National Treasure (2004)
The focus for JJ, Alec and Mattson for this podcast episode revolves around the cinematic exploration of the film "National Treasure," a narrative that intertwines adventure with historical intrigue. We engage in a profound analysis of the film's themes, particularly its depiction of patriotic fervor and the allure of hidden treasures rooted in American history. Throughout the discourse, we reflect upon the film's characters, notably the charismatic portrayal by Nicolas Cage, and the dynamic interplay between humor and tension that enriches the viewing experience. As we delve deeper, we also scrutinize the plausibility of the film's plot devices, acknowledging the necessity of suspension of disbelief within such an adventurous context. Ultimately, our conversation encapsulates a shared appreciation for the film's ability to entertain while simultaneously provoking thoughtful engagement with history and conspiracy theories.
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Transcript
I just love that Matson went from singing the national anthem to calling the Declaration a piece of in like 35 seconds.
Speaker A:That was beautiful.
Speaker B:Welcome to what's Everybody Podcast, where we fashion ourselves cinematic judge and jury.
Speaker B:My name is J.J.
Speaker B:crowder.
Speaker B:I'm here with my co hosts Matt.
Speaker C:Senheiner, Better Red Than Dead and Alec Burgess.
Speaker A:Let's get it.
Speaker B:We appreciate you tuning in.
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Speaker B:Keep up with all of our episodes.
Speaker B:Follow the podcast, Support the podcast.
Speaker B:Also help us grow the podcast.
Speaker B:Tell a friend about us.
Speaker B:Tell a family member about us.
Speaker B:Tell a treasure hunter or scholar or historian.
Speaker B:Any one of those will do about us.
Speaker B:That'd be very interesting.
Speaker B:I'd be interested to sit and talk and get to know some things make me feel stupid, which is par for the course.
Speaker B:But yeah, we're here, boy.
Speaker B:It's July and we're kicking off July with a month of patriotic movies.
Speaker B:I don't know if that's an appro.
Speaker B:That's what we were aiming for and I think they all worked out pretty well.
Speaker B:But yeah, we're kicking it off with a good one.
Speaker B:And if you want to get in on making those choices, you can go to Patreon.
Speaker B:You can actually vote on the the choices for free.
Speaker B:So you don't need to join with money if you want to see additional content.
Speaker B:Ridiculousness, inappropriateness, in spades.
Speaker B:It abounds on our Patreon channel.
Speaker B:But you can spend a little dough and help support the podcast.
Speaker B:Not cheap running one of these things, but yeah, we'd appreciate it.
Speaker B:And you get to vote and see, pick topics, do all sorts of craziness.
Speaker B:If you pay enough, you actually get to tell us what movie to watch once a quarter.
Speaker B:So that's fun.
Speaker B:With that, we're jumping into July with National Treasure.
Speaker B: ,: Speaker B:It was written by a lot of people.
Speaker B:Jim Koof, Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley.
Speaker B:Great names across the board.
Speaker B:It's directed by John Turtle Taub because why wouldn't we have another great name?
Speaker B:It stars.
Speaker B:Say that again.
Speaker B:John Turtle Taub.
Speaker C:Turtle Tub.
Speaker B:Have you never heard, you know John Turtle Top?
Speaker B:Come on now.
Speaker B:No, he's kind of an interesting looking dude and he's done.
Speaker A:With a name like Turtle Top, I.
Speaker B:Would expect cool runnings while you were sleeping Phenomenon.
Speaker C:Say that five times.
Speaker C:That's fun.
Speaker B:Yeah, Friends.
Speaker B:Yeah, he's done a lot of like, movies that are similar to this and, and tv things like that.
Speaker B:But yeah, that's who directed it.
Speaker B:It stars Nicholas Cage, Diane Krueger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, John Voight, Harvey Keitel, Christopher Plummer, David Diane Fisher, and Eric King.
Speaker B:I had to put Eric King in there because every time I see him in this, I just want to be like, surprise.
Speaker B:Those of you that watch Dexter know that joke.
Speaker B:But the movie is about a historian who races to find the legendary Templar treasure before a team of mercenaries.
Speaker B:That is the shortest synopsis for this movie I think you could write.
Speaker B:But, I mean, it's functional.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Whose movie was this?
Speaker B:This was yours, right?
Speaker B:Matson.
Speaker A:It was Matson's.
Speaker C:This was mine.
Speaker C:I was recommending we do this topic for the month of July.
Speaker C:This was the movie that I had in mind because it embodies all of it.
Speaker C:But let me, let me, let me warm up the vocal cords here.
Speaker C:I just feel like we need a little patriotism.
Speaker C:Oh, he.
Speaker C:Can you see by the D.
Speaker C:Stop there.
Speaker C:Maybe if I do another podcast again, y' all listen to me sing very terribly, but America, baby.
Speaker C:I mean, this movie.
Speaker C:Jj, remind me, what year did this movie come out again?
Speaker C:I know you just said it.
