NEXT GOAL WINS PODCAST
Inspired by the incredible true sports story based on the documentary movie by the same name NEXT GOAL WINS.
Get ready for an exhilarating ride as we dissect the inspiring journey of the American Samoa soccer team, spotlighted in the film "Next Goal Wins". Prepare to be moved by the powerful underdog story masterfully crafted by famed director Taika Waititi and the compelling portrayal of the team's coach by the versatile Michael Fassbender. We'll pry open the creative process that birthed this exceptional film, revealing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of this cinematic gem.
As we pivot, we will touch upon the film "Fast Break" and its unique resonance with Dolly Parton's timeless hit "Nine to Five". We'll analyze the importance of joy and resilience in the face of adversity and how the film successfully handles these deep themes with a light touch. We also have a fascinating discussion about cultural customs and traditions, essential to the fabric of the story, complemented by an impactful clip that underscores these values. Furthermore, we'll dive into the eagerly anticipated film "Oscar Kightley", exploring its themes of hope and collaboration, and offering sneak peeks into its creation.
Lastly, we conclude the episode, acknowledging the transformative power of music. Embark on this podcast journey with us for a blend of captivating discussions, hearty laughter, and poignant reflections.
NEXT GOAL WINS PODCAST
Inspired by the incredible true sports story based on the documentary movie by the same name NEXT GOAL WINS.
Get ready for an exhilarating ride as we dissect the inspiring journey of the American Samoa soccer team, spotlighted in the film "Next Goal Wins". Prepare to be moved by the powerful underdog story masterfully crafted by famed director Taika Waititi and the compelling portrayal of the team's coach by the versatile Michael Fassbender. We'll pry open the creative process that birthed this exceptional film, revealing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of this cinematic gem.
As we pivot, we will touch upon the film "Fast Break" and its unique resonance with Dolly Parton's timeless hit "Nine to Five". We'll analyze the importance of joy and resilience in the face of adversity and how the film successfully handles these deep themes with a light touch. We also have a fascinating discussion about cultural customs and traditions, essential to the fabric of the story, complemented by an impactful clip that underscores these values. Furthermore, we'll dive into the eagerly anticipated film "Oscar Kightley", exploring its themes of hope and collaboration, and offering sneak peeks into its creation.
Lastly, we conclude the episode, acknowledging the transformative power of music. Embark on this podcast journey with us for a blend of captivating discussions, hearty laughter, and poignant reflections.
Because we now have the Cinema Judge Music. Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the Cinema Judge. I hope my voice finds you well. To all my regulars, welcome back. If you're new to the show, welcome aboard.
Speaker 1:Now approaching the bench, today we have the film Next Goal Wins. That's the exact same title of the 2014 documentary Next Goal Wins, and this is what it's about. This is a story about the incredibly terrible American Samoa soccer team, best known for their brutal loss in the 2001 FIFA match, and they lost 31 to nothing. This is a story about that team bringing on a new coach because they pretty much just want to score a goal. And this is again. This is based on a true story. This is just the hyper-extended version of that story and it stars Michael Fassbender and it's directed by the insanely talented Howie Asimodou anything he has so much on his plate Taika Waititi If you don't know who he is, I know you do because he's involved in almost anything out there, from what we do in the shadows.
Speaker 1:The incredible movie. If you never saw, jojo Rabbit, run, don't walk. It's funny, it's heartbreaking. It's a brilliant movie, jojo Rabbit, and he's also involved in the Our Flag Means Death TV show. Love that show. It's hilarious Again, based on a true story. Just things changed, of course. But I digress people. Here's a trailer for Next Goal, wins.
Speaker 2:It's known as the beautiful game, but let's face it, it's a complicated game, guys. Soccer, as you like to call it, is like life. Next season, I think we have a real shot.
Speaker 3:I'm sorry, thomas, did nobody tell you You're fired.
Speaker 4:Good news is you got two options Option one, that's where you're currently at, or American Samoa Are you serious If you're all alone when the pretty birds have not yet seen free.
Speaker 2:Take a chance on me.
Speaker 6:We haven't scored one goal in the history of our country trying to have a soccer team Goal.
Speaker 4:They scored again, humiliation.
Speaker 6:Mark my words. Things are going to change. I got this a new coach.
Speaker 7:Something to drink.
Speaker 2:Whiskey, beer, wine. Yep, we got all those. Which one, whiskey, beer and wine. It's safe to say you have zero talent or understanding of the game. Something not right about this guy. He is white.
Speaker 8:Coach, you've got the toughest job on the island.
Speaker 6:Only one, is just one goal, one goal.
Speaker 2:Come on, guys. We've worked too long and hard for this. You've only been here a few days. I can't work with these guys. For them it's like some sort of game. It is a game, Thomas. That's it, Gia Leadership. Now we're making some progress.
Speaker 6:Dear Lord, thank you for sending us Mr Rungen. We've become quite attached to him. It's like finding a little lost white kid at the mall and telling him which way to go. Take a chance on me.
