Doug Loves Movies - Mark Ellis and Clarke Wolfe guest

Episode Date: December 16, 2024

Doug welcomes Mark Ellis and Clarke Wolfe to the show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lights are going up, snow is falling down, there's a feeling of goodwill around town. It could only mean one thing, McRib is here. People throwing parties, ugly sweaters everywhere, stockings hung up by the chimney with care. It could only mean one thing McRib is here! at participating McDonald's for a limited time Doug hates candy wrappers screaming baby sticky seats with 50 ads and popcorn kernels in his teeth

there's still not one that he won't see cause Doug loves movies. Hey, hey, hey everybody. Happy holidays. My name is Doug. I love movies. This is Doug Loves Movies. We are recording on December 14th, 2024.

And my guest today, it's another, I don't mean it about these two people, but it just rhymes. It's a gruesome to some once again because I have two guests instead of three due to circumstances beyond everyone's control, but I'm going to introduce the two guests we do have and Stop babbling about it. They are terrific guests like the so what if John Hamm can't be here? These guests make up for it And they are Mark Ellis and Clark wolf hello

Hello everyone, they're gonna be so disappointed I'm thrilled we showed up. I'm thrilled that we've got the holiday jingle This is perfect timing because it is this week in December when I start Transitioning from my usual rock and roll music in the car to nothing but Christmas music in the Ellis vehicle Through December 25th. So that jingle awoke in my spirit. Well, let me introduce you individually. And as I like to do alphabetically, by first name, John Hamm wasn't supposed to be here.

He was supposed to be a talented comedian out of the Portland area who is named Shane Brendan. And I'll try to reschedule him as soon as possible. I don't know what What transpired sometimes it's just a miscommunication Could come down to even just a time zone, but returning after a three-way tie It's a new era on the show things happen that never used to happen. We had a three-way tie And it's always it so she gets to come back, but it's always great to have her. It's Clark wolf. Hey Clark Hello. Hi Doug. Thanks so much for having me back. I am so happy that I played the game

Smartly enough to tie with the other guys the last time I was here Yeah, it was a real nail biter, and it was a you know playing a game that you don't like which you will not have to play today Yeah, some other game you don't like is replaced it How's your Project with Sam Levine going it's good. It's good So we are in week week four of our crowdfunding campaign. We're crowdfunding till the end of the month, December 31st, and Sam and I are teaming up

to make a holiday horror movie called Fiend's Giving. And it is a Thanksgiving slasher movie that Sam stars in and I write and direct. And we are crowdfunding to shoot the opening sequence. So we will introduce the world, we'll introduce Sam, and we will meet our masked killer, the gobbler. Yeah, I mean what's not to like about about that pitch and we'll definitely remind everybody at the end of the episode about how to deal with

that. Yes, I would love your feedback on how I should deal with it because how do I deal with this? How do I deal with Sam? How do I deal with raising money? Just tell me the web address. Please, how do I deal with this? Tell me how much to give. Just tell me how much. Our industry is dying. How do I deal with it? Also joining us, he's back for his, I did the research. Uh oh. 24th appearance. What? I used to be so young. Oh my gosh. Yeah, gave or take, you know, two or three because I don't think all of the episodes are on. You know, I think some of them were like bonus episodes that we sold individually and stuff. So sometimes those fall through the cracks, but approximately 24 times. times Mark Ellis how are you doing?

I'm great Doug it's great to have such a welcome back and to hear that number 24 the first time I appeared on the show one of the other competitors was a young man named Sam Levine so Sam and Clark long-time buddies of mine I'm very excited for Fiend's Giving I don't do a lot of acting these days, but I did get a casting breakdown for the role of Turkey in Fiend's Giving. So hopefully I can nail that audition this week. Yeah, you know some people though, so fortunately.

I was looking good for you, Mark. That's pretty cool, the role of Turkey. It's a big one. It's Thanksgiving, you can't have Thanksgiving without the turkey. So, I mean, we don't to give too much of this away. Or can you can you explain turkeys the name of a person or would he actually playing a turkey? I hope I'd be playing a turkey card. Yes, can confirm. You know, we do want to keep some things under wraps. But I can confirm that Mark will be playing the turkey. The turkey.

Not too many twists given away but the fact that the turkeys a five foot ten human is a it's sort of a big plot twist. Yep surprise but now you aren't you curious how we get there? So don't you want to know how we ended up here? So everyone, please donate So we can make our money I love the specificity of a five foot ten man because That's exactly the number that I would never bring up if I were that height because it's not tall or short the number that I would never bring up if I were that height because it's not tall or short. No, it's incredibly average and Clark and I were talking about maybe getting out on the golf course together before too long and I don't need to have clubs fitted to me. Like sometimes if you're

getting into golf you want to get clubs fitted to you. I'm the most average white dude ever so I can just walk in and buy a club off the rack and it's custom fit to me. That's the blessing of being five foot ten and a half. If you're going to get specific, I do have that extra half that I like to point out. Oh, OK. Well, thank God we cleared that up because now you're you know, you're almost tall. So it's better than the average man. Yeah. Oh, I can confirm the average man is not five ten. Oh, OK. They may think they are, but they are not. Well, I've got a question for you, Mark, and it goes like this. Have

you seen the motion picture experience called the substance? I have not yet ingested the substance but I am hearing rave reviews about it I love Demi Moore always and so okay I need to check it out all right but don't say too much because now based on just what you know I assume what you know is maybe a trailer some commercials just what people have been saying about it. What genre movie do you think it is? Oh, that's a great question. I think it's a, I'm going to guess it's a suspenseful thriller.

