Episode 230 — Fateful Findings: LIVE! (w/ Rob Huebel)

[PollyDarton 1807]

On 1/4/2020 at 2:44 AM, Cam Bert said:

There are lots of little things you can pick on in this film because it is clearly an amateur low budget production. Notably when he's in his hospital bed after being hit by the car there are lots of little things to point out. The fact it's clearly a spare bedroom (as Paul said hospitals don't have carpets), the fact none of the IV are hooked up or set up properly, the fact none of the equipment is on or why there are three oxygen tanks, or even why is there just a laptop in among all the medical equipment. These are all little things done with their limited space and budget to try and look hospital like. At least he was trying and put some thought into it.

What I do take major issue with though is his face. So he's suffered major head trauma and they have made a special bandage for him which is literally just covering up half his face. Granted I'm not a doctor but I would think if you were to bandage the head you'd bandage it all and not make a special mask. Even if you were to make a mask I'm sure you'd make one that doesn't completely cover up both nostrils and the mouth. Surely if you did that you wouldn't then put a nasal oxygen tube on top of that bandage mask with no way to enter the nose thus rendering it useless. And in the far off chance that they do bandage the mouth and nose fully and place a nasal oxygen tube on top of it all, surely they wouldn't then put a full nose and mouth oxygen mask which covers no airways on top of all that that. Yet that's what he did. Those are the high level decisions that make Neil Breen perfect for HDTGM.

I came here to say something about this...
Seriously... could he actually breathe like this?

 

[PollyDarton 1807]

Watching on Porn Hub gives the experience of this movie a little extra layer, because it feels exactly like a porn that has all the hardcore scenes cut out. The obvious things like the slow editing, grainy sound, bad acting are there... but also little details like the anonymous nature of most of the apartment sets, the bright daylight lighting, and the stark age and attractiveness gap between the 2 1/2 couples.

Neil himself kind of comes off as the Ron Jeremy of non porn films.

[GrahamS. 803]

2 hours ago, PollyDarton said:

Watching on Porn Hub gives the experience of this movie a little extra layer, because it feels exactly like a porn that has all the hardcore scenes cut out. The obvious things like the slow editing, grainy sound, bad acting are there... but also little details like the anonymous nature of most of the apartment sets, the bright daylight lighting, and the stark age and attractiveness gap between the 2 1/2 couples.

Neil himself kind of comes off as the Ron Jeremy of non porn films.

It’s a magical day!

[FrancisRizzo3 212]

12 hours ago, Mrshawnio said:

Any way for me to get to see this? Trying to watch with some friends tonight

Unfortunately, it looks like the version I has access to was taken down.

[Leafmeister 2]

Would love a link if they are still active

[Mrshawnio 5]

Had to watch this on pornhub at 1.5 speed. It moved so slow my friends and me got mad when only 5 minutes had gone by. Also we played the drinking game and it took us a six pack each. Do I recommend? Yes. It makes the movie bearable. 

[Mrshawnio 5]

4 minutes ago, Leafmeister said:

Would love a link if they are still active

Definitely pornhub

[hornacek 43]

What was the deal with the cow skull (?) on the ground in the opening scene where Dylan and Leah are walking to where the magic box is buried?  The skull literally moves to watch them as they walk by.

[hornacek 43]

This film really feels like it was made by someone who watched Twin Peaks and decided "THAT'S what I want to do!"  This film has a lot of David Lynch type of shots right out of Twin Peaks:  unexplainable abilities, an unknown character appearing and disappearing, mirrors shaking, long scenes where nothing happens, scenes dropping us into the middle of a conversation, etc.  That black garbage bag room (inside the stone!) feels like Breen's version of the Black Lodge with strange backgrounds and multiple cuts of characters not moving.

[hornacek 43]

After Dylan and Leah say good-bye as children, adult Dylan's voiceover says that he never saw Leah again.  But he obviously does, so why say this?  Like Paul suggested during the episode, this made me think the entire film was a Jacob's Ladder scenario, and it was going to be revealed at the end that he died during the car accident and only dreamed that Leah returned as an idealized version of herself:  a doctor that tries to help him, someone that loves him unconditionally, and doesn't have any of the problems his wife has, eventually replacing her.

[Dangorman77 6]

Is it just me or does Neil Breen look like a Gary Shandler version of  the bug infested Vicent D'onofrio character in "Men In Black?" 

