. OK, why? I mean, like the idea of it to me was like, this is so exciting. I I love I am in love with the idea of this machine. But I think that. In execution, it is this sort of thing where, like, you're not getting the crispest, the most crisp version of a Coca-Cola as you as you would get straight from the spicket, because also they're like, they're like, they're using the same spicket. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know how I need to take apart one of these machines, which I which you'll read about me in like variety or something. As a crazy man who just took apart a freestyle machine. But I I feel like the the spickets are getting crossover. You're getting like a I just I don't think it's as fresh as a straight from the spicket, like Coca-Cola or cherry Coke. But the cross over is the point. The crossover is the point. Because I want a little piece. I want a little. But that's not no. No, that's not the point. The point isn't just make suicides like you can if you'd like. But the point is to really have every option at your disposal, because, you know, you'll go to a theater sometimes like, oh, we don't have that. They got it all. The point is absolutely to make suicides. I do nothing but make elaborate suicides, or I just go straight for the club soda when she told me where to find it. Oh, I will mix club soda with soda. Yeah, I just want something cold and fizzy. It's hidden. It's hidden. They had it, then they moved it, then they hit it somewhere else. Paul had to tell me where to find it. So I was losing my mind and having to drink like diet root beer with raspberry in it. Oh, God. We see this too. That it's it's the same thing with TV that we're hitting on the same thing. They're giving us the dream scenario. And it's like, this is just isn't give me like the 1950s soda spigot that's been there forever and just is like the crispest, most like most pure version of it. And I feel like. I have a moral question. Am I still allowed to call a suicide a suicide? That's a great question. You should call it what they call it on TikTok now. Like an unalive. You have to call it an unalive. I don't even know how that got started. It was called a suicide when I was a child. How did it even begin? Because you're so crazy. You're going to commit suicide by mixing Panta and Coke and root beer. Come on, Amy. That's a death sentence. Also, by the way, I just want to say that I scared myself yelling out of the purity of soda. It's it felt very I scare. I was scary, but I do feel like when you get like a straight from the spigot, cherry Coke or a Coke, we talk on we talk on a Doughboys about how McDonald's has the best Coca-Cola. And there's a reason for that is like the can they have like a like actual metal canisters that their syrup is in. And you're getting like a very fresh version of it. And sometimes you'll get a bad one. But like there's so many factors with those big machines, which I think they just put out there and then let's sit all day, which is one, the fizz can go away to the like the crossover between the different syrups. I have too many opinions on this. I love this, though, because I'll tell you this. First of all, I want to give you a piece of advice and say a wash out that spigot just by putting some water through it. Give it a little bit of a cleansing. You wash your spigot. I'm just saying if that was my issue. OK, but you don't do that. You're not that guy. No, I like the drinks that are catered to the specific films. And I remember one very particularly, which is the Top Gun Maverick Ginger Ale. I tried that. I thought it was very good. And I like that there's like there's creations being made in this machine for the movie. Like that feels special to me. I like that too. I do. I like I like that. But it feels like such a wave of like, oh, we can mix it up in the machine or whatever. I would like it if it was like, hey, this is in stores too, which they don't they don't do as much anymore. There's not as much of that crossover, which I I love tie in stuff. I like to me going to Pizza Hut and like getting like a Casper hand puppet was like such important part of my life. And so much of that stuff is gone or it's like really cheaply done now. But I've gone to those the freestyle machines. And I remember I went to one and it was like the soda was hot. There was like, oh, there's a problem with the machine. And the soda was coming out hot. It was coming out at like 100 degrees. Oh, my God. Or not 100. It was like it was like you felt it in the cup and you're like, it's it's hot. It's like warm. There's like it was like a teaser for a Roland Emmerich movie or something like that. Like the volcano machine. No, wait, wait, wait. What about souvenir popcorn buckets? Are you a souvenir popcorn bucket guy? I am a bit of a hoarder, so I try not to. I had like a I think I had made was it like a force awakens bucket. And I was like, I don't even like this movie and I have this bucket just sitting in my house and I need to get rid. So so for me as like a person who hoards and collects too much, I try not to get anything like that. But I did want to do the fuckable dune bucket. The I have the fuckable dune bucket. I mean, by the way, I