That's what, that's what I would believe when I hit play that I'm watching something that's going to be thrilling and suspenseful. Well, that's what us uninitiated idiots think. People who have seen the movie, including our friend Clark Wolf, have pointed out to me that it is quite hilarious. It is a very dark comedy. Now, I will, yes. And here's, yes, I was telling Doug on threads the other day,

which, you know, here we are, just talking about our threads conversations. Yeah, no, I was telling Doug on threads the other day, which you know, here we are just talking about our threads conversations. Yeah, I had to follow through because you know, you brought up that it's a comedy when I was questioning it being in a comedy or musical category at the Golden Globes. And you said, no, it is indeed funny. And then the reply guys all jumped in with how dare I not think it's the most hilarious movie ever. So it's not the most hilarious movie ever. It's funny the way American Psycho is funny. You know what I'm saying? I mean, they're, they're, they're very, very dark comedy. And of course, you know, we are dealing with like bodies and aging and all of that. You know that from just the trailer. So there is some very sick dark humor to be had

about your body and aging, especially as a woman, especially if it's satire. So I will tell you though, I, when it won best screenplay out of Cannes, I was like, oh, this is a serious like, wow, this is, and then I sat down and I watched it and I was like, oh wow, this was 100% not what I was like, oh wow, this was 100% not what I was expecting tonally. Yeah, no the French can be terribly unserious

Yes, that's right That is true The Palme d'Or often goes to movies that are just like what even did I just watch? Well, and so this is the thing I similarly tweeted or threaded or whatever about and blue-skied that, you know, Hugh Grant just absolutely hilarious in that laugh-a-minute riot Heretic. I mean, what, like, he was nominated for best actor in a musical or in comedy for a horror movie called an A24 thriller called Heretic. And I am petitioning all of the award shows

just put drama over here and then just call the other categories genre. Just please, because it's, you know, if you don't wanna count. That's a fun way to do it. You know, like if you don't wanna count these performances which y'all know I'm a big horror fan and I'm always advocating for horror movies, but like they don't wanna take us seriously, then just don't want to count these performances, which y'all know I'm a big horror fan and I'm always advocating for horror movies,

but like, if they don't want to take us seriously, then just don't, just call it genre. And then all the serious movies are over here. Yeah, it's interesting that Clark and I are talking about this with you Doug, because I know what a big horror movie fan Clark is. And obviously you and I are comedians. And those are the two genres that usually get the shaft.

They get the Heisman Stiffarm at award shows, but the substance, I think it's like 90% on the tomato meter or something like that. So could we see it sneak its way into Oscar contention? Is it that good of a movie that it could actually be a comedy that kind of breaks down some barriers? Yeah, that's the problem with the, you know, awards in general, having to divide up anything is ridiculous down some barriers. Yeah, that's the problem with the awards in general, having to divide up anything is ridiculous

because any two comedies are probably so unlike each other or horror films. Like, you could fill the five best comedy, five best horror, five best science fiction. Like, there's all of that enough of that you know every year, but there's something about How awards and the people who give them and the people who get them all want to be taken seriously? So these the heaviest drama you can come up with is now just called You know Oscar bait instead of a movie that because I think movies should explore important subjects

I'm totally for it. But it is also a lot of times just especially in the realm of like biopics It's just definitely an Oscar grab kind of like like maybe not the forefront of their creative mind You know, like it might not be why they made the movie, but it certainly factors into, you know, how it got made Because people are like, oh this movie sounds like an award winner, you know Yes. Yeah. I mean it's it's from the start from just from out of the gate. It's certain movies get that consideration Certain movies don't and it's very hard to make up that kind of ground Especially when you're not one of the you categories, I guess, at Blockbuster. Yeah.

So the the globes have this, you know, dumb divide that they did years ago when it's always been a body of entertainment journalists. It's never even been peers or fans necessarily. It's just people who just got on the gravy train of getting like, you know, a trip to Italy because they're going to, you know, give Al Pacino best actor or whatever and And so over the years it's just sort of become like people just I Just wish people would just I know there's a lot bigger fish to fry in the world as it were but I wish that somebody would put their foot down and just say a category called musical or comedy is so stupid because

You'll end up having these like a movie that's quite heavy and dramatic But still a musical in that category along with a movie that's light and comedic But is also a musical alongside three movies in this case a comedy about Holocaust Museum visitors a horror satire about you know a body horror movie and What's the other thing that the Globes nominated for comedy or musical?

Wicked right well wicked is a musical. I'm just saying that the Got you got you got you three comedies that they call comedies are border. Oh challengers. They're like borderline comedy They're they're actually you know kind of dromedes or scarities or whatever you want to call them, but they're like, you know I mean, they're not pure straight like you look at IMDB and it just says this movie is a comedy like the substance has eight different Eight different genres next to it on IMDB. You know, psychological thriller, horror, body horror, satire, and a couple others. You know, dark humor, dark humor, that's one. Anyway.

I just want to be over with this genre idea because I like calling it genre because I like when scripts have various elements of a lot of different types of movies and not everything is a straight comedy But you know like the Martian that well Then that's what happens that's what happens is the most serious comedy who ends up winning because it's can you still want to give it to? Serious movies. They're just like obsessed like that's the most ridiculous Like that's the most ridiculous

What's his name Matt Damon was so much funnier his pilot character on 30 rocks And he was in that goddamn Martian movie and he's standing up there getting a golden globe for them for for plants, you know Harvesting his own poop you what were you gonna say Clark? I was gonna ask I know Deadpool and Wolverine was nominated for box office whatever that new category is But was it also nominated for musical comedy? No. Okay. Okay. It's not a comedy.