Speaker C:Oh, four.
Speaker C:So I'd have been 13.
Speaker C:And for our listeners, I don't know if I've ever said where I grew up.
Speaker C:I probably have on some random podcast.
Speaker C:I grew up a little bit south of Washington, D.C.
Speaker C:i was like 20 minutes away.
Speaker C:I've on the east coast for those that live there.
Speaker C:I'm now in the Seattle area, but cities are a lot closer.
Speaker C:They can go from D.C.
Speaker C:to Baltimore to New York and all within a four hour drive.
Speaker C:You want to make it up to Boston.
Speaker C:From where I lived, it was eight hours.
Speaker C:And obviously Philly is along the way as well.
Speaker C:Been all those places.
Speaker C:Have been to many, most of those places many times to the point where I got tired of going to Washington D.C.
Speaker C:because, like, you know, when people come there, like, let's go to D.C.
Speaker C:and just like, oh my gosh, like, why?
Speaker C:Why do we want to go now I feel dumb because it's great.
Speaker C:And I tell everybody to go there because most people, like, west on the west coast, like, people either go once when they were like a kid or they like never go.
Speaker C:And I'm like, what are you like, there's so much to do there.
Speaker C:All that to be said.
Speaker C:I love revolutionary history where I grew up, because it was like in your backyard.
Speaker C:When we were taught American history, we didn't just read about it, you visited it and you did so quite often.
Speaker C:And so, I mean, I Love.
Speaker C:George Washington's one of my most respected and revered characters in American history.
Speaker C:Read a lot about him.
Speaker C:I just think this movie, like, I love history.
Speaker C:I love, like, the architecture, I love, like an adventure.
Speaker C:And when you package all that together in a movie, in lore that I find extremely fascinating and like, terribly believable to a 13 year old.
Speaker C:And even when I just watch it, I'm like, shit, dude.
Speaker C:Like, it's.
Speaker C:The treasure's there.
Speaker C:I'm about to call JJ and I would be like, guys, we gotta go over there right now.
Speaker C:It's on the back of the deck.
Speaker C:Like, fascinating what one piece of paper is gonna make it from then till now.
Speaker C:That piece of.
Speaker C:Right there.
Speaker C:And then you're gonna put the bifocals multicolored in a building with the symbol next to the liberty.
Speaker C:Like, yes, let's go.
Speaker C:Like, while we were fighting the British, we were protecting the gold.
Speaker C:Like, we were fighting two wars, espionage and war on the streets.
Speaker C:And, you know, we still booty smack the British.
Speaker C:Y' all suck.
Speaker C:I love this, but, like, it's just, it's.
Speaker C:It's funny.
Speaker C:It's Nicholas Cage, as we know in many of his movies.
Speaker C:Is he the reason we watch this movie?
Speaker C:Hell no.
Speaker C:Like, he's.
Speaker C:He's kind of like a warm body that passed through.
Speaker C:I could not watch this movie.
Speaker C:Why am I forgetting?
Speaker C:His name's already escaping me, the main villain.
Speaker C:I'm.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:I think he's.
Speaker C:He's.
Speaker C:He's awesome.
Speaker C:I just.
Speaker C:I mean, they go all over.
Speaker C:They go from like the Antarctic to all these.
Speaker C:The different cities that I visited.
Speaker C:They throw in a heist.
Speaker C:They throw in somewhat of a forced love scene that kind of works at the same time.
Speaker C:And you just like, if you love shiny things like JJ does, you're just like shinies left and right.
Speaker C:Let me collect, like, let me do.
Speaker C:Then he.
Speaker C:You got like a full blown, like, spy heist, treasure heist, like national security heist.
Speaker C:He's put all in a movie.
Speaker C:I could keep going.
Speaker C:I'm gonna stop because it's a lot.
Speaker C:This is a great watch.
Speaker C:I just watched it.
Speaker C:The other great movie I hadn't seen a little while, like, damn, dude, make me a number three.
Speaker C:And you shoot, dude.
Speaker C:They could do a lot now.
Speaker C:It'd be kind of scary, the stuff they could do, but awesome premise, man.
Speaker C:I love it.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:I love this movie too.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:Here's the funny part.
Speaker B: So in: Speaker C:JJ, tell us your age.
Speaker C:I was 13.
Speaker B:I was.
Speaker B:Well, if you're 13?
Speaker B:I was 23.
Speaker B:Yeah, some days.
Speaker B:But yeah, like, I.
Speaker B:When this movie was being advertised and I was like, oh, my God, this movie's gonna be horrible.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:But I was at the time, like, all I did, I saw a lot of movies in the theater back then and I was like, I'm gonna go watch it just because I can.
Speaker B:And I fell in love with that.
Speaker B:I thought it was fun.
Speaker B:I thought it was entertaining.
Speaker B:It's very similar into what we talked about, the end of June, where it's like, it's a movie that I look at and on the surface it shouldn't be as fun and entertaining and enjoyable to me, but it is.
