FMC 160: Zola Directed by Janicza Bravo

Full Episode Transcript
This episode of Filmmaker Commentary Janicza Bravo's "Zola," exploring its unique origin, critical reception, cast performances, stylistic choices, and underlying themes, alongside discussions on recent film and TV news.

Opening Discussion & Film Details
Reginald Titus Jr.: Filmmaker Commentary, episode 160.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Welcome to Filmmaker Commentary, where we cover movies with commentaries from directors who take the time to record them on Blu-ray and DVDs. We also give our detailed insights, so look out for spoilers. We discuss the latest in show biz news, along with movies and TV shows that we've been watching. So join Reginald Titus Jr. That's me, and Casey G. Smith. That's me. Every week here on Filmmaker Commentary.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Welcome to another episode of Filmmaker Commentary. I'm Reginald Titus Jr. I'm joined with...
Casey G. Smith: Casey G. Smith.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Welcome back, sir.
Casey G. Smith: Good to be back, sir.
Reginald Titus Jr.: And today we're talking about... Zola, 2020, directed by Janicza Bravo, written by—am I saying the name right? Yes. Janicza and Jeremy O. Harris. Just want to let you know the cast for this film.
Casey G. Smith: Let's go.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Includes one Taylor Paige as Zola, one Riley Keough as Stefani, and also of course there is Colman Domingo.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: As X. Yes. And Nicholas Braun as Derrek.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: That's our, that's our crew that we're stuck with during the whole film, and it's a very interesting ride. What did the, what did this do at the box office? And what was the budget?
Casey G. Smith: So on a $5 million budget, according to the numbers, this had a worldwide gross of $5 million.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Boom.
Casey G. Smith: Well, take a little bit of a loss, because typically marketing is not included in these numbers, so that would be a loss.
Reginald Titus Jr.: An L. Um, this was 24 A24.
Casey G. Smith: Yep.
Reginald Titus Jr.: And uh, what's there were a couple other companies attached, attached to it, but A24 is obviously the distributor.
Casey G. Smith: And they financed it as well, so. Um, it is available because I went to their website, A24. So it's available Apple TV, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft, Xbox, Redbox, AMC on Demand, Showtime, um, yeah, Showtime, DVD, Blu-ray at Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.
Casey G. Smith: And on Showtime, I think it's also Paramount Plus. If you have the Showtime add-on, you could stream it there within your subscription.
Reginald Titus Jr.: How about that. So I wish we had those numbers, so we can kind of see kind of like the thought process with A24 because sometimes they'll have these movies that don't perform well at the box office, but as Blumhouse has said, even in movies that don't perform well at the box office for his formula, he still knows he can make some money.
Casey G. Smith: Right, maybe the box office is there just to cover the cost, because like if this is, you know, if if he just lost out on some of those marketing dollars, but they were maybe also used for some of that home, uh, the home market, market marketing, then um then yeah, he can still come out, uh, make, making some dollars.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Absolutely, because they definitely got 20 bucks for me from a Blu-ray.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, I ended up purchasing the the Blu-ray as well through through Amazon.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, I'm a Amazon guy now, you know, thanks to brother Casey.
Casey G. Smith: Cut the check!
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay, this film, um, it's a film festival darling. Um, also disclaimer for our listeners, um, uh some of the quotations that I have today will have a little bit of foul language, so if you have kids in the car, just just want to give you a heads up there.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, this one is a pretty hard R. Maybe you don't really see NC-17, but this, this, this could have been almost maybe a an animated film. It's uh, it's it's it's fairly graphic and unforgiving, but at times it's, it's humorous. So, but yeah, some of the quotes are, are real and raw. So, uh, you might want to cover the kiddos' ears.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Awards. Did this film win any awards? It was at premiered at Sundance, correct?
Casey G. Smith: Yes.
Reginald Titus Jr.: [laughs]
Casey G. Smith: So kind of give you our listeners a heads up. So we're what we're looking at doing in this next run of films is trying to pick out some films that were, uh, film festival darlings that garnered a lot of praise at certain film festivals, whether that be Sundance, Tribeca, or or Cannes. So that was kind of what you can expect in these, these next couple of episodes. But, uh, we picked this film, Reginald actually picked this film, uh, based based on that. And so, yes, it did have a number of awards that it won from multiple, uh, uh, festivals and award shows, multiple critics circles. But, um, what at Sundance Film Festival, it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, uh, under the category of of dramatic.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh, okay. Grand Jury. Okay.
Casey G. Smith: Mhm. Uh, it it won, uh, the Women's Films Critics Circle Awards. Interesting, that wasn't that's not a positive award there. Um, yeah, it's something called the Hall of Shame. I was like, oh, that's a, yeah, okay, that's not not a positive award, but, uh, it did win the the Black Film Critics Circle Awards for Pioneer Award, Film Independent Spirit Awards. It won several of those.
Reginald Titus Jr.: And it was also certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: It's gotten to the point now to where that's like, that's almost the equivalent of having like a Sundance laurel on your Blu-ray, like this is actually on the Blu-ray that it's certified fresh. Uh, what was the sentiment? What were people what was like the vibe of this film, were in critics critics saying anything in particular about this?
Casey G. Smith: Uh, you know, honestly, I'd I'd heard of Zola before we before we decided to cover it. I I was not familiar with it. But it's we'll dive deep into this, but this was based on a actual Twitter feed. Um of a, of a young lady. This is her telling her story through Twitter, and it it caught enough recognition that it was picked up in a news article by Rolling Stones Rolling Stone where they actually interviewed people who were involved in the incident, and then eventually, uh, licensed and then made into a, into a film. So a lot of people were, quite a few people were aware of this through Twitter. Even this took place back in the, the actual incident took place back in 2015. But, uh, that's pretty, it's pretty fascinating. I've never, I've never heard of something that was initially told on Twitter, then literally becoming a a whole film.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah. It's, uh, I think when I think about this, I think the, maybe not equivalent, but, um, in a different way, is, uh, Dear White People. Um, when, uh, Simeon, Justin Simeon, Justin Simeon, uh, the writer and director of Dear White People, that was his thing, you know, on Twitter. It was like, dear white people, whenever black people do this, da da da da. You know, he started the feed, and so he created that and that became like the thesis for the black, um, for Dear White People for that movie. That's the only thing that I can think of where Twitter played an essential role in the creation of the script.
Casey G. Smith: Creation of the script. Fascinating. Very fascinating.

