Latest / Once Upon a Hot Take / Episode 18- Project Hail Mary (book + movie)

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Episode 18- Project Hail Mary (book + movie) · Once Upon a Hot Take

• Leah And Jordan: Well, we are here now in our Project Hail Mary coverage where we are talking about the movie version and we brought some special guests, Paul Michael and Steven. I don't know your middle name. David, Steven David. Okay. Yeah. We brought you normally say their middle names on the podcast? No, I just thought it'd be a fun little twist. ⁓ all right. How many podcasts do you have, A ⁓ lot. ⁓ Jordan: ⁓ And welcome to Once Upon a Hot Take. your co-host Jordan. And your other co-host Leah. Fairy tales just the beginning. This is the podcast where we cover your favorite books with our hot takes. Steven: David. David, yeah. you Jordan: If you have a book rec or hot take that differs from ours, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at once upon a hot take at gmail.com and follow us on tick tock and Instagram at once upon a hot take. Please consider subscribing or rating or reviewing or sharing the podcast with anyone. We'd like to keep this traction going. All We got a cold take and this is from, cannot remember when Jordan said this to me in passing one time. You have no idea this is going. ⁓ Steven: Hahaha! Leah And Jordan: Actually has half of one with me. That was our first podcast ever that we haven't updated in a while. Okay. Well, we are talking about the project Hail Mary movie, which we all went to go see as a double date last night. And it was a maze, a maze, a maze. At least that's what I thought. Yes. Oh, well, I mean, when you, when you go to a movie with another couple, what else would, what would that be? I I didn't get you a 30, 30. Steven: I didn't realize that was a double date. I just thought it was a movie. Yeah, what would you call that? Just an event. Jordan: watching people sleep. ⁓ Rocky is the only exception to this. He is allowed to do this. Everybody else, it's creepy. We're in an Edward situation. Because what else did we read where someone else was doing that? ⁓ shoot. It did happen again. I'm going to cold take your cold take. Laura told us we needed to say that. Laura said that. ⁓ OK. Because we were making a big deal about it. What was our other most recent episode? It's been so long. Yeah. Leah And Jordan: $30 sack of jelly beans before the and sneak it in. Well, now I think you got to tell that story quick. ⁓ it's just when you don't, you typically shouldn't buy food there. should ⁓ steal or not. You should take ⁓ smuggle in from like grocery store or something. Well, anyways. Steven: ⁓ yeah. Smuggle? Yeah. But here's the thing, I don't think that's illegal though. I think you can do that. No way. I don't think there's any rules against bringing food in. Leah And Jordan: Yeah, don't think you're... ⁓ Yeah, I think it's frowned upon, but I don't think they're going to be like, got to leave. Well, it depends on what food you're bringing in. If you're bringing in like a curry dish or something like that, that's going to... Jordan: Good and gentle reader. What these tangled, no, that was the other one. it was ⁓ Delta County, no, Throat of Glass, Cole, Chill, Cole. Yes, there he was watching people sleep. Yes. And we were like, no. About two of them were. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. Dorian did it too. Yes. ⁓ it's creepy. Foxy. Yes. So we stand by it. Rocky is the only one allowed to watch people sleep. Yes. And that stems from a biological need. Exactly. Yes. It's not like he's just like, Steven: Yeah. Well, I balance ⁓ is I always bring in my own but then I counter it with getting their popcorn. Leah And Jordan: Yeah. There you go. Laura once brought in a whole Little Caesar's pizza. She's stuck it into a purse. I mean. In plastic bags. Yep. That could be fun. We could do like a Stouffer's lasagna or something. We already got those dream seats. Oh, I have never not seen a movie in those chairs ever again. That was delightful. Steven: ⁓ my God! ⁓ Jordan: Yeah. I'm not obsessed with this person to the point where I have to watch him sleep. Fucking weirdos. Too many of Too many of them. What is happening? What are you guys drinking over there? Knock it off. OK, and I have our- ⁓ yeah, go. Going on this train of thought, this last weekend I got to see one of my cousins. Shout out Jenna. Steven: Hahaha! Yeah, the Dream Lounger was very nice, especially because we had a pretty long runtime. Yeah. So we were in the front row, which oddly enough was row B. Yeah. A didn't exist. ⁓ Arch Harrison didn't work at first. Leah And Jordan: Yep. That was, yeah. And we were in the front row. Jordan: avid listener of the podcast. Hey girl. So she has a high school daughter, sophomore who tried to read Twilight and thought it was terrible. ⁓ wow. Okay. I mean, I'm not shocked. I'm not shocked. I also, how do I feel about that? Kids are so much smarter these days. think so. Yeah. I think so. Yeah. I mean, Leah And Jordan: Yeah, that was weird. Yeah, we had to seek someone out. Steven: Yep, it was hilarious. All just our four chairs, everyone else's chairs in the whole theater were working fine. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Right. We're like trying to go. Paul's talking to this prepubescent teen next to him, being like, how'd you get this chair to move? I think they probably sabotaged it. They didn't want anyone sitting next to them, especially not this grumpy adult. This elder. thinks he's seen a movie about Mary from the Bible. And it turns out to be a completely different movie with many twists and turns. ⁓ there were many. Yeah. Steven: The kids are like hitting the buttons for us. ⁓ Jordan: Yeah, like the type, I feel like the teen TV shows that are out there now to do a really good job of portraying toxicity for what it is. Like this is a toxic relationship. this is not the gold standard. So yeah. toxic relationship was not a phrase no one had heard of when we were growing up. So absolutely not. No clue. Good on them. I know. I think my, my two little girls that read it in my class ⁓ never ⁓ Steven: So Leah and I both read the book, obviously, but you two have not read the book. So your views on as a non-book reader is what we're after today. Leah And Jordan: Mm hmm. Yep. Jordan: continued with the series. So it wasn't enough for them. But I do in my journalism class, these are seniors, they are really into the movie. The movie's kind of made like a resurgence sort of. ⁓ my gosh. And genuinely like it. Not in an ironic way. I like it. They're like, ⁓ And they are all team Edward. And I was like, mm, OK. Leah And Jordan: Yeah. What were those takes? Because I feel like I would have been lost had I not read the book. I felt like it moved almost a little too fast in some regards So did you follow? Steven: ⁓ I Followed pretty good and I actually liked the flow of the movie where you don't like know everything in the beginning and it's kind of developing as the story progresses because most movies ⁓ like I think this was a combination of like interstellar Martian and the movie arrival With Amy Adams who plays Lois Lane and like the Superman movies It's good movie. You should watch it if you haven't seen it Jordan: I'm almost stunned speechless on that one. It stems from Robert Pattinson is having like a, second awakening or whatever. He's in everything. they, they really like him. And so they're, you know, following his resume going back. Sure. How do they feel about Cedric Diggory? Um, we didn't talk about that. I don't know. I'll have to ask, but I, yeah, I was like, but Leah And Jordan: Mmm. You Steven: But like in all those movies, everything is sequential. So like the beginning of the movie sequentially leads to like the ending. So in this case of Project Hail Mary, it would be like you start on earth and you see him basically be forced to go into space prior to everything happening in space. But the movie starts that way. as movie progresses, like the puzzle pieces are coming together. So I think that keeps the Jordan: But then their argument was, Bella's a pedophile cause Jacob is just so young. I was like, well, they're like two years apart. Right. yeah, they're not that far apart. Right. Cause she's driving and he's like just in high school. So maybe they're just a year apart, but he's just such a puppy. I want to say he's 13 and sh no, he's four, I think to a couple of years. Yeah. Like 14 to 16, 17. Yeah. That sounds right. Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. Steven: viewer release from a movie standpoint engaged which I like Leah And Jordan: Well, I mean, the book was like that too, which made it super awesome because you were like, wait, what? You were in the action and then you were getting flashbacks and then you were back at the present. It was a really engaging plot in that regard. Jordan: Okay. My general hot take question stems from a sort of funny story. what's your take on coconut flakes ⁓ a drinking beverage? ⁓ God, I've never had it, that sounds terrible. Okay. Because here's what happened. We are, we're given the ACT in school, right? All teachers have to practice it. Me and my practice buddy, she's like, I'll get you some star B's. What do you want? And they had like a special something like a coconut toasted coconut something. was like, yeah. Leah And Jordan: I would say the plot itself how they kind of delivered everything was ⁓ very kind unique and interesting. The one thing that I had kind of a gripe with, though, was, ⁓ I mean, having no like I didn't even watch a trailer going into this, so I had no idea what I was watching. ⁓ And I incredibly intrigued by the first half of the movie, maybe first like quarter of the movie, I guess you would say. And then it went from a very dark plot. ⁓ Jordan: I love coconut. Good. Go for it. I didn't read the description. I just was like, coconut. ⁓ taking some drinks. Good. Taking my third drink and there is a clump and I'm like, ⁓ it's I'm like, ⁓ Leah And Jordan: to kind of like a quirky kind of funny plot, I guess you would say, with the introduction of, are we gonna get into the characters? With the introduction of like this alien named Rocky. And I was like, okay, that was a very unexpected kind of funny turn. I feel like this should be an incredibly large moment with the introduction of an ⁓ life force that can communicate with this. Jordan: What is this? And then I'm like, oh, this is the toasted coconut. there was my god, that would have... I about spit it out. I was like, like a chunky coffee. Oh. So unexpectedly not great, but even expectedly after I knew it was coming, I still was not okay with it. I don't want to be chewing while swallowing. Steven: Mm-hmm. Leah And Jordan: scientist astronaut guy. don't know, it was ⁓ like from, ⁓ going such a dark plot in the beginning where basically the earth is going to enter its second ice age to, ⁓ we got a kind of a comic relief alien guy now. ⁓ Wasn't favorite kind of twist. it made me feel less serious about the movie. So ⁓ I, as a viewer was kind of confused on Jordan: Starbucks, what the? How did they? I don't know. And it wasn't even like the super fine shredded one that you put in like protein balls. It was it was like the chunks, they're thick. Yeah. I don't know. I don't did that get past the testing phase? I don't know. Well, it's not on the menu anymore. So they must have realized their mistake there. Thank God. That's a terrible mistake. Yeah. Here I am like, ⁓ let me branch out and try something fun and cool like toasted coconut. was thinking like marshmallows. ⁓ no. Leah And Jordan: Well, should I take this movie more serious or more comedic or kind of like a mixture in between? Which I think that was the point. You need the comic relief when you've got a really heavy plot because otherwise you're just like, it's going to die. What's a really serious movie that you like? Jordan: Oh, regret, regret. And I'm taking, I'm proctoring the ACT too, so I can't be like, guys, please, help us! It's like silence and I just suffer by myself. No one could watch me and I'm just like, oh. Steven: Well, I enjoyed it. Yeah, I think the book had a very simple. Leah And Jordan: I mean Shawshank Redemption, are we gonna have like, there's a comedic pile of garbage that's really funny? I don't know, like what are we talking about? Yeah, okay. this, mm-hmm. Jordan: Not good. Not good. That's horrifying. Yeah. was horrifying. Cameron would say, yes. Yes. That is a accurate word for that moment. should be chunky in a drink. No. Speaking of Cameron, I have two quick Cameron stories. So he came home with a Mother's Day gift for me today and was super excited. They did it in preschool and on it was like things about my mommy. And the first one is my mommy is blank years old. 72. ⁓ Steven: Yeah, the book had that vibe though, too. And I think what was missing from the movie standpoint for the first 25 % that you were picking up on Paul is like a lot of his internal dialogue that you got in the book that you didn't get in the movie because even there he was like very much kind of a goofball that it didn't come across that way though at all. I thought like when he first Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. That's yeah, that's him. He's a middle school science teacher who has not grown up. He's a big goofball. Yeah. They tried. I could see, yeah. Jordan: You're old. And then my favorite food is broccoli bake. Oh, is that true? Nope. It's Cameron's favorite food though. And he wrote, I love my mommy because she gives me candy. Oh wow. They tell children, don't get in a van when a stranger offers you candy. I bet these preschool teachers are just learning lots here. Oh my gosh. Steven: Yeah, when he like first wakes up out of the coma, like it all felt very serious and very heavy. And you didn't you weren't like capturing his aloofness and goofiness in that beginning, which is where I think you're you thought the movie was going be very serious. Oh, really? I think I think I think the opposite, because I think when he wakes up, he's kind of like got that dry sense of humor. He's like, oh, I'm in space. Oh, I'm the only one here. Like, whoops. Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yep. Mm-hmm. Jordan: favorite exercises. Yeah. then my second Cameron story is he was out just kind of working in the garden and he was carrying his shovel and all of sudden I hear like a scream and he's just sprinting. I'm like, oh my God, he got stung by a bee. Our bees have been out yet so I'm running there and he's just sobbing and I'm like what? He's like, a bud. And I'm like, a bud? What? Like a rose bud? Like what do you tie? A bud! It was a big bud! And I was like, do you mean bug? Yes! Leah And Jordan: It was so much funnier in the book. There were moments where I was like, this is so good. And so, yeah, that was one of my gripes too. I feel like they could have done a better job of getting his personality right away in the get go. Because then you wouldn't have Paul feeling duped over here that this is going to be a super serious thing. Steven: Yeah. Yeah, I was surprised though, Paul, when I read the book and I finished it and I said, I'm surprised I'm using the word cute to describe this book. I was not prepared for that because I also thought it was going to be like very heavy like Interstellar was or The Martian. those are pretty, you know, heavy. Yeah, this has a different vibe to it with Rocky and. Leah And Jordan: Ha ha! Jordan: a big bug was there and it terrified him It's like, oh my gosh. Like here I am thinking he's hurt. Like where, what, what, what? Nope, just a big bug. Cameron, I feel that to my spirit. That is exactly the reaction I still to this day have. It's okay. Okay, I do think we need to take also one more quick minute here to talk about the golden apple ceremony. Oh yeah. Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. Steven: And the main character though too, Dr. Grace. So I think all in all it was just supposed to be a lighter version, a lighter movie, but... Leah And Jordan: Yeah, and that was another like with Stratt the strap the woman doctor. So she was an incredibly kind of cold character and then they like for a brief moment in the movie they like tried to lighten her up when the carriage she was doing karaoke and then I'm is there supposed to be a very mild love interest here between her and dr. Grace Jordan: It was so fun. It was fun. It was so fun to get dressed up on a Wednesday. On a Wednesday. Yep. We got all glitzed out. my gosh. Yes. And then the softball girls, shout out Ang and Meister, surprised me there too. Like I wear with all my coworkers and they all a they're like, Hey, I was like, wow. Cause one of them worked for a sponsor and they had some extra tickets and I was like, Oh, yeah. Okay. I have decided I am offended that Meister chose Ang over me. Steven: Nothing Leah And Jordan: That was not in the book and I did not support it in the film. Jordan: when deciding who to take. ⁓ how did they? Well, they probably knew you were coming. No, they didn't. They were like, ⁓ we were hoping that you are. We didn't know if you were going to be here or not. ⁓ I know. I would also be offended as well. I was like, I think I'm better friends with Leah than either of you two. If anyone should have been had the right to be here, it should have been me. And I would have said no, because I was already going. But yeah, exactly. You butt faces. Yeah. Leah And Jordan: ⁓ Just turn it off. ⁓ Steven: It was so funny when she was doing the karaoke and just mid song just goes and that's enough. Yeah I Think what was confusing because there was never supposed to be a love interest but it like cut to her ⁓ Rocky had told grace about his mate and then it like cut to her and scene with them which I thought was confusing because they were there was never any like love next man now Leah And Jordan: Yeah, I did like that. did appreciate that. like, yeah. Jordan: Can I hear about it the next softball game? Yes. That was very fun. We got all fancy. There was like a little glam bot situation. Oh, it was great. I was eating it up. It was very fun celebrating you. You did a great job on your speech. Thank you. Per usual. mean, obviously the podcast has given you tremendous help in your public speaking. Indeed it has. Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. They were never a thing. Nope, nope. And I... Steven: I thought there was a little hint of it. Leah And Jordan: ⁓ Well, when they were locking eyes across the bar when she was singing and they had their moment on the roof, they were trying to lead you in that way a little bit, I think. Jordan: No, that was a great time. Thank you for inviting me. It was very fun. You were my number one invite Jordan. Yeah. Not my Meister's Nope. Are we ready to dive in? Oh, we got to get in it you guys. We got a lot to say. Okay. So today's episode is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Weir? Weir? We're here? Unsure. We're here and for it. Whatever. Just, you know, classic mispronunciation. Yep. So spoilers ahead. Steven: you Yeah. Ryan Gosling. I Yeah. He looks so like old man dorky with the glasses slightly down. He does the double take. Yeah. Like eyes open slightly up. what? OK. But Leah, I did really like the karaoke scene. did not. I thought it was not in the character of the movie. For Dr. Stratt? Leah And Jordan: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was him. see, yeah, I liked her as the ice queen because that is who she is. She is in charge and she doesn't care who she's gonna bulldoze to make this happen because saving the world is the only thing that matters. And I liked that part of her in the book. Jordan: We got all the things Project Hail Mary, including the movie. So stay tuned for a super fun segment. Very controversial. Paul makes some bold claims about some beloved characters that I think the internet is going to roast him and rip him apart. But anyway, we took the boys to go see the movie when they have not read the book. And we did a little, little half hour segment with them. So stay tuned after our whole spiel is done and you can hear their hottest of takes. They are coming hot with some. Steven: Yeah. I think they needed to explore that dynamic earlier in the movie and make it much more of an urgent need because it's I didn't feel like there was an urgent need to the earth right now. Leah And Jordan: Yeah, in the book they made that clear. Well, let's talk about this then. So I think we just heard all three of you be like, there needs to be such a stress on the importance of the earth is going to basically go extinct or near extinct if this problem doesn't get resolved with the space algae or whatever. Oh, we're going to introduce this alien rock character who's hilarious. Jordan: Some things. And also we might be using, you know, some mature words. got, we got things to say. The end of the world is nigh Jordan. Like we need to say what we need to say. Okay. Let's get started with our nonverbal hot take. Okay. Leah. I'm ready. I could not put this book down. Could not, could not. It was so good. Steven: Mm-hmm. You're not gonna let it go, huh? No, Rocky is super, super smart. He is an engineer. Their species is very civil, civilized. Jordan: Beautiful. I do think I'm cheating a little bit. okay. But it feels appropriate. All right. All right. Amaze Amaze. That's good. That's good. ⁓ Yeah. think that says it all right there. Fantastic. Love it. Yep. We'll dive into it. We got all the reasons coming up. Yeah. So why did we pick this? Well, Leah And Jordan: They have done an entire movie where it's just, ⁓ my gosh, he met the alien. that's incredible. wow. that could be the plot point itself. But I feel like it was just kind of well, that was cool. All right, now we gotta save the world. I'm Steven: Well, ⁓ did. ⁓ the whole plot. Jordan: We wanted a sci-fi book in here cause we want it, you know, to vary our genre. We're getting very, very deep into romantic and fantasy. You know, those are our top genres. So that makes sense. Plus the movie was coming out. So we'd figure this would be a really nice time to get it all together. Yep. It was a great, great pick. So good. we saw in the dream lounge theaters, which I'd never been to highly recommend. Very fun. Steven: That's the whole part of movie Arrival. did not cover in the book. ⁓ the book, they talk about like ⁓ they're both there and why it's just the two of them. They're trying to solve this issue where they're both their civilizations are advanced enough to get them there. And unlike other places may be already figured out a solution to this ⁓ or are not Jordan: especially while pregnant that that was really what else would you have done? You would have just left. You'd been miserable. That was so that really made it way more enjoyable. French kiss right there. Yeah. ready for the summary? Bring it ⁓ Dr. Rylan Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no Steven: technology driven enough to be able to even be in space researching this. So I don't know. Leah And Jordan: And they couldn't, neither of them could have done it on their own. they needed each other's technology. They needed each other's advancements. it would not have happened had they not had each other. Steven: Yeah. and felt that because obviously doctor great he's not an engineer because built a spaceship out of ramen induct tape ⁓ and rocky with building all of these yet all these beautiful with his in a minute wait you guys need don't have my take on the karaoke Jordan: memory of his identity or where why is there. He soon discovers he is the sole survivor of a desperate last ditch mission to save humanity from an extinction level threat. Astrophage! It's a space-borne organism that is consuming the sun's energy and cooling the earth. As his memory slowly returns through a series of flashbacks, Grace recalls his transition from a disgraced molecular biologist turned middle school teacher to a key member of a global task force. Leah And Jordan: Yeah. And Rocky was like, here it is. Just doodledoodledoodle. Duh! Steven: I like I just say was I liked it and this is why because they wanted to humanize her they wanted to show you a brief moment of This lady yes, she is a robot But she's also a human and she is doing making these decisions and doing these things for a reason I liked it I don't think she was like yeah, she was a cold person, but I don't think the movie made her out to be like a monster Leah And Jordan: Yeah. Jordan: The mission, dubbed Project Hail Mary, involves traveling to Tau Ceti, the only nearby star unaffected by astrophage, to find a biological solution to their solar crisis. While struggling to manage the ship's complex systems and conduct scientific experiments alone, Grace encounters Leah And Jordan: Yeah, until the end. feel like towards the later part of the movie, when they're doing more of the flashbacks and I'm like, ⁓ she's pretty terrible. Yeah, but had to. She had to save the world. her vision was bigger than