Newcomers: Scorsese, with Nicole Byer and Lauren Lapkus - Thor: Ragnarok (w/ Paul Scheer)

Episode Date: May 31, 2022

Everyone said Nicole and Lauren would like this one. Since the start of the season, they all said: "Just wait 'til Thor: Ragnarok." And so we waited, traveling to Xandar and the Quantum Realm and the Avengers' mansion, until it was time for us to reunite with Thor and Loki and Heimdall (but this time, they're funnier). Paul Scheer (How Did This Get Made?, The League, Marvel 616) stops by to find out if Nicole and Lauren did, in fact, like this one. Well, did they? You'll have to tune in to find out.  Next week's movie: Black Panther (2018) Like the show? Rate Newcomers 5 stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Nicole and Lauren to read on the pod! Follow the podcast on Letterboxd. Advertise on Newcomers via Gumball.fmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a HeadGum Original. So much has happened since I last saw you. I lost my hammer like yesterday so that's still pretty fresh. And then I went on a journey of self-discovery. Where I met you. Where are we? You have no idea. Hello, the goddess of death has invaded Asgard. Oh, I've missed this.

And you and I had a fight recently. Did I win? No, I won, easily. Doesn't sound right. Well, it's true. Asgard is dead. And it will be reborn in my image. Asgard is dead. And it will be reborn in my image.

I thought you'd be glad to see me. I need to stop her here and now. To prevent Ragnarok, the end of everything. So I'm putting together a team. Like the old days. Surprise! We're putting together a team. Like the old days. Surprise! This will be such fun. Hello.

Hi. He's a fighter. Here we go! I'm not a queen or a monster. I'm the goddess of death. What were you the god of again? We're the same you and I just a couple of hot-headed fools. Yes, same Hulk like fire Though I like water

Kind of both like fire the whole like raging raging fire. Thor like smoldering fire. Thank you. Beep, beep, boop, boop, boop. It's Newcomers. Yes, it is. That's our official theme song. I'm Lauren Lapkus. I'm Nicole Byer. And this season, we are covering the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is the 13th episode of our fifth season, and we're going to have guests who are newcomer superfans and sometimes people who've contributed.

And we're going to do 20 episodes, which doesn't cover everything, but I think it's covering a lot because it feels like we're seeing it all. And today we are discussing the third Thor film, Thor Ragnarok. And we skipped the second Thor movie, Thor The Dark World, for time and to make room for more origin stories down the line. And if you don't like that, then take it up with yourself. Because we don't care. We don't care. Who cares about second Thor? We can't do everything. And Thor Ragnarok is available with a subscription on Disney Plus, and you can watch it for a fee on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. And obviously, we're going to spoil the entire film. Okay, Lauren, quick thoughts before we intro our guest. I actually liked it.

Lauren, I loved it. Okay, and I thought, why are they not all like this? Exactly. Where it's funny, funny, funny. And they're making fun of themselves. Lots of color. Lots of color. I will say the first 35 minutes,

I was like, what the fuck is this movie? Yeah. But then after like 36 minutes hit and I said, ooh, baby. Yeah. I love it.

It was really funny. I feel like they were making fun of each other. Like it was all stuff that I want to happen in the other movies. And everyone did say that this one was like the best and I thought they were lying because people really thought we were gonna like that fucking Avengers movie I know and that was boo-boo for me yeah but I loved this I

finished it was like maybe I'll watch it again and then I was like Nicole settle down that's actually crazy I didn't go that far at all. It took me a long time to watch it. I had to like, you know, get through it in a way, but I still liked it. I mean, it did take me two sittings because it was like two hours and 20 minutes or something. It's long and I, you know, it's hard because when Little People, Big World returns,

you want to watch that. Do you know what I'm saying? Like it's like there's a whole new season of drama. And by the way, it's going down this season on Little People Big World and if you're not watching See I haven't been keeping up. I am watching 90 Day

and it is a snoozy season. People are saying that. I haven't been watching in a long time. It's a real snooze fest. I can't believe I fell off because it was my whole life but

LPBW oh my god they're having drama between the parents and the children. It's crazy. Oh no. Yeah. Well before we get too much into Little People Big World Oh my God, they're having drama between the parents and the children. It's crazy. Oh no. Yeah, yeah.

Well, before we get too much into Little People, Big World, we should introduce our guest today. It is Paul Scheer. And Paul Scheer, don't say hello yet. Paul Scheer is an actor. He's a writer. He's a director. You might have seen him on Veep, Black Monday, The League, and in Marvel's 616 documentary. He's also the host of a talk show on his Twitch channel, FriendZone, with Rob Hubel.

And the podcast, How Did This Get Made? and Unspooled. Ooh, Paul Scheer, we can't wait to get into Thor Ragnarok with you today. Now you can talk. Hello. So happy to be here and so psyched that you like this movie because I do feel like this is a special Marvel movie. I do want to just I know that your audience is with you on every one of these. I just want to get a little bit of where you are at. Can I just quickly thumbs up, thumbs down on the ones that you've done?

Because I want to get a taste of it because I talked to Jason and, you know, so. All right. You saw you started off iron man thumbs up boo i thought it was okay iron man too for me i'm gonna say thumbs down i think i like that less yeah me too okay we're on the same page well i like that iron man thor was one of the worst things i've ever seen dark world by the way you lucked out on missing Dark World. Okay. I saw that in the theater. It was rough.

Captain America, First Avenger, serviceable. Oh, I liked it because of him. Yes. Yeah. But not,

but like a simple movie. I didn't like Little Him. Yeah. Marvel's Avengers. No. No. No. Wow.

Okay. Okay. Interesting. That one, I think I could see it, but Guardians of the Galaxy. This is where I'm thinking we're going to go Marvel's Avengers no no wow okay okay interesting that one I think I could see it but Guardians of the Galaxy this is where I'm thinking we're gonna go

yes yeah okay I liked Groot so much I think we know why I love Vin Diesel and I love the little rabbit thing yeah but I didn't love a lot of it

okay but this is but Guardians and Thor Ragnarok kind of exist in the same kind of creative space I think Age of Ultron thumbs down right thumbs down

that was trash that was with the Scarlet Witch being like I can't hurt anybody oh yeah and then that man with the bow and arrow being like

come on you got it if I'm looking at you I can't help everyone or something I forgot that she had an accent yes

so did she she's a little retcon Ant-Man do we like Antconned. Ant-Man. Do we like Ant-Man? Loved Ant-Man. Yeah, great. Okay, great. All right, this is really good.

Now, this is the one that I'm quite surprised that you didn't like. The Captain America movie, Civil War. We did not like that, but that's the one Manzoukas explained to us, right? Yeah. Yeah, okay. That was extremely helpful.

We liked it more, yeah. Okay. But I liked the other one, the Winter Soldier, but then I didn't know the Winter Soldier was coming back. And I was like, I thought we were done with the Winter Soldier. Yeah. All right. I see this.

And then Doctor Strange. Loved. Loved. Loved. Oh, okay. Interesting. Like genuinely loved to the point where I didn't like the second one because it was so different than the first one.

Okay. So that's really interesting because I think that Doctor Strange is just a pale imitation of Iron Man. What? Yeah. No, no, no, no, no. What? No. Wow. Why? Because he's so,

because he's so like cocky and like. Well, I just think it feels like it's like, oh, we've seen this same kind of, I mean, not the powers, but the same kind of origin story. I'm sorry. Tony Stark would never sit outside a door in Nepal begging for his little fingies to get fixed.

Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right. All right. And then finally, Spider-Man Homecoming. This is thumbs up, right? Yeah, we liked that. Yeah. Okay.

All right. So I feel like you just, I wanted to understand fully where you are because I do feel like Marvel is best with like auteur driven pieces. Like when someone has a very clear idea of what they want to do. I think the Rooster Brothers. You said a word that I don't know. Auteur?

Yeah, I don't know that one. It's like, you know, it's when someone really has something to say, I guess. Oh, okay. Like a real point of view. A real point of view. Yeah. Okay. thank you. It really is coming from them.

Because I think like James Gunn and obviously Taika, you know, the, sorry, I'm forgetting the guy who does Spider-Man. But who is that guy? What is his name? John Watts. John Watts. Yeah, there we go. You didn't even try. Don't ask me.

