Fully Operational

Did Dre & Goodman say they were taking off the month of March? Yes, we did. But that doesn't mean we can't put out a bonus Award-filled episode!

We celebrate the best that 2020 had to offer (from what we were able to watch) with a list of 20 shout-outs, our 20 favorite scenes (including goriest, funniest, best drunken monologue, and more!) and our list of award nominations, if Fully Operational got to nominate people, including best male and female actors and supporting actors, best screenplay, best director and culminating with our top 10 (20) films of 2020.

If you want to know which actors and films made the biggest impressions on us, you'll want to give this episode a listen!

Join us next week for... nothing—we're on Spring Break and it's not even spring!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
Shout-outs muisc: "Chill Rider" by Jason Donnelly
Best scenes music: "Classical tension" by Neil Cross
Award nominations music: "The Award Show" by Patrick Smith

Our month-long celebration of Black and Romantic movies has come to an end. We spent One Night in Miami with Sylvie's Love, took a Photograph of Love Jones, hung out with Malcolm & Marie, and now we head out to to the Atlantics for a final wrap party (with Judas and the Black Messiah thrown in for good measure). But before we get to those movies, we have to talk about what we watched this week (and, as per usual, it's too much).

Goodman finished Season 3 of Cobra Kai, which is the continuation of the Karate Kid saga (in case you haven't heard), and actually took one of a Dre's recommendation (even though Dre had never seen it), Instant Family, starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as a married couple who end up adopting three kids.

Dre went back in time to re-watch M. Night Shyamalan's Signs ("Felt wrong not to swing."); then came back to the present  for the final installment in Steve McQueen's Small Axe anthology, Education, Charlie Kaufman's I'm Thinking of Ending Things and the latest film by Brandon Cronenberg (David's son), Possessor, about an assassin that inhabits the minds of others to fulfill her contracts. 

Then it's Atlantics time. We discuss this unique, spectral film by Mati Diop (the first Black Female Director to compete at Cannes film festival) and how closely it resembles John Carpenter's The Fog!

We also had to get it on with Judas and the Black Messiah, a The Departed-style telling of the life (and tragic death) of Black Panther, Fred Hampton, including the great work by director Shaka King, and stars Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield.

Then it's time to get in line for the Quote Parade*.

*All quotes were performed faithfully during the recording.

Now, although we're taking off some time in March, we still have some fun episodes for you, so join us next week (or so) for our Top Ten list of 2020 and our personal Academy Award Nominations (we see you Lauren Lapkus)!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso

This week on Fully Operational, we discuss Eminem's favorite movie of 2021, Malcolm & Marie (obviously)! We also share some initial thoughts on the 2021 SAG nominations (spoiler alert: they're just like the Golden Globes, only slightly less upsetting).

But before we take sides regarding a certain L.A. Times female critic, we have to talk about what else we watched this week, which, in pure FO Show fashion, is a lot.

Goodman watched the previously Dre-reviewed Pieces of a Woman, starring Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBoeuf and Ellen Burstyn; a sci-fi time-loop movie available on Netflix, ARQ—which reminded him of his potentially failed short story/novella titled Absent Gram; and Donald Glover's long episode/short movie/extended music video Guava Island, also starring Rihanna.

Dre watched Tiffany Haddish's star-turning performance in Girls Trip; the previously Goodman-reviewed Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself; a documentary recommended by one of our listeners, Adam, The Painter and the Thief; and the Sam Raimi cult classic western, The Quick and the Dead, starring Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Keith David (!), Lance Henriksen, and more!

Then it's time for to discuss Malcolm & Marie, a controversial, black and white shot, two-hander, hand-grenade of a movie, including writer/director Sam Levinson (the son of famed director Barry Levinson), the cast: Zendaya and John David Washington, and more.

Next, Goodman goes through the recently announced SAG nominations to get Dre's feedback—will we be pleased? Probably not.

