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On the "sexism" tip, I will also point out that the plot of this movie basically posits that if you are a woman who spent years in a prestigious, competitive culinary school in London, you can manage to be almost exactly as good at cooking pizza as a dude who fucked around his Little Italy neighborhood for his whole life.

I've been a listener for a long time, but this week's episode triggered me to make an account here. I didn't see the film, but was happy to see this film picked. This film was promoted heavily last year in Canada's largest theatre chain (Cineplex), in promotional vignettes before the trailers last summer. It puzzled me as nothing in this film resembled any Italian neighborhood I've witnessed, and definitely had the feel of Canadian Content that you see frequently. I'm always puzzled by these movies because I can never figure out what the financial plan is around them. They're not getting much notice theatrically in Canada, where you prrsume they stand to make the biggest splash. Not sure if they're making enough off ancillary revenues, or if it's the grants and sponsorship. Either way, they seem like Looking at the film info, the name that jumped out was writer/producer on the film Vinay Virmani. He's associated with a few other of these films that pop up on similar movies in Canada like Dr. Cabbie and Breakaway. They're movies that target the Indo-Canadian community, but aim for success in the broader Canadian market but also an Indian release (those previous films had major Bollywood stars with producer credits). This film appears to be an attempt to duplicate that Indo-Canadian formula with the Italian-Canadian market. Anyways, I'm glad that one of these peculiarities of Canadian film has received the HDTGM treatment. If our hosts do want to come to Canada for a show, let me when when I can buy my ticket, and I'd recommend the film Breakaway (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1736552/) for their discussion. I haven't seen it, but looks bad, and from those I know that do and from the trailers, it's essentially a retelling of Bend It Like Beckham, to the point that the disapproving father is played by the same actor. Anyways, I loved this week's episode and hope to see more like it.

I looped the Little Italy double take that Jason wanted on the episode. What do you guys think?

Right! So, in all the time Luigi has been "Luigi" he never once told Lay-o WHY he was turned out on the streets, or what happened with his family? Did the Italian community welcome him with open arms while he was also closeted? And why did he adopt an Italian persona, again? Are they really welcoming while also humoring him in pretending he's not Asian? Just, what? How did these people meet? How close can they possibly be? FWIW, the gag reel clip with the cock sock was hands down the best part of the film.

All I could think of during this movie... https://youtu.be/W8xbGsaEnc0

I agree. I felt at the beginning that the sight gag of this Luigi, who we assumed would be Italian, despite one of the grandfathers dismissing him as 'not Neapolitano', being Chinese-Canadian, would be the extent of it. It felt a bit cheap, but then the number of cultures who coexist in Toronto might explain that away. Then, the revelation that he came out to his Chinese father who kicked him out for being gay added a layer that might have been interesting. However, Luigi looks about the same age as Lei-o and whatshername. If he's saying he came out to his father, say, as a teenager, and then was disowned and kicked to the streets, then first of all, that's a matter for Child Protective Services. He says he walked the streets for days until he met the original Luigi who took him in. That can't have been any more than a decade ago. In that ten years, Luigi has dropped his entire culture and identity, and then somehow inherited the bar (was old Luigi on the brink of death?), took over, and has ingratiated himself seamlessly into this culture without so much as a glance from anyone. This man is successfully running a popular business while assuming a new identity in what Gigi reminded us is a notoriously homophobic new culture. For a side character, he might have the most needless backstory ever. And then, the tired trope of a character coming out and then immediately turning into a gay stereotype, including grabbing Anakin's ass only a minute after coming out to him, essentially cheapening a nice bro moment. Luigi is a puzzle.

Amy and I look at this forum a lot, and we definitely keep your suggestions in mind. Here are some guidelines to make your suggestions more helpful for us: - We prefer to do episodes about movies that are available online legally. This is because we want our listeners to have a chance to easily see the movies without spending an arm and a leg. Including a link to where the movie is legally available - Netflix, Hulu, Amazon streaming - is very helpful. - We probably won't do movies from the last five years, unless they're astonishing masterworks. - Yes, we know we need to do more foreign films. We are trying to balance building the listenership (it continues to grow) with covering more less mainstream fare.

Ok so do you guys think that this bare bones plot is salvageable? I kind of like the idea of a movie about the actual Little Italy in Toronto and complex family bonds and feuds. One that makes it clear that they AREN'T ridiculous stereotypes but that they still love their distinct heritage. That would mention what made their Little Italy the best one for them and the only place like it instead of a generic Brooklyn ish place. ( as @Cakebug Tranch mentions those wide pretty boulevards and friendly people, plus the close proximity to a bunch of other fascinating neighborhoods. It sounds like a fucking dream!). What do you guys think? Can this movie be saved and if so how would you do it? (This is just like... My barebones attempt at fixing this got mess. Obviously EVERYTHING needs to change. EXCEPT MORON SANDWICH. )

So glad to see Pizza My Heart get mentioned. But then, I just discovered A Tale Of Two Pizzas, released two years prior to that movie!

