It’s a NEW YEAR which means new movies and it’s January so that also means upcoming award shows. Oscar nominations are coming up next week and we’re going to be diving into that on our next episode so again make sure you’re following us to get updated on that because depending on how that goes, I’m going to have A LOT to say. If SINNERS is not up for Best Picture, we RIDE AT DAWN!

ANYWAY—

Tonight, let’s talk about the movies that are coming out this year - some of the blockbuster films, some more independent films coming out, and then how to watch the TRULY indie films (the ones without agents, without a studio backing—how to see films by filmmakers like us).

Tiffany Nicholas is an avid movie watcher, a casual art maker, and the number one fan of the 2002 Dreamworks movie, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. She has a lot of opinions about a lot of things (especially movies) and despite knowing that these opinions are not objective facts, she will argue about them as if they are.

You can follow Tiffany on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/waffleyoriginal and check out her Etsy store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/WaffleyOriginal.

Christopher Rush is a Rochester native who is deeply invested in the success of underrepresented communities in Rochester. He serves the community as a part of the Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) supporting organizations and individuals committed to creating conditions for upward mobility in Rochester and Monroe County. Chris is also the host of the CRUSH HOUR on WAYO 104.3 FM connecting with leaders working to make Rochester a better place.

You can follow Christopher at https://www.instagram.com/_crushhour.

Listen to the CRUSH HOUR at https://wayofm.org/shows/crush-hour.

Learn more about the Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) and how to get involved here: https://rmapiny.org/

Want to support independent filmmakers? Start with your local film festivals! If you live in Rochester, go support the following film festivals by following their social media pages and signing up for their mailing lists:

■ Anomaly Film Festival: https://www.anomalyfilmfest.com/

■ One Take Film Festival: https://thelittle.org/one-take/

■ Witness Palestine Film Festival: https://www.wpff.us/

■ ImageOUT Film Festival: https://imageout.org/

■ Rochester International Film Festival: https://rochesterfilmfest.org/

■ Rochester Teen Film Festival: https://www.wxxi.org/projects/rochester-teen-film-festival/

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that lifts everyone. https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Happy New Year Pod.

We are back for an all new season of representation in Cinema.

If this is your first time listening or watching, welcome.

We talk about the films that center Black, Brown and Indigenous voices as well as the film industry itself.

This podcast is produced by Chris Lindstrom, the co founder of Lunchadore Podcast Network and I'm Jessica McGurth, your host and the founder, director and co producer of Our Voices Project, a production company that shares the stories and lived experiences of Black Brown Indigenous peoples to visual storytelling and truth telling.

Where community engaged filmmakers who firmly believe that you can't send us ones on the community without being in community and in solidarity with them.

If you're watching this on YouTube, hit that subscribe button and the little bell to get notified about new episodes when they drop.

And if you're listening to the podcast, hit that follow button.

Rate us five stars.

Leave a Comment the New Year, which means new movies.

And it's January, so that also means upcoming award shows.

Oscar nominations are coming up next week and we're going to be diving into that in our next episode.

So again, make sure you are following us to get updated on that because depending on how this goes, I'm going to have a lot to say.

If Sinners is not up for Best Picture, we write it down.

Okay?

Anyway, tonight let's talk about the movies that are coming out this year.

Some of the blockbuster films, some more independent films coming out, and then how to watch the truly independent films.

The ones without agents, the ones without a studio backing, how to sleep films by filmmakers like us.

We are normally in the studio with our producer Chris, but since the winter decided to fight back today in Rochester.

We are virtual today.

So joining us on the podcast today, we also have fellow film fans that are also going to be taking this deep dive with me.

So first up we have Tiffany Nicholas.

She has a lot of opinions about a lot of things, especially movies, and despite knowing that these opinions are not objective facts, she will argue about them as if they are right on.

Welcome to the podcast.

Thanks Jackie.

Excited to be here.

And I will ride at dawn with you on the Sinners front, so let.

Me know when I'm there.

Absolutely.

Also, if you didn't know, she has an Etsy shop called Waley Original.

If you're listening to the podcast, I'm holding up one of her stickers called I loved you in IMDb movies are my love language.

Surprise surprise.

So yeah, if you are not already following her on Instagram or you know following her Etsy shop, I will have that in the show notes or in the description if you're watching on YouTube.

Next up, we have Christopher Rush.

Christopher is a Rochester native who is deeply invested in the success of underrepresented communities in Rochester.

He served the community as a part of the Rochester Monroe Anti Poverty Initiative, or also known as rmapi, supporting organizations and individuals committed to creating conditions for upward mobility in Rochester and Monroe County.

Chris is also the host of the Crush hour on Wayo 104.3 FM Connecting with leaders working to make Rochester a better place.

Welcome to our podcast.

It's the thanks for having me.

That bio makes me seem a lot more important than I really am, but also makes seem like I'm really busy, which I am.

So, you know, I think thank you so much for reading that and thank you for this invite to be here on this podcast with you.

Absolutely.

I was also on Chris's show, the Crush Hour, where we talked about all things, of course, and a little bit of course about movies and why it's I got into filmmaking in the first place.

So I'm glad to have you on our pod.

Glad to have both of you on our podcast.

So let's dive in to the discussion.

So as always, there are a lot of films that are coming out and I really want to get into the movies that you are really excited about.

So starting with Tiffany, what are I going to say?

Three, between three and five movies that you're really excited about this year.

And why?

Why?

Sure.

Yeah.

I feel a little restricted by just having an hour to discuss this because I mean, it's a whole year of movies.

But I'll.

I'll do my best.

So I feel like I go to the movies a lot and so by going to the movies you see a lot of trailers and a lot of things coming up.

So there's I have a running list of things that I've kind of accumulated, but a few that I'm really, really excited about are Sunrise on the Reaping.

I know this kind of been in the works for a while.

If you don't know, it's the Hunger Games prequel.

So the book came out last year.

If you're a fan of the books or the the universe of the Hunger Games, it's about Haymitch's games.

