Napoleon (2023) - Trailer - Just Watched

Let's Talk - Movies
Episode 51: Napoleon (2023) - Trailer - Just Watched

Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez discuss the trailer for Napoleon, the new Ridley Scott movie starring Joaquin Phoenix, and much more.

Synopsis: An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine.

Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: David Scarpa
Cinematographer: Dariusz Wolski
Composer: Martin Phipps
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Rupert Everett, Mark Bonnar, Paul Rhys

Recorded: 11-16-23
Studio: Just Curious Media
https://www.JustCuriousMedia.com/

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Transcript

Jason Connell: 0:01

Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk movies. And I'm Jason Connell, on the show. Today I'm joined by special guest, Sal Rodriguez.

Sal Rodriguez: 0:15

Thank you, Jason. I'm happy to be here.

Jason Connell: 0:17

So always a pleasure to have you on Let's Talk movies. love having you as a special guest. And tonight I'm really excited because this is a new movie. That's not out yet. But the trailer knocked my socks off. Napoleon 2023

Sal Rodriguez: 0:35

Yeah, and this is definitely one of those movies JSON that you do not want to see on your phone. I would not advise you see a movie like this on your phone. This is an epic motion picture.

Jason Connell: 0:45

And to be clear, it's not Napoleon. 2023 like Blade Runner? 2049? No. Blade Runner? No, it's Napoleon coming out this year and 2023. And no, you're right. Sal, we do not want to screen this on our phone. unless we've already seen the movie. And we're revisiting the movie. But all we have seen thus far is a trailer. And so I'm telling you. I didn't see the trailer on the big screen. I saw it on TV was like oh my goodness. Who's in this movie? Well, it's got two big hitters. Big time director, big time actor. That's all you need. And it looks the part.

Sal Rodriguez: 1:24

Yeah, you know what? I gotta be honest, I never had much interest in Napoleon. Besides a Napoleon Dynamite. Yeah, prior to this, prior to this only cared about Napoleon Dynamite. Now watching this trend ago. Maybe Napoleon Bonaparte was an interesting figure in history.

Jason Connell: 1:43

Yeah. But apart or been a parte parte born to partay. So here's the poster for Napoleon. And I'm telling you, although Napoleon was much younger, I think he was in his mid 20s. And I know that Joaquin is no longer his mid 20s. But look at him. Like you said to me when I mentioned this yesterday that we're probably going to come on and do an episode of this new movie. You said? Do you remember what you said? Oh,

Sal Rodriguez: 2:11

I said Joaquin Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix. Yeah, I feel like Joaquin Phoenix, based on a lot of the roles that he's done recently, is the new John Malkovich.

Jason Connell: 2:21

And that was a really interesting connection. Yeah, I'm although he's a real leading man. And it almost put him in the Daniel Day Lewis category, although not really because no one's in his category. But I just mean, he carries movies. He's been around since he was a kid actor. And it blows me away of his pedigree. It really does. And, of course, who his brother was. And so I really wanted to play the trailer talk about this movie, and also Ridley Scott, the director and the legacy he has for us, given us all these great movies. And Joaquin has blessed us with so many movies and so many amazing roles. And so I just thought, My gosh, these guys are teaming up again, they teamed up many years ago and another classic movie that we'll talk about that one best picture. And so this hasn't even come out yet. It comes out November 22 2023. And we just did another episode for another show called Let's Talk Jaws check it out. And in that episode, we talked about a great theater that you and I both love the VISTA theater that we had our festival at for many years, Quentin Tarantino bought the theater during the COVID shutdown pandemic. And it's set to reopen soon if it hasn't already. And it's going to get this movie on opening day. And Sal they're playing it in what format?

Sal Rodriguez: 3:45

I was very pleasantly surprised to hear they're playing the movie in 70 millimeter that seven zero millimeter 70, which is double, most movies are 35 millimeter. Well, actually to be to be honest, Jason Right. Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not a film geek. But a lot of movies aren't even 35 millimeter because that implies film specific. Right? So the fact that this is 70 millimeters means it's film but double film.

Jason Connell: 4:12

Yeah. And Tarantino is really big in the film. He owned the new Beverly theater I used to live by that he would program it himself, his own style. Everything was on 35 As far as I ever heard or learned. He's really big on that kind of archiving old movies and playing it on 35. So if you have the opportunity to get 70 He did. He's quitting Tarantino, he tells the studio that's what we're getting. They actually shot it in 70. So why not? It's going to be a spectacle. You should go by there so I no longer live in Los Angeles. You should go by and see this thing and 70 millimeter.

