‘The Social Reckoning’ Is No ‘The Social Network,’ and the Top Five Most Unnecessary Legasequels. Plus: The Best Movies at NYFF!
Summary
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbin discuss Aaron Sorkin's new film, The Social Reckoning, while analyzing the impact of Skydance's acquisition of Paramount on upcoming franchises like Transformers and G.I. Joe. The hosts also share their impressions from the New York Film Festival, highlighting standout premieres such as Luca Guadagnino's Artificial, Tom McCarthy's A Statement, and Eleanor Coppola's Marie Antoinette making-of documentary.
Topics discussed
Intro: The Social Reckoning and Sorkin's return
Sponsor: LinkedIn Ads
Watching the film together and Skydance news
Transformers reboot and Michael Bay's absence
G.I. Joe legacy and 80s nostalgia
Bradley Cooper as Duke and casting rumors
Star Trek re-release and popcorn buckets
The Godfather: The Offer and video games
Al Pacino's current status and cameo ideas
Damien Chazelle's prison movie and excitement
College reunion and hosting the pod alone
Taylor Swift closing the Academy Awards
Skydance branding and recording the theme
NYFF audience demographics and young viewers
Festival strategy: NYFF vs Telluride and Venice
Moonlight launch and festival immunity
Lower risk, higher reward for NYFF premieres
Press screenings and talent availability
Amazon drops film, Neon picks it up
Lucas's pre-film remarks and commitment
Andrew Garfield's performance in the new film
Pedro Pascal's passive protagonist role
No Other Land follow-up and Glaser's production
Painful viewing and Israeli government outcry
Personal experience vs newspaper reporting
Target rich environment and PTA concert film
Cameron Winter's height and Benny Safdie
Concert energy and after-party dynamics
Nature documentary style and singer-songwriter tradition
Win Win, Still Water, and coin flip directors
Paul Giamatti, Turturro, and New York theater actors
Marie Antoinette making-of documentary
Behind the scenes: hair, sets, and extras
Proving right about Marie Antoinette
Family dynamics and cinematographer interaction
Godzilla Minus Zero: action vs character
Monster fighting and family Halloween costumes
Mothra as a girl and daughter's preference
Joy of Joys: Jonathan Glaser's short film
Festival wrap-up and critics' prizes
Alex Gibney's Elon Musk documentary
Filmmaking choices and reliance on other reporting
Public service value and theatrical release
Disorienting audio and missing testimony
Musk's self-transformation and engineer identity
Who needs to see it? Streaming availability
Lack of ultimate philosophy or personal incident
Unsympathetic portrait and grueling experience
Ship in the night: Sorkin's half-written script
Sequel issues: Sorkin directing and Fincher's absence
Network TV procedural feel and acting quality
Journalism movie vs courtroom film structure
Low stakes and gentle pacing issues
Sorkin's social media promotion paradox
Lack of character exploration and opinion attachment
Old school theatrical structures and female independence
Breaking NDA and the promise of Facebook
Pollyanna view of Facebook's common good
Massive reveal and disclosure day parallels
Boomerish quality and Mark Zuckerberg's absence
All the President's Men structural borrowing
TV writing callbacks and comedy failures
Mikey Madison miscast and celiac neuropathy
Lack of development and Instagram tip-off
Excruciating opening sequence and Sorkin's tone
Facebook mom movie and Thanksgiving uncle vibes
Insufficient justification for the film's existence
Bill Burr as Sorkin stand-in and fact-checking
Filmmaking attempts: fog, camera moves, atmosphere
Bill Burr vs Jeremy Strong and ethical debates
Flashbacks, ornateness, and lack of pace
Sequel should show choices, not acquisition of info
HBO docudrama feel and Jay Roach comparisons
Potential for improvement and recasting needs
Sorkin-specific moments and towel throw
Bruce Springsteen in Deliver Me From Nowhere
Sean Durkin vs Sorkin and wanting better
Mikey Madison's performance and female portrayal
Fincher's potential impact on character portrayal
Washington Post growth and NYT response
Fist pump callback and Facebook's continued growth
Tonal imbalance and Jeremy Allen White's role
Sub 10 million box office and Meta's silence
Skydance aggressive pursuit and Bond theme sing
West Wing originality and Sorkin's influences
Terminator 2 credit and desire for risk-taking
Legacy sequels: Top Gun Maverick and The Strangers
The First Omen and upcoming draft
Jurassic World: Chris Pratt and brontosaurus
The Matrix Resurrections and Project Popcorn
Ghostbusters Afterlife and Mad Max Fury Road
Sick period recovery and H2O reference
Double feature benefit and Artificial vs Reckoning
Ben Affleck's Animals and Hall of Fame
Mother Mommy screening and tomorrow's interview
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