It's a it's a blockbuster is their designation. Right. Right. Sure. Yes. Ryan Ryan Reynolds is not funny. That is a category has people decide people vote on like they decide which ones to nominate like that's not how blockbusters work We know what the biggest blockbusters were because there's numbers that are reported

Constantly about all of it and so the the movies they nominated for that They even missed like a couple of one or two of the biggest hits of the year aren't on that list of their blockbuster category aren't on that list of their blockbuster category. It's like it's so it's the the Globes are so silly. And it was wild that they almost went away. And it's kind of also wild that they're they're back. And we're having a serious discussion about them. But we got to play some games. We got to make some recommendations.

Movie discussion to game show. Well, I mean, I do love the, you know, the having these discussions, and it's a little easier to do on Zoom than like in front of a live audience because live audience you start going, oh, maybe we should, you know, try to throw some jokes in here. But yeah, but before we get into the games, Movie Rex is what we would normally do at this point. Before we get into the games Movie wrecks is what we I would normally do at this point and since it is mid-december And you both seem so festive

I like each of you to recommend a What you would consider to be a holiday film, which means it's either about the holidays or great to watch around the holidays. What's your recommendation, Clark? I'm gonna recommend Bob Clark's Black Christmas. Bob Clark also directed A Christmas Story and Porky's, but he directed a holiday horror movie in 1974 called Black Christmas.

And it is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is legit creepy. And Margot Kidder is absolutely hilarious in this movie. So if you've never seen the original Black Christmas, it's streaming everywhere. It's not hard to find. Give it a watch. It'll it'll get under your skin a little bit. As the tagline says. Do you think, Clark, in in the several years that you've been appearing on this podcast

and I've been asking for movie recommendations, do you feel like this is the first time you've brought up that movie? I do. Do you have a list? No, no. I was just curious. Because it's a conversation we've had somewhere, I feel like. It makes perfect sense that you love Black Christmas. But I've also, I just had a real deja vu that maybe you've recommended this movie and the show before. I think last time I was on at Christmas time, I recommended Scrooge, because that's my favorite Christmas movie. You're really thinking this through and coming up with a new

response, which I appreciate. Um, I actually got to bring up black Christmas to Margo Kidder years ago. No. Yeah. I was, I was at, um, uh, with my schmo buddy, Christian Harloff. We were in Anaheim at like wonder con or something that she was making an appearance and we were walking. It was a good month for the Shmoes that month,

so we were walking to Morton's Steakhouse to treat ourselves. And we sit down and Margo Kidder is there with a couple of her folks. And I didn't wanna bother her, and I knew that she was in Black Christmas. I'd seen it a long time ago, and I didn't wanna be a normal fan

that she probably got at like the comic convention and just asked her about Superman. So I just, as I'm walking by,, you are wonderful and black Christmas. Thank you. And I made her smile. Oh, I bet you did. And it is arguably one of her best performances. She's so good. Yeah, I'd give her, I'd say, you know, but also it's probably every other nerd probably says this term, but I bring up trilogy of terror That old chestnut, oh my god, I was just watching the you know, like you could skip the first two segments It's kind of fun that she's in all three playing like kind of different characters, but

Her fighting that's that Zuni fetish doll which to this day I always like I even occasionally look it up like why do I say the word fetish in there? Like, what does it have to do with fetishes? But it's not like a fetish like we think of the word fetish. But it's still just funny that I even know from my childhood because it was so scary just the expression Zuni fetish doll. That is a wild expression. Yeah. Yeah. These days, you really give people a whole different idea what they're going to see.

Something probably equally terrifying. But this thing, the teeth on it and the fact that it had a little knife, really always made me so unhappy that something could just run up and start biting and stabbing my feet and ankles. Okay, so anyway, that's neither here nor there because that's not a holiday movie like Bob Clark's Black Christmas, which has been remade and you do not appreciate the remake. Oh, no. There are two remakes black X mess is the 2000s and it is the best it is so it's like

What I'm this is a compliment. I just want to be clear. It's just trash. It's delicious like trash You know what I mean? It's it's meaning and it is trashy like it's a little gross It's a little oh, this is a little skeezy and then the 2009 black or the most recent black Christmas Um, I think is a wonderful gateway horror movie. It's a PG-13 movie. It's a Blumhouse movie. It was sort of inspired by Black Christmas, but it was not a direct remake.

So I think all three have something to offer, but the OG is just, I just think it is an underappreciated classic. I think the whole notion of like, you know, when I hear a movies, a horror movie is less than an R, I think to myself, this isn't going to scare me. And I'm, you know, usually right. Because the line is the way the line has been drawn at this point, you could have so much blood in an R rated movie as long as it's like creatures that are dying. And you know, there's all these like loopholes of like, things you can get away with and still get, you know, a lower rating. So like, you know, PG 13 is just sort of, to me, it's just going to be like the thing they're going to most get away with is gross out stuff, you know, not gonna be able to show actual, you know, lots of bloodsheds.

They have to show lots of like vomiting and worm eating and that kind of stuff. Oh my. Well. Oh, dear. I just flashed on Drag Me to Hell. Yeah, I was about to say that. You're describing Drag Me to Hell.

That's also one of my favorites. It's one of the grossest movies that's not rated R ever made. That's rated R. Wow. OK. No, it's PG-13. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. It's like that's like that's what drives me crazy about like when you watch like fight scenes in, you know, genre television, you know, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or whatever. The characters would die so many times over from the

Concussions and the broken backs and nets the things that because because the violence can't be bloody So instead they just hurl each other against walls You know that like they fall down off of like they should just be dead and then of course they're not because they're you know just silly TV characters, but That's I'm always fascinated by how you can get away with such incredibly violent stuff as long as there's no bloodshed. Like it's such a dumb, like it's not a rule made to,

you know, be able to change and adjust with, you know, over time, you know, it just becomes dumb after a while. Like bleeping the word shit on television, like, who are they? What is that? It's not sexual. It's not, it's, there's a thousand euphemisms for shit that you can say on television. So why can't you say shit still? Like, why is it still considered like, what, who are you? You're not blast beaming anyone. Yeah. We started to make a movement where I don't think they bleep piss anymore.

