The Blackening | 21
Show Notes:
Host Julia Washington is joined by Mario Mello from Movies with Mr. Mario to discuss the horror comedy The Blackening.
Transcript:
Julia: Hey friends, this is Pop Culture Makes me jealous. And I'm your host, Julia Washington. And on today's show, Mario Mellow is here again and we are discussing the horror comedy film, the Blackening.
Julia: And yes, you heard that correctly. I said horror and comedy. This film was released on June 16th, 2023 to Mass Audiences and was written by Tracy Oliver and Dwayne Perkins and Stars, Dwayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sidney, quail Walls, Grace Byers, ex Mayo, Melvin, Greg, Jermaine Fowler, and and, and a few others that you'll recognize.
Julia: So now let's get into it.
Julia: So, are you ready to talk about the blackening? Yes. Okay. So as, uh, first everybody, welcome back Mario, who's like, probably our most frequented guest at this point, which I'm not mad at. Um, He must. Margo, welcome back to the show. Thank
Mario: you for having me. Always a pleasure.
Julia: Just so everyone knows, it's really early and on a Saturday and just, I'm not good at Saturday mornings anymore.
Julia: I used to be. Now I'm not. I don't know what's happening. Okay, so the Google, the Google summary, I always love pulling it from Google cuz it's so interesting what Google has to say. Here we go. Seven friends go away for the weekend only to find themselves trapped in a cabin with a killer who has a vendetta.
Julia: They must pit their street smarts and knowledge of horror movies against the murderer to stay alive, which is actually pretty accurate. Yeah, and it's eight friends, right?
Mario: Actually I think it's like nine, isn't it? Cause the two in the beginning. Mm-hmm. Yeah, cuz one of them's kind of like a last minute addition.
Julia: It's like, yeah. Okay friends, you know how we roll here. This is gonna have some spoilers. So buckle up
buttercup
Mario: you haven't seen. If you haven't seen the movie, go watch it. Then come back and listen to us
Julia: what Mario said.
Mario: But first I gotta applaud. This is a little intense. At times I was like, is Julia gonna survive this?
Mario: Cause Julia is like scary movies. And I was like, it's a little more intense than I thought it would be for a comedy horror movie. But I, I mean, it didn't bug me cause that's my right on my alley. But I was like, yeah, thinking, I was like, oh my goodness, is Julia gonna be able to sit through this? She's probably like gonna have a blanket and half her head's gonna be covered.
Mario: I was like, but I feel like she's gonna love it. That's literally how I watched the movie. Well, you have to, you have to tell me how your experience was cause I've never sat through a horror movie with you, so I dunno how you
Julia: react. Ok. So for people who are new around here, I literally curate my movie world to be I romcoms and light drama on purpose because when people ask me if I've seen Get Out, I respond with, I live get out, I don't need to see it.
Julia: I saw the trailer and I thought, Uhhuh, that's my life. Got it. Jordan Peels also mixed, um, also as a white mom. Um, so I go, so I go to the movie theater and I get my snacks and I walk in and it's, you know, I, I am of the generation I think you are too, Mario. Cause I don't think that we're far apart in age where you used to have to show up early to get a good seat to the theater.
Julia: Yeah. So that's been very hard to like break because it's was 20 years conditioning to do that. And now it's like, oh, we don't have to do that anymore. So I was very proud of myself because I showed up 15 minutes before the movie's supposed to start as a whole. I don't like getting there. After the lights have gone down, be and crawling over people, I think that's fucking rude.
Julia: So I get there early enough to get my snacks, to eat my snacks and then get cozy. And yes, I have a movie theater blanket, so I get there, I walk into the theater. I'm the only one. There's no one else. Was this a matinee? Yes. Because I ha I was like, I gotta go during the day. Cuz if I go at night and I leave and it's dark outside, I'm gonna think something's chasing me.
Julia: Yeah. So I go, I sit, I eat my snacks and I'm sitting there. I'm like, if and when, mind you, when I bought my ticket, the theater was like half full. So like my normal space that I like to sit in, I couldn't get because those seats were sold already. Um, so I'm like, where the fuck are all these people? Then people start trickling in.
Julia: Not everyone who bought tickets showed up. My row ended up staying empty. Um, but the, the theater ended up being more full, but pretty sure I was the oldest person in the theater. Everyone was clearly horror fan people because as the trailers were rolling, which I forgot would all be horror slash scary.
Julia: Not a good start. Um, they were like, oh my God, that looks so good. Oh my God, I'm so excited. Oh my God, I can't wait for that movie. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there with my blanket over my eyes, lightly humming to myself so I can't hear stabbing noises.
Julia: So that's how, that's how it started. Um, But yeah, I do. I had my, I did watch a lot of it with my eyes partially closed, fingers over my face, blanket curled around my head,
Mario: but it was a fun ride.
Julia: It really was. I walked out of it and was like, Fuck. That was really good. I would go see it again now that I know all the things that happen. All this, the points where there are jump scares all the. Events where people are harmed or injured. Now that I know that, I'm like, I'm sure there's stuff I've missed because I was too busy like clenching my face in concern.
Julia: So I was, I told my kid, I was like, we ha, you have to see it. It's so fucking funny. We need to go watch this. Like I would be willing to see it again during the day.
Julia: Aw. What did you think of it?
Mario: So I went to an evening show. Cause that's usually, I usually have work. Well this is your genre. Yeah. And so it doesn't bug me. But I was surprised too cuz I was like, like it was already the second. So I wanted to go on team. Mm-hmm. But I didn't get to, I forget, well something happened to where I wasn't getting able to make it.