Last, it's Quote Parade time, so sit on down, buckle up and ride the floats to quote land.

Coming up next week, we go to Dakar and get all spectral with the ghostly, romantic Atlantics!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso

I can't help the way that I feel. Baby, you make my love come down. That's right, it's Black Romantic History Month and with a double dose of The Photograph and the 90's cult classic Love Jones, we'll make your love come down, too.

But before we can talk about those movies, we have to let you know what we watched this week. Dre got caught up with a bunch of Rewatchables, and revisited The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and Brian Dennehy's (and Sly Stallone's) First Blood.

Goodman watched The White Tiger aka 2021's Slumdog Millionaire and a movie that director Rian Johnson recommended via tweet: Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself.

Then it's time to talk The Photograph and it's multi-generational storyline, its cast, including, Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Chante Adams, Y'Lan Noel, Lil Rey Howery and Rob Morgan, all of the Insecure and Get Out connections, and more.

Then we jump into Love Jones, which, coincidentally also features a photographer, its cast including Nia Long, Larenz Tate, Lisa Nicole Carson, Bill Bellamy and Isaiah Washington, and delve into some research on writer/director Theodore Witcher.

Psst! The show isn't over. The Quote Parade awaits or does it not... await? Stay and find out if we did any quotes and from which movies.

Coming up next week, it's the movie every critic is talking about, especially the 'white lady from the L.A. Times', Malcolm & Marie, starring Zendaya and John David Washington!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso

What a way to kick off Black Romantic History Month! All February we're taking a look at some of the recent Black romantic films, starting with Sylvie's Love, starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha.

Then we stuffed the episode with even more fun like Regina King's directorial debut, One Night in Miami, based off of the Kemp Powers play, the new Denzel Washington serial killer flick, The Little Things, and, guess what, the Golden Globe Nominations came out yesterday—and we're here to report with some initial reactions.

But before we can do all that, we have to discuss what we watched this week. Goodman took one for the collective team and jumped on the grenade that is Hillbilly Elegy like he was Isiah Whitlock Jr. in Da 5 Bloods. Then he threw in Woody Allen's A Rainy Day in New York for good measure because go big/canceled or go home. He also watched Sofia Coppola's 2017 remake of The Beguiled starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning, and (most-of) Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. 

Dre somehow only watched two movies (slacker): Paul Greengrass's latest News of the World, starring Tom Hanks and Golden Globe nominee Helena Zengel and The Crown Season 4's Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan.

Then it's time to get into Sylvie's Love, the cast and trivia; One Night in Miami and its look at a fictional encounter between Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke, including its great cast and trivia; and The Little Things, a movie boasting three Academy Award winners, Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto (take that Inside Man).

Last, we just happened to be around when the 2021 Golden Globe nominations came out, so we recorded a few initial thought, including some initial snubs and celebrations—don't worry, there's more insights to be shared when we announce our nominees for the best 2020 films, scripts and performances.

Hey, don't go! The Quote Parade is waiting for you. At the end of the episode, like always, we highlight all the films we quoted from.

Coming up next week, it's The Photograph, starring Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield—take a picture, it'll last longer!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso 

The first month of 2021 is almost in the books, but for us, it's finally the end of 2020. We're closing out our month-long descent into some of 2020's most acclaimed films (rightfully or not) with the Chinese genre-film, The Wild Goose Lake, and the quintessential existential dread movie, She Dies Tomorrow. But before we delve deeper into those films, we have to announce next month's theme and schedule!

February is all about mash-ups (sure?), and we're mashing up two great February traditions: Black History Month and Valentine's Day to give you the all-new, Black Romantic History Month!

And rather than review some older romantic classics (although we probably will watch a few of those, as well), we're focusing on some of the latest entries in the genre:

• February 4th: Sylvie's Love
• February 11th: The Photograph
• February 18th: Malcolm & Marie
• February 25th: Atlantics

Next, it's time to talk about what else we watched this week. Dre caught up with the latest Steven Soderbergh/Meryl Streep collaboration, Let Them All Talk; the Vanessa Kirby/Shia LaBeouf drama Pieces of a Woman; the Danish alcohol comedy, Another Round, starring Mads Mikkelsen; and the Netflix animated series, Blood of Zeus.

