Kelsi and Trey explore the Caesar trilogy beginning with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. While this entertaining blockbuster feels more like a superhero movie than a thematically rich installment in the Apes franchise, it still rules in many ways. Andy Serkis's iconic performance as Caesar has created one of the more compelling trilogies of the 21st century and his work with WETA has helped evolve the technical visions of major studio movies. Does James Franco destroy the world by trying to cure Alzheimers? Yes, that happens too. Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Reddit: r/TheExtraCredits ⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com

Kelsi and Trey discuss Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes as a successful adventure epic that thrills with its digital world-building and provokes with its subversive interrogations of the audience's relationship to Caesar. This is the 10th Apes installment and arguably one of the most ambitious of the 21st century; a compelling evolution conceptually and visually from its recent predecessors while also introducing audiences to a new set of characters with mysterious motivations–a true Apes movie that is in conversation with the radical 1968-73 films as Ball’s reinvention is unafraid to be a bit scathing in its commentary on fundamentalism and the white savior archetype. (3:30) Non-Spoiler Reaction (26:13) Timeline of the Apes Universe (33:44) Spoilers Start (Prologue) (34:30) World-building and Eagle Clan (01:01:30) Adventure Epic and Raka (01:10:00) Caesar Mythology (01:30:08) White Savior Subversion (01:46:15) Proximus and his Kingdom (02:07:00) The Epilogue Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com

Kelsi and Trey explore the career of Ryan Gosling through his newest semi-successful film The Fall Guy and then arguably his best performance in The Nice Guys. Gosling's career has taken many turns; from an indie darling in Half Nelson, to a stoic angry stunt driver in Drive, to the dreams of stardom in La La Land, and maybe no better than last year with his satirical depiction of Ken. Gosling has worn many hats of different men and his depiction of a fragile man lying to himself about being a nice guy is certainly never better than in Shane Black's dark comedy. Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com

Kelsi and Trey finish off their anti-war series and begin their Emily Blunt discussion with the very thrilling and politically complicated Denis Villeneuve's Sicario. This is a technical masterclass on several fronts; with an imposing performance from Benicio Del Toro, stunning photography from Roger Deakins, and a brutal soundtrack from the late-great Jóhann Jóhannsson. However, while Sicario is a cinematic powerhouse, this episode explores the movie's challenge of paralleling a military state with drug cartels and how the film may have a difficult legacy because of underdeveloped subversions. Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com

Kelsi and Trey explore the convincing cinematic power of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers. We also question the narrative’s internal logic with its character studies led by dynamic performances from Zendaya, Mike Faist, and (especially) Josh O’Connor. Then we discuss what makes Guadagnino’s films so compelling, from the bizarre technical motifs, the psychosexual tensions, the backdrop of historical significance, to the underdog qualities of his flawed characters. Most of his successful films blend cinematic thrills with alluring stories, and while Challengers is certainly thrilling (even hilarious in moments), we attempt to identify the unevenness of the film’s narrative that held us back from loving the movie. Spoiler Deep Dive (44:05) Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com ⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠The Extra Credits

We discuss one of the greatest cinematic representations of apocalyptic realism in Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men. This anti-war parable is covered in historical imagery and dystopian symbolism; a film subverting cautionary tale tropes with one of the most disturbing call-to-action movies ever made. Cuarón provokes contemporary conversations about late capitalism, refugee crisis’, the global rise of authoritarianism, the loss of spirituality, all to help inform and develop the world of Children of Men that scarily resembles our reality. Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com ⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠The Extra Credits

Kelsi and Trey react and deep dive Alex Garland’s Civil War. While a technical feat, Civil War is politically unchallenging and lacks a nuanced confrontation as an anti-war movie. Thankfully, Kirsten Dunst as a hollowed photojournalist on this road trip to D.C. with her dynamic co-stars Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson keep you invested in an otherwise disappointing showing from one of our great science fiction filmmakers. Spoiler Deep Dive (45:20) Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com ⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠The Extra Credits

Kelsi and Trey discuss the divisive and widely misinterpreted Alex Garland's Men. This surrealist folk horror film uses conventions of the genre to explore the perpetual exploitation of women; depicting an absurd-level of imagery and symbolism specific to patriarchal mythology and the horror genre born out of it. Garland's Men, much like Jordan Peele's Get Out, self-examines its storytelling and provokes the audience to question how it historically accepts tropes and cliches that perpetuate and exploit stereotypes. Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com ⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠The Extra Credits

Kelsi and Trey discuss the maze of Alex Garland's Ex Machina. We explore how this sci-fi puzzle tests the audience by provoking questions about constructs, consciousness, selective empathy, and who is guilty of exploiting the power of artificial intelligence. We also talk about Oscar Isaac's dance moves, Domhnall Gleeson's weirdo enegy, and Alicia Vikander's subversive performance. Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com ⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠The Extra Credits

Kelsi and Trey explore the most emotionally compelling and gripping movie of 2023 in Anatomy of a Fall. The film is being interpreted as a courtroom thriller and a whodunit, but its subversive focus is on the societal pressures and expectations of women, mothers, monogamy—a brilliant interrogation of genre and constructs. Triet imposes imagination on the viewer, much like her lead character with autofiction; a twisty metacinematic commentary about pop-psychological thrillers that have used women as narrative tools. 4 hours of conversation on Patreon below! Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com ⁠⁠Letterboxd: ⁠The Extra Credits⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@theextracredits⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: ⁠The Extra Credits