Mario: So I was like, ok. But then I went on Tuesday cause it's on, well for me it doesn't matter cause I'm being, I have an Unlimit pass, but it's five Tuesdays. Mm-hmm. At Regal. So of course theater was busy and I was like, oh good cause. You know, after a movie plays for a week, if it's not like as big of a hit, you know, sometimes it's like scarce,
Julia: but yeah.
Julia: Yeah. You can't get a ticket past Thursday until Friday.
Mario: So I was excited cuz our theater was pretty full. Oh, that's good. So I like to see comedies and stuff with groups of people. Cause I feel like. You know, you get a better experience, right? Cause everyone's enjoying the movie. Mm-hmm. So, um, but yeah, our audience was like echo laughing and stuff.
Mario: And I, I told you, I think I told you before, there was a couple of times where I got, I got the jokes and I was laughing, but I didn't hear anyone else laugh. So I'm like, oh, I don't think they caught the
Julia: reference. Same thing happened to me. I was giggling and cackling through the whole thing. And there were points where it was only me laughing, especially with Grace Bys character, Allison, because she's mixed.
Julia: Mm-hmm. So like for me, that was, I'm like, uh, I've been in those situations where people were like pointing at a zebra painting at me, like, bitch, that's you. And you're just
Mario: like, funny. They were talking about that. I was, I literally thought of you too. And I was like, I wonder if Julia's have to deal with it, or I wonder if she's heard that line before, or I wonder if she's even said this before.
Julia: Right. Um, so the significance of Juneteenth for those who haven't seen it yet, is they come together, these college friends come together the weekend of Juneteenth to celebrate Juneteenth. And it's like this big, you know, Juneteenth, if you don't know about Juneteenth for my people, uh, go educate yourself.
Julia: Cuz that's not, this is not the time for that cuz we're talking about the blackening. But it is a big deal in the community. Yeah. I'm becoming more and more popular. Um, and it's now a federal holiday. Even though they won't teach about black history in Florida or Texas, it's fine. Um, which is ironic because Texas and Juneteenth are, is the reason why Juneteenth exists.
Julia: But anyway, yeah. Um, that's another story. That's a whole, that's a whole other podcast. Um, but the cast is stacked. So I posted on TikTok. I was at a family dinner for my son's side of the family. My son's dad is white. And I was telling everybody how excited I was about this movie and like how people were like, suck it up that you don't like horror.
Julia: Go see it. Kind of tone, right? Like that was, you were more polite about it than other people in my life. But everyone's like, you love all these people. Go to the movie like, support your people. And I was telling them about it and everyone around the table was like, oh my gosh, that sounds so funny. Like, why haven't I seen a trailer?
Julia: Da da da. And then they're like, who's in it? And I was like, nah y'all, these people are black famous. You don't know who any of them are. And they're like, what? We know black actors. Like they got deeply offended that I said that. So I was like, okay. So I pulled up I M D B cause I did not wanna miss any single person in the movie.
Julia: Cause I knew it was a small cast, but I didn't also wanna like get it wrong. Right? Because I've seen the trailer, but I hadn't like at that point, like stocked the I M D B as much. So I start reading off all the people in the movie and they're like, no, I don't know that name. No, don't know that name. Oh gosh, I don't know who that is either.
Julia: Like someone else pulled up their phone and was like showing the pictures of the people. Nobody knew who any of these people were around the table. And it was like, thanks for proving my point.
Mario: I gotta admit I only knew. Like four of the actors, like the rest, that's still more than everybody. The rest, I was like, I, I've seen them before, but I couldn't beg them. And then when there's like, ok. That's why they were kinda like supporting character or didn't have a big Yeah. Yeah.
Julia: But that's Mario.
Julia: That's still more than these people like, like Okay, so you have yours. So we have our friends, we have Lisa, Dwayne Nadi, Allison Shaneika King. Clifton is the surprise edition that everyone had forgotten existed. Morgan and Sean. And I think the biggest name that everyone will recognize in this film is Jay Farrow.
Julia: Um, Morgan is played by Yvonne, who I always get her last name wrong, and she was in, um, insecure. She played Molly and Insecure. So when I saw her in the trailer, I was like, oh, I'm so excited. I love her. Like that's, I feel like she's not in enough stuff, like on a bigger scale. Um, earlier when I mentioned Grace Byers playing Allison, for those of you who have listened to our.
Julia: Harlem Ed episodes with Cache Jackson Bell. She is Quinn in, um, Harlem. But anyway, this whole movie is just so good and it o and it's a satire of horror movie tropes for black people. Like the tag is literally, we can't all die first,
Mario: which in many horror films in history, the black character does not usually make it.
Julia: No. It's like what? There was a black character in that movie when? Mm-hmm. And it was two seconds into the film.
Mario: And that's why Jordan Peel is very important cuz he kind of helped change, I feel like change that mm-hmm. Perspective and those horror movies that feature almost all black actors, which is
Julia: amazing.
Julia: Yes, I, I agree. And Jordan Peel so damn funny. Um. Which sometimes the funniest people have, like really like, I don't wanna say sick minds in like the way that we think that a serial killer has a sick mind, but like that sort of ability to be twisted, to make horror movies because you see the world differently when you're a comedy writer.
