Scooby-Doo & The Witches Ghost

Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost

F1, Cities of smoke and starlight, Trouble with peace, Pax, Thickety 

00:00 - F1

15:10 - Cities of smoke and starlight

27:12 - Trouble with peace

41:26 - PAX

49:11 - Thickety

56:46 - Scooby-Doo

Transcript

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 0:00

Hey guys, we're on screen, off screen. Uh, this is Josh Conlin and me. Lauren. We like to, uh, tell you about what we've been watching during the week, telling you how it affects our viewing experiences by our life experiences and how it affects our lives. Um. don't have our notes for what the topics are, so I'll just pick you guys at random calling you. Start your topic.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 0:30

Okay, I'll start with F1 That came out just a couple days ago and uh, this movie is ridiculously fun. Like, super fun. Now I'm not an F1 fan, so when Josh does eventually watch this, I'm really interested in what he'll think.'cause the entire time I was watching the movie, I felt like this is a movie ass movie. Like, that's how I felt about it. Everything felt very movie ish. And that's not bad. It's really, really enjoyable. but I feel like if I knew Formula One, that they were breaking a lot of the rules of Formula One, but I don't know that for sure. I just have a feeling that they are, that does. So me being somebody who doesn't know Formula One, I just had a blast with this movie. the cinematography is fantastic. The, music is really good. You feel like there's part, there's this part at the very end. Where everything goes quiet and you're just inside of the cockpit, the, it's not called a cockpit. What's it called? Josh?

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 1:35

Cockpit.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 1:36

Cockpit? You're in the cockpit of the car and you're just driving and it, it's magical. it's so good. And Brad Pitt is 60 years old and the guy is just not. he, he, he hasn't dropped it. He's just on it. He's such a good actor. He does such a good job in this and it's another root for it kind of story. The director of this did Top Gun Maverick, which Josh also didn't like as much as me. Top Gun Maverick is one of the best experiences I've ever had in a movie theater. I had such a good time with it and I had such a good time with this, and you can still, you can feel the same flavor directing coming from this movie as you can with that one. Um, the idea of the old veteran who comes in and the rookie who thinks he knows it all, but then decides to learn a lesson is super played out. But when you have an excellent actor like Brad Pitt as the old person, and you have, what is his name? Let me look really quick. This kid did a really good job too. You have Damon Iris. As the

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 2:49

Address.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 2:50

Idris, as the younger kid, they, they do a good job, like each one brings, does their part really well, and it makes you buy into the story. You wanna see Deus Damon do a good turn. You wanna see him change and you buy his change throughout the movie. Like, I think it's, it's. Done slow enough you actually, actually connect with it. You have Damon's character. His mom is really prominent in his life and kind of acts like a, a manager for him and just wants to keep him safe. And there's a part where he flips end over end in his giant burning wreck. And the mom blames Brad Pitt for all of his, his. behaviors, and he says, you're gonna kill my son. You need to stop. And Damon didn't listen to Brad Pitt, and that's why he ended up in the crash. And you see him reflecting on this thought of, if I would've just listened to Brad Pitt, he's not going against me. He's not trying to take me down. I would've listened. I, I probably would've taken first place in that race, but I didn't take the time to listen. I just wanted to hate on him. I just wanted to fight him. And that slowly starts to change the character. It's. Really convincing. The track racing is phenomenal. It's not quite as good as Ford, uh, Ferrari, but it's, there's times where it's pretty close. It's, made me want to get into Formula One, Josh. I don't know how real this is, but it made me want to look into racing more because of how much I enjoyed this movie. Um, the side characters all do a really good job. The love interest with Brad Pitt and the main engineer designer for the for, for the Formula One cars is really good. Like, it's really convincing and I feel like sometimes when they get older actors, it becomes kind of like forced and cringey, maybe it's just a me thing, but in this, it didn't feel that way. It felt like a good relationship that was well written. Uh, the, the story is compelling. It's, it's very much a movie, movie. Like there's drama. When they need to have drama. There's the inspiring music when they need to have the inspiring music, but I don't even freaking care. I just had a great time. And if you're somebody that likes going to the movie theater and you're not like Josh, who's an angry old man, then you should absolutely see this.'cause you'll just have a good time. It is worth going to the theater for.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 5:28

Well, uh, to speak to its accuracy. Um, it's pretty freaking accurate. Uh, everything they shot was on an actual track.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 5:38