Speaker B:And I like, I can get past so many things that I'm like, this is goofy and this doesn't make much sense, but I love it.
Speaker B:And so it's like, yeah, I really enjoy it.
Speaker B:I was glad that you picked it.
Speaker B:I think if you hadn't, I would have.
Speaker B:Just because it's.
Speaker B:It's one of the things that I think of from like a silly, like.
Speaker B:Like you said, go America.
Speaker B:Like, you know, like this patriotic thing.
Speaker B:Because he's so in love with the history.
Speaker B:All of them are in this movie.
Speaker B:They're so in love with the history of the country.
Speaker B:And there's some weird that happened and some timings are weird and.
Speaker B:Yeah, but it's.
Speaker B:And Nicholas Cage is Nicholas Cage, like, as much as he's in so many things.
Speaker B:Like, his charisma is good and in this movie it plays through like that kind of goofy, nerdy.
Speaker C:Like him.
Speaker C:He was not.
Speaker C:You're not going to be like this savant and like this.
Speaker C:Yeah, you got to have a.
Speaker C:You gotta be a little weird.
Speaker B:Gotta be a little weird.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:So it works out.
Speaker B:I am interested, though, and I can't wait to turn it over to Alec because our local conspiracy theorist, like, we start talking about governmental with Templars and Masons and secret treasures and hidden caves and I, you know, I just can't wait to hear what Alec thinks.
Speaker B:Go ahead, buddy.
Speaker A:I just love that Matson went from singing the national anthem to calling the Declaration a piece of.
Speaker A:In like 35 seconds.
Speaker A:That was beautiful.
Speaker A:For this.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:No conspiracy theorists, Freemasons, Templars, government.
Speaker A:That's why I love this movie.
Speaker A:And watch it is for that.
Speaker A:That is what I mean.
Speaker A:You know, we all know I'm a little bit broken.
Speaker A:A little bit broken.
Speaker A:But you guys like the Go America stuff.
Speaker A:I'm like those.
Speaker A:Why is.
Speaker A:Why is inflation so bad?
Speaker A:Because they Found the treasure and they said, we're gonna share it with us.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's funny.
Speaker C:I like to think from this movie, like, a couple of weeks after it was in theaters, the people.
Speaker C:And I forget the museum where they actually house the Declaration.
Speaker C:This is sad.
Speaker C:I should know that.
Speaker C:But they.
Speaker C:The people down in the preparation room, they're like, dude, think.
Speaker C:Like, you think we should.
Speaker C:Should we flip it over?
Speaker C:Like, lemon juice?
Speaker B:If we get some lemon juice in a blow dryer, can we find a map?
Speaker C:Should we check?
Speaker C:Like, maybe, maybe.
Speaker C:But then later on in the movie, this is where I'm like, when they get dumber, they're in where they sign in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, where they sign, but they pull it out without.
Speaker C:They show them pulling out with their bare hands.
Speaker C:And then later they're holding the plastic like, no, you're not doing that because you just destroyed it.
Speaker C:Because, like, five years from now, your little human oil is just like, that.
Speaker B:Part of the page is gone.
Speaker C:Like, ain't no way.
Speaker C:Always makes me laugh.
Speaker B:Oh, man.
Speaker C:I think they.
Speaker C:I mean, they had to been like, we should probably just check the document.
Speaker C:We should just probably do it.
Speaker C:Like, just check.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:I would have wanted to.
Speaker B:I would have wanted to.
Speaker A:I would have done it.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:And then be somewhere fired.
Speaker C:I mean, the funny part is probably you could be calm this whole time.
Speaker C:It could be.
Speaker C:I mean, I'm sure we aren't even looking at the real one in there most of the time.
Speaker C:Who's to say that thing didn't get lost, like 150 years ago with Abe Lincoln blowing and his nose on like a tissue?
Speaker C:Oh, frick.
Speaker C:That was the Declaration.
Speaker C:My bad.
Speaker C:Like, could have been.
Speaker C:Dude, honest ape, he lied.
Speaker B:Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker B:Like, I still struggle with some of the documents that they're like, yeah, this is real.
Speaker B:And I'm like, is it though?
Speaker B:Is it?
Speaker B:I do think one of the funniest parts of this movie, though, is like the whole him trying to sneak out and, like, having to buy the souvenir version.
Speaker B:Like, that whole scene just makes me laugh the whole time.
Speaker B:And he's trying to pay cash and not use a card.
Speaker B:And then the way that Riley freaks the out when he finds out he had to use his card.
Speaker C:We're on the grid.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker C:I'm glad you brought up Riley because I wanted to post check with you guys.
Speaker C:Like, to me, because Nicolas Cage's character is predominantly so, like, aloof and serious.
Speaker C:Like, whoever was like, we need a Riley.
Speaker C:They most.
Speaker C:I would Say almost all the time.
Speaker C:Like, his jokes and his humor that they inserted was, to me, very well timed and absolutely necessary for this movie because otherwise, I think it would have.