Leah's got the answers on the technical things, such as names. Yeah. But those are the ones that I feel like, especially probably going backwards, these are so much more refreshing to see because they're kind of breaking the mold a little bit. And they're like, oh, right, you can have fun in this world

and these characters can exist. And this is like, oh, right, you can have fun in this world. And these characters can exist. And this is like a buddy comedy, Thor Ragnarok. It really is like a cop movie or there, you know, has that kind of similar DNA. Oh, yeah. Now that you're saying that, I do see that. Yeah. And I mean, like, I think we like the ones that have a lightness to them and a sense of humor. And sometimes the sense of humor doesn't work in

some of these like i feel like avengers has some some humor that's like i think that's because it's um joss i was joss whedon and i think his humor is very specific to like buffy and angel and i think it doesn't really work where he tries to like shoehorn it in. It almost feels of a time. Like his humor feels like an early 2000s. It's like our humor has evolved or like he was doing meta. I'm going to make a statement that people will probably get mad at and say like,

I feel like he was doing meta kind of before meta became super popular. And now when he does it, it feels like, I don't know. There's something about it that just feels a little stale. Like it doesn't feel like

it's going to be timeless in that way. Yeah, and this movie seemed really fresh to me. Yeah. Like, very funny and interesting. And I mean, partly because we're watching these in order, and so there's that feeling of, like, it's catching up to the present day more and more. But, like, it was very funny. And, like, just, I think that's something we enjoyed about like Ant-Man and stuff.

Like the humor was like also performed really well. Yes. I was really surprised looking at this cast because, not that they're not funny, but I'm saying when they were all cast in the original Thor, that wasn't like this at all. So it's like they were being cast to do comedy. And then now Thor is like this funny character that I've grown to like,

which I could not have said from the first one. Because I only like him now. Yeah, same. He's not funny or interesting in the other ones. I totally agree. Like, here we go. Like this whole like birth of Chris Hemsworth being like a funny person, which is so unfair because he's so gorgeous as a man i i once uh was visiting a friend and i i got to hold uh one of thor's hammers that i won't spoil where it comes from uh but it's from a movie you have

not seen yet and um and it was hard to even pick up and they're like oh yeah but for chris it's not because he is also he's actually Wait, so it's actually heavy? Oh, this one, there's multiple ones. But this one was like, oh, yeah, you can't mess around. He just delivers the goods in this movie. And I feel like, actually, it's weird that in the Marvel movies, and I know you haven't seen this yet, but the Hawkeye series, Jeremy Renner, after doing Hawkeye for years, all of a sudden is like a new character that's way more engaging.

Same thing for Elizabeth Olsen. I feel like she's gotten better and better. It's almost weird to see people get better. I think we're in a world where most people, it's a downward spiral. And these characters are getting a chance to go up. You're like, oh, you found something totally new and interesting in these characters. By the way, did you see that Vanity Fair lie detector test with Elizabeth Olsen? I only saw a clip where she's trying to become a stoner. No, there was that one.

But there's there are some really good clips where she just is like so honest about people. And it's really funny. Oh, my God. She's really likable. Well, like so she they bring up the Heim sisters because she went to school with them. And she and Danielle Heim, I guess, was her same age in school or something. And she's in Licorice Pizza. She's not the main girl.

The other she's one of the sisters. And because people were like, she's not even in it. And it's like, she is in it. She's a smaller part. You're were like, she's not even in it. And it's like, she is in it. She's a smaller part. You're stupid. But she's not an actor. But they were like, are you a better actor than Danielle Hyman? She started like cackling and she was like, yeah, like she should be.

She's like, that girl's a rock star and she's an actor. Yeah, that's fine. But it was great. She's just like super honest and funny. Would you ever agree to take a lie detector test as part of a publicity tour? Because I feel like it's a dangerous proposition. It's so scary

because they are asked real questions. Yeah. Like, there's a point where she got kind of flustered because they were like, you know, challenging her on one of them

and she was like, I mean, yeah, I did see that movie. I don't, is that what, is it not, to say it's a lie? I would do it, but I would pass on,

I would just be like, pass, I won't answer that. Yeah, passing. Like, would you do it, but I would pass on. I would just be like, pass. I won't answer that. Yeah, passing. Like, would you do it on Watch What Happens Live when they do like that? Yeah. What's it called? Yeah.

Because it's like fluff. I don't think they're really trying to get me. Yeah, but you have to sometimes throw someone under the bus. Well, but you know what? But that show, you can touch. People get very upset on that show. I have experienced that. If you say something about... I love that whole Bravo...

I'm just going to call it all of it. The franchise. The MCU of the Bravo Housewives world. But you forget that they are... I can sit here and be like, you know what? Thor is a blank, blank, blank. But when you do it there,

it's like, these are people that are living there. Yeah, I know. And it's hard. It's like, but they're viewed as characters. I know. Like, I can't separate it. It's not real. I was on With a Housewife.

Oh, me too. Emily from the OC. Oh, okay. Not familiar. I love her, but I was like, this is kind of crazy because they brought up stuff about Shane. Like, it was just like,

they're asking questions and bringing up topics about her husband next to her. And she's like super cool and strong person and can take whatever she's had, like horrible things said to her on the show. But like, I'm not going to be insulting somebody or saying anything, even if it's funny. It's like you can't do it. By the way, I was in the Erika Jayne documentary about her husband stealing all that money because Andy started questioning her really hard about, did she know? And I was the guest and she's grabbing onto my hand. So when they do cut to that moment on Watch What Happens Live, it's me and her holding hands. And she was lovely. We had a great time. And, you know,

lovely we had a great time uh and uh you know but i just i just sat back that was yeah because that's a legal claim where people are injured i'm like i got no comment that's like a curious thing about bravo they'll dig right into legal stuff where it's like i don't know if you can do this yeah that's rough stuff i mean did you know there's a bravo? Oh, yes, I did. And they sold like 10,000 badges in like 60 seconds. That makes all the sense in the world. I mean, it is as popular. I love Bravo. I mean, it is as popular as this Marvel franchise. What I love about Bravo is for a long time,

I was always trying to explain to June like why I liked certain things. Like I love Marvel movies. I love Star Wars and Indiana Jones and all that sort of stuff. And I don't think that she understood like why I would get upset about stuff or why I was into it.

And the first moment where I felt like she truly understood my fandom was seeing Sex and the City 2 and being utterly disappointed by it. And coming home, like really bummed out and trying to like talk herself into Sex and the City 2 being good. So like, and I was like, I've done this. I've had this conversation about Shia LaBeouf and Indiana Jones.

Like we've been there. And I think the Bravo has that same thing where you are, you're in your world, you're committed to these characters and this yeah you want it yeah that's very funny I never thought about sex in the city like that I have come to terms that the movie marks one canon

the second movie starts a different canon and that's where and just like that lives all right oh no to me and just like that connects to the first to the show right you like that connects to the first, to the show. Right. It doesn't connect to the movies in a way. Although it does because.

It negates everything that the characters did on the show. I guess that's true. That's why I think it starts a different canon. But I just go like, it's the show because I love the show. Yeah, I guess you're right, though, because their personalities have changed a lot in the years since we've seen that. So I think the movie was like a perfect little cherry on top to satiate us because we love the series so much. And then the second movie, you're like Abu Dhabi. Yeah, that's crazy. This is bonkers.

That one's a mess. This one's a mess. But we did get the lovely line. Samantha goes, Lawrence of Arabia, Lawrence of my labia. And I was the only one in theater who cackled. Do you feel like that was the inspiration for the entire movie? They were like, that's such a good line. Let's figure out how we get them.

Someone wrote that in a punch up room and they're like, we're going to Abu Dhabi. That is truly like we I've done my work for the day. Like when you're writing a script, you're like, you know what? It's not going to get better than that. And so good. Go out and treat myself to my own lunch um this movie though thor i believe like when i talk to people about the marvel world the movies that i've subjected june to yeah have been in the marvel world i mean that alone you've you've subjected her to a lot of movies i mean just your podcast alone i guess

it's not just you subject exactly and those aren't movies that i like those we are subjecting ourselves to those movies yeah but with the marvel world i try to be very specific with her and go i think she will like this and that so like ant-man i was like you can go see ant-man um and then thor ragnarok i was like this works and guardians those were the three that I picked. I was like, I think that this will give you an idea, a lay of the land without you being overwhelmed by it. And you'll have a good time. Because here, Carl Urban, to me, is an unsung hero of this movie. He's so funny in this movie.