Pop Culture News & Viewing Habits
Reginald Titus Jr.: Before we dive further into Zola, let's talk about TV news and movies. What have you been watching?
Casey G. Smith: So in the news, according to IndieWire, Avatar, Way of Water and M3GAN, were the three. And the MLK holiday means a $100 million box office weekend. So, with, uh, about 100 million for the three-day Martin Luther King holiday box office weekend, Avatar, Way of Water and M3GAN accounted for about half of the total. And that's not great compared to other pre-COVID MLK weekends of 2018 to 2020 gross, which were around between 130 to 197 million. Um, but the three other titles are grossing over 10 million were evidence that some good news is happening for theaters. So those films are continuing to make money and make bank. I think Avatar now is at, uh, 197 million, I think, something to that effect. It's obviously it's creeping.
Reginald Titus Jr.: I thought it'd been at a billion. I thought it was already at a billion.
Casey G. Smith: Well, let me see here if they have.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, because they should be close to two billion.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, I think it's that maybe it's 1.97 billion I think that they're that they're at.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, James Cameron would jump out a window. You give him that number.
Casey G. Smith: [laughs]
Reginald Titus Jr.: Maybe it's on the first floor. But he's still jumped out.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like at 1.97 billion. So, yeah, it's continuing to to slay. I'm sure it'll hit that 2 billion mark. Uh, also on a, on a, on a positive note. We don't no no, we don't always cover sports, but sports are entertainment. So, uh, according to Deadline, Damar Hamlin, he visits teammates in first return to Bill's practice facility since leaving the hospital.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Dear God. Yeah, that was. That was a rough one.
Casey G. Smith: It was. Damar Hamlin returned to the Buffalo Bills training facility Saturday, when he visited his teammates for the first time since being discharged from a Buffalo hospital after collapsing during a January 2nd game against the Bengals.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Glad he's doing, glad he made it up out of that one, man. That was scary.
Casey G. Smith: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. That's that's a positive to both see and hear. We wish him a continual, uh, recovery from from that incident.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Absolutely. What have you been watching? Did you have you checked any trailers out?
Casey G. Smith: Uh, the only trailer I can think of that I I saw was for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. There was a second trailer for that that dropped this week that I checked out. Uh, continues to look, uh, intriguing. So, I think, I think the film's going to have some major implications in the future of the MCU.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah. So yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Did it make you like, I gotta go to the theater and see this?
Casey G. Smith: Oh, I'll definitely see in the theaters. For sure.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah. Did the trailer make it that way? Cause I I saw the trailer. I was like, I'm gonna wait.
Casey G. Smith: Hmm.
Reginald Titus Jr.: I'm gonna wait for for you to go.
Casey G. Smith: Ah, gotcha. Man, you know, yeah, you know me. I'm good. I'm gonna check out all the MCU stuff. Come on. Like now that I don't go to the theaters.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Even if you're not excited about it, you're still gonna check it.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, I don't go to the theaters that often. So for me, an MCU thing is that's like, okay, yeah, I'll go I'll go I'll go for this. Uh-huh. Um, so yeah, I'll be I'll be there for that. Okay. They they they've earned enough of my, uh, goodwill, you know, out of all the films, you know, over the 30, 30 some films, you know, I mean, ones that were like, yeah, you know, okay, I could maybe name on one hand where I was like, ah, that didn't really hit for me. And that's, that's like, you know, more like some more most recent things. So, I'm like, oh, all right, but yeah, I'll definitely I'll definitely check it out. Plus, I'm very in seeing, uh, what they do with the Jonathan Majors as Kang. Yeah. I think it's gonna be some big implications. And I like, I like Ant-Man. Like, he's always entertaining when he's.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, the comedy is yeah, he delivers. It's funny.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, Paul Rudd, he he he brings it. So, uh, yeah, yeah, that's the only one trailer that I can recall saying. How about you?
Reginald Titus Jr.: I saw the trailer for Scream 6.
Casey G. Smith: Oh, really? I want to I want to watch that right now.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, our girl Ortega's back. Like all the people from from part five, they're back, and so it was like, oh man, it's like these are the new faces of Scream. And then like, so Scream has the last letter, the M is like highlighted in red, so they can be like the V in the one. So representing six. They always find a way to put that number in there. Uh, so that comes out March 10th, 2023.
Casey G. Smith: Dang, that's quick. So cool, because obviously we've covered all of the Scream films. You know, Filmmaker Commentary. And most recently, uh, the most recent one. So that'll be cool to have that that quick turnaround. Yeah, I'll definitely I haven't watched the Scream film in the theaters since the first one.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, and I think the last one, I'm not sure how long we'd probably need to go back to that one, how long that hung around the theaters, but it seemed like that was like more of a direct thing to was it Paramount Plus, whatever. But since like Ortega, since the last movie is becoming this superstar. It's like, it's like perfect timing, you know what I mean? So like they were, they were promoting the heck out of the theater date.
Casey G. Smith: Oh, yeah. That's awesome. I'm actually, I'm I haven't seen the trailer yet, but I'm already like looking forward to it.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, that's why I was like, okay, we're probably gonna go check that one out. You been watching any TV or any movies or anything?
Casey G. Smith: Uh, I've been checking out a few things. So I watched, pardon me, I watched on HBO Max a couple episodes of a new animated show called Velma.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Velma.
Casey G. Smith: Velma.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Is it original? It's original?
Casey G. Smith: It's an HBO Max original, but it's based on an existing franchise. Can you think of a, uh, a cartoon that had a character named Velma?
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh, no. Scooby Doo.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah. But bro, this is, uh, like if you've seen any of the Harley Quinn TV show or animated show by DC where it's more, more, more, it's that's actually more adult, more vulgar. It's not like it's not like a kids show. This is like an adult animation show.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay, I'm with it. Kind of like Invincible on Amazon?
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, but this is, it's a little little almost like Rick and Morty. Like it's it's it's got it's got almost like like that the level of humor, some of the stuff they're doing is, is, is Rick and Morty esque.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay, not for children.
Casey G. Smith: Heck no. Heck no. I was, this is this is like the Scooby Doo gang that you've never seen them. They're they're laying in all kinds of stuff. I was like, what the heck? Like when I started playing, I was watching it, and this opening couple of scenes, I'm like, wait, pause. I was like, what is this rated? I'm like, oh. Okay, this is this is clearly mature. I was quite surprised. It's it's interesting.