Speaker 1:I mean, come on, people, that trailer is just incredibly funny and just You've got to watch the trailer. Sometime later on in the show here I'll give you a website so you can watch the trailer, the TV version of this, which will be streaming on demand 24 hours a day whenever you want. But here's the deal about this trailer. First of all, it has ABBA. What more do you need? It sets the tone for the movie. But it's the song they play. Take a chance on me. It goes both ways on this. He's taking a chance on them and, more importantly, they're taking a chance on him. So the song really is very appropriate. Sometimes when you listen to the trailer, she's like why would they put this song on there? I don't get it. But when you really break it down and I'm not saying that's what they were thinking it just when I hear the song and what they're saying in the song, it matches the movie. Voila, during the trailer they have words saying pretty much what the director has lost in the past, what awards he lost. He lost this, he's a loser to this, loser to that. But then they eventually come around saying but this is a winning story, so A he's making fun of himself and nothing is cooler than that, because if you could just laugh at yourself and make fun of yourself, that's kind of person I want making movies, because if you don't take yourself that seriously, I feel you're going to have a great movie. But that's just a personal thing here. That's what makes this director just incredible. Take a YTT. Everything he does brilliant. I love the guy.
Speaker 1:But coming up next we have a featurette. Now in his featurette is this the studios is sending this prepackaged little infomercial. He has interviews, clips on a set footage and they generally just talk about the film or whatever's topic they want you to hear about. This one is basically Summs up the movie in a quick nutshell and then everything after this. Then we'll have a far deeper dive. So here's that featurette. Hey, mark.
Speaker 4:America Samoa on the wrong end of the biggest world cup hammering ever.
Speaker 9:Next to wins is a true story about the worst soccer team in the world American Samoa. It's the ultimate underdog story.
Speaker 6:And you guys sick of losing. We haven't scored one goal in the history of our country trying to have a soccer team.
Speaker 9:I'm gonna get us a new coach, thomas Rangan is played by Michael Fassbender in the beginning of the movie. Thomas has just blown another chance as a coach and he gets forced to take this job.
Speaker 2:Good news is you got two options Option one or American Samoa. Are you serious? Oh boy, that's a trait. The object is to get the ball in the net. Don't look at me, look at the ball. Trust, trust, okay, that's it, don't touch me.
Speaker 4:Trust is broken. I think when you bring a comic genius like Tyker to a sports movie, there's a really interesting take on that material.
Speaker 8:His mastery of how to mix comedic timing with something that breaks your heart is very hard to do and he's very good at it.
Speaker 2:I can't work with these guys. For them it's like some sort of game.
Speaker 3:It is a game, thomas.
Speaker 2:Tyker loves what he does. I mean, he's got so much energy. It takes a lot of brain power to improvise and hopefully be funny at the same time, but you know he's been doing it that way for years, so he's kind of a master of it. How would I say you're all useless, I'm out of here, go out, go out, go out. It's way too long.
Speaker 6:Forget it. I can't win, he'll lose. I don't lose alone, lose of us.
Speaker 9:The film is fun, it's uplifting and it's about hope and it's about being happy In a world where it's very hard to find happiness at the moment. It's must to be able to do that with this film.
Speaker 1:Like I said, that is just a brief summary. For those who don't have time to take a deep dive, have a full meal. That was more of a cliff notes version of the film, in case you just want to give a quick little taste, but everything from here on out is more of a deep dive. For those like, if you're like me, I like to sink my teeth into all the knowledge I can. What's the movie about? Who's involved? And just hear from the makers of it, from the producers, the writers and all that jazz Now coming up next, or every interview that you're going to hear.
Speaker 1:For the rest of the show. It's from the LA premiere, so you're going to hear a lot of background noise Because there was a strike for so long. They never had interviews recorded before it, so this is the first time they were able to talk about it. Is that the red carpet? So that's why this one's not going to have too many condensed interviews, even though that featurette did. But that was obviously made long, long ago and now these are more current, so that's what's going to happen here.
Speaker 1:So here's the deal. These interviews are from the red carpet, like I said, and I'm just going to list off who's coming up. So I'm not going to interrupt the flow, so you can actually just hear them talking about it. First you can hear from Ian Morris, a producer, and he's going to be the first one to talk about working with the director, tyka. And then we're going to hear from the director and he talks about why he chose to make this film.
Speaker 1:And then we go to another producer, steve Jameson, and he talks about working with the director. And then we go back to Tyka and he explains the interviewer that he approached them primarily. It wasn't them seeking him out, I mean, who wouldn't seek him out? But he was so inspired and moved by the documentary he really wanted to be involved in making this in the movie and they were already thinking about it anyway. So it was very cohesive arrangement that was made. And then we're going to hear a little bit more from the producers, mike Brett and Steve Jameson. So that's what's coming up next. Just I'm going to let them roll through.
Speaker 10:It was one of those things where Tyka and I have been friends for a while and we wanted something to write together or work on together. And he watched the documentary the guys had made and he was like this is it, this is it Because he's obviously got this incredible cultural attachment to South Pacific and Pacific Islands and stuff, and I know about soccer and I'm European, so it's basically so. We're like okay, we can put these two things together and tell this story. We think so that was the plan, yeah.
Speaker 9:I think it's true. I played soccer when I was quite young, nick. I really understood the rules, but it wasn't really about the sport or me like understanding the sport. That was the reason that I did the film. It was about people and the relationships and also wanting to show the world the Pacific Islands and show our culture and just put ourselves out there.
Speaker 11:Yeah, I mean, like Tyka is one of the biggest, most incredible directors in the world. So when we first heard that there was a chance that Tyka would want to remake this as a film, being a Polynesian filmmaker and a filmmaker who was going to get this story like no other, I mean we were absolutely delighted by that man who wouldn't be, and the experience just watching him on set and watching throughout the process has been an amazing one. Yeah.