I think they used to bleep piss and now it's like, ah, piss isn't that bad. Like, damn, isn't that bad. We're starting, I think shit is the next piss as far as like stuff that's going to be allowed within the next 10, 15 years. Mark, can you recommend a movie to get us out of this shit piss talk?

I certainly can. Now, apologies to the audience and particularly my competitor today, Clark. This does not involve a lot of blood or guts or worm eating or- Not interested. But it actually can be a little creepy and a little vibey. And it is my favorite telling of the Charles Dickens

classic of Christmas Carol. It is not Scrooge, although that is a staple in my family around the holidays. I love that movie. But four years before Scrooge was the 1984 A Christmas Carol starring George C. Scott. And that is my all time favorite Christmas movie. What year?

It was 1984, the year of, you know, born in the USA and Purple Rain and Van Halen. But it also had George C. Scott playing Ebenezer Scrooge in just, I mean, the guy was built for that role. And there's also a lot of fun like names that'll pop up in there. Roger Reese pops up. He's Bob Cratchit's nephew. Lucy Gooderidge, who also was in Top Secret that same year is in A Christmas Carol and I didn't realize she was in it

so I was watching it last year, me and my mom and I just yelled, holy crap, Top Secret. And it also, Clark, you'll love this, Angela Pleasance, who is the daughter of Donald Pleasance, plays the ghost of Christmas present in that version of the play. A present present. Wow all right well thanks for the rundown on that one because also that was probably number 72 out of the 80 movie adaptations that have been made of a Christmas Carol.

It is really. And not to mention, not only have we seen a specific Christmas Carol tellings over and over and over again with tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit and the whole deal. We've also seen every TV show, especially long running sitcom had to do an episode at some point where they're visited by three ghosts and Have to go through all that malarkey But yeah, what do you feel about no that was part of the your enjoyment of Christmas carols the intensity of

The great George C. Scott who I recently saw a movie he was in where he smiled and I was I was blown away Because he's just a very very cranky individual seeming as an actor but apparently a nice man, you know in real life, but What do you think about The Muppet Christmas Carol, I love the Muppet Christmas Carol. I love how Grinchy Michael Caine is in that movie. He really takes it seriously. He is not there to be a Muppet cameo. He is there to act his arse off. And it is so fun to have him juxtaposed with all the Muppets.

And once again, Gonzo steals that show from me. But I love Muppet Christmas Carol too. It's also interestingosed with all the Muppets. And once again, Gonzo steals that show for me. But I love Muppet Christmas Carol, too. It's also it's a very good adaptation of a Christmas Carol. Like it's one of the it's a pretty accurate adaptation. I'm always I love Muppet Christmas Carol as well. Who's tiny Tim in that? Is it just like a tiny little frog that's going to make me cry when he's hobbling?

Oh, yeah. No, definitely that like tiny little frog that's going to make me cry when he's hobbling. Oh, yeah Definitely that like tiny frog. It's super cute. Yeah Yeah, I mean they definitely they managed to get the cuteness in there but then it's like When I talk about it with people, you know Michael Caine in that one Tim Curry and the one that he was in treasure Treasure was a treasure island. Treasure Island. Yep. You know, these these amazing British thespians that just, you know, go full bore in a goddamn Muppet movie where like all the other actors are like, it's practically like they're all standing around trying to blow them because they're all down below the set.

They're like, you know, you know what I mean? Their heads are at the actor's waist level. And then they're just acting, acting like, I mean, I guess that's part of it is if you don't look down, it'd be easy to act with Muppets because, you know, they're just, you just talk to them like, you know, they can talk so you talk to them. Yeah. You know what I mean? That's the idea. You just, you them like, you know, they can talk. So you talk to them. Yeah. You know what I mean?

That's the idea. You just, you're acting with them. You're not acting with their puppeteers. Yeah. But if you look down, there's somebody down there. You gotta focus, Doug, when you're acting with the Muppets. With the whole rig. That's right. Yeah.

It's a tough time at the Cratchit household. Not only are they struggling with money, but they got a bunch of dudes' hands up their asses. So, you know, it's really really really rough with the Muppet Christmas Well speaking of things that are rough. I've seen no spirit to as have I dug we were at the same Event and I didn't we were you there. Yes. Oh It's to be good. I want it to be so so good. I'm so excited for it. Please tell me it's great well Oh, it was to be good. I want it to be so so good. I'm so excited for it. Please tell me it's great well

I'm gonna tell you this and then Clark and say her piece because I I try to like not go too hard on my Opinions when a movie still got like it's still not out for another week But that being said you know when you're gonna say something that's generally considered to be a positive statement, I don't know why anyone would say, oh, you broke our bar go. But the excitement that you have right now, Mark, yes, I think you're not going to be disappointed. Hot damn, give me that sarcophagus, whatever popcorn bucket I am there. I'm there on Christmas. I'm there on Christmas. Cause I think you're just gonna, I think you like everything Robert Eggers

and it delivers on that level of just being what if Robert Eggers did Nosratu? Well, this is what it would be. What'd you think, Claire? Yeah, I agree with that for sure. And it felt like a sibling to The Witch. So I know some people, you know, if you don't, I don't know if you don't like The Witch,

if you wouldn't like this, but I know it was supposed to be the movie that he did after The Witch, and then it fell apart a couple of times. So now he has two other films in between. But yeah, I really enjoyed it as well. And the only thing that I, because I agree with you, Doug, I don't want to color anyone's opinion when there's

still so much time before it comes out. But what I will say is my favorite thing, my favorite moments were when Robert really infused his love of folklore and history and mythology into the movie. Because everything else, like Nosferatu is legitimately a ripoff of Dracula, right? So an unauthorized adaptation. So you've seen this movie before, whether you've seen Dracula or Nosferatu, but the moments where Eggers really puts his spin

on the ball, those were really my favorite moments. He puts his spin on the ball. Those were really my favorite moments. He puts his spin on it for sure. Also, how tall do you think he is? He's not tall. Robert Eggers is his pint size. He's not five. Yeah, I was asking Mark, because I know you saw him. I interviewed him years ago, but I don't remember if he was taller.