Julia: Yeah. I'm not a comedy writer, but I've talked to enough comedy writers at this point in my life where I'm just like, mm. Mm-hmm. You got there and that's you. Mm-hmm. Not in a bad way. I don't mean that in a bad way. Anyway, so it opens up and you have all these pe so you have, um, the two characters, I think it's Shawn and Morgan are the first two mm-hmm.
Julia: Who show up to get the apart the house ready. It's literally a cabin in the woods, like way out, like, like in the middle of like this. You have to take this windy, scary road to get there. Um, and Shawn has found a game room and he is like, babe, come on down cuz we, you know, know that Shawn and Morgan are dating.
Julia: So they go down to the game room and they find this game called the Blackening and they open the box. So this is, here's the thing, y'all, this movie is black as hell and I am here for it. Um, they opened the box and the little. Device in the center that sort of navigates the whole game is, um, a Sambo, which is a horrific sort of caricature from the early 20th century that was used in a lot of marketing materials and is so offensive, but like was culturally acceptable as representation of black people for a really long time.
Julia: And the jokes that proceed every time one of the characters opens the box and like, what the hell? And they're just like, it's so, I don't even know how to scr. It's so funny. It's so funny. But the whole premise of the game is they have to answer these questions sort of to like prove their blackness. Um, and if you get it wrong, the only option is death.
Julia: Death.
Mario: So death is the, if they get it wrong, it's death.
Julia: It's death. Like there's no other alternative. It's either their death or in the beginning it's Morgan's death because at one point, like Morgan is, you know, I'm again sorry guys. There's a shit ton of spoilers. I forget what question j uh, Sean and Morgan get in the beginning.
Julia: Where they fight over it because like this game, because no one's taking this game seriously. They don't realize it's like a legitimate game they have to play to survive until like there's a Morgan and Sean find out the hard way, but their question that they get is like, name one character in a scary movie that's black that survived.
Julia: And they can't, they fight. They fight over it. Well, I don't know if they, I mean, there is, there is, but they just can't get, yeah, they just, they're fighting over what the answer is and they have only so much time to answer and then the thing speaks to them. Um, I'm not a scary movie person, as we know. And I admitted to a friend yesterday.
Julia: I spent a lot of formative years with scary movies playing in the house and me watching from around the corner because I wasn't allowed to watch them cuz I was too young. But that didn't stop me from standing there watching. So I'm familiar with some of the tropes, but it's been a minute since I've watched scary movies like for recreation.
Julia: So Mario, you are the scary movie guy. Talk to us about all the tropes that they address in this movie. Oh, there's a
Mario: lot. There's the, the, well, I mean the whole, the main one though is the, um, we have to split up kind of thing. Oh my God, that was so funny. Cause it's always, I feel like it's always the white person in the, the film that's like, we gotta split up.
Mario: We'll cover more ground or Yeah, we can look for help better. And I feel like the black character in each movie is like, no, that's not smart. But they do it anyway cuz they're outed.
Julia: And the best. Go
Mario: ahead. That was, so that's probably the biggest trope that I found that I was like, oh my gosh. That, yeah, that happens every time
Julia: there's a, the best part of that scenario is it's Allison played by Grace Byers who isms, who suggests it, and everyone's like, that's your wife side, talking like, what the hell?
Mario: Um, but yeah. Um, even like the. Even the, the one, Dwayne, he's the gay character in the film. Mm-hmm. I think he mentions about like, I'm gay so I'm good, or something like that. Cause usually, cause like one of the new horror movies is if you're gay, you're usually pretty safe. Like, oh, cause they don't kill, they won't kill off the diversity character, I guess.
Mario: Or the
Julia: Oh, isn't that interesting?
Mario: Yeah. So he had made, he makes like a comment about that or something. Or if he's gonna die, gonna be one of ones something.
Mario: Um, I think you know what, they actually mentioned that in screen four. I think that was one of the rules. Um, yeah, one of the new rules of the new generation of horror movies,
Julia: which was interesting. That is interesting. Yeah, that is really interesting. Cause so there's a scene where they pull a card and they're like, you have to sacrifice the blackest character.
Julia: So they go through and like basically argue about who's the most black and like MDIs character it, they're like, boy, you are fresh off, you are out of the package black A like you are. And he is like, uh, no Oakland. And then goes down all the things about, you know, says all the things that rubble I could be Jordan Fruit bill.
Julia: Yeah, yeah, I know. So that was hilarious. Oakland A, yeah. R i p Oakland a. Pretty soon actually. So sad. Um, and like that whole scene was so funny because, because Dwayne's Char, Dwayne, his and his, that's his name in real life, Dwayne Perkins. But his character Dwayne is like, I'm gay. Like, you can't get like that is like, who?
Julia: Like, no, yeah, you are not gonna come at me for that role. Like, and I just, I was like, that's so funny because they kind of hit on these stereotypes internally in the community where it's like, Um, one of thems like, well, I go to therapy and we all know black people don't believe in therapy, and you're, I.
Julia: Oh my gosh. I do wanna read some headlines that exist that are, uh, so there's this website called slash film.com, which by the title you could obviously tell. I don't read from it. Yeah, I know
Mario: what that is. You know it. I think I follow, I
Julia: think I follow them. Yeah. Their headline is The Blackening Review, a Horror Comedy that is neither funny or scary.
Julia: And that was written by Mike. Shut, and I have not, I don't know anything about him, but I'm just gonna assume he's a white guy. That mean, um, okay, so then the Hollywood Reporters headline was Tim Story's Sharp and Witty Subversion of Horror Tropes. I, I was like, okay, that's promising. And then, of course, our standard, uh, check-ins, because the New York Times and roger ebert.com still reigns supreme.