Is Canada into conspiracy theories? It was shared that this movie was made by Canada. There were Canadian actors, writers, directors, etc. as well as it being set in Canada and using Canadian reference. Then you guys went on to do Second Opinions and shared how many of the opinions were 5 star..... I am just curious if Canada also paid Amazon reviewers to post 5 star reviews.

My big question here is why the Italian restaurants and bars in Canada all saw fit to have Italian, Canadian AND American flags hung up on the walls. Was this also part of what confused everyone into doing New York accents?

that's the funniest damned thing ever

Alternate Title: MoonSuck I couldn't get a handle on wether Emma Roberts and Luigi would've really known each other that well, which made it all the more disturbing when he prances around naked in front of her the morning after drunk soccer, and then lets her believe they had sex. You know, as a joke. Then as soon as she composes herself, Leo does the same thing! She wakes up in the morning from being blackout, and the first two people she talks to tell her they date raped her. Which, the more I think about it, I'm not convinced that Leo didn't. But that fits this movie, which HATES ER's character. She "wins" their little soccer game (which is just the two of them playing around in the park, alone. Is Rain Soccer supposed to be the rematch of that? Why would anyone care?) by standing still and getting knocked out by HC's kick. LATER - in cooking class, Jane Seymour (who is apparently the only chef in the world that Michelin changed their ratings system to give a fourth star to), pulls her out of class and tells her to go home for two weeks to change her visa for a job she may not even get, in which case she will be an unemployed cooking school dropout living on a work visa in the most expensive city in the world. But luckily, Leo is there with lines like "I wanna introduce you to someone - The Nikki I used to know." You know, before she ate so much kale. Are we still making jokes about kale? Even in the airport, at the end, when she is CARRYING OUT THE PLAN SHE HAD ALL ALONG, Leo and both families show up and say "What are you doing? Don't run away from HIM" and "It doesn't matter about them, I'VE CHANGED. I want to open MY own shop." No one gives a shit about the fact that SHE'S OPENING A RESTAURANT IN LONDON - with a famous chef - who she's studied with FOR YEARS and has CHANGED HER VISA FOR. It's more important that she stays at home and does the books at Pizza Organica. Of course, like all the garbage in this movie, the writers think that they can cover it up if they just point it out. Emma Roberts at one point says "How is it that I'm the one in culinary school, but you're the one coming up with the dishes?" (Also: TSA Agent: "Don't change your plans for no man") Hey screenwriters - EXACTLY. Why didn't you LET HER COME UP WITH SOME DISHES!?!?!? Why didn't you LET HER COOK???? The fact that she is a chef is immaterial to the movie. Her great cooking triumphs consist of slicing a raw fig and getting her grandma to share her sauce recipe. HC's rooftop 'za is talked about in detail, but in the cooking contest ER just seems to advance because she needs to; I have no idea what HER IDEAS were, only that she used Nonna's sauce. To top it off, at the end of our story (and the reveal of the source of the VO), Jane Seymour comes to the wedding to recruit ER, but in the end just ends up franchising LEO's PIZZA PLACE - which again, her only contribution to seems to be that her grandma was so horny over Danny Aiello that she gave away her sauce recipe. I wish the screenwriters had spent a little less of their Starbucks time asking for money, and a little more working on this nonsense script. Then again, they got one produced, so what do I know. Five Stars.

It was excellent! The stage set was Jamie's apartment. There were a few times where set pieces were removed to designate a different place but I honestly don't remember where in the show that was. (It was early in the show but that's it.) The timelines were still just a little muddled as there were several times both actors were on stage but once they started talking or singing it was clear they weren't talking/singing to the other actor. (Except for the wedding of course.) Both singers weren't the strongest but all the emotion and energy came through. Jamie's still a jerk but less immediately so. I also have to commend the people who designed/made the boards in the theater lobby. The backgrounds were either music from the show or copies of Jamie's letter! There were also a bunch of pictures of both actors (including a wedding picture of the actors in front of a local landmark) and then various pictures of the "couple" as well as Cathy in a variety of roles. Well done! The show itself was well done. Jamie didn't change a whole lot but Cathy's wardrobe completely changed with each song. There were also nice touches where Jamie's Columbia University sweatshirt was worn or tossed around by both characters. Also Jamie decorated a small Christmas tree during The Schmuel Song and pulled out a dress from a bag when he got to the girl from Odessa. Cathy wore that dress a scene or two later so it was nice to see a call back. I honestly thought "THAT was what Schmuel carried in his head for 41 years?!?" when I first saw it. When Cathy wore it I understood it was a Christmas present Jamie gave her. (Yes, I'm gullible and stupid.) Wen Cathy first comes on she is reading the letter then she starts packing her things and walks off. Unfortunately we didn't give it the applause it deserved because the music never stopped. When I go again (and I AM going again, at least once more!), I know to start clapping as she walks off. There's no break between Still Hurting and Shiksa Goddess. (Also, I realize I misunderstood Still Hurting. It's not later in time like I thought. It makes sense if she's just reading or just read the letter. Now I take it to mean that she never got comforted and even the letter didn't help anything. (Not to mention this is at least the second Dear Jane letter she's gotten.) I really liked the time device. Since it was Jamie's apartment the wall and windows were projected on a screen. When Jamie was on stage the clock wound backwards to a certain hour. So his first song went to 1 or 1:30, the next to 2:00 and so on. Cathy's started at midnight (or maybe 11) and worked back. When Cathy came on the clock ran forward to her next time. The clock was at 6:00 for the proposal and wedding. I loved that. They didn't peg it to any specific year. (At least on stage. I haven't read the program yet. I ran late to get there.) There was a live orchestra but I honestly thought they were using a provided soundtrack. During the curtain calls the actors motioned and the musicians came out. They did a wonderful job! I cried at the end, as I said before. Cathy was so rapturous in love and Jamie was so ready to end things. Cathy came on first and did her song. Jamie came on then and did his. He started packing his things while they did the duet and then they looked "at" each other for the last goodbye. I couldn't hold it in. I wasn't noisy but I sure was sobbing. I got to meet both actors afterward and thank then congratulate them. Cathy's IRL mom was there as well so I talked to her for a minute. I considered asking for a picture but decided not to. I will next time. Thought it was gauche but what the hell, why not? I can't thank @Cakebug Tranch enough for letting me borrow the soundtrack so I could hear the show before I went last night. I went to add it to Amazon and it's part of the Prime subscription if you have one. I still am going to buy it but that was a nice touch when I had trouble getting the files onto one of my devices. I will upload my pictures and post them shortly. But first, let me take a selfie.

