Suggestible - Soulmates

Episode Date: July 1, 2021

Suggestible things to watch, read and listen to. Hosted by James Clement @mrsundaymovies and Claire Tonti @clairetonti.Check out Claire’s new podcast Tonts!Sign up to Claire’s weekly bonus newsletters here – tontsnewsletterThis week’s Suggestibles:HildaBlack SummerSoulmates (spoilers 20:55 - 21:38)Send your recommendations to [e-mail], we’d love to hear them.You can also follow the show on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook @suggestiblepod and join our ‘Planet Broadcasting Great Mates OFFICIAL’ Facebook Group. So many things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Uber Teen Accounts, an Uber account for your teen with enhanced safety features. Your teen can request a ride with top-rated drivers, and you can track every trip on the live map in the Uber app. Uber Teen Accounts, invite your teen to join your Uber account today. Available in select locations. See app for details. Bing bong, hello James. We've got to do a quick one, a fast one, a jump in and jump out. That is true, but I just want to mention that claire and i every week we have a google doc each where we put in our suggestibles that's the show this show where we talk about things that we've read watched or listened to how smug are you no no i'm not being smug i'm just so smart we both have different methods for

example my method in my google doc is every time i put a new thing i go down a few spaces and i put it at the top claire however has a continuously scrolling document so she has to go through like hundreds of pages to get to the bottom for her next suggestible now she could switch it up and from now on start at the top but that would mean that everything she's ever done is out of order so i'm wondering whether like some kind of minor form of OCD will kick in or making that it will make that impossible for her to do keep everybody posted though don't you even worry right so you told me because I always wrote a new thing and then at the end of the Christmas special I had to go through all my notes to find all the things that I talked about and you told me to put it all in one document and you didn't say that I had to start backwards from the upside down top I hate admin I hate admin I'm not doing it anymore

it's about time you started taking some responsibility for yourself speaking of what is at the very bottom of your list what have you got I scrolled about 10 pages right then okay so i'm so excited to talk about this because i i wrote about it in my newsletter and it's just the best thing at the moment it's called healed up it's on netflix a friend of ours introduced it to us and yes before you question or get confused it is a children's tv show animation but it is absolutely beautiful and super intricate and a little bit weird and very magical. It's British and it's based on a graphic novel by Luke Pearson,

published by No Brow Press. I didn't know it was based on a graphic novel. Yeah. A comic book, if you will. Sure. For most people. A picture book for me to make fun of James. How dare you.

It's from the 50s, this comic? Yeah, it is. It's so good. And it's based on Scandinavian, like it's sort of inspired by Scandinavian folklore, which means that the setting of the show is like Scandinavian-esque, but it's a completely magical world with just all these incredibly intricate, cool, weird creatures, like giants and then like tiny, tiny elves and like

wooden creatures who like whistle and eat through like a little snout. Just like all these religious, like just religious, really, really cool, gorgeous things. The main character is Hilda, obviously, who's a fearless, curious and empathetic blue haired hero. And her mother, the kind of whole show in a way pivots around Hilda's adventures and her friends that she meets through her scout group. And initially they live in the wilderness, which is like the creatures are rampant. They're the only humans around. And then through a series of events, they have to move into Trollberg, which is like the big city behind walls to protect them from the big trolls.

And Hilda's like this really cool, imaginative, badass kind like the big city behind walls to protect them from the big trolls. Right, right. And Hilda's like this really cool, imaginative, badass kind of kid who's like trying to fit into mainstream school and has made little friends through a scout troop and just is super knowledgeable because she's always going on adventures and finding mad, insane, you know, animals and like always saving the day out there. Yeah.

But the beauty of it is the relationship between Hilda and her mother, which is great. Like her mother I think is an architect. So she's always kind of drawing and creating things. She's got knowledge of like creatures. Yeah, she does. She's really wise but also kind of like a mother and so a bit resigned, not resigned but like tired.