Reginald Titus Jr.: So a little debauchery in there. I mean, they gotta spice up the Scooby Doo people for. I mean, because it's.
Casey G. Smith: This is this is a ghost pepper in it. She's gotta spice it up. Pun intended. Yo.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Um, yeah, because when I when I think of, oh, sorry. When I think of that franchise, it feels dated to me. And so I don't nothing about it really.
Casey G. Smith: They're always I got, and we'll give Scooby Doo credit. They're always reinventing the franchise. Like for every generation, there's another iteration of the show somewhere. This is the first time that they've taken and said, okay, we're going to make it like fully adult. Wow. And that they they've pretty much Rick and Mortyed, uh, this.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay. That's a that's a good sales. That that would be all worth, you know, I check it out. But some of the other stuff, I'm like, nah.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: I just go to the original.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, I'd be very curious to see what you think cuz it's it's it's such a different take. Such a different take. And you you see, you see the main cast like they all show up in some form. Uh, some are are slight like reinventions, uh, of some characters. But I'm interested to see where, where it goes. It's got an interesting backstory to it. So, uh, new episodes are dropping on Thursdays on HBO Max.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Nice. Um, I've I've been meaning to watch this show and I've just been like avoiding it. And for whatever reason, recently, I was like, okay, now is the time. Um, it's a show called Black Monday. Um, a group of it it's it's starring Don Cheadle and Regina Hall. And basically, it takes place in the '80s. Group of outsiders take on the 1980s Old Boys' Club of Wall Street.
Casey G. Smith: Right, I remember seeing the trailers for that a couple years back. This is like after he finished doing his other show. Uh, House of Lies. Yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: So if you liked House of Lies, I think people that like Don Cheadle in that and House of Lies. I think House of Lies is better than this show in particular, but it kind of follows that same vein of inappropriateness.
Casey G. Smith: Right.
Reginald Titus Jr.: So there's a lot of things I mean, think about like the jokes. This is all happening in the '80s. So like drugs, the make fun of people's like gender and sexuality. Like you can get away with so much when something takes, you know, takes place in a certain and it's just inappropriate for today's, uh, landscape. Sure, sure. Uh, but it's, it's funny, but I I wouldn't really recommend it for just anybody. It's like you gotta if you're kind of into like some of the inappropriate stuff, and then you're a fan of Don Cheadle. Yeah, I'll give a I'll give it like a strong seven. Six and a half, seven.
Casey G. Smith: I remember watching the first episode of that. And again, I I really dug House of Lies, which got got crazy at times, but there was a lot of heart to it if you will, like cuz you go on this journey. But, uh, yeah, you know, I saw the first episode of that one. I was like, it didn't it wasn't enough to keep me. So.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Absolutely. No, it's, I don't think there's heart in it necessarily. Yeah, the heart's missing. But that kind of goes with because it's almost satirical in a way. They're over the top with this one.
Casey G. Smith: Sure, like the cold '80s, yeah, you know, uh, capitalism.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah. It's, uh, yeah, so I've been watching that. So I'm I'm just wrapping that one up. It's three seasons. So I'm like, okay, let me go ahead and just.
Casey G. Smith: Powering through.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, and there's like, there're 30 minutes, so they're digestible.
Casey G. Smith: Gotcha. So I I've been rocking it out with old, going old school and '80s, early '80s, with Cheers. Oh.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh.
Casey G. Smith: Again, I've been on the old school kick the past couple years. And this is one of those shows that again, I didn't watch as a kid, I was aware of it, but I didn't watch it. Until I'm like, okay, it's on Hulu. And I noticed, okay, four seasons. I'm like, no, Cheers was had to be longer than four seasons. So then I went over to Peacock. And it's like, like 10 seasons. I'm like, okay, this is this is this is what it's okay, I knew it was more than four. But anyway, I'm watching I'm going through the first four seasons on Hulu, and then I'll switch over to Peacock. But I've been pleasantly surprised with the show. Hmm. Like there have been some very good episodes. So, there, like, within the first couple episodes, you find out, obviously, more about the characters, but you find out about Sam. Sam Malone. he was the owner of the bar. Yeah. Cheers. But he's also, he was a former relief pitcher. And you find, spoiler alert for a, you know, 40, almost 40-year-old show. Yeah. No, it is 40 years old, cuz I'm 43, and it's this came out in '83. 40-year-old show. Wow. Sam Malone is actually a recovering alcoholic. Which is why he's not a a pitcher anymore.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh, I thought he was gonna say bartender. I was like, he's a bartender.
Casey G. Smith: But he, but he, but he owns a bar. So that's that's that's interesting to when you get to that episode where they talk about that backstory, like how that what that's about. And, uh, but it's, man, this show has, I gotta give it to it. It has, it has heart. It's been some very interesting episodes. And because I've watched these other older shows, I recognize different actors like, oh, okay, she plays so-and-so on Hill Street Blues. And she's cam you on there. Uh, then there's one guy who shows up, his name is Harry. He only shows up in a in a few episodes, but he's the same guy who plays the the Judge Harry on Night Court.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh, I remember Night Court.
Casey G. Smith: But this is where he started. This is where he cameoed. And then eventually it spins off, cuz Night Court started like starts like in '84. And this is '83. So oh, he's okay, getting his face out there. But, um.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah. Night Court was legit.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, you know, they're remaking it?
Reginald Titus Jr.: No.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah. I saw I didn't see the trailer for that. I was like.
Reginald Titus Jr.: I don't see that, you know, I can't I.
Casey G. Smith: But David David Leary Ket, Dan, is going to be in it. But I'm like, I I rather go back and watch right now. I'm I'm going to I'm going to start picking up some of the the older episodes of Night Court.
Reginald Titus Jr.: What what platform is that one on? I wonder.
Casey G. Smith: I forgot. Uh, probably Peacock. Okay. Maybe? I don't don't call me on that, but but it is coming out soon. Okay. But yeah, so I've been watching Cheers and I did check out Rap Sh!t. Ha. On, uh, HBO Max. I watched the first I watched the first three episodes.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Ah.
Casey G. Smith: What did you think?
Reginald Titus Jr.: It's it's got some Zola vibes to it.
Casey G. Smith: But it's got what vibes?
Reginald Titus Jr.: Some Zola add Zola vibes to it. Her friend, uh, doing her thing.
Casey G. Smith: And it's and it's created by women.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yes, sir. So they're out there doing their thing. I I like I like seeing some of the dynamics that are going on there. Um, and when old girl begins to to flow. So I'm interested to see where, uh, where it goes.
