Key Takeaways
- Markiplier's self-financed horror film 'Iron Lung' achieved surprising box office success, prompting discussion on studio strategy.
- Nancy Meyers' new film, starring Penélope Cruz and Kieran Culkin, is slated for a December 2027 release by Warner Brothers.
- The podcast paid tribute to the late Catherine O'Hara, celebrating her extensive comedic and dramatic career at 71.
- Sean Fennessey highlighted 'Josephine' as an 'emotionally devastating' standout at Sundance, winning two major awards.
- The hosts reviewed 'People We Meet on Vacation' as a disappointing rom-com adaptation and thoroughly enjoyed 'The Moment,' a Charli XCX mockumentary.
- Production designer Jack Fisk detailed his process for 'Marty Supreme,' recreating 1950s New York City with historical accuracy.
- Fisk shared insights on aging sets, collaborating with iconic directors like Malick and Lynch, and the evolution of filmmaking.
Deep Dive
- Markiplier's independently financed horror film 'Iron Lung' surprised by grossing $18 million from 4,100 screens.
- The film, based on Markiplier's YouTube content, could impact traditional studio strategy and future moviegoing.
- Markiplier reportedly earned a $10 million profit within three days, signaling a potential career shift from YouTube content creation.
- The podcast paid tribute to the late Catherine O'Hara, reflecting on her significant comedic and dramatic career at 71.
- Her memorable roles include appearances in films like 'Beetlejuice,' 'Home Alone,' and 'Best in Show,' as well as early sketch work on SCTV.
- O'Hara experienced recent widespread acclaim with her role in the television series 'Schitt's Creek,' acknowledging her widely recognized talent.
- 'Josephine,' a drama about an 8-year-old witnessing a sexual assault, was highlighted as a standout film from the final Sundance Film Festival.
- The film earned both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, despite its emotionally devastating nature.
- Despite lacking a distributor, hosts noted its Oscar potential and compared its difficult subject matter to films like 'Hamnet.'
- The Netflix original film, directed by Brett Haley and based on Emily Henry's novel, stars Emily Bader and Tom Blythe as friends on annual vacations.
- Hosts expressed disappointment, finding the adaptation felt like a YA film with an unresolved narrative and a lack of humor.
- The film was critiqued for its unclear genre identity, unrealistic portrayal of a travel writer, and underdeveloped set design, deviating from typical rom-coms.
- The adaptation was seen as too tethered to its source material, with the lead actors' performances also criticized.
- The Charli XCX mockumentary, featuring Roseanne Arquette and Alexander Skarsgaard, explores her life during 'Brat Summer' and tour preparation.
- Hosts thoroughly enjoyed the 'smart, funny, and knowing' film, praising its commentary on celebrity and a notable tribute to 'Cruel Intentions.'
- The film offers a frank depiction of drug use, critiques corporate pressures in the music industry, and features a surprisingly strong performance from Kylie Jenner.
- Its deadpan satire and effective use of reaction shots were compared to 'The Trip' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' serving as an observant portrait of the artist.
- Production designer Jack Fisk discussed collaborating with director Josh Safdie for 'Marty Supreme,' aiming for a historically accurate, documentary-like portrayal of 1950s New York City's Lower East Side.
- Fisk's personal experiences from living in the area during the 1960s informed the design, contrasting the era's coal-heated grittiness with modern transformations.
- Challenges included recreating the 1950s streetscape by analyzing period photographs and films, and developing a modular system to build street facades overnight without altering existing structures.
- Jack Fisk aims for an authentic, 'lived-in' feel for period films, prioritizing a realistic 'dinginess' and 'soot' over a sterile, 'fresh out of the box' look.
- He detailed techniques for aging new materials, comparing it to pre-distressed denim, to reflect the era's environmental conditions.
- Fisk's process involves specialized methods like 'roping' paint and investigating historical details from original sources like journals, stories, and photographs to achieve authenticity for films like 'Marty Supreme.'
- Fisk praised his scenic and graphics artists as 'legends,' sharing an anecdote about trusting head scenic artist Alex Gotowski based on intuitive judgment rather than a portfolio review.
- He recounted being hired by a director after an immediate display of confidence and a spontaneous bear hug, leading to an instant hiring and lasting friendship.
- Fisk attributes his unique sensitivity to environments and spaces to a lifelong interest in architecture, evidenced by childhood habits of building forts and frequently rearranging his room.
- Fisk discussed learning from Terrence Malick to set films slightly in the past to suspend scrutiny and universalize the narrative, noting how details like aging swing sets add realism.
- He emphasizes the importance of the physical environment in informing actors and enhancing the narrative beyond just words, citing Jesse Buckley's character in 'Hamlet' as an example.
- Fisk reflects on the magic of building sets and experiencing them as a form of time travel, recounting a near shutdown during 'The Revenant' but ultimately seeing the film finished due to Alejandro G. Iñárritu's genius.
- Fisk discussed long-term collaborations with directors like Terrence Malick, beginning with 'Badlands,' and David Lynch, including 'The Straight Story' and the unreleased 'Mohammed Drive' that led to 'Mulholland Drive.'
- He is currently working with Martin Scorsese and Ang Lee on 'Gold Mountain,' a film tentatively about a Chinese immigrant family in America, which recently received California funding for potential restart.
- Fisk recounted the challenging but exciting process of building sets for Terrence Malick's 'Days of Heaven' in 1970s Canada with limited materials, using unconventional methods like diesel fuel for fire effects.
- He reflects on the changing film industry since the 1970s, noting how independent films like 'Easy Rider' opened doors for new filmmakers through low-budget studios like Roger Corman's.