FROM BAND OF BROTHERS TO MASTERS OF THE AIR: A Conversation about War-Influenced Media and Current Representation

Ever have a movie that just sticks with you? A film you can watch again and again? For me, that's the Band of Brothers, a series that's been part of my viewing ritual since 2003. This passion for WWII-themed media can be traced back to my grandfather's fascination with the war era - a fascination that, in turn, sparked my interest. Join me as I delve into the impact of WWII on popular culture, and discuss some of my favorites, from "Saving Private Ryan" to "Indiana Jones." I also touch on the anticipation building around the upcoming "Masters of the Air."

But let's switch gears a little. You know what feels like a growing trend in Hollywood? The so-called "woke" culture. I have to express my concerns about this, and how my initial excitement about "Masters of The Air" might be dimmed because of it. Don't get me wrong, representation matters. But when it starts to compromise the storytelling, that's when I draw the line. Let's explore this together and discuss how this trend is creeping into the entertainment industry.

Finally, let's wax a little nostalgic. Isn't it strange how we used to remember every single line from our favorite movies, and now we struggle to keep up with the details of newer ones? Perhaps it's an age thing or maybe our tastes have simply evolved over time. I'll share some personal experiences and we'll chat about how our expectations from films have changed. Join me on this exploration of representation, media, and the evolving format of storytelling. [END SHOW NOTES]

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:18

What's going on. Everybody Hope everybody is. Well, it's been a. It's been a minute Since my last podcast. It's been over like 10 days.

Speaker 1: 0:31

Usually I'm like every four days ish, but I Don't know, just had stuff going on and plus I'm just I Didn't know, just didn't have anything to talk about. Really, it was I kept thinking, one of the reasons, though I Want to read. Well, so in the past, you know, there'll be sometimes where I put like a video out, like three in a row a day or something. It's just because it depends on you know kind of what's going on in my brain and if I feel like Talking about something or I want to get something off my chest or whatever. And and then if I, if I didn't feel like something talking about something, I would get on Twitter, twix and Go through and there'd be something on there that would I'd be like what the hell? And so I'd talk about that.

Speaker 1: 1:27

But I don't have. I mean, I still have Twitter Twix, but I Haven't been on it. I I are Migrated all my stuff from Chrome, google Chrome, over to Safari In an attempt for my Mac to work a little better. So I've been meaning to do it. I've tried it a couple times, but it was just like, ah, too much work, so I gave up. But I finally was like you know what, I gotta do it and actually wasn't that hard. I, you know, able to switch over all my passwords and everything. But there was a problem with the Twix and so I just got tired of it. So I just I haven't been on there, I can't even log in. So I'll still, I'll try and post this on there, but it's just, it's just such garbage though man, the people on there and and I know it's just kind of, you know, I don't know, I'm actually kind of glad. It's kind of like a blessing in disguise. But but so that's why I haven't really talked about much and I I started recording one Couple days ago, but it just was like it was just really forced and I've been sitting there like gosh, I got a record one. It's been so long, but I just can't really I Don't know. So anyway, so that's that. That's kind of what's been going on with me.

Speaker 1: 3:05

But the reason for this video, or what I want to talk about, was I watched the, the trailer for Masters of the air, I think it's called, and it's the new Band of Brothers type show but it has to do with the Air Force and everything. Now, you know most people most normal men, I Guess or I read somewhere that you know every man goes through a phase of smoking meat and or being like a World War two junkie, historian, whatever, I don't know and and you know I did that I guess I'm a still smoke meat and stuff and I like World War two, but I'm not like a, I'm not like a Know it all. I have, yes, right, I do have this book which is gonna be backwards, I guess, on the camera, but it's operation overlord but talks about the whole D-Day invasion, the planning air from that wouldn't do it, and stuff like that. Then we have a little stuff like that, but I'm not like a huge. But I remember watching, you know my grandfather would watch. You know, big red one or Hogan's heroes, and you know various World War two movies from the 70s and stuff and and. But you know as a kid I didn't really think much of it. And then Indiana Jones, kind of you know, was like oh, the good, the good. Indiana Jones Would, kind of you know, take place in the Nazis were the bad guys and everything. So it kind of Brought that to my attention everything. But I remember the first time seeing anything that really got me Kind of into it was saving primer Ryan.