Goodman mostly watched Bridgerton whenever he was in the living room while his wife watched it, so he shares his thoughts anyway. He also watched Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods; Pete Davidson's The King of Staten Island; and the somber, abortion drama, Never Rarely Sometimes Always.

Then it's off to discuss our last 2020 two-fer: The Wild Goose Lake and all its wild goose chasiness and She Dies Tomorrow and all of its Lacrimosa-ness.

Before you depart, hang out for a few minutes because the Quote Parade is ready to roll!

Coming up next week, join us for Black Romantic History Month and Sylvie's Love (available on Amazon Prime)!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso

Who wants to be a... Kajillionaire? Final movie? Far from it. We also watched the foreign film The Whistlers and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom featuring the late, great Chadwick Boseman. But before we can talk about our three headliners, we have to make a definitional correction (monologue vs. soliloquy) and discuss what else we watched this week.

Dre caught up with the Andy Samberg & Cristin Miiotti time-loop comedy, Palm Springs; the re-make of Emma. (the title has a period, so that's not a typo) starring Anya Taylor-Joy; and the latest Sofia Coppola movie, On the Rocks, starring Bill Murray, Rashida Jones and Marlon Wayans.

Goodman finally finished Steve McQueen's Mangrove, which allowed him (somehow) to bring back Matthew McConaughey's best line from A Time to Kill; he got 2/3rds of the way through the new George Clooney movie on Netflix, The Midnight Sky; and delivers a quick review of The Mandalorian Seasons 1 & 2.

Then we jump into Kajillionaire, discussing Evan Rachel Wood's committed performance, Gina Rodriguez's breath of fresh air and all the other nuttiness.

Next, we start our discussion of The Whistlers with our best Canary Island-style whistles, then get into the movie's patchwork narrative, its amazing femme fatale and the filmmaker's potential.

Last, we talk about Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, including the amazing performances by Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, the rest of the cast, quotes and trivia where we dig into the biography of the real Ma Rainey.

All aboard! Join us for the Quote Parade where we feature all the movies we quoted during the episode (within reason)!

Coming up next week, we close out the movie-geddon-ness with The Wild Goose Lake and She Dies Tomorrow—see you next week!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso

2020 Movie-geddon is still upon us and the movies are coming fast and furious (unfortunately, there were no Fast & Furious movies in 2020). But before we get to our reviews of Sound of Metal, The Nest and the pièce de résistance, Wonder Woman 1984, we have to talk about what else we watched this week.

Goodman finished off Season 4 of Netflix's The Crown—and Dre and Goodman name-drop some people who show up in Season 5. While, Dre watched The Silent Partner on the Criterion Channel, and Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson's The King of Staten Island.

Then we get into Amazon Prime's Sound of Metal starring Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke, including the cast and trivia; the pseudo-horror-but-not-horror film, The Nest, starring Jude Law and Carrie Coon, including quotes and Dre's theory/explanation of how the 'horse represents their marriage', which turns into Dre's epic monologue (or is it a soliloquy?) of one of the best pieces of screenwriting ever from Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton.

Finally, we end with DC's latest entry in its universe, the movie that may have ended movie theaters for all-time (thanks, HBO Max), Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 1984, starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Pedro Pascal and Kristin Wiig, including the rest of the cast, quotes and trivia, as per usual.

But don't leave, the Quote Parade is about to embark!

Coming up next week, who wants to be a Kajillionaire? Plus, the sexy, crime thriller, The Whistlers, and Chadwick Boseman's last film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso

Yep, it's 2021 (thank the lord)! But we're still stuck in 2020 and for the whole month of January we're going through a whole heap of some of 2020's most critically-acclaimed (and some not so critically-acclaimed) flicks, so that by the end of the month we'll be able to unveil the Fully Official Fully Operational Top 10 movies of 2020—the most prestigious of film society lists.

