 What's going on? That was Pebble's the sequel. Ha ha ha! You act your stupid direction, it's a Corbin! I'm Rick! It's the Easter Club! Is he content? Follow us on Patreon, follow us on Twitter account. Ring both of them in the name of the squad. BYE! There it goes! Uh, today, uh, we're doing a movie review. In case you haven't read the title, you're weirdo. Yeah. You need to click on a video without reading the title. What do you think this is a reaction? Um... It's actually... an extended reaction. That's true. That's what a review is. It's just an extended reaction. Um, of the Tamil movie Pebbles. Or... Kusangal. Which is the actual Tamil name word. Uh, except it was translated, two Pebbles for us dummies in English. Only speak one language. But it's also, if you didn't know this, the Oscar submission for India for the 2021 submission for all of India. I think it was unanimous. Unanimous. Unanimously chosen by whatever board that does the stuff and all that kind of stuff. Mm-hmm. But, uh, so, since almost probably none of you... None of you have seen it, we're gonna do a decent non-spoiler. Yes. Right. Um, but, yeah, it's... I think I saw, I think people posting that it's starting to go into some theater, so always check if it's coming near you in a theater. It'll probably closer to, especially if it gets steamed to get the nomination, it will probably get a bigger release. Correct. Or it'll, at some point, get on OTT platforms. But, if you haven't watched it, go watch it, come back. It's only an hour and... Honestly? Honestly, it's probably an hour and five. Yeah. With ten minutes of credit. Right. But, Rick, your initial non-spoiler thoughts, please? I have to talk about it, and you may agree with me, in terms of it as a movie itself, and then it as a movie that is the submission to the Oscars, because I see it in different ways. Because when it, as it pertains to its submission to the Oscars, I'm not in agreement that this was the best choice, but when it comes to the movie itself being a worthy film to watch that is extremely different, extremely creative, and very enjoyable to watch, yes, if you take away the Oscar submission element of it, it's one of the better movies that you're going to see. It has some flaws that for me are not only... They're small. There's one technical flaw I really didn't understand, especially as an Oscar submission. But, other than that, it should be supported. I think it's a film that, especially for the Tamil film industry, my understanding is it's a very different kind of film for the industry, and the kind of difference that there needs to be more of, because it truly is a film. But we'll talk more about whether it should be a submission. I don't think it should have been. Now, I really enjoyed this film. I thought it was really unique. I thought it was nice in terms of the Oscar submission. I could see the pros to it in terms of going, and just like the only two other films I think could have gone, were obviously... Sorry, I don't know. I could see the flaws and why that wasn't chosen. My personal pick would have probably been Great Indian Kitchen. Mine would have been Sardar Udon. I think it was short enough and powerful enough and good enough to meet all... That would be my one gripe with Sardar Udon is the length of it. For them, that would be... You're going for a Western audience. I know, but Lagann got nominated. That's true, but that was a long time ago as well. True. But anyways, that's what this is about. This is about this film. I thought this film was very, very good. It was almost similar to a lot of the... Asami's Village Rockstars in terms of like... Yes. It looked like I was in this village. Right, right. Yes. And so it's surrounded by... It's basically follows this dad and this kid their day. Yeah. Honestly, that's as simple as it gets. There's some stuff and there's the messaging that I really obviously... Oh, I would talk about that all day long. The messaging was absolutely fantastic. I think in the film, very subtle as well at times, but it's also ended on a strong note. And so you can get a couple different messages from it. Yeah. In terms of like the ending, in terms of the entire scope of it, in terms of why I think Oscar people would actually really enjoy this film as well. I really enjoyed it. Probably one of my favorite top 10, easy of the year. Yeah, I would put it in my top 10. Easy. I still haven't sat down and looked exactly... I would put it in my top 10. It wouldn't be in my top five. And partly because of the fact that there is... I thought I noticed this in the trailer, but I definitely noticed it in the film. There were... I don't know if you noticed this, but technically there was Foley work that was bad and it was on footfalls. If you're having Foley work done, it needs to match the footfalls. And too often you would see physically footfalls happening and the sound isn't matching. And now granted, they matched them when the feet were visible. But when the feet weren't visible, there were a lot of times where it's very clear based on the stride and the leg and the arms. If you're seeing it from the knee up or higher, the footfalls should be matching what I'm seeing physically. And there was enough of that to make me just scratch my head and go, how did we not match the Foley work? Yeah. That's the only cinematography. A lot of the symmetry in this reminded me of... I always change Bong Joon Ho. I always switch