So the book and the movie were announced together.

There was a big, exciting casting announcement for everything.

The cast is phenomenal.

The movie looks amazing.

It's Francis Lawrence directing.

So it's the same guy who did the Hunger Games.

And I'm just so excited.

I love the book.

I think I cried the hardest I've cried at a book in a long time.

So I'm super excited for that.

Doesn't come out until November, but we'll be on the lookout for that.

I really am excited for.

I love boosters.

Not a ton of information about that one yet, but just looking at the cast, I mean how could you not love it?

It's Keke Palmer, Lakeith Stanfield, Naomi Acke, Will Poulter, Demi Moore.

Like what more could you ask for?

And it's a heist movie which I am a big fan of.

I'm so glad, so glad you brought that up.

I'm so sorry.

Like I'm so glad you brought that movie.

I I was like I just found it and I'm going.

So I'm like this cast.

And also Boots Riley.

Yes.

Work also did Sorry to bother your and I believe he has there's a series on Amazon prime that's available on Amazon prime that he did that is supposed to be an incredible show.

So yeah, sorry, I just had to interject with that because no, I was named that film.

I'm like, yes, because I'm so excited for that.

Anyway, I watched Kiki Palmer in one of them days.

I'm like, I'll watch anything she's in for the next however long.

She's amazing.

And then I'm really excited for the drama which is Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in a new A24 movie and they play a couple and like crazy drama with their relationship.

So just from like the trailers and the behind the scenes shots, I'm really excited about those.

And then a few honorable mentions that I have listed.

I'm a Marvel girly at heart.

So Spider Man, Brand New Day not the Home and Avengers Doomsday obviously.

So super pumped for those Legend of Aang, the new Avatar movie and all that's left of you, the new Palestinian film that's coming out and a I think next week at the Little so lots of good stuff coming out this year.

Yeah.

So at the time so it comes out January 23rd as a little theater so definitely check that out.

It originally premiered at our the Palestinian Film Festival last year in November and I'm looking forward to having it back again.

So shout out to Witness Palestine Film Festival.

He was also on the podcast last year so yeah looking forward to that.

Cool.

That's all for me for now.

Yeah.

So, Chris, how about you?

What are the, what are the movies you looking forward to this year?

It definitely was difficult to narrow them down to three to five, but I kind of stuck with what I know and things that I've always, I've always been drawn to in the first place.

That Toy Story movie I think is going to be.

I'm really looking forward to that.

I think if they make toy store movies up until Andy's funeral, I'll probably still be tuning and locked in and trying to watch those, Those movies.

I really would.

They just meant so much to, to me as a child watching it.

I also had on there specifically because one of my all time favorite movies is, I think it was, is a 99 or 98 version of the Mummy with Brandon Fraser.

So there is another mummy coming out this coming year that I think.

I don't know, it just is real eerie and scary, right?

So like, I like the original first mummy because of.

I just think the, you know, at the time the graphics were good, but this one, you know, is kind of like dark and I guess when you think about mummies, it should be right?

I mean, and then I don't know if you guys saw the trailer, but it seems like I'm interested.

I don't want to give too much away if you guys are interested in seeing that.

And then something I think is going to be cool, I don't know, because of where we are in this country related to like you know, just social relationships and social interactions and law enforcement and, you know, it's a lot going on.

But that Night Patrol movie I thought was gonna be something that I'll be interested in seeing, but it's the one with the, the street gangs and the lapd and they find out that there's this task force at night that, you know, the heat of gangs in intact in their vampires.

And I just think that's like, I don't know, I just think that's really cool, you know, because, you know, vampires, they're.

I don't know if they ever left, but they're making a comeback.

You know, we have with Sinners and what, what people don't.

I don't think people put the two and two together.

But Sinners is really close to like From Dusk till Dawn and that's one of my favorite movies as well.

And then thinking about this movie where, you know, at night the world's changed because Valentine fires come out to play.

I just think it's something I'M interested in.

Those are.

Those things always draw my attention.

And there's black people in that one, too.

So that's.

That's my other favorite part.

Yes.

That one is called.

So that's Night Patrol.

Night Patrol.

What did I say?

I get it wrong?

Oh, no.

I don't know.

I wasn't sure if I had heard the movie.

But just for.

Again, for listeners or viewers, the.

The movie that he's describing is Night Patrol.

And so I believe that is coming out or it's actually at the point of this recording, it'll have already come out.

So.

Yeah.

Are there any others that, like.

And of course, because it's.

I mean, I know you said, like, between.

I said three to five, because, I mean, I don't know.

I tend to go on tangents.

So I was just like, oh, you know, three to five might be okay, but if there are other movies that you're like now, we need to talk about this, like.

Yeah, feel free to let me know.

Definitely.

Definitely.

They will kill you.

I just.

I like the.

I like the actress.

I think her name.

Is it.

Is it Zazzy Beats?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I really.

I really enjoy.

I really enjoy her.

Enjoyed her in Atlanta and other movies that she's been a part of.

So I think that'd be.

I didn't get a chance to check out the trailer, but just knowing that she's in it and knowing.

And reading the.

The blurb about it, I thought it'd be something I'll be really interested in.

Cold Storage or something I was drawn to as well.

I just think, you know, some of these movies, I think, are like windows into the future, unfortunately, so.

And I think that was one of them.

You know, I think.

I think some of this stuff might happen eventually of, you know, the government playing around for too.

Too long or too many things and.

And having to try to keep.

Keep things contained, and then they don't.

They don't stay contained.

And now we got to deal with it.

When things are way too close to home, I'm always like, man, I don't know.

I don't know if I'm going forward.

Watch this.

But yeah, no, for sure.

I definitely think movies that are like that.

Any movies that are dystopian, you know, telling of the future, there's.

I feel like there's always a layer of truth just because a lot of folks, especially when you're talking about filmmakers and screenwriters and even authors, right, who.

Who write these stories, they're looking at, like, the patterns of history.