That was before I gained that half inch and was really proud of my height. So right now, that's the thing is you would definitely tower over him. I think I'm taller than him. And I'm not that tall. You present taller than you are, I think. You know what? I'm not even joking. I've been told I have tall people energy. Sit down, shorty. All right.

Thanks for those recommendations. I will be seeing neither of them. But no, actually, I, you know, every I do five episodes of this show a month. So I could get here a lot of recommendations and it's often things I've seen before but in both of these cases not only they you know have the word Christmas in the title but it's been a while since I've seen them so might be worth a revisit but we have to take a break and then get into some games how do we how is it with a two-person to guest show we're so far behind on time? There's one less person talking and it's taking us longer

Show up it's like it just like get on with it, you know Oh, yeah, you are on the show. Oh, yeah All right, we'll be right back Today's episode is brought to you in part by Shopify When you think about businesses that are selling through the roof like koto paxie or momo Today's episode is brought to you in part by Shopify. When you think about businesses that are selling through the roof like Koto Paxi or Momofuku, Momofuku, sure you think about a weird name and a great product, a cool brand and brilliant marketing but an often overlooked secret is actually the businesses behind the business

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Found's core features are free. They also offer an optional paid product found plus. Back to the show. All right, we are back and we gotta get serious about game time. We have two fierce competitors who both, you know, we haven't discussed it, but I know that we're gonna win.

And so this first game we're gonna play is called So and so and the something something You know those movie titles really walk on the chalk of factory Harold and the purple will they walk back? You know movies where there's a person followed by other stuff in the title like a great example would be James and the Giant Peach. So here's what's gonna happen. Clark is gonna be first, then Mark, then not our third guest because their name does not rhyme with Clark and Mark.

Plus the two of you have actually been on the show together before. So this is a real interesting rematch. Do you remember who won? Mark won. I do remember. Oh, wow. I haven't been thinking about it every night when I go to sleep or anything.

I don't remember if I won or lost, which means I probably won. I only remember who I lost because I lost to Clark. We had one head to head in the movie trivia, Schmo down and she beat me. So I remember that. And I do not remember beating Clark at all. Yeah, you did beat me at Doug loves movies. You did the last time we fought together.

This is your chance to settle the score. Cause you're even your first because alphabetical by first name. So I will tell you the you know revamped title and then you tell me the movie that it represents if you can't think of it you know just give it a short amount of time because we're we are running behind but okay you know there's no specific time limit and then if you miss it Marco gets shot out of it at it If he misses it, then

We'll move on to the next one and we'll hopefully have a winner after a few rounds starting with you Clark What movie do you think I think should be called Hero Boy and the ride through hell hero boy and the ride through hell yeah some are very difficult some are easy and a lot of that just depends on how obsessed you are with the movie enough so to know the name of the lead character. And the ride through hell. Oh, boy. OK. You know what?

For the sake of time, let's pass it off to Mark. OK. I like your I like your strategy. Mark, what is it? Well, I'll take a guess. I don't I don't have a lot of confidence in this guy simply because he's not a boy. He's a man in the movie. But it sounds like you're describing Constantine. Yeah, well, it's definitely held for him.

I meant more like a metaphorical hell because there is no scarier movie to me out there, pretty much, especially with what's going on with AI these days than the Polar Express. Oh, wow. Okay. This is great. I've never played this game, so now I understand what the title is supposed to be. So this is good. Great.

Yeah. I think Clark and I are catching up at the same scene. Yeah. Hero Boy is what they call the that's how life is. They just call the lead character hero boy like he doesn't need a name. He doesn't need a personality. He just needs to sit there and exist and have hot chocolate and get to the North Pole. I thought his name was Vincent in the book. I bet you it was.

I bet you they even said fuck that He is an AI of our creation we will call him hero boy, wow, that's wild even makes sense Anyway, okay, so I don't remember what he does. It's heroic, but I guess maybe he's heroic. Okay, so Let's try again Clark's up first, you know, you're gonna nail this one. This is so obvious What movie? has This title in my world the prime minister and the parade of love Lauren losers Love actually.

That is correct. Yeah, that's good. OK. You've got that one, Mark. I would have secured that one. Yes. Well, actually is on the brand this time of year. Yeah. Well, I just thought, you know, if you don't watch it regularly,

I think it would be easy to forget that that Hugh Grant is the prime minister right you know even though that is a big plot point that the prime minister can't be with you know just some regular person okay mark you are up first on this next one What movie do you think I think should be called Violet and Her Lover Quirky? These are kind of like if they don't come to you right away, they might maybe never will. Sometimes you can pick at one part of it and figure it out. Violet and Her L, Corky. I'm gonna pass to Clark.

I got that. Oh, boy. And I'm trying to think about maybe a theme here. Violet and her lover, Corky. I do like that title though, Doug. I do think you should be in the titling movie business. This would be nominated for best regular movie at the best drama at the Golden Globes.