Speaker C:It still would have been a good movie, but it would have felt a little, like, overbearing and taxing at times.
Speaker C:I like.
Speaker C:I'm trying.
Speaker C:Like, one of my favorite parts is.
Speaker C:They're in the.
Speaker C:The daylight savings part.
Speaker C:When he's like, wait, I know something you don't.
Speaker C:He takes.
Speaker A:He's like.
Speaker C:He takes his time.
Speaker C:I'm like, oh, man.
Speaker C:Like, I love.
Speaker C:Like, there's.
Speaker C:There's multiple.
Speaker C:There's other things he's.
Speaker C:And I'm sure we'll say most of them.
Speaker C:But, like, I like those months because you needed that.
Speaker C:That breather and be like, oh, yeah.
Speaker C:Like, where it's great when it's just.
Speaker C:I don't think it would have worked for the movie to be overtly serious and you needed someone like him.
Speaker C:And I thought they did a great job with Riley's character.
Speaker B:Agreed.
Speaker A:I love all the humor.
Speaker A:Is really well placed.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:There's just enough of it that it doesn't.
Speaker C:What's another funny thing that he said?
Speaker C:And there's more.
Speaker C:I should.
Speaker C:I just.
Speaker C:I need to come to me.
Speaker A:There's a giant bluish green man with the strange goatee.
Speaker B:He's so good.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I like it.
Speaker B:But I like Justin Bartha too, so I think he does a great job.
Speaker C:We're at the end when he's talking about, like, sitting on half a percent or whatever it is, 1%, trying to drive his Ferrari away, and you're just like, oh, like, screwing that one up.
Speaker A:I like with Justin Bartha, like the Library Congress scene where he's explaining how you can't steal the Declaration to Nicolas Cage.
Speaker A:Like, I find that funny because he's like, I brought you here for a reason.
Speaker C:Listen.
Speaker A:Listen to Riley, right?
Speaker A:This is what it's going on.
Speaker A:This is a story.
Speaker A:We can't do it.
Speaker A:And so that kind of humor.
Speaker A:That's not humor, really.
Speaker A:It's fun for me.
Speaker B:Yeah, I.
Speaker B:Yeah, I think.
Speaker B:I think.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:There's so many things that he does that I will say too, that.
Speaker B:So the flip side to Riley because, like, one of the things I always think of too is when they say, what's her face?
Speaker B:And, like, he's asking her, are you okay?
Speaker B:Are you hungry?
Speaker B:Whatever?
Speaker A:And he's like, I'm fine too, thanks for asking.
Speaker B:Just recover from being shot at.
Speaker B:But I'm fine too.
Speaker B:Thanks for yeah.
Speaker B:And then.
Speaker B:But on the flip side, like, I love Harvey Keitel's character, like, Agent Sadusky.
Speaker B:Like, oh, yeah, that little nugget that pops in every once in a while and has that moment of, like, seriousness, but is just connected enough that he wants him to succeed and wants to help and.
Speaker B:But has to be very careful about how he goes about it once he figures out and he wants to believe.
Speaker B:Like, I like that.
Speaker B:And then you find out at the end that he's a Mason.
Speaker B:And so it's interesting, but to me, like, I like the way that they.
Speaker B:They weave the story, because you have to.
Speaker B:And I remember watching it the first time thinking, oh, is he just crazy?
Speaker B:Like, is this whole thing just gonna turn out to be nut?
Speaker B:Like, he's nuts.
Speaker B:Because, like, there has to be that level of he cannot be correct.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:But then you start rooting for him.
Speaker B:And so, like, the way that they weave the different clues and.
Speaker B:And I love the fact that his dad comes in is like, yeah, and you'll just find another clue, and then you'll just find another clue.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And, like, that, to me, is the epitome of you have to wonder if you're a treasure hunter and you're someone that's like.
Speaker B:Because there are people like this out there for real.
Speaker C:For real.
Speaker C:And like, oh, yeah.
Speaker B:How often do they actually find something?
Speaker B:Or do they just spend their whole life, like, chasing clues or.
Speaker B:Or do they see clues where there are none?
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Like, I don't know that I could live that life as adventurous and as cool as it may seem.
Speaker B:I think I'd be so frustrated at some point that I'd just be like, it, I'm out.
Speaker B:Because, like, man, where's your gratification come from?
Speaker B:Like, because it can't just be finding clues.
Speaker B:And so I'm glad that we get to see that payoff of, like, there is a real treasure.
Speaker B:And he turns it over at the end, and, like, I think that's cool.
Speaker C:Look, stairs.
Speaker B:Yeah, look, stairs.
Speaker B:He's so funny.
Speaker B:Justin.
Speaker B:Martha's delivery is genius.
Speaker C:I was gonna say with John Voight.
Speaker C:Nicholas Cagel's the Moment in Their House set the scene for what?
Speaker C:The ending where JJ is talking about where they didn't find it, but obviously they did.