But before we get into Happiest Season & Soul, we have a lot to discuss, including our review of the Coming 2 America trailer, what movies we'd go to the theater for vs. what we'd be happy to stream, and what we watched this week.

Goodman finished the Hulu limited series, Normal People, based on the book by Sally Rooney; Tom Cruise's All the Right Moves; and Kristen Stewart's underwater horror/monster movie, appropriately titled, Underwater.

While, Dre caught up on David Byrne's American Utopia directed by Spike Lee; Natalie Portman's unsettled astronaut movie, Lucy in the Sky; the 3rd movie in Steve McQueen's Small Axe anthology, Red, White and Blue, starring John Boyega; The Forty-Year-Old Version starring Radha Blank; and Season 2 of The Mandalorian on Disney+.

Then we do a double-dose of 2020 hits. First up is Happiest Season, starring Kristen Stewart, MacKenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Mary Steenburgen, Dan Levy, and more—written and directed by The Faculty's Clea Duvall.

Then it's time to let our Soul glow with the latest Pixar film, co-directed by Inside Out's Pete Docter and Kemp Powers of the soon-to-be-released One Night in Miami. We discuss whether it's a 'kids' movie and get all existential.

And don't forget to get in line for the very first Quote Parade of 2021!

Coming up next week it's a head-banging two-fer with The Nest starring Carrie Coon & Jude Law and Sound of Metal starring Riz Ahmed & Olivia Cooke!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso

We did it, folks! We've reached the monster at the end of this year . . . unfortunately, it's not a cute, cuddly one like Grover. It's Bradley (not Brad) Thomas and you can find him just down the road at Redleaf prison—just follow the trail of broken jaws and broken glass and tell him Fully Operational sent ya. But before we crawl to the Brawl in Cell Block 99 we have some things to attend to (as per usual). 

First, we announced next month's theme: 2020 Movie-geddon (a celebration of some of 2020's most acclaimed films). Audiences—and most films—may not have made it to theaters this year, but movies were still released and it's imperative that we watch them so we can say, without any shadow of a doubt, which movies from 2020 were the absolute best. So we're catching up on a number of them, and because there were so many that we missed, we're doubling up every week. That's right. Fully Operational doesn't do anything half-ly. Here's what's happening in January:

• January 7: Happiest Season & Soul
• January 14: The Nest & Sound of Metal
• January 21: Kajillionaire & The Whistlers
• January 28: The Wild Goose Lake & She Dies Tomorrow

Then we talked about what we watched. Dre finished off a six-pack, including the French comedy An Easy Girl; Yes, God, Yes starring Stranger Things' Natalie Dyer; the Taiwanese drama A Sun; The Devil All the Time starring Tom Holland; Steve McQueen's Lovers Rock; and Tom Hanks' Greyhound.

Then Goodman finally finished The Queen's Gambit and shares his thoughts.

Finally, it was time to revisit Brawl in Cell Block 99, aka the Museum of Modern Art classic by S. Craig Zahler, including Vince Vaughn's quality turn, the huge cross tattoo on his head, his soliloquy about choosing the cream in his coffee, the rest of the cast, the quotes, trivia and questions.

Don't forget to choo-choo-choose wisely and join us for the final Quote Parade of 2020!

Coming up next week (& next year) it's a double dose of post-holiday vibes with Happiest Season and Pixar's latest opus, Soul... happy new year!

SONG CREDITS:
Theme music: "70s Funk" by Frank Cogliano
What we watched music: "Let's all go to the lobby" by Jack K. Tillar (lyrics)
Closing music: "This is My Jam" by Will Van De Crommert
The Quote Parade music: "Pelican Parade" by Richard J. Freitas and Geraldine Brioso