will say this for those of you who, you know, I have a tendency to hoard or collect things. AMC does have a retail site that when movies leave the theater, they will sell you the popcorn bucket at a very discounted rate. I got a gladiator to popcorn bucket for five dollars because it was so stupid and well and just terribly designed. It's just the Coliseum Coliseum. Coliseum. Yeah, that's it. There's no more. Like it was like it was like the least thought was put into the gladiator to popcorn buckets like Coliseum got done. Meanwhile, like the Project Hail Mary one has like a Ryan Gosling like ejecting out of the popcorn bucket like it has a helmet. It's yeah, no, they're getting they're getting too crazy with they're getting too crazy with them. But I kind of do enjoy seeing what the hell they're doing. And you know what? If that's your thing, if you like collecting them, I love it like that that's that's different to me than like the Top Gun Soda, which I did like. I liked that Top Gun Soda, but I wish that they did more of it. I wish it was out in the world. I wish I wish we were seeing that in 7-Eleven or whatever, you know, which they still do a little bit, but not as much anymore. Also, I just to say it, I like I can barely watch movies at home. And this is just an attention span issue. Like I need to go. I need to go to the theater. That's another thing with me is like I so like there's so many classics that I still need to see, which is like I try I'm trying to watch like 150 movies this year and all new movies this year. That's what that's what I'm trying to do, which is probably for you guys is I'm sure is is nothing. But I it is that that thing of like I try to watch a movie in my house and I just get too distracted. I get why people pull their phones out in movies. It is such a distraction. And when I'm home, I like can't beat that distraction. But in the theater, I don't do it at all. Ryan Coogler said something that I thought articulated the theater versus home experience so well, which was when he is watching something scary or disturbing, he finds himself reaching for his phone or taking a break. And he goes, and that actually wrecks the movie. Like you are you are, you know, wrecking the filmmakers intention for the feeling that you are supposed to have. It's not out of boredom. It's out of uncomfortability. And I was like, oh, that's so smart. Like you're not allowing yourself to experience the film the way it was intended and not like, oh, you're not looking at it in the right way or you're distracted. It's no no. Like you literally are creating a pause that is not there. And I thought that was like a genius way of looking at watching movies at home, especially like scary movies or things like that, where you can you can just stop it if it gets too intense for you. 100%. And I don't, I've saw centers and theaters and I don't think I would like it as much if I saw it at home and just looking at my phone every few, I mean, like that is also here's the, and I've said this on Doe Boys and it's got me in trouble, but like, I hate Netflix. Like I think they're a bad company and they are trying to, look, and I don't like power amount trying to buy Warner Brothers either. But I'm like Netflix to me, like the idea of like, like integrating phone watching into movies and wanting to end the theatrical experience to me. I'm like, they're evil too. They're also evil. I want neither of them to buy Warner Brothers. I like, I very much hate that company and I think they're anti-movie. So that is, that's another one of my confessions. So I'll say it outright. It's not good for, for someone who's, I guess an actor saying things like that either, but I like them. I'm not worried about your Netflix video podcast of Doe Boys. You know, they're coming for podcasts too now. They're coming after everything, which I'm just like, we don't, it doesn't all need to be one big blob of media. You know what I mean? Like, why do we have to put like podcasting and TV and movies all into one big stupid blob? And video games. Yeah, there's video games. No. I guess, you know, whenever I will see you casually, but since I have kids, I don't get to see you casually that much. But when I hear you on Doe Boys, I'm like, Oh, these are opinions that I guess in my mind, I assume a different thing. And then you're always constantly surprising me. I guess what are in for, you know, in this moment, you're like Mount Rushmore of movies. Like what are like the, like your perfect movies, not what are perfect movies, but like, what are your like, these are my four faves. This is, this is so scary to me because I feel like right now we're just saying in this moment, in this moment, it could change tomorrow. You could wiger it. I mean, see, this is, this is, this is the thing that like, if I, like, if you were, I was ever asked like letter box stuff, which I'll never be asked, but the letter box like for like your four movies, I feel like people would think I was so basic because like, Goodfellas for me and Amy, I know that I know. I think I've gotten mad at you in person over this before. But thank you. Me too. We spent a whole episode arguing over this. Yeah. Goodfellas is my, is, is like a movie that made me like love movies. And I think it's very, it's funny and dramatic and it's the best movie of all time to me. And I, I still am shocked by your, your take on it. But I mean, even more recently, I love Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and I feel like, I feel like it's going to be labeled as like a basic film bro or whatever. But I, but I, the thing is another one I love and that is kind of like also a bro movie. Like a, like thing would be in honestly Jurassic Park and it just makes me sound dumb because I don't, I don't have any Casavetes or something in there. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, I like it. That's, but that's like that. I was, I was rewatching the Minority Report and I was like, I love this movie so much. And that could be in my top four. Like there's, there's a lot of movies that I just, that, that are, that seem basic to me. And I never get like the, you know, when people are like, actually, Forrest Gump was bad. I'm like, Forrest Gump is good. What are you talking about? Forrest Gump is a good movie. Like maybe some things didn't age well with it. Sure, I can, I can get behind that. Sure. But like, I'm like, it still is a good movie in Chashank Redemption. I can watch it a million times on TNT. It's great. I, you know what I mean? Like, I don't think that that's basic. I don't, I don't, I don't care. Honestly, if we had a Hollywood that had more films like that all the time, we'd all be in a happier place. Oh my gosh. To be like nothing but bang or bang or bang or bang or bang. Well, I mean, this is why I do think your movie Napa Boys, which, depending on when you're hearing this is either in theaters or on VOD right now, is a movie that you need to see with people. And I think that that's what people forget. Comedies are great with people. I saw a movie in South by Southwest that destroyed. And then I read some reviews of it that were like, and this is not Napa Boys, that were like, oh, it doesn't really work. I'm like, well, no, when you're sitting in a theater, it's working, right? Like, but when you're staying at home, you don't know. And it's like, it's like why I think a laugh track is on a lot of sitcoms. Like it's just telling you, that's funny. That's funny. And that's the thing that I miss the most. Seeing a comedy, like seeing Jackass in the theater blew my mind. It was like, oh, on the news. Jackass too is maybe in my top four. I agree. I'm like one of my, it's one of my favorite movies. Those, yeah, they're awesome. But one of the funniest, one of the fun, like the most fun theater going experiences I've ever had in my entire life. And Napa Boy, yes, it is. Napa Boys is the fourth installment in the Napa Boy films. It is the Napa Boy franchise. Yes. Talk to us a little bit about this. Yeah. It started with Alexander Payne's Sideways, and then the many spin-off movies that's come after the Napa Boys. Napa Boys one was its own thing. And then all the spin-offs afterwards that were straight to DVD. But this one's back in the theaters. That's really exciting. Kind of like the way the American Pie kind of took a break from, you know, they did three, then they had like the miracle mile or whatever. Like UGVV is show. Oh yes, the naked mile band camp. They had all those, and those were straight to DVD. But then like American Wedding was back in theaters. It's this. Right. Wow. Napa Boys is just like that. Also, by the way, a movie that a lot of Letterbox people will say this didn't work for me. I personally love it. It's a very interesting and divisive movie. I told the directors when I went to the premiere and was watching half the audience love it, more than half the audience. I'd say like 80% of the audience love it. And then, you know, like some people walk out of the theater. I was like, that's a badge of honor. It reminded me of South Park or South Park of the movie. It was like, I think that it's like, you know, it pushes the boundaries without being Edgelordy. It's like a very funny, great movie that is like nothing I've never seen before, which is like, that's what I want to see. I saw it. It's this weird movie. Like that's like nothing I've ever seen. And I'm I'm proud to be a part of it. And I'm proud of those guys. But it is very weird. I will say that one of the cool things about the movie is it was independently financed in the sense that you didn't have to answer to notes. And you got to make something that was just a pure thing that was just from a creative idea. And, you know, I think when you look back at a lot of movies that came out in the 70s and 80s, you see that you're like, oh, like this is just somebody's idea that was saw, you know, that was seen through. No one's trying to make it a four quadrant thing. I think that you need to have movies that work for some people and don't work for others. But because it's such a bold swing in being in part of the sideways universe. And I know that we already talked about you wanting to kill Alexander Payne. Has anyone or have you heard anything from those people at all? Are they even do you know if they're aware of this as a premise of Napa Voice? I think that no, I think when I went to the to a Soho house screening the