around the pronunciation of his name. And the reason being is because he is such a mathematical. It's different than Sanjeev Le Mansali who has true symmetry but it's more about the beauty of light and color. This is mathematical symmetry. There was this one shot where it's landscape and mountain and ground and when the bus pulled up, the amount of time that had been taken to make sure that the bus filled the frame exactly in a spatial distance that had it in the very middle... Yeah. The consistency with that was pretty impressive. So, I think we would both say go see this movie. Please. If someone gets worth supporting... I will be rooting... If this does end up getting nominated, I will be rooting for it obviously because I think that will be an accomplishment alone by itself just to get nominated. Oh, of course. Just the fact that, you know, three have been nominated in the entirety of Indian cinema. Correct. And I can see the reasons why they picked it. It's really short. It's just... It's a well done film. Like you said, it's a film. But let me ask you, I have a question. And I don't think this gives anything away. I'd love your opinion on this because I see the messaging and I see the metaphors on the allegories that I think are extremely strong and it's one of the best points of the film. My concern is that for too broad of an audience, this could perpetuate the stereotypes. And I don't believe that was the intention of the filmmaker at all. I think it's doing the exact opposite. However, I have concern that that's why a film like this versus, say, a Sartor, especially, but even a great Indian kitchen, that doesn't. Now, again, this is... The film is a bit subversive when it's talking about those stereotypes. There's a lot of representational things about patriarchy. There's a lot of representational things, both direct and indirect, about matriarchy and the differences and the new India versus the old India. I mean, that's deeply in there. Because so many Academy members don't watch every film, how hard is it going to be for them to wrap their head around the fact that that's really what's going on versus just looking at this and thinking, ah, this is what India and Indians are like? You know what I mean? Yeah. I guess you could say that about any film. Not Sardar Udon. Yeah. I realize it's your favorite, but we're talking about this film. And so you... Not White Tiger. I would pick this and that. No, I'm talking about that messaging. Well, I think you would still get that messaging in White Tiger because it still has all the slums and it has all that kind of stuff. And that could be a reason why they picked it because they know white people like to feel bad for a certain group of people. That's what the Academy mostly is. I'm saying if they're looking at it from a strategic point of like, I want to get nominated and for people to see. But that's not the only reason. I think it's a worthy film. It would be in my top three, four submission. It wouldn't be my pick. I would have picked Great Indian Kitchen. I think that it has a stronger message and just as good of a film and all that kind of stuff. But I think in terms of the films I've seen this year from India, Sardar Udon, Great Indian Kitchen, and this would be the ones that I would be like, okay, you can submit those. Yeah, it's definitely... They all have, I think, certain things that I could say. I don't think so. I also think you could do it. I definitely understand why this was at least in the conversation. Part of my concern about this being the nomination, and you brought it up a second ago, is one, the difference between, say, the Film Federation of India and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. They're extraordinarily different organizations. The Film Federation of India, if you look at their objectives on their website, consistently the word industry comes up over and over and over again to preserve the industry, protect the industry, industry, industry, industry, industry, industry. I can't find the word art form, artistry, film, entertainment. It's very much just industry, industry, industry, industry. The other thing that concerns me about the board that makes that approval is that while there may be filmmakers that are a part of that group, and I don't know the broad diversity of the group in any way, shape, or form, I just know that that committee is made up of producers, distributors, exhibitors, and studios. And none of those people have to be artists, and many times they're not, whereas the Academy is made up of artists. And as you know, the Academy, it's the actors that choose the actors, the cinematographers that choose the cinematography, and then ultimately picture is all of the disciplines, and it's about elevated artistry. So my concern is to lose sight of the fact that, and like for the criteria, you can't even submit something to the Film Federation in India unless you have approval from the censor board. Yeah. Well, I get all that. But that's, let's talk about the film. Well, I guess it's pertinent because I'm, are we going to choose a film that gets sent to the Oscars because it is the highest elevative expression of the art form or because we think it's the one that's politically going to be seen? And we talked about this with Gully Boy last year. It's like, if you're going to play the politic game, we get it. This makes sense. I just wish that we could talk about just one criteria and