Speaker 1: 5:20

I went and saw, I Went and saw that with my, my grandfather, in theaters, so this was Well, 98, I think, was, when I count, 98, 99. No, I think it's 98. And I just remember Going to that and just being like I was glued to the screen as much as you can, you know, and I, I just remember the end scene, the last battle at the end, you know, and they're all prepared and ready and they're sitting there waiting and you can hear the tanks coming and squeaking and you know what I mean like, and then as they get a little closer, it's kind of shaking a little bit. Well, in the theater I was in, I was like right underneath an air conditioning that was just blow in cold air. So I was like freezing, you know, and I just remember sitting I'm watching it and it's like I'm a little nervous for the movie. I'm freezing, and I was like sitting there shaking, you know, like I was petrified. But but yeah, I, you know that got me into World War II kind of stuff. And then, and then I remember, when band of brothers was coming out, I was excited for it. I was like looking forward to Watching it, and I think I watched the first two episodes I don't know if it was the first one or the or the after the first two, and then 9-11 happened, and then I don't, I didn't really watch anything, and it wasn't till a couple years later, when I was in the army, that I actually sat down and watched the whole series.

Speaker 1: 6:58

And To this to this day, here, my cat oh man, hold on, there's a stray cat that's been coming around. I Need to. Oh well, thank you, I Heard sound like a cat. Anyway, stupid cat made me forget what I was talking about. I watched band and brother, okay, so so since in not every year, but almost every year, I watch it since 2000 when was that? Probably 2003, I think. I've watched it almost every year once, you know not. You know Not every year. Maybe even two years will go by, but For the most part I'll, I'll sit and I'll watch it.

Speaker 1: 8:01

And I had it on DVD and Then which? Actually? It was like I bought it in Iraq and it was a. It was like a burn copy, or not like a burn, but it was, you know. But it was like legit though, like it was. It wasn't like a, it wasn't legit, but it was like it's kind of hard to explain so when I rack and other people can probably attest to this, I guess.

Speaker 1: 8:30

But, like you know, there was a lot of bootleg movies. So if you, if you were to get like a new movie that just came out or that was still in theaters chances are at somebody recording it on their camcorder, right, but if you got one that's already been out and released, people would actually kind of Take the time and make a legit bootleg. So it looked just like the movie and then they even, you know, would put they'd, you know, make like the booklet. I know it was, it was. You could tell it wasn't, like you know, legit, but it worked and looked great, like it was fine, excuse me. So I had that for a while and then, and then I bought it on voodoo, that online, and so I had it on there so I'd watch it, you know, and then.

Speaker 1: 9:28

But then I had problems with voodoo here. Now I can get on there with my VPN, but but once we came here and I couldn't get on my voodoo and all that stuff and and I'd actually bought like a lot of movies on there, but it's kind of it's it kind of sucks not having the actual physical copy. So I don't, I don't buy movies on there anymore. I'll rent one occasionally, but I'm basically rebuying all those movies that I bought on there anyway. But anyway, and then recently I bought Band of Brothers, again on Blu-ray, and then I also bought the Pacific.

Speaker 1: 10:11

Now I remember when the Pacific was coming out, I was excited too because I loved band of brothers, you know, and I remember starting the Pacific, but I Don't know something was going on and I just couldn't get into it. And then it wasn't till years later that I sat down and watched it again and and it, it. I didn't have the immediate, I Guess, attraction to it like I did band of brothers, but it's it's grown on me. I still would prefer band of brothers if I had to pick, but I I love the Pacific now. And so I remember when I heard about this show, the I think it's called Masters of the air. I'm pretty sure that's what's called. I guess I could look it up. I hate, I'm trying not to look up stuff while I'm on recording my thing. That's what's called.

Speaker 1: 11:04

So it's basically follow-in Regiment and Air Force bombing Group, kind of like Memphis Bell. Memphis Bell great, great movie too. You've never seen it, but yeah, so it's. You know. It's Follows, yeah, masters of the air, so it follows. I Think it's like a hundred, what is it? The hundredth bombing group? Yeah, anyway, so during World War two lost a lot of lives and stuff like that.