Julia: The New York Times couldn't get more boring in their headline, which is the Blackening Review Race Against a Killer.
Julia: I feel like that's that. You could say that about any horror movie. No.
Mario: Oh,
Julia: their sub headline is with more jokes than Jump Scares. This comedic horror film is a tartly amusing as it is provocative. So, Mario, I know you haven't posted, after we record this, you will post your, uh, review. So everyone go to movies with Mr. Mario on Instagram to read it. But like, give us your overall review of this film.
Julia: Pretend like you and I are Roger Ebert. Roger. Oh my gosh. Ebert and s I forget Cisco's last first name. Jeans. Jeans. Thank you. Yeah. We're them, we're a cooler, better looking version of them.
Mario: Um, definitely enjoyed it. I think it does prove a point. I think that's what the directors will doing. I mean, I, I told you a little bit, it is a little predictable for me.
Mario: Mm-hmm. I felt like. Like, yeah, I, I feel like maybe that's what the director was kind of going for was the predictability of a horror film, but at the same time I was like, I felt like they, I wish they would've like, had some more surprises, I guess. Because if they're, you know, if you're trying to talk about the tropes of horror from a black character's point of view, you could have kind of reinvented a little bit, kind of like Jordan thing.
Mario: But like I said, it could have been the directory. That's what he wanted. So, I mean, respect to, mm-hmm. It kind of brings up that conversation that maybe people aren't ready to have. And I think that's why sometimes those, those headlines come out like that cuz they didn't get the point of the movie.
Mario: Mm-hmm. Um, I was talking with somebody who did see it and they were like, oh yeah, it reminded me of like, scary movie. Like, they're making fun of war. I was like, kind. I mean, yes, they're doing that, but I feel like this is more of like, they're kinda like, Laughing with the, the people. Like they're not laughing at the people, they're laughing with the people.
Mario: Um, so, but I thought it was genius. I, I, like I said, I laughed so hard in some of these scenes and the audience really liked it. So, um, I definitely would see it again. And I definitely one that I'll add to my collection when it's available and stuff. But, um, just to see that point of view from a. A different perspective was, um, inviting and very entertaining too.
Mario: Cause you know, those, those kind of characters always get the sidelines. So it was nice because it's like they brought all, every like stereotypical, um, black person, I guess you would say, in a movie. Mm-hmm. And put 'em all together in one room. And then, but it was like, it wasn't like necessarily a fault either.
Mario: Like they were able to use their personas or their. Um, that trope to the advantage, you know, with the killer or to get out of a situation and stuff. So it was like, like there is a scene with the
Julia: chili powder. Oh my god. So funny.
Mario: They're like, what am I gonna do with this? And they're like, just keep it. And then she ends up using it.
Mario: Yeah. Helps save somebody, because, you know, that's what she had with her, but it was like very resourceful. But yeah, I, I enjoyed it. I think people who didn't like it or. Thought it was okay. Just didn't get the point. And yeah, and there are, I mean, there's movies and that's h for you. Sometimes you don't get the point, and that's why more movies like this need to be made.
Mario: I, I feel like cause, but, but it's important for that community to show up too. Like, like you said, like you're not one to. Go to these movies, but you're like, you felt it was important for your community to go support that movie you did. Mm-hmm. And you thoroughly enjoyed it. So I think mm-hmm. That's the message we need to send to people too, is like, support your community.
Mario: Cause if you, if you guys keep saying like, oh, I want this, I want that, but you guys aren't helping or supporting it, it's. It's never gonna get made. It's never gonna
Julia: get done. So, yeah. Uh, exactly. And that's the thing. And it's so hard already. I don't know personally, obviously, because the world I live in is not Hollywood.
Julia: Um, but I do know from listening to writers and directors that are black who talk about their experience with trying to make television and movies, it's hard to get a black movie or black TV show green lit in sort of this mainstream sense. I mean case, I mean I hate to go back to my story around the dinner table, but that's like, I feel like that is such an, um, a moment of like, this is how true it is that there, because you know, we have black famous people, right?
Julia: And like this, that just proved the point that like mainstream isn't cud in to anything that isn't predominantly white. Especially because like, even like, even like. On TikTok, people are like, oh, I recognize Jay Farrow. Like as a response to my TikTok. They're like, oh, I recognize Jay Farrow Fair. He's probably the most.
Julia: Visible person because he was on snl. Mm-hmm. For all those years. I love, I love it when clip shows pop up of him doing all of his impressions so funny. But, but I think I agree with you in that I don't think a lot of people who got it and I was kind of worried I wouldn't get the horror side of it because it has been a really long time since I've seen a horror movie.
Julia: Like we're talking the nineties. Which if anyone's paying attention to my age, I was a child. Um, and so I got, I got every su, I got all of the references. I mean, there's probably some, maybe I that I didn't get because I was so busy hiding my face cause I was scared about blood. Um, but I thought cuz it was written by Dwayne Perkins and Tracy Oliver.
Julia: And I thought they did a really good job. It was like clear, they understood the assignment. In my mind it was like, oh, you've seen horror movies, you understand the tropes, and now you're turning that on its head and mm-hmm. I thought they did a really good job doing that because there's a scene where, um, after they've split up and you have, um, I think it's Lisa Nadi.
