Ronald Young Jr. (4:08)

Well, I enjoyed it. It didn't make me want to fight or fly or run away. Like, it really fun. Like, I think that this is the type of movie that you want to just escape to. Now, as far as the story and, like, what, the background.

Aisha Roscoe (4:24)

Yeah.

Ronald Young Jr. (4:24)

I didn't care about none of that.

Aisha Roscoe (4:25)

No.

Ronald Young Jr. (4:25)

It was just like, assassins on a plane.

Aisha Roscoe (4:28)

Yeah.

Ronald Young Jr. (4:28)

Okay. And the best parts were where it was just like, now it's time to fight.

Aisha Roscoe (4:34)

Yes, exactly.

Ronald Young Jr. (4:35)

You know, even the pilots are funny. Like, everybody is kind of like, just everybody gets that. This is not, you know, Schindler's List. This is just fun. And everybody's having fun and killing people. And I. I enjoyed that.

Aisha Roscoe (4:50)

Yeah. It is one of probably the bloodiest movies I have personally ever.

Ronald Young Jr. (4:55)

I did look at it as like, this is, like, rated R. Like, this is like, this is blood.

Aisha Roscoe (5:01)

It really is. And I. I was thinking as I was watching it, I was like, I think they spent the entire budget on a, Josh Hartnett, B, fight choreography, and C, fake blood. I think that is where most of the money went. Given the way that this movie works, I think rightly so. Ronald, how did this strike you?

Guest Speaker (5:23)

I think I'm here for the Josh Hartnett renaissance. As we were talking about off mic a little bit earlier, like, I really enjoyed seeing him show back up, and this version of him is just. He's magnetic. You really want to watch him and you believe what he' and in this film, I was rooting for him. I really enjoyed him. But I feel like my biggest issue, and I have this problem with movies that we like that are fun, which is that I know with just maybe a 1 to 2 percentage change, this is a movie that can go from watching it while you're folding your laundry to making a billion dollars at the box office. Because we're really enjoying it.

Aisha Roscoe (5:58)

No, that's true.

Guest Speaker (5:59)

If you look at the Fast and Furious series, there are three movies smack dab in the middle of those movies that are really good action movies. It's Fast and Furious Fast 5 and Fast and Furious Furious 6. If you go 7 through 10, they just decide that we don't even care. Eat your slop, y' all. And I feel like that this movie, it skews to that end of the spectrum. But that doesn't mean I won't watch a sequel as it seems to set up for at the end. It doesn't mean I'm not interested as it goes on. But I feel like there are parts of this where I'm like, we're downright John Wickian as far as I was concerned. Where I was like, okay, I see what y' all are doing. And you're using Josh Hartnett. Yeah, the Josh Hartnett at the center of this. I'm here for it. Launching him into action Franchi stardom. But the movie is kind of poorly constructed around him.

Aisha Roscoe (6:45)

I think that's true. I think, like, this is emphatically a B movie.

Guest Speaker (6:49)

Yes, emphatically.

Aisha Roscoe (6:51)

That is its aesthetic. I think they are leaning into that very intentionally. This is one of those many. The many, many, many things you see now where the first thing you see when you get there is like, this sequence that's, like, very crazy. And then it's like, how did we get here? And then it's like, you know, two days earlier. And then you go through the whole thing. I think when you see that sequence, when I saw that sequence, I thought, there is no way this is part of a real movie. Like, it's too out there. It's just too bizarre. But by the time you get to it, it's like you're kind of ready for the fact that it all happens.

Guest Speaker (7:27)

Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (7:27)

You know, Ronald, you mentioned John Wick. One of the things that I said about this movie after I saw it was, to me, this is like if John Wick and Sharknado had a baby.

Guest Speaker (7:37)

It's like four snakes On a plane. Ye, yes, either one, though.

Aisha Roscoe (7:39)

It has the very violent but also sometimes extremely entertaining and sometimes quite witty fight sequences of like a John Wick. But it also has the completely silly refusal to take itself seriously at all of something like Sharknado. And I do think Hartnett, you know, you said magnetic and it's weird. I just felt like from the minute that he came on the screen, I was like, yes, I'm watching this guy. I'm here for this guy. They have him fight, especially the first fight that he participates in. He's in these clothes and he's in like a pink shirt on him. They look like army green capri pants and vans. And it's just such an unusual way for a guy to look in a fight that I really responded to it. Like, this is really fun. That's also a fight that takes place in an enclosed space that I really liked. It's also a movie, a fight, I will say, with a final move that as far as I can remember, I've never seen before. A way of concluding a fight that I have never seen before.

Ronald Young Jr. (8:44)

Well, and I didn't see where that thing came from. Or was that a sprinkler?

Aisha Roscoe (8:48)

Yeah, it's a fire sprinkler.