Speaker 1: 11:43

And I saw the trailer and Honestly, I was just like, yeah, okay, I don't know, you know, and I was just like you know, it's not like it looked bad or anything or it wasn't, but like it, just I did. I Was definitely not excited. I'll watch it, I'm sure I will, but I don't know if it's my age, kind of getting up there, or if it's the current social climate and and and Hollywood and entertainment, or if it's both, you know, but it's like Anything that has been, that has been relate, oh gosh, anything that's been put out in the last few years, just garbage man, they just suck. And I don't know how many times I've went into a movie all excited and then just been like what the crap do? This is lame, even like shows, it's just. It's just, I don't know it, just so I'm just kind of like I've given up. You know, it's like I'm not even I don't watch anything anymore. Hardly I Don't watch anything new, and if I do I'll definitely research at first. So I Won't, I won't ever go and watch a movie based just off the trailer, even if it's like oh man, like you know, let's see, okay, like Deadpool 3. I like the first two, but I'm gonna wait to hear some reviews from Reliable people about it before I watch it. You know, I mean Like that's how it is now and it's like I don't know if it is my age or if it's what's going on now or if it's both or whatever. But it's just Like I don't get excited about TV shows or or movies Because they, they, they just they put in this, this woke crap and it just it just takes you out of it, man, and the thing that's.

Speaker 1: 13:52

It is like retarded Is like woke individuals make up like 3% of the population, if that or something, maybe a little more if you add woke. His woke is kind of a broad term, I guess. But and it's starting to kind of show, I mean you look at like All the news, cnn and everybody. They're losing everybody. Their ratings are just down the toilet I mean, most news ones are and just the movies that are coming out, nobody's going to watch it because it's all crap. You know what I mean. It's like nobody wants to go to a movie and get preached at. That's like I Don't know. It's like and then they try and call your racist and all this kind of stuff, but it's like, well, why are you trying to force it so much? Just let it happen. I don't know, but I Did watch the Dungeons and Dragons movie, which I had actually heard that it was pretty good.

Speaker 1: 15:00

So when I saw I was able to watch it on one of my things, I was like cool, watch that. And actually I really enjoyed it. You know it was, it was a little goofy, but it wasn't like it wasn't. It didn't have the characteristics of what is being released now. So it's either If if there's not a gay person, or a person of color that's replaced, or a person of color that's replaced, or the, a personal color that's in a character that wouldn't Exist really, but they just got, they have to put it in there, and or if they make the the male like a complete moron, it's like it has to have one of those things. And so that Dungeons and Dragons movies and I'm not even into, like you know, sorcery kind of movies, like I liked Lord of the Rings, but I Really have no inkling to watch them again. I've seen them all once.

Speaker 1: 16:02

I know a lot of people are like, oh, what, you know, they watch it. Like I watch band and brothers, I guess, but I Don't know. Like it's just, I mean I liked willow as a kid, what are some other ones. I mean as a kid I liked it a little bit more, but I just never, I Don't know, wasn't really my, my, my forte. You know what I mean. So the Dungeons and Dragons movie, I wasn't it, I didn't really. I mean like I knew about it but I was like whatever.

Speaker 1: 16:33

But then there's a person I watch on YouTube that Reviews movies and and from what I can tell, he has the same taste as I do, because anything that he's, or I've watched a movie and I saw him review it and I'm like, oh yeah, okay, I didn't like it. And then he's like movies that I like. So now if he says the movie sucks, I won't even watch it, even if I'm thinking like, oh, that might be good, but if he's like, no, it sucks, okay, I won't watch it because he's been right I Think I talked about before. Anyway, um, there we go there. It is totally forgot what I was talking about Movies, all the Dungeons and Dragons movie.

Speaker 1: 17:15

So he had said it was good, so I watch it. And yeah, it was, it was, it was entertaining, it, like it was funny, I don't know. I mean, it wasn't like the most action-packed movie, but it had some stuff in it and I don't know it was good. It was good. If you, I don't know I Enjoyed it. I'm not here to anyway, that's all. It's just the state of I'm just kind of curious. Anybody that's listening to this, if you have the same problems, because I was like a huge in the movies. You know, like I've come across this Guy on tiktok, on those name or anything, but I've just seen a couple of his things and they and they sit there and they they show like a frame from a movie or certain things and they quiz each other if they can see what movie it is and Like I get it pretty much most of them like if it's any movie from the 70s not any movie, but definitely, like you know, some movies from the 70s and then more from the 80s, 90s and whatever, up until like probably about 2010.

Speaker 1: 18:31

I could, I Could figure out who it is, or you know, we used to play this game. I want to just talking about the other name. I remember what it was called, but it was. It was about movies and music. I think it's like a little, you know, like Got like trivial pursuit but with Movies and stuff, and it had like a DVD that you'd put in. So if you had to do something with the DVD player then you would play that and there was an audio thing from movie. It was from glory and it wasn't, like, you know, mel Gibson and Braveheart doing his speech. It was just like a little normal dialogue with Morgan Freeman. But I knew it was from glory, you know. I mean Immediately I'm like okay, that's glory. Like I could.