[hornacek 43]

Maybe it was because I watched this on PornHub, but I really thought that Amy (Jim's wife) and Aly (Jim's daughter) were going to hook up in that creepy step-mother/step-daughter way after Jim was killed.  Otherwise why make her a step-daughter at all?

According to Wikipedia Aly is Amy's daughter and Jim is her step-father, but I got the impression from the film that Aly is Jim's daughter and he married Amy, making Amy the step-mother.  Am I wrong?

[Cockney Mackem 514]

There’s a few shows in a row now where they’ve chosen a film I’ve simply never heard of. My bad movie radar obviously needs an upgrade.

[GrahamS. 803]

8 minutes ago, Cockney Mackem said:

There’s a few shows in a row now where they’ve chosen a film I’ve simply never heard of. My bad movie radar obviously needs an upgrade.

This film is SUPER unfindable. Before they did the Seattle show, they had to post a special link to Vimeo in order for the paying audience to watch it.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

It would technically not be illegal for the boardroom therapist to contact Emily if Dylan has signed a waiver form putting her as a contact the therapist could share information with. Then it would still be within HIPAA law guidelines. However Boardroom therapist MUST get Dylan's consent or anything he says to anyone is an EXTREME violation. The only way he could break that confidentiality is: "American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct standard 4.05(b), “Psychologists disclose confidential information without the consent of the individual only as mandated by law, or where permitted by law for a valid purpose such as to (1) provide needed professional services; (2) obtain appropriate professional consultations; (3) protect the client/patient, psychologist, or others from harm; or (4) obtain payment for services from a client/patient, in which instance disclosure is limited to the minimum that is necessary to achieve the purpose.”

Also I'm pretty sure if the client admits to hurting / endangering a minor or someone who is unable to protect/ defend themselves like with elder abuse or neglect/ abuse of a mentally disabled adult they have to report. I think therapist and other social service types are mandated reporters. I'm not sure if that's a federal thing or if it's state by state law. 

[gigi-tastic 2322]

8 hours ago, hornacek said:

Maybe it was because I watched this on PornHub, but I really thought that Amy (Jim's wife) and Aly (Jim's daughter) were going to hook up in that creepy step-mother/step-daughter way after Jim was killed.  Otherwise why make her a step-daughter at all?

According to Wikipedia Aly is Amy's daughter and Jim is her step-father, but I got the impression from the film that Aly is Jim's daughter and he married Amy, making Amy the step-mother.  Am I wrong?

I thought that too! I was convinced that she hated her for being her step mom... Also for you know shooting her dad.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

20 hours ago, PollyDarton said:

Watching on Porn Hub gives the experience of this movie a little extra layer, because it feels exactly like a porn that has all the hardcore scenes cut out. The obvious things like the slow editing, grainy sound, bad acting are there... but also little details like the anonymous nature of most of the apartment sets, the bright daylight lighting, and the stark age and attractiveness gap between the 2 1/2 couples.

Neil himself kind of comes off as the Ron Jeremy of non porn films.

Someone has had sex on camera on that couch and I'm only 25% positive it wasn't Neil Breen

[GrahamS. 803]

I have to ask: why doesn’t he name all of the characters he plays in all his movies Neil Breen? It seems like it would fit perfectly.

[E.Lerner 111]

14 hours ago, gigi-tastic said:

It would technically not be illegal for the boardroom therapist to contact Emily if Dylan has signed a waiver form putting her as a contact the therapist could share information with. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but does Boardroom Therapist actually share any information about Dylan with Emily? She's definitely the one who initiates the contact to tell him Dylan is not taking his medication. Ultimately, she ends up telling Boardroom Therapist about Dylan's hacking to keep the pills flowing, but I don't recall BT telling her anything about Dylan or his treatment.  

The Dylan/BT/Emily relationship is made more confusing by the fact that it seems like Dylan is refusing to take psychiatric medication (for obvious reasons), but Emily is apparently abusing the pain medication that was prescribed after Dylan's accident. I think that conflation adds more to the theory that this is broadly anti-drug, anti-alcohol, anti-psychiatry movie — anything that interferes with Breen's messianic brain is in league with the forces of corruption, fraud and hypocrisy.   

[Cockney Mackem 514]

Listening to this episode is blowing my flipping mind.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

2 hours ago, E.Lerner said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but does Boardroom Therapist actually share any information about Dylan with Emily? She's definitely the one who initiates the contact to tell him Dylan is not taking his medication. Ultimately, she ends up telling Boardroom Therapist about Dylan's hacking to keep the pills flowing, but I don't recall BT telling her anything about Dylan or his treatment.  