So I know that Octavia Butler, who wrote Parable of the Sower books, took a lot from, like, she saw, you know, the patterns, you know, in studying history and everything, and then used that to write the book.

And of course, now I'm hearing from people who are reading Parable of the Sower now are like, I. I've had to put the book down several times because it was way too close to what's happening right now.

So.

Yeah.

And oftentimes I know.

I know some people who say history repeats.

I know that other people say history parallels.

So it makes sense, you know, that people in stores, you find truth.

Some of the things or some of the movies that I was interested in.

And I.

And actually one of them.

I don't even know if it's only going to select theaters, but I will definitely be on the hunt for it and see if it's coming because there's this retelling about the explorer Magellan, who was very much, you know, a part of that age of exploration.

And we hear, of course, we.

We always hear about, like, Jesus, but not about the retelling of his.

His story in a way that decolonizes.

And the fact that Magellan, which was actually supposed to be out this month, is it.

It's marketing itself as the decolonial retelling of the Portuguese explorer's life and expeditions.

And in the trailer, you see, you very much see that where it's not propping him up as this, like, you know, great man.

It's propping.

It's not.

It's.

It's actually pushing him down.

It's like even pushing down, it's more of, like, telling the truth of, like, who this man really was and how he wasn't really after, you know, simply exploring.

There was.

There's that.

There's the.

The, you know, the colonization that's happening.

Right.

And so it's telling the truth about someone's story and.

And, you know, not.

Not holding, like, not holding anything back.

And I think that's a story that I would like to watch again, if you go and watch the trailer for anyone who's listening or watching, definitely go watch the trailer for that.

And I'm like, this, I feel like, needs to be required, like, watching, like, in a classroom, because again, the story that I got was definitely not the b. Colonial retelling of this bad story.

So I'm like, more.

Can I get.

We get more stories like that.

So I'm wondering if it's going to open up in theaters.

So I will definitely be keeping Y' all up to date on that?

But that's something I was Interested in also 28 years later, the Bone Temple by Nia Dasa.

Nia Dasa also released or well directed and released Hedda with Tessa Thompson, who I just, I, I, I've, I've seen that play.

So her movie adaptation was just brilliant and so I'm looking forward to more from her.

She also directed the latest reboot of Candyman.

So I've just been like interested in, in watching more of her films.

And of course I love 28 days later and I love, I love a lot of things, not all things, but a lot of things with zombies.

So that's just me.

If it has zombies, I'm like, okay, what's the problem?

Please let me know.

And actually was like debating whether or not to watch Shaun of the Dead again.

I just, I love, I love zombies.

I love those movies.

I just watched it for the first time like last week.

What did you think?

Oh, so I watch all, I watched the Cornetto trilogy.

I watched the, the full three in a day.

So fun.

Oh my goodness.

Okay, so again, for those, for those who don't know, I'm, I'm introducing it.

So for those who don't know, so the Coronado trilogy, what Tiffany is referring to.

So the Edgar Wright directed movies that are shot of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and the World's End, not to be confused with At World's End, which is part of, Part of the Caribbean because I mix it up all the time.

So.

And there, there, there are, there are these comedies that I, that I feel like are very well written and also like there's, it's not just like surface level comedy.

There's like other like reoccurring themes, deeper themes that are happening throughout the film.

But it's, they're, they're all hilarious.

And so I would highly recommend those too.

But yeah.

Oh my God, I'm so happy for you having watched those.

And of course you mentioned, you had mentioned all that's left of you.

I'm looking forward to, to that coming to the little theater.

They will kill you.

I did see the trailer actually for that one, Christopher, and that looks amazing for any Bridgerton fan.

You, me and Tuscany, starring Haley Bailey and I always with his name wrong.

Ray J.

So the love interest in the first season, if you're a Bridgerton fan, you haven't seen the trailer for that film.

It's a romantic comedy.

It looks like a lot of fun.

So I'll just say the Brief Synopsis Here, Ali Bailey stars as Anna, a young woman who has abandoned her dreams of becoming a chef and is now drifting through her 20s with a series of bad choices.

And it is, let's see, it's directed by.

I'm not, I don't think I'm familiar with this director Cat Coro, who also directed Marry Me.

I think it was starring Jennifer Lopez, but from the trailer and then also too from like the Just the Past tour.

I love their energy.

And whenever I like an actor or like actors, you know, I, I'm, I have a propensity to want to watch that over, like, know other things where I'm not as familiar.

I'm not a big romantic comedy girly.

I prefer drama or prefer.

I prefer drama and period pieces.

But I'm like, it's, it's, it's two actors that I absolutely love.

So I'm like, okay, I'm gonna watch this.

And then as far as.

So I guess I'm going back and forth of whether or not, like, I want to see the movie.

Michaels was a one about Michael Jackson that was coming out.

It was pushed to this year.

And it is directed by Antoine Quaqua, who also did Training Day, Equalizer Films, the reboot of Netflix 7, and then Southpaw starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

I have always appreciated and adored his work.

Black film getting into like authority legend.

Let's go to starring Clive Oven Owen.

Yeah, I, so I do like that director.

And yeah, I've just been going back and forth though, because I'm just like, I, I feel like I know quite a bit because there was a film that came out.

I forget when it came out.

I, I know it was.

It's now considered like an older film, but it did.

Yeah.

Now by, by today standard and I, I liked that one.

I felt like we saw a lot of his story already.

So I don't know.

I'm interested to see.

Going back and forth.

Really interested to see, you know, where, where they take this one specifically about Michael Jackson 5.

I don't know.

How do either of you feel about that film?

Anything?

Any thoughts?

Is that.

Is his nephew playing Michael?

Like.

Yes, yes, I feel like I saw.

That and I want to make sure I wasn't.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, you're good.

Okay.

Yes.

His real life nephew, Jafar Jackson.

Yes.

Yeah.

I think between that and, and a director, like I said, Training Day is probably in my top three.

I don't know, I got, like, 20 movies in my top three, but training.

