It’s time yet again to Social Distance the heck out of this epidemic and watch a movie together while still staying in three different states: North Carolina, Florida, and California. Next up for the Tri-State Watch Party, it’s the Oscar-winning Hidden Figures.
The Netflix Watch Party app ended up being a little complicated, so we just set a time to hit “play” and then chatted through instant messenger. Click the jump to read some highlights from the conversation.
The Players: Elizabeth, Hannah, Kathryn, Nathan, and the parents (Parents represented here by Marian, because Dad would chisel a message in a stone tablet before typing anything on a phone.)
Elizabeth
Everyone almost ready?
Nathan
Whenever you are.
Hannah
Not quite on this end
Mom still getting settled
Okay, got it
Ready?
Nathan
Yep!
Kathryn
Ready!
Elizabeth
Ready!
Hannah
Go
Nathan
Gone.
Elizabeth
Done!
Nathan
I always expect the Star Wars theme after this.
Elizabeth
Same
Hannah
I expect this to be moving and educational but maybe not .that. challenging
Kathryn
It’s an inspirational film, definitely.
Uh oh, plot obstacle, coming up.
And once again, all prejudices fall when COMMIES are involved.
Nathan
Elizabeth
Hee, fun car chase
Hannah
Heh
I like how quickly they establish their charisma
(I believe this film is much more highly regarded, but just a reminder to listen to Best Pick absolutely fillet Green Book)
Nathan
I assume this is Yuri Gargarin.
Nope, another Sputnik.
Elizabeth
I forgot Costner was in this
Hannah
Fucking hell forgot about Costner
Straight outta JFK
Elizabeth
Oh Sheldon’s in this too
Nathan
Does he always play a nerd with no social skills?
Elizabeth
Big Bang Theory has gotten him typecasted for good
Hannah
He’s the poor man’s Sean Hayes
(Not really, I like him, just not BBT)
Kathryn
I didn’t know until I read an alternate-universe novel about the space race, but “computer” was originally the name of the mathematicians.
Hannah
Is that Kirsten Dunst or a generic blond cyborg?
Nathan
Can you imagine having to sit in that tiny thing on top of a huge rocket and get shot into space?
Hannah
Some Fried Green Tomato vibes there for a sec
Elizabeth
I love her voice
Kathryn
Definitely seems to be Dunst with a passable southern accent.
Elizabeth
(Janelle I mean, I like her voice.)
Hannah
Not for nothing but pretty sure Steve’s granddad was in that room
Elizabeth
Oh no way, cool
Nathan
Really?
Hannah
Well he was a Huntsville-based rocket scientist who worked on the moon landing
Last name Winstead, I’ve never actually googled
Nathan
Wardrobe budget for the male cast wasn’t too big: white shirts and thin black ties.
Hannah
Haha yes
Kathryn
Oh
Elizabeth
Ooo, “your bathroom”
Kathryn
Yeek
Hannah
Yeah eesh
Nathan
sigh
Hannah
This probably the only specific thing I know about this movie
Kathryn
The mad dash here?
Elizabeth
Makes ya wanna slap the face off every dude in the room.
ALL OF IT
The judgey looks about the coffee ARRGH
Hannah
(Yes, the mad dash)
Elizabeth
I kinda hoped Sheldon would be the prickly guy she got along with but it’s looking like he’s the Dude We Hate Who We Hope Gets His Just Desserts.
Nathan
Love a Ray Charles soundtrack!
Elizabeth
Love that car
Car folks, any idea of the model?
Nathan
Nope!
Hannah
Thunderbird!
(No fucking clue)
Another sad thing is that this definitely feels like a Hollywood movie and they had to bring in all the reinforcements to get this many Black Hollywood actors
Elizabeth
Right?
For black folks church is theater? Is what Juanita said?
Nathan
I believe so.
Hannah
That’s what the WBTT founder said
Elizabeth
Hannah
Nate Jacobs
WHAT DO I KNOW HIM FROM
Elizabeth
Weirdly I keep thinking Black Mirror but I don’t know that that’s it
I love their dresses
“PLEASE have some shame.” “I will not.”
Nathan
Hannah
OMG he was a bad guy on FNL
He was also in Black Mirror
Elizabeth
KNEW IT
Kathryn
Freeze him with a glance, damn.
Nathan
Open mouth, insert foot, swallow to knee.
Hannah
Poor Mahershala Ali. Gotta be Black Man in everything these days
Elizabeth
Seriously
Him and Idris Elba.
Hannah
Literally just checked to see if he was in The Wire
(He wasn’t)
Nathan
But Iris Elba was!