Speaker 9:Well, I actually approached them first. I watched the documentary and I was so taken by it and I was so impressed that I ended up getting in touch with them and saying I'd love to turn this into a film. They already had the idea to do that and it was just perfect timing really.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so 2014 was when the documentary originally came out. We met Tyka in 2015 in Hawaii and he said I want to do this movie. I've got a couple of other things going on. So he was just finishing, I think, hunt for the Wilder people at the time, which went off to Sundance, and, of course, those other things he was talking about happened to be, you know, a couple of Thor movies and winning an Oscar for JoJo Rabbit no big deal. But amazingly, you know, he obviously had a really close connection with the material, with this story. I wanted to tell it and so, yeah, four years later, we found ourselves in Hawaii shooting this movie. And here we are today.
Speaker 11:Me and this guy.
Speaker 11:We met playing soccer when we were in college together and then we spent the next ten years of our life making commercials or running content with athletes, with soccer clubs, with soccer you know, football, soccer related brands, and I guess after all of that process we kind of fallen out of love with the game and we wanted to recapture our love of the game and we thought where is a love of soccer at its purest?
Speaker 11:And it had to be the worst team in the world who was still playing despite never having won a game. And so we spent maybe six months calling the CEO of the Federation, tabeh Tottamu, and asking and begging him really, would he allow us to come to the island and spend some time with the team To see if we could try and capture the essence of why those guys were playing and what brought them all together and what their love was for the game. And if we could capture it, maybe we could bottle it and bring it back to Europe with us and, you know, allow other people to fall back in love with the game. And we just didn't know that the story would be as good as it was when we got there, and so now it's like we come one step further. Obviously, we made a dock and you know a handful of people saw it, but then the opportunity to tell the story, the same story, in a bigger scale, and communicate these amazing people on a much you know in a movie of this size is incredible.
Speaker 1:Now, as previously stated, the main star of this film is Michael Fassbender. Now you might not know who he is, but I'm sure you've probably seen some of his movies. He's in most of the X-Men films, from Dark Phoenix, x-men First Class and so on, but also the movie Steve Jobs from 2015 in a 2023 film, the Killer. I really enjoyed that one that just came out recently and that's not to be confused with the original John Woo the killer starring Chao Young Fat, which was just an epic ballet of bullets. Slow motion doves everything. If you think John Woo the killer, you gotta watch that one day. The original he's remaking the killer so that killer won't be like Fast Benders killer. I know I'm just rambling here, but John Woo, that first killer, is the epitome of 80s action, adventure brilliance. Alright, back to the Fast Bender catalog. Let's do this. And I always felt that underappreciated film that he did was called the Snowman in 2017. And if you're an alien fan, you know him from Alien Covenant, prometheus and, of course, assassin's Creed. That's just the name of a few. The guy has a huge library of stuff, but he's coming up next and he talks about why he decided to take this film, and then we're going to hear from producer Mike Brett, and then we have a clip for you, and in this clip we have Michael Fast Bender.
Speaker 1:He's being introduced to the team for the first time. They're all standing outside of a bus. The coach is like or the guy who's bringing them to him is like okay, here he is, let's give him a warm welcome, and he'll break out into a tune. And Michael Fast Bender, just he just walked by with his sunglasses on, just going, what is going on? He just walks by the kind of part. They kind of split like the ocean. He just walks into the bus. He just like staring at him and they're like the guy who brought him in there going, oh, I think things are going to change. I think this guy is like our Neo. And then they cut to him in the bus. Just looking at him going, what is going on, it really kind of sets the tone. You'll see what I'm saying. But that's coming up next.
Speaker 2:Well, really, you know, working with Tyker was the first thing, and then, you know, he introduced me to the story. I checked out the documentary and the documentary is just such a heartwarming story and, you know, real story of human positivity. And so that was it really, tyker and the story itself and then the character obviously you know he does exist in real life, thomas Rungen.
Speaker 2:But once we started, you know, developing the character on set, actually it started to sort of take legs and go actually further away from the real Thomas Rungen to sort of serve the story that we were telling he was a total pro Was the perfect person for that.
Speaker 4:But I think what I loved about it as well was actually hearing the real Thomas Rungen's appreciation and just sort of like his mind was completely blown at the idea that Michael Fassbender was going to play him. And I think that what has been really exciting for us is actually seeing this little movie that could the documentary that we made, seeing all the people who were involved in that, just kind of be just completely blown away by seeing this thing being scaled up on a new platform in a new way. Guys guys.
Speaker 6:What are we here? So, part of my exciting master surprise plan, gentlemen, I am proud to officially announce a new official national coach of the American Samoan soccer team. He's played with some of the top players in the world so, and he's originally from Europe, so let's give him a warm American Samoan welcome. Your chariot awaits. Yeah, great stuff, guys. I think he feels really welcome. See you at training.
Speaker 7:Yeah, how many off-share people would play for the job. Oh the response was incredible.
Speaker 6:So, yeah, how many people responded? Well, there was him. Yeah, it was just him. But the fact that he responded, absolutely incredible. I really think things are going to turn around. You know, son, it's like in the matrix. I think this man is the Neo.
Speaker 1:Now in that scene, Oscar Kitely was the guy that was introducing the team to the new coach Now coming up. Next we're going to hear from Oscar and he's going to talk about the importance of his character and really what he was like, the main person really behind this whole situation that brought the coach there. So he talks about that a little bit, but also he talks about that he hasn't met the guy who's playing in real life. It kind of scares them and I really respect that, because if I was somebody, if I was an actor, and you're playing somebody who's alive but you haven't met them yet, and then they're going to watch the film that you're doing, that'd be a little bit terrifying, I mean, at least in my mind. So I get what he's saying.