Training Day is definitely up there.

And so I love his work, but, man, I just.

Some of these things I wish.

I don't know.

I would hate to see it like a money grab, you know, some of our.

Some of our idols and people had tremendous impact on how we see the world and music and culture.

Sometimes we gotta give them a break, man.

I think.

I don't know.

I just.

A lot of stuff and then.

And it's like a trap.

I mean, it's a tragic ending as well, too.

And there's so much in his life, like, what's.

Like, you taught me.

Maybe you were talking about Jackson 5.

I talked about, like, his early upbringing.

I think that was what the movie was called.

And then there's.

There's been, like, miniseries and movies and some that are really, really poor and some that were better.

But it's like, at some point, you know, we just, you know, just got to let some people rest in peace.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I heard the same criticisms about the recent Whitney Houston film, and so.

And I do get that because there's so much out there about them.

It's like, number one, what else is there that we're pulling?

Two, there are so many other figures that I feel like I would love to dig more into their.

Their history and their stories.

Someone please redo that.

We do that Nina Simone film.

Throw it out.

Throw it all the way out.

I.

But, yeah, so I. I definitely hear that, which is why I've kind of been hesitant, like, on seeing this one.

I may watch that if it comes to, like, streaming services, of course.

If you're listening, if you're watching, definitely comment and let me know.

Let us know, you know, your thoughts about the forms that we listed so far.

And I cannot move on without mentioning that we're getting a sequel to the Devil Worth, rather.

I am so excited about that one.

I. I saw the trailer, and I'm like, that's so.

The Devil Wears Prada is one of my comfort films.

Normally I'm not, like.

And normally I'm not someone who is huge on, like, sequels.

I'm just, like, just.

Just letting things.

Just let things go as.

As Kylo.

Kylo Ren would say, let the past out at the same time.

At the same time.

I. I don't know.

I just, like, I saw the trailer, and I saw that the original people are back.

So I'm like, okay, I have a little bit more.

I have.

I have.

I have way more, like, faith in the film or faith in the.

Rather than like, the filmmakers and.

And the cast than I would if it were just, like, again, some sequel that they decided to, like, bring in, like, new people and not really having anyone, you know, from the original past.

So I'm definitely looking forward to that one.

And then as far as I believe there was a couple others that you had mentioned, you know, doomsday.

I'm like, I. I'm like, I. I feel like, myself, like, kind of waning off of, like, the Marvel, like, universe, and I haven't for a while just because I'm just like, there's so many.

Like, there are so many.

They're doing too much.

I'm really stressed about it.

But I think, like, I say that and I keep complaining about it and that I.

They've been doing all the teasers of, like, this person's coming back and this person's coming back, and every time I'm like, this movie is going to be six hours long, but I will be watching it.

Like, I'll.

I'll do whatever I need to, you know?

Yeah.

Because it's, like, such a huge part of, like, my movie.

Like, why I love movies so much is, like, I grew up with Marvel movies, and I, like, for the last however many years, have gone to the premiere of everyone, and, like, I've made a lot of friends watching Marvel.

And so, like, it's just like, I'm gonna watch it, you know, but I'm gonna.

I'm gonna complain about it still.

Yeah, absolutely.

Because there are.

People will just now be like, so I haven't watched any of these, and which one do I need to.

Like, there are still people saying, which one do I need to start with if I want to go through?

And I'm like, you have so much catching up to do.

I am so sorry.

I am so, so, so sorry.

Yeah.

I'll be honest with you.

That's me.

That's.

I'm usually that guy.

There's another Mara movie coming out.

I just go and watch them just to say I did so I can stay in the loop.

I don't know what's going on.

A lot of the times that's okay.

The universe is too wide.

It's too big.

I go for the.

The.

The.

The graphics.

I go for the fight scenes.

I go to see, oh, how are they going to get out of this one?

You know?

But to know what's actually going on, you got to be this week, going to the market.

We talking about 80s, 80s, and 90s, right?

Like, you Got to really know what's going on.

And I. I don't.

I don't really know what's going on in these five.

I feel like there's a new character superhero every three years.

Like, I never.

You know, by now they got to run out of comics, right?

Like, what.

What are we still producing?

There are a lot of comments.

And there.

And there are people, though.

I give credit to the people, the YouTubers specifically give.

Like, there.

There are so many people who have those kind of, like, summary videos where it's like, okay, here are the things that you need to know.

So if you, like, watch.

Here's the plot points.

Yeah, exactly.

So, like, if you watch and it's probably, what, like, you know, an hour or so, 45, or to an hour or an hour and a half of your.

Of your life.

But, like, it's like, it's rather that, like, at this point, I'm like, if you're gonna watch that, I'd rather you do that.

I mean, yes, you can watch the movie.

I. I would be like, okay, if you want to watch all the movies, I mean, more power to you.

But if you're just trying to keep up with, like, the lore, go to one of the YouTubers who are.

Who've summed up the entire MCU up to this point, because I bet you there are so many out there who do a great job of, like, summarizing.

So that's.

No, no, they.

They do.

They do.

I'll host a workshop, and we can have an interactive session, and I'll let you know everything you need to know.

You know what?

You know what?

You know what, Tiffany?

Make it happen.

Make it happen.

Whenever you need.

Whatever you need help with organizing, I'm.

I'm there for you.

You heard it here first, folks.

Yeah, other than that.

Those are the ones that.

That I'm.

I'm really excited for.

And then I don't know if either of you have been following Dune.

I watched the first one.

I know that that's coming out.

Yeah, see?

And I. I watched the first one, and then the second one came out, and then now the third one, and I just kind of, like.

I don't know.

Not to say that I necessarily wasn't interested, but I've kind of just fallen off.

Does anyone feel strongly about the dude film?

No.

All right.

I watched the first two.

Couldn't tell you a single thing that happened.

Yeah, they're just not.

They're not for me.

They're not for me.

And that's.

And that's.

Completely fine.

That's completely fine.