everything else. And she was consistent in that. So, well, I mean, can you develop a better plan than one guy like, well, it's not one guy. was was two other ones, but they weren't they weren't planning on dying in space of like Jordan: another spacecraft in the Tau Ceti system. He makes contact with an alien being named Ra- Steven: ⁓ right, yeah. Jordan: Rocky! My boy He is from the planet Erid? Erid? Erid. Erid? Yep. Rocky is also the lone survivor of a mission to save his own world from the same solar parasite. The two work together to develop a language to communicate with each other. Rocky specializes as the engineer and Grace as the biologist. And together they determine that there is biological life. Steven: Yeah. Yeah. Leah And Jordan: 50 people, ugh. Steven: They had to be coma resistant. They didn't touch on that very well in the... Leah And Jordan: Yeah, they didn't talk about that. so lucky they ran into their pet rock friend that... ⁓ my god. Are you really hating on Rocky? You are going to make people hate this podcast, Paul. ⁓ my gosh. You might be the only person in the world that hates Rocky. He's funny. He should do a stand-up special. I'd watch it. But you know what? He's not funny. He didn't even get humor until the end. Yeah. And he was really funny at the end. But you know what? Rocky was funny? Yes. He was running into stuff. ⁓ OK. Yeah. Jordan: on another planet that is predator to the Steven: He's the best part of the whole movie. Let's bring it on. Jordan: astrophage. Huzzah! They collect samples, barely surviving this mission. So tense. They were able to grow nitrogen resistant Taumobia to save their planets. They said a tearful goodbye and we're off in different directions across the universe. Steven: Yeah, Rocky made a joke. Leah And Jordan: He wasn't running into stuff as a joke. That's just how he got around. It's slapstick humor. He was just running into stuff. OK. So you found him humorous. He himself Yes. But also, you're wrong. Rocky's the best part. He was amazing. And I liked how they captured him. Rocky in one of the Avengers movies and have him just comedically run into other characters or something. I don't know. Jordan: but then disaster strikes and Grace has to decide to continue home or turn around and save Rocky and his people. Obviously Dr. Grace makes the choice to save Rocky and Dr. Grace lives out his days on Erid. ⁓ it wrecked me, the ending. It was beautiful. ⁓ so good. So beautiful. that was a good summary, Jordan. Thank you. Steven: Fist my bump. Okay, here's so the thing was rocky two things How did he know that? grace was breathing oxygen? Leah And Jordan: Cause that's how smart he is. Well, he, did tests and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Steven: Does he just know that? Like, did they explore that in the books? without grace knowing so like the second time apparently he's been forced to do experiments against as well ⁓ yeah there's a ⁓ lot a lot of science in the book that not captured at all in the movie ⁓ they just like zoom right over all of that the other thing was so the whole the whole time is trying to understand rocky right he's got to this whole computer program Jordan: So, okay, let's just dive into the cover. I really, I liked the font. was very alien. this is my surprise question for you. I wanna talk about this. Oh, okay, okay. Original cover design. Yeah. Leah And Jordan: Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Jordan: versus like the movie cover design. Okay. Now I have to look really quick here. Project Hail Mary movie. Oh, where he's on the spaceship. Yes. Okay. Where like you actually have Ryan Gosling on the car. Yeah. I mean, I don't hate me at Ryan Gosling anywhere ever. Okay. That's fair. But now I really like the book cover. Like with Ryan Gosling? No, just the, Steven: Yeah, but rocky just inherently understands grace. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Because it's smarter. He could do that linguistic translating in his mind. Grace needed that program spitting it out because he couldn't keep up with all of Rocky's sound waves. They taught each other when he was Grace. And when they like, one, There's associating numbers ⁓ with words and stuff like that. So just built their vocabulary up over a long period of time. Jordan: yellow with him being all woogie woogie woogie in space and the font. So in are you okay with a new book cover that movie or show? Because it's Ryan Gosling. I don't hate it. ⁓ If this was just, you know, rando ⁓ do for Roni, I'd be like, well, get him off my cover. ⁓ See, ⁓ I think takes the specialness of the book. Yeah. Steven: yet. They started, yeah. Yeah, started with the number one and like worked their way through numbers. So he would say in his language what one was and then Grace would record it on his computer. I watched the movie. Yeah. So I'm just saying though, he, Rocky's brain can handle all that computation, that storage where a human brain cannot. Their brains are just way bigger, can handle more. ⁓ It was that was one of my gripes with the movie. Leah And Jordan: Yeah Jordan: I feel like it is like a marketing ploy to to try to be like, we made a movie out of this, but like, you the book is always better. Actually, that has got to be a surprise question we talk about at some point, because the only time for me, the movie is better than the book is when I've seen the movie first. so now I need to test this out. So so tell us people what is a movie that's coming out that was based on a book? Steven: Because in the book, constantly rips ⁓ grace for not being able to do mental math. It's so funny. ⁓ never once was that mentioned. love that, Rocky's like, human math bad. Yeah, so he would always do all the math in his head. to get to ⁓ where they in the movie, what's the planet? Leah And Jordan: Yeah, for being dumb and slow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Bad, bad, bad. Jordan: And then I'm going to go see the movie first and then read the book after and see if that's a fun idea. know because the only three times or two times that I can really think about this are the notebook. I like the movie way better than the book. The book sucks. Yeah. a walk to remember, which is another Nicholas Sparks book movie, way better than the book. Yep. ⁓ there's one other one that I cannot recall off the top of my head, but those stand out to me as movie is better. Steven: Calcetti. Calcetti. That was what 11 light years away from Earth? 14. Did they travel faster than the speed of light to get there? No, that's relativity. I had to explain this to Stephen. So on Earth, would it takes, let's just say it's 12 light years away. Earth experiences 12 years, but Leah And Jordan: 14, think, something. Jordan: And I don't know if it's because I saw the movie first or because the movie genuinely is better. But by your reaction, you're kind of telling me the movie is better. In those cases. I I couldn't even finish the notebook. I thought it was so boring. I was like, why is everyone obsessed with this? Probably because the movie, I don't know. All So that's a hot take debate for another time. Okay. Okay. Well, I liked the font. It was very sciencey and alieny. ⁓ we could try this with Dune. Yes. Another sci-fi too. Yeah. Okay. Steven: Grace on the rocket ship only experienced four years. Leah And Jordan: They carry the two. Steven: Right, okay, so that makes it even like way more pressing. Yeah. he's gotta figure it out faster. Yes. Because the stupid pod things that he sends back at the end, those aren't gonna go nearly as fast as he was getting there. Right. so if it takes Earth 12 years, imagine that those things are gonna go probably half the speed in Earth 30 years, you're good. Leah And Jordan: Right. Jordan: All right, mark that down. Dune, when's it coming out? Well, it's like Dune part three though. ⁓ gosh. Okay. We're like way behind, which will work though. Cause we can still watch both. We could watch all three movies and then read the books. Whoa. That could be fun. We could do like movie episodes too then. Yeah. All right. So putting it on our list. Yeah. Something. Yeah. I was like, I know there is one coming out this summer. It was bothering me. Yup. It's Dune. Okay. Gonna edit. Leah And Jordan: Hold on, hold on. Can you guys get an astronomer on your podcast? Jordan: All right, so what did you think? On the cover? Mm-hmm. Oh, I really just wanted to say that I hate when they change the cover. When they do that. I respect it. I respect it. Because especially if you didn't get the book prior to the big marketing of the movie or show, it's impossible to find the original copy. Oh, I bet. It's nearly impossible. You have to go buy a used one somewhere. Oh my gosh. Steven: one of the flashbacks that they cut that i thought was a major bummer is that they actually melted part of antarctica ice to warm the earth up in order to combat the freezing that was happening so they didn't even show that you know make Leah And Jordan: it. Right. Global warming. was, Yeah. I forgot about that scene completely. Jordan: right. That happened to Laura and fourth wing. think she wanted those sprayed edges for the very first edition. didn't sell them anymore. It's so irritating. So that's all I can see that. Yeah. And it gets very, yeah, it gets very markety ish. Like, yeah, ⁓ think it takes away the specialness of the book. I'd agree. Okay. ⁓ thoughts. And I can't believe I did. I wrote amazing. Amaze. Why didn't I not write amazing? ⁓ Steven: that to me is a really important scene to cut because that shows how dire things were on earth for them to be like, okay, we're gonna go blow up Antarctica to melt all this ice. Leah And Jordan: Yeah. we'll find a friendly character though. is... The internet is gonna roast you, Paul. If you are latching onto this, Rocky is dumb. Oh boy. I'm not saying he's dumb. I'm saying that... I mean, he's clearly incredibly smart for an alien life form, You think it should have just been based by himself. Oh, Okay. Steven: Yeah. Jordan: I can't believe you missed that. So, OK, literally, just by reading the back and the first page, I was 1000 percent in. Like on the back, they give you that little taste of like, he's going to maybe probably meet alien life. like I kind of to expect that. And then just how I loved how he just awoke and was like, what is happening? I need to put this together. I can't. OK, I can do math. I know that. Why would I need to do math? And just like the whole narrative structure like that, like I. Steven: Yeah. Leah And Jordan: When we first met Rocky, when he first saw the spaceship or whatever that Rocky was in, you're like, oh my gosh, that's kind of terrifying. This looks like the Death Star or something. Yeah, because we didn't know he was friendly or not. it looks scary. Then the first introduction of Rocky just boom, jump scare, ugh. you're terrified. Yes. two minutes later, you're like, oh, this guy's pretty funny. look at him. Jordan: Love a good backstory. that just kept me hooked. I wanted to know more and more and more. ⁓ ⁓ well written, just the right amount of struggle and conflict. I hate it when a heavy book like this, this is a really heavy topic feels just, ⁓ just hopeless. there is nothing that's going to happen. Like the women, there were parts in the women where I was like, ⁓ my gosh, we can't. Steven: ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Like, look, he's trying to, he's mimicking Grace's actions. Always hilarious. And then... Steven: Why do aliens have to be mean and ugly? ⁓ Why can't they be nice? Leah And Jordan: Because it's an alien life form in a serious movie. I would be terrified. I think he was I think he was fine after like yeah, because that's the kind of guy he is He's just happy-go-lucky. ⁓ shucks golly gee. He never once in the book does he swear? He's always like ⁓ kerfunkles or fiddly sticks like it's this is part of who he is Jordan: And the four wins, don't ever read it Jordan. Don't ever read it. I love Kristen Hannah, you guys, you know this, but it's just, stamp, stamp, stamp, twist, twist, twist, find it everywhere. it just, ⁓ so bleak. There's no other word for it. So this was not like that. ⁓ did have a little bit of like, ⁓ no, that discomfort, but never was it affecting my outside mood? Like the women did. was, now you got me thinking about something else. ⁓ Steven: No. Yep. I think after he took off his helmet he was kind of and realized he could breathe he was like ⁓ okay this guy's not trying to kill me I think he realized that