Speaker 1:And after that interview we have a clip for you and in this clip they take the coach for the first time to his house, like they drive up and then they go Hello, there's your car for driving around wherever you want and there's a cat sitting on top of it and the house is kind of run down and kind of falling apart and Michael Fassbender is just kind of like Okay, okay, this is pretty lame, but the guy Oscar. He's just enthusiastic, he's just happy to have all this stuff going. He just what he brings to his role is really impressive. He just brings this life to him and happiness. It's just really nice to see that. And that's what's happening in this scene. He's giving him a tour of his house and at the end you hear a door sliding, glass door shut and his reflection is over. Kind of Michael Fassbender's in a way. It is just one goal. Just one goal. It's a well crafted scene.
Speaker 6:Check it out. I play Trevita. He's the most important person in the story. He pretty much takes the whole thing in motion with his passion and drive in real life as well. So I found a big responsibility to do him justice. He's a I haven't met the man. I'm a little bit scared. To Welcome to your new accommodation. Oh, that's your car, so you can move around the island at will. And now the pier's the residence, your castle awaits your landlord is Sione. He lives in the house next door and he's available 724 to address your every need 724. Seven days out of every 24. Well, I'll let you get settled in and I'll leave this welcome to American Samoa video here for you to peruse at your leisure. The qualifiers are only four weeks away. Mr Rungen, all I want from our team is just one goal. One goal, one goal.
Speaker 1:Now coming up. Next we're gonna have a little bit more from Oscar and he's in a talk about Michael Fassbender because most of us know he does a lot of drama, action drama or brooding type roles that aren't necessarily comedy. So for them to take a risk with him on this is pretty cool because obviously the guy has chops and when you see this movie you'll see what I'm saying. It's fun to see him playing something that's light, fun and just, you know, just having it looks like you're having a fun time making this movie. That's what I'm trying to get across. I guess Sometimes you could just tell when people are having fun on the set. It just it bleeds over to the scene, the chemistry and everybody that's working with it. So he talks about working with Fassbender and other biggies on shooting day. I love that term because obviously they have different tier of actors. Obviously in movies you know, like this person's maybe only been in a couple, this person's been in a lot, so I like that term. When the other biggies came in whatever, for whatever reason. That amuses me.
Speaker 1:And then we're gonna have a scene for you and it's a montage of Michael Fassbender trying to train the team. There's like they're kicking balls everywhere, not doing anything. The team goes running in the ocean. He kind of creeps up to the water. The water comes back up, he steps back. But he looks back and he admires them, like these guys are a team, they're a family and that's what sets them apart. And then at the end of the scene, everybody's kicking balls all around the field right and he and Michael Fassbender's characters walking around. His eyes are shut. He's just like you know, almost like a meditative thing. You know the oh, the field of trust, trust, trust, this, trust that, and the balls keep hitting them and finally just boom, hit some again in the head and he just takes the ball. The trust is broken. The delivery and the timing of that is just whatever, for whatever reason. I just enjoy the heck out of it.
Speaker 1:And listen to the background, the song by the great Dolly Parton nine to five is playing because they're working. You know, maybe not nine to five, but they're all working together and that's the key. And they they tie the song in perfectly Because, like we always talk about, sometimes when they have songs in movies they don't always jive. You're like why? Why is it there? But working nine to five, and they're working, it just all fits here. It is.
Speaker 6:Michael Fassbender is so great in this. You know he's the man, he's the man, he's such a everyone knows what a great dramatic actor he is. But for him to take this on he had the hardest job because we were all, we all came from comedy on stage and stuff and so he was kind of jumping off the cliff in a way. Yeah, but he, he did. He was so fun to hang out with and work with, and everyone else too, all the other biggies when they came in for filming days. It was cool.
Speaker 2:Object is turning speed Hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle. You know what? Forget about it. Forget about it. Hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle. The object is to get the ball in the net. That's a trait. Look where you're shooting it.
Speaker 5:Oh, look at me, look at the ball, oh look at me Control it, darryl.
Speaker 2:What is that? Is that a pass? One touch Pass, one touch Pass pass. Come on, jai, focus, you're controlling the back line. Let's go Now, would I say. You're all useless. I'm out of here, jai, I'm out. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. Forget it. Trust, trust, trust it, trust. That's it. Don't touch me. Trust is broken.
Speaker 1:I mean you could just feel to feel good Kind of movie this is. It's kind of movie you could sit back and enjoy and just have fun with but realize it's based on a true story but yet there's still that hope and just goodness in the kind of film that this is. And up next we're gonna hear from Michael fastbender and he's intakable the challenges of doing this role because for him he's not used to make these kind of movies. So it was talks about a little bit about the Improv, improvisation and just everything involved, like that. It's not a very long interview but it's still kind of cool to get that little brief inside. Look on what he had to do to make this film.
Speaker 1:And then right after that we have a clip and in this clip it starts off with the team sitting in a bar and they're looking at a video tape of the boss, michael fastbender, having a temper tantrum, getting fired from his last job, and they go oh, maybe he's changed, but didn't. In the other room you kind of hear him yelling and then they cut to the other room, or fastbender just talking to the guy that brought him to the team and he's criticizing here you don't have a computer, but you have a mouse, you have this, but you don't have that. Just kind of rip it into him because he's unhappy and I love that. What he says at the end, the guy that's talking to him. He pretty much just says to him Well, sounds like you're just unhappy, and if you're not on, if you're not happy, then why are you here? That's we don't. I don't wish that on anybody and sometimes, if you really think about that, that's how life is, whether you, if you're at living it, if you're at work, or have people around you and they're bitter, they're angry, they're, they're just yelling and complaining all the time, treating you like dirt.