Speaker C:But there was real emotion there.
Speaker C:You felt like a father and son moment where they were kind of having this kind of come to Jesus moment finally.
Speaker C:And his dad was like, wow, like, my son did all this.
Speaker C:And it seems very tangible, like, maybe we can do this.
Speaker C:And kind of that pep talk and that, like, having watched this movie multiple times, like, you feel it.
Speaker C:You're like, okay, this.
Speaker C:This had real payoff because of that scene that set it up earlier.
Speaker C:And how many movies we've seen where they want you to, like, feel something.
Speaker C:We bought in and just doesn't.
Speaker C:Doesn't work.
Speaker C:But they did a great job.
Speaker C:Like that.
Speaker C:That scene at the end before they actually go into the treasure room, like, you feel it like it's palpable.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I like the payoff, too, where at the end they're arguing.
Speaker B:Like, to your point, like, they're.
Speaker B:And they trick Ian.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Like, they use that.
Speaker B:That understanding of each other and that understanding of the process and that.
Speaker B:And then the fact that they can it up and knowing that Ian's not gonna get.
Speaker B:They can screw up the saying.
Speaker B:And I love that.
Speaker B:That's like, even.
Speaker B:Even Riley sit there going, that doesn't feel right.
Speaker B:But he doesn't say anything.
Speaker B:So they all figured the whole team figures it out at the end.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:But they become cohesive enough, if you will, to realize that while they don't know what he's doing, they know that Ben's up to something.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And so they're, like, going with it.
Speaker B:And then they leave him there, and they're all like, no, don't leave us.
Speaker B:And the only one that's freaking the out is actually Riley.
Speaker B:It's like, how are we gonna get out of here?
Speaker B:Wait, you're okay?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker C:He's like, well, I'm glad you guys are, like, on the same page now, but we're still stuck down here.
Speaker A:Well, they did a really good job of setting that scene up by having the dialogue between Nicolas Cage and John Floyd where it's like, hey, you change the status quo.
Speaker A:Like, you keep the status quo the same, so they do the proper setup to where you get to that point.
Speaker A:Everybody realized what's happening to Matson's point, except for Justin Bartha, but his acting in that scene is what probably seals the deal.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so it's.
Speaker A:It's a.
Speaker A:It's a wonder.
Speaker A:It's a really good sequence movie that they do with that.
Speaker C:Jj, I'm curious, and I mean, Al, can you chime in too?
Speaker C:Like, you.
Speaker C:You talked about discrepancies in this movie or jumps or things the other side of this where they made some poorly timely decisions or things that they set up in the movie.
Speaker C:I'm curious what things always come to.
Speaker B:Mind for you Well, I think for me, like, 1.
Speaker B:1.
Speaker B:The ease in which they pull off stealing the Declaration of Independence.
Speaker B:And I realize they have their hiccups and it's a little weird, but, like, the.
Speaker B:I think what makes me laugh.
Speaker B:And I realize it's for the sake of timing.
Speaker B:And it works because you want to.
Speaker B:You're rooting for it, and you're like this.
Speaker B:All that matters is they're stealing the Declaration of Independence.
Speaker B:And that's wild and crazy and what the hell?
Speaker B:But the fact that they go from the conversation with Riley where he's like, I'm gonna steal it.
Speaker B:And then he starts walking away and he's like, wait, what?
Speaker B:I'm gonna steal the Declaration of Independence.
Speaker B:And he's like, ben, that moment.
Speaker B:And then we jump right to almost them stealing it.
Speaker B:And you're like.
Speaker B:And then they rolled through, like, what you have to do in order to steal it as they're getting the information.
Speaker B:And I'm like, man, you just go through that and it just works out.
Speaker B:And the only hiccup is that you have to buy a freaking cert.
Speaker B:Like, you know, souvenir version of it.
Speaker B:I think, to me, I'm like, I would have liked to seen maybe a little more planning on the front end of that than just, like, getting the knowledge and then going, we're going to do it, right?
Speaker B:Like, I.
Speaker B:That's one of the things.
Speaker B:And then the other piece is like, the old things, like the glasses holding up for 200 years in a brick wall, and all he has to do is.
Speaker B:And he finds it and just scrapes away.
Speaker B:And that's the other piece again.
Speaker B:You got to let go of your.
Speaker B:The suspension of disbelief in this is.
Speaker B:You have to have it.
Speaker B:Because just the fact that he ran also randomly ends up there just in time.
Speaker B:The joke's great.
Speaker B:Best joke in the movie, I think, with the whole daylight savings saving time thing.
Speaker B:But, yeah, the.
Speaker B:The timing is just too perfect that I'm like, it would have been almost.
Speaker B:The joke could have been just as funny as.
Speaker B:As, well, we got to wait till tomorrow.
Speaker C:Or.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Like, I don't know.
Speaker B:But those are just the little things that.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:But that's going to be true no matter what when you're doing this kind of, like, intricate.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:It's the same thing with, like, Indiana Jones, right?