He plays the executioner who's taking over for Himdall. He's in The Boys. boys oh i love him on the boys yeah he's so good and he i think people didn't realize how funny he is and he's so good in this he's so funny i mean he has a small part but he's very funny in this role he has one of my favorite moments where he puts like a cloak over his head to get on the ship and i was like he is truly serving billy zane in titanic oh yeah and it made me laugh so hard even I was like, he is truly serving Billy Zane in Titanic. Oh, yeah. And it made me laugh so hard. I was like,

I don't know if that's what they were going for, but I loved it. Well, this movie is goofy. Like, it is goofy. Like, when he sees the Hulk, when Thor sees the Hulk for the first time

in that battle, he's like, hey, we're buddies. Like, it's such a, I think it's a breath of fresh air because these movies have like a, we're being serious, we're being this and that. And the comic books were never, I mean, the comic books had serious things in them.

But I think the best ones, there's a lightness to it. These are fun characters. We want to hang out with these characters. I think they have to feel like sitcom characters to a certain extent because that's the only way that we want to revisit them time and time again. Yeah. And I think this made me like all of the characters in a new way. I didn't think Loki was interesting. Me neither. Me neither.

And I'm into Loki now. I thought he was so annoying before. But I will say this, Loki's powers change willy-nilly because they talk about how when he was a kid he could turn into a snake or whatever but then when he's all chained up he can't turn into something else and leave he can't like morph out of that planet when he's like i gotta get out of here you can't just fucking vanish the way you've been doing it that was confusing wait let's get your marvel expert

in here marvel expert did he have one of the things on his neck at that point no not yet because he doesn't get that thing until he tries to double cross Thor. And Thor is like, you've been doing that. You sound like an expert. I think he's a trickster. To me, he's a trickster. So I don't know if he can like move off of planets, but I think he can take other forms, but I don't think he could like, in my mind, I think that if he, his power is making you think he's someone else.

So his snake would still be caught on the wall. You know what I'm saying? Like he would still be captured. He just shapeshifts in person. Right. So what you see is different, but he's not able to leave. That in my mind is how it works. But I could be wrong.

Again, I'm no expert. Illusion magic. Yes. I see wrong. Again, I'm no expert. Illusion magic. Yes. I see, I see, I see. Okay. Should we do our Daily Bugle? Yes, that's what I was going to say. Oh, great. Lauren, great man. Stay tonight. So this is our new segment,

The Daily Bugle. Beep bop, boop bop. Okay, so Marvel Studios signed a 20-year deal. By the way, I like that it's beep bop, boop bop, but a bugle beep bop boop bop okay so marvel studios signed a 20-year deal by the way i like that it's beep bop boop bop but a bugle should have a different sound like oh no it changes every time okay yeah yeah just having a nice time um marvel studios signed a 20-year deal with stan lee universe to license the name and likeness of lee who died in 2018 for future future films, future films, television productions,

uh, Disney theme parks, merchandising, and more. Eee. What, like a hologram? I guess so.

Or I guess they could just use his picture or something. I have mixed feelings on this because, because I think there's, and again, I'm not fully versed in this, but there has been a lot of, um, talk that he has suffered or he had suffered elder abuse, that people were taking advantage of him became in many in many respects the face of the of the Marvel world because he's in every Marvel movie.

He is viewed as the creator, even though that's not fully true. But that's he is the face. And I think his family was working against him. So now I wonder where this money is going, but it feels like it's going to the family. So now we'll have like a Stanley animatronic in like Disney World Tokyo going like, hey, welcome, you know. I just love that.

I don't love it. I don't love it. But again, I may, there may have been some resolution to it, but I feel like it's a very weird, there's a weird end to him. And I will say the one time I met Stanley, which was thrilling, I was backstage at comic-con and he had fallen asleep and uh someone's like do you

want to do you want to meet him and I was like well he's clearly asleep absolutely not like yeah you know like not the time yeah and they're like we'll wake him up and I was like no no no no no like you don't you'll wake him up it felt It felt like like there was like a puppy that they wanted to show. Yeah. Yeah. And I and I felt like that one moment. Kind of gave me an instinct of maybe how his handlers might be treating him. And that's not Marvel.

That was, I think, his his own crew. It's like, no, let the man sleep. Let the man be there. He's old and tired. Yes. Yeah. It's like, no, let the man sleep. Let the man be there. Yeah, he's old and tired. Yes. Yeah, that's really sad. Well, if I die, I hope you guys make sure

that nobody sells the rights to my face anywhere. Yeah. I'll be putting your image everywhere. Well, that's like, isn't that the whole Robin Williams thing too? Like Robin Williams has been,

one of the things in his will was you couldn't use his face in anything after he had died. Wow. Really? Yes. So they couldn't. I'm glad that they were aware of that. Because I think he knew that, you know, maybe left to, you know, you know, somebody comes in and all of a sudden it's like, I think he probably lived in that world of like, I'm afraid I'm going to be like cgi like grand moff tarkin and like the rogue one like they're going to just and he probably

would be what the fuck did you just say rogue moff toffin well who wasn't it with um what's her face well in oh princess leia as well but uh but uh grand moff tarkin was a character in star wars uh played by peter cushing and they brought him back in Rogue One. He'd been long since dead. It's like, just move the story on. Yeah, we don't need... Or if they liked that, I guess it's fine. Yeah, just recast.

Because also that happens all the time. It's like, why not? No one's here getting that upset about James Bond. We just switch his face. That's okay. We call him James Bond. We just switch his face. That's okay. We call him James Bond. We all know. We're familiar.

Yeah. Okay. Well, another bit of news is that Spider-Man director John Watt stepped away from directing the MCU's Fantastic Four film after three successful Spider-Man films. Ooh, I wonder what happened with John. So why did he do that? Do you know, Paul? Here's my thought. And I do believe that the

Marvel universe is incredibly well thought out and every piece must fit into the MCU in a very particular way. So at a certain point, I imagine as he's addressing the Fantastic Four, there are certain guideposts that he has to hit or a movie that he has to make. And maybe it was creative differences. Maybe it was like, you know what? I don't want to keep on doing this. Maybe while my star is hot, you know, like I can go off and make my own thing. Like the way the Russo brothers went off and made like three or four different movies right after they had their good run at Marvel.

Because there's a moment here to make whatever you want to make instead of going back in and working within that thing. I think he's an amazing director and I think he did a fantastic job, but I could also see that being tiring too. Yeah. So I thought that as well. Yes. And they,

from my research, it was like an amicable. He needed a break from Marvel, but he's also attached to do a star Wars series. So he's just skipping down the hall from Marvel to star Wars. Well, that's actually really exciting because I could understand that being a more, I guess if I'm a director that has that opportunity,

I would be more daunted by doing a star Wars film because I feel like those have just not worked like the way that they want them to. And that like, opportunity, I would be more daunted by doing a Star Wars film because I feel like those have just not worked like the way that they want them to. And that like that's a much bigger undertaking. It's like because the tone of Star Wars doesn't have the flexibility that Marvel has, which is like fun and it's light. Star Wars feels oftentimes heavy unless it's a TV show. Then it has like lighter moments. We have Amy Sedaris and stuff. And probably would be more original content for him, I would think. Yes, I guess that's true. He doesn't have to work.

Yeah. That's interesting. It's interesting. I like John Watts. Nerd conversation. But by the way, can I talk about the John Watts? Everyone talks about John Watts making this movie called Cop Car about these two kids who steal Kevin Bacon's cop car. It's a great movie uh i highly

recommend seeing cop car but there was a movie he made before this that i feel like no one talks about and it's so i feel like it might be up both your alleys it's called clown clown is about um a family and the dad's a real estate uh sales and he goes to a house for a showing and it's during his kid's birthday party and his wife calls him up and says, hey, the clown didn't show up. Can you like come over and like, can you come dressed as something? So he like rummages through the house that he's selling and he finds this old clown costume and he puts it on. And then he goes to the party. It works out great, but then he can't take it off.