one criteria alone, and that is the artistic excellence of it. And not, is this what we need to do to get them to accept us? Well, I think it's probably multiple of that in the conversation because you're talking to the Academy, which is an award. Them is trying to get to the award. Right. That's their whole point, is trying to get to the award. But shouldn't you're getting to the award B? Because you, this is, we're saying this is what India has presented that is by far the most excellent art stream. I think they probably think this was. And like I said, this is, in my opinion, in the top three, not what I would've chosen. Did you notice the Foley mistakes? Not too much, no. Oh, yeah. I don't know how you miss that. Not too much. I mean, I noticed when they were trying, because obviously they had a lower budget and they were trying to pan around like we saw in the trailer. Yeah, that was a great choice. And all that kind of stuff, when there was a fight going on, they were panning to the other side because obviously for budget reasons to make it look more authentic, they would do that stuff. But no. But I understand what you're saying. Totally get it. I do think it's a worthy submission. Would it be my submission? No. I would've picked a different one. But in terms of the overall film, I think it's a very, very good film. You should definitely go see it. The, I thought all the acting, it wouldn't. Very original. It wouldn't shock me if all the actors were just from a village, honestly. Yeah. Right? Yeah. Like I don't, maybe the kid was an actor? Like the main kid? Maybe. But like, because we've seen that a couple of times in terms of village stuff. Yeah. I think Hellerout might have done that with a few of the villagers. A few of the villagers. Yeah. Like I think the Rima Dots, right? I think she's done it heavily with Very heavily. The Dragstar. The Dragstar in the other one. Yeah. As did, as we know, going all the way back to, that was something Satya Jirai loved to do is he would see someone that fit the role and he would get them and they may have no experience. It's so interesting because it could be totally awful. It could be disastrous. Yeah. It's a big gamble. But it worked incredibly well because I believed everybody in this village. I believe their dynamics of the village. I thought it was super interesting. I love the long shot. This guy loves that one. The long shot. The long shot was great. I thought that was great. When it started and when it, after the fight and when it came out, I was like, I think they're still in the same field. Yeah, yeah, me too. It was real, real nice, real, real nice work and this director also just loves static, long static shots which I appreciated. Very much appreciated. I do too. And there's a lot of messaging in here from the, at the beginning. It's almost like a throwaway, right? The, we're in the spoilers. Oh, should we go into the spoilers now? Yeah, we're in spoilers. Okay, please go watch it. Go watch it, support it. And now come back and we'll tell us what we thought about the film. But yeah, the, on the bus, when the mom with the baby, she had to get off the bus. Right. Because they woke up a baby and she had to breastfeed and she couldn't breastfeed on the bus. Right. That's also a reason. She wasn't off, she didn't get off the bus because she needed to get off the bus. Right. And so that whole line, and then I thought, did you think when he was walking and he turned around and he stubbed his toe? I thought he saw her. I thought it was her that he saw. They never showed who he actually saw. Oh, it may have been. And I don't think that's looking back. Well, yeah. And you assumed it was like a girl and he's like, you better not do anything. I thought it was her that he was passing by. It could have been her. And then he stubbed and got it. It could have been the snake. She could have been the snake. You know, it could have been his temptation to turn around and look back at that snake that came in front of him. It was a little subplot that I enjoyed. Yeah, a lot of, if there's one thing to credit the writing and directing about the most is that this is definitively cinematic. Cinema is show, don't tell. Theater is tell, don't show. Most of the time. And this is absolutely show, don't tell. From start to finish. I loved obviously the whole dynamic of the father and the son. And they're kind of, not they're like dynamic, but I love the back and forth. I did too. Like we saw in the trailer. And I don't know how much this was intentional by, and forgive the mispronunciation because I know I'm going to mispronounce your last name, but P.S. Vinatharaj who directed and wrote it. But aside from the main story and what we're seeing and what that means in the human experience, but representationally what it conveyed and how intentional he was with this. Because I know this comes from a true story for him and the representation of old India and new India. Because we got the patriarchal matriarchal obviously, but I saw an embodiment of the dad as the old version stereotype and the kid as the new growing becoming and how much they're at war with each other. But even oddly there were also times where it's like, okay, so why is the kid still following him? You know? Because he's his dad. It's his dad. And this is just his daily life which is what it showed which is why it's called Pebbles. Which I kind of wanted. Which at the end, which I love the reveal