Speaker 1: 19:21

I don't have many talents or many skills, but for some reason I couldn't. That kind of crap I could. I would retain like I always sucked at math. But I can remember the year a movie came out like the save-and-private Ryan. I Was a look it up, let me look it up like, for some reason I can remember that, but then it's like I can't remember. You know algebra and stuff just annoying, but but anything in the last Definitely five years, but I'd say about ten years, like I I don't really know, I Don't know much about it Yep 98, see.

Speaker 1: 20:04

So it's like, how do you go from? I mean, I kind of kind of understand being getting older. You know what happens, you know that's why, like your grandparents and everything, we're always Watching the same old movies. And and you know, I remember my dad, like he, he would rather much, rather much, I guess that works but he would rather watch a movie that he knew he enjoyed, then watch a new movie that he didn't know too much about. You know what I mean, and that's kind of where I'm at right now too.

Speaker 1: 20:43

So maybe it is an age thing, maybe it's just kind of, you know, but it's like I was. You know, I've always been into in the films and everything. But I Don't know, I used to watch. I used to watch. I remember Watching like some French film. I used to rent like almost anything and watch it. I'd give it a chance and watch it, and you know what I mean. But I Don't know, I don't know if it's just I think it is kind of a little bit Me getting older or maybe it's just me finding my way. Plus, with whatever, like I Just talked about with this, was somebody the movie old boy, if you guys have seen. That's a Korean film that they remade with Thanos what's his name? Josh Brolin, and I remember watching the original old boy, the Korean one, it's all subtitled, you know, and I was totally into the movie.

Speaker 1: 21:49

Guys in the army with loved that movie and I was watching it and I was loving it all the way up until the end, all the way up until you found out who the antagonist was and what their motivation, everything was. And it was just like what I Was, like that's stupid. I was like that makes no sense. Who like it? Just I Don't know, it just didn't work for me. Like I like Having a bad guy that has a legitimate reason. Maybe he's crazy, but it still kind of makes sense. Like Thanos, you know, killing half the population, that's insane, but it makes sense at the same time. You know what I mean. So to have Somebody have this 20 year garage and you know, methodically get back at this guy for some kind of stupid thing, that it was the, the antagonist is fault in the first place. It's just like what I don't know. It's just, if you've seen it you know I'm talking about. My time's almost up so I'm not gonna go into it, but it's just, I don't know. I just remember being like like let down with that film, and that's an older film, but I just was just like what the hell? So I remember kind of starting.

Speaker 1: 23:14

There was another one too, where I Don't remember who's in it or nothing like that. But I just remember, like like a cop is chasing Two criminals, like a couple, male and female. I don't remember what they did if they stole something. I think they killed somebody or something and he was chasing them. And then, while they're running, the female gets ran over, you know, because they weren't paying attention or whatever. So then the guy turns around and he's like you know, oh, what's your name? And so he you know right then, and there decides he's going to get revenge on this cop one way or the other. And it's just like, dude, first of all you broke the law, you're the one run, she's the one that ran out in front of a car or whatever it was, and You're blaming it on this dude and that's you know. And people argue like well, he's, he's a psychopath, whatever this that he doesn't know.

Speaker 1: 24:09

It's like okay, but still, again, it just it doesn't make sense and that's why I don't remember it, because it was, you know, unmemorable movie because of something like that. So you start having people Writing characters and story arcs that just are like what? That's stupid. But now it's everywhere. Every movie has a stupid villain, every movie has a dumb.

Speaker 1: 24:36

It's like it just doesn't make sense. And just because, like it makes sense in their brain, you have to make it make sense for everybody else. Like there's, the People putting out movies today are just horrible. It's like it's just dumb and it's like they're more worried about Pushing having representation of gay people in this net instead of having a good story. If the story, if having a gay person works with the story, then cool, whatever. But don't just throw a gay person in there just because and then make the story work around it. It just looks like crap. Then it's obvious that it was. That's how they made it and it's just. It's horrible. And I'm not saying that the Masters of air show is like that, but I Guess I'm just until I hear something about it. I'm not getting excited, but that's it anyway. Thanks for listening. Appreciate your time and I'll try and get something posted a Little quicker than 10 days. All right, talk to you there, bye I.