Speaker B:Like, the timing has to be perfect and everything has to fall into place for this to work.
Speaker B:And so therefore, I have to be bought in.
Speaker B:And I think that's where it comes back to that, I give kudos to Turtle Top and.
Speaker B:And the writers and everything else to say.
Speaker B:They knew that we had to have charismatic characters, actors that made you go all in on wanting them to succeed.
Speaker B:And then on the flip side, you have to have a compelling villain that you're a little bit scared of, but you also kind of like.
Speaker B:And then.
Speaker B:But you don't quite know how far he's willing to go, but you know it's far enough to be scared of.
Speaker B:And then you have that perfect middleman in Harvey Keitel's character.
Speaker B:And all of that makes you go, it's okay that none of this is actually believable because I care enough about these characters and what's happening that I want them to succeed.
Speaker B:And so you just let it go.
Speaker B:But when you think about it from a realistic perspective, like, it's all just too perfect.
Speaker C:The glasses in the brick for me actually works because I'm like, they probably would have been preserved.
Speaker C:They would have held it because it's glass, it's metal, it's brick, and brick can last that long.
Speaker C:But the one that kills me is when they're going down into.
Speaker C:From the church into where the actual treasure.
Speaker C:Like, okay, yes, boards are breaking.
Speaker C:There's probably termin.
Speaker C:I'm like, no, no chance.
Speaker C:Like, that rope's probably gone.
Speaker C:You're telling me I'm going all the way down there.
Speaker C:I'm pretty sure we all die and we die like four times.
Speaker C:Like, no, no.
Speaker C:And they jump onto.
Speaker C:That basically looks like a loading crate, the.
Speaker C:The dolly, something.
Speaker C:No, you tell me that that's surviving after all these years.
Speaker C:Like, get out of here.
Speaker C:But that's what it would have looked like.
Speaker C:And then I always have trouble.
Speaker C:And the same thing with Indiana Jones.
Speaker C:These movies were.
Speaker C:They have like these stone pressure plates or you like he puts in the charlotte thing.
Speaker C:You press them like, sorry, come again?
Speaker C:How does that work?
Speaker C:Like, tell me how that.
Speaker C:Like, how did you make that contraption work?
Speaker C:And it still works now.
Speaker C:I'm like, pretty sure.
Speaker C:Probably wouldn't work anyway, but always gets me every time.
Speaker C:Like, same thing with Indiana Jones.
Speaker C:There's so many of them.
Speaker C:Like, no, not a chance.
Speaker C:I just watched Indiana Jones.
Speaker C:I just playing the video game.
Speaker C:And they have the entry scene to the last crusader.
Speaker C:And like he's telling the guy at the beginning, don't.
Speaker C:Don't go into the light or those.
Speaker C:The spikes.
Speaker C:I'm like, they have photo sensitive like stones.
Speaker C:I'm like, how did the hell did that even work?
Speaker C:That doesn't make any sense.
Speaker C:Like, there's no way that that worked.
Speaker C:And having just watched National Treasure to the.
Speaker C:Some of those ones, I was like, it's fine, like, not going to change my rating of the movie.
Speaker C:But it's those little things that happens all the time in movies all the time.
Speaker C:And he's look past them.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker C:But, yeah, you're right with the timing thing.
Speaker C:Every, like, yeah, that scene with the daylight savings, it's really funny.
Speaker C:So I think we all just give it a pass.
Speaker C:But I always tell Tam, like, oh, that's convenient, Hollywood, because otherwise it'd be like, you'd have to put in a little text that says two days later, one week later.
Speaker C:That's why people like the 24 TV show.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker C:I was like, this is.
Speaker C:This is not someone's day.
Speaker C:This is, like, someone's, like, worst month of their life.
Speaker C:And you just condense it to 24 hours.
Speaker C:Like, so help me, people would be dying of heart attacks if this was their day.
Speaker C:Like, no chance.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Well.
Speaker B:And the fact that, like, they stole the Declaration of Independence, like, and I get.
Speaker B:You can't have it last too much longer because they're going to find them.
Speaker C:You have almighty heat on you.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Like, you're.
Speaker B:You're like, they're gonna get your ass.
Speaker B:And they.
Speaker B:You are enemy number one right now.
Speaker B:And I, you know, they hinted that, too, but, like.
Speaker B: hat, but I just think even in: Speaker B:We know they're staying in the area of certain places.
Speaker B:Like, where are you gonna go?
Speaker B:So I get it.
Speaker B:But, yeah, like, again, huge requirement for suspension of disbelief.
Speaker B:But it's fun enough and enjoyable enough that I let it go.
Speaker B:And I don't even care.
Speaker B:Like, I just have a good time.
Speaker C:I could.
Speaker C:I could care less.
Speaker C:In fact, it's to the point where when they get to the.
Speaker C:The wood scene and all that at the end, it just.