Sure. But their relationship is just beautiful and the way she parents her is really great like she kind of talks to Hilda like an equal but in this really warm friendly kind of way and also really is always on Hilda's side and like really wants to support her in who she is while also wanting her to do well at school and fit in in Trollberg so that you know she can um have friends and like you know all those sorts of things interesting balance with kids because it's like you want them to fit in because it's less painful when you're like completely outside the box and an oddball but at the same time those are more interesting kids to

me yeah I know but you don't want them the pain of like not fitting in and not having friends do you know yeah but that makes you a more interesting kid it does but it does but you need friends do you know what i mean it's about finding friends who have your interests it's finding your tribe isn't it exactly and that's what i've been trying to teach our son we've had these conversations lately because he's quite obsessed with having the same stuff as everyone and being the same as everyone. Like he wants to have the same shoes or the same whatever's. And I've been trying to explain to him, and that's the baby monitor, I've been trying to explain to him that actually what makes you special

is your uniqueness and you're not the same as the kids around you and the friends that you have and that's actually your superpower yeah and it's important to hold on to that but you are right while also being it's kind of like being able to talk in two different languages like be able to understand that in certain situations you need to be politer or change in the way that maybe you approach something in order to get somewhere, like potentially get good grades or get into a job or something you want. Totally. But not losing who you are.

And I mean, I guess that's kind of the eternal battle of like adult life as well, isn't it? And I think often as we become adults and through our teenagers, we can through kind of peer pressure actually lose who we were as that weird kid through that peer pressure and then become out the other side a really kind of boring adult who's kind of miserable and so in order to kind of get hold on to yourself you kind of have to or rediscover yourself as an adult. You have to lean into who you were as that weird kid and what you really love. So I don't quite know the balance of that,

but I do know the happier adults I've met are the ones who are super in touch with that silly, playful, magic side. Or even just what they like. That's what I mean. It doesn't have to be like, I'm crazy and I'm silly. It can just be like, I like this thing a lot. Yeah, and they have those hobbies or even just that passion for whatever they are and they're not afraid to like wear their crocs and go i know looking for things in rock pools or surfing or you know whatever or comic books or whatever

it is so this um show is gorgeous for that the art style is just incredible amazing yeah it's beautiful yeah it's so beautiful and also the the Midgeton Grimes, also known as Claire Butcher, she does the fizzing pop to create the mood and theme of the kind of music. Fun fact, partner of Elon Musk. Oh, wow. Full name, Elongated Musk Rats. Did you know that? No, I did not.

That's his full name, yeah. Whoa, that is so crazy interesting. Anyway. I put our daughter down for a nap and she's not having it i might have to pause for a bit all right okay yeah sorry keep going yeah anyway so that's it that's kind of what i wanted to say it's on netflix um there's two seasons i'm fairly certain and it is just a joy especially to watch with kids because it's one of those shows that you put on and love as an adult as well and there's a lot to learn from it too sorry everyone yeah we might have to pause hold on we'll pause

and i'll come back okay introducing uber teen accounts an uber account for your teen with enhanced safety features your teen can request a ride with top rated drivers and you can track every trip on the live map in the uber app Uber Teen Accounts. Invite your teen to join your Uber account today. Available in select locations. See app for details. All right, so that's Hilda. So I just love it. And I found myself watching it just when the kids go to bed

because I want to know what happens and I've been distracted making dinner or something. So I think you will really love it too. I've seen bits and pieces of it. I kind of want to sit down and watch it from the start also because it's fun and the it's got a little elf friend who lives in a keyhole and lives in her ear like often just like walks around she has his little elf she's talking to and he's all he's part of a whole society who are really angry with her and her mother which is one of the reasons i have to leave trollberg because they're tiny and the her and her mother keep stepping on them and stepping on their houses and so there's this whole big battle going on with the elves and

and them and there's another really cool episode with this creature that i can't remember the name of the creature but it lives in the nooks and crannies and spaces in your house and and all those nooks and crannies and spaces come together to create a whole room right and they kind of like fall through these holes in the house and end up in this room and each house has to create a whole room. Right. And they kind of like fall through these holes in the house and end up in this room. And each house has its own, a little bit like a Dobby-esque kind of house elf from Harry Potter. And so each house has one of those.

