Ryan McNeil
Perhaps the most difficult thing about my show having the format that it does, is that chemistry is a complete uncertainty. Since My format is built on bringing different people in every time, there are episodes where expected chemistry isn’t captured, episodes where chemistry is surprisingly strong, and episodes where chemistry is completely absent.
Then there are episodes like this one where chemistry is pretty much at its apex.
You see, dear listeners, I’ve known today’s guest for almost thirty-two years. What’s more, he and I have been discussing film of all sorts for over fifteen of those thirty-two years. So beyond knowing each-others tastes and proclivities well, we’ve also developed a rhythm that will probably never be matched on-mic in the future of this show.
I guess what I’m saying is that if my chemistry with my guest makes for the best episodes of this piddling little show, then y’all are in for one of the best episodes you’re ever likely to hear from this feed.
Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-three…
Runtime
75 minutes
Up for Discussion
1. Introduction
2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY– Q& A with this week’s guest Shane McNeil (2:37)
3. COME TALK TO ME – Fielding some listener feedback on anticipated 2014 films. (13:02)
4. THE NEW SLANG – Review and reaction to THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (23:23)
5. THE OTHER SIDE – Shane couples AMERICAN PSYCHO (48:39)
6. THE OTHER SIDE – Ryan couples CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (61:54)
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Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
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Loved this episode! I think I’m a lot like you, Ryan, on The Wolf of Wall Street: I imagine after another couple of watches, I’ll love the film even more. I just can’t stop thinking about it. What’s weird is that all of my friends have started going to see it (including a couple of my girls who are only 17, but managed to sneak in, haha) and everyone is loving it so far…it turns out the only defending of the film I have to do is within the film world instead of in the real world, which hasn’t happened in quite some time.
This film definitely reminded me of American Psycho and Catch Me If You Can. However, I have a post in the works comparing this and Michael Bay’s Pain & Gain (a film which I strangely love). Of course, Wolf is so much better, but the comparisons are so scary.
And as for Leo, yes, he is becoming more goofy. Everyone is always like “ah where’s his Oscar” and “he’s only doing movies for Oscars”, but I’m pretty sure that the only real Oscar-baiting role he did was in J. Edgar. And that was an epically misguided move, that we’ve all forgotten about. He deserved a nomination for Django Unchained – it is the first time since What’s Eating Gilbert Grape where he really let go. And looking back, it is a little bit confusing that Christoph Waltz got nominated and then won, but oh well. I’d love to see him get nominated for The Wolf of Wall Street. He *completely* let himself go in this movie. Even though he’s probably my favourite actor (I actually went through a phase when I was 13 when I saw What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and walked around openly calling him God to everyone I saw), this is one of the only times in recent memory where I never once thought “hey, that’s Leonardo DiCaprio”. I really believed he was Jordan Belfort. He was just disgusting. That’s not to say that all of the performances that preceded this weren’t totally believable – he was an amazing Gatsby, too, and it is interesting to see that he did that and Wolf in the same year – there’s just something about Jordan Belfort that made Leo really click.
And yeah, he was really out of his depth in Gangs of New York. But that doesn’t really seem to matter because Daniel Day-Lewis is just so perfect. Sorry about rambling about Leo – he’s just one of my favourite cinematic topics!
(also, I’m listening to your 2013 in review ep now – props for having Blood on the Leaves as one of the songs, LOVE that song)
Well good morning there Chatty Cathy!
I know what you mean – my uncle went to see it as well and came away really having enjoyed it. He shook his head at how over-the-top it all was, but didn’t feel the same grumpiness that I keep reading about.
I’ll be re-watching Gatsby tonight (I think). Funny that you found Leo disappeared into the Belfort role, because for me it felt like he really disappeared into the Gatsby role. So much so, that I feel like Leo was exactly the sort of cat Fitzgerald had in mind when he wrote the book. In the end, both characters are frauds, but you have to admire the chops of a guy who can portray two very different versions of a rich ‘hot mess’.
As for his Oscar chances, don’t say I didn’t warn you. H *might* pull it off (and deservedly so), but the problem is that he’s in a tough category. Ejiofor, McConaughey, Hanks, Dern, and Redford all seem to have an inside track. Leo might be able to leapfrog one of them, but it will take a bit of luck.
If I ever start doing a segment about actors, I’ll have you on to talk about the man. Geez, you would have gone bonkers if you were ten years earlier.
Glad you’re digging the year-end show, and all its musical goodness (including your Kiwi compatriot).
LOL. “That guy from my grade school” makes me sound less like a childhood friend of Shane and more like the creepy guy, who sat in the corner.
At least he believes you exist, unlike the Swedes, Germans, and Indians he believes I’m making up.
I EXIST! I’ve never laughed more, I swear. It’s funny that your brother thinks we’re all figments of your imagination. That’s some existential shit.
I just heard about the Corbijn movie. Very excited for that one.
I didn’t think it was long at all. This is like this year’s Cloud Atlas. I was entertained as hell and I was never bored.
I want Leo to be happy. I always knew happy Leo would be the best Leo. We have a whole section dedicated to Leo in our podcast episode. It’s my favourite performance of the year and possibly one of my most favourites of all time. Agreeing everything with Stevee (we’ve started a Leo fan club. Our t-shirts have screencaps of the Lemmons scene 🙂 )
I want Leo in his blue suit.
Oh and I love Munich too. Granted I haven’t seen many of Spielberg’s films, but it’s probably my favourite drama by him after Schindler’s List.
Now you know what a McNeil family dinner sounds like.
It’s crazy; even though people like you and I didn’t feel the length, that’s still one of the top complaints I hear out of people. Even this morning at the coffee shop, my barista was telling a customer behind me how long it was and how she thought it was an “at-home movie”. Sheesh!
You girls and your Leo. It’s sort of amusing for me to listen in on all of this because I swear I went through it once already back in 96/97 in the wake of Romeo/Titanic.
Thanks for listening Nik.