The Courier Catch Up: Movie Edition!
At the Good Foot offices, movies are a hot topic discussion! We are constantly rehashing old classics and exchanging reviews of new releases. Our team of Couriers have a wide range of taste, and it’s always a pleasure to get their individual perspectives on a film, so we are excited to grant you a peek into our office and get a sample of our conversations.
We sat down with Good Foot Couriers Harley, Jack, Seth and Zachary to learn what films made them laugh, cry and maybe do a bit of both!
Would you rather watch a film in the theatre or at home? Why?
Harley: Now as an adult I would say home because of free snacks and comfort and private bathrooms, but pre-covid or even as a teen I would say theatre because of being with friends. You go to the movies a lot growing up, it’s a thing!
Jack: I’d probably go to the theatre because I can sit down in a nice chair. One of my go-tos when I go to the theatre, is the hot counter for snacks. They have french fries, pizza, burgers-I usually go with the french fries and add some ketchup. I also like the big screen, and it gets me out of the house. And it’s cheap on tuesdays.
Seth: I’m a big proponent of independent films, but for larger ones, I just see them at home. They’re nothing really special in my eyes.
Zachary: On one hand, going to a theatre has a certain energy, especially with a packed audience, that you can’t get at home. Going to a theatre requires you to ignore a lot of awful red tape that makes the experience a chore for many people. In contrast, while you have the convenience of time and the luxury of not venturing outside with home viewing, it also robs you of the social element of watching a movie.
I think, therefore, it depends on my mood. I watch a new release in theatres if possible, so as to stay current, and then rewatch it at home if I really think it has legs. I’m not picky about that.
What movie could you rewatch a thousand times over?
Harley: I didn’t hate the other Monty Python movies completely, but Monty Python and the Holy Grail was the best to me. The Black Knight? Come on! I can pretty much quote this whole movie and it’s just so odd but in such a cool way
Jack: Any of the Marvel movies. I also like that director-Michael Bay-he did the Transformers movies. Near the end, Optimus Prime, he has this deep voice, has a speech and he goes “To All Autobots”. And then there’s a Linkin Park song that plays before the credits roll. I’ve seen it a bunch.
Seth: A film that I have rewatched over and over again is probably the Star Wars trilogy. Ever since I was five years old I have looked up to those movies, they were what originally made me want to become a filmmaker, and made me appreciate the art of film itself. I could rewatch those films over and over, they for sure hold up nowadays.
Zachary: I’d pick Spirited Away, since it’s my favourite film of all time, but if we’re being honest, I can’t watch it too frequently because it’d be ruined for me. So I’ll go with Castle in the Sky instead. It’s basically Hayao Miyazaki’s answer to Indiana Jones, and how could you go wrong with that?!
What movie do you watch to give you joy?
Harley: Step Brothers-it’s just the chemistry between Will Ferrell and John C Reilly that just makes that movie laugh every time. “DID WE JUST BECOME BEST FRIENDS?” And, “DID YOU TOUCH MY DRUMSET?” I like comedies a lot, especially ones that have a simple premise, there’s nothing complicated about that.
Jack: Any good, old, classic movies. Even a rom-com, I can watch any of them. The Green Mile is on Netflix and it’s like 3 hours, and I’ve watched it a bunch.
Seth: Probably an odd pick but a film that can make me laugh is Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. The film is a dark comedy about nukes, and for being such a dark topic, it’s very, very funny.
Zachary: I can’t give one answer here.There are several answers to this question, honestly. If I want to be joyfully inspired? Kiki’s Delivery Service. Joyfully motivated? Whisper of the Heart. Joyful in general? My Neighbor Totoro fits the bill. Joyful about life? Probably a Mamoru Hosoda movie.
What movie made you cry unexpectedly?
Harley: My Girl. Right at the end, spoiler alert if anyone hasn’t seen it, he gets stung by bees and dies! I remember being emotional and I’ve only seen it once, but yeah, My Girl, it hit me hard. Great movie too!