Hannah
Yep, that’s why
Elizabeth
Ah
Hannah
How is he softening his Southern accent for this role?
Elizabeth
Eff all these snooty white women.
Hannah
I would watch Octavia Spencer call for takeout
She was born in Montgomery!
Elizabeth
Nice!
Whew, I was afraid someone was going to take credit
Hannah
And now Good Will Hunting vibes
Kathryn
Yay! I was hoping they weren’t going to steal the credit.
Elizabeth
Ping
Eh hem.
PING
Kathryn
Pong
Nathan
Pong?
Elizabeth
Thanks, just checking
Hannah
?
Kathryn
My typing is a little slow
Elizabeth
I wasn’t sure my messenger was cooperating, had an issue with a work convo today
THIS bitch
Kathryn
Ugh
Nathan
I really want to slap her.
Kathryn
Sassy drunk is the best drunk
Elizabeth
STRESSFUL
Kathryn
I LOVE that she’s not going to take a non-apology.
Elizabeth
Hee
Kathryn
By the way, we also know him as one of the bad guys on Luke Cage
Elizabeth
And a good guy in the Hunger Games.
Nathan
Kevin Costner is so much better in a character role than as a leading man, IMO.
Kathryn
Truly
Elizabeth
Agreed
Kathryn
I think he works harder to fit into the role
Hannah
Dances With Wolves really fucked his career. He didn’t want to direct/star, but he had so much success shit got away from him fast
Elizabeth
That makes a lot of sense
Hannah
(When winning an Oscar fucks your career. Just, like, relatively)
Kathryn
I’m sure this is WAY simplified. Still satisfying.
Nathan
Lovin’ this soundtrack.
Marian
Elizabeth
Get him GET IM
Hannah
Still a revelation
Nathan
Kathryn
SING IT.
PREACH.
Hannah
Prolly oughtta read her book
Nathan
I would have pitched that coffee pot across the room.
Elizabeth
WOO!
Kathryn
Not as poetic as we all bleed the same color, but I’ll take it.
Elizabeth
Hee
YOU’RE SICK ISOLATE YOURSELF WOMAN
Kathryn
Six feet, SIX FEET.
Nathan
Was waiting to see which one of you would say that.
That, too.
Elizabeth
This jazz piece is….?
Marian
Kinda Blue. Miles Davis
Elizabeth
Thanks
Marian
I think. Nathan?
Elizabeth
The science to make something that big go straight up..
Nathan
I was typing and not paying attention.
According to the soundtrack, it was So What.
Elizabeth
Got it
I want all her dresses
Aww
Hannah
Somebody painted swastikas on a Temple in Sarasota yesterday
Nathan
Elizabeth
Ew, geez.
Kathryn
Damnit.
Hannah
Why is Janelle Monae so perfect?
Elizabeth
Right?
Kathryn
I really want to read the biography behind this.
Nathan
You go girl!
Elizabeth
GOD dropping out of orbit into the water dear sweet lord
Kathryn
Did everyone else watch The Right Stuff?
Elizabeth
Nope
Nathan
Great film!
Hannah
No, don’t know it
Kathryn
Gus got some wrong.
Everyone accused him of blowing the explosive bolts too soon and sinking the capsule.
Elizabeth
If it was me I’d have a hard time waiting to get the hell out of that thing
Kathryn
I’m pretty sure they eventually confirm it was a malfunction, and not his fault
Jeez, all this math on the fly. BY HAND.
Elizabeth
Cannot wait for that guy to get his just desserts.
Nathan
Wow. Punch cards.
Hannah
Ew. He’s Jared Kushner
Nathan
Elizabeth
Put a sock in it Paul.
Hannah
Smug confusion is an emotion only available to straight Cishet white men
Elizabeth
Agreed
Well, some overly rich white women can pull it off too.
Hannah
True
Kathryn
Epic.
Elizabeth
Yay
Hannah
I remember catching a snippet of a Fresh Air interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Terry Gross made some comment about how smart he was, and he rebuked her a bit with talking about how hard he’d worked
And pointed to the trope that smart Black people are sometimes portrayed as some kind of “other”
Kathryn
Power walk!
Hannah
Heh
Elizabeth
Where we’re going we won’t need….calculators…
Hannah
Haha
Elizabeth
Re: Tyson, he’s right.
Hannah
It made such an impression, hearing that parsed like that
Kathryn
I really do like how there are super supportive men in these women’s lives.
Hannah
Yes
Hannah
Nathan
Kathryn
Wait, I was talking, what was the old math?
Hannah
Base Eight!