The hair is attached. The suit is attached. Oh, it's like the Santa Claus. Yes. So he is now, but then the clown is murderous. And then he becomes possessed by this clown costume and he's this murderous clown and it gets so fucking dark. So it's a clown dad. That sounds so scary.

Oh, it is. Like, I was watching it one night. I stumbled across it and I was like, it is funny and also, like, legit terrifying. That's truly very scary. Yeah. Yeah, I'd be really upset if I put a wig on and it didn't come off

here's our last bit of the Daily Bugle that's the one part that stuck with you I gotta change my wig so Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness made 31.6 million it's third weekend at the number one spot

in the box office bringing it's domestic total oh my god to 342 million gotta say Lauren million its third weekend at the number one spot in the box office bringing its domestic total oh my god to 342 million gotta say lauren have you seen it yet no no it's fucking gruesome is it it is a scary movie it's gruesome and one character gets murdered by the means it he looks like he becomes play-doh it's wild that's great but like it's scary and i feel like in these movies people just die and stuff but you're saying no no these are like violent deaths and at one point elizabeth olsen is chasing people through this like corridor and she's got something on her face that i think is mud but it looks like blood and she looks

fucking deranged and it's like pretty creepy. Well, I would say this. It is more of a Sam Raimi movie than it is a Marvel movie. And I kind of liked it for that because it is like Evil Dead. It is crazy. It's big. And they push that PG-13. I mean, I can't imagine taking a kid who had seen all the other Marvel movies and then seeing this. Because you'd be like, ah!

Oh, that's interesting. But to me, as someone who is new to all of this, I think that's what makes this so cool. That you could have a director just make their stamp. I put their stamp on it so strongly in the same way Tika Waititi did. Yes. It's like, wait, they should each be a unique standalone piece inspired by a comic book. But it can do whatever. I just like that so much more. That's so much interesting well that's dc oh really well dc is

like everyone gets to go make whatever they want to make there's a joker movie that has no correlation to the batman movie and there's another batman movie it's another batman movie no but i think what marvel does really well is says, and again, I could be wrong, but they say these are the parameters in which you need to tell the story. Like it's got to have like it's got to start here and it's got to end here, but you can direct it any which way that you want. So that's what I feel like when you get somebody who has a really strong point of view like James Gunn comes in. And I think James Gunn is the first one who comes in and is like, I'm going to make this poppier and funnier. And all of a sudden it feels very different than the Joss Whedon funny.

And the Russo brothers are also having that kind of community style of jokes. It's like it just it starts to be alive. And I think even Jon Favreau did that with the first Iron Man was like, OK, we can work within the lines here and make something actually that feels like it's doing everything that Marvel needs to do, but at the same time, completely an original voice. For better or for worse, that's what Chloe Zhao did, I think, as well. Who? Chloe Zhao, who won the Oscar for Nomadland and then directed The Eternals, which was the Marvel movie with Kumail Nanjiani and angelina jolie and brian tyree henry and a few other are we watching that we sure are oh cool okay and people have told me not to do it

and every time they tell me not to do it i dig my heels in deeper i was gonna say yeah that's gonna that that is gonna be i would really like to hear what you both think of that. You may love it, though. Interesting. I really think you might, but it could go either way because I'm always surprised. Well, on that note, we should take a break. If you're wondering what a NordVPN is, I'll tell you. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, a service that protects your internet connection and online privacy.

A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for your data, protect your online identity by hiding your IP address, and allow you to use public Wi-Fi hotspots safely. I'm using a Nord VPN myself. And honestly, it's very easy to use. You connect with one click to enable auto-connect for zero-click protection. It has amazing speed. Nord VPN is one of the fastest VPNs out there, and it supports every major platform, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, even Android TV. You can switch your virtual location to access apps and websites in other countries.

Get an exclusive NordVPN deal here at nordvpn.com slash newcomers, N-O-R-D-V-P-N.com slash newcomers. It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee. Link is in the episode description. Ooh, ooh, and we're back. Okay, so Thor Ragnarok was written by Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher L. Yost. And it was directed by Taika Waititi, who I met at the Critics' Choice Awards. He's very, very handsome in person and very, very nice.

And he was with Rita Ora. And she turned around and after he introduced himself, she went, and I'm Rita! And the way she said it, I'll never forget it. Oh my God.

It was so funny because I was like, obviously I know who you are. But she just, it was so presentational and she was so hammered and I loved it well wasn't having like a sort of threesome thing yes i'm googling this to make sure i got it right yeah

with rita aura and tessa thompson and they were like hugging and kissing on a balcony i love it i mean and hey i mean they are all hot and cool stunning people they are sexy people who like to party and by the way, and fuck, and I think why not? Like embrace it. Like it's nothing bad about it. I think people who aren't sexy should do whatever they want. I don't agree, Lauren. I think uggos should stay in their lane and not have fun.

By the way, uggos are having a lot of sex. But if you're not sexy, Paul, you need to have your threesome indoors. If you want to sexize, you can have it on a balcony. And close the fucking curtain. But here's the thing. If the uggos are out there with their threesome, no one's taking pictures of it. Because it's not sexy.

You don't want to see it unless it's on Real Sex on HBO, which I did watch a lot of. By the way, so did I. My teacher was actually on real sex. It was no, she was on Taxi Cab Confessions, which had that one of the people that was in the back seat. And it was always so weird because she got into a very sexual conversation with the driver. And it was a very weird thing to know. That is crazy. Oh, my God. For anyone who doesn't know, because I feel like we have listeners who are younger,

there was a show called Taxi Cab Confessions that, I mean, we were too young to be watching, but like we did. And it was literally just like a hidden camera and a cab and the taxi cab driver worked for the show and would like get people to just talk about stuff. Yeah, be like, do you like threesomes? And then somebody in the back would be like,

mm-hmm, want to hear about it yeah sure yeah it's like wouldn't you be i mean they're always the people that they get are always really outgoing like kind of on their way to a party or doing whatever and so like it makes sense i guess but like if a cab driver asked me that right now i'd roll out of the cab i had a cab well i had a cab driver, well, I had a driver ask me the other day if I was ovulating, one. Two, if I was yearning for a baby. No. And then for an hour from the airport to the apartment, he really just kept talking. That is disgusting.

And he had long, nasty faceies. And the way he gripped the wheel was also really upsetting to me. Are you ovulating? What did you say? I said, I don't think so wheel was also really upsetting to me. Are you ovulating? What did you say? I said, I don't think so, but I'd have to check. And then when he said, are you craving a baby? I was like, absolutely not. Are you craving a baby?

I'm craving a lot of things, but not a baby. What a freak. Let's get into this plot. Let's do it. Get ready. And Jason scott have both called us out for reading this whole plot out and you are welcome to do the same no i want you to set it up set it up i'm here to listen thank you so thor who's been away from asgard researching infinity stones since avengers age of ultron has been captured by a fire demon named Surtur Clancy Brown.

He tells Thor that when he joins his crown to the eternal flame in Odin's vault, Asgard will soon be destroyed according to a prophecy called Ragnarok. He also tells him that Odin is no longer in charge of Asgard, which happened at the end of Thor, the dark world,

but Thor has been unaware for years. Thor calls Mjolnir and escapes taking Surtur's crown with him and I didn't like the whole spinning thing that was not funny for me and I was like is the whole fucking movie gonna be like this I liked the spinning oh you did

the second time I was like I get it he's spinning he can't talk but you know why I liked it because I went okay we're gonna have a little fun here yeah no like by the way that's a great open I like that open for so many reasons because it also is calling out

like a convention of these movies like it isn't perfect and I think they set the tone really great like yes he's super strong but he also is not like perfect you know like him rotating around. It's like he's uncomfortable. I love that he gets to narrate his whole beginning of the film by talking to that skeleton.