of him putting the pebble down. I kind of wanted, I understand the final shot. This happens like every day. I understand the final shot. I think the final shot's very tight. You talking about the girls? Yeah. I love that. I would have preferred the final shot to have been, I was waiting for the dissolve on the pebbles. No, I liked the final shot. Preferred that? One in the fact that it went on I love that through the credits through the length of the film. Through the entirety of the credits. The credits were as long as the film, I'm pretty sure. I know. It's just that, because that drives home a point. Many points actually. Many points. With all of them sitting there. Just sitting there waiting. His mom was probably in that one. Yep. And so he does all this so like, you know, he can calm down and not be drunk by the time he gets home. Eat. And he kind of just goes to sleep. And then the day starts over and he has to do it again too. And it all happens again and he doesn't kill her but he's going to go back to the village he's going to kill her. And people are going to get mad and say, why God are you in this family? Yeah. I enjoyed that whole, it was wonderful. When he put the rock down, I'm like, oh shit. And also, I don't know if it was intentional but obviously the little toy that he was going to bring his sister turned into a real dog. Yeah. In the end. I don't know if there's like symbolism there. I don't know what that was either. Yeah. Because obviously he lost the toy but then he brought home a real dog. Yeah. Which was cool. I love obviously the, when he put the rocks down and you finally get that reveal of oh this happens every single day and then literally the old lady just, I loved it. I was like, this drives home a point. Well it does drive home the point and it takes the pebbles to incarnating themselves in the people. I understand that. It made it even better at the end credits. It just kept going and this old lady's taking forever. And it does convey in addition to that the sense of for the ladies sitting there you know everything how long do you have to wait for everything and does waiting for it ever mean you're going to get it? Is it going to change? What is, there's a lot to talk about. That's why I said at the outset when I gave my initial thoughts is that the film needs to be talked about I think first and only, really only for me of itself as a really one of the better films of the year. I think the Oscar conversation, for me I just don't think it, my personal taste is not just the Foley problem but I was hoping it to be more profound and more definitively evoking the Oscar conversation but again, setting the Oscar conversation aside I think this is I hope everybody goes and sees it because it's one of the better films. Yeah, of the year. And I do hope I do hope it gets nominated because I want India to get that recognition. I do too, but I want to see the other films as well because I don't want them to just get recognition unless this truly is the best thing that's out there. Obviously, but I think people could appreciate even if you've never seen an Indian film I think you might not agree I think you could appreciate this film from a list of other Oscar nominees and I think it hits a lot of the points that a lot of foreign films in the Oscars hits with being good artistry I know you don't agree with the Foley work. Yeah. No, that and other things like for example, if I was recommending to people because like right now I'm recommending to people the films that every Oscars season when it's the Sags, the Globes and the Oscars there's films that we get to watch because remember we either nominate the films in SAG or we're going to vote for those nominated and we just love films we're always paying attention there's films I recommend I already have four films I would tell people see this film so of the films we've seen this year that are releases in India this is your number one recommendation? No. For me? No. Okay. But it would be one and I think anybody could appreciate this film you didn't have to see any Indian film before I think you can I think anybody can appreciate it but I do think my concern is that for a lot of folks I don't know I think you have to know India to understand some of the messages that are going on and I think for too many who would see it I'd love to know what some other people we would recommend it to who would watch it and see what they think who have a lesser understanding about India and see if it perpetuates any stereotypes at all No I think as you just look this is a part of India that they're representing and it's not even maybe of a current India but it is a part of India it's not obviously the modern day India No. At all but it is a story and we've seen there's a story hell around similar style of village it just was probably a little more rural than that one was but that one was very rural area and so it's that I do not have an issue with at all because I mean I get it but any time you do a story about India if you put in slums or if you put in any more rural part you're going to get that Well if you go to the rural areas you're going to have to do that Yeah that I don't have an issue with but let us know what you thought about the film as a whole and then if you think about it's Oscar it's Oscar submission as well and it's possibilities it's possibilities so let us know what the next common film that we should watch is down below