well and before that I'm sure like when the I thought was hilarious when ⁓ Rocky launched the canister and he thought it was a bomb and was waiting for it to explode and he sends another one you think I'm dumb yeah ⁓ Leah And Jordan: like we're doing this. Yeah. Jordan: I was so relieved reading this book because I haven't read The Martian. Me neither. Which is his other book. I've seen the movie though. And the movie is- ⁓ I didn't even know there was a movie on it. ⁓ yeah, it's with Matt Damon. ⁓ It's very good. ⁓ okay. It's a very good movie. That could be another one where I movie then book it. Yep. so intense of a movie that just had that expectation going in where I was like, holy shit, this is gonna be like, this is- Leah And Jordan: Yeah. And then like, ⁓ it's coming much slower. ⁓ it's because he thinks I'm dumb. Yep. Yep. So, okay. I want to talk about my favorite part, which was the chain scene. They did that so well. The tension was so high. I knew what was going to happen. I still was like, ⁓ no. ⁓ no. ⁓ they did a really good job. Steven: Yep, they did. the one scene I was like, don't get all worked up over this. You know the outcome, it's gonna be okay. Okay. So Rocky created sphere or whatever it is, right? And the chain to capture the Tameba stuff. so they had to go out and attach it to the ship, right? Because was it on the outside? Yeah. If I'm remembering right? Jordan: This is going to be a, Oh, I can't breathe. can't breathe. can't breathe. Like when they're doing the chain on the outside. I knew what was going to happen. I was like, heart rate was moving. And I was expecting the entire book to be like that. I was so relieved when it wasn't. I was like, Oh, this is so much easier. There was something else you said that I wanted to comment on. Witty struggle, how it started discomfort, pit of doom, read the back page. Leah And Jordan: Yeah. ⁓ no, my heart was racing. I was like, ⁓ no. Yep. Right. Yep. Steven: and then they had to drop it. Why couldn't they just drop it, reel it back up, fly back out, and then extract it? Jordan: Yeah, yeah. That's it. didn't read because I know because you don't do that. You freaking weirdo. You weirdo. I will never understand. So I had no idea that there was going be an alien. I had no idea about anything. I just went in and I was like, what is happening? You're like, wait, Wait, what? Yeah, totally was lost for a while. Leah And Jordan: because they had to be very minimally close otherwise they were going to get sucked into its orbit so they had to hover right at this area to get down close enough to get the amoeba but they couldn't just hang. Steven: Right, so they did that while they were in the ship. So why did he have to go out of the ship to retrieve it? Why couldn't he just fly back up in the space and then safely? Because it would have burned up on there, leaving the atmosphere. Is that what we're going with? Yeah. ⁓ had to pull it up before they like... Leah And Jordan: Yes, I think that was it. think they had to preserve it. Jordan: I was in Florida when I was reading So my mom read it first ⁓ and I told her, was like, ⁓ my there's an alien in here. And she goes, yeah, didn't you read the back? ⁓ I was like, ⁓ no, I don't do ⁓ Steven: Otherwise, and I know it's movie. No, you gotta have drama. But it's chain would have if they were to fly with it. I remember now they talk about in the book the chain would have fallen behind the jet engines. Yeah, the fuel tank and it would have like burned it. OK, but again, just retract the chain because they did that in the movie. So therefore it wouldn't fly back behind the you're saying like let it retract it, have it sit at the top and then fly away. Yeah, I don't know. Leah And Jordan: Yeah, the fuel tank, yeah. Jordan: I just don't understand. my gosh. So anyways. ⁓ I read Laura's paperback. So I had to be extra careful with it, right? Cause she's very snoony about her books. and this one, am I glad I had the physical copy? Cause I don't think you, did you get the picture of the hull you did in the kind of, okay. But I had to flip back to that a lot. So you would have been like, ⁓ and the Kindle having to look back at it. And I still, ⁓ it, ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Let me ask you guys this. What in your opinion was the climax of the movie? the part of most tension? if going off the arc of the story, what is the climax of the movie? The part of most tension, that's what you're asking? Correct. Well, what's your answer to this? I think it's difficult to answer that because I think they could have done three different areas where they had the climax of the movie. And if you're having that, if you don't have a defined climax in a movie, I think that takes away a little bit from the story as a whole. Jordan: I had a very strong visualization of it. I studied it initially because I was like, okay, this is going to be important. ⁓ you're like, I'm not going to be able to flip back to this. So I was like, I'm just going to take a minute here, really understand the structure. And then I was good to go. That was smart. That was smart. I still just can't even like the whole centrifuge thing. Science is still crazy to people that were like, yeah, this is going to work. I know. What? ⁓ Leah And Jordan: I like that there were so many ups and downs and ups and downs and ups and downs and you didn't know. You're like, okay, things are going good right now. Are they going to keep going good? ⁓ no. And then they did get actually better. Like when I was reading the book, I was really shocked when I can't remember what moment it was, but when some like things were going well for a while and I was like, okay, it's about to dip. And then it actually went high and I was like, could this be? And then it went low again. So I like that unpredictability. Like the chain part was the climax of the movie. And then it kind of turned into. Jordan: Yeah. Yeah. to them, man. Like, what would we be without scientists? ⁓ totally. ⁓ okay. Wait, I did have an overall thought question though. Why weren't asteroids a problem? For? Just being out in space. Why did they never get nailed by an asteroid? Leah, are asking the wrong person. That's my one kind of gripe. well, I think those things are very far. Okay. Very big distances between that stuff. All right. All right. So it's not just like, like hail. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Uh-oh, Rocky's not going to have enough fuel to get back home. Or he's going to die or whatever it was. I think that was just like a twist. Yeah. Yeah, it was a twist, but then it turned into kind of a kind of climactic moment on that too. then Grace is struggling with the decision, whether he goes back to him or not. I'm just I was already exhausted after the climax part from the, ⁓ the chain. And then it's like, Jordan: Okay. All right. No, I think. like asteroid belt is a term I've heard. they just kind of stay in their belted area. Yeah. They just stay clumped together and you just avoid. All right. All right. Okay. All right. Good. That, that would be my explain it like I'm five. That's what I need, man. right. We into characters. Yeah, let's do it. Okay. Rylan grace, my boy. Oh my gosh. is a. Leah And Jordan: Oh, now we're we're going to have to go back up that kind of climax arc again after I just went through that experience 10 minutes early on the story. were emotionally drained and you couldn't take another conflict. Steven: Right. Jordan: I love him as a protagonist. I love him as a narrator. I love that he's a realist and he's a teacher. And I love that that's the lens through which he views everything. Like, ⁓ I wonder if this would be a good question to ask my students. you're in space, bro. nah, eighth graders can't do that complicated math. And he's just so, ⁓ so Even when we find out he's a coward, because let's be real, who among us would sign up for that mission? ⁓ Steven: you See, I look at the climax when we realize in the ⁓ when Stratt. Stratt is like, you're going into space, buddy. don't like, I know you just said no, but yeah, we're going force you. We're going to put you in a coma and you're going to wake up in space because I think at that point you kind of realize. Leah And Jordan: stretch. Jordan: were tons of people who would do that. Right. And then they duped him into it. Yeah. Are we talking about that right away? Well, I just mentioned it, but yeah, we can dive into it if you want. No, I don't want to yet. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. His character was so endearing. His goofiness. He's like, ⁓ I guess I don't swear. Yeah. When he was like... ⁓ fiddly sticks. Yeah. Whatever his things were. was like, ⁓ my... Leah And Jordan: but you're doing it. Steven: the whole story's come together where he's like, ⁓ he woke up in space. He was delusional. He didn't know what was going on. And now you kind of put two and two together. If you're just watching the movie that like, ⁓ he was forced into space. ⁓ how it in the book though too. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Okay, so I had my, I thought the chain part was the climax for me. Steven has the part that he thinks is the climax. What about both of you? I don't think the climax matters. Who cares? It doesn't matter to me when the point of most tension is. I like that it goes up and down. I teach English and we no longer teach like climax and stories because who cares? Cause what you think it might be different than what I think. Yeah, absolutely. It's kind of subjective when you think about it. Steven: Okay. Jordan: Me as a person who's been swearing a lot lately, I'm like, ⁓ I woke up in outer space, ⁓ would have been ⁓ many swear words coming out of my mouth. I do love that too. yep, nowhere in the book was there a swear word. No, that was his thing. was not very ⁓ insistent that, which I, I'm curious if that was a change that came to his life once he became a teacher. Yeah, I don't know. ⁓ He just seems to have that levity. So I feel like that's just him. Steven: Really? Wow. Leah And Jordan: As evidenced here. I think that you should be able to have a definitive climax in a story to really tell the story that you're trying to tell. Never mind. I was going to rip on him. I'm not going to do it. Steven: But that's what makes this unique. I think that's what makes this movie and book unique. ⁓ I don't think there's a spot where you're really not engaged, which is really the whole point of a movie and book, is to keep the ⁓ reader engaged. OK. ⁓ Jordan: No, he was a great character and him discovering Because ⁓ on earth, he really didn't know anybody. He had his students and like that was it. Yep. They did a good job of capturing that both in the book and the movie. Yeah. He was a loner. Yeah. ⁓ that was so cute to see him form a friendship and make, make the sacrifice for his friend. ⁓ beautiful. So good. Okay. Leah And Jordan: Yeah! Right. This book, I like wanted to do nothing in my life but read. at any part, I never wanted to put it down. It was so good. Is this turning into like a wayside school is falling down type thing where it's a pick your own adventure. I'm going to pick my own part of the movie that I deem as the climax. Thus. Well, you're the one that's so hung up on. I guess let's start here. Paul, did you like the movie? ⁓ liked the first 45 minutes to an hour. And then I felt like as soon as they started to get into the comedic side of it. Steven: Great. Thank You Jordan: Stratt Ooh. I love her. I love her attitude. ⁓ yeah. I'm curious too. What exactly was her job prior to this? Because she's not a scientist. Is she a productivity manager? Yeah. she must have some type of corporate background, just boss bitch background because she just came in and was like, listen, we're gonna fucking do this and I'm going to make it happen. Yep. And like, ⁓ absolutely that was the call. Steven: Yeah. Leah And Jordan: It kind of ruined it for me. So you just want it serious all the time. If you were to give it a scale 1 to 10, I would give it like a 4 and 1.5. Steven: Okay. Well you cannot, Fifth Webber. You cannot. Leah And Jordan: Yeah, I thought there were some parts that they took too long on. Some of the camera work was very jarring for me too, which I know they were trying to do intentionally, like, ⁓ we're upside down in space. Now let's just upside down into, yeah, that also didn't help. So I understand the cinematography choices that they made there. I didn't like it, that part of it. I think they were trying to grasp the space