Julia: And Dwayne. And Dwayne. So Dietrich Bader's in this movie for anybody who loves him, he's, I think he's hilarious. He plays Ranger White, which is like, guess name him. Ranger White. Like that's so funny. Um, He, they come across Ranger White. So they've met Ranger White before, earlier in the movie, and he's kind of being sort of like, what are you doing here?
Julia: Like, this family never rents to, and they're like black people. And he's like, or only, or something that, yeah. And then he is like, no, I was gonna say they only rent to families. And um, no, I was gonna say, they never rent to single people. They only rent to families. And it's kind of like, Yeah, cuz you kind of, and then they start running into these things where they're like, aren't we above the Mason Dixon line?
Julia: Like, why is this weird racist thing here? And it's just all these little moments, right? So they have this interaction with Ranger White where it's just like they have to prove that they're there, right? Like they have a list of everybody's name on the reservation. Um, Lisa even shows him her ID to like prove that she's who she is and then he goes on his way.
Julia: Well, he comes back later because he heard. Noises or something. I can't remember exactly why he said he came back. So at this point they've been terrorized long enough that they're like, do we need to, do we trust this white boy? Like, I think it's him. It could not be him. So they go through this whole conversation of like, but every time people trust pe, white people in a horror movie, they die.
Julia: Like it's, it's just so funny watching that interaction. And then they decide to like split the difference and trust him and it, and then they find, so the, the murderous villain wears like a, a mutilated sambo mask as part of his terror tactics. And so they find the mask in his car and they're like, what the, this is horrifying.
Julia: And then he's like, let me in. So he has gone about their
Mario: car. He did the famous, I'll be right back.
Julia: Yes, yes. Would you never say in a horror movie? Would you never say in a horror movie? That I do know cuz you're dying. Like I am. Like I understand that when he said that, it's like, oh, he's gonna die. It's gonna be scary or it's gonna be funny.
Julia: Who knows? Um, and he goes away, they find the mutilated sambo mask and so they lock, you know, they lock the car and he is like, comes running back. He's like, let me in, let me in. And there's arrows shooting at him. Cuz that's the method in which. Everyone's being terrorized is with a crossbow. Their tires have been, uh, flat, made flat because of this crossbow.
Julia: And they're like, dude, we don't know. No. Like, absolutely not. Like, what the fuck is this? And he is like, I found that. And then it's like this whole thing. And then he ends up getting killed and they're like, maybe we should have trusted him. Maybe we should have let him in the car.
Julia: But I Go
Mario: ahead. One of the lines, Dwayne says in the beginning when they first meet him, he is like, he's like, when did Park Rangers start having guns? Like that is.
Mario: And then when he comes back, they're like, throw their weapons down. Cause they're like, I know better not,
Julia: right. That's right. Because they all in the house are like, everyone needs a weapon. And so they find weapons in the house and like Lisa picks up a candlestick and Wayne has, which is
Mario: a great clue, the clue thing.
Mario: He's like, you look like Colonel
Julia: Mustard. All the references, the jokes were so smart. I don't know, maybe I'm not that smart, I don't know, but it was just all the callbacks that were laid in there that I got. So that's why I'm like, I wonder what else I'm missing because I don't watch horror movies because there's the references to Clue.
Julia: Were great. Um, and then so then when he does show up, when they first run into him, when they run into him a second time, they like put all the things down, all the weapons down because, you know, people have been shot holding a cell phone because someone said it was a gun. Yeah. When it was a cell phone.
Julia: And so when he's like, okay, let's go. And they go, they like slowly move to make all their weapons back up and then run out and like run and follow it. Sorry. I do wanna talk a little bit about the game because that scene when they're answering the questions, cuz they have to, I think they were tasked with having to answer 10 questions in a row correctly.
Julia: Yeah. My favorite part about that scene is when they bring up, like one of the questions is name all five black characters on friends and everyone's like the fuck. Because friends is famously criticized for not having, um, being too white. Yeah, it was being too white. Especially based in New York, because New York is a very diverse city.
Julia: Mm-hmm. So then they're all sitting around and they're like, well, we all like, don't look at me. I didn't watch friends, don't look at me. I didn't watch Friends, is like the kind of the consensus. But then they managed to actually name all five black actors. And everyone likes, you know, everyone knows that Aisha Tyler was on it.
Julia: That was pretty much the most prominent character because she dated Ross for, um, a f handful of episodes. And Joey, oh yeah. And Joey, thank you. That episode was weird. Um, And then Gabrielle Union was on an episode, so they list all, so they go through, they're literally going through all of it. They get all five, right?
Julia: They're so proud of themselves. High fives all around and the machine says, you got it wrong. The correct answer is, I don't watch that show.
Mario: I watched Living Single.
Julia: I soled and I was the only one in the theater who laughed. And because I don't know if you've heard this before, Mario. I, the conversation in my circles with my girlfriends and me is, um, friends is a ripoff of living single. Hmm. So I was like, this is. Hilarious. And these children in this theater have no idea.
Mario: That's how I felt. So then later on, there's a scene where, I forget her name, but she's the,
Julia: is it Allison?
Mario: No, no, it's not Allison. Um, she's the one with all the alcohol, the one
Julia: who's an alcoholic. Oh, Shane Or Shaka
Mario: Shaneika. And she is like, I figured one of the characters is like freaking out. And she like stopped like, if you wanna be somebody, if you want to go somewhere, you better wake up and pay.
Mario: I was like, oh, I laughed so hard. But I, again, I was the only one in theater that laughed at that. It was like, how do you guys not know Sister? I like.