The Dylan/BT/Emily relationship is made more confusing by the fact that it seems like Dylan is refusing to take psychiatric medication (for obvious reasons), but Emily is apparently abusing the pain medication that was prescribed after Dylan's accident. I think that conflation adds more to the theory that this is broadly anti-drug, anti-alcohol, anti-psychiatry movie — anything that interferes with Breen's messianic brain is in league with the forces of corruption, fraud and hypocrisy.   

I think your right! I'm not sure if she would be allowed to speak to Boardroom Therapist if he hadn't signed anything though. Like if someone in my family tried to call my therapist to say they were concerned about me they probably could talk to the receptionist but that's it.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

So I don't think that Emily was trying to get drugs from Boardroom , ( I assume he would write scripts for more of Dylan's meds?) Unless Dylan was on benzodiazepines like say Xanax or Valium she would not be getting a high off his medication. Trust me there's no rush from downing a Prozac or a Buspar. At most you get lucky with a Seroquel type and you get super sleepy. Anti depressants and anti psychotics while great for those of us who need them to function are never going to be the new it party drug.

Now if you will excuse me I have to go chase the Cymbalta dragon!

[Liz C. 16]

On 1/5/2020 at 12:25 PM, RyanSz said:

I know they joked about being part of a Disaster Artist-like film for this, but this won't work as Breen is very much more up his artistic ass than Wiseau ever was. While Wiseau has at least softened over the years to what The Room actually is compared to what he wanted it to be, Breen has been unapologetic about what he's made, standing firm that it's a great movie and that critics don't understand it, and how it should be distributed, hence why it's no longer available on Prime like it was a couple years ago. It's also odd in that all of his other movies follow a similar plot of a guy who is amazing at everything being pulled into some gigantic conspiracy, all while shitty green screen effects and local theater actors abound throughout the film. I will say looking to see if this was available to rent on Prime and found a litany of Breen based products like shirts on how to hack the government like Breen and coffee mugs featuring his nodding off scene.

 

This is DEFINITELY true. Years ago, after we watched Double Down, a friend who is a journalist reached out to Neil for an interview because he was doing a single night screening of Fateful Findings shortly thereafter in our city. He sort of bristled at the request, implying that he knew what my friend was trying to do (make fun of him, he assumed) and declined, saying that he could reach out to his publicist for a copy of the film but he would absolutely not be granting an interview. I don't think he was going to make fun of him! I think Neil was just not about to open himself up to that possibility at all. Bet he's pretty mad at this episode.

[E.Lerner 111]

12 hours ago, Liz C. said:

Bet he's pretty mad at this episode.

Having worked in journalism, the difference between Wiseau and Breen really highlights the difference between what we called kooks and cranks. 

Especially working in science journalism, my colleagues and I would get hundreds of emails, letters, phone calls, DVDs, fully bound manuscripts, etc., from people who had made shocking discoveries that were poised to turn the world upside down if they could only get the word out. Like Wiseau and Breen, these men (and they were 99.9% men) all had an incredibly high opinion of their own intelligence and importance, coupled with a sub-amateur-level grasp of their subject matter of choice.

Kooks, like Wiseau, have eccentric, disconnected-from-reality ideas, but also have a childlike enthusiasm for exploring them.

Cranks, like Breen, are at war. Even if they aren't explicitly alleging a global conspiracy to suppress their findings and ideas, they are on a mission and need to know whether you're going to help them or stand in your way. Cranks are the ones that will actually show up at your office and ask why you haven't been returning their calls.

That's why June's line about women being harmed in the making of this movie rang so true to me. The sex scenes in The Room were also gross and self-serving, but there is a sinister aspect to Breen that I just don't pick up from Wiseau.       

[RyanSz 3140]

On 1/7/2020 at 3:46 PM, Liz C. said:

This is DEFINITELY true. Years ago, after we watched Double Down, a friend who is a journalist reached out to Neil for an interview because he was doing a single night screening of Fateful Findings shortly thereafter in our city. He sort of bristled at the request, implying that he knew what my friend was trying to do (make fun of him, he assumed) and declined, saying that he could reach out to his publicist for a copy of the film but he would absolutely not be granting an interview. I don't think he was going to make fun of him! I think Neil was just not about to open himself up to that possibility at all. Bet he's pretty mad at this episode.

Oh I definitely expect there to be some kind of knockoff HDTGM type characters that die in brutal suicides in his next film.