Casey G. Smith: Okay.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Episode, you're in episode you're on the third episode. What's going on? It's been a while. So I've deleted it.
Casey G. Smith: They they were just coming in spoiler alert for Rap Sh!t. They were just coming together for the first time to try and record something at at at old girl's house. Uh-huh. And then like, you know, they're supposed to be coming with ideas and the other the other girl's not really feeling it. She's like, this is this Rap Sh!t fun stuff. You know, because the other girls like, you're rapping about student debt. Their personalities are so different. But, uh, and so she's like, where's your bathroom at? And so she's supposed to be the bathroom, and so she comes up to check on her. And she's sitting on the couch with her with her roommates eating chips. Uh-huh. I'm like, uh, look at that, you know, I'm like, hey, we got work to do. Let's let's do it. Let's let's go. Like, I'm sorry. But anyway, so that that that dynamics is interesting to see. Of course, that creates the tension. Well, will they be able to work together and become a successful duo in this rap game industry? So, yeah, they they're working the hooks. But it's interesting. The the there's there's something there.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay, okay. That's where I'm at. Boom.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Um, one of my last things was on YouTube, um, and when I'm watching stuff, I I'm not really watching too much, you know, outside of our movies that we watch, you know, maybe I'm watching something in the theater or, you know, I catch something. I try to watch something every week, at least something. Um, but a lot of what I digest is just like on like YouTube, you know, like business stuff and like certain interviews to kind of get insight. Uh, Malcolm Malcolm Jamal Warner. He was on the Breakfast Club. He was like one of the first guests for this coming up year. And some great insight, man. Um, I would I definitely would recommend you checking it out. I think you would appreciate it.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Um, Malcolm Jamal Warner episode of the Breakfast Club.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah. Yeah, legit, man. It was find out some good insights about, you know, just how how his career started as a young kid, how his parents got him there, and how he's been able to be consistently like working, you know, cuz he always, uh, his mom always had him think of a vision for, okay, you know, you're you're on the Cosby show, but anything can happen next year. You know, what's the next, you know, what's the next step? So you always had like a a road map for his career and was always working. Uh, started directing Cosby episodes, directing some, I think it was a different world and some Will Smith episodes. So he started directing. And so like, wow, this is stuff you don't really know that people are working and I mean, those are some good checks. So, uh, anyhow, I I definitely recommend that. I know it's another podcast or whatever, but, uh, yeah, it's worth checking out. Black excellence. That's what we on.
Casey G. Smith: Sure, it won't hurt their numbers too bad.
Reginald Titus Jr.: [laughs]
Casey G. Smith: We're working on it. Yes. Um, very cool, very cool. Uh, I I've been listening to an audiobook called like, what's the name of it? It's a, it's it's based on on like just the history of of Marvel. Yo. Yo, it's been awesome. It's it's super long, which I love, cuz it's great, cuz now I'm commuting to work, and it's like, oh, I got something to listen to. It's uh, Absolutely. It's like Marvel Comics the Marvel Comics the untold story. Oh. And it it it goes from all the way from the beginning. Like I'm at a point now where I'm in the early 2000s. This is right as like the first Spider-Man has just come out. But it's, man, it's it's it's dishing so much stuff on different people and personalities and like in-fighting and it's all the way from Marvel being this small like scrappy company, to them being the underdog for so long. Yeah. And then when they flip and they become like the top company, strong or not. You know? And then yeah, and it's all the changes in ownership and man, like the dude like the legal and the business drama that happens is it's super fascinating. And so much, it's so much of what you read is obviously it's the the writer, but it's so much of their personality, their lifestyle, things like that all gets incorporated and infused into the characters. But then somebody could leave a book on a dime because of a disagreement with an editor, and all of a sudden somebody else is left picking up the pieces. One of the things that I found super fascinating, Howard the Duck. Yeah, shout out to that. So, right, that's movie foul mouth character. Right, that's movie that dropped in the '80s. That's why I first heard of him. I was like, is the movie '80s? I I loved this movie as a kid. Yeah. Box office bomb, like, bombed horribly. I just saw him on HBO. It was a, oh, how.
Reginald Titus Jr.: I thought it was a hit, right? As a kid. I was like, this this is great. This is cinema.
Casey G. Smith: Absolute bomb. But then you get older and wonder, well, why did they make Howard the Duck? And you find out, oh, he was actually a comic book character originally. And in the '70s, he was huge. The guy who was writing him, like he was it was it was a kind of a a weird kind of thing. And he was a spin-off character that came out of a book called Man-Thing. And of course, if you seen Werewolf by Night, Not yet. You want, oh.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh, I was meaning to watch it. That's on the queue.
Casey G. Smith: Ah. That and the behind the scenes with it. Gotcha, gotcha. Um, okay. Uh, but it but but thanks for not spoiling it. Uh, they didn't know. Ah, sorry. But it's not a it's not a huge spoiler, cuz anyway, but nonetheless, you can do it. You can do it. Well, he's he's he's he's he makes a cameo in in Werewolf by Night. That that's all. But but it it's not super consequential to the actual plot. Okay. But but he's a he's a very he's he's him and Swamp Thing very similar. Uh-huh. They're like kind of plant-based people that used to be scientists. Nonetheless, that's what Howard the Duck initially showed up. But for whatever reason, he was super popular in the in the '70s, like really, really popular. I didn't know I didn't know he was that popular. Yeah. Um, yeah, so became super big in the '70s. And then again, all kind of disagreements between the creator and Marvel, and that guy left and created his own stuff. And there's a lot of drama. There's there's constant drama. Fights about ownership. Always. But at the end of the day, like in in most times, you go to work for a comic book company, like they own what you create. Like it's, you know, like law, like work for hire. Like you create something there, like they own it. Yeah. But that comes up constantly throughout. But anyway, it's it's been a a fantastic read and you and you you read about how long Stan Lee was in Hollywood, like since the '80s trying to get movies made for Marvel. And it doesn't, it doesn't start really happening until late '90s, early 2000s, obviously with Blade being the first, and then X-Men. But by that time, like Stan is there, but like Avi Arad, he's a a big part of that. And then where Toy Biz, the toy company comes into play. And there's eventually this big legal battle takes place for Marvel in the late '90s, early 2000s. I mean, it gets nasty. There's some nasty business stuff happening. But anyway, it's a it's a heck of a of a read again, it's audiobook, I'm listening to. The Untold, uh, Marvel Comics, the Untold Story. So far, absolutely dynamite. And, uh, I still have, hopefully have a couple hours left at least in this thing, cuz I'm really enjoying it. Okay. Oh, yeah, I've got, I'd say I have like 16 hours left. Heck yeah. 16? Yeah. I'm 20, I'm 28 hours in. I've got 16. How about them commute? Hope that I'm looking at looking at that right. But yeah, but I've been I've been loving it, man. It's, uh, been a great, I think I think that's like minutes in this chapter. But, uh, but yeah, it's been, oh no, shoot, that's the last chapter. Crap. I'm I only have 60 minutes left. My bad. 16 minutes? Yeah, that's the last chapter, which makes sense when the book came out. Okay. But yeah, okay. Um, anything else? Um, super quick. I've also, uh, no, no, that's it. That's that's I've also been watching Emily in Paris on Netflix. Interesting show. It's cute, it's charming. Classic fish out of water story, you know, an American goes to another country, doesn't really know the language, starting to get assimilated in in the French culture. It's a nice it is a nice insight to the French culture and, you know, it gets a little little messy. But, uh, yeah, it's a it's a charming story. 30-minute episodes, three seasons worth on Netflix. Emily in Paris. Bonjour. Bonjour.
