Sweet & Condensed: Kung Fu Panda 4
Scorecard, Oscar winner hot takes, what we added to our watchlist & new pod drop
Happy Friday, y’all. Thank you to everyone who signed up in the last week. We can’t wait to share the magic of movies with you. Here’s what we have for you this week!
Concession Stand Scorecard: What to expect from Kung Fu Panda 4
Temp These Takes: The Oscars are this Sunday - who do you got?
Watchlist Worthy: There’s a new animated film giving us serious Iron Giant vibes 🥹
New Pod Drop: Josh and Eric discuss Past Lives on their latest episode
This week’s movie - “Kung Fu Panda 4”
Letterboxd Description:
Po is gearing up to become the spiritual leader of his Valley of Peace, but also needs someone to take his place as Dragon Warrior. As such, he will train a new kung fu practitioner for the spot and will encounter a villain called the Chameleon who conjures villains from the past.
Best Watched With
Your kiddos, your siblings & their kiddos, or your best friends & and their kiddos.
End credit thought
This is some family-friendly fun, with a few solid out-loud chuckles. Awkwafina adds some sass to the naive but endearing, dumpling-loving Dragon Warrior Po. The story is expected, but so is the action, which makes for an entertaining watch.
A fun Ke Huy Quan cameo as a pangolin. There is no need to see it in 3D. It is worth watching in the comfort of your own home, especially if you have been following this tetralogy since the release of Kung Fu Panda in 2008.
The 96th Oscars: Who we think deserves to win
Kelly - MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG) - I have a weakness for a song with meaningful lyrics. Billie’s original haunting song left me diving straight into my thoughts about life and purpose. Her voice is a warm hug for your ears...it's like she's whispering secrets directly to your soul.
In an interview about the song, she said "I’ve spent my life loving girls and being really worried that they hate me for some reason." And that one sentence brought a flood of childhood memories and emotions rushing back to me. Now, I find myself in a place where I feel genuinely loved by the girls in my life, and that I'm cherished for exactly who I am, and gosh, I want that for every girl. So, if a song can stir up that many emotions in me, this award is a runaway for Billie and FINNEAS.
Winner: What Was I Made For? - From the Motion Picture Barbie.
Eric - ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE - Sorry Bradley bear, this year is Mr. Shelby's for the taking! - Cillian Murphy
BEST PICTURE - I love that this year's winner isn't clear cut! What a great group of nominees (or maybe it is clear cut? I should probably leave that sort of comment to the experts - mine is just conjecture). Take it away, Nolan & Co. - Oppenheimer.
Josh - ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Although I believe every person on this floating rock's sexual awakening involves a celebrity named Ryan, and Sterling K. Brown deserves everything or at least a hug from someone for his performance in American Fiction, Best Supporting Actor is going to RDJ for his portrayal of Mr. Lewis Strauss (bombs, not jeans. I was messed up for a long time on this one). But if Gosling's name is called, you bet your bottom damn dollar I'll be hootin' & hollerin'!
Sarah - If I don’t pick Hoyte van Hoytema for Oppenheimer’s cinematography, I should be disowned from my hometown forever. Bless Hoyte for putting Los Alamos on the big screen 🥹
New Mexico Drew - CINEMATOGRAPHY - Did Hoyte van Hoytema film extreme close-ups of Cillian Murphy's eyes and genitals? Yes. Was it impressive? Hell yeah. But Rodrigo Prieto was painting masterpieces with light and color frame after frame in Killers of the Flower Moon. It wasn't my favorite movie of 2023, but it was my favorite to look at. Plus, Prieto was ALSO the Director of Photography for Barbie. What a year for La Gente 🇲🇽.
Winner - Rodrigo Prieto - Killers of the Flower Moon.
Download your own Oscar Ballot here
What’s your take? Hit Reply or leave a comment below and let us know!
The Wild Robot by Chris Sanders
We are going heavy on the animated movies this week, but the trailer just dropped for The Wild Robot and the cast has me stoked. Just read this lineup: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal (Yes, we are mentioning another movie with Pedro Pascal - 😤), Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Ving Rhames and Catherine O'Hara.
Are you kidding me?
Letterboxd Description:
A robot — ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short — is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.
You can watch the trailer here
-NMD
Other work by Chris Sanders
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Past Lives: Eric, Josh and In-Yun #019 — New Living A Stream Podcast! Listen to this podcast at Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🎧
Watch the video of this podcast on Spotify 🎥
What to expect:
Beyond the big screen: The conversation takes a deep dive into personal growth and the fascinating concept of In-Yun from the movie Past Lives.
Laughter and life lessons: Eric and Josh share personal stories about past relationships and life changes, offering both humor and vulnerability.
Connecting the dots: Witness how they weave movies, personal narratives, and self-reflection into a captivating, entertaining, and thought-provoking episode.
Three Milk Media Podcasts:
🎙️ Living A Stream: Apple Podcasts and Spotify
🎙️ The Medium Project: Apple Podcasts and Spotify
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🤘🏼 seeing it today!