And the reason Hilda starts to find out about them is because when she moves to Trollberg, she sees one on the street. And then her mother has a talk to her about how, well, that's because they were booted out of their house for doing something wrong. And then there's this whole kind of just dialogue issues around that and then also she adopts this house elf and then it turns out there's another one already living in her house she didn't know about it's just it's just glorious and it's also quite touching there's some really

moving elements to the story as well so i loved it all right over to you sunny barb speaking of netflix uh there's a series that just got its second season that I hadn't watched before. It's called Black Summer. And what it is, zombie apocalypse show, Claire. Okay. It just was all a unique difference. But the thing is, like, I'm all zombied out.

I've been off the Walking Dead train for, like, five years at this point. I feel like the potential of that show was never reached. The comic I kept up with because it's pretty consistent all the way through. But this one is set in the Z Nation universe, which is another series, which is kind of more a lighthearted zombie take, which follows Special Forces or whatever. But this one is the very early days of the zombie apocalypse, right? And it is horrifying in the best way. It's so's so it's it just riddles me with anxiety so it's also by the production company the asylum you might more famously know them for like shark nato tornado you know those kinds of things they do the knockoff movies like transmorphers it's

basically they make movies you are grossly overestimating my knowledge of any of that kind of movie. You've never heard of the movie Sharknado? No. Actually, it's ringing a bell because you ranted at me about it at some point in our past. I can't really remember anything else about it. What I don't like about them is, for one, they're designed to trick grandmas into buying movies for their grandkids because it's like, transmorphers, okay.

You know what I mean? It's like a knockoff. And also because they're intentionally kind of B-movie quality, which I don't particularly like, but it's like, can you manufacture a B-movie? The best B-movies I feel aren't intentionally made that way. Do you know what I mean? They're not like low effort.

It's like a lot of effort goes into them, but they come out this way because of budget and constraints and whatever, which is interesting in itself and in its art form but anyway forget all that so it says jamie king christina lee uh justin chu carrie and essentially what's terrifying about it is so it's a it's a fast zombie universe which are always much more terrifying because they they can run like you know you see like slow shambling zombies and you know whatever why would anybody get caught by one of them? But we've seen fast zombies before because they're just screaming,

bearing down on you, and they don't run out of energy or breath because they're already dead, essentially, right? Which, again, we have seen before. But a lot of the times – Have we? Yeah, 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead. There was a recent Zack Snyder zombie movie. When I said we then, I meant like the proverbial me, like me andial me. I meant we as in...

Me and you together. Listen, most people listening to this know what I'm talking about, all right? I know. I just had to shout out to the people that don't know what you're talking about because they don't purposely like to watch zombie movies because it's scary. It's not a movie. It's a show. It's so scary.

I know, but movie, show, the same thing. It's like walking dead people yelling. And there's always someone being like, and they pop out of nowhere like, But they'll do really long takes where it's just a zombie chasing a person around a stationary bus. And they're on top of the bus and the zombie's on the bus. So they get down and they run and they break down the door

and then the zombie comes through and they just, it's horrifying. The other thing is normally in zombie shows, if there's zombies coming at you, you do a headshot and then the zombie comes through and they just, it's, it's horrifying. The other thing is normally in zombie shows, like if there's zombies coming at you, you do a headshot and then like in, and yeah, you're fine because it's early days and not everybody is, you know, living in a walking dead TV universe where everybody can get headshots.

They're really difficult to kill. People would just panic and start shooting and then they miss. And then they just like mauled by just one zombie. And the other interesting thing is, and this is something that was also from just like mauled by just one zombie. And the other interesting thing is, and this is something that was also from The Walking Dead, everybody is already infected. So if you just die, you become a zombie immediately.