Reginald Titus Jr.: And today's episode is sponsored by.
Casey G. Smith: Natural Hair the Movie by Grind Over Matter Films, available to stream on All Black TV as well as on Tubi and Roku on Demand. Check it out and leave a review.
Reginald Titus Jr.: And now let's jump back into the show.

Zola Deep Dive: Film Discussion
Reginald Titus Jr.: Thank you for tuning in to Filmmaker Commentary. We're talking about Zola. Written and directed by Janicka Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris, co-writer. And let's get into this synopsis. Zola, a Detroit waitress, is seduced into a weekend of partying in Florida. Her trip turns into a wild saga involving a pimp, an idiot boyfriend, and Tampa's finest strip clubs in this film based on the greatest Twitter story ever told. Zola. And if this is your first time listening to Filmmaker Commentary, please know that there will be spoilers. You've been forewarned. How did you watch this film?
Casey G. Smith: Watched it on my PS5 for the first time, and I was like, what is this?
Reginald Titus Jr.: [laughs]
Casey G. Smith: I knew nothing about it going in. So, yeah, that was my first time watching it. How about you?
Reginald Titus Jr.: I, um, I kept seeing the marketing for some reason. I I would see this, it would be the shot of when Zola and Stefani are facing off each other. I'm like, man, what is this? You know, that'll be the image that they were, I don't know if what, what, um, platform they were showing this over on, but it was on the TV, on the smart TV, and I randomly would see it. I was like, what is this? Um, I like the look of it. And so I played it for maybe like a minute. And then it started, and then it starts out with, um, the clip that I saw, or maybe it was the trailer. I think it was the trailer. And it's them looking in the mirror, and then, uh, the Zola is looking at the mirror. And she's like, let me tell you a story about how me and this bitch fell out. And I'm like, what is I'm like, I like, I already like the language. It feels real. But I'm like, I have to come back because I can't just watch it right now. Cause I got my kids around, and this is gonna be wrong. Yeah. And so that was months ago. And I was like, I gotta figure out when to watch this. Um, started doing some research, showing it. I was like, oh, okay, this was, it was one of those films that could actually be more popular than what it is. But I think kind of the circumstances of the pandemic, some of the things with, uh, James Franco and some other stuff that was happening behind the scenes, kind of like, kind of tainted a little bit. And so it's kind of like an underground hit.
Casey G. Smith: That's some of the trivia actually that I found out about about the film, which we'll because we'll touch on later. But yeah, definitely the pandemic affected this being put it pushed it back by almost like a whole year or so because of the pandemic. It was set to come out the 2020 sooner than it did, cuz yeah. It was one of those films just discovering it. I was like, dang, this is uh, it's like one of those hits that kind of just couldn't find its way because of, you know, unforeseen circumstances. Yeah. Uh, but yeah, that's how I got it and then watched it for the first time this past week and was blown away.
Reginald Titus Jr.: You watch it with the missus?
Casey G. Smith: Yes. We both enjoyed it.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Okay.
Reginald Titus Jr.: And, uh, I just purchased the Blu-ray and watched it from the Blu-ray. And, uh, yeah, man. I dug it.
Casey G. Smith: All right.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Um, what did you like or not like about Zola?
Casey G. Smith: Zola. I was mentioning that initial ad. I was like, oh no, it's Zola. And then you figure out, oh, this is based on a Twitter story. Okay, gotcha. That that makes a whole lot of sense. I really like the performances in this. Yeah. Like they are every everybody is super believable. Yeah. And obviously dedicated to the characters. You know, um, Taylor as Zola, her reactions to things. Her her eyes, her her body language, her her responses are absolute money. Yeah. Riley as Stefani in her, you know, white white girl talking as black as she can. The black cent, right?
Reginald Titus Jr.: The black cent.
Casey G. Smith: And she had to like actually find a coach to help, you know, help her get a specific kind of black cent going.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, she had like several going on there. Like sometimes it was like be off a little bit, but then there's like another version. Some kind of scene. I was like, what is this? Yeah. It worked though. Yeah. But she's she's she's in it. And, and, and just doing her thing. Uh, Domingo.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Mhm.
Casey G. Smith: As X. Yeah. You know, when when he, that that actor is he's he just has a presence when he's on screen. Absolutely. No matter what he's doing. He's also in, um, uh, Euphoria on HBO. Oh.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Oh, I still have to check that one out.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, that one is that that's another series that I finished. Man, it's again, it's it's a it's a raw, a raw series, but it's the the the it's it's good, man. It's it's it's good. It's raw, but it's but it's good. Again, definitely not for not for the little ones. But he plays a very, uh, endearing character kinda on there, recovering drug addict. He's very sympathetic. He's a nice guy. In Euphoria. Yeah. And then in this, you know, he's just.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Not endearing.