I. I did that thing where you're like, okay, I know there's a book.

I need to read the book.

I'm gonna go watch the movie.

Then I remember, like.

And I'm like, why did I do this for myself?

Because now, as always, I'm comparing the book to the film so that I'm like, then it was wrong, and this is wrong, and this is supposed to be this.

And I'm just like, timothy Chalamet was not the right person.

And I.

But that's me, because I feel like Timothy Chalamet is in everything.

And I'm just like, there are other actors who are trying to make it, maybe give them a shot.

I don't know.

But again, this is not about Casey Chalamet, nor will it ever be on this podcast, because it's all about representation.

Okay, so you're moving on to.

And I wanted to get your thoughts.

I think I talked a little bit about this earlier in our episode tonight, but I.

We.

We typically see a lot of remakes and sequels and prequels, and I just wanted to get both of your thoughts about, like, your general.

Your general feelings about those.

Do you feel like, you know, those are necessary for, like, new generation?

Does it depend on the film for you or the franchise or the storyline?

What.

What are your thoughts?

And I'll start with Christopher.

You can have you.

You know, it's.

It all depends.

I feel like when.

When there's those extensions and those, you know, the story keeps growing.

I often feel a lot of times when there's.

There's series that are like.

Or movies that are started as books, and there's, like, way more stories to tell.

That makes a lot of sense to me.

Right.

Sometimes in Hollywood, it seems like it's money grabbing.

Right?

Like Scream 7, like, that's.

That's wild.

You know what I'm saying?

Like, they got a captive audience, but that's.

We doing a lot right there, you know, Toy Story 5, like I said, I'm a follow them up to Toy Story 89.

You know, I'm not.

There's.

I have no doubt in my mind about, yeah, they have Andy's funeral.

I'm gonna be there.

So I, you know, I think, you know, I want to yuck anybody's yum.

You know, if they got creative ideas.

I think people feel like with technology now, with, you know, the current, you know, talent pool now, they probably feel like they can make and tell stories a little different, a little better.

I'm all in for that.

But, you know, like I said, I think it depends.

There's certain classes, certain things you don't want to.

You don't want to touch.

You know, like one of the things I used to always talk about were, I remember learning that they were gonna do.

They were either gonna have a, A sequel to Forrest Gump or they were gonna try to figure out a way to, to tell.

Right, but, but right, listen, if there's an opportunity to like, see how he progressed through some of like current events, that, that'd be kind of interesting.

Or his son.

Right.

But like I said, I really do think it depends.

You know, some of these stories do need to.

Need to tell, but some of them, they end.

And I know we probably don't want to hear it, but I remember watching the interview with Ryan Coogler and he talked about, you know, centers being a one and done thing.

Like he said this, I'm not trying to drag this on.

It was a point in time.

It was a movie.

It was something in my head I needed to get out.

Now it's on to the next thing.

And I know we probably all know there's a whole, there's probably a million other stories we could tell, you know, from, from or prequels.

Right.

Of how everybody got to that day on that particular night and their lives changed forever.

So I guess I'm rambling now, but it depends.

Long story short, it depends.

It's a case by case thing for me.

I don't need another Batman, I'll tell you that much.

Oh, I have some thoughts on that.

But I will move on to Tiffany.

I'll move on to Tiffany.

Tiffany.

Before I start going, your thoughts on that?

Okay.

I mean, I also agree, it depends.

I think there's like different classes of sequels.

Right.

I think when it's an intentional sequel, whether it's a book adaptation, it's like the director already had two or three movies in mind, Stuff like that.

I think that's when it works.

I go back and forth about legacy sequels in particular, because most of the time it feels like it's just a cash grab.

And they're like, oh, here's this thing that worked well, but some of my favorite movies, and I say some of Top Gun Maverick inexplicably works so well.

Hated the first one.

Love Top Gun Maverick.

And I feel like Devil Wears Prada is like kind of walking that line.

But like you said, I'll watch it.

It's an incredible movie, amazing cast, it's going to be great.

But I Think that is kind of walking the line of the danger of.

It's just like they're looking for something else.

Right.

I'm glad you mentioned Scream, Christopher, because I have mixed opinions about that one, too.

I love the original franchise.

It's my favorite horror movie franchise.

Scream is one of my favorite movies.

I really enjoyed the two, like Scream 5 and 6, the request, as they kind of talk about in the movies.

And I was looking Forward to Scream 7, but I am a little disappointed with, like, everything that happened with the studio.

Jackie, I'm sure you know about this, but long story short, the studio fired the lead actress, Melissa Barrera, who I think play Sam, I think is her name, for voicing some pro Palestine opinions and stuff.

So not looking forward to that as much.

But, like, as a concept, I think I. I was looking forward to it.

And, you know, it's kind of unfortunate just because I love those movies so much and I. I think they did the recall really well.

So it's.

That's definitely a little bit of a bummer.

And then going into kind of like the remake world.

Live action Moana.

I want nothing to do with it.

I don't know what we're doing.

I'm so sick of it.

Why?

Like, what are we.

It came out, like, 10 years ago.

That's not old enough for a remake.

There's no need for this Original movie's perfect.

And I'm sick of people.

This is.

This is my soapbox.

Is that I'm sick of people think saying that animation needs to be remade because it's its own art form.

It's doing its own thing.

It's.

It doesn't need to be retold.

So this is my message to the people.

If you're a big production studio, leave animation alone.

Please.

Please.

Because it.

Yeah.

Like, we don't need.

Like, we don't need anymore.

There are so many people.

There's so many screenwriters.

Right.

Wanting to get their stories, like, on seen.

Stories that will resonate with folks, stories that will move folks.

Stories about things aren't moments in our history.

Right.

That need to be talked about.

And also too critical to go back to what you were mentioning about Sinners.

Yeah.

Like, there was this one.

Can't remember who it was, but there was someone recently talking about how, you know, he had approached Ryan or wanted to approach Coach Ryan about doing possible sequels to Sinners to try to.

And he specifically said it was about.