Sal Rodriguez: 4:47

I think that would be fantastic. JASON Oh I need to do is pay for it. Just curious media expense account. And I've actually been

Jason Connell: 4:55

over there. We'll do an on location with Sal Rodriguez.

Sal Rodriguez: 4:59

I'm ready. You cover the bus. Bear Jason I have their cat.

Jason Connell: 5:03

How much is it a bus pass. So the genre is action adventure biography. I'm surprised drama wasn't in there. Of course this is genres from IMDB. But it looks the part. Here's the synopsis, an epic that details the checkered rise and fall, a French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine. Yep. So this is I love a rise and fall style. I love love, love a rise and fall story as I think we all do.

Sal Rodriguez: 5:39

Well, I also am sort of somewhat fascinated by how people's lives become altered by a partner or a lover. Whether helping them to achieve success or possibly aiding in their very own down or both your horse both, but to have somebody next to you is not insignificant in one's lifespan. Yeah,

Jason Connell: 6:03

it's true. I don't know a lot about the relationship. I know a lot about Napoleon. But it's been a while since I've studied Napoleon has now been fascinated, like I saw it come on screen. It's like Napoleon. And then you see just the spectacle that it is. Because it's seven, eight, whatever, they shot it and it just looks amazing. Just on TV. As an ad, I thought, Whoa, and then I see Joaquin and the style, and I was like, Okay, I'm totally seeing this right away. Yeah, very exciting. Well, before we show the trailer, here's a little bit about the director, Ridley Scott. Okay, I've just put some hits on here. You could add more, but here we go. And we can talk about them as we go. Because I all we're really going to cover is the director and the lead actor. Jason as

Sal Rodriguez: 6:51

we talked about. Listen to these. Are you kidding me? This is a whole nother episode. I mean, Ridley Scott, would you say? Top 10? For sure. Top 10 of Hollywood directors. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I mean, we yeah, we couldn't do him justice by even just, you know, gabbing about a few of these movies here.

Jason Connell: 7:10

Okay, so let's just cruise through them. And maybe the best one was the first one that I have on my list. Maybe it might be like, alien. Mic drop. I'm out.

Sal Rodriguez: 7:22

Its spine. It spawned a lot inserted.

Jason Connell: 7:27

Blade Runner. The Apple Mac add in 1984, which was epic. Thelma and Louise, which he was Oscar nominated for. Gi Jane. Gladiator. Oscar nominated. The movie did go on to win Best Picture. He didn't win an Oscar because it's only for the producers. And I guess he wasn't a producer for whatever reason. Hannibal Black Hawk Down. He was Oscar nominated. Matchstick Men, American Gangster Prometheus. The Martian. Oscar nominated again. Alien Covenant, the last duel house of Gucci. And many more this guy never stopped working. He's a filmmaker like you said top 10 or less. He's just so well known renowned his brother rest in peace. Tony Scott also made so many great movies in his own right Top Gun among them. He also did True Romance, which is funny because when we did this episode of Let's Talk drawers. Tarantino is opening reopening the VISTA with a screening of true romance in which he wrote, Tony Scott directs. And there's a scene in the movie filmed at the VISTA back in the day. So it all comes full circle. He's in the elite company. Ridley Scott is in that and look at these movies. But again, I don't think he ever topped alien Sal. I don't know if you can

Sal Rodriguez: 9:03

know because you opened up such a humongous universe that spawned so much. I mean, in our list, we have Prometheus there we are again. Yep. In our list. We have Prometheus there will be no Prometheus word not for alien. There'll be no alien versus predator. We're not for alien, so a probably

Jason Connell: 9:19

wouldn't have an alien covenant. If there wasn't, there will be no Alien

Sal Rodriguez: 9:22

Covenant. There'll be no wonderful neka alien action figures. Were it not for the original Alien? James

Jason Connell: 9:30

Cameron probably wouldn't have done aliens, which was a sequel to alien. Yeah,

Sal Rodriguez: 9:34

that's a good one. And I completely forgot that James Cameron did alien aliens.

Jason Connell: 9:38

I forgot. Yeah, aliens. So amazing. It was written by this movie that is Napoleon, not alien, David Scarpa. And he did the last castle and The Day the Earth Stood Still. And so credit to him, or at least got finds this makes it a movie, but to make Napoleon sell, you have to find a Napoleon Malkovich was No, I don't know. But they landed Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte and he look at the poster. So describe what we see here.

Sal Rodriguez: 10:13

Yeah, definitely. Next Level actor, I would say by this point you would call Joaquin Phoenix, an actor's actor, right? Something that other actors look up to. There is a wonderful headshot of Joaquin Phoenix portraying Napoleon Bonaparte. He's got the, the famous hat on and you can't even tell his height because you know, we have the famous expression, Napoleon Complex, but you can't tell how high he is. Because this is only his face and his hat. And there is some verbiage covering his heavy read the top of this. Yeah, I'm not able to make that out.

Jason Connell: 10:45

Here's what it says. He came from nothing. He conquered everything. That's pretty good. Yeah, Napoleon.

Sal Rodriguez: 10:54

Yeah. Also neat that he came from nothing. I don't I don't know the history. I don't know the story fully and blown apart what his upbringing and roots were, I have no idea. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 11:04

Now I don't want to put down or diminish the incredible Napoleon in a performance from Bill and Ted's Excellent venture. That guy did a great job as Napoleon in his own right. He was so excited by the water slides. And he really was fascinated by the water slides and ice cream. But really funny check that movie out. But back to this, Joaquin Phoenix, here is his pedigree. Okay. And I guess picked out some he did more space camp, classic. And he was still being called and went by the name Leaf Phoenix at that point in time, not walking. And he made that up because he wanted to fit in with his brother and sister. His brother being the late and great River Phoenix, and his sister was named Summer Phoenix. So he wanted to kind of be in that earthy. He wanted to kind of fit with his brothers and sisters. So he went by Lee Phoenix first base camp and Russkies. And then he re embraced his name Joaquin and did Parenthood to die for inventing the Abbott's U turn, Return to Paradise clay pigeons, eight millimeter. And Napoleon is not playing an eight millimeter. I just want to be clear right now. No, that would just be too you could watch that on your phone. The Yards Gladiator, Oscar nominated as well. So there's him and Ripley connecting on the gladiator movie there.

Sal Rodriguez: 12:32

Yeah. And that's when i i personally discovered Joaquin Phoenix. After seeing Gladiator. The whole movie I was asked when he discovered him. Yeah, I really didn't know much about him. I mean, I knew of him because of River Phoenix, and I knew of River Phoenix because of Stand By Me and all that. But when I saw Gladiator, yeah, Russell Crowe was great. Yes, everything about the movie is great. But I was fixated on on this guy, Joakim he's a he's playing like a prince. Who's that guy? That guy is good. I was really enraptured by his performance. He does such a fantastic job. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 13:04

He was awesome. quills Buffalo Soldiers signs the village to show Milan movies. M Night Shyamalan hotel, Rwanda. Ladder. 49. Walk the Line. Oh, yeah. Oscar nominated. Night, Johnny Cash Reservation Road. I'm still here at the bizarre movie. The master Oscar nominated her a movie way ahead of its time with AI. Inherent Vice, a rational man and Joker. Oscar winner.

Sal Rodriguez: 13:40

Jason, you know, we're gonna we're gonna see him nominated again for this.

Jason Connell: 13:45

I haven't even seen it. We've only seen a trailer. And we're already doling out nominations. Have you ever

Sal Rodriguez: 13:51

only seen the trailer and mark our words? I'm sure we're not the only one saying this. He was he's gonna be nominated. I mean, if you pay attention to the Oscars, and possibly the Golden Globes as well, you will notice that biopics when an actor portrays someone historic, often nominated, and especially they do a kick butt job. So let's see how this pans out. But

Jason Connell: 14:13

a guy that's he's not a guy that's revered, like we studied Napoleon, but we know he's flawed. Right? We know he's flawed. And he alienates people in these small and he he's probably not a guy to root on, but you want to learn about so it's a character that he'll embrace locking that is, and then I think you're right, though voters, if it's done is we think it could be and Sal's already said it is that he's going to be in some. Yeah, he'll be in some of these conversations about chasing their fingers and whatnot.

Sal Rodriguez: 14:45

There's something I firmly believe in that is that you can learn from everyone you can see someone who maybe you don't like maybe you don't like Napoleon fine. You can look at someone like him though and learn embrace some qualities. He's got some character he He's got something in his personality and character that maybe you admire even though you don't like the person so I believe that all these great people in history have something that you can learn from that's true

Jason Connell: 15:12

so let's play the trailer without further ado Let's cue this bad boy up take a look this is not 70 millimeter I only can do so much with this iPad Pro but we're pushing it to the limits here we go

Media: 15:38

Dagestan in the chaos in the streets must make an example or France will fall what would you do with this assignment of defense was transferred to you promise your successes everyone everyone is costing you a lot this is my uniform I let the French victory to what is your name pulling the course of my life just changed Napoleon I'm destined for greatness but those in power only see me as a sword I suggest you take the throne is holding on sorry vote this learning has held the world hostage with his egotism and his lack of simple good manners great time without me of your opinion, Nobody forces against me. It's the outcome of this you don't succeed. We are discovered I'm the first to admit when I make a mistake simply never do.

Sal Rodriguez: 17:56

Very cool. And I don't hear a French accent. Am I wrong? He's not trying to do Phoenix. Yeah. I mean, usually you're going to have well, okay, it's a whole point. As far as an actor, you're making a movie. And you're in another country, you know, out of the US. And okay, are we going to have the accents? And they're usually going to have the accents. But here we don't

Jason Connell: 18:19

know I'm not moving movie Valkyrie with Tom Cruise was hilarious. It was like a German movie. But we're all gonna speak English because that's our native tongue. Hilarious. But anyway. Yeah, so this looks incredible. I gotta say, I don't know enough about the man. I want to see it. He's got that cockiness, although she's pulling the strings. Yeah, he's making up for something you could call it Napoleon Complex, but I really want to see it, I want to see how masterfully he was because he does get a lot of credit for being a leader and being very cunning and, and smart and out thinking, you know, his opponents so that I want to see there's obviously another side to this, which we're going to also see I also liked they had music like this back in the day, I had no idea that we had upbeat, you know, modern music, and I love the one line there, which is the callback to Star Wars. General Akbar. Did you hear that?

Sal Rodriguez: 19:08

It's a trap.

Jason Connell: 19:09

It's a trap. Yeah, it's

Sal Rodriguez: 19:12

also a great Facebook gift.

Jason Connell: 19:15

Oh, there you go. That's right.

Sal Rodriguez: 19:19

And, you know what I I want to put my hand right doesn't Napoleon Bonaparte put his hand to his breast? There we go. Alex. Good. I looked like

Jason Connell: 19:29

I like what she said there. He looked like him. What are you wearing? It's my uniform. Like, you know, he's he's a little nervous that and then she says to his name. My life is forever changed. And my course of my life is forever changed meeting him. So I'm sure you're used to that.

Sal Rodriguez: 19:43

Yeah, women say that to me. To me all the time. Yeah. All the time.

Jason Connell: 19:48

Well, this looks great. I'm super excited. We only have to wait like a week comes out the 22nd Just in time, you know, go see this Thanksgiving sale you're gonna see at the VISTA theater, of course. I'll catch it here. New in New England and we'll talk and we'll come back probably and, you know, discuss the movie in its entirety. And you

Sal Rodriguez: 20:08

know what I'm gonna do Jason, either I'm gonna wait to see the movie or on the way back. I will enjoy some french fries. I will in honor of the motion picture, I will in fact, really I should go see it at a movie theater. French fries are some Perrier, some french fries some eschar ago. Yeah, yeah, no, this this movie is excited. And I'm reminded of when I saw the trailer for the recent Godzilla movies. You know, when I see a Godzilla movie, I'm like, You got to see that on the big screen. And you don't want to see that on your phone. This is one of the hardest for sure at all. But no, no, watch this movie. On the big screen. 70 millimeter on a big screen with great sounds and a beautiful theater. I think it's going to make it a wonderful experience. I got to see this one I do.

Jason Connell: 20:50

Me too, so readily walking. I'm counting on you. It looks good, but I will be seeing it soon. So without further ado, please enjoy Napoleon. So thank you so much for listening. And please be sure to subscribe to the let's talk movies podcast, and the let's talk movies YouTube channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast

Sal Rodriguez: 21:16

and for all your listeners and enjoy sharing your thoughts. You can leave us a review on Apple podcasts send us a direct message or post a comment on any let's talk movies social media platform.

Jason Connell: 21:26

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