Casey G. Smith: No. He's a gorilla pimp. That's what they call it in underground.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Ah. A gorilla pimp. Yeah. Where you willing to be aggressive and, you know, hit a woman to get her in line. Mm. Yeah, well, this dude like I think I what I find fascinating about it is cuz you're like, okay, she calls she calls him his Stephanie calls him her roommate initially. Yeah. You know, doing this thing. Right. But, you know, we know she has like an apartment in Detroit. And we assume her apartment is in Detroit with, uh, her boyfriend Derek. But when we get to that last scene, and they're in that little condo space. Right. Like, and you get that that really big chick that's there. Oh, that was a lady. Yeah, the big blonde chick. Like there's a picture of them on the wall in that place. Outside. Of Domingo, yeah. Yeah, the X and her. Like there's a picture of them together. I'm like, oh, this is his place. Like, I'm like, what is going on here? And they were having some piña coladas. I'm like, man. And so, yeah, and then plus when he when he switches up his accent, when he when he gets mad and all of a sudden goes, I don't know, African, or Island. Sounds like Haitian, because I mean, it's Florida, so. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. That's what I assume. You know, I just I just assumed that it was kind of like a Haitian accent. Yeah. When he goes that that that other place, that other accent, whatever comes out. You're like, oh. What's going on here? Yeah. But yeah, amazing performances. All all around. Absolutely. And I love the inner monologue, the the the. Yeah, the the voiceover Zola. And they had some sex, and it was gross. She's great. I like the dialogue. I like the feel of the film. Uh, I like the little sound effects. They put in like the little Twitter sound effects. Yeah. I think that's the Twitter sound effects. Yeah. And then like, um, according to according to Jan, come on, I'm sorry, I'm butchering your name, Miss Mrs. Bravo. Um, but that's like an emotional, uh, signal. That's what she says when that thing when that pops up. So, I don't know, it just feels cool. It feels interactive. It does. It it really, it really. There's some cool I like how they handle at times like the the aspect how they handle tweeting. Right. In some a lot of films of late when people are not excuse me, tweeting, but texting. A lot of times now in films, people are texting, they'll show it like they'll show it like on the screen, right? Like a little box. But with them, they're having them actually speak the text when they're talking when they're when they're text. I'm like, okay, that's cool. It's got a cool effect to it. Absolutely. Because you can get some things are lost in text and lost in, you know, Twitter direct messages. And so how somebody is saying it when they're texting it gives you more context on how they feel about it. So I'm like, oh, this is great. Meet me at so. Who all is going? Yeah, that that that aspect really works. I I like that a lot. I don't, I honestly have any dislikes. Again, I didn't I didn't know anything about it. I part of me wished I'd have seen a trailer, but part of me is kind of glad I didn't see a trailer. I just went in straight blind. I just like, get going. It was good. Good for you. I mean, you know, it's always a good surprise to get a movie that, I felt this that way when we watch Barbarian a couple weeks back. And me and my wife had watched it, we've seen the trailer, but like kind of going in, I was like, oh, this is a good surprise. Not and how they've cut the trailer, they don't give away anything. That's good. That's really good. And so that's always fun that they don't give away anything. These days, man, when you see a trailer, you're like, dang, bro, I don't even have to watch the movie now. Thanks for nothing. They give away way too much. Less is intriguing in the game. Yeah, same. I didn't really have any dislikes. Um, what did what did you think about the commentary?

Zola - Themes, Style, & Filmmaking
Casey G. Smith: Uh, commentary is it's fast. It it is fast. And and yeah, there are spots where they just drop off. Like it got to a point. I was like, what did I hit a setting on my thing? Did I turn the commentary off? I I was like, uh there he goes.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Same here. It's it's you have the director, and you have the editor. Uh, both women. And it's it it's fun to kind of see them like excited about their project, but really we're getting no insight about like any of the cinematography, how it was produced, like even her as an editor. Like sometimes you don't like there's some cool stuff. I would like to know how they edited in like the montage with the the guys and stuff. But we're getting none of that. It's just.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, they totally went silent like during that that that scene. I was like, okay, surely they're gonna comment on all the penises that are flashing on the screen for whatever reason. And then just you just quiet. I'm like, uh, okay, nothing. Yeah, I thought I thought the commentary had turned off for a moment. I was like, what happened? And finally they they came back in. But they were enjoying themselves and they had a good banter. Um, but yeah, it wasn't wasn't as as insightful, uh, as as I would hope, but kudos to them for for doing one. And, uh, yeah.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah. Same. Yeah, it wasn't really much together there. Yeah. Just like you just kind of getting like these little antidotes, you know, from them, but nothing that about like the filmmaking process that I was looking for.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, it was more like you get a little bit of trivia. Um, but yeah, not a not a whole lot of, uh, tips.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Um, did you watch the special feature of the? I know they had deleted scenes and then they had the the making of. I watched the making of, but I didn't watch any deleted scenes.
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, likewise, I watched the making of and I watched the the deleted scenes. The deleted scenes were interesting. They go by pretty quick. But what was interesting is that the part where they when when Stefani and Zola get back to the when they go to the, when they move to the new hotel. Uh-huh. And X has has left and it's just it's just Stefani and Zola in there. No, no, no, no, no. This is maybe when they're at there, when they're at the hotel where she's about to start like sleeping with the guys. And she's talking to her. And she's like, how many other girls, you know, have you have you talked to or whatever? How many other girls were there? Cuz there was some coming about all the other girls. Oh, she confronts her on that. Oh, really? So then there's a deleted scene of Stefani like her her cutting between her talking to all these other women in different settings and at at different retail locations, the dry cleaners, at another restaurant. No. And she's commenting on their breasts, saying how cute they are, comparing them to some kind of fruit and saying that she'd like to take a bite. And each of them, their reaction, them kind of being a little flattered by what she said. And it's about about about five or six different women, all kinds of ethnicities and backgrounds, um, that she's saying this to. Wow. So she's done this multiple times to obviously varying degrees of affect. This would have been, this is towards going into, that would have been towards the third act actually, because her boyfriend says, um, I just not why I came to Florida for. I didn't come here for this. Right. And and then like, more soft talk coming out. And he's like, uh, and then he said, what about you know, Zola, you did you come here for this? She's like, that, look like I come here for this. And then he said, oh, so you just, so you said up somebody else. That's what that's what he said. So that deleted scene would have fit in right there. Yeah, yeah, because because Zola asked her specifically about what like what about the other girls? Uh-huh. And then they, so they apparently there's supposed to have been a like a flashback of her. Wow. Of her approaching all these other girls and just just saying that same line. just slight variations on whatever kind of fruit that she compares their breasts to. I thought that they could have kept that. I'm like, that, okay, that shows something. And then when she starts doing the crocodile tears, or like when they when they're in the hotel room where she's the first time. Yeah, she sleeps with all those guys. And she gives the thing, oh, you know, I'll do everything for my kid. You know, for my baby, for my baby. She pulled that one off. Crocodile tears. Yeah. But then they cut to a scene of her and and Derek in her apartment. Like just laying on the bed. And she's, I don't know, she's doing something and the baby is like, either in a in a walker, kind of like just just, you know, crying and just kind of like walking around, whatever. And like she's not doing anything. He's he's looking at her like, are you going to get her? And she's like, not even paying attention. Dang. Like, just, okay, like she doesn't, you know. The cutaway. So yeah, those were yeah, those were the two parts of the the the deleted scenes that coming out funny. The deleted scenes that that they had on there. Um, the the making of feature it. I I think that was I think that was produced. You get a little bit more actually get more insight on that one than you do with the commentary.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Absolutely.