is crazy Jordan: you needed ⁓ person in charge ⁓ was going to make the tough decision and roll with it. Cause otherwise, you know, you got too many committees. Nothing ⁓ done. This is every department meeting I've ever had in my life. You got 15 English teachers in a room. No one agrees. ⁓ then we have more work to do because nothing gets done. And then we add six more things to the list. I'm like, but wait, we got to also do this. Yeah. Yep. Yep. ⁓ was, that was totally, she was a great character. ⁓ Steven: So, sure. wow. Leah And Jordan: it's hard to just focus on one still picture within space. I mean, I think there was a reason why they did that decision with it being in space. me, the consumer. want to see it all all the time. I hated the Game of Thrones episode where it was so dark when they were battling the night's watch and you couldn't see anything. I understand it's dark. This is what a battle is. But I want to see. It's got to be subjective, though, right? Well, yeah, that's my opinion. Jordan: was the thing about her character is that she's so smart. Yep. And she thought about things in such a practical way. Yep. And also from a risk management standpoint as well. Yeah. Yeah. Where she, I just loved her decision making process. Yep. And she just, she never second guessed or questioned herself. She was just, let's go. Exactly. And she's like, I, I know how to read people. That was her really big thing because when Steven: ⁓ Yeah. the whole DC movie. I think they did a really good job with that in the movie because most of the time, in the book when ⁓ goes back to Rocky's ship it's pitch dark outside he can't see anything and he's just lunging into darkness ⁓ at his there's like there was a lot of light in some scenes that there was not light in the book Jordan: She said, told Dr. Grace great, you're done our three days of you experimenting. you're not going to die. And she was like, okay, see you later. And he came back to her and was like, actually I want to work on this. And she already left. She had three astrophage. go ahead, have fun. I'm like, how did you know he was going to come back? No, she, she was super great. She's a great character. Yep. So I also feel like she's a little bit on the spectrum too, just because of that. Leah And Jordan: I did too like how they did some absolutely silent work too. Cause that what would it be like in space? Like there'd be nothing, just be dead, dead silent. So I did like that. I thought that was well done. Steven: Yes. Yeah, I love that. Jordan: cold, distant and like so, so like hyper-focused on a task. like got just little glimpses. ⁓ I didn't think of that. I could see that though. Yeah. Just being able to like tune it all out, lock in. Yeah. Compartmentalize in a way that your average person just cannot. I don't know what to do guys. don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Totally. And she's like, Nope. For the good of humanity. Yep. Steven: I really liked the movie. I'm very, I'm very pleased with it. I mean, obviously you can't get everything from a book into a movie, but I overall really enjoyed the movie. Steven? Same. I'd go watch it again. Not right away, but like, you know, after a couple of weeks, like, like when it comes out on whatever Disney or. Yeah. Blu ray. Like I'll watch it again. Absolutely. Leah And Jordan: DVD ⁓ yeah Jordan: I will make every tough decision and you will, I'm not going to second guess it. Including injecting a man and sending him to space as well. Yeah. She's like, sorry, you're the solution here. You're our last hope. Goodbye. Gotta do it. Goodbye. ⁓ ⁓ have Dubois, Dubois, Dubois, whatever. ⁓ of the other guys that was supposed to go and whoever ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. If we're going to 10 star here, the book was 11 out of 10 stars. I would clock the movie at an eight. I liked it, but I thought there were aspects that could have just elevated it to that next level. And Paul's over here at a 4.5. Hey. It's fine. No, you don't have to like it. That's why we invited you here, so you could share your hot takes. This is called Hot Take. Steven: I liked it, I enjoyed it. Amaze, amaze! Sure. Jordan: him and his lady fuck buddy was like having just their relationship. It's funny. I love that. And like he's totally on the spectrum, too. That was very clear. Oh, yeah. She was like, yes, we are having sex right now and we are going to do that. Thank you. Yeah. No, no filter. I'm going to meet her in five minutes. Yeah. Zero filter. Yeah. That just added that levity that we needed. Right. Yeah. A heavy book. Yeah. That was good to have that humor in there. Steven: So from my understanding the book goes a lot more into the science, right? I wish they would have done that in the movie. Yeah, I wish they would have explored that more. Leah And Jordan: Yeah, but not in a total turn-off way, too. I do wish, yeah, there were a few more aspects where, like, when Rocky knew Grace was breathing oxygen, I wish they would have just given a little, like, this is how I knew, you know? Because otherwise, you were like, wait, what? Mm-hmm. Steven: ⁓ yeah. Yeah, like how do you know? Okay, that is my, I do have one gripe with the movie, which is when he first wakes up in space and he's totally losing it, drinking the vodka, wearing everybody's clothes. That did not happen in the book. I did not like that. He totally had his shit together. Yeah. Yes. That whole, that whole part was, that did not happen in the book. He was. Jordan: That was funny. Okay, Rocky? Rocky, he's so kind and his like just dry sarcastic sense of humor and like his curiosity too. you just want to know everything. Well, he wasn't even like trying to be funny initially. I know. ⁓ even just his, yeah, his curiosity ⁓ his... Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. Mm-mm. Yeah, when he's dancing with a mop, that's weird. Steven: At like the moment he woke up he was like doing math trying to figure out where he was found out he was in Towsetti ⁓ never lost in the book and that in the movie ⁓ he it he was like a crazy person. Okay so in the book did he remember what was going on when he woke up? No. he was there to save the earth? ⁓ It all back. Like sequentially? Yeah. Jordan: ability to communicate in a He was smart. He was so smart. And he was just an engineer. Yeah. I was like, damn dude. He was just always light years ahead of grace. Just being able to think through the next thing and be like, come on buddy, pick up with me here. ⁓ he was so great. ⁓ Yeah. Okay. all I had for character analysis. Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. Steven: why I've never been in a coma so I don't know but like is that part of being in a coma where it's like Yes Four years ⁓ Relativity Leah And Jordan: Well, this was a 14 year coma too. This was all like a theoretical experiment too for, okay, whatever. Yeah. And it was, it was not something that they could guarantee would work as evidenced by the two other crewmates who died. This was just kind of science that was just experimental and they're like, but well, we have to do it. And in the book, they make it clear, you have to have a certain gene to become a resistant. And when the, so, you know, the thing blew up, they only had like, Jordan: All right, character cocktails. Here we go. Grace. He gets a milkshake with one of those curly straws. ⁓ but is hooked up to one of those. Like, I don't know what those machines are called, but it's mousetrap where the boot knocks the ball over and then it then it trips the switch. And then it goes out one of those, those machine things because it's a scientist and he loves to do create your own experiments and he's totally immature. ⁓ Steven: So. ⁓ Jordan: which I feel like have to be to teach middle school, but shout out to all you middle school teachers. I bow down to you. could never. So does he have to run the contraption to get the ice cream? Yeah, I don't know. I didn't think that. It's just doing something. Yeah, it's keeping it cool or don't know, refilling. don't know. Yeah. And he just, you know, he doesn't take himself too seriously. So. no. Yep. Okay. Then Rocky. Leah And Jordan: for other people who were coma resistant, who had even made it through the vetted list, including Grace. And so she's like, it has to be you. It cannot be anyone else. Steven: So I read somewhere two things on that the whole of humanity there's only five people ⁓ like ⁓ no, it's like one in every seven thousand people had the gene but then you're limiting that to Who is a scientist who's studied molecular biology? ⁓ I'm sure you gotta be healthy ⁓ right and then the second thing to that ⁓ Jordan: He is a, one of those fun Halloween cocktails with a dry ice in it. So you get the bubbly smoking effect because he's an alien. So obviously that'd be a little creepy. And then Stratt just straight vodka. Cause she's obviously Russian and cold and unfeeling. Yep. Great, great pick. Great pick. That's ⁓ the others, ⁓ member who passed away. ⁓ Forgot her name. starts with an I. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Right. And they had to be a certain age group too. Yeah, they didn't want to can't send an 80 year old up there. You can. It might not go well, but you can. You can send whoever you want up there. Steven: The second thing, looking into the future, they never said how those two other astronauts died. And I heard that the author said he knows how, but he's not telling anybody for potential. Jordan: May she rest in peace. Yeah. Ilene ⁓ yeah. You're right. Yeah. can picture her. Nope. Well, she dead. So I was reflecting on this one today. I'm excited to have real cocktails. was going to say one short and it's don't being pregnant. She will create us craft cocktails again. Yeah. That's going to be, yeah. We're going to get back on that train. can just enjoy it. It's going to be, I already print. Leah And Jordan: Sequels? ⁓ I just assumed it was in the coma. They just died in the coma. Didn't make it. Well, how could they spin that into another movie? Steven: Sequels, thank you. ⁓ Yeah, of like that being a plot line. Yeah, no, I've read that somewhere today. Cool. So, I don't know. Maybe the amoebas are getting them. No, that's the Taomiibas. ⁓ okay. So the Taomiiba stuff, let's go there next because that's interesting, right? So they synthesize the way to get like the nitrogen resistant Taomiiba to kill the black little frogs. Astrophase. astrophase. Thank you. Leah And Jordan: Get their backs to the amoebas are getting them. They ate some bad food or something before the trip or? Jordan: I like, okay, your job, even though we're gonna be recording virtual. Tell us what we're drinking. Right now we're drinking water. We got water, rehydrating up. Which was crucial to Dr. Grace. That's right. And his robot friend would feed it to him or like give it to Can you imagine how creepy would that be? ⁓ You're jumping ahead. Sorry, okay. What I do love... Steven: They adapted to that xenon, xenon. Xenonite. Yeah, right? Yep. So just wrapping them in a plastic bag magically stops them. Yeah. Isn't that funny? It does. Yeah, he they didn't get into detail in the movie on this, like the science behind it was because he was growing them. It was like, OK, he'd introduce, you know, point one point one percent nitrogen and. Leah And Jordan: I guess. Jordan: I don't know if they said this in the book, how he repurposed it on Erid then. Did you catch that? ⁓ yes, yes, I did love that. That was a nice little touch. Yes, that was. Because there is a lot more animosity between him and that robot in the book than there is in the movie. Yeah. It was just like a mild annoyance in the movie. And in the book is like his arch nemesis. Like, fuck off. Yeah. Leave me alone. All right, highs and lows. Highs and lows. OK, high You know me? Steven: a bunch of Talmiibo would die and a couple would survive and then he'd introduce another .1 % and keep growing them so their survival was to into the xenonite, the container. ⁓ that's that happened. So they didn't grow ⁓ in plastic container and learn how to get absorbed into plastic. Yeah, that's ⁓ Jordan: story. ⁓ I cannot get enough of it. So all these flashbacks and recovered memories. Amaze, amaze, amaze. Like just so good. This is the absolute perfect plot structure for me. If someone was like, Leah, how do you want me to write a book for you? I'd be like, boom, this. you dive right into the drama, then you get the gaps filled in. But then there's new pieces in there too. And then you're back to the past and then the pre- ⁓ just loved it. ⁓ Leah, I'm in agreement with you. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: I was just BPA free, right? Steven: I guess if they're still growing though, I guess that you have to define that a little bit more You think they would adapt to them to the plastic? No, they weren't that wasn't the ⁓ Jordan: What is happening? I know, as someone who usually hates time hopping, the suspense of this timeline though, you get just enough and then boom, shoot you back. And then you'd get just enough there and then boom, you're back to the future. And it's like, ⁓ my gosh, no, what happened? This must be a nightmare to write. How do you do this? Do you just write? Steven: container that he did all the experimenting in. Leah And Jordan: Cause he was like doing multiple experiments with this to get them to that part there. It wasn't just cause they were in Z night. They automatically adapted to it. Yeah. They didn't capture that super well. The process, the time I'm on a time it took. Steven: Yeah, it took weeks. Yeah. No, yeah, they didn't capture the science of how they, yeah, how he grew the Taumiba very well. Yeah, again, I just wish the movie went a little bit more into the science aspect. Maybe you should read the book. Well, maybe. Why would I read a book when there's a movie? Because you get all these extra details. Yes. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. ⁓ For all of the reasons that we literally just said. Jordan: what's gonna happen and then figure out how you're gonna chunk it and rearrange it. ⁓ my gosh, authors write in, what do you do with a narrative structure like this? Yeah, that ⁓ would logic. I think you'd write it. Post it. Chronological. Yeah. And then overlay it. And then figure Where it's like, this is where I want these memories to come in. ⁓ I could never. Leah And Jordan: You're really gonna come on a book podcast, Steven, and say the movie's better? Ha ha! Steven: Yeah. I already got two people that read the book, they can tell me. Leah And Jordan: ⁓ yes, yes, yes, yes. All right, any other thoughts? Jordan: This just sounds like so much work. you already wrote the damn thing. Now you gotta go back and reread some parts. Yeah. Oh no, no, no. Just I could never plan on the fantasy ball when we were talking to Samantha. She was like, got all this good. And I love me a good list. You know I do, but like, No, never. I would just quit. would just be, I, it's not happening. Everybody's sorry. Yep. Yep. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. Rock hard pass on that. Steven: Yep. Let's wrap it up. ⁓ else? ⁓ ⁓ podcast isn't being dedicated to the movie. We have lots of things talking about in the book. Leah And Jordan: those are all my big ones. No, we got other things. got we got to talk about the actual book. Steven: ⁓ let's talk like two minutes about how Rocky survived. ⁓ because that seems like he would not have. Well, because I think this is why, because their physiology, they didn't talk about this They live to be 600 years old. I think to live that long, you have to be a very ⁓ resilient species. Yeah. Leah And Jordan: Yeah. Jordan: Yeah. But speaking of rock, Rocky love how, ⁓ they, he uses musical notes on the page to signify that's Rocky speaking. that was so well done. And the jazz hands, just grinned every time he was like jazz hands. I love the jazz hands. ⁓ I love fist, bomb. That was later on. Just crying. I could not keep it in. ⁓ so good. was so good. Also. Leah And Jordan: I mean they're rocks! They're gonna be able to weather the storm! Steven: when he was on, was literally smoking. Well, that part of their physiology is they're like kind of like an engine inside there's like part metal them ⁓ and so their physiology just very, very goofy and they do have some blood but not a lot or something. I don't know, it's really weird. But yeah, I think. Jordan: with my own bump right now, my husband was like, I'm gonna fist your bump. And he fisted the baby. That was quite fun. was a really, yeah, that was cute. Do you have a nickname for baby right now? Like, do you call baby anything? Rocky would be a good one. just start calling it Rocky. ⁓ yeah, it was, ⁓ yeah, that was very well written. Leah And Jordan: Mm-hmm. The smoking was like the scabbing. that was natural and supposed to happen. Oh, I thought it was dead for a while. Yeah, I think they wanted you to think that. We thought that too in the book. Yep. I was like, oh, he's in his pod thing, just like really, really injured. I was like, great. Now he's gone. I'm like, now we can actually get back to the meat and potatoes of the story. The Earth is about to go through an ice age again. we need to save Earth. Steven: Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Jordan: I have to, and we do, we do touch on this a little bit in the movie when Paul went off on his weird tangent being like, it's not serious enough. And I was like, well, yeah, cause then everybody would just be crying though. That's what I really liked. I liked that the whole main conflict was very heavy, but on top of that, I don't need a ton of shit going wrong on the ship too. Like enough stuff was going wrong. So I'm so glad it was not one of those books where every other turn. Steven: So didn't it? Wait, should they? Yeah. But again, they didn't make that like a very strong point of like, we have to save the earth. It was just, ⁓ I have to figure out how these ⁓ astrophage work. So the takeaway here is for the non book readers, ⁓ more emphasis the timeline that's happening on Earth that was missing. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: But so is Rocky's planet. Jordan: was Despair, destruction, another nightmare. ⁓ my gosh, it's blowing up. I could just sit in the main conflict and that was enough. So appreciate that. Cannot overstate that, I cannot overstate that. that's of the Martian is in my opinion, where you've got the main conflict and then, shit, this happened. ⁓ no. So it's a lot of emotional whiplash. You're just like, ⁓ okay, okay, okay. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Mm. Mm-hmm. Steven: And didn't the whole Rocky saving Grace? Isn't that flip-flop from the book? Yeah, was... I... No. No, didn't Grace save Rocky? When after Rocky breaks out of his chamber to save Grace from being crushed, Grace then hauls Rocky's body through to put him back in the chamber in the book. And that did not happen in the movie. Leah And Jordan: No, that happened. But I don't know if it was in that. Jordan: ⁓ which is why I was expecting that. Coming into this, was like, ⁓ my God. ⁓ no. Thank goodness. Yeah, no, this was well done. Well, well done. makes me think we kind of skipped this first read versus a reread. Cause this was a first read for both of us. Leah And Jordan: back. Yes. Yes. Because I was wondering how did he get back in his area? Like he broke it. So I was confused. Okay. Yeah. Steven: Yeah, know I didn't like that you said he also got like burns on his arm. I did put together that they did show a little burn scar on his arm in the shape of rocky at one point very quick, but it wasn't the movie. ⁓ I'm. Leah And Jordan: Mm. Mm-hmm. I will say too, I thought Ryan Gosling did a really good job. he's also just, he's an attractive dude. ⁓ guy pulled off a lot of different fashion statements and I was like, damn man, I'm jealous. I'm in with a stained cutoff shirt. ⁓ Jordan: But I could see myself doing a reread of this book, not anytime soon, but maybe in like 10 years or something down the road. this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed. Where you forgot the stuff that happens. you'll forget all those little details and all that stuff, but ultimately, know, this isn't a super stressful, intense book. Steven: ⁓ Yeah, I loved his knit sweater. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: stains all over it and looking like a trash bag. you know. Thanks for putting in the effort to come on the pod. Steven: I thought he did. I thought he did. It was good movie. I'd watch it again. Jordan: would. And I said, I don't know if I would, I don't think it would have the same allure, but like you said, if there was enough distance between it, I'd be like, ⁓ yeah. ⁓ But I really feel I want to pick up another Andy Weir book now because I really like this, but you're, making me a little nervous with the have to think about it. Yeah. Steven: We will also be saying, Fist My Bump. Yeah, so this good? Yeah. Good movie. Good With the baby bump, it's like, fist my bump. Fist my bump. Fist my bump to the baby. Fist my bump. Amaze, amazing, amazing. Leah And Jordan: ⁓ but is that a rocky? Fist my bump. I know I said that to Paul yesterday. It's good. ⁓ Fist my bump. Yeah. We did that today after we caught another mouse in our house. I was like, we got him. Fist my bump. Jordan: But here's the thing with like sci-fi too. I would not say I'm a big sci-fi fan. But literally every time I read a sci-fi, I eat that shit up. So I really end up liking it. So maybe I do like sci-fi. I don't know. I just haven't admitted it to myself. Yeah, I think so. All right. Well, you like good sci-fi. How about that? You don't like all sci-fi. Yeah, I don't like, I don't need like. Steven: gross. Fist bump. ⁓ So funny. Awesome. But you need some of that though in a movie that's like, ⁓ like everyone's going to die. Yeah. The dry humor is quite, I love it. Not Paul's taste. You know what? You get to have that. You get to have that opinion, The internet will roast you for it, but you get to have it. So. ⁓ Leah And Jordan: Yep. So heavy! Yup. Mm-hmm. It's called comic relief in literature. Yeah. Yeah. Jordan: Well, I should say zombies, but I've read a good sci-fi zombies book too, so now I can't even say that. Yeah. Okay. I like sci-fi. All right. I'm not afraid to admit it. Here we go. My name is Leah and I like sci-fi. Yeah. you go. Any more highs? Nope. Okay. Low. I mean, Leah And Jordan: That's right. We're going to rip you a new one when we talk about this. Just kidding. ⁓ Steven: Yeah. Well, thank you guys for coming on the pod. Thanks for going to the movies with us. It was a good time. was. Thanks for getting our seats working, Leah. Yeah. OK. Leah And Jordan: Yeah, this was lovely. Yep. All right. Thank you guys. We appreciate it. You bet. OK, see you later. Jordan: I'm low key gonna say maybe the science, but I honestly didn't have that much of a problem with it, because he does a really nice job of dumbing it down. And even when I couldn't grasp it, it didn't really matter. It didn't affect my read. I could still push through it. Which I was really surprised by that take from you, because- You thought I was gonna hate all the science. Yes. I thought a non-numbers person would have- Steven: Bye! Jordan: I just like breeze through it. just accepted it as truth and went on. I didn't need to understand it. I didn't need to rationalize it. Like he just did such a good job of walking me through it enough where I could be cool, love that for you. I don't need to really know about it, but I'm glad that you like it. Right. Yeah. Well, good for you for having that mindset because that I it was his writing style, honestly. the way he did it just made it, made it, made it flow. Yeah. I, yeah, I thought for sure. people who don't like numbers. was like, oh shit, there's a lot in here. So maybe that was just a me thing then where I was like, well, least. You think Leah's gonna hate it. Yeah, well I at least know what the heck's kinda going on here. I mean, not gonna pretend I followed it perfectly. Was I absolutely jealous of how quickly him, one, Dr. Grace did pretty good mental math. Even though Rocky made fun of him. Right, right. Rocky's like a computer. So that doesn't count Rocky. And I was like, damn, I wish I could do mental math like that. That was incredible. Oh my gosh. I used to bartend at a golf course and sometimes I would be the, you know, the cart girl like driving around. You just have a cash box and you just mental math and I'd be like, okay, three beers. Three times nine is, huh. $10 for a beer? Then I'd have to count it back and I'd be like, oh gosh. And it really was okay, because half the time they're getting a good buzz anyway. And then just, so it was fine. But like, stress. The stress. So, okay. I also didn't like all of the decisions. that they had to make again, he did a good job of not making that like ⁓ alert priority. Number one, freak out. ⁓ using the fuel of the Beatles, like he to save two, ⁓ but he realized he needed three