other day and there was a lot of people in there where I was like, there was probably 15 people total in there. It was like not a like a big announced thing. And it was before the it was before the premiere even. And there was about 15 people or so in there. And at the end of the movie, there was about two left, but they were loving it. And the other the other the other people that like I was like, there's like an older lady with white hair who I think thinks this is a this is a sideways spin off movie. And there's a scene in the movie where I was like, she's going to leave as soon as the scene happens in the scene happened and she left and I knew it was going to happen. But I mean, I was having a blast still. I thought it was very fun. And I think like with an audience, it's definitely it's it I shouldn't say this about a movie, but like it's trying to alienate even comedians at every point that it can. It's it's it's it's trying to push people up, but it's it's very, very, very funny. And I think that like people who love comedy will love it. I think it will be like a cult classic sort of movie. But now in that in that moment, if like if you are a fan, if you're just a fan, you're not in the movie, you're watching it. Are you laughing? Like are you a laffer in the theater? Like are you up or or do you read the room and then adjust your laugh based on like, okay, it's a little bit more muted in here. Are you enjoying it? Like are you keep fearing it like DaNarrow watching? I'll keep fear. I don't think that I'm like a very I don't think I'm a very vocal person in the theaters anyways, but I will keep during that screening, I was laughing more that people were getting up and leaving. I thought it was very funny and someone was like, are you like, they were like, are you embarrassed by the fact that the someone that we were with like, are you embarrassed by the fact that people are leaving? I was like, no, I actually like I kind of I truly think it is like a badge of honor. And also like, like you were saying, Paul, it's that sort of thing of, I think it's so cool of those guys to to sell finance and go make it and forever. I think so many funny people I know have, you know, like you have to wait and make something and myself included, you know, like when I first saw human giant, which I, which I love. And by the way, I the Doritos sketch one of an old time, one of the old time great sketches. My gosh, you're so funny. And and and Walliner and you are such funny people. And I like, I think for us as a sketch group at the time, we're like, we can't be wait, we can't wait to be given our shot of, of, of like having a show or something, you know, and, and, and we did work and we like made YouTube video. We did make stuff our own. And I think that that helped us get a show or whatever. But then forever with, with entertainment, I feel like you're just like, you're waiting for someone to give you the nod or be like, here you are, I'm putting you in this movie or this show or whatever. And I'm really proud of those guys for, for making a comedy that's, I think is super funny and original and just going out and doing it on their own. And then now it's in theaters. And I hope that I hope that it inspires so many funny people I know to do the same thing. Like I want more people to just make comedy movies. And like you're saying, let's force them into theaters. You know what I mean? Like, like, let's, let's make that happen because they don't, Netflix has decided that like comedies are made for streaming. You know what I mean? I'm like, that's fucking bullshit. Fuck that. Like, And you're not only in theaters, but there is a standee in one of the big, like theaters out here, a big AMC theater. There's a Napa Boys, like, a SUV or like a truck, either way. Yeah. The wine wagon. The wine wagon is there. You could get in it just next to the project, tail, Mary, you know, a space chair or whatever it is. Like there is a standee. You know, like this is it. This is like, yeah, embrace comedy and go see it there because I think that so many people wrote off McGroober and it didn't do anything. And then all of a sudden, honestly, that's in my top four. McGroober is my favorite. I love the number. Yes. And it comes on. You're saying the other one shouldn't? Is Amy implying that the other one? Yeah, I know what we can take out. We'll just put McGroober right in. 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I was at a table of and I'm not going to name drop the names but they were people that if I named dropped them they're go shit those are big people and one of them said oh I hate that movie and the other two chimed in that they also hated it. I like it and then what did I do? I didn't jump in but I didn't also defend it. I just kind of sat there like I am in table agreement with it like where do you two fall like would you like if if three people are hating on a movie that you like do you say no you what do you I mean it depending on your friends but I'm saying like these are these are like for all intents and purposes celebrities famous people real filmmakers do you yeah what do you do? And it was Paul Thomas Anderson who's like the one person who I you know like you know