Like if you die in your sleep, you become a zombie. So essentially everybody in, like if you're in a group, they'll change instantly. So if somebody dies or gets shot or bit, suddenly you've doubled the amount of zombies. Do you know what I mean? And so there's this constant cascade of like things spiral really quickly and the first season is early days set in the summer the second season is set in the winter it's like six months in and things are much more desperate and cold like there's been warring factions and there's food drops and people are tearing themselves apart for it no each other

apart for it and it's just horrendous also it's amazing genuinely amazing yeah if you like zombie stuff this is the best zombie thing question a long time question go for it does it have some empty houses with photos of people that used to live there and a fridge with like semi-off food where someone goes in and it's kind of like gray. Not really. And they walk around and they're like, pick up a family photo and look at it. And then they're like, oh, interesting. And then something falls on the roof and they're like, who?

I guess a little bit, but not really. And also because I feel like in every zombie show or TV show I've ever seen. Look, it's got like a lot of the things. There's always that moment. A lot of the things that I've mentioned people would have seen. And the characters are excellent. The other thing is they just chew through the cast. So you just don't know at any point who's going to die.

Like Game of Thrones style. Yeah, like they bring back, there's this guy who survives the entire first season. This is a minor spoiler. And then immediately he's killed in like the first scene of the second series do you know what i mean it's like they'll do stuff like that yeah so you're kind of like who's the main character in this but it's amazing and there's like one of the one of the characters in it she's korean and she only speaks korean so it's just

like that's another barrier do you know what i mean to this whole scenario like trying to survive and explain and it's horrifying it's great it's really good i love it can i also ask one more question is it so great because it is the thing that we always talk about where you can have as fantastical a scenario as you like but it's the fact that it makes sense and the reactions of the people are the reactions that you feel like would be true to the setting and them as characters. Great. I'll watch that. You won't.

You cannot watch it. Hey, I could. You definitely could. No, I could. You know what? I could. I think if you could get past like the tension of it. With a big enough pillow and a hot chocolate and maybe a piece of chocolate cake

and you in the room, then maybe I could watch it during the day. Sure, yeah. I also think it gets better as it goes as well. Okay. And there's just some episodes where they're just like, we're going to focus on this guy and they'll spend the whole episode finding about this guy's backstory or whatever. And then it's like, oh, he's dead.

So it's just like, you're like, who do you kind of – No, it's like Red Wedding style. Yeah, it is. It is that feeling, but like every episode. And I guess that that is part of it, isn't it? Like that really does build that tension of what it would feel like to live in a zombie apocalypse. And a lot of the cast –

Which feels not that out of like realm of possibility in 2021. No, it wouldn't surprise me. But also a lot of the cast feels not that out of like realm of possibility in 2021 surprise me but also a lot of the cast and not all of them are like relatively unknown so if like a big act you'd come and you'd be like oh here we go it's this person's but it's just like i've never seen this person before oh they're dead okay oh yeah anyway what's your next thing cool all right so oh gosh mine is quite creepy actually this. I debated whether to talk about it because it made me feel very unsettled, but I will because it's an interesting premise and you'll like it. It's kind of more a thing that you would suggest. This is a show called Soulmates. So it's Black Mirror-esque. It's set in the very near future and a test is developed that incontrovertibly lets a person know who their soulmate is. It's not really clear how they do this other than they kind of put you

in some weird headset and look into your eyes and somehow your soulmate could literally live anywhere in the world but it's that one person for you. I think if you explained it, it would just kind of detract from the premise, you know what I mean? Correct. You get caught up in the like the, what do you mean? How does it work and whatever. Yeah, so no.

So that's just the premise. And no matter a person's current relationship status, whether they're single, dating, or even married, the test will unmistakably point a person in the direction of their actual scientifically determined soulmate. Is it called soulmate? Soulmate. I thought it was called soulmate.