I think the first joke of the movie truly is like that skeleton's mouth dropping. Oh, that did make me laugh. Yeah. That's a very Disney ride sort of thing. Yes. Pirates of the Caribbean vibes. But then once he drops like that opening i'm a big fan of like a kick-ass opening scene like a james bond like pre-movie moment and you're like oh

i know all of his powers i clearly understand that i'm dealing with someone who is very like it's a dumb thing like what are they good at their job but like you know he is a very good warrior and you get to see him and then the story gets to start. But it's such a fun, you know, it's such a fun moment. What is it? That Led Zeppelin song that comes in at the beginning? I really liked that, too. I was like, oh, great. Like a good rock song. Yeah.

Taking off this fight. It made me think I did like Guardians of the Galaxy because they had fun music, too. And it was kind of, you know, a little bit juxtaposed on what was happening I enjoyed that I will say I didn't like when they brought that song back at the end I felt like

I had the opportunity to do another thing well see it was better on that fight than it was on the earlier fight but I don't know I just felt like could have been a different song

by the way we're talking about music I just want to say that Mark Mothersbaugh did score the film. And I think the same way with like Doctor Strange. I think Danny Elfman did Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. This idea like, I don't know.

I think that that makes a big difference too. Because Mark Mothersbaugh is Devo. And there's just a different sensibility to a score when you have somebody, again, who's not your traditional, like, John Williams. I love John Williams. I'll see him every time he's at the Hollywood Bowl, but it's going to just bring

a different texture to these movies. Totally. Totally. I didn't know who Mark Mothersbaugh was, so I was looking him up. He looks like a fun time.

Oh, yeah. He was in Devo, and he did, like, a bunch of Wes Anderson stuff. Oh. Wait, what's a Devo song? I know the name, and I don't know.

Whip It. Yes, Whip It. Whip It. Good. And, what's a Devo song? I know the name, but I don't know. Whip It. Yes, Whip It. Good. And that is the only one. He also was on Yo Gabba Gabba, and he was the artist in residence on Yo Gabba Gabba, and he would draw.

You were on that too, weren't you, Paul? I was. I loved it. I used to babysit and watch that show a lot with Brian Posehn's son, actually,

when I was babysitting. And I loved that show so much, and I was like, I would love to be on that. That show was a blast, and i loved that show so much and i was like i would love to be on that that show was a blast and that cast that made it uh the people behind the scenes were so like they're just they love making a kid's show like they just loved it and by the way just so you know he also composed the music for the lego movie uh and he's a big did a lot of like kids shows and video games like he's always working wow oh and did the rugrats theme yeah oh crash gets around oh yeah he's there um okay back to the plot sorry when he attempts to return to asgard however hemondal does not respond his replacement is an asgardian

man named scourge carl urban who's too busy showing off to immediately notice. Thor calling for the Bifrost. When Thor returns, Scourge tells him that Hemondal is a traitor and on the run. Thor goes to the palace and seemingly finds Odin watching a play about the alleged death of Loki, which happened at the end of Thor Dark World. Loki is played by Matt Damon.

Oh, and Luke Hemsworth is Thor and Sam Neill as Odin. That was, I thought that was funny. Yeah. Yeah. Love that. I mean, I feel like already I was just much more on board

because of the lightness of it. The old one, or the old one, the first one felt like heavy rings. And I was like, yeah. This was much more interesting so thor sees through the king's deception forces loki to drop the charade and reveal that he has been ruling asgard

pretending to be odin for years which is kind of funny thor orders for serters is that what i'm saying it's serter serter's crown delivered yeah now i'm forgetting how he said it yeah it doesn't sound right when you say it it doesn't it doesn't sound right when you say it. It doesn't. It doesn't sound all right when I say it. Yeah. Yeah, that's a little bit better. I think the accent really does help. Sotar's crown to be delivered to Odin's vault. Loki assures Thor that he left Odin in a retirement home on Earth,

that when they get there, it's been demolished. That made me laugh so hard. Yeah. Yeah. A fangirl who asks for a selfie with Thor mentions that he and Jane have broken up. So that was kind of cute. They're on like a city street and she's like, oh my God. But I mean, the disrespect to Jane.

I haven't seen Jane since first Thor. He came back to Earth. Didn't find her. Get ready, Nicole. Did you get to see the trailer? I saw the trailer. She's Lady Thor and I'm pretty jazzed about it. But I gotta say, again, with these fucking wigs marvel makes so much money oh i gotta see

this like just employ like employ a black woman to do these wigs i don't i don't get it by the way i'm gonna say that you're doing the wigs well no camille uh friend is one of the wig people she's a black woman she did our hair for black monday and did all black panther black panther look great yeah so she is and i've worked with, she is awesome. Maybe not in all, maybe not all these projects. Maybe she has to go down to Australia. They got to get her all of them because Black Panther looked great. She's in Atlanta too much.

She's staying in Atlanta too much. And, but yeah, like she has done like some of the best wig work there. Because they needed to get her on the new Doctor strange because what's his name uh the friend who double crosses him at the end of the first doctor strange what's his name wait um mordo mordo mordo's hair right mordo's fucking wig in this movie is so atrocious i couldn't i couldn't i screamed what is that it's weird i guess if you don't have enough time to sit for it or i don't know maybe people are coming in for one day. You're right.

There are some things every now and then that look janky. And I noticed watching this movie, the CGI especially look janky. Like there are moments where they're standing in front of something and can really see that it's not a three dimensional thing. There was a point where his eye is ripped out and I can still see his eye. Yes. I was like, I see his eyeball. It's like, let's just put a black, have him close it at least.

But do you like the fact that they cut Thor's hair? I did because he looked cute. He looked very handsome because that wig was getting a little raggedy and they didn't there was no moisture left. It was very straw-like. It's all the bit frost you know it dries you out

yes I know what that is okay is it my turn yes we gotta fucking fly through this okay so Loki vanishes he finds a business card it says 177 a bleaker so he goes he meets Dr. Strange they have a fun time drinking beer and moving

around he falls down some stairs Thor explains that they're simply trying to find Odin and will leave as soon as he's retrieved. Strange reveals that Odin is in Norway. Yeah, I liked seeing Doctor Strange. Thought that was fun. Thought we'd get more of him, but we didn't. By the way, what a great way to use him. Because again, this is beginning to show like, I love when the characters meet each other and come in.

Like, yeah, they all exist in the same world. I love when the characters meet each other and come in. Like, yeah, they all exist in the same world. And the way that that Taika or however it was written, where that he kept on fucking with him and moving around the apartment or around the house. It was so fun and it was so active and it made a big I mean, for all your screenwriters out there made like a great exposition scene seem so just alive because. Yeah, you're right. It was just it just an information scene but it was fun. Yeah.

So Thor and Loki find Odin on a cliff where he is dying. Odin gives them some personal closure but makes a final confession. Thor and Loki have an older sister named Hela, goddess of death, who will be released from the prison he banished her to when he dies.

He then turns into energy and floats away. That was sad. It was very sad. But then also I was like, this man has secrets. Yeah. Like fucking Loki's a little blue child and then gives him horns and treats him less than Thor.

And then there's a sister named Hela who fucking she doesn't. She's locked in a prison. Odin, you're the bad dad. But have we seen her before am i confused not one time i remember those weird little horns i know i know she was really crazy looking so thor blames loki for odin's death but there's no time to argue it's hella right yeah yeah hella kate blanchett who i had a lot of trouble at first i thought it was j-lo but that was wrong emerges can you imagine i really thought it was and it was not so kate blanchett

emerges and demands that her brothers kneel to their queen they refuse she attacks shattering uh my burner with her bare hands loki calls for the Bifrost and Hela follows them, knocking them off the bridge in quick succession. So Hela arrives in Asgard, murders Volstagg and Fandral and recruits Scourge as her right-hand man. The Asgardian army led by Hogan assembles to stop Hela from entering the kingdom. Unbothered, Hela summons an endless arsenal of swords and spears, which she uses to impale the majority of the soldiers,

ending with Hogan. She takes the throne and destroys the royal mural above it, revealing. Also, I was like, why is the old one just here? Destroy all evidence of her. Anyway, reviewing the true as the true way Asgard built its empire, war and conquest, not treaties and saviorism. Hela then breaks into Odin's vault. And this this was funny she knocks over the fucking something that I think some man has later that glove, that gold glove what's it called?