I love that guy if he was saying it I maybe would stay quiet but I think anyone else in the world I would I would chime in and be like I love that movie I think I would go out I would go out on a limb and just be like I really love but I I get like wanting to stay quiet and like not putting my foot in my mouth or like having these people who I would think just have like more cinematic knowledge than I do to just kind of destroy me in a conversation about it but and that's okay you know what I mean like I'll eat shit and still be like oh I like it. It's live with me because I've literally like I'm like wow why did I not say a goddamn thing in that conversation I was like I was like nope what would you do Amy would you do it? Oh I'm the opposite I'm the opposite if it was Paul Thomas Anderson I would tell him he was wrong uh but if it was like some 14 year old kid I would just be really curious and ask him a gazillion questions and try to figure it out you know because I don't want to let him like well oh I'm a critic and here's how you should feel to somebody if I can like pull out what's interesting about their completely wrong opinion you know but I would have defended to the death if I feel like it's somebody who's wrong who actually has power and to be making more movies like that. Well we heard your good fellows we know we know that you will defend a point that people disagree with to the death and I'm slowly winning hearts and minds by the time I die I will have pulled good fellows over into the meh part of the canon. I think it's a beautiful. I'll pull it over to a million dollars baby I'm getting there I'm getting there. It's I think it's a beautiful thing beautiful thing about movies but I do think you are on chaotic evil side and you are uh. Every time an argument comes up like Marker Bobby is too old to be in Wuthering Heights I go and yes what if we talk about good fellows as well and then I can slowly build momentum I'm working on. See but I don't I don't I don't agree with that either I like I like I'm like she no no no I'm saying she should be in Wuthering Heights I'm saying I'm saying that in Ray Leota should be in Goodfell like I have no problem with the magic of the movies. Yes by the way I think that that once upon a time Hollywood is my favorite Tarantino movie which I think is like a controversial tape because of Reservoir Dogs and you know Pulp Fiction and everything like that. To me Jackie Brown is my favorite. I love Jackie Brown too and that's Jackie Brown is like in my top three but but I think that that movie broke a lot of people's brains so I'm not surprised to hear like directors be like I actually don't like that movie because I feel like there was so many movies there was like a slew of movies after that that were like 70s Hollywood or like like and it was like I think this movie broke some people's brains and it was that good and maybe I would maybe be like I hate and I do that sometimes too when there's something that I like I sometimes have to check myself and be like you're artistically jealous you're like jealous of this movie and I I do it and you know what I mean I'm sure like bigger directors do it too and in that and I think it's okay to admit that and there's movies I see there I'm like I don't like that and then I'll sit at home and be like you're jealous that's what it is. I mean there's I've been watching like I said the office and there's been moments where in watching I'm like how come I was never asked to be on the office. I'm like this office has been off the air for years and I'm like god damn it. You should have been asked to be on it. Thank you I appreciate it. I auditioned for the office and was like for not for the original but for like it was Kathy Bates son that then turned into like Michael Scott's nephew and I was like still very green at the time yeah and Allison Jones who I love I like went in and auditioned. I went in and auditioned for this and I remember I finished it and she was like that was well memorized and I was like damn oh that sucks. That's a pretty good slam too it's a subtle slam. Wow and I had and it was that thing where I was like I did just only like like it was like a child memorizing like you know like a speech for his fifth grade class or something like I was I was just so afraid of doing a bad job instead of like doing a good job you know it was just like it's hard. We don't need the we don't need the we don't need the office. Yeah I was yes I was on that one yeah there we got it we got it. Well Mike we always close out with the thing that we call the cinema repentance booth which is your chance at the end of this confessional to make amends to something in the world of cinema to make formal amends it can be anything that's that you feel a little bit of shame about. Okay I'm ashamed this is for Amy I'm sorry for my love of Goodfellas. I wear it on my sleeve I think maybe I should apologize for liking so many bro movies you know what I mean I am like I do I do have basic tastes a lot of the time and I think when I was younger when I was like 20 years old I think I thought like a movie in black and white was homework and I think that I have wasted so like I wasted so many years not