Speaker 1:But then, if you try to state, take that step back and realize, oh, they're just unhappy, they're sad people and they're taking it out on you because that's all they have, because it's a giant defense mechanism and I get it. It's hard to do it because I'm very poor at it myself, because I lash out all the time too, and when other people lash out at me, I've, you know, we, our gut reaction is just to react to strength in the scene. Is that guy telling him oh, basically, I feel bad for you, just doesn't make you happy. Then move on, but they do it in a way that's still lighthearted and fun and it's not heavy-handed, and that's not always easy to do in these kind of films. But if you could write a good script and have great actors, they could pull that scene off with not being too heavy-handed or to or too depressing. You'll see what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:I, you know, I thought it would be a challenge, for sure, because we were, you know, improvising and trying to be funny. So, yeah, for sure it was a challenge, but it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 4:This bit right here. Oh, this guy's been fired from his last three jobs because he can't control himself. I don't know, he seems okay now. Maybe he's different.
Speaker 10:Sure.
Speaker 2:I mean, look at this place. You've got a keyboard, a mouse, no screen. None of this makes any sense. You don't even have a full squad of players out there. No wonder you're the worst team in the world.
Speaker 6:It's the wrong. And you have made your point, and now let me make mine. Now we here at fast. I ordered that. You are here. We want to prove, we want to learn from you, but we will not deny who we are, just to win. These are our customs, these are our ways, ways.
Speaker 2:You're failing. It's torture. Coaching this team.
Speaker 6:Thomas, we were under the impression that you wanted to be here, but if that is the wrong impression that we are under, then you are free to go. No, seek your happiness. Unhappiness is a curse that I would not wish on anyone.
Speaker 1:Now coming up. Next we're gonna have a couple interviews. I'm played just straight through Because they're important and I don't want to interrupt it. You just understand when I play it all at once. First we're gonna hear from an actual player from the real team, jaya, who's a transgender individual, and you'll hear how they got involved in this whole project and it's really kind of cool story when you hear them talk. And then we're gonna hear from the director talking about the difficulties but the importance of Finding somebody to play that character, because they just didn't want to mess it up and go a different direction. They want to be authentic and real and it's really cool hearing about that. And then we're gonna hear from Kimona, who plays Jaya In this, talk about the how they helped them Find the role, saying you have to find it yourself.
Speaker 1:It's not an exact representation of who I was, it's a combination of the writing who you are and who I was. Make it your own. So it took a lot of pressure off them. And then we're gonna hear from Michael fastbender Talk about Kimona taking on this role. And then we go back to Kimona talking about working with Michael fastbender, pretty much saying hey, I remember here from all the X-men films and then we're gonna play a clip for you and in this clip we have Jaya.
Speaker 1:They're all performing as a team. Sometimes, you know, before game people get pumped up, they do a little ritual. In this scene the whole team is doing a traditional Dance of some sort pregame, psych up, war to kind of cycle together team, and there's not a lot of dialogue, it's just you'll hear the ritual happening, but in the video you'll see the whole team performing this. So later on I'm going to give you a website in case you want to watch the video of this. I have a TV version of it and I'll give you that. So sometimes these make a little bit more sense if you could see the video that I'm talking about. But that's what's going to happen in that. Anyway, here it all is.
Speaker 8:A lot has happened in 2011 that pretty much brought me here today. 2011 was when, coincidentally, we won our first game. When a film crew from Arches Market in London was there to create a documentary, taika just so happened to take interest and wanted to do this film and the strike happened and they couldn't promote it. So they got me on board. It's just, you know, crazy the first out transgender to play in the FIFA sanctioned tournament yeah. And just recently, fifa president Gianni Infantino at the Women's World Cup in Sydney made me an official FIFA legend. Yeah, oh my gosh, kaimana is perfect. It's hard to find an actress that is someone a Fafina trans woman is athletic and can act Like, and it just so happened that they found Kaimana in the backyard, you know, in Hawaii, and she's perfect.
Speaker 9:Well, that was the most important part of the casting process. It was finding someone who's Samoan Fafafina who also is trans, identifies as Fafafina trans, plays soccer and can act so like to tick all those boxes is a very small you know small group that you can choose from there.
Speaker 7:It's such an honor. You know, it really is it, and Jaya is. You know I call her my big sis. She's a legend in the FIFA world. I just feel really honored and it feels really great to have been a part of this story and you know the representation that it brings to the table on a global level. It's a huge deal and I'm just incredibly honored. Oh my gosh, I she did.
Speaker 7:She gave me the biggest nugget that I ever got for my entire journey of filming. So I met her at the launch party. It was like a day or two before we started shooting, you know, and she told me, girl, like I understand that this character you're playing is not an exact replica of my story or my life. She said this is going to be a character that, of course, has my name and has elements of me, but it also has elements of you and the character also has elements of what Taiko wrote into it. You know that was huge for me because I've never acted before and on top of that, it was an actual living person. So I'm like, what did I get myself into?