And I'm paraphrasing here, but it was about, like, broadening, like, who the like the audience, like, who.

Who really resonates with the film.

And I'm like, okay, but like, there was, there was, there was black representation.

There's also.

And of course.

And I'm sorry, but like, there is represent.

There is more representation in.

In that film, right.

Than just then, then black Folk.

Even though it was definitely a film that is.

Is focused specifically on black people.

I.

There was also.

You had representation from the Chinese community, the Chinese American community in Mississippi, which is also.

There's an 8.

There's an 8 minute documentary by Al Jazeera on YouTube that you can actually look up right now about Chinese Americans and what they had and what they were going through in the Mississippi Delta.

You had, you had Irish.

I remember like watching When Sinners first came out, not only were there black people just like dancing to, you know, Irish, like an Irish gig.

Like, you also.

You also had Irish people, like, getting on Tick Tock and being like, I've never seen, like just, just being in a film is incredible.

Like, Ryan did not have to do this and he did this and it's amazing.

Like, you have.

You already have a wide range of people that this is really, like, Synod is really connecting to.

So, like, to try to also say we need a sequel because we need to.

We.

We need an even bigger range of people who are represented.

It's like, no.

And it also too like the Choctaw now, if anything, if anything, if Ryan decided he wanted to do a film specifically about the Choctaw vampire Funders, I'm here for it.

But.

And he was like, no, that's one and done.

I'm like, okay, fine, that's fine.

I can imagine it.

Or if someone wants to do a film specifically about the Choctaw nation and it's.

And it's led by an indigenous filmmaker, or you're going to the Choctaw Nation and, you know, asking their permission and being in community with them, not just like, not just like having conversation, but actually being in community, being in solidarity with it, and they agree to have you talk about their nation, you know, then great, fine, awesome.

But like, this whole idea of, like doing a sequel just because you didn't feel represented in the film is crazy.

So I, of course.

And going to the movies, I know that, you know, when I go to the movies, I'm not always going to be represented.

And.

And that's fine.

I can enjoy a thing for, like, what it is.

I can enjoy the fact that there's people that resonate with the film that I don't specifically resonate with.

And that's okay too.

It's not going to do that with everyone.

But if I can appreciate the story and also to like again the great efforts that are made in making the film, then that's great.

I, I think that's awesome.

So, speaking again, because of course we're talking about who resonates the film and, and the people behind the scenes, of course, making the film.

You know, you had mentioned Ryan Cooper earlier, before I mentioned Mia dicassa and people like Riley as well.

You know, I.

We often talk about our, on our podcast, of course, about not just representation, but genuine representation and who gets to tell the stories, who gets to make the film and whose films get to be seen by a mass audience.

And so I was going into, I was like looking through, you know, how many, how many films, like how many filmmakers, how many black, brown, indigenous filmmakers did we see, you know, make films this year?

You know, who was it that was calling the shots behind the camera?

And I was looking at a few different articles about from like progress, like the Hollywood's made as far as like representation not only in front of the camera, but behind the camera.

There were quite a few articles.

And it specifically talks about not only just directors of color, but then also women directors.

And what I saw, saw or found was.

So there was a study done from.

It was the, let's see, it was the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, which was led by Dr. Stacy L. Smith.

And they're talking and they're assessing gender and race and ethnicity in top growth and directors.

And apparently that has plateaued.

Again, not the problem, just as a problem.

So like, we doubled the percentage, but it's still 24.1%.

And of course, let's see.

And so I think, oh, wait, let me go back Before I mentioned that 5.3% or 6 directors were women of color.

So one point, it was like 1.7% of all top grossing film directors in 18 years were underrepresented women.

So 1.7%.

This, this, this, this industry that's continuously saying that, you know, we're here for diversity, equity, inclusion, when you're only getting, again, a very small percentage of people who are characters, number one, who are people of color, black or people of color.

And then it, it's even small.

The percentage is even smaller when you're talking about women of color, you know, behind the camera.

2.7% were white women.

And then I believe the study also shows that they're the highest as far as, like, the ethnic group that had the highest representation were that of Asian women.

So I was like, okay, we'll shout out, you know, shout out to the Asian women, you know, who got to make films and get that, get it seen, you know, because I'm, I'm here for representation no matter what.

At the same time, I'm like, okay, so out of all of all the directors, you still only have a very small percentage now when you're hearing things like that.

And again, again, who gets to tell our stories?

Who gets who from those underrepresented groups who get to tell stories in general as film fans.

And Tiffany, I'll go to you first.

How does that make you feel?

What are your thoughts?

I mean, just like a super light question to answer, right?

We don't believe in asking very small questions on the podcast.

I, I mean, I think you said it like, it's not surprising, but disappointing, but not surprising.

Whatever, whatever the phrase is.

But I think it, like, it poses an interesting question of like, like you said, like, who we allow to make these, like, tell these stories?

Because I think when you hear the number, I think, like, when we talk about representation, a lot of the times it's about the people in front of the cameras, right?

Like, the actors that we see on screen that are kind of like visually representing communities of who have been under represented, underrepresented and things like that.

So I'm really glad we're kind of talking about the directors and writers and stuff, because I feel like it's this weird disconnect of like, you want there to be representation behind the screen, too.

But the way that Hollywood specifically is set up right now is like, that's.

It's not built for success, right?

Like, you have your Ryan Cooglers and, like, one in a million, like, the stars align and like, you have this brilliant person and they just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Obviously, he's very talented, but a lot of it is luck, right?

And obviously it's not just Ryan Coogler, but we were talking about him earlier, so I think it kind of lends itself to the question of, do we allow other people to tell these stories?

And then if we do, it's like, how do we let them?

And what's a way to do that respectfully and intentionally?

And so I think there is.

I would love to see more partnership of co producing, co directing with people like these bigger names, most often white men, kind of bringing in more people from these underrepresented communities.

Why am I struggling so hard with that word today?

Using their platform and their experience and everything that they have that the industry has given them because they're a white man, and using that and kind of allowing other stories to be told.