That's

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 5:38

the only difference is. Yeah, the only difference is is that Brad Pitt and the other actor were in Formula Two cars, so they weren't actually quite as fast as the actual Formula One cars, but when they showed other Formula One cars, they often did an edit where they would take actual footage from an actual race and then. Put Brad Pitt's cockpit on top of the Mercedes car or the Ferrari car or whatever. So they were actual races with actual other drivers. Um, if you were watching Formula One, um, between 2023 and the 2024 season, um, you would've seen Brad Pitt and the other actor on the start line with the other drivers standing for the national anthem. And like that was an actual scene.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 6:27

That

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 6:28

From a real event and that kind of stuff. Um, so accuracy and action, completely accurate, uh, for, well, not completely, pretty accurate, would give you that kind of a thing. Um, I have heard about the relationship between Brad Pitt and the mechanic and the criticism of it. Again, I haven't seen it so I can't really speak to it was they had a strong, independent girl boss who felt real and not woke, and it was ruined by her sleeping with Brad Pitt, because that's just a cliche. I feel like I'm gonna be on that line of thinking.'cause that is something that would never, ever, ever, ever happen in Formula One ever. Um. I am a client. Like comparing it to Top Gun Maverick is a completely accurate description. I can tell you that without having seen it. Um, it's going to be exciting and fun to watch, but if you think about it critically, there's gonna be a lot of holes. So. That, that's gonna be the push and pull. Now, the positive is most people aren't Formula One fans in America, so they're not gonna be bothered by it at all. Um, and most people aren't as into aerodynamics and space and planes as I am. So they're not as bothered by those plot issues with Topal Maverick. But if you go into it expecting a good time, I suspect you're just gonna watch some cool action feel, good sports, movie stuff, paper, thin plot that is just good enough to get you through it. And that's, that's what I expect for when I watch it.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 8:30

I mean, yeah, basically the plot is you have a failing team that needs to win one race, and are they going to win one race? And is the, the fights between the main characters going to cause them to not win the race. Like it's, it's that simple. But I don't even care. It's awesome. And Brad Pitt deserves to be famous as he is.'cause he is. He's just good. people, people talk about, Tom Cruise is kinda the last movie star. I think Brad Pitt has the star quality still. He's

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 9:12

I don't think so.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 9:13

he's not Tom Cruise. He's not Tom Cruise. I do think he has a star quality still like the guy nails it. He's, he's really good in this movie he feels like an old school movie Star.

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 9:28

Uh,

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 9:28

if you've been watching movies more lately, you should go see this.

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 9:31

I think, um, I've seen some F1 races and I think you should watch them. Uh, I think the drivers are hilarious'cause you get to hear the. Like their chatter on the radio and, um, sometimes they're, they, they get frustrated, but there's sometimes that it's kind of funny what they say on the radios.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 9:53

I,

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 9:55

but yeah, give it a try.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 9:57

for Josh. Um, there's a part of the movie where. I think there's a little bit of confusion because Brad Pitt talks to the Pitt chief, whatever that person is called, person calling the plays.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 10:11

Engineer.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 10:12

then the Damon character, uh, talks to him, but they can't talk to each other. Can

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 10:19

True.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 10:19

each other

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 10:20

Nope.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 10:21

okay. Okay.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 10:22

They can only speak to their engineer and the race or, and the team principal, and everything goes through them. So, for example, if the FIA, the referees of the race are giving Brad Pitt a penalty for something, they will tell the team and then the team will have the engineer tell the driver at a convenient time.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 10:50

Okay. And is team that they represent, do you know, are, are they real at all?

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 10:57

Apex? No, they're not real. They're totally made up. Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 11:00

That, that's what I thought, but I wasn't sure.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 11:02

they teamed up with Mercedes and they took a Mercedes Formula Two car and put the body work from a Formula One car on top of it. So it's not as powerful or as fast or as aerodynamic of an actual formula on car, but it's the closest you can possibly get to do it. Brad Pitt and the other actor went through months of training just to get into the Formula Two car and. Last week with the release of the movie, they allowed Brad Pitt to take the last year's McLaren out on track. And after Brad Pitt kind of got his footing down, he was within six tenths of the actual Formula one drivers in that car.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 11:48

That's amazing. That's really cool.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 11:51