It's Thanos' thing, the gauntlet the gauntlet or whatever so then she revives fallen Asgardian soldiers from her time along with her massive pet the fairness wolf she and i was scary that was very scary she appoints scourges her executioner and i thought it was so funny that he was just like he never quite says yes he's just like i guess this is my

new job yeah right he was she was like you seem strong why don't you okay and he had a mop in his hand which i thought was pretty funny she was like you know how to survive as he's like, okay. And he had a mop in his hand, which I thought was pretty funny. She was like, you know how to survive as he's mopping. Yeah. Yeah. However, unbeknownst to them, Hemondal sneaks into the Bifrost and steals the sword used to control the bridge. Okay.

Look, meanwhile, Thor lands in a planet called Sakaar. He fights off scavengers, but is ultimately captured by Valkyrie, Tessa Thompson, a drunken badass. I don't know if I'd say a drunken badass. She's a fall-down drunk but then can suddenly do things and I was like, what is this? I know. I didn't get the intro so she walks off the ship and then

she's like, and then she falls off the side but then I feel like she wasn't drunk again. Exactly. I was like, if you're playing drunk, I think it would have been funnier for her to slide down that slide yeah and then be like oopsies and then I'm meant to walk down

that yeah I feel like there are like this is where I kind of feel like Taika lets people do some bits and you need a joke there and it doesn't necessarily like make sense if you're really unpacking it but at the same time like in the movie it's like a nice oh we laughed let's get

back into it again like you need those like moments sometimes and sometimes i think that that's you want to get you need like you need a little take you out of the seriousness or the the heaviness it's a big giant ass battle it's a a lot of people are dying yeah well i guess i just missed like some swagger when she in between the drinking right like i felt like a good example is like uh hans hans and fucking star hanzolo what the fuck is hans solo uh-huh he's like he's got like a swagger to him like i didn't feel like she had a swagger in between her guzzling booze so i was like so you guzzle and then you're supposed to be drunk, but

where is the... Why are you drunk? Is it fun for you? Or does it make you even? Right. Yeah, so he awakens to a holographic presentation about Sakaar and the Grandmaster, Jeff Goldblum. Who's great. And the ruler of the planet

and host of the gladiatorial contest of champions. The Grandmaster states that Thor will earn his freedom should he be the victor. Thor discovers Loki, who arrived on Sakaar weeks before Thor, has befriended the Grandmaster. So he has to go fight in a ring. Yes. To the death. Yes. Before the match, Thor meets Korg Taikaika watiti did i say his name right yeah

an exiled resistance fighter and his friend meek his hair is buzzed off as he prepares to fight the champion though none who have faced him have survived thor also discovers that valkyrie is asgardian he asks her to help him escape to save their home, but she's like, nah, bitch, I'm a drink. So Thor enters the arena, and the Grandmaster's champion turns out to be Hulk, who has been MIA since Age of Ultron, not that we noticed. And Thor attempts to talk him down,

but his efforts fail. So he's like, big guy's son's coming down. That made me laugh so hard. Yeah, I know. I was like, I got confused for a second that I had made up that they already said that. I was like, I got confused for a second that I had like made up that they already said that. I was like, wait, we've talked about this. And then I was like, oh yeah,

it's like the creepy thing you have to say to him. And then he has a vision of Odin, which causes his lightning powers to surge, even though he no longer has Mjolnir. And the Grandmaster is spooked by this and ends the fight. Thor wakes up in Hulk's quarters. Hulk can speak a little now, refuses to return to Earth, but a recording of Natasha on the Quinjet that Hulk

flew to Sakaar causes him to transform back into Bruce Banner, who does not know where he is or how long he's been Hulked out since he totally lost control. Banner fears that he becomes Hulk again. He may not turn back. The Grandmaster orders Valkyrie and Loki to track down

Thor and Banner. They talk about how Valkyrie's sister warriors were slaughtered by Hela a millennia ago. She explains why she's depressed and unwilling to help. I love- And then kind of a cute thing with Hulk's apartment. Apartment, I don't know.

Wherever he lives. It was like a little, his enclosure that was kind of decorated to please him, I guess. It was like red and white stripes. He like slept in a skull and that was funny to me. Yeah. Kind of cute, but you know,

then Thor has to get out of there. But I really loved how Mark Ruffalo really grounds Thor when he turns back. He's like, I don't know where I am. How long have I been like this? He's like, I don't understand. Like I feel like he's so quiet and I love that he was like I'm on a planet designed to give me anxiety I thought that was

really funny because it is like very colorful and if I woke up there I'd be like what the fuck I thought that was really funny yeah so we'll zip through this Heimdall appears in a vision to Thor and tells him that he's leading a resistance on Asgard

and that Thor needs to go through the largest portal in the Sakaar sky, and they break Korg and Meek out so they can begin a slave revolt as a distraction while the newly formed Revengers, Thor, Valkyrie, Bruce, and Loki, steal the Grandmaster's personal ship. On Asgard, Scourge has civilians rounded up

to demand the location of the Bifrost Sword. They give up Hemendall's location rather than let Hela kill more innocent Asgardians. Hela and Scourge go to the cave where Hemondal and the refugees have been hiding. Wait, this was nice because Hemondal is Idris Elba, right? Yes. I thought he was dead.

Well, the thought is that he's a traitor. He left. We don't know. And actually he is truly trying to help everybody. Like, he's an ally that we don't know. That's a part of the twist. His eyes are so cool. They're so beautiful. I love him.

Yeah. So Loki attempts to betray Thor to the Grandmaster, but Thor is one step ahead of him for once and stuns him. After Thor leaves, Korg arrives with his rebellion, and they take Loki to Asgard. Thor, Valkyrie, and Bruce arrive first. Thor calls Hela back to the throne room to fight. Bruce and Valkyrie and Heimdall fight Hela's undead army

and in front by the enormous Fenris, and they're attacked by Fenris, right? To help the civilians escape. Bruce transforms into the Hulk to fight Fenris as Loki arrives with the rebels. And that was kind of a funny moment where he was like watching this. And he like flies down and just like slaps into the fucking bridge.

Yeah, that made me laugh really hard. I liked that and I thought he was actually about to be dead but then he of course becomes Hulk. Hela strikes Thor across the face, cutting his right eye. Which was pretty harsh. She literally sliced his eye out. But you know what? You need

something big like that because he's an undefeatable character. We've seen him fight so many times. We need to see this character get hurt. You can't kill him, obviously, but I thought it was a great way to show that he is vulnerable. Like, truly.

And so does he have an eye patch going forward? Well, you'll see. But yes, for some of it. Maybe he'll lighten a new eye. You'll love... By the way, based on some of the things you've said and characters that you've mentioned so far,

you're going to love how he gets an eye. Oh, great. Do we find out... Okay. So Hela's You see it. His girlfriend puts it in. Ooh, is it sexy? It's not sexy.

It's good. It's fun. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. So he has another vision of his father. He tells him Asgard's out of place. Even you guys are getting tired reading this.

Yes. Okay. So Scourge sacrifices himself. Thor and Loki realize the only way to destroy Hela is by having that big fireman come. So then Soltor's reborn, and then he knocks her off a bridge. She's killed. And then Hulk's like, me fight fire demon.

They're like, no, Hulk, no. And then the heroes escape on the bridge. And they go on a ship. They're going to Earth. Right? Yes. Yeah. Which is weird because Loki's not supposed to be on Earth, right?

They said that. They said something about that. But Loki's like, is it a good idea? And then right when that happens, this is in like a post or mid-credit scene, a big ship appears in front of them. And they're like, oh, fuck. Well, this starts. This is at this moment when you saw this in the theater this is the uh the the snowball that is starting the end game of the two giant uh the two like the culmination of the 10 years of marvel like those two movies that went

back to back with each other uh which is uh well why am i forgetting the name of them what are they uh infinity war is the first infinity war and what's the next one endgame and endgame there you go there it is so that like this is the first scene of that movie and who is that big old ship you're gonna figure it out you're gonna find out but you knew in theaters you knew who it was um there was an idea uh so hmm i don't know like you knew that i thought they say who they're working for but if they don't i'll just say it here because why not uh they are they are working for thanos yeah oh oh yeah we haven't seen than Thanos in a minute yeah yeah which is like so wild so he's just like been in the dark gathering stuff gathering working working yeah and he's in post

credit scenes so often that if like if something's happening in a post credit scene like it's probably it's gonna pay off and then the second post credit scene is my favorite post credit yeah and that's where like this ship gets you know whatever like fuckingredits scene. Yeah, and that's where, like, the ship gets, you know, whatever. Like, fucking Jeff Goldblum comes out and he's like, Um, we tied, right? Everyone still likes me here. That made me laugh so hard. He's like, can I scat a little bit for you?