seeing classic movies because that was what my where my head was at was that was like this feels like homework and then in film school like that basically is homework and that's how I associated it with with it and so I apologize to everything before 1970s that was made that I am now doing my due diligence on so. I love that. That is beautiful as an assignment I would like to assign you a black and white movie to watch as part of your year. I would love that please. Fantastic I'm going to assign you the black and white movie that made me fall in love with movies when I was a freshman film student. Oh my god. A film called a film that I took in a class called films in context of the great depression it is called footlight parade. Footlight parade. It's by Busby Berkeley you know Busby Berkeley who did all like the crazy dance numbers like from above. Yes. Yeah. This movie is about the movies it's about a time in movie history where every movie opened not with trailers but with like a live preview vaudeville entertainment to get you excited about the movie you were about to see so it's about the people doing dance numbers to get you excited to watch the movie. It has some of the most amazing footage you'll ever see some boring parts where you're going to have to not pick up your phone you're going to have to not pick up your phone you can't do it. I can do I can make it to that final half hour you're going to lose your mind you're going to be so happy. See I wish what I love about the vistas that they do just show classic movies like this but this this isn't even deeper cut I feel like than they than they would show but the only way that I know about the footlight parade is because it was in the great movie ride at the Disney MGM studios back in the day was the opening thing when you go on the little tram because they had all the swimmers that's the big thing right in footlight. When you said that director it's it's a buzzly Berkeley. Yeah he got drunk and he designed crazy shit in his bathtub and you can tell that here. When you said that I was like it's the swimmer and that and so it's this that's the same movie oh my god okay all right I'm watching it. You're going to love it you're going to love it and what to pay attention to when you get to the musical numbers too is a how they're all about sex they're all totally about sex without being able to say they're about sex and there's even like a sexy cat number early on. Wow I got a sexy cat number all right that's I as a as a as a huge cat fan I also love this not that I am attracted to cats to be clear but I'm working my way into your heart yeah if you're into furries you will like this film. I own too so that's Irma but I'm very excited to watch this this is great and I am excited about the horny cat scene what can I say? Mike this is amazing I'm so happy that you're here everyone go see Napo Boys in theaters and if you're listening to this after it's out of theaters watch it at home but bring over some friends and enjoy it yeah you know just don't watch it by yourself. Watching the college dorm with your buddies that's like it comes out it releases on video on demand I believe on 420 which I think was intentional by those guys like a like an old American pie straight to DVD movie or something so yeah check it out in theaters if you can and if not it will be on demand soon amazing. Break into a dorm if you got one in your neighborhood go ahead that's always my advice. All right thank you Mike you can listen to Doe Boys wherever you get your podcast you can catch Twisted Metal on Peacock right now and you can see the Napo Boys in theaters now and if it's after 420 then guess what it's on streaming you can follow Mike on Instagram at mynamesmitch and we'll see you next time in The Confession. Unspooled is produced by Amy Nicholson, Paul Shear, Molly Reynolds and Harry Nelson. Sound engineered by Corey Barton, music by Devin Bryant, episode art by Kim Troxall, show art by Lee Jameson and social media production by Zoey Applebaum. This is a Rome production see you next week. Bye for now. Legendary stories awe-inspiring sound and endless adventure welcome to the realms of peril and glory explore the mechanically magical vistas of veil the paranormal mysteries of liminal London and the cyberpunk chaos of cyborg. Fall in love with our core cast or be awed by our incredible guests from familiar shows like Oxventure, Three Black Halflings and No Rolls Bard. Ignite your imagination and discover the realms of peril and glory today go to realmspod.com or search realms of peril and glory wherever you listen to podcasts. Hi we're Meg Bashmaner and Joseph Fink of Welcome to Night Vale and on our new show the best worst we explore the golden age of television. To do that we're watching the IMDB viewer rated best and worst episodes of classic tv shows. The episode of Star Trek where Beverly Crusher has sex with a ghost. The episode of the X-Files where Skelly gets attacked by a vicious house cat. And also the really good episodes too. What can we learn from the best and worst of great television? Like for example is it really a bad episode or do people just hate women? The best worst available wherever you get your podcasts.