Speaker C:It's another thing that just makes me chuckle because I'm like, they're all dead.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Well, doesn't Riley say something about it's been a couple days?
Speaker C:Yeah, he says, like, something about termites or whatever.
Speaker B:It's just.
Speaker B:It's good stuff.
Speaker B:Always the timely joke called Riley.
Speaker C:Yeah, I'd have been like, you're trying to put yourself in real.
Speaker C:Like, if you were an actual treasure person, you found that shaft, you would want to go down immediately.
Speaker C:But you'd be like, okay, let's get some gear and we will return.
Speaker C:Because otherwise we will all die.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what other joke I love that wasn't necessarily a joke, but it was funny.
Speaker B:Is when he drops the girl.
Speaker B:Like, they go back.
Speaker B:I'm so sorry I dropped you, but I had to save the Declaration.
Speaker B:She goes, no, no, it's fine.
Speaker B:I would have done the same thing.
Speaker B:Like, that's.
Speaker B:Yeah, I always find that one pretty funny.
Speaker B:Or like, at the very end, when Riley's bitching about his 1% as he gets in this Ferrari or his Lamborghini or whatever drive it.
Speaker C:Could have had Ted.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:But you got the girl.
Speaker C:At least you got the girl.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I'm so sorry for your pain and suffering.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:That was a dope house, too.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:I want that kind of property.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Plantation home.
Speaker C:Where is that house?
Speaker C:And they go find that now.
Speaker C:Like, dang.
Speaker B:But I bet it's worth more than even the three of us combined could figure out.
Speaker C:Oh, you can count on that.
Speaker B:Love it.
Speaker B:Love, Alec.
Speaker B:Would you go on a treasure hunt?
Speaker A:Like, oh, dude, tomorrow.
Speaker B:Dude, I want to go on a treasure hunt with Alec.
Speaker B:Because I feel like we might die.
Speaker B:But it'd be for.
Speaker B:Oh, no.
Speaker C:100.
Speaker A:Because I am going down the staircase.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because in my mind.
Speaker A:Right again, we all know I'm a little bit broken.
Speaker B:Sure.
Speaker A:I'm like, for everything that's lasted this long, I don't care.
Speaker A:They built this.
Speaker A:It's probably gonna last.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like, I've gone through Crips.
Speaker A:Stuff that should have never lasted as long as it has.
Speaker A:And these are.
Speaker A:These are the Masons.
Speaker A:What do Masons do?
Speaker A:They build.
Speaker C:So we really need to review number two.
Speaker C:Maybe this time next year sometime.
Speaker C:Because that's the real.
Speaker C:Gets into much more than real conspiracy stuff.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Where Alex pride and joy would come to light much more than this one does.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:That's true.
Speaker C:Like, it has like, the little Book of the President or whatever.
Speaker C:With all those secrets.
Speaker C:If that Alec would just.
Speaker C:He.
Speaker C:He'd be having a tick tock every day.
Speaker C:Be like, you want to know this?
Speaker C:You want to know this?
Speaker A:Number three.
Speaker C:And there'd be chaos in the streets.
Speaker B:All of a sudden it'd be like, what happened to Alec?
Speaker B:Shoot.
Speaker B:It's good stuff.
Speaker B:Good stuff.
Speaker B:All right, should we rate it?
Speaker C:Let's do it.
Speaker B:All right, Matson, you're up.
Speaker C:This Movie's a five.
Speaker C:Like, it's a five.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker C:I haven't seen.
Speaker C:I hadn't seen this movie for a few years.
Speaker C:Like, this movie made me laugh.
Speaker C:This movie made me want to go on a treasure hunt.
Speaker C:This movie has already made me want to go re read and watch some stuff on American history that just.
Speaker C:It's just fun.
Speaker C:It has such rewatch ability.
Speaker C:Like, even I know what's gonna happen, but I still like how it's happening.
Speaker C:And it just.
Speaker C:Yeah, I.
Speaker C:I wish the second one.
Speaker C:It's not terrible, but I wish the second one was better.
Speaker C:But I almost want them to reboot and make a third one with all the crazy stuff that's going on now.
Speaker C:Like, man, shoot, they could do so many crazy things.
Speaker C:But I just.
Speaker C:This movie's fun.
Speaker C:It's not like the longest movie out there.
Speaker C:I just.
Speaker C:I get sucked into it and I really enjoy it and has a ton of re.
Speaker C:Watchability and go, America.
Speaker C:So, yeah, it's a five.
Speaker B:Love it.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker A:Alec, man of the people's broken.
Speaker A:This movie is a four for me.
Speaker A:I really enjoyed the conspiracy aspect of it, but if we're talking about.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker A:I feel like there's a lot of cheap tricks that they throw in there to get it through.
Speaker A:Not a full action, it's not a full comedy.
Speaker A:It's, you know, they.
Speaker A:They kind of.
Speaker A:It's a product of its era, right?
Speaker A: That early: Speaker A:Hey, we stumbled upon a formula that works, and we're gonna keep making every single movie like that.