Julia: Who is more PO in my mind, like we grew up on sister Act two, like Mario. When I tell you that my cousin Tanisha and I, every summer at our grandmother's house, it got to the point where grandma was like, you have to pick a different movie.
Julia: I can't sit through that movie again today.
Mario: But I was laughing so hard cause I was like, oh my.
Julia: And here's the thing. When the first, when she said, if you wanna be somebody, I was like, uh, yep. And you wanna go? Si. Like I, I told you, I sang along silently with her because it's like how like, and maybe this is an assumption we both made, but it's like, how do you not know that Those are the next lines with when somebody says to you, if you wanna be somebody.
Julia: It's so funny. It's so freaking funny. I was like, why is this the best movie I've seen so far in 2023? That's my opinion. Surpris, it's a horror film too. I, Mario. I know.
Mario: Oh,
Julia: okay. Another scene that I thought was freaking hilarious. So there's a television and it has this weird freaky looking sambo, which honestly is probably a authentic to the shit that they were pumping out in the 20 or mid 20 early 20th century. Um, where, so the TV turns on and they are basically watching.
Julia: Um, so. Uh, Morgan get tortured essentially. And so he, so this is the point where it's like, I don't know where this is going, so where's my blanket? Um, and so he's like, got something attached to her head and he's like, twisting it. Cuz I feel like the goal is to like, oh, pop off her head or something. Right?
Julia: And then Herwig pops off instead. Good wig glue.
Mario: I was wondering if that was gonna happen too. Cause when they were talking about the head, I was like, I know a lot of, you know, a lot of black women wear weaves and stuff. So I was like, I wonder if they're gonna do that. And they did it. And I laughed so hard too. Cause I was like that. That was really good.
Julia: I again, was the only one in the theater who laugh out loud cackled.
Mario: Aw. I was just like, that's
Julia: so fucking funny. Like,
Julia: This movie is for the culture
Mario: movies. I think it, it, it, it might not be like a massive hit now, but I feel like it's gonna find a cult following, especially when streaming starts streaming and stuff. I think people are gonna discover it and I think that conversation will get brought back up and, um, I agree.
Mario: It's one of those that I feel like will become one of those cold classics that we'll talk about 10, 15
Julia: years from now. Yeah, I agree. I think it's so, I think it's really timeless because even though it's clearly set in modern era, so it will always be encapsulated in the 2020, in the 20, early 2020s, I think it's still really timeless because they're doing a lot of things that are, have been Inc.
Julia: They're talking. Not only are they handling tropes that have been in horror movies forever, and I know that the horror movie genre lovers do watch a variety of decades, right? Like it's not like, oh, I only watch movies from like 2021 or something. Like, people watch all the movies from all of the decades.
Julia: Because why else would Jamie Lee Curtis still be relevant in the Halloween movies if they didn't, you know? Mm-hmm. Um, and I think because of that, and then too, because the way that they tackle race issue, the ra, the existence of being black, um, I think that also makes it pretty timeless as well. So like in, if for some reason we have a major overhaul of our.
Julia: Structure of society in the next 10 years. It's gonna, it's still, and, and racism no longer is a problem. Maybe it won't be a cult classic, but I'm pretty sure this will still be funny in 10 years. Mm-hmm. Because they hit on things that are like in existence still and we're in existence. 30 years ago, 40 years ago, 50 years ago.
Julia: Um, and it's just, it's just so smart. It's so smart. The, you know, you can really tell that. You can really see how the brilliance, I think of the writing through it. And I, and like you said earlier, people who didn't get it just didn't get it. And that makes me sad for them because they didn't enjoy the movie.
Julia: And, and what is life if you don't have joy?
Mario: Mm-hmm. So I was, I did, I was reading something else too and um, I think one of the critics was like, this movie wasn't made for me. So I don't, I mean, I'm assuming he's probably either white or different ethnicity. So, I mean, it kind of, I mean, I don't know. I always feel like that's kind of like a cop out.
Mario: Yes. That's the word I was looking for, because it's like we have so many types of films throughout history and in Hollywood that, you know, maybe is it. Catered to my thing, but it's like, I still always look for the craftsmanship, right? Or the, what that director is trying to do and stuff. Um, so it's like I do encourage people, like, cuz I, I don't, I wonder if that's maybe some reasons that people didn't check it out is cause they're like, oh, that movie's not for me.
Mario: It's so I'm not gonna go watch it. But it's like, I feel like if you don't. Expand your knowledge. If you don't try things out, you're gonna miss something really important or really enjoyable like you said. So,
Julia: yeah, and that, and I, Mario, that statement comes up a lot from white straight men because that was the controversy around turning red, if you'll recall.
Julia: And that man, the managing, the managing direct editor, Director, whatever of that online magazine literally wrote like how essentially wrote, well, not literally sh this, my paraphrasing of it is he wrote a review that was like, this movie is too niche because you have focused on an Asian community in Toronto.
Julia: How dare I have nothing to relate to about this film. And people were like, okay, racist, because. I'm not of an Asian community, but I understand the culture around boy bands. Mm-hmm. You know, so like, If I weren't a female who understood the mother-daughter dynamic, I am a human who is watching boy band phenomenons happening every generation.
Julia: Yeah. So it's almost like you're not even trying to enjoy the movie when you say something like that as a critic, because you are, in my mind, it's like you're unwilling to even see the quality and the craftsmanship of something, because if your only goal. And this is where representation kind of is a different conversation, right?