Casey G. Smith: Agreed. Agreed. I like hearing from I didn't like that I didn't see I like, you know, if you're gonna do a making of, yeah, put the and give us a lower third with the names of the actors. Like that that bug me. I was like, put the names on there like up front. Like, okay, bam. Taylor Paige. Yeah. You know, Riley kin kin kin and so on. Like, boom, bang, put the names up there. Yeah. The first person that pops up at least at least once, you know, maybe twice. Yeah. Uh, if you're nasty, whatever. But I'm just like, hey. If you're nasty. Give us the give us the info. But yeah, I did enjoy that behind the scenes and a little behind the scenes footage, but just hearing about their motivations of the characters and how they kind of got into it. Yeah, I did appreciate that.
Reginald Titus Jr.: What kind of tone do you think this movie is hitting on?
Casey G. Smith: Yeah, this is an autobiographical Twitter story that's got drama come to life. It's it's a dark comedy at the end of the day. I think it's a dark comedy.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Absolutely. What about what about you?
Reginald Titus Jr.: Um, when we start, we see, uh, we're introduced to Zola, she's working at a regular job. And then out of nowhere, we get the presence of Stefani. Dang. You know, disclaimer, everybody. Dang, bitch, you got perfect titties. And like, I like, what is this? Like, it's just on the screen, like, is you like kind of fascinated by, who is this character? And, and then her, uh, the guy that she's with is clearly this older guy, older black guy that she's with. And then he's commenting. And she's just like, why are you dumb? Like, you know what she's saying? I'm like, what is this? You know, but, um, going from her basically pulling Zola into her world, you know, and then how time kind of flash, like showing that they're kind of in love. Um, falling in love. I like that. It was it's kind of interesting, you know, it just like.
Casey G. Smith: These two people having this connection.
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah. Like the director she compared it to like Romeo and Juliet. Yeah. Almost like, they they have this, yeah, they have this connection that's there. And it's only a matter of moments, a day, and all of a sudden she's inviting her to something else. And you makes you wonder throughout the whole film like, okay, is the connection real? Is there something more? Yeah. Did the fallout that supposedly she talks about in the story, did that, did they still have some kind of connection afterwards? Because throughout it, Zola looks kind of does look out for Stefani a little bit. A lot. Yeah, a lot. Yeah, a lot. I mean, she literally becomes her protector. Yeah. She's kind of yeah, kind of forced to. She doesn't have much of a choice. Yeah. She's forced to protect somebody else's quote unquote investment, but. Yeah. But yeah, it makes you it makes you wonder, but yeah, that, uh, connection is is instant and it makes you say, what is going on here? So this there's also almost a sense of, uh, hyperrealism at times to it. And and in that that that initial part of it, it starts off kind of a little light, you know, it's like, okay. Yeah. They're connecting. Yeah. Yeah, even like how how it's lit, it's it's yeah, it's it's there's a a lighter feel to it. Yeah, so I just feel like we're we're brought into their world. It's raw. Let you know off top that this is gonna be some real raw language, and they're unapologetic, you know, on how they approach it. Yeah. How they live their life. Um, style. How from a styling standpoint, what do you think they're trying to accomplish here?
Casey G. Smith: Well, you know, the director she talks specifically about how the color palette changes throughout the film. Mhm. Um, it gets, it gets kind of darker as you or more saturated, she says, as you as you go along. And and, um, she makes mention of the Wizard of Oz, a reference to the Wizard of Oz a couple times. And she even mentions when when Zola first comes out of out of her apartment to get into the car, she's got this this checkered blue and white outfit. Dressed and it's kind of similar to Dorothy. Ah. Um, and you got these four companions, you know, along on this this journey. Yeah. Uh, But yeah, it's like on the way to adventure, on the way to this other land, the land of Tampa. Yes. Uh, But you know, you go from, you know, you're daytime, and then all sudden, you know, you get into the night and things get, you know, more more dangerous and wilder at, uh, at night. But it says it says it saturates more and more. But, um, yeah, there's some interesting, you know, cutaways and close-ups. Yeah. Uh, it it it it feels like a lot of kind of more independent films like this kind of have this this kind of style. You know, there's there's some similarities I've seen with other films that kind of have this this kind of uh, style to it. But what about you?