Speaker A:Now, it does have its gems, right?
Speaker A:Like, my favorite quote is actually when Nicholas Cage and Riley are looking at the Declaration right before he's like, I'm gonna steal it.
Speaker A:And he talks about, you know, if there's something wrong, the people who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action.
Speaker A:And like, that, to me, should be plastered up everywhere.
Speaker A:That's a brilliant quote.
Speaker A:And so it's.
Speaker A:But it gets passed over by almost the sentence before and the sentence after where they come back in.
Speaker A:So I'm giving it a four.
Speaker A:I will watch it again.
Speaker A:But it's not something that I'm like, super excited.
Speaker A:Like, oh, I gotta watch this now.
Speaker B:Fair enough.
Speaker B:I'm gonna meet you in the middle.
Speaker B:I'm gonna give it a four and a half.
Speaker B:I think watching it again rekindled it.
Speaker B:It had been a long time since I watched it, but there was a time early on when it came out that I watched it quite a few times when it was like, hitting, you know, Streaming stuff like that.
Speaker B:Just because I think it's a fun movie.
Speaker B:It's interesting.
Speaker B:I like the idea of history riddled in there and learning a little bit and making jokes and the, the dry humor and then the over the top humor, but then all wrapped in this very serious action adventure, thriller, sometime movie that loves to piece together some crazy conspiracy theories about American history.
Speaker B:And you know, you have a, A group of the founding fathers who are obviously extremely intelligent men and there had to have been some crazy they got up to.
Speaker B:And so it's believable, you know what I mean, that there could be some Templar treasure lying around somewhere that was hidden that nobody's been able to find.
Speaker B:Or, you know, there's certain secrets that we just don't know about that have been secret since the time of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin and all this stuff.
Speaker B:So I, it's, it's enough believability to make me excited and to learn and it's a good way to learn and yet have a good time and not.
Speaker B:But it.
Speaker B:And not take itself too seriously, but have enough seriousness.
Speaker B:So I, I really like it.
Speaker B:I think the acting is good enough.
Speaker B:I think the only one that bothers me is Abigail.
Speaker B:Sometimes, like, sometimes the character just annoys me.
Speaker B:Sometimes she's really funny, but it's usually when someone's poking at her, right like the moment when the dad's like, is she pregnant?
Speaker B:He's like, would you leave your.
Speaker B:The mother of your grandchild out in the cold?
Speaker B:I look pregnant.
Speaker B:Or like the joke where she won't stop asking questions.
Speaker B:And he's like, here, if I let you hold this, will you please shut up like that.
Speaker B:It just, there's parts, but it's never heard that I find entertaining.
Speaker B:It's what happens around her.
Speaker B:So there's just little things that get on my nerves about the movie, but there's never enough for me to think it's a bad movie.
Speaker B:So four and a half for me.
Speaker B:I'll definitely watch it again.
Speaker B:Question before we finish this.
Speaker B:Have either of you watched the TV show on Disney plus?
Speaker B:No, I haven't either.
Speaker B:But now I think I don't watch.
Speaker A:Disney plus TV shows.
Speaker B:That's fair.
Speaker C:I might have to.
Speaker B:Well, I was gonna say I wasn't.
Speaker B:I never had any intention to, but then watching this movie again was like, now I think I gotta watch it just to see how good it is.
Speaker B:I'm sure it's terrible, but I may give it a try.
Speaker C:So give it a spin.
Speaker B:Yep, there it is.
Speaker B:First movie of Our July patriotic films is a good way to start.
Speaker B:Alec, tell everybody where they can find us.
Speaker A:Happy to like JJ said week one July in the books and unfortunately week one of July.
Speaker A:Matson's got one point.
Speaker A:Patreon is a place to get involved with the podcast closely.
Speaker A:We have votes that go up every month for movies topics and the voting is absolutely free.
Speaker A:So hop on there, join up.
Speaker A:You guys can vote and be a part of the the podcast content creating process.
Speaker A:You know, special shout out to our patrons, Chris or not Chris Rich and CB combined.
Speaker A:You two guys together there.
Speaker A:I'm sorry about that.
Speaker A:Hope you can forgive me.
Speaker A:But those two guys are the ones who are, you know, they're our favorites.
Speaker A:100 there behind the the content creation for the last year and a bit for a little bit there.
Speaker A:So appreciate you guys.
Speaker A:Other than that, find us on YouTube.
Speaker A:Our facial expressions when each other is talking, which is sheer disgust is the the real gem in this podcast.
Speaker A:With that I will kick it back to the wazir of wap, the Mauling Monarch.
Speaker A:It's been a while so I use that one.
Speaker A:Jj.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:Thanks Alec.
Speaker B:Yeah, go check us out on Patreon.
Speaker B:It's a good time over there.
Speaker B:And with that as always, we appreciate you tuning in.
Speaker B:We'll catch you on the next baby cinematic.