I love that he, like, plays the piano in one of his parts. Like, when they were bringing him through, like, when he's in that chair as they're presenting their entire world. Like, he's kind of, like, behind, like, it looks like he's DJing or playing the piano it's it's a it's such a great role for him it is he's super funny and i like his makeup he has like a blue strip on his lip and then i think blue nail polish i love that and yeah i mean i think one thing if you're someone who's like should i watch this movie i would actually say go watch this one if you have you know if you don't care at all because it's really funny like describing the plot does not show any of the jokes but they actually are what make it good the plot i found to be the least important part of this one like i was just like it's funny and

cute the people in it are so funny um what's her name rachel rachel house who plays topaz is so funny without even trying i love her so much um she plays what's his name's right hand lady or a person and she i believe is a uh is a new zealand actress uh who that taika knew and like just lets her kill in every scene like she's so funny so good. Crash is so funny. Yeah. It's funny because I also, like, remembered Valkyrie as being a little sterner, but she's, I love, like, I love Valkyrie's arc in this, and I love, I just,

I think that there's some really great characters. Like, again, like, Cate Blanchett is amazing. This is a movie that also, I think, focuses more on female leads without it also being like, hey, hey, look at look at like just sort of the story just naturally just fits that world which i thought was actually well done not it didn't feel like performative and just a question it says matt damon was uncredited and it's like

why is that just to not spoil it or something like why would it be uncredited a lot of the times i think that they do that for a couple reasons reasons. One, not to spoil it, but then also, I think if you are in a movie, it's about pay, right? Yeah, because it's like, it's sort of like, oh, well, you got paid

only this much to do a Marvel movie. It's like, well, I wasn't actually in that Marvel movie. Like, you know, it's like the difference between like a favor and...

It's a loophole. Yeah, it's a little. I think that that's part of it. That makes sense. All right. Well, this movie was not nominated for any major awards, but it did win an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for Idris Elba. Oh, interesting. I love that.

I love my Idris. It did well among credits, holding a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And Richard Roper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 3.5 stars out of 4, calling the performances of the ensemble cast outstanding and YTD's direction goofy and campy and marvelously self-referential. The film earned $650.1 million globally, surpassing the total grosses for the first two Thor movies by the end of its third weekend.

Yeah, I buy that. I buy it too. Let's take a quick break and we'll be back with a little bit of trivia. And we're back. Director Taika Waititi. His name is very fun to say.

It is fun. He said in an interview with MTV News, I would say we improvised probably 80% of the film or ad-libbed and threw in stuff. Now that's cool. That is very cool. Wow. It's the first movie he directed that's not also written by him. That is crazy.

So they were improvising. Like there's like a joke like at the end when he's holding Meek or whatever and he's like he died but i didn't want to leave him he's like oh he's alive that made me laugh so hard it was really good i'm like that does feel improvised and then i think that that's like the benefit of having like a really strong plot because then it doesn't make a difference like you know you know, we're, we know emotionally what we have to do. We have to go like, I mean, the movie is really simple.

It's like Thor comes back from an adventure. The home world is taken over by his brother. They go to find his father. He gets sucked to this planet. He's got a battle to get off of it. He comes back, the planets and disrepair and they have to defeat the bad guy. Right.

Like that, like that, like that. It's a very simple plot. So even though we spent about 20 minutes like breaking down the actual story, but the, but like so,

but then you allow, you allow all these jokes to go in there and it, like I think it makes the movie feel so much lighter. I think Thor has felt so heavy and like, and it's like, oh,

because of space and it's this, you know, we're trying to create gods and warriors and they feel not like that. Like, and I think that as a reader of the comics, like Jason Aaron wrote Thor for Marvel Comics and he brought that, he also has that energy

where it's like, this should be fun. It shouldn't be like homework. We're not really like, you know, I think that like Game of Thrones, not that that needed more jokes, but sometimes you can take yourself so seriously that you're like, okay, you know, just like it's, you know, just like it, it's,

you know, we want to have fun, eat the popcorn, have a good time. Yeah, for sure. Um, here is more trivia.

Uh, Thompson pitched to Watiti to make Valkyrie bisexual based on an illustration in the comic books that shows her kissing anthropologist, uh, Annabelle Riggs. She convinced Watiti to shoot a glimpse of a woman walking out of Valkyrie's bedroom in one scene. He kept it in the film for as long as he could. Eventually the bit had to be cut

because it distracted from the scenes a vital exposition. I got that she was bisexual from the battle where she was like holding focus with a woman. Oh, I don't know if I caught that but I feel like it would have been would it have distracted me that much to have someone walk out of her bedroom?

I don't think so. I think I would have just been like, I'm more interested in this. What were they doing in my bedroom? What happened over there? Kisses happening. Do you feel like it's that cheat? Because I think Marvel has gotten a lot of slammed, like has been slammed for like alluding to character sexuality without ever actually embracing it. Right.

So it is someone leaving a room. It is someone saying like in, um, in infinity war, like, or an end game, like I'm gay. Like it's,

but it's not like, it's not often until like, I think the eternals it's really like put on display. It's kind of just like in the background a little bit. Who's gay in end game? Well, I mean, the whole crazy thing about that is they make a big thing like we're introducing the first truly gay character in the marvel universe and it's just a character i believe played by joe russo in the uh therapy scene uh like they're in a group therapy scene and he's just a side character. He's like, I'm gay.

Like it's just like, wow. Yeah. Yeah. They really have representation. Yeah. I'm gay. Well, now I also don't know if that's like that, if that's like Disney going like, we're going to promote this. And like the Russo brothers, like we, this is not what we tried to do here.

We just tried to make it normal. But because they put so much energy on it, it felt like odd. It was like, oh, that's what you're talking about? Okay. Also, wait, when is Stan Lee in this? I remember his moment. He cuts his hair.

So what I thought was really funny seeing him was that his character has a wedding ring on. Oh, nice. But he's like in this other world or whatever they also use gold wedding bands i was just like well they woke him up and they're like film your scene oh my god this is about the song so led zeppelin's immigrant song appears in both the film and the trailer and the lyrics specifically mention norse mythology and the hammer of the gods it's used it's used in the film it's trailer, and the lyrics specifically mention Norse mythology and the hammer of the gods.

Its use in the film is a big deal because Led Zeppelin rarely licenses out their music. NYTD had used the song in his sizzle reel for the project, which left a big impression on Kevin Feige. But Mark Mothersbaugh had asked Led Zeppelin for permission to re-record the song with a 100-piece orchestra for the movie, which the band flatly refused. Okay. Oh, wow. First of all, I will say I appreciate it more that it was used twice, considering what a

big deal that is. And secondly, I wish that he had been able to use an orchestra. That would have been so cool. Me too. That would have answered your question, because I think that that second battle scene would have been epic. Yeah. Yeah, for sure.

During the world premiere, Mark Ruffalo was live streaming from his Instagram and forgot to end it. So he accidentally filmed the first 10 minutes of the movie. In his pocket. So it was in his pocket during the premiere and people could hear the first 10 minutes. So you couldn't see anything. But it was like live streaming the movie. But see, I don't know if that's better or worse than like, what if you like went to the bathroom and was like pooping? Like,

it's like, that's kind of like, I'd rather spoil the movie and like get in trouble than like have done something really embarrassing. Or just be like, Oh my God, I fucking hate Taika. You know,

everything. But yeah, I think this movie is like legitimately fun and it goes by so quick. And I think also the thing that I love about this and James Gunn did this as well. Like it's colorful. Like this movie is it pops in a way like it makes it makes you enjoy the other worlds. Like they've got a fire planet. Then we're on the Sakaar.