So as much as I would love to see, you know, as a South Asian woman, I would love to see, like, a fully South Asian director team and writers and everything with a cast and all of that.

But, like, realistically, it's not gonna happen, right?

Like, we all.

We can all say that at least like, within the next 10, 20 years, right?

So I think it's about making mindful, gradual, intentional steps into getting to that point, and I think opening up, like, who's allowed to tell those stories, but, like, making sure that it's being done in not an exploitative way, if that makes sense.

That makes.

That makes perfect sense.

Christopher, your thoughts?

I think it just.

I knew it was.

I knew so I could feel it.

And I'm like, okay, I had to.

I had to say.

And I'm going to expand on your point in a second, but to go back to something else that you said about.

About women being more creative.

Ian Coogler said that women filmmakers are actually better filmmakers.

I just want to set the.

I'm like, no, I said that.

I was like.

And is.

And is.

Yeah, there's a clip.

Clip of.

It's like an actor's round table.

And Jennifer Lawrence gets a question about, like, what's the difference between working with a woman as a director versus the men that she's worked with?

And it's like, I think she said something about like, the schedule made sense.

It just was like everything is just easier to get done.

So not to generalize, but that is what we're seeing too.

Well, okay with that.

I always.

Well, I understand why I stand all of that.

I always, I always have hope.

As someone who's an independent filmmaker and yourself, like we're being, you know, a filmmaker as well, I am always hoping that.

And understanding just the way in which the.

The industry works, at least to that extent, wanting for there to be this movement of, of black, brown, indigenous filmmakers and anyone else who is, you know, marginalized, to be able to.

Who.

Who are often shut out Right.

By Hollywood, to be able to support the stories that are talking about very important things that do reflect, you know, our world and the people in it.

What do you think it would take for folks to look to independent filmmaking to sort of seek out or.

Or at least to support independent filmmakers who may not have the studio backings, may not have the agents or the aggregators to.

To pitch their film right.

To a distribution, you know, a distributor to be able to show in theaters and everything?

What do you think that that would take?

Tiffany, I'll jump back to you.

Sure.

I know no one wants to hear it, but it does just take more work from the audience.

Right.

Unfortunately.

And if you're someone who is wanting to make that commitment to support smaller production studios or independent movies or whatever that may be, that does require more work.

And luckily we have people like Jackie and there's so many people in the community, the little theater that are showing and trying to highlight those voices.

But you do have to search it out more.

Right.

Because they don't have the huge marketing budgets.

They aren't out in the streets doing crazy things with table tennis, you know, like whatever is happening there.

So it is.

It does require more work from us, but I think it's work that's worth doing because you're supporting people who care about the things that they're making because they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't care.

Yeah.

So it's not the answer that I think a lot of people want to hear, but that's kind of what it is.

It is what it is.

100 agree.

Tiffany, Christopher, what about you?

Right.

They're going to comment Absolutely.

100 to both of yalls points and as far as doing that work and, you know, going to support, you know, in.

In.

In your city.

So what, wherever you're watching from, wherever you're watching from or listening to this podcast.

Podcast, you have local film festivals or film festivals that are close to you that you know, always appreciate having audiences.

But I would challenge any listeners because this is, this is exactly, I believe, at least one of the things that is going to take.

And one of the things I'm constantly as an independent filmist, constantly, you know, debating, not necessarily debating, but rather like pushing, pushing people to do is if you of course in your city, going into Google, going into.

There's also filmfreeway.com which is where filmmakers submit their films to, to film festivals.

Going in there, typing in your city and just looking up, looking up film festivals near you.

And then the thing that you can do is once you find maybe two or three, right.

Nope.

Because some cities, there's like a time of them festivals and I don't want to overwhelm anybody but just selecting maybe two to three, two to three film festivals near your city where you can go and you can follow them on social media.

You can go to their website and look up and see if they have a mailing list and sign up to the mailing list where you get news about our film festival sent directly to your inbox.

And then you know, when those film festivals come around picking out a couple of different movies that seem like very interesting to you and if you have the means to go and see these films, definitely go to these films.

And there's not just film festivals.

I think like, I think it was either Tiffany or I can't remember who it was, but it was, it might have been looking up local screenings, just community film screenings.

Usually on.

If you're on Facebook, there is usually a tab that's just events and you can, you can filter by film if you see events that are coming up, screens that are coming up.

If the film sounds interesting to you, I would highly, highly suggest and challenge you to go to those screenings.

If you're not someone who can get out of their home, who is not able to get out of their home, right.

Some of these, some of these film festivals are online.

Some of these community screens games are also hybrid.

So if there's an option for you to watch it virtually, you can do that.

There's also streaming services and I know everyone is making fun of films on Tubi.

There are also some quality films on Tubi.

There are people making.

And I mean this isn't necessarily speak to the quality, but there are people make apparently making millions of dollars on Tubi.

And again, there are not.

This isn't always, this isn't necessarily guarantee that it's going to be a quality film.

But as an example of how far we've come as far as streaming services providing films that people can see from the comfort of their home.

So those would be the things that I would say now.

If you are here in Rochester, I would highly.

And please correct me if I do not mention, please, if you are listening or if you're watching on YouTube, comment, comment with the film festival that I did not mention because I'm sure as Rochester is a big festival city that I didn't mention, please comment, let me know below.

You know, but there's the Anomaly Film Festival, which is science fiction, fantasy, horror.

Those are the genres that they specify or they, that they focus on and they do a great job with it.

Um, there's a one take Film festival which is focused on documentaries.

There's the Whitney Palatine Film Festival that I just mentioned.

They're getting bigger and better every year.

There were three films actually that were screened there that are, that are in consideration for the Oscars right now.

Let's go.

There's also the Image Out Film Festival which is, which is dedicated to queer films.

There is the Latin Film fest that we've also had on the podcast.

We've had Jason Barbour shout out to you, you know, to talk about the films that he and Jared over at the George Houston Museum curated together.

