Qt3 Movie Podcast: The Survivalist

How about a little indie post-apocalypse as an alternative to the summer blockbusters? This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2017/05/30/qt3-movie-podcast-survivalist/

Next week’s movie is War Machine.

Oops, thanks for the catch!

-Tom

Ooh, will that be the first Netflix movie podcast? And, while I’m here, on the scale of Dawn of the Dead to Girl With All The Gifts, how important is it to go into The Survivalist knowing as little as possible?

You know, I think you’re right. We haven’t done a Netflix movie yet. We’re changing with Hollywood!

Well, I’d argue it’s important in any movie. But The Survivalist isn’t really a movie about reveals, so for the average person, I’d say not so important.

-Tom

Spoilers in this post

To be clear, my interpretation of the final scene was a judgement on the relative value of children in a famine. There’d be men enough in such settlements to sire males themselves.There is a Mendelian advantage to allowing genes from external sources into a closed community - doesn’t Prince Harry have a generous head of (ginger) hair? - but the world established in the film makes such a tactic unlikely.

Wasn’t that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel a Netflix Exclusive?

Not in China/Hong Kong.

Keith3, I really like your point about the Mendelian advantage. That thought went through my mind as well, but it slipped right out the transom.

I really appreciate you writing in to the show, and then clarifying as well.

-xtien

“He’s useful.”

It was indeed. Good catch, Arioch!

-xtien

“Listen with your nose.”

No Wonder Woman review next week? Boo! I say boo, sirs. Good day to you!

Thanks.

My choice of Dressed To Kill in the 3x3 addresses resulted from my watching all the de Palmas I haven’t seen back to back, which may be why I seemed to give it short shrift.

As to why I’m watching them: I recently wondered why you kept mentioning The Untouchables, which I presumed was a sturdy mainstream vehicle for a pair of Hollywood stars. I had no idea he directed it, and it’s fantastic. Your pick this week was another highlight; another scene peering through someone’s window, more blood than is necessary or even possible, Great stuff.

We already have a Zombies-as-domestic-labour movie. It’s Canadian. It’s called Fido, and stars Carrie-Anne Moss as a housewife who sort of falls in love with the person Fido was before the “zombie wars”. Billy Connolly is the zomb, and it’s exactly as good as it sounds.

“You stupid zombie!”

Tom’s theory about survivalist’s haircut is right on point, he was honouring his brother this way. He wanted to look like him, wanted to be more like him. Listening to your discussion I was starting to think that you all missed this important detail, I was so glad when Tom finally brought it up.

Saw this over the weekend. Absolutely loved it. Have to say, I at least entertained the cannibal notion at the start, too. The plausibility issues Dingus raised didn’t particularly bother me, other than staying put after the raiders trashed the place, though they might on a rewatch. On the ending, I do think the matriarchal reading isn’t implausible, and it’s not incompatible with the guy taking Mia’s weapons – for all we know he’s the lowest ranking member of the community (or not even a formal member - a slave or concubine or something like that). But I don’t think it’s a necessary reading either.

I watched this over the weekend. I can’t say that I enjoyed most of it. I did like the raw grittiness of it all, and the fact that in a post-apocalypse apparently men will use brute force to survive and women will use sex and poison. But overall it just a left a bad taste in my mouth because there was no real sense of scale. If it’s three people’s story in a bigger universe, I find it hard to care about the bigger universe or the three people in it. I don’t know, it’s tough to explain that part. Maybe I’ll try again.

I plan to listen to the podcast for the movie this week. Hopefully that will salvage my wasted time on this movie.

Kelly’s synopsis totally made it worth watching this movie. Oh my god, I’m dying here.

This was a tight, tense little movie that hit all the right notes for me.

Damn near the best feel good movie of 2017*, really! It’s on Netflix and I recommend it if you are in the mood for some solid post-apocalyptica!

* per US release date, ya god damn pedants