Maybe it's called soulmate. I don't know. People in long-term relationships should not be content in believing they've already made the right choice it's kind of like the premise of the i hear that yeah and each episode is kind of a world in and of itself in that like it's their individual storylines they're not ongoing ones and so because of this idea that science knows best in inverted commas it's quite awful the different stories that happen and then like for instance sarah snook who i love stars in the very first episode and she's married she's amazing and she's in succession stuff yeah yeah and so it kind of looks at the the the fallout socially and culturally

of a test like this existing yeah and some people take it and some people don't some people take it and then they don't know like their their soulmate hasn't taken it so then they're it's just kind of left open they don't know and then years down the track so that their soulmate might take it and then they match yeah and so that can cause problems other people around them they're kind of watching people who have found their soulmates. And Sarah Snook's character in the first episode is like this. She's happily married with two beautiful kids. But then around her and people, including her brother, do the test, meet their soulmate, leave their previous lives behind,

and then look unbelievably in love and like super happy and it's like the penultimate of everything. And so she starts to question whether she's made the right choice in not taking the test. And then the kind of the impact of that on her relationship and like that questioning and what that does to her and what it does to her husband. And I won't spoil it, but it's just really devastating.

But then the question keeps open and it is kind of left open that just because scientifically there's technically this sort of match that doesn't necessarily mean happiness. And it doesn't take into account like building a relationship with someone. Exactly. And like she's had kids with her husband and like all the stuff that bonds them. And so they explore all the complexity in that as well. And it's just, it's awfully unsettling but it is has a slightly black mirror-esque feel i saw that i saw the third one because it's different what's

a um anthology isn't it yeah it's different it's a different story in the same universe yeah correct yeah so um it's really worth watching if you love that kind of thing the tech i thought you might like it for the tech stuff too because it's like the technology is a bit more advanced than where we are at the moment. I love tech. You do love, you know, a futuristic tech kind of thing. It just seems awful actually. It seems like that kind of thing where everyone thinks phones are brilliant

but then in like 20 years we're all going to find out they're the worst thing ever, a bit like cigarettes or something. I think we already know that. It actually reminds me, there was this collection of short stories that I think they were written like on the internet and then the best ones were collected. It's called Machine of Death and it's basically this box and it takes a blood sample and it just tells you how you're going to die.

But it might be like car accident and then you're like, but when? And you don't know. And it might be like a car falls on you or like you choke on a toy car or you're in a car accident you know what I mean so so you've got or it might be like heart attack or it might be like old age but old age might be an old person hits you with a car and you're killed by old age so it's like it's a similar kind of thing where each story is different it's like once you know you can't unknow it and that's the path that you are now on whether or not you know you need you need to know or not and some people don't get a response

there's one person who it's blank the sheet's blank and they go crazy because they're like does that mean I'm gonna live forever and then they shoot themselves to be like oh I have to be I have to know and then it's out of ink so it's like stuff like that yeah yeah it's really interesting but um that just reminded me of that yeah it does it sounds similar in that way and like in Sarah Snook's case this is a spoiler um in that first episode her and her husband end up splitting up because he she he she has this whole discussion decides she's not going to take the test has this like big emotional outpouring to him about how, you know, they birthed their children and she just remembered him being there

and it was such a beautiful moment. She's not going to do it. And he starts crying because he has taken it. Oh, no. And so they end up and it kind of flashes forward and they're both living in separate houses and their daughters are being ferried between the two families and he's with this other woman and she's with this other guy.

And it's kind of left quite ambiguous as to whether they're actually happy. And he kind of says, I miss you. And there's this sort of moment. Yeah. And it just, I think it just points to the fact that, you know, technology isn't always the best thing. Sure. All of that stuff.

Maybe a soulmate's machine isn't the answer. Maybe the soulmate's machine isn't the answer. I think that's what they say at the end of every episode, isn't it? They go, maybe a soulmate's, maybe the soulmate's machine isn't the answer. That's what they say at the end of every episode, isn't it? They go, maybe the soulmates machine isn't the answer. Yeah, there is a really fun one with two guys who are gay and kind of meet in a bar and one steals the other one's wallet and then it becomes this kind of like heist sort of comedic kind of episode, which I really loved.

So it's not all like. No, I think it's set in Mexico. Yeah. And that's really fun and kind of has a lovely ending in a way too. Oh, good. So it's not all like. No, I think it's set in Mexico. Yeah. And that's really fun and kind of has a lovely ending in a way too. Oh, good. So it's not all doom and gloom. The one I watched wasn't all doom and gloom either. Yeah.