There's Rochester International Film Festival.

And for our youth filmmakers, our filmmakers coming up, there's the Rochester Teen Film Festival that's hosted by Democracy and Little Theater every year that I actually happen to be a judge on for at least a he used.

So that is always fulfilling and rewarding to see young and upand cominging filmmakers, you know, who, who have stories that are very creative, also working on their own film.

So it's always, it's always amazing to see.

Again, if I did not mention the film festival that you know of or not, please, please, please, please let us know.

In so many opportunities, in so many ways to support independent filmmakers, it just is going to require, as Tiffany and Christopher said, more work.

All right, so as far as final thoughts, we asked our guests on the podcast, because of course call representation in cinema, we asked them this question.

What is the type of representation that you would like to see?

I'm not just talking about this year.

I'm talking about in general, what is, what is the representation that you want to see?

Christopher, I'll start with you.

You know, I can't, I just can't stand like we gotta, I want real life Stuff that's in representation.

How about you?

Yeah, can I.

Can I ask a question before I answer?

Is this the first podcast of the year?

It is.

Okay, then.

I would also like to plug Shout out to Jackie for winning Best Director at the Best of Rochester Awards.

I feel like we haven't acknowledged that enough.

Shout out to Jackie.

Yeah, thanks, thanks.

Our producer, Chris.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

I don't know if there's, like, effects that we can add or whatever, but congratulations.

Very, very excited, very proud of you.

So just wanted to make sure we acknowledge that and I'll answer your question.

So similar kind of to what Christopher was actually talking about.

I really have been enjoying more like casual representation, I guess, is like a way to phrase that.

As much as I love stories that are like.

Again, I'll kind of use the South Asian example because that's an accessible one for me.

Like, a nice Indian boy last year was one that stood out for me.

But it, like, very much is a story about being Indian.

Right.

And I love those stories and I think those are important.

But I've really been enjoying ones where, like, you can see.

See people that look like you, but it's not like, the only thing about the character.

Right.

Like, I have just really been liking movies and shows where I can, like, see a South Asian person, but it's like, that's never mentioned that they're South Asian or, like, queer characters or anything like that.

So that's kind of what I have been looking for in a lot of movies and shows that I've been watching.

And unfortunately, Christopher, one of them is the Pit, which is a medical show.

So, apologies, it is on tonight.

No, no, please, live.

Live your life.

I'm just saying, you know.

No, but I. Yeah, so kind of representation where it's not like the only thing about that character, for sure.

And also from what I hear about the Pit, it's actually.

It's the most accurate out of all the medical shows according to people in that field.

So that's another thing.

And then also to.

To your point, or to both your points, actually, again, it's about genuine.

Like a genuine representation.

Don't just put us in the camera, in front of the camera, because I'm like, okay, we checked the box.

We now have, you know, one black person, one Asian person, a teen person.

Like it.

And I'm like, one queer person, one disabled.

Like, it's like, okay, like, don't make that thing.

The entire thing about their character, like, make them, like, complex human beings.

Like, you know, human beings are so.

So.

No, and I.

So I appreciate both of your points, of course.

And I appreciate both of you being on the podcast.

Is there anything else that you would like to plug or say that you didn't get to mention earlier?

In the pocket.

Yes, that's the other question.

My.

My apologies again.

All right, so what.

Where can people find you and how can people support you?

Christopher?

So you had just said, say it again and then I'll have to go.

Yeah, I am on Instagram.

I am an artist.

Like Jackie mentioned Instagram and Etsy at Waffley Original.

So if you want to follow along for any of my art creations, a lot of them are movie based, if that's your thing.

For example.

I love that.

I love that reference.

Yeah, yeah.

So for anyone listening, because you can't obviously see this, but it is a shovel.

And then next to the shovel and says, I'm tired of this dick crab off.

That's too damn bad that those of you who don't know or just lived under a lap or just weren't given, you know, a proper watch of this film.

It's hold.

Based on the.

Based on the book by the same name.

Yeah, this.

Every time this reference comes around, I'm like, oh my God.

And if they only say the first part, I have to say the second part.

You got to finish it.

Yeah, it is.

Because then that's.

Then that's how you know, I'm like, okay, this is a person I want to talk to.

Great.

Yeah.

But yeah, on Instagram.

And then if you want more controversial movie takes, I'm on Letterboxd@thisisburk.

How to train youn Dragon Fan through and Through.

So fantastic.

For those listening, we'll have that in the show notes.

And for anyone watching on YouTube, we'll of course have that in the description.

Thank you both for joining us on the podcast tonight.

This is an amazing conversation.

We did go over a little bit of an hour, so that's fine.

But I could have talked about this for at least two or three more hours because this is what I'm talking about all the time.

But I appreciate you both for joining the podcast and giving your thoughts and insights and also just sharing, you know, the movies that you're really looking forward to this year.

So, so, so much.

Thanks for having us and absolutely, absolutely.

So to our listeners and, and viewers, wherever you're listening or watching from, hit that subscribe button, give us a five star rating.

Share the episode and leave a comment.

Let us know what you thought of tonight's episode.

If there are any films that we missed or any film festivals that we missed again, feel free to leave us a comment.

We do reply.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Threads.

You can also visit our voicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter to get more information about what we do.

We'll be back with more episodes every Thursday with old and newly released movies that center black, brown and indigenous folks, general movie news and interviews with film festival programmers, curators, film critics and, of course, filmmakers.

Next week is our episode about Oscar nominations, and coming up in February, look out for our series on black filmmakers and their filmography.

You will not want to miss out on that.

This has been Jessica McGriff, your host for this episode of our presentation in Cinema.

As always, thank you for watching.

This has been a presentation of the Lunchador Podcast Network work.

I can't believe they didn't mention Jackass 5 in Coyote vs. Acme.

Come on, everybody.

Is Coyote vs. Acme coming out this year?

It is.

I can't believe I missed that either.

Shame on me.

Oh my gosh, amazing.