Reginald Titus Jr.: Yeah, I feel like it was raw, dirty. There's a, uh, music video by Usher. It's called Peace Sign. Peace sign. I have yeah, when you get a chance to check it out. Um, I've seen that it was during the pandemic when I watched Usher's music video. But it's basically him going around Atlanta, like, you like during nighttime, when it's raining, you know, you see the slums, um, you see like sex workers, you know, practicing. And it's, um, shot in like kind of like this grainy kind of feel like they shot this on film is what it it feels like. It has like a, it has exact same feel that you see this one. That's what, uh, this remind me of. Also, uh, Jackie Brown. This is 100%. Like, get a chance to check out Jackie Brown. Um, Samuel L. Jackson's character is what we see with the pimp, you know, I I wonder if a lot of the if there was a lot of influence there. Uh-huh. His his character was O'Dell. And like how like he's slick at the mouth and how he talks to, uh, Bridget Fonda. Yeah. And who would be our version of Stefani. But Stefani. Yeah, just just a little different. So it was there was a lot of kind of like overlap. It's like, man, this is I I like this. Um, but like when you compare like that versus like you see another, uh, hip-hop artist, or like hip-hop artists, like like say like vanilla ice or something like that. And you it turns out, you know, they were just kind of like like you're saying, putting on black face, or like kind of being satirical, or just like, Right. Caught up in a marketing machine. Right. Like, this is what we need you to be. Yeah, and it's like, well, I'm not I I like hip-hop, but I that's not who I am at the core. You know what I mean? Like, yeah. She was like, I just like rapping. Yeah. So, anyhow, I found that fascinating, so I just wanted to know if you like, did you come across people that had had the black scent and they were trying it on, or if that was really part of their culture? Yeah, I've definitely come across and and and seen that. And having had worked in a career where I was in a lot of high schools, seen a lot of, heard a lot of of chatter and chat, and it's and it's interesting watching young people again, uh, who adopts what? And then when they, you know, turn it on or or turn it off, because it be again, like the old, uh, Fugees song, you know, the mask, right? You know, everybody wears a mask every now and then or when they have to code switch, or it's it's, uh, fascinating thing. Whether it's people, you know, black folks, you know, putting on a quote unquote white voice to sound more quote unquote, the generic American voice. Yeah. Exactly. But she's using all these different, uh, elements of black culture, you know, for for her. But again, but when trouble comes, or she feels like, oh, you know, that Zola's gonna leave her, then I'll come the white crocodile tears start coming out. You know, you'll turn that on real quick. Yeah. Saying, okay, anyway, but that's it's that's that's fascinating that, uh, those elements of, if you will, but even like with her boyfriend Derek, like he's, obviously got a clear fascination with with black culture and, you know, the way he dresses, the way he talks, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. You know, but, you know, when he his buttons get pushed, look at me. Look at me. I'm gonna kill myself. I'm gonna kill myself. It's real life stuff. That's for real. And I wonder if that that one if that part was real, if he really did that. I don't know. I need to read these tweets. I wanna read these tweets. Cuz that would be that would that would be a pretty big deal to like, make something like that up. But I don't I wonder, uh, yeah, I'm interested in reading that book because Zola A24, the distributor A24, on their website, they have a shop. And on the shop, they have like these weird just like gift things and, uh, just different merchandise you can purchase for each film. And Zola, the real Zola, um, has a book about everything that happened. It'd just be like a cool little piece to have. Zola's actually an executive producer on the film as well. Bow. And I think she get like 2.5 points. Is it 2.5 points per for profit on the back end? Good on her. Yeah, you know. Absolutely. But yeah, that that scene was, it was memorable. Um, I also have the scene where X gives the Zola back her handbag. They're both on the balcony and the the the glass door, sliding doors closed. So you can't hear them. You can only see them. And it forces you because there's no sound to pay more attention. Yeah. To the the interaction that's happening. Now, I'll be honest, I was waiting for a moment where Zola would get like really betrayed because when they're in the club, the first club in Tampa after they they're dancing, after they're dancing, she was like, she said, now pay attention to everything that does from here out or whatever. And so I was I was really watching Stefani. I was I was expecting some big setup to happen, even though it was a bit of a setup. But when she's on the porch with X and he gives her her bag, and he kind of gestures for her to open up the bag. And she doesn't. And there's a gun inside. I'm like, okay. Is this some kind of setup? Yeah. Where she's now touched the gun that he was holding. Oh, I see. And is it is it I was anticipating that somehow something was going to go sideways where X would be able to say, oh no, it was all this girl's idea. Mhm. Because she posted this now, you know, helped her post this on this that she's the mastermind behind all of this. I was expecting some kind of set up like that. But anyway, that scene just maybe pay more attention. Yeah. And it was smart too, because like right before that scene, she basically got a promotion because X is like, you in charge. And I forgot what her her smart, uh, comment was the rebuttal for that, but you know, you in charge. Then he like heads out of there. So like he's just giving her more responsibilities because he sees that she's smart, she's smart, you know, and street wise. And so it was like, okay, I'm giving you more responsibilities. And she knows she's not just she's not she's not she's not there for the sex. And he's oddly enough, he's the guy's smart. X is smart. He's smart enough to know not to push her that way, but literally to put her in charge where he kind of can can back out of the situation. And it comes into play, him putting that gun in her purse, comes into play at the end when he kind of uses her to distract the guy, and then he's able to pull the gun out on the guy. I'm like, man, smart. But he also knew to to leave that hotel motel room once he knew Derek had given away that they were making money. Street smart. He got him out quick. Oh, yeah. This dude knew, we gotta go now. Everybody out of here. And they they high tailed it. I'm like, huh. You know, smart. Um, you got any more memorable scenes?

Closing Thoughts & Filmmaker Tips
Casey G. Smith: I don't. I got a couple more. Um, I also have the scene where X gives the Zola back her handbag. They're both on the balcony and the the the glass door, sliding door is closed, so you can't hear them. You can only see them. And it forces you because there's no sound to pay more attention to the interaction that's happening. Now, I'll be honest, I was waiting for a moment where Zola would get like really betrayed because when they're in the club the first club in Tampa after they they're dancing after they're dancing, she was like, she said, now pay attention to everything that does from here out or whatever. And so I was I was really watching Stefani. I was I was expecting some big setup to happen, even though it was a bit of a setup. But when she's on the porch with X and he gives her her bag and he kind of gestures for her to open up the bag, and she does and there's a gun inside. I'm like, okay. Is this some kind of setup? Yeah. Where she's now touched the gun that he was holding. Oh, I see. And is it is it I was anticipating that somehow something was going to go sideways where X would be able to say, oh no, it was all this girl's idea. Mhm. Because she posted this now, you know, helped her post this on this that she's the mastermind behind all of this. I was expecting some kind of setup like that. But anyway, that scene just maybe pay more attention. Yeah. And it was smart too, because she was smart to pull the sound out. Yeah. That's great. Cuz they were gonna they were gonna cut that initially. Yeah. So that that's actually I had the same, uh, filmmaker tip. That's why I wanted you to expound on it. It was it was light. It was light. Slim pickings. And so, you know, they kept it in there. So hey, you know, it's um be open to suggestions. Do it. Do it. And, uh, everyone, what are we gonna be, um, looking at next time? So the next time we're going to be diving into another darling at the film festivals and a, uh, uh, uh, film nominated for a couple of Academy Awards. And that is the film Minari. Okay. And everybody can catch us where?
Reginald Titus Jr.: Facebook.com/filmmakercommentary. We're also on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher Radio, and Spotify. Please like, subscribe, and we'd love to see a review from you. If you have any suggestions for films that have commentaries in them that you'd like us to check us out, then let us know. We are on Twitter, he is @ReggieTitus. I am @KCGSmith32. We're also on the gram @FilmmakerCommentary. He is on the gram @ReginaldTitusJunior. That's JR. I'm @KCGSmith32. Until next time. Peace. Respect.