It's like a thruple situation. Yeah. And that one is very different, again, from the ones you've described. But we might have to wrap this up. And we will. I have to pick up our son and our daughter is going to start climbing out of the car. She is. Absolutely. She will. So just quickly, I going to start climbing out of the car. She is. Absolutely, she will.

So just quickly, I want to say we'd love a review. The reviews are running out. So if you want to get in a review, I'll probably read it out at this point. It's from Brett Thomas who says, good. And then the comment underneath says, yes, and that's five stars. So there you go. So if you could give us a review, you can do it in-app, on iTunes or whatever app that you listen on, that would be much appreciated. Do we have any letter, Claire?

We do. We have many. So if you would like to write into the show, I'll tell you what, that Bo Burnham special from last week, that gave us a lot of mail. And I appreciated it. Did we get more mail after we said, actually, we liked it? We did. Certainly we did. We got more mail. And I really appreciate that. I thought it was such an interesting discussion. This one is from Ryan. Hello mail. And I really appreciate that. I thought it was such an interesting discussion. This one is from Ryan. Hello, Clario and Jamester. I appreciated that, Ryan.

What up, dog? Insurance. He said insurance. I think he meant I. Just finished listening to you both talk about Bo Burnham's Inside and your fascinating convo about the internet. I'm currently about a week into a social media and semi-internet detox and would highly recommend it. So far, it has really improved my mental health

and given me a lot more time to enjoy life and be creative. I only let myself use the internet for writing necessities and listening to all the big sandwich pods. The show is always a delight. Cheers. Insert Becca theme here, James. Brian. And I heard a lot of people writing in just about how.

The Becca theme? Yeah, the Becker theme and also about their approach to the internet. And there's some interesting emails that I'll read at a later time when we've got more time. There's a few from The Youth, James. Oh, I love The Youth. Writing in about what it's like. Yeah, you do love The Youth.

I love The Youth. About what it's like to grow up with the internet. But I'll save that for another time because I think that's a bigger discussion and we don't have time into this week's episode. Yeah, that's right. So sorry for the rushed nature, but let it be known it's because of the TV show Loki because I have to record a bunch of stuff for that. But also I saw the movie Black Widow, Claire.

Did you know? I certainly did know. I'll talk about it not this week but next week. You came back with a big old drink with her face on it and a poster. And you said, where did you get that? And I said, I made it. I didn't see the movie. I went to a black widow drink making class. And I

said, well done, sir. And I shook your hand. Okay, we have been to this podcast. I'm James. He's there. Claire. We're married. And we love you. I'll see ya. We don't. We do not love you. She's lying to you. We think you're good though. We don't know that either.

Okay. We hope you're good. Why are you clapping? It's just a good show. It's just a great show. Speaking of great shows, just quickly, I listened to your Jesse Stevens episode of your podcast, Taunts, and it was amazing. I loved it.

It's about heartbreak. If you haven't listened to it, please give it a listen. It's episode two. There is a third episode right now also with Jess Perkins, which I've also heard, which is great, but I really got a lot of the Jesse Stevens one in terms of talking about heartbreak. And I listened to Jess Perkins one like a month ago, whatever, when you recorded it.

But, yeah, it's well worth checking out. It's getting some great reviews and downloads, and you should definitely check it out. Thanks so much, mate. Yeah. You were great. I love you. Two stars, though.

That's what I rated it. Okay. Until next week. Bye. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbroadcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want. It's up to you.

Hi, this is Katnett Unfiltered. If you know us, then you know that we do almost everything together, so accommodating seven kids and seven adults on vacation can be challenging, so we Airbnb it. And if you have a spare room in your house, you can Airbnb it. It's that simple. You can even Airbnb your whole house while you are away. You could be sitting on an Airbnb and not even know it. Whether you could use extra money to cover some bills or for something a little more fun, your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.ca slash host.