Can we talk for a moment about the weekly 'fight' between the two fathers at Luigi's? They establish repeatedly in the film that Sal and Vince seemingly cannot stand the sight of each other anymore and yet they supposedly have arranged to both come into Luigi's at the same time every Monday so they can verbally abuse each other. Meanwhile, the rest of the bar bets on their fight with the 'loser' being determined by which of the two of them stands up first. As dumb as all of that is, in the one instance where we actually witness said fight, one of the two fathers stands up and the other stands up immediately in response. Luigi calls this a 'tie' but they did not get up at exactly the same time. But if you argue that they got up relatively close to one another to be considered a tie, then how would it not be a tie every time they do this? I cannot see many instances where one of them would get so incensed that they would rise out of their seat and the other would calmly remain seated.

I'm still upset about Luigi. That whole character. Why? just Why?

When they first mentioned Little Italy, Pizza My Heart was the movie I thought they were watching. It had popped up on my streaming services for a while, but I've never seen it.

Okay, so I have a lot to say about this movie, much of which comes down to the bizarro geography all over Toronto. To answer June and Paul's incredulity: yes, Little Italy is a real place in Toronto, and while it's not as famous as the New York version, arguably the wide streets and family neighbourhoods you can get here in Toronto would potentially make for a charming local story. Potentially, I said, since this movie is a hot mess. Toronto is a city made up of little cultural neighbourhoods, and along with our three separate Chinatowns, we have a Polish district on Roncesvalles, a thriving Greektown on the Danforth, a wonderful Indian Bazaar on Gerrard (which features in the movie, briefly), amongst many others. There is even a one-block long Maltese District: Toronto has been called for good reason the most multicultural city in the world. The problem is, NONE of this movie was actually shot in Little Italy. The feuding pizza shops are actually east of Little Italy, nearer to Kensington Market (at College and Robert), in a couple of abandoned storefronts. The 'Taste of Little Italy' festival (which is a real festival on College Street each year) is actually shot in the Distillery District in the east side of the city, which is distinctive for its cobblestoned streets. The banner that reads 'Welcome to Little Italy': Yeah, that doesn't exist. In fact, that's not Toronto at all. That's the Little Italy street sign FROM Mulberry Street, NEW YORK CITY. No wonder June was confused! WHY would you show the New York sign while setting up Toronto? WHY? This, however, IS our Little Italy. Enjoy!

Sorry, it's my pet peeve when people say "Canadian accent." There are people who can explain this better than I can, but there is no "Canadian accent." When people say that, they are thinking of an Ontario or Alberta accent. I am from Newfoundland (pronounced New-Found-LAND) and no one talks with what people would call a Canadian accent. We sound Irish.

I just described this movie to my coworker and he said he had actually already seen this exact movie on TV and then he sent me the IMDB link and holy shit y'all, this movie has literally already been covered 13 years before Canada decided to do it. I present to y'all - Pizza My Heart

I know they talked about how they thought the two leads appeared to possibly be siblings. However, they didn't mention how, by the end of the movie, their grandparents are married. Which makes them step-cousins? Or something? I don't know. It's weird that they're in a relationship and their grandparents are married.

Let alone it's a direct rip off of this famous clip of Ramsay!

I'll take my Ronna and Beverley wherever and however I can get it. I really liked the ep too!

Happy birthday Paul!

I definitely don't see her to be pure evil or a villain quite as much her rep, but I'm not so sure about calling her "angelic" like Paul did lol