Speaker 7:But she gave me that nugget and it really just released me and allowed me to, I think, relax a little bit more, you know, into the role and the work that I did. Absolutely the thing that I love about Taika is he is incredibly dedicated to the creative, his creative flow, you know, and so, above all else, it's about the art form, and so we did a lot of improv, we did a lot of try this, try that, try this, say this, say that. So the vast majority of what's actually in the film wasn't necessarily in the script, you know, and it was fun that way. It also gave me room to breathe a little bit, to play, to find my way to, you know, the character even, and whatever the scene was asking for. Sometimes it took me a minute to get into it, but with his directing, it made it completely possible.
Speaker 2:Well, she was amazing. You know she's just one of those naturally gifted actors. You know she came on and she was immediately there. You know she had truth and honesty to her performance from the get-go. So it was just a pleasure doing scenes with her. She was great.
Speaker 7:Oh, absolutely, girl, absolutely. You know he. The only thing that I knew him from was X-Men, okay. So when I saw his name was on the project, I was just like oh shoot, like this is Magneto we're talking about. You know what I mean. So I was definitely intimidated. But he's so sweet, he's so kind, he's funny In every scene. He was always encouraging me, supporting me, so he was. He played a really big part in me being able to do what I did and I love you, michael.
Speaker 1:You know, I don't care where you're at, where you're from, what sport you play. Almost every team has some kind of ritual, whether it be singing, dancing, meditation, screaming, whatever it may be. It's just fun to watch that happen, to try to get the other teams psyched out or psyched up, whatever it is. It's just fun to see that and feel that when you watch a movie it just helps you get, it just pulls you in. You know like, yeah, whatever happens, game on Now coming up next. Just give there a little bit more thoughts on the film we're going to hear from Oscar Kitely to Mona Will Arnett we haven't mentioned a lot about him, but he is in this film. But we all know Will Arnett. Look at the list of stuff that he's in, so he's in here then Ian Morris, the producer, and Tyka YTT, of course, the great director. All of them just giving some more thoughts on this film.
Speaker 6:It's a sports film which everyone loves. Everyone knows the form, but I just hope that they enjoyed the way they got there. You know that we took them there in the end and the real story is already out there in a doco a beautiful doco, starring the real people. So go and see that if you want to know what really happened and what the real people. But come and see our film for a real hilarious, entertaining, exaggerated version of that.
Speaker 7:Honestly just joy. You know, I think the world and the state that it's in right now, I think it's severely lacking in a lot of joy and a lot of us can feel that, and I think ultimately that's, if nothing else, just to feel a little bit of happiness and joy for at least a moment in time. And I think if that's the case, then we did our job.
Speaker 3:I am a massive soccer fan, as we call it football. Yeah, I'm a massive fan, and I'm a massive Taika fan. And so he just texted me one day, said, hey, you're going to come and do this for a couple of days, and I said, okay, it's awesome. Yeah, we had just done some stuff something before, right before. So in a short period of time we got to spend a lot of time together. So fun. He's the best and he's just such a great guy and I knew Michael fast-pendered a little bit too. We'd done something. So he's just really good, really great people. And Elizabeth Moss, who's amazing. I've known her for years, so it was really felt like I was kind of the last guy in and I came in. It was really fun, I don't know. I think he's a really sweet message. You know all this sort of stuff that you hope like never give up, keep going, keep trying, yeah, and keep a good, positive attitude, and it's never too late to turn it around.
Speaker 10:You know, come away smiling. You know I think it's a really upbeat film about a bunch of losers who come together and sort of you know they. What's the point of playing if you know you're going to lose? And I think this team is about. This is what it's about. It's about being a team, being together and learning from other people, and that's the point of playing in a team and being together. It doesn't matter whether you win or lose. It's about that team spirit really. So I hope you'll take that away. Hope, hope.
Speaker 9:You know, the film is about hope and it's about not giving up. And I think, you know, in the last few years I think, we're reminded a lot, especially in cinema, about how terrible the world is. And you know, we've kind of made to believe that humans are just, you know, inherently bad. But we're not. Humans are great and humans are a fantastic species and I love humans. And this is about, you know, just showing that. You know, tell a story where nothing bad really happens and you know, and you can go out with some hope and feeling happy.
Speaker 1:So what do you guys think?
Speaker 1:Does this sound like something you want to see? This is the reason I love doing this show, even from the very beginning, just when I was doing the cable access show for Bloomington, minnesota. Here. I love the big screen, the blockbusters, of course that's what I just sometimes love to go to movies for. But what really just got me hooked, like a massive drug in doing this show was sometimes finding that little movie, that film that most people might just blow by.
Speaker 1:But when you take time to go see it whether you go see it in the theater or wait for it to come on home rental, whatever it may be Sometimes you might figure out after listening to all these interviews. Everybody has to say I want to see this film, not only because it's based on a true story, but it has heart and it offers you something else than just explosions and all that. Not there's anything wrong with that, because we all love those kind of movies. But this is what really gets under my skin the idea of finding something that most people might completely forget about years to come, but it might stick with you. Because, like I always say to you guys and it's redundant or not, I don't care. Any movie is somebody's favorite movie. Who might have told you not to see a movie? That's not what we do here at the Cinema Judge.
Speaker 1:Our goal here is this to give you the evidence. Don't yell, don't scream, don't cry, don't complain about Hollywood or this actor, whatever it may be. There's plenty of space out there for other people to do that for a living. I'm not here to create noise. We all have noise in our lives. This is a movie oasis, a place we could come and learn about one movie and not worry about all the noise. I don't care what other people say. We all come from different walks of life. There's no way one person can tell somebody not to see a movie or even to see a movie. All I care about is the evidence. I'm just a judge, you're the jury, and that's the greatest concept in my mind. Here's the evidence.
Speaker 1:What do you think they threw it all out at for you? I want to know do you like this film or does it sound enticing to you? And if you do like it, let me know. Did we represent the show properly? Because that's all I care about, and I know I'm going on and on about this, but that's what we do here. What do you think? Does this sound like a movie you want to see? This is available online to watch whenever you want, whenever you have time on demand. But here's the key to the thing the TV version you don't see or hear me at all. So that might be a great relief to a lot of you, and that's okay, because it's all there visually. You don't need me to guide you along. So if you want to watch this on demand, it's usually there for a few months available for you. So if you watch this between now and you know, hopefully not several years from now.
Speaker 1:Go to BIT dot L Y slash cinema judge. Bit dot L Y Cinema judge. You'll find this episode in a slew of others, because that's what it's all about Finding that movie that you might not have normally wanted to see or ever heard of, and it might be your little little piece of heaven. Now, if you guys have any questions, comments, concerns any way to improve the show, I'm always open to constructive criticism. You don't have to yell and scream. I just want to make this show better. So you'll keep coming back. You'll share it with your friends, because that's what I want to do teach you and teach me about movies, learn more and how can I do that to make it more Presentable to you. So if you want to give me a, send me an email cinema judge at hotmailcom, or go to Instagram.
Speaker 1:The cinema judge threads YouTube. I get a lot of feedback from YouTube, but just a side note on that Sometimes on the YouTube version, I might be able to play a lot of stuff, but sometimes those restrictions. So when you hear me talk about, hey, this was coming up next and it's not there, it's because maybe certain rights weren't allowed. So that's, I just want to let you know the full on a bridge version is always here on a platform, whether it be Apple, spotify, pod being, whatever it may be. Whatever, wherever you go see or listen to podcast, the full on a bridge version Will always be here unedited. But sometimes, like places like YouTube, there's higher restriction levels, so maybe they're not all there. But anyway, neither here nor there, but to all of you who do listen on YouTube, thank you so much. I'm also on mastodon, pinterest, tumblr, hive, and if you're ever on the meta world, then go to horizon worlds. I'm often hanging out there late at night talking movies with people. I love that. The conversations we have. No dead of night is fantastic. Whether it's ace of clubs, laser tag, whatever, I mean, there's a plethora of worlds out there. Just look up cinema judge. Friend me In this chat, this chat movies. I love it. I never get bored of it. But now it's one of my favorite parts of this show.
Speaker 1:This is where I give you a shout out for those who listen to the podcast, anybody else who listen on YouTube, whatever. You might say, hey, why don't you give me a shout out? Because that's impossible to find out who, what, where, when and how. But if you ever want to be, if you ever want to shout out, listen to it on whatever platform is out there for podcasts and I don't I can't get to everybody, but I try to get to as many as I possibly can, because I love hearing how you hear. But he listens to the show whether you're driving the work, sitting at home, relaxing whatever you're doing, and sometimes it's two days from now or it's two years from now, and that's okay. Just come here in this talk movies. So this is where I personally Thank you, the listeners, for giving time out of your life to listen to this show.
Speaker 1:To all my listeners, to the United States, germany, philippines, minneapolis, minnesota, detroit Lakes, minnesota, queens, new York, queens in City, metro Manila, frankfurt am Main, hesse you are always here. I thank you guys so very, very much. You're awesome. Stevenson Ranch, california, akely, minnesota, stillwater, minnesota, evergreen, colorado, prior Lake Minnesota, silver Spring, maryland, maple Grove, minnesota, houston, texas, fort Worth, texas, st Paul, minnesota, and that's just some of you. To everybody else who listen out there, truly, I do appreciate it and keep listening, share it with your friends, but, most importantly, if you have something to say, please feel free to let me know, because I can't grow if I don't know. It's that simple in today's bourbon show Don't go to two places.
Speaker 1:First place, back to health guys. There the chiropractor work that they do for people is Phenomenal. I've been going to these guys for years. This guy is professional, he's fun. The entire staff is Nothing short of top-notch professional fun there. I mean they have the place could be very, very busy at times, but when you're there they cheat you like a king. So to everybody at back to health, thank you so very much. But also I also want to give a shout out to Incredible people the food at shantytown.
Speaker 1:If you're ever in the Bloomington area of Minnesota, the shantytown it's like this little hole in the wall. It's on a residential street. Basically, phenomenal cheeseburgers, great staff. Soon it's gonna have new ownership, but I met the new owners. Nothing's gonna change. Same menu, same people, nothing crazy. The status quo. They know what works. They're not gonna change it, cuz I personally met the owner or the future owner of shantytown. Nothing but awesome. But if you're ever in the area, the food is just. It's just so comfy. The whole place is just casual and Tasty and inexpensive. That's what's really great about the place shantytown. If you've never been or, if you're in the area, check out shantytown.
Speaker 1:Now it's the part of the show where I mentioned what I was listening to when I was making a TV version of this, which becomes this podcast. When I'm making a TV version of this, that is the ultimate, ultimate, just happy place for me. It's my zone, it's my, my place. I'm editing a show, I'm learning about a movie and I'm cranking music and I I just love that. And on this particular episode Because this is the comedy and everything else like sometimes I go the other way does they have a complete Difference in the tone? Just to keep me balanced, if that makes any sense?