Like everything in Sakaar is like that retro Disney future where it's like, it looks timeless, but it's also like, it's a little bit 60s, but it's also futuristic. I just love, it goes down to even Jeff Goldblum's, you know, blue lip. Like it just, things don't look dark and dire. And I think that's the thing that oftentimes when you get into these big superhero movies, like to make it serious, things look so muted. And, and that's not a Marvel problem, but that's more of just like a DC thing. Yeah. Did we read the last bit that Hela, Cate Blanchett's character-

She was the first female main villain in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. Breaking that glass ceiling. Yes, queen. We love that for her. Yes, queen. For us as women. Okay, our segment,

Is Chris in this? Is Chris in this film? A big Chris is in this film. It's Chris Hemsworth. Paul, is there any other Chris, Christine or Kristen that you wish was in this film? Ooh, you know,

maybe I would like to see, well, this Kristen Milati. Does she count? That counts, yes. I would like to have seen. Yeah, I think that she could have played the Cate Blanchett part, potentially. I don't know. I would like to see maybe Chris Kattan, maybe as the executioner.

Maybe I would like to see Chrissy Everett, tennis star. Maybe she has some sort of like a Thor-based tennis racket. Okay. You know, people like that, you know, maybe, you know, I'm all for Chris. Has some sort of like a Thor-based tennis racket. Okay. You know, people like that, you know, maybe, you know, I'm all for Chris Rock in here, maybe. Yeah. That could have been great. Oh, you know all the Chrises.

You know, I like to get a lot of different Chrises, you know. And, you know, Chris is with a K, Chris is with a C. I'll go back and forth. I love it. How about Kim Kardashian's ex, Chris Humphries? Oh, I love it. Yes about Kim Kardashian's ex, Chris Humphries? Oh, I love it. Yes, put him in there. With Kris Jenner. Kris Jenner, you could put her in that Cate Blanchett makeup.

That's a good costume for her on Halloween. Oh, that would be good. It would be sort of like Maleficent sort of vibes. Yeah, that would be great. I like it. I'm all on board. And then our next segment is a kiss in this. Was there a kiss in this film?

Was there a kiss? I don't think there was. I don film was there a kiss i don't think there was i don't think there is i don't think so yeah they don't focus enough on sex to be honest well i mean but isn't that a good thing though too because because you're complaining about jane right like the jane's not back like so instead of just having like jane be there for a romantic lead this movie is so confident in its story like Like, we don't need a romantic lead. No, that's true. That's true. Like, we don't need

to make Valkyrie, like, and him have a relationship. Like, we, you know, we can kind of play within other things. Like, I actually think the most endearing relationship is with, is it Krog,

the guy he's in prison with? Mm-hmm. Or, you know, like, that character and Thor, like, they have a really sweet relationship. Yeah. And the Hulk in him. Like, I think there's, like, a in Thor, like they have a really sweet relationship. Yeah. And the Hulk in him.

I think there's a lot of really good relationships that show, you know, good boundaries and respect. You're right. I like that. Well, it's time for our segment. Good boundaries and respect. Five-step industries. This is where we read listener reviews. Newcomers listener reviews.

So we got five stars from Sassy Irish Lassie and she said, my husband hates it and I love that. I've been listening since the Star Wars season. My husband, a big Star Wars and Marvel fan, can't stand they don't understand the plot or don't like one of the movies. It's so hilarious to me that it bothers him so much.

Five stars. So that was actually a way to get your negative review read was to give us five stars and still put in bad stuff. So that was actually interesting. Thank get your negative review read was to give us five stars. So put in bad stuff. So that was actually interesting. Thank you so much. So this season, in addition to Apple reviews of newcomers, we're also revealing reviews from Letterboxd and then giving the film a one sentence review ourselves with a star rating. And if you don't know what that is, Letterboxd is a social platform where people can write reviews of films.

I love it. You like Letterboxd? It feels like you social platform where people can write reviews of films. I love it. You like Letterboxd. It feels like you would be big on there. I love it. I love it. I don't get into writing reviews. What I like doing is tracking the movies that I'm watching, but then also seeing what my friends are watching. Because then I know that, oh, that's maybe something I should check out.

Oh, okay. Do I need a whole new platform to get addicted to? I don't know. No, here's the thing. You won't get addicted to I don't know no you know what here's the thing you won't get addicted to it because you will only open it up like oh I'm looking

I'm looking for something to watch and boom you open it up and you see what your friends are watching okay cool okay well this is a Letterboxd review from Audrey

Audrey Audrey alright I can't believe someone deadass had to sit and animate Hulk's bare ass we didn't even talk about Hulk's ass Hulk's ass was fantastic Hulk had a fantastic

big ass now I did get scared thinking about his dick or whatever was happening in the front because I was like very excited are we going to get some idea of what's going on this is the problem with Hulk, right? I mean, at the end of the day, it's tricky with Hulk because, you know, he's got to have a giant penis.

He's big. And I would argue it would be coming out of those shorts. Yeah, I would argue the same. Yeah, it was really crazy. I was glad they showed the butt. I thought that was pretty fun. And then he's in a towel, which I also thought was funny. Yeah, that made me giggle.

He's pretty domesticated, you know? Yeah. Yeah, he seems very chill on this planet. Yeah. Because before, Hulk couldn't, he didn't say very much and just Hulk smash. Yeah. But now he's like Hulk feel. This is a four star review from Dante Dante I have been falling for 30 minutes I thought that was funny that part where the guy was falling when Loki was falling in the

sky yes so Paul what is your one sentence review you would give this film and star rating while marvel's first superhero comedy four stars oh lauren i would say funniest marvel movie so far i laughed my little ass off four stars i'm gonna give it think, four and a half, maybe five stars. Ooh, fun bright colors. Ha ha ha. Tee hee hee. Good funny time. We loved this one. Yeah, I really liked it. I didn't know what to expect.

Well, if you would like to write a review on Apple Podcasts, we would appreciate it. We'll be picking one five-star review to read on the next episode. And also rate us on Spotify and go rate it on Letterboxd for your own fun. You know, we're not going to read what you wrote, but that's just for you to enjoy. Paul, do you have anything you would like to plug? You know, I want to I want to take you both down a journey at one point. I know that you have many more of these episodes to do, but I would love to see if you like this. If you like this, one of my soft spots in superhero movies, and it's very controversial, I think, is I love Aquaman, the Jason Momoa movie, because it is like this in its insanity.

But it's not as funny, but Jason Momoa is quite good. But at one point, there is an octopus playing drums. Oh, I saw it on a plane and I giggled about that. Yes. Yeah. And there's something like fun and crazy about like this underwater world. That's amazing. This is another thing people are going to be shocked by how dumb I am. But I I'm a big I watched all of Entourage and they did a whole thing with Aquaman.

And I thought it was a made up superhero for the character to do in the show. And then when the Aquaman movie came out, I was like, is that from Entourage? I understood quickly, but I was surprised that I didn't get that at the beginning. I love that. That's so funny. I love that one. I will say that if people like this kind of conversation, Amy Nicholson and I do a podcast called Unspooled where we talk about good movies. And we're in the middle of a conversation. Amy Nicholson and I do a podcast called Unspooled where we talk about good movies and we're in the middle

of our animation and we actually are going to be talking about Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse. It's our first Marvel movie which I've heard is really good. I've seen it.

It is good. Yes. Oh, that's great. Well, everyone should listen to that and all of your other great shows. And thank you so much

for being here. It was great. I was thrilled. I love it. Thank you. I think this is so much I know that from me watching it, thank you for giving for being here it was very fun I was thrilled I loved oh thank you I think this was so much I know that from me watching it

thank you for giving me such a good one but also so much more fun than re-watching Lord of the Rings which I liked but also

this is what I'm talking about let's get some more fun in these let's enjoy these these should be like good watches I agree yeah

no offense to L-O-G-R-R no full offense. If I never had to ever see anything from Lord of the Rings again, I would die a better person. Okay, well, we're going to be back next week with Black Panther. So we'll see you then. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Goodbye. Thank you. So So So

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So So So That was a Hidgum Original.