Yeah, so, so like they went through actual training. They actually did an exceptional job like. I would like. The only thing that is more impressive than that is Tom Cruise doing it without the training, which Tom Cruise did back in like 2008 or something like that is the only thing more impressive to me when it comes to Formula One and movies and stuff is'cause he actually did that and well, he is Tom Frank Cruz, and now Brad Pitt's taught is Brad Pitt. Um. So

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 12:29

That's pretty amazing. That's cool. This is, it's, it's very enjoyable, Josh, if like. I could recommend going to a movie and actually going to a theater. This is a good one. This is a good one.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 12:43

I'm not gonna go to a theater for it. Uh, going to a theater for Top Gun Maverick was not worth it. Going to a movie theater for this is also not going to be worth it.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 12:52

Ah,

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 12:53

We were just talking about Eddie, the Eagle and Cool Runnings and like they're very similar shows. If they work for you, they're going to work for you.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 13:03

yeah.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 13:03

I think this is gonna be the same thing. It's gonna be, they're pretty much the same. I just prefer this one over the other one very slightly. That's my expectations.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 13:14

Fair enough. Fair enough. Lauren, you gonna go see it?

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 13:18

Probably not. when it comes on to screen.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 13:22

No, it's so good.

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 13:25

I didn't even watch Top Maverick and it had Louis Coleman in it, so

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 13:28

You haven't seen, have you seen it yet? You've seen it now, right?

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 13:31

Uhuh,

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 13:32

Oh my glory. We need to make that topic. Just so you watch that movie. Josh doesn't like it as much as I do. I freaking love that movie.

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 13:39

I'll make an

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 13:40

It is really good.

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 13:41

since it has Louis in it.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 13:44

Top Gun Maverick is so good. that, uh, my rating of this movie, I would, I'd probably give an eight, not an eight. It's really

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 13:54

And what would you give Tom Gun Maverick?

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 13:57

Oh, freak. 8.7, something like that. I, I love Top Gun Maverick.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:04

Within a point, just like I said.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 14:07

Eight. Oh, I mean, and a nine are very different ratings.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:12

But you didn't give it a nine, you gave it an 8.7. That is less than one point.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 14:17

I know I struggle. I struggle with nines and aboves. I do because I'm like, would I put top Good Maverick in my top tens? No. Would I put it in my top 20 movies? Possibly. I

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:28

think you.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 14:29

I don't think I would either, but I think there's a possibility

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:33

I mean, Lord of the Rings is gonna take up three spots.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 14:37

That's

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:37

Star Wars is gonna take up at least four spots,

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 14:43

Series of counting, Matt.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 14:46

think we taped three spots. I think we taped three spots actually.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:50

empire Return Revenge

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 14:55

revenge.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:56

and Rogue One.

konlin-gappmayer_5_07-02-2025_193113: 14:57

Rogue one doesn't get

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 14:58

I broke one so good. It should be.

lauren_5_07-02-2025_193114: 15:03

All right, well onto Josh's topics, one of them.

josh-dietrich_5_07-02-2025_153116: 15:08

Yeah. Okay. Uh, so I'm gonna talk about cities of smoke and Starlight. Uh, this is by Ali Earnest. Um, it is her. Second or third book, um, it's narrated by somebody named Magnus Carlson, which I find very funny because it's not the famous Magnus Carlson. But yes, their names are s spelled the exact same. Um, the narrator of this book sounds very similar to the narrator for the Clone Wars TV show. Uh. Not the exact same. It's enough that you're like, are they related, but not like they're the same person? Uh, but I, I did notice that, um, this book was brought to my attention in book talk. Um, the creator was saying, it's like Jim Hawkins from Treasure Planet in Atlantis with Soft Romance. That's how it was sold to me. And I was like, I love a good romance. I think Treasure Planet is one of the most underrated movies of all time, and Atlanta's is a close second, like this is my kind of movie. Um, it's even described in good reads as quote Cities of Smoke. And Starlight is a science fantasy novel perfect for fans of Dune Pride and prejudice. And the, and anyone who believed Rogue One needed a romantic subplot. I think that's complete BS'cause. Rogue one is great and you don't need to add romance to that. Um, we follow two main characters, case he's described as Jim Hawkins meets Anakin. He's a pilot of an alien hover technology and thought to be the best pilot in the city, um, but was barely hanging on after taking the blame for nearly killing a fellow pilot.