This is not a musical or comedy. Violet, Violet, I don't know. Oh no, I don't know. Well, that's okay. It's this can be a learning experience because if you'd ask me what the two ladies are called the I definitely laughed when I heard it though, because like Jean Gershon's a real bad ass in that movie, but you call it quirky. That's hilarious. And to speak to what you were saying about a theme, Clark, there, I didn't say there'd

be a theme because guess what? There probably isn't. Okay. So just a coincidence that we had some Christmas up top. Yeah. Well, it's, you know, I got a sprinkling some Christmas this time Christmas cheer. Yeah Yeah, me too, I think George is really gonna George

First name in the next one Is really gonna lock this one up because it's, you know, also for a three-person game it's supposed to be meant to be kind of comical that one person gets such an easy one. And it's less funny when there's two players. It just seems cruel. George Bailey and his not so wonderful life. I can definitely nail that one.

What is it? That would be, it's a wonderful one. That is correct. Good job. Good job. Thank you, Clark. I don't know that Clark would have gotten that one. It's a good thing you went to me. Yeah.

That would have been embarrassing. This was an exciting conclusion for this game because the last one is about to be read and if Clark gets it right, then Clark wins the game and if Clark doesn't get it right Mark has a chance to win the game and I hope you have figure out what this is with the theme of holiday or maybe not holiday what movie should have this title. Danny Ocean and his twelve accomplices. OK. Oh, gosh. Now I'm overthinking it.

And his twelve accomplices. Ocean's. Twelve. That is correct. OK, great. If it was Ocean's 13, I was like, wait, this is a math question. I thought I had it because I was like, no, it's Ocean's 13. There's 13 total. And so Clark, you deserve to win this game.

Thank you. Thank you. That's like one of those math questions that trips people up because they'd forget to include Danny Ocean. Yeah. I, I almost did in dreaming up this stupid question. I, I almost made that mistake. So congratulations, Clark. You won the first game. You know what that means. You get to go first in our next game. Isn't it an advantage? I don't know. Probably not. We'll be right right back We are back. Oh

What a break that was it's time to play a Final and determining game today and by my look at the clock at the wall on the wall I don't think we have to feel too rushed, but like you know I Just like that last game. You're both terrific at Moving it along when you weren't sure of the answer. Let me look this over this really quick and make sure we can play this game to people. Yeah, it's like Clark and I are on the golf course and we haven't been notified of slow play. We're playing at a nice pace. We're hitting the fairway. We're on the green.

If you learned how to play golf with my mom, you play ready golf. I am not slow. I know I am not slow. Yeah, that's the thing about like playing with some friends that want to go out and they're not they're not Clark's level, they're not my level, but they're good friends. And it's like, all right, maybe I'll just meet you guys at the driving range. You know, yes, that's a good. It's always a good like default is like, you know, let's just go to the driving range

Just go to Topgolf and get our own bay Okay Clark you'll be up first as I mentioned okay in a game that I call It's been called this because there's been additions over time Alex's Jason and Deb's IMDB game. Okay, yes. Every actor and actress has an IMDB page and on that page there are four films listed as that actor's best known for. This is of course according to robots. The algorithm determines which for unless somebody gets IMD Pro then I think you can pick your if you can prove

it's you you can pick your own for so I'll read the first title and then Clark gets to guess I'm guessing the actor. The actor that, whose IMDB best known for would start with that movie. But as you can imagine, unless we're talking about a film with only one or two actors in it, then there's plenty of people the answer could be.

So you might need to hear the second one before answering because if you guess on the first name and you're wrong, that's negative one point. But after you've either guessed or passed on that first one, then Mark will get a shot at it. And Mark again can pass because, you know, one title isn't necessarily enough. You don't want to make a guess yet. And then I give you the second title, Clark, and you get to guess, et cetera. But as soon as someone gets it right, then that person can get bonus points because whatever titles are left in their top four,

you get that many guesses. And for every one you match, you get an additional point. Great. Got it. Very, very exciting game. for everyone you match, you get an additional point. Great, got it. Very, very exciting game. I play this game with Sam and his wife Rachel after dinner when we have dinner together. We are legitimate nerds, like we,

but we just guess the actor's top four, like their four, we don't do it the other way around. Oh, you guess what they would be, yeah. That's a fun way to do it too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And also good for in person because it's probably more time consuming than this way. Yes.

I play this game on first dates. I just, I want to know if this is going to work, you know, yeah. Can you play movie? Can you, are you taller than five, 10? Can you play movie trivia? Are you going to, are you going gonna bring down my pub trivia team When you insist on joining us all right? Clark the first movie and this person's best known for is film called last Vegas All right, I am

Going to pass tomorrow. my think that makes sense I think you know until we get a little deeper into it. You might not have a sense of you know Where the hell this is going so mark you out do you want to guess? Someone from Las Vegas take a wild shot in the dark or do you want to? really inclination But that may just be an itch I have, so let's get another movie title on the board.

All right, Clark, your two movies and they're best known for Las Vegas and Step Brothers. Do you have a guess who's in both of those films um I I I do not have a guess as to who is in both of those films mark I I have a guess and I'm gonna take a shot and it may be a wild shot in the dark, but that's what makes this game Spicy I love it. I am gonna go with the beloved and effervescent Mary Steenburgen. That is correct. Yay! She's in both those films. What two movies, you get two guesses for two titles, what two movies do you think round out her top four? top four? I think it would be a crime against humanity and Robert Zemeckis if she's not having Back to the Future 3 on her IMDB front cover. And what's your second guess? My second guess would be... I don't have a movie that's coming to mind so I'm just going to say.

Oh I know I know what it is. All right. If I guess if I guess this movie if it's wrong. No she doesn't there's no no no. Just for fun. But she's still excited to know. Yeah, then I'm just going to say it's because it's been made too many times and she could be any part in it.

I'm going to say a little a little women. Oh, that's a good guess. Yeah, not bad. But you were only right about one of them back to the future. Part three. All right. Help me out, Clark. And then the fourth title is what, Clark? Is it Elf? Said no.