Julia: Like when I talk about representation on the show, we really do get into like it's to kind of help normalize that these existences are real and not caricatures. And that's why Blackening is so brilliant because he's taking those caricatures and adding this layer of like truth to them. That's really funny.
Julia: But on the other side of that coin, when you have white bros who are like, it's not relatable. I don't get it. It's not for me. You're just like, yeah, well then that's your problem because you're not trying to identify or relate to a community that isn't yours. Which is the problem. That's why we have such a divide because you're unwilling to see that other cultures and experiences exist and and unwilling to learn from them through film and television, which is my favorite thing to do actually.
Julia: Mm-hmm. I mean, I don't use that to be like, this is the only way that black people exist, or this is must be true for all of the Asian community in Toronto. But it does help me kind of. Think a little bit deeper about like, oh, I never considered what it was like to be an Asian descent girl in Toronto in 2002, but I have considered what it's like if I were to make a horror movie as a light-skinned black person.
Julia: So it's like, open your brain a little bit, dude. Like cri, come on. Critics like, I'm not, I mean, whatever. It's just, and I think it's another reason why having people review films who aren't just strictly white men. That's why I'm always promoting your page, because your lens is so much different than some of the other critics that I see out there writing reviews, and I appreciate it.
Julia: I don't always agree with you, but that's okay. You know, like mm-hmm. You're still putting out your voice because. We don't have a ton of men who meet your demographic writing reviews, so. And I'm ti, I'm just tired of reading white men review stuff, which is ironic because we pull a lot from roger ebert.com and the New York Times.
Julia: Right. But I do that as a contrast to say like, this is what the New York Times is saying. They have millions of subscribers and this is the influence that they have on what people are watching and seeing. Or reading or forming opinions on for, you know, uh, international news, what have you. So that's my plug for everyone yet again.
Julia: That's plug number two. This episode of you following Mario on the gram. Appreciate it. So the tomato meter on Rotten tomatoes is 87% and the audience scores 85%. What do you think of those numbers
Mario: for Pretty, pretty good for a horror film.
Julia: Is it like, yeah. Okay.
Mario: There's only I, there's only like really a few that actually reach like above 80 I feel like.
Mario: Just cause Really? Yeah. Cuz I feel like horror is one of those, like you either love horror or you don't. So it's like, I feel like it's always those critics that don't like it, that are like skewing the scores lower.
Mario: Like 90 above is get out. The other, the other two are all under 80. But like for me, like I love them. Like they're great. Like, so it's like, yeah, so, so for 87% or 86% is actually really good for horror. I love that. That's, and it's more horror comedy. I get that. But it's still, there's still a lot of horror
Julia: element to that.
Julia: Listen, I was still scared. Okay. I realized that I am very sensitive. I mean, I've always known this, but then when I'm smacked in the face with how sensitive I truly am mm-hmm. It's like, oh yeah, I need to go back and watch. Um, my perfectly cute, which romcom shall I watch when I get home tonight? Like, um, So I clicked into the, the official people on I M D B.
Julia: I M D B, rotten Tomatoes and yeah, like the New York magazine, uh, vulture critic did not give it a fresh tomato. Yeah. And they said, I, it just never really figures out how to be a movie. And I'm like, I'm sorry, did we watch the same movie? Um, Some guy who has a blog said, hit too many sour notes to deliver its spoof smoothly.
Julia: Gave it a se like, again, I don't think you and I were watching the same movie, sir. Yeah. Mostly the people who have given it, uh, a rotten score are white people. So we're just gonna call that what it is.
Mario: Yeah.
Julia: Oh my God. The Daily Beast even gave it. Rotten has a clever hook, and next to no clue how to entertainingly execute it. I'm sorry. Did we just not spend the last 45 minutes talking about how much we cackled? Howled laughed and then also felt scared. Yeah. I feel like sometimes critics walk in skeptical.
Mario: Yeah. And they already
Julia: have a pre, you know? Yeah. Here's another black person who gave it a bad review, y'all. Black Jesus is coming for y'all for that one. See, and
Mario: it's funny cuz it's like I get critics see these movies before audiences and they see it with other critics. So it's like if critics in general aren't laughing as much as like an audience, like mm-hmm.
Mario: They're gonna give it rot. So it's like you need to throw these critics in with actual audience members like,
Mario: And listen to what the audience is doing. And surprisingly, and that usually lately at, at least around tomatoes, the audience scores like either way higher than the critics or the critics are way higher. And the audience like it's, there's really ever no like balance, but this one
Julia: kinda has a balance.
Julia: Yeah, that's interesting. That's surprising. Yeah, I do think there's some value, like you said, in seeing it with the full theater. I wa I'm granted it's my own fault because I went to a 1:00 PM showing, but I also knew it would still be daylight when I left the theater. Um, but it's summertime, so I just assumed there would be, I don't know about you, but on my summer breaks in high school, we were at the movie theater almost every day.
Julia: Yeah. That's also when tickets were four 50 a pop. So you could easily do some chores around the house for $5 and still get a movie ticket. Yeah. But there is a huge value to seeing a movie with a hu, with a full audience, especially the intended audience. Like when I went and saw Love Simon, and I've talked about this before on the show, I think.
Julia: When I went and saw Love Simon, it was full of high school kids, probably queer, and the response to that film was so powerful and moving that now when I watch that movie, I rem, I feel that feeling and it makes me love that movie so much. Like I don't, I've never reviewed it on this show. Like from a, like a critical standpoint, but I remember thinking this is amazing.