Ronald Young Jr. (8:49)

It's a fire sprinkler. Okay, whoever's listening, just, you know, you'll get it when you see it.

Aisha Roscoe (8:55)

You'll get it when you get it. And it's quite a thing to me. What won me over about this was its sense of humor, about itself. There's a moment in particular where he hits a guy with a laptop and they put a button on that move that it was incredible. So fucking funny to me that I sort of bark. Laughed at that.

Guest Speaker (9:11)

That was incredible. Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (9:12)

And I think that sense of humor kept it going. Even though, as both of you have already talked about, the story is like. I used to call this a hum through plot where you just want to just like hum to yourself while they're explaining the plot and just don't pay attention to it. Because this is the thing that we've spoken about with like Marvel movies where I sometimes feel like, just tell me there's a box. Everyone wants the box. You don't have to go to a lot of trouble to explain to me what's in the box or what the box does. They come very close in this movie to doing that.

Ronald Young Jr. (9:44)

Yeah. And I will admit I don't quite know exactly what they were after or why it's so important.

Aisha Roscoe (9:51)

Yes.

Guest Speaker (9:51)

I think I was humming through that Part of the movie.

Aisha Roscoe (9:53)

Honestly, our producer Hafsa, who also saw this movie, said to me afterwards, what exactly was in the box? And my response to her began, I think, you know, they're playing quite fast and loose with all of that. But with all that said, like, I had fun. Yeah.

Guest Speaker (10:15)

I feel like there was one part of it that I felt like Josh Hartnett's performance was hilarious. No matter what they wrote, he made it work. He made it work with his acting. But there was a couple of parts in there where I felt like editing wise and direction wise. I'm like, this could have been, again, percentage points funnier. There's a scene in which he's talking, he says the word kill box, and he says it over and over. And I'm like, that could have been funnier. But they edited it in such a weird way that they kind of kept these long takes of it in there where I'm just like, no, this is just like a reaction shot back and forth. Kill box. Cut to the kill box. Like, that's what we should be doing here. So I felt like those were the little parts of it where I'm like, I think that's why I liked it. Because I know in someone else's hands, this same movie again, billion dollars box office. But right now, the fact that it's going to theaters is surprising me. Cause I'm like, if this was on Netflix, I'd be telling everybody, oh, yeah, definitely turn this on on Sunday afternoon.

Ronald Young Jr. (11:08)

That's my thing with this, is I liked it and enjoyed it. But in this day and age, does it get you to the movie theater? No, that's the only thing that, to me, I know everyone wants to be in the theaters, but to me, this works better streaming than someone, like, would I do. I want to go and spend my money to see specifically this.

Aisha Roscoe (11:31)

Yeah.

Ronald Young Jr. (11:32)

When I could see something else, I could see Sinners. I could see a Marvel movie. I got kids. I ain't seen it the first time. I got, you know. Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (11:40)

Yeah, I get it. I. I have mixed feelings about that. I thought about that, too. If I were confident that there were going to be a lot of people in the theater.

Guest Speaker (11:50)

Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (11:51)

I think I would go watch this in a theater again. Yes.

Guest Speaker (11:54)

Agreed.

Ronald Young Jr. (11:54)

Yes. That would be fun.

Guest Speaker (11:55)

Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (11:56)

There are some fight moments where I suspect if you were in there with a big group of people, the crowd would be extremely hyped up and having a great time. But I do think this movie will probably have a much more impressive life as a streaming movie after its Theatrical run. Now I will also say, I have to say at the beginning of this movie, I watched this whole film in such a state of disbelief. I about everything that I was seeing. And it began. You know how they always have like a bunch of production logos at the beginning before the movie starts? One of them says, Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul entertainment company. Now this is because Chicken Soup for the Soul bought up a bunch of different assets, including this company called Screen Media, which already existed and was had made films, lower budget type films for a long time. But to me, the fact that this particular movie with this much blood and this much swearing, I'm pretty sure the first line in the movie is a guy screaming the F bomb.

Guest Speaker (13:08)

Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (13:08)

The fact that it started with a mention of Chicken Soup for this whole.

Ronald Young Jr. (13:14)

Throwback, but do people even remember that.

Aisha Roscoe (13:16)

It was such a perfect, so specific chef's kiss beginning to the experience of watching this movie?

Ronald Young Jr. (13:24)

I do think it's Chicken Soup for the Soul though, because what I love about these movies too is it makes you feel like there are people who like know everything and everybody can get on the plane. And even though it's chaotic, it makes it seem like the world isn't that chaotic. Cause there are these people and these hackers who control everything. And then there's some agency like, yeah, go get them, we're gonna save everybody. And then there's somebody else. It's really kind of like almost like having superheroes or something. People that really know what they're doing. So it makes me feel good.