What? That's so funny that you got so excited about it. How is it not Elf? How is it not Elf? Well, wait till you hear what it is. Okay. I think you might go, wait a minute, isn't that where she met the love of her life until that fell apart and then she met Ted Danson? A film called Time After Time.

No, Elf is better. I'm not saying which one's better. She's more known for Elf. That's crazy. Time After Time was, you know, a big deal because, you know, Jack the Ripper and one of his victims fell in love with each other. Yeah. And had a great life. It's time after time is the movie where if I see Mary Steenburgen at Morton's steakhouse, then I know everybody's going to tell her back to the future three or else. So I'm going to bring up time after time

and say she was wonderful in it. It's the fourth thing she's most proud of. Yeah, well, that's the thing is we don't know if that's set up by her or someone else because like Las Vegas being number one is kind of a choice. Yeah, right. And not elf. The Marks got two points.

Clark is back in the driver's seat for this next one. Who do you think has in their top four emotion picture called thief? um thief uh I'll go ahead and pass it to mark Mark do I take a guess you want to risk losing a point? I do not I'm still trying to think of the movie thief No, it's just thief. It's not movie thief. It's not hero boy in the missing watch. All right, so we're gonna talk.

Okay, second movie Clark is roller ball. Thief and roller ball. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness oh my goodness um I can only think of one actor in the movie roller ball and I don't think this is them okay oh boy all right rats I'm gonna I'm gonna pass it to mark there's also been two roller balls oh that's true that's true yeah so I guess that's kind of confusing. I guess I should have put wrote down the year 70 something. I have a guess. But yeah, no, go ahead. Mark.

You want to take it too big of a risk at this point. I don't think. Mark. Yeah, I don't. I, I, I'm, I'm, I'm close. I think Clark and I are on the exact same wavelength. But I don't want to lose a point. So I'll, I'll pass. All right, Clark, here's your third title came up randomly in the conversation earlier in this show. Misery. Ooh. All right. I'm going to just go ahead and make a guess because I got to try to get on the board. Yeah.

And so I'm going to say James con. That's correct. Yay. What's the fourth James con movie in this top four? Well, good gracious. I thought the last one was so obvious. This seems very obvious. Is it the Godfather it sure is

Okay another point for Clark to And I should remind you since I didn't want to remind anybody while we were mid play on those because all four were Movies, but at any point TV shows could could pop into somebody's top four. Okay, okay. It's possible. James Cahn also didn't have Elf in his top four. What's going on? Yeah, I know.

I don't know. I don't know, Clark, but it's Mark's turn to go first on this next one. And the first movie in this person's best known for is Elf. Oh boy. elf yeah what are you gonna do with that I know I know I know I know I'm gonna I'm gonna roll the dice man I'm gonna say I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna pass the car. I'm gonna keep the dice. Smart smart play. Who do you think it is Clark?

You know, well, you know, I have a feeling there's some trickery going on. So I'm quickly running through the supporting cast of Elf in my head. So I think I have a guess supporting cast of Elephant in my head. So I think I have a guess but I would like to hear the oh I guess I have to oh oh oh right because Mark started sorry. Tough spot you're in.

I sure am. I sure am rats. You shouldn't have won the first game Clark. It really you know. Yeah that's what led to this that sure did. Okay, let's um And if I guess incorrectly I lose one point. Yeah, you'll be down to one mark lab two I'm gonna roll the dice. I'm gonna say Will Ferrell Wow, she went for it. She went for the play

That's it. Will Ferrell. Wow. She went for it. She went for the play. She really, really went for it. And I wish she hadn't because that is not the answer. OK, that's all right. I had to keep it interesting. You sure did. Yeah, I would have rolled the dice with either Will Ferrell or this other person I'm thinking of, but because they were both in my head,

I didn't want to pick one or the other. But I had a strong feeling it was either will ferrell or this other person But now I get to hear another movie you do that other movie Is the Disney animated classic the rescuers? Okay, I Can't confirm that this person is in the rescuers But I don't want to give if Clark is just way too good of a player to give her another opportunity. So I'm going to take a guess

and I'm going to guess it's Bob Newhart. Bob Newhart is the correct answer. Come on, come on. Yeah. And again, I was just thinking because I'm like, at some point in his IMDb, there might be either any of his TV shows. They're all wonderful. So I thought, you know, and he's honestly my favorite part of Elf.

And it's just the opening line of the movie when he's just looks at the cameras like oh, you're probably here for the story Yeah, we lost him this year, but he's he Everything he did was very Very entertaining, but can you come up with the two things that would be in his top four? After all in the rescuers I would say the Bob Newhart show The original no we need one more and

I would say new heart Well again you got one out of two buddy Yeah, you got new heart That was in there and arguably is I don't know if it's his best show But it certainly had that amazing conclusion that brought back The first show so really tied him up both nicely did. The first show so really tied him up both nicely. It's so funny that he had the Bob Newhart show that you mentioned that didn't make the top four. Then his next show, his leading man show was called Newhart and then the one after that was called Bob and just

hilarious the way they just kept you know narrowing it down. But also I was reading today that After his first show like when they started or at towards the end of his first show they started saying hey, what if your wife? You know what Suzanne plush that gets pregnant, and then you know and then you know start to have a family or whatever He was like No, I'm not I'm not gonna do kids I don't want to be in a show with kids and so then the the next two shows that he did he just stuck to his guns and he's just a man who? Whatever reason doesn't have children But has you know smoking wife, you know, but no children living life, right?

Yeah Anyway played Papa elf exactly is In the cast of the Tom Selleck, Kevin Kline comedy, In and Out. Oh, wow. Yeah, I don't know how that got into his top four, but there it is. All right, Clark, this one's you got to get this one.