get them out of Adrian. that is so stressful. Not that I would say remove that, but that part just made ⁓ my heart rate go up a little Yeah. I get, you gotta do that sometimes in books, but yeah. So that's really all my lows. Yeah. Those are all good lows. struggled with this because I was like, I really just liked every part of the book. I have four bests, so. Yeah. ⁓ can't wait to hear them. ⁓ number one, when he's playing catch with the alien spaceship and they wave at each other. was just cracking them. That was cute. He's like, ⁓ my gosh, this guy thinks I'm so dumb. I'm I'm against the thing. And he's like, ⁓ this one's coming slower now. He must've realized I couldn't get there in time. Yep. Okay. Number two. Wait, that happened in the movie. I do want to clarify. Yes. Okay. That was a movie thing in the book. He did do some adjusting. Yeah. Well, the first time it was like he moved his ship. Yep. 8.3 meters per second or whatever. And so then that was the exact speed that they threw the thing at him. So it did come really slow the first time. It didn't hit the opening. He didn't have to like climb around and catch it. But he did catch it the first time. I do like that spin on love that they made him a little buffoonie. Yes, the movie, that was a great spin. I just want to clarify, those are two different scenes. Okay. My number two is just all the flashbacks. I love how Ryland didn't realize he's a number two and everyone else knew it. then they just assume he's in a relationship with Stratt. He's like, wait, what? Wait, what? Yeah. Yeah. They're like, you're not sleeping together? He's like, no. He's like, I'm number two. are you talking about? Like just oblivious. Totally glue-less. ⁓ Number three, when discovers sarcasm. Yeah. That was so good. And then probably the absolute best, the French kiss is the ending when Grace is teaching the children on Rocky's planet. ⁓ I literally laughed and cried at the same time. Laura was in the room with me and she's like, you're so annoying. Cause she hadn't read it yet. So she was waiting for me to finish it. ⁓ just so good. That was such a perfect ending. Yes. loved that. OK. My favorite one of my I was thinking about this in like two categories, a flashback and then a mission. ⁓ ⁓ is from a less personal standpoint, just from like a storytelling standpoint. ⁓ loved when he bred the astrophage. ⁓ and then all of sudden it was like. boom, helicopter to airplane to ship to another, to another helicopter or like whatever, to like get him out to the middle of the ocean. Yeah. They just were like, this. He was like, um, what, what is happening? I was in the lab and now I'm in the middle of Pacific ocean. So I thought that was a really cool series of events because like talk about how powerful. ⁓ yeah, just making money moves like go get him. Get him here, I need him in front of me right now. He brought an astrophage, get him here. Literally couldn't have been done any faster. It was incredible, that was really cool. Okay, then I really struggled to pick one from the mission phase because there were so many good ones. But I am going with... ⁓ the scene where, it gives me goosebumps. But when they're trying to escape that planet in Tau Ceti system that had the... Meba. Tau Meba, thank you. So they're trying to escape ⁓ ⁓ gravity or whatever is pulling the ship down and Dr. Grace had that thing fall on him and Rocky had to break out of his, ⁓ my God. So Rocky breaks out of his chamber, gets it off of Dr. Grace and he's just gonna lay there and die next to him. And then Dr. Grace, who's all injured, ⁓ well, first he fixed the ship so that the gravity's normal again. ⁓ then drags Rocky's body back into his chamber. ⁓ I ⁓ I loved when, ⁓ Dr. Grace, okay, he does his things and he knows Rocky has to sleep. But he was like, I wonder if I can help him. And he's like, well, his body's like an engine. So maybe I gotta get- And then he like leaf blows him. Yeah, he like leaf blows out all this black gunk. And then when Rocky wakes up, Rocky goes, what's all this black stuff? Dr. Grace like tells him what he did. And then Rocky goes, you almost killed me. healing properties. my gosh. See, that's my worst part. I did not like that. I was so uncomfortable. I was like, he's going to die. Rocky's going to die. Like I'm like, this is it. We can't come back from this. And I had sealed that myself against it. And I was like, man. All right. Well, it was too good to be true. I knew he's going to die and then he didn't it. So that was actually good, but it just, that discomfort did not sit well in my chest. ⁓ I had ⁓ didn't. was ⁓ no, I have faith. So I was the third one to read it out of you, you, Laura, than me. I was going to text you guys. I was going to be like, no, Rocky. But then I was like, no, don't do it. He's coming back. There's no way. ⁓ look at you being all hopeful. I was. I was like, nope, he's coming back. And then when he did, it was hilarious. You almost killed me. Yeah. ⁓ And then also the worst, we find out the real reason when grace had amnesia, like not that I didn't like it, but it was, it was just the low point in the novel. Stratt you a dirty dog and I get it. And I love her as a but ⁓ Oh so dirty. Oh, so dirty. also wrote, I was like worst. I wrote, what made me feel the worst? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, because there was no bad part of the book at all, I would say. These were just my emotional. Yes. Yep. And yeah, I'm going to struggle with this category every time, Leah. I'm going to classify what I mean by worst. Like usually it's like, what did I hate the most about this book? But in this case, I hated nothing about this book. Exactly. So this had to go with what made me feel the worst. me feel the ickiest. And it wasn't even Stratt's decision that made it feel bad. ⁓ It was the that he all book was like leading up to like, ⁓ I'm a hero. chose to be here. I am saving humanity. And then that realization. ⁓ Yes. When that him and he had that flashback, was like, ⁓ No, he's not a hero. mean, he is, but he didn't choose it. Poor buddy. That was tough. That was, not, especially because Rocky was like, we both chose to be here. We're heroes. And then he was like, ⁓ about that. That was rough. But I do love it too, because it just shows, you know, more of his humanity. ⁓ yeah, not a perfect dude. That was one difference. in the book he specifically like talked about, I can't run out of here because where am I going to run to? in the movie they've of course had a chase scene. Yeah, right. I was like, he actually was smart enough to know not to do this, but whatever. What would we change? So I want more pictures in the book, like the things that Rocky was giving him. want to just like clip art sketches. Like he did a really good job of describing it, but it just would have helped me get to that one extra layer. there was just like a quick sketch on the page, know, like, I liked the, sketch of the Hail Mary in the beginning. was nice, but like more of that, please. Yeah, agreed. I think this would be a book that would really benefit from that, especially with people who are not familiar with molecules. ⁓ Yeah. You know, I mean, I get the gist, but like, And then, ⁓ this is yeah. Probably my one struggle. I want to know what happens on earth. did world war three break out? did half the population actually die? I want the deets. he doesn't have to go back, but I just want to know, you know, I'm glad they did give us the detail that earth was saved and the sun was back to that's original state. So that helps satiate that. need a little bit there, but I just, I just want a little bit more, a little bit more. Yeah. I don't know how we'd get it, but somehow. wonder if he'd ever write like a sequel book that like takes place on earth. I feel like he left. that would be interesting. Yeah. You know, to get like the, like the concurrently, like strats back and it's like, all right. And everybody's like ready to ride. And she's like, I did what I could do. Now we just have to be chill. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I'd read that. I know I would too. Cause there's it's like a 12 year time span or something. Yeah. Yeah. or longer. Some shit went down. I'm sure. I think it was going to be like 25 years or something before the solution got back to them. Cause he was going to be old. Yeah. If he would have gone back and made it back. Yeah. It was like going to take him 12 years to get out there. 12 years to get back. Yeah. So yeah, there's a lot that that could be written in that. Yup. Especially with crops dying and stuff like that. Yeah. That would be, yeah. Very interesting. Might be very heavy though. Yeah. Yeah. And we wouldn't have grace to be the levity, know, we'd have strats. yeah. I don't know. take it back. Okay. What are you changing? Nothing. Oh, okay. I have nothing to add there. I have two hot take debates. We kind of already talked about this. Did Stratt do the right thing by forcing grace on the mission? Uh, yeah. Absolutely. Yep. Sorry, Sorry, ⁓ No. Yeah. Like, no, don't think so. if she didn't want to give all that power back? You know, I feel like she's a good enough person where she could have been like, all right, I'm done. I'm going to, know, like a George Washington, like, don't want to be your king. I've served two terms as president. I'm going to take myself out of this equation. But someone else in that role could have been like mine, mine, mine. Let's roll this. know? Absolutely. Which might have been why she was selected though, because I remember there is a scene Dr. Grace had asked her. like what's next for you? This is before he like got dragged into it. And she was like, I don't know, probably gonna be in court or in jail. Oh yeah, for the rest of my life. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And she was like, now that I've done my job. Right, I did what I needed to do. I'm gonna have a lot of answering to do. Here's why I did this. So, but at least, you know, like she was aware of that. Right, right. Where, yeah, I mean, you could. I know you could give that power to the absolute wrong person and some real, real shit could go down. Yeah. And then that's scary. I, ⁓ could at least have like five people. that's what I was going to say. I would have liked, yeah, some oversight with a board or two other people who get to weigh in on her final decision, but she still is ultimately the one to do it. You know, but I get it. Time was of the essence here. even still though, ⁓ even still it's yeah, that was a ballsy move. Yep. And there was some beauty in it too. Like the whole world united together. You know, there was, there was peace for a moment. And we all brought all our resources together and we all were doing our best. Yeah. it worked. It It did work. Not the way they had thought, but it worked. I wonder if, yeah, the world is peaceful now. Can we, can we just talk about for a minute waking up? with a catheter and an intubator and memory. And there's two dead bodies ⁓ the same room as you ⁓ robot arms trying to grab you. when I first, ⁓ like ⁓ away. That's page one, chapter one. I was like, what in the fuck is, what is happening? What is this book? ⁓ I am not here for dead bodies. I am not. But there's a good story behind it. So was here for it. was like, yes. But I didn't even bother to try to visualize what I would do in that scenario because it, I would just shut down. No, what would I do? I would cry. I would die. I don't know. ⁓ I know. was the problem where I was like, ⁓ my God, what's happening? I didn't even bother putting myself in those shoes. Cause I was like, I could never. Just say Dr. Grace said that too. ⁓ He also said, no, thank you. Crazy. Okay. FMK. Who you got? Okay. I'm going to F Du Bois because he seems like he likes to get it. ⁓ the science guy. The fuck buddy one. Yes. I feel like as a scientist, he'd be very thorough and would do the necessary research and he would. He would make a good performance. I think yes. I wonder though, if it would be awkward. Yeah. too maybe too like two scientific. Yep. Yeah. That was my drawback on. But I feel like he could be coachable, know? just be quiet. Yeah. here, listen, do this. You know what I mean? don't say that. Yeah. ⁓ Would you pick? ⁓ I also had the same pick. I was just, cause I, I couldn't pick. And there wasn't anyone else I was like, that you could like really pick. Yeah. Yeah. But, I still was like, you, you're, wouldn't be, you wouldn't be my first pick, but you're only pick. That's what I got. ⁓ Okay. ⁓ I two choices for who I would marry. ⁓ If wasn't an alien, he seems like he'd be a good dude. ⁓ yeah. Absolutely. ⁓ Absolutely. then I, I was a little on the fence about grace. He would absolutely keep me laughing. And I did marry a goofball. I, I can deal with that, but ⁓ gotta when to turn the goofball off. You know what I mean? At some point you gotta be a little serious. So I had reservations about that. Yeah. ⁓ no, I'm forgetting his name, but the leader who ⁓ was in the, died. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ From China. Yeah. He seemed like, yeah. I a leader. Yep. I know how to get shit done. All qualities I like in a person. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like go get him. Yup. Yup, yup, yup, yup. Also, but understood needing to like cool off, deep, relax, have some jokes, some levity. You're right. Yup. Yeah. Yeah, he was whole package there. He was. Smart. Yes. He's a scientist, astronaut, astronaut, guy. I don't know. I don't remember what his role was, but yup. of it. Who are you killing? Mine's a cheat answer. Oh, you did a better job than me then. give me your answer. Astrophage. Oh, that is a cheat answer. Oh, that's lame. When you said cheat, I was like, what could she mean? No, that's my cheat. No, I did leave this one blank. Let's speculate for a minute there here though. Who should we kill? Who should we kill? Can't kill Stratt. No. things done. that one pilot that made him puke the first time in the jet. ⁓ a bad pick. Not a bad one. Cause he's, he's replaceable, you know? Yeah, totally. ⁓ was thinking that one guard when he's at the lab. ⁓ but they're funny. Carl or whoever it was, where he, they like, They went to the store together and they were- Not that one. No, not that one. Okay. There were two guards. Yeah. One that, the one that he got along with and then the other one who like wouldn't even- ⁓ he kept being like, no. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. It just like totally. It was like good cut bad cut. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. Yeah. That's a good one too. Boring. Come on, dude. better. my surprise question is- ⁓ Do you believe in aliens? Is there life outside of earth? Yes. Yeah, there has to be, right? Has to be. how many, how many bazillion different galaxies are out there? There's gotta be something. Yeah. Even if it's just bacteria like astrophage, there's gotta be. Exactly. Even yeah, Ta-taumobia. Taumiba. Taumiba. Thank you. Gosh. Yeah. Even particles floating around. It's gotta be something. Yeah. That was hilarious though when Dr. Stratz like whole pulled to get him in was you wrote this paper about how it doesn't need to be hydrogen and oxygen to have life. And then all they were were hydrogen and oxygen. And he was like, ⁓ because it just hit doubly hard because he had moved past that, you know, he was like, all right, that's not me anymore. I'm not, you know, that's not who I ⁓ am. And then have that hope of like, ⁓ Maybe I was brilliant all of these years and all you guys could eat crow or eat egg or what is it? Egg on your face or eat crow? What is it? Both. You'll have egg on your face or eat crow. I would like to know the etymology of those phrases. Why? What is eating crow? Why? An egg on the face? Why? I don't know. I want to know the history of that. All right. Anyway, yes. To have that then and then be like, oh my gosh, no, now I've got to go through this fallout again. I am wrong. And it is proven that I'm wrong now. Yep. ⁓ that was super funny. ⁓ man. OK. Did we answer your surprise question? Yeah. OK, I have one more. In this scenario, are you signing up to join the Hail Mary if you are coma resistant and know all the things? you doing it? ⁓ and I know all the things. I was like, I'm not. I don't know any of this. ⁓ I would say. That's a tough call. It's so not my life. would say yes. ⁓ probably would. Yeah. I kind of, I wrestled with that too. I was like, well, it's probably better than just sitting around and waiting to see what might happen. Probably die on earth. You see your family starve. ⁓ And least you'd be doing something good. And if, if I was at the top of my game. if I was, I was a choice and I was a factor in this and I could make a difference, I probably would. I should, right? If I'm that good. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. If I actually had the skills and the knowledge base. Yeah. Good thing you and I are not good enough Jordan. So we don't have to worry about that at all. Oh my gosh. When I took a physics class, I was like, isn't this supposed to be just math? Why am I so bad at this? Nope, I did not. I did take an astronomy class though, and there was way more math in that than I anticipated. So I was disappointed in that. ⁓ yeah, Leah, my only B in college was in my chemistry class ⁓ because of lab. ⁓ you know how many beakers I broke? ⁓ no! You get knocked points every time you bring a beaker? ⁓ my God! ⁓ was just like, I could never do ⁓ an experiment successfully. ⁓ Never. It's so stressful. I liked chem in high school. I had a really good chemistry teacher. She was phenomenal. I just remember being so nervous, like, okay, only two drops. ⁓ Like you know, just the stress of it and no, I never had successful experiments. And none of it made sense either. why? Yeah. What's the, I don't know. Can you just tell me what I'm supposed to be getting from this? Like, ⁓ it so not my strength. was like, no, ⁓ I do chemistry. ⁓ Every time he was doing all these experiments, I was like, I'd be fucking this up so bad. Oh my God. Not gonna go well. All right. Harry Potter legendary location scale. What do you got? 100 % Hogwarts. This is an absolute five banger through and through. I was obsessively reading about it, thinking about it all day. Not gonna lie. I even dreamed about it. I'd go to bed at night being like, oh, and what if this and this? It was just permeating my every brain cell. And that's why I started reading Hamnet at the same time I was reading this, because I couldn't read this close to bed. That's true. Yes. yeah, I stayed up way past 10 o'clock on many nights and it was not a fun morning the next day. no. was like, no, this is going to, it's going to amp me up. I've got to keep reading. I'm going to dream about it. See? Okay. That was, that was smart because I was so disappointed in following. this with Hamnet. Not that Hamnet's bad. We'll talk about that later, but like just the wrong order to read these books in. Unless you're doing it like you, which was all this is my take down. is my relax. Yup. ⁓ Put me to sleep, please. Where's Hamnet? You need a hammy time. ⁓ ⁓ Laura's gonna like that one. Okay, my Goodreads review is thusly. ⁓ my gosh, one of the best books I've read in a long time. The humor, the twist, the detailed characters, the stress of saving humanity. It lived rent free in my head and I'm not a huge sci-fi person, but I've now come to reconcile that. am indeed. But hot dang, I loved every second of it. There was no part that was slow or made me wanna drop down the rating from a five star. Like I was just five star all the way through and the ending tune into Once Upon Hot Take podcast to hear us unpack this book" and girl. Why am I reading that? Why would I not delete that off the All right. So thank you for tuning into the Once Upon Hot Take podcast ⁓ as we unpack this. ⁓ gosh. You're funny. What does Goodreads have to say to us? Goodreads has 4.51 stars on average. Not surprised. Yeah, out of 1,550,000. That's a lot of reads. Oh, there is a book that's coming up that we're gonna cover soon. I think it might be The Red Letter that had a way higher Goodreads rating than I thought, like an average. I was like, really? I was kind of shocked. I don't remember what it was, but this one is not surprising. Okay. All right, who are we recommending this book to, Jordan? I know. First, my husband, Steven. Yeah, pick up a book, Steven. Yeah. He had a million, we walked out of the movie theater, he had a million questions and I said, it's in the book, it's in the book, it's in the book. They do this in the book, they do that in the book. Read the book. Then you'll know, then you'll know. And then he can compare too, which was better in the reverse way. Yes. But really, honestly, anybody, anybody. Yeah, you don't have to be a sci-fi lover or a sci-fi. lover denier to like it. I think you, if you just enjoy reading genre, throw this on the list. Even if you don't, I feel like this would be a good reluctant reader book to bring you back into the fold. I would agree with that. ⁓ it a page turner? Right. It's appropriate for all ages. Yup. Like teens could read this. Yup. Absolutely. ⁓ I put Richie, but I actually think he was the one that recommended this to us. Yeah, I think he was. ⁓ Richie, thanks for the rec. Yeah, we, yeah, that's what we needed, man. ⁓ all right. We got some fan thoughts. So at the rom-com formula said, I devoured that book. Absolutely consumed me. So entertaining and funny and so much heart ponied adventure. Allie Leske author said, yes, yes. Thick sci-fi epic. ⁓ Susan R guest said she and her teens read and both loved it with, if you know, you know, with teens and books, like that is, that is a feat. Okay. Um, RJ Winters, the third said best book of the decade, which I feel like I could agree with. When we say decade, we're talking in the 2020s. We're talking. Cause I think it came out in 21. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. So the 2020, yeah. Yeah. Uh, a bookish by night said, I loved this book. When I first met my husband, he told me this was his fave book. So I gave it a shot and could not put it down. Oh, husband that reads. love it. Cute. Okay. Actor portrayals. yep. ⁓ I separated myself from the movie when I was reading the and I said, here's what I Cause I, I knew I did not know Ryan Gosling was the guy. ⁓ you didn't. Not until I was like halfway done with it. So, okay. Rocky, I was picturing Mr. Raisin. Cause that's what Grace described him as from the eighties, that big gross raisin character. I'm sorry. don't remember that at all. Well, we weren't born in the eighties, so Mr. Raisin. He might give you nightmares. ⁓ God. Yeah. Scary. Yeah. Yeah. Accurate though. Okay. playing grace, captain America guy. What's his name? ⁓ Chris Evans. Yeah. I saw that as grace as grace. Mm Way too ⁓ then, Du Bois was Sheldon from big bank theory. Flip those two. ⁓ No, but Sheldon's got that whole on the spectrum thing. Like he's very literal. And then Stratt, I was thinking like Ice Queen Nicole Kidman would be a good Stratt. ⁓ yeah. That was a good pick. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yeah. You need a less athletic version of Chris Evans. A fat Chris Evans. Yeah. So show movie versus book, and we're going to save that. Stay. Yep. Stay to the end. Listen to our very entertaining conversation the husbands. Yes. This is quite hilarious. ⁓ roast A new one. I can't believe he took the stand that he took. ⁓ don't know. And I even warned him. I was like, the internet's going to come for you. And he doubled down. OK. Leah ⁓ we need to cut this out because you think it's too much of a spoiler, you can cut this out. for days after days. Steven out of the blue would just say to me, Paul's such a dumb ass. Rocky was the best part of that whole movie. I can't believe he would say that. Yup. He did it to himself, man. I don't know. I don't know. When he could sense me being like, what are you doing? He just was like, nope, I'm going all in on his hot take. He absolutely doubled down on his hot take. He did. I don't even know if I believe that he believed it. I know. I he just was like, taking it for hot takes. I'm doing it. Yeah. Yeah. Because you tell Paul he can't. And he was like, watch me. Yep. Well, so that's where Cam gets it from. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And I'm going to lock eyes with you the whole time so you know I know you know. Marriage. OK. So what are your thoughts on our hot takes? Let us know at once upon a hot take at gmail.com or on Instagram or TikTok. We would love to hear from you. If you enjoyed today's episode, go and leave us a review and give us a follow so more book lovers can find our show. We will be covering Hamnet or Red Letter next. What do we got? Hamnet. Hamnet is coming up next. so remember fairy tales are just the beginning. Unplug for a bit and dive into the next adventure with us. If you have any book suggestions, we would love for you to share. Hit us up. Stay tuned for the interview. Goodbye. Yay!