Guest Speaker (13:55)

You mentioned that and I wanted to talk. That makes me want to think about pacing. When I'm on the plane with Josh Hartnett, I'm having a great time in this movie. When I'm on the ground with Katee Sackhoff, I'm not having such a good time. They were explaining the exposition to me like spoon feeding it to me at a time. And I'm like, oh, I don't care about any of this. Put me back on the plane. This is fight or flight. And I mean, there were sequences on the ground that were way longer than I think they should have been. And I think part of that is when I talk again about the construction is once you sell me that we're Josh Hartnett on a plane fighting hundreds of assassins, I'm like, yeah, great, put me on the plane. That's great. But I don't want to be on the ground at all unless maybe 10 seconds at the beginning and the end.

Aisha Roscoe (14:36)

It's true. And I think she's good in this. I was kind of happy to see Katee Sackhoff. I enjoy her.

Guest Speaker (14:41)

Put her on the plane.

Aisha Roscoe (14:42)

But I think all you really need from her is her giving him the instructions that he needs to take this on.

Guest Speaker (14:48)

Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (14:49)

Because after that you really are watching. To me, the gimmick of this movie is they basically put every kind of fight that happens in other movies all in one movie. So you have like the martial arts guys. You have these kind of like monk like figures who have a different kind of weapon. It's also martial arts kind of, but it's different. There is like a mysterious non specified European guy close to the beginning. There's a woman who kind of looks like a robot or like a Android or something like that.

Guest Speaker (15:19)

Weird eyes is what I called her.

Aisha Roscoe (15:21)

Yes. So she's like from a sci fi movie. It's like every kind of fighting from other movies, they just put in this movie, which I think is a really funny idea, especially in a closed space like a plane. So that part of it works really well. But I agree that the more they went out and tried to actually like explain who. Who she is and who her colleague is on the ground and that that was all. I agree. I didn't need any of it. It's all blah, blah, blah.

Guest Speaker (15:47)

Yes.

Aisha Roscoe (15:48)

More Josh Hartnett fighting in pajamas that don't fit him.

Guest Speaker (15:51)

Can't even carry a gun. Loved it.

Aisha Roscoe (15:53)

That part of it was so delightful to me.

Ronald Young Jr. (15:55)

The only other thing I will say about the movie is I do think it was missing a really interesting Big Bad.

Guest Speaker (16:00)

Yes.

Ronald Young Jr. (16:00)

I really kind of yearned for a really like big Bad where you're like, oh my goodness. Or something.

Guest Speaker (16:08)

Yeah.

Ronald Young Jr. (16:09)

And I didn't really get that.

Aisha Roscoe (16:10)

It's not like a final boss.

Guest Speaker (16:11)

Yeah.

Ronald Young Jr. (16:11)

Yeah. You didn't have a final boss like in Bullet Train. You know, you had cool guy at the end. He was. And it was like, you just remember that. Oh, shoot, like, how they gonna get out of this? They didn't really have that.

Aisha Roscoe (16:23)

This is just kind of fight after fight after fight until he runs after. Until he runs out of people.

Ronald Young Jr. (16:28)

And there were regular people on the plane. That was my other thing. There were regular people, but like, what was going on with them?

Aisha Roscoe (16:34)

They just keep getting out of the way, I think.

Guest Speaker (16:36)

Yeah. Moving them to the front of the plane.

Aisha Roscoe (16:38)

Yeah. I don't know, man. It was exactly what I wanted at exactly the moment that it came into my life. And therefore, fight or flight. I will always be grateful to you. Well, tell us what you think about fight or flight. Find us on Facebook@facebook.com PCHH and on Letterboxd@letterboxd.com NPRpopculture we'll have a link in our episode description up next, what's making us happy this week?

Linda Holmes (17:04)

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Linda Holmes (18:31)

From BetterHelp this Mental Health Awareness Month. BetterHelp is encouraging everyone to take care of their well being and break the stigma associated with mental health. BetterHelp works to make people healthy and happy because when people are taken care of, everyone benefits, including families, colleagues and communities. Visit betterhelp.com NPR to get 10% off your first month.

Aisha Roscoe (18:54)

Now it's time for our favorite segment of this week and every week. What's making us happy this week? Aisha Rascoe what is making you happy this week?

Ronald Young Jr. (19:01)

Okay, I am someone who loves old school R and B and you know you can spend all day going why don't they make love songs like this anymore? But I think Jay Z said if you want the old Jay Z, listen to my old albums. And so I spent a lot of time listening to old albums and I want the audience to think about an R and B singer who left us way too soon but who doesn't get talked about as much and that is Gerald Lavert. And I know that sounds Strange throwback. But he died in 2006. I think he could have had a much bigger career. Like he did a whole lot. He has bunches and bunches of hits. He was part of lsg. His father is editing Laverted who was in the ojs. But I have gotten into a Gerald Lavert phase and I do nothing but listen to his songs. And it's one song in particular and it's literally called in my Songs. And what I love about this is because they don't do this no more is that he's just in this song begging.