Jack: There’s not a lot of movies that usually make me cry. There’s a TV show, based on a video game, called The Last of Us and it has a really good story.
Seth: I’d probably go with Melancholia. It’s a film about the world ending and people trying to come to terms with it. People with depression sometimes have an easier time coping with tragedy than people without it. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend that film if you’re looking for a laugh a minute but it’s a very good, emotional film
Zachary: There’s this little film about life and depression that actively comments on the Japanese schooling system. It’s called The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. That movie always leaves me a blubbering mess by the end of it. And it actually feels earned, too. I was shocked when I first saw it, as I wasn’t expecting an Isao Takahata movie to be both sad and non-meandering at the same time. But it was, and I’m forever grateful for that.
What movie had a twist you didn’t expect?
Harley: Fight club and The Sixth Sense. Both movies are different but kind of have the same premise. In Fight Club you find out that Brad Pitt’s character is Edward Norton’s mind or subconscious, and, it doesn’t make it less enjoyable, it just makes the movie make sense. It’s the same thing with The Sixth Sense when you find out Bruce Willis’ character is dead the whole time. When I first watched it, I was like “what the hell is happening” but you watch it back and it just makes sense.
Jack: The John Wick series has lots of action moments, and twists. But I was at the theatre one time with my partner, and the guy in front of us started falling asleep. I could hear him snoring during the first five minutes of the movie and I was not expecting that!
Seth: A film with a twist I never expected was the film Fight Club with Edward Norton and Brad Pit. The whole twist of Tyler Durden was entirely unexpected and completely changes how you perceive the entire film upon rewatching it. It’s a film a lot of people don’t understand, a lot of people admire the protagonist Tyler Durden and think “he’s such a manly man, I want to be like him”, but the whole point of the film is that he’s at the opposite end of an extreme, that you shouldn’t want to be like, and in reality, you should try to find an in between, like a healthy balance. Not randomly blowing things up.
Zachary: Millennium Actress. I was never big on the late-Satoshi Kon’s work, I found his experimental style sometimes detracted from his storytelling sensibilities, but that’s easily the best example of a double-twist at the end that worked to enhance the story. We find out that Chiyoko Fujiwara was chasing the ghost of a former lover in hopes of having a better life, but also that she doesn’t care because the chase gives her meaning. It’s a weirdly profound contradiction that both robs her of her dreams while giving her agency in her life. It’s actually quite moving. Especially since it fits the two criteria I have for a good plot twist: it makes sense in context to what came before, and it progresses the story in a positive direction.
What’s your favorite thing about movies?
Harley: It has to be the sound, but the movie also has to be good. I’ve seen bad movies with great sound, and it just gives me chills, in a good way, to hear really crisp sounds. And it’s anything from the click clacking of someone walking through a hallway or a flick of a zippo lighter. It hits me differently and when you’re done watching, you lie back and go “ah, that was satisfying!” Tarantino’s one of my favourite directors and The Hateful Eight was a great movie, with great sound. When the sound makes you feel like you’re there, I love that.
Jack: I like going out to the theatre and the whole experience. The food there is good, and I like getting Scene points, and eventually I get so many Scene points that I have a bunch and I don’t even know what to do with them. I also like sitting in the big, comfy seats.
Seth: What I love about films is the artistry and the creative expression of it. I love how you can create something that could stand the test of time and inspire people: to feel joy, to feel sadness, to enact change whatever you wish to make people feel. Movies are moving and extremely personally important to me. Ever since watching films from a young age I’ve always wanted to make films and inspire people the same way that I was inspired.
Zachary: I’ve mentioned this before on my Blog, but as someone who struggles with social interactions for a variety of reasons, I tend to prefer closed-loop learning over open-loop learning. Movies, as well as TV, books and video games, generally provide the former. It’s a less-intrusive way of learning, as it allows for mistakes without the consequences of reality. Because the end goal is practically predetermined from the get-go, even if you make an error along the way you can try again with minimal stakes. I like that.
Plus, movies allow me to communicate with artist ideas. As an artist myself, I respect that.