You got to get some more points on the board because Mark's got three. You've got one. Mm hmm. Wait, did I give Mark his proper pointage on? You got to get some more points on the board because Mark's got three. You've got one. Mm hmm. Wait, did I give Mark his proper pointage on? I guess he would be at four. You are. I think he'd be at four. Yeah. Right. I got one or two. Yeah.

All right. Four to one. See, I'm trying to the patriarchy is always fighting against you. Clark, I tried to give you did. I mean, I tried to help you actually. Now that I look at it. OK. Thank you. Who's best known for starts with the TV show New Girl? Well, I'm gonna roll, but no.

I mean, oh man. What the heck? I'm gonna roll the dice. Zoe Deschanel. Yeah, that's correct. Yeah, I mean, you already figured out what was happening two rounds ago. So that probably helped a lot.

But I get you that you probably thought I might be pulling something squirrely but can you name three other Zoe Deschanel motion pictures that might be in her best known for? Okay I think I can. Okay so I'm going to go with 500 days of summer. I'm going to go with elf and then that leaves one more. Yeah. Somebody's got to actually have elf on the top four. Yeah. You would think. And then like I, oh gosh, um, a fourth. Oh, oh, oh, um, okay.

This is just a, uh, the, the happening as a representation of, I guess best known for it could mean that like it was a Definitely well-known movie, but not necessarily for the right reasons But you're correct about 500 days of summer and elf of course and but that last one didn't Happenings not happening for you today. But the movie that got in there, there was a tremendous hit that she's a voice

in is called Trolls. Oh, voice. They always get you at the voice of voice. People get people all the time. All right. So we have a mother grabbing tie on our hands. We have it's now tied it up Clark. It's four to four. And I apologize in advance because the tie breaker, you know, I want to have a winner.

So at this point, Mark gets the first shot at this and we'll see how he does. Okay. Because any points will make him the winner. All right, will Mark be hero boy? And his purple crayon. Yeah, this person's first credit is from the world of television.

It's the TV show, Game of Thrones. Wow. This is really make or break because if you guess wrong, that's negative one. So that it's Clark wins. If you get it right, that's brings you to five points and you win. It's tricky because it's like, OK, I got to go through Game of Thrones with so many characters and like, you know, well known faces. And then I got to go through Elf and I got to go through all the story beats of Elf because like there's all these different folks that pop in and out.

But now, as I just filibustered and was able to reset my mind, I remembered that Peter Dinklage is in Elf and he is also wonderful as I believe Tyrion Lannister and I know that because that's the only name that I do know from Game of Thrones, even though I'm a fan of the show, that's the only name I actually remembered. So I'm gonna say it's Peter Dinklage. It is Peter Dinklage, you did it, son of a.

This was, I will tell you, when I guessed Will Ferrell earlier, I was going back and forth between Dink I guessed Will Ferrell earlier, I was going back and forth between Dinklage and Will Ferrell. Oh yeah. And as soon as you said it, I was like, damn. I wasn't on the Dinklage train yet. I was between Will Ferrell and Newhart and I knew Faison Love's in the movie and I'm like, I don't know who else I can remember from Elf.

So I'm really running up against the wall here. This is good. You know, wall director himself John Favreau's a doctor at one point you got as in there yeah Michael learners in it yeah it's a it's a pretty pretty stacked cast already Lang makes this game hard but you both figured it out yeah good good old arty language dirty Santa Claus but so congratulations to Mark Ellis your today

and that means that you get to come back at your Earliest possible convenience is there any chance you could join us live at the lab at the improv on Tuesday night to night sense? Yes, I think I can make myself available for that engagement. I love it. All right, we'll see you there. But in the meantime, what would you like to plug? I would I'll have some tour dates next year that I'm setting up the earliest tour dates are going to be in March because

I don't like touring in January because they play very important NFL football games then so I will be in I got a St. Pete Florida date and then I got a Greensboro, North Carolina and then I'll have a Vegas not not not my last Vegas but a Vegas and but and so you can go to Mark Ellis dot live for all that. I have a new ish special called alive and well which you can watch for free on YouTube. But the thing I'd like to plug the most Doug is Clark, Wolf, and Sam are two dear friends. Wonderful kickstarter. They're raising funds and you should contribute because we want to see Fiendsgiving and we want to see that opening sequence and I'm so so excited for them because I know they're going to knock it out of the stadium. Well that is so nice. You Clark, I guess they don't need to ask you.

Yeah. He took your plugs away from you. He did. He did. Thank you, Mark. That was very sweet. Yes, Fiendsgiving on Indiegogo. And also, if I may, you can, more movie talk like this will be showing up on my YouTube channel. So if you'd want to give me a little subscribe, it is youtube.com slash official Clark Wolf. Ooh, I'll do that right now. I did not. Yeah. Okay.

I'm, I'm, I'm getting on YouTube right now. Thanks, Mark. Doug plugs Tuesday night, as mentioned, Los Angeles improvrov Comedy Club in the lab. Nice, intimate, fun experience. And if you go to the Douglas Movies account on X or just the Doug Benson account on threads, you can see a message there about what to do if you want to come to that show

for freezies. December 26th I'm doing stand-up at the Improv in Irvine, California, my annual holiday taint show. It's always a lot of fun. January 7th Benson Movie Interruption is back at Dicey Typewriter in LA and on January 11th Douglas Movies is back at Tacoma Comedy Club in Tacoma Washington with Sean Jordan and Trey Crowder and a third guest to be determined. Go to DouglasMovies.com for all of my dates and deets and links and thanks once again to Mark Ellis and Clark Wolf. We're gonna have Sam on real soon so when it comes to the plugs part if you can just you know stop pushing his cameo so much you'll get you'll get yet another plug-in for for

your project so good luck with that and I hope to I know I'll see mark very soon but you too as well Claire Clark Clark Clark Clark Clark just trying to wrap it up because now I know we're running long. As always, oh shut your face.