Under the Hood

Good morning Consumers, This is Please Consume, the newsletter that loves movies more than Leo loves girls born between the years 2002 - 2005.

This is what we’ve got for today 👇️ 

• Tom gives us the final Disruptor!

• The staff gives you their picks for what you should be watching this weekend.

• News and Notes.

Let’s get rolling…

This week we’re focusing on Disruption Docudramas.

What does that mean exactly?

Well, we’re going to discuss movies that tell the true story of massive shake ups in certain fields.

This has been a big year for this type of movie with the release of films like Tetris, Flaming Hot, Blackberry, Air, and the impending Dumb Money.

So, we thought we’d take the opportunity to discuss just a couple of our favorites.

 Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Written by Tom Fortner

One sub-genre of movies that I always enjoy and find fascinating is ‘Unusual Professions’. Think along the lines of Locke (2014), which goes into detail about the concrete business, and Arrival (2016), which follows a linguist tasked with decoding an alien language.

Another one I enjoy is the more popular ‘Based On a True Story’ genre, like Sully (2016) or Matewan (1987).

That’s why today we’re talking about a film that combines both genres brilliantly; a true story about a niche profession I know almost nothing about.

I’m talking about Ford v Ferrari!

Under the Hood

Ford v Ferrari chronicles the efforts of the Ford Motor Company to create a car to end Ferrari’s winning streak at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France in 1966.

They hire Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), owner of the high-performance auto company Shelby American, to build the car. Shelby brings on his British friend and fellow driver/mechanical engineer, Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to help him build and test the car.

The film has incredible racing scenes with amazing visuals and riotous sound, putting me further towards the edge of my seat than most thrillers, but what really makes it shine is that the movie has so much more to it.

Most of the magic happens between Shelby and Miles as they tinker in the garage with theories and grease, enveloping us in a world of striving dreams and dangerous speed. One thing the film does so well is make us feel just how dangerous racing was back in the day. In one scene, Shelby takes Henry Ford II on a test run in their prototype and the ride ends in an unexpected way, highlighting just how powerful driving a car at that speed really is.

This isn’t a film that limits itself to politics or racing, rather it digs into the fanaticism of its leads. It’s like watching an episode of How It Works with story, plot, thrills, and emotion. Doesn’t that sound fascinating?

You Like the Sound of That?

What really sells this movie are the performances.

Matt Damon is doing his classic ‘American Who Is Really Good at His Job’ and Christian Bale does his classic ‘Crazy Weight Fluctuation and Amazing Accent’. It’s simply amazing to watch

That’s one more component that elevates this biopic above so many others: while we see all the incredible racing and ingenuity, we have to care about and find these real-life people appealing. And we most definitely do.

They both have such drive to build this better car, not just because they want to win, but because they love cars and love racing and want to push the boundaries of what was possible.

If you’re wondering how this is a disruption biopic, well, you’ll have to watch the movie. I don’t want to spoil anything. They Just Don’t Make Them Like They Used To.

As mentioned before, the plot and characters in this story are actually compelling compared to something more modern, say The Gray Man. Sure, there aren't a ton of beat ’em-up moments with stuntmen putting their lives on the line or giant CGI explosions, but there is a ton of suspense and thrill. You actually are compelled to care about these characters and their motives because the movie isn’t distracted with trying to show you the coolest effects or stunt work ever.

Unfortunately, I think this breed of movie is dead… Even the newest take on the Jack Ryan character (Amazon Prime’s Jack Ryan) is mostly just military action set pieces. This sort of movie just doesn’t sell to executives anymore and that makes me sad. But that’s exactly why you should watch this movie because they probably won’t make many more of these.

Today’s Scene

Here are some selections from our staff for what you should watch this weekend.

Stop the endless Netflix scroll and let us pick for you.

Christian’s Pick

The Big Shave (1967) - Max

Do you want to see God-given talent on full display?

Watch what Martin Scorsese can do in just 6 minutes.

The Big Shave is one of his first films and gives you a glimpse into what’s to come.

Music, Hard cuts, and lots of blood.

With it being only 6 minutes long you have absolutely no excuse not to throw it on this weekend.

WATCH NOW

Tom’s Pick

The Power of the Dog (2021) - Netflix

Have you ever heard the banjo and thought: “Hmmm, this is menacing”?

If not, then this movie will probably blow your mind. If you have, then this movie will also blow your mind. There’s no escape.

This is my pick for the best movie Netflix has made. It’s absolutely astounding.

WATCH NOW

Tyler’s Pick

The Cable Guy (1996) - Netflix

We all love Jim Carrey!

But what about when he goes dark?

Personally, I think it’s fantastic! At the time, The Cable Guy got mixed reviews because we all had to get used to Carrey as a creepy weirdo. Now that it’s common in 2023, we can all relax with Matthew Broderick being stalked by the Rubberface himself.

And it’s directed by Ben Stiller too! C’mon, how can you hate a movie directed by Ben Stiller?!

WATCH NOW

Caleb’s Pick

Robin Hood (1973) - Disney+

The Robin Hood story has been told about one million different ways, but this one is special.

The animation is great, the performances are unbelievable, and Roger Miller is the narrator.

But what makes this movie really special is that it is the last Robin Hood movie that still has a sense of jovial, good spirited rebellion (except for Men in Tights).

This film captures why Robin Hood was (and still is) such a symbol of hope, not a symbol of gritty violence. All of that is why this movie is one of my favorite movies of all time.

WATCH NOW

Here is some of the latest news that we found interesting…