Nathan
Type it up yourself, Sheldon!
Hannah
(Tom Lehrer is all I got)
Kathryn
I really can’t even begin to grasp anything other than base 10
Elizabeth
Same
Hannah
That IS Kirsten Dunst and frankly she’s transformed herself. Props.
Kathryn
Oo, good line.
Hannah
Damn
Elizabeth
Wow, she’s weirdly unrecognizable
Nathan
She’s aged like the rest of us.
Hannah
The (hopefully) most productive thing I can say about racism when I talk to idiots these days is to point out that they’re making people of another race jump through hoops to be acceptable, while white people get a pass
Elizabeth
Yep
Hannah
I WOULD DIE FOR MR. ALI
Elizabeth
AMEN
Kathryn
Aw. Hee.
Ow.
Elizabeth
Crap
Nathan
Kathryn
Thank you, and get out
Elizabeth
Aw, pearls.
Hannah
GINGERS WHO ARE DEAD BEHIND THE EYES
Elizabeth
heh
Love her dress, maybe not the hat.
Nathan
Elizabeth
You go Glenn
Kathryn
I would love it if that’s true, that Glenn asked for her specifically
Elizabeth
hahaha, the run across campus
Nathan
Did they not have telephones in the West building?
Elizabeth
Logic waits for no dramatic cinematic moment
Hannah
Heh mom just asked that
That space suit does not look sufficient
Haha
Was that the NASA logo back then?
Nathan
I think so.
Hannah
Looks so fancy for the 60s
Kathryn
Ow. Thank you and get out.
Elizabeth
Yay!
Kathryn
Aw.
Glenn was portrayed as the nicest one in The Right Stuff too.
Hannah
These men ain’t right
Nathan
Tenor GIF Keyboard
Hannah
Got to see a nighttime launch across the bay from Cape Canaveral freshman year at Stetson. Prolly a mile away? Everything lit up like daylight for at least several seconds
Elizabeth
Man, I’ve never seen one.
*cheers*
Kathryn
Woot!
Kathryn
GIPHY
Kathryn
Jeez, wasnt’ the heat shield what was breaking before?
Nathan
Yep.
Elizabeth
Yep
Kathryn
Why wouldn’t you tell the man?
Elizabeth
Answering “is there a reason” with “not at this time” is NOT COMFORTING
Hannah
“Go/no go” is triggering a memory of some kind of comedy skit, but I can’t remember what
Heh
Elizabeth
I keep thinking Standby go but that’s not it..
Nathan
Are you thinking of that bit of studio chatter on that Counting Crows album?
Hannah
Tempted to watch the Love Death and Robots arm episode after this
OH YOU ARE RIGHT NATHAN
Kathryn
“We have a no go for vocals.”
Nathan
Hannah
Hahaha
Elizabeth
Wheeeee!
Man you’re so right about Costner, he’s way better in this type of role than leading man.
Aww. Yessir with that cup of coffee.
Hannah
Well that’s lovely
Kathryn
Fantastic
Nathan
Excellent film!
Elizabeth
Yes!
Kathryn
Woman was 98 when she attended the Oscar’s. I am SO glad she got to see this movie.
Elizabeth
Yay!
Kathryn
And once again, love the music.
Hannah
This is Monae, surely?
Elizabeth
It says I See a Victory is Kim Burrell and Pharrel Williams
And trivia says Phrarrel Williams oversaw all the music in the film, cool.
And just added Miles Davis “So What” to my “bookstore Jazz” playlist
Hannah
Aldis Hodge played a hotshot quarterback who came to steal the starting spot in Friday Night Lights
Nathan
Didn’t I give you Kind of Blue on CD?
Elizabeth
Yep! I just keep forgetting to listen to it. I’m terrifically bad with jazz.
Nathan
That’s jazz 101, there.
Elizabeth
But there’s a particular flavor of jazz you get in bookstores and I never know it till I hear it. So What is one of em
Nathan
I need to spin it again myself. It’s been awhile.
Listen to John Coltrane’s “Blue Train”. It’s the same tune with different improvisations.
As is “Moanin’” by Art Blakey and Jazz Messengers.
Hannah
If you hear a deep but upbeat track in aTV show, it’s probably Kind of Blue
Marian
Thanks all. I loved it.
Looking for a present for that hard-to-shop-for person? Want to buy them (or yourself) a square foot of a castle in Scotland? Look no further! You can support the restoration of Dunan’s castle, legally call yourself Lady or Laird, AND if you use this link to get there, you can support this podcast too! ScottishLaird.co.uk.
If you want to follow along with Fanart Fridays, check us out on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram!