319 – Bend It Like Beckham (Patreon Selects)

We have another episode from one of our beloved sponsor tier patrons from Patreon, this time returning us to our beloved movie year 2003! After becoming a 2002 British megahit, Bend It Like Beckham launched in the US at Sundance before becoming an early 2003 summer crowdpleaser. Directed by Gurinder Chadha, the film follows Jess (Parminder Nagra) as she secretly joins a soccer team against the wishes of her traditional Indian family. With nominations from the WGA and the Golden Globes, Bend It Like Beckham ultimately did not manage an Oscar nomination for its upbeat look at teenage womanhood.

This episode, we talk about Fox Searchlight’s 2003 lineup and 28 Days Later as a fellow UK crossover hit. We also discuss the film’s shoehorned romantic subplot, Parminder Agra’s run of prominent television roles, and costar Keira Knightley’s trio of breakthrough 2003 roles.

Topics also include international nominee Lagaan, the film’s soundtrack, and sports movies.

181 – Leatherheads

This week, we are once again returning to the diminishing returns of George Clooney’s directorial career with 2008′s Leatherheads. The directing follow-up to his Oscar-nominated Good Night and Good Luck, this lighthearted film about the early days of American pro football stars Clooney as a player opposite Renée Zellweger as a journalist trying to break the story of a college football star (John Krasinski) who falsified the war hero story that made him famous. The film was received positively by critics and mildly by audiences, but was quickly forgotten as a hodgepodge of screwball comedy, sports crowdpleaser, and post-war drama.

In this episode, we look back at Clooney’s directorial attempt to follow in the footsteps of his collaborators and the 2005 Oscars where George Clooney earned three Oscar nominations, including winning in Best Supporting Actor for the forgotten Syriana. We also discuss Zellweger’s post-Oscar career fade, a what-if scenario for Clooney not winning for Syriana, and just how unsafe early football seems.

Topics also include the Zellweger movie we call “SOS backwards”, being blocked by LightsCameraJackson, and another round of Alter Egos.

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