Guest Speaker (20:10)

Ups and downs. And when they're feeling bad, I can be the one to make a smile make her realize that I'm not special guy.

Ronald Young Jr. (20:23)

I sing about and I love it. It touched my heart. I just like and you don't hear. I don't feel that soul stirring stuff like and sometimes I love when people are singing about being alone and lonely and they can't find nobody that sticks to me. So the name of the album is in my songs but the lead song off that album is in my songs. And I think anyone who just wants to listen to a great love song, listen to that and listen to some Gerald Lavert.

Aisha Roscoe (20:55)

I love it. I am always here for an album that you don't think everybody is listening to.

Ronald Young Jr. (21:00)

Exactly.

Aisha Roscoe (21:01)

Thank you very much. Ayesha Roscoe, Ronald Young Jr. What is making you happy this week?

Guest Speaker (21:06)

Okay, so Netflix has a sports documentary series called Untold.

Aisha Roscoe (21:12)

Yes, they do.

Guest Speaker (21:12)

It's one of my favorite documentary series and maybe it's because of my age, but they covered sports scandals that I was alive and aware of, but they covered them in a way that's like, okay, some time has passed now we're gonna tell you what really happened now that there's less stakes. And they've covered things like Malice at the palace. They talk about Manti Teo's online relationship with a girl didn't exist. But I'm really excited because this season I am, as you know, from Alexandria, Virginia, the Washington, D.C. area, and they are covering a very prominent Washington Wizards sports story between Gilbert Arenas and Jarvis Crittenton. And it's called Shooting Guards. And for those that know the story, know how excellent the name Shooting Guards is for this particular documentary and I really enjoy it because it not just unpacks a wild scandal, a very big scandal in the NBA, but it also then tells the story of javares Crittenton, who is the lesser known star that this happened between. Gilbert Arenas has a. He has his own podcast. He's a media figure now. He has a son who is poised to go into the NBA. Like he is still very much a part of like the boys club of the NBA. But this other guy, javares Crittenton, is not. And this documentary does a very good job of not only showing where their past diverged, but when they split and then what happens to him beyond this incident in the Washington Wizards locker room in Washington D.C. which is wild to me. So that being said, great story. If you like the Untold series this continues to add to their collection, watch it. It's Untold Shooting Guards on Netflix.

Aisha Roscoe (22:44)

All right. Love it. Thank you very much, Ronald. I've watched a bunch of those and am maybe gonna sit down and watch that one very, very soon. As you may be able to tell from the discussion in this episode and other episodes, sometimes all I want is thrillers. Just thrillers, thrillers, thrillers. And sometimes that's the only thing I have a taste for at all. So I will sometimes go back and check out some of my favorites, the classics I recently rewatched for the I don't know what how many times. The original The Taking of Pelham 123, which is a 1974 movie directed by Joseph Sargent and it is about a little gang of bad guys led by Robert Shaw from Jaws, essentially hold hostage a New York subway train. They are going back and forth all day with a guy who works for the subway police, basically the transit police, who is played by Walter Matthau, which is such an interesting decision because they made that basically a comedic genius they put in that role. So he's very serious about solving the problem, but also his exasperation with the situation is always lightly comic and he has amazing chemistry with with Robert Shaw. Even though they never see each other, they're just talking over the radio over the great majority of the movie. The way that they unfold this story and where they do and do not actually use violence is sort of the opposite of fight or flight. Whereas that movie is like maximum violence all the time. The taking of Pella123 is highly directed violence where every time something happens it's very devastating. That's a whole other skill set. Do not watch the remake that they made with Denzel Washington and John Travolta in his goatee phase. Bless em lots of talented people involved in that movie, including Tony Scott, but it just does not work. Just watch the original the Taking of Pelham one two three. Love it. It's one of my favorite thrillers and you know, you can find it for rent or wherever. Just look it up on your platforms of choice. And that is what is making me happy this week and I'm sure will make me happy again very soon. If you want links for what we recommended, plus some more recommendations, sign up for our newsletter. That's at npr.org popculturenewsletter that brings us to the end of our show. Ayesha Rascoe, Ronald Young, Jr. Thank you so much for being here.

Guest Speaker (25:16)

This was fantastic.

Ronald Young Jr. (25:17)

Thanks for having me.

Aisha Roscoe (25:18)

This episode is produced by Hafsa Fathoma and edited by Jessica Reedy and Mike Katsiff. Hello. Come in. Provides our theme music. Thank you for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from npr. I'm Linda Holmes and we'll see you all next week.

Linda Holmes (25:34)

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