Julia: Like people were cheering when the couple got together in the end and like it was just such a wonderful experience. Same with Acro across the spider verse. That's the newest one, right? Mm-hmm. People were into it and then clapped at the end. And I used to make fun of people who clapped in a movie theater, but then I thought, you know what?
Julia: Who the fuck cares we're having a singular experience, but also collectively so cool like mm-hmm. And that was so much fun. And I kind of wish that I had a full theater for the Blackening because of, I'm sure if I'd gone to the seven o'clock showing, it would've been a full crowd. It's okay. Maybe when
Mario: they do the Blackening two.
Mario: Oh
Julia: my God. Oh my God. If they will, God. Oh my God. It's
Mario: like, I could totally see them doing that. Cause then it would be, um, the Trump on sequels,
Julia: right. From the black perspective. So we'll see. And what's funny about the end when they're like, all right, now they've all survived. And they're like, all right, now who's gonna call?
Julia: Like, who are we gonna call to get outta here? Because their tires in their car are flat. Everyone, you know, like they're essentially trapped. Like you can't go on foot down that road to get back to town. And everyone's like, and then someone's like the fire depart.
Julia: I did have to go to the bathroom. So I like only, I don't know if they had multiple end credit scenes. No, it was just that one. Okay. Um, but what other, do you have any other thoughts about this movie before we wrap it up that we didn't have?
Mario: No, I, no, I've, I just, I, like I said, I encourage people to check these movies out and even if you don't think it's up your alley or your cup of tea, try it out cuz I think you will leave pleasantly surprised.
Mario: Um, and if you can't go to theater, see it. We see it when it comes to streaming digital, physical. Just check it out. Cause I think, I think you'll be surprised and it was so funny. Go, so go support the, the minorities out there, I guess you would say, right?
Julia: Yeah. I mean truly because there's so much talent that's getting overlooked because studio execs think that, um, Creators of color can't bring an audience, but it's also like, well, which came first?
Julia: The chicken or the egg? You not wanting to support the project and putting the same kind of money power behind it that y'all put behind Tom Cruise in the eighties, or do we, because when I told people about the movie, the majority of the responses have been, oh, I've never even heard of that film.
Julia: Like that's a problem. Where's the marketing budget? They should have given them billions of dollars to market this movie. Like, and it would've been kind of cute to go like, like you said, over the weekend for Juneteenth weekend, because it opens with the Juneteenth, like with, that's why they all come together.
Julia: And I was like, God, I didn't know that was a part of it.
Mario: I didn't realize that either until I started the, I was like, oh, I went, mm-hmm. Movie mention in there, but it was. You know, they kind of just glanced over it. But in the movie it's like actually like present. Yeah. It's a, I'm like big part. I'm surprised they didn't pump that up.
Mario: More like use that as part of the marketing, like Juneteenth and
Julia: Yeah, like you don't have to go on Juneteenth cuz you'll be at a barbecue, but go the day before. Yeah. All right my friend. Where can people find you in support your work? Even though I've said it three times already on the show.
Mario: You can follow me on Instagram at movies with Mr.
Mario: Mario, where I do movie and TV reviews of things I'm watching and share the latest up culture news. Yay.
Julia: And he just shared based on a true story, which, uh, he's the reason why I watched that show too, which is also out not outside my norm. Damn it, you and Natalie are wearing me down. A fan. I'm gonna
Mario: get a you to fan watch.
Mario: Yellow Jackets, yellow
Julia: jackets. I'm working up to it. I love Christina Ricci and you know Melanie Lenn Linsky. I'm working on it. I'm getting there.
Julia: Okay, friends, at the time of this recording, the Blackening is playing. Exclusively in theaters, and I suggest you scoot your booty to the movie theater to watch. And if you've stumbled upon this episode, um, Well after the release date, then I suggest you scoot your booty on all over to the television and rent it on video on demand.
Julia: I cannot stop thinking about the people who gave this film a bad review solely based on the fact that it wasn't for them. So often, those of us, not part of the major dominant culture have to wade through content that isn't by us or about us. And when we, and when asked if we watch something, And have to respond with, eh, that's not really for me because the industry is still so saturated with stories from the major dominant culture, but it's not the same thing.
Julia: It's, it's an inverse of that really, if you think about it, because what about succession? What is it about succession that everyone can collectively obsess over or, and just like that everybody's hate watching it together. So think about that for yourself and what that means. I cuz you know what I do all the time because again, I just sat through a horror film and we know if you've been here a minute, I don't do horror movies, but I still did it because one comedy.
Julia: Two. I recognize and understand that this movie is literally for the culture. At the same time, there's still a lot of stuff in there where it's really funny that I really think that if you give it a chance, you would really enjoy it. Unless you're a horror film person. I explained the premise of the movie to, um, an uncle of mine and he said, thank you for explaining that.
Julia: That sounds hilarious. I can't hang with horror. And I said, respect. So, you know, if you, if that's the reason why you can't hang, I understand. But if you can't hang solely based on the fact that you see a black movie and you think, that's not for me, maybe do some self-examination. So, Maria's review on Instagram is now live, so I encourage you to go on over and read that Pop culture Makes me jealous, is written and edited by me, your host.
Julia: If you loved this episode, please share it with. Well, everyone or anyone who loves horror movies or comedy movies or both, and if you want more content from the show, you can join our Patreon. If you join our Best Friends Club, you get access to our live Happy hour and book club plus bonus content y'all.
Julia: Thanks for tuning in Until next time.
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