Speaker 1:And this week I went to one of my three most personal albums. I said not, maybe not my most personal, but you know how we have personal albums. They're not maybe your favorite albums, but they've been with you for so long and they've they've evolved with you and that's what makes a great album. The song always stays the same, but you, the listener, have changed, and I heard a quote about something like that recently, about somebody rereading books. The book doesn't change, but you do. Your interpretation of it does. Your life experience of it Just moves with it.
Speaker 1:And I have three albums that just scream that to me, that have been through me, for with me for so many years, and they're Really break it down. They're quite depressing albums, and not in the boo-hoo kind of way, but they're just dark and sometimes you have to find that zone and these albums, for me, are the epitome of just getting my happy zone and just get you in that mood. First one I've mentioned this one before but I'm gonna mention again pink Floyd's, the final cut. It's not their most popular by any means, but it was their last album of all of them together per se, even though they pretty much consider it Roger Waters first solo album. But you still have David Gilmore's just perfect guitar. That that's soulful. You, if you've no pink Floyd, when you hear David Gilmore just throw on down that guitar, you're like oh yes, that's the stuff.
Speaker 1:But that album I remember Listened to the first time because I remember walking by somebody and they were writing down on the desk lyrics and I'm like I looked down, like what are you doing? Oh, you know, you know, you know this album and I I read the lyrics like no, I have no idea what you're talking about. So like I went home. He had it on a vinyl and he recorded it from vinyl onto a, onto a tape, and he played a slot. And I still have that tape today and every blue moon I just if I have a tape player somewhere I play it because it brings me right back.
Speaker 1:But the final cut by the, by pink Floyd, it, it has evolved with me my whole life and I just sometimes crave it and I just need it. And one of my fondest memories of that album was Back in a day when my my friend put it onto a tape. I Was, I worked as a janitor at a big store Department store and I had a walkman and I had my headphones on. I remember just cranking that album. I was there like five in the morning, I'm vacuuming and I'm just belting out the tunes and for me, just it just reminds me of that time and how I've changed since then till now and how my life perception have changed. And I could talk for hours and hours, both to sell and both each song individually, about what each song means to me. But I'll spare you the details.
Speaker 1:But I want to share one funny, funny thing about this. There's a friend of mine I call him, hair boy, who is a huge influence on my life on this show, because he was one of the original Directors of the show and I was doing the TV version of it. Hair boy and I we'd spend hours Editing the old-fashioned way with tape to tape. I could again I need to do a whole show about hair boy or have him on one day. That would be the the grand Kubo for me. But what we one of the many things that we shared was the love of this album. The final cut in Shockingly amazingly, the power of music is this After I'd recently done the show Also, I got a text out of nowhere from hair boy and he texted me the opening couple lines to this album from the song the Post-War Dream and I just I read it and I I damn near almost wept because I'm like, oh my god, to being tapped into music like that again.
Speaker 1:We don't talk as much as I would like, but out of nowhere. After listening to this album, mind you, I listen to it, making this show at least three or four times. All the albums I mentioned on this here, each one I played like three or four times because they're so short, but the simple fact that this album that went on to the ozone, whatever you want to say, and he texted me out of nowhere quoting that freaking song from that album. It's magical, but I said to share that with you, so I listened to that one. And then I also listened to the John Lennon album plastic ono band. It is incredible.
Speaker 1:There's some songs on there just transport me. There's there's some that are just utterly sad, like mother ones that jam like well, well, well, I found out. And then the utterly gripping song God, and he talks about pretty much his whole musical career and he mentions people in the song like I don't believe in Elvis, I don't believe in Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan. And then at the last thing he says is when he starts listing up people's and what he does with the audio is great to us and I don't believe in Beatles. Every time I hear that song just breaks my heart because I realized you know it was a trying time. He has to move on and he says the dream is over. You know nothing else I could say the dream is over. I'm just like no, don't say it, john. And a working-class heroes on that album. Just incredible. I mean, that album just has spoken to me for years and again it's evolved. So if you ever want to listen to a great John Lennon album the plastic ono band it is incredible.
Speaker 1:And then I listen to the Bruce Springsteen album, nebraska, and that one too, it just it's been seared into me. There's so many just powerful songs and what makes that album so great is when he first recorded it was just like on a four track recorder him and harmonica and guitar. Later on they might have added a few things here and there and they even try to make a whole album out of it with the band, but they said no, no, no, the stripped down version is tight, it's perfect. I mean there's some. There's a opening song deals with a true life story about a boy and a girl who go on a road trip and, you know, hurting people. But it just and goes from there about him growing up and driving, having a brand new used car and I can go on and on in this album. But that album has been with me for so many years and it's it's meant so much to be in, change so much and it's very, very mellow, a bit bleak and depressing that at the end it kind of picks up and gives you a song reason to believe, but overall it's just like oh wow, this really just really pulls you down, but in a good way.
Speaker 1:It's hard to explain if you're not in the right state of mind, but if you ever have a shot, or at the time or the inkling, listen to those three albums Nebraska plastic ono band and Pink Floyd's final cut. They have that's like a little key inside of you know how albums make up who you are. They help define you. Those, those few albums right there have that's. It's really getting. If you want to get into my headspace, those three albums are it? They are just awesome. Well, that is it, my glass of weights. I'm thirsty. So cheers to you and to the movies. So until next time, be well, be good, and I